66

iii. 7, 8.]

and content myself with the lot that hath befallen me, the rather, because it hath not befallen me alone. St. Paul teached a truth, and a comfortable truth, when he taught, that the greater our misery is, in respect of our iniquities, the readier is the mercy of God for our release. If we seek unto him, the more we have sinned, the more praise, and glory, and honour unto him that pardoneth our sin. But mark what lewd collections were made hereupon by some: Why then am I condemned for a sinner?" And the Apostle (Rom. (as we are blamed, and as some affirm that we say, "Why do we not evil that good may come of it?") he was accused to teach that which ill-disposed men did gather by his teaching, though it were clean not only besides, but against his meaning. The Apostle addeth, "Their condemnation (which thus do) is just." I am not hasty to apply sentences of condemnation: I wish from mine heart their conversion, whosoever are thus perversely affected. For I must needs say, their case is fearful, their estate dangerous, which harden themselves, presuming on the mercy of God towards others. It is true, that God is merciful, but let us beware of presumptuous sins. God delivered Jonah from the bottom of the sea; will you therefore cast yourselves headlong from the tops of rocks, and say in your hearts, God shall deliver us? He pitieth the blind that would gladly see; but will he pity him that may see, and hardeneth himself in blindness? No; Christ hath spoken too much unto you, to claim the privilege of your Fathers.

v. 10.]

39. As for us that have handled this cause concerning the condition of our Fathers, whether it be this thing or any other which we bring unto you, the counsel is good which the Wise Man giveth, "Stand thou fast in thy sure under- [Ecclus. standing, in the way and knowledge of the Lord, and have but one manner of word, and follow the word of peace and righteousness." As a loose tooth is a grief to him that eateth, so doth a wavering and unstable word in speech, that tendeth to instruction, offend. "Shall a wise man [Job speak words of the wind," said Eliphaz; light, unconstant, unstable words? Surely the wisest may speak words of the wind: such is the untoward constitution of our nature, that we do neither so perfectly understand the way and knowledge of the Lord, nor so stedfastly embrace it when it is understood; nor so graciously utter it, when it is embraced;

xv. 2.]

[Gal. iv. 12.]

[Jam.

ii. 1.]

nor so peaceably maintain it, when it is uttered; but that
the best of us are overtaken sometime through blindness,
sometime through hastiness, sometime through impatience,
sometime through other passions of the mind, whereunto
(God doth know) we are too subject. We must therefore
be contented both to pardon others, and to crave that others
may pardon us for such things. Let no man, that speaketh
as a man, think himself, whiles he liveth, always freed from
scapes and oversights in his speech. The things themselves
which I have spoken unto you are sound, howsoever they
have seemed otherwise unto some: at whose hands I have,
in that respect, received injury, I willingly forget it; al-
though, indeed, considering the benefit which I have reaped
by this necessary speech of truth, I rather incline to that of
the Apostle, "They have not injured me at all." I have
cause to wish them as many blessings in the Kingdom of
Heaven, as they have forced me to utter words and sylla-
bles in this cause; wherein I could not be more sparing of
speech than I have been. "It becometh no man (saith
St. Jerome) to be patient in the crime of Heresy." Patient,
as I take it, we should be always, though the crime of
Heresy were intended; but silent in a thing of so great
consequence I could not, Beloved, I durst not be ; especially,
the love, that I bear to the Truth of Christ Jesus, being
hereby somewhat called in question. Whereof I beseech
them in the meekness of Christ, that have been the first
original cause, to consider that a watchman may cry
"An
enemy!" when indeed a friend cometh. In which cause, as
I deem such a watchman more worthy to be loved for his
care, than misliked for his error; so I have judged it my
own part in this, as much as in me lieth, to take away all
suspicion of any unfriendly intent or meaning against the
Truth, from which, God doth know, my heart is free.

40. Now to you, Beloved, which have heard these things, I will use no other words of admonition, than those which are offered me by St. James, "My brethren, have not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus in respect of persons." Ye are not now to learn, that as of itself it is not hurtful, so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensive, in doubtful cases, to hear the different judgments of men. Be it that Cephas hath one interpretation, and Apollos hath another; that Paul is of this mind, and Barnabas of that;

if this offend you, the fault is yours. Carry peaceable minds, and you may have comfort by this variety.

Now the God of peace give you peaceable minds, and turn it to your everlasting comfort.*

* ["Hooker, the great defender of our Church Polity, was clearly a Calvinist. See his Serm. on Justification."-DYER'S Privileges of the University of Cambridge. 1824. 8vo. Vol. II. p. 130.]

A SERMON

OF

THE NATURE OF PRIDE.*

HABAK. ii. 4.

"His mind swelleth, and is not right in him: but the just by his Faith shall live."

1. THE nature of man, being much more delighted to be led than drawn, doth many times stubbornly resist authority, when to persuasion it easily yieldeth. Whereupon the wisest Law-makers have endeavoured always, that those Laws might seem most reasonable, which they would have most inviolably kept. A Law simply commanding or forbidding, is but dead in comparison of that which expresseth the reason wherefore it doth the one or the other. And, surely, even in the Laws of God, although that he hath given commandment be in itself a reason sufficient to exact all obedience at the hands of men, yet a forcible inducement it is to obey with greater alacrity and cheerfulness of mind, when we see plainly that nothing is imposed more than we must needs yield unto, except we will be unreasonable. In a word, whatsoever we be taught, be it precept for direction of our manners, or article for instruction of our Faith, or document any way for information of our minds, it then taketh root and abideth, when we conceive not only what God doth speak, but why. Neither is it a small thing which we derogate, as well from the honour of his Truth, as from the comfort, joy, and delight which we ourselves should take by it, when we loosely slide over his speech as though it were as our own is, commonly vulgar and trivial: whereas, he uttereth nothing but it hath, besides the substance of doctrine delivered, a depth of wisdom, in the very choice and frame of words to deliver it in. The reason whereof being not perceived, but by greater intention of

* [Printed at Oxford, 1612. 4to.]

brain that our nice minds for the most part can well away with, fain we would bring the world, if we might, to think it but a needless curiosity, to rip up any thing further than extemporal readiness of wit doth serve to reach unto. Which course, if here we did list to follow, we might tell you, that in the first branch of this sentence God doth condemn the Babylonian's pride; and in the second, teach what happiness of state shall grow to the righteous by the constancy of their Faith, notwithstanding the troubles which now they suffer; and, after certain notes of wholesome instruction hereupon collected, pass over without detaining your minds in any further removed speculation. But, as I take it, there is a difference between the talk that beseemeth nurses amongst children, and that which men of capacity and judgment do, or should, receive instruction by.

xxxvii.

cii. 4.]

2. The mind of the Prophet being erected with that which hath been hitherto spoken, receiveth here for full satisfaction a short abridgment of that which is afterwards more particularly unfolded. Wherefore, as the question before disputed of doth concern two sorts of men, the [Psalm wicked flourishing as the bay, and the righteous like the 35. withered grass, the one full of pride, the other cast down with utter discouragement; so the answer which God doth make for resolution of doubts hereupon arisen, hath reference unto both sorts, and this present sentence, containing a brief abstract thereof, comprehendeth summarily as well the fearful estate of iniquity over-exalted, as the hope laid up for righteousness opprest. In the former branch of which sentence, let us first examine what this rectitude or straightness importeth, which God denieth to be in the mind of the Babylonian. All things which God did create, he made them at first true, good, and right: true, in respect of correspondence unto that pattern of their being, which was eternally drawn in the counsel of God's foreknowledge; good, in regard of the use and benefit which each thing yieldeth unto other; right, by an apt conformity of all parts with that end which is outwardly proposed for each thing to tend unto. Other things have ends proposed, but have not the faculty to know, judge, and esteem of them; and therefore as they tend thereunto unwittingly, so likewise in the means whereby they acquire their appointed ends, they are by necessity so held that they cannot divert from