A century of sermons upon several remarkable subjects preached by the Right Reverend Father in God, John Hacket, late Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry ; published by Thomas Plume ...

THE SECOND SERMON UPON NOAH. (Book 2)

GEN. viii. 20, 21.

And Noah builded an Altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean Beast, and of every clean Fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the Altar.

And the Lord smelled a sweet savour.

THis is our Sacrifice which we offer unto God at this time to preach of Sacrifice, and Preaching hath a great similitude with the Law of the Peace-offering, Deut. xxvii. 7. Thou shalt offer Peace-offerings, and shalt eat thereof, and rejoyce before the Lord thy God: So we are come together to speak unto the honour of God, and to make our selves perfect in his ways and Testimonies to do them. We offer unto the honour of our Saviour, and eat of our own Of∣fering, which is the very condition of a Pacificatory Sacrifice. Now that I may bring nothing unto the Altar but that which is pure and clean, the Lord grant that he will circumcise my lips, and put a right Spirit into my Me∣ditations. Among the Beasts such a one was clean that parted the Hoof, and chew∣ed the Cud: upon which St. Chrysostome deviseth this interpretation; to divide the Hoof is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ to divide the Word of God aright, in St. Pauls Phrase: To chew the Cud is to ruminate upon sacred things, to roul them in our under∣standing, and to examine them maturely, not to admit, or swallow down Divine Mysteries rashly with slight and undiscoursed credulity. That we may chew the Cud in this Fathers sense I take these words, upon which I have lately spoken, again into my mouth, to make further proof what is contained in them.

And lest confusion should make all that is to be said unprofitable I will divide the Hoof after the condition required in a clean Sacrifice. I have declared before that there are two principal branches to be noted in the Text, the material part, and the formal, the body and the soul of that Divine Worship which Noah offered unto the Lord. In the material part again are two contents, the Gift, and the place which sanctified the Gift. The Gift was an whole burnt-offering of every clean Beast, and of every clean Fowl; the place was the Altar which he made, and Noah built an Altar to the Lord. These are the visible body of the work; The invisible part, or the soul consists herein, that the Lord smelt a sweet savour; and that hath two mem∣bers in it sensum, and sensibile, first, the sweet Odour which did exhale from the Sa∣crifice what it was; secondly, a quick sense that took it, the Lord smelled a sweet savour. I did not dispatch all the material part when I first handled these words, for accounting it a less fault to be abrupt than tedious, I proceeded upon no more than the consideration of the bare Gift, a Burnt-offering of every clean Beast, and of every clean Fowl. At this time I have measured to go a little further without

prolixity. I shall speak, God willing upon the place that sanctified the Gift, and Noah builded an Altar unto the Lord; and upon the quick sense, which did appre∣hend the sweet Odour, it was even he who is present at every part of clean de∣votion, and delighteth in it, the Lord smelled a sweet savour. From whence I will meditate, 1. That the time was but new over that God destroyed almost the whole World, see how soon he is pleased after his great wrath, and with what small seeking. 2. When we do any thing well there is joy in heaven. 3. Many pious offi∣ces which stink in the Worlds opinion are sweet before God. 4. There is no greater encouragement to do well, than that we are sure it finds grace in the eyes of our heavenly Master, it is sweet in his nostrils, and he will reward it. Of these as I have divided them. And Noah builded an Altar, &c.

The whole Earth had been overwhelmed for a long space with the waters of the Deluge, in plain terms it was all under malediction, but Noah builded an Altar of the tu••f and mold of the earth, and so brought it again into good use and service, and sanctified the whole Element to the Lord. Truly, God that revealed unto Noah that he should make an Ark, and be saved in the common Calamity, deserved to have an Altar erected at his hands, that thereon he might adore his Saviour. The Jewish Rabbines are so punctual in their curiosities, that they go about to tell us the very Plot of ground on which this Altar was raised, and many things more of great fame to happen in the same place, I am sure you will say the report is very strange, if it be credible. But this Ben-Maimon adventures to say, that it is a Tra∣dition by the hand of all, where David built an Altar on the Threshing Flore of Araunah, Solomon built a Temple, and Abraham made ready there to offer up Isaac, and Noah built this Altar in the same standing when he came out of the Ark, that there was the Altar where Cain and Abel did first offer before Noah; nay, that the first man did offer an Offering there soon after he was created; and yet he goes further, our Wisemen say, Adam was created out of the very earth of the same place. There is no mediocrity in these mens conjectures, and therefore I give them over without commending them.

Wheresoever this Altar did fortune to stand (why not most likely upon the Mountains of Ararat, or Armenia, upon which the Ark rested?) But certain it is, this is the first time that we read of an Altar. And though the substance were like other earth, yet being once erected for that use it became a very holy place, the Altar sanctifieth the Gift says our Saviour, Mat. xxiii. 19. And therein it was a Fi∣gure of Christ, by whom we offer up to God praise and thanksgiving, and all the desires of our heart; he is understood by all Expositors, whom I have seen, to be the Golden Altar before the Throne, upon which the Prayers of all the Saints were offe∣red up, Rev. viii. 3. And there is not an Altar of any fashion or stuff in Moses, but the Fathers have found out somewhat in it to agree with Christ in their pious Me∣ditations. First, Propter unicam aram, in the Tabernacle, in the Temple there was but one Altar, so there is but one Christ that reconciles us to his Father, but one Mediater between God and Man. Secondly, Because some special occasions were now and then dispensed with to set up another Altar, the materials of those Altars were either to be rude earth,* 1.1 or else rough and unpolished stones. 1. Undigested earth with much simplicity, and devoid of all ornament, Ʋt nihil in eis admiraremur praeter salutis pretium;* 1.2 Nothing was made beautiful, or to be admired in the out∣ward form of things, that the mind of the devotionary might be transported with no outward thing, but inwardly conceive the excellency of that ransom which was paid for the sins of the world. And then Gregory will carry you with him to this fancy;* 1.3 Why were religious Altars to be made of earth? Questionless, to betoken the Incarnation of our Lord. Quicquid offerimus Deo in altari terreo, i•• in fide dominicae incar∣nationis solidamus; Whatsoever we bring unto the Lord to please him, deliver upon the Earthen Altar, upon this ground and foundation, that the Word was made flesh, the Son of God was made the Son of Man, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting. Litterally these earthen Altars made of sods of grass, Temeraria de cespite altaria, as Tertullian calls them, did best like the Lord before the Temple was established, that they might crumble away, and not stand long, lest their permanency should breed diversity of Worship, and confusion in Religion: And it is very likely considering how readily a few clods of earth may be piled up, and Noah as yet wanted stuff and means for any other Architecture, his Altar was but a bank of earth; not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is a structure in a Temple, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;* 1.4 a place to receive Sacrifices set up in the open-fields; so Philo gives

me the distinction, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the word which is accurately kept in this place by the Septuagint.

If the Altar were a little more costly and elaborate, that is made of stone, the order was, it should be rough and unpolished, no iron tool must be lifted up upon it, and in these materials likewise we shall meet with Christ. First, Christ is Lapis vivus & insectus, called in the Gospel a living stone, called by Daniel the stone which is cut out of the Mountain without hands. He was not polished by Art, by Education, or by any thing that man could put into him, as he came from the very Quarry, from the Womb of his Mother, he was full of grace and truth. Secondly, Those rough rag∣ged stones did best become the work of the Altar, partly to imply in what poor and despicable manner Christ came into the world, without form or comliness in him, says Isaiah; partly it did figure those rough and dolorous sufferings which he su∣stained upon the Cross, which was an Altar truly taken, and his body the Sacrifice which was slain upon it. Thirdly: No Iron Instrument must grate it self upon the stones of the Altar; for he who is the Altar on which we eat was the Prince of Peace; he came not to redeem us by Sword, or by Conquest, or taking earthly King∣doms into his hand by force and victory (which was the weak imagination of some that were his best Disciples) but by Patience, and Sufferance, and putting up the Sword into the Sheath. Cicero testifies for the Heathen,* 1.5 that they used no Brass or Iron about their Altars, nor knit the stones together with such Metals, Aes & fer∣rum arcenda sunt à delubris, & duelli instrumenta non fani; says he, those warlike Me∣tals are for the Martial Field, not for Divine Sanctuaries. And thus you see what semblance those Altars of Earth and of stone had with our blessed Saviour.

But by this the good Patriarch Noah hath shewed, that an Altar was a necessary part of Religion, that he began with that work before any other, it was the first fruits of his piety. But now the Church hath outgrown that name properly taken; we have no real and external Sacrifice of Christs body and bloud; by himself he did once offer a full, perfect, and sufficient Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world; therefore to erect a real Altar without a figurative construction is to overthrow the Cross of Christ. But many both have been delighted, and are delighted to keep the name figuratively without offence. And Bellarmine doth but fight with words,* 1.6 that there can be no Altar without Sacrifice, that Antiquity useth the name of an Altar when Christs body and bloud are proposed to the Receivers, therefore the Priest doth properly sacrifice our Saviour. Thus many words which passed to and fro in antiquity with great eloquence have been distorted to make dissention. In Origens and Arnobius time the case stood thus,* 1.7 Objiciunt nobis quod non habemus imagines aut aras; The Heathen quipt them that they had no Images nor Altars. And Clemens of Alexandria says, we have no other Altars but these earthly bodies of ours, which we bring to the Congregation of Prayer. Afterward the holy Communion began to be celebrated with many elegant and sumptuous Ceremonies, and that upon which the Elements of Bread and Wine were set, properly by St. Paul called a Ta∣ble, improperly and figuratively was called an Altar. The Writers of Sacred things delighted in many names of Mosaical use for the similitude of the Law and Gospel. hence it is frequent to call Prayer by the name of Incense, to call the Christi∣an Priesthood Levites, the Thanksgiving of women after their safe deliverance from Childbirth their Purification; Finally to call the holy Communion a Sacrifice, and the Table of the Lord an Altar. But how far they were from allowing the new Philoso∣phy of Transubstantiation from hence the diligent Reader may mark it. Even our own Church, since it renounced the opinion of an External propitiatory Sacrifice in the Mass, yet in the first Liturgies, set forth by Publick Authority in the Reign of Edward the Sixth, the name of Altar is throughout retained, to comply with the Figurative phrase of good Antiquity; and the next Edition of Liturgies, to keep an wholsom form of words as St. Paul says, and to give no place to misconstruction, doth every where throughout call it the Lords Table. And in the Injunctions of ano∣ther blessed Prince, (whereas by order of Law Altars were to be removed, and Ta∣bles placed for the ministration of the holy Communion) it is said, saving for Uniformity sake there was no matter of great moment, so the Sacrament was du∣ly and reverently celebrated, and that the holy Table in every Church should be set in the place where the Altar stood. We dare therefore, and will speak according to Antiquity, in the Figurative meaning of Antiquity, calling it an Altar; but lest the Supper of the Lord should be called the external and real crucifying of our Lord again, we neither dare nor will speak after the sense of the Roman novelty,

to call it an Altar, but we come to that holy Supper to be partakers of the Table of the Lord. These are not times to offer Sacrifice as Noah did, and therefore not to build an Altar, but only to commemorate that Sacrifice, after which all true Sa∣crifices ceased, and all properly called Altars fell to the ground. And so much for the place which Noah sanctified, he builded an Altar to the Lord.

I am past the visible part of this good work, I come now to the invisible part, the life, the soul of it: And the Lord smelled a sweet savour. What this delicate Odour and fragrancy was which the Sacrifice did exhale up to heaven I will not de∣fraud you of it hereafter, but I will defer it now, and make my self room enough to speak of that quick sense which did apprehend this sweet Odour, the Lord smelled a sweet savour. A remnant or portion of living things had entred into the Ark to escape, those were given unto the new World to multiply, but Noah would be more severe against the sins of the World than the Lord was, he would not spare so much as the merciful God had spared. Nay, the Lord thought it enough to overwhelm the iniquities of men with water, but Noah presented Burnt-offerings on the Altar to confess, that the wicked works of the World deserved likewise to be consumed with Fire. A most depressing humility in the good Patriarch, a most mortified Con∣fession. This won far upon the Lords compassion, and changed the rugged brow of Justice into the smiles of mercy and benevolence. It grieved him before that he had made man, now he rejoyceth for the Remnant alive, that he had preserved them. As a Kingly Expositor said upon the Lords Prayer, the most generous are the most gentle, and a magnanimous courage is never vindicative of a wrong, never retentive. The time was but even now over that God had destroyed the whole World, and see how placable he is, from what a little pittance of true devotion he smelled a sweet savour. Before the King of Ninivey had worn out his Sackcloth, nay, almost before he had put it on; God saw their works, and repented of the evil which he said he would do unto them, and did it not. Zachaeus did but profess to make restitution of all things ill-gotten, and before he had made restitution of one peny, says Christ, this day, (yea Lord, what if thou hadst said this minute?) is sal∣vation come into thy house. Nathan charged David with most bitter offences, (Lord keep us from the like) David begins to reply, I have sinned against the Lord; it was but a beginning, surely he would have said more, but Nathan takes him off at a few words, the Lord also hath taken away thy sin, thou shalt not die. It is accounted so great a matter to follow, and sollicit Christ thrice together, like she of Canaan, that she had her Garland for it. O woman great is thy faith! Our loving Father will wait long for our Repentance, but we shall not wait long for his Forgiveness. As the Historian noted in Romulus, that inveagled the Sabines with such courteous usage, Quod eodem die hostes & cives habuit; in the Morning they came against him with hostility, be∣fore Evening he had incorporated them all into his City. So the Lord, (upon good tokens of their humiliation) looked upon some in the Morning as excluses from the upper Jerusalem; and presently he enroles their names in the Book of life. Upon that mournful cry of David, Have mercy upon me, O Lord, according to thy great goodness; Thus Cassiodor, Vox est quae nunquam discutitur, sed tranquille semper auditur; It is a voice which is never examined, never suspended or delaid, never delibe∣rated upon, it penetrates far, it will be heard, and it shall be answered. It meets with Gods mercy as quick as a strong Perfume comes to the Nostril, and therefore his complacency so ready to forgive, is called smelling a sweet savour; nay, let me not forget that the Hebrew read it Odorem quietis, the Lord smelled a savour of rest. All sensible smells, be it the Rose among the Flowers, or Cassia among the Spices, must be often put to the sense, and often taken away to please it; hold them long to the Nostril, and they will prove faint and tedious, Nullus odor sensibilis est odor quietis; bodily sents are not sents of rest and quietness; but to shew that our gracious Father is suddenly reconciled, and long pleased, very tenacious of his mercy, our Sacrifice, our Prayers, our Alms, all our Christian Offices are odores quietis, their smell stays long with God, they are an odour of rest, he never loaths or disdains them. O Lord, thy placable compassions are exceeding sweet, ten thousand times sweeter than the Sacrifice of Noah.

It should be thus with all that will follow Christ, like Lord, like Servants, but it seems it is not. David had no heart to stand to any bodies courtesie but the good God's, O let me not fall into the hands of men. We smother rancour in our breast like fire in touchwood, or like fire in iron, touch and you shall feel it burn, though you cannot see it. We are the Children of Eve, and our great Mother, you know, was

made of a stiff and a crooked rib, we take after it too much. We must be courted rather like Mistresses than Christians, be wooed, be presented, be supplicated, and after all this may be scarce obtain so much kindness as a merciful man would shew to his Beast. Like the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa his humiliation, he stood at doors three days barefoot for an apparition of his Holiness, and the favour which all this patience and expectation procured was to stoop to the earth, and to have his neck trode upon by Pope Alexander the Third, a disdain which the Royal spirit of Alex∣ander the Great did never put upon Darius. Some do keep such long distance from this Doctrin, that I may justly say as Abraham did to the rich Glutton, there is a great gulf between you and I. I mean those that turn away their face from pitty and re∣conciliation never to look upon it. I say lay down your enmities upon the first motion of peace, they say no, not upon the last summons of death. I conclude from my Text, that all displeasure must quickly be scattered, they consult with the black book of their own Satanical malice, and say it shall never be mitigated. How many wedges must be driven in before this knotty heart will cleave. Cleave and yield without delay, or the use of that logg shall be to be cast into eternal fire.

You are all in haste, will some object, and stubborn hearts are as slow to lay down their enmities; would not a moderation do well? What's that? Why, this is called discretion and moderation, not to embrace too soon after a falling out, to press our adversary down, and drive him to affliction, that he may be the more beholding to reconciliation. Is this the wisdom of the world? I am sure it is enmity with God, and this is such a Paradox to foster malice for a while, I know not for what pretensed ends, to wind up all with chariry at the last, as if a wound would be the better for rankling. All that time which the Devil gains of you to stand out and exclude charity, is to harden your heart, that you may ne∣ver relent: and he that is not mollified to disgorge all mallice at the preaching of one Sermon, if I mistake not the manifold threatnings in Holy Scripture (as I am sure I do not) he will be worse and worse after the preaching of an hundred. Esau indeed had spent all his spight at last, and fell upon Jacobs neck and kissed him, but did not that curse remain both upon him, and upon his House? Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. In Ecclesiastical Stories, that which befel Sapri∣sius is a Sermon alone to put you on speedily to be at perfect peace with all men, unless you have resolv'd not to break your Covenant with Hell. Sapricius was a Church-man of great note and name, but an errand Boanerges; a Son of thunder, he had a quarrel against one Nicephorus a Lay person;* 1.8 Nicephorus desired his friend∣ship, Sapricius would not: It fortuned that Sapricius preaching the Doctrine of Christ with much diligence, was attacht by Pagan Officers to suffer Martyrdom. As he was led to Execution, Nicephorus then took his time to pacify him. This venemous Priest even at that hour refused him, and turned away his face. God above was angry, took away his good spirit from him, and even at the point of death Sapricius revolted, denied his Saviour for hope of life, and Nicephorus that stood by weeping, and had besought reconciliation with tears, took his Girlond from him and suffered Martyrdom in his place. I know Sapricius could have said as much for himself as any witty rankerous person whatsoever, he loathed not Nicephorus upon revenge, but he had justice on his side, to detest him for divers injuries he had received. Avoid Satan, and all such Apologies. Justice is the Gar∣land of all Virtues, Revenge is the most stinking weed of all Vices. What a wide mistake is here? He that should call black white must needs have a great fault in his eyes, and he that will call revenge justice must needs have a foul blot in his conscience. I will not rob the other points of the Text of that time that is due unto them, otherwise much more might be said, and very profitably; for look for this doom and sentence from God, no charity no Christianity, no mercy no salvation. So much malice so much devil. Therefore depart from me ye malici∣ous into everlasting fire, &c.

The Lord smelled a sweet savour; mark then in the next place what welcom entertainment this is for all the fruits of a godly life, when we do any thing well there is joy in Heaven, the delight of the Lord is in his Saints, and in them that fear him. Because the old world was full of wickedness, and in every part but like a corrupt Dunghil, therefore it was every whit drowned, and made a loath∣some Kennel of waters. All these wicked Generations had left a stink behind them fulsom as mortified carrion; therefore the perfume of Noahs piety was very ex∣pedient

to air the new world, that the Lord might be delighted with a better sa∣vour. But in this phrase there are many figures to be unfolded, many shells to be broken before I come to the kernel. 1. Here is one Figure to translate bodily senses to the Divine Essence, which is incorporeal. 2. Though it were spoken of a man, yet there must needs be another Figure to say He smelt sweetness from that wherein you mean he took delight and complacency, wherein he rejoyced. 3. Here is another Figure, to speak of Gods immutable Essence as of things created, to which somewhat happens in time that was not in them before. Angels and Men may be partakers of some good news to day, which were not in being before, from whence they feel a new branch of comfort and exhilaration: but do you ween that any sa∣vour was sweet unto God at this time, and kindled a new act, or a new affection in him, which he had not before? O no, he knows our infirmity, that we are Children, and cannot speak of him as we ought, therefore He lets us talk of him as a man, that we may learn to honour him as God.* 1.9 But the true notion how God is pleased with the sweet odour of that which Noah did then, or that we do now is in this Maxim of the School: Ab aeterno laetatus est Deus simul & semel unico actu de toto ordine punitionis & praemiorum. There is one immutable joy and delight in God, which never changed, never did fall or rise by addition, or diminution of parts and degrees, with this one eternal act he delights himself in his own justice, and in his own mercy, and in the shadow of his glory, which is his Church; and this must last and persevere in the same constancy for ever.

But because the speculation of this truth is far more abstruse than the forms of ordinary speech with which we are familiar, the Lord leaves it unto us, to make use of that joy which he takes in our faith and zeal, as if at that instant, when Noah offered a good Sacrifice, He smelt a sweet savour. So Luke xv. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Rejoyce with me, for I have found the piece of silver which I lost; and in the same chapter, when the lost Child came home again, the Father tells his elder Son, It was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy Brother was dead, and is alive again. Now I bring my motive to you, and lay it down at the door of your conscience. Contend and strive for that perfection of virtue, that the Lord may say this my Son is like Joseph, the comfort of old Israel, a Plant which I set in a lucky hour, it brings forth fragrant flowers of obedience, of alms, of charity to delight me, and as old Isaac said, I smell the savour of my Son like the savour of a Field which is newly mown, from which all dispreading weeds and luxury are quite cut down. You flow with vain delights, but that is Gods contristation. You please your selves with filthy communication, but St. Paul says you grieve the Holy spirit, Ephes. iv. You are sportful and merry even till calamity comes upon you, but the security of Je∣rusalem causeth Christ to weep. Properly grief and vexation are not incident to God, or to the Eternal Spirit, you shall know to your cost, that when our voluptuous life is chang'd to howling and gnashing of teeth, Angels shall sing about his Throne without ceasing; but wicked men do what lies in them to put Christ to sorrow and sadness, as earthly Parents eat their own heart, and macerate themselves, when their Children will not be ruled by their authority. Comment thus I beseech you upon all your unlawful pleasures. Can there be any rellish in that joy where∣with you grieve your Redeemer? any sweetness in that sacriledg wherein God is impoverished? Will you sing placebo to any man to grate the ear of the Most High? Will you perfume your self for the Chamber of a Curtezan, and stink in the no∣strils of the Lord? no I will abandon all my delights, that He may be pleased in my mortification: I will mourn continually in repentance, that He may smile at it; the zeal of his House shall eat me up, I will burn with devotion, that He may smell a sweet savour. The dolor and smart of any present calamity doth not trouble a righteous man so much, as that he feels the wrath of God upon him, so prosperity, peace, health, nay Heaven it self make him not so happy, as to collect from the sense of his benefits, that the Lord is delighted with him. This is the Nuptial Song which we look for, when we are married to the Lamb; as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, so shall the Lord rejoyce over thee, Isa. 62.5.

Here it is to be admonished, that nothing is so savoury and delightful which we do, as what the Lord doth himself, non tam delectatur ut aliquid accipiat, quàm ut aliquid det; his love is very bountiful, and better pleased to give than to take. Therefore in no place of Scripture did his joy break forth so gaudily as in the Para∣ble, where he bad his Servants kill the fatted Calf, to bid his penitent Child wel∣com home: whereupon says Chrysologus, immolabat vitulum, i. filium & gaudebat! he

rejoyced in the death of his own Son for our sakes, because his mercy was free to have mercy on whom He pleased in that propitiatory Sacrifice. The Jews would bring thousands of Rams to the Altar at this day; the Lord will have none of them, because they will not bring them in the faith of that Sacrifice, wherein alone He is well pleased. If abundance of Oblations would have made a grateful steam to mount up to Heaven, they had done it long agoe. Josephus says against Appio, that 5000 of their Levites took their turn every week to attend at the Altar; I am sure much Sacrifice must be brought to employ so many hands, but non est mihi voluntas in vobis, says Malachi, I have no pleasure in you, nor in your gifts; surely because they offered not up unto him the savour of his Son. All manners of Religions do not please God, that were in effect to say, that all kind of smels had an odorife∣rous fragrancy. You must plow with Gods Heifer, present him with faith in the death of his own dearly beloved Son, and your imperfect righteousness being per∣fum'd with that incense, the Lord will take it for a sweet savour, and call it per∣fect obedience.

Let me now make you partakers of the third Proviso, that a rank stink steams from Beasts and Fowl burnt in the fire, yet the piety of Noah did ascend up in a sweet smell to Heaven: therefore let not such good things stink in the nostrils of men, that did delight the Lord. It is Gods direction to gather tares in bundels, so I will muster together the corrupt examples of those that were as senseless as Davids Idols, They had noses and smelt not, or at least they were so full of the putre∣faction of their own sins, that they complained there was an ill sent, where in∣deed there was the fragrancy of most excellent virtue. Pharaoh called Religion an idle mans Exercise; says he, ye are idle, ye are idle, and therefore ye would go in∣to the Wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord. Michol scoff'd at David for being in an extasie of joy that the Ark was brought into Jerusalem. The Pharisees disliked every good thing that Christ did; and observe it I beseech you, from thence they provoked the most dreadful words that ever came from Christs mouth, He that sinneth against the Holy Ghost, it shall neither be remitted to him in this world, nor in the world to come. Judas smelt no sweet savour in the ointment which a most pious wo∣man poured upon our Saviour's head, but complained, quorsum perditio haec? to what purpose is this waste? The scoffers of Jerusalem said the Disciples were full of new wine, when they preached the Name of Christ in all tongues and languages. New wine at Whitsuntide was never heard of, for there are scarce new leaves upon the Vine at that season. I wept and chustned my self with fasting, and it was turned to my reproof, says the holy Penitent. It is altogether a fault that we will not commend, nay that we will gibe and deride at that which is very good and devout in them that are of a contrary faction. Sectaries, whose courses I abhor, yet somethings should not be scoffed at, that they are diligent to come to Church, that they read the Scriptures, that they are not accustomed to rash and odious swearing; let not these things be reckoned with their justly condemned hypocrisie. Pontificians, whose errors I decry, yet their observing Canonical hours of Prayer, their obedi∣ence to obey Ecclesiastical Laws, their desire to kindle zeal by visiting those pla∣ces where our Lord and Saviour frequented, let these things be separated from their Superstitions. As Seneca said of Learning, quicquid bene scriptum est meum est, what∣soever was well written by any man, he took for his own, as freely as if he had in∣vented it; so I say of Religion, quicquid bene gestum est meum est, whatsoever is praise-worthy in any Sect, I will not scoff at it, but imitate it.

When the Pharisees boasted of some of their good deeds, haec oportuit fieri, says our Saviour, this is well, this ought to have been done, and not other things left undone. Holofernes could not dislike that Judith and her Maid should pray toge∣ther every night; make a conscience therefore what you condemn, and reprove it out of judgment; flout not at tolerable things out of levity. There shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, 2 Pet. iii. 3. These say the ancient Ex∣positers were the Gnosticks, that traduced the faithful for living chastly and au∣sterely, to avoid the judgment to come, and to inherit a Crown of life. But what are these scoffers in the very word of the Apostle, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 such as play the child, and no better. Such were the Massalians, that condemned Fasting, I, and Baptism,* 1.10 because they said all good things might be brought to pass by Prayer. And the Arrians, that were ill affected to singing of Psalms, because the Orthodox used it much: and they that can find no just fault with the decent Habit that our Church∣men wear, and yet bespatter it with ill words, because some of our Opposites do wear

the like Livery. Vestitum non nuditatem patris rident, Cham laughed at the nakedness of Noah, but these not at the nakedness, but at the Garments of their spiritual Fathers; judg between them and Cham then, who was the greater scoffer. What∣soever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are love∣ly or of good report, the Lord applauds them, and says they have a sweet savour: if the detestation and scorn of evil men shall light upon such things, their smell will be more aromatical to the Lord like those Allies of herbs that give a better sent when the foot doth trample upon them.

Anciently the wages of virtue was praise at least, but the saying was, it might be praised, and in the mean time starve for cold; now it may starve and be quite obscur'd it is so coldly praised; but in the last annotation of my Text I will raise up the righteousness of the just to some comfort and expectation; for we are sure our good works find grace in the eyes of our heavenly Father, and He is present at them all, as the sense is near at hand to that it smells; both his presence, and his liking, and his remuneration are all in this Allegory, that when Noah offered a clean Sacrifice, the Lord smelled a sweet savour. Nehemiah's eye was almost never off from the building of the Temple, and the work was therefore rid out of the way with incredible expedition. So the Lord having a present sense of every thing that man doth well, it will make man (if he have sense of Gods presence) instant, devout, patient, sow plentifully that he may reap abundantly. It is a great mo∣tive to be watchful to say, Dominus venit, the Lord is coming: what will you say then to Dominus videt, Dominus audit, Dominus odoratur? the Lord sees you, the Lord hears you, the Lord smells your savour? nihil illustre nisi coram, & in oculis Caesaris, says Tacitus, the mirth of the Roman Theaters was flat, and their pomp nothing illustrious, unless Cesar were a spectator; so the spirit of a Christian would be obtuse, and nothing so well excited to be dutiful, but that we know all the thoughts, words, and works of piety are within the look of God: and that He is such a looker on as St. Austin speaks of, qui spectat certantes, & adjuvat invocantes, whose aspect doth fortify and animate our strength, like Plants that open themselves to the Sun, and revive when his light is cast upon them. Nay if you be in perfect charity, ye dwell in God, and God in you; there can be no closer conjunction, thats nearer than the object to the eye, or the sent unto the nose. Yet this is more measure superadded, that the great King of Heaven both knows our works and tribulation, which is to smell our savour; and He loves and likes it also, He calls it a sweet savour. If we had such a Master as Nabal was, so crooked and unpropitious, that none could speak to him, or please him; if we served under the Lord, as Jacob did under Laban, who had nothing but murmuring and persecution for all his fidelity, then we might cross our arms and say, we had lost our oil and our labour; but our service is full of benevolence and encouragement, Euge bone serve, well done good and faithful servant, every title chimes alacrity. Duo cum faeciunt idem non est idem: the same work being done by two several hands, so much only shall take as comes from Gods chosen Ministers, and so much as came from an unacceptable person shall be clean discountenanced.* 1.11 Nazianzen tells a story that Gallus and Julianus, the two Nephews of Constantius, built a Temple, where Mamantis the good Martyr had suf∣fered; so much as Gallus was the Founder of stood, all that Julian was at charge for fell to the ground: the wisest of men of that age concluded, God accepted the dedication of Gallus, but not of Julian. Saul sacrificed at Gilgal, and came under the ban of Samuel for doing it; Samuel sacrificed at Bethlem, and the savour was so sweet that it run down from Samuel unto the skirt of Jesse: the Lord accepted of the of∣fering, and David was then anointed King in token of a sweet savour.

Finally, the love and complacency of God is not a bare affection like mans, amor Dei non in affectu, sed in effectu situs est. Where God is said to love, or to smell some sweetness in a thing, this is not to affect it theorically, but to effect some good for it. As Aeneas said of his followers, Nemo ex hoc numero mihi non donatus abibit, all that pleased him in his Games should have a reward for their labour: so every one whose works exhale a sweet odour to God, the dew of his liberality shall drop down upon them. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have shewed toward his name, Heb. vi, 10. The best sent that is (though it have that in it which is truly sweet) hath some vapor that is faint and fulsom in it; so the best actions of men, which are good verily and properly called, have yet some ill adjunction in them, or somewhat that is imperfect: but that which St. Paul speaks of the works of charity, may be referred to all the works of the light, if there be a

willing mind, it is accepted according to that which a man hath, and not according to that he hath not, 2 Cor. viii. 12. More pressely to the cause. In some sense all the creatures and their natural operations do please God, but in a supernatural order nothing doth please him, but that into which he hath put supernatural bonity: and those effects He doth not only love and like, but will remunerate them, with this sober restri∣ction, bona opera non habent condignitatem ad proemium coeleste, sed quandam ordinabilitatem.* 1.12 That is, good works have no intrinsecal worth or value to claim eternal life, but through the gracious promise of God they are ordained unto it.

From hence Valentia, and some others of that part do paralogize, that they may truly say, that a condignity doth amount to the works of pious men, upon the ob∣ligation of Gods promise. I answer, that the promise of God doth make our good endeavours remunerable with the Kingdom of Heaven; not that the Promise changeth the work into a better quality than it hath of it self, as to make charity of two degrees become charity of two hundred: no, for the Promise is but an ex∣trinsecal acceptation, but it must be some intrinsecal perfection infused into a good work, that shall make it commensurable and worth the reward. How then doth the Promise knit our works and the reward together? why thus. God casts his eyes upon his beloved Son, in whom, and for whose sake all those Promises are ratified. Now this must altogether imply a great indignity, and not any condignity in our righteousness. All the favour which we obtein at Gods hands above the inherent bonity which is in our works, it is meerly for Christs sake, and for his obedience imputed to us. Examin in the weight of a reason, what I give to a man above the value of his labour for a friends sake, doth it make the reward meritoriously due. The terms cannot consist together. If God should promise the same reward of glory to him that died for Christ, and to him that gave a cup of cold water for his sake, the reward upon this supposition is equally due to both, and then these two agreeing in uno tertio, that is in the same promise, should be equal in goodness between themselves, which none will admit, whose judgment is not quite perisht. To conclude then, that Noah brought so sweet a gift to the Lord, it came from a supernatural infusion that so directed him. That which is inspired from a supernatural virtue doth please the Lord, though it be much attainted with humane infirmity: that which He is pleased so to accept in mercy, He hath promised to remunerate it with eternal glory for Christ Jesus sake, who is a Sacrifice of the sweetest favour, and to whom be all honour, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. 20.
• * 1.2

  Masius in Josh. 8.31.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 3. Mor. c 20.
• * 1.4

  De vitâ Mos. lib. 3.
• * 1.5

  Lib. de ••••.
• * 1.6

  Lib. 1. de mis. cap. 2.
• * 1.7

  Orig. lib. 4. cont. Celsum. cap. 8. Arnob. con. gen. lib. 4. Lib. 7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.8

  Lorin. in Act. 7.60.
• * 1.9

  Cornel. a lap. in 62. cap. Isa.
• * 1.10

  Theodoret. lib. 4. c. 10.
• * 1.11

  Orat. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.12

  Davn. de just. hab. cap. 34.