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trition. Surely, those sins are not ours, whereof we have truly repented. The skin, that is once washed, is as clean from soil, as if it had never been foul. Those Legal washings and rinsings shewed them, what they must do to their souls, to their lives. This remedy, as it is universal, so it is perpetual: the warm waters of our tears are, the streams of Jordan, to cure our leprosy; the Siloam, to cure our blindness; the pool of Bethesda, to cure all our lameness and defects of obedience. Alas! there is none of us, but have our share in the common sins: the best of us hath helped to make up the frowardness of our generation. Oh, that we could unsin ourselves by our seasonable repentance! Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purge your hearts, ye double-minded.

2. AVOIDANCE is the next: avoidance of all unlawful participation.

There is a participation Natural; as to live in the same air, to dwell in the same earth, to eat of the same meat: this we cannot avoid, unless we would go out of the world, as St. Paul tells his Corinthians.

There is a Civil participation, in matter of commerce and human necessary conversation: this we need not avoid with Jews, Turks, Infidels, Heretics.

There is a Spiritual participation, in moral things, whether good or evil: in these lies this ESTE. And yet not universally neither: we are not tied to avoid the services of God and holy duties, for the commixture of lewd men; as the foolish Separatists have fancied: it is participation in evil, that we are here charged to avoid. Although also entireness, even in civil conversation, is not allowed us with notoriously-wicked and infectious persons. The Israelites must hie them from the tents of Korah; and, Come out of her my people. Chiefly, they are the sins, from which we must save ourselves; not, the men: if not rather from the men, for the sins. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; saith St. Paul; Eph, v. 11: commenting upon this Ewdyre of St.

Peter.

There is nothing more ordinary with our Casuists, than the nine ways of participation; which Aquinas, and the Schools following him, have shut up in two homely verses, Jussio, consilium, &c. The sum is, that we do not save ourselves from evil, if either we command it; or counsel it; or consent to it; or sooth it; or further it; or share in it; or dissuade it not; or resist it not; or reveal it not. Here would be work enough, you see, to hold our preaching unto St. Paul's hour, midnight: but I spare you, and would be loth to have any Eutychus. Shortly, if we would save ourselves from the sin of the time, we may not command it, as Jezebel did to the elders of Jezreel; we may not advise it, as Jonadab did to Amnon; we may not consent to it, as Bathsheba did to David; we may not sooth it, as Zidkijah did to Ahab; we may not further it, as Joab did to David; we may not forbear to dissuade it, as Hirah the Adullamite to Judah; to resist it, as partial Magistrates; to reveal it, as treacherous Confessaries.

3. But, of all these, that we may single out our last and utmost remedy, here must be a zealous RELUCTATION to evil. All those other negative carriages, of not commanding, not counselling, not consenting, not soothing, not abetting, not sharing, are nothing without a real oppugnation of sin. Would we then thoroughly quit ourselves of our froward generation? we must set our faces against it, to discountenance it: we must set our tongues against it, to control it: we must set our hands against it, to oppose it.

It goes far, that of the Apostle, Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin; Heb. xii. 4. Lo, here is a truly heroical exercise for you Great Ones: to strive against sin; not ad sudorem only, as physicians prescribe, but ad sanguinem. Ye cannot better bestow yourselves, than, in a loyal assistance of Sacred Authority, upon the debellation of the outrageous wickedness of the times. These are the dragons, and giants, and monsters, the vanquishing whereof hath moralized the Histories of your famous Progenitors. Oh, do ye consecrate your hands and your hearts to God, in beating down the headstrong powers of evil: and, as by repentance and avoidance, so by Reluctation, Save your Souls from this untoward generation.

III. Now, what need I waste the time, in dehorting your Noble and Christian ingenuity from participation of the epidemical sins of a froward generation? It is enough motive to you, that sin is a base, sordid, dishonourable thing. But, withal, let me add only one dissuasive from the danger, implied in the very word Save: for how are we saved, but from a danger? the danger both of Corruption and Confusion.

ners.

1. CORRUPTION. Ye see before your eyes, that one yawning mouth makes many. This pitch will defile us. One rotten kernel of the pomegranate infects the fellows. St. Paul made that verse of the heathen poet canonical, Evil conversation corrupts good manWhat woeful experience have we every day of those, who, by this means, from a vigorous heat of zeal have declined to a temper of lukewarm indifferency; and then, from a careless mediocrity to all extremity of debauchedness; and, of hopeful beginners, have ended in incarnate devils! Oh the dangerous and insensible insinuations of sin! If that crafty Tempter can hereby work us but to one dram of less detestation to a familiarly-inured evil, he promiseth himself the victory. It is well noted by St. Ambrose, of that chaste Patriarch Joseph, that, so soon as ever his wanton mistress had laid her impure hand upon his cloak, he leaves it behind him; that he might be sure to avoid the danger of her contagious touch. If the Spouse of Christ be a Lily among Thorns, by the mighty protection of her Omnipotent Husband; yet, take thou heed, how thou walkest among those thorns for that lily. Shortly, wouldst thou not be tainted with wickedness? abhor the pestilent society of lewd men; and, by a seasonable subduction, thus Save thyself from a froward generation.

2. The last and utmost of all dangers, is CONFUSION. That charge of God by Moses is but just; Numb. xvi. 26: Depart, I

pray you, from the tents of these men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye perish in all their sins. Lo, the very station, the very touch is mortal. Indeed, what reason is there to hope or to plead for an immunity? If we share in the work, why should we not take part of the wages? The wages of sin is death. If the stork be taken damage faisant with the cranes, she is enwrapped in the same net, and cannot complain to be surprised. Qui cum lupis est, cum lupis ululet; as he said; "He, that is with wolves, let him howl with wolves." If we be fratres in malo, "brethren in evil," we must look to be involved in the same curse. Be not deceived, Honourable and Beloved, here is no exemption of greatness: nay, contrarily, eminence of place aggravates both the sin and the judgment. When Ezra heard, that the hand of the princes and rulers had been chief in that great offence, then he rent his clothes and tore his hair; Ezra ix. 3.

Certainly, this case is dangerous and fearful, wheresoever it lights. Hardly are those sins redressed, that are taken up by the great: easily are those sins diffused, that are warranted by great examples. The great lights of heaven, the most conspicuous planets, if they be eclipsed, all the almanacks of all nations write of it; whereas, the small stars of the galaxy are not heeded. All the country runs to a beacon on fire: nobody regards to see a shrub flaming in a valley. Know then, that your sins are so much greater as yourselves are: and all the comfort that I can give you, without your true repentance, is, that "mighty men shall be mightily tormented." Of all other men therefore, be ye most careful to keep yourselves untainted with the common sins, and to renew your covenant with God. No man cares for a spot upon a plain russet riding-suit; but we are curious of a rich robe: every mote there is an eye-sore. Oh, be ye careful to preserve your honour from all the foul blemishes of corruption; as those, that know virtue hath a greater share in nobility, than blood. Imitate in this the great frame of the creation; which still, the more it is removed from the dregs of this earth, the purer it is. Oh save ye yourselves from this untoward generation: so shall ye help to save your nation, from the imminent judgments of our just God: so shall ye save your souls, in the day of the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ: To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, one Infinite God, be all honour and glory ascribed, now and for ever. Amen.

SERMON XXIX.

THE HYPOCRITE.

SET FORTH IN A SERMON AT THE COURT, FEBRUARY 28, 1630 *; BEING

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT.

BY JOSEPH EXON.

TO MY EVER MOST WORTHILY HONOURED LORD,
THE EARL OF NORWICH.

MY MOST HONOURED LORD:

I MIGHT not but tell the world, that this Sermon, which was mine in the Pulpit, is yours in the Press. Your Lordship's will, which shall never be other than a command to me, fetches it forth into the light before the fellows. Let me be branded with the Title of it, if I can think it worthy of the public view, in comparison of many accurate pieces of others, which I see content themselves daily to die in the ear. Howsoever, if it may do good, I shall bless your Lordship for helping to advance my gain.

Your noble and sincere true-heartedness to your God, your King, your Country, your Friend, is so well known, that it can be no disparagement to your Lordship to patronize this HYPOCRITE; whose very inscription might cast a blur upon some guilty reputation. Go on still, most noble Lord, to be a great Example of Virtue and Fidelity to a hollow and untrusty age. You shall not want either the acclamations or prayers of

Your Lordship's ever devoted, in all true duty and observance,
JOSEPH EXON.

The folio has 1629; but I have altered it, because the Third Sunday in Lent of the year 1629 could not fall on Feb. 28, as Ashwednesday that year, was on the 18th of February; whereas Ashwednesday of the year 1630, falling on Feb. 10, the Third Sunday in Lent, would of course fall, as above, on the 28th. It is not, however, unlikely, that the Bishop uses, on this and other occasions, the mode of computation then frequently practised; which we find thus mentioned in our older Prayer Books, at the foot of the Table of Moveable Feasts: "The supputation of the year of our Lord, in the Church of England, beginneth the

2 TIM. iii. 5.

Having a Form of Godliness, but denying the Power thereof.

It is an unperfect clause, you see; but a perfect description of a Hypocrite and that, a hypocrite of our own times, the last: which are so much the worse, by how much they partake more of the craft and diseases of age.

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The Prophets were the Seers of the Old Testament: the Apostles were the Seers of the New. Those saw Christ's day, and rejoiced these foresaw the reign of Antichrist, and complained. These very times were as present to St. Paul, as to us: our sense doth not see them so clearly, as his revelation. I am with you the spirit, saith he to his absent Colossians, rejoicing, and beholding your order. He doth as good as say to us, "I am with you in the spirit, lamenting, and beholding your misdemeanours." these divine optics, he sees our formal piety, real wickedness: both which make up the complete Hypocrisy in my Text; Having a form of Godliness, but denying the Power thereof.

By

I doubt not, but some will be ready to set this sacred prognostication to another meridian. And, indeed, we know a generation, that loves themselves too well; much more than peace and truth: so covetous, that they would catch all the world in St. Peter's net : proud boasters of their own merits, perfections, supererogations, It would be long, though easy, to follow all. We know where too many treasons are hatched: we know who, in the height of mind, exalts himself above all that is called God: we know where pleasure hath the most delicate and debauched clients: we know where devotion is professedly formal, and lives impure: and, surely, were we clearly innocent of these crimes, I should be the first that would cast this stone at Rome. But, now that we share with them in these sins, there is no reason we should be sejoined in the censure. Take it among ye, therefore, ye Hypocrites of all professions, for it is your own, Ye have a Form of Godliness, denying the Power thereof.

What is a Hypocrite but a Player; the Zany of religion, as ye heard lately? A Player acts that, he is not: so do ye, act good, and are wicked. Here is a semblance of good, a Form of Godliness: here is a real evil, a denial of the Power of Godliness, There is nothing so good as Godliness; yea, there is nothing good, but it. Nothing makes Godliness to be good, or to be Godliness, but the power of it: for it is not, if it work not; and it works not, if not powerfully. Now the denial of good must needs be evil;

five and twentieth day of March." In that case, by Feb. 28, 1629, he would mean what we should express by Feb. 28, 1630. Had he followed the method, usually employed, of giving those dates, which occurred between Jan. 1st., and Mar. 25th, and written Feb. 1630, it would have removed all ambiguity. EDITOR.

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