Thirty-Six Sermons

AD POPULUM.

The First Sermon.

At Grantham Linc. Octob. 3. 1620.

T HE History of this whole Chapter affordeth matter of much Variety and Use: but no passage in it so much either of Wonder or Comfort, as this in the close of the whole both Story and Chapter: That there should be Mighty ones sick, with longing after their meaner Neighbors Vineyards; That there should be crafty heads to contrive for Greedy Great Ones what they unjustly desire; That there should be officious instruments to do a piece of legal injustice, upon a great man's letter; That there should be Knights of the Post to depose anything though never so false, in any cause though never so bad, against any man though never so innocent; That an honest man cannot be secure of his life, so long as he hath anything else worth the losing: There is instance in the fore-part of the Chapter, of all this, in Ahab sickning, and Jezebel plotting, and the Elders obeying, and the Witnesses accusing, and poor Naboth suffering. But what is there in all this, singularly either Strange or Comfortable? All is but Oppression: Active in the rest; Passive in Naboth. And what wonder in either of these? — stupet haec, qui jam post terga reliquit Sexaginta annos? himself may pass for a wonder, if he be of any standing, or experience in the world, that taketh either of these for a wonder. And as for matter of Comfort: there is matter indeed, but of Detestation in the one, of Pity in the other, in neither of Comfort.

To pass by the other Occurrents also in the latter part of the Chapter, as That a great Oppressor should hug himself in the cleanly carriage and fortunate success of his damned Plots and witty Villainies; That a weak Prophet should have heart and face enough to proclaim judgment against an Oppressing King in the prime of his Jollity; That a bloody Tyrant should tremble at the voice of a poor Prophet; and the rest (some of which we shall have occasion to take in incidentally in our passage along:) mark we well but this close of the Chapter in the words of my Text; And it will be hard to say, whether it can contain matter more Strange, or more Comfortable.

Comfortable: in that God's mercy is so exceedingly magnified, and such strong assurance given to the truly penitent, of finding gracious Acceptance at the hands of their God, when they find him so apprehensive of but an outward enforced semblance of Contrition from the hands of an Hypocrite. Strange: in that God's mercy is here magnified, even to the hazard of other his divine perfections; his Holiness, his Truth, his Justice. For each of these is made in some sort questionable, that so his Mercy might stand clear and unquestioned. A rotten hearted Hypocrite humbleth himself outwardly, but repenteth not truly: and God accepteth him, and rewardeth him. Here is God's mercy; in giving respect to one that ill deserved it: but where is his Holiness the while, (being a God of pure Eyes, that requireth Truth in the inward parts, and will not behold iniquity: ) thus to grace sin, and countenance Hypocrisy? A fearful judgment is denounced against Ahab 's house for his Oppression; but upon his humiliation, the sentence, (at least, part of it) is reversed. Here is Mercy still, in revoking a sentence of destruction: and if somewhat may be said for his Holiness too, because it was but a temporal and temporary favor; yet where is his Truth the while, (being a God that cannot lie, and With whom is no variableness, neither so much as the bare shadow of turning ) thus to say and unsay, and to alter the thing that is gone out of his lips? A Judgment is deserved by the Father: upon his humiliation, the execution is suspended during his life, and lighteth upon the Son. Here is yet more mercy; in not striking the Guilty: and if somewhat may be said for God's Truth too, because what was threatened (though not presently) is yet at last performed; yet, Where is his Justice the while, (being a God that without respect of persons rendereth to every man according to his own works, and will Not acquit the guilty, neither condemn the innocent; ) thus to sever the Guilt and the Punishment, and to lay the Judgment which he spareth from the Father upon the Son, from the more wicked Father upon the less wicked Son.

Thus God, to magnify the riches of his Mercy, is content to put his Holiness, and his Truth, and his Justice to a kind of venture. That so his afflicted ones might know, on what Object especially to fasten the Eyes of their souls, not on his Holiness, not on his Truth, not on his Justice: not only, nor chiefly on these, but on his Mercy. He seeketh more general glory in, and would have us take more special knowledge of, and affordeth us more singular comfort from his Mercy, than any of the rest: as if he desired we should esteem him unholy, or untrue, or unjust, or anything, rather than unmerciful. Yet is he neither unholy, nor untrue, nor unjust, in any of his proceedings with the sons of men; but righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, and true in all his words. And in this particular of his proceedings with King Ahab at this time, I hope by his blessed assistance, so to acquit his Holiness, and Truth, and Justice, from all sinister imputations, as that he may be, not only magnified in his mercy, but justified also in the rest, and clear when he is judged; as we shall be thereunto occasioned now, and hereafter in the handling of this Scripture, wherein are three main things considerable. First, the Ground, or rather the Occasion of God's dealing so favourably with Ahab, namely, Ahab's humiliation; [Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not, &c.] Secondly, the great Favor shown to Ahab thereupon, namely, the suspension of a Judgment denounced; [ I will not bring the evil in his days.] Thirdly, the Limitation of that Favor, it is but a Suspension for a time, no utter removal of the Judgment; [ But in his Son's days will I bring the evil upon his house. ] Wherein we shall be occasioned to inquire how the first of these may stand with God's Holiness; the second, with his Truth; the third, with his Justice. And first, of Ahab's Humiliation▪ Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me?

This Ahab was King of Israel, that is, King over those ten Tribes which revolted from Rehoboam the Son of Solomon, and clave to Jeroboam the Son of Nebat. Search the whole sacred story in the books of Kings and Chronicles; and (unless we will be so very charitable, as notwithstanding many strong presumptions of his Hypocrisy, to exempt Jehu the Son of Nimshi, and that is but one of twenty)▪ we shall not find in the whole List and Catalogue of the Kings of Israel one good one, that clave unto the Lord with an upright heart. Twenty Kings of Israel, and not one, (or but one ) good: and yet than this Ahab, of the twenty, scarce one worse. It is said in the sixteenth Chapter of this Book, that Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, above all that were before him; at verse 30. and at verse 33. that he did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger, than all the Kings of Israel that were before him: and at verse 25. of this Chapter, That there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. An Oppressor he was, and a Murderer, and an Idolater, and a Persecutor of that holy Truth, which God had plentifully revealed by his Prophets, and powerfully confirmed by Miracles, and mercifully declared by many gracious deliverances (even to him) in such manner, as that he could not but know it to be the Truth; and therefore an Hypocrite, and in all likelihood, an obstinate Sinner against the Holy Ghost, and a Cast-away.

This is Ahab: this the man: but what is his carriage? what doth he? he humbleth himself before the Lord. [ Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? ] The manner and occasion of his humbling, is set down a little before, at verse 27. And it came to pass when Ahab heard those words, (the words of Elijah the Prophet, dealing plainly and roundly with him for his hateful Oppression and Murder) that he rent his clothes, and put Sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in Sackcloth, and went softly. And that is the humbling here spoken and allowed of; and for which God here promiseth, that he will not bring the evil in his days. Lay all this together; the man and his ill conditions, and his present carriage, with the occasion and success of it: and it offereth three notable things to our consideration. See first, how far an Hypocrite, a Cast-away, may go in the outward performance of holy duties, and particularly in the Practice of Repentance: here is Ahab humbled: such a man, and yet so penitent. See again, secondly, how deep God's Word, though in the mouth but of weak Instruments, when he is pleased to give strength unto it, pierceth into the Consciences of obstinate sinners, and bringeth the proudest of them upon their knees in despite of their hearts; here is Ahab quelled by Elijah; such a great one, by such a weak one. See yet again, thirdly, how prone God is to mercy, and how ready to apprehend any advantage (as it were) and occasion to show compassion: here is Ahab humbled, and his Judgment adjourned; such a real substantial favor, and yet upon such an empty shadow of Repentance. Of these three at this time in their order; and of the first, first.

An Hypocrite may go very far in the outward performances of holy duties. For the right conceiving of which assertion; Note, first, that I speak not now of the common Graces of Illumination and Edification, and good dexterity for the practicing of some particular Calling; which Gifts, with sundry other like, are oftentimes found even in such apparently wicked and profane men, as have not so much as the form (much less the power ) of Godliness: but I speak even of those Graces, which de tota specie (if they be true and sincere) are the undoubted blessed fruits of God 's holy renewing Spirit of Sanctification; such as are, Repentance, Faith, Hope, Joy, Humility, Patience, Temperance, Meekness, Zeal, Reformation, &c. in such as these Hypocrites may go very far, as to the outward semblance and performance. Note, secondly, that I speak not of the inward power and reality of these Graces; for Cast-aways and Hypocrites, not having union with God by a lively Faith in his Son, nor communion with him by the effectual working of his Spirit, have no part nor fellowship in these things, which are proper to the chosen and called of God, and peculiar to those that are his peculiar people; but I speak only of the outward performances, and exercises of such actions, as may seem to flow from such spiritual Graces habitually rooted in the heart; when as yet they may spring also (and when they are found in unregenerate men, do so spring) from Nature, perhaps moralized, or otherwise restrained, but yet unrenewed by saving and sanctifying Grace. Note, thirdly, that when I say an Hypocrite may go very far in such outward performances; by the Hypocrite is meant not only the gross or formal Hypocrite, but every natural and unregenerate man, (including also the Elect of God before their effectual calling and conversion ) as also Reprobates and Cast-aways, for the whole time of their lives: all of which may have such fair semblances of the fore-named Graces, and of other like them, as not only others (who are to judge the best by the Law of Charity ) but themselves also, through the wretched deceitfulness of their own wicked and corrupt hearts, may mistake for those very Graces they resemble.

The Parable of the seed sown in the stony ground, may serve for a full both declaration and proof hereof, which seed is said to have sprouted forth immediately, springing up forthwith after it was sown, but yet never came to good, but speedily withered away; because for want of deepness of earth it had not moisture enough to feed it to any perfection of growth and ripeness. And that branch of the Parable our blessed Savior himself in his Exposition applieth to such hearers; as when they hear the Word, immediately receive it with gladness; and who so forward as they, to repent, and believe, and reform their lives? but yet all that forwardness cometh to nothing, they endure but for a short time, because they have no root in themselves, but want the sap and moisture of Grace to give life and lasting to those beginnings and imperfect offers and essays of goodness they made show of. Here are good▪affections (to see to) unto the good word of God, they receive it with joy; it worketh not only upon their judgments, but it seemeth also to rejoice, yea, after a sort, to ravish their hearts, so as they feel a kind of tickling Pleasure and Delight in it; which the Apostle calleth tasting of the heavenly gift, and the good Word of God, and the powers of the World to come, Heb. 6. And as they receive the seed joyfully, so it appeareth quickly, it springe • h up anon in the likeness of Repentance, and Faith, and Obedience, and newness of life. They may be touched with a deep feeling of their sins, and with heavy hearts, and many tears, confess and bewail them; and not only promise, but also purpose amendment. They may be superficially affected with, and find some overly comfort and refreshing, from the contemplation of those gracious promises of mercy, and reconciliation, and salvation, which are contained in the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; and have some degrees of persuasion that those promises are true, and some flashes of confidence withal, of their own personal interest therein. They may reform themselves in the general course of their lives in sundry particulars, refraining from some gross disorders, and avoiding the occasions of them, wherein they have formerly lived and delighted, and practicing many outward Duties of Piety and Charity, conformable to the letter of the Laws of both Tables, and misliking and opposing against the common errors or corruptions of the times and places wherein they live; and all this to their own and others thinking, with as great zeal unto godliness, and as thorough indignation against sin, as any others. All this they may do, and yet all the while be rotten at the Heart; wholly carnal and unrenewed; quite empty of sound Faith, and Repentance, and Obedience, and every good Grace, full of damnable Pride, and Hypocrisy; and in the present state of Damnation, and in the purpose of God, Reprobates and Cast-aways.

Examples hereof we have in Saul 's care for the destroying of Witches, in Jehu's zeal in killing Baal 's Priests, in Herod 's hearing of John the Baptist gladly, and doing many things thereafter; and, to omit others, in this wicked King Ahab 's present fit of Repentance and Humiliation. At all which, and sundry other like effects, we shall the less need to marvel, if we shall seriously consider the Causes and Reasons thereof. I will name but a few of many, and but name them neither. First,

Now if men may go thus far, and yet be in the state of Damnation, what hope then ( first ) of Heaven, for such profane ungodly wretches, as are so far from having the power, as that they have not so much as the least show of godliness? what will become of those that sit them down in the chair of Scorners, and despise the good Word of God, and make a Scoff of those men that desire to square their lives by that rule; when some of them that hear it gladly, and receive it with joy, and are content to be ordered by it in many things, shall yet go to Hell? Certainly, Ahab and Herod, and such cursed miscreants, shall rise up in judgment against these men, and condemn them; and they shall have their portion with Hypocrites, shall I say? Alas, woeful is their case, if their portion fall but there! let them take heed lest their portion be not so good as the Hypocrites, and that it be not ten times easier for Ahab and Herod, and the whole crew of such Hypocrites, at the day of Judgment, than for them.

Secondly, what a stark shame would it be for us, who have received the first fruits of the spirit, not to bring forth the fruits of the spirit in some good abundance, in the frequent, and comfortable, and actual exercises of those habitual graces that are in us, of Faith, Repentance, Love, Reformation, Zeal, and the rest: seeing the counterfeits of these Graces are oftentimes so eminent, even in Hypocrites and Cast-aways? Shall a piece of rotten wood, or a Glow-worm shine so bright in the dark, and our holy Lamps, fed with Oil from Heaven, burn so dim? Nay, let our lights also, as well as theirs, shine before men; yea, and out-shine theirs too, that men may see our truly good works, as well as their seeming ones, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven. Although all be not Gold that glistereth, yet pity it is that true Gold should gather rust, and lose the luster for want of using; when Brass and Copper, and baser metals are kept bright with scouring. Let not blear-eyed Leah have cause to rejoice against beautiful Rachel, or to insult over her barrenness; neither let us who profess ourselves to be Wisdom's Children, suffer ourselves to be out-stripped by Nature's Brats, in justifying our Mother; rather let their splendida peccata provoke us to a godly jealousy and emulation, and spur us up to the quickening of those Graces God hath given us, that the power of godliness in us, may be at least as fruitful in all outward performances, as the show of it is in them.

Thirdly, This should teach us caution in our judging of other men's Estates. We are apt to offend both ways: If we see a man overtaken with some gross scandalous sin, as Drunkenness, Adultery, Oppression, or Perjury; but especially if he live long therein, by and by he is a Reprobate with us; or at least he is not yet in the state of Grace. Thus we speak, thus we judge, but we consider not the whilst, how far, and how long, God, in his holy wisdom, may suffer foul temptations to prevail against his chosen ones. On the other side, if we see a man forward in the Duties of Religion, charitably affected to the Poor, just and upright in his dealings with men, stoutly opposing against common corruptions, suffering for the Profession of the Truth; by and by he is a Saint with us; and we stick not sometimes in our Folly, to wish that our Souls might speed as that man's Soul, at a venture. But we consider not the whilst, how far the force of natural Conscience, and common moral Grace (if you will allow me to speak so improperly) may lead a man on-ward unto all outward performances, who was yet never effectually called, nor truly sanctified: And yet, busy Fools that we are, we cannot keep ourselves in our own bounds, but we must be meddling with God's Prerogative, and thrusting ourselves in his Chair, and be judging of our Brethren, whose hearts we are so far from knowing, as that we are scarce well acquainted with our own. But what have we to do either with one or other? what lawful Commission have we at all to judge? or what certain Evidence have we whereby to judge? Infallible Signs we cannot have from any outward things, either of the want, or of the having of Grace, in other men; yet of the two, far more pregnant probabilities of the want, than of the having of Grace; because there may be such an open course held in evil things, as we may justly doubt whether such a course can stand with Grace, or no: whereas there cannot be any course held in good things, outwardly, but such as may stand with Hypocrisy. What are we then to do? even this, to use the Judgment of Probability, hoping with cheerfulness, that there is Grace, where we see comfortable signs of it; and to use the Judgment of Charity, still hoping the best (though not without some fear) that there may be Grace, where we see fearful signs of the want of it. But for the Judgment of Infallibility either pro or con, what sinful man dareth challenge that unto himself, unless it be that man of sin, who hath nestled himself higher than into Peter's Chair, into the Throne of God, sitting in the Temple of God, and there determining as God, and with his breath Damning and Sainting whom he listeth? But let him go, and let this be our direction in this point: Think we comfortably, where we see no reason to the contrary; hope we charitably, even where we do see some reason to the contrary: but judge we neither way peremptorily and definitively, whatsoever Probabilities we see either way, since we know not how far a sanctified believer may fall into the snares of sin, nor how far a graceless Hypocrite may go in the show of Godliness. That is the third Use.

The last and main Inference is for Self-trial. For if a man may go thus far, and yet be an Hypocrite, be a Cast-away; it will concern everyone of us, as we desire to have comfortable, both assurance of present Grace, that we are not Hypocrites, and hope of future Glory, that we are not Cast-aways; so to be district in making Trial, whether those Graces that seem to be in us, be true, or but counterfeit; and whether the Acts thereof be fruits of sincerity, or but of Hypocrisy. Let us not therefore flatter ourselves, or be too jolly upon it, if we find in ourselves some shows of Godliness, but let us rather labor to find out, whether there be in us the power and life of godliness, or no. For there is a kind of righteousness, such as it is, outward formal righteousness in Scribes, and Pharisees, and Hypocrites; but that will not serve the turn, unless our Righteousness exceed theirs, we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Beloved, Hypocrisy is spun of a fine thread, and is not easily discernible, without very diligent examination. And things are not to be measured by the outward show, or by the lump and bulk, but by an exacter rule, whether they be true, or no. Dost thou hear the Word of God with Joy? dost thou bewail thy sins with tears? dost thou avoid gross sins with care? dost thou oppose against common corruptions with zeal? These are indeed comfortable signs, -but no infallible Evidences of Grace; for what is there in all this, which Ahab, and Saul, and Herod, and Judas, and other Hypocrites, either have not, or might not have done? But, if not by these fruits, by what other means then may a man come to know the sanctification of his heart, and the sincerity of these affections? Divines in their Treatises and Writings have set down sundry notes and marks whereby to make this trial; but I would especially commend to your observation two only out of all that variety, which two are indeed as good as a thousand, namely, Integrity and Constancy; for these two are never in the Hypocrite.

First, for Integrity. The Hypocrite (we heard) might go far in hearing, in believing, in sorrowing, in reforming, in suffering; but his affections herein, (for so much as they spring not from true Faith, and the Conscience of that Obedience he oweth to God, but from other respects) are partial in all those Duties, and carry him so far only as those false grounds, which first gave motion to those affections, lead him, and no farther. He receiveth the Word with joy, so far as it tickleth the ear with choiceness of Phrase, and variety of Elocution; so far as it fitteth with his humor, and keepeth fair and far off from meddling with his bosom sin; but he is not equally delighted with every part, and with every point of God's Word and truth. If the right string be touched, if his sweet darling Sin be stirred, that is harsh to him, he findeth no music in that; rub him where he is galled, and he kicketh at it: Herod heard John the Baptist gladly, and did many things willingly, but when his incestuous marriage was meddled withal, then the Fox was uncased, and the Hyppocrite appeared in his own colors, and the Baptist lost first his liberty, and then after his head for his labor. And the young man, when Christ told him what he must do to inherit eternal life in the generāl, [ Keep the Commandments, &c.] was no doubt, a jolly jocund man [ All these have I kept from my youth up: ] but when Christ hitteth him home, and presseth upon his particular Corruption, [ one thing is wanting, &c.] this nipped him in the head, and struck cold to his heart; and (the Text saith) he went away sorrowful. And ever mark it, in something or other the Hypocrite bewrayeth himself what he is; if not to the observation of others, yet at least sufficiently for the conviction of his own heart, if he would not be wanting to himself in the due search and trial of his heart. A man's blood riseth when he heareth a stranger swear an Oath, but if the same man can hear his Prentice lie, equivocate and cozen, and never move at it, let him not be too brag of his zeal; his coldness here discovereth the other to have been but a false fire, and a fruit not of true zeal, but of Hypocrisy. A Jesuit maketh scruple of disclosing an intended treason, revealed to him in Confession; but he maketh no bones of laying a Powder-plot, or contriving the Murder of an anointed King. A Pharisee is very precise in tything Mint, and Cumin, but balketh Justice and Mercy. One straineth at a Gnat, and swalloweth a Camel; making conscience of some petty sins, neglecting greater: Another casteth out a beam, but feeleth not a mote; maketh conscience of some greater sins, neglecteth smaller. Shame of the world, and the cry of people maketh him forbear some sins; an eye had to his own private and secret ends, other some; fear of temporal punishment, or (it may be) eternal, other some; hope of some advantage another way, as in his credit, profit, &c. other some; the terrors of an affrighted Conscience, other some: but if in the mean time there be no care, nor scruple, nor forbearance of other sins, where there appeareth no hindrance from these, or the like respects, all is naught, all is but counterfeit and damnable Hypocrisy. The rule never faileth, Quicquid propter Deum fit, aequaliter fit, True obedience, as it disputeth not the command, but obeyeth cheerfully; so neither doth it divide the command, but obeyeth equally. David had wanted one main assurance of the uprightness of his heart, if he had not had an equal and universal respect to all God's Commandments. That is the first note of Sincerity, Integrity.

The other is Constancy, continuance, or lasting. The seeming Graces of Hypocrites may be as forward, and impetuous for the time, as the true Graces of the sincere Believer, nay, more forward oftentimes; as in the stony ground, the seed sprang up so much the sooner, by how much it had the less depth of earth. But the very same cause that made it put up so soon, made it wither again as soon, even because it wanted deepness of earth. So the Hypocrite, when the fit taketh him, he is all on the spur; there is no way with him, but a new man he will become out of hand, yea that he will; Momento turbinis. But he setteth on too violently to hold out long: this reformation ripeneth too fast to be right spiritual fruit. As an Horse that is good at hand, but naught at length, so is the Hypocrite; free and fiery for a spurt, but he jadeth and tireth in a journey: but true Grace all to the contrary; as it ripeneth for the most part by leisure, so it ever lasteth longer: as Philosophers say of Habits, that as they are gotten hardly, so they are not lost easily. We heard but now, that the Faith, Repentance, Reformation, Obedience, Joy Sorrow, Zeal, and other the graces and affections of Hypocrites, had their first motion and issue from false and erroneous grounds; as Shame, Fear, Hope, and such respects. And it thence cometh to pass, that where these respects cease, which gave them motion, the graces themselves can no more stand, than a House can stand, when the foundation is taken from under it. The Boy that goeth to his Book, no longer than his Master holdeth the rod over him; the Masters back once turned, away goeth the Book, and he to play: and right so is it with the Hypocrite. Take away the rod from Pharaoh, and he will be old Pharaoh still. And Ahab, here in this Chapter, thus humbled before God at the voice of his Prophet; this fit once past, we see in the next Chapter regardeth neither God nor Prophet, but through unbelief, disobeyeth God, and imprisoneth the Prophet. Now then, here is a wide difference between the Hypocrite and the godly man: The one doth all by fits, and by starts, and by sudden motions and flashes; whereas the other goeth on fairly and soberly in a settled constant regular course of humiliation and obedience. Aristotle hath excellently taught us to distinguish between Colours that arise from passion and complexion: The one, he saith, is scarce worth the name of a Quality or Colour, because it scarce giveth denomination to the subject wherein it is. If Socrates be of a pale, or of an high-coloured complexion, to the question, [ Qualis est Socrates? What a like man is Socrates? ] it may be fitly answered (saith Aristotle ) that he is a pale man, or that he is a high-coloured man. But when a man of another Complexion is yet pale for fear, or anger, or red with blushing; we do not use to say, neither can we say properly, that he is a pale man, or a high-coloured man. Accordingly we are to pronounce of those good things that sometimes appear in Hypocrites. We call them indeed Graces, and we do well, (because they seem to be such, and because we, in Charity, are to hope that they be such as they seem▪ ) but they are in true Judgment nothing less than true Graces; neither should they indeed (if we were able to discern the falseness of them give denomination to those Hypocrites in whom they are found. For why should a man from a sudden and short fit of Repentance, or Zeal, or Charity, or Religion, be called a Penitent, or a Zealous, or a Charitable, or a Religious Man, more than a man for once or twice blushing, an high-coloured man? Then are Graces true, when they are habitual and constant, and equal to themselves. That is the second Note; Constancy.

I will not trouble you with other Notes, besides these. Do but lay these two together, and they will make a perfect good Rule for us to judge our own hearts by, and to make trial of the sincerity of those good things that seem to be in us. Measure them not by the present heat, (for that may be as much, perhaps more, in an Hypocrite, than in a true Believer; ) but by their Integrity and Constancy. A man of a cold Complexion hath as much heat in a sharp fit of an Ague, as he that is of a hot Constitution, and in health, and more too; his Blood is more enflamed, and he burneth more. But whether do you think is the more kindly heat, that which cometh from the violence of a Fever, or that which ariseth from the condition of a man's Temper? No man maketh doubt of it, but this is the more kindly, though that may be more sensible and intense. Well then, a man findeth himself hot in his Body, and fain he would know, whether it be calor praeter naturam, or no; whether a kindly and natural heat, or else the Fore-runner or Symptom of some Disease. There is no better way to come to that knowledge, than by these two Notes; Universality, and Constancy. First for Universality; Physicians say of Heat and Sweat, and such like things, Universalia salutaria, partialia ex morbo. If a man be hot in one part, and, cold in another, as if the Palms of his Hands burn, and the Soles of his Feet be cold, then all is not right; but if he be of an indifferent equal heat all over, that is held a good sign of Health. Then for Constancy and Lasting; if the Heat come by fits and starts, and Paroxysms, leaping eftsoons and suddenly out of one extreme into another, so as the party one while gloweth as hot as fire, another while is chill and cold as Ice, and keepeth not at any certain stay, that is an ill sign too; and it is to be feared there is an Ague either bred, or in breeding; but if he continue at some reasonable certainty, and within a good mediocrity of Heat and Cold, it is thought a good sign of Health. As men judge of the state of their Bodies, by the like rule judge thou of the state of thy Soul. First, for Integrity and Universality; is thy Repentance, thy Obedience, thy Zeal, thy Hatred of sin, other Graces in thee Universal? equally bent upon all good, equally set against all evil things? it is a good sign of Grace and Sanctification in the heart: But if thou repentest of one sin, and persistest in another; if thou obeyest one Commandment, and breakest another; if thou art zealous in one Point, and cool in another; if thou hatest, one Vice, and lovest another; flatter not thyself too much; thou hast reason to suspect all is not sound within. Then for Continuance and Lasting: I deny not, but in case of prevailing Temptations, the Godly may have sometimes uncomfortable and fearful Intermissions in the practice of godliness; which yet make him not altogether Graceless: as a man may have sometimes little distempers in his body, through mis-diet or otherwise, and yet not be heart-sick; or greater distempers too sometimes to make him sick, and yet be heart whole. But yet, if for the most part, and in the ordinary constant course of thy life, thou hast the practice of repentance and obedience, other fruits of grace in some good and comfortable measure; it is a good sign of grace and sanctification in the heart. But if thou hast these things only by fits and starts, and sudden moods: and art sometimes violently hot upon them, and other sometimes again, and oftener key cold; presume not too much upon shows, but suspect thyself still of hypocrisy and insincerity; and never cease by repentance and prayer, and the constant exercises of other good graces, to physic and diet thy soul, till thou hast by God's goodness put thyself into some reasonable assurance that thou art the true child of God; a sincere believer, and not an hypocrite; as Ahab here, notwithstanding all this his solemn humiliation, was. Here is Ahab an Hypocrite; and yet humbled before the Lord.

But yet now this humiliation, such as it was, what should work it in him? That we find declared at verse. 27. [ And it came to pass, that when Ahab heard these words, &c. ] There came to him a message from God, by the hand of Elijah; and that was it that humbled him. Alas, what was Elijah to Ahab? a silly plain Prophet to a mighty King? that he durst thus presume to rush boldly and unsent-for into the presence of such a potent Monarch, who had no less power, and withal more color, to take away his life, than Naboth's? and that when he was in the top of his jollity, solacing himself in the new-taken possession of his new-gotten Vine-yard; and there to his face charge him plainly with, and shake him up roundly for, and denounce God's judgments powerfully against his bloody abominable oppressions? We would think, a Monarch nusled up in Idolatry, and accustomed to blood, and hardened in Sin and Obstinacy, should not have brooked that insolency from such a one as Elijah was, but have made his life a ransom for his sawciness. And yet behold, the words of this underling in comparison, how they fall like thunder upon the great guilty Offender, and strike palsy into his knees, and trembling into his joints, and tumble him from the height of his jollity, and roll him in sackcloth and ashes, and cast him into a strong fit of legal humiliation. Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me?

And here now cometh in our second Observation: even, the power of God's Word over the Consciences of obstinate sinners; powerful to Cast down strong holds, and every high thought that exalteth itself against God. That which in Heb. 4. (if I mistake not the true understanding of that place) is spoken of the Essential word of God, the second person in the ever blessed Trinity; is also in an analogy true of the revealed Word of God, the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles; that it is Quick and powerful, and more cutting than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow. Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord? and like a hammer, that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jer. 23. Like a soft fire; to dissolve and melt the hearts of relenting sinners, and true Converts: but like a strong hammer; to batter and break in pieces the rocky and flinty consciences of obstinate and hardened offenders. Examples hereof if you require, behold, in the stories of the Kings Saul whining when Samuel reproveth him; in the books of the Prophets, Ninevites drooping, when Jonah threateneth them; in the Acts of the Apostles, Felix trembling, when Paul discourseth before him; in the Martyrologies of the Church Tyrants and bloody Persecutors maskered at the bold consessions of the poor suffering Christians; in this Chapter, proud Ahab mourning when Elijah telleth him his sin, and foretelleth him his punishment.

Effects, which might justly seem strange to us; if the Causes were not apparent. One cause, and the Principal is in the instrument, the Word: not from any such strength in itself, for so it is but a dead letter; but because of God's Ordinance in it. For in his hand are the hearts and the tongues and the ears both of Kings and Prophets: and he can easily, when he seeth it good, put the spirit of Zeal and of Power into the heart of the poorest Prophet, and as easily the spirit of fear and of terror into the heart of the greatest King. He chooseth weak Instruments (as here Elijah ) and yet furnisheth them with power, to effect great matters: that so the glory might not rest upon the instrument, but redound wholly to him, as to the chief agent that employeth it, We have this treasure in earthen Veslels, saith St. Paul, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us, 2 Cor. 4. We say, words are but wind; and indeed the words of the best Minister are no better, as they are breathed out and uttered by sinful mortal man, whose breath is in his nostrils: but yet this wind, as it is breathed in, and inspired by the powerful eternal Spirit of God, is strong enough (by his effectual working with it) not only to shake the top branches, but to rend up the very bottom-root of the tallest Cedar in Lebanon. Vox Domini confringens Cedros, Psal. 29. [ The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation; the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice: The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars; yea the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon. ]

Another Cause is in the Object; and that is the force of Natural Conscience: which the most presumptuous sinner can never so stifle, though he endeavor all he can to do it, but that it will be sometimes snubbing, and stinging, and lashing, and vexing him with ugly representations of his past sins, and terrible suggestions of future vengeance. And then of all other times is the force of it most lively, when the voice of God in his Word awakeneth it after a long dead sleep. Then it riseth, and Sampson-like rouseth up itself, and bestirreth itself lustily, as a Giant refreshed with Wine: and it putteth the disquieted patient to such unsufferable pain, that he runneth up and down like a distracted man, and doth he knoweth not what, and seeketh for ease he knoweth not where. Then he would give all Dives his wealth for A drop of Water to cool the heat he feeleth; and with Esau part with his birth-right for anything, though it were never so little mean that would give him but the least present refreshing, and preserve him from fainting. Then sack-cloth and ashes, and fasting, and weeping, and mourning, and renting the garments, and tearing the hair, and knocking the breast, and out-cries to heaven, and all those other things, which he could not abide to hear of in the time of his former security, whilst his conscience lay fast asleep, and at rest, are now in all haste greedily entertained, and all too little: if by any means they can possibly give any ease or asswagement to the present torment he feeleth in his soul.

A third Cause is oftentimes in the Application of the Instrument to the Object. For although God's Word in the general be Powerful, and the Conscience of itself be of a stirring Nature: yet then ordinarily doth the word of God work most powerfully upon the Consciences of obstinate sinners, when it is thoroughly and closely applied to some special corruption, whereunto the party cannot plead Not guilty; when the sin and the judgment are both so driven home, that the guilty offender can neither avoid the evidence of the one, nor the fear of the other. A plain instance whereof we have in this present history of King Ahab. When Elijah first came to him in the Vineyard, he was pert enough, [ Hast thou fond me O mine Enemy? ] But by that the Prophet had done with him; told him of the sin, which was notorious, [ Hast thou killed and taken possession? ] foretold him of the judgment, which was heavy, [ I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy Posterity, &c.] the man was not the man: Elijah left him in far other tune than he found him in. The Prophets words wrought sore upon him, and his Conscience wrought sore within him; both together, wrought him to the humiliation we now speak of: [ It came to pass when he heard these words, that he rent his clothes, &c.] If you desire another Instance, turn to Acts 24. 25. where there is a right good one, and full to this purpose. There we read that Felix the Roman Deputy in Jury trembled, when Paul reasoned of justice and of temperance, and of the judgment to come. What was that thing may we think in St. Paul 's reasoning which especially made Felix to tremble? It is commonly taken to be the Doctrine of the last judgment: which is indeed a terrible doctrine, and able (if it be thoroughly apprehended) to make the stoutest of the sons of men to tremble. But I take it, that is not all. The very thing that made Felix tremble, seemeth rather to be, that Paul 's discourse fell upon those special vices, wherein he was notably faulty, and then clapt in close with judgment upon them. For Felix was noted of much cruelty and injustice in the administration of the affairs of Jury (howsoever Tertullus, like a smooth Orator, to curry favor with him, and to do Paul a displeasure, did flatteringly commend his government:) and he was noted also of incontinency, both otherwise, and especially in marrying Drusilla, who was another man's wife. Tacitus speaking of him in the fifth of his History painteth him out thus. Per omnem & libidinem, jus regium servili ingenio exercuit. And for such a man as governed with cruelty and rapine, and lived in unchaste wedlock, to hear one reason powerfully of Justice, and of Chastity, (for so much the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there used, properly importeth) and of Judgment: it is no wonder if it make him tremble.

Do thou consider this, and tremble, whosoever thou art, that in thy thoughts despisest the holy word of God; accounting of it but as of some human invention to keep fools in awe withal: and thou also, whosoever thou art that undervaluest this precious treasure, for the meanness or other infirmities of the earthen vessel wherein it is conveyed. Tell me, dost thou not herein struggle against the testimony and evidence of thine own heart? Doth not thine own Conscience and Experience tell thee, that this Sword of the Spirit hath a keen edge, and biteth and pierceth where it goeth? Hath it not sometimes galled and rubbed, and lanced, end cut thee to the very bone; and entered even to the dividing asunder of the joints, and of the marrow?

From Ahab's Humiliation, and the Occasion thereof; pass we now to consider, in the last place, the Success of it. Ahab is humbled at the Prophets denouncing of judgment against him; and God hence taketh occasion to be so gracious to Ahab, as (though not wholly to remove, yet) to suspend and adjourn the judgment for a time. ( Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days, &c.) And here must God's Holiness be brought unto a trial before the Bar of carnal reason, if by any means it can justify itself. God hateth the works of Hypocrites; he loatheth even sacrifices without mercy; his soul cannot away with the Oblations and new Moons, and solemn Feasts of men that have their hands full of blood; no not though they make many Prayers, and tender them with behavior of greatest devotion, stretching out their hands towards heaven, and afflicting their souls with fasting, and hanging down their heads as Bulrushes, with pensiveness: but even their best sacrifices, and confessions, and Prayers, and humiliations are an abomination unto him; so far from appeasing his wrath against other sins, as that they provoke his yet farther displeasure against themselves. Such is the Holiness of our God; and such the purity of his nature; with which holiness and purity how can it stand to accept and reward (as here he seemeth to do) the counterfeit humiliation of such a wretched Hypocrite as now we suppose Ahab to be.

For the clearing of this difficulty; First, let it be granted (which I take to be a certain truth, and for anything I know never gain-said by any) that Ahab, not only before, and after, but even in the act and at the instant of this humiliation, was an hypocrite. Let it be granted secondly, (which is the thing urged in the doubt) that this humiliation of his, being performed but in hypocrisy, was not acceptable to God, as a good work, but abominable before him as a foul sin. But yet withal it must be granted thirdly, that, although Ahab did not well in not being humbled with an upright heart: yet he had done much worse, if he had not been humbled at all. And that therefore there was, though no true spiritual goodness, yet some outward moral goodness in Ahab 's humiliation; at least so far forth, as a thing less evil may in comparison of a worse thing be termed good. And then are we to know fourthly, that it may stand with God's holiness, as it doth with his goodness and justice, to reward outward good things with outward good things; and moral and temporary graces with worldly and temporal blessings: as here he rewardeth Ahab 's temporary and external humiliation, with an outward temporal favor, viz. the adjourning of an outward temporal judgment.

That which hence we would observe, is, That God rewardeth sometimes common graces with common favors, temporary obedience with temporal beneficence. This is proved unto us first, from the general course of God's justice; and his promise grounded upon that justice, to reward every man according to his works. To which justice of his, and to which promise of his it is agreeable, as to recompense Spiritual good things, with Eternal, so to recompense Moral good thing with Temporal rewards. 2. From special express warrant of Scripture. In Matth. 6. Christ saith of Hypocrites more than once, that they have their reward. As in the doing of their seeming good works, they aim especially at the vain praise and commendation of men: so they have the full reward of those works in the vain praise and commendation of men. Though they have no right unto, nor reason to look for a reward hereafter in heaven: yet they have their reward (such as it is, and all they are like to have) here upon earth. 3. From particular examples of such as have been temporally rewarded for temporal graces. To omit Heathens, as Aristides, Cyrus, &c. for Justice; Bias, Diogenes, &c. for contempt of the world; Codrus, Regulus, &c. for love of their Country, and zeal to the common good; and sundry others, for other good things: whose moral virtues are herein amply rewarded, (if there were nothing else but this) that their names and memories have been preserved in Histories, and renowned throughout the world in all succeeding generations. I say, to omit these Heathens, we have examples in Scripture; of Ahab here, Jehu of the Ninevites, of others elsewhere: who for their temporary obedience, zeal, repentance, and the like, were rewarded: partly by temporal blessings upon themselves and their posterity, partly by the removal or adjournal of temporal punishments, which otherwise had speedily overtaken them. Fourthly, from the greater to the less. God sometimes temporally rewardeth the services of such men, as are but bruta instrumenta, brute instruments of his will and providence: such as are employed by him for the bringing about of his most holy and secret purposes, Citra rationem finis, aut eorum quae ad finem, in the doing of such things as they do without the least mixture (in their own purpose and intent) of any respect at all to God or his ends, but merely for the satisfying of their own corrupt lusts, and the achieving of their own private ends. A notable example whereof we have, in God's dealing with Nebuchadnezzar in Ezek. 29, where the word of the Lord cometh to Ezekiel, saying, Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon caused his Army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his Army for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it; Therefore thus saith the Lord God; behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon: and he shall take her multitude, and it shall be wages for his Army. I have given him the land of Egypt, for his labor wherewith he served against Tyrus; beccause they wrought for me, saith the Lord God. In which place we see Egypt is given to Nebuchadnezzar, as a reward for the service he did against Tyrus; because therein (though he neither intended any such thing, nor so much as knew it) yet he was the instrument to work God's purpose upon, and against Tyrus. And then how much more will God reward temporally the service and obedience of such, as purposely and knowingly endeavor an outward conformity unto the holy will and pleasure of God, though with strong and predominant mixture of their own corrupt appetites and ends therewith?

Now the Reasons, why God should thus outwardly reward the outward works of Hypocrites, are: First, the manifestation of his own Goodness, that we might know how willing he is to cherish the least spark of any goodness in any man; be it natural or moral, or whatever other goodness it be: that he might thereby encourage us, so to labor the improvement of those good things in us, as to make ourselves capable of greater rewards. Secondly, his Justice and equity, in measuring unto sinners and hypocrites exactly according to the measure they mete unto him. They serve him with graces, which are not true graces indeed; he rewardeth them with blessings, which are not indeed true blessings. Somewhat they must do to God; and therefore they afford him a little temporary obedience, and there is all the service he shall have from them: Somewhat God will do for them, and in requital alloweth them a little temporary favor, and there is all the reward they must look for from him. Here is Quid pro Quo. They give God the outward work, but without any hearty affection to him. God giveth them the outward benefit, but without any hearty affection to them. For want of which hearty affection on both sides, it cometh to pass, that neither is the outward work truly acceptable to him, nor the outward benefit truly profitable to them. A third reason of God's thus graciously dealing even with Hypocrites, may be assigned, with reference to his own dear Children and chosen; for whose good especially (next under his own glory ) all the passages of his divine providence both upon them and others are disposed in such sort as they are: as for whose comfort this manner of proceeding maketh very much and sundry ways; as I shall by and by touch in the Inferences from this Observation; whereunto I now come, because it is time I should draw towards a Conclusion.

And first; by what hath been already said, a way is opened for the clearing of God holiness in these his proceedings. If sometimes he temporally reward Hypocrites; is it not either for their own, or for their works sake as if he either accepted their Persons, or approved their Obedience. No, it is but Lex talionis: he dealeth with them, as they deal with him. They do him but eye service, and he giveth them but eye wages. Indeed, God can neither be deceived nor deceive: yet as they would deceive God in their service with such obedience as falleth short of true obedience: so they are deceived in their pay from him, with such blessings as fall short of true blessings. And all this may well stand with God's both Justice and Holiness. Secondly, it appeareth from the premises, that God's thus dealing with wicked and unsanctified men, in thus rewarding their outward good things, giveth no warrant nor strength at all, either to that Popish corrupt doctrine of Meritum congrui, in deserving the first grace by the right use of Naturals; or to that rotten principle and foundation of the whole frame of Pelagianism, [ Facienti quod in se est, Deus non potest, non debet, deuegare gratiam. ] We know, God rewards his own true and spiritual graces, in us, which increase of those graces here, and with glory hereafter: we see God rewardeth even false, and outward, and seeming graces, natural and moral good things, with outward and temporal favors. And all this is most agreeable to his infinite both Justice and Mercy; and may stand with the infinite Purity and Holiness of his nature. But this were rather to make God an unjust and unholy God; to bind him to reward the outward and sinful works of Hypocrites, (for the best natural or moral works without grace, are but such) with true saving Grace, and inward sanctification. Other Inferences and uses more might be added: as viz. Thirdly, for our Imitation; by God example to take knowledge of; and to commend, and to cherish, even in wicked men, those natural or moral parts that are eminent in them, and whatsoever good things they do in outward actual conformity to the revealed will andlaw of God. And Fourthly, for Exhortation to such, as do not yet find any comfortable assurance that their obedience and good works are true sincere; and yet to go on and not to grow weary of well-doing: knowing that their labor is not altogether in vain; in as much as their works (though perhaps done in Hypocrisy, ) shall procure them temporal blessings here; and some abatement withal (I add that by the way) of stripes and everlasting punishment hereafter.

But I pass by all these and the like Uses; and commend but one more unto you: and that is it which I named before as one Reason of the point observed, viz. the Comfort of God's dear Children and Servants; and that sundry ways. First, here is comfort for them, against a Temptation which often assaulteth them; and that with much violence and danger: arising from the sense and observation of the prosperity and flourishing estate of the wicked in this world. We may see in the Psalms, and elsewhere; how frequently and strongly David, (z) Job, and Jeremiah, and other Godly ones were assailed with this temptation. For thy instruction then, and to arm thee against this so common and universal a temptation: if thou shalt see fools on horseback; ungodly ones laden with wealth, with honor, with ease; Hypocrites blessed with the fat of the earth, and the dew of heaven, and abundance of all the comforts of this life: yet be not thou discomforted at it, or disquieted with it, Do not fret thyself because of the ungodly, neither be thou envious at evil doers. Thou expectest for thine inward obedience an unproportionable reward in the life to come: do not therefore grudge their outward obedience a proportionable reward in this life. Some good things or other thou mayest think there are in them, for which God bestoweth those outward blessings upon them. But consider withal that as they have their reward here, so they have all their reward here; and whatsoever their present prosperity be, yet the time will come, and that ere long be, when The hope of the hypocrite shall wither, The end of the Wicked shall be cut off.

Again, here is a second Comfort for the godly against temporal afflictions: and it ariseth thus. As God's love and favor goeth not always with those temporal benefits he bestoweth: so on the other side, God's wrath and displeasure goeth not always with those temporal afflictions he inflicteth. For as he rewardeth those few good things that are in evil men, with these temporal benefits, for whom yet (in his Justice ) he reserveth eternal damnation, as the due wages (by that Justice ) of their graceless impenitency: so he punisheth those remnants of sin that are in Godly men, with these temporal afflictions; for whom yet (in his mercy ) he reserveth Eternal salvation, as the due wages (yet by that mercy only) of their Faith, and Repentance, and holy Obedience. As Abraham said to the rich glutton in the Parable, Luke 19. (e) Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. As if he had said; If thou hadst anything good in thee, remember thou hast had thy reward in earth already; and now there remaineth for thee nothing, but the full punishment of thine ungodliness there in Hell: But as for Lazarus he hath had the chastisement of his infirmities on earth already; and now remaineth for him nothing, but the full reward of his godliness here in Heaven. Thus the meditation of this Doctrine yieldeth good Comfort against temporal afflictions.

Here is yet a third Comfort, and that of the three the greatest, unto the godly, in the firm assurance of their Eternal reward. It is one of the Reasons why God temporally rewardeth the unsound obedience of natural, carnal, and unregenerate men, even to give his faithful servants undoubted assurance, that he will in no wise forget their true and sound, and sincere obedience. Doth God reward Ahab's temporary Humiliation? and will he not much more reward thy hearty and unfeigned repentance? Have the Hypocrites their reward? and canst thou doubt of thine? This was the very ground of all that comfort, wherewith the Prodigal son sustained his heart and hope; when he thus discoursed to his own soul: If all the hired servants which are in my Fathers house have bread enough and to spare; surely, my Father will never be so unmindful of me, who am his Son, though too too unworthy of that name, as to let me perish for hunger. Every temporal blessing bestowed upon the wicked, ought to be of the child of God entertained as a fresh assurance given him of his everlasting reward hereafter, Abraham gave gifts to the Sons of his Concubines; and sent them away: but his only son Isaac he kept with him, and gave him all that he had. Right so, God giveth temporal gifts to Hypocrites and Cast-aways, who are bastards, and not sons; (and not sons of the freewoman, not sons of promise, not born after the spirit:) and that is their portion; when they have gotten that, they have gotten all they are like to have: there is no more to be looked for at his hands. But as for the Inheritance; he reserveth that for his dear Children, the godly, who are Born after the Spirit, and Heirs according to promise: on these he bestoweth all that ever he hath, ( all things are theirs; ) for on them he bestoweth his Son the heir of all things, in whom are hid all the treasures of all good things, and together with whom all other things are conveyed and made over unto them, as accessories and appurtenances of him; and on them he bestoweth Himself, which is All in all, in whose presence is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore. To which joy unspeakable and glorious, O thou the Father of mercies, who hast promised it unto us, bring us in the end, for thy dear Son 's sake Jesus Christ, who hath purchased it for us, and given into our hearts the earnest of his and thy holy Spirit to seal it unto us. To which blessed Son, and holy Spirit, together with thee, O Father, three persons and one only wise, gracious, Almighty, and eternal Lord God, be ascribed by us and all thy faithful people throughout the world, the whole kingdom, power and glory, forever and ever.

AD POPULUM.

The Second Sermon.

At Grantham Linc. Feb. 27. 1620.

I Will not so far either distrust your Memories, or straiten myself of Time for the delivery of what I am now purposed to speak; as to make any large Repetition of the Particulars which were observed the last time from the consideration of Ahab's Person and Condition, (who was but an Hypocrite) taken jointly with his present Carriage, together with the Occasion and Success thereof. He was humbled: It was the Voice of God by his Prophet that humbled him. Upon his humbling God adjourneth his Punishment. From all which was noted, first, That there might be even in Hypocrites an Outward formal Humiliation; secondly, the Power and Efficacy of the Word of God able to humble an Oppressing Ahab; thirdly, the boundless Mercy of God, in not suffering the Outward formal Humiliation of an ungodly Hypocrite to pass altogether unrewarded. All this the last time; by occasion of those first Clauses in the Verse, [ Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not —] We are now next to consider of the Great Favor, which it pleased God to show to Ahab upon his humiliation; what it was, and wherein it consisted. It was the Removal, (at least for a time; that is, the suspension ) of an heavy judgment denounced against Ahab and his house most deservedly for his bloody and execrable oppression; [ Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days. ]

The Evil which God now promiseth he will not bring [ I will not bring the evil in his days, ] is that which in verse. 21. he had threatened he would bring upon Ahab and upon his house, [ Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the Son of Abijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin. ] A great Judgment and an heavy: But the greater the Judgment is, when it is deserved and threatened; the greater the mercy is, if it be afterwards forborne; as some of this was. But whatsoever becometh of the Judgment, here we see is Mercy good store. God who is rich in mercy, and delighteth to be styled the God of mercies, and the Father of mercies, abundantly manifesteth his mercy, in dealing thus graciously with one that deserved it so little. Here is mercy, in but threatening the punishment, when he might have inflicted it; and more mercy in not inflicting the punishment when he had threatened it. Here is mercy first in suspending the punishment, [ I will not bring the evil: ] and mercy again, in suspending it for so long a time: [I will not bring the evil in his days. ] Of these two points we shall entreat at this time: and first and principally, of the former.

[ I will not bring the evil. ] It is no new thing to them, that have read the sacred Stories with Observation, to see God, when men are humbled at his threatenings, to revoke them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith Chrysostom more than once: this is ever God's manner, when men change their deeds, to change his doom; when they renounce their sins, to recall his sentence: when they repent of the evil they have done against him, to Repent of the evil he had said he would do against them. Search the Scriptures, and say if things run not thus, as in the most ordinary course: God commandeth, and Man disobeyeth: Man disobeyeth, and God threateneth: God threateneth, and man repenteth: Man repenteth, and God forbeareth. Abimelech, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman which thou hast taken! but Abimelech restoreth the Prophet his Wife untouched, and God spareth him, and he dieth not. Hezekiah, make thy Will, and Put thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live!▪ but Hezekiah turneth to the Wall, and prayeth, and weepeth, and God addeth to his days fifteen years. Nineveh, prepare for desolation; for now but forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed: but Nineveh fasted, and prayed, and repented; and Nineveh stood after more than forty years twice told. Generally, God never yet threatened any punishment upon person or place: but if they repented, he either withheld it, or deferred it, or abated it, or sweetened it to them: for the most part proportionably to the truth and measure of their repentance, but howsoever always so far forth as in his infinite wisdom he hath thought good: some way or other, he ever remitted somewhat of that severity and rigor, wherein he threatened it.

A course which God hath in some sort bound himself unto, and which he often and openly professeth he will hold. Two remarkable testimonies (among sundry other) shall suffice us to have proposed at this time, for the clear and full evidencing hereof. The one in Ier. 18. 7, 8. [ At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and pull down, and to destroy; If that Nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. ] The other in Ezek. 33. 13, 14. [ When I say to the wicked▪ Thou shalt surely die, if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he hath robbed, walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. ] And everywhere in the Prophets, after Denunciations of Judgment follow Exhortations to repentance: which were bootless, if Repentance should not either prevent them or adjourn them, or lessen them.

You see God both practiseth and professeth this course: neither of which can seem strange to us, if we duly consider, either his readiness to show mercy, or the true End of his Threatenings. We have partly already touched at the greatness of his mercy. To show compassion, and to forgive, that is the thing wherein he most of all delighteth; and therefore he doth arripere ansam, take all advantage as it were, and lay hold on every occasion to do that: but to punish, and take vengeance, is opu • alienum, as some expound that in Isaiah 28. his strange work, his strange act, a thing he taketh no pleasure in. Vivo nolo —in Ezek. 33. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, &c. As the Be laboreth busily all the day long, and seeketh to every flower, and to every weed for Honey; but stingeth not once, unless she be ill provoked: so God bestirreth himself, and his bowels yern within him, to show compassion, [ Oh Ephraim what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, how shall I entreat thee? Why will ye die, O ye house of Israel? Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and seek if you can find a man, but a man, that I may pardon it. ] But vengeance cometh on heavily and unwillingly, and draweth a sigh from him; [ He • consolabor! Ah I must, I see there is no remedy, I must ease me of mine adversaries, and be avenged of mine enemies; Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the Prophets—how oft would I, &c. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?—my heart is turned within me; my repentings are kindled together. ] So is our God slow to anger, and loath to strike [ Quique dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox:] but plenteous in mercy, as David describeth him in Psal. 103. Never was a man truly and inwardly humbled, but God in the riches of his special mercy, truly pardoned him: never was man so much as but outwardly humbled, as Ahab here, but God in his common and general mercy, more or less forbare him.

Secondly, the end of God's Threatenings also confirmeth this point. For, doth he threaten evil, think ye, because he is resolved to inflict it? Nothing less: rather, to the contrary, he therefore threateneth it, that we by our repentance may prevent it, and so he may not inflict it? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith S. Chrysostom: he foretelleth what he will bring upon us, for this very purpose, that he may not bring it upon us; and warneth before he striketh, to make us careful to avoid the stroke. In the ancient Roman State and Discipline, the manner was, before they made war upon any people, first to send Heralds to proclaim it, ( Bellum indicere ne inferrent ) to the end, that if they would make their peace by submission, they might prevent the war, nor so only, but be written also in albo amicorum, enrolled as their friends and Confederates, So God sendeth his Heralds the Prophets, to threaten vengeance against sinners: not thereby to drive them from hope of Mercy, but to draw them to repentance and humiliation; whereby they may not only turn away the vengeance threatened, but also (if they perform them unfeignedly, and with upright hearts) interest themselves farther in his favor and love. Nor is it to be accounted among the least of God's Mercies, when he might in his just displeasure overwhelm us in the very Act of our sins, as Zimri and Cozbi were run thorough in the very Act of filthiness; and as Uzzah, and Ananias and Sapphira, and some few others whom God picked out to show exemplary judgment upon, were stricken dead upon the sudden for their transgressions: When God might in justice deal with the same rigor against us all; I say, it is not the least of his Mercies, that he forbeareth and forewarneth, and foretelleth and threateneth us before he punish; that if we will take any warning, he may do better to us than he hath said, and not bring upon us what he hath threatened.

A Point very useful and comfortable: if it be not derogatory to God's Truth. Let us therefore first clear that, and then proceed to the Uses. If God thus revoke his Threatenings, it seemeth he either before meant not what he spake, when he threatened; or else after when he revoketh, repenteth of what he meant; either of which to imagine, far be it from every Christian heart; since the one maketh God a dissembler, the other a changling; the one chargeth him with falsehood, the other with lightness. And yet the Scriptures sometimes speak of God, as if he grieved for what he did, or repented of what he spake, or altered what he had purposed: and for the most part, such like affections are given him in such places, as endeavor to set forth to the most life his great mercy and kindness to sinful mankind. We all know, we cannot indeed give God any greater glory than the glory of his Mercy: yet must know withal, that God is not so needy of means to work out his own glory, as that he should be forced to redeem the glory of his Mercy, with the forfeiture either of his Truth or Steadfastness. We are therefore to lay this as a firm ground and infallible, that our God is both truly Unchangeable, and unchangeably True, The strength of Israel is not as man, that he should lie; nor as the son of man, that he should repent: his words are not Yea and Nay, neither doth he use lightness. But his words are, Yea and Amen; and himself yesterday, and today, and the same forever: Heaven and Earth may pass away, yea, shall pass away; but not the least tittle of God's Words shall pass away unfulfilled. They may wax old as a Garment, and as a Vesture he shall change them, and they shall be changed; but he is the same, and his years fail not: neither do his Purposes fail, nor his Promises fail, nor his Threatenings fail, nor any of his Words fail. Let Heaven, and Earth, and Hell, and Angel, and Man, and Devil, and all change: still Ego Deus, & non mutor; God he is the Lord of all, and he changeth not.

As for those Phrases then of Repenting, Grieving, &c. which are spoken of God in the Scriptures; that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , whereof St. Chrysostom so often speaketh, salveth them. God speaketh to us; and therefore speaketh as we use to speak, and frameth his language to our dullness, and teacheth us by our own phrases what he would have us learn: as Nurses talk half syllables, and lipse out broken language to young children. But what is so spoken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of God, after the manner of men; must yet be understood 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so as befitteth the Majesty and perfection of his Divine Nature. When he repenteth, then we are not so to conceive it, as if God changed his mind, or altered anything of his everlasting purpose and counsel, either in substance or circumstances: it only importeth, that he now doth not that; which, so far as we could reasonably conjecture by his words, or works, or our deserts, or otherwise, seemed to us to have been his purpose to have done.

This for the Phrases: but yet the main doubt for the Thing it self standeth uncleared. Abimelech and Hezekiah shall die, and yet Abimelech and Hezekiah shall not die; Nineveh shall be destroyed, and yet Nineveh shall not be destroyed; I will bring evil upon Ahab's house, and yet I will not bring it: is not this Yea and Nay? is not this a plain Contradiction? How is there not here a plain change of God's will? If not for substance; because the things were at length performed, yet at least in circumstance; because they were not performed at those times, and in that manner, as they were threatened and foretold. That wretched Miscreant Vorstius, instead of untying this knot, cutteth it: who, to maintain Pelagian Conclusions from blasphemous Principles, trembleth not to affirm, In parte aliqua divini decreti sieri aliquam mutationem; that there may be some change made in some part of God's decree. An assertion unbeseeming an ingenuous Pagan; and to be forever abhorred and held accursed by every soul that professeth itself Christian. Admit this once: and let Man, yea and the Devil too, be true, and only God a liar. Leave we him therefore to the judgment of that great God, whom he hath blasphemed; and seek we better satisfaction. That of Aquinas and the Schoolmen, is true, but subtle: that God doth sometimes Velle mutationem, though he doth never Mutare voluntatem; that though he never changeth his will, yet he sometimes willeth a change. That of Gregory is plainer, and no less true, Mutat Deus sententiam, non consilium; God sometimes changeth the sentence which he hath denounced, but never the Counsel which he hath decreed. Others, otherwise: diversmen conceiving the same answer for substance, in divers and different terms.

That which is plainest, and giveth fullest satisfaction, and whereinto the answers of Gregory and Aquinas, and the rest, (as many as have spoken with any truth and pertinency to the point) in the last resolution fall; is briefly this. In the whole course of Scripture, God's Threatenings (and so his Promises too,) have ever a Condition annexed unto them in God's Purpose: which though it be not ever, (indeed but seldom) expressed; yet is it ever included, and so to be understood. All God's Promises, how absolutely soever expressed, are made sub conditione Obedientiae: and all his Threatenings (how absolutely soever expressed) sub conditione Impoenitentiae. And these Conditions, viz. of continuing in Obedience in all Promises; and of continuing in Impenitency, in all Threatenings, are to be understood of course; whether they be expressed, or not. This is plain from those two famous places before cited, Ier. 18. & Ezek. 33. When I say to the wicked▪ Thou shalt surely die; if the wicked turn from his sin, &c. he shall surely live, he shall not die. Where Almighty God plainly teacheth us, that we ought so to conceive of all his Threatenings, be they never so peremptorily set down, (as what more peremptory than this, Thou shalt surely die? ) as that he may reserve to himself a power of Revocation in case the Parties threatened repent. The Examples make it plain. Abimelech shall die for taking Sarah: understand it; unless he restore her. Forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed: understand it with this Reservation; unless they repent. And so of all the rest.

But why is not that Clause expressed then? may some demand. I answer: first, it needeth not; secondly, it booteth not. First, it needeth not. For God having in Ierem. 18. and Ezek. 33. and elsewhere, instructed us in the general, that all his Threatenings are to be understood with such clauses and conditions, and reservations; it is needless to repeat them in every particular: As amongst Christian men, who acknowledge God's Providence to rule in all things, and to dispose of all Actions and Events; it is needless in every speech de futuro contingenti to express this clause [ if God will; ] we will go to such or such a place, or do such or such a thing, if God will: because we readily conceive it, as a clause, which either is, or should be understood in every such speech, as Saint James requireth. And so in many Promises amongst men, this clause though not expressed, is yet allowed of course, and to common intendment understood, [ Rebus sic stantibus; things standing and continuing as now they are▪] so as if a man make a Promise absolutely, without expressing that or any other like clause of Limitation or Exception, if in the interim some such unexpected Accident befall, as maketh that either he cannot or may not do what he had promised; we may not in right reason charge such a man with breach of Promise, if he perform not all he promised: because the foresaid Clause, though not expressed, is yet presumed to have been intended by the promiser. And that God's Threatenings, as de jure they ought to be by us when we hear them, so de facto they were understood by him when he made them, with a secret clause of reservation and exception in case of Repentance; appeareth by the usual practice of many upon such threatenings, and the use they made of them. The Ninevites when Jonah preached destruction within forty days, without any express clause of Repentance; yet understood it so: else had it been in vain for them to have repented at all, out of an hope of preventing the judgment by their repentance; as their speeches show they did. For who can tell, say they, if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not! The like may be said of Abimelech, Hezekiah, and others: and of Ahab in this place.

Again as it is sometimes needless, so it is always bootless, to express this Clause of Repentance in the Threatenings of God. The expressing of it can do little good; secure ones will repent never the sooner for it: But it may do much harm; secure ones may thereby put themselves in fairer hope of forbearance, and so linger their repentance till it be too late. Beloved, it is admirable to observe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God's gracious courses, which he useth for the calling of men to repentance. In this particularity whereof we now speak, see how his Mercy and Truth are met together and do most lovingly embrace each other. Where he spareth in the end, it is most certain he ever meant to spare from the beginning: but that his everlasting purpose is part of his secret counsel, and unrevealed will; which as we cannot learn; so we may not seek to know, till the event declare it. Now to bring this his secret purpose about, he must work those men to repentance, whom he hath thus everlastingly purposed to spare: else his Justice should become unquestionable, in finally sparing the impenitent. Amongst other means to work men to Repentance, this is one, to threaten them with such Judgments, as their sins have deserved: which threatening the more terrible it is, the more likely it is to be effectual; and the more peremptory▪ it is, the more terrible it is. So then God, to bring those men to Repentance whom he meaneth to spare, in his Word and by his Messengers denounceth against them such Iudgments as their sins have deserved, and as his Justice, without their Repentance, would bring upon them; denounceth them I say absolutely and in a peremptory form, without any express Clause of Reservation or Exception, the more to terrify and affright them, and to cast them down to the deeper acknowledgment of his Justice and their own unworthiness: which are yet to be understood conditionally; and interpreted with reservation and exception of Repentance.

You have heard Evidence enough to acquit God's Truth; and do by this time, I doubt not, perceive how, as in all other things, so in the revoking of his Threatenings, God's Mercy and his Truth go hand in hand together. Let us now see what profitable inferences may be raised hence for our use. The sum of all we have said, is but this. God's Threatenings are terrible, but yet conditional: and if he spare to execute them, when we are humbled by them; it is a glorious illustration of his Mercy, but without the least impeachment of his Truth. Here is something for the Distressed, something for the Secure, something for All to learn.

First, for the Distressed, Consider this, and take comfort; all you that mourn in Zion, and groan under the weight of God's heavy displeasure, and the fearful expectation of those bitter Curses and Iudgments, which he hath threatened against sin. Why do you spend your strength and spirit, in gazing with broad eyes altogether on God's Justice or Truth? take them off a little, and refresh them, by fastening them another while upon his Mercy. Consider not only what he threateneth: but consider withal why he threateneth; it is, that you may repent: and withal how he threateneth; it is, unless you repent. He threateneth to cast down indeed: but into Humiliation, not into Despair. He shooteth out his Arrows, even bitter words: but as Jonathan 's Arrows, for warning, not for destruction. Think not he aimeth so much at thy punishment when he threateneth: alas, if that were the thing he sought, he could lay on load enough without words: No, it is thy amendment he aimeth at, and seeketh therein: and therefore holdeth not his tongue, that if thou wilt take it for a warning, he may hold his hand. If the Father do but threaten the Child, when the Rod lieth by him; it is very likely he meaneth not to correct him for that time, but only to make him the more careful to obey, and the more fearful to offend, for the time to come. Canst thou gather hope from the chiding of thy Earthly Father, and wilt thou find no comfort in the chidings and threatenings of thy Heavenly Father? whose bowels of tender compassion to usward are so much larger, than any Earthly Parents can be; by how much himself the Father of spirits is greater than those fathers of our flesh. Yea, but who am I, will some disconsolate soul say, that I should make God's Threatenings void? or what my Repentance, that it should cancel the Oracles of Truth, or reverse the Sentence of the eternal Judge? Poor distressed soul, that thus disputest against thine own peace, but seest not the while the unfathomed depth of God's Mercy, and the wonderful dispensations of his Truth. Know that his Threatenings are not made void, or of none effect, when thou by thy Repentance stayest the execution of them; yea rather then are they of all other times most effectual: for then do they most of all accomplish their proper End, and the thing for which they were intended, in thy Amendment. Neither let his Truth make thee despair; but remember that the tenor of all his most peremptory threatenings, runneth with an implicit reservation and Conditional Exception of Repentance: which condition if thou on thy part faithfully perform, the Judgment shall be turned away, and yet God's Truth no whit impaired. This for the Distressed.

Now for the Secure. Moses in Deut. 29. speaketh of a certain Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood; that blesseth itself when God curseth; and standeth unmoved when God threateneth. Here is an Axe for that Root; to hew it in pieces: and unless it bring forth better fruit, to cleave it out for the fire. If there be any sprigs or spurns of that Root here; let them also consider what hath been said, and tremble. Consider this I say and tremble, all you that make a mock at God, and at his Word, and imagine that all his Threatenings are but Bruta fulmina, empty cracks, and Powder without shot; because sundry of them have fallen to the ground, and not done the hurt they made show of. But know whosoever thou art that thus abusest the Mercy, and despisest the Truth of God; that as his Mercy never did, so his Truth shall never fail. Thou sayest some of his Threatenings have done no harm: I say as much too; and his mercy be blessed for it: but what is that to secure thee? If anywhere God's Threatenings did no harm, and wrought no destruction; it was there only where they did good, and wrought Repentance. If they have turned thee from thy sins, as they have done some others; there is hope thou mayest turn them away from thee, as some others have done. But if they have done no good upon thee in working thy Repentance; certainly they hang over thee to do thee harm, and to work thy destruction. God's Threatenings are in this respect as all his other words are, sure and steadfast; and such as Shall never return void, but accomplish that for which they were sent: if not the one way, then without all doubt the other. If they do not humble thee, they must overwhelm thee; if they work not thy Conversion, they will thy Ruin. As some strong Physic, that either mendeth or endeth the Patient; so are these. And therefore when judgments are denounced; resolve quickly, off or on: Here is all the choice that is left thee; either Repent, or Suffer. There is a generation of men, that (as Moses complaineth) When they hear the words of God's curse, bless themselves in their hearts, and say they shall have peace, though they walk in the imagination of their own hearts; that (as Saint Paul complaineth) Despise the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering, not taking knowledge that the goodness of God would lead them to repentance; that (as Saint Peter complaineth) Walk after their own lusts, and scoffingly just at God's judgments, saying; Where is the promise of his coming? But let such secure and carnal scoffers be assured, that howsoever others speed, they shall never go unpunished: Whatsoever becometh of God's Threatenings against others, certainly they shall fall heavy upon them. They that have taught us their conditions, Moses, and Paul, and Peter, have taught us also their punishments. Moses telleth such a one, however others are dealt with, that yet the Lord will not spare him; but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the Curses that are written in God's Book, shall light upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under heaven. St. Paul telleth such men▪ That by despising the riches of his goodness and forbearance, they do but treasure up unto themselves wrath against the great day of wrath, and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Saint Peter telleth them▪ howsoever they not only sleep, but snort in deep security, That yet ( p) their judgment of long time sleepeth not, and their damnation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not so much as slumbereth. Do thou then take heed, whoever thou art, and whatsoever thou dost, that thou abuse not the Mercy of God; and to divorce it from his Truth, is to abuse it. If when God threateneth, thou layest aside his Truth, and presumest on his bare Mercy; when he punisheth, take heed he do not cry quittance with thee, by laying aside his Mercy, and manifesting his bare Truth. God is patient and merciful. Patience will bear much, Mercy forbear much; but being scorned, provoked, and dared, Patience itself turneth furious, and Mercy itself cruel. It is Mercy that threateneth, it is Justice that punisheth. Mercy hath the first turn, and if by Faith and Repentance we lay timely hold of it, we may keep it forever, and (revenging) Justice shall have nothing to do with us. But if, careless and secure, we slip the opportunity, and neglect the time of Mercy; the next turn belongeth to Justice, which will render Judgment without Mercy, to them that forgot God, and despised his Mercy. That, for the Secure.

Now, thirdly, and generally, for All. What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. God hath purposely in his threats joined and tempered Mercy and Truth together, that we might take them together, and profit by them together. Dividat haec si quis, faciunt discreta venenum; Antidotum sumet, qui sociata bibet: as he spake of the two poisons. Either of these single, though not through any malignant quality in themselves, (God forbid we should think so) yet through the corrupt temperature of our Souls, becometh rank and deadly Poison to us. Take Mercy without Truth, as a cold Poison it benumbeth us, and maketh us stupid with careless security. Take Truth without Mercy, as a hot Poison it scaldeth us, and scorcheth us in the flames of restless Despair. Take both together, and mix them well, as hot and cold Poisons, fitly tempered by the skill of the Apothecary, become medicinal, so are God's Mercy and Truth restorative to the Soul. The consideration of his Truth humbleth us; without it, we would be fearless: the consideration of his Mercy supporteth us; without it, we would be hopeless. Truth begetteth Fear and Repentance; Mercy, Faith and Hope: and these two, Faith and Repentance, keep the soul even, and upright, and steady, as the ballast and sail do the ship, that for all the rough waves and weather that encountereth her in the troublesome sea of this World, she miscarrieth not, but arriveth safe and joyful in the Haven where she would be. Faith without Repentance, is not Faith, but Presumption; like a Ship all Sail, and no ballast, that tippeth over with every blast; and Repentance without Faith, is not Repentance, but Despair; like a Ship all ballast, and no Sail, which sinketh with her own weight. What is it then we are to do, to turn away God's Wrath from us, and to escape the Iudgments he threateneth against us? even this. As in his Comminations he joineth Mercy and Truth together, so are we in our Humiliations to join Faith and Repentance together. His threatenings are true, let us not presume of forbearance; but fear, since he hath threatened, that unless we repent,