too Et erunt Tibi They shall be for thee They shall be not one for thee and another for Aaron but Erunt Tibi They shall be both for thee They shall be both thine A third if they can finde they may lay claime to that But both these are for Moses We have then the delivery of them to Moses to make which is a kind of seizin or a Ceremony investing him with the right of them We have beside plaine words to lead their possession and those words operative Erunt Tibi That as none to make them so none to owne them being 〈◊〉 but Moses And what would we have more to shew us Cujus sunt Tubae whose the trumpetts be or whose is the right of calling Assemblies It is Moses's certainly and he by vertue of these stands seized of it To go yet further But was not all this to Moses for his time onely and as it begun in him That power to contiâ—â—e after Moses so to take end with him Was it not one of these same Privilegia Personalia quae non trahuntâ—r in exemplum A priviledge peculiar to him and so no precedent to be made of it Noâ—â—or if you looke but a little forward to the VIII Verse following there you shall see that this power which GOD heer conveyeth this Law of the silver trâ—mpets is a Law to last for ever even throughout all their generations not that gâ—neration onely And there is great reason it should be so that seeing the Vse should never cease the Power likewise should never determine Moses received it as chiefe Magistrate Being then not to determine but to continue it must descend to those that hold Mosâ—s's place I demand then what place did Moses hold Sure it is that Aaron was noâ— the High Priest annointed and fully invested in all the rights of it ever since the eighth Chapter of the last Booke Moses had in him now no other Right but that of the Chiefe Magistrate Therefore as in that Right and no other He received and held them So he was made Custos utriusque Tabulae So he is made Custos utriusque Tubae But who can tell us better then he himselfe in what right he held them He doth it in the third verse of Deuter. XXXIII reade it which way you will Erat in lishrune Rex or in rectissimo Rex or in rectitudine Rex or in recto Regis dum congregaret Principes populi Tribus Israël All come to this that though in strict proprietie of speech Moses were no King yet in this he was in rectitudine Rex or in recto Regis that is in this had as we say Ius Regale that he might and did assemble the Tribes and chiefe men of the Tribes at his pleasure Heerin he was Rex in rectitudine For this was rectitudo Regis A power Regall And so it was holden in Aegypt before Moses even in the law of Nature that without Pharao no man might lift up hand or foot in all the land of Aegypt suppose Gen. 41.44 to no publique or principall motion And so hath iâ— been holden in all Nations as a speciall Power belonging to Dominion Which maketh it seeme strange that those men which in no cause are so fervent as when they pleade that Church-men should not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is have Dominion do yet hold this Power which hath ever been reputed most proper to Dominion should belong to none but to them only Our Saviour CHRIST 's Vos autem non sic may I am sure be said to them heere in a truer sense Mat. 20.26 then as they commonly use to applie it The chiefe Magistrate to succeed in it To conclude then this point If Moses as in the right of Chiefe Magistrate held this Power it was from him to descend to the chiefe Magistrates after him over the people of GOD and they to succeed him as in his place so in this right it being by GOD himselfe setled in Moses and annexed to his place lege perpetuâ by an estate indefeizible by a perpetuall Law throughout all their generations Therefore ever after by God's expresse order from yeare to yeare every yeare on the first day of the seventh moneth were they blowen by Moses first and after by them that held his place and the Feast of the Trumpetts solemnly holden as to put them in mind of the benefit thereby comming to them so withall to keep alive and fresh still in the knowledge of all that this power belonged to their place that so none might ever be ignorant to whom it did of right appertaine to call Assemblies And how then shall Aaron's Assemblies be called with what trumpet they God himselfe hath provided for that in the X. Verse following Aaron's Assemblies how called that with no other then these There is in all the Law no order for calling an Assembly to what end or for what cause soever but this and onely this No order for making any third trumpett Vnder these two therefore all are comprized This order there God taketh that Moses shall permit Aaron's sonnes to have the use of these trumpetts Verse 10. But the use not the property Num. 31.6 They must take them from Moses as in the XXXI Chapter of this Booke Phinees doth But Erunt tibi God's owne words Erunt tibi must still be remembred His they be for all that Moses the owner still the right remaines in him their sounding of them deprives not him of his interest alters not the property Erunt tibi mâ—st â—till be true that right must still be preserved It may be if we communicate with flesh and bloud we may think it more convenient as some do that GOD had delivered Moses and Aaron either of them one But when we see GOD 's will by GOD'S word what it is that Moses is to have them both we will let that passe as a Revelation of flesh and bloud and think that which GOD thinketh to be most convenient Now then if the trumpets belong to Moses and that to this end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The two duties that with them he may call the Congregation these two things do follow First that if he call the Congregation must not refuse to come Secondly that unlesse he call they must not assemble of their owne heads but keepe their places Briefly thus the Congregation must come when it is called and it must be called yer it come These are the two duties we owe to the two trumpets and both these have GOD 's people ever duly performed And yeâ— not so but that this Right hath been called in question yea even in Moses's owne time that we marvell not if it be so now and both these duties denied him even by those who were alive and present then when GOD gave him the trumpets But marke by whom and what became of them The first duty is to come when they be called
on Him then and these He made choise of then and for ever to be the vertues of this Feast The sooner and the better to procure this meeting the Church meets us as Melchisedek did Abraham with bread and wine but of a higher nature then his farr prepares ever this day a love-feast whereat they may the rather meet Where Truth from the earth may looke up to heaven and confesse and Righteousnesse from heaven may looke downe to earth and pardon where we may shew Mercie in giving where need is and offer Peace in forgiving where cause is that so there may be an obviaverunt a meeting of all hands And even so then let there be So may our end be as the end of the First Verse in peace and as the end of the Second in Heaven So may all the blessings that came to mankind by this meeting or by the birth of CHRIST the cause of it meet in us and remaine upon us till as we now meet together at the Birth So we may then meet in a perfect man in the measure of the fulnesse of the age of CHRIST Eph. 4.13 As meet now at the LAMBES yeaning so meet then at the LAMBE marriage be caught up in the cloudes then to meet Him 1. Thâ—s 4.17 and there to reigne for ever with Him in His Kingdome of GLORIE A SERMON PREACHED before the KINGS MAIESTIE at White-hall on Fryday the XXV of December A. D. MDCXVIII being CHRIST-MASSE day LVK. II. VER XII XIII Et hoc erit vobis Signum c. And this shall be a Signe vnto you ye shall find the Childe swadled and layed in a cratch And streightway there was with the Angell a multitude of heavenly souldiers praising GOD and saying Glorie be to GOD on high c. OF these three verses the points be two 1 The Shepheards Signe and 2 the Angells Song The Signe is a remaine of Angelus ad pastores the Angells speech to the Shepheards We called it as the Angell himselfe called it a Sermon Evangelizo the word he vseth is to preach Of which Sermon there are two parts 1 His Birth the verse before 2 His Finding in this For this is a double Feast not onely the Feast of His Nativitie but the Feast of His Invention also Therefore the Angell makes not an end with unto you is borne but tells them further It is not enough CHRIST is borne but to take benefit by His Birth we are to find Him Natus est His part Invenietis ours Of natus est somewhat hath formerly been said Invenietis now followes and followes well For what is Natus est without Invenietis Such a one there is borne what shall we be the better if we find Him not As good not borne as not knowne To us all one Nobis nascitur cum a nobis noscitur Borne He may be before but nobis natus to us He is borne when to us He is knowne when we find Him and not before CHRISTVS inventus is more then CHRISTVS natus Set downe invenietis then first Invenietis leads us to Hoc erit Signum For how shall they find Him without a Signe So come we from CHRISTVS natus to CHRISTVS signatus Natus borne to be found Signatus signed or marked that He may be found Borne He is that they know And when they know hodiè And where they know in Bethlehem To Bethlehem they will but when they come there how then In such resort the towne so full of strangers as no roome in the Innes whither should they turne them What could they wish but O quod erit Signum Natus est ô that He were Signatus O that we had a signe to find Him by Their wish is honest and good And pitie The Division any that seeks CHRIST should want a signe to find Him by the Angell will not suffer that But before he end his speech he takes order for their Signe and This it is When ye come to Bethlehem never search in any house or chamber In a stable there shall you finde a Babe swadled and laid in a manger You would little think it but that is He. And so Signo dato this Signe given the Sermon ends For to find CHRIST is all All in all A Sermon would have an Antheme of course It hath so And one suitable if it might be An Angell preached it and no man It would be a Queer of Angells and not of men to sing it So it is Gloria in excelsis all the Fathers call it Hymnum Angelicum the Angells Hymne or Antheme This is set downe in the two later verses the 1 Queer that sing it in the former the 2 Song it selfe the dittie of it so in the later 1. The Queer in it five 1. Who That there were certaine heavenly Personages first 2. In what habit that in the habit of souldiers to see to 3. What number that a great multitude of them 4. What they did That they tooke up this Hymne and fell on praising GOD. 5. And fiftly When That they did it instantly upon the speech ended The Song That consists of three streines There are in it 1 GOD 2 Earth and 3 Men these three first And then three to these three 1 Glorie 2 Peace 3 Good-will Each sorted to other 1 Glorie to GOD 2 Peace to the Earth 3 To Men a Good-will So have you the Signe and the Song the one to ballance or counterpeize the other the Song to sing away the Signe to make amends for the manger The Signe very poore and meane the Song exceeding high and heavenly Paupertas in imis the Signe povertie at the lowest Gloria in excelsis the Song Glorie at the highest That well might Leo ask Quis est iste puer tam parvus tam magnus What Child is this so little and so great withall Tam parvus ut in praesepi jaceat Tam magnus ut Ei coâ—cinant Angeli So little as He lyes in a cratch So great though as He hath Angells to sing to Him the whole Queer of heaven to make Him melodie It is a course this the HOLY GHOST began it heer at His Birth and after observed it all along Sociare ima summis insolita solitis temperare to couple low and high together and to temper things mean and vsuall with others as strange every way Out of these we shall learne 1 First what our dutie is To find CHRIST The Angell presupposes this that being borne we will not leave till we have found Him till we can say it was the first word of the first Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have found Ioh. 1.41 found the MESSIAS Invenietis by all means to find CHRIST 2 Then how to find Him at what Signe 3 And last when we have found Him how to salute Him with what words to praise GOD for Him For Him both for His Birth and for His Invention All considered His invention to us no lesse behoofull then
daies for any matter of dutie To looke to this Hodiè and not deceive our selves for no time but Hodiè hath any promise Witnesse Hodiè Psal. 95.7.8 si vocem To day if you will heare his voice which every day sounds in our eares But Hodiè genui is more then Hodiè for every day in the yeare while it lasts is Hodiè To day but every day is not Hodiè genui There is but one of them in the whole yeare 2. Hodiè genui and that is this day This day then to take of all other Hodiè's not to let slip the Hodiè of this day A day whereon this Scripture was fulfilled whereon Dixit factum est He said it and did it whereon this Sonne was borne and given us A day whereon as it is most kindly preached so it will be most kindly practised of all others And so I hold you no longer but end Praying to Him that was the Hodiè genitus of this day Him that was begotten and Him by whom He was begotten that we may have our parts as in Praedicabo preaching so likewise in legem the lawe in both legem fidei to believe aright and legem factorum to live according That we performing the filiall duties required may attaine the filiall rights promised and may be in the number of those to whom first and last Filius meus tu shall be said to our everlasting comfort and to the praise of the glorie of His grace Ephes. 1.6 through CHRIST our LORD SERMONS PREACHED VPON Ash-wednesday A SERMON Preached before QVEENE ELIZABETH AT WHITE-HALL On the IV. of March A. D. MDXCVIII being ASH-VVEDNESDAY PSAL. LXXVIII VER XXXIV Cum occideret eos quaerebant Eum revertebantur diluculò veniebant ad Eum. When He slew them then they sought Him and they returned and enquired early after GOD. THIS Psalme is a Calendar or Roll of reports how from MOSES to DAVID the Iewes carried themselves to GOD in matter of Religion And this verse a report how in the matter of repentance expressed heere vnder the termes of seeking and turning to GOD. Wherein this they did this was their fashion While He spared them they sought Him not When He slew them then they sought Him Cum c. These words then are a report A report but such a one as when Saint Paul heard of the Corinthians he could not commend it What shall I say Shall I praise you in this No 1. Cor. 11.17 I praise you not Neither he them for that Nor I these for this Rather as old Father Eli said to his sonnes Non est bonus Sermo hic quâ—m audio de vobis This is no good report I heare Cum occîderet c. 1. Sam. 2.24 Whither good or whither evill it perteineth to us For to us of the Gentiles hath Saint Paul entailed whatsoever well or ill befell the dissolved Church of the Iewes 1. Cor. 10.11 These all these came vnto them for examples and are enrolled to warne us that grow neerer and neerer to the â—nds of the world Both pertaine unto us the Scripture hath both And in it draweth out our duty to us in both in good and evill Reports as it were in white worke and black work And we to have use of both Yet not of both reports alike but diversly as our instructions upon them are diverse For we are not so much to regard the bare Report as the instruction of it For which cause Asaph hath intitled this Psalme not Asaph's report but Asaph's instruction Now we have heere our report May we find what our instruction is touching it We may Asaph expressely hath set it downe at the VIII verse before That this and other errors of thâ—irs are heere upon the File Ne fiant â—icut Patres eorum That we should not be like our forefathers a crosse and crooked generation Not like them in other indignities and among other in this Cum occîderet c Never to seek GOD but when He kills us In which soule indignitie our Age is certeinely as deepe as ever was that And we need Asaph's instruction no lesse then they For as if there were no use of Religion but onely Cum occîderet so spend we all our whole time in the search of other things Not caring to aske or seek or conferr about the state of our soules even till occîderet come And then peradventure sending for Asaâ—h and hearing him speake a few words about it which we would faigne have called seeking of GOD. I can say little to it I pray GOD it prove so but sure I feare it will be found Minus habens Dan. 5.27 farr short of it Which is so vsually received that take a survey not one of an hundred ever thinke of it before So securely practised as if we had some Supersedeas lying by us not to doe it till then As if there were no such Scripture as this upon record which turned to their destruction and must needs ly heavy upon us when we shall remember it Cum occîderet c. Now sure this course must needs be prejudiciall to our soules and a number perish in it daily before our eyes Yet we sitt still and suffer this custome to grow and gather head Neither delivering their soules or at least our owne by telling them seriously this is not the time and then to seeke is not the seeking GOD will allow That this is a Ne fiant such a thing as should not be done in Israel That it is upon record 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their disgrace and destruction And it cannot be to our comfort or commendation to doe the like Out of which their destruction Asaph frameth an instruction for us and as it is well said and fitly to this day ex cinere Iudaeorum lixivium Christianorum of the Iewes ashes maketh a lie for Christians to clense us from this foule indignitie Vt videntes cadentes videant ne cadant that heeding their fall we take heed we fall not that is seeke not as they sought lest we perish by like example of seeking too late Therefore that we set our selves to seeke before this Cum come that is in a word seeke GOD as by repentance and the fruits so by vndelayed repentance and the timely fruits of it Iude 12 and be not like the Apostle IVDE'S 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our seeking all summer withered and drie and beginning to shoot out a littlâ— about Michael-masse spring Of which kind of shooting fruit can never come This is the summe The Division The words consist of two parts Two parts but these two evill matched or as Saint Paul vnaequally yoked together For where our chiefe actions of which I take it 2. Cor. 6.4 our seeking of GOD is one should have the chiefest time Heere is the first and and best of our actions sorted with the last and worst part of our time Quaerebant Eum with Cum occideret
bearing about us this bodie of flesh the stepps whereof are so vnstaied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and walking in this world the waies whereof are so slipperie It is an Apostle that saith it Iam. 3.2 In multis omnes c. In many things we offend all and it is another that saith that whosoever saith otherwise not he is proud and there is no humblenesse 1. Ioh. 1.8 but he is a lyar and there is no truth in him Iam. 4.6 Our estate then as it is needeth some Scripture that offereth more grace And such there be saith Saint Iames and This is such That they which have not heard the Apostle and his counseile Qui stat c. may yet heare the Prophet heere and his Qui cecidit let him up againe That they which have not heard Esaie's voice Ambulate You are in the way turne not from it May yet heare Ieremie's voice Qui aversus est c He that is out let him get into it againe So that this is the summe of that I have read If we have not been so happie as to stand and keepe our way The Summe let us not be so vnhappie as not to rise and turne to it againe Best it were before we sinne to say to our selves Quid facio what am I now about to doe If we have not that yet it will not be amisse after to say What have I done GOD will not be displeased to heare us so say We should not follow those foules we should have no wings to fly from GOD but if in flying away we have followed them then that we follow them too in the retrive or second flight In a word Yesterday if we have not heard His voice Psal 95.7.8 To day if we will heare His voice not to harden our hearts when He calleth us to repentance This is the summe The manner of the deliverie is not common but somewhat vn-usuall and full of passion For seeing plaine poenitentiam agite doth but coldly affect us It pleaseth GOD hâc vice to take vnto Him the termes the style the accents of passion thereby to give it an edge that so it may make the speedier and deeper impression And the Passion He chooseth is that of Sorrow For all these verses are to be pronounced with a sorrowfull key Sorrow many times worketh us to that by a melting compassion which the more rough and violent passions cannot get at our hands This sorrow He expresseth by way of complain◠For all the speech is so Which kind of speech maketh the better nature to relent as mooved that by his meanes any should have cause to complaine and not find redresse for it That He complaines of is not that we fall and erre but that we rise not and returne not that is still delay still put of our Repentance And that 1. Contrarie to our own course and custome Verse 4. in other things We doe it every where els yet heere we doe it not 2. Contrarie to GOD'S expresse pleasure For glad and faigne He would heare we doe it Verse 8. yet we doe it not 3. Contrarie to the very light of nature For the foules heere fly before us and shew us the way to doe it yet we doe it not for all that Which three He vttereth by three sundry waies of treatie 1. The first by a gentle yet forcible expostulation Verse 4. Will you not Why will ye not 2. The second by an earnest protestation Verse 5. How greatly He doth hearken after it 3. The third by a passionate Apostrophe Verse 7. by turning Him away to the foules of the ayre that doe that naturally every yeare which we cannot be got to all our life long Of which passions to say a word It is certaine the immutable constancie of the Divine nature is not subiect to them howsoever heere or elsewhere He presenteth himselfe in them I add that as it is not proper so neither it is not fitting for GOD thus to expresse himselfe But that He not respecting what best may become Him but what may best seeme to move us and doe us most good chooseth of purpose that dialect that Character those termes which are most meet and most likely to affect us And because good morall counseile plainely delivered enters but faintly and of passionate speeches we have a more quick apprehension He attireth His speech in the habit vttereth it in the phrase figure and accent of anger or sorrow or such like as may seeme most fit and forcible to prevaile with us 1. Tertullian saith the reason this course is vsed is ad exaggerandam malitiae vim to make the haynousnesse of our contempt appeare the more 2. Act. war GOD indeed cannot complaine it falleth not into His nature to doe it But if He could if it were possible by any meanes in the world He might such are our contempts so many and so mighty that we would force Him to it 2. But Saint Augustine's reason is more praised Exprimit in Se vt exprimat de te In himselfe He expresseth them that from us He may bring them Sheweth himselfe in passion that He may move us and even in that passion whereto He would move us As heer now As in greefe He complaineth of us that we might be greeved and complaine of our selves that ever we gave Him such cause And so consequently that we might bethink our selves to give redresse to it that so His complaining might ceasse And from the complaint it is no hard matter to extract the redresse 1. The Division To yeeld to but even as much for Him for Him Nay for our selves as every where els we vse to doe 2. To speake that which GOD so gladly would heare 3. To learne that which the poore foules know the season of our returne and to take it as they doe Three waies to give redresse to the three former greevances These three and the same the three parts of this Text orderly to be treated of TO make His motion the more reasonable and His complaint the more iust He makes them Chancelors in their owne cause And from their owne practise otherwhere GOD frameth and putteth a Case and putteth it question-wise and therefore question-wise that they may answer it and answering it condemne themselves by a verdict from their owne mouth Will they this people themselves fall c Is there any that if he turne c In effect as if He should say Goe whither you will farre or neere was it ever heard or seene that any man if his foot slipped and he tooke a fall that he would lie still like a beast and not up againe streight Or if he lost his way that he would wittingly goe on and not with all speede get into it again I proceed then Men rise if they fall and sinne is a fall We have taken up the terme our selves calling Adam's sinne Adam's fall A fall indeed for it foules as as a fall
for it bruises as a fall for it bringeth downe as a fall downe from the state of Paradise downe to the dust of death downe to the barre of iudgement downe to the pitt of hell Againe Men turne when they erre And sinne is an error Nonne errant omnes c saith Salomon make you any doubt of it I doe not No sure an error it is Prov. 14.22 What can be greater then to goe in the wayes of wickednesse they should not and come to the end of miserie they would not It is then a fall and an error Vpon which he ioyneth issue and inferreth the fifth verse Quare ergo and why then If there be no people so sottish that when they fall will lie still or when they erre goe on still why doe this people that which no people els will doe Nay seeing they themselves if they be downe gett up and if astray turne backe how commeth it to passe it holds not heere to That heere they fall and rise not stray and returne not Fall and stray peccando and not rise and returne poenitendo Will every people and not they Nay will they every where els and not heer Everie where els will they rise if they fall and turne againe if they turne away and heere onely heere will they fall and not rise turne away and not turne againe In every fall in every error of the feet to doe it and to do it of our selves and in that fall and that error which toucheth GOD and our soules by no meanes by no entreatie to be got to do it What dealing call you this Yet this is their strange dealing saith the LORD Both theirs and ours Which GOD wonders at and complaineth of and who can complaine of His wondering or wonder at His complaining But what speake we of a fall or an error There is a word in the fifth verse the word of rebellion maketh it yet more greevous For it is as if he should say I would it were nothing but a fall or turning away I would it were not a fall or turning away into a rebellion Nay I would it were but that but rebellion and not a perpetuall rebellion But it is both and that is it which I complaine of There is Sinne a fall men fall against their wills that is sinne of infirmitie There is Sinne an Error men erre from the way of ignorance that is sinne of ignorance The one for want of power The other for lack of skill But rebellion the third kind that hatefull sinne of rebellion can neither pretend ignorance nor plead infirmitie for wittingly they revolt from their knowne allegiance and wilfully sett themselves against their lawfull Soveraigne That is the sinne of malice Take all together Sinne a fall an error a rebellion We see sinne aboundeth will you see how grace over-aboundeth Yet not such a fall but we may be raised nor such a departure but there is place left to returne no nor such a rebellion but if it sue for may hope for a pardon For behold He even He that GOD from whom we thus fall depart revolt reacheth His hand to them that fall turneth not away from them that turne to Him is readie to receive to grace them even them that rebelled against Him It is so for He speaketh to them treateth with them asketh of them why they will not rise retire submit themselves Which is more yet If ye marke He doth not complaine and challenge them for any of all those three for falling straying or for rebelling The point he presseth is not our falling but our lying still not our departing but our not returning nor our breaking of but our holding out It is not why fall or stray or revolt But why rise ye not Returne ye not Submit ye not your selves Thus might He have framed his interrogatories Shall they fall and not stand He doth not but thus Shall they fall and not rise Shall they turne from the right and not keepe it No But shall they turne from it and not turne to it As much to say as Be it you have fallen yet lie not still erred yet goe not on Sinned yet continue not in sinne and neither your fall error nor sinne erunt vobis in scandalum shall be your destruction or doe you hurt Nay which is farther and that beyond all It is not these neither though this be wrong enough yet upon the point this is not the verie matter Neither our lying still nor our going on nor standing out so they have an end they all and every of them may have hope Perpetuall is the word and Perpetuall is the thing Not why these any of these or all of these but why these perpetuall To doe thus to doe it and never leave doing it To make no end of sinne but our own end To make a perpetuitie of sinne Never to rise returne repent for repentance is opposite not to sinne but to the continuance of it that is the point In sinne are these 1 The fall 2 The relapse 3 The wallow it is none of these It is not falling not though it be recidiva peccati often relapsing It is not lying still not though it be Volutabrum peccati the wallowe It is none of all these It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the never ceasing the perpetuitie the impenitencie of sinne To speake of sinne that is the sinne out of measure sinfull that is the offense that not onely maketh culpable but leaveth inexcusable That fall is not ADAM'S but LVCIFER'S fall not to erre but to perish from the right way not SHEMEI'S rebellion but the very Apostasie and gainsaying of COREH This then to add sinne to sinne to multiplie sinne by sinne to make it infinite to eternize it as much as in us lyeth that is it to which GOD crieth O quare Why doe you so Why perpetuall Why perpetuall Indeed why For it would pose the best of us to finde out the Quare a true cause or reason for our doing Before shew but an example Now heere shew but a reason and carie it But they can shew no reason why they will not It were to be wished we would repent or shew good cause to the contrarie But as before we violate our owne custome so heer we abandon reason we throw them both to the ground order and reason and stampe upon them both when we make perpetuities Verily true cause or good reason there is none Being called to shew cause why They tell not we see they stand mute they cannot tell why GOD himselfe is faigne to tell them Why all the cause that is is in the latter part of the verse Apprehenderunt c. that is some Non causa pro causâ some lye or other they lay hold of or els they would returne and not thus continue in it To flatter it selfe that it may not repent Mentita est iniquitas sibi saith the Psalmist Psal. 26.12 Sinne doth even coosen it selfe telling a
contempt against Moses or Aaron 1. And the Rulers have their lesson too First That if they be God's hands then His Spirit is to open and shut them stretch them out and draw them in wholy to guide and governe them as the hand of man is guided and governed by the spirit that is in man Heavenly and divine had those hands need be which are to be the hands and to worke the worke of God 2. Againe they be not only hands but Manus per quam that is hands in actu Not to be wrapped up in soft furr but by which an actuall dutie of leading is to be performed Mose's owne hand in the fourth of Exodus when he had lodged it in his warme bosome Exod. 4.6 became leprous but being stretched out recovered againe Hands in actu then they must be not loosely hanging downe or folded together in idlenesse but stretched out not onely to point others but themselves to be formost in th' execution of every good worke 3. Thirdly Manus per quam ducuntur That is as not the leprous hand of Moses 1. Reg. 13.4 so neither the withered hand of Ieroboam stretching it selfe out against God by mis-leading His people and making them to sinne Leading backe againe into Aegypt a thing expresly forbidden either to the oppression and bondage of Aegypt Deut. 17.16 or to the ignorance and false worship of Aegypt from whence Moses had ledd them For as they be not entire bodies of themselves but hands and that not their owne but God's so the People they ledd are not their owne but His and by Him and to Him to be ledd and directed So much for God's hands Moses Aaron This Honorable title of the hand of God is heere given to two parties Moses and Aaron in regard of two distinct duties performed by them Ye heard how we said before The people of God were like sheepe in respect of a double want 1 want of strength by meanes of their feeblenâ—sse 2 and want of skill by meanes of their simplenesse For this double want heere commeth a double supplie from the hand 1 of strength and 2 of cunning For both these are in the hand 1. It is of all members the chiefe in might as appeareth by the diversitie of vses and services Psal. 20.6 it is put to In Potentatibus dexterae saith the Prophet 2. And secondly it is also the part of greatest cunning as appeareth by the varietâ— of the works which it yeeldeth by the pen the pencill the needle and instruments of musique Psal. 78.72 Psal. 137.5 In intellectu manuum saith the Psalmist in the end of the next Psalme and let my right hand forget her cunning This hand of God then by his strength affordeth protâ—ction to the feeblenesse of the fâ—ock and againe by his skill affordeth direction to the simplenesse of the flocke And these are the two substantiall parts of all leading These twaine as two armes did God appoint in the wildernesse to lead His people by Afterward over these twaine did He yet set another even the power and authority Regall 1. Sam. 15.17 in place of the Head as himselfe termeth it and to it as supreme vnited the regiment of both The consideration of which Power I medâ—le not with as being not within the compasse of this versâ— but oâ—ely witâ— the hands or regiments Ecclesiasticall and Civill Which as the tâ—o Châ—â—ubimâ— did the Arke over-spread and preserve every estate 2. Chron 19.6 One saith Iehosaâ—hat dispensing Res Iehovae the Lord's businesse the other dealing in Negotio regis the â—â—faiâ—es of Estate One saith David intenâ—ing the worship of the Tribes 2. Chron. 19.11 Psâ—l 1 22.4.5 the otâ—er 〈◊〉 tâ—rones for iustice One saith Paul being for us in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things perteiniâ—g to God the other in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.17 1. Cor. 6.3 matters of this present life The one Pro aris the other Pâ—o focis as the very Heathen acknowledge 1. These two are the hands necessarie to the bodie and necessarie each to other First they be both hands and the hands we know are payres Not Moses the hand and Aaron the foot but either and each the hand And as they be a paire of hands so be they also a payre of brethren Not Moses de primis and Aaron de novissimis populi Esay 22. Not Mosâ—â— the Head and Aaron the tayle Not Moses a Quis as Saint Hierome speaketh out of the twenty two of Esay and Aaron a quasi quis but both of one parentage both one mans children 2. Secondly being both hands neither of them is superfluous no more to be spared then may the hands but both are absolutely necessarie and a maymed and lame estate it is where either is wanting The Estate of Israel in the seventeenth of the Iudges without a Civill Governor prooved a very masse of confusion The very same Estate in the second of Chron. Chap. XV. Iudg. 17.6 2. Chron. 15.3 Sine sacerdote docente no lesse out of frame Miserable first if they lacke Iosua and be as sheepe wanting that Shepheard And miserable againe if they lacke IESVS Num. 27.17 Matt. 9.36 and be as sheepe wanting that Shepheard Moses is needfull in the want of water to strike the rocke for us and to procure us supplie of bodily releeâ—e Exod. 17.6 Aaron is no lesse For he in like manner reacheth to every one food of another kinde which we may worse be without even the bread of life and water out of the spirituall Rocke Ioh. 6.48.51 1 Cor. 10.4 Exod 17 8. Ephes. 6 1â— which is CHRISâ— IESVS Moses we need to see our forces ledd against Amaleck for safegard of that little we hold heere in this life and Aaron no lesse to preserve our free-hold in the everlasting life For the great and mightie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the legions of our sinnes the very forces of the Prince of darknesse are ouerthrowne by the spirituall weapons of Aaron's warfare Moses may not be spared from sitting and deciding the causes which are brought before him No more may Aaron whose Vrim giveth answer in doubts no lesse important and who not onely with his Vrim and Thummim giâ—eth counseile but by his incense and sacrifice obteineth good successe for all our counseiles In a word If Moses rodd be requisite to sting and devoure the wicked Aaron's is also to revive the good and to make tâ—em to fructifie If Mose's hand want with the sword to make us a way Aaron's hand wants too with the key to give us an entrance And thus much will I say for Aaron for the Divell hath now left to dispute about Mose's bodie and bendeth all against him that the very first note of difference in all the Bible to know God 's people by is that as Cain and his race begoon at the City-waâ—ls first and let Religion as it might come after
herselfe in so unwisely departing Which is the sinne of unbelief the bane both of Constancie and Perseverance Constancie in the purâ—ose of our mind and Perseverance in the tenor of our life â— â—â—inting 2. From this grew the second That she begâ—nn to tire and draw behind and kept not pace with Lot and the Angells An evill signe For ever fainting is next step to forsaking and Sequebatur a longè a preparative to a giving cleane over Occasionem quaerit saith Salomon qui vult discedere ab amico Pro. 18.1 He that hath no list to follow will pick some quarrell or other to be cast behind 3. This tiring had it growen of weaknesse or wâ—arinesse or want of breath 3 Looking back might have been borne with but it came of another cause which is the third degree It was saith the text at least to looke back and to cast her eye to the place her soule longed after Which sheweth that the love of Sodom sticketh in her still that though her feet were come from thence her heart stayed there behind and that in looke and thought she returned thither whither in body she might not but possibly would in body too if as NINIVE did so SODOM had still râ—mained 4. Looking back might proceed of diverse causes So might this of hers 4 Preferring Soâ—om to Zoar. but that CHRIST'S application directs us The verse before saith Somewhat in the house somthing left behind affected her Of which He giveth us warning She grew weary of trouble and of shifting so oft From Vr to Haran thence to Canaan theâ—â—e to Egypt thence to Canaan againe then to Sodom and now to Zoar and that in her old daies when she would fainest have been aâ— rest Therefore in this wearisome conceit of new trouble now to beginn and withall remâ—mbring the convenient sâ—at she had in Sodome she even desired to die bâ— her flesh-pâ—â—ts and to be buried in the graves of lust wished them at Zoar that would and her selfe at Sodoâ— againe desiring rather to end her life with ease in that Stately city then to remove and be safe perhapps and perhapps not in the dâ—solate 〈◊〉 And this was the sinne of restinesse of soule which affected her eyes and knees and was the cause of all the former When men wery of a good course which long they have holdâ—n for a little ease or wealth or I wote not what other secular respect fall away in the end so losing the praise and fruict of their formâ—r perseverance and relapsing into the danger and destruction from which they had so neer escaped Behold these were the sinnes of Lot's wife A wavering of mind Slow stepps the convulsion of her neck all these caused her wearinâ—sse and feare of new trouble she preferring SODOM's case before ZOAR's safety Remember Lot's wife This was her sinne and this her sinne was in her 〈…〉 maâ—e much more heynous by a double circumstance well worth the remembring as evâ—r weighty circumstances are matter of speciall regard in a storie specially 1 One that she fell aftâ—r she had stood long 2 The other that she fell even then when GOD by all â—â—anâ—s offered her safety and so forsooke her owne mercie Touching the first 1 Afâ—â—r so long stanâ—ing These a 〈…〉 winter brookes as Iob termâ—th flitting desultorie Chistians if they drie these b Am 8.1 â— Summer fâ—uicts as Amos if they puâ—rifie these c 〈◊〉 â— 4 morning clouds as Hosea if they scatter these d â—at 1â— 22. shallow â—oâ—ted corâ—e if they wither and come to nothing it is the lesse grief â—o â—an looked for other 〈◊〉 8. Pâ—arao with his fitts that at every plague sent upon 〈…〉 â—oâ—ly on a sâ—dâ—ine and O pray for me now and when it is gone as prophane as evâ—r he was beginning nine times and nine times breaking of againe he moves not much To go further Saul that for two yeare Iudas that for three Nero that for fivâ— kept well and thâ—n fell away though it be much yet may it be borne But this woman had continued now thirty yeare for so they reckon from Abraham's going out of Vâ— to the destruction of Sodom This this is the grief that she should persist all this time and after all this time faâ—l away The rather if we consider yet further that not onely she continued many yeares but susteined many things in her continuance as being companion of Abraham and Lot in their exile their travaile and all their affliction This is the griefe that after all these stormes in the broad Sea well past she should in this pitifull manner be wracked in the haven And when she had been in Egypt not poisoned with the superstitions of Egypt when lived in Sodom and not defiled with the sinnes of Sodom Not fallen away for the famine of Canaan nor taken harme by the fullnesse of the Cities of the Plaine after all this she should lose the fruict of all this and doe and suffer so many things all in vaine This is the first Remember it 2 Now when best meanes of standing The second is no whit inferiour That at that instant she wofully perished when GOD 's speciall favour was profered to preserve her and that when of all other times she had meanes and cause to stand then of all other times she fell away Many were the mercies she found and felt at GOD 's hands by this very title that she was Lot's Wife For by it she was incorporated into the House and familie and made partaker of the blessings of the faithfull Abraham It was a mercie to be delivered from the errors of Vr a mercy to be kept safe in Egypt a mercy to be preserved from the sinne of Sodome a mercy to be delivered from the Captivitie of the five Kings and this the last and greatest mercy that she was sought to be delivered from the perishing of the five Cities This no doubt doth mightily aggravate the offense that so many waies before remembred by GOD in trouble she so coldly remembred Him and that now presently being offered grace she knoweth not the day of her visitation But being brought out of Sodom and warned of the danger that might ensue having the Angells to goe before her Lot to beare her companie her daughters to attend her and being now at the entrance of Zoar the haven of her rest this very time place and presence she maketh choise of to perish in and to cast away that whicâ— GOD would have sâ—ved in respect of her selfe desperately of the Angells contemptuously of her husband and daughters scandalously of GOD and His favours unthankefâ—lly forsaking her owne mercie and perishing in the sinne of willfull defection Remember Lot'â— wife and these Two 1 That she looked back after so long time and so many sufferings 2 That she looked back after so many so mercifull and so mighty protâ—ctions And remember this withall That she lookt back
know So accompt But because our knowing is the ground of our accompt the Apostle beginneth with knowledge And so must we Knowledge in all Learning is of two sorts 1 Rerum or 2 Causarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That or in that The former is in the first Verse Knowing that CHRIST c. The later in the Second For in that c. And because we cannot cast up a Summe except we have a particular the Apostle giveth us a Particular of either A particular of our Knowledge Quoad res which consisteth of these three 1. That Christ is risen from the dead 2. That now He dieth not 3. That from henceforth death hath no dominion over Him All in the first Verse Then a particular of our Knowledge Quoad causas The cause of His death Sinne He died to sinne 2 Of His life GOD He liveth to GOD. â— And both these but once for all All in the second Verse Then followeth our Accompt in the third Verse Wherein we consider first 1 The Charge â— and then the Discharge 1. The charge first Similiter vos That we be like to Christ. And then wherein 1 Like in dying to Sinne 2 Like in living to GOD. Which are the two moulds wherein we are to be cast that we may come forth like Him This is the Charge 2. And last of all The meanes we have to helpe us to discharge it in the last words in Christ Iesu our Lord. BEfore we take view of the two Particulars I. Our Knowing The Meanes of it it will not be amisse to make a little stay at Scientes the first word because it is the grownd of all the rest Knowing that Christ is risen This the Apostle saith the Romans did knowing Did know himselfe indeed that Christ was risen for He saw him But how knew the Romanes or how know we No other way then by relation eyther they or we but yet we much better then they I say by relation in the nature of a verdict of them that had seene him even Cephas and the twelve which is a full Iury hable to finde any matter of fact and to give up a verdict in it And that CHRIST is risen is matter of fact But if twelve will not serve in this matter of fact which in all other matters with us 1. Cor. 15.6 will if a greater Enquest farr if five hundred will serve you may have so many for of more then five hundred at once was He seene many of them then living ready to give up the same verdict and to say the same upon their othes But to settle a knowledge the number moveth not so much as the qualitie of the Parties If they were persons credulous light of beleefe they may well be challenged if they tooke not the way to ground their knowledge aright That is ever best knowen that is most doubted of And never was matter caried with more scruple and slownesse of beleefe with more doubts and difficulties then was this of Christ's rising Marie Magdalen saw it first and reported it They beleeved her not Mar. 16.11 Luk. 24.13.36.11.36 The two that went to Emmaus they also reported it They beleeved them not Diverse women together saw him and came and told them Their words seemed to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an idle faigned fond tale They all saw him and even seeing him yet they doubted When they were put out of doubt and told it but to one that happened to be absent it was S. Thomas you know how peremptorie he was Not he Ioh. 20.25 vnlesse he might not onely see with his eyes but feele with his fingers and put in his hand into his side 27.28 And all this he did Saint Augustine saith well Profectò valde dubitatum est ab illis ne dubitaretur a nobis All this doubting was by them made that we might be out of doubt and know that Christ is risen Sure they tooke the right course to know it certainly and certainely they did know it as appeareth For never was thing knowen in this world so confidently constantly certainly testified as was this that Christ is risen By testifying it they got nothing in the earth Got nothing Nay they lost by it their living their life all they had to lose They might have saved all and but said nothing So certaine they were so certainely they did accompt of their knowing they could not be got from it but to their very last breath to the very last drop of their blood bare witnesse to the truth of this Article and chose rather to lay downe their lives and to take their death then to denie nay then not to affirme His rising from death And thus did they know knowing testifie and by their testimonie came the Romanes to their knowing and so doe we But as I said before we to a much surer knowing then they For when this was written the whole world stopt their eares at this report would not endure to heare them stood out mainly against them The Resurrection why it was with the Graecians at Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very skorne The Resurrection why it was Act 17.32 with Festus the great Romane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sicknesse of the braine a plaine phrensie That world 26.24 that then was and long after in such opposition is since come in and upon better examination of the matter so strangely testified with so many thousand lives of men to say the least of them sadd and sober hath taken notice of it and both knowen and acknowledged the truth of it It was well foretold by Saint Iohn haec est victoria quae vincit mundum 1. Ioh. 5.4 fides vestrâ— It is proved true since That this faith of CHRIST 's rising hath made a conquest of the whole world So that after all the world hath taken knowledge of it we come to know it And so more full to us then to them is this scientes knowing Now to our particulars what we know The Particâ—lars Quâ—â—dâ—n a That Christ is risen from the dead Our first particular is That CHRIST is risen from the dead Properly we are sâ—id to rise from 〈◊〉 fallâ— and from death 〈…〉 revive Yeâ— the Apostle rather vseth the terme of rising then reviving â—s serving better to set forth his purpose That death is a fall we doubt not that it came with a fall the fall of Adam But what manner of fall for it hath beene holden a fall from whence is no rising But by Christ's rising it falls out to be a fall that we may fall and yet get up againe For if CHRIST be risen from it then is there a rising if a rising of one then may there be of another If He be risen in our nature then is our nature risen and if our nature be our persons may be Especially seeing as the Apostle in the fourth Verse before hath told
And gracious in offering to us the meanes by His Mysteries and grace with them as will rayse us also and sett our minds where true rest and glorie are to be seene That so at this last and great Easter of all the Resurrection-day what we now seek we may then finde where we now sett our minds our bodyes may then be sett what we now but tast we may then have the full fruition of Even of His glorious God-head in rest and glorie ioy and blisse never to have an end A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL on the XXIV of April A.D. MDCXIV being EASTER DAY PHIL. CHAP. II. VER 8. He humbled Himselfe made obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse. 9. For this cause hath GOD also highly exalted Him and given Him a Name above every name 10. That at the Name of IESVS every knee should bow of those in Heaven and in earth and vnder the Earth 11. And that every Tongue should confesse that IESVS CHRIST is the Lord to the glory of GOD the Father FOR this cause The Summe GOD hath exalted Him saith the Text Him that is CHRIST And for this cause are we now heere to celebrate this exalting Of which His exalting this is the first day and the Act of this day the first step of it even His rising againe from the dead Haec est clarificatio Domini nostri IESV CHRISTI quae ab Eius resurrectione sumpsit exordium saith Saint Augustine upon this place This now is the glorifying of our LORD IESVS CHRIST which tooke his beginning at His glorious resurrection Thus is the summe and substance of this Text set downe by that learned Father By him also is it likewise divided to our hands Into Humilitas Claritatis meritum The Division 1. and Claritas humilitatis praemium Humilitie the merit of glory in the first verse of the foure And glory the reward of humilitie in the other three Which two heere and ever are so fast linked together as there is no parting them I cannot but touch and I will but touch the Merit in the first verse It properly pertaines to another day And so come to Opus dici The matter of this dayes exultation is called here His Exaltation And is of two sorts By GOD in the ninth verse And by us in the two last By GOD And that is double Of his Person Of his Name Two Super's either one Super exaltavit Ipsum His Person there is one in the forepart of the ninth verse And Nomen super omne nomen His name there is the other in the latter part of it And this is GOD'S Then commeth ours For GOD exalting it Himselfe He will have us to doe the like And not to doe it inwardly alone but even outwardly to acknowledge it for such And sets downe precisely this acknowledgement how He will have it made by us Namely two waies By the Knee by the Tongue The Knee to bow to it verse 10. The Tongue to confesse it verse 11. And both these to be generall Every Knee every Tongue And not in grosse but deduced into three severall rankes All in Heaven All in earth All vnder the earth which comprehends all indeed and leaves none out This acknowledgement thus but onely insinuated by the Knee is by the Tongue more plainely expressed And this it is That IESVS CHRIST is the LORD LORD of all those three This to be done and so done as it redound all to the glory of GOD the Father But then last take the Vse with us that since in Him His humiliavit se-ipsum ends in Super-exaltavit Deus His humbling Himselfe in GOD 's Exalting That the same minde be in us Verse 5. And the same end shall come to us As His end was so ours shall be in the glory of GOD the Father Propter quod For this cause I. Veâ—se 8. WE touch first upon this word It is the Axis and Cardo the very point whereupon the whole Text turneth 1. Propâ—er First Propter A cause there is So GOD exalts ever for a cause Heere on earth otherwhile there is an Exaltavit without a Propter quod Some as Sobna Plaman Esay 22.15 Est. 3.1 Nehem 4.1 Sanballat sometimes exalted no man knowes wherefore With GOD there goeth ever with men there should goe a Propter quod before Exaltavit 2. Propter quod For a cause for what for this cause And this now casts us backe to the former verse where it is set downe Humiliavit There it is for His Humilitie Humiliavit Now of all causes not for that if we goe by this world which as the Proverbe is was made for the presumptuous Not for the vertue of all others A vertue before CHRIST thus graced it so out of request as the Philosophers looke into their Ethiques you shall not so much as finde the name of humilitie in the list of all their vertues Well this cast vertue of no reckoning is here made the Propter quod of CHRIST 's exalting Luk. 1.48 As Respexit humilitatem the ground of His Mothers Magnificat And He that by Him brought light out of darknesse at the first wil by Him bring glory out of humilitie at last Or this booke deceiveth us With GOD it shall have the place of a Propter quod 2. Cor. 4.6 how poore account soever we make of it here â— Ipse But this Quod is a Collective there be in it more points then one I will but point at them Hâ—miliâ—vit ipse He humbled He which many times is idle but here a circumstance of great waight He so great a Person being in the forme of GOD and without any disparagement at all equall to GOD as he tels us a verse before He humbled Verse 6. Vbi Majestatem praemisit vt humilitatem illustraret That discourse of His High Majestie was but to set out to give a lustre to His humilitie For for one of meane estate to be humble is no great praise It were a fault if he were not But In alto nihil altum sapere For a King as David to say I will yet be more humble 2. Sam. 6.22 for the King of Kings for Him to shew this great humilitie that is a Propter quod indeed Humiliavit Ipse Then secondly that Humiliavit Ipse se. Ipse se and not alius ipsum 2 Se. that He was not brought to it by any other but of his owne accord He humbled himselfe There is a difference betweene humilis and humiliatus One may be humbled Exod 10.16 Matt. 27.32 and yet not humble Pharao was humbled brought downe by his ten plagues Simeon of Cyrene aâ—gariatus to humble his necke vnder the Crosse. This was alius ipsos But Ipse se is the true humilitie For then it is laudabili voluntate not miserabili necessitate of a willing minde and that is commendable not of force and constraint for
we would even have done the same For those we have left it is dayly heard and seene how poore a raâ—e we set on them This we finde The Apostles themselves were faigne to magnifie their own Apostleship and to say Well they hoped the day would come when their people's faith were as it should be 2. Cor. 10.15 that they also should be esteemed according to their measure that is better then they were So that they were undervalued I will not say the same of these which are all that are now left of this dona dedit that of these Holy-day gifts there is but a working-day acâ—ompt Yet these are they that dayly doe rescue men and women laden with sinnes and so captives to Sathan from Sathan's captivitie and take them prisoners to Câ—rist These they by whose meanes and ministerie are wrought in us those impressions of grace which we call the fruicts of the Spirit the price whereof is above all â—oâ—dly gifts whatsoever And if GOD dwell among us these be they by whoâ—e 〈◊〉 and exhortation we are edified that is framed and reared up a meete buâ—lding â—or Him Act. 20.28 Truely if we did but seriously thinke of Ipse dedit who gave of Spiritus Sanctus posuit who placed them Nay if but of the Feast it selfe we hold it would be bettâ—r then it is if not for theirs for the very feast's sake For why keepe we it For thâ—se dona dedit plaine And how prize we them I list not tell how meanâ—ly Thâ—s I say then Either esteeme them otherwise or what doe we keeping it 〈…〉 Feast wipe the day of Pentecost out of the Kalendar keepe it no moâ—e â—ardâ—y Nâ—vâ—â— keepe so high a Feast for so low a matter But if we will keepe it make better reckoning of Dona dedit hominibus then hitherto we have or presently we doe 3. Hominibus Now the Parties for whom all these Hominibus Ascendit dâ—xit dâ—dit all for hominibus for men For men He ascended up on high For men He ledd captivitie For men He received these Gifts They the cisterne into which all these three streames doe flow As GOD of GOD He received them that as Man to Man He might deale them I will tell you Saint Paule's note upon this word and indeed it is the onely cause for which He there bringeth in this verse The number that it is Hominibus not Homini To men among them To every one some Not to any one all For no one man is hominibus and hominibus it is He dealâ—â— them to None so compleate but He wants some none so bare left that He wants all A note if well digested which would cause this fastidious disdeigne to cease we have one of another The spoiles are divided to them of the houshold Ver. 12. come not all to one mans hand Heb. 2.4 They be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. II. by proportion and measure part and part So that any man though he want this gift or that have not all if he have but some to doe good and doe good with that some need not be dismayed He is within the verge of CHRIST 's bountie of Dona dedit hominibus 4. Eâ—iam inimicis The last is the enlargement of His largesse of this clause in the Graunt For men Yea for some men some speciall men may some say such as Abraham and David GOD 's friends but not for His enemies nor for such as I. Yes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—en for His enemies even for His Rebells so is the nature of the word even to them this day is He willing to part with His gifts His enemies why the divels themselves are no more but so but his enemies what for them No it is hominibuâ— â—tiam inimicis It is not daemonibus So they are out cleere But for men though His enemies there is hope in this clause And ó the bountifullnesse of GOD that there is hope even for them that He so farre enlargeth the gifts of His feast Will ye but heare His Commission given about this point This it is That remission of sinnes the chiefe gift of all in His Name Luk 14.47 be proclaimed to all Nations And all Nations then in a manner were within the Apostle's Cum inimici essâ—mus But that is not it but the last words that follow That this Proclamation should be made beginning at Ierusalem At Ierusalem why there all the injuries were done Him all the indignities offered Him that could possibly be offered Him that could possibly be offered by one enemie to another Begin there why the stones were yet moist with His blood so lately shedd so few dayes before as scarse drie at the Proclamation-time Well yet there beginne This is etiam inimicis indeed Enâ—ugh to shew He would have His enemies should be the better for this day Festum charitaâ—is this right And will ye now see this put in execution This very day so soone as ever these gifts were come Saint Peter thus proclaimes That Holy and Iust One ye have beene the betrayers and murtherers of Him that is inimicis trow I in the highest degree Well yet repent and be baptized and your sinnes yea even that sinne also shalâ— be done away and ye shall receive the gift of the HOLY GHOST They that had layd Him full low past ever ascending as they thought even they have their parts in His Ascension They that bound Him as prisoner He looses their captivitie They that did damna dâ—re to Him He doth dona dare to them All to shew Etiam inimicis is no more then the truth and what would we more Then let no man despaire of his part in these gifts or say I am shut out of the Graunt I have so lived so behaved my selfe never dwell with GOD I. Why what art thou A captive Nay art thou an enimie Why if de hominibus etiam inimicis if a man though an enimie this Scripture will reach him if he put it not from him The words are so plaine for men yea though His very enimies See then what difference is betweene the two Feasts The Resurrection the first verse of the Psalme Let GOD arise and let His enimies be scattered that is Inimici daemones or men that putt Him from them But now at this Let GOD arise and let His enimies that were and would not be be gathered Ver. 1. and let those that hate Him and now hate themselves for it flye unto Him It is the feast of Pentecost to day This is the day for etiam inimicis To day He hath gifts even for them too And thus much for the latter part and so for the whole Triumph The end now why all this Hominibus for men that GOD may dwell among men III. The end that Gâ—d mâ—ght dâ—â—l â—mâ—ng men GOD that is the whole Trinitie by this Person of it Why dwelt He not among men before He did I know not well whither
Donum pâ—rfâ—ctum with an universall note to either Every good and every perfect to be sure to take in all to leave out none 2. The praedicatum that stands of three points 1 Whâ—â—ce 2 How and 3 from whom from the Father of lights Then comes the Item I told you of provisionally to meet with an objection a thought that might rise in our hearts peradventure That is it may be as the lights of the world or the children have their variations their changes so the Father also may have them But that he putts us out of doubt of too with as peremptorie a negative Be it with the lights as it will with the Father of lights with GOD there is no variation no change No not so much as a sâ—adow of them In effect as if he should say from the Father of lights which is unchangeable or from the uâ—chaâ—gâ—able Fathâ—r of lights and so it shall be meere affirmative but that there is Major vis in negatione Deniall is stronger And all these he brings in with a Nolite errare and that not without just cause For about this verse and the points in it there are no lesse then sâ—ven sundry errors I shall note you them as I goe that you may avoid them Together with such matter of dutie as shall incidently fall in from each Specially touching the gift of the day the gift of the Holy Ghost TO take the Proposition in sunder The Subject first and that is double I. 〈…〉 1 â—he Suâ—jâ—â—t thâ—â—eof 〈◊〉 1 Dâ—tum and 2 Donum 1 Datum and â— Donum and either of them his proper Epithâ—t 1 Good and 2 perfect Iointly of both together first after severally of either apart Datum and Donum they both come of Do Given they are both Where first because it is the Feast of Tongues to sett our tongue right For the world and the Holy Ghost speake not one language Not with one tongue both Of Dâ—tum and Dâ—num joâ—ntâ—y There should not els have needed any to have beene sent downe The world talkes of all as had the Holy Ghost as given Looke to the Habendum saith the world the having that is the Spirit of the World 's Religion looke to Donum and Datum the giving that is his The Heathen calls his vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a â—abet that comes of habendo The Christian by Saint Iames heere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 datum and donum all which come of Dando Thus doth the Holy Ghost frame our tongues to speake if we will speake with the toâ—guâ—s of this Day They tâ—at doe not they are of Galilee and their speech bewrateth them streight Will you heare one of them You know who said Soule thou hast enough hast Luk. 12.19 1. Cor 4 7. and you know who spake otherwise Quid habes quod non accepisti What but that you have received Receiving and giving you know are râ—latives which the other little thought of You may know each by their dialect From the beginning Esau he said Habeo bona plurima frater mi I have goods enough that is his phrâ—se of speech that the language of Edom. Gen. 33 9. What saith Iacob at the same time Esau asking him what were all the droves he met They be saith he the good things that GOD hath given me Have saith Esau Gen. 33.6 Given me saith Iacob Nonne habeo Have not I power to crucifie thee Ioh. 19.10 and have not I power to deliver thee You may know it it is Pilate's voice But our Saviour he tells him Non haberes potestatem Ioh. 19.11 Power should he have had none if it had not beene given him and given him from above Saint Iames his very phrase heere from CHRIST 's owne mouth So must we speake if we will speake as CHRIST spake The I. Error This then is the first error To have our minde runne and our speech runne all upon having Men are all for having thinke and speake of what they have without mention or whence or how or from whom they receive it or that it is given them at all Nolite errare Be not deceived for all that you have is datum or donum all and they both are of free gift given all Thus the tongue that satt this day on Saint Iames's head taught him to call them Thus farre jointly now severally Of each severally 1 Datum For there is a cleft in these tongues The cleft is Datum and Donum Would not wrapp them all up in one word but expresses them in two Somewhat there is in that We may not admit of any idle Tautologies in Scripture Two severall sorts then they be these two not opposite but differing onely in degree as more and lesse Every gift is a giving Not every giving a gift Every perfect good not every good perfect We are not to thinke either all our sinnes or all our gifts to be of one size Saint Matthewe's talent is more then Saint Luke's pound Caesar's penny then the Widowe's two mites yet good money all in their severall values Of these two 1 Datum and 2 Donum 1 Bonum and 2 Perfectum one is greater of lesse then another 1 Datum He beginnes with the lesse Datum Weigh the word it is but a Participle they have tenses and tenses time So that is onely temporall 2 Donum But Donum imports no time so a more sett terme hath more substance in it is fixed or permanent One as it were for terme of yeares The other of the nature of a perpetuitie A datum that which is still in giving that perishes with the use as do things transitorie Iob 1.21 and be of that sort that Iob spake GOD hath given and GOD hath taken away Donum is not so but of that sort that CHRIST speakes in Marie's choise so given as it should never be taken from her So one referrs to the things which are seene Luk. 10.42 which are temporall the other to the things not seen that are aeternall One to the body and to this world the other to the soule rather and the life of the world to come 1 Bonum We shall discerne it the more cleerly if we weigh the two Adjectives 1 Gâ—od and 2 Perfect 1. Tim. 1.8 Heb 7.19 they differ Every good is not perfect We know the Law is good saith the Apostle but we know withall the Law bringeth nothing to perfection so not perfect Nature quà natura is good yet unperfect and the Law in the rigor of it not possible through the imperfection of it Nature is not the Law is not taken away good both but grace is added to both to perfect both which needed not if either were perfect 1. Ioh. 3.17 Matt. 7.9.10 This world 's good so doth Saint Iohn call our wealth Nay bread fish and eggs we give our children our SAVIOVR himselfe calleth good gifts But what are these not worthy to be named if
AVGVST Ann. Dom. MDCXV PSAL. XXI VER I. II.III.IV The KING shall rejoice in thy strength ô LORD Exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation Thou hast graunted him his heart's desire And hast not denied him the request of his lipps Selah Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodnesse and hast set a Crowne of pure gold upon his head He asked life of Thee and thou gavest him a long life Even for ever and ever VPON a day of joy Heer is a Text of joy Vpon a day of joy for the King a Text of a King in joy For so we see there is in the Text a King and he joyfull and glad Glad first for strength shewed by GOD in saving him Glad againe for goodnesse shewed by GOD in satisfying yea more then satisfying preventing his desires and that in the matter of his crowne and of his life both This King was King David no doubt The very Title of the Psalme sheweth as much And the Sonne of Syrach of whom I reckon as well or better then of any Commentarie these very words heer he applies to King David Chap. 47. ver 7. Originally then He But neither solely nor wholly He. His meaning was not to â—â—ke this saving his owne case alone Nor to engrosse this joy all to himselfe ye 〈◊〉 see it by the very setting it downe It is not as of himselfe I will rejoyce 〈◊〉 as of a third person The King shall The King indefinitely So entailing it 〈◊〉 to his Office then to his person And leaving it at large appliable to eny other 〈…〉 as well as himselfe To â—ny other King I say Specially eny other such King that should be as strangely saved by GOD 's strength As fairely blessed by His goodnesse as ever was he That shoâ—â—d find the like favour that he did and be vouchsafed the like gracious deliveraâ—â—e that he was Eny such King in such wise saved to be equally interessed in this 〈◊〉 with him And to have this Psalme serve for a Sermon or for an Anthem no lesse 〈◊〉 He. 〈◊〉 by this we hope in GOD this rejoycing heer shall not be shut up against us â— Cor. 11.10 〈◊〉 that which is heere left indefinite we suppose we can definitely applie to a Kiâ—g in whose presence we stand To whom the same strength and the same goodâ—esse and of the same Lord have shewed forth themselves in saving him saving both his Crowne and life no lesse then David's This comes well to the Text. But what doth this concerne us now more then eny other time Yes for heer comes the day and claimes a propertie in it How that Remember ye how the Apostle when he had cited the place out of Esay 2. Cor. 6.2 Esay 49.8 I have heard thee in an accepted time in the day of salvation have I helped thee Behold saith he now is the accepted time Behold this is the day of salvation The same for all the world saith this day The King shall be glad of thy salvation Ecce hodie dies salutis hâ—jus Behold this is the Day of that salvation For so it is indeed The very salvatiâ—â—â—ay it selfe this Foâ— this day was his life sought and he set on to have been shamefully made away And this very day saved he was and in virtute mightily saved and in virtute Dei by the mightie hand and helpe even of God himselfe Since then this blessing fell upon this day If we will take a time And a time we will take to rejoyce and to give God thankes for it that which the day pleads for is most reasonable that you will take this day rather then another For if hodie dies sâ—lâ—tis If to day the day of salvation No reason in the world but to day the day of reioycing for it But I will forbeare to take eny notice or to mention eny but David at the first going over The Text that requireth a survey of course first and shall have it But tâ—en if the Day shall pray a review after I see not how in right we can denie it Be these then the two parts The Survey and the Review And in either of these The Division 〈◊〉 principall points present themselves â— The joy 2. and the ground or causes of it The ioy in the front of the Text And tâ—e causes in the sequele of it The causes are as the number of the verses foure 1 The saving of the King by thâ— â—trength of God 2 The satisfying yea the preventing his desire by the goodnesse 〈◊〉 God 3 The setting on his crowne by the hand of God Tu posuisti 4 The prolonging his life by the gift of God These foure Now every of these the ioy and the causes and indeed the whole Text seemes to 〈◊〉 upon Triplicities In the last verse of the Psalme God is said to exalt His strength Hiâ— strength in exaltation makes the ioy in triplicitie â—he triplicitie of ioy first The King 1 shall reioyce 2 shall be glad 3 exceeding 〈◊〉 shall he be 1 Laetabitur 2 exultabit 3 vehementer The like in all the causes Why glad first for the King 1 was saved 2 saved 〈◊〉 3 by thy strength ô Lord. 1 Salute 2 virtute and 3 Tuâ Domine â—â—on this of strength followeth a new triplicitie of goodnesse Therein 1 the desire â—f 〈◊〉 heart 2 the request of his lipps And besides them 3 the blessings of goodnesse Of these three the first granted the second not denied and prevented with the third Of which blessings there are two sett downe in particular 1 His crowne and 2 His life His crowne and the triplicitie of it 1 Corona 2 Coronatio and 3 Coronans the 1 Crowne 2 the Coronation or setting it on by another 3 And that other God None but He Tu posuisti His life and there another the last triplicitie 1 Life 2 long life and 3 life in seculum et in seculum seculi Long life in this world life for ever in the world to come And for this strength in thus saving and this goodnesse in thus satisfying his desire in the safety both of His crowne and His life is all this laetabitur and exultabit All this ioy and iubilee of the Text. This Survey done the day will further pray a Review trusting it will fall out all this to proove the case of the day just That all these causes will coincidere into it 1 Salutem misit 2 Desiderium concessit 3 Coronam posuit and 4 Vitam dedit And if these then the joy too without faile And that two wayes Vpon two powers that be in the word shall 1 Shall the Bond de praesenti binding us to accommodate our selves to the present occasion to this joyfull season of GOD 's sending 2 And then shall the Tense which is not the present but the future And so shall not onely for this present day but shall still still shall for many dayes of many Augusts in many yeares
per quem the more the ioy still The Salvation is made the more precious 〈…〉 of it That as it is 〈◊〉 Regiâ— on his part that receives it So it is 〈◊〉 Divina on His that gives it that iâ— Tua Domine 〈◊〉 this Domine there 〈…〉 To virtute and salute either of 〈…〉 Tua virture 〈…〉 and this doubling of the point we shall 〈◊〉 concernes the joy 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Ioâ— 4.10 For that it may not â—e as Iâ—nas's ioy in his gourd up in one night downe in another that is vanishing and â—â—sure but sound and permanent it is best our Hosannah be in the Highest best that the Hypostasis or substance of this our reioycing be in the strength of the Lord. Psal. 1â— 7 â— Non in chariots and horses we see what became of them the Psalme 〈…〉 ceciderunt Downe they went and downe went their ioy with them 〈…〉 virtâ—te alien◠〈…〉 â— Psal. 44 6. 2. Sam. 24 1◠〈…〉 his owne bow or sword or number of his People that prooved not well 〈◊〉 that was in virtute suâ In virtute Tuà we shall find is the safer Not but that in these humane strengths we may reioyce in some sort with some caution Ion. 4.7 but that they be all subject to the worme Ionas's Gourd was mortall and mutable all not so soone had but as soone lost and sooner a great deale there is no hold of them quotidie diffâ—uunt we find it we feele it daily Therefore well fare in virtute Domini the might of the Almightie In it there is the sound ioy O it is good reioycing in the strength of the arme that shall never wither or wax weake Psal 36 7. and in the shadow of those wings that shall never cast their feathers in Him that is not there yesterday and heer to day but the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 For as He is so shall the joy be In virtute Tuâ then And Salute Tuâ too â— Salute Tuâ Nay virtus Tua but salus sua the power that may be GOD 's but the salvation that is the King's one would thinke And so it is But he reioyces not in it as it is salus sua at least not so much as that it is salus Tua GOD 's of and from GOD who wroâ—ght it and brought it to passe Nay even in salute Tua it selfe not so much in saâ—ute as in Tuâ in the gift as in the partie that gave it So doth no worldly man he goes no further then in salute that he hath it that safe he is cares for no more for no Tuâ he But David's ioy and the ioy of the Godly is not so much that he is sâ—ved or had strength so to be as that it was GOD sent forth his strength so to save him Psal. â—8 28 Nay nothing so much in Salute as in Tuâ in the salvation as in GOD his SAVIOVR Luk. 1.47 And why so ioyfull for this Tua Domine more then the rest I shall tell you why For this is the very exaltation the highest point of the whole triplicitie There was none of the Emperors upon such an escape as this but he took to himselfe presently as an high honor the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preserved by GOD and vsed it ever after as an addition to his Style as glorious as Alamannicus or Parthicus or eny Tâ—tle of them all A King thus saved by GOD is more then a King I meane more then another King not so respected by God More I say then another 1. More to be set by in thâ— sight of his ownâ— people tanquam speculum propitij Numinis as a mirror of God's favour when they see him thus taken into God's speciall protection The very 〈…〉 are Verse 5. His honour is great in this salvation 2. A◠〈◊〉 his oâ—ne people So more esteemed of his neighbours when they see their 〈…〉 with knives Psal 20.8 and so cast downe and fall but him after he was cast downe to 〈…〉 sâ—and upâ—ight Hij ceciderunt helps it much 3. And 〈…〉 of his enemies when they see the eye of God's providenâ—e the 〈…〉 the â—â—â—â—ngth of His arâ—e still over him still set to save hiâ— and doe him 〈◊〉 they wâ—s 〈◊〉 â—â—raid to plot oâ—ght against him when they see 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 â—pholds him â—till when they see Tua Domine 〈…〉 upon him 〈…〉 â—re we come to 〈◊〉 â—â—ring-head to 〈◊〉 laetitiae Tua Tua Domine 〈…〉 brought 〈…〉 up to Him we turne it loose let it 〈…〉 it If it be gaudeâ—e in Dominâ— Nay 〈…〉 dico gaudete saith the Apostle Then to it againe and againe Phil. 4.4 double it 〈…〉 it and spare not Good leave have you 〈…〉 for this salus Regia and salus Divina both ioyne the triplicities see 〈…〉 not this and the first of ioy In vìrtute God's strength the very promise 〈…〉 of it yields ioy within there is laetabitur But made apparant in salute 〈…〉 matter of exultabit without But Tua Tua Domine to that belongs 〈…〉 there is his place O how greatly shall David reioyce within triumph 〈…〉 in the Lord being saved by Him so mightily and so mervailously saved by 〈…〉 â—hese two triplicities are in the first verse both 〈…〉 is new ioy in the second verse upon a new ground the goodnesse of God The II. Cause In satisfying the desire 1 Of his heart 2 Of his lipps 〈…〉 and goodnesse doe well together neither without other saveth Strength 〈…〉 could well but will not till goodnesse come to it Both did it heere For in 〈…〉 saved by strength and in the seventh verse In the mercie of the most High he 〈◊〉 â—iscarie By strength that by no arme of flesh By mercie that by no merit 〈…〉 owne 〈◊〉 His goodnesse is over all his workes over strength and all For Psal. 145.9 it sheweth it 〈◊〉 â—ot in saving onely which is a matter of necessity but ouer and besides that in 〈…〉 his desires and that is matter of meer bounty 〈◊〉 indeed no way doth his goodnesse so shew it selfe as in sending us our desires 〈◊〉 â—oâ—hing is so properly the matter of ioy as the desire sent The denying of our 〈◊〉 Nay the but delaying it is an abatement to our ioy But the desire accompliâ—â— â—hat is the Tree of life saith Salomon And the Three of life Pro. 13.12 Gen. 2.9 was in the midst of 〈…〉 the very center of Paradise and all the ioyes there The satisfying his 〈◊〉 â—â—tisfie is one thing and to satisfie by prevention another Betweene them 〈…〉 make up a new triplicitie For the former of satisfying the desire is set 〈…〉 either as conceived in the heart Desiderium cordis or as expressed with 〈…〉 Prolatio labiorum It is much to satisfie these two His goodnesse gives 〈◊〉 both to the one and to the other satisfaction to the heart by granting the 〈◊〉
their wicked counsell and 〈…〉 their hearts Which hearts of theirs the weapons of just defense went through 〈◊〉 â—heir counsell turned to their confusion â—nd now our Benedictus Deus to GOD Blessed be He for this Maledictus 〈◊〉 for the Patriarch's curse that light upon them and theirs And yet our 〈◊〉 too to them their weapons their counsell their furie their soules and their 〈◊〉 And from such blooud-thirstie cursed men GOD ever blesse You. Let me tell you this for a farewell Iacob doth heer two things 1 Delivers us a â—â—cument 2 and denounceth a dreadfull punishment His Document is Ne veniat 〈◊〉 His punishment is Maledictus and Dissipabo And choose they that will not 〈◊〉 veniat with him he will say Maledictus his curse be upon them But as Iacob 〈◊〉 so we to say all all to say after him Ne veniat both passive and active Passive 〈◊〉 be their counsell taken about Iacob's soule or his soule that is to us Iacob even 〈◊〉 Feeder the Pastor and Stone of Israël never come his soule to be the subject or 〈◊〉 treated of in any such counsell Active and never let any true subject's soule 〈◊〉 in any such counsell nor ever any good Christian come in that Church wherein 〈◊〉 Counsell or Counselors are harboured and mainteined or that hold any doctrine 〈◊〉 favours any such consultations But if any will not thus say Iacob's Ne veniat we to be so bold as to say Iacob's Maledictus to him his soule his seed his memorie and all Let all such inherit the curse let it be their legacie Exurgat Deus et dissipentur inimici Let God arise Psal. 68.1.2 and these his enemies be scattered As the stubble before the wind and as the smoke let them vanish and come to nothing Let their lives be for the sword their names be putt out their soules for the curse their houses pulld down and desolate So perish all thine enemies ô LORD Iud. 5.31 c Printed for Richard Badger â—ERMONS OF THE Gun-pouder-Treason PREACHED VPON THE FIFT OF November A â—ERMON â—reached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL on the V. of November A. D. MDCVI PSAL. CXVIII VER XXIII XXIV A DOMINO factum est istud est mirabile in oculis nostris Haec est Dies quam fecit Dominus exultemus laetemur in ea 〈◊〉 is the Lord 's doing and it is mervailous in our eyes 〈◊〉 is the Day which the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it TO entitle this time to this Text or to shew it pertinent to the present occasion will aske no long processe This Day of ours This fift of November a day of GOD 's making that which was done upon it was the Lord 's doing CHRIST 's own application which is the best may well be applied here This day is this Scripture fulfilled in our eares For Luk. 4.21 if ever there were a Deed done or a Day made by God in our dayes this Day and the Deed of this Day was it If ever He gave cause of mervailing as in the first of reioycing as in the second verse to any Land to us this day He gave both If ever saved prospered 〈…〉 this day He saved prospered and as we say fairely blessed us The day we all know was meant to be the day of all our deaths and we and many were appointed as sheepe to the slaâ—ghter nay worse then so There was a thing doing on it if it had been done we all had beene undone And the very same day we all know the day wherein that appointment was disappointed by God and we all saved that we might not die but live Ver. 17. and declare the praise of the Lord the Lord of whose doing that mervailous Deed was of whose making this joyfull Day is that we celebrate Psal. 111.5 This mercifull and gratious Lord saith David Psal. 111.5 hath so done His mervailous Works that they ought to be had and kept in remembrance Of keeping in remembrance many waies there be Among the rest this is one of making Dayes sett soâ—emne Daies to preserve memorable Acts that they be not eaten out by them but ever revived with the returne of the Yeare and kept still fresh in continuall memorie God himselfe taught us this way In remembrance of the great Deliverie from the destroying Angell Exod. 12.3 c. He himselfe ordained the day of the Passe-over yearly to be kept The Church by Him taught tooke the same way In remembrance of the disappointing of Haman's bloudie lotts Est. 9.26 they likewise appointed the daies of Purim yearely to be kept The like memorable mercie did He vouchsafe us The Destroyer passed over our dwellings this day It is our Passe-over Haman and his Fellowes had sett the dice on us and we by this time had beene all in peeces It is our Purim day We have therefore well done and upon good warrant to tread in the same stepps and by law to provide that this Day should not die nor the memoriall thereof perish from our selves or from our seed but be consecrated to perpetuall memorie by a yearly acknowledgement to be made of it throughout all generations In accomplishment of which order we are all now heere in the presence of God on this day that He first by His Act of doing hath made and we secondly by our act of decreâ—ing have made before Him his holy Angells and men to confesse this His goodnesse and our selves eternally bound to Him for it And being to confesse it with what words of Scripture can we better or fitter do it then those we have read out of this Psalme Sure I could thinke of none fitter but even thus to say A Domino factum c. The Division The treatie whereof may well be comprised in three points 1. The Deed or doing 2. The Day and 3. The Dutie The Deed in these This is the Lord's c. The Day in these This is the day c. The Dutie in the rest Let us c. The other two reduced to the Day which is the center of both The Doing is the cause The Dutie is the consequent from the Day groweth the Dutie To proceed orderly we are to beginne with the Day For though in place it stand after the Deed Yet to us it is first our knowledge is à posteriori The effect ever first where it is the ground of the rest Of the Day then first 1. That such Daies there be and how they come to be such 2. Then of the Doing that maketh them wherein 1 that this of David's was and 2 that ours is no lesse rather more 3. Then of the Dutie how to doe it by rejoycing and being glad for so gaudium erit plenum these two make it full How to take order that we may long and often doe it by saying our Hosanna and Benedictus for gaudium nostrum nemo tollet à nobis Ioh. 16.22
works Psalme 91.13 Psalme 110.1 with Super Aspidem et Basiliscum to tread upon them to make His enemies His footstoole and so a Super Over them too And now we have set Mercie in her Chariot of triumph In which if ever she sate IIII. The Super of our Duety she sate in the Super omnia of this Day Let us now come to the last Super the Super of â—â—ety remaining upon the head of all God's works for His mercie over them all but â—mong them all and above them all upon our heads if it were but for the sovereigne Mercie of this Day what we are in Super to GOD for it The Super upon all GOD 's works followes in the words next ensuing From his works a Verse 10. Confiteantur Are His mercies over all his works Why then b Verse 21. O all ye works of the Lord all flesh Psal. 150.6 every thing that hath breath but chiefly his chiefe worke the sonns of men d Psal. 117.1 the nations and the kindreds of the earth come all to confession all ow this to confesse at least Confesse what Nothing but mercie and the Super of the Mercie Nothing but that it is as it is do but as God doth exalt it place it where He setts it Let the deep say it is over me and the drie land say it is over me and so of the rest every one so many works so many confessions There is a further Super upon His Saints they owe more to Him then His ordinarie works His works but to confesse His Saints to confesse and blesse both From his Sainâ—s Verse 10. Psal. 65.1 They are double works needle-worke on both sides more becomes them Te decet hymnus in Sion Both to confesse it is above all and to blesse and praise it above all For if it be above all it followes more praise is to come to Him for it then for all If Mercie above all the praise of His mercie above the praises of all There is a further Super yet upon us that have found and felt the Super of it From Vt. the Non taliter say I above works and Saints both All are bound but we that are heer suâ—er omnes more then all we We that should have been Martyrs of Satan's crueltie it stands us in hand to be Confessors of God's Mercie as to which we owe even our selves our selves and our safetie safetie of soules and bodies every one of us Then let the King Queen and Prince let all the three Estates let the whole Land delivered by it from a Chaos of confusion let our soules which he hath held in life let our bodies which He hath kept together from flying in pieces let all think on it think how to thank him for it say and sing and celebrate it above all We above all for it above all For if ever Mercie were over worke of His if ever Worke of His under it directly it was so over us and we so under it this Day If ever of any it might be avowed or to any applied If ever any might rightly and truely upon good and just cause say or sing this verse we of this land may do both It will fitt out mouthes best best become us For such a Worke did He shew on us this Day as if Mercie have a Super omnia of other this may claime a Super omnia of it of Mercie it selfe His Mercie is not so high â—bove the rest of His works as this Daye 's Worke high above the works of it That supreme to all this supreme to it Mercie in it even above it selfe We then that have had such a Super in this Super we of all others nay more then 〈◊〉 others to have it yet more specially recommended A bare confession will not sâ—rve but the highest confession of all to take the Oath of the Supremaciâ— of it We if â—ver any to say it and sweare it if it had not been in sovereigne manner over some of His works that is our selves we had beene full low yet this infra infimâ—s beneath under all his workes not now above ground to speake and to heare of this theme Let it then claime the supremacie in our Confiteantur and in our Benedicant both â—bove works Saints and all And that not mentally or verbally alone in heart â—o to hold and in tongue so to report it but which is worth all really in worke so to eâ—presse it I meane as our thanks for His mercie above all our thanks so our works of Mercie above all our works But be they so His are so are ours I would to God â— could say they were but sure they are not His mercie above all his works With 〈◊〉 in this point it is cleane contrarie all our works above our mercie The least the last the lowest part of our workes are our workes of mercie the fewest in number the poorest in value the slightest in regard Indeed infra omnia with us they But sure GOD in thus setting it above all his workes sheweth He would have it with us so too That which is Super omnia Ejus to be Super omnia nostra as above all His so above all ours likewise And CHRIST our SAVIOVR would have it so His Estote Luc. 6.36 is Estote misericordes and how not barely Estote but Estote sicut Pater vester coelestis Mercifull as He. And how is He So as with Him it is above all To imitate Him then in this let it be highest with us as with Him it is highest Sure we are not right till it be with us so too As in GOD 's so in ours above ours above them all That so it may have the Supremacie in Confiteantur in Benedicant in praise â—nd thankes in words and workes and all To sett of the Super of this day then and to conclude If the generalitie of His works confesse Him for theirs and the specialitie of his Saints blesse Him for theirs what are we to doe how to confesse how to blesse for the singular Mercie of this Day and let all others goe Psal. 71.8 Sure our mouthes to be filled with praise as the Sea and our voice in sounding it out as the noise of his waves and we to cover the heavens with praise as with clouds for it But we are not able to praise Thee ô Lord or to extoll thy Name for one of a thousand Nay not for one of the many millions of the great Mercies which thou hast shewed upon us and upon our children How often hast thou ridd us from Plague freed us from Famine saved us from the Sword from our enemies compassing us round from the Fleet that came to make us no more a people Even before this Day we now hold before it and since it have not Thy compassions withdrawen themselves from us But this Day this Day above all daies have they shewed it Super omnia
and good resolutions Pitie but they should be so Pitie there should want strength for them Well may they be conceived come well to the birth when they be come thither vigor enough to deliver them and never when they be come so farre to miscarie We may take our light from that It is venerunt filij and filij is the plurall number So more then one many there would be And filij falls well with the word gratiae which lacks the singular No such phrase as Agere gratiam A single thanke was never heard of And both falls well likewise to quit the birth we were quitt of For the barrells were many and full and so would our thanks be Againe they would be filij that is such as children be and children be flesh blood and bone I meane some reall some substantiall thankes Not to travaile as it were with winde with a few words onely which are but aire and into the aire they vanish againe Partus opus ye remember we said before some worke there would be Actio gratiarum somewhat actually done leave some realitie behind it as in a child there is Thus farre like but then a difference Come it would not as did theirs ad partum exclusivè thither and no farther but inclusivè to the birth and from the birth have the blessing of the wombe and of the brests of the wombe to bring it forth of the brests to bring it up till it prooved somewhat worth the while That so we may rejoyce as much in the affirmative of this birth of ours Venerunt et sunt vires as we did in the negative of that of theirs venerunt non erant vires So doing GOD shall againe and againe turne away those birthes if any be in breeding take away all strength from them being bred as to Day He did And give us new occasions daily to bring Him forth praise and thankes for His daily continued mercies in delivering our King our Land Vs and Ours all A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KINGS MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL ON THE V. of NOVEMBER Anno Domini MDCXVII LVC. CHAP. I. VER LXXIV LXXV The VII and VIII Verses of Benedictus Vt sine timore de manu inimicorum nostrorum liberati serviamus Illi In sanctitate justitia coram Ipso omnibus diebus nostris That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serve Him without feare Jn holinesse and righteousnesse before Him all the dayes of our life THE children were come to the birth Esay 37.3 The Text the yeere before and there was no strength to deliver them There we left last Their not being delivered was the cause of our being delivered And now I go on And our being delivered was to this end That The end or Vt of this dayes deliverance we being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serve Him c. For I demand Delivered we were as this day why was it Was it that we might stand and cry out of the foulenesse of the fact or stand and inveigh against those monsters that were the Actors in it Was it that we might blesse our selves for so faire an escape Or bestow a piece of an Holy-day on GOD for it And all these we may do And all these we have done and upon good ground all Yet none of these the very Vt nor we â—elivered that we might do these But when all is said that can be said hither we must 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 indeed the Vt finalis the right 〈…〉 proper â—hat 〈…〉 we bethink ourselves how to 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the whole 〈…〉 first word Benedictus There is visited and reâ—â—â—med in the 〈…〉 or a miâ—hty salvation in the next After we saveâ— from them 〈…〉 you shall see that all these suspend still no perfect period till yo◠〈…〉 But at this there is Visited redeemed saved mightily saved why all For no other end but that being so visited redeemed and saved we might wholy addict and give over our selves to the Service of Him who was Author of them all Our delivery froÌ„ the Grand Delivery by Christ. 〈◊〉 well that principally and properly the whole Song referreth to the deliverâ—â—â—â— of deliverances 〈◊〉 finall deliverance from our ghostly enemies and from their fire the fire of â—ell by our Blessed Saviour which was so great as it was able to open the mouth and loose the tongue of a dumb man and make him breake forth into a Benedictus But inasmuch as in every kind the chief giveth the Rule or as we say heer the Vt to all that are from and under it And that ours and all other deliverances that have been or shall be are from and under that of His Our enemies set on by those enemies Ours lighted their match at their fire the fire of hell and so do all others whatsoever The same Vt. therefore is it that this Text aptly may be and usually hath been ever applied to any deliverance from any enemies whatsoever those of LXXXVIII these of this Day the same Vt in all as comming all from the same principium à quo and tending all to the same finis ad quem that heer is set downe 1 The same cause From whence For the principium à quo we have formerly endeavoured to set that streight from whence our deliverance came Even from the goodnesse of GOD yet not expressed under that terme goodnesse but under the terme of mercie as elsewhere As heer but a verse before To performe the mercie And a little after Through the tender mercies of our God Verse 5. Verse 11. Which terme is made choise of for two causes One it includes miserie The other Mercie it excludes merit and so fittest for our turne 1. Goodnesse may be performed to one though in good case Not mercie but to such onely as are in miserie In misericordia there is miseri ever And this to putt us in mind of our case the extreme miserie we had come to but for His mercifull deliverance 2. Againe Goodnesse may be shewed to such as may seeme some way to deserve it So cannot Mercie Lam. 3.22 The Text An. 1612. Psal. 145.9 The Text An. 1615. For but where Merit is wanting Mercie is not pleaded properly These set us right in the principium à quo that we ascribe it not to a wrong cause Out of Ieremie It was the mercie of the Lord that we were not consumed Out of the Psalme That mercie of His that is over all His works 2. The same end Whereto And now to the finis ad quem For we are as easily and no lesse dangerously mistaken in that By Mercie 's meanes without all merit of ours we were not consumed but delivered from so great a miserie so neere us Why were we so Were we liberati to become libertines to set us downe and to eate and to drink healths and rise up and see a play was there no Vt in it Yes what
will say as the Fathers say upon the like occasion Faxit Deus tam commâ—dâ— quà m est accomoda I pray GOD make it as profitable as it is pertinent as frâ—â—tfull to you as it is fitt for you The Division 1. This whole Scripture hath his name given it even in the first wordâ— Charge saith he the rich c It is a Charge 2. It is directed to certaine men namely to the Rich of this world 3. It consisteth of foure branches Whereof Two are negative for the removing of two abuses 1. The first Charge them that they be not high minded 2. The second Charge them that they trust not in their riches The reason is added which is a Maxime and a Ground in the Law of Nature That we must trust to no uncertaine thing Trust not in the uncertaintie of riches The other two are affirmative concerning the true use of riches 1. The first Charge them that they trust in GOD. The reason Because He giveth them all things to enjoy plenteously 2. The second Charge them that they do good that is the substance The quantitie that they be rich in good workes the qualitie That they be ready to part with and a speciall kind of doing good to communicate to benefit the publique And all these are one Charge The reason of them all doth follow Because by this meanes they shall lay up in store and that for themselves a good foundation against the time to come The end that they may obtaine eternall life I. A Charge PRaecipe divitibus Charge the rich of this world c. Beloved heer is a Charge a Praecipe a Precept or a Writt directed unto Timothie and to those of his Commission to the world's end to convent and call before him He the rich men of Ephesus and we the rich men of this Citie and others of other places of the earth and to give them a charge Charges as you know use to be given at Assises in Courts from the Bench. From thence is taken this judiciall terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it appeareth Act. 5.28 Did not we charge you streightly saith the Bench in the Consistorie judicially assembled Whereby we are given to understand that in such Assemblies as this is the Lord of Heaven doth hold His Court whereunto all men and they that of all men seeme least the rich and mighty of the world owe both suit and service For as earthly Princes have their Lawes their Commissions their Ministers of the Law their Courts and Court-daies for the maintenance of their peace So hath the King of Kings His Lawes and Statutes His Precepts and Commissions by authority delegate Rom. 7. Matth. 28.19 Ite praedicate Go preach the Gospel His Counsailors at Law whom Augustine calleth Divini Iuris Consultos His Courts 〈◊〉 â—â—culto conscientiae in the hid and secret part of the heart and conscience Psal. 7.8 for the preservation of His peace which the world can neither give nor take away to the end Psal. 119.165 that nâ—ne may offend or be offended at it This we learne And with this we learne all of us so to conceive of and to dispose our selves to such Meetings as this as men that are to appeare in Court before the Lord there to receive a charge which when the Court is broken up we must think of how to discharge In which point great is the occasion of complaint which we might take up For who is there that with that awe and reverence standeth before the Lord at His charge-giving that he receiveth a charge with at an earthly Barre Or with that care remembreth the Lord and his charge wherewith he continually thinketh upon the Iudge and his charge Truly the Lord's Commission is worthy to have as great reverence and regard attending on it as the charge of any Prince truly it is Weigh with your selfe is not GOD 's charge with as much heed and reverence to be received as an earthly Iudge's Absit ut sic saith Saint Augustine sed vtinam vel sic GOD forbid but with more heed and reverence well I would it had so much in the meane time And which to our shame we must speak I would we could do as much for the Bible as for the Statute-Books for heaven as for the earth for the Immortall GOD as for a mortall man But whither we doe or no yet as our SAVIOVR CHRIST said of Saint Iohn Baptist If ye will receive Matt. 11.14 this is that Eliah which was to come so say I of this Precept If ye will receive it this is the Charge the Lord hath laid on you And this let me tell you farther that it is such a Charge as it concerneth your peace the plentifull use of all your wealth and riches in the second Verse of my Text Which giveth us all things to enjoy plenteously c which may move you Or if that will not let me add this farther It is such a Charge as toucheth your estate in everlasting life the very last words of my Text. That is the well or evill hearing of this Charge is as much worth as your aeternall life is worth And therefore Matt. 11.5 He that hath eares to heare let him heare It is a Charge then and consequently to be discharged To be discharged where 2. To the Rich. Charge saith he the rich He speaketh to the Rich you know your owne names you know best what those rich men are Shall I tell you You are the rich he speaketh unto you It is the fashion and the fault of this world to exercise their authority on them most that need it least For rich men to feast them that least need it for mighty men to preferre them that least deserve it It is an old Simile we have oft heard it that The Lawes are like Cobwebbs that they hold fast the seely flies but the great Hornetts breake through them as oft as they lift And as there are cobwebb-Lawes which exempt mighty men So the same Corruption that was the cause thereof would also make Cobwebb-Divinitie For notwithstanding the Commission runneth expresly to the Rich Charge c notwithstanding they be in great danger and that of many snares as the Apostle saith in this Chapter and therefore need it greatly Verse 9. Yet I know not how it comes to passe whither because they thinke themselves too wise to receive a charge any charge at all or because they thinke themselves too good to receive it at the hands of such meane men as we be and if they must needs be charged they would be charged from the Counsaile from men more Noble and Honorable then themselves they would not gladly heare it surely they would not and because they would not gladly heare it we are not hasty they should heare it And great reason why as we thinke for as it is true which is in the Psal. 49.18 So long 〈◊〉 they do good to
where plaine meaning and dealing without as Esai calls them these same deepe digged devises 3 where the eye is upon idipsum and no ipsum els Esai 29.15 4 where GOD is not constreined to dwell in Mesech but the People and their Governours offer willingly there stands GOD and there will he ever stand Of that place he saith haec est requies mea This is my rest heere will I stay Psal. 132.14 for I have a delight therein Thus doing then thus procuring our Assembly thus qualified we performe our duty to GOD and to his standing And this done we shall never need to feare judicabit come when it will And now to conclude Mine unfeined hearty prayer to GOD is and dayly shal be that if ever in any he would stand in this Congregation And if ever any used the meanes so to procure him we may use them The rather that Ecclesia malignantium the malignant Synagogue may not aske with derision Where was then their GOD Where stood he To have regard what wil be said abroad Psal. 26.5 Behind the wall sure not in the Assembly Such proceedings and His standing will never stand togither But rather that all may say Verily GOD was among them Of a truth GOD stood in that Congregation where with so good accord 1. Cor. 2.14 so good things so readily were passed CHRIST was in the midst of them His holy Spirit rested on them Yet I know what men say of or on is not it what GOD saith that is all in all To men we doe not To GOD we stand or fall whose judicabit we cannot scape either the one way or the other but have a judicabit 〈◊〉 us that we may if we yield his standing all due respect Even Euge 〈…〉 〈…〉 â— 23 intra in gaudium Domini which in the end will be worth all But iâ— any shall say O the time is long to that peradventure not so long though as we reckon well yet in the mean time now for the present it stands us in hand to use him well and our selves well to him For it he stand not to us we shall not subsist we shall not stand but fall before our enemies This time is now this danger is aâ— hand 〈…〉 our 〈◊〉 use of 〈◊〉 â—gainst our 〈◊〉 Vse him well then Stand before Him thus standing with all due reverence and regard that as by His presence he doth stand among us so he may not onely doe that but by His Mercie also stand by us and by His Power stand for us So shall we stand and withstand all the adverse forces and at last for thither at last we must all come stand in His judgement Stand there upright To our comfort for the present of His standing by us And to our endlesse comfort for the time to come of his judging for us A SERMON PREACHED AT CHESVVICK IN THE time of Pestilence AVGVST XXI An. Dom. MDCIII PSAL. CVI. VER XXIX XXX Thus they provoked him to anger with their owne inventions and the Plague was great or brake in among them Then stood up Phinees and prayed or executed iudgement and so the Plague was ceased or stayed HER is mention of a Plague of a great Plague For there died of it Num. 3 5.9 four twenty thousand And we complaine of a Plague at this time The same axe is layd â—o the root of our trees Or rather because an axe is long in cutting downe of one tree the Rasor is hired for us Esai 7.20 that sweeps away a great number of haires at once as Esai calleth it or a Scithe that mowes downe grasse a great deale at once But heere is not onely mention of the Breaking in of the Plague in the XXIX Verse but of the staying or ceasing of the Plague in the XXX Now whatsoever things were written aforetime Rom. 5.4 were written for our learning and so was this Text. Vnder one to teach us how the Plague comes and how it may be stayed 〈…〉 The Plague is a disease In every disease we consider the Cause and the Câ—re Both which are heere set forth unto us in these two Verses In the former the Cause how it comes In the latter the Cure how it may be staid To know the Cause is expedient for if we know it not our Cure will be but palliative as not going to the right And if knowing the Cause we add not the Cure when we are taught it who will pity us For none is then to blame but our selves Of the Cause first and then of the Cure The Cause is set downe to be â—wofold 1 GOD'S anger And 2 their inventions GOD'S anger by the which and their inventions for the which the Pâ—ague brake in among them The Cure is likewise set downe and it is twofold out of two significations of one word the word Palal in the Verse Phinees prayed some read it Phinees executed iudgement some other and the word beares both Two then 1 Phinees's Prayer one 2 Phinees's executing judgement the other by both which the Plague ceased His prayer referring to GOD'S anger His executing judgement to their inventions GOD 's wrath was appeased by his prayer Prayer referrs to that Their inventions were removed by his executing of judgement The execution of judgement referrs to that If his anger provoked doe send the Plague His anger appeased will stay it If our inventions provoke his anger the punishing of our inventions will appease it The one worketh upon GOD pacifieth Him 〈…〉 The other worketh upon our soule and cures it For there is a cure of the soule no lesse then of the body as appeareth by the Psalme 〈…〉 Heale my soule for I have sinned against thee We are to beginn with the Cause of the plague in the first Verse And so to come to the Cure in the second I. 〈…〉 Cause OF the Cause 1 First that there is a Cause 2 And secondly What that Cause may be 〈…〉 ther is 1. That there is a cause that is that the plague is a thing causall not casuall comes not meerly by chance but hath somewhat some cause that procureth it Sure if a Sparrow fall not to the ground without the providence of GOD of which two are sold for a farthing 〈…〉 10 2â— much lesse doth any man or woman which are more worth then many Sparrowes And if any one man comes not to his End as we call it by casualtie but it is GOD 〈◊〉 21.13 that delivers him so to die How much more then when noâ— onâ— â—uâ— many thousands are swept away aâ— once The Philistins in their plague put the matter upon triall of both these waies Whither it were God's hand 2 Or wither it were but a chance And the event shewed it was no casualtie but the very handy-worke of GOD upon them And indeed the very name of the Plague doth tel us as much or Deber in
hebrew sheweth there is a reason there is a cause why it commeth 1. Sam. 6.9 And the english word Plague comming from the Latine word Plaga which is properly a stroke necessarily inferreth a Cause For where there is a stroke there must be One that striketh And in â—hat both it and other evill things that come upon us are usually in scripture called Gods judgements If they be iudgements it followeth there is a Iudge they come from They come not by adventure by chance they come not Chance and Iudgement are utterly opposite Not Casually then but Iudicially Iudged we are For when we are chastened we are judged of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11.32 There is a Cause Now what that Cause is Concerning which 1. That Cause is 1. Naturall if you aske the Physitian he will say the cause is in the aire The Aire is infected the Humors corrupted the Contagion of the sicke comming to and conversing with the sound And they be all true causes The Aire For so we see by casting * The aire infected ashes of the furnace towards heaven in the aire the aire became infected and the plague of botches and blaines was so brought forth in Egypt * Exod. 9.8 The Humors For to that doth King David ascribe the Cause of his disease that is that his moisture in him was corrupt dried up 2 The Humors corrupted Psal. 32.4 turned into the drought of Summer Contagion Which is cleare by the Law where the leprous person 3 Contagion Levit. 13.45.46 52. for feare of contagion from him was ordered to crie that no body should come neere him To dwell apart from other men The clothing he had worn to be washed and in some case to be burnt The house-walls he had dwelt in to be scraped and in some case the house it self to be pulled downe In all which three respects Salomon saith Pro. 14.16 A wise man feareth the Plague and departeth from it and fooles runne on and be carelesse A wise man doth it and a good man too For King David himselfe durst not go to the Altar of GOD at Gibeon to enquire of GOD there because the Angel that smot the people with the plague stood betweene him and it 1. Chro. 21.30 that is because he was to passe through infected places thither But as we acknowledge these to be true that in all diseases 2 Supernaturall By which GOD. and even in this also there is a Naturall cause so we say there is somewhat more something Divine and above â—ature As somewhat which the Physitian is to looke unto in the plague so likewise something for Phinees to do and Phinees was a Priest And so some worke for the Priest as well as for the Physitian and more then it may be It was King Asa's fault He in his sicknesse looked all to Physitians and looked not after GOD at all That is noted as his fault It seems 〈…〉 It seemes his concâ—it was there was nothing in a disease but 〈◊〉 nothing but bodily which is not so For infirmitie is not only 〈◊〉 bodily there is a Spirit of infirmitie we finde Luc. 13.11 And some 〈◊〉 spirituall there is 〈◊〉 infirmities something in the soule to 〈◊〉 â—ealed In all â—ut specially in this Wherein that we might knoâ— it to be spirituâ—ll we finde it oft times to be executed by spirits We see an 〈◊〉 destroying Angel 〈…〉 12.13 in the Plague of Egypt another in the Plague in Swaâ—â—â—rib'â— Campe 〈…〉 â—7 36 〈…〉 21.16 〈…〉 16.2 a third in the Plague at Ierusalem under David 〈…〉 pouring his phiall upon earth and ther fell a noysome plague upo◠〈◊〉 and beast So that no man looketh deeply enough into the Cause of this sickenesse unlesse he acknowledge the Finger of God in it over 〈◊〉 â—bove any causes naturall 〈…〉 GOD then hath his part GOD But how affected GOD provoked to aâ—ger so it is in the Text his anger his wrath it is that bringeth the plague among us 〈…〉 The Verse is plaine They provoked him to anger and â—he plague brake in among them 〈…〉 Generally there is no evill saith Iob but it is a sparke of GOD 's wrath And of all evills the Plague by Name There is wrath gone out from the LORD 〈◊〉 21.7 and the plague is begunn saith Moses Num. 16.46 So it is said GOD was displeased with David he smot Israël with the plague So that if if there be a plague GOD is angry and if there be a great plague GOD is very angry Thus much for By what for the anger of GOD by which the plague is sent Now for what 〈…〉 â—hich 〈…〉 general There is a cause in GOD that he is angry And there is a Cause for which he is angry For he is not angry without a cause And what is that cause For what is GOD angry What is GOD angry with the waters when he sends a tempest it is Habacuk's question 〈…〉 Or is GOD angry with the earth when He sends barrennesse Or with the aire when he makes it coÌ„tagious 〈…〉 5. 6. No indeed His anger is not against the Elements they provoke him not Against them it is that provoke him to anger Against men it is and against their sinnes and for them commeth the wrath of GOD upon the children of disobedience And this is the very Cause indeed As there is Putredo humorum so there is also putredo morum And putredo morum is more a Cause then putriedo humorum 1 The Corruption of the soule the 〈◊〉 7. â— 2 corrupting of our waies more then the 〈◊〉 6.12 corrupting of the aire The 〈◊〉 8.38 Plague of the Heart more then the sore that is seene in the body 〈◊〉 5.32 The cause of Death that is sinne the same is the cause of this 〈◊〉 38.5 kinde of death of the plague of mortalitie And as the â—panâ— Balme of ilead and the 〈◊〉 48.46 Physitian there may yield us helpe when GOD'S wrath is removed so if it be not no balme no medicine will serve 〈◊〉 us with the Woman in the Gospell 〈◊〉 5.26 spend all upon Physitians we shall bee never the better till we come to CHRIST and he cure us of our sinnes whâ— is the onely Physitian of the diseases of the soule 〈◊〉 â— 2 And wiâ—â— CHRIST the cure beginns ever withiâ— First Sonne thy 〈◊〉 be for giventhee and then a fier â—ake up thy bed and walke His sinnes first and his limbes after As likewise when we are once well CHRIST'S councell is sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee As if sinne would certainely bring a relapse into a sicknesse But shall we say the wraâ—h of GOD for sinnes indefinitely Particular sinn That were somewhat too generall May we not specifie them or set them downe in particular Yes I will point you at three or foure First this
Plague heere as appeareth by the XXVIII Verse 1 Fornication the Verse next before came for the sinne of Peor that is for fornication as you may read And not every Fornication but fornication past shame as was that Zamri there with a daughter of Moab Num. 25.1 And indeed if we marke it well it fitts well For that kinde of sinne fornication doth end in Vlcers and sores and those as infectious as the Plague it selfe A proper punishment such sore for such evill Secondly 2 Pride David's plague of seventy thousand which we mention in our Prayer that came for Pride plainly 1. Chro. 21.14 His heart was lifted up to number the People And that seemes somewhat kindly too and to agree with this disease That pride which swells it selfe should end in a tumor or swelling as for the most part this disease doth Thirdly 3 Baptisme Esai 37.36 Zenacherib's plague it is plaine came from Rabshakeh's blasphemie Blasphemie hable to infect the aire it was so foule In which regard Aaron's act might be justified in putting odours into his Censer Numb 16· 46. to purifie the Aire from such corruption And last the Apostle setts downe the Cause of the plague at Corinth 4 Neglect of the Sacrament 1. Cor. 11.30 For this Cause saith he that is for neglect of the Sacrament Either in not caring to come to it or in comming to it we care not how For this cause is there a mortalitie among you and many are sicke and many are weake and many are fallen asleepe And this is no new thing Exo. 4.24 Moses himselfe his neglect of the Sacrament made him be striken of GOD that it was like to have cost him his life And he saith plainly to Pharao If they neglected their sacrifice GOD would fall upon them with the Pestilence Exo. 5 3. which appeaâ—eth by this that the Sacrament of the passeover and the bloud of it was the meanes to save them from the plague of the destroying Angel in Egypt A little now of the Phrase The phrase for sinne Theiâ— inventions that their sinnes are heere called by the name of their inventions And so sure the yare as no waies taught us by GOD but of our owne imagining or finding out For indeed our inventions are the cause of all sins And if we look wel into it we shal find our inventions are so By GOD'S injunction we should all live his injunction is In matters of Râ—ligion Deut. 12.8 You shall not do every man what seems good in his own eyes or finds out in his own braines but whatsoever I commaund you that only shall you do But we setting light by that charge of his out of the old disease of our Father Adam Eritis sicut Dij scientes bonum malum thinke it a goodly matter to be wittie and to find out things our selves to make to our selves to be Authors and inventoâ—s of somewhat that so we may seem to be as wise as GOD if not wisâ—r and to know what is for our turnes as well as he if not better It was Saul's fault GOD bad destroy Amalâ—k all and he would invent a better way to save some forsooth for sacrifice which GOD could not thinke oâ— And it was Saint Peter's fault when he perswaded CHRIST from His passion 〈…〉 and found out a better way as he thought then Christ could devise This is the proud invention which will not be kept in but makes men even not to forbeare in things perteining to God's worship but there to be still devising new tricks opinions and fashions fresh and newly taken up which their Fathers never knew of And this is that which makes men 〈…〉 17. that have itching eares to heape to themselves Teachers according to their owne lusts 〈…〉 3. which may fill their heads full with new inventions 〈…〉 And this is that that even out of Religion in the common life spoiles all The wanton invention in finding out new meats in diet in inventing new fashions in apparel which men so dote on as the Psalme saith at the 39 th Verse as they even goe a whoring with them with their owne inventions and care not what they spend on them And know no end of them but as fast as they are weary of one a new invention is found out which whatsoever it cost how much soever it take from our Almes or good deeds must be had till all come to nought That the Psalmist hath chosen a very fit word that for our inventions the plague breakes in among us for them as for the primarie or first moving cause of all Indeed for them as much and more then for any thing els We see them 1 First that a Cause there is 2 That that cause is not only naturall but that God Himselfe hath a hand in it 3 God as being provoked to anger 4 To anger for our sinnes in generall and for what sinns in speciall For our sinns proceeding from nothing but our inventions Which cause if it continue and yet we turne not to the Lord as Amos the 4. then will not his anger be turned away but his hand wil be stretched out still as Esai the 9. And no way to avoyd the one but by appeasing the other 〈…〉 Cure For the cure now One contrarie is ever cured by another If then it be anger which is the cause in God anger would be appeased If it be Inventions which is the cause in us of the anger of God they would be punished and removed That so the Cause being taken away the effect may cease Take away our inventions Gods anger will cease Take away God's anger the plague will cease Two Readings we said ther were 1 Phinees prayed or 2 Phinees executed judgement Palal the Hebrew word will beare both And both are good And so we will take them both in 〈…〉 Prayer is good against the plague as appeareth Not onely in this plague in the Text 〈…〉 25.6 〈◊〉 24.17 wherein all the Congregation â— were weeping and praying before the dore of the Tabernacle But in King b David's plague also where we see what his prayer was and the very words of it And in c Esai 38.3 Ezekia's plague who turned his face to the wall and prayâ—d unto GOD and his prayer is set downe GOD heard his prayer and healed him And for a generall rule d 1. King 8.37.38.39 If there be in the Land any pestilent disease Whatsoever plague whatsoever sicknesse it be the prayer and supplication in the Temple made by the people every man knowing the plague of his own heart God in heaven will heare it and remove his hand from afflicting them any further And it standeth with good reason For as the Aire is infected with noisome sents or smellâ— so the infection is removed by sweet odours or incense which Aaron did in the Plague put sweet odours in his Censer
Num 16 48. went betweene the living and the dead Now ther is a fit resemblance between Incense and Prayers f Psal. 141.2 Let my Prayer come before thy presence as the Incense And when the Priest was within burning Incense g Lu. 1.10 the people were without at their prayers And it is expressly said h Rev. 5.8 that the sweet odors were nothing els but the prayers of the Saints Prayer is good and that Phinees's prayer Phinees was a Priest 2 Phinees prayer as a Priest the sonne of Eleazar the Nephew of Aaron So as there is Vertue as in the prayer so in the person that did pray in Phinees himselfe As we know the Office of a Sergeant being to arrest the Office of a Notarie to make acts the act that is done by one of them is much more autenticall then that which is done by any common person So every Priest being taken from among men and ordeined for men Heb. 5.1 in things perteining to God that he may offer prayers the prayers he offereth he offereth out of his Office and so even in that respect there is caeteris paribus a more force and energie in them as comming from him whose Calling it is to offer them then in those that come from another whose Calling it is not so to doe To this end God saith to Abimelech Abraham is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt live So that the prayer of a Prophet Gen. 20.7 in that he is a Prophet is more effectuall And in the Law you shall finde it all along When men come to bring their sacrifice for their sinnes it is said the Priest shall make an attonement for them before the Lord and their sinnes shall be forgiven them And in the Prophetts we see plainly in time of distresse Ezekia sent unto the Prophet Esai to entreat him to lift up his prayer for the remnant that were left and so he did and was heard by God And in the New Testament Saint Iames's advise is In time of sicknesse to call for the Priests and they to pray over the partie and that Prayer shall worke his health and if he have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven him For where the Grace of prayer is and the Calling both they cannot but availe more then where no Calling is but the Grace alone The praier of Phinees and of Phinees standing What need be there any mention of Phinees's standing Was it not enough to say Phinees praied It skills not whither he sate or stood for praying it selfe was enough No we must not thinke the Holy Ghost sets down any thing that is super fluous Somwhat there is in that he stood Of Moses it is said before in this Psalme that he stood in the gap to turne away the wrath of God In Ieremie it is said 〈…〉 though Moses Sâ—muel stood before me So there is mention made of standing also And the Prophet himself puts God in mind that he stood before him to speake good for the people to turne away his wrath from them that is put God in minde of the very site of his body 〈…〉 For though God be a Spirit and so in Spirit to be worshipped yet inasmuch as he hath given us a body with that also are we to worship him to glorifie him in our body spirit 〈…〉 which both are God's to present or offer our bodies to God as a holy acceptable sacrifice in the reasonable service of him 〈…〉 And to present them decently For that also is required in the service of GOD. Now judge in your selves Is it comely to speake unto our betters sitting Sedentem orare extra disciplinam est saith Tertullian to pray sitting or sit praying is against the order of the Church The Church of GOD never had nor hath any such fashion All tendeth to this as Cyprian's advise is Etiam habitu corporis placere Deo even by our very gesture and the carriage of our body to behave our selves so as with it we may please GOD Vnreverent carelesse undevout behaviour pleaseth him not It is noted of the very Angels Iob. 1.6 Esai 6.2 Dan. 7.10 that they were standing before God If them it becomes if Phinees if Moses if Samuel and Ieremie it may well become us to learne our gesture of them Praier is available to appease God's wrath and so consequently to remove the Plague 〈…〉 But not prayer alone For though it abate the anger of God which is the first yet it goeth not high enough takes not away the second cause that is our inventions which are the cause of God's anger We see it plaine in Num. 25.6 they were all at praiers and Phinees among them 〈◊〉 25.7.8 he and the rest But yet the plague ceased not for all that till in the Verse following Phinees took his javelin wherwith in the very act of fornication he thrust them both through Zamri and his woman and then the plague was staied from the children of Israë For as praier referreth properly to anger so doth executing judgement to sinne or to our inventions the cause of it Praier then doth well but praier and doing justice both these togither jointly will doe it indeed And if you disjoine or separate them nothing will be done If we draw neere to GOD with our mouthes and honour him with our lipps it will not availe us if judgement be turned back or justice stand afarr of 〈…〉 There are two persons Both of them were in Phinees For as he was a Priest 〈…〉 so he was a Prince of his Tribe So then both these must ioyne togither as well the devotion of the Priest in praier which is his Office as the zeale of the Magistrate in executing Iudgement which is His. For Phinees the Priest must not onely stand up and pray but Moses the Magistrate also must stand in the gap to turne away the wrath of God that he destroy not the people No lesse he then Aaron with his golden Censer to run into the middst of the Congregation to make attonement for them when the plague is begun Moses he gave in charge for the executing of them that were joined to Baal-Peor Num. 25.4 Phinees he executed the charge Moses stood in the gap when he gave the sentence Phinees stood up when he did the execution And these two are a blessed conjunction One of them without the other may misse but both togither never faile For when Zamri was slaine and so when Rabshakeh perished and so when the incestuous Corinthian was excommunicated in all three the plague ceased But what if Moses give no charge what if Phinees doe no execution 3. By every man upon himselfe as oft it falleth out How then In that case every private man is to be Phinees to himselfe is not only to pray to God but to be wreaked do judgement 2. Cor. 2.11 1.