The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 40 – Part 41
Maries ſins were many
In the 37. verſ. of this Chapter, ſhe was called Peccatrix, 1 King. 1.21. Pſal. 26.9. Mat. 9.10, 13. & 11.12. Luk. 5.30. & 19.7. Joh. 9.16, 31. 1 Cor. 15.17.a Sinner. They are called Sinners uſually in Scripture, who make a trade and cuſtome of ſin, and are ſo viciouſly given as that they are reputed, and that juſtly vile, living and lying in ſin, and obdured in a notorious trade of evill. Sin indeed is in all, but all are not in their ſin, i. e. drowned, captivated, dungeon'd under it. We ſay ſuch a man is indrinke; drinke may be in him yet he ſober, but when we ſay he is in drinke, it implyes that he is exceedingly overcome with it and drunken. Sin is in the Godly, it dwelleth in me (ſaith S. Paul, Pſal. 3….11. Job 1.1. Mat. 1.19.Rom. 7.20.) It was an Inmate to him (and that ſore againſt his will too) but he ſaith not that he dwelt in ſinne, for than that ſhould be his Lord and he an Inmate to it. A man that hath ſinne in him may be ſaid to be godly and perfect, as they are ſaid to be in Scriptures; but he that is in his ſins cannot be ſaid to be ſo. The one may have a graine of Ʋngodlineſſe in him (yea many) but the Vngodlines of the other is in grain: And ſuch was this Woman, She was ſinfull for her life, hatefull for her luſt, a notorious, enormious, publike Publican; one who by cuſtome in her ſinne became ſo inveterate, that ſhe tooke her name from thence, a Sinner, yea a City-Sinner, one in whoſe heart the Divell occupied a large roome, and found good entertainment, els he would never have taken ſixe other inmates with him to dwell and lodge there, as we read he did, Luke 8.2. Mark. 16.9. Which (whither (with S. Ambroſe) we underſtand ſeven reall Divells, as generally it is underſtood, or the manifoldneſſe of her ſinnes and filthy life (according to that in the Parable, Luk. 11.26.) (as St. Gregory conceives to be the meaning) diſcovers that ſhe was a vicious Woman and lived incontinently: She had an unclean ſpirit in her, which brought in others with him, and had got the Maſtery of her heart, and gives us thus much to underſtand,
Doct. Incontinency of life is enough to give the denomination, and is a ſin that is accompanied with many other ſins beſides it ſelfe.
A brood of ſins are hatched out of this one Egge. Inſtance we but in Davids caſe (we need go no further) The Divell having prevailed with him in the ſinne of Adultery, drawes him on to other ſins, wherby he might hide his wickedneſſe from the world, ſo that they might not eſpy it. Firſt, He ſends ſpeedily for Ʋriah the husband of Bathſheba (whom he had defiled) and calls him from the Field under a colour of deſiring to be made acquainted by his Report with the ſtate of the Campe and the ſucceſſe of the ſervice, when all was but merus pretextus, a meere pretence: For David intended no other thing then by his being at home and companying with his wife,1 Sam. 11.8, 10 that adulterous conception might be (if not altogether ſecured, yet) the leſſe ſuſpected. And thus hee ſought to cloake the matter by a falſe Imputation. In which plot David did not only ſin againſt God and his own ſoule, but intended three other notorious Injuries: The firſt was againſt the Conception, that child which was begotten of his body he would have diſclaimed and renounced before it was borne. The ſecond was againſt Ʋriah on whom he would have obtruded a child by fraud and impoſture. The third againſt Ʋ riah his Family and Poſterity, Intrudit filium ſuum in agros Ʋriae, Pet. Mar.which by his meanes might have bin (if not defrauded, yet) in all likely-hood wronged much in their Inheritance.
Verſ. 13 This plot not ſucceeding thus twice tryed, he layes another traine for him, which was a very bad and lewd one: The next day he invites him to his Table to eat and drinke and that of purpoſe to make him drunke; queſtionleſſe David hated drunkenneſſe in his heart, and it is like he did puniſh it in others, and yet to hide his owne ſhame, he is not aſhamed to draw Ʋriah into this wickedneſſe. But all this took no place; for though Ʋriah with the royall wine was overcome, yet (as God would have it) not ſo farre as to bee deprived of his ſenſes, hee ſtill remembers the Arke of the LORD, the danger of the Hoaſt of Iſraell, and will not goe home to his Wife, ſo that ſtill Davids ſin is like to come to light.
Verſ. 15 The thoughts of David did not thus give over, now he deviſeth how to take away Ʋriahs life, and to practiſe the death of an innocent man, and one of his worthies, hoping by that meanes a free way might be made for this matching with the widdow, and ſo the child might be thought to be begotten in wedlock. But how ſhall this be done? Why Ioab the Generall of the Campe muſt be wrought unto the place Ʋriah in the forefront of the battle, and then ſuddenly to retire from him; that ſo Ʋriah being left in danger, he might be ſmitten and die by the ſword of the children of Ammon. O! What a notorious treachery was this! Surpaſſing that which Ahab uſed againſt Naboth: For He coveted but his Vineyard, David Ʋriahs wife, Ahab was put on to that through the provocation of Ieſabell, David to this through the luſt of his owne heart; in that Naboath died alone, in this diverſe of the people of the ſervants of David fell, Verſ. 17 for though Ioabs Commiſſion extended no further than to the ſmiting of Ʋriah, yet that could not be done without the loſſe of more. And thus you ſee how he ſtood not out againſt this temptation to Adultery, but gave way to it, is at length become a man of blood, a ſin that uſually followes the ſin of Ʋncleaneneſſe, Hoc ſolum inter omnia malum nihil habet cui comparari poſſit Baſil Epiſt. ad Orig lapſum.as is confirmed and juſtified by too much experience. No marvell then S. Baſil ſpeaking of Adultery averreth, That this evill amongſt all hath nothing to which it may be compared.
Vſe. Let ſuch as are guilty of this ſin beware how they ſleight it. Rogo quantum crimen est ubi ſtuprum & Adulterium parvum est? Hierō; Epiſt. 48.(ſaith St. Hierom) I pray you how great is the wickedneſſe where Whoredome and Adultery is thought to be ſmall? There is no ſin that doth more enlarge Hell or endanger the ſoule of man than this.
I have read a Storie of a Hermet that led a devout and ſolitary life, one day talking with the Divell, he demanded of him which were the greateſt ſins, he anſwered him Covetouſneſſe and Luſt: The other demanded againe whether Blaſphemy and Perjury were not greater; the Reply of Satan was that in the Schooles of Divinity they were the greaterſins, but for the encreaſe of his Revenews the other were farre the greater. And therefore Beda ſtiles Luſt, filiam Diaboli, Bada in Pro. 30the daughter of the Divell, which bringeth forth many children to him daily. Nor doth any one ſuch ſpeciall ſervice to the Divell, as an Harlot. By her the wiſeſt man, by her the ſtrongeſt man, by her an whole army of men have bin enſnared, as we read, Numb. 31.16. For when Balaac the King and Balaam the Prophet had practiſed againſt Gods people to bring them out of Gods Favour and by no meanes could: This courſe was taken through the advice of Balaam that witch: A Squadron of the faireſt women that the country could afford were ſent amongſt the Iſraelites (ſaith Lyra) who did beare in their Banner for their device the Image of Belphegor, which was the Idoll of the Moabites and Midianites, and in this Pit-fall was 24 thouſand taken who rendred themſelves captives to thoſe Moabitiſh women, committed whoredome with them and adored their god, Numb. 25.12.
Nor need the Soule any other conveyance to the pit of Hell then this;Pro. 5.5. Her feet got downe to death and her ſteps take hold on Hell(ſaith Salomon of the whoriſh woman.) It is downe Hill and they goe apace unto it, yea are very neare it, at the pits brinke, they take poſſeſſion of it, as one doth by holding the ring of a doore, there is no more to be done, but to ſet up their abode in it, and unto that they make great ſpeed, if timely Repentance prevent not.
There be thoſe who flatter themſelves in the indifferency or ſleightneſſe of this ſin, conceiting it is but a tricke of Youth, &c. but that is an unhappy trick that endangereth a mans ſoule. Let them take heed they looſe not Heaven by this trick they have, and plunge themſelves into the pit of Perdition before they be a ware. It is truly ſaid, A whore is the high way to Hell, he that looks on her with luſt, begins his journy; he that ſtayes to talke with her is halfe his way; he that enjoyes her is at his journeyes end. And who ſo hath thus fallen muſt go the price of many a teare and heavy groane of a broken heart to recover himſelfe; no way but by unfained Repentance to helpe themſelves, which was the courſe this Penitent took in my Text. And ſo though they have admitten ſuch a. Proſtitution of their bodies as ſhe did, they ſhall obtaine ſuch a Reſtitution of their Honours as ſhe had, who of a grievous Sinner became a rare Saint, and had Her ſins forgiven, which is the next Branch of the Point I am to ſpeak.
The many ſins wherof Mary was guilty, upon her Repentance were forgiven her; ſo then this is an undoubted Truth,
Doct. That greevous Sinners upon Repentance ſhall finde Mercy.
See more of this Point in my Expoſ. on the Parable of the Prodigall. Ezek. 18.22, 23And for further Proofe, read, 2 Chron. 33.12. 1 Cor. 6.11. 1 Tim. 1.12, 13. Acts 2.138, 39. Luk. 15.20.
What ſhould hinder? Such are Subjects capeable of MercieMercy being ſenſible of their vileneſſe and Miſery.
And God is both able and willing to ſhew them mercy, their debt is already payd, as before hath bin noted. So that he can do it, and he is as willing as able, for mercy pleaſeth him.
Vſe Though then thou haſt bin an egregious Sinner and led a vicious life, defiling thy foule with many ſins, yet ſuffer not thy ſelfe through Satans malice to be plunged into the pit of deſpaire; thou haſt provoked Gods Juſtice grievouſly heretofore by thy Preſumption, wrong not his Mercy through Deſperation. Read and regard what thou readeſt, Ezek. 18.27. There thou ſhalt find that if in caſe any hath defiled his Neighbours wife, oppreſſed the poore and Fatherleſſe or taken by Violence from them, or lift up his Eyes to Idolls, or given out to …ſu…y; all fowle and notorious crymes, yet if that man return from his wickedneſſe that he hath commi…ed he ſhall ſave his ſoule alive, he ſhall live and not die as we find, v. 28.
If you …ſire to ſee the force of the rule in ſome Examples, you have many, Si impius es cogita Publicanum, &c. (ſaith S. Chryſoſtome) If thou b…ſt wicked, thinke on the Publican; If uncleane, forget not Rahab; If a man-ſlayer, looke upon the Thiefe; If unjuſt, thinke on the Blaſphemer; If an Idolater, remember Abraham; If a Perſecutor, remember Paul: And amongſt all other Examples have this in our Text in thy mind: God forbid that any one Divell ſhould get the poſſeſſion of thy heart, as he had of hers, and yet though it had, nay though ſeven, though a Legion of Divels were in thee, thy Confeſſion and Teares would caſt them out.
We read, Hoſea 2.15. that God promiſeth to give to the Children of Iſraell the valley of Achor for the doore of Hope, alluding to that we read, Ioſh. 7.5, 25, 26. This Valley of Achor, was the place where Achan and his Family were ſtoned to death, for taking of the accurſed thing: Which Valley was afterwards by Ioſhua named the Ʋalley of Achor, becauſe the people of Iſraell being there overcome by the men of Ai, were exceedingly troubled ſo that their hearts melted like water, and little hope they had of entering into the Land of Promiſe, the which reaſon of that name Ioſhua himſelfe giveth, Ʋerſe 25, 26. But afterwards this Valley was unto them a place of great Ioy and C…mfort, both becauſe they there obtained a great victory againſt their Enemyes, and alſo becauſe they enjoyed this Valley which was exceeding fertile and fruitfull of Vines and other Trees, which ſerved as pledges to confirme their hope and aſſurance of injoying that good I and which God had promiſed to give them, notwithſtanding the malice of their enemies. Thus the former Doctrine delivered of the vileneſſe and dauger of that ſin of Ʋncleaneneſſe and Incontinency is like to the Ʋalley of Achor, full of trouble and griefe to all ſuch as are guilty. But this Ʋalley of Achor is given for a doore of hope; this Maries Repentance is of purpoſe recorded to raiſe up the hopes of dejected ſpirits; for God is ſtill the ſame, and as ready to receive Penitents as he ever was.
At the preſence of the Sunne all the other lights with-draw themſelves, and hide their heads in a cowardly kind of faſhion; but when the Moone begins to ſhine, they recover their former boldneſſe, and liberty. Had we no other to caſt our Eyes you, but ſuch as Iohn Baptist, and that Mary who was bleſſed above women, the mother of our Lord where were our hopes? But where we have the Examples of ſuch Sinners as theſe afore mentioned ſhining to us, we cannot but hold up our heads and come abroad expecting to be made partakers upon Repentance of the like Mercy: Wherfore let not the Eunuch ſay, I am a dry Tree; let none ſay J have beene an Adulterer, a Murtherer and can have no place in Heaven: For who ſo confeſſeth and forſaketh ſin ſhall find Mercy aſſuredly.
Noli dicere nū quid ecce talem hominem Deus correcturus eſt …am malum tā perverſum? noli deſperare, quē rogas attende, non pro quo rogas, magnitudinom mo…bi vi de…, potentia…n nedici non vides, Aug in Pſ. 55.As we may not deſpaire of our ſelves, neither may we deſpaire of others, ſay not (ſaith S. Auſtin) what will God ever amend ſuch a man ſo wicked, ſo perverſe? Do not deſpaire, look on him to whom thou prayeſt, and not on him for whom thou prayeſt: Thou ſeeſt the greatneſſe of the diſeaſe, thou ſeeſt not the power of the Phyſitian. Thou ſeeſt ſuch an one to runne on in the race of wickedneſſe, led captive of the Divell to doe his will, a branch of the wild Olive, &c. yet let all raſh Judgement of his future eſtate be reſtreyned, how deſperate ſoever his preſent eſtate may ſeeme to thee to be, Qui fecit, reficere poteſt, he that made him can mend him, God is able to graft him in, Rom. 11.23. And who knoweth what his will is, Whoſe wayes are paſt finding out. Shoot not th…n your Fooles bolt ſo raſhly, as with the Barbarians to ſay, ſurely this man or woman is a Reprobate; notorious Sinners may be called, when glorious Hypocrites ſhall be condemned, Publicans and Harlots ſaved, when conceited Scribes and Phariſees ſhall bee rejected.Mat. 21.
Was not this woman as unlikely to have prooved a holy liver as any thou knoweſt? Had not the Divell as ſtrong Poſſeſſion of her, whilſt ſhe was under the guard of ſeven uncleane ſpirits? Was not Paul as unlikely to have prooved ſo able a Miniſter of the Goſpell of Chriſt, whilſt he was a Perſecutor of the Saints, a Blaſphemer of God, Act. 9.1.2.&c. Hadſt thou ſeen him with the High-Prieſt, when his Commiſſion was a ſealing for the apprehending and puniſhing of all thoſe who profeſſed Chriſt, whither they were men or women, and met him in the way trudging to Damaſcus for that end and purpoſe, little wouldſt thou have thought, that this man would ever have ſealed the Goſpell with his blood, and have bin ſo zealous as afterwards he was, in that way which he now perſecuted. As the winde bloweth where it will, ſo the Spirit beateth where it pleaſeth him. Nec quantitas crianinis, Cypr Serm de cana Domini.nec brevitas temporis, nec horae extremitas, nec v…tae enormitas excludit a venia (ſaith St. Cyprian) Neither doth the greatneſſe of the Crime, not the ſhor…ſſe of the Time, neither the extreamity of the laſt howre, nor the Enormitie of the whole life exclude from pardon.
In the 2 Sam. 1. We read of an Amalekite, who brought news to David the King, of the Death of Saul; and to aſſure David therof he told him that he himſelfe ſtood upon him and ſlew him, becauſe he was ſure hee could not live beeing fore wounded, verſe 9, 10. Upon which Relation David preſently commanded that this Amalekite ſhould be put to Death, as one condemned by his owne mouth, verſe 15, 16. Why what was his offence? Wherin had he deſerved Death? Alas, Saul was fallen before upon his owne Speare; it was but mercy to kill him out right who was halfe dead already, &c. Yea but Saul ſaid (by his owne Confeſſion) my life is yet whole in me, he was not dead yet, he was alive, and whilſt there is life there is hope, therfore did David ſlay him, Q…um percuſſum ab hoste deſperaſſet eſſe victurum, & eum ſublata ſpei filucia jugulaſſet, D…erm. …om. in Eccl. c. 2. v. 20becauſe that being wounded of the Enemy he deſpaired of life, and having no confidence of hope, he had killed the annoynted of the Lord: He ſhould have uſed his beſt diligence to have preſerved Saul, and done what lay in him to have bound up his wounds, and not by deſpaire of helpe to ſay he could not live. And thus is it in the caſe of ſinne. If we ſee any deſperately wounded, yet whilſt life remaines there is hope of Mercy to be had; fall not upon him with thy Sword, ſlay him not out right by thy raſh cenſure, but follow thou the Apostles Direction, 2 Tim. 2.25. Inſtruct them who are contrary minded, uſe all good means to reclaime them, prooving if at any time GOD will give them Repentance and bring them out of the ſnares of the Divell, who are taken Captive by him to doe his Will.
Are forgiven] Text.In Graeco non eſt foreign, ſe… foreign, quod pr…eterit… temporis nota, peccata jam ipſi remiſſa ſuiſſe oſten lit, Matheſ. in loc.
Something may be noted from the Tence; They are, not ſhall be hereafter, nor are now to be at this preſent, but already it is done. No ſooner did ſhe believe in Chriſt her Saviour, but her ſinnes were remitted and forgiven her, even before ſhe waſhed and annoynted him. It is noted againſt the Papiſts, who would have works to ſhare halfe with Faith in mans Juſtification, and therfore urge the Text, as ſpeaking of the time preſent, we hold that workes follow Inſtification, Non precedunt (as ſpeakes St. Auſtin: Aug. de fide & oper: c. 14.) But more of this in that which follows. We come now to the Proofe of the Point, foreign.