Eight Sermons at the University of Oxford, Sermon 7

Eight Sermons at the University of Oxford · Sermon 7

p. 115THE FOVRTH SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES, CHAP. 4. VERS. 10. Caſt downe your ſelues before the Lord, and he will lift you vp.

WEE are come to the promiſe of the bleſſing made vntounto vsus: Hee will lift you vp. Wherein let vsus conſider,

1 The perſon, who it is that may fulfill this promiſe; it is HEE, the Lord, none but he, vaine is the helpe of man, HE, the Lord, will lift you vp.

2 The certaintie of his promiſe, for it is not ſaid, hee will aſſay, hee will trie, he will doe his beſt to lift you vp, but ſimply it is ſaid, he WILL lift you vp.

3 The time when this promiſe ſhall bee fulfilled, which note we muſt borrow out of 1. Pet. 5.6. where the matter of my text is thus repeated; Humble your ſelues vnderunder the Almightie hand of God, that he may lift you vp, foreign, in opportunitie of time, in due time, in a time when himſelfe ſhall thinke it moſt meet: He will lift you vp in due time.

p. 1164 What it is, that is promiſed vntounto you, even your exaltatiō, your lifting vp: He wil lift you vp. Of theſe few notes at this time, as God ſhall aſſiſt me with his holy-ſpirit.

The firſt is, the perſon, who may performe ſo ſweete a promiſe: it is HE, the Lord, none but HEE (vaine is the helpe of man) HE, the Lord will lift you vp.

The word of God worthely tearmed the ſhoote-anker of an vpright conſcience, teacheth, that every plant, how gallant, or how faire ſoever, yea though for beautie it may bee compared to the tree, which ſpringing vp in the midſt of the garden, was exceeding pleaſant in the ſight of man; yet, if it be not planted by our heavenly Father, ſhall be rooted out. It teacheth that all coynes, be they never ſo currant among men, yet, if they cannot abide this ſacred touch, ſhall be counted of a baſe mettall, as of tinne, or altogether counterfeit, and ſo ſhall be burnt like droſſe. It teacheth, that the great ones of this world, how mightie ſoever they are, yea, though their heads reach vntounto the cloudes, though they bee to all others as the talleſt Cedars of Libanus are to the low and little ſhrubs of the wilderneſſe of Cades, yet if they build their hope vponupon any thing beſides the Lord, they ſhall periſh for ever aaIob. 20.7, 8.Job 20:7Job 20:8like their dung, and you, which hauehave ſeene them ſhall ſay, where are they? they ſhall flie away as a dreame, and you ſhall not find them; they ſhall paſſe away as a viſion of the night.

And becauſe you hauehave ſo good a teacher, well may you bee perſwaded, that a horſe his helpe is vaine, Pſ. 33.17. that mans helpe is vaine, Pſal. 60.11. that the helpe of Princes is vaine, Pſal. 146.3. that much strength is vaine, 2. Chron. 25.7. that much wealth is vaine, Pſal. 49.6. that all worldly helps are vaine, Eſay, 30.1. A reaſon of all which may be had, Micah. 5.10. for neither horſes, nor men, nor princes, nor ſtrength, nor wealth, nor all the worldly helps, that may be, ſhall bee able to deliver you, when the LORD will puniſh.

Will you yet knowe a farther reaſon of this, namely why thoſe helpes before ſpecified ſhall not be able to deliver, when the Lord will puniſh? The 3. verſ. of the 31. of Eſai, will yeeld p. 117you two reaſons: when the I … vponupon the helpe of Egypt, truſting in their Chariors, beca…e they were many; and their horſes, becauſe they were ſtrong God gi…eth them no other anſwer then this, The Egyptians are men, & not God, their horſes are fleſh, and not spi…, Io… Egyp… …, & not God] that may be a firſt reaſon; their horſes are fleſh, and not ſpirit] that may be the ſecond.

The Egyptians are men, and not God, that is, if Abrahams expoſition may be admitted, they are duſt, and aſhes, Gen. 18.27. very ready with every blaſt of winde to be ſcattered. They are men, and not God, that is, if Iobs, interpretation bee good, they are houſes of clay, Iob 4.19. very eaſie to be broken in pieces. They are men, and not God, that is, if Paul may be the interpretour, they are earthly tabernacles, 2. Cor. 5.…. certainly, & within ſhort time to be diſſolved.bbEſai. 2.12.Isa 2:12 Ceaſe yee then from the man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrels, for wherin is he to be eſteemed? The Egyptians are men, and therefore may they not be accounted of, as of hopes, of fortreſſes, of caſtles, of deliverers, of defenders; they cannot teach yourccPſal. 144.1.Ps 144:1 hands to war, nor your ſingers to fight: they are not God and therefore muſt they be holden, for feeble, for weake, for miſerable. Ceaſe then frō … who is like a thing of nought, hee paſſeth away as a ſhadow,ddPſal. 146.4.Ps 146:4 his breath goeth forth, he turnes againe to his earth, and then all his thoughts periſh. The Egyptians are men: will you therfore fly from them, & ſeeke for helpe at the God of Iacob? Bleſſed ſhall yee be, ye ſhall be as a tree that iseePſal. 1.3.Ps 1:3 planted by the waters, which spreadeth out her rootes by the river, yee ſhall not feele when the heat commeth, your leafe ſhall be greene, you ſhal not care for the drought of ſummer; neither ſhall you ceaſe from yeelding fruit, Ierem. 17.8. They are not God: wil you notwithſtāding repoſe your truſt in them? Curſed ſhall yee bee: ye ſhall bee like the heath in the deſert, yee ſhall not ſee when any good commeth, yee ſhall dwell in the parched places in the wilderneſſe, in a ſalt land, in a land not inhabited, Ier. 17.6. Ceaſe then from man, even from every ſon of man, for there is no hlpe in him.

Their horſes alſo are fleſh, and not spirit.] They are fleſh, but p. 118curſed be he that maketh fleſh his arme; they are not spirit, and never bleſſed ſhall he be whoſe protectour is not spirit. The Egyptians are men, and not God, their horſes are fleſh, & not ſpirit: and therefore let the LORD but ſtr…tch out his hand; the helper ſhall faile, he that is h…lpen ſhall faile, they ſhall altogether faile.

But grant we, that in the courſe of this life, ſome one may hauehave girded himſelfe with ſtrength, and decked himſelfe with maieſtie, ſo that he may ſeeme to hauehave exalted himſelfe like an Eagle, and to hauehave built his neſt among the ſtarres; yet let ſuch a one looke backe to his tr…b…, to his fathers poore houſe, to the pit whence he was hewe…, he ſhall finde that at length he muſt be caſt downe to the ground: let him examine his Pedegree and deſcent, he ſhall finde that he is but one of the ſonnes of men. And then who knowes not what ſhall bee the portion of his cuppe?

Man that is borne of woman is of ſhort continuance, and full of troubles; Iob vponupon his experience hath ſaid ſo much, Iob. 14.1. Did it helpe the children of Canaan, that the ſonnes of Anak, gyants of the earth, dwelt amongſt them? Indeed the Iſraelites ſomewhat daunted in bed… …at the ſight of them, brake out into theſe ſpeeches: this people is greater, and taller then we; their cities are great, and walled vp to Heaven, moreover, we hauehave ſeene the ſonnes of Anak there, Num. 13.28. But in the end what became of them? They were all deſtroied by Ioſuah, they and their cities, and there was not one Anakim left in the mountaines of Iſrael and Iudah, Ioſ. 11.21.22. Did it profit the Baſhanites, to hauehave ſo mighty a king as Og was? His bed indeed was a bed of yron; the length of it was nine cubits, and the breadth foure cubits, after the cubite of man. Deut. 3.11. & ſuch a man in all likelyhood might be ſome incouragement to his people. But what was his ende? The Lord delivered him into the hand of Moſes. So ſweetly ſings the Pſalmiſt: He hath ſlain mighty kings, Sehon king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Baſhan, Pſal. 135.10.11. And be recounts it againe in the Pſal. following, ver. 18.19.20. Hee hath ſlaine mighty kings, Sehon p. 119king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Baſ…. Where to fill vp the meaſure of his ſong, he addes to the end of every verſe this ſweet burden: for his mercy endureth forever. Did it availe any thing the Philiſtines thatff1. Sam. 17.4.1 Sam 17:4 Golias was amongſt thē? Proud Golias of whoſe ſoggHis height was ſix cubits and a ſpa…. huge aſta…o you hauehave ſo often heard, whoſehhVerſ. 5, 6. helmet, whoſe gre…, whoſe corſ…s, whoſe ſhield were all of braſſe: whoſeiiVerſ. 7. ſp…res ſhaft was nothing inferiour to a weavers beame. But what was his ende? You knowe it well enough: a**David ve… 42. childe in compariſon came with his ſhepheards ſtaffe, with his ſling in his hand, with a few kkVerſ. 40.ſmooth stones in his ſcrip, who in the name of the Lord of Hoſtes, did ſ…e greate Golias.

What ſhall I remember you of that excellent, that mightie, that proſperous, that peaceable king of Aſſyria, ſet forth vntounto you in the 31. of Ezechiel. Albeit ſuch was his excellencie, as that he exceeded all other Monarches, & Princes vnderunder Heaven; in regard whereof he is ſaid to be like a C…dar in Lebanon, whoſe branches are faire, whoſe ſhadowing boughes are thick…, whoſe top is ſhot vp very high, ver. 3. albeit ſuch was his might, as that there was no greater power in the world, then his was, in liew whereof, it is ſaid, that the Cedars in the garden of God could not hide him, that no firre tree was like his branches, that no cheſnut tree did equall his boughes, yea, that all the trees in the garden of God gaue place vntounto him, verſ. 8. albeit ſuch was his proſperity, as that hee ſeemed to bee ſwadled there with againſt all calamities; in reſpect whereof we read that the waters nouriſhed him; that the deepe exalted him on high with her rivers running round about his plants; that his height was aboue all the trees in the field, his boughes were multiplied, his branches were long, and all becauſe of the multitude of the waters, which the deepe ſent out, verſ. 4.5. And laſtly, alb…t ſuch was the peace in his time, as that all peoples committed themſelues to his protection: to which purpoſe it is ſaid; that all the fowles of Heaven made their neſts in his boughes, that all the beaſtes of the field brought forth their yong vnderunder his branches, that all mighty nations dwelt vnderunder his ſhadow, verſ. 6. yet was ſuch a king, this p. 120excellent, this mighty, this proſperous, this peaceable king of Aſſyria, llASSAR-ADON filius Sennaherib Rex Aſſyriae an. 10. Captus à MERODACH BALADAN An. Mundi 32 43. Func.ESAR-HADDON delivered into the handes of MERODAC-BALADAN.

I ſhall not need to tell you, howmmGen. 14.1.Gen 14:1 foure kings, withall their hoſtes were diſcomfited by ABRAHAM accompanied onelie with his three hundred and eighteene ſervants, Gen. 14.14. nor, how the Midianites and Amalek…tes and all they of the East, lying in the valley like graſhoppers in multitude, with their cammels, like ſand, which is by the Sea ſide, innumerable, were overthrowne by the hand of Gedeon, with hisnnIudg 7.16.Judg 7:16 three hundred ſouldiers, without any ſtroake of weapon but only theooVerſ. 19. bro… king of Pitchers, blowing of trumpets, and crying the ſword of the LORD, and of Gedeon, Iud. 7.12. nor, how thoſe hundred and foureſcore and fiue thouſand valiant men conducted by Rabſhakeh, Senacheribs ſervant were all in one night overthrowne, Eſay, 37.36. The examples before ſpecified; the fall of the ſons of Anak, the deſtruction of Og, the death of Goliah, the delivery of Eſar-haddon, into the hands of Merodac-Baladan, may perſwade you, that it is but a broken reede of Egypt to rely vponupon thoſe that are either mighty, or many. By ſo doing you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you ſhall never helpe your ſelues.

What ſhall I ſay of honour? It may ſeeme to ſtand you much inſteed, when it ſets you a loft, and makes the knee bow, and the tongue ſooth, and the head ſtand bare, and all for your ſakes. The wiſe man teacheth me, what I ſhall ſay: Humility goeth before honour, Prov. 15.33. If then you will chooſe the better part, if you will be humbled, and forget your honour for a while, you may conceiue with me, that our eſtates may well be ſuited by counters, which in a large account ſtand for great ſummes, but after they are ſhuffled togither in the bag, all are of equal value, the leaſt with the greateſt, one with another: you may cōceiue with me, that our eſtates may wel be ſuted by players on a ſtage ſome repreſent kings, ſome perſons of meane eſtate, but when the Plaudites are paſt, where is any difference? you may conceiue with me that our very ſelues may welbe ſuted by ſif…, or p. 121waxe candles, ſome are burned, and conſumed to the ſocket in a reaſonable time; ſome toſſed to and fro with a great winde, begin to run, and ſpend apace; yea they that hauehave the ſtrongeſt wicke hold out no longer, then till the laſt drop of their moiſture quench the laſt ſpark of their light. Your ſelues can make the application; only I adde thus much of honour, that is a broken reed of Egypt, if you ſhall dare relie vponupon it, you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you ſhal never helpe your ſelues.

What ſhall I ſay of riches? They alſo may ſeem to ſtand you much inſteed: for by experience wee finde it to bee true, as it is written: Riches gather many friends, Prov. 19.4. Yet hauehave I a word to ſpeake vntounto you; Goe to now, yee rich men, weepe and howle for your miſeries that ſhall come vponupon you:, your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth-eaten, your gold & ſilver are cankered, the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſſe againſt you, and ſhall eate your fleſh like fire: you knoweppIam. 5.1, 2, 3Jas 5:1Jas 5:2Jas 5:3 whence I hauehave it. Aaron ſtretched out his hand with his rod, & ſmote the duſt of the earth, and lice came vponupon man and beaſt: all the duſt of the earth was lice, throughout all the land of Egypt, Exod. 8.17. ſuch a duſt, if not worſe, hath ſtained the beauty of your riches, and ſhall bee no leſſe annoyance to you, then that truly changed duſt was to them of Egypt. Behold the evill ſickneſſe which the preacher ſaw, Eccl. 5.13. riches reſerued to the owners thereof for their evil. Are not theſe the broken reeds, whereon you leane ſo much? take heed; by ſo doing you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you ſhall never help your ſelues.

What ſhall I ſay of your witts, your trades, and occupations wherby you ſeeme to liue? Bee they, as they may bee, paſſing gaynefull to you: yet becauſe your hearts are ſoe ſett vponupon this gaine, as that yee neglect the trueſt gaine, which is godlyneſſe; thoſe helps ſhal be vntounto you as bad as thoſe letters, which Ʋriah caried againſt himſelfe. 2. Sam. 11.14. as bad as thoſe cups of Circe ſpiced with conceits and fancies for the nonce, to make Vliſſes his moſt skilfull Pilots to renounce their dutie; as bad as thoſe Pomegran…s of that excerable l…ke i… Paleſtine, which p. 122intiſe a licoriſh and wanton eye to plucke, but are no ſooner touched with the finger, but they diſſolue to aſhes: yea they are as ſo many broken reeds, and hauehave their splinters too. Howſoever yea leane vntounto them, you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you ſhall never helpe your ſelues.

What ſhall I ſay of all other your worldly helpes? one ſhall ſerue for all. If any of you hath his child fallen ſtrangely ſicke, you will by and by ſeeke helpe for him, and wel may it be done with this Item, that it be done by prayer to the Lord, and the ordinary helpe of Phiſitians: but your conceits are, your children are bewitched, and therefore can hauehave no helpe, except they bee vnwitched againe. If any of you hath his horſe, or his aſſe ſtollē, or looſeth ware in the night time out of his ſhop, you will by & by ſeeke to hauehave your owne; and well may that bee done, with this Item, that it be lawfully done; but your conceits are, ſuch a cunning man by his art can helpe me to my goodes, then why ſhould I looſe them? So vnpatient are we: the Lord doth ſtrangly viſite vsus, we may not endure it, wee will ſeeke howſoever to be healed: the Lord taketh away our goods, wee may not endure it, we will looke to hauehave our owne, although it bee in the Devils name.

Much better was his conceit who thus anſwered his tempting wife: Shall we receaue good at the hand of God, and not receaue evill? Iob. 2.10. God hath promiſed (and hee cannot but performe) that whoſoever calleth vponupon his name, & giueth care to his voice, as to the only ſhepheard of his ſoule, good things ſhall betide him in this world, and his ſoule ſhall liue, Ier. 38.20. his plants ſhall proſper, his counſels ſhall take effect, his corne and oyle ſhall multiplie; heqqDeut 15.6. & 28 12.Deut 15:6Deut 28:12 ſhall lend to many, but ſhall not borrow himſelfe, his children, like ſo many oliue branchesrrPſal. 128.3.Ps 128:3 ſhal encloſe his table round about.

If this cannot perſwade you (and what godly heart can it not perſwade?) to forſake thoſe your wicked helpers, and to rely only on the Lord; then heare farther God hath promiſed (& he cannot but performe) that whoſoever will not giuegive care to his voice, but will relieue himſelfe, by the practiſes of cunning p. 123men, witches, coniurers, and the like, preferring Belial before Chriſt, the Prince of darkneſſe before the ever-ſhining morning ſtarre; errour becauſe it pleaſeth, before truth, becauſe it ſmarteth; mayſſDeut. 28.38.Deut 28:38 ſow his field, but ſhall never reape it, for the graſhoppers ſhall deſtroy it: mayttVerſ. 39. plant his vineyard, and dreſſe it, but ſhall never drinke of the wine, nor gather the grapes, for the wormes ſhall eate it: may hauehaveuuVerſ. 40. oliue trees in all his coaſts, but ſhall not annoint himſelfe with the oyle, for his oliues ſhall fall: mayxxVerſ. 41. beget ſonnes and daughters, but ſhall not hauehave them, for they ſhall goe into captivitie. The Lords ſtill-ſtretched-out hand ſhall ſmite ſuch a one with ayyVerſ 22. conſumption, with a fever, with a burning ague, with fervent heate, with a ſword, with blaſting, with mildew; all theſe ſhall purſue him till hee periſh, zzVerſ. 23.the Heaven that is over his head ſhall be braſſe, and the earth that is vnderunder him, ſhall be yron.

You that hauehave knowne it may remember (& you that hauehave not knowne it) may learne that in the 28. of Deut. from the 15 verſe to the 68. there are beſides thoſe which I hauehave recited, many other as grievous plagues aſſuredly allotted to all ſuch, as diſobeying the Lords voice, ſhall rely vponupon ſuch helpleſſe helps, as I hauehave already mentioned. We read, 2. Chron. 16.12. that King Aſa was puniſhed with death for no other cauſe, but becauſe in his ſicknes he ſought for help at the Phiſitians, & not of the Lord: and can we be ſo ſenſeleſſe, as to thinke, when for recovering of our lost goods, or of our healths, wee ſeeke to Sathans instruments, that we ſhall eſcape vnpuniſhed?

If Ahaziah conſult with Beelzebub the God of Ekron about the recovering of his health, the Lord wil ſend him word that he ſhall not come downe from his bed, but ſhall there die the death, 2. King. 1.4. If Saule aske counſaile of a witch the archers ſhall wound him, and his owneaa1. Chro. 10.41 Chr 10:4 ſword ſhall kill him, 1. Chron. 10.13. If Manaſſeh vſe them that hauehave familiar ſpirits, God wil ſend him ſuch evils, that who ſo heareth of it, both his eares ſhall tingle, 2. King. 21.12.

If this cannot perſwade you (and what godly heart cannot this perſwade?) to forſake thoſe your wicked helpers, and to rely p. 124only on the Lord, as you hauehave heard what dome abideth you for running to ſuch helpers; heare alſo, how ſuch may bee deciphered vntounto you out of the holy Scriptures. Would yee knowe how to cal them? yee may tearme them rebels againſt the light, Iob. 24.13. brethren to dragons, Iob. 30.29. ſnares of a fowler in all their waies, ſnares for the vngodly, Hoſ. 9.8. if thou liſt to ſcanne their deſcent, they are the ſeed, not of Iudah, but of that curſed father of Canaan, their fathers are Amorites and their mothers Hittites, Ezec. 16.45. If their alliance, Samaria is their elder ſiſter, Ezech. 16.46. If the lot of their inheritance; it ſhall be a never-ending kingdome: but full of weeping and gnaſhing of teeth, Mat. 8.12. where their table ſhall bee a table of Devils, 1. Cor. 10.21. their diet worſe then that Coliquintida, 2. King. 4.40. their mirth folded vp in the pride of a ſmoake, Eſay, 9.18. So is it not for nothing, that witches may not be ſuffered to liue. The charge is giuen againſt them, Exod. 22.18.

The Prophet Ieremy hauing roundly glanced at their faults, foretels their fall; that they ſhall ſurely bee conſumed with famine, and with the ſword, chap. 14. ver. 15. with famine for their diſquiet, & with the ſword for their execution. And c. 50. v. 35. he ſaith there ſhal be ſlaughter vponupon the Chaldeans, & a ſlaughter vponupon the ſouthſayers; & the rather becauſe they are the vengeance of the Lord, & the vengeance of his Temple, Ch. 51. v. 11.

The like favour for all the world is to be found at the hands of Ezechiel. chap. 13.9. where hee denounceth againſt all gloſing Prophets, which ſee vanitie, & divine lies, that the ſcourge of God ſhall be for ever vponupon them; that they ſhall not bee in the aſſembly of Gods people; that they ſhall not be written in the writings of the houſe of Iſrael, in the booke of life; that they ſhall not enter into the land of Iſrael, that heavenly Ieruſalem.

Of like ſeveritie is that ſentence pronoūced by the Prophet Eſay, chap. 47. Where willing the Babylonians to repaire to their ſooth-ſayers, to their aſtrologers, to their starre-gazers, to their Prognoſticators, (for all theſe names hee there vſeth, verſe 12.13.) And to make triall whether they can finde profit or ſtrength among them: he ſpeaketh to them in the 14. verſ. thus: p. 125Behold, they ſhall be as ſtubble, the fire ſhall burne them, they ſhall not deliver their owne liues from the power of the flame, yea they ſhalbe ſo conſumed with the flaming fire, as that there ſhall not be anie thing remaining, no not to much as one coale to warme at, nor anie light to ſit by.

Conſidering then your owne lots, and this their portion, can yee hope for anie helpe at their hands? Iudge vprightly & you ſhall finde that neither their leaues are delightfull; nor their bloſſoms gracefull, nor their fruits reſtoratiue: yea you muſt confeſſe, that they are but ſo manie broken reedes full of splinters, whereto if you leane you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you ſhall never helpe your ſelues.

By this I doubt not, but it appeareth, what affiance may bee had in all worldly helps, of what ſort ſoever. Now would I perſwade you that all true helpe is to be ſought for at the hande of the God of Iacob. For it is he; the Lorde, none but he, ſince all worldly helps are vaine, it is he the Lord, that will lift you vp. And of this ſhall yee be well perſwaded, if yee meditate vponupon Gods preſence, vponupon his liberality, vponupon his ability, & vponupon his willingneſſe: for as he is moſt preſent with you, moſt liberall to you, moſt able to helpe you, when you ſtand in need: ſo alſo is he at all times moſt willing to worke your eaſe.

Firſt of his preſence. We hold it as a truth vndoubted, that God is every where, and in all things, by his eſſence, by his power, and by his preſence: by his eſſence, in regard of his creating the world; by his power, in regard of his operation, & his working in the world; by his preſence in regard of his preſerving, his governing the world. It may fit our purpoſe in general only to vnderſtand, that God in preſence is every where, and in al things. Againſt thoſe of Iſrael; which ſhould ſeek to flee frō the preſence of the Lord, we hauehave the words of the Lord, as they are writtē, Amos, 9.2. Though they dig into the hell, thence ſhall mine hand take them: though they clime vp to heaven, thence will I bring them down: though they hide themſelues in the top of Carmel, I wil ſearch and take them thence: though they be hid from my ſight in the bottome of the ſea, thence will I commande the ſerpent, and he p. 126ſhall bite them: and though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the ſword, and it ſhall ſlay them. bbSee my 10. Lecture vpō the fi ſt Ch. of Amos, p. 115 & Lect. 14. p 159.No corner in Hell, no manſion in Heavē, no caue in the top of Carmel, no fiſhes belly in the bottome of the Sea, no darke dungeon in the land of captivity can hide Iſrael from the preſence of the LORD. Am I a God farre off, ſaith the LORD, and not a God at, hand? Can any hide himſelfe in ſecret places that I ſhal not ſee him ſaith the LORD? Do not I fill heaven & earth, ſaith the LORD? Thus hath the Lord ſpoken, Ierem. 23.23, 24. Nere or farther of, in Heaven or in Earth, in places moſt ſecret, our Lord is a God, he ſeeth all things, he fils both Heaven and Earth. To like purpoſe is Davids anſwere to his owne queſtion. His queſtion is:ccPſal. 139.7.Ps 139:7 whither ſhall I go from thy spirit? Or whither ſhall I fly from thy preſence, O Lord? His anſwere is,ddVerſ. 8. if to Heaven, thou art there; if to Hel thou art there; if to the vttermoſt parts of the ſea, thou art there; if to the darkneſſe, thou art there alſo. Nor Heaven, nor Hell, nor Sea, nor darknes could hide David from the preſence of the Lord. Yea, the darkneſſe hideth not from thee O Lord, but the night ſhineth as the day; the darkneſſe and light are both alike; ſo ſhould we confeſſe with David, Pſal. 139.12.

Conſider theeeMat. 6.28.Matt 6:28 Lilies of the field, the Lord hath cloathed thē:ffMat. 10.29.Matt 10:29 Sparrowes light vponupon the ground, but not without the foreſight of the Lord; the clowds drop fatneſſe, but every drop is by Gods ordinance, and cold ſalt teares trickle down our cheeks, with remembrance of our ſinnes committed, every ſuch teare ſhould be numbred in the LordsggPſal. 56.8.Ps 56:8 bottle. The Lilies, the Sparrowes, the clowds, or teares are all regarded by the Lord. How then can we deny his preſence?

And let vsus not be moved to thinke, that Gods purity is anie whit ſtained, becauſe in preſence he beholdeth the crimſin and ſcarlet ſinnes, the moſt vile and filthy actions of wretchleſſe mā. The Sunne you know, caſts his moſt glorious beames into foule and ſordide places, yet none of you wil thinke that the Sunne is therefore defiled. But grant we a poſſibility for the Sunne to be polluted by ſhining into ſuch vncleane places, yet impoſſible ſhall it be for God, all pure, all holy to partake any variableneſſe p. 127or ſhadow of change. Wicked man wallowing in his wickedneſſe, becauſe God holds his tongue, may think wickedly that God is even ſuch a one, as himſelfe; but God, all pure, all holy, partaking no variableneſſe nor ſhaddow of change, ſhall at laſt reproue man for his wickednes, and for before him the things that he hath done, Pſal. 50.21.

It cannot be that the preſence of God, who ſitteth vponupon the circle of heaven, and thence beholdeth the inhabitants of the earth as graſhoppers, whoſehhMat. 5.34.Matt 5:34 throne is the Heaven of Heavens, whoſeiiVerſ. 35. foot-ſtoole is the Earth, whoſe waies are in the great deepe, it cannot be, I ſay, that the preſence of ſuch a God ſhould be avoided.**Ipſe manet intra omnia, ipſe extra omnia, ipſe ſupra omnia, ipſe infra omnia: & ſuperior eſt per potentiā, & inferior per ſuſtentationem; exterior per magnitudinem, interior per ſubtilitatem: Surſū regens, deorſum continens; extra circumdans, interius penetrās &c. He is aboue all, beneath all, without all, within all: aboue, by his might, beneath, by his helpe, without, by his greatneſſe, within, by his ſubtilitie: aboue he ruleth al, beneath he cō taineth all, without he compaſſeth all, within, he pierceth all. It is S. Gregories Moral. expoſ. in Iob. lib. 2. cap. 12. I will not trouble you with many authorities of the Fathers, who in this point are very excellent and plentifull. Out of that which hath already beene delivered, it is manifeſt, that nor Egypt, nor anie region beyond the ſeas, not a couch in a chamber, nor a cabin in a ſhip, nor clowds of the day, nor the darkneſſe of night; nor the moū taine caues, nor the Sea bottome; nor a ſecret friend, nor a more ſecret conſcience, not Heaven, nor Hell, nor any like evaſion, can hide vsus, can hide any our actions frō the Lords preſence. Which manifeſt truth, if we ſhall yet doubt of, I ſhall dare pronounce, that (according to the proverbs) we are foreign, that we are foreign, more fooliſh then Corabus, more fooliſh then Melitides, thoſe, though naturall, yet moſt happy fooles; of whom the one was never able to number aboue fiue, nor the other to tell of which parent he was borne.

But ſuch palpable and groſſe ignorance is farre from vsus. For knowing, as we do, that God was well knowne in Iurie, & his name great in Iſrael, we cannot well be ignorant that God is the ſame God with vsus, and the preſence of his godhead no leſſe among vsus, and in our country.

Which may make vsus the rather wonder to thinke how boldly p. 128we dare deale with God, how impudently we dare behaue our ſelues in his preſence, how wickedly we dare do evē before his eies; as if our reckoning were, that he had neither eie to ſee vsus, nor ſword to puniſh vsus, nor iudgement ſeat to condemne vsus. Do we not commit all vncleanneſſe, even with greedineſſe in the preſence of our God, which, for our liues, we durſt not bee ſo bold as do in the preſence of a childe, were he but a doozen yeares old? So ready are we to eſchew momentary ſhame that might be diſcovered by a childe, when we care nothing at al to incurre Gods eternall diſpleaſure.

Deceaue we not our ſelues (beloved in the Lord) we might hauehave long ſince learned, that God hath ſeaven eies which goe through the whole world, Zach. 4.10. You may interpret them with me, many millions of eies: he isiiHieronym. in Pſal. 94.9. See my 10. Lecture vpō Amos. 1. p. 115.Ps 94:9Amos 1 totus oculus, altogether eie, for he ſeeth all things. We might hauehave long ſince learned that God hath hands to meaſure the waters, and to ſpan the heavens, Eſay 40.12. You may interpret it with me, that hee hath many Millions of hands, he is totus manus, altogether hand, for he worketh all things. We may well remember that God hath feet, to ſet vponupon his footſtoole, Mat. 5.35. You may interpret it with me, that he hath many millions of feet, he is totus pos, altogether foot; fot he is every where.

O then, farre be it from vsus to plucke out the eie of knoweledge, as, when we ſinne, to ſay with thoſe, Pſal. 10.11. Tuſh, who ſeeth vsus, God hath forgotten, he hideth away his face, & will never ſee. Let vsus rather confeſſe with the bleſſed Patriarch, that all places are filled with Gods Maieſtie: as he ſaid, the Lord was in this place, and I was not aware; how fearefull is this place? This is the houſe of God, and the gate of Heavē, Gen. 28.16.17. So let vsus, (for that place, and this place, and all other places, vpō the face of the earth, are alike) let vsus, I ſay, let each of vsus in particular, whereſoever and whenſoever, we ſhall be entiſed with ſinnes too pleaſing bait, rouſe vp our ſelues, and bee awaked, as Iacob was, and ſay with him: The Lord was in this place, and I was not aware, how feareful is this place? this is the houſe of God, and the gate of Heaven.

p. 129The due conſideration of this all-eyed, all-handed, all-footed preſence of God, as it muſt needs ſtrike a terrour into the hardeſt hearts of the children of darkneſſe, while theykkIn circuitu impii ambulāt. Pſa. 11.9. vul.Ps 11:9 walke by compaſſe in their crooked and circular endleſſe waies: ſo alſo muſt it needs affoord a ſweet comfort to the afflicted ſoules of the children of light, walking with a right foote toward thellPhil. 3.14.Phil 3:14 marke, in hope to attaine to the price ſet before them. For whē they ſhal perſwade themſelues that God is at hand with them in all their croſſes and tribulations, they cannot chuſe but endure with patience, the worſt that may befall them: eſpecially knowing that all all things worke together for their beſt, becauſe they louelove God, Rom. 8.28. So doth Gods preſence perſwade his children, that it is he, the Lord, none but Hee, ſince all worldly helpes are vaine, that it is He, the Lord, that will lift them vp.

A ſecond motiue to the ſame perſwaſion is the Lordes liberalitie, whereof many things (worthy our meditation) might be delivered; but let it ſuffiſe for our preſent occaſion to vnderſtand, that all the good things we hauehave, are from the Lord. Meate to nouriſh vsus, wee hauehave it from the Lord: apparell to cloath vsus, wee hauehave it from the Lord; the Sunne to comfort vsus, the Moone to pleaſure vsus, wee hauehave them from the Lord; life for our being, riches, honour, & whatſoever elſe for our wel being, all commeth from the Lord. What haſt thou, ſaith S^t Paul, that thou haſt not receaued? 1. Cor. 4.7. Art thou rich? it is not of thy ſelfe: the LORD giueth, ſaith Iob. ch. 1.21. Art thou in eſtimation in this world? It is not of thy ſelfe: The LORD ſetteth vp, ſaith Hannah, 1. Sam. 2.7. Haſt thou cūning, or skil in any thing whatſoever? It is not of thy ſelfe. God teacheth handy-crafts-men to worke. Himſelfe ſaith ſo to Moſes, Exod. 31.3.

It is impoſſible for me to recount thoſe manifold bleſſings, wherewith our gratious God from time to time hath bleſſed vsus: ſuch is their infinitie. Let every one goe downe into the cloſet of his owne breaſt; and then ſay hee, whether the Lord hath beene liberal to him. O yee righteousmmPſal. 33.1.Ps 33:1 reioyce in the Lord for it becommeth well the iuſt to be thankfull; yea, it becommeth each of vsus very well to take vp Davids ſong, and to ſay with p. 130him. O Lord, let my mouth be filled with thy praiſe, that I may ſing of thy glory, and honour, all the day long, Pſalm. 71.8. VponUpon which place a bleſſednnAuguſtine. Father hath this meditation. What meaneth the Prophet by theſe words (al the day long?) He meaneth, ſaith he (continually.) O let my mouth bee filled with thy praiſe CONTINVALLY, becauſe in prosperitie thou haſt been to me a comfort, in adverſitie thou haſt given mee chaſtiſement: when I was not, thou madeſt me; ſince I hauehave beene, thou haſt preſerued me; when I had offended, thou forgaveſt mee, at my converſion, thou receavedſt me, and for my perſeverance thou haſt crowned me. O let my mouth be filled with thy praiſe, that I may ſing of thy glory and honour all the day long; that I may ſing continually.

And the rather doe I commend to you the due conſideration of the liberalitie of our God, becauſe I would put you in minde of your principall meanes to avoid deſperation. It is a principall meanes to avoid desperatiō to cal to mind the goodneſſe of the LORD forepaſſed, either to our ſelues, or others. If we th…nke with our ſelues, that it was the LORD that tooke vsus from our mothers wombe, that HEE hath beene our hope ever ſince we hung at the breaſts, that HEE hath opened his hands from time to time to fill vsus with his goodneſſe: if thus we think vnfeignedly, can we thinke that HE will not bleſſe vsus ſtill?

Here ſhould we compare and lay the times together as Davids vſe was. Thus he argued: I hauehave heretofore ſlaine a Lion, and a Beare at the fold, therefore God will alſo enable me to prevaile againſt the hand of this Philiſtine, 1. Sam. 17.37. So may we reaſon: The mercies of the Lord hauehave beene bountifull towardes vsus in former times, to create vsus of the ſlime of the ground, to breath into vsus a living ſoule, to nurſe vsus vp in a civill countrey, to redeeme vsus with the blood of his only begotten ſonne, to viſit vsus with the light of his glorious Goſpell, to bleſſe our garners with ſtore, and our baskets with increaſe, to be nowhere wanting to vsus in any thing that may doe vsus good; ſuch, and in ſuch ſort hauehave the bleſſings of God beene vntounto vsus; his arme is not now ſhortned, hee is the ſame to day, that hee was p. 131yeſterday: therefore ſhall his loving kindneſſe be vponupon vsus for evermore.

Why ſhould any afflicted child of God take vp Sions complaint, Eſai, 49.14. and ſay, The LORD hath forſaken me, & my Lord hath forgotten me. Never would any ſo complaine, if hee would thinke vponupon the Lords name, as it was proclaimed in mount Sinai, Exod. 34.6, 7. The LORD, the LORD ſtrong, mercifull, and gratious: ſlow to anger, and abundant in goodneſſe, & in truth, reſerving mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquitie, tranſgreſſion, and ſinne. Never would any ſo complaine, if hee would remember, why Ioel would hauehave vsus turne vntounto the Lord, Ioel, 2.13. His reaſon is, the Lord is gratious, & mercifull, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſſe, & repenteth him of evill. Never would any ſo complaine, would he but beleeue the Lords anſwere to Sions complaint, Eſai, 49.15. Can a woman forget her child, and not hauehave compaſſion on the ſonne of her wombe? Bee that poſſible; yet will I not forget thee, ſaith the Lord.

O all yee that thirst, come to the waters of comfort: bibite, & inebriamini; let me vſe the words to you, although in another ſenſe, Ier. 25.27. bibite, & inebriamini; drinke, and drinke till your ſoules bee more then ſatisfied. Call to remembrance how hee hath accepted the thiefe vponupon the croſſe confeſſing. Matthew ſitting at the receipt of cuſtome, the womā waſhing his feet with her teares, the Canaanitiſh womā begging for her daughter, the woman taken in adulterie, the Publican ſtanding a farre off, the Diſciple that denied him, that other Diſciple which perſecuted him and his followers, the wicked that crucified him: call to remembrance theſe his mercies, yea call to remembrance all other the tender mercies of the Lord, which hauehave beene ever of olde, and ſay, whether ſuch his liberalitie hath not perſwaded you that He, the Lord, none but He, ſince all worldly helps are vaine, that He, the Lord, will lift you vp.

A third motiue to the ſame perſwaſion, of no leſſe weight then the two former, then that of Gods preſence, & the other of his liberalitie, is his abilitie; of which the ſchoolemen in generall teach thus: That God is abſolutely Almightie. In this generall p. 132they all agree, but when they come to ſcanne, how God may be ſaid to be thus Almightie, they vary much.

Some ſay that God is therefore ſaid to be Almightie, becauſe he is able to doe, whatſoever he will doe. Theſe doe ſo tie Gods power to his will, as if he were able to do nothing, but what his wil is to doe. But S^t. Auſtine was of another mind in Enchirid. c. 95. where he ſaith, Deum multa poſſe, quae tamen nolit, nihil autem velle, quod non poſſit. God is able to doe many things, which hee willeth not; but willeth not any thing, which he is not able to doe: plainely ſhewing, that Gods will & power are not equall; that his power is extended to more things, then his will: that thoſe things which God is able to doe, are more then thoſe things which he willeth. The Scriptures alſo doe confirme this difference of Gods will and power. Thinkeſt thou, ſaith Chriſt, that I cannot pray now to my Father, and he will giuegive me more thē twelue legions of Angels? Mat. 26.53. Chriſt was able to aske his Father, and his Father was able to giuegive him that hoſt of Angels, but neither would he aske, nor his father giuegive. God is able of theſe ſtones to raiſe vp children vntounto Abraham, ſaith our Saviour, Mat. 3.9. He is able, but will not. God hath mercy on whom he will hauehave mercy, and whom hee will hee hardneth, ſaith the Apoſtle, Roman. 9.18. Is it not herehence plaine, that God is able to hauehave mercy on all, and is able to harden all, but will not? So true is it, againſt the firſt opinion, That God is not therefore ſaid to be Almightie, becauſe he is able to doe, whatſoever he will doe.

Others are of opinion that God is therefore ſaide too bee Almighty, becauſe he is abſolutly & ſimply able to do al things, whatſoever may be ſpokē, or thought of. If you ſhal aske thē, whether God can ſin, their anſwer is, he can, but wil not: if, whether he cā ſuffer, they ſay he can, but will not: if whether he cā lie, they ſay, he can, but wil not. But this opinion is, as more wicked, ſo more fooliſh then the former. For to ſay that God is able to doe ſuch things, as are repugnant to his nature is, as to ſay, the fire is able to cauſe cold, the Sun to make darkneſſe, & a bad tree to bring forth good fruit. But S. Paule hath not feared to ſay that God p. 133cannot do ſome things, 2. Timoth. 2.13. He ſaith, If we beleeue not, yet abideth he faithfull, yet abideth God faithfull, he cannot deny himſelfe: he ſaith not, he will not deny himſelfe, but plainely he ſaith, he cannot deny himſelfe. And why can he not deny himſelfe? The reaſon is ſet downe before: becauſe he is faithfull. He is faithful, non tam voluntate, quam naturà the is naturally faithfull, and therfore can he not deny himſelfe. I adde; he is naturally living, and therefore cannot die; hee is naturally righteous, and therefore cannot ſinne; he is naturally immutable, and therefore cannot be changed; hee is naturally God, and therefore cannot be like man. Quam mult a non poteſt, & omnipotens eſt? Here is matter to wonder at; God cannot do many things, & yet he is Almighty: yea becauſe he cannot do thoſe many things, therfore is he Almighty. For could he die, he were not Almighty; could he ly, he were not Almighty; could he be deceived, could he deceiue, could he do wickedly, he were not Almighty. Quā multa non poteſt Deus, & omnipotens eſt? How many things is God not able to do, and yet is Almighty, ſaith S. Auſtine de Symbolo ad Catechumenos, lib. 1. cap. 1. So true is it againſt this ſecond opinion, that God is not therefore ſaid to bee Almighty, becauſe he is abſolutely and ſimply able to doe all things, whatſoever may be spoken or thought of.

But why thē is God ſaid to be Almighty? Out of that which is already delivered, this propoſition may be gathered; God is therefore ſaid to bee Almighty, becauſe he is able to do all ſuch things, as naturally in themſelues, and ſimply, are not impoſſible with God. The truth whereof, as it might evidently appeare by particulars, whereon I cannot now ſtand; ſo alſo may it ſufficiently be manifeſt, if in generall only we will conſider this Alableneſſe of God. I deny not, but earthly man, hard to beleeue the workes of God, in mans eies vnprobable, hath ever beene ready to demand, How? How can this, or theſe things bee? An Angell from heaven may tell Sarah of a ſonne, after it hath ceaſed to be with her after the manner of women; but ſhee will laugh within her ſelfe: but ſhee wil ſay, what! after I am waxen old, and my Lord alſo! Gen. 18.12. But what ſaith the Angell p. 134to her; Shall any thing be hard to the LORD? verſ. 14. God may promiſe a whole moneths meate to the children of Iſrael luſting after fleſh; but Moſes will hardly beleeue it; but Moſes will ſay: Six hundred thouſand footmen are there among the people, among whom I am, and thou ſaieſt, I will giuegive them fleſh to eate a monethmonth long. Shall the ſheepe & the beenes be ſlaine for them, to finde them? Either ſhall all the fiſh of the Sea be gathered together for them to ſuffice them? Num. 11.21. But what ſaith God to Moſes? Is the Lords hand ſhortned? You ſhall ſee now whether my word ſhall come to paſſe, or no, verſ. 23. A Prophet may prophecie in the greateſt famine of Samaria, albeit an Aſſes head, & Doues dunge be bought at an vnreaſonable rate, that yet to morrow at a certaine howre a meaſure of fine flower, and two meaſures of barly ſhall be ſold at a reaſonable rate: but a great man will not beleeue it; but a prince will ſay: though the LORD would make windowes in Heaven, can this thing come to paſſe? 2. King 7.2. But what ſaith Eliſha to this Prince, Beholde, thou ſhalt ſee it with thine eies, but ſhalt not eate thereof, verſ. 2.

Diſtruſtfull men, to ſatisfie our ſelues in ſuch diſtruſtful reaſonings. Heare we what S. Auſtin ſaith, Ep. 3. ad Voluſianum, concerning the workes of God to vsus vnprobable. Tota ratio facti, potentia facientis: conſidera autorem, tolle dubitationem: the whole reaſon of the doing is the power of the doer, it is God that hath done them. Conſider the author, and all doubts will ceaſe. Sing we, with the ſweet ſinger, Exod. 15.11. Who is like vntounto thee, O LORD, among the Gods? Who is like thee? So glorious in holyneſſe, ſo fearefull in praiſes, ſo doing wonders. Say wee with the ſhipmen, Ionah. 1.14. Thou, O LORD, haſt done as it hath pleaſed thee.

This point, as it cannot wel chooſe, but ſtrike a terrour into the ſeared cōſciences of the wicked, becauſe God is able to caſt both body and ſoule into hell fire; ſo may it well yeeld comfort to the Godly: comfort to the barrē; for he was able to make Hā nah fruitfull: comfort to the afflicted; for he was able to deliver Iob from his miſeries: comfort to the hungry, for he was able to ſend food to Elias by ravens: comfort to the thirſtie, for he was p. 135able of an Aſſes tooth to make a ſpring of water, to quench Sampſons thirſt: comfort for all, for God is able to do al in all: able to deliver from the fiery fornace, able to make the ſhadow in the diall of Ahaz to run backe 10. degrees: able to cauſe the Sunne and Moone to reſt from their courſes. Thou haſte done great things O LORD, LORD, who is like vntounto thee? O conſider the Almightineſſe of our God, and ſay, whether you are not thereby perſwaded, that it is he, the Lord, and none but he, ſince all worldly helps are vaine, that it is he, the Lord, that will lift you vp?

A fourth motiue to the ſame perſwaſion, is the willingnes of God: whereas hee is moſt preſent with you, moſt liberall to you, moſt able to help you, whē you ſtand in need, hee is alſo at all times moſt willing to work your eaſe; This willingneſſe of God importeth the neceſſity of the fulfilling of Gods promiſes, and ſo concurreth with the ſecond general note, whereof in the next Sermon.