Remains of John Boyse

IN this Text two points are to beediscussed especially.

First, the goodness of God who soundes a woe, before he sends a woe.

Secondly, the wickedness of man, in drawing iniquity.

Touching the first, in holy writ we find two kinds of woes: a woe of Condoling, and a woe of Condemning. Condoling, as Psalm. 1 •… 0. Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Misery. Mica. 7. 1. Woe is me for I am as the Grape gleaning of the Vintage. And in this Prophesy Chap. 6. verse. 5. Woe is me for I am undone. This kind of woe nothing at all, or very little concerns our present Text: that other is twofold, to wit, a woe of instruction, and a woe of destruction: or in plainer terms a woe denounced, and a woe executed.

The woe whereof I am now to treat, and many moe both after and before these words. As woe to them that join house to house, and field to field: Till there be no place for others in the Land. Woe to them who rise up early to follow drunkenness: Woe to them who speak good of evil, and evil of good: are but warnings, and so, by consequent, armings against that heavy woe of destruction, which in the end of the Chapter is threatened by a nation that shall come from far with arrows that are sharp, and all their bows bent, with horses having hoofs like flint, & with Chariots having wheels like whirlwinds, roaring as the Lyon, or as the roaring Seas; Executing the judgments of God upon the men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, in such sort that none shall deliver them.

In the days of security, to sound out the woes of severity is not welcome, though it be wholesome: it is harsh unto flesh and blood, unto such as are at ease in Zion: unto such as have made a league with death, and with hell agreement, unto such as dream of peace when there is no peace; Saying to the seers see not, and to the Prophets prophesy not unto us right things, but speak flattering things, Isaiah▪ 30. 10. But the Thundering of woe is wholesome to such as have hearts and ears to suffer the words of exhortation. It is so far from either bringing or hastening of woe, as that (if it work true repentance) it doth often defer, and sometime deliver us from a woe hanging over our heads: Howsoever the wicked had rather once feel, then ever fear destruction and woe: yet it is an argument of God's infinite rich mercy (who desires not the death of a sinner) first, to become a Preacher, and then a punisher; First to sound a woe, before he send a woe: First to speak to us in his wrath, before he vex us in his sore displeasure. Psal. 2. 5.

So we read that he did enjoin his Prophets to cry aloud, & to lift up their voice like a Trumpet in showing his people their transgressions, and to the house of Jacob their sins: And Christ albeit he were the Prince of peace Isaiah. 9. 6. did choose some for his Apostles who were the Sons of Thunder, so well as others who were the Sons of Consolation, and after ascending up on high and giving gifts unto men, Ephes. 4. 8. He bestowed upon his Apostles not only cloven, but all so fiery tongues, Acts. 2. 3. That they might not only direct, but also correct: as S ^t . Paul speaks improve rebuke, &c. As Nazianzen wrote of Basil, that they might lighten in their doings, and thunder in their doctrines. In this Chapter at the 6. verse the preachers are compared unto clouds, I will command the clouds that they rain no more rain upon my Vineyard, That is, the pastors & teachers that they preach no more. When the Lord (saith Augustine ) by the mouths of his ministers denounceth a woe, then he thunders in the clouds: But when they bring the glad tidings of salvation, he distilleth as it were drops of his mercy, sending a joyful rain tha •… refresheth his inheritance; God as an exquisite musician twines the strings of our hearts every way, that he may put us in tune, he hath a longing desire that the tears of our repentance may quench utterly the Coals of his displeasure, for albeit the Axe be laid unto the root of the tree: yet shall it not be hewn down so long as there remains any hope for fruits of amendment. It is true that God (if men will not turn) hath his Bow bent and ready, but as he that shoots to hit another, hath the string of his Bow upon his own breast: Even so God in drawing the Bow to shoot the bitter arrows of his wrath against us, hath his hand on his heart and in the midst of his anger he remembers mercy, Abacuc. 3. 2. Denouncing a great many woes, before he will execute as much as one woe.

This exceeding kindness and long suffering in God, commendat et emendat, as Augustine speaks, it recommends God as a pattern teaching us to be merciful as our Father in heaven is merciful. Is the Lord gracious, full of pity, long suffering and of great goodness: Then I beseech you, be followers of God as deer children, Ephes. 5. 1. As God said unto Moses, Exod. 25. 40. So I say to thee, fac secundum exemplar, perform that which is good according to the pattern. Do not rashly judge, much less condemn any man before the time, but expect amendment in thy greatest enemy, hope the best even of the worst, although he draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with cart-ropes.

Secondly, the bountifulness and long suffering of God lead us to repentance, Rom. 2. 4. For that which is counted of man slackenesse, is in God patience, desiring that no man should perish, but all should amend and be saved, 2. Pet. 3. 9. If we shall harden our hearts and neglect the woes of instruction, undoubtedly the woes of destruction will one day come upon us. If we continue not only to sin, but to delight in sin: and not only to delight in sin, but to boast of sin: and not only to boast of sin, but also to justify sin; As to make good evil, and evil good, drawing iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a carte rope: What do we but heap upon our selves wrath, against the day of wrath: and of the declaration of the just judgment of God.

The diseases of our age through a long peace, grow for the most part by riot and excess, and consequently have not so much use of restoratives, as need of lancing and corrasiues: when the wounds of the people, saith Cyprian, are tumentia, then the preachers as good Surgeons must open the swelling veins of pride, & launce the puffed-up impostumes of greedy desires, then it is their duty to cry, woe be to those that are mighty to drink wine; woe be to those that are wise in their own sight: woe be to those who justify the wicked for reward. In a word, the best music for our times is that of the Angel, Apocalypse. 8. 13. Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth.

And because men have despised the Prophets and stoned, (if not with hard flint, yet with hard speeches and usage) such as have been sent unto them early & late: Therefore God makes the very dumb creatures to Preach and sound out his woes in the midst of a perverse generation. The foundations of the earth quaking and shaking under our feet, have denounced a woe: the roaring waves, and raging floods overwhelming some parts of the dry land, have denounced a woe. The great frosts, and great snowes, and great storms have denounced a woe: unseasonable weathers turning our Winters into Summers, and Summers into Winters have denounced a woe. Many strange signs and wonders in Heaven have denounced a woe. The blazing star the last year was (as Augustine said of the star directing the wise men to the place where the blessed Babe lay) magnifica lingua coeli the stately tongue of heaven. And as we have heard, so have we seen what great wonders it hath prognosticated in the City of God. Holcott makes mention of certain strange flies in Norfolk, devouring about the beginning of harvest almost all the blades of corn, the which had imprinted on their painted wings these two words IRA DEI, vpō the one wing IRA, vpō the other DEI. Beloved he that runs may read in all the woes denounced against our Land IRA DEI: the wrath of God, inviting us to break off our sins: and by true repentance to cease from drawing iniquity with cords of vanity, and wickedness as it were with a carte rope.

That draw sin: To hale sin is to use all allurements, occasions and excuses to harden the conscience in sin: for the wicked hunt after sin enē with such a greediness that iniquity draw •… not them so much as they draw iniquity, mak •… sin strong by their wickedness. To draw wickedness with cords, is nothing else but to heap sin upon sin, binding sins together, as the wiseman speaks, adding to bad thoughts bad words, and to bad words bad deeds: until the threads of iniquity by wrething grow to be Cords, and the cords in fine become so great as Cart-ropes. It is reported in the Gospels history that Christ raised from the dead Iayrus daughter newly dead, the Widows son dead and wound up, and lying on the hearse, and Lazarus dead and buried and stinking in the Grave. Now these three sorts of Coarses (as Augustine notes) are three sorts of sinners▪ sayrus daughter lying dead in her Fathers house resembleth all those that sin by inward consent; the widows son being carried out of the gates of the City those that sin by outward act: Lazarus dead and buried four days, those that sin by continual habit; being dead saith Augustine, the first day by conceiving sin, the second by consenting to sin; the third by committing sin: the fourth by continuing in sin. The bands that tied his hands and feet were his sins, according to that of Solomon, Eccles. 5. 22 The wicked is taken in his own iniquity, & holden with Cords of his own sin. Consenting to sin is one cord, acting of sin another, continuing in sin a third, and a threefold cord is not easily broken, Eccles. 〈◊〉 . 12. If we writhe these cords of vanity big •… er and bigger, adding to custom in sin, boasting in sin, to boasting defense, to defense presumption: At the last they will grow so great as cables & cart-ropes, & so become fetters in this world, and eternal chains in the next: Whips on earth and boults in hell, and therefore woe to them that draw, &c.

Christ in the 2. Chapter of S ^t John at the 15. verse, made a scourge of cords and whipped out of the Temple such as bought and sold therein, the strings of this whip, as Augustine & Jerome note, were made of the cords of their vanity. For all evil which we suffer in goods or good name, either outwardly in our bodies, or inwardly in our souls, proceedeth altogether from that evil which we do, sceleris in scelere supplicium, sin like a penitent frier scourgeth it self; As the worm devouring the nutt is bred in the nutt: so the punishment of sin is bred in sin, Cognatum, imo innatum omni sceleri sceleris supplicium.

Sickness is a scourge, but it is made of the Cords of our own vanity. So S ^t Paul. 1. Cor. 11. 30. Hence many are weak & sick. &c. So Christ in the 5. Saint John at the 14. verse, behold thou art made whole, sin no more. Insinuating that the sores of the body come from the sins of the soul, all weakness from wickedness, all infirmity from iniquity▪ woe therefore.

Dearth and Barrennes of ground is a main string of God's whip against sin, but it is made of the Cords of our own vanity. When the Land (saith the Lord) sinneth against me by committing a trespass, then will I stretch out mine •… nd upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it. If ye will not obey me and hearken to my commandments: I will make your Heaven as Iron: And your Earth as Brasse: Your strength shall be spent in vain, neither shall your Land give her increase, neither shall the trees of the Land give their fruit, woe therefore.

Extreme poverty is a scourge too, but the wicked draw his heavy burden upon them especially with the Cart-ropes of their own iniquity. For while they waste their estates in riot, and spend their days in idleness, no wonder if poverty come upon them as a trauailour, and necessity like an armed man. A trauailour knocks at our doors before we look for him, and an armed man is so strong that we cannot easily resist him, and therefore woe to them, &c.

Dishonor and ignominy is a scourge likewise, but it is made of the cords of our own vanity. For good deeds are the very Matrix of a good name, honest and honorable report is the shadow that follows the body of virtue, so that the righteous are had in an everlasting remembrance, their memorial is blessed sweet as honey in all mouths, and pleasant in all ears, as music at a banquet of wine; But the name of the wicked shall rott, Pro. 10. 7. Their memory shall perish with them, Psal. 9. 6. And therefore woe to them, &c.

Beside these and infinite other outward scourges, there is an inward whip of the soul made of the cords of vanity; To wit, horror and hell of conscience: for albeit the wicked be fat and lusty, though he come to no misfortune like other men: though he flourish like a green baytree: though his sheep bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in his ground, though his oxen be strong to labor and no decay in his cattle: Yet intra est quod contra est, howsoever it be without him, he hath that within him, which is against him; so that he can neither delight in company, nor solace himself alone, neither sport in the fields, nor rest in his bed, ut everywhere his manyfold foul sins are so many foul fiends unto him. As when Gain had slain his brother Abel, albeit there were no Justices or Constables to make hue and cry after him, as Luther and Calvin expound the place; Yet he said whosoever findeth me shall slay me, alas who could see! and yet he was afraid of every bush, of every bird in the bush, of every feather in the bird; For his guilty conscience was as a thousand witnesses to accuse him, as a thousand Judges to condemn him, and as a thousand hang-men to torture him, therefore woe to them, &c.

Behold yet a greater woe, for the cords of vanity do not only make scourges to whip the wicked in this world: but they be Bolts and fetters of hell also. For as we read Math. 13. 30 When almighty God shall come to judgment he will command his angels to bind the tares and burn them, and in the 22. Chap. of Saint Math. 13. To bind him hand and foot which had not on the wedding garment, and to cast him into utter darkness. Now these bands and fetters are nothing else but the sins of the reprobate, the cords of their vanity, the cart-ropes of their iniquity. Wherewith they shall be so fast bound, as that they shall never be loosed again. For as the darkness of hell is an everlasting night, and the fire of hell everlasting burnings, the worm never dying, the woe never ending; So the bands of hell, as Saint Jude ter •… es them, are everlasting chains, and therefore woe to them.

The word Vanity, hath a great many significations, it is used for inutile, that is a thing without any profit or use. So sin is a vanity, godliness is great gain, not only gain, but great gain in comparison whereof the winning of the whole world is loss. But sins are unfruitful works of darkness, Ephes. 5. 11. What profit had ye, quoth Saint Paul unto the Romans, in those things whereof ye are now ashamed. and the wise-man bringeth in the reprobate complaing at the last day. What hath pride now profited us, and the pomp of riches brought us.

Secondly, vanum is used for falsum, a lying and a false thing opposed to verum. And so sin is a vanity, Pro. 11. 18. The wicked worketh a deceitful and false work. In sinning he deceiveth as much as he can, almighty God: Honouring him with his lips, but his heart is far from him, Isaiah. 29. 13. He deceiveth his neighbor also talking of vanity with his neighbor and seeking after lies, using false balances and light weights, but in conclusion he deceiveth him else most. He that soweth righteousness shall receive a sure reward; but the wicked worketh a deceitful work, for whatsoever he propoundeth for his end, the wages of sin is death, and he that followeth evil seeketh his own death, Pro. 11. 19.

Thirdly, Vanitas is used for imperitia, that is, vnskilfullnesse & ignorance. So the Grammarian who contended in Aulus Gellius with Apollinarius the Philosopher about the sign fication of words, maintained confidently that vanus and stolidus are all one; The vain man is the foolish man, Vanus est mente vacuus. And according to this acception also, sin is vanity: for goodness in the Scripture is termed wisdom, & vice folly: Sinners and fools in the language of Canaan are Synonima, Pro. 1. 7. The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. And Solomon in the same Chapter afterward speaking of sinners and sinful courses, saith, O ye foolish? how long will ye love foolishness. In the dialect of the wiseman it is plain, that the greatest sinner is the greatest fool; To look no further then that which is before our eyes in this present Chap. The proud man & covetous who 〈◊〉 field to field, and house to house: that he may be placed in the midst of the earth alone, shows himself a vain fool. For nothing could befall him worse then to have his own wish: How could he till his ground alone? How could he reap the fruits thereof alone? How could he Domineere in his houses alone? How could he vain man enjoy his glory, were there none to magnify him and to humor him in his grea •… nes?

So he that is mighty to pour in strong drink, shows himself a vain man in overthrowing his own body: being only strong to make himself weak; he should eat and drink to be strong: but not strong to eat and drink. Is not he reputed a very fool that will strike none but him that is next him, and who so near thyself, as thine own self?

So he that is wise in his own eyes, and prudent in his own sight, is a vain fool: For there can be no greater argument of folly then to be so conceited of our own wit, that we scorn to learn of others. Heretics are therefore the masters of error, quoth Augustine, because they never were the Scholars of truth; And that which Opt •… tus reporteth of Victor, may be well affirmed of all Heretics, namely that they be Sons without Fathers, Soldiers without Captains, and Scholars without Masters.

So he that doth justify the wicked for a reward, is a very fool, for that one bribe may prove mors in oll •… , like Colloquintida that mars the whole pott of pottage: a Canker that will fret the rest of his esta •… e good it may seem for the present purchase (as it is said of Chauking of Land in the Country proverb) but ill in fine for his heirs, Ex male quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres.

So he that speaks good of evil, and evil of good is a very fool: For by telling so many lies, he gains only this credit that none will believe him when he speaks a truth.

It is objected out of Saint Luke. Chap. 16. verse. 8. That the children of this world, are wiser then the children of light. Answer is made by the Doctors upon the place, that Christ accounts them wiser, not absolutely, but only, secundum quid, in some case more crafty; They be not wis •… r in genere, but in genere suo: for as one said of S ^r . Thomas More, that he was either a foolish wiseman, or a wise foolish-man: Even so the wicked are wisemen in foolish things, and foolish men in wise things: wise to do evil (as the Prophet speaks) but to do well they have no knowledge. All their sly tricks like the needless curiosities of Schoolmen, are but Cobwebs of learning, all the fine threads of their subtlety nothing else but cords of vanity.

Thus I have plainly delivered how sin is a Vanity, and how sinful acts are cords of vanity: Whipping the wicked on earth, and binding thē hand and foot in hell; and so consequently that a woe hangs over their head, who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with Cart •… opes.

This should teach us to fly from sin as a Serpent, and to fly to Christ as our sole Savior, who died for our sins, and is risen again for our justification; If we be truly grafted unto him, all our sin is his, and all his righteousness ours. And so though happily we may be full of Condoling woe, and shall be free from Condemning: though our spiritual enemies are stronger, and our grievous sins are greater then we; yet as God said to Rebecca, the greater shall serve the lesser. In Christ all thi •… gs are ours, and all things quoth Paul, even Sin it self quoth Augustine, even the Devil himself quoth Luther, work together for our good, yea for the best, if we love God in his Christ. Heale us thenô Lord and we shall be healed: save us and we shall be saved: Deliver us from eternal woe that we may be blessed with everlasting happiness in thy kingdom of glory: where we shall ever be sure to be free from sorrow, because free from sin; Ceasing to draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with cart-ropes.

C Hrist is Alpha and Omega, Reu. 1. 8. As Isaiah speaks in this Chap. at the 4. verse, the first and the last: and that unto us, as well as in himself, being yesterday and today, and the same forever. Heb. 13. 8. And therefore the Church allots a proper Scripture for every Sunday throughout the whole year; begins and ends her devout service with the coming of Christ. For the first sentence declared in the Gospel appointed for the first Sunday, is, behold thy King cometh unto thee. And the conclusion of the last Gospel on the last Sunday, this of a truth is the same Prophet that should come into the world: which occasioned Petrus Machado to term this order, annulus Christianus, as it were the Christians round or ring.

So the Church in observing this high and holy time, makes the birth of our Lord, and appurtenances of the same, the first and the last object of all her solemn devotions, other holy days in deed come between the feasts of his Nativity, Circumcision, and Epiphany, but all of them are called Christmas, dedicated only to Christ's honor, and the reason (as some conjecture) why Saint Stephen, and Saint John, and the blessed Innocents are mentioned above the rest of the Saints, is to show that Christ came into the world to save men of all sorts, of whatsoever degree; the Chiualrie represented by Saint Stephen a resolute Knight and warrior in the Lord's battle: The Clergy represented by S. John styled the Divine: The Commonaltie or Infantrie, represented by the children Herod slew. Or intimating that Christ was borne for men of every several age, for men of perfect strength, as Saint Stephen: For old men on their Crouches, as Saint John, who lived after Christ was dead, as Jerome reports in his life, 68. years, being (as Baronius avoweth) at his dying hour 106. years old: Lastly, for Infants in their Cradles, as the blessed Innocents. Or it may be these Saints are honourably remembered at Christmas rather then other, because Christ saith, if any will follow me, let him forsake himself & take up his Cross, Mat. 16. 24. The servant is not greater then his Master; if they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also, John. 15. 20. Now Bernard & other Doctors say there be 3. kinds of suffering or martyrdom in Christ's cause; The 1. In will & in act, as that of Saint Stephen, the 2. In will, but not in act, as that of Saint John: the third in act but not in will, as that of the Bethelemitish Innocents. And so Christ, as it is said, Cant. 5. 10. Is white▪ and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand: as one featly, but I censure not how featly, Candidus in Iohanne, rubicundus in Stephano, electus ex millibus in Innocentibus.

This Scripture then is chosen aptly for a Christmas Sunday, promising that in type, which we now see performed in truth, namely that Christ our Lord is the deliverer of Zion out of her Captivity, the Comforter, abettor, strength, helper, in a word, the redeemer of his people, from the hands of all their enemies, & from the bands of all her sins. In this verse (which is Capitulum Capitis, as it were the Chapters abridgment) two points are to be considered especially.

• 1. The weakness of the Church in respect of her self, as being a worm, and as a dead man.
• 2. The strength of the Church in respect of her Savior, saying, fear not, I will help thee: this I have said, and this I will have done, being powerful and able; because the Lord, pitiful and willing, because thy redeemer, faithful and true, because the holy one of Israel.

The Lord calleth elsewhere Jacob his chosen, Israel his possession, Judah his Sanctuary, Israel his dominion, an holy Nation, a Kingdom of Priests, an holy tree, springing of an holy root, a people peculiar to himself, enclosed as it were from the Commons of the whole world. But here considering their present affection and miserable condition under Captivity, he takes a better course with them in omitting these glorious titles, and comparing them unto worms and men that are dead: for this he shows more;

That he greatly cares for them, although they seem most abject in the worlds eye. Fear not I am with thee, be not afraid: I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, and help thee, and sustain thee, with the right hand of my justice. Howsoever now thou beest nothing, yet I will so succor thee, that all the men of thy strife shall be confounded, ashamed, perish, and come themselves to nothing. Behold I will make thee a roller, and a new threshing instrument having teeth, and so thou shalt thresh the mountains, and grind them to powder, and make the hills as chaff.

A word spoken in his place, saith Solomon, is like aples of gold, with pictures of silver: He therefore which is set apart for the gathering together of the Saints, and the work of the ministry, must (as S ^t . Paul exhorts) divide the word of truth aright. He must, as the Baptist in preparing way for his Lord, exalt the valleys and make the mountains low. Men are made mountains two ways, either assuming too much unto themselves out of their own merit, or else presuming too much upon God's mercy: and on the contrary men are valleys, in contemplating their great faults, and little faith, humbled in their sin, and in their suffering for sin; And therefore the man of God ought to dig down Mountains by denouncing Iudgments, and to raise valleys by pronouncing mercy. He must, as Ambrose said, be like a Be, applying the I awes sting to the proud in heart, but the Gospel's honey to the poor in Spirit.

It is written in the Law, that if a man goeth unto the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand strikes with the axe to cut down the tree: If the head slip from the helm and hit his neighbor that he die, the same shall fly to one of the Cities appointed for refuge and live; Such as handle the word indiscreetly without any distinction of times, or places, or persons, or circumstances of sin: makes the head of the axe (saith Gregory the great) to fly from the helm, and so they kill unadvisedly their brethren. And these ghostly Fathers use Christians, as the Jews did Christ hanging on the Cross, when his thirsty soul called for some comfortable potion, they gave him gall and vinegar to drink. The word of God must dwell in us plenteously, but in all wisdom, Col. 3. 16. We must hear it in all wisdom, read it in all wisdom, meditate on it in all wisdom, speak of it in all wisdom, especially preach of it in all wisdom, not only in some but in all wisdom. For all is little enough, considering the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

By Jacob (ye which are verst in the Bible know well) is meant the seed of Jacob, all God's people descended from his loins, here called a worm: And as Tremellius and our old English translations, a little worm, in respect of their abject estate first in Egypt, and afterward in Babylon, a silly worm. In quo (saith one▪) nihil est quod quis aut amet aut metuat. So the next clause doth expound this in the judgment of Calvin, ye dead men of Israel, in such a wretched and base slavery, that ye resemble men which are dead: even past all hope to be restored and raised again to your former glory. God's people were not dead indeed, but as it were dead to many purposes under their Captivity: They did not lead vitam vitalem, a lively life, being as Socrates and ^u Plato said of mariners, neither among the dead nor yet among the living; And (as Saint Paul of a Widow spending her days in pleasure) dead while they live. For so the Scripture speaking Hyperbolically calls those dead who live in extreme perils, and deep dangers: as Psalm. 116. 3. The snares of death compassed me round about, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: and Psalm. 86. 13. Thou Lord hast delivered my Soul, that is, my person and life, from the nethermost hell, even the pit of the dead, or the grave. So the Prophet Ezekiel entreating of this argument in his 37. Chapter compares the men of Israel under bondage, to dry bones in the mids of a field. These bones are of the house of Israel, behold they say, our bones are dried, and our hope is gone, and we are cut off a •… branches from the tree. Therefore Prophecy unto them, and say: Thus saith the Lord God, behold my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your Sepulchers and bring you into the Land of Israel again. As there is a spiritual resurrection from sin, and an eternal resurrection a •… the last day from the grave: So likewise a temporal resurrection from affliction in this world. So the Lawyers term those civilly dead, which are banished out of their Country. There is between Exilium and Exitium so little difference, that it sounds well enouge in a Latin ear, to call such as are condemned to perpetual Exile, Capite damnatos, men appointed to die.

Other, instead of dead men, of Israel, read few men of Israel, as our new Bibles in the margin, so the Septuagint's and their translator, Israel parvulus, little Israel, and Procopius in his commentary, Perpaucus Israel, as being in this adversity, little for number, and less in account, despised Israel as the translation, Hen. 8.

Thus I have delivered unto you the plain story, but for as much as all the faithful are the Sons of Abraham, and true Iacobins, as Augustine said, more Israel then Israel it self, the most and best expositors, as well ancient as moderne, extend this not only to the sons of Jacob according to the flesh, but also to the seed of Jacob according to the spirit, that is, to the Church of Christ afflicted and persecuted under Antichrist in in spiritual Babylon:

And so these times have made a large Commentary upon this text: For Jacob is a worm trodden under foot in Italy, trodden under foot in Spain, trodden under foot in France, trodden under foot in Austria, trodden under foot in Poland, trodden under foot in Germany, Persecuted by the red Dragons might and malice throughout the Wilderness of the whole world, and the friends of Jacob are but loving worms, a few men, and they by the designs of Antichrist, & his bloody ministers the Jesuits, appointed to die, for Christ's sake killed all the day long.

This Scripture then is a parallel unto that, Cant. 2. 2. Like a Lily among the thorns, so is my love among the Daughters: and to that Ecclesiastes. 9. 14. There was a little City and few men in it, & a great King came against, and compassed it about, and built forts against it. And to that of our blessed Savior in the Gospel, affirming that his Church is a little flock in the mids of Wolves.

Now that which is said in general of Christ's whole body mystical, is verified in particular of every member, as every sliuer of a bone is bone: So every son of Jacob, every true believer baptized into Christ is a worm, and as a man that is dead. A worm not in respect of his human condition only, John. 23. 6. Man is a worm, even the Son of man but a worm, saying to corruption thou art my Father, and to the worm thou art my Mother and my Sister. But in respect of his Christian estate much more being vilified and accounted in the worlds esteem, a worm and no man, a scorn of men, and outcast of the people: yea the filth of the world, and off-scouring of all things, 1. Cor. 4. 13. His soul quoth David is filled with the contemptuous reproof of the rich. To good Men and Angels an object of pity: To bad Men and Angels an object of envy: To both a gazing stock. Bernard. Ser. •… 1. Inter paruos sermons. And with the despightfullnesse of the proud, a gazing stock to Men and Angels, infaelicitatis tabula, Calamitatis fabula, the Map of misery, the table talk, yea tabret, as Job speaks unto the wicked. Ye believe this, I know, because ye daily see this; not in the tents of Kedar only, but in the high streets of Jerusalem also: the greater doubt is how the Christian is said here to be Dead.

For the better understanding whereof, observe that spiritual death in Jacob, is threefold; to wit.

A Death, of

• Sin; For how shall we that are dead to sin, live therein, Rom. 6. 2.
• The Law; Through the Law, I am dead to the law, Gal. 2. 19. That is, saith Luther, against that accusing & condemning Law, I have another law which is Grace, & Liberty: which accuseth the accusing, and condemneth the condemning Law.
• The world,
  • Active; Whereby the world is dead unto Jacob, renoūcing the pomps thereof, and accounting all things loss to win Christ.
  • Passive; Whereby Jacob is dead to the world, which hateth and persecuteth him for Christ's sake.

The sum of all is, that a Christian is dead to sin, and alive to God. Dead to sin, (as Judicious Melancthon ) in respect of sins imputation and efficacy. In respect of imputation, for albeit some relics of old Adam remain in the new man, yet as the Scripture speaks, all his offenses are covered, there is no condemnatiō unto them which are in Christ. God sees none iniquity in Jacob▪ no transgression in Israel, Num. 23. 21. As for sins efficacy, whereas the motions of sin in an unregenerate man, have force to bring forth fruit unto death, Rom. 7. 5. He that is borne of God sinneth not, 1 John. 3. 9. As being a patient, rather then an agent in sin, saith Bernard▪ or as Primasius, he doth not live to sin, but to Christ who died for his sin. Thus I live quoth Paul, Gal. 2. 20. Yet not I now, but Christ liveth in me; Christ himself is the life which I now live: In this regard he and I are both one quoth Luther vpō that place; this seems a very strang manner of speaking, I live, I live not: I am dead, I am not dead: I am a sinner, I am not a sinner: I live not now as▪ Paul, but Paul is dead; who is it then that doth live? the Christian; our corrupt estate subject to sin, and concupiscence, is called the old man: But our person reformed in and by Christ is the new man: Augustine pithily, Christianus est quod ammodo duplex, every single Christiā susteyneth a double person, as Hector Pintus upon our text, duplex est in me ego, one I that lives according to the flesh, and another I that lives according to the spirit. As the penitent wanton in S ^t . Ambrose, (who courted by his old love, Cur non respicis, ego sum? ) answered, sed ego non sum ego: Though you be still the same woman, I am become another man: I live indeed in the flesh, but not through the flesh, or according to the flesh, for I am Crucified unto the world, and the world is Crucified unto me; The truth, is I live by faith in the Son of God, I am grafted into Christ, and the graft doth live not of it self by the sap of the stock. We are twigges, and Christ is the tree, without him we can do nothing, John. 15. 5. But in him, and through him all things, Philip. 4. 13.

Thus a Christian is dead to sin, dead to the law, dead to the world actively: the which exposition is entertained of many learned interpreters: but that Jacob is passively dead unto the world, as being hated & persecuted of the world, (as the blessed Apostle speaks of himself) for Christ's glory dying daily, is the fitter, and as I think the fuller gloss, coming nearer home to the point, and to the pith of the matter, intended here by the spirit. And so, by this place you may learn the meaning of another hard phrase, 1. Cor. 15. 2 •… Baptized for dead, that is, afflicted and reputed as dead. I know there be diverse readings and interpretations of that text, but upon an exact inquiry ye shall understand this to be most agreeable to the words, & to the scope of Saint Paul's argument▪ To the words because Baptism is used elsewhere for affliction, as Luk. 12. 50. I must be Baptized with a Baptism, and how am I grieved till it be ended, and Math. 20. 22 Mark. 10. 38. Ye know not what ye ask (quoth our blessed Savior) to his ambitious Disciples harkening after earthly preferment in his Kingdom. Ye must first drink of the Cup, that I must drink of: and be baptized with the Baptism, that I am baptized with; that is, in the judgment of Theophilact, Euthymius, Ardens, and many more learned Divines; Ye must of necessity bear the Cross, before ye can wear the Crown: ye must enter into my Kingdom through many tribulations.

As for the scope Saint Paul in the words immediately following, shows that by baptized he meant afflicted, why are we Christians in Ieopardie every hour? If I have fought with Beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men, what aduantageth it me, if the Dead rise not again. Wherefore should Jacob and Israel endure so many losses and crosses, fightings without, and terrors within, trodden under foot like worms, and reputed as dead men in this world, were there not another world where they shall have fullness of Ioyes, and pleasures at God's right hand for evermore?

So have ye the first part of our Text explained, concerning the weakness of the Church in respect of her self: the second is the consideration of her strength in respect of her Savior: Who saith, fear not, I will help thee. The which is repeated often in this one Chapter, and that within the compass of a few lines, not only to show the dullness of our frail flesh, needing in adversity, promise upon promise, so well as in prosperity, precept upon precept: But to set forth also the fullness of God's infinite rich mercy, towards us vile Wormes. It is reported, Apo. 7. 2. That four bad Angels had power to hurt the Earth and the Sea, when we hear of their number, Four, we may fear; and when we hear of their nature, bad Angels, we may fear more. When we do read of a datum est, power and authority given unto them of God to hurt, we may fear most of all: But when we find their power limited that they must not hurt God's servants, we need not fear at all.

I saith the Lord, whose power is I am, and style, I will. Alas, man of himself is not able to do anything, he lives and moves, and hath all his being in me: my grace sustaineth him, by which he is whatsoever is his: He speaks optatiuely would to God, I will if God will; But I the Lord Indicatiuely, Imperatiuely, I will, be thou clean, I will ease you, I will strengthen thee, I will help thee. I the Lord who make the mountains to skip like Rams, & the little hills like young sheep: I who measure the Waters with my little finger, and the Earth with three of my fingers, and the Heavens with my span, Isaiah. 40. 12. Before whom all the Nations of the world are but as a drop of the morning dew that falleth upon the ground, Wis. 11. 19. I that am all in all, upholding all things by my power. I the Lord against whom there is no wisdom, neither understanding, nor counsel, Pro. 21. 30. No Wisdom of men, or Understanding of devils, or counsel of Angels is able to prevail. No Wisdom in Heavenly things, or understanding in Earthly things, or counsel in anything against me. Neither is my will inferior to my power, for I am thy Redeemer. I was borne for thee, I was circumcised for thee, I fulfilled all righteousness for thee; I died for thee, I rose again for thee, what could I have done more for thee, which I have not done? I have so loved thee that I gave myself for thee, to be both an offering, and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savor unto God for thee. I am heir of all things, and I am thine a child borne unto thee, a Son-giver unto thee. Fear not Jacob I am with thee, and with me thou shalt have all things also.

Doubt not of my promise, seeing I am the holy one of Israel. It is true that God is holy formaliter and effective, holy in himself, and making other holy: see my Book, Fol. 782.

But I Subscribe to their conceit: who by Sanctus, understand verax et firmus in promissis, I am holy, that is, firm and faithful in my promise: I am not as man that I should lie, neither as the Son of man that I should repent. Harke O Israel I have made a covenant with thee, that I will be thy God, and thou my people. I will not alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth, I will not shrink from it, I cannot deny myself, I keep my promise forever.

I begā this feast as you may remember here with a Christmas carroll: and I purpose to conclude with a Christmas close. If God be with us, who can be against us: The world will be against us, and the flesh against us, and the Devil against us. The world cries, Ego deficiam; the flesh, Ego inficiam; the devil, Ego interficiam. But it makes no matter so long as thy Redeemer crieth, Ego reficiam. I am the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come. Was in thy Creation: Is in thy preservation: and will boe in thy glorification. I who am always the same in my power, pleasure, promise, will be with thee till the Worlds end: and then thou shalt be with me world without end: Fear not worm Jacob. I can do this because the Lord, I will do this because thy Redeemer, I shall do this because the holy one of Israel.

I T was our blessed Saviors apophthegme, recorded by Saint Luke, Acts. 20. 35. Beatius est dare quam accipere: More blessed is it to give, then to receive: more blessed in respect of the life present, because giving bindeth others unto us, whereas receiving bindeth us unto others; and more blessed in respect of the life to come. Because he that giveth unto the Poor lendeth unto the Lord, and he will in due time recompense him, Pro. 19. 17. and that an hundred fold more, the which is termed by Saint Augustine the best and greatest usury.

Or more Blessed, in making us like to the most blessed, who giveth unto all men abundantly, being indeed (as one said) solus liberalis, only liberal, and the reason hereof is very plain, because God which is only good of himself, and absolutely good in himself, gives that which is his own; whereas men in giving all that they have, yea all that they are, give that which is another's, even his in due right, from whom alone cometh every good and perfect gift. Or in one word more blessed because to do good, is better a great deal then to suffer good; Now therefore that we may be blessed in doing happily: so blessed a work (which is never unseasonable, the poor being with us always) These four words in our text recommend four rules especially, concerning the giving of Alms.

First, Quo modo dandum? the manner how we may deal them: and that is noted in the word, Frange, break thy Bread.

Secondly, Cui dandum? the party to whom our dole should be given, and that is expressed in the word, Esurienti, to the Hungrie.

Thirdly, Quid dandum? what is to be given, and that is delivered in the word, Panem, deal Bread.

Fourthly, De quo dandum? upon whose cost, and that is joined in the word, Tuum, thy Bread.

There be two parts of equity, the first is, that we wrong no man, and the second is, that we do good unto all men: especially unto such as are in want, and adversity. The first is taught in the verse going afore: Is not this the feasting that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to take off the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? The second is enjoined in our text now, read, deal thy bread to the Hungrie: And these two must always go together, for it is not enough to refrain from oppression and violence, unless therewith we show bowels of compassion, and works of mercy towards our poor brethren in distress. Pure religion and undefiled before God, is to visit the Fatherless and Widdowes: and that thou bring the poor which are cast out, unto thine house: when thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and hide not thyself from thine own flesh.

The word break, shows the manner how bread ought to be dealt, the whole loaf may not be lavishly spent upon others, or wretchedly hourded up only for thyself, but it ought to be broken and imparted: First, to thyself, and then unto others. It is Christ's injunction indeed that we should give omni petenti to all that ask, but as Augustine glosseth it acutely, non omnia petenti, not all they will ask. We may not give so much at one time, that we leave nothing for another time: this indiscreet liberality, doth overthrow liberality, liberalitas liberalitate perit. As Jerome told Paulinus, they that precipitate themselves to pleasure their poor neighbors, are like powder in festival days, which to rejoice others spendeth it self. And therefore Solomon adviseth us to give frugally, so well as frankly, Pro. 5. 15. Drink waters out of thine own Cistern, and running waters out of thine own Well. And then that others may drink of thy Cup, and taste of thy bounty, let thy fountains slow forth, and rivers of waters in the street, but let them be thine, even thine only, and not the strangers with thee. Let the Cock run abroad, but keep thy Cistern to thyself, let the waters flow forth in the street, but let the Well-spring be thine still, and not the strangers with thee. The moral of Acteons fable devoured by his Doggs, is nothing else but that open handed Gentle men are many times undone by fawning parasites, who, like Pondes, are full in Winter, but in Summer when need is of them are dry: or like to Swallows creeping under the roofs of our houses in the spring, but when once cold weather is come, they be gone, flown away, leaving (as you know) nothing behind them but dung, foul speeches: And therefore be not so cruel unto thyself as to give thine Honor (quoth Solomon) unto others, Pro. 5. 9. Where Melancthon and other Divines observe, that riches are called Honor, because they give reputation and Honor in this world. Wherevpon as I conjecture in our common law, some Lordship’s are termed Honors. And great persons in unthrifty courses are said to loose so much of their Honor, as they sell of their Lands: Riches among worldlings are so honorable, that it is exceeding hard to distinguish fortune and virtue. The most impious (if prosperous) have ever been applauded, and the most virtuous (if unprosperous) have ever been despised: Or riches are called Honor, because being well employed they keep men in honest and Honorable courses; whereas a man in extreme beggary must do, not as he should, or as he would, but as he may, pauperies inimica bonis est moribus, omne labitur in vitium. As it is in the proverb, necessity hath no law, poverty parteth all good fellowship: An Ingenious man doth often that in his need, which is contrary to his own position, and disposition.

Be provident then in thy diuident, so break thy bread, that thou break not the staff of thy store, whereby the largesse, which is unto other a dole, may turn to thyself a dolour. The Lord loveth a cheerful giver, and therefore that thou mayst ever give, give frugally, starve not thyself to feed others, though hungry: let not the left hand of thy misery, know what the right hand of thy pity doth. If thou have plenty, give much, if thou have but a little be not afraid (said old Toby) to give of that little. Beneuolentia liberalitate potior, quia ditior haec moribus, quam illa muneribus. Ambrose: offic: lib. 1. c. 23.

Secondly, the word break, teacheth us not to give the whole loaf of our alms unto some on, but that we should impart it to diverse. So Munster and Tremellius here translate, vt partiaris es •… rienti panem, and other vt impertias, and our old translation, Ezech. 18. 7. Part thy bread to the Hungrie. So the Scriptures teach and the Fathers, the Psalmographer saith of the godly man, dispersit, dedit pauperibus. He dispersed abroad giving rather a little to many, then much unto few: so Saint Paul adviseth the Romans to distribute to the necessity of the Saints. Almighty God is termed, Luke. 16. 1. A rich man, as being infinitely rich in goodness and mercy. towards all, and every man is there called his Steward: as having much of God's rich treasure committed to his charge, which he may not expend as he will in idle prodigality, but as his Lord will in works of piety and pity. Now then (as Saint Paul telleth us) it is required of a Steward that he be found faithful; He must therefore deal his Lord's bread, like Gaius, faithfully, not only to some few whom he most affects; but he must in due season, and in due proportion also, feed the whole family. To break Bread is to give everyone his due portion of meat, and potion of drink.

Christ and his Apostles have taught this Lesson also by their practice. Christ in the 8. of Saint Mark feeding a great many with a few loaves, after he had given thanks brake the bread, and so all did eat and were sufficed: and it is reported of the blessed Apostles, Acts. 2. 45. That they parted the Churches stock: to all men as everyone had need.

Saint Ambrose to the same purpose pithily, non sunt profundendae opes, sed dispensandae, to break bread lavishly without discretion and order, is not▪ (as Bernard said in another case) dispensatio but dissipatio. The Stewards of God ought to have great care, saith Gregory the great, how they distribute to the necessities of the Saints. Vt ne quaedam quibus nulla, ne nulla quibus quaedam, ne multa quibus pauca, ne pauca praebeant quibus impendere multa debucrunt.

For it is Lawfull and expedient too, sometime to confer much upon one person, or upon one work, as to prefer a poor Mayden in marriage, to redeem a Captiue, to repair high ways, or to build a Synagogue. Wherein every good Christian is a learned school-man and a speaking Law to himself; In his private distributions he may deal his bread when he will, and where he will, as his own Charity, directed by God's holy word, moveth him. But in our public contributions every man is to be sessed by his neighbors: and in such a case not to be ruled by the best and most is a breach undoubtedly both of Law and Love. How Christ hath a long time been taught among you brethren, I well understand, but how you have learned him, I know not, I hope the best, only this I wish, that some whom it concerneth as an act of Justice, or other to whom it appertaineth as a matter of mercy, would (as occasion is offered) oversee those which are appointed overseers for the poor: Whereby the common loaf may be so parted, that our ears may not hear the lamentation of Jeremiah, the young Children ask bread, but no man breaketh it unto them.

The second point to be discussed is, Cui dandum, and that is here said indefinitely to the Hungrie; Whether he be good or bad, of whatsoever Condition or Country, Nation or Fashion. It is an apostolical precept, that we should do good unto all, especially to those which are of the Household of faith. Humanity bindeth us to perform the one, Christianity to the other. Ecclesiasticus in saying, give not to the ungodly, seems to confront our text; But his meaning is plain, that we should not help him as wicked but as a man. His naughtiness ought to be declined, but his nature cherished, his proper iniquity to be persecuted, but his common condition to be pitied, as being our own flesh, saith our Prophet in the latter end of this verse, Created according to God's own Image, and happily (for anything we know) hereafter to be sanctified, and in fine to be saved.

In the battle fought against Cinna at Ianiculum, one of Pompey's soldiers slew his own brother, and when he saw what he had done, instantly slew himself. Wherevpon Tacitus observed that our ancestors exceeded us, not only in glory of their virtue, but in grief also for their faults: Holcott makes mention of a certain savage beast that hath a face like a man, and yet in his hunger he kills men, and feeds on their flesh, but afterward going into the water to drink, and there beholding his own face, & so remembering that he had killed one like himself, presently forbears his meat, and for very sorrow pineth, until he perisheth. All men are our brethren as being lineally descended from our great Grandfather Adam; He therefore that denieth any man his helping hand in extremity, murdereth a brother: according to that of Saint Ambrose, si non pavisti, occidisti; in such a case not to fill him, is to kill him. Solomon in the 11. of Ecclesiastes, compareth a wight in distress, to the water, cast thy bread, saith he, upon the waters: And why so? because as in the water brooks, so in the watery looks of a poor Lazare thou mayst clearly see thine own fashion and face. Turn not away thine eye from beholding his countenance, though he seem never so despicable: but consider, and that seriously, this unhappy wretch is a man as well as I, and if our good God bless me not, I may become such a man as he: Blind as he: Naked as he: Forsaken of friends as he: Lamed in limbs as he: Maymed in mind as he. Whatsoever then I would that men should do unto me, let me, while I have time, do to them. I would that all men in such an agony should do good unto me, why then I am bound to do good unto all men.

Now for our direction in breaking bread to men of all sorts, two things are to be considered especially.

• Their Worth;
• Their Want;

All men are to be relieved in adversity, ▪yet more specially the Household of Faith: and among the faithful also the better man is to have the better maundie; for other things being alike, the nearer unto Christ, ought ever to be dearer unto us. He that believeth in him is our Brother and Sister and Mother: The soul of every man is next to himself, or rather (as divine Plato said) his own flesh; They therefore which are allied in good unto the soul▪ are more near then they which are allied in blood only to the body. Sanctior est copula cordium quam corporum, the conjunction of the spirit, is more high and holy, then any conjunction of the flesh. If the soul be the better gentleman, then alliance by the soul must of necessity be most honorable, but when our kinsman is a good man allied each way, both in respect of his generation and regeneration, undoubtedly two bonds are more strong then one. Such a man ought to have the prime place, both in our loves and loaves, John in his 3 Epistle, commending highly Gaius his hospitality, saith, he did faithfully to the brethren and strangers, he did entertain both the one, and other. But first, the Brethren, and then afterward Strangers: as Aretius expounds that text, or as Lo •… inus especially, strangers if Brethren. As for the want of our brethren, Isaiah saith here, deal thy bread to the Hungrie: So Job, I was a father to the poor, when thou makest a feast, invite the poor, saith our Savior, Luke. 14. 13. Laudent te, quoth Jerome, Esurientium viscera, non ructantium opulenta conuiuia, the feeding of the hungry Lazare, commonds thee more, then the feasting of the belching Epicure. It is lawful, I know, to feast our rich acquaintance, for Christ himself did grace, with his own presence, neighborly meetings, and friendly feasts, as opportunity served. The Phenix of Germany (reverend Melancthon I mean) was exceeding courteous in this kind, being often invited, and often inviting. Love-feasts, in the judgment of all Orthodox divines, are commendable, when moderation is one dish at the Table: But let us take heed lest happily we waste so much upon the pampering of great ones, as that we neglect some of Christ's little ones, lying & crying at our gates for hunger; It is a kind of sacrilege, quoth Jerome, rem pauperum dare non pauperibus, to bestow that portion of bread upon the haughty, which is properly due to the hungry. Woe to them saith Amos, that eat the Lambes of the stock, and the Calves of the stall, and drink wine in boules, but are not sorry for the affliction of Joseph.

And as in breaking of our bread, we should consider the want of the hungry; so likewise the true causes of their want, for that which our blessed Savior said of the Eunuch, Math. 19. 12. may be well applied unto the poor. Some be borne so, some made so by others, and some have made themselves so: Some borne poor, namely beggars children, & unregarded fatherless orphants, especially such as are Creeples or blind. Some made poor by others, and that either by the cruel oppression of men, as they whose Lands and estates have been devoured by biting usury, tedious suits in Law, cunning and crafty bargains: Or by the just hand of God, as the wounded sold •… er in the quarrel of his Country, the banckrout Merchant in suffering shipwreck, the decayed husbandman by fire consuming his goods, by murreyne consuming his cattle, by Catterpillers and mildewes consuming his fruits, by grievous plagues & sickness vexing himself and the rest of his Family: some be made poor by themselves, as the riotous spend all, and idle get-nothing.

Now they which are made poor by some great disaster, are to be relieved before those which have made themselves poor by their own disorder. The very Barbarians used no little kindness to Paul and his company, who suffered shipwreck, Acts. 28. Seneca though he never learned Christ as we, yet he could not but exceedingly deplore the lamentable destruction of Lions in France, consumed in one night stick & stone, by fire. Vna tantum nox interfuit inter ciuitatem maximam et nullam: At night that Citty was none, which in the morning was non-such; Quis taliafando temper et à lachymis? what man is so banckrout of good nature, senseless of misery, but is ready to do good to those of God's house, which have suffered insupportable losses, by wind, and water, and fire, whose very Mercies (as Solomon said of the wicked) are Cruelties.

As the Schoolmen say that there is ignorantia vincibilis, and inuincibilis: an ignorance which a man is able to conquer, and an ignorance which he cannot overcome; So there be 2. kinds of poverty, a vincible poverty which a good man overcomes by his industry; and an invincible poverty, that no man is able to resist, or repair: for (as the Scripture speaketh) it cometh upon him as one that travaileth, and as an armed man; So suddenly, so strongly, that no labor, or dolour, is able to withstand it; As for example, the diligent Merchant runneth his Ship into the furthest end of the world, to get goods and gold.

So the painful artificer, to provide for his family, riseth up early, and goes to bed lately, eating the bread of carefulness, as the Prophet speaks, Psal. 127. 3. So the toiling laborer, to sustain his poor charge, worketh until he be ready to sleep for very weariness, and then in his sleep, he dreams of his work. Yet of ten times it comes to pass, that these diligent, honest active men, are not able sufficiently to relieve their household, without help from others. And therefore let us in breaking our bread, remember Solomon's advise: Cast thy bread upon the waters; super aquas transeuntes; as it is in the vulgar latin, not upon standing waters, upon such as either stand in the Market, or sit in the Tavern all the day idle: But upon the stirring waters, upon industrious laborers in a lawful occupation, or office. Let the prodigal a little while feed on husks among swine: by the rules of the Gospel, and Laws of our Land, he that will not labor ought not to eat, he that will not learn of the Pismire to prepare his meat in Summer, and to prepare his food in harvest, he that is a Ludouicus nihil agens, a Lewis Do nothing, should have nothing of our liberality, but in extreme necessity; to conclude, the loyterer is to be punished, but the laborer to be cherished. If thou be neighbor to such an one, break thy bread to his hungry Soul: call him to thine house, cover him, and comfort him.

There be four strings of God's whip mentioned, Ezekiel. 14. 21. the Sword, Famine, Noysom beasts, and Pestilence. Now the most grievous of thē all is Famine: For what noisome beasts, & the Sword, and the Pestilence kill in a moment, there be many lingering deaths in hunger. Famine, saith Basil, is a disease that doth soon torture, yet slowly consume, destroying by little and little.

Well then if the greater misery, be the better object of mercy, deal thy bread to the hungry. So God which is the father of mercy, ^d satisfied the thirsty souls of Israel in the Wilderness, and filled their hungry souls with abundance. So Christ (which is our way for example, so well as truth in doctrine) filled the hungry with good things, Luke. 1. 53. This was Solomon's precept, Pro. 25. 21. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread, and it was Tobits practice, I gave my bread to those that were Hungrie, Tobit. 1. 16. And in the last day, the first good deed of the godly remembered by Christ and rewarded, is: I was hungry, and ye gave me meat. And the first ill objected unto the damned: I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat, I thirsted and ye gave me no drink.

The third point to be further examined is, quid dandum? and that is Bread: now there be three sorts of bread mentioned in holy Bible Sacramental, 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread; Doctrinal, John. 6. Labor not, saith our Savior, for the loaves, and for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat and bread, that endure to life everlasting; Corporal, Math. 4. 4. Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The bread here principally spoken of, is neither mental, nor sacramental; but corporal, and this kind in a strict acception is the loaf made of wheat, or the like grain, Gen. 14. 18. Melchizedek King of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: but in a more general and large signification it is used in holy Scripture, pro omni Comestibili, for all kind of food, as Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread, 2 Sam. 9. 10. King David said to Ziba. Mephibosheth thy Masters Son, shall eat bread always at my Table; that is, he shall fare so well as I fare, so well as one of the Kings Sons, as it is said verse the 11. And in the Pater Noster, give us this day our daily bread; Where Panis is Pan, everything fit and necessary for our present life.

Well then if in asking of bread, from God, thou wilt have it of the largest extent, take heed how you curtall it in this, and other commandments, concerning the giving of bread to thy poor brethren. As you beg bread of God, so break bread to the hungry, deal to him as occasion is offered, more then either Crust or crumb of thy loaf. Give so much as is necessary for his relief, bring him to thine house, cover him, and hide not thy face from thy flesh.

The fourth point is, de quo dandum, and that is expressed in the word Tuum, not the goods of another, but thy bread, si tuus, alms are a sacrifice pleasing unto God; now we may not present an offering to God of that which cost us nothing, as King David speaks, 2 Sam. 24. 24. Honor the Lord with thy riches, cast thy bread upon the waters, give thy garments unto the naked, and of thine abundance to such as have need. It must be thine first, and that acquired lawfully, not by Bribes, or oppression, or Forgerie: but thine by descent or purchase, thine by the sweat of thy Brows, in some honest occupation: or thine by the sweat of thy brains, in some commendable profession. Alms are not to be given (as one wittily said) except they first have sweat in a man's hand. It is not an act of Charity to rob Peter and pay Paul, or to build an Hospital for a few, by the ruins of many, for so you shall have more to curse you, then to bless you. If thou give, give that which is fit, ont of thine own Cistern, and own Well, and own substance, deal thy bread.

Or thy bread that is, such as thou thyself dost eat, qui tuus, thy dole may not be panis lapidosus as Fibius Verucosus speaks in Seneca, so hard to digest as a stone, no mouldy bread, no mustie bread, but wholesome and savory, such as thou wouldest have, wert thou to beg thy bread.

Or thy bread, that is, when it is thine, dum tuus est, as the blessed Apostle, Gal. 6. 10. While thou hast time, make thine own hands executors, and thine own eyes overseers, and thine own sons and servants, in thy household, witnesses of thy will in doing good. Halfe a loaf broken unto the hungry while thou livest, & hast it in thine own power and purse, procures thee more friends in the court of Heaven, then a whole loaf given after thy death, by heirs and asignes: If bread be thine, thus as I have told you, si tuus, qui tuus, dum tuus, deal thy bread to the Hungrie.

A good work is in it self a sufficient reward, Pro. 21. 15. It is joy to the just, to do Justice: much more to show mercy, for he which is full of pity, rewardeth his own soul, Pro. 11. 17. Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy, Psal. 41. 1. Blessed in His

• Temporal,
• Civil,
• Spiritual,
• Eternal,

Blessed in his temporal estate, both in respect of wealth and health. As for wealth, there is that scattereth, and yet is increased more, but he that spareth more then his right, shall surely come to poverty: The liberal person shall have plenty, or as other read, the soul of blessing shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall also have rain. God makes an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, Job. 1. 10.

As for his health, the Lord preserveth him, and keepeth him alive: that he may be blessed upon earth, the Lord delivers him in the time of trouble, the Lord comforts him when he lieth sick upon his couch, and makes all his bed in his sickness. To my remembrance (saith Jerome ) I never read of any that died an unhappy death, who lead a merciful life; concerning both health and wealth, our Prophet saith in the next words, If thou deal thy bread to the hungry, then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall grow speedily.

For his Civil estate, that is, reputation and honor: Learning and Valour are the virtues for which a man is most admired; but humbleness and bountifulness are the virtues, for which a man is best beloved. The loins of the naked bless him, and the tongues of the poor praise him, and the hearts of all men honor him; his memorial is blessed, and had in an everlasting remembrance, sweet as honey in all mouths, and pleasant in all ears as music at a banquet of wine.

For this Spiritual estate, the dealing of bread to hungry souls is acceptable to God, for his alms ascend, and come up in remembrance before God. Act. 10. 4. Where that he hath done faithfully to the least of Christ's little ones, shall be Construed as done to Christ himself, and it is very comfortable to himself also; which occasioned the blessed Martyr Tyndale to term monday and Saturday which he usually spent in visiting the sick, and relieving the poor, his own days of pastime: an happy recreation as Ambrose speaks, in alieno remedio Vulnera sua curare; To benefit our selves by helping other.

For his eternal estate, the poor man is the Mercurit▪ saith our Church, set by God in the way to Jerusalem above, whosoever will go thither must go by his door, pointing at the path of Paradise directly. He that Couers the naked shall put on Christ, and be Clothed with the long white robes of righteousness covering all his sin: he that brings the poor Cast-out into his house shall be received into everlasting habitation; he that hides not himself from his own flesh, shall enjoy the presence of Christ, and see God face to face. He that deals bread to the hungry, shall be satisfied with the plenteousnes of God's house, drinking of heavenly delights as out of the river, he shall have for a cup of Cold water which is the least alms, a Crown of glory which is the greatest of rewards, even fullness of Ioyes and pleasures at God's right hand for evermore.

T He Scripture considers man in a fourfold estate, the first of his confection, as being in his original integrity created according to God's own likeness. The 2. of his infection, as having by sin defaced this imprinted Image.

The 3. of his refection, as being renewed again by Christ which is the brightness of God's glory and express Character of his person.

The 4. of his perfection in the Kingdom of glory, when he shall enjoy God's presence, seeing him (as the blessed Apostle speaks) even face to face.

Our present text is a brief Chronicle reporting his first estate, namely the creation of man wherein two points are to be discussed, especially

• 1. The mystery of the most high and sacred Trinity creating.
• 2. The dignity of man Created,

The first is closely couched under these two words faciamus, and Imago, let us make, in the plural number, noting the Trinity, but in the singular Image, not Images, noting the unity: the word our imports moe then one, the word likeness one and no moe: this then in the Judgment of all orthodox Divines is meant of the three in heaven, the Father, the Word, & the Holy Spirit, which three are one. 1. John. 5. 7. Hereupon elsewhere termed according to the Hebrew phrase, God our makers. Job. 35. 10. psal. 149. 2. Isaiah. 54▪ 5. and Eccle. 12. 1. Remember thy Creators in the days of thy youth.

If this note seem to be forced and unkind, beside the stream of all antiquity, there be manifest and manifold reasons evidently demonstrating the same.

1. Man is the workmanship of the whole Trinity, Ergo these words of God, let us make, concern the whole Trinity, the antecedent is indeniable, because opera▪ Trinitatis quoad extra sunt cōmunicabilia, that is, all the works of the Trinity without it self are communicable, the works of the Trinity within it self are incommunicable; So God the father is said only to beget, God the son to be begotten, and God the holy Ghost to proceed; but all the works of the Trinity without it self are common unto three persons, and therefore Moses saith in the beginning of this chapter according to the words original, in principio dij creauit intimating the creation of the world to be the work of the whole Trinity. Creauit dij, three persons, but one God. It is bad latin yet good divinity, for God the son did create so well as God the father. John. 1. 3. by him all things were made, and God the holy Ghost also as well as God the son, for the spirit moved upon the waters. Gen. 1. 2. where by spirit we neither understand an Angel which is Caietans idle fancy▪ nor yet the wind as Tertullian and David Kimchi conceited: nor the piercing air as Theodorete imagined: but it was God's own spirit: whereby the creatures were fostered and formed. Job. 26. 13. His spirit hath garnished the heavens, and so divines ascribe the work of creation in the mass of the matter, unto God the father: In the disposition of the form, unto God the son: in the continuance and conservation of both, unto God the holy spirit: the consultation or rather agreement in saying, let us make man, is of the whole trinity wherein God the father, as the first in order, speaketh unto the son and holy Ghost, and the son and the holy Ghost speak it and order it with the father, the which because it is written for man's instruction is also spoken after the manner of men.

2. To whom I pray said God ( let us make man ) If not to God the son and holy Ghost? unto some Demi-gods, as Philo Iudaus a scholar of Plato most absurdly conjectured? or because the works and actions of men are partly good, and partly bad, that God he spake to some Cacodamon as the Manichees impiously dreamed, refering the making of that which is good unto God, but the making of that which is bad unto some badspirit. Ista refer est refellere, the very repetition of these fantasies is a sufficient confutation of them unto you who know that all which God made was good, yea very good, and that God in the beginning made man righteous, but they have sought many inventions. Eccl. 7. 31.

Or did God speak this in the plural after the manner of great Princes, only for his honor? Nos Radulphus Romanus Imperator mandamus &. As some Jews have fondly construed it. nb vcb vbi Answer is made that the stately style Nos, is not ancient, at the least not so gray▪headed, and Christian interpreters observe from Ibn Ezra who was himself a Jew; That the Scripture doth not afford such an example of any King or Potentate, who speaks of himself plurally, We will and Command. Again, Princes in our age use that style, that they might seem to do nothing alone, but all as it were by the Counsel of their Nobles and other great ministers of state. Whereas God neither needs nor admits any Counselor, and so consequently could not speak of himself in this sense, Let us make.

Or did God say this unto the beasts of the field, or unto the birds of the Heaven, or unto the fish of the Sea? Nō: for then the base should have made the more Noble, and the servants have created their Lord and master, for so the Scripture doth esteem man as Lord of the creatures: Rule (saith God) over the fish of the Sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over everything that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1. 28. All things are put in subjection under his feet. Psal. 8. 6. Again man was created according to his Image who spake this, and according to their Image to whom it was spoken; But he was not framed to the likeness of any beast. Ergo the conceit is brutish to think that Almighty God spake to beasts in saying, Let us make man.

Or did God speak this unto his glorious Angels? No, Because then creatures should have been creators; For albeit there be some question about the time when Angels were made, Yet it is without all controversy, that they were created, as Moses in his entrance, to this Book doth intimate, saying, In the beginning God created heaven and earth. That is (as himself doeth expound himself in the 4. Commandment.) The heaven and the earth, and all that is therein. And the blessed Apostle doth construe Moses, all things invisible as well as visible, Whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, For the same hand saith Augustine, that made silly worms creeping on the earth, created also the stately thrones singing in the heavens.

If God then uttered these words neither to the creatures more base, nor yet to his Angels excelling all earthly beauties; It is certain that they were addressed to God the Son, and to God the holy Ghost; And so without any further dispute, we may conclude, that the most ineffable mystery of the blessed Trinity in Unity, is in them obscurely touched and couched: I say not that it is here set down clearly, nor in any place of the Old Testament, lest happily God's people, the Jews, exceedingly given to superstition & Idolatry, should adore three gods instead of three persons, and so Tritheisme prove so bad as Atheism: Nay (beloved) in the New Testament where these mysteries are revealed more plainly, you may well note; That in the rehearsing of the Trinity, there is an Item for the Unity, as in the words of our blessed Savior. Mat. 28. 19. Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. He doth express three persons, Father, Son, and holy Ghost, But saying, In the Name, not names, He notes the unity of essence; For God is Vnus in Numine, Howsoever Trinus in numero, I and my Father saith Christ are all one. John. 10. 30. Vnum sumus, as Augustine pithily, not vnus, all one power, but not all one person. God the Father is not aliud, but alius, another person albeit not another essence then is God the Son. For in speaking of the Trinity we must especially take heed of two rocks, of Arius on the right hand, who together with the Trinity of persons maintained a Trinity of essences: of Sabellius on the left hand, who with the unity of essence maintained an unity of persons. These two we must heedfully shun, lest (as S. Paul speaks) we make shipwreck of faith, even sailing in the middle way, neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. But leaving this argument which is so high and hard, that a good Christian ought rather by believing to adore simply, then by disputing explore subtly, I come to speak of man's dignity more principally intended in our text, and more naturally gathered out of every word in the same.

1. Out of the word faciamus, When almighty God made light, he said only, Let there be light, and there was light, and when he made herbs he said only, let the ground bring forth herbs, and it did so, He spake the word and it was done, He commanded, and it was effected. Psal. 33. 9. But when he made man, he breathed himself, as Abbinus is bold to speak, and as Clemens Alexandrinus and other of the most ancient Doctors, He held a Counsel, let us make man, So that whereas all other creatures were made with his bare word only, man was framed as it were with his own hands, as Prosper hath it, hunc manibus, quo plus genitoris haberet, Dignatur formare suis.

Neither was this in respect of any hardness in the doing, for shall anything be hard to the Lord? Gen. 18. 14. If he had said only let man be made, as he said only, let there be a firmament, he could have done the one, as well as the other, and as easily; but it was to show the ^r greatness of the work: For as wise men in managing matters of importance, use the deeper consultation, and mature care, to perform them: Even so the scripture speaking after the manner of men, affirms of God, that he took here deliberation, and so commends the wonderful and exquisite workmanship of God in the creating of man as being a more noble creature then heaven itself.

2. The dignity of man's creation is much amplified by the circumstance of time when he was made, to wit, after all other things were created, for as Albinus and other observe, Deus imprimis parauit domum, et deinde dominum, Almighty God first created the whole world as an house, then he made man as the master of this house. God, saith Ambrose, like the feast▪ maker in the Gospels history, first prepared his dinner, he provided his oxen and his fatlings, and got all things ready, then he doeth invite his guests and say, come to the marriage. When he had created all things for man, he put man in possession of all, and sa •… d, Ruleouer the fish in the sea, & over the fowls in the heaven, and over everything that moveth upon the earth.

Again Serum concilium is Serium, & usually the last works of a cunning Artificer, are most absolute; S. Ambrose therefore doth observe, that God having framed man, instantly rested himself and made Holy-day. He made birds flying in the air, fish swimming in the Sea, worms creeping on the ground, and yet he did not rest. He made lilleys and other flowers of the field which are more beautiful in the spring, then Solomon in all his Royalty, but yet he did not rest; he made the goodly lights, & glorious Angels of heaven, and yet he did not rest; But as soon as he had made mā, he rested▪ hallowed a Sabbath, as having now made him for whom all other things were made.

3 God made man last, as an abridgement of all his other Creatures, and an Index, as it were to his great Book in Folio, therefore called of the Hebrews, Olam Hakaton, and of the Greeks microcosmos, that is, a little world. When as the Lord had furnished the heaven and earth with all the Creatures and ornaments thereof, he made man consisting of an heavenly and earthly nature. Having the beauties of things without life even the chiefest, as of the Sun and Moon and stars. Eccle. 12. 1. 2. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, when the Sun is not dark, nor the light, nor the Moon, nor the stars. He hath also growth as plants. Gen. 49. 22. Joseph shall be a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by the well side. So David saith, our children grow up as the young plants. Psal. 144. 12. Sense and sensible properties, as beasts. Gen. 49. 9. Judah as a lions whelp shall come up from the spoil. Dan as a serpent by the way, as an adder by the path biting the horse heels. Reason and wisdom, as Angels. 2. Sam. 14. 20. My Lord is wise according to the wisdom of an Angel. God added to man's being, life, which he denied unto stones: to life, sense, which he denied unto plants: to sense, speech and understanding, which he denied unto brute beasts: he bestowed upon this one creature the perfections of all the rest.

Lastly, man was happily made last, after heaven and earth were created, because saith Ambrose, Terra exercitium est homin •… , Coelum Corona. Earth is the place where man is to seek God, heaven the place where man is to see God. Earth is the place where man is to run his race, heaven is the place where he receives the price. If any man seriue for mastery saith Paul, he is not crowned, except he strive as he ought to do. 2. Tim. 2. 5.

This world is the Theater where man is to wrestle with flesh and blood, and with spiritual wickednesses in high places; He must fight with beasts and birds, and with all the fruits of the earth at his table, he must in his pilgrimage here fight with a great many dangers, as well by land as sea, he must in his warfare here fight with the pomps of the world, and with the power of hell, he must fight with all the creatures, and make them to serve him, that he may the better serve God. It was therefore fit that the earth should be created before man, as being the stage whereon he must act his part, and that heaven should be created before man, as being his reward and Crown.

But the dignity of man's creation appears yet in the next word, Image, more fully. Let us make man according to our Image.

Some peradu nture will object here, that God will have no likeness or Image of himself.

The Papists indeed crucify certain texts in the Bible to prove their idolatrous adoring of Images; But saith Isaiah, to whom will ye liken God, or what similitude will ye set up unto him, He will not, he cannot, he should not be pictured, Homo enim dificit ab illo qui eum fecit, quum sibi praeficit ipse quod fecit. Man is then unlike himself, if he think anything like to God beside himself.

Answer is made, that God set up his Image himself, who knew best to make it, Let us make man in our Image. Whosoever therefore defaceth it, commits high treason, insomuch that whereas it is no sin simply to kill a beast, it is a fearful o •… trage to slay a man, and murder for a man to destroy himself. Thou shalt not kill thy neighbor, Ergo not thyself, because thyself is nearest unto thyself. If a man sent to •… he goal by lawful authority for fellony break prison, he shall die for it, although he quit himself of the fact wherewith he was charged.

And so (beloved) If thy soul break out of thy body before God open the prison doors, and deliver it out of her bonds, it is in danger of hell fire: the resolute Romans and o •… her, in killing themselves did magne, but not been, saith Augustine, and the reason is plain, Man is God's Image, and his superscription is upon him, and so consequently will not suffer his stamp to be battered, or contemptuously defaced.

In every creature there be certain prints of the deity, for seculum is speculum, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament show •… h his handy-work, Vniuersus mundus ( as one said) nihil aliud est quam Deus explicatus, In the creation of •… he visible world, we may behold •… he inuis •… ble things of God. Rom. 1. 20. In omnibus creaturis est aliqualis Dei similitudo per modum vesligij, (saith ^g Aquin.) Sed in sola rationali creature a similitudo Dei per modum Imaginis. In other things we may see God's power, and some other express trackes of the Trinity, but man and only man is God's Image: all the doubt is, what is meant by this Image, and in what part of man it is placed?

Rupertus understandeth here by Image, the second person of the Trinity, God the son, and by likeness or similitude, the third person of the Trinity, God the holy Ghost. But in that the Lord said, Let us make man in our Image, He doth intimate that God is the lively representation and Image, not of one or two persons only, but of the whole Trinity.

Other think, that man was created according to the likeness of that human nature which our blessed Savior Christ the son of God, was in fullness of time to assume, but the Scripture teacheth evidently the contrary, that Christ took upon him the likeness of man, and not man his likeness. Phil. 2. 7.

Augustinus Eugubinus, and Oleaster think that God took upon him an human shape when he created man, and therefore said, Let us make man in our Image. But neither did God the father appear ever in any such shape, neither could it be said to be God's Image, being assumed only for a time.

Other (as Paulus Fagius reports) affirm that the souls immortality represents God's eternity. Therefore man having a soul immortal is like to God eternal.

Basil, Chrysostom, and some other refer this likeness to man's dominion over the creatures, being as it were a God on earth, which occasioned Heraclitus to term men mortal God's, and the God's immortal men.

Other have this conceit, that as there is nothing in heaven or earth like to God, so God created man that among millions of men there should not be found one in all features and figures of the body like to another. These Doctors shoot fair, but far off. It is true which is delivered by them in this particular, but it cometh a great deal short of the mark.

Some of the Fathers and School-Doctors here distinguish between Image and likeness. Saint Basil in Hexam. Hom. 10. Ambrose lib. De dignitate conditione humanae. Lomb. 1. sent: Dist. 16. and Aquin. upon our text refer Image to the natural gifts of the soul, will, understanding, memory: but likeness to the supernatural gifts of grace, holiness, and righteousness, which occasioned Eucherius to say, Imago est omnium, similitudo paucorum.

Aquine doth avow that God's Image may be seen in the most admirable frame of the body, but the likeness in our minds only. For as Bernard observes, the mind of man is properly God's similitude, wherein there be three powers or facul •… ies, Memory, Understanding, Will. In our memory we resemble God the Father, which is the ancient of days. Dan. 7. 9. In our understanding God the Son, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colos. 2. 3. in our will, God the holy Ghost, by whom his grace worketh all in all. 1. Cor. 12. 6.

The which opinion Augustine favoreth in his 102. Epistle, and S. ^s Ambrose in his Treatise concerning man's dignity, saith, as the Son is begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceedeth from both, even so the will is begotten, as it were, by the understanding, and memory proceeds from both.

Now (beloved) howsoever it be true that these natural gifts of reason, and supernatural gifts of grace, were conferred by God upon man in his creation: Yet if we compare one Scripture with another, it will appear, that Moses here makes no difference between likeness and Image. But that (as Calvin and ^u other observe) they do signify the same thing. For in the next verse without any mention of the word likeness, it is said, that God created man in his Image, in the Image of God created he him. And in the 5. Chapter at the 1. verse, without any mention of the word Image, God created Adam, in the likeness of God made he him. And so the meaning of our text, in our Image, according to our likeness, is nothing else but in our Image which is likest us. As if the Lord had said, let us make man in our Image, that he may be (as a creature may be) like us, and the same his likeness may be our Image.

But we shall understand more fully what is God's Image by considering in what part of man it was placed.

^u Audius the founder of the monstrous Anthropomorphite heresy, supposed it was placed in the figure of the body, which (lest happily there should be raised any wicked error which they would not acknowledge for their own) the Papists are content to like well and defend, in whose Churches and other places of devotion, it is everywhere to find the likeness of God the Father depictured upon their walls and windows in the figure of a man. As if they had learned of Zeuxis, to draw his Physiognomy, and they profess it lawful both to have such Images, and to worship them also, from our text, that God created Adam in his likeness. But it is a strange perverseness, quoth Tertullian, aduersus Marcion. Lib. 2. Cap. 27. To think that there are human things in God rather then divine things in man, and to conceive of God to have the Image of a man, rather then a man to have the Image of God.

Other affirm, that the likeness of God is placed in the mind only; For, saith Ambrose, who said, let us make man in our Image? Was it not God? and what is God? flesh and bones? or a spirit? Christ answereth in the 4. of S. John. at the 24. verse. God is a spirit, Ergo, man is like to God, as being endued with an understanding spirit.

But because God created the whole man in his Image, consisting of a body made of the dust of the ground, and of a soul that was the breath o •… life, which being united by the spirit became a living soul: It is evident (so far as their several nature could contain) that God crea •… ed in that Image, both body and soul. But as wax is more apt then clay to receive a print, So the soul being a spirit, was much more capable of the impression of the Image of God. Yet that which the body could receive, it did in very notable sort express, being so wonderfully framed of such an excellent proportion and beauty, that no creature in the world may be compared with it, and moreover of so sound a temperature, that had not Adam sinned, it would have continued without corruption forever.

But the soul being a spirit (as God is a spirit,) it is apter a great deal to bear God's Image. For in the very substance of the soul, there is a lively print thereof, not as though the soul were of the substance of God, for as Augustine pithily distinguisheth, it is, 〈◊〉 deo, non de deo.

But first, in that it is a substance spiritual and immortal, as God is the living God. Heb. 10. 31.

Secondly, for that it is endued with understanding and memory, which are the very character of God's wisdom.

Thirdly, in respect of quickness and agility, conceiving at one time so many matters, so different, so far distant, which is the shadow of God's vbiquity.

But S ^t . Paul in saying man was in the beginning created after the Image of God, in knowledge. Colos. 3. 10. And the same in righteousness and holiness. Ephes. 4. 24. Shewes plainly that this Image consists not so much in the substance of the soul, or in the natural faculties thereof, as in the supernatural gifts of grace, knowledge, illumination, holiness, Justice of the soul. For Adam had an illuminated vnderderstanding, and a rectified will, loving God above all things, and his neighbor as himself.

The two words of S. Paul, Holiness, and Righteousness contain man's whole duty; holiness his duty to God, righteousness his duty to man. In this Image man was created, and so consequently this Image consists in the soul, more then in the body, and in the supernatural graces of the soul, more then in the natural powers of the soul.

For 1. If this Image consisted only in the souls spiritual essence; then it would follow that wicked spirits and wicked men should have God's Image, because the substance of the spirit and soul remaineth in them; but the scripture teacheth expressly, that the wicked have not God's Image, but the devils stamp. So Christ affirmed of Judas, have not I chosen you twelve? and one of you is a devil, and S. Peter when he committed a foul fact, come behind me Satan. Mat. 16. 23. and of the Pharisees, ye are of your father the devil. John. 8. 44. And the text is plain, 1. of John 3. 8. he that committeth sin is of the devil.

2. God cannot properly be said to damn his own Image, or to send it into hell fire, but the souls of reprobate sinners are damned, Ergo, this Image is not altogether in the souls substance, that Image saith Ambrose wherein thou wert created; after the likeness of God, is not condemned, but crowned.

3. That Image of God, after which Adam was created, is by his fall utterly lost, and extinguished, for otherwise this Image needed not to be renewed, or revived in us, as it is by Christ, in whom all true believers are new creatures, and new men and a new lump, but the substance of the reasonable soul, with all the natural powers thereof, are not altogether lost in unregenerate men, ergo, this Image principally consisted in the gifts of grace. To this purpose S. Augustine said that the whole man both in his inward and outward parts inueterauit is waxen old, and decayed by sin, but the inward man is new revived by grace, and the outward man hereafter shall be restored in the resurrection.

Another question is moved here, whether the man only was created after this image of God, & not the woman, and the reason of this doubt is grounded upon the words of S. Paul, man is the Image and glory of God, the woman the glory of man. Answer is made by Moses in the very next verse to my text. God created man in his Image, male and female created he them. As for the place, man is the glory of God, woman, the glory of man; It is to be construed, of the preeminence, and authority given unto man, above the woman, in which one respect, the Image of God is expressed in the man, more then in the woman. But if we consider the principal part of that Image, consisting in holiness, and righteousness, the woman was▪created, according to it, as well as the man, in Christ, as the blessed Apostle teacheth us, there is neither male, nor female, but all are one, women are the daughters of God, so well as men are the sons of God.

Now (beloved) because the day present, is a Sabbath, and the Sabbath in the beginning, was instituted in honor of the creation, and man, of all the creatures, is the most excellent; It is our duty, so long as either man or woman hath any being, all the days of our life, but upon the Sunday more principally to magnify the Lord, for his infinite rich mercy; who created us, not liveliness as stones are, nor senseless as the plants are, nor witless as the beasts are, but according to his own likeness in nature, knowledge, holiness, righteousness, glory, appointing us to be Lord's of this ample universe, making all things for man, and man for himself.

2. This ought to teach us to take heed of corrupting our selves, by sin, or our neighbors through our lewd examples, and to hate our sins as a serpent, by means whereof, the likeness of God is so miserably defaced in us: for man in his original integrity, created to the likeness of God, is by the foulness of sin, a devil, and a very vermin; humana sub cute plurimae latent ferae, said Carolus Bouillus: The Scripture saith as much, in calling a subtle dissembler, a fox. Luke. 13. 32. a soul-murthering prophet, a ravenous wolf. Mat. 7. 15. a vain man, a wild asses colt. Job. 11. 12. A proud man in honor like horse and mule, without understanding. Psal. 32, 10. A voluptuous man, given over to work all uncleanness, even with greediness, a Sow wallowing in the mire. 2. Pet. 2. 22. In a word the children of men set on fire to do mischief, whelps of Lions. Psal. 57. 4. and generations of vipers. Mat. 3. 7.

3. This should make us to labor earnestly, for true faith in Christ Jesus, by whom this Image shall again be restored, and as new borne babes, do desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow from strength to strength, and from virtue to virtue, till we be of full growth in Christ, and have this▪Image thoroughly repaired in us.

4. This should incite us to give the God of our salvation humble and hearty thanks, for redeeming us with his precious blood, when we were thus utterly lost, and made, by sin, unlike to God, and our selves, as the Fathers in their devotions use to speak. If we do owe to God our selves, for creating us, after his Image, then undoubtedly more then our selves, for redeeming us, and restoring in us his defaced Image through original sin in Adam, and actual sin in our selves.

T Hree things usually succeed one another, in the Church, great blessings, great sins, great punishments.

The people mentioned in this History, had received great blessings of the Lord, He dealt not so with any nation, as the Prophet sings in the 147. Psalm. verse last. In the ruffe of their prosperity, turning the graces of God into wantonness; They committed many great sins, and now the righteous Judge of the whole world, threateneth to bring great punishments upon them, and yet in his wrath, remembering mercy, He gives David their King, by the Prophet Gad, a free, though hard choice, whether he would have seven years of famine come upon the land, or flee three months before his enemies, or that there be three days of pestilence.

Now David being in a great strait, returns in the words read to Gad, and so consequently, to God, his resolution, and the r •… ason of his resolution.

• 1. His resolution, Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, and not into the hand of man.
• 2. The reason of his resolution is, for his mercies are great.

For the better understanding of the whole text, one clause needeth explanation, and that is, what is here meant, by falling into the hand of the Lord: Because Susanna did wish, and Saint Paul (as it should seem) writ the quite contrary. Susanna said to the lustful Elders, It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not to do it, then to sin in the sight of the Lord, answer is made, that David makes his comparison here, between diverse kinds of punishment, but Susannes comparison, is there between the doing of evil, and the suffering of evil, (as the school speaks) between malum culpae, and malum poenae. She therefore resolved worthily, that it was better to suffer reproach and shame before men, then to commit an horrible sin, in the sight of the Lord. So the renowned Eleazar, answered those, who menaced him with exquisite torments. If he would not break one commandment of God's law, that he would suffer himself, to be sent into hell and the grave, that is, that he would rather be killed, and cut in pieces, and to sink a thousand degrees under the ground, with infinite dolours, and agonies, then to fall into such a fault. So reverend Anselm protested, that if he should behold all the pains of hell, deuoyd of sin on the one side, and on the other the horror but of one deadly sin only, deuoyd of punishment, and that I must of necessity choose one of these two, I (quoth he) would choose rather to throw myself into hell, then commit one foul fact only.

But S ^t . Paul affirms plainly. Heb. 10. 31. That it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ^g Answer is made by distinction, almighty God hath marring or destroying hands; Of which hands S ^t . Paul there speaks; again, making hands; Psal. 119. 73. Thine hands have made me; protecting hands. John. 10. 28. no man (saith the Shepherd of our souls) shall pluck my sheep out of my hands, and saving hands. Luke. 23. 46. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Of which David here speaks.

Or as other in this world, while there remains hope for pardon, it is better to fall into the hands of God. But in that black day, when once the sentence of condemnation is past, it is an horrible thing to fall into his hands, for with the froward, he will be froward, Psalm. 18. 26. David here speaks of a punishment which is temporal on earth, at the most enduring but three days. But S. Paul there speaks of a pain which is eternal in hell, inflicted by such an adversary which is everliving, and so consequently, his Judgments, in that dungeon of torture can never die.

Or as other, it is better for one, who sins against God, and contemns the riches of his mercies, esteeming the blood of his Covenant, where-wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, despiting the spirit of grace, crucifying Christ again, and trampling him under his feet. I say, for such a reprobate, who dieth in his sins, It is better to fall into the hands of man, who can only kill the body, but hath not power to destroy the soul. But for one that sins, and, as David here, repents of his sin, from the bottom of his heart; It is better for to fall into the hands of God.

Or in plainer terms, (if it be possible,) God hath two hands, one of Justice, another of Mercy; To fall into his hand of Justice, an horrible thing: Of that hand, Job said Chap. 13. 21. Withdraw thine hand far from me: The fingers of that hand, wrote terrible things, upon the wall of Belshazers palace. Dan. 5. But to fall into his hand of mercy, full of comfort, b •… cause his mercies are great. Now S. Paul in that place, meaneth punishments inflicted by the Lord, as an angry Judge; But David in this place, meaneth chastisements, imposed by the Lord, as an indulgent father, in love, for the amendments of his children.

This rub being removed, and the passage made clear, let us proceed in the ways of our text. And that as the blessed Apostle speaks, with a right foot.

In the resolution of David, choosing the pestilence, rather then famine, or the sword, Interpreters observe many notable virtues; as first his Justice.

For had he chosen famine, that would have pinched only the poorest, himself would have fared well: And if he had chosen war, that would have destroyed only the weakest; Or if the fury thereof, had overrun most of the other, yet he might have set a safeguard to defend his own person▪, and so preserve his own skin from the dint of the sword, and print of the spear: But having been partaker with his subjects in their sin, he would not exempt himself from the punishment: He chose therefore the plague, which is common, Et regt, et gregi, to Prince, to people, to Peer, to poor.

The hand must be equal, that handles the scale; Princes are sometimes partial, in distributing Justice between subject and subject▪ But in a cause concerning their own particular, so well as the general of their people, not to show more of the party then of the King, (as David in this answer to Gad, ) is admirable Justice.

Well fare his heart, who said, Divines are to blame, who write Cases of conscience for private persons, and teach exactly, what account shopkeepers are to make for false wares, and idle words, and in the mean time, neglect exorbitant errors, of higher powers, and potentates. And it is a good quaere, whether it be not grosser Idolatry, to prefer reason of states, before the principles of piety, then to worship the golden calf, or Nabuchodonosors Image.

David understood, that he was obliged to God doubly, first that he made him a man, Secondly, in that he made him a little God, to rule over other men, a finger (as it were) of that great hand that governs all the world: as then he stood in God's place, so did he follow God's pattern; as God is righteous in all his ways, so he desires to deal justly with all men, in all things. He respects the ship of the common weal, more then the cock-boat of his own fortune, and therefore would not have the whole burden of the punishment, to be laid upon his people, but with bowed knee, stoupes to bear his part, saying, Let us fall into the hand of God, showing himself so forward to suffer, as he was to sin.

Secondly, Divines observe David's humility, laying no fault upon his subjects; their sins he knew not, his own he knew, for which he had justly deserved this plague. The text telleth us at the 10. verse, That after he numbered the people, (for which all this tempest arose,) His heart smote him, and he said unto the Lord, I have greatly sinned, in that I have done, And now I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly: and at the 17. verse▪ Loe, I have sinned, and done wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? That is, the people being innocent as Sheep, what have they done, that they should thus suffer. I pray thee let thine hand be upon me, and against my fathers house.

Hugo de Sancto victor, Tostatus and other avow, that the people did offend, in numbering the soldiers, as much▪ if not more then David.

First, because they did not entreat David, to forbear this muster, at this time, being needless, saying, as Joab the general of the host, in the 3. verse. Why doth my Lord the King, delight in this thing.

Secondly, because being numbered, they did not offer unto the Lord his due; for the law saith. Exod. 30. 12. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, after they be numbered, every man shall give a ransom for his soul, to the Lord, when thou numbrest them, that there be no plague among them, when thou numbrest them. It was according to the law, for the magistrate, to number Israel, as we read. Num. 1. 2. But it was against the Law, for the people being numbered, to neglect their offerings.

For the better understanding of this history, let us (if you please,) renew that text again.

When thou takest the sum, The word in Hebrew, signifieth, Head, because the sum total, howsoever it be placed, at the foot of our account, yet indeed it is, the head of the number, or Head, That is, the sum of the heads of the children of Israel, after they be numbered, and every man shall give a ransom for his soul; That is, for his life, which he should now loose, when he was particularly visited of God, If he redeemed not himself with money; now the reasons of this law, delivered by divines, are these.

1. To put Israel in mind, that this exceeding great multiplication of people, wa •… only from the Lord, according to his gracious promise, made to their forefathers, I will make of thee a great nation, I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if any can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Gen. 13. 16.

2. To show the special care he had over his people, numbering them, and as it were noting every person in his book. God careth for his people, saith S ^t . Peter, and so careth as a father careth for his child, saith David, and so careth for every child, as if he had no more then one to care for, saith Augustine.

3. To signify, that no man is Lord of his own life, but that he depends upon God, in whom he lives, and moves, and hath his being. Acts. 17. 28.

4. This temporal offering, prefigured the spiritual tribute, which everyone that hath given up his name to God, in holy Baptism, ought to pay, the which is to serve God in spirit and truth. John. 4. 23.

5. By this Law, God taught his people, to judge themselves for their sins, that they might not be judged of him. Ezek. 20. 43. 1. Cor. 11. 31.

6. This redeeming of their souls, with money, taught them also faith in Christ, who was to redeem his people, not with silver and gold, but with his own precious blood. 1. Pet. 1. 19. The people then in omitting this duty, for so many good ends enjoined, transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and so provoked his just indignation against them.

But grant, that the people did not offend in this one particular, Yet their manifold other sins, undoubtedly, were the cause why the Lord permitted David to fall into this error, according to that of Gregory the great. Secundummerita subditorum, disponuntur actar •… gentium. Almighty God disposeth the hearts of Sovereigns, according to the merrits of their subjects, If they be not nursing Fathers unto the Church, and the ministers of God, for our good, It is because we govern our own families ill, and our own persons worse. It is a common fault, indeed the common fault, when any mischief happeneth unto them, or plague comes near their dwelling, Instantly to speak ill of those which are in authority.

Now this murmuring against our governors, ariseth (as one notes) from five defects in our selves.

The first is, want of humility, for when our hearts are soured with the leaven of our own pride, conceyting that we could manage state affairs, a great deal wiser (as Alphonsus the 10. said If he had been with God in the beginning, he could have better d •… sposed of many things in the world,) then often times a bitterness ariseth out of the stomach, into the mouth, So that we cannot forbear to profane sacred majesty.

The second is, want of wisdom, to discern the policies of Princes, for the disguising of a purpose, with a pretence, is not forbidden in the Bible. Solomon pretended to divide an infant, to good purpose, But did not, and Paul pretended to Judaize, but did not, arcana reipublicae mysteria regni, State plots are not easily digested, of country stomachs, as Father Latimer said, they be no meat for mowers.

The 3. is, want of compassion, in not weighing the temptations of Princes, having all means of misdoing, and nothing to keep them from outrageous sins, but only the fear of the Lord. A bosom friend, is bold to tell a private person of his fault, But alas, who dares say to the Pope, of Prince, Domine cur ita facis? If his domestical chaplain, I mean his conscience chide him not, his other chaplaines are of his closer, and they quoth old Latimer, will keep his follies close; a misery fatal unto great potentates, whom flattery will never suffer to know themselves, in health, or sickness. We should therefore construe Princes actions ever to the best, according to the laws of the Thames, When two wherries meet, the bank is theirs by right, that have wind and tide against them.

The 4. is, want of thankfulness, Princes are shieldes, under whose shelter we lead a quiet and a peaceful life, in all godliness and honesty, Sweet peace is the greatest of all blessings temporal, and freedom of the Gospel, is the greatest of all blessings spiritual, as being the power of God, unto salvation. Yet there be refractorie fling-brains, enjoying both, under the government of pious princes, which are ready to quarrel their authority, concerning the tithing of mint, and other small matters of ceremonies, indifferent enjoined, to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

Hippodamus in ^• Aristotle, was censured for writing of common wealths, being but an architect; yet Carpenters and Masons, among us, are busy builders of new Churches, and framers of new disciplines: but the greatest of all, is want of equity; when as we blame the King, for our own faults; as for example, we desire confident proceedings in the business of religion, and yet we weaken them with our own divisions, and dissensions: If every man in his place shall examine himself, and lay his hand on his own heart, he shall understand easily, that the bad ordering of his own self, and his own things, is part of the cause, why the wrath of the Lord, is kindled against Israel. If David of himself takes the whole blame to himself, it is (as I have shown,) his humility. But if we cast it upon him, it argueth in us a great want of meekness, wisdom, piety, thankfulness, equity.

3. In the resolution of David, here Divines observe his zeal; for in war, the conquering enemy doth insult, and blaspheme, where is now their God; Is not the Lord, in whom they trust, able to defend his Israel as with a shield? And in famine, good people should be forced to beg their bread of strange nations, and to receive curtesies of enemies, which the Grecians aptly term, Dora adora, gifts and no gifts; And the Latins, panis lapidosus, a loaf so hardly digested as a stone: And that had been dishonorable not only to their country, heretofore flowing with milk and honey; But also to God, as if the shepherd of Israel, had not means to feed the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hands. And therefore David here desires, to depend upon God only, Let us fall into the hand of God.

Many professors, in these days of relapse, began to be luke-warm, yea, some were so cold in their devotion, and zeal, that they seemed frozen in the dregs of their profit, and pleasure, so little regarding the light of Israel, and honor of this our brave victorious nation, that they resolved upon the conclusion of the match, not only to be sons of the Pope, but also the servants of a strange people. Yet (God be thanked) England had her David's, who did not cease, night and day, to call and cry to the Lord, For thy sons sake, for thy Zion's sake, let not our insulting enemies, a bloody generation, drunken with the blo •… d of the Saints, have their desires over us: For their mercies are full of cruelty: But let us fall into thy hands, for thy Judgments are full of mercy.

And it is undoubtedly God's own work, who brings light out of darkness, and can do whatsoever he will, and will do whatsoever is best for his people, sometime by weak means, and sometimes by no means, and sometime by contrary means, against whom there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel: That our David's prayer is heard, our religion established, our peace settled, good men encouraged, our open enemies discomfited, and our false friends discovered, and worthily deluded, To whom I 〈◊〉 now no more, but only this.

If you be good Christians, and settled Protestants, so remain. If you were once, an •… 〈◊〉 now fallen, return: If you never were, rep •… If you never will be, perish.

Were it not for the honor of God, and glory of his people, the cast happily might prove measurable, whether it be better to be slain by the sword, in war, or by the pestilence in peace. But a good man, and a good magistrate, especially considering, barbarus has segetes; That the blasphemous adversaries of God, roar in the middes of the congregations, and set up their banners for tokens, breaking into God's inheritance, defiling the holy Temple, and making Jerusalem •… n heap of stones; And how they give the dead bodies of his servants, to be meat unto the fowls of the air, and the flesh of his Saints, unto the beasts of the land; I say, the new borne babe in Christ, understanding these things, easily resolves, as David here, Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, and not into the hand of man.

4. Learned Expositors observe, the wisdom of David, in choosing, e malis minimum, of three mischiefs, the lesser. Abule •… sis upon the place, notes aptly, That God made these 3. punishments inequall in time, 7 years of famine, 3 months of war, 3 days of pestilence, that he might make them equal in magnitude, and so put David into his doubts, so well as his dumps.

The time being equal, the plague doubtless is more grievous then war, and war more grievous then famine. But seven years famine, may be so bad as three months fleeing before cruel enemies, and three months of bloody war, so bad as three days of plague, Yet David chose the pestilence for these reasons.

1. In the rebellion of Absalom, he had •… ryall of the sword, for there fell in that civil war, 20. thousand of the people. And he had felt 3. years famine, for the sin of Saul's house: But he never yet had experience of the plague; as then, Ignoti nulla cupido, so nulla formid •… .

2. The plague is God's immediate hand, his sword. 1. Chron. 21. 30. His arrow. Psal. 91. 5. The physicians have termed it, fulmen coeleste, The thunderbolt of heaven; and the canonists, Bellum Dei contra homines, the war of God against men.

Happily you will object, is there any evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it. Amos. 3. 6. It is true, that war and famine are from the Lord's hand, but herein he doth use other instruments, as the sword of men in war, and other devouring creatures in famine, and so consequently, whereas in the pestilence we seek only to the mercies of God, in war and famine, we are to wrestle with the cruelties of men also, whose heart, saith Isaiah, is to destroy, To take the spoil, to tread their enemies down, like the mire in the streets. (saith the Lord,) was a little displeased, but they helped forward the affliction. Zach. 1. 15. As if he should have said, my purpose was only to try you, but theirend to destroy you, now we bear more then patiently the Lord's rod, then the hand of man

3. David did choose that punishment, which was most agreeable to his sin; his fault in numbering the people, was to try his power, and to put his affiance therein, and therefore being sorry for his error, he desired the plague, that he might not trust anymore to the arm of flesh, but altogether rely upon the Lord. For had he chosen war, men of valor would have resisted, and imagined that their sword should have saved them: And if he had chosen famine, money-men would have trusted in their purse, making gold their hope, and saying to the wedge of gold, thou art my confidence. He that hath silver, may buy bread, and he that hath enough bread, need not to starve for hunger, but a man infected and afflicted wi •… h the plague, hath no weapons, or means to relieve his distressed estate, but only prayers, and tears.

Mystical •… , this numbering of the people, saith Ruperius upon the place, figures carnal Israelites, boasting in the works of the Law; for to think that a man is justified by works, when as Abraham was justified by faith, is to trust in chariots and horse.

Lastly, Divines observe David's faith, and affiance in the Lord, as being assured that all things work together for the best, unto those that fear him; he well understood, that God ha •… h a left hand of Justice, so well as a right hand of mercy. But the godly feel each hand gentle, both hands of God are right hands unto them. Is there dearth in the land? Daniel will thrive with water and pulse, so well as other with wine and Iunkets. Is there persecution in the Church? To suffer death in Christ's cause (quoth holy Bradford,) is the high way to heaven on horsbacke. Though Esa •… be stronger then Jacob, yet the greater shall serve the lesser. The number of God's elect is small, the number of reprobate fools, infinite. The Church is a little flock of lambes, in the mids of wolves, and yet populus major seruit minori, many that are bad, serve those few which are good, non obsequendo (quoth Augustine,) sed persequendo, not by doing good, but by doing mischief to them, and so they turn Goldsmiths of God, to make crowns for all such as in his battles have fought a good fight. If other troubles arise, touching our goods, or good name, David's resolution is, It is good for me that I have been in trouble. For affliction holds men in, as having little outlets, or leisure for idleness and luxury▪ Doth sickness, and of all sickness in many respects the most uncomfortable, the pestilence, come nigh our dwelling? Yet let us not be afraid for any terror by night, or the arrow that flieth by day; But instantly, and that constantly, resolve with David here, let us fall into the hand of God and not into the hand of man. As we feel more sensible comfort of the Suns heat, when we are cold: So the greater our danger and extremity, the greater is that power and piety that delivereth us.

These virtues are the brightest stars in the sphere of majesty, manifesting David's duty to God and man; and the reason of all this high and holy resolution is, because the mercies of the Lord are great, great in their nature, as being riches of his goodness Rom. 2. 4. Exceeding riches of his grace, Ephes. 2. 7. Great in their number, as being multitudes of mercies, Psal. 51. 1. Great in their continuance, as being forever and ever. Psal 103. 17. That is, as the doctors expound it, from everlasting predestination, to everlasting glorification: every way so great, that our Prophet saith in the 145. Psal. at the 9. verse. His mercies are over all his works.

Of which I find a twofold construction, and each of them exceeding comfortable.

1. His mercies are over, That is, greater then all his works, not in propriety, for all the virtues of God are equal, as being essential attributes; But in effect and extent greater; For whereas God's indignation is but upon the 4. generation of such as hate him, his mercies are upon thousand generations of those that love him, and keep his Commandments: Among the 13. properties of God. Exod. 34. Almost all of them appertain to his mercy, whereas one concerns his might, and only two his lustice.

The 2 construct on is, his mercies are over all, that is, sh •… wed in all, and towards all his works, for the latter clause, his mercies, &c, is nothing else but a reap •… ition of the former, The Lord is good unto all, His goodness is the same with his mercy, and all is all his works.

The mercies of God then are great to the whole universe▪ more specially to the reasonable creatures, and among those, principally, to such as love him, and fear him, and call upon him faithfully, As our Prophet in the before cited Psalm. verse. 18. 19. 20. His mercies compass them about, on all sides, and at all seasons, on every side, for he maketh an hedge about them, and about their houses, and about all they have. Job. 1. 10. They be his enclosed vineyards, of whom he saith. Esa. 5. What could I have done more for my vineyard, which I have not done for it, and his mercies are toward them at all seasons, as the blessed Virgin in her Magnificat, throughout all generations.

To speak more distinctly, the mercies of God toward us, are seen in two things especially, donando et condonando, That is, in giving us whatsoever is good for us, and in forgiving whatsoever is evil, evil of sin, evil of punishment for sin, pardoning all our offenses against himself, against our other self, against our own self; lastly his mercies are great, in

• Inferendis.
• Differendis.
• Auferendis.

Merciful in inferring punishment, for when as we deserve to be scourged with Scorpions, he chastiseth us only with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. 2. Sam. 7. 14. We confess, that we sin greatly; So David, verse. 10. of this chapter. But the Lord saith, I was but a little displeased.

Merciful in deferring punishment, as being full of pity, slow to wrath, long suffering, of great goodness, cito struit, tarde destruit, making the whole world in six days, and yet was in destroying one city seven days.

Merciful in removing punishments, as in this present example, For the Rabbin's have a fable, that the plague threatened here 3 days, continued only for one hour, Ioscphus writes that it continued only from morning till noon; others conceive, that it continued only till the time appointed for evening sacrifice, that day when it begun. They who stand upon the precise letter of the text, say that the time was shortened, for the Lord repented him, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, it is enough. And that was in the beginning of the third day; For had not the Lord stayed the Angels hand, he would have gone on siniting, till that day had been expired and finished.

It is reported of one, that having a book of 2 leaves only, he could not in all his life read it over; one leaf was red, wherein was registered, the Judgments of God, in consideration whereof, he cried out, enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, &c. The other was white, in which were written, the mercies of God, in admiration whereof, he cried out, what is man, that thou art so mindful of him; as being less then the least of thy mercies. If he could not read them in his whole life, how shall I repeat them in this munite of time? Give me leave only to conclude in the words of our mother Church. O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy, and to forgive, grant us thy grace, that in all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth, in the hour of death and as the day of judgment, we may put our whole trust and confidence in thee, resolving always as David here, let us fall into the hand of the Lord, and not into the hands of man, for thy mercies are great.

T His scripture reports two things specially; to wit, the flight and fall of Sennacherib King of Ashur, a great Monarch, and a great boaster of his greatness, saying in the pride of his heart, verse 23. By the multitude of my chariots, I am come up to the top of the mountains, by the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall Cedars thereof, and the fir trees thereof, and I will go into the lodging of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel. I have digged, and drunk the waters of others, and with the plant of my feet, have dried all the rivers of besieged cities. Affronting God's people, with insolent language, Let not Ezechia deceive you, neither let Ezechia make you to trust in the Lord, saying, the Lord w •… ll surely deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations, delivered his land out of the hand of the King of Ashur: Where is the God of Hamath, and of Arphad, where is the God of Sepharuaim, Hena, and •… ua. How have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand.

Now the Lord, (when this huge Leviathan, had in his own conceit swallowed up Judah,) put a hook into his nostrils, and a bit into his mouth, and so brought him back again, the same way that he came, making him in the mids of his fury, first to fly, then afterward to fall.

His flight is reported here to be full of

• Dishonor, he departed, went away, returned.
• Despair, he dwelt at Nineue.

His fall is described to be very fearful in respect of three circumstances.

• The first is of the persons who slew him, Adramalech and Sharezer, his own sons.
• The second is of the place where he was slain, in the temple of his god Nisroth.
• The third is of the time, when he was slain, when he was praying and worshipping.

In that the spirit doth express, Sennacherib's recoiling back with so many words, it is undoubtedly, to cast disgrace upon his cowardly flight; For it is no superfluous and idle repetition, when he saith, he departed, he we •… t his wa •… , he returned. The name of King, is added also to his further shame, as if he should say, see this King, this great King, whom impudent Rabseketh extolled so highly, by reason of his power, and pomp. He that came up against all the cities in Judah, and challenged in his rage, the Lord himself, meant not to retire with infamy. But God for his truth and mercy sake, drove him out thence, even as chaff before the wind▪ the Lord, who cannot lie, said by the mouth of Isaiah the Prophet, I will send a blast upon him, and accordingly, the Lord's Angel in one night, smote in the campe of Ashur, one hundred fourscore, and five thousand, So when the remnant rose, early in the morning, behold, they were all dead courses.

And whereas it is said, He returned, and dwelt at Nineveh, It showeth evidently, that he not only lost his courage, but that his forces also quailed: For if despair had not been as a chain, to keep him in, who was ambitious, and insatiable, he would not willingly have stayed at home, and content himself, with his own kingdom.

This history may comfort us in the peril of war: God which is the Lord of hosts, and King of glory, can, and (as shall make most for his honor, and our good,) will protect his Church, as with a shield. And here we may sing with David, As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, God upholdeth it forever. For in the year 88. did there not a Spanish Senacherth come up against our English Judah, as himself fondly conceited, with an invincible Armado: did not the Jesuits, as foul-mouthed as ever Rabseketh, defy God, and his Gospel openly, triumphing in pulpit and •… e, before the victory? Did they not cry with a loud voice, from Reims and Rome, from Flanders and France, that our blessed Queen Elizabeth, was a miserable woman, unable to protect her subjects, and that her Kingdom was delivered over into the hands of the great king of Ashur? But albeit the Pope, (such was his holiness,) did bless them in their endeavors; yet the Lord did curse them in their ends. He sent a blast among them, a tempest in the mids of them, on the sudden, which in a trice, so disordered their Navy, that few returned (as Sennacherib into Nineveh ) the same way they came. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, let them also that hate him, flee before him, like as the smoke vanisheth, even so let them be driven away, and like as wax melteth at the fire; so let the ungodly perish at thy presence, O God.

Hitherto, concerning the flight of Sennacherib; I am now to proceed in his fall, amplified, First by circumstance of persons, as being slain by his own sons, Adramelech, and Sharezer, David complaining of Achitophel; and Christ in the person of David, complaining of Judas cried out, it is not an open enemy, that hath done me this dishonor, for then I could better have borne it, neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me, for then peradventure, I could have hid myself from him: But it was even thou, my companion, my guide, and my familiar, we took sweet counsel together, and walked in the house of God, as friends.

It is base treachery, to betray a friend, but it is the serpents head, and height of impiety, to butcher a Father. A son is the fathers living chronicle, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, an express character of his person, and walking Image, nearer and dearer then any friend: What greater indignity then, or injury could fall upon Sennacherib, then thus vnfortunatly, to perish by the hands of Adramelech, and Sharezer, his own sons? What greater unhappiness then thus ignonimiously, to lose his life, by those who should have preserved him alive, being of all other most obliged unto him, as receiving from him their being; The Lord's Angel smote in his camp, one hundred fourscore and five thousand, of his soldiers, bu •… God determined to reserve him, for an heavier judgment; I will send a blast upon him, and he shall fall by the sword in his own land; verse 7.

God, which is the righteous Judge, doth often pass by the wicked, in small dangers, that he may bring upon them a greater condemnation, as when Saul's life was in David's hand, he might have cut off his head, but he cuts off only the lap of his garment, and so lets him go. God here suffered Saul to be delivered from the sword of David, that afterward he might fall upon his own sword; Ham, Noah's son escaped the great flood, yet for discovering his fathers shame, the flood of God's wrath overwhelmed him.

The cities of Sodom, and Gomorrah, had escaped, doubtless many grievous deserved punishments, but at the length, God rained out of heaven, fire & brimstone, to consume them, and so they were turned into ashes, and made an ensample, to those that afterward should live ungodly. 2. Pet. 2. 6. So many notorious malefactors, who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin, as it were with a cart rope, contriving mischief on their beds, and committing all uncleanness, even with greediness, often escape great dangers, in their drunkenness, and other outrages; and yet in fine, they come to some fearful, and ex •… mplarie Judgment, as here Sennacherib, a great tyrant, and a great blasphemer, escaped the stroke of a glorious Angel, that he might more dishonorably perish in his own land, and in his own house, not by foreign foes, or by popular sedition, or by traitors▪ or by servants, but by the sword of Adramelech, and Sharezer, his own sons; And as it was in God, great Justice, that he who did intend to slay so many children of God, should himself be slain by his own children.

There were secondary causes undoubtedly, moving these thus unnaturally to butcher their father. For first it is thought, that Sennacherib had assigned over his kingdom, to Esaradon, his third son, whom he most affected, and so meant to disinherit Adramelech, and Sharezer, Hereupon these two brethren in iniquity conspired against Sennacherib, their cruel father, as he was their King, and their natural father, as he was their parent.

The Rabbins, have coined another devise, saying, that Sennacherib asked his idol, why he could not vanquish the Jews; and it answered, because Abraham the father of the Jews, out of faith and obedience, was content, to have sacrificed his son to God. Whereupon this tyrant following that example, determined to offer up his sons, to get the favor of his god; But they having notice thereof, and provoked to wrath by this uncouth, and abominable cruelty, rushed in upon him as he was worshipping his Idol in his chapel, and smote him with the sword.

Thus almighty God, who brings light out of darkness, and ordereth all things sweetly, disposeth of bad men, and of bad means, for the compassing of his good ends, As a cunning phycisian, he makes of deadly poison, a wholesome medicine. Facit been sinendo fieri quaecunq {que} male, saith Augustine; The text is plain: that Christ our blessed Savior, was betrayed and crucified, by God's determinate counsel, and foreknowledge; Judas betrayed Christ, only for money, the Jews crucified him only for malice. But God gave his Son, and his Son gave himself for us, only for love: So that in one, and the same tradition, as Augustine notably; God is to be magnified, and man to be condemned. Quia in re vna quam fecerunt, causa non vna ob quam fecerunt.

Because God and Christ, did that out of mercy which Judas and the Jews did out of malice, God which is Causa causarum in whom we live, and move, and have our being, disposeth of all things in heaven and earth, and hell, according to his good will and pleasure. Adramelech and Sharezer did ill in murthering their father, but God ordered that bloody fact well, in making Sennacherib a fearful example to barbarous tyrants and blasphemers, as a man hunteth one beast with another, and catcheth one bird with another, so God useth one wicked man for the destruction of another.

Adramelech, and Sharezer, as the Poet said, Nomina suntipso quae metuenda sono. Adramelech signifies, a great King, and Sharezer, Prince of treasure, the which names happily, Sennacherib imposed for this end, that they might acquire great power and riches, or that he might hereby make them a great deal more terrible to the people? But (oh! the deepness of the riches, both of the wisdom and judgments of God) all the greatness of Adramelech▪ and Sharezer, was employed to make Sennacherib little, to bereave him, and that unawares, both of his kingdom and life, for they slew him with the sword.

Hence we may learn, that impunity for a time is no good argument of innocence, because the wicked are reserved for the day of evil, as the fish that playeth a great while with the hook, is caught at the last; even so the wicked, into whose nostrils (as it is said in this Chapter at the 28. verse ) God hath put an hook; rejoice in doing evil, and delight in frowardness, until they perish at the last, nay some of them are so shameless, and graceless, that howsoever, they well escape present danger, yet their sins, as Paul speaks, go before unto Judgment, and so they stand condemned in the conceit of themselves and others. In their life, their own conscience condemns them, in such sort, that here they begin to feel the flashes of hell fire. No place (quoth Seneca ) will make a wicked man quiet, for that he thinks; Although I be not as yet taken, I may nevertheless be taken at the length, and that I have not hitherto been taken, is come rather of fortune, then of confidence: In their death, other men, and that justly, condemn them; for a rank Atheist, obstinately dying an Atheist, may be said without breach of charity, to be damned. If any be thus openly known by his fruits, woe to them which speak good of evil, and evil of good, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.

2. The tragical end of this ungodly tyrant murdered by those, who came out of his own bowels, admonisheth us, what a fearful thing it is, to fall into the hands of the living Lord. His feet are said to be of wool, but his hands of iron, slow to wrath, and of great patience, before he comes to punish, but when he cometh, he will pay home, he hath in his hand a rod of iron to break his enemies in pieces, like a potters vessel.

3. Here we may note, that the destruction of great blasphemers is usually sudden, acted not only in such a time, and in such a place, but also by such persons, as they least suspect. As Job speaks, they spend their days in wealth, and suddenly go down to hell; and David, oh how suddenly do they consume, perish and come to a fearful end. As Belshazzar in the mids of his carousing, Haman in the mids of his malice, Herod in the mids of his pride, Julian in the mids of his fury, Sennacherib the great King of Assyria, the terror of nations, (who with the sole of his feet, dried up all the rivers of besieged places, and turned defensed cities into ruinous heaps) in the mids of his idolatry, (for as it followeth in the next circumstance, to be considered; He was in his own land, in Nintue, the strongest city of all his land, in his stately palace, the most invincible fortress of all Nineveh, in his Royal chapel the most secure place of all his palace; Yet) it so came to pass, that as he was in the temple, worshipping Nisrock his god, Adramelech and Sharezer slew him with the sword.

Out of this circumstance, we first observe, that when almighty God's hue and cry cometh after any malefactor, for wickedness committed, that nothing is able to shelter him: as David in the▪ 1▪ 9 Psalm, whither shall I go from thy spirit, or with •… r shall I go from thy presence, If I climb up into heaven, thou art there, If down to hell, thou art there also? I •… tra omnia s •… d non inclusus, extra omnia sed non exclusus, His eyes are all-seeing, his ears all-hearing▪ his hands all-doing, when he sent frogs into the land of Egypt, Pharohs stately palace was not able to keep them out, but they crooked in every corner of his house, scrauling in his bed-chamber, and creeping upon his pillows; a malefactor escapeth happily the magistrates hand by forsaking the parish, or the place where he dwells, or if that will not serve, by flying out of one liberty into another, or if that fail, by running out of the country, or if this will not do the seat, by leaving the country, crossing the seas into foreign lands, and forlorn Islands, as Adramelech and Sharezar fled into the land of Ararat. But yet the Lord's hand and stretched out arm will (even while he thinks himself secure) find him out, and give him a deadly blow; The Lord's hand found out Jonah on the seas, and committed him close prisoner into the whales belly, the Lord's hand found out the cruel Idumeans, albeit they did dwell in the clests of the rocks, and said in the pride of their hearts, who shall bring us down to the ground? Though thou exaltest thyself as an Eagle, and make thy nest among the stars, Yet thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord, The Lord's hand found out Nebuchadnezzar, being at rest in his own house, flourishing in his own palace, saying in vain boasting, Is not this great Babel, which by the might of my power, I have built for the honor of my majesty. While the word was in his mouth, a voice came down from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee be it spoken, Thy kingdom is departed from thee, and they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and the very same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like Eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws.

When Phocas had built a strong wall about his palace, for security, he heard in the night a voice, O King, though thou build as high as the clouds, yet the city may be taken easily, for the sin within mars all. The Lord's hand found out Simon Magus, as he was presuming to fly up into heaven, in the public theater of Rome, and there he gave him such a fall, as that he could never rise more. The Lord's hand found out Sylvester the second (who to get the Popedom gave himself to the devil) as he was in a chapel singing of a mass the Lord's hand found out Nitingall, a blasphemous popish priest, in the very pulpit. No place, be it never so high or so holy, so deep or so dark, so foul or fair, can exempt the wicked from the wrath of the Lord▪ It is true that God's dwelling is in Zion only, Psal. 76. 2. as Hugode S. victor. gloseth it, in mundo est vt imperator in regno, in ecclesia vt pater familias in domo, in anima fideli vt sponsus in thala •… o. He dwelleth in the world, as an Emperor in his kingdom for the earth is the Lord's, and all that therein is, Psal. 24. 1. He dwells in the Church, as a master in his house, for the house of God, is the Church of God, 1▪ Tim. 3. 15. In a faithful soul, as the bridegroom in his chamber, there he suppes and refresheth himself. apoc. 3. 20. but our iniquities on the contrary, make a separation between God and us, Isaiah 59. 2. And so God is said in the holy scripture to be fa •… re from the wicked, and the wicked to go far from God. The which is proved in the prodigal c •… ild, who took his journey into a far country, that is, far from God, far from goodness. Answer is made by S ^t . Augustine, in one word, Deus non ibi deest, vbi longe est, quia vbi non est per gratiam, adest per vindictam, Although in respect of salvation, and grace, God be far from the wicked, yet in respect of his power, and punishment, always so nigh, that his out stretched arm can everywhere reach and ruin them. God dwells in Zion only, but is present in Babylon also.

Secondly, we note from this circumstance, God's exact Justice, who would have Sennacherib, to perish in the same place, where he had offended most, he was a great Idolater, and he committed that Idolatry most in the chapel of his Idol Nisrock. And therefore God's revengeful hand did find and confound him in the right vbi; so the Prophet Elia said to King Ahab, Hast thou killed and gotten possession also, thus saith the Lord, in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs even lick thy blood also.

The corps of M ^r Arden, slain by the consent & counsel of his own wife, was laid as a spectacle to men and Angels, in the very same field which he had unjustly taken from a poor widow, and it is well ordered in our State, that where men commit outrageous murders, there they should die the death for it, The judgments of God is at all times terrible, but being executed in the same place, where the malefactor acted the fault, it is more fearful, it putteth him in mind of his offense, with all the circumstances thereof, and so makes his conscience to denounce his own condemnation.

Every day should be to the good man, a Sabbath, and every corner of his mansion, a privy chapel, as occasion is offered for devotion▪ O then I beseech you, by the mercies of the Lord Jesus, take heed of sin in your secret closets, and chambers, for nothing is hid from God's alpiercing eyes, which are as a flame of fire, who can make your very table a snare to take you withal, and the things which should have been for your wealth, an occasion of falling; he can make the stone out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber, to cry for Judgment against you: David afflicted heavily, said, every night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears. He had offended most in his bed, he did act his repentance therefore most in his couch. Imitate David's example, who was a man according to God's own heart, when thou comest into the room, defiled with any filthiness of thine, sin no more, but water the place with tears, otherwise God may smite thee with a sudden and unhappy death, as he did Sennacherib in his temple, where he transgressed most.

It was in God also great Justice that he should perish by the sword who had abused the sword, in shedding innocent blood. It was a just judgment upon the cruel Egyptians to be drowned in the sea, because they cast all the male children of the Hebrews, into the river. It was a just judgment upon Adonibezek, that the thumbs of his hands & feet were cut off, having before •… one the like cruelty to seventy kings, and constraining them to gather crumbs under his table. Judge. 1. 6. It was a just judgment upon the tyrant Maxentius, that he was overthrown in the same bridge, which he craftily built, as a snare for the destruction of Constantine; It was a just judgment upon Pope Alexander the 6. who was poisoned at supper, with the very same wine, (his servant mistaking a bottle) which he had prepared as a deadly draught, for his familiar friend, Cardinal Adrianus; It was a just judgment upon the chief plotter of the most execrable gunpowder treason; that being pursued he should himself be first scorched with powder, and afterward killed with a gunne, and so the mischief fell upon his own head, and his wickedness upon his own pate. Non est lex aequior vlla, Quam necis artifices art perire s •… a; No judgment more sit, then that they who dig a pit for others, should fall into the mids of it themselves, as David phraseth it Psalm. 57. 7.

The third circumstance, to be further examined, is the time, when Sennacherib was slain, and that is said here to be, when he was in praying, and worshipping his god Nisrock. From whence we may see what an idle thing an idol is, for we must imagine, that Sennacherib, when he saw Adramelech, and Sharezer rushing in upon him, and ready to kill him, heartily called upon his god for help, and doubtless, Nisrock, if he had had any power, would not▪ have suffered his prime 〈◊〉 thus vnfortunatly to perish in his temple: but an idol, as S ^t Paul teacheth us, is nothing, and what would you have nothing to do: Something it is in opinion, and esteem, for so there be many gods, and many Lord's, but nothing in truth and value, something in the mind of an idolater, but nothing in the world, nothing in worth, or working, every founder is confounded by the graven Image, Jeremiah. 16. 14. So David, Idols are but silver and gold, the work of men's hands, they have mouths and speak not, eyes have they but see not, they have ears, but yet they hear not, neither is there any breath in their nostrils, they that make them are like unto them, and so are all they that put their trusi in them, and Fzechiah in this present chapter at the 17. verse. Truth it is, Lord, that the kings of Ashur, have destroyed the nations, and fired their gods, for they were no gods, but the work of man's hand, even wood and st •… ne, therefore they destroyed them.

The Papists inuocating Saints, instead of the Savior, and adoring their images, even with the same kind of worship, which is due to the Prototype, kneeling, crouching, creeping to stocks and stones▪ offer in the temple the sacrifice of fools, calling upon Baal and Bell, who can neither hear them, nor help them; Hear o Israel▪ the Lord thy God, is Lord only▪ and him only shalt than serve. We find in the Bible, precept upon precept, as Isaiah speaks, and line upon line, for our prayingvnto God in the time of trouble; but for invocation of Saints in the scripture, neither precept, nor promise, nor pattern: the pictures of the saints of Christ, of the martyrs of Christ, of the mother of Christ, adored and worshipped, are not able to save their servants, more then Nisrocke here did Sennacherib, who notwithstanding his devotion, in the chapel of his own house, was ignominiously slain in the sight of his Idol, and that in the very act and hour of prayer, as he was in the temple, worshipping Nisrocke.

N Abuchodonosor, an idolatrous and a proud king, in the words immediately going before, questioned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the true servants of the most high God, whether they would serve his gods, and adore that image, which he by solemn edict had commanded to be worshipped; threatening them (if they did not obey) with death, and •… hat imminent death, in the same hour, and that imminent death, a violent death, and of all violent deaths, the most horrible, to be cast into the mids of a firy furnace; To which, answer is made by them in our text containing their

• Resolution,
• Reason of their resolution.

Their resolution appears to be peremptory by the

• Preface of their speech, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
• Conclusion of their speech, be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods &c.

The reasons of this resolution are two,

• 1. Taken from God's almighty power, behold our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furn •… e.
• 2. From his holy will, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O King.

These three verses then are placed in the mids of the chapter, (as some divide) between 15. verses on each side, like the sun in the mids of the firmament, and the heart in the mids of 〈◊〉 body; from whence 〈◊〉 arise it he light▪ and life of the whole story: let v •… follow the light, & proceed according to the propounded method.

The resolution of these words is prudent and pious, reserving unto God, the things which are God's, and yet giving unto Caesar, the things which are Caesar's; Affording Nebuchadnezzar his due title, King; and yielding obedience to him as to their King▪ rather patiently suffering the pain, then obstinately resisting the power, because the God of heaven had given him a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory, verse. 37. of the former chapter.

This example should teach every soul to be subject unto▪ soue •… igne authority, taking up against a ty •… ant prince, not a sword, but a buckler, obeying ferrend •… non feriendo▪ suffering his will, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 command things according (to the rules of p •… ty) to be done of us▪ If otherwise, to be done on us, a wicked governor is a Nebuchadnezzar▪ that is, as the word is interpreted, the mourning of the generation and the weapons of the Church, 〈◊〉 prayers and tears▪ Ecclesia▪ Christi, quoth Jerome 〈◊〉 Theophilus, est 〈◊〉 patiend •… ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciend •… contumelias; an hard lesson, I confess, which is not well taught, but in a few Churches, and well practiced almost in none: for Schismatistes in upholding their pretended holy discipline, sho •… e all •… e at Caesar's •… rowne▪ and Jesuited Papists are right down traitors, and professed King-killers, in maintaining their Antichristiā Hierarchy, both have dangerous positions, and practices in this kind, the one to beat down the walls of Zion, by disturbing the peace of the reformed Church, and the other to build up the walls of Babylon, by defending the abomination of the deformed Synagogue.

The Lord of the vineyard, Mark. 12. sent servants to his farmers, that he might receive some fruits of the same, but they beat some, and killed others; the Schismatics are Caedentes▪ the Papists and Here •… ickes accidents, the villain •… auilliack confessed at his death, that he was sory for that he had committed mur •… her, but not sorry for that he had killed the King.

O God which 〈◊〉 die King of kings, even the Lord paramont, from whom all power is deri •… d, if thou send good Princes (as thou hast out of the riches of thy great mercy to this land, at this time) give grace •… at w •… may still honor them as our •… ursing fat •… 〈◊〉 ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come, for the condign punishment of our sin, that we may receive them as thy rods, with all humility, patience, piety, resolving as that holy Martyr▪ John Bradford; If the Queen will give me life, I will thank her, If she will banish me, I will thank her, If she will burn she, I will thank her, If she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment, I will thank her.

O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful▪ as they gave to Nebuchadnezzar, the things of Nebuchadnezzar, So they reserved unto God, all honor due to God; as if they should have said, in an argugument of another nature, we would be careful, happily curious, in returning a pleasing answer to the King, but in this matter, all our care must be cast upon the Lord, who being a jealous God, will not give his glory to another▪ nor his praise to graven images, Isaiah. 42. 8. O Nebuchadnezzar, we will show by deeds, that it is better to obey God, then man; In reason as well as in religion, a true proposition is to be granted, a false, to be denied▪ only the doubtful and probable, to be disputed; human demonstrations, and divine testimonies, are without controversy, the laws of the Medes are not alterable, much less the commandments of God questionable. So Balum answered the servants of Balak: If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot g •… e beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. So Joseph answered his want on mistress; How can I do this great wickedness, and so sin against God. The breach of the •… east commandment in the second table▪ concerning our neighbors, is a sin, but a transgression of the first table, concerning our duty to God, a greater offense: For as Bernard and other divines observe, God hath, in old time, dispensed with some precepts of the second table, as in bidding Abraham to kill his son Isaac, contrary to the 6 commandment, and in suffering the Fathers to have many concubines, contrary to the 7. commandment, and in advising his people to rob the wicked Egyptians, of their jewels, contrary to the 8 commandment. Put God, ( who cannot deny himself ) never yet dispensed with any commandment of the first table, touching his true worship, and holiness, and therefore Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, delighting in the law of the Lord, and exercising themselves in it, day and night, and understanding that it saith expressly, thou shalt have no other gods; and thou shalt not make to thyself, any graven Image, resolved instantly, constantly, that they would neither serve the false gods of Nebuchadnezzar, nor yet adore his golden image.

Cyprian, the blessed Martyr, in the like case, gave the like answer, for being tempted to forsake the truth of religion, he replied, as Augustine reports, in re tam sancta nulla deliberatto, telling the Proconsull Paternus to his beard, I am a Christian, and a Bishop, I know no gods but one, that is the true living God, who created heaven and earth, and all that is therein. So Martyn Luther, in the spirit of Elias; by fire from heaven▪ used to say, that the principles of faith, are like a Mathematical point, which admits neither ademption, nor addition; in such a case, quoth he, God assisting I am, and ever will be, stout and stern, herein I take upon me this title; Cedonulli. So the good Ignatius of his age, Dr. Rouland Taylor, (when his friends advised him, as Peter did his master, ) pity thyself, answered, I shall never be able to do God so good service, as now. I know that the papacy is the kingdom of Antichrist, and that all the doctrine thereof, even from Christ's cross be my speed, unto the end of their apocalyps, is nothing else but idolatry, superstition, errors, hypocrisy, lies. So the renowned Prelate, John Jewel, I deny my learning, I deny my Bishopric, I deny myself, only the faith of Christ, and truth of God, I cannot deny, with this faith, or for this faith, I trust I shall end.

The schismatics, in loosing their livings, and the Papists in loosing their lives, are both exceeding resolute, but it is not the cross, but the cause that makes the Martyr; the Romanists are not questioned▪ for serving the true God▪ but for their worshipping their false gods, and for adoring 〈◊〉 lord god the Pope▪ they be not con •… ▪ (as they say) because Jesuits, but on the 〈◊〉 ▪ because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ Our blessed Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God▪ even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ saith Augustine▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ 2 •… 8▪ Whose foot stood upon 〈◊〉 ▪ and the top reached up to heaven. But the papists have 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 〈1 line〉 saints, and angels, at the foot, with the merits of their own works, and so they make Christ Jesus our only mediator, 1. Tim. 2. 5. but half a mediator, and half a Savior; half a mediator, because the Saints are joint patrons with him; and half a Savior, because themselves are joint purchasers with him, in the work of their salvation. Irenaus writeth of certain humorous fellows, who called themselves, Emendatores apostolorum, apostle-menders, and so these men are correctors of the scriptures, accounting Saint Paul a very Lutheran, for teaching justification by faith only; So likewise Schismatics in our Church, are not questioned for articles of doctrine, but for points of discipline, for matter of ceremony, not substance, As then Aristides who died of the bite of a weazell, exceedingly lamented, because it was not a lyon; so the brethren of division, and other of their alliance, may grieve that they do not smart for the lyō of Judah, but for a siely weasel, lately •… rept out of the Alps, which at the first crowded in among us, at a little hole, but since being pampered at the tables of diverse rich men, is grown so full and pursy, that many will rather forsake God's pl •… gh▪ and look back to the world, then acknowledge he came in at so narrow an entrance. Manners (as it is in the proverb) makes the man, and so it is the matter that makes the M •… rtyr, as the 3 children in our text, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer the •… , in this matter.

Yea, but i •… is the King that 〈◊〉 , and the proclamation of a King, is like the roaring of a lyon, and with him, as we find in the forepart of this chapter, are joined the Nobles, Princes, and Dukes, the Judges, the receivers, and all the governors of the provinces, why then are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, recusants, and singular in their opinions, especially, considering on the one side their danger, and on the other side, their duty. Lawyers and Divines, and great clearkes, in other professions often are ready to speak good of evil, and evil of good, prostituting their tongues, and pens, and wits, and wills, all that they have, goods, honor, bodies, soul, to serve the times, and turns of Princes. If the King bid kill, they kill, If he say spare, they spare: If he bid smite, they smite: If he bid make desolate, they make desolate, beating down mountains and walls, and towers, amplifying or extenuating everything for the pleasing of his humor, and advancing of his honor.

It is thought by S ^t . Jerome and other, that the golden Image, set up here by Nebuchadnezzar, was his own Statua, so vain was his impiety, that being dust and ashes, as a clod of clay in the hand of the potter; he did notwithstanding ambitiously desire to be worshipped as a God, opposing as it were this image, which himself made, to that image which appeared unto him in a dream, by God's appointment; and immediately his plot took, for as we read in this chap. at the 7. verse, all the people, nations, and languages, fell down, and worshipped the golden image: David often said, thou art my king O God, but a mere Courtier on the contrary, thou art my God, O King. It is court language, to term the followers and flatterers of Nebuchadnezzar his creatures.

But beloved, it is not any person, in any place, who may either prejudice a truth, or privilege an error: If it be true, do as they say, though a pharisee be teacher. Mat. 23. 3. If false, hold him accursed, though an Angel be preacher. Gal. 1. 8. That which is bad in it self, by defending, is made worse, causa patrocinio non bona peior erit, as Augustine writes of Petilian contradicting the truth, vbi respondere conatus est, magis ostendit quod non potuit respondere: The more he would answer, the more he shown he could not answer.

That which is crooked none can make straight, saith Ecclesiast. as there be some diseases which are called Dedecus medicorum, a shame to Physicians, so there are some questions, which are Dedecus theologorum, a shame to Divines. The religion of the Gentiles, hath no constant confession, or belief; but leaveth all to the strength of argument; on the contrary, the religion of Muhammad, interdicteth all argument, and enjoins a strict confession only; but holy religion doth both admit, and reject disputation, with difference. Dubious Problems may be discussed in 〈◊〉 schools; and accurately handled in the pulpit to; but evident oracles and articles of faith, are simply to be believed: Litigando, saith one pithily, res non dirimitur, sed perimitur, If Nebuchadnezzar as King command to worship false gods, obey passively, not actively; suffer his will, as being in higher power, but do the will of God, as being higher then the highest: here say with the three children, O king, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

The 1. reason on which they ground their resolutiō is God's omnipotency, behold, the God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the hot fiery furnace. Nothing, saith Tertullian, is impossible to God, but that he will not; for whatsoever pleaseth him, he doth in heaven and in earth, and in the sea, and in all deep places. Psal. 135. 6. To compass his designs, he doth use sometime weak means, sometime no means, sometime contrary means; Weak means, for it is not hard with the Lord to save with many, or with few. 1. Sam. 14. 16. He can as easily blow down the walls of Jericho, with the sound of Rams horns, as with the thunder of roaring canons. Sometime he works without means, as he created all things, of nothing; and Christ immediately cured many maladies, without any medicines, The Centurions servant, was healed with his bare word; •… ayrus daughter, with the touch of his hand; the woman which had a bloody flux, twelve years, by touching the hem of his garment only, Mat. 9. 20. Sometimes he doth use contrary means, as Christ opened the eyes of one that was borne blind, by anointing them with clay; and in the work of our redemption, he gave life, not by life, but by death, and that a most accursed death; Op •… imum fecit instrumentum vitae, qu •… d erat p •… ssimum mortis genus. And in our effectual vocation, he calleth us by the preaching of the Gospel, unto the Jews, a stumbling block, and unto the Grecians, foolishness; In reason more likely to draw men from God, then to win and woe men to God. Sampson, in slaying a thousand Philistines, with the ia •… bone of an asse, was a type hereof, (as Prosper observes) insinuating that Christ by the foolishness of preaching, should confound his enemies, and •… aue such as beleene, which occasioned that blessed Apostle, to call godliness, a great mystery. 1. Tim. 3. 16.

It is true, that God can neither die, nor lie, because these are not acts of power, but defects of infirmity▪ Dicitur enim omnipotence, saith Augustine, faciendo quod vult, non patiendo quod non vult; God is able to do whatsoever he will, and more then he will too; more by his absolute power, then he will by his actual, and as God can do what he will have done, so he will do whatsoever is best, unto those that love him, and therefore, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, further added, he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King.

They speak, concerning his power most absolutely, but concerning his pleasure, which is secret, with an If, conditionally, but if not, and the reason hereof is plain, because God in his infinite wisdom suffers his people, many times, to be murdered and martyred by the hands of ungodly men.

1. To manifest his providence, who brought light out of darkness, and life out of death, and ordereth all wickedness for his own good ends and glory, making the blood of his Martyrs the seed of his Church.

2. To show his omnipotency, for if he should never use ordinary means, but always extraordinary miracles, in delivering his servants out of their troubles, it would be thought an act of fate, rather then of favor, done, not by his might or mercy, but ascribed only to nature and necessity.

3. To try his servants obedience, faith, humility, patience, magnanimity, perseverance; for men undoubtedly show their love to God, in their doings, more then in their sayings, & in their sufferings, more then in their doings; in Christ's cause to suff •… r death, is the way to heaven on horseback, quoth blessed Bradford.

4. For the good of his people, for that he doeth hereby hasten their immortality, receiving them into an everlasting habitation, and making them partakers of a better resurrection. It is sweetly said, that persecutors are goldsmiths to make crowns for the Martyrs, and Martyrs in the judgment of the Fathers, shall have greater crowns then other.

And therefore the final determination of these worthless, unto Nebuchadnezzar, is briefly this, If our god will deliver v •… out of thine hand. O King, our hearts are ready to glorify him in our lives, If not, our hearts are ready to glorify him in our deaths, If he will accept this our burnt offering, his shall be the glory, but ours the good. O King, be it 〈◊〉 unto thee, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden Image, which thou hast set up.

And as they said, they suffered, the which is an actual commentary, upon Christ's injunction, •… f any man will follow me, let him forsake himself: They did in the quarrel of God, not only forsake 〈◊〉 , their houses, and lands, and goods, or su •… s, their father, mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters; but also se their own selves, even that which was most themselves, their own sou •… es and 〈◊〉 , loosing them here, that they may find them, and save them hereafter, in a better estate.

Queen Hester in the like case, had the like resolution, If I perish, I perish, in the like case S ^t . Paul had the like resolution, I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus; In the like case blessed Ignatius had the like resolution, as S. Jerome and diverse other r •… late, for being adjudged to be thrown unto the beasts, and hearing the lions roaring, I am (quoth he) the wheat of Christ, and I shall be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be made pure manchet for his own mouth. In the like case S. Vincent had the like resolution, being as 〈◊〉 reporteth out of 〈1 line〉 〈1 line〉 〈1 line〉 〈◊〉 vicit 〈◊〉 vici et 〈◊〉 ▪ In the like case Martin Luther had the like resolution. I am certainly determined to enter Wormes in the Name of our Lord Jesus, although I knew there •… were so many devils 〈◊〉 me, as there be tiles to cover the houses in Wormes. All Martyrologies▪ as well ancient as moderne, abound with examples in this kind▪ Christians in old time, saith Sulpitius, desired Martyrdom, more then men in our time do Bishopriches; for when once the Gospel is at the stake, and God's glory questioned▪

Bacon our countryman is termed among the School •… en Doctor Resolutu •… ▪ in like manner, all the scholars of Christ ought to be Doctors inconcussibiles, as Nic: de Clemangris wrote to Gerson in his 9. Epistle. Iuuenal saith in his first Satyr; Stulta est patientia cum tot vbi{que} Votibus occurras, peritur •… parcere chartae. But take heed as Clemang. in the fore-cited place doth advise, ne sit stulta patientia cum tot vbi{que} Gladibus occurras, Cum tantam Ecclesiae ruinam et tantam euersionem videas, parcere •… ri, parcere lingu •… , parcere still •… ; to which I will add, peritur •… parcere carni.

Brethren, ye have not as yet resisted the man of sin unto blood, exhort one another, while 〈◊〉 is called today, mark those diligently which are ready to forsake the Gospel, and embrace the present world, who trust almighty God so little with their lives, as that upon rumors of wars, in foreign parts, and shadows of fears nearer home, turn back like Jordan, and start aside, like a broken bow. It is an observable note, touching the writings of S. John; how that in in his Gospel, he teacheth especially faith; in his Epistles, especially love; in his Apocalypse, especially hope; This book being (as reverend Bullinger censureth) Euangelicissi •… liber, of all holy scripture, the fullest of consolation; and the main point of the whole re •… elation, is undoubtedly the certain destruction of Babylon; and most unspeakable blessedness of Jerusalem above.

Wherefore stand fast in the faith, quit yourselves like men, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, be not weary of well doing, but abundant always in the work of the Lord, continue faithful unto death, and the God whom we serve shall deliver us from the hands of all our enemies, and give us the Crown of life.

There be 2. parts of this Prophecy.

• 1. An expostulation of Abacuc, or a complaint in the 1. and 2 chap.
• 2. A postulation of Abacuc, or prayer▪ in the •… chap.

T He Prophets expostulatiō is twofold, the first concerning the licentious and loose lives of the 〈◊〉 ▪ compassing above the righteous, either by secret frauds, or else by spoiling and open violence▪ Chap. 1. verse. 2. 3. 4. To which almighty God answereth, in the seven next verses, that he will bring upon the Jews for their iniquities the Chaldee •… ans, a bitter and a furious people, who shall •… mple upon the breadth of their land, and possess their 〈…〉 teaching the Prophet how to comfort the faithful, and showing by vision, that he will overthrow the Chaldeans, their enemies, when as their ambition and pride shall be full, and at the height. For their general and chief captain, N •… buchodonosor, who doth enlarge his desires as the hell, and as death is insatiable, gathering unto him all nations, and heaping unto him all people, what is he but as one that transgresseth by wine; for as wine doth in the beginning, make the drunkard Iouiall and merry, but in the conclusion, overthrow him, and expose him to base contempt: even so Nebuchodonosors prosperity made him exceeding fearful, and terrible to the nations round about him, in the beginning: but (as the Lord here tells Abacuc, ) in the end these people shall take up a taunting proverb against him, and a parable of reproach. As he boasted in five things especially, so there be five mocks or worse against him in this chapter answerable to the same.

1. He glorified in the multitude of his riches, against which it is said, Woe be to him that increaseth that which is not his, and ladeth▪ himself with thick clay.

2. He gloried in the greatness of his kingdom, against which it is said in our text. Woe be to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, &c.

3. He glorified in the strength of his 〈◊〉 cities▪ and towers of defe •… ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈1 line〉 town with blood, and erecteth a city by iniquity.

4. He gloried in oppressing of his neighbor Kings, and kingdoms, against which it is said, Woe, be to him that giveth his neighbor drink, and maketh him drunken that thou mayest discover his nakedness.

5. He gloried in the protection of his Idol, and Idol god, against which it is said Woe be to him that saith to the wood, awake, to the dumb stone, arise, it shall teach, behold it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.

I am at this time, to treat of the second tract only, the which as it concerned Nebuchadnezzar in Hypothesi; so (beloved) it may be verified of every covetous insatiable wretch in Thesi, that in spoiling other, he covereth an unprofitable gain, consulting shame to his own house, and sinning against his own soul.

As Seneca said, there is a good usury, and a bad; a good of our precious time, a bad which is the biting interest of money: For the Scripture mentioneth a good and a bad covetousness, a good which our blessed Lord calleth, hungering and thirsting after righteousness; And S. Paul a coveting of spiritual gifts, and S. Jerome, a covetous desire to win souls unto God, an evil covetousness, termed by Christ. Luke. 16. 9. Vnrighteous Mammon, and that in three respects, as being either ill got, or ill kept, or ill spent.

Ill gotten, as when a cruel oppressor doth increase that which is not his own, verse 6▪ when he buildeth a town with blood, and a city with iniquity, verse 12. Or when he seeketh his own, with o •… er great care, setting his whole heart upon worldly wealth, extending his desires as hell, and as death insatiable, auare auarus, as Chytraeus upon our text; Such an inordinate coveting is evil, and goods so gotten are riches of iniquity yea filthy lucre. 1. Tim. 3. 3.

Ill kept, is when a miserable wretch will not let his fountain flow forth, and his rivers of waters in the street, when he will not distribute to the nec •… ssity of the Saints, and share his goods among those which are of the household of faith, according to the rules of charity, Justice, mercy.

Ill spent, as when a penny-father doth a good work for temporal interest, or to be seen of men, Mat. 6. 1. or when he doth expend his riches upon bad works, as in giving his neighbor drink, that he may make him drunken, and so discover his priuities, verse. 15. Or when he drinks so much himself, that he is filled with shame for glory, verse 16. All these kinds of covetousness are evil, and, as the blessed Apostle telleth us expressly, the root of all evil, whether it be malum culpae, that evil a man doth, or malum poenae, that evil a man suffereth, it is the root of all sin, and of all punishment for sin; the terms of our text point at both, at the sin▪ in pronouncing it evil, at the punishment, in denouncing upon it a woe.

For the first, If the fear of God be the beginning of wisdom, the Matrix of goodness, and seed of virtue, then on the contrary, the love of the world, which is enmity with God, is the root of all offenses against God, our neighbors, and our selves; for as the root gives nourishment to the whole tree, so the disordinate love of money, doth administer occasions and means for every sin, according to that of Ecclesiastes, silver answereth to all, or as it is in the vulgar Latin, and old English, all things obey money.

The most abominable sin committed against God, is idolatry, forbidden in the 1. commandment of the Law, thou shalt have none other God's, &c. And in the 1▪ article of the creed, I believe in God, not in gods, but as the Nicene creed, in one God almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in the first words of the Pater noster, our Father which art in heaven: God is our Father, Ergo, we must have none other God's; in heaven, Ergo, we may not worship any graven Image; But covetousness, as S. Paul teacheth, is worshipping of Idols, Ephe. 5. 5. for as cursed Idolaters either have strange gods, and not the true, as the Pagans, or else strange gods with the true, as the Papists; So the covetous person adores gold, instead of God, or else God and Mammon together; Nay, coveting of an evil covetousness, is so great a rebellion and disobedience to God's holy law, that as the scripture speaks, it is like the sin of ^x witchcraft; a very wretch is to himself a very witch, and that is they height of Idola try. For whereas Heretics serve the true God, with a false worship, and Idolaters serve false gods imagining them to be true: wi ches adore most impiously false gods, knowing them to be false, for the ground of that black art, is either an open, or a secret league with the devil.

To speak more particularly the covetous person is an idolater, in respect of his inward and outward adoring of Mammon; for his inward worship, he sets his heart vpō riches, as David speaks, he puts his trust in uncertain riches, as Christ and Paul speaks, he sacrificeth unto his net, as our Prophet speaks, and as Job speaks, he maketh gold his hope, and saith unto the wedge of gold, thou art my confidence. Now then as he is our master, to whom we submit our obedience. Rom. 6. 16. So that is our God to which we commit our selves, trusting it most, and loving it best

As for an outward worship, the miserable wretch is more gross▪ then either Popish, or heathenish Idolaters, for they worship aurum in imagine, but he doth worship aurum in •… rugine So S. James in plain terms, Your gold and silver are cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you; The Romanists hold that Images are the lay-men's Gospel, and so Sculpture, saith Zanchius, is the covetous man's Scriptura, his pictures are his scriptures, his bills are his Bibles, and the bonds of other, his security.

As for o •… her offenses against God, what is the cause why Simon Magus is desirous first to buy, that after he may sell the gifts of the holy Ghost, is it not evil covetousness? What is the cause, why sacreligious persons spoil God of his tithes, a rent which is due to him, and his, for blessing the other nine parts of their goods▪ Is it not evil covetousness? What is the cause why Belshazzar carrowseth in consecrated vessels, and takes delight in devouring holy things, is it not evil cou •… tousnesse? What is the cause why some take to themselves, and their heirs the houses of God in possession, not only playing the merchan •… s in the temple, but also making merchandize of the Temple, defi •… ing holy places, and making Jerusalem an heap of stone •… , is it not evil covetousness? What is the cause why some Divines in some parts of the land, lie▪ ing non-resident, from their b •… nefices, allow their curates, and fellow laborers, in the Lord's work, so mean means to live, that (as one said) while they pray against other, for taking ten in the hundred, themselves every year make an hundred for ten, is •… t not evil covetousness? What is the cause, why Neutralists, and Hermophrodites▪ in the business of religion, are so cold, like to Demas, ready to forsake the Gospel, and embrace the present world, is it not evil covetousness? It is said in the proverb, show me a liar, and I will show thee a thief, So show me a man given over unto the world, and I will▪ easily show you a man that turns his back to God's altar, and is ready ^r to make shipwreck of faith, and a go •… d conscience. The man of God, who fleeth these things, useth the world, as if he used it not, using it only that he may the better enjoy God: But he that coveteth an evil covetousness on the contrary, doth use God, that he may the better enjoy the world: the penny-father is not God's child.

For it is observed, that the dear Saints and children of God, have been least branded with this of all other sins; Noah was drunk; Lot committed incest; David adultery; Aaron idolatry; Peter perjury; but we do not read, that any holy Patriarch, or Prophet, or Apostle, was ouermastered, or infected notoriously with the base sin of evil coveting; among all Christ's company, Judas only, the son of perdition, is blotted for covetousness, but all the rest who were heirs of salvation, are said to leave all things, even all they had, and all they could desire to have, to follow Christ in his poverty, when he professed openly, the foxes▪ have holes, and the birds of heaven have nests, but the son of man hath not whereon to rest his head. And Martin Luther, a second▪ Elias, (who by fire from heaven, descried and▪ described that abomination of desolation, in God's temple,) writes of himself, that of all sins, he was ever least subject to covetousness; The Papists object often that professors of the reformed religion, are Lutherans; but I would to God, both we and they were true Lutherans in this point. I have read that Cardinal Burbonius, should say, he would not leave his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise: But a man of God on the contrary, must account all things loss, that he may win Christ: If every sin be less or more deformed, ex parte boni cui inordinate subditur (as the school speaks) then undoubtedly covetousness is a most abject sin, because goods of the world, are worse then either goods of the body, or goods of the mind, it is but a dirty sin, to love thick clay. If we may not too solicitously care for tomorrow. Mat. 6. 34. Then it is the serpents head, and height of impiety to cark for many morrows, building our nest on high, that we may escape the power of evil to come, hording up secret treasure, not only for our children, but also for our children's children (as the Lawyers speak) settling inheritances, and making uncertain riches, (which according to God's book, have wings as an Eagle ) perpetuities forever; This insatiable, both intent, and extent, is an evil covetousness in God's eye.

Now concerning our neighbors, avarice increasing of wealth is often reported, and repeated in this Prophecy, to be spoiling of other, which are either superiors, equals, or inferiors; as for superiors▪ evil covetousness denieth unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar's. It with-holds tribute to whom tribute; custom, to whom custom; honor, to whom honor belongeth. It renders not to minister and master and magistrate that which is due by the laws of God and man.

As for equals, it is evil covetousness that occasioneth so many quarrels in law, and makes so many breaches in love.

As for inferiors, it is evil covetousness that maketh a man hard hearted, and fast handed toward the poor, the true character of Nabal is to get much, and keep much, but to spend little, and give nothing. Not to run in the field of this common place, beyond the bounds of our text, he that enlargeth his desires as the hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people, he that buildeth his nest on high, erecting it with blood, and iniquity, he that increaseth that which is not his own, and leaves so much hid treasure to his babes, that all of them may live like gentlemen, and Idle men, is an enemy to the Church, and common weal, loosing the one many good Pastors, and the other many good professors and tradesmen. If gallant upstarts like nettles today, peeping out of the ground, tomorrow, perking to the top of the hedge, had not been left an opulent fortune, they would have got their living either by the sweat of their brains, or else by the sweat of their brows, whereas now the state both Ecclesiastical, and Civil, is deprived of their industry.

Lastly, this sin is the root of evil unto our selves, auarus nemini bonus, sibi vero pessimus, A muck worm doth no good unto any, much hurt unto himself, he coveteth an evil covetousness (saith our Prophet ) to his own house, he sinneth against his own soul, and consulteth shame to his own posterity. It is evil unto his house, for the building of it so high, upon so bad a foundation, will be the ruin thereof, and make it even with the ground; so Cyrillus Alexandrinus upon the place, Posuisti nidum in alto, sed miser eris et repent sub pedibus inimicorum; Thy stately towers and towns, ouertopping the heads of thy friends▪ shall upon the sudden be trampled under the feet of thy foes; for although all men should hold their peace, yet saith our Prophet, the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shall answer it; the dumb creatures answer one another, as voices in the quire, and their cries, as S. James telleth us, enter into the ears of the Lord of hosts, and the ▪Lord crieth, although thou exaltest thyself, as an Eagle, and make thy nest among the stars, yet thence will I bring thee down, for as thou hast done, so shall it be done to thee, thy reward shall return upon thy head, Obadia. 4. and 15 verse.

It is evil to his posterity, for unconscionable gain will occasion his children to be lazy, laziness will occasion lewdness, and lewdness will occasion utter ruin; for them that honor me, will I honor, and they that despise me, shall be despised, saith the Lord God of Israel. 1. Samuel 2. 30,

It is evil to his own self, for as the liberal and merciful man rewardeth his own soul. Proverbs 11. 17. So the cruel and covetous, sinneth against his own soul, saith our Prophet, and this evil is the worse, for that it grows stronger and stronger, as he grows weaker and weaker, omnia vitia, saith Zanchius, Cum senectute s •… nescunt, auaritia sola iuuen •… scit; other sins, as we grow in years, are lesser, and lesser; only covetousness, which Abacuc telleth us, is a kind of drunkenness, reigns in old men especially: an apprentice having served certain years, is a free-man; and a scholar, having studied at the university seven, is a master: but the covetous person, is never a free-man, or a master, but always a servant, and a slave to Satan and sin, deficient in every good office, concerning his natural life, civil life, spiritual life, eternal life, all which is included in this one word, Woe, whereby the Prophet doth intimate, that covetousness is the root of all evil, which a man suffers; Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness.

An Angel cried, Apoc. 8. 13. Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth, inhabitantibus non accolis, as S. Ambrose distinguisheth, unto such as are not only soiourners, but settled inhabitants, who so dwell on earth, as that they make it their mansion and heaven, and never look for another city, which is above; Woe to such in their life, woe to such in their death, woe to such after death, as the godly man whose conversation is in heaven, hath the promises of the life present, and of that which is to come; so the worldly man, who coveteth an evil covetousness, whose mind is set on earthly things, hath the punishments of the life present, and of that which is to come: Woe, woe, woe to such a one, woe to his body, which is a temporal woe, woe to his soul, which is a spiritual woe, woe to both body and soul, which is an eternal woe.

Concerning the first, Achan for his evil covetousness was by God's commandment stoned to death, and his wealth consumed with fire: Geezi for his evil covetousness, was stricken with a leprosy that cleaved to him and his seed forever: Ananias and Sapphira, for their evil covetousness, died disastrously: Judas for his evil covetousness first despaired, and afterward hanged himself: Nebuchadnezzar whom our text points at chiefly, for his evil covetousness, was filled with shame for glory.

Concerning the second, which is the woe spiritual of the soul, If they who will be rich by common and commendable means, fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, that fight against the soul: then how much mo •… e do they sin, that covet an evil covetousness, that build a town with blood, and erect a city with the wages of iniquity; The spiritual life, consists in faith and repentance, now the covetous being drowned in his mucke, makes shipwreck of his faith, and a good conscience; For faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom. 10. 17. Bu •… the deceitfulness of riches, as our Lord shows, Ma •… . 13 chokes the word, and hinders the passage thereof; he that coveteth an evil couetonsnesse, is like the deaf adder mentioned in the 58. Psalm. that stoppeth her ears, and refuseth to hear the charmers voice, though he charm never so sweetly. S. Augustine expounding that place, writes that this venomous serpent, delighteth in darkness, clappeth one of her, ears very hard to the ground, and with her tail, stoppeth the other, least hearing the Marso, she should be brought to light; and so the serpentine worldling which hath his mind in his chest, while his body is at Church, stops one ear with earth, that is, with insatiable desires of riches, and the other with his tail, that is, with his heirs and posterity, building his nest on high, that they may escape the evil to come, and so little regard the Gospels harmony, though the preacher should speak with the tongues of men and Angels.

As for repentance, the covetous is scarce brought to confess his fault, seldom to be sory, never to restore: So that having neither true faith in God, nor due love toward men, he cannot be but spiritually dead, and as the scripture speaks, without God in this world.

As for eternal woe, torturing both body and soul, you have Dives an example, Luke. 16. who for evil coveting, and for building his nest on high, suffers in hell fire, woes of loss, and woes of sense: woes in respect of his pains variety, woes in respect of his pains inseparability, woes in respect of his pains universality, for the righteous Lord, reigneth upon the ungodly snares, fire, and brimstone, storm, and tempest; against their evil avarice, catching, and spoiling other, snares; against their hot lust, and luxury▪ fire, and brimstone; against their putting up ambition, and pride, storm, and tempest.

T He word of God, is termed by S ^t . Paul, a two edged sword, as being sharp; (say the Doctors ) in a literal exposition; and sharp, in a sense which is mystical also.

This our text is literally construed of markestones and bounders of inheritance, between man and man, but allegorically, Divines expound it, of the limits of reason, and religion, and so by consequent of things appertaining to policy and piety.

According to the literal and plain sense, this Scripture teacheth us especially 3. lessons,

• 1. That we may possess lands.
• 2. That we may possess them in private, bounded and enclosed.
• 3. That we may maintain lawfully, these seuerals and enclosures.

For the first, the earth is the Lord's, and all that therein is, and the earth he hath given unto the sons of men. Psal▪ 115. 16. He made all things for man, and man for himself, the Creator is Lord of man, and man is lord of the creatures, all things are in subjection under his feet. Psal. 8. 6.

Again, Christ is heir of all things, Heb. 1. 2. and in Christ all things are ours, as the blessed Apostle sweetly, whether they be things present, or things to come, all are yours, and you Christ's, and Christ God's, and Luke. 15. 31. All that I have, is thine, said the good father to his good son.

Every man then before men, In foro ciuili, may claim the things of this world, by right of his birth, or creation, as a man: but every Christian before God, In foro conscientiae, hath an interest in them, by right of his second birth or regeneration, as a Christian, as some distinguish acutely, the wicked, as men, have Ius ad rem, but good men, as Christians, have Ius in re. We may possess lands, and houses, and riches, and yet remove no bounds of God's law: But our care must be that they do not possess us. Ita tenete, ne teneamin •… quoth Gregory the great, if we command them and honor god with them, according to their name they be goods in deed, wherewith we may do good unto all men, and be rich in good works, but if once they command us, then, as the poet said, they become irritamenta malorum even the minsters of mischief and (as the scripture speaks) the root of all evil.

The Church is described Apoc. 12. to be clothed with the Sun, and to have the Moon under her feet, that is, all earthly things which are changeable like the Moon; and the churches treasure was laid down at the Apostles feet; Act. 4. 35. Hereby signifiing, as Jerome told Paulinus, that when riches increase, we should not set our hearts on them, as David doth advise, but rather that we should trample them under our feet, first and most, seeking the kingdom of God, and then using the world as if we used it not, having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2. From hence we learn, that we may have lands in private, bounded and enclosed, so that everyone may say, this is mine, that is thine: as God in the beginning, bounded the raging Sea, saying, hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall it stop thy proud waves: So God's law prescribes certain limits and bounds, in every man's inheritance, which he may not transgress and remove, hitherto shalt thou go, and no further; for the distinction of possessions is founded, not upon the civil laws of Emperors only, but upon the Divine laws of God also, commanding, thou shalt not remove thy neighbors mark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance. Deut. 19. 14. and Deut. 27. 17. Cursed be he that remooueth his neighbors mark, and in our text, remove not the bounds &c. All which appertain to the commandment, thou shalt not steal, the which in one word doth overthrow Platonicall and Anabaptistical community, for if all things ought to be common, and nothing proper in possession; how can one man steal from another, and why should Isaiah denounce woe to such as join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place for other upon the earth, and why should the removing of land-marks, be numbered among the notorious faults of the wicked. Job. 24. 2.

It is objected out of Acts 2. 43. and Acts 4. 32. that the primitive Christians had all things common; Answer is made, that those dear servants, and Saints of God, in that extreme persecution, had all things common, In cresi, that is, in use, but not in Thesi, that is, in occupation, and possession. It is said, that the rich did sell their possessions, and lands, but not all their possessions and lands. 2. This sale was not forced, but voluntary; so S ^t . Peter told Ananias. Acts. 5. 4. Whiles it remained, appertained it not unto thee? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? 3. Such as did sell and communicate, did not give to all men alike, but as everyone had need; The poor did not confusedly snatch unto themselves, as much as they would, but the price of the things that were sold, was laid down at the Apostles feet, and distribution of the same was made unto every man, according to his necessity. 4. The blessed Apostles themselves, had not all things common in possession; for S ^t . John took the blessed Virgin recommended unto him by Christ; into his own home. John 19. 27. And S ^t . Paul had books, and apparel of his own; for thus he writes to Timothy, the cloak that I left at Troas, with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

Lastly, if all things ought to be common, as our moderne Platonists, and ancient Heritikes, called Apostolici, contend, why did Christ and his Apostles, exhort rich men of the world to be rich in good works, advising that their abundance should supply the lack of other, and that they should do good unto all men, especially unto those which are of the household of faith, distributing to the necessities of the Saints, and giving themselves to hospitality; To make things common, is to take away the subject and occasions of bountifulness, and liberality, which are so highly commended in a Christian.

3 As we may possess lands, and possess them in private, bounded, and enclosed; So we may maintain lawfully, these bounds against all oppressors, and intruders whatsoever. 1. Sovereign Princes, may defend their marches, and limits of their states and kingdoms, against invading neighbor kings, and that by dint of sword, and force of arms; If one private man offend another, the Judge (saith old Eli ) shall judge it, If one subject remove the land-marks of another, appeal may be made to superior authority; But if one King encroach upon the Dominions of another, they have no common seat of Justice, where to complain of wrongs, and therefore they may revenge public quarrels, and make the sword their Judge, and in such a case, saith Augustine, the captains and soldiers are the ministers of God, and they fight his battle with his sword, to take vengeance on such as do ill, and herein, as Bernard speaks, they be not homicidae sed malicidae.

2. It is the part of every parishioner and party, to preserve, so much as lieth in him, all the liberties, franchises, bounds, and privileges of the town where he dwells. S ^t Paul in a great extremity, pleaded that he was a citizen of Rome, and the chief captain, who had the charge of him, answered, with a great sum obtained I this freedom; the Church of England in the fourth part of the Sermon, for Rogation week, doth advise parishoners, in walking their perambulation, seriously to consider the bounds of their own Town-ship, and of all other neighbor parishes, bordering upon them on every side, that every town may be content with his own, and claim no more, then that, in ancient right and custom, our forefathers have peaceably laid out for our comfort, and commodity: in the tides of contention, between neighbor incorporations once up, there want not commonly stirring winds, to make them more rough: I remember Chaucer in his time, gave this character of a Sergeant at the law, nowhere so busy a man as he there was, and yet he seemed busier then he was; to be Causidicus, a Barrister, advocate, counselor, is an honest, a worshipful, and a worthy calling, but to be Causificus, a barretour, a setter of suites, a copy-cut as it were to bring in gain, to the court Christian, or civil, is a base trade, that becomes not a man, a gentleman less, a Christian least of all: I beseech you therefore brethren, mark them which cause divisions, and offenses, contrary to the doctrine ye have learned, and a •… oyd them, and the way to shun their courses is exactly to mark the markestones, and to stand in the old way, for the proverb is true, fast bind, fast find; even reckoning, makes long friends; when bounds are certain, possessors are not uncertain.

3. As the sovereign Prince, which is the head, and incorporations and towns, which are bodies politique: so in particular, every man, and member of the same, may defend his own right, and maintain the bounds of his proper inheritance, by wager of law, before competent judges; We must, as S. Paul exhorts, follow peace with all men; and have peace with all, if it be possible, so much as lieth in our power. But because the wicked are like the raging sea, whose waters cast up dirt and mire, having no peace within themselves, and always stirring with other: It is our duty, to be so simple as doves in offending them, and yet so wise as serpents, in defending our selves. It stands well enough with charity, for a Christian to stand upon his just title, yea, because charity begins with it self, he that provides not for his own, denieth the faith, and is worse then an infidel.

Against this doctrine, the fond Anabaptists object the word of Christ, Mat. 5 40. If any man will take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also, S. Augustine answereth in lib. 1. de. ser: dom. in monte, That this injunction ought to be construed, de preparatione cordis, and not de ostensione operis, of our hearts intention, and readiness to forgive an injury, rather then of our works extension and actual enduring the spoiling of our goods; or as other more plainly, these words are spoken of private retaliation and revenge, not of that remedy which we may have by public justice. The meaning of Christ is, that we should be so far from avenging one wrong with another, as that we should rather have patience, to suffer more; as the Prophets expound the law, so the Apostles expound the Gospel: hear then how S. Paul interprets this precept. Rom. 12. 19. Auenge not yourselves (saith he,) but give place to wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord; A private person ought not to render evil for evil, or rebuke for rebuke: But a magistrate may punish a malefactor, and so pro malo culpae render malum poenae; But that is not to requite evil for evil, but good for evil, because corrections, are directions, as well to the seers, as sufferer. He therefore that commits his cause to the Magistrate, gives place to divine judgment, he speaks, as David in the 35. Psalm. 1. verse, Plead thou my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me, and fight thou against them that fight against me; for all higher powers are God's ordinance, his lieutenants on earth, as it were fingers of the hand that governs all the world, and they execute the judgments, not of men but, of God.

Yea, but you will object happily, that S. Paul elsewhere doth argue the Corinthi •… ns of folly, for going to law one with another; Is it so that there is not a wise man among you, no not one that is able to judge between his brethren? Answer is made, that Paul in that place, forbids not simply the commencing of any suit, before the lawful and competent Judge: but that he taxed only three faults, reigning among the Corinthians at that time; the first, that being Christians, and so consequently brethren, they quarrelled one with another, and that under infidels, and unbelieving magistrates, unto the scandal of the Gospel. The second, that they were so transported, with heat, and hate, that they would not suffer any little wrong. The 3. that the plaintiues also did wrong, and defraud their brethren; remove these faults, and their causes may be pleaded between two faithful men, and determined also by wise Judges.

And so S. Paul elsewhere, proves by his own precept and practice, by his precept, exhorting every soul, to be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power, but of God. If there must be laws, then Judges, and if Judges, actions, and pleading of causes, and if pleadings, it is necessary that we should obey the Judges sentence, for we then implore God's help, when we sue to the power ordained by him, and unless we should do this, we might seem to tempt God, in neglecting his ordinance. Secondly S. Paul proves this by his own practice, who for the defense of his life, did appeal to Caesar. Acts. 25. 21. and Acts 23. 17. He sent his sisters son unto the Tribune, to declare the conspiracy the Jews plotted against him.

It must needs be (quoth our blessed Savior,) that offenses come; I demand then of Anabaptists, and other opposites to Christian Magistracy, whether they will have these scandalous offenses unpunished, or punished? If they will answer, unpunished, How shall we lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty, when as impunity is the mother of impiety; Better it is, saith one, to live in a place, where nothing is lawful, then in a place, where all things are lawful: Gens sine Iustitia, sine remige nauis in vnda est. If they will have faults to be punished, by whom I p •… ay shall Judgment be given, or executed; If every man according to his own humor, punish and revenge, what he lust, all orders of men, in all things, will be so much out of order, as that instead of perfection, we shall undoubtedly, be brought into desperate confusion: Wherefore, we may in all our wrongs, (as we have heard David did) Come unto God, who will either immediately, by himself, or else mediately, by his magistrates plead our cause with them that strive with us.

But in going to law, we must observe these cautions especially.

1. That we so put our trust in Judges, and Princes, that we distrust not God, who careth for us, saith S ^t . Peter, and so careth for us, as a father careth for his child, saith David, and so careth for everyone of his children, as if there were no more to care for, saith Augustine: Men of earthly minds, and base conceits, make gold their God, and the minions of the time their mediators in all affairs; If they can corrupt the Judge, and pack a Jury, they little think on God, who standeth in the congregation of Princes, and sits a Judge among gods, against whom there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel; no wisdom of men, understanding of Angels, counsel of devils, able to prevail. O put not then your trust in Princes, or in any child of man, for thus saith the Lord; Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. Jer. 17. 5.

2. We must inviolably keep charity, putting a great difference between an adversary, and an enemy: we may commence an action, against a brother, in love; but we may not so maliciously prosecute the matter, as that we break the bond of peace. Charles the French King, made war against Henry 7. King of England, rather with an olive branch, then a laurell branch in his hand, more desiring peace, then victory. Joab shed the blood of war, in peace: but he kept, as it should seem, the bond of peace, in war, and as he did war in love, so we much more may jar in love, so contend with our adversary, before the lawful Judge, that the party cast in the suit, may be bettered; If not in his money, yet in his manners, and Satan only conquered. Vt qui vincitur simul vincat, et v •… us tantummodo vincatur diabolus.

3. We must take good •… eed, that our suits in law, lead us not into distraction, and distemper of mind, some men are so much affected, and afflicted with troubles in law, that they loose their wits, in not having their wills, and so while they would gain their suits, they loose themselves, and make wrack of Christian gentleness, sobriety, patience. Bias being asked, what man he thought most infortunate, answered, he that is most impatient; the world reputes a patient man, an asse, but Solomon accounts it an high point of wisdom, to pass by wrath, and an honor to cease from strife.

Lastly, we must appeal to the tribunal of the Magistrate, rather to increase the glory of God, and good of our neighbors, then to increase our own revenues, and patrimony. To conclude this argument in a word, If thou go to law, make

• Conscience thy Chancery.
• Charity thy Judge.
• Patience thy Counselor.
• Truth thine Attorney.
• Peace thy Solicitor.

S ^t . Paul, Ioynes together in one verse, faith, love, patience; By faith, we are linked unto God; by love, linked unto our neighbors; by patience, linked unto our selves; If then any remove the bounds of thy land, have faith toward God, love toward thy neighbor, and patience toward thyself, and thou shalt be sure to find two sound friends in thy suit, God and thy conscience. God who being chief Justice of the whole world, can do for thee, whatsoever he will, and will do for thee whatsoever is be •… ; thy conscience, which is instead of a thousand good witnesses, a thousand good advocates, a thousand good iuries, a thousand clearkes of the peace, guardians of the peace, to plead, procure, 〈◊〉 , record, assure to thee that peace, which p •… 〈◊〉 understanding. Hitherto concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exposition of our text, showing, that eu •… ry man, and every Christian, much more, may 〈◊〉 land •… and so possess, as that he may hau •… them in p •… iuat, bounded, and so bounded, as he may defend the right of his proper inheritance, by wager of law, before competent Indges, against all intruders, and disturbers of his estate, whatsoever; I come now to the mystical, as it concerns the bounds of reason and religion, and so consequently matters of policy, and piety.

Discourse of State, quoth Antonio Perez, in his political Aphorisms, is no food for weak stomach •… ; in the words of Father Latimer, no meat for mowers: a man considered as a civil man only, cannot err in anything, more dangerously, then in the politics. I purpose therefore, to walk in the Kings high way, and to contain myself within the verge of our text, teaching us to keep the laudable customs and laws of the country, where we dwell. He that breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Eccle. 10. 8. Every common wealth, is hedged in, as it were, with ancient laws: he therefore that is an hedgebreaker, lets in the wild boar out of the wood, to root the vineyard, and wild beasts out of the field, to devour it, and all that go by to pluck of her grapes; It is reported by Demosthenes, that if any man among the Locrenses, did endeavor to bring in a new Law, he should treat of it in Parliament, with an halter about his neck, that if his motion were dis •… asted, he might instantly be strangled. In the days of Hen. the 3. a question being moved in the Parliament, concerning bastardy, the Barons and Earls, all with one common voice gave this shout, Nolumus leges Angliae mutare, We will not alter the laws of England, so long used, and approved. Heraclitus Ephesinus was wont to say, that we should fight for our laws, as for our walls; for a city may stand without walls, when it cannot subsist without wholesome laws. If any shall ask, Vir bonus est quis? Answer is made, Qui consulta patrum, qui l •… ges iura{que} seruat. We may not unadvisedly remove bounds, either of our present fathers, or of our forefathers; Touching the first, it is truly said, Consilia senum, hastae iuuenum, The heads of old men, and hands of young men, are most useful unto the state. Yong men are best for company, but old men for counsel, old men are for the plot at home, young men for execu •… ion abroad, the rejecting of old-men's advise, was Rehoboams oversight, and Rome's overthrow.

Concerning the second, ancient laws, and customs, are to be preserved inviolably, so long as they be convenient, and commendable, but if upon aged experience, they be found unprofitable. to the state, then albeit thou mayest not remove, that is, one person out of a singularity, yet they, that is, Prince and Parliament, may remove these bounds, as having power, not only to recall old customs, but also to repeal old laws, thus saith the Lord, State super v •… as antiquas, stand in the ways, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein. Antiquity deserves this reverence, that we should make a stand thereupon, and discover what is the best way, but when once the discovery is plain, then to make progress; so S. Paul expressly, prove all things, hold fast that which is good. Antiquitas saecul, iuuentus mundi, these times, are the most ancient times, and not those which we count ancient, ordine retrogrado; Wisdom is the daughter of experience; the state then upon long experience, finding a custom of old time, to be most unfit for our time, may by the rules even of antiquity, remove such a bound, and cancel such a bond: it is pithily said, Leges nouis legibus non recreatae ac •… scunt, old laws, if they be not sometime refreshed with new laws, wax sour.

Christians have the same morals indeed, that the Jews, God's ancient people, had, but not the same Ceremony •… nials, and Judicials; and Rome, the most renowned common wealth, in human history, did often change her form of government, described, Apoc. 17. to be a city seated upon seven hills, and having seven kings, that is, seven kinds of government, as our divines upon that place, Cornelius Tacitus. in lib. 1. Annalium. makes mention of six; Reges, Consules, Dictatores, Decemuiri, Tribuni Militum, Imperatores, and now Popes, are the seventh order: S. John saith, in his age, five are fallen; one is, and the other is not yet come: Five were fallen, as Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Decemuiri, Tribunes; one was, that is, the government of Emperors, and the other, that is, the government of Popes, in his days, as yet to come.

Prudentius to the same purpose, notably.

England hath abrogated many British and Saxon customs, and all states alter their institutions, according to their occasions. The word of God is a perfect law, perfect in respect of all times, and perfect in respect of all turns, perfect in respect of all places, and perfect in respect of all persons, apt and able to make the man of God fit for every good work; but the laws of men, albeit they fill many large volumes, are imperfit, some statutes are added daily, which were not thought upon before, many rep •… aled, which after experience were thought inconvenient.

But for as much as custom is another law; yea another nature, a great Tyrant, whose commands are heavy, we must move, before we remove ancient bounds; it is Bernard's advice, soluenda non rumpenda consu •… tudo, customs are not to be broken suddenly, rashly, rudely; but by little, and little, to be loosed tenderly, charily, Monendo magis quam minando, saith Augustine, lest happily, the change do hurt more with the novelty, then help with the utility.

This also shall suffice, concerning matters of policy, so far forth as our text toucheth upon them in my conceit. Now for matters of piety, this scripture teacheth us, not to forsake the received terms, and ancient conclusions in Divinity; for it goeth not with religion, as it doth with the statutes of the realm, and judgments at the common law, where the latter is thought the better: But on the contrary, the first is the best, and that undoubtedly most true, which is most old. The Gospel was preached in Paradise, by God himself; The seed of the woman; shall break the sepents head, the writing of Moses is older then any writing of the Gentiles, as Josephus, Theodorete, Clement Alex: and other Doctors, have proved the doctrine of the Apostles is older then Popery, or any other Heresy.

Auoyd, saith S. Paul, vain babblings, Kenophonias. 1. Tim. 6. 20. But Ambrose and some other read, Kainophonias, as in the vulgar Latin, vocum nouitates; new doctrines, upon which place, Vincentius Lyrenensis hath this gloss, non dixit antiquitates, sed nouitates, nam si v •… tanda nouitas, tenenda est antiquitas; prophana nouitas, sancta vetustas. He saith not avoid old bounds, but new babblings; antiquity is to be reverenced, novelty to be rejected: a wise man, as Gueuara writeth, is a friend to old hooks, and an enemy to new opinions. It is plain saith Tertullian against Marcion, that that is truest which is first; that first, which is from the beginning; that from the beginning, which was delivered by the Apostles. An Heretike is nothing else, but an after teacher, a new master, one that teacheth otherwise, as the word signifies, 1. Tim 1. 3. Heterodidascaltin: that which Optatus reports of Victor, is verified of all Heretics, that they be sons without fathers, soldiers without Captains, and scholars, without masters. In the days of Pope Leo, the 1: there were certain Heretiks, called Acephali, so termed (as Platina conjectures) quia sine cerebro, et author habebantur, Because they were both heedless and headless, a proper name for all such as have neither grounds, nor bounds of their assertions: Ishmael is a lively type of an Heretike, saith Alphonsus de Castro, His hand is against every ma •… , and every man's hand is against him: Err •… , as a vi •… er, must break the mothers belly to g •… out▪ and when it is out, (as Isaiah speak •… Egyptians are set against Egyptians, and they 〈◊〉 one against his brother, and every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n •… ighbour, city against city, kingdom 〈◊〉 kingdom, one schismatic against ano •… her, Micah •… l, and his Angels, that is, Christ, and his church, which is the pillar of truth, against them all.

Upon these premises, I will infer this conclusion, in despite of all black devils, and white devils, Here •… ikes, and hypocrites▪ that the reformed, and conformed Protestants, in the Church of England, do justly condemn both Papists and Puritans, as upstarts and nouelists, in removing the most ancient bounds of our forefathers. I know the Papists are great boasters of antiquity, but they deal with us, as Tertullian in his Apology speaks of the Gentiles, Laudatis antiquitatem, et noue de die vivitis, Ye magnify much antiquity, yet shape your religion, after a new cut; as Scaliger acutely to Serranus, Nos non sumus nouatores, sed vos estis veteratores. It is not we, but you and your fathers house that trouble Israel; It is not we, but you, which have removed ancient bounds.

First, if by Fathers, here we shall understand the Prophets, and Apostles, as Lauater, upon the place, then it will appear clearly, that the Papists have removed ancient bounds. 1. In accounting their unwritten traditions, equal to the written word. 2. In preferring the Churches authority, before the Scriptures, and in making the Pope lawgiver unto the Church. 3. In discarding upon the point, the second Command: and in dispensing with other, as Pope Martin the 5. gave dispensation unto one, to marry his own sister, and a learned Bishop of our Church, in his Apology. lib. 2. Chap 13. shows that the Church of Rome, deludeth every precept in the whole law. 4. In their malicious mistranslating the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles, against their own knowledge, witness, that one place. Gen. 3 15. Which is Medulla Scripturarum; (as one said of the creed,) even the pith of the whole Bible, The seed of the woman, shall bruise the serpents head, where they do not read, ipsum, or ipse, but ipsa conteret, ascribing that to Mary; which is proper only to the Blessed seed her Son, our Savior Christ Jesus.

5. In ravishing, or as ( Luther speaks,) in crucifying the sayings of the Prophets, and Apostles, and so making the sacred text, a ship-man's hose, to serve their ow •… e turns, as for example, God made two great lights, this is, saith Innocentius the 3. Two great dignities, the Papal and Imperial; and as the Sun is far greater then the Moon: so the Pope, forsooth, exceeds the Emperors in greatness. Peter said unto Christ, Ecce duo gladij, Behold, here be two swords, and Christ answered, it is enough; henc •… Boniface the 8. argued thus, Christ said, it is enough; He said not, it is too much, Ergo, the Pope which is Peters successor, may manage both the swords, and become a temporal Prince, so well as a spiritual Pastor; a voice from heaven, Acts. 10. 13. said to Peter, macta et manduca, kill, and eat, Ergo the Pope may depose Princes, and dispose of their scepters; Caesar Baronius his application in his advice to Pope Paulus Quintus, concerning the excommunication of the Venetians.

Light is come into the world, that is, Popery, but men loved darkness, that is, Luther's doctrine, more then the light, as the Archbishop of Bitonto, declaymed in the counsel of Trent. Luther was wont to say, that the Pater noster, is made by them a great Martyr, another said, Ave Maria, was a greater Martyr, but in my conceit, the text, thou art Peter, is the greatest Martyr of all. 6. They remove the bounds of the Prophets, and Apostles, in opposing the tenor, and tenet of their writings, and that in many points; I will at this present only name two. 1. The Prophets and Apostles ascribe the whole work of our salvation, only to Christ, who alone is the seed of the woman, that brake the serpents head; who alone is the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in whom all the nations of the world, are blessed, who alone was wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities, who hath trodden the wine-press alone, and of all the people, there was none with him, Who alone g •… ue himself for us an offering, and a sacrifice to God, of a sweet smelling savor, and obtained eternal redemption for us. But the Papists attribute some part of our salvation to the worthiness of our selves, other to the merits of Saints, to the works of supererogation, and to the sufferings of Martyrs, laid up in the Popes treasure house, contradicting herein apparently the tenet of our Church, in the 11. 18. 31. articles of our confession. Secondly, the Prophets and Apostles affirm, that God who made all things, is not made himself, for if he could be made, he were not God; But the Papists auowe that a miserable mass-Priest in a corner, is able to make the maker of all, for in God say they, there be 3. kinds of power, Magna, major, maxima, Great, greater, greatest of all. As for example, the great power of God appeared when he made one thing of another; as man of the earth, and woman of the rib of man: The greater power of God, appeared, when he made heaven, and earth, of nothing: but the greatest of all is, that one creature of another creature, should make the Creator; and his power is given neither to Angel, nor Archangel, but only to the holy Priests; A doctrine saith our Church. Art. 28. Repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthrowing the nature of a Sacrament, and giving occasion to many superstitions; out of doubt (as S. Paul telleth us) the lesser is blessed of the greater. I demand then of a Romanist, how the Priest can bless the bread after consecration, when it is actually transubstantiated, and so consequently made Christ. Answer is made, that this Priest also represents Christ, in that action; and so Christ consecrating, may be considered, as greater then Christ consecrated; If this be so, then either Christ must be in the bread, as in the Priest, only representatiuely; or else they must make a new transubstantiation of the Priest, into Christ; otherwise, the bread must be greater then the Priest, the bread being the true body of Christ, the Priest only representative Christ: (thus as we speak in the schools) one absurdity being granted, a thousand follow.

Lastly, (for though I were so strong as Hercules, I could not at one blow, cut off all the heads of this hissing Hydra, ) they remove the bounds of the Prophets, and Apostles, in suppressing their writings, forbidding God's people to read them in a known tongue, wherein (as one said,) they deal like cunning thieves, who coming to rob an house, will be sure first of all, to put out the candle, lest the light discover them: as the Philistines having put out Samsons eyes, made sport with him: Even so the Popish Priests, having blindfolded the people, prohibiting them to read the Scripture, which is a lantern to their feet, and a guide to their paths, and suffering them in the business of religion, to see nothing, but only through spectacles, have made themselves exceeding merry; the scripture, saith Paul, is the people's instruction; the scripture, say the Papists in a vulgar translation, is the people's destruction; the scripture, saith Paul, doth make the man of God absolute; the scripture, say the papists, in a known tongue makes men heretical and dissolute: but the bible makes men Heretics, as the sun makes men blind, and therefore Wycliffe said truly, To condemn the word of God in any language, for Heresy, is to make God an Heretic.

They well understand, that the Scripture would show their praying in a strange tongue, by tale, to be most idle, their traffic for souls very sacrilege, their miracles to be mere iuglings, their indulgences to be blasphemies, their incontroleable Lord of Rome, to be that Imperious bewitching Lady of Babylon, and their worshipping of Images, and Saints, is flat Idolatry; The Princes of Judah sai •… h Hosea, were like those that remove the bounds. Hosea. 5. 10. Ribera the Jesuit, construeth it from Theodorete and Theophilact, they forsake the laws of God, and embrace traditions of men; or as Theodorus Antiochenus, they transpose the honor of the living God, and give it to dead Idols, from which observation, I will argue thus, they who remove the Bible, may be said, to remove the bounds, but the Papists have removed from the hands of God's people, the Bible, forsaking the fountains of living water, and digging pits, that can hold no water, Ergo, the Papists are they that remove the bounds, as they give you too much Sacrament, and too little, too much Christ's transubstantiated body, taking away the cup, even so they give you too much Scripture, and too little, too much adding to the Canon, Apocrypha; too little, clapsing it up that ye may not read it, and what is this, but to thrust you from the path of Paradise? for as Jerome sweetly, the Prophets are the way to Christ, and Christ is the way to God. As the Lord then once said to the Jews, If I be your Father, where is mine honor? So the Prophets and Apostles may well object against the Papists, If ye repu •… e us Fathers, why do ye remove the bounds which we have set.

If our moderne Papists, admit the Primitive Bishops of Rome, for the Fathers here mentioned, our plea still is the same, that they have removed the ancient bounds, and not we. 30. Popes at the first planting of the Church, laid down their heads upon the block, successively, to seal the bond of conscience, with the blood of innocence▪ The Martyrd Popes laying down their necks, at the persecuting Emperors feet; but afterward the Mitred antechristian Popes, set their feet upon the good Emperors necks. The late learned Earl of Northampton, openly delivered at Garnets arraignment, that the Church of Rome, in the beginning, agreed with Daniel's Image, in the head of gold, for godly government, in the breasts of silver, for unspotted conscience, and in the legs of brass, for incessant industry; But in succeeding ages, the heads of Popes (saith he,) grew humorous, their breasts auaritious, and their legs idle. Gregrory the great, did account him the forerunner of Antichrist, that should call himself universal Bishop, auowing that none of his ancestors ever usurped that insolent style, censuring it for a title of Novelty, error, impiety, blasphemy, the poison of the Church; But every Pope now doth exalt himself above all that is called God, his Sovereign supremacy is the supreme difference, unto which all other points between them, and us, are subordinate; that is, the very soul of Popery. The Pope forsooth, is now the vicar of Christ, and vicegod. Christ was the Lord of Lord's, but he behaved himself as a servant: the Pope calls himself a servant, but carrieth himself as the Lord of Lord's: Christ, the word was made flesh, but now flesh is made the word, so the Papists, our Lord God the Pope; To conclude this argument, we profess ingeniously, with our Judicious and gracious Sovereign, that we do not further depart from Rome, then Rome departs from herself, in her flourishing estate. We do not remove the bounds of old Rome, but only shake off the bonds of new Rome; We confess the faith of ancient Rome, but we renounce the faction of Antichristian Rome, the one being so unlike the other, that we may well exclay me with Ovid.

If the Papists understand here by Fathers, those whom usually we call Fathers; the most ancient doctors of the Western and Eastern Churches, in life spotless, in learning matchless; yet our plea still is the same, that they, not we, remove the bounds.

Not we, for it is a Canon of our Church, An. 1571. That no preacher shall vent any doctrine, but such as is agreeable to the scriptures, according to the collections and expositions of the Catholic Fathers, and ancient Bishops; but they contrariwise, for

First, we prove that instead of true Fathers, they cite feigned doctors, as A •… philochius, Abdias, Hipolitus, authors altogether void of authority, Fathers lately found out, long looked, but never missed.

2. We demonstrate by their own purging Indices, that the old writers are now no Fathers, but their children; no doctors, but their scholars; as reverend Jewel objected against his adversary, D ^r Harding: You have sent them to school, you make them speak your mind, and not their own.

3. B Jewel, Melanchthon, and other of our most accurately learned Divines, evidently show, that Popish opinions, are novel, unknown to the Rathers, for the space of six hundred years after Christ; Yea, but say the Papists, if our doctrine be so new; tell us I pray, when, and where, these tares were sown among the wheat, in God's field; tell us in what age, Purgatory, Prayer for the dead, Indulgences, Auricular confession, and other assertions of Popery, crept into the Church.

Answer is made by Christ, Mat. 13. 25. While men slept, the malicious enemy, sowed tares among the wheat; and it was not discerned, until the blade was sprong up, and had brought forth fruit: Answer is made, by S. John. In the forehead of the Whore of Babylon is written, a Mystery. So S. Paul calls the working of Antichrist, a Mystery of iniquity, because the man of sin doth covertly, and cunningly, wind his abominations into the Church of Christ.

Answer is made, by Politicians, observing that corruptions are bred in civil bodies, as diseases in natural bodies: at the first, they be not discerned easily, but in their growth insensible, they proceed till it come to pass which Liuie said of the Roman State, Nec vitia nostra, nec remedia ferre possumus, We can neither endure the malady nor the medicine: Was it not so in the Empire of Rome; and might it not be so in the Church of Rome, S. Paul saith, Heresy frets as a Gangrene, the which is not curable, till it be known, and when it is known, hardly curable.

Answer is made, by common experience, when I see the finger of a Dial, remove from one to two, shall I be so mad, as to think it stands still where it was, because I could not perceive the stirring of it, or when I behold the Lilies of the field in their glory; shall I say, they did not grow to the height of this beauty, because I did not sensibly see how they did grow.

Answer is made by themselves; the Rhemists acknowledge many barbarismes, and incongruities, in the vulgar latin text: Issidorus Clarius, a Spanish Monk, professed he found in it 8000 faults; it is plain, they were so manifest, and so manifold, as that the council of Trent, and after it, Pope Sixtus Quintus, and Clement the 8. took order for the correcting of it: I would know then of a Papist, in what year this and that absurdity crept into their text, as Mark 8. 33. Confusus est, instead of Confisus est, and Luke 15. 8. Domum euertit, for Domum euerrit; Again, Gabriel Biel, a great Doctor, doth acknowledge, that he cannot tell when the receiving of the communion in one kind began to be first used, nor how; Alphonsus de Castro, confesseth also, that albeit he had taken great pains, to know, when, and how the people began to receive first in one kind, yet could not find it out: Gregory Valent a Jesuit of eminent note, writes plainly, quando caeperit minime constat; and therefore what need we tell them, at what time this Popish error was first sown? It is not enough, that we now discern the tares among God's wheat, and prove that there was no such darnel in God's field, for many hundred years after Christ, I say, no such stinking weeds, as the single Communion of the priests, half Communion of the people, worshipping of the bread, creeping to the Cross, kissing of Images, exemption of Clergy men from secular obedience, supremacy of the Pope, the which are the most essential points of all the Romish Catholic belief.

If by Fathers, there they mean the reverend Doctors, assembled in the first Orthodoxall, and holy Councils, our plea still is the same, that not we, but they remove the bounds: For albeit we do not with Gregory, conceive the first four general Councils, as the four Gospels: Yet we reverence them, and acknowledge that they contain wholesome, and godly doctrine; and we think of other Councils honorably, that write thus, It seemed good unto the holy Ghost, and us: But not so well of those that write; It seemed good to us, and to the holy Ghost; Our opinion is, Councils gathered together, by the commandment of Princes, are so necessary for Christ's mystical body, the Church, as Physic is for a man's natuturall body, the same two ends, being of them both, either to prevent, or to cure maladies.

But the Papists (as their champion Bellarmine doth avow de sacrament: lib. 2. cap. 25.) Hold a contrary Tenet, namely, that the firmness of all ancient Counsels, and of all Canons in the same, depend only upon the present Churches authothority, that is, in plainer terms; upon the doctrine, delivered in the Council of Trent, the which as Chemnitz, D ^r . Fulke, Gentiletus, and other profound divines account, rather a conuenticle, then a council, in respect of a great many remarkable nullities, especially for this one, that it was not free.

1. The place was not free, nor yet so much as fit, according to the canon law.

2, The party, who called the Council, was not free, being contrary to reason, and all the rules of equity, both Accuser and Judge.

3. The President of the Council, was not free, being a sworn vassal of the Pope.

4. The Prelates assembled in that Conuenticle, were not free, but most of them, such as had not only the mark of the beast, in their foreheads; but also the marks of the beast, in their purses, upstart titular Bishops, and were pentioners of the Pope, created only for this service.

5. The Spirit that governed the council, was not free, for that it was upon occasions, ever and anon, sent in a Cloakebag from Rome; the time will not serve me to report how the Papists have not only corrupted, but also corrected diverse good canons of ancient Councils. I refer the learned to the word Council, in the table which is annexed to that exquisite work, called the Protestants appeal; I will at this time, name but one Bartholomeus Caranza, their abbreuiator of their Council, relating the Canon in the Council of Laodicea, forbidding the worship of Angels, changed angelos, into angulos, that is, Angels, into Corners, which according to the proverb, are no shelter for truth: and this is a truth, that if no Angels, then no Saints are properly to be worshipped and invocated.

Will our adversaries admit for the Fathers, here mentioned, the meddling Divines, I mean such as flourished between the old doctors, and new writers? Answer is made, by them in their Index expurgatorius, no; for say they, we are fain to bear with many errors in Catholic Writers, we lessen and extenuate them, and make the least of them by some devised shift, we set a good meaning on them, when they are in disputation, opposed against us.

It may be Friars and Jesuits, are their Fathers, for both in Babylon, are persons of very reverend esteem: And I remember one said tartly, that the Pope is the head of Antichrist, his Prol •… ts and Priests the body, his Friars and Jesuits the •… ayles, because they cover the filthiness of all the rest of their subtly But for as much as the Friars oppose the Jesuits, and the Jesuits oppose the Friars, and each have removed the limits of other, it cannot be well avowed, that the Doctrinals, or Morals, are the settled boundaries of Popery.

To resolve the doubt then, and not to keep you any longer in suspense, the Church of Rome doth acknowledge no Father, but the Pope, no bound but his definitive sentence. The Roman round is this, briefly, the people must believe as the Priests, and the Priests as the Pope, and the Pope may believe what he list, he removeth all bounds and blocks, in the Churches way, but his Holiness cannot be bound by other, much less by himself.

We may say with the servants of the king of Aram, let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger then they; Let us fight against them, either with express Texts of Holy Scriptures, or with express Canons of Orthodox Counsels, or with express constitutions, of Primitive Popes, or with express sayings of old doctors, in one word, let us fight with them, in the plain of all Antiquity, and we shall undoubtedly get the victory, because, not we, but they have removed the bounds, which the Fathers have set.

Now concerning Schismatics, and Separatists, as they be worthily surnamed, nouelists, even so their plat-form of government, is a new devise, which no Fathers ever witnessed, no Council ever favored, no Church ever followed, until within these few years, it was unhappily digged out of the Alps, and as yet never entertained in England, but rather forsaken of her best and most entire favorites; on the contrary, not only the doctrines, but also the ceremonies of our Church, are decent, and ancient, even the Cross in baptism, which they so much abhor, was used in the days of Constantine; within less then four hundred years after Christ, and one of their own side, writeth in his discourse, touching the troubles in Frankford; that it continued in the Church, 113 years, and therefore whatsoever they talk of Apostolical times, and old terms, all their endeavor is, terminos antiquos; to remove the bounds of our Fathers, and to bring they care not what novelties, so these old rites be left. Hillary writes of certain light-heads in his age, that they made annuas et menstruas fides de Deo: So these fling-brains, make yearly, and monthly fashions, and faces of discipline; They that forsake the Church of England, to suck the breasts of Rome, or Amsterdam, may cry with Naomi; I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to return empty.

To conclude my sermon, I say to those which are affected Popishly, with reverend Jewel, touching the substance of religion, Our Church believes that the ancient Catholic Fathers believed, we do that they did, and say, that they said▪ and it is our great comfort, that their faith, and our faith agree in one: For that is the true faith, (quoth Vigelius,) which the Apostls wrote, the Martyrs sealed, and the faithful have delivered unto the Church, from the beginning until this day; And to the Schismatics, I wish with the wise man, to seek out the wisdom of the ancient, and with Jeremiah, to stand in the ways, and behold, and ask for the old way; and here with Solomon, howsoever, bounds are bounds; yet not to remove them away with these speeches, I am of Paul, I am of Cephas, and let the contrary saying, be held, I am Christ's, I am the Churches; Say not with the wicked, in the second Psalm: Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us: But rather as S ^t . Peter doth advise, submit yourselves, for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King, as to the supreme head, or to such as are under him in authority, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of those that do well: for magistrates are the ministers of God, for our good, for our temporal good, in the life of nature, for our spiritual good, in the life of grace, and so for our eternal good in the life of glory.

S Aint Paul, in the beginning of this chapter, exhorts every soul to submit himself, unto the Higher power, urging this one duty with a threefold reason, arguing.

• 1. In the first verse, abHonesto, from the commendablenesse, and comeliness, of his Office, both in respect, first of the Person ordaining, there is no power but of God, Secondly, of the thing ordained, the powers are ordered.

• 2. Ab Vtili, From the profit that comes thereby.

  For to resist, is evil: as he showeth in the 2. and 3. verse. Malum culpae, whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the Ordinance of God.

  Malum poenae, they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation.

  For to submit our selves, is good, in the words now read, the Magistrate is the Minister of God, for thy good.

• 3. A I •… cundo, from the pleasure which good men have, by doing good, we must obey for conscience sake, verse 5. the which unto the disobedient▪ is a daily hell, but unto such as obey God's ordinance, a continual feast.

This our present Text, is part of that argument which is drawn, ab vtili, wherein two points are to be considered, especially the Magistrates

• Authority, as being the Minister of God.
• Utility, as being ordained for our good.

Concerning the first, some men ascribe too much unto the Magistrate, preferring him above God; other on the contrary, too little, not obeying him as the Minister of God.

The Parasites of Princes, attribute too much unto their authority, regarding their ordinances more then the Commandments of God; in this respect, a mere Courtier is a strange creature, loosing himself in following other: He liveth a great deal by the bread of other, a good deal by the breath of other, oftentimes his clothes are not his own, his hair not his own, his complection and very skin not his own; nay, that which is worst of all, his soul, (which as Plato said is most himself) is not his own, while he liveth at the devotion of other. But if it be true, that Magistrates are the Ministers of God, then undoubtedly, subordinate to God; and so consequently, when higher powers enjoin things against him, which is higher then the highest, it is better to obey God than man. Act. 4. 19. Hic, saith Augustine, contemn potestatem, timendo potestatem, In that thou fearest God's power, fear not man's power; obey the Lord temporal, in the Lord eternal: as all power is from God, so for God, and therefore when an earthly Prince commands against an heavenly truth, it is a Christians duty to be patient, and not agent.

This humouring of the Chief Magistrate is a court sin, properly called, adulatio quasi adaulatio, but countrymen offend also sometimes in giving too much unto the subordinate magistrate: give me leave to reprehend one fault in this kind, which I have noted in diverse congregations among us, and that is your rising up in the mids of your religious prayers unto God, to perform civil obeisance to men of worth, and worship; beloved, there is a time for all things, and a season appointed for every purpose under heaven, a time for your devotions unto God, and a time for reverence unto men, a time to fall down before your maker, and a time to bend unto the magistrate. Now what manners is it to neglect God's own business in God's own house, to worship his Minister, in our parts, especially where gentlemen have so learned Christ, as that they neither expect, nor respect any such unseasonable duty from you.

To leave those, who give too much unto the Magistrate, there be three sortes of people, who give too little.

• 1. Anabaptists, who deny the very calling of civil Magistrates.
• 2. Papists, who maintain their calling, but mangle their Jurisdiction.
• 3. Traitors, in actual rebellion, who both acknowledge their calling, and Jurisdiction over all persons, and in all causes, and yet under pretence to reform the Common weal, with-hold their obedience.

Tumultuous Anabaptists affirm most absurdly, that the Calling of Magistrates is unlawful, and this they seem to prove by Scriptures, and by reasons: The Scriptures wrested by them, are chiefly two; The first is, Mat. 17. 25. Christ asked Peter, of whom do •… the Kings of the earth take tribute or polle money? of their children, or of strangers? Peter said unto him, of strangers; then said Jesus unto him; the sons are free. The second is, Luke 22. 25, The Kings of the Gentiles reign over them, but it shall not be so among you.

To the first, Orthodox Divines answer, that Christ in that place, speaks of himself, and so proves directly, that he needed not to pay tribute, for that he was the Son of a King, yea, the Son of God, which is the King of Kings; He was not bound by the Law: yet out of his obedience, and love, that he might not offend the receivers of poll-money, He commanded Peter, to fish for a piece of twenty-pence, saying, that take, and give unto them, for me and thee: And it is well observed, that Christ never did any miracle about honor, or moneys, except this one, in giving tribute to Caesar, and Mat 22. 21. He commands expressly, to render unto Caesar, the things of Caesar's: and his Apostle, S. Paul, in this Chapter, exhorteth us to pay tribute, to whom tribute; custom, to whom custom; honor, to whom honor is due.

To the second place, the Kings of the nations reign, but ye not so, we say that Christ in saying so, prohibited neither titles of honor, nor ruling, but only so ruling, that is, such a tyrannous kind of government, as the Gentile Kings used, and that ambitious desiring of the same, which reigned in them; and that Christ ought to be so construed, is plain by three reasons, collected out of the context it self.

1. He saith, Matth. 20. 25. and Matth. 10. 42. Ye know that the Kings of the Gentiles, speaking of these Rulers, they knew, & they were Tyrants, and oppressors, as Pontius Pilate, who condemned Christ an innocent, in whom he found no fault, and Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist, (a lust, and holy man, whom he reverenced, and in many things heard willingly,) at the request of his Minion; and Herod the great, who had butchered all the male children in Bethlehem: and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old, and under, and out of a pretence, to worship, eagerly, sought to worry Christ in his cradle, Ye know that these kings now reign, but ye not so, that is, I would not have you so to reign.

2. Catecurienemi, used in Mat. ind Mark signifies, not simply to govern, but to tirannize; so Musculus, Erasmus, Aretius, Beza▪ in their annotations, and so the word is used in other places, of the New Testament, as namely, 1. Pet. 5. 3. and Acts 19. 16.

3. Christ expoundeth himself thus, in the words immediately following, Let the greatest among you be as the least, and the chief, as he that serveth, As if he should say, the Kings of the natious, are Tyrants in their government, making mischief their Minister, and Lust their law: But I would have you to bear rule, so moderately, that even the Sovereign may behave himself, as a servant, and the master, as a Minister, I would have Princes among you, to be nursing Fathers, unto the Church; and Prelates among you, to be Pastors of my people.

Secondly, the fond Anabaptists, impugning the Magistrates authority, that they might insanire cum ration, be mad as it were with reason, argue,

1 From examples, affirming, that most Princes abuse their authority to the dishonor of God, and hurt of the common wealth, as Nimrod, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Saul, Rehoboam, and that after the division of the kingdom, nothing of Israel was good.

Answer is made. 1. That Princes are not generally bad, Adam, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses; I •… sua, were men of God, and good governors; So were most of the Judges of Israel, and many Kings of Judah: Now Christ in the New Testament, (who chose the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty things, and things that were no •… ▪ to bring to naught things that are ) suuffered his dear people to be persecuted by cruel Emperors, for the space of 300 years, that his Church might appear to be the plant of his own hand, and not the work of man, in the Primitive times, ( as Augustine notes, ) Christ would have that part of the second Psalm to▪be fulfilled, The Kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed: But in succeeding ages, another part of the same Psalm, to be verified, Be wis •… now, O ye Kings, be learned, ye that be Judges of the earth; for he raised up Constantine, Gratian, Theodosius, Charles the great, Ludouicus pius, and many moe, (among which I may not forget, Blessed Queen Elizabeth, and our renowned King James, ) to be nurses unto his Church, by which he defended his servants, as it were with a shield, Psalm 47. 9.

2. Though it should be granted, that most abuse their authority, yet that abuse proves not their calling, either unlawful, or ungodly; gluttons and drunkards, abuse daily, meat and drink; yet both are the good creatures of God: Heretics abuse daily the Scriptures, unto their condemnation; and yet the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation; adulterers abuse marriage daily, yet wedlock is God's institution and worthy to be honored among all men: and though ungodly Princes abuse their Empire, Yet the powers that be, are ordained of God; And in this case, let us always remember the saying of Gregory; secundum merita subditorum, disponit Deus corda praepositorum▪ Almighty God, (in whose hand the hearts of all Kings are,) disposeth of them, according to the merits of their people, so that if higher powers be not good, it is for our sins, and for our sakes, who govern our own families ill, and our persons worse.

3. Bad Princes often benefit the State, more then hurt; for many good Laws, have been by them enacted, and many good deeds acted, in the days of usurpers, and impious governors.

Finally, it is better to have a bad King, then none; according to that of Solomon, Vbi non est gubernator, corruit populus: Where no governor is, the people perish; For whereas in a corrupt Monarchy, there is one Tyrant; in an Oligarchie, some few Tyrants: In a Democracy, many Tyrants; In an Anarchy, all are Tyrants: And it is undoubtedly, more safe, to live in a place, where nothing is lawful, then where all things are lawful; a bad husband, is better then none; the worst Emperor, is the Minister of God, and if thou be wise, for thy good.

Their second reason is, ab efficiente, from the founder & author of authority; for they maintain, that Magistracy is not ordained, & given of God, but only usurped by men; so we read, that Nimrod, and Nebuchadnezzar, and Caesar, by vexing, and oppressing their country, became Kings; as a Pirat told Alexander the great, I am called a robber on the Sea; because I sail in a little boat: but you are called Emperors, because you infest, and spoil the whole world, with a great Na •… ie; the difference is not in our fault, but in our fortune.

To this objection, answer is made, Prouerb. 8. 15. By me Kings reign. Dan. 2. 37. The God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom power, and strength, and glory: And S ^t . Paul in this present Chap. at the 1. verse, There is no power, but of God; The manner of getting kingdoms, is not always of God, for Alexander the 6 obtained the Pope-dome, by giving himself to the devil; Phocas, by sedition; got his Empire; Richard the third, came to the Crown of England by butchering his Nephews, and other of the blood Royal; Yet the power of it self, is ever from God, as Christ told Pilate, thou couldest have no power, except it were given thee from above; So some kingdoms, in respect of their wicked ends, which usurp them, are most unjust, as Augustine writes, Latrocinia; Yet in respect of God's purpose, and providence, (who brings light out of darkness, and disposeth of wicked men, and wickedness it self, to his good ends) They be just and necessary, Salmanazer, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, and other Tyrants; oppressing God's Israel, and leading them into captivity, did herein offend with an high hand: and yet almighty God, ordered their ambition, and cruelty, to the setting forth of his greatness▪ and to the good of his chosen. And therefore, God said of Nebuchadnezzar, that he was his servant, and of Cyrus, that he was his anointed▪ whose right he did uphold, to subdue nations before him; and of Ashur, that he was the rod of his wrath. Isaiah 10▪ •… .

Their third reason is taken, ab▪ origin, that one man should have dominion over another, was not so from the beginning, in the state of innocence, but after the fall of man, in the state of sin: God said at the first unto man, rule over the fish of the Sea, and over the souls of the Heaven, and over every beast, that moveth upon the earth: He said not, exercise government one over another; Answer is made, that if Adam had continued in his innocence, yet notwithstanding, there should have been higher powers, and that is plain by these three reasons.

1. There should have been generation, increase and multiply. Gen. 1. 28. Ergo, Disparity of sex, necessarily preceding generation, and Disparity of age, necessarily following generation; If disparity of sex, the woman is subject unto the man, in Gubernatione, though his mate, in generatione, the husband is the wives head▪ as Christ is head of the Church. Ephes. 5. 23. If Disparity of age following generation necessarily, then also Disparity of wit and goodness, for even in that estate, men undoubtedly, should have been wiser then children; and some men excelling other in grace: Now the light of nature teacheth us, that the young is to be governed by his elder, and he which is less good, by those which are more good; and he which is a little wise, by those which are a good deal wise: See Thom: sum: 1. part, quaest 96. art 3.

Secondly, we say there be certain distinctions and degrees of Angels, in the quire of heaven: as reading in Holy Scriptures, of principalities and powers, and thrones, and dominations, and Seraphim, and Cherubims; and Belzebub, is termed Prince of devils; Matth. 12. 24. Which authority he did not obtain by sin, but had in the beginning over those spirits that fell with him. If then there be subjection, and Soueraignty, between the blessed Angels in heaven, why should there not have been the like among men; in the state of inocency?

Thirdly, politique government, is so neessary for mankind; that without it his nature would be destroyed, because man is by nature a sociable creature, and what society can there be, without order. Beasts are both armed, and clothed by nature, by nature they build their nests, and by nature they be Physicians unto themselves, & by nature, they can live alone without others company; But man is borne naked, full of woe, full of wants not able to help himself, to cloth himself, or feed himself, or arm himself, so that it is impossible for him to live alone; the which, his very speech bewrays: for had he been borne to live solitarily, he should not have needed any language. Well then if man's nature require society, doubtless society requires government, for what is society, but a multitude well ordered, consisting of some that command, and others that obey.

Thus I have shown against Anabaptists, and Libertines, that the Magistrate is the Minister of God, instituted by him in the beginning, and to be continued in his Church, unto the worlds end. I come now to the Papists, who although they well allow the calling of the Civil Magistrate; yet do they curtall his power: exempting from his censure, both Ecclesiastical persons, and Ecclesiastical causes.

As for the Persons of the Clergy, we say, with our Apostle, Let every soul be subject unto the authority of the higher powers: Every soul, that is, every man, putting the principal part for the whole. So Gen. 46. 27. All the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, are seventy, that is, as Moses expoundeth himself, Deut. 10. 22. Seuenty persons, and Bernard out of that text, reasoned thus with an Archbishop in France, Let every soul be subject, Ergo, yours: I pray, who doth exempt you Bishops, •… i qui •… tentat excipere, conatur decipere; So Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumen, Theophilact, upon the place: Clergy men are not excepted, Ergo, not exempted.

Concerning causes Ecclesiastical, it is avowed and proved, by Protestant Divines, that a King, and every other supreme governor, is Custos vtrius{que} tabulae, the Lord-Keeper of both tables of God's Law, that we may lead under him a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. We do not imagine this of our own heads, we find it annexed unto the Crown, by God himself, who when he first gave his people leave, to choose them a King, withal appointed, that the Law, truly coppied out▪ of the Levites original, (which was keptin the Tabernacle;) should be delivered unto the King, sitting on his Royal seat, with this Charge, that book shall remain with the King, he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, & observe all the words of the Law, written therein, and these statutes to do them. This was not done, till he was placed in his throne; so saith the text, therefore this touched not the Kings private conversation, as a man, but his Princely function, as a Magistrate; which stands in commanding other, and not in guiding his own person; as a man, he serves God one way, saith Augustine, as a King another way; as a man in ordering well his own life, but as a King, in seeing that other live soberly toward themselves, righteously toward their neighbors, holily toward God.

So that Kings, as Kings, serve God in doing that for his service, which none but Kings can do; Well then, if the whole Law were committed to the King, as King, at his Coronation: It is plain, that the publishing, preserving, and executing of the first table, touching the sincere worship of God, is the chief part of the Princes Charge.

And according to this commission, and authority, the godly Kings of Israel, and Judah, removed Idols, razed hill alters, slew false Prophets, purged the land from all abominations; not sparing the brazen serpent, made by Moses, whē they saw it abused, and by the same power, they caused the Temple to be cleansed, the Law to be read, the Passover to be kept, the Levites to Minister in their courses, invented by David, and by the same power, Solomon deposed Abiather the chief Priest, and set Zadok in his room.

And of the Christian Church, it is said, Isaiah 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers, and Queens thy nursing mothers. And it is apparent, that Constantine, Justinian, Charles the great, and many moe religious Princes, enacted Ecclesiastical laws, and were super-visors of the Bishops, in their several Empires: For although a King may not administer the Sacraments, or preach the word, or execute the Ministers office, de facto; Yet as our divines have determined, it belongs to the Kings cure, de iure, to see that all things concerning God's holy worship, should be done in the Church orderly, vos intra, said Constantine the great, to his Bishops, ego autem extra ecclesiam, à Deo Episcopus constitutus sum.

The last enemies unto civil Magistrates, are such as arm themselves, and stand in actual rebellion against authority; For whatsoever fair pretence, of doing good, traitors may seem to have, the State, doubtless, is in a miserable case, when as commotioners are become commissioners, and common woe named common wealth, and a Ket obeyed more then a King: Rebels are like a Bile in a body, or like a sink in a rowne, gathering together all the nasty vagabonds, and idle loiterers, to war with almighty God, and his lieurenants, and so being a beast of many heads, they place treason above reason, and make might to rule right; If thy governor be good use him as thy nursing Father, If bad, commanding as a Tyrant, that which is evil simply, take up against him a buckler, and not a sword, obey ferendo non feriendo, suffering the pain, not resisting the power, impetere or competere, are both unlawful; albeit Kings deface in themselves, God's first Image, in their own souls, yet no man hath leave to deface God's second Image, imprinted in their name iudelibly; Hitherto touching the Magistrates authority, now for his utility.

For thy good, Higher powers are protectours of God's Church, ordained for our temporal good, and spiritual good, and so consequently, for our eternal good, all which our Apostle showeth in his 1. Epist to Timothy. Chap. 2. verse. 2. Pray for Kings, and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty: our temporal good consists in a quiet and a peaceable life; our spiritual good in godliness and honesty, so that Magistrates are called of God, to be Justices of the peace, for our temporal good; and defenders of the faith, for our spiritual good.

Concerning the first, holy writ mentioneth a twofold peace: to wit, an inward peace, which is the peace of conscience, proper only to the Church, and not commonicable to the world, for there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God; and an outward peace, which is common unto both: and therefore the Lord said to his people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem, to Babel, seek the prosperity of the city, whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, & pray for it, for in the peace thereof, you shall have peace.

This outward peace may be disturbed, either by Domestical enemies, or by foreign foes, as our Apostle said, in another case, fighting without, and terrors within: In respect of intestine jars, under the government of Princes, we lead a life, a life which is quiet, and in respect of foreign wars, under the government of Princes, we lead a life, which is peaceable; a Prince protects the persons of his subjects, from murderers, and the goods of his subjects from thieves, and the good name of his subjects from li •… ellers, and slanderers, he bears not the sword for naught, but is the Minister of God, to take vengeance on such as are disturbers of his subjects quiet, against his Crown and Dignity.

Now that a Christian Magistrate, may put to death a traitor, a murderer, and other notorious offenders; we prove, first by the Scriptures, secondly by the Fathers, and thirdly by reason.

The Scriptures afford precepts, and examples hereof afore the Law, under the Law, and after the Law: before the Law, Gen, 9. 6. Who so sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. The which is not a mere Prophecy, that every murderer should come to mischief, but a plain precept; that the Magistrate, being armed by God's authority, must execute such a bloody malefactor; And we read a pattern hereof, in the 38. of Gen: verse 24. Judah said, bring her forth, and let her be burnt. Where Judah as some conceive, being a Patriarch, and head of his family, did adjudge that Tamar his daughter in law, which had played the whore, should be burnt for her fault: or (as other) he required that she should be brought before the Judges, sitting in the gates of the city, that they might condemn her to dy.

Under the Law, there be many precepts in this kind, recorded in one chapter, as Exod. 21. He that smiteth a man, and he die, shall die the death; he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall die the death; he that killeth a woman with child, shall pay life for life. Now Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, and other good governors, executed these laws upon their delinquent subjects, and ye know that Naboth accused by two false witnesses of blasphemy, was by Queen Iesabels art, and King Ahab's authority stoned to death; and the Scribes and Pharisees, having taken a woman in adultery, brought her unto Christ, and said, that she should be stoned to death, according to the Law.

When Christ himself was come, which is the end of the Law, he gave this absolute determination, All that smite with the sword, shall perish with th •… sword. The which cannot be so well expounded, as thus, he that strikes with the private sword of revenge, shall be punished with the public sword of Justice, for the public sword of the Magistrate, was at that time drawn out against Christ; and therefore Peter ought to put up his private sword of revenge, and obey the higher powers.

2. We prove this doctrine, by the judgment of the most ancient, and Orthodox fathers, Augustine writes. Lib. de Ciuitate Dei, chap. 21. That public persons in authority, (when as according to the Just courses of law, they sentence malefactors to death,) offend not against the precept, thou shalt not kill, and in another place, repeating the words of Christ ( all that strike with the sword, shall perish with the sword. ) He doth explain them thus: Such as upon their own authority, strike with the sword, shall perish with the sword; But if God put a sword into their hand, then they may, yea then they must strike; for Princes punish malefactors with death, not as masters of their lives, but as Ministers of God, and it is not in them any murder, but an act of Justice.

Hilary writing upon the same words of Christ, maintaineth also that it is lawful to kill, in two cases especially.

• 1 In our own Just necessary defense.
• 2 When we are called to Magistracy.

S. Jerome in his commentary upon the words of Jeremiah, Chap. 22. 3. Execute ye judgment and righteousness, do no violence, nor shed innocent blood in this place; saith expressly, that the putting to death of homicids, witches, sacrilegious persons, is not effusion of blood, but execution of right.

Lastly, we prove this assertion, by reason and common experience; for an husbandman pruneth idle twigs, and luxurious branches, which hinder the growth of his vine; and the chirurgeon cutteth off a rotten member, which otherwise would infect the whole body: So the Magistrate being the great husband and Physician of the State, may destroy some corrupt part, for the preservation of the whole: Melius est vt pereat vnus quam vnitas, in the words of our common law, better it is to suffer a mischief, then an inconvenience; More safe, that one should be ruinated in his particular, then the whole kingdom in conue •… ienced in the general: And the sword of an officer thus used, is not (as Augustine speaks,) Ferrum inimici vulnerantis, sed medici sanantis.

Yea, but if Christ will have mercy, Mat 9. 13. How may Christians execute Justice? Answer is made, that Christ in that place, speaks not of public Justice, but of private behavior, now then, albeit a Magistrate be never so merciful in his own cause, yet is he in his office, the Minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doth evil, and there is a pity, which is cruel, and a Justice, which is merciful, optimum miserecordiae genus, nocentes occidere, It is in a Prince, the best kind of mercy, to put a few notorious offenders to death, that all the rest under him may lead a quiet life.

Concerning a peaceable life, Princes are protectours of their Realms, against all foreign forces, as they bear the sword of Justice to defend their people, from all domestical desturbers of the peace: So likewise the sword of war to defend their people from all foreign foes, invading their lands, and encroching upon the liberties, of their kingdoms. For albeit the Manichees in old time, and Anabaptists in our time, have thought it unlawful, for Christians to be warriors, yet all Orthodox divines, hold the calling of soldiers, to be both honest, and honorable, and this they prove, by concluding arguments, out of the Scriptures, and Fathers.

God in his word, giveth unto soldiers, not a Commission only, but a commendation also, bidding them to fight, and blessing them in lawful wars, a Commission is granted. Judge. 3. 1. These are the nations which the Lord left, that he might prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel, as have not known the wars of Canaan, only to make the generations of the children of Israel▪ to know, and to teach them war: and 1. Sam. 15. verse 2. 3. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember what Amalek did unto Israel, now therefore go, and smite Amalek, and destroy ye all that appertaineth unto them, have no compassion on them, but slay both man and woman, both infant and suckling▪ both ox, and sheep, both Camel, and Ass. But a more general, and express Commission, is delivered, Ecclesiast▪ 3. 8. There is a time of war, and a time of peace, there is no season allotted, for any wicked act, because we must serve God, in holiness, and righteousness, all the days of our life, war then ha •… ing an appointed time, must of necessity be good, and so Just wars, are styled often in holy •… cripture, the battles of the Lord: And God pre •… bed in his law, diverse Military rules, as Deut. •… 0. 1. When thou shalt go forth to war against th •… e •… mies, and shalt see horses, and chariots; and people▪ 〈◊〉 then thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy 〈◊〉 ▪ is with thee, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt and Numbers 10. 9. When ye go to war, ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpet: and Num. •… 1. 2. Harnesse some of you to war, that ye may execute the vengeance of the Lord, against Midian, and verse 27. Diuide the prey between the soldiers, that went to war, and all the congregation. And David in the 144. Psalm. verse 1. Blessed be the Lord my strength, who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. Peter Martyr, biddeth us observe the great Emphasis, in the pronoun, my, manus meas, my hands and my fingers, because David was a man according to God's own heart.

The foolish Anabaptists, object here, that God indeed granted that license to the Jews, but he denied it unto Christians, and answer is made, that John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Christ, allowed the calling of soldiers, for when they did ask him. Luke 3, 4. What shall we do, he did answer, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages: Where Divines observe generally, that John approved the vocation of soldiers, and condemned only three foul abuses in war, Violence, Calumnie, Covetousness, as Bernard sweetly; contentos fore suis stipendijs indixit, non omnem militiam interdixit, He said in his exhortation, a little before, bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life; Now then, either he was a deceiver, or else soldiers continuing in their calling may bring forth good fruits, and escape the wrath to come.

According to this Commission, the Saints of God have warred, and obtained praise for the same▪ being renowned, because valiant in battle, Heb. 11. 34. As Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, David; and Naaman the Syrian is Chronicled, for his fortune, and fortitude in war; Fortune, because he was the deliverer of his country, Fortitude, because he was a mighty man in valor. 2. Kings 5. 1.

And in the New Testament, when the Centurion said unto Christ, I have soldiers under me: Christ Highly commended his great faith, but in no sort condemned his fashion of living; and act▪ 10. We read of Cornelius a Captain, who was a devout man, and one that feared God, with all his household, who gave much alms, and prayed unto God continually: neither did S ^t . Peter, who shown him the way to salvation, in Christ, any way dislike his office, but, on the contrary, protested that he was accepted of God.

It doth not follow, which is objected by some Politicians, that because the religion of Christ teacheth peace, therefore it is unfit for war, and because it persuadeth patience, therefore it makes men cowards; for howsoever the first building of the Temple, was without the noise of any iron tool; to signify that it should be the house of peace: Yet in the second, (as it is reported, Neh •… miah 4. 17.) They built with one hand and held their swords in the other, to show, that in a good cause, it should not be unlawful for to fight, and war.

Nay, the Lord of hosts, usually gives a blessing to Just wars, as when Abraham returned from the slaughter of the four Kings, Melchizedek King of Salem, and a Priest of the most High God, blessed him and said, Blessed be the most High God, possessor of heaven and earth, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hands. At the prayer of Moses, Israel prevailed against Amalek, when Duke Joshua, fought at Beth-oren, the Lord cast down great stones, from heaven, upon his enemies, and they were moe, who died with the hailstones, then they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword, and when he was about to sack Jericho, an Angel appeared unto him, as a Captain, with a drawn sword, to fight for him Joshua. 5.

In Ecclesiastical history, we find that God, by miracles, evidently shown in the heavens, encouraged Constantine the great, to fight; and that the Angels fought for Theodosius the younger, against the Sa •… acens; and that Honorius army was so blessed by the Lord of hosts, against Rhadagaisus, King of the Goths, that not so much as one Roman was killed, or wounded, whereas one hundred thousand of the Goths, were discomfited.

To the Testimonies of holy Scripture, we might add the sayings of the most ancient, and learned Fathers, Tertullian in his Apology, told the Gentiles, Nauigamus et nos vobis •… um, et militatamus, &c. We Christians are Sea-men, and soldiers, and husbandmen, and merchant, as well as ye: S ^t . Ambrose numbereth among other virtues, Warlike fortitude, and in his oration upon the death of Theodosius: He c •… mmends him exceedingly, for his skill, in exercising of arms. Chrysostom in an Homily, concerning their excuses who came not to the wedding dinner, you pretend saith he, that you are a soldier; the Centurion in the Gospels history, was a good souldidiour, and yet a good Saint: S ^t . Augustine in diverse places of his works, both alloweth and commendeth highly, the calling of warriors. Bernard in his ser: ad militis Templi, Chap. 3. Miles Christi saith he securus interimit, securior interit; A soldier bears not the sword for naught, but is the Minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doth evil, and so when he kills a malefactor, Non homicida, sed malecida.

Anabaptists object, it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the Lord; Answer is made, that the vengeance which is exercised by public persons, is not private grudge, but the vengeance of God, because Magistrates are the lieutenants and Ministers of God.

And whereas they further urge the word of Isaiah, they shall break their swords into matroks, and their spears into sithes, nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn to fight anymore. S. Jerome answers, that this Prophecy concerned only the very time, when our blessed Savior the Prince of peace was borne; For then (as history reports,) there was an universal peace throughout the whole world, or (as other) it shows that the Gospel of Christ, sets not only God, and man at peace, but also man with man; The summary pith is briefly this, that Christ's people shall be meek, and having trodden under their feet cruelty, shall endeavor to live peaceably, but because part of Christ's Kingdom is in this world, & that part hath here but a beginning, the good being mingled with the bad, and the good not absolutely good, but imperfitly perfect, therefore Christ enjoined, Luke 22. 36. He that hath none, let him sell his coat, and buy a sword: for albeit Christians may not offend other, yet they may defend themselves; in offending others, so simple as doves; in defending themselves, so wise as serpents: and therefore Calvin calls them brain-sick Bedlams, who by this place take from the Church, the use of the sword, and condemn all manner of war.

Yea, but Christ himself said, All that take the sword, shall perish by the sword; Divines answer, that a Prince takes not the sword of himself, but he receiveth it from God, and he giveth it to his Captains, and the Captains to the soldiers, and so by consequent, all fighting in a lawful war, put on God's armor; and are said expressly to fight the battles of the Lord.

Other object; the weapons of the Church, are the shield of faith, sword of the spirit; breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, as S. Paul arms a Christian. Ephes. 6,

Answer is made, that S. Paul in that place, describes not any war with men, but a spiritual warfare, which is against the devil; We wrestle (quoth he) not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickednesses, and therefore put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the devil.

Secondly, though it be true, that faith and prayer are the chief weapons of Christians in this world; yet other arms are not to be cast away; for we read, that the Lord of hosts, gave victory to his Israel, against Amalek, Orante Mose et Joshua pugnante, by the prayer of Moses, and fighting of Joshua: and S. Augustine gives this advise to Boniface, arripe manibus arma, oratio pulset aures authoris; and in another place; some pray for you against invisible foes, and you fight for them, against visible Barbarians.

Now there be three conditions in an honest, and honorable war: 1. Authoritas legitima, 2. Causa Iusta. 3. Intentio bona▪ That it be undertaken upon lawful authority; for a just cause; with a good intent.

For the first, it is determined by S. Augustine and other Divines, that Sovereign Princes only have power to proclaim was, for the protection of their Realms; as the Kings of England, France, Spain, the common wealth of Venice, the Dukes and Princes of Germany, which are of themselves, absolute Lord's; but Earls, and Barons, and other great Persons, immediately subject to superior command, may not of their own heads and authority, make war; and the reason hereof is very plain; for if one man sin against another, the Judge shall Judge it; (quoth old Elt ) If one subject offend another, appeal may be made to superior authority: but if a King trespass another, they have no common seat of Justice where to complain of injuries, and therefore they must revenge public quarrels, and make the sword their Judge; But here divines put a difference between offensive wars, & defensive, we may not assault our foreign foes, without the Princes express command; but in a defensive war, it is otherwise: Because, when any part of the land is invaded, and besieged upon the sudden; it may be dangerous to stay for instructions from above, as a private man assaulted on the high way, by a thief, having no means at that instant to complain unto the magistrate, becomes himself a magistrate, and may strike with his own sword, in his own Just and necessary defense; so good subjects oppressed by foreign force, desperately unawares, (I speak rather as a School-man, then a States-man;) having the Princes tacit consent, need not expect his explicit direction. I conclude therefore this point, with Hostiensis, and Peter Martyr, bella sunt iniusta, quae suscipiuntur, aut non mandante, aut non tacit approbante magistratu.

The second condition in honest and honorable wars, is a just cause. War is full of inconveniences; Pliny reports that a Dragon sucking the blood of an Elephant, kills both it self, and the beast. Even so (saith one,) many times it falleth out in war, Pars vtra{que} perimit et perit; Both parties receive hurt, for as he that sets a wood on fire, knows not how long it will burn, and how far the rage of the flame will reach▪ even so he that begins a war, knows neither where, nor when it will end: A King therefore may not fight against another Prince, for every trifle, but only to repel a notorious wrong, done to his honor, or state, Cuncta prius tentanda, sed immedicable vulnus Ense recidendum: There be many most abhominable sins, and impieries in Rome, Venice, Florence; the which are not to be reformed by the King of Spain, for that he is not their competent, and ordinary Judge, but every King being the protector of his liege people, may correct such offenses of other nations, as damnify his subjects. It is a just cause for a King, saith Augustine, to war with any state, that insolently refuseth to right a public wrong, as not to restore goods, taken by Pirates, or not to punish a notorious libellou •… , dishonoring the persons, and disabling the titles of Sovereign Princes, in such a case saith Augustine, both the Captains, and the soldier, are the Ministers of God, and they fight with his sword, to take vengeance on such as do evil.

But here Princes ought to consider, that they should not fight upon any doubtful, or little cause, but only for some great and certain.

Again, we must here distinguish, between the King and the subject; It is a fault in a King, to fight in a quarrel, which is uncertain, because war is an act of Justice; but it is injustice, to punish a man before he suffer a sufficient trial; and his cause be well examined: But it is not a fault in a subject, to fight, unless the cause be notoriously known unjust: It is our duty rather to presume of the Kings Justice, then in any sort to question his authority, tene certum et relinque incertum, is a good precept in this case, Howsoever the title be most uncertain, yet that every soul, should obey higher power, is certain; The King then in proclaiming war, may sin; but the subject in executing his command, offend not; as a Judge in a dubious case sins, when he condemns an innocent, and yet the hang-man may not examine the Judges sentence, but is bound to do his duty.

The third condition required in war, is a good intention, for seeing public tranquility, and peace is the end of war, neither Sovereign nor subject ought to fight for other designs, as to shed blood, or to enrich themselves, or to try their vallour, or the like: Militia, may not be, quoth Bernard, Malitia; so S. Augustine lib. 22. Contra Faustum▪ Chap. 74. Nocendi Cupiditas, Vlciscendi Crudelitas, impacatus et implacabilis animus, feritas rebellandi, libido dominandi, et si quae similia, haec sunt quae in bello Iure culpantur.

To these 3 conditions, other add a fourth, and that is modus debitus, the commendable manner of fighting in an honorable war, that we hurt not any person, which is innocent, according to the rules of S. John the Baptist, in his charge to soldiers; Do violence to no man, accuse not any falsely, be content with your wages; Where he forbiddeth all injury done by soldiers, to parties innocent, either by force, or fraud; in their persons▪ or goods, in saying do no violence, he forbiddeth open injury done to poor peasants, in beating them, or robbing them: in saying▪ accuse not any man falsely, He forbiddeth injuries by fraud, as when soldiers accuse a rich man for a traitor, or secret intelligencer, though they know the contrary: In saying, be content with your wages, he forbiddeth all unjust exactions, and pillage, which is contrary to the law.

Now there be three sorts of men exempted from the cruelties of war, which a soldier ought not to damnify: The first are such as appertain not to the common wealth of the enemy, and therefore free-booters are too blame, who rob their own friends, and spoil their allies country, thorough which they martch.

The second sort, are Priests, and Ambassadors, and Messengers, all which enjoy free liberty by the laws of nations.

The third are they, which are unfit to fight, as women, and children. Deut. 20. 14. And among children, old men may be numbered, according to the Prouerb, bis pueri senes; It is true, that Moses sometime commanded women, and children, to be slain, but he had a special revelation for it from God; and so he might not dispute with his maker; but we must ever follow, not the singular example, but the general rule, to the Law, to the Testimony, Isaiah 8. 20,

Thus I have shown, how Magistrates are the Ministers of God, for our temporal good, consisting in a quiet and a peaceable life. Now the God of all goodness hath appointed them also Ministers for our spiritual good, that we may lead this quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty; they be defendors of the faith, and Lord-Keepers of both the tables of the Law, Keepers of the first table, that we may live in all godliness, and keepers of the second table, that we may live in all honesty.

A S the Scriptures excel other writings in verity, so the Psalms, other Scriptures in variety; and in the whole book, you shall hardly find any one sentence, that admits so many sweet constructions, as this our present text; The which is so profound, that as one deep surge, (saith Augustine ) so one deep sense, calleth another, according to my shallow judgment, I have diued into the most of them, and the best of them, evermore desirous, in an argument of this nature, rather to follow, then lead; for as the spiders web is not the better, because woven out of her own breast, so the bees honey, never the worse, for that gathered out of many flowers; It was one of the wishes of Augustine, that he might have seen S. Paul in the Pulpit: If you will have but a little patience, you may hear diverse of the most ancient Fathers, and other great lights, in the Churches firmament, matchless for their learning, and spotless for their life, preach unto you this day.

First, Abyss, or gulf, signifieth in holy language, great afflictions, as Ezekiel. 26. 19. and Jonah 2. 5. The plainest exposition then in the judgment of Bucer, Calvin, Agellius, Acer •… ensis, Estius, and other interpreters, as well Pontifician, as Protestant, is briefly this; The troubles of David, were so many for their number, and so grievous for their nature, that as in swelling seas, one wave walloweth and tumbleth upon another: even so one temptation, and affliction followed and occasioned another, without intermission, until all kinds of storms, had gone over his head: in this Hymn▪ at the third verse he doth avow, that his tears were his meat day and night, and Psalm 69. 1. Save me, O God, for the waters are come in, even unto my soul, I stick fast in the mire, where no ground is; and Psal. 130. 1. Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord.

Now then, in that David, a good man, and a good Magistrate, had innumerable crosses, which had almost drowned and overwhelmed his soul, we learn, that Blessed is the man whom God correcteth, for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, Heb. 12. 6. As some simples are made, by art, medicinal; which are by nature poisonable: so the fiery trials of Peter, 1. Pet. 4. 12. and the watery troubles of David, here mentioned, in nature destructive, by grace become preservative; For the God of our gladness, and comfort saith, Isaiah 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and when thou walkest in the mids of the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, whatsoever storm doth arise, fear not, I am as an hiding place from the winds, and a refuge for the tempest; O warm Jacob, fear not, I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer the Holy one of Israel. Isaiah 41. 14. I can do this, because the Lord; I will do this, because thy redeemer; I shall do this, because the Holy one of Israel. And so God being with us, affliction is good for us, and as Martin Luther, Crux est theologia nostra sincerissima: When all is done, tribulation is the plainest, and most sincere divinity;

It is an observation in Court, that a Prince learns no Gentle-man like quality so well, as good horse-man ship; and the reason hereof, is evident, because, when he cometh into the fence-school, his master will spare him, and when he cometh into the dancing-school, his teacher will humor him, and when he cometh into the Tennis-court, his play-fellow will favor him; And when he cometh into the Chapel, his divines also will often flatter him, and sow pillows under his elbows▪ But in riding, If he look not unto himself, and sit fast, his horse will not forbear him: and so (beloved) albeit, our friends, our children, and servants use to dissemble, speaking good of evil, and evil of good; Yet honest D ^r . Cross, will ever deal plainly with us, and make us understand our selves, and our sins.

One writes of Venice, feated in the Sea, that it is, impossible in impossibili: So God embrodereth one blessing upon another, and above all, that we can Imagine, sweetly disposeth of trouble, for our comfort▪ Saepe facit opus, quod non est suum, vt ita faciat opus quod est suum, He chideth us a little, which is not his property; that in Fine, he may show mercy, which is most agreeable to his nature. Do we profess our selves patients, under our earthly Physicians, and shall we hinder the working of bitter pills, given by our heavenly, who knows what is best for us? As pride doth breed sores of salves: So God on the contrary, makes salves of sores; and therefore let us fing with our Prophet, in this Psalm, Why art thou so vexed, O my soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me; O put thy trust in God, for I will yet thank him, which is the help of my countenance, and my God; Hitherto concerning the plain construction of our text, I come now to the mystical interpretation▪ which are many.

Jerome upon the place, and Leo the great, Ser. 9. de pass. dom: Understand this of the profound mysteries, in the Bible; saying, the depth of the Old Testament, calls up the depth of the New Testament; the old calls to the new, saith Hugo Cardinalis, ad sui complementum For Christ came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it. Mat. 5. 17. and the new calls unto the old, ad testimoniu •… , to witness for it, according to that of Christ. John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures, for they bear witness of me▪ The Old Testament, is the grave, wherein as Origin said, the New Testament is buried, the old being, as Zeno said of Logic, like the fist shut, and •… e new, like Rhetoric, as the hand open; the old being nothing else, but a type of the new, and the new nothing else but a truth of the old. The whole, saith Jacobus de Valentia, consists of one Syllogism; the Law and the Prophets, are the Major; all that Christ did, and said, the Minor; the writings of the blessed Evangelists, and Apostles, infer the conclusion; or the Gospel is hidden in the Law, like the conclusion in the premises. But albeit the Scriptures be deep, yet (as Gregory speaks) it is a river, wherein the little lamb may wade, so well as the great Elephant swim; it is the rolle of a book, spread abroad and written within and without Ezek. 2. 9. 10. In some places it is rolled up, from the most searching wits; in other spread abroad, to the capacities of the most simple, Testamentum est testatio mentis. God's word therefore being his Testament, reveals as much of his will, as is to be known. In it we may find the Father from whom, and the Son by whom, and the holy Ghost, in whom are all things, and therefore should be much in our hands, in our eyes, in our ears, in our mouths, but most of all in our hearts, as Fulgentius saith, it affordes enough, abundantly for men to eat, and children to suck: Maximus compares it to a man; The Old Testament resembling the body, and the New Testament the soul, or the letter of the Prophets, is the body, and the meaning is the soul: and as the mortal part of man is seen, but that which is immortal unseen; So the letter of the Scriptures is plain, but the spirit in some places inuolued, and not easily discerned, One deep calling upon another deep.

S. Augustine, and Hugo de S. Vict: understand it thus, the depth of God's knowledge, findeth out the depth of man's heart, for the Lord searcheth us out, he knoweth our down-sitting, and our uprising; he is about our paths, and about our bed, and spieth out all our ways, and understandeth all our thoughts long before. Psal 139.

It is the duty then of every Christian, especially tempted to sin, to resolve with holy Joseph, How can I do this great wickedness, and so sin against God; Is there anything so secret, that shall not be disclosed, If I commit it in the wood, shall not a bird of the air carry the voice, & that which hath wings declare the matter? Ecclesiastes. 10. 20. If I sin in the forest, am I now to learn, that a beast hath spoken? Or if birds and beasts happily should hold their peace, would not (as Christ said in the like case) the very stones cry? Luke 19. 40. If in my closet or study, shall not my books of devotion, especially the Bible witness against me? There is one that accuseth you (quoth our Savior to the Jews ) even Moses, that is, Moses law, the which as it was once spoken by God, so it daily speaks in God's cause, to God; Or if all these be silent, shall not the sin it self, like the blood of Abel, cry for revenge.

Plutarch adviseth us so circumspectly, to demean our selves, as if our enemies always beheld us. Seneca counselleth us, to live so well; as if Cato, Laelius, or some reverend person of great wisdom, and account overlooked us. Thales Milesius in the committing of any sin, wished us when we were alone, to be afraid of our selves, and our own conscience, which is instead of a thousand witnesses, a thousand Iuries, a thousand Judges, te sine teste time, saith Ausonius. S. Paul exhorts women to carry themselves in God's house reverently, because of the Angels observing their behavior. But our text tells us yet a better way then all these, which is to remember always that the depth of God's science, calleth unto the depth of our conscience.

If any be dejected in his mind, for that he cannot remember the good lessons he daily reads in books, and hears in sermons, let him be comforted again, because this one precept concerning God's omni-presence, comprehends amnia media et remedia, all means and medicines for the curing of his sick soul. If he bear still in mind, this one point, that all things are naked to God's eye, Heb. 4. 13. Yea hell it self, Job 26. 6. To his eye, which is all eye, Ten thousand times brighter then the Sun, Ecclesiasticus 23. 19. He hath already commenced Doctor in Israel, and is a living, and a walking library, knowing so much as may serve for the well ordering of his whole life.

Gregory the great, construeth our text thus, one judgment of God calleth up another, for his judgments are a great depth, Psal. 36. 6. So deep, that they be past finding out. Rom. 11. 33. When as therefore, for fear of God's judgment, we judge our selves; one deep occasioneth another, and that at the noise of the water pipes, or clouds, which are the preachers, exhorting us as S. Paul his Corinthians, If ye would judge yourselves, ye should not be judged.

Arnobius, expoundeth it thus, one deep, calleth another deep; When Christ on earth, and in the nethermost hell also, called to God the Father, in the Highest Heaven: the strong crying of our Blessed Savior, unto God, with tears: Heb. 5. 7. Was a very deep base; and God's counter-verse was sung with an exceeding high voice, from heaven of heaven, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Mat. 3 17. One deep calleth another deep, when as truth flourished out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven: Psal. 85. 11.

Hugo Cardinalis, and Lyra thus, Abyssus abyssum inuocat, that is, peccatum peccatum prouocat; As one deep calleth another deep: So one sin provoketh and calleth up another sin▪ Pride to maintain her self, calleth up Niggardice; Gluttony calleth up Wantonness; Malice calls up Murder; Vnthriftinesse calls up in great ones, Oppression; In the poor thievery: an unclean thought calls up unsavory words, and bad words corrupt good manners, and corruption in manners, breeds a custom in sin, and custom in sin, brings men to sencelesnesse in sin, such as give themselves over, or sell themselves to commit iniquity, proceed from evil to worse. Jeremiah 9. 3. and fall from one wickedness to another, Psalm. 69. 28. First there is walking in the counsel of the ungodly, then standing in the way of sinners, last of all, sitting in the seat of the scornful; He that blows a feather into the air, or throws a piece of paper into the river; knows not where it will settle▪ So he that begins with a sin, knows not when, or where it will end.

Herod happily began with a little dalliance, but afterward, he committed incest; and that darling sin, caused him to add yet this above all the rest of his faults, to shut up John in prison. And so Dania glutted with a large meal, lusted after Bath saba; and that fire did rage, till he had committed uncleanness with her, and for the covering of that foul fact, he murdered his faithful servant, Uriah; and for the compassing of that murder, he did endanger a great part of his Royal army, and so by binding many sins together, exceedingly scandalized his people.

This may teach us to fly sin, as a serpent, for sin was a serpent, before there was any serpent; and of all sin none so dangerous, as that thou art loath to call a sin; that one deep, calleth after it a great many deeps: Other faults, are like a rebellious multitude, in a State, which wanting an head, do small hurt; this sin is their head; cut it off, and thou shalt see the rest instantly dispersed, as fearful rebels, hearing their leaders head hath kissed the block.

The Chaldee, translateth here, the higher deep, calleth the lower deep: So great sins, evermore draw with them a multitude of lesser offenses; As for example; Conetousnesse, a Grandame in Babylon, a mother sin, S. Paul termeth it, the root of all evil, for as the root gives nourishment to the whole tree, so disordinate love of money, doth administer occasions and means, for every kind of sin, against God, our neighbors, and our selves, the Proverb is, Shew me a liar, and I will show thee a thief: But show me a muck-worm, whose heart is set on riches, and I will show thee many villains in one, such a vermin, as is worse then an Infidel, and but little better then a Jesuit: Cardinal Cusanus said, the world is Deus explicatus, So the covetous wretch is Diabolus explicatus, a displayed devil, a devil in his colors, Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum, He that is nimble to dignity and dive for gold, into the nethermost hell, as occasion offereth it self, will ascend as fast unto the top of Babel, and height of all impiety, for thus, One deep calleth another deep.

Bernard ser: 4. de assumption. B. Mariae, with other, as Bellarmine and Estius, in their annotations, upon the place, report and expound it thus; the depth of God's mercy, calls unto the depth of man's misery, Magna miseria, superbus homo (quoth Augustine,) sed major misericordia humilis Deus, As sin doth abound, so grace superabounds. Rom: 5. 20.

Our sins are great for their multitude, moe then the hairs on our head, or sand in the sea; great for their magnitude, being injurious to God, our neighbors, our selves, all other creatures, and that which is more wonderful, in some respect, offending the very damned in hell fire, whose tortures increase, as the sins of such increase, which have been corrupted by their filthy communication, and ungodly conversation; our sins will appear to be greater, if we consider a little, these five points.

• 1. The baseness of the Person offending, a thing of nothing, Psal. 144. 4. whose bodies original, is dirt. Gen. 2. 7. and end, dust. Gen. 3. 19. Whose soul by sin, is less then nothing, for it is a lesser evil, not to be, then to sin; a great deal better for the reprobate, never to have been, then to be damned. Mat. 26. 24.
• 2 The worthiness of the Person offended, infinite in greatness▪ infinite in goodness, and so consequently there can be no greater folly, then for vile man, which is nothing of his own, to displease God, which is, Being it self.
• 3 The weakness of the motives, alluring us to sin, a small interest of wealth, a little wantonness of the flesh, a Punctilio of honor, see notes upon Psal. 145.

• 4 The grievousness of the punish meant, due to sin, both in the life present, and in that which is to come, for the torments of hell, in two respects, are termed infinite, to wit;

  In respect of their lasting, as being without end.

  In respect of their loss, as depriving the damned of an infinite benefit, which is the sight of God forever.

• 5 The greatness of the remedy, which is the precious blood of our Blessed Savior; who gave himself for us, and with himself all things, Also, the depth of his mercies, ouerwhelmeth the depth of all our misdeeds and miseries, as being great for their number, even multitudes of mercies, great for their quality, riches of his goodness Rom. 2. 4. Exceeding riches of his grace, Eph. 2. 17. Abundant kindness. Tit. 3. 4. 6. great for their continuance, being forever, and ever. Psal. 103. 17. That is, as the doctors expound it, from everlasting predestination, to everlasting glorification, every way so great, that as S. John says of his fullness, all of us have received grace for grace; plentiful and abundant grace, blessings heaped one upon another, so freely, so fully, that if any perish, it is undoubtedly, neglect in his duty, not any defect in Christ's bounty.

To let pass all other interpretations, as being neither so pertinent, nor so profitable, let the time give sense to the text, the deep groans of our dear brethren abroad, and at home, call unto the deep bowels of our compassion, and pity.

Beloved in the Lord, at this time, while we sit under our vines at rest in our possessions, eating the fruits of our labors, and reaping that we did sow, peace being within our walls, and plenteousness within our palaces, at this time, while we refresh our selves; with the lambes of our fold, and calves of our stall, and sing to the sound of the vial; at this time, when our city gates are fast barred, and we filled every day with the flower, and fatness of wheat; in a word, while there is no leading into captivity, no complaining in our streets at home: Joseph is afflicted, Israel and Judah dwell in tents abroad; There is a little city besieged, and a few men in it, and a great King is come against it, and a greater then any King in his swelling title, the German Emperor, and the Pope, which is the greatest of all, as exalting himself above all that is called God; and I dare say with Aretius, that these are three of the bad angels, hurting the earth, and the sea, mentioned, Apoc. 7. 1.

I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, take heed of the crime of Meroz, that ye may fly the curse of Meroz; fight the battayls of the Lord valiantly; take his part against the mighty Anakims, a merciless generation, drunken with blood of the Saints, all ye that are ready, for good luck have ye with your honor, ride on, because of the word of truth, of meekness, and righteousness; and let us who stay yet at home, fight on our knees, with push of prayer, One deep calling up another deep.

The grievous sickness of our friends at home, with other inconveniences, which I know you better conceive, then I can express, together with the crying sins of our nation, administer occasion of one deeps calling unto another.

If thou hast but one tear, shed it, if thy head be full of water, and thine eyes a fountain of tears, pour them all out, yea pour out thy soul before the Lord, that his deep mercies in his good time, may swallow up all the Churches deep miseries.

O Father of mercies, we know that thou canst not deny thyself, and nothing is more thyself, then thy mercy which is above all thy works: it is it we want most, it is it we crave most, it is it thou doest use to give most; have mercy then upon us, according to the multitudes of thy loving kindnesses of old, that forth days wherein we have suffered for evil, we may now from thy fullness receive grace for grace.

T He most excellent thing in the world, is man, and the most excellent thing in man, is the soul, and the most excellent thing in the soul, is religion, and the most excellent thing in religion, is to seek God here, that we may see him hereafter, in whose most amiable dwellings, one day, saith our Prophet •… , is better then a thousand.

For by the Courts of God, in the judgment of most, and best expositors, is here meant, either the Church militant, which is heaven on earth; or the Church t •… umphant, which is heaven in heaven; and the least of time •… pent, in either of them, is better then a thousand days, or months, or years or ages elsewhere▪ to wit, as may be supplied, by the verse following▪ in the tents of ungodliness.

Concerning the first; it is well observed by Placidus Parmensis, and other, that this one day, is Christ's day▪ which Abraham rejoiced to see, Job •… ▪ 8. 56. The day of sul •… ation and acceptable time. 2. Cor. 6. 2. Wherein all of 〈◊〉 have received from his fullness, and grace for grace, the day which the Lord hath made, and all his Saints are glad in it. Psal. 118. 24. One hour, whereof among the faithful in the true worship of God, is better in respect of profit, then a thousand in the market; better in respect of pleasure, then a thousand in the theater; better in respect of honor, then a thousand in the palaces of Princes.

For profit, our evidence is clear. 1. Tim. 6. 6. Godlines is great gain, that is, gain of great things, as Cajetan, or greater gain, so Theophilact, or the greatest, and enough gain, so Calvin, as if the Blessed Apostle should have said, gai •… e, and more then gain, riches, and better then riches; as when the Scripture would difference, the true living God, from dumb and dead Idols, it calleth a great God, and a great King above all gods: So speaking of godliness (which is the riches of the soul,) terms it great riches, heavenly riches, in •… stim able riches, unchangeable riches, everlasting riches.

For to spend our time well, is the best husbandry, saith Seneca; to give to the poor, the best usury, saith Augustine; to co •… et spiritual gifts, hereby to win souls, is the best avarice, saith Jerome; to buy the truth, is the best bargain, saith Solomon▪ to be rich in good works, is the best opulency, saith Paul 1. Tim. 6. 18. Other gains, are not without their inconveniences, and incommodities, as having in them, an emptiness, and never enough, as Bernard told his brethren, nec ver •… s •… t, 〈◊〉 vestr •… but godliness afford •… •… way contentation, either in d •… ed, or desire.

In deed, as having pr •… mia reposita, and pr •… posita, the promises both of the life present, and of that which is to come, the blessings of the right hand, and of the left hand, Prouerb. 3. 16. The Lions do lack, and suffer hunger, saith our Prophet: But they that fear the Lord, shall want no manner of thing that is good: The covetous that go about like roaring Lions, seeking whom they may devour, by their oppression, and cruelty, sometime miss their prey, yea, the more they have, the greater is their hunger and thirst, after the things of this world; The Chronicle reports of Peirce Gaueston, that the more he was enriched; the worse was his estate: But they who seek the Lord, (which is unto those that serve him, all in all things; ) have their meal so multiplied in the barrel, and oil in the cruse, that they want no manner of thing that is good, habent omnia, q •… ia habent habentem omnia.

It may be, some good thing is wanting in their estate, but happily not good for them; it was good for Naaman that he was a leper, good for David, that he was in trouble; good for Bartimaeus, that he was blind, as a nurse knows what is best for her infant, so God our heavenly Father, knows what is best for us his children▪ If he give the subs •… iue salvation, he will afford like wise the ad •… ectiue things▪ necessary for this life. Mat. 6 33. Caetera ad jeintur 〈◊〉 , If he give his Son for us, how shall he not with him give us all things also. Rom 8. •… ▪

Howsoe •… er, godliness affordes contentation in respect of the desire, because godly men, If they have not estate •… according to their minds, they will have minds according to their estates, having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2. Cor. 6. 10. The covetous is only poor, and the content is only rich, omnia famulantur famulanti Deo: The servant of God, is Lord of all; as Christ said, If the so •… e make you free, then are you free indeed, so (dear Christians) If godliness make you rich, then are ye rich indeed, a great deal more rich, then they which of their corn, and wine, and oil, have full encroase: the Pompous Prelate, who said he would not loose his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise, nay Leo the 10. who got so much, and in the Holy sea, spent so much of S. Peters inheritance, that Guicciardine writes in his history▪ Whereas other were Popes, no longer then they lived, he was said to be Pope many years after he was dead: was not so rich as Martin Luther, a poor preacher, who professeth of himself, that of all faults, he was ever least subject to the dirty sin of evil coveting.

If any then ask the question in the third of Malac: 14. what profit is it to serve God? answer is made by the father of lies in this truly; Job. 1. 9. doth Job serve God, for naught, hath he not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on every side? the like may be said of every man which is upright and fears God, is he not rich and his godliness gain? being blessed in his field, blessed in his fold, blessed in his corn, blessed in his cattle, loe thus shall the man be blessed that f •… areth the Lord: On the contrary, sins are termed by Saint Paul, unprofitable, works of darkness, what fruit had ye (saith he to the Romans ) in those things whereof ye are now ashamed, & he doth answer himself in the same place, the wages of sin is death; bad work, sad wages.

But our Saviors question in the 16 of S. Matthew, puts this matter out of all question; what shall a man gain though he win the whole world and loose his own soul? put the whole world into one balance, and thy soul into the other, and thou shalt understand that the saying of thy soul is better in it sefe, and much more better unto thyself, then all the world; yea more worth, then as many worlds, as there be men in the world, thy soul is better in it self; for all the things of the world, are vanities of vanities; M •… ndus transit, et concupiscentia eius; The pomps of the world, and the world it self, is mutable, but the soul is an immortal, and heavenly substance, breathed into thee by God, and if thou dwell in his Courts, and continue faithful in his service to death, it shall be blessed everlastingly.

And to thyself, it ought to be more precious then all the treasures of Empires, for according to the •… ules of charity, that ought to be dearest unto thee, which is nearest unto thee; but nothing, as divine Plato said, is so much thyself, as thy soul: The saving whereof, is the principal, and main business, and all other affairs, are to be respected, or rejected, as they more or less tend to the furthering of this one most important employment.

If therefore thou love thy profit, desire to dwell in the Courts of the Lord, for the Church, as John the Baptist shows thee, is Christ; and Christ is the way to God, and godliness is great gain, by which is obtained, an inheritance, which is immortal, undefiled, and never fading away; granted in our election, promised in our vocation, assured in our justification, actually possessed of us in our glorification.

2 One day spent in the Courts of the Lord, is better then a thousand in the tents of ungodliness, in respect of pleasure.

An old disciple of Christ, being asked the cause, why he was ever such a merry man, answered, When I was a young man, I studied how to live well, and when I was an old man, I studied how to die well; and so desiring to seek God in his kingdom of grace, and hoping to see him in his kingdom of glory, one day to me was better then a thousand unto those, who weary themselves in the ways of wickedness, and destruction. Do ye desire to please your ear? no music is comparable to the Gospels harmony, that is, news of great joy, that comforts Jerusalem at the very heart.

Do ye desire to please your taste? O taste and see how gracious the Lord is, it is he that feedeth, and filleth every living thing, with his plenteousness, and his word is sweeter then honey, or the honey comb. Psal. 19. 10.

Do ye desire to please your eye? what beauty like to that of Christ, as being fairer then all the sons of men, or what beauty like to that of the Temple, for ou •… of Zion hath God appeared, in perfect beauty, Psal. 50. 4.

That which Ovid said of one kind, may be verified of every sort of worldly delight, breuis est et non vera voluptas, it is short, and not sound, Heb: 11. 25. The pleasures of sins, are but for a season; as the night doeth overtake the day, and the day drive away the night, so worldly lusts, run one after another, and the best of them all, endures not long; it is but a bait, and a bayt is but a bit, it may stay the stomach for a while, but it is not able to give full content; the eye, saith Solomon, is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing; the rejoicing of hypocrites, is but a moment. Job. 20. 5.

Again worldly delights, are no true pleasures, but bitter sweets, having like the peacocke, fair feathers, but foul feet; or like the Meremayd, quoth Horace, Mulier formosa superne desinet in turpem piscem; or like a tragedy, mirthfull in the Prologue, doleful in the Epilogue: and therefore we should do by pleasures, as great Princes do by banquets, come and look a little upon them, and turn away.

To speak more particularly, the lips of a strange woman, drop as an honey comb, (saith Solomon,) and her mouth is more soft then oil, but the end of her is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two edged sword, her feet go down to death, and her sleppes take hold on hell.

Lae •… a venit Venus, tristis abire solet.

It may be, that the beginnings of ryotus meetings, are good fellowship, and merriment; but even in laughing the heart is sorrowful, and the end of such mirth, is heaviness; it is like Joab's kiss, attended with a secret stab, happily the gamester is pleased enough at play, but when he hath made away all, he is ready to make away himself also.

As for the pleasures of other sins, an envious man is a murderer to himself; a prodigal man, is a thief to himself; a proud man, a witch to himself; a covetous man, a devil unto himself: for as the rivers of sweet waters, run their course to die in the salt sea, so the honey of all earthly pleasures, do end in the gall of grief.

On the contrary, the goodman and godly, delights in the law of the Lord, and exerciseth himself therein day and night, he serves God with gladness; other it may be, they have legem in cord, they know the Law; but he, saith Hugo de victor: hath Cor in lege, his heart is set on the law to perform the works thereof, and to him it is joy to do well, and his joys are solid, being joys of the soul, joys in the holy Ghost, whatsoever happeneth outwardly, his heart is established, and his mind settled, intus been.

And his joys are permanent, a good conscience, being a continual feast, a daily Christmas, a standing Holiday; a joy that no man or devil, is able to take away, whatsoever he doeth, or suffereth, all things work together for his good, he takes pleasure in reproaches, in necessities, in anguish for Christ's sake, when he is weak, then is he strong, afflicted on every side, but not in distress, death it self, which other account, the worst of all, is to him best of all, ipsa paenarum vltima mors Christiano, ludus est, as Prudentius sings of S. Vincent; and a Protestant Martyr being at the stake, in the midst of furious and outrageous flames, cried out, Behold ye Papists, ye look for miracles, and here now ye may see a miracle, for in this fire, I feel no more pain, then if I were in a bed of down, yea, it is to me, like a bed of roses.

Godliness in every sickness, is a Physician; in every contention, an advocate in every doubt, a school-man; in all heaviness, a Preacher; and a comforter vn •… o whatsoever estate it cometh: it saith as the blessed Apostles, peace be to this house, Peace be to this man, Peace to this heart; which occasioned one to say, that the life of a good Christian, is a perpetual Halleluiah.

In the duel of Essendon, (as we read in our English Chronicle,) between Canutus, and Edmund Ironside, for the prize of •… he Kingdom of England, after long and equal combat, finding each others worth, and valor, they cast away their weapons, embraced and concluded a peace, putting on each others apparel, and arms, as a ceremony, to express the atonement of their minds as if they made transaction of their persons, one to the other, Canutus being Edmund, and Edmund Canutus.

Our iniquities had made a separation between God and us, Isaiah 59 2. And in this war, as the Scripture speaks, God did fight against us, and we were his enemies; Now Christ our Make-peace, did end this quarrel, and that was by putting on our clothes, and by giving us his clothes, he took upon him our flesh, and in his body did bear our sins, and we by faithes hand put on Christ, and the long robe of his righteousness: so the Church sings, I am my beloueds, and my well-beloved is mine; Christ and we being married, as S. Paul teacheth. Ephes. 5. are but one flesh, and as it were but one person in law; for Christ in taking our nature upon him, is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, substantially; and we likewise by putting him on us, are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, spiritually; so that our sins, are his sins, and his righteousness, our righteousness, Jer. 23▪ 6. The Lord our righteousness. Psal. 4. 1. O God which art my righteousness.

Being justified then by faith, we have peace towards God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and this peace is a pleasure, that passeth all understanding; sin makes a trembling and heavy heart, but assurance that our sins are forgiven in Christ, is the rest of our soul, making us like Dives, every day faring deliciously.

3 One day spent in the courts of the Lord, is better then a thousand in respect of honor.

Caesar said, he had rather be the first in a country village, then the second in Rome, (though it were then esteemed the worlds Epitome, ) but our Prophet desires, rather to be a door-keeper in God's house, then to command in the tents of ungodliness, of the meanest account in the one, then of highest honor in the other, as one glosseth it; I had rather be a Clauiger, a subject, yea abeict sitting at the very threshold, in the Courts of the Lord, then to be a steptrifer; Muhammad the great, or Soliman the Magnificent, in the tents of infidelity.

So Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, and chose rather to suffer adversity with God's people: So Daniel esteemed the Lions den better then Darius Palace; So the three children adventured to meet heaven, in the hell of a fiery furnace; so the renowned Emperor Theodosius, more rejoiced in that he was a member of the Church, then head of the State; So the blessed Saints, in the days of Queen Mary, desired rather to be pilgrims among the reformed Churches, abroad, then Prelates in the kingdom of Antichrist at home. To serve God is perfect freedom, as divine Plato determined iudiciously, Goodness is not in greatness, but on the contrary, Greatness is in goodness.

A great Lord, convicted of treason against his Sovereign, hath his blood attaynted; himself, and his posterity disgentred, until they be restored in blood. Adam in Paradise, commi •… ted high treason against the King of heaven, and earth, and in him all of us have sinned, and so by consequent, our blood is attainted, till it be restored again by Christ, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood; As good Queen Elinor sucked the venom out of the wound, given her husband, Edward the first, by an Assassine, with a poisoned weapon: So Christ our husband, hath expelled the poison out of our wounds, inflicted by the devil, our adversary, who was a murderer from the beginning; every Christian then as having his wounds healed and his blood purged, is a gentleman, and the best Christian, is the best gentleman; according to the scripture, teaching us, that the men of Berea, who received the word with all readiness, were more noble, then they of Thessalonica: The burgesses of God's city, be not of base Linage, but truly Noble; For by their second birth, all of them are the sons of God; and the Church is their Mother, and Christ their Brother, and the Holy Ghost, their Tntor, Angels their attendants, Heb. 1. 14. all other creatures, their subjects. Psal. 8. 6. The whole world their Inn, 1. Pet. 2. 11. and heaven their Home. John. 14. 2.

Fauours of Princes serve sometime, more for the benefit of those that give them, then for the profit of those that receive them, and the best honor an earthly Prince can confer upon his chief fauorite, is to make him a Viceroy in some part of his Empire; but Christ which is the King of glory, maketh all his followers, Kings unto God his father, Apoc 1. 6. Kings, because God reigneth in us, and because through his sanctifying grace, we have dominion over our concupiscenses, not suffering sin to reign in our mortal bodies; and we are not only Viceroys over one province, but in this respect, Lord's over the whole world, more then conquerors, a great deal greater then William the Conqueror, or Alexander the great, or the great Turk: for whereas they conquered, in many years, a few parts of the world: He that is borne of God, overcometh in one hour, with one act, all the pomp of the world, and all the power of hell also. It is but Caesar's Veni, vidi vici, this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1. John 5. 4.

The difference between the Christians honor, and the worldlings honor, is very plain; The kings daughter is all glorious within, Psal. 45. 14. But the worldlings, is all glorious without: now the Philosopher hath taught truly, That civil honor, is not in the power of the person honored, but in the power of the person honoring; and therefore the worldlings glory, depending upon the breath of vain men, and possession of vain matters, is altogether uncertain; But the Christians dignity, which is within, having done good in Israel, and toward God, and his house, cannot be taken away, but it flourisheth and remaineth forever. Psal. 112. 9.

For conclusion of all: I say to you all in brief, that this Doctrine should encourage us, diligently to visit the Temple, which is God's house, the Palace, where his Holiness more specially resides; Heretofore Hierusalems Temple, was instar parochiae, saith Hospinian, as a great parish; So now, every Parochial Church, is instar templl, where God is to be worshipped, in the public congregation; and dutifully to honor his anointed Kings, and Princes, which are the chief governors of his house; and reverently to respect his Clergy, Bishops, Pastors, and Curates, which are the disposers of his secrets, and stewards of his house, and cheerfully to delight in his Saints; which are the domestical, and ordinary servants of his house, and eagerly to hunger and thirst after his Sacred word, and blessed Sacraments, which are the food of his house, and to put on holiness, and righteousness, which are the hangings, and ornaments of his house; But above all, even with all our heart, soul, mind; to love the Lord Jesus, which is the founder and foundation of this house; that after we have sojourned in his earthly tabernacle, we may rest upon his heavenly mountain, where we shall be abundantly satisfied with the pleasures of his house: For as Bernard sweetly, si sic bonus es sequentibus te, qualis futurus es consequentibus? If thou Lord be so good unto those that seek thee, what wilt thou be unto such as find thee? doubtless, one day spent in the kingdom of glory, surpasseth a thousand in the kingdom of grace.

It is true, the profit, pleasure, honor of a good Christian, is better a thousand times, then all the treasures, and iollities of the wicked; yet so long as we dwell in houses of clay, clothed with flesh and blood, in this valley of tears, ever and anon we shall have troubles on every side, fightings without, and terrors within, and through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God; but when once we shall arrive there, all tears shall be wiped from our eyes, all cares from our hearts; as soon as we shall enter into the upper Courts of the Lord, we shall have fullness of joys, and pleasures at his right hand for evermore. This one day, saith Augustine, is the day of eternity, which is always the same one, and no more: for the heavenly Jerusalem hath no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine, because God and the Lamb are the light of it. Apoc. 21. 23. and in his light, all the children of light enjoy that day; which is everlasting without any night, or end.

And now most gracious Sovereign, upon bowed knees, I beseech your Highness, by the mercies of God; suffer a few words of exhortation, as you have most christianly heard a great many points of doctrine.

〈◊〉 Kings are styled God's, and their houses should be like Churches, as Eusebius writes of Constantine's Court, every chamber a chapel, every person a Priest, offering up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God.

Above all, I most humbly beg of your Majesty, to continue your studiousnesse of peace, that howsoever, you maintain just and honorable wars abroad, yet peace may be within your walls at home, which is the greatest gain, pleasure, honor, of all Christian Courts, and Kingdoms.

The devil is the author of confusion, and schism, but the Lord is the God of order, and King of peace, he united heaven and earth (two diverse divided parts of the universe) and made them both one world; he united sea and land (two diverse divided elements,) and made them both one globe, he united soul and body (two diverse divided substances,) and made both one man; he united Jews, and Gentiles, (two diverse people) and made them both one Church; he united Adam and Eve, (two diverse divided sexes,) and made them both in marriage, but one flesh; and that which is yet more wonderful, he united God and man, (two diverse divided natures,) and made them both one Christ.

As the Lord therefore said to Moses, In the Lord's Name, give me leave to speak to you; (Most high and mighty Prince,) fac secundum exemplar, Imitate God as his dear Son, and servant; divide et impera, savors too much of the serpent, vtra{que} fecit vnum, is our comfort.

Your great grandfather King Henry the 7▪ united the Roses; and that was an happy work: Your renowned Father, united the kingdoms, and that was a more happy work; But if yourself (borne for all greatness) shall unite the different factions, and fractions, about some points in religion, and make your people, from Dan to Bershe-ba, speak the same thing, and pronounce the same; Shiboleth, it will undoubtedly prove the most happy work of all.

As your blessed marriage, began with a league of peace, so we pray night and day, that your issue may be children of peace, your Nobles, and men of Council, Princes of peace▪ your Clergy, studients and messengers of peace▪ your Judges and Justices, gardians of peace; your Commons and people, followers of peace; all of us in our several offices, and orders, honoring the God of peace; and advancing his Gospel, which is glad tidings of peace; we may take up evermore, the words of my text, One day spent in the Courts, and countries of our Lord, King Charles, is better then a thousand, else. where.

M An was elected before there was any time, created in the beginning of time, redeemed in the fullness of time; for this end, to seek God on earth, and to see God in heaven. Our text poynteth at both, exhorting the seed of Abraham, and the children of Jacob; That is, all faithful people, so to seek God's face, that in fine, they may see God's face for evermore.

For the better understanding whereof, I must evidently clear two points, especially:

• 1. What is to be sought, and that is expressed to be God's face.
• 2. How to be sought, to wit, by what means, and that is implied to be by contemplation in this world, and by vision in the next.

In what measure, how much, earnestly; seek the Lord, seek his strength, seek his face, how long, evermore.

For the first, a great many, and a good many Divines understand here, by God's face, God's favor, as if the Prophet should have said, in all time of wealth, and in all time of woe, call upon the Lord, seek him, and his strength only; seek not to witches, because they seek to the devil, and the devil is a murderer from the beginning, an accuser of the faithful, our adversary, walking about like a roaring lyon, seeking whom he may devour.

Seek not to Bell or Baal, or any false God, for an Idol cannot help it self, much less other, Wisd. 13. 16. The Apostle saith, an Idol is nothing, and the Philosopher saith, of nothing comes nothing; seek not to secular powers, and potentates; O put not your trust in Princes, nor in any child of man, for there is no help in them. Psalm: 146. 2. The king of Egypt is a broken staff of reed, he that leaneth on him and trusteth in him, is sure to fall to the ground; alas, man is like a thing that is nothing, when his breath is gone forth, he returneth again to his earth, and then all his thoughts perish.

Seek not to your own strength, trust not (as Goliath did) in your sword and shield, for cursed be the man, that makes fl •… sh his arm. Jer. 17. 5.

Seek not to your own wit for the Lord catcheth the Wizards in their own craftiness; and the counsel of the wicked is made foolish.

Seek not to your own worth and holiness, (as the Pharisee stood upon his merit. Luke 18.) For blessed is the man that feareth always, but he that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool. Proverbs 28. 26.

Seek not to the strength of your own purse, do not sacrifice to your own net, make not gold your hope, saying to the wedge of gold; thou art my confidence, for riches avail not in the day of wrath, no •… help in the time of vengeance.

Seek not to the blessed spirits of just men in heaven, for Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel knoweth us not. Isaiah 63. 16. They do not understand our wants in particular, howsoever undoubtedly solicitous for our good in general; grant they did clearly see what we lack, and that they be so well able, as willing to help; yet because the Scriptures afford neither precept, nor promise, nor pattern for invocation in this kind; seeking to the dead saints, is an open injury to the living God; at the best, it is will-worship, at the worst, adoring of old saints, is an adopting of new saviors.

To sum up all in a word, with our Prophet; in the 73, Psalm, verse 14. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee; all other hopes and helps are miserable comforters in respect of thee, which art a present help in trouble; under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice, my soul hangeth upon thee, mine eyes are ever looking unto thee, to the throne of grace will I go boldly, that I may find mercy, thou Lord art my strength and only refuge, thy face will I seek evermore

Hugo Cardinalis understandeth here by God's face, that happiness which is everlasting in heaven: They who seek for God's temperall blessings, only seek his hinder parts, as it were▪ but they who first seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, are said to seek his priora because potiora, the multitude who followed Christ, in the 6. of S. John, for loaves and not for love, sought God's hinder parts only, but the blessed Apostle, who said, I forget that which is behind, and endeavor myself unto that which is before, following hard toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus, sought God's face evermore. Temporal goods, as riches and honor, are the blessings of God's left hand, but length of days that is everlasting life, the blessings of his right hand, Prover. 3, 16. New creatures in Christ, and new men are like the new Moon; when the Moon decreaseth, it is close above, open below, but when it increaseth, it is open above, close beneath, even so (beloved) if our minds (as nature framed our hearts,) are close downward, using the world as if we used it not, and enlarged upward, in seeking the things above, then, as S. Paul speaks, our conversation is in heaven, and as David here, we seek God's face for evermore.

Arnobius and diverse moe, by God's face, do understand Christ Jesus; as being the brightness of God's glory, and express character of his person. Heb. 1. 3. And as our Prophet. Psalm 67. verse 1. The light of his countenance; God is manifested in his son, as a man is known by his face; for no man (saith our Lord) cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14. 6. I am the way, the truth and the life, non est quà ease nisi per me, non est quo ease nisi ad me, as Augustine sweetly, Christ is the beginning of blessed and heavenly vision, and therefore the way; the mean, and therefore the truth; the end, and therefore the life; No man knows the Father, save the Son, and to whomsoever the Son will open him. It is true, that we may see God's hinder parts, by the light of nature, for the power of God is manifested in the creation of the world, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work, but we cannot see God's face, that is; the most unsearchable riches of his mercy, but in & by his Son only: none know the Father▪ that is, a distinction of the Persons in the Sacred Trinity, but by the revelation of God the Son, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge▪ Coloss. 2. 3. Or none know that God is their Father, but by the spirit of the Son, crying in our hearts, Abba, Father. Galat. 4. 6. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery; quoth Paul, which none of the Princes of this world knew; Hoc magnus Plato nesciuit, eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit, saith Jerome, deep Plato was altogether ignorant, eloquent Demosthenes was utterly silent in this argument; they being secretaries of nature, groped after God, and found out also so much of him, as may serve to condemn them, but we (blessed are the eyes that see the things which we see) seeking God in his Son, in whom he is well pleased, unfeignedly believe, that he is our Father, and that we are his children, and further, his heirs, even heirs annexed with Christ in his kingdom of glory, Rom. 8. verse 16. 17.

The Turk seeks not God aright, for that he seeks him in Muhammad: the Jew seeks not God aright, for that he seeks him in a Messias which is yet to come: the Popeling seeks not aright, for that he seeks him in moe Mediators then one; the Heretic destroying either the natures of Christ, or offices of Christ, seeks not God aright; the carnal Gospeller and worldling seeks not God aright; for although he profess Christ in word, yet in his works he denieth him, and the power of his Gospel, as Augustine pithily, the difference between an Heretic and a bad Catholic, is briefly this; the one is an Heretic in his faith, and the other is an Heretic in his manners. Lord show us the light of thy countenance, that is, indue us with true knowledge of thy word, and with a li •… ely faith in thy Son, which is thine own Image, that so we may seek thy strength, and see thy face evermore.

It is evident by the first of the Chronicles. 16. Chap. That David was author of this Hymn, and that it was indicted for Asaph, to be sung when the Lord's Ark was placed in the mids of the Tabernacle, that David had pitched for it, and therefore most expositors interpret here; God's face to be God's Ark, by which he declared his powe •… and presence, favor and goodness toward his people. So we read 2▪ Chron 6. 41. Psal. 63. 3. Psal. 78. 61. Psal. 132. 1. Arise O Lord into thy resting place, th •… and the Ark of thy strength. The like is said of God's holy Temple▪ that it was his house. Isaiah 56. 7. His amiable dwelling place. Psal. 84. 1 Yea the very chamber of his presence. Psal. 95. 2. Let us come before his presence, with thanksgiving; And they who worshipped in the Courts of the Lord, are said to stand and appear before him, as Deut. 16. 16. Three times in the year, shall all the males appear before the Lord thy God, and Ex •… . 23. 15. None shall appear before me empty.

The meaning then of David is plain, that the seed of Abraham, & the children of Jacob, should give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name, tell his wondrous works, make songs of him, and praise him, and seek his strength in that holy place, which himself hath appointed; even where his Ark rested, and resided, As if he should have said, go not to Baal-Zebub; the God of Ekron, go not to the calf in Samaria, seek not to Bethel, enter not into Gilgal, go not to Beer-sheba, but seek the Lord, and ye shall live, seek him while he may be found, and where he may be found, run not a whoring after your own inventions, do not serve him according to your own voluntary religion, and private spirit, but let his holy word be a lantern to your feet, and a guide to your paths, evermore seek him, and his strength, in his Tabernacle, where he showeth his favor and face, to Abraham his servant, to Jacob his chosen.

The ceremonies of Moses, in their beginning, were Mortals, as being to continue but for a time; when once Christ appeared in the fullness of time; they were Mortu •… , being only shadows, (as S. Paul speaks) of good things to come; but now since the sound of Christ's holy Gospel is gone throughout all the earth, even unto the ends of the world, they be mortiferae, not only dead, but also deadly; so buried and abolished, that they must never be raised up again in the Church of God. Legalia, saith Augustine, ante passionem Christi viua, statim post mortua, hodie sepulta. Christ is the end of the Law, not only of the moral, in fulfilling all righteousness, or of the Judicial in satisfying God's Justice for us, but of the ceremonial also, giving himself for us, to be both an offering, and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savor to God, of which, all the legal offerings, and sacrifices were types and figures.

Here then is a question asked, seeing we have neither such an Ark, nor such a Tabernacle, nor such a Temple, as the Jews had under the Law, where shall we now seek the strength of the Lord, and his face? Answer is made, that albeit, the hour is come, foretold by Christ, unto the woman of Samaria, that the seed of Abraham, according to the Spirit, do not adore God at Jerusalem, or upon his Holy mountain, yet they worship him in his Church, of which Jerusalem was a type; the which is called expressly God's house, wherein his Honor delights to dwell, and in the ministration of his blessed word, and Sacraments, he showeth us the light of his countenance more clearly, then under the ceremonies of Moses, for in our prayers we confidently speak unto him, and in the word preached, and read, he plainly speaketh unto us; in both, If we seek, we may see his face; frequent then his house, when it is the hour of prayer, frequent then his house when it is the hour of preaching, take heed that ye do not neglect so great salvation, he that rejecteth these things, rejects not man, but God: I beseech you, suffer the words of exhortation and doctrine, despise no •… Prophecying, despise not I say the riches of his bountifulness, and patience; reverence his blessed ordinances, abhor not his heavenly Manna; quench not his spirit; turn not, O turn not his graces into contention, and wantonness; lest he hide his face from us in his sore displeasure, removing his golden Candlesticks from our Church, and giving his Gospel unto some other people, who will bring forth better fruits of the same.

The Papists have gods of lead, and gods of bread, but the faces of these gods, as our Prophet telleth us, in the 115. Psalm, have mouths and speak not, eyes and see not, noses and smell not, neither speak they through their throat they that make them, are like unto them, and so are all such as put their trust in them.

Images, as they teach, are the Laymens Gospel, & a wooden block is to them, instead of the written book; they see their makers face, better in a pulpit, then out of the pulpit; Beloved, be not deceived, God is not mocked, If ye seek his strength, and his face, go to his Law, and his Testimony; ye may behold a lively Crucifix in the Scripture; for what is the Center of the whole Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but only this one point; Christ▪ 〈◊〉 . Ye may behold in each Sacrament, a lively Crucifix; for the blessed Communion is a commemoration of Christ's death until his coming. 1. Cor. 11. 26. And sacred baptism saith Aquinus, is a Commemoration of Christ's Passion which is past; a Demonstration of his grace which is present, and a Prognostication of his glory, which is to come; Ye may likewise behold a lively Crucifix in the Churches Liturgy, framed according to the tenor of God's own Spirit, forasmuch as our prayers contemplate God the Father in his Son; begun in his Name, bounded upon his nature, concluded with his Merits, as our only Mediator, and Advocate.

When the parents of Christ had lost him at the feast of the Passover, and sought him in many places, in fine, they found him at Jerusalem, in the Temple: So when your soul longeth after God, and is athirst for his presence; Come to the Church, and sav with our Prophet, Psal. 27. 9. Thy face Lord will I seek; It is reported of Cain: Gen. 4. 16. That he went out from the presence, or from the face of Jehovah, As God's face signifieth his all seeing providence, none can fly from it. Jeremiah 23. 24 Can any hide himself in secret places, that I who •… ill heaven and earth, shall not see him, saith the Lord: The meaning of that text then, is happily that Cain went out from the place of God's word, and public worship; For Adam his father being a Prophet (as it is probable) had taught his children how to sacrifice, and serve the Lord: On the contrary, to come before God, in 1. Chron. 16. 29. is explained Psal. 96. 8. To be coming into his courts, and worshipping in his Sanctuary, When our backs are turned toward the Temple, no wonder, if God turn his face from us, and absent himself in displeasure. But if we serve the Lord, with gladness, and enter into his gates with thanksgiving, If our songs are of him▪ and our hearts rejoice in his holy Name, when we remember the marvelous works that he hath done his wonders; & the judgments of his mouth, when one day spent in his Courts, is accounted better then a thousand in the tents of ungodliness, when we search earnestly for him in the Scriptures, and in the public Ministry thereof; his ordinary power to salvation, and the strength of his arm; Then as it is said in our text, we seek him, and his forces, and his favor, and his face evermore.

There is a fifth exposition of these words, and that is of S. Augustine, and of Franciscus Arias, in his tract Depraesentia Dei. cap 2. Who by God's face, understand God's presence; So the Scripture by the face of the wind, and by the face of frost, and fire, meaneth as you know, the presence of these things, as in Psalm. 68. Like as wax melteth, ante faciem ignis, before the fires face; So let the ungodly perish at the presence of God, So Hagar is said to flee from the face of her mistress Sara. Gen. 16. 8 So Pharaoh to Moses, Exod. 10. 28. Get thee from me; Look thou see my face no more. So Adam is said to hide himself from God's face▪ Gen. 3. 8. and Satan, Job 1. 12. Egressus est à facie Domini, that is, he departed from God's presence: to seek then evermore God's face, is nothing else, but seriously to consider and contemplate, that he is always present with us in every thought, word, and deed.

Plutarch adviseth us so circumspectly, to demean our selves, as if •… r enemies always beheld us, Seneca counselleth us to live so well, as if Cato, Laelius or some reverend Person of great wisdom and account, overlooked us; Thalis Milesius, in the committing of any sin, wished us when we are alone, to be afraid of our selves, and of our own conscience, which is instead of a thousand witnesses; te sine teste time, saith Ausonius, S. Paul exhorteth women, to carry themselves in God's house reverently, because of the Angels, as being assured that the glorious Angels in heaven, observe their behavior.

But our text teacheth us, yet a better way then all these, which is to seek God's face▪ to remember that God searcheth us out, knowing our down-sitting and our uprising, and that he standeth about our paths, and about our beds, and spieth out all our ways, A pious exercise, highly commended in the Scriptures, and in the Fathers, and by the practice of holy men in all ages.

The Scriptures in reporting that Enoch and Noah, walked with God, intimate, that those holy Patriarchs had set God always before them and that they lived so religiously, tanquam sub eius oculis, as under his observing, and all-seeing eye, they walked, as S ^t . Luke recordeth of Zacharias, and Elizabeth, in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, without reproof, they considered the ways of God, and turned their feet unto his Testimonies; as our Prophet speaks of himself, Psal. 119. 59. They did endeavor and set their hearts to have, not only good credit before men, but all •… with S. Paul, to keep a clear conscience before God; In this sense, God said to Father Abraham, walk before me. Gen. 17. 1. And Abraham again, concerning God, the Lord before whom I walk, Gen. 24. 40. So the Prophet Elias and Eliseus speak, The Lord God, in whose sight •… stand.

The text enjoining us always to pray, points at this duty, that we should seek God's face continually, for our desires and thoughts are the voices and words, by which our soul speaks; If then at any time we lift our hearts unto the Lord, we may be said, and that truly, to pray, which occasioned Divines to term prayer, an humble familiarity with God; He that will always converse with God, must always either read the Scripture, saith Augustine, or else pray, for as often as we read his word, he talketh with us, and as often as we pray, we talk with him.

When our Prophet sings in 123. Psalm; Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens; He doth understand, not eyes of his flesh only, but eyes of his faith also, seeing him which is invisible. Heb▪ 11. 27.

But the spirit, by the mouth of Solomon, as yet speaks more plainly, Prov. 3. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge God, and he shall direct thy goings, in omnibus vijs cogita Deum, as the vulgar latin runs, in everything thou takest in hand, think on God, or as our translation, have respect unto him, as Toby to his son, Set God always before thine eyes, behold him as a Judge, and so shame to sin before the Judges eye; behold him as thy great reward, and so faint not in doing good; Behold him as author and finisher of thy faith, and so run with patience, the race which is set before thee; Behold him as the Donor of every good and perfect gift, and so confess that he worketh all thy works for thee, by whose grace thou art whatsoever thou art.

S. Augustine, beginneth his heavenly meditations in this style, Domine Deus meus, da cordi meo te desiderare, desiderando quaerere, quaerendo, inuenire, inueniendo amare, amando mala mea red •… mpta non iterare; O Lord give me grace, from the very bottom of mine heart, to desire thee, in desiring to seek thee, in seeking to find thee, in finding to love thee, in loving, utterly to loath my former wickedness: And in his souls soliloquies or private talk with God, he prayeth in like manner, O Lord who knowest me, give me grace to know thee, O my comforter show me thyself, let me see thee which art the light of mine eyes, mirth of my spirit, joy of my heart, life of my soul.

It is a good Motto, think and thank God, there is no moment of time, wherein God cares not for us, and therefore saith ^a Bernard, no moment of time, wherein we should not seek him, especially, when we come to his house, to call upon his Holy Name, for how pray •… s he to God, who prates in his heart to the world, intend (quoth the same Father,) 〈◊〉 qui intendit tibi; Christ promised to be with us in our devotions, even in the midst of us, Mat. 18. 20. but as Eusebius Emisenus observeth; how shall God be in the mids of thee, if thou be not in the mids of thyself; If the advocate sleep, how shall the Judge awake? No marvel if thou loose thy suit, when as in praying, thou loosest thyself.

Hilary writing upon the words of the Psalmist, ( all my ways are before thee, ) notes, that the Prophet making his course before God's eye, to whom all hearts are open, and no secrets hid, walked not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, his feet did not go down to death, and his steps take hold of hell, but his whole pilgrimage was a seeking of the Lord, and as ( S. Paul phraseth it) he did so run, that he did obtain.

Seneca, though he were not a Doctor in Divinity, yet he wrote in his 10 Epistle. lib. 1. Divine-like to this purpose; Sic viue cum hominibus quast deus videat, sic loquere cum Deo, quasi homines audiant; So converse with men, as if God did ever see thee; so confer with God▪ as if men did ever hear thee: and in another Epistle, God is near to thee, with thee, within thee; so it is, Lucilius, that a sacred spirit resideth in us, as a custos, and observer of all that we do, whether it be good or bad, A sweet speech, according to Godsowne heart, for as S. Ambrose doth avow, whosoever speaks a thing which is true, speaketh it from the spirit of truth.

Not to trouble you with any further discourse, the consideration of this one point, that God is omni-present, containeth in it all other rules, for the well ordering of whole life, so that if any be dejected in his mind, for that he cannot remember the good lessons, he daily reads in books, and hears in Sermons, let him be con tented again, because this one prescript comprehends omnia media et remedia, all means and medicines for the curing of his sick soul; but because Gershon a great clearke, professeth he hath sometimes been four hours together, in working his heart, ere he could frame it to he Divine meditation of God; I purpose to treat first of the means, how to get it, and then of the fruits arising from it.

For the first, every good gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, and prayer is like the fiery chariot of Elia, where by we mount up▪ and converse with God on high▪ It is the key of Paradise gates, and the hand of a Christian, able to reach from earth to heaven, and to take forth unsearchable riches ou •… of the Lord's treasure; the Scripture saith as much in plain terms, ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. Feruent prayer then unto which almighty God denies nothing,) is a main means of this holy devotion, and pious exercise.

Another way to seek God's face continually, is to have some remarkable sentences, concerning this argument, written in the rooms we most use, for example, that of Solomon, Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord in every place, behold the evil and the good; Or that of David, I have set God always before me; Or that of Paul, Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open to his eyes, with whom we have to do; Or that of Augustine, God is all eye, Totus oculus qui, minime fallitur, quià minime clauditur, saith Bernard, Or that of Lipsius, eum nulla vis humana elidet, aut acumen eludet.

God commanded in the 15 of Numb. 38. and Deut, 22. 12. That his people throughout their generations, should make them fringes upon the borders of their garments, and put upon the fringes of the borders, a ribband of blew silk, that when they looked upon them at any time; they might remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them: He did enjoin likewise, to bind the words of his Law for a memorial upon their hands, and as fron •… lets between their eyes; And these scrolles of paitch •… ents, wherein the commandments were written, are termed by the Hebrew Doctor Tephillim, prayermonuments, and by Christ, Mat. 23. 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as Interpreters conjecture) quasi conseruatoria; because they kept and preserved men in awful obedience to the law, and howsoever the Pharisees abused these things unto superstition, and vain-glory; yet God assuredly will be well pleased, if we shall use sincerely the like monuments, and figures for the like good purposes and ends, especially to put us in mind of his holy presence.

A third profitable mean, to seek God's face continually, is a particular examination of our selves, at our uprising, and down-sitting; and if we find, that we have walked all the day long in God's sight, to make songs of him, and praise him for his strength, and grace; If otherwise, to be sory for this omission, and hereafter to be more studious of this good work.

The last and best help to further this devotion is, our unfeigned love of God, for as S. Augustine said, animus, velut ponder, amore fertur quocun{que} fertur, ibi est vbi amat, non vbi animat; A man is where he loves, not where he lives, as Origen writes of Mary Magdalene visiting Christ's Sepulcher, ibi non erat vbi erat, quià tota ibi erat vbi magister erat. So beloved it is with us, all our mind is where our pleasure is, and our heart is where our treasure is. Matth. 6. 21. If then we love God above all things, our hearts will likewise rejoice in his holy Name, more then in all things; If we remember the marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgment of his mouth, what do we but seek his strength, and his face evermore.

The fruits rising from this holy devotion, are manifold; The first, is pureness of heart, which is such an excellent virtue, that Solomon saith He that loveth pureness of heart, the King shall be his friend, That is, the King of glory, the King of heaven and earth, the King of kings is a lover of him; Now that pureness is attained by this exercise, as David telleth us in the 10. Psalm, reporting the ways of the wicked man, to be most impure, because God is not in all his thoughts, and the fathers of our law, put these words into the indictment of a malefactor, that in committing his foul fact, he had not God before his eyes; When Christ entered into my soul, saith Bernard, he moved and mollified, and wounded mine hard and stony heart, he did root out and destroy, throw down, build and plant, he did enlighten that which was dark, water that which was dry, cool that which was too hot, and inflame that which was too cold; He did exalt valleys, and depress mountains, the crooked ways he made straight, and the rough places plain, and so saith he with our Prophet. Psalm 103. My soul did praise the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy Name.

We find in Ecclesiastical history, that Paphnutius converted Thais, and that Ephram converted another famous strumpet from uncleanness, only with this argument, that almighty God seeth all things in the dark, when all doors are fast, all windows shut, all curtains close.

And as this exercise causeth us to repent sin which is past, so likewise to prevent sin which is to come, for if once we can contemplate God as present, we shall instantly consider him as our Father, and so honor him▪ or as our Lord, and so fear him; and he that doeth either of these, will flee sin as a serpent, as for example, Joseph assaulted by his mistrisle to lie with her, answered, How can I do this great wickedness, and so sin against God; Susanna tempted by the libidi •… ous Elders, to the like folly, gave the like answer, sighing and saying, I am in danger on every side, For if I do this thing, it is death unto me, and if I do it not, I cannot escape your han •… ▪ it is better for me to fall into your hands, and not to do it, then to sin in the sight of the Lord; A learned doctor in •… ur time, (questioned for a non conformitant, and entreated by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, most meekly to subscribe in his private study, saying, that none were present there, but only God and themselves, and faithfully promising, that he would keep his counsel) answered stoutly, that if his Grace could bring him into some room, where God was not present; he would willingly fulfill his desire, but saith he, so long as God seeth, I little regard who seeth not; I report not in dis honor of subscription unto the decent, and commendable ceremonies enjoined by lawful authority, for this Doctor by seeking God's face, found in co •… clusion his own error, and so reforming himself do henioye great preser meant, in our Church at this day.

Diocles the monk, among other instructions which he gave to Palladius, when he came to visit him, uttered this •… pothegme, that a good man, if he neglect to see God's face, becomes either a beast or a devil; a beast, in hunting after carnal sins, a devil, by rushing into spiritual wickedness▪ A valiant soldier fighting in his generals eye, carrieth himself against all his enemies vndauntedly, for that he knows he shall be worthily rewarded eafter victory; how much more then ought every Christian, in the spiritual warfare, beholding (as S. Stephen did) his Captain Jesus standing at the right hand of God, courageously sight against the world, the flesh, and the •… ill; as being assured that after his good, fight is finished, a crown of righteousness is laid up for him, and a most excellent and eternal weight of glory.

Christ pronounceth in the 5 of S. Matthew, blessedness, not only to the pure in heart, but also to the poor in spirit, to those that mourn, to the meek, to the merciful, to such as hunger and thirst af •… er righteousness, to peace-makers, to Martyrs enduring persecution in a just cause; all which blessednesses arise from this one root, the contemplation of God's holy presence; by this the faithful are made humble; Lord, saith Abraham unto God, I am dust and ashes; and Paul, as clay in the hand of the potter: By this the faithful are moved to shed tears, both of denotion and contrition, understanding that all their righteousness is as filthy cloths▪ and that if God should enter into judgment with them, in his sight, no man living shall be just fied, Psal. 143. 2. By this the faithful are meek, as having their copy still in their eye; Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: By this, the faithful are merciful, imitating, as children, their father in heaven, which is merciful; By this the faithful hunger and thirst after righteousness, for the more they seek God's face, the more they see; and the more they see, the more they desire to see; By this the faithful are peace-makers, as having peace with God, and in God, peace with men, and by both a peace with themselves; By this the faithful are more constant and courageous •… , in suffering persecution for righteousness sake, because they believe that the Lord is their strength; and that he is a rewarder of those that seek him. Heb. 11. 6.

To seek God's face then, is our greatest happiness, & utterly to neglect this duty, the greatest unhappiness and folly? it is our chief felicity; so God to Moses, as concerning his people, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest: and David unto God, I will behold thy presence, in righteousness, and when I awake, after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with it.

To despise this holy denotion, is extreme folly, for the fear of God, is the beginning of wisdom; and they that do thereafter, have a good understanding; But such as have not God in their thoughts, and so run head-long into grieuo •… s sins▪ in the language of Canaan, are fools and m •… d men; so foolishas the witless Ostrich, which as Job reports in Cap 39. of his book, leaveth his eggs in the earth▪ and makes them h •… in the dust, and forgetteth that the foo •… e might scarter them, or that the wild beast might break the 〈◊〉 ; and as Pliny further addeth, he thrusteth his neck into the stump of a hollow tree, and so woodcocke-like, when he sees nobody, thinks nobody sees him; unwise people, when will ye understand he that planted the ear, shall not he hear, or he that made the eye, shall not he see? Whither then will ye go from his spirit, and whither can ye flee from his presence; If ye climb up into heaven, he is there; If ye descend down into hell, he is there also; If ye say peradventure the darkness shall cover us, instantly the night shall be turned into day; yea the darkness is no darkness with him, but the night is as clear as the day, the darkness and light, to him are both alike; The most impious, cannot but walk with him in respect of his omni-presence, filling heaven and earth, and searching out their words and actions, and the secret corners of their hearts, in affectu habent abscondere, saith Ambrose, non in effectu; Well may they before men play least in sight, but before God, none dwell at Hide: etiam solus est praesens, his qui longe sunt ab ipso; God is nigh unto those, which are furthest off from him, albeit their hearts seek not his face, yet his face seeks their hearts evermore. Think on this all ye that forget God, and tremble to consider what extreme madness it is in the committing of a filthy sin, to shun the sight of a seely man, a wight, a worm, to shun I say the dull eyes of a son, of a servant, of a little child, yet not to fear the face of God our Father in heaven, our Master, our Maker, our Judge, which is able to destroy both our souls and bodies in hell •… ire.

Thus I have shown at large, what is to be sought, and in part also upon the by, how to be sought, one point only remaineth untouched▪ and that is, in what measure; to wit, how much and how long, the seed of Abraham ought to seek •… God's face.

Touching the first, Isaiah telleth us in a word, si quaeritis quaerite; If ye seek the Lord, seek him in deed, eanrestly, seriously, sedulously; David insinuateth as much in repeating here the word seek, thrice, seek the Lord, seek his strength, seek his face, quià, saith Hugo Cardinalis, Dominus quaerendus est sicut et diligendus; As God is to be loved; so to be sought with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, that is, saith Augustine, with all our understanding, never thinking of him erroneously; with all our will, never contradicting him obstinately; with all our memory, never forgetting him obliuiously.

Again, whereas our Prophet saith in the clause going before our text immediately, let the heart of them rejoice, that seek the Lord, He doth intimate that God is to be sought not dully, but fully, not heavily, but joyfully; For as God loveth a cheerful giver, so likewise a cheerful thankesgiuer, one that serves him with gladness, and comes before his presence with a song; It is a seely thing for a Priest, or people, to dissemble with God, and to become Hermaphrodites, in the business of religion; A seely thing to halt between God and Baal; A seely thing to receive the wages of the Gospel, and to do the work of Antichrist; A seely thing to look up to Jerusalem, and to go down to Jericho, to gain preferment in the Church of England, and yet under hand craftily to repair the tottering walls of Babylon, the Lord knoweth who are his, and he knows those which have but a s •… cret mark of the beast, as well as we know those which openly worship a wooden block▪ magnify the mass, make new saviors; yea for king killers a new heaven, and for such as please not their confessors well, a purgatory, which is a new hell; and so withal that is within them, and all that is without them exalt the man of sin, above all that is called God.

Beloved, if ye desire to seek the Lord happily, seek him heartily, and that not only once or twice, during the sun-shine of prosperity, or in the time of trouble, in the hour of death, in the day of Judgment only; But as our Prophet exhor •… , evermore, When a man hath done his best, he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again, saith Ecclesiasticus, he that 〈◊〉 he hath sought enough, is like to find b •… 〈◊〉 , saith Leo the great, so Bernard, qui dixit suff •… t, d ficit. continually to seek, is constantly 〈◊〉 seek, never to f •… int, in doing this duty.

Happily some will object, if the Lord be found of such a •… seek him faithfully, what need is there to seek anymore? Are Christians in this respect like to the foolish gossips? of whom S ^t . Paul, ever learning, and yet never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; or like carnal Israel, who following the law of righteousness, could not attain to the law of righteousness. Rom. 9. 31. Answer is made by Augustine, that we seek God's face by faith, and they seek it more by hope, Melior fit quaerens tam magnum •… m, quod et inueniendum quaeritur, et quaerendum inuenitur, nam et quaeratur vt inueniatur dulcius et inuenitur vt quaeritur auidius. He doth always better himself, who seeks so great good, which is to be sought, that it may be found, and found that it may be sought, sought that it may be found with greater delight, and found that it may be sought with greater desire; Now we behold God's face by faith and hope, through a glass darkly; but we shall hereafter see him as S. Paul speaks, even face to face, and then as we shall ever love him, so doubtless, ever seek him, and as the want of the beautiful vision in the judgment of Divines is the hell of hell, so the fruition of God's face, contrarily▪ the heaven of heaven.

The Father of mercy be merciful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, that we may grow, from strength to strength, and go from grace, to grace, from seeking him in this earthly tabernacle, to seeing him upon his holy mountain Jerusalem above, where with him, and of him, and through him, and for him, we shall have fullness of joys, and incomparable pleasures for evermore.

T Here be so many questions upon this text▪ that the text it self is a little called into question; it being in the judgment of Erasmus, Cajetan, Jansen, Beza, rather a patch then a parcel of the Gospel. If any list to be contentious, he may read Erasmus answered by Bellarmine de verb •… dei. lib. 1. Chap. 16. Cajetan answered by his Antagonist, Ambrose us Catharinus, in his annotations against the nou ll opinions of Cajetan, §. de historia adulterae, Jansen answered by Maldonado: Beza, by Melanchthon, Calvin, Aretius, Piscator, in their commentaries upon the place.

For my part, I was ever, and am still, an o •… 〈◊〉 of the Church, hearing the inst •… uction of my Father, and not forsaking the eaching of my Mother, and therefore beholding this pecce, with the eyes of all antiquity, to be prot 〈◊〉 and altogether authentical, I fo •… bear further inquisition, and come presently to the work of this hour; which is to deliver unto you first an explication of the words, and then an application of the doctrines arising from the same.

Our text then is a Judicious answer of Christ, unto a captious question of the Scribes and Pharisees, in the words immediately going before, Master this woman was taken in the very act of adultery; now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned, but whatsayest thou: hereby tempting him, that they might have to accuse him, either before the Priests or the people; before the Priests, If contrary to the commandment of Moses, he should absolve this adulteress: before the people, If contrary to the profession of his meekness and mercy, he should utterly condemn her; and therefore being in a great strait, he doth answer, by not answering, or he giveth us his answer by deed, whereas they did object by word, this action of deed is twofold.

• 1 He stouped down to the ground.
• 2 He wrote with his finger on the ground.

In stouping down to the ground, he doth intimate that if they would set apart their supercilio •… s pride, descend into themselves, and contemplate, that in the beginning they were dust, and in the end shall again return to dust: If they would consider seriously, that it is appointed unto men, once to die, and after death, a judgment followeth, in which all receive their dooms, according to their deeds; If they would examine their own selves, and understand their own case, they would not be so foreward in censuring, nor so malicious in condemning others, O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord, thou which art earth by procreation, earth by sustentation, earth by corruption, in principio sperma faetidum, in medio 〈◊〉 corumi in fine cibus vermium, Hear the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord; what word? even that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Savior, Mat: 7. 1. Judge not, that ye •… be not judged; Judge not rashly; Judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Judge not unseasonably, lest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole world, con •… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : So S. Paul expounds his Lord, •… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . •… ▪ If we would judge our selves, we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judged.

I •… is a conclusion in architecture, that the foundation requires the most exact care; for if that happen to dance, it will mar all the mirth in the house, and it is another rule, he that will build high, must lay his foundation low; So (beloved) it is in the spiritual building of God's house, which are we, Heb. 3. 6. 〈◊〉 ever exalteth himself, shall be humbled, and 〈◊〉 that humbleth himself, shall be exalted; The pro •… d Pharisee, standing upon his typtoes in the Temple, went home less justified, then a poor publican, who stooping down, would not lift up so much a his eye▪ into heaven, Luke 18. So Saul when he stooped down, being little in his own eyes, became the greatest, even the head of all the tribes of Israel, appointed and anointed by God to be King, yea the first King of his own people; On the contrary, Nebuchadnezzar in the contemplation of his might and Majesty, conceiting himself to be some divine thing, and thereupon enjoined his people to worship his golden Image, was in the top of his pride, cast out from the conversation of men, and his dwelling with the beasts of the field; he did eat grass as oxen, his body was wet with the dew of heaven, his hairs grown like the feathers of eagles, and his nails like the claws of birds, until he knew that the Lord ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will; and Antichrist is therefore styled the man of sin, for exalting himself above all that is called God; Whereas Christ our pattern here, being higher then the highest, humbled himself, and stooped so low, that he did appear rather a worm then a worthy, the very scorn of men, and outcast of the people, Psalm. 22. 6. his first instruction in his first public sermon is, blessed are the poor in spirit, and he did, as he did, quod iussit, gessit, as Bernard sweetly, his whole life was nothing else, but an open book, rather a free-school of humility: His ingress into the world▪ was so stooping, that he was laid in a cratch, his egress out of the world, so stooping, that he died on a cross, intrauit per stabulum, exiuit per patibulum; his progress into the world, so stooping, that he was at once the first and the last, Alpha for his Majesty, Omega for his meekness, ringing (as it were) the bell himself, to his own Sermon, of this argument, learn of me, for I am humble, and meek; Proud Pharisee, seeing I stoop, why doest thou stroute▪ look down to the ground, consider the rock out of which thou wast hewn, Et cum sis humillimus, cur non humilimus?

The second action of Christ, here to be considered, is writing with his finger on the ground; where two questions are to be discussed.

• 1 Why he wrote on the ground.
• 2 What he wrote on the ground.

The first hath in it (If I may so speak) the three questionets.

• 1 Why he did write.
• 2 Why with his finger.
• 3 Why he wrote on the ground.

He did write, to show that he would not be rash, and light in his censure; hereby teaching all judges to deliberate, and write their sentence, before they deliver & publish it unto the world. Demosthenes used to say, that he would (if it were possible) speak, not only scripta, but sculpta, licking his phrases, as the bear doeth her whelps, and weighing every word, in a prudential balance, which he was to vent in the seats of Justice.

It is observed truly, that virtues are stronger in the adverb, then in the adjective; To do that is well▪ is better, then to do that is good; for a man may do that is honest, against his will and knowledge, whereas in all virtuous actions, there is a free election; and therefore that judge, who doth huddle his sentence, before he chew the c •… d, after all parties are fully heard, may judge the right, but not aright.

2 He wrote, and deliberated a while, before he spake, that he might hereby give them an occasion and space, to repent them of their accusation and question, O the depth of the riches of the mercies of Christ! he la •… ours to save those who sought to destroy him; Albeit, their feet were swift to shed his blood, yet is he slow to wrath, and ready to forgive them: and the same mind should be in us, as S. Peter exhorteth, ever ready to follow his steps, who is the way, the truth, and the life, To render good for good, is the part of a man, to render evil for evil, is the part of a beast; to render evil for good, is the part of a devil, to render good for evil, is the part of a Saint, merciful, as our father in heaven is merciful.

The second questionet, is why he wrote with his finger, and that (as Augustine, Rupert, and Other doctors observe) was to show, that he was greater then Moses, and worthy of more glory, not a subject to the law, but Lord of the law, for that it was his finger, that wrote it, and his hand that delivered it unto Moses.

Intimating hereby likewise, that the law should be considered in the Gospel, and Moses consulted, as accompanied with Christ. If we contemplate Moses alone, that will be terrible. Exod. 34. 30. But if we contemplate Moses in Christ's company, that will be comfortable. Mat. 17. 4. Domine bonum est nos hic esse, Master it is good for us to be here, this sight is pleasant and profitable.

The third questionet is, why he wrote on the ground, and that was first (as Aretius observes,) to show the Pharisees, how they trampled the commandments of Moses, under their feet, they had (as Hugo de S. Vict: writes,) legem in cord, but they had not cor in loge; they were Doctors Theoretici, but not practici, they knew the Laws of God, and preached them unto the people; yet hated to be reformed by them, or ruled after them

2 Christ wrote on the ground, (as Melanchthon notes) to let the Pharisees understand, that they who depart from the Lord, shall be written in the earth, Ierem. 17. 13. The names of God's elect are registered in the book of life. Philip, 4. 3. recorded in heaven. Luke. 10. 20. But the wicked who make their heaven on earth, are written in the dust, and so they suddenly consume, perish, and come to a fearful end, their name rots, and their seed is rooted out, their stately palaces are nowhere to be found, and their memorial is perished with them, Psalm 9. 6. All their hope is like dust, that is blown away with the wind, like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm; like the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempest, and passerh, as the remembrance of a guest, that tarrieth but a day, Wisdom. 5. 14.

3 Christ wrote on the ground, saith Hugo Cardinalis, insinuating that the senseless and speechless earth, shall in the day of judgment accuse the wicked, put in articles, and fight against them, according to that of Job; If my land cry out against me, or the furrows thereof exclaim, Job 31. 38. God is the Lord of hosts, and every creature is a soldier in pay with him, having not only defensive weapons, ad muniendum, to protect his servants, but offensive likewise, ad puniendum, to punish his enemies; And because the men of sin, have transgressed most on earth, it will chiefly cry out against them, as having been pondus inutile terrae, an unworthy burden for mother earth to bear.

4 Christ wrote on the ground, (as a very learned Bishop of our Church, acutely) to show that he would have slanderous accusations written in the dust, and trodden under foot of those, who pass by.

Solomon saith, A good name, is better then great riches, honor is better then wealth, & good is better then great; for as Plato determined divinely, goodness is not in greatness, but on the contrary, greatness is in goodness. Put then according to the rules of Logic, these premises together, and the conclusion of it, own self, will easily follow, that a good name, is better then great riches; He therefore that is an unworthy backbiter of his brother, is worse then a thief, stealing that away which is more precious, then silver and gold.

And the rule doubtless is verified in backbiting, so well as in burglary, there would be no thieves, if there were no receivers; If some men had not itching ears, to hear false rumors, others would not have scratching tongues, like the pens of libellors, to make them and move them, it is truly said by Bernard, the tale-bearer hath the devil in his tongue, the receiver in his care, the one is the foot-post and messenger of Satan, and the other (lest happily the devil being now grown an old serpent should fail in his memory) the recorder and register of hell.

It is reported of Theocritus, that being asked on a time, what beast he thought to be most hurtful and cruel; answered, on the mountains Lions and bears, in the cities, catchpolles and slanderers: a thief is said, to send one to the devil, an adulterer two, but the back-biter hurteth at the least three; to wit, himself, the party of whom, and the party to whom he tells the tale, ter homicida, quoth Luther, he kills three with one blow; Bernard goes further, multitudinis audientium dum aures infecit, animas interfecit.

And therefore when thou hearest a scandalous information against a brother, against an Elder especially, follow Christ's example, write it in the dust, have not ears to hear, but express both in word and gesture, that thou hatest a backbiter, even with a perfect hatred.

Hitherto, concerning the first question and the branches thereof, I come now to the second, what it was our blessed Lord wrote on the ground.

S. Ambrose saith, he wrote this sentence. Matth. 7. 3. Thou beholdest the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but consid •… rest not the beam, that is in thine own eye; As if he should have said in other terms, ye Scribes and Pharisees, are ready to condemn this adultres, & yet yourselves running a whoring after your own inventions, adulterating the law, with your corrupt glosses, and impious interpretations, have committed greater abominations in the sight of the Lord; her carnal uncleanness, is nothing in comparison of your spiritual wheredomes, without number.

Hicrome 〈◊〉 Bullenger, and some other have this 〈◊〉 ▪ that he wrote certain characters in the pavement, which the Pharisees beholding, might as in a glass, see their own wickedness; and so blushing at it, went their ways, one by one, beginning at the first, even to the last; one by one, they went not out by twoes, much less by troops, but stole away single, lest it might appear, that Christ had confounded them, and the most ancient went out first, as being most guilty; For the true Church is compared to a flock of Lambes, and of Lambes, it is truly said, the bigger the better: But the wicked are compared to goats, of whom it is said, the elder the worse, as they be the sons of many days, so the fathers of many sins; or the eldest went out first, and the younger imitating their example, followed after, and so none left in the room, but misera et misericordiae, saith Augustine, the woman a subject of misery, and Christ the Father of mercy, Pride and Hypocrisy being removed, a Savior and a sinner agree well enough alone, and yet (by reverend Beza's leave) they were not alone; for although his adversaries, and her accusers went out, as being convicted in their conscience, yet his own company stayed with him in the Temple; the which is clear by the words of our Evangelist at the 9. verse, stance in medi •… , she was standing in the midst, in the midst of whom, If Christ only were present with her?

Beda, Thomas of Aquin, and many moe think he wrote that sentence, which afterward he spake he that is without sin among you, let 〈◊〉 cast the first stone at her; The which one word, crossed their cavil, and answered their question abundantly, preserving hereby both the laws honor, and his own credit; Non dixit (as Augustine pithily) non lapidetur, ne contra legem; nec lapidetur, ne contra misericordiam; venit enim quaerere, quod perierat, If he had said, let her not be stoned, that had been against the law; If he had said, let her be stoned, that had been against the Gospel, and himself, who came to call sinners to repentance, to seek and to save that was lost; He therefore frames this middling answer, that quit himself of both imputations; Here then is verified that of Solomon, a word fitly spoken, or as the Hebrew hath it, a word spoken upon his wheels, as Castalio translateth, oratio r •… tunde pronuntiata, round and sound, is like apples of gold, in pictures of silver, what could have been said more shortly, yet what more sharply? being (as Paul speaks) a two edged sword, on the one side, cutting the knot of the proud Pharisees doubt, on the other side cutting asunder the bonds of a poor dismayed sinner.

The precept it self! teacheth all people, that if they contemplate their own sins, in the glass of the word, they will not rashly censure of others.

It is the Rhetoric, with which all of us were borne, to lessen our own offenses, & to lay them at the doors of others, Adam in the beginning (as ye know) laid his fault upon the woman, and she laid it upon the serpent, and the serpent upon God, it is an old said saw, non videmus id manticae quod intergo est, the sins of our brethren, are placed in that part of the Wallet, which is before us always, but our own misdeeds in that part which is behind us, out of sight: All of us in examining our proper errors, are like Polyphemus, having but one eye, or like the Popish Priest, who had one that was nequam, and another nequicquam; yea borne blind, like the man in the ninth of S. John, having never a seeing eye, but in discovering the manifold transgressions of other Argus-like, of whom the Poet, Centum luminibus cinctum caput Argus habebat.

Themistus observed iudiciously, that our understanding seldom errs in generals, often in particulars, every man almost is a good ludge in Thesi, but not in Hypothesi, thou wilt in Thesi say, that murder is a crying sin, drunkenness a stinking vice, whoredom (as the Pharisees here) worthy to be punished with death; but in Hypothesi, descend from the general to the particular, and then the case (quoth Ployden ) is altered, the murder committed by thee was full of honor, and fair, thy drunkenness was but good fellowship, thy want onnesse, but a trick of youth; example hereof in the 2. of Sam. 12. David's anger was greatly kindled against the rich man, who took from the poor man, his only lamb, As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing, shall surely die. But when once the Prophet told him to his beard, thou art the man, his heart instantly smote him, and he said, I have sinned against the Lord.

The refractary spirits of the town, censure the Church, and the Church hath happily those that censure the town, & the country peradventure doth censure both, & there be Critics in this age, which either out of the bitterness of spirit, or spirit of bitterness, (as Augustus Caesar ) tax all the world, but I say to you (beloved) as Christ here to the Pharisees, he that is without sin, let him cast the first stone, Cedat huic sententiae pietas Christianorum, cui cessitimpietas Iudaeorum; cedat humilitas obsequentium, cui cessit superbia persequentium, as Augustine exhorteth in 54. Epist: which is to Macedonius.

But the pattern concerneth, especially, Ministers of the word, intimating, that they should be very cautelous in answering their adversaries, and circumspect in all their ways, toward those that are without, our enemies are mighty, and many; we need therefore to beg of God (as Solomon did) an understanding heart, that we may be wise, like serpents, in defending our selves, albeit simple like doves, in offending others, it is written of Laurentius Medices, that famous Florentine, that he had two men in him, as being a plain and pleasant man at home, but a stout man, and a prudent in the Senate: Christ would have his disciples to be like children, not in understanding; but (as Paul construeth him) in maliciousness. 1. Cor. 14. 20. It is not said, the kingdom of heaven is of children, but of such is the kingdom of heaven, Matth. 19. 14. Not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Chrysostom observes, of such as are children in meekness, albeit men in ripeness of judgment.

But why should any Doctor have a tongue, to speak, where the spirit hath not a pen to write; quod lego, credo; We build our saith upon the scriptures of God, and not upon the conjectures of men; And therefore seeing the spirit did not reveal to S. John, nor S. John express to the Church; nor the Church deliver to us, what it was, our blessed Lord here wrote with his finger▪ I say with Tertullian, in this case, nihil scire, omnia scire est, To know nothing, is to know all, and with Ambrose, quod scripturarum authoritate non didici, quàsi secretum praetereo; Confessing with Augustine, that there is a learned ignorance, taught by the spirit of wisdom▪ and with Salutanus, the desire to know that which Almighty God would have hidden, it is a kind of sacrilege.

And upon these premises, I conclude with ^x Euthymius, ^y Calvin, ^z Maldonado, ^a Gwalther, and ^b many moe, that Christ here wrote nothing at all, only seemed to write, that he might express by this gesture, his distaste of their idle question▪ and that he did not attend their captious cavilling, as men use, when they disregard unsavory speeches, and vain prattle, to strike the ground with their staff, to play with their gloves, or to write with their fingers in the air, manifesting by these behaviors, and the like, contempt and scorn.

Yet I believe this to be so, not because these Doctors say so, but as the Samaritan in the fourth of S. John's Gospel, at the 42 verse, because we have heard himself construe himself so; for saith our Evangelist, according to the last, and best English Translation, herein agreeing with diverse Greek copies, as Beza reports; He stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

2 If Christ had written any sentence, concerning the Pharisees, they would rather have framed a reply, then continued asking.

3 It is not easily granted, that Christ would stoop down again, to write that which he had written before.

4 Had Christ written any remarkable saying, it is probable, S. John here would have reported, and repeated it.

But as whatsoever things are written, are written for our learning; So this not written, is for our instruction also; teaching us by this example, that we need not answer cavils objected by schismatics and Heretics, in all things, and at all times; not in all things, for Aristotle telleth us, it is absurd, to reform ridiculous opinions, accurately: the best answer to words of scorn, is Isaac's Apology to his brother Ishmael, the Apology which patience and silence makes; our answer (said reverend Hooker,) to their reasons, is no, to their scoffs, nothing.

Not at all times; for there is a season, and an opportunity, for every purpose; when our blessed Lord was on the Cross, the Jews mocked him, If thou be the Son of God, and King of Israel, come down from the Cross, & save thyself; But he did answer nothing, because it was tempus patiendi, non faciendi, His work was now to suffer, & not to do; to be crucified, and not magnified; And so when his adversaries here would have him censure this adulteress, he doth intimate that his hour was not yet come to condemn, his work was now to save sinners, and not to destroy, distingue tempora, et convenient omnia, Christ hath a three-fold coming into the world, according to the three-fold distinction of time.

Past, Present, Future;

In time past, as Bernard pithily, venit ad homines▪ He came to men: in the time present, venit in homines; he cometh into men by his spirit: In the time to come, venit contra homines, He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. His first and second coming is to convert sinners, his third, only to condemn, he said therefore to the woman, hath no man condemned thee? neither do I condemn thee; go thy way, and sin no more. And this may serve for the resolution of the second question also, touching what was written; to fill up the rest of the time remaining; I might examine how the serpentine brood of Ignatius Loiola, devoted only to the name of Jesus, imitate the person of Jesus, in nothing.

He was stooping, but it may be said of them, as Henry the third, of the hospitallers at Clearken well, their extraordinary faculties, and privileges have made them rich, their riches proud, their pride mad, impudently bragging, that the Church is the soul of the world, the Clergy of the Church, and the Jesuits of the Clergy.

Jesus in this answer to the Pharisees, expressed equity, truth, piety; but the Jesuits in their disputes, regard quaestum magis quam quaestionem; All seeking their own, and not the things of Jesus Christ, as S. Paul phraseth it, Philip. 2. 21. Which occasioned a learned Divine to say, that they were Suitae, not Iesuitae, lovers of themselves, and not followers of Christ.

Jesus here, would have scandalous accusations of our brethren written in the dust, and trodden under feet, of all that pass by: But their doctrine is composed of lies, and libels, and all things are fed, and maintained by such things, of which they are bred and made; the aliments of Popery, must be correspondent to the elements, of which it consisteth; aequiuocation is their Diana, lying their best help, Machiauel their fifth, if not first Evangelist, as Caesar said, si ius violandum est, regni causa violandum, and I have heard, that Sambucus, alluding to that Apoph •… egme should say, when he had stolen a manuscript out of a library▪ si ius violandum est, eruditionis causa violandum, so these men are resolved, if a man must lie, he must lie for the good of the catholic religion, and if lie in so good a cause, lie to some purpose.

Jesus is a Savior of his people, the Prince of Peace, the God of love; but the Jesuits, are destructive doctors, as rash Empiricks; they can cure none, but by letting of blood, no treason plotted, as ( Camerarius observes) in any state, but a Jesuit hath a finger, if not his whole hand in it, either at the beginning, middle, or end; so drunken with the blood of the Saints, that (as their old acquaintance writes) the very Cannibals, and Anthropophages, shall condemn them at the last day.

Thus have they nothing of Jesus, except only the bare name, and nomen inane, (saith a Father) is Crimen immane, for their nature, they resemble more Christ's adversaries, the Scribes and Pharisees, as being their offall and offspring, not so much flesh of their flesh, as spirit of their spirit.

Now beloved (I beseech you) give me leave to say that unto you, which Moses in the 30. Chap of Deuter. to his auditors, I have set before you this day, life and death; good and evil, blessing and cursing, choose therefore life; shun the ways of Antichrist; which are the paths of death, and follow Christ's example, which is the way, the truth, and the life: that fo •… , both you, and your seed may live, good subjects, in his kingdom of grace, and blessed Saints in his kingdom of glory.

O Vr iniquities make a separation between God and us, and withhold his good things from us, Ierem. 5. 25. Now then, vt cessante causa cesset effectus, that the cause ceasing, its effect also may cease; S. James in the closing up of his Epistle, prescribeth a three-fold remedy, for the removing of our sins, Eclipsing the Sun of righteousness, and hiding his face from us.

The first is, confession of our faults, one to another, in our present text.

The second is, prayer one for another, in the words immediately following.

The third is, exhorting one of another, in the 19. and 20 verses.

Concerning confession, he sets down five conditions, especially, to wit; that it be,

• 1 Non involuta, sed aperta, not inuoluved and intricate, but ingenuous, and plain, noted in the verb, fatemini.
• 2 Non diuisa, sed integra, not a partial acknowledgement, but a Plenarie, noted in the preposition, Con. Confitemini.
• 3 Non reciproca, sed transitiua, not recoiling toward our selves, but uttered unto others also, noted in the Adverb, Inuicem.
• 4 Non defensiua, sed accusatiua, not defensive, but accusative, noted in the Nowne, peccata; faults.
• 5 Non aliena, sed Propria, not another man's, but our own, noted in the Pronoun, Vestra, your faults.

Touching prayer, one for another, he shows the great power thereof, illustrated by the Prophet Elias example, who being a man subject to the like passions, as we, that is, frail, both in respect of his mind, and body, in respect of his mind, as fleeing from angry Jezebel, 1. Kings 19. In respect of his body, as being fed by Raue •… s, and by the little cake of a poor widow, dwelling in Zarepta, 1. Kings 17. Yet with one prayer he shut up the windows of heaven, and it rained not on the earth, for three years, and six months, And with another earnest prayer, he did open them again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her increase.

As for exhorting one another, he doth urge that duty from the most excellent reward thereof, If any of you have erred from the truth, and some man hath converted him, let him know, that he that hath converted the sinner, from going astray out of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. It is the work of God, only to save souls causally, but occasionally, good men, as Ministers, and Instruments of God, are said to save souls, in converting sinners from evil courses, unto the right way, by fruitful instructions and good examples. So the Scripture speaks, Matth. 18. 15. If he hear thee, thou hast won thy brother, and more plainly, 1. Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thyself, and unto thy doctrine, continue therein; for in so doing, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

I am at this time, to treat of confession, and the condition thereof; I therefore resume my text, Confess your faults, one to another; A sinner unregenerate, is like Sampson, grinding in the prison house, corn for his enemies, the greater his labor, the more his loss; Now the first step out of this unhappy prison, is the acknowledgement of his faults, as the reverend Father, Nile, initium salutis est sui ipsius accusatio. The condemning of his infirmities, is the beginning of his saving health; Adam in covering his offense, did offend more, then in committing it; all the sons of Adam have this imbred cunning, to hide their nakedness, with fig-leaves, that is, their naughtiness with idle cloaks, and excuses, it is motherwit, to post and pass sin from our selves, unto some other; As when almighty God, arraigned Adam in Paradise, for transgressing his commandment, in eating of the forbidden fruit; he presently laid the fault upon Eve, his wife; she being questioned, laid it upon the serpent; and the serpent upon God: Albeit, ungodly men (as our notes) declines their sins, throughout all the cases; in the Nominatiue, by their pride, to get them a name; in the Genitiue, by their fornication; in the Datiue, by their Bribes; in the Accusatiue, by their Detracting, and backbiting; In the Vocatiue, By their adulation, and flattering; In the Ablátiue, By their oppression, and robberies; Yet they will not acknowledge their sins, in any case, yea when other men's examination hath found them out excuses already, non feci; si feci, non mali feci; si mali feci, non multum male; si multum male, non malâ intention; aut si malâ intention, tamen aliena suasiene; That is, either I did not do it, or if I did do it, it was not ill; Or if ill, it was not much ill; Or if much ill, it was not with an ill intention; Or if with an ill intention, it was upon another's persuasion; I said I will confess my sins, quoth David; But the fool saith in his heart, I will never confess my faults, and if I perish, I perish. Our sins are termed in the Scripture, sickness, & sores full of corruption; as then a bodily wound cannot be exactly healed, unless it first be opened, and searched by some cunning chirurgion, unto the very core; So the griefs of a wounded conscience, cannot be thoroughly cured, unless they be revealed unto some friendly Physician, apt, and able to bind up the broken hearted, and to comfort such as mourn in sin; If thy confession in this case, be forced, and not free; palliated and not plain, what doest thou but fester a wound, and foster a sore within thy own bosom ▪ I will end this argument, in the words of •… Solomon, He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and for saketh them, shall have mercy.

The second condition of confession is, that it be Plenarie, and not Partiall, and that is implied in the preposition, Con, as Aquine, upon the place, Confitemini, id est, simul fatemini, confess one fault with another, as you confess your faults one to another: Conscience before sin, is fraenum, a b •… idle, but after sin, Flagrum, a whip; If the reverend man, and Martyr of God, Father Latimer, took special care to the placing of his words in his examination, after he heard the pen walking in the chimny, behind the cloth of Arras, how circumspectly should we look to our ways, seeing conscience recordeth all our actions in books that are to be shown at the day of judgment, being either a witness for us or against us, excusing, or accusing, Rom. 2. 15. If any grievous crime then afflict thy soul, confess it, and so confound it, as Simon of Cyrene did help to bear Christ's Cross; So thou mayest undoubtedly, find some good, and discreet friend, who will in such a case, help to bear thy cross, confess your faults, one to another, saith S. James, and so bear one another's burden, saith S. Paul▪ Galat. 6. 2▪

〈◊〉 in dissembling a part of their debts unto their fathers, and other dear friends, which are ready to take some good course, for the payment of them, often utterly ruin their whole temporal estate; For one hundred pound not confessed, and left vnpa •… d, is a brood egg to mul iply new debts, until they be so dangerous and desperate, as the old sins are debts, as Christ teacheth in his absolute form of prayer, and sinners are ding-thrifts, as Christ teacheth in his parable of the prodigal son, mentioned Luke 15. The concealing then of one heinous crime, that is a burden to the conscience, from our Father in heaven, and from our good friends on earth (able to Minister words in time, to him that is weary, Like Apples of gold in pictures of silver,) may prove the mother of many foul sins, unto the final undoing of our spiritual, and Ghostly welfare. He which is to take possession of a Church, or a common house, will (according to the tenor of our law,) be sure to shut out of the doors, man, woman, and child, that may disturb his quiet taking of seising; Christ stands at the doors of our hearts, and knocks, he desires a peaceable possession of our bodies, and souls, as being his Temples and houses; O then (I beseech you) let us cast out of our doors, man, woman, and child, every crying crime, that rebelleth against him; If there remain but one fault, not confessed, it may keep possession for the devil, and so the King of glory will not enter in, and sup with us, and dwell in us, but the foul spirit returns again, bringing seven other spirits, worse then himself, and then alas, our end shall be worse then our beginning, Luke 11. 26. The Lord commanded Saul to smite Amalek, and to destroy all that pertained unto him, and to slay both man and woman, both infant and sucklings, both oxen, and sheep, both camels and asses: our sins are Amalekites, that burn our Ziklag, and set on fire, the little city, captiuating our senses, and making them prisoners unto their lusts: If then we spare but one Agag; it may cost us a kingdom, and such a kingdom, as is far better then the kingdom of Saul▪ a kingdom that cannot be shaken, an inheritance which is immortal, and never falls away 1. Pet. 1. 4.

The third condition here required, in confession, is, that it be Transitiua, to wit, a confession unto another; And therefore Cardinal Bellarmine, and other Papists, usually cite this Scripture, to prone their auricular confession of sins unto the Priest, upon pain of damnation every year. But Melanchthon in his Apology, for the confession of Augusta, Calvin, in the third book of his institutions, Chap. 4. sect. 12. Erasmus▪ Fulke, Marlorate, Bullenger, Upon the place, have well observed, that the word Inuicem, intimates plainly, that this text is to be construed, not of Sacramental confession (as the Papists use to speak) but of a mutual confession, and so consequently, the Priest (if he have done any wrong) is enjoined by this Canon, to confess his faults unto his Parishioners, as well as the Parishioners are bound to confess their faults unto their Priest, If they have trespassed him.

Nay the Rhemists are so modest, as to say, that it is not certain, S. James here speaketh of Sacramental •… fession, and Cardinal Cajetan, of all the Doctors in his age, the most accurately learned, as •… Pererius the Jesuit writes of him, a man addicted so much unto Popery, ^g that had he lived a little longer, he had been chosen Pope, confesseth ingeniously, Non est hic sermo de confession facramentali, vt patet ex eo quod dicit, confitemini inuicem, sacramentalis enim confessio non fit inuicem, sed sacerdotibus tantum.

As for Popish auricular confession, our Divines affirm truly, First, that it is a novelty; Beatus Rhenanus, a Papistical author, auowes that it was unknown in the days of Tertullian, who lived about two hundred years after Christ; and Peter Lambard saith, Happily it was not used in S. Ambrose time, who lived about four hundred years after Christ; and Erasmus in his annotations upon S. Jerome's Epistle to Oceanus, touching the death of Fabiola, writes peremptorily, that it was not ordained in S. Jerome's age. The Greek Church (as Theodorus reports) hath no such custom. M ^r Harding being hardly pursued, is constrained, in despite of his will, and wit, to grant that the terms of auricular and secret confession, are seldom mentioned in the Fathers; Erasmus, and Rhenanus affirm they were never used in old time▪ so that as reverend Jewel said, if Harding had left out the word seldom, and said▪ never, his tale had been the truer: The challenge then of Calvin is justifiable, that the auricular Popish confession was not practiced in the Church, until twelve hundred years after Christ, 〈◊〉 first in the Lateran council, under 〈◊〉 the third.

2 We say that auricular confession is not necessary, for that it is an human tradition, & not a divine constitution, as their own Panormitan, acknowledgeth, and Maldonado their Jesuit writes expressly, that many Catholics are of the same opinion, as namely Scotus, among the schoolmen, and the expounders of Gratian, among the Canonists.

3 We say, that auricular confession of all faults, is impossible; for who can tell how oft he doth offend? Psalm. 19. 12. Our sins are more then the hairs of our heads, quoth David, and (as King Manasseh, in his prayer,) more then the sand of the sea, now, quod sine numero est quomodo numerabo? saith Bernard.

4 We say that it is a pernicious practice, by which a great many men are damnified, if not damned, many doubtless suffer damages in their purses, and personal estate, because confessions evermore make work for indulgences and indulgences are agreat support of the Popes triple Crown: There was a book written, Anno 1343. entitled, Poenitentiarius asini, Wherein, are brought forth, the Wolf, the Fox, and the Ass▪ coming to confession, and doing penance, First the Wolf confessed himself to the Fox, who doth absolve him easily from his faults, and excuse him in the same; Then the Wolf hearing the Foxes shrift, affordes him the like favor, Lastly, 〈◊〉 asse cometh to confession, whose 〈◊〉 was this, that he being hungry, took a straw from out the sheaf, of one that went in peregrination unto Rome; the dull asse, though repenting of this fact, yet because he thought it no •… so heinous, as the faults of the other, had immediately the discipline of the law, with all severity, neither was he i •… dged worthy of any pardon or absolution, but was apprehended upon the same, slain, and devoured; whosoever was the penner of this fabulous tale, had a mystical understanding in the same, For by the Wolf, (no doubt) was meant the Pope; by the Fox, the Prelates, and Priests, and the rest of the spirituallity; the Pope is soon absolved of the spirituallity, and the spirituallity, soon absolved of the Pope; By the Ass, is meant, the poor Laity, upon whose back, the strict censure of the law is executed sharply.

Moreover, Popish a •… ricular confession is exceeding hurtful unto the sou •… s of ignorant people, who being beguiled with this blinding, and benighting doctrine, trust so much to their external confession, and external absolution, that they neglect inward, and entire repentance. This opinion assuredly breeds up a sinner, and makes him (as it were) fat in iniquity; For (as one said wittily,) the Papists account of confess sion▪ as drunkards of vomiting, and say, When we have s •… nned, we must confess, and when we have confessed, we must s •… nne again, that we may confess again; So they stick fast in their sins, as thinking they have done their parts, whe •… •… hey have run over the bed-roll of their 〈◊〉 and so received a formal absolution; In our Churches history, we read, that a certain Popish Priest, named Nightingall, Parson of Crondal in Kent, who preaching upon Shrove-Sunday to his parishioners, and taking for his theme, the words of S. John, If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us; Told them, he had received the Popes pardon from Cardinal Poole, exhorting them also to receive the same, seeing that he stood now so free from sin, as he did at the fontstone, and cared not now if he should die the same hour, in the cleanness of his conscience, whereupon, being suddenly stricken by the hand of God, he immediately shrunk down, into the Pulpit, and so was found dead, speaking not one word more.

Well then, if S James here meant not auricular confession, upon constraint, unto the Priest every year, let us examine, what confession it is, of which he saith, acknowledge your faults one to another; Our Church in the second part of the homily concerning repentance, and Calvin, institutionum. lib. 3. cap. 4 sect 12. affirm that there is a twofold confession of faults, one to another, enjoined in the holy Scripture, the first is for the satisfaction of our neighbors, if we have trespassed against them, and the second is, for the satisfaction of our own selves; If at any time, we feel our consciences afflicted heavily with any grievous crimes, of both which our text may be cons •… d, as being Christian duties, exceed •… y requisite, not only in our sickness, but in our health also.

LECTURE. 2.

C Oncerning the first kind of confession, it is a duty to be performed, in sickness especially, to which observation I am led with Aretius, by the coherence; for S. James in the words a little before, said, If any man be sick among you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray for him, and then in our text, Confess your faults one to another, insinuating, that it is at such a time chiefly fit, yea necessary, that we should unfeignedly forgive others, and earnestly desire that others forgive us, and so God of his infinite mercy forgive all; When Hezekiah was sick unto death, Isaiah the Prophet came unto him, and said, Put thy house in order, for thou shalt die; Dispose first of thy soul, which is ill disposed, if it be not in love, which is the complement of the law; Secondly, dispose of thy body, which is ill disposed; If thou command not thy tongue, to confess thy faults, and to do right, to those it hath abused, and slandered; •… irdly, dispose of thy temporal estate, which is ill disposed, if thou make not restitution, unto such as thou hast oppressed, and injured.

This confession is to be performed, in our health also, that if it be possible, so much as in vsi •… , we may have peace with all men, especially when as we go to the Lord's Table, so Christ instructeth us. Matth. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy offering before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled unto thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift; By which it is apparent, that we must offer in love, being reconciled unto our brother, and much more unto the Church, which is the whole brotherhood of all Christian people; for God expects, and respects mercy more then sacrifice, Hosea. 6 6.

It is a fashion among mean men, and (for ought I know, commendable) to provide some new clothes, against the receiving of the communion at Easter, now S. Paul exhorteth us, to put on under mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, m •… ekenesse, long suffering, for bearing one another, and forgiving one another, which Christ himself termeth a n •… w sut •… . John 13. 34. A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; This undoubtedly, was an old precept from the beginning, but he calleth it new, For that he would have this always fresh in our memory, fresh in our practice, le •… all our things be done in love, that one chiefly, which is called a Communion, in respect of the common Union among our selves, and as being a sign, and a seal of our communion with Christ, our •… eace.

The second kind of confession, is for the satisfaction of our own selves, if at any time we feel our consciences heavily burdened with any grievous temptation; I know Christ is the Priest, unto whom every sinner infected with a spiritual leprosy, must open, and show himself, being a Priest for ever after the order of Melc •… isedec, an high Priest, that is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, Heb. 4. 15. So Chrysostom saith, I will thee not to bewray thyself, before others openly, but I counsel thee, to obey the Prophet saying; Open thy way to the Lord, And again, Confess thy sins unto the Lord, who is able to cure thee, and not unto thy fellow-servant; that may upbraid thee with them: And S. Augustine, what have I to do with men, that they should hear my confession, as if they could heal my griefs?

Yea, but what if after all my contrition, and confession unto God, I feel not an absolution, or any comfort, to my poor distressed soul?

What if after I have cried unto the Father of mercies, O God be merciful unto me a sinner; He do not answer my spirit, I am thy salvation?

What if for one scandal which I have given, I have such an insupportable burden in my conscience, as if a millstone were hanged about my neck; S. James in such a case, doeth advise here, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed; For the prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much, if it be fervent. For as a vehement burning fever, is no way to be cured, but with opening a vein, whereat the infected blood having vent, may carry away with it, the putrefied matter, that did molest the body; So against strong temptations, and afflictions of the mind, there is no remedy more secure, then to open the heart, unto a wise friend: and to let out those raging passions, that did disquiet our soul.

Now because preachers of the word, ought to be more skillful and expert then others, in applying the good tidings of the Gospel, unto the poor: to bind up the broken hearted; and to comfort such as mourn in Zion; It is fit, that we should have recourse to some learned, Pious and discreet Pastor: who can and will Minister a word of consolation in due season; For Almighty God hath given power, and commandment to his Ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins; Vn •… o them he said, Whatsoever ye bind in earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye loose in earth, shall be loosed in heaven. And upon this ground, there is in the Church of England, a general absolution, after a general confession of sins, and a particular absolution, after a particular confession; and we teach also, that this act of absolving, belongs unto the Minister, ordinarily; Tanquam ex officto: But when none of that order is, or can be present, another may do it with good effect, according to that old saying; In casu necessario, quilibet Christianus est sacerdos. In one wor •… •… ee may confess our faults, unto good people, which are power-full in the Scriptures; apt to teach, admonish and advise, for our comforts; But especially to Godly Pas •… ours, as being put apart, to preach the Gospel of God, and to be disposers of his holy secrets.

This I know to be the Tenet of our Church, agreeable to the confessions of other reformed Churches, as to the confession of Heluetia, Cap. 14. of Bohemia, Cap. 5. of Aspurge, art 11. of Saxone art. 16. As you may read, Harmon: confessionum, Sect 8.

This acknowledgement of our faults, is far different from auricular Popish confession. First, in that it is not upon constraint, but voluntary.

Secondly, because we are not enjoined to confess unto the Parish Priest, or to any one confessor, appointed by the Diocesa •… , and Ordinary; But wholly left at our own choice. Thirdly, Because we are not tied to any certain time, but only when we find our selves in our conscience rightly disposed, and to be in the state of true repentance; Yet because men are negligent, and careless in performing of this duty, the Church exhorteth us to confess at two times above the rest: To wit, In sickness, and in Lent; In sickness, every Christian ought to make a special confession, if he feel his conscience troubled, with any weighty matter, earnestly desiring the standers by, to pray for him, and the discreet Pastor if need be, to absolve him: As for Lent, Although our whole life should be nothing 〈◊〉 but a Lent, to prepare our selves against the Sab •… our death; and Easter of our resurrection; Yet seeing the corruption of our days, and wickedness of our natures, is so much exorbitant, as that it is an hard matter to hold the common sort of people within the lists of Piety, Justice, and Sobriety: It is fit there should be one time, at the least, in the year, and that of a reasonable continuance for the recalling of them unto some more stayed courses, and severe cogitations, and happily these things might have been more fitly restored in the reformed Churches unto their Primitive sincerity, rather then abolished, as in some places utterly.

The fourth •… hing required in confession is, that it be not defensive, bu •… accusative, noted in the word, Peccata Now there be diverse partitions of sins, as, First, In respect of their beginning, so some sins are called Original, as being derived from our first parent Adam; other actual as issuing from our own corrupt will.

Secondly, In respect o •… their object, and so some sins are called carnal, and other spiritual, according to that of S. Paul, The Virgin careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body & soul, For all things in which all offend, are either felt by the senses, as meat, drink, lust, & so 〈◊〉 be carnal sins, or apprehended by the understanding, as honor, knowledge, power, and •… o called spiritual wickednesses; the first makes us l •… ke beasts, the second like devils.

Thirdly, In respect of the parties injured in 〈◊〉 , and so some be called sins against God, other sins against our neighbors, other sins against our selves: against all which, S. Paul exhorteth us to live soberly, righteously, and religiously, in this present world, that is, (as Bernard and other doctors usually construe it;) Soberly toward our selves, righteously toward our neighbors, religiously toward God •… ; And David against these three kinds of sins, prayeth in the 51. Psalm; For a clean, right and holy spirit: A clean spirit, to live so▪ berly; a right spirit, to live honestly; a Holy spirit, to live Godly.

Fourthly, In respect of the law; for as some commandments are Negative, other 〈◊〉 , so some sins are faults of commission, and other are faults of omission; Idolatry, Murder, Adultery, Th •… ft, are sins of commission, as being repugnant to the Negative law, Thou shalt have no other God's but me, Thou shalt not k •… ll, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal▪ Neglect of due reverence to father, and mother, are sins of omission, as violating the Affirmative precept, Honor thy father, and thy mother; sins of commission are called by the Latins▪ Pecca •… a; sins of omission, Delicta, the which di inction, Augustine collecteth out of the 7. Chap. of Leu •… ticus at the 7. verse, As the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering.

Fifthly, in respect of our intention and mind in offending, and so there be sins of infirmity, sins of ignorance, sins of malice; sins of infirmity, are said to be committed against God the Father, whose special attribute, is power; sins o •… 〈◊〉 norance, against God the Son, whose specia •… attribute is wisdom▪ sin of malice against God the Holy Ghost, whose special attribute is love.

Well then, among all these partitions of sin, let us examine, what faults are to be confessed one to another, In the first kind of confe •… sion. which is for the satisfaction of others, our Apostle d •… th understand only such offenses, as daily f •… ll out between neighbor and neighbor, in our common conversation and commerce; we need not in this case confess other sins, committed either against God, or against our selves, but only those which are committed against them.

But in the second kind of confessiō, which is for the satisfaction of our own selves, every sin is to be confessed, that heavily burdeneth our conscience; whether it be a carnal sin, or a spiritual: a sin of omission, or a sin of commission: a sin of presumption, or a sin of ignorance: a sin of weakness, or a sin of wickedness: a sin against other, or a sin against our selves: Egypt was tormented with small flies, as with great plagues, a little fault that seemeth unto thee great, and troubleth thee much, ought not to be neglected, but healed by thy confession, and others consolation.

Observe moreover out of this place, that we must acknowledge faults, as faults, & not as virtues; to be sory for them, & not to boast in them; otherwise, Bernard saith, it is not confessio sed defen •… the courses of ungodliness, as David showeth in the first Psalm; There is first a consultation of ill, then a working of ill; and last of all, an impudent maintaining of ill; First, a walking in ill; Secondly, a standing in ill; Thirdly, a sitting in ill: First, men are ungodly; Secondly, Sinners. Thirdly, Scornefull; disputing and defending their sin, as it were in a School chair; Sin seemeth to the Christian at first, Importabile, too heavy a burden for him to bear.

2. Grave, So bur •… en some, as a tallent of l •… ad, quoth Zechariah. or as a great load, quoth our Savior. Matth. 11. 28.

Thirdly, Leue, So light, that he sins without any resisting before the fall, or repenting after the fall.

Fourthly, Insensibile, for custom in sin taketh away the Sentiment of sin.

Fifthly, Delectabile, For as Abner called fighting a sport, saying, ^t Let the young m •… n arise and play before us; So some make but a pastime of sin, Proverbs 14. 9. The fool makes a mock of sin.

Sixthly, Desiderabile, When a man (as the Scriptures speaks of Ahab )▪ selleth himself to work wickedness, and to commit uncleanness, (as S. Paul saith) even with a greediness. Eph. 4. 19.

7 Defensibile, Which is the serpents head, and height of iniquity, when a sinner is set down in the seat of the scornful, and brag of his faults, so S. Augustine reports of himself, before his conversion, how he did boast of much villainy done, yea more then was done. Th •… ore let men acknowledge their faults, one to another not to prate of them, but to pray for them, humbly confessing them, as vices, and not idly glorying of them, as if they were virtues.

The last observable condition of confession, is, tha it be not an acknowledgement of other m •… ns sins, but of our own: Christ would not have us to gaze upon the mote in our brothers eye, but rath •… r to pull out the beam in our own sight: We may nor be busy Bishops in another man's Dioces, quoth S. Peter; but meddle with our own business, quoth S. Paul, 1. Thessa. 4. 11▪ S. Augustine complained of men in his time, that they were curious in examining the lives of other, but exceeding slout •… full in amending their own; And so there be men in our time, whose ve •… tue is nothing else, but to hear gladly the reproof of others vice, despising th •… se for whom Christ despised himself, and den •… ing them for brothers, whom God takes for sons; But the Scripture teacheth otherwise, take away the evil of your works. Isaiah 1. 16. Rend your hearts▪ 〈◊〉 2▪ 13. Not another man's spirits, but your own, let every man examine himself, saith Paul▪ amend your lives, sai •… h Peter, acknowledge your faults saith S. James. In a word, we may not break our neighbors head, with the Pharisee, but sin •… te our own breast with the Publican •… . Luke. 18. 13.

Swee •… e 〈◊〉 which art b •… h our everlasting P •… •… d all-sufficient sacrifice for sin, grant us grace to confess our faults humbly; first unto thee, secondly to our selves, lastly, one to another, that thy Holy Name may be glorified, our neighbors injuries repaired, our consciences quieted, our lives amended, and our souls finally saved in the day of thy coming so come sweet Jesus, come quickly▪ Amen.