2 Peter 3:1

AN EXPOSITION VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERALL OF THE HOLY APOSTLE, Saint PETER. CHAP. III.

THE whole Scripture, saith Saint Ambrose, Offic. lib. 1. cap. 32. is convivium Sapientiae, the Banket of Wisedome; and singuli libri singula sunt fercula, the severall Bookes are severall Dishes. Or an Apothecaries shoppe, Basil. wherein is found sufficiencie of holy Drugges, to cure all our spirituall diseases. Or a blessed Treasurie of heavenly Riches, to supply any indigence of our soules. An infallible Rule, to keepe us within compasse, both for civill and religious allegiance. There bee two sorts of men that flye out, and ramble from the right way of godlinesse: the mis-beleevers, and mis-livers. To informe the one, and reforme the other, is the great undertaking of the Holy-Ghost in this place, and the maine scope of his Secretarie, the blessed Apostle Saint Peter.

Reading this first Verse, wee may well thinke of a Father sending a Token of love to his children. The Father, is an Apostle: the Token, an Epistle: the deare children, those elected and dispersed Iewes; to whom hee wrote both these Letters.

To joyne the spirituall Father and his children together in our meditation, as nature hath knit them in relation, Saint Peter commends his love to the Church of the Iewes: for the Church of the Iewes was never cast away, onely the Rom. 11.17. unbeleevers were broken off. Putata est oliva, non amputata: the Body, and some of the branches remaine; and wee are graffed into them, not they into us. Wee bring nothing to the Iewes, but wee receive all from them: not onely Rom. 3.2. the oracles of God, but even the Gospell; Ioh. 4.22. for salvation is of the Iewes. The Gentiles doe not make a severall Church by themselves, for there is but one Church: but they are called to be members of the Church of the Iewes. Ioh. 10.16. Other sheepe I have, that is, the elect Gentiles Them I must bring to this fold that is the Church of the Iewes▪ • doe not [make another] fold, nor carry this fold to them; but bring the Gentiles to the Iewes, that there may be one fold, and one shepherd, then the Church of Rome, but the Church of the Iewes is properly the mother Church: and we are not children of the Pope, we find no such adoption; but the seed of Abraham, not naturall, but by insition. The same Roote beares us both, the same fatnesse nourisheth us both: there is no difference betweene the way of salvation in the Old Testament, and the New, but this: they were the naturall branches, wee are ingraffed. In grafting, there is clay used, and binding about the Iew is bound about with a red ligament in regard of circumcision: wee with a white, in respect of Baptisme; at which the Primitive times did put on white garments.

The unbeleeving Iewes indeed are fearefully cursed. Rom. 11.9.10. Let their Table bee made a snare, &c. This was their just recompence: they were still like snares and traps to stumble Christ; therefore let their Table be made a snare, and a trappe, and a stumbling blocke unto them. They blinded his eyes, and then smote him; theirs are smitten with blindnesse for it. They called him downe from the Crosse, in mockery: in earnest the greatest crosse is come downe upon them for it. They accused him that he would destroy the Temple, therefore was their Temple destroyed. They charged him to be an enemy to Cesar their King, now therefore they have neither King nor Cesar. They bowed his backe with the Crosse, now their owne backes are alwayes bowed downe: not onely like slaves, their bodies are subjected to burdens, but like beasts, they have groveling minds, alwaies on their moneys; as they are indeed the greatest Vsurers. O curvae in terris animae, & coelestium inanes! Thus is 1 Thess. 2.16. the wrath come upon them to the uttermost. Yet God had his chosen among them in their greatest apostacie: and it is probable, that the blood of Christ did clense some of those soules, that had the aspersion of his blood on their guilty hands. Still Saint Peter calls them his Beloved; and there is no name of any nation under heaven so honourable as the name of a Iew. Rom. 11.18. Boast not against the branches: for if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Let us not reproach them, but blesse that God who hath now honored us above them. Rom. 9.2. Saint Paul is not more moved with indignation against them, as malefactors; than with compassion of them, as miserable wretches.

Beloved.] The thriving of the sheepe is the glory of the shepheard; and Plus Pastor in vulnere gregis sui vulneratur. The losse of a gracelesse child cannot but grieve the father, Cypr. Ser. de lapsis. though the father, himselfe were in danger of mischiefe by that childe: as David mourned for Absalom, that would have cut his throate. We would have you also prosper in this world; but our speciall care and prayer is, that you may thrive in spirituall graces, and grow rich in the favour of God. Luk. 15.22. f As that father rejoyned when his sonne came home a convert, though he had not a ragge to hang on his backe. To delight in mens sinnes, is the sport of devills: recovery from those sinnes, is the joy of good men and Angels. If wee see a man deadly wounded, fetching deepe grones and drawing his last breath, wee are moved with pitie. How then should rebellious sinners, procuring the destruction of their own soules, wring from us teares of bloud? Wee lament the death of those bodies that shall be raised in glory: how much more the ruine of those soules that sinke downe to infelicitie? It is possible that our griefe for mens offences, may worke a griefe in the offenders: as the sight of others falling heartily to their meate, brings on our stomachs. In stead of a smile, let us afford all sinne a teare: our teares may move them to repentance, whom our smiles encourage in lewdnesse.

Beloved.] Love is the ornament of the Church, the ciment of Christianitie. Psal. 133.1. How good and pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in 〈◊〉 ? But quam malum & miserandum, [Patrem] & filios 〈…〉 ? When there is either a defect of paternall office in providing spirituall food for the family, or of filiall duty in granting temporall food to 〈◊〉 Fathers how miserable are the whole houshold? Love descends; it is not possible the Pastors love should faile to his people but it does not ascend so certainely; for wee see universally, that the peoples love doth faile to their Pastor. It is a [question], whether naturall Parents are to beloved above the spirituall we know that Christ preferred his spirituall kindred to that of [this flesh]; and major est •••exi• 〈…〉 . Beza. Why [should we love] them more that brought us into this sinnefull and miserable world, than those that bring us into a better world, where is neither sinne nor misery? Why them, that live with us on earth but awhile, equall to them that shall live with us in heaven for ever? Wee must cleare this by a distinction: Our spirituall parents are more to be loved [Aestimative]: our naturall, more [intensive]: those [Amore Benevolentia]</span>, these [Amore Beneficentiae]. A man may not give all his goods to a fraternitie, and leave his parents destitute of reliefe, as the Capuchins doe: for God esteemes mercie above sacrifice. We are to love our nature in all; but the most bonds of nature require a greater degree of love. Nature teacheth this, and Grace perfecteth Nature. Christ first preached at Nazareth, to requite the place of his education. Still the nearer in blood, the dearer in good. But they that will not allow their spirituall Fathers so much, as they doe their carnall flatterers; that spend more upon their Lawyer, than upon their Preacher; they are bastards; none of his children; Impostumes, rather than members of the Church.

From what roote growes all this Sacriledge, this robbing of the Church under the name of custome, but from this, the want of Love? The love of custome hath quite eaten out the custome of love. It will bee found in a higher Court, where not a Lawyer shall be heard, that it was a damnable custome for children to robbe their parents. The world is full of clamour, the Law is full of favour, for customes: all cry out for their Diana, but especially Demetrius; it toucheth his copy hold: men thinke they are undone, if they give God his right. Not onely Act. 19.27. our craft shall be despised, but even the Temple of Diana, whom all Asia and the [world worshippeth]. How cunningly this Orator pleades; more for his goddesse, than for his gaine: but if it had not beene for his gaine, his goddesse might goe whistle. Thus lowd Orators will Demetrius and Tertullus bee, pleading against Paul, before Iudges like themselves: but when Christ shall bee the Iudge, they will have nothing to say; like the poore intruder, that was Mat. 22.12. even speechlesse. Some have haply ghessed this man to be a Lawyer, whose tongue had beene nimble enough; but this awfull presence daunted him; hee had spoken so much before that now he was speechlesse.

To conclude; If we doe not feed you with the Word, you are not our Beloved: if you doe not render us our dues, wee are not your Beloved. So here is no love lost, but Gods; who hath loved us (as it were) on this condition, that wee should love one another. Wee much of the Pylades and Pythians, and such inviolable friends but it would bee miraculous now if any should die for love. I dare say, there was never more love in the world, never lesse: never more in protestation, never lesse in demonstration. Christ will come when faith shall bee feare found upon earth; but if hee had threatned to come when charitie is scarce to bee found wee might looke for him to day. Except you be our beloved, we are sure of hell; and except wee bee your Beloved, you are not sure of heaven. Heartily therefore doe we love you, doe you as sincerely love us , that Iesus Christ may everlastingly love us all.

I come now to the Token of his love, which is set forth by The Nature of it, [is this, that it forceth a per-] . ••mber 〈…〉 the former. Tenor of it, or contents To stirre up their minds. Order of it, or manner of this excitation, By way of remembrance .

For the former; It pleased God to reveale his will to us by writing ; and that both the Law and the Gospell. The Law was written with his owne hand: Prophecies and Evangelicall discourses he hath written by others Never did he write any thing himselfe but the Tables of the Law: the hand the stone, the Law were all His. That which he dictated to his servants, the Prophets, doth chalenge iust honour from us: how much more doth that [deserve venera-] , which he wrote immediately with his owne hand The more precious the Record was the greater was the fault of defacing it: no king holds it lesse than rebellion, to blemish his seale and teare his writing. Yet Moses did it, and God forgave it. Hee that was the meekest man upon earth, abandons that in a sudden indignation, which in cold blood hee would have hold faster than his life. Israel had fallen into idolatry; and Moses forgets the Law written, when he saw it broken. Not onely the Decalogue was written, but the Propheticall Testimonies, and all called the Law. So God thought meet to consecrate and hallow for ever this outward forme of revelation. Calv. Praefa in Isai. Some conjecture, that the Prophets did write the summe and abridgement of their errands, and fasten [them to the] Temple-doores: which after some daies view, were taken downe, and laid up in the Treasurie for a second monument. The Poet said, but hee appeale to fame for the Author of the device; Phoenices primi (famae si creditur) [ausi, Mansuram] rudibus vocem signare figuris. But certainly writing began with Moses.

It was the discipline of Gods owne house, for two thousand yeeres, to feed his eldest sonnes onely with tradition. This is a great argument with the [Pontificians]. But by their leaves, the diverse restitutions and reformations of Gods true worship, argue that those times were not so generally fortunate for religion. And suppose that in one or two families, when men were at the fewest, their hearts at the purest, and their lives at the longest, Religion were so retained: yet was it not onely by Tradition, but by Visions, Oracles, and other Rudiments, which might be to them in stead of writing. But when the number of men was encreased, and their yeares shortned, and their hearts more corrupted; the conveniencie of writing was taken up, both for the spreading abroad, and [better] learning at home, the will of God. Thus Moses, Samuel, Esdras, were not onely for their owne times, Gods holy Orators; but for the perpetuall benefit of after-ages, his full Secretaries. We are told of the Druides, certaine Pagan Priests of France, that in their Rules abhorred writing: But now where are those Rules? What Print remaines of their Precepts? Their very names had been unknowne, but for writing.

The Gospel also is written: Whatsoever may cause our joy to be full, whatsoever may perfect us for every good worke, whatsoever may make us wise to salvation, all this is written. Let no man presume to be wise; above that which is written; especially, not to be wise against that which is written. These holy Manuscripts were highly prized by our fore-fathers as the old woman that sold Bookes to Tarquin, did set such a price on them, to might have made a [Tarquins] ransome. Printing hath yet more advanced this benefit; that it is a question, whether ever Learning so farre excelled ignorance, as Scholers have by 〈◊〉 helpe exceeded Scholers. Rom. 10.18. Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Their sound, yea now if we will their L••e: and for th•• words, their Writings. His arcana 〈◊〉 terra 〈◊〉 for••••r. That Gods Will is neere as well knowne as his Workes; and the Booke of Grace is now become like the Booke of Heaven. There was nothing wherein Israel out-stripped all the world, more than in this priviledge; the Pledge of Gods holy Covenant, the Law written with his owne finger Psal. 1•. He hath not dealt so with other nations .

But how great a favour is done to that Nation, where he bestowes his Gospel? That was but a killing Letter, this is the power of God to salvation. H••ce is God throughly displeased with any people where that continues. Suitors that have intended love to Virgins, when upon just cause they fall off, call for their tokens home againe. So when God [begins] once perfectly to dislike, the [first thing he] withdrawes, is his Gospel. If our fore-fathers had but told us some part of our its concerning the worship of God, many whole countries (that are to this day without God in the world) might well have envied our happines. But we take not what we take, upon trust of mens report: for mee have a sure and written Word, and may survey at the full that great mysterie of godlinesse, which not onely Kings and Princes, but even Saints and Angels have desired to behold. If this meditation did throughly sinke into our affections, if our affections were truly moved, they would call upon us for thankefulnesse, and this thankefulnesse would appeare in our carefull obedience: yea, this motive would set all able Pennes on worke, to write the praises of God. Not that I desire, that those who travaile onely with the winde, should be delivered of their emptinesse: there be too many foaming Braines in the world, that soile white Virgin-Paper with their unchast scurrilities: such weedes, being dunged with carnall humours, grow too fast of themselves. So the Farme of Antichrist commands many Ploughes in Europe, Seminaries of hereticall Seedes, to make a Harvest for the Devill. They violate the workes of all writers with the clipping-sheeres of their Expurgations: which dealing is as cruell to the dead, as their Spanish Inquisition is to the living. As that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his guests to the Bed of his Harlot: so doth the Pope o•t and fashion all writers to the Bed of the Whore of Babylon. Against him, if wee imploy not our tongues and Pennes, according to our severall abilities, they are both worthy to lose their cunning. Here both let our tongues be like the Pennes of readie writers, and our Pennes like the tongues of readie speakers.

To conclude: What shall wee render to the Lord for his mercie, in writing these blessed Covenants? Wee can give nothing but the Tables, it is Hee that must write on them. Our hearts are but a bare Board, till God by his finger [ingrave] his Law in them. Yea more; wee are a rough Quarrey, and it is Hee that must hew us out, and square us fit for himselfe to write upon. God committed the Law to Moses his hands; his hands were whole, but the Tables were broken. God hath intrusted his Gospel to our hearts; if wee abuse it, the Gospel shall remaine whole, but our hearts shall be broken. Hee is more resolute than Pilate; What I have written, I have written. It is our woe, if wee breake that blessed Writing, which is a Covenant of mercie for us: for then that other hand-writing, the Law of Wrath, shall stand in force against us. Let us beseech him, that hath written these things to be read with our eyes, also to write them in our hearts; that so wee may finde our names written in the booke of Life.

The Number followes: it is a second Epistle. Abundans cautela non nocet; especially where the matter is of consequence, and the danger of such desperatenesse, as concernes the saving or losing of the soule: which if a man have once lost, he hath nothing else to lose. This second; not so much fearing the miscarriage of the first, as hoping to worke better confirmation by the next. Some will come at the first call, as Matthew did: some tarrie to the third, as Samuel did : some stay it out to the last houre of the day but one, as those Mat. 20.6. labourers did. God calls at any time, Preachers must call at all times: the second exhortation may speed better than the first: one Sermon may have happier successe than all the rest. 〈◊〉 4.45. The faithfull servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, gives them their meate in due season. First, it must be good meate, for wholesomenesse: fancies of their owne braines, will but fill them full of [winde]. Secondly, it must be seasonable: comforts to the obstinate, and thunders to the desperate, are Dishes quite out of season. Thirdly, it must be given them: we may not tarry till they call for it; their soules commonly are not so apt to be hungry. Fourthly, it is not enough to purvey well, and stocke our owne head, but wee must dispense it to their hearts. There may be a whole Magazine of knowledge, and the people never the fatter for it, unlesse it be impaired. Fifthly, it must bee given by way of distribution: it is not sufficient to set it before them in grosse, but in the retaile of particular application as the Chirurgian not onely makes the Plaister, but layes it on too. In vaine doth the rich man discourse of Bread to the emptie; or the Physician reade a Lecture on the Patients disease, and so leave him. Sixthly, all this must be frequent: we must doe as we pray, Give them their daily Bread. Psal. 62.11. God hath spoken mee, twice, have I heard it: yea, Iob 33.29. twice and thrice, oftentimes, saith Elihu. Sinne is not so easily killed, that we should say of it as Abishai said of 1 Sam. 26.8. Saul: Let we smite him to the earth at once, and I will not smite him a second time. It were a happie riddance of so micshievous an enemie, if wee could hit him as cunningly, as 2 Sam. 20.10. Ioab did Amasa trecherously; who smote him in the fifth ribbe, and strucke him not againe. But this Hagar will abide many blowes, before she be turned quite out of doores.

The building of the Church goes slowly forward: it were an injurious censure, to taxe Salomon of slacknesse in founding the House of God. Great Bodies must have but slow motions. Much time is required to the preparing of the Materials: albeit David had layd a great part of the Timber and Metals; yet many a Tree must be felled and squared, many a Stone hewen and polished, ere this foundation be layed. Neither could those large Cedars be cut, sawen, seasoned in one yeare. Though hee had an hundred and fiftie thousand Labourers imployed in bearing burdens, and hewing Stones; besides their three thousand and three hundred Overseers: so did the maine stresse of the Worke lye upon Proselytes. Though hee raised a Tribute for the Worke, of the Nations; not of money, but of men: though thirtie thousand Israelites were levied for this service; yet foure whole yeares are spent in so vast a preparation. Christ hath many Builders, for the perfecting of his Church: thousands of Preachers have spent their dayes and labours upon it; yet still it needes more: Still let us pray him for more Labourers, and for the redoubling of their paines. Our soules be such knottie Trees, and our hearts such rough and hard Quarries; that without the mightie paines of many hands, wee will hardly lye right and fit in our designed places. Line must be added to Line, and Letter to Letter; a second Epistle to the former. It may be, we answere at first with Peter; Act. 10.14. ver. 15. Not so, Lord: yet after a second or third motion, we grow better advised. It may be, we passe the first and second yeare without a spirituall tillage: we have heard this holy Doctrine once and againe, but it bred no cogitations in us, except such as Esa. 37.30. grow of themselves; naturall, worldly, corrupt: yet the third time we may be wonne with these heavenly comforts, and bring forth the fruits of obedience.

Yet let us beware of protracting our conversion: when wee repell or neglect one good motion, we are not sure of a second: yea, he is justly hardned against the second, that hath resisted the first. Sinne hath a shrewd Title, when it can plead prescription: and Satan thinkes his evidence as good as eleven points at Law, when he hath once got possession. Let him be sure of thy youth, and he will be confident of thy age. There was an Abbot of this Land, that desired a piece of ground which lay conveniently for him: the owner refused to sell it: yet with much perswasion, was contented to let it. The Abbot hired it for his Rent, and covenanted to farme it onely for one Croppe. Hee had it, and few it with Acornes; a Croppe that lasted three hundred yeares. Satan begges but the first Croppe: let him sowe thy youth with Acornes, they will grow up with thy yeares to sturdie Okes; so bigge-bulked, and deepe-rooted, that they shall last all thy life. Let us take the first opportunitie of Gods gracious motions and monitions; or if we have omitted the first, let us apprehend the second: or if (as it is too true) many have pass’d unanswer’d by us, let us embrace the present invitation; and even now with faith and repentance turne to our Saviour, that he may never lose a second labour.

The Tenour followes; which is, to stirre up our mindes. Wee use not to stirre up cold ashes, but embers that be warme, to re-kindle the live coales that are hid under them. The Apostle does not professe to teach them new Lessons, but to heare them say over their Parts: not to catechise them in the foundation and Principles; but rather to rub up their memories, with a recollection of their former Notes, as it were a repetition of his Sermons. It argues some mistrust in the Master, of non-proficiencie in the Scholer, when he turnes him backe to the beginning of his Booke, and apposeth him in his first Lesson. Saint Peter will not so discourage his Disciples, but rather takes it as granted, that they knew; and more needed excitation, than information: as if he meant not to presse the Doctrine, but the Vse. When we lay on greene wood, we blow the fire, not stirre it: when drie, we stirre the fire, and need not blow it. Proselytes stand in need of kindling: well improved Christians require but stirring. There is mettle in many a good Horse, which he will not shew, till you give him the Spurre: put him to it, and he answeres your desire. Samson sleepes, till he heares, The Philistines be upon thee: then he rowseth up himselfe, to their bane. How many a good deed had beene lost, if the doer had not beene seasonably stirred up.

Why are the Eccl. 12.11. words of the wise compared to Goades; but to shew, that the best in Gods Teame need pricking forward? An easie rhetoricke drawes us to evill: yea, it is hard not to runne downe the hill. The pronesse to sinne is so much stronger in our nature, than to good; that every least motion prevailes for the one, scarce any instigation for the other. Our warre against sinne and Satan is perpetuall: other hostilities admit some truce, ours is not determined but with our lives. Lest therefore wee should take a dangerous and unkindly rest, God hath set his Ministers, like Trumpets and Drummes, to call us to our Armes, to stirre up our strengths, that we be not surprized unawares. Let our weapons be alwayes in readinesse: as Seneca said of Caesar; That he did quickly sheathe the sword, but he never layd it off. The sight of a weapon discourageth a theefe: while wee keepe our javelins in our hands, wee scape many assaults. It is our Office to give you the Alarme, and to stirre you up: be it your care to maintaine the battaile. And as the end of all warre is peace, so your militant conflicts shall be crowned with victorie, and your soules received into the everlasting peace of Iesus Christ.

The Order is last, By way of remembrance. This is a just order and method, first to teach the way of the Lord, then to remember men of walking in it. We are not onely called Teachers, but Esa. 62.6. Remembrancers. And as this Epistle seemes to be called after a sort by the Author, a rehearsall-Epistle: so all our Sermons are but rehearsall Sermons; pressing the Doctrine you have alreadie learned, by way of remembrance. There is reasonable good strength in our judgements, but a great decay in our memories. Ioh. 13.17. If ye know these things, happie are ye if ye doe them. Because you heare these things, you have happie eares: because you see these sacred mysteries, you have happie eyes: because you tread in Gods Courts, you have happie feet: if you remember these things, you have happie memories: these things if you purpose to doe, you have happie resolutions: but these things if you practise, if you doe indeed, you have happie soules: and the Lord make us all thus happie.

Your pure minds.] This is the object of his excitation. There is Puritas cutis, , an outward profession of puritie, an inward corruption of hypocrisie. All the care of hypocrites, is to seeme pure; a strange kind of Atheisme: as if they thought, that their thought was not knowne to God. Not an oath comes from them in a moneth; that’s well: but scarce a true word in a twelve-moneth, and that’s very ill. Act. 5.8. Saphira will not sticke to lye unto Peter, that durst lye to the holy Ghost. Hypocrisie is a lye unto God, as dissimulation is to man. Such mens actions are but reall equivocations. They are not onely Lupi in ovili, but Lupi in ovillâ; Wolves in a Sheepe-Cote, yea Wolves in a Sheepes Coat. Like the fruit that undid us all, which was Pulcher in visu, in tactu mollis, dulcis in [gustu], mortifer in effectu. There be many that have pure-shining skins, glorious shewes, but blacke insides. Exod. 34.30. Moses perceiving that the people durst not looke upon the Sunne of his face, clouds it with a veile; and would rather chuse to hide the worke of God in himselfe, than want opportunitie of revealing Gods will to the people. He does not stand upon tearmes of reputation: If there be glorie in my skinne, God did put it there; he would not have set it in my face, if hee had meant it should be hid: rather doe you hide your faces, that are blemished with your sinnes; and doe not looke, that in favour of your weakenesse, I should wrong God and my selfe, in seeming lesse happie than hee hath made me. But without all selfe-respects, hee rather modestly hides his glorified countenance from them, that by this meanes he might deliver Gods message to them. Hidden puritie is more gracious and acceptable to God, than that which is openly boasted. Such a happie Talent is best improved, by being layd up: as Moses had more glorie by his vaile, than by his face.

Christian modestie teacheth a wise man, not to expose himselfe to the fairest shew, and to live at the utmost pitch of his strength. There is many a rich Stone layd up in the bowels of the earth; many a faire Pearle layd up in the bosome of the Sea; that never was seene, nor ever shall be. The Stones which were layd in the foundation of the Temple, were not rude and rugged, but hewne and polished. Albeit they lay buried in the earth, from the eyes of men, they were of equall value with the rest: though lesse conspicuous, no lesse precious. No small number of the noble graces of Gods servants lye hidden and undiscerned; which are not lesse acceptable to him, because lesse notable to others. Hypocrites are all for shew, God is all for truth: even the grace concealed, shall be crowned. There is many a goodly starre, which because of the height, comes not within our account. The Lord Iesus himselfe did hide the glory of his Deitie under the veile of his flesh, Majestie under vilenesse; and did shut up his great and divine Miracles with, See you tell no man. Not that I would have graces unprofitably buried, but I would not have them proudly boasted. Let us be Puri, not Puritani. Those hearts be foulest, that care onely to seeme the purest. The world makes no account of unknowne riches; whereas malo me divitem esse, quàm haberi. To what end should we dazle mens eyes with admiration, when God and our selves are conscious of our secret corruption? Why should wee seeke to be above those in shew, to whom we are inferior in worth? Moses his face was fairer than his veile, his heart fairer than his face: too many have their veile fairer than their face, their face fairer than their heart. Modest vertues shall shine through their veiles, when the vain-glorious shall be wray their shame through their coverings. How contrary are hypocrites to that faithfull servant of God, Moses? He spake to God bare-faced, to the people veiled: he shewed his worst to men, his best to God: but they shew their best to men, to God their worst. But God sees both their skinne and their heart: and I know not whether he more hates, their skinne of dissimulation, or their heart of corruption.

There is Puritas mentis, a pure mind, without which all other puritie is but uncleanenesse. There is Puritas legalis, that is, of nature; irrecoverably lost in Adam. Iob 14.4. Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? Blacke Moores will sooner breed white children. There is Puritas Evangelica, that is, of Grace; which all must have that shall be saved. Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord? Psal. 24 4. He that hath cleane hands, and a pure heart. This Purenesse is either Imputativè, whereby the purenesse of that immaculate Lambe is made ours: Rev. 7.14. They have washed their garments, and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe. Or [Inchoativa], inherent purenesse: 1 Ioh. 3.3. Every man that hath hope in Christ, purifieth himselfe, as he is pure. For there must be aliquid nostrum, in nobis, though not à nobis. After that the Sunne hath given his light to the starres, they shine: principally, by that borrowed light; accessorily, by a light of their owne. Quicquid Christus operatur pro nobis, hoc operatur in nobis. Whatsoever Christ hath wrought for us, that hee hath wrought in us. Or it is Comparativa, in regard of others: so the godly are Myrtles, but in a field of Nettles; Lilies, but in a forrest of Thornes; Wheat, because there is much Chaffe by them. Wooll may be pure white in respect of Pitch, but compare it with the Lilie: the Lilie is pure white in respect of Wooll, but compare it with the driven Snow: there is no purenesse of man that dare stand the judgement of God. Iob 25.5. & 15.15. & 4.18. The starres are not pure in his sight, nor the heavens, nor the Angels. The right Puritan, that saith 1 Ioh. 1.8. he hath no sinne, is convinced ex ore proprio, out of his owne mouth: even therefore hee hath sinne, because hee sayes that he hath no sinne: that very speech is a sinne. In non peccando puritas Dei, in peccata non imputando puritas hominis. The Scripture propounds many examples of puritie; yet they all had their blemishes: the brightest day was not without some cloud. Zech. 11.2. Howle ye Firre-trees, for the Cedar is fallen: if the gallants be foiled, what shall the underlings doe? That is a wofull puritie, which does not onely chuse to stand in the sight of mercie. For perfect puritie; Optandum est, conandum est, petendum est, confidendum non est.

Wherein then consists this purenesse of mind? Not in any perfection, as if it could be so in the sight of Gods justice: what is he living on earth that must not confesse, Psal. 51.4. Against thee O Lord have I sinned? But hee is said to have a pure mind, that lives sine scandalo, though not sine peccato: or that takes no liberty to doe the least evill: though he doth often admit sinne, he does never intend sinne. Pura mens nequit consistere cum proposito peccandi. Hee that hath resolved to bee nocent, though he doe not the purposed act, before God is not innocent. The undertaking of treason, though the fact be hindred, is treason. Or he that is pure in the inner man; 1 Ioh. 3.9. He that is borne of God sinneth not; In quantum ex Deo natus non peccat. If with any fighting; hee could get the victorie over flesh and blood, hee would never sinne. Or hee that indevours to bee pure; as having alwayes a respect to that eye, which hath alwaies an eye of respect to him: Gen. 17.1. Walke before me, and be thou perfect. The mind may be said to bee pure in three respects:

1. Puritate fidei: faith apprehends the bloud of Christ, and this purifies it. So it is rather passive, than active: not so much Pure, as Purificata. The aire no sooner receives the cleare aspect of the Sunne, but it presently becomes light. If Christ send forth the beams of his righteousnesse into the heart, it is made pure. Psal. 32.2. Blessed is he whose sinne is not imputed. That which makes us blessed, makes us pure, for none but Mat. 5.8. the pure in heart are blessed. This is the sole perfection of a Christian, the imputation of Christs purenesse, and the not imputation of his owne impurenesse. It is in a manner all one, not to have committed sinne in actu, and not to bee held culpable of that sinne in reatu. A garment that is throughly washed, may be as cleane as though it never had beene stained. 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were ye, saith Paul: which implies, that such they are not. If the Lord wash us, shall we not be cleane? Psal. 51.7. Purge me with hissope, and I shall be cleane: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. It was a costly Bath, wherein we were washed before we could bee cleane: but if any thing could doe it, this must. 1 Ioh. 1.7. The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne. He prayed till he groned, he groned till he wept, he wept till he swet, he swet till he bled, hee bled till hee died; and all to make us a warme Bu•, wherin our cold and foule soules might be washed pure and cleane. Never was anything washed at so high a rate as the Christian soule. Naaman had an easie cure; Wash in Iordan, Ioh. 5.7. a common and unforbidden river. The diseased in Bethesda found some more difficultie; they must waite the moving of the water by an Angel, and bee waited on by an officious friend, or they were never the better. Some have washed their rotten carcases in the fairest flowers of the garden, the choise delicacies of nature, the clearest fountaines. Histories tell us, that the blood of Infants and Innocents hath been prescribed for a Bath to Tyrants. But the Christians Bath is the Bath royall, the precious blood of the King of all the world. This onely can make us pure: It was the Iewes imprecation, and it proves their vengeance; His bloud be upon us, and upon our children. It may, in a good sense, be our apprecation, and shall be our blessednesse, His bloud bee upon us, and upon our children after us.

2. Puritate poenitentiae: so the conscience knowes no foulenesse by it selfe, which true repentance hath not sorrowed, and which the mercie of God hath not pardoned. For God esteemes sinne indeed repented, as if it had never been indeed committed. This, though it finds not the heart Purum, yet leaves it Purificatum. The garment of our life gathers many spots, which God suffers us to wash out with our penitent teares. This was Davids physicke and bath, whensoever he had beene sicke or fouled with sinne. Psal. 6.6. I make my bed to swimme, and I water my couch with my teares. Yea it seemes, they were his food also, even his meate and drinke: for meate, My teares were my meate day and night. And for drinke, I mingled my drinke with weeping: that was the spice of his cup. Iob 13.26. Thou writest bitter things against me; when thou makest me to remember the iniquities of my youth. Moses his tenne fingers write bitter things against us, till the finger of Christ wipe them out. Saint Paul cals it a Col. 2.14. Handwriting against us: not that Gods Lawes, like Draco’s, were writ in blood; Rom. 7.12. For the Law is holy, and the Commandement is holy, and just, and good. They were holy characters; but our sinnes made them letters of blood against us. When wee commit a sinne, wee write a bill of our hand against ourselves; whereby we acknowledge our soules to stand indebted to Gods justice. Now unlesse this debt be discharged, and the bond cancelled, to prison wee must; and there lie till wee have satisfied the uttermost farthing: and that (God knowes) will bee long enough; for a farthing is more than wee are, or can bee worth. This blacke bill is cancelled by Christ onely; whose blood hath so defaced and obliterated the reckoning of beleevers, that God doth not read our receits, nor call us to accounts. Unbeleevers onely suffer the whole forfeiture to fall upon their neckes.

Now what Christ did with the blood of his body, that in some sort wee must doe with the blood of our soules, our penitentiall teares; that we may bee discharged of our sinnes for ever. One colour laid upon another, doth away the former, and remaines it selfe: as the cunning paintresse deales with her face; sometimes shee blots out pale, and writes red. Our sinnes are red as scarlet, our teares white as snow: let these latter fall upon the former, they shall not onely blot them out, but stand in their roome: so wee beautifie our conscience, by blotting out red, and writing white, pure innocence. Our sinnes stand in Gods register, till our sorrowes come. Psal. 56.8. Thou tellest my wandrings; put my teares into thy bottle: are they not in thy booke? The first give place to the last: our wandrings were written in that booke; but when our teares come, God blots out wickednesse, and writes repentance. And so wee have our acquittance, even a generall one, from the beginning of the world; Adams sin and all, to the day of the date thereof; a full quietus est. Pharaoh and his host were not surer drowned in the red sea, than Satan and all our sinnes are drowned in our teares. These the Fathers call our second Baptisme: secunda Tabula post naufragium. No soule so polluted, but repentance can wash it cleane and pure, and present it blamelesse to God through the faith of IESVS CHRIST.

3. Puritate gratiae; sanctified to a holy life, and devout obedience. Not that sinne does not superesse, remaine; but it shall not superare, reigne in us. It will be a Tenant, it may be a Tyrant; it shall have no dominion, or at least no peaceable one. This Vsurper would faine be King of man, as the Devill writes himselfe Prince of the world: but the pure minde will never acknowledge fealtie or allegiance to him. Sentit, non consentit: shee feeles his assaults with griefe, but shee knowes it would be a worse griefe to yeeld unto them. Shee will not buy her peace with her losse; being assured, that this trouble will not last ever: resistance shall be crowned with victorie. From suddaine thoughts of ill, no man is free: but here is no deliberation, no consent, no delight. There is Nativitas the conception of sinne; and Nativitas ex utera, the birth or action of sinne. None are pure from the former: the Sunne cannot be rid of clouds, but he labours to disperse them. Melius est nubere, quam urere: hee does not say, quàm [calescere]. There is great difference betweene passive Fittes and Heats, and voluntarie Inflamings. The will of this purified mind in sinning, is not properly voluntas, sed velleitas; as it were a will against a mans will. Aquin. As the Mariner in a tempest doth cast his goods into the water, his rich fraught over-board. Or the true man assaulted on the way, gives his Purse to the theefe: yet neither of these with full consent of will. If the regenerate bee over-borne to doe amisse, it is with reluctance before, and with repentance after: nec invadit sine pugna, nec evadit sine poenitentia: it got in with blowes, it is throwne out with teares.

We are not Sinnes voluntaries: at the most, but pressed souldiers against our wills. As in a rebellion or tumult, a Drumme is beaten up, a Trumpet sounded, to call a faction together. Some are glad of the occasion, quickly up in armes, apt for mutiny, ready to doe mischiefe: a loyall subject opposeth the conspiracy, strives against it, but cannot prevaile with the unruly multitude: yea hee is taken by force, compelled to joyne with them, and to draw his sword against his awfull and lawfull Soveraigne. The subject thus drawne in, is in as much danger as the rest: but a wise and gracious Prince doth here distinguish; and while he executeth due vengeance upon the mutiners, he gives this man his free pardon. In an ungracious soule, one passion is enraged, and presently all the affections muster up their forces, and joyne in the confederacy of sinne. But in the faithfull there is a resistance; the feare and love of God withstands the hurly-burly: and though the throng of naturall lusts prevaile against grace, and overcome man to sinne; yet the God of wisdome and mercy will forgive him; when the other receives the reward of a rebell.

The pure minde abhorres dissimulation: that man neither wrongs others with the sinne of deceitfulnesse, nor wrongs himselfe with the deceitfulnesse of sin. In the one hee is Rectus corde, in the other mundus corde. His soule is like Canaan, Aug. a Deut. 8.7. land of brookes and fountaines, that spring out of vallies and hills: there bee the springs of knowledge to guide his waies; and brookes of teares to mourne for his errours. His charity stands like those fields of wheat and barley: vines, figtrees, vers. 8. and pomegranates, are his fruitfull meditations and contentfull thoughts: oile and honey are the grace of his lips. Deut. 6.11. His understanding is full of good things; his whole life, welles and vineyards, to relieve and comfort himselfe and others. His very rockes are Deut. 8 9. iron, and his hils yield brasse: his most barren workes have some profit. His whole selfe is like the Garden of Eden, wherein stands the Tree of life, Iesus Christ. When hee dies, Tanquam Paradisus ingreditur Paradisum, one Paradise enters into another.

This is the blessednesse of a pure heaat: but in the world there is Heart enough, and good store of purenesse; yet they have ill lucke, they cannot meet: it is rare to finde Puram mentem, a pure minde. It comes to my memory, what I have found observed of the word Conscientia; that it ever had ill lucke in the Church, and could never bee found at once in full syllables. Conscientia; altogether, hee cals Devotion: take away the first syllable, it is Scientia, Knowledge: cut off the next, it is Entia, Meanes or worldly maintenance. First, in the times of profanesse, there was Sci, and Entia, learning and living, knowledge and maintenance: but Con was left out, Devotion was wanting; they were ungodly men. In the next age, there was Con, and Entia, Devotion and Exhibition; a rich and religious, yea a superstitious number: but Sci, Knowledge was failing; they were not the learned’st Clerkes. In the third age, Con, and Sci, Learning and Devotion were both lost, and onely Entia was left: they had the honours and mannors, the fat of the land. But now in this last age, it is come round: wee have Con and Sci, (let our thankfulnesse blesse God for it) a learned and religious Clergy; onely our Entia is taken from us: our livelyhood and subsistence is exhausted by Sacriledge. The like fortune hath a pure heart in the world: purenesse goes one way, and the heart another way, and these two have much adoe to meet. There is no lacke of hearts, every man hath one, some have more than one: and for purenesse, it abounds: proud dames will have pure houses, pure tables, pure floores: their ruffes of the purest linnen, their garments of the purest stuffe, their dyet of the purest meat, their chaines of the purest Gold: hypocrites will have pure eyes, pure tongues, pure habites, pure garbes and gestures. The profane sort are all for a brave heart, they make a pish at purenesse: the dissembling sort are all for a shew of purenesse, no matter for the heart. This is the devils plot, to keepe purenesse and the heart asunder. Purity will doe well in nothing without the heart: the heart can be happy in nothing without purity. It is great pity, two such sweet compaions should bee kept asunder, the God of all grace and mercy bring them both together.

Travellers, when the wayes bee faire and pleasant, make the longer journeys: a pure minde and an holy conscience are such sweet and delightfull things, that I take leave to prosecute this argument a little farther, by way of application. We all desire a cleane soule; where shall we have it? Psal. 51.10. Create in me a cleane heart, O God; saith David. Neither Saint nor Angell stands in his way; hee troubles not them with his prayers. Abraham knowes us not, Israel cannot heare us: David loved and honoured the memory of Abraham and Iacob, his Fathers: yet hee does not present them his petitions. I touch it, with indignation at that superstitious prayer of the Romanists; Sancta Virgo Dorothea, tua nos virtute bea, cor in nobis novum crea. But let us know, none can create a cleane heart, but hee that made all hearts: he onely that Zech. 12.1. formed the spirit of man, can reforme the spirit in man. And to shew that a pure minde is so farre from being a common blessing, or easie attainment, it is called a point of Creation.

1. GOD made the world by his Word, and by his Word hee makes a pure heart within us. If hee give but his fiat, or his [volo], mundare, Matth. 8.3. Bee thou cleane: our Leprosie is gone. Yea, this seemes to bee more difficult: for the world was created ex spiritu eris, by the word of his mouth; but the minde is purified ex sanguine cordis, by the blood of his heart.

2. GOD made the world of no preexistent matter; for before it, there was nothing but Himselfe, and Himselfe cannot be parted. This was wonderfull, yet the creating of a pure heart in a greater wonder. For then, as there was nothing to exist, so nothing to resist: hee made the Masse, and that was a passive matter, to be formed at his pleasure. But here is a rebellious opposition, a stubborne will to be subdued. There God said, Let it be so, and it was so: here he hath spoken an hundred times by his Word, Thus I would have it: and we retort, Thus wee will not have it. Matth. 23.37. I would have gathered thee, at noluisti, but thou wouldest not. Thus he is more troubled to make a pure minde, than he was to create a world. How do they abuse the opportunity of grace, and coozen their owne foules, that promise themselves an easy conversion at their own pleasure? God made the world in six daies, how many yeares hath he been in purifying our hearts, and yet it is not done.

3. GOD tooke sixe distinct dayes in creating the world, and hee seemes to have sixe distinct workes in the clensing of our mindes. First, in the first day he made the light, when darknesse was upon the face of the deepe: light and darknesse were not duo positiva: but Gen. 1.5. hee divided the light from the darknesse: and be called the light, Day and the darknesse, Night. Darknesse overwhelmes us by Nature, and Gods first worke is to enlighten our understandings by the knowledge of his will: 2 Cor. 4.6. Hee that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Yet some darknesse still remaines; and wee may call the light, knowledge; and the darknesse, ignorance. Secondly, in the second day he made the Heavens, and set them a moving in their right courses. His second worke here, Gen. 1.7. is to frame in us an heavenly will, to rectifie our obedience; that wee might doe his will on earth, as it is done in Heaven. Hee divided the waters which were under the firmament, from the waters that were above the firmament. Our firmament is Terminus cognoscibilium; schoole-trickes are waters above the firmament. Thirdly, in the third day hee separated the sea from the dry land: and Hee called the dry land, Earth; vers. 10. and the gathering together of the waters, Seas. So here, hee causeth the deluge of naturall corruption to sinke downe, that the firmenesse and beauty of this new heart might appeare: and hee calleth the dry land, Grace; and the confined waters, Nature. Fourthly, in the fourth day hee made the Sunne, Moone, and Starres, vers. 14. all those refulgent lights of heaven. So here hee createth in us faith, charity, joy, patience, and peace; those lampes and ornaments, that give lustre to a renewed soule. Hee made two great lights: the greater to rule the day, and the lesse to rule the night. Our two great lights are Faith and Charity: one rules the day, vers. 16. keepes our minde in a perpetuall light: the other governs the night, doth good in the darkest shadowes of necessity, of discomfort. The Sunne shines smilingly on thee in thy prosperity; the Moone, that is thy comfort in adversity: but take heed of abusing either; for so thy Sunne may bee darkned, and God will turne thy Moone into blood. Fifthly, in the fifth day hee replenished the aire with fowles, the sea with fishes, the earth with beasts. So here, vers. 22. he fils every corner of the heart with sanctified affections. Wee are full, as the world then, reptilium, vers. 24. volatilium: let us mount up to heaven by grace, though wee creepe upon the earth by nature. Now came that Crescite & multiplicamini, the seeds were sowne that should soone multiply. The Lord sowes in our hearts his holy Word, the seed of eternall life; let us bee fruitfull of good workes. Indeed bad doctrine is a seed too; but non vidit quòd bonum; God did not see it was good.

Lastly, in the sixth day, he made man: and here he re-malies him, creates him a new man in Christ Iesus. You will say, hee is able to doe this in a moment, as hee wrought upon the malefactor on the crosse at his last houre. So hee could have made the world in a day, in an houre, in a minute: but it pleaseth his [wisedome] to take longer time, both in that worke, and in this: that wee might take heed of fouling that heart, which he hath taken so much paines to make cleane. As exquisitely and deliberately as the great world was made, as perfectly good as all things were; the sinne of man soone corrupted all. After all Gods cost and labour upon us, our mindes may bee quickly defiled. Now when God had dispatched all his workes in sixe dayes, he rested the seventh: so if wee labour, with him, in the clensing of our soules, all this weeke of working-dayes; wee shall then rest with him in the Seventh, the heavenly and eternall Sabbath of the Saints.

To conclude; wee see how sweet the condition of this pure minde is. Hugo saith of that man, Vtitur amico ad gratiam, inimico ad patientiam, ad benevolentiam cunctis, quibus potest ad beneficentiam. God doth not charge him with his owne sinnes, as if hee had never done them; nor with the sinnes of others, because he did not approve them. Hee is composed in prosperous fortunes, with adverse not dejected. Dan. 5.6. Set Belshazzar in the midst of his Princes; his cupbord of plate furnished with the sacred bowles of Ierusalem, the spoile of Gods holy Temple: and in contempt of their owner, carousing healths in them to his Mistresses, and singing carols in the praise of his carved gods: yet because there is a foule heart within him, this sumptuous, this presumptuous feast shall end in horror; and that such an horror, as shall put the blood out of his face, the musicke out of his head, the joy out of his heart for ever. But lay Lazarus at the gate of unmercifulnesse, lay Iob on the very dunghill of miserablenesse, and give them mentem synceram, an honest and quiet heart: and Adam could not have been so happy in Paradise without it, as they were out of Paradise with it.

The man of a pure minde is alwayes of a cheerefull looke, because there are no secret snibbings within him; he is not troubled with that they call Singultum cordis the good man may bee evermore the merriest man. The holy soule is the love of God, the joy of Angels: her eyes dare looke upon the glorious Iudge, whom she knowes to be her Saviour. Her heart is couragious, she dares stand the thunder; and when guilty mindes creepe into corners, shee is confident in him that will defend her. Shee challengeth the whole world to accuse her of injustice, and feares not the subornation of false witnesses, because shee knowes the testimony of her owne conscience. Her language is free and bold, without the guiltinesse of broken stoppes. Her forehead is cleare and smooth, as the brow of heaven. Her knees are ever bent to the Throne of grace, her feet travelling toward Ierusalem, her hands weaving the web of righteousnesse. Good men blesse her, good Angels guard her, the Son of God doth kisse her: and when all the world shall bee turned to a burning pile, shee shall bee brought safe to the mountaine of joy, and set in a Throne of blessednesse for ever.