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A12696
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The Christians map of the world drawne at the solmne funerals of M. Henry Chitting Esquire, Chester-Herauld at Armes, interred Ianuary 11, Anno Domini 1637. By Edward Sparke Master in Arts, and preacher at St. Mary Islington.
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Sparke, Edward, d. 1692.
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1637
(1637)
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STC 23015; ESTC S101711
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31,652
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60
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priority the Fire most active got supremacy the Agil-Aire wonne the next Regions the ambitious waters flow to overtake them An Apologue of the Elements while drowsie Earth sat still the while and therefore is ere since disgraced with the lowest roome no sinne so unnaturall as Idlenes in a word the idle man 's the Devils cushion whereon he sits and takes his ease while the well-busied heart is Officina Dei the Shop or Worke-house of the Almighty Then Da vacuae menti quo tencatur opus Ovid. let ever some good act or other bee as an Anchor to the floating minde Sedulity becommeth even our civill callings but for spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith th' Ap. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure r Pet. 10. 2 Pet. 1. T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee seeke one to come But because t is necessary a seeker should have eyes as well as feet knowledge as well as industry least Iam 4.3 as the perverse Iewes you aske and receive not because you aske amisse consider modum quaerendi Quaerendi modus the manner how to seeke and that is Renefaciendo Patiendo by dooing good and suffering evill Doing good Facere est Naturae sed benefaccre est opus gratiae To bee active is the worke of Nature but to doe well is an effect of Grace and cause of prosperous reward as holy Moses intimates to Israel Deut. 6.18 Deut. 6. Doe yee that which is good in the sight of the Lord that you may prosper Do you that which is good and that you may do chiefly with these two instrument The two chief instruments of doing good Linguâ precante Manu succurrente by a praying tongue and a relieving hand Charity and Prayer are the swiftest wings on which the soule can mount to Heaven First Prayer Prayer is the Iewell of Gods eare the Dialogue twixt Heaven and Earth the Tongue of Angells the Soules Embassadour with God which never with a faithfull hand knockt at Heaven-gates and was sent empty away what though not presently heard t is but to double our importunity what though not straight way granted t is but to glorifie our patience yet sometimes I confesse our Prayers like exhalations drawne up heer may fall elsewhere in fruitfull showers may light on our posterity But fervent prayer never goes un-crownd ad sanitaâ—em si non ad voluntatem still heard in a proportion to our well-fare though not alwaies answered according to our wills Prayer is the sole Phoenix of the Graces from out the Ashes of whose spicie Nest revives a Bird of Paradice This can make an Arabia petrosa as happy as her other Sister for stony hearts can give us hearts of flesh Ezech. 11. Ezech. 11 19. There is a kinde of an omnipotence in prayer it locks and opens Heaven * Oâ—atio Clavis Caeli August 1 King 18. c. 5 7. 2 King 4 33. 1 King 18. renewes society twixt parted soules and bodies blowes downe the walls of Ierico staies the Sunne makes fire descend what cannot it not vincit invincibilem it holdeth that hand which holdeth all the world from striking a very Sodome God himselfe can doe nothing till praying Lot is gone Gen. Gen 19 22. 19. And t is remarkable in that Dialogue 'twixt God and Abraham Gen. 18. Gen 18. how God there desisted not from granting till Abraham first left off petitioning and therfore as the Apostle wishes Pray continually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. 1 Thes 5 17. either statis temporibus at constant times of publick and retird devotions or else continually sc per verba aut opera by good words or workes for indeed no circumstances can exclude prayer and besides Quaevis bona actio quaedam oratio every good action is a kind of supplication Seeke therefore by doing good and that first by Prayer But because Prayer alone makes a man but like a bird with one wing or as a boat with one Oare somewhat lame imperfect to performe this duty 1 Cor. 13.1 according to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let any zeale make what noise it will speak it the tongue of Men and Angels yet without charity t is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tinckling not a wel-tuned Cymball Let therfore the praying tongue say to the relieving Hand Ruth 1.16 as Ruth to Naomi whether thou goest I will goe and where thou dwellest I will dwell Let Charity I say and Prayer like linckes of a golden chaine depend on one another ut quae non prosunt singula though like two gloves one lost the tother but of little use yet both together make themselves compleate For God like Isaak Gen. Gen. 27. 27. will feele the hands as well as heare the voyce of whom hee blesseth Pliny tells us of the Eagle Plin. nat Hist that shee knowes her young ones by their eyes their perspicacy and unlesse they can out-face the Sunne shee rejects them as a bastard-brood but God knowes his children by their hands their liberality and whom he finds like Ieroboam withered-handed close-fisted he counts them but degenerate sons and will disinherit them of his heavenly kingdom yet will give them a portion Eccles 11.1 I tremble to say where cast then thy bread upon the waters .i. relieve the needy whose multitude and weaknesse tearmes them so and after many dayes for Heaven will never forget it thou shalt finde it I flowing to thee like rich merchandize with blest increase Miscris suppressa levate Pectora each one that that craves an almes is an arme stretcht out from God who hath another hand as ready to reward as that was to receive t is Salomons who so hath mercy on the poore lendeth to the Lord indeed but lendeth to the best advantage for the Lord will recompence him Pro. 19. God puts us not to the expence of any costly sacrifices should he Pro. 19 17. how coldly would his altars lye the calves of our lips and offerings of our hands are now all he challengeth and therfore to do good and to distribute forget not these are the pleasing sacrifices Part with some of that which long you cannot keep Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes Luk. 16.9 to gaine that which you can never loose make you friends of that unrighteous mammon Lu. 16. Euthimius tels us God hath given men riches non tanquam Dominis sed dispensatoribus not as unto treasurers but stewards imitate then that wise one in the Gospel for to every one it shal be one day said redde rationem and beleeve it none shal make a better reckoning at the last great Audit than the charitable man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love covereth a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4 8. 1 Pet. 4. and this indeed the Iudg himself attestates Mat. 25 Christ there describing his last genral sessions seems to take notice only of workes