Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 14

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 14

p. 13832 PET. 3.14.

Wherefore (beloved) ſeeing that yee looke for ſuch things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without ſpot, and blameleſſe.

THere are two eſpeciall motives to bring us into the way of goodneſſe: the bitterneſſe of this life, which wee feele; and the ſweetneſſe of the future life, which wee expect. For the former, howſoever ſome beſorted Earth-dwellers have deified this World, and call it by no meaner a title than their god, and their maker; yet they ſhall finde it rather a deſtroyer. There bee diverſe kindes of makers, in an abuſive ſenſe: So drunkenneſſe makes Beaſts; that's a kinde of maker: ſo pride makes Divells; that's another maker. The Devill made ſinne; hee is a maker too: Sinne made death; that is a maker too: Death made deſtruction; and hath a ſtroke in making alſo. But all theſe makers bee properly unmakers, marrers; deſtroyers. So wee uſe to ſay, that wealth makes a man: but what does it make him? It may make him proud, it may make him licentious, it may make him a foole, a ſinner, ſewell for the fire of Hell: it can never make him a man, much leſſe a Saint. The way for a man to have the world his friend, is not to bee friends with it. Men are naturally friends to their friends, and enemies to their enemies: But the croſſe humorous, and peviſh world is his enemies friend, and his friends enemy. Inſequeris? fugio: fugis? Inſequor. Scorne it, and it will wooe thee: love it, and it will undoe thee. But is not the world kinde to the covetous or voluptuous man, her darling, the worldling? Yes, as Dalilae was to Sampſon, or Iael to Siſera: ſhe will cut his throat in kindeneſſe, and for pure love ſend his ſoule to Hell. But to the poore man that deſpiſeth it, it is indeed a friend, and a meanes to helpe him unto bleſſednes: in the ſame ſenſe that the law is ſaid to help a man to ſalvation, or righteouſneſſe. For the Law ſhewes him that he hath no righteouſneſſe of his owne; and ſo occaſions him to ſeeke it where it may be found, which is onelyonly in Chriſt. So the world ſhewes him that it hath no happineſſe of its owne; and therefore ſends him to ſeeke it in this new world; there he is ſure to finde it. And that is the other motive. In heaven there is a conſtant and eternall fulneſſe of joy: therefore Surſum corda, thither let us lift up our hearts. Wherefore beloved, ſeeing that, &c.

Generally in the words, we have an inſinuation, and an injunction; a matter granted, and a charge impoſed. In the inſinuation, there is a word of tender affection; Beloved: and a word of charitable perſwaſion: Yee doe looke for theſe things. upon this ground of incouragement is the reſt of this Text and charge built: This is the Propter quod of all that followes. Firſt let mee diſpatch theſe two, before I come to the diſtribution of the reſt.

Beloved.] There is no better cogniſance of Chriſts ſervants than love: there is no love but wiſheth good to the perſon loved: there is no ſuch good to any perſon, as to be ſaved. Thus our Apoſtle expreſſeth his love to us, by perſwading p. 1384us to diligence in the great buſineſſe of our ſalvation. All affections are radicated in love: there is a feare to loſe, and that feare is grounded on love, there is a deſire to enjoy, and that deſire is love: there is a ſorrow for parting, and that ſorrow proceeds from love. Mary wept for their Abstulerunt Dominum; and this was a Dilexit multùm. Chriſt was all love: not a word he ſpake, not an action he did, not a paſſion he ſuffered, but was an argument, a character of his love. When he complained of the heavineſſe of his ſoule, Non hoc fecit ſtupor, ſed amor: nec amiſſus erat animus, ſed ſubmiſſus. Hee opened the windowes of his body, that through them we might ſee the love that was in his heart. He brought love, he bought love, he exerciſed love, hee bequeathed love, hee is love. As the Iewes ſaid of Eſdras, that if knowledge had put out her candle, at his braine ſhee might light it: ſo if all our love were extinguiſhed, yet at the love of Chriſt we might eaſily re-kindle it. Here is the fire, but where is the victima, the ſacrifice, our practiall charity? We ſay, charity beginnes at home, but Chriſts charity began abroad: to ſhew love to us, hee neglected to love himſelfe. But our love will neither beginne at home, nor abroad: neither at his nor our owne fire. Love is the fulfilling of the Law; and the want of it is the tranſgreſſion of the Law. We complaine that the Papiſts rob God of one commandement: but hee that wants louelove, robbes him of all; and ſo commits the worſt ſacriledge.

There is too little of this love in the world: Luſtfull love there is enough, too much, but charitable love is very ſcant. To that queſtion, Loveſt thou me? Wee anſwer readily with Peter, yes, Lord I love thee: But to that other queſtion, If thou loveſt me, what wilt thou doe for mee? wee are dumbe: or if our lippes make a faire promiſe, yet our hands will faile in the performance. Some men indeed at ſome times will be beneficiall; that at moſt times they may be injurious. Their love is like the laughter of Apollo, who was ſaid to ſmile ſemel in anno. Such is moſt mens love to their Paſtor, that they will ſpend tenne times as much in law to maintaine wrong, as they will give him by way of right. It was a byword; Love and a weapon will kill any man: the worlds love is joyned with a weapon; it dwells at the ſwords point: you ſhall ſooner feele it cold at your heart, than warme in your kitchin. Witneſſe theſe bloody dayes, ſo full of deſperate homicides; as if violence would leave nature nothing to doe. The mercenarie ſouldier can hardly be juſtified; for when he puts on his armour, he puts off his charity, and onelyonly fights for money. This is Vti robore contra eum qui dedit. When Moſes ſaw the Egyptian ſmiting the Hebrew, he ſmote the Egyptian; we may ſmite our enemies to helpe our brethren; but when we finde our brethren quarrelling, and ſay to one of them, Why ſmiteſt thou my brother? hee is ready to reply, Who made thee a Iudge? But for us that are tied together by ſo may bonds; of nature; nation, grace, neighbourhood; upon every flight occaſion to bee vexing and wounding one another; here is a love that fills the channells with blood: we may truely ſay, This love lies a bleeding. Miles ornatus, & cives armatus; a curious and ſpruce ſouldier, and a furious and rough Citiſen, are two of the worſt fights.

There is ſtore of love in the world, but it is naught. There is a love to other mens wives, and it is adultery or wantonneſſe: a love to other mens goods, and it is rapacity or covetouſneſſe: a love to other mens bloods, and it is murder and revenge: a love to other mens honours and places, and it is envie and ambition. As the Phariſaicall Iewes had a grammaticall devotion, ſo we have a baſtard dilection. But for that love which is the true borne childe of goodneſſe; charity to mens perſons, to their eſtates, to their lives, to their names, to their ſoules; alas it is an Individuum vagum: it is dead in the cold, and buried in the grave of uncharitableneſſe. So that now to preach charity, or to perſwade men to bee in love with love, is but our oration at the end of a funerall Sermon; which is to goe on a dead mans errand. As water is of divers colours in diverſe places: p. 1389in divers places: in the Sea it is greene, in puddles blacke, againſt rockes foamy, among greene herbes cleare: So love is according to her different objects: when it affects carnall beauty, it is concupiſcence; when riches, it is covetouſneſſe; when honour, it is ambition; when any ſinne, it is malice. It is diſcouloured according to thoſe ſenſuall things, upon which it reflects. But let it bee ſet upon goodneſſe, upon God himſelfe, and ſuch things as are in ordine ad Deum, in relation to him; as the welfare of the Church, of the ſtate, of our ſelves, of our neighbours; it is then cleare and perfect: no chryſtall ſo diaphanous, no flower ſo ſweet and lovely, as charity. Then in the heart it is compaſſion, in the eye pity, in the tongue comfort, in the hand beneficence.

If there be love in the Paſtor, he will feed his people: if there be love in the people, they will not wrong their Paſtor. There is indeed a kinde of love in this City to Preachers; but generally it is ſhowne to thoſe voluntaries, that will content themſelves with the pay of a benevolence, and graze on the commons. But if he once require his owne ſeverall, and challenge a proper maintenance by right; though he were an Angell of God, they would abhorre him. But it is not Quid dabis? what wilt thou give? ButttLuk. 16.5.Luke 16:5 Quid debes, what didſt thou owe? Firſt, pay thy debts and juſt dues; then talke of a benevolence, and worke of ſupererogation. It is farre more fit that the Preacher ſhould receive what God gives him, than ſtand to the peoples courteſie: which as it is not honourable for the Prieſt, ſo nor is it ſafe for the people: for then hee muſt ſquare out his poſitions according to their diſpoſitions; and not dare to ſpeake to the full extent of his conſcience: for feare leaſt by diſpleaſing his Auditory, he ſhould looſe his Salary; and where is he then? Moſt of our Patrons are worſe; for they love a Divine, as the Vſurer loves an unthrift heire; that hee may ſucke his eſtate, and ſqueeſe him, and leave him nothing. The Church at firſt choſe lay men for their Patrons; and now thoſe Patrons have made Churchmen their ſlaves. In the councell of Carthage, ſome eminent men were choſen to defend the Church againſt Pagans; they were ordained to oppoſe the tyranny of others: now they are the worſt tyrants to it themſelves. O where is charity? It is our prayer frequently, From envie, hatred and malice, and from all uncharitableneſſe, good Lord deliver us. Surely there is more included than ſome men ſuddenly thinke on: wee may thus enlarge it in our thoughts: From quarrelling ſwaggerers, from biting uſurers, from litigious neighbours, from ſeditious lawyers, from corrupt juſticers, from ſimonicall Patrons, from politicke Church-robbers, from coſtive engroſſers, from all oppreſſors, and from all their uncharitableneſſe, Good Lord deliver us. Let each one be the others Beloved, Let God be the Beloved of us all, that we all may be the Beloved of God in his onelyonly Beloved Sonne, IESVS CHRIST.

Seeing that yee looke for ſuch things. This is the ſecond branch of the inſinuation; wherein he preſumes of their well diſpoſedneſſe towards it.

1. Expectation is an action of hope, and hope is not without ſome ground.uu1 Pet. 1.3.1 Pet 1:3 Bleſſed be God, who hath begotten us againe to a lively hope, and to an Inheritance incorruptible, reſerved in Heaven for us. Generavit, He begat us once in the firſt Adam, to this life: but this being corrupted, Regeneravit, Hee begat us againe in the ſecond Adam, to the hope of a better. This act of regenerating is doubly determined: to hope firſt, then to the Inheritance: to hope in the ſtate of grace, to inheritance in the ſtate of glory. This is no dead hope, but lively: they that are begotten, are begotten to life; this is ſomewhat. Yea, to an Inheritance, which is more: for all that are begotten, are not begotten to inherite. Poore mens children, younger brothers, are begotten; but where is the Inheritance? Yet in Inheritances there is ſome oddes: one may bee better than another: this is the beſt of all. And if this were in our old world wee would ſuſpect ſome encombrances: but it is in the new, in Heaven, and there kept. Earth could not keepe it: here it were in hazard to bee loſt every moment: It would goe the ſame p. 1386way, Paradiſe went: but there it is ſafe. Theſe, and there bee the things wee ſhould looke for: But doe wee? Our wants, our wanton deſires finde us looking worke enough all our lives long; but our looking failes us in the modo, and ubi. xxCol. 3 2.Col 3:2Seeke the things that are above. So wee doe; but it is ambitious ſupra: wee would bee above one another, in honour, favour, and power. There bee high places, which wee would not have taken away; but offer in them, and offer for them too, rather than goe without them. But ſuch things are too low and baſe: our Expectation ſhould be higher, above the hils; higher yet, above the cloudes; yea, higher yet, beyond our ſight, even above the Heavens: there we are right.

2. Expectation is a fervent deſire of having.aaRom. 8.19.Rom 8:19 The earneſt Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God. Doe wee thus looke for it, that wee long to enjoy it? No, wee are ſo taken up with worldly things, and with looking upon them, that wee have no minde to heavenly things: no looking after them. The poſſeſſion of the vanity wee have, thruſts out the expectation of the felicity wee might have. But who does not deſire the glory of this new World? Some doe not beleeve it, therefore never deſire it: ſome beleeve it, but never minde it: others deſire it, but not yet: they would have a large ſhare of this world before it. Moſt men are content to embrace it, but they will take no paines for it, nor ſeeke the way to it. We have fat deſires, but leane endevours:Sabel. as C. Flaminius played upon Philoxomenes; that hee had Pulchras manus, & pulchra crura; ſed ventrem non habuit: hee had goodly armes, and ſtrong thighes, but he had no belly. Hee meant that Philoxomenes had brave and valiant Souldiers, faire Troupes of Horſe and foot, but no money, to pay them. It may be inverted upon us: for we are all belly, full of appetite and deſire to happineſſe; but wee have neither hands nor feet; we will not move nor labour to attaine this happineſſe. If death doe but offer to preferre us to it, wee will none we thanke him: nay, we refuſe him with deprecations, and fortifie our ſelves againſt him with antidotes and preſervatives. Where is our deſire of Heaven, when wee rather die Neceſsitatis vinculo, quàm voluntatis obſequio? In ſtead of looking for it, wee looke from it: and then onelyonly pretend a faint deſire to it, when we can make no other ſhift, but that we muſt needs venture on it.

3. There is an Expectation of feare.bbHeb. 10.27.Heb 10:27 There remaines a fearefull looking for of Iudgement. So the timorous Traveller lookes for the Theefe: ſo the conſcious Malefactor lookes for the comming of the Iudge; but had rather hee would never come. There is an Expectation of hope: I looked for thy ſaving health. So in the pangs and ſickneſſe of our bodies, wee looke for eaſe: ſo in the agonies and ſorrowes of our ſoules, wee looke for comfort. There is an Expectation of deſire;ccPſalm. 42.2.Ps 42:2 My ſoule thirsteth for God, even for the living God. We give many a looke toward the thing that wee love: the chaſt Spouſe is ſtill looking for her Bridegroome. There is an Expectation of Faith: SoddHeb 1.10.Heb 1:10 Abraham looked for a City which hath a foundation, whoſe Builder and Maker is God. eePhil. 3.20.Phil 3:20Our converſation is in Heaven, Whence we looke for the comming of our Lord Ieſus. A Merchant in a forraine country, that hath wife and children at home, fixeth all his cares, employeth all his endevours, to confirme an eſtate to himſelfe, not where hee is, but in the place whence hee came, and where hee deſires to be. Wee make uſe of ſpectacles, to ſuccour our eyes in reading: yet we take no pleaſure in looking upon the ſpectacles, but upon the object which is preſented through them, and which they helpe us more clearely to behold. All temporall things are but ſpectacles, through which we looke at the joyes of Heaven.

Laſtly, beſides all theſe, the expectation of our eyes, of our deſires of our hearts, there is alſo an expectation of our hands: when our profeſſion and our converſation ſpeake all one language; that we earneſtly endevour to be ſaved. This is the right looking for it; and when either of theſe part, we take the wrong way, and our p. 1387ſoules will miſſe of their deſired end. It is well, quando ea petimus, quae appetimus: prayer is good and neceſſary; and without this conſtant devotion, we ſhall never ſee the glory of theſe new Heavens. But if we doe not joyne Orationem and Operationem, prayer and endeavour together, we ſhall no more get to the new Ieruſalem, than our bodies can from one place to another without motion or tranſportation. There is an hereſie in faith, which beleeves a lye: and there is an hereſie in manners, which cauſeth a lye to be beleeved. The Devill perſwades men, that Chriſts death ſhall ſave them, though they live not ſuch a life as hee hath commanded them. This isff2 Theſſ. 2.11.2 Thess 2:11 a ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould beleeve a lie: and that is a lye which ſenſuall men beleeve. Hypocrites with their faire profeſſion, make a ſhew of going to Heaven, though Hell it ſelfe bee in their hearts: and this is a lye which ignorant men beleeve. Either of theſe lyes, paſſive or active, the one which ſinners receive, the other which they make is enough to ſend them toggIoh. 8.44.John 8:44 the father of lies. But as we look for that we would have, ſo let us ſtrive to have that we looke for: our eyes, hands, hearts, and all muſt be employed about this weighty buſineſſe. Then have we Correctum, when Cor erectum; then pure eyes, when they reſt upon none but pure objects; then cleane hands, when they meddle onelyonly with cleane actions. Then indeed are our ſoules in the way to glory, when they are ſet forwards by the workes of grace. Then may we looke for theſe new Heavens, then doe theſe new Heavens looke for us; and the bleſſed renewer and purchaſer of both bring us all together.

Wherefore ſeeing that, &c.] This is Axis & Cardo: the very point upon which the whole Text turneth. It is as it were a Copula betweene Heaven and Earth; an argument to winne us, a ligament to unite us. Wee looke for a glorious place, wherefore let us be gracious men. Ioy and honour is our expectation, wherefore let holineſſe and innocency take up our converſation. Wee hope to have an inheritance in that world, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe: wherefore righteouſneſſe lookes to have her habitation in us, while wee dwell here. This is the ſumme of all; which I ſhould preſſe in generall, before I come to expreſſe in particular.

Let Righteouſneſſe dwell in us; that is the ſubſtance of this verſe: Oh that it were granted in all our hearts. If you aske, what is righteouſneſſe? you have it here deſcribed to bee undefiledneſſe, unblameableneſſe, and peaceableneſſe. In theſe conſiſt righteouſneſſe, and that righteouſneſſe muſt now dwell in us, if we looke to dwell in thoſe Heavens, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe. Indeede Chriſt is The Lord our righteouſneſſe: let him dwell in us, and then wee ſhall bee ſure of righteouſneſſe. Let us heare the end of all: Through this righteous and holy life, without ſpot and blameleſſe, God will be wonne to dwell with us, which is the perfection of this life: and we ſhall be admitted to dwell with him, which is the laſt and higheſt perfection of the life to come. For with whomſoever Chriſt vouchſafes to dwell here, they ſhall dwell with him there. He ſends downe his grace to us, that he may dwell with us below: he will advance us to his glory, that we may dwell with him above.

I have done with the generall ſcope of the Text; which perſwades us to a pious and ſanctified life here, by the hope and expectation we have of dwelling in the new Heavens hereafter. I come now to the particulars; in the handling whereof, I ſhall deſire pardon for the prolixity: the profit (I hope) will make amends for the length of my diſcourſe. If I have not runne over things with a briefe dexterity; yet (I am confident) with an honeſt ſincerity. Nor would the ampleneſſe of the argument beare with a quicke diſpatch. The Scripture is like a houſe of many roomes, that hath many doores; and thoſe doores have their ſeverall lockes, and thoſe lockes require their owne proper keyes, to let in our underſtandings to the view of thoſe hidden treaſures. So therefore I would, if I were able, diſtribute a Text, as our bleſſed Saviour did the loaves, when hee p. 1388commanded the broken remainder to be gathered up; that not a ſyllable might be loſt. All places of holy writ are not onelyonly to bee examined ſecundum ſonum, according to the literall word; but ſecundum ſenſum, according to the myſticall ſenſe.

Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without ſpot and blameleſſe. This the Apoſtle makes the uſe of his former doctrine, the application of all. Wherein we have foure dependances, like ſo many linkes of one chaine. Firſt, here is an induſtry required; Be diligent. Secondly, the object of that induſtry, which is innocency or holineſſe: without ſpot and blameleſſe. Thirdly, the end of that object, that we may ſo be found of the Iudge in that day. Fourthly, the bleſſedneſſe of that end, to be found of him in peace; that is in his love and favour. Firſt, there is no remedy, but we muſt be found. Secondly, there is no comfort for us, if we be not found in peace. Thirdly, we cannot be found in peace without an unſpotted innocency. Fourthly, and we ſhall never be without ſpot and blameleſſe, unleſſe we be very diligent ſo to keepe our ſelves.

1Be diligent: foreign: this ſome render, Satagite: which they would have to ſignifie more than a ſufficiency of doing;Lib. 6. c. 4. even a vehemency of action. As Quintilian relates of Manlius Sura; who was ſo nimble and expedite in a deſign, that Afer ſaid of him; non agere, ſed ſatagere. They take it for ſome anxiety and diſtraction about the difficulty of an enterpriſe:Gal. lib. 3. cap. 8. Cum non ſolummodo agerentur, ſed & angerentur ſollicitudine. They ſtretch it very farre, and for my part, I would not ſhorten or reſtraine the acception of it, in this place, and in this matter: being a buſineſſe of ſuch conſequence, that our eternall life lies upon it. Bee as carefull as you can; and all little enough: we can never be too diligent in the worke of our ſalvation. Morally we may behhEccl. 7.16.Eccl 7:16 Over-juſt, and preſſe juſtice ſo hard, till it grow ranke rigour. Wee may bee over-zealous, till our anger againſt the errours and infirmities of others, become cruelty to their perſons. We may bee over-patient, till injury growes inſolent, and oppreſſours make uſe of our inſenſibleneſſe. We may bee over-mercifull, and wrong many innocents by favouring one malefactor. But we can never be over-good, nor over-holy, nor over-diligent in our care to bee ſaved. We will never ſay of ſuch men, with that Heathen: Non amo nimium diligentes, Though we ſtrive never ſo hard to enter, we ſhall finde the gate of Heaven ſtraite enough. Runne we never ſo faſt; wee are in danger of being caſt behind, or comming ſhort.

2Be diligent. The other reddition is Studete: the former makes it a worke of the hand, this of the head: there it is labour, here affection: in both an earneſt indevour. Study is a buſie intention of the minde, a ſearching of the ſpirit. Scopebam ſpiritum meum: iiPſal. 77.6.Ps 77:6I communed with mine owne heart, and my ſpirit made diligent ſearch. So that one referreth to action; Satagite: the other to affection, Studete. There be two workes that argue ſpirit and life to be in us; motion and ſenſe. In the Agite, there is motion; in the Studete, ſenſe. There is motus laeſus in them that labour not, and Senſus laeſus in them that minde not. Wee muſt both Satagenda ſtudere, and Studenda ſatagere; minde what we are to doe, and doe what we mind. Both together; one is little worth without the other. There be many that will Satagere, finde themſelves worke enough, though they have no thankes for their labour. So Martha was troubled about many things, but ſhe neglected the neceſſary one. So Peter undertooke enough to ſave his Maſter, though thereby he had loſt himſelfe. Here was Satagere, too much; but without a Studere; no knowledge to guide it right.

There be others that have their Studere, their knowledge in ſome good meaſure; but at the Satagere they are quite out. Sapiunt quae caeli, rapiunt quae terra. They have competent ſcience, but are the worſt doers in a Countrey. Leſſe of their ſtudy,Auguſt. and more of their practiſe would doe better. Pariter intelligunt nobiſcum, pariter non diligunt. They underſtand ſomething of this future bleſſednes, p. 1389but they are coldly affected with it. But Studete and Satagite would be kept together. For as in a naturall body, it fares betweene the head and the ſtomach: a rheumaticke head ſpoiles the ſtomach with diſtillations; and a diſtemper'd crude ſtomach fills the head with raw vapours: in vicem laedunt. So an erring minde miſguides the endeavour, and a wrong endeavour puts the minde out of frame. If there want a Studeie, a minde to Heaven; our Satagere or endevour will tend to the worſe: If there want a Satagere, the endeavour of a good life to come thither, our Studere or contemplation of it is to no purpoſe. The Studere of the head, without the Agere of the hand, will not ſtirre a foote: The Agere of the hand without the Studere of the head and heart, will move, but out of the way: better ſit ſtill. Put them both together in their joynt offices, and then give them as much diligence as may be.

But herein alas, our diligence flagges. A runnagate ſonne, leaving his father, and living in forraine Countreyes, was brought to want: and finding little charity among ſtrangers, he was driven to work for ſuſtenance. Induſtry brought in gaines, and the ſweetneſſe of gaines whetted on induſtry: ſoone hee grew rich, became a Merchant, and dealt in trafficke with diverſe Nations: and, among the reſt, with ſome of that Nation wherein his father lived. Hearing newes how potent and opulent his father was growne; of his wealth and authority in the city, he reſolves to ſteere his courſe thitherward. Foure buſineſſes hee puts in his head: One was to congratulate with his friends and allies, another to be merry with his old companions, the third, to gather up his debts, the laſt and principall, to be reconciled to his father. Being arrived there, hee followes his three former employments cloſe; he failes in none of them: but theſe did ſo wholly take up his time, that he quite forgot the maine, the reconciliation to his father. The Marriners on a ſudden call a-bord, the Tyde tarries no man; preſently he muſt take ſhippe, and ſo leaves that buſineſſe utterly undone. Wee are all ſtrangers upon Earth, our Father is the Almighty King of Heaven: wee are charged but with foure buſineſſes here. Firſt, Honeſtly to provide for our ſelves and our families. Secondly, To performe all juſt duties to our neighbours. Thirdly, to ſolace our hearts with the ſober and thankefull uſe of Gods Creatures. Fourthly, chiefely of all, to ſerve our Maker in all holy obedience, to acknowledge our ſinnes with humble penitence, to get his pardon through the merits of his Sonne Ieſus, and to make ſure our inheritance in theſe new Heavens. We are diligent in the reſt; we heape up riches, we ſate our ſelves with pleaſures, we are indulgent to our bodies: But for the matter of moſt moment, the pleaſing of our God, and the ſalvation of our ſoules, we are as negligent, as if they were things not concerning us. Death calls us a-bord, carries us away in his deepe bottome; and the maine buſineſſe wee came for, is left uneffected. when wee truely examine our life, the whole courſe of it to this day, doe we not finde this true? Wee cannot but confeſſe it, let us alſo amend it: and what ever become of our riches, of our pleaſures, of our bodies, let us be diligent to ſave our ſoules.

Be diligent: to make up the compoſition of diligence there muſt goe three ingredients; vigilancie, laboriouſneſſe, and ſpeed: where either of theſe is wanting, there is no true diligence.

1 There is no right ſtudy without ſome watchfulneſſe: be diligent, muſt needs include, be vigilant.kkEpheſ. 5.14.Eph 5:14 Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and Chriſt ſhall give thee light. They that be called into Chriſt, and yet live in ſinne, are ſleepers.ll1 Theſſ. 5.7.1 Thess 5:7 They that ſleepe, ſleepe in the night. But our day is broken, why then doe wee ſleepe? When the Sunne is once up, all good husbands thinke of riſing. The ſlumber of the body and ſoule are not much unlike. Firſt, when the body is a-ſleepe, the ſenſes have done working: the eyes are cloſed, and ſuſpend the act of ſeeing. In this ſpirituall ſlumber, ſinners doe not heare Gods Word, nor ſee his Sacraments, nor feele his grace and comforts. We do not ſay they cannot; but we are ſure they do not. p. 1390Secondly, in ſleepe there is an interruption of the working of the animall faculties: So there is a ſuſpenſion of graces powerfull operation in the ſoule, during this ſpirituall ſlumber. Charity is cold, Faith benummed, Zeale obſtupefied; neither Patience, nor Temperance awake. Thirdly, the aſcending of vapours from the ſtomach, cauſeth ſleep: ſo worldly thoughts in a covetous heart, hinder the influences of Gods Spirit. Spirituall ſleep is more dangerous than corporall: this only hinders ſome actions of mortall life: that robs us of our prayers, meditations, repentance, and things that conduce to our ſalvation, it borders upon death: when the Divine ſhould preach, he ſleeps: when the Magiſtrate ſhould do juſtice, he ſleepes: when the rich man ſhould ſhew mercy, and heare the complaints of the poore, widowes and Orphanes, he is faſt a-ſleepe. Call you this diligence? Indeed it is ſo in one acception, even a diligent courſe to perdition.

2. The endeavour to be ſaved, is no eaſie taske: it will require ſome labor. It is not wickednes gloſſed over with a faire pretence or profeſſion, as Popery is, but Atheiſme dipt in the colours of religion. It is not like the trade of uſury, to ſit ſtill and receive mony. Nor a walking in ſome pleaſant Gallery; where that Epicure ſpent his time, as if he had beene hired to doe errands from picture to picture. It is not a tumbling upon Roſes and Violets, Like the old Sibarites, or our new Libertines; that know no felicity but delicacy, nor other Heaven than ſenſualitie. No, but Heaven is the reward of labour: no labor, no reward.mmAct. 24.16.Acts 24:16 I exerciſe my ſelfe alwaies to have a good conſcience, ſaith Paul. Idleneſſe is allowed to no man, no not to the great man. Quo major ſum, magis laboro. And as bodies inclined to be fat, had need of moſt exerciſe: ſo men that have the world comming too faſt upon them, and are in great danger to be rich, ſhould be moſt buſie in the workes of charity.nnPſal. 62.10.Ps 62:10 If riches encreaſe, ſet not thy heart upon them. If they encreaſe: there is not ſo much danger till then. S. Paul knew thatooRom. 8.38.Rom 8:38 Nothing could ſeparate him from the love of God in Chriſt: yet who waspp1 Cor. 15.10.1 Cor 15:10 in labors more abundant? Nullus labor durus, quo gloria aeternitatis acquiritur. Refuſe no worke for ſuch a reward; we goe to Heaven as Paul went to Rome; when they were glad to row for their lives, to throw their goods over-bord with their owne hands; and yet when we are got a-ſhore, thinke it a ſaving voiage.

The Wicked take paines to doe miſchiefe: as an able Beggar creepes on his hands and knees in the mire, to get money. Aske the Covetous, whether it bee notqqPſal. 127.2.Ps 127:2 in vaine, that he riſeth ſo early, and ſo late takes rest. Aske the proud Popinjay, that, like to the fantaſticall Builder, Diruit, aedificat, mutat quadrata rotundis; is ſtill dreſſing and undreſſing, changing tires, yea, changing colours, turning pale into red; and ſhee never out of exerciſe. As it was ſaid of Cain, rrGen. 4.17.Gen 4:17Erat aedificans, hee did never finiſh: ſo of her, Est adornans, ſhe hath never done. Aske the Ambitious, whether withſſPſal. 131.1.Ps 131:1 lofty eyes, and an haughty heart, hee does not exerciſe himſelfe in matters too high for him. Aske the pragmaticall Cenſurers of other mens labours; and there is ſome labour in that too. Howſoever it was the Philoſophers anſwere to that queſtion; What is the eaſieſt thing in the world? To finde fault: yet the wits of this age make it their excerciſe. There is no vanity without wearineſſe: and that which the fleſh accounteth her greateſt pleaſure, is accompanied with labour. Let us runne ſo much the faſter, as we runne for a better prize. It is a ſhame that voluptuous men ſhould contend harder for this old earth, than we for that new Heaven. Reward is the encouragement of labour: now the greater reward challengeth the greater labour: Wee muſt all confeſſe, that our reward is better:ttGal. 6.8.Gal 6:8 For hee that ſoweth to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reape corruption: but hee that ſoweth to the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reape life everlasting. The ends are divers, the waies are divers, the paines is much at one.

Heat is the ſtate of grace, Coldneſſe the ſtate of ſinne,uuRev. 3.15.Rev 3:15 Lukewarmneſſe medium obtinet: It neither ebbes nor flowes, but is juſt ſtanding water.xxGreg. cura Pastor. par. 3. Cap. 35. Sicut à frigore per teporem tranſitur ad calorem: ita à calore quoque per teporem reditur ad frigus. The ſweet and pure waters are ever in motion: but aquae ſtagnantes breed p. 1391nothing but venemous and noxious things. Houſes that are not inhabited, ſoone abound with Vermine. Grounds untilled, will be overrunne with weeds. Birds are taken while they ſit, not ſo eaſily flying: and dum morantur in nidis, they moult and loſe their feathers: idleneſſe doth neither get nor ſave. What is profuſeneſſe and the waſting our eſtates, but the effect of negligence? Earth uſeth to comſume other men, but the prodigall heir conſumes earth. He runnes out of his wits firſt, then out of his patrimony: applauding himſelfe in his witty riot, that though he ſhoud ſell it for ſix pence, yet he ſhould be no loſer by it, for it never coſt him a groat. But that a man ſhould looſely ſquander away his eternall patrimony, and bee ſo prodigall of the purchaſe of Ieſus Christ, which coſt Him no cheaper than his owne heart-blood: Ad quid perditio haec? It hath been ſaid, that of all craftſ-men, Muſitians were the happieſt; becauſe they did earne monie with making themſelves merry: But to buy everlaſting woe and paines, with the expence of a ſhort merriment, is no leſſe than extreme madneſſe. There is a great deale of diligence in the world, a world of diligence; but it is all for the world. If men by chance thinke on Heaven, they thinke withall, that a very little diligence will bring them thither. But it will grieve them when it is too late, to finde how they have deceived their owne ſoules. The Labourers, not Loiterers, have the reward. Theaa2 Tim. 4 8.2 Tim 4:8 Crowne is laid up, not for Cowards, but for Conquerers. There is Corona miſeriae, which is worne below: but Corona gloriae is laid up, and you know for whom: even for thoſe who have fought a good fight. Bee diligent then, and in this point that you may bee ſaved: yea, in this point of an holy life be diligent, and you ſhall be ſaved.

3. Be diligent.] As this implies more than a ſimple act of diligence; even an habit, which is a continued act: ſo it bindes us to the preſent. It is a charge that does not onelyonly binde ſemper, but ad ſemper. It allowes no dilation; not Bee diligent hereafter: no ceſſation, not Be diligent untill ſuch a day, and then give over: no interruption, not Be diligent ſometimes, at other times take your liberty. But it impoſeth a conſtant courſe, a perpetuall practiſe of diligence upon us. Lingring is dangerous; eſpecially where the dayes be ſhort, and the wayes not very faire.bbPſalm. 90.12.Ps 90:12 Teach us to number our dayes: Our life is called Dayes; for the Brevity, Clarity, Miſery of them. Firſt, for Brevity; the longeſt day will have a night: and Qui numerat dotes, numerat dies. Every day that does not abate our reckoning, encreaſeth it. Secondly, for Clarity; all workes are ſeene in the day: we may ſinne in tenebris, by doing opera tenebrarum: ccPſal. 139.12.Ps 139:12but the darkneſſe and the light are all one to God. A man that is in darkneſſe, better ſees another that is in the light; than he that is in the light, can diſcerne him that is darkneſſe. But on the contrary; God is in light, yet Hee plainely ſees us in darkneſſe: but wee that are in darkeneſſe, cannot perceive Him being in light. Thirdly, for Trouble; the day is full of buſineſſe: our worke, we complaine, is never at an end. There is no reſt till night comes; then we fall aſleepe. Therefore let me pray; Sit ſomnus meus, ut laboris, ſic peccati ceſſatio: nè quid per ſomnia cogitem, quod te offendat, vel me polluat. Death makes a ſtop of all; whether ſinne or trouble: it ſilenceth all tongues; both that which hath diſcourſed of the Sunne and ſtarres; and that which hath converſed with Fiends and Devils. Sleepe is the image of death: Let mee thinke therefore, Longum ſomnum, ſomuum mortis; Lectum ſepulchri, ſtramentum vermium, operimentum pulveris. Let usddIoh. 9.4.John 9:4 doe the worke of Him that ſent us while it is day; for in the night no man can worke.

In the driving of a naile, wee begin eaſily; but proceed to the redoubling of our blowes: and the oftner we ſtrike, the more is the naile faſtened, and the harder to bee drawne forth. In the ſame manner doth ſinne fortifie it ſelfe in the ſoule: ſo that in our old age, when we grow weaker, the old man in us waxeth ſtronger: and the ſinne wee are not able to doe, wee take pleaſure to thinke. What madneſſe is it to deferre our amendment to ſuch an unable eſtate; which p. 1392is ſo farre unfit to ſuſtaine thoſe auſtere excerciſes, that both the converſion of a ſinner, and convention of a chriſtian require, that it is ſcarſe able to ſuſtaine it ſelfe? what caryer will lay the heavieſt burden upon the weakeſt beaſt? will God accepteeMal. 1.8.Mal 1:8 of the blind, lame, or ſicke for Sacrifice? If He require the beſt of our ſubſtance, much more the entire ſubſtance of our ſelves. Heaven and Hell are diametrally oppoſite; and the wayes unto them are full contrary: if wee travell altogether the way to Hell, is it poſſible that in the end of our journey, wee ſhould arrive at Heaven? I know it is impiety, to abridge either Gods mercy, or his power: but when ever did hee promiſe a happy death to a ſinnefull life? Say that men ſhould repent in their laſt houre, doth it not rather procecde from feare, than from love? Or if it bee from love, is it not rather the love of themſelves, than of God? And what thankes ſhall they have, to forſake their ſinnes, when they have no longer time to enjoy them? Such an advantage the Devill gathers by their delay; that if hee can poſſeſſe them all their life, hee will hardly looſe them at the houre of their death. I know that God never faileth in his Promiſe of receiving a ſinner, whenſoever hee turneth to him: but whether this turning to God, when Men are turning out of the World, bee a true converſion or not; here is the doubt.ffHoſ. 7.14.16.Hos 7:14Hos 7:16 They returned not to the moſt high; they cried not unto him with their hearts, though they lay howling upon their beds.

To die well is a long arte, but wee have no long time to learne it. Die (wee know) wee muſt all: all by the bond of neceſſity, the righteous by a willing ſurrender of their ſoules. Nor is death an eaſie paſſion; the very diſſolution of the holy, is not without paines. Si ſit horribilis mors innocentis, quanto horribilior nocentis. When impediments ſhall bee multiplied, helpes diminiſhed, the diſtraction great, the inclination ſmall, the leiſure none: in this hurly-burly of buſineſſes, pangs, aſſaults, vexations; where ſhall wee get roome for a preparation to die well? Shall a man in one dayes ſickeneſſe, learne more cunning than hee could in many yeeres health? Dare wee adventure to croſſe thoſe Seas, without any feare, wherein ſo many Paſſengers have miſcarried? whereof ſo many skilfull Pilottes make a doubtful and fearefull report? Chriſt dyed, that ſinne ſhould dye, and wee might live: and ſhall wee ſuffer that ſinne to live, which will make us dye? looke to thy Clocke-houſe, the Time paſt, and bee ſorry for the miſpence of it: to thy Storehouſe, and diſpoſe of thy temporall traſh: to thy Cloſſet-houſe, thy inward Conſcience, and clenſe that by repentance. Reſipiſcere is but Reſapere, a point of after-witte. To this Reaſon, Equity, Law, doe binde thee: to this Heaven, Earth, and Hell, Life, and Death, Iuſtice and Mercy, doe partly invite, partly enforce, altogether call thee. Wilt thou ſtill deſperately perſiſt in ſinne? The Devils ſinned, having no example of Iuſtice to reſtraine them: thou haſt ſeene many examples of Gods juſt vengeance upon ſinne; is not thy wickedneſſe, in that reſpect worſe than the Devils? For feare of humane lawes, thou doſt moderate thy delights: and wilt thou not forbeare one ſinnefull pleaſure for the love of God? A table of delicate meates is preſented unto thee: but a friend tells thee in private; Take heed how you eate, for ſome of the diſhes are poyſoned: here thy diſcretion can bridle thine appetite, and thou wilt rather bee content with homelyer fare, ſo it bee wholeſomer. The whole World is a Table ſpred full of pleaſing daynties: the Prophets and Apoſtles tell us playnely, there is danger in taſting: wee will not beleeve them, but eate and periſh.

Why ſhould wee preſumptuouſly ſinne againſt that Majeſty, which is onelyonly able to pardon our ſinnes? If wee bee perſwaded of his mercy, we are ingratefull to offend him: If we doubt of his mercy, we are unwiſe to provoke him. If by his mercy we ever come to repentance, the longer we have beene without it, p. 1393the greater ſorrow wee ſhall finde in it: for our ſorrowes, in ſome decree, muſt bee anſwerable to our ſinnes. Therefore, Explora, Deplora, Implora. Explora; try and examine thine heart: ſearch out the ſecret ſinnes that there lye ſculking. Deplora; weepe, mourne, lament for them. Implora, pray for mercy to pardon them, for grace to amend them. Let there be an eccho reſounding in the thickets of our hearts:ggPſal. 27.8.Ps 27:8 Seeke ye may face: thy face O Lord, will I ſeeke. And as the eccho never anſwers the voice ſo well, as where be ruines and ragged buildings: ſo doth ſorrow beſt eccho unto ſinne, where the heart is ruined and broken with afflictions. The waters ſtand in the valleyes, and fill the furrowes: the teares of repentance are found in the humble ſoule: you ſhall bee ſure of them in the fractures and breaches of a contrite heart. We weepe, are thoſe teares for our owne ſins, or for the ſinnes of others? Take either of them, they have a large field to water. The two mid-wives that ſtifle the brattes of ſinne in us, are repentance and circumſpection; and theſe are onelyonly availeable in their ſeaſon. There is aboundance of ſorrow in Hell, but not one dramme of comfort. You remember the ſtory of him, that being often reproved for his ungodly and vicious life, and exhorted to repentance, would ſtill anſwer, that it was but ſaying three words at his death, and he was ſure to be ſaved. Perhaps the three words he meant, were Miſerere mei Deus, Lord have mercy on me. But one day riding over a bridge,In vita Thom. Mori. cap. 32. his horſe ſtumbled, and both were falling into the river: and in the article of that precipitation, he onelyonly cried, Capiat omnia Diabolus; Horſe and Man, and all to the Divell: Three words hee had, but not ſuch as he ſhould have had. Hee had beene ſo familiar with the Devill all his life, that hee thinkes on none elſe at his death.

Worldly men let ſlippe no advantage of gaine, no occaſion of getting riches: but Lord, how many opportunities of getting grace, and pardon for our ſinnes, and of doing good workes, paſſe by us without acceptance, without regard! Alexander having ſet his army in battell array, and finding a Souldier then mending his armes, caſhiered him; ſaying that that was the time of dealing blowes, not of preparing weapons. We uſe to bridle our horſe before we ride, not in the middeſt of our race: If wee doe not reine in our paſſions before our dying time, they will ſcorne to be checked then. Wee have our ſeaſon, and that ſeaſon is in time, as the joynt in a member: if you hit on the joynt, you may eaſily divide: if on this ſide, or beyond, you ſhall not doe it, or not doe it ſo well. Delay, and diligence are incompatible things: the time is all; the maine matter; and more adoe ever about that, than the thing it ſelfe: of that let us take ſpeciall care. It was not without great cauſe that our Saviour complained of that point;hhLuk. 19.42.Luke 19:42 If thou knowne in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace! And ſo was faine to breake off, the teares comming ſo faſt, that hee was not able to ſpeake out, but to weepe out the reſt of the ſentence. Thoſe teares ſhew what time is: they ſhew that opportunity is a grace, even to have it: that it is a ſecond grace to know it, but a third grace, and better than both the reſt, to make good uſe of it.

Without ſpot and blameleſſe.] Some would have theſe duo nomina ſynonyma: and indeede they are ſo in effect; unum ſignantia; they both tend to holineſſe of life: that is the maine obiect of this diligence. But can there bee ſuch a perfection in this life? Some may bee without blame; but is there any without blemiſh? The World doth blame ſome that are without ſpotte: and God findes ſpottes in many that appeare without blame. There bee foure ſorts of Men; as Saint Bernard makes foure habitudes or ſtates of Conſcience. Firſt Tr… quilla, non bona: the way of Nabal, whoſe heart was dead within him. Secondly, Bona non tranquilla: the way of David, who ſtill was bleſt in GODS Love, yet ſtill complained of his anger, Thirdly, Nec bona, nec tranquilla: the way of Caine; without giving one looke toward Heaven. p. 1394Fourthly, Tam bona, quàm tranquilla: the way of Angels filled with joy above their fellowes. So of men. Firſt, ſome ſcape without publike blame, that are not without inward ſpottes: ſuch are hypocrites. Secondly, ſome are not ſpottes of ſcandall, yet undergoe much blame: as they picked quarrels with Daniel about his God, and charge Paul with ſedition, who had no fault but his devotion: theſe are maligned innocents. Thirdly, ſome are both polluted with many ſpottes, and convinced of juſt blame: and ſuch are diſſolute and incorrigible ſinners. Fourthly, others are pure from ſpottes, and free from blame; and theſe be happy Saints. This undefiledneſſe is proper to Chriſtians; and not as they are in themſelves, but as they are in Chriſt: It is not a legall perfection, but an evangelicall righteouſneſſe: Holy, unſpotted, and blameleſſe they are; vel comparativè, in regard of the profane: vel reputativè, in regard of the worlds juſt challenge: vel potius imputatione, in reſpect of Chriſts righteouſneſſe made theirs: which doth both cover their ſins from the eyes of God, and juſtifie their perſons in the preſence of God.

Without ſpotte.] That we may be found thus immaculate, two things are required of our diligence: Firſt, that we get off the ſpottes we have, and then keepe our ſelves from contracting new.

Firſt, we are ſpotted by nature, we came not into the world without uncleanneſſe: but for this God hath ordained a Laver, a Sacramentall Font to waſh us in, the blood of Chriſt. And this remedy muſt bee applied with all diligence: for ſo Gods mercy provided for us, that preſently after wee are borne according to nature, we ſhould be new borne by his grace: and that the blood of the ſecond Adam, might cleanſe us from the ſinne of the firſt. Thus cleanſed wee are: but alas, wee not ſooner come to able yeeres, than wee gather new ſtaines.iiPſal. 119.9.Ps 119:9 Wherewithall ſhall a young man clenſe his way? The yongeſt man needs clenſing. But can he doe it himſelfe? So it ſeemes by the Prophet;kkIer. 4.14.Jer 4:14 Clenſe thy heart O Ieruſalem: and by the Apoſtle too;ll1 Iohn 3.3.1 John 3:3 Every man that hath this hope, purifieth himſelfe. mmEzek. 36.25.Ezek 36:25Ezekiel indeed ſeemes to ſpeake otherwiſe: I will ſprinkle cleane water upon you, ſaith the Lord, and ye ſhall he cleane. nnIoel. 2.12.Joel 2:12Ioel ſaith, Turne yee to the Lo…d: but Ieremie ſayes,ooIer. 31.18.Jer 31:18 Lord doe thou turne me, and I ſhall be turned. Doth not that of Ioel croſſe that of Ieremy? Is there Prophet againſt Prophet? No, clenſe your hands yee ſinners, and Lord,ppPſal. 51.7.Ps 51:7 Doe thou clenſe us, and we ſhall be cleane; may both well ſtand together. Indeed God onelyonly and freely does it: When the filthy ſinner is condemned,August. Inculpabilis Dei Iustitia: when another is purified and clenſed, Ineffabilis Dei gratia. As it is in generation, ſo in regeneration. Generare is not to make him that was an imperfect man before, to become perfect; ſed efficere ut ſit homo. So Regenerare is not to helpe one that deſires to bee good, ſed efficere ut ſit Iuſtus. All is from above nature: That grace which to man in ſtatu primo was naturall, in ſtatu lapſo is ſupernaturall to him.qqEzek. 36.26.Ezek 36:26 I will take away your ſtony heart, and give you a heart of fleſh. Non dicit ſe tranſtaturum, ſed ablaturum. There is no more plyableneſſe in a mans nature to bee pure and holy, than there is aptitude in a ſtone to bee ſoft.rrIer. 13.29.Jer 13:29 Can the Aethiopian change his skinne? or the Leopard his ſpottes? ſſIob. 14.3.Job 14:3Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? No man; onelyonlyttEſa. 4.4.Isa 4:4 The Lord waſheth away the filth of Sion, and purgeth out the blood of Ieruſalem.

Chriſt was long knocking at the Churches doore, but ſhee could not open: at laſtuuCant. 5.5.Song 5:5 Hee put in his hand, and removes the barre; loe then ſhee could riſe and open to Him. Accedat gratia, & fiunt omnia. xx1 cor. 15.10.By the grace of God I am what I am. In the firſt act of Regeneration, the will is ſo clenſed, that it wils it owne clenſing. For it is not like to a peece of Waxe, meerly paſſive; which without any act of it owne, onelyonly receives and ſuffers an Impreſſion: But rather like to Fire, which as ſoone as it is Fire, burneth; and ſo ſoone as it burneth, is Fire. So the will of man, in the ſame inſtant that it is converted, moveth it ſelfe converſion. I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which it with me. p. 1395Betwixt Not I, and With mee, comes in the Grace of God, in the middeſt: That grace which is Not I, but With mee. Hee might well ſay, With mee, that had firſt ſaid Not I. In the Commandement it is manifeſt, Quid facere debemus: in the puniſhment, quòd non fecimus: in our not doing it, Quid meremur: in faith and prayer, unde gratia habenda: in our converſation and cleanſing, a quo recepta: in our perſeverance, per quem retenta. Still neither young man, nor old man, nor any man can clenſe away his owne ſpots: onelyonlyaaIoh. 1.7.John 1:7 the bloud of Christ clenſeth us from all our ſinnes. But in every ſinne, beſides the guiltineſſe, there is filthineſſe: and Cùm remittitur reatus, remanet labes. Theſe wee daily contract, and there is no houre added to our lives, wherein ſome uncleanneſſe is not added to our ſoules. Theſe ſtaines God leaves to our owne clenſing: here is worke for repentance. And thus muſt thoſe Scriptures and Fathers be underſtood, that ſay, Repentance doth peccata diluere: they meane not ſecundum reatum, but ſecundum labem. The bloud of Chriſt gives us all the right tincture: that dies us into the colour of righteouſneſſe: and this colour is in graine: it will never weare out. If we be throughly dipped in his bloud, that tincture ſhall laſt with us; both to juſtifie us on earth, and to glorifie us in Heaven. But the garment thus heavenly coloured, may get ſome ſtaines; and thoſe muſt be daily waſhed off with our penitent teares. For this clenſing of our ſpottes, three acts are required: firſt, cernere, to perceive them: then, ſpernere, to hate them: and laſtly, prosternere, to caſt them off.

1. Our firſt care muſt be to diſcerne them: for wee may have ſpots, and not be aware of them. A man may have a moale upon his backe, and yet becauſe hee never ſaw it, thinke his skinne cleare. Polygamie was a ſinne, and therefore a blemiſh: yet becauſe it could plead age and example, it was admitted by thoſe elder Saints: and even good Elkanah was tainted with that ſinne of Lamech. As faſhions of attire, at their firſt comming forth, are diſliked for uncomely: but when through cuſtome they are growne common, they bee taken up of the graveſt: Licita quae ſolita. The continuance of an unknowne ſinne, currant with the time, doth not hinder the uprightneſſe of a mans heart with God: the leaſt touch of knowledge or wilfulneſſe marres his ſincerity.bbPſalm. 19.12.Ps 19:12 Who can understand all his errors? Clenſe thou me from ſecret ſinnes. We have many ſpots which God does not heare from us, becauſe wee ſee them not in our ſelves. Who will acknowledge that error, whereof he does not know himſelfe guilty? The ſight of ſins is a great hapineſſe; for it cauſeth an ingenuous confeſſion. Then Peccavi, wee cry; and that our ſinnes are lata, What place have wee been in, and not left behinde us ſome witneſſe or monument of our wickedneſſe? Longa, even from our mothers breſts; yea, from her wombe: Wee were conceived in ſinne: ccPſalm. 51.5.Ps 51:5and wee have done wickedly even unto this day. ddIer. 30.15.Jer 30:15Multa, more innumerable than the haires of our head. Magna, great in quantity;eePſalm. 25.11.Ps 25:11 Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great-Alta, ad coelum clamore pertingentia. ffEzr. 9.6.Ezra 9:6Our treſpaſſe is growne up unto the Heavens. Profunda; ggHoſ. 9.9.Hos 9:9Wee have deepely corrupted our ſelves. Gravia; they are ahhPſalm. 38.4.Ps 38:4 burden too heavie for us to beare. Craſſa, we have haled them on withiiEſay 5.18.Isa 5:18 cordes and cartropes: as if they could not come faſt enough without a violent attraction.kkEpheſ. 4.19.Eph 4:19 They have given themſelves over to laſciviouſneſſe, to worke all unclenneſſe with greedineſſe. Qualitate peſsima; both becauſe they are committed durâ frontê, llIer. 3.3.Jer 3:3with a whores forehead, that refuſeth to bee aſhamed: and done gratis propter vana; mmRom. 6.21.Rom 6:21What fruit had yee then of thoſe things, whereof yee are now aſhamed? No fruit doth appeare, but rather we have ſerved the Devill for nothing.

This liberall confeſſion is a degree to our purgation. In the courts of men, confeſſe and be puniſhed: before the Throne of Grace, confeſſe, and be acquitted. Being charged with a ſame of uncleanneſſe here, wee anſwer, not guilty: and that is a kinde of purging: There wee charge our ſelves; guilty O Lord, I am uncleane, and that is the way to bee purged. and pronounced cleane. This p. 1396benefite comes by the ſight of our ſinnes: for firſt there muſt be knowledge, before there will be an acknowledgement. Gods Law is the glaſſe that ſhewes us all our ſpottes: let us hold it right to our intellectuall eye. Not behinde us, as the wicked doe; theynnPſalm. 50.17.Ps 50:17 Caſt Gods Words behinde them. This is to ſtand in our owne light: Can a man ſee the ſpottes on his face, by ſetting the glaſſe behinde his backe? He that rejects this Glaſſe, the ſacred Word, cannot but have a leptous ſoule. Not beſides us: there was a rich Worldling that called to Chriſt for this Glaſſe; and when it was ſhewed him, he thought himſelfe well favoured, a very honeſt man:ooMatth, 19.18. All this have I kept from my youth up. Surely he held the Glaſſe to the wrong ſide: that part of him which was ſpotted with filthy worldlineſſe, he could not ſee. So Paul while he was a Phariſee, thought himſelfeppPhil. 3.6.Phil 3:6 concerning the righteouſneſſe of the Law, blameleſſe: but then the Glaſſe was on the wrong ſide of him. Afterward,qqRom. 7.7.Rom 7:7 I had not knowne ſin but by the Law: there he held it right. Neither let us turne the backſide of the Glaſſe toward us; which is the tricke of Hypocrites.rrLuke 18.12.Luke 18:12 I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Vnjust, Adulterers, or even as this Publican. Cunning Diſſembler! Hee kept the backe of the Glaſſe to him; ſo that hee could ſee no reflection of himſelfe at all. If hee had held it right, hee ſhould have diſcerned a deformed and polluted Creature. As one of the Perſecutors in Queene Maries daies, purſuing a poore Proteſtant, and ſearching the houſe for him, charged an old woman to ſhew him the Heriticke: ſhe points to a great cheſt of linnen, on the top whereof lay a faire looking glaſſe: hee opens the cheſt, and askes where the Heriticke was: ſhe ſuddenly replyed; Doe you not ſee one? Meaning that hee was the Heriticke, and that hee might eaſily ſee himſelfe in the Glaſſe. So rightly if hee had looked, that Phariſee might have ſeene the reſemblance of an Hypocrite. Nor (laſtly) let us looke upon our ſelves in this Glaſſe, when we are muffled, masked, or caſed: for under thoſe vailes we cannot diſcerne our owne complexions. But let us ſet the cleare Glaſſe before our face, and our open face to the Glaſſe: The fight of our filthineſſe is the firſt ſtep toward cleanneſſe.

2. Next, we muſt learne to deteſt our ſpots: The Leopard is full of ſpots, but he does not diſlike them, becauſe they are rather an ornament to him: but ſhall men thinke ſo of their ſinnes? There bee ſome that doe: evenſſPhil. 3.19.Phil 3:19 glory in their ſhame: but marke their end; It is no better than deſtruction. ttIer. 8.12.Jer 8:12Were they aſhamed when they had committed abomination? Did they bluſh at their blemiſhes? When the proud Dame hath a ſcarre or blemiſh upon her skinne, if with artificiall colours and medicines ſhee cannot remove it, yet ſhee will carefully hide it: By her good will ſhe would rather have a foule foule, than a foule face. She hath a glaſſe that tels her all her defects: and ſhe ſtudies by it the art of pride, even to the placing of a pinne, and ordering of an haire; all which diligence is not worth a pinne or haire. Doe ſinners hate their ſpots? Doe they not rather take a pride in them, and count them an honour? Did you never heare men ſweare in a bravery? Can there bee fouler ſpots upon the conſcience, than vaine and outragious oathes? And, yet is not this eſteemed a grace among our Gallants? What ſay you to a long extravagant locke at the eare; a buſh for the ſigne of a fantaſticall head? Would any men weare this but for pride? And is not pride the beſpottedneſſe of the ſoule? Is the nature of it ſo changed ſince it came to hell, or from hell; that that which made devils, ſhould bee thought to become Chriſtians? Alas, for the meretricious foreheads of ſinners; that they ſhould glory in the fouleneſſe of their ſpots? Did you ever read of a Leper, that tooke pleaſure in his ſores and ulcers? Would not Naaman have given all his wealth and glory, for the cure of his Leproſie? If wee could perceive the lotheſomneſſe of our impieties, it were not poſſible not to abhorre them, not to abhorre our ſelves for them. Shall we love our owne filthineſſe, as the Ethiopians doe their owne ſwarthineſſe? No, but rather let usuuIude verſ. 23. hate the garment ſpotted of the fleſh. Bee thy p. 1397ſinne never ſo deare to thee, it ſhould not be ſo deare as thy ſoule. How well ſoever thou thinkeſt it becomes thee, it is a ſpott, that makes thee odious to God, to Saints and Angels. Away with it though it lyes in thy boſome: mortifie it, though it ſticke on thy skinne. Will any beautifull woman drinke that potion, which ſhee knowes will turne her faire body into a leproſie, though it bee pleaſant to the taſt of her palate? Skinne for skinne, and all that a man hath, will hee giuegive for his life. If a man will give skinne for skinne, to ſave his life;xxIob. 2.4.Job 2:4 will hee not give ſpott for ſpott, to ſave his ſovle?

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 the… 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.aaIohn. 4.37.John 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 muſtbbPſal… 26 5.Ps 26:5 ſowe in teares too, that we may reape in ioy. Muſt not we alſo hauehave a wette ſeed time, that looke for ſo glorious a harveſt? ThatccIohn. 1.29.John 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.ddEſay. 1.6.Isa 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, eeMark. 4.38.Mark 4:38Maſter 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: butffLam. 1… ….Lam 1 is it nothing to you, all ye that paſſe by? HaueHave ye no regard? our careleſneſſe of what he ſuffered; this was his griefe. HaueHave 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 dailyggRom. 6.3.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 hauehave 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,hhCan. 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, p. 1389that 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 vnderunder the Law? their cities, their gates, garments, their very Altars. we hauehave 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;iiIam. ….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;kkMat. 5.8.Matt 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.llRevel. 7.14.Rev 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,mm1 Ioh. 3.3.1 John 3:3 purifieth himſelfe: thereby wee have the p. 1399knowledge 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. nnEccl 12.5.Eccl 12:5It is hard for a man growne old in evill, deponere animum puerilem: adhuc pueritia, & quod gravius eſt, puerilitas remane…. They may have the authority of ancients,Sen. but withall the vanitie of children. Satan in youth caſts in thoſe ſuggeſtions, which hee would hauehave kept in the ſoule for breed.ooEph. 4.27.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.ppMark 9.21.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, qqPſal. 137.9.Ps 137:9that 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 onelyonly 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.rrMark. 8.2.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 merciemercy. 3. Our actuall and conſtant obedience to his commandements: If in this day we bee found unſpotted, p. 1400we 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 isſſIam. 1.27.Jas 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 con…tum, 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 onelyonly 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. ttRev. 2.9.Rev 2:9I 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. uuMat. 20.23.Matt 20:23Yee 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.xxMat. 5.28.Matt 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 p. 1401have 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 p. 1400duplicate page p. 1401duplicate page p. 1402all 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 hea…ns. 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 onelyonly 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 …ot, 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 p. 1403have eaten their meate in a wodden diſh.aaIam 5.4.Jas 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 worldlingsbbHab. 2.10.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,ccRom. 2.22.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 wasddIoſh. 7.25.Josh 7:25 ſtoned, with all his family: they ſhall not onelyonly 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. EveneeGal. 2.11.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;ffGen. 28.16.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 onelyonly 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 p. 1404be 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 muſtgg1 Theſſ. 5.22.1 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 ofhhRev. 2.20.Rev 2:20 Thyatira: becauſe they ſuffered the woman Iezabel to teach and ſeduce Gods ſervants: Contrary to that expreſſe Canon of the Apoſtle;ii1 Tim. 2.12.1 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 akkRev. 2.21.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:ll1 Cor. 10.7. Exod. 32.6.1 Cor 10:7Exod 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.

3To 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: onelyonly 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 p. 1405they 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.mmEzek. 18.24.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. nnLib. 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;ooMat 22.11.13.Matt 22:11Matt 22:13 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 toppPhil. 3.9.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.qq2 Cor. 5.17. Rom. 8.1.2 Cor 5:17Rom 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 i… our time of finding Chriſt; that his time of finding us.rrPſal. 32.6.Ps 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;ſſIoh. 5.401John 5 Ye will not come unto me, that you might have life: they will not ſeeke Him. At laſt they ſhall cryttRev. 6.16.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 onelyonly 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 p. 1406He 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:uuLuke 2.14.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.xxPſal. 85.10.Ps 85:10 Righteouſneſſe and Peace have kiſſed each other: there they kiſſe and embrace like Man and Wife.aaZrch. 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. bbPſal. 37.37.Ps 37:37Marke 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:ccHeb. 12.14.Heb 12:14 Follow peace and holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee God: the mother is placed before the daughter.ddMat 5.24.Matt 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.ee1 Theſ. 5.13.1 Thess 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 p. 1407better, 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: butffRom. 12.18.Rom 12:18 Live peaceable with all men: not onelyonly with our friends, and ſuch as love us; but even with our enemies, and ſuch as hate us. Some miſtaking that of ſaint Paul; ggTim. 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 onelyonly; but with all men. I know that ſome arehh1 Cor. 11.16.1 Cor 11:16 given to contention, and wee mayiiPſal. 120.6.Ps 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 thereforekkPſal. 34.14.Ps 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: butllMat. 5.24.Matt 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.mmProv. 24.21.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.nnEſa. 29.4.Isa 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, forooRom. 3.17.Rom 3:17 The way of peace they have not knowne. ppPſal. 51.17.Ps 51:17A 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 p. 1408with 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?qqIam. 3.6.Jas 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 thoſerrAct. 19.19.Acts 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.ſſTim. 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.tt1 Cor. 11.16.1 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.uuEſa 32.17.Isa 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.xxHeb. 12.14.Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men; there is the one:aaPſal 4.8.Ps 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.bbEſay. 19.23, verſ. 25.Isa 19:23 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 p. 1409expreſſe the goodneſſe of it: ſo ſweet, that hee cannot ſufficienly magnifie the ſweetneſſe? otherwiſe than by breaking into a kinde of admiration of it.ccPſal. 133.1.Ps 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 theddEph. 2.14.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;eeRom. 5.1.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 affIoh. 14.17.John 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 noviſs…mis, 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. ggLuk. 1.14.Luke 1:14It is the Earths portion, by the Angels wiſh; and a faire portion is peace. All the earth c…lls 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. hhRom. 16.17.Rom 16:17Marke 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.ii1 Tim. 1.2.1 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 onelyonly 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 p. 1410with 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.