■ LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary, BX 5021 .A1 A32 Adams, Thomas, f1. 1612- 1 653. The three divine sisters, Book, N»,., ^ J From the AUTHOR. ^ ^[ I THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS, FAITH, HOP n, AND OHARITT. THE LEAVEN; OR, A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. A CRUCIFIX; A SBKMON UPON THB PASSIOW. SEMPER IDEM; TH» lUMnTABLB M It R 0 T OF JESUS CHRIST ETC. ETC. ETC. BT THB REV. THOMAS ADAMS, INTRODUCTION BY THE REV. W. H. STOWELL, NEW YORK: ROBERT CARTER, 58 CANAL STREET; AND PITTSBURG, 50 MARKET STREET. 1847. Digitized by tine Internet Arcliive in 2015 https://arcliive.org/details/threedivinesisteOOadam THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. Now kbUeth Itilh, hope, charity, these three ; but the eiettest of these It charity.-l Cor.xlU. 13. CONTE NTS. Tho 'nii-00 Divine Sislejs. Faith, Hope, and Charity, . 1 The Loavea or, A Direction to llearen, . . .21 A Crucifix or, A Sermon upon the Passion, . . 43 Semper Idem or I'he Immutable Mercy olJesus Christ, 69 Heaven 3 Gate, or. The Passage to Paradise, .... 87 Kaiesty in Misery cr I'he i'ower of Christ e-.-en Dying, . 109 The Fool and his Sport, . 131 The Christian'B Walk; or. The Kings Highway oi' Charity, 143 Love's Copy; or, I'he Best Precedent ol Charity, . . .169 God 3 Bounty ; or, 'I'he Blessings of both his Hands, . . 187 rolitio Hunting 227 The Taming of the Tongue 261 INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS; REV. W. H. S T O W E L L, FmaSIDBNT or the INDEFBI<IOE>TCOLI.EOE(B0TUEnaA,ll. INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. The series of AVorks -nhich tliis Volume introduces, is intended to rni.sw of writings less general!)' I.noisn than those which have already appeared ; and the Author, for w hom we now bespeak the reader's favour, is one of whom, jicrhaps, less is known than of any others whose works will be rcDublishcd. To prevent confusion and mistake, we bcKiM by statin'j, that he is nut Thnmns Adam, Rector of Wintringham, in Lincolnshire, author of a volume of sermons, and of the well-known " I'rivatc Thoughts," who died in 1784. Neither is ha the Thomas .\dams nunlioncd in Wood's Athcmo Oxouleiises, as admitted " a student ol lli azi nuose CoUetce. (_)xford, July 1040; Bachelor of Arts in r.-hruaiy 3, 1052; ami Fellow of the same college in 1G52, wlio, after lie liad taken the degree of Jlaster, became a frequent prpaclii r in th"se jiarts ; was removed from his fellowship in 1652, fir nonconformity ; went to ]>ondon, and carried on his nonconformity by preaching in conventicles. He hath written The Main Principles of Christian Keligion, in 107 short articles or aphorisms, generally received, as l;eing proved from Scrijiturc ; now further cleared and confirmed by the consonant doctrine recorded in the Articles and Homilies of the Church of Entrland, under fiur heads, viz. Of things to be believed, &c. London, 1675-77, October; mncii about which time the author di"d." The Tliimias Ad.ams thus spolu n of was j/'>«;i_7cr brother to lii- cbard .Vdams, one of the editors of Charnock's works on " I'rovi- ilence and on the Attributts," a minister's son of Worrall, in Che- shire, and originally of Caiabri 1-e, where he was examined and INTRODL'CTIOX TO AUAMS' WORKS. admitted bachelor of arts, 26th March 1644. Afterwards he went to Oxon, when the garrison thereof was surrendered to the Parlia- ment ; was admitted a student of Brazenno.se College 24th March 1646, aged 20 years, and soon after made fellow thereof. " In 1655 he left his fellowship, being about that time beneficed at ist Mildreds, Bread Street, in London; and, in 1662, he was removed for nonconformity, — from which time to this he hath continued a nonconformist preacher, and now liveth, if I mistake not, in South- wark. Under his name hath been published several sermons."* In Palmer's edition of Calamy's Nonconformist's Memorial, the following brief account is given of the Thomas Adams already men- tioned : — •" He performed all his exercises with applause ; and, being generally esteemed for his learning, piety, good humour, and dili- gence, he passed through all offices which a person of his under- standing was capable of. He had a competent number of pupils under his care. Upon his ejection, he settled with Sir Samuel Jones, then near Salop, Shropshire, afterwards near Northampton, and was very usefid in his family. He was afterwards chaplain to the Countess Dowager of Clare. He had two brothers, who lived in London, one of whom was Mr R. Adams before mention- ed. His labours in that honourable family, by his catechising and weekly preaching, were very acceptable. He died on December 11,1670. His works are, 'Protestant Union; or. Principles of Religion, wherein the Dissenters agree with the Church of Eng- land,' in two sheets, price 2d ; ' The Main Principles,' &c., the work mentioned by Wood." The Thomas Adams, of whose writings we are about to lay some specimens before the public, was minister at WUlington, Bedford- shire, and a preacher at Paul's Cross, in 1612, which must have been several years before the Nonconformist minister of the same name was bom. His collected works were published by himself in 1630, when the younger brother of Richard Adams could not have been three years old. The works ascribed to Thomas Adams, the Nonconformist, both by Wood and by Calamy, are not the works published by the Thomas Adams now before us. An Exposition of the Second Epistle of Saint Peter was pubhshed in 1633. It is announced in the title-page as by the Rev. Thomas Adams, the Rector of St Gregory's, London. It is dedicated to Sir Henry Martin, Knight, * Wood's Athenae Oxonienses, vol. i. p. 1 08, 2d edition. London, 1721. INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. Judge of his Majesty's High Court of Admiralty, and Dean of the Arches Court of Canterbury. This work was republished by Mr Holdsworth, corrected and revised by the Rev. James Sherman, in 1842. From a comparison of the date of the Exposition with that of the publication of " The Workcs," and of a reference to farther publica- tions in the preface to " The Workes" in 1630, with the reference in the dedication of the Exposition to former works in 1633, toge- ther with numberless internal evidences of sentiment and expression, we gather that they are undoubtedly the production of the same mind. The " Workes," from which the treatises composing these two volumes are taken, had been published in smaller editions of thin quarto volumes, during several years ; and, in 1630, the author published them all in one folio volume of 1240 pages. This volume is dedicated to William Earl of Pembroke, the active and liberal promoter of the establishment of Pembroke College, Oxford, at that time (1624) Chancellor of the University, whose successor, Philip Earl of Pembreke, was one of the lords, joined with the ministers, in the Assembly of Divines held at Westminster in 1643. There is a second dedication to Henry Earl of Manchester, Viscount Man- deville, whose successor, Edward Earl of Manchester, probably his son, was likewise one of the lords in the Westminster Assembly, and one of the distinguished moderate Presbyterian leaders in the Parliamentary army. He was accused by Charles I. of high trea- son, with the five members of the House of Commons. After the battle of Newbury, his party suspected him of a leaning towards the King. He favoured the restoration of Charles II., and was chamberlain of the household to that monarch. — From these dedi- cations, it appears that some of the sermons had been severally pa- tronized by these noblemen ; and to the Earl of Manchester he says : — " At the preaching of these thoughts, I was bound to your lordship for your favourable car ; in the publishing of them, to your favourable eye ; and now, a third obligation you may lay upon me, by your lordship's kind re-acceptance." The dedications are followed by an address " To my dearly be- loved charge, the parishioners of Saint Bennett's, near to Saint Paul's Wharf, London ;" in which he says — " I well know the burden of preaching in this city. We may say of it, in another sense, as Christ said of Jerusalem, 0 thou that killest the prophets ! Many a minister comes to a parish with his veins full of blood, his bones of marrow ; but how soon doth he exhaust his spirits, waste his vigour ! and albeit there are many good souls for whose sake he is xii ixtro:)u:tion- to ada-is' wonss. cimtcnt to iiialic himself a sacri lci', ypt thtrc are .some so unmerci- ful that, after all his lahmirs, woiil'l sr u l liini a beggar to his pravc. I tell you but the faults of somr. To you I am thankful." " To the candid and ingenious reader," he says, " I cannot but take notice, that much injury hath been done to the buyers of such great books by new editions, so that, by the swelling of the later impressions, the former are esteemed imjierfect. lie satisEcd and assured that to this volume nothiii- shall ever l)c added. If the Lord enable me to brinf; forth nny other work of better use to I lis church, it shall be published by itself, .ind never prejudice this. . . . . I hear of some idle drones humming out their dry derisions, that we (forsooth) affect to be men in print ; as if that were the only end of these publications. Hut let the communica- tion of goodness stop their mouths. Speech is only for presence, writings have their use in absence. Q>io lirent Itbrif, non licet ire rnihi: — Our books may come to be seen, where ourselves shall never be heard. These n:ay preach when the author cannot, and (which is more) when he is not. The glory be only to Ood, the comfort to your souls and mine ; with which prayer, I leave you to Him that never leaveth his." The Sermons and Treatises are sixty-three in number, of whicli the last is entitled "The Soldier's Ilounur; " from Judges v. 8, 9. " They chose new rjnds ; then livr.s tnir in the rjntes : iras there a shield or fprar srcn <i)ii(tr(/ f-irlij thoiisaiirl in Isriiel f My heart is toward the governors o flsrm /, that offered themsdres u-illinglij air.oiig the people. Bless ye t lie Lord." It was preached "to the worthy company of gentlemen that exercise in the Artillery Garden ; and now at their second request, iiublished tn further use, 1629." Another of these sermons, in Whiteh.iU, " being the first Tuesday after the departure of King James into blessedness, 1G25," is en- titled " The Sinner's Alourning Hal)it,''from the words, " Il7iCyr/i)rc, / abhor mysel/^ and repent in dust and ashes ; " in which tlie only allusion (and that scarcely obvious) to the departed monarch is in the iirst sentence : — " This is in many dear regards a mourning and penitential season ; therefore I thought it best to accommodate it with a penitential sermon." It is a touching discourse, abound- ing in passages of great brightness, of which we give a specimen. " If I should give you the picture of Kepentauce, I woidd tell you that she is a virgin fair and lovely ; and those tears which seem to do violence to her bea.ity, rather, indeed, grace it. Her breost is sore with the strol<es of her own jicnitent hands, which are always cither in Moses' position on the mo.int, lifted up tuwar Is heaven, IXTROUUCTIOX TO ADAMS' WOKKF!. xill or the publican s in tli« temple, smilinri her /losoni. Iler knees are hardened with constant prav)!!'.' ; l.'i r voice is ho:irso with calling to Iieaven : and when slie eannc)t spea;;. ,^hc delivers her nniiil in crro.ins. There is not a tear tails trom hvr. hut an anL'el linl.is a bottle to catch it. bhc thinks cverv man s sm less than her oivn : evcrv mansgood deeds more. Jler e(H!i]iinirt;oiis are iiiisiir::k,i]ile. known only to God and to hnsi l.. eouid wish, not onlv incn. but even beasts, and trees, an 1 stones, to nioiirn with lier. .-^Iio th nks ill 1 that thr !,1, • : I , I ,■ ,1 I ...... ;. . , , ,.,,„■,. lied. JI ro with tl 11111/ I rn Ihj t I — li hi 111 t 11 h r tl t he 1 at ccpted in Jesus ( hnsr. I 1( I 1 h 1 \1 1 1 I I ^ s tat n non m f hi st Cliiireh, at the triennial visitation ol' the Risht lleverend Father in God. the Lord Bishop of L.mdon : in winch he maintains, thon-h with little if any controversial ar^mnont, the episcopal form of church government, makiiia- a wretehdl distiiietu/ii hetwei^n si'ers, winch signifies, •■the duty ol each pastor over his dock. ■ and orc;'- seers. such as " must visit and overlook both flock and seers : ■ and adverting contemptiionslv to parity in covcrnment. as --the mother of confusion and disorder, ' ami to "those that would be priests without any order at all. that refuse to be ordered. l!;it he sharply rebukes the prelates, who "lorded over («ods heritage. " Paul and Barnabas. Pont was a man ol ardent zeal. Bar- nabas IS interpreted 'the son of r^jnxulation.' Paul would have Barnabas along with hnn. that the lenity ol the one mieht some- what mitisrate and qualify the fervour of the other. Thus. Mosrs was with J'Jias. when they both met with Christ transfiiriired on the mount, Klias was a licry spirited pronliet, mflaaied with holy zcil : Moses, a prophet ot a meeic and mild sinrit. These two together are fit servants to wait upon tno !>on oi God. I do not say that either Paul wanted compa.ssion, or Barnabas fervency ; but this I say. that both these tempers are a liappy composition m a visiter, and make his breast to lie the sacred ark. wherein lay both Aaron s rod and the golden pot of manna: the rod of correction, and the mannix of consolation : the one corrosive, the other a cordial, (spiritual fathers should be liKC natural mothers, that have both ubern and ve.rheni : or like lices. liavin<r much honey, but not without a stinsr. Only let the stm?- be the least in their desire or mtention. and the List m execution : — hke God himsell, ' Qui ha'jcl xiv INTEODUCTION TO ADAMs' WOBKS. in jmleslate vindictam., sed marult in usu inisericordiam' (strong to avenge, but loving to shew incrcv). " There have been sonic who did pnt lime and gall into the milk : yi:a. mimAti-rcd pro hcte vc/ifnum (poison instead of railU) ; Banners and (iardiiicrs, that gave too sliarp physic for the dispcsition of their patients. "That, as the Antioohians said of Julian (taking occasif*i br the Bull which he stamped on his coin), have gored the world to death. That, as if they had Suul' s commUsion to vex the Church of Clirist, have ccpiicliidcd their visitations in blood. " I!ut mercy, ii.) Icis than holiness, becomes the brcastjilate of Aaron." The following passage, few of our readers will refuse to acknow- ledge, savours more of the cliurchman in the days of Laud, than can find favour with men of better times, and of a better spirit. " I deny not the necessity of jurisdiction, both corrective and co- active, tbe one restraining where is too much forwardness, the other enfiireing where is slackness. There is a rod, and there is a sword. " * The Puritans of the Church of England, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, were of two classes, the conforming and the non-conforming. The first class were those who conformed to the laws and usages of the Church, as enforced under the authority of James the First, by the wily and intolerant Archbishop Bancroft. Their Puritanism concerned points of doctrine, adhering to the Cal- vinism of the Reformers, in opposition to the Popery encouraged by the Queen of Charles the First, and to the Arminianism of Land, who, in a treatise drawn up for his patron, the Duke of Buckingham, attempted to prove that Arminianism was orthodox, and that the Anti-arminian tenets were no better than JJoctrina/ Puritanism. The Calvinistic divines were favoured by James until after the Synod of Port. But the Court clergy were distinguished soon after- wards for their Arminianism ; and all the preachers who adhered to the earlier theology of the Reformers, and to the earlier theology of the monarch himself, were branded by the name of Doctrinal Pu- ritans. To this class belonged the writer of the following dis courses. Excepting in his published works, we find no trace of him. He appears to have taken no degree. We find no references to him in the Athena; Oxonienses, or in any other of the records of th'ise times. The dates of several of these discourses show that he was a • Visitation Sermon. IXTRonUtTION TO /.dams' IVOUKK. XV ]nil)lic preacher at the l)eginninj; of the reisii of James the First, and that in his youth he was the conteinporary of the great men that atlomcd the close of Elizabeth's reifcii. During his life, .some of the most reniarkahle events in the history of Europe oeeurreil, and not a few of those steps were taken in this country ivhieh have been followed by consequences of deep moment, both in the slate and in the church. Henry the Fourth of France had professed tlie Catholic faith, M liile he cherished an ardent and enlightened regard for the Protestants of France, GermaRy, Holland, and Great Britain ; maintained a close alliance with England ; encouraged Casauljon, Scaliger, Tluianus, and other eminent scholars ; and, by the vigour of his government under the administration of Sully, won for himself the gratitude of his subjects, the admiration of Europe, and the hatred of the Catholic League. Holland had asserted her independence. In England, the Parliament had been providentially saved from the gunpowder plot. The sagacious Cecil had died in the midst of the difficulties accumulating around his sovereign. The king and the nation were engaged in an earnest struggle for tyranny on the <jne hand, and for freedom on the other. Haleigh had ended his bold romantic ad- ventures, and his wearisome imprisonment, on the scafi'old. The Church of Scotland had resisted the Ejiiseopacy attempted to be imposed upon her by the king. Large portions of the clergy and laity of England were weaned from the Established Church ; and new parties arose which have flourished ever since. The translation of the Bible ; the colonization of New Ply- mouth by the Pilgrim Fathers ; the Hampton Court Conference ; the extended jurisdiction of the High Commission Court, the fall of Lord Bacon, the execution of Strafford, and the breaking out of the Civil War — all passed on the stage of pubhc affairs, while Thomas Adams was quietly meditating and delivering these dis- courses. He was junior to Bishop Hall, some of whose writings he quotes, and wdiom, in many respects, he resembles : in both ^ve have the same varied learning, somewhat ostentatiously displayed ; the same fondness for antithesis and quaint conceits ; the same rich- ness of Scriptural illustration ; the same pungency and pathos in appealing to the conscience and the affections ; the same fervour of piety and soundness of doctrine, in an age of " negligence and disor- d:rJy courses." Adams was contemporary with Sibbs, the admirable author of the " Bruised Reed" and the " Soul's Conflict," and of other >vorks pnblislied from notes taken as he preached, whose writings were useful in leading Baxter to behold the love of God in the xvi ixxnonucTioN to adams' works. redemption by Clirist ; :i little later than Arminius, Whitgift, Cartwriglit, anrl lIiM.krr, — nil of whcin died a few years before tbc first of tlio jiul llslud s-vMiniis ( f A<1aiiis; and a little earlier tl;an Ilanmioiia. !';ir.M-,v, \\]vr, I'axf'-r, a:;.-l Jeremy Tajdor. It is imioh to lir r; --r: ttr.l liint Iiave iM't materials for judging how far Ada:iis \va^ n^s'u iat-l with ntiy of tliesc remarkable dirinep, in what degree he syiniiathize 1 with them, or what influence he may have derived fr.im those who prei cdcd liim, or imparted to those who followed him. AVith all of tl'.eni he a.srccd in his opposition to IVr.irry. l"roM, so,,.,' .,f ihcp.i l.p dilTrr.'d on imints of doetrine— from llarri.w's ni'.iniaiiism, from Taylor's I'clairlanism, and from ]!axtrr's rrcsliyti'riaiiism. In;'. rlor to Hooker in the fulness and majesty of his eloquence, and to I'axter in the keenness of liis logic, the comprehensiveness of his theologj-, and especially in the burning power and jdainness of his language ; he may be fitly com- pared to L'an-QW in th.e thoroughness which exhausts his subjects, and to Taylor, as we have formerly hinted, in the poetic splendour of his imagery ; though he is preatly c-xeelled by both in different respects — by Barrr.\v, in the steady flow of calm reasoning, and by Taylor, in the exitberanf-e of his learning and the graceful ease with whieli he pours out his ever-charming illustrations. At tlie time — in the very year — in wl-.ich Adams published the collection of his works, Dr Davenant, bishop of Salisbury, lost favour at Court, for preaching the doctrine of predestination, stated in the seven- teenth article of the Church of England ; and, for the same offence, several clcrgA-men were severrly piniished. During the same year, Leighton was finf>d ten tlionsand pounds, whipped, jiilloried, lost his cars, had his nose slit, was branded on the face as a sower of sedition, and imprisoned for life, for a rude and vehement attack upon the bishops. That .same year, too. Laud was introducing into the churches of London, Lambeth, and both the Universities, the Popish ceremonies ; for preaching against which, as well as against Arminianism, several clergymen were driven from Oxford. Amid those stirring movements, it is somewhat provoking that we have no clue to the part taken by our worthy divine. It is not unlikely that he belonged to a numerous class of men, wdio in that age, as indeed in all ages, quietly pursued the duties of their calling, conforming in outward things to the Establishment, and yet preach- ing doctrines directly opposed to the Court divinity. Of King James he speaks in his sermons in the strain of flattery which abounded in those days, and from which no parties were exempt, lie complains, as wc have seen, of the ravages made upon the liv- INTRODUCTION TO AUAMS' WOKKS. Xvil ings of the clergy. He denoimces the vices of the. asc Some of his sermons were at Paul's Cross, one at Whitehall, one at a visi- tation, one at the election of Lord Mayor of London. He was at one time the minister of St Gregory's t'hurch, near St Paul's, which, in 1633, was the scene of a violent disimte between the parishioners and the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's, aliiuit tiiniinc; the communion table, in tlio middle of the chureb, into an altar at the upper end. In 1030, the year in which Adams' cull. i t. :1 works were published, tliat church was pulled do\\ n to make r...ii!i for the improvements which BisliopLaud was makini; in St Paul's. As Adams was announced as rector of St Gregory's in a work published three years after, it is probable that he retained bis title after tlie congregation had been transferred to Christ Church, wliero he preached his visitation sermon, unless there was another church with the same designation. All these facts prove him to have been rich in those endowments wbirb have been honoured by every church in every age, ivhiletln' stylr nf liis dedicatinns indieates that he lived in friendship with persons ufliiub station in the enini'ry. That he was a firm opponent of Popery is mai;i:Vst in every part of Iiis writings, especially in his treatise on the " Happiness i,( the (.'hurcb." Let this pungent pa5S.age from a won lerl'ul iierfor.nanfc, entitled " The Wiite Devil," suffice : — '• Put 1 am to deal wltli m.ne but tliieves, and those private ones: and because Judas is thi> i rci ' deuf, I will begin with him that is most like him. Aeenrdiii- tn the jirovcrb which the Grecians had of Philo-Juda;ns, ' Killi. r I'/nlo followed Philo, <„■ Phih) iiuiliifc'l Plat,,.' Let me oidy cliauge the names : either Jiidas plaiicd the Pope, or the Pope platjs the Jndtif. This is the most subtle thief in the world, and robs all Christendom with a good colour. Who can say he hath a black eye, or a light finger? for experience hath taught him, tliat, cvi pellis leoiiis nnn siifficif, viilpiiM est assuenda ; when the lion's skin cannot threat, the fox's .skin can cheat. Pope Alexander was a beast, that, having entered like a /or, he must needs raigne like a lion ; worthy he was to die like a dog ; for vis vonxilli expers, mule rtiit sua ; power without policy, is lilte a piece without powder. Many a jmpe sings that connnon ballad of hell : — Iii'jenio peril qui miser ipse men ; — Wit, whitlier wilt thou '.' woe is nie ! my wit hatli wrought my misery ! To say truth, their religion is nothing in the circumstance, but craft ; and policy maintains their hierarchy ; as Judas' subtlety made him rich. Judas was put in trust with a groat deal of the devil's business, yet not worse than the Pope. Judas pretended to serve the ])oor, and robbed them ; and doth not the Pope, think you ? Are there no alms-boxes rifled and emptied into the Pope's treasury ? Oi r Xviii INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. fathers say that the poor gave Peter-pence to the Pope ; but our grandfathers cannot tell us that the Pope gave Caesar-pence to the poor. Did not he sit in the holy chair (as Augustus Caesar on his imperial throne) , and cause the whole Christian world to be taxed ? And what ? did they freely give it ? No ; a taxation forced it. What right, then, had the Pope to it? Just as much as Judas had to his Master's money. Was he not, then, a thief? Yet what need a rich man be a thief? The Pope is rich, and needs must, for his eomings-in, be great : — he hath rent out of heaven, rent out of hell, rent out of purgatory ; but more sacks come to his mill out of purgatory than out of heaven and hell too, and for his tolling, let the world judge. 'Therefore,' saith Bishop Jewel, '/le tcould he content to lose hell and heaven too, to save his puryatory.' Some, by pardons, he prevents from hell,— some, by indulgences, he lifts up to heaven, — and infinite, by ransoms, from purgator)-. Not a jot without money. Cruces, altaria, Christum. He sells Christ's cross — Christ's blood — Clirist's self; all for money. Nay, he hath rent from the very stews, a hell above ground, and swells his coffers by the sins of the people : he suffers a price to be set on damnation ; and maintains lust to go to law for her own ; gives whoredom a toleration under his seal ; that hist, the son of idleness, hath free access to liberty, the daughter of pride. "Judas was a great statesman in the devil's commonwealth, for he bore four main offices, — either he begged them shamefully, or he bought them brlbingly, or else Beelzebub saw desert in him, and gave him them gratis, for his good parts ; for Judas was his white- boy; he was, 1. An hypocrite ; 2. A thief; 3. A traitor; 4. A mur- derer. Yet the Pope shall vie offices with him, and win the game too, for plurality. The Pope sits in the holy chair, yet a devil. Perjury, sodomy, sorcery, homicide, parricide, patricide, treason, murder, &c., are essential things to the new papacy. He is not content to be steward, but he must be vicar, nay, indeed, lord him- self;— for what can Christ do, and the Pope cannot do? Judas was nobody to him. He hath stolen Truth's garment, and put it on Error's back, turning poor Truth naked out of doors. He hath altered the primitive institutions, and adulterated God's sacred laws. He steals the hearts of subjects from their sovereigns, by stealing fidelity from the hearts of subjects, and would steal the crown from the king's head ; and all under the shadow of religion. This is a thief — a notalilc, notorious thief ; but let him go. I hope he is known well enough, and every true man will bless himself out of his way." As to his doctrinal theology, Adams w.ts clearly a Calvinist, a.s INTUODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. xix will appear in the following extract : — " The first born, which are written in heaven. Tliis is a description of the persons of whom the Church consists. The Church itself is a number of men which God hath set apart by an eternal decree, and in time sanctified to become real members of it. They are written in heaven ; there's their eternal election ; and they are the first-born, that is, ?ieii'-born ; there's their sanctification. For the two parts of the description, their primogeniture, and registering in God's books, are but bor- rowed speeches whereby God would ratify the everlasting predesti- nation and salvation of his Church; that, as the first-born is not to be defeated of his inheritance, and the enrolled names are never to be obliterated, so certainly shall they inherit eternal life. They are called, and called out of the world. Many wicked are created before them, but thej' are elected in God's decree to life before the other ; for the wicked are not chosen at all. The book of life itself, where- in only arc written the names of the elect, whom God hath ordained to salvation for ever. None written in heaven can ever be lost ; yet they object against it. Psalm Ixix. 28, Let them be blotted nut of the book of the living, and let them not be ivrittcn amom/ the righteous. Hence they infer that some names once there recorded are afterwards put out ; but this opinion casteth a double aspersion upon God himself. Either it makes him ignorant of future things, as if he foresaw not the end of the elect and reprobate, and so were deceived in decreeing some to be saved ; or that his decree is mu- table, in excluding those upon their sins whom ho hath formerly chosen. From both these weaknesses St Paul vindicates him : 2 Tim. ii. 19, The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal: ' The Lord knoweth them that are his.' First, The Lord knows them that are his ; this were not true if God's prescience could be deluded. Then, his foundation stands sure: but that were no sure foundation, if those he had decreed to be his should afterwards fall out not to be his. The very conclusion of truth is this ; Lnpossi- bilis est delatio — they which are written in heaven can never come into hell. To clear this from the opposed doubt among many, I will cull out three proper distinctions. " 1. One may be said to be written in heaven simpliciter, and se- cundum quid — he that is simply written there. In quantum pra'des- tinatus ad vitam — because elected to life can never be blotted out. He that is but written after a sort may ; for he is written, Non se- cundum Dei prcBscientiam, sed secundum proRserifem justitiam — not according to God's former decree, but according to his present righteousness. So they are said to be blotted out, not in respect of XX I.\-n;ol.L-rT|(JN T) ADA.\;s' WUEKS. God's knawlc(l,i,'p, for In- 1 iim\ss th. y w, rc never written there ; bnt accorJing to tlieir iire^'iit i .ii,,liti.,i,, apostatizing from grace to sin. " 2. iScnic are lilutto'l out, /kui ••> riiinhn)i rei I'crlfafcm, t>cd livminum fipiiiiuiioii — not acronliii;!,' to tlie trutli of the thing, but according to men's opinion. It i- nsel'ul |usnal] in the Scriptures to say a thing is donr, iiiiiukIi) iniint.'sint jii-ri, wlien it is declared to he done. Hj-pocrites liave a simulation of outward sanctity, so that men in charity judge them to be written in heaven. But when those glister- ing stars appear to be only ii/)ics fiitui, foolish meteors, and fall down from the Hrmament of the C'luiri h, then we say they are blotted out. The written e.r-cj/a/e;/^';/, by a perfect being, are never lost; but eX'Opp'in nttii^ l:y a dissenibled appearance, may. Some, God so writes, in «■ ut iimji/irifer Iiiihiliu i i-ilaiii, that they liave life simply ill themselves, though not o/' themselves. Others, he so writes, vt liabcdut null in ."r, fed in swi a.'i.sa, from which falling, they are said to be obliterated. " o. .Vngiistiiie says, we must not so take it, that God writes first and then daslietb out ; f"r. if a Tilate could say, Quod sa i/isi, scripsi ; what I have written, 1 have written, and it shall stand; shall God say, (liioil srripsi, c.r/nuir/dni ; what I have written, I will wipe out, and it shall iwl stand V " To eonelr.de, they that are u-ril/cn in hcarcn can never be lost. Woe, then, to that religion which teacheth even the best saint to doubt of his salvation while he livetli. llath Christ said, Believe, and shall man say, Uc i;lit 'J'his is a rack and strappado to the con- seienee ; f'r he that doubteth fif his salvation, doubteth of God's love ; and In; tliat doubteth of God's love, cannot heartily love him a.uain. If this love he wanting, it is not possible to have true peace. U the terrors of this triiuhled couseien'ee ! It is like an ague ; it may have intermission, Ijut the fit will come and shake him. An unto^^•^rd beast is a troiil le to a man ; an unt<iward servant is a great trouble ; an untoi\ ard wife a greater trouble ; but the greatest trouble of all is an nnti ward conscience. Biexscd is the man whose sins are f'irgivcn ; where there is no remission of sins, there is no blessedness. Now, there is ro true blessedness but that which is enjoyed ; and none is enjoyed mili ss it be felt ; and it cannot be felt unless it be ]iossess<'d ; :a\'.\ it is not ji. ssessed unless a man know it ; and how does he know it that dou! ts whether he hath it or not? " All souls are passeng( rs iti tliis workl ; our way is in the middle of the sea : we ha\ e no sure footing : which way soever we cast our eyes, we see nothing but deep waters, tlie Devil and our own flesh raising up against us ini:nite stcrms. God directs us to Christ as INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WOliKS. Xxi to a sure anchor-hold ; he bids us undo our cables, and fling up our anchors in the vail, fasten them upon Josus : we do so and are safe. But a sister of ours passing in the ship with us, that hath long taken upon her to rule the helm, deals unkindly with us : she cuts in pieces our cables, throws away our anchors, and tells us we may not presume to fasten them on the Rock, our Mediator. She rows and rowls us in the midst of the sea, through the greatest fogs, and fearfullest tempests : if we follow her course, we must look for inevitable shipwreck. Tlie least flaw of wind will overturn us, and sink our souls to the lowest gulf. — No, they that arc ivrit- teu in the eternal leaves of heaven, shall never be wrapped in the cloudy sheets of darkness. A man may have his name written in the chronicles, yet lost ; written in durable marble, yet perish ; written on a monument equal to a colossus, yet be ignominious ; written on the hospital gates, yet go to hell ; written on his own house, yet another come to possess it. All these are but writings in the dust, or upon the waters, where the characters perish so soon as they are made . They no more prove a man happy than the fool could prove Pontius Pilate a saint, because his name was written in the Creed. But they that are written in heaven, are sure to in- herit it." • His " Meditations on some Parts of the Creed" extend over more than a hundred and fifty closely printed folio pages. They are not included in the Selections announced for the present .series. They are rich in solid thought, deep learning, scriptural and spiri- tual theology, e.xpcrinicntal piety, practical wisdom, expressed with great force of language, and enlivened Ijy an inexhaustible fertility of ingenious, happy, and sometimes highly poetical illustration. These, indeed, are the characteristics of all his writings. But one feature of them, which to some readers may wear the appearance of tediousness, is so important, and so suggestive, both to ministers, as teachers, and to all Christians, as learners of divine truth, that we cannot allow it to pass without special observation. We refer now to the strictlij expository form of these discourses. The author leads the reader, at once, to the Bilde. lie keeps him there. He analyses the words of the passage under consideration. He largely illus- trates the historical circumstances. He dr.iws by easy and natural inference, suitable lessons of a i)ractical character. Analogies .start up : these are instantly dealt with. Fables, anecdotes, clas- sical poetry, gems from the Fathers and other old writers, are • Tlic Happiness of the Cliurih. Woikes, fol. 1030. IXTRODUCTIOX TO ADAMS' WOBKS. SKittprcd over nearly pvery page. But the starting point is ever- more tlie langiiaije of Holy Scripture. We confess that, apart from all other attractions, we have a growing- conviction of the incomparable superiority of this mode of teaching religion over every other. It has prevailed in every age of the church in wliich Christianity has flourished. Expository dlscouises on large paragraphs of Scripture, are eminently conducive to the instruction of the human race in the highest wisdom. But such is not exactly the metliod of these volumes. Instead of unfolding the meaning and connexion of a large portion of Scripture, or expounding consecutively an entire hook, as he does in the Exposition of the Second Epistle of Peter, a strikingand generally brief passage is chosen; itswordsare explained, — its bearing is pointed out,— its applications are unfolded to the various characters of men, whether bad or good, and to the various ranks, conditions, professions, opinions, joys, and sorrows of huma- nity. To do this, after the fashion of his own age, this author brings out the powers of a vigorous understanding, and the stores of many years' accumulation, aided by wonderful ingenuity ; and en- gaging the reader by unexpected turns of wit, by imagerj- which is sometimes coarse and strong, but not unfrequently displaying great delicacy and beauty. By perpetually keeping before his readers the v^ord of God, as an acknowledged authority, he wields a moral in- fluence over our minds, which no reasoning on general principles could secure. We are far from vouching for the soundness of all his interpretations, or the accuracy with which, at all times, he uses the words of Scripture ; yet we cannot withhold our admiration of his prevailing method. — AVe are the more disposed to give promi- nence to this characteristic, because we perceive in religious dis- courses of the eighteenth century, and in not a few of the present day, a preference for a style of religious instruction, which runs into the extreme of making very chary use, and even taking but slisht notice, of the most perfect lanijuacie in the world. It is certainly better for any man to clothe his own thoughts in his own words, than in any other; but in teaching the truths of religion, urging its duties, or ministering either its rebukes or its consolations, ali our reading, observation, and experience plea 1 on behalf of a copious and judicious use of Scripture language, not interwoven with the fabric of a human composition, but standing out in the majesty of its own truth, and the sacredness of its own inspiration. The author now before us affords a happy example, to a considerable extent, of the fulness of meaning which there is in Scripture, with - INTRODUCTION TO ADA5IS' WORKS. Xxjii out the torturing miscalled senses of a passage ; while the eapahilities of a learned and ingenious teacher are excited in calling attention to that meaning, imbuing the thoughts with it, writing it with living freshness on the inward tablets of the spirit. Is it not immeasurably better for us to deal thus with the revealed wisdom of heaven, than to dry it like a skeleton for the anatomist, by endless philological discussions, or to cover it ynth the misty light of an ever-changing philosophy ? Without disparaging the labours of scholars, or the speculations of metaphysicians, we must say, that the best fruit of such studies is the power they give, or improve, of bringing out the clear truth of Scripture, as the daylight of our practical life, the restraint of our passions, and the comforter of our hearts in sorrow and in death. The treatises we are now bringing out of the obscurity of two centuries, contain a rich treat for all who love pertinent and felicit- ous enforcement of the practical lessons of the Bible. We can scarcely say that the pieces chosen are better than the rest. They are quite as good. — Their very titles are full of genius. None of them can be considered as a strictly doctrinal discussion, though, in all of them, some more than others, there are statements of doctrine, and as we have already seen, elaborate arguments in vindication of the doctrine, or rather of the interpretation of the passage, from specula- tive objections. The bare mention of the titles of discourses not cm- braced in the present series, will convey a favourable impression of the wide range which the author has taken, and the terseness with which he can express himself. The Gallant's Burden. — The White Devil. — The Black Saint. — The Fatal Banquet.— The Sinner's Passing Bell.— The Wolf and the Lambs.— Mystical Bedlam.— The Vic- tory of Patiance. — Presumption running into Despair. — Hea- ven made sure. — The City of Peace. — The Forest of Thorns. — Not only are the titles admirably chosen ; the whole com- position will be found in keeping with them. In a treatise on " The Soul's Sickness," he describes nineteen spiritual disorders analogous to those of the body, explaining their causes, and pre- scribing the remedies. We can give only one example. — " Incon- stancy— a kind of staggers. There is a disease in the soul called Inconstancy, not unfitly shadowed to us by a bodily infirmity pos- sessing the superior part of man. Vertigo, a swimming in the head ; a giddiness, or the staggers. The disease in the body is de- scribed to be an astonishing and darkening of the eyes and spirits, that the patient thinks all that he seeth to turn round, and is sud- XXIV ISTIIODUCTIOX TO ADAMs' M-OEKS. denly compassed with darkness. The parallel to it in the soul is laconstancy, a motion without rule, a various aspect, a diversifjHng intention. Tlie inconstant man is like a Puur contrell. If he should change his apparel so fast as his thought, how often in a day would he shift himself? He would be a Proteus too, and vary kinds. The reflection of every man's views melts him ; whereof he is as soon glutted. As he is a noun, he is only adjective, de- pending on every novel i>ersuasion ; as a verb he knows only the present tense. To-day he goes to the quay to be shippwl for Rome ; but before the tidra come, his tide is turned. One party thinks him theirs ; the adverse theirs ; he is with both — with nei- ther ; not an hour with himself. Because the birds and beasts be at controvers}', he will be a bat, and get liim both wings and teeth, lie would come to heaven but for his halting. Two opinions (like two watermen) almost pull him apieccs, when he resolves to put his judgment into a boat, and go somewhither: presently he steps back, and goes with neither. It is a wonder if his affections, being but a little lukewarm water, do not make his religion stomach-sick. Inditfercnce is his ballast, and opinion his sail ; he resolves not to resolve. He knows not what he doth hold. He opens his mind to receive notions, as one opens his palm to take a handful of water ; he hath very much, if he could hold it. He is sure to die, but not what religion to die in ! he demurs like a posed lawj-er, aa if delay could remove some impediments. He is drunk when he riseth, and reels in a morning fasting. He knows not whether he should say his Pater noster in Latin or English ; and so leaves it, and his prayers, unsaid. He makes himself ready for an appointed feast ; by the way he hears of a sermon ; he turns thitherward ; and yet, betwixt the church-gate and church-door, he thinks of business and retires home again. In a controverted point, he holds with the last reasoner he cither heard or read; the next diverts him ; and his opinion dwells with him, perhaps so long as the teacher of it is in his sight. He will rather take dross for gold, tlian try it in the furnace. He receives many judgments, retains none : embracing so many faiths that he is little better than an infidel He loathes manna, after two days' feeding, and is almost weary of the sun for perpetual shining. If the Temple Pavement be ever worn with his visitant feet, he will run far to a new teacJier His best dwelling would be his confined chamber, where he would trouble nothing but his pillow. He is full of busi- ness at church, a stranger at home, a sceptic abroad, an observer in the street, everywhere a fool." — In like manner, "The Gai.i.axt's INTRODUCTION TO ADAils' \V0RK3. XXV Burden" contains a full exposition of the remarkable words of the Prophet: " The. burden of IJuinah. lU caUeth to me out of Seir, Watchman, wlMt of the niglit? Watrhinan, w/i,it of t/i,- iii,jhf> The watchman said, The morniiHj conifrth, and alsu liti' nii/ht : ij'i/e vill enquire, enquire ye ; return, come.'' He doscribes the country of Idumea. He represents the shortening of the name from Idumca to Duuiah (as Aram is called Ram, and Ephcs-dammin is called I'ardammim, and Damraim), as the insinuation of God's contempt of that rebellious and accursed nation, by cutting short the name as unworthy to stand in his Book, graced with the full length : the estimation which the wicked bear with (rod is here expressed ; he thinks the mention of them a blur to his sacred leaves : now, " shall their persons sit in his kingdom with honour, whose names may not stand in his Book without disgrace?" He then contrasts the hon- our which the world is seeking with that which God bestows. The " Burden" of the prophecy is considered as weighing heavy on the prophet, from which he takes occasion to enlarge on the negligence of ministers, and then, as heavy on whomsoei^er thcjj light, when he denounces the mockers, murmurers, and all wicked and careless hearers of the gospel. From the judgments on Seir, the strength of Edom ; Nineveh, the pride of Assyria ; Troy, the pillar of Asia ; Babylon, more a region than a city ; Carthage graced with seven- teen tributary kingdoms ; Jerusalem and Rome — he then lifts up this voice of warning to England : — " Let me not speak as a pro- phet, but as an admonisher : It is impossible for the sin of Eng- land to have the like effect. We are ready to say in pride, what David spake in the assurance of faith : / cannot fall : thou, 0 Lord, of thy goodness hast made my hill strong. Let us praise God for that we have, and pray that our sins subvert it not. Let Dumah speak with pride : though our privileges be more, let our presump- tion be less : it is wise and safe to possess more than we boast of. Though nature hath bound up the loins of our kingdom with a girdle of waves, and policy raised another fence of wooden walls, yet God must put about us a third girdle, — the bands or circle of his providence — or our strength is weaker than the waters. It is an old and sure rule against the atheist, against the worldlings — that whole cannot be perpetual whose parts be alterable. If the members of this great body, the world, change, faint, and grow old, it argues a creeping decay to the whole. Let the cormorant know, that would build his nest here for ever, that parts of this laud are alterable, therefore the whole not permanent. If the plague takes away men, the fields grow barren, nay, the wearied earth (after 3Xvi INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WOEKS. much industry) is dull in her fruits. Like an unnatural stcp-dame, she produceth no good things of herself. If a deluge overrun us, we and our glory vanish. God hath more means than one to in- flict his judgments. It is with no less admiration than truth re- ported, that a whole field in England is turned in one month from a fertile soil to a most barren waste. It lies from the danger of inundation, from the reach of the hand of war ; what then can turn it to a perpetual barrenness ? Thus : God raiseth a mighty wind that uncovers a mountain of sand which overspread the fruit- ful valley to a great thickness, and it is made worse than C'armel which God thus threatens : / will turn Lebanon into C'armel, and Carmel into a forest : it lies in the power of man's sin to make God curse his very blessings. The burden of Dumah is war. Mount Seir fears it not. If the book of our hearts lay open to be read, I think our fear of war is less than theirs. God grant our presump- tion, our security, be not as great! We sit under our own Jig-trees, <ind eat the fruit of our own vineyards. Our children go out by flocks, and dance ; and flourish like the olive-branches round about our table. Our oxen are strong to labour. Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets. There is no leading into captivity, no dashing of our children against the stones, no com- plaining in our streets. If this one blessing exceed not our thank- fulness for all, my observation is deceived. But what a bold infer- ence is this ! There is no war, therefore may be none, nor can we be overthrown ! It is a speech as common as the stones in our streets, when consideration of war is offered, ' We need fear no ene- mies, if we be true amongst ourselves.' Vain security that is built on ifs and ands. Who shall make us true to ourselves that have been false to God ? Are there no sons of Belial amongst us, that curse the prosperity of Zion, and gape for the day to cry Down with it, down with it, even to the ground ? We know they have openly and privately, with coat of armour and coat of mail, assaulted the peace of Jerusalem, but (praise to our God) received shame in put- ting off their harness. Let this make us thankful, not secure, as if God could not reach his arm over our narrow seas. Behold France made a cockpit for massacres by the uncivil civil wars theieof. Think of the unquiet bread long eaten in the Low Countries. And when thou sayest, ' We lay our heads on the pillows of peace, and eat the bread of plenty,' kiss His hand with praises that feeds thee with these blessings, but let not thy own strength make thee care- less." While keeping to the main idea started by the words of Scrip- INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. XXvii ture, the lively and poetical imagination of this highly gifted writer draws from the scenery of nature most appropriate and graceful images. " Be not too confident (whosoever) in thy Mount Seir. Every mcked soul hath her Jlount Seir to trust in. They that have no as- surance of rest in heaven, have their refuges and mountains of help on earth. David so returns it upon the wicked : ' In the Lord put I my trust ; how tlien say you to my soul, flee as a bird to your mountain?' Why should I seek to foreign helps, that have settled my- self in the bosom of Rest itself? Riches are a Mount Seir to the cove- tous. They rest on them, as the ark on the mountains of Armenia. Honour is a Mount Seir to the ambitious, against all the besieging of rivals. Sensuality to the voluptuous, against all the disturbances of a clamorous conscience. Pride, fraud, drunkenness, is as Mount Seir to the lovers of them. But, alas ! how unsafe : if stronger against, and further removed from, the hand of man, yet nearer to God's hand in heaven, though we acknowledge no place far from God or from his tbunder. Hut we say, it is not always the safest sailing on the top of the mast. To live on the mountainous height of a temporal estate is neither wise nor happy. Men standing in the shade of humble valleys, look up and wonder at the height of hills, and think it goodly living there, as Peter thought Tabor. But when, with weary limbs, they have ascended, and find the beams of the sun melting their spirits, or the cold blasts of wind making their sinews slack, flashes of lightning, or cracks of thunder, soonest endangering their advanced heads, then they confess (check- ing their proud conceit) the low valley is safest. For the fruitful dews that fall fast on the hills stay least while there, but run down to the valley ; and though, on such a promontorj-, a man further sees, and is further seen, yet, in the valley, where he sees less, he enjoys more !" Many passages of these discourses remind ns of the solemn and tender beauty which so greatly charms us in Jeremy Taylor. " Men and brethren, let us be thankful. Let our meditations tra- vel, with David in the 148th Psalm, first up into heaven. Even the very heavens and heights praise him. And those blessed angels in his court sing his glory. Descend we then by the celestial bodies, and we shall find the sun, moon, and all the stars of light praising him. A little lower, we shall perceive the meteors and upper ele- ments, the fire and hail, snow and vapour, magnifying him, even the wind and storms fulfilling his word. Fall we upon the centre — the veiy earth. We shall hear the beasts and cattle, mountains and xxviii INTEODUCTION TO ADAMS' WOEKS. hills, fruitful trees and all cedars, extolling his name. The chirp- ing birds still sing sweet psalms and carols to their Creator's praise, every ir.oming when they rise, every evening when they go to rest. Not so much as the very creeping things, saith the Psalmist, noisome (Iraiioiis. and crawling serpents in the deeps, hut they do, in a sort, ]Ai'-< tli^-ii- ilaki.T. Let not man, then, the first fruits of his crea- t\ui.s. lor whoSL- SCO-ice all the rest were made, be unthankful." Tlie following patlietic l o^sagc' occurs in a discourse on the words of Jeremiah, "Is tliri.- n.. lialni in Gilead ?" which bears this beautiful title, " Tin: Sinm I'as^ixo Bell ; or, a Complaint from Heaven for Man's t^ius : — " If wc take these words spoken in the person of the prophet, let us observe, that he is no good preacher that complains not in these sinful days. Isaiah had not more cause for Israel, than we for England, to cry, ' We have laboured in vain, and spent our strength fur nought.' For, if we equal Israel in God's blessings, we transcend them in our sins. The blood-red sea of war and slaughter, wherein other nations are drowned, as were the Egyptians, is become dry to our feet of pe^ce. The bread of hea- ven, that true manna, satisfies our hunger, and our thirst is quenched with the waters of life. The better law of the gospel is given us, and our saving health is not like a curious piece of arras folded up, but spread before our believing eyes, without any shadow cast over the beauty of it. We have a better High Priest to make interces- sion for us in heaven, for whom he hath once sacrificed and satisfied on earth, with one act, with everlasting virtue. We want nothing that earth can help us to, but that wliich we voluntarily xcill want, and without which we had better have wanted all the rest — thank- fulness and obedience. We return God not one for a thousand, not a drachm of service for so many talents of goodness. We give God the worst of all things, that hath given us the best of all things. We cull out the least for his tithe ; the sleepiest hours for his prayers ; the chippings of our wealth for his poor ; a comer of the heart for his ark, where Dagon sits uppermost in his temple. He hath bowels of brass, and a heart of iron, that cannot mourn at this our requital. We give God measure for measure ; but after an ill manner. For his blessings, Aeojuen,and shaken, and thrust togetlur — • iniquities pressed domi, and running over. Like hogs we slaver his pearls, turn his grace into wantonness, and turn again to rend in pieces the bringers. Who, versing [turning] in his mind this thought, can keep his cheeks drj- ? ' Oh that my head vrere u ateis, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might ireep day and night ! ' No marvel, if the good soul tremble to think of it ; especially, when IXTRODUCTION TO APAMs' TVORKS. sxix all this wickedness arisrtli (iint from Sr.ildin, ami Sidon, and Edom, but) from the midst of the ,/„/,.,/,/. , Si,u.. ]\v that (■an sre this and not sigh, is not a witm lurt an nt, :\iu\ sin hath olistnictcd his lungs ; he cannot sorrow. i'(irlirar, tlim, ye captious sons of Bdial, to complain against ns, for complaining against you. Whih; this hydra of inifpiities puts forth her still growing heads, and tin; sword of reproof cannot cut them ott', what should we do but mourn ? Whither can we turn our eyes, but we behold and lament at once — • some roving with lewdness, some raving with madness, others reeling with chriety, and yet others railing with blasphemy? If we be not sad, wc must be guilty. Condemn not our j'assions, but your own re- bellions that excite them. The zeal of onv (mxI wliom u-e serve with our spii-its, makes us, with Moses, to foi lm t ourselves. II « also are men of like passions irilli i/nu. It is tin- comnion pica of us all. — If you ask us wh-,- ivr -hi'w iiiir>elvrs thus weak, we return, with Paul,— 11% do ,i„u tins, l!,i,„is-/ Our God hath charged us not to see tlie funerals of your souls witlioiit sighs and fears. 77,«s saith the Lord; timih: irith ihi/ liuml, „,i,l sl.m,/, irith /■"■I, and say, Alas, for all thr rrll <il«,ml„„h.ws <.f ih. hnuse ..j' hm. I ; for thetj fu.ll hj the sii-vrd, l,i/ the famine, and I,,/ thr jn -slil, nn . siiall all complain of lost labours, and we brook the greatest loss in silence ? — Merchants bewail the shipwreck of their goods, and com- plain of pirates ; — shepherds of their devoured flocks by savage wolves; — husbandmen of the tired earth, that recputes their hopes with weeds; — and shall ministers see, and not sorrow for, the the greatest ruin (the loss of the world were less) of men's souls? They that have written to the life the downfall of famous cities, cither wasted by the immediate hand of God, as Sodom, or by man, as Jerusalem, as if they had written with tears instead of ink, have pathetically lamented the ruins. iEneas Silvius, reporting the fall of Constantinople, ' historifies,' together with her passion [sutTer- ingj , his ovm compassion for it : — The murdering of children before the parents' faces ; — the slaughtering of nobles like beasts ; — the priests torn in pieces ; the religious flayed ; — the holy virgins and sober matrons wronged and massacred ; — and even the reliqucs of the soldiers' spoil given to the merciless f.re ! Oh wretched show of a miserable city ! Consider Jerusalem, the city of God — the queen of the provinces. Tell her towers ; mark well her bul- warks ; carry in your mind the idea of her glories. And then, on a sudden, behold the temple and houses burning, — the smoke of the fire waving in the air, and hiding the light of the sun, — the flames springing up to heaven as high as their sias had erst done ; — her XXX INTHODUCTION TO ADAMS' WOEKS. old, yonng, matrons, virgins, mothers, infants, princes and priests, prophets and Nazarites, famished, fettered, scattered, consumed ! If ever you read, or hear, it without commiseration, your hearts are liarder than the Romans that destroyed it. The ruin of great things wrings out our pity; and it is only a Nero that can sit and sing while Rome burns. But wliat are a world of cities, nay, the whole world itself burning, as it must be one day, to the loss of men's souls, the rarest pieces of God's fabric on earth?" — In the same dis- course, there are passages remarkable for the vigour of the thought and the terseness of the expression — '■ Let us avoid sin as much as we may; and, though we cannot stay ourselves from going in, let us stay ourselves from going on, lest our God complain against us. If we make him sorrowful for a time, he can make us sorrowful for ever. If we anger him, he can anger all the veins of our hearts. If, in- stead of serving God by our obedience, we make him serve with our sins, he will make us serve with his plagues. If we drive God to call a convocation of heaven and earth — ' Hear, O heaven, and hear- ken, O earth — I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled ag.iinst me.' If he call on the mountains to hear his controversy, he will make us call on the mountains to help and hide our misery. If we put God to his controversy, and make him a plaintiff to enter his suit against us, he will put us to a com- plaint indeed ; there/ore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish. lie will force us to repent the time and deeds that ever made him to repent that he made us. He will strike us with such a blow that there needeth no doubling of it. He will maice an utter end ; destruction shall not rise up the second time, as Ahishai would have stricken Saul at once ; and I will not smite him the second time. We cannot so wrong God that he is deprived of power to right himself His first complaint is, as I may say, in tears ; his second in hlood. I have read of Tamerlane, that the first day of his siege was honoured with his white colours ; the second with the fatal red ; but the third with the final black. God is not so quick and speedy in punishment ; nor come his judgments with such precipitation. Nineveh, after so many forties of years, shall yet have forty days. He that at last came with his fan in hb hand, and fanned but eight grains of good corn out of a whole bamful of cliaff — a whole world of people — gave them the space of one hun- dred and twenty years' repentance. If Jerusalem >vill not hear Christ's words, they shall feel his hands. They that are deaf to his voice, shall not be insensible to his blows. He that may not be heard will be felt . . . There is sweet mercy even in his chidings. INTKODHCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. He teacheth us a happy composure of our reprehensions. We arc of too violent a spirit, if at least we know what spirit we are of, when nothing can content us but fire from heaven. Ife that holds the fires of heaven in his commanding hand, and can pour theui in floods on rebellious Sodom, holds back his arm, and doth but gently loosen his voice to his people. I know there is a time to hear the still voice that came to Elias, or the whisperings of that voice behind : ' This is the way ; walk in it' — can do little good ; and then God is content we should derive from his throne thunderings and lightnings, and louder sounds. The hammer of the law must soon break the stony heart of rebellion ; and often the sweet balm of the gospel must supple the broken conscience. Let us not transpose or invert the method and direction of our office, killing the dying with the killing letter, and preaching judgment without mercy, lest we reap judgment without mercy to ourselves. Some men's hearts are like nettles : if you touch them but gently, they will sting ; but rough handling is without prejudice ; while others are like the briars that wound the hard grasping hand of reproof, but yield willingly to them that touch them with exhortation. One must be washed with gentle baths, whilst another must have his ulcers cut with lances. Only do all, not with an oblique and sinister purpose, but with a direct in- tention to save. An odious, tedious, endless inculcation of things doth often tire those with whom a soft and short reproof would find good impression . . . " It is objected that the thoughts of God are peace. He that is covered with thunder and clothed with lightning speaks, and the earth trembles ; toucheth the mountains, and they smoke for it ; sharpens not his tongue like a razor, but speaks like a mournful com- plaint. What, then, mean our preachers, to lift up their voices like trumpets, and to speak in the tune of thunder against us ? We can- not wear a garment in the fashion, nor take use for our money, nor drink with a good fellow, nor strengthen one word with the credit of an oath, but bitter invectives must be shot like porcupines' quills at these slight scapes ! I answer, God knows when to chide and when to mourn ; when to say, Get thee behind me, Satan, as to Peter, and when coolly to tax Jonas, Dost thou well to be angry ? But he that mourns for Israel degenerate, doth at another time pro- test against Israel apostate, and swears they shall not enter into his rest. We would fain do so too ; I mean, speak nothing but grace and peace to you ; but if ever we be thorns, it is because we live amongst briars ; if we lift up oar voices, it is because your hearts are so sleepy that you would not else hear us." XXXll INTEODUCTIOS TO ADAMS' WORKS. If any apology were needed for the fij^irative language, and the varied style of illustration, in which this writer abounds, we know not that one so fitting could be found as that which he himself su|;- plies: — " God hath given us this liberty in the performance of our callings, not only nakedly to lay down the truth, but with the helps of invention, wit, art, to prevent the loathing of his mannii. If we had none to hear us but Cornelius or Lydia, or such sanctified cars, a mere affirmation were a sufficient confirmation. But our auditors are like the Belgic armies (that consist of French, English, Scotch, German, Spanish, Italian, &c.), so many hearers, so many humours : the same diversity of men and minds, that, as guests at a strange dish, every man hath a relish by himself — that all our helps can scarcely help one soul to heaven. But of all kinds, there is none that creeps with better insinuation, or leaves behind a deeper im- pression on the conscience, than a fit comparison. This extorted from David what would hardly have been granted, tliat, as Uavid slew Goliah with his own sword, so Nathan slew David's sin with his own word. Jotham convinced the Shecheraites' folly in their approved reign of Abimelcch over them, by the talc of the bramble. Even temporal occasions open the mines to dig out spiritual instruc- tions. The people flock to Christ for his bread : Christ preaclieth to them another bread, whereof he that eats shall never die. The Samaritan woman speaks to him of Jacob's well ; he tells her of Jesus' well, whose bottom or foundation was in heaven, whose mouth and spring was downwards to the earth, cross [contrary] to all earthly fountains, containing u-aler of life, to be drawn and carried away on the buckets of faith. She thought it a new well ; she found it a true well, whereof drinking, her souls thirst was for ever satisfied. The cripple begs for an alms ; the apostle hath no money, but answers his small request with a great bequest — health in the name of the Lord Jesus. Ilis purse is nothing the fuller, his body is much the happier. Tliis course, you see, both Christ and his apostles gave us in practice and precept." One of the attractions of Adams' sermons lies in his admirable portraitures of the manners of his times. The licentiousness of James's court is well known to all who are acquainted with the his- tory and the literature of that age ; and the general corruption of society, in tomi and country, were such as might be expected under such a government. The exceptions to the prevailing tone of Eng- lish manners might be found in every grade, especially among the industrious citizens, the well-doing yeomanry, a portion of the clergy, and not a few men of the highest rank and station. It was natural INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WOnKS. XXxiii that not only courtiers, and ambassadors from other countries, Imt preachers of the dai/, should often p;ive jiictiires of English soeiety in their writings. Such pictures are intcrestiiii,' :is an essential part of history, enabling us to form a correct judgment of the real state of parties at the breaking out, during the continuance, and at the end of the civil wars. To the Christians of the present day, they are of peculiar value, for enabling us to estimate the moral progress of the nation which has resulted from the diffusion of those principles, both political and religious, which have been branded by their enemies on the one hand, and honoured by their friends on the other, as the Puritanism of our forefathers. " In the infancy of the world God's blows were most [mostly] outward; in this ripe (or rather rotten) age of it, they are most [mostly] inward and spiritual. We have no bears to devour the mockers, no fiery serpents to strike the murmurers ; God's punish- ments reach most to the conscience : a sensual and senseless heart, ■without apprehension of God's incensed anger, not made of pene- trable stuff. If God's finger touch the body, we groan under the weight : let his whole hand lie on the soul, we feel nothing. If this bo not our burden and misery, what is? Like curious visiters, ■svill ye not believe this age to labour of this sickness, unless you behold some symptoms. Let your eyes take notice, and that not without grief of soul, of the deadncss of heart among us. We ply the world hard, dally with religion. We serve God in jest, our- selves with all respect and earnest. Our devotions are like winter, frosty, misty, and windy, of many natures, none other than cold. Nothing arms, charms, and confirms our senses with attention, spirits with intention, active powers with contention, but vanity. Are not the benches in taverns and theatres often well replenished, when these seats are thin and almost empty ? Are not the alleys in this temple oftener full of walkers than the quire of petitioners? Conference with the profane, ostentation of clothes, perhaps plots of mischief, as frequent as suits to God : (making it a little less than a den of thieves). If men stumble into the church as company, custom, recreation, or (perchance) slee.]) invites many, they feed their eyes with vanities ; if any drops he admitted in their ears, they are entertained under the nature of conceits. Judgments (they think) be none of their lessons ; they will not suffer their con- sciences to apply them. Mercies they challenge and own, though they have no right to them. If this estate be not a misery, burden ; judgment there is none. The fire of the pestilence is well quenched ; the rumoms and storms of war are laid ; the younger brother of c XXXtV INTEODUCTIOV TO ADAMS' WORKS. death, famine, doth not tyrannize over ns. But here it is our sins and God's wrath (for them) meet, and the heart is hardened. This is the sorest judgment. Let me speak a paradox, but a truth : it is the plague of many that they are not plagued ; even this is their punishment — the want of punishment ; and the hand of God is then heaviest when it is lightest, heaviest on the conscience whea it is lightest on the carcass. It is true of them what the philoso- pher said of himself, thei/ are undone, that they are not undone. God suffers their bodies to possess, and to be possessed of, rest ; they sing to viols, dance their measures, their heads ache not, much less their consciences. But (as to Israel, fat with the quails) God withal sends leanness into their souls. The present indulgence gives sufficient argument of future woes. They surfeit on pleasures till death puts them out of breath. That worthy father, Augustine, saw this, their (self-commanded) estate, and prayed against it : — ' Lord, here plague, cut, massacre me, burn me, so that for ever, tliou wilt spare and save me.' This is the most grievous burden. Se- curity is the very suburbs of hell. There is nothing more -wretched than a wretched man that recks not his own misery. An insensible heart is the devil's anvil ; he fashioneth all sins on it ; and the blows are not felt. We flow with those sins' to which no following pos- terity will ever be able to add : so spreading an infection of sin among us, that, as in a great plague, we wonder not so much at them that die, as at them which scape ; so there is nothing a wonder, a mirror, a miracle in nature, but he that lives unspotted of this world. If you think I speak too bitterly, I would to God it were not worse than I speak. I would your reformation might convince us of shame, and give us cause to recant this in the pulpit. We load God with our sins, and press him as a cart ^vith sheaves ; — we pack up a bundle of lies, blasphemies, adulteries, perjuries, extortions, frauds, and then hasten to the cross of Christ to unload them, as if pressing our souls to hell with w41ful sins ; yet Christ, on the least warning, must ease us. But, the promise is — not to men laden with sins, but with sorrow for sins. It is such a load as must make US weary, or we have no promise to be eased. But, alas, sin (which is burden enough to sink the world) is made light by custom. . . . How many have incurvate and oppressed souls, bowed down with the spirit of infirmity (nay of rank iniquity) more than eighteen years, that are not yet sensible of their own crookedness, nor the cause thereof ! For it cannot be but the devoured patrimonies ot many orphans — the ruins and depopulation of tovrns — the devasta- tion of holy things, should be burdens too heavy for a poor crazy INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. XXXV soul to Stand under ; piles of usury heavier than Etna, burdens of bribes outbalancing the axle-tree, are more than the giants — theo- machoi — monsters of men. and prodigies of nature, were able to bear. We could not see a corrupted lawyer, citizen, cormorant, go so nimbly, if they had not some help. Here it is. Tlie strong man Satan (so it pleaseth Christ to term him), puts under his shoulder, and makes the vessel go tight and easy, with an equal balance, which could not else swim upon the waters without sink- ing. Pride could not else carry a whole township on his back, which his father Covetousness had (but newly) devastate, clamber- ing up to honour (as Jonathan the garrison of the Philistines, by the raggedness of those two rocks Bozez and Seneh, so these) by the desolation of our two main rocks — the Church and the Common- wealth. The unmerciful monopolies of courtiers — the unreasonable prices of merchants — the hoards (if not transportation) of grain with cormorants — the advantages made of the poor's necessities, unconscionable fines, and rents, wringing the last penny from their purses, and drop of blood from their hearts, — an intolerable weight ! These wretches were never able to bear it without the aid of the devil, who, while they draw with him in the same yoke, is content to bear all the burden. At last, when Presumption hath left the stage, and Desperation begins to knit up all with a direful catas- trophe, the pulses beating slowly, the head aching vehemently, body and soul refusing all proffered comfort, then the devil casts the whole load on them, that at once they may despair and die ; then, that which was lighter than corks or feathers, becomes heavier than lead and earth. God hath often striven with them by his word. They would never yield, — Thou shall overcome, 0 Lord— now (perhaps with Julian, too late) they pant out — ' Thou hast over- come .' ' Our crying in the day could not wake them. That cry at midnight shall fetch them up, with the burden of envy, covetousness, drunkenness, &c. ; and, as it was doomed to Babylon, — Look, how much her glory and pleasure hath been, give her so muck torment and sorrow. Nay, then the devil gets up too (like a merciless jailor) , with the addition of his own weight, to aggravate their woes." The following pithy and sarcastic passage throws much light on the loving behaviour of the sons of the Church of England to their mother, half a century before the ' Grand Rebellion.' " — This is godliness — to be at cost with God. Therefore, our fathers left behind them pledges, evidences, sure testimonies of their religion in honouring Christ with their riches. (I mean not those XXXvi ISTRODTICTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. in the days of Popery ; but before even the locUBts of the Papal See made our nation drunk with that enchanted cup.) They thought it no waste, either to Iniild new monuments to Christ's honour, or to better the old ones. We may say of them, as Rome bragged of Augustus C'jesar, — what they fuund of brick, they left marble ; in imitation of that precedent in Isaiah (ix. 10), though with houestcr hearts : — ' The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones ; the sycamores are cut down, but we will cliange them into cedars.' — In those days, charity to the Church was not counted waste. The people of England, devout like tho.se of Israel, cried one to another, ' Bring ye into God's house,' till they were staid with a statute of Mortmain, like Moses' prohibition, they bring too much. But now they change a letter (aj/ferte for a/Terte) , and cry 'Take away,' as fast as they gave; and no inhibition of God or Moses, gospel or statute, can restrain their violence, till the ala- baster box be as empty of oil as their own consciences are of grace. We need not stint your devotion, but your devoration. Every contribution to God's service is held waste. Now, any re- quired ornament to the Church is held waste, but the swallowing down (I say not of ornaments, as of things better spared, but) of necessary maintenance. Tithes, fruit-offerings, all are too little. Gentlemen in these cold countries have very good stomachs. They can devour (and digest too) three or four plump parsonages. In Italy, Spain, and those hot countries (or else nature and experience too, lies) , a temporal man cannot swallow a morsel or bit of spiritual preferment, but it is reluctant in his stomach, up it comes again ; surely these northern countries, coldly situate, and nearer to the tropic, [north pole, perhaps] have greater appetites ? The Afri- cans think the Spaniards gluttons; the Spaniards think so of the Frenchman ; Frenchmen, and all, think and say so of Englishmen ; for they devour whole churches, and they have fed so liberally, that the poor servitors (ashamed I am to call them so) , the vicars, have scarce enough left to keep life and soul together, not so much as tiie defence of hunger, and thirst, and cold requires. Your fathers thought many acres of ground well bestowed ; you think the tithe of those acres a waste. Oppression hath played the Judas witii the church, and, because he would prevent the sins incurable by our fulness of liro.id, hath scarce left us bread to feed upon ; Daniel's diet uniong tlie lions, or Elias' in the wilderness. I will not cen- sure //'"' ill this, VI' citizens. Let it be your praise, that though V(.'u liwill in II //a/ hd'ims yourselves, you let not God's house /<« ISTKOnUCTTflN TO ADAMS' WORKS. XXXvii waste. Yet sometimes it is found that some of ym/, so careful in the city, are as negligent in tlic country, where your lanils lie, and there the temples are often tlie ruins of your oppres- sion. Your poor, undone, blood-suoked tenants not beiog able to repair the windows or thi' h'ads, to keoj) out raiti or 'lirds: If a levy or taxation would force your lirncvolence, it comes malevolently from you with a ' ^^'hy is tliis waste'.'' Kaise a contribution to a lecture ; a collection for a Hrc ; an alms to a poor destitute soul, and lightly there is one Jurlas iu the con- gregation to cry — W/iiJ is tins waste? Yet you will say, ' If Christ stood in need of an unction, though as costly as JIary s, you would not grudge it, nor think it lost.' Cozen not yourselves, ye hypo- crites. If ye will not do it to his Church, to his poor ministers, to his poor members, neither would you to Oirist. If you clothe not them, neither would you clothe Christ, if he stood naked at your doors." " Our slavery to epicurism is great in these days.. ..We sa- crifice to our palates as to gods ; the rich feast, the poor fast ; the dogs dine, the poor pine." The skilful detection of motives and character hidden under the disguises of religious pretension, is one of the most remarkable at- tributes of this writer. The sermon preached at Paul's Cross, March 7, 1612, is on John xii. 6 — " This he said, not that he cared for the poor ; but be- cause he was a thief, and had the barj, and bare what was put there- in. I am to speak of Judas, a devil by the testimony of our Sa- viour — Have I not chosen you ticelve, and one of you is a deoil 1 Yet so transformed into a show of sanctimony, that he who was a devil in the knowledge of Christ, seemed an angel in the deceived judg- ment of his fellow-apostles. A devil he was — black within, and full of rancour, but white without, and skinned over with hypocrisy ; therefore, to use Luther's words, we will call him ' Tue White Devil.' Even here he discovers himself, and makes good this title. Consider the occasion thus : Christ was now at supper among his friends, where every one shewed him several kindness. Among the rest, Mary pours on him a box of ointment. Take a short view of this affection. 1. She gave a precious unction, spikenard. Judas valued it at three hundred pence, which, after the best com- putation, is with us above eight pounds, as if she could not be too prodigal in her love. 2. She gave him a whole pound (verse 3d). She did not cut him out her devotion by piecemeal nor remnant xxxviii rimiODUCTios to adams' works. nor serve God by the ounce ; but she gave all ! For quality, pre- cious ; for quantit)-, the whole pound. Oh that our service to God were answerable ! We rather give one ounce to lust, a second to pride, a third to malice, &c., so dividing the whole jxiund to the devil ; she gave all to Christ. 3. To omit her anointing his feet, and wiping them with the hair of her head, wherein her humility and zeal met : his feet, as unworthy to touch his head : with her hair, as if her chief ornament was but good enough to honour Christ witlial — the beauty of her head to serve Christ's feet. She brake tite box ; and tliis of no worse than alabaster ; that Christ might have the last remaining drop ; and the whole house was jillcd u ilh tJie odour. At this repines J udas, pretending the poor, for he was WHITE ; intending his profit, for he was a devil. " In Judas' censure of Mary, many things are observable to his shame — our instruction. ...Observe that Saint John lays this fault on Judas only ; but Saint Matthew and Saiat Mark charge the dis- ciples with it, and find them guilty of this repining, and that in both, not without indignation. This knot is easily untied. Judas was the ringleader, and his voice was the voice of Jacob, all charitable ; but his hands were tlie hands of Esau, rough and injurious. Judas pleads for the poor ; the whole synod likes the motion well ; they second it with their verdicts ; their words agree, but their spirits dififer. Judas had a further reach, to distil the ointment, through the alembic of hypocrisy, into his own purse ; the apostles mean plainly. Judas was malicious against his Master ; they simply thought the poor had more need. So sensible and ample a difference do circumstances put into one and the same action : presumption cr weakness, knowledge or ignorance, simplicity or craft, do much ag- gravate or mitigate an offence. The apostles consent to the circum- stance, not to the substance, setting their hands, as it were, to a blank paper. It was in them pity, rather than piety ; in Judas neither pity nor piety, but plain perfidy — an exorbitant and trans- cendent sin, that would have brought innocence itself into the same condemnation : thus the aggregation of circumstances is the aggra- vation of offences. Consider his covetousness, fraud, nialice, hj-po- crisy, and you will see his sin is monstrous, sine modo, like a mathe- matical line, infinitely divisible. The apostles receive the infection, but not into so corrupted stomachs ; therefore, it may make them sick, not kill them. Sin they do, but not unto death. It is a true rule, even in good works, virtues are discerned from vices, not by their offices, but by their ends or intents : neither the outward form. I INTRODnCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. XXxix no, nor (often) the event, is a sure rule to meastire the action by.... The same rule holds proportion in offences. Here they all sin : the apostles, in the imprudence of their censure ; Judas, in the imprudence of his rancour. Judas' train soon took fire in the suspectless dis- ciples ; and Satan's infections shoot, through some great star, the in- fluence of damnation into the ear of the commonalty. Let the ex- perience hereof make us fearful of examples — " Judas is bold to reprove a lawful, laudable, allowable work : he said thus. I do not read him so peremptory in a just opportunity. He could swallow a gudgeon, though he kicks at a fly. He could observe, obey, flatter the compounding Pharisees, and thought he should get more by licking than by biting. But here his mouth waters at the money. His teeth rankle the woman's credit, for so I find malignant reprovers styled. They do not mend, liut make worse : they bite, they gnaw. Thus was Diogenes sumamed Cynic for his snarling — the Dog of reproaches. Such forget that mercies are above menaces. Many of the Jews, whom the thunders of Sinai, the thunders of the law, moved not, John Baptist wins with the songs of Zion. Judas could feign and favour, and fan the cool wind of flattery on the burning malice of the consulting Scribes. Here he is hot, sweats and swells without a cause. Either he must be unmerciful, or over merciful ; either wholly for the reins, or all upon the spur. He hath soft and silken words for his Master's enemies ; coarse and rough for his friends. There he is a dumb dog, and finds no fault ; here he is a barking cur, and a true man instead of a thief. .... Observe his devilish disposition, bent and intended to stifle goodness in others that had utterly choked it in himself. Is the apostle Judas a hinderer of godliness? Surely man hath not a worse neighbour, nor God a worse servant, nor the devil a better factor, than such a one — an ^sop's dog, that because he can eat no hay himself, lies in the manger, and will not suS'er the horse ; he would be an ill porter of heaven gates, that having no lust [desire] to enter in himself, will not admit others. Is it not enough for thee, O Judas, to be a villain thyself, but thou must also cross the piety of others ? Hast thou spoiled thyself, and wouldst thou also mar Mary ? Nay, observe, he would hinder the ■works of piety through colour of the works of charity, diverting Mary's bounty from Christ to the poor, as if respect to man should take the wall of God's service. Let not, then, O Judas, Charity shoulder out Piety. Nay, charity will not, cannot : for faith ivorJc- eth hy love. And Love never dined in a conscience, where Faith had not first broken her fast. Faith and Love are like a pair of Xl INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' W0EK8. compasses ; whilst Faith stands perfectly fixed in the centre, which is God, Love walks the round, and puts a pirdlc of mercy ahont the loins. There may indeed lie a show of charity without faith ; but there ean lie no sl)0\v of faith without charity. Man judgeth h}' the hand, God liy the heai t Lastly, ohser*-e his unkindness to Christ. What! Judas, grudf;o thy Master a little unction? and (which is yet viler) from another's purse ? AVith what de- traction, derision, exclamation, wouldst thou have permitted this to thy fellow-servant, that repinest it to thy Master ! How hardly had this been derived from thy own estate, that didst not tolerate it from Mary's ! AVhat ! thy Jlaster, that honoured thee with Christianity — praecd thee with apostleship — trusted thee with stcwanl^liip — wilt thou deny him this courtesy, and without thine own c^jst V Thy blaster, Judas ! thy Friend ! thy God ! and yet, in a sweeter note, thy Saviour ! And canst not endure another's frratuital kindness to him ? Shall he pour forth the best unction of his blood, to bathe and comfort thy body and soul, and thou not allow him a little refection? Hath Christ hungered, thirsted, fainted, sweat, and must he instantly bleed and die, and is he denied a little unction ? And dost ihov, Judas, grudge it ? It had come more tolerably from any mouth — his friend, his follower, his professor, his apostle, his steward ! Unkind, unnatural, unjust, unmerciful Judas!" Few writers are equal to this author in the rich, quaint, and overwhelming abundance of imagery with which he paints the cha- racters of men. Here is one specimen. Speaking of Esau, as a ma)i of the _fic!cl, he says : — " There was his sport ; there was his heart. Therefore did Isaac love Esau, because he did eat of his venison. He loved his venison, not his conditions. Some would read it thus, ' btcaiisc venison tras in his mouth,' and so turn his hunting into a metaphor, as if by insinuation he had wound himself into the favour of Isaac. But the other reading is better, saving that, by the \vay, we may give a reprehension to such mouth-hunters. If you would know who they are, they are the flatterers, of whom we may say, as huntsmen of their dogs, they are well-mouthed, or rather ill-mouthed ; for an ordinary dog's bit- ing doth not ranlde so soon as their licking. Of all dogs they are best liked to spaniels ; but they have a more venomous tongue. They will fawn, and fleer, and leap up, and kiss their master's hand ; but all this while they do but hunt him, and if they can spring on liira at once, you shall hear them quest instantly, and either present hun to the falcon, or worry and prey on him them- INTRODUCTION TO ADAHS' WORKf!. xli selves, perhaps not so much for himself as for his feathtTS. For they love, not Dominos but Dominorum, not their master's </ood, but their master's r/oods. " The golden ass, got into sumptuous trappings, thinks he hath as many friends as he hath beasts coming about him. One commends his snout for fairer than the lion's; another, his skin for richer tlian the leopard's ; another, his foot for swifter than the hart's ; a fourth, his teeth, for whiter and more precious than the elephant's ; another his breath, for sweeter than the civet beast's ; and it is wonder if some do not make him believe he hath horns, and those stronger than the bull's, and more virtual than the unicorn's. All this, while thcvdo but bunt him for his trapjiings : uncase him, and you shall have them bafne and kick him ! Tliis doth Sulouiun in- sinuate (Prov. xix. 4) : Riches ijatlur mam/ friends ; Imt the poor is separetted from liis iieif/hfjaur. lie saitb not the rich man, but riches. It is the money, not the man, tlicy hunt. " The great one bristles up himself, and conceits himself higher by the head than all the rest ; and is i}roiid of many friends. Alas, these dogs do but hunt the bird of parailise for bis feathers. These wasps do but hover about the gally-pot, because there is honey in It. The proud fly, sitting upon the ebariot-whcel, which, hurried with violence, hufl'ed up the sand, gave out that it was she whieli made all that glorious dust. The ass, carrying the Egyjitian goddess, swelled with the ojjinion that all those crouches, cringes, and obeisances were made to him ; b\it it is the case, not the carcass, they gape for. So may the chased stag boast how many hounds he hath attending him. They attend, indeed, as ravens, a dying beast. Acteon found the kind truth of their attendance. They run away, as spiders from a decaying house ; or as the cuckoo, they sing a scurvy note for a month in summer, and are gone in June or Jul}', sure enough before the fall. These hunters are gone ; let them go; for they have brought me a little from the strictness and directness of my intended speech. But as a physician, coming to the cure, doth sometimes receive some of his patient's infection, so have I been led to hunt a little wide to find out these cunnin;/ hunters." To some readers fond of curious learning, and quaint scorn of errors and pretences that have faded before the light of advancing knowledge, it cannot but be amusing to see how, more than two hundred years ago, a man of wit and genius dealt with astrologers and the folly of prognostieators. " Commend me here to all Geneth- liaes, casters of nativities, star-worshippers, by this token that they are all impostors, and, here, proud fools. Here be twins conceived xlii INTBODCOTION TO ADAUS' TTOHKS. together, born together, yet of as different natures and qualities as if a vast local distance had sundered their births, or as if the ori- ginary blood of enemies had run in their veins. It is Saint Augus- tine's preclusion of all star predictions out of this place. And since I am fallen upon these figure casters, I will be bold to cast the destiny of their profession, and honestly lay open their juggling in six arguments. " 1. The falsehood of their Ephemerides. " Perhaps when some appoint rain on such a day, some frost, some snow, others wind, or calm and fair weather ; some of these may hit. l!ut, lighth-, he that against his knowledge, told true to-day, lies to-morrow ; and he that lied yesterday, may happen right next day; as a blind archer may kill a crow. For this cause (I think) some were called erring or wandering stars, not so much because they were uncertain in their own seats and motions, as because they caused to err their clients and gaping inquisitors. And so they are called erring in the same phrase and sense as Death is called pnle ; not that it is pale in itself, but because it maketh those pale it seizeth on. " Therefore some of the subtler have delivered their opinions in such spurious, enigmatical, dilogical terms, as the devil gave his oracles, that since heaven will not follow their instructions, their constructions shall follow heaven. And because the weather hath not fallen out as they have before told, they will now tell us that the weather falls so, that, reading their books, you would think, as the beggars have their canting, they had got a new language out of the elements which the poor Earth never did understand ; and it is thought that canting is the better language, because it is not so ambitious as to meddle with the stars ; whereof the prognosticator's head comes as short, as his tongue doth of the beggar's eloquence- "2. The state of fortune-tellers and prophecy -usurpers, which is not only poor and beggarly (as if the envious Earth refused to re- lieve those that could fetch their living out of the stars), but also ridiculous. This is not all ; but they are utterly ignorant of their own destinies. Now, he that is a fool for himself, how should he be wise for others ? Thracias the soothsayer, in the nine years' drought of Egypt, came to Busiris the tyrant, and told him that Jupiter's wrath might be appeased by sacrificing the blood of a stranger. " The tyrant asked him what countrj-man he was — of Egypt, or an alien? He told him, a stranger. " Thou, quoth the tyrant, art that lucky guest, whose blood shall wet our soil, and give us rest. INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. xliii " But I have spent too much breath about this folly of prog- nosticators, of whom it may be said that not only the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the childi-en of light, but they would be wiser than the light itself. They would know more than saints and angels, and search out the uninvestigahle things of the Lord. If they could foresee future things, they would brag them- selves equal to God. But secret things belong to God, revealed to lis. " The other is both arrogant in man and derogant to God. And Gregory says well : ' If such a star be a man's destiny, then is man made for the stars, and not the stars for man.' The devils know not future events, and will these boast it?" As a writer of sermons, it may not be unimportant to notice the ingenuity with which this author opens his subject, and arranges his illustrations. On 1 Pet. iv. 19 — Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well- doing, as unto a. faithful Creator — he thus begins : " A true Christian's life is one day of three meals, and every meal hath in it two courses. His first meal is to be born a sinner, and to be new born a saint. / was born in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me : there is one course. ' Except a man be bom again, he cannot see the kingdom of God :' there is the other course. His second meal is, to do well and to suffer ill. ' Do good unto all, but especially unto those that are of the household of faith :' there's one course, of doing. All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution : there's the other course, of suffering. The third meal is, to die a temporal death, to live an eternal life. The first is his breakfast, and herein he is naturally born in sin, and con- demned for sin ; spiritually, born again in righteousness, and justi- fied from sin. The last is his supper, wherein there is one bitter dish — Death : It is appointed to all men once to die ; to all once, to many twice ; for there is a second death, and that is truly a death, because it is the death of life ; the other rather a life, for it is the death of death, after which there shall be no more death. There- fore, rise that you may not fall ; rise now, by a righteous life, lest you fall into an everlasting death. If the soul will not now rise, the body shall one day be raised, and go with the soul to judgment. The second course is incomparably sweet — to live after death. I say after death ; for a man must die that he may live : so that a good supper brings a good sleep. He that lives well shall sleep well. He that now apprehends mercy, mercy shall hereafter com- prehend him. Mercy is the last end ; no hope beyond it : and this is the time for it ; the next is of justice. The middle meal between Xliv IXTItODUCTION TO ADAMS' WOKKS. both these is our dinner ; and tliat consists in doing good and suffer- ing evil. Anil on these two courses my text spreads itself. First, they that su ffer according to the tci/l of fjod, — there's the passion. Secondly, they may trust God vith their souls in well-doiiiij, — there's the action. More particularly, in the words we may consider five gradual circumstances. " 1. The sufferance of the saints ; they that su ffer. 2. The inte- grity of this sufferance ; according to the will of God. 3. The com- forts of tliis intefjrity ; maij commit their souls to God. 4. The bold- ness ol tliis conifurt ; as unto a faithful Creator. 5. The canrion of tliis l)(il(lncss ; in ircU-doing. ... It is the part of a Christian to suffer wlu'rcsoevi r he is ; let him expect it. Adam was set upon in I'aradise ; J ob in the dunghill. J ob was more strong to resist temi>- tatiuns in the miserable dust, than was Adam in that glorious gar- den. Tlie Jews were commanded to eat sour herbs with their sweet passover. Bitterness ever treads on the heels .of pleasure. Jacob hath a son, .md loseth his wife : Benjamin is bom, Rachel dies. Our Lady, coming from that great feast, lost her son Jesus three days. Seven days slie bad eaten sweet bread ; here followed three days' sour bread f^r it. Good things are to be taken with much thankfulness ; evil with much patience Sudden crosses find weak souls secure ; leave them miserable ; make them desperate. A looked-for evil suuirts more gently. Unexpected joys are more gracious ; but unexpected evils are more grievous. Mischiefs come most commonly without warning. They do not allow, as Jonas did to Nintveli, forty days' respite ; not so much as an hoc nocte — this night, which was allowed to the worldling — thi.i night shall they fetch thy soul from thee. Happy man, that gives himself warning. He that conceits what may be, arms himself against what must be . . . Thou art at home in peace, singing in thine ovm vineyards. Thou sittest in a shock, secure, while thy reapers fell the humble com at thy foot, and fill thy banis. What if, for religion, thou shouldst be sent to exile, where thou mayest weep, with Israel, to thy derid- ing enemies, demanding a song of Zion — hoxv shall I sing the song of joy in a strange land ? How canst thou digest the injuries and brook tlie contempt of strangers ? Fear not to be scourged, but to be disinherited. " There is so much comfort in sorrow as to make all affliction to the elect a song in the night. Adversity sends us to Christ, as the le- prosy sent those ten. Prosperity makes us tum our backs upon Christ, and leave him, as health did those nine (Luke xvii.) Da- vid's sweetest songs were his tears. In misery, he spared Said, his INTBODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. xlv great adversaiy ; in peace, ho killed Uriah, his dear friend. The ivicked sing with grasshoppers, in fair weather ; but the faithful (in this like sirens) can sing in a storm. When a man cannot find peace upon earth, he quickly runs to heaven to seek it. Affliction sometimes maketh an evil man good, always a good man better. UjTng, there is no comfort hut to trust the soul with Ciod. So said David, Lord, into thine hands I commend my spirit. So .Stephen, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. With these words our Lord Jesus himself gave up the ghost. It is justice to restore whence we receive. It is not presumption, but faith, to trust God with thy spirit. The soul of the king, the soul of the beggar ; all one to him. David was a king, Lazarus was a beggar. God re- ceives both their souls. From giving up the ghost, the highest is not exempted ; from giving it into the hands of God, the poorest is not excepted. There is no comfort like this. When riches bring cither no comfort, or discomfort ; when the wardrobe, furniture, trinkets, wine, offend thee ; when thy money cannot defend thee ; when thy doctors feed themselves at thy cost, cannot feed thee ; when wife, children, friends, stand weeping about thee — where is thy help — thy hope ? All the world hath not a drachm for thee. This sweetens all: — Lord, into thy hands I commend my soul; iJwu hast redeemed me, 0 thou God of truth ! Our spirit is our dearest jewel. Howl and lament, if thou think thy soul is lost. But let thy faith know, that is never lost which is committed to God's keeping. That soul must needs pass tluougli the gates of death which is in the keeping of God. Woe were us if the Lord did not keep it for us while we have it, much more when we restore it. While our soul dwells in our breast, it is subject to many mise- ries, to manifest sins. Temptations, passions, misdeeds, distemper us. In heaven it is free from all these. Let the soul bo once in the hands of God, it is neither disquieted with sorrow for sin, nor sin, which is beyond all sorrow. There may be trouble in the wil- derness ; in the land of promise there is all peace. Then may we sing, ' Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler : the snare is broken, and we are escaped.' It is there above the reach of the devil. Tlicre is no evil admitted into the city of hea- ven, to wrestle with the citizens thereof. Death is ready at hand about us. We carry deaths enow within us. We know we shall die. We know not how soon. It can never prevent us or come too early, if our souls be in the keeping of God. Man was not so happy when God gave his soul to him, as he is when he returns it to God. Give it cheerfully, and then, hke a faithful Creator, that thou givest him in short pain, he willgive thee back with endless joy. Xlvi INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' W0BK8. " Oh ! wretched man that most die, and knows not what sliall hcfuiiie of his soul. The world would have it ; but he knows it must not. Himself would keep it, but he knows he cannot. Satan would have it, and he knows not whether he shall. He would have God take it, and he knows not whether he will ! O miserable luan ! that must part with his soul he knows not whither." i)n the ordinary topics of religious consolation, we find many passages of great beauty. In a discourse on the " Victory of Pa- tience, " he says : — " Our patience is our crown, and others' conversion. Euscbius, from Clement, reporteth that when a wretched accuser had brought Saint James to condemnation, seeing his Christian fortitude, he was FO touched in his conscience, confessed himself a Giristian, so was taken to execution with him, where earnestly beseeching Saint James to forgive him, he, after a little pause, kissed him, and said — Peace to thee, brother ! and they were beheaded together. Oh ! blessed patience, which not only gets honour to ourselves, but brings others to salvation, and, in all, glorifies God ! Prayer. This was the apostles' refuge in the time of affliction. Acts iv. 24. Bernard, in a fiction, doth excellently express this necessity, and enforce this duty. He supposcth the kings of Babylon and Jerusalem (by whom he means the world and the church) to be at war one against the other. During this hostility, a soldier of Jerusalem was fled to the castle of Justice. Siege was laid to this castle, and a multitude of enemies environed and intrenched it round. There lies near this soldier a faint-hearted coward called Fear. This speaks nothing but discomfort ; and when Hope would step in to give some courage, Fear thrusts her out of doors. While these two opposites, Fear and Hope, stand debating, the Christian soldier resolves to appeal to the direction of Sacred Wisdom, who was chief counsellor to the captain of the castle. Justice. Hear Wisdom speak. Dost thou know, saith she, that the God whom we serve is able to deliver ns? Is he not the Lord of Hosts? even the Lord mighty in battle? We will despatch a messenger to him with information of our ne- cessity. Fear replies — What messenger ? Darkness is on the face of the world. Our walls are begirt with an armed troop, which are not only strong as lions, but also watchful as dragons. AVhat messenger can either escape through such an host, or find the way into so remote a country ? Wisdom calls for Hope, and cliargeth her with all speed to despatch away her old messenger. Hope calls tu Prayer, and says — Lo, here a messenger speedy, ready, trusty, knowing the way. Ready ; you can no sooner call her than she comes. Speedy; she flies faster than eagles, as fast as angels. INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. xlvii Trusty ; what embassage soever you put in her tongue, she delivers with faithful secrecy. .She knows the way to the throne of mercy ; and never faints till she come to the chamber of the royal presence. " Prayer hath her message. Away she flies, borne on the sure and swift wings of Faith and Zeal, Wisdom having given her a charge, and Hope a blessing. Finding the gate shut, she knocks and cries. Open, ye gates of righteousness, and be ye open, ye everlasting doors of glory ! that I may enter, and deliver to the King of Jeru- salem my petition. Jesus Christ hears her knock, opens the gate of mercy, attends her suit, promiseth her infallible comfort and redress. Back returns Prayer, laden with the news of consolation. She hath a promise, and she delivereth it into the hands of Faith — that were our enemies more innumerable than the locusts in Egypt, and more strong than the giants the sons of Anak, yet Power and Mercy shall fight for us, and we shall be delivered. Pass we then through fire and water — through all dangers and difficulties, yet we have a messenger holy, happy, accessible, acceptable to God, that never comes back without comfort — Prayer." The passage which Adams here borrows from Bernard, is much more elaborate and full, in the composition of the last of the Latin Fathers. It occurs in his Sermones de Puona Spiritual!, Ser. ii., the first volume of the Paris edition, folio 1632, pp. 422-424. It is one of the noblest specimens of that allegorical treatment of spi- ritual subjects, with which English readers are so much delighted in the Holy War of Bunyan. It would be easy and profitable to go on gathering extracts from these old writings, with their not unpleasing quaintness — their briUiant images — their burning rebukes — their gentle com- fortings — their clear expounding of Scripture doctrine ; — their plain enforcement of Christian duties ; — their striking felicities of expression ; — their holy temper ; — their copious learning. But we must introduce to our readers some account of " The Ex- position of the Second Epistle of St Peter," of which the evi- dence is not small, that it was published by the same author, three years after the publication of his Discourses and Meditations. Of this exposition we can truly say, we know nothing of the kind in Enghsh theology that at all equals it for fulness of explanation, richness of matter, depth of sagacity, originality of thought, and strength and brilliancy of expression. On the first verse, having expounded, at much length, not tedi- ously, "the title" of the writer, and the reasons why he calls him- self a " servant of Jesus Christ," he adds: — "There are two special observations in this title, 'servant:^ xlviii IJJTHODUCTION TO ADAMS' WOEKS. Hirist's exceUenaj, and the Apostle's humUily. This extols the fli,:^iity of Christ, that so famous an Apostle creeps to him on the kiKcs of lowliness; Lord, I am thy servant. The world esteemed him without form or comeliness, and when they see him, without beauty that they should desire him. The Psalmist speaki in his periioii, ' / am a worm and no man ; a reproach of men, and de- spised of the people.'' ' To the Jews a stumhling-hhck, to the Greeks foo/ishness.' But Peter styles himself the servant of him that was crucified. Indeed, the service of Christ is the honour of the Chris- tian. Our Saviour admitted and accepted this just honour, 'Ye call me Master and Lord ; and ye say well, for so I am.' Men in tlie world arrogate dignity to themselves, hecanse so famous men are their servants. Ahasuerus might boast of his viceroys ; the Turk of his bashaws ; but let all sceptres be laid down at the foot of the Lamb ; all sheaves bow to the sheaf of Joseph ; all cro^vns be sub- jected to Him that is crowned with imspeakable glory for ever. This is a clear remonstrance of St Peter's humiUty ; a famous apostle. Some have given him more, the primacy of the apostles : yet, what is bis own title? A servant of Jesus Christ. The godly are no fur- ther ambitious than to belong to Christ. There is a great suit to be retained in the service of princes ; but the best is to serve the Prince of princes. What need to wait upon a channel, that may dwell by a whole river ? or serve him that serves, when we may serve him that reigns ? A poor estimation of ourselves gives us the richest estimation with God. ' Wliere thou wast little, I tlien made thee great.'' Abraham says, I am not worthy. God dignifies him to be the father of them that believe. Every Christian's escutcheon must be Patience; and his motto, I serve. Yea, not only saints, but angels, are glad of this title. ' Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salva- tion ?' "When St John would have worshipped before the feet of the angel, he replied, ' See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-ser- vant.' And let me go yet higher ; the natural Son of God, and that by an eternal generation, put on Him a ser*-iceable nature: he took upon him the form of a servant. He was so formed, so habited to service, that he endured all sorrow, and fulfilled .ill righteousness. Art thou better than apostles, better than angels, better than the Son of God himself, O proud dust, that thou despisest the title of a servant I" If there were any doubt that this exposition is from the same Thomas Adams who wrote the Discourses, it would be removed by comparing the description of Repentance, select- ed from one of the sermons (pages vi. vii.), with the picture of IXTIiODLTTIOX TO ADAMs' WORKH. xlix Repentance, of wlitch he says (Exposition, chap, i., verse 4), "AVliit'Ii I desire not to ho set n]) in yonr honscs, liut to be laid .lifin,,;,! t..n,.),r., ,-:-,rl, as ti.; ..,. : •• Vou .Iiall' ev,.n l,rr Mt.i.iR in th,' .Inst, l.rr kincs liMwii,-, \wr l,:,ii(ls ^vI•i,l.;lll-, l,.;r .'y<'s wrepln;;, lier lijis jirayini;, lier li^'art 1 caliiiu', her liin^^s pantintr Slic is not gorgeously attired ; sackclotli is lier garment. She hangs the word of God as a jewel at lier car, ami ties the yoke of Christ as a eharm abo'ut her neck. Tlie groinul is her bed. She eats the bread of affliction, and drinks the waters of anguish. The windows of all her senses are shnt against vanity. She bills Charity stand the porier at her gate^, and she gives the poor bread, even while her- self is fasting. She would wash Christ's feet with more tears than Mary Magdalene ; and if her estate could reach it, give him a costlier unction.... Lastly, she is lifted up to heaven, where angels and cherubim sing lier tnncs of immortal joy, and God bids Im- mortality set her on a throne of glory!" The preacher and exiioiuider delights in sneh portraits "The Papists say images arc the books of idiots: but the prophet calls them teachers of lies ; and all know they are occasions of sin. Let me give you a picture without the offence ; behold an image without sin. It is of Virtue. You shall no sooner see the medal than you will straight know the face. Conceive her a virgin of un- spotted chastity : fair, yet never courted with obsequious language. She hath a face white as heaven, mixed with some lovely red ; — white with her own innocence, ruddy with blushing at others' naughtiness — of her Saviour's complexion, ' my Beloved is white and ruddy.' She hath a brow clear as crystal, wherein God hath written wisdom. This is lier courage ; she may be affronted, she cannot be affrighted. She hath eyes that never sent out a wanton look ; those casements were never opened to let in vanity. She ig not poring with them on the earth, but directs them to heaven, where they shall one day see her desire, even the glory of God. The Lord loves those eyes. She liath lips like a thread of scarlet, and her speech is comely. She hath the tongue of angels : when she speaks, she ministers grace to the hearers. She diseoursetli the language of Canaan most perfectly, and never opens her mouth, hut the first air she breathes, echoes with the praise of her Maker. Her ears are like the sanctum sanctorum of the temple : none but the High Priest must enter there. They are stopped to the songs of any siren, open to the mouths of any poor. What gracious words she receives in at those doors, she sends them like jewels d 1 ISTEODUCTION TO ADAMS' TTOBKS. to be laid up in the cabinet of her heart. She hath two hands, one of equity, another of charity ; none for injury. She gives every one his due, for justice' sake ; some more than due, for mercy's sake. She gives, forgives ; does that to others which she expects at the hands of Clirist. She hath bowels of mercy. Tlie members of Christ are as dear to her as her most inward and vital parts. She feeds them, as considering what it were to have empty bowels herself. Her knees were never stiffened with pride. She can easily bow them to give her superior homage, but throws them down at the footstool of her Maker ; yet still the heart is lower, and she never risetli without a pardon. Her feet are still travelling the ways of piety, and running the race of salvation. She knows this life is a journey, and no time to stand still ; therefore she is shod for the puqjose with the preparation of the gospel of peace. She never rests till she has gotten within the threshold of heaven. She hath a white silken garment ; the snow of Lebanon is black to it ; not woven out of the bowels of worms, but out of the side of her Saviour. She is clothed all over vnth his righteousness, which makes her beautiful in the sight of her Maker. She is girt with the girdle of truth, and sins not, ' not because she cannot, but because she will not' (August.) She hath a crown promised — blessedness ; her Redeemer, even the King of heaven, did bequeath it her in his will ; and she shall wear it in eternal glory. And let every soul that knows and loves her on earth, or hopes to enjoy her reward in heaven, call her blessed." In a style less poetical, but full of truth, sound sense, and manly devotion, he thus describes the man who adds to his faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge : — " Will you now take a short character of the knowing man ? He desires to know all things, but first himself ; lest, knowing acquaint- ance in every place, he should die a stranger to his own heart ; and in himself, not so much his strength as his weakness. To know our own virtues makes us proud ; our own vices, humbleth us. His eyes are never both at once from home ; one keeps house, while the other goes abroad for intelligence. He is blind in no man's cause, but best sighted in his own. He confines himself to the circle of his own affairs ; and thrusts not his fingers into needless fires. His heart's desire is to know God ; and he knows there is no better way to know him than through Jesus Christ. Herein consists his hap- piness, for so he makes sure work for his soul. It is the best, and therefore first regarded ; and he never rests till his faith be built on assurance that God hath pardoned his sins, and given him a place in INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. H hoavpn. The world he so far seeks to know, that he may abhor it. He sees the falseness of it ; and therefore learns to trust himself ever ; others, so far as not to be damaged by their disappointment. Ifc knows this to be a short and miserable life, and therefore studies the way to a blessed and eternal one ; that this world shall perish, tlicrefore is loth to perish with it ; that money may make a man richer, not better, and therefore chooseth rather to sleep with a good conscience than a full purse. He had rather the world should count him a fool than God ; therefore desires no more wealth than an ho- nest man may bear away. He knows this world's delight consists of crotchets and short songs, whose burden is sorrow : only heaven hath the best music, where glorious angels and saints sing for ever to the Lord of Hosts. He knows his own ignorance ; endeavours to science ; and what he cannot apprehend, he begs wisdom of God, not of everything, but only of so much as may make him blessed. He knows how to make his passions, like good servants, to stand in a diligent attendance, ready at the command of religion. If any of them, forgetting their duty, be miscarried to rebel, he first conceals the mutiny, then suppresseth it. He will not see every wrong done him, knowing he hath done more to his Maker. After continual ac- quaintance with the Scriptures, and humble familiarity with the Holy Ghost, he knows the way to heaven perfectly, and runs apace till he gets into the arms of his Saviour." On the doctrine of election, while the Calvinism of the Reformers is taught without reserve, there is a skilful refutation of objections, and, at the same time, the truth is guarded from perversion, and the Christian is taught how to derive, from his faith in this doctrine, both spiritual consolation, and motives for diligent obedience to the will of God. In describing the felicity of heaven, he avails himself of an allu- sion which had been made by Bernard to the crown of twelve stars, in Rev. xii. 1. " Into this little ring let us bring the discourse of that infinite glory. " Let the first star be memory without forgetfulness. The se- cond star is reason without obscurity, understanding without error. The third star is a perfect will of good, without perturbation. The fourth star is the charity and impassibility of the body. The fifth star is the renovation of all things. The sixth star is universal charity without envy. The seventh star is the common and uni- versal joy — ^an effect of the former. The eighth star is a love of ourselves, only for. God's honour. The ninth star is the beatifical lii INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' TTOEKS. vision of God. The tenth star is the fulness of pleasures. The eleventh star is the continual praising of God for his glory. The last star of this crown is the last passage of my text, which is the eternity of all — it is an ' everlasting kingdom.' This is the crown of twelve stars, wherewith the God of mercy crown all our heads in the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. Amen." On the expression in 2 Pet. i. 17 — " Such a voice" — he lavishes a full stream of racy learning and gorgeous illustration. " Tully commends voices: Socrates' for sweetness ; Lyslas' for siihtlcty ; HyiicriJes' for sharpness ; ^schines' for shrillness; De- mosthenes' for powerfulness ; gravity in Africanus ; smoothness in Lcelius — rare voices ! In holy writ, we admire a sanctified bold- ness in Peter; profoundness in Paul ; loftiness in John ; vehemency in him and his brother James, those two sons of thunder ; fervency in Simon the zealous. Among ecclesiastical writers, we admire weight in Tertullian ; a gracious composure of well-mattered words in Lactantius ; a flowing speech in Cyprian ; a familiar stateliness in Chrysostom ; a conscionablc delight in Bernard ; and all these graces in good Saint Augustine. Some construed the Scriptures allegori- cally, as Origcn ; some literally, as Jerome ; some morally, as Gre- gory ; others pathetically, as Chrysostom ; others dogmatically, as Augustine. The new writers have their several voices : Peter ^Martyr, copiously judicious ; Zanchius, judiciously copious. Luther wrote with a coal on the walls of his chamber : lies et verba Phi- lq)pus ; res, sine verhis LutJterus ; verba, sine re Erasmus ; nec res nec verba Carlostadias. Melancthon hath both style and matter ; Luther, matter without style ; Erasmus, style without matter ; Carl- stadt, neither the one nor the other. Calvin was behind none, not tlie best of them, for a sweet dilucidatlofi of the Scriptures, and urg- ing of solid arguments against the Anti-Christians. One b happy in expounding the words ; another in delivering the matter ; a third for cases of conscience ; a fourth to determine the school doubts. But now put all these together : a hundred Peters and Pauls ; a thousand I3ernards and Augustines ; a million of Calvins and Me- lancthons. Let not their voices be once named with this voice : They all spake as children. This is the voice of the Ancient of Days." On another part of the same sublime passage, he observes : — " This glorious vision and voice from heaven amazed the dis- ciples, that ' they fell on their face, a)ul weresore afraid.' Christ, •with the touch of his hand, recovered them, 'and when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.' Because, 1KTH0DUCT10N TO ADAJIS' WORKS. liii indeed, he was that person only to whom both law and propliets bare witness. They have done their office, and then tliey vanish, that Christ may be all in all. There is only one mediator. Christ ; it is he only that satisfies the law, and sanctifies tlie con- science ; he only that reconciles us to God. Let Moses and Elias, and all others, disappear in the work of our salvation ; only give us Jesus Christ. I conclude: Peter and the rest knew Moses and Elias in the mount, whom they never saw before ; they being departed many hundred years before the others were horn. Yet they could distinguish Moses from Elias, Elias from Moses, and both from Christ, and say, This is Moses, This is Elias, and ' That is Christ.' This is a lively tj^pe and shadow of that glory in heaven, where every saint shall perfectly know all. Not Abraham nor any of the patriarchs, not David nor any of the kings, Elias nor any of the prophets, not Peter nor any of the apostles, not Stephen nor any of the martyrs, not any of our friends, kind- red, nor acquaintance, none of the now unknown believers scattered on the face of the broad earth, shall in that place be strangers to us. Our knowledge shall extend to every individual person ; all shall know every one, and every one shall know all. Now let us love one another, pray for one another, do good one to another ; then and there we shall know one another, and all be eternally known and loved of our blessed God."' Then with what holy ingenuity and elegance docs he sum up the contents of a chapter, so differ- ent from the cold and dry summaries of modern commentators ! " The sum of this whole chapter hath been a sweet garden of grace and mercy. The first flower was a salutation ; and that is a wish for mercy. The fourth, an exhortation ; and that is the way to mercy. The fifth, a witness of our election ; and that is an as- surance of mercy. The sixth, an induction to heaven upon earth ; and that is a high degree of mercy. The seventh, a testimony from heaven ; and that was the voice of mercy. The eighth, a word of performed prophecy ; and that was an argument of mercy. The ninth, an illumination of the gospel ; and that is the light of mercy. The last is the glory of heaven ; and that is the full day and perfec- tion of mercy. Through these blessed degrees, my discourse hath brought you : first, we began with peace ; then dwelt long with grace ; and lastly are come to glory. This peace possess your consciences ! this grace beautify your hearts ! and this glory crown all your souls ! Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, he glory and '"ajesty, dominion, and power both now and ever! 4.men." lir INTRODnCTlON TO ADAMS' W0BK8. Besides these beautiful illustrations of Scripture, the writer abounds in wise suggestions of the uses which we are to make of the Scriptures for ourselves. After expounding very learnedly, and practically at the same time, the passage in the second chapter of the Epistle respecting false prophets, he concludes by saying : — " It was thus with them; in it we may see our own case. They say it is half a protection to foreknow a danger. Behold the Apos- tle's fidelity, and therein God's mercy. We are forewarned. Pre- cedents give light to succeeding times. We see further than the fathers, because, like dwarfs, we get up on their shoulders. We see with their eyes, and our own too. So Diogenes might brag that he had more wit than his mother, because he had his mother-wit and his own too. There is no treasure so much enricheth our mind as learning — no learning so applicable to our life as history — no his- tory so directing as example — no example so worthy our observa- tion as that which is written by God's own finger. It was an old saying, to get knowledge by another's expense and experience is, as it were, to feed fat at another man's cost. Israel was God's people as well as we; yea, in respect of our faith, our fathers ; therefore, if they were tempted by false prophets, and sinned ; if they sinned, and were punished ; let us not, having the same danger, and erring in the same manner, think to escape the same punishment. 'All these things happened unto them for ensamples, and are icritten for our admonitimi.' God hath set up these sins, as crocodiles to terrify us ; and we entertain them as sirens to seduce us !" As one of many specimens of the graphic force and vivacity with which a truth is brought home, after a long and careful exposition, the following is one which can scarcely faU to strike the most care- less reader : — " Now see, O renegade, whom thou refusest. Thou knowest not whom thou deniest, therefore thou deniest. If thou hast brought honour by thy valour, thou callest it thine; if endeared a friend by thy loyalty, thou caUesthim thine; if purchased a house vrith thy money, thou callest it thine. Christ hath bought thee with his blood, and yet thou deniest to be his. This ransom is paid ; and now, in a merciful offer, he tenders it to thee. Wilt thou, in a peevish sullenness, refuse it ? Conceive this dialogue between the Redeemer and thee. " Redeemer. Open to me. " Disciple. No, I know not whence thou art. " R. Rise and see. " D. No, I am in my warm bed of pleasures and carnal satisfac- tion ; I ^vill nnt rise. Who art thou ? INTnODCCTlON TO AUAMS' WORKS. Iv " R. I am Jesus, thy Redeemer. Wilt thou still swear anrl for- swear ? " U. I know none such. — R. I bought thee ; thou art mine; I come to embrace thee. Deny me not. — D. Yes : take me when all other delights forsake me. Let too he thine when I am not my own. Till then, keep thy cheer to thyself. 1 have dreamed of pleasures, and cannot come. " Oh! obstinate hearts, whom the King of heaven must buy with his Wood, woo with his grace, wait upon with liis patience, enrich with his proffers of mercy, and yet, at last, be denied ! Lord, turn to such as love thee ! We deny not thee. Deny not us, O good LordJesiis! Amen." Li the course of his Exposition, he is led to treat of some of the most perplexing questions in the metaphysics of theology. Here he displays as much penetration of intellect, and strength of rea- soning, as if he never had had leisure to cull a flower of poetry, or heart to frame a moving appeal. On the 6th verse of the second chapter he thus writes : — " Observe that God is not the cause of man's transgression or damnation. ' Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God.' Seneca hath a saying not unlike of the gods. Dii nec hahent nec dant malum : (The gods neither receive nor bestow evil). But it is objected: 'It is God's will that I should thus sin and thus fall ; why doth he yet find fault ? who hath resisted his will ? My will is borne upon the stream of his inevitable will. I sin by compulsion ; why doth he yet complain?' Oh! detestable speech, that charges God with our iniquity ! than which the grand devil could not war a worse above ground. Consider their dilemma: evil is done, and God doth suffer it ; whether then doth he suffer it against his will, or with it? If against his will, this takes away his omnipotence ; if with his will, then he wOled it. For answer, the will of God is partly secret, wholly just. It is two ways con- sidered. First, as it is written in tables, published by a trumpet, seconded with blessings, curses. Then, as concealed, written in another book, wrapped up in the counsels of his own breast. What God formerly (in the first sense) wills, is not always done, yea, is done seldom ; what in the other respect he wills, is infallible. If we press further into his secrets, we are bid stand back. Adam was driven out of Paradise for affecting too much knowledge. The Israelites had died the death, had they passed their bounds, and climbed up to the mount. Fifty thousand threescore and ten men of the Bethshemites were slain for looking into the ark. There are Ivi ISritODDCTIOS TO AOAMS' WOUKS. some unsearchable mysteries as high as the Iiighest heavens, covered yvith a curtain of sacred secrecy, not to he drai\-n till the day come, wherein we shall know as we are known. Now, when men have spilt blood, defiled the marriage-bed, provoked heaven with rapes, treasons, depopulations, blasiiheraies, — what ! have they done the will of God? Indeed, in respect of liis hidden purpose, tliey have done his will, in sjjite of all their malicious and sworn contradic- tions. For upon tlicni that will not do as he would liave it, he will do himself as he would have it. But in respect of themselves, the wicked have done what t!od willed not; for he commanded the contrary, and hath expressed that will in his word !" There is a similar example of the way of dealing with a deep diflficulty, in expounding '• the aivjeh lliai sinned :" — " The cause — which was indeed wholly in themselves. For either God or man must be the connnon cause of their sin, or themselves. Not man ; for had not the angels fallen first, they could not have been the cause of liis fall. That nature continuing good in itself, would never have prociived evil to others. Not God ; for then that were injustice t.i r..n<! irn tlniu for that which he himself caused. It were tiiii i I.:' ::il;e them fall, and then punish them for falling, liiii 1. i - it, and would not prevent it ; and in not hindering it, he si ruiLd to cause it. Indeed, this holds of the creature, who is bound, foreseeing an evil, to do his best in preventing it, and, otherwise, is made accessory to it. But God is an absolute Lord of all, and not botmd to any of his creatures, fur- ther than he bindeth himself. In Christ he hath bound himself to believers ; and all his promises are j-ea and amen, and he will keep his word. But shall any creature challenge him for not doing that which he never promised to do ? " But God did not confirm them in their created grace ; therefore caused their fall. — Ansicer : God did not [lurpose their confirma- tion ; he gave them power of willing, not will of standing. He is not tied to confer more grace upon his creature than himself pleaseth. It was enough that he created them righteous, without addition of their confirming, lie is not bound to do whatsoever he can, nor to give account of whatsoever he doth. In a word, the angels had in themselves the proper cause and bcgimiing of their own fall, which' was a free and flexible will. They might will good and perseve- rance in good ; and — that will being mutable — they might also will evil, and so fall from God. The same kind of will was in innocent Adam. — But, good trees cannot bring forth bad fruit ; therefore, the angels being good, could not sin of themselves. — Ansa er : INTKODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. Ivil Those words must be construed seiisu composito, rum disjuncto, 'in their connexion, not separately from it.) Indeed, a good tree, remaining good, cannot produce evil fruit, but being changeable, it may. — ^But God foresaw it, therefore the angels could not escape it. — ■ Answer: Yet is not his prescience any cause of their fall, but only an antecedent. Because we sin, therefore it was foreknown to God, therefore we sin. God saw Judas's treason in the glass of his prescience, before Judas had a member composed, or the world was formed ; yet was not this the cause why Judas betrayed Christ. He foresaw it ; he did neither compel it, nor command it, nor al- low it. Prescience is to God as memory is to us. Memory presents to us things past ; prescience to God, things to come. Our memory is not the cause why things past were done, nor is God's foreknowledge the cause why things to come shall be done. We remtfmber some things we do ; we do not all the things we remem- ber. So God foresees all he does ; he does not all he foresees. We remember an orchard such a time planted that now yields good fruit hy nature, not by violence : so Goi foresaw it. We remember a mur- der done by will, not compulsion : so God foresaw it. Neither our memory nor God's prescience caused these, but they come to pass, natural, by nature ; voluntary, by mil ; contingent, by haps ; necessary, by necessity. " — But, did God only foresee it ? No ; also he decreed it : why then, how could they avoid it? — Answer: He decreed to leave them to themselves, that they might fall if they will, and then to give them no grace of rising. — But then, as good hit me as throw me : it is all one to thrust an old man down, as to take away liis staff which shoiJd support him. — Ansicer : Nay ; but the old man throws away his own staff, and God doth not reach it him ; they did forsake their own grace, and fall by their own folly. — But here let ns fall from disputation to admiration. ' Oh the depths of the wis- dom of God ! how unsearchable his judgments ! and his ways past finding out !' " We have seen how skilfully this writer could vindicate the use of imagery in conveying his instructions. Observe the ingenious turn he gives to the unexpected length at which he had dwelt on one part of his subject : — " As a man that has seen a model of a church in a perspective piece thinks at first he may soon survey it all, mthout leaving anything unobserved ; but when the glass is given to him, made for the purpose, through which he is to look upon it, both his eyes and mind are taken up with a longer time of speculation, and he finds it work enough for a Iviii INTKODUCTIOS TO ADAMS' WOBKS. pair of hours to note every part of that curious fabric ; many a pillar and many a posture b presented to him worth his sight, which at the first blush he would have passed over as not remark- able. So at my entrance into this short argument (little in show, infinite in sense), I promised myself a quick despatch, and thought it but one day's journey at the most ; but the farther I advanced into this magnificent and beautiful structure, the more my thoughts grew, and the more work I found ; many a column of comfort, many a door of hope, many a window of light is espied, and would not he left undiscovered — that the weak might have instruction, the stronger satisfaction, all consolation, and in all, God might have the glory of his wisdom." We have assumed, in a former part of this essay, that Mr Adams was a man little addicted to parties, either in the church or in the state, seeing that we can find no trace of him in any record within our reach of the changeful times in which he lived. The remark was made with anything but an intention to disparage the more forward spirits by whose boldness, energy, and sufferings, the plague of despo- tism was stayed, and the healthful air of liberty secured for all gene- rations. But when disputes were running high, and extravagances were witnessed, which we can forgive for the sake of the glorious prin- ciples with which they happened to be connected, it is not surprising that a man of quiet nature, a lover of order, who feared tlie disturb- ance which reforms bring with them more tlian he apprehended the permanent value of the reforms themselves, should think it both safe and right to keep aloof. In such a position, a man preserves the coolness of his mind, and judges mth more calmness than zeal of the men who are heated by the contest. There are many pas- sages in these writings which discover such a state of mind. Thus, speaking of being " found of him in peace," after fuUy opening the passage, and inculcating the spirit of peace on earth, as a prepara- tion for the full fruition of its blessedness in heaven, he goes on to say — " We see a fearful combustion all over the Christian world, wars in some places, rumours of wars in all places ; we, therefore, if we love peace, have cause to fall to our prayers for peace, that God would so rule the rulers of nations and kingdoms that their hearts may be disposed to peace. So our church hath taught us to pray ' Give peace in our time, O Lord ;' and that ' he would give unto all nations unity, peace, and concord.' For ourselves at home, blessed be the God of peace for it, we have abundance of peace. We lie down and rise up in peace. We go to our temples in peace. We INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. lix go to OUT graves in peace. Yet the quietest waters may be moved hy the vf inds ; and we are not without some tempestuous spirits that, as if they had fed so long upon the sweet plenty of peace till they had taken a surfeit, are loud advocates for war. ' Fear the Lord and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change. The desire of change is the mother of murmuring, which breeds a whispering and buzzing of false rumours into false ears. They sjyeak out of the ground, and whisper out of the dust. (Isa. xxix. 4.) These whisperings and murmurings, like vapours rising out of the earth, multiply into the storms of sedition ; sedition grows into mutiny ; and mutiny ends in confusion. They that are troubled with the desire for innovation will be troubling majesty itself, and had rather than do nothing, undo all. Out of their popular and vainglorious humour, they would be counted angels, though it be but for troubling the waters. Be the garden never so fair, they would make the world believe that there is a snake under every leaf. Be the intention never so sincere, they will prognosticate and divine sinister and mischievous effects from it. Such men have little hopes to be found of Christ in peace ; for ' the way of peace have they not known.' A troubled spirit is a sacrifice to God, but a troublesome spirit is far from it : it is rather a sacrifice to Satan. " But woe to them that break the peace of the church, that blend religion with contention, put those asunder which God hath joined together — Truth and Peace ! With what violent passions do men bandy controversies ! Ho w they do wrangle in print, and fight vrith their pens, as soldiers with their pikes — all wounding the peace of the Church ! With wliat bitterness of spirit do they defy one another ! I would to God we had less of the polemical, and more of the positive, divinity. I deny not but wisdom ought to be justified of her children : an indif- ference to contrary opinions in fundamental doctrines ; the shuffling of religions together in a bag, and making it all one which they choose, is a cursed stupidity. So a Turk might say in scorn of us, both Protestants and Papists, ' They call you heretics ; you call theni idolaters ; why may not idolaters and heretics agree well enough together?' But a true Christian will never make contrarieties in fundamental things indiff'erent, nor the Word of God and the tradi- tions of men all one. But what needs this frequency of disputations, this multiplying of volumes ? Why should we answer every dog that barks with barking again ? Why should we think the truth utterly lost, unless we weary the press with indications of it ? The tongue is afire, but the pen goes further ; adds fuel to this fire, and shoots it abroad where the tongue cannot reach — of all which, being Ix I.NTKODUCTIOJf TO AUAMs' W0BK3. of SO peace-brpaking a nature, like those hooks of curious arts (Acts xix. 19), if there were a good fire made, the Church might well en- dure to warm her hands at it ; for it were certainly better for us to want some truth than to have no peace ; and a man that never studied controversies may, without controversy, be saved. ' Strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers ;' for thereby the whole are often wounded, but the weak are seldom strengthened. '■If any man may seem, to he contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.' The custom of the Church is to follow peace, to fly contention." Nothing impresses the reader of this Exposition more, perhaps, than the seemingly boundless affluence of the writer's resources. The following introduction to an expository lecture on 2 Pet. iii. 15, strikes us as singularly original and happy : — " Among the many disputes and opinions, what became of the soul of Lazarus all the time of those four days that his body lay in the grave ? — Isidore Pelusiota thinks that it was in heaven ; and he proves it by this reason : because Jesus u-ept at his raising. Why wept he ? Life is good, and Lazarus was his friend ; and to raise up his friend to life was a good work ; here was no cause of tears. Why- then wept Christ ? What, did he weep for company ? Because Mary wept, and Martha wept, and the people wept, therefore Jesus also wept. Was this the cause of those tears ? Did he weep for com- pany, or was it for affection ? As the Jews interpreted his tears : ' Behold how he loved him !' But we weep for fear to lose a friend, when sickness hath so far prevailed upon him that we give him up for dead, and not for his reviving ; at his recovery we rather rejoice. Or was it for the hardness of the work, as Martha conceived it ? ' Lord, by this time he stinketli, for he hath been dead four days.' Not so, certainly ; even the blind Jews could confute that opinion : ' Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died V They might con- clude. He can raise him with a word, and to speak a word is no such hard work. He did not, then, weep for the difficulty. Or was it in a mystery ? Shall we understand, by Lazarus lying four days in his grave, a sinner many years buried in the customs of sin, and hardness of heart ? Indeed, there is some difficulty in raising up such a dead soul. Jesus himself weeps ; he spends not only blood, but tears about it. Was it for any of these reasons — for compas- sion, for affection, for difficulty, or for a mystery — that Jesus wept? "Yet another, and (some think) a better reason, may be given for INTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. his weeping. It is this : Lazarus' soul had now left its mortal ta- bernacle, and was delivered out of prison, from all the pains and sins and assaults and troubles which it endured in the body. It was taken up by angels into rest, peace, and glory. Now, at this rais- ing up of Lazarus, it must be called down to its old dwelling ; and for this Jesus wept — that a soul in triumph should be brought back to warfare ; from that mount of infinite joys to descend into the valley of tears ; from that place of peace to return to the region of trouble; from Abraham's bosom to Adam's pilgrimage; for La- zarus again to be made mortal, necessitated again, besides all sor- rows, to death. This was a change that might well ask tears ; for Jesus wept. I deny not but this was for the glory of God, and, in effect, no more tlian happened to Moses after that glorious specula- tion ; to the three apostles after Christ's transfiguration ; to Paul after his rapture ; and to John after his vision. Yet, for this Jesus wept." We have now placed 1 efore the reader enough, we trust, to in- terest him in this rare old preacher and expounder of the Scriptures, and to prepare him to relish those of his works which are here re- printed. He will find in them a rich variety of intellectual refresh- ment and of spiritual instruction. To many his name will be alto- gether new. He belonged to a period when the new translation of the Scriptures had stirred up many minds ; ivhcn the English cha- racter was about to be tried by searching tests ; when the political constitution of our country was in the throes of that crisis of blood and fire from which the unseen hand of God brought it forth, with the strength and majesty of our native oak, that strikes its roots all the deeper for the fury of the storm ; — when philosophy was taking larger strides than she had ever taken before ; when poetry, in every department, waved a bolder wing; when eloquence gave forth a statelier tone ; when the genius of the land, rising up in the dignity of freedom, was preparing for that memorable conflict which was to scatter the seeds of truth, liberty, and religion through the world. Though not a Nonconformist, he was a Puritan. Though a Churchman in the days of Laud, he was a Calvinist. Though un- honoured by the degrees of a University, he abounded in deep and varied learning. Where he was born, or when, and how he died, we know not. He has left no diary, and found no biographer. There is no " Old Mortality" to explore his grave, and renew his epitaph. His only monument is in his works. In his own day, Ixii IKTRODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. they must have excited great attention, as we infer from the places in which he preached, and from the editions tlirough which several of his publications passed. There is little probability of their being ever brought out again as a whole ; nor, perhaps, is this to be de- sired, as every age brings its own demands, and finds its own supply. We can account for tlie oljsciirity in which tliey have been so long hidden, only by recollecting that there was no great party in the Church, or in the nation, that would be anxious to perpetuate his memory, or to do him Iionour. The Nonconformists of the age im- mediately following were rich in authors of their own ; and the the- ology brought into fashion at the Kestoration was not lilcely to ap- X)reciate so sturdy a Calvinist, and so stem a rebuker of sin. The modern reader may feel something like tediousncss in some parts of his compositions ; but he will find him always original, fresh, hearty, honest, full of matter, and plentiful in ornament. His quaintness will be rather a relief from the tame monotony that has so long passed for elegance. His ingenuity cannot fail to delight. The more he is read, the more engaging he becomes ; and he who has read him oftenest, ivill be the most eager to read him yet once more. Truly he playeth well upon his instrument. His voice is that of one unknown, and yet familiar. He caiTies us with him through the fields of nature, and along the haunts of busy men. He scatters round our spirits the odours of Paradise, and regales ns -with the music of the skies. He brings us to the Comforter. He draws back the vail of heaven. He lifts our souls to God. He teaches us to think — to pray, and shews us how to live and how to die. With a strong hand he tears the covering from the hypocrite, or rolls away the stone from the well's mouth, that the thirsting may drink and live. Clear in his understanding, he unravels the tangled threads of spe- culative theology, and weaves a web of wholesome doctrine. Witli the eye of a poet, the heart of a saint, and the tongue of an orator, he gives substance to abstractions, personifies the virtues, paints the beauties of holiness, and brings to the ear the voices of the distant and the dead. Like the prophet in the A'alley of Vision, he pro- phesies to the dry bones, and they are clothed with flesh ; he pro- phesies to "the IJreath," and the dry bones live. Life seems to be the grand distinction of his writiings. In his hand the word of truth becomes indeed a " lively oracle," and Christianity not a thing but a being. His appeals are as pungent, and as solemn as sentences from a throne of judgment. To preachers, and all indeed who desire to speak to others of religion vrlth impression and effect, INTKODUCTION TO ADAMS' WORKS. Ixiii we earnestly commend this writer. As Edwards conotrains to closeness of thought ; as Howe inspires sublimity of sentiment ; as Bates lights up the soul with a soft and silvery light ; as Owen lades the mind with a harvust of ripe knowledge ; as Taylor cheers the imagination with a vintage of delicious grapes ; as Baxter fires the heart with longings for salvation, first of ourselves and then of others ; — even so does Adams lead to those springs of graphic power, of dramatic grandeur, and of subduing pathos, of which it is the fear of many that they are dried up. We hope they are not dried up. AVe believe they are not. We cannot but think that there are minds now opening on the awful solemnities of the Christian minis- try to whom this example will bo inciting. Let them look at things with their own eyes, ponder them in silent and lonely thought, pray over the fruits of such meditations, till they kindle into living pic- tures ; and so let them pour out their feelings in the best words they can find ; there will then be no just complaint of the want of originality and power in the English pulpit. Scholarship will not be mistaken for genius. Traditionary habits will not be substituted for manly devotion. Dryness will not be felt to be necessary to orthodoxy. Poetry, beauty, strength, majesty, ovenvhelming ear- nestness, will gather round the preacher of the gospel, in one willing audience, the scientific and the busy — the child and the sage — the wealthy and the poor ; and the grand attraction to the heart of man, in all his many-hued varieties, will still be as of old — The Ceoss op Gbbist. TEE THREE DIVINE SISTERS, FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY. Now abldeth faith, hope, charity, these three ; but the greatest of these is charity.-I Cor. xiii. 13. When those three goddesses, say the poets, strove for the golden ball, Paris adjudged it to the queen of Love. Here are three celestial graces, in a holy emulation, if I may so speak, striving for the chiefdom ; and our apostle gives it to Love. The greatest of these is Charity. Not that other daughters arc black, but that Charity excels in beauty. We may say of this sister, as it was said of the good woman, " Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all," Prov. xxxi. 20. Paul doth not disparage any when he sayeth, Cliarity is the greatest, 1 Cor. xiii. 13. All stars are bright, though one star may differ from another in glorj'. AVe may say of graces, as of the captains of the sons of Gad ; " the least a hundred, the greatest a thousand." Or as the song was of Saul and David: " Saul hath slain his thousands, David his ten thou- NoTE. — The Latin quotations throughout this volume are all trans- lated, although it has been deemed proper to retain the Latin as in the original work. 4 THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. sands," Faith is excellent, so is Hope ; but " the p^reatest of these is Charity." These are three strings often touched ; Faith, whereby we believe all God's promises to be true, and ours ; Hope, whereby we wait for them with patience ; Charity, whereby we testify what we believe and hope. He that hath faith, cannot distrust ; he that hath hope, cannot be put from an- chor ; he that hath charity, will not lead a hcentious life, for love keeps the commandments. For method's sake we might first confer them all, then prefer one. But I will speak of them according to the three degrees of comparison. I. Positively. 2. Compa- ratively. 3. Superlatively. The greatest of these is Charity. Under which method we have involved, 1. Their order, how they are ranked. 2. Their nature, how they are de- fined. 3. Their distinction, how they are differenced. 4. Their number, how manv are specified. 5. Their confer- ence, how they are compared. 6. Lastly, their dignity, and therein how far one is preferred. Faith is that grace which makes Christ ours, and all bis benefits. God gives it. " Faith is given by the Spirit," 1 Cor. xii. 9. By the word preached. " Faith cometh by hearing," Rom. x. 17. For Christ's sake. " To you it is given for Christ's sake, to believe in his name," Phil, i 29. This virtue is no sooner given of God, but it gives God. So soon as thou bclievest, Christ is thine and all his. " For he that gives us Christ, will also with him give us aU things." " Without this, it is impossible to please God," Heb. xi 6. Let us not otherwise dare to come into his presence. There is nothing but wrath in him, for sin in us. Joseph charged his brethren that they should come no more in his sight, unless they brought Benjamin with them. We come at our peril into God's presence, if we leave his beloved Benjamin, our dear Jesus, behind us. ^Mien the philoso- pher heard of the enraged emperor's menace, that the next time he saw bun he would kill him, he took up the em- THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. 5 peror's little son in his arms, and saluted him with apotcs- ne. Thou canst not now strike me. God is angry with every man for his sins. Happy is he that can catch up his son Jesus : for in whose arms soever the Lord sees his son, he will spare him. The men of TjTe were fain to intercede to Herod by Blastus, Acts xii. 20. Our inter- cession to God is made by a higher and surer way ; not by his servant, but by his Son. Now this Mediator is not had without a medium, Faith. Fides medium, a quo remedium ; Faith is that means where- by we lay hold on this Christ. Diffidence shall never have Jesus for the advocate. Though every man may say, / believe, Lord help my unbelief. Saint Paul useth one word that very significantly ex- presseth Faith, calling it " the evidence of things not seen," Heb. xi. 1 . Fides est credere quod non vides ; eujus merces est videre quod credis : Faith is to believe what thou seest not ; whose reward is to see what thou believest. Now the metaphor may be explained thus : 1. Christ dying made a will or a testament, sealing it with his own blood, wherein he bequeathed a certain legacy of inheritance to his brethren with himself. " Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am ; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me," John xvii. 24. This is the substance of his will and testament. 2. The conveyance of this will is the gospel, Whosoever believes, and is baptized, shall be saved. A large patent, a free and full grant. There is no exception of persons, either in regard of state, quality, or countrj'. " There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female : for ye are all one in Christ Jesus," Gal. iii. 28. The con- veyance is of an ample latitude. 3. The executor or administrator of this will, if I may so speak, is the Holy Ghost, that Comforter which Christ pro- mised to " send, that should lead us into all truth," John xiv. 16. This Spirit begets faith and sanctification in our hearts, puts Abba into our mouths, applies the merits of 6 THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. our Saviour to our souls ; and indeed " seals us up to the day of redemption," Eph. iv. 30. Without his assistance •we could appropriate no comfort by his will ; nor challenge any legacy therein bequeathed. 4. Lastly, The evidence whereby every particular man apportions to himself his title and interest, is his Faith. Thou, unregcnerate soul, pleadest a legacy in this will. Go to, let us join issue, and come to trial. AVhere is thy evi- dence ? Here it is, my Faith. This evidence, as all other, must have some witnesses. Produce thine ; and before the bar of the great Chief Justice, the King's Bench of heaven, let them not lie. The first is thy Conscience. Alas ! give this leave to speak without interruption (and one day it shall not flatter thee). This saith, thy evidence is false and counterfeit; forged by a wretched scrivener, flesh and blood : for thy heart trusts in uncertainly good riches, or in certainly bad vanities, more than in the living God. The next is thy Life. Alas ! this is so speckled with sins, so raw and sore with lusts, that as a body broken out into blanes and biles, argues a corrupted liver or stomach with- in : so the spots and ulcers of thy life demonstrate a putre- fied heart. Lo, now thy witnesses. Thou art gone at the common law of justice : It is only the chancery of mercy that must clear thee. What wilt thou now do ? "WTiat, but humble thyself in recompense for thy false faith ; take prayer in thy company, for pardon of former errors ; go by the word preached ; for the minister is, as it were, the re- gister to ingross the deed ; and desire God on the humbled knees of thy soul, to give thee a new and a true evidence. Let this instruct us to some uses. 1. Be sure that thy evidence is good. Satan is a subtle lawyer (and thou dost not doubt of his malice), and will soon pick holes in it ; find out tricks and cavils against it. He will vrinnow and sift thee, grain after grain : take heed lest thou run not all to chaflT. There is a faith of saints. " Now live not I, but Christ liveth in me : and the life that I Uve, I live by the faith of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. And THE THREE DIVmE SISTERS. 7 there k a faith of devils. " Thou believest, thou doest well : the devils also believe and tremble," James ii. 19. There is a faith which cannot perish. " Whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish," John iii. 1.5. And there is a faith, that in the time of temptation falls away. The rocky ground receives the word, and for a while believeth, but in the time of temptation falls away, Luke viii. 13. There is a faith which the world overcometh ; such was the faith of Demas. And there is a faith that overcometh the world : " This is the victory whereby we overcome the world, even our faith," 1 John v. 4. There is a dead, idle, and infi-uc- tuous faith ; and there is a lively, active, working faith, Jam. ii. 14 : "Faith worketh by love," Gal. v. 6. Be sure, then, that thy faith will endure the touch, even the fiery trial. 2. Do not lose such a legacy as Christ hath bequeathed for want of faith. Glorious is the inheritance ; but where is thy evidence ? Flatter not thy soul with hope of this possession, without the assurance of faith, Christ gives his life for his sheep. What is this to thee that art a wolf, a swine, a goat ? God dresseth his vineyard, pruneth it, is provident over it. What is this to thee that art a thorn, and no branch of the vine ? Look thou to be weeded up, and thrown out. The blood of Christ runs fresh ; but where is thy pipe of faith to derive it from his side to thy conscience ? Say it should shower mercy, yet if thou want- est faith, all would fall besides thee. There would be no more favour for thee than if there was no Saviour. Let then no miseries of earth, much less pleasures, quench thy faith. Satan seeing this spark of fire kindled in thy heart, would blow it out with storms, or work thee to smother it thyself with vanities, or to rake it up in the dead embers of cold security ; but believe against sight and sense. As David prophesied that he should be a king. Eo plus hdbet fides meriti, quo minus argumenti ; Faith shall have so much the more recompense, as it had the less argument to induce it. 8 THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. Hope is the sweetest friend that ever kept a distressed soul company ; it beguiles the tediousness of the way, all the miseries of our pilgrimage. Therefore dmn spiro spero, said the heathen ; but dum expiro spero, says the Christian. The one, whilst I live, I hope ; the other also, when I die, I hope : so Job, / will hope in thee though thou killest me. It tells the soul such sweet stories of the succeeding joys ; what comforts there are in heaven ; what peace, what joy, what triumphs, marriage- songs, and hallelujahs there are in that countrj- whither she is travelling, that she goes merrily away with her present burden. It holds the head whilst it aches, and gives invisible drink to the thirsty conscience. It is a hberty to them that are in prison, and the sweetest physic to the sick. Saint Pa«l calls it an anchor, Heb. vi. 19. Let the winds blow, and the storms beat, and the waves swell, yet the anchor stays the ship. It breaks through all difficulties, and makes way for the soul to follow it. It teaeheth Abraham to expect fruit from a withered stock ; and Joseph in a dungeon, to look for the sun and stars' obeisance. It counsels a man, as Esdras did the woman who, having lost her son, woald needs die languishing in the disconsolate fields ; Go thy way into the city to thine husband, 2 Esd. x. 17. Mourn not, wretch, for the loss of some worldly and perishing deUght : sit not down and die, though the fruit of thy womb be swallowed in the earth ; but go home to the city, the city of mercy, to tMne husband, even thy husband Jesus Christ; let him comfort thee. This is the voice of Hope. Though misery be present, comfort absent, though through the' dim and waterish humour of thy heart, thou canst spy no dehverance ; yet such is the nature of Hope, that futura facta dicit. It speaks of future things as if they were pre- sent. "We are saved by hope," Rom. \Tii. 24. Yet sic lihe- rati, ut adhuc speranda sit hwreditas, postea possidenda. Nunc THE THREK DIVINE SISTERS. 9 hahemus jus ad rem, nondum in re : Wc have our inheritance in hope ; which gives us the right of the substance, though not the substance of the right : assurance of the possession, though not possession of the thing assured. This tells us, that nemo valde dolehit et diu ; no man should grieve much and long. God making our misery aut tolerabilem, aut brevem, either sufferable or short. These are the comforts of Hope. Now, that you may not be deceived, there is (as I said before of Faith) a thing like Hope, which is not it. There is a bold and presumptuous Hope, an ignorant se- curity and ungrounded persuasion, the very Ulusion of the devil, who, when he cannot prevail with dovmright evil, cozens with the shadows of goodness : that how wickedly and wretchedly soever a man shall live, though he furs him- self warm with poor men's hearts, though he forbids his brains (as on covenant) one sober hour in the year to thmk of heaven, though he thirst for carouses of blood, though he strives to powder a whole kindgom vnth the seed-corns o. death and massacre, though he carries half a-dozen impro- priate churches on his sacrilegious back, though he out-thun- der heaven with blasphemies, though he trample under fiis profane foot the precious blood of God's Son ; yet still he hopes to be saved by the mercy of God. But we will sooner cast pearls to s>vine, and bread to dogs, than the comforts of Sion to such. We say not. Rejoice and tremble, but tremble without rejoicing. We sing not to them, With the Lord is mercy, that he might be feared ; but with the Lord is judgment and vengeance ; with him is plague and pestilence, storm and tempest, horror and anguish, indignation and wrath, that he may Ije feared. Against this hope we shut up the bosom of consolation, and the promise of safety by the merits of Christ ; and so far as we are charged, the very gates of everlasting life. There is a Hope, sober, faithful, weU-groimded, well- guarded, well-assured. This is like a house built on a rock. The rock is God's promised mercy ; the building, hope in Christ : it is (as it were) moated or intrenched about with 10 THE THREE DIVEfE SISTERS. his blood by the sweet testimony of God's Spirit to the con- science : known by the charity of the inhabitants ; for it keeps bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, enter- tainment for strangers. To this Hope we open the doors of the kingdom of heaven ; and so far as the commission of the keys leads us, we unlock the gates of eternal life, and allow entrance. We call this the blessed Hope. Charity is an excellent virtue, and therefore rare. If «rer in this contentious age, wherein fratrum quoque gratia rara est, the imfeigned love of brothers is strange. Woe is me ! before I am come to define what love is, I am fallen into a declamation against the want of it. "WTiat is here chiefly commended is chiefly condemned, as if we had no need of mutual succour, nor could spare a room in oiu: hearts to entertain Charity, lest we should expel our old loved guests, fraud, malice, and ambition. Love hath two proper objects, the one immediate and principal ; the other, mediate and limited. The proper and immediate object of our love is God. This is the great commandment. Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength. As if he would not leave out the least sinew or string of the heart, the least faculty or power of the soul, the least organ or action of the strength. So Bernard. " With all the heart," that is, afiectionately. " With all thy soul," that is, wisely. " With all thy strength," that is, constantly. Let the zeal of thy heart inflame thy love to God ; let the wisdom of thy soul guide it ; let the strength of thy might confirm it. All the affections of the heart, all the election of the soul, all the administration of the body. The soul judgeth, the will pro- secutes, the strength executes. God can brook no rivals ; no division betwixt him and Mammon, betwixt him and Melchora, betwixt him and Baal, betwixt him and BeUal. Causa diligendi Deum Deus est, modus sine modo : The cause and motive to love God, is God ; the manner is without measure. 3Iinus amat te, qui aliquid amat prater te, quod THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. 11 non amat propter te : He poorly loves God that loves any thing besides him, which he doth not love for him. The subordinate object of love is man, and his love is the effect of the former cause, and an actual demonstration of the other inward affection. AVaters coming from the sea boil through the veins of the earth till they become springs, and those springs rivers, and those rivers run back to the sea again. All man's love must be carried in the stream of God's love. Blessed is he that loves amicum in Domino, inimicum pro Domino ; his friend in the Lord, his enemy for the Lord. " Owe nothing to any man, but this, that ye love one another," Rom. xiii. 8. Other debts, once truly paid, are no more due ; but this debt, the more we pay it, the more we owe it ; and we stiU do acknowledge ourselves debtors to all, when we are clear with all ; proverbially, / owe him nothing hut love. The communication of this riches doth not impoverish the proprietary ; the more he spends of his stock, the more he hath. " There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth," Prov. ii. 24. But he that will hoard the treasure of his charity, shall grow poor, empty, and bankrupt. " There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth unto poverty." Love is the abridgment of the law, the new precept of the Gospel. Luther calls it the shortest and the longest divinity : short, for the form of words ; long, yea, everlasting, for the use and practice ; for Charity shall never cease. Thus for the first degree of comparison, positively. The second is comparative; where, though it be said virtues and great men must not be compared, yet we may without of- fence bring them to a holy conference ; else how shall we perceive the apostle's intended scope, the transcendency of Charity ? I will therefore first confer Faith with Hope, and then with them both, Charity. The distinction between Faith and Hope is nice ; and must warily be discovered. I will reduce the differences into three respects, of order, office, and object. For order; Paul gives Faith the precedency. " Faith is the ground of things hoped for," Heb. xi. Faith always goes 12 THE XnitEE DIVINE SISTERS. before, Hope follows alter ; and may in some sort be said to be the daughter of Faith. For it is as impossible for a man to hope for that yrhich he believes not, as for a painter to draw a picture in the air. Indeed, more is believed than is hoped for ; but nothing is hoped for which is not beUeved. So that on necessity, in respect of order, Faith must precede Hope. For office ; Faith is the Christian's logic : Hope his rheto- ric. Faith perceives what is to be done, Hope gives ala- crity to the doing it. Faith guides, adviseth, rectifieth ; Hope courageously encounters with all adversaries.* There- fore Faith is compared to a doctor in the schools, Hope to a captain in the wars. Faith discerns the truth, Hope fights against impatience, heaviness of spirit, infirmity, de- jectedness, desperation. Divines have alluded to the differ- ence between faith and hope in divinity, and to that between wisdom and valour in philosophy. Valoiu- without wisdom is rashness, %visdom without valour is cowardice. Faith without Hope is knowledge without valour to resist Satan ; Hope without Faith is rash presumption, and an indiscreet daring ; you see their different office. For object ; Faith's object is the absolute word, and infal- lible promise of God ; Hope's object is the thing promised. Fides intuetur vcrbum rei, Spes verb rem verbi : Faith looks to the word of the thing, Hope to the thing of the word. So that Faith hath for the object the truth of God ; Hope the goodness of God. Faith is of things both good and bad, Hope of good things only. A man believes there is a hell, as truly as he believes there is a heaven ; but he fears the one, and hopes only for the other. Faith hath for its ob- jects things past, present, future. Past, it believes Christ dead for our sins, and risen again for our justification. Present, that he now sits at the right hand of his Father in heaven. Future, that he shall come to judge quick and dead. Hope only respects and expects things to come. For a man can- not hope for that which he hath. You sec how in some • Alstcd System. Theolog. lib. 3. I.oc. 17. Aug. THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. 18 sense Hope excels Faith. For there is a faith in the devils ; they believe the truth of God, the certainty of the Scrip- tures ; they acknowledge Christ the Judge of quick and dead ; therefore cry, " Why tormentest thou us before the time ?" They have faith joined with a Popish preparatory good work, /ear; "the devils believe and tremble :" yea, they pray, they beseech Christ not to send them into the deeps ; what then want they ? Hope, a confident expecta- tion of the mercy of God ; this they can never have. They beb'eve ; they cannot hope. This is the life of Christians, and the want makes devils. If it were not for this hope, " we of all men were most miserable," 1 Cor. xv. 19. Charity differs from them both. These three divine graces are a created Trinity ; and have some glimmering re- semblance of the Trinity uncreate. For as there the Son b begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from them both ; so here, a true faith begets a constant hope, and from them proceeds Charity. " Thus is God's temple built in our hearts," said Augustine. The foundation where- of is Faith ; Hope the erection of the walls ; Charity the per- fection of the roof In the godly all these three are united together, and can- not be sundered. We believe in God's mercy, we hope for his mercy, and we love him for his mercy. Faith says, there are good things prepared : Hope says, they are pre- pared for me : Charity says, I endeavour to walk worthy of them. So that, what good Faith believes shall be, Hope expects for herself, and Charity aims at the way to get it, by keeping the commandments. Faith apprehends both re- ward and punishment : Hope only looks for good things for ourselves : Charity desires the glory of God, and the good of all our brethren. The second degree gives way to the third, last, best ; the superlative. " But the greatest of these is Charity." Time will not afford me to answer all the objections which subtle wits have ignorantly deduced from these words. Neither were it to our purpose, then, to write Iliads after Ho- mer, they have been so soundly and satisfyingly answered. 14 THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. I will only mention two, and but report a responsive so- lution. 1. The principal promises arc made to believers. " ^^^lo- soever believeth, and is baptieed, shall be saved." So no less a promise is made to lovers, " All things shall work to- gether for good to those that love God," &c. Rom. vili. 28. " God," saith the Psalmist, " is near to those that call upon him." He is close by all those that suffer for him : but he is within those that love him. Here is prope, intra, inttis. Tliis same intra, within, is of the highest degree. " God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him," 1 John iv. 16. O unspeakable felicity! 2. If charity be greater than fiiith, then is not man jus- tified by faith only. Inconsequent illation ! St Paul com- mends not love for the virtue of justification : it may fail in that particular action, yet receive no impeachment to the excellency of it. By demonstration. A prince doth excel a peasant : shall any man therefore infer, that he can plough better, or have more skill in tillage? A philosopher doth excel a mechanic, though he cannot grind so well as a miller, or Umn so cunningly as a painter. A man is better than a beast: who but a madman will therefore conclude, that he can run faster than a horse, draw more than an ox, or carry a greater burden than an elephant ? Though he fail in these particular acts, yet none will deny but he is better than a beast. The truth is, that in faith stands originally our fellowship with God. Into that hand he poureth the riches of his mercy for salvation ; and were the actions of charity never so great and (foolishly thought) meritorious, yet, if not the effects of a true saving faith, they are lost, and a man may for his charity go to the devil. And though they would plead from the form of the last judgment (lilatth. xxv.) that God accepts men to life for their deeds of charity, feeding, clothing, relieving ; yet the Scripture fully testifies, that God neither accepts these, nor ourselves for these, further than they are the effects of a true faith. Our persons being first justified by fiuth in Christ, then God will crown our works. THE TJIEEE DIVINE SISTERS. 15 Yet a Christian must work : for no nudifidiati, as well as no nullifidian, shall be admitted into heaven. " Therefore," saith the apostle, " faith worketh by love," Gal. v. 6. For faith is able to justify of itself, not to work of itself Tho- hand alone can receive an alms, but cannot cut a piece of wood without an axe or some instrument. Faith is the Christian's hand, and can without help receive God's given grace into the heart ; but to produce the fi-uits of obedience, and to work the actual duties required, it must have an in- strument ; add love to it, and it worketh by love. So that the one is our justification before God, and the other our testification before men. Theii" number is considerable ; these three, neither more nor less. Why not two ? as there be two parts in man, his understanding and will ; to direct these two, is sufficient to salvation. By Faith the understanding is kept safe ; by Charity, the will ; what needed then the mention of Hope ? Yes, Hope is the daughter of Faith, and the mother of Charity ; and as man hath an understanding to be informed, and a will to be rectified, so he hath a heart to be com- forted, which is the proper office of Hope. But why then speaks he of no more than three ? St Peter mentions eight together, 2 Pet. i. 6. And St Paul himself in another place, puts in nine. Gal. v. 22. Why are all these left out in this glorious catalogue ? Is it enough to have these three and no more ? Are the rest superfluous, and may well be spared ? Nothing so, but all those virtues are comprehended under these three. As to the trade of a stationer, some are required to print, some to correct, some to fold, others to bind, and others to garnish ; yet all belongs to one trade. There be many rays and but one sun ; there is heat and light in one fire. So all those graces may be reduced to these three principals, as we read 1 Thess. i. 3, the work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope ; temperance, patience, godliness, &c., are all servants to these three great princes, Faith, Hope, and Charity. 16 THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. Lastly, for the prclation. ^Yherein consisteth this high transcendency of Charity ? In six privileges. 1. For latitude, Love is the greatest. Faith and Hope are restrained within the limits of our particular persons. ' The just man lives by his own faith, and hopes good to him- self; but love is like the vine which God brought out of Egypt, and cast out the heathen to plant it, which covereth the mountains with the shadow of the boughs, and spreads the branches unto the sea and the rivers, Psal. Ixxx. 8. It is like the sun in the sky, that throws his comfortable beams upon all, and forbears not to warm even that earth that beareth weeds. Love extends to earth and heaven. In heaven it affecteth God the I\Iaker and mover : the angels as our guardians ; the triumphant saints, for their pious sanctit)'. On earth, it embraceth those that fear the Lord especially ; it wisheth conversion to those that do not ; it counsels the rich ; it comforts the poor ; it reverenceth superiors, respectcth inferiors ; doth good to friends, no evil to foes ; wisheth well to all. This is the latitude of Charity. Faith hath but narrow limits, but tlie extent of Love is universal, not bounded with the world. Faith believes for thyself, but Charity derives and drives the effects of thy faith to others. Thy faith relieves thyself, thy charity thy brother. 2. For perpetuity and continuance. Faith lays hold on God's gracious promise for everlasting salvation ; hope ex- pects this with patience ; but when God shall fulfil his word in us with joy, then faith shall be at an end ; hope at an end ; but love shall remain between God and us an ever- lasting bond. Therefore saith the apostle, now ahidetli faith, &c. Now: now three, then one, and that is Charity. AMien we have possession of those pleasures which we hoped and be- lieved, what longer use is there of Faith or Hope ? But our loves shall not end with our lives. We shall everlastinglj' love our Maker, Saviour, Sanctifier, angels, and saints ; where no discontent shall breed any ire in our hallelujahs. If the use of love be so comfortable on earth, what may we think it will be in heaven ? THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. 17 Thus saith Chrysostom. Only love is eternal. Now, Faith and Hope hold up the hands of Charity, as Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses ; but then their use and office shall cease. Tunc non erit apes, quando erit res : Hope shall not be, when the thing hoped is. Hope shaU bring in pos- session, possession shall thrust out Hope. Therefore, saith Augustine, is charity greater. Et si non propter eminentiam, ta- men propter permanentiam : If not for the excellency, yet for the perpetuity. Thus to justify a man. Faith is greater ; but in a man justified, Charity is greater. Let Faith alone with the great work of oui- salvation ; but that finished, it shall end, and so jield superiority to Love, which shall endure for ever. 3. For the honour and likeness it hath unto God. Faith and Hope make not a man like God, but Charity doth. He neither can be said to beUeve, nor to hope ; but we know he loves ; yea, he is love. 4. In respect of the titles, Charity excelleth. It is No- vum Mandatum, the New Commandment ; Faith was never called so. It is vinculum pe>-fectionis, the bond of perfec- tion. Faith is not so termed ; thy faith only ties thyself to God, but love binds up all in one bundle of peace. It is impletio legis, the fulfilhng of the law ; where hath Faith such a title ? St Ambrose, on the funeral of Theodosius, observes, that he died with these words in his mouth, Dilexi, Dilexi, which he conceived to be his answer to the angels asking Viim how he had behaved himself in his empire ; / have loved, I have loved; that was enough. 5. Charity is more noble ; for it is a better thing to give than to receive. Faith and Hope are all of the taking hand, but Charity gives. K Faith gives glory to God, yet this is but his own ; an acknowledgment of that to be his which is his. The property of faith is to receive into itself ; the pro- perty of love to lay out itself to others. 6. For manifestation ; Faith and Hope are things unseen, and may be dissembled ; but Charity cannot be without visible fruits ; therefore the only trial of faith and hope is by charity. B 18 THE rHREE Dn'INE SISTERS. Thus Charity is greatest, if not respectu originis, or for causality, yet for dignity. 1. More honourable, because like God. 2. More noble, because more beneficial to man. 3. More communicable, for Faith respects thyself. Charity all. 4. More durable, when Faith is swallowed up in vision. Hope in possession, then love remains. 5. For titles. 6. For manifestation. Thus you have commended to your souls these three sbters, Faith, Hope, and Charity. Faith we must have, or we are reprobates ; Hope, or wretches ; Charity, or not Christians. There is a promise made to Faith, that it shall have access to God, Heb. xi. 6. To -Hope, that it shall not be ashamed, Rom. v. 5. But to Charity, that it shall dwell in God, and have God dwelling in it, 1 John iv. 16. I should now tell you, that as these three fair sisters came down from heaven ; so in a cross contrariety, the deril sends up three foul fiends from hell. Against Faith, infidel- ity ; against Hope, desperation ; against Charity, malice. He that entertains the elder sister, Unbelief, I quake to speak his doom, yet I must ; " he is already condemned," John iii. 18. He that embraceth the second uglj' hag. Despair, bars up against himself the possibility of all comfort, be- cause he offends so precious a nature, the mercy of God, and tramples under his desperate feet that blood which is held out to his unaccepting hand. He that welcomes Malice, welcomes the devil himself ; he is called the envious, and loves extremely to lodge himself in an envious heart. These be fearful, prodigious sisters ; fly them and their embraces ; and remember, O ye whom Christ loves, the command- ment of your Saviour, " Love one another !" I will end with our apostle's exhortation to his Phihppians. If there he any consolation in Christ, and there is consolation in him when the whole world cannot afford it ; if any coi.i- fort of love, and he that knows not the comforts of love knows no difference betwixt man and beast ; if any fellow- ship of the Spirit, by whom we are all knit into one com- munion, and enriched with the same treasures of grace ; if any bowels and mercy ; if imcharitableness and avarice have THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS. 19 turned our entrails into stone and iron ; if we have not for- gotten the use and need of mercy ( fulfil my joy, that ye he likeminded, and have the same love, Phil, ii. 1, 2. Fulfil the apostle's joy only ? No, the joy of the Bride and Bridegroom of the church on earth, of the saints in heaven ; the joy of the blessed angels ; thejoy of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ; and last of all, the joy of your own hearts, that you " Love one another." Forget not that trite but true saying, They shall not want prosperity, Tliat keep Faith, Hope, and Charity. THE LEAVEN; OB, A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. Another parable spake he unto them ; The kingdom of heaven Is like nnto leaTen^ which a noman took, and bid In three measures of meal, till the whole wai lcavened.-a/«ii. xUl. 33. THE LEAVEN; A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. Another parable spake he unto them ; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leareni which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.— Jfait. liii. 33. The word of God is pure (or perfect), saith the Psalmist, " converting the soul," Psalm xix. 7 ; pure fonnally in it- self, pure effectively in pm-ifying others. " Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you," John XV. 3. There is life in it, being the voice of life itself. "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life," John vi. 68. As God, " who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son," Heb. i. 1 ; so also this Son (whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, when he took flesh and went about on earth doing good), taught the people after divers fashions and forms of speech, though in all of them he carried a state in his words, and taught with authority, imlike to the verbal sermons of the Scribes. " He was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people," Luke xxiv. 19. Sometimes he taught by explica- tion, sometimes by application ; sometimes propounding, at other 4,imes expounding his doctrine. Often by plain prin- ciples and affirmative conclusions ; not seldom by parables and dai-k sentences : in all seeking his Father's glory, his 24 TlIK LKAVEX ; OR, Church's salvation. la this chapter, plentifully by parables. Divines give many reasons why Christ used this parabolical form of speaking. 1. The fulfilment of Scriptures, which had so predicted of liim. " I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old," Psal. Ixxviii. 2. 2. That the mysteries of God's kingdom might not be re- vealed to the scornful. To such it shall be spoken in pa- rables, that " seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand," Luke viii. 10. They are riddles to the Cains, and paradoxes to the Judases of the world. But " if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost," 2 Cor. iv. 3. These come to church as truants to school, not caring how little learning they get for their money ; but only regarding to avoid the temporal punishment. But at the great correction-day, when the schoolmaster of heaven shall give them a strict examination, their reward must be abun- dantly painful. 3. That Christ might descend to the capacities of the most simple, who better understand a spiritual doctrine by the real subjection of something famiUar to their senses. As the poet says : Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures, Qiiam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus: Those things less affect the mind which are heard by the ear, than those which are exposed to faithful eyes. But the " testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple," Psal. xix. 7. lie said once to poor fishers, " To you it is given to know tlie mysteries of the kingdom of God," Luke \Tii. 10. He says, not the mysteries of the king, but the mysteries of his Itingdora. The former may not be known, the other may, must be known. And it is also observable, that his pai-ables were divers, when yet by those sundry shadows he did aim directly at one hght. He doth, as it were, draw the curtain of heaven, and describe the kin^om of God by many resemblances ; yea, and some of these iinum sonantia ; like so many instruments of music playing one tune. In that immediately preceding parable of the mustard-seed, and this subsequent of the leaven, lie A DIRECTION TO HEAVKX. 25 teacheth the same doctrine, the spreading; virtue of the Gos- pel. The intention of which course in our great Physician is to give several medicines for the same malady in several men, fitting his receipts to the disposition of his patients. The soldier doth not so well understand similitudes taken from husbandry, nor the husbandman from the war. The lawyer conceives not an allusion from ])hysic, nor the physi- cian from the law. Furniscs dumcstica nee nurimt, nec curant : ncqne forensia domesticam ayentes vitam. (Ilome-dwellers are ignorant of foreign matters ; neither doth the quiet rural labourer trouble his head with matters of state.) Therefore Christ derives a parable from an army, to teach soldiers ; from legal principles, to instruct lawj ers ; from the field and sowing, to speak familiarly to the husbandman's capacity. As that parable of the seed, the first in this chapter, may be fitly termed the ploughman's gospel ; as Ferus saith, that, when he ploughs his ground, he may have a sermon ever before him. Every furrow being a line, and every grain of com a lesson, bi-inging forth fruit. So Paul borrows a com- parison from wrestUng, and from running in a race ; and our Saviour from a domestical business (muliebriimi officiurn), from leaven, " which a woman took," &c. We may reduce the parable to three general heads, Quid, ad Quid, in Quo. (1. What is compared; 2. To what; 3. In what.) Two natures are accorded in quodam tertio: two subjects shake hands by a reconciling similitude. (1.) The matter compared is the kingdom of heaven ; (2.) The matter to which it is compared is leaven ; (3.) Now the concun-ence of these lies in the sequel, " which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." Wherein are remarkable, the agent, the action, the subject, the continuance. 1. The agent is a woman ; 2. The action is double, taking and hiding, or putting m the leaven; 3. The subject is meal, or flour; 4. The conti- nuance, donee fermentetur totum (until the whole mass be lea- vened.) This is the in Quo, the manner of the concurrence. The general points then are, what, whereto, wherein. We are. according to this method, to begin with the ^Vfiat. — The subject compared is the kingdom of heaven. 26 THE LEAVEN ; OR, This hath a diverse sense and apprehension in the Scriptures. Specially it is taken three ways : 1. For the kingdom of heaven in heaven, which the godly shall possess hereafter. The scope or main mark we level at. That high pjTamid which the top of Jacob's ladder reached to, and leaneth on. That which St Peter calls " the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls," 1 Pet. i. 9. Whereof David sings, "In thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore," Psal. xvi. 11. Which no virtue of mortal eye, ear, or heart can comprehend. " The)' shall come from east, from west, from north, and south, and shall sit down in the king- dom of God," Luke xiii. 29. Unto which our king that owns it, and Saviour that bought it for us, shall one day in- vite us, if he find us marked for his sheep. " Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," Matt. xxv. 34. Dear Jesus, bring us to this kingdom. 2. For that which qualifies and prepares us to the for- mer, grace and holiness. For into that " shall enter no unclean thing, nor whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life," Rev. xxi. 27. No flesh that is putrified, except it be first purified, shall be glorified. No man goes to heaven as by a leap, but by climbmg. Now this sanctity is called the kingdom of heaven, 1 . Because the life it lives is heavenly. Though we are on earth, our conversation is in heaven, Phil. iii. 20 ; 2. Because the joy of the Holy Ghost, and peace of conscience, which is heaven upon earth, is in- separable from it. " The kingdom of heaven consists not in meats and drinks, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," Rom. xiv. 17. 3. For that whereby we are prepared for both the for- mer : this is the kingdom of heaven here meant ; and to de- clare it in a word, it is the preaching of the gospel. This, by the powerful co-operation of God's Spirit, begets grace in this life, and grace in this life shall be crowned with glory in the life to come. The word of God (which is called the testimony, Isa. viii. 20, because it bears witness to itself), A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. 27 examined and coispared in like places, calls the preachbg of the gospel, the kingdom of heaven, Luke x. 11. " The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing fruits thereof," Matt. xxi. 43. The chil- dren of God live in this first kingdom ; the second lives in them ; the thii-d, -which is above, doth perfect both the for- mer. In this kingdom we might observe, 1. Who is king? 2. Who are subjects ? 3. What are the laws -whereby the one governs, the others are governed. 1. God is king in two respects : Potentially, in regard of his Majesty ; presentially, in regard of his mercy. Poten- tially he is king over all the world, governing all things, actions, events, at the ends of the earth, in hell, in the court of conscience. God is king, be the earth never so unquiet, saith the Psalmist. He can still the raging of the sea, the roaring of the waves, and the madness of the people. Thus he reigns over Satan, and all his factors on earth, execu- tioners in hell. lie cannot touch a swine without his hcensc, nor cross a sea without his passport. lie hath a hook for Senacherib, a bridle for the horses and mules, a chain for that great le-viatlian, a tether for the devil. The Lamb of God leads that great roaring lion in a chain : and with the least twitch of his finger, gives him a non ultra (no fur- ther.) All powers are inferior to, and derived from this power ; to which they have recourse again, as rivers run to the ocean, whence they were deduced. Let all po- tentates " cast do-wn their crowns before his feet with the twenty-four elders," Rev. iv. 10. All powers are sub- ject to that power which is infinite. Dominion riseth by degrees : there be great, saith Solomon, and yet greater than they ; and yet again higher than they aU (Eccles V. 8.) Begin at home : In man there is a kingdom The mind hath a sovereignty over the body. Restrain It to the soul, and in the soul's kingdom. Reason hath a dominion over the afiections. This kingdom is within man. Look without him ; behold, God hath given him a kingdom over reasonless creatures. Yet among them- selves, God hath set man over man ; the householder is a petty king in his family, the magistrate over the commu- 28 THE LEAVEN ; OR, nity, the king over all. The heavenly bodies have yet a power over us ; God is king over them, and all. God is then only and solely king. But he reigns in this place rather presentially by his grace ; where his sceptre is a sceptre of righteousness, and his throne man's heart. For that is so excellent a place, that it is evermore taken up for a throne, either by God or Satan. To the godly then is this great king most propense ; though others also taste the sweets of his bounty. As the earthly prince governs, and providently sustams all the people of his dominions ; but those that stand in his court, and feast at his table, more especially partake of his royal favours. God at his own cost maintains all the world, and hath done almost these 6000 years ; but he loveth Jerusa- lem above all cities, and the gates of Zion above all the dwellings of Jacob. All Joseph's brethren shall be feasted at bis charges, but Benjamin's mess shall five times exceedthe rest. There may be one favour left for Esau, but Jacob goes away vrith the blessing. God is still good to all Israel ; let him be best to them that are of a pure heart, Psal. Ixxiii. 1. 2. The subjects in this kingdom are the godly; not such as give a passive and involuntary obedience, doing God's will (as the devil doth) contra scientiam, contra cm>- scientiam (against knowledge and conscience), of whom more properly we may say, Proposita (lei Jiunt potiiis de illis quam ab illis: (The purposes of God are rather executed in them than by them.) These, though they work the secret decrees oi the great king, are not of this king- dom. Only they that give to him the sacrifice of a free- AviU offering, that willingly and sincerely subscribe and as- sent obedience to his behests. "\Miose lives, as well as lips, pray that article. Thy icill he done. They are in- deed subjects to this king, that are themselves kings ; Christ hath made us kings and priests, Kev. i. 6. Every king on earth is as it were a little god, John x. 34. Only our God is the great king, able to bind kings in chai/is, and nobles with fetters of iron, Psal. cxlix. 8. In respect both of his power reigning over all, and of his mercy over his chosen, he may ell be called King of kings ; the great king over both tern- A DinECTION TO HEAVEN. 29 poral and spiritual kings : lie is the ffing of king* For all his faithful children are mystically and spiritually made, and called kings in Christ, and the Lord is king of all. 3. The laws whereby this kingdom is governed are the statute laws of heaven, Psal. cxlvii. 19, wi-itten of the Holy Ghost by prophets and apostles, sealed by the blood of God's Son ; a light to our darkness, a rule for our actions. Upon this ground thus laid, I build a double structure or instruction. 1. Christ hath a kingdom also in this world ; not of this world ; himself denies it to Pilate, John xviii. 36. He would none of their hasty coronation with carnal hands. Yet he was and is a spii-itual king. So was it prophesied, Dan. vii. 14 ; Micah iv. 7. So the angel told Mary, Luke i. 32, 33, " He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." So Pilate wi-ote his inscription, though in the narrowest limits, Jesus of Na- zareth, king of the Jews. To expect or respect the Messias for a temporal prince, was the Jews' perpetual dottage, the apostles' transient error. Matt. xx. 21 ; Acts i. G, "Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to IsraelV" But Christ is a king after a spiritual manner on earth ; restraining the violence of the wolves and goats like a good shepherd ; not sulTering them to annoy and infest the lambs at their pleasure, or rather displeasure ; ruling his chosen, overruling the reprobates, as the great master over the whole family of this world. His throne is at the right hand of his Father in heaven ; but his dominion is throughout all ages, and extends to the ends of the earth. AVe should not pass this without some useful application. 1 . If there be a kingdom of heaven here to be had, why do we not seek it ? Tlie charge is not less for our good than God's glory, which Christ gives ; " First seek the king- dom of heaven, and the righteousness thereof, and then all these things shall be added unto you," Matt. vi. 33. Seek it in faith, with prayers, with tears, with reformation. Seek it first ; let no worldly thing stand in your thoughts worthy of prefer- ment to it. Seek it with disregard and an holy contempt ol other things : for this once come, they shall be cast upon you. 30 THE LEAVEN : OR, 2. Since Christ hath a kingdom here, let us rejoice. " The Lord reigneth, let the e.orth rejoice : let the multi- tude of isles be glad thereof," Psal. xcvii. 1 . And among those lands, let the joy of England be none of the least. What was foretold by Zeehariah (ix. 9), is fulfilled by our Saviour, Matt. xxi. 5. " Rejoice, shout out for joy, for thy King cometh." Let his exaltation be thy exultation. If he were impotent and could not help, impro-ident and would not, we were never the better for our King. But his power is immense, his mercy infinite : He that keepeth Israel, doth neither slumber nor sleep, Ps. cxxi. 4. 3. This is terror to the wicked ; they serve a king, but he is not an absolute king ; his head is under Christ's girdle, nay, under his feet, Matt. iv. There is in Satan, nec voluntas, nee validitas (neither might nor mind), to succour his subjects, his abjects. Prodigal Lucifer (the father of prodigious Machiavels, that are bountiful with what is none of their own, dealing states and kingdoms, like the pope, as God's legacies, when God never made him executor) makes Christ a bountiful offer of kingdoms. Poor beggar, he had none of his own, not so much as a hole out of hell ; whereas Christ was Lord of all. Disproportionable proffer ! he would give the king of heaven a kingdom of earth ; the glory of this lower world to him that is the glory of the higher world, and requires for price to have him worship an angel of darkness, who is worshipped of the angels of light. Tremble ye wicked ! you serve an ill master, are subjects to a cursed king. AVell were it for you if j-ou might escape his wages ; well for himself if he might escape his own. Both he and his subjects shall perish. " The prince of this world is already judged," John x^^. 11. 4. Since there be two spiritual kingdoms on earth, and we must Uve under one of them, let us wisely choose the easiest, the securest, the. happiest. For ease. Satan's ser- wces are unmerciful drudgerj- ; no pains must be refused to get hell. " Chi-ist's yoke is easy, his burden is hght." For security, we say in terrene differences, it is safest tak- ing the stronger side. Why then should we forsake the A DIRECTION TO HEAVEX. 31 Strongest man, who commands the -world, and revolt to the tents of Belial, the son of vanity? For happiness, Christ's kingdom is the far more blessed : for countenance, for continuance in the heart, solacing sunshine of his mercy, and the unclouded eternity of it. 2. Our second inference is this. Such is the excellency of the gospel, that it is dignified by the title of a kingdom, and that of heaven. Earthly things cannot boast this pri- %'ilege to have that ascribed to the means which belongs to the end. Bread is not health, but the sustenance of it. Reading is not learning, but the way to get it. In divine graces the way is often honoured with the title of the end. Faith is called life ; grace, salvation ; the gospel, the kiiig- dom. Such is the infallibility of God's decrees, and the in- separable effects that follow his heavenly intentions ; that the means shall easily perform the office they were sent to do. The preaching of the gospel shall save those whom God hath determined to save by it, and shall as assuredly bring them to the kingdom of heaven as if itself were that king- dom. Here then is matter, 1st, Of instruction : that God hath so decreed it that ■we must ordinarily pass through one kingdom into another, into a greater. From the gospel of life we shall go to the God of life. From the preaching of the word to that the word hath preached — the " end of our faith, the salvation of our souls." For we climb to heaven by Paul's stairs, Rom. X. 9, 10, (and without that manner of ascending few come thither) ; from preaching to believing, from believ- ing to obeying ; and obeying precedes our eternal hfe. Such a man shall only hear that comfortable address ; " Good and faithful servant, enter into thy master's joy." 2d, Of comfort : that seeing we have the gospel, we have the kingdom of heaven amongst us. They see not this marvellous hght that live in their own natural dark- ness ; no, nor do all see this kingdom that live in it, but they alone in whom this kingdom lives. " Our gospel is hid to those that are lost," 2 Cor. iv. 3. It is an offence to the Gentiles, contempt of the Jews, riddles to the Athe- 32 THK LEAVES ; OK, nian stoics, a paradox to Julian, Acts xvii. 18. ; but to " them that are called, both Jews' and Greeks, the power of God, and the -wisdom of God," 1 Cor. i. 24. Open your scornful eyes, lift up your neglected heads, ye abortive ge- neration of lust and sin, the sun shines in your faces. .Sha- dow not your eyes with carnal security ; remove those thick clouds of ignorance and contempt interjiosed betwixt you and this light. See, see, and glorify our God ; the king- dom of heaven is among you. Come out of your holes, ye Roman dormice ; pray for spiritual unction, ye sotted worldlings, that the scales of ignorance may fall from you. Waken your heavy spirits, ye mopish naturals ; live no longer in the region of darkness and t}Tanny of sin, and bless his name that hath called you to his kingdom. You need not travel a tedious pilgrimage, leaning on the staff of a carnal devotion, as the papists are forced, nor trudge from east to west to seek this kingdom, as the Jews were me- naced, nor cry it is too far to go to Jerusalem, and there- fore fall to worship your calves, } Our little gods at home, as Jeroboam pretended. But to take away all excuse, and leave your obstinacy naked to the judgment-seat of God, behold you need but step over your thresholds, and gatlier manna ; the kingdom of heaven is among you. 3d, Of reproof: cease your despising of the gospel, ye profane witlings, whose sport is to make yourselves merry with God. You cannot stick the least spot of contempt on the cheek of preaching but it lights on heaven itself, where you will one day desire to be. AVhile you would shoot arrows against the invulnerable breast of God, they shall recoil with vengeance on your own heads. You little think that your scurrilous jests on the word, and the messengers thereof, strike at the side of Christ with the offer of new wounds. You dream not that }-ou flout the kingdom of hearen itself, which, when }ou have lost, you will pi-ize dearer than the West Indies doth her gold or the East her spices. If you knew what this kingdom was, you would weigh out your blood by ounces, like gold in the balance, till your heai-ts had not a drop left to cherish them for the A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. 33 purchase of it. Behold, you may have it for less. Why do you despise it ? Perhaps you make full account of this kingdom, though you allow yourselves in your vanities. What, will you scorn it, and yet be glad of it ? How un- equal are these thoughts ! How impossible these hopes ! God will not give his pearls to swine ; shall they inherit the kingdom of heaven that despise it? This is the what; now follows the To What. The thing whereby this mystical nature is shadowed out to us is leaven. In tliis we must confine ourselves to the scope of the parable ; and as we would not look short, so we will not look beyond. Sobriety must guide our course in everj- sermon ; then especially, when our navigation Ues through the depth of a parable. We find leaven elsewhere used in the worst sense, (^latt. xvi. 6 ; 1 Cor. v. 6— 8."* And before we step any further, this point presents itsell to our observation. The same things are often taken in diflTerent senses; sometimes oblique, not seldom opposite. Christ in another place premonisheth his apostles against the leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians ; the leaven of hypo- crisy, of irreligion, of savage policies. And the chosen ves- sel bids us, " purge out the old leaven," &c., 1 Cor. v. 7. Here it is used as graciously as there grievously ; and no meaner thing is likened to it than the kingdom of heaver.. But I refer this note to a place where I have more liberally handled it. The intent, force, and vigour of the parable consists in the propagation. As leaven spreads into the whole liunp, so the gospel regenerates the whole man. This is the pith and marrow of it ; yet what other resemblances serve to the illustration of it, are considerable. Therefore two re- mote and improper observations in the leaven shall lead us to the main, which is the dilation of that and the gospel. 1. Leaven hath a quality somewhat contrary to the meal, yet serves to make it fit for bread. The gospel is sour and harsh to the natural soul, yet works it to newness of life It runs against the grain of our affections, and we think it troubles the peace of our Israel within us. Our sins are as c 34 THE LEAVEN ; on, dear to us as our ej-e, hand, or foot (Matt. v. 29.), neces- sary and ill spared members. The gospel that would divorce our loves so wedded to our iniquities seems dnrus sermo, a hard sa}-iiig, who can bear it ? It is leaven to Herod to part with his Herodias ; to Naaman to be bound from bow- ing before Rimmon. Christ gives the young man a sour morsel when he bids him give his goods to the poor. Yet choke the usurer with leaven when you tell him that his sins shall not be forgiven till his unjust gains be restored. You may as well prescribe the epicure leaven instead of bread, as set him the voider of abstinence instead of his table of surfeits. This is leaven indeed, to tell the incloser that he enters commons with the devil, while he hinders the poor to enter common with him ; or to tell the sacrilegious that Satan hath just possession of his soul, while he keeps unjust possession of the church's goods. When this leaven is held to carnal lips it -will not go down, no, the verj' smell of it offends. The combat of faith, the task of repentance, the mercifulness of charity, this same rule of three is hard to learn. To deny a man's self, to cashier his fanuliar lusts, to lay down whole bags of crosses, and to take up one, the cross of Christ ; to forsake our money, and assume poverty, persecution, contempt for the gospel. Oh sour, sour leaven, leaven ! No such thing shall come into the vessel of our heart, among the meal of our affections ; we cannot brook it. But this must come and be made welcome, or we shall not be made bread for God's table. It is said of the leaven that it excites the lump by its agreeable acidity. It is aci- dity, but agreeable, when the soul is once sensible of the virtue. God is fain to wrestle with our corruptions, and, like a loving father, to follow us up and down with his leaven ; we tiu-n our backs upon him, and bid him keep his leaven to himself, as Daniel to Belshazzar ; keep thy rewards to thyscif, and give thy gifts to another, Dan. v. 17. But when we are once weary of the world's husks, and begin to long for the bread in our Father'' s house, Luke xv. 17 ; do but taste and digest this leaven, then that that was fel in ore (gall in the mouth)^ proves viel in corde (honey in the heart), we return A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. 35 again, and follow him for it. " Lord, evermore give us this bread," John vi. 34 ; feed us with this leaven, that we may be bread for thine own table. The law was not so harsh in mortifying our sins, but the gospel is found more sweet m saving our souls. 2. One saith of the leaven, that it raiseth the lump with the heat, as the housewife's philosophy gives the cause. The meal is cold of itself, and unapt to congeal. The leaven by heat doth it. In the gospel preached, there is a spreading heat. It is not only fire in Jeremiah's bones, but in the disciples' ears and hearts, " Did not our hearts bum within us," Luke xxiv. 32. " Is not my word as fire? saith the Lord," Jer. xxiii. 29. In the minister's soul it is hke fire shut up in the bones, which must have vent, or it will make him weary of forbearing, and ring a woe in his conscience if he preach not the gospel. It hath no less powerful fer- vour in the Christian heart, and inkindles the kindly heat of zeal, which no floods of temptation can quench, or blasts of persecution blow out. This it is that thaws the fi-ozen conscience, warms the benumbed spirit, and heats the cold heart. Men are naturally cold at heart, and sin runs like a chill ague through the general blood. The covetous proud hypocrite hath a cold stomach, that for want of digestive heat turns all good nourishment into crudities. Summon them to just trial, feel their pulses, and they beat coldly. If the minister entreat a collection for some distressed Chris- tian, there is a cramp in our fingers ; we cannot untie our purse-strings. It is a manifest sign that we are not leavened. So long as the meal of our effects continues thus cold, we are incapable of being bread. The word puts fervour into our hearts, and leavens us. The spaaial instance of this resemblance is, that the leaven spreads virtue into all the meal. The gospel disperseth sal- vation into the whole man. The Word of God is powerful to our renovation, speeding and spreading grace into all parts of us. It works us to perfection, though not that gradual perfection (as the school termeth it) which is above, yet to that partial perfection which Paul prays for his 36 Till! LEAVEK ; OF, Thessalonians, " The God of peace sanctify } 0u wjiolly," 1 Thes. V. 23, and assumes to be in his Philippians. " Let as many of us as be perfect, be thus minded," Pliil. iii. 15. For though justification admits no latitude, yet .sanctification is wrought by degrees. And a Cliristian goes forward into grace as into those waters of the sanctuary ; first to the ankles, then to the knees, and so higher till all be washed, as the leaven spreads till all be leavened. This doctrine will more clearly manifest itself in the subsequent observations. Only let us not leave it without a double use. 1 . Suffer yourselves to be leavened ; give entertaiimient to the gospel in your hearts. Though it be a more blessetl thing to give than to take, yet it is a less chargeable thing to take than to give. It is God's bounty to give his word ; do not you in a nice suUenness refuse it. " Let the word dwell in you richly," Col. iii. 16. Do not pinch this leaven for room, nor thrust it into a narrow comer in your con- science, whilst you give specious receipt to lust, and sin, and such lewd inmates. But let it soak into your veins, and dilate itself into your affections, that it may breed good blood in your hearts, good fruit in your conversations. 2. So judge of yourselves as you find this leaven spreading in you. If }ou should hear e^cry day a sermon, or could read every hour a volume, } et while your lives are barren, you are but unleavened bread ; so unsavoury, that God will not admit it at his board. lie hath an -unleavened hand, that is not charitable ; an unleavened knee, that is not humble ; an unleavened tongue, that blasphemes ; an un- leavened eye, that maliceth ; an unleavened heart, that se- curely offendcth. The outward working shews the inward leavening, and the diffusion is an argument of the being. It cannot be pent up no more than fire. It is no le.ss ojje- rative than it is blessed. You have heard the ii hat, and to jchat ; the in what, huic, or the concuiTcnce of these follow in many particulars. Here is tlie acrent, the action, the subject, the continuance. The agent is a woman , by whom is shadowed the minister. And here are observable three things. A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. 37 1. The agent that must work with this leaven is a woman, weak in her sex, yet the leaven works never the less for her imbccihty. The minister that must put this leaven to our souls is a man, a weak, sinful, despised man ; yet doth not his weakness derogate from the powerful operation of the Word in the hearts of God's chosen. It is the word of a mighty and majestical God ; who speaks, and the mountains tremble ; threatens, and the foundations of the earth are mov- ed I appeal to your consciences, who have a testimony (from them, and they from the Spirit, that you are God's), hath not his word, spoken by a silly man, made your hearts bleed within you for your sins ? Yea, hath not Felix himself trembled like an aspen leaf when Paul, even his prisoner, preached ? What power hath stirred you, human or divine ? Tertullus could not do it, while authority and credit with men seconded his eloquence. Peter taken from his nets shall catch a thousand, and a thousand souls at a draught. What presumptuous folly in some is it then to loathe the Word of eternal truth because such a man speaks it ? God must not only give them meat, but such a cook as may dress it to their own fancies. Our weakness makes way for God's brighter glory. " That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God," 1 Cor. ii. 5. Oftentimes the pillars of the church move not him whom a weak leavener hath converted. It is a reason convincing the wicked, confirming the faithful, that Paul gives, " God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; and the weak things to confound the mighty, that no flesh should glorj' in his presence," 1 Cor. i. 27, &c. 2. The leaven doth this without the woman's virtue, not without her instrumental help ; but the woman in no re- spect without the leaven. The minister cannot leaven his own heart, much less the souls of others. The Word doth it ; the minister is but the instrument to apply it. The physician heals not the sore, but the medicine. The hand feeds not the body, but the meat it reacheth to it. Neither in dis- tinct terms doth faith save, but only apprehend the Lord Jesus, in whom is assured salvation. Indeed, so doth God 38 THE LEAVEN ; OB, dijfnify our ministerial function, that the priest is said to make the heart clean, and Timothy to save souls, by attri- bution of that to the instrument which is -wrought by the agent, the happy concurrence of the Spirit and the Gospel, Acts. iii. 12, 16. 3. A woman is the fittest for this domestic business. Tlie minister being a man, is aptest in God s choice for this spi- ritual leavening. Sdould God speak iu his own person, his glory would swallow us up. " For our God is even a con- suming fire," Heb. xii. 29. Who hath seen God and lives? Ask mount Sinai, if as stout-hearted men as we can be, did not run away, tremble for fear, and entreat that Moses might speak to them from God, not God himself If angels should preach to us, their brightness would amaze us, and m derogation to his glorj' (to whom alone it belongs, and he trill not give it to another), we would fall down to worship them, ready to give them the honour of all good wrought on us. The Word should not be said to save, but the angels. If one should rise from the dead, as Dives (having learned some charity in hell that had none on earth) wished, it would terrify us. Lo, then, by men of our own flesh, of the same animation with ourselves, doth Jehovah speak to us, that the prabe might be (not man's, but) God's. The agent thus considered, let us look to the action. This is double. Taking the leaven, putting it into the meal. 1 . The woman took the leaven : she hath it ready before she useth it. We must firet have the gospel before we can leaven your souls with it. We must not be vaporous and imaginative enthusiasts, to trust all on the belief of its being given at the proper time ; but with much study and pain- fulness get this leaven, and apply it. AVhat betters it to have a physician, that hath no medicine ; or a medicine, without skill to apply it? Men think sermons as easy as they are common. You that never prepare yourselves to hear, think so of us, that we never prepare ourselves to preach. If this cheap conceit of preaching did not trans- port many, they would never covet to hear more in a day than they will learn in a year, or practice all their lives. A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. 39 Alas, how shall we take this leaven ? The skill of mingling It is fetched from the schools of the prophets ; from medi- tation, from books. But in these days, disqiiietness .lilows no meditation ; penury, no books. You deprive us of our means, yet expect our leavens : as Pharaoh required of the Israelites their number of bricks, but allowed them no straw. 2. We must (with the woman) hide our leaven in the meal : — apply it to your consciences. AVe must preach in pain of death. AVc are salt, and must melt away ourselves to season you. "W'e are nurses, and must feed our children with the white blood of our labours, strained from our own hearts. And you must be content to let this leaven be hiVden in your consciences. The word must not be laid on superficially, with ii perfunctory negligence, like loose corn on the floor of the heart. The seed that lay scattered on the highway ; the fowls of the air picked up, and prevented the fructifying. Matt. xiii. 4. This leaven must be hid from the eyes, and laid up out of the reach of Satan, lest his temp- tations, like ravenous vultures, devour it up. Mary hid the sayings of Christ in her heart. Thy law, O Lord, saith David, is within my heart. If this leaven have not taken the conscience, all outward reformation is but Jehoiakim's rotten wall, painted over with vermilion. What cares a good market-miin how fiiir the fleece or the flesh look, if the liver be specked ? It is the praise of Christ's spouse, that she is all glorious within. This leaven must be hid in the meal. Which is the third point, the subject, Three measures of meal. Observe, 1. Three measures. We have no time to discuss the literal, and numerous glosses hence inferred, and by some enforced. Either what the measure is ; translated by some a peck ; for this read the marginal note in the new transla- tion. Or what are those three f by which some understand the three parts of the world, Europe, Asia, Africa ; some the whole man. which they will have to consist of the body, soul, and conscience. Others refer it to the soul, wherein they find the understanding, will, and affections. The un- 40 THE LEAVEN ; OB, derstanding enlightened, the will reformed, the affections sanctified. But I rather take it sjjoken, not with special reference to this particular number, but a finite number put for an indefinite. The gospel, by the power of the Spirit, doth sanctify the whole man, and gets conquest over sin and Satan. Therefore, not to stretch the words of Christ fur- ther than he meant them, but to keep the bounds of so- briety, laying our hand on our lips, and where we under- stand not, to be silent, let our instruction be this. The gospel is of such force, that it can leaven us throughout ; whatever we are, more or less we shall be made clean by the Word. " Now are ye clean through the Word I have spoken unto you," John xv. 3. Thus God's httle beginnings have great effects. Hoc discrimen inter opera Dei et mundi: (This is the difference between the works of God and the world.) The works of the world have a great and sweUing entrance, but mah fine clauduntur, they go lame off. But the works of God, fi-om a slender beginning, have a glorious issue. So unequal are his ways and ours ; a little mustard seed proves a great tree : a little leaven (saith Paul, though in another sense) sours the whole lump. How proudly the world begins, how it halts in the conclusion. The Tower of Babel is begun, as if it scorned earth, and dared heaven : how quickly, how easily is all dashed ! Behold Nebuchadnezzar entering on the stage, with who is God ! but he goes off to feed with beasts. So dissolute is. our pride at the breaking out, so desolate at the shutting up. God, from a low and slender ground (at least in our opinion), raiseth up moun- tains of wonders to us, of praises to himself J oseph from the prison shall be taken up into the second chariot of P'gypt. Drowning Moses shall come to countermand a monarch. David shall be fetched from the sheep-folds to the throne. The world begins with great promises ; but could it give as much as ever the prince of it proffered to Christ, it cannot keep thy bones from the ague, thy flesh from worms, nor thy soul from hell. Behold, a Uttle leaven shall sanctify thee throughout ; the folly of preaching shall save thy soul, and raise thy body to eternal glorj-. A DIRECTION TO HEAVEN. 41 2. This leaven must be put in flour or meal. There must be a fit matter to work on. It must not be mixed -with ashes, or sand, or bran, but meal. It doth no good on the reprobate Jews, but broken-hearted Gentiles. Not on atheists and mockers, but on repentant souls, groaning beneath the burden of their sins. Hence so many come to this place of leavening, and return unleavened ; their hearts are not pre- pared, how should they be repaired ? They are sand or dust, not meal or flour. There must be a congruity or pliableness of the subject to the worker. Christ doth not gather wolves and goats into his fold, but sheep. He doth not plant weeds and thorns in his garden, but lilies, roses, and pomegranates. The dogs and swine are excluded the gates of heaven ; only the lambs enter to that holy Lamb of God. Ashes and rubbish cannot be conglutinate by leaven, but meal. While you bring other substances, look you to be leavened ? You may put leaven to stones and rocks long enough ere you make them bread. When you bring so unfit natures with you, complain not that you are not leavened. 3. The third observation hence serves to take awav an objection raised against the former conclusion. You say Christ will not accept of goats into his fold, nor thorns into his vineyard ; nor can leaven work eflectually upon incapable natures, as sand, stones, or ashes ; but wherefore serves the word but to turn goats into sheep, and wild olives into vines, and refi-actory servants into obedient sons ? The gos- pel intends the expunction of the old image, and a new creation of us in Christ Jesus. True, it doth so ; but still there must be in you a co-working answerableness to the gospel. Whiles you obstinately will continue dust and stones, look you to be leavened ? First grind your hearts with a true repentance for your sins ; or because you cannot do it of yourselves, beseech God to break your stony bowels with his Spirit, and to grind you with remorse and sorrow. Of com is made bread ; but not till first it be turned to meal. ITie unbeaten com will make no paste or dough. Though there be matter in us — for we are reasonable crea- 42 THK LEAVEN ; OR A DmECTION TO HEAVEN. tures — j-et God must turn our com into meal, prepare our hearts with fit qualities to receive his grace. True it is, that God doth often work this preparation also by preach- ing ; as our sermons have two subjects, the law and the gospel. By the law we must be ground to meal, before the gospel can leaven us. Christ here speaks of sanctifica- tion, the effect of the gospel. For the law admits of no repentance ; because we cannot satisfy for the evils we have already committed. Thus we are com men ; but must be ground to meal before fit to be leavened. There is matter in the rock to build a house of, but not form, tUl it be heivn and squared. Thus God by his grace must prepare us to receive his grace, and by first making us meal, to leaven us. Away then with that popish doctrine of self- preparation by congruity ; God works first, in order of place, if not of time. We weakly meet him, when his secret oper- ation has once called us. AVe are men, there is in us rea- son, will, capableness, which are not in a block, in a beast. Yet hitherto we are but com. Our God must grind us to meal by his law, and then leaven us by his gospel. This is the subject. The continuance is, till the whole be leavened. We must preach, and you must hear the gospel perpetually, till you be wholly leavened. Which be- cause you cannot fully attain in this world, therefore you frequent the place of leavening till death. Peter doth warn the pure minds of the saints (2 Pet. iii. 1) : and Paul preachetb the law, even to those that know the law (Rom. vii. 1.) You canuot be perfect, yet labour to perfection. Sit not down with that pharisaical opinion — we are leavened enough. The more you know, the more you know your own wants. " Now the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God, that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen," 1 Thess. v. 23. A CRUCIFIX, A SERMON UPON THE PASSION. ' He halh glren himself for ns. an offcrlnir nnd a sacriflcc to God for a sweet •mell. A CRUCIFIX; A SEEMON UPON THE PASSION. " Me hath given himself for uSianolTerlncandaiactlfice toGod for a tveet smell- ing savour."— JfpAei. t. 2. This latter part of the verse is a fair and lively crucifix, cut by the hand of a most exquisite carver, — not to amaze our corporal lights with a piece of wood, brass, or stone, curi- ously engraven, to the increase of a carnal devotion, but to present to the eye of the conscience the grievous passion, and gracious compassion of our Saviour Jesus Christ, " Who gave himself for us," &c. This crucifix presents to our eye seven considerable 'Who, Christ. What, Gave. Whom, Himself. Circumstances ; ^ To whom. To God. For whom. For us. After what manner. An offering and sacrifice. Of what effect. Of a sweet savour. The points, you see, lie as ready for our discourse as the way did fi-om Bethany to Jerusalem ; only fail not my 46 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, speech, nor your attention, till we come to the journey's end. Who. — The person that gives is Christ ; the quality of his person doth highly commend his exceeding love to us. We will ascend to this consideration by four stairs or de- grees, and descend by four other. Both in going up and coming down we shall perceive the admirable love of the giver. Ascendant!} — 1. We will consider him hominem, a man. " Behold the man," John xix. 5, saith Pilate. We may tarry and wonder at his lowest degree, that a man should give himself for man. " For scarcely for a righteous man will one die," Rom. V. 7. But this man gave himself for unrighteous men, to die, not an ordinar}-, but a grievous death, exposing himself to the wrath of God, to the tjTanny of men and devils. It would pity our hearts to see a poor dumb beast so terrified j how much more hominem, a man, the image of God! 2. The second degree gives him hominem innocentem, an innocent man. Pilate could say, " I have found no fault in this man," Luke xxili. 14; no, nor yet Herod. No, nor the devil, who would have been right glad of such an ad- vantage. So Pilate's wife sent her husband word, " Have thou nothing to do with that just man," Matth. xx^-iL 19. So the person is not only a man, but a just man, that gave himself to endure such horrors for us. If we pity the death of malefactors, how should our compassion be to one inno- cent ! 3. In the third degree, he is not only homo, a man, and Justus homo, a good man ; but also magnus homo, a great man, royally descended from the ancient patriarchs and kings of Judah. Pilate had so written his title, and he would answer, not alter it, Quod scripsi, scripsi: ("VMiat I have written, I have written.) And what was that ? " Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews," John xix. 19. Now as is the person, so is the passion : the more noble the giver, the more excellent the gift. That so high a king would A SERMON UPON TUB PASSION. 47 suffer such contempt and obloquy to be cast upon him, when the least part of his disgrace had been too much for a man of mean condition ! That a man, a good man, a great man, bore such calumny, such calamity, for our sakes. Here was an unmatchable, an unspeakable love. 4. This is enough, but this is not all. There is yet a higher degree in this ascent ; we are not come to our full quantus. It is this : he was plus quam homo, more than man ; not only maximus hominum, but vwjor hominibus, the greatest of men ; yea, greater than all men. Not mere Jilius hominis, but vere Jilius Dei; he was more than tlie son of man, even the Son of God. As the centurion acknow- ledged, " Truly this man was the Son of God," Mark xv. 39. Here be all the four stairs upwards : a man, a harm- less man, a princely man ; and yet more than man, even God himself. Solomon was a great king, but here is a greater than Solomon. Solomon was Christus Domini, but here is Christus Dominus. He was the anointed of the Lord, but this is the Lord himself anointed. And here all tongues grow dumb, and admiration sealeth up every Hp. This is a depth beyond sounding. You may perhaps drowsily hear this, and coldly be affected with it ; but let me say, princi- palities and powers, angels and seraphims, stood amazed at it. We see the ascent. Shall we bring down again this con- sideration by as many stairs ? 1. Consider him. Almighty God, taking upon him man's nature. This is the first step downwards. " The word was made flesh and dwelt among us," John i. 14. And " God sent forth his-Son made of a woman," Gal. iv. 4. And this was done, Naturam suscipicndo nostrum, non vmtando suam (Aug. Epist. 120), by putting on our nature, not by putting off his own. Homo Deo accessit, non Deus a se re- cessit: (Humanity is united to the Godhead, but the Godhead is not disassociated from itself.) He is both God and man, yet but one Christ ; one, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. Now in that this eternal God became man, he suffered more than man can suffer, either living or 48 A CRUCIFIX ; OK, dead. That man should be turned into a beast, into a ■worm, into dust, into nothing, is not so great a disparage- ment as that the glorious God should become man. " He that thought it not robbery to be equal with God, was made in the likeness of man." He that is " more excellent than the angels," became lower than the angels. Even the brightness of God's glory takes on him the baseness of our nature ; and he that laid the foundations of the earth, and made the world, is now in the world made himself. This is the first descending degree. 2. The second stair brings him yet lower. He is made man ; but what man ? Let him be universal monarch of the world, and have fealty and homage acknowledged to him from all kings and emperors, as his viceroys. Let him walk upon crowns and sceptres, and let princes attend on his court ; and here was some majesty that might a little become the Son of God. No such matter. Induit formam servi: " He took upon him the form of a servant," Phil. ii. 7. He instructs us to humility by his own example. " The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minis- ter," Matth. XX. 28. " O Israel, thou hast made me to serve with thy sins," Isa. xliii. 24. He gave himself for a minister, not for a master ; ad servitttlem, non ad domina- tionem. He that is God's Son is made man's servant. Proudly blind, and blindly poor man, that thou shouldest have such a servant as the Son of thy Maker. This is the second step downwards. 3. This is not low enough yet : "I am a worm, Jind no man," saith the Psalmist in his person. Yea, the shame of men and contempt of the people. He is called (Psalm xxiv. 7) the lung of glory. " Be ye open, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in ;" but Isaiah says, He is despised and rejected of men : we hid as it were our faces from him : he was despised, and we esteemed him not." O the pity of God, that those two should come so near to- gether, the King of glorj-, and the shame of men. Qiio celsior majestas, eo mirahilior humilitas: (The loftier the ma- jesty, the lovelier the humility.) Thus saith the apostle. A SERMON UPON TUE PASSION. 49 " He made himself of no reputation," Diil. ii. 7. He that requires all honour as properly due to him, makes himself (not of little, but) of no reputation. Here was dejection, yea, here was rejection. Let him be laid in his poor cradle, the Bethlehemites reject him ; the manger must serve — no room for him in the inn. Yea, " He came to his own, and his own received him not," John i. 11. All Israel is too hot for him ; he is glad to fly into Egj-pt for protection. Comes he to Jerusalem, which ho had honoured vnih his presence, instructed with his sermons, amazed with his mi- racles, wet and bedewed with his tears ? They reject him. "I would, and ye would not." Comes he to his kindred ? They deride and traduce him, as if they were ashamed of his alliance. Comes he to his disciples ? " They go back, and will walk no more with him," John vi. 66. WiU yet his apostles tarry with him ? So they say, verse 68. " Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life." Yet at last one betrays him, another forswears him ; all for- sake him; and Jesus is left alone in the midst of his enemies. Can malice yet add some further aggravation to his con- tempt ? yes, they crucify him with malefactors. The qua- lity of his company is made to increase his dishonour. In medio latronum, tanquam lalronum immanissiimis. In the midst of thieves, as it were the prince of thieves, saith Luther, He that " thought it no robbery to be equal to the most holy God," is made equal to tliieves and murderers ; yea, tanquam dux, as it were a captain amongst them. This is the third step. 4. But we must go yet lower. Behold now the deepest stair and the greatest rejection. Affligit me Deits: " The Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger," Lament, i. 12. "It pleased the Lord to bruise him ; he hath put him to grief," Isaiah Hii. 10. No burden seems heav}', when the comforts of God help to bear it. When God will give solace, vexation makes but idle offers and assaults. But now to the rejection of all the former, the Lord turns his back upon him as a stranger ; the Lord wounds him as an enemy. He cries out, " My God, my p 50 A CRCcinx ; or, God, why hast thou forsaken me?" How could the sun and stars, heaven and earth, stand while their Maker thus complained ! Tlie former degree was deep ; he was crucified with evil-doers ; reckoned amongst the wicked. Yet thieves fared better in death than he. We find no Irrision, no in- sultation, no taunts, no invectives against them. They had nothing upon them but pain, he botli contempt and tor- ment. If scorn and derision can vex his good soul, he shall have it in peals of ordnance shot against him. Even the basest enemies shall give it ; Jews soldiers, persecutors, yea, suffering malefactors, spare not to flout him. His blood cannot appease them without his reproach. But yet the disciples are but weak men, the Jews but cruel persecutors, the devils but malicious enemies ; all these do but their kind; but the lowest degree is, God forgets him, and in his feeling he is forsaken of the Highest. Weigh all these cir- cumstances, and you shall truly behold the person that gave himself for us. What. — We come to the action, Dedit. Giving is the argument of a fi-ee disposition. " I lay down my life ; no man taketh it firom me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again," John X. 17, 18. He that gives life to us, gave up his own life for us. He did not sell, set, let, or lend, but give. OUatus est, quia ipse voluit. He was offered, because he would be offered. No hand could cut that stone fi-om the quarry of heaven ; no violence pull him from the bosom of his Father, but sua misericordia, his o^vn mercy : he gave. " He Cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills," Cant. ii. 8. He comes with willingness and ce- lerity, no human resistance could hinder him ; not the hil- locks of our lesser infirmities, not the mountains of our grosser iniquities, could stay his merciful pace towards us. He gave his life ; who could bereave him of it ? To all the high priest's armed forces he gave but a verbal en- counter, / am he ; and they retire and fall backward ; his very breath dispersed them all. He could as easily have A SERMON UPON THE PASSION. 51 commanded fire fi:om heaven to consume them, or vapours from the earth to choke them ; he that controls devils could easily have quaUed men. More than twelve legions of angels were at his back, and every angel able to conquer a legion of men. He gives them leave to take him, yea power to kill him ; from himself is that power which appre- hends himself. Even while he stands before Pilate scorned, yet he tells him, " Thou couldst have no power against me," nisi dalam desuper, " unless it were given thee from above." His own strength leads him, not his adversaries ; he could have been freed, but he would not ; constraint had abated liis merit ; he will deserve though he die. The loss of his hfe was necessary, yet was it also volimtary ; Quod amiltilur necessarium est quod emitlitur voluntarium (Ambrose) ; therefore he gave up the ghost. In spite of all the world he might have kept his soul within his body ; he would not. The world should have been burned to cinders, and all creatures on earth resolved to their original dust, before he could have been enforced. INIan could not take away his spirit ; therefore he gave it. Otherwise, if his passion had been only operis and not voluntatis, material and not formal, it could not have been meritorious, or afforded satisfaction for us. For that is only done well that is done of our wiU. But it is objected out of Heb. v. 7, that " he olTered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death." Hence some blasphemers say, that Christ was a coward in fearing the natural death of the body. If he had so feared it, he needed not to have tasted it. Christ indeed did naturally fear death, otherwise he had not been so affected as an or- dinary man. Yet he willingly suffered death, otherwise he had not been so well affected as an ordinary martyr. But he prays thrice. Let this cup pass. Divines usually distin- guish here the sententiaries, thus : That there was in Christ a double human or created wUl, the one voluntas ut natura, a natural will ; the other voluntas ut ratio, a reasonable will. Christ, according to his natural will, trembled at the pangs of death, and this without sin ; for nature abhorreth all de- 62 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, structive things. But in regard of his rational ■will, he 'will- ingly submits himself to drink that cup. Not as I u-ill, O Father, hut as thou wilt. A man, saith Aquinas, -will not naturally endure the lancing of any member, yet by his rea- sonable will he consents to it, for the good of the whole body ; reason masters sense, and cutting or cauterizing is endured. So Christ, by the strength of his natural will, feared death ; but by his reason, perceiving that the cutting, wounding, crucifying of the Head, would bring health to the whole body of his church, and either he must bleed on the cross, or we must all burn in hell ; behold now he will- ingly and cheerfully gives himself an offering and sacrifice to God for us. But was it a mere temporal death that our Saviour feared ? No ; he saw the fierce wrath of his Father, and therefore feared. Many resolute men have not shrunk at a little ; divers martyrs have endured strange torments with magna- nimity. But now when he that gave them strength quakes at death, shall we say he was a coward ? Alas, that which would have overwhelmed man, would not have made him shrink ; that which he feared, no mortal man but himself ever felt ; yet he feared. The despair of many thousand men was not so much as for liim to fear. He saw that which none saw, the anger of an infinite God ; he perfectly apprehended the cause of fear, our sin and torment ; he saw the bottom of the cup, how bitter and dreggish every drop of that -nal was ; he truly understood the burden which we make light of. Men fear not hell because they know it not. If they could see through the opened gates, the insufferable horrors of that pit, trembling and quaking would run like an ague through their bones. This insupportable load he saw ; that the sponge of vengeance must be wrung out to him, and he must suck it up to the last and least drop. Ever)' talent of our iniquities must be laid upon him, till, as " a cart, he be laden -with sheaves," Amos ii. 13. And with all this pressure he must mount his chariot of death, the cross, and there bear it, till the appeased God gave way to a con- summatum est : " It is finished." A SERMON UPON THE PASSION. 53 The philosopher could say, that sapiens miser magis est miser, qitam stultus miser : a wise man miserable, is more miserable than a fool miserable, because he understands his miser}-. So that our Sa\'iour's pangs ■were aggravated by the fulness of his knowledge. No marvel then if lie might justly take David's words out of his mouth, " Thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind." This thought drew from liim those tears of blood. His eyes had formerly wept for our misdoings ; his whole body now weeps ; not a faint dew, but he sweat out solid drops of blood. The thorns, scourges, nails, fetched blood from him, but not with such pain as this sweat. Outward violence drew on those ; these the extremity of his troubled thought. Here, then, was his cause of fear. He saw our everlasting destruction, if he suffered not ; he saw the horrors which he must suffer to ransom us. Hinc illce lachrymce ; hence those groans, tears, cries, and sweat ; yet his love conquered all. By nature he could willingly have avoided this cup ; for love's sake to us he took it in a willing hand ; so he had purposed, so he hath performed. And now to testify his love, saith my text, he freely gave. Whom ? Himself. — This is the third circumstance ; the pft, himself. Not an angel ; for an angel cannot sufficiently mediate between an immortal nature offended, and a mortal nature corrupted. The glorious angels are blessed, but finite and limited, and therefore unable for this expiation. They can- not be so sensibly " touched with the feeling of our infirmi- ties," Heb. iv. 15, as he that was, in our o\yn nature, in aU points tempted like as we are, sin only excepted. Not saints, for they have no more oil than will serve their own lamps ; they have enough for themselves, not of themselves, all of Christ, but none to spare. Fools cry, give us of your oil ; they answer, " Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you ; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves," Matt. xxv. 9. They could not propitiate for sin, that were themselves guilty of sin, 64 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, and by nature liable to condemnation. Wretched idolaters, that thrust this honour on them against their wills ; how would they abhor such sacrilegious glory ? Not the riches of this world ; " We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold," 1 Pet. i. 18. Were the riches of the old world brought together to the riches of the new world ; were all the mineral veins of the earth emptied of their purest metals, this pay would not be current with God. It will cost more to redeem souls, " They that trust in their wealth, and boast in the multi- tude of their riches, yet cannot by any means redeem their brother, nor give to God a ransom for him," Psalm xlix. 6, 7. The servant cannot redeem the Lord. God made a man master of these things ; he is then more precious than his slaves. Not the blood of bulls or goats, Heb. ix. Alas ! those legal sacrifices were but dumb shows of this tragedy, the mere figures of this oblation, m}'stically presenting to their faith that " Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." Thiy Lamb was prefigured in the sacrifices of the law, and now presented in the sacraments of the gos- pel, slain indeed fi-om the beginning of the world. Who had power, prodesse, to profit us, before he had esse, a human being himself. None of these would serve. Whom gave he then ? Seipsum, llimself, who was both God and man ; that so participating of both natures, our mor- tality and God's immortality, he might be a perfect media- tor. Apparuit igitur inter mortales peccatores et immorta- lem justum, mortalis cum hominibus, Justus cum Deo (Aug. Confes. Ub. X. cap. 43.) He came between mortal men and immortal God, mortal with men, and just with God. As man he sufiered, as God he satisfied ; as God and man he saved. He gave himself, 1. All himself, his whole person, soul and body, godhead and manhood. Though the Deity could not suffer, yet in A SERMON UPON THE PASSION. 55 regard of the personal union of these two natures in one Christ, his very passion is attributed in some sort to the God- head. So Acts XX. 28, it is called the " blood of God;" and 1 Cor. ii. 8, "The Lord of glory" is said to "becnicified." The school's distinction here makes all plain. He gave Totum Christum, though not Totum Chi-isti ; all Christ, though not all of Christ ; Homa non valuit, Deus non voluit ; as God alone, he would not, as man alone, he could not make this satisfaction for us. The Deity is impassable ; yet was it im- possible, without this Deity, for the great work of our salva- tion to be wrought. If any ask, how the manhood could suffer without violence to the Godhead, being united in one person, let him understand it by a familiar comparison. The sunbeams shine on a tree, the axe cuts do^vn this tree, yet can it not hurt the beams of the sun. So the Godhead still remains unharmed, though the axe of death did for a while fell down the manhood. Corpus possum est dolore el gladioi anima dolore non gladio, divinitasnec dolore iiec gladio. His body suffered both sorrow and the swoi-d ; his soul sor- row, not the sword ; his deity neither sorrow nor the sword. Deltas in dolente, non in dolore. The Godhead was in the person paLaed, yet not in the pain. 2. Himself only, and that wthout a 1. Without a partner that might share either his glory or our thanks, of both which he is justly jealous. Christi passio adjutore non eguit (Ambrose.) The sufferings of our Saviour need no help. Upon good cause, therefore, we abhor that doctrine of the papists, that our offences are ex- piated by the passions of the saints. No, not the blessed Virgin hath performed any part of our justification, paid any farthing of our debts. But thus sings the choir of Rome, Sancta virgo Dorothea, tua nos virtute bea, cor in no- bis novum crea ; (Holy Virgin, Dorotha, enrich us with thy words, create in us new hearts !) Wherein there is pretty rh)Tne, pretty reason, but great blasphemy ; as if the Virgin Dorotha were able to create a new heart within us. No, (Pai-tner, (Comforter. 56 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, " but the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin," 1 John i. 7. His blood, and his only. O blessed Saviour, every drop of thy blood is able to redeem a beUeving world. What, then, need we the help of men ? How is Christ a perfect Saviour if any act of our redemption he left to the performance of saint or angel ? No, our souls must die, if the blood of Jesus cannot save them. And whatsoever witty error may dispute for the merits of saints, the dis- tressed conscience cries, Christ, and none but Christ. They may sit at tables and discourse, enter the schools and argue, get up into the pulpits and preach that the works of good men is the church's treasure, given by indulgence, and can give indulgence, and that they -vvill do the soul good. But lie we upon our death -beds, panting for breath, driven to the push, tossed with tumultuous waves of afflictions, anguished with sorrow of spirit, then we sing another song — Christ, and Christ alone — Jesus, and only Jesus; mercy, mercy, pardon, comfort, for our Saviour's sake ; " Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved," Acts iv. 12. 2. Without a Comforter. He was so far from having a sharer in his passion, that he had none in compassion, that (at least) might anj-ways ease his sorrows. It is but a poor comfort of calamity, pity ; yet even that was wanting. " Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?" Lam. i. 12. Is it so sore a sorrow to Christ, and is it nothing to you ? a matter not worth your regard, your pity ? Man naturally desires and expects, if he cannot be delivered, ease ; yet to be pitied. " Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me," Job xix. 21. Christ might make that request of Job, but in vain ; there was none to comfort him, none to pity him. It is yet a little mixture of refreshing if others be touched with a sense of our miser}- ; that in their hearts they wish U3 well, and would give us ease if they could ; but Christ hath in his sorest pangs not so much as a comforter. The mar- tyrs have fought valiantly under the banner of Ch •'.•■(, 1 , . A SERMON UPON THE PASSION. 57 cause he was with them to comfort them. But when him- self suffers, no relief is permitted. The most giievous tor- ments find some mitigation in the supply of friends and comforters. Christ after his monomachy orsingle combat with the devil in the desert, had angels to attend him. In his agony in the garden, an angel was sent to comfort him. But when he came to the main act of our redemption, not an angel must be seen. None of those glorious spirits may look through the windows of heaven, to give him any ease. And if they would have relieved him, they could not. Who can lift up where the Lord will cast down ? What chirur- geon can heal the bones which the Lord hath broken ? But his mother, and other friends, stand by, seeing, sighing, weeping. Alas ! what do those tears but increase his sor- row ? Might he not justly say with Paul, " What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart?" Acts xxi. 13. Of whom then shall he expect comfort ? Of his apostles ? Alas ! they betake them to then- heels. Fear of their own danger drowns their compassion of his miser}-. He might say with Job, " iliserable comforters are ye all." Of whom, then ? The Jews are his enemies, and vie in unmercifulness with devils. There is no other refuge but his Father. No, even his Father is angry ; and he who once said, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Matth. iii. 17, is now incensed. He hides his face from him, but lays his hand heavy upon him, and buffets him with anguish. Thus Solus patitur : he gave himself, and only himself, for our re- demption. To WHOM ? To God ; and that is the fourth circumstance. To whom should he offer this sacrifice of expiation but to him that was offended? and that is God. " Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight," Psalm li. 4. " Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight," Luke XV. 21. All sins are committed against him : his jus- tice is displeased, and must be satisfied. To God ; for God is angrj', with what, and whom ? with sin and us, and us for sin. In his just anger he must smite ; but whom ? In 58 A CRUCIFIX ; on, Christ was no sin. Now sball God do like Annas or Ana- nias ? " If I have spoken evil," saith Christ, " bear wit- ness of the evil ; but if well, why smitest thou me," John xviii. 23. So Paul to Ananias, " God will smite thee, thou whited wall ; for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrarj' to the law ?" Acts xxiii. 3. So Abraham pleads to God, " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Gen. xviii. 25. Espe- cially right to his Son, and to that Son which glorified him on earth, and whom he hath now glorified in heaven ? We must fetch the answer fi'om Daniel's prophecy, " The Mes- siah shall be cut off, but not for himself," Dan. ix. 26. Not for himself? For whom then ? For solution hereof we must step to the fifth point, and there we shall find For Whom ? For us. He took upon him our person, he became surety for us ; and, lo ! now the coiu-se of justice may proceed against him ! He that will become a surety, and take on him the debt, must be content to pay it. Henca that innocent lamb must be made a sacrifice ; " and he that knew no sin in himself, must be made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v. 21. Seven times in three verses doth the prophet Isaiah inculcate this. We, ours, us; Isa. liii. 4, 5, 6. We were all sick, grievously sick, every sin was a mortal disease. Quot vitia, tot fehres. " He healeth our infirmities," saith the prophet ; he was our physician, a great physician. Magnus venit medicus, quia magniis jacebat (zgrotus. The whole world was sick to death, and therefore needed a powerful physi- cian. So was he ; and took a strange course for our cure ; which was not by giving us physic, but by taking our phy- sic for us. Other patients drink the prescribed potion ; but our Physician drank the potion himself, and so recovered us. For us. — Ambr. Pro me doluit, qui pro se nihil habuit quod doleret (De Fid. ad Grat. Ub. ii. cap. 3). He sufiered for me, that had no cause to sufler for himself. 0 Domine Jesu, doles non tua, sed vulnera mea : (0 Lord Jesus, thou sufierest A SEUMON UPON TDK PASSION. 59 not thine own, but my wounds.) So monstrous were our sins, that the hand of the everlasting justice was ready to strike us with a fatal and final blow. Christ in his own person steps between the stroke and us, and bore that a while that would have sunk us lor ever. Nos immortalitate male ttsi sumus, ut moreremur; Chrustus mortalitate bene usus est, ut viveremus (Aug. de doct. Christ, lib. i. cap. 14). We abused the immortality we had, to our death ; Christ used the mortality he had, to our life. Dilexit nos, he loved us ; and such us, that were his utter enemies. Here then was love -without hmitation, beyond imitation. Unspeak- able mercy, says Bernard, that the King of eternal glory should yield himself to be crucified, Pro tarn despicatissimo vernaculo, immo vermiculo (Ser. de quadruplici debito) ; for so poor a wretch, yea, a worm ; and that not a loving worm, not a living worm ; for we both hated him and his, and were dead in sins and trespasses. Yea, for all us, mdefinitely ; none excepted that will ap- prehend it faithfully. The mixture of Moses' perfume is thus sweetly allegorized. God commands him to put in so much frankincense as galbanum, and so much galbanum as frankin- cense, Exod. XXX. 34. Christ's sacrifice was so sweetly tem- pered : as much blood was shed for the peasant in the field as for the prince in the court. The offer of salvation is general : " whosoever among you feareth God, and worketh righteous- ness, to him is the word of this salvation sent." As there is no exemption of the greatest from misery, so no exemption of the least from mercy. He that will not beUeve and amend shall be condemned, be he never so rich ; he that doth, be he never so poor, shall be saved. This one point of the crucifix, for m, requires more punctual meditation. Whatsoever we leave unsaid, we must not huddle up this. For indeed this brings the text home to us, even into our consciences, and speaks effectually to us all : to me that speak, and to you that hear, with that pro- phet's application, TTiou art the man. We are they for whose cause our blessed Saviour was crucified. For us he endured tho^e grievous pangs ; for us, that we might never 60 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, taste them. Therefore say we with that father, Toto nobis figatur in corde, qui lotus -pro nobis fixus in cruce, (Aug. de sancta -virg. cap. 55) ; let him be fixed wholly in our hearts, who was wholly for us fastened to the cross. We shall consider the uses we are to make of this by the ends for which Christ performed this. 1 . To save us. This was his purpose and performance : all he did, all he suffered, was to redeem us. " By his stripes we are healed," Isa. hii. 5. By his sweat we refreshed; by his sorrows we rejoiced ; by his death we saved. For even that day, which was to him. Dies luctus, the heaviest day that ever man bore, was to us. Dies salutis, " the accepted time, the day of salvation," 2 Cor. vi. 2. The day was evil in respect of our sins and his sufferings ; but eventually in regard of what he paid, and what he purchased, a good day, the best day, a day of joy and jubilation. But if this salvation be wrought for us, it must be ap- plied to us, yea, to every one of us. For that some re- ceive more profit by his passion than others, is not his fault that did undergo it, but theirs that do not undertake it ; to apply it to their own consciences. We must not only be- lieve this text in gross ; but let every one take a handful out of this sheaf, and put it into his own bosom. So turn- ing this fur us into for me. As Paul, " I Uve by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me," Gal. ii. 20. Blessed faith, that into the plural (us) puts in the singular soul, me. Se dedit pro me. Ever)- one is a rebel, guUty and convicted by the supreme law ; death waits to arrest us, and damnation to receive us. What should we do but pray, beseech, crj-, weep, till we can get our pardon sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ : and every one find a sure testimony in his oivn soul, that Christ gave himself for me. It serves to us. A SERMON UPON THK PASSION. 61 2. Tliis should move us. Was all this done for us, and shall we not be stirred ? " Have ye no regard ? Is it no- thing to you, that I suffer such sorrow as was never suffered?" Lam. i. 1 2. All his agony, his cries, and tears, and groans, and pangs, were for us ; shall he thus grieve for us, and shall we not grieve for ourselves ? For ourselves, I say ; not so much for him. Let his passion move us to compassion, not of his sufferings (alas ! our pity can do him no good), but of our sins which caused them. " Daughters of Jerusa- lem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children," Luke xxiii. 28. For ourselves ; not for his pains that are past, but for our own that should have been, and (except our faith sets him in our stead) shall be. Shall he weep to us, for us, and shall we not raoiu-n ? Shall he drink so deeply to us in this cup of sorrow, and shall we not pledge him ? Doth the wrath of God make the Son of God shriek out, and shall not the servants for whom he suffered tremble ? Oinnis creatiira compatitur Christo mo- rienti (Hieron. in Math.) Every creature seems to suffer with Christ ; sun, earth, rocks, sepulchres ; solus miser homo nan compatitur, pro quo solo Christus patitur. Only man suffers nothing, for whom Christ suffered all. Doth his passion tear the veil, rend the stones, cleave the rocks, shake the earth, open the graves ; and are our hearts more hard than those insensible creatures, that they cannot be pene- trated ? Doth heaven and earth, sun and elements, suffer with him, and is it notliing to us ? AVe, wretched men that we are, that were the principals in this murder of Christ : whereas Judas, Caiaphas, Pilate, soldiers, Jews, were all but accessories and instrumental causes. We may seek to shift it from ourselves, and derive this heinous fact upon the Jews ; but the executioner doth not properly kill the man. Solum peccatum homicida est. Sin, our sins, were the mur- derers. Of us he suffered, and for us he suffered : unite these in your thoughts, and tell me if his passion hath not cause to move us. And yet so obdurate are our hearts, that we cannot en- dure one hour's discourse of this great business. Christ 62 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, ■was many hours in dying for us, wc cannot sit one hour to hear of it. O that we should find fault with heat or cold in harkening to these heavenly mysteries ; when he endured for us such a heat, such a sweat, such agony ; that through his flesh and skin he sweat drops of blood. Doth he weep tears of gore-blood for us, and cannot we weep tears of water for ourselves ? Alas ! how would we die for him, as he died for us, when we are weary of hearing what he did for us 3. This should mortify us. Christ delivered himself to death for our sins, that he might dehver us from death and our sins. He came not only to destroy the devil, but to " destroy the works of the devil," 1 John iii. 8. Neither doth he take only from sin, Damnandi vim, Rom. viii. 1, the power to condemn us ; but also, Dominandi vim, Rom. vi. 6, 12, the power to rule and reign in us. So that Christ's death, as it answers the justice of God for our mis- deeds, so it must kill in us the will of misdoing. Christ in all parts suffered, that we in all parts might be mortified. His sufferings were so abundant, that men cannot know their number, nor angels their nature, neither men nor angels their measure. His passion found an end, our thoughts cannot. He r At all times ^ In all places Suffered < In all senses > All for us, In all members In body and soul also J 1. At all times. In his childhood by poverty and He- rod ; in the strength of his days by the powers of earth, by the powers of hell, yea, even by the powers of heaven. In the day he lacks meat, in the night a pillow. Even that holy time of the great passover is destined for his djing. When they should kill the paschal Lamb in thankfulness, they slay the Lamb of God in wickedness. They admire the shadow, yet condemn the substance. All for us ; that A SERMON UPON THE PASSION. 63 all times might yield us comfort. So the apostle sweetly, " He died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him," 1 Thess. v. 10. 2. In all places. In the cradle by that fox ; in the streets by revilers ; in the mountain by those that would have thrown him down headlong ; in the temple by them that " took up stones to cast at him," John viii. 59. In the high priest's hall by buffeters, in the garden by betrayers ; b)- the way, laden with bis cross. Lastly, in Calvary, a vile and stinking place, among the bones of malefactors cruci- fied. Still aU for us, that in all places the mercy of God might protect us. 3. Ju all senses. For his taste, lo ! it is afflicted with gall and vinegar — a bitter draught for a dying man ! His touch felt more ; the nails driven into his hands and feet ; places most sensible of pain ; being the most sinewy parts of the body. His ears are full of the blasphemous contu- meUes which the savage multitude belched out against him. Not him, but Barrabas, they cry to Pilate ; preferring a murderer before a Saviour. Will you read the speeches objectual to his hearing? (See Matth. xxvii. verses 29, 39, 42, 44, 49.) In all, consider their blasphemy, his patience. For his eyes, whither can he tm-n them without spectacles of sorrow ? The despite of his enemies on the one side, shewing theii" extremest malice ; the weeping and lamenting of his mother on the other side ; whose tears might wound his heart. K any sense were less afflicted, it was his smel- ling ; and yet the putrified bones of Calvary could be no pleasing savour. Thus suffered all his senses. That taste that should be delighted with the wine of the vineyard, that " goeth down sweetly" (Cant. vii. 9), is fed with vinegar. He looks for good grapes, behold " sour grapes" (Isa. v. 4) ; he ex- pects wine, he receives vinegar. That smell that should be refi-eshed with the odoriferous scent of the "beds of spices" (Cant. vi. 2), the piety of his saints, is filled with the stench of iniquities. Those hands that sway the sceptre of the heavens, are fain to carry the reed of reproach, and endure 64 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, the nails of death. Those eyes that were as a " flame of fire" (Rev, i. 14), in respect of whom the verj- sun was darkness, must behold the afflicting objects of shame and tyranny. Those ears, which to delight the high choristers of heaven, sing their sweetest notes, must be wearied with the taunts and scoffs of blasphemy. And all this for us ; not only to satisfy those sins which our senses have committed ; but to mortify those senses, and preserve them from those sins. That our eyes may be no more full of adulteries, nor throw covetous looks on the goods of our brethren. That our ears may no more give so wide admission and welcome entrance to lewd reports, the incantations of Satan. That sin in all our senses might be done to death ; the poison exhausted, the sense purified. 4. In all members. Look on that blessed body con- ceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of a pure virgin ; it is all over scourged, martjTed, tortured, mangled. What place can you find free ? Caput Angelicis spiritibus tremebun- dum, densitate spinarum pungitur : fades pulchra prat filiis hominum, Jiidaornm sputb deturpatur : Ociili lucidiores sole, in morte caligantur, Sf-c, Bernard. To begin at his head ; that head which the angels reverence, is crowned with thorns. That face, which is " fairer than the sons of men," Psal. xlv. 2, must be odiously spit on by the filthy Jews. His hands that made the heavens are extended and fastened to a cross. The feet which tread upon the necks of his and our enemies, feel the like smart. And the mouth must be buffeted which " spake as never man spake," John vii. 46. Still all this for us. His head bled for the wicked ima- ginations of our heads. His face was besmeared with spittle, because we had spit impudent blasphemies against heaven. His lips were afflicted, that our lips might henceforth jield savoury speeches. His feet did bleed, that our feet might not be swifl to shed blood. All his members suffered for the sins of all our members, and that our members might be no more servants to sin, but " servants to righteousness unto holiness," Rom. ^^. 19. Conspui voluU, ut nos lauaret: A SERMON UPON THE PASSION. 65 pelari voluit, ut velamen ignorantice a mentibus nostris mifer- ret : in capite percuti, utcorpori sanitatem restilueret, Hieron. He would be polluted with their spittle, that he might wash us ; he would be bhndfolded, that he might take the vail of ignorance from our eyes. He suffered the head to be wovnided, that he might renew health to all the body. Six times we read that Christ shed his blood ; 1. AVheu he was circumcised ; at eight days old his blood was spilt. 2. In his agony in the garden, where he sweat drops of blood. 3. In his scourging, when the merciless tormentors fetched blood from his holy sides. 4. When he was crowned with thorns ; those sharp prickles raked and harrowed his blessed head, and drew forth blood. 5. In his crucifying, when his hands and feet were pierced, blood gushed out. 6. Lastly, after his death, " one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water," John xix. 34. AH his members bled, to shew that he bled for all his members. Not one drop of this blood was shed for himself, all for us ; for his enemies, per- secutors, crucifiers, ourselves. But what shall become of us, if all this cannot mortify us? " How shall we live with Christ, if with Christ we be not dead ?" Rom. vi. 8. Dead in deed unto sin, but living unto righteousness. As Ehsha revived the Shunamite's child : " He lay upon it ; put his mouth upon the child's mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and stretched himself upon the child, and the flesh of the child waxed warm," 2 Kings iv. 34. So the Lord Jesus, to recover us that were dead in our sins and trespasses, spreads and applies his whole passion to us ; lays his mouth of blessing upon our mouth of blasphemy ; his eyes of holiness upon our eyes of lust ; his hands of mercy upon our hands of cruelty ; and stretcheth his gracious self upon our wretched selves, till we begin to wax warm, to get life, and the holy Spirit returns into us. 5. In his sold. All this was but the outside of his pas- sion ; " Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour ; but for this cause came I E 66 A CRUCIFIX ; OR, unto this hour," John xii. 27. The pain of the body ia but the body of pain ; the very soul of sorrow is the sorrow of the soul. All the outward afflictions were but gentle prickings in regard of that his soul suffered. " The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity ; but a wounded spirit who can bear ? " Prov. xviii. 1 4. He had a heart within that suffered unseen, unknown anguish. This pain drew those strong cries, those bitter tears, Heb. v. 7. He had often sent forth the cries of compassion ; of passion and com- plaint not till now. He had wept the tears of pity, the tears of love, but never before the tears of anguish. 'WTien the Son of God thus cries, thus weeps, here is more than the body distressed ; the soul is agonized. Still all this for tis. His soul was in our soul's stead ; what would they have felt, if they had been in the stead of his ? All for us ; to satisfaction, to emendation. For thy drunkenness and pouring down strong diinks, he drunk vinegar. For thy intemperate gluttony he fasted. For thy sloth, he did exercise himself to continual pains. Thou sleepest secure, thy Saviour is then waking, watching, pray- ing. Thy arms are inured to lustful embracings ; he for this embraceth the rough cross. Thou deckest thyself with proud habiliments, he is humble and lowly for it. Thou ridest in pomp, he journeys on foot. Thou wallowest on thy down beds, thy Saviour hath not a pillow. Thou sur- feitest, and he sweats it out, a bloody sweat. Thou fillest and swellest thyself with a pleurisy of wickedness. Behold incision is made in the Head for thee ; thy Saviour bleeds to death. Now judge whether this point (for us) hath not derived a near application of this text to our own con- sciences. Since then Christ did all this for thee and me ; pray then with Augustine, 0 domine Jesu, da cordi meo te desiderare, desiderando quoerere, qucerendo invenire, inve- niendo amare, amando mala mea redempta non iterare, Medit. cap. 1 : Lord give me a heart to desire thee, desiring to seek thee, seeking to find thee, finding to love thee, loving, no more to offend thee. A SERMON UPON THK PASSION. 67 There are two main parts of this Crucifix yet to handle. I must only name them, being sorry that it is still my hap to trouble you with prolixity of speech. 6. The next is the Manner ; an offering and sacrifice. His whole life was an effering, his death a sacrifice. He gave himself often for us an eucharistical oblation, once an expiatory sacrifice. In the former he did for us all that we should do ; in the latter he suffered for us all that we should suffer. " WTio his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree," 1 Pet ii. 24. Some of the Hebrews have afSrmed, that in the fire which consumed the legal sacri- fices, there always appeared the face of a lion (Paul. Ta- gius, cap. 4.) "Which mystery they thus resolve, that the Lion of Judah should "one day give himself for us, a perfect expiatory sacrifice. Thus, " once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of him- self" Heb. ix. 26. 7. The last point is the Effect: Of a sweet smelling sa- vour. Here is the fruit and efficacy of all. Never was the Lord pleased with sinful man till now. Were he never so angry, here is a pacification, a sweet savour. If the whole world were quintessenced into one perfume, it could not yield so fragrant a smell. We are all of ourselves putida et putrida cadavera, dead and stinking carcases. The pure nostrils of the Most Holy cannot endure us : behold the per- frime that sweetens us, the redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus. This so fills him with a delightful scent, that he will not smell our noisome wickedness. Let me leave you with this comfort in your bosoms. How unsavoury soever our own sins have made us, yet if our hand of faith lay hold on this Saviour's censer, God will scent none of our corruptions ; but we shall smell sweetly in his nostrils. Bernard for all. O dear Jesus : Mori debemus, et tu solvis : nos peccavimus, et tic luis. Opiis sine exemplo, gratia sine merito, charitas sine modo. We should die, and thou payest it, we have offended, and thou art punished. A mercy without example, a favour without 68 A CRUCIFIX ; OR A SERMON UPON THE PASSION merit, a love without measure. Therefore I conclude my sermon, as we all shut up our prayers, with this one clause, Through our Lord Jesus Christ. O Father of mercy, ac- cept our sacrifice of prayer and praise, for his sacrifice of pain and merit ; even for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake ! To whom, with the Father and blessed Spirit, be aU glory, for ever. Amen. SEMPER IDEM; THE IMMUTABLE MERCT OF JESUS CHRIST. ■ Jeius Obrlat, the suae yesterday, anl to-da;. and for ever."— M, xUL 8. SEMPER IDEM; THE IMMUTABLE MERCY OP JESCS OHKIST. ■ Jcius Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for e By the name of Jehovah was God known to Israel ; from the time of the first mission of Moses to them, and their manumission out of Egypt, and not before. For saith God to Moses, " I appeared unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and imto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty ; but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them," Exod. vi. 3. This (I am) is an eternal word, comprehending three times ; " that was, that is, and is to come." Now, to testify the equality of the Son to the Father, the Scripture gives the same eternity to Jesus that it doth to Jehovah. He is called Alpha and Omega, primus et non- issimus, " the First and the Last : which is, which was, and which is to come," Rev. i. ; and here, " the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." Therefore he was not only Christus Dei, the anointed of God, but Christus De^is, God himself anointed. Seeing that eternity, which hath neither beginning nor ending, is only peculiar and proper to God. f Centre The words may be distinguished into a -< Circumference (Mediate line, referring the one to the other : The immovable centre is Jesus Christ. The circiunference that runs round about 72 SEMPER IDEM ; OR, him here is eternity : " Yesterday, to-day, and for ever." The mediate line referring them is, i *'vr*f, the same. " Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." The Centre is Jesus Christ. Jesus was his proper name, Christ his appellative. Jesus a name of his nature, Christ of his office and dignity ; as divines speak. Jesus a name of all sweetness. Mel in ore, melos in aure, jubilus in corde, (Ber. in Can.) : (Honey in the mouth, a song in the ear, a jubilee in the heart.) A reconciler, a Redeemer, a Saviour. When the conscience wrestles with law, sin, death, there is nothing but horror and despair with- out Jesus. He is " the way, the truth, and the life ;" with- out him, error, mendacium, mors: (Error, lie, death.) Si scribas, non placet, nisi legam ibi, Jesum, saith Bernard : K thou writest to me, thy letter doth not please me, unless I read there Jesus. If thou conferrest, thy discourse is not sweet, without the name of Jesus. The blessed restorer of all, of more than all that Adam lost ; for we have gotten more by his regenerating grace than we lost by Adam's degenerating sin. Christ is the name of his office ; being appointed and anointed of God a king, a priest, a prophet. This Jesus Christ is our Saviour : of whose names I for- bear further discoiu-se, being imable, though I had the tongue of angels, to speak ought worthy tanto nomine, tanto numine. All that can be said is but a little ; but I must say but a little in all. But of all names given to our Re- deemer, still Jesus is the sweetest. Other, saith Bernard, are names of majesty; Jesus is a name of mercy. The AVord of God, the Son of God, the Christ of God, are titles of glory ; Jesus a Saviour, is a title of grace, mercy, redemp- tion. This Jesus Christ is the centre of this text ; and not only of this, but of the whole Scripture. The sum of divinit}- is the Scripture ; the sum of the Scripture is the gospel ; the sum of the gospel is Jesus Clirist ; in a word, ?ii7«7 continet THE IMMUTABLE MERCY OF JKSrs CIIItlST. 73 verbum Dumini, nisi verlum Dominum. There is nothing contained in the word of God, but God the word. Nor is he the centre only of his word, but of our rest and peace. " I determined not to know any thing among you, snve Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Thou hast made us for thee, O Christ ; and our heart is unquiet till it rest in thee," 1 Cor. ii. 2. It is natural to everj- thing appeiere cciitnwi, to desire the centre. But " our life is hid with Christ in God," Col. iii. 3. We must needs amare, where wo must ammare. Our mind is where our pleasure is, our heart is where our treasure is, our love is where our life is ; but all these, our pleasure, treasure, life, are reposed in Jesus Christ. " Thou art my portion, O Lord," saith David. Take the world that please, let our portion be Christ. " We have left all," saith Peter, " and followed thee," Matth. xix. 27 ; you have lost nothing by it, saith Christ, for you have gotten me. Nimus avarus est, cui non sufficit Christus. He is too covetous, whom Jesus Christ can- not satisfy. Let us seek this centre, saith Augustine, in Johan. : Quwramus inveniendum, quceramus inventum. Ut in- veniendus quxratur, paratus est: ut inventus qumratur, im- mensus est : Let us seek him till we have found him ; and still seek him when we have found him. That seeking we may find him, he is ready ; that finding, we may seek him, he is infinite. You see the centre. The referring line proper to this centre is semper idem, (always the same). Hie same. There is no mutability in Christ , " no varia- bleness, nor shadow of turning," Jam. i. 17. All lower lights have their inconstancy ; but in the Father of lights there is no changeableness. The sun hath his shadow ; the " Sun of righteousness is without shadow," Mai. iv. 2 ; that turns upon the dial, but Chi-ist hath no turning. " AVhom he loves, he loves to the end," John xiii. 1. He loves us to the end ; of his love there is no end. Tempus erit consumrnanJi, nullus consumendi misericordiam. His mercy shall be perfected m, us, never ended. " In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment ; but with 74 SEMPER IDEM ; OK, everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon tbee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer," Isa. liv. 8. His wrath is short, his goodness is everlasting. " The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed ; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be re- moved, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee," verse 10. The mountains are stable things, the hills stedfast ; yet hills, mountains, yea the whole earth, shall totter on the foundations ; yea the very " heavens shall pass away with a noise, and the elements shall melt with heat," 2 Pet. iii. 10 ; but the covenant of God shall not be broken. " I will be- troth thee unto me for ever," Hos. ii. 19, saith God. This marriage-bond shall never be cancelled ; nor sin, nor death, nor heU, shall be able to divorce us. Six-and-twenty times in one psalm that sweet singer chaunts it ; " His mercy endureth for ever," Psalm cxxxvi. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. As this meditation distils into our believing hearts much comfort, so let it give us some instructions. Two things it readily teacheth us : Dissuasive caution. Persuasive lesson. 1. It dissuades our confidence in worldly things, because they are inconstant. How poor a space do they remain, Ti aura, the same. To prove this, you have in the first of Judges, verse 7, a jury of threescore and ten kings to take their oaths upon it. Every one had his throne, yet there they lick up crumbs imder another king's table ; and short- ly even this king, that made them all so miserable, is made himself most miserable. Solomon compares wealth to a ■wild fowl. " Riches make themselves wings, they fly away as an eagle toward heaven," Prov. xxiii. 5. Not some tame house bird, or a hawk that may be fetched down with a lure, or found again by her bells ; but an eagle, that \io- lently cuts the air, and is gone past recallflig. Wealth is like a bird ; it hops all day from man to man, THE IMMUTABLE MEECY OF JESUS CHRIST. 75 as that doth from tree to tree ; and none can say where it ■will roust or rest at night. It is like a vagrant fellow, which because he is big-boned, and able to work, a man takes in a-doors, and cherisheth ; and perhaps for a while lie takes pains ; but when he spies opportunity, the fugitive servant is gone, and takes away more with him than all his service came to. The world may seem to stand thee in some stead for a season, but at last it irrevocably runs away, and carries with it thy joys ; thy goods, as Rachael stole Laban's idols ; thy peace and content of heart goes with it, and thou art left desperate. You see how quickly riches cease to be the same : and can any other earthly thing boast more stability ? Honour must put off the robes when the play is done ; make it never so glorious a show on this world's stage ; it hath but a short part to act. A great name of worldly glory is but hke a peal rung on the bells ; the common people are the clap- pers ; the rope that moves them is popularity ; if you once let go your hold and leave pulling, the clapper lies still, and farewell honour. Strength though, like Jeroboam (1 Kings xiii. 4), it put forth the arm of oppression, shall soon fall down withered. Beauty is like an almanack : if it last a year, it is well. Pleasure like lightning : oritur, moritur ; sweet, but short ; a flash and away. All vanities are but butterflies, which wanton children greedily catCh for ; and sometimes they fly besides them, sometimes before them, sometimes behind them, sometimes close by them ; yea through their fingers, and yet they miss them ; and when they have them, they are but buttei-flies ; they have painted wings, but are crude and squalid worms, (Anselm. Meditat.) Such are the things of this world, vanities, butterflies. Vel sequendo labimur, vel assequendo Icediimtr : (which when we pursue we fall, or when we over- take are hurt.) The world itself is not unlike an artichoke ; nine parts of it are unprofitable leaves, scarce the tithe is good : about it there is a httle picking meat, nothing so wholesome as dainty : in the midst of it there is a core, which is enough to choke them that devour it. 7 6 SEMPER IDEM ; OR, 0 then set not your hearts upon these things : calcanda sunt, as Jerome observes on Acts iv. " They that sold their possessions, brought the prices, and laid them down at the Apostles' feet," Acts iv. 35. At their feet, not at their hearts ; they are fitter to be trodden under feet, than to be waited on with hearts. I conclude this with Augustine. Ecce turbat muridiis, et amatur: quid si trariquillus asset t Formoso quomodo hcereres, qui sic ampkcteris foedum ? Fbres ejus quam colligeres, qui sic a spinis non revocas manum? Quam conjideres ceterno, qui sic adhmres caduco ? Behold, the world is turbulent and full of vexation, yet it is loved ; how would it be embraced if it were calm and quiet ? If it were a beauteous damsel, how would they dote on it, that BO kiss it being a deformed stigmatic ? How greedily would they gather the flowers, who would not forbear the thorns ? They that so admire it being transient and temporal, how would they be enamoured on it if it were eternal ? But " the world passeth," 1 John ii. 17, and God abideth. " They shall perish, but thou remainest : they all shall wax old as doth a garment : and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed : but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail," Heb. i. 11, 12. Tlierefore, " trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God," 1 Tim. \i. 17. And then, " they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever," Psal. cxxv. 1. Jeszts Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. 2. This persuades us to an imitation of Christ's con- stancy. Let the stableness of his mercy to us work a sta- bleness of our love to him. And howsoever, like the lower orbs, we have a natural motion of our own from good to e\'il, yet let us suffer the higher power to move us supema- turally from evil to good. There is in us indeed a reluctant llesh, " a law in our members warring against the law of our mind," Rom. vii. 23. So Augustine confesseth : iVcc plane nolebam, nec plane volebam. And, Ego eram qui voleham, ego qui nolebam (Confess, lib. viii. cap. 10.) I neither fully granted nor plainly denied ; and it was I myself that both THE IMMUTABLE SIKUCY OF JESUS CHRIST. would and ■would not. But our ripeness of Christianity must overgrow fluctuant thoughts. LTCsolution and unsteadiness is hateful, and unlike to our master Christ, who is ever the same. "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways," James i. 8. The incon- stant man is a stranger in his own house : all his purposes are but guests, his heart is the inn. If they lodge there for a night, it is all ; they are gone in the morning. Many motions come crowding together upon him ; and like a great press at a narrow door, wliilst all strive, none enter. The epigrammatist wittily, (Martial, Epig. Ub. 3) : Omnia cum facias, miraris cur facias nil: Posthumc, rem solam qui facit, ille facit : (When thou attemptest all things, why wonder that no- thing is done? lie only succeeds who attends to one thing). He that will have an oar for every man's boat, shall have none left to row his own. They, saith Melancthon, that will know aliquid in omnibus, (something of every thing), shall indeed know nihil in toto, (master nothing.) Their admi- ration or dotage of a thing is extreme for the time, but it is a wonder if it out-live the .age of a wonder, which is al- lowed but nine days. They arc angry ^^^th time, and say the times are dead, because they jiroduce no more Innova- tions. Their inquiry of all things is not quam honum (whe- ther it be good), but quam novum (whether it be new.) They are almost weary of the sun for continual shining. Continuance is a suflicient quaiTcl against the best things ; and the manna of heaven is loathed because it is common. This is not to be always the same, but never the same ; and whilst they would be every thing, they are nothing : but hke the worm Pliny writes of, multipoda, that hath many feet, yet is of slow pace. Awhile you shall have him in England, loving the simple truth ; anon in Rome, grovelling before an image. Soon after he leaps to Amsterdam ; and yet must he still be turning, till there be nothing left but to turn Turk. To mnter an opinion is too tedious ; he hath 78 8KMPER IDEM ; OR, been many things. WTiat he will be, you shall scarce know till he is nothing. But the God of constancy would have his to be constant. Stedfast in your faitli to him. " Continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel," Colos. i. 23. Stedfast in your faith- fulness to man, promising and not disappointing (Psalm xv. 4.) Do not aliud stantes, aliud sedentes, lest your changing with God teach God to change with you. Nemo potest tibi Christum auferre, nisi te illi auferas (Ambr. in luc. hb. 5). No man can turn Christ from thee, unless thou turn thy- self from Chiist. Por " Jesus Christ the same yesterday," &c. AVe come now to the circumference, wherein is a distinc- tion of three times : past, present, future. Tempora mu- tantur : the times change, the circumference wheels about, but the centre is the same for ever. AVe must resolve this triplicity into a triphcity. Christ is the same according to these three distinct terms, three distmet ways : — Objective, in his "Word. Subjective, in his Power. Effective, in his gracious operation. Objectively, T /-II • 1 • it • ( Yesterday in Preordination. Jesus Christ is the same m ) „ , . , . J J i. i -< To-day m Incarnation. his word: and that J „ ■ 4 v ' (For ever m Appbcation. Yesterday in Preordination. So St Peter, in his sermon, tells the Jews, that " he was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," Acts ii. 23. And in his epistle, that " he was verily preordained before the foundation of the world," 1 Pet. i. 20. lie is called the " Lamb slain from the foun- dation of the world," Rev. xiii. 8. Priiis profuit, quam /nil. His prophets did fortell him, the t^-pes did prefigure him, THE IMMUTABLE MERCY OF JESUS CHRIST. 79 God himself did promise him. Ratus ordo Dei : the decree of God is constant. Much comfort I must here leave to your meditation. If God preordained a Saviour for man, before he had either made man, or man marred himself, as Paul to Timothy, " He hath saved us according to his own purpose and giMce, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. i. 9 ; then surely he meant that nothing should separate us from his eternal love in that Saviour, Kom. viii. 39. Quos elegit ijicreatos, rcdemit perditos, non deseret redemptos. Whom he chose before they were created, and when they were lost redeemed, lie will not forsake being sanctified. To-day in Incarnation. " When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman," Gal. iv. 4. " The Word was made flesh," John i. 14 ; which was, saith Emissenus, (In Hom. 2, de Nat. Christ.) : Non dcposita, sed seposita majes- tate: (Not resigning his majest)-, but laWngit aside for a time). Thus he became younger than his mother, that is as eter- nal as his Father. He was yesterday God before all worlds, he is now made man in the world. Sa7iguiiicm, quern pro matre obtulit, anlea de sangidne matris accepit (Euseb. Emiss. ubi supra.) The blood that he shed for his mother, he had from his mother. The same Eusebius, on the ninth of Isaiah, acutely, " Unto us a child is bom, unto us a son is given," Isaiah ix. 6. He was Datus ex Divinitate, natus ex virgine. Datus est qui erat ; natus est qui non erat. He was given of the Deity, born of the Virgin. He that was given, was before ; he as bom, was not before. Donum. dedit Deus cequale sibi : God gave a gift equal to himself. So he is the same yesterday and to-day, objectively in his word. Idem qui velatus in veteri, revelatus in novo. In illo prcedictus, in isto prcedicatus : (He who was veiled in the Old, is revealed in the New Testament ; in the former pre- dicted, in the latter preached.) Yesterday prefigured in 'ha law, to-day the same manifested in the gospel. 80 SEMFKR IDEM ; OR, For ever in Operation. He doth contmually by bis Spirit apply to our consciences the virtue of his death and passion. " As many as receive him, to them gives be powor to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on bis name," John i. 12. " By one offering be bath perfected for ever them that are sanc- tified," Heb. X. 14. Tliis is sure comfort to us, though be died almost 1629 years ago; bb blood is not yet dry. His ■wounds are as fresh to do us good as they were to those saints that beheld them bleeding on the cross. The virtue of bis merits is not abated, tliougb many bands of faith have taken large portions out of his treasurj-. The river of bis grace, which makes glad the city of God, runs over the banks, though infinite souls have drank hearty draughts, and satisfied their thirst. But because we cannot appre- hend this for ourselves of ourselves, therefore he hath pro- mised to send us the " Spirit of truth, who will dwell with us," John xiv. 17, and apply this to us for ever. Thus you have seen the first triplicify, how he is the same ohjeC' lively in his word. Now he is Subjectively in his power the same ; and ! Yesterday, for be made the world. To-day, for he governs the world. For ever, for be shall judge the world. Yesterday in the Creation. " All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made," John i. 3. " By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers ; all things were created by him, and for him," Col. i. 16. All things, even the great and fair book of the world, ot three so hirge leaves, Caelum, Solum, Solum ; heaven, earth, and sea. The prophet calls him " the everlasting Father," Isa. ix. 6 ; Daniel, the " An- cient of days," Dan. vii. 9. Solomon says, that "the Lord possessed bira in the beginning of bis xrny. before his works THE IMMUTABLE MERCY OF JESUS CHRIST. 81 of old," Prov. vili. 22. So himself told the unbeUeving Jews, "Before Abraham was, I am," John vili. 58. We owe, then, ourselves to Christ for our creation ; but Low much more for our redemption ? Si tolum me debeo pro me facto, quid addam jam pro me refecto ? In primo opcre me viihi dedit: in secundo se mihi dcdit. (Bern, de dilig. Deo.) If I owe him my whole self for making me, what have I left to pay him for redeeming me ? In the first work, he gave myself to me ; in the second, he gave himself for me. By a double right, we owe him ourselves ; we are worthy of a double punishment, if we give him not his own. To-day in the Governing. " He upholdeth all things by the word of his power," Heb. i. 3. He is pater familias (a householder), and disposeth all things in this universe with greater care and providence than any householder can manage the business of his private fa- mily. He leaves it not, as the carpenter, having built the frame of an house, to others to perfect it, but looks to it himself. His creation and providence are like the mother and the nurse, the one produceth, the other preserveth. His crea- tion was a short providence ; his providence a perpetual creation. The one sets up the frame of the house, the other keeps it in reparation. Neither is this a disparagement to the majesty of God, as the vain epicures imagined, curare minima, to regard the least things, but rather an honour, curare injiaita, to regard all things. Neither doth this extend only to natural things, chained together by a regular order of succession, but even to casual and contingent things. Oftentimes, cum aliud volumus, aliud agimus, the event crosseth our purpose ; which must content us, though it flill out otherwise than we purposed, because God purposed as it is fallen out. It is enough that the thing attain the one end, though it miss ours ; that God's will be done, though ours be crossed. But let me say, " Hath God care of fowls and flowers, and will he not care for you" (Matth. vi. 26, 30), his own image ? Yea, let me go further ; hath God care of the F 82 SEMPER IDEM ; Oli, wicked ? Doth he pour down the happj' influences of heaven on the " unjust man's ground?" Matth. v. 45. And shall the faithful want his blessing ? Doth he provide for the sons of Belial, and shall his own chilflren lack ? lie may give meat and raiment to the rest, but his bounty to Ben- jamin shall exceed. If Moab, his wash-pot, taste of his be- nefits, then Judah, the signet on his finger, cannot be for- gotten. The king governs all the subjects in his dominions, but his servants that wait in his court partake of his most princely favours. God heals the sores of the verj' wicked ; but if it be told him, " Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick" ( John xi. 3), it is enough, he shall be healed. The ^cked may have outward blessings without inward, and that is Essau's pottage without his birth-right ; but the elect have inward blessings, though they want outward, and that is Jacob's inheritance TOthout liis pottage. For ever : because he shall judge the world. God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteous- ness, " by that man whom he hath ordained," Acts xvii. 31. " In the day that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ," Rom. ii. 16. Let the ivicked flatter themselves that all is but talk of any coming to judgment ; non aliud videre patres, aliudve nepotes aspicient ; all is but terriculamenta nutricum, mere scare-babes. Scribarum pennce mendaces ; they have written lies, there is no such matter. But when they shall see that Lamb " whom they have pierced and scorned" (Rev. i. 7), " they shall cry to the mountains and rocks. Fall upon us, and cover us," Rev.vi. 16. Now they flatter themselves with his death ; mortuus est, he is dead and gone ; and Mortuum Casarem quis metuit f Who fears even a Caesar when he is dead ? But " He that was dead, liveth ; behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen. Jesus Christ yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," Rev. L 18. QucEsitor scelerum veniet, vindexque reorum: (the inquisitor of sins, the avenger of the accused, will come.) Here is matter of infaUible comfort to us : " Lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh," Luke xxi. 28. Here we are imprisoned, martjTed, tortured ; but when that great assize and general jail-delivery comes, mors non TUK IMMUTABLE MERCY OF JESUS CHRIST. 83 crit ultra, " There shall be no more death nor sorrow, but all teai-s shall be wiped fi'om our ej-es," Eev. xxi. 4. " For it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribu- lation to them that trouble you. And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be re- vealed from heaven, with his mighty angels," 2 Thess. i. 6, 7. AVe shall then find him the same ; — the same Lamb that bought us shall give us a Venite bead, " Come, ye blessed, receive yom- kingdom. Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus," Rev. xxii. 20. Effectually in his Grace and Mercy. C Yesterday to our Fathers, So he is the same^ To-day to ourselves, (^For ever to our Children. Yesterday to our Fathers. All our athers, whose souls are now in heaven, those " spirits of just men made perfect," Heb. xii. 23, were, as the next words intimate, saved " by Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and by the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." Whether they lived under nature, or under the law, Christ was their ex- pectation ; and they were justified credendo in venturum Christum, by believing in the Messiah to come. So Luke ii. 25, " Simeon is said to wait for the consolation of Israel." To-day to ourselves. His mercy is everlasting ; his truth endureth from gene- ration to generation. The same gracious Saviour that he was yesterday to our fathers, is he to-day to us, if we be to- day faithful to him. All catch at this comfort, but in vain ivithout the hand of faith. There is no deficiency in him ; but is there none in thee ? Whatsoever Chiist is, what art thou ? He forgave Mary Magdalene many grievous sins ; so he will forgive thee, if thou canst shed Marv Magdalene's 84 SKMPER IDF.M ; OU, tears. He took the malefactor from the cross to Paradise ; thither he will receive thee if thou have the same faith. He was merciful to a denying apostle ; challenge thou the like mercy if thou have the like repentance. If we will be like these, Christ, assuredly, will be ever like himself "WTien any man shall prove to be such a sinner, he will not fail to be such a Saviour. To-day he is thine, if to-day thou wilt be his : thine to- morrow, if yet to-morrow thou wilt be his. But how if dark death prevent the morrow's light ? He was yesterday, so wert thou : he is to-day, so art thou : he is to-morrow, so perhaps mayest thou not be. Time may change thee, though it cannot change him. He is not (but thou art) subject to mutation. This I dare boldly say : he that re- pents but one day before he dies, shall find Christ the same in mercy and forgiveness. Wickedness itself is glad to hear this ; but let the sinner be foithful on his part, as God is merciful on his part : let him be sure that he repent one day before he dies, whereof he cannot be sure, except he repent every day ; for no man knows his last day. Lalet ultimus dies, ut observetur otnnis dies. Therefore (saith Augustine) we know not our last day, that we might ob- serve every day. " To-day, therefore, hear his voice," Psal. xcv. 7. Thou hast lost yesterday negligently — thou losest to-day wilfully ; and therefore mayest lose for ever inevitably. It is just with God to punish two days' neglect with the loss of the third. The hand of f;dth may be withered, the spring of repentance dried up, the eye of hope blind, the foot of charity lame. To-day, then, hear his voice, and make him thine. Yesterday is lost, to-day may be gained ; but that once gone, and thou with it, when thou art dead and judged, it will do thee small comfort that Jesus Christ is the same for ever. For ever to our Children. He that was yesterday the God of Abraham, is to-day ours, and will be forever our children's. As well now " the THE IMMUTABLE MERCY OF JESUS CHRIST. 85 light of the Gentiles," as before " the glory of Israel. I will be the God of thy seed, saith the Lord to Abraham," Luke ii. 32. " His mercy is on them that fear him, from gene- ration to generation," Luke i. 50. Many parents are solicitously perplexed how their chil- dren shall do when they are dead ; yet they consider not how God provided for them when they were children. Is the "Lord's arm shortened?" Did he take thee from thy mother's breasts ; and " when thy parents forsook thee." (as the Psalmist saith), became thy Father? And cannot this experienced mercy to thee persuade thee, that he will not forsake thine? Is not " Jesus Christ the same yester- day, and to-day, and for ever ?" "I have been young (saith David), and am now old ; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken (that is granted, nay) nor his seed begging bread," Psal. xxxvii. 25. Many distrustful fathers are so carking for their pos- terity, that while they live they starve their bodies, and hazard their souls to leave them rich. To such a father it is said justly : Dives es hceredi, pauper iiiopsque iibi. Like an over-kind hen, he feeds his chickens, and famisheth him- self If usury, circumvention, oppression, extortion, can make them rich, they shall not be poor. Their folly is ridi- culous ; they fear lest their children should be miserable, yet take the only course to make them miserable ; for they leave them, not so much heirs to their goods as to their evils. They do as certainly inherit their father's sins as their lands : " God layeth up his iniquity for his children ; and his offspring shall want a morsel of bread," Job xxi. 19. On the contrary, " the good man is merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed," Psal. xxxvii. 26. That the world- ling thinks shall make his posterity poor, God saith shall make the good man rich. The precept gives a promise of mercy to obedience, not only confined to the obedient man's self, but extended to his seed, and that even to a thousand generations, Exod. xx. 6. Trust, then, Christ with thy children ; when thy friends shall fail, usury bear no date, oppression be condemned to hell, thyself rotten to dust, the 86 SliMPEIl IDEM, &C. world itself turned and burned into cinders, still " Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." Now then, as " grace and peace are from him which is, and which was, and which is to come ; " so glory and honour be to Him, which is, which was, and which is to come ; even to " Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," Rev. i. 4. HEAVEN-GATE; OB, THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. " And may enter in through the gates into the city."— ««». uSi, 14. HEAVEN-GATE; OS, THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. And may enter in through the gates into the city."— xxii. 14, If we supply these words with the first word of the verse, "blessed," we shall make a perfect sentence of perfect comfort. " Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." The premises quahfyus; we must be such as are Messed; and who are they? Qui prcestant mandata, that do his commandments. The promises cro^vn us, and these are two : First, that we " may have right to the tree of life," even that which " is in the midst of the paradise of God," Rev. ii. 7. From whence the angel, with a flaming sword, shall ket'p all the reprobate ; secondly, Et per portas iiiyre- diantnr cirilalem, and may enter in through the gates into the city ; when without shall be dogs and scorners, &c. ; Avhosoever loveth and maketh a lie. To the last words of the verse I have bound and bounded my discourse ; wherein I find three points readily offering themselves to be In the whole there be 90 IIEAVEN-GATE ; OR, JMotus, Motion, Enter in, Modus, INIanner, Through the gates, Terminus, Place, Into the city. So there is a threefold ( ^hat, an entrance, circumstance, j How, through the gates. Quo, vV hither, into the city. The motion. Enter in. They are blessed that enter in ; perseverance only makes happy. Our labours must not cease till we can (with Ste- phen) see these gates open, and our Saviour offering to take us by the hand, and welcome our entrance. We know who hath taught us, that only " continuers to the end shall be saved." It is observable, that in the holy Spirit's letters sent to those seven churches, in the second and third chap- ters of this book, all the promises run to perseverers ; vincenti dabitur, to him that overcomes it shall be given. Kec pa- ranti ad prcelium, nec pugnanti ad sanguinem, midto minus tergiver.ianti ad peccatum, sed vincenti ad victoriam. Nor to him that prepares to fight, nor to him that resists to blood, much less to him that shews his back in cowardice, but to him that overcomes to conquest. Demas seeing this war, ran away ; fell back to the security of the world. Saul made himself ready to this battle, but he durst not fight — glory and lusts carried him away. Judas stood a bout or two, but the high priest's money made him give over, and the de^Tl took him captive. But Paul fought out this com- bat even to victory, though " he bore in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus," Gal. vi. 17. " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith ; therefore now there is laid up for me a crown of righteous- ness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me," 2 Tim. iv. 7. 8. This is a good life, saith Bernard. Mala pati, et bona facere ; ct sic usque ad mortem perseverare, to suffer evU, to do good, and so to continue to the end. Some came into the vineyard in the morning, some at noon, others later; THE PASSAGE TO PAllADISE. 91 none received the penny but tliey that stayed till night. Augustine affirms this to be almost all the contents of the Lord's prayer : Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy -will be done (Aug. de bono Perseverantice, cap. 2.) AVherein we desire that his name may always be sanctified, his kingdom alwaj s propagated, his will always obeyed. Indeed this grace perfects all graces. We believe in vain, if our faith hold not out to the end ; we love in vain, if our charity grow cold at last ; we pray in vain, if our zeal grows faint ; we strive in vain at the strait gate, if not till we enter. Venire ad reliffionem est vera dcvotio ; sed non relif/iose livere vera Janinatio ; to come to the truth of reli- gion is true devotion ; not to live religiously is true dam- nation. Man is naturally like a horse that loveth short journeys, and there are few that hold out. Whence it comes that the last are often first, and the first last. " Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all, but one re- ceiveth the prize ?" 1 Cor. ix. 24. He that hath a good horse can go faster up a hill than down a hill. He that hath a good faith doth as quickly ascend the Mount Zion, as the wicked descend to the valley of Hinnom. If men would as strongly erect themselves upwards, as they direct their courses downwards, they might go to heaven with less trouble than they do gD to hell. But he that at every step looks at every stop, and num- bers his perils with his paces, either turns aside faintly or turns back cowardly. They that go wandering and won- dering on their journc}', are at the gates of Samaria when they should enter the gates of Jerusalem. God saith, " I will not leave you," Heb. xiii. 5. Will you then leave God ? One told Socrates that he would fain go to Olympus, but he distrusted his sufiiciency for the length of the journey. Socrates told him — thou walkest every day little or much, continue this walk forward thy way, and a few days shall biing thee to Olympus. Every day every man takes some pains ; let him bestow that measure of pains in travelling to heaven, and the further he goes the more heart he gets, till at last he enter through the gates into the city. 92 HEAVEN-GATE ; Oli, Bernard calls perseverance the only daughter of the high- est Iving, the perfection of virtues, the store-house of good works ; a virtue without which no man shall see God : (Per- severantia est unica summi Regis Jilia, virtulum consummatio, tntliis boni repositorium, virtus sine qua nemo vidthit Deuni.) There is a last enemy to be destroyed, Death ; we must hold out to the conquest even of this last adversarj'. Which if it conquer us by the sting of our sin, shall send us to the doors of hell : if we conquer it by our faith, it shall send us to the gates of this city, heaven. All the voyage is lost through the perilous sea of this world ; if we sufler shipwreck in the haven, and lose our reward there, where we should land to receive it, what get we, if we keep Satan short of ruling us mth his force many hours, when at our last hour he shall snatch our bliss fi-om us ? The runner speeds all the way, but when he comes at the race's end to the goal, he stretcheth forth his hand to catch the prize. Be sure of thy last step, to put forth the hand of faith then most strongly : Ne pcrdatiir prcemium taittis Imlioribus quoe- situm ; lest the reward be lost, which thou with much la- bour hast aimed at. It is not enough, Qucerere caelum, sed acquirere ; rum Chris- tum seqtii, sed conxequi : To seek heaven, but to find it ; not to follow Christ, but to overtake him ; not to be brought to the gates, but to enter in. " Many -will say to Christ in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" Matth. vii. 22. But the " Master of the house is first risen, and hath shut to the door," Luke xiii. 25. Either they come too soon, before they have gotten faith and a good conscience ; or too late, as those foolish virgins, when the gate was shut. If then we have bogim, let us continue to enter. Cvjusque casus tantb rmjorut est criminis, q^tantb priusquam caderet majoris erat vii-iutis (Isidor.) Every man's fault hath so much the more discredit of scandal, as he before he feU had credit of virtue. Let us beware that we do not slide; if slide, that we do not fall; if fall, that we fall forward, not backward. " The just man" often slips, and sometime " falls," Pro v. xxiv. 16. And this is dan- THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 93 gerous ; for if a man, while he stands on his legs, can hardly grapple with the devil, how shall he do when he is fallen down under his feet ? But if they do fall, they fall forward, asEzekiel (Ezek. i. 28) ; not backward, as Eli at the loss of the ark, 1 Sam. iv. 18 ; or they that came to surprise Christ. " They went backward and fell to the ground," John xviii. 6. Cease not then thy godly endeavours ; until Contingas portum, quo tibi cursus erat. Say we not like the woman to Esdras, whether in ii vision or othenvise, when he bade her go into the city. " That will I not do : I will not go into the city, but here I will die" (2 Esdras x. 18). It is a wretched sin, saith Augustine, after tears for sin not to preserve innocence. Such a man is washed, but is not clean. Quia commissa Jlere desinit, el iterum Jlenda commiltit. He ceases to weep for faults done, and renews faults worthy of weeping. Think not thyself safe, till thou art got within the gates of the city. Behold thy Saviour calling, thy Fa- ther blessing, the Spirit assisting, the angels comforting, the Word directing, the glory uniting, good men associating. Go cheerfully, till thou " enter b through the gates into the city." The Manner. Through the Gates. Not singularly a gate, but gates. For the city is said to have " twelve gates. On the east three gates, on the north three, on the south three, and on the west three," Eev. xxi. 12. To declare that men shall come fi-om all the comers of the world, " from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south ; and shall sit do\vn in the king- dom of God," Luke xiii. 29. These gates are not literally to be understood, but mystically : Pro modo intrandi, for the manner of entrance. The gates are those passages whereby we must enter this city. Heaven is often said to have a gate. " Strive to enter in at the strait gate," saith Christ, Matth. vii. 13. " Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlast- ing doors," saith the Psalmist, Psal. xxiv. 7. " This is 94 IIEAVEX-GATE ; OR, none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven," saith Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 17. There must be gates to a city : they that admit us hither are the gates of grace. So the analogy of the words infer ; doing the commandments is the way to have right in the tree of life ; obedience and sanctification is the gate to this city of salva- tion. In a word, Tlie temple had a gate called Beautiful, Acts iii. 2 ; but of poor beauty in regard of this gate. Of the gates of tlie sanctuary spake David in divers psalms, with love and joy. " Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his court.s with praise," Psal. e. 4. This was God's delight. " The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob," Psal. Ixxxvii. 2. This was David's election to be a porter or keeper of the gates of God's house, " rather than dwell in the tents of wickedness," Psal. Lvxxiv. 10. This his resolution : " Our feet shall stand within thy gates, 0 Jerusalem," Psal. cxxii. 2. Solomon made two doors for the entering of the oracle : they were made of " olive trees, and wrought upon -with the cai-vings of cherubims," 1 Ivings vi. 32. Tlie olives promising fatness and plenty of blessings — the cherubims, holiness and eternity. These are holy gates ; let everv- one pray with that royal prophet, " Open to me the gates of righteousness : I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter," Psal. cxrai. 19, 20. In brief, we may distinguish the gates leading to tliis city into two : Adoption and Sanctification. Both these meet in Christ, who is the only gate or door whereby we enter heaven. " I am the door," saith our Saviour, janua vilce, the gate of life ; " by me if any enter in, he shidl be saved," John x. 9. THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 95 Adoption is the first gate. " We have received the spirit of adoption," Kom. viii. 15. Without this passage there is no getting into heaven. The inheritance of glory cannot be given to the children of disobedience : they must first be converted and adopted heirs in Christ. The grace of God is twofold. There is Gratia gratis agens (grace acting freely) ; and Gratia gratum faciens (grace rendering grateful). This second grace, which is of adoption, is never in a reprobate ; not by an absolute impossibility, but by an indisposition in him to receive it. A spark of fire falling upon water, ice, or snow, goes out ; on wood, flax, or such apt matter, kindles. Baptism is the sacrament of admission into the congregation ; of incision and initiation, whereby we are matriculated and received into the motherhood of the Church. Therefore the sacred font is placed at the church door to insinuate and signify our entrance. So adoption is the first door or gate whereby we pass to the city of glory. This is our new creation, whereat the angels of heaven rejoice, Luke xv. 10. At the creation of dukes or earls, there is great joy among men ; but at our new creation, angels and seraphims rejoice in the presence of God. Our generation was a non esse, ad esse : fi-om not being, to be. But oiu- regeneration is a male esse, ad iene esse : from a being evil, to be well ; and that for ever. Through this gate we must pass to enter the city; without this, death shall send us to another place. No man ends this life well, except he be born again before he ends it. Now, if you would be sure that you are gone through this gate, call to mind what hath been your repentance. The first sign of regeneration is throbs and throes : you cannot be adopted to Christ without sensible pain, and com- punction of heart for your sins. The Christian hath two births, and they are two gates : he can pass through none of them but with anguish. Both our first and second birth begin with crying. Our first birth is a gate into this world ; our second is a gate into the world to come. There is some pam in both. For this world, but little joy after the pain ; for the other, after short sorrow, eternal glory. 96 HEAVEN-GATE ; OK, Sanctification is the second gate. Make your call- ing and election sure, saith Peter, by a holy life : " For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. i. 11. But "there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth ; neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a he," Rev. xxi. 27. Therefore Paul pra3s the " God of peace to sanctify us wholly," 1 Thess. V. 23. Holiness is the way to happiness ; grace the g.ite of glory. But some may object from that of Paul, that this sanctification must be total and perfect ; but who can come so furnished to the gate ? therefore, who can enter the city ? I answer : There is required only sanclijicatio via, non patrice : such a sanctity as the gate can afford, though far short of that within the city. The School distinguisheth well. It must be communiter in toto, et universaliter in sin- gulis partibus ; but not totaliler et perfecth This sanctifica- tion must be communicated to the whole man, and univer- sally propagated to every part, though it have in no place of man a total perfection. Indeed, nullum peccatum retinen- dum est spe remissionis. No sin is to be cherished in hope of mercy. But we must strive for every grace we have not, and for the increase of every grace we have. Quoerendum quod deest bonum, indulgendum quod adest. Let us make much of that we possess, and still seek for more, " striving to the mark," Phil. iii. 14. And yet when all is done, profectio h(ec, 7ion perfectio est ; we have made a good step forward, but are not come to our full home. But stiU, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner, and enter not into judgment with us. Now, since this gate stands in our own heart, give me leave to describe it, and that briefly, by The ( Properties, (Parts. • The properties are two. It is Low — Heaven is well called a " building not made with hands," 2 Cor. v. 1 ; for it differs both in matter and form THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 97 from earthly edifices. For matter, it is eternal, not mo- mentary ; for manner, fabricated without hands. Great manors on earth have large answerable porches. Heaven must needs be spacious, when a little star fi.xed in a far lower orb, exceeds the earth in quantity ; yet hath it a low gate, not a lofty coming in. They must stoop, then, that will enter here. " He hath filled the hungry mth good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away," Luke i. 53. The rich in their own con- ceits, and proud of their own worth, shall be sent empty from this gate. Zaccheus climbs up into a sycamore tree to lieliold Jesus ; but when Jesus beheld liim got up so high, lie said. Come down ; " Zaccheus make haste, and come down," Luke xix. 6. Whosoever will entertain Jesus, must come down. The haughty Nebuchadnezzar, that thinks with his head to knock out the stars in heaven, must stoop at this gate, or he cannot enter. Be you never so lofty, you must bend. God's honour must be preferred be- fore your honours. It is no discredit to your worships to worship God. Little. — Christ calls it a " narrow gate," Luke xiii. 24. They must be little that enter ; little in their own eyes, slender in the opinion of themselves. " Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein," Mark x. 15. Samuel to Saul: " When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel?" 1 Sam. xv. 17. When Jesse had made all his sons pass before Samuel, he asked him if none remained yet. Jesse answers. Yes, a little one tending the flocks. " Fetch that little one," saith Samuel, " for we \vill not sit down till he come," 1 Sam. xvi. 11. That httle one was he. Says the angel to Esdras, " A city is built, and set upon abroad field, full of all good things, 2 Esdras vii. 6, yet the entrance thereof is nar- row." This is spatiosa et speciosa civitas : A city beauti- ful and roomy ; yet it hath but a narrow wicket, a little gate. G 98 HEAVEN-GATE ; OR, Alas ! how will the surfeited epicure do to enter, whose gluttonous body is so deformed, that it moves like a great tun upon two pots ? "What hope hath an iinpropriator, with four or five churches on his back, to pass tliis Uttle gate? The bribing officer hath a swollen hand, it will not enter ; and the gouty usurer cannot thrust in his foot. The fac- tious schismatic hath too big a head, the swearer such forked blasphemies in his mouth, that here is no entrance. Pride hath no more hope to get into the gates of that city above, than there is hope to cast it out the gates of this city be- low. Much good do it with earthly courts, for it must not come into the courts of heaven. Think, O sinners ; you cannot go with these oppressions, with these oaths, fi-auds, bribes, usuries, with these wicked- nesses, into the gates of this city. You must shift them off, or they will shut you out. You hear the properties ; the parts are now to be consi- dered, and these are four : The foundation, the two sides, and the roof. The foundation is Faith ; one of the sides, Patience ; the other Innocence ; the roof. Charity. Faith is the foundation. " Be ye grounded and set- tled in the faith," Colos. i. 23. Credendo fundatur, saith Augustine. It is grounded in faith. All other graces are (as it were) built on this foimdation. Credimus quod spera- mus : quod credimus et speramus, diligimus: quod credimus, speramus, et diligimus, operamur. What we hope, we be- lieve ; what we believe and hope, we love ; what we be- lieve, hope, and love, we endeavour to attain. So all is built on faith. Hope on faith. Nulla spes increditi: it is impossible to hope for that we believe not to be. Charity on faith : why should a man give all to the poor, unless he believed an abundant recompense? Repentance on faith : why else suf- fer we contrition for sin, if we believed not remission of sin? Temperance on faith : why forbear we the pleasing vanities of the world, but that we believe the transcendent joys of eternity, whereof these harlots would rob us ? Patience on THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 99 faith : why woiild we endure such calamities with willing quietness and subjection, if we believed not an everlasting peace and rest to come ? All obedience on faith, that God would accept it in Jesus Christ. If all be built on faith, I may call it the basis and foundation of this gate. " With- out faith it is impossible to please God : for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Ileb. xi. 6. Faith is the passage-way to God ; not one of that holy ensuing legend entered the city of life without this. He that hath faith sh;dl enter ; yea, he is entered. " He hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation ; but is passed from death to life," John v. 24. Patience is one of the pillars. " Ye have need of patience, that when you have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise," Heb. x. 36. That when you have suffered before the gates, ye may enter the city. There be three enemies that assault the soul before she en- ter the gates — a lion, a leopard, and a fox. The Hon is the devil, who roareth with hideous eyes and bloody jaws, 1 Pet. T. 8. The leopard is the world, which hath a gay spotted hide ; but if it take us within the clutches, it de- vours us. The fox is our concupiscence, bred in us, which craftily spoils our grapes, our young vines, our tender graces, Cant. ii. 15. Patience hath therefore an armed sol- dier with her, called Christian fortitude, to give repulse to all these encounters. And what he cannot feriendo by smiting, she conquers fereudo by suffering. Vmcit etiaiii clum patitur. She overcomes, even while she suffers. Pa- tience meekly bears wongs done to our own person ; forti- tude encounters courageously wrongs done to the person of Christ. She -will not yield to sin, though she die. She hath the spiiit of Esther to withstand things that dishonour God. " If I perish, I perish," Esth. iv. 16. Innocence is the other pillar. As patience teacheth us to bear wrongs, so innocence to do none. Patience gives 100 heaven-gate; ob, us a shield, but innocence denies us a sword. Ourselves we may defend, others we must not offend. Innocence is such a virtue. Qua ciiin aliis non nocet, nee sibi nocet (Au- gustine). Which as it wrongs not others, so not itself. He that hurts liimself, is not innocent. The prodigal is no man's foe but his own, saith the proverb ; but because he is his own foe, he is not innocent. TriumpJtus innocentioe est non peccare ubi potest (Seneca). It is the triumph of inno- cence not to offend where it may. No testimony is more sweet to the conscience than this : " Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart," Isa. xxxviii. 3. So Job, " My heart shall not condemn me for my days." Blessed soul thus comforted. It smiles at the fro-vvns of earth, and dares stand the thunder. Tliough there be no innocency but rejoiceth to stand in the sight of mercy, yet thus in the midst of injuries it cheers itself: " O Lord, thou knowest my innocence." The wicked " cover themselves with vio- lence as with a garment," Psa. Ixxiii. 6 ; therefore confu- sion shall cover them as a cloak. " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," Matth. v. 5. That part of the earth they live in shall afford them quiet ; and their part in heaven hath no disquiet in it. Si amoveantiir, ad- moventur in locum, a quo non removcntur in aternum. If they be moved, they are moved to a place from whence they shall never be removed. " I will wash mine hands in innocency : so will I compass thine altar, 0 Lord," Psa. xx\-i. 6. If innocence must lead us to the altar on earth, sure that must be our gate to the glorj' of heaven. Charity is the roof, diligemlo perficitur, (Augustine) ; love makes up the building. " Now abideth faith, hope, and cha- rity ; but the greatest of these is chai-ity," 1 Cor. xili. 13. It is a grace of the loveliest countenance, and longest continu- ance ; for countenance, it is amiable ; all love it. The poor respect not thy faith so much as thy charity. For continu- ance, faith and hope take their leave of us in death ; but charity brings us to heaven-door, and ushers us into glory. THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 101 " I know not what to say more in thy praise, O charity, than, ut Deum de coelo iraheres, et hominem ad caelum ele- vares," (Hugo de laude Charitatis) ; than thou didst bring down God from heaven to earth, and dost lift up man from earth to heaven. Great is thy virtue, that by thee God should be humbled to man, by thee man should be ex- alted to God. You have the gates described. Let us draw a short con- clusion from these two former circumstances, and then en- ter the city. The Sum. There is no entrance to the city but by the gates ; no passage to glory but by grace. The wall of this city is said to be great and high (Rev. xxi. 12.) High, no climbing over; great, no breaking through. So Christ saith, "No thief can break through and steal," Matth. vi. 20. There- fore through the gates, or no way. " CoiTuption doth not inherit incorruption," 1 Cor. xv. 50. This coiTupted man must be regenerate, that he may be saved ; must be sancti- fied, that he may be glorified. Babel-builders may offer fair for heaven, but not come near it. The giants of om- time, I mean the monstrous sinners, may, ivtpnncre Pellion Ossw-i lay rebellion upon presiunptlon, treason upon rebel- lion, blasphemy upon all, as if they would sink heaven with their loud and lewd ordinance, and pluck God out of his throne ; but hell gapes in expectation of them. This gate is kept, as the gate of paradise, -mih a flaming sword of jus- tice, to keep out " idolaters, adulterers, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners," 1 Cor. vi. 9, and other dogs of the same litter, " from the kingdom of God," Rev. xxii. 16. Some trust to open these gates with golden keys ; but bribery is rather a key to unlock the gates of hell. Let Rome seU what she list, and warrant it hke the seller in the Proverbs, " It is good, it is good." Yet it is naught ; but 102 HEAVEN-GATE ; OR, were it good, God never promised to stand to the pope's bargains. Otliers liave dreamed of no other gate but their own righteousness. Poor souls, they cannot find the gate, because they stand in their own hght. Others think to pass through the gates of other men's merits : as well one bird may fly with another bird's wings. For all those hot promises of the works of saints for their ready money, they may blow their naUs in heU. Only grace is the gate. Per portam eccelesice intramus ad portam Paradisi (Aug. Serm. 136 de Temp). We must be true members of the Church, or the door of life will be shut against us. Heaven is a glorious place, therefore reserved for gracious men. Admittuntur ad spiritus justorum, non nisi justi. To those " spirits of just men made perfect," Heb. xii. 23, must be admitted none save they that are justified. Kings are there the company : none of base and ignoble lives can be accepted. Heaven is the great Whitehall, the court of the high King ; none are entertained but Alhi, such as are washed white in the blood of Christ, and keep white their own in- nocence. Ungracious offenders look for no dwelling in this glory. You that have so httle love to the gates are not worthy the city. K you will not pass through the gates of holiness in this life, you must not enter the city of happiness in the life to come. Thus we have passed the gates, and are now come to The City. Now if I had been with Paul, rapt up to the third heaven, 2 Cor. xii. 2, or had the " angel's reed wherewith he measured the wall," Rev. xxi. 17, I might say something to the desci-iption of this city. But how can darkness speak of that light ? or the base countrj' of earth describe the glo- rious court of heaven ? " Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God," Psal. lxxx\Ti. 3. Glorious cities have been, and are in the world. Rome was eminently famous ; all her citizens like so many kings ; yet was it observed, iUic homines mori, that men did die there. But in this city there THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 108 is no dying. Mors non erit ultra. " There shall be no more deathi" Rev. xxi. 4. I will narrow up my discourse, to consider in this city only three things. ! Situation. Society. Glory. The Situation. It is placed above ; " Jerusalem which is above is free, the mother of us all," Gal. iv. 26. Heaven is in excelsis. " His foundation is in the holy mountains," Psal. Ixxxvii. 1. So was Jerusalem seated on earth, to figure this city ; built on the " Quarry of heaven," Dan. ii ; " on sapphires, eme- ralds, and chrj-soUtes," Rev. xxi. There is a heaven now over our heads, but it shall " wax old as a garment," Heb. i. 1 1 . It is corruptible, and so combustible. This city is eternal ; Mount Sion, never to be moved ; a kingdom never to be shaken. We are now under this lower heaven, then this shall be under us. That which is our canopy, shall be our pavement. The Society. The king that rules there, is one Almighty God, in three distinct persons. He made this city for himself. " In his presence is the fulness of joy, apd pleasures at his right hand for evermore," Psal. xvi. 11. If he gave such a house as this world is, to his enemies, what, may we think, hath he provided for himself and his friends ? But will God dwell there alone ? He is never alone ; himself is to himself the best and most excellent company. Nevertheless, he vouch- safes a dwelUng here to some citizens, and these are either created so, assumed, or assigned. 1. Created citizens are the blessed angels ; who, from their first creation, have enjoyed the freedom of this city. They stand always in the presence of God ; they can never lose their happmess 2. Assumed ; those whose spirits are already in heaven. 104 IIKAVEN-GATE ; OR, There " are the spirits of just men made perfect," Heb. xii. 23. They are already in soul taken up, and made free denizens of this city 3. Assigned ; the elect that live in the militant church, •waiting for the day of their body's redemption ; crj ing still, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. These are conscript!, "written in the Lamb's book of life," Rev. xxi. 27. Xow though we are not already in full possession, because our ap- prenticeship of this life is not out ; yet we are already citi- zens. " Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow- citizens with the saints, and of the household of God," Ephes. ii. 19 ; and we have three happyprivileges of citizens. 1 . Libertas ; ireedom from the law, not from obedience to it, but from the curse of it. Prcestemus quod possumus : quod non possumus, non damnahit. Let us keep so much of it as we can ; what we cannot keep shall not condemn us. Liberty in the use of these earthly things ; heaven, earth, air, sea, with all their creatures, do us service. " Whether things present, or things to come, all are yours ; and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's," 1 Cor. iii. 22. 2. Tutela imperii ; the king's protection, Angelis mandavit. " He hath given his angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways," Psal. xci. 11. Is this. all? No. "He covers us with his feathers, and under his wings do we trust ; his truth is our shield and our buckler," ver. 4. Our dangers are many in some places, and some in all places ; we have God's own guard royal to keep us. They " are sent from God to minister for their sakes, which shall be heirs of salvation," Heb. i. 14. I need not determine whether every particu- lar person hath his particular angel. Saint Augustine hath well answered, " Quando hoc nesciatur sine crimine, non opus est ut definiatur cum discrimine," (Enchirid, cap. 59.) Since our ignorance is no fault, let us not trouble ourselves with curious discussion. Bernard directs us to a good use of it. " Quantum debet hoc tibi ivfcrre reverentiam, afferre derotionem, conferre Jiduciam," (Bem.) The consideration of the guard of angels about us, should put into our minds reverence, into our hearts devotion, into our souls confidence. THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 105 3. Defensio Legis, the defensive protection of the law. Christ is our Advocate. "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifieth," Rom. viii. 33. ^\e are impleaded ; Paul appeals to Caesar, we to Christ. The DevU accuseth us, we are far remote : Be- hold our counsellor is in heaven, that will not let our cause fall, or be overthrown. " If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous," 1 John ii. 1. Thus are we citizens in present, shall be more perfectly at last. We have now right to the city ; we shall then have right in the city. We have now a purchase of the possession, shall then have a possession of the purchase. " Father, I will that they" (this is our Saviour's me) " be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given," John xvii. 24. Will and testament, and shall not be broken. The company then adds to the glory of this city. We are loath to leave this world for love of a few friends, sub- ject to mutual dislikes ; but what then is the delight in the society of saints ? where thy glorified self shall meet with thy glorified friends, and your love shall be as everlasting as your glory. There be those angels that protected thee ; those patriarchs, prophets, apostles, mart}TS, that by doc- trine and example taught thee ; yea, there is that blessed Saviour that redeemed thee. Often here with groans and tears thou seekest him, whom thy soul loveth ; lo, there he shall never be out of thy sight. The Glory. The glory. Non. mild si centum linguce. If I had a hundred tongues, I would not be able to discourse thoroughly the least drachm of that inestimable weight of glory. The eye hath seen much, the ear hath heard more, and the heart hath con- ceived most of all. But " no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor heart apprehended the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," 1 Cor. ii. 9. Augustine, after a stand, Deiis habet quod exhibeat (In Joh. Hom. 3). God 106 HEAVEN-GATE ; OK hath something to bestow on you. If I say, we shall be satiate, you will think of loathing ; if we shall not be satiate, you ivill think of hunger. But ibi nec fames, nec fastidium: there is neither hunger nor loathing. Sed Bern hahet quod exhibeat. No sooner is the soul within those gates, but she is glorious. Simikm sibi r'eddit ingredientein. Heaven shall make them that enter it, like itself, glorious : as the air by the sun's brightness is transformed bright. Quanta fceli- citas, ubi nullum erit malum, nullum deerit bonumJ How great is that blessedness, where shall be no evil present, no good absent ! This is a blessed city. Men are ambitious here, and seek to be free of great cities, and not seldom buy it dearer than the captain bought his burgeship. But no such honour as to be denizens of this city ; whereof once made free, how contemptibly they will look at the vain endeavours of wordly men ! Think, beloved ; yea, know how sweet soever the gains of this lower city be, it is yet far short of the gains of heaven. And you will one day sa}-, there is no city like to the city of God, where " shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain," Rev. xxi. 4. Death, with all his apparitors, that cites the whole world to his court, sorrow, crying, pain, shall be no more. " They shall persecute you from city to city," Matt. x. 23, saith Christ, till at last we come to this city, and then out of their reach. O that this clay of ours should come to such honour ! Well may we suffer it to endure the world's tyranny, and to be afflicted by the citizens thereof; alas, we are but ap- prentices, and they will use us hardly till our years be out. When that day comes, we shall be free possessors of this city. You hear now the gate and the dty, what should yea do but enter ? Pass through the gate of grace, a holy and sanctified life, and you shall not fail of the city of glorj' ; whither once entered, you shall sing as it is in the psalm, Sicut audivimus, ita et vidimus. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of our God. AVe see that now which was preached to us ; yea, and ten thousand times more than THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. 107 ever could be uttered. You shall say to Christ, as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, " I heard much of thy glory ; but, behold, the one half was not told me," 1 Kings x. 7. You saw Jerusalem before in a map, now you shall walk through the streets, and observe the towers and bulwarks, fully contemplate the glory. But my discourse shall give way to your meditation. The joys are boundless, endless : the Lord make us free of thb city. Amea. MAJESTY IN MISERY; THE POWER OF CHRIST EVEN DYING MAJESTY IN MISERY OB, THE POWER OF CHRIST EVEN DYING. " And behold the rait of the Temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom i and the earth did quake, and the roclis rent : and the graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose."— 3fall*. iivil. 51. In the lowest depth of Christ's humiliation, God never left him without some evident and eminent testimony of his divine power. He hangs here on the cross dying, yea dead ; his enemies insulting over him, where is now his God? " Khe be able to save us, let him save himself." He bears not only the wrath of God, but even the reproach of men. Yet even now shall his divinity appear, and break( like a glorious sun through these clouds of misery. Hej rends the vail, shakes the earth, breaks the stones, raiseth the dead. These two verses stand gloriously adorned with four miracles. 1. " The vail of the temple was rent in twain." You will say, perhaps, the substance of it was not so strong, but an easy force might rend it. But, verse 50, Christ was dead before, or died at that very instant. It was above nature that a dying, yea a dead man, crucified in so remote a place from it, should rend the vail tvithin the temple. 2. The earth did quake. Say the vail of less substance, yet the huge body of the earth will try a man's strength. In vain should silly man contend with that which shall devour him. He cannot move the earth, the earth shall remove him, from walking alive on it, to lie dead in it. Behold the 112 MAJESTY IN MISERY ; OR, power of Christ ; Terram movet, he makes the vast body of the earth to tremble. 3. The rocks rent. WUl any yet say, natural causes can shake the earth ? then let their maUcious cavil be choked with this third miracle beyond exception ; he breaks the stones, not little stones, but huge massy rocks. 4. Lastly, to stop the mouth of all adversaries to his di- vine power, he raiseth up the dead. Suscitare mortuos e sepulchro, is only proper to God. " No man can give a ransom to God for his brother, that he should live for ever, and not see corruption," Psalm xlLx. 7, 9. How much less, when he is dead, recover him to life again. Here was the finger of God. Now to proceed in order with the miracles. 1. Miracle. — Tlte vail of the temple, &c. This vail was the partition betwixt the Sanctum Sanctorum (Holy of Holies), and the Sanctum (the holy place), as it might be the upper part of the quire. " Into this went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people," Heb. ix. 7. By the rending of this vail were many things pre- signified. 1. This serves for a confirmation of that Christ spoke on the cross ; " It is finished." The rending of the vail doth actually echo to his words, and indeed fulfils them. Here is an end put to all the sacrifices and ceremonies of the law. In the New Testament is one only real and royal sacrifice, Christ crucified. This was that object whereimto all those rites looked ; and to them all there is now given a consum- matum est. So that now ceremonia mortua, lex morti/era: Ceremonies are dead, and the law of them deadly. No- vum Testamentum latet in veteri, Vctus patet in novo. The gospel lay hidden under the law, the law is complete in the" gospel. " Now after that you have known God in his gos- pel, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage?" Gal. iv. 9. God's service is now simple and plain ; "in spirit and truth," John iv. 23. THE POWKll OF CHUIST EVKN DYING. 113 Christ is said to be the end of the law : the moral law he kept himself sincerely, and satisfied for our breaches of it thoroughly. The ceremonial was referred to him, performed of him, fulfilled in him, extinguished by him. They had all Vigorem a Christo, relationem ad Chiistum, consummaiionem in Christo : (Their efficacy from Christ, relation to Christ, consummation in Christ.) lie gave them their beginning, he hath also given . them their end. The vail rent, to wit- ness the cancelling of that ritual obligation. " Christ hath blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, nailing it to his cross," Col. ii. 14. That moment was their last gasp, they expired with Christ. But did all ce- remonies then utterly die ? No : some were tj'pical, pre- figuring Christ ; those are dead. Some are for decency and order, adminicula devotionis (mere pendicles of devotion) ; these are dead. The law of Jewish ceremonies is abolished, but some must be retained. Christ came not to dissolve order. Men consist of bodies as well as souls ; and God must be served with both ; now bodies cannot serve God without external rites ; the spouse of Christ cannot be with- out her borders and laces. Of necessity there must be some outward observances, but thus qualified : That they be for number few, for signification plain, for observation sim- ple ; far from ostentation, farther from superstition. Christ, his spouse, must not flaunt it like a harlot, but be soberly attired like a grave matron. Ceremonice quasi caremonice; ceremonies are so called, because they were ordained to supply the defects of our nature ; because we could not serve God in that simplicity we ought, therefore we have these helps. Hence it is that the nearer to perfection the fewer ceremonies ; as it were, the more light the less shadow. In the law were abundant ceremonies, in the gospel far fewer, in heaven none at all. This condemns the church of Rome for a glorious harlot, because she loads herself with such a heap of gaudy cere- monies ; and their mass for mere idolatry, which they be- lieve to be a real propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, made by the priests for the sins of quick and dead. This is to build 114 MAJESTY IN MISERY ; OR, up the vail here rent in pieces, and to accuse Christ of lake- hood in his consummalum. est (his last saying. It is finished.) Is an end put to them, and shall they still retain them ; yea, obtrude them as principal parts of God's service ; yea, wor- ship them, yea, bind men's consciences to them on pain of damnation ? Therefore they are liable to the censure of Au- gustine, who calls such Inipios sepulturcB violatores ; diggers into the graves of the dead for putrefied and rotten reUcs. Yea, to the judgment of God, who saith, " If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world ; why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, after the commandments and doctrines of men? " Col. ii. 20, 22. They will say, Dicit Papa sanxit concilium, thus saith the Pope, thus decrees the Council ; but we. Dixit Dominus non dona- tus : we hear what the Lord says in his Scripture concerning the law of ceremonies, not what is said by mere men. 2. The second thing signified by the rending the vail is this : The holy of holies, figured the third heaven, where God showeth himself in glory and majesty to his saints. Solo- mon's temple had in it three courts ; an outer court where- into the people were admitted ; an inner court wherein only the priests and Levites entered ; an inmost of all, where- into the high priest alone entered, and that but once a-year, and this was called Sanctum sanctorum. So there is a three- fold heaven : First, the elementary heaven, wherein arc clouds, winds, rain, dew ; and the birds are called the birds of heaven, that is, of this elementarj' heaven. The second is the starry heaven ; so the sun is said to " go from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it," Ps. xix. 6. The last is the glorious heaven, the habitation of God himself; and this was signified by the holy of hohes. The vail signified the flesh of Christ ; the rending of the vail the crucifying of Christ ; by this is made an entrance into that Sanctum sanctorum, the heaven of glor)-. So expressly : " Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus ; by a new and h^^ng way which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh," Heb. x. 19. Heaven-gate was shut up TllK POWEll OF CUEIST EVEN DYING. 115 by our sins ; none but our highest and holiest Priest had passage thither ; but he rent the vail, suffered his body to be torn by death, that he might give us an entrance. Paul, speaking of the legal use of that holiest place in the temple, saith thus : " The Holy Ghost this signifying, that tlie way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing," Heb. ix. 8. But now, by Christ's rending the vail, Palet aid janua cceli, the way of salvation is opened. Let this reach forth to us two comforts. 1. There is no fear to be shut out of heaven if thou have faith in Christ ; for to thee is the vail rent, the separation is abolished, Christ is crucified. For so, saith St Peter, " an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. i. 11. Indeed, to unbelievers and h}'po- crites, to worldly wolves and luxurious goats, the vail is up still. How should they enter the Sanctum sanctorum, that never approached the Sanctum ? How shall they see the glory of God, who would never entertain the grace of God? No : to these there are inaccessible bars, and cherubima with flaming swords, to forbid their entrance. But to every good and faithful servant the vail is taken away ; and Christ says, " enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," Matt. xxv. 21. 2. By this means we have in this world a free access to the throne of grace by our prayers ; the vail and separation of sin and wrath is rent asunder by Christ, and a clear way made for our supplications. The propitiatory and mercy- seat, the cherubiras of glory shadowing it, the very presence of God were within the holiest ; and the people might not approach it, but stood without afar off: our Saviour hath torn away this vail, and opened to our petitions a free passage to the seat of mercy in heaven. " Having such an high priest over the house of God," saith Paul, immediately after the clearing our way through the vail, " let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith," &c. Heb. x. 21, 22. We see how fiir our prerogative excels that of the Jews. They were servants, we are sons, and cry "Abba, 116 MAJESTY IN MISEHY; OR, Father ;" they had priests, we are priests ; they had a bar, to us that vail is rent away. " Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need," Heb. iv. 16. This is singular comfort, that poor subjects may be sure of access to the Iving with their petitions ; yea, more, be heard in all their desires ; yea, most of all, have an Advocate at the King's right hand to plead their cause. But then remember the Psalmist's caution : " K I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me," Ps. lx\-i. 18. Let the servants of Baal cry never so loudly, if lewdly, their prayers are not heard. To the cries of unfaithful sinners the vail is up still ; and, like a thick cloud, reverberates and beats back their orisons, that they cannot ascend to the throne of grace. Only faith makes a free passage ; and a clear con- science hath a clear voice that can pierce heaven. 3. The breaking down of this vail did make the hohest and the other part of the temple all one ; whereby was signified, that of two was made one, Jews and Gentiles one church. " He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us," Eph. ii. 14. So that now those, the Jews, called dogs, eat the bread of the children, yea, they are the children ; and " Japhetis persuaded to dwell in the tents of Shem," Gen. ix. 27. She is also beloved that was hated ; even the church of the Gentiles is the spouse of Christ. The vail that hindered, Paul calls the " law of commandments, contained in ordinances ;" this " he abolished, for to make in himself, of twain, one new man," Eph. ii. 15. Heaven- gate is no wider open to a Jew than to a Grecian. " In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth an}thing, nor un- cLrcumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God," Gal. vi. 16. The sun of the gos- pel, as of the world, is not confined to lighten Judea only, but shines universally. There is not one privilege where- in the Gentle hath not as frank a share as the Jew ; the sons of Hagar are adopted the sons of God ; and the free THE POWER OP CHRIST EVEN DYING. 117 " Jerusalem above is the mother of us all," Gal. iv. 26. All this did our blessed Saviour work for us by rending the vail ; " that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby," Eph. ii. 16. Oh then let us " keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace !" Christ hath made us at one ; let us not make our- selves twain. The vail is rent, why set we up new — schisms in doctrine, jars in conversation ? The bill of divorcement is cancelled ; let us love our husband Christ, and, for his sake, every man his brother. Let us set up no more vails, lest we do it with the curse of building more Jerichos. There is no bond so sure as religion ; no ligaments so strong as faith and a good conscience. Wretched man, that breakest these ties, and rendest thyself from them, to whom thou art by Christ imitcd : a mother's, yea, a father's blessing, forsakes thee ; and thou buildest up a new vail, which thou must look for no more Christs to come and rend asunder ! 4. The rending of the vail teacheth us, that when men sin rebelliously against God, no prerogative shall do them good. The temple was one of theii* most principal privi- leges, their glory, their crown. " The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," Jer. vii. 4. It was a figure of the Church militant, as Solomon the builder was a figure of Christ. For this temple's sake, God often spared them. So Daniel prays, " Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary, that is desolate," Dan. ix. 17. Yet when they fall away from God, and crucify their Messiah, this prerogative helps not. For here God's own hand rends the vail, and after gives the whole fabric a spoil to the Gentiles. " If ye will not hear, if ye will not lay it to heart, I will send a curse upon you, I will curse your blessings ; yea, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart," MaJ. ii, 2. It lies in man's sin to make God curse his very bless- ings, and to punish the guilty in the innocent creatures. We see the way how we may lose temples, and peace, and gospel, and all privileges, by running the courses of disobedience. Who can number the blessings we have en- joyed by the gospel ? Let us beware lest our ungracious 118 MAJESTY IN MISERY ; OR, and ungrateful lives rob us not of that, with all the appertinent comforts. They that have travelled the Belgic provinces can -witness the miserable footsteps of vrar, and the tyranny of desolation. Churches and cities have no more monu- ments but the ruined foundations to testify that they were. Sin made way for blood and massacre ; idolatry pulled down those walls, which, otherwise, the most sacrilegious hand should have forborne. If there had been no enemy to raze them, they would have fallen alone, rather than covered so blasphemous impiety under their guilty roofs. "Peace is within our walls, and prosperity within our palaces" (Psal. cxxii. 7) ; blessed for ever be our God of peace for it ! Yet we have a subtle adversary, Sacrilege, that encroacheth sore upon us, and " hath taken many of God's houses in posses- sion," Psal. Ixxxiii. 12. We cannot say, " They have burnt up all the synagogues in the land" (Psal. Ixxiv. 8) ; but they have done very wickedly to the Lord's sanctuaries. The walls stand ; and it is well if in many places they do so ; but there is not a Levite to feed the people. Alas, how can there, when there is nothing left to feed a Levite ? Covet- ousness would do as much hurt with us, as war hath done with our neighbours : it would, but I trust in the Lord Jesus it shall not. Though they have rent away God's right, "tithes and offerings" (ilal. iii. 8), they shall never rend away God's truth and gospel : rend themselves from it in- deed they are likely to do. 6. Lastly, The vail was rent. By rending the part, God did threaten the subversion of the whole. If he spare not the holy of hoUes, then much less the rest. When God had commanded, " Slay utterly old and young, maids and chil- dren (he adds withal), and begin at my sanctuarj-," Ezek. ix. 6. K God begin at his sanctuary, he will not fail to end with the rest. If that shall not escape being profaned, how much less houses built for riot and disorder, pride and ambition ! If the temple of prayers, then surely the dens of thieves. " For, lo, I be^ to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and shall ye go unpunished V" saith God to the heathen (Jer. xxv. 29). If the sacred THE POWER OF CHRIST ETEN DYING. 119 things defiled by idolatry shall be subverted, never think that your fair houses shall stand, when they are made coverts of oppressions, and convents of superstition. When the better things are not favoured, the worst have small hope. So Peter reasons : " K judgment shall begin at the house of God, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gos- pel?" 1 Pet. iv. 17. If the strong cedars in Lebanon be rooted up, woe to the rotten-rooted poplars ! If the dragon's tail sweep stars from heaven, what shall become of squalid earthy vapours ? Tlie temple was one of the world's greatest wonders ; as curious a workmanship as sl.x and thirty years could make it. It wanted not the art of man ; yea, the blessing of heaven was added to it. Yet now, lo, etiam pe iere ruince, this goodly building by sin was brought to ruin ; yea, even the very ruins are perished. Sliall, then, your forts and palaces, worldlings' paradises, full of rapine, empty of charity, stand against all weathers and storms of judgment ? No, stone shall fall after stone ; and ruin shall one day tell the passengers, as God threatened of Jerusalem, Here stood a goodly manor, a sumptuous edifice, a royal palace. Or if they fall not down in themselves, they shall fall to the owners, whose iniquities have defiled them. God punisheth by certain degrees ; first he rends the vail, then rends away the temple. As by David's hand he first rent Saul's garment, and then rent away his kingdom. God at first toucheth men lightly, in their goods, quiet, health : if these stir not to repentance, he proceeds against the whole. " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God ?" 1 Cor. iii. 16. If you set up in this temple idols, lusts, and evil affec- tions, God first rends the vail, toucheth you ^vith some gentle afilictions ; but if you still continue to make this temple a den of thieves, the temple itself will be destroyed. You have heard the first miracle, the rending of the vail. As the Jews were wont to rend their garments when they heard blasphemy against God, so it may seem the temple tore its garments, rent its vail in pieces, when it heard those execrable blasphemies against the Son of God. (Theo- phylact). 120 MAJESTY IN MISERY ; OR, 2d Miracle. — The earth did quake. The philosophers having given divers natural causes of earthquakes, as by hot and dry exhalations shut up in the bowels of the earth, and laboiuing for vent, resisted by the earth's solidness, there ensueth terr(B motus, a shaking of the earth, &c. But this was an extraordinary earthquake ; for it happened exactly at the very instant of Christ's death. It might be to set forth the glory of the New Testament, and to vindicate it from inferiority to the old. The law was both given and renewed with an earthquake. Given to the hand of Moses : " The whole mount quaked greatly," Exod. xix. 18. As at the giving. Mount Sinai, so at the renewing. Mount Horeb quaked, " As Elijah stood upon the Mount, there passed by a strong wind, and after the wind an earthquake," 1 Kings, xix. 11 ; so when the Lord of the Gospel died, the earth shook, that the ministra- tion of righteousness might not be less glorious than the mi- nistration of death, 2 Cor. iii. 9. This miracle shall give us a threefold instruction. 1. To consider the fierceness of God's wrath against sins and sinners. For God, by shaking the earth, did no less than threaten the utter subversion of those desperate and bloody wretches. Korah and his confederates were swal- lowed up of the earth for rebelling against Moses, the Lord's servant. Of how much sorer punishment were these worthy that had crucified (not the servant, but) the Son of God ? Heb. x. 29. K the mercies of God had not been gi-eater than their iniquities, they had not escaped. By this we see how able God is to punish sinners. He shews what he can do ; it is his mercy that he forbears. Some of these were to be converted ; therefore, concusn, non excttssi, moved not removed, shaken but not destroyed. Os- tendisti populo gravia, saith the Psalmist. " Thou haft shewed thy people hard things," Psal. Ix. 3. Shewed, not imposed ; shook the rod, not laid it on. This forbearance of God should lead us on to repentance, Eom. ii. 4. K not, it is but the forerunner of vengeance. Though now by moving the earth he scare and spare these Jews, yet af- THE POWER OF CJiniST EVEN DYIXG. 121 ter the earth spewed them out, as an offence to her stomach. O obstinate hearts that quake not, when the senseless ground quakes that bears so luiprofitablo a burden ! Cannot the earth admonish thee ? it shall devour thee. Si nun monebit, movebit: (if it cannot admonish, it will demohsh). K the Almighty's hand stu'ring it hath not stirred thee to repent- ance, a sexton's hand shall cover thee with moulds ; a weak shaker shall do it. Think when God moves the earth, he preacheth to thy soul. If thy heart (so little in comparison of that great vast body) will not tremble, know God hath one thing that shall shake thee to pieces — Death. 2. The nature of sin is here considerable; so heavy, that it makes the very earth to quake. The Jews' sins were such a burden, that the earth could not bear them without trem- bling. The earth is fi.xed, and standeth fast, saith the Psalmist, as the centre of the world ; it is strange that to be moved, even so strange is the cause that moves it. It must needs be a monstrous weight of iniquity that totters the earth on her foundations. But why is the earth so quiet now ? Do not innumerable wretciies daily crucify Christ by their oaths, blasphemies, and rebellions, in himself; by their persecutions and oppressions, in his members ? Is not his word derided, his sacraments despised, his good crea- tures abused? Why doth not the earth shrink and shake at these horrid impieties ? Be still ; he that holds his hand from miracles, will not hold it from plagues. They are for- borne, not forgiven. God keeps silence, but he sleepeth not ; the earth may spare them ; but " desolation in a mo- ment shall swallow them," Psal. Ixxiii. 19. To the Jews the earth moved, and they stood still ; to these the earth shall stand still, and themselves shall be moved. 3. There is nothing on the earth that is not moveable, if the earth itself be moveable. " God hath laid the founda- tions of the earth that it should not be moved," Psal. civ. 5. Yet so that he who laid it can shake it. " He shakcththe earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble," Job ix. 6. If the earth, then whatsoever is built upon it. "The e.arth shall be burnt,'' saith Peter. "What, alone ? No ; 122 MAJESTY IN MISEUY ; OR, " the earth, with the works that are therein, shall be burnt up," 2 Pet. iii. 10. The works of men's hands, the works of their brains, their very thoughts shall perish. " The Lord's voice shook the earth ; and he hath said. Yet once again I will shake not the earth only, but also heaven," Heb. xii. 26. O blessed place that is not subject to tliis shaking, whose jo}S have not only an amiable countenance, but a glorious continuance. The things that arc shaken shall be removed, but the things that are not shaken remain for ever. All the terrors of this world move not him that is fixed in heaven. " They that put their trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever," Psal. cxxv. 1. But the tabernacles and hopes of the wicked shall perish together. " For the world passeth away, and the lust thereof ; but he that doeth the will of God abideth ever," 1 John ii. 17. Whereon, saith Augus- tine, Quid visf Utrum amare temporalia, et transire cum tempore ! an amare Christum, et vivere in cetemum f Whe- ther wilt thou lo\'e the world and perish with it, or love Christ and live for ever ? 3d Miracle. — The rocks rent, — ^A wonderful act, to break stones and rend rocks. This gives us two observa- tions. 1. This did foresignify the power and efficacy of the Gos- pel, that it should be able to break the very rocks. As the death and passion of Christ did cleave those soUd and almost impenetrable substances, so the publishing of his death and passion shall rend and break in pieces the rocky hearts of men. So John Baptist said : " God is able of stones to raise up children unto Abraham," Matth. iii. 9. The hearts of Zaccheus, Mary Magdalene, Paul, were such rocks ; yet they were cleft with the wedge of the Gospel. This is that rod of Moses able to break the hardest rocks, till they gush out with floods of penitent tears. This is Jeremiah's hammer, power- ful to bruise the most obdurate hearts. The blood of the goat sacrificed, of force to dissolve adamant. There is power in the blood of Jesus to put sense mto stones. Blessed are THE POWER OF CHRIST EVEN DYING. 123 you if you be thus broken-hearted for him, whose heart was broken for you. For " the broken heart the Lord will not despise," Psal. li. 17. 2. Observe the wonderful hardness of the Jews' hearts. The stones rent and clave in sunder at the cruel death of Jesus ; but their hearts, more stony than stones, are no whit moved. They rend not their garments, much less their hearts ; when as the earth rent the stones her bones, and the rocks her ribs. The flints are softer than they ; the flints break, they harden. They still belch their malicious blas- phemies ; the rocks relent, the stones are become men, and the men stones. O the senselessness of a hard heart ; rocks will sooner break than that can be mollified. Even the hardest creatures are flexible to some actions : flints to the rain,