Thomas Adams
3. Lastly wee must cleanse them: when wee come to behold the number of our sports, we easily see the necessitie of our teares. Polluere, that is opus peceati: Diluere, that is opus paenitentiae. It is true, that Christ righteousnesse is a garment, so covering our spots that they cannot be seene: and his blood a medicine so cureing our spots that they shall not bee. But Christ never shed his blood for that mans sinnes, that for his owne sinnes will not shed so much as teares. Iohn. 4.37. One soweth and another reapeth: Indeed Christ sowed and we reape: he sowed in teares, and we reape in ioy: yea he sowed in blood and death, and wee reape in peace and life: Yet we must Psal• 26 5. sowe in teares too, that we may reape in ioy. Must not we also haue a wette seed time, that looke for so glorious a harvest? That Iohn. 1.29. Lambe takes away the sinne of the world: he did not die to take away our sorrow, but our sinne: not to free us from a seasonable contrition, but to save us from everlasting destruction. Esay. 1.6. From the sole of the foote to the head there was no soundnesse in us; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: As there was no whole part in us by reason of sinne, so nor in him by reason of sorrow. His head was full of thornes, his backe full of scourges, his eyes full of teares, his body full of woundes, his soule full of sorrowes; and all because wee were full of sinnes. And shall not this fullnesse of sinne worke in us a fullnesse of remorse? shall not our eyes also be full of teares, our bosome full of sighes, our mouthes full of cryes, our hearts full of sorrowes? Did hee weepe for us, that wee should spend our dayes in laughter? Donec ego in errore, ille in maerore: still whilest we are sinnefull, he is sorrowfull: and shall wee not be grieved, for thus grieving him? Our griefes are not meant to requite him: but they are the ecchoes of thankefullnesse to him.
What was it that did put him to so much paines, but our sinnes; and shall we not mourne for them? If we doe not weepe for them as they are our spots, yet in reason wee should, as they were his torments. They were his torture, they are still his displeasure. As the Disciples in that tempest to him, Mark. 4.38. Master carest thou not that we perish? So he to us, care you not that I did perish for your sakes? He did not with Iob curse his nativitie, nor with David cry out on his sufferings: but Lam. 1• •. is it nothing to you, all ye that passe by? Haue ye no regard? our carelesnesse of what he suffered; this was his griefe. Haue wee not so much as the oyle of teares, to powre into his wounds? the end of all he suffered, was to save us: no marvell if the disrespect of that grieved him. Iustly therefore should that cost us teares, which cost him blood: especially let us weepe for putting him to such charges. His bleeding does not take away our weeping: no soule is iustified by his death, that does not daily Rom. 6.3. die unto sinne. And death cannot be without paine. Thou swearest, and that oath is a spott upon thy heart: weepe for that. Thou liest, and that falsehood is a spott upon thy conscience: weepe for that. Thou lustest, and that filthy desire is a spott on thy soule: weepe for that too: weepe for all. How many be our blemishes, yet how few our teares? The beloued of Christ are all faire, and haue no spott in them: how got they this fairenesse? Like a flocke of sheepe, they come up from the washing. The Martyre upon the wheele could smile in the middest of his torture: which being wondred at, hee told his friend, Can. 4.2.7. that there was a young man whom they saw not, (some Angell sure) who by continuall powring of coole water upon his distorted limbes, so mitigated his paines, that he could smile at them. We see pious and devout men, militant Saints, falling into diverse infirmities: they have their spotts: but repentance is the good Angell that powres upon them coole water, continuall teares to wash them away. This is the Bath that renders us Immaculatos, without spot.
What is there which they used not to clense vnder the Law? their cities, their gates, garments, their very Altars. we haue our Cities also to clense, the corporation of our affections: our gates, which bee our eyes, eares, and senses, those doores, windowes, and in-lets of the soule: our garments, our lives and conversations, which are the visible apparell of our spirits: our very altars, our hearts, upon which we offer all our sacrifices. Our hands must not escape, those instruments of lust and rapine; Iam. •.8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners. For his eyes, Iob had his Pepegi foedus, as if hee had bound them to the good behaviour. Especially our hearts: it can bee neither time nor labour lost, that is spent in clensing of the fountaine. Should any now make it their worke, God would looke graciously downe from Heaven upon such Labourers, to whom his owne Sonne hath given that benediction; Mat. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Mans heart is like Moses his Rod: so long as he held it in his hand, it was a Rod: but when he threw it to the ground, Cyril. it turned to be a Serpent. All the while that we hold our heart in the continuall awe and love of God, it shall remaine pure and cleane: but if our boisterous and unruly sinnes once throw it to the earth, it changeth presently, and becomes a soule Serpent. If there be any, whose conscience tels them, that their hearts are now turned into Serpents, crawling upon the earth living upon riches, that better esteemed mucke of the world; let them bee perswaded, by stretching foorth a hand of sorrow and true repentance, to take them up againe, in what shape soever they appeare: for then hee that was exalted on the Crosse, as the Serpent in the Wildernesse, will turne those serpents into hearts againe, their venime into innocencie, and wash them cleane in his owne immaculate blood.
The summe of this consideration presseth us with the necessity of repentance: For seeing we gather aspersions every day, how should wee bee found without spottes at the last day, unlesse we wash them off with repentance? O that our sorrowes were but so manifest as our spots! Doe we spend the night in weeping, that have wasted the day in sinning? Our neighbours of Rome tell us of a Purgatory hereafter; but by this tricke they make a shift to purge mens purses here. They have many strange devises; as Iejunium viventium, spes mortuorum: the Churches Treasurie is the Almes of Purgatory: They might better say, the wealth they get by Purgatory, maintaines the Churches treasury. They all referre to this common terme money. All Christendome they would have to bee the Popes kingdome: Rome is his Court, France his Garden, Spaine his Shambles or slaughter-house by their Inquisition; England was once his Brew-house, Italy his Kitchin, but Purgatory his Larder: from thence he fetcheth all his fat; his Brewis comes out of that Caldron. In Purgatory is nothing but extreme paine; and the Pope (they say) can free all at his pleasure: but why then are any detained there? doth he want power or will? If he want power, hee is weake: if will he is wicked. If hee would and cannot, he is unable: if hee can and will not, hee is uncharitable. But I will bee more favourable, and quite deliver you out of Purgatory; I meane from the tedious trouble of further discourse of it. Keepe your selves from Hell, and never feare Purgatory.
All men depart this life vel mundi, vel immundi; none hereafter mundandi. In this life there is a double Purgatory: the blood of the Redeemer, and the teares of the Redeemed: without the former wee have no cleanenesse of justification: no justification of our cleanenesse without the latter. Revel. 7.14. They have washed their clothes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe: therein consists our purenesse; And every one that hath this hope, 1 Ioh. 3.3. purifieth himselfe: thereby wee have the knowledge of it. The Sunne drawes up vapours from the Earth; not for it selfe, but to restore them backe to the Earth in showres and deawes, to moisten and cleanse it, Christ, that Sunne of Iustice, exhales teares from our eyes, not for his owne, but our benefit, even to wash and cleanse our soules.
And this clensing must be done in time: forget not that. Let us be failing to our lustfull desires, before Desire failes us. Eccl 12.5. It is hard for a man growne old in evill, deponere animum puerilem: adhuc pueritia, & quod gravius est, puerilitas [remanet]. They may have the authority of ancients, Sen. but withall the vanitie of children. Satan in youth casts in those suggestions, which hee would haue kept in the soule for breed. Eph. 4.27. Give no place to the devill: what, not in youth? No, no place, at no time. Where uncleannesse hath gotten a haunt, it will bee busily frequent: out of long possession, it will pleade prescirption. Mark 9.21. How long is it agoe since this came unto him? Of a child. Oh then hard to bee helped. It was the beggar womans praise of her sonne, whom shee had brought up to her owne trade: while hee was young, I begged for him: now hee is growne towardly, and able to beg for himselfe. At first concupiscence was an advocate for sinne, now sinne is become an advocate for concupiscence. But as Hanibal was wont to say of the Romanes, that they could not be overcome, but in their owne countrey: so let us fight against our sinne in the very heart, the countrey where it breedes. It was St. Bernards exposition of that same conteret caput tuum; that the head of the serpent is then truely said to be bruised, when sinne is there stifled, where it was first borne. As malefactors, wheresoever they be taken, are sent to the countrey where they did the mischiefe, for execution. Hee is a religious Herod, that kills such infants: nor shall hee want the name of Happy, Psal. 137.9. that dasheth these little ones against the stones. The more wee doe to get out our spotts at first, the lesse worke wee finde afterwards. I know that continuall blemishes will come: every day wee wash our hands; every houre let us wash our hearts, in the blood of Christ by faith, in our owne teares by repentance. This is the way to bee without spott.
Next; all this cleansing is not enough unlesse wee continue so: This the Text requires of our diligence, that wee bee found without spott. Wee cannot bee found such, unlesse wee die such: and wee cannot die such, unlesse we live such. It is something to undertake a journey, but the matter is to hold out. To keepe our selves cleane a good way & then to fall into a puddle is a foule unhappynesse. So Asa, who in the prosperous raigne of fortie yeares long, sought unto God; in his old age, passing by God, seekes to Physitians. The latter end of a horse-race is by some called the Sobbe: so the last conflict of a christian is the sorest: If wee can hold out that brunt, there is prize and victory for us. The old experienced souldier feares not the raine and stormes above him, nor the numbers falling before him, nor the troupes of enemies against him, nor the shott of thundering ordnance about him; but lookes to the honourable reward promised him. But the delicate souldier onely thinkes of flying, and, instead of glory, brings home ignominie. If either the reproches cast upon us, or the adversaries rage against us, or the example of sinners before us, or the temptations of the world about us, or the pleasure of our owne lusts within us, can make us with Ephraim, turne our backes in the day of the Lords battell, our spirituall warfare, we shall not bee found without spott in the day of remuneration. Abraham did not give over his sacrifice, because the foules were busie about him. Mark. 8.2. Christ had compassion on the multitude, that continued with him three dayes, without meate, they did not leave him without audience, nor hee them without comfort. Our Pilgrimage hath three dayes in this desart. Bern. Ser. 1. de Evang. 7 Panum. The first day is the feare of God, which takes up the begining of our conversion. 2. The love of God, which is spent in contemplating the sweetnesse of his mercie. 3. Our actuall and constant obedience to his commandements: If in this day we bee found unspotted, we shall finde an estate for ever blessed. It is not enough to get off the present, but to keepe our selves from future spotting. That is Iam. 1.27. True religion, and undefiled before God, which keepes us unspotted from the world. To doe this, there must be a desire, then an endeavour.
1. The desire of purenesse is the first steppe towards it; an honest purpose beares out many errours in the eye of mercy. King Asa had divers (no small) faults: yet with one breath, doth God report both these; The high places were not remooved, and Neverthelesse Asa’s heart was perfect. It were pitty that the best man should be judged by every of his actions, and not by all. It is the maine course of our life, that must either allow or condemne us, not some suddaine and particular eruptions. How pleasing a thing is the sincerity of heart, that in favour thereof, our just God digests many an error! He will not see weaknesses, where he sees truth. If our whole desire be set upon holinesse, though we have many spots, yet we shall be found without them. O God, let our hearts goe upright, though our feete slide: the fall or blemmish may shame us, may paine us: but through thy grace it shall not condemne us.
The first thing that takes the fire of holinesse in us, is the will: Desiderium gratiae must be gratia desiderii: what wee would bee, we are: yea, and what wee would have done, shall bee reckoned to us as done. Wee doe it, quoad conatum, though non quoad effectum. As the wicked sinne more than they sinne, in their desire: so the righteous doe more good than they doe, in their will to doe it. God esteemes our charitable beneficence, not onely secundùm quod habemus, but secundum quod tribuere velimus. Yea, the highest way of serving God, which is by martyrdome, hath a name and acceptance in Heaven, though it have no reall being upon Earth, If there be a paratum cor, though there be not a perforatum cor, a proffer of blood, though no expence of blood; for the honour of Christ, it is taken for martyrdome. As Origen testified of one; Non ille martyrio, sed martyrium illi defuit. Rev. 2.9. I know thy poverty, but thou art rich, saith the Spirit to the Church of Smyrna: poore in thy condition, rich in thy affection to goodnesse. Facultao secundùm voluntatem, non voluntas secundùm facultatem aestimanda est. Mat. 20.23. Yee shall drinke of my cup: Shall, because you are willing. Volens & dolens; the vehement desire of godly sorrow, is godly sorrow. Wee are charged to forsake all, houses, lands, friends, liberties, lives, for Christ: yet many die with houses, lands and riches in their possession, whom Christ receives, and crownes in Heaven, because they did part with all secundùm animae praeparationem. If our heart be set upon holinesse, more than halfe our worke is done; the rest will be easie. In sinne it is so. Mat. 5.28. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery in his heart: Chrys. that very lust is a deed of the heart. As the deed of the hand is the outward action, so the deed of the heart is the thought. The heart conceives a sinnefull purpose, wich is never borne into action: yet it hath done what it could, and is accounted guilty. So in righteousnesse, the heart desires to doe some holy act, which it cannot accomplish: yet Quia fecit quod potuit, it shall bee rewarded tanquam si fecerit quod voluit.
2. This is some comfort for us, that our very desire to leade a holy life, shall finde a mercifull acceptation. But this is not enough, our endeavour must second our desire. As Grace is that primus motor, so Will is the primum mobile: endeauour hath the motion from desire, as desire hath hers from God. There may be an endeavour without a desire; as the slave is compelled to labour: and there may be a desire without an endeavour; as the slothfull would bee rich, but hee will take no paines for it. Action is the soule of desire, the very life of purpose; without which they both die abortive. Thoughts are not alwaies determined in resolutions: wee cannot evermore say, this was concluded. Actions are alwayes determined in effects; we can say this was done. Then are lawes in their full state and maiesty, when the Bench is witnesse of their execution. Then have counsels of warre their honour, when wee see the seale of an army set to them. Then purposes of goodnesse shine in their lustre, when they are crowned with actuall performance. As matrimony is scarce to bee called matrimony, August. where there is a resolution against the fruites of matrimony, against the having of children: so the intentions of goodnesse are not intentions, but transient motions and meere illusions, where the practise is negligently suspended. The Orbe and Sphere of all arts is said to be the head; yet two of them are referred to the hand: Logicke, the arte of proving; and Rhetoricke, the arte of perswading; are expressed, the one by a hand contracted, the other by a hand enlarged. Our desire of holinesse lies in the heart: but what evidence, what demonstration can be taken from that? Who searches these Rolles? The proofe of all lies in the hand. The head and the hand too are required to a perfect naturall man: Counsell and action too, to a perfect civill man: Faith and works too, to a perfect spirituall man. The very trueth, whether of grace or corruption, that is in the heart, may bee dissembled in the mouth, but it will visibly appeare in the hand. It is true, that God principally lookes to the heart; but he does not take off his eye, till he come to the hand: he regards that also.
First therfore keepe thy heart with all diligence: it is best to begin there, but he that ends there, that comes not to the hand, never began at all. The heart is seated in man with all advantage of intelligence; almost in the very center, with a curious net of veins spred over it: like the spider in the midst of her web: which feeling the least touch that shakes her worke, retires instantly from the danger. If thou wouldest keepe thy heart from spottes, let it avoid the very complement and first addresse of sinne; shrinke at the least noise, murmur, or whispering of it; and be sensible of perill at the least glimpse of a temptation. There is a world of fowle thoughts busie about the doore of the heart: their very assaults will give a dash, but their entertainement stickes a hatefull blot on the soule Ill thoughts are the Vshers to ill actions, and ill actions bring sinners backe againe in a circle to ill thoughts: for impii in circuitu: they walke the round. First, they act a sinne, because the thought hath pleased them: and then they thinke that sinne over again, because the act hath pleased them: so by a damnable arithmeticke multiplying one sinne to a thousand.
First then looke to thy heart; keepe out sinne there: as Physitians doe in a dangerous sicknesse, by cordialls to drive it from the heart. Into the other parts it must not be admitted neither: in any place it is a spot of filthinesse. If it get into the eyes, there it is envie, covetousnesse or adultery: If into the mouth, there it is scurrility or blasphemy: If into the eares; there it is an itching petulancy: If into the belly, there it is excesse and gluttony: If into the knees, there it is superstition and idolatry: If into the haire or garments, there it is pride and vanity: wheresoever it comes, it is a spot of impiety. If wee doe not guard every one, we are in danger to lose all. And as we finde the slippery condition of man in his highest mortall happinesse, that the defect of any one thing conducing to this happinesse, may ruine it: but it must have all the peeces together to make it up. So all places and parts of us must be guarded, to secure our safety: but the neglect of any one may be the losse of all. Yet alas, when all is done wee have abundance of spots, and where is there water enough to wash them away? Our sinnes are an Ocean, and yet there is a red sea greater than this Ocean, and there is a little spring, through which this Ocean may powre it selfe into that red sea. Christs blood is the red sea, our eyes are the spring. If by the spirit of true repentance, wee can passe all our sinnes, through our eyes in teares, into the wounds of Christ, we shall be cleane, and presented to him without spot, in that great day of retribution.
And blamelesse:] The former might be an inward, this is an externall righteousnesse. There be two things deare to mans body; life and health: we would all live and live happy. So there is Duplex vita; Realis & metaphorica. Reall, O that Ismael might live in thy sight. Metaphoricall, as vivat Rex, that is, free from misery; which indeed is vita vitalis. Wee doe all, appetere vitam; and though with Saint Paul, wee desire to be dissolved; yet mortem quaerimus ut vivamus: it is not to be unclothed, but clothed upon. So there be two thing precious to the soule; Bonitas conscientiae, and Sanitas famae. To bee good, which is the comfort of our conscience at home: and to be reputed good, which is the testimony of the world abroad. There is Spotlesnesse in the one, unblameablenesse in the other. Some care nec esse, nec videri; neither to be, nor to be thought holy: such are our dissolute ruffians, and penurious misers. Some care for the videri, to feeme good, no matter for the esse, whether they be so or not: these are dissembling hypocrites. Some looke to the esse, but are not so respectfull of the videri; which may bee good men, but are not good patternes: They will make no shew of purity before others, yet are diligent to keepe it in their owne hearts. These are Christians, but cowardly ones: Sonnes indeed, like Reuben, but not excellent sonnes. Others regard both the esse and videri: they will bee as good as they seeme, and they will strive to appeare as good as they are. As they have light, so it shall shine; that not onely themselves, but others shall be the better for it. In the one they are spotlesse, blamelesse in the other: holy within, righteous without, blessed in all, through the merits of him that blesseth all, Iesus Christ.
That wee may lead a blamelesse life, many cautions are required.
1. The abstaining from grosse and scandalous sinnes; for they (of all other) deserve blame. There bee some that discommon communities; meere murderers: Men thinke there is no murder, but where the hands are besmeared with blood; yea, there be pretences for Mans slaughter: Gods Word never knew any such distinction; but Si non pavisti, occidisti. The engrossers arguments are forged in Hell. Homicide findes the patronage of valour; Reputation is dearer than life: This is the Divels sophistry, whereby hee provides dishes for his owne table before they be cold. But he that maliciously strikes anothers body, is first stricken in soule; and indeed is dead, before he kills. These be notorious crimes; no man thinkes they should passe without blame. The Usurer that desires to liue with lesse faith and more security, hath some reasons for his legall theft; but he tooke them all out of the Devills lectures: hee is not without evident blame. Drunkennesse is such a scandalous fault: Reason is the essentiall difference betweene man and beast; and this drunkennesse takes away. It is a coupling and combining sinne; therefore more pernicious. The usurer and adulterer desire to enjoy their sinnes alone; but the chiefe delight of a drunkard is to infect others. This is the Dragons speciall venime; wherewith his elves, being intoxicated, strive to make others more beasts than themselves. The Ale-house is the Studie, the Circle the pot, the Drunkard the Conjurer, good fellowship the Charme, the Characters healths, the Goblin raised, is the Goblet or spirit of the Buttery; and to empty the purse of money, the head of reason, and the pot of liquor, (the Ale-wise of Kesgraves three outs) is all the businesse. There is Poculum charitatis, a cup of love; and there is Charitas poculi, a love to the cuppe. These and such like be monstrous sinnes: the doers of them shall bee more than blamed.
2. The avoydance of injurious sinnes, such as bring detriment to others. Qui mihi injuriam, sibi culpam infert: If a man makes me smart, I may charge him with blame. The generation of one mans riches, is not seldome the corruption of anothers. There is no blame in gaining of that, whereby our neighbour is no loser. But he that hasteth to be rich, shall not bee innocent: he is sure of blame. This toucheth some of those, that have now (let them consider by what meanes) more plate, than their fathers had pewter. If they did not preferre opulency before innocency, and cared more to be wealthy than worthy, they would rather have eaten their meate in a wodden dish. Iam 5.4. The hire of labourers kept backe by fraud, crieth; and that cry is entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath. They would never cry against you, if ye were not to blame. Such worldlings Hab. 2.10. consult shame to their house, and sinne against their owne soule. He that oppresseth another, sinnes against his owne soule. The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beame out of the timber shall answere it. The senselesse walls and stones shall cry them downe guilty. Doe our Church-robbers quit themselves from blame-worthinesse? Sacriledge is plaine Idolatry: or if they be not both one, Rom. 2.22. yet Saint Paul puts them both in a bagge. Let Achans pillage assure them, that they are not free from blame. Hee was Iosh. 7.25. stoned, with all his family: they shall not onely smart themselves, but enwrappe all they have in the judgement. They that defile themselues with holy goods, are enemies to their owne flesh and blood, even to all their posterity. It hath beene proverbially spoken of him that desires to be soone rich, that he must have two Muches, and two Littles: Much greedinesse, and much diligence; Little shame, and little conscience: blame enough he cannot misse of.
3. Cold negligence and perfunctorinesse in the worship of God must bee abandoned. Even Gal. 2.11. Peter might deserve blame, and Paul does not sticke to tell him of it for he was to be blamed. Outward adoration is a part of Gods worship: though Hee chiefly requires the heart, yet the body is not priviledged from his service. Christ that could bow the Heavens, did yet in prayer bow his knees. If both our body and soule be clensed from their Leprosie, and but one of them returne to give thankes, it is plaine ingratitude. Wee have some that hold kneeling at the Communion to be Popish and Idolatrous, because it was once abused. Hezekiah brake downe the brassen Serpent, because there was no further use of it: But did Licurgus well to cut downe all the Vines, because some were made drunke with the Grapes? Wee continue this laudable custome of kneeling for divers reasons. First, to withstand profanenesse: Atheisme is more to bee feared than Papisme; Contempt than Superstition. Secondly, to stirre us up to a reverent estimation of these holy and dreadfull Mysteries: Thirdly, to put a difference betweene this, and other common bread and wine. Fourthly, to excite us to prayer, that wee may receive Christ in humility. They therefore that refuse to submit themselves to this and other seemely gestures in the Church, are duely to be blamed. Our irreverent behaviour in these holy places, is most intolerable. Servants in their masters house and presence, especially in their solemne attendance, will not presume to bee covered; nor Courtiers or Nobles in the Kings presence-chamber. Yet when wee appeare before our heavenly Master, the King of Kings, in his owne Temple, on goe our hats, young and old; as if we were too good to be uncovered in his sight, that is able to cover us with confusion. Iacob had another thought; Gen. 28.16. How dreadfull is this place? This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven. Pretend what peevish reasons they can, without all question they will not be found blamelesse.
4. Wee must give no occasion of evill: though wee doe not commit sinne our selves, yet if wee occasion sinne in others, we are not blamelesse. Wee know evill by our nighbour, and report it animo calumniandi: it is true what we speake, we are no liars: it is malicious what we speake, and we are depravers, A rumor is like a sparke of fire that is throwne abroad; which, lighting upon such fit matter as catching eares, proves to a flame, whereby not onely guiltinesse is scorched, but even innocency it selfe is sindged. Such occasion is is sometimes given by the very behaviour of men and women, that there followes a generation of sinnes: We may well esteeme a painted woman, a Sorceresie; one that tempts under Satans visible colours. Who can suppose but she mindes temptation, that dresseth her selfe like a Tempter? Shee that so attires her selfe, as to draw men to folly, though she prevaile not, is more guilty than another that fals into sinne upon weaknesse. Her carriage is blame-worthy, that hath given the occasion to be tryed. True chastity scornes to have it ever come to this, that she must deny: but rather weares a deportment which keepes lust at such a distance, that it can have no hope. But shee that baits her desires with prostituted lookes, whose gestures and very countenance are inticements, shall bee as free from blame, as whoredome is from diseases. Let her be cleare from sinne, shee cannot be from blame: Et si illa non perit, tamen perdit. Many Israelites offended by reason of the high places, left in Iudah: King Asa worshipped not there: hee escaped sinne in the one, not blame in the other. That Ioseph was faire, it was not his fault; that his mistresse inordinately loved him, it was his unhappinesse: but if he had still continued in her prefence, hee could not have beene excused from blame. Some Divines have fetched dancing within this compasse, of giving the occasion of foule thoughts: and there is some kinde of it that cannot bee defended. One spake smartly; that a foole and a dancer differed but in this: a foole is a foole all his life, and a dancer while he is dancing. But if we would be free from blame, we must give no occasion of sinne.
5. Lastly, to be blamelesse, wee must 1 Thess. 5.22. abstaine from all appearance of evill. Our first rule debarreth grosse sinnes; such as was Davids uncleannesse, Peters deniall of his Lord, and cursing himselfe to get credit amongst a cursed crew, bee like accustomed to such fashions. The second forbids injurious sinnes, albeit glossed over with faire pretences: as Monopolies, which doe a common mischiefe, yet beare the shew of a common good. Not unlike to some Executioners of the Inquisition, who have been so kinde in their cruelties; that when Christians were to bee strangled for Religion, they have greased the halters, to dispatch them quickly. The third forbids all disorderly sinnes, by suffering that evill to bee done which wee doe not our selves. For this the holy Ghost blamed the Church of Rev. 2.20. Thyatira: because they suffered the woman Iezabel to teach and seduce Gods servants: Contrary to that expresse Canon of the Apostle; 1 Tim. 2.12. I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurpe authority over the man. At home she may have imperium apud virum, by persuasion; not imperium in virum, by dominion. But for her to minister in the Church is most intolerable. We read but of one woman-Preacher throughout the whole Bible; and shee was a Rev. 2.21. Whore. That one act of Zipporah in circumcising her sonne, is neither warrant nor argument that women may administer the Sacrament of Baptisme. The fourth rule excludes all occasionall inducements to sinne: as the erecting of licentious places; which may bee the nests of uncleane birds, and refuges of excesse. The last forbids all shew and semblance of sinne: the three former are sinnes, these two latter may turne to sins: there wee cannot escape blame, here wee may incurre it. Even lawfull actions perverted, become damnable sinnes: as eating to provoke or maintaine lust; drinking to scurrility or wantonnesse. David daunced before the Arke, without sinne: the Israelites danced before their Calfe, and it was Idolatry: as appears by that which Paul quotes: 1 Cor. 10.7. Exod. 32.6. Neither bee yee Idolaters, as were some of them: as it is written, The people sate downe to eate and drinke, and rose up to play. As a faire Virgin espoused, and shortly to be married to some noble Prince, whom she dearly loves, will not touch the thing which (shee but doubts) may dedignifie her, and make her unworthy of his regard: So the good soule detests the very appearance of that evill, which may make her unfit for the embraces of Christ.
To bee found blamelesse] That is the maine matter: the Crowne of all is Perseverance. To be found wee are sure enough: all our care should bee to be found blamelesse. Of the ten Lepers that came to Christ, after their healing, nine left Him: onely one stayed with Him. Many beginne well, but few continue; because Many are called, but few chosen: You shall see a tree in the Spring making a glorious shew, with her leaves and blossomes: but in Autumne where bee the fruits? Many a mans life is like an ill play; which begins bravely, goes on dully, and flagges in the conclusion. Rivers, the farther they run, the fairer streames they beare: the righteous have an eternall Spring of grace that feeds them, and in their running they gather in many waters: they flow with good workes: till at their end, they empty themselves into the Ocean of Mercy.
God will take men as Hee findes them: not what they have been, but what they are, so Hee accounts them. Ezek. 18.24. When a man turnes from his righteousnesse, and committeth iniquity, the righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not bee mentioned: but in the sinne that hee hath sinned, hee shall die. Were his head of Gold, in his first profession; his armes of Silver, somewhat embased in his progression; yet if his feet prove of Clay, if his latter end be dirty, fouled with earthly cares: in that state shall hee bee found, and according to that state judged. Such are not unlike the Philistine Kine, that brought the Arke to the land of Israel: and then turned backe againe to their Calves at home. Qui non proficit, deficit: qui in viâ subsistit, in luto haeret. Lib. de Bono Persev. cap. 2. Saint Augustine in every petition of the Pater noster, hath found out our prayer for Perseverance: I may not stand to amplifie it. The Leopard doth not runne after his prey like other beasts, but pursues it saliendo: and if at three or foure jumpes he cannot seize it, for very indignation hee gives over the chase. There bee some, that if they cannot leape into Heaven, by a few good workes, they will even let it alone: as if it were to bee ascended Per saltum, non per scansum. But they are more unwise, that having got up many rounds of Iacobs Ladder, and finding difficulties in some of the uppermost; whether wrastling with assaults and troubles, or looking downe upon their old allurements; even fairely descend with Demas, and take Heaven they that can get it.
But it will be unhappy to bee found so: when the Lord found a guest without his wedding garment, Hee questioned his entrance: and receiving no answere, Hee pronounced his sentence; Mat 22.11.13. Take him, and binde him hand and foot, and throw him in outer darknesse. He was found in a miserable case, and cast into a miserable place. But Paul desired to Phil. 3.9. be found in Christ, and in the clothing of his righteousnesse. We are all sure to be found of him; Oh happy are we, if wee be found in Him. 2 Cor. 5.17. Rom. 8.1. We are in Him by faith, in Him by love, in Him by renovation, in Him by sanctification: But if our faith failes, if our love fals, if our newnesse decaies, if our holinesse corrupts, if wee be not found in Him, all will goe wrong with us. There will be an universall day of finding: many labour to finde out the day of Iudgement: in all sober judgement they might save that labour. August. For Generalis Iudicii tempus non invenies, particularis inveniet te. To be found, there is no doubt: but to be found without spot and blamelesse, there is the comfort. This is our time of finding Christ; that his time of finding us. Psal. 32.6. For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou maiest bee found: this belongs to us. In that day God shall judge the secrets of all hearts by Iesus Christ: that belongs to Him.
If we doe not seeke Him while He may be found, Hee will meet with us when we would not be found. It is his complaint; Ioh. 5.401 Ye will not come unto me, that you might have life: they will not seeke Him. At last they shall cry Rev. 6.16. to the mountaines and rockes, Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe: so loth are they to bee found of Him. Ahab will not seeke after Elias, to make his peace: Elias shall finde out Ahab, and that with a wofull message. Our onely way to get favour of Christ, in that his last office of a Iudge, is now wholly to rely upon Him, in his present office of a Mediatour. If wee take other refuges here, wee shall be to seeke there. The Papists promise themselves divers Sanctuaries: they have their choise of Saints, and above all the blessed Virgin, to whom they direct their prayers. But as the Iewes might not offer sacrifice, but at the Altar, so nor may wee offer up our prayers but in Christ. And if wee must not pray but in his Name, Shall wee in his Name pray to Creatures, and make Him our Mediatour to his servants, whiles we intend to make them our mediatours to Him? No, but as Epiphanius writes of some of the Iewes, that comming to a dying man, they will say; If Iesus bee the Messias He deliver thee from all thy sinnes: though in life their hard hearts will not let them beleeve it, yet in death they are glad to make some doubtfull use of it. So whatsoever the Romists tell us while they live, I am perswaded, this is the only refuge they cleave unto when they die; Christ, and none but Christ. In those legal or typicall sacrifices, the people were to lay their hands on the head of the beast; testifying all their shares to be there, both in respect of the sinne, and the deserved punishment. In like maner let us transferre all our sinnes upon our Head Christ, who was once sacrificed for us: so shall we be found of Him blamelesse, because Hee hath taken all our blame from us; and Hee will never condemne us to die for that, for which Himselfe hath dyed already.
In peace. So to bee found is the consummation of happinesse. Peace to Righteousnesse is Filia, Sponsa, Soror: the sister of a Queene, the daughter of a Queene and a Queene herselfe: Luke 2.14. Glory to GOD in the highest, and on Earth peace: there let her stand for a Queene, and bee Righteousnesse her King, both married together in Christ. Psal. 85.10. Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other: there they kisse and embrace like Man and Wife. Zrch. 8.19. Love the Truth and Peace: there let her bee Soror, the sister of Truth and Righteousnesse: twinne-sisters of that Heavenly Parentage, never to bee parted. Here in my Text, let her bee Filia, the daughter of righteousnesse: for if wee maintaine holinesse in heart and life, without spot and blamelesse, we shall be found in peace. Psal. 37.37. Marke the upright man and behold the Iust, for the end of that man is peace. If it bee long before she comes to the Crowne, yet she is borne to be a Queene, and in the end shee shall have it. Yea, besides all these relations of Spouse, Sister, Daughter, shee may also bee called Mater justitiae, the mother of righteousnesse: Heb. 12.14. Follow peace and holinesse, without which no man shall see God: the mother is placed before the daughter. Mat 5.24. First bee reconciled to thy brother, before thou offer thy gift at the Altar: Christ himselfe gives it the precedency, and sets Piety after Peace. And indeed Peace prepares the way for righteousnesse, and helps to prosper religion. Turbulent spirits have neither time nor meanes to be holy: but Peace makes us both capable of holinesse, and acceptable to God in our holinesse. Howsoever, let us not part them: such inseparable companions doth our Apostle wish them to us, that hee would not have us found without them. Peace in this world is a precious earnest, a faire and lovely type of that everlasting peace of the world to come: And warre in this world is a shrewd and fearefull embleme of the everlasting discord, tumult and torment of Hell. Therefore our blessed God blesse us with externall, and internall, and make them both lead us to eternall peace.
If therefore we desire to be found in peace at that day, there; let us live in peace all our daies here. Why should they finde peace above, that flie peace below? I know no fairer or surer way to prepare you for the one, than by perswading you to the other. There may bee many opposers of our Peace: the peace of Doctrine is opposed by Sectaries, the peace of tranquillity is opposed by the contentious, and the peace of plenty is opposed by the oppressors: Against all these let us maintaine peace; and that in respect of the Church, of the State, and of our owne private carriage.
1. Let us beginne at home, and keepe peaceable bosomes. 1 Thes. 5.13. Bee at peace among your selves. Love is Fomentum pacis, the vessell that containes the treasure of peace: if the vessell once breakes, Peace instantly runnes out. Love is opposed to malice, so it covers offences with the mantle of peace: To churlishnesse, and so it is liberall in giving: Opus charitatis: To hard-heartednesse, and so it is charitas operis. There is one possessive, Meum, which is a generall peace-breaker, a common barretor that sets us all together by the eares. If men would yeeld a little of their owne right, with a small losse of riches, they should purchase abundance of peace. Abraham to avoide contention with his cosin Lot, gave him free choice of the ground. Though hee were the elder, and every way the better, and had the better cause too, yet hee goes to his Nephew to deprecate strife. He that doth so now, that will follow the practise of our Father Abraham, must not acquaint a Lawyer with the matter: for if he consult him, there is nothing but law in his mouth.
Nor must this desire of peace be straitned: but Rom. 12.18. Live peaceable with all men: not onely with our friends, and such as love us; but even with our enemies, and such as hate us. Some mistaking that of saint Paul; Tim. 2.22. Follow peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart; fall to abridge our peace, denying it the full extent and latitude. Thus out of a surly singularity, they will have peace with none but the pure; and the pure in their owne sense. As for others that are not of their pure straine, they are out of all peace with them. They will not so much as afford them the common duties of humanity; Nec monstrare vias, eadem nisi sacra colenti; not shew him the way, that goes not the same way with them. But though we must have peace with the Saints especially, yet not onely; but with all men. I know that some are 1 Cor. 11.16. given to contention, and wee may Psal. 120.6. dwell among them that hate peace: in this case it is enough for us to seeke peace with them, to speake peace to them, and to bee peaceably affected towards them: And if they will not have peace with us, yet our peace shall returne into our owne bosomes. We shall have the comfort of it in our selves, and the reward of it with God, though wee have not the fruit or effect of it with men. Still therefore Psal. 34.14. Seeke peace, and pursue it: Runne after it, follow it with no slow pace, but with an earnest and eager pursuite. We are not to stay till peace comes to us, or thinke it enough to accept peace when it is offered: but Mat. 5.24. Goe thy way to thy brother: tarry not till hee come to thee, but goe thou to him with an Olive branch of peace in thy mouth. Though it bee unwilling to come, sue for it: though it turne from thee, follow after it: at the gates of Heaven be sure thou shalt overtake it.
2. The peace of the State wherein wee live, would not bee disturbed neither. Wee see a fearefull combustion all over the Christian world; warres in some places, rumours of warre in all places; we therefore if we love peace, have cause to fall to our prayers for peace; Pacem spirare & suspirare coram Deo: that hee would so rule the Rulers of Nations and Kingdomes, that their hearts may bee disposed to peace. So our Church hath taught us to pray; Give peace in our time O Lord: and that hee would give unto all Nations unity peace and concord. For our selves at home, blessed be the God of peace for it, wee have abundance of peace: we dwell in the Tabernacles of peace: we ly downe and rise up in peace: we go to our Temples in peace, we goe to our graves in peace. Yet the quietest waters may be moved by the windes; and wee are not without some such tempestuous spirits, that as if they had fed so long upon the sweet plenty of peace, till they had taken a surfet, are lowd advocates for warre. Prov. 24.21. Feare the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change. The desire of change is the mother of murmuring, which breedes a whispering and buzzing of false rumours into others eares. Esa. 29.4. They speake out of the ground, and whisper out of the dust. These whispers and murmurings, like vapors rising out of the earth, multiply into the storms of sedition, sedition growes into mutinie, and mutiny ends in confusion. They that are troubled with the itch of innovation, will bee rubbing upon Majesty it selfe; and had rather than doe nothing, undoe all. Out of their popular and vaine-glorious humour, they would bee counted Angels, though it bee but for troubling the waters. Bee the Garden never so faire, they would make the world beleeve that there is a Snake under every leafe. Bee the intention never so sincere, they will prognosticate and predivine sinister and mischievous effects from it. Such men have little hope to be found of Christ in peace, for Rom. 3.17. The way of peace they have not knowne. Psal. 51.17. A troubled spirit is a sacrifice to God, but a troublesome spirit is farre from it: it is rather a sacrifice to the Divell.
3. But woe to them that breake the peace of the Church; that blend religion with contention; and put those a-sunder, which God hath joyned together, Trueth and peace. With what violent passions doe many men bandy controversies? How doe they wrangle in print, and fight with their pennes, as Souldiers with their Pikes; all wounding the peace of the Church? With what bitternesse of spirit doe they defie one another? I would to God we had lesse of the Polemicall, and more of the Positive Divinitie. I deny not, but wisedome ought to be iustified of her children: An indifferencie to contrary opinions in fundamentall doctrines; a shuffling of religions together in the bag, and making it all one which they chuse, is a cursed stupiditie. So a Turke might say in scorne of us both, Protestants and Papists: They call you Heretikes, you call them Idolaters; why may not Idolaters and Heretikes agree well enough together? But a true Christian will never make contrarieties in fundamentall things indifferent: nor the word of God, and Traditions of men, all one. But what needes this frequencie of disputations? This multiplying of volumes? Why should wee answere every dog that barkes with barking againe? Why should wee thinke the trueth utterly lost, unlesse wee weary the Presse with vindications of it? Iam. 3.6. The tongue is a fire; but the penne goes farther; addes fewell to this fire, and shoots it abroad where the tongue cannot reach. Of all which, being of so peace-breaking a nature, like those Act. 19.19. Bookes of curious artes, if there were a good fire made, the Church might well endure to warme her hands at it. For it were certainely better for us to want some trueth, then to have no peace: And a man that never studied controversies, may without controversie bee saved. Tim. 2.1. Striue not about words to no profit, but the subverting of the hearers. For thereby the whole are often wounded, but the weake are seldome strengthened. 1 Cor. 11.16. If any seeme to bee contentious, wee have no such custome, nor the Churches of God. The custome of the Church is to follow peace, to fly contention.
Seeke peace, when shee is hidden; pursue her, when shee is flying: they know not the value of peace, that lose her so easily, or so faintly follow her. There be some indeed that doe persequi pacem, but in a wrong sense: they turne prosecution into persecution; and doe not overtake her, but overturne her. But if wee desire to be found in peace then, let peace be found in us now: And if we have no other meanes to obtaine it, our prayers we have: by lifting up of our eyes, hands, and hearts to the God of peace; and bowing our knees to the Prince of peace. And that our prayers may speed the better, let us make our peace with God by our repentance, that God may make peace with us by his forgivenesse. Esa 32.17. And the worke of righteousnesse shall be peace. This preparation is necessary for all them, that desire to bee found in peace: let us keepe the peace, as wee would have the peace to keepe us. Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men; there is the one: Psal 4.8. I will lay mee downe in peace and sleepe, for thou, O Lord, makest me dwell in safetie: there is the other.
Let us consider the blessednesse of that peace, there; by the sweetnesse of the peace wee have here. There is no peace, that is not separated from righteousnesse, but it is most delectable. Pax summa bonorum, the breviary and abridgment of all that is good. Peace or nothing; Peace and every thing. The Iewes had such a saying, cum non est pax, nihil est: as if all were nothing, or nothing worth without peace. They included all good, plentie, prosperitie, (and what not?) under the name of peace. It is the chiefest, and the choisest good, a fundamentall happynesse, a mother-blessing; that which blesseth all other blessings to us, and without which they are no blessings. Pax optima rerum: whether it bee a peace betweene nations: such as was at the birth of Christ; and it was a blessed fruit of his birth when the Temple of Ianus was shut up. Esay. 19.23, vers. 25. There shall be a high way out of Aegypt into Assyria: Freenesse of trafficke, and the peace of commerce; and that not without a blessing: for the Lord shall blesse him. This is Augustus his peace. Or peace in our owne land, which is so good, that David cannot tell how to expresse the goodnesse of it: so sweet, that hee cannot sufficienly magnifie the sweetnesse? otherwise than by breaking into a kinde of admiration of it. Psal. 133.1. Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity. For profit, it is as the dew of Heaven, that makes all fat and fruitfull where it falls. In what land soever peace sets her foote, her steps drop fatnesse, For pleasure, it is like to Aarons ointment, running downe from his head to his skirts; filling and refreshing both Prince and people with the sweet comfort of it. This is Salomons peace. and may be called the Kings peace.
Or whether it bee the Eph. 2.14. Taking downe of that partition wall, which was set up betweene the Iew and the Gentile: reconciling them, and making them both one in himselfe: so making peace: this is Saint Pauls peace. Or whether it bee a peace with Heaven; Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. The peace that belongs to the Earth, the Earth can give, though sometimes it will not. But Christ speaketh of a Ioh. 14.17. Peace which the world cannot give; nor can the world take away. Not Esay’s bridge, reaching from Egipt to Ashur: but Iacobs ladder, reaching from Bethel to Heaven. This is Christs peace. Or peace at home; tranquillity in our owne bosomes; whereby wee escape that Singultum cordis, and have the sweet feeling of the forgivenesse of our sinnes; so that our holy conscience is quiet within us; and we sing; Returne to thy rest O my soule: This is Davids peace. Or lastly, Pax in novissimis, peace at our departing; which is worth all: a good Nunc dimittis in pace. When, in a time of peace, and in a state of peace, and from a place of peace, wee breath out our soules into the armes of peace; and so enter into everlasting peace: and this is Simeons peace.
Such is the excellency of peace Tam bonum, ut sine ea nihil bonum. Luk. 1.14. It is the Earths portion, by the Angels wish; and a faire portion is peace. All the earth calls for it, and the very Heavens cannot be without it. Sydera pace vigent, consistunt terrea pace. It is the glory of Heaven, and joy of the whole earth. And for the credite of it, it is there votum militare; it comes from the mouth of Souldiers, that were then in their Military habite; Peace on Earth. Even they sing of peace, and praise it, and wish it, and know not what better thing to wish to the Earth than it. Yea it is votum Angelicum: they being heavenly spirits, wish not any thing at any time but Heavenly. Such a heavenly thing is Peace: no broiles, no brables in Heaven; nothing but peace there: and a kinde of Heaven there is upon Earth, when upon Earth there is peace. Peace is every way lovely: to the eye it is beauty, to the eare melody, to the taste sweeter than honey; in the hand it is integrity, it is wisedome in the head, it is Heaven in the heart.
Yet such is the quarrelling disposition of too many, that Saint Paul is faine to take the peace of them, and to binde them to the good behaviour: Follow peace with all men. Rom. 16.17. Marke them which cause division; which breake the peace: how pure soever they looke, how holy soever they professe themselves. That is a dangerous holinesse, which breakes the Churches peace. August. The Prophets preached against the sinnes of Israel, they departed not from the Church of Israel, they disturbed not the peace of Israel. We denounce warre against your sinnes, we wish peace to your soules. It is every good mans desire in himselfe, and his wish to others: Peace bee to you. Pacem te poscimus omnes. Saint Paul in none of his salutations leaves out peace. 1 Tim. 1.2. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and his Sonne Iesus Christ. Grace, that a man offend not God: Mercy, that he offend not his Neighbour: and Peace, that he offend not himselfe. Now Nihil aequius est, quam ut pro quo quis oret, pro eo laboret: Let us wish and worke peace: not being onely Pacidici, Peace-speakers, but Pacifici, Peace-makers. And blessed are they that labour in the worke of peace: This though wee reape not in the sight of men, and so lose our thankes: yet we cannot goe out of the sight of God, and there we never lose our reward. In peace they that seeke Christ now, shall bee found of him in peace then. Thus as we begun this verse with love, so wee end it with peace. And where should we better end, than with that peace which shall never end? When we shall appeare before the supreme Iudge, and He shall have no quarrell against us, nothing wherewith to charge us: O unconceiveable sweetnesse! He will not give us a dismission, Depart in peace: but an admission; Enter into peace: Thou hast lived spotlesse, well done good servant: thou art rewarded with peace; Enter into thy Lords joy.
