Twenty-Six Sermons, Sermon 17
A SERMON.Serm. 17. SERMON XVII.
James 2.12.
So ſpeak ye, and ſo doe, as they that ſhall be judged by the Law of Liberty.
THis is one of thoſe ſeaven Epiſtles, which Athanaſius and Origen called Catholique; that is, univerſall, perchance becauſe they are not directed to any one Church, as ſome others are, but to all the Chriſtian World: and Saint Hierome called them Canonical; perchance becauſe all Rules, all Canons of holy converſation are compriſed in theſe Epiſtles; and Epiphanius and Oecumenius called them circular, perchance becauſe as in a circle, you cannot diſcern which was the firſt point, nor in which the compaſs began the circle; ſo neither can we diſcern in theſe Epiſtles, whom the Holy Ghoſt begins withall, whom he means principally, King or Subject, Prieſt or People, ſingle or married, Husband or Wife, Fathers or Children, Maſters or Servants, but univerſally, promiſcuouſly, indifferently, they give all rules, for all actions, to all perſons, at all times and in all places; as in this Text in particular, which is not by any precedent or ſubſequent relation, by any connexion or coherence, directed upon any company or any degree of men; for the Apoſtle does not ſay, ye Princes, nor ye People, but ye, ye in generall to all, So ſpeak ye, and ſo doe, as they that ſhall be judged by the law of liberty: ſo theſe Epiſtles are Catholique, ſo they are canonicall, and they are circular too. But yet though in a circle we know not where the compaſs began, we know not which was the firſt point yet we know that the laſt point of the circle returns to the firſt and ſo becomes all one, and as much as we know the laſt, we know the firſt point. Since then the laſt point of that circle, in which God hath created us to move is a Kingdome (for it is the Kingdome of Heaven) and it is a Court, (for it is that glorious Court which is the preſence of God in the Communion of his Saints) it is a fair and a pious conception; for this congregation, here preſent now in this place, to believe that the firſt point of this circle of our Apoſtle here is a Court too, and that the Holy Ghoſt in propoſing theſe duties in his general ye, does principally intend, ye that live in Court, ye whom God brings ſo near to the ſight of himſelf, and of his Court in heaven, as that you have alwayes the picture of himſelf, and the portracture of his Court in your eyes; for a religious King is the Image of God, and a religious Court is a copy of the Communion of Saints: And therefore be you content to think, that to you eſpecially our Apoſtle ſaies here, ye, ye who have a neerer propinquity to God, and more aſſiduous converſation with God, by having better helps then other inferior ſtations do afford, (for though God be ſeen in a weed, in a worm, yet he is ſeen more clearly in the Sun) ſo ſpeak ye, and ſo do, as they that ſhall be Judged by the law of liberty.
Diviſio.Now as the firſt Divels were in heaven, (for it was not the puniſhment which they feel in hel, but the ſin which they committed in heaven, which made them devils) & yet the falt was not in God, nor in the place; ſo if the greateſt ſins be committed in Courts, (as even in Rome, where thy will needs have an innocent Church, yet they cauſe a guilty Court,) the faults are perſonal, theirs that do them; and there is no higher Author of their ſin. The Apoſtle does not bid us ſay; that it is ſo in Courts, but leaſt it ſhould come to be ſo, he bids us give theſe rules to Courts, ſo ſpeak ye, and ſo do, as they that ſhall be Judged by the law of liberty. Firſt then, here is no expreſs precept given, no direct commandment to ſpeak; the holy Ghoſt ſaw there would be ſpeaking enough in Courts; for though there may be a great ſin in ſilence, a great prevarication in not ſpeaking in a good cauſe, or for an oppreſs'd perſon, yet the loweſt voice in a Court, wiſpering it ſelf, ſpeaks aloud, and reaches far; and therefore, hear is only a rule to regulate our ſpeach, Sic loquimini, ſo ſpeak ye. And then, as here is no expreſs precept for ſpeaking, ſo here is no expreſs precept for doing: The holy Ghoſt ſaw there would be doing enough, buſineſs enough in Court; for as ſilence, and half-ſilence; whiſpering may have a loud voice, ſo, even undoing may be a buſie doing, and therefore, here is only a rule, to regulate our doing to, Sic facite, So do ye: And laſtly, as there is ſpeaking enough, even in ſilence, and doing enough, even in undoing, in Court, ſo the Court is alwaies under Judgment enough. Every diſcontented perſon that hath miſs'd his preferment, though he have not merited it; every drunkard, that is over-heat, though not with his own wine; every conjecturing perſon, that is not within the diſtance to know the ends or the waies of great actions, will Judg the higheſt counſels, and execution of thoſe counſels. The Court is under Judgment enough, and they take liberty enough; and therefore here is a rule to regulate our liberty, a law of liberty: ſo ſpeak ye, and &c. But though for the more benefit of the preſent Congregation, we fix the firſt point of this Circle, that is, the principal purpoſe of the holy Ghoſt upon the Court, yet our text is an Amphitheater; an Amphitheater conſiſts of two Theaters: our text hath two parts, in which all men, all may ſit and ſee themſelves acted firſt in the obligation that is laid upon us, upon us all, Sic loquimini, Sic facite, and then in the reaſon of this holy diligence, and religious cautelouſneſs, quia Judicandi; becauſe you are all to be Judged, by &c. which two general parts, the obligation, and the reaſon, flowing into many ſub-divided branches, I ſhall, I think, do better ſervice, both to your underſtanding and to your memory, and to your affections and conſciences, to preſent them, as they ſhall ariſe anon in their order, then to pour them out all at once now.
Firſt then, in our firſt part, we look to our rule in the firſt duty,Firſt part. Loquimini. our ſpeaking, Sic loquimini, ſo ſpeak ye. The Comick Poet gives us a good caution, Si ſervus ſemper conſueſcat ſilentio, fiat nequam; that ſervant that ſaies nothing, thinks ill. As our nullifidians, men that put all upon works, and no faith, and our ſolifidians, men that put all upon, faith & no works, are both in the wrong; ſo there is a danger in multiloquio, & another in nulliloquio; he that ſpeaks over-freely to me, may be a man of dangerous converſation, and the ſilent and reſerv'd man, that makes no play, but obſerves and ſaies nothing, may be more dangerous then he: As the Roman Emperor profeſſed to ſtand more in fear of one pale man, and lean man, then of twenty that ſtudied, and purſued their pleaſures, and lov'd there eaſe, becauſe ſuch would be glad to keep things in the ſtate they then were, but the other ſort affected changes, ſo for the moſt part, he that will ſpeak, lies as open to me as I to him; ſpeech is the balance of converſation. Therefore as gold is not merx, but pretium, Gold is not ware, but the price of all ware, ſo ſpeaking is not doing; but yet fair ſpeaking prepares an acceptation before, and puts a value after, upon the beſt actions. God hath made other creatutes Gregalia, ſociable, beſides man; ſheep, and deer, and pigeons will flock, and heard, and troop and meet together; but when they are met, they are not able to tell one another why they met. Man only can ſpeak; ſilence makes it but a hearding; that that makes converſation, is ſpeech. Qui datum deſerit, reſpuit datorem, ſaies Tertullian; He that uſes not a benefit, reproaches his benefactor. To declare Gods goodneſs that hath enabled us to ſpeak, we are bound to ſpeak: ſpeech is the glue, the ciment, the ſoul of converſation, and of religion too.
Now, your converſation is in heaven; and therefore loquimini Deo, Deo.firſt ſpeak to him that is in heaven, ſpeak to God. Some of the Platonick Philoſophers thought it a prophanation of God, to ſpeak to God; they thought that when our thoughts were made prayers, and that the heart ſlow'd into the tongue, and that we had inveſted, and apparall'd our meditations with words, this was a kind of painting and dreſſing, and a ſuperfluous diligence, that rather taſted of humane affections, then ſuch a ſincere ſervice, as was fit for the preſence of God; only the firſt conception, the firſt ebullitions and emanations of the Soul, in the heart, they thought to be a fit ſacrifice to God, and all verball prayer to be too homely for him. But God himſelf who is all ſpirit, hath yet put on bodily lineaments, head, and hands, and feet, yea, and garments too, in many places of ſcripture to appear, that is, to manifeſt himſelf to us; and when we appear to God, though our devotion be all ſpiritual, as he is all ſpirit, yet let us put on lineaments and apparrel upon our devotions, and digeſt the meditations of the heart into words of the mouth. God came to us, in verbo, in the word, for Chriſt is the word that was make fleſh: let us that are Chriſtians goe to God ſo too, that the words of our mouth as well as the meditations of our heart, may be acceptable to him. Surely, God loves the ſervice of prayer, or he would never have built a houſe for prayer; and therefore we juſtly call publique prayer, the liturgy, ſervice: love that place, and love that ſervice in that place: prayer, They will needs make us believe that St. Francis preached to birds, and beaſts, and ſtones; but they will not go about to make us believe that thoſe birds, and beaſts, and ſtones joyn'd with St. Francis in prayer. God can ſpeak to all things; thats the office of preaching to ſpeak to others; but of all, only man can ſpeak to God, and thats the office of prayer. It is a bleſſed converſation to ſpend time in diſcourſe in communication with God.Gen. 18. ult. God went his way aſſoon as he had left communing with Abraham: When we leave praying, God leaves us; but God left not Abraham, as long as he had any thing to ſay to God; and we have alwayes ſomething to ſay unto him; he loves to hear us tel him even thoſe things which he knew before; His benefits in our thankfulneſs, and our ſins in our confeſſions, and our neceſſities in our petitions: And therefore having ſo many occaſions to ſpeak to God, and to ſpeak of God, David ingeminates that (and his ingemination implies a wonder) O that men would (and it is ſtrange if men will not) O that men would, ſayes he, more than once or twice, O that men would praiſe the Lord, and tell the wondrous works that he hath done for the ſons of men; for David determines not his precept in that,Pſ. 100 4. Be thankfull unto him; for a thankfulneſs may paſſe in private, but, Be thankful unto him and ſpeak good of his name: Glorifie him in ſpeaking to him, in ſpeaking of him, in ſpeaking for him.
Diis.Loquimini Deo, ſpeak to God and loquimini Diis, ſpeak to them, whom God hath called Gods. As religious Kings are bound to ſpeak to God by way of prayer; ſo thoſe who have that ſacred office, and thoſe that have that honourable office to do ſo, are bound to ſpeak to Kings by way of Counſil. God hath made all good men partakers of the divine nature; they are the ſons of God, the ſeed of God; but God hath made kings partakers of his office and adminiſtration. And as between man and himſelf God hath put a Mediator, that conſiſts of God and Man; ſo between Princes and People, God hath put Mediators too, who conſidered in themſelves retain the nature of the people, (ſo Chriſt did of man) but conſidered in their places, have fair and venerable beames of his power and influences of him upon them. And as our Mediator, Chriſt Jeſus, found alwaies his Fathers ears open to him; ſo do the Church and State enter bleſſedly and ſucceſfully by theſe Mediators into the ears of the King. Of our Mediator Chriſt himſelf it is ſaid, that he offered up prayers,Heb. 5.7. and ſtrong cryes, and tears; even Chriſt was put to ſome difficulties in his mediation for thoſe that were his: but he was heard, ſayes that Text, in that he feared: Even in thoſe things wherein, in ſome emergent difficulties, they may be afraid they ſhall not, theſe mediators are graciouſly and opportunely heard too in their due diſcharge of their offices. That which was Davids prayer, is our poſſeſſion, our happineſs; Let not the foot of pride come againſt us; Pſ. 36.11.we know there is no pride in the head; and becauſe there is no fault in the hands neither, that is, in them into whoſe hands this bleſſed Mediatorſhip is committed, by the great places of power and counſail which they worthilie hold, the foot of pride, forein or home oppreſſion does not, ſhall not tread us down. And for the continuation of this happineſs, let me have leave to ſay with Mordechais humilitie and earneſtneſs too, to all ſuch mediators, that which he ſaid to Eſther, 4.14.Who knows, whether thou beeſt not brought to this place for this purpoſe? to ſpeak that which his ſacred and gratious ears, to whom thou ſpeakeſt, will alwayes be well pleaſed to hear when it is delivered by them, to whom it belongs to ſpeak it, and in ſuch humble and reſerved manner as ſuch ſoveraign perſons as owe no account but to God, ſhould be ſpoke too? Sic loquimini Deo, ſo let Kings ſpeak to God, (that was our firſt,) Sic loquimini Diis, ſo let them whom Kings truſt ſpeak to Kings, whom God hath called Gods, (that was our ſecond) and then a third branch in this rule of our firſt duty, is, Sic loquimini imaginibus Dei, ſo ſpeak you to Gods Images, to men of condition inferior to your ſelves, for they alſo are Images of God, as you are.
And this is truly, moſt literally the purpoſe of the Apoſtle here,Imaginibus Dei that you undervalue no man for his outward appearance;v. 2. that you over-value no man for his goodly apparrell or gold rings; that you ſay not to a poor man ſtand thou here, or if you admit him to ſit, ſit here under my footſtool:v. 3. but it is a precept of acceſſibleneſs and of affability; affability, that is, a civility of the City of God and a courtſhip of the Court of Heaven to receive other men, the images of God, with the ſame eaſineſs that God received you. God ſtands at the dore and knocks, and ſtaies our leiſure to ſee if we will open and let him in: even at the dore of his beloved he ſtood and knock'd, till his head was fil'd mith dew, and his locks with the drops of the night: Apoc. 3.20. Cant. 5.2.But God puts none of us to that which he puts himſelf and his Chriſt; but, knock, ſayes he, and it ſhall be opened unto you; Mat. 7.7.no ſtaying at the dore, opened as ſoon as you knock. The neereſt that our Expoſitors can come to find what it was that offended God,Num. 20.10. in Moſes ſtriking of the Rock for water, is, that he ſtrook it twice; that he did not believe that God would anſwer his expectation at one ſtriking; God is no inacceſſible God, that he may not be come to, nor inexorable, that he will not be mov'd if he be ſpoken to, nor dilatory, that he does not that he does ſeaſonably. Daniel preſents God Antiquum Dierum, as an old man; but that is as a reverend not as a froward perſon,Ambro. Mens in Sermonibus noſtris habitat, et gubernat verba: The ſoul of a man is incorporate in his words; as he ſpeaks, we think he thinks: Et bonus pater familias in illo primo veſtibulo aeſtimatur, ſayes the ſame Father; as we believe that to be a free houſe where there is an eaſie entrance, ſo we doubt the leſſe of a good heart if we find charitable and curteous language. But yet there is an exceſſe in this too, in this ſelf-effuſion, this pouring of a mans ſelf out in fair and promiſing language: In acceſſibleneſs is the fault which the Apoſtle aims at here: and truly the moſt inacceſſible man that is, is the over-liberal and profuſe promiſer: he is therefore the moſt inacceſsible, becauſe he is abſent, when I am come to him, and when I do ſpeak with him: to a retired, to a reſerved man we do not eaſily get; but when we are there he is there too: to an open and liberal promiſer we get eaſily, but when we are with him he is away, becauſe his heart, his purpoſe is not there; but Sic loquimini Deo, ſo ſpeak ye to God (that's a remembrance to Kings) Sic loquimini Diis, ſo ſpeak ye to them whom God hath called Gods, (that's a remembrance to Mediators between Kings and Subjects,) Sic loquimini imaginibus Dei, ſo ſpeak ye to Gods images, to all men (that's a remembrance to all that poſſeſſe any ſuperiority over others) as that your loquimini may be accompanied with a facite, your ſaying with doing, your good words with good actions; for ſo our Apoſtle joyns them here, ſo ſpeak ye, and ſo do ye; and ſo we are come to our ſecond rule; from the rule of our words to the rule of our actions.
Facite.John Baptiſt was all voice, yet John Baptiſt was a fore-runner of Chriſt; the beſt words are but words; but they are the fore-runners of deeds. But Chriſt himſelf, as he was God himſelf, is purus actus, all action, all doing: comfortable words are good cordials; they revive the ſpirits, and they have the nature of ſuch occaſional phyſick: but deeds are our food, our dyet, and that that conſtantly nouriſhes us.1 Jo. 3.18. Non verbo, ſayes the Apoſtle, Let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth; Not that we may not love in words, but that our deeds are the true ſeals of that love, which was alſo love when it was in words:Ambro. But, Ne quod luxuriat in flore, attenuetur & habetetur in fructu, Leaſt that tree, that blew early and plentifully, blaſt before it knit: Second your good words with actions too; It is the husbandry and the harveſt of the righteous man, (as it is gathered in David) The mouth of the righteous ſpeaketh wiſdome: Pſ. 37.30.So we read it; there it is in the tongue, in words only; the vulgar hath it Meditatur, he meditates it; ſo the heart is got in; But the original Hagah, is noted to ſignifie fructificavit, he brings forth fruits thereof, and ſo the hand is got in too; And, when that which is well ſpoken, was well meant, and hath been well expreſſed in action, thats the husbandry of the righteous man; then his harveſt is all in; It is the way of God himſelf. Philo Judaeus notes,Exo 20.10. That the people are ſaid to have ſeen the noiſe and the voice of God, becauſe, whatſoever God ſayes, it determines in action; If we may hear God we may ſee God; what he ſayes he does too: Therefore from that example of God himſelf, Saint Gregorie directs us; we muſt, ſayes he, ſhew our love, Et vaneratione ſermonis, et miniſterio largitatis, with a fair reſpect in words, and with a reall ſupply in deeds: Nay, when we look upon our pattern, that is, God, Tertullian notes well, That God prevented his own ſpeaking by doing; Benedicebat, quae benefaciebat, firſt he made all things good, and then he bleſſed them that they might be better; firſt he wrought and then he ſpoke: And ſo Chriſts way and proceeding is preſented to us too; ſo far from not doing when he ſpeaks, as that he does before he ſpeaks. Chriſt began to doe and to teach, Act. 1.1. Luk. ult. 19.ſayes St. Luke, but firſt to do; And he was mighty in deeds and in words; but firſt in deeds. We cannot write ſo well as our copy, to begin alwayes at deeds, as God and his Chriſt; but yet let us labor to write ſo fair after it, as firſt to afford comfortable words, and though our deeds come after, yet to have them from the beginning in our intention, and that we doe them, not becauſe we promiſed, but promiſe becauſe we love to do good, and love to lay upon our ſelves the obligation of a promiſe. The inſtrument and organ of nature was the eye; the natural man finds God in that he ſees; in the creature. The organ of the Law which exalted and erectified nature was the hand; Fac hoc et vives, perform the law and thou ſhalt live: So alſo, the organ of the Goſpel is the ear, for faith comes by hearing; but then the organ of faith it ſelf is the hand too; a hand that layes hold upon the merits of Chriſt for my ſelf, and a hand that delivers me over to the Church of God in a holy life, and exemplary actions, for the edification of others: So that all, all from nature to grace determines in action, in doing good; Sic facite Deo, ſo do good to God, in reall aſſiſting his cauſe, Sic facite Diis, ſo do good to them, whom God hath call'd Gods, in reall ſeconding their religious purpoſes, Sic facite imaginibus Dei, So doe good to the images of God, in real relieving his diſtreſſed members, as that you doe all this upon that which is made the reaſon of all, in the ſecond part of this Text, Becauſe you are to be judged by the law of libertie.
Timor futuri judicii hujus vitae paedagogus: 2. Part. Baſil. judicium.Our School-maſter to teach us to ſtand upright in the laſt judgment, is the meditation and the fear of that judgment in this life. It is our ſchool-maſter, and ſchool-maſter enough, I ſaid unto the fool, thus and thus, ſayes David, Pſ. 75.5.And I ſaid unto the wicked, thus and thus, ſayes he: for, ſayes he, God is the Judg; He thought it enough to enlighten the underſtanding of the fool, enough to rectifie the perverſneſs of the wicked, if he could ſet God before them, in that notion, as a Judg. For this is one great benefit from the preſent contemplation of the future Judgment, that whoſoever does truly and adviſedly believe, that ever he will come to that Judgment, is at it now; he that believes that God will judg him, is Gods Commiſſioner, Gods delegate, and in his name Judges himſelf now. Therefore it is a uſeful miſtaking, which the Roman tranſlator is faln into in this text; in reading it thus, Sicut incepientes Judicari, ſo ſpeak ye, and ſo do, as they upon whom the Judgment were already begun; for qui timet ante Chriſti tribunal praeſentari, Auguſt.he that is afraid to be brought to the laſt Judgment, hath but one refuge, but one Sanctuary; Aſcendat tribunal mentis ſuae, et conſtituat ſe ante ſeipſum, let him cite himſelf before himſelf, give evidence himſelf, againſt himſelf; and ſo guilty as he is found here, ſo innocent he ſhall ſtand there. Let him proceed upon himſelf,9.28. as Job did, and he is ſafe; I am afraid of all my ſorrows, ſaies he, afraid that I have not ſaid enough againſt my ſelf, nor repented enough; afraid that my ſorrows have not been ſincere, but mingled with circumſtances of loſs of health, or honor, or fortune, occaſioned by my ſins, and not only, not principally for the ſin it ſelf; I am afraid of all my ſorrows ſaies he, but how much more then, of my mirths and pleaſures? to judg our ſelves by the Judgment of flatterers, that depend upon us; to judg our ſelves by the event and ſucceſs of things, (I am enrich'd, I am preferd by this courſe, and therefore all's well) to judg our ſelves by example of others, (others do thus, and why not I?) all theſe proceedings are Coram non Judice, all theſe are literally praemunire caſes, for they are appellations into faraign Juriſdictions, and foraign Judicatures. Only our own conſcience rectified, is a competent Judg; and they that have paſs'd the tryal of that Judgment, do not ſo much riſe to Judgment at laſt, as ſtand and continue in Judgment: their Judgment, that is, their tryal is paſs'd here; and there they ſhall only receive ſentence, and that ſentence ſhall be, Euge bone ſerve, well done good and faithful ſervant, ſince thou didſt enter into Judgment in the other world, enter into thy Maſters joy in this. But howſoever we be prepared for that Judgment, well or not well, and howſoever the Judg be deſpoſed towards us, well or not well, there is this comfort given us here, that that Judgment ſhall be per legem, by a law, we ſhall be judged by a law of liberty; which is our ſecond branch, in this ſecond part.
Per legem.The Jews that proſecuted the Judgment againſt Chriſt, durſt not do that, without pretending a law: habemus legem, ſay they, we have a law, and he hath tranſgreſs'd that. The neceſſary precipitations into ſodain executions, to which States are forc'd in rebellious time, we are fain to call by the name of law, martial law; the torrents and inundations, which invaſive armies power upon nations, we are fain to call by the name of law, the law of arms. No Judgment, no execution without the name, the color, the pretence of law, for ſtill men call for a law for every execution. And ſhall not the Judg of all the earth do right? ſhall God Judg us, condemn us, execute us at the laſt day, and not by law? by ſomething that we never ſaw, never knew, never notified, never publiſh'd, and Judg me by that, and leave out the conſideration of that law, which he bound me to keep?1 Cor. 1.20. I ask St. Pauls queſtion, Where is the diſputer of the world? who will offer to diſpute unneceſſary things, eſpecially where Authority hath made it neceſſary to us, to forbear ſuch diſputations? Bleſſed are the peace-makers that command, and bleſſed are the peace-keepers that obey, and accommodate themſelves to peace, in forbearing unneceſſary and uncharitable controverſies; But without controverſie, great is the myſtery of godlineſs; the Apoſtle invites us to ſearch into on farther myſteries, then ſuch as may be without controverſie;1 Tim. 3.16. the myſtery of godlineſs is without controverſy: and godlineſs is to believe that God hath given us a law, and to live according to that law. This, this godlineſs, (that is, knowledg and obedience to the law) hath the promiſes of this life, and the next too, all referr'd to his law: for without this, this godlineſs, (which is holineſs) no man ſhall ſee God: all referr'd to a law. This is Chriſts Catechiſm in St. John, that we might know the only true God,17.3. and Jeſus Chriſt whom he ſent, a God commanding, and a Chriſt reconciling us, if we have tranſgreſs'd that commandment; and this is the holy Ghoſt's Catechiſm in St. Paul, Deus remunerator, Heb. 11.6.that we believe God to be, and to be a juſt rewarder of mans actions; ſtill all referr'd to an obedience, or diſobedience of a law. The myſtery of godlineſs is great, that is, great enough for our ſalvation, and yet without controverſie. For though controverſies have been mov'd about Gods firſt act, there can be none of his laſt act; though men have diſputed of the object of election, yet of the ſubject of execution there is no controverſie: no man can doubt, but that when God delivers over any ſoul actually, and by way of execution to eternal condemnation, that he delivers over that ſoul to that eternal condemnation, for breaking this law. In this we have no other adverſary but the over-ſad, the deſpairing ſoul; and it becomes us all, to lend our hand to his ſuccor, and ſo pour in our wine and our oyl, into his wounds, that lies weltring and ſurrounded in the blood of his own pale and exhauſted ſoul; that ſoul, who though it can teſtifie to it ſelf, ſome endeavour to the waies of holineſs; yet upon ſome collatteral doubts, is ſtill ſuſpicious and jealous of God. How often have we ſeen, that a needleſs jealouſie and ſuſpicion conceiv'd without cauſe, hath made a good body bad? a needleſs jealouſie and ſuſpicion of his purpoſes, and intentions upon thee, may make thy merciful God angry too. Nothing can alienate God more from thee, then to think that any thing but ſin can alienate him. How wouldſt thou have God merciful to thee, if thou wilt be unmerciful to God himſelf? And qui quid tyrannicum in Deo, Baſil.He that conceives any tyrannical act in God is unjuſt to the God of Juſtice, and unmerciful to the God of mercy. Therefore in the 17th. of our injunctions we are commanded to arm ſad ſouls againſt deſpair, by ſetting forth the mercy and the benefits, and the godlineſs of Almighty God: (as the word of the injunction is, the godlineſs of God;) for to leave God under a ſuſpicion of dealing ill with any penitent ſoul, were to impute ungodlineſs to God. Therefore to that miſtaking ſoul, that diſcompos'd, that ſhiver'd, and ſhriveled, and ravell'd and ruin'd ſoul, to that jealous and ſuſpicious ſoul only, I ſay with the Apoſtle, let no man Judg you, intruding into thoſe things which he hath not ſeen.Coloſ. 2.18. Let no man make you afraid of ſecret purpoſes in God, which they have not, nor you have not ſeen; for that by which you ſhall be Judged, is the law, that law which was notified and publiſhed to you. The law alone were much too heavy, if there were not a ſuprabundant eaſe and alleviation in that hand, that Chriſt Jeſus reaches out to us. O conſider the weight and the eaſe; and for pitty to ſuch diſtruſtful ſouls, and for eſtabliſhing of your own, ſtop your devotions a little, upon this conſideration: firſt, there is Chirograpbum, A hand writing of Ordinances againſt me;v. 14. a debt, an obligation contracted by our firſt Parents in their diſobedience; and faln upon me. And even that, (be it but original ſin) is ſhrewd evidence; ther's my firſt charge. But deletum eſt, ſaies the Apoſtle there, that's blotted, thats defac'd, that cannot be ſued againſt me after baptiſm: nay ſublatum cruci affixum, 28.15.It is cancell'd, it is naild to the Croſs of Chriſt Jeſus, it is no more ſin, in it ſelf it is; but to me to condemnation it is not; ther's my charge, and my diſcharge for that. But yet there is a heavier evidence; Pactum cum inferno, as the Prophet Iſai ſpeaks; I have made a Covenant with death, & with hell I am at an agreement; that is, ſaies St. Gregory, Audacter, indeſinentur peccamus, et diligendo, amicitiam profitemur: We ſin conſtantly, and we ſin continually, and we ſin confidently, and we find ſo much pleaſure and profit in ſin, as that we have made a league, and ſworn a friendſhip with ſin; & we keep that perverſe, & irreligious promiſe, over-religiouſly; & the ſins of our youth flow into other ſins, when age diſables us for them. But yet there is a delectum eſt, in this caſe too, our Covenant with death is diſannull'd, (ſaies that Prophet) when we are made partakers of the death of Chriſt, in the bleſſed Sacrament; mine actual ſins loſe their act, and mine habitual ſins fall from me, as a habit as a garment put of, when I come to that; ther's my charge, and my diſcharge for that. But yet there is worſe evidence againſt me, then either this Chirographum, the firſt hand writing of Adams hand, or then this pactum, this contract of mine own hand, actual and habitual ſin, (for of theſe, one is waſh'd out in water, and the other in blood,Ro. 7.20. in the two Sacraments.) But then there is Lex in membris, ſaith the Apoſtle, I find a law, that when I would do good, evil is preſent with me; Sin aſſiſted by me, is now become a Tyrant over me; and hath eſtabliſh'd a government upon me, and therefore is a law of ſin, and a law in my fleſh, which after the water of baptiſm taken, and the water of penitent tears given; after the blood of Chriſt Jeſus taken, and mine one blood given, (that is, a holy readineſs at that time, when I am made partaker of Chriſts death, to die for Chriſt,) throws me back by relapſes, into thoſe repented ſins. This put the Apoſtle to that paſſionate exclamation, O wretched man that I am; and yet he found a deliverance, even from the body of his death through Jeſus Chriſt his Lord, that is, a free and open recourſe, and acceſs to him in all oppreſſions of heart, in all dejections of ſpirit. Now, when this Chirographum, this band of Adams hand, Original ſin, is cancell'd upon the Croſs of Chriſt, and this pactum, this band of mine own hand, actual ſins, waſh'd away in the blood of Chriſt, and this Lex in membris, this diſpoſition to relapſe into repented ſins, (which as a tide that does certainly come every day, does come every day, in one form or other) is beaten back (as a tide by a bank) by a continual oppoſing the merits, and the example of Chriſt Jeſus, and the practice of his faſting, & ſuch other medicinal diſciplines, as I find to prevail againſt ſuch relapſes, when by this bleſſed means the whole law, againſt which I am a treſpaſſer, is evacuated, will God condemn me for all this, and not by a law? when I have pleaded Chriſt, & Chriſt, and Chriſt baptiſm, and blood and tears, will God condemn mean oblique way, when he cannot by a direct way? by a ſecret purpoſe, when he hath no law to condemn me by? Sad and diſcompoſed, diſtorted and diſtracted ſoul; if it be well ſaid in the School, abſurdum eſt diſputare ex manuſcriptis, it is an unjuſt thing, in controverſies and diſputations, to preſs arguments out of manuſcripts, that cannot be ſeen by every man; it were ill ſaid in thy conſcience, that God will proceed againſt thee, ex manuſcriptis, or condemn thee upon any thing, which thou never ſawſt, any unreveal'd purpoſe of his. Suſpicious ſoul, ill-preſaging ſoul, is there ſomething elſe beſides the day of Judgment, that the Son of man does not know? diſquiet ſoul, does he not know the proceeding of that Judgment, wherin himſelf is to be Judg? but that when he hath died for thy ſins, and ſo fulfill'd the law in thy behalf, thou maiſt be condemn'd without reſpect of that law, and upon ſomething, that ſhall have had no conſideration, no relation to any ſuch breach, of any ſuch law in thee? Intricated entangled conſcience, Chriſt tels thee of a Judgment, becauſe thou didſt not do the works of mercy, not feed, not cloth the poor: for theſe were enjoyn'd thee by a law; but he never tels thee of any Judgment therefore, becauſe thy name was written in a dark book of death, never unclaps'd, never opened unto thee in thy life. He ſaies to the lovingly & indulgently, fear not, for it is Gods good pleaſure to give you the Kingdom; but he never ſaies to the wickedeſt in the world, live in fear, dy in anxiety, in ſuſpition and ſuſpenſion, for his diſpleaſure; a diſpleaſure conceiv'd againſt you before you were ſinners, before you were men, hath thrown you out of that kingdom into utter darkneſs. There is no condemnation to them, that are in Chriſt Jeſus, The reaſon is added, becauſe the law of the Spirit of life hath made them free from the law of ſin and of death: All, upon all ſides, is ſtill refer'd to a law. And where there is no law againſt thee, (as there is not to him that is in Chriſt; and he is in Chriſt, who hath endeavoured the keeping or repented the breaking of the law) God wil never proceed to execution by any ſecret purpoſe ever notified, never manifeſted. Suſpicious, jealous, ſcattered ſoul recollect thy ſelf, and give thy ſelf that redintegration, that acquieſcence which the ſpirit of God, in the means of the Church offers thee, ſtudy the myſterie of godlineſs which is without all controverſie, that is, endeavour to keep, repent the not keeping of the law and thou art ſafe, for that you ſhall be judged by, is a law. But then this law, is called here a law of liberty; and whether that denotation, that it is called a law of liberty, import an eaſe to us or heavier weight upon us, is our laſt diſquiſition and concluſion of all; So ſpeak ye, and ſo do, as they that ſhall be judged by the law of liberty.
Lex libertatis.That the Apoſtle here by the law of liberty means the Goſpel was never doubted; he had call'd the Goſpel ſo before this place; whoſo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, 1.25.and continueth therein, ſhal be bleſſed in his deed; that is, bleſſed in doing ſo, bleſſed in conforming himſelf to the Goſpel; but why does he call it ſo, A law of liberty? not becauſe men naturally affecting liberty, might be drawn to an affection of the Goſpel by propoſing it, in that ſpecious name of liberty, though it were not ſo. The holy Ghoſt calls the Goſpel a pearl, and a treaſure, and a kingdome, and joy, and glory; Not to allure men with falſe names, but becauſe men love theſe; and the Goſpel is truly all theſe, a pearl, and a treaſure, and a kingdome, and joy, and glory; And it is truly a law of liberty; but of what kind, and in what reſpect? not ſuch a liberty as they have eſtabliſhed in the Roman Church, where Eccleſiaſtical liberty muſt exempt Eccleſiaſtical perſons from participating all burdens of the State, and from being traitors, though they commit treaſon, becauſe they are Subjects to no ſecular Prince; nor the liberty of the Anabaptiſt that overthrows Magiſtracy, and conſequently all ſubjection both Eccleſiaſtical & Laick for when upon thoſe words,1 Cor. 7.23. Be ye not ſervants of men, St. Chryſoſtome ſayes, This is Chriſtian liberty, Nec aliis, nec ſibi ſervire, neither to be ſubjects to others nor to our ſelves, that's ſpoken with modification an allegiance with relation to our firſt allegiance, to God; not to be ſo ſubject to others, or to our ſelves, as that either for their ſakes or our own, we depart from any neceſſary declaration of our ſervice to God.
Deo.Firſt then, the Goſpel is a Law of Liberty, in reſpect of the author of the Goſpel of God himſelf, becauſe it leaves God at his liberty: Not at liberty to judg againſt his Goſpel, where he hath manifeſted it for a law; for he hath laid a holy neceſſity upon himſelf to judg according to that law, where he hath publiſhed that law: But at liberty ſo, as that it conſiſts only in his good pleaſure, to what nation he will publiſh the goſpel, or in what nation he will continue the goſpel, or upon what perſons he wil make this goſpel effectual. So Oecumenius, (who is no ſingle witneſs, nor ſpeaks not alone, but compiles the former Fathers) places this liberty in God, That God is at liberty to give this goſpel where he will, and at liberty ſo, as that he hath exempted no man, how well ſoever he love him, nor put any ſuch fetters or manicles upon himſelf, but that he can and will puniſh thoſe that tranſgreſſe this law. So it is a law of liberty to God; nothing determined upon any man, nothing concluded in himſelf, lies ſo in Gods way, as to hinder him from proceeding in his laſt judgment, according to the keeping or breaking of this law; ſtill God is at liberty.
And it is a law of liberty in reſpect of us: Of us,Nobis. who are Chriſtians; and conſidered ſo, either with a reſpect to the natural man, or with a reſpect to the Jew; for, if we compare the Chriſtian with the natural man, the law of nature layes the ſame obligation upon the natural man, as the goſpel does upon the Chriſtian, for the moral part thereof. The chriſtian is no more bound to love God, nor his neighbor, than the natural man is; therein the natural man hath no more liberty, than the chriſtian; So far their law is equal: And then, all the law, which the chriſtian hath and the natural man hath not, is a law of liberty to the chriſtian, that is, a law that gives him an eaſe and a readier way to perform thoſe duties; which way the naturall man hath not, and yet is bound to the ſame duties. The natural man, if he trangreſs that law which he finds in his own heart, finds a condemnation in himſelf, as well as the chriſtian; therein he is no freer than the chriſtian: But he finds no Sanctuary, no Altar, no Sacrifice, no Church, no ſuch liberty as the Chriſtian does in the Goſpel. So the Goſpel is a law of liberty to us, in reſpect of the natural man, that it ſets us at liberty, reſtores us to liberty after we are fallen into priſon for debt, into Gods diſpleaſure for ſin, by affording us means of reconciliation to God again.
It is ſo alſo in reſpect of the law given by God to the Jews:Judaei. The Jews had liberties; that is, refuge and help of ſacrifices for ſin, which the natural man had not: For, if the natural man were driven and followed from his own heart, that he ſaw no comfort of an innocency there, he had no other liberties to fly to, no comfort in any other thing, no law, no promiſe annexed to any other action; not to Sacrifice as the Jew, or to Sacrament as the Chriſtian, but muſt irremediably ſink under the condemnation of his own heart. The Jew had this liberty, a law; and a law, that involv'd the Goſpel; But then the goſpel was to the Jew but as a letter ſeal'd, and the Jew was but as a ſervant who was truſted to carry the letter as it was ſeal'd to another, to carry it to the Chriſtian. Now the Chriſtian hath receiv'd this letter at the Jews hand, and he opens it; he ſees the Jews prophecy made hiſtory to him; The Jews hope, and reverſion made poſſeſſion and inheritance to him; he ſees the Jews faith made matter of fact; he ſees all that was promiſed and repreſented in the law, performed and recorded in the Goſpel, and applied in the Church: there Chriſt ſayes,Jo. 15.15. Hence forth call I not you ſervants, but friends; wherein conſiſts this enfranchiſement? In this; The ſervant knoweth not what his maſter doth; (The Jews knew not that) But I have called you friends, ſayes Chriſt; For all things that I heard of my father, I have made known unto you. Heb. 7.17.The law made nothing perfect, ſaies the Apoſtle,Gal. 4.24. Where was the defect? He tels us that, The old covenant (that is the law) gendreth to bondage; what bondage? he tels us that too,3.23. when he ſayes, The law was a ſchoolmaſter. The Jews were as ſchool-boys, alwayes ſpelling and putting together types and figures, with things typified and figured: How this Lamb ſhould ſignifie Chriſt, how this fire ſhould ſignifie a holy Ghoſt. The Chriſtian is come from ſchool to the Univerſity; from grammer to logick; to him that is Logos, it ſelf, the word; to apprehend and apply Chriſt himſelf; and ſo is at more liberty, than when he had only a dark law, without any comment with the natural man, or only a dark comment, that is, the law with a dim light, and ill eys, as the Jews had; for though the Jew had the liberty of alaw, yet they had not the law of liberty. So the goſpel is a law of liberty to God, who is ſtill at his liberty, to give and take, and to condemn according to that law; and a law of liberty to us, as we are compared to the natural man, or to the Jew. But when we confine our ſelves in our ſelves, poſitively without compariſon, it is not ſuch a law of liberty to us, as ſome men have come to a neer, ſaying, That the ſins of Gods children do them no harm; That God ſees not the ſins of his children; that God was no farther out with David in his adultery, than in his repentance; but as to be born within the covenant, that is, of chriſtian parents, does not make us chriſtians,Aug. (for, Non naſcitur, ſed renaſcitur, Chriſtianus,) The covenant gives us a title to the Sacrament of Baptiſm, and that ſacrament makes us chriſtians; ſo this law of liberty gives us not a liberty to ſin, but a liberty from ſin, Noli libertate abuti, ad libere peccandum, ſayes the ſame Father, It is not a liberty, but an impotency, a ſlavery to ſin: Voluntas libera, quae pia, ſayes, he, only a holy ſoul,2 Cor. 3.17. is a free ſoul, Where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, ſayes the Apoſtle:Leo. And, Splendidiſsimum in ſe quiſque habet ſpeculum, Every man hath, a glaſs, a cryſtal, into which, though he cannot cal up this ſpirit, (for the ſpirit of God breaths where it pleaſes him) yet he can ſee this ſpirit if he be there in that glaſs: Every man hath a glaſs in himſelf, where he may ſee himſelf, and the Image of God, ſayes that Father, and ſee how like he is to that: To dare to reflect upon my ſelf, and to ſearch all the corners of mine own conſcience, whether I have rightly uſed this law of liberty, and neither been bold before a ſin, upon preſumption of an eaſie, nor diffident after, upon ſuſpicion of an impoſſible reconciliation to my God, this is Evangelical liberty.
So then, (to end all) Though it be a law of liberty, becauſe it gives me better means of prevention before, and of reſtitution after, than the natural man or Jew had, yet we conſider, that it is the law of liberty, this law, that hath afforded us theſe good helps, by which we ſhall be judged; And ſo though our caſe be better than theirs, becauſe we have this law of liberty which they wanted, yet our caſe grows heavier than theirs if we uſe it not aright. The Jews ſhall be under a heavier condemnation than the natural man, becauſe they had more liberty, that is, more means of avoyding ſin than the naturall man had, and upon the ſame reaſon, the chriſtian under a heavier condemnation than either, becauſe he ſhall be judged by the law of liberty.
What Judgement then gives this law? This;Mar. 16.16. Qui non crediderit, damnabitur; So ſayes this law, in the law-makers mouth, He that believes not ſhall be damned. And as no leſſe light than faith it ſelf, can ſhew you what faith is, what it is to believe; ſo no leſſe time than damnation ſhall laſt, can ſhew you what damnation is: For the very form of damnation is the everlaſtingneſs of it: And, qui non crediderit, he that believeth not ſhall be damned; there is no commutation of penance, nor beheading after a ſentence of a more ignominious death in that Court. Doeſt thou believe that thou doeſt believe? yet this law takes not that anſwer; This law of liberty takes the liberty to look farther; through faith into works; for ſo ſayes the law, in the mouth of the law-maker, To whom much is given, Luc. 12.48.of him much ſhall be required. Haſt thou conſidered every new title of honor, and every new addition of office, every new ſtep into higher places, to have laid new duties, and new obligations upon thee? haſt thou doubled the hours of thy prayers when thy preferments are doubled, and encreaſed thine alms according as thy revenues are encreaſed? haſt thou done ſomething, done much in this kind? this law will not be anſwered ſo; this law of liberty takes the liberty to call upon thee for all. Here alſo the law ſaies, in the mouth of the law-maker, If thou have agreed with many adverſaries, ſayes Chriſt,Mat. 5.25. (let that be if thou have ſatisfied many duties; (for duties are adverſaries, that is, tentations upon us) yet as long as thou haſt one adverſary, agree with that adverſary quickly in the way; leave no duty undiſcharged nor unrepented in this life. Beloved, we have well delivered our ſelves of the fear of Purgatory; None of us fear that; but another miſtaking hath overtaken us, and we flatter our ſelves with another danger, that is, compenſation; That by doing well in one place, our ill doing in another is recompenſed. An ill officer looks to be ſaved becauſe he is a good husband to his wife; a good father to his children; a good maſter to his ſervants; and he thinks he hath three to one for his ſalvatien. But as nature requires the qualities of every element, which thou art compoſed of; ſo this law of liberty calls upon thee, for the exerciſes of all thoſe vertues, that appertain to every particular place thou holdſt. This liberty, this law of liberty takes, It binds thee to believe Chriſt, all Chriſt, Gods Chriſt, as he was the eternal Son of the Father, God of God; our Chriſt, as he was made man for our ſalvation; and thy Chriſt, as his bleſſed ſpirit, in this his ordinance applies him to thee, and offers him into thine armes this minute. And then to know that he looks for a retribution from thee, in that meaſure in which he dealt with thee, much for much; and for ſeveral kinds of good, according to thoſe ſeveral good things which he hath done for thee: And if thou be firſt defective in theſe, and then defective in laying hold upon him, who is the propitiation and ſatisfaction for thy defects in theſe: This law of liberty returns to her liberty, to pronounce, and the Judg to his liberty to execute that ſentence, Damnaberis, thou wilt be caſt into priſon, where thou muſt pay the laſt farthing; thou muſt; for Chriſt dyes not there; and therefore there thou muſt lie till there come ſuch another ranſome as Chriſt; nay a greater ranſome than Chriſt was, for Chriſt paid no debts in that priſon: This then is the chriſtians caſe, and this is the abridgment of his Religion, Sic loquimini, Sic facite; To ſpeak aright, and to do aright; to profeſſe the truth and not be afraid nor aſhamed of that, and to live according to that profeſſion: For no man can make God the author of ſin; but that man comes as neer it as he can, that makes Gods religion a cloak for his ſin. To this God proceeds not meerly, and onelyonly by commandment, but by perſwaſion too; and though he be not bound to do ſo, yethe does give a reaſon: The reaſon is, becauſe we muſt give account of both; both of actions and of words; of both we ſhall be judged; But judged by a law, a law which excludes on Gods part, any ſecret ill purpoſe upon us, if we keep his law; A law which excludes on our part, all pretence of ignorance; for no man can plead ignorance of a law. And then, a law of liberty; of liberty to God; for God was not bound to ſave a man becauſe he made him, but of his own goodneſs, he vouchſafed him a law, by which he may be ſaved: A law of liberty to us; ſo that there is no Epicuriſm, to do what we liſt; no ſuch liberty as makes us libertins; for then there were no law, nor Stoiciſm, nor fatality, that conſtrains us to do that we would not do, for then there were no liberty. But the Goſpel is ſuch a law of liberty as delivers us, upon whom it works, from the neceſſity of falling into the bondage of ſin, before, and from the impoſſibility of recovering after, if we be fallen into that bondage. And this is liberty enough: And of this liberty our bleſſed God give us the right uſe, for his ſon Chriſt Jeſus ſake by the operation of that holy Ghoſt that proceeds from both.
Amen.