1

finness but the favour of God keeps him from finne. Worldly pleafures make a man commit many finnes; but the pleasure of the life to come and the joyes of the holy Ghoft, make a man forbear finne,

Secondly, For things eternall, the evillestate of the wicked is very bad,be his temporal cftate never so good: therfore they are to confider what God will doe in the end thereof, Quod fiat in fine, Jeremiah the fift chap er and the thirty first verse. The leaft plea ure that the wicked have in this life, brings penas inferni: And how foever Godly men be fubject to miferies in this life, yet their eternal eftate is most happy : I know that it shall goe well with them at the last, Isaiah the third chapter

and the tenth verle.

He hath forgotten that he was purged. Wherein we are to confider,

First, How true this is, There are fo many per(wafions arifing from the benefit of the purging of our finnes, that it is confeft, that he hath forgotten that he was purged, that is, not carefull to obtain these virTues: First, That God paffeth over the time of our former ignorance, Acts the feventeenth chapter; Admonishe h us now to repentance, That it is enough that we have spent the time paft of our life, the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter. The confideration of chis should make us to become holy. The Prophet faith, When thou hast enlarged my heart, I will runne the way of thy commandements, Pfalme the hundred nineteenth, But what doth enlarge our hearts fo much, as that all our former finnes are washed away in the blood of Christ, That now we fhall runne the way and race of holinesse, not in the spirit of fear, but of adoption, Romans the eighth chapter; Not as fervants, but as children, in obedience to God our father, we need not to fear the curse of the Law, which Chrift bath delivered us from, Galatians the third chapter; Only, we may look for temporal plagues, if we finne against God, Pfalm the eighty ninth. Secondly, It we confider how we are purged, the which would perfwade us hereunto, that is, Net by corruptible things, as filver and gold, but with the bload of Christ, the first epistle of Peter the fecond chapter, But with the blood of Chrift,not a prophane and common blood, Hebrews the tenth chapter, but a pretious blood. Thirdly, If we confider the end of our purging, which is, not to continue in fin, but, as Chrift faith, I will refresh you, that you may take my yoke upon you, and be obedient unto me, Matthew the eleventh chapter: The father purgeth the branches, that they may bring forth more fruit, John the fifteenth chapter: And Chrift gave himself for us, that he might purge us, to be zealous of good works, Titus the fecond chapter and the tourteenth verfe. Whereby we fee it is true, That he which hath not care of holineffe,bath forgotten that he was purged from his old finnes.

Secondly, We are to confider how evill a thing it is, to forget the purging of our former finnes ; which we shall perceive, if we confider what a benefit it is to have them cleanfed. When Gods benefits upon us are fresh, they fomwhat affect us for a time, but we presently for get them: And we are forie for our finnes, while they are fresh and

newly

newly committed, and feel the plague of God u on us; to that we can fay with David I have finned and done wickedly in the second of Samuel, and the twenty fourth chapter, but the remembrance of them foon departeth away; But howsoever we forget them, yet God will remember them, and punish them to the third and fourth generation, Exodus the twentieth chapter: His patience to wards us, where by he would draw us to repentance, makes us think him like our felves, that he doth forget our old finnes as we doe, but he will fet them before us, and reprove us for them, Pfalm the fiftieth, If thou do'jt evil thy Gen. 4 7. finne lyeth at the dore, and thou art to look for Gods plagues; for evil fhall baunt the wicked, Pfalm 140. 11.

Our forgetful

n

Guds reffe of finne, membrance.

The brethren of Fofeph were for a while touched with their finne committed against their brother, but when they had foten it, then did God remember it; and brought trouble upon then forit, as they themselves confeffed. The finne which Simeon and Levi committed was an old finne, the thirty fourth chapter of Genesis, but God remembred is, and put in Jacobs heart to curse them for is, Genefis the fourty ninth chapter, fo did God remember the old finne of Ameleck committed against the Ifraelites and punished it, in the first booke of Så. muel and the fifteenth chapter, fo the finne of Saul in killing the Gibeonites, which was old, was punishea with a famine, the second booke of Samuel and the one and twentith chapter, fo Fob faith, God will plague the old man for the finne of his youth, fo that his bones shall be full of it and shall ly down with him in the duft, Fob the twentieth chapter and the eleventh verse, therefore David prayeth, Remember not the fi my youth, the twenty fift Pfalme, and the Church prayath, That annes of cient finnes might be forgiven. We have finned with our Fathers, falm the one hundred and fixt. Remember not our old finnes. And because we are by nature inclined to forget them which we commit in our youth, and have been committed in former time by our Fathers, therefore we must beware, that we provoke not God to pu nifh us for them. When the wicked Servant forgat his old debt, which his Lord forgave him, and began again to deal cruelig soith his fellow, this forgetfulness made God to reverse his purgation, Matthew the eighteenth chapter; fo we must remember that God forgave our old finnes for this remembrance is profitable to us; as out of darknefs God brings light, fo our of the remembrance of former finnes, he can make us to avoid finnes to come. The fintall woman, when he Nue remembred that Chrift had forgiven her many fins, was provoked thereby to love him much, Luke the feventh chapter; and when Paul remembred, that he had been a perfecuter of the Church of God, and a blood-shedder, and that his finne was pu ged, it made him carefull to walk in holiness of life, fo as he laboured more than all the Apostles, in the firft to the Corinthians and the fifteenth chapter wherefore feeing the remembrance of finnes paft is fo good, it must needs be hurtfull to our our own fouls, and prejudiciall to Gods glory, to forget that our former finnes were purged by the blood of Christ. Abrahamus

;

Zzz 3

Job. 8. 56. Abrahamus Pater ille vester geŝtivit videre diem iftum meum, & vidit, &c.

Desemb. ¡1. 1598.

HEY are the words of our Saviour Chrift, and therefore true, because uttered by him that is the truth it self: Wherein affi:ming of Abraham, that he defired to see his day, that is, the day of his Nativity : He fheweth that Abraham was a true Chriftian, and folemnized the fame Feaft which we now celebrate, in remembrance of Christs birth already past, which was then to

come when he rejoyced.

And this is matter of comfort unto all men, That the service which they offer to God is no new kinde of service, but as ancient as Abra ham and the reft of the Fathers; of whom it is faid, That they hipidio be faved by the Grace of Christ as well as we, Acts the fifteenth chapter and the eleventh verfe. So tai hold Facob, Lord I have looked for thy Jefus, Genefis the fourty ninth chapter and the eighteenth verse : And the Prophet faith, Exultabo in Jefu meo, Habakkuk the third chapter and the eighteenth verfe. Of this day the Prophet faith, This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoyce and be glad in it, Pfalme the hundred and eighteenth. In this day we are to rejoyce, as in a day of Harvest, and as in a day of Victory, Ifaiah the ninth chapter and the third verfe. So that all the Prophets that were fince Abraham, defi, red to fee this day of Chrifts birth no leffe than he.

The occafion of these words, uttered by Chrift, was, that the Jews boasted that they were Abrahams children; But Chrift tells them, they do: foolishly, confidering they did degenerate from Abraham, and were not like him; for they had neither Abrahams works, nor his faith. Abraham defired to fee my day, and longed for it, though he li ved long before me, but ye defpife me, you grieve to fee me, but he would have been glad to fee me, as you doe ; he defied to see me, and when he saw me with a lively faith,he rejoyced; to fhew what account he made of me, but ye make no reckoning of me, but perfecute ma: Wherein we are to confider three points. Abraham's defire to fee Chrift, the fight he had of him; and the great joy he conceived when hee faw him & which three may be reduced to Abraham's faith and love. The fight which Abraham had of Chrift's day, is the vifion of his faith,which faith of his is environed with two most pregnant effe &s of care that is a defire to fee Chrift; and joy after he had fene him; for, intemporall things, whatsoever men moft love, that they doe (not only defire to have) but when they obtein it they rejoyce, Who will fhew us any good? that is, the defire whereby men teftifie this love to earthly bleffings, ofcorne, and oyls, and wine; and when they have abundance of these things, then they have joy of them, though it bee not like the joy of heart,which the light of Gods countenance bringeth to the faithfull

as

as it is in the fourth Pfalme But in fpirituall things Zacheus, to testifie his love to Chrift, did not only defire to fee him, but when Chrift told him hee would dine at his house, he came downe and received him joyfully, Luke the ninteenth chapter and the fifth versc. Abraham's defire offereth three things to bee confidered. First, What he defired to fee, that is, Chrift's day. Secondly, the defire it felfe, hee leaped for joy. Thirdly, the reafon of this great defire. For the first, bee defired to fee the day of Chrift, which receiveth three fenses, either the day of his Deitie, as Hierom expounds it; or the day of his Paßion, as Chryfoftome; or the day of his Nativitie, as Ireneus interprets it; for any of thefe are fufficient matter of defire, as Chrift tells his dif ciples, Luke the feventeenth chapter and the two and twentith verfe: Butas Augustine faith, that day of Chrift which wee fhould chiefly defire to fee, is that joyfull day of his birth; whereof the Angels brought word, a day of great joy to all the people, that this day is born a Saviour, Luke the fecond chapter.

In the defire it felf, we are to confider two things; First, the Degree: Secondly, the Manner of this Defire.

First for the Degree, It is noted in the word mal, that is leaped for joy of that day, in regard of the great benefit which should come unto the world by Chrifts birth: Which joy the babe, John Baptift, expreffed; who, before he was borne, leaped in his Mothers womb, Luke the first chapter and the fourty firft verfe. The joyfull de fire here mentioned is, as St. Peter fpeaks, a joy unspeakable and glorious, the firft epiftle of Peter and the eighteenth chapter; To teach us, that the day of Chrifts comming in the flesh is a day most of all to be defired, and a matter of the greatest joy that can be.

Secondly, For the Manner of this Defire. It was a defire joyned with truft and confidence, without which our defire is in vain, be it never fo hot. Abrahams defire of seeing Chrifts day, was joyned with hope that he should fee it, which he fo much defired. The Creatures defire to fee the day of their redemption; for they groan, Ròmans the eighth chapter; but this defire is without hope. The fe defires are both to be feen in Jacob: For when his fonnes, being fent from Jofeph told him that Jofeph was alive, and was Governor in the land of Egypt, his heart wavered: Then he had a defire to fee Joseph, but it was not joyned with hope; for he beleeved them not: But when they told him Jofephs words, and thewed him the Chariots that were fent for to bring him, then he had a defire with hope, and his spirit revived within him, Genefis the fourty fift chapter and the twenty fixt verfe. The hope that he conceived of feeing him whom he defired to fee, made him rejoyce.

Touching the Reafon of this defire, he had fufficient matter of prefent joy, for he was exceeding rich in Cartel and Silver and Gold, Genefis the thirteenth chapter and the fecond verfe. Why then doth he long after a joy to come? The reason is, though God had blessed him with abundance of temporal bleffings, yet he confidered a day would come, when his present joy should be taken from him, John the

fixteenth

fixteenth chapter: Therefore he defires a joy that had a foundation, that is not earthly, but heavenly joyes, Hebrews the eleventh chapter, Such as fhould not be taken from him, John the fixteenth chapter and the twenty fecond verfe; as Job knew that his Redeemer lived, Job the nineteenth chapter. So Abrabam defired a Redeemer, and fuch a one he had For thus faith the Lord which redeemeth Abraham, Isaiah the fourty ninth chapter and the twenty fecond verfe; That might redeem his foul from Hell, Pfalm the fourty ninth; And his body out of the dust of death, Pfalm the twenty fecond for he confeffed himfelt to be both dust and afhes, Genefis the eighteenth chapter. Duft in regard of his nature, and therefore fubject to corruption; but afhes in regard of his finnes, by which he is fubject to everlasting condemnation, in refpect, of both he defired a Redeemer, that might deliver both his body from death and his foul from deftruction, that might fay revertite filii,Pfalm the ninetieth and the third verfe. He confidered he needed a Redeemer for his foul and body, that he might not be duft and ashes ; and therefore exceedingly defired one that would deliver his foul from being allies, and his body from the dust.

Secondly, It is faid of Abraham, that he faw Chrifts day, the notice of Gods eternal mercie herein was Abrahams defire; by whofe example all that will fee Chrift, muft firft defire the fight of him, as he did, Et defiderium fit eum fpectare: Though Abraham did not actually fee Chrift in the flesh, yet he had a defire, which was all one as if he had seen him with bodily eyes: For if the concupifcence only of evill be finne, though the act follow not; then defire of that which is good is accepted, albeit it be not actually performed: therefore Nehemiah prayeth, Hearken to thy fervants that defire to fear thy name, Nehemiah the firft chapter and the eleventh verfe: The very gring and thirsting after righteousneffe is effectual to blessednesse, Matthew the fift chapter: When we can fay with David, Capit anima mea defiderarejuftitias tuas, Pfalm the hundred and nineteenth. We defire to be more defirous of it, as a thing acceptable before God; and though our foul defire not, yet the want of it is our woe, and the fainting of our joyes, while we fay, When wilt thou comfort us? Pfalme the hundred and nineteenth: Those are as the bruised reed and (mosking flax, which he will not quench, Isaiah the fourty second chap

ter.

bun.

That which Abraham did fee was Chrifts day; which is true in what fenfe foever we take it, He faw the day of his Deity, Genefis the eighteenth chapter, the fecond and third verles, when feeing three men he ran to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, faying, Lord, which was avifion of the Trinity. Secondly, For the day of his death and paffion, he faw that too, Genefis the twenty fecond chap er and the fourteenth verle, when Abraham making the great promise of his obedience, by facrificing his fonne upon mount Morcah; when after Chrift was crucified faid, In mane hac provideat Dominus,though he take fonne Ifaac, yet will he take one of my feed, that shall be the fonne of Abraham. Thirdly, He faw the day of Chrifts nativity, when he

not my