Six Sermons Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 4 – Title page 5

Six Sermons Upon Several Occasions · Sermon 4 – Title page 5

p. 1Matth. 21. 44.

VVhoſoever ſhall fall on this ſtone, he ſhall be broken; but on whomſoever it ſhall fall, it will daſh him in pieces.

ALmightie God made us for his glorie, and his glorie is not the glorie of a tyrant, to deſtroy us, but his glorie is our happineſſe: he put us in a fair way towards that happineſſe, in nature, in creation; that way would have brought us to heaven, but there we fell, and, if we conſider our ſelves, irrevocably: he put us after into another way, through many hedges and plowed lands, through the difficulties and encumbrances p. 2of all the ceremoniall Law; there was no way to heaven but that: after he brought us a croſſe way, by the croſſe of Chriſt Jeſus, and the application of his Goſpel; and that is our way now: and if we compare one way of nature, and our way, we went out of that way at the towns end, aſſoon as we were in it: Adam died aſſoon as he lived, and fell aſſoon as he was ſet on foot: if we compare the way of the Law and ours, the Jews and the Chriſtians, their Synagogue was but as Gods farm, our Church is as his dwelling houſe. Locavit vineam, He let out his vine to husbandmen; and then Peregrè profectus, He went into a farre countrey, he promiſed a Meſſias, but deferred his coming a long time. But to us Dabitur regnum, A kingdome is given: here is a good improvement, & the leaſe changed into an abſolute deed of gift: here is a good enlargement of the term; he gives, therefore he will not take away again: he gives a kingdome, therefore there is a fulneſſe and an all-ſufficiencie in the gift. And he doth not go into a farre countrey, but ſtayes with us, to govern us Ʋſque ad conſummationem, Ʋntill the end of the world.

Here therefore God takes all into his own hands, and he comes to dwell upon us himſelf; to which purpoſe he plows up our hearts, and he builds upon us: Vos dei agricultura, & Dei aedificium; You are Gods husbandrie, and Gods building. Now of this husbandrie God ſpeaks familiarly and parabolically many times in Scripture, of this building particularly and principally in this place: p. 3where having intimated unto us the ſeverall benefits we receive from Chriſt Jeſus, in that appellation as he is a ſtone, he tells us alſo our dangers, in misbehaving our ſelves towards it; Whoſoever ſhall fall upon this ſtone, he ſhall be broken. Chriſt then is a ſtone, and we may runne into two dangers; Firſt, we may fall upon this ſtone, and then this ſtone may fall upon us: but yet we have a great deal of comfort preſented unto us, in that Chriſt is preſented unto us as a ſtone: for there we ſhall finde him, firſt to be the foundation ſtone; nothing can ſtand which is not built upon Chriſt: Secondly, to be Lapis angularis, A corner ſtone, that unites things being moſt diſunited: Thirdly, to be Lapis Jacob, The ſtone which Jacob ſlept upon: Fourthly, to be Lapis Davidis, The ſtone which David ſlew Goliah with: Fifthly, to be Lapis Petra, Such a ſtone as is a rock, as no waters or ſtorms can remove or ſhake. Theſe are benefits, Chriſt Jeſus is a ſtone, no firmneſſe but in him; a fundamentall ſtone, no building but upon him; a corner ſtone, no piecing nor reconciliation but in him; Davids ſtone, no revenge, no anger but in him; and a rockie ſtone, no defence againſt troubles and tribulations but in him: and upon this ſtone we fall and are broken, and this ſtone may fall upon us, and grinde us to powder.

Firſt, in the Metaphor that Chriſt is called a ſtone, the firmneſſe is expreſſed: forasmuch as he loved his own which were in the world, In finem dilexit eos, ſaith S. John, He loved them to the end, p. 4John 13. 1.John 13:1not for any particular end, for any uſe of his own, but to their end Qui erant in mundo, ſaith Cyril, ad diſtinctionem Angelorum; he loved them in the world, and not Angels: he loved not onelyonly them who were in a confirmed eſtate of mutuall loving of him too, but even them who were themſelves conceived in ſinne, and then conceived all their purpoſes in ſinne too; them who would have no cleanſing but in his bloud, and when they were cleanſed in his bloud, their own clothes would defile them again; them, who by nature are not able to love him at all; and when by grace they are brought to love him, can expreſſe their love no other way, but to be glad that he was betrayed, and ſcourged, and ſcorned, and nailed, and crucified; and to be glad, that if all this were not alreadie done, it might be done yet; and to long and to wiſh, if Chriſt were not crucified, to have him crucified now (which is a ſtrange manner of expreſſing love) theſe men he loved, and loved to the end; men, and not Angels, Ad diſtinctionem mortuorum, ſaith Chryſoſtome: not onelyonly the Patriarchs who were departed out of the world, who had loved him ſo well, as to take his word for their ſalvation, and had lived and died in a faithfull contemplation of a future promiſe, which they never ſaw performed; but thoſe who were the partakers of the performance of the promiſes; thoſe, in the midſt of whom he came in perſon; thoſe, upon whom he wrought by his piercing doctrine and powerfull miracles; thoſe, who for p. 5all this loved not him, he loved, Et in finem, he loved them to the end. It is much he ſhould love them in fine, at their end; that he ſhould look graciouſly at laſt; that when their ſunne ſets, their eyes faint, his ſunne of grace ſhould ariſe, and his Eaſt ſhould be brought to their Weſt; that then, in the ſhadow of death, the Lord of life ſhould quicken and inanimate their hearts; that when their laſt bell tolls, and calls them to their firſt and laſt judgement, which to this purpoſe is all one; for the paſſing bell and the Angels trump ſound but one note: Surgite qui dormitis in pulvere, Ariſe ye that ſleep in the duſt, which is the voice of the Angels; and, Surgite qui vigilatis in plumis, Ariſe ye that cannot ſleep in feathers, for the pangs of death, which is the voice of the bell, is in effect but one voice: for God at the generall judgement ſhall never reverſe any particular judgement formerly given: that God ſhould then come to thy bed-ſide Ad ſibilandum populum ſuum, as the Prophet Ezechiel ſaith, to hiſſe ſoftly for his childe, to ſpeak comfortably in his eare, to whiſper gently to his departing ſoul, and to drown and overcome with this ſoft muſick of his all the clangour of the Angels trumpets, all the horrour of the ringing bell, all the cries and vociferations of a diſtreſſed, and diſtracted, and ſcattering family; yea, all the accuſations of his own conſcience, and all the triumphant acclamations of the devil himſelf: that God ſhould love a man thus in fine, at his end, and return to him then, though he had ſuffered him to go p. 6aſtray before, is a great teſtimonie of an inexpreſſible love. But this love is not in fine, in the end; but in finem, to the end. He leaves them not uncalled at the firſt, he leaves them not unaccompanied in the way, he leaves them not unrecompenſed at the laſt. That God, who is Alpha and Omega, Firſt and Laſt, that God is alſo Love it ſelf; and therefore this Love is Alpha and Omega, Firſt and Laſt too. Conſider Chriſts proceeding Matt. 14. 17Matt 14:17with Peter in the ſhip, in the ſtorm: Firſt he ſuffered him to be in ſome danger in the ſtorm, but then he viſits him with a ſtrange aſſurance, Noli timere, Be not afraid, it is I: any teſtimonie of his preſence rectifies all. This puts Peter into that ſpirituall confidence and courage, Jube me venire, Lord bid me come to thee; he hath a deſire to be with Chriſt, but yet ſtayes his bidding: he puts not himſelf into an unneceſſarie danger, without commandment; Chriſt bids him, and Peter comes: but yet, though Chriſt were in his ſight, and even in the actuall exerciſe of his love to him, ſo ſoon as he ſaw a ſtorm, Timuit, He was afraid; and Chriſt lets him fear, and lets him ſink, and lets him crie▪ but he directs his fear and his crie to the right end: Domine, ſalvum me fac; Lord, ſave me; and thereupon he ſtretched forth his hand and ſaved him. God doth not raiſe his children to honour and great eſtate, and then leave them, and expoſe them to be ſubjects and exerciſes of the malice of others, neither doth he make them mightie and then leave them, ut glorietur in malo qui potens eſt, p. 7that he ſhould think it a glorie to do harm: he doth not impoveriſh and diſhonour his children, and then leave them unſenſible of that doctrine, that patience is as great a bleſſing as abundance. God gives not his people health, and then leaves them to a boldneſſe in ſurfeting; nor beautie, and then leaves them to a confidence, and opening themſelves to all ſollicitations; nor valour, and then leaves them to a ſpirituous quarrelſomneſſe: God makes no patterns of his works, nor models of his houſes; he makes whole pieces, and perfect houſes: he puts his children into good wayes, and he directs and protects them in thoſe wayes; for this is the conſtancie and perſeverance of the love of Chriſt Jeſus to us, as he is called in this Text a ſtone.

To come to the particular benefits, the firſt is, that he is Lapis fundamentalis, A foundation stone: for other foundation can no man lay, then that is layed, 1. Cor. 3. 111 Cor 3:11which is Jeſus Chriſt. Now when S. Augustine ſayes (as he doth in the 2 and 3 places) that this place of S. Paul to the Corinthians is one of thoſe places, of which Peter ſayes, Quaedam difficilia, There are ſome things in S. Paul hard to be underſtood; S. Auguſtines meaning is, that the difficultie is in the next words, how any man ſhould build ſtubble or hay upon ſuch a foundation. And therefore to place ſalvation or damnation in ſuch an abſolute decree of God, as ſhould have no relation to the fall of man, and reparation in a Redeemer, this is to remove this ſtone out of the foundation; for a p. 8Chriſtian may well be content to begin at Chriſt: if any man therefore have laid any other foundation to his poſſeſſion of great places, alliance in great families, ſtrong practiſe in courts, obligations upon dependants, acclamations of people; if he have laid any other foundation, for pleaſure and contentment, care of health and complexion, delight in diſcourſe, cheerfulneſſe in diſportings, interchange of ſecrets, and ſuch other ſmall wares of court and cities as theſe are: whoſoever hath laid ſuch foundations as theſe, muſt needs do as that Generall did when he beſieged a town, who compounded to take it to merciemercy upon a condition, that in ſigne of ſubjection they ſhould ſuffer him to take one row of ſtones from their walls; whereupon he took away the loweſt row, the foundation, and ſo ruined and demoliſhed the whole walls of the citie: ſo muſt he that hath theſe foundations, that is, theſe habits, diveſt the habit, root out the loweſt ſtone, the generall and radicall inclination of theſe diſorders: for he ſhall never be able to watch and reſiſt every particular temptation, if he truſt onelyonly to his morall conſtancie; no, nor if he place Chriſt for the roof, to cover his ſinnes, when he hath done them: his merciemercy works, by way of pardon after, not by way of an Obſtante, and priviledge, to do a ſinne beforehand; but beforehand he muſt be in the foundation, in our eye, when we undertake any particular action; in the beginning, for there he is to be in the firſt place, Lapis fundamentalis. And then after we p. 9have conſidered him in the foundation, as we are there all Chriſtians, he grows to be Lapis angularis, to unite thoſe Chriſtians which ſeem to be of divers wayes, divers aſpects, divers profeſſions, together. As we conſider him in the foundation, there he is the root of faith; as we conſider him in the corner, there he is the root of charitie. In Eſay he is both together, a ſure foundation, and a corner Iſa. 28. 16.Isa 28:16ſtone, as he was in that place of Eſay Lapis probatus, I will lay in Sion a tried stone; and in the Pſalme, Lapis reprobatus, a ſtone that the builders refuſed; in this conſideration he is Lapis approbatus, a ſtone approved by all ſides together.

Conſider firſt what divers things he unites in his own perſon, that he ſhould be the ſonne of a woman, and yet no ſonne of man; that the ſonne of a woman ſhould be the Sonne of God; that mans nature and innocencie ſhould meet together; a man that ſhould not ſinne; that Gods nature and mortalitie ſhould meet together, be God that muſt die: briefly, that he ſhould do and ſuffer many things, impoſſible as man, impoſſible as God; thus he was a corner-ſtone, that brought together natures naturally incompatible: Thus he was Lapis angularis, a corner-ſtone, in his perſon.

Conſider him in his offices, as a Redéemer, as a Mediatour, and ſo he hath united God to man, rebellious men to jealous God; yea, ſuch a corner ſtone, as hath builded heaven and earth, Jeruſalem and Babel together; thus in his perſon, and thus in his offices.

p. 10Conſider him in his power, and he is ſuch a corner-ſtone as he is the God of grace, and love, and union, and concord; ſuch a corner-ſtone as is able to reconcile and unite (as he did in Abrahams houſe) a wife and a concubine in one bed, a covetous father and a waſtfull ſonne in one familie, a ſevere magiſtrate and a licentious people in one citie, an abſolute Prince and a jealous people in one kingdome, law and conſcience in one government, ſcripture and tradition in one Church. If we will but conſider Chriſt Jeſus the life and ſoul of all our accounts, and all our purpoſes; if we would mingle that ſweetneſſe and ſuppleneſſe, which he loves, and which he is, in all our undertakings; if in all our controverſies (book-controverſies and ſword-controverſies) we would fit them to him, and ſee how neare they would meet in him, that is, how neare we could come to be friends, and yet both ſides good Chriſtians: then we placed this ſtone in the ſecond right place: who as he is a corner-ſtone, reconciling God and man, in his own perſon; and God and man, in reconciling mankinde in his office: ſo he deſires to be a corner-ſtone in reconciling man and man, and ſetting peace amongſt our ſelves, not for worldly ends, but for this reſpect; that we might all meet in him to love one another, not becauſe we made a ſtronger partie by that love, not becauſe we made a ſweeter converſation by that love; but becauſe we meet cloſer in the boſome of Chriſt Jeſus, where we muſt all at laſt either reſt all together, p. 11or elſe be all together eternally thrown out, or be eternally ſeparated and divorced one from another. Having then received Chriſt as a foundation ſtone, we beleeve aright; and for the cornerſtone, we interpret charitably the opinions and accounts of other men: the next is, that he is Lapis Jacob, a ſtone of reſt and ſecuritie to our ſouls. When Jacob was in his journey, he took a ſtone, and that ſtone was his pillow; when that he ſlept all night, and reſted upon the ſtone, he ſaw the ladder that reached from heaven to earth: it is much to have this egreſſe and regreſſe to God, to have a ſenſe of being gone from him, and the deſire and means of returning to him. When we do fall into particular ſinnes, it is well if we can take hold of the firſt ſtep of this ladder, with that hand of David, Domine reſpice in teſtamentum, Pſal. 74. 10.Ps 74:10O Lord conſider the covenant: if we can remember God of his covenant to his people and to their ſeed, it is well. That is more, if we can clamber a ſtep higher on this ladder, to a Domine labia mea aperi, if we can come to open our lips in a true confeſſion of our wretched condition, and of thoſe ſinnes by which we have forfeited our intereſt in that covenant; it is more, and more then that too, if we can come to that, Inebriabo me lacrymis, if we overflow and make our ſelves drunk with teares, in a true ſenſe and ſorrow for thoſe ſinnes; ſtill it is more then all theſe, if we can expoſtulate with God in an Ʋſque quò Domine? How long Lord ſhall I take counſel within my ſelf, having wearineſſe in p. 12my heart? Theſe ſteps, theſe gradations to God do well. Warre is a degree of peace, as it is the way to prayer; and this colluctation and wreſtling with God, brings a man to peace with him: But then is a man upon the ſtone of David, when in a fairer, and even, and conſtant religious courſe of life, he enters into ſheets every night, as though his executours had cloſed him, as though his neighbours next day were to ſhrowd and winde him in thoſe ſheets, and lies down every night, not as though his man was to call him up the next day morning to hunt, or to the next dayes ſport buſineſſe, but as though the Angels were to call him to the reſurrection. And this is our third benefit, as Chriſt is a ſtone, we have ſecuritie and peace of conſcience in him. The next is, that he is Lapis David, the ſtone with which he ſlew Goliah, and with which we may overcome all our enemies. Sicut baculus crucis, ità lapis Chriſti habet typum, ſayes Auguſtine; Davids ſling was a type of the croſſe, and the ſtone was a type of Chriſt. We will chooſe to inſiſt upon ſpirituall enemies, ſinnes. And this is the ſtone that enables the weakeſt man to overthrow the ſtrongeſt ſinne, if he proced as David did. David ſaid to Goliah, Thou comeſt to me with a ſword, with a ſpear, and with a ſhield; but I come unto thee in the name of the God of hoſts, of Iſrael, whom thou haſt railed upon. If thou watch the approach of any ſinne, any giant ſinne that tranſports thee moſt, if thou apprehend it to rail againſt the Lord of hoſts, in that there is a p. 13loud and active blaſphemie againſt God in every ſinne; if it deſire to come with a ſword, or a ſpear, perſwaſions of advancement if thou do it, threatnings of diſhonour if thou do it not; if it come with a ſhield, with promiſes to cover and palliate it if thou do it: if then this David, thy attempted ſoul, can put his hand into his bag, as David did, (for, Quid cor hominis niſi ſacculus Dei? mans heart is that bag in which God layes up all good directions) if he can take into his conſideration his Chriſt Jeſus, and ſling out his works, his commandments, his merits; this Goliah, this giant ſinne will fall to the ground. And then as it is ſaid of David there, that he ſlew him when he had no ſword in his hand; and yet in the next verſe, that he took his ſword and ſlew him with that: ſo even by the conſideration of that which my Saviour hath done for me, I ſhall give this ſinne the firſt deaths wound, and then I ſhall kill him with his own ſword; his own abomination, his own foulneſſe ſhall make me deteſt him: if I dare but look him in the face, if I dare call him, I come in the name of the Lord, if I conſider him, I ſhall triumph over him: Et dabit certandi victoriam, qui dedit certandi audaciam; That God who gave me courage to fight, will give me courage to overcome.

The laſt benefit, which we conſider in Chriſt as he is a ſtone, is, that he is Petra, A rock: the rock gave water to the Iſraelites, and he gave them honie Num. 20. 11.Num 20:11out of the ſtone, and oyl out of the rock. Now p. 14when S. Paul ſaith that our fathers drank of the ſame rock, as we heard, that rock was Chriſt, ſo 1. Cor. 10. 41 Cor 10:4that all temporall and ſpirituall bleſſings to us, and to our fathers, were all conferred upon us in Chriſt: But we conſider not now any miraculous production from the rock, but that which is naturall to the rock, that it is a firm defence to us in all tempeſts, in all afflictions, in all tribulation. And therefore Laudate Dominum habitationes petrae, Iſa. 42. 11.Isa 42:11ſayes the Prophet, You that are inhabitants of this rock, you that dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in you, you that dwell in earth, in this rock, praiſe ye the Lord, bleſſe him, and magnifie him for ever. If the ſonne ſhall ask bread of the father, will he give him a ſtone, as is Chriſts queſtion? Yes, O bleſſed Father, we ask no other: anſwer to our petition; no better ſatisfaction to our neceſſitie, when we ſay, Da nobis hodie panem, Give us this day our daily bread, then that thou give us this ſtone, this rock, thy ſelf in the Church for our direction, thy ſelf in thy ſacraments for our refection; what hardneſſe ſoever we finde there, what corrections ſoever we receive there, all ſhall be of eaſie digeſtion and good nouriſhment to us: thy holy Spirit of patience ſhall command theſe ſtones to be made bread, and we ſhall finde more juice, more marrow in theſe ſtones, in theſe afflictions, then worldly men ſhall do in the ſoftneſſe of their oyl, in the ſweetneſſe of their honie, in the cheerfulneſſe of their wine: for as Chriſt is our foundation, we beleeve in him; and p. 15our corner ſtone, we are at peace with all the world in him: as he is Jacobs ſtone, giving us peace in our ſelves; and Davids ſtone, giving us victorie over all our enemies: ſo he is a rock of ſtone; no affliction, no tribulation ſhall ſhake us. And ſo we have paſſed through all the benefits propoſed to be conſidered in the firſt place.

It is ſome degree of thankfulneſſe to ſtand long II Part.in the contemplation of the benefits which we have received, and therefore we have inſiſted thus long upon this firſt part: But it is a degree of ſpirituall wiſdome too, to make haſte to the conſiderations of our dangers, and therefore we come now to them: we will fall upon this ſtone and be broken; this ſtone may fall upon us and grinde us to powder. And in the firſt of theſe, we may conſider, Quid frangi, Quid cadere; What that falling upon this ſtone is, and what it is to be broken upon it; and then the latitude of this, Ʋnuſquiſque, that whoſoever falls ſo, is ſo broken. Firſt then becauſe Chriſt loves us to the end, therefore ſome will never put him to it, never trouble him till then. As the wiſe man ſaid of Manna, that Wiſd. 16. 25Wis 16:25it had abundance of all pleaſures in it, and was meet for all taſts, that is (as Expoſitours interpret it) that Manna taſted to every man like that which every man liked beſt: ſo hath this ſtone Chriſt Jeſus abundance of all qualities of ſtone in it; and it is ſuch a ſtone to every man, as he deſires it ſhould. Ʋnto you that beleeve, ſaith S. Peter, he is 1. Pet. 2. 7.1 Pet 2:7a pretious ſtone; but unto the diſobedient, a ſtone p. 16to ſtumble at: for if a man walk in a gallerie, where windows and ſtatues and tables are all of marble, yet if he walk in the dark, or blinde-folded, or careleſly, he may break his face as dangerouſly againſt that rich ſtone, as if it were but brick: ſo though a man walk in the true Church of God, in that Jeruſalem, which is deſcribed in the Revelation, whoſe foundation, and gates, and walls are all precious ſtone; yet if a man bring misbelief, all his religion is but a part of civil government and order: if a man be ſcandalized at that humilitie, that patience, that povertie, that lowlineſſe of ſpirit, which the Chriſtian religion inclines us unto; if he will ſay, Si rex Iſrael, If Chriſt will be King, let him come down from the croſſe, and then we will beleeve in him; let him deliver his Church from all croſſes, firſt of doctrine, then of perſecution, and then we will beleeve him to be King: if he will ſay, Nolumus hunc regnare, We will admit Chriſt, but we will not admit him to reigne over us, to be King; if he will be content with a Conſulſhip, with a Colleagueſhip, that he and the world may joyn in government, that we may give the week to the world, and the ſabbath unto him, and the night to our licentiouſneſſe; that of the day we may give the forenoon to him, and the afternoon to our pleaſures; if this will ſerve Chriſt, we can be content to admit him: but Nolumus regnare, We will not admit of his abſolute power, that whether we eat or drink, or whatſoever we do, we muſt be troubled to p. 17think on him, and reſpect his glorie in every thing; if he will ſay, Praecepit Angelis, God hath given charge to his Angels, and therefore we need not look to our own wayes; he hath locked us up ſafe, and lodged us ſafely under an eternall election, and therefore we are ſure of ſalvation: if he will walk thus blindely, violently, wilfully, negligently in the true Church, though he walk amongſt the ſaphires, and pearls, and chryſolites which are mentioned there, that is, in the outward common and fellowſhip of Gods ſaints; yet he may bruiſe, and break, and batter himſelf aſmuch againſt theſe, as againſt the ſtone gods of the Heathen, or the ſtone idols of the Papiſts: for firſt, the place of this falling upon this ſtone is the true Church: Qui jacet in terra, He that is alreadie upon the ground, can fall no lower, till he fall to hell; but he whom God hath brought into his Church, if he come to a confident ſecuritie that he is gone farre enough in theſe outward acts of religion, he falls, though he be upon this ſtone. This is the place of the true Church; the falling it ſelf (as farre as will fall into one time of conſideration now) is a falling into ſome particular ſinne, but not of ſuch as quenches our faith; we fall ſo as we may riſe again: S. Jerome expreſſeth it ſo, Qui cadit, & tamen credit, He that falls and yet beleeves, revocatur per poenitentiam ad ſalutem, that man is reſerved by Gods purpoſe to come by repentance to ſalvation: for this man that falls here, falls not ſo deſperately, as that he feels nothing between him and hell, p. 18nothing to ſtop at, nothing to check him by the way: Cadit ſuper, he falls upon ſomething, he falls not upon flowers, to wallow and tumble in his ſinne; nor upon feathers, to reſt and ſleep in his ſinne; nor into a cooling river, to diſport and refreſh and ſtrengthen himſelf in his ſinne: but he falls upon a ſtone where he may receive a bruiſe and pain upon his fall, a remorſe of that ſinne that he is fallen into. And in this fall our infirmities appeare three wayes: the firſt is, Impingere in lapidem; for though he be upon the right ſtone, in the true religion, and have life enough, yet Impingimus meridie, (as the Prophet ſayes) Even Iſa. 59. 10.Isa 59:10at noon we ſtumble: we have much more light by Chriſt being come, then the Jews had, but are ſorie we have it: when Chriſt ſaid to us, for the better underſtanding of the Law, He that looks and luſts, hath committed adulterie; he that covets, hath ſtollen; he that is angrie, hath murdered; we ſtumble at this, and we are ſcandalized with it, and we think that other religions are gentler, and that Chriſt hath dealt hardly with us, and we had rather Chriſt had not ſaid ſo, we had rather he had left us to our libertie and diſcretion, to look, and covet, and give way to our paſſions, as we ſhould finde it moſt to conduce to our eaſe and to our ends: and this is Impingere, to ſtumble, and not to go on in an equall pace, & not to do the will of God cheerfully. And a ſecond degree is, Calcitrare, to kick and to ſpurn at this ſtone, to bring ſome particular ſinne and ſome particular law into compariſon, to debate thus; If I do not p. 19this now, I ſhall never have ſuch a time; if I ſlip this, I ſhall never have the like opportunitie; if I will be a fool now, I ſhall be a begger all my life; and for the law that ſhall be againſt it, there is but a little evil for a great good, and there is a great deal of time to recover and repent that little evil. Now to remove a ſtone that was a land-mark, and to hide and cover that ſtone, was all our fault in the Law: to hide the will of God from our own conſcience with excuſes and extenuations, this is Calcitrare, as much as we can to ſpurn the ſtone, the land-mark out of the way: but the fulneſſe and accompliſhment of this is in the word of the text, Cadere. He falls as a piece of money into a river; we heare it fall, and we ſee it ſink, and by and by we ſee it deep, and at laſt we ſee it not at all: ſo no man falls at firſt into any ſinne, but he heares his own fall, there is a tenderneſſe in his own conſcience at the beginning, at the entrance into a ſinne, and he diſcerns a while the degrees of ſinking too, but at laſt he is out of his own ſight, till he meet this ſtone, ſome hard reprehenſion, ſome hard paſſage of a ſermon, ſome hard judgement in a Prophet, ſome croſſe in the world, ſomething from the mouth, or ſomething from the hand of God, that breaks him, he falls upon this ſtone and is broken. So that to be broken upon this ſtone, is come to this ſenſe, that though our integritie be loſt, that we be no more whole and entire veſſels; yet there are means of piecing in again: though we be not veſſels of innocencie (for who is ſo? and for that, Enter not into judgement with thy ſervant) p. 20yet we may be veſſels of repentance, acceptable to God, and uſefull to his ſervice; for when any thing falls upon a ſtone, the harm which it ſuffers is not alwayes or not onelyonly according to the height that it falls from, and that violence that it is thrown down with. If their fall, who fall by ſinnes of infirmitie, ſhould referre onelyonly to the ſtone they fall upon, the majeſtie of God being wounded and violated in every ſinne, every ſinner would be broken in pieces and ground to powder. But if they fall not from too farre a diſtance, if they lived within any neerneſſe, any conſideration of God, if they have not fallen with violence, taken heat and force in the way, grown confident in the practiſe of their ſinnes they fall upon; if this ſtone ſink and ſtop at Chriſt, this ſhall break them, break their force and confidence, break their preſumption and ſecuritie, but yet it ſhall leave enough in them for the holy Ghoſt to revet to his ſervice; yea, the ſinne it ſelf Cooperatur ad bonum, as the Rom. 8. 28.Rom 8:28Apoſtle ſayes, the very fall it ſelf ſhall be an occaſion of riſing: And therefore if S. Auguſtine ſeem to venture farre, it is not too farre, when he ſayes, Audeo dicere, It is boldly ſaid, and yet I muſt ſay it, Ʋtile eſſe, cadere in aliquod manifeſtum peccatum; A ſinner falls into his advantage, that falls into ſome ſuch ſinne, as he being manifeſted to the world, manifeſts his own ſinfull ſtate to his ſinfull conſcience too; it is well for that man that falls ſo, as that he may thereby look the better to his footing ever after: Dicit Dominus, Suſceptor p. 21meus es tu, ſayes S. Bernard; That man hath a new title to God, a new name for God. All creatures (as S. Bernard ſayeth) enlarge this meditation, can ſay, Creator meus es tu, Thou giveſt me meat in due ſeaſon; all men can ſay, Redemptor meus es tu, Thou art my Redeemer: but onelyonly he which is fallen, and fallen upon this ſtone, can ſay, Suſceptor meus es tu; onelyonly he who hath been overcome by a temptation, and is reſtored, can ſay, Lord thou haſt ſupported me, thou haſt recollected my ſhivers, and reveted me; onelyonly to him hath this ſtone expreſſed both abilities of ſtone; firſt, to break him with a ſenſe of his ſinne, and then to give him reſt and peace upon it. Now there is in this part this circumſtance more, Quicunque cadit, Whoſoever falls; where the Quicunque is Ʋnuſquiſque; Whoſoever falls, that is, Whoſoever he be, he falls: Quomodo cecidiſti de coelo Lucifer? ſayes Iſa. 14. 12.Isa 14:12the Prophet Iſaiah; the Prophet wonders how Lucifer ſhould fall, having no bodie to tempt him, for ſo many of the Ancients interpret that place, of the fall of the Angels; and when the Angels fell, there were no other creatures made: but Quid eſt homo, aut filius hominis? Since the father of man, Adam, could not, how ſhould the ſonnes of man, which inherit his weakneſſe, and contracting more and more, contribute their temptations to another, hope to ſtand? Adam fell, and he fell à longè, afarre off, for he could ſee no ſtone to fall upon, when he fell; their Meſſias was no ſuch Meſſias, no ſuch means of reparation propoſed or p. 22promiſed: when he fell, the bleſſed Virgin, and the fore-runner of Chriſt, John Baptiſt, fell too; but they fell propè, neare hand, they fell but a little way, for they had this ſtone in a perſonall preſence, and their faith was alway awake in them; but yet he and ſhe and they all fell into ſome ſinne: Quicunque cadit, is, Ʋnuſquiſque cadit; Whoſoever falls, is, Whoſoever he be, he falls; and whoſoever falls too, as we ſaid before, is broken, if he fall upon ſomething, not to an infinite depth; if he fall not upon a ſoft place, to a delight in ſinne, but upon a ſtone, and this ſtone (none harder, ſharper, raggeder then this) not to a diffidence or diſtruſt in Gods merciemercy; he that falls ſo, and is broken ſo, comes to a remorſefull, a broken and a contrite heart, he is broken to his advantage, left to a poſſibilitie, yea, brought to a nearneſſe of being pieced again by the word and ſacraments, and other the medicinall meditations of Chriſt in his Church.

We muſt end onelyonly with touching upon the III Part.third part, Ʋpon whom this ſtone falls, it will grinde him to powder: where we ſhall onelyonly tell you, Quid conteri, what this grinding is; and then, Quid cadere, what the falling of this ſtone is. And briefly, this grinding to powder is, to be brought to that deſperate and irrevocable eſtate in ſinne, as that no medicinall correction from God, no breaking, no bowing, no melting, no mending can bring him to any good faſhion: when God can work no cure, do no good upon us by breaking us, not by breaking p. 23us in our healths (for we will attribute that to weakneſſe of ſtomack, to ſurfet in digeſtion) not by breaking us in our eſtates (for we will impute that to falſhood in ſervants, to oppreſſion of great adverſaries, to iniquitie of judges) not by breaking us in our honours (for we will accuſe for that, factions and practiſes and ſupplications in court) when God cannot break us with his corrections, but that we will attribute them to ſome naturall, ſome accidentall cauſes, and never think of Gods judgements which are the true cauſes of theſe afflictions: when God cannot break us by breaking our backs, by laying an heavie load of calamities upon us; nor by breaking our hearts, by putting us into a ſad and heavie, but fruitleſſe ſorrow and melancholie, for theſe worldly loſſes: then he comes to break us by breaking our necks, by caſting us into the bottomleſſe pit, and falling upon us there in his wrath and indignation. Comprimam eos in pulverem, ſayes David, I will beat them as duſt before the winde, and tread them as flat as the clay in the ſtreet; and the breaking thereof ſhall be as the breaking of a potters veſſell, which is broken without any pitie, no pitie from God, nor ſhall any pitie them: the Prophet ſaith further, There is not found Iſa. 30. 14.Isa 30:14a ſheard to take fire from the hearth, but uncapable of one drop of Chriſts bloud from heaven, or of any teare of contrition in themſelves; not a ſheard to fetch water at the pit. I will break them as a potters Jer. 19. 11.Jer 19:11veſſell, Quod non poteſt inſtaurari, ſayes God in Jeremiah: There ſhall be no poſſible means (of p. 24thoſe means which God hath ordained in his Church) to recompact them again, no voice of Gods word ſhall draw them, no threatning of Gods judgements ſhall drive them, no cenſure of Gods Church ſhall fit them, no ſacrament ſhall cement and glue them to Chriſts bodie again: in temporall bleſſings he ſhall be unthankfull, in temporall afflictions he ſhall be obdurate; and theſe two ſhall ſerve as the upper and neather milſtone, and ſo ſhall grinde the reprobate ſinner to powder.

Laſtly, this is to be done by falling upon him; and what is that? I know ſome expoſitours take it to be but the falling of Gods judgements upon him in this world: there is no grinding to powder: All Gods judgements here (for any thing we can know) have the nature of phyſick in them; and no man is here ſo abſolutely broken in pieces, but that he may be reunited. We chooſe to follow the Ancients in this, that the falling of the ſtone upon the reprobate, is Chriſts laſt and irrevocable falling upon him in his laſt judgement, that when he ſhall wiſh that the hills might fall and cover him, this ſtone ſhall fall and grinde him to powder. He ſhall be broken, and be no more found, ſayes the Prophet Dan. 11. 19.Dan 11:19Daniel: yea, he ſhall be broken, and be no more ſought, no man ſhall conſider him what he is now, or what he was before; for that ſtone which in Daniel was cut out without the hand, which was a figure of Chriſt, who came without ordinarie generation, when that great image was to be overthrown, p. 25broke not an arm or leg, but the whole image in pieces; and it wrought not onelyonly upon the weak parts, but it broke all the clay and the iron, the braſſe, the ſilver, the gold: ſo when a ſtone falls thus, when Chriſt comes to judgement, he ſhall not onelyonly condemne him for his clay, his earthly covetous ſinnes; not for his iron, his revengefull and oppreſſing and ruſtie ſinnes; nor for his braſſe, his ſhining and gliſtering ſinnes, which he hath filed and poliſhed: but he ſhall fall upon his ſilver, his gold, his religious, his precious ſinnes, his hypocriticall hearing of ſermons, his Phariſaicall giving of alms, and aſwell his ſubtil counterfeting of religion, as his Atheiſticall oppoſing of religion: this ſtone Chriſt himſelf ſhall fall upon him, and a ſhowre of other ſtones ſhall oppreſſe him. Sicut pluit laqueos, ſayes David, As God rained ſnares and ſprings upon them in this world, abundance of temporall bleſſings, to be occaſions of ſinne unto them; ſo pluet grandinem, he ſhall rain ſuch hail-ſtones upon them, as ſhall grinde them to powder: there ſhall fall upon him the naturall law, which was written in his heart, and did rebuke him when he prepared for a ſinne; there ſhall fall upon him that written law which cried out from the mouthes of the Prophets in theſe places to avert them from ſinne; there ſhall fall upon him thoſe ſinnes that he hath done, and thoſe ſinnes which he hath not done, if nothing but want of opportunitie and means hinder him from doing them; there ſhall fall upon him theſe ſinnes p. 26which he hath done after anothers dehortation, & thoſe which another hath done after his provocation: there the ſtones of Nineve ſhall fall upon him, and of as many cities as have repented, with leſſe proportions of merciemercy and grace then God afforded him; there the rubbiſh of Sodom and Gomorrah ſhall fall upon him, and as manie cities as their ruine might have been example to him: all thoſe ſtones ſhall fall upon him; and, to adde weight to theſe, Chriſt Jeſus himſelf ſhall fall upon his conſcience with unanſwerable queſtions, and grinde his ſoul to powder: but He that overcometh, his ſoul Revel. 2. 11Rev 2:11ſhall not be hurt by the ſecond death. He that comes to remorſes early and earneſtly after a ſinne, and ſeeks by ordinarie means his reconciliation to God in his Church, is in the beſt eſtate that man can be in now: for howſoever we can ſay now, that repentance is as happie an eſtate as innocencie; yet certainly every man feels more comfort and ſpirituall joy after a true repentance for a ſinne, then he had in that degree of innocencie which he had before he committed that ſinne: and therefore in this caſe alſo we may eaſily repeat thoſe words of S. Auguſtine, Audeo dicere, I dare be bold to ſay, that many a man hath been the better for ſome ſinne. Almightie God, who hath given us civil wiſdome to make uſe of our enemies, give us alſo this heavenly wiſdome to make that uſe of our particular ſinnes, that thereby our wretched condition in our ſelves, and our means of reparation in Chriſt Jeſus, may be manifeſted unto us: To whom, &c.

FINIS.

A SERMON Upon the xxii verſe of the v Chapter of JOHN.

By D^r. DONNE DEAN OF PAƲLS.

¶ Printed by the Printers to the Ʋniverſitie of CAMBRIDGE.

MDCXXXIIII.