Eighty Sermons, St. Paul · Sermon 48
SERM. XLVIII. Preached at S. Pauls in the Evening, VponUpon the day of S. PAULS Converſion. 1628.
ACTS 28.6.
They changed their minds, and ſaid, That he was a God.
THe ſcene, where this canonization, this ſuper-canonization, (for, it was not of a Saint, but of a God) was tranſacted, was the Ile of Malta: The perſon canonized, and proclaimed for a God, was S. Paul, at that time by ſhipwrack caſt upon that Iland. And having for ſome yeares heretofore continued that cuſtome in this place, at this time of the year, when the Church celebrates the Converſion of S. Paul, (as it doth this day) to handle ſome part of his Story, purſuing that cuſtome now, I choſe that part, which is knit and wound up in this Text, Then they changed their minds, and ſaid, He is a God. S. Paul found himſelfe in danger of being oppreſſed in judgement, and thereby was put to a neceſſity of Appealing to Caeſar: By vertue of that Appeale being ſent to Rome, by Sea, he was ſurprized with ſuch ſtormes, as threatned inevitable ruine; But the Angel of God ſtood by him, and aſſured him, that none of thoſe two hundred ſeaventy ſix perſons, which were in the ſhip with him, ſhould periſh; According to this aſſurance, though the ſhip periſhed, all the paſſengers were ſaved, and recovered this land, Malta. Where being courteouſly received by the Inhabitants, though otherwiſe Barbarians, S. Paul doing ſo much for himſelfe and for his company, as to gather a bundle of ſticks to mend the fire, there flew a Viper from the heat, and faſtned on his hand. They thereupon ſaid among themſelves, No doubt, this man is a murderer, whom, though he have eſcaped the Sea, yet Vengeance ſuffereth not to live. But when he ſhaked off the Viper into the fire, and received no harme, and they had looked, that he ſhould have ſwoln, and faln down dead ſuddenly, after they had looked a great while, and ſaw no harme come to him, Then (and then enters our Text) They changed their minds, and ſaid, He is a God. Almighty God had bred up S. Paul ſo; ſo he had catechized him all the way, with viciſſitudes, and revolutions from extreme to extreme. He had taught him how to want, and how to abound; how to beare honour, and diſhonour: He permitted an Angel of Satan to buffet him, (ſo he gave him ſome ſenſe of Hell) He gave him a Rapture, an Extaſie; and in that, an appropinquation, an approximation to himſelfe, and ſo ſome poſſeſſion of Heaven in this life. So God proceeded with him here in Malta too; He paſſed him in their mouths from extreme to extreme; A Viper ſerſes him, and they condemne him for a murderer; He ſhakes off the Viper; and they change their minds, and ſay, He is a God.
The firſt words of our Text carry us neceſſarily ſo far back,Diviſio. as to ſee from what they changed; And their periods are eaſily ſeene; Their Terminus à quo, and their Terminus ad quem, were theſe; firſt, that he was a Murderer, Then that he was a God. An error in Morality; They cenſure deeply upon light evidence: An error in Divinity; They tranſfer the Name and eſtimation of a God, upon an unknowne Man. Place both the errors in Divinity; (ſo you may juſtly do) And then there is an error in Charity, a haſty and inconſiderate condemning; And an error in faith, a ſuperſtitious creating of an imaginary God. Now, upon theſe two generall Conſiderations will this Exerciſe conſiſt; firſt, that it is naturall Logique, an argumentation naturally imprinted in Man, to argue, and conclude thus, Great calamities are inflicted, therefore God is greatly provoked; Theſe men of Malta were but naturall men, but Barbarians, (as S. Luke cals them) and yet they argue, and conclude ſo; Here is a judgement executed, therefore here is evidence, that God is diſpleaſed. And ſo far they kept within the limits of humanity and piety too; But when they deſcended haſtily and inconſiderately, to particular, and perſonall applications, This judgement upon this man is an evidence of his guiltineſſe in this offence, then they tranſgreſſed the bounds of charity; That becauſe a Viper had ſeiſed Pauls hand, Paul muſt needs be a murderer.
And then when we ſhall have paſſed thorough thoſe things, which belong to that firſt Conſideration, which conſiſts of theſe two Propoſitions, That to conclude ſo, God ſtrikes, therefore he is angry, is naturall, but haſtily to apply this to the condemnation of particular perſons, is uncharitable, we ſhall deſcend to our ſecond Conſideration, to ſee what they did, when they changed their minds, They ſaid, He is a God. And, as in the former part, we ſhall have ſeen, That there is in man a naturall Logique, but that ſtrays into uncharitableneſſe; So in this we ſhall ſee, That there is in man a naturall Religion, but that ſtrayes into ſuperſtition and idolatry; Naturally man is ſo far from being deveſted of the knowledge and ſenſe of God, from thinking that there is no God, as that he is apt to make more Gods then he ſhould, and to worſhip them for Gods, whom he ſhould not. Theſe men of Malta were but Naturall men, but Barbarians, (ſayes S. Luke) yet they were ſo far from denying God, as that they multiplied Gods, and becauſe the Viper did Paul no harme, they change their minds, and ſay, He is a God.
And from theſe two generall conſiderations, and theſe two branches in each, That there is in man a Naturall Logique, but that ſtrayes into Fallacies; And a Naturall Religion, but that ſtrayes into Idolatry, and Superſtition, we ſhall derive, and deduce unto you, ſuch things as we conceive moſt to conduce to your edification, from this knot, and ſummary abridgement of this Story, Then they changed their minds, and ſaid, He is a God.
Firſt then for the firſt Propoſition of our firſt part, That this is naturall Logique,1. Part. an argumentation imprinted in every man, God ſtrikes, therefore God is angry, He, whom they that even hate his name, (our Adverſaries of the Roman perſwaſion) doe yet ſo far tacitely reverence, as that, though they will not name him, they will transfer, and inſert his expoſitions of Scriptures, into their works, and paſſe them as their owne, that as Calvin, He, Calvin, collects this propoſition from this ſtory, Paſsim receptum omnibus ſaeculis, In all ages, and in all places this hath ever been acknowledged by all men, That when God ſtrikes, God is angry, And when God is angry, God ſtrikes; and therefore, ſayes he, Quoties occurrit memorabilis aliqua calamitas, ſimul in mentem veniat, as often as you ſee any extraordinary calamity, conclude that God hath been extraordinarily provoked, and haſten to thoſe meanes, by which the anger and indignation of God may be appeaſed againe. So that for this Doctrine, a man needs not be preached unto, a man needs not be catechized; A man needs not reade the Fathers, nor the Councels, nor the Schoolmen, nor the Eccleſiaſticall ſtory, nor Summiſts, nor Caſuiſts, nor Canoniſts, no nor the Bible it ſelfe for this Doctrine; for this Doctrine, That when God ſtrikes he is angry, and when he is angry he ſtrikes, the naturall man hath as full a Library in his boſome, as the Chriſtian.
We, we that are Chriſtians have one Author of ours, that tells us, Vindicta mihi, Deut. 32.35.Revenge is mine, ſaith the Lord; Moſes tells us ſo; And in that, we have a firſt and a ſecond Leſſon; Firſt, that ſince Revenge is in Gods hands, it will certainly fall upon the Malefactor, God does not miſtake his marke; And then, ſince Revenge is in his hands, no man muſt take Revenge out of his hands, or make himſelfe his owne Magiſtrate, or revenge his owne quarrel. And as we, we that are Chriſtians, have our Author, Moſes, that tells us this, the naturall man hath his ſecular Author, Theocritus, that tels him as much, Reperit Deus nocentes, God alwayes finds out the guilty man. In which, the naturall man hath alſo a firſt, and a ſecond Leſſon too; Firſt, that ſince God finds out the Malefactor, he never ſcapes; And then, ſince God does find him at laſt, God ſought him all the while; Though God ſtrike late, yet he purſued him long before; and many a man feels the ſting in his conſcience, long before he feels the blow in his body. That God finds, and therefore ſeeks, That God overtakes, and therefore purſues, That God overthrows, and therefore reſiſts the wicked, is a Naturall concluſion as well as a Divine.
The ſame Author of ours,Deut. 10.17. Moſes, tels us, The Lord our God is Lord of Lords, and God of gods, and regardeth no mans perſon. The naturall man hath his Author too, that tels him, Semper Virgines Furiae, The Furies, (they whom they conceive to execute Revenge upon Malefactors) are alwayes Virgins, that is, not to be corrupted by any ſolicitations. That no dignity ſhelters a man from the juſtice of God, is a naturall concluſion, as well as a Divine.Pſal. 55.23. We have a ſweet Singer of Iſrael that tels us, Non dimidiabit dies, The bloudy and deceitfull man ſhall not live out halfe his dayes: And the naturall man hath his ſweet ſinger too, a learned Poet that tels him, that ſeldome any enormous Malefactor enjoyes ſiccam mortem, (as he calls it) a dry, an un-bloody death. That blood requires blood, is a naturall concluſion, as well as a Divine. Our ſweet Singer tels us againe, That if he fly to the fartheſt ends of the earth, or to the ſea, or to heaven, or to hell, he ſhall find God there; And the naturall man hath his Author, that tels him, Qui fugit, non effugit, He that runs away from God, does not ſcape God. That there is no ſanctuary, no priviledged place againſt which Gods Quo Warranto does not lie, is a naturall concluſion, as well as a divine; Sanguis Abel, is our Proverb, That Abels blood cryes for revenge, And ſanguis Aeſopi is the naturall mans Proverb, That Eſops blood cryes for revenge; for Eſops blood was ſhed upon an indignation taken at ſacrifice, as Abels was. S. Pauls Deus Remunerator, That there is a God, and that that God is a juſt rewarder of mens actions, is a naturall concluſion, as well as a Divine.
When God ſpeaks to us, us that are Chriſtians, in the Scriptures, he ſpeaks as in a Primitive, and Originall language; when he ſpeaks to the naturall man, by the light of nature, though ſpeak as in a tranſlation into another language, yet he ſpeaks the ſame thing; Every where he offers us this knowledge, That where he ſtrikes, he is angry, and where he is angry, he does ſtrike. Therefore Calvin might, as he doth, ſafely and piouſly eſtabliſh his Quoties occurrit, As often as you ſee an extraordinary calamity, conclude that God is extraordinarily provoked: And he might as ſafely have eſtabliſhed more then that, That whereſoever God is angry, and in that anger ſtrikes, God ſees ſinne before; No puniſhment from God, where there is no ſin. God may have glory in the condemnation of man; but except that man were a ſinfull man, God could have no glory in his condemnation.Dan. 9.23. At the beginning of thy prayer, the commandment went out, ſayes Gabriel to Daniel; But till Danicl prayed, there went out no commandment. At the beginning of the ſinners ſin, God bends his bow, and whets his arrows, and at laſt he ſhoots; But if there were no ſin in me, God had no mark to ſhoot at; for God hates not me, nor any thing that he hath made.
And farther we carry not your conſideration upon this firſt branch of our firſt Part, Naturally man hath this Logique, to conclude, where God ſtrikes, God is angry; when God is angry, he will ſtrike: But God never ſtrikes in ſuch anger, but with relation to ſin. Theſe men of Malta, naturall men, did ſo, and erred not in ſo doing; They erred when they came to particulars, to haſty and inconſiderate applications, for that is uncharitableneſſe, and conſtitutes our ſecond branch of this part.
When one of the Conſuls of Rome,Charitas. Caninius, dyed the ſame day that he was made Conſul, Cicero would needs paſſe a jeſt upon that accident, and ſay, The State had had a vigilant Conful of Caninius, a watchfull Conſul, becauſe he never ſlept in all his Conſulſhip; for he dyed before he went to bed. But this was juſtly thought a fault in Cicero, for calamities are not the ſubject of jeſts; They are not ſo caſuall things. But yet, though they come from a ſure hand, they are not alwayes evidences of Gods diſpleaſure upon that man upon whom they fall. That was the iſſue between Iob and his friends; They relied upon that,Iob 4.7. purſued that which they had laid downe, Remember, who ever periſhed being innocent, or where were the righteous cut off? Iob relyed upon that, purſued that which he had laid downe; If I juſtifie my ſelfe, mine owne words ſhall condemne me; Iob 9.20.(ſelfe-juſtification is a ſelfe-condemnation) If I ſay I am perfect, that alſo ſhall prove me perverſe, ſayes Iob. (No man is ſo far from purity and perfection, as he that thinks himſelfe perfect and pure) But yet, ſayes he there, Though I were perfect, this is one thing, and therefore I ſay it, God deſtroyeth the perfect and the wicked. Gods outward proceeding with a man in this world, is no evidence to another, what he intends him in the next. In no caſe? In no caſe, (on this ſide of Revelation) for the world to come. Till I be a Judge of that mans perſon and actions, and being his Judge have cleare evidence, and be not miſ-led by rumours from others, by paſſion, and prejudices in my ſelfe, I muſt paſſe no judgement upon him, in this world, nor ſay, This fell upon him for this crime. But whatſoever my capacity be, or whatſoever the Evidence, I muſt ſuſpend my judgement for the world to come. Therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, Iudge nothing before the time: 1 Cor. 4.5.When is the time? When I am made Judge, and when I have cleare evidence, then is the time to paſſe my judgement for this world; But for a finall condemnation in the world to come, the Apoſtle expreſſes himſelfe fully in that place, Iudge nothing before the time, untill the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſſe, and manifeſt the counſels of the heart.
It was a wiſe and a pious counſel that Gamaliel gave that State, Abſtinete, Acts 5.33.forbeare a while, give God ſea-roome, give him his latitude, and you may finde, that you miſtook at firſt; for God hath divers ends in inflicting calamities, and he that judges haſtily, may ſoone miſtake Gods purpoſe. It is a remarkeable expreſſing which the holy Ghoſt hath put into the mouth of Naomi, Call not me Naomi, ſayes ſhe there; Naomi is lovely,Ruth 1.10. and loving, and beloved; But call me Mara, ſayes ſhe, Mara is bitterneſſe: But why ſo? For, ſayes ſhe, The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me: Bitterly, and very bitterly. But yet ſo he hath with many that he loves full well. It is true, ſayes Naomi, but there is more in my caſe then ſo; The Almighty hath afflicted me, and the Lord hath teſtified againſt me; Teſtified, there is my miſery; that is, done enough, given evidence enough for others to beleeve, and to ground a judgement upon it, that he hath abandoned me utterly, forſaken me for ever. Yet God meant well to Naomi for all this Teſtification, and howſoever others might miſ-interpret Gods proceeding with her.
That Oſtraciſme which was practiſed amongſt the Athenians, and that Petaliſme which was practiſed amongſt the Syracuſians, by which Laws, the moſt eminent, and excellent perſons in thoſe States were baniſhed, not for any crime imputed to them, nor for any popular practiſes ſet on foot by them, but to conſerve a parity, and equality in that State, this Oſtraciſme, this Petaliſme was not without good uſe in thoſe governments. If God will lay heavieſt calamities upon the beſt men, If God will exerciſe an Oſtraciſme, a Petaliſme in his ſtate, who ſhall ſearch into his Arcana imperii, into the ſecrets of his government? who ſhall aske a reaſon of his actions? who ſhall doubt of a good end in all his waies? Our Saviour Chriſt hath ſhut up that way of raſh judgement upon ſuch occaſions,Luke 13.2. when he ſayes, Suppoſe ye, that thoſe Galileans whom Herod ſlew, or thoſe eighteen whom the fall of the Towre of Siloe ſlew, were greater ſinners then the reſt? It is not ſafely, it is not charitably concluded. And therefore he carries their thoughts, as far on the other ſide, That he that ſuffered a calamity, was not only not the greateſt, but no ſinner; for ſo Chriſt ſayes,Iohn 9.3. Neither hath this man ſinned, nor his parents; (ſpeaking of the man that was born blinde.) Not that he, or his Parents had not ſinned; but that that calamity was not laid upon him, in contemplation of any ſin, but onelyonly for an occaſion of the manifeſtation of Chriſts Divinity, in the miraculous recovery of that blinde man. Therefore ſayes Luther excellently, and elegantly, Non judicandum de cruce, ſecundùm praedicamentum Quantitatis, ſed Relationis; We muſt not judge of a calamity, by the predicament of Quantity, How great that calamity is, but by the predicament of Relation, to what God referres that calamity, and what he intends in it; For, Deus ultionum Deus, Pſal. 93.1.(as S. Hierome reades that place) God is the God of revenge, And, Deus ultionum liberè agit, This God of revenge, revenges at his owne liberty, when, and where, and how it pleaſes him.
And therefore, as we are bound to make good conſtructions of thoſe corrections that God layes upon us, ſo are we to make good interpretations of thoſe judgements which he caſts upon others. Firſt, for our ſelves, that which is ſaid in S. Matthew, Mat. 24.30.That at the day of judgement ſhall appeare in heaven, the ſigne of the Son of Man, is frequently, ordinarily received by the Fathers, to be intended of the Croſſe; That before Chriſt himſelfe appeare, his ſigne, the Croſſe ſhall appeare in the clouds. Now, this is not literally ſo, in the Text, nor is it neceſſarily deduced, but ordinarily by the Ancients it is ſo accepted, and though the ſigne of the Son of Man, may be ſome other thing, yet of this ſigne, the Croſſe, there may be this good application, That when God affords thee, this manifeſtation of his Croſſe, in the participation of thoſe croſſes and calamities that he ſuffered here, when thou haſt this ſigne of the Son of Man upon thee, conclude to thy ſelfe that the Son of Man Chriſt Jeſus is comming towards thee; and as thou haſt the ſigne; thou ſhalt have the ſubſtance, as thou haſt his Croſſe, thou ſhalt have his Glory. For, this is that which the Apoſtle intends;Phil. 1.29. VntoUnto you it is given, (not laid upon you as a puniſhment, but given you as a benefit) not onelyonly to beleeve in Chriſt, but to ſuffer for Chriſt. Where, the Apoſtle ſeemes to make our croſſes a kinde of aſſurance, as well as our faith; for ſo he argues, Not onelyonly to beleeve, but to ſuffer; for, howſoever faith be a full evidence, yet our ſuffering is a new ſeale even upon that faith. And an evident ſeale, a conſpicuous, a glorious ſeale.Cyprian. Quid glorioſius, quam Collegam Chriſti in paſsione factum fuiſſe? What can be more glorious, then to have been made a Collegue, a partner with Chriſt in his ſufferings, and to have fulfilled his ſufferings in my fleſh. For that is the higheſt degree, which we can take in Chriſts ſchoole, as S. Denys the Areopagite expreſſes it, A Deo doctus, non ſolùm divina diſcit, ſed divina patitur, (which we may well tranſlate, or accommodate thus) He that is throughly taught by Chriſt, does not onelyonly beleeve all that Chriſt ſayes, but conformes him to all that Chriſt did, and is ready to ſuffer as Chriſt ſuffered. Truly, if it were poſſible to feare any defect of joy in heaven, all that could fall into my feare would be but this, that in heaven I can no longer expreſſe my love by ſuffering for my God, for my Saviour. A greater joy cannot enter into my heart then this, To ſuffer for him that ſuffered for me. As God ſaw that way proſper in the hands of Abſalom, 2 Sam. 14.30.he ſent for Ioab, and Ioab came not, he came not when he ſent a ſecond time, but when he ſent Meſſengers to burne up his corne, then Ioab came, and then hee time, but when he ſent Meſſengers to burne up his corne, then Ioab came, and then hee complied with Abſalom, and ſeconded and accompliſhed his deſires: So God cals us in his own outward Ordinances, and, a ſecond time in his temporall bleſſings, and we come not; but we come the ſooner, if he burne our Corne, if he draw us by afflicting us.
Now, as we are able to argue thus in our owne caſes, and in our owne behalfes, as when a vehement calamity lies upon me, I can plead out of Gods precedents, and out of his method be able to ſay,2 Sam. 5.4. This will not laſt: David was not ten yeares in baniſhment, but he enjoyed the Kingdome forty: God will recompence my houres of ſorrow, with daies of joy; If the calamity be both vehement and long, yet I can ſay with his bleſſed ſervant Auguſtine; Et cum blandiris pater es, & pater es cum caedis, I feele the hand of a father upon me when thou ſtrokeſt me, and when thou ſtrikeſt me I feele the hand of a father too, Blandiris ne deficiam, caedis ne peream, I know thy meaning when thou ſtrokeſt me, it is, leſt I ſhould faint under thy hand, and I know thy meaning when thou ſtrikeſt me, it is, leſt I ſhould not know thy hand; If the waight, and continuation of this calamity teſtifie againſt me, (as Naomi ſaid) that is, give others occaſion to think, and to ſpeak ill of me, as of a man, for ſome ſecret ſins, forſaken of God, ſtill Nazianzens refuge is my refuge, Hoc mihi commentor, This is my meditation, Si falſa objicit convitiator, non me attingit, If that which mine enemy ſayes of me, be falſe, it concernes not me, hee cannot meane me, It is not I that he ſpeakes of, I am no ſuch man; And then, Si vera dicit, If that which he ſayes betrue, it begun not to be true, then when he ſaid it, but was true when I did it; and therefore I muſt blame my ſelfe for doing, not him for ſpeaking it; If I can argue thus in mine owne caſe, and in mine owne behalfe, and not ſuſpect Gods abſence from me, becauſe he laies calamities upon me, let me be alſo as charitable towards another, and not conclude ill, upon ill accidents; for there is nothing ſo ill, out of which, God, and a godly man cannot draw good. When Iohn Hus was at the ſtake to be burnt, his eye fixed upon a poore plaine Country-fellow, whom he obſerved to be buſier then the reſt, and to run oftner, to fetch more and more fagots, to burne him, and he ſaid thereupon no more but this, O ſancta ſimplicitas! O holy ſimplicity! He meant that that man, being then under an invincible ignorance, miſ-led by that zeale, thought he did God ſervice in burning him. But ſuch an interpretation will hardly bee appliable to any of theſe haſty and inconſiderate Judges of other men, that give way to their owne paſſion; for zeale, and uncharitableneſſe are incompatible things; zeale and uncharitableneſſe cannot conſiſt together: and there was evident uncharitableneſſe in theſe men of Maltas proceeding, when, becauſe the Viper ſeized his hand, they condemned him for a murderer.
It is true, they ſaw a concurrence of circumſtances, and that is alwaies more waighty, then ſingle evidence. They ſaw a man who had been neare drowning; yet he ſcaped that. They ſaw he had gathered a bundle of ſticks, in which the Viper was enwrapped, and yet did him no harme when it was in his hand; He ſcaped that. And then they ſaw that Viper dart it ſelfe out of the fire againe, and of all the company faſten upon that man. What ſhould they think of that man? In Gods Name, what they would, to the advancement of Gods glory. They might juſtly have thought that God was working upon that man, and had ſome great worke to doe upon that man. Wee put no ſtop to zeale; we onelyonly tell you, where zeale determines; where uncharitableneſſe enters, zeale goes out, and paſſion counterfeits that zeale. God ſeeks no glory out of the uncharitable condemning of another man. And then, in this proceeding of theſe men, wee juſtly note the ſlipperineſſe, the precipitation, the bottomeleſneſſe of uncharitableneſſe, in judgement; they could conſiſt no where, till they charged him with murder, Surely he is a murderer. Many crimes there were, and thoſe capitall, and ſuch as would have indueed death, on this ſide of murder, but they ſtopped at none, till they came to the worſt. And truly it is eaſie to bee obſerved, in the wayes of this world, that when men have once conceived an uncharitable opinion againſt another man, they are apt to beleeve from others, apt to imagine in themſelves any kinde of ill, of that man; Sometimes ſo much, and ſo falſly, as makes even that which is true, the leſſe credible. For, when paſſionate men will load a man with all, ſad and equitable men begin to doubt whether any bee true; and a Malefactor ſcapes ſometimes by being overcharged.
But I move not out of mine owne ſpheare; my ſpheare is your edification, upon this centre, The proceeding of theſe men of Malta with S. Paul; upon them, and upon you I look directly, and I look onelyonly, without any glance, any reflection upon any other object. And therefore having ſaid enough of thoſe two Branches which conſtitute our firſt Part, That to argue out of Gods judgements, his diſpleaſure is naturall, but then that naturall Logique ſhould determine in the zeale of advancing Gods glory, and not ſtray into an uncharitable condemning of particular perſons, becauſe in this uncharitableneſſe there is ſuch a ſlipperineſſe, ſuch a precipitation, ſuch a bottomeleſneſſe, as that theſe haſty cenſurers could ſtop no where till they came to the higheſt charge; having ſaid enough of this, wee paſſe, in our order, to our ſecond Part, to that which they did, when they changed their mindes, They changed their mindes, and ſaid he was a God.
In this ſecond part we conſider firſt,2 Part. the incongruity of depending upon any thing in this world; for, all will change. Men have conſidered uſefully the incongruity of building the towre of Babel, in this, That to have erected a Towre that ſhould have carried that height that they intended in that, the whole body of the earth, the whole Globe, and ſubſtance thereof would not have ſerved for a baſis, for a foundation to that Towre. If all the timber of all the foreſts in the world, all the quarries of ſtones, all the mines of Lead and Iron had beene laid together, nay if all the earth and ſea had beene petrified, and made one ſtone, all would not have ſerved for a baſis, for a foundation of that Towre; from whence then muſt they have had their materials for all the ſuperedifications? So to eſtabliſh a truſt, a confidence, ſuch an acquieſcence as a man may rely upon, all this world affords not a baſis, a foundation; for every thing in this world is fluid, and tranſitory, and ſandy, and all dependance, all aſſurance built upon this world, is but a building upon ſand; all will change. It is true, that a faire reputation, a good opinion of men, is, though not a foundation to build upon, yet a faire ſtone in the building, and ſuch a ſtone, as every man is bound to provide himſelfe of. For, for the moſt part, moſt men are ſuch, as moſt men take them to be; Neminem omnes, nemo omnes fefellit; All the world never joyned to deceive one man, nor was ever any one man able to deceive all the world. Contemptu famae contemnuntur & virtutes, was ſo well ſaid by Tacitus, as it is pity S. Auguſtine ſaid it not, They that neglect the good opinion of others, neglect thoſe vertues that ſhould produce that good opinion. Therefore S. Hierom proteſts to abhor that Paratum de trivio, as he cals it, that vulgar, that ſtreet, that dunghill language, Satis mihi, as long as mine owne conſcience reproaches me of nothing, I care not what all the world ſayes. We muſt care what the world ſayes, and ſtudy that they may ſay well of us. But when they doe, though this be a faire ſtone in the wall, it is no foundation to build upon, for, They change their minds.
Who do?Populus. our text does not tell us who; The ſtory does not tell us, of what quality and condition theſe men of Malta were, who are here ſaid to have changed their minds. Likelieſt they are to have beene of the vulgar, the ordinary, the inferiour ſort of people, becauſe they are likelieſt to have flocked and gathered together upon this occaſion of Pauls ſhipwrack upon that Iland. And that kinde of people are alwaies juſtly thought to be moſt ſubject to this levity, To change their minds. The greateſt Poet layes the greateſt levity and change that can be laid, to this kinde of people; that is, In contraria, That they change even from one extreame to another; Scinditur incertum ſtudia in contraria vulgus Where that Poet does not onelyonly meane, that the people will be of divers opinions from one another, for, for the moſt part they are not ſo; for the moſt part they think, and wiſh, and love, and hate together; and they doe all by example, as others doe, and upon no other reaſon, but therefore, becauſe others doe. Neither was that Poet ever bound up by his words, that hee ſhould ſay In contraria, becauſe a milder, or more modified word would not ſtand in his verſe; but hee ſaid it, becauſe it is really true, The people will change into contrary opinions; And whereas an Angel it ſelfe cannot paſſe from Eaſt to Weſt, from extreame to extreame, without touching upon the way betweene, the people will paſſe from extreame to extreame, without any middle opinion; laſt minutes murderer, is this minutes God, and in an inſtant, Paul, whom they ſent to be judged in hell,Prov. 14.28. is made a judge in heaven. The people will change. In the multitude of people is the Kings honour; 2 Sam. 24.3.And therefore Ioab made that prayer in the behalfe of David, The Lord thy God adde unto thy people, how many ſoever they be, a hundred fold. But when David came to number his people with a confidence in their number, God tooke away the ground of that confidence, and leſſened their number ſeventy thouſand in three dayes. Therefore as David could ſay,Pſal. 3.6. I will not be afraid of ten thouſand men, ſo he ſhould ſay, I will not confide in ten thouſand men, though multiplied by millions; for they will change, and at ſuch an ebbe, the popular man will lye, as a Whale upon the ſands deſerted by the tide. We finde in the Roman ſtory, many examples (particularly in Commodus his time, upon Cleander, principall Gentleman of his Chamber) of ſevere executions upon men that have courted the people, though in a way of charity, and giving them corne in a time of dearth, or upon like occaſions. There is danger in getting them, occaſioned by jealouſie of others, there is difficulty in holding them, by occaſion of levity in themſelves; Therefore we muſt ſay with the Prophet,Ier. 17.5. Curſed be the man, that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord. For, They, the people, will change their minds.
But yet there is nothing in our text,Principes. that binds us to fixe this levity upon the people onelyonly. The text does not ſay, That there was none of the Princes of the People, no Commanders, no Magiſtrates preſent at this accident, and partners in this levity. Neither is it likely, but that in ſuch a place as Malta, an Iland, ſome perſons of quality and command reſided about the coaſt, to receive and to give intelligence, and directions upon all emergent occaſions of danger, and that ſome ſuch were preſent at this accident, and gave their voyce both wayes, in the exclamation, and in the acclamation, That hee was a murderer, and that he was a God. For, They will change their minds; All, High as well as low, will change. A good Stateſman Polybius ſayes, That the people are naturally as the Sea; naturally ſmooth, and calme, and ſtill, and even; but then naturally apt to be moved by influences of Superiour bodies; and ſo the people apt to change by them who have a power over their affections, or a power over their wils. So ſayes he, the Sea is apt to be moved by ſtormes and tempeſts; and ſo, the people apt to change with rumors and windy reports. So, the Sea is moved, So the people are changed, ſayes Polybius. But Polybius might have carried his politique conſideration higher then the Sea, to the Aire too; and applied it higher then to the people, to greater perſons; for the Aire is ſhaked and tranſported with vapours and exhalations, as much as the ſea with winds and ſtormes; and great men as much changed with ambitions in themſelves, and flatteries from others, as inferiour people with influences, and impreſſions from them. All change their minds;Mal. 3.6. High, as well as low will change. But I am the Lord; I change not. I, and onelyonly I have that immunity, Immutability; And therefore, ſayes God there, ye ſons of Iacob are not conſumed; Therefore, becauſe I, I who cannot change have loved you; for they, who depend upon their love, who can change, are in a wofull condition. And that involves all; all can, all will, all do change, high and low.
Therefore, It is better to truſt in the Lord, then to put confidence in man. What man?Pſal. 118.8. Ver. 9. Pſal. 146.3. Any man. It is better to truſt in the Lord, then to put confidence in Princes. Which David thought worth the repeating; for he ſayes it againe, Put not your truſt in Princes. Not that you may not truſt their royall words, and gracious promiſes to you; not that you may not truſt their Counſailes, and executions of thoſe Counſailes, and the diſtribution of your contributions for thoſe executions; not that you may not truſt the managing of affaires of State in their hands, without jealous inquifitions, or ſuſpitious miſ-interpretations of their actions. In theſe you muſt truſt Princes, and thoſe great perſons whom Princes truſt; But when theſe great perſons are in the balance with God, there they weigh as little, as leſſe men. Nay, as David hath ranked and diſpoſed them, leſſe; for thus he conveyes that conſideration, Surely men of low degree are vanity; that is ſure enough;Pſal. 62.5. there is little doubt of that; men of low degree can profit us nothing; they cannot pretend or promiſe to doe us good; But then ſayes David there, Men of high degree are a lye; They pretend a power, and a purpoſe to do us good, and then diſappoint us. Many times men cannot, many times men will not; neither can we finde in any but God himſelfe, a conſtant power, and a conſtant will, upon which we may relie: The men of Malta, of what ranke ſoever they were, did; all men, low and high, will change their minds.
Neither have theſe men of Malta (conſider them in what quality you will) ſo much honour afforded them, in the Originall, as our tranſlation hath given them. We ſay, they changed their minds; the Original ſays only this, they changed, and no more. Alas, they, we, men of this world, wormes of this dunghil, whether Baſilisks or blind wormes, whether Scarabs or Silkworms, whether high or low in the world, have no minds to change. The Platonique Philoſophers did not only acknowledge Animā in homine, a ſoule in man, but Mentem in anima, a minde in the ſoul of man. They meant by the minde, the ſuperiour faculties of the ſoule, and we never come to exerciſe them. Men and women call one another inconſtant, and accuſe one another of having changed their minds, when, God knowes, they have but changed the object of their eye, and ſeene a better white or red. An old man loves not the ſame ſports that he did when he was young, nor a ſicke man the ſame meats that hee did when hee was well: But theſe men have not changed their mindes; The old man hath changed his fancy, and the ſick man his taſte; neither his minde.
The Mind implies conſideration, deliberation, concluſion upon premiſſes; and wee never come to that; wee never put the ſoule home; wee never bend the ſoule up to her height; we never put her to a tryall what ſhe is able to doe towards diſcerning a tentation, what towards reſiſting a tentation, what towards repenting a tentation; we never put her to tryall what ſhe is able to doe by her naturall faculties, whether by them ſhee cannot be as good as a Plato, or a Socrates, who had no more but thoſe naturall faculties; what by vertue of Gods generall grace, which is that providence, in which he inwraps all his creatures, whether by that ſhe cannot know her God, as well as the Oxe knowes his Crib, and the Stork her neſt; what by vertue of thoſe particular graces, which God offers her in his private inſpirations at home, and in his publique Ordinances here, whether by thoſe ſhe cannot be as good an houre hence, as ſhe is now; and as good a day after, as that day that ſhe receives the Sacrament; we never put the ſoule home, we never bend the ſoule up to her height; and the extent of the ſoule is this mind. When David ſpeaks of the people, he ſayes, They imagine a vaine thing; It goes no farther,Pſal. 2.2. then to the fancy, to the imagination; it never comes ſo neare the minde, as Conſideration, Reflection, Examination, they onelyonly imagine, fancy a vain thing, which is but a waking dreame, for the fancy is the ſeat, the ſcene, the theatre of dreames. When David ſpeaks there of greater perſons, he carries it farther then ſo, but yet not to the minde; The Rulers take counſell, ſayes David; but not of the minde, not of rectified and religious reaſon; but, They take counſell together, ſayes he; that is, of one another; They ſit ſtill and harken what the reſt will doe, and they will doe accordingly. Now, this is but a Herding, it is not an Union; This is for the moſt part, a following of affections, and paſſions, which are the inferiour ſervants of the ſoule, and not of that, which we underſtand here by the Minde, The deliberate reſolutions, and executions of the ſuperiour faculties thereof.
They changed, ſayes our Text; not their mindes; there is no evidence, no apparance, that they exerciſed any, that they had any; but they changed their paſſions. Nay, they have not ſo much honour, as that afforded them, in the Originall; for it is not They changed, but They were changed, paſſively; Men ſubject to the tranſportation of paſſion, doe nothing of themſelves, but are meerely paſſive; And being poſſeſt with a ſpirit of feare, or a ſpirit of ambition, as thoſe ſpirits move them, in a minute their yea is nay, their ſmile is a frowne, their light is darkneſſe, their good is evill, their Murderer is a God. Theſe men of Malta changed, not their mindes, but their paſſions, and ſo did not change adviſedly, but paſſionately were changed, and in that diſtemper, they ſaid, He is a God.
In this haſty acclamation of theirs,Deus. He is a God, we are come to that which was our principall intention in this part, That as man hath in him a naturall Logique, but that ſtrayes into Fallacies, in uncharitable judgements, ſo man hath in him a naturall Religion, but that ſtrayes into idolatry, and ſuperſtition. The men of Malta were but meere naturall men, and yet were ſo far from denying God, as that they multiplied Gods to themſelves. The ſoule of man brings with it, into the body, a ſenſe and an acknowledgment of God; neither can all the abuſes that the body puts upon the ſoule, whileſt they dwell together, (which are infinite) deveſt that acknowledgement, or extinguiſh that ſenſe of God in the ſoule. And therefore by what ſeverall names ſoever the old heathen Philoſophers called their gods, ſtill they meant all the ſame God. Chryſippus preſented God to the world, in the notion and apprehenſion of Divina Neceſsitas, That a certaine divine neceſſitie which lay upon every thing, that every thing muſt neceſſarily be thus and thus done, that that Neceſſity was God; and this, others have called by another name, Deſtiny. Zeno preſented God to the world, in the notion and apprehenſion of Divina lex; That it was not a conſtraint, a neceſſity, but a Divine law, an ordinance, and ſettled courſe for the adminiſtration of all things; And this law was Zenoes God; and this, others have called by another name, Nature. The Brachmans, which are the Prieſts in the Eaſt, they preſent God, in the notion and apprehenſion of Divina lux, That light is God; in which, they expreſſe themſelves, not to meane the fire, (which ſome naturall men worſhipped for God) nor the Sunne, (which was worſhipped by more) but by their light, they meane that light, by which man is enabled to ſee into the next world; and this we may well call by a better Name, for it is Grace. But ſtill Chryſippus by his Divine Neceſſity, which is Deſtiny, and Zeno by his Divine law, which is Nature, and the Brachmans by their Divine light, which is Grace, (though they make the operations of God, God) yet they all intend in thoſe divers names, the ſame power.
The naturall man knowes God. But then, to the naturall man, who is not onelyonly finite, and determined in a compaſſe, but narrow in his compaſſe, not onelyonly not bottomleſſe, but ſhallow in his comprehenſions, to this naturall, this ſmite, and narrow, and ſhallow man, no burden is ſo inſupportable, no conſideration ſo inextrieable, no ſecret ſo inſcrutable, no conception ſo incredible, as to conceive One infinite God, that ſhould do all things alone, without any more Gods. That that power that eſtabliſhes counſails, that things may be carried in a conſtancy, and yet permits Contingencies, that things ſhall fall out caſually, That the God of Certainty, and the God of Contingency ſhould be all one God, That that God that ſettles peace, ſhould yet make warres, and in the day of battaile, ſhould be both upon that ſide that does, and that ſide that is overcome, That the conquered God, and the victorious God, ſhould be both one God, That that God who is all goodneſſe in himſelfe, ſhould yet have his hand in every ill action, this the naturall man cannot digeſt, not comprehend. And therefore the naturall man eaſes himſelfe, and thinkes he caſes God, by diuiding the burden, and laying his particular neceſſities upon particular Gods. Hence came thoſe enormous multiplications of Gods; Heſiods thirty thouſand Gods; and three hundred Iupiters. Hence came it that they brought their children into the world under one God, and then put them to nurſe, and then to ſchoole, and then to occupations and profeſſions under other ſeverall Gods. Hence came their Vagitanus, a God that muſt take care that children doe not burſt with crying; and their Fabulanus, a God that muſt take care, that children doe not ſtammer in ſpeaking; Hence came their Statelinus, and their Potinus, a God that muſt teach them to goe, and a God that muſt teach them to drinke. So far, as that they came to make Febrem Deam, To erect Temples and Altars to diſeaſes, to age, to death it ſelfe; and ſo, all thoſe puniſhments, which our true God laid upon man for ſin, all our infirmities they made Gods. So far is the naturall man from denying God, as that he thus multiplies them.
But yet never did theſe naturall men, the Gentiles aſcribe ſo much to their Gods, (except ſome very few of them) as they of the Romane perſwaſion may ſeeme to doe to their Saints. For they limited their devotions, and ſacrifices, and ſupplications, in ſome certaine and determined things, and thoſe, for the moſt part, in this world; but in the Romane Church, they all aske all of all, for they aske even things pertaining to the next world. And as they make their Saints verier Gods then the Gentils doe theirs, in asking greater things at their hands, ſo have they more of them. For, if there be not yet more Saints celebrated by Name, then will make up Heſiods thirty thouſand, yet they have more, in this reſpect, that of Heſiods thirty thouſand, one Nation worſhiped one, another another thouſand; In the Romane Church, all worſhip all. And howſoever it be for the number, yet, ſaith one, we may live to ſee the number of Heſiods thirty thouſand equalled, and exceeded; for, if the Jeſuit, who have got two of their Order into the Conſiſtory, (they have had two Cardinalls) and two of their Order into heaven, (they have had two Saints Canonized) if they could get one of their Order into the Chayre, one Pope; As we reade of one Generall that knighted his whole Army at once; ſo ſuch a Pope may Canonize his whole Order, and then Heſiods thirty thouſand would be literally fulfilled.
And, that, as we have done, in the multiplication of their gods, ſo, in their ſuperſtition to their created gods, we may alſo obſerve a congruity, a conformity, a concurrence between the Heathen and the Romane Religion; As the Heathen eaſt ſuch an intimidation, ſuch an infatuation, not onelyonly upon the people, but upon the Princes too, as that in the Story of the Aegyptian Kings we finde, that whenſoever any of their Prieſts ſignified unto any of their Kings, that it was the pleaſure of his God, that he ſhould leave that kingdome, and come up to him, that King did alwayes without any contradiction, any heſitation, kill himſelfe; ſo are they come ſo neare to this in the Romane Church, as that, though they cannot infatuate ſuch Princes, as they are weary of to kill themſelves, yet when they are weary of Princes, they can infatuate other men, to thoſe aſſaſſinats, of which our neighbour kingdome hath felt the blow more then once, and we the offer, and the plotting more then many times.
That that I drive to, in this conſideration, is this, That ſince man is naturally apt to multiply Gods to himſelfe, we doe with all Chriſtian diligence ſhut up our ſelves in the beliefe and worſhip of our one and onelyonly God; without admitting any more Mediators, or Interceſſors, or Advocates, in any of thoſe Modifications or Diſtinctions, with which the later men have painted and diſguized the Religion of Rome, to make them the more paſſable, and without making any one ſtep towards meeting them, in their ſuperſtitious errors, but adhere intirely to our onelyonly Advocate, and Mediator, and Interceſſor Chriſt Jeſus; for he does no more need an Aſſiſtant, in any of thoſe offices, then in his office of Redeemer, or Saviour; and therefore, as they require no fellow Redeemer, no fellow-Saviour, ſo neither let us admit any fellow-Advocate, fellow-Mediator, fellow-Interceſſor in heaven. For why may not that reaſon hold all the yeare, which they aſſigne in the Romane Church, for their forbearance of prayers to any Saint, upon certaine dayes? Upon Good-Fryday, and Eaſter-day, and Whit ſunday, ſay they, we muſt not pray to any Saint, no not to the bleſſed Virgin, Quia Chriſtus, & Spiritus Sanctus, ſunt tune temporis, ſupremi, & unici Advocati. Becauſe upon thoſe dayes, Chriſt, and the Holy Ghoſt, are our principall, nay upon thoſe dayes, our onelyonly Advocares.Garantus in Rubr. Miſſal. par. 1. Tit. 9. §. 8. And are Chriſt, and the Holy Ghoſt out of office a weeke after Eaſter, or after Whitſontide? Since man is naturally apt to multiply Gods, let us be Chriſtianly diligent, to conclude our ſelves in One.
And then, ſince man is alſo naturally apt to ſtray into a ſuperſtitious worſhip of God, let us be Chriſtianly diligent, to preclude all waies, that may lead us into that tentation, or incline us towards ſuperſtition. In which, I doe not intend, that we ſhould decline all ſuch things, as had been ſuperſtitiouſly abuſed, in a ſuperſtitious Church; But, in all ſuch things, as being in their own nature indifferent, are, by a juſt commandment of lawfull authority, become more then indifferent (neceſſary) to us, though not Neceſsitate medii, yet Neceſsitate praecepti, (for, though ſalvation conſiſt not in Ceremonies, Obedience doth, and ſalvation conſiſts much in Obedience) That in all ſuch things, we alwayes informe our ſelves, of the right uſe of thoſe things in their firſt inſtitution, of their abuſe with which they have been depraved in the Roman Church, and of the good uſe which is made of them in ours. That becauſe pictures have been adored, we do not abhor a picture; Nor ſit at the Sacrament, becauſe Idolatry hath been committed in kneeling. That Church, which they call Lutheran, hath retained more of theſe Ceremonies, then ours hath done; And ours more then that which they call Calviniſt; But both the Lutheran, and ours, without danger, becauſe, in both places, we are diligent to preach to the people the right uſe of theſe indifferent things. For this is a true way of ſhutting out ſuperſtition, Not alwayes to aboliſh the thing it ſelfe, becauſe in the right uſe thereof, the ſpirituall profit, and edification may exceed the danger, but by preaching, and all convenient wayes of inſtruction, to deliver people out of that ignorance, which poſſeſſes people in the Roman captivity.
From which naturall inclination of man,Atheiſta. we raiſe this, by way of concluſion of all, That ſince man is naturally apt to multiply Gods to himſelfe, and naturally apt to worſhip his Gods ſuperſtitiouſly, ſince there is a proneneſſe to many Gods, and to ſuperſtition, in nature, There cannot be ſo unnaturall a thing, no ſuch Monſter in nature, or againſt nature, as an Atheiſt, that beleeves no God. For, when we, we that are Chriſtians, have reproached this Atheiſt, thus farre, our way, Canſt not thou beleeve one God? ſuch a debility, ſuch a nullity in thy faith, as not to beleeve one God? we require no more, and canſt thou not doe that, not one? when we, we that are Chriſtians, have reproached him ſo farre, The naturall man of whoſe company hee will pretend to be, will reproach him ſo much farther, as to ſay, Canſt not thou beleeve one God? We, we who proceed by the ſame light that thou doeſt, beleeve a thouſand. So that the naturall man is as ready, readier then the Chriſtian, to excommunicate the Atheiſt; For, the Atheiſt that denies all Gods, does much more oppoſe the naturall man, that beleeves a thouſand, then the Chriſtian, that beleeves but one.
Poore intricated ſoule! Riddling, perplexed, labyrinthicall ſoule! Thou couldeſt not ſay, that thou beleeveſt not in God, if there were no God; Thou couldeſt not beleeve in God, if there were no God; If there were no God, thou couldeſt not ſpeake, thou couldeſt not thinke, not a word, not a thought, no not againſt God; Thou couldeſt not blaſpheme the Name of God, thou couldeſt not ſweare, if there were no God: For, all thy faculties, how ever depraved, and perverted by thee, are from him; and except thou canſt ſeriouſly beleeve, that thou art nothing, thou canſt not beleeve that there is no God. If I ſhould aske thee at a Tragedy, where thou ſhouldeſt ſee him that had drawne blood, lie weltring, and ſurrounded in his owne blood, Is there a God now? If thou couldſt anſwer me, No, Theſe are but Inventions, and Repreſentations of men, and I beleeve a God never the more for this; If I ſhould ask thee at a Sermon, where thou ſhouldeſt heare the Judgements of God formerly denounced, and executed, re-denounced, and applied to preſent occaſions, Is there a God now? If thou couldeſt anſwer me, No, Theſe are but Inventions of State, to ſouple and regulate Congregations, and keep people in order, and I beleeve a God never the more for this; Bee as confident as thou canſt, in company; for company is the Atheiſts Sanctuary; I reſpit thee not till the day of Judgement, when I may ſee thee upon thy knees, upon thy face, begging of the hills, that they would fall downe and cover thee from the fierce wrath of God, to aske thee then, Is there a God now? I reſpit thee not till the day of thine own death, when thou ſhalt have evidence enough, that there is a God, though no other evidence, but to finde a Devill, and evidence enough, that there is a Heaven, though no other evidence, but to feele Hell; To aske thee then, Is there a God now? I reſpit thee but a few houres, but ſix houres, but till midnight. Wake then; and then darke, and alone, Heare God aske thee then, remember that I asked thee now, Is there a God? and if thou dareſt, ſay No.
And then, as there is an univerſall Atheiſt, an Athieſt over all the world, that beleeves no God, ſo is he alſo an Atheiſt, over all the Chriſtian world, that beleeves not Chriſt. That which the Apoſtle ſayes to the Epheſians; Abſque Chriſto, abſque Deo, As long as you were without Chriſt, you were without God, is ſpoken (at leaſt) to all that have heard Chriſt preached; not to beleeve God, ſo, as God hath exhibited, and manifeſted himſelfe, in his Son Chriſt Jeſus, is, in S. Pauls acceptation of that word, Atheiſme: and S. Paul, and he that ſpeaks in S. Paul, is too good a Grammarian, too great a Critique for thee to diſpute againſt.
And then, as there is an univerſall Atheiſt, he that denies God, And a more particular Atheiſt, he that denies Chriſt; ſo in a narrower, and yet large ſenſe of the word, there is an actuall Atheiſt, a practicall Atheiſt, who though he doe pretend to make God, and God in Chriſt the object of his faith, yet does not make Chriſt, and Chriſt in the holy Ghoſt, that is, Chriſt working in the Ordinances of his Church, the rule and patterne of his actions, but lives ſo, as no man can beleeve that he beleeves in God.
This univerſall Atheiſt, that beleeves no God, the heavens, and all the powers therein, ſhall condemne at the laſt day; The particular Atheiſt, that beleeves no Chriſt, the glorious company of the Apoſtles, that eſtabliſhed the Church of Chriſt, ſhall condemn at that day; And the practicall Atheiſt, the ungodly liver, the noble army of Martyrs, that did, and ſuffered ſo much for Chriſt, ſhall then condemne. And condemne him, not onelyonly as the moſt impious thing, but as the moſt inhumane; Not onelyonly as the moſt ungodly, but as the moſt unnaturall thing: for an Atheiſt is not onelyonly a Devil in Religion, but a monſter in nature; not onelyonly elemented and compoſed of Hereſies in the Church, but of paradoxes, and abſurdities in the world; Naturall men, the men of Malta, even Barbarians, though ſubject to levity and changing their minds, yet make this their firſt act after their change, to conſtitute a God, though in another extreme, yet in an evident and abſolute averſeneſſe from Atheiſme; They changed their minds, and ſaid, he was a God. And be this enough for the Explication of the words, and their Application, and Complication to the celebration of the day.
The God of heaven rectifie in us our naturall Logique; That in all his Judgements we glorifie God, without uncharitable condemning other men. The God of heaven ſanctifie to us our naturall Religion, That it be never quenched nor damped in us, never blown out by Atheiſme, nor blowne up by an Idolatrous multiplying of falſe, or a ſuperſtitious worſhip of our true God. The God of heaven preſerve us in ſafety, by the power of the Father; In ſaving knowledge, by the wiſdome of the Son; And in a peacefull unity of affections, by the love and goodneſſe of the holy Ghoſt. Amen.