CHRISTS FERVENT LOVE TO BLOVDIE HIERVSALEM; OR An Exposition, de­livered in a Sermon on MATT. 23. vers. 37.

THe summe of my last meditations upon the former verses was, That notwithstanding our Sa­viours [Page 2] predictions or threat­nings of all those plagues shortly to befall Hierusalem, there was e­ven at this time a possibilitie left for this people to have continued a flourishing nation, a possibilitie left for their repentance: that their re­pentance and prosperity was the end whereat the Lord himselfe did aime, in sending Prophets, and Wisemen, and lastly his onely Sonne unto them.

The former of the two parts; the possibility of their prosperity, and repentance, was proved from the perpetuall tenour of Gods covenant with his people; first made with Moses, afterwards renewed with David and Salo­mon, and ratified by Jeremie and [Page 3] Ezechiel. The tenour of the covenant (as you then heard) was a covenant not of death onely, but of life and death: of life, if they continued faithfull in his covenant; of death, if they continued in disobedience.

The later part of the same, viz. That this peoples repentance and prosperity was the end inten­ded by God, was proved from that declaration of his desire of their everlasting prosperity; Deut. 5. 29 Oh that there were such an heart in this people to feare me, and to keepe my commandements alway, that it might goe well with them and their posterity for ever. And the like place, Psal. 81. vers. 13. to the end. Esay 48. verse 18. Both [Page 4] places manifest Gods love, and desire of this peoples safety. But the abundance, the strength, with the unrelenting constan­cie and tendernesse of his love, is in no place more fully mani­fested than in these words of my text. The abundant ferven­cie wee may note in the very first words, in that his mouth which never spake idle or su­perfluous words, doth here inge­minate the appellation, Oh Hie­rusalem, Hierusalem. This hee spake out of the abundance of his love: But love is oft times fervent or abundant for the pre­sent, or whiles the object of our love remaines amiable, yet not so constant or perpetuall, if the [Page 5] quality of what wee love bee changed. But herein appeares the constancie and strength of Gods love, that it was thus fer­vently set upon Hierusalem, not onely in her pure and virgin dayes, or whiles shee con­tinued as chaste and loyall, as when shee was affianced unto the Lord by David, a man after his owne heart: but upon Hie­rusalem, often drunken with the Cup of fornications; upon her long stained and polluted with the bloud of his Saints; upon her children, who with the dogge re­turned unto their vomit, or with the sow unto their wallowing in the mire, or puddle of their Mo­thers dust, whose sacrifices were [Page 6] mingled with righteous bloud; upon Hierusalem and her Chil­dren, after he had cleansed her in­fected habitations with fire, and carried her Inhabitants beyond Babylon into the North-land, as it had beene into a more fresh and purer aire; not onely before the Babylonish Captivitie, but af­ter their returne thence, and re­planatation in their owne land, God would have gathered them e­ven as the Hen doth her chickens under her wings, &c.

In which words, besides the Tendernesse of Gods love towards these Cast-awayes, is set out unto us the safety of his protection, so they would have beene gathered. For as there is no creature more [Page 7] kinde and tender than the hen unto her young ones: so is there none that doth more carefully shroud and shelter them from the storme, none that doth more closely hide them from the eye of the Destroyer. Yet so would God have hidden Hierusalem under the shadow of his wings, from all those stormes which afterwards over-whelmed her, and from the Roman Eagle, to whom this whole generation became a prey; if so Hierusalem with her children after so many hundred yeeres experience of his fatherly love & tender care, had not remained more foolish than the new hatched brood of reasonlesse creatures; if so they [Page 8] had not beene ignorant of his call, that had often redeemed them from their enemies. How often would I have gathered you, and you would not?

Here were large matter for Rhetoricall digressions or melli­fluous Encomions of divine love; points wherein many learned Divines have in later times beene very copious: yet still leaving the truth of that Love (which they so magnifie) very questionable. It shall suf­fice mee at this time, Two points. first, to prove the undoubted truth and unfainednesse of Gods tender love, even towards such Cast-awayes, as these proved, to whom he made this protestati­on: [Page 9] Secondly, to unfold (as far as is fitting for us to enquire) how it is possible they should not be gathered unto God, nor saved by Christ, whose gathe­ring and whose safety, Hee to whom nothing can be impossi­ble, had so earnestly, so tender­ly, and so constantly longed after.

These are points of such use and consequence, that if God shall enable mee, soundly, though plainly, to unfold their truth; you will (I hope) dis­pence with mee for want of ar­tificiall exornations or words more choice, than such as na­turally spring out of the mat­ters handled; as willingly as [Page 10] the poore amongst you pardon good house-keepers for wea­ring nothing but home-spunne cloth. For as it is hard for a man of ordinary meanes to be­stow much on his owne back, and feed many bellies: so nei­ther is it easie for mee and my present opportunities, both to feed your soules with the truth, and to cloath my discourse with choice words and flouri­shing phrases. And I am per­swaded many Preachers might, in this argument, often prove more Theologicall, so they could be content to be lesse Rhetori­call. Yet let not these premises prejudice the truth of the con­clusion. My purpose is not to [Page 11] dissent from any of the Refor­med Churches, but only in those particulars, wherein they evi­dently dissent from themselves, 1 Point. That God earnestly desires the con­version of such as pe­rish. and from generall principles of truth acknowledged by all that beleeve God or his word.

Were I to speake in some Au­dience of this point, 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. it would be needfull to dip my pen in Nectar, or sweeten my voyce with Ambrosia, to allay the harshnesse of this position, That God should so earnestly desire the conversion of such as perish. How­beit, the surest ground of that charitie which God requires should be in every one of us to­wards all (our greatest enemies not excepted) is firme beleefe of [Page 12] this his unspeakable love to­wards all, even towards such as kill his Prophets, and stone the Messengers of his Peace. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. I ex­hort (saith the Apostle) that first of all, Supplications, prayers, in­tercessions and giving of thankes be made for all men: For Kings and all that are in Authority. Jam. 2. 6. Yet did such in those dayes most op­presse all Christians, & draw them before the Judgement Seats, even because they did pray to the true God for them. For they did blaspheme that worthy name, Vers. 7. by which wee were called. This duty notwithstanding, which was so odious unto those great and rich men, for whose good it was performed, 1 Tim. 2. 3. Saint Paul [Page 13] tels us was good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour: Vers. 4. why acceptable in his sight? Because he would have all men (and there­fore even the sworne enemies of his Gospell) to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth which they oppugned. Or if the expresse authority of the A­postle suffice not, his reasons drawne from the principles of Nature will perswade such as have not quenched the light of Nature, by setting not the cor­ruptions onely, but the very Es­sence of Nature and Grace at ods and faction. Vers. 5. For there is one God: Had there beene moe, every one might have been con­ceived as partiall for his owne [Page 14] Creature. But in as much as all of us have but one Father, his love to every one must needs be greater than any earthly parents love unto their Children, in as much as we are more truly his, than children are their parents. But here (as the Apostle fore­seeth) might be replyed; That albeit God be one, and the onely Creator of all, yet in as much as wee are seeds of Rebels with whom he is displeased; our Medi­atour might be more partiall, and commend some to Gods love, neg­lecting others. To prevent this scruple, the Apostle ads; As there is but one God, Vers. 5. so there is but one Mediatour betweene God and Man; and Hee of the same [Page 15] Nature with us, A man: but Men are partiall; yet so is not the Man Christ Jesus, that is, the Man anointed by the holy Ghost, to be the Saviour of the world. As he truly tooke our flesh upon him, that hee might be a faith­full and affectionate High Priest; so that wee might conceive of him, as of an unpartiall Sollici­tour or Mediatour betwixt God and us, hee tooke not our Na­ture instampt with any indivi­duall properties, characters, or references to any one tribe or kindred. Father according to the flesh, hee had none; but was framed by the sole immediate hand of God: to the end that as the eye, because it hath no [Page 16] set colour, is apt to receive the impression of every colour: so Christ, because hee hath not these carnall references, which others have, but was without fa­ther, without brother, without si­ster on earth, might be unparti­all towards all, and account e­very one that doth the will of his father which is in Heaven, as Sister, Esay. 564. 5. Mother and Brother. Thus saith the Lord to the Eunuchs that keepe my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please mee, and take hold of my Covenant: even unto them will I give in mine house, and within my walls, a place and a Name, better than of Sonnes and Daughters: I will give them an everlasting name that shall not [Page 17] be cut off. Briefly, Hee is a Bro­ther to all mankinde, more lo­ving and more affectionate, than Brothers of entire bloud are one towards another.

The very ground of the A­postles reason thus bared will of it owne accord reverberate that Distinction which hath beene laid against his meaning, by some, otherwise most wor­thie Defendants of the Truth.

The distinction is, that, when the Apostle saith, God will have all men to be saved, he means Genera singulorum, not Singula generum, some few of all sorts, not al of e­very sort: some rich, some poor, some learned, some unlearned, some Iewes, some Gentiles, some [Page 18] Italians, some English, &c.

The illustrations which they bring to justifie this manner of speech, did the time permit, I could retort upon themselves, and make them speake more plainly for my opinion, than for theirs. It shall be sufficient by the way to note the imperti­nencie of the application, sup­posing the instances brought, were in themselves justifiable by the illustrations they bring: or how little it could weaken our assertion, although it might intercept all the strength or aid this place affords for the fortifi­cation of it. What can it helpe them to turne these words, be­cause they make towards us, [Page 19] from their ordinary or usuall meaning; or to restraine Gods love only unto such as are sa­ved; when as the current of it in other passages of Scripture is evidently extended unto such as perish? In stead of many words uttered by him that can­not lie, unto this purpose, those few, Ezek. 33. 11. shall con­tent mee: As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turne from his way and live: turne yee, turne yee from your evill wayes; for why will yee die, Oh house of Israel? If God minde the safety of such as perish, yea even or most desperate and stub­borne sinners: no question but he [Page 20] wils all should be saved and come to the knowledge of his truth.

The former distinction then will not stop this passage. Howbeit some learned among the Schoolmen, and other most religious Writers of later times, have sought out another for intercepting all succour this or the like places might af­ford to the maintenance of that truth which they oppugne and wee defend. That God doth not will the death of a sinner Voluntate signi they grant: but that hee wils it Voluntate be­neplaciti, they take as granted. That is in other termes: God doth not will the death of him that dies, by his revealed will; [Page 21] but by his secret will. Not to urge them to a better declarati­on than hitherto they have made, in what sense God being but one, may be said to have two Wils: That hee wils many things which wee know not, that hee hath divers secret pur­poses, wee grant and beleeve as most true indefinitely taken. But because these Wils or Purposes are secret; man may not without presumption deter­mine the particular matters which hee so wils or purposes. Otherwise they should not bee secret but revealed to us: where­as things secret as secret, belong only to God.

In that they oppose this Se­cret [Page 22] will to Gods revealed will; they doe as it were put in a Ca­veat that we should not beleeve it in those particulars where­to they apply it. For wee may not beleeve any thing concer­ning the salvation or damnation of mankind, or the meanes which lead to either; but what is revealed. But this Secret will is not revealed. Ergo, not to be beleeved.

Nor are we by the principles of Reformed religion bound one­ly not to beleeve it, but utterly to disclaime it: For admitting what was before granted, an in­definite beleefe, that God wils many things which hee keepes se­cret from us: yet wee most abso­lutely [Page 23] beleeve, that he never wils any thing secretly, which shall bee contrary or contradictory to that whereon his revealed will is set; or, to that which by the expresse war­rants of his written word wee know hee wils. Now every Christian must infallibly and determi­nately beleeve, that God wils not the death of the wicked, or of him that dies, (seeing his written word doth plainly register his peremptory will unto this pur­pose). Therefore no man may be­leeve the contradiction to this, to wit, That hee wils the death of him that dies. Otherwise this distinction admitted, untwines the very bonds of mans salvati­on. For what ground of hope [Page 24] have the very Elect besides Gods will revealed, or at the best con­firmed by an oath? Now if wee might admit it but as probable, That God voluntate beneplaciti, or by his secret will may purpose some thing contrarie to what hee promises by his revealed will: who is hee that could have (I say not any certainty, but) any morall probabilitie of his salvati­on? seeing God assures us of salvation onely by his word re­vealed, not by his secret will or purpose; which for ought we doe or can possibly know, may ut­terly disanull what his revealed will seemes to ratifie.

Lastly, it is an infallible Rule, or Maxime in divinitie, That we [Page 25] may not attribute any thing to the most pure and perfect Essence of the Deitie which includes an im­perfection in it: much lesse may wee ascribe any impurity or un­truths to that Holy One, the Au­thor of all Truth. But to sweare one thing, and to reserve a secret meaning contrary to the plaine and literall meaning professed, is the very Idea of untruth, the essence of impious perjury, which we so much condemne in some of our adversaries, who (if this distinction might gene­rally passe for current amongst us) might justly say, that wee are as maliciously partiall a­gainst the Jesuites, as the Jewes were against Christ Jesus; that [Page 26] wee are ready to blaspheme God, rather than spare to revile them: seeing wee attribute that to the divine Majestie which wee condemne in them as most impious and contrary to his sa­cred will, who will not dis­pense with Aequivocation or Mentall reservation, be the cause wherein they bee used never so good. Because to sweare one thing openly, and secretly to re­serve a contradictory meaning, is contrary to the very nature and essence of the very first truth; the most transcendent sin that can be imagined: Wherefore, as this distinction was lately hat­ched, so it might be wished, that it might be quickly extin­guished [Page 27] and buried with their bones that have revived it. Let God be true in all his words, in all his sayings; but especially in all his oathes: and let the Je­suite be reputed, as hee is, a dou­ble dissembling perjured lyer.

The former place of Ezechi­el, as it is no way impeached by this distinction last menti­oned: so doth it plainly refute a­nother glosse put upon my text by some worthy and famous writers, How oft would I have ga­thered you &c. These words, say they, were uttered by our Savi­our manifesting his desire as man. But unlesse they be more than men which frame this glosse, Christ as man was grea­ter [Page 28] than they, and spake nothing but what hee had in expresse commission from his Father. Wee may then (I trust) without offence, take his words as here they sound, for better interpre­tation of his Fathers will, than any man can give of his mea­ning in this passage, uttered by himselfe in words as plaine as they can devise. These words indeed were spoken by the mouth of man; yet as truly ma­nifesting the desire and good will of God, for the saving of the people, as if they had beene immediately spoken by the voice of God.

But why should wee thinke they were conceived by Christ [Page 29] as man, not rather by him as the Mediatour betweene God and Man; as the second person in the Trinity manifested in our flesh? He saith not, Behold my Father hath sent: but in his owne person; Behold I have sent unto you Prophets and Wise. Nor is it said, How often would my Father; but, How often would I have ga­thered you? this gathering wee cannot referre only to the three yeares of his ministery; but to the whole time of Hierusalems running away from the Prophets call, from the first time that David first tooke possession of it, untill the last destruction of it: For all this while, HEE, that was now sent by his Father [Page 30] in the similitude of Man, did send Prophets, Wisemen and A­postles, to reclaime them, if they would have hearkened to his, or his messengers admonitions. Saint Luke puts this out of con­troversie. For repeating part of this story, hee saith expresly, Luk. 11. 49. Therefore also said the Wisdome of God, I will send them Prophets &c. And Christ is said the Wise­dome of God, not as Man, but as God: and consequently hee spake those words not as man only, but as God.

The same compassion and burning love, the same thirst and longing after Hierusalems safety, which wee see here ma­nifested by a manner incom­prehensible [Page 31] to flesh and blood, in these words of our Saviour in my text, or the like uttered by him Luke 19. verse 41. & se­quentibus, with teares and sobs, wee must beleeve to be as truly, as really and unfainedly in the divine nature, though by a manner incomprehensible to flesh and blood. How any such flagrant desire of their welfare, which finally perish, should be in God, wee cannot conceive, because our minds are more da­zeled with the inaccessible light, than the eyes of Bats and Owles are by gazing on the Sunne. To qualifie the incomprehensible glory of the Deity, the Wisedome of God was made flesh, that wee [Page 32] might safely behold the true module or proportion of divine goodnesse in our Nature: as the eye which cannot looke upon the Sunne in his strength, or as it shineth in the firmament, may without offence behold it in the water, being an Element homogeneall to its owne sub­stance. Thus should all Christs prayers, desires or patheticall wishes of mans safety, be to us so many visible pledges or sen­sible evidences of Gods invisi­ble, incomprehensible love. And so hee concludes his last invitation of the Jewes; Iohn 12. 49. 50. I have not spoken of my selfe, but my Fa­ther which sent mee, hee gave mee a commandement, what I should [Page 33] say, and what I should speake. And I know that his commandement is everlasting life. Whatsoever I speake therefore, even as the Fa­ther said unto mee, so I speake.

And what saith our Saviour more in his owne, than the Pro­phet had done in the name and person of his God? Sion com­plained the Lord hath forsaken me, Esay 49. 14, 15. &c. and my Lord hath forgotten mee: but hee answered, Can a woman forget her sucking childe, that shee should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe? yea they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Behold I have engraven thee up­on the palmes of my hands, &c. These and the like places of the Prophet compared with our [Page 34] Saviours speeches here in my text, give us plainly to under­stand, That whatsoever love any mother can beare to the fruit of her wombe, unto whom her bowels of compassion are more tender than the Fathers can be; or whatsoever af­fection any dumbe creature can af­ford to their tender brood; the like, but greater doth God beare unto his children. Unto the Elect, most will grant. But is his love so tender towards such as pe­rish? Yes, the Lord carried the whole host of Israel (even the stubborne and most disobedient) as an Eagle doth her young ones upon her wings, Exod. 19. 4. Earthly parents will not vouchsafe to wait perpetually [Page 35] upon their children, the Hen continueth not her call from morning untill night, nor can shee endure to hold out her wings all day for a shelter to her young ones: as they grow great and refuse to come, shee gives over to invite them. But saith the Lord by his Prophet, Esay 65. 2, 3, 4, 5. I have spread out my hands all the day long unto a rebellious people, which walked in a way that was not good, after their owne thoughts: A people that provoketh mee to an­ger continually to my face, that sa­crificeth in Gardens, and burneth incense upon Altars of brick; which remaine among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swines flesh, and broth of abomi­nable [Page 36] things is in their vessels: which say (adding Hypocrisie un­to filthinesse and Idolatry) Stand by thy self, come not neere unto me; for I am holier than thou. Such they were, and so conceited of our Saviour, with whom hee had in his life time oft to deale, and for whose safety hee prayed with teares before his passion.

These and many like equiva­lent passages of Scripture are pathetically set forth by the Spi­rit, to assure us, that there is no desire like to the Almighties de­sire of sinfull mans repentance, no longing to his longing after our salvation. If Gods love to Judah comne to the height of re­bellion, had beene lesse than [Page 37] mans or other creatures love to what they affect most dearely: if the meanes he used to re­claime her, had beene fewer or lesse probable than any others had attempted for obtaining their most wished end: his de­mand (to which the Prophet thought no possible answer could be given) might easily be put off by these incredulous Jewes, unto whom he had not referred the judgement in their owne cause, if they could have instanced in man or other crea­ture more willingnesse to doe what possibly they could doe, either for themselves or others, than hee was to doe whatsoever was possible to be done for [Page 38] them. And now, Oh inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betweene mee and my vineyard, what could more be done to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? Wherefore, when I looked it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wilde grapes? Esay 5. 3, 4.

But the greater wee make the truth and extent of Gods love, 2. Point. How it is possible then that all men are not saved. the more wee increase the diffi­culty of the second point pro­posed. For amongst women many there be that would, a­mongst dumbe creatures scarce any that would not redeeme their sucklings from death by dying themselves: Yet what is it they can doe, which they [Page 39] would not doe to save their owne lives? And did not God so love the World that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne for it? Yes, for the World of the Elect. If there be Worlds of the Elect, I see not why any should be exclu­ded from the number. But to let that passe: Gods desire of their repentance which perish, is undoubtedly such as hath beene said. Yet should wee say that he hath done all that could be done for them; how chan­ceth all are not saved? and was the vineyard more barren than Sarah, the fruit of whose wombe he made like the starres of the skie, or like as the sands by the Sea shore, innumerable? [Page 40] was it a matter more hard to make an impenitent Jew bring forth fruits worthy of repen­tance, than to make a virgin conceive and beare a Sonne? If it were not; how chanceth it, the word of the Lord (and that but a short one) should bring the one to joyfull issue; whiles the other (the repentance of these Jewes and other ungodly men) after so many exhortati­ons and threatnings, after so many promises of comfort, and denuntiations of woes (which the Prophets, the Apostles, and their Successors have used) is not to this day, nor ever shall be accomplished? If repentance of men borne and brought up [Page 41] in sinne be a worke altogether impossible: all of us should ut­terly perish; none repent. If possible to any; shall it not be possible to the Almighty, who alone can doe all things? If possible in him: why is not re­pentance wrought in all, whose salvation he more earnestly de­sires, than the most tender hear­ted mother doth the life and welfare of her darling infant?

Hence in probability, some may conclude, either Gods love unto such as perish is not so great as some mothers beare unto their children: or else his power in respect of them is not infinite. And against our do­ctrine perhaps, it will be ob­jected, [Page 42] that by thus magnifying Gods love towards all, we mi­nish his power towards some. From which to derogate ought, is in some mens judgements the worst kind of blasphemie: a point as dangerous in divinity to speake but doubtfully or suspiciously of it, as in mat­ter of State to determine or limit the Prerogative Royall. How­beit, if no other choice were left, but a necessity were laid up­on us of leaving either the infi­nite power, or infinite good­nesse of our God questionable or unexpressed; the offence were lesse, not to speake of his power so much (as most doe,) than to speake ought prejudici­all [Page 43] to that conceit, which even the Heathens by the light of nature had of his goodnesse. This attribute is the chiefe ob­ject of our love, and for which hee himselfe desires to be loved most. And in this respect to de­rogate ought from it, it must needs be most offensive. But his curse be upon him that will not unfainedly acknowledge the absolute infinitenesse as well of his power as of his goodnesse. Whosoever hee be that loves his goodnesse, will unfainedly ac­knowledge hee is to be feared and reverenced, as the Almigh­ty Creator and Judge of men. Unlesse he were in power infi­nite, hee could not be infinitely [Page 44] good. Howbeit hee that re­straines his love and tender mercy only to such as are saved, doth make his goodnesse lesse (at least extensively) than his power. For there is no creature unto which his power reacheth not. But so doth not his loving kindnesse extend to all; unlesse hee desire the good and safety of those that perish.

For winding our selves out of the former snare; wee are to consider a maine difference be­tweene the love of man or other creatures, and the love of God to mankind. Dumbe creatures alwayes effect what they most desire, if it be in the precincts of their power, because they [Page 45] have neither reason, nor other internall law of right or wrong to controll or countersway their brutish appetites. Man, although indued with reason and naturall notions of right and wrong, is notwithstanding oftentimes drawne by the strength or inordination of his tender affection, to use such meanes as are contrary to the rules of reason, equitie and reli­gion, for procuring their safety or impunity, on whom hee dotes. Howbeit among men, wee may finde some, which cannot be wrought by any pro­mise or perswasion to use those unlawfull courses for the impu­nity of their children or dearest [Page 46] friends, which the world com­monly most approveth. Not that their love towards their children, friends or acquain­tance is lesse; but because their love to publike justice, to truth and equity, and respect to their owne integritie, is greater than other mens are. A fit instance wee have in Zaleucus King of Louis, who having made a se­vere law, that whosoever com­mitted such an offence (suppofe adulterie) should lose his eyes: It shortly after came to passe that the Prince, his sonne and heire apparent to the crowne, trespassed against this sanction. Could not the good King have granted pardon to his sonne? [Page 47] Hee had power, no doubt, in his hands, to have dispensed with this particular, without any danger to his person. And most Princes would have done as much as they could for the safety of their successour. Nor could privileges or indulgences upon such speciall circumstan­ces be held as breaches or vio­lations of publike lawes; be­cause the prerogative of the person offending cannot be drawne into example. But Za­leucus could not be brought to dispense with his law, because he loved justice no lesse dearly than his Sonne, whom he loved as dearly as himselfe. And to manifest the equality of his love [Page 48] to all three, hee caused one of his owne eyes, and another of his sonnes to be put out: that so the law might have her due, though not wholly from his Sonne that had offended; but in part from himselfe, as it were by way of punishment for this partiality towards his Sonne.

It were possible no doubt for a King to reclaime many inferiours from theft, from rob­bery, or other ungracious cour­ses; so hee would vouchsafe to abate his owne expences to maintaine theirs, or afford them the solaces of his Court, make them his Peeres, or otherwise allow them meanes to com­passe their wonted pleasures. [Page 49] But thus farre to descend to un­thrifty subjects humors, were ill beseeming that Majestie and gravity which should bee in Princes. If one should give no­tice to a Prince how easie and possible it were to him by these meanes, to save a number from the gallowes: his replie would be, Princeps id potest quod salva Majestate potest: That onely is possible to a Prince, which can stand with the safety of his Ma­jestie: but thus to feed the un­satiable appetites of greedy un­thrifts (though otherwise such as hee loves most dearly, and whose welfare he wishes as heartily as they doe that speake for them) is neither Princely [Page 50] majesticall. For a King in this case to doe as much as by his authority or other meanes hee is able to doe, were an act of weaknesse and impotencie, not an act of Soveraigne power; a great blot to his wisdome, ho­nour and dignity; no true ar­gument of royall love or Princely Clemencie.

In like manner we are to con­sider that God, albeit in power infinite, yet his infinite power is matched with goodnesse as truly infinite; his infinite love, as it were, counterpoised with infinite Majestie. And though his infinite mercy be as Sove­raigne to his or her Attributes: yet is it in a sort restrained by [Page 51] the tribunitiall power of his justice. This equality of infi­nitenesse betwixt his attributes being considered, the former difficulty is easily resolved. If it be demanded whether God could not make a thousand worlds, as good or better than this: it were infidelity to deny it, why? Because this is an ef­fect of meere power; and might be done without any contradiction to his goodnesse, to his Majestie to his mercy or justice: all which it might serve to set forth. And this is a Rule of faith, that all effects of meere power, though greater than wee can conceive as possible, may be done of him with greater ease, than we can [Page 52] breath. His onely Word would suffice to make ten thousand worlds. But if it be questioned, whether God could not have don more than he hath done for his Vineyard, whether he can­not save such as dayly perish: the case is altered, and breeds a fallacy Ad plures interrogationes. For mans salvation is no worke of meere power: it necessarily requires a harmony of good­nesse, of majesty, of mercy and justice, whereunto the infinite power is in a manner subservi­ent. Nor are we to consider his infinite power alone, but as matched with infinite majesty; nor his infinite mercy and good­nesse alone, but as matched with [Page 53] infinite justice. And in this case it is as true of God as man; De­us id potest, quod salva Majestate potest; quod salva bonitate & ju­stitia potest: God can doe that which is not prejudiciall to his Majestie, to his goodnesse and ju­stice. And hee had done (if wee may beleeve his oath) as much for his vineyard, as the concur­rence of his infinite power and wisdome could effect without disparagement to the infinitie of his Majestie, or that internall law or rule of infinite good­nesse, whereby hee created man after his owne image and simi­litude.

God as he hath his being, so hath he his goodnesse of him­selfe, [Page 54] and his goodnesse is his being: as impossible therefore, that he should not be good, as not be. Man, as he had his life and being, so had he his good­nesse wholly from his Crea­tour. And as actuall existence is no part nor necessary conse­quence of his essence: so nei­ther is his goodnesse necessarie or essentiall to his existence. As his existence, so his good­nesse is mutable: the one neces­sarily including a possibilitie of declination or decay; the other an inclination of relapse, or falling into evill. As he was made after the similitude of God, he was actually and inhe­rently good. Yet was not his [Page 55] goodnesse essentiall, necessarie or immutable. Nor did hee re­semble his Creator in these es­sentiall attributes: but rather in the exercise of them ad extra. Now the exercise of them was not necessarie, but free in the Creator. For God might have continued for ever Most holy, righteous and good in him­selfe, albeit hee had never crea­ted man, nor other creature. Wherefore hee made them good, as hee was freely good. And such is the goodnesse communicated to them in their creation, not necessarie, but free: And if free, as well including a possibilitie of falling into evill, as an actuall state in goodnesse. [Page 56] If then you aske, Could not God by his almightie power have prevented Adams eating the forbidden fruit? None, I thinke, will bee so incredulous to doubt, whether he that com­manded the Sunne to stand still in his sphere, and did dead Ie­roboams arme, when he stretched it out against the Prophet, could not as easily have stayed Adams hand from taking, tur­ned his eye from looking up­on, or his heart from lusting after the forbidden fruit. All these were acts of meere power. But had he by his omnipotent power laid this necessity upon Adams will or understanding, or had he kept him from trans­gression [Page 57] by restraint: hee had made him uncapable of that happinesse, whereto by his in­finite goodnesse hee had ordai­ned him; for by this supposi­tion hee had not beene good in himselfe, nor could he be capa­ble of true felicitie, but he must bee capable likewise of punish­ment and miserie. The ground of his interest in the one, was his actuall and inherent good­nesse communicated in his creation: nor was hee liable to the other, but by the mutability of his goodnesse, or possibilitie of falling into evill. In like manner, hee that gave that knowne power and vertue to the load-stone, could as easily [Page 58] draw the most stony hearted son of Adam unto Christ, as it doth steele and iron. But if hee should draw them by such a necessarie and naturall motion, hee should defeat them of all that hope or interest in that ex­cessive glorie, which hee hath prepared for those that love him. If againe it bee demanded, why God doth not save the im­penitent and stubborne sinner; it is all one, as if wee should aske, why hee doth not crowne bruit beasts with honour and immortality. That this he could doe by his infinite power, I will not deny. And if this he would doe, no creature justly might controll him, none possibly [Page 59] could resist or hinder him: yet I may without presumption af­firme, that thus to doe, cannot stand with the internall rule of his justice, goodnesse and ma­jestie. Nor can it stand better with the same rule to save all men, if wee take them as they are, not as they might bee; al­beit hee hath indued all with reason to distinguish betweene good and evill. Jude 10. For many of them speake evill of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as bruit beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. It stands lesse with Gods infinite goodnesse or power, if we con­sider them as linckt with infi­nite justice or majestie, to bring [Page 60] such into true happinesse, than to advance bruit beasts unto immortality. Isa. 27. 11. It is a people (saith the Prophet) of no understanding, therefore hee that made them, will not have mercie on them; and hee that formed them, will shew them no favour. God out of the abun­dance of his goodnesse, mercie, and long-suffering, tolerates such as the Prophet and Apo­stle speakes of; and out of his infinite love seekes by the prea­ching of the Word and other meanes, not prejudiciall to his justice and majestie, to gather them as hee would have done Jerusalem here in my text. But finally there is a certaine mea­sure of iniquity, which where it [Page 61] is full, an height of stubborn­nesse and prophannesse, where­unto if once they come, the stroake of his infinite justice fals heavie upon them, for wil­full contempt of his infinite mercie; that as hee himselfe somewhere saith, Hee cannot any longer endure them.

The suspitions to which these resolutions seeme liable, are specially three:

First, 1. Object. that they derogate from Gods extraordinary favour to­wards his elect.

Our answer is briefe; Answer. the of­fence (if any there be) is taken, not given: seeing wee onely af­firme, that none so perish, but that they had a possibility to [Page 62] be saved: we deny not that ma­ny are so saved, as it were not possible for them finally to pe­rish; yet so saved they are, not by Gods infinite power, laying a necessity upon their wils; but by his infinite wisdome prepa­ring their hearts to bee fit ob­jects of his infinite mercy, and fore-casting their finall salva­tion, as necessary by assenting not altogether necessarily to the particular meanes whereby it is wrought. That is, in fewer termes, unto their salvation, an infinite power or infinite mer­cy matched with justice infi­nite, without an infinite wis­dome would not suffice. To call some (how many none [Page 63] may determine) extraordinari­ly, as hee did Saint Paul, may well stand with the eternall rule of his goodnesse; because hee used their miraculous and un­usuall conversion as a meanes to win others by his usuall and ordinary calling. Speciall pri­vileges upon peculiar and ex­traordinary occasions doe not prejudice ordinary lawes. Al­beit to draw such privileges in­to common practice, would overthrow the course of justice. It is not contrary then to the rule of Gods justice, to make some feele his mercy and kind­nesse before they seeke, that o­thers may not despaire of fin­ding it: having assured all by [Page 64] an eternall promise, that see­king they shall finde, and that they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse shall be sa­tisfied.

2 The second suspition and imputation is, on. that this doctrine may too much favour free will.

In briefe wee answer; Answer. there have beene two extremities in o­pinions continually followed by the two maine factions of the Christian world. The one, That God hath so decreed all things, that it is impossible ought should have beene, that hath not beene: or not to have beene, which hath beene. This is the opinion of the ancient Stoicks, which attribute all events to fate; and [Page 65] is no way mitigated, but rather improved, by referring this ab­solute necessity not to second causes or nature, but to the om­nipotent power of the God of nature. This was refuted in our last meditations; because it makes God the sole author of every sinne.

The second extremity is, That in man before his conversion by grace, there is a freedome or a­biliment to doe that which is plea­sing and acceptable to God, or an activity to worke his owne conver­sion. This was the errour of the Pelagians, and communicated to the moderne Papists; who hold a meane indeed, but a false one, betweene the Pelagians [Page 66] and the Stoicks. The true meane from which all these ex­tremities swerve may bee com­prised in these two propositi­ons: the one negative; In man after Adams fall there is no free­dome of will, or ability to doe any thing not deserving Gods wrath or just indignation: the other affir­mative; There is in man after his fall, a possibility left of doing or not doing of some things, which be­ing done or not done, he becomes pas­sively capable of Gods mercies; doing or not doing the contrary, he is excluded from mercy, and re­maines a vessell of wrath for his ju­stice to worke upon. For whether a man will call this contingence in humane actions, not a possibi­litie [Page 67] of doing or not doing, but ra­ther a possibilitie of acknowledging our infirmities or absolute impoten­cie of doing any thing belonging or tending to our salvation; I will not contend with him: Onely of this I rest perswaded, that all the exhortations of the Prophets and Apostles, to worke humili­ty and true repentance in their Auditors, suppose a possibili­tie of humiliation and repen­tance; a possibility likewise of acknowledging and conside­ring our owne impotency and misery; a possibility likewise of conceiving some desire, not meerely bruitish, of our re­demption or deliverance.

Our Saviour (yee know) re­quired [Page 68] not onely a desire of health, of sight, of speech, in all those whom he healed; resto­red to sight, or made to speake: but withall a kind of naturall beleefe, or conceit, that he was able to effect what they desired, Hence saith the Euangelist, Marke 6. 5. Mat. 13. verse last; Hee could not doe many miracles among them, because of their un­beleefe. Yet CHRIST alone wrought the miracles, the par­ties cured were meere patients, no way agents. And such as sollicited their cause in case of absence, at the best, were but by­standers. Now no man (I thinke) will deny, that Christ by the power of his Godhead [Page 69] could have given sight, speech, and health to the most obsti­nate and perverse: yet by the rule of his divine goodnesse, he could not cast his pearles before swine. Most true it is, that wee are altogether dead to life spiri­tuall, unable to speake or think, much lesse to desire it, as wee should. Yet beleefe and reason morall and naturall survive, and may with Martha and Marie beseech Christ to raise up their dead brother, who cannot speake for himselfe.

The third Objection will ra­ther be preferred in Table-talke discourse, Object. 3. than seriously urged in solemne dispute. If God so dearly desire and will the life and [Page 70] safety of such as perish; his will should not alwaies be done.

Why? Answer. Dare any man living say or thinke that hee alwaies doth whatsoever God would have him doe? So, doubtlesse, he should never sin or offend his God. For never was there wo­man so wilfull, or man so mad as to bee offended with ought, that went not against their pre­sent will. Nor was there ever or possibly can be any breach, un­lesse the will of the Law-giver be broken, thwarted or contra­dicted. For he that leaves the letter and followes the true meaning of the Lawgivers will, doth not transgresse his law, but observe it. And unlesse [Page 71] Gods will had beene set upon the salvation of such as perish, they had not offended, but ra­ther pleased him in running headlong the wayes of death. Yet in a good sense, it is alwayes most true, that Gods will is al­wayes fulfilled.

We are therefore to consider, that God may will some things absolutely, others disjunctive­ly: or that some things should fall out necessarily, others not at all, or contingently. The par­ticulars which God absolutely wils should fall out necessarily, must of necessity come to passe; otherwise, his will could in no case be truly said to be fulfilled. As, unlesse the Leper, to whom [Page 72] it was said by our Saviour, I will, be thou cleane, had beene cleansed, Gods will manifested in these words, had beene ut­terly broken. But if every par­ticular which hee wils disjun­ctively, or which he wils should be contingent, did of necessity come to passe; his whole will should utterly be defeated. For his will (as wee suppose in this case) is that neither this nor that particular should be necessarily: but that either they should not be, or be contingently. And if any particular comprised within the latitude of this con­tingency with its consequent, come to passe; his will is truly and perfectly fulfilled. As for [Page 73] example, God tels the Israelites, that by observing his Comman­dements they should live; and dye by transgressing them. Whether therefore they live by the one meanes, or dye by the other; his will is necessarily fulfilled: Because it was not that they should necessarily ob­serve his Commandements or transgresse them: but to their transgression, though contin­gent, death was the necessary doome; so was life the neces­sary reward of their contingent observing them.

But the Lord hath sworne that he delighteth not in the death of him that dieth; Object. but in his repentance: if then hee ne­ver [Page 74] repent, Gods delight or good pleasure is not alwayes fulfilled; because hee delights in the one of these; not in the other. How then shall it be true which is written, God doth whatsoever pleaseth him in the Heaven and in the Earth, if hee make not sinners repent, in whose repentance hee is better pleased, than in their death?

But unto this difficultie, Answer. the former answer may bee rightly fitted. Gods delight or good pleasure may bee done two wayes, either in us, or upon us. In the former place, it is set upon our repentance or obsequious­nesse to his will. For this is that service, whereto by his good­nesse, [Page 75] he ordained us. But if we crosse his good will and plea­sure, as it respects this point; that is, if wee will not suffer our selves to be saved; the same de­light or pleasure is set upon our punishment and fulfilled upon us. And if wee would en­ter into our owne hearts, wee might see the Image of Gods will hitherto manifested by his word, distinctly written in them: and that the Rule which his justice observes in puni­shing the wicked and reprobate, is to measure out their plagues and punishments according to the measure of their neglecting his will or contradicting his delight in their subjection. [Page 76] That as the riches of his good­nesse leading them to repen­tance hath beene more plenti­full: so they, by their impeni­tencie still treasure up greater store of wrath against the day of wrath. To this purpose doth the Lord threaten the obstinate people before mentioned in Esay; Esa. 65. 5. These are as a smoake in my nose, and a fire that burneth all the day; as hee hath spread out his hands to them all the day. Behold it is written before mee, I will not keepe silence, but will re­compence into their bosomes, your iniquities, and the iniquities of your Fathers together, saith the Lord: which have burnt incense upon the mountaines, and blasphe­med [Page 77] mee upon the Hils: therefore will I reward their former workes into their bosome.

Both these parts of Gods de­light are fully expressed by Sa­lomon: Wisdome cryeth without, Prov. 1. 20, 21, &c. shee hath uttered her will in the streets, shee cryeth in the chiefe places of the concourse, in the ope­ning of the Gates, in the Citie, shee uttereth her words, saying; How long yee simple ones will yee love simplicitie, and the scorners de­light in their scorning, and fooles hate knowledge? Turne you at my reproofe; behold, I will powre out my spirit upon you, I will make knowne my words unto you. These passages infallibly argue an un­fained delight in their repen­tance, [Page 78] and such a desire of their salvation as the wisdome of God hath expressed in my text, But what followes? Because I have called and yee refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded: but yee have set at nought all my counsell, and would none of my reproofe; I also will laugh at your calamitie, I will mock when your feare commeth. This his delight remaines the same, but is set upon another object: To the same purpose, Esay 65. 12. Therefore I will number you to the sword, and you shall all bow downe to the slaugh­ter: because when I called, yee did not answer; when I spake, yee aid not heare: but did evill before [Page 79] mine eyes, and did chuse that wherein I delighted not. So then, whether by the destruction of the wicked, or salvation of the chosen; Gods name is still glo­rified. His justice expects what should have beene done, but was not paid unto mercy. Hee can be no loser by mans un­thankfulnesse or ungrateful­nesse. The case is all one, as if one should take that from a theefe with the left hand, which hee hath picked out of our right hand. Thus much of the two points proposed.

I doe desire no more than that the tree may be judged by the fruit: and questionlesse the use of these resolutions, for [Page 80] convincing our selves of sinne, or quelling despaire, or for en­couraging the carelesse and im­penitent unto repentance, by giving them the right hold of the meanes of life, is much greater than can bee conceived without the admittance of their truth.

First, seeing the end of our preaching is not so much to in­struct the elect, as to call sinners to repentance; not so much to con­firme their faith that are already certaine of salvation, as to give hope to the unregenerate, that they may bee saved: how shall wee accomplish either intend­ment by magnifying Gods love towards the elect? who [Page 81] these are, God and themselves know. How shall he that lives yet in sinne perswade himselfe, there is probability that he may bee saved, because God hath in­fallibly decreed to save some few? Rather seeing by the con­trary doctrine, the most part of mankinde must necessarily pe­rish, hee hath more reason to feare, lest he be one of those ma­ny, than one of the few. The bare possibility of his salvation cannot be inferred, but from in­definite premisses, from which no certaine conclusion can pos­sibly follow: and without cer­taine apprehension or conceit of possibility, there can bee no certaine ground of hope. But if [Page 82] wee admit the former extent of Gods unspeakable love to all, and his desire of their eternall safety, which desperately pe­rish; every man may, nay, must undoubtedly thus conclude; Therefore, Gods love extends to mee: It is his good will and plea­sure, to have mee saved amongst the rest, as well as any other: and whatsoever he unfainedly wils, his power is able effectually to bring to passe.

The danger of sinne, and ter­rour of that dreadfull day, be­ing first made knowne to our Auditory; the pressing of these points, as effectually as they might bee, (were this doctrine held for current) would kindle [Page 83] the love of God in our hearts, and inflame them with desires answerable to Gods ardent will of our salvation: and these once kindled, would breed sure hope, and in a manner inforce us to embrace the infallible meanes thereunto ordained.

Without admission of the former doctrine, it is impossible for any man rightly to measure the hainousnesse of his owne or others sinnes. Such as gather the infinity of sinnes demerit, from the infinite Majestie a­gainst which it is committed, give us the surface of sinne, in­sinite in length and breadth; but not in solidity. The will or pleasure of a Prince in matters [Page 84] meanly affected by him, or in respect of which hee is little more than indifferent, may bee neglected without greater of­fence, than meaner persons may justly take for foule indignities or grievous wrongs. But if a Princes soveraigne command in a matter which he desired so much as his owne life, should be contemned; a loyall subject conscious of such contempt, though hapning through riot, or perswasions of ill company, would in his sober sits be ready to take revenge of himselfe; specially if hee knew his Sove­raignes love or liking of him to be more than ordinary. Consi­der then, that as the Majesty [Page 85] and goodnesse of our God, so his love and mercy towards us is truly infinite: that he desires our repentance as earnestly, as wee can desire meat and drinke in the extremity of thirst or hunger; as wee can doe life it selfe, whiles wee are beset with death: This our God manifested in our flesh, did not desire his owne life so much as our re­demption. We must therefore measure the hainousnesse of our sinne, by the abundance of Gods love, by the height and depth of our Saviours humilia­tion.

Thus they will appeare infi­nite, not only because commit­ted against an infinite Majesty, [Page 86] but because with this dimen­sion, they further include a wil­full neglect of infinite mercies, and incomprehensible desires of our salvation. Wee are by na­ture the seed of rebels, which had lift up their hands against the infinite goodnesse of their Creator, in taking of the forbid­den fruit; whereby they sought to be like him in Majesty. Con­scious of the transgression, the first actors immediately hid themselves from his presence: and, as if this their terrour had imprinted a perpetuall antipa­thy in their posteritie, the least glimpse of his glory for many generations after, made them crie out, Alas wee shall die, be­cause [Page 87] we have seene the Lord. We still continue like the off­spring of tame creatures grown wilde, alwayes eschewing his presence, that seekes to recover us; as the bird doth the fow­lers, on the beasts of the forest the sight of fire. And yet, unlesse hee shelter us under the shadow of his wings, wee are as a prey exposed to the destroyer, alrea­dy condemned for fuell to the flames of hell, or nutriment to the breed of serpents. To re­deeme us from this everlasting thraldome, our God came downe into the world in the similitude of our flesh, made as a stale to allure us with wiles into his net, that hee might [Page 88] draw us with the cords of love. The depth of Christs humilia­tion was as great as the diffe­rence betweene God and the meanest man; therefore truly infinite. Hee, that was equall with God, was conversant here on earth with us in the forme and condition of a servant. But of servants by birth or civill constitution, many live in health and case, with sufficient supplies of all things necessary for this life. So did not the Son of God: His humanity was charged with all the miseries whereof mortality is capable; subject to hunger, thirst, temp­tations, revilings and scornings even of his servants; an indig­nitie [Page 89] which cannot befall slaves or vassals, either borne or made such by men: or, to use the Prophets words, Hee bare mans infirmities, not spiritually one­ly, but bodily. For who was weake and hee not weake? who was sick and hee whole? No malady of any disease cured by him, but was made his, by his exact and perfect sympathic: Lastly, Hee bare our sinnes upon the crosse, and submitted him­selfe to greater torments than any man in this life can suffer. And though these were as dis­pleasant to his humane nature, as to ours: yet were our sinnes to him more displeasant. As he was loving to us in his death: [Page 90] so was hee wise towards him­selfe, and in submitting him­selfe unto his cruell and igno­minious death did of two evils chuse the lesse; rather to suf­fer the punishment due to our finnes, than to suffer sinne still to raigne in us, whom he loved more dearely than his owne life. If then, we shall continue in sinne after the manifestation of his love: the hainousnesse of our offence is truly infinite: in so much as wee doe that con­tinually, which is more distast­full to our gracious God, than any torments can be to us. So doing we build up the workes of Satan which hee came purposely to destroy. For of this I would not [Page 91] have you ignorant; that albeit the end of his death was to re­deeme sinners: yet the onely meanes predestinated by him for our redemption, is destructi­on of the workes of Satan, and re­novation of his Fathers Image in our Soules. For us then to ree­difie the workes of Satan, or abett his faction, is still more offensive to this our God, then was his Agonie or bloudy sweat.

For taking a fuller measure of our sinnes: let us hereunto adde his patient expectation of his enemies conversion after the resurrection. If the sonne of Za­leucus before mentioned should have pardoned any as deeply [Page 92] guilty as himselfe had beene of that offence for which hee lost one of his eyes, and his father another; the world would have taxed him, either of unjust fol­lie, or too much facilitie, rather than commended him for true justice or clemencie. But that we may know how farre Gods mercy doth over-beare his Ma­jestie, he proceeds not straight­way to execute vengeance upon those Jewes which wrecked their malice upon his deare and onely Sonne, which had com­mitted nothing worthy of blame, much lesse of death. Here was matter of wrath and indignation so just as would have moved the most mercifull [Page 93] man on Earth to have taken speedy revenge upon these spil­lers of innocent blood; especi­ally the law of God permitting thus much. But Gods mercy is above his law, above his ju­stice. These did exact the very abolition of these sinners in the very first act of sinne commit­ted against God made man for their redemption: yet hee pa­tiently expects their repentance which with unrelenting fury had plotted his destruction. Forty yeares long had hee beene grieved with this generation after the first Passeover celebrated in signe of their deliverance from Aegyptian bondage, and for their stubbornnesse Hee swore [Page 94] they should not enter into his rest. And now their posterity, after a more glorious deliverance from the powers of darknesse, have forty yeares allotted them for repentance, before they bee rooted out of the land of Rest or Promise. Yet hath not the Lord given them hearts to perceive, eyes to see, or eares to heare unto this day: because seeing they would not see, nor hearing would not heare; but hardened their hearts a­gainst the Spirit of grace. Lord give us what thou didst not give them; hearts of flesh that may melt at thy threats; eares to heare the admonirions of our peace; and eyes to forefee the day of our visitation: that so [Page 95] when thy wrath shall be revea­led against sinne and sinners; wee may bee sheltered from flames of fire and brimstone, under the shadow of thy wings so long stretched out in mercie for us. Often, Oh Lord, wouldst thou have gathered us, and wee would not: but let there be, we beseech thee, an end of our stub­bornnesse and ingratitude to­wards thee; no end of thy mer­cies and loving kindnesses towards us. Amen.

MANS TIMELY Remembring of his CREATOR; OR An Exposition de­livered in a Sermon upon

WEe may consider two vertues, one for the so­cietie of this life, Thankefulnesse; and the other [Page 254] for the attaining of the next life, Repentance, as precious metals, Silver and Gold. Of this Silver, of the vertue of Thankefulnesse, there are whole Mines in the Earth, books written by Mo­rall men: but of this Gold, this vertue of Repentance, there is no Mine in the Earth; in the books of Philosophers, no doctrines. This Gold is for the most part in the Washes: Repentance for the most part is in the Waters of Tribulation: But God directs thee to it in this text, before thou commest to those Waters: Re­member now thy Creator, before those evill dayes come: and then thou wilt Repent that thou didst not remember him till Now.

[Page 255] Here the Holy Ghost takes the nearest way to bring man to God, by awaking his Memorie. For the understanding requires long instruction, and cleare de­monstration: and the Will re­quires an instructed Vnderstan­ding; and it is of it selfe, the blindest and the boldest facul­tie: but if the Memorie doe fa­sten upon any of those things, which God hath done for us; that's the nearest way to him.

Remember therefore, and Re­member now. Though the Memo­rie be placed in the hinder part of the head: deferre not thou thy Remembring to the hinder­most part of thy life. But doe it Now, Nunc in die, Now, [Page 256] whilst thou hast Light; and Nunc in diebus (as it is in the text) Now, whil'st God gives thee many Lights, many means to come to him; and Nunc in diebus juventutis, in the dayes of thy youth, of thy strength, whilst thou art able to doe that which thou proposest to thy selfe; and as the Originall word [...] imports, in diebus Ele­ctionum tuarum, whilst thou art able to make thy choice; whilst the grace of God shineth so bright­ly upon thee, as that thou maist see thy way; so powerfully upon thee, as that thou maist walke in that way: Now in thy day, and, Now in these dayes, Remember. But whom? First, The Creator; [Page 257] That all these things which thou delightest in and labourest for were created; they were no­thing; and therefore the Memo­rie lookes not far enough back, if it stick onely upon Creature, and reach not to the Creator. Re­member the Creator: and Remem­ber thy Creator and in that, Re­member, that Hee made thee; that Hee made thee of nothing; but of that nothing, Hee hath made thee such a thing as cannot returne to nothing againe, but must remaine forever; whether ever in glory, or ever in torments: that de­pends upon the Remembring thy Creator now in the dayes of thy youth.

First, Remember; which word [Page 258] is used oftentimes in the Scrip­ture for Considering and taking care for; Gen. 8. 1. God remembred Noah and every beast with him in the arke: as the word contrarie to this, [Forgetting is also used for the affection contrary to it, Neglecting;] Isay 49. 15 Can a woman for­get her childe, and not have com­passion on the sonne of her wombe? But here wee take not Remem­bring so largely, but restraine it to the affection of that one facultie, the Memorie. For it is Stomachus animae, Bernard. The Stomack of the soule, that receives and digests and turnes to good blood, all the bene­fits formerly exhibited to us in particular, and the whole [Page 259] Church of God in generall.

Present that which belongs to the understanding, to that fa­cultie: and the understanding is not presently setled in it. Pre­sent any of the Prophecies made in the Captivitie; and a Jewes understanding will take them for a diliverance from that bondage; and a Christians understanding will take them for a spirituall deliverance from sinne and death, by the Messi­ah, Jesus Christ. Present but the name of a Bishop or an Elder out of the Acts of the Apostles, or out of the Epistles: and other men will take it for a name of paritie or equalitie; and wee for a name of office and distinction in the [Page 260] Hierarchie of Gods Church. Thus it is in the understanding that is often perplexed.

Consider the other facultie, the will of man; and thereby those bitternesses betweene the Jesuites and the Dominicans in the Romane Church, even to the imputation of the crime of he­resie upon one another, in que­stions concerning the Will of man, and how that concurres with the Grace of God; particu­larly, Whether the same proporti­on of Grace being offered by God to two men equally disposed towards him before, must not necessarily worke equally in those two? And by those bitternesses amongst persons nearest us, even to the [Page 261] drawing of swords, in questi­ons of the same kinde; particu­larly, Whether that proportion of Grace, which doth effectually con­vert a particular man, might not have been resisted by the perverse­nesse of that mans will? Whether that grace were irresistible or no? By all these and infinite such difficulties wee may see how untractable and untameable a facultie the will of man is.

But leave the Vnderstanding and the Will, and come to the Memorie, not with matter of Law, but with matter of Fact; Let God make his wonderful works to be had in remembrance (as Da­vid speaketh; Psal. 111. 4.) present the hi­stories of Gods protection of [Page 262] his children in the Arke, in the wildernesse, in the Captivities, in infinite other dangers; pre­sent this to the Memorie: and howsoever the Vnderstanding be clouded or the Will perverted; yet both lew and Christian, Pa­pist and Protestant, Refractarie and Conformitant, are affected with a thankfull acknowledge­ment of his former mercies and benefits: this issue of the facul­tie of the Memorie is alike in them all. And therefore God in giving the Law works upon no other facultie but this; I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt &c. Hee onely presents to their Memorie what hee had [Page 263] done for them. And so in deli­vering the Gospell, one princi­pall Seale thereof, the partici­pation of his Bodie and Blood in the Sacrament, hee proceeds so too, hee recommends it to their Memorie; Doe this in remem­brance of mee. This is the facul­tie that God desires to worke upon. And therefore, if thine understanding be too narrow to comprehend or reconcile all differences in all Churches, as what understanding is large e­nough to doe so? If thy will bee too scrupulous to submit it selfe to the Ordinances of thine owne Church, which sometimes a Zeale, though not perverse, yet indigested, may worke: yet [Page 264] have recourse to thine owne memorie. For as Saint Bernard cals that, The stomack of the soule; so wee may bee bold to call it, The gallerie of the soule, hung with so many and so lively pi­ctures of the goodnesse and mercies of thy God to thee, as that every one of them may be a sufficient Catechisme to instruct thee in all thy particular duties to God for those mercies. And then as a well made and a well placed picture lookes alwayes upon him that lookes upon it: so shall thy God looke upon thee, whose memorie is thus contem­plating him; and he shall shine upon thine understanding, and rectifie thy will too. If thy memo­rie [Page 265] cannot comprehend his mercie at large, as it hath beene shewed to his whole Church (as it is an incomprehensible thing to consider, that in a few yeares God hath made us even in number and temporall strength to our adversaries of the Roman Church:) If thy memorie have not received and held that great picture of our generall delive­rance from that invincible na­vie; if that mercie be written in the Waters and in the Sands, where it was acted, and not in thy memorie: if thou remember not our later, but greater delive­rance from that artificiall hell, that vault of powder (in which the Devils instruments lost their [Page 266] plot; they did not blow it up:) yet every man hath a pocket-pi­cture about him, a manuall, a bo­some booke; and if hee will but turne over one leafe of that booke, but remember what God hath done for him even since yesterday; hee shall finde by a little branch, a navigable river to saile into that great and endlesse sea of the mercies of God to­wards him from the beginning of his being. Doe but remember then.

Remember now, Iam. 1. 18. saith the text. Of his owne will he begat us with the word of truth, that wee should be Primitiae, the first fruits of his creatures; that as we consecrate all his creatures to him in a so­ber [Page 267] and religious use of them: so as the first fruits of all, wee should principally consecrate our selves to his service be­times.

Now there were three pay­ments of first fruits appointed by God to the Jewes. The first were Primitiae spicarum, The first fruits of their eares of corne: and this was only about Easter. The second were Primitiae pa­num, the first fruits of loaves, after the corne was converted to that use: and this, though it were not so soone, yet it was early too, about Whitsuntide. The third were Primitiae frugum, of all their latter fruits in generall; and this was very late in Au­tumne, [Page 268] in the Fall, about Septem­ber. In the two first of these three, in those that were offered early, God had his part; he had his part in the corne, and in the loaves: but in the latter fruits he had no portion. Offer thy selfe to God then, as Primitias spicarum, whether thou gleanest in the world, or bindest up by whole sheaves; whether thine increase be by little and little, or thou be rich at once, by the devolution of a rich inheri­tance and patrimony unto thee. Offer this in an acknowledge­ment, that this proceeds from the treasure of his goodnesse, and not from thine industrie. And offer thy selfe againe as [Page 269] Primitias panum, when: thou hast kneaded up riches, and ho­nour, and favour, in a setled and established fortune: offer that to God in an acknowledge­ment, that hee can scatter and moulder away that estate a­gaine, how safe soever it seemes to be setled. Offer at thy Easter, when soever thou hast any resur­rection, any sense of raising thy soule from the shadow of death: offer thy confession to God, that it is the sun-shine of his grace, and not of thy moralitie. Offer at thy Pentecost, when so­ever the holy Ghost descends upon thee in a sierie tongue, that thou feedest thy selfe melted by the powerfull preaching of the [Page 270] word: offer thy confession then, that this is the proceeding of his grace, and not the disposition, or concurrence, or tendernesse of thy nature. For if thou deferre thine offering till September, till thy Fall, till thy winter, till thy death; howsoever those may be thy first-fruits, because they be the first that ever thou gavest: yet they are not such as are accepta­ble to God; God hath no porti­on in them if they come so late.

Offer thy selfe now; nay doe but offer to thy selfe now; that is but an easie request; and yet there is no more asked. Viximus mundo; vivamus reliquum nobis ipsis: Thus long we have ser­ved the world; let us serve our [Page 271] selves the rest of our time: but this is the best part of our selves, our soules. Expectes ut febris te vocet ad poenitentiam? Hadst thou rather a sicknesse should bring thee to God, than a Ser­mon? Hadst thou rather be be­holding to a Physician for thy salvation, than to a Preacher? Thy businesse is to Remember: stay not for thy last sicknesse, which may be a Lethargie, in which thou maist forget thine owne name, and his that gave thee thy best name, the name of a Christian, Christ Ie­sus himselfe. Thy businesse is to Remember, and thy time is Now: stay not till that An­gell come, that shall say and [Page 272] sweare, that Time shall be no more.

Remember then, and Remem­ber Now; Nunc in die, Now whilst it is day. The Lord will heare thee in die qua invocaveris (sayes David) in the day that thou callest upon him; and in qua [...]un­que die velociter exaudiet, in any day hee will heare thee quickly: but still it is Opus diei, a worke of the day, to call upon God. For in the Night, our last Night, these thoughts that fall upon us, are rather Dreames than Re­membrings: upon our death-bed wee rather dreame that wee re­pent, than repent indeed. To him that travels by Night, a bush seemes a horse, and a horse [Page 273] seemes a man, and a man seemes a spirit; nothing hath its proper shape: to him that repents by Night, on his death-bed, neither his owne time nor the mercies of God have their true propor­tion. This night they shall fetch away thy soule, saith Christ to the secure man: but hee neither tels him who they be that shall fetch it away, nor whither they shall carry it. Hee hath no light but lightning, a sudden flash of horrour: and so is trans­lated into the fire which hath no light. Nunquid Deus paravit nobis ignem istum? Non nobis, sed Diabolo & Angelis ejus. And yet we who are vessels so broken, that there is not a sheard left to [Page 274] fetch water at the pit, (as the Prophet expresseth an irrepara­ble ruine,) no meanes in our selves to derive one drop of the blood of Christ Iesus upon us, no meanes to wring out one teare of true contrition from us, have plunged our selves into this dark, this everlasting fire which was not prepared for us. A wretched covetousnesse to be intruders upon the devill! a wofull ambition to be usurpers upon damnation! God did not make that fire for us, much lesse did hee make us for that fire: (make us to damne us? God for­bid:) but yet though it were not made for us at first, now it belongs to us; the judgement [Page 275] takes hold of us. Whosoever beleeveth not, is already condem­ned: there the fire belongeth to our infidelitie, and the judge­ment takes hold of us. Ite ma­ledicti; you have not fed mee, nor cloathed mee, nor harboured mee, therefore goe yee cursed: then that fire takes hold of our omission of necessarie duties and good workes. Whats our remedy now? why still this is the way of Gods justice, and his pro­ceeding, ut sententia lata sit in­valida, That if hee publish his judgement, his judgement is not executed. The judgements of the Medes and Persians were irrevocable: but the judgements of God, if they be given and [Page 276] published, are not executed. The Ninivites had perished, if the sentence of their destruction had not beene given: and the sentence preserved them by bringing them to repentance. So in this cloud of Ite maledi­cti, wee may see Day-breake, and discerne beames of Sunning light in this judgement of Eternall darknesse. If the contempla­tion of Gods judgements bring us to Remember him, it is but a darke and stormie Day: but yet spirituall affliction and the ap­prehension of Gods anger, is one Day wherein wee may Re­member God. And this is Copio­sa redemptio, the overflowing mercy of God, that hee affords [Page 277] us many dayes to remember him in: for it is not in die, but in di­ebus.

This Remembring which we intend, is an inchoation, yea it is a great step into our Conversi­on and Regeneration, whereby wee are New Creatures: and therefore wee may well consi­der as many dayes in this New creation, as were in the first Crea­tion of the world.

In the first day was the ma­king of Light: and our first day is the knowledge of him who sayes of him selfe, Ego sum Lux mundi, I am the light of the world; and of whom Saint John testi­fies, Erat Lux vera, Hee was the true Light which lighteth every [Page 278] man that commeth into the world. This is then our first day, The Light, the knowledge the profes­sion of the Gospell of Christ Iesus. Now God made Light first, ut operaretur in Luce, saith Saint Augustine, that hee might worke in the light, in producing other creatures: not that God needed Light to worke by, but for our example. God hath shed the beames of the light of his Gospell, first upon us in our Baptisme, that wee might have that Light to worke by, and to produce our other Creatures; and that in every enterprise wee might examine our selves, our consciences, whether we could not be better content, that that [Page 279] Light went out, or were Eclip­sed, than the light of our owne glory: whether wee had not ra­ther that the Gospell of Christ Ie­sus suffered a little, than our owne ends and preferments.

God made Light first, that hee might make his other crea­tures by the light, (saith Saint Augustine:) and hee made that first too, ut cernerentur quae fece­rat (saith Saint Ambrose) that these creatures might see one ano­ther: for frustrà essent si non vi­derentur, saith that Father, It had been to no purpose for God to have made creatures, if hee had not made Light, that they might see one another, and so glorifie him. God hath given [Page 280] us this Light of the Gospell too, that the world might see our actions by this Light. For the noblest Creatures of Princes, and the noblest actions of Prin­ces, Warre, and Peace, and Treaties, and all other Crea­tures and actions, which move in the lower Spheares, Frustra sunt, they are good for nothing, they will come to nothing, they are nothing, if they a­bide not this Light, if there appeare not to the world a true Zeale of the preservation of the Gospell, and that wee doe not in any thing erube­scere Evangelium, bee asha­med of making and declaring the love of the Gospell to be our [Page 281] principall end in all our acti­ons.

Now when God had made Light, and had made it to these purposes, Hee saw that the light was good, sayes Moses. This See­ing implyes a consideration, a deliberation, a debatement: That a religion, a forme of pro­fessing the Gospell, be not taken, or accepted blindly, nor impli­citly. Wee must see this light; and then the Seeing that it is good implyes the accepting of such a religion as is simply good in it selfe; not good for ease or convenience, not good for ho­nour or profit, not good for the present, or the state of other businesses, not good for any [Page 282] collaterall or by-respects; but simply, absolutely, and in it selfe good.

And when God saw this light to be good, then hee severed Light from darknesse: so as no dark­nesse must be mingled with the Light, no dregges or ragges of Idolatrie and superstition min­gled with the true Religion. But God severed them otherwise than so too: hee severed them (as wee say in the Schooles) Non tanquam duo positiva, that Light should have a being here, and Darknesse a being there; but tanquam Positivum & priva­tivum, that Light should have an essentiall being, and Dark­nesse utterly abolished. And [Page 283] this severing must hold in the Profession of the Gospell too; not so severed as here shall be a Ser­mon, and there a Masse: but that the true religion be really professed, and corrupt Religion be utterly abolished. And then and not till then it was a Day, (sayes Moses.) And since God hath given us This day, The light of the Gospell, to these uses, to trie our owne purposes by, in our selves, and to shew and ju­stifie our actions by, to the world; since wee see this Reli­gion to bee good, and that it is professed advisedly, and not implicitly; but so that it is able to abide any triall that the ad­versarie will put us to, of anti­quities, [Page 284] Fathers and Councels, since it is so severed, as that there are sufficient lawes and meanes for the abolition of su­perstition utterly: since God hath given us this day; Qui non humiliabit animam in die hac, &c. (as Moses speakes of other dayes of Gods institution) hee that will not throw downe himselfe before God on this day, in humble thanks that wee have it, and in humble prayer that wee may still have it: hee does not remember God in his first day; he doth not consider how great a blessing the light, the profession of the Gospell is.

To make shorter dayes of the rest (for we must passe through [Page 285] all the dayes in a few minutes:) God in the second day made the firmament to divide betweene the waters above, and the waters be­low. And this firmament in man is Terminus cognoscibilium, The limit of those things which God hath given a man meanes and faculties to conceive and under­stand of him. Hee hath limited our eyes with a starrie firmament too, with the knowledge of those things quae ubique, quae semper, which those starres whom hee hath kindled in his Church, The Fathers and the Doctors have ever from the beginning propo­sed as things necessarie for the salvation of our soules. As for the eternall decrees of God, and [Page 286] his unrevealed will and mysteries, and the knottie and inexplicable perplexities of the Schooles, they are waters above the firmament. Here Paul plants, here Apollo wa­ters, here God raiseth up men to convey to us the dew of his Grace, by waters under the firma­ment, by visible meanes, by Sa­craments, and by the Word so preached and so explicated, as it hath beene unanimly and constantly from the beginning of the Church.

And therefore this second day is consummated and perfected in the third: for in the third day, God came to that, Congregentur Aquae, Let the waters be gathered together into one place. God hath [Page 287] gathered all the waters of life into one place; all the doctrines ne­cessarie for the life to come into the holy Catholick Church. And in this third day, God came to his Producat terra, there here up­on Earth all herbs and fruits ne­cessarie for mans food should bee produced: that here in the visible Church should bee all things necessarie for the spiri­tuall food of our Soules. And therefore in this third day God repeats twise that testimonie, Vidit quod esset bonum, Hee saw that it was good, that all herbs and trees should bee produced that bee seed; all doctrines that are to bee seminall to be prose­minated, and propagated, and [Page 288] continued to the end, should be taught in the Church: But for such doctrines as were but to vent the passions of vehement men, or to serve the turne of great men for a time, for colla­terall doctrines, temporarie, in­terlinearie, marginall doctrines, which belong not to the bodie of the text, to fundamentall things necessarie to salvation: for these, there is no Vidit quod bonum, no testimony that they are good. Now, si in diebus istis, if in these dayes, when God gives thee a Firmament, a know­ledge what thou art, to learne concerning him; and when God gives this collection of Wa­ters, and this fruitfulnesse of [Page 289] Earth, the knowledge how to receive these necessarie do­ctrines: if in these dayes thou wilt not Remember God, it is an inexcusable and irrecoverable Lethargie.

In the fourth dayes worke, which was the making of the Sunne and Moone. Let the Sunne to rule the day be a testimonie of Gods love to thee in the sun­shine of temporall prosperitie: and the Moone to shine by night, be the refreshing of his comfor­table promises of the Gospell, in the darknesse of adversitie. Remember in this thy day, that he can make thy Sunne to set at noone, blow out thy taper of prosperitie when it burnes [Page 290] brightest: and he can make thy Moone to turne to bloud, make all the promises of the Gospell which should comfort thee in adversitie, turne to despaire and obduration.

Let the fifth dayes worke, which was the creation Omni­um reptilium & volatilium om­nium, signifie either thy humble devotion, wherein thou sayest, Vermis ego & non homo, I am a worme, Oh God, and no man, &c. or let it signifie the raising of thy soule in that securitie, Pen­nas columbae, that God hath gi­ven thee the wings of a dove to flie to the wildernesse from the temptations of this world, in a retired life and contemplation. [Page 291] Remember in this day too, that God can suffer even thy humi­litie to strive and degenerate in­to an uncomely dejection, stu­piditie, and senselesnesse of the true dignitie, and the true liber­tie of a Christian: and hee can suffer thy retiring of thy selfe from the world, to degenerate into a contempt and despising of others, and an over-valuing of thine owne perfections, thine owne puritie and imagi­narie righteousnesse.

Let the sixt day, on which both man and beast were made of earth, (but yet a living soule breathed into man) remember thee, that this earth which treads up­on thee must returne to the earth [Page 292] which thou treadest upon; this body which loads thee, must returne to the grave, and thy spirit returne to him that gave it.

And let the Sabbath remember thee too, that, since God hath given thee a temporall Sabbath, placed thee in a Church of peace; thou must perfect all in a Sab­bath, in a conscience of peace, by remembring now thy Creator in all, in some, in one of these dayes of the New weeke: either as God hath created a first day in thee by giving thee the light of the Gospell; or a second day, by gi­ging thee a Firmament of know­ledge of the things that con­cerne thy salvation; or a third [Page 293] day, accesse to that place where those doctrines and waters of life are gathered together, the Church; or a fourth day, wherein thou hast a Sun and a Moone, Thank­fulnesse in prosperitie, and Com­fort in adversitie; or a fifth day, in which thou hast Reptilem hu­militatem, & volatilem fiduciam, an humble dejecting of thy selfe before God, and yet a sure confi­dence in God; or as in thy sixt day, thou considerest thy com­position, that thou hast a body that must dye, though thou wouldst have it live, and thou hast a soule that must live, though thou wouldest have it die.

Now all these dayes are con­tracted [Page 294] into a lesse roome, in this text, into two: for here the originall word, [...] is, either In diebus juventutis, in the dayes of thy youth; or In die­bus electionum tuarum, in the dayes of thy choices, or whilst thou art able to make thy choice.

First therefore if thou wouldst be heard in Davids prayer, De­lict a juventutis, &c. Oh Lord re­member not the sinnes of my youth: remember to come to this prayer In diebus juventutis, in the dayes of thy youth. Job. [...]9 4.

Iob remembers with sorrow how hee was in the dayes of his youth, when Gods providence was upon his Tabernacle: and it is a sad, but a late consideration, [Page 295] with what tendernesse of con­science, what scruple, what re­morses wee entered into the be­ginning of sinnes in our youth; and how indifferent those sins are growne to us now, and how obdurate wee are growne in them.

It was Jobs sorrow to consi­der his youth, Tobit. 1. 4. and it was Tobits comfort, When I was young (saies hee) all my tribe fell away; but I alone went often to Jerusalem.

For, Lam. 3. 27. It is good for a man to beare his yoak in his youth, saith Jere­mie: and even then when God had delivered over his people to be afflicted purposely; yet he complaines on their behalfe, Isay 47. 6. that the persecutor laid the hea­viest [Page 296] yoak upon the ancientest men.

Age is unfit for burdens: and to reserve the weight, and bur­den of our conscience, conver­sion and repentance till our age, is an irregular, incongruous and a disproportioned thing. Labore fracta instrumenta ad Deum ducis, Basil. quorum nullus est u­sus? Wilt thou pretend to work in Gods building, and bring no tooles, but such as are blun­ted and broken in the service of the world? No man would present a lame horse, a disordered clock, a torne booke to the King. Caro est jumentum, August. thy body is thy beast, thy flesh is thy horse; wilt thou present that to God, when it is lame and tired with [Page 297] excesse of wantonnesse? when thy clock, the whole course of thy life is disordered with pas­sions and perturbations; when thy booke, the historie of thy life, is torne, and a thousand sins of thine owne torne out of thy memorie; wilt thou then present this Clock, this Booke so defaced and mangled, to thy God? Thou pretendest to present that indeed which thou doest not present; Temperantia non est tem­perantia in senectute, sed impoten­tia intemperantiae; Thou preten­dest to present temperance and continence to God, and in age temperance is not temperance, but onely a disabilitie of being intemperate. It is often and well [Page 298] said, Senex bis puer, An old man returnes to the ignorance and frowardnesse of a child againe: but it is not Senex bis juvenis, an old man returnes to the dayes of youth againe, to pre­sent fruits acceptable to God, so late in his yeares. Doe this then, In diebus juventutis, in thy best strength, and when thy naturall faculties are best able to con­curre with the grace of God.

Doe it too in diebus electionum tuarum, Whilst thou maist chuse. For if thou hast worne out this word in one sense, that it be too late to Remember him in the dayes of thy youth thats sinfully and negligently spent already: yet as long as thou art able to make [Page 299] a new choice, to chuse a new sinne; that when the heats of youth are not overcome but burnt out, then thy middle age chuseth ambition, thine old age covetousnesse: as long as thou art able to make this choice, art thou not able to make a better than this? God testifies the power that hee hath given thee; Deut. 30. 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day, that I have set before you Life and Death, &c. therefore chuse life: if this choice like you not (saies Josuah to the people) If it seeme evill in your eyes to serve the Lord, Josuah 24. 15. chuse you this day whom you will serve. Heres the Election day, bring that which you [Page 300] would have into the ballance, with that which God presents you, and tell mee what you would chuse to preferre before God. As for honour, and fa­vour, and health, and riches; perchance you cannot have them, though you chuse them: but if you have, can you have more of them than they have had, to whom these very things have beene occasions of ruine? It is true, the market is open till the last bell ring and ring out, the Church is open and grace offe­red in the Sacraments of the Church: but trust not then to that Rule, That men buy cheapest at the end of the Market; that heaven may bee had for a breath [Page 301] at the last, when they that stand by thy bed and heare that breath, cannot tell whether it be a sigh, or a gaspe; whether a religious breathing and anhe­lation after the next life, or a na­turall breathing and exhalation of this. But finde thou a spiri­tuall good husbandry in that other rule, That the best of the market is to be had at first, at the beginning. For howsoever in thine age, there may be by Gods working Dies juventutis, God may make thee a new creature, and so give thee a new youth (for as God himselfe is Anti­quissimus dierum, so with God no man is superannuated:) yet when age hath made a man im­potent [Page 302] for sinne, these are not properly Dies electionis, when hee forbeares sin out of an im­potencie towards that sinne. And therefore whilst thou hast a choice, meanes to advance thine owne purposes, meanes to defeat other mens purposes by evill meanes, Remember. But whom? Creatorem: for wee have done with the facultie to be ex­cited, the Memorie, and with the time Now, &c. And wee come to the Object, the Creator.

And there Remember first The Creator; secondly, Thy Crea­tor.

And Remember The Creator, first, because the Memorie can goe no farther than the Creator. [Page 303] The Memorie reaches farre: but it must finde something done. And what was done before the Creation? wee have therefore no meanes to conceive or to appre­hend any of Gods actions be­fore that. For when men will speake of Decrees of Reprobation, decrees of Condemnation, before a Decree of Creation, this is not the Holy Ghosts place, they goe before him: for they Remem­ber God a Judge and a Condem­ning Judge before the Creator. This is to put a preface before Moses his Genesis. God will have his Bible begin with the Creation; and wee will not be content with that In principio, but wee will seeke out Ante [Page 304] Principium to know what God did before hee did any thing ad extra.

The In principio of Moses we can Remember, that God created the Heaven and the Earth in the beginning: but the In principio of Saint Iohn, the Beginning that he begins his Gospell withall, the Eternall beginning, wee cannot Remember. Wee can Remember Gods Fiat in Moses; but not Gods Erat in Saint Iohn. What God hath done for us, is the Object of our Memorie; not what God did before wee or a­ny things else was. For when it is said in our Translation, Iohn 7. 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet [Page 305] glorified; though the supple­ment seeme necessary for the clearing of the sense, yet the word Given is not in the text: but it is simply Spiritus sanctus non erat, the holy Ghost was not. Non erat antequam operaretur, saies Saint Augustine: Hee was not to this intendment and pur­pose; hee was not manifested nor declared to us, till hee wrought in us. And so wee say of God in generall, not consi­dered in any one person, wee cannot remember him but in producing of his workes, in the Creation. Thy Bible begins there, thy Creed begins there; and thou hast a good and a per­fect memorie, if thou remember [Page 306] all that is presentd unto thee by those wayes: and those wayes goe no higher than the Creator. Remember the Creator then; be­cause thou canst Remember no­thing beyond him.

And Remember the Creator so too, that thou maist stay up­on nothing on this side him: that so neither height, nor depth, nor any other Creature may separate thee from God; not onely sepa­rate thee finally, but not re­tard thee any other wayes; but as the love of the Creature may lead thee to the Creator. Wee see faire shipping in the River: but all their use were gone, if the River led not into the Sea. Wee see men fraughted with honour [Page 307] and riches: but all their use is gone, if they lead them not to the honour and glory of the Creator. And therefore saies the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer com­mit their soules to God as to a faithfull Creator. Hee had gra­cious purposes upon us in our Creation; and if hee bring us back againe to as good a state as wee had in our Creation, wee enjoy the very Redemption too.

This is then the true contra­cting: and this is the true exten­ding of this facultie of the Me­morie, to Remember the Creator, and stay there, because there is no prospect farther: and to Re­member the Creator, and get so farre, because there is no safe [Page 308] footing, nor relying upon any creature. Remember then the Crea­tor:

And Remember thy Creator. If thou desire wisdome; Quis pru­dentior Sapientia? where wilt thou seeke it, but of him who is Wisdome it selfe? If thou de­sire profit, Quis utilior bono? Who can profit thee more than Goodnesse it selfe? And if thou wouldest Remember that which is neerest unto thee; Quis con­junctior Creatore? Who is so neer thee, as hee that made thee, and gave thee thy being? What pur­pose soever thy Parents or thy Prince have to make thee great: how, had all these purposes beene frustrated, if God had not [Page 309] made thee before? Thy very Being is the greatest degree. As in Arithmetick, how great a number soever a man expresse in many figures; yet when all is done, and that wee begin to reckon and name this number, the first figure of all is the grea­test of all: So what degrees or titles soever a man hath in this world, the greatest of all is the first of all; that hee had a being by Creation: for the distance of Nothing to a little is the best de­gree of this life. And therefore Remember thy Creator, as by be­ing that, hee hath done more for thee than all the world be­side.

And Remember so too, with [Page 310] this consideration, that since thou hast a Creator, thou wast once Nothing: Hee made thee, hee gave thee a Being: theres matter of Exaltation. He made thee ex nihile, thou wast lesse before than a worme; theres matter of Humiliation.

But hee did not make thee Ad nihilum, to returne to No­thing againe: theres matter of Studie and Consideration, how to make thine immortalitie profitable unto thee. For it is a deadly immortalitie, if thou be immortall onely for im­mortall torments.

That Being which wee have from God shall not returne to Nothing: nor that Being which [Page 311] wee have from men neither. As Saint Bernard saith of the Image of God imprinted indelibly in mans soule, Vri potest in Gehen­na, non exuri; That soule which descends to Hell, carries the Image of God thither too, and that can never be burnt out in Hell: So those Images, those impressions which we have re­ceived from Men, from Nature, from the World, the Image of the Lawyer, the Image of the Lord, the Image of the Bishop, may all burne in Hell; but they cannot be burnt out: not onely, not those soules, but not those of­fices shall returne to Nothing; but our condemnation shall be everlastingly aggravated, for [Page 312] the ill use of these offices.

Remember therefore thy Crea­tor, who, as he made thee of no­thing, shall hold thee still to his glorie, though to thy confusion in a state capable of his heaviest judgements. For the court of God is not like other courts, that after a surfet of pleasure, of greatnesse, a man may retire: after a surfet of sinne, there is no such retiring, as a dissolution of the soule to nothing. And there­fore remember, that he made thee; thou wast nothing: and what hee made thee; thou canst not be no­thing againe.

To shut up this circle, and to returne to the beginning; to excite the particular facultie of [Page 313] the memorie. As wee remember God: so for his sake, and for him, let us remember one ano­ther. In my long absence and farre distance remember mee, as I shall doe you, in the eares of God: to whom the farthest East and the farther West are but as the right and left eare in one of us. Wee heare with both eares at once; and hee heares in both places at once. Remember mee; not my abilities. For when I consider my Apostleship to you, that I was sent to you, I am in Saint Pauls Quorum; Quo­rum ego minimus; I am the least of them that have beene sent un­to you: and when I consider mine infirmities, (I know I [Page 314] may justly lay a heavier name upon them) I know, I am in his other Quorum, Quorum ego ma­ximus; sent to save sinners, of whom I am the chiefest. But yet remember my labours, my ende­vours, at least my desires to doe that great service of making sure your salvation: and I shall remember your religious cheere­fulnesse in hearing the Word, and your Christian-like respect to those who bring this Word unto you; and of me in parti­cular, so farre above my merit. And so as your eyes that stay here, and mine that must bee far off, for all that distance, shall meet every morning in looking upon the same Sunne, and meet [Page 315] every night in looking upon the same Moone: so our hearts may meet morning and eve­ning, in that God, who sees and heares alike at all distances. That you may come up to him in your prayers on my behalfe, that I (if I may bee of any use for his glorie and your edifica­tion in this place) may be resto­red to you againe in this place: and I may come up to him in my prayers on your behalfe, that what Paul soever shall plant here, and what Apollo soever shall water here, he himselfe will bee pleased to give the increase. And that if I never meet you, till by severall wayes wee have met in the gates of death; that [Page 316] within the gates of heaven I may meet you all, and there say to my Saviour and your Saviour, that which he said to his Father and our Father; Of those whom thou gavest me I have not lost one.

Remember me thus, you that stay in this kingdome of peace, where no sword is drawne but the sword of justice: as I shall remember you in those king­domes, where Ambition on the one side, and a necessarie defence of religion against imminent persecution on the other side, hath drawne many swords. And Christ Jesus remember us all in his kingdome, to which though wee must saile through a sea, yet it is the sea of his [Page 317] bloud, in which never soule suf­fered shipwrack. Though we must bee blowne with strong windes, with vehement sighes and groans for our sinnes: yet it is the Spirit of God that blowes all that winde in us, and shall blow away all contrarie windes of diffidence in his mercy. It is that kingdome, where we shall all be souldiers, but of one armie, the Lord of hosts; and all children of one Quire, the God of harmonie and consent; where all clients shall retaine but one Advocate, the Advocate of us all, Christ Jesus; and yet every client receive a sentence on his side; not onely a verdict of not-guiltie, a non-imputation [Page 318] of sinne; but a Venite Benedicti, a reall participation of an im­mortall crowne of glorie: where there shall bee no difference in affection nor in voice, but wee shall all agree as fully and per­fectly in our Hallelu-jah and our Gloria in excelsis, as God the Father, God the Sonne, and God the holy Ghost agreed in their Faciamus Hominem; wee shall praise the whole Trinitie as unanimly, as the Trinitie concurr'd in making us. To end, it is the kingdome where we shall end, and yet begin but then; where we shall have con­tinuall rest, and yet never grow lazie; where wee shall have more strength, and no enemie; [Page 319] where wee shall live, and never die; where we shall meet, and never part; but here we must.