A Century of Sermons, Sermon 4
A SERMON Preached at WHITE-HALL.
NUMB. xxi. 7.
Pray unto the Lord that he take away the Serpents from us.
I Preach of a People that travelled fourty years in a Wilderneſs, wherein there was neither pleaſure nor plenty, that came in the end to the Land of reſt. I preach to a People that are willing, according to the boundaries of our Church, to number fourty days of Abſtinence to be ſpent without plenty or pleaſure, to keep them in breath for true repentance, that they may find reſt for their Souls. The People of whom I preach, when they were in one of their laſt journeys at Salmonah, I am ſure in the laſt year of their travail, were ſtopt by firy Serpents, before they got into the Land of Promiſe. And you, to whom I preach, are brought into the Land of the Living, by the conduct of Joſhuah, the Servant of the Lord. And though we are come out of a Wilderneſs, and are within the borders of our Canaan, God be praiſed, yet we cannot be quiet for Serpents. Which puts this word into my mouth to day; to avert the malice of the ungodly, Pray, &c.
The way wherein I mean to handle the Text is in two parts, a Puniſhment for ſin, and a Repentance for ſin. The ſin of the Nation muſt be conſidered in both, and before both. And that was murmuring, as you may read it in two verſes before. Indeed it hath that name and another, 1 Cor. x. 9, 1…. Let us not tempt Chriſt as ſome of them tempted, and were deſtroyed of Serpents; neither murmur as ſome of them murmured, and were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer. Yet the ſtubbornneſs, and the very back-bone of their ſin is murmuring. That was their guilt, and the ſame is ours: and the worſe in us, becauſe we offend under the grace of a better Covenant.
The puniſhment of the ſin of the murmuring Iſraelites was annoyance by true and real Serpents; ſtrictly, and in the letter they were no other. On our part nothing toucheth us of that nature, but we are plagued with Serpents that are far worſe, as will appear in their ranks and conditions hereafter to be unfolded.
The repentance for their ſin is ſeen two ways: Firſt that they fly to the remedy of Prayer. For the Soul which God did breath into Man cannot ſhake off this principle, that all ſuccour comes from above, for which it muſt breath out it ſelf to God. Secondly, that they fly to that Prayer which comes out of the mouth of Moſes. That Moſes with whom their whole Hoſt was juſt before offended, he is ſo generally in their good opinion (thank the Serpents for it) that he muſt now be their reſcue and Advocate, and none but he make their peace with God. Thou Moſes pray unto the Lord, that he take away the Serpents from us.
Now you ſee what you are to look for out of the Text, and in what order: and that before I come to the Puniſhment I muſt look out a ſin: for affliction riſeth not out of the duſt, neither doth trouble come out of the ground, Job. vi. 5. Gods hand ſends them, and Mans ſin brings them. And this was brought on by repining at Gods mercy, and quarreling at Moſes his Miniſter. Their tongues run as if they had drunk deep of Viper wine: ſo the Lord ſent Serpents among them. They that ſerve God for temporal things, and are too eager to get them, cannot chooſe but fall into the tentation of murmuring. Such was this People, not one Tribe better than another, that grumbled upon the lighteſt thing that croſſed them, that it was not God that brought them out of Egypt, but a trick of Moſes to be a King over them. But being now more impatient than ever, they inſiſt upon two things, as ver. 4. that the ſoul of the People was much diſcouraged becauſe of the way. And why ſo? they were not turned aſide from the Land of Promiſe: the Journey had been long, but the fourtieth year was even ſpent, the worſt was paſt, and ſix moneths would give them poſſeſſion. They could not complain of wearineſs; their feet never ſwelled, Deut. viii. 4. Only they were foundred in their patience, and would not ſtay a little while till the time was come which God had appointed. Which is the fountain of all diſcontent not to ſtay Gods leiſure, and to complain of his Providence, as if he had broke his day. Such will fall into a paſſion as if they wanted eaſe, and that the ground was not ſoft enough under their feet, though the way ſhould lead them to the Kingdom of Heaven. But a true faith expects Gods leiſure from day to day, will neither faint nor fret that his ſuit hangs long in the Court of Requeſts. Many ſores will never be well healed unleſs they be long dreſſing; and many deliverances will never be throughly perfect, unleſs they be long ſettling; and many mercies are like ſeed in the ground, and will be long growing.
A ſecond Inſtance of grudging is in the 5. verſe. Our ſoul loatheth this light bread. Is that a fault in bread to be light? ſee how they commend it in diſpraiſing it. I am ſure they came lightly by it: It fell like a hoar froſt about their Tents: they neither ploughed nor ſowed, nor reaped; they did but ſtoop and gather it: they lived as eaſily as young birds in the neſt, when the Dam puts meat into their mouths. They did not ſee how God did take away the curſe of Adam from them, to eat bread in the ſweat of their brows. Let them look to this and make uſe of it, that are of the beſt rank, that God do not lay this ſin to their charge on this wiſe, you labour not at all, yet you want not: you have ſtore enough, and eaſe enough into the bargain, yet never content. They that work hard for one dayes food depend upon God, and call upon him more than they that have before hand for a year, nay ſufficient for an age. Now put both the exceptions of the Iſraelites together, for their bones and their belly, for their journey and their bread, and you ſee a little painfulneſs was repined at as a great deal of miſery, and a great benefit ſlighted for but a little favour.
But was there ſo much evil in this ſin to cauſe a flight of Serpents to fall upon the Camp? I believe ſo, and I will prove it. Firſt there are two ſins ſo ſcandalous to the Jewiſh Nation that Philo conceals them; nay Joſephus, out of more love to his Country then fidelity in Hiſtory, never remembers them; thoſe be the worſhipping of the Golden Calf, and this ſerpentine ſin of murmuring at Salmonah. Therefore this artifice of Joſephus tells you, that murmuring was one of the two ſins of the firſt magnitude.
Secondly it is a filthy crime to obſcure great benefits under a black cloud of unthankfulneſs. They murmured at Moſes, whom no praiſes could ſufficiently extol for his rare deſervings. He brought them out of Egypt, and made them all free men that were ſlaves. What recompence could they make him for their liberty? They were beholding to him for one thing more, which was greater than all the reſt, to uphold them in true Religion, and the right Worſhip of God: ſo that it was ſaid of them, and of no other Nation in the Earth, Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, Deut. xii. 2. In all things he ruled them with a faithful hand; yet they were ever at this key, O that it were otherwiſe, that it were better thus and thus: which were no better than Nebuchadonoſor's Dreams, he knew not himſelf what he had dreamt of when he was awake. The uſe of it from their error is, that we ſhould ſit down, and count how many bleſſings we have received, and be thankful, rather than fret at a few imaginary inconveniences, which I can puff away with a little breath as eaſily as a downy blow-ball. O all ye works of the Lord which he hath wrought in England in leſs than two years, praiſe him and magnify him for ever. We have cauſe to frame a ditty balſamed all over with a perfume of thankſgiving for all things that God hath done for us from the center of the Earth to the top of Heaven.
Thirdly, God hath laid a great burden upon the ſhoulders of the Ruler, to provide for the ſafety of ſo many millions: and what reward hath he in this World but acceptance and encouragement from his Lieges? This was the comfort of David, 2 Sam. iii. 36. Whatſoever the King did pleaſed the People. But if ſo much merit meet with frowardneſs, then ſays Moſes, I cannot bear your cumbrance, burden, and ſtrife, Deut. i. 12. And if they weary the good ſpirit of Moſes, doubtleſs they ſhall receive the recompence of their own bitter ſpirit. Nay if the Ruler be not the better for your good word, let him not be the worſe for your undutiful language. A reaſonable thing as can be askt. If you will not honour him, do not murmur at him; that's the leaſt that can be required, and too little in conſcience. But we muſt get what we can from bad debtors. To be ſhort in this point: if you ſpeak evil of that which you are bound to praiſe: if you fall foul on the ways of God, becauſe you will not wait his leiſure, if you pick quarrels at good things, for which you are bound to give thanks, I appeal not, as I might, to mans judgment, to dry up the filth that runs from faction with the ſpunge of the Laws. I refer them to God, and to the Hoſt of his venemous creatures, which he will ſend to correct their poiſonous tongues. The ſin is like to nothing more than an Aſp or Viper: no ſerpent ſo much a ſerpent as a murmuring ſpirit; therefore ſuch a puniſhment was a fit cover to clap upon ſuch a ſin. The Lord ſent ſerpents among them.
A Judgment 1. vile; 2. painful; 3. ſtrong; 4. incurable. Firſt a vile one; to die ſerpent-bitten was inglorious to the warlike ſtomach of that People: their ſword could not help them: and if they kept not in their Tents like Priſoners, one of theſe Sergeants of God would ſhoot through the air and clap upon them. Let no man ſay a woman ſlew me, ſays Abimelech, Judg ix. 54. Let not the uncircumciſed thruſt me through, ſays Saul, 1 Sam. xxxi. 4. But this was far below them both, and moſt opprobrious to humane nature. For as the Devil could not chooſe a viler creature wherein to tempt us, ſo there is not a meaner on earth to chaſtiſe us. They might be, for ought we know, created on purpoſe for this office of wrath, as the Frogs and Locuſts in Egypt; or gathered from all quarters to fall thick upon their Camp, as Quails were brought from all places to feed them: there might be ſtore of them in the Wilderneſs before now, but never ſtirred up till now to do execution. I define it not; but which way ſoever they came they were never a whit the better. It is a reproach upon man, who had the dominion of the Creatures, and ſaw them all put under his feet, that every paultry worm is able to turn againſt him, and bring him to the duſt. Marvel not that Wolves and other ſtout Beaſts of the Foreſt have beaten men quite out of their Country in ſome Stories. A Town in Greece is well known upon record, where Bats reſorted in ſuch number, that young and old fled away, and left their Habitation deſolate. God can go lower, and do as much by Flies as by Lions. The Canker-worm and the Caterpillar, my great Army, will I ſend among them, Joel ii. 25. This is the very threatning of Iſa. xlvii. 3. Thy ſhame ſhall be ſeen, and I will take vengeance, and not meet thee as a man. But how then? even in the form of mean and deſpicable creatures to plague thee.
But the meanneſs of the inſtrument was no leſſening of the pain, their ſting inflamed the Iſraelites as if they had been in a furnace; Calidâque incendit viſcera tabe, while their fleſh roſted, and fell away by piece-meal from their bones. Naturaliſts and Poets fill it up with much more horror, which I leave to the Sons of Art to conſider, and will not amplifie it. One Epithet includes it all, Deut. viii. 15. God led thee through the Wilderneſs, wherein were firy ſerpents. Praejudicium ante diem judicii, a repreſentment of the fire of Hell, wherein the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. I like them that obſerve that the brazen Serpent, that was erected for their cure in the next verſe is called a firy Serpent, becauſe there was a fire of coals burning in it continually, to ſtrike a terror into all that ſaw it, before it healed them, as if the fire of Hell were annexed to the grace of healing that came from Heaven. The Sword of juſtice was put into the Scabbard of mercy, and they were never aſunder, They had need have had bodies of braſs that did endure it. Extreme diſeaſes muſt have extreme remedies. Some pains were no more than as a pricking Briar to the Houſe of Iſrael, and a grieving Thorn, Ezek. xxviii. 24. but the biting of the Dipſas or Cauſon is ſo violent, that it makes the ill-affected ſome with madneſs; a judgment correſpondent to the ſin, to make coals of vengeance ſcald the tongue of the murmurer. Pigeons may be applied to the languiſhing of a common Fever, but I have known hot Brickbats laid to the feet of a ſore Calenture. So this People ſuffered outragiouſly, that they might pray more penitently, for in the way of thy Judgments have we waited for thee.Iſa. 26.8.
Thirdly, it was exemplum ſine exemplo: no Age before or ſince did ever know the like, as the Prophet ſays Iſa. xliii. 19. Remember not the former things, neither conſider the things of old: behold I will do a new thing; to kill a tranſgreſſor with ſuch a death, as never any before, Moſes bad it be noted in Core and the Rebels, Numb. xvi. 19. If theſe men be viſited with the common viſitation of all men, the Lord hath not ſent me; but if the Lord make a new thing, then ye ſhall underſtand that theſe men have provoked the Lord. So here muſt be a ſingularity of ſin, becauſe of the ſingularity of the judgment. The leſſon upon it is, that God hath new bleſſings in ſtore for ſome holy ones, that were never known before; and new judgments for his enemies that were never felt before. A new way of nouriſhment found out for Elias in the Wilderneſs; a new remedy to cure Hezekiah; a new way to ſave Daniel in the Den of Lions; a new way of Gaol-delivery to fetch Peter out of Herods Priſon. And as we are full of inventions, and hit of freſh ways to ſerve the Devil, ſuch as were never heard before; ſo God will fill the earth with new Plagues to correct them. Nova febrium terris incubuit cohors. Strange ſymptoms of diſeaſes break out, to put Phyſicians to a new ſtudy. That Murrion or Morbus vervecinus, of which thouſands died in Germany and Italy anno 1580. was a mortality never heard of in the works of any Artiſt to that year. The Sweating ſickneſs, called the Engliſh Sweat over all the World, broke out no ſooner than the Reign of Henry the Seventh. Chronicles are ſilent of ſuch a grief in nature before. I need not remember you that Columbus his return out of America brought the firſt contagion of deſerved loathſomneſs upon fornicators, which for reverence to this place I will not name. What ſay our Leeches to the rotting of horſes three years together in Stables and Paſtures? nothing? but obſervant Chriſtians note, that it began upon the jades that were ſtabled in the goodly Cathedral Church of St. Paul (I hope it will be goodly again.) That barbarous profaneneſs, whoſe like was not ſeen before, was avenged upon no other Cattel in the field, but only on that ſpecies that was kept at rack and manger in the Houſe of the Lord. The end is this, when a Plague is new, unheard of, like this of the Serpents, lay it to conſcience, that it falls upon ſome new and matchleſs diſobedience.
The fourth Plague, and the worſt of all is yet behind, that it was incurable, which I do not preſs from Dioſcorides, an old Writer upon the poiſon of ſerpents, or Aldrovandus one of the latter, that the teeth of the Preſter and Cauſon, the venemous brood of hot Countries, make an irrecoverable wound (yet they deſerve credit as skilful men.) The Conſtat is from holy Scripture, that the Patients ſaw the malady was helpleſs, unleſs help came by the Prayer of Moſes. Elſe ſuch a rugged natur'd People would not have been brought to that humility and ſubmiſſion, as St. Chryſoſtom ſaid they were, that the People fell down on their faces before Moſes, and Moſes fell on his face before God. And then God referred it to nothing but a miracle, to lift up a brazen Serpent, moſt likely on the top of the Tabernacle, then look upon it and be healed. Which was Chriſt in a figure, Joh. iii. 14. The Son of man was lifted up on the Croſs, and we poor ſinners by faith are lifted up in that Machin, and craned up as it were in the Croſs of Chriſt to Heaven. This is proved home, that the wound of the murmurers was incurable: not a ſalve for it in all the cunning of man. O Iſrael thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thy help, ſaith the Lord, Hoſ. xiii. 9. If God had never toucht them with a Serpent, ſhould he have got any thanks for his protection? I trow none; for affliction unfelt is unregarded. When we miſs the Diſeaſe, we miſs not the Phyſician. By the ſenſe of the wound they came to know the benefit of a cure. Had it been but the prick of a waſp, skin deep at the moſt, why lightly felt had been lightly regarded. Or if Moſes had dreſt them by ſome Art and Chyrurgery, which he had learnt in Egypt, the work of nature, not the God of nature had been magnified. It was otherwiſe in part, and in all. A bitter miſery was among them, and invincible, all the comfort of art and man were fruſtrate, then God riſeth up in his greatneſs, goodneſs, and Majeſty, expels the wonder of a vengeance by a wonder of healing, removes the puniſhment of the body by a bleſſing of ſalvation, and drives away the Serpents by Chriſt.
I have now ſpoken enough to the Sin of Iſrael, which was Murmuring; and to the Puniſhment of their Sin by Serpents. That was their grief, and not ours. Now by way of application, I muſt tell you of thoſe Serpents, which we muſt pray unto the Lord to take away from our ſelves. And thoſe are three, the Serpent Satan, the Serpent Sin, and the Serpent Man, when he changeth himſelf from manhood into ſuch a beaſt. The firſt that may juſtly be called a Serpent is Satan. For it is all one to ſay the Serpent beguiled Eve, and Satan beguiled her. 'Tis frequent to involve the principal cauſe in the name of the inſtrument. The Devil indeed is not ſo much as named Gen. iii. but neceſſarily to be underſtood. Though his name lie in ſilence, his effects bewray him; for none elſe is left to father the wickedneſs. God can tempt none to ſin: the good Angels wiſh us good and no harm: there were none of humane generation on earth but Adam and Eve themſelves; bruitiſh creatures could not contrive it. None is left to own it but the Serpent called the Devil and Satan, who deceiveth the World, Revel. xii. 9. Therefore God did not ſay to the creeping worm, why haſt thou done this? as he charged our firſt Parents, for that Creature did not do it. As the words which a man ſays that is poſſeſt are not his own, but the ſpirits that is entred into him: ſo the evil that is attributed to the Snake was not his doing, but the Devil's that managed it.
Take warning therefore of the malice of that evil Fiend, who never forgave himſelf that injury, but ſeeks continually whom he may devour. Be watchful of him; for we wreſtle not againſt fleſh and bloud, but againſt the Rulers of the darkneſs of this World, Eph. vi. 11. He makes out matter of tentation by the words that often fall from our mouth, notes our uſances, ſearcheth into all our inclinations: there is no paſſion, nor frailty wherein we lie open to aſſault, but he knows it. As David was more afraid of the counſel of Ahitophel, than of all the Hoſt of Rebels that followed Abſolom: ſo all that the wicked world can muſter together is not ſo dangerous as the methods of Satan. Faſt, as you are able; pray that God would bruiſe him under your feet. So did Paul three times, when the Meſſenger of Satan was ſent to buffet him. Paul had much grace, grace that was ſufficient for prayer. Holineſs becometh the Houſe of Prayer, and holineſs becometh the mouth of Prayer. What have they to do with Prayer that have no fellowſhip with holy Practice? To come before God with a lapful of ſins, and a mouthful of prayers is a motley Sacrifice. And in Faſting and Prayer watch your wandring heart, that the Devil ſteal it not away with idle fancies (when you pray againſt him) which will flutter in your mind, like motes in the Sun. But challenge him of Sacriledg, that he hath rob'd you of your devotion: follow him with hue and cry, and he will fly away from you. Let there be any thing that we are more eagerly ſet upon to obtain than all the reſt, we will never ſtart aſide, never run out of the circle, when we come to that Petition. And this Petition is as uſeful as any, That the Lord would take away the old Serpent from us.
If Satan be a Serpent, ſo is ſin. Partus ſequitur ventrem; ſuch as the Dam is, ſuch is the Iſſue. Then ſecondly pray unto God againſt Serpent ſin. The mortifying of it is called cruſhing a Cockatrice in the egg, and Solomon ſays of drunkenneſs, it bites like a Serpent, and ſtings like an Adder, Prov. xxiii. 32. To begin with original ſin, 'tis fitly called by Tertullian, Plaga antiqui ſerpentis, the biting of the old Serpent. And many good Authors delight themſelves for good cauſe, to note it on the accident that I preach of, that the people in the Wilderneſs did pray, that the Lord would take away the Serpents from them; yet he did not; and for all that their Prayer ſped well: For God gave means to as many as were ſtung, to be healed by looking on a Serpent that was lifted up. So we are all wounded with a loathſom diſeaſe from our Mothers womb, and remain wounded. Baptiſm and Prayer make the wound leſs, howſoever ſtill it is a wound: but God hath provided how to cure the guilt of it by intuition of faith, looking on Chriſt, who bare our ſins upon his Croſs. And as the living Serpents were charm'd by the dead one, that they had no power to kill; ſo ſin that lives in us is weakned that it ſhall not condemn, by the Son of God that died to ſave us. And as this ſin is one by likeneſs in us all, ſo one Saviour crucified for the ſins of the World, is ſufficient to help us all. The Iſraelites had not diſtinct Serpents erected after the number of their Tribes, much leſs many more according to the number of their Families; but one Serpent lifted up, and but one Mediator between God and Man. Aim by that level, and you hit the mark. The hope of remedy is founded in unity. Our Gods are not plural: our Redeemers are not many: they that have divers Saviours have never a Saviour. They that have tutelary Saints for every day, for every diſeaſe; Patron Martyrs for every Kingdom, almoſt for every Pariſh, have a ſerpentine ſwarm of ſuperſtition. But as our wound is one in all, ſo one Jeſus is rich in mercy unto all.
Likewiſe a ſerpentine corruption is notorious in all our actual and wilful ſins. For the biting of a poiſonous worm is not only perillous to that part of the fleſh in which it fixeth its tooth, but every drop of bloud draws in the malignity of that which was next unto it, till there be no ſound part remaining. So one member of the body being tainted with the venom of ſin traduceth corruption to another. If the ear be tickled with filthy talk, the loins will be unchaſt; if the eye be wanton it will run into the heart. Obſerve it by another propagation; when you commit one ſin you are at the brink of another: the ſecond offence makes the way ſmooth and ſlippery for a third. Any tranſgreſſion not preſently phyſicked with the antidote of repentance, will fetch in ſo many, that they will ſink you into the bottomleſs pit. Yet there is another ſerpentine diſpreading in the works of the fleſh. One ſinner is an hundred ſinners in the catching infection of his leproſie; one Abſolom is an Hoſt of Rebels; one Ringleader a ſhole of Schiſmaticks; one Jeroboam a Kingdom full of Idolaters; one inceſtuous Corinthian a leaven that will leaven the whole lump. Therefore ſtand far off as you can from prophanneſs, it hath a multiplying miſchief in it: there's an infectious exhalation tranſpaſſant from man to man, becauſe ſin is the biting of a Serpent.
O look up often to Chriſt, and pray unto him to take away theſe Serpents from us, our ſins of daily incurſion. When your ſpirit is heavy, and caſt down with diſpair, prayer will make it rebound from earth to heaven. It is the energetical expreſſion of faith, the Ambaſſador which hope ſends up to God, the fellowſhip of love, the comfort of the Holy Ghoſt. This may ſoon be done if we have a mind to it: It is as eaſie to ſay Our Father which art in heaven, as to ſee heaven, which is alwayes in our ſight. If your Place and Calling take up much of your time, let your Prayer be compendious, well fill'd with matter, an holy breathing; ſpeak home, and be ſtrong in ſenſe.Pſal. 10.17. But beware of high looks, and high words: Lord thou doſt hear the deſire of the humble, and doſt prepare their heart. And beware of ſtiff joints. Put your ſelf back in great diſtance from the Lord, that you may the better behold him in his excellent greatneſs. Then the Serpent ſin ſhall be taken from us.
The laſt point to be diſpatched is about Serpent men. There are ſuch, for our Saviour ſays of the Phariſees, Ye Serpents, ye generation of Vipers! how can ye eſcape the damnation of Hell? Matth. xxiii. 33. The Heathen are meer men; men of this World, ſays the Pſalm. Good Chriſtians are more than men, Saints of God: Bad Chriſtians are not ſo good as men, and have no wrong done them to be compared to beaſts. Of ſuch as I ſhall ſpeak of in reference to the feeling of our own condition, I will tell you of their number that they are many; of their continuance for length of time; and of their qualities, that they are crooked, hiſſing, ſubtle, and venemous vermin. Of theſe in as many ſtrictures.
Take away the Serpents, a multitude, a plurality of them, ſo my Text imports. And ſo are ours: though more to be endured, yet not ſo many, I hope, as to be feared, ſince great wiſdom watcheth them. I need not tell you, you know it, that they contrived themſelves into ſeven intereſts. If we were as confident Revelationers as they, we ſhould find the Beaſt with ſeven heads among them, Revel. xiii. But thoſe heads grew all upon one neck; ſo do not theſe. For not one of them hath an intereſt in the ſame Principles of Religion with the other. The grave Preſident of ſedition, that would not be ſeen among the reſt, can concur for miſchiefs ſake with thoſe Fanaticks that will never be ſubject to his Claſſical Conſiſtories. O when ſhall we ſee a Bed of Roſes grow ſo cloſe together, as Briars and Brambles, black and white Thorn will twine into one Hedg? The Spawn of ſeven Serpents, all of different ſpecies, can coagulate into one Roe. Satan can melt his Heterogeneal Mettals, and make them all run into one Furnace. Every language that underſtands not the reſt can help to build an internal Babel. But our help is in him, who ſends us health from the ſeven Spirits that are before the Throne of the Lamb.
Secondly, a Serpent is ſlender, but long. And a long Council of Serpents held us many years in oppreſſion. Many fetches the old Dragon had to keep it together. When it was cut in pieces, ſome of the pieces, according to the vulgar error, came together again, and brought the Servants of God and the King to ſcrape for Pearls of patience out of ſo great a Dunghil of miſery. Perhaps I had paſſed by this note of the length, but that Pliny ſpeaks of a great Serpent taken at the River Bagrada, near to Old Carthage of 120 foot long, whoſe body being conſumed the skin was ſent to Rome: and what became of it there? why, it was hung up in the Capitol, in their Houſe of Parliament; and hung up there ſo long as ſtuff could endure. Note here a Serpent, the longeſt that ever was heard of; the skin remaining when the body was mortified, and hung up in the Senate-houſe. Any body may expound this Riddle without an application.
Thirdly, we ſpeak of a crooked creature, Leviathan the crooked Serpent, Iſa. xxvii. 1. So are they that are devilliſh, crooked and perverſe, Phil. ii. 15. How hard is it to find their tract, when they wriggle this way and that way, in no direct line? A right line is the ſhorteſt paſſage from point to point: there you ſhall find ſound Doctrin, oblique deflections, whether it be in Confeſſion of Faith, Form of Prayers, or Diſcipline, have as many ſhapes as the Moon. One while a few Ceremonies ſhall be allowed, and anon none at all: ſometimes they are ſtuck at but for inconvenient, the next news that comes they are unlawful: with the next tide we hear they are only unexpedient for the ſcandal ſake of weak people. At one hearing, the Old Liturgy caſtigated will give content: ſhortly nothing will ſerve but a new lump of Prayer, which hath no congruity with any that ever was before: in a while they will brook no ſet Form at all. How many degrees hath the ſhadow run back upon their Dial? 'Tis like a motion in the Ches-board, ſometimes into a black chequer, ſometimes into a white; but it is all one, ſo they may check the King, or move the Biſhop. How crooked are theſe Serpents and untraceable in their paths? they can take any figure upon them; be as ſquare as a tile of the Pavement, be as round as a hoop; play at all weapons after the variety of the times. As the Friar abuſed that of the Pſalm, Thy truth moſt mighty God is on every ſide. Pſal. 89.9.This is able to poſe the moſt prudent to make a clear obſervation upon it. It was beyond Solomons wiſdom, Prov. xxx. 19. four things are too hard for me to know: the one is, the way of a Serpent upon a rock: for it is his own rule,Eccle. 1.15. that which is crooked cannot be made right: or after the Proverb, a crooked Cucumer will never become ſtrait. It is only Prayer that can bring ſuch things to be even, and perpendicular. But Lord take away the crooked Serpents from us.
And fourthly, the hiſſing alſo; the Rattle-ſnakes of one of our new Plantations, their railings and invectives, under the tone of whinings and lamentations. This kind are Pulpit Serpents. O impious! for none but the Braſen Serpent ſhould be ſet up in that place, the Prince of peace and healing. The Doctrine of the whole Clan is for anger and commotion. Peragunt civilia bella ceraſtae, as I may fitly ſay with Cato in the Poet; When the Civil Wars were done, the Aſps and Adders begun a new Battel. The hiſſing and the conſequence are as pernicious as that of the falſe Prophets, Mich. iii. 5. They make my people to err, and bite with their teeth. But it is a people bred in dark informations, elſe ſuch palpably needleſs exceptions as they hear would hiſs at themſelves. But what charge can be worſe? (and yet a true one) that their very Prayers not ſeldom are Serpents, and of the hiſſing Dialect, expoſing thoſe they pray for to the ill opinion of their Auditors: And when they ſpeak to God, they traduce man. Is this to lift up holy hands without wrath? 1 Tim. ii. 8. Would not ſuch hiſſing throats be ſilenced? Not ſo, will their well-willers ſay; for they are diligent, and profitable in their Miniſtry. But what is the Church the better? nay, is it not the worſe, if Satan ſtamps his figure upon the fineſt mettal? and to ſay a man hath all the Ornaments of a Preacher, but a peaceable ſpirit is like the praiſe that Tacitus gives to Poppaea Sabina, That ſhe had all tbe Ornaments of a brave Lady, but an honeſt mind, Praeter honeſtum animum. Perhaps my Doctrin will not ſcape hiſſing for this point, but this is plain dealing, and the Serpent is ſubtle.
Thats the fift note, The Devil is a beguiler, and the Maſter of the School, he hath entailed a cunning craftineſs to the myſtery of iniquity. Then why ſhould not miſchievous plotting be as hateful to us as a Baſilisk, as odious as Satan? Wo be to thoſe who have their ſharpneſs of wit from no better Prompter, that have no meaſure in their diſſimulation, no truſt in their word, no fidelity in their oath, no diſtinction of cauſes or perſons whom they ruine. I do not altogether blame the Turks if it be true, that they repute natural fools to be Saints; I am ſure they are Saints in compariſon of ſuch cunning Gipſies. But a good Chriſtian is a compound out of the better part of two qualities, Rom. xvi. 19. Wiſe to that which is good, and ſimple concerning evil. This is right, inoffenſiveneſs tempered with intelligence, the ſimplicity of the Dove mitigating the wilineſs of the Serpent. To ſay all in a little: Foul actions are ſupported by forgery and ſtratagems, vertue by ſage knowledg: the City of Satan is for malevolence, the City of God for providence: the one is a Machiavel, the other a Solomon.
Subtlety is the web and ſnare of the Spider, but his ſubſtance is poiſon, ſo is the Serpents. Take it either with David, Adders poiſon is under their lips, Pſal. clx. 3. Or with St. Paul, That their word eats as doth a canker. The venom of pernicious Doctrin is the moſt fatal cup of death. The worſt fraud is to poiſon the conſcience with a deadly drink. For of all peſtilent contagions the worſt is that which infects the ſpirits. The greateſt truſt between man and man is the truſt of giving counſel: then what can be more ſcandalous than to be unfaithful in a truſt of the greateſt concernment. It is not making over a crackt title in the ſale of Lands, nor turning over light and adulterate money in payment, nor thruſting bad wares into the hand of a Chapman. Thoſe are ſhuffling diſhoneſt tricks. But in the other, the ignorant committed his ſoul unto thee, and thou didſt betray it. He gave thee the cuſtody of his ſtrongeſt Fort to keep for him, and thou betrayedſt it to the power of the enemy. Chriſt came into the World to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt, and the empoiſoner hath done his part to loſe that Soul which Chriſt would have ſaved. He laid a ſtumbling block before a Diſciple, who ſhould have been eyes to the blind. And curſed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way, Deut. xxvii. 18.
Now the concluſion of all is, to pray that the Serpent Man may be taken away from us; thereby the Canker-worm that ſpoileth flieth away, Nahum. iii. 15. We are aſſured that Moſes prays for all his Iſrael. And it is the office of him or them that have great intereſt in God to bleſs others with their prayers. All muſt do their part, all are concerned. The greater Saints may prevail with God one by one; others had need to meet by hundreds and thouſands in great Congregations; that every ſingle mans prayer may be a drop in a ſhower. Keep ſet and appointed times for that purpoſe, for to pray only when you are at leiſure is to give God the worſt of the day, your ſpare and idle time. Pray with the Church, which will teach you words that will meet with all your neceſſities. Be not in love with your own conceits. Make not a Form for Moſes, and as if without that you would leave the Communion of Saints. And let the People joyn together with the Prieſt in ſweet returns and anſwers, to fill up the work with a Quire of voices. If any one would refer all to the lip of one ſingle mouth, and ſays there is no benefit to interpoſe the ſuffrages of the Congregation, he is he, and I am I, ſhall he perſwade me that his is beſt, when I feel the contrary in my own heart? Do not others know better than he what they are ſenſible of in the motions of their own ſpirit? But the ſeaſon of Lent calls for Faſting to be joyned with Prayer. And St. Ambroſe ſays lib. 6. Hexam. c. 4. that if a Serpent ſuck up the faſting ſpittle of a man, it is mortal to it. Finally pray, and look up to Chriſt the brazen Serpent. Lift up your Prayer on high, higher than Satan the Prince of the Air. Get the upper ground of him; it is a good advantage againſt an Enemy. Maxim. Taurin. ſays of Simon Magus (let the Story be of what credit you pleaſe) that having made himſelf as it were ſails to hover in the air, St. Peter aſcended higher with his Prayers, and threw him headlong down. Ante pervenit juſta petitio quàm iniqua praeſumptio. So dart your Prayers out of ſtrong zeal to enter into Heaven, and ſay, From all the Serpents of this evil Age, from all Sedition and privy Conſpiracy, from all falſe Doctrin and Hereſie, good Lord deliver us. AMEN.