Commentary on 2 Peter
Damnable heresies.] This is the last circumstance, the malignity of them; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; they are corruptive, destructive, damnable heresies: doctrines of Perdition. 1. Because they are reprobated of God; so Judas was called the Son of Perdition, because God for his sin had rejected him. A wicked person is called the Son of Belial, because Belial had bred him up. The Son of strife, because contention had begotten him, and he begotten contention. So here the Heresies of damnation; because damnation did bring forth them, and they bring forth damnation. 2. Because they are exitiall and pestilent to the kingdoms and nations where they are admitted. How great a plague did Arianism bring to the East, Pelagianism to the west, now Papism to all the world. 3. Because they bring destruction to all their followers and defenders: sometimes temporal. Deut. 18.20. That Prophet shall die. Sometimes spiritual; the Lord turning their rivers into blood, that no man can drink of their waters to comfort: the increase of their labors being given to the locust, and all their vines destroyed with hail. Psal. 78.64. Their Priests falling by the sword: slain (if not with the sword of others) with their own malice: and their widows making no lamentation: no widows, or but one at the most, to make lamentation. For who can pity them that hate the truth? the wickedness of their cause drowns all compassion of their case. The last of all is the worst of all; their eternal perishing; for those transformed Ministers shall receive an end according to their works, 2 Cor. 11.15. For how should the Cross of CHRIST be a friend to them, that are enemies to his Cross? Phil. 3. Verse 19. Their end is destructino, that's much: but their destruction is without end that's more. There is nothing but damnation in their ways. Mic. 3. Verse 10. They build up Zion with blood. Hos. 6 9. As troops of robbers wait for a man: so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent. A robber waits for his prey, but being single he may either be avoided or conquered: but here are many robbers. Yet their divided forces may be subdued; Nay, but they join themselves in Troopes. Thieves may do thus, that profess not God; Nay, but even apostated Priests. It is much that they fall to robbery, but I hope, no further: Yes, even to murder. The Priest and Levite are condemned that did not succor the wounded man; what shall become of them that give wounds, yea murderous ones? It may be there is someone such reprobate; Yea, they do it by consent: or were it but one act; nay agendo agunt: they commit it, it is their practice. Let us all then pray with our Church from sedition and privy conspiracy, from all false doctrine and Heresy. Good Lord deliver us! Amen.
We see what kind of Heresies shall be; consider we then (pardon it, if it be a digression) what may be the causes that produce such inevitable effects. The efficient cause is double; Prima & remotior is the just will of God; who hereby proveth his friends, as some of the Canaanites were left to teach the Israelites war, Judge. 3. and punishtth his enemies. Secunda & propinquior; the natural rebellion, ambition, and cecitie that is in men. The end is double; that the good might be made good by their trial. 1 Cor. 11.19. that the evil might be left more evil. 2 Thes 2.12. That they all might be damned which would not believe the truth. The form is Ipse error, error it self. The matter, articulus ill in quo peccatur, the very point of their prevarication. The main fountain whence they are all derived, is the devil, that Father of lies, and depraver of all goodness. But seeing he cannot well effect this immediately by himself, how may he facilitate his plot? by corrupting certain Instruments. But what seeds of hell can he plant in their hearts, that should grow up to such pernicious fruits? For the devil can work no man to do evil to another, unless he hath first wrought him to admit evil in himself. No reprobate will serve Satan turn for nothing: but there must be some end propounded to his lust, for the satisfaction whereof he precipitates himself to such a hellish course. What may those infernal fires be, wherewith he sets them on burning, and with which they madly run like a rotten inflamed vessel among the whole Navy? Let us a little examine the motives to this pestilent sedition.
First pride, for that loves at all hands to be foremost. Heresies are set on foot by men that thought well of themselves; and perhaps had some cause so to do, if they could have done it within any good compass. Never mean parts set Schisms abroach against CHRIST: the stronger wit, the stronger Heretic. Excellent gifts bind to excellent modesty; in humilitate Sapientia; wisdom is seen in humbleness. They that blow abroad their own praises, justly incur the suspicion of windiness. Alienum laudet te, non os tuum; thy praise would sound better in thy neighbors mouth. Virtue never was a gadding Dinah, that runs abroad to be seen of the daughters of the land. But rather an Elizabeth, that hid her self six months together: loe, then was she fruitful, and bred child, and that so famous a one as John the Baptist. Stand further from me, I am purer than thou, this is vox superbientis, the voice of a proud sinner: Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man; this is vox paenitentis, the voice of a penitent Saint. The wise man never wrote upon his doors, here dwells wisdom: nor did goodness ever dwell at the sign of ostentation. It is for hypocrisy to declare the own worth, otherwise it would never be under stood for Sincerity. As the foolish Painter having pictured a Lion, so rudely and without such due shape that no passenger could know it: he was fain to help his apt with underwriting, This is a Lion. So it is for pride, when she cannot make her charity understood, to proclaim it her self, This is charity. Sincere ministers Nec pugnas narrant, nec cicatrices suas, never publish their own sufferings and virtues: it is enough for them if they be found one day among those, In quorum ore non est inventus dolus, In whose mouth was found no guile, Revel. 14.5. That is, according to Saint Augustine's gloss; who confessed meekly that they were sinners, and sought no other glory then Humility. Whereas Pride, saith Cyprian, is ever looking in her glass: Speculum consulitur: Cur? nisi quia timet ne sit ipsa: at least the glass must say she is fair: yet is, this Jezebels paint no better than the plaster of a leprous countenance, Rom. 1.22. Thus professing themselves to be wise, they became fools! A just judgment to light on them, that thought it nothing worth to be counted wise, unless the whole world were fools besides. None more thrust themselves forward into the battle, than these dwarfes and demilances; mere atomi in true being, yet big as Giants in their own opinion. But indeed, if only Artists might censure arts, and the common people were admitted no Judges in the Court of Faculties; never was dumbenesse more incident to him that is borne deaf, than ignorance is to heresy. 1 Tim. 6.4. He is proud, or a Fool; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : the word signifying, both, as if it would teach us, that every proud man is a fool: and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , knoweth nothing. Alexander would be drawn in colors by none but Apelles, and graven by none but Lysippus, both excellent in their qualities. God will have none meddle with his Scriptures, but holy and illuminate minds; and they are most humble and circumspect. The most blind are the most proud, and soonest venture on the deepest mysteries. Of the two bad states, to be a Phatisie is worse than to be a Publican: to be proud of good endowments is worse than to have neither pride nor good endowments. To be proud then, according to Saint Paul's method in ranking their attributes, is the first brand of the Sectary: that same radical cause of every sin, especially of Schism. This is the common proceeding: first the devil brings in Pride, then pride brings in singularity, and singularity brings in heresy.
The next cause is envy and malice: if this fury be in the heart, the devil may save a labor of driving. As they talk of a coach that moves without horses, being set forward by some vices and devices within, certain wheels and weights: so malice hurries away it self, and tarries not for the Auriga, or driver. All Heretics are malicious, and carried with a rancorous hate to pervert others. As Ar • hytas took no pleasure in viewing heaven, with all the celestial beauties, unless he may have one to tell it to again: so the Sectary takes no pleasure in his error, unless he can work others to the same faction, Matth. 23.15. The Pharisees would • ompasse sea and land to make one Proselyte: it was but a trick of their Father, the • ivell compasseth the whole earth to spill a soul. Like men sick of the plague, they have an itching desire to infect others. Hoc fonte derivata clades, that does in patriam • epulúmque fluere: this is the head from whence springs all mischief. If Ahab must be deceived, there is no fitter means to deceive him by, than Spiritus menda • i, a lying spirit. Generally all the corruptions of Israel are fatherd upon the tongues of false prophets: their responsive oracles being not Dictum Domini, sed fictum cordis sui, not God's word, but their own conceit. This God acknowledged, that their sour grape had set the people's teeth an edge: and they might excuse themselves with Eve; The Serpent gave it them, and they gave it the people. But it was an old saying, Execrabilis ill qui ininxit in torrentem, cursed is he that poisons our current. The Jews did so once in England, and would have spilled lives: the emissaries of Rome strive still to be the Jews successors, but with a worse even for they spill souls. Now when the spring by the high way is poisoned, the poor traveler that drinks of it, dies for it. Psal. 104.11. Such a place is to give drink to every beast of the field, and there the wild asses quench their thirst. Now that being envenomed, infecteth all the beasts of the forest, all the birds among the branches, and especially the wild Asses, that there quench their thirst. Quid meruistis eves? Alas what have the poor Lambes deserved, that they must be thus deceived? alas, that they cannot be content to go to hell alone? He that hath once made himself a villain, studies how to make all others fools. Abner calls it Play, though it be with edge-tools: Samson's foxes make a sport to toss firebrands, though they burn corn fields. The skittish kine care not what becomes of the Ark, so they may be frisking. If the Church finds them, and smites them, strait they complained persecution: but indeed it is not the Church, but they that persecute. Hagar bears Sara, not Sara Hagar, though you would think it otherwise when you read the story. Hagar hath gotten a great belly, and now she domineers over her mistress: Sara doth but just, to strike when she is provoked. Thus the Jesuits come against us with new malice, though with old arguments: they cannot leave their old and own figure, Pseudologia. Therefore concerning their Tenants, let us not so much weigh virus, the malice; as vires, the validity and force. For they dip their pens in the gall of the red dragon, and write bitter things; as if they loved cursing, Psalm. 109. Verse 17. But LORD let blessing be the prayer of our lips, blessing the desire of our hearts, and blessing the end of our hopes, and crowned our heads forever.
Another cause or motive is discontent. He is not fed with such broth as he loves, finds not preferment as he would, and thinks himself worthy of, but nobody else thinks so. Hereupon he inveighs most lewdly and loudly, against them that scorned, and happily had good cause to scorn, to set his Fathers or his fathers fathers with the dogs of their flock. Now the Trumpet of Moses is made a trunk to shoot pellets at truths, and Moses his friends. And the characters of slander must be drawn in the oil of the Tabernacle, to the abomination of God and man. Arus driving ambitiously at a Bishopric, was prevented by Alexander his competitor, the worthier man, though not esteemed his match for heat of zeal. Upon the missing his suite, he pursued his spite, by broaching an Heresy: that after the repulse he might seem somebody, and draw a world of mal-contents after him, Theod. Eccl. Hist. lib. 1. Cap. 2. How many hath this motive sent oover to Rome!
Another cause is confidence of power and numbers. Seneca reports that the Senators of ancient Rome ordained, that the slaves should go distinguished from the free borne in apparel: as it might be the cap which made a difference between a slave and a Citizen. But at last they perceived that there might be inconvenience in this: for the slaves might chance to fall a numbering their own side, and upon the understanding of their own strength, might break forth into open rebellion, and shake off the yoke of servitude. So let every man do as he list, and every assembly assume what fashion it list; it will be at last considered who have the most of their side. And where is Major numerus, will follow Pejor populus: they will be followers of the campe, partly for company, and partly for bootie. So they will come to perform indeed, what Hushai dissembled in word, 2 Sam. 16.18. When the people choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. Thus the ring leaders begin, not only to vaunt of their virtues, but to crack of their forces; and that by the hundreds and the thousands. But yet numbers should not, shall not prevail against the right. It was God's charge, Follow not a multitude to do evil. You have often a multitude of the simple led by one that is subtle: but one good man will not be led by a bad multitude. Error steals in at a little hole, through wantonness and neglect of order. Therefore to prevent it, Saint Paul did heartily charge us to observe order, 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently, and in order. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. Coloss. 2.5. I rejoice in beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith. Such is the excellency of order, that the Apostle ranketh it with Faith. Cant. 6.10. The Church is compared to an Army; because of the goodly array and equipage wherein she marcheth. Without this so many assemblies, so many rents in Christ's garment: so many congregations, so many distractions. Quot capita, tot Schismata, Jerome. It is not well to see a Church like Jeremiah's speckled bird, Ier. 12.9. a bird of divers colors.
They shall privily bring them in.] We have done with the matter, let us come to the manner of this Induction. Latenter, under-hand, Privily. Which word notes to us their subtlety, their vigilancy, their hypocrisy.
First, their Subtlety and political craft, whereby they insinuate their unseen poisonous seeds, Ephes. 4.14. Paul calls it the Sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. As scandalizers scatter their libels, if it be liked, they know the authors: if it be dangered to penalty, it is none of theirs. Sins agents are brought up in her own house, and taught the rudiments of her own discipline: as your Dequoyes teach young practitioners their trade of cheating. It is the brand of sin, to be deceitful, Hebr. Chap. 3. verse. 13. Take heed lest you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. This art of cozenage she teacheth to all her littor: O it is the subtlest Damme that ever the Devil engendered withal, and most pregnant in generation! He was in the Serpent when he begat iniquity on man; but now he hath made sin more subtle than the Serpent, Eccles. 21.2. We see the craftiest politicians over-reached by sin: they have tricks beyond all men, Sin hath a trick beyond them. Sin like the Fencer, may teach his scholars many postures, and wards, and tricks; but still reserves one for himself. They can cozen other men of their estates, but Sin can cozen them of their souls. Let us therefore pray for that blessed illumination, to find out the deceits and cunning of sin: that albeit it once deceived us of our Birth-right, it may not now deceive us of our Blessing. It stole from us the happiness of Nature, let it never steal from us the happiness of Grace.
Secondly, their vigilant care to spy out the opportunity, how they may privily bring Heresy in. She that will lay her bastard at an honest man's door, must watch the time when the whole family is either far enough without, or is fast asleep within. Never was more watchfulness, than where is most purpose of wickedness. The ungodly cannot sleep unless he do mischief, Mic. 2.1. They devise iniquity on their beds, and when the morning is light they practice it. They lie waking all night, that they may be working in the morning. Luke 16.8. The children of this world are Sapientiores, Wiser: yea, and Vigilantiores, Watchfuller; than the children of light. You seldom hear of them that watch all night to prayer, and the service of GOD, Job Chap. 24. verse. 16. In the dark they dignity thorough houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day. They spy their opportunity by day, but act their villainy by night. That is the private and secret season of bringing in their damnable traffic: they have found the key, and when all are asleep, they land their merchandize. The biting cur barks not beforehand: nor did he that meant to rob, send a messenger before to tell the passengers, Ware the thief. These repentine, serpentine mischiefs sting before they hiss: and like the Musket, kills dead before it gives the report. The Lion first roars and then preys; the Wolf first preys, and then roars: the Heretike preys, but roars not at all. As the woman that loves credit more than conscience, will sin, so it be in private: so this Incendiary resolves to adulterate the truth, and to prostitute his soul to falsehood; but his hope and help is in the the shadow of darkness; Privily. When all is cock-sure, (the good-man absent) GOD not preventing, (the good-wife suspectless) the Church without mistrust, (the servants asleep) the Ministers retired; then doth this incarnate fiend begin to work upon the children. And in confidence of his two confederate thieves, Place and Occasion; he so bestirs himself; that from poor innocent souls he often steals the best of blessings, a good conscience. Never did opportunity meet with one that makes more use of it: he will husband it to proof, and like a cunning antagonist, lose not an inch of his advantage. The diligence of such is admirable: the Pharisees would take great pains to damn a Proselyte, Matth. Chap. 23. verse. 15. The children of light are not always the forwardest in their generation. Besides, they have many obstacles, 1 Thess. Chap. 2. verse. 18. We would have come unto you once and again, but Satan hindered us. Our way is like Cushi's, full of rubs: but they like Ahimaaz, take the Plain way. Mischiefe is nimble, and he that intends evil, will break his sleep to do it, Matth. Chap. 13. verse. 25. It is the Servants that sleep, it is the enemy that watcheth to sow tares. I would we had their wings and speed, I wish not their tallons nor their flight. If Hazaels feet did belong to Solomon's head, and both these to David's heart, O there was a man for God, a man of God! The shepherd watcheth to guard his flock, the Wolf watcheth to destroy his flock: the Wolf hath the advantage, for he may sleep out of fear: but whensoever the shepherd sleeps, the flock is in danger. Our comfort is, that though the wolf be waking, though the lambes sleep, though the shepherd sleep, though the Church sleep, yet he that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; and this Keeper watch over us evermore.
Lastly, their hypocrisy, with the covertly carriage of their intended plagues, Rom. 16.18. By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple. Without this there could be no Privily: appearance would condemn them. Vice dares not walk without a borrowed shape: like an old courtesan, guilty of her own witherednesse, she never goes without a mask. Countenances furthest from native beauty, love artificial shadows. Never ill would appear it self, if it could be hid. Hypocrisy is the usher of Heresy, a marshall that makes way for her, and cries Roome, here comes my Lady. Like the wench that led Saint Peter into the high Priests Hall; but not with the same purpose, to declare him. Ignorant people are beguiled with glosses and colors, as boys with babies, and Indians with rattles, and such pretty toys. Satan himself seems fair, when he is dressed up like an Angel of light: and a Wolf cunningly appareled in a sheep-skin, coozens the poor lambes. That damnable Heretike Pelagius, was a man of austere conversation: and false prophets come with a rough garment next their skins, like a Gibeonite in his old shoes. Therefore we must learn to distinguish between Samuel and the Devil, which the Witch of Endor suborned in his likeness: and we may easily do it, by his ascending out of the earth. Hypocrites think, as Brutus said when he was dying; that virtue it self was but a name; that all piety is but a name, and that name they get. Who were they that opposed Paul's Sermon at Antioch? Act. Chap. 13. verse. 50. Devout and honorable women, and the chiefemen. Devout; that they were honorable persons, no wonder: that they were wise after the flesh, no wonder: that they were mighty, no wonder. For, 1 Cor. 1.26. Not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But that Devout, religious, zealous persons should resist the truth; this is strange, yet true. Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, those three resisters of Moses, were the most famous and eminent men in the congregation. Let us therefore pray God, that they may be either inwardly Lambes, as they are not: or appear outwardly wolves, as they are: either to turn their hearts from their wolvish condition, or to pull their sheep-skin over their ears: that no jugglers may privily by their mists and mysteries, pervert the flock of Jesus Christ.
Who privily shall bring in damnable heresies.] I am not yet quite wound out of this Labyrinth of heresies: I could wish myself well rid of them, wish you all well rid of them, wish the Land well rid of them, wish the world well rid of them. But O that I could as soon turn them out of the Church, as I can out of my discourse. Now at most they do but trouble your ears; let them pass undiscovered, and they will trouble your hearts. All I have done, is but to show you the mazes and windings of error; and now I am ready to lead you out, and with due speed to bring you to a clearer coast. That remains is for application; to denominate those birds of this feather, whereof we at this present are in danger. I will discover to you three sorts; one that would disturb your peace, another that would pervert your faith, a last, that would corrupt your manners; all of which would wound your consciences.
They that would privily wrong your peace, are seditious Schismatics: who, when the bread of life is broken to the people, throw in crooked pins to choke them. These are they that vellicate authority, that calumniate our Service-book, because the form is uniform. When we beseech Christ by his Agony and bloody Passion; this they call conjuring: when the Minister to the penitent pronounceth absolution, this they call a Popes pardon. When we pray for all men, this they say is against God's Election. When we pray for all those that travel by land or by water; this they say, is to pray for thieves and pyrates. When, against lightning and thunder; this prayer they would have used only in Summer: otherwise they say, we pray against sparrow-blasting. When we pray that our forefathers sins may not be laid to our charge; this they say is to acknowledge Purgatory. Thus they have made our Service to stink in the nostrils of men: but our comfort is that it smells sweet in the nostrils of God. Our Surplices and Vestments, they say, are not made of the Camels skin, but of the Dragons tail. Take heed of these, who privily bring in offenses to your peace. And Bonum pacis martyrio praeferimus, Liber. Indeed they are zealous against all errors but their own: but Saint Augustine would not have men such confuters; ut error vincat errorem, & quod pejus est, major minorem; that one error shall be convinced by another, and the less by the greater. Is this holiness, to be always finding faults? Is this zeal, to like nothing but their own inventions? I remember what Augustine said to Julian the Pelagian; Cum animositatem viceris quâ teneris, veritatem poteris tenere quâ vinceris; When thou shalt master that stomach whereof thou art possessed; thou shalt possess that truth wherewith thou art mastered, Rom. 16.17. Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them: for their conviction, and your own security.
They that would privily bring in corruptions to your faith, as the Papists. Here Antichrist had cause to be angry, and plead that he had not his right, if he were not brought in for the ring-leader: whose profession is to make your souls drunk with the wine of his fornications, Rev. 17 2. Beware of these Romish agents and instruments: all their desire is to intoxicate your hearts, and proudly to tyrannize over your consciences. He is that man of sin, that man of pride, that opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; 2 Thess. 2.4. He rose first above Bishops, then above Councils, then above Kings, then above Scriptures, and now so far as it is possible, above God himself. All that are not dead in sense, know his malice; Killing all those that worship not the image of the Beast, Rev. 13.15. Saint Paul tells us; All things are yours; if all be ours, what unsufferable wrong doth he to us, that takes away from us half a Sacrament, the whole Scripture? For what purpose sends he over his Seminaries, those flies that come humming out of the Larder of Hell? They envy, they inveigh, they write, they rail. But as the Jews did with Stephen; when they could not confute him with arguments, they did it with stones: so what they cannot evince by the Word, they will convince by the sword. They have always powder in the panne; and when they spy their time, they will turn their pens into pen-knives, and their ink into blood. O but now they plead Kings truce: yet as in France, when it was said there should be a consultation at Paris, to hear complaints, to redress wrongs, and set all things even: and that the Protestants should have free access to declare their grievances, and safe-conduct to return: one answered, Promise what they list, for Saint Bartholomew-Eves sake I will not trust them. So how ever they show themselves, looking smoothly, and speaking-fairly: yet for the Fifth of Novembers sake let us never trust them. Only bless we our GOD, that though they do so much mischief as they can, yet they cannot do so much as they would. And if our sins provoke him not, Christ will preserve his flock from being a pity to their teeth forever.
[unspec 3] They that infect our manners are evil companions; Satan's agents: who is still scattering his firy darts among the Army of Israel. And when they light upon wood they kindle, when upon flax they flame, when upon gunpowder they blow up all. Infirmitie is as the wood; desire to sin, that is the flax; delight a sin, that is the powder. If we be naked, or only clothed with hypocritical our sides, or with the thin coat of reason, these darts will wound us: only the shield of faith rebates the points, and quenches all the fire. Some are afraid of meeting the Devil in a dark night: alas, he will not scare thee from himself: what should he get by that? No, it is worse meeting him like an Angel of light: by an Orator persuading, by a Poet delighting, by a friend flattering, by a wife seducing: thus is the Devil often brought in like concealed ware. Some make question whether there be a Devil or no, because they never saw any: but thou mayest see him in his effects, tempting thee to lewdness. In the time of Superstition, the Devil did often appear in some bodily shape, and he had reason for it; for by that means be drave men forward to desperation, to which in those days they were most inclined. But in these times of profaneness, he will not appear in his likeness, lest he should hold men back from presumption, to which they were running head-long. For he is never a worse devil, than when he comes lap'd up in Samuel's Mantle; privily under the cloak of holiness! so that now all the wisdom is to see the Devil. If a man's eye be too near the object, the beams of his sight will be confounded; there must be a mediocrity of distance. As in the Optickes, if a man would perceive the art of a perspective picture, he must go a distance from it, and then look on it with artificial eyes, or spectacles fitted for the purpose. So if a man would apprehend the prospects of Satan, with all his shadowings and deep deceits; he must not stand too nigh him, but go further off. And then he must look, not with the eyes of nature or reason, so he shall never descry him: but with the eye of faith in the glass of the Scripture; this shall plainly represent him.
Fear Satan then most, when with the fairest pretences of good, he seeks to justify evil. When the woman of Tehoah with a subtle parable procured Absalom's repeal from banishment, 2 Sam. 14.19. David replied, Is not the hand of Job with thee in all this? When thou beholdest Sacrilege coloured under the title of an impropriation. Is not the hand of the Devil in this? When oppression passeth under the name of reasonable and allowed Interest: Is not the hand of the Devil in this? If you see secret malice strike under the semblance of Justice: Is not the hand of the Devil in this? If covetous worldliness pass for honest thriftiness: Is not the hand of the Devil in this? If flattery creept up to preferment, under the title of humility: Is not the hand of the Devil in this? If plumes, painting, gawdie purfles, the ornaments of Popinjays, to the inversion of nature, and destruction of modesty; march all under the colors of comliness, and going according to their state: Is not the hand of the Devil in this? Let us find out this privy inductions of these damnable heresies, and resist him there, 1 Pet. 5.9. Resist him steadfast in the faith: this wrings his sword out of his hand; he and all his adherents shall fall before us, John. 12.31. The Prince of this world shall be cast out: What folly is it for the wicked to fight on his side, that is sure to be vanquished? Fear thy sin, never fear Satan? let him not have Lust that secret factor in thy city, that Intelligencer in thy soul; and he can do thee no harm. Through sin only is their force and fury so terrible to us, Ephes. 6.12. Spiritual wickedness, or wicked spirits: but spiritual wickedness is more to be feared than wicked spirits. But the God of peace shall shortly tread Satan under our feet, Rom. 16.20. Now the Lamb that hath the key of the bottomless pit, and the great chain in his hand, bind that Dragon with everlasting darkness. But for thy Church; send forth thy mercy and truth, and save us; and let thy face shine upon us forever.
Denying the Lord that bought them.] This I called their Criminall evil, a sin that seems to keep the circle of their own selves; and not to extend to the mischief of others, but only by the force of example. In handling whereof, I will first consider the general doctrine; what it is to deny Christ; and wherein these false teachers deny him: and them the application of it; who they be that in these times deny him. In special we find the aggravation of their apostasy in three heinous ascendings. First, They Deny: it were bad enough to slight him, worse to forget him, yet worse to forsake him: but to Deny him, this is fearful. Secondly, The Lord: not a creature, not a man, not a Father, not a friend, not an Angel, not themselves: but the Lord, this is more fearful. Thirdly, That bought: it is much to deny a benefactor, more to deny a Parent, more to deny a Creator: but yet there is a step higher, to advance this blasphemy to the full altitude; to deny a Redeemer; Him that with the precious blood of his heart Bought them; this is most execrable.
Denying of Christ.] is of two sorts: either in Judgment or in practice: denial in faith, or denial in fact. The latter is of infirmity, the other of infidelity. 1 Tim. 1.19. Some have put away faith and a good conscience; and concerning faith have made shipwreck. There is a denial of faith, 2 Tim. 3.5. Some having a form of godliness, deny the power of it, Tit. 1.16. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him. There is a denial of fact. The former makes a man no Christian: the other makes him non nullum, sed malum; not no Christian, but an evil Christian. The denial of Christ in judgment hath many degrees. 1. Apostasy, a falling off from Christ, and from the known truth into willful errors. Heb. 3.12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God. 2. A violent opposing that truth which they have rejected, both with tongue and hand: justifying and defending their own mischievous opinions against the Gospel of Christ, Lastly, the sin against the Holy Ghost. First men forsake Christ, then deny him, lastly blaspheme him. This is indeed that which truly rents a man off from Christ, and deprives him of all hope to be saved. The denial in fact is a dangerous pit, yet the mercy of God hath helped some out of it. So was Peter delivered; Servus negavit Dominum, sed Dominus amavit servum; The servant denied his Master, but the Master loved his servant. Paul did not only deny him, but persecute him; yet he obtained mercy, 1 Tim. 1.13. Many of the Jews did not only deny him, but crucify him, Act. 3.14. Ye denied the holy one, and the Just: yet were they pricked in heart at Peters Sermon; gladly received his Word, and were baptized, Act. 2.41.
Every action that gives way to God's dishonor, and heartens others to superstition, is a denial of Christ in some degree of fact, 1 Cor. 10.20. The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. He that tasteth the meat offered to Idols, Gustu negavit Christum, hath denied Christ with his tasting. If he doth not so, yet let him but touch those things with pleasure, Tactu negavit Christum, He hath denied Christ with his touching. Though he doth not touch, yet if he stand to look upon the Idolatry, Visu negavit Christum, He hath denied Christ with his eyes. Though he forbear to look, yet if he listen to those charms, Auditu negavit Christum, He hath denied Christ with his ears. Though he omit all these, yet if he smell to the Incense, Odoratu negavit Christum, He hath denied Christ with his smelling. He may be denied voice, vest, vultu, victu; with the voice, when men speak to dishonor him, though inwardly they reverence him: with the garment, when they wear idolatrous fashions of attire to escape notice: with the countenance, when they seem delighted to behold the breaden god carried in a box: with the diet, when only to give content to some popish spirits, they will forbear certain meats on certain days. These be all degrees of denial in them, that rather seek to please men, than to be the constant servants of Christ.
He that dissembles a false faith is thus guilty. Faith may be feigned; ex parte objecti, when it doth not credit all the Word: ex parte subjecti, in respect of the false heart of man: ex parte exterioris actionis, when a man keeps the true faith of Christ, but dares not profess it. Nicodemus had a good mind to Christ, but he durst not be known of it: now in that he did not openly acknowledge him, he did in a sort deny him. It is objected, Rom. 14.22. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Therefore a man may conceal his faith. But the Apostle speaks not there de fide necessariorum, concerning the faith of those things we must necessarily believe: but de fide adiaphororum, concerning the faith of indifferent things. Shall I change any faith in these? No, do not change it, but hide it. Shall my faith then be quite concealed? No, God sees it. To what purpose have I faith, and not to show it? Yes, show it to God. Thy faith is to be concealed, not cancelled. But then a man may hide his faith in time of persecution, and be present at idolatrous services? No, for the Apostle speaks not of that faith, Quae ad dogmata pertinet, sed de rebus medis; but only of things indifferent, and therein sometimes to hide our faith is not to offend, Chrysost. Our own faith, I say, for a man may sometimes dissimulare fidem propriam, dissemble his own faith: but he must never simulare fidem alienam, counterfeit a strange faith.
Here may be questioned, whether it is lawful to be present at a Mass, so long as we reserve our own faith; and whether this be to deny Christ in any sort. The Apostle clears it, 1 Cor. 10.14. Flee from idolatry. This exhortation he strengthens with two special reasons; the one verse. 20. They that partake of things offered to Idols, have fellowship with the devils. The other, verse. 21. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's Table, and of the table of devils. Besides offending of the weak Christian, and confirming the strong Papist. A Protestant cannot possibly communicate with the Papists, without sin: yet they may communicate with us, without sin. Our Service is without all fear of idolatry, even themselves being judges: so that a Papist remaining a Papist, may communicate with us: and it is rather out of pride, than conscience, that they refuse it. Yet it sticks upon the stomach of some toy-headed Professors, that they may lawfully see a Mass, going with their kindred, for sport; and rather than want excuses, that they might more detest it. But Paul cuts off all these reasons, 1 Cor. 10.22. Do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger than be? God shall condemn all colorable shifts, and expose thee to his wrath. To exhort this allowance, nothing is more commonly cited than the example of Naaman, 2 King. 5.18. When my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow in the house of Rimmon; the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing. To which Elisha doth seem to give approbation; Go in peace. This place is their opinion doth prove it, when indeed this place makes most strongly against it. First, Naaman speaks of a civil worship to his Master, not a superstitious one to the Idol: the King leaning on his hand; either Majestatis or infirmitatis gratiâ; whether for weakness or for State. Secondly, He professed the resolution of his heart to worship only the God of Israel, that had healed him. Begging earth to make an Altar, erecting an Altar for sacrifice, and sacrificing that he might be thankful. Thirdly, He puts the doubt of his own weakness, that notwithstanding his resolved sincerity; yet being with his Master in that cursed place, he did not know how temptation might work upon him; therefore he says, God be merciful to me in this; Pray for me that I may not fall, pray for me that I may find mercy. Fourthly, Some think that Elisha did not approbare, sed tolerare; not approve, but suffer Naaman's fault; but there is no dispensing with sin. Fifthly, Go in peace, is as much, as God be with you Sir; a valediction: not the words concedentis postulatum, of one that granted a request: sed dimittentis abeuntem, but of one that gave him license to depart. Sixthly, Indeed the Prophets meaning was to comfort the Syrian in God's mercy; whose strength should be glorified in his weakness. Who would either wholly keep him from idolatry, or if he fell upon infirmity, afford him gracious forgiveness. If such a thing happen; but either thou shalt die, or thy Master die; howsoever God will prevent it; Go in peace. Seventhly, Naaman did confess that the bowing in the house of Rimmon was a sin, or else he would not have begged pardon for it. When I go to mass, I reserve my heart unto God: so did Naaman, yet he cried, Lord be merciful to me in this. He desired mercy, as fearing before hand: we have those that will do it, and never beg mercy afterwards; that never say, In this Lord pardon me. Thus they have a fair warrant from this place: for Namaan condemns it, and yet they would by his example find arguments to allow it. If it were not a sin, why doth he crave pardon for it? if it be a sin, why do we seek to justify it? But we go to behold it as a Player: but plays are for stages, not for Churches. Darest thou go to a Temple, to see religion made a mockery, and the Name of thy God a lest. But we would see it, that we may confute the absurdities of it. But would any sober man go to a drunken meeting, that he might learn to condemn drunkenness? he knew it was bad enough before. But we would go to convert others: goodly! as if the wool should undertake to turn the pitch white by touching it; will not the pitch rather black the wool? Peter durst abroad draw his sword against a whole troop, in defense of his Master: yet after all his protestation of inseperablenesse from CHRIST, he was infected with the air of the high Priests hall. But yet we would see it, that no longer by report, but by ocular testimony we might hate it. But would any man desire to see murder or incest, that he might more loath it? All reasons are lost that make for sin: therefore resolve against this danger of temptation, lest you be found to deny CHRIST.
This for the general doctrine; now for the application, that we may perceive who they are which in any measure or degree deny JESUS CHRIST.
1 The Jews and Turks. For the Jews, their refusal of him more strongly approves him: neither could he be justified to be that Messias, if they rejected him not. Loe now how the Lord hath requited them: they denied him, and he hath denied them. Their sin is capitally written in their long and desperate ruin. If they would compare their former captivities with their former sins; they should now find that they have committed some sin more heinous than all former sins, because they suffer a plague more grievous than all former plagues. This sin was the denial of CHRIST, and this plague for that denial. For the Turks they have taken the name of Savior from CHRIST, and given it to Mahomet that coozning Arabian. Their malice is not only to deny JESUS, but to murder him; and by all stratagems seconded with bloody violence to wast Christendom, and to bring his name to nothing. But arise ô LORD, thou and the Ark of thy strength; convert or confound thine enemies, and Remember those Tyrants that say of thy Jerusalem; Rase it, rase it, even to the foundations thereof.
2 The Greekish Church of the Ruffes and Muscovites have reserved from forgetfulness the name of CHRIST, but in the foundations of their religion have denied him. They are the basest dregs of all Christians, and so to call them 〈◊〉 to allow them the most favor that can be. They will admit none of the Christ an world to their font, but such as solemnly renounce, spit at, and abjure their former God, religion, baptism. They are as ignorant as Turks, as idolatrous as Pagans, as obstinate as Jews, and more superstitious than Papists. If the worst of the Roman, and best of the Russian, were compared, it would be hard to judge which were least evil. They give more honor to Saint Nicholas, if at lest he was a Saint, if an honest man, than they do to CHRIST. They usually put a scroll into the hands of their dead, when they bury him; it is this, A Russe of R • ss •• ; which they call a certificate to Saint Peter. It is their wickedness and infelicity to have denied Christ.
3 Such other Heretics as have kept the name of Christians, yet have spoiled the just honor of CHRIST. These differ from the other, and are not properly called Religions, but Opinions. Every Heresy though fundamental, makes not a religion: we say not the Religion of the Arians, Nestorians, Sabellians, Macedonians; but the Sect or Heresy. Not to discuss the propriety, no opinion challengeth the name of a Religion in our usual speech. Such were the Valentinian and Manichean heresies, that denied CHRIST'S Humanity. The Arian and Samisetanian, that denied his Divinity. The Nestorian, that distracted him into two persons. Eutychian, that confounded the two natures. The Sabellian, that mind him with the Hypostasis of the Father. Donatus, that denied his kingdom, that is his Church to be perpetual and catholic. Pelagius, that denied him to be the Redeemer of little ones in baptism. Novatas, that denied his grace and mercy to sinners fallen. There were innumerable such whom the Lord with his fan hath cast out, purging his Floore from such damnable chaff. The same gracious hand purge it still; that all men may come with heart and tongue, to acknowledge one true God, and one blessed Savior, Jesus Christ.
4 The religion, or rather faction of Papism. It is most wonderful to read, how Feuardentius and others of them upon this Text, do challenge us for the principal men that deny CHRIST. But when we come to examine the weight, their very arguments against us do strengthen us, and we find ourselves the more comforted in being so scandalized. Let indifferency be judge! we adore and trust upon CHRIST for our only Savior, and ascribe to him the whole of our redemption: they join other Savior's, other mediators with him; now which of us do most deny CHRIST? do you look for more evidence? you shall have it that both the cold neuters who treat of a reconcilement between us; and the hot separatists that say we have not left them at all because we retain some ceremonies which they use; may be at once satisfied and ashamed. It is not matter of order, but matter of faith that hath divide us; nor ceremony, but substance: not a bush, but a wall of stone, that we can scarce imagine the separation greater which divided Abraham from the rich man in hell. 1 John. 2.2. Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? he is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. But they deny not the Father, albeit the Son: yea, in this they have denied the Father: where CHRIST is but half a Savior, God is but half a Father. Verse 23. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. They worship images, adore relics, invoke Angels; here they deny Jesus. They sacrifice for the sins of quick and dead with a wafer cake, hold a Purgatory for the scouring up of souls, as I CHRIST'S blood was not able to do it; here they deny Jesus. They tread down the deputies of God from their Thrones, and set up an usurping Prelate, whom all ages have acknowledged a vassal to Prince; here they deny Jesus. They take away Scriptures, mangle Sacraments, license Stews, condemn marriage, wrap up the obsequies of our conscience in the strange livery of an unkowne language; sell pardons for sixepence; open heaven where Christ shuts it, and shut heaven where Christ shuts it, and shut heaven where Christ opens it; here they deny Jesus. They mingle the blood of Martyrs, yea of traitors, with the blood of the Lamb of God which is spotless; which only taketh away the sin of the world, only quencheth the wrath to come, only abateth the edge of his Fathers Justice, even that sword cherubicall which glitters before Paradise: this, this is to deny the Lord that bought them. They are all for Traditions, we for the Scriptures: the goods of our Father are in question, whither shall shall we go but to his will and testament? thither we fly, we do not deny thy word, ô Lord, we do not deny thee: but they that deny the word of Christ, deny Christ himself.
Under this rank of deniers come those whilome professors of Religion, that have now accepted the mark of the beast who are so foolish, that having begun in the Spirit, they will now be made perfect by the flesh, Gal. 3.3. They despise the chaste spouse of their Savior, and are bewitched with the painted beauty of an ill favored strumpet. They that have seen her in her gavest dress with Christian eyes, have loathed her: others have looked on her with the eyes of flesh, and adored her. Diverse have come to Rome with a purpose to be confirmed Papists: by hearsay they magnified her; they came, saw, and scorned her. They looked for religion, and found rank idolatry: the fire of their zeal brought them to the flames of martyrdom. We have some that suffer their zeal there to die, where those good men's zeal began to live; and delight to live, where they would but die. Our mother weeps for them, not for need, but for pity, for piety, for love. Troopes of better informed souls flock daily into her bosom, disdaining their late Antichristianism, and embracing her knees on their own. The mighty one of Israel, that leaves the ninety nine to reduce one lost sheep; fetch them home to his fold, though with shame, though by death. That they may shame the devil, forsake that harlot, love their own mother, bless their own Father, and lastly save their own souls.
5 The Renegate, that being once baptized unto CHRIST, is afterward circumcised, unto Mahomet. It is in vain to charge them with Paul's Testimony. Gal. 5.2. If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing: for they desire not that CHRIST should profit them. Miserable men, that forsake the blood of their Savior, to accept the tyranny of an Impostor! I have read of a Christian, that to save his life turned Turk; but it could not save him: for they presently in derision hanged him up, with these words; Morieris in fide Turca; However thou livest, thou shalt die a Turk. They are so conscious of their own great Prophets weakness; that if any man deny Christ, they will never trust him in the acknowledgement of Mahomet.
6 The Neuter, that is of either side, of neither side; today a Romist, tomorrow a Protestant, next day no man can tell what, nor himself; this man denies Christ. They think him theirs, we think him ours, his own conscience finds him neithers. O but our differences trouble him: but shall a man deny Christ, because his coat is divided? In religion and faith there is no wavering: he that doth not believe and profess the truth, denies it. There is no medium: we must be either for it, or against it. Judge 5.23. Curse ye the inhabitants of Meroz, because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty. They did not fight against him, but because they did not fight for him they are cursed. Let us say, as that Martyr answered, when he was offered both torments and rewards; rewards if he did deny Christ, torments if he would not; with time of deliberation. In re tam justa nulla consultatio: the case is so clear, that I need not study about it. Let us much rather lose ourselves, than our Savior Christ.
7 The Separatist, that speaking of his country, cries he is fled out of Babel, he hath forsaken his mother, therefore denied his Father. And whither runs he? out of the free and clear air of the Gospel, into the stench and irksome mixture of Jews, Arians, Anabaptists. Who but a mad man would forsake the Church of England, which Rome envies, all the world admires; to go to Amsterdam? It is their delight to be thwartingly peevish: and where the gate stands open, to be ever seeking for a style. They will be cross, though they be absurd: and because the Law enjoins abstinence on some certain days; therefore their greatest seals shall be on frydayes. Like certain Ilanders near to China, that salute by putting off their shoes, because the men of China do it by their hattes. He that wrongs the wife, is no friend to the husband: in refusing the Church, they have denied Christ.
8 The Persecuter, that invades the liberty of those who love the Lord Jesus, denies Christ, Joab smote Absalom's body but therein David's heart. The rebel says, he means no hurt to the person of the king: but because he doth it to the subjects, he is therefore a traitor: so he that strikes the Christian, strikes Christ. Such shall not escape unpunished, either here or hereafter. Not even Paul himself was transmitted, without feeling what he inflicted. Examine his own testimony, 2 Cor. 11.23, &c. Did he make havoc of the Church? the world made havoc of him for it. Did he hale men and women to prison? himself was often claped up for it. Did he help to stone Stephen? himself was stoned for it. Did he afflict his own countrymen? his own countrymen afflicted him for it. Did he lay stripes upon the Saints, the Jews laid stripes upon him for it. Was he weary, painful, diligent to beat down the Gospel? he was in wearynesse, painfulness, frequent watchings and fastings; in hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness, to defend the Gospel, 2 Cor. 11.27. Thus Quod fecit Saulus, patitur Paulus: he endured when he was Paul, what he inflicted as he was Saul. They that persecute Christians, and escape judgment here, shall find everlasting judgment hereafter. Let this point bind us all to the good behavior, that we do good to them who love the Lord Jesus.
This is the superior and more immediate manner of denying CHRIST: there is also an inferior and more remote manner. Which is of such as turn the grace of God into wantonness, and evacuate to their own souls the virtue of his cross: who being redeemed to serve Christ, deny that service: there is a world of these. Tit. 2.11. The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared: Teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, godly to this present world. It persuades to holiness by this token, that it brings salvation with it. It is grace, a sweet nature: that brings salvation, ô more sweet, most welcome but it might lie hid in unknowen obscurity, nay it Appears: not to Paul or Peter only, but To all men. Deliverance from danger binds to gratitude: this was David's security to Bethshabe concerning the succession of Solomon: As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, 1 King. 1.29. But advancing to great preferment bindeth more: this was Joseph's apology to his tempting mistress: My Master hath entrusted all to my hand; there is none greater in his house than I: how then can I do this great wickedness? Gen. 39.9. We were all justly condemned for treason, to hell; the stroke of damnation was near us: at an instant and exigent cometh our pardon; not by the hand of an Angel, God's special courtier, but in the hand of a mediator; not written with ink, but with blood; not vulgar blood, that runs in common veins, but blood royal; no meaner than ran from the side of his own Son. Now our Sovereign Creator commends a suite to us; that we would serve him; by this Token, that he hath redeemed us at such a prize. If we break the covenant, vilipend the mercy, refuse the service, trample under our prophet feet the precious token, deny him that bought us; what remains but a fearful expectation of judgment, and firy indignation to devour us? Hebr. 10.27.29. under this kind I will touch but four offenders.
1 The dissolute and scattering rioter, that draws his patrimony through his throat; he denies CHRIST, will be not believe it? let him read, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an Infidel. Where is no humanity, there can be no piety: he that is not a good moral man, will never be a good Christian. He is worse than an Infidel, because he transgresseth name, which teacheth us all providence even the very beast, much more man. He sinneth • gainst the knowledge he hath received, therefore is the worst offender. The pu •• st ivorie is turned by the fire into the deepest black. We use to extenuate the •• fullness of such a one; He hath no fault, but a little too kind hearted: it is 〈◊〉 one; He hath no fault, but that he hath denied the faith. He is no man's foe but his • wne; yes he is his Posterities foe, and no friend unto Christ.
2 the oppressor: Paul says directly, They have erred from the faith, 2 Tim. 6.10. •• a the very uncharitable. Matth. 25.40. In that ye have denied it to my brethren, •• e have denied it to me; saith CHRIST. Little thinks the Engrosser, that he •• nyes CHRIST: what, to take advantage of the Law, is this to deny the Gos • ell? Yes, the poor hath lost their right, thou hast multiplied unjust gain; prefer • d Mammon before the Lord; thou hast denied him that bought thee. But that who •• ever refuseth to do mercy to the poor, denies CHRIST; this is a point of • octrine which the world will not receive; let God say what he will. But he that •• d; Whosoever giveth you, giveth me: hath said also, whosoever denieth you, de • yeth me. I send to my friend for a poor courtesy in his easy power, that have •• ne him many great favors; he denies it, it is all one, he denies me •• r his friend. 1 John. 3.17. He that hath the worlds goods, and takes no compassion on him •• at hath none of them; how dwells the Love of God in him? He that being able, gives not 〈◊〉 them whom the Lord hath bought, denies him that bought them.
3 The blasphemer denies CHRIST; for doth any man love him, against • hom he inveighes? Matth. 12.30. He that is not with me, is against me Indeed, •• e greatest denial of all is verbal, and the greatest sins against God are words. • bliquities in speech offend more than those of action: therefore the sin never to •• e forgiven, is called Blasphemy against the HOLY GHOST, Matth. 12.31. He • at commits a sin, offends the Law: he that blasphemes, striketh God himself. • here is no greater grace than thankfulness: no greater grace than thankfulness: 〈◊〉 greater sin than blasphemy. I would the common swearer would think of • is, that rashly, yea rancorously blasphemeth that sacred side, those wounds, that • oud, whereby our souls are redeemed: he doth in this deny the Lord that • ught him.
4 The desperate, that rejects the offer of salvation by Christ; this is a fearful • enyall. Let all the rivers and streams that make glad the City of God, run un •• it, they are driven back: there is no entrance for the graciousness of God, • ough it be preached a thousand times. When the Lord like a loving Physician • romiseth to cure the sore, the desperate patient thrusteth his nails into it; Nay, it • all not be healed. What can be more derogatory and injurious to Christ, then 〈◊〉 change his truth into a lie, and Satan's lies into truth, and to justify the devil • ore than God? When God on the one side shall bind by promise, confirm by •• th, ratify by seal, exhibit by the blood of his only begotten Son; pardon •• d mercy to all accepting Penitents: that though he hath broken, he will bind up; •• ough he hath made a wound, he will heal it; though he hath killed, he will give •• e: yet he is not believed. When Satan on the other side shall suggest, that the •• stice of God will never be satisfied, the heinousness of sins cannot be pardoned, •• s if he had lost the name of being the Father of lies) he is credited. God hath • ade a decree in heaven, it belongs to the New Testament, sealed by the death of •• e Testator, witnessed by three in heaven, and as many on earth, never to be altered:
At what time soever a sinner shall repent of his wickedness heartily, I will forgive him. 〈◊〉 heaven before heaven, and he that denies it finds hell before hell, and damna •• on before his time. The greatest sins are those that are opposed to the three The • logical virtues; Faith, Hope, and Charity: such are Infidelity, Hatred, Desperati • n. The other be monstrous sins, to the denial of God's justice; but desperation 〈◊〉 this is the worst, because it denies his mercy; and his mercy is over all his works. • ehold the Lamb of God, accept your remedy, deny not him that bought you.
Denying the Lord that bought them. We have considered the general Doctrine, let us come to a particular examination of the words, and an aggravation of their wickedness. Which discovers it self in three degrees.
The Quality of their Act; They denied. So far from fearing or loving, that they fall to Denying.
The Excellencie of the Object; no mean person, not a servant, not an equal, but their Master; The Lord.
The near relation that was between them, and the right that he had in them, by purchase; That bought them.
They denied.] It had been very much not to have feared him, especially seeing himself so warned us. Luk. 12.5. Fear him that can cast into hell. The wrath of a king is frightful, we fear an ague, wonder at a Comet, tremble at thunder: and fear we not God the commander of all these? Oh he is of infinite majesty! Mathematicians wonder at the Sun, that being bigger than the earth, it does not burn it. But this is the wonder, that God being so infinitely great, and we so infinitely wicked; we are not confounded. Amo. 4.13. He formeth the mountains, createth the wind, makes the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth: can he do this, and not punish sinful man? To fear him is Totum homini, the whole duty of a man: not to fear him, is the way to be left worse than if we never had been. To want this fear is a wretched orbitie, but to deny him, this is worse 〈◊〉 had been very much not to have believed on him, considering the oracles that he spake and the miracles that he wrought. They that hated him, were forced to testify bo •• these of him; Never man spake as this man doth: and we never saw it on this fashion: Ye, This ye have seen, and believe not. They saw, they heard, they wondered, they were convinced, yet they not believed. Their own eyes in seeing, their own eats in hearing, their own hearts in wondering, their own convicted reasons, shall witness against their unbelief, John. 16.9. The Holy Ghost shall reprove the world of 〈◊〉 because they believe not on me. Accedente fide discedit peccatum, accedit peccatum discedente fide. If faith comes, the guilt of all sin departs: if faith departs, the god of all sin remains. Israel had gross sins, as tempting of God, unthankfulness, adultery with Moab, idolatry with Baal-poor: everyone able to have kept them out of Canaan, to have swept them out of the world: yet Paul imputes all to their want of faith, Hebr. 3. Verse 19. They could not enter in because of unbelief, Rom. 11. Verse 20. Because of unbelief they were broken off. There is destruction enough wrapped up in this, not to believe on him that bought us: but to deny him, is yet worse.
It were very much not to have loved the Lord, who is every way so beautiful, that no soul can behold him, but she must needs affect him! But the wicked never saw him, they look after him with carnal eyes, which are no more able to discern him, than a blear eye can look upon the Sun: their spiritual eyes, and intellectual faith never saw him. They behold him pendentem in patibulo, dormientem in sepulchro, not Sedentem in throno; as a man of sorrows, forsaken of his friends, afflicted by his enemies, exercised with terrors, killed with torments; yet even that he was lovely. But look upon his innocence, that immaculate Lamb; upon his righteousness, Christ the Just one: behold him waited on with Angels, worshiped with prostrate knees, holding out a white hand of mercy, speaking gracious words to penitent suitors, smiling upon his Saints, kissing the souls he bought: Loe, 〈◊〉 his beauty! If any ask the Church; What is thy beloved more than another beloved? Cant. 5.9. She answers that knoweth; My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine Gold, &c. Si pars, quid tum? If every member of him be so beautiful, how excellent is the whole composi ion? He is altogether lovely. Take your choices where you will; This is my beloved, and this is my friend. Ver. 16. This is my choice. Psa. 45.2. Thou art fairer than the children of men: all that are fair, are fair only in thee. Therefore do the virgins love thee, Cant. 1.3. Suppose in a Country there is a young Shepherd, whose face hath but newly discovered to the world of what sex he is: his exquisite proportion and admirable beauty far transcending all the rest. The Virgin Shepheardesses desire his company, are glad to be in his sight, to do him any service, to tend his flock; and all for a kind word or a smile: striving like rivals one with another, who shall be most near him: and if it were possible, would everyone enjoy him. So ten thousand times fairer than all the sons of men is the Shepherd of our souls, Jesus Christ: all the virgins love him, every good soul seeks him, and remembers his love more than wine, striving in a holy emulation who shall be most acceptable to him: they will do him all service and worship, honoring his Name, feeding his flocks, making much of his followers; glad of a smile, but ravished with a kiss of his lips: all would possess him, and loe, all shall possess him that truly believe on him. On earth one husband is for one wife, but our infinite Savior is a husband for all faithful souls. So many as believe on him, he makes the sons of God, John. 1.12. Christ being thus sweet, it were much not to love him! They that love not thee, O Lord, shall be written in the dust. If any man love not the Lord Jesus, Anathema maranatha, 1 Cor. 16.22. But now to deny him, &c.
It was very much not to acknowledge Christ. Tacere laudes Dei, to hold a man's peace when his honor is in question, is to mistake the end of our redemption, 1 Cor. 6.20. Ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify Christ in your body and spirit, which are the Lord's. Now he is poorly glorified, when his Name is concealed. It is said of John the Baptist, John. 1.20. That he confessed and denied not. If he confessed, it might seem a Pleonasme to say, He denied not: but this declares that whosoever doth not openly confess Christ, doth secretly deny Christ, Judge. 5.23. The Merozians opposed not, they denied not, they only stood still, did nothing, said nothing: they were cursed. Think of this ye that hide Christ, as the woman of Bahurim hid the Spies, in the deep well of your hearts, and cover the mouth of it with corn: that would keep in with Christ, and yet not fall off from the world. Rom. 10.10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Confession is the effect of faith; I believed, and therefore I spake. Si sufficeret fides cordis, non creasset tibi Deus os, Chrysost. If it were enough to believe in the heart, to what purpose did God give thee a mouth? If it be sufficient for thee to know Christ, and not to acknowledge him thy Lord: then it shall be sufficient for Christ to know thee, but not to acknowledge thee for his Servant. Christum deseret, qui se Christianum non asserit; He denies Christ, that doth not profess himself a Christian. Nor is it any help for thee, to say that Silence argues consent: for thou art bound Consentire & confiteri, both to consent and to confess: and indeed here Tacere is negare. Christ loves this free and humble acknowledgement, and commands it. 1 Pet. 3.15. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and reverence: Thus you sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Doth the persecutor question thy faith? Fear him not: what then? Sanctify the Lord in thy heart: • ow? by giving an answer, not silence: to whom? not only to the Magistrate, but to every man that asketh, whether friend or foe, home-borne or stranger: of what? the reason of thy hope, the ground of thy expectation of eternal bliss: where and when? not only in time of peace, and assembly of Saints, but Always, be ever ready to do it. Christ no sooner said to her, Mary; but she presently confessed him; Rabboni. It was but one word, to him that is the Word, it was taken for an acknowledgement. And • an it be that we should not acknowledge our Savior? He that will not confess a benefit, hath arrived at the utmost confines of ingratitude: but he that denies his Benefactor, is fallen so low, that he can fall no lower, except it be into hell. It may be we have not feared Christ with due reverence, nor believed with true confidence, nor loved him with sincere affection, nor acknowledged him with free confession; but Lord keep us from denying him: let us never deny the God that bought us.
The Lord.] One that by just right callengeth their service. Not a creature, yet the natural man will not deny his own horse or dog that hath done him service. A man will not deny his own house: wilt thou Agnoscere domum, & rejicere Dominem; Acknowledge thy house, and deny thy Master, thy Maker? Not a servant: Philemus would not deny Onesimus a runagate servant, when Paul had written for him: wilt thou Praeponere servum tuum Domino tuo; Prefer thy servant before thy Lord? not a friend: he is a prodigy that denies his friend. Nabal was branded for a Churl, because he shown not kindness to David his friend: and such a friend as protected him, his whole family, his substance, 1 Sam. 25.15. It goes near when a man's own familiar friend shall do him a mischief; This Absalom objects to Hushai; Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Indeed men are sometimes so drunk with the honors of this world, that they forget their friends. Like as I have heard of a Lawyer, that pleaded a case very strongly on the one side, yet before the trial of it being advanced to the Bench, adjudged it on the other: yet thus answered all imputation; I spake then as an advocate for my client, I speak now as a Judge of the cause. Or as when another challenged his friend; You were wont to visit me every day, now you keep at distance: he plainly answered; I then needed you, now I am afraid you will need me. A good man would not thus use his friend, but is there any friend like the Lord? Not a Father, how unnatural is it for the fruit to deny the tree? and to forget the rock whence he was hewn? Solomon a King did not despise his mother, but set her at his right hand. There is nothing but the love of the Lord Jesus must make a man leave his parents, Luke 14.26. Indeed a man is bound to forsake his father and mother to adhere to his wife, Mat. 19.5. But this is to be understood with a limitation, if the competition be unpossible. But for Christ, Hearken O daughter, forget thine own people, and thy fathers house, Psal. 45.10. But otherwise how cursed a thing is it to deny parents? Let them that glister like the Sun, and deny to their poor obscure parents part of their superfluities, remember the doom. Prov. 30.17. The Ravens of the valley shall pick out that eye, and the young Eagles eat it. But what is the father of our flesh, to the Father of our spirits? Not a wife, and yet she is not to be denied but in case of known adultery, Mat. 19.9. Hath God made you one of two, and shall one deny the other? Deny yourself? no man doth this, but he lapseth into fornication; denying a chaste wife, to embrace an unchaste harlot. Not a Sovereign: Rome only hath broached those Lees of rebellion, and unloosed the bonds of allegiance? And no marvel though she hath denied God's deputies on earth, which hath first denied God himself in heaven. If Kings do not serve her, she forbiddeth all subjects to serve them: she excommunicates them as profane. Yet Saul himself, though he had not sanctity of life, had sanctity of calling. Therefore David, honoravit vivum, vindicavit •• scissum; Both honored him living, and avenged him being dead, Aug.
These be all sinful denials in their several degrees: but now to deny the Lord that is the supreme apostasy. If it be ill to deny the creature, what is it to deny the Creator? If to deny a servant that fears thee, what is it to deny a Master whom thou shouldest fear? If ill to deny a friend that may change, what is it to deny Christ that is the same yester-day, and today, and forever? If to deny a father that begat the body, what is it to deny God that created the soul? If to deny a wife with whom thou art made one flesh, what is it to deny the Lord with whom thou art made one spirit? 1 Cor. 6.17. If to deny a Sovereign be treason, what is it to deny the King of Kings? We are subject to the Prince propter Dominum, for the Lord, to the Lord propter seipsum, for himself. The very word the Apostle here useth is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Lord hath reference to a Bondman, Master to a free-man, Varin. Intimating in the very propriety of syllables, that man is a very bond-man under the despoticall power of God.
Here is then the second aggravation of their sin; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The LORD that hath given them his livery, allowed them maintenance, to whom they have vowed homage, and who can pour on them vengeance. 1. His livery, they take and wear. Question them, as the mariners did Jonah; What art thou? they will answer with him; I fear the LORD GOD of heaven. Yea, they will profess with David, Psalm. 116.16. O LORD, I am thy servant. But, alas, they put on this cloak that they may be the more securely wicked under it: and if you trust them not, you shall be sure they will not deceive you. But how can they profess him, and deny him too? Yes, they may profess him in words, and deny him in works. They bear Caesar's stamp upon base metal. There was one condemned for coming to the marriage without his wedding-garment: these have the garment, but they come not to the wedding: God shall pluck their coat over their ears. Secondly, his maintenance they take and live on: the bread they eat, the air they breath, the clothes they wear, all are his: they are maintained only at his cost and charges: yet they deny the Lord that feeds them. We are to worship God, ration immensi Dominii, impensi beneficii; both for his glorious Sovereignty, and gracious bounty. Si non colis, iniquus es: si negas, ingratus es; If thou do not worship him, thou art unjust; if thou deniest him, thou art unthankful. Me thinks thou shouldest fear, that the bread should choke thee, the air infect thee, the water drown thee: when thou considerest, I have denied the Lord of all these. Think of his ye that forget God and his benefits: he that riseth from the table without giving of thanks, goes his way and owes for his ordinary. And because he will not pay God in his thanks, God will pay himself in his torments. Shall I take my Masters food, and deny my Master? Thirdly, they have vowed homage to him, and faithful adherence: Christ covenanting with his blood to wash away their sins; they to forsake his enemies, and continue his faithful soldiers and servants to the end of their lives. Now what kind of soldier is he that runs away from his Colours, and denies his General? Fourthly, they deny that Lord, who can destroy all those that rebel against him, Luke 19.27. Those mine enemies that denied me to reign over them, bring hither, and slay before me. They have not refused a weak, titular, mortal Lord, but the Lord of heaven and earth; that spake the word and they were made, that can speak again and they shall be mar'd. Psal. 18.7. The earth trembled, and the foundations of the hills were moved, because he was wroth. It was this Lord, Isaiah 30.33. Tophet is ordained of old, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. It was this Lord, Matth. 18.34. The Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors. It was this Lord. A Lord that is everywhere to see his wrongs, that hath a just hand to requite them, and an almighty power to revenge them: from the wrath of this Lord, the Lord himself deliver us. Lord, who knows thy greatness, and dares deny thee? who knows thy goodness, and will deny thee? who knows thy mercy, and can deny thee? Thou art our God, and we will praise thee: thou art our Lord, and we will serve thee: thou art our Father, and we will honor thee: thou art our Judge, and we will fear thee: thou art our advocate, we will not deny thee: thou art our hope, our joy, our blessedness, our salvation, and we will love thee forever.
That bought them.] This last aggravation is derived from the consideration of the unspeakable good which this Lord hath done them: in that they were delivered by the most excellent benefit that ever came to mankind, which is Redemption by the blood of Christ. For howsoever it was a singular work and favor of God, to give us by creation a blessed being: yet was it no otherwise given us, than with a possibility to keep it or lose it. But Redemption hath instated us to a blessedness never to be lost. Here then is a doubt to be resolved: how they may perish from Christ if they were redeemed; how were they redeemed if they can perish?
First, we must lay this ground of truth: that no soul which Christ hath truly bought can perish eternally. This is the Fathers will, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing. But all they are given to Christ, whom he hath purchased. John. 10.28. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hands. If I give them eternal life, nothing shall bring them to eternal death: and to pluck them out of his hand that is Almighty, requires an adversary stronger than himself. And our Savior there adds, Vers. 29. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all: and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. Hereupon Paul makes a free challenge to all the actors, and pleaders, and powers that ever damnation had. Rom. 8.38. Neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depts, (and if all this be not enough) nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus: none can do it. And whether they be Romish or Arminian, that seek to weaken the grace of God, and permit the redeemed ones of the Lord to perish; let us know them for the brokers of Satan, the Seminaries of despair, and Denyers of Christ.
But against this Doctrine is opposed, Rom. 14.15. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 1 Cor. 8.11. Through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ died. But those places may be understood not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : not that they can perish through thy default, but that thou dost what thou canst to make them perish. But here it seems most plain, that they may be lost in Denying Christ, whom he bought. To clear this, we say that Reprobates may be said to be redeemed in divers respects.
1 Secundum sufficientiam pretii; In regard of the all-sufficient price paid for them. So Christ is said to be that Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world. Though he meant not to save all, yet he died for all, quod suum erat adimplens, performing his part, Chrysost. For he doth not really take away all sin from the world; and this himself declares by not praying for the world, John. 17.9. I pray not for the world. Otherwise the two main parts or offices of his Priest-hood were disjoined; and he should sacrifice for them, for whom he doth not supplicate. Now for his mediation, concludes his own in it, excludes the world out of it, I pray not for the world.
2 They are said redeemed, secundum apparentiam, in respect of outward appearance. So all the Jews were called the elect people of God; yet Paul saith expressly; That with many of them God was not well pleased, and they were destroyed, 1 Cor. 10.5. Now, Electorum si quisquis perit, fallitur Deus; If any of the elect perish, God is deceived; but God cannot be deceived, Aug. They were then of his Court, they were not of his Council; I mean, not of that number which in his eternal Council he decreed to save. Inward sincerity is not without external profession, but external profession may be without inward sincerity. If the form of godliness could save, hell should be filled with none but Pagans and Infidels; not a Christian should come thither. But we know that a man may unhallow that blood wherewith he was hallowed; and so deserve sorer punishment, Heb. 10.29. And a wicked spirit rejected, may make his re-entry with seven other worse than himself, Mat. 12.45. And their fire in hell shall be hottest, that re-admit a devil, which the grace of God had once cast forth. As the wicked here say of the elect, That his life is madness, and his end to be without honor: in regard of their estate so outwardly miserable. So the elect judge of the reprobate; We number him among the children of God, and think his lot to be among the Saints: in regard of visible appearance. At last they find him cast like an unprofitable and hypocritical servant into outer darkness.
3 They are said to be redeemed, Secundum ipsorum opinionem, in respect of their own opinion: they thought themselves to be redeemed, and did apportion Christ. There is a temporary faith, which for a while believes, and in time of temptation falls away, Luke 8.13. neither should it be said, Be thou faithful unto the death, unless there was a faith that might fail before death, Rev. 2.10. S. James says, there is a faith without charity: which indeed Potest esse, non potest prodesse, saith Augustine, may be, but never be good. This faith is like an high ladder; if men have got up many rounds, and then let go their hold, they take the greater fall, Heb. 6.4. Some reprobates may taste the heavenly gift; and yet fall so far away, that no repentance to renew them. They tasted it, but it seems they took it but upon liking, and could not digest it. Some are so impudently bold of their salvation, and presume themselves so familiar with God, that they dare challenge him to talk ex tempore with him. They may think themselves God's darlings and favorites, that never had their names registered in his book.
4 They seem to be redeemed, Secundum charitatis judicium, in respect of the judgment of charity: which holds all men partakers of redemption, that are of the profession. We must cast off none, until we are sure that the Lord hath cast them off. Let us not abridge or limit God's mercy: how often have our sins deserved his wrathful doom, which yet our prayers and tears have reversed? How often hath the scroll of divorce been drawn and signed; and yet again with-drawn and cancelled upon our submission? Let us not grudge others that mercy we have found: Why is man cruel, where God relents? If the Creditor be pleased to forgive the debt, do standers by complain? Well then, we hoped that these men were redeemed, they were not: we desired it, we endeavored it: our charity did them no good, it did ourselves good: Our prayer returned into our own bosom.
This truth then remains, that Christ only bought his Church, and salvation for his Church. Act. 20.28. Feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Ephes. 5.25. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it. Matth. 1.21. His Name is Jesus, yet he shall save only His own people. For the rest, 1 John. 2.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us. Howsoever; the price was paid for them, and there was a sufficient ransom in the blood of Jesus, if their faithful apprehension had made it theirs. The King hath granted a Pardon for all malefactors at the Parliament; we say, they are all pardoned: yet perhaps some afterwards are condignly punished, because they never sued out this pardon, nor took the benefit of it. First, therefore consider what God hath done for them, then what they have done against him: the height of his mercy adds to the weight of their iniquity.
God in his love redeemed us by the blood of his Son: Now there are four kinds of redemption: First, when a slave, gratuito manumittitur, is freely released to liberty: we could not be so discharged; for besides that God is just, and his debts must be paid; Satan would not so part with us. Secondly, when a man is set free, per mutationem alterius, by commutation or exchanging another into his room: we could exchange no creature to supply our servitude. Thirdly, when a man is rescued, violentâ ablation, by a forcible surprisal; as Abraham redeemed Lot: but herein God was far too strong for us. Fourthly, Dato pretio, by a price paid; and thus were we bought with a price, even the blood of that unspotted Lamb. His payment consisted in Patiendo and Faciendo; in suffering for our delinquishments, and in performing a sufficient obedience to God for us.
Here admire we the infinite love of God! The Egyptians in their Hieroglyphickes, or expressions of morality by pictures; used to paint Love naked, Minerva veiled: to show that wisdom may be concealed, love cannot be smothered. The Cherubims covered their faces, which is the seat of wisdom: but not their breasts, which is the seat of affection. David by his dissembled madness, kept his wisdom unseen from Achish: but spying Bethshabe from the battlements of his Palace, he could not smother his affection. God reserves his wisdom to himself, and the reason of his actions: but his love is visible, breaking forth, and read by every running eye, Cant. 8.7. Many waters cannot quench love. It is an unsuppressible fire; much water cannot quench it; water and blood could not put it out. Now whom did GOD thus love? The World: not the frame of heaven and earth, but the little world, Man: the compendium and abridgement of all creatures. That whatsoever is imprinted with capital letters in that large volume, as in Folio, is sweetly and harmoniously contracted in Decimo sexto, in the brief Text of Man, who includes all. Planets have being, not life; Plants have life, not sense; Beasts have sense, not reason; Angels have being, life, reason, not sense: Man hath all; being with Planets, life with Plants, sense with Beasts, reason with Angels. Therefore he is called the World. This world God loved, affective before all time, effective in time.
But what good could man do to him, to induce this love? None: Our well-doing extendeth not unto him, Psal. 16.2. When we were made, we added nothing to God: if we were dissolved to nothing, we take nothing from God. That which the Lord saw in us, was apostasy and rebellion. Every creature obeys God, in running that course which he disposed to them. But how was this true: when the Sun being appointed to move his incessant race, did yet stand still in Gibeon? When the sea being charged to keep within his bounds, doth yet burst out with inundations? I answer; God bade them do so, dispensing with his former command, and they obeyed him. Well, yet man, rebellious man he loved: What did he give for him? Paradise, large kingdoms, or mines of gold? No, they are but a farthing token to the price of this purchase. He gave his only begotten Son: as he says, What could I do more for my vineyard? so, what could I give more for my vineyard? This Son he gave pro ingratis, for unthankful men, that said not so much as God-a-mercy for him: pro injustis, for unrighteous men, that denied him that was not denied to them. Here was a Sic dilexi, no man could ever find a Sicut for it. Augustine supposeth that some great Prince had a poor desertlesse subject, maimed in mind, without reason or honesty; leprous is body, without any soundness; yea, so full of stench that none could endure him: yea, more than all, so arrant a traitor to the same Prince, that he would vex him, kill him. He hath one only son, a sweet and hopeful Prince, the joy of his heart, the light and delight of his eyes, the singular heir of his kingdom. Yet when nothing will cure this forlorn wretch of his leprosy, but only this young Princes blood, he freely gives that to bathe and cleanse him. This is much, and such as never was found, yet still short of this precedent. For if the life of a Prince was given for a gnat, it is not so much as for God's Son to be given for man. He is worth ten thousands of us, more worth than all: O unspeakable love, gift, price!
Saint Peter tells us what was the price of this purchase, 1 Pet, 1.19. The precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish. Had he emptied the veins of the earth, and spoiled them of their richest oars: had he plucked the spangles from heaven, and impoverished the firmament of her sparkling beauties: had he given the whole inheritance of the world; yet all had been infinitely less. When David said to Mephibosheth; Thou and Ziba divide the Land: he answered; Yea, let him take all, seeing my Lord the King is come again in peace. This was much, yet Mephibosheth's content was for David, a friend, a King: but God parts not with an Inheritance, but with his Son; and this for man, an enemy, a servant. Let death seize on my Son, that my servant may come again in peace. O never was so poor a purchase at so high a price! That he might show love to us, he forbore love to himself. Now see, O renegate, whom thou refusest: Nescis temeraria, nescis, quem fugias, ideóque fugis; Thou knowest not whom thou deniest, therefore thou deniest. If thou hast bought honor by thy valor, thou callest it Thine: if endeared a friend by thy loyalty, thou callest him Thine: if purchased an house with thy money, thou callest it Thine Christ hath bought thee with his blood, and yet thou deniest to be his. This ransom is paid, and now in a merciful offer he tenders it to thee; wilt thou in a peevish sullenness refuse it? Conceive this dialogue between the Redeemer and the Denyer. Red. Open to me. Den. No, I know not whence thou art. Red. Rise and see. Den. No, I am in my warm bed of pleasures and carnal satisfactions, I will not rise: who art thou? Red. I am JESUS, thy Redeemer: wilt thou still swear and for swear, I know none such? I bought thee, thou art mine: I come to embrace thee, deny me not. Den. Yes, take me, when all other delights forsake me: let me be thine when I am not mine own: till then keep thy cheare to thyself, I have married my pleasure, and I cannot come. O obstinate hearts, whom the King of heaven must buy with his blood, woo with his grace, wait upon with his patience, enrich with proffers of mercy; and yet at last be denied? LORD turn to sad as love thee, we deny not thee, deny not us, O good LORD JESUS. Amen.
This is the latitude and dimension of their wickedness; wherewith I will have done, when I have declared the Penaltie of it. Their punishment is proportioned to their fault: they denied him that bought them, and he that bought them will deny them, 2 Tim. 2.12. If we deny him, he will also deny us. How, where, and when will he deny them? They surfeit on pleasures, and enjoy the wish of their own hearts; how then doth he deny them? Doth not God bless whom he loves and love whom he blesses? Alas, those blessings to such men prove curses: Conceditur opulentia, abscinditur misericordia: wealth is granted, but mercy is withholden. The earth seems their own, the world applauds them; and is not Vox populi, Vox dei; the voice of the people, the voice of God? No, for the whole world lieth in wickedness: but here they are honored, where then shall they be denied? The echo answers, Here: even where Saul would be honored, there was he denied, before the people. They spend their days in peace, their minds are not troubled, they sit not sighing and blubbering for their offenses, sure God is not angry with them; when shall they be denied? Now, even in that they lament not, their case is most lamentable: their pulse hath left beating, this argues God's direliction; that their life breath is painted out, and they have given up the (Holy Ghost.) Will you hear how, where, and when? Take it from CHRIST'S own mouth. Matth. 10.33. Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. For the manner, How; I will deny him, not conceal him, nor excuse him, not hold my peace and silence it, but deny him. For the place where; Before my Father, where my word will be taken: for I have the key of heaven, to let in and keep out whom I please. Coram Patre, who hath committed all judgment to me, and set me to sentence every man according to his works. Coram Patre, if it had been only. Coram hominibus, before men, where thou deniest me, they would approve my justice: if Coram daemonibus, before the devils, they would be glad of thy company, and with a hasty rape hurry thee to perdition: if only, Coram Angels, before the Angels, (which is also expressed, Luk. 12.9. He that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the Angels of God. ) They would witness how often I have sent them to guard thee, how little thou didst regard me. But what is the detestation of men, the rejection of Angels, the derision of devils, to the loss of my Fathers love? This Coram Patre, shall strike thee with horror Matth. 21. Ver. 37. When the Father sent CHRIST, he said, Sure they will reverence my Son: but they conspired, This is the heir, come, let us kill him. Reject them ô Father, for they rejected me. Away must their faces be turned, from joy, from light, from blessedness; to wander in horrid darkness, to lie bound in the chains of torment; where unquencheable fire, and insatiable death shall not be denied them, that denied everlasting life. For the time when; In heaven: when they knock with hope to be let in at that gate, when they shall see millions of confessors enter in and be made welcome: In heaven I will deny them, that is in the day of judgment. On earth they spake their pleasures, their tongues were their own, they denied me without control: but when I have denied them in heaven, and they have acknowledged me in hell, then shall they gnaw those tongues for pain, and wish that they had been borne dumb, never to have denied him that bought them, Revel. 16.10.
This is a fearful plague, when God will suffer men to fall off from CHRIST, and to reject their Redeemer: alas, they do no less then split and sink that Ship in the midst of the sea, which alone should save them. Whom shall they trust to make them righteous? none can do this but CHRIST, and they have denied him. Rom. 6.33. Who shall condemn? it is CHRIST that justifieth: so who shall justify, when CHRIST condemneth? They have sinned, and God is offended, who shall make an atonement for them? Only CHRIST can do this; If any man sin, he is our Advocate and propitiation: and this Advocate they have denied. Whom shall they call upon for love and favor? there is none to be had but in CHRIST, and him they have denied, Revel. 2.4. I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. He that hath once broken his faith, will not easily be trusted. Him, that hath once vowed love to a virgin, and after fallen off with breach of covenant, no wise maid will ever admit within distance of liking. They wax wanton against CHRIST, having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. Whom shall they call upon in the day of trouble? the Lord. This was the voice of Elias in his agony, of Jonah in his fury; Lord, take away my life. Of the Apostles in their fear. Matth 8.25. Lord save us, we perish. Of the malefactor dying on the Cross. Luk 23.42. Lord, remember me in thy kingdom. Of Stephen under the stones, Act. 7.59. Lord, into thy hands, &c. Of Saul cast down from his horse. Act. 9.6. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? This is the echo of misery, the suppliant for mercy: but alas how shall they call on this Lord, that have denied him, Rom. 10.14. How shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed: Yea, whom they have denied? What wonder is it, if God doth not hear, where he hath not been heard? if he shut against them, that would not open to him? complainest thou, Why hast thou forsaken me O Lord? he replies, why hast thou denied me ô servant? There is grievous punishment for them that fear not God: Pour out thine indignation upon them that fear thee not, saith the Prophet. Grievous, for them that seek him not. Psal. 10. The wicked will not seek after God, therefore are lost in the devices of error. Grievous, for them that call not on him; for he will be a stranger to their acquaintance. Grievous, for them that trust not on him, for they shall be left to themselves. Grievous, for them that love him not, for they shall be written in the dust. But most grievous for them that deny him here, for they shall be denied forever hereafter.
The use that we are to make of it, is by this consideration to fortify our faithfulness and loyalty to CHRIST. Let us not deny him, yea let us deny all things for him. For saith Jerome; if necessity require it, Odium in suum, est pietas in deum; it is godliness to hate our own delights in respect of the Lord. What good thing can be lost by our profession, which Jesus requites not in himself? lose we riches? In him dwells all fullness. Liberty? The Son makes us free indeed. Wife? he is a husband. Children? he is a Father. Life? Ego sum vita, he is the true life. Therefore is he called All in all: ut qui omnia propter Christum dimiserit, 〈◊〉 pro omnibus inveniat, & libere clamet, Pars mea Dominus, Hieronym. That he which hath left all for CHRIST, many find CHRIST instead of all, and sing cheerfully, The Lord is my portion. Why should we deny him? he never denied us. Not to the Pharisees, Matth. 9.12. Why eateth your Master with Publicans and sinners? this was their question. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: this was his answer. Not to Pilate. 1 Tim. 6.13. Before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good confession. Not to the Angels, for he makes them Ministring spirits for our good. Not to GOD the Father himself, John. 17. They are all mine, and thine. When he was betrayed and tken, he denied us not to Judas; Ego sum, I am he. When he was scourged, he denied us not: when he was condemned, and nailed to the Cross, loe, he did not then deny us, Though enemies denied mercy, by-standers denied him pity, Angels must deny him help, God himself seemed to deny him ease and comfort; so he cries, My God, why hast thou denied me? yet even then he did not deny us. But he confessed us to the death, Luk. 23.34. Father, forgive them: and after death, as appears by his charge to Peter, Feed my sheep: and forever, Matth. 10.32. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father in heaven. A way then with all excuses of denial: there are two temptations or causes of it; Infirmity, and Infidelity. Infirmitie rise • h from fear of pain, Infidelity from love of pleasure. Is any pain like the separation from CHRIST? think of that Discredite, Matth. 25. Depart from me 〈◊〉 cursed. Is any pleasure like the pleasures at the right hand of God forever? Away with that coldness of heart, that like Northern cloth shrinks in the wetting, I mean in the floods of persecution. Away with that thin-danw'd profession, that like mown grass withers in the sun, with the heat of prosperity. Let us deny our own worth, and become nothing in ourselves, that we may be wholly all in CHRIST. The poor man depends not upon the relief of others, till he find nothing at home. Until our hearts be purged of pride and self-love, we never depend on the favor of God. Be everything denied that is not in ordine ad Deum, and hath no relation to Jesus Christ. Let us deny our pleasures, deny our lusts, deny our wills, deny our covetous desires, deny our seducing friends, deny ourselves: but let us never deny the Lord that bought us. To this blessed Lord of our redemption, with the Father of our creation, and the Spirit of our adoption, three Persons and one most holy God, be praise and glory forever, Amen.
They bring upon themselves swift destruction. We have anatomised the fault of • hese false teachers, in denying their Redeemer. Which haply was not with an open and manifest recusancie, for then orthodox Christians would have refused conversing with them, and the Church excommunicated them. But rather, because such a denial did arise by just consequence out of their dogmatical, stigmaticall assertions. For if we understand Saint Peter by Saint Jude; the very parallel • nd harmony one of the other: we find these heretics challenged for Turning the grace of God into licentiousness, Iud. ver. 4. Whereupon is inferred, that they deny the only Lord God, and Jesus Christ. So that to turn Grace into wantonness, is to deny CHRIST. Neither was this only exemplary in their practice, but also doctrinal in their pofession. For he that calls himself Christian, and teacheth that in CHRIST is granted liberty of sinning, denies the Redeemer. Luk. 1.74. We are delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, that we might serve him without fear. That we might serve him without fear, not sin without fear. CHRIST came to unbinde us from Satan, and to vex him at our new goodness, not to make him laugh at our wickedness: that we should sin less; not sin more, and more securely. Rom. 6.1. Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. An sit, quia sit? absit. Shall there be presumption in sin because there is abundance of grace? God forbid. This is a true position: Quicquid Christus operatur pro nobis, hoc • peratur in nobis. Whatsoever the Lord Jesus worketh for us, that he also worketh in us. If he hath freed us from the damnation of sin, then also from the dominion of sin. If with his blood he hath quenched the fire of hell for us, he hath quenched the fire of lust in us. They are miserable men, qui luxuriantur in Christo, that are wanton in Christ: as if the Law had lost it self in the Gospel: and the Statutes against blasphemy, adultery, idolatry, covetousness, were now repealed, to stand in no more force: but like an Almanac out of date, to be sacrificed to forgetfulness. This is a left-handed taking of Christ: Non consolatur Christi infantia garrulos, non Christi lacrymae cachinnantes, non panni ejus ambulantes in stolis, non praesepe amantes primas cathedras, Bern. Christ's humility doth not comfort the proud: his patience shall do no good to the revengeful: nor his love to the uncharitable. He was a prodigal young heir that encouraged his companions; come let us drink, revel, throw the house out at the windows; the man in the scarlet will pay for all; meaning his father, who was a Judge: but he adjudged the patrimony from him to one of his younger sons more obedient. So say the luxurious; let us swear, oppress, abuse, be wanton, be merry, be mad; the man in the Scarlet hath paid for all; meaning Christ, that he is in his Scarlet and bloody robes shall justify and acquit them. But be not deceived; as good men as we, and as jolly they were, that stood upon the Fatherhood of Abraham. (We may put away our wifes, we may swear, we may hate our enemies. We may kill the Prophets, subject God's word to our Traditions, and follow our own ways. Why? Abraham is our Father, John. 8.39.) But by their leave, Christ calls them bastards, and finds out another father for them. Ver. 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. So ye profane wretches, bear yourselves so long as you will upon CHRIST, and flesh your lusts on his merits; if you think to take willful sin in one hand, and Christ in the other, you shall find both your hands full indeed, b •• Christ in neither of them: the one being full of wickedness, the other full of vengeance; you have denied the Lord Jesus.
They bring on themselves swift destruction.] This is the punishment. The •• are plagues enow, that wound the flesh, and fetch blood of the soul, without perishing; but this the utter ruin, Destruction. But yet this may be far off, and happily doth wait the succession of ages, and intervention of many years: and when it cometh, it shall give warning of the approach, like a Porcpose before • storm: nay, it comes on a sudden, it is Swift destruction. But who shall inflict this, that they may fortify themselves against it? Themselves: here need no e • gines, no enemies, no invasions; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Superinducunt sibi, Themselves bring it, or, They bring it on themselves. So that their punishment is described, by the Autho •• , Measure, and Manner. The Author, Themselves: the measure, no less than Destruction: the manner, Swift and sudden.
They bring on themselves.] Very kind men! what would they do with others, that destroy themselves? Cui bonus, qui sibi nequam? He that is evil to himself, 〈◊〉 whom will he be good? Every man thinks, that he loves himself far better than his enemy: yet while he affecteth sin, he loves his enemy better than himself, Vnusquisque vult esse beatus, etiam sic vivendo ut sit miserrimus. All men would be happy, albeit most men take the course of infelicity. We hate our foes; thou hast no worse foe than thyself: hate thy sinful self. If there were no harlot, no drunken associate, no thief to cry, Cast in thy lot with us; no devil to do his office; wicked men would beget destruction on themselves. Accersunt, so some read; They send for destruction; as a man dispatcheth messenger after messenger, because the expected party delays his coming. So as if damnation were leaden-heeld, they send anger to fetch it to them, after that malice, after that murder, a bloody messenger. So worldlings send covetousness for it, after that lying, after that swearing, after that Usury, after all oppression. Lest vengeance should be too slow, & forget it self, these be the messengers to bring it. Hos. 4.2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every inhabitant languish. Now whe • the plague comes, and says, Ecce adsum, Here I am: they cry as the devil did to CHRIST, What have we to do with thee: why comest thou to torment us before 〈◊〉 time? Before your time, replies destruction? Why, did you not send for me? was not pride rapping at my door, blasphemy thundering in mine ears, Sacrilege pulling me by the hand? all crying, vengeance come away, thou art sent for? And especially, when sacrilege hastened me, it was high time to come. As Aha • i • three Captains and their fifties that were sent to fetch Elijah: one said, come down: another, come down quickly: the last on his knees entreat; loe then God saith g • down with him, 2 King. 11.14. Wickedness says, wrath come down: presumpti •• says, come down quickly: but rebellion begs it without nay: and then G •• saith, Go down with it. Yea, as if sending for it were not speedy enough, and th • y would not in this business trust a messenger; they put off all state, and go themselves to fetch it. They bring it on themselves, Isaiah. 5.18. They draw iniquity 〈◊〉 cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cartrope. That same threefold cord, 〈◊〉 easily broken, that Saint John speaks of, 1 John. 2.16. The lust of the flesh, the last 〈◊〉 the eyes, and the pride of life; this draws it home. But lest all these cords shall 〈◊〉 hold, hard-heartedness is the cartrope that shall fetch it with a mischief. W •• then doth a man complain for the punishment of his sins? Lam. 3.39. Punishment reassons with the wicked; why doest thou murmur in thy sufferings? Hast th •• been so many years a bringing me, sent so many messengers for me: and now I am here complainest thou? I was long a coming, I will be longer a departing. Ne • o fit repent miserrimus: no man becomes miserable on the sudden; such is God's patience: but being once made miserable, it is long before happiness returns; such • s God Justice. Miserie comes come on horse-back, but goes away on foot: sin quickly brings her, long repentance must drive her gone. From this point of doctrine may be deduced three collections.
1 That the wicked are the causers of their own condemnation. Esa. 50.1. Which of my creditors is it to whom, I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities ye have • old yourselves. I took no money saith God, no price of any creditors for you; • ee have sold yourselves. Prov. 5.22. His own iniquity shall take the wicked him • else: there need no ginnes nor snares, nor plots to surprise him; his own sins • hall do it. Thou mayest say of thy sin, (as of thy son:) it is a child of • hine own begetting: concupiscence the mother lays it to thee, and thou must fa • her it. Psal. 64.8. They shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves. Let • here be no plaintiffes to endite, no devils to accuse, their own tongues shall condemn them. Ier. 2.17. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself? Self do, self have. Procuring is a diligent laboring of a business: so they study to bring evil on themselves. Mic. 2.1. They meditate mischief; study to be naught. Let our • rovidence be never so vigilant, our circumspection heedful; sorrow will come: • ut these men study for it; they beat their brains, and break their sleeps, plot, consult, contrive; and all to bring on themselves swift destruction. It is true, that • his is not their immediate proposed end, but it is a necessary consequent. He that • o dignity for some hidden treasure undermines the foundation of a house; his end • s wealth; yet he knows the whole building will fall on his head, and quash him to pieces: if he do perish, let him thank himself.
2 Observe that God is not the cause of man's transgression or damnation. I am. • .13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. Seneca hath a saying not • nlike of the gods; Hii nec habent, nec dant malum. But it is objected; It is God's will that I should thus sin, and thus fall. Rom. 9.19. Why doth he yet find fault? who • ath resisted his will? My will is borne by the stream of his inevitable will, I sin by • ompulsion; why doth he then complain? ô detestable speech, that charges God with our iniquity; than which the grand devil could not roar a worse above ground. Consider their dilemma: evil is done, and God doth suffer it; whether then doth • e suffer it against his will, or with it? If against his will, this takes away his omni • otence: if with his will, than he willed it. For answer, the will of God is partly • ecret, wholly just: it is two ways considered. First as it is Signata, written in tables • ublished by a trumpet, seconded with blessings, curses, Then as Reservata, con • ealed, written in another book, wrapped up in the counsels of his own breast. What God formerly wills, is not done always, yea is done seldom: what in the • there respect he wills, is infallible. Sennacherib is a fool to challenge to himself; What God can deliver out of my hand? Nero to plead; my authority gives me license • o do all things. Rome, to challenge to her chair an impetuous, imperious, and • asterlesse will; to whom no man must say, as to the Lord, Cur ita facis, why doest • hou so? Thus they ground it. Esa. 10.15. Shall the saw magnify him that shaketh 〈◊〉 ? The saw must not lift up it self against him that moveth it; ergo let no man • udge the Pope. But they shall find to their woe, that this is only true of God; who • oeth whatsoever he will. If we press further into his secrets, we are bid stand back. Adam was driven out of Paradise for affecting too much knowledge: the Israelites • ad died the death, had they past their bounds, and climbed up to the Mount. Fifty • housand threescore and ten men of the Bethshemites were slain for looking into • he Ark. 1 Sam. 6.19. There are some unsearchable mysteries, as high as the • ighest heavens, covered with a curtain of sacred secrecy, not to be drawn till the • ay come, wherein we shall know as we are known. Now when men have spilled blood, defiled the marriage bed, provoked heaven with rapes, treasons, depopulations, blasphemies; what, have they then done the will of God? Indeed, in respe • t of his hidden purpose they have done his will, spite of all their malicious 〈◊〉 sworn contradictions. For De his qui faciunt quae non vult, facit ipse quae vult. Upon them that will not do as he would have it, he will do himself as he would 〈◊〉 it. But in respect of themselves the wicked have done what God willed not, for 〈◊〉 commanded the contrary; and hath expressed that will in his word.
But yet he wills their destruction, therefore they bring it not on themselves? G •• found them revolted to sin, indisposed to believe, and so he leaves them: he 〈◊〉 not give them faith, he needs not, he is not bound to it. This is God's hardeni • g Nolle emollire, when he will not soften. His making blind is Nolle illuminare, whe • he will not enlighten. His casting off is Nolle vocare, when he will not call ho •• Neither is this only a mere permission; for their is a degree of some forwarder disposition in God concerning the actions of unrighteousmen, than a bare toleration There is great difference between these speeches; Non vult, and Vult non: between he hath not a will to do it; and, he hath a will not to do it. The former arg ••• 〈◊〉 careless neglect, this a bent and resolved decree. A poor man asketh alms, so •• are not willing to relieve him, as not waighing his necessity: another hath a will not 〈◊〉 do it, a determinate refusal of mercy. This is then the conclusion; Multi 〈◊〉 laberentur detenti, nulli ut laberentur impulsi: God lifteth many up, there are 〈◊〉 whom he properly casteth down. Ab illo est quod statur, a nobis quod ruitur: b • him we stand, we fall off ourselves. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; if the •• be any help, it is in me. Indeed it is my hand of justice that strikes, but thou by thy wickedness didst draw out the sword, and put the arrow into my bended bow: thy pestilent and stinking sins have conflated the plague wherewith I strike thee. Go • would have spared them, they would not be spared; Accelerant sibi; They bring destruction on themselves; and still Thou continuest holy, Oh thou worship of Israel.
3 Observe that themselves bring it; therefore not any fatal necessity out of themselves, but their own malice within them. There be some that say, It is 〈◊〉 destiny to do this or that sin, the stars have signed it. Mercury committed the theft, Mars the murder, Venus the adultery. This is a barking at God's Justice indirectly, involvedly, and somewhat afar off, to charge the influences of heaven. As if forsooth, God did not instigate them to sin immediately by himself, yet by other instruments. Thus Adam insinuated an imputation upon God; M • li •• quam tu mihi dedisti; The woman which thou gavest me: as if God had given him 〈◊〉 woman to tempt him. Sed haec ruina est maxima, Deum putare causam ruinae: this i • the fearefullest ruin of all, to accuse the Lord for the cause of our ruin. There i • no fatal necessity from above, that drives man to sin. Saint Augustine confi ••• them that used to charge the stars with their impiety. A woman was given to 〈◊〉 , and often played the harlot: which when her husband found, and objected to her she excused her self, and pleaded that it was Venus which caused her to do so. H •• upon he took a staff, and cudgel'd her for it: then she complained of his un •••• ralnesse, to strike his own flesh: that she was his wife, dear unto him, and he o • g •• not to beat her. He replied, it is not you, wife, that I strike but Venus: declari •• that as it was not she that played the whore, but Venus in her: so it was not she 〈◊〉 he did beat, but Venus out of her. A thief hath stolen thy goods, thou takest 〈◊〉 in the manner: he cries, let me alone, and charge Mercury with it, he stole •• goods. No wise Judge would indite or arraign Mercury, call a star from ••• ven; but cut off an ill member from the earth. Thus neither can the wicked ch •• the stars or any other creatures with their destruction. True it is that God 〈◊〉 their instrumental means often in executions. Judge. 5.20. They fought from he •••• the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. In the days of Noah the windo • 〈◊〉 heaven were opened so wide, that they drowned the world. 2 King. 1.10. Fire 〈◊〉 down from heaven, and consumed those that came to apprehend the Prophet. But there could be no destruction about us, if there were no corruption within us, 1 Pet. 3.13. Who, or what shall harm you, if ye follow that which is good? nothing. It is our wickedness that makes the earth barren, the air infectious, the influences of heaven unkindly. If Pharaohs heart had not been hard, all those plagues had fallen besides him. Let us go into ourselves; the head aches, the members are sick, but the stomach is in fault. Neither man nor devil could destroy us, if we did not destroy ourselves. GOD makes a wicked man Heautontimoreumenon, a self-troubler▪ it is a sore pu • ishment, when men are forced to punish themselves. The whip that must scourge the wicked, is of their own making; every cord whereof they have curiously • wisted. The potion of bitterness which they must drink off, hath all the ingredients of their own putting in. Indeed, saith the Psalm; The Lord hath mixed it; • e may compound it, but of their materials: he need not put in a dram more, • or they afford themselves destruction enough. Psal. 109.18. As he clothed him • else with cursing, like as with a garment, so let it come like water into his bowels, and like • yle into his bones. He made cursing his clothing; it is fit he should wear his own garment. Indeed Hell was not made for nothing, and Tophet was prepared for them: • ut they should never feel it, till they had prepared themselves for Tophet. GOD in his Justice would not bring them to destruction, unless they first by their wic • ednesse did bring destruction to themselves. We see the punishment of denying Christ: O let us never be such enemies to ourselves, that have so good a friend as I • SUS CHRIST.
Destruction.] This is the measure of their punishment. O yet if the Justice of God would but chide them, not beat them: or if it did beat them, yet with rods, • ot with scourges: or if it did scourge them, yet with whips, not with Scorpions: or • f with Scorpions, yet not with burning flames: or if with burning flames, yet not with unquenchable flames: Oh yet it anything might serve but utter and endless • uine; Destruction! This is an indefinite word, of full latitude, that knows neither measure nor cessation; but comprehends all plagues, external on body, internal on • oule, eternal on both: a punishment of extremity, of universality; Destruction.
God concealeth the m • nner, but denounceth the measure. Destruction is either • emporall in this world, or eternal in the world to come. If we first consider it • emporally, we shall find it heavy enough: Incerti generis, sed certissimi ponderis. • onas 3.4. Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed. He lets them know of a de • ruction, but he tells them not how: the quantity is plain, the quality is hidden. • iniveh might have been plagued many ways, and yet stood upon her foundation • ill. With want of rain, as Samaria in the days of Ahab: with want of bread, • at women did eat their own children, as in the days of Jehoram: with pestilence, • s in the days of David: with the siege of enemies, as was Betulia: with the ty • annie and exaction of her own Kings, as once was Rome. But these are all too • ght in GOD'S balance, and nothing will satisfy his Justice, but her final subver • on. So is it denounced against the wicked, Hosea 7.13. Destruction unto them, be • use they have transgressed against me. Prov. 16.18. Pride goeth before destruction. • hus they understand the general, not the special: this holds them in suspense, • d adds to their fear, when they know not what they should study to prevent. • OD hath always enow to do it; Mille nocendi arts; he speaks of four grie • ous plagues, Ezek. 14.21. The sword, the famine, the noisome beast, and the pestilence. 〈◊〉 he should particularly threaten the famine, how would they hoard up corn, like • seph; fill their barns, their grainars, penuaries, and store-houses? If the Beasts, • ow would they be provided of engines to kill them? If the Pestilence, how would •• y shift ground, and run from their country, as vermin from an house on fire? If • e enemies Sword, what mustering of men, scouring of armor, preparing of muniti •• , levying of forces, exercise of arms, would there be? Cities would be victualled, • piers repaired, Holds fortified; art and labor would study the best prevention, at least so far as their wisdom reached. Though indeed the best is flying to God by penitent supplication. Amos 4.12. Thus will I do unto thee, and because I will do th •• , Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. Divers plagues are threatened in that Chapter; from which the prophet proves there is no evasion, but by repentance. Yet are men so averse from goodness, that as a guilty person before the Magistrate, seeks not 〈◊〉 amend his fault, but to know his accuser, and to be quit with him. Which of these shall be it, God knows: the least will serve, what havoc will the greatest make.
Destruction.] there is nothing to be bated of total ruin. Ier. 49.9. If Grape-g • therers come, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, they will 〈◊〉 till they have enough. This justice will leave none, but the wicked shall be preyed upon by insatiate judgment, till nothing be left. Mat. 18.25. His Lord commanded him to be sold, &c. That servant ought ten thousand talents; what had he received? But to pay this debt, non habuit unde; he had not wherewithal. Nec aurum, nec arvum, nec amic •• ; No works, no prayers, nothing. Then the Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wi •• , and children, and all that he had, to make payment. He might have been sold Hims ••• e▪ but his wife? Or, himself and his wife, but his poor children? Or, if himself, wi •• , and children, yet also All that he had? Nothing to be left him, not so much as bread 〈◊〉 sustain him, nor apparel to hide his nakedness? No, all must be sold, that all may be paid; here is utter destruction. God's judgment like a canker on a tree, first ears 〈◊〉 the leaves; but leaves not there; at last consumes tree and all.
Let this teach us how to think of our sins, and their violent precipitating 〈◊〉 to destruction. Unless we value the wealth of our country, the health of our friends, the peace of our consciences, the life of our bodies and souls, at so low a rate: as H ••• rius lying quietly at Ravenna, prised Rome. When he heard that Rome was taken, he looked pale, fearing it had been his Hen, called Roma: but understanding it • o be no worse than the Cities loss, he laughed at the news. So except we esteem our own lusts and vanities, more than the well-fare of the whole Land, and think the loss of all no more than if a Fly were taken in the web of a Spider: let us confess and redress our sins. Do we marvel in this rebellious age, why the barren turfe yields pale and hungry grass, if the hail spoil the Vine, whirl-winds the Olive; if pestilent breaths corrupt the air: let us look to our sins, and ce • se marvelling. Not that there is destruction, but that there is not destruction, is the wonder. No marvel if miseries come, the marvel is that they stay so long. Let it not be so with us, as Josephus thought of Jerusalem; that if the Romans had not invaded them, the very earth would have swallowed them. Let us fall to our seasonable deprecation, that the LORD destroy us not. Ierem. 3.22. Return 〈◊〉 backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee, f •• thou art the Lord our God. Be our sins less, and our prayers more, that we may find mercy.
We have yet but lightly weighed the unsupportable lode of their punishme •• , and confined it to the circle of this present world. Now this wound will be deep enough, especially when an almighty hand shall give it. Ezek. 21.27. I will ov • rturne, overturn, overturn it, and it shall be no more. If the first subversion serve n •• , the second shall effect it: if they both leave anything undone, the third shall acco • plish it. Overturne his Diadem, (for there it is spoken of the evil Princes cro ••• yet he remains a man: overturn his life, yet there is hope of another: nay, 〈◊〉 overturn his soul, here is Destruction in her extremest spoil. So verse. 14. I • 〈◊〉 sword be doubled the third time; if the two first blows should leave any life be •••• them. Joel. 1.4. What the Palmer-worm leaves, let the Locust eat: what the Locust 〈◊〉 let the Canker-worm eat: what the Canker-worm leaves, let the Caterpillar devo • re. 〈◊〉 the sword have left ought, the plague shall consume it: if the glutted plague 〈◊〉 any scrappes, the famine shall eat them up. So Exod. 10.15. what the hail h •• 〈◊〉 that the Locusts devoured. Punishment shall grow like a gangrene, and never rest •••• ling, till all be festered. Isaiah 1.5. Why should ye be stricken anymore? He smites 〈◊〉 when there shall be no need of a second blow. Nah, 1.9. He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. Here destruction is like Sodom fire, that left nothing behind it: they were stricken but once, that once was enough. As Abishai said to David concerning Saul in the trench, 1 Sam. 26.8. Let me smite him with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. Let this destruction take away their friends, yet they can live of themselves: let it take away their riches, they can begin the world again, and set up their trade afresh, though they were broken. Let it take away their liberty, they can beg thorough a grate: let it take away their life, they are then destroyed. This is part of their potion, one bitter ingredience of their Cup, Psalm. 75.8. In the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red: it is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. It is a Cup; well, there is a cup that David thirsts for, Psalm. 116. I will take the Cup of salvation. There is Wine in it, better: for wine cheers the heart, and puts alacrity into the spirits. That wine is Red, better still: so it should be, this argues the luster and goodness of it, Prov. 23.31. Look not upon the wine when it is red, and gives the color in the cup: the color adds to the pleasure. But now it is Full of mixture, alas this mixture spoils all: it is compounded, brewed, made unwholesome: this changeth the condition of the cup, of the wine, of the color, of all. It is mixed with the wrath of God, malice of Satan, the anguish of soul, the gall of sin, the tears of despair: it is Red, that is, of a sanguine color, the wine of blood. But yet so long as it is in the cup they need not meddle with it: nay but the Lord will pour it out, he shall hold their mouths to it, and make them drink it: the rankest poison in the world, the gall of Dragons, and venom of Asps, is pleasant and healthful to it. Yet be it but a little of the top, let them but taste it: nay they must drink it off, to the very bottom, the sediments, dregs, lees and all; even the very filth of vengeance. And lest any drops should be left behind, they shall wring them out, and suck them down to their confusion. The Cup is all bitter, and full of sorrow, saith Augustine: the godly do often taste the top, and feel the bitterness, but then it is suddenly snatched from them: but the ungodly shall drink the very grounds, and extremest poison. Prov. 16.5. Though hand join in hand, they shall not be unpunishmed. Though head be laid to head for council, and hand knit in hand for strength, yet shall there be no prevailing against it. Though Achitophel side with Absalom, Herod conspire with Pilate, Dathan confederate with Corah: though the drunkard join hands with the blasphemer, the blasphemer with the adulterer, the adulterer with the Idolater, the Idolater with the persecutor, the persecutor with the traitor, the traitor with the Jesuit, the Jesuit with the Devil; yet they shall not escape unpunished. Destruction shall stick as faithfully to them, as the skin to their flesh. Our sins deserve destruction, our repentance is no satisfaction; it is only God's mercy in Christ that gives absolution.
Yet is all this but a temporal or corporal subversion, there is more behind, even eternal perishing. This is the sore extent, which reacheth to hell it self. Therefore we find these two, Hell and Destruction, most commonly united, Prov. 27.20. Hell and destruction are never full. Phil. 3.19. Their end is destruction, that is miserable: their destruction without end, that is more miserable. If man only smarted with the dislodging of his soul; alas, she might by Jesus find a better bed: Death being to the faithful but a busy dream; When they awake, they shall behold the face of God in righte •• snesse, and be satisfied with his likeness. Like the red-sea, puts them over to the Land of Promise. There is a lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are, and •• all • e tormented day and night, forever and ever. This is the place of residence for • hese false prophets: this is Destruction in her full pay, weight, and measure.
They bring on themselves swift destruction.] Swift: You see the Authors of their • unishment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Themselves: the measure, which is beyond all measure, Destruction. Two full aggravations of their unhappines: Themselves; O yet, Si alienâ manu, non propriâ; that they might complain of others, and acquit themselves! Needs must those sins be sown like hemp-seed with curses, which must make halters for themselves. They might say to an enemy, or to their old companion in errors. Liceat perituris •• iribus ignis, igne perire tuo; and this might seem Cladem author levare. But themselves bring it; not that they lay violent hands upon their own flesh or spirit, but by con •• quent. As no man properly and immediately calls the dropsy to him, yet by insati • e drinking of unwholesome liquors he procures it, Rom. 6.21. For the end of these things is death. Destruction is tied to the end of sin, as Sampson tied fire to the foxes tails. Or, as a great weight of lead is bound to a small cord; it seems nothing to pull the cord, but the lead comes withal, and quasheth the puller to pieces. Th •• is the vexation, when they feel extreme torments, they shall curse themselves 〈◊〉 the cause. True it is, they shall blaspheme God desperately, Rev. 16.11. Curse the devil maliciously, and execrate other company: expressed by gnashing their teeth, the effect of an impatient fury: but at last they shall be convinced, and have this • cknowledgement extorted from them; Proprijs configimur armis, we have destroy •• ourselves. Besides, the measure of this self-procured woe, is destruction: all the dregs of the violl, all the plagues in the storehouse of Almighty Justice; so far 〈◊〉 man's passive nature is capable; infinite in extension; what falls short in breadth, to be supplied in length; infinite in everlasting passion. Now the last ingredient to 〈◊〉 bitter potion remains: to the author and measure, the manner, Swift. When i • shall come, it makes no sparing; before it do come, it gives no warning. Nothi •• is more sure to dispatch them, nothing more quick to attach them; it is Swift destruction.
Suddaine destruction seizeth on the wicked. There are judgments that creep on a man by degrees, every pull of pain being a warning of dissolution. These are easier. 1. Because preparation is rendered, and so the mind begins to be fortified against them. The first seen Cockatrice is less noxious. Either we may hide ourselves, Prov. 22.3. The prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself. Where? Psalm 9.6. The Lord is a Refuge in the time of trouble. Under the wings of mercy, he hideth himself in the Lord, from the Lord. Or, by a well furnished and resolute opposition; Pugnent arma armis: put • ing it to a courageo • s venture for the victory. Or, by a well-tempered patience to sustain; as woo • meets iron, and turns the stern violences to soft embraces. 2. Because the mind is the better inured to bear or encounter those evils, to which it hath been exercised; as with wooden weapons men learn to fight at the sharp. Lam. 3.27. It 〈◊〉 good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. In the Fable, when the new and old Ca • went together, the new made a creaking noise under the lode, and wondered at the silence of the old: which answered; I am accustomed to these burdens, therefo • e bear them and am quiet. This is the benefit of sustaining crosses in youth, such a one knows how to bear them still. Thus death becomes welcome to us, because we are acquainted with his messengers. Fot when life which is held a friend, becomes an enemy; then death which is an enemy becomes a friend. It was promised to o •• Israelite, that he should beat ten enemies: now he that conquered the odds, will 〈◊〉 cowardly shrink at the equality. 3. Because the sense is weakened by much ••• fering: usual beating makes the child less to fear the rod. The faithful are 〈◊〉 well acquainted with God's gentle chastisements, that they know it is the same h ••• that strikes still: perhaps now in death a little smarter at once, that it may ne ••• strike them more. Thus a consumption doth so by degrees spend up the choleric •• mours, exhaust the spirits, and weaken the sense; that the tyranny of death is 〈◊〉 in the want of our feeling. Some of the martyrs that were tumbled down from exceeding high rocks, left the bitterness of the pangs of death in the mid-way 〈◊〉 their journey; and their souls went up to heaven, before their bodies came down to earth. 4. Lastly, threatened punishment hath lost the nature of suddenness, though • gh not in the passion, yet in the person: it may dispatch with speed, but the pati ••• before expected it. So when God menaceth, and formerly gives notice, he means not to destroy. Jonah comes to Nineveh, and peremptorily threatens destruction, with the determinate limits of forty days: but God gave a feeling of it in the heart, that there might not be a feeling of it in the flesh. Non est eversa, sed conversa; The sin of the City was overthrown, the City stood. All menaces are not categoricall, some are hypothetical: neither doth this argue in God levity, but mercy. Novit Deus aliquando mutare sententiam, nunquam novit mutare consilium. God sometimes altereth his sentence, but he never altereth his purpose. Minatur quod faciat, ne faciat quod minatur; If men's apprehensive hearts repent, there is a retraction of the judgment. If God give not his preventing sorrow, the punishment shall be new enough to the sufferer, how old soever it be in respect of the decreer. Isaiah 10.22. The consumption decreed shall over-flow with righteousness.
But this is Swift perdition: Quo celerius, eo severius; A man thinks lingering evils swift enough, though they come the Tortoise pace, pedetentim, yea, serpentim, sliding on. Though the fabric of his body be as long a plucking down, as the Temple of Jerusalem was a building up; six and thirty years. Yet still they say to sickness, as the devils said to Christ; Why comest thou to torment us before our time? Matth. 8.29. Yea, could it give us as long warning, as Noah gave the old world; a • hundred and twenty years; yet Festinas Domine, Lord thou art too hasty: they find fault with the precipitation. Let the siege to thy life be as the Grecians to Troy, of ten years continuance; yet still thou sayest, it comes De improviso, I did not look for it so soon. But we know whose mouth hath spoken it. Psal. 55.23. Men of bloods and deceit; non dimidiabunt dies suos; shall not live out half their days. Not half those which in the course of nature, and opinion of the world, they might have run. Herod was taken away quickly, in the midst of his popular applause; and the Angel of God immediately smote him, Act. 12.23. God shall shoot at them with an arrow, suddenly they shall be wounded, Psalm. 64.7. As a man-sees not the thunderbolt, till it strike him dead, Psal. 73.19. How are they brought to desolation as in a moment, and utterly consumed mith terrors? In a moment there is nec prius nec posterius. Vers. 20. As a dream when one awaketh, &c. All their prosperity is but a dream, they laugh in their sleep, but they awake howling, Psal. 37.10. Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: thou shalt diligently seek for his place, and it shall not be found. Destruction shall leave nec hominem, nec locum, neither the man, nor his place. Vers. 36. The wicked spreads himself like a green Bay-tree: yet he passed away, and loe he was not: I sought him, but he could not be found. Thou sawest him today aspiring like the Cedars; Digito monstrari, & dicier hic est; Seek for him tomorrow, and thou returnest with a Non inventus. Prov. 14.11. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown. How? Zach. 5.2. What seest thou? a flying roll. What shall it do? Vers. 4. It shall enter into the house of the wicked, and shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber and stones of it. It is a flying roll, a winged curse, not seen till it be felt. It shall destroy, not with a lingering consumption; to dwell upon his tabernacle, and do it by a long succession of plagues: but in allusion to Sodom; Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation, Job 18.15. By the Civil Law, every man's house is his castle: no man may be dragged out of his own door Iudicio civili: yet in such as we call Crown-cases, Treasons and Contumacies, great houses have been thundered down over the owners heads. And like the House of Baal, 2 King. 10.27. And of such Idolaters, Dan. 3.29. They may be converted into filthy draughts, dung-hills, and receptacles of excrements. When God saw his own Temple made a den of thieves, he destroyed it: therefore how much less will he spare private houses, when they are • ade shops of mischief, and monuments of iniquity? Hab. 2.11. The stone shall cry 〈◊〉 of the w • ll, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. The stones at every joint shall weep like marble, and the timber at every pin shall bleed like the Vine: both joining in a mournful Anthem; one beginning, the other answering; Woe unto him that buildeth with bl • ud. Yet if the man himself might escape, more houses might be had for money: nay, saith Bildad, Job 18.18. he shall be chased out of the world. But though his body be accursed like the barren Fig-tree; Never fr •• grow on thee more: yet he might have his estate continued to his posterity. No, Vers. 19. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining 〈◊〉 his dwellings. His house shall be destroyed; and this in Scripture contains the whole family, Josh. 24.15. I and my house will serve the Lord. The materials and form ••• shall be destroyed. But though body, house, and posterity be lost; yet still he may say as Absalom said, and do as Absalom did, 2 Sam. 18.18. He reared up for himself a pillar, saying, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pill •• after his own name; Absalom's place. So Psal. 49.11. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations: therefore they call their lands after their own names. Let me build an house, and rear a monument after mine own name: No, down with it to the ground. Job 18.17. His remembrance shall perish from the earth; and he shall have no name in the street. As Valeri ••• speaks of those Romans, who besides their own deaths, Penatium quoque strage p • niuntur. This is a fearful destruction, to be so rooted out as Rovillas, that their very name becomes a stench. But that all this should be done suddenly, uno actu, 〈◊〉 ictu; Vengeance it self, men think, can do no more.
He shall be destroyed: might it not be said, much ruinated? As an house h •• h the windows broken, yet it stands: the covering is stripped off, yet it stands: the walls are beaten down, yet it stands: take away the foundation; then you may say, Hîc suit domus; here was an house. Job 8.18. If he destroy him from his place, then 〈◊〉 shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. May it not be said of man, as of a clock; which growing foul, the maker resumes, takes it in pieces, lays it wheel by wheel, and pin by pin; scowres it, puts it together in frame again, and sets it going? No, alas, the wicked is destroyed, put out of tune forever, and that as swiftly, as if a clock were dashed against the stones. O that it had any other measure but perdition, any other manner but celerity! Job 14.7. There is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground, ye • through the sent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. B • t man dieth, and wasteth away, and where is he? He that should read the Chronicle of some great man's life, find him endowed with singular gifts of nature, beautified with rare qualities of art, befriended with the successes of fortune: whom his Prince had highly honored, the people admired, flatterers adored; where nothing wanted to the concurrence of happiness: and thus pursuing the story, measuring the hopes of future glory by the experience of present prosperity; should now turn over the leaf to read, and find a blank, no more to be read, an abrupt suspension; he would either think the writer had mistook, or that some leaves were torn o •• of the book. No, there was an high finger that blotted it out, and broke off the history with an unexpected catastrophe. For Haman the second man in the Court, to forfeit all his glories at the galhouse! As if Destruction had the charge, th •• CHRIST gave to Judas; Quod facis, cito fac, John. 13.27. What thou doest, 〈◊〉 quickly.
The dejection of Job was sudden, but it was not destruction, Job 1.16. While 〈◊〉 was yet speaking, there came also another, &c. As if he might not be allowed rest 〈◊〉 consider of the former wretchedness. The fall of Jehoram was destruction, b •• 〈◊〉 was not sudden, 2 Chron. 21.19. In process of time, after the end of two years, 〈◊〉 bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: day by day, for two years together. But 〈◊〉 it is both destruction, and swift destruction; as to Nabal; The Lord smote him, and 〈◊〉 died, 1 Sam. 25.38. It is sudden, both because it prevents the expectation of na •••• and because the blow is like to that which David with his sling gave to Goliath, t ••• sunk him down forever. Such, according to our Apostles Prophecy, hath be •• the destruction of the Churches enemies. Pharaoh by the sea, Corah by the earth▪ the haters of those three faithful servants by the fire, Simon Magus in the air: all destructions, by all the Elements, and all sudden, with a fearful expedition.
Swift destruction.] There are many swift things, none swifter than the reprobates destruction, when God will hasten it. Birds are swift, the Eagle cuts the air, and is gone. Therefore Solomon compares the suddenest vanisher, Riches to an Eagle, that makes her self wings and flies away, Prov. 23.5. Yet is this destruction swifter. An arrow is swift, 1 King. 22.34. A certain man drew a bow at a venture, sm • te the King of Israel, and rid him. Destruction is a swift arrow, that same Sagitta per diem volitans, the arrow that flieth by day, Psalm. 91.5. Surer and swifter than the arrow of Cephalus; Consequitur quodcunque petit. Or that Hercules shot into Nessus, Met. 9. When he ran away with his Deianica; he told him that though he could not come to him, he would send after him: Vulnere, non pedibus te consequar: • nd he made it good; Fugientia terga sagittâ Trat • icit. These are not Jonathan's prick- • rrowes, to give warning: but destructive arrows, such as God shot against Sodom, • etherd with fire, consuming in a moment. Such, Psal. 18.14. He sent out arrows • nd scattered them, he shot out lightnings and discomfited them. Thunder and lightning, 〈◊〉 swift and dispatching arrow. Psal. 144.6. Cast forth lightning and scatter them: • hoote out thine arrows and destroy them. Man may shoot and miss, or his arrows be so slow of flight that it may be avoided: but if God shoots, he hits and kills. The Parthian arrow was so admired for swiftness, that Lucan says of Caesar, he was • orto Balearis verbere fundae Ocyor, & missâ Parthi post terga sagittâ. And Philoctetes • rrowes are noted Sophocles for fatal deadliness; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , fore-runners of • eath: & habent sub arundine plumbum, headed with heavy vengeance. Yet are all these • oth weaker in fight, and duller in flight, than God's arrows, which as the Psalmist • peakes, come from the hand of a Giant. When he shall draw them up to the head, • hey wound with an incurable blow. Job 20.24. The bow of steel shall strike him • hrough, it shall come glistering through his gall. The Sun is swift, per diem peragens cursum; he rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. Yet the same days sun • ath seen a man; high mounted with pomp in the morning; yet covered with destruction before the evening. But as Moses told Israel concerning the Egyptians; Whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever, Exod. 14.13. Thus swift is God's judgment, and outrunning the Sun, flame is swift: the Poets gi • aine that she is the daughter of Titan and Terra, the Sun and the Earth. The Sun • ing her such an aerial and spiritual swiftness by his generation, that if the mother • y her grossness had not a little bated her agility; she would the first hour of her • irth have run out of the world. Indeed she still flies apace, and like a channel by • ontinuall accessions, grows up to a river; vires acquirit eundo. As a little ball rol • ed in the snow, gathers it self to a great lump. The report that is but a little spark • f fire at London, proves a great flame by that time it comes to York. But alas, • ven fame is slow-footed, and besides the invention of lies, must have intervention of space, before it arrives: and though it out-run the clouds, as Ahimaaz over ran Chushi, because he ran by the way of the plain: yet still Judgment is swifter, and • o dispatching that it l • aves none to carry the report. When Job was afflicted, there was one reserved to bring news to him: what the Sabaeans had done upon the Oxen, the Chaldeans upon the Camels, the fire upon the sheep, all these upon the • ervants; Ego solus aufugi, I am alone escaped to tell thee. But destruction is surer and • orer, when it leaves none to bear tidings. Iud. 4.16. All the host of Sisera fell up •• the sword, and there was not a man left. His mother, and her wise Ladies insult; Have • hey not sped? have they not divided the prey? Judge. 5.30. No forsooth, for there • as nobody left to carry news. Lightning is swift, Matth. 24.27. It cometh •• t of the East, and shineth even unto the west: a similitude used by CHRIST him • else to describe the suddainesse of his seco • d appearing. The thunder is called the • ords voice, Psal. 29.3. The voice of the Lord, is upon the waters, the God of glory th • n • reth. This breaketh the cedars, makes them skip like calves, Lebanon and Sirion caper like an Unicorn. This is a sudden manner of destroying, as the Lord smote the Philistines with a great thunder, 1 Sam. 7.10. When the Lord rains this storm, he kills quickly: etiam comedentem absorbet. Job 20.23. When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating: there is another swift perdition. The ordinance charged with that salt mineral, makes quick destruction: it bruiseth and quasheth to pieces before it gives the •• port, and therein is truly sudden Innumerable lives have fallen by this engine; a thing that can send the errand of death a great way off. I know not to what to compare it, unless to the pestilence that killeth a far off, Ezek. 6.12. Gunpowder 〈◊〉 invention of a Monk, of a devil, the daughter of salt and sulphur, the mother of deaths nimblest children; nothing maketh a quicker end.
The fifth of November puts us in mind of this fatal destruction; intended by the malice of men, but prevented by the mercy of God. Those smoky locusts 〈◊〉 prepared and furnished a black pit, the very image of hell; and had resolved o • that desperate cry, Incendium extinguatur ruinâ: they had devised communem reg •• , a common bonfire, an universal combustion, both of mortal men and immortal monuments; Churches, Charters, and Records of antiquity. Bloody Priests that would have offered a whole burnt sacrifice, and made our sons and daughters pa •• e through the fire, an oblation to their Moloch of Rome. Think countrymen, and let it never die in your memories, whiles the mercy of God may find a room in your hearts: consider a swift destruction; never was example of so facinorous an e • terprise, the Primum genus of all sin, a crying, a roaring, a thundering sin, as our Sovereign truly termed it: a sin not only of blood, but of fire, fire mingled with brimstone, such as the attempters (without extraordinary mercy) now feel in hell. Ask from East to West, from one Pole to the other; search all records under heaven, if ever there was the like. Their vault was a penuary and store house of destruction; against us in the intent, against themselves in the event. Let us say as those four Lepers, 2 King. 7.9. This day is a day of good tidings, and we do not well to hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will fall upon us. Consider with them. 1. The specialty of the time, This day. 2. The occasion of that specialty, it is a day of good news. 3. The duty of that occasion, not to hold our pe • ce. 4. The necessity of that duty, lest mischief fall upon us. But you will say, the day is past, and let it pass with the day; Sufficit diei malitia ipsius; sufficient to the day is the sorrow thereof. I answer; Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge, Psalm. 19. Verse 2. The day gone reads a lecture to the day present: that day tells news to all days, without which they had not been days to us. In regard of the marvelous attempt, a day of news: in regard of the gracious deliverance, a day of good news. News in the Intention, good news i • the prevention: a privative, a positive good; for a negative is made an affirmative by reduction. Suppose you had seen it done; the King, Prince, Nobles, Senators, Priests; the flowers and ornaments of the land; without distinction of Majesty, dignity, sex or age, degree or merit, reason or religion; tossed up with barrels and billets, piec • s of timber, bars of iron, and great stones; the murthering artillery together with the murdered bodies, into the air, up toward heaven, their flesh accompanying their souls so far as that violence could send them; till their mangled carcases fell down again to the mother earth, to receive their remaining blo •• crying vengeance against their butchers. Behold here the type of the deflagration 〈◊〉 Sodom, the model of Tophet, the nearest representation that earth could afford 〈◊〉 that Ignitum dil • vium, the fiery deluge at the last day: yea the image of that Ge ••• na ignis, which God hath prepared for the wicked. When father and son, dam •• and young in a nest together, had been blown away with a blast; a whirlwind 〈◊〉 destruction: the whole state of a kingdom dissolved, and that in an instant of ti •• , before they could have swallowed their spittle, or in remembrance and remorse of their sins have said; Lord have mercy on us. This had been destruction in the winged precepice, and most desperate suddenness. As it was threatened to the house of Ier • boam, to be cut off in a day: but what? even now in a moment, before they had leisure to think of it. But as the three servants of God were cast into a fiery furnace • hat burnt them not: and as Moses saw a bush that flamed and consumed not: so the good will of him that dwelt in the bush defended us, Deut. 33.16. The Lord brought •• s back from death to life, and we were comforted as men awaked out of a fearful dream. Their destruction was swift, but the mercy of God was swifter. There wanted nothing but an actor to bring on that catholic doomsday: yet before the match could be brought to the powder, their artificial fireworkes were discovered; their projection, prodition, deperdition, all disclosed; and seasonably returned on their own heads.
So perish all thine enemies, O Lord.] Now the mercy of God turn destruction, • nto salvation, and then be as swift as he please: the sooner we get home, the sooner • ase: therefore Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.
VERSE 2. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
WE have in these Heretics contemplated their access to the Church, now consider their success in the Church. Many shall follow, &c. It hath ever been the devils aim, that seeing he must of necessity be wretched, not to be wretched alone. Now the company he desires, is not beasts and irrational creatures, (save where he may do their owners a mischief) but his ambition flies man-height, his envy strikes at the image of God, because he hath no other way to extend his malice to the Deity it self; to effectuate this, he works man to betray man; as man makes one fowl catch another, or one beast surprise • nother; the hawk the partridge, the hound the hare; all to make him sport. So Satan sets Ephraim against Manasseh, Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Judah; himself against all, Esa. 9.21. And because he think the Pagan world sure enough his own, have at the Christian. There of all places God is glorious, there of all places he will be pernicious. The devil hath a desire to all, but especially he doves a religious soul: he would eat up that with more greedynesse, than Rachel did her Ma • drakes. He is a black Lion rampant in a bloody field: CHRIST is King of the whole world; nay soft quoth the devil, I have the air, Eph. 2.2. He is called the Prince of the power of the air. He hath loaded Heretics with seed from hell, • nd sets them a sowing in the Church: that at the day of harvest his crop may be greater in the barn of hell, than the Lord CHRIST'S is in heaven. In the former verse we had him sowing; his seminaries at work: in this verse behold with what a prosperous and lucky hand he doth it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Many shall follow. Their cursed tares shall spread far and wide, & mirifice multiplicabuntur. It is little content for them to be reprobates alone; but as falling Lucifer drew numerous Angels with him; so all his adherents and agents are firebrands to burn others with themselves. The Pharisees would travel sea and land to work Profelytes to their own inheritance, yea to procure them a double portion to themselves, Matth. 23. Verse 15. The Emissaries of Rome have that charge given th •• to corrupt others. Like men sick of the pestilence, they have an itching •• sire to infect their neighbors. Here therefore behold their success; M •• shall follow their pernicious ways. If we take the verse asunder, it will thus fall 〈◊〉 parts; generally two.
A
- Attraction; Many shall follow their pernicious ways.
- Detraction; By whom the way of truth shall be scandalised.
In the Attraction or congestion of this tumult, consider
The
- Ringleaders; They, that broach these Heresies.
- Rabble or tatterdemallion that adhere; Many follow.
In the Detraction, derogation, or injury done to the Gospel, by these revo ••• from the truth, let us examine.
The
- Patient that suffers, The way of truth.
- Injurie that it suffers; Evil spoken of.
In the patient observe
The
- Singularitie, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The way, the only way.
- Sincerity, Of Truth, uncorrupted truth.
Thus here are many points, one into two, two into four, four into eight. N •• you will say, as Leah of her son Gad, Gen. 30.11. A troupe cometh, or 〈◊〉 comes a company: yet all these branches have but one root, all these members 〈◊〉 one head: they are but wheels of a clock taken a little in sunder to view, then 〈◊〉 be put together again. When a wealthy favourite of the world, that 〈◊〉 more livings than virtues, sent his servant before to take up lodging for him; the servant charged the host to provide good cheare; for here, says he, wi •• come the Lord of such a Manor, the Land-lord of such a town, the keeper of such a forest, the Master of such an office, the lay-person of such a parish, a I • stice of peace, a Gentleman, an Usurer, and my master: the host blest himself; alas, I have not room for half so many: nay quoth the servant, all these are 〈◊〉 one man. So if you distrust that you have not room in your memories to lodge s • many points, yet be comforted, all these are but one Text.
The first general is the Attraction, and the first particular the Ring leader • whence occur two observations.
First, the necessity of a head to every Schism and faction: never was bre •• made in the vineyard of CHRIST, but some principal beast-led the whole herd. There had been no treason nor insurrection against David, but for Abs • l •• to set it on foot. Gamaliel spake of two such factions. Act. 5.36. The • d •• , 〈◊〉 whom a number of men joined themselves: and Judas, that drew much people after him: these Schisms had their heads. If Smith and Rob. had not led the way to Amst •• dam, how many silly souls had stayed still with their mother in England! The • blind zeal misled them, and they others: their flight was not so much as their m •• guidance. Though the parties in sin have their parts in the punishment, yet to t •• principal authors be the principal plagues. If their reward in heaven be so great, 〈◊〉 save one soul from death; how great shall their torment be in hell that pervert ma •• souls to destruction? Matth. 5.19. Minimus in coelo, maximus in infer •• . He 〈◊〉 be least in the kingdom of heaven, but greatest in the kingdom of hell. He that 〈◊〉 damn a soul besides his own, overdoes the devils expectation; he supererog ••• of Satan, and he shall give him a double fee, a double portion of hell fire for 〈◊〉 pains. Salus capitis, caput salutis: so error capitis, caput erroris, Mark. 6.34. Our S ••• our pitied the people, because they were as sheep, sine pastore ullo, without any shepherd: but how would he have wept to see the poor Lambes misled a Pastore 〈◊〉 by an exill shepherd! Non vesci omnino, miseranda defectio; sed vesci veneno, execr •• da infectio. It is miserable to want food, yet as good nothing at all as only poison. CHRIST is the only head of his Church they that fall off from him, must have • ap •• novum, a new head, and join themselves in corpus novum, to a new body: thus • hall both head and tail be cut off together, Esa. 9.14. This observation Ministers two • sefull lessons to us.
1 That the way to suppress a schism, is to cut off the Head: for it will be • ard for a body to move headless. Zach. 13.7. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep • hall be scattered. These be strong colts, swift dromedaries traverssing their own ways; wild Asses that snuff up the wind at their pleasure, and whiske it about in • he wilderness of their own boundless fancy, and transportive fury. I do not say Percute ferro; like Empirics that can cure no disease without letting blood: no, I • refer with Tertullian, suffusion of it, before effusion of it; shame before smart: • nowing that not only Christianitas, sed etiam haeresis mortibus crescit: and some • ave thought their cause good, only because it was their happiness to be in prison • bout it. But howsoever, Vbi non prosint ubera, non desint verbera: supprime errorem •• primendo errantem. If their wickedness hath been formerly illustrated with the • ommentaries of the churches patience; if sternnesse hath given place to mildness, without success; let now mildness be turned into sternnesse. Let the wheel of admiration turn about, and let the Law begin to prick them a little, that have no felt it, • ut laughed at it a long time, and made connivence their warrant for contempt. Lay • he medicine close to them, as Christ did to the cripple at Bethesda; visne sanari? wilt thou be mended, or not? Let such willful revolters take heed; Restat • verti, cui converti non contigit; if they will not be converted, let them fear to • e confounded.
2 Seeing there are such corrupters of our truth, and disturbers of our peace, • et us be sure to hold the Truth in peace: leaving all heads, and cleaving to our only • ne Head JESUS CHRIST. Col. 2.19. Let us hold the head, from which all the bo • y by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with • he increase of God. Cursed is he that seeks to separate us from this head. The Lord • s our God and our Guide; him we follow, but all false ways we utterly abhor, Phil. • .9. That which you have learned and received, do; and the God of peace shall be with • ou. If we adhere to the truth peaceably, the God of truth and peace shall be with • s. Even that God of peace, whom such incendiaries would turn out of our • and. Psal. 120.6. My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. Doth he hate peace? then peace shall hate him. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are • or war. Well then, God shall be even with him, and be for war, when he speaks • or peace. Deus pacis nobiscum; O the sweet habit of peace to appear in! O the gracious form of peace, for our God to present himself to us! Let him always • ppeare to me in that shape, always present himself to me in that form. Not in • urning fire, nor tempestuous wind, nor trembling earth-quakes but in the soft air • nd still breath of peace; the God of peace be with us. The more busy the devil • s to scatter dissensions, the more unitedly let us hold together. As when the enemy assaults a town, and the men are defending it; the children mean time may not • e allowed to keep what coile and misrule they will in the house; but are rather to • ive so much the more orderly. The tyranny of the one must not encourage the li • ertie of the other; nor are these to be excused because the other are increased. The • ommon adversary assaults our substance, if we wrangle one with another about • ircumstance; it argues a confederacy, and brings on us a suspicion of combina • ion; as if we expected advantage by the thriving of the contrary faction; • ather than fidelity to our Mother, and vowed adherence to her husband CHRIST.
The second observation is the great force of example: these ringleaders soon • et abundance of followers. 1 Tim. 4.1. They shall give heed to the spirits of error. Men should be led by precepts, and over-led by precedents. The ear hath put off • er business to the eye, to be dispatched: and (as Caesar drowned Bibulus his consulship) that fetcheth in all the informations to the heart, deriving from others action the warrant of practice. As Jacob's ewes did bring forth Lambes, according to •• e color of the objected rods: so the people produce works according to the ••• terns before them. Saint James saith, Estote factores verbi Divini, Be ye doers of 〈◊〉 word, not of man's work. It is preposterous for the feet to follow the toyish i •• ginations of the fancy, and not the voice of reason. The Papist would foll ••• CHRIST in the Gospel; but for this same, First let me bury my father, kiss my •• there, ask my Grandame whether I shall do so or not; my forefathers follo •• other ways. We all say that we serve the Lord, but as the Psalmist speak •• Other Lord's rule us, Rom. 8. Verse 14. They that are led by the Spirit of God, 〈◊〉 Sons of God. By the Spirit of God, not by the spirit of man: our natu ••• spirit is a giddy guide, yea our sanctified spirit is in sufficient: a spirit must gu ••• and this should be God's Spirit. The very heathen had their imaginary g •• for guides; as Jupiter or Mercury, them they invocated, them they imitated. Th •• is no such authority given to sin, as by example. Imperio maximus, exempl • •• jor: he that is most eminent, hath most followers. Augustus a learned Prince •• lled Rome with scholars, Tiberius with the dissemblers, Constantine with Christia •• , Julian with Atheists. Indeed the people will sometimes lead themselves, and r ••• without their rulers, as without rule. As in the days of Jehoshaphat, though Id • latry were defaced much, yet the high places were not taken away. How was this? T • king knew it not, the Prophets condemned it, the Priests were against it; the f ••• was in the people; they would not cleave to the God of their Fathers. But if Ie •• boam set up calves in Dan and Bethel, the people like beasts in herds goes a lowing •• ter them. The force of imitation makes many follow Rome: and because she once sent to this land some light, they will not forsake her though she lie now in darkness. We were beholden to Rome for our former conversion, we will not be beholden to her for her present religion: we will not follow her a step further, wh • she leaves Jesus Christ. There is a double beneficial use to be made of this doctrine.
First, let this teach men of place to look unto their exemplary lives: lest, as they have made themselves examples of transgression, God make them examples of destruction. Qui errantes destruunt instruunt morientes: they that tempt to sin by their life, shall deter from sin by their death. The life of Julian made many i • fidels, the death of Julian made many Christians. The pride of the wicked doth pervert many, their falls shall convert many. God will teach men to fear him, even by their ruin that taught them not to fear him. Magistratus indicat vir •• , saith Aristotle: a private man like an empty vessel may have many flaws unseen: but in full vessels the chinks and fissures are descried by the leakage of the wi •• , Infirmities in Lay-men seem Nugae, small faults; in Teachers and Governors Bl • sphemiae, blasphemies. Quanto nobilior, tanto notabilior: the more honorable, t •• more remarkable. Actual precedence, or silent connivence in them, heartens an • beardens the inferiors. The high Priests money tempted an Apostle: if the Pop • command, commend, or reward treason; the conspirator takes it to be religio •• Therefore in men of high place, love should bind more than Law: Minimum l ••• re decet, cui plurimum licet: he should do least, that may do most mischief. S ••• are superiores cateris, but there is superior supremis, Eccl. 5.8. He that is higher 〈◊〉 the highest regardeth it, and there be higher than they. With God there is no resp ••• of persons: the poorest may say to the richest, as the malefactor to his fellow 〈◊〉 the Cross; Thou art in the s • me condemnation. God charged Moses, Numb. 25. • Take the heads of the people, and to hang them up. They were Princes some of the • and these often think that no Law can hold them, that they may live as they 〈◊〉 but God spa • es not Princes. Yea Potentes potenter punienter: mighty sinners sha •• 〈◊〉 mightily punished. As they that carry not their light reservedly to themselves, 〈◊〉 communicate it to others, in turning them to righteousness, shall shine as the st ••• the brightest part of their o • bes, Dan. 12.3. Men from high places are either lib ••• up to a great measure of glory in heaven, or cast down to a low degree of torment in hell. Against the unjust Officer of God's Kingdom, He will horribly and suddenly appear: an hard judgment shall they have that bear rule. The mighty shall be mightily tormented, and for the potent abideth the sorer trial. Tophet is prepared for the evil King, Esa. 30.33. Wicked subjects shall have room enough, but the wicked Prince shall have the chief place. Luke 16.28. Some reading the rich man so earnestly requesting Abraham to send one from the dead, to bring his brethren to repentance; would think he had some charity in hell. But this was not out of love, but out of fear: he would have his brethren reclaimed, lest him self should be more tormented. Because his example, as being their elder brother, had increased their wickedness on earth; and should withal increase his damnation in hell. A reprobate soul already swallowed into that Lake, finds his torment every day augmented, as the brood and generation of sins is multiplied by the seed of his cursed example. Take heed, the fire of hell will be hot enough for a man's own iniquities; he needs not the iniquities of others, like fuel and bellows, to blow and increase the flame. Lord make them good whom thou hast made great: and reach them to honor thee, as thou hast honored them. Psal. 45.4. They that travel in meekness, righteousness, and truth; let them ride on prosperously with their honor; thorough the Cities and Courts of the earth, to the City that is above, the Court of the great King in heaven, the inheritance of all those that love the LORD JESUS.
Secondly, seeing we are all apt to be followers, let us seek out the best patterns. It is the custom of the wicked to pretermit all good precedents, and to single out such as they would have, not such as they should have. As the Dorre that passeth by all the sweet flowers of the meadow, humming in scorn, and ends his flight in a dung-hill. Or, as the Egyptians, that behold the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, all the glories of nature, without admiration, yea without common regard: until they spy a Crocodyle, an ugly serpent, and then down on their knees to worship it. It is an unhappy thing to converse with the wicked: to be a brother to the Dragons, and a companion to the Ostriches, Job 30.29. To remain in Meshek, and to dwell in the tents of Kedar, Psal. 220.5. He that is a parasite to a great man's lust, is not a servant to the great God's Law. Gal. 1.10. If I should please men, I were not the servant of Christ. Noah abhors the fashions of the old world, Lot of Sodom, Job of Vz: yea, they have opposed themselves: one Reuben was opposite to the rest of his fraternity, one pair of Spies to the rest of their faint-hearted company, one Lot to the rest of the City, one Luther to the rest of his country, one Noah to the whole world. Suppose the example bates of multitude, and is supplied with magnitude; will it be a good answer to the Tribunal; Ego & Rex meus, the Prince and I? True, I did so, but there were better men in the company, I durst not displease? But whether is better, to follow man's humor, or God's honor? At the day when Scepters and sepulchers shall be all one; what protection is there in thy lord against the Lord of Hosts?
Let us then look out better precedents to follow, Phil. 3.17. Be ye followers of me, and look on them which walk so, as ye have us for an ensample. We must not imitate everyone, but such as Paul: nor Paul in everything, but wherein he follows Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1. That great Apostle encouraged our imitation, but gave a limitation: Do not you follow after me, unless you see the tract of Christ before me. Imitemur bonos, sed in bonis: Let us follow good men, but only in what they are good. As Rhetoritians make a double imitation of Orators; one absolutely and always necessary; as Demosthenes among the Grecians, and Tully among the Latins: others but at sometimes, and in some things; as Poets and Historians. So in our Christian imitation, there is one example necessary; Christ, who is called the Way; Via in exemplo, veritas in pr • misso, vita in praemio: others but in some actions, & at some occasions: • heir lives being lines so far to be followed, as they swerve not from the original co • y, Christ. We are not bound to be good men's apes; let us follow David, where he • ollowed God's heart,