2 Peter 3:15 (part 1 of 2)

AMong the many disputes and opinions, what became of Lazarus his soule, all the time of those foure dayes that his body lay in the grave; Isidore Pelusiota thinkes that it was in Heaven: And hee proves it by this reason, because Iesus wept at his raising. Why wept he? Life is good, and Lazarus was his friend: and to raise up his friend to life, was a good worke. Here was no cause of teares; why then wept Christ? What, did He weepe for company? Because Mary wept, and Martha wept, and the people wept, therefore also Iesus wept: was this the cause of those teares? Did he weepe for company? Or was it for affection? As the Iewes interpreted his teares; See how he loved him. But we weepe for feare to lose a friend; when sicknesse hath so farre prevailed upon him, that we give him for dead: and not for his reviving: at his recovery wee rather rejoyce. Or was it for the hardnesse of the worke, as Martha conceived it: Ioh. 11.39. Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath beene dead foure daies. Not so certainly; ver. 37. even the blinde Iewes could confute that opinion: Could not hee that opened the eyes of the blinde, have kept this man from dying? They might conclude, Hee can raise him with a word, and to speake a word is no such hard worke: hee did not then weepe for the difficulty. Or was it in a mystery? Shall we understand by Lazarus lying foure dayes in his Grave, a sinner many yeeres buried in the custome of sinnes, and hardnesse of heart? Indeed there is some difficulty in raising up of such a dead soule: Iesus himselfe weepes: hee spends not onely blood, but teares about it. Was it for any of these reasons? For compassion, for affection, for difficulty, or for a mystery, that Iesus wept?

Yet another, and (some thinke) a better reason may be given for his weeping: it is this. Lazarus his soule had now left her mortall tabernacle, and was delivered out of prison; from all the paines, and sinnes, and assaults, and troubles which she endured in the body: she was taken up by Angells into rest, peace and glory. Now at this raising up of Lazarus, shee must bee called downe againe to her old dwelling; and for this Iesus wept. That a soule in triumph, should bee brought backe to warfare: from that mount of infinite joyes, to descend into the valley of teares: from the place of peace, to returne to the region of trouble: from Abrahams bosome, to Adams pilgrimage: for Lazarus againe to be made mortall; necessitated againe, besides all sorrowes to death: this was a change that might well aske teares: for this revocation Iesus wept. I deny not, but this was for the glory of God; and in effect no more than happened to Moses after that glorious speculation, to the three Apostles after Christs transfiguration, to Paul after his rapture, and to Iohn after his vision. Yet for this Iesus wept. Hinc illae lacrymae.

But quorsum haec? what have we to doe with Lazarus his soule? what matter is it where it was? Yes, if wee marke it, it is to some purpose: For all this while we have beene in heaven too: dureing the discourse and meditation upon the former verses, our transported soules, if any flame of holy grace have taken hold of them, upon the wings of contemplation have beene borne up into that place of glorious rest: we have with speculative mindes viewed those new heavens, wherein dwelleth righteousnesse: wee have conversed with the peace, and ioy, and blessednesse of that upper world: our spirits have tasted the sweetnesse of those unspeakable pleasures: we were in desire, together with Lazarus in those eternall mansions. Yet now alas, as if wee had all this time beene in an happy dreame, we waken in this verse, and find our selves below, upon earth, in a wildernesse of sinne, in a region of trouble: so farre from the felicity of that kingdome, and fruition of that freedome, that we have still an apprentiship to serve: our soules must waite till our particular dissolution, our bodies till the generall resurrection. There is no remedie, but we must tarry till Christ come to judge this world, before we can compleatly come to the honour of that world.

Now least this consideration should affect us with too deepe a melancholy, and put us beyond our patience; our Apostle comes in here with a seasonable antidote; and bids us be of good cheare: for God doth not forget his promise by his long suffering, but his long suffering rather conduceth to the performance of his promise. All this forbearance salutis nostrae rationem habet. Calvin. In this delay of his comming we must finde Gods cleare intendment of our salvation. It is not his slacknesse, but his sweetnesse; his mercy rather than neglect, this his dilation. As a learned and skilfull Physician can make a wholesome medicine of ranke poyson; and so order a minerall, dangerous in it selfe, that that, which in nature, simply, would kill; by his composition shall bee of soveraigne virtue to recover health. So the deferring of hope, which is to some the breaking of the heart, our Apostle takes to another use, and makes a cordiall of it, to heale the heart when it is broken. The naturall man reasons thus; while the grasse is a growing, the beast starves: that which is so long a comming, will scarce ever come: give mee the present, take you the future. But the gracious heart resolues the contrary; Give me the futuritie of those infinite comforts, take you these present, transient toyes. The bad servant sayes, Luk. 12.45. My Lord delayeth his comming, therefore I may bee unruly. But the good one sayes; Heb. 10.37. Yet a little while, and hee that shall come, will come, and will not tarry: Therefore I will watch for his comming, that when he does come he may not finde me sleeping. If he comes, it is to receive mee: if hee stayes, it is to try mee: howsoever, his purpose is to save me.

Therefore Account that the long suffering of the Lord is salvation. There bee 2. generall points in the verse. 1. Documentum, a comfortable trueth delivered: This long suffering is salvation. 2. And Testimonium, a witnesse whereby it is confirmed; even as our beloved brother Paul hath written. Out of the former part, naturally arise three conclusions. 1. That God is not rash, suddaine, and violent against us, but long suffering. 2. That this patience does not tend to our perdition; but to our good, our best good, even Salvation. 3. That without all misconstruction, we ought so to esteeme it: Account that the Lords long suffering is Salvation. Concerning the Testimonie, hereafter, in due place.

1. That God is patient, veritas manifesta et concessa; wee neede not racke our faith to beleeve it, for we are sensible of it: It is not matter of faith, so much as of feeling. Which of us here had not long agoe beene in hell, but that hee hath long suffered us upon earth, with meanes to bring us to heaven? wee forfeit our lives, we forfeit our soules, every moment to his Iustice: how are wee reprived but by his Patience? We are rebells, why does hee not execute martiall law against us? Gen. 6.3. My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man. Hee might cut us off sooner: yet there is a faire time left us. The Poets fiction hath a grave morall: They faine Vulcan to be the Cutler of heaven, and armour-maker to their gods. Now Vulcan was lame, and therefore could not hastily bring home their weapons. The true God is slow to wrath, and unwilling to punish, proroguing his Iudgements, and expecting our repentance: yet so as by delaying, hee brings to passe his owne purposes. There is no one Title more frequently attributed to God in the Scripture, than the Lord of Hostes: yet this Lord of hostes and armies is long suffering.

Two things, one would thinke, should much trouble his patience; Idolatrie, and Blasphemie: because they both neerely trench upon his honour, whereof he is most tender. There is no sense for the one, no pretence for the other. Was it not madnes in the Israelites, to worship the gods of the Canaanites, who (they knew by experience) could not defend their land from them? Would it not anger a man to see his child, passing by himselfe, to aske blessing of his slave? Wee all live at Gods charges, and shall wee pay a blocke or stone our service; What sence is there in this? who would endure it? For a wife to play the whore before her husbands face, would not a little trouble his patience. Why doe we scratch and teare in pieces Gods dreadfull name, forborne? A water-man, that will undertake to sweare with the devill himselfe, and give hime oddes; that let but oathes and blasphemies bee the wherry, will row with him for a wager, which shall be at hell first: yet even this man is long suffered. Though hee spends his life, and gets his living, within lesse than two inches of death every day; yet this man sinnes, and is spared. O the infinite long suffering of our gracious God, even in the midst of these sins that presse upon him, for vengeance, and incessantly sollicite his Iustice! For every wicked oath is a kind of prayer for Iudgment: and they that know not how to pray as they ought, know yet familiarly how to sweare as they ought not.

There is not the least punctilio of honour, but your Gallant stands upon it; & with streames of anothers, or of his own bloud, he wil wash off that imaginary staine. He cals you into the field, to doe him right, & to answer him like a Gentleman: But that right is manifest wrong; and you must answer him like a Gentleman, not like a Christian. What is the ground of all this? His honour forsooth: he cannot put up such an injury with his honour. But all this while hee forgets the honour of God, thus disparaged by his bloudy combate. He cannot brooke a slight offence done him by his equall, without revenge: yet lookes that the Lord of Heaven and Earth should digest his monstrous wickednesse with patience.

How farre distant bee the thoughts of God and man? Every little that wee suffer from God or man, we thinke too much: all the wrongs that God or man suffer from us, we account but little. God suffers long, and much: Hee hath not dealt so with us. Even where He tels us that Heb. 10.36. verse. 37. we have need of patience, because we must suffer: He presently qualifies it; Yet a little while, and hee that shall come, will not tarry: Gravitas miseriae brevitate levatur. His mercifull Wisedome hath so temper’d our sorrowes, Sen. that Nemo valdè dolebit, & diù. If we suffer much, it shall not be long: if we suffer long, it shall not be much. Si longus, levis est: si gravis est, brevis est. Some misery is like a Consumption; gentle, but of long continuance: other like a Fever, violent, but soone over. If our sorrow bee long, the lighter: if sharper, the shorter. It is but the body that commonly suffers, and that cannot hold out long. Say it fals a pieces, there is but a pitcher broken. It is but the instrument of the soule: And why should a good Musitian thinke his skill lost, by the hurt of his Lute? Or a valiant Souldier thinke his honour lost by the breach of his sword? Or a rich man thinke himselfe undone by the rent of his garment? All our sorrow is either tolerable, or short. Upon which assurance, a man may well endure to have his hopes adjourned to a new day.

But the grievance wee put God to, is neither easie nor short: Hee must suffer much, and Hee must suffer long too: much in burden, and long in continuance. And we are so farre from easing Him of it by repentance, that He is faine to ease Himselfe of it in our just vengeance. For though He suffer long, in mercy: there is no reason that He should suffer alwaies, in Iustice. All the while that David lay in his sinnes without compunction, the burden of them lay upon God: so long He suffered. But when David cried Peccavi, and melted into repentance, he tooke the burden off from God, and laid it where it should be, upon himselfe: and so they were both eased. Wee commit sinnes without feare, and persist in them without remorse: thus farre wee make Christ to suffer; thus long the whole lode lies upon Him. Amos 2.13. I am pressed under you, so He complaines, as a cart that is full of sheaves. But when wee shall humble our selves by repentance, and breake our hearts with contrition; we doe then repetere gravamen, take off the weight from Christ, where it is: and lay it upon our owne hearts, where it should be. Ephes. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. Till wee come to repentance, Hee is in grievance: so long He suffers for us, as we forbeare to suffer for our selves. But by our penitent humiliation, wee stoope our shoulders to our owne burden: under which when wee have lyen drooping, and weeping, and crying, and praying for a time; the Lord is mercifully pleased to take it off againe, from us; and to transferre it upon the Crosse of his owne Sonne. This easeth us both, this dischargeth us of all for ever. This is the first Conclusion; whereof wee may make a threefold use.

1. Here is matter of consolation: we have to doe with the God of patience. The gods of the Heathen used to come in tempests: indeed they were no gods, but men; and none of the best men, neither: but subject to sensuall lusts and violent passions. But our God gives innumerable testimonies of his long animity, slownesse to wrath, and invincible patience. It is well that wee fall not into the hands of men: they would not give us so much as a breathing time, betwixt our fault and our death. When Saul said to Doeg, 1 Sam. 22. verse 18. Fall thou upon the Priests: hee slew that day fourescore and five that wore a linnen Ephod. A tyrant doomes Innocents to death; and without any pawse, execution followes. From God, out so Heaven, lightning and thunder comes together: sometimes we have lightning without thunder, but thunder without lightning never. It is some mercy in cruell man, if the lightning of anger in his eyes, give warning of the thunderbolt in his hand: But too often he kils before he threatens, which is thunder without lightning. If we should defile his bed, and dishonour him in his wife, Would man endure it? If we should strike and mis-use his children, Would man endure it? If we should violate and robbe him of his goods, Would man endure it? If we should sticke the aspersions of scandall upon his credite, Would man endure it? Wee doe all these wrongs to God, and yet He endures. We lodge that filthy Adulteresse, Sinne or lust in the marriage-bed of our hearts: we persecute and kill his Children, those holy Images of Himselfe: we robbe Him of his goods, in purloyning his Tythes and Offering: we sweare, and blaspheme his honour all the day long: yet still Hee endures it. O God, What should become of us, but for thy wonderfull Patience? But here is the comfort that keepes us from the gulfe of despaire, in the deepe consideration of our owne wickednesse; The Lord is long-suffering.

2. Here is matter of caution: The Lords long-suffering would not bee abused. Shall we persist in evill, because He continues to be good? My Father is full of lenity, therefore I may goe on in levity, and follow my wanton courses: surely, He will forgive all at the last: What ingenuous sonne will reason so? Bonus es bonis, & benè merentibus: gratiosus es peregrinis, & immerentibus: misericors es malis, & malè merentibus. What then? Because He suffers long, Shall I therefore put Him to it, and trie how long Hee will suffer? Because Hee suffers much, Shall I therefore lay more weight upon Him? This is indeed the way of the world; beare one injury, and invite more: Put up this offence, and you shall have your belly full of them. But Gravatis addere gravamina; you must say in reason, This is no faire dealing in the world, And shall wee deale so with the Lord? They write of the Palme tree, that the more it is pressed with weight, the higher and stronger it growes, and the more fruit it yeelds. But let us not have such a conceit of God: that the more we onerate Him with our sinnes, the more abundant fruits of his Mercy Hee will afford us. Never thinke so, for you shall not finde it so. Hee that beganne in kindenesse, and went on in patience, may end in fury. There is a long-suffering that does not tend to salvation: So sinners are suffered like fishes, to swimme merrily downe the streame of their owne sensuality, till they come to mare mortuum, the sea of death.

3. Heere is matter of imitation; Gods Patience cals for ours: It is but reason, for us to suffer long, towards whom He is so long-suffering. Saint Paul describing the Christians Armour, Ephes. 6. puts not in Patience for any peece of it: and yet tels us in another place, that Heb. 10.36. we have need of patience. Good reason; for it is not a peece, but the whole Panoplie it selfe. There is a plate for the brest, a helmet for the head, a sword for the hand, a girdle for the loines, greaves for the feet, and a shield for the vitall parts: every peece armes a part, but Patience covers all. Which way soever the blow comes, patience receives it. Besides, if the adversaries weapon be so sharpe, that it pierceth any peece of this armour; yet Patience is a coat of maile, a defence under these, that duls the edge of all assaults. Ease can be found no where, but in Patience. Iob 23.8. If we looke forward, it is not there: if backward, we cannot perceive it: on the left hand we behold it not, nor on the right can we see it. Trouble is on our right hand, and on our left hand trouble: trouble before us, trouble behinde us, and trouble round about us: but if Patience be within us, all is safe. If this be intra te, no matter who is contra te. Our trouble may bee excessive, both for the quantum, and for the quamdiù: this armour of Patience must be answerable to it.

Long; for Esay 28.19. from morning to morning, by day and by night, there will be a vexation. Sorrow commonly comes on horsebacke, but goes away on foote. It runs like 2 Sam. 18.32. Cushi to David with ill newes, so fast that it is out of breath: but when it is come, it tarries with us, it does not run backe againe. Iob 16.14. Vulnere super vulnus: it breaketh us with breach upon breach. Rom. 8.36. We are killed all the day long: not a-forenoone, nor an houre, but all the day long. Now Patience must not bee an inch shorter than affliction. If the bridge reach but halfe way over the brooke, wee shall have but an ill-favourd passage. When Eay 28.20. the bed is shorter than a man can stretch himselfe on it, and the covering narrower than he can wrappe himselfe in it; hee shall lie but uneasily. Patience is the bed of the soule; it must not be too short: it is the covering of the soule; it should not bee too narrow. Therefore Christ instructs us for the length of our Patience: Luke 9.23. Hee that will come after me, let him take up his Crosse daily, and follow me. Daily; for we must learne Patiendo pati. Few and evill have been my dayes: that Patriarch spake of never a good one. Let us praise Patience, as we doe a faire day, at night. That light is despised, which holdes not in till we goe to bed. Matth. 24:13. He that endureth to the end, shall be saved.

Large; as great in quantitie, as afflictions are in number. Luke 14.31. What King going to warre, considereth not whether he bee able with ten thousand, to meet him that commeth against him with twenty thousand? What is a little sufferance, to a great deale of sorrow? wee Iohn 6.9. have five loaves and two fishes; but what are they among so many? Some men may be stored with two or three acts of patience; but what are they among so many troubles? If the plaister be too narrow for the sore, it will not keepe it from festering. By patience let us possesse our soules: for impatience dispossesseth a man of himselfe. Yea, let us keepe this possession given us by Christ. Though Satan finde many trickes in law to disturbe us, and many assaults against law to displace us; yet let us keepe our possession of patience, and all is safe. As a wise Physician makes a medicine of many sharpe ingredients, in their owne nature dangerous: but then addes a corrective to them, whereby they become proper Physicke for the Patient. So when the Lord doth minister to us many sorrowes, bitter ingredients, with the one hand: let us beseech him to put in with the other hand as much Patience; that they may be at least quantity for quantity. Then though we smart for the time, we shall bee the better after it; and the end will be our health and everlasting comfort in Iesus Christ.

His Long suffering is salvation: that is the second conclusion. This seemes to be a strange kinde of speaking: Is salvation? If he had said, it is a meanes of salvation, a helpe to salvation, a preparative for salvation, or any thing that conduceth toward salvation; it had beene somewhat intelligible. But that it is salvation, appeares a nifficult saying. What doe we finde in our pilgrimage but wearinesse? what fruit doth all the vanity of this Earth yeeld, but bitternesse? what can bee looked for in this valley of teares, but sorrowes? And doe you call these Salvation? But here In praedicato enuntiati is metonymia effecti: It is salvation: that is, it is for salvation the way to it, the means of it, and an argument for it. In two respects.

1. In regard of them that are already called and put into the army of Gods militant servants: that are of his traine-band; in the continuall exercise of their spirituall armes. Secondly, in regard of them whose names are in Gods Muster-booke, but not yet called, and pressed forth to the warres. In relation to both these, this long suffering conduceth to salvation. The former God suffers long to suffer much at the hands of his and their enemies. They must strive, and fight, and bleed, and conquer, before they receive that victorious wreath of glory. First, 2 Tim. 4.7.8. Paul fights a good fight; then he takes the crowne. For the other, some of them are not yet called, some of them are not yet borne, that have their names written in Heaven. Therefore Christ delayes his comming, that these might also have their day: and but for the filling up of the number of the Elect, the world should not stand one moment? This then is the intent of his long-suffering; Salvation to us, salvation to them: to all salvation. If those soules were charged to stay for the accomplishment of their brethren, that were already sacrificed, and Rev. 6 11. under the Altar: much more we that are yet to be sacrificed upon the Altar. God suffers this for three reasons.

1. Our affliction prepares us for salvation: as grapes must be pressed, before they become wine: and Corne threshed and ground, ere it make bread. This is indeed a meere paradoxe to the children of the world, who runne in a circle of sinne and pleasure; till Finis alterius mali, gradus futuri. But that ex vulnere salus, Sen. ex morbo sanitas, ex dolore gaudium, ex infirmitate robur, ex morte vita; this is a harder riddle than Sampsons to these Philistines. Yet Non est idoneus ad praemium, Bern. qui nondum paratus est ad patibulum. It is true that Heb. 12.11. No chastening for the present is joyous, but grievous: yet it hath another rellish besides the bitternesse. The Manna in the wildernesse was so conditioned, so qualified, that it tasted to every man like that, which that man liked best. Even correction is our Manna, part of our daily bread: Let us desire God to make it so taste to us, not as we would, but as he would have it taste: and to make our taste agreeable to his will, not his will to our taste. As his corrections taste of humiliation, so they taste of consolation too: as they have a rellish of danger, so of assurance too. God hath imprinted in all his Elements, whereof our bodies consist, two manifest qualities. The fire is hot and dry, the water cold and moist: therefore as the fire dries, so it heates too: and as the water moists, so it cooles too. In like manner his afflictions, which be the Elements of our mortification, by which our soules are brought home to him, have two qualities and operations: as they scourge us, so they scourge us into the way to him: and when they have shewed us, that we are nothing in our selves, they also shew us that Christ is all things to us. And though they should remove us out of the world, yet they assure us, that no extremity of sickenesse, no tentation of Satan, no guiltinesse of sinne, no horrour of death, shall remove us from him: But that when we die, we shall die in him, and by that death be united unto him, that died for us. Thus are l we chastened of the Lord, that we might not be condemned with the world. Therefore doth he suffer us to bee afflicted, because he will not suffer us to be damned. All shall prepare us for him, and helpe to gather us to him. Therefore we may well account his long-suffering salvation.

2. Our afflictions are an argument of our salvation: Heb. 12.6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth. Therefore hee suffers us to feele the more stripes, that wee might have the more assurances of his paternall love. Physicians, not seldome let us blood before we be sicke: and we lop off our superfluous branches, that the Vine may yeeld better fruit. Sinne is the strength of death, and the death of strength: by what meanes so ever the Lord makes that weaker, wee grow stronger. It was the ground of that long disputation betweene Iob and his friends; whether that wofull calamity was a signe of Gods love, or of his hatred to him. God himselfe was the moderator, and decided the question; that all this tended to his salvation. Iudg. 6. If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? It was Gideons expostulation with the Angell. Others persecute, we suffer; which of us is likeliest to be in Gods favour? Cyprian resolves it in that instance of Iudas and Christ. Iudas betrayes, Christ dies: yet which of us had not rather bee like Christ, than like Iudas? Like Christ, who prayed for his enemies, ut per sanguinem quem fuderunt, salvi fiant: than like Iudas, qui per pacis signum, rumpit pacis Sacramentum? This was Maries message to Christ; Ioh. 11.3. Lord, he whom thou lovest, is sicke. Si amatur, quomodo infirmatur? As if none could be sicke, whom God loves. Yes, even therefore are we sicke, because hee loves us. The Fever does not more burne up our blood, than our lust: and together with swearing out the surfets of nature, at the pores of the body: we weepe out the sinnefull corruption of our nature, at the pores of the conscience. So that as the breaking of the Cloudes gives way to the clearer light of the Sun: the grace of our soule shines fairer forth at these breaches of our sicke body. Much fruite breakes the tree, much rankenesse layes the corne. Mala sunt graviora, quae suaviora: miserum te reputo, quia non fuisti miser. God sees that Men are most miserable, in not being miserable: therefore he lets those that he cares not for, swimme in pleasures: but they shall be sure of woe upon Earth, to whom he meanes joy in Heaven. Therefore in our sufferings; let us account his long-suffering, no lesse than Salvation.

3. Afflictions are our passage to Salvation, our throughfare to the land of promise. Act. 14.22. Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of Heaven. If wee doe not finde such rough passages, wee are out of our way. Shew me the man that hath found a fairer way than sorrow. I am sure that Christ did not; that knew the way most perfectly: This way he went; and this way hee directed us to follow him. Luk 24.26. Ought not Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? He had first his Oportet pati, before he could he allowed his Sic intrare. Humiliari first; and there is an Oportet set upon the head of that: Intrare last, and there is a Sic that is the Vsher to it. The Patriarches went this way, the Prophets this way, the Apostles this way, the Martyrs this way; this way went all the Saints, and doe we looke for an easier way? A Christians life can no more be sine luctibus, than the Sea sine fluctibus. You will say that Gods legacies by his first will, in the old Testament, were plenty and victory: Canaan was a land of wine and oile, milke and honey: and by those galleries he brought them into his bed-chamber; by those glories and joyes, to the joyes and glories of Heaven. Why hath hee changed his will? why left his old way? why doth hee now carry us by the severe path of discipline and mortification? by the melancholy way of mourning and lamentation? by the thorney way of misery and tribulation? Is the joy and glory of Heaven, no more than a comparative joy, a comparative glory? Not such in it selfe, but onely such in comparison of the sorinesse and basenesse of this world? No; for as God himselfe, who is all, is made of no substances: so the joy and glory with him is made of no circumstances: essentiall joy, essentiall glory, all there. But why does hee not beginne them here? What needs this rough way of calamity thither? Beloved, shall not he that made the kingdome, appoint the way? He thought it the best, and shall wee thinke we could have devised a better? Surely, he would never so long have suffered his enemies to tyrannize over his friends; but that he knowes it most conducing to his glory, and our good: for so we are charged to account it, that his long-suffering is salvation. Nor yet in all this present misery does he leave us destitute of comfort: for even here we have the beginnings of Heaven, the peace of Conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost. Thus as in the midst of life we be in death: so in the middest of death we be in life; even in that life which shall never die, Iesus Christ.

2. Thus is the Lords long-suffering salvation, to such as are called: it is so also vocandis, to such as are to be called: to these for their entrance into the Church militant, to the other for their passage into the Church triumphant. For God, by letting the world stand, allowes thē both a time, when to come in & a place, where to come in; and a light, how to come in. Al which would be taken away, with the taking away of the world. For this eause doth Christ forbeare his last comming, and delay this universall conflagration: that the number of his chosen might be made up: and the Book of grace be the counterpain, punctually answerable to the Book of life; not a name differing between them. Now a second birth presupposeth a first: Generation must necessarily precede regeneration: Borne once they must be, or borne twice they cannot be. The great clocke of Time is kept going for this; otherwise the motion of all his wheeles should be stayed for ever; and the Angels oath should come in force, that Time shall bee no more. God hath his determined number, knowne onely to himselfe, no part of the Earth debarred from them: The Earth should burne, the Elements melt, the Heavens flame, the Devils and reprobates be laid up in Hell, the Elect Men and Angels bee imparadised in Heaven; all but for this; Gods number is not yet full. Till this bee done, Satan may range abroad, the wicked domineere, the righteous suffer; misery and sinne walke their round, the Heavens move, the Seas ebbe and flow, the World stand; and the Lord suffers all this. Well, let us yeeld to God the Election of his owne times; especially seeing that all tends to salvation. Shall we wish the world at an end with our selves; and when we goe out, that no more might come in? So it is reported of an envious and uncharitable mans wish; That God would save his Parents, his Wife and Children, his Brothers and Sisters, and himselfe; and no more: To whom another replied; It were a great deale better for the world, if the Devill might take his Parents, his Wife and Children, his Brothers and Sisters, and himselfe, and no more. Farre be it from us to grudge others that mercy wee have found our selves, and which our gracious God is pleased to shew them in Iesus Christ.

The Summe of this point is this: All the actions of God toward man, tend to his good, and that to his best good, even Salvation. In the Creation it was plaine: when the Maker, upon the review of his Workes, saw that every thing in particular, and all things in generall, were exceeding good. In the Redemption it was as plaine: He hath done all things well: a true confession and applause! Here were all things good indeed, all things well: But for whom was this Bonum intended? Who shall have the benefit of this Benè? Who but man? It was fit indeed that the honour should be Gods, but the profit is mans. In that Antheme of the Angels there be three notes, which are the compendium of Christian Relion. Luke 2.14. Glory to God on high, peace on earth, good will towards men. As one reverend Prelate quotes the saying of another: Bradward. by B. Andr. Let that bee the Religion, let that prevaile, as the best and most true of all other, that is Deo honorabilior, brings more honour to God; Paci amicabilior, best friend to peace; and Homini favorabilior, most favorable to man: as shewing God better affected to us, and making us better affected to God, better one to another. They blasphemously wrong the goodnesse of God, that thinke Hee had rather honour Himselfe in our ruine, than in our salvation. What meane all those protestations; Nolo mortem morientis; and Volo omnes salvos fieri? Bee they cursory speeches? Sure, the God of trueth scornes to use complements. That is for such dissembling Politicians, as salute one another with God save you, at their meeting; and wish one another hanged, after their parting. But God wils good, speakes good, does good to us: nothing but good comes from that infinite Fountaine of goodnesse. Christ spent the daies of his humiliation, in doing us good: his Miracles did good to the bodies of men, his Oracles to their soules, his Sufferings both to their soules and bodies; all tended to our Salvation.

Looke upon his Miracles, (and every Miracle is a new Creation) and we shall finde, Hee would doe nothing, which breathed not towards man favour and bounty. Moses wrought miracles, but they were scourges; plagues to the Egyptians: Elias wrought miracles, but it was to the hurt of the earth; by withholding raine from Heaven: and he brought downe Fire from Heaven, but it was to consume men upon the earth. Elisha called for Beares; but it was to punish unmannerly children. Peter strucke Ananias, that sacrilegious Hypocrite, with present death: and Saint Paul smote Elymas the Sorcerer, with blindenesse: but no such thing was done by Iesus. Those servants of God were the Oxen, to tread out the corne, and trample downe the straw: Christ was the Lambe of God, full of meekenesse. When Hee drew multitudes of fishes to their nettes, it was to give them a more liberall provision. When He turned Water into Wine, it was to glad their hearts. When Hee multiplied those five Loaves, it was to victuall an hoast of people. If He rebuked the Windes, it was because they threatned destruction to his servants by their fury. If Hee cursed the Figtree, it was for not doing the duty to which He had ordained it, in bearing fruits for man. Hee restored motion to the lame, sight to the blinde, hearing to the deafe, speach to the dumbe, to the sicke health, to the dead life. Wee can finde no miracle of his spent upon revenge and judgement: all relish of sweetnesse and mercie.

His Oracles did no lesse good to the soule: not a Sermon did Hee preach, wherein Hee did not brethe Heaven into their hearts. Iohn 4. Iohn 6. Luk. 24.32. From the occasion of Iacobs Well, Hee drew forth a Sermon of the living Waters. By their naturall appetite to those materiall Loaves, Hee perswades them to a spirituall hunger after the Bread of life. Hee did let slip no opportunity of winning our soules.

His sufferings crowned all the rest: he did not only doe for us, but die for us. All his sayings and doings conduced to our salvation: but his death was our salvation indeed. Mira fecit, but dira tulit. S. Acts 1.1. Luke did offer to write of all that Iesus did, and taught: but who did ever attempt to write of all that he suffered? In every thing, the goodnes of God to man, shines in the beames of salvation. If he comes to us it is with salvation. Luke 19.9. This day is salvation come to this house. If hee defers his comming, it is for salvation; that we might Phil. 2.12: worke out our salvation with feare and trembling. If he honours us with peace, it is but to give us a tast of salvation: If he scourge us with chastisements, it is still an argument of our salvation His smiles are the reflections of salvation: his very frownes are not without the looke of salvation. His speedyer approches towards us, are to bring us to salvation: his long suffering, is to prepare us for salvation. The breath of his mouth, the workes of his hands, the desires of his heart, they all determine in this; our salvation. Now as 2 King. 4.13. Elisha said to the Shunnamite; Behold thou hast beene, thus carefull for us, what is to be done for thee! So Lord, thou hast done all this, for us men, and for our salvation: what shall wee returne thee for all? Surely wee can doe no more, nor will wee doe lesse, then give thee all honour, and thankes, Psal. 116.13. and praise for ever.

Account that his long suffering is salvation: this is the third conclusion: wee are so bound to account it. It is a Principall granted in Philosophie, and not cantradicted in Divinitie, that there bee foure elements; Fire, Ayre, Water, Earth, and that they have their proper qualities; Hote, Moist, Cold, and Dry, and that of these foure, all mixt bodies are composed. Grant then these foure concurring to the constitution of mans body; yet so as mans body is a fift substance, distinct from them all. The heate of it does not make it fire: nor doth the cold make it water: there is moisture in it, yet it is not aire: earth it is, but not without a commixion of the other elements. In the naturall minde of man, while it is excercised upon problematicall or disputable questions, there bee foure tempers or ingredients, as his body consists of foure humours: Ignorance, knowledge, doubt, and perswasion: and there is no minde of man in this world, without all these: though the measure bee different; and in some then other, one of them may be more predomanant. Ignorance is like the earth, dry and barren: Perswasion like the fire, lightsome active, and working: Doubt like the water, cold and running: Knowledge like the aire, clouded and uncertaine. Albeit the brighter the Sunne shines, the clearer the aire is; yet you never finde it without some cloudes. Now there is a fift thing, which indeed comes from another cause, and is infused from above: yet being in the minde, it is forced to partake of the other foure: this is Quintessentia, a fift being, the quintessence of them all: and wee call it Faith or Assurance. This hath in it so much of knowledge, as to understand the principale in part: and yet so much of Ignorance, as in part to be shallow, and to come short of the full comprehension of it. It hath so much of perswasion, as to assent unto the trueth of it: and yet so much of doubt, as to make many scruples and questions about it. If we rightly examine it; so weake is the faith of many Christians, even in this high point of their owne Salvation; that the happy building of, Lord I beleeve; cannot stand without that collumne to underproppe it, helpe thou my unbeliefe.

The fire of our knowledge descends from heaven: the earth of our ignorance ariseth from beneath: our perswasion is the grace of God: our doubt is from flesh and blood. Yet what man upon earth hath a faith so full of knowledge that it is free from all ignorance? Or so strong a perswasion of his owne future happynesse, such a certentie to be saved, that he never doubted of it? There is therefore a higher degree of faith required of us; even an assurance, that this long suffering of God is meant for our Salvation. And this cannot bee a floting opinion of of the braine, an airy speculation, driven too and fro, like the cloudes with every wind; with every tempest of afflictions. Nor an epicence, equivocating, doubtfull apprehension, ebbing and flowing like the inconstant water. But as the lesse melancholy earth and hydropicall water there is in the body, the more sprightly and active it is: so the lesse doubt and ignorance in our faith, the more holy and heavenly. This then must be a firme perswasion of the heart; the ground whereof is the will of God, the builder whereof, is the Spirit of God, the pillars whereof are the word and grace of God, the light whereof is the knowledge of God, and the roofe whereof is the glory of God.

That the Divine patience is salvation, is here put upon our account: and if wee doe not so account it, wee shall be accountant for it. It is certainely so in it selfe, whether we account it so or not; even Salvation: but it is not Salvation to us unlesse wee so account it. Our faith must come in, to make up the match: When Christ hath wrought all this for our salvation, he hath done his part: we must beleeve, that our salvation is thus accomplished, or else wee faile in our part. This account therefore is of no small moment, how small account soever wee make of it.

It ariseth in full strength, against foure sorts of sinners. 1. Contra desperantes; aganst those that thinke Gods suffering them to lie long under the rod, is an argument of his disfavour: they doe not account it salvation. 2. Contra Properantes; against those that are impatient of Gods delay, and will needes urge him to mend his pace: these doe not account his long suffering salvation. 3. Contra non operantes; against them that will not make use of this pawse of judgement, and reprieve of the world, thereby to lay timely hold on repentance: without which they cannot account it their salvation. 4. Contra non imitantes; against those that doe not proceed in Gods steps; rather by lenity to spare, than rashly to execute: All these must bee called to account by this charge: Account that the long-suffering, &c.

1, There bee some that take every heavy crosse, for a signe of Gods implacable anger: and make that an argument of rejection, which our Apostle makes an argument of salvation. There is an Indolencie to be without paine at all: and there is a condolencie, or grieving for the paines of others: and there is a dedolencie, to be in paine, and not to feele it: and there is a Superdolency, an oversensiblenesse, that takes every scratch for a wound, and every wound for death. God would not have men make themselves more miserable, than they need, than they should; by looking upon their miseries through a multiplying glasse. Whom the Lord loveth, Heb. 12.6. hee chasteneth: that is orthodoxall truth: But that, whom he scourgeth, he hateth; what strange Divinity is this? when did the Scripture ever speake so? The Lord writes his minde to us in the characters of correction, that he meanes to doe us good: and wee make a false construction of it, as if he meant us ruine. Is affliction such a strange language, that wee cannot read it? Or is it expressed in so hard a dialect, that wee must needs mis-interpret it to Gods dishonour, and our owne bane? These are the men, that turne every probation into reprobation, every dejection into a rejection: and if they bee cast downe, they cry out presently that they are cast away. Lift up thy selfe, thou timorous fainting heart, and do not suspect every spot for a plague-token: do not die of a meere conceit. Heavinesse may endure for a night: but as sure as the morning sun comes, the morning joy comes: Ioy comes in the morning. As the end of all motion is rest: so the end of all thy troubles shall be peace: where the daies are perpetuall Sabbaths, and the diet undisturbed feasts. Thy pacified soule shall become Paradisus sine gladio, Templum Solomonis sine malleo. Lord speake musicke to the wounded Conscience, thunder to the seared: that thy Iustice may reclaime the one, thy mercy releeve the other, and thy favour comfort us all with peace and salvation.

2. There be some that are over-sollicitous with God, to mend his pace; as if they would not give him leave to take his owne leisure, for the execution of his holy purposes. I know, there is a sober and modest importunacy of the saints; earnest with God to make an end of the daies of sinne, and to set his glory in the full lustre. The desire of the soule is never satisfied, till it come to the end it aimeth at: (which is a maine argument for the Resurrection) now this cannot be untill Christs second comming. The creatures have a groning desire of this Rom. 8.19. They waite for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God. The militant Saints pray for this; Thy Kingdome come. Saint Paul was not without his Cupio dissolvi. The Bride, the Church on Earth cryes for this; Rev. 22.20. Even so come Lord Iesus. Even that Church in Heaven prayes for this; Rev. 6.10. Vsquequo Domine? How long O Lord holy and true? Sanctified eyes that have but a glimpse of those new Heavens by faith, doe so scorne the contentments of this old world; that did the Spheres joyne with the Elements, the Sunne and starres confederate with the Earth and waters, to make them happy; it would be held unacceptable vanitie. Yea, did Heaven it selfe profer them all its glorie and pleasure, it would not satisfie them without Christ. Immo, ne Christus ipse sufficeret, nisi seipsum dederit. The best of this world is but vanitie; the worst, vexation. Beautie a flower; to day flourishing and worne in the bosome: to morrow withering and swept out with the beesome. Health is not Ague-proofe: and where is the strength that can stand a fever? Wealth is a fugitive: either it will leave us, or we must leave it; and this comes all to one passe. Honour is beholden to vulgar spectacles; faine to borrow poore mens eyes to give it a lustre: and loe, this is all the best of the World.

The worst of it wee all know too sensibly: the wicked mans injury, is the good mans patrimony. There was Matth. 9.15. joy in the Bridegroomes presence: but sorrow followed immediately upon his absence. It was the politicke malice of the world, that aimed by the death of the Generall, to disband the army. So long as Christ lived on earth; wee read of no persecution against his Disciples: but let Him bee once removed, and then there is havocke made of the Church: Stephen is stoned, Peter crucified, Paul beheaded: some strangled, some burned, some broiled, some brained; all, but onely Saint Iohn, murdered. The Spouse lovingly invites her Beloved to her armes, to her bed: and he summons her to armes, to warfare. Bernard. in Cant. Serm. 47. Illâ monstrante lectulum, ille vocat ad campum, ad exercitium. In her Garden grow both Lilies and Roses; because she is both Cypr. Ep. 9. Operibus candida, & cruore purpurea. Her lot is to doe good, and to suffer evill. Untouched fortunes, and untouched consciences, seldome dwell together. And it is usuall for them that know no sorrowes, to know no God. It is opposition that gives the tryall, and causeth argent to seeme more bright in a sable field, as the Sun is more pleasing, when it breakes from a Cloud. No marvell if all these considerations make us importunate with God, to hasten his Kingome: thinking the time long, till the tyranny of sorrow, and usurpation of sinne, give place to righteousnesse and peace.

Importunate we may be in this desire; we may not be impatient. Hope deferred is the fainting of the soule: but against that fainting, God hath provided cordials for us. As He hath imprinted all the medicinall vertues, that are in all creatures; and made even the flesh of Vipers to assist in cordials: so Hee can raise strength out of weaknesse, and make sicknesse it selfe a medicine to procure everlasting health. As the children of vanity finde, that in the midst of laughter there is heavinesse: so the sonnes of patience finde, that in the midst of heavinesse there is comfort. Christ himselfe had a sadnesse in his soule, even unto death: not without a reluctation, a deprecation of death, in the approches of it: yet Hee had his cordiall too; Not my will, but thine be done. When He cried out, My God, my God, Why hast thou forsaken me? His Father did then reach out his hand to Him: but not to deliver his sad soule, but to receive his holy soule. Neither did Hee longer desire to hold it of Him, but to recommend it to Him. Whether the good wee hope for, be deferred: or the evill we feare, be inflicted: still patience is a cordiall: a silent and absolute obedience to the Will of God, is a soveraigne cordiall: which if God preserve to us, will certainely preserve us to Him. And from this lower forme of a gentle Catechisme, in the schoole of patience; we shall take a greater degree, in an higher place, and joyfully serve Him in his Kingdome of glory.

3. There bee some that grow the more wanton by Gods forbearance: and the more long-suffering Hee is toward them, the more bold they are to offend Him. They doe what they list, and the Lord lets them alone: therefore they thinke He is pleased with them, and with what they doe: and that which way soever they take, the end of their journey must needs be salvation. Such men may thinke it so; but they shall not finde it so: for betweene these two, Tolerantiam, & salutem: there is a breathing place, an Existimate. This is no light opinion, or fond imagination; that though they spend their daies in vanity, they shall end their daies in mercy. You have read of some, that Ducunt in bonis dies suos: so they goe on: and subitò ad Infernum, so they goe out. They presume that they are in Gods favour, and that all his patience doth but further and accomplish their salvation: yet they bring forth nothing but the fruites of perdition. With this conceit they passe their lives, and with this conceit they passe out of their lives. As if they resolved to put their soules in a venture; and to come to Heaven their owne way, or not to come thither at all. Ioel. 2.12. Turne to the Lord with weeping and mourning, saith the Prophet Ioel: But these will change Ioel into Iael: in stead of teares, they bring Iudg. 4.19. milke; and for contrition, warme covering; and so lay them downe, and never rise more. They will not shed a teare, nor lose a meale, all the yeare long: but spend their dayes in a pleasant dreame, not interrupted by sorrow: and yet thinke that all this makes for their salvation. This is a fantasticall conceit, our Apostle chargeth us here with an Existimate, a well grounded perswasion, that the Lords long suffering is salvation.

Now this perswasiō cānot be in our hearts, unlesse we apprehend the meanes of salvation; Faith and Repentance. For what man that continually steeres his course westward, can flatter himselfe that he is travelling towards the east: Rom. 2.4. The long suffering of God leades us to repentance. Except his patience worke repentance in us, it will not worke salvation for us. The meaning of his forbeareance, is to bring us to repētance: & repentance is the earnest of salvation. If we do not take Gods time, to Gods intēt; & while he delayes his cōming, lay hold on conversion: we may count & reckon long enough, but we reckon without our Hoste. For howsoever this propositiō is true in the Thesi, or foundation: yet it may prove otherwise in the Hypothesi, or suppositiō: Gods long suffering is salvation; that is infallible truth but it will never be salvation to us, without our hearty & timely repentence. Repentance then is the grace we call upon you for, as you call upon God for salvation. Expecto, Domine, salutem tuam: I waite O Lord, for thy salvation: that is the prayer of my soule to God: Expecto, peccator, paenitentiam tuam; I waite, O sinner, for thy conversion; that is the answere of God to my soule. How can wee be saved, without repentance? And how could we have space to repent, but by Gods forbearance? Sinne is a wrong to the divine goodnes: and no wrong to that, must escape unrevenged. There be two times or places for the revenge upon sinne: this mortall life upon earth, or that other immortall death in hell. In that infernall torture, it is Gods time for vengeance: then and there, hee will plague all offences with insufferable paines. While we live in this world, this is our time of vengeance: here, and now, we ought to punish our selves with bitter sorrowes; that wee may prevent the future. And this is truely the office of repentance, to afflict our hearts with griefe, for that wee have committed with folly. This is imposed upon the sinner; Aug: de ver. et fals. Poenit. cap. Vt semper puniat ulciscendo, quod commisit peccando, All those iniuries to his infinite Maiestie, will God revenge upon us in hell; which hee hath not found us to revenge upon our selves on earth. He will be iust, whatsoever we are.

Aske thy conscience, thou secure offender; what punishment thou hast inflicted upon thy selfe for thy sinnes? Intolerable have beene thy wicked actions, execrable thy oathes and blasphemies, innumerable thy foule thoughts and desires: Hic est culpa, ubi pana? Here is the guiltinesse, but where is the penaltie? Let us thinke: have our cryes beene as lowd as our sinnes? Have our teares beene as thicke sowne, as our tares, as our weedes, our trespasses? Have we taken pills of gall and wormwood, for our surfeits of excesse and wantōnesse? What proportion hath our sorrow held with our offences? Cypr. Serm de laps. Poenitentia crimine minor non sit. There is no deepe valley, but neere to some great hill: From the mountaine of our sinnes, let us descend into the valley of teares. There is a necessitie of sorrow for sinne, to them that expect pardon of sinne. We have sinned for very anger that we could sinne no more: and shall we not weepe for very sorrow, that we can weepe no more? Let us rejoyce that wee can sorrow a little; for we have sorrowed that we could not rejoyce enough. Our sorrow was for the absence of worldly ioy: let us bee glad for the presence of penitent and godly sorrow.

Nor must our griefe be Impatienter habitum, sed desiderio susceptum. I know that the validity of repentance does not so much consist in the length of time, as in the sincerity of heart: And even in the approach of death, when the soule is now ceasing to informe the body, and longing for her deliverance out of prison; God then heares the groanes, and the very inarticulate sighes of repentance. I know, that as there is no sinne so great, but it may bee pardoned; so no time so late, but it may bee accepted. I know, that neither the greatnesse of the crime, nor the shortnesse of the time, can barre true conversion from forgivenesse. Repentance is a Supersedeas which dischargeth sinne; moving God to bee mercifull, the Angells to be joyfull, man to be acceptable, and onely the Devill melancholy. But I know withall that it is not safe to put off that businesse till late in the evening, which cannot bee dispatched too early in the morning. I know that it is unthankefull to abuse Gods long-suffering, and to take advantage by his gracious forbearance, to bee ungraciously impious. But as Pliny writes of a stone, called Theamides; which is of a contrary nature to the Loadstone, Repellit enim ferrum; it drives backe iron. So whereas some hearts draw iron to them, even the hardest afflictions, magnetically, and make profitable use of them: Other hearts are a Theamides, repelling sorrow, resisting the meanes of repentance, and fighting against their owne salvation.

Idle wantons make no other use of a faire day, than to wander abroad, and follow their pleasures: the good husband takes that time to doe his worke, and thereby to better his estate. The Lords long-suffering is to carnall men but a faire day to play in, and to ramble after their lascivious vanities: the Christian knows it to be his time, wherein to Phil. 2 12. worke out his owne salvation; and that not without feare and trembling. There is a time, and a time: Eccl. 3 4. A time to weepe, and a time to rejoyce: and this distinction of time argues a vicissitude of occasions. But that one and the same time, to one and the same man, should bee both for mourning and rejoycing; is incompatible. Doubtlesse, this is the time for teares: and they that spend it in jollity, quite mistake the season. Sensuall pleasure hath no time allowed it: what it gets, is by usurpation: And if it bee not tempered with the sorrow of repentance, it will bee drowned in the sorrow of vengeance. But as one spake wittily of wine, that it had two discommodities: If a man puts water into it, he marres the wine: if he puts no water into it, hee marres himselfe. So we may say of Earthly pleasure: If we mingle it with penitent sorrow, wee spoile the pleasure: if wee doe not thus mingle it, we spoile our selves. Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, they sought him. Cùm occideret, when hee slew them: it had beene a better report. Cum servaret, when he saved them. Good men cleave to God in a calme: the worst sinners will seeke him in a storme. In this gracious Sun-shine of his long-suffering, while he forbeares and deferres the comming of his day; let us so repent, that we may be found blamelesse in the day of his comming. This is the onely blessed use of it.

4. There be some that like well enough of Gods long-suffering toward themselves; but they have no mind to follow his example in the forbearing of others. Infinite are our offences against him, and yet we looke that hee should spare us: few and triviall are the wrongs done to us, and yet they stirre us to impatience. Three things we do well commit to God; our injuries, our losses, and our griefes: for he is onely able to cure our griefes, to restore our losses, and to redresse our injuries. Vengeance is Gods owne weapon; so appropriated to his hand, that no creature may meddle with it. Mat. 18.32. I forgave thee all the debt, such was the mercy of Gods patience: Thou wouldst not have compassion on thy fellowe: such was the cruelty of mans impatience. Hee had much forgiven him, even tenne thousand talents: yet he would not forgive a little; no not an hundred pence. A talent is esteemed at above a hundred and seventeene pounds: the Romane Penny was under our shilling; so that the summe, according to our account which was owing to him by his neighbour, was not full three pounds: the debt which he ought to his Master, was farre above tenne hundred thousand pounds: yet he had neither so much mercy as to quit scores, and cancell the debt; nor so much patience as to allow a day of payment: But presently, from his Lords armes, he falls upon his fellowes throate.

There is nothing that makes a man so unlike to God, as a hard heart; without pittie, without patience. 1 King. 6.31. In the Tabernacle, the doores of the Sanctum Sanctorum, were of Olive tree; which is the Hieroglyphicke of mercy: But the gates of that fearefull Dungeon, which is Hell, are said to be of brasse and iron: Psal. 107.16. Hee hath broken the gates of brasse, and the barres of iron in sunder: the signes of hard hearts and instruments of destruction. Which serves to shew, that the way to Hell, is by inhumanity; to Heaven, by pitty. Of all the passions in us, compassion is the best: and a man without this tendernesse, is but the Statue of a man; a meere stone in a humane figure. The very stones will seeme to weepe, when foule weather is a comming: and as if they had been once so full of sorrow for Christs sufferings, that their solid breasts could no longer containe it, they brake in pieces. There be men harder than stones, that have hearts more impenetrable, obdurate, and unrelenting; and lesse capable of remorse. Nay, in stead of pittying the wounds of the miserable, they make those miserable wounds.

It was held a shame to an Athenian, (it is worse in a Christian) never to have beene in the Philosophers Academy, nor in the Temple of Mercy. If we cannot through disability, relieve others with our goods; which is the mercy of contribution: yet what can hinder our comfortable words to them, which is the mercy of consolation? or our teares and prayers for them, which is the mercy of intercession? Or our pity and sensible sympathy of their griefs, which is the mercy of compassion? It was an act of Lycinius the tyrant, I know not whether more cruell or foolish; that when Christians were put to their torture, hee forbad all the lookers on to shew the least pity toward them: threatning the same paines to them that did show it, which the Martyrs then suffered. His malice was greater than his power: for hee could not hinder those from suffering with them, that dayly suffer in them.

But alas! Where now is mercy to forgive? nay, where is patience to forbeare? witnesse our dayly homicides, duells, and quarrells, that we have no patience. Witnesse that monstrous number of thriving Lawyers, to justifie sacriledge and oppression, that wee have no mercy. The Lord may suffer us, as long as he please; yeare after yeare, to the end of our lives: one terme, one moneth, one houre, we thinke too much to beare with our brother. Patience is dead, but how wee know not. We have our weekely bills that informe us the particular diseases, whereof men die: but of what disease died Patience? Sure it was some violent death, and wee may justly indict pride and malice for her murderers. Where shee lives, shee will keepe the hands from striking, and the mouth from traducing, and the heart from envying: Shee makes the brow smooth, the eye modest, the foote slow, the speach courteous. But where she is dead, fury lightens in the eyes, frownes dwell in the forehead, scandall in the tongue, blood besmeares the hand, wickednesse infects the whole man. Though shee be dead in the world, yet let us pray the God of patience to revive her in our hearts: that wee may possesse our soules in patience whiles wee live, and returne our soules in peace, when wee die, into the armes of IESVS CHRIST.

Account that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation.] As a man that sees the modelle of a Church, in a perspective piece, thinkes at first that he may soone for•••icall, without leaving any thing unobserved: But when the grasse is given him, made for the purpose, throught which he is to looke upon it, both his eyes and minde are when up with a longer time of speculation, and he finde it worke enough for a paire of houres, to note every part of that curious fabricke: Many a pillar, and many a posture is presented to him, worth his sight, which at the first blush he would have passed over as not remarkeable. So at my first entrance into this short argument, (little in shew, infinite in sense) I promised my selfe [a quicke dispatch], and though it but our dayes journey at the most: but the farther I passed into this magnificent and beauteous structure, the busier my thoughts grew, and the more worke I found: Many a columne of comfort, many a doore of hope, many a window of light is espied, and would not be left undiscovered: that the weake might have instruction, the stronger satisfaction, all consolation; and in all, God might have the glory of his wisedome. Foure conclusions, like so many corollaries, I desire not to leave unmentioned.

1. If God should take us away in the midst of our sinnes, we cannot taxe him of Injustice: but that his long-suffering affords us space of repentance, is the great praise of his mercy. Rev. 2.21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication, but she repented not. That she had space, this was Gods faire allowance: that she repented not, this was be fowle miscarriage. We all know that our daies are few: and we should know that our sins are many. Iob. 10.20. Cease, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little. Cease O Lord, from punishing, that I may take comfort: so prayes man: yea, O man, cease from sinning, for there is no other way to finde comfort, so answers God. The cloth that hath many staines, must passe through many larders. Our godly sorrowes are put in one scale, our ungodly sins in another: the Lord will trie one day, which of them weighs heaviest. Let us try them both first: & if we perceive the balance of our sins to overpoise; Let us put in grones and sighes, and prayers and teares into the other balance, to make it up. It is true that nothing but Christs blood can hold weight with sin, in respect of satisfaction: yet our repentance must strive to do it, in respect of deprecation. Repentance and good works have their severall acts and offices in this businesse. Repentance doth empty the scale of our sinnes: and good workes helpe to fill up the scale of our righteousnesse.

Indeed, of the members from the Head, there can be no separation: and the peace once made in Heaven, can never be broken: yet the more confirmation, the more comfort. In Christ, our salvation is sure: but that it is at all times sure in our particular feeling, what militant Saint dares affirme? Vpon sin will follow doubt, upon doubt terror, vpon terror remorse, upon remorse deprecation, upon that pardon, & after pardon, peace: so after sin admitted, the more time of forbearance, the better means of repentance: the better means, the stronger hope: the stronger hope, the sweeter comfort: the sweeter comfort to man, the nobler mercy of God. Therefore his long suffering well deserves the name of salvation. It is truely said, that time makes every thing aged, yet it selfe was never above a minute old. But if time, which makes us old in yeeres, shall make us also old in grace and good workes: for such a time let us blesse the Lords long-suffering. Why is hee that opens his mouth in blasphemy, ever suffered to open it againe in prayer. Or he that profanes the Lords day, to breathe out that night? Or hee that sleeps drunke, to wake sober? Or he that oppresseth the poore, to live one houre rich? Surely nothing can be said but this: It is the goodnesse of God, and that goodnesse is long-suffering, and that long-suffering is mercy, and that mercy is salvation.

The Lords long-suffering is mis-interpreted, if it bring us not to salvation, and to salvation it cannot bring us without repentance. It is manifest, that he willeth not the death of a sinner; for then he would not afford him such liberty of conversion. All afflictions are his messengers, and hee gives all those messengers their errands, with a gracious qualification, as David to his captaine concerning Absolon: 2 Sam. 18.5. For my sake deale gently with him. Yet we require this favor like the unthankfull earth, which for the Sunnes radiant beames and influence shed upon it; returnes him mystes, and fogs, and filthy vapors, to dishonor him. Gods end in this, in our repentance, is our end is salvation: let not him lost his hope, and we shall not lose ours. So will he take away our iniquity, which otherwise would take us from his mercy, and passe by our transgressions as a stranger, which otherwise would make us strangers to him for ever. Yea, such is his long-suffering, that hee doth not long retaine his anger, though we retaine the cause of his anger; but turnes to us with indulgence, before we turne to him by repentance: and hath compassion upon us, that have none upon our owne soules: and drownes our sins in the bottome of the sea, that would drowne us in the bottome of Hell.

The fruit of Gods long-suffering, is our salvation: the fruit is on the tree, but without the hand of faith we cannot gather it; & without gathring, it is none of ours. The benefit of a good thing is in the use: wisedome is good, but not to us, if it be not exercised: cloth is good, but not to us, except it be worn: the light is comfortable, but not to him that wil live in darknes: Christ himselfe, that [summum bonum], does us no good, except he be applied. So time is good, & repentance is good: yet neither of them good to us, unles we couple them together, & in time fall to repentance. Rom. •.4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodnes, forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that this goodnesse leadeth thee to repentance? The unthankful and dissolute sinner is so far from rightly valuing, and justly requiting this favour, that he despiseth it; and what doth he despise? goodnes; a nature of such beauty and sweetnes, that every man loves it. And in what degree stands this goodnes? It is not common, but extraordinary, not penurious, but bountifull: so far from poverty, that it is the riches of his goodnes. And what is this riches? Even Gods long-suffering and forbearance. So this afordment of time to repent in, is a favor: and not a mans favor, but the Lords: and not a cōmon grace, but one special fruit of his goodnes: and that not in a small measure, but the riches of his goodnesse: and shall any sinner despise all this? But whither tends this goodnesse? It leads us to repentance: therefore to neglect this time of repentance, is to despise his goodnesse.

It is remarkable enough, that long-suffering leads us to repentance: why do not menaces humble us, with Ahab? or why do not judgements breake us, with Pharaoh? why doth not the plague empty our streets of people, or war fill them with blood? why doth not God speake to us in fire, and thunder, and earth-quakes, as he passed by Elias? why in that stil voice of mercy and forbearance? why does he not come to us in the rough way of vengeance? why rather lead us, than draw, or drive us to repentance? There is no cause to be found of it, but in his goodnesse. Ioh. 10.14. His sheep follow him: ducere maluit, quàm trahere Christus. Yet would he not have his patience abused. Say that repentance could be as easily obtaind after sin, as mercy may be obtaind after repentance: yet will any gracious son mock the kindnes of his indulgent father? 2 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners. A sweet & universal truth: but what kind of sinners? the obstinate & impenitent sinners? No, he never came to save them: but but the relenting, repenting, broken hearted sinners: these he wil as surely save, as he came to be a Savior. This is that faithful saying; this is worthy of all acceptation. That he can forgive more than we can offend, is another granted truth: but that he will forgive all that we shall wilfully commit, and persevere in, is a fearefull question. A malefactor is reprieved after judgement, suffered to goe abroad: vpon his amendment and future good behaviour, the king hath a [purpose] to pardon him: hee falls to his former outrages, building on his Princes favour: on a suddaine hee is caught, and fairely executed. Man sinnes, and GOD spares: this prorogation of judgement hee takes for a plenary pardon: hee multiplies his crimes, and buildes upon favour: the workes of iniquitie fill his hands, while the voyce of mercy fills his mouth: and so with mercy in his mouth, hee runnes to Hell. The oppressour encreaseth his wealth by violence and rapine, yet flatters himselfe that at the last pinch, hee can lay all his load on the backe of mercy, and goe lightly and nimbly to Heaven. The swearer makes his Soule Hellfire hote with oathes and blasphemies, yet presumes that one short prayer for mercy shall coole him. The homicide killes, and makes mercy his Sanctuary: as if the crying blood of Abel could bee stilled or silenced with one Miserere mei, or Psalme of mercy. The adulterer makes a lazar of his conscience, with the aspersions of uncleannesse; and yet lookes to cleanse and whiten it againe with one droppe of mercy. The Theefe steales, ane makes mercy his receiver: the Epicure ryots and makes mercy his Cator: the Worldling forrageth, and makes mercy his Purveyor. Profane sinners persist in wickednesse, and upon the least twitch of Conscience, runne to mercy, as to the hornes of the Altar. Mercy hath all the worke, as if Iustice had nothing to doe among the Sonnes of Men. But this is a false glosse upon the Text, a wrong comment and interpretation of the Lords long-suffering; Hee meant it for our salvation, and wee pervert it to our destruction: No marvell if before these men seeke for mercie, they stumble upon vengeance. For they that will sinne that grace might abound, shall passe from the abundance of neglected grace, to the abundance of endlesse woe. But while God suffers, let us repent, and then it is salvation.

3. The goodnesse of God may be abused; and then where the sentence of mercy failes of the effect, the sentence of judgement will take place. The divine patience leads us to repentance, saith Saint Paul: it is salvation, saith Saint Peter: yet some it leades to hardnesse of heart, (as wee finde by experiene) and so to some it is damnation.. But where is the fault? Not in Gods patiene, but in mans perversenesse. What debtor blames his creditor, for giving him day: Ezek. 16.42. especially seeing that with God, acknowledgement stands for payment: and a sorrow that we cannot fatisfie, is a current satisfaction. But there be some places of Scripture, that may seeme to crosse this. Ezek. 16.42. My fury shall depart from thee; I will bee quiet and no more angry: Not to be angry, is the greatest anger, Whom the Lord loveth, he scourgeth: Is it his love, to strike? and to forbeare, is that his love too? Why not? To withhold confusion, is his favour: and yet it is his favour also, not to withhold correction: Esa. 48.9. For my Names sake, I will deferre mine anger, that I cut thee not off. He will take away his destroying anger, for his Names sake: but not his paternall anger, for his childs sake. It is his mercie, that wee are not consumed: and it is his mercie too, that we are chastised. His threatnings are his mercies, and his corrections are his mercies: otherwise, he would neither threaten, nor correct. Certainly he would not warne them that never will repent, if he meant not to pardon those that do repent. And this is one argument to satisfie our conscience, that God intends his long suffering for our Salvation; if he spare us from ruine, but not from the rodde: If he scourge us though we bleed not; or till we bleed, though we faint not; or till we even faint, though we perish not. If the Lord prunes his vine, he meanes not to root it up: if he minister physicke to our soules, he would not have us die in our sinnes: all is for salvation.