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
heard of no not among the heathen Last this was now not in a corner but all over the land Mica was at Mount Epâ—raim in the middst Gibea was at one end and Dan at the other So the middst and both ends all were wrapped in the same confusion But what shall this be suffered and no remedy sought GOD forbid First the Eye error in the eye is harme enough and order must be taken even for that For men doe not erre in judgement but with hazard of their soules very requisite therefore that men be travailed with â—hat they may see their owne blindnesse Then that the councel be followed Apoc. 3. that eye-salve be bought of him and applied to the eyes Revel 3 1â— that that may seeme to them right that is so indeed This if it may be is best But if they be strong ly conceited of their owne sight and marveil at CHRIST as they Iohn 9.40 What are we blind trow and will not endure any to come neere their eyes if we cannot cure their eyes what shall we not hold their hands neither Yes in any wise So long as they but see though they see amisse they hurt none but themselves it is but suo damno to their own hurt and that is enough nay too much it may be as much as their soules be worth But that is all if it stay there and goe further then the eye But when they see amisse and that grossely what shall their hand be suffered to follow their eye â—heir hand to be as desperate in mis-doing as their eye darke in mistaking to the detriment of others and the scandall of all That may not be We cannot pull mens eyes out of their heads nor their opinions neither but shall we not pinion their hands or binde them to the peace Yes whatsoever become of rectum in oculis order must be taken with fecit or els farewell all Foule rule we are like to have even for all the world such as was heere in Israel We see then the maladie II. The cause 1 Non erat Rex more then time we sought out a remedie for it That shall we best doe if we know the cause The cause is heere sett downe and this is it Non erat Rex Is this the cause We would perhapps imagine many causes besides but GOD passeth by them all and layeth it upon none but this Non erat Rex And seeing he hath assigned that onely for the cause we will not be wiser then he but rest our selves in it The rather for that Ex ore inimici we have as much For these miscreants whom He sets on worke to bring Realmes to confusion and to root out Religion that every one may do that is good in their own eyes to this point they all drive Vt ne sit REX Away with the King that is their only way Heaven and hell both are agreed that is the cause To make short worke then If the cause be There is no King Let there be one that is the remedie A good King will helpe all If it be of absolute necessity that neither Mica for all his wealth nor Dan for all their forces nor Gibea for all their multitude doe what they list And if the misse of the Kings were the cause that all this were amisse no better way to cease it no better way to keepe Religion from Idolatrie mens lives and goods in safety their vessells in honour then by Kings No more effectuall barr to fecit quisque quod rectum in oculis then Rex in Israël This will better appeare if we take it in sunder There was no King He doth not charge them with a flat Anarchie that there was no Estates no kind of government among them but this onely there was no King What then there were Priests would not they serve It seemed they would not Phinees was to looke to their eyes But somewhere there be some such as Hosee speakes of Populus hic quasi qui contradicit Sacerdoti Osc. 4.4 This People will looke to Phinee's eyes Set their Priests and Preachers to Schoole and not learne of them but learne them Divinitie The Iudges are to looke to their Hands But there are too somewhere such as he speaketh of CHAP. VII VER VII Devorabunt Iudices such Osc. 7.7 as if it take them in the head will not sticke to supp up and swallow downe their Iudges specially inter arma How then shall we have a Militarie Government Nay that is too violent and if it lye long the remedy proves as ill as the disease To me a plaine evidence that though all these were all these were not perfect There was one yet missing that was to do this to better purpose then yet it had been done and till he were had they were not where they should be This is then GOD 's meanes We cannot say his onely meanes in that we see there are States that subsist without them but this vve may say His best meanes The best saith the Philosopher for Order Peace Strength Steadinesse and proves them all one by one But best say the Fathers for that had there beene a better then this GOD would not last have resolved on this This is the most perfect he last brought them to Hither til they came He changed their governement From Iosua a Captaine to the Iudges From the Iudges to Eli and Samuel Priests But heer when he had settled them he changed no more And this Act of GOD in this change is enough to shew where it is not there is a defect certainly such a State we may repute defective Besides you shall observe Of those three estates which swayeth most that in a manner doth over-topp the reâ—t and like a foregrowen member depriveth the other of their proportion of growth The world hath seene it in two already and shall dayly more and more see it in the third Requisite therefore there be One over all that is none of all but a common Father to all that may peize and keepe them all in equilibrio that so all the Estates may be evenly ballanced This Act then of GOD in this change is enough to teach that this Non erat Rex is a defect certainly and where there is not one we may report the estate for deficient At least thus farr that GOD yet may change it into a more perfect as he did his owne And againe this that it is not conformed to the governement simply the most perfect of all the governement of the whole when as the inferior bodies are ruled by the Superiour so a multitude by unitie that is all by one Thus farr on these words There was no King howsoever other States there were Non Rex in Israel The next point is No King in Israel That this is not noted as a defect in grosse or at large but even in Israel GOD'S owne chosen people It is a want not in Edom or Canaan but
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
this for us alone but to assure it to us For as his Father in this Verse sends Him So in the next Verse He sends the Spirit of His Sonne to give us seisin of this our Adoption whereby we now call Him the Iewes Abba the Geâ—tiles Pater as Children all and he our Father which is the priuiledge of the Adoption we heer receive And now are we come to the fullnesse indeed For this Adoption is the fullnesse of our option We cannot extend We our wish or He his love and goodnesse any further For what can we aske or He give more seeing in giving this He giveth all He is worth By this time â—zek 47.3 4 5. it is full Sea All the bankes are filled It is now as EZEKIELS waters that he saw flow from vnder the threshold of the Temple that tooke him to the ankles first then to the knees after to the loynes at last so high risen there was no more passage 1. From the fullnesse of His Compassion He sent to release us 2. From the fullnesse of His Love He sent His Sonne 3. In the fullnesse of Humility He sent Him made 4. Made of a Woman to make a full vnion with our nature 5. Made vnder the Law to make the vnion yet more perfectly full with our sinfull condition 6. That we might obtaine a full deliverance from all Evill by being redeemed 7. And a full estate of all the Ioy and Glory of his heavenly inheritance by being Adopted So there is fullnesse of all hands And so much for the fullnesse of the Benefit we receive Now for the fullnesse of the Duty we are to performe this day For in the fullnesse of time all things are to be full Plenitudo temporis tempus plenitudinis And seeing GOD hath suffered us to live to see the year run about to this plenitudo temporis if it be so on GODS part meet also it be so on Ours and that we be not empty in this fullnesse of time It is not fit if He be at the brinke that we be at the bottom But as we be willing to yeeld Him of ours againe of our duty I meane that it to Him in a measure and proportion be like full as his Bounty hath been full above measure toward us That so from us and on our parts it may be plenitudo temporis or tempus plenitudinis the fullnesse of time or time of fullnesse choose you whither 1. And a time of fullnesse it will be I know in a sense of fullnesse of bread of fullnesse of bravery of fullnesse of sport and pastime and this it may be And it hath been ever a ioyfull time in appearance for it should be so With the ioy saith Esay a verse or two before Puer natus est nobis vnto us a Childe is borne that men rejoice with in harvest Esa. 9.3 Not to goe from our Text heer With the ioy of men that are come out of prison have scaped the Law With the ioy of men that have got the reversion of a goodly heritage Onely that we forget not the principall that this outward ioy eat not vp evacuate not our spirituall ioy proper to the Feast that we have in minde in the middest of our mirth the cause of it CHRISTS sending and the benefits that come thereby And it shall be a good signe vnto us if we can thus reioyce if this our ioy can be full if we can make a spirituall blessing the obiect of our mirth Beatus populus qui scit iubilationem Blessed is the people Psal. 89.15 that can reioyce on this manner And after our ioy-fullnesse or fullnesse of ioy our fullnesse of thankes or thanke-fullnesse is to ensue For with that fullnesse we are to celebrate it likewise Our mindes first and then our mouthes to be filled with blessing and praise and thanks to Him that hath made our times not to fall into those empty ages of the world but to fall within this fullnesse of time which so many Kings and Prophets desired to have lived in but fell short of and lived then Luk. 1â— 34 when the times were full of shadowes and promises and nothing els How instantly they longed to have held such a Feast to have kept a Christmas it is evident by David's Inclina coelos by Esaye's Vtinam disrumpas Coelos Bow the Heavens and Breake the Heavens Psal. 144.5 Esa. 64.1 How much I say they longed for it And therefore that we make not light account of it To render our thankes then and to remember to do it fully To forget none To Him that was sent and to Him that Sent Sent his Sonne in this the Spirit of his Sonne in the next verse To begin with Osoulamini Fitium it is the first duty enioyned us this day Psal. 2.12 to kisse the Babe new borne that when his Father would send Him said Ecce venio so readily and when he would make Him was content with Corpus aptasti mihi Psal. 40.7 to have a body made Him meet for Him to suffer in who willingly yeelded to be our SHILO Gen. 45. â—0 to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere yea to be not onely CHRIST but an Apostle for us Heb. III. v. 1. even the Apostle of our profession And not to Him that was sent and made alone but to the FATHER that sent Him and to the HOLY GHOST that made Him as by whom He was conceived To the FATHER for his mission The SONNE for his Redemption The HOLY GHOST for his Adoption For by Him it is wrought He that made Him the Sonne of man doth likewise regenerate us to the state of the Sonnes of God And this for our thankfullnesse 3. And to these two to make the measure full to ioyne the fullnesse of duty even whatsoever dutifull minded persons may yeeld to a bountifull minded and a bountifull handed Benefactor And with this to beginne to consecrate this first day of this fullnesse of time even with our service to Him at the full which is then at the full when no part is missing when all our duties of preaching and praying of hymnes of offering of Sacrament and all meet together No fullnesse there is of our Liturgie or publique solemne Service without the Sacrament Some part yea the cheefe part is wanting if that be wanting But our thanks are surely not full without the Holy Eucharist which is by interpretation Thanksgiving it selfe Psal. 116.12.13 Fully we cannot say Quid retribuam Domino but we must answer Calicem salutaris accipiam we will take the cup of salvation and with it in our hands give thanks to Him render Him our true Eucharist or reall Thankesgiving indeed In which Cup is the Bloud not onely of our redemption of the Covenant that freeth us from the Law and maketh the Destroyer passe over us Mat. 26.28 but of our Adoption of the New Testament also which entitles us and conueyes vnto us
Desire II. The Acts of Abraham 1. His Desire exultavitut Glad and faign Vt that he might see that is he desired he longed much to see it Gaudere vt and vellem vt expound one another This day then is dies desiderij or desiderabilis To be desired even of Abraham and if of him of all Of the Cause first Why and then of the Manner How he desired it The Cause why should Abraham so desire to see this day 1 The cause of it two thousand yeares and more after his dayes were at an end and he in his grave what was it to him how was he concerned in it We say Omnia bonum appetunt what good had he by it We say againe Indigentia desiderij parens what need had he of it that he should so desire it Yes Christs Birth he needed he had good by and consequently His Birth day Ye remember Iob's EASTER that in all his heavinesse this was specs in sinu his only comfort and ioy That well yet his Redeemer should rise againe one day Iob. 19. ◠The ioy of Iobs EASTER the same is the ioy of Abraham's Christmasse Even that a day should come wherein his Redeemer should come into the world For Abraham's case was not such but that a Redeemer he stood in need of One he stood in need of and one he had you may read it totidem verbis Esay 29.22 Thus saith He that redeemes ABRAHAM That party Him he needed and Him he desired And desired His day for His sake Diem for Meum the Day for Him that was borne on the day Will ye heare it from his own mouth Thus he setteth down his own case Gen. 18. that very time when he had this day first shewed him the first glimpse of it Thus complaines he there of his need complaining implies his desire Et ecce ego pulvis cinis And lo I am but dust and ashes Dust is plain it refers us to Pulvis es in pulverem He was that Gen. 18.27 Gen. 3.19 by nature by his very creation But why ashes how come they in Ashes he was not made of That is not naturall That sure refers to somwhat els Ashes we know come of fire without it they are not made ever presuppose a fire precedent So that besides death to resolve Him into dust he saw a fire to turne Him into ashes He saw it in his vision Gen. 15. when the sun was downe it was night and a great feare or Horror fell upon Him Gen. 15.17 he saw Clibanū fumantem a fiery furnace Blame him not if after such a night he desired to see day and this day dies contra noctem a day to visit him from on high after so fearfulll a night as this But this was but a vision of the night But when all daies nights should be at an end he saw Luk. 1.78 there was yet a day to succeed that day which Enoch taught the world wherin the Lord should come with thousands of his Saints to execute iudgement upon sinners Iud. 14.15 Which day it seemes Abraham took notice of For speaking to God in the same Ch. he calleth Him by this title Iudge of the world Of which day a visible signe he had before his eyes waking in the consuming of the five Cities immediately after No mervaile then Gen. 18.25 though he desired dies contra diem a day that should quit him of the fear of that day Inasmuch then as dust he was ashes he was to be dust by creation ashes by condemnation and both these he confesseth himself lyable unto He needed one as to restore the ruines of the first so to prevent the danger of the second Being in need he desired desiring he was glad to heare of but more glad would be to see that day that should bring him into the world And ô when shall that day be And sure the sun must go down with us too what fear we shall then be in or whither we shall see the furnace I know not but sure I am that ioyfull it will be then to have a comfortable sight and apprehension of the benefit beginning of this day When the world shall bid us good-night then as S. Austin expresseth it videre in nocte saeculi diem CHRISTI This for the Cause why Abraham himself should desire this Vt to see this day 2 The Manner of it Why but for this day Abraham had been but ashes of the furnace Which sheweth it is a benefit to see this day And as a benefit desired by him and as a benefit and no small benefit vouchsafed him the sight of this day Now for his Manner how how greatly he desired it We may take measure of the greatnesse of the day by the greatnesse of his Desire It was no day of small things for Exultavit vt is no small desire there is vigour there is both passion and action in it The nature of the word exultavit is He did even fetch a Spring for ioy that he should see it And it is not exilijt neither but exultavit And that is a frequentative and so he did it more then once To give a spring and not once but often this was much if al be wel considered For one to do it one in yeares fast upon an hundred as Abraham then was for such a one to do it it was very much 1. Much. First that he should not containe his affection not keepe it in but out it must even breake forth into an externall act into a bodily gesture that all that stood by must see him do it 2. Into a bodily gesture I say But then againe that into such a bodily gesture a gesture on this fashion It must needs be he was greatly yea strangely affected with it that it made him forget his gravitie and put a kind of indecorum upon his age at those yeares to fall on springing All men will easily know that such as he was stayed discreet grave men will never be so exceding moved as to be brought to fetch a spring but upon some verie exceeding great occasion 3. Thirdly to do all this but onely in desire and nothing but desire is yet more strange then the rest In the fruition to ioy is kindly but in the desire altogether vnusuall Exultavit cum videret may well be understood Exultavit ut videret not so well For desire of it selfe is a restlesse thing vnquiet and complaining but a very affliction of the soule It makes men yea the very creature it selfe saith the Apostle ingemiscere which is farr Rom. 8.22 from exultare to grone for griefe not to spring for Ioy Sad rather then glad in that they want their desire Iudge then how great a good is the good of this Day that not in the enioying but even in the desiring and that against the nature of desire did put old father Abraham into this passion
4 The Dispenser GOD. Psal. 104 27.28 Psal. 145.15.16 Which dispensation is heere ascribed to GOD That He that is that GOD in whosâ— hands our times are saith the Psalme and our seasons both He that can make them full by giving us kindly seasons or empty by making them vnseasonable and having made them full is to dispose of them of very right There is none of these but is sensible in the course of the yeare in things upon earth But are there seasons for the things on earth and their fullnesse and are there not also seasons for the things in heaven and for the filling of them All for reliefe of the bodily wants heere below none for the supplie of Spirituall necessities above All for the body and never a season for the Soule If we allow them to the World shall we not to the Church the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abbridgment of the world If it be sensible in the naturall things though not so easily discerned yet it is as certaine in the maine revolution of Annus magnus the great periodicall yeare of the worlds endurance It can never enter into any man to thinke that the great Oeconomus or Steward of this great houshold the world should so farr forget himselfe but if for all matters He had appointed a season Eccle. 3.1 then for the greatest matter If for every purpose vnder heaven then for the highest purpose of all that as we see concerneth all the things in heaven and earth both Above Salus populi this Salus mundi the saving the whole world Shall not these have their seasons and the seasons their fullnesse there and that fullnesse the due dispensation of all other most worthy of GOD the greatest worke of the greatest person Set this downe then to beginne with There are seasons as in our common yeare of twelve moneths So in the great yeare whereof every day is a yeare by Daniel's nay 2. Pet. 3 8. a thousand yeare by Saint Peter's calculation And which be the seasons and when in the common yeare Our SAVIOVR sets them downe Mar. IV. 1. The season Mar. 4.28 when the earth bringeth forth the blade 2. When the stalke 3. When the eare 4. When the full corne in the eare And when the eare is full and full ripe the season is full then is the season of fullnesse Psal. 129 7. the fullnesse of Season Then the reaper fills his hand and he that bindeth up the sheaves Pro. 3.10 his bosom Then are the Barnes filled with plenty and the Presses runne over with new wine And when all is full then to gathering we goe Such like seasons do we finde in Anno magno 1 The time of Nature all in the blade â— Of Moses in the Stalke 3 Of the Prophets in the eare 4 And when the full corne When but at this great gathering heere mentioned When all in heaven â—nd all in earth gathered that I thinke was the fullnesse of things Plenitudo rerum and the fullnesse of Seasons Plenitudo tempâ—rum may be allowed for it 1 Res the things This sets us over to the second part from the Seasons to the things from the fullnesse of Seasons to the gathering of things And first whereof of what things Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even all All And to shew the extent of it subdivided into all in heaven all in earth and that I trow is All. It was not amisse he should thus sever them and expresse things in heaven by name Els we should little have thought of gathering things there so high No farther then earth we There is all our gathering and there onely The Apostle points up to heaven Sursum corda to lift up our hearts Colos. 3.1.2 to set our affections on things there above to gather them There is a gathering of them also Of which gathering into one I know not what the things in heaven have the things in earth I am sure have good cause to be glad In heaven is all good and nothing but good In earth to say the least there is much evill Yet upon the reckoning Heaven is like to come by the losse we on earth are sensibly gainers by it It is a good hearing for us that both these shall be thus gathered together For if heaven and earth be so gathered it is that heaven may advance earth higher and no meaning that earth should draw it downe hither Magis dignum semper ad se trahit minus dignum is the old rule But well betweene them both heere is a great gathering toward 2 The gathering well expressed by the Apostle in the termes of a Summe For it is Summa Summarum a summe indeed Heaven and earth and the fullnesse of them both All these to be gathered and well Gathering GOD favours for it ends in Vnitie To gather into one And Vnitie GOD loves Himselfe being principalis vnitas GOD favours it sure Himselfe is the Gatherer Scattering GOD favours not that tends to division and division upon division Gathering is good for us Vnitie preserves division destroyes Divisum est be it house or be it kingdome ever ends in desolabitur Matt. 12 25. Ezek. 33.11 2 Pet. 3.9 GOD delights not in destruction would have none to perish The kite he Scatters The hen how feigne would she gather But stay a while and take with us what kind of gathering It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Gathering againe a gathering but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gathering together againe We must not lose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is force in it It is not a Collection but a Recollection Re imports it is a new collection againe the second time You see it in re-call re-turne re-duce that is to call turne bring back againe Now our Rule is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever presupposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presupposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a returning to implies a departing from a gathering together againe a scattering in sunder before a dispensation a dissipation So a dissipation a departure a scattering there had beene Yet one degree more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from ever implies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a former being with One cannot be said to be gone from that was never with or to fall out that was never in One cannot be said to be so againe that was never so beforâ— So then together we were first and in sunder we fell after Which falling in sunder required an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring us together againe to restore us to that the second time that we had before lost to our former estate Acts 3.21 It is Saint Peter's word restoring the same with S. Paul's gathering together againe heere Now these three set forth vnto us our threefold estate 1 Together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our first Originall which we had in Adam while he stood with GOD together 2 In sunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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
Iejunium prescribe it and that to a religious end Even to chasten our selves for sinne by this forbearance So no Physicall Philosophicall Verse 15. Politicall but a Propheticall yea an Evangelicall fast For if in very sorrow we are to fast when the bridegroome is taken away Much more when we our selves by our sinnes committed have beene the cause of His taking nay Matt. 9.15 of His very driving away from us And must we then fast Indeed we must or gett us a new Epistle for the day and a new Gospell too For as GOD heere in the Epistle commands it So CHRIST in the Gospell presupposeth it with His Cum jejunatis Matt. 6.16 taking it as granted We will fast That sure fast we must or els wipe out this cum jejunio and that Cum jejunatis and tell GOD and CHRIST they are not well advised we have found out a way beyond them to turne vnto GOD without any fasting at all But how fast To relieve all we may When we speake of Fasting Humanum dicimus propter infirmitatem vestram Rom 6.19 Psal. 109.24 we entend not mens knees should grow weake with fasting Two kinds of fasting we find in Scripture 1. David's who fasted tasting neither bread nor ought els 2. Sam. 3.35 till the Sunne was downe No meat at all That is too hard Dan. 10.3 2. What say you to Daniel's fast He did eat and drinke but not cibos desyderij no meats of delight and namely eat no flesh The Church as an indulgent mother mitigates all she may Matt. 19.12 Enjoynes not for fast that of David and yet qui potest capere capiat for all that She onely requires of us that other of Daniel to forbeare cibos desyderij and flesh is there expressely named Meates and drinks provoking the appetite full of nourishment kindling the blood Content to sustaine Nature and not purvey for the flesh Rom. 13.14 to satisfie the lusts thereof And thus by the grace of GOD we may if not David's yet Daniel's For if David's we cannot and Daniel's we list not I know not what fast we will leave for a third I find not 1. Tim. 5.25 And yet even this also doth the Church release to such as are in Timothee's case have crebras infirmitates It is not the decay of nature but the chastisement of sinne she seeketh But at this doore all scape through we are all weake and crasie when we would repent Matt. 16.22 but lusty and strong when to commit sinne Our Physitians are easy to tell us and we easy to beleeve any that will tell us Propitius esto tibi favour your selfe for it is not for you Take heed GOD is not mocked who would have sinne chastened Who sees I feare the pleasing of our appetite is the true cause the not endangering our health is but a pretense And He will not have his Ordinance thus dallyed with fast or loose Said it must be that Ioël heere saith Turne to GOD with fasting or be ready to shew a good cause why And to shew it to GOD. It is He heere calls for it the pen is but Ioël's He best knowes what turning it is will serve our turne will turne away Ira ventura which Quis poterit sustinere who is hable to abide And take this with you when fasting and all is in Ver. 14. if it be Quis scit si convertatur Deus If we leave what we please out then it will be Quis scit indeed 2. With Weeping The next point and GOD send us well to discharge it is Weeping Can we not be dispensed with that neither but we must weepe too Truly even in this point somewhat would be done too Els Ioël will not be satisfied but call on us still There is saith the Psalme a flagon provided by GOD of purpose for them Psal. 56 8. Therefore some would come some few droppes at least Not as the Saints of old No humanum dicimus heere too a Iob. 16.20 Iob's eyes poured forth teares to GOD b Ps. 119.136 David's eye gushed out with water He all to wet his pillow with them c Luk. 7.38 Marie Magdalen wept enough to have made a bath We vrge not these But if not poure out Ier. 13.17 not gush forth Nonne stillabit oculus noster saith Ieremie shall not our eye affoord a drop or twaine Stay a little turne and looke backe vpon our sinnes past it may be if we could get our selves to doe it in kind if set them before us and looke sadly and not glance over them apace Esa. 38.16 Thinke of them not once but as EZEKIA did recogitare thinke them over and over consider the motives the base motives and weigh the circumstances the grievous circumstances and tell over our many flittings our often relapsing our wretched continuing in them It would sett our sorrow in passion it would bring downe some Some would come Our bowells would turne our repentings rowle together and lament we would the death of our soule as we do otherwhile the death of a friend and for the vnkindnesse we have shewed to GOD as for the vnkindnesse we doe that man sheweth us But this will aske time It would not be posted through as our manner is we have done streight It is not a businesse of a few minutes 2. Pet. 3.9 1. Cor. 7.6 It will aske Saint Peter's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retired place and Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vacant time It would aske a Nazarites vow to doe it as it should be done Even a sequestring our selves for a time as they did In other respects I grant but among others for this also even to performe to GOD a Votive repentance This I wish we would trie But we seeke no place we allow no time for it Our other affaires take up so much as we can spare little or none for this which the time will come when we shall thinke it the weightiest affaire of all And yet it may be when all is done none will come though For who hath teares at command Who can weepe when he lists I know it well they be the overflowings of sorrow not of every sorrow but of the sensuall parts and being an act of the inferiour parts reason cannot command them at all times they will not be had But if they will not the Prophet hath heere put an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insteed of it for 3. With mâ—urâ—ing so doe the Fathers all take it Mourne If weepe we cannot mourne we can and mourne we must Et vos non luxistis saith the Apostle He saith not 1. Cor 5 2. Et vos non flevistis and you have not wept But and you have not mourned as if he should say that you should have done at the least Mourning they call the sorrow which reason it selfe can yeild In Schooles they terme it Dolorem appretiativum valuing what should
of sorrow anger feare desire are quick have life are very affections indeed in secular matters but dead and dull and indeed no affections at all but plaine counterfetts in things perteining to GOD or that concerne the estate and hazard of our soules To take downe a peccant humour as we call it in our body whereby we feare empaire of our health we can and do enter into a streict and tedious diet and hold out well We can forbeare this and that as we are bidden though we love it well if we be but told it will doe us hurt If for the health of our body we will doe that which for our soules health we will not I cannot tell what to say to us What speake I of health To winne but a prize at a running or a wrestling Abstinct se ab omnibus saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 9. they will absteine from all things 1. Cor. 9.25 and undergoe a streict regiment for a long time before and all is but for a poore Silver gamâ— What shall I say then if we cannot be got to endure so much to obteine the heavenly prize which is in part done as there he saith by castigo corpus meum This for the naturall mans Cum when he will fast Ibid. ver 27. Will ye now see the Scripture's When when that setts us out our time The Scripture's When. They be in a manner the very same Scripture and Nature varie not dictate to us the same time both Our first When What time any great danger hangs and hovers over our heads When in danger that is GOD's time saith Esai 22.12 GOD Himselfe doth then call us to fasting No time then to kill oxen or dresse sheep eat flesh and drinke wine A great paine is there sett upon it GOD must needs take it ill if when He bidds us fast we fall to feast And this when is of greatest example None so frequent in all the Bible as fasts of this nature Never came there danger toward them a 2. Sam. 24. of plague but David b Ioel. 2.12 of famine but Ioël c 2 Chro. 2.3 of warr but Iosaphat d Est. 4.16 of any destruction threatened but not onely good Queene Hester but wicked e 1. Kin. 21.27 Ahab nay even the heathen King of f Ion. 3.5 Ninive to their fasts streight flying to it as to a forcible meanes and so they ever found it to turne away GOD's wrath and so the danger the matter of their feare This is a time When and we then to do it Now if for the effect we fast for the cause much more Of these 2. When in Sinne 1. To punish it of all other our miseries the cause is within our selves Our sinne whereby GOD 's anger is kindled and these ever follow upon it When therefore we would proceed against our selves for sinne a Levit. 16.29 humble our selves the phrase of the Law b Psal. 35.13 chasten our selves of the Psalme c Ezra 8.21 pâ—nish our selves of the Prophetts d 2. Cor. 7.11 take revenge of our selves the Apostle's phrase tum iciunab unt in die illo this is a way then is a time to doe it Fasting is a punishment to the flesh * 1. Reg. 22.27 Modicum panis et pauxillum aquae was a part of Michea's punishment By it as to amerce our selves as it were for abusing our libertie before and making it an occasion to the flesh and thereby to prevent His iudgement by iudging our selves Do de me poenas ut ille parcat It is Augustine This so proceeding of ours to take punishment on our selves it is illex misericordiae saith Tertullian it allures inclines GOD to mercie when He sees us angry with our selves in good earnest and do somewhat His anger ceasses Nam qui culpâ offenditur poenâ placatur whom the fault offends the punishment appeases whither His punishment or ours But He had rather ours then His that we should do it then He. And this to extend to the body also and to the chastening of it For doth the soule onely sinne Doth not the body also And shall the soule suffer sorrow for sinne and shall the body suffer nothing and yet was in the fame transgression If it shall then at least poena damni for poena sensus I am sure we would be more loth to come to And what poena damni but abstinere a licitiâ— quia illicita 〈◊〉 To deny our selves that we might for doing that we might not There is a another 〈◊〉 Secondly As it is a chasti 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 when it is done 3. 2. To prevent it So hath it alwaies been held to have in it a medicinable forâ—â— a speciall good 〈◊〉 to prevent 〈◊〉 when it is not yet fallen on us or we into it 〈…〉 onely as it 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are like to fall for that we are now leading even entring into tentation This also is a time When. Maâ— 4.1 â— And this time we ground upon CHRIST 's time of fasting His fasting went immediately before His tentation No wayes needfull for Himselfe was CHRIST 's fast None is so simple as to thinke the Tempter would have prevailed against Him though He had taken His meales eat and drunke the fourty dayes before It was not for Himselfe it was for us His fast Exemplarily to teach us it will be a great vantage if prepared by this exercise we shall encounter the evill Spirit Specially if it be some kind of them if an uncleane spirit Ch. 17. ver 21. For that kind is not cast out no nor kept out but either by jejunatis or not at all CHRIST ' s-fasting then before His tentation is to shew us it is good fasting against tentation At least this way we shall weaken his forces by keeping downe our fleshly lusts 1. Pet 2.11 which saith Saint Peter fight against the soule and lying in our owne bosome oft betray us to the fiend For when all is sayd that can be Bernard's saying wil be sound true that Nutriuntur cum carne vitia carnis And if Religion did not Experience teacheth us that Plye the body apace let it be kept high how mellow a soile it proves for the sinnes of the flesh And that if by abstinence we cropp not the budds of Sensualitie they will ripen and seed to the ruine of our soules So there is use both wayes of it 1. Cor. 9.27 1 Vse of castigo corpus for the time past Vse 2 of in servitutem redigo for the time to come Ieiuna quia peccâsti Ieiuna ut ne pecces both saith Chrysostome One as a punishment with reference to sinne already committed The other as a preservative for noli amplius peccare that we commit it not againe Two causes more and two times When. 4. When in want of some good But hath fasting his use in evill things onely and repelling them hath it
not also in good things and procuring them Yes sure I demaund doth there never happen us that we have some cause more then ordinarie the procuring of GOD 's favour whereto and the successe whereof with more then ordinarie prayer we would commend to GOD Hest. 4.16 Neh. 9.1 2. Why there then is another Cum. As when Hester would move the King for the safety of her people or Nehemias for the new building of the wall of Hierusalem Both found good of this that when there is use of earnest and hearty prayer it will be the more earnest and hearty if cum jâ—iunatis doe also goe with it We have other while extraordinarie occasions in our worldly affaires and then we make no accompt of a meales losse have we none such in spiritualibus to GOD ward None but vulgar there Never any but such as we can enterteine with our common dull devotion Need none other but as if the businesse between GOD and our soule were the seeliest and poorest businesse we had to goe about 5. When in spirituall exercise But say we have none shall we at no time sequester our selves and for some small time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a 2 Pet. 3.7 Saint Peter's word get us a withdrawing place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is b 1. Cor. 7.5 Saint Paule's make us a vacant time of purpose to entend devout and ghostly meditation thoroughly A case which Saint Paul presumes at one time or other every good Christian man and woman will not faile but doe Then hath fasting a time too and one vacancie to serve for both It is a speciall friend to prayer to feather it to put a vigor or fervor into it Therefore where almost shall you find them but coupled fast and pray one following streight in the neck of another Even heer presently before was CHRIST in a treaty of prayer and heer now immediately after it He falls to speake of fasting This was not for nothing But as if He should give thereby a speciall Item that there is a mutuall reciprocall correspondence nay an alliance between them to sanctifie and support either the other And namely a speciall vertue in fasting to awake up and quicen our devotion thereby the better to elevate our mindes unto GOD. We feele this or we feele nothing that â—ull is our devotion and our prayers full of yawning when the brâ—ine is thick with the vapour and the heart pressed downe with the charge of the stomach And that our devotâ—on and all els â—s performâ—d as Tertullian saith pâ—llentiorâ— mente and oâ— vâ—câ—ore corde 〈…〉 more flâ—sh our spirits more about uâ— while we are in virgn◠〈◊〉 yeâ— in our â—asâ—ing 〈◊〉 when fasting and prayer are not asunder but we serve GOD in both Oâ—r Morâ—niâ—g Pâ—ayer that that is the Iâ—cense saith the Psalme Our Evening is but the stretching out of our hands in comparison of it Psal. 141.2 faint and heavie These then the time 1 Of feare of the danger sinne will draw upon us 2 Of indignation at our sinne the cause of it 3 Of Sorrow for that we have done 4 Of care that we do so no more 5 Of taking downe the flesh 6 Of lifting up the spirit 7 Of averting evill 8 Of procuring good 9 Of giving our selves wholly to Spirituall exercise These are all causes Why These are all times When all of the Scriptures limiting all of the Saints practise there And indeed all of CHRIST 's owne assigning For venient dies Chap. 9.15 there will come dayes saith CHRIST Do those dayes never come When come they Verily when evill daies come upon us we may hang up our harpes then Psal. 137.2 the marriage feast is at an end with us and we then to fast saith CHRIST according to the letter But goes He from us onely corporally by adversitie Goes he not spiritually also Yes and whensoever we fall into any grievous sinne though the piping may continue perhaps yet the Bridegroome is gone assure your selfe gone He is Et tum jejunabunt and then fast we must Why even for verie griefe that by our wretched folly we have set Him gone For if when He is taken from us fast we must must we not much more when we our selves by our lewd carriage have been the cause I say not of His taking but even of His very chasing and driving away from us Thirdly against tentation we need to fast for against His tentation CHRIST fasted that needed it not And last His so close joyning and so oft of these two 1 fasting and 2 prayer so togither still makes that the time of fervent prayer is a time of CHRIST 's appointing too and that so intimated even in this very place heere But all this while we have been speaking of When we are to fast at large or when The Application to the tiâ—â— of Lent upon some occasion In the meane time we say nothing of this time now at hand This is not upon any occasion it is a yearely recurrent fast Will this also come within the lists of Cum jejunatis I take it it will For shall our fasting be altogether when we will our selves shall it not also be some time when the Church will May we bind our selves and may not she also bind us Hath she no interest in us no power over us The Synagogue of the Iewes we see had power to prescribe fasts and did Hath the Church of CHRIST none Is she in worse case then the Synagogue No indeed If Recab might enjoine his sonnes She may Her 's She is our Mother Ier. 35.6 She hath the power of a Mother over us and a Mother hath power to give lawes to her children And so Cum jejunatis is When you fast by the Churche's appointment also the Churche's Cum. This is sure No man hath GOD to his FATHER that hath not the CHVRCH for his Mother and that once and twise in the Proverbes order is taken Pro. 1.8.17.25 as to keepe the precepts of our Father so not to set light by the lawes of our Mother Ira Patris and dolor Matris are togither in one verse He that grieves her angers Him And he cannot but grieve her that little setts by her wholesome Orders The Apostles we see Saint Paul by name though he had been in the third heaven 1. Cor. 11 1â— yet he deferred to talem consuetudinem the Churche's custome and rests in it We must learne to doe the like and not sett light by them as our manner is This I may say for this Cum It is no Custome lately taken up No Lâ—w of the Church our Mother that now is She is growen old and her senses faile her She errs or at least is said to erre at every bodies pleasure It is a custome this of the Church while it was a Christo recens yet fresh and warme from CHâ—â—ST The Church which was the Mother of the Apostles
she had was too deare And having a pretious confection or ointment of Nardus the chiefe of all ointments and in it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe of all Nardi and in it too not of the leafe but of the very choise part thereof of the Spike or flower both for the making true and for the value costly that did she bestow And that frankly For she did not drop but powre not a dramme or two but a whole pound not reserving any but breaking boxe and all And that not now alone but three severall times one after another This she did and as it may seem the coherence fell out not amisse This outward ointment and sweet odour Psal. 45.7 1. Ioh. 2.20 2. Cor. 2.15 she bestowed on CHRIST for the vile of gladnesse for the Spirituall annointing as Saint Iohn and the comfortable savour of His knowledge as Saint Paul calls it He bestowed on her This as it was well done so was it well taken of CHRIST and so should have beene of all present but for Iudas saith Saint Iohn Who liking better odorem lucri ex re qualibet then any sent in the Apothecarie's shop seeing that spent on CHRIST 's head that he wished should have come into his purse repined at it But that so cunningly in so good words with so colorable a motion 1. That it was a needlesse expense indeed a wast 2. That it might have beene bestowed much better to the reliefe of many poore people as that he drew the Disciples some of them to favour the motion and to dislike of Marie Magdalen and her doing So that both they and he joyned in one Bill but he of a wretched covetous minde they of a simple plaine intent and purpose thinking all that was well spoken had beene well meant Which Action of theirs for that it was brought Not onely against her that bestowed it but even against CHRIST also that admitted it though not so directly as it were against her with Vtquid perditio against Him with Vtquid permisâ—io for that also it might be a dangerous precedent in ages to come if nothing were said to it and shutt all boxes and barre all ointments forever Our SAVIOVR himselfe taketh on Him to plead her cause Not onely excusing it in Sinâ—te illam as no wast but also commending it in bonum opus as a good worke Thâ—t the ointment was not so pleasant to his sense as her thankfullnesse acceptable to His Spirit That the ointment which then filled the house with the sent should fill the whole worâ—d with the report of it and as far and wide as the Gospâ—ll was preached so far and wide should this act be remembred as well for her câ—mmendation that did it as for our imitation that should heare of it We see both the occasion and summe of these words read Which may apply be said to conteine in them a disputation or Plea about Maâ—ie Magdalene's act whether it were well done or no. Whereof there are two priâ—cipall parts Iudas with Some other ad oppositum against it to have Marie Magdalen reformed and her box converted to better vses CHRIST for it and against them Sinite that He would have it stand yea that He would have it acknowledged for that it was Bonum opus The Division In the intreating whereof these three points I purpose 1. First of Iudas his Motion and in it 1 The speech it selfe Vtquid perditio c. 2 The Speaker Some of them 3 The Minde or affâ—ction thought much 2. Secondly of CHRIST 's Apologie and in it 1 That it is sufferable 2 That it is comâ—endaâ—le 3 The reason of both In Me for that on Him 3. Last of all laying both together The former That it is a good worke The later That yet grudged at that good actions oft times meet with evill constructions therâ—fore 1 though we doe well yet we shall be euill spoken of and againe 2 thâ—ugh we be evill spoken of yet we must proceed to doe well The vse we shall make is briefly Ex factis facienda discere by report of that which hath been done heretofore to learne what to doe in like case heereafter Whereof that I may so speake c. OF the tongue the Psalmist saith I. Iuda's Motion 1 The speech Vtquid Perditio it is the best member we have Psal. 108.1 and Saint Iames Chap. 3.6 it is the worst and that it marreth all the rest The nature of the tongue thus being both good and bad maketh that our speech is of the same complexion Good and bad likewise Whereof this speech heere is a pregnant example Good in substance as I shall shew presently Evill in circumstance as we shall afterward see as neither well meant nor well applied In the speech I commend two good things 1 The Abuse noted Vtquid c. 2 The Vse sett downe Potuit c. Not onely the Defect Not thus wasted but the Provision how Turned into money and distributed to the poore We beginne with the first Vtquid perditio c. Surely a good speech and of good vse and to be reteined Religion and Reason both teach us In all things to regard both Quid and Vtquid No lesse to what end we doe then what we doe And both of them censure Not onely what is done to an evill end wickedly but what is done to no end vainely Quem fructum Rom. 6.21 What fruit saith Saint Paul A good question and if it have none Vtquid terram occupat Luk. 13.8 Why troubleth it the ground saith CHRIST So that Religion alloweth not wast censureth idlenesse and in all things calleth us to our Vtquid haec And this as in all things in wast of time wast words addle questions so yet chiefly in that which we call Bonum vtile The very goodnesse of which things is in their vse and they no longer good then they have a vse which if they lose they cease to be good So that in them not only those things that are mis-spent upon wicked vses but even those also that are idlely spent to no vse they are lost lavished and no good commeth of them And therefore in them Vtquid perditio indeed is well said This they learned of CHRIST himselfe Ioh 6.12 who in the gathering of the broken meate gave charge ut nequid perdatur that no wast should be made Indeed Vtquid perditio ulla whereto either this or any wast at all So that Religion is an enemie to riott and good husbandry is good divinitie It is GOD 's will that of our goods Iustitia condus sit Iustice should be Purveyor and they rightly gotten Temperantia promus Temperance the steward and they not wastfully spent Consequently Neither wast in buing I. Ioh 13.29 but as CHRIST 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not whereof we may have vse but whereof we have need and cannot be without
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
him the person of others and so doing Iustice may have her course and proceed Pitie it is to see a man pay that he never took but if he will become a Surety if he will take on him the person of the Debtor so he must Pitie to see a silly poore Lamb lie bleeding to death but if it must be a sacrifice such is the nature of a sacrifice so it must And so CHRIST though without sin in himselfe yet as a Surety as a Sacrifice may justly suffer for others if he will take upon him their persons and so GOD may iustly give way to his wrath against him Ours And who be those others The Prophet Esay telleth us and telleth it us seven times over for failing Esa. 53.4 5 6. He took upon Him our infirmities and bare our maladies He was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our transgressions The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes were we healed All we as sheepe were gone astray and turned every man to his owne way and the LORD hath layd upon him the iniquity of us all All all even those that passe to and fro and for all this regard neither him nor his Passion The short is It was we that for our sinnes our many great and grievous sinnes Si fuerit sicut the like whereof never were should have swet this Sweat and have cried this Crie should have been smitten with these sorrowes by the fierce wrath of GOD had not he stept between the blow and us and latched it in his owne body and soule even the dint of the fiercenesse of the wrath of GOD. O the Non sicut of our sinnes that could not otherwise be answered To returne then a true verdict It is we we wretched sinners that we are that are to be found the principalls in this act and those on whom we seeke to shift it to derive it from our selves Pilate and Caiaphas and the rest but instrumentall causes only And it is not the executioner that killeth the man properly that is They No nor the Iudge which is GOD in this case Onely sinne Solum peccatum homicida est Sinne only is the murtherer to say the truth and our sinnes the murtherers of the SONNE of GOD and the Non sicut of them the true cause of the Non sicut both of GOD 's wrath and of his sorrowfull sufferings VVhich bringeth home this our text to us even into our owne bosomes and applieth it most effectually to me that speake and to you that heare to every one of us and that with the Prophet Nathan's application Tu es homo Thou art the Man even thou 2 Sam. 12.7 for whom GOD in his fierce wrath thus afflicted him Sinne then was the cause on our part Why we or some other for us But yet what was the cause why He on his part what was that Love of us that moved him thus to become our Surety and to take upon him our debt and danger that moved him thus to lay downe his Soule a sacrifice for our sinne Sure Oblatus est quia voluit saith Esay again Esa. 53 7. Offered he was for no other cause but because he would For unlesse he would he needed not Needed not for any necessity of Iustice for no Lamb was ever more innocent Nor for any necessity of constraint For twelve Legions of Angells were ready at his command but because he would And why would he No reason can be given but because he regarded us Marke that reason And what were we Verily utterly unworthy even his least regard not worth the taking up not worth the looking after Cum inimici essemus saith the Apostle we were his enemies Rom. 5.8 when he did it without all desert before and without all regard after he had done and suffered all this for us and yet he would Regard us that so little regard him For when he saw us a sort of forlorne sinners Non priùs natos quam damnatos Damned as fast as borne Eph. 2.3 as being by nature children of wrath and yet still heaping up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2 5. by the errors of our life till the time of our passing hence and then the fierce wrath of GOD ready to overwhelme us and to make us endure the terror and torments of a never-dying death another Non sicut yet When I say he saw us in this case he was moved with compassion over us and undertooke all this for us Even then in his love he regarded us and so regarded us that he regarded not himselfe to regard us Bernard saith most truly Dilexisti me Domine magis quà mte quando mori voluisti pro me In suffering all this for us thou shewedst LORD that we were more deare to thee that thou regardest us more then thine owne selfe And shall this Regard finde no regard at our hands It was Sinne then and the hainousnesse of sinn in us that provoked wrath and the fiercenesse of his wrath in GOD It was love and the greatnesse of his love in CHRIST that caused him to suffer the Sorrowes and the grieuousnes of these Sorrowes and all for our sakes And indeed but only to testifie the Non sicut of this his Love all this needed not that was done to him One any one even the very least of all the paines he endured had been enough enough in respect of the Meus enough in respect of the Non sicut of his Person For that which setteth the high price on this Sacrifice is this That he which offereth it unto GOD is GOD. But if little had been suffered little would the Love have been thought that suffered so little and as little regard would have been had of it To awake our regard then or to leave us excuselesse if we continue regardlesse all this he bare for us that he might as truely make a Case of Si fuerit Amor sicut Amor meus as he did before of Si fuerit Dolor sicut Dolor meus We say we will regard Love if we will heere it is to regard So have we the Causes all three 1 Wrath in GOD 2 Sinne in our selves 3 Love in Him Our Benefit by it Pertaines it not to us Yet have we not all we should For what of all this What good Cui bono That that is it indeed that we will regard if any thing as being matter of Benefit the only thing in a manner the world regardeth which bringeth us about to the very first words againe For the very first words which we reade Have ye no regard are in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lo alechem which the Seventy turne word for word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine likewise Nonne ad vos pertinet Pertaines it not to you that you regard it no better For these two Pertaining and Regarding are folded one in another and goe together so commonly as one is
would be layd up well That which is sowen riseth up in the spring that which sleepeth in the morning So conceive of the change wrought in our nature that feast of first fruits by CHRIST our first fruits Neither perish neither that which is sowen though it rott nor they that sleepe though they lye as dead for the time Both that shall spring and these wake well againe Therefore as men sowe not grudgingly nor lye downe at night unwillingly no more must we seeing by vertue of this Feast we are now Dormientes not mortui now not as stones but as fruits of the earth whereof one hath an annuall the other a diurnall resurrection This for the first fruits and the change by them wrought There is a good analogie or correspondence betweene these III. The ground of our hope it cannot be denied To this question Can one man's resurrection worke upon all the rest it is a good answer Why not as well as one sheafe upon the whole harvest This Simile serves well to shew it To shew but not prove Symbolicall Divinitie is good but might we see it in the rationall too We may see it in the cause no lesse in the substance and let the ceremonie goe This I called the Ground of our hope Why saith the Apostle should this of the first fruits seeme strange to you that by one mans resurrection we should rise all seeing by one mans death we die all By one man saith he Rom. 5.12 sinne entred into the world and by sinne death to which sinne we were no parties and yet we all die because we are of the same nature whereof he the first person Death came so certainely and it is good reason life should doe so likewise To this question Can the resurrection of one a thousand sixe hundred yeares agoe be the cause of our rising it is a good answer Why not as well as the death of one five thousand sixe hundred yeares ago be the cause of our dying The ground and reason is that there is like ground and reason of both The wisest way it is if Wisedome can contrive it that a person be cured by Mithridate made of the very flesh of the viper bruised whence the poison came that so that which brought the mischiefe might minister also the remedie The most powerfull way it is if Power can effect it to make strength appeare in weakenesse and that He that overcame should by the nature which He overcame be swallowed up in victorie The best way it is if Goodnesse will admit of it that as next to Sathan man to man oweth his destruction so next to GOD man to man might be debtor of his recoverie So agreeable it is to the Power Wisedome and Goodnesse of GOD this the three Attributes of the Blessed and Glorious Trinitie And let Iustice weigh it in her ballance no iust exception can be taken to it no not by Iustice it selfe that as death came so should life too the same way at least More favour for life if it may be but in very rigour the same at the least According then to the very exact rule of Iustice both are to be alike If by man one by man the other We dwell too long in generalities Let us draw neerer to the persons themselves in whom we shall see this better In them all answer exactly word for word Adam is fallen and become the first fruits of them that die CHRIST is risen and became the first fruits of them that live for they that sleepe live Or you may if you please keepe the same terme in both thus Adam is risen as we vse to call rebellions risings He did rise against GOD by Eritis sicut Dij Gen 3.6 He had never fallen if he had not thus risen His rising was his fall We are now come to the two great Persons that are the two great Authors of the two great matters in this world life and death Not either to themselves and none els but as two Heads two Roots two first fruits either of them in reference to his companie whom they stand for And of these two hold the two great Corpâ—rations 1 Of them that die they are Adam's 2 Of them that sleepe and shall rise that is CHRIST ' s. To come then to the particular No reason in the world that Adam's transgression should draw us all downe to death onely for that we were of the same lump and that CHRIST 's righteousnesse should not be availeable to raise us up againe to life being of the same sheaves whereof He the first fruits no lesse then before of Adam Looke to the things Death and Life Weakenesse is the cause of death Raising to life commeth of Power 2. Cor. 13.4 Shall there be in Weakenesse more strength to hurt then in Power to do us good Looke to the Persons Adam and CHRIST shall Adam being but a living soule Ver. 45.47 infect us more strongly then Christ a quickning spirit can heale us againe Nay then Adam was but from the earth earthly CHRIST the LORD from heaven Shall earth doe that which heaven cannot vndoe Never it cannot be Sicut Sic As and So so runne the termes But the Apostle in Rom. 5. where he handleth this very point tells us plainly Non sicut delictum Rom. 5.15 ita donum Not as the fault so the Grace Nor as the fall so the Rising but the Grace and the Rising much more abundant It seemeth to be A pari it is not indeed It is under value Great odds between the Persons the Things the powers and the meanes of them Thus then meet it should be Let us see how it was Heer againe the very termes give us great light We are saith he restored Restoring doth alwaies presuppose an attainder going before and so the terme significant For the nature of attainder is One person maketh the fault but it taints his blood and all his posteritie The a Heb. 9.27 Apostle saith that a Statute there is All men should dye But when we go to search for it we can finde none but b Gen. 3.19 Pulvis es wherin onely Adam is mentioned and so none die but he But even by that Statute death goeth over all men even those saith Saint Paul that have not sinned after the like manner of transgression of Adam By what law By the law of Attainders The Restoring then likewise was to come and did come after the same manner as did the attainders That by the first this by the second Adam so He is called Ver. 45. Lev. 18.5 There was a Statute concerning GOD 's commaundements qui fecerit ea vivet in eis He that observed the commaundements should live by that his obedience Death should not seise on him CHRIST did observe them exactly therefore should not have beene seised on by death should not but was and that seisure of his was deathe's forfeiture The laying of the former Statute on
owne eyes Videbitis you shall see it is so you shall see Him Indeed Non hic would not serve their turnes He knew their question would be Where is He Gone He is Not quite gone but only gone before Which is the second comfort For if He be but gone before we have hope to follow after I prae sequar so is the nature of Relatives But that we may follow then Whither is He gone Whither He told ye himselfe a little before His Passion c. 14.28 into Galilee 1. No meeter place for IESVS of Nazareth to go then to Galilee there He is best knowne there in a Mat 2.23 Nazareth He was brought up there b Io. 2.11 in Cana He did His first miracle shewed His first glorie meet therefore to see His last there in Capernaum and the coasts about preached most bestowed most of His labour 2. Galilee it was called Galilee of the Gentiles for Mat. 4 15. it was in the confines of them To shew His Resurrection tanquam in meditullio as in a middle indifferent place reacheth to both concerneth and benefitteth both alike As Ionas after his resurrection went to Ninive so Christ after His Ion. 3.4 to Galilee of the Gentiles 3. Galilee that from Galilee the place from whence they sayd No good thing could ever come He might bring one of the best things and of most comfort Ioh 1 46. that ever was the sight and comfort of His Resurrection 4. Galilee last for Galilee signifieth a Revolution or turning about to the first point Whither they must goe that shall see Him or have any part or fellowship in this feast of His resurrection Thither is He gone before and thither if ye follow there ye shall see Him This is the third comfort and it is one indeed For 3. Ye shall see Him Sight is the sense of certaintie and all that they can desire And there they did see Him Not these here only or the Twelve only or the 120. names in Acts 1. only Act 1.15 1. Cor. 15 6. but even 500. of them at once sayth the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. a whole Cloude of VVitnesses to put it cleane out of question And of purpose doth the Angell point to that apparition which was the most famous and publike of all the tenne This was good newes for those here and they were worthy of it seeking Him 4. And his Disciples Peter and all as they did But what shall become of the rest namely of his Disciples that lost Him alive and seeke Him not dead They shall never see Him more Yes which is Evangelium good tydings indeed the chiefe comfort of all they too that left Him so shamefully but three dayes agoe them He casts not off but will be glad to see them in Galilee Well whatsoever become of other Peter that so foully forsooke and forsware Him both he shall never see Him more Yes Peter too and Peter by name And indeed it is more then needfull He should name him He had greatest cause of doubt the greatest stone upon Him to be rolled away of any that had so often with oathes and execrations so utterly renounced Him This is a good message for him and Marie Magdalen as fit a messenger as can be Mar. 14.71 to carrie it one great Sinner to another That not only CHRIST is risen but content that his forsakers deniers forswearers PETER and all should repaire to Him the day of His Resurrection That all the deadly wounds of His Passion have not killed His compassion over sinners That though they have made wracke of their duetie yet He hath not lost His mercie nor left it in the grave but is as readie to receive them as ever His Resurrection hath made no change in Him dying and rising He is to sinners still one and the same still like himselfe a kinde loving and mercifull SAVIOVR This is the last PETER and all may see him And with this he dismisseth them with Ite dicite 2. Their commission with a Commission and precept by vertue whereof He maketh these Women Apostolos Apostolorum Apostles to the Apostles themselves for this Article of the Resurrection did they first learne of these VVomen and they were the first of all that preached this Gospell giving them in charge that seeing this day is a day of glad tydings they would not conceale it but impart it to others even to so many as then were or would ever after be Christ's Disciples They came to embalme Christ's bodie naturall that needs it not it is past embalming now But another body He hath a mysticall body a company of those that had beleeve in Him though weakly that they would goe and annoint them for they need it They sitt drying away what with feare what with remorse of their unkind dealing with Him they need to have some oile some balme to supple them That they doe with this Gospell with these foure Of which foure ingredients is made the balme of this day Thus we see these that were at cost to annoint CHRIST were fully recompensed for the costs they had beene at themselves annointed with oyle and odours of a higher nature and farr more pretious then those they brought with them Oleum laetitiae saith the a Psal. 45.7 Psalme O dor vitae saith the b 2. Cor. 2.16 Apostle And that so plenteously as there is enough for themselves enough too for others for His Disciples for Peter and all The Application But what is this to us Sure as we learned by way of duty how to seeke Christ ' after their example so seeking Him in that manner by way of reward we hope to have our part in this good newes no lesse then they 1. CHRIST is risen that concerneth us alike c Ephe. 4.15 The Head is gott above the water d Rom. 11.16 The Roote hath received life and sapp e 1 Cor. 15.23 The First fruicts are lift up and consecrate We no lesse then they as His members His branches His field recover to this hope 2. And for His going before that which the Angell said heer once is ever true He is not gone quite away He is but gone before us He is but the antecedent we as the consequent to be inferred after Yea though He be gone to Galilaea superior the Galilee that is above Heaven the place of the Celestiall Spheres and Revolutions even thither is He gone not as a party absolute of or for himselfe Heb. 6.20 but as a Herbenger saith the Apostle with relation to others that are comming after for whom He goeth before to take up a place So the Apostle there So Ioh 14.2 the Angell heere So He Himselfe Vado not Vado alone but Vado parare locum vobis I go to prepare a place wherein to receive you when the number of you and your brethren shal be full 3. To us likewise pertaineth the third videbitis
The reall part Then What peace Why Peace Is there nothing more worth the wishing Nothing more Why Peace of it selfe Nothing more fit for these persons this place and this time Of it selfe Votum pacis Summa votorum It is all wishes in one Nothing more to be wished For in brevi voce Breviarium this little word is a Breviarie of all that good is To shew how a little quà m bonum how good how worth the wishing it is 1 As good Psal. 133.1 Pro. 1â— 16.17 Pro. 17.1 It is tam bonum so good as without it nothing is good With it saith Salomon an hand-full of herbes without it an hous-full of sacrifices is not good With trouble and vexation nothing is good nothing is to be wished And as without it nothing is to be wished so all that is to be wished all good is within it Evangelizantium pacem evangelizantium bona quia Rom. 10 1â— in pace omnia bona To bring newes of peace is to bring newes of all good things for all good things are in peace Bona is the true glosse or exposition of peace * Psal. 133 1. Quà m bonum you know And quà m jucundum too Both good and pleasant 2. Pleasant and pleasant not onely as Aarons ointment which was onely pleasant but 3. Profitable Psal. 72.7 as Hermon dew which brings profit with it Abundantia pacis saith the Psalme Peace and Plentie goe togither And yet how much it is to be wished this sheweth Pacem te poscimus omnes 4. Wished by all All wish it Angells wish it Heaven to Earth Pax in terris And Men wish it Earth to Heaven Pax in coelis GOD wisheth it most kindly for Him Luc 2 14. Deus pacis pacem Dei the GOD of peace the peace of GOD. Yea 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 4 7. Luc 4.34 the enemie of all peace wisheth it for he complaines Venisti nos inquietare are ye come to trouble us So he would not be troubled that troubles all but sett all togither by the eares and sitt quiet himselfe But it is much for the honor of peace that cum bellum geritur pax quaeritur Even militar persons with sword in one hand and fire in the other give this for their Embleme Sic quaerimus pacem Thus with sword and fire seeke we peace As seeke it at last they must we must all Best primâ Sabbati but Serò sooner or later come to it we must If it be not the first it must be our last 2 And by Christ oâ—ten But if there were nothing els this onely were enough and though there be many this chiefly doth shew it That our SAVIOVR CHRIST so often so diverse waies Ioh. 14.27 so earnestly wisheth it Going He did it Pacem meam do vobis And now comming He doth it Sitting He did it Chap. 16. and now standing Living when He was borne Ioh 16.33 Luk 2.14 Chap. 14 28. Pax in terris Xenium Christi It was CHRIST 's New-yeares-gift Dying when He was to suffer Pacem meam relinquo vobis it was Legatum Christi CHRIST 's Legacie And now heere rising againe it is His wish still To shew not only the good of this life but of the next to be in peace Prayed for it Chap. 17. Chap. 17.21 â—uk 19.42 Payed for it Chap. 18. Wept for it O if thou hadst knowen the things that pertaine to thy peace Wept for it and bledd for it therefore immediately the very next words He sheweth them His hands and His side As much to say See what I have suffered to procure your peace Your peace cost me this Pax vobis cost Crux mihi See you hold it deere Now sure if there were any one thing better then other those hands would not have with-held it and that heart would wish it And Peace it doth wish therefore nothing more to be wished Complete it is Votum pacis Summa votorum Iâ—n 1.12 There need no other signe be given but that of the Prophet IONAS that CHRIST wished his wish So the tempest may cease and peace as a calme ensue spare me not take me cast me into the Sea make me a Peace-offering and kill me This is enough to shew it is to be wished to make it pretious in our eyes For we vnder-value it at too low a rate when that which cost so deere for every trifling ceremonie we are ready to lose it Our faint perswasion in this point is the cause we are faint in all the rest Well though this be thus good yet good it selfe is not good vnlesse it be in season come fitly Doth this so Every way fitly 1 For the Persons 2 For the Place 3 and for the Time 1. And now fitly for the Persons 1 By whom CHRIST Ephes. 2.14 The Persons both 1 CHRIST by whom and 2 they to whom it is wished 1. CHRIST by whom Decet Largitorem pacis haec salutatio saith Cyrill It is meet for Him to give peace that made peace Nay Ipse est Pax nostra saith the Apostle and for Peace what fitter salutation then Peace â— To whom The Disciples 2. They to whom for they needed it with GOD they had no peace whom they had provoked Nor peace with men not with the Iewes about them Nor peace with themselves for they were in feare and night-feare which is the worst of all others Fit for them and they for it for together they were and so not vnfit to entertaine it 2. For the place And with the Place it suiteth well For they were shut up as men environed and beleaguered with their enemies Conclusi derelicti shut up and forsaken And to such Peace is ever welcome 3. For the Time And for the time seasonable For after a falling out Peace is so And after a victorie Peace is so Fitt therefore for this day the day of the Resurrection for till then it was not in kind The great battaile was not fought The last enemie death was not overcome 1. Cor. 15.26 Never till now but now the last enemie is conquered now it is in season 4. For the thing iâ— selfe pâ—aâ—e a resurrection And for the thing it selfe Peace is a kind of Resurrection When CHRIST was risen His Disciples were dead Those dead affections of sorrow and feare when they seise throughly upon men what are they but Mors ante mortem Vpon good newes of IOSEPH Gen 45.27 IACOB is said to revive as if before he had beene given for dead It was their case heere The house was to them as their grave and the doore as the grave-stone and they buried in feare when they saw Him in the next verse and were thus saluted by Him they gatt hope were glad that is revived againe For if those were the pangs of death peace after a sort is a resurrection and so a fit wish for the time And to say truth Peace
bellie and came forth againe alive Dead he was not but lege viventium after the law of the living one throwen overboord into the Sea in a tempest to all intents may be given for dead and so I dare say all the mariners in the ship gave Ionas That he came out againe alive it was by speciall grace not by course of nature For from the Whale's bellie he came for all the world as if one should have come out of his grave risen againe Among the Iewes it goes for currant the Rabbines take it up one after another that this Ionas was the Widow of Sarepta's sonne the childe whom Elias raised from death to life 1. Reg. 17. If so â—eg 17.23 then well might he be a Signe A Signe dead in his cradle once as good as dead in the Whale's bellie now againe In both resembling Him whose Signe he waâ— if both be true But one is most certaine and to that we hold us And this is indeed the maine Sicut the Sicut of the Text and of the Day 3. 〈◊〉 three daies 〈◊〉 three nights 〈◊〉 Whales 〈◊〉 Gen 39 20. Dan. 6.16 One more and I have done and that is of the time precise three dayes and three nights For in this a Non nisi For none but he so just three neither more nor lesse For I aske why not the signe of Ioseph or of Daniel a Ioseph was in the dungâ—on among condemned persons to die b Daniel in the lion's den as deadly a place as the Whale's bellie yet neither of them made the signe of CHRIST Why Ioseph was in his dungeon too long Daniel too short but a night not long enough to represent CHRIST being in his grave Onely Iona's time just And the time is it heere Els might the others have beene his Signe well enough for the matter if that had beene all But the time is still stood on and the daies numbred that His Disciples that all might know how long He would be from them and not a day longer And this not without good cause This day was but the third day and this day they were at sperabamus did hope did but now doe not their hope was fallen into a tertian that Luk. 24.21 it was time He were up againe This Signe set that they might know for a surety by this day at the fardest they should heare of Him againe Of which three To verifie His being there three dayes it is enough if He were there but a part of every one of them for it is not three whole daies As in common phrase of speech we say the Sun shone or it rained these three daies past though it did not so all day long but some part onely of each And if it rained at all in every of them we say true It is enough And so heere the first day of the three Ionas was in the ship and CHRIST on the Crosse till friday somewhat before the Sun-sett All the second day Ionas was in the Whale CHRIST in His Sepulcher The third day Ionas came out of the Whale and CHRIST out of His grave as it might be about the Sun-rising for this day both Sunnes rose together To verifie the three nights that doe we reckoning as did the Iewes and that by warrant out of the Gen. 1. the evening and the morning but for one so Gen. 1.5.8 c. drawing still the precedent night and compting it with the succeeding day So doe they still the night past with the day following as in Genesis they are taught and we doing so it will fall outright To the Sicut then of these three daies There is in each of them The Sicut of these three daies set downe a severall state of Ionas and so of CHRIST 1 Their going thither 2 Their being there 3 And their comming thence 1 In their going thither Good friday Ion. 1.4.5 Thus fell it the first day Ionas was at sea in a ship A great tempest came so great as the ship was upon casting away Of tempests some are of course have their causes in nature and in them art and strength will doe good With Ionas heere it did not prevaile a whit Thereby they knew it to be one out of course of GOD'S immediate sending GOD sends not such tempests but He is angrie He is not angrie but with sinne â— Some great Sinner then there is in the ship and if the ship were well ridd of him all would be calme againe To lotts they went Ionas was found to be the partie Being found rather then all should be cast away he bid franckly Tollite me Ion. 1.12 projicite Take me cast me into the Sea Cast in he was and the storme ceased streight the ship came safe home 15. And the Evening and the morning were the first day Will ye see now what was acted in Ionas actually fulfilled in CHRIST But first will ye note that what is in the Old Testament written of Ionas Ephes. 5.32 is not onely historia vera but Sacramentum magnum not a bare Storie onely but besides the storie pregnant also with a great Mysterie Not onely a deed done but further a Signe of a deed to be done of a farre higher nature Dico autem in CHRISTO I speake it as of CHRIST and His Resurrection Of that historie this the Mysterie this the Sacramentum magnum Will ye note againe it is on CHRIST'S side with advantage Sicut Ionas saith this verse But ecce plus quà m Ionas saith the next and both may stand There may be a Sicut where yet there may be a plus quà m a likenesse in qualitie Verse 41. where an exceeding in degree though Indeed Sicut makes not a non nisi Plus quà m doth and we then so to remember the Sicut in this as we forget not the Plus quà m in that No more will we And now weigh them over well and whithersoever ye looke ye shall finde a plus quà m Plus in the ship in the tempest in the cause in the danger in the casting in in the comming out againe In every one a plus quà m All that was in Ionas in CHRIST more conspicuous and after a more excellent manner in Signato then in Signo That so in this as in all els CHRIST may have the praeeminence Col. 1.18 To beginne then It is no new thing to resemble the Church the Common-wealth yea the World to a Ship A ship there was not a small barke of Ioppe but plus quà m a Great Arke or Argosy wherein were imbarqued all Mankind having their course through the Maine Ocean of the world bound for the Port of Aeternall blisse And in this great Carrick among the sonnes of men the Sonne of Man as He termes Himselfe became also a passenger even as did Ionas in his small bottome of Ioppe Then rose there a tempest A tempest it selfe and the cause of all tempests the heavy wrath of GOD
likewise Luc. 2.13 4. And lastly for our comfort thus That henceforth even such shall our graves be if we be so happy as to have our parts in the first resurrection Revel 20.6 which is of the soule from sinne We shall goe to our graves in white in the comfort and colour of hope lie between two Angells there they guard our bodies dead and presâ—â—t them alive againe at the resurrection 1. Yet before we leave them to learne somewhat of the Angells specially of the Angel that sate at the feete That betweene them there was no striving for places He that sate at the feete as well content with his place as he that at the head We to be so by their example For with us both the Angels would have beene at the head never a one at the feete with us none would be at the feete by his good will Head Angels all 2. Againe from them both That inasmuch as the head ever stands for the beginning and the feete for the end that we be carefull that our beginnings onely be not glorious O an Angel at the head in any wise but that we looke to the feet there be mother there too Ne turpiter atrum Desinâ—t that it end not in a blacke Angel that began in a white And this for the Angel's appearing VER 13. And they said to her Woman why weepest thou She said to them They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him 〈…〉 Now to their speech It was not a dumbe shew this a bare apparition and so vanished away It was visio vex a vocall vision Heer is a dialogue too The Angels speake to her And they aske her Quid ploras Why she wept what cause she had to weepe They meane she had none as indeed no more she had All was in error piae lachryniae 〈…〉 〈◊〉 teares of griefe but false griefe imagining that to be that was not Him to be dead that was alive She weepes because she found the grave empty which God forbid she should have found full for then CHRIST must have beene dead still and so no Resurrection And this case of Mary Magdalen is our case oftentimes In the error of our conceit to weepe where we haue no cause to ioy where we have as little Where we should where we haue cause to ioy we weepe and where to weepe we ioy Our ploras hath never a quid False ioyes and false sorrowes false hopes and false feares this life of ours is full of God helpe us Now because she erred they aske her the cause that she alledging it they may take it away and shew it to be no cause As the elench à non causâ pro causâ makes foule rule among us beguiles us all our life long 〈◊〉 answer Will ye heare her answer to Why weepe you Why sustulerunt that was the cause Her Lord was gone was taken away And a good cause it had beene if it had beene true Any have cause to grieve that have lost lost a good Lord so good and gracious a Lord as He had beene to her But that is not all a worse matter a greater griefe then that When one dieth we reckon him taken away that is one kind of taking away But his dead body is left so all is not taken from us That was not her case For in saying her Lord she means not Her Lord alive that is not it she meanes not they had slaine Him they had taken away his life she had wept her fill for that already But her Lord that is his dead body For though His life was gone yet His body was left And that was all she now had lest of Him that she cals Her Lord and that they had taken away from her too A poore one it was yet some comfort it was to her to have even that left her 〈…〉 to visite to annoint to doe other offices of love even to that Etiam viso cadavere recalescit amor at the sight even of that will love revive it will fetch life of love againe But now heer is her case that is gone and all and nothing but an empty grave now left to stand by That S. Augustine saith well sublatus de monumento grieved her more then occisus in ligno for then something yet was left now nothing at all Right sustulerunt taken away quite and cleane And thirdly her nescio vbi For though He be taken away it is some comfort yet if we know where to fetch Him againe But heer He is gone without all hope of recovery or getting againe For they but she knew not who had carryed Him she knew not whither laide Him she knew not where there to do to Him she knew not what So that now she knew not whether to goe to finde any comfort It was nescio ubi with her right Put all these together His life taken away His body taken away and carryed no man knowes whether and doe they aske why she wept or can any blame her for it 〈…〉 The truth is none had taken away Her Lord for all this for all this while Her Lord was well was as she would have had Him alive and safe He went away of 〈…〉 him thence What of that Non câ—edens 〈◊〉 credidit sâ—blatâ—m for want of beleefe He was risen she beleeved He was carryed away She 〈…〉 theâ—e was on 〈◊〉 in her love but there was love in her errour 〈…〉 〈…〉 leave to lay ou◠〈…〉 aâ—guments of her love Yet her love ouâ— of this verse to make up eight towards the making up of her 〈◊〉 The very 〈…〉 gives Him of Dominum 〈◊〉 is one My Lord that she give◠〈◊〉 that terme For it shewes her love and respect was no whit abated by 〈…〉 of His death It was a most opprobrious ignominious shamefull death 〈…〉 â—uch as in the eyes of the world any would have beene ashamed to own 〈…〉 say 〈◊〉 Him Meum but any would have beene afraid to honour him with thâ—◠〈◊〉 to style Him Dominum She was neither Meum for herâ— Dominum meum for her Lord she acknowledgeth Him is neither ashamed nor afraid to continue that 〈…〉 scaâ—â—alo non 〈…〉 Another which I â—ake to be farâ— beyond this That she having looked into the grave a little before and seene never an Angel there and of a sudden looking in now and seeing two a sight able to have amazed any any but her It mooves not her at all The suddennesse the strangenesse the gloriousnesse of the sight yea even of Angels moove her not at all She seemes to have no sense of it and so to be in a kind of extasie all the while Domine propter te est extra se saith Bernard Amor extasin patiens And thirdly as that strange sight affected her not a whit so neither did their comfortable speech worke with her at all Comfortable I call it for they that
foure parts as did the former For there appeared 1 Tongues 2 cloven 3 as it it were of fier 4 sitting upon each of them The tongue is the substantive and subiect of all the rest It is so And GOD can send from heaven no better thing nor the Divell from hell no worse thing then it 1 Tongues The best member we have saith the Prophet The worst member Psal. 108.1 Iam. 3.6 we have saith the Apostle Both as it is imployed The best if it be of GOD 's cleaving if it be of his lighting with the fire of heaven if it be one that will sitt still if cause be The worst if it come from thâ— Divell's hands For he as in many other so in the sending of tongues striveth to be like GOD as knowing well they are every way as fitt instruments to worke mischiefe by as to doe good with There be tongues of Angels in 1. Cor. 13.1 and if of good Angels I make no doubt but of evill and so the Divell hath his tongues And he hath the art of cleaving He shewed it in the beginning when he made the Serpent linguam bisulcam a forked tongue to speake that which was contrarie to his knowledge and meaning Gen. 3.4 They should not die and as he did the Serpent's so he can doe others There is fier in hell as well as in heaven that we all know Onely in this they agree not but are unlike his tongues cannot sitt still but flie up and downe all over the world and spare neither Minister nor Magistrate no nor GOD himselfe Psal. 108.2 But if we shall say to our tongue as David did to his Awake up my glory that is make it the glory of all the rest of our members it can have no greater glorie then this to be the Organ of the Holy Ghost to set forth and sound abroad the knowledge of CHRIST to the glorie of GOD the Father And so vsed it is heavenly no time so heavenly as then in no service so heavenly as in that Not to inlarge this point further there is no new matter in it This heere of the Tongues is as that before of the sound both are to no other end but to admonish them of their Office whereto they heere received Ordination even to be Tongues to be trumpets of the Counsaile of GOD and of his Love to mankinde in sending His Sonne to save them Heere is winde to serve for breath and heere are Tongues now and what should let them to doe it Mar. 16.15 That which before they received in charge audibly Ite Praedicate the very same they heere receive visibly in this apparition which is after expounded thus Coeperunt loqui by vertue of these tongues they begann to speake â— Cloven tongues Tongues and cloven tongues And that very cleaving of right necessarie use to the businesse intended For that of theirs was but one whole intire tongue that could speake but one poore language the Syrian they were bred in There was not a cleft in it So could they speake their mind to none but Syrians and by that meanes should the Gospell have beene shut up in one corner of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the goodnesse of all that is good even the imparting it to the good of the common To the end then this great good of the knowledge of the Gospell might be dispersed to many Nations even to every nation under heaven To that end clove He their tongues to make many tongues in one tongue to make one man to be able to speake to many men of many Countries to every one in his owne language If there must be a calling of the Gentiles they must have the tongues of the Gentiles wherewith to call them Chap. 20.21 If they were debters not onely to the Iewes but to the Graecians nay not onely to the Graecians but to the Barbarians too then must they have the tongues not onely of the Iewes but of the Graecians and of the Barbarians too to pay this debt Rom. 1.14 Mar. 16.15 to discharge the duty of Ite Praedicate to all And this was a speciall favour from GOD for the propagation of His Gospell farre and wide this division of tongues and it is by the ancient Writers all reckoned a plaine reversing of the curse of Babel by this blessing of Sion since they account it all one and so it is either as at the first for all men to speake one language or as heere one man speake all That is heere recovered that there was lost and they inabled for the building up of Sion in every nation to speake so as all might understand them of every nation But this withall we are to take with us that with their many tongues they spake one thing Rom. 15.6 Chap. 4.24 and that Vnivocè With one mouth Rom. 15.6 With one voice Chap. 4.24 With diverse tongues to vtter one and the same sense that is GOD 's cloven tongue that is the division of Sion serving to edification With one tongue aequivocè to utter diverse senses diverse meanings that is none of GOD 's it is the Serpent's forked tongue the very division of Babel and tendeth to nothing but confusion â— Tongues aâ— of fier Tongues cloven and as they bad beene of fire As they had beene to keep a difference in these as before in the Winde and to shew that they were not of our elâ—mentarie fier For it is added they satt upon them which they could not have done without some hurt without skorching them at least if it had beene such fier as is in our chimneys But it was 〈◊〉 as it were ours that is in shew earthly indeed coelestiall And as the Winde so the fier from heaven Exod. 3.2 of the nature of that in the III. of Exod. which made the bush burne and yet consumed it not Where first we are to observe againe the conjunction of the tongue and fire The seate of the tongue is in the head and the Head of the Church is Christ. Ephes. 1.22 The native place of heate the qualitie in us answering to this fire is the heart and the Heart of the Church is the Holy Ghost These two ioyne to this worke Christ to give the tongue the Holy Ghost to put fier into it For as in the body naturall the next the immediate instrument of the soule is heate whereby it worketh all the members over even so in the mysticall body a vigor there is like that of heate which we are willed to cherish to be a Rom. 12.11 fervent in the Spirit to b 1. Thess. 5.19 stirre and to c 2. Tim. 1.6 blow it up which is it that giveth efficacie to all the spirituall operations To expresse this qualitie it appeareth in the likenesse of this element even to shew there should be an efficacie or vigor in their doctrine resembling it Quòd igneus est illis
8.23 which bands are they Psal. 1â—â— 16 David thankes GOD for breaking in sunder There need no other bonds we will say if once we come to feele them The galls that sinne makes in the conscience are the entering of the yron into our soule Psal. 10â— 1â— But you will say we feele not these neither no more than the former No doe Take this for a rule If CHRIST heâ—le them that be broken-hearted broken-hearted we behove to be yer He can heale us He is Medicus cordis indeed but it is cordis contriti It is a condition 〈◊〉 annexed this to make us the more capable and likewise a disposition it is to make us the more curable That same pauperibus before and this 〈…〉 they limit CHRIST 's cure His cure and His Commission both and unlesâ—e they be or untill they be this Scripture is not nor cannot be fulfilled in us In our eares it may be but in our hearts never That as such as come to be healed by His Majestie are first searched and after either put by 〈◊〉 admitted as cause is so there would be a Scrutinie of such as make toward CHRIST What are you poore Poore in spirit for the purse it skills not No but dicis â—uia dives in good case CHRIST is not for you then He is sent to the poore What Psal. 119.70 is your heart broken No but heart-whole a heart as brawne then are you not for this cure In all CHRIST 's Dispensatorie there is not a medicine for such a heart a heart like brawne that is hard and un-yielding CHRIST himselfe seemes to give this Item when He applies it after Many widowes Verse 25. Many lepers saith He and so many sinners Elias sent to none but the poore Widow of Sarepta Elisaeus healed none but onely Naaman after his spirit came downe was broken No more doth CHRIST but such as are of a contrite heart Verily the case as before we set it downe is the sinner's case feele he it feele he it not But if eny be so benummed as he is not sensible of this so blind as dungeon or no dungeon all one to him if eny have this same Scirrhum cordis that makes him past feeling it is no good signe but it may be our houre is not yet come our cure is yet behind But if it should so continue and never be otherwise then were it a very evill signe Prov. 7.22 For what is such a ones case but as Salomon saith as the oxe that is ledd to the slaughter without eny sense or the foole that goes laughing when he is carried to be well whipped What case more pitifull You will say we have no hammer no worldly Crosse to breake our hearts It may be That is Manasse's hammer the common hammer indeed but that is not King David's hammer which I rather commend to you the right hammer to doe the feat to worke contrition in kind The right is the sight of our owne sinnes And I will say this for it that I never in my life saw eny man brought so low with eny worldly calamitie as I have with this sight And these I speake of were not of the common sort but men of spirit and valor that durst have looked death in the face Yet when GOD opened their eyes to see this sight their hearts were broken yea even grownd to powder with it contrite indeed And this is sure if a man be not humbled with the sight of his sinnes It is not all the crosses or losses in the world will humble him aright This is the right And without eny worldly crosse this we might have if we loved not so to absent our selves from our selves to be even fugitivi cordis to runne away from our oâ—ne hearts be ever abroad never within if we would but sometimes rediâ—e ad cor Esay 46. â— returne home thither and descend into our selves sadly and seriously to bethinke us of them and the danger we are in by them this might be had And this would be had if it might be If noâ— in default of this no remedie the common hammer must come and GOD send us Manesse's hammer to breake it some bodily sicknesse some worldly affliction to send us home into our selves But sure the Angel must come downe and the â—ater be stirred Ioâ— 5.4 els we may preach long enough to un-contrite hearts but no goodwill be done till then 〈◊〉 beene too long in the Caâ—se but the knowledge of the Cause in every disease 〈…〉 halfe the cure To the healing now 〈…〉 for heale in Esay where this Text is signifies to bind up The cure 〈…〉 the most proper cure for fracturâ—s or ought that is broken Nay 〈…〉 and all as appeareth by the Samaritan The 〈◊〉 is so stayed Luk. 10.34 which if it 〈◊〉 râ—nning on us still in vaine talke we of eny healing It is not begun till that stay 〈…〉 no longer The sinne that CHRIST cures He binds up He stayes to begin with If he cover sinne it is with a plaister He covers and cures together both under oâ—e 〈◊〉 broken-hearted the Hebrewes take not as we doe we broken for sinne they 〈◊〉 of or from sinne And we have the same phrase with us To breake one of 〈…〉 fashions or inclinations he hath beene given to So to breake the heart 〈◊〉 must it be broken or ever it be whole Both senses either of them doth well but both together best of all 〈◊〉 done now to the healing part The Heathen observed long since 2. How they are cuâ—ed Act. 10.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soules cure is by words And the Angell saith to Cornelius of Saint Pâ—ter He shall speake to thee words by which thou and thy houshold shall be saved And by no words sooner then by the sound of good tydings By good tyâ—ings Good newes is good physiqâ—e sure such the disease may be and a good message a good medicine There is power in it both waies Good newes hath healed evill newes hath killed many The good newes of Ioseph's welfare we see how it even revived old Iacob And the evill Gen. 45.27 〈◊〉 the arke of GOD taken it cost Eli his life 1. Sam. 4.18 Nothing workes upon the heart â—ore forcibly either way What are these newes and first how come they By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they come No secret Proclaimed â—hispered newes from man to man in a corner No flying newes They be proclaiâ—ed these so authenticall Proclaimed And so they had need For if our sinnes â—nce appeare in their right forme there is evill newes certainely let the Divell alone with that to proclaime them to preach damnation to us Contraria curantur câ—ntrarij we had need have some good proclaimed to cure those of his Two proclamations heere are one in the neck of another Of which the former in 〈◊〉 three branches of it applieth in particular a remedie to the three
Gâ—n 1.2 Lâ—vit 19.11 With the Holy Ghost the true Vnction and the truth of all unctions whatsoever The Spirit and water agree the Spirit moved on the face of the waters The Spirit and bloud agree The Spirit of life is in the bloud the vessells of it the arteries runne along with the texture of the veines all the body over To His comming this Spirit agreeth also When He came as Iesus To His comming the Spirit conceived Him When He came as CHRIST the Spirit annointed Him When He came in water at His Baptisme the Spirit was there came down in the shape of a Dove rested abode on Him When He came in blood at His Passion there too Ioh 1.32 It was the aeternall Spirit of GOD by which He offered Himselfe without spott unto God Heb. 9.4 So the most fit that can be to beare witnesse to all Praeseas interfuit vidit audevit was present heard and saw was acquainted with all that passed none can speake to the point so well as He. The Spirit is a witnesse is true every way But why is it said The Spirit the câ—â—efe witnâ—ssâ— It is the Spirit that beareth witnâ—sse seeing they both water and bloud beare it too it is water it is blood that beare witnesse also They indeed are witnesâ—es but it is the Spirit He it is that is the principall witnesse and principally to be regarded before the rest Heere he comes in last but He is indeed first and so as first is placed at the eight verse where they are orderly reckoned up And good reason He is one of the three both above in heaven and beneath in â—arth third there above first heer beneath a witnesse in both Courts admitted ad jus testis in both for his speciall creditt in both the medius terminus as it were between heaven and earth between God and man Besides it is sayd It is He He it is that bâ—areth witnesse For it is neither of the other will doe us any good without him the whole weight lieth upon him Not the water without the Spirit it is but nudum egenum clementum â—al 4.9 Ioh. 6. â—3 Not the bloud without the Spirit no more then the flâ—sh without the Spirit non prodest quicquam as said He whose the flâ—sh and bloud was CHRIST himselfe Will you see a proof without it CHRIST came to Simon Magus in water Act. 18 1â— Mat. 26. he was baptized CHRIST came to Iudas in bloud he was a communicant but Spirit there came none to testifie they were both never the better The better nay the worse Simon perished in the gall of bitternesse Iudas bibit mortem de fonte vitae Act 8 2â— from the cup of blessing drank downe his owne bane All for want of Et spiritus est So is it 1. Cor. 10 1â— with the word and with eny meanes els Ioh. 4.14 Ioh. 6.17 But let the testimonie of the Spirit come the water becomes a well springing up to aeternitie the flesh and blood meat that perisheth not but endureth to life everlasting And even in nature we see this Water if it be not aqua viva have not a spiâ—it to move it and make it runâ—e it stands and putrifies and bloud if no spirit in it it congeales and growes corrupt and foule as the bloud of a dead man The spirit helpeth this and upon good reason doth it For CHRIST being conceived by the Spirit it was most meet all of Christ should be conceived the same way That which conceived him should impregnate His water should animate His bloud should give the vivificat the life and vigor to them both It is the Spirit then that giveth the witnesse Now in a Witnesse above all it is required he be true the Spirit is so trâ—e as he is the Truth it selfe 2 The truth of His witnesse Ioh. 14.6 The Spirit the truth Why CHRIST saith of Himselfe I am the truth All the better for Verum vero cònsonat one truth will well sort with will uphold will make proofe one of another as these two doe prove either other reciprocally The Spirit CHRIST 's proofe CHRIST the Spirit 's CHRIST the Spirit 's Every spirit that confesseth not CHRIST is not the true spirit The Spirit CHRIST'S 1. Ioh. 4.3 CHRIST if He have not the Teste of the Spirit is not the true CHRIST Alwaies the Truth is the best witnesse And if He be the Truth on His teste you may beare your selfe Not so on water or bloud without Him they may well deceive us and be falsa and fallacia as wanting the Truth if He if the Spirit be wanting That truth to be knowen It will then much concâ—rne us to be sure the Spirit on whose testimonie we are thus wholy to relye that that spirit be the truth And it is the maine point of all to be hable to discerne the Spirit that is the truth because as there is a Spirit of truth so is there a Spirit of error abroad in the world 1. Ioh. 4.6 2. Câ—r 11.4 yea many such Spirits and the Apostle who tells us of altum IESVM in the same verse tells us of alium Spiritum too We be then to trie which spirit is the truth that so the spirit on whose witnesâ—e we rest our selves be the truth How take we notice of the Spirit How knew they the Angel was come downe into the poole of Bethesda but by the stirring and moving of the water By His spirituall motions Ioh. 5.8 So by stirring up in us spirituall motions holy purposes and desires is the Spirit 's comming knowen Specially if they doe not vanish againe For if they doe then was it some other flatuous matter which will quiver in the veines unskilfull people call it the life-bloud but the Spirit it was not The Spirit 's motion the pulse is not for a while and then ceaseth but is perpetuall holds as long as life holds though intermittent sometime for some little space Yet hold we it not safe to lay overmuch weight upon good motions which may come of diverse causes By newnesse of life and of which good motions there are as many in hell as in heaven The surest way is to lay it on that our SAVIOVR and His Apostles so often lay it Ioh 6.63 2. Cor. 3.6 that is on Spiritus vivificat The life is ever the best indicant signe of the Spirit Novum supervenisse Spiritum nova vitae ratio demonstrat that a new Spirit is come a new course of life is the best demonstration The notes of that life Ioh. â— 8 2 Tim. 4.1 1. Cor. 1â— 11 1 Breath Now life is best knowen by vitall actions Three the Scripture counteth 1 Spiritus ubi vult spirat by breath 2 Spiritus manifestè loquitur by speech 3 Omnia haec operatur unus idemque Spiritus by the worke these three 1 The neerest and most proper note
Law Lex lux saith Salomon totidem verbis Pro. 6. and his Father Pro. 6.23 Psal. 119.105 a lanterne to 〈◊〉 feet Nay in the nineteenth Psalme what he saith at the fourth verse of the Sunne at the eight he saith the same of the Law of GOD lights both 2. Pet. 1.19 3. The light 〈◊〉 prophesie as of a candle that shineth in a darke place 4. There is the wonderfull light of His Gospell So Saint Peter calls it the proper light of this day 1. Pet. 2 9. The tongues that descended so many tongues so many lights For the tongue is a light and brings in light what was before hid in the heart 5. And from these other is the inward light of grace whereby GOD which commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse 2. Cor. 4.6 Be it is that shineth in our hearts by the inward annointing which is the oile of this 〈◊〉 the light of his Holy Spirit chasing away the darknesse both of our hearts and 〈◊〉 6. There is the light of comfort of His Holy Spirit a light sowen for the â—â—ghteous heere in this life And 7. There is the light of glorie which they shall reape the light where GOD dwelleth and where we shall dwell with him Even the inheritance of the Saints in light when the righteous shall shine as the Sunne Col. 1.12 Matt. 13.43 Exod. 25. â—2 in the kingdome of their Father the Father of lights Moses's Candlestick with seven stalkes and lights in each of them Of all which seven lights GOD is the Father acknowledges them all for his children and to his children will vouchsafe them all in their order Now this onely remaineth why He is not called the Author 3 Why Pater not Author but the Father of these In this is the manner of their descending And that is for that they proceed 〈◊〉 Him per modum naturae as the child from the Father per modum emanationis as the beams from the Sunne So both Father and light shew the manner of their comâ—ing Proper and naturall for Him it is to give good Good things come from Him as 〈◊〉 as doe they therefore said to be not the Author the Lord and giver but 〈◊〉 the very Father of them It is against His nature to doe otherwise to 〈…〉 send forth ought but good his very loines his bowells are all goodnesse 〈…〉 darknesse He cannot be being Father of lights nor of ought that is evill For thâ—â— two darke and evill are as neere of kinn as light and good This is the message saith Saint Iohn that we heard of him and that we declare to you that GOD is light 1. Ioh. 1.5 and in Him is no darknesse at all Nâ—ither in Him nor from Him Nemo dicat let never any say it Let it never sinke into you Tempted He is not with evill Tempt He doth not to evill Verse 13. Ascribe it not to Pater luminum but to Princeps tenebrarum to the Prince of darknesse not to the Father of lights But ascribe all good from the smallest sparke to the greatest beame Ephes. 6.12 from the least good giving to the best and most perfect gift of all to Him to the Father of lights So we see 1 why light 2 why lights 3 why the Father of lights So much for the Praedicate and whole Proposition II. The Item And all this may be and yet all this being it seemes some replie may be made and stand with the Apostle's terme of lights well enough That what befalls the lights the children The VII error may also befall the Father of them The great and most perfect light in this world is the Sunne in the firmament and two things evidently befall him the two in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variation He admitts declines and goes downe and leaves us in the darke that is his parallaxe in his motion from East to West And turning he admitts turnes backe goes from us and leaves us to long winter nights that is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his motion from North to South One of these he doth every day the other every yeare Successively removing from one hemisphere to the other when it is light there it is darke heere Successively turning from one Tropique to another when the dayes be long there they be short heere And if we shall say any thing of the shadow heere that way we lose him too in part by interposing of the clouds when the day is over-cast So the night is his parallax the winter his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darke weather his shadow at least Shadowes doe but take him away in part that is not good But darknesse takes him away cleane that is perfectly evill That it may be even so with the Father of lights as with this it is Good and evill come from him alternis vicibus by turne and as darknesse and light successively from them That it may fare with Him as with the Heathen Iupiter who had say they in his Entrie two great fatts both full one of good the other of evill and that he served them out into the world both of the good and of the evill as he saw cause but commonly for one of good two of evill at least It was more then requisite he should cleere this objection So doth he denieth both all three if you will That though of man it be truely said by Iob He nâ—ver continues in one stay Iob. 14.6 though the lights of heaven have their parallaxes yea the Angels of heaven Iob. 4.18 Exod. 3.14 Mal. 3 6· He found not stedfastnesse in them Yet for GOD he is subject to none of them He is Ego sum qui sum that is saith Malachie Ego Deus non mutor We are not what we were a while since nor what we shall be a while after scarce what we are for every moment makes us varie With GOD it is nothing so He is that He is He is and changeth not He changes not his tenor he changes not his tense keeps not our Grammar rules hath one by himselfe Not before Abraham was Io. 8.58 I was but before Abraham was I am Yet are there varyings and changes it cannot be denied We see them daily True but the point is per quem on whom to lay them Not on GOD. Seemes there any recesse Ierem. 2.17 It is we forsake Him not He us It is the ship that moves though they that be in it think the land goes from them not they from it Seemes there any variation as that of the night It is umbra terrae makes it the light makes it not Is there any thing resembling a shadow A vapour rises from us makes the cloud which is as a pent-house betweene and takes Him from our sight That vapour is our lust There is the apud quem Is any tempted it is his owne lust doth it that entises him to sinne that brings
for a dourie so many fore-skinns of the Philistines so he might fall by their hands 2 That would not doe he went to it directly 1 at three severall times cast his javelin at him to have â—ayled him to the wall 2 When he escaped him so Chap. 18.11.19.20 then gave he expresse charge openly to all men to kill him where-ever they mett him 3 When that would not be sent to his house for him when word came Chap. 19.1.19.15 he was sick in his bed bad bring him bed and all that he might see him slaine in his owne presence Was there ever the like who would not haue been quit of such an enemie 2 An enemie without cause Psal. 7.3 It may be there was cause why and then it holds not Nay no cause To GOD he protests Saul without any cause was his enemie For no cause he gave him to be his enemie He never hurt him But great cause to have been his good Lord he had many wayes done him good service Not to speake of his harpe wherewith he had ridd him of many a furious fitt of melancholie Chap. 16 23. or a worse matter with his sing it cannot be denied he did him and the whole realme good service in the overthrow of Gelias Chap. 17.49 Chap. 19.5 and took away the rebuâ—e from Israel Yea many times after put his soule in his hands as Ionathan pleaded for him that is ventured his life to do him service in his warrs and ever with good successe and yet for all this sought his life And who would save the life of such an enemie 1 An enemie not to be wâ—on as out of envy Chap. 18.6 Yes there may be hope to winne an enemie and in that case he would not be destroyed Nay no hope of ever winning Saul He was an enemie out of envie and they will never be woon more From the time the fond women made that foolish rime of a thousand and ten thousand he could never abide to looke right on him Envie was the matter that is the dangerous enmitie that never wil be pacified Well saith Salomon Pro. 27.4 Anger is fierce and hatred is cruell but who shall stand before envie As who should say there be meanes to satisfie both those But the enemie from envie no appeasing him no hope ever to do it If ought would when he saved his life at the cave Chap. 24 18.20 and shewed by cutting a shred from his mantle he might have gone further if he would Saul himselfe confest it was a great favour yet that would not winne him he sought his life still And even after this heer yet he sought it still There was no hope to appease him And who then would not make sure of such an enemie Verily if any enmitie might have served heer it was â— An enemie to his rising Chap. 16.20 But there is yet a worse enmitie then all these Saul was not onely an enemie to David but Saul's life an enemie to David's rising David was in reversion we know So Saul stood in his way There was not onely the sting of revenge but the edge of ambition Matt. 21.18 to helpe this motion forward It was but occîdamus cum heer 〈…〉 kill him and the inheritance is ours all is ours Any other enemies spare and 〈◊〉 not but these that stand in our light away with them Iud. 9.5 1. Sam. 15. 2. King 11.1 It made Abimelech not to spare his owne breâ—hren nor Absalon his Father nor Athalia her children Sure he that weighs it well that at one blow he might have ridd himselfe of such an enemie and withalâ— have gained the crowne will wonder he let not the blow proceed Now lay them together 1 An enemie such an one so deadly 2 so without cause 3 so without all hope of appeasing 4 such a stop to his fortunes who would have stayd Abisai's hand This is enough to give his appetite an edge but we lacke opportunitie to doe it 2. The II. Motive Conclusit Deus and want of opportunitie saves many an enemie's life Men must deale wisely and forbeare till they find him handsomely at some good advantage Nay it is now growne to be good Divinitie rebus sic stantibus to be as gentle as David and Neperdas is good doctrine But as soone as time serves and strength if we get him once within locks penned up and in our power then doe as we see cause destroy him and spare not So that upon conclusit eum ever stayeth our conclusion Why heer now conclusit eum It was night Saul lay all wearie asleepe in a dead sleepe he and all about him 1 It was night a faire opportunitie David and Abisai came and went said what they would tooke what they would none waked or knew of it It might have beene done safely there was none to resist them and been carried closely none to descrie them An opportunitie it was and a faire one And as it might seeme of GOD 's owne sending 2 Of Gods sending as it might seeme It was perillouslie put in that of Abisai Conclusit Deus that it was GOD 's doing sure it was the sleepe of GOD was fallen on them none awake all asleepe watch and all They might stay all the daies of their life and GOD never send the like againe What now Though David wanted no courage to be revenged on an enemie 3. The III. Motive Sine me nor wisedome to discerne this opportunitie yet for his reputation he must not soile his hands but possibly if some other would take it upon him he would not be much against it Why it was undertaken by Abisai that too he shall goe his way and doe nothing to it Sine me you shall beare no blame let that be upon me You shall goe to Church and sing Psalmes and heare the Sermon and never appeare in it What now I know not what can be required more Thus you see the motives Now what saith David Nay first what saith Saul Can we have a better Iudge then him in this case David's dislike Et inimici nostri sint judices an enemie to be iudge in his owne cause If you will know what he saith He it is that in the XXIV Chapter XX. saith thus Who shall finde his enemie at such an advantage and let him goe free As much to say Not any Sure not he But if he or many an other had found David as David did him in the Cave he would have cut his skirts so close as he would have made him have bled in the reines of his backe or if he had taken him as he did Saul heere asleepe he would have set him out of that sleepe into another a perpetuall sleepe and made him sure enough for ever waking more This is Saul's doome from his owne mouth And indeed haec est Via hominis with flesh and blood these motives would have wrought They
eyes the Lord made thee Head of the Tribes of Israël of which the Tribe of Levi was one for that Samuel must answer But Saul went further a great deale yea further then Oza For he tooke upon him to sacrifice in person himselfe Chap. 13.19 to offer burnt offerings upon the very Altar the highest part of all the Priest's Office that is usurped further then ever did any And all this David knew yet it kept him not from saying Ne perdas 3 Shedding the Priest's blood Chap. 22.18 They never have done with persecuting and shedding Priest's bloud was Sauâ—'s fâ—nger in that too In that he passed He putt the High Priest himselfe and LXXXIV more all in one day to the sword and all but upon the single accusation but of â—oëg all protesting their innocencie in the fact and all loyalty to him and all but for a douzen of bread given to David This could not but grieve David exceedingly it was for his sake yet he saith Ne perdas though for all that 4 Being possessed with an evill spirit Chap. 16.14 And one case more I give in for advantage It is well knowne he was a Daemoniak one actually possessed with an evill spirit which is a case beyond all other cases Yet destroy him not Abisai though So that if Abisai in stead of inimicum tuum had said GOD hath shut up 1 this Tyrant 2 this Vsurper 3 this Persecutor 4 this 〈◊〉 partie this what you will David would have said no other then he did Nâ—perdas still I would faine know which of all their destructive cases is heere wanting They be all heere all in Saul all in him at the time of this motion yet all alter not the case David saith still as he said If then all be in Saul all incident all eminent in him nay if his case be beyond all said it must be that David heer saith Though he be any of these though he be all these destroy him not or destroy him and bâ— destroyed destroy him and be the child of perdition 5 There was an High Priest Abiathar I would be loth to deceive you There may seem yet to want one thing Heer was no High Priest to excommunicate him or give warrant to do it yes that there was too For Abiathar scaped that great massacre of Priests by Saul and now he was lawfull High Priest Now he fled to David thence and brought the Ephed with him Chap. 22. last So as by good hap the High Priest was with David now in the Camp and the Ephod too There wanted no just cause you see to proceed against Saul There wanted no lawfull authoritie the High Priest we have There wanted no good will in Abiathar Chap. 23.6 ye may be sure his father and brethren having been murthered by Saul So heer was all or might have been for a word speaking All would not serve David is still where he was saith still Ne perdas knew no such power in the High Priest's censure was not willing to abuse it cannot see Quis any person to doe it nor any cause for which it is to be done Enough to make a ruled case of it for ever That Abisai may not do it nor Abiathar give warrant to it His charge is honest Ne perdas His reason good Christus Domini His sentence just Non erit insons His challenge un-answerable Quis mittet manum And this being cleered come we now to the principall cause of our comming The Text and Day compared Which is in this publique manner to render our yearly solemne thankes to Christus Dominus for the deliverance of our Christus Domini this day a deliverance like this in the text even for his Ne perdas at Perth For it and for both points in it 1 That His Annointed was not destroyed 2 That they that put forth their hand to doe it carried it not away but found the reward due to guilty persons The two cases 1 this in the Text 2 and that of this day are both like in the maine if in circumstances dislike this of ours hath the advantage The fact more foule the deliverance more famous To speake then of malitia diei hujus the malitious practise of this day Had the King beene an enimie yea such an enemie as Saul it had beene no warrant But he was no enemie No but many wayes a gratious Prince to them both I know pretence there was of a wrong Say it had beene one what was done was done by others in the King's minoritie And though done by others yet justly done and no wrong was it at all but wrongfully so called Secondly the King was shut up it is true but not as in the text by GOD but by wicked men who found him not casually as Saul was but trained him guilefuly to the place and there shut him up treacherously It was not suddaine it was a long plott the malice the more the fact the fowler And there he was conclusus derelictus both shutt up by Abisai forsaken of David Thirdly And it was not night nor the King asleepe that he might have passed away without any fright or terror No it was daemon meridianus this a noone-day devill He was broad awake Psal. 91.6 and the feare of death worse then death it selfe I know not how oft and many times before his eyes Fourthly And as beyond it in these so in the Principall beyond it too Both of them lift up Abisai his speare this his dagger to have giuen the fatall blow Abisai but once This twise And certainly neerer it came the King then David would suffer it come to Saul So the danger neerer the deliverie greater And yet there was a Ne perdas in this too and that a strange one Not by David no Iudge if it may not seeme a miracle that GOD then shewed When there was none to say destroy not els GOD opened his mouth that was there set himselfe to be the destroyer to say once and againe ô destroy him not destroy not the King The voyce was David's the hands Abishai's It calls to my minde what long since I read in Herodotus that at the taking of Sardi when one ranne at Croesus the King to have slaine him that a little boy borne dumbe that had never spoken word in all his life with the fright and horror of the sight his tongue loosed and he broke forth and cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O man destroy not the King and so saved his life So writeth he as of a wonder and see if this were not like it But so we see if there were no body els to say it they that are borne dumbe shall say it yea the destroyer himselfe shall say it rather then Ne perdas shall not be said This would not serve though it did to Abisai but they were worse then Abisai that were heere That GOD therefore might have the honour of the day
found by GOD for men had lost you They that gladly would knew not how to find you or get to you Great odds then but you had been quite lost It was GOD that found you then and made you to be found of them not by eny skill of their owne or by eny direction but His. By hap it might seeme but your selfe do and we all acknowledge the hand of GOD in it His providence that so guided them His doing it was that they did it So that God it was that found you then or we had not now found you heere It may then truly be called your finding-day and God truly say the second time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found 1. No enemie professed but two Sonnes of wickednesse for it Of it then of this day We shall faile a little in the first point Heere is an enemie professed And you had not then you never had eny professed To make amends for that there is but one sonne of wickednesse in the Text You found not one but two and they found you 2. A Sonne of wickednesse he was Sonnes of wickednesse well might they be called For if no Religion taking Religion upon it be wickednesse as it is double wickednesse a Sonne of wickednesse he was If witch craft be wickednesse as it is wickednesse in the highest degree he was a Sonne of it it was found about him If to doe evill gratìs to do evill for good be wickednesse and it is the wretchedest wickednesse that can be you had done them many favours and to bite the brest then that had given them milke these are they in the Text right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ever there were eny 3. Meant violence wickedly covered it How neere the doing it These then violence they intended and with wickednesse they covered it Wickedly they entised you and drew you along till they had you fast shut up And then violent hands they layd on you the markes were to be seen many a day after And were you not then within the compasse of the Text of violence and hurt that is of hurt by violence Yes so neer you was the hurt that the hurtfull point touched your naked brest Was David ever so neer Never He was indeed hart bestead and forced to fly but he never came in their hands you did He never was under lock you were He never had the dagger's point at his heart you had And when you had all the world then certenly would have given you lost 4. Yet did it not Noâ— proficient Did they you any harme for all this Not any to speake of We may take up that before Fuerunt fecerunt sed non perfecerunt so farr from that as non profecerunt Such here were and doing they were but it would not do for it was not done the violence they intended Noâ— appâ—â—ent Proposuerunt nocere sed non apposuerunt a purpose they had an offer they made that was all further they went not You were not lost we find you heer now and we find you serving GOD safe and well thanks be to the great Finder of Kings as ever you were 5. The cause they did it not The hand and arme of GOD to 〈…〉 The defensive part of the Covenant What was it then that it came so neer you and yet did you no hurt It was the good hand of GOD His holy arme that was upon you held you held you fast you fast from taking hurt and them fast from doing any Can any doubt that it was the hand of GOD He that stood there armed for that end when he was so strucken suddenly as he had neither heart nor hand to do that he 〈…〉 waâ— it not the hand of God that so struck him When his hand held the others hand that was ready to give the deadly blow ut 〈◊〉 opponeret nocere they be the very words of the Text And was it not the hand in 〈◊〉 Text then That You were so stablished as to resist that You were so strengthened as to 〈◊〉 the two effects set downe in the verse both And yet was it not the hand there specified The Popular tumult that rose after this enraged by odious surmises was it not God hand that layed the raging of the waves then that stayed the madnesse of the People Psal 65.7 When the violence was over the hurt was not The lewd tongue of Shemei doth hurt no lesse then the sword of Abisai It would not be beleeved that all this was 〈◊〉 there were that slandered the footsteps of His Annointed David's case in the end of 〈◊〉 Psalme was it not God then that so touched the heart of him Ver. 51. that was 〈◊〉 â—nknowne that he had not the power to be true to himselfe to keep it in but was 〈◊〉 driven by remorse to bewray himselfe though with evident hazard of his owne 〈◊〉 was not this digitus Dei And since that by a further strange discoverie hath He not sett your innocencie in the sight of the Sun that now the mouth of all wickednesse is stopped Psal. 63.11 so that neither Abisai's sword nor Shemei's tongue now can do you any hurt And was not the hand and arme of God in this Yes the whole arme and every joint the whole hand and all the fingers of it Yet lack we the last verse 6. The hand and arme to 〈◊〉 them thâ— â—ffensivâ— part of the Covenâ—nt To smite them downe before your face Psal. 37.15 1. Reg. 2.32 Heer was the hand with the shield but where was the arme with the sword Heer too and it smitt them smitt them down down it smitt them both both in the very place where they designed your hurt and in the very wickednesse of the act both were smitteâ— down starke dead and there starke dead you saw them both lie before you as the verse is before your face Non profecerunt Nay defecerunt et in ipso scelere 〈◊〉 their sword went through their owne heart and their blood was upon their owne 〈◊〉 God found you then and you found Him certainly O let him ever find you 〈◊〉 servant whom you then found your so gracious good Lord. But they must be plagued too to make the Text up full So were they For as if they had beene smitten with some pestilent foule disease so from them from their mention there goeth an odious sent odious and abhorred of all Yea the very house as if the plague of leprosie had beene in it razed downe and that there might no infection come from this plague of theirs their very name put out from under heaven And all this so done and with such circumstances as all that heare it This done by God himselfe Psal 64 9. Psal. 218.23 â— must acknowledge it was GOD 's doing and that from heaven came the hand that did it Factum 〈◊〉 a Domino factum est both And so you are found and they
more the same laetabitur the same exultabit still So we all wish it may I. The survey DOmine laetabitur We begin with joy Auspicatum principium a faire front onward a luckie beginning 1. The Ioy. In joy and that not single but three in one a triplicitie of it We wil but touch at it now We shall come to it againe yer we end Begin and end with joy to day So may we begin and so end ever In this triplicitie two words there be to expresse this joy 1 laetabitur and 2 exultabit and one to give it the sise or measure 3 vehementer 1. Laetabitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The two former 1 laetabitur and 2 exultabit are as it were the body and soule of joy The first laetabitur the soule For the nature of that word and the use noteth ioy within ioy of the bosome say the Heathen ioy of the Spirit the Scripture And my Spirit hath reioyced Luke 1.47 There in the Spirit is the fountaine of true ioy If there it be not how well soever the countenance counterfeit it it is but counterfeit for all that And no ioy right if we cannot say the two first words Domine laetabitur to GOD and we cannot say them to Him if there it be not within 2. Exultabit There then to begin but not there to end Laetabitur is not all Exultabit is called for too Which is nothing but an outlet or overflowing of the inward ioy into the outward man Psal. 84 2. of the heart into the flesh My heart and my flesh shall reioyce Not one without the other Ioy to be seen and read in the forehead the ioy of the countenance Ver. 6. Psal. 118.15 To sound forth and be heard from the lipps the voice of ioy and gladnâ—sse This doth exultabit add There is the bodie and soule of ioy now 3. Vâ—hemâ—â—ter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is not every meane degree will content in these Not any glad but exceeding glad The Hebrew is O quam O Lord how wonderfull is thy name saith the VIII Psalme ver I. So heer O Lord how ioyfull and glad shall he be The meaning is so very glad as he cannot well tell how to expresse it Els asking the question why doth he not answer it But that he cannot But that he hath never a Tam for this quà m But is even faigne to leave it to be conceived by us So doe we But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vehementer exceeding it must be So say the translations all Thus have you a briefe of the triplicitie of ioy 1 Ioy within 2 Iubilee without â—oth mensurâ supereffluente And which is somewhat strange these not onely permittâ—d but even 〈◊〉 given in charge shall reioice shall be glad a necessitie layd on him but Luc. 6.38 â—â—â—essed necessitie to be bound to that our nature and we in all our libertie so well 〈◊〉 and like of And now to the causes For exceeding Ioy 2. The causes of it Eccles. 7.8 without a cause somwhat suâ—table is but exceeding folly but as the crackling of thornes under a pott great â—oise but no great cause for all is but a whinbush If there be an exceeding in the 〈◊〉 there would be an exalting in the strength If excesse in that no defect in the groâ—nd We take measure still of one of these by the other Have we then a good ground That have we foure for failing every of tâ—em suitable in each respect For a triplicitie in either of them The ground of all the first is Salvation or being saved and that The Cause 1 Salvation or being saved Salus is ground sufficient For who doth not rejoice is not glad exceeding glad that is so saved But specially wich was David's case heer saved from a sodeine and a secret mischiefe imagined against him There is no ioy when all is done to the ioy of one so saved Be it who it will even unus de minimis hijs eny eny one of the meanest Salus Râ—gia But the person adds a great weight to the ioy that it is Rex in salute Salus Regia a Salvation royall for the saving of a King For He by the Scripture's own valuation is sett at tenn thousand There be tenn thousand Salvations in one when a King is saved That as Rex is the person above all So Salus Regis 2. Sam. 18.3 is the Sovereigne Salvation of all 2 Saving by strength Saved then And secondly how In virtute Saved by strength For though it be good being saved by what meanes we can Yet if we might be at our choise we had rather have it by meanes of strength rather so then by craft or by running away For that is not in virtute Salus in virtute is ever the best saving And a King if he have his right would be saved no other way Not by slight or by flight but in virtute Rex So have you two Virtus and Salus strength and salvation Note them well for not virtus without salus nor salus without virtus neither without other is full nor both without Tua Domine In virtute is well so it have in salute after it For Virtus in salute no not in strength is there mattâ—r of joy every way considered No not in God's strength No ioy in virtute Dei 〈◊〉 it have not an in salute behind it They in the latter part of the Psalme found GOD'S strength but smally to their ioy This makes it up that it is not onely virreâ— strength but virtus ad salutem strength to save Strength not Ver. 8. as to the King's eâ—emies to smite them downe and plague them But strength as to David himselfe to 〈◊〉 and deliver him Strength is indifferent to both but in salute following it Psal. 89.23 determines it to the ioyfull side Now then turne it the other way For as in virtute if it end with in salute Salus in virtute is iust cause of joy So vice versa In salute if it goe with an in virtute makes the 〈◊〉 yet more ioyfull I meane that as it is virtus in salute strength to save might 〈◊〉 deliver So it is salus in virtute a strong salvation a mightie deliverance No petie common one but a strong and mightie one This reciprocation sets it higher yet Psal. 68 28. that not onely strength set forth but strength to save protect and preserve Nor that neither quovis modo but mightily to save strongly to protect strangely to 〈◊〉 So as the Salvation may justly be sayd Tua Domine GOD'S owne saving For yet we are not where we would be It is much to the matter of Ioy 3 By God's strength Tua Domine whose 〈◊〉 strength is from whom the salvation who the partie For not undecunque 〈◊〉 quovis yields full ioy not by every one hand over head The better the partie
ever counted of speciall faith and trust Of the Kings Chamber But plaine it is they were of his Chamber Not of his lieges alone or of his housâ—old but which is more of his Chamber It is a wonderfull â—hing the State that the Pâ—rsian Monarchs kept No man upon paine of death to come so neere as into their inner base Court uncalled if he did he died for it unlesse the King Chap. 4.11 by holding forth hiâ— Scepter pardoned him his life You will easily then imagine in what place they were that had free recourse into his innermost chamber to go and come thither at their pleasure Not onely to do so themselves but to be those by whom all others were to go or come No man to come thither but by them For that is meant by Lords of the threshold or qui in primo limine praefidebant as the Fathers read it the very chiefe over his Chamber The Septuagint who should best know the nature of the word they turne it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first keepers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the bodie And many they had for many such Kings need have But these two they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe the Arch-keepers had if any more then other the chiefe charge the very principall of all GOD do so and so to me saith King Achis to David if I make not thee the keeper of my head 1 Sam. 28.2 and in so saying thought he promised him as good a place as he had He could make him no more To this place had the King advanced these two and these two were they that sought this That it should be sought at all evill that these should seek it too bad They that if others had sought it should have staid their hands these to lay on their own to seek it themselves All men know it was no meane preferment early and late to be so neer Assuerus's person They had meanes thereby to do themselves much good So had they to do others much hurt if they were not the better men But for others hurt it skills not if they had not thereby had the meanes to do Assuerus himselfe if the Devill so farr prevailed with him as he did Of his chamber Dapifer his dish Pincerna his cup Keepers of his body principall keepers if they seek to lay their hands they will soon find what they seek the more dangerous they the more his danger by them a great deale And is not this heavinesse to death when they that were so honoured proove so unkind when they that so trusted so untrue and may we not take up the Wise man's Oh O wicked presumption whence art thou sprung up to cover the face of the earth Stay a little and looke upon them as ye would upon a couple of monsters Ecclus. â—7 3 1 To seek this in Regem alone were too much to breake their Duety to their Liege Lord if there were no more but that to lay their hands on him for whom they should lay downe their lives 2 Add then not to a King onely but to such a King nor to their Liege Lord alone but to so good and gracious a Lord that had done them so great favours placing them so neer him trusting them so farre honouring them so greatly For no honouâ— to trust no trust to the chiefe trust of all More then heathenâ—sh wickednesse this to render evill for good and whose wealth they of all other bound to seek to seek his ruine 3 And they came not to that place but they were sworne to vilifie their oath then and to teare in pieces the strongest band of religion The hands that had taken that oath those hands to lay on him 4 To betray their trust to him that had layd his innocent life in their hands and to make their trust the opportunitie of their treacherie 5 In a word of the chiefe Keepers of his body to become the chiefe seekers of his bloud the chiefe enemies to his body and life and all What can be said evill enough of these Say it were lawfull in any case it is not lawfull in any but say it were to lay hands on a King yet they in all reason of all others should not have been the doers Etsi ille dignus perpeti at non tu qui faceres tamen Were not these monsters then Was not their condemnation just It grieves me I have stayed so long on them yet if I have made them and their fact odious it grieves me not What was the matter What could move them thus to play the wretches 3. The cause wherefore They were angry Why they should not many and good reasons we see Why they did none in the Text but that they were angrie and that is no reason but a passion that makes men â—o cleane against reason many times Bigthan was angrie and Thares as angrie as he Yet if it be but a little anger it will over Indeed such it may be it will What manner anger was it The word is a shrewd word signifies an anger will not go down with the Sunne Ephes. 4.25 will not be appeased What speake we of the word their deeds shew as much We see nothing would satisfie them but his life Nothing serve but lay hands on him That they sought so angrie they were What angred them then No cause is set downe And none I thinke there was If there had we should have beene sure to have heard of it For men to be angrie without a cause and even with Superiors it is no new thing Well if no cause some colour yet if not that some shadow at least Somewhat we are to seek why they did seeke this If there be in the Text eny thing to lead us to it it is in the first words or not at all In those daies In those angrie they were as much to say as before those daies they were not but in those then they were Els there is no cause to mention that of the daies but to make this difference Out of the Text nothing can be picked els Angry for Assueru's choise of Esther Why what daies were those That goes immediately before The dayes wherein Assuerus had made choise of Esther to match with her and make her his Queene and had made a great feast upon it At the feast it seemes they surfeited they could not brook that match at eny hand Some ambitious desire of theirs disappointed by it likely that was the cause This was faine to serve for the occasion for lack of a better A bad one we say is better then none What the Great King of Persia finde no match in all his owne brave Nation Never a Persian Lady serve him but he must to this vile base people the Iewes his captives his slaves to picke him a match thence What a disparagement is this to all the Persian blood It would make eny true Persian heart rise against it
much more They 〈◊〉 â—ll live the more quietly For if these two should still continue together they 〈◊〉 the sooner the more easily againe in like sort combine and confederate 〈◊〉 together against the other Tribes if they gave them but the least occasion 〈◊〉 they shal be so scattered and sett whâ—re they shall do no great harme any more 〈◊〉 more they did And so as it was good for them so we say Consultum est 〈…〉 ut dividantur socij ad malum Good for the Common-Wealth if any be that way 〈◊〉 to remove them either from other at least So they the weaker and the rest the 〈◊〉 But scattering will not alwayes serve for even scattered some do mischiefe 〈◊〉 And therefore it is as good policie to coop them up if scattering they do 〈◊〉 as it is to scatter them if they prove the worse for being together 〈◊〉 speake a little of the grievousnesse of the punishment these degrees are in it The grievousnesse of the punishment 1 Dis-inheriting 〈…〉 it includes the disherison of them the losse of having any lott at all of 〈…〉 their owne as the rest of the Tribes had It kills not the men but it pulls down 〈…〉 and layes them to the Common wherein every man had as much right as 〈◊〉 And sure GOD of His goodnesse not intending to proceed the way Himselfe 〈…〉 having shedd mans blood by man should their blood be shedd for so they shouâ—â— have been rooted out cleane 〈◊〉 two Tribes had been lost in Israël The next was to let them have no inheritance entirely by themselves as had all the rest As the 〈◊〉 saith Slay them not lest my people forget any such thing was done but scatter 〈…〉 Psal. 19.11 and so 〈…〉 that way as chaffe is either to be burnt or the 〈◊〉 to scatter it no man can tell whither â— Scatâ—ring A second degree is not â—â—ely to be dis-inherited but to be scattered for that was Cain's punishment Gen. 4.12 divided and cast out from GOD 's presence all his life long To wander up and downe he knew not whither That was for blood too the blood of Abel It is the 〈◊〉 punishment and that was for blood too the blood of CHRIST that they 〈…〉 all over the earth as to this very day they be and never could gett 〈…〉 to make an entire state no more then these did â— Even of their posterity The 〈◊〉 degree is That all this did light upon their whole posteritie rather then upon their owne persons For to have all that came of them so dispersed abroad was a more heavy hearing to them then if it had light on themselves of that I make no question It is the course GOD holdeth in his Law to visit the sinnes of the fathers upon the children Exod. 20.5 But this is yet heavier for there it is but to the third and fourth but this is to endure throughout all generations The father which is little moved with his owne losse if it shall turne to the damage of his children it will move him the rather As this ever hath done and ever shall â— And that upon record And let this be the last That Iacob's Maledictus and his Dispergam doe remaine and stand thus of Record and so shall stand to the world's end The curse on their heads a blott on their names a scattering upon their seed and posteritie for ever But let me add this That though it appeares their nature was none of the best they were no good natur'd men as given to blood and so to be misliked yet was not their nature exempted from grace though but place left for grace and so they to be releeved that way For it may well be thought this so severe a censure specially at this time now inflicted and by their owne father being to goe out of the world that it wrought upon these two brethren and wrought in them deep contrition of that their outrage Wherewith GOD being appeased turned their curse into a blessing Paenam dispersionis in praemium Sacerdotij say the Fathers For the curse which Iacob inflicted Moses reversed not for their dispersing which came through their father's fault Scattered they were but scattered with honour One having the Office of Priest-hood and teaching men the other of Scribes and Schoolemasters training up their children all the Tribes over The Application of the Text Let us see now if we can find in these men the men of this day and in this fact theirs and so for the punishment likewise 1 Two they were this day So the number agrees 2 And brethren they were as neerly allyed 3 And weapons they had both 4 And made of the same metall of violence that theirs heere 5 Counsell they tooke into which Iacob's soule would never have come 6 And coloured it with false semblance 〈◊〉 no lesse then these One of discovering of I wote not what Secret the other of not being from the Sermon in any wise his Sermon like their circumcision 7 Did 〈…〉 in them lay to execute their counsell offered to strike offered to bind laâ—iâ— hand gâ—â—â—ped fell to the ground 8 And from the same root they came both from desire of revenge Their furie no whit lesse no lesse cruell no lesse implacable Thus farre their likenesse hoâ—ds But now in two things dislike 1. One these in the Text had some cause their Sister was deflowred Not the least colour heere Their Sister was honoured themselâ—es dealt with but too well No cause in the world they Dislike in this 〈◊〉 2. And then if you come to the â—ssue in that dislike too It was not interfecerunt 〈…〉 thank GOD 〈…〉 was not Yet they did their good will Birtsonâ—â—m 〈…〉 was a judged case in 〈…〉 was enough 〈…〉 〈◊〉 when we come to the Virum there I am sure is great odds Ours another 〈◊〉 of Virum then theirs and put Hemor and Sichem both together Many a year 〈◊〉 there were in that land thirty one Kings whereof Hemor at the most had but 〈…〉 The least of your three Kingdomes is greater then all the thirty one put 〈…〉 there holds no proportion in Virum 〈◊〉 ye see now the punishment that though hand were in hand they were not 〈…〉 Iacob's Legacie came on ours too Vnder Iacob's curse they died His curse 〈◊〉 â—heir soules under which their soules lie and so shall for evermore And upon 〈◊〉 glorie and honour for that is gone and lost for ever and as their soules so their 〈◊〉 accursed And upon their Tribe or House for that is scattered as dust before 〈…〉 and come to nought 〈◊〉 one degree further wherein ours were dislike Simeon and Levi for all this 〈…〉 their time slew but were not slaine But heer this day with these instead of 〈◊〉 â—â—fecerunt it was Interfecti sunt This Simeon and Levi they lay both dead on the 〈…〉 with their weapons of cruelty in their hands with
them That â—uffered us not to be consumed but delivered us and that from that fire and 〈◊〉 universall utter sodeine unnaturall consuming by it the decree wherof 〈◊〉 certainely gone forth against us come so neere us and we not aware of it That suffered us not to be consumed but gave them to be câ—â—sumed in our steads and hath this day presented us all alive to give Him praise for it To Him for the multitude of His mercies for the paterna viscera miserationum suarum that never faile nor consume themselves nor suffer us to faile and be consumed To Him I say c. A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL on the V. of November A. D. MDCXIII PROVERB CHAP. VIII VER XV. Per me REGES regnant By me KINGS reigne THese words may well serve for a Sermon for they be a piece of a Sermon For all the Chapter is a Sermon preached by one standing in the top of the high places ver 2. The high places that was then their Church The top of them that was the Pulpit It is the common question Who Preaches Ever we must know that And though the whole booke be Salomon's and though he be a * Eccl. 1.1 Mat. 12.42 Preacher upon Record yet Major Salomone hîc a greater Preacher then Salomon is heer He was but wise it is Wisedome it selfe made this Sermon And we may be bold to preach what Wisedome preacheth A sermon ouâ— of such a Sermon cannot be amisse Specially this Wisedome the Essentiall Wisedome of GOD which upon the point will proove to be none other but CHRIST And so our Text fall out to be de verbis Domini that is de verbis Domini secundùm Salomonem for so there be no lesse than secundum Matthaeum or Ioannem Which though they were uttered by Him before He was in the flesh what of that they be no whit the lesse but full out as good Gospell as if they had beene recorded by any of the foure Evangelists yea and this we may adde further even Gospell before any Gospell of them all Thus much for the Author of the speech The Summe The speech it selfe seemes as if some question there were Per quem Reges Or some were about to bring the Writt of Quo Warranto to know how they clayme to be Kings how to hold their soveraigne Authority by whose graunt And let not this seeme strange It is no new thing to bring this Writt in like cases Exod. 2.14 Mat. 21.23 One was brought against Moses VVho made thee a Ruler Nay higher one against our Saviour himselfe By what authority doest thou these things and who gave thee that authority Against Moses Against Christ and why not then against Salomon and his fellow Kings And this same Per Me heer is an answer to all Who made you Moses a Ruler He whose Name is I am Exod. 3.14 Iohn 10.36 sent me Who gave CHRIST his authority He that sanctified Him and sent Him to be the Messias of the world And here now Kings by whom Per Me by Him too These words of his Charta Regia This their Charter Royall And He that gave it them will warrant it for good and beare them out against all the Perme's in the world This for the Nature of the speech A point necessary if ever at this time to be weighed well and looked into wherein this question is put up and so vexed that it cannot rest Wherein they have set up an Anti-Per and given him this sentence in his mouth Bellar contra Barcl Ego facio ut Rex tuus Rex ne sit I will make your King no King this Text Per Me notwithstanding One to sever Reges and Regnant that they shall reigne no longer than he sees cause to suffer them And is it not time then to make good their Tenures And that doe this Text and this Day The Text in word the day in deed cum effectu really The Text the words indeed as the words of wisedome are but few and the sentence short scarce eny in Scripture so short In our tongue but foure words and they but foure syllables But it fareth with sentences as with Coynes In Coynes they that in smallest compasse containe greatest value are best esteemed And in sentences those that in fewest words comprise most matter are most praysed And such is this Exceeding compendious that we must needs be without all excuse it being but foure monosyllables if we doe not remember it And withall of rich Contents for upon these foure syllables depend all Kings and Kingdomes of the Earth Of such force are they Of which foure the two latter Reges and Regnant be two as great matters as any he in the World One the Persons themselves as they be Kings The other the Act of their reigning or bearing rule over Nations These two latter depend on the two former Per Me which are but one in effect but He a great One. For it is heere positively set downe asserendo that these two latter are by this former By and through Him that sayes Per Me. By and through Him Kings first setled in their Reignes By and through Him ever since upholden in their Reignes By and through Him vouchsafed many miraculous preservations in their Reignes Thus far the Text. Luc. 1 7â— Then by the tender mercy of our God comes the Day from on high and giveth great light unto the Text This Day on which a very memorable memoriall of a famous Per Me. One in great Capitall letters Even of Per Me Reges and not of Per Me Reges alone but of Per Me Leges and that too followes here in the verse and of Per me Greges too All had gone up but for this Per Me. This Day this Per Me soundeth in your eares and this day this Per Me was sealed in your eyes and this question actually dâ—â—ided 〈◊〉 the Order in treating whereof our Parts must bee as our words The Division Looke how 〈◊〉 wordâ— so many parts foure of either 1 Of Me first the Cause 2 Then of Per 〈◊〉 3 After of Per me Reges the Persons 4 And last of Per Me regnant 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Me. It is a Generall Rule Per dicit causam I. The Cause Me. the Nature of this Praeposition Per is to note a Cause certaine And a certaine cause excludeth Chance First men Kings and Kingdomes have their Per they be not fortè fortunâ 1. Kings and Kingdomes have a Cause Psal. 75.6 Rom. 13.4 at hap-haâ—rd ex concursu atomorum They be no casualties The wind blowes no man to them â—aith the Psalme 57. And Non temerè saith the Apostle where Non temerè as it is not in vaine so is it also not at adventure Causal they are Casual they are not A Per there is a Cause of King's reigning What is that cause Per Me and Me is a Person And a person is Naturae rationalis individua
neck of them with a non sunt vires and all is marrd Heer in the Text how many Countries wan Senacherib How neere was he let come to Ierusalem even to Libna within lesse then a dozen mile Newes came sodenly Verse 9. of the Blackmoore's invading his Countrie back he goes had not the power to stirre one foot further How farre was the Invincible Navie suffered to come sailing in LXXXVIII to cast anchor even before the Thame's mouth every houre ready to deliver her children ashore In an instant a fatall faintnesse fell upon them their strength and courage taken from them about they turned like a wheele fled and had not the power to looke behind them But non erant vires pariendi we all know God loves thus to do and then to do it cum venerunt ad partum His glorie is the greater He can let it come so nigh and then put it by let it alone till then and then do it 2. On our parts 2. There is another on our parts For easie account and but easie would have been made if they had been taken at first no great matter that That we might make no easy accompt we scaped not easily but hard and scant so to make our escape the stranger and our joy the more that it went so farre and came so neere and yet missed us Of it selfe it is best Vt malum ubi primùm contingit ibi moriatur Evill be crushed at first the Serpent's head troden at his first peeping in or putting it out But GOD doth not alwaies that which in it selfe is best to do but that which will best affect us and we take in best part And so did He this thereby to begett in us and bring forth of us a new birth of praise and thankes according 4. The infereÌ„ce For now we have done with this degenerate birth of theirs we are to stay a little and see if we can gett another a more kindly birth come from our selves For barren we may not be this deliverie from theirs is to make us delivered of another we to bring forth somewhat for their not bringing forth What is that The Text will leade us to it if we looke but over to the next verse For there when eny evill travaile threatens us we find by Ezechia the kindly birth then Verse 4. on our parts is Tu ergo leva orationem a levie of prayers Now that being turned away and turned away in a manner so miraculous the naturall kind yssue then is another Tu ergò Tu ergò leva gratiarum actionem a new levy of thanks a new leva quia levatus for His easing of us of so heavie a chance like to light so heavie on us At the present sure while it was fresh we were ravished with it for thâ— time we seemed to be even with child as if we would bring forth somwhat and somwhat we did bring forth even an Act that we would from yeare to yeare as upon this Day bring forth and be delivered of thanks and praise for this deliverie for ever And heer we are now to act that we then enacted even to traveile with this new birth God send us strength well to be delivered of it For so shall we double our joy 1 One ioy for the turning away of that miscreant birth of theirs 2 another for the welcomming this of our owne This birth we now traveile with is a good and a blessed birth Blessing and glorie and praise and thanks are in bonis all all good in us if any thing be good in us â—he best fruicts of our nature when it is at the very best And if they be brought forth it is as it should be and as God would have it But if which GOD forbid they should either not come or when they be come our strength faile and they not brought forth then are we at an after-deale againe then would not this day be so joyfull for the mis-going of the other as sorrowfull for the abortion of this Our joy at least not so entire but mixt with sorrow for there is sorrow even to death if we goe with so good a fruit and it come to the birth and there perish if we shall but make an Act and doe no act upon it We seeme to sorrow at nothing more then that many a good purpose there is and many a vow made in time of need sicknesse or adversitie so many as it is by Divines held There be mo good purposes and that by odds in hell then there be in heaven but abortive purposes and vowes all For ô that we were but the one halfe of that we then promise to be when we want and would have somewhat O then how thankfull we would be how never forget how fast the children come to the birth then And when we have what we would our vigor quailes presently our strength is gone from us non sunt vires pariendi For all the world seeth nothing we bring forth Alas how many aborcements are there daily of these Children No where may this Verse be taken up No where so oft so fitly applied No where so used upon better cause then this upon the failing of good desires and intents That this we may doe to take us to leva orationem let this be our last To lift up our prayer first against such unnaturall births as that was the Prophet Hosee's prayer Hosee 9.14 Give them ô Lord what wilt thou give them a barren womb and drie brests There was no strength for that birth of theirs It was well there was not Thanks be to GOD there was not Thanks be to GOD for non erant vires And Ne sint vires say I Never let there be strength for eny like this birth Never strength but weake hands and feeble â—nees for eny such enterprise Ne vires pariendi Nay ne veniant ad partum not thither not so farre Nay ne ad conceptionem Nay then ne ad generationem if it may be If it may not but they scape thither to the birth then lift up your last prayer and let this be it and let it come up to heaven into GOD 's presence and enter in even to His eares for the aequitie of it in all such designes that pariens may be sine viribus and partus sine vitâ the mothers no strength and the Children no life But child and mother perish both as this day they did And better so they perish then such a number then a whole countrie perish by their meanes This a Ne veniant and a Ne sint vires against theirs But for ours for our praise and thanks Veniant Let them come and Sint ô sint vires and let there be strength when they come for such for so good a birth Ever be there strength to kindnesse to thankfulnesse to the accomplishment thereof whereto we are in dutie so deeply bound Strength ever to all honest
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
could never invent the like But a degenerate Christian is the worst man and the worst man is the worst creature of all others And what might be the cause of all this It seemes the same in both Haman's was 4. The Cause or colour Chap. 2.5 â—ecause that he was not worshipped by Mardochei And in ours too If we aske quo â—â—minedaeso Quidve dolens we shall finde it was much to that Even the not worshipâ—ing of one no whit lesse proud then Haman And heere they will fall short too â—or in ours Mardochei must fall downe and kisse his feet which Haman in all his pride never required But it were hard to destroy an whole Nation for no other cause but that one â—han of them would not make him a legg We must have some other then this some â—etter pretense must be had sure So have all evill things one thing for the cause â—nother for the colour In good one serves for both Sure in effect the same was 〈◊〉 of ours that heere was suggested by Haman Chap 2 8. These same Iewes saith he they 〈◊〉 people with a Religion by themselves As much to say with us as A sort of Hereâ—â—ques they be the world were well ridd of them it makes no matter up with them 〈◊〉 But then heer comes a difference againe to make ours the worse Haman made it 〈◊〉 matter of policie It is not for the King's profit to suffer them Ibidem Ours made it no 〈…〉 â—hen a matter of Religion Religion was at the stake A case of meer conscience not 〈…〉 anything but the Oracle consulted first the Father Provinciall who ex tripode 〈◊〉 â—olved it for such And as if he had had all our lives in his hand answered in no 〈…〉 then did Assuerus Chap. III. Ver. XI De populo fac quod libet As for 〈…〉 them 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 and with the King too which was 〈…〉 heer did Haman 〈…〉 up and 〈◊〉 not And though there be of 〈…〉 for all that It is for 〈…〉 this 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 this lost of theirs hâ—d fallen to our lott It had been 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of Paris to have seen men tumbling 〈…〉 in the sâ—â—â—eâ—s Nothing to this to see men torne in sunder headâ— from sholders armes from leggs both from the body quarters and 〈…〉 flie one way the bowells another bloud 〈…〉 in every corner of the streets never the like 〈…〉 neâ—e◠〈◊〉 liâ—e lott to this 〈…〉 destruction for by powder 2 more 〈…〉 with us upon a lesse certaine and upon a more famous â—ay Our nation more noble Our Haman more wicked Their cause and colour â—â—re to be abboâ—â—ed I conclude our lott was the worse and the worse the lott the better the â—scâ—pe the better it and the better deserving a Holy-day for it And this for the lott in the â—ap The Event Now to GOD that giveth the hap Where first I note that the word Pur it is no Hebrew but a Persian word yet it was thought meet to reteine it They give this reason for that the same word Pur in Hebrew signifieth to disappoint shewing plainely that the Hebrue's GOD should give an Hebrew Pur to the Pâ—rsiâ—n Pur disappoint the Persian lott and though it were casâ— yeâ— noâ— suffeâ— it to light â—hough We 〈◊〉 at the XXIV Verse Haman did cast but Pur in the singular but one single lott He needed cast but one since all were to go one way none to escape yet thâ— Day is called Purim that is the plurall as if there were more then one some other beside that of Haman's And so it was fitt there should that there might be as well a good 〈◊〉 as an evill The â—oth is there can be no lotterie of one there behove to be two at least two diverse The law is so The first lotts we reade of that ever were cast were beâ—ween the two Goats Lev. 16. Whose lot it should be to die whose to scape to be the Scape-goat Levit. 16.8 Heer was never a scape-goat in Haman's stain goats all so beside the Law quite GOD took Haman casting lotts beside the Law and He took the matter into his own hand and He did it regularly made two lotts to two ends and for two parties One for Mardochei and the Iewes them one for Haman another GOD put in one foâ— him too by his leave Mardochei saith it plainly in the Greek Supplement c. I. v. X. that God made two lotts and gave them forth One for his own People and one for the wicked meaning wicked Haman So have ye Haman's Pur he cast but one which was disappointed and never drawn And God's Purim two of his putting in and both drawn And it is well we have removed it out of Haman's into a better hand that we may say In manibus tuis sortes meae as saith the Psalme Not in Haman's hands are our lotts but in 〈◊〉 Psal. 31.15 Two good hopes we have thereby 1. One that though it was nothing with Haman to â—ay hâ—â—ds on Mardochei nor with ours on the King yet with GOD it wil be 〈…〉 That God wil be otherwise minded then Haman or they Not 〈…〉 nâ—tiâ—nem perdere but magiâ—que voluit omnem nationem servare 〈…〉 Haman 〈…〉 such as he then that a whole Nation should perish in this manner 2. And then secondly seeing they be now in God's hands be the lott what it will or 〈…〉 will in 〈…〉 to be sure yet when it comes to the drawing 〈…〉 give it forth 〈…〉 and with what sâ—ccesse He pleaseth And when 〈…〉 himselfe doth purpose GOD will dispose 〈…〉 lot 〈…〉 the Lord. And so we come to GOD's 〈…〉 〈…〉 Wherein 〈…〉 before theâ— aâ—â—any waies in the 1 meanes the 2 〈◊〉 〈…〉 time and the 4 â—ssue all foure 1. The fewer meanes the more like a lot 〈◊〉 had no meanes They had and used means both to GOD and man To GOD 〈◊〉 â—asting and fervent prayer which prevailes with Him much To man to King 〈◊〉 they had the Queen's mediation which prevailed with him too We used none 〈◊〉 to GOD or man fasted not prayed not suspected no evill to be toward and so 〈◊〉 neither There is no cause no meanes in a lott It is Saint Augustine's note that 〈◊〉 is therefore termed the Lot of the righteous in the Psalme and in the Apostle Psal. 125.3 Col. 1.12 Sors â—â—nctorum for that merit or meanes there is none at all GOD onely allotts it to us â—nd such was ones not by meanes as they but delivered as I may say from a lott by a lott a meere lott So our Purim we may say was more pure then 〈◊〉 But though no meanes we had to GOD yet a meanes from GOD we had The Manner they 〈◊〉 we both For from a King it came in both But farre otherwise in the manner wiâ—h us then with them two wayes 1. First with them the deliverie came from the King and well
gold and of the Worldly men thus Silver and Gold are their Idols We may examine our selves in this point of the charge namely whither our trust be in our riches by two waies For it being a received ground Pro. 24.22 that our strength is our confidence where we take our chiefe Strength to lie that is it certainely which we trust to Now what that is we shall soone finde 1 If we can certifie our selves in our need among all meanes what doth first offer it selfe in our intention 2 And againe when all meanes forsake us and faile us what is our last succour in execution By course of nature every thing when it is assalted ever rouseth that part first wherin his principall strength lieth if it be in his tuskes them or in his hornes or whatsoever it is that To a poore man if he have a cause in hand there is nothing commeth to mind but GOD and innocencie and the goodnesse of his cause there is his strength and that is the Horne of his salvation But Amos 6 13. the rich saith Amâ—s hath gotten him Hornes in his owne strength and not iron-hornes as were Zidkiah's but golden-bornes with which he is hable to push any cause till he have consumed it For indeed if he be to undertake ought the first thing that commeth to his head is Thus much will dispatch it Such a gift will assure such a man and such a gift will stop such a mans mouth and so it is done Neither is GOD in all his thoughts Tell me then in your affaires what commeth first to mind nay tell your selves what it is Aures omnium pulso saith Saint Augustine conscientias singulorum convenio Tell your selves what it is and by this trie and know wherein your trust is whither this charge meet with you or no whither your riches be the strength of your confidence Now lightly what we first thinke of that we last flie to It is so Salomon saw it in his time and said The rich mans wealth is his castle that even as men Pro. 18.11 when they are soiled in the field and beaten from the Citie-walls flie last of all into the Castle and there thinke themselves safe as in their place of chiefe strength So it falleth out with the rich of this world in many of their causes when Iustice and aequitie and truth and right and GOD and goodmen and a good conscience and all forsake them and yet yield they will not in the Priâ—e of a high minde they know when all other have forsaken them their purse will stand to them and thither as to their strongest salvation they flie when nothing els comforts them So that when they cannot in heart say to GOD Iob 31.24 Mic. 2.1 Thou at my hope their matter is so badd they do say 't is he in Iob to their Wedge of Gold Well yet thou art my confidence And surely he that deviseth or pursueth an unâ—ighteous cause because his hand hath strength that man may be arreigned of the point As againe if any say and say within truly dic dic sed intus dic faith Augustine with all my riches with all my friends and all the meanes I can make I can do nothing against the truth when a man is so rich that he is poore to doe evill so â—â—se that he is a foole to do evill so trusteth in his riches that he dare not take an evill cause in hand no more then the poorest commoner in the citie I dare dischâ—rge that than the Court for this point Oh beloved thinke of these things and secretly betwixt GOD and you use your selves to this examination Sure if GOD be GOD and if there be any truth in Him you shall find great peace and comfort in it at the last The Reason The Vncertaintie of Riches Charge the rich that they be not high-minded nor trust c. And why not high-minded and why not trust Inclusively the reason is added in these words because of the uncertainty of riches It is Paul's reason and it is Salomon's too who knew better what belonged to riches Pro. 23.5 then Paul or any other Travaile not too greedily for them bestow not all thy wisedome upon them saith he for they have the wings of an eagle and will take their flight of a sodein Such is Saint Paul's word heere the very same We behold them we hold them they are heer with us let us but turne our selves aside a little and looke for them and they are gone It is as if he should say Indeed if we could pinion the wings of our riches Pro. 27.24 if we could naile them downe fast to us then were there some shew or shadow why we should repose trust in them But it is otherwise they are exceeding uncertaine even the harvest of the water much above all trades Yea I take it the Merchants confesse so much before they be aware For by this he claimeth to be allowed and extraordinarie gaine because he ventureth his traffique as uncertaine and that he is driven to hazard and putt in a venture his goods continually and many times his person and to make him a right venturer many times his soule too And if they be not uncertaine how commeth it then to passe that rich men themselves are so uncertaine that is that they that were but the other day even a little before of principall credit within a while after and a very short while after their bills will not be taken And if riches be not uncertaine what need they upon a night of foule weather any Assurances upon the Exchange What need the Merchants have securitie one of another What need they to have their estates sure and so good such assurances and conveyances so strong yea more strong then the wit of man can devise if both riches and men be not uncertaine I know they pretend the mans mortalitie but they know they meane many times the mortalitie of his riches rather then himselfe or at the least of the one as of the other I will be judged by themselves I would have you marke Saint Paul's manner of speech Before he called them not rich barely but with an addition the rich of this world Sure it is thought of diverse of the best Writers both old and new I name of the new Master Calvin and of the old Saint Augustine that this addition is a diminution and that it is as it were a barre in the armes of all rich men and that even by that word he meanes to enâ—â—wite them and as I may say to crie them down so to make an entrance to his charge that men should not be too proud of them For being of this world they must needs favour of the soile be as this world is that is transitorie fickle and deceitfull And now he comes in with riches againe and will not put it alone but calleth it the uncertainty of riches And I see it
nothing more forcible to move us heerin then to consider GOD 's owne practise Who having sworne for our benefitt Psal. 110.4 though by many our unkindnesses and hard usages provoked yet as Himselfe saith will not breake His Covenant nor alter the thing that is gone out of His lipps Psal. 89.35 Which is it that keepeth us all from perishing even the immutable truth of GOD 's Oath that we the rather may take it to imitation In an oath of Proofe the charge ought to be 2 Of Proofe Rom. 9.1 that we speake nothing but that which is true in the Name of the Lord 1. Reg. 22.16 That we say the truth and lye not our consciences bearing us witnesse in the Holy Ghost which if we doe not being charged by a Iudge we beare our own iniquitie Leviticus 5.1 Against which oath men are two waies faulty 1 If either they swear to that which they know to be false as if a man finde and denie it swearing falsly Levit. 6.3 2 Or if they presume to sweare directly in a matter wherein themselves are doubtfull or have no sure ground of As If a man sweare and the thing be hid from him Leviticus 5.4 The breach of these two sorts of oathes in regard of the truth is called periurie and both in old time and now we greatly complaine of it in two places 1. The one they call Iuramenta Officinarum When men in their shopps so they may utter to their gaine care not how untruly they abuse the Name of GOD. Men which as the Wise man saith reckon our life as a market wherein they must be getting on every side though it be by evill meanes Sap. 15.12 Or as the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 6.15 That doe in practise seeme to hold that gaine is godlinesse for all the world as the prophane man in the Comedie Iuramentum rei servandae non perdendae conditum that Oathes were made to thrive by Full little knew those men that whatsoever is gotten by false swearing must by GOD 's Law both be restored in the whole Summe and add an overplus beside Els no atonement can be made for them Leviticus 6.5 And if that atonement be not made that GOD by His Prophet hath denounced that their game shall not prosper For he will send the flying booke into their house a Curse appropriate to those that both sweare and steal that is steale by swearing which shall consume both the goods and the very stone timber and all of the house it selfe Zac. 5.4 2. The other they call Iuramenta Tribunalium much more fearefull and heynous then the former when a man or rather as Saint Augustine calleth him detestanda bellua no man but a detestable beast shall so farr presume as in the Iudgement it selfe which is GOD 's 2. Chro. 19.8 before the Magistrates which are GODDS Psal. 82.6 to prophane the oath of GOD Eccles. 8.2 Even as it were to come into GOD'S owne place and there to offer him villanie to his face A crime so grievous as no Nation were it never so barbarous but have thought it severely to be punished Some with losse of tongue Some of fingers Some of eares and some of life it selfe And howsoever they escape man the Prophet saith the very Booke of the Law which they have touched in testifying an untruth shall have wings given it and shall pursue them and cut them of on this side and on that side till they and their name be rooted from the earth It is a fearfull thing to fall into GOD'S hands on this wise and of no one sinne more dreadfull examples For it is indeed facere Deum mendacij consortem We hold it worse in Divinitie to lay upon GOD that evill which we call malum culpae then the other which we terme malum poenae which hath beene inflicted on many an innocent good man Consequently a lesse evill to crucifie Christ by any bodily paine then to draw him into the societie of Sinne which every perjured person doth as much as in him lieth Yea we say that the Name of GOD being fearefull to the devills themselves and bringing them to tremble that that Partie that treadeth that most glorious and fearefull Name under his feet is in worse estate not onely then the wickedest of all men the Murderers of Christ but even then the devill himselfe And all this that we conceive aright of In veritate 2. In Iudgement In Iudicio For thus far the Pharisees themselves come to thinke periurie condemned But our righteousnesse is to exceed theirs Mat. 5 20. and therefore we must seek yet farther This Clause we say standeth against a double vanitie 1 as well in matter if for a vaine light trifling matter we swear 2 as in manner also if with a vaine light unadvised mind or affection For both the matter is to be weightie grave and judiciall and we are with due advise and judgement to come to the action Against which Iudiciall swearing we complaine of two evill kinds 1. The one Iuramenta Platearum such as going through the streets a man shall every day heare yea even out of the mouthes of children light undiscreet frivolous oathes 2. The other Iuramenta Popinarum much worse yet then they When men in Tabling-houses at their game blaspheme the Name of GOD most grievously Not content to sweare by him whole dismember him and pluck him in peeces that they may have oaths enough And that person of the Holy Trinitie to whom and to his name for taking our flesh upon him and performing our redemption even by GOD 's own charge a speciall regard is due and that action of his which among the rest is most venerable of all others which is his Death Passion and shedding his Blood For the Matter The very words of the Commaundement teach us 1 For the Matter it is to be weightie which speake of GOD'S Name as a thing to be lifted up with strength as if it were heavy and we use not to remove things heavy but upon good occasion The nature of an Oath is as of a bond which none that is wise will easily enter it is to be drawen from or pressed out of a man upon necessarie cause Yea it is no further good then it is necessarie For so is our rule Necessarium extra terminos necessitatis non est bonum As purging blood-letting which are no longer good then needfull The Name of GOD is as a strong Castell which men flye not to but when they have need These shew that for every frivolous matter and of no importance we are not vainly to take up GOD'S Name GOD'S Name is said to be holy Psal. 111.9 and holy things may not be putt to common and vulgar uses Numbers 18. ult And in plaine words Leviticus 22.32 Ye shall not pollute my Name Polluting by GOD'S owne word being nothing els but to make common Acts â—0 15 Therefore they to be condemned that no man urging them upon
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
1. To come when they be called and this was denied in the XVI Chapter following Ver. 12. by Core Dathan and their crew Moses sounded his trumpet sent to call them they answer flatly and that not once but once and again Non veniemus they would not come not once stirre for him or his trumpet they A plain contradiction indeed neither is there in all that Chapter any contradiction veri nominis true and properly so to be called but onely that You know what became of them they went quick to hell for it and wo be to them Iude 11. even under the Gospell saith Saint Iude that perish in the same contradiction the contradiction of Core The second duty is To be called yer they come this likewise denied 2. To be calleù yer they come even Moses himselfe that they in his place may not think strange of it in the XX. Chapter of this very book Water waxing scant a company of them grew mutinous and in tumultuous manner without any sound of the trumpet assembled of themselves But these are branded too the water they got is called the water of Meriba Cap. 10.13 and what followed you know None of them that drunk of it came into the Land of Promise GOD swore they should not enter into His rest Now as both these are bad so of the twaine this latter is the worse Called and came not Came uncalled The former that came not being called do but sit still as if they were somwhat thick of hearing But these latter that come being not called either they make themselves a trumpet without ever a Fac tibi Or els they offer to wring Moses's trumpet out of his hands and take it into their owne Take heed of this latter it is said there to be adversus Mosen even against Moses himselfe It is the very next forerunner to it it pricks fast upon it For they that meet against Moses's will when they have once throughly learned that lesson will quickly perhaps grow capable of another even to meet against Moses himselfe as these did Acts 19.40 Periclitamur argui seditionis saith the Town-Clark We have done more then we can well answer We may be indicted of treason for this daye 's worke for comming together without a trumpet and yet it was for Diana that is for a matter of Religion You see then whose the Right is and what the duties be to it and in whose stepps they tread that deny them Sure they have been baptized or made to drink of the same water the water of Meriba that ever shall offer to do the like to draw together without Moses's Call And now to our Saviour CHRIST 's question In the Law how is it written How reade you Our answer is There it is thus written and thus we read That Moses hath the Right of the trumpets that they to go ever with him and his successors and that to them belongeth the power of calling the publique Assemblies Agreeable to the Law of Nature This is the Lâ—w of GOD and that 〈◊〉 jâ—diciall Law peculiar to that people alone â—ot agreeable to the Law of Naturâ— and Nationâ— â—wo Lawes of force through the whole world For even in the little Empire oâ— the â—ody naturall Principium motus the 〈◊〉 of all motion is in and from the head There all the knots or as they call â—hem all thâ— â—onjugations of fine 〈◊〉 â—â—ve their head by which all the body is moved And as the Law of Nature To the Law of Nations by secret instinct by the light of the Creation annexeth the organ to the chiefest part even so doth the Law of Nations by the light of Reason to the cheefest Person And both fall just with the Law heere written where by Erunt Tibi the same â—rgan and power is committed to Moses the principall Person in that Common 〈◊〉 The Law of Nations in this point both before the Law written and since where the Law written was not knowne might easily appeare if time would 〈…〉 their generall order for conventions so to be called and in their generall 〈◊〉 to all conventicles called otherwise 〈◊〉 the Heathen lawes made all such Assemblies unlawfull which the highest aâ—thority did not cause to meet yea though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say Solon's Lawes yea though sub praetextu Religionis say the Romane Lawes Neither did the Christian Emperors thinke good to abate any thing of that Right Nay they took more straight order For besides the exiling of the person which was the Law before they proscribed the place where under pretence of Religion any such meetings should be But I let them passe and stand onely on the written Law the Law of GOD. We have Law then for us That Moses is ever to call the Congregation But though we have Law Mos vincit Legem Custome over-ruleth Law And the Custome or practise may go another way and it is practise that ever best bewrayeth a Power How then hath the practise gone It is a necessarie question this and pertinent to the Text it selfe For there is a Power granted and in vaine is that Power that never commeth into act Came then this Power into act It is a Power to call the Congregation together Were the Congregations called together by it A grant there is That Erunt Tibi So it should be Did it take place was it so Erantne illi Had he it Did he enjoy it Let us looke into that another while what became of this Grant what place it tooke The practise or use of this Power among the Iewes Deut. 4.32 And we shall not offend Moses in so doing It is his advice and desire both that we should enquire into the daies past that were before us and aske even from one end of heaven to the other to see how matters have been caried So that as our SAVIOVR CHRIST sendeth us to the Law by His In Lege quid scriptum est so doth Moses direct us to the vse and practise by his Interroga de diebus antiquis I do aske then These trumpets heere given this power to call together the Congregation how hath it beene used Hath the Congregation been called accordingly in this and no other manner by this and no other Power It hath as shall appeare and I will deale with no Assemblies but onely for matters of Religion By Moses Of Moses first there is no question It is yeelded that he called them and dismissed them Iosua Ios. 1.17 And even so did Iosua after him no lesse then he and they obeyed him in that Power no lesse then Moses And as for that which is objected concerning Moses that he for a time dealt in matters of the Priest's Office it hath no colour in Iosua and those that succeeded him The Covenant and the renewing of the Covenant are matters meerely spirituall yet in that case did Iosua Iosua not Eleazar assemble all the
rectum videbatur hoc faciebat Jn those dayes there was no King in Jsraël But every man did that which was good in his owne eyes THis Chapter the XVII of Iudges is the Chapter which by the course of the Kalendar is proper to this very day Not as now it is For now by reason this day GOD sent us a King in Israel it hath a select Service both of Psalmes and of Chapters But by order of the Church-service this Chapter is for this day and so it was this time foure years I am sure we all that then heard it have good cause to remember it And though we have got us a new it will not be amisse to call our selves back to our old Chapter being this day come hither to render our thanks even for this very thing that In these dayes it is not with us as In those dayes it was with them but that to the joy and comfort of us all there is a King in Israël This how great a benefit it is it is not it may be the best way simply to enforme our selves by Non erat Rex Not simply but sure to us as our nature is to us I say there is no way better It is an old observation but experience daily reneweth it that of Carendo magis quà m fruendo What it is to have no better way to make us truly to value then by feeling a while how great a plague it is to be without Our nature surely is more sensible that way and never taketh perfect impression of that we enjoy but by the privation or want nor understandeth throughly iâ— hijs diâ—bus est now there is one but by those in illis non erat And that is our Verse Of which this is the occasion The Booke of the Iudges and the â—state of the Iudges now growing to an end the Holy Ghost heere beginneth to make a passage to the estate and Bookes of the Kings To which state this Chapter and so to the end of the booke is a preparative or introduction to shew that now the time was at hand That there should be Kings of his race GOD first told a Gen. 17.6 Abraham by way of promise That those Kings should come of Iuda and the b Gen. 49.10 scepter be his Iacob foretold by way of prophecie The dutie of those Kings against the time came was set downe by c Deut 17. Moses by way of prevision long before This shewed Kings there should be But all things have a time saith d Eccle. 3.1 Salomon and time hath a fullnesse saith e Gal. 4.4 Saint Paul And till that time it is not onely a folly but a fault to presse things out of season We see offer was twise made to Iudg. 8.22 Gedeon to take it by g 9.2 Abimelech to get it both came to nothing the time was not yet come But still as the time drew neer every thing did co-operate every thing made way and gave occasion to the purpose of GOD. The Summe And now heere in this Chapter is set downe the very first occasion on which GOD first misseth Kings that for all the Iudges one Mica a private man of Mount Ephraim Ver. 2. he and his old mother it tooke them in the heads they would have a new Religion by themselves and that was plaine Idolatrie Ver. 5. and up with an Idoll they went And because they lacked a Priest it came into Mica's head to give Orders and so he did Why could he be suffered It was and then commeth in this Verse This was all for want of a King And when he had done with this he goeth to another and when with that to a third disorder upon disorder And still Chap. 18.1.21.25.1.19 at the end of every one this commeth in All thâ—se because there was no King Which all is nothing els but a Preparative against the time came that GOD should give Kings that they might with joy receive that his gift and with thankes celebrate it from yeare to yeer doe as we doe now And this is the Summe Three points there are in it Two 〈◊〉 oculum apparent The Division the thriâ— by necessarie inference 1. The want of a King 2. For want of a King what mischiefe ensued Every man did what he thought good this in generall 3. And thirdly Every man but namely Mica he went up with Idolls For Mica's fact it was begat this Verse and so of necessitie falleth into it Those two both generall and particular disorder are linked to the first as to the efficient cause or rather deficient For evill it is Malum non habet efficientem sed deficientem causam Evill hath a deficient but no efficient cause Ever the want of some notable good as heere a King is the cause of some notorious evill as greater evill cannot possibly come to a people then to be in this case every one to doe what he lists For the handling of these though in nature the cause be first and so standeth it ever to us the effect first offereth it selfe and through it as through the veile we enter into the cause and so erunt novissimi primi the last shall be first 1. First then of Fecit quisque 2. And then of Non erat Rex In the former of these we have two parts 1 The Eye Rectum in oculis 1 The Hand Fecit quisque 3 And then togither that what seemed to the eye the hand did and that was mischiefe enough In the latter likewise three 1 There was no King in opposition to other estates they had Iudges and Priests but there was no King 2 No King in Israel with reference to other Nations Not in Canaan nor in Edom but not in Israel Even there it is a want to want a King 3 And then out of these Quid faciat nobis Rex what a King hath to performe To represse all insolencies not onely in generall but particularly this of Mica Where will fall in that the good or evill estate of Religion doth much depend on the having or Not having a King For it is as if he should say Had there beene a King this of Mica had never beene endured Now because there was not Religion first and after it all went to wrack And last we shall see how farr all this doth touch us in matter of our bounden duery of thankes to GOD for this day I. Of the effect fecit quisque c IN Those dâ—â—es when c. What dayes were those were they good or evill 〈◊〉 And this whole Verse is it set downe by way of liking or 〈◊〉 At the first one would thinke that it were a merry world if â—â—ery man might doe what he listed that there were no harme in the world they be faire words all Right and doing right and the Eye the fairest member not an evill word amongst them But yet sure those dayes were evill This a complaint
his and Ieroboam his But Abimelech with his needy indigent Sichemites Roboam with his youthe that never stood before Salomon c 2. Chro. 13.7 Ieroboam with his crue of malcontents Sonns of Belial shall I call any of these Synagoga Deorum I cannot I see no lineaments no resemblance at all nothing for which this name should once be vouchsafed them of Godds Nay nor scarse of Synagoga neither as deserving not onely to be left out of the list of Godds but even to be put extra Synagogam Scarse a Synagogue much lesse of Godds After in this Psalme at the V. Verse they are told as much when by their ignorantibus or non intelligentibus things were growen out of course And told it by GOD Himselfe and that with a kinde of indignation that he had said they were Godds and they carried themselves scarse like men gone from their names quite But I leave them and come to this of ours But ours we wish to be such There is not in the world a more reasonable request then this what you would be that to be what you would be in name that to be indeed to make good â—our name Every one to be Homo homini Deus by doing good Specially that good which is the good of all that is the good of this Assembly This the time and place for it And so my wish is you may and my trust is you will And so I leave Deorum the Godds of the Congregation and come to Synagoga the Congregation it selfe For when we consider these Godds each apart they are as in Ezechiel II. The Congregation of the Godds Eze. 1.20 Every spirit on his wheele and every wheele in his owne course when they are at home in their severall countries But when as in a Congregation then are they to come to be togither And this if cause be GOD alloweth well of God alloweth such congregations when there is â—ause 1. For he hath to that end left with his Lieutenant a power d Num. 10.34 to blow the trumpetts one or both to call togither a part or the whole Congregation By the Trumpetts while they were all within the Trumpett's sound But after when they were settled all Canaan over to call them by the penn of the writer that is by VVrit Of which we have a faire example Iud. 5.14 2. For secondly He hath willed the Angels of his Church by the Angel's example Iud 5.23 to lay Meroz's curse to them that come not to it 3. For thirdly He heere calleth their meeting by the name of a Synagogue which is a Holy place a Sanctuarie a High place or Court of refuge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies all these 4. For fourthly He hath to that end spared them a peece of his owne Temple to have their meetings in e 1. Chro. 16.15 On the south side of it called twise by the name of Asuppim which was to them as the Parlament-house is to us that so their feete might stand on holy ground And they knew 〈◊〉 〈…〉 common or 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacred Assembly to him 〈…〉 he hath set them 〈◊〉 a Monitorie Psalme of this to put them 〈◊〉 how to beare themselves in iâ— like Godds that is Divinely 〈◊〉 For last when they are togiâ—her He comes himself in person and stands â—mong them All which sheâ— he favours and likes well such Assemblies as this The causâ— of the meeting of such Congretions But then there must be a Cause And indeed els it is Concursus atomorum rather then Congregatio Deorum Thus many so goodly a Company to 〈◊〉 to no end GOD forbidd If the Apostle had not Nature doth 〈…〉 1. Cor. 11.17 When we come togither to come togither for the better not for the 〈…〉 And nothing is worse then to come togither for nothing 〈◊〉 as Dehora saith well g Iud. 5.16 stay at home and heare the bleating of their 〈◊〉 This be farr from any Assembly specially the Assembly of the Godds who are heerin to imitate GOD who doth nothing in vaine or without a cause This cause double 1 One from Synagoga â— The other froÌ„ Deorum If you aske me the cause the two words themselves Synagoga and Deorum conteine either of them a cause of it As a Congregation for the good of the Congregation As Godds Caetus Deorum Caetus Dei saith Saint Hierom the Congregation of Godds is GOD'S Congregation As his for him for his honour who gave them theirs to the high pleasure of that GOD whose Ego dixi Godded them all And so as I remember it is written In capite libri the first page or front of your acts To the high pleasure of almighty GOD there lo is GOD and for the weale publique there is the Congregation Not this onely heere the Congregation of Godds but the Congregation of men I know not how many all the Land over even the gâ—â—at Congregation 1. From Synagoga when it is in danger Learne a parable of the Naturall Body If there be no other cause each Member is left to looke to it selfe but if there be any danger toward the whole body presently all the parts are summoned as it were to come togither and every Veine sends his bloud and every sinnew his strength and every arterie his spirits and all draw togither about the heart for a while till the safety of the whole be provided for and then returne back every one to his place againe So is it with the Body Civill in case of danger The danger of two sorts 1 Ordinarie â— Or upon speciall occasion â— Ordinary By Synagoge vitiorâ—â— and never but in it But is there any danger then towards There is and that to both To the Synagogue first and that from a twofold Synagogue and of two sorts 1 One continuall or ordinarie 2 The other not so but speciall and upon occasion The danger this Psalme expresseth thus Ver. V. That things are brought out of course 〈…〉 yea foundations and all Thus there be I may cal them a synagogue for they be many of these same mali mores that like 〈…〉 shoot out dayly no man knowes whence or how never heard of before These if they be suffered to grow will bring all out of course And grow they doe 〈…〉 for even of them some that have paenalties â—â—â—ready set â— know not how such a head they get as they outgrow their punishments that if this Congregation grind not on a new a sharper edge they will bring things yet further out of Course Besides those that should keep all in course b Ex legibus depravatis the Lawes themselves are in danger too There be a sort of men I may well say of the Synagogue of Satan that give their waies and bend their witts to nothing but even to devise how to fret through the Lawes as soon as they be made
as it were in scorn of this Congregation and of all the Gods in it These go to the foundations for so are the Lawes undermine them and in a sort though after another manner seek to blow up all Great pitie but this Congregation heere should looke well to the foundations of all Great pitie that it should be overcome of their evill Rom. 12.21 but that their evill should be overcome of our Good and this of yours goe beyond them It is not to goe through all Generally Quid populo quòd flet 1. Sam. 11.15 what the congregations of men have just cause to complaine of the Congregation of Godds sit to redresse Whatsoever Synagoga Satanae per malos mores These to be helped with good lawes doth put out Synagoga Deorum per bonas Leges is to set in joint againe And that is the proper worke of this Assembly to make Lawes And that is properly the worke of GOD His worke at Sinai and at Sion both And in truth There is but one Lawgiver and that is GOD saith S. Iames Chap. 4. Ver. 12. As till Ego dixi till then there was but one GOD but togither with His Name He imparted also His power and made you a Congregation of Lawgivers and of Godds both at once A high Power the highest in earth save one Next to the Scepter in Iuda's hand is the Lawgiver betweene his feete even with Iacob Gen. 49.10 And so with Salomon After Per me Reges regnant Pro. 8.15 presently followes Et Legum conditores justa decernunt To this so high a worke a whole Synagogue of wisedome is little enough to bring into course that is out to set the foundations fast against this Synagogue of Satan And this lo is the ordinarie and continuall danger I spake of But for all this danger 2 Vpon special occasion By Synagoga inimicorum we might well enough stay a longer time and not come togither ther is no such present hast to meet with that There is another I take it more pressing as I sayd before upon a more speciall present occasion Will you but looke over into the next Psalme following into the beginning of it there you shall find another Congregation a second casting their heads and confaederate togither Psal. 83.3 Ver. 6. hable to putt foundations and all out of course And then he reckons up a rabble of them Edomites the Edomites first and you know what they cried Psal. 137.7 Exinanite usque ad fundamenta Vp with all foundations and all the Edomites and Ismaelites and Moabites and Agarenes Gebal and Ammon and Amalek And at last Assur also was joyned with them Assur that even then purposed and after did eat them all up one after another yet he was then joined with them Such a Congregation it is said there is now abroad and what will they do No harme bring nothing out of course they say But it will be the wisedome of this Congregation to be provided for them theâ— should not do as they saye This Psalme stands before that that this Congregation may be before hand with that 〈◊〉 â—nd perfect 〈◊〉 to be wished before all no man doubts of 〈◊〉 If it be possible is 〈…〉 us lieth 〈◊〉 12 1â— peace with all men But Peace wil be had with neâ—â—e 〈◊〉 lesse assurance and with never the worse conditions if the Câ—â—â—â—egation be well appointed that seeke it And this iâ— the second worke of this Congregation if not the first Thereforâ— it may be thought at this time called togither that there may 〈…〉 Consilij soundly to advise of it and Multitudo Auxilij 〈…〉 go through with it The Text intends this of helpe specially 〈…〉 some translations it is the Congregation of the Mighty but howsoâ—ver the very name is taken from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Name of GOD that is given Him for His Strength and Power Of those that are Mighty and so can shew themselves of those is this Congregation Ever remembring this that they who assemble for an End assemble also to devise how to furnish meanes to compasse that End and indeed of the End properly we consult not but of the meanes rather Our SAVIOVR CHRIST Luc. 14.31 spoke with His owne mouth Who will ever resolve upon Warre but they will sit downe first and set downe what forces wil be needfull and how much they will stand in and how that is to be had or levied that as the wise 〈◊〉 saith Respondit omnibus Answers takes order for all Eccles. 10.19 â— From Deorum Thus for the Synagogue What for GOD There is no doubt blessed be GOD for it but what Moses said of Iuda His owne hands shal be sufficient for him Deut 1â— 7 if thou LORD helpe him against his enemies may be said of this our Land If GOD helpe us sufficient enough And He will helpe Vs if we helpe Him Helpe GOD what a word is that Even the very word Iud. 5.23 the Angel used when he laid a curse upon Meroz for not comming to helpe the LORD againe lest we might thinke it scaped him upon deliberation he saith to helpe the LORD against the mighty that is Sisara and Iohn's mighty preparations Ever where the right is there GOD is when that in Danger GOD in danger they that helpe that helpe Him and He will help them If the congregation GOD GOD the congregation Iud. 5.20 They will fight from heaven then the starrs in heaven will fight in 〈◊〉 courses for us And then it will be an Auxiliarie warr right And in signe that he will so when they are mett togither about these matters GOD 〈◊〉 him selfe heere in person and stands among them GOD in the Congregation of Godds what more proper and kindly And so much for the Godds and for their Congregation III. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 for the two acts of GOD in and upon this Congregation His 〈…〉 Iudging 1. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—ointly After apart 1. Iointly They 〈…〉 first these two as two Correctors of the two former 〈…〉 lest the 〈◊〉 of the Congregation should be exalted above measure with this deifying revolution Secondly 2 To put a difference betwen them and God as two Markes of differenâ—e betweene the first GOD and the last Godds so to let them see what manner of Godds they be indeed how differing from Him GOD stands This may well referr to that in the sixth Verse But you shall fall A standing GOD He who onely stands and will stand God sâ—ands they fall when they all shall fall and fall even to dust every God of them And this could not be told us in a fitter place the place where we stand is compassed about with a Congregation of these fallen Godds these same Dij caduci with Monuments of the mortalitie of many a great Elohim in their times And let me tell you this that in the Hebrew tongue the Grave is called a Synagogue
then fructifie in the hand els it will not clense the whole man Now God onely is good and the universall good of all things and goodnesse it selfe If there be any good in man it is particular not universall and it is participatum Man is not good in himselfe but onely by participation Goodnesse in God is Essentia essence and being and he is so goodnesse that he cannot be but goodnesse good in himselfe and good of himselfe In man goodnesse is Accidens an Accident and such an accident as most commonly he is devoid of it but onely by the grace and likenesse of GOD So that man is good solâ similitudine bonitatis divinae onely by the similitude and imitation of the divine good the neerer to God the neerer to goodnesse and the further from God the more removed from all goodnesse So that as in every good the greatest good is most desired so in doing good that is ever best that joynes us most to our greatest good All Creatures are said to be good by the goodnesse of God Vt principio as the principle and efficient cause of all good 2. Vt Exemplari the patterne and exemplar and Idea according to which all good things are fashioned 3. Vt fine as the end and finall cause for which all things were made And the like is in this beneficence and doing of good For first it must be good à causa in regard of the first and efficient cause which is God as the good fruit proceeds from the good tree and the tree owes his goodnesse to God that transplants and waters it 2. It must be good in fundamento in respect of the foundation as the house and the living stones and spirituall buildings are therefore good because they are built upon the immoveable foundation the Rock Christ. And 3. it must be good à fine from the end to which it is referred it takes beginning from the Holy Ghost and the riches of grace and it must be directed onely to the supreame and grand end of all things God's glory and the reliefe of the poore members of Christ. And these two Beneficence and Communication the eminent and imperated Acts of true Religion the Mother of all vertues they are also the Acts of many other particular vertues For first they are the Acts of Charity because they proceed from the love of GOD 2. they are the acts of Iustice because Reliefe and sustentation is the due debt that is owing to the poore 3. they are the acts of Liberality and Bounty because the free gift of men not the merit of the needy 4. they are the acts of Mercy because they participate with the wants and miseries of the afflicted So that as impendere is Bonitatis to do good and distribute and bestow is the act of goodnesse so likewise rependere to pay them where we owe them is Iustitiae the worke of justice And therefore our goods they are not properly ours in such sort that we can carry them with us when we go hence but they are bona paâ—perum so our goods that they are also the goods of the poore whereof we are rather Stewards then Proprietaries and Lords and he that so keepes and boords them that he doth not expend them to buy the kingdome of heaven with them at the hands of the poore Apsorum est Regnum he doth indeed detinere â—lienum he de frauds the poore and deteines that which is anothers And therefore the Psalme saith Dispersit dedit pauperibus Iustitia Ejus manet in eternum Psalme 112.9 He hath dispersed and given to the 〈◊〉 his righteousnesse endures for eveâ— not his mercy onely but his Iustice also Where by the way observe that there iâ— iâ— first Dispersit dedit he dispersed and gave to the poore heer in the text that lyâ—s before me this day it is Dedit dispersit He gave it and then he dispersed it to the poore in such sort that he did as it were study how to disperse it to all sorts of poore even as many kinds of poore as he could devise and find sit to receive it learned old men widowes children and prisoners and the like And this goodnesse whither we understand it plainely as the Intention of the heart that â—oth the good and the works of the hand that distributes and divides it or whither we understand it as some do that there is Beneficentia in ijs quae dantur beneficence in those â—â—â—ngs that are given and Communicatio in ijs quae servantur Communication 〈◊〉 those things that we give not because in these times Omnia erant communia 〈◊〉 things were in common and so they did communicate even those things which â—â—ey did not communicate and distribute This goodnesse I say hath two properâ—â—es of true goodnesse First it is diffusivum sui diffusive of it selfe it imparts it self to â—s many as it can it heapes not all upon one as those do that robbe all others that they may enrich their heire Secondly it is unitivum Deo et proximo it is unitive and unites us to God for whose sake we do it and to our Neighbour to whom we doe it And surely as in civill States Quid leges sine moribus vanae proficiant what will the best lawes profit us if there be no obedience no manners are they not altogether vaine of lesse force then Spider's webbs and in Christianitie Quid fides sine operibus what will faith and knowledge profit us if it fructifie not in life and works what can Devotion and Iustice profit if Almes follow not He that will send an Embassage to GOD that shall surely speed he must send sighes from his heart teares from his eyes prayers from his mouth and also almes from his hands and they will prove of that force that GOD cannot denie them And if we will take with us the resolution of the learned out of the forme of the last Iudgement it will amount to thus much that not onely Peccata commissionis sinnes of commission or sinnes committed will condemne us but also Peccata omissionis sinnes of omission or omission of doing good as not feeding and clothing the poore will cast us into hell and auferre aliena non dare sua to take other men's goods from them either by force or fraud and not to give our owne to the poore both are damnable though not in same degree And therefore our Saviour's counsayle is well worth the learning Luke XVl. Make you friends of unrighteous Mammon that when you shall faile they may receive you into everlasting Tabernacles And these externall gifts they are the viaticum or viands to carry us to heaven for though Non hîc Coelum heaven be not heer in this life yet Hîc quaeritur Coelum heer in this life heaven is to be sought and heer it is either found or lost So then shall we fast from meat and not from sinne shall we pray and robbe the poore shall our