2 Peter 2:21

BAcksliding hath ever beene a sinne most odious to God: yea it is a packe or bundle of sinnes truss’d up together; all derogatory to his honour, and contrary to his Nature. For there is in it, first, Hypocrisie; which is adverse to Him, as he is the God of Truth. Secondly, Inconstancy; which is opposite to him whose Motto is, Mal. 3.6. Ego Iehovah non muter; Iam. 1.17. in whom is no variablenesse or shadow of turning. Thirdly, Infidelity; which is held the highest disparagement to his goodnesse. Disobedience breakes his word, Infidelity will not take his word. Fourthly, Ingratitude; to which all sinnes give way, and make roome for in the highest place of damnation. Fifthly, Impenitency; which seales up the impossibility of forgivenesse. Ambros. de Poen. l. 2. cap. 10. Facilius inveni qui innocentiam servarent, quàm qui congruè poenitentiam agerent. It is better sleeping in a whole skinne, than hazarding wounds to try the vertue of an approved medicine. All hurts are not recovered: but where no hurt is done, there needs no remedy. Well therefore may our Apostle further aggravate this impiety; It had been better for them if they had not knowne, &c.

GOD did easily passe over many sinnes in his Israel; yet hee vehemently insists in those, into which they so often relapsed. Such were their murmurings against him in his Ministers and Instruments: their turning upon other gods, and embracing the idolatry of their neighbours. Murmuring is a slippery way to an irrecoverable bottome: and hee comes neere to God himselfe, that murmurs against him that comes from God. The Magistrate is the garment, in which God apparels himselfe: and he that shoots at the clothes, cannot say, hee meant no ill to the man. Idolatry is the next slip to this fearefull precipice and downefall. Their murmuring against Gods Ministers did too often end in a departing from God himselfe: when they would have other Officers, they would have other gods: and still to-daies murmuring, was to-morrowes Idolatry. Their murmuring induced their Idolatry, and they often relapsed into them both. Not so much their murmuring and their Idolatry, as their relapsing into those sinnes, did seeme to affect the Lord. Psal. 78.41. They turned backe and tempted God; and limited the holy One of Israel. That was their sinne: but before hee chargeth them with the sinne it selfe, in the same place hee chargeth them with reiterating, with redoubling of the sinne: Ver. 40. How often did they provoke him in the wildernesse? How often? This was that sinne which so exasperates the Lord against them. Iosh. 23.12. Their driving out of God whom they promised to serve, did cause him to bring in the nations whom he promised to drive out. Numb. 14.22. They have seene my wounders, and yet provoked mee these ten times; therefore they shall not see the Land which I sware unto their fathers. Though God had sworne it, hee will rather breake his Oath, than leave them unpunished. Why? because they had so often grieved him; tenne times. No tongue but Gods owne can expresse his indignation against a relapsing people. Every generall disobedience in a Nation is deadly: but when the disease is complicated with a relapse, after knowledge and profession of a former recoverie, it is desperate. Deut. 13.12. &c. Nor is Gods anger onely incensed, where the evidence is pregnant, and without exception; but where there is but a rumor, a suspition of such a relapse to Idolatry. Hereupon that message was sent by Israel to the Reubenites: Iosh. 22.17. Is the iniquitie of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed to this day? Wherein they object to them, not so much their present declination to Idolatry, as their relapse into a sinne formerly committed, and punished with the slaughter of foure and twentie thousand delinquents. At last they are satisfied; That Altar was not built for Idolatrie, but for a Testimonie; a Monument, whereby they professed themselves the servants of the same God: and the armie returned without bloud. It came not neere a relapse: but because there was a suspition, and feare of it, they were jealous. So odious to God, and so aggravating a weight of sinne lyes upon a relapse. Admit therefore our Apostles further declaiming against it: Satius, &c.

The Text is comparative, or an argument à malo ad pejus, à periculoso ad periculosius; inter damnosum simpliciter, & damnosum magis: wherein we have two states specified, and the worse of them remonstrated. First, the state of Iniquitie, before illumination. Secondly, the state of Apostacie, after illumination. Thirdly, the worse of these decided by the comparison. First, the condition of nature and sinne, They knew not the way of righteousnesse. Secondly, the tergiversation after knowledge, They turne from the holy Commandement. Thirdly, there is a weighing of both these in the Ballance, to trie which is the heavier: and certainely, the former condition is found to be the lighter burden: sinne in ignorance hath not so much to answere for, as impietie after knowledge; It had beene better for them. First, consider wee wherein the former state is defective: Non cognoverunt viam Iustitia; a blindnesse of heart, an aversenesse from the truth. Next, wherein the pravitie of the latter state consists: and this is discerned in two things. First, the excellencie of the Direction; a holy Commandement given them. Secondly, the obstinacie of their recidivation; They wilfully turne from it. The Rule or Direction hath three conveniencies: First, it is Praeceptum, a Commandement: therefore they are bound to obey it. But a Command may be defective or redundant, and so faile of integritie. Therefore secondly, this is a holy Commandement: perfect, without weakenesse; safe, without danger. But a Command may be holy and good, and yet not knowne: and who can fulfill an unrevealed Law? Therefore thirdly, Traditum illis, it was delivered unto them. Though they were bound to take notice of it, and ignorantia juris will not excuse: yet this is delivered to them, and they have knowne it; that the mouth of all wickednesse might be stopped. The last point, is the trutination of both these estates, and a verdict given, which is the better, which the worse. The last is found the heavier: and if they had perished in the former, without being guiltie of the latter, this for them had beene the better. The better, that is, the easier: or the better, the lesse evill: both conditions are bad enough; one is the worse.

They have not knowne the way of righteousnesse.] Wherein we have two things. First, the happinesse of the Object, The way of righteousnesse. Secondly, their unhapinesse, in being ignorant of it, They have not knowne it. Rom. 3.17. The way of peace they have not knowne.

The way of righteousnesse is so called, because both Formaliter, it is a righteous way; and Effectivè, it makes the walkers in it righteous. Certainely, there is but one way to Heaven, and this is it. There be many wayes to some famous Citie upon Earth, many Gates into it; the East-Gate, and the North-Gate, &c. But to the Citie of salvation and glory, there is but one Way, but one Gate, and that is a narrow one too, Via Iustitiae. There was a Way at the first; the Way of the Law, or rather of Nature: Adam was put into it, but he quickly went out of it. Of all his nine hundred and thirtie yeares, he kept not this path one whole day. Since that, no man ever kept it one houre; but onely hee that knew the Way, that made the Way, that is the Way, even the new Way of righteousnesse, Iesus Christ. Now this Way is not demolished, or made up; but we are all weake, and not able to travaile it: except it be some Romish Pharise that undertakes it. And yet Saint Paul will lay no lesse a Wager than the credit of his Doctrine upon it, that he never goes through with it: Rom. 10.3. Being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God, they goe about to establish their owne righteousnesse. Silly men; they blow at a Gloworme, in stead of a coale of fire: and when all is done, they find a cold squalid matter, farre unable to heat them. The Metaphor is there taken from shoring up an old rotten house, which no proppes can uphold; Aret. Pareus. or setting a dead man upon his feet, to make him stand. They goe about it, as the Nimrodians went about their Tower, emulating Heaven: but left it a rude heape of confusion, and a monument of their impious presumption. And their owne righteousnesse, as if they would not be beholding to God for a righteousnesse of his appointing.

What then is the Way of righteousnesse? So Ioh. 3.16. God loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoever beleeveth on him, should not perish: this is the Way, walke in it. If the righteousnesse of the Law, that is, our righteousnesse in observing the Law, could have justified us; God had beene too prodigall of a needlesse bloud: all those unconceivable agonies and sufferings of Christ had beene superfluous: he needed no Peter to say to him, Mat. 16.22. Master, favour thy selfe; for he would have spared those paines. But if our infinite Creditor tooke no other way to satisfie and pay himselfe, than in that precious Coine, the deare bloud of his onely Beloved Sonne; sure wee shall finde no way to get our owne discharge, but by resting on the bloud of that Sonne. Now in all this, God did not ordaine Novam Iustitiam, a new righteousnesse; but Novam Iustitia viam, a new way of righteousnesse. The Law is too weake to justifie us, indeed it is strong enough to condemne us: let us not seeke that which the Law cannot doe, but feare that which the Law can doe. It can never make us righteous before God, through our best obedience; let us never hope for that: it can pronounce us unrighteous before God, and without faith and repentance condemne us; let us feare that.

Rom. 10.4. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeveth.] The end of a thing is either Mathematicall, or Morall. The Mathematicall end is the utmost part of a thing, in which the length or continuance is determined: as a point is the end of a Line, death is the end of life, the day of Iudgement is the end of the world. The Morall end, is the scope and perfection of it. Christ is the end of the Law both wayes. First, he is the Mathematicall end, and that both of the Ceremoniall and Morall Law: of the Ceremoniall, by a direct signification; of the Morall, by an accidentall direction. The Ceremonies signified Christ, and ended at him; yea, ended in him. Mortales ante Christum, cum Christo mortuae, post Christum mortiferae. The Law of Manners did also (upon the reckoning) lead to Christ: for it led them to the Curse; and then reason would teach them to enquire for the remedie: as the sense of the disease guides a man to the medicine or Physician. Secondly, he is the Morall end of them: for both he is the Body of those shadowes, and the perfect fulfiller of the Decalogue. So that whatsoever the Law required, that we should Be, Suffer, or Doe, he hath performed for us. Aret. He is τέλος, the End, or Tribute; and we, by his payment, are [ἀτελεῖς], Tribute-free, discharged by him before God. Here is then still eadem Iustitia, the same righteousnesse which the Law requires; but non eadem via, not the same way of performing it. The former way required it in our owne persons, the new way accepts it done for us in Iesus Christ: the Law would have it inherent, the Gospel admits it imputed. He that beleeveth in Christ, hath the way of righteousnesse. Hieron. Talis est ille qui in Christum credit, die qua credidit, qualis ille qui universam legem implevit. We have a Liverie and Seisin of all the precious promises both in Law and Gospel, in the first moment of our Faith; yea, even an Earnest, and partly a possession of Heaven. Eph. 2.6. Hee hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus. It is as possible to plucke Christ from thence, as to hinder beleevers from arriving thither. Whosoever denyes, that we doe even now possesse Heaven in Christ, denyes Christ to be in Heaven. Even when our Vessell splits, and the flouds of temptation assault us, wee shall by faith escape the shipwracke, and swimme to shore.

This is the way of righteousnesse, which can onely make us Iustos in via, and beatos in patria. Indeed this way hath two boundaries; Repentance, and Obedience.

1. Repentance on the one side; a mourning for sinnes past: which is as sure an effect or demonstration of faith, as faith is a cause of the peace of conscience. Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, wee have peace with God. Conscience cannot be good, without faith; nor faith lively, without a good conscience: as the Lampe yeelds no light, without Oyle. Sinnes will be contracted; wee cannot keepe the way, without some wanderings: therefore had need to be often rectified. This is the office of Repentance; to set all strait againe. Yea, faith it selfe may suffer shipwracke, though it cannot be cast away. A Horse of the best mettle, when he falls into the hands of a Carrier, and is made a Pack-horse, becomes dull and jadish. Let us not overload our faith with the unnecessarie burden of wilfull sinnes: letting bloud often, will lose much spirits. A Cordiall is ever precious; but the force is abated, when it is turned into a Dyet. The frequencie of distempers will weaken the vertue of the Receit.

2. Obedience on the other side: for though wee live by faith, yet our faith doth not live, if it produce not good workes. We suspect the want of sappe in the root of a Tree, if wee find barrennesse in the branches. If either it have bad fruit, or no fruit, it is but a dead faith. This new way of righteousnesse doth not exclude obedience to the old; the Gospel does not abolish the Law: yea, without our endevour to keepe the Law, we have no comfort in the Gospel: The one is the Rule of beleeving, the other is the Rule of living. Rom. 6.15. Shall we sinne, because we are not under the Law, but under grace? God forbid: Eph. 4.20. Wee have not so learned Christ. Of all the markes set up in the way of righteousnesse, this is a principall one, Good workes, Aug. and Obedience. Christ is the end of the Law; Finis, non intersiciens, sed perficiens: Absolvens, non Dissolvens: not the destructive, but impletive end: non consumendo, sed consummando finis est: not the killing, but the fulfilling end. The noble Heire, when hee is come to his Lands, neglects not his Schoole-master: nay, if he be of an heroicall disposition, he rather preferres him. Though the Law were sharpe to thee in the infancie of a Christian, yet (consider) it hath brought thee to Christ; and for this office thou wilt love it. The matured Scholar is farre past the first rudiments of learning, yet he doth not scorne his Grammar: nay hee will hardly make congruous speech, if hee directly crosse those first rules. Ioh. 4.42. Now wee beleeve not for thy saying, (it was the Samaritans speech to the woman) for we have heard him our selves, and know that this is indeed the Christ: yet still there is some respect due to the first messenger. When the Merchant is come aboard his ship by the helpe of his boate, he does not presently sinke his boate; but fastens it to his ship, because he may have use of it another time. The Law hath beene a meanes to bring us to this way of righteousnesse; but it is not it selfe out of the way. Eph. 2.10. Wee are Gods workemanship, created in Iesus Christ unto good workes, which he hath before ordained, that we should walke in them. This walke was ordained for us, before Christ was actually given unto us. Yea, it will bee the delight of a Christian, then to be doing, when Christ is with him: Peter is ready to cast out the net at his Masters bidding, in hope of a happy successe. When so good a Lord stands by him, that at once puts strength in his hand, and courage in his strength, with Mat. 25.21. Well done good Servant; this will make him worke out his heart; if he be faithfull.

The way.] A way is ordained for going; they that goe in it, be called Travellers; and those must have many requisites.

1. They inquire the neerest, fairest, and best way: in our journey to heaven we shall often be out of the way, if wee doe not aske direction. Mal. •.7. The Priests lips preserve knowledge.

2. In dangerous and unknowne pathes they seeke for a sure guide. We have two that offer their assistance; the Spirit a gracious guide; the flesh, a giddy hairebraind guide. Let us take the Spirit, and take heed of the flesh.

3. Travellers are loth to goe alone; yet rather alone, than with bad company. Let us seeke out the Psal. 16.3. Saints, and such as excell in vertue. Good society takes away all tediousnesse from a journey.

4. They doe not clog themselves with superfluous luggage. Long garments and heavy burdens take away both ease and speed: impertinent and unnecessary cares will make us lagge behind. Herein the poore Christian hath advantage of the rich: this is before him for this world, the other gets the start of him for the Kingdome of heaven. He hath no barnes to build, nor farmes to let, nor moneys to dispose; no such trouble in his way.

5. Travellers goe not without weapons, for feare of robbers. Our way is dangerous; a great number of theeves lie in ambush for us. Satan is the grand theefe; all temptations be his prolers. Let us hold fast our faith; this shall serve us both for a weapon to fight with, when wee are beset: and for a staffe to rest upon, when we are weary. A shield of proofe to ward all blowes; a pistoll ready to dispatch all enemies. This shall uphold us, if we hold up it. While Peter kept this staffe in his hand, he could walke upon the sea; but when hee let it fall, he presently began to sinke; Mat. 14.30. Lord save me.

6. They are well shod that know they have a long rough iourney; lest they be laid up by the way. Our passage to heaven is full of tribulations, thornes, and stones: wee had need of greaves: and Eph. 6.15. our feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell.

7. Travellers carry with them some cordialls and comfortable waters, to cheare up their spirits when they faint with wearinesse. Wee have a Cellar of the waters of life ever ready, the Gospell of salvation: every promise is a Cordiall, able to fetch backe the swooning soule. Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ, a blessed Cordiall!

8. They meddle not with unconcerning quarrels; but mind their way and businesse. Wee cannot heare our God contemned with patience: nor with impatience, our selves. For the brawles of the wicked, though we wish peace, wee dare not thrust in (without a calling) to make it. Much lesse doe their tumults breed a warre in our bosomes: we doe not beate our selves, because they beat one another. Some indeed, because they see contentions about religion, give over all religion. As if a man seeing a fray, wherein he needs not to have a hand because they will not put up their swords, must therefore goe hang himselfe. What a desperate pusillanimity is this? Shall wee goe out of the way, because others quarrell about the way? Or bee of the Colliars mind; who seeing some suffering as Protestants for denying the Supremacie of the Pope, others as Papists for denying the Supremacie of the King, at one time: spake in his rusticall language, that he would be nere nother? God forbid.

9. Travellers linger not at every bush; nor tarry longer at their Inne, than for necessary refreshing; and renew their walke the next morning. Thus must wee use the world, as though wee used it not: requiring onely our needfull repast. So farre it may have our custome, as to bee buyers of requisite provision, a moderate viaticum for the sustentation of life; but not to be purchasers: we settle our inheritance in no land but the land of Promise. As for carnall pleasures, wee balke them unsaluted: wee dare not drinke of that cup for feare of Inchauntment. Hee that lookes for worldly joyes in the way of righteousnesse, thinkes to finde Canaan in the wildernesse.

10 They goe on to the end: walking is a perpetuall motion: not in circuitu, so the ungodly move like an Horse in a mill: but in progressu, going forward. Howsoever their naturall corruptions doe sometimes beare them aside, or into some crosse way; yet they looke to the maine journey. A snaile creeping on a grindstone may keepe on her pace though the grindstone be whirled the contrary way. The inferior orbes, though they be violently moved by the upper, yet have a particular contrary motion of their owne. A traveller is stayed against his will, by a stronger force; from which he no sooner gets loose, but he runnes his owne way the faster. As in walking there seemes to be a kind of emulation betweene the feet; as if the one did strive to bee before the other, and the body would be afore them both, and the minde afore the body: so must our desires labour toward the improvement of goodnesse; and to be better to morrow than wee are to day. Thus let us goe on in love and peace; and as Ioseph charged his brethren, let us not fall out by the way, lest we fall out of the way. But with humility and charity let us follow the way of righteousnesse, and our end shall bee everlasting peace.

They have not knowne the way.] I will not charge their ignorance so farre, as to say they knew no God, or beleeved none. Atheisme destroyes the nobility of man: for man is a-kinne to the beasts by his body; and if hee bee not of kinne to God by his soule, he is a base and ignoble creature. Yea, it confounds all magnanimity, and the advancement of humane nature. Take a Dog, and marke what a generosity and courage he will put on, when he is maintained by a man: who is to him in stead of a god, or at least melior natura, wherby it is manifest, that that creature, without the confidence of a better nature than his owne, could never be so couragious. So man, when hee resteth himselfe upon the Divine protection and favour, gathers a force and abilitie, which humane nature it selfe could never attaine. Therefore that ignorance (if at least there can be any such ignorance) is in all respects hatefull, that deprives humane nature of the meanes to exalt it selfe above humane frailty. But whatsoever the foole sayes in his heart, every man knowes in his heart, that there is a God. None will deny there is a God, but those for whom it maketh that there were no God. Never any nation fell wholly to Atheisme: they acknowledged some God, though they missed of the right.

Nor will I charge their ignorance with a false god: It were better to have no opinion of God at all, than such an opinion as is unworthy of him. The one is unbeleefe, the other contumelie; and certainly superstition is the reproach of Deitie. Yeeld them to know God, and the true God: were they yet ignorant of his worship Did they not know the Law Then their punishment were lesse heavy , unlesse their ignorance were voluntarie. Or rather say, they knew the Law, but with a Pharisaicall knowledge; Rom. 2.12. as if they could be justified by the Law. Herein, as wide as the whole Heaven, they erred from the way to Heaven. Not that there is any imperfection in the Law, as if it were not able to justifie us: but the imperfection and fault is in ourselves, that are not capable to be justified by it. A cunning Carver can cut the similitude of any creature; but not on a rotten sticke: yet is it no imputation to the skill of the Carver. The Law hath abilitie enough to justifie, but cannot performe this worke on our rotten nature. The Law, thus, is weake even to save one, but it is strong enough to damne thousand. What then?

They knew not the way of righteousnesse:] That is, the salvation which comes by Iesus. All ignorance is a Curse; but that which knowes not Christ, is the most miserable. Homo cùm sis, id fac [semper intelligas]. If a man be ignorant of that which concernes him not, he is excusable. As for a Preacher to be ignorant of the Art of Physicke, or a Physician of the Art of Navigation. But if the [Physician] be ignorant of Medicines, or the Divine of the Scriptures; this ignorance is [unpardonable]. Ignorance is the mother of error: and as well may we expect a voice from fishes, as vertue from the want of knowledge. The Philosopher being asked, Why men sought more to the rich, than to the wise? answered, Because it was possible for them to be rich, never to be wise. Why do men blanch the religious companie, to frequent the wanton? Because they have more mind to be wanton, than to be religious. Rom. 8.6. To be carnally minded, is death. They say of a wild gracelesse man, he hath a good wit: but it is indeed a naughtie wit, that ends in death. Of the covetous worldling, He is a wise fellow; God sayes, he is a very Luk. 12.20. foole. Come, let us deale wisely, saith Pharaoh: but indeed he play’d the foole. Gehezi thought himselfe wiser than his Master, Naaman shall not carrie away all his money: this wisdome got him the Leprosie. Peter would be counted a wise fellow, Mat. 16.23. Master, sav••• thy selfe: but Christ puts upon him a worse name than Foole, even Satan. [Achitophel] lived a deepe Polititian; but he died a naturall, an unnaturall foole. There is wisdome in the worldling, but it is as life in one that hath the falling sicknesse, or sense in a mad man, farre from the life and sense of sound men.

They turne from the holy Commandement given unto them.] The second estate is described by the clearenesse of the Direction, and by the soulenesse of their recidivation. The Direction is set forth by three just Prerogatives; Mandatum, Sanctum, Traditum: First, it is a Commandement; they have no exemption from it: Secondly, it is Holy; they can find no fault with it: Thirdly, it is Delivered unto them; they cannot plead ignorance of it.

The Commandement.] Some have thought, all the dutie of a Christian to be contained in the Decalogue, and that there are but ten Commandements. As if the Gospel were but a thing upon the By; Consilium, patius quàm Praceptum: a remedie, proposed to us, not imposed on us. But does not Christ call Love, a New Commandement? You will say; This, and divers other, had their institution in Nature, their re-ordination in the Law; onely they were lost, in the corruption of manners. So that now, Non nova, sed [novata], they are now, not in themselves, but to us. Nor was Christs, Ego autem [dico], Mat. 5. a contradiction of the Law, but a cleare explanation. Non vellicavit, sed vindicavit Legem: 〈◊〉 s•p•s•it, as a Garment no more to be worne; sed exposuit, as a Light, that was clouded by their false Glosses. This is true; But is there no more in the New Testament, but that which expoundeth the Old? Why is it called Nova L••e, a new Law: Can there be a Law, without Commandements? Most plainely; This is Gods Commandement, 1 Ioh. 3.23. that wee should [beleeve] in the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ. Indeed this does not bind those Pagans, that know not Christ; for this Commandement is not delivered unto them: but every soule within the Pale of the Church. The Spirit of God shall Ioh. 16.9. convince the world of sinne, because they beleeve not on Christ. Now there can be no sinne, in not doing that which is not commanded to be done. 2 Thes. 2.•. Vengeance shall be taken on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel therefore is a Law, which they shall perish, that obey not.

Indeed it is jugum facile, and onus leve, an easie yoke, a light burden: His Commandements are not grievous, saith the Apostle. I know, that of our selves it is as possible to keepe the whole Law, as to beleeve. But Lex imperat, fides impetra•: the Gospel does not onely [jubere quod] placet, but dare quod jubet. A King, when he commands a Castle to be built, may allow the materials: but he cannot give armes, or veines, or braines; neither strength, nor will, nor skill. But God, together with his Precept, gives the power of performance. Beleeve the grace of the Gospel, the Gospel shall give thee grace to beleeve. Now the obedience to this Commandement, is Faith; as the obedience to the former, was Love. This is the fulfilling of the Law; that other, the fulfilling of the Gospel: Luk. 7.50. Thy faith hath saved thee, goe in peace. But, Rom. 10.16. They have not obeyed the Gospel: for, Lord, who hath beleeved our report? The obedience to the Gospel, is called the beleeving our report. Aquin. There are two things required to Faith: first, the determination of that which is to be beleeved: secondly, the inclination and perswasion of the heart, to beleeve it. Preaching determines this Commandement; but it is God that perswades, by Preaching. God can doe this, without Preaching; but Preaching cannot doe it, without God. Our voice can say, Repent: but repentance is the gift of Heaven. Paul preaches to Lydia’s eare, but God onely hath the Key of her heart. Rebecca cook’d the Venison, but Isaac gave the Blessing. Paul may plant, and Apollos may water; but without Christ, nothing shall prosper. Faith cannot well be, without Preaching going before it; but Preaching may be, without Faith following after it. But if the hearer doe not obey this Commandement, yet the Preacher shall not lose his Fee. The Advocate is rewarded, how-ever the Cause goes. Though wee preach, and you repent not, yet wee shall never repent of our paines: if wee may not be a sweet savour to you, yet wee are a sweet savour to God, in you. And well may wee be content to lose our labour, when God loseth the Seed, whose the Ground is. Give wee then our hearts to Christ, like the two Tables, to write his whole Law upon them. Vpon the first Tablet let him write Faith; upon the second, Love: so shall wee have both Legem in corde, and cor in Lege, and give obedience to the Commandement of God, which is

Holy.] The Father is holy: Levit. 19.2. Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. The Sonne is holy: Act. 3.14. Ye denied the holy One. The blessed Spirit is holy; therefore called the Holy Ghost. Thus wee treble the word, in our prayses of God; Holy Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabbath. Yea, God is Holinesse it selfe: therefore from him can come no Commandement, but that which is most holy. Holy, for the Author, the holy God: Holy, for the Matter, a holy Truth: Holy, for the effect, it makes us holy creatures: Holy, for the end; it unites us to the most Holy, both in present grace, and future glory. A good ayre may make a man healthier, meat and digestion may make him strong and lustie, great atchievements may make him famous and worthie, the Prince may make him noble and mightie, industrie and thrift may make him rich and wealthie, companie may make him pleasant and merrie: nothing in the world, but the grace of the Gospel, can make him holy; and nothing but that holinesse, can make him truly happie.

The Law is indeed Rom. 7.12. Holy, and the Commandement holy, and just, and good: but the holinesse of it did not comfort us, because it could not make us holy: [Non] debilitate suâ, sed incapacitate [nostrâ]. The Law speakes stones: it is impossible to make Bread of stones. It came in Lightening and Thunder: Thunder and Lightning are no medicines to cure a broken heart. The Gospel is not onely holy, but comforts us in the remedie of our unholinesse. To this purpose was it given us before the Law: for before Israel received the Law from Mount Sinai, they had both Manna and the Water from the Rocke; which Paul plainely sayes, was Christ in the Gospel. The Sacraments of Grace were before the Legall Covenant; so did the goodnesse of God prevent our obedience: therefore should we keepe the Law, because we have a Saviour. O the mercie of our God, which before we see what we are bound to doe, shewes us our remedie, if we doe it not. We all faile in our dutie; Christ supplyes all, and makes us holy.

Thus is this Doctrine holy, not onely Subjectivè, in it selfe; but Effectivè, to us: as when we call meates wholesome, we meane not so much in themselves, as of the actions they transmit to us. So they be not onely Mandata sana, but in reference to us, Sanantia. This is that which turnes all those Legall terrors into comfortable effects: for God is gracious and holy, both in the Oyle of his promises, and Wine of his menaces; and through both, he makes us holy. Therefore Paul calls it 1 Tim. 1.10. sound Doctrine; making us of a sound constitution, if we follow that Dyet. For the Word of God is a Dyet, to keepe us in health: if wee sinne, and be sicke, we must confesse that we have not kept the Dyet. This attribute, Holy, doth illustrate in the Gospel two excellencies:

1. The perfection of it: for if the Psal. 19.7. Law were perfect, that doth condemne us; how perfect is the Gospel, which doth save us? Gal. 6.16. As many as walke after this Rule, peace be on them and mercie. The professor of any Art, or Qualitie, must have a certaine Rule, or Principle, whereby to order it: and that must be a true Rule, or else he is subject to error and obliquitie. Here is a Rule, and a perfect Rule; a Commandement, therefore a Rule; a Holy commandement, therefore a perfect Rule. A Commandement, that we might not walke without a Rule: a Holy one, that we might not walke by a false Rule. He that hath no Rule, goes whither he knowes not: he that hath a false Rule, goes whither he should not. To preclude the pretence of Ignorance, here is a Rule, a Commandement. To prevent the danger of error, here is a perfect Rule, a Holy commandement. Bellarmine sayes, there be two things requirable in a perfect Rule; Certainetie, and Evidence: if it be not certaine, it is no Rule: if not evident, no Rule to us. Traditions betray their owne credit in both these regards: but this holy Commandement is no lesse conspicuous, than infallible. This was Christs Sword against all the powers of darkenesse, Scriptum est. Fabulous Legends are a woodden Dagger, and Traditions a rustie Scabbard: but this is, in truth and manifestation, a perfect Rule. A holy Commandement, the true Canon: other Writings may have Canonicall veritie, this onely hath Canonicall authoritie.

This is the Iudge of all differences and doubts. As an earthly father, Aug. in Psal. 22. fearing that his children will fall out after his decease, and wrangle for Legacies, or about the division of his goods; sets downe his Will in writing, under his hand, not without witnesses. If there arise any debate among the brethren, presently they have recourse to the Will, and that ends the Controversie. If there fall out any dissention about our Fathers Inheritance, whither should we runne, but to our Fathers Will? Esa. 8.20. To the Law, to the Testimonie. But as we have some evill expounders of the Law, that interpret the Will against the Testators meaning; and so make it their owne Will, rather than his: not that there be Knots in good mens Testaments; no, the Knots be in the Lawyers braines. So by those Popish spirits of contradiction, the Will of Christ, this holy Commandement, that should decide all questions, must come it selfe to be questioned. Blasphemous presumption; where God himselfe must be brought to the Barre, the Pope sitting as Iudge, with a Parliament of Tridentine Fathers, and a Iurie of Iesuites, to passe upon the Lord Iesus. How can he not take this dealing worse, than that he had under Pontius Pilate?

2. The Honour of it: Holinesse is right nobilitie, without goodnesse there can be no true glory. Therefore is it called a 1 Tim. 1.11. Glorious Gospell. 2 Cor. 3.9. If the ministration of death were glorious, how much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory? The Law was a glorious feare, the Gospell is a glorious joy. Old Simeon calls it Luk. 2.32. The glory of Israel. First, glorious for the Testimony; glorious Angels brought the newes, and their song to it was Gloria Deo in excelsis, Glory to God on high. Secondly, glorious for the matter propounded, which is our Reconciliation to God. Honour forsakes the man, whom the King disfavours: wee were in disgrace with God by our sinnefull nature: the Gospell restores us to honour, clothes us like Mordecai, with royall robes, our Saviours righteousnesse; gives us Princes for our attendants, the blessed Angels; and proclaimes before heaven and earth, Esth. 6.11. Thus shall it be done to the men whom the Almighty King will honour: Psal. 149.9. And such honour have all his Saints. Thirdly, glorious for the object, which is Christ, God and Man: that sits in the glory of his Father; Heb. 1.3. even the brightnesse of his glory: and shall come in his glory to judge the world. Fourthly, glorious for the power; it vanquisheth all enemies, subdues the flesh, overcomes the world, foiles and confounds the devill, even while it seemes to bee conquered, it gets the victory. When the Martyrs of it lie bleeding at the feete of persecution, who would not thinke the honour of it ecclipsed? No, even then it is glorious; every drop of blood that comes from a Christian, breeding a new Christian; that which intended to kill us with infamie, crownes us with glory. Fifthly, glorious for the end: through glorious grace it brings to gratious glory: for the seed of Grace is the roote of glory; as seed is in potentia of corne. Act. 20.32. I commend you to the Word of his grace, that builds you up to eternall glory.

It is holy, honourable, glorious; what confusion then belongs to that face which despiseth it? He that caused the Gospell to be brought with the bloud of his servants, will require the bloud of the contemners of it. It hath made many forsake their families, their goods, their blouds, and dearest lives; and can it not make us leave our bad and base courses? You wil say, It is ful of scorne and pain. But it is no Gospell of paine and scorne, except onely by accident: it is the Gospell of glory. It teacheth us patience: and it is the nobility of vertue, to suffer: a mans patience is his honour; there is glory enough even in that, to swallow up the worlds shame.

Let us maintaine this glory, not onely with our lippes, but in our lives. Then doe wee glorifie it, then shall it glorifie us; when it subdues our rebellious and vile affections. Let us beware of a relapse, for this crosseth Christs Resurrection: let us not stoope downe to the world, for this crosseth Christs Ascension. Then do we honour it, when we honour them that bring it. Rom. 10.15. Quam speciosi pedes, How beautifull bee the feete of such men? Then doe wee honour them, when wee give them due maintenance; 1 Cor. 9.14. when they that preach the Gospell, live of the Gospell. They that will not allow us to live of the Gospell for the welfare of our bodies, shall never live by the Gospell for the comfort of their soules. It should be the shame of Christians, to rob their Teachers. But when a Spaniard was so pitilesse to his Moore-slave, as to let him goe extreme bare and naked in the dead of Winter, and was reprehended by his kinsman for his hard-heart; adding (besides his want of mercy) that it was a shame for him: answered, let him make what shift he can with the cold; and as for me, I shall shift well enough with the shame. So let us take care how otherwise wee may live: and for the shame of defrauding us they will abide that. But they that dishonour the Gospell, shall have no honour of Him whose it is.

Delivered unto them. What was it onely by tradition? for this Traditum illis is a golden word with the Church of Rome, the very sound of it makes them crow like Cockes of the game, Victoria. But God did not leave his Church without a stronger Testimony, than that which passeth from mouth to mouth: though it be also true, Audivimus a Patribus, and Tradidimus Filiis. But Hos. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law: this was Gods course. Shall we interpret this of an invisible manuscript; Ier. 31.33. I will write my Law in their hearts; Indeed this is a blessed writing; and bee all our hearts like Ezekiels Rowle, thus written upon within and without. But the Lord did not so trust his sacred Truth onely, that no visible characters of it should be upon record, to convert, or convince the world. But the same Spirit which did perswade Ieremie to receive that God had commanded, moved also Baruch to write that Ieremie had dictated. Therefore both for suggestion of the matter, and direction of the manner, 2 Tim. 3.16. 1 Cor. 10.11. Rom. 15.4. Iohn 20.31. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. The Word of God is called The Scripture: that great Testator left his will in writing; and left it with his wife, the Church, to teach her children; as to the Iewes were committed the oracles of God.

God thought letters the chiefest meanes, both for preservation, and propagation of religion. Experience teacheth us that the words of the best Preachers are but fleeting sounds; moving for the present, but soone removing away, unlesse they be taken alive, as it were while they are upon the wing, in the snare of this profitable invention. So is the losse of the eare restored to the eie, and Truth secured in the memory. Aelian writes of the Egyptian frogs, that taking a kind of reed in their mouthes, they save themselves from being devoured by the water-serpents. The weakest conceits taking hold of writing, cannot be consumed by the revolution of yeares, whose Hieroglyphicke was a Serpent; a fit embleme! Thus the tyrannie of time, which like Saturne, would devoure his owne children, is beguiled. Non ferrum poterit, nec edax abolere vetustas. Psal. 102.18. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created, shall praise the Lord. It is but a tricke that Rome puts upon the Church, the needlesse overplus of their unwritten supplies: by which coozenage, themselves that are the parties, be conveyed into the roome of Iudges. But these written evidences (wee are sure) bee Gods owne deeds and specialties: Rev. 22.18. and they are cursed and abominable, that shall offer to piece his word, to mend his workemanship, to mingle and sophisticate his precious gold of the Temple, with the base drosse and unsanctified refuse of their owne inventions. Yet this hath beene the silly shift of Romane brokerie, to discredit the Scriptures, for the better vent of their owne traditions. Yea, when they were opposed in the setting up of their unwritten fancies, they fell in the end to open railing at the Scriptures: calling it a mute, a brute, a dumbe, or dead letter, a blacke Gospell, or a piece of inky Divinity. So did the luxuriant wits of Rome end in barrennesse and beggary; when they had spent all their colours, and could find no more cavills, turning the edge of their malice from our cause, against Gods ordinance: and at their lowest ebbe, in the ruines of their strength, they bid battell to the Lord of Hosts, their strongest and mightiest adversary. God delivered his holy Commandement to the people; they sacrilegiously take that away, and deliver their owne. Thus they deale with them, as the souldiers did with Christ: first blind them, then strike them, and last aske them, Quis est qui te percussit? Doe but open their eyes, and shew them this holy word, and they will soone perceive who hath so long abused them.

Well, Traditum est: there is no denyall of the Deliverie of it. Our eyes see it written and published, our eares heare it preached: ô that we could prove it practised. Many make it the argument of their discourse, as if they would be Critickes in Divinitie; but you see not a syllable of it in their lives. Plutarch laughed at those that would be counted wise as Plato, yet would be drunke with Alexander. The Church doth bring up divers, and nurse them with Indulgence, which prove like Water-fowles, hatched under a Henne: they remaine with their Damme for a while; but according to their kind, they will to the Water. They learne this holy Commandement of the Church: but they leave both Church and Commandement, and all, for the World. A Hare, when shee is hotly pursued and downe-hunted, plyes her to some beaten path; not for any love she hath to it, but that there, by the feet of the passengers she may lose her Sent, and deceive the Dogges. Many will be in the Church-way, the Road of Profession; not for any love they beare to devotion, but that the filthie Sent of their turpitudes might not be discerned. As this Law is given to us, so we must be given to it, that we may be saved.

They turne from the holy Commandement.] This is the foulenesse of their Backsliding; justly aggravated from the three excellencies of their Charge. First, they are commanded, and that by the Highest, no lesse than their Maker. Secondly, that command is Holy; to be honoured, for the matter. Thirdly, it is not wrapped up in obscuritie, but published to them in such a manner: yea, they receive it, and covenant with God to keepe it, in their Baptisme. Yet they turne: first, from a Commandement; which manifests their disobedience: secondly, from a Holy commandement; which argues their prophanesse: thirdly, from this Delivered, and accepted; which shewes their revolting, and rebelling wickednesse.

1. They turne from the Commandement. Humidum malè terminatur termino proprio, because it is by nature fluid: but benè terminatur alieno, because it hath a matter in which to subsist. Our nature is moist, ayrie, waterish, apt to flow into the aspectable things of this world: if it be terminated onely by our owne wills, and have no other bankes or boundaries, it will runne out into infinite lusts. Therefore it must be hedged in by a more constant and perfect will, as the Sea is shoar’d in with limits: and this is the Commandement of God: to transgresse that terme and fence, is disobedience. Corrupt nature and carnall reason will plead for more scope, as if the Commandement were not broad enough. (Contradicting that of the Psalme; Psal. 119.96. I have seene an end of all perfection: but thy Commandement is exceeding broad.) But it does not make the Teddar so long, as to fetch in all their owne Commons into Gods severall; his Lawes into so large a compasse, as their desires. Therefore first they will not obey, and then studie evasions why they should not: as Saul first tooke the bootie, and then thought on an excuse. The Gate is too narrow: What, not thinke a loose thought? not speake a false word, for an advantage? Who can keepe himselfe within so strict confines? But if a man were imprisoned for some foule fact, condemned, and sure to dye the next morrow; and his friends in meane time tell him a meanes of escape, There is a Window or Grate in the Iayle, through which hee may creepe: would he not strip off his clothes, yea, be content to rase his Iob 2.4. skin, to save his life? Wee are by nature Satans slaves, shut up in his prison, the bondage of sinne: there is but one way to escape into the glorious libertie of Gods children; this is a narrow Gate, a narrow Grate, our new obedience: Shall we not put off our lusts, our riches, our pleasures, our deare wills and desires, to save our soules?

2. They turne from the holy Commandement: this is their Prophanesse. Fanum à fando; the Temple was so called, because it was the speaking place, where God did speake to man, and man to God: They that contemne holy things, have no part in the holy place. The Church cannot hallow them, that dis-hallow the Church. Procul hinc, procul este profani. I know there be some that put on holinesse as a loose garment, to cover their pollutions; and seeme to pray devoutly in those Temples, which they have spoyled by their sacriledge: and these doe more hurt, than they that professe no holinesse at all. It was said, There were many oppressors in Rome, but they were all drunke, except [Caesar], and hee was a sober one. Licentious Libertines, the Idolaters of B•th••, and Votaries of Venus, are all propha••ts of the holy Gospel; but they be drunken ones. But demure hypocrites, blacke Saints, that worship God in their Pewes, and Mammon in their Closers, these be the secret underminers of the Gospel, though they be sober ones. For howsoever they call for Sermons with their voices, they destroy the livelyhood of Preachers, by their deeds; and root up the holy ground, while they call for holy fruits.

Let them talke what they will, they love the Lawyer better than the Preacher: for they give their money to the Lawyer, that he may defend them from paying their dues to the Preacher. No charitie to the poore, no equitie to the Church, no love of neighbourhood is in them. For the first Table: they will be no Idolaters, no swearers, no Sabbath-contemners, no friends of Papists; and all this is well: you would thinke these men very holy. But come to the second Table: trie them with obedience to Magistrates, with all those holy duties to their brethren; here they bewray themselves. Sure if they had beene in Moses his time, they would never have grudged at the mis-carriage of the second Table: but were well content it should be broke then, for they have broke it ever since. Thus, as if they could part the Commandement, and Holy; they would faine be holy, without the Commandement. But all their holy shewes of observing the former Table, when they perpetually violate the second, in their pride, and malice, and covetousnesse, are but greene hearbes in the window, to hide the dust and sluttish cobwebs. As if he that forbad us to sweare, did not also forbid us to lye: as if he that commanded us to sacrifice, did not also charge us to preferre mercie. Goe thou foole, that thinkest holinesse to consist in hearing Sermons, and not in a conscionable obedience of the Text. Two walking together, found a young Tree laden with fruit: both did gather, and satisfie themselves for the present. One of them tooke all the remaining fruit, and carried it with him: the other seeing him gone with the fruit, tooke up the Tree it selfe, and planted it in his owne ground; where it prospered, and bore plentifully every yeare. The first had more fruit for the present; but the other sped best, for he had fruit when the other had none. At Sermons, some have large memories, and can gather many observations; which they keepe a while, to rehearse, not to practise. Another hath a weaker capacitie, but he gets the Tree it selfe, the root and substance of the Text, plants it in his heart, feedes on the fruits of comfort; and his soule is nourished to eternall life.

3. This is a Commandement delivered unto them; which they have received, yea covenanted and sworne to keepe: yet as if they had onely taken it upon liking, they turne from it: this is their Apostacy. It was not delivered with such terror as the Law, but with sweet mildnesse. Then, the very hill where God appeared, might not be touched of the purest Israelite: Here, the very hemme of his garment was touched by the woman that had the fluxe of blood; yea, his very face was touched with the lips of Iudas. There the very earth was prohibited them where he descended: Here, his very body and bloud is profered to our touch and tast. So gracious was God in this delivery of the Gospell: how unthankefull are we, if wee doe not acknowledge this mercy to us, above his ancient people! They were his owne, yet must stand off, like strangers: wee were strangers, and hee hath made us his owne. It is our sinne and shame, if in these •ants of [intirenesse], we be no better acquainted with God, than they which in their greatest familiaritie were commanded aloofe . Yet we have counted this favour Hos. 8.12. a strange thing; not onely through simple ignorance, but want of reverence and respectfulnesse. A man may be strange, either when hee is not perceived, or [received]. Not understood: that God calls a 1 Cor. 14.11. strange Nation, whose language they know not. Barbarus hôc ego sum , quia non intelligor. Not accepted: Iob 19.15. They 〈…〉 in my house, count me for a stranger. This holy Commandement may be said strange, when it is unknowne; and so the hearers are fooles privative: or when it is neglected, and not cared for and so they proceed higher, and are fooles positive. They turne from it: first, because there is a negative indisposition in them to receive it; through ignorance, wanting faith; or through unbeleefe, wanting knowledge; as the Septuagint render that, Esa. 11. If you will not beleeve, you shall not understand: which is a sound position, though I dare not call it a sound translation. Secondly, because there is a positive disposition of resistance against it, in their owne wisedome: for the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God. The more a man adheres to the judgement of sense, reason, and experience; the further off he is (without speciall grace) from the Kingdome of Heaven. Nicodemus was a great Doctor in Israel, yet he wonders at the Regeneration: the Doctrine of the Gospel begets in such men a question, How can these things be? Act. 17.18. What will this babbler say? Yet these were not the vulgar, but Philosophers: of no vile Citie, but of Athens; the Greece of that Greece, which counted all the world, but themselves, Barbarians.

Hence ariseth that contempt, both of the Gospel, and of them that bring it. Rom. 10.15. How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace? The feete: not because they wore Slippers embroidered with Gold and Pearle; as that Scripture is abused, to the consecrating and kissing of the Popes toe. But because the feet are the instruments of going: as wee familiarly say of poore men, They get their living by their fingers ends; because they are the instruments of working. This Commandement is holy: holinesse and beautie goe together; as the Psalmist speakes, The beautie of holinesse, which makes the holinesse of beautie. Like Youth, which we call the pride and flower of Life; wherein is that mixture of White and Red, which is called Beautie. Like the Spring, when the fields begin to be adorned with buds, blossomes, grasse, and flowers, in which all creatures rejoyce. The Gospel turnes the squalid Winter of barren sinnes, into the flourishing Spring of heavenly graces. Yea, and like Autumne too, for the ripenesse of fruits: unripe fruit is dangerous; ripe, is both well-coloured, and well-tasted; wholesome. The beautie of the Saints doth not decay, but encrease, with their yeares. Wee may more truly say of soules, than Euripides could of bodies, that retained beautie in their age; Not onely the Spring is pleasant, but even the Autumne. Yea, this Tree Rev. 22.2. yeelds fruit every moneth; ever seasonable. Many of our daintiest meats are not, but the Gospel is alwayes in season. In the Winter of trouble, in the Summer of ease, in the Spring of youth, and Fall of age; never out of season. The glory of it perhaps is not illustrious to carnall eyes: alas, Id minus conspicuum, quod magis praclarum; excellentissima, occultissima. Wee see the leaves, the flowers, and fruits of a Tree; but the precious sappe is hidden. In man, the body onely is visible, not the soule; we see the accidents of things, not the forme and substance. Men may love others, for sensible respects; God loves his children, for their secret and invisible graces. Omnis decor ab intus, Psal. 45.13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within. The glory of this Evangelicall Law is onely seene of spirituall eyes; and of them, with desire and ravishment. These love it, and all the servants God imployes in it. Some love their Ministers, because they keepe good hospitalitie, which is commendable: some, because they gaine by them in their Altarages, which is carnall: some for loose respects, which is sensuall: some, because they seldome preach, which is abominable: some, because they would be held religious, which is hypocriticall: but to love them for their workes sake, this is conscionable: and those men shall find peace to their hearts, and salvation to their soules, which is comfortable.

The Summe of the Verse.

The Text riseth in full strength against Apostolicall back-sliding: which is two-fold; of Faith, of Manners. The last is dangerous, the former is deadly: together with truth, it loseth shame: and not seldome swells up to the sinne against the Holy Ghost, for which, because there can be no remorse on earth, there is no forgivenesse in heaven. O how happie were it for such stragglers, to be driven home to the Fold, though with shame, though by death! For these doth our common Mother mourne, both pittying their losse, and disdaining thus to bee robbed of her children: not that shee needes them, but they her. Troopes of soules in their stead daily creepe into her bosome, and humbly embrace her knees on their owne. She hath had sonnes, which seeking idolatrous Rome as resolved Papists, left the world as holy Martyrs: dying for the detestation of that they came to adore. How many wilfully lose their soules, where these went to lose, and found them? Their zeale dies, where the others began to live: and they like to live, where the other would but die.

But alas, what shall wee say to the apostacie in manners, that epidemicall relapse of the world, to the world? It is not in man, as in the Citie: when the Curfeu-bell hath rung, wee cover our fire, rake up our embers, and then lie downe and sleepe without feare. Hee that hath repented and escaped from a sinne, hath not yet eradicated, and escaped from the roote of that sinne: the seed of the same transgression is still within him. No sanctification is so perfection earth, as to expell all corruption. If after many sighes and teares wee have attained to doe well, and resolve better; yet this good estate is farre from constant, and easily inclining to change. God is the God of Security, and the enemy of Security too: hee would have us alwayes hee sure of his love, and yet alwaies bee doing something that wee may bee sure of it: so to apprehend him, as ever present with us; yet still to follow him, as fearing lest he should goe from us. Hee did enlarge Hezekiah’s lease for fifteene yeeres, he renewed Lazarus his lease for a time we know not: but hee did never so put out the fire, that he left no embers, no sparkes. Hee did ever wrappe up a future mortality in that body, which hee had so reprieved. So for the soule; hee doth not so pardon sinne, that the sinner can sinne no more; hee makes no man so acceptable, that hee makes him impeccable. As therefore on the one side, wee doe not looke on those sinnes with a despairing eye, which wee have heartily repented, and transferred upon our Saviour; as though they were not sufficiently dead in him, but must bee againe raised to life, to condemne us to death: for this were to diminish the largenesse of his bountie, and to derogate from the fulnesse of his mercie. So on the other side, to thinke that Gods present mercy extends to all our future sinnes, and that hee had already forgiven whatsoever wee durst venture to doe amisse hereafter; were an unwarrantable anticipation, an insolent presumption. Gods favour must not bee made an antidote against all willfully received poisons, nor a licence to expose our selves to temptations. That mercie which hath holpen us from the falls of our infirmities, may bee to seeke when wee have cast our selves into new offences through too rash confidence of it.

If our soule were as sensible of sinne, as our body is of paine, wee would bee fearefull of a Relapse. Suppose a man hath been sicke of some dangerous disease, whiled out many weary dayes, and not more easie nights, in languishing fits, been the exercise of Physicians; yet after all is recovered and well. But now when the same disease comes againe, how terrible? To think of panting through all those fiery heates, and sailing through all those overflowing sweats, of watching all those long nights, and mourning all those long dayes: for sicke men thinke that perverted nature hath put the longest day, and longest night together; which should be sixe moneths asunder: every day of their patience appearing to them a Saint Barnabe’s day, and every night a Saint Lucies night: to thinke of standing at the same Barre, expecting the returne of Physicians from their consultations, and not be sure of the same verdict in any good indications: that he must goe the same way over againe, and not be certaine of the same issue: this is so wofull a condition, that the former sicknesse seemed a kind of convalescence to it. We have heretofore runne into a soule sin, did it cost us no labour to worke our selves out? How many weeping prayers, and groning teares, and trembling feares, and bleeding sorrowes, have wee gone through; before wee could get assurance of Gods reconciliation to us? It may be, we have beene driven to roare de profundis, yea, even to despaire in profundis, before we could obtaine the testimonie of forgivenesse. Gods favour is no triviall thing, to be regained as easily as it is lost. Mary lost Christ suddenly; it cost her many a wearie step, and pearlie drop from her eyes, in those three dayes, ere shee found him.

The priviledge of not sinning, is too high a favour for this militant estate: it could not be militant, if it had no enemies; it had no enemies, if it were free from sinnes. There is a transmigration of sinne; and when the soule of it is dead in one sinne, it passeth to another. Our youth dies, and the sinnes of our youth with it: some sinnes die a violent death, and some a naturall. Penurie and miserie kill some sinnes in us, and some die of age. The change of our condition makes us unable to doe some sinnes; as the beggar can be no Vsurer, the slave no Tyrant. Yet the soule of sinne lives, and passeth into another: and that which was wantonnesse, becomes ambition; and that which was riot, becomes covetousnesse. Wee have three lives in our state of sinne: where the sinnes of youth expire, those of middle yeares enter; and those of age, after them. So still God finds in us, and his finding shewes us, that there is left the matter of sinne in us, which proclives us to a relapse. Yea, which of us hath not multiplied relapses alreadie? Which case is fitly and fearefully expressed, in a storme at Sea; Psal. 107.26. They mount up to the Heaven, they goe downe againe to the Depths. Repentance lifts us up to Heaven, and Relapse brings us downe againe to Hell. Ioh. 5.14. Sinne no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. Not onely death, which is an end worse than that long sicknesse, that was the beginning: but Hell, which is a beginning worse than that end.

The dearest children of God have fallen foulely, fearefully, but never finally. How dreadfull was the mis-carriage of the man after Gods owne heart, in the businesse of Vriah? With what a trembling soule must we looke upon it? Who can promise himselfe to stand, when he sees David fallen, and in the fall maimed? Who can assure himselfe of an immunitie from the foulest sinnes, that sees him offending so hainously, so bloudily? Who ever noted so foule a Blot in his rejected Predecessor? Hee sinnes in lust, drunkennesse, dissimulation, homicide; and yet was recovered. Saul did but goe about to colour his sinne, and was cursed. The Vessels of Mercie and Wrath are not distinguishable by their actions: he makes the difference, that will have mercie on whom he will; and whom he will, he hardeneth. But the just and holy God will not so put it up at Davids hands: hee that hates sinne so much the more, as the offender is dearer to him, will let him feele the bruise of his fall. If Gods best children have beene sometimes suffered to sleepe in a sinne, at last hee hath awakened them in a fright. Since the first man Adam, the World never yeelded so great an example of Wisedome, or so fearefull an example of Apostacie, as Salomon. The knowledge which Adam had by creation, Salomon had by infusion; both fully, both from one Fountaine. Adam called all creatures by their names; and Salomon spake, from the Cedars of Lebanon, to the mosse that springs on the wall. Besides vegetables, there was no Fish, Fowle, Beast, that escaped his discourse. Yet both fell, and fell by one meanes; and Salomon might say as well as Adam, The woman deceived me. It is true indeed, that Adam fell, as all; Salomon, as one: yet so, that this one is a patterne of the frailetie of all. If knowledge had beene a priviledge from sinne, both had stood: yet both fell; this last, frequently, neither finally.

I might abound in this exemplification: all have their back-slidings. The wicked fall like Elephants, yea, like rotten houses, without rising againe. The just fall seven times a day, but then they rise as often: their sinnes teach them repentance; that repentance, carefulnesse: as Peter was better, after his denyall, than he was before. The righteous fall on their faces, they see where they fall: the wicked fall on their backes, as the apprehenders of Christ did; they see not where, nor when they fall. The children of God have sinned, as it were, to teach us repentance: their falls are recorded, not to disgrace them, but to admonish us; not for our imitation, but instruction: they repeated what they did ill, and shall we doe what they repented? They were taken as sinners, and delivered a penitents: Their soule escaped as a Bird out of the snare. It is good for us, that they were both taken, and delivered: Taken, that wee might not presume; and that wee might not despaire, delivered. They sinned, that wee might not sinne: they were restored, that wee might not sinke under the burden of our sinne. Let me shut up this point with two usefull applications.

1. As we must be jealous of all sinnes, so exceeding fearefull of a relapse into our former sinnes. Wee are like little children that overthrow themselves with their clothes; now up, and downe againe at a straw. Rom. 11.20. Be not high minded, but feare. The Vine, Olive, Figtree, will not leave their chearefulnesse, fatnesse, sweetnesse, to get a kingdome; the Bramble did: if wee bee Brambles, what shall wee doe when the fire comes? Though the children of election cannot be [damned], yet they may bee damnified, dangerously wounded by their sinnes, lose the sense of former peace in their soules, be brought to the pits brinke of horrible desperation, and thinke that the very torments of hell are not more grievous than that they feele in their owne consciences. If one act of filthinesse hath thus distressed us, that wee would give all the world for a pardon: if it hath made us grone, and bleed, and roare for the very disquietnesse of our hearts; what tortures will the same sinne bring, when it is againe repeated? There is a propriety, a Meum and Tuum, both in paines and pleasures: and as wee are most affected with that pleasure, the sweetnesse whereof we have tasted in former experience: so wee are most intimidated with those paines, whereof wee have had a bitter sense. A covetous person, that hath preoccupated all his senses, filled all his capacities, with the delight of riches; wonders how any man can have any tast of any pleasure in opennesse or liberalitie. The drunkard feares to tell the place where he hath found the best wine; for he thinks all the world must needs come trolling to his pot. So in sicknesse, he that is tormented with the Stone, wonders why any man should call the Gowt a paine. And hee that hath felt neither, but onely the Tooth-ach, is as much afraid of that, as either the other of theirs. When wee have felt torments in their exaltation, wee tremble at a relapse.

Certainely, our former transgressions did not put us to the true paine of repentance, if we doe not quake to repeat them in our practise. Had we apprehended the wrath of God for those sinnes, and complained (with David) of our broken bones, of our broken hearts; wee would shudder at our new provocations. Why is a Relapse so odious to God? Because hee that hath sinned, and repented, hath (as it were) weighed God and the Devill in a balance: hee hath heard them both plead; and when he hath heard them, gives judgement on that side to which hee adheres, by his subsequent practice. If hee returne to his former disobedience, hee decrees for Satan, preferres sinne before grace: and in contempt of God, declares the precedencie for his adversary. Now looke how farre a contempt wounds deeper than an injury, so farre a relapse is more haynous than the first iniquity. And that which is more odious to God, must needs bee more dangerous and pernicious to us. For there is no other measure of the greatnesse of our danger, but the greatnesse of his displeasure. Wee delight to weare flowers while they are fresh and sweete: but when they fade and wither, wee throw them away. If ever Adam had beene againe received into Paradise, how abstinently would hee have walked by the forbidden tree. Scarce should his eie have look’d toward it, but (sure) his hand would never have touched it. If the lost Angels had been re-admitted to their heaven, how would they have fixed themselves upon God, and preserved the integrity and honour of their creation : If Gehezi could have (like Naaman) washed off his leprosie in Iordan; hee would never have runne after that rich Syrian for gold, yea he would have refused it, though brought home to his doore. O that we could be so wise, never to hazard those favours, which after our first forfeiture we have recovered.

2. Let us not despaire of Gods mercies, though wee have relapsed into our former disobedience. Wee have been wounded, and that wound is almost healed, so that nothing appeares but the scarre: againe, we expose that tender place to the enemies weapon, and receive there a new hurt: though the danger hee grievous the remedie is more gracious, there is vertue enough in G••st 〈◊〉 heale us. The great Servant of his denied him againe and againe, but all before repentance: here was no relapse. If there had beene, hee that with a looke recovered the formes, could with a touch have healed the latter: Gods Iustice hath taken some at their first fall: the reprobate Angels sinned, they never relapsed. Hee hath not made our case so desperate: Ecclus 2.18. As the Lords maiesty is, so is his mercie: both infinite. He hath pardoned many relapses in his servants; and his arme is not shortened. If death were ill in it selfe, God would never have raised up any dead man to life againe, because that man must necessarily die againe. If his mercie in forgiving fore-past sinne, did so farre aggravate a relapse into the same sinne, that there were no more mercie after it, our case were the worse for that former mercie. For wee are all under a necessity of sinning while wee live here: provided that we place this necessitie in our owne infirmitie, and not in his decree. Not that we should hence take encouragement to relapse out of presumption; but when we have relapsed through weaknesse, to preclude all accesses of desperation.

That God of patience and compassion, who hath commanded us to pardon our offending brother seventy times, seven times, hath limited himselfe to no number. It is true indeed, God is jealous of his honour, and there is nothing that comes nearer to the violating of that honour, nearer to the nature of a scorne to him, than to sue out his pardon, and make it a licence to sinne: to obtaine the seale of his reconciliation and forgivenesse, and then to turne upon that sinne for which we needed that forgivenesse. This comes too neere a contempt, when we shall make his holy Ordinances, his Word, his Sacraments, the Seales and Instruments of his Grace, to become the instruments of our licentiousnesse. Yet there may come a victorious Repentance, to scowre the coast of all these rebels; a potent grace, to strengthen all these weakenesses: and the stocke of Gods mercie cannot be made poore by the payment of all these our debts. Wherefore did the Lord Iesus runne through such a variety of sufferings, but to answere for the variety of our sinnes? Hee did not shed his bloud for this sinne, and not for that: for the sinnes of our morning and not for the sinnes of our evening. Hee was not so often buffeted and wounded, but to satisfie for us that have so often trespassed. Sixe times was his bloud shed, that though our sinnes bee iterated sixe thousand times, wee might finde sufficient expiation for them all. He is the God of constancie and perseverance, and Ioh. 13.1. Whom hee loveth, to the end hee loveth: we may lose our selves, we cannot lose him, because he will not lose us.

It had beene better for them.] This is the last point, the balancing of both these conditions; a triall whether of them is the more unblest and dangerous, and it falls upon the knowing part: if a man will be ungracious, it had beene better for him to bee so in the darke. Ignorance is unhappy enough: indeed Peter lent his Buckler to the Iewes, therewith in part to defend themselves against the weapons of Gods wrath, in the bloudiest fact that ever the Sunne saw attempted, and to keepe them from desperation; f I wote that through ignorance ye did it: but withall he calls them to future knowledge. The dayes are evill, whether wee respect their troubles, or that which troubles them, our sinnes; and not likely in either of them both to mend: Act. 17.30. The former times of ignorance God winked at: but now, ignorance shall no longer hope for such a connivence. If ignorance had a sufficient tongue to plead her owne innocencie, why did the bloud of Christ crie from the Crosse, Forgive them Father, they know not what they doe? There is an invincible ignorance, like Seneca’s blind Harpastes, an old Beldame, so insensible of her owne blindnesse, that shee would often entreat her Guide to goe forth of doores, because the house was darke. And there is a wilfull ignorance, that refuseth the Light, for feare of seeing the owne wretchednesse. But the Cockatrice that lyes close in her hole, will sometimes come forth, to warme her selfe at the Sunne: and it is more for the prosperitie that waites upon the light of the Gospel, than for the Light it selfe, that these craftie Serpents come out of their dennes. There be simple soules that cannot, and subtill spirits that will not know the truth: the former shall not escape from Rods, the other shall be scourged with Scorpions.

But their plagues shall farre exceed, that know their Masters will, and will not doe it. If Tyre and Sidon burne in Hell, and the smoake of their torment ascend for ever, wherein never was Miracle wrought, nor Oracle taught, to reclaime them: what shall become of Chorazin and Bethsaida, whose streets were honoured with the gracious words and glorious wonders of Iesus Christ? Mat. 7.22. Many shall say in that day, Lord we have prophesied in thy Name, &c. Many; for this shall be the case of multitudes: yet their knowledge of Christ shall not gaine his knowledge or approbation of them; Nescio vos. Our knowledge shall then be weighed to the smallest graine; and if our holinesse, being put into the other Ballance, be found too light, our sorrowes shall make it up. How curious Critickes would many be in the Arts, ignorant of no congruities, no proprieties? But not to know Christ, is no false Latine with them: to wound him through with desperate oathes, is no breach of good manners. But where was Salomons wisedome, while his affections ran away with him into a wild voluptuousnesse? What boots it to know all things, while we know not our selves? The perfections of speculation doe not argue the inward powers of selfe-government: the eye may be deare, and yet the hand palsey’d. It is not so much to be heeded, how the soule is informed, as how it is disciplined. The light of knowledge doth well, but the good ordering of affections doth better. Never any meere man, since the first, knew so much as Salomon: many that have knowne lesse, have had more command of themselves. A competent estate well husbanded, is better than a vast patrimonie neglected. Ioh. 13.17. These things if ye know, happie are ye if ye doe them. Here is the labour and difficultie, here is the comfort and felicitie, the conjunction of practise with knowledge. The end of speculation, is operation: Eph. 2.10. Wee are created not to know, but to doe good workes. Who prayseth a Horse that feedes well, and is good for nothing else; neither for speed, nor length; Race, nor travaile?

Obedience joyned with knowledge, shall have double honour, because God is doubly honoured in them. Cornelius, a man fearing God, and giving Almes; the Centurion, that hath built a Synagogue; Dorcas, that made garments for the poore; [Gaius], the Hoste of the Church: these were rich stiles of commendation, and shall have farre richer favours of retribution. Mat. 25.35. Come ye blessed, for you have done me good: for such deeds, God is blessed of men; and in their deeds, such men shall be blessed of God. But where is plentie of knowledge, and penurie of good workes, God is blasphemed; as if he had wanted fore-sight in the bestowing of his gifts. These things if ye know, cursed are ye if ye doe them not. Rev. 22.12. God shall reward every man according to his workes, not according to his knowledge. The discourse of faith and godlinesse, are but drie things, to the practise. Search all over the Scripture, and see if any Covenants or Grants were made to Knowing, and not all to Doing. It was the ancient tenour of the Law, Doe this, and live. The Gospel sayes, Beleeve, and live; which implies an act to be done: and that act drawes on many consequent fruits. Mat. 7.21. Not he that saith, Lord, Lord, but be that doth the will of my Father, shall enter into Heaven. If a man had all the Vatican in his head, and could repeat every syllable of the Bible; without living after it, he had better have never heard of it.

They put a stumbling-blocke before others, both the weake within, and the wicked without: they buy by one Ballance, and sell by another; prescribe a good Rule, and live by a bad: uncleane beasts, for all their chewing of the cudde, their repeating of Sermons; because they divide not the hoofe, walke without all difference. As if men had eyes for no other purpose, but to be raking in gutters, and puddles, and kennels: their knowledge serves them, to chuse out the most sordid pollutions. Men loath the good Light of such Candles, for the stinke which the Tallow yeelds: as the poore Indians resolved, What Religion soever the Spaniards were of, they would be of the contrarie: thinking it not possible, that such cruell and bloudie deeds could proceed from any true Religion. The Infidell disputes against the Faith, the impious lives against it: both denie it; the one in tearmes, the other in deeds: both are enemies to the Gospel. But of the two, it is worse to kicke against the Thornes we see, than to stumble in the darke at a Blocke which we see not. It shall goe ill with sinfull Pagans, but worse with wicked Christians. How will they in Hell curse their knowledge; and unprofitably wish, that they had beene borne Ideots, and never so much as heard of Christ? For the honour of God, for the peace of conscience, and for the salvation of our owne deare soules; let not this glorious Light be a meanes to cast us, Mat. 25.30. like unprofitable servants, into outer darkenesse: and drive us to say with the Poet; Cur aliquid vidi? or with Iob, Iob 3.20. Quare misero data est lux! Why was the Light given unto me? Thrice blessed soules, wherein the Tree of sincere knowledge is rooted, and the Worme of securitie and contempt hath not eaten up the fruit of it. The Lord shall in this life water it with the deaw of Heaven, and at last plant it in his most glorious Paradise of joy.