Eighty Sermons, Christmas · Sermon 6
SERMON VI. Preached at S. Pauls, upon Chriſtmas Day. 1628.
Lord, who hath beleeved our report?
Domine, quis credidit auditui noſtro?
I Have named to you no booke, no chapter, no verſe, where theſe words are written: But I forbore not out of forgetfulneſſe, nor out of ſingularity, but out of perplexity rather, becauſe theſe words are written, in more then one, in more then two places of the Bible. In your ordinary converſation, and communication with other men, I am ſure you have all obſerved, that many men have certaine formes of ſpeech, certaine interjections, certaine ſuppletory phraſes, which fall often upon their tongue, and which they repeat almoſt in every ſentence; and; for the moſt part, impertinently; and then, when that phraſe conduces nothing to that which they would ſay; but rather diſorders and diſcompoſes the ſentence, and confounds, or troubles the hearer. And this, which ſome doe out of ſlackneſſe, and in-obſervance, and infirmity, many men, God knowes, do out of impiety; many men have certaine ſuppletory Oathes, with which they fill up their Diſcourſe, then, when they are not onelyonly not the better beleeved, but the worſe underſtood for thoſe blaſphemous interjections. Now, this, which you may thus obſerve, in men, ſometimes out of infirmity, ſometimes out of impiety, out of an accommodation and communicableneſſe of himſelfe to man, out of deſire, and a ſtudy, to ſhed himſelfe the more familiarly, and to infuſe himſelfe the more powerfully into man, you may obſerve even in the holy Ghoſt in himſelfe, in the Scriptures, which are the diſcourſe and communication of God with man; There are certaine idioms, certaine formes of ſpeech, certaine propoſitions, which the holy Ghoſt repeats ſeverall times, upon ſeverall occaſions in the Scriptures. It is ſo in the inſtrumentall Authors of the particular Bookes of the Bible; There are certaine formes of ſpeech, certaine characters, upon which I would pronounce, That's Moſes, and not David, that's Iob, and not Solomon, that's Eſay and not Ieremy. How often does Moſes repeat his Vivit Dominus, and Ego vivo, As the Lord liveth, and As I live, ſaith the Lord? How often does Solomon repeat his vanitas vanitatum, All is vanity? How often does our bleſſed Saviour repeat his Amen, Amen? and, in another ſenſe, then others had uſed that word before him; ſo often, as that you may reckon it thirtie times, in one Evangeliſt; ſo often, as that that may not inconveniently be thought ſome reaſon, why S. Iohn called Chriſt by that name, Amen, Rev. 3.14.Thus ſaith Amen, He whoſe name is Amen. How often does S. Paul, (eſpeciallly in his Epiſtles to Timothy, and to Titus) repeat that phraſe Fidelis Sermo, This is a true, and faithfull ſaying? And how often, his juratory caution, Coram Domino, before the Lord; As God is my witneſſe? And as it is thus for particular perſons, and particular phraſes, that they are often repeated; ſo are there certaine whole ſentences, certaine intire propoſitions, which the holy Ghoſt does often repeat in the Scripture. And, except we except that propoſition, of which S. Peick makes his uſe, That God is no accepter of perſons, Act. 10.34.(for that is repeated in very many places, that every where, upō every occaſiō, every man might be remembred of that, that God is no accepter of perſons; Take heed how you preſume upon your own knowledge, or your actions, for God is no accepter of perſons; Take heed how you condemne another man for an Heretique, becauſe he beleeves not juſt as you beleeve; or for a Reprobate, becauſe he lives not juſt as you live, for God is no accepter of perſons; Take heed how you relie wholly upon the outward means, that you are wrapped in the covenant, that you are bred in a reformed Church, for God is no accepter of perſons) except you will except this propoſition, I ſcarce remember any other that is ſo often repeated in the Scriptures, as this which is our Text, Lord, who hath beleeved our report? For, it is firſt in the Prophet Eſay. There the Prophet is in holy throws, and pangs,Eſay 53.1. and agonies, till he be delivered of that prophecy, the comming of the Meſſiah; the incarnation of Chriſt Jeſus, and yet is put to this exclamation, Domine, quis credidit? Lord who hath beleeved our report? And then you have theſe words in the Goſpell of S. Iohn; John 12.38.where we are not put upon the conſideration of a future Chriſt in prophecy, but the Evangeliſt exhibits Chriſt in perſon, actually, really, viſibly, evidently, doing great works, executing great judgements, multiplying great Miracles; and yet put to the application of this exclamation, Domine, quis credidit? Lord, who hath beleeved this report? And then you have theſe words alſo in S. Paul, Rom. 10.16.where we doe not conſider a prophecy of a future Chriſt, nor a hiſtory of a preſent Chriſt, but an application of that whole Chriſt to every ſoule, in the fetling of a Church, in that concatenation of meanes for the infuſion of faith expreſſed in that Chapter, ſending, and preaching, and hearing; and yet for all theſe powerfull and familiar aſſiſtances, Domine, quis crodidit? Lord, who hath beleeved that report? So that now beloved, you cannot ſay that you have a Text without a place; for you have three places for this Text: you have it in the great Prophet, in Eſay, in the great Evangeliſt, in S. Iohn; and in the great Apoſtle, in S. Paul. And becauſe in all three places, the words miniſter uſefull doctrine of edification, we ſhall, by yours and the times leave, conſider the words in all three places.
In all three, the words are a ſad and a ſerious expoſtulation of the Miniſter of God, with God himſelfe, that his Meanes and his Ordinances powerfully committed to him, being faithfully tranſmitted by him to the people, were nevertheleſſe fruitleſſe, and ineffectuall. I doe Lord as thou biddeſt me, ſayes the Prophet Eſay; I prophecy, I foretell the comming of the Meſſiah, the incarnation of thy Son for the ſalvation of the world, and I know that none of them that heare me, can imagine or conceive any other way for the redemption of the world, by fatisfaction to thy Juſtice, but this, and yet, Domine quis credidit? Lord who hath beleeved my report? I doe Lord as thou biddeſt me, ſayes Chriſt himſelfe in S. Iohn; I come in perſon, I glorifie thy name, I doe thy will, I preach thy Goſpell, I confirm my doctrine with evident Miracles, and I ſeale thoſe Seales, I confirm thoſe Miracles with my Blood; and yet, Quis credidit? Lord who hath beleeved my report? I doe Lord as thou biddeſt me, ſayes every one of us, who, as we have received mercy, have received the Miniſtery; I obey the inward calling of the Spirit, I accept the outward calling of the Church; furniſhed, and eſtabliſhed with both theſe, I come into the world, I preach abſolution of ſins to every repentant Soule, I offer the ſeales of reconciliation to every contrite ſpirit; and yet, Domine quis credidit? Lord who hath beleeved my report? Indeed it is a ſad contemplation, and muſt neceſſarily produce a ſerious and a vehement expoſtulation, when the predictions of Gods future judgements (ſo we ſhall finde the caſe to have been in the words in Eſay) when the execution of Gods preſent judgements, (ſo we ſhall finde the caſe to have been in the words in S. Iohn) when the Ordinances of God, for the reliefe of any ſoule, in any judgement, in his Church, are not beleeved. To ſay I beleeve you not, amounts to a lye; Not to beleeve Gods warnings before, not to beleeve Gods preſent judgements, not to beleeve that God hath eſtabliſhed a way to come to him in all diſtreſſes, this is to give God the lye; and with this is the world charged in this Text, Lord who hath beleeved our report?
Firſt then,1 Part. Eſay 53.1. where we finde theſe words firſt, the Prophet reproaches their unbeleefe, and hardneſſe of heart, in this, that they did not beleeve future things, future calamities, future judgements; for that is intended in that place. For, though this 53. of Eſay be the continuation, and the conſummation of that doctrine which the Prophet began to propoſe in the Chapter immediatly preceding, which is, the comming of the Meſſiah (in generall, the comfortableſt doctrine that could be propoſed) though this Chapter be eſpecially that place, upon which S. Hierome grounds that Eulogy of Eſay, that Eſay was rather an Euangeliſt then a Prophet, becauſe of his particular declaration of Chriſt in this Chapter; though upon this Chapter our Expoſitors ſometimes ſay, that as we cite the Goſpell according to S. Matthew, and the Goſpell according to S. Iohn, ſo here we may ſay, the Goſpell according to the Prophet Eſay; yet though this be a prophecy of the comming of Chriſt, and ſo, the comfortableſt doctrine that can be propoſed in the generall, and in the end, and fruit of that comming, yet it is a prophecy of the exinanition of Chriſt, of the evacuation of Chriſt, of the inglorious and ignominious eſtate, the calamitous, and contumelious eſtate of Chriſt: Their Meſſias they ſhould have; but that Meſſias ſhould be reputed a Malefactor, and as a Malefactor crucified; Which miſeries, and calamities being to fall upon him, for them, they ought to have been as ſenſible, and as much affected with thoſe miſeries to be endured for them, as if they had been to have fallen upon themſelves. The later Jews and their Rabbins ſince the diſperſion, doe not, will not beleeve this prophecy of miſeries, and calamities to belong to their Meſſias.Ver. 2. They do not, they wil not beleeve, that that which is ſaid, That there is no form, no beauty, no comelineſſe in him, ſo that men ſhould long for him before, or deſire to look upon him after, ſhould have any reference to their Meſſiah, whom they expect in all outward ſplendor and glory; Nor that that which is added there, That he ſhould be deſpiſed, and rejected of men, a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with griefes, ſhould belong to him, in whoſe proceedings in this world, they look for continuall Victories and Triumphs. But they will needs underſtand theſe miſeries, and calamities prophecyed here, to be thoſe calamities, and thoſe miſeries, which have fallen, and dwelt upon their Nation, ever ſince their diſperſion after Chriſts death. Now let it be but ſuch a prophecy as that; take it either way; The Chriſtian way, a prophecy of calamities upon the Meſſiah for them; or the Jews way, of calamities upon them for the Meſſiah; ſtill it is a prophecy of future calamities, future judgements, of which they ought to have been ſenſible, and with which they ought to have been affected, and were not: And ſo that's their charge, they did not beleeve the Prophets report, they were not moved with Gods judgments denounced upon them, by thoſe Prophets. Now, was this ſo hainous, not to beleeve a Prophet?
The office and function of a Prophet,Propheta. in the time of the Law, was not ſo evident, nor ſo ordinary an office, as the office of the Prieſt and Miniſter in the Goſpel now is; There was not a conſtant, an ordinary, a viſible calling in the Church, to the office of a Prophet. Neither the high-prieſt, nor the Eccleſiaſticall Conſiſtory, the Synedrium, did by any impoſition of hands, or other Collation, or Declaration, give Orders to any man ſo, as that thereby that man was made a Prophet. I know ſome men, of much induſtry, and perſpicacy too, in ſearching into thoſe Scriptures, the ſenſe whereof is not obvious to every man, have thought that the Prophets had an outward and a conſtant declaration of their Calling.1 Reg. 19.15. And they think it proved, by that which is ſaid to Eliah, when God commands him to anoint Hazael K. of Syria, & to anoint Iehu K. of Iſrael, & to anoint Eliſha Prophet in his own room: Therefore, ſay they, the Prophet had as much evidence of his Calling, as the Miniſter hath, for that unction was as evident a thing, as our Impoſition of hands is. And it is true, it was ſo, where it was actually, and really executed. But then, nothing is more evident, then that this word Meſhiach, which ſignifies Anointing, is not reſtrained to that very action, a real unction, but frequently transferred, & communicated in a Scripture uſe, to every kind of Declaration of any Election, any Inſtitution, any Inauguration, any Inveſtiture of any perſon to any place; And, leſſe then that, of any appropriation, any applicatiō of any thing to any particular uſe. Any appointing was an anointing; As in particular (for many other places) where S. Hierome reades, Arripite clypeos, buckle your ſhields; Eſay 21.5.To you, which was an alarm to them, to arm, the originall hath it, and ſo hath our tranſlation, Anoint your ſhields; to apply them to their right uſe, was called an Anointing. And when God cals Cyrus, the King of Perſia, Vnctum ſuum, his Anointed; it were weakly, and improperly argued from that word, that Cyrus King of Perſia, was literally, actually, anointed; for that unction was peculiar to the Kings of Iſrael; but Cyrus was the anointed of the Lord, that is, declared and avowed by the Lord, to be his choſen Inſtrument. Neither could Eliah, literally execute this commandement, for anointing Haſael King of Syria; for Haſael the King of Syria could not be anointed by the Prophet of the Lord, for ſuch unction was peculiar to the Kings of Iſrael. And for the Kings of Iſrael themſelves, their owne Rabbins tell us, that they were not ordinarily anointed, but onelyonly in thoſe caſes, where there aroſe ſome queſtion, and difference, about the ſucceſſion; as in Solomons caſe; there, becauſe Adoniah pretended to the ſucceſſion;1 Reg. 1. to make all the more ſure, David proceeded with a ſolemnity, and appointed an anointing of Solomon, which, otherwiſe, ſay their Rabbins, had not been done. But howſoever it may have been for their Kings, there ſeemes to be a plaine diſtinction betweene them, and the Prophets in the Pſalme, for this evidence of unction; Touch not mine Anointed, ſayes God there:Pſ. 105.15. They, they that were Anointed, conſtitute one rank, one claſſis; and then followes, And doe my Prophets no harme: They, they who were not Anointed, the Prophets, conſtitute another claſſis, another rank. So that then an internall, a ſpirituall unction the Prophets had, that is, an application, an appropriation to that office from God, but a conſtant, an evident calling to that function, by any externall act of the Church, they had not, but it was an extraordinary office, and impoſed immediatly by God; and therfore the people might ſeem the more excuſable, if they did not beleeve a Prophet preſently, becauſe the office of the Prophet did not carry with it, ſuch a manifeſtation by any thing evidently done upon him, and viſible to them, that by that, that man muſt be a Prophet. But, as God clothes himſelfe with light, as with a garment; ſo God clothes, and apparells his works with light too: for, fruſtra feciſſet, ſayes S. Ambroſe, God had made creatures to no purpoſe, if he had not made light to ſee them by. Therefore when God does any extraordinary worke, he accompanies that work with anextraordinary light, by which, he for whoſe inſtruction God does that work, may know that work to be his. So when he ſent his Prophets to his people, he accompanied their miſſion, with an effectuall light, and evidence, by which, that people did acknowledge in their owne hearts, that that man was ſent by God to them. Therefore they called that man at firſt, Roeh, videntem, a Seer, one whom they acknowledged to have beene admitted to the ſight of God, in the declaration of his will to them: for ſo we have it in Samuel, He that is now called a Prophet, 1 Sam. 9.9.was before time called a Seer. And then that addition of the name of a Prophet, gave them a farther qualification; for, Nabi, which is a Prophet, is from Niba; and Niba, is venire facio, to cauſe, to make a thing to come to paſſe. So that a Prophet was not onelyonly praefator, but praefactor; He did not only preſage, but preordain; that is, there was ſuch an infallibility, ſuch an inevitableneſſe in that which he had ſaid, as that his very ſaying of it, ſeemed to them ſome kind of cauſe of the accompliſhing thereof. For, hence it is, that we have that phraſe ſo often in the new Teſtament, This and this was thus and thus done, that ſuch and ſuch a Prophecy might be fulfilled: They never went to that heighth, that ſuch or ſuch a ſecret purpoſe, or unrevealed Decree of God might be fulfilled; but they reſted in the Declaration which God had made in his Church, and were ſatisfied in the execution of his Decrees, in his viſible Ordinances. Therefore the increpation which the Prophet layes upon the people here, (Lord, who hath beleeved our report) is not, that they did not beleeve thoſe Prophets to be Prophets, (for though that were an extraordinary office, yet it was accompanied with an extraordinary light) neither was it, that they did not beleeve that thoſe things which were prophecyed by them, ſhould come to paſſe, (for they beleeved that man to be Roeh, a Seer, one that had ſeen the Counſels of God concerning them; And they beleeved him to be Nabi, venire facientem, one upon whoſe word they might as infallibly rely, as upon a cauſe, for an effect;) But this was the ſinne of this people, this was the ſorrow of this Prophet, that they did not beleeve theſe predictions to belong to them, they did not beleeve that theſe judgements would fall out in their time. In one word, preſent ſecurity was their ſinne. And was that ſo hainous?
So hainous, as that that is it, with which God was ſo highly incenſed,Eſay 28.14. and with which he meant ſo deeply to affect his people, in that conſiderable paſſage, in that remarkeable, and vehement place, where he expoſtulates thus with them; Heare ye ſcornfull men, (yee that make a jeſt, a ſcorn of future judgements) Heare ye ſcornfull men, that rule this people, (ſayes God there) (you that have a power over the affections of the people in the Pulpit, and can perſwade what you will, or a power over the wils of the people in your place, and can command what you will) you that tell them (ſayes the Prophet there) we have made a covenant with death, and are at an agreement with hell, (feare you nothing, let us alone; ambitious Princes ſhall turn their forces another way, antichriſtian plots ſhall be practiſed in other nations) you that tell them (ſayes he) when the overflowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe through, it ſhall not come to you, (howſoever ſuperſtition be eſtabliſhed in other places, howſoever prevailing armies be multiplied elſe-where, yet you ſhal have your religion, & your peace ſtill; for we have made a covenant with death, & with hell, we are at an agreement) Heare ye ſcornfull men, (ſayes God) you that put this ſcorn upon my predictions, your covenant with death ſhall be diſanulled, Eſay 28.18.and your agreement with death ſhall not ſtand, (the faire promiſes of others to you, your own promiſes to your ſelves ſhall deceive you) and the overflowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe thorough, Eſay 28.19.thorough you all, for, you, (you ſcornfull men) ſhall be trodden down by it; and, (as it followes there, in an elegant, and a vehement expreſſion) it ſhall be a vexation, onelyonly to underſtand the report: You that would not beleeve the report of the Prophet, that for theſe and theſe ſins, ſuch and ſuch Judgements ſhould fall upon you, ſhall be confounded even with the report, the noyſe, the newes, how this overſlowing ſcourge hath paſſed thorough your neighbours round about you; how much more with the ſenſe, when you your ſelves ſhall be trodden down by it? There is ſcarce any of the Prophets, in which, God does not drive home this increpation of their ſecurity,Ezek. 12.22. and inſenſibleneſſe of future calamities. As in Eſay, ſo in Ezechiel God ſayes, what is that Proverb which ye have in the Land of Iſrael? (it was, it ſeemes, in every mans mouth, proverbially ſpoken by all) what was it? This, The dayes are prolonged, and every viſion failes; V. 27.The viſion which he ſayes, is for many dayes to come, and he propheſieth of the times afarre off. But, (ſayes God there) In your dayes, O rebellious houſe, will I ſay the word, and performe it: Not ſay it in our dayes, and performe it upon our children; but God will ſpeake, and ſtrike together, we ſhall heare him, and feele him at once, if wee be not ſeriouſly affected with his predictions.
The ſame way God goes in Ieremy, Jer. 7.23.as in Eſay, and in Ezechiel. I have ſent unto you all my ſervants, the Prophets, (ſayes God there) God hath no other ſervants, to this purpoſe, but his Prophets: If your dangers have beene, by Gods appointment, preached to you, God hath done. You muſt not, as Dives did, in the behalfe of his brethren, looke for. Meſſengers from the ſtate of the dead; you muſt not ſtay for inſtruction, nor for amendment, till you be Pro mortuis, 1 Cor. 15.(as the Apoſtle ſpeakes) as good as dead, ready to dye; you muſt not ſtay till a Judgement fall, and then preſume of underſtanding by that vexation, or of repentance by that affliction; for, this is to hearken after Meſſengers, from the ſtate of the dead, to think of nothing till we be ready to joyne with them; But as Abraham ſayes there to Dives, Thy brethren have the Law, and the Prophets, and that is enough, that is all, ſo God ſayes here, I have ſent them all my ſervants, the Prophets; that is enough, that is all: eſpecially, when, (as God addes there) He hath riſen early, and ſent his Prophets, that is, given us warning time enough, before the calamity come neare our owne gates. But when they rejected, and deſpiſed all his Propheſies, and denunciations of future Judgements,V. 29. then followes the ſentence, the finall, and fearfull ſentence. The Lord hath forſaken, and rejected them; Them; whom? as it followes in the ſentence, The Lord hath forſaken, and rejected the generation of his wrath; The generation of his wrath? There is more horrour, more conſternation in that manner of expreſſing that rejection, then in the rejection it ſelfe; There is an inſupportable waight, in that word. His wrath; but even that is infinitely aggravated in the other, The generation of his wrath. God hath forgot that Iſrael is his Son, Exod. 4.22.and his firſt borne; So he avowed him to be in Moſes commiſſion to Pharaoh. God hath forgot that He rebuked Kings for his ſake; that he teſtifies to have done in his behalfe,Pſal. 105.15. Gal. 3.29. in David; God hath forgot that they were heires according to the promiſe; that is their dignification in the Apoſtle; forgot that they were the apple of his own eye, Deut. 32.10. Agg. 2.23. Jer. 31.20.that they were as the ſignet upon his own hand; forgot that Ephraim is his deare Son, that he is a pleaſing child, a child for whom his bowels were troubled; God hath forgot all theſe paternities, all theſe filiations, all theſe incorporatings, all theſe inviſcerations of Iſrael into his owne boſome, and Iſrael is become the generation of his wrath. Not the ſubject of his wrath; A people upon whom God would exerciſe ſome one act of indignation, in a temporall calamity, as captivity, or ſo; or multiply acts of indignation, in one kinde, as adding of penury or ſickneſſe to their captivity; nor is it onelyonly a multiplying of the kinds of calamity, as the aggravating of temporall calamities with ſpirituall, oppreſſion of body and ſtate, with ſadneſſe of heart, and dejection of ſpirit; for all theſe, as many as they are, are determined in this life; but that which God threatens, is, that he will for their grievous ſinnes, multiply lifes upon them, and make them immortall for immortall torments; They ſhall bee a generation of his wrath; they ſhall dye in this world, in his diſpleaſure, and receive a new birth, a new generation in the world to come, in a new capacity of new miſeries; they ſhall dye in the next world, every minute, in the privation of the ſight of God, and every minute receive a new generation, a new birth, a new capacity of reall and ſenſible torments. When God hath ſent all his ſervants, the Prophets, and ſo done all that is neceſſary for premonition, and riſen early to ſend thoſe Prophets, warned them time enough, to avoid the danger, and they are not affected with the ſenſe of theſe predictions, God ſhall make them, us, any State, any Church, the generation of his wrath, God ſhall forget his former paternities, and our former filiations; forget his mercies exhibited to us in the reformation of Religion, in the preſervation of our State, in the augmenting and adorning of our Church, and after all this, make us the generation of his wrath. And this may well be conceived to be the lamentable ſtate deplored in this text, as the words are conſidered in their firſt place, the Prophet Eſay, Lord, who hath beleeved our report. But this is brought nearer to us, in the ſecond place, as wee have the words in S. Iohn; where we doe not conſider things in a remote diſtance,Iohn 12.38. but Chriſt was in a perſonall and actuall exerciſe of his works of power, and ſoveraignty, and yet the Evangeliſt comes to this, Lord, who hath beleeved this report?
That's true in a great part, which Irenaeus ſaies, Prophetiae antequam effectum habent, 2 Part.aenigmata ſunt, & ambiguitates hominibus, That prophecies till they come to be fulfilled, are but clouds in the eyes, and riddles in the underſtanding of men. So, many particulars, concerning the calling of the Jews, concerning the time, and place, and perſon, and duration, and actions of Antichriſt, concerning the generall Judgement, and other things, that lye yet, as an Embryon, as a child in the mothers wombe, embowelled in the wombe of prophecie, are yet but as clouds in the eyes, as riddles in the underſtandings of the learnedſt men. Daniel himſelfe, found that which he found in the Prophet Ieremy, concerning the deliverance of Iſrael from Babylon, to be wrapped up in ſuch a cloud, as that it is fairely collected by ſome, that Daniel himſelfe at that time, did not clearly underſtand the Prophet Ieremy. But theſe clouds, for the moſt part, ariſe in us, out of our curioſity, that wee will needs know the time, when theſe prophecies ſhall be fulfilled; when the Jews ſhall be called, when Antichriſt ſhall be fully manifeſted, when the day of Judgement ſhall be: And ſo, for ſuch queſtions as theſe, Chriſt enwraps not onelyonly his Apoſtles, but himſelfe in a cloud; for, that cloud which he caſts upon them, Non eſt veſtrum, It belongs not to you, to know times, and ſeaſons, he ſpreads upon himſelfe alſo, Non eſt meum, It belongs not to me, not to me, as the Son of man, to know when the day of Judgment ſhall be. But for that uſe of a prophecy, that the prediction of a future Judgement ſhould induce a preſent repentance, that was never an enigmaticall, a cloudy doctrine, but manifeſt to all, in all prophecies of that kinde. But this, this commination of future judgements, for preſent repentance, wrought not upon theſe men; but,Pſal. 55.19. Eccleſ. 8.11. becauſe they have no changes, therefore they feare not God: And, becauſe ſentence againſt an evill worke, is not executed ſpeedily, therefore their hearts are fully ſet in them, to do evill. But now, in the manifeſtation of Chriſt, they ſaw evident changes; changes, and revolutions in the higheſt ſpheare; they ſaw a new King, and they heard ſtrangers proclaime him; forraigne Kings doe not ſend Ambaſſadors to congratulate, but come in perſon, to doe their homage, and aske their audience in that ſtyle, Where is he that is borne King of the Iews? not an elective, not an arbitrary, not a conditionall, a proviſionall King, but an hereditary, a naturall King, Borne King of the Iews. They heare ſtrangers proclaime him,Mat. 2.2. and they proclaime him themſelves, in that act of Recognition, in that acclamatory Hoſanna, in this Chapter, Bleſſed is the King of Iſrael, that commeth in the name of the Lord. v. 13. Mat. 2.3.They ſaw changes; changes with which Herod was troubled, and all Jeruſalem with him. And they ſaw ſentence executed; for, as ſoone as Chriſt manifeſted himſelfe, Iohn Baptiſt ſaies, Now, Mat. 3.10. Mat. 3.12.now that Chriſt declares himſelfe, the axe is laid unto the roote of the tree, and now, ſaies he, His fanne is in his hand, and he will purge his floore. And this ſentence he executed, this regall power he exerciſed, not onelyonly after that Recognition of his ſubjects, in their Hoſannaes in this chapter, (for, upon that, he did go into the Temple, and caſt out the buyers, and ſellers) but ſome yeares before that, at his firſt manifeſtation of himſelfe, and ſoone after Iohn Baptiſts Now, Iohn 2.3.now is the axe laid to the roote of the Tree, did Chriſt execute this ſentence, not onelyonly to drive, but to ſcourge them out, that prophaned the Temple; which was the ſecond miracle, that we aſcribe to Chriſt. Indeed all his miracles were ſo many acts, not onelyonly of his regall power over ſome men, but of his abſolute prerogative, over the whole frame, and body of nature. Nor can we conceive how the beholders of thoſe miracles, could argue to themſelves, otherwiſe then thus; The winds and ſeas obey this man, for when he ſuffers them, the winds roare, and when hee whiſpers a ſilence to them, they are ſilenced; The Devils and uncleane ſpirits obey him; for when he ſuffers it, they preach his glory, and when he refuſes honour from ſo diſhonourable mouths, they are ſilent. Death it ſelfe obeyes him; for, when he will, death withholds his hand from cloſing that mans eye, that lyes upon his laſt gaſpe, and the laſt ſtroke of his bell, and hee does not die; and, when he will, death withdraws his hand from him, who had beene foure daies in his poſſeſſion, and redelivers Lazarus to a new life. This they ſaw; and could they chooſe but ſay, the wind, and the ſea, the devill, and uncleane ſpirits, and death it ſelfe obeyes this man, how ſhall we ſtand before this man, this King, this God? yet for all this voice, this loud voice of miracles, (for when S. Chryſoſtome ſayes, Omni tuba clarior per opera demonſtratio, Every good worke hath the voyce of a trumpet, every miracle hath the voice of thunder,) for all this loud voice, (as it is ſaid in the verſe before the text, Though he had done ſo many miracles before them, yet they beleeved not on him) it is faine to come to that, Quis credidit, Lord who hath beleeved this report? The firſt of thoſe great names which were given to Chriſt,Eſay 9.6. in the Prophet Eſay, was Mirabilis, The wonderfull, The ſupernaturall man, the man that workes miracles; for, of the Apoſtles it is ſaid, by them, great miracles were wrought, but God wrought thoſe miracles, by them. Chriſt wrought his miracles himſelf; And his Birth, and his Life, and Death, and Refurrection, and Aſcenſion, were all complicated, and elemented of miracles. If hee faſted himſelfe, he did that miraculouſly; and it was with a miracle, when he feaſted others. He healed many that were ſick of divers diſeaſes, Mark. 1.34. Mat. 9.35.and caſt out many Devils, ſaies S. Marke; And S. Matthew carries it a great deale farther, Hee went about all the Cities, and villages, healing every ſickneſſe, and every diſeaſe among the people. Therefore Chriſt makes that, (the evidence of his miracles) the iſſue betweene them, If theſe mighty works had beene done in Tyre and Sidon,Mat. 11.21. Iohn 15.22. Tyre and Sidon would have repented; And therefore he places their inexcuſableneſſe in that, If I had not come, and ſpoken to them, they had had no ſinne; Nay, if I had not ſpoken to them, in this loud voyce, the voyce of miracles, they might have had ſome cloake for their finne, but now they have none, ſaies Chriſt in that place; And, beloved, are not we inexcuſable in that degree? Have not wee ſeene changes, and ſeene judgements executed, and ſeene miraculous deliverances, and yet Domine quis credidit? Lord who hath beleeved theſe reports?
I would wee could but take aright a miſ-taken tranſlation, and make that uſe that is offered us in others error. The vulgar Edition, the tranſlation of the Roman Church, reads that place, in the 77. Pſalme and 11. verſe thus, Nunc caepi, ſaies David, Now I have taken out my leſſon the right way, now I have laid hold upon God by the right handle, Nunc caepi, Now I have all that I need to have; what is it? This; Haec mutatio dextrae Dei, this is to take out my leſſon aright, to underſtand God truly, and to know, & acknowledge, that this change which I ſee, is an act of the right hand of God, and that it is a judgement, and not an accident. O, beloved, that wee would not be afraid of giving God too much glory; not afraid of putting God into too much heart; or of making God too imperious over us, by acknowledging, that Haec mutatio dextrae Dei, that all our changes are acts of the right hand of God, and come from him. But we are not onelyonly ſubject to the Prophets increpation, Quis credit, that we doe not beleeve Gods warnings of future judgements, but to the Euangeliſts increpation, in the perſon of Chriſt, Quis credidit? we do not beleeve preſent judgements to be judgements. An invincible navy hath beene ſent againſt us, and defeated, and we ſacrifice to a caſuall ſtorme for that; wee ſay the winds delivered us. A powder treaſon hath been plotted, and diſcovered, and we ſacrifice to a caſuall letter for that; we ſay, the letter delivered us. A devouring plague hath raigned, and gone out againe, and we ſacrifice to an early froſt for that; we ſay, the cold weather delivered us. Domeſtique encumbrances, perſonall infirmities, ſadneſſe of heart, dejection of ſpirit oppreſſes us, and then weares out, and paſſes over, and we ſacrifice for that, to wine, and ſtrong drinke, to muſique, to Comedies, to converſation, and to all Iobs miſerable comforters; wee ſay, it was but a melancholique fit, and good company hath delivered us of it. But when God himſelfe ſaies, There is no evill done in the City, but I doe it, we may be bold to ſay, there is no good done in the world but hee does it. The very calamities are from him; the deliverance from thoſe calamities much more. All comes from Gods hand; and from his hand, by way of hand-writing, by way of letter, and inſtruction to us. And therefore to aſcribe things wholy to nature, to fortune, to power, to ſecond cauſes, this is to miſtake the hand, not to know Gods hand; But to acknowledge it to be Gods hand, and not to read it, to ſay that it is Gods doing, and not to conſider, what God intends in it, is as much a ſlighting of God, as the other. Now, in every ſuch letter, in every judgement, God writes to the King; but it becomes not me to open the Kings letter, nor to preſcribe the King his interpretation of that judgement. In every ſuch letter, in every judgement God writes to the State; but I will not open their letter, nor preſcribe them their interpretation of that judgement; God, who of his goodneſſe hath vouchſafed to write unto them in theſe letters, of his abundant goodneſſe interprets himſelfe to their religious hearts. But then, in every ſuch letter in every judgement, God writes to me too; and that letter I will open, and read that letter; I will take knowledge that it is Gods hand to me, and I will ſtudy the will of God to me in that letter; and I will write back again to my God and return him an anſwer, in the amendment of my life, and give him my reformation for his information. Elſe I am fallen lower then under the Prophets increpation, non credidi, I have not beleeved comminations of future judgements, under Chriſts increpation too, non credidi, I doe not beleeve judgements to be judgements, or (which is as dangerous an ignorance) not to be inſtructive judgements, medicinall and catechiſticall judgements to me. And this may well be the explication, at leaſt, the application and accommodation of theſe words, Lord who hath beleeved our report, in thoſe places, the Prophet Eſay, and the Euangeliſt S. Iohn. There remaines only the third place, where we have theſe words in the Apoſtle S. Paul, and in them, there, doe not conſider, a prophecy of a future Chriſt,Rom. 10.16. as in Eſay, nor a hiſtory of a preſent Chriſt, as in S. Iohn, but we conſider an application of all, prophecy, and hiſtory, all that was foretold of Chriſt, all that was done and ſuffered by Chriſt, in this, that there is a Church inſtituted by Chriſt, endowed with meanes of reconciling us to God, what judgements ſoever our ſins have drawen God to threaten againſt us, or to inflict upon us; and yet for all theſe offers, of all theſe helps, the Miniſter is put to this ſad expoſtulation, Domine, quis credidit? Lord, who hath beleeved our report?
Here then the Apoſtles expoſtulation with God, and increpation upon the people, may uſefully be conceived to be thus carried; from the light and notification of God,3. Part. which we have in nature, to a clearer light, which we have in the Law and Prophets, and then a clearer then that in the Goſpell, and a clearer, at leaſt a nearer then that, in the Church. Firſt then, even the naturall man is inexcuſable (ſayes this Apoſtle) if he doe not ſee the inviſible God in the viſible creature; inexcuſable, if he doe not reade the law written in his own heart. But then, Quis credidit auditui ſuo? who hath beleeved his own report? who does reade the Law written in his own heart? who does come home to Church to himſelf, or hearken to the motions of his own ſpirit, what he ſhould doe, or what will become of him, if he doe ſtill as he hath done? or who reades the hiſtory of his own conſcience, what he hath done, and the judgements that belong to thoſe former actions? Therefore we have a clearer light then this; Firmiorem propheticum ſermonem, ſayes S. Peter, We have a more ſure word of the Prophets; that is,2 Pet. 1.19. as S. Auguſtine reades that place, clariorem, a more manifeſt, a more evident declaration in the Prophets, then in nature, of the will of God towards man, and his rewarding the obedient, and rejecting the diſobedient to that will. But then, Quis credidit auditui prophetico, who hath beleeved the report of the Prophet, ſo far, as to be ſo moved and affected with a prophecy, as to ſuſpect himſelfe, and apply that prophecy to himſelfe, and to ſay this judgement of his belongs to this ſin of mine? Therefore we have a clearer light then this; God, Heb. 1.1.who at ſundry times, and in divers manners, ſpake to the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in theſe laſt dayes ſpoke to us by his Son, ſayes the Apoſtle; He ſpake perſonally, and he ſpake aloud, in the declaration of Miracles; But, Quis credidit auditui filii? who beleeved even his report? did they not call his preaching ſedition, and call his Miracles conjuring? Therefore we have a clearer, that is, a nearer light then the written Goſpell, that is, the Church. For, the principall intention in Chriſts Miracles, even in the purpoſe of God, was but thereby to create and conſtitute, and eſtabliſh an aſſurance, that he that did thoſe Miracles, was the right man, the true Meſſias, that Son of God, who was made man for the redemption and ranſome of the whole world. But then, that which was to give them their beſt aſſiſtance, that that was to ſupply all, by that way, to apply this generall redemption to every particular ſoule, that was the eſtabliſhing of a Church, of a viſible and conſtant, and permanent meanes of ſalvation, by his Ordinances there, uſ que ad conſummationem, till the end of the world. And this is done, ſayes this Apoſtle here; Chriſt is come, and gone, and come again; Born, and dead, and riſen again; Aſcended, and ſate at the right hand of his Father in our nature, and deſcended again in his Spirit, the Holy Ghoſt; that Holy Ghoſt hath ſent us, us the Apoſtles; we have made Biſhops; they have made Prieſts and Deacons; and ſo that body, that family, that houſhold of the faithfull,Ver. 14. by their Miniſtery is made up. 'Tis true, ſayes the Apoſtle here, Men cannot be ſaved without calling upon God; nor call upon him acceptably without Faith; nor beleeve truly without Hearing; nor heare profitably without Preaching; nor preach avowably, and with a bleſſing, without ſending; All this is true ſayes our Apoſtle in this place; but all this is done; ſuch a ſending, ſuch a preaching, ſuch a hearing is eſtabliſhed; For,Ver. 19. I ask but this, ſayes he, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their ſound went into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world; And, for my ſelfe, ſayes he, I have ſtrived to preach the Goſpell, Rom. 15.20.where Chriſt was not named; that is, to carry the Church farther then the reſt had carried it, and now all is done, ſayes the Apoſtle. So that here is the caſe, if the naturall man ſay, alas they are but dark notions of God which I have in nature; if the Jew ſay, alas they are but remote and ambiguous things which I have of Chriſt in the Prophets; If the ſlack and hiſtoricall Chriſtian ſay, alas they are but generall things, done for the whole world indifferently, and not applyed to me, which I reade in the Goſpell, to this naturall man, to this Jew, to this ſlack Chriſtian, we preſent an eſtabliſhed Church, a Church endowed with a power, to open the wounds of Chriſt Jeſus to receive every wounded ſoule, to ſpread the balme of his blood upon every bleeding heart; A Church that makes this generall Chriſt particular to every Chriſtian, that makes the Saviour of the world, thy Saviour, and my Saviour; that offers the originall ſinner Baptiſme for that; and the actuall ſinner, the body and blood of Chriſt Jeſus for that; a Church that mollifies, and entenders, and ſhivers the preſumptuous ſinner with denouncing the judgements of God, and then, conſolidates and eſtabliſhes the diffident ſoule with the promiſes of his Goſpell; a Church, in contemplation whereof, God may ſay, Quid potui Vineae, what could I doe more for my people then I have done? firſt to ſend mine only Son to die for the whole world, and then to ſpread a Church over the whole world, by which that death of his might be life to every ſoule. This we preach, this we propoſe, according to that commiſſion put into our hands, Ite, praedicate, Goe, and preach the Goſpell to every creature, and yet, Domine, quis credidit? Lord, who hath beleeved our report?
In this then, the Apoſtle and this Text, places the inflexible, the incorrigible ſtiffeneſſe of mans diſobedience, in this he ſeales up his inexcuſableneſſe, his irrecoverableneſſe, firſt, that he is not afraid of future judgements, becauſe they are remote; then, that he does not beleeve preſent judgements to be judgements, becauſe he can make ſhift to call them by a milder name, accidents, and not judgements, and can aſſigne ſome naturall, or morall, or caſuall reaſon for them. But eſpecially in this, that he does not beleeve a perpetuall preſence of Chriſt in his Church, he does not beleeve an Ordinance of meanes, by which, all burdens of bodily infirmities, of croſſes in fortune, of dejection of ſpirit, and of the primary cauſe of all theſe, that is, ſin it ſelfe may be taken off, or made eaſie unto him; he does not beleeve a Church.
Now, as in our former part we were bound to know Gods hand, and then bound to reade it, to acknowledge a judgement to be a judgement, and then to conſider what God intended in that judgement, ſo here we are bound to know the true Church, and then to know what the true Church propoſes to us. The true Church is that, where the word is truely preached, and the Sacraments duly adminiſtred. But it is the Word, the Word inſpired by the holy Ghoſt; not Apocryphall, not Decretall, not Traditionall, not Additionall ſupplements; and it is the Sacraments, Sacraments inſtituted by Chriſt himſelf, and not thoſe ſuper-numerary ſacraments, thoſe poſthume, poſt-nati ſacramēts, that have been multiplyed after: and then, that which the true Church propoſes, is, all that is truly neceſſary to ſalvation, and nothing but that, in that quality, as neceſſary. So that Problematical points, of which, either ſide may be true, & in which, neither ſide is fundamentally neceſſary to ſalvation, thoſe marginal & interlineary notes, that are not of the body of the text, opinions raiſed out of ſingularity, in ſome one man, and then maintained out of partiality, and affection to that man, theſe problematicall things ſhould not be called the Doctrine of the Church, nor lay obligations upon mens conſciences; They ſhould not diſturb the general peace, they ſhould not extinguiſh particular charity towards one another.
The Act then, that God requires of us, is to beleeve: ſo the words carry it in all the three places: The Object, the next, the neareſt Object of this Belief, is made the Church; that is, to beleeve that God hath eſtabliſhed means for the application of Chriſts death, to all, in all Chriſtian Congregations. All things are poſsible to him that beleeveth, Mar. 9 23.ſaith our Saviour; In the Word, and Sacraments, there is Salvation to every ſoule, that beleeves there is ſo: As on the other ſide, we have from the ſame mouth, and the ſame pen, He that beleeveth not, is damned. Faith then being the root of all,Mar. 16.16. and God having vouchſafed to plant this root, this faith, here in his terreſtriall paradiſe, and not in heaven; in the manifeſt miniſtery of the Goſpell, and not in a ſecret and unrevealed purpoſe, (for, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by preaching, which are things executed and tranſacted here in the Church) be thou content with thoſe meanes which God hath ordained, and take thy faith in thoſe meanes, and beleeve it to be influxus ſuaſorius, that it is an influence from God, but an influence that works in thee by way of perſwaſion, and not of compulſion; It convinces thee, but it doth not conſtraine thee: It is, as S. Auguſtine ſayes excellently, Vocatio congrua, it is the voice of God to thee: but, his voice then, when thou art fit to heare, and anſwer that voice; not fitted by any exaltation of thine own naturall faculties, before the cōming of grace; nor fitted by a good husbanding of Gods former grace, ſo as in rigor of juſtice to merit an increaſe of grace, but fitted by his preventing, his auxiliant, his concomitant grace, grace exhibited to thee, at that time when he calls thee: for, ſo ſaies that Father, Sic eum vocat, quo modo ſeit ei congruere, ut vocantē non reſpuat: God calls him then, when he knows he wil not reſiſt his calling; But he doth not ſay, then, when he cānot reſiſt; that needs not be ſaid. But, as there is podus glcriae, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, an eternall weight of glory, which mans underſtanding cannot cōprehend; ſo there is Pondus gratiae, a certain weight of grace, that God layes upon that ſoule, which ſhall be his, under which that ſoule ſhall not eaſily bend it ſelf any way from God.
This then is the ſumme of this whole Catechiſme, which theſe words, in theſe three places doe conſtitute: Firſt, that we be truely affected with Gods fore-warnings, and ſay there, Domine credo, Lord I beleeve that report, I beleeve that judgement to be denounced againſt my ſin: And then, that we be duely affected with preſent changes, and ſay there, Domine credo, Lord I beleeve that report, I beleeve this judgement to come from thee, and to be a letter of thy hand; Lord enlighten others to interpret it aright, for thy more publique glory, and me, for my particular reformation. And then, laſtly, to be ſincerely, and ſeriouſly affected with the Ordinances of his Church, and to reſt in them, for the means of our ſalvation; and to ſay there, Domine credo, Lord I beleeve this report, I beleeve that I cannot be ſaved without beleeving, nor beleeve without hearing. And therefore, whatſoever thou haſt decreed to thy ſelfe above in heaven, give me a holy aſſiduity of indevor, and peace of conſcience, in the execution of thy Decrees here; And let thy Spirit beare witneſſe with my ſpirit, that I am of the number of thine elect, becauſe I love the beauty of thy houſe, becauſe I captivate mine underſtanding to thine Ordinances, becauſe I ſubdue my wil to obey thine, becauſe I find thy Son Chriſt Jeſus made mine, in the preaching of thy word, and my ſelfe made his, in the adminiſtration of his Sacraments. And keep me ever in the armes, and boſome of that Church, which without any tincture, any mixture, any leaven of ſuperſtition, or Idolatry, affords me all that is neceſſary to ſalvation, and obtrudes nothing, enforces nothing to be beleeved, by any Determination, or Article of hers that is not ſo. And be this enough for the Explication, and Application, and Complication of theſe words, in all theſe three places.