strike and case wound and heal again which is the next and must be for fear of your over-tiring the last subject of our discourse heal thou the sores or breaches thereof That great and ineffable name of God consisting of four letters which we now call Jehovah no man knowes what it was or how pronounced but being abridged to Jah the Grecians have been wont to expresse it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to heal the sense whereof is answered by that name which the Heathens gave him Jupiter as juvans pater This healing then is a proper kindly and naturall act of God whereas the other as dividing striking wounding commoving are a◠it were forced upon him by men Surely else he that is essentiall unity would not divide he that is stability it self would not move he that is salus ipsa would not wound he that is all mercy would not strike we do as it were put this upon him and therefore he cries out Why will ye die O house of Israel but when we shall returne to our selves and him and be once capable of mercy and cure how doth he hasten to our redresse The Son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 Lo here is healing for his act and wings for his haste Those breaches which are made in the earth by the shaking of it are as so many wounds gashes or sores in a vast body and both of these resemble those either divisions or calamities which fall out in the bodies of Churches or States the hand that made them must can will only heal them Heal thou the breaches And how doth he heal them in matter of calamity First by removing the grounds of it Surely the great and true sores of the Land are the sins of the Land which till it please him to heal by working us to a serious repentance in vain shall we complain of our breaches which follow them These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a noysome sore and grievous Rev. 16.2 Not only in the Knees Leggs Deut. 28. but in the very bowels vitallest parts as Jeroboams was 2 Chro. 21. Wo is me how full we are of these sores Longae pacis mala we are what an Ulcerous body are we grown like to that great pattern of misery that was totus ulcus all but one botch I would not be querulous but I must say so What shall I say of our blasphemies prophanesses uncleanesses drunkennesses oppressions sacriledges lawlesse disobediences contempt of Gods messengers and all that rabble of hellish enormities enough to shame Heaven and confound Earth These are sores with a witnesse Alas these like to Davids run and cease not they are besides their noysomnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sure and old sores But yet stay my brethren we are not come to that passe that Jehoram was that the Wound is incurable or to the State of the Sareptans Son that there was no breath left in him but like Eutichus rather bruised but yet breathing And still still there is balme in Gilead let our Wounds be never so deep repentance may can will recure them let not us think onwards to heal Gods people with good words this is the way to fester them within No let us who are Gods Chirurgions make use of the probe of Wise Austere judgment let us gage the sore to the botome and tent it home with the applications of the Law let us take off the proud flesh with the corrosiving denunciations of vengeance to the impenitent sinners and then when it is thoroughly drawn let us lay on the soveraign emplaisters of the most precious and meritorious mercy of our blessed Redeemer Thus thus must all our spirituall sores be healed and oh that we could obtain of our own hearts to addresse our selves to a saving use of these sure remedies how happy were both for our soules and for our Land whose sores yet lye dangerously open how soon would our justly provoked God take off his heavy judgments Is it an Enemy that would afflict us He can put a hook into the Nostrils and a bridle into the Lips of the proudest Assyrian at pleasure Is it a Pestilence He can call in the destroying Angel and bid him Smite no more Is it Famine He can restore to us the years that the Locust hath eaten the Canker-worme and the Caterpiller The Floores shall be full of Wheat and the Fat 's overflow with Wine and Oyle In matter of division secondly the way to his cure must be by composing all unkind differences and uniting the hearts of men one to another the hearts even of Kings much more of Subjects are in his hand as the Rivers of Waters and he turnes them which way soever he pleases sometimes dreadfully forward to a right down opposition sometimes side-ways to a fair accomodation sometimes circularly bringing them about to a full condescent and accordance But as we commonly say the Chirurgion heals the wound and yet that the Plaister heals it too the Chirurgion by the plaister so may we justly here it is God that heals and the means heal God by the means and the means by and under God and surely when we pray or expect that God should heal either of these breaches we do not mean to sue to him to work miracles this were as St. Austin said truely in the like case to tempt God but we beseech God to give and bless those means whereby those breaches may be made up As for the calamitous breaches those we wish may be healed so far as the arme of flesh can reach by the vigilance and ower of Soveraignity by the prudence of wise Statesmen by the sage Councell of the State and Kingdome by wholsome provisions of good Lawes by carefull and just executions As for quarrellous and discontented breaches there are other Remedies to heal them the Remedies must be as the causes of them from within Let the first be a resolution of confining our desires within the due bounds not affecting mutuall incroachments or unnecessary innovations Not Incroachments first Good Lord what a stir these two great wranglers Meum and Tuum make in the World were it not for them all would be quiet Justice must do her part betwixt them both holding the balance even with a suum cuique and sayes with the Master of the vineyard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take that which is thine own and go thy way Mat. 20.14 remembring in all states that heavy word of the Apostle But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons Colos 3. ult It is but right that wrong should receive a payment in whose hands soever it be found and if this retribution fail sometimes with you men of might whom earthly greatnesse may perhaps for a time bear out in hard measures to your impotent inferiours yet there is no respect of persons above except this be it potentes potenter
done 1. By withdrawing the fuell of contention mitigating what we may the grounds of dissension those grounds are the matters controverted these our Christian charity and love of peace will teach us either to decline or to abate lessen by all fair interpretations according to that of the blessed Apostle Charity thinks not evill beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things 1 Cor. 18.5.7 So when Isaacs Servants found the Philistims to stâ—ive with them for their two wells of Esek and Sitnah thâ—y did noâ— stand upon points with them but removed and digged another which was out of the reach of the strife and called it Rehoboth elbow-room Gen. 26.22 And thus the Servants of Isaac made the Philistim quarrells to cease though by Abimelecs own confession Isaac was much mightier then himself Gen. 26.16 Thus when the main difference grew betwixt Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh and the rest of Israel concerning the altar beyond Jordan a fair construction stinted that strife which might have embroyled both parts in a bloody war Thus it was in the Synod of Ephesus betwixt our good Bishops Cyrill and Theodoret whose differences had like to have rent the Church in pieces but upon better understanding were alay'd Thus it was in the more generall and dangâ—rous quarrell bewixt the East and West Churches concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subsistences and essence in the Trinity had not holy Athanasius interposed showing them their own unknown and unacknowledged accordance would God I could give this phrase to these times we should not be in the condicion we are How many are rather apt to cast oyle then water upon this flame to enlarge rather then heal this wound of the Church 2. By giving seasonable counsels of peace so the Father of the faithfull to his nephew Let there be no contention between me and thee and thy herdmen and my herdmen for we are brethren Gen. 13.8 So Moses to the contending Israelites wherefore smitest thou thy fellow Exod. 2.12 So the wise woman of Abel to Joab Thou seekest to destroy a city and a Mother in Israel why wilt thou sâ— allow up the inheritance of the Lord 2 Sam. 20.19 So Abner the Son of Ner after he had set the two armies together by the eares by the pool of Gibeon yet at last moves for a retreat calling to Joab whose men he had challenged Shall the sword devoure for ever knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end how long shall it be then 2 Sam. 2.26 Oh for these counsails of peace in these distracted times how beautifull would their feet be that should bring these glad tidings of peace Alas mâ—n are more ready to clap their hands as boyâ—s are wont to do in dog-fights and to say Eia Socrates Eia Zantippe How much more justly may we take up that word of the Psalmist Wo is me that I soâ—ourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar my soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speak they are for war Ps 120.5 6 7. 3. By opposing restraining the known make-bates of the Church and State If Corah and his Company rise up against Moses and Aaron God takes the quarrell in hand and they are swallowed up of the earth If Sheba the Son of Bicri blow a trumpet of sedition he must be speedily pursued to the gates of Abel 1 Sam. 20. Would God those were cut off that trouble you saith the charitable Apostle Neither know I whether this be a greater act of Justice or of Mercy of Justice in respect of the delinquents or of mercy to the Church and Common-wealth Wo is me with what words should I bewail the dâ—plorable estate of these late times in this behalf Let me appeal to your own eyes and ears I know I speak to judicious Christians Tell me whether ever you lived to see such an inundation of libellous scandalous malicious pamphlets as have lately broke in upon us not only against some particular persons which may have been faulty enough but against the lawfull and established government it self against the antient allowed legall formes of divine worship Certainly if we love the peace of this Church and kingdome we cannot but lament and to our power oppose these insolences If Reformation be the thing desired and aimed at let not that man prosper which doth not affect it pray for it bend his utmost endeavours to accomplish it but is this the way to a Christian reformation to raise slanders to broach lying accusations against the innocent to callumniate lawfull established authority God forbid these are the acts of him that is the man-slayer from the beginning the holy God hates to raise his kingdome by the ayd of the Devill Be as zealous as you will but be withall just be charitable and endevour to advance good causes by only lawfull means And then let him come within the compasse of this Curse of Meroz that is not ready to assist and second you 4. By cherishing the moderately affected and incouraging those that intercede for peace as those who do the noblest offices both to the Church and Common-wealth if we meet with a man that can truly say with the woman of Abel ego sum ex colentibus pacem as Tremelius turnes it 2. Sam. 20.20 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel make much of such To the Counsellors of peace shall be joy Pro. 12.20 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem saith the Psalmist they shall prosper that love thee certainly thus it should be but alas we are fallen upon times wherein it is cause enough for a quarrell to plead for peace too well fulfilling that of the Psalmist They speak not peace but they devise deceitfull matters against them that are quiet in the Land Ps 35.20 A man in this case is like the sheepheard that would part the fray betwixt his two rams they both met together upon his bones and send him halting out of the field The God of peace in his good time remedy these distempers but in the mean time let us comfort our selves in the conscience of our happy indeavours with that of St. James The fruits of righteousness are sown in peace of them that make peace James 3. ult And thus much for our duty in seconding and immitating this act of God in making this cessation of wars by withdrawing the feuell of contention by giving seasonable counsails of peace by opposing known make-bates by cherishing the peaceable minded We descend to our third use proper for this day which is the challenge of our thankfulnesse And surely wheresoever God vouchsafes to bestow this mercy that he causes wars to cease unto any nation he looks for no lesse and we shall be foulely ungratefull if we disappoint him whereto we shall the better be excited if we shall
be and be acknowledged the sons of God Let us put on as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-suffering forbearing one another forgiving one another if we have a quarrell against any even as Christ forgave us and above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse Colos 3.12 13 14. And lastly forsaking the mis-guidance of Satan the World and our corrupt nature which will lead us down to the chambers of death and eternal destruction let us yield up our selves to be led by the holy Spirit of God in all the wayes of righteousnesse and holynesse of piety justice charity and all manner of gracious conversation that we may thereby approve our selves the sons and daughters of God and may be feoffed in that blessed inheritance which he hath laid up for all his to the possession whereof may he happily bring us who hath dearly bought us Jesus Christ the righteous to whom with the Father and the blessed spirit one infinite God be given all praise honour and glory now and for ever Amen THE MOURNER IN SION ECCLESIASTES 3.4 There is a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance I Need not tell you that Solomon was a wise man his wisdom as it was in an extraordinary measure put into him by him that is wisdom it self so was it in a more then ordinary way improved by his diligent observation his observation was Universal of times things persons actions events neither did he look his experiments up in the closet of his own brest but by the direction of Gods Spirit laid them forth to the World in this divine sermon which not as a King but as a Prophet he preach't to all posterity Every sentence here therefore is a dictate of the holy Ghost it is not Solomon then but a greater then Solomon even the holy Spirit of the great God that tells you there is not a time onely but a season too for every thing and for every purpose under Heaven that is as I hope you can take it no otherwise for every good thing or indifferent as for evill things or actions if men find a time yet sure God allowes no season those are alwayes damnably-unseasonable abuses of times and of our selves not to meddle with other particulars our thoughts are now by the divine providence pitch't upon a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance or rather onely upon the time to weep and mourn for our time of laughing and dancing is past already and perhaps we have had too much of that in our former times which makes the causes and degrees of our now weeping and mourning as more uncouth so more intensive we must be so much deeper in our mourning by how much we have been more wild and wanton in our laughter and dancing To fall right down therefore upon our intended discourse without any previous circumlocutions There is a threefold time of just mourning 1. When a man is sensible of his punishments 2. Of his sins 3. Of his dangers Of his punishments first or rather which is more general of his afflictions for all afflictions are not intended for punishments some are fatherly chastisments onely for our good whereas all punishments are afflictive when we are whip't then when we smart with the rod we have cause to weep and if in this case we shed no tears it is a sign of a gracelesse heart It is time therefore to mourn when we are pressed by sufferings whether from the immediate hand of God or mediately by the hands of men whether by private or publique calamities are we smitten in our bodies by some painfull and incurable diseases Doth the pestilence rage in our streets Hath God forbidden us the influence of Heaven and curst the Earth with barrennesse Hath he broken the staffe of bread and sent leannesse into our souls Hath he humbled us with the fearfull casualties of fire or water by wracks at Sea by lightnings and tempests by land hath he sent murrain amongst our cattle and destroying vermine into our barnes and fields now God tells us it is a time to mourn are we disquieted in our minds by some over-mastering passions of griefe for the miscarriages of children for the secret discontents of domesticall jars for unjust calumnies cast upon our good name are we molested in our mindes and spirits with impetuous and no lesse importune then hatefull Temptations now it is a time to mourn do we find in our souls a decay and languishment of grace a prevalence of those corruptions which we thought abated in us Do we find our selves deeply soul-sick with our sinfull indispositions Shortly do we find the face of our God for the time withdrawn from us Now now it is a time to mourn If we turn our eyes to those evils which are cast upon us by the hands of men Do men find themselves despoyled of their estates restrained of their Liberties tortured in their bodies Do they find the wofull miseries of an intestine war killings burnings depopulations do they find fire and sword raging in the bosom of out Land now it is a time to mourn Were these evils confined to some few persons to some special families they were worthy of the tears of our compassion for it is our duty to weep with them that weep but where they are universal and spread over the whole face of any Nation there cannot be found tears enough to lament them Punishments then are a just cause of our sorrow and mourning but to a good heart sin is so much greater cause of mourning by how much a moral evil is more then a natural and by how much the displeasure of an Almighty God is worthy of more regard then our own smart Doth thine heart then tell thee that thou hast offended the Majesty of God by some grievous sin now is thy time to weep and mourne as thou wouldest for thy only son Zechar. 12.10 now it is time for thee to be in bitternesse as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne Thy soul is foul wash and rince it with the tears of thy repentance go forth with Peter and weep bitterly Dost thou finde in the place where thou livest that sin like some furious torrent bears down all before it now it is time for thee to mourne for the sins of thy people and to say as the holy Psalmist did Psal 119 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because men keep not thy law Lastly as our sufferings and our sins make up a due time for our mourning so do our dangers also for fear is no lesse afflictive then pain yea I know not whether there can be a greater pain then the expectation of imminent mischiefs Do we therefore see extremities of judgments hovering over our heads ready to fall down like Sodoms fire and
of our sins with Israels Yet one more do we think of the bold intrusion of presumptuous persons into the sacred calling without any commission from God Of whom do we think the Prophet Jeremy speaks The Prophets prophesy lies in my name I sent them not neither have I commanded them nor spake unto them They prophesy unto you a false vision and the deceit of their own heart Jer. 14.14 and again I have not sent these Prophets yet they run I have not spoken to them yet they prophesyed Jer. 23.21 To what purpose should I instance in more as I easily might as practical atheisme falsehood cruelty hypocrisy ingratitude and in a word universal corruption O England England too like to thy sister Israel in all her spiritual deformities if not rather to thy sister Sodome Behold this was the iniquity of thy Sister sodome pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse was in her neither did she strengthen the hands of the poor and needy Ezechiel 16.49 Lo thou art as haughty as she and hast committed all her abominations But that which yet aggravates thy sin is thy stubborne incorrigiblenesse and impudence in offending is it not of thee that the Prophet Jeremy speaks This is a Nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God nor receiveth correction Jer. 7.28 For O our God hast thou not whipt us soundly and drawn blood of us in abundance yet wo is me what amendment hast thou found in us what one excesse have we abated what one sin have we reformed what one vice have we quitted Look forth brethren into the World see if the lives of men be not more loose and lawlesse their tongues more profane their hands more heavily oppressive their conversation more faithlesse their contracts more fraudulent their contempt of Gods messengers more high their neglect of Gods ordinances more palpable then ever it was Yea have not too many amongst us added to their unreformation an impudence in sinning Is it not of these that the Prophet speaketh Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not ashamed at all neither could they blush therefore shall they fall among them that fall in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down saith the Lord Jer. 8.12 By this time I suppose you see how too much cause we have to mourn for those sins of practise which have fetcht down judgments upon us turn your eyes now a little to those intellectual wickednesses which we call sins of Opinion Opinion think some of you now alas what so great offence can there be in matter of conceit and in those results of ours ratiocination which we picht upon in the cases of Religion let me tell you dear Christians what valuation soever you may please to set upon these capital errours of the understanding set abroach for the seduction of simple souls there is more deadly mischief and higher offence to God in them then in those practical evils which honest hearts profess to abhorr These as they are the immediate sins of our spirituall part so they do more immediately strike at the God of Spirits in his Truth and holinesse and as Religion is the highest concernment of the soul so the depravation of Religion must needs be most dangerous and damnable It is no marvell therefore if a truly-zealous Christian could even weep his eyes out to see hear those hellish heresies Atheous paradoxes which have poysoned the very air of our Church wherein they were vented One beats the keys into the sword or hangs them at the Magistrates girdle so as he suspends religion upon the meer will and pleasure of severaignty One allowes plurality or community of Wives another allows a man to divorce that wife he hath upon sleight occasions and to take another One is a Ranter another is a Seeker a third is a Shaker One dares question yea disparage the sacred Scriptures of God another denies the Souls immortality a third the Bodies resurrection One spits his poyson upon the blessed Trinity another blasphemes the Lord Jesus and opposes the eternity of his Godhead One is altogether for inspirations professing himself above the sphere of all Ordinances yea above the blood of Christ himself Another teaches that the more villanie he can commit the more holy he is that only confidence in sinning is perfection of sanctity that there is no hell but remorse To put an end to this list of blasphemies the very mention whereof is enough to distemper my tongue and your ears One miscreant dares give himself out for God Almighty Another for the Holy Ghost Another for the Lord Christ Another a vile adulterous strumpet for the Virgin Mary O God were there ever such frenzies possessed the braines of men as these sad times have yieled Was ever the Devil so prevalent with the sons of men Neither have these prodigious wretches smothered their damnable conceits in their impure breasts but have boldly vented them to the World so as the very presses are openly defiled with the most loathsome disgorgments of their wicked blasphemies Here here my dear brethren is matter more then enough for our mourning If we have any good hearts to God if any love to his truth if any zeal for his glory if any care for his Church if any compassion of either perishing or endangered souls we cannot but apprehend just cause of pouring out our selves into tears for so horrible affronts offered to the dread Majesty of our God for so inexpiable a scandal to the Gospel which we professe for so odious a conspurcation of our holy profession and lastly for the dreadful damnation of those silly souls that are seduced by these cursed impostors Ye have seen now what cause we have of mourning for sins both of Practise and Opinion It remaines now that we consider what cause of mourning we may have from our dangers for surely fear as it is alwayes joyned with grief so together with it is a just provoker of our tears And here if I should abridge all the holy Prophets and gather up out of them all the menaces of judgments which they denounce against their sinfull Israel I might well bring them home to our own doors and justly affright us with the expectation of such further revenge from Divine Justice for how can we otherwise think but that the same sins must carry away the same punishments The holy God is ever constant to his own most righteous proceedings if then our sins be like theirs why should we presume upon a dissimilitude of judgments Here then it is easy to descry a double danger worth our mourning for the one of further smart from the hand of God for our continuing and menacing wickednesse the other of further degrees of corruption from our selves For the first let that sad Prophet Jeremiah tell you what we may justly fear They are not humbled even unto this day neither have they feared nor walked in my law
way unto but not offering me the expected encouragement of my continuance with him I stayed and preacht on the Sunday following That day Sir Robert Drury meeting with the Lord Denny fell belike into the commendation of my Sermon That religious and Noble Lord had long harboured good thoughts concerning me upon the reading of those poor pamphlets which I had formerly published and long wished the opoâ—tunity to know me to please him in this desire Sir Rob. will'd me to go and tender my service to his Lordship which I modestly and seriously deprecated yet upon his earnest charge went to his Lordships gate where I was not sorry to hear of his Absence Being now full of Cold and Distemper in Drury-lane I was found out by a friend in whom I had formerly no great interest one Mr. Gurrey Tutor to the Earl of Essex P. Henry he told me how well my Meditations were accepted at the Princes Court and earnestly advised me to step over to Richmond and preach to his Highness I strongly pleaded my indisposition of body and my inpreparation for any such work together with my bashfull fears and utter unfitness for such a presence my aversness doubled his importunity in fine he left me not till he had my ingagement to preach the Sunday following at Richmond he made way for me to that awfull Pulpit and encouraged me by the favour of his Noble Lord the Earl of Essex I preacht through the favour of my God that Sermon was not so well given as taken In so much as that Sweet Prince signified his Desire to hear me again the Tuesday following which done that labour gave more contentment then the former So as that gracious Prince both gave me his hand and commanded me to his Service My Patron seeing me upon my return to London lookt after by some great Persons began to wish me at home and told me that some or other would be snatching me up I answered that it was in his power to prevent would he be pleased to make my maintenance but so competent as in right it should be I would never stir from him insteed of condescending it pleased him to fall into an expostulation of the rate of competencies affirming the variableness thereof according to our own estimation and our either raising or moderating the causes of our expences I show'd him the insufficiency of my means that I was forced to write books to buy books Shortly some harsh and unpleasing answer so disheartned me that I resolv'd to embrace the first oportunity of my remove Now whiles I was taken up with these anxious thoughts a messinger it was Sir Robert Wingfield of Northhamptons sonne came to me from the Lord Denny now Earl of Norwich my after-most-honourable Patron entreating me from his Lordship to speak with him No sooner came I thither then after a glad and Noble welcome I was entertained with the earnest offer of Waltham The condicions were like the mover of them free and bountifull I received them as from the munificent hand of my God and returned full of the cheerfull acknowledgments of a gracious providence over me Too late now did my former Noble Patron relent and offer me those termes which had before fastened me for ever I returned home happy in a new Master and in a new Patron betwixt whom I Divided my self and my labours with much comfort and no less acceptation In the second year of mine attendance on his Highness when I came for my Dismission from that monethly service it pleased the Prince to command me a longer stay and at last upon mine allowed departure by the mouth of Sir Thomas Challoner his Governour to tender unto me a motion of more honour and favour then I was worthy of which was that it was his Highness pleasure and purpose to have me continually resident at the Court as a constant attendant whiles the rest held on their wonted vicissitudes for which purpose his Highness would obtain for me such preferments as should yield me full contentment I return'd my humblest thanks and my readiness to sacrifice my self to the service of so gracious a Master but being conscious to my self of my unanswerableness to so great expectation and loath to forsake so Dear and Noble a Patron who had placed much of his Heart upon me I did modestly put it off and held close to my Waltham where in a constant course I preach'd a long time as I had done also at Halsted before thrice in the week yet never durst I climbe into the Pulpit to preach any Sermon whereof I had not before in my poor and plain fashion penned every word in the same Order wherein I hoped to deliver it although in the expression I listed not to be a slave to Syllables In this while my worthy kinsman Mr. Samuel Barton Archdeacon of Glocester knowing in how good terms I stood at Court and pittying the miserable condicion of his Native Church of Wolverhampton was very desirous to engage me in so difficult and Noble a service as the redemption of that captivated Church For which cause he importun'd me to move some of my friends to solicit the Dean of Windsor who by an antient annexation is Patron thereof for the graunt of a particular Prebend when it should fall vacant in that Church answer was return'd me that it was fore-promised to one of my fellow Chaplains I sate down without further expectation some year or two after hearing that it was become void and meeting with that fellow Chaplain of mine I wisht him much joy of the Prebend He askt me if it were void I assured him so and telling him of the former answer delivered to me in my Ignorance of his ingagement wisht him to hasten his Possession of it He delayed not when he came to the Dean of Windsor for his promised dispatch the Dean brought him forth a Letter from the Prince wherein he was desired and charged to reverse his former ingagement since that other Chaplain was otherwise provided for and to cast that favour upon me I was sent for who least thought of it and received the free Collation of that poor dignitie It was not the value of the place which was but ninetene Nobles per annum that we aimed at but the freedome of a goodly Church consisting of a Dean and eight Prebendaries competently endowed and many thousand souls lamentably swallowed up by wilfull Recusants in a pretended Fee-farme for ever O God what an hand hadst thou in the carriage of this work when we set foot in this suit for another of the Prebendaries joyned with me we knew not wherein to insist nor where to ground a complaint only we knew that a Goodly Patrimony was by sacrilegious conveyance detained from the Church But in the pursuit of it such marvelous light opened it self inexpectedly to us in revealing of a counterfeit seal found in the ashes of that burned house of a false Register in the manifestation
purpose let no Antinomian stop the floodgates of our eyes let no Popish Doctor prevail to the abatement of this holy sorrow those men out of a profession of much outward rigour and austerity do under hand by their doctrine slacken the reines of true penitence to their clients Contritio una vel remissa c. One easie contrition is able to blot out any sin if never so haynous saith their learned Cardinall Toleth and their Jesuite Maldonate to the same effect Ad perfectionem Poenitentiae c. To the perfection of penitence is required onely a sleight kind of inward sorrow wherein I cannot better resemble them then to timorous or indulgent Chirurgians that think to pleasure the patient in not searching the wound to the bottom for which kindnesse they shall receive little thank at the last for the wound hereupon festers within and must cost double time and pain in the cure whereas those solid Divines that experimentally know what belongs to the healing of a sinning Soul go thorough stitch to work Insomuch as Cardinall Bellarmine taxeth it as too much Rigour in Luther Calvin and Chemnitius that they require Magnam animi concussionem a great concussion of soul and a sharp and vehement contrition of the penitent For us let us not be niggardly of our sorrow but in these cases go mourning all the day long See how the Spirit of God expresses Zachar. 12.10 They shall Mourne as one that Mourneth for his onely Son and shall be in bitternesse as one that is in bitterness for his first Born This is a Repentance never to be repented of Blessed are they that thus mourne for they shall be comforted This aversion is punishment enough alone and if it should be totall and finall as it is not to Gods own Children it were the worst peece of Hell for the punishment of losse is justly defined worse then that of sense but withall it is attended as there is good cause with sensible demonstrations of Gods anger and the smart of the offender My wounds stink and are corrupted because of my foolishness saith the Psalmist Psal 38.5 I am weary of my groaning Psal 6.6 And if the most righteous cannot avoid this sore hand of the Almighty where shall willfull sinners appear These effects of Gods displeasure then are such as are worth trembling at It is true as that wise Pagan said a speech worthy to be written in Letters of Gold and that which I doubt not shall be in the day of Judgment laid in the dish of many Millions of professed Christians si Omnes Deos hominesque celare possimus nihil avare nihil injuste nihil libidinose nihil incontinenter faciendum That if we could hide our actions from God and men yet we may do nothing covetously nothing unjustly nothing lustfully nothing incontinently Who would not be ashamed to hear this fall from an Heathen when he sees how many Christians live but it is most true A good man dare not sin though there were no Hell but that holy and wise God that knowes how sturdy and headstrong natures he hath to do withall findes it necessary to let men feel that he hath store of Thunderbolts for sinners that he hath Magazins of Judgments and after all an Hell of torments for the rebellious and indeed we cannot but yield it most just that it should be so If but an equall do grieve and vex us we are ready to give him his own with advantage and if an inferiour we fall upon him with hand and tongue and are apt to crush him to nothing and even that worm when he is troden on will be turning again how can we or why should we think that the great and holy God will be vexed by us and pocket up all our indignities If a Gnat or Flea do but sting thee thou wilt kill it and thinkest it good justice yet there is some proportion betwixt these Creatures and thee but what art thou silly nothing to the Infinite We men have devised varieties of punishments for those that offend our laws Artaxerxes his decree mentions four sorts Death Banishmentt Confiscation Imprisonment Ezra 7.26 And which perhaps you will wonder at commits the managing of justice in the execution of them all to Ezra the Priest the Romans as Tully tells us had eight severall kindes of punishments for their delinquents Forfeiture Bonds Stripes Retaliation Shame Exile Servitude and Death God hath all these double over and a thousand others for the First which is Forfeiture here is the Forfeiture of no lesse then all Take from him the pound saith the Master concerning the unfaithfull servant Luc. 19.24 for the Second Bonds here are the most dreadfull Bonds that can be even everlasting chaines of darkness Jude 6. for Stripes here are many Stripes for the knowing and not doing servant Luc. 12.47 for Retaliation it is here just and home it is just with God to render tribulation to those that trouble you 2 Thess 1.6 for Shame here is confusion of face Daâ— 9.8 for Exile here is an everlasting Banishment from the presence of God Matth. 25.41 for Servitude here is the most odious Bondage sold under sin Rom. 7.14 for Death here is a double death a temporal and eternal these and more then can be expressed are the consequents of Gods displeasure If thou lovest thy self therefore take heed above all things of grieving thy God with thy sins and if thou hast done so hasten thy reconciliation agree with thine adversary in the way else tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evill thy grieving of him shall end in weeping and wayling and gnashing for our God is a consuming fire And here now that I may turn your thoughts a little aside from a personall to a nationall grieving of Gods Spirit I am faln upon the grounds of those heavy judgments under which we have lyen thus long groaning and gasping to the pitty and astonishment of our late envying neighbourhood even the destroying and devouring sword alas my Beloved we have grieved our good God by our havnous sins of all sorts and now we do justly feel the heavy effects of his displeasure we have warred against Heaven with our iniquities and now it is just with God to raise up war against us in our own Bowells It was the Motto that was wont to be written upon the Scotish coine as the embleme of their Thistle Nemo me impune Lacesset None shall scape free that provokes me Surely it is a word that well fits the Omnipotent and eternal justice and power of Heavens we have provoked that to wrath and therefore could not hope to avoid a fearfull judgment wo is me we have made our selves enemies to God by our rebellious sins therefore thus saith the Lord the Lord of Hoasts the Mighty one of Israel Ah I will ease me of my adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies Esa 1.24 Three things there are that aggravate the deep unkindnesse that
them better then Marble and Cedars Hence it is that their dresses make no difference of festivals all stuffes all colours are alike to them in all sacred solemnities Hence that they stumble into Gods house without all care or show of reverence and sit them down at his Table like his fellows with their hats on their heads Hence that they make no differnnce of coming with full panches to that heavenly banquet and that the very dogs are allowed free accesse and leave to lift up their legs at those holy tables In quibus populi vota membra Christi portata sunt Optat. Milevit l. 6. where we partake of the Son of God For the rectifying of which misconceits and practises let it be laid down as an undoubted rule that it is a thing well-pleasing to God that there should be all outward cleanliness gravity reverent and comely postures meet furniture utensils places used and observed in the service of the Almighty a truth sufficiently grounded upon that irrefragable Canon of the Apostle Let all things be done decently and in order whereof Order refers to persons 1 Cor. 14 40. and actions decency to the things done and the fashion of doing them disorder therefore and indecency as they are a direct violation of this Apostolick charge so doubtlesse they are justly offensive to the Majesty of that God whose service is disgraced by them as for disorder it falls not into our present discourse in matter of indecency the main disquisition will be how it may be judged and determined to know what is comly hath been of old noted to be not more commendable then difficult for the mindes of men may be of a different diet one may approve that for decent which another abhors as most unbeseeming Suarum rerum nemo non mitis arbiter pius judex Petrarch A Cynick curre or some Turkish Saint may think it not uncomly to plant his own kind in the open market place and Xenophon tells us of a certain people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Xenoph de â—aeped Cyrâ— l 5. called Mosynecians whose practise was to do all those acts in publick which other men men placing shame in them are wont to reserve for the greatest secrecy and contrarily to do those things in private which other Nations thought fit for the openest view and we finde that the Stigmatical Saint of the Church of Rome who could say of himself that God would have him fatuellum quendam Dixit mihi Dominus quod volebat me esse unum fatuellum in hoc mundo Conform Separator thought it no shame to go stark naked through the streets of Assisium So did Theodore the Taylor and seven Men and five Women Anabaptists strip themselves and ran naked through Amsterdam Guy de Bres Idem fecit coram Episcopo Assisii lib. Conform p. 211. But certainly there are unquestionable rules whereby decency may be both regulated and judged 1 Cor. 11.13.14.16 The great Doctor of the Gentiles when he would correct an indecent practise in his Corinthians uses these three expressions Judge in your selves is it comly Doth not nature it self teach you We have no such custome nor the Churches of God Wherein he sends us for the determination of decency to the judgment of our right reason undebauched nature and approved custome and surely if we follow the guidance of these three we cannot easily erre in our decision of comlinesse both in our carriage in humane affaires and in the services of God all these will tell us that it is most meet that all outward cleanliness gravity modesty reverence should be used in all the actions of divine worship and will in form us that whatsoever fashion of deportment is held rude uncivil in humane conversation is so much more indecent in divine actions by how much the person whom we deal with is more awful and worthier of the highest observance It is no other then an error therefore in those men who think that if they look to the inward disposition of the soul it matters not in what posture or what loathsome turpitude the body appears before the Almighty Even that slovenly Cinick when he saw a woman bowing her self forward too low in her devotion could chide her for her unregard to those deities which beheld her on all sides Our blessed Saviour though he had good cheere at the Pharisees house yet he somewhat taxeth his host for want of a due complement Luc. 7.44.46 I entred into thine house thou gavest me no water for my feet mine head with oyle didst thou not anoint c. He looks still for meet formalities of good entertainment as well as the substance of the dishes It was Gods charge that no steps should be made to go up to his altar Exod. 20 26. lest the nakednesse of the sacrificer should be discovered for this cause it was that he who made the first sute of skins for our first parents ordained linnen breeches for his Priests in their ministrations God hath no where commanded us to cut our nailes or our hair but it were a foul indecency not to do both and if we would justly loath a man that should come to our table like wild Nebuchadnezzar in the desert with hair to his wast and clawes on his fingers how much more odious would this seem in a man that should thus thrust himself in to the Table of the Lord and if our displeasure would justly arise at that barbarous guest which should come to our board with his hands be smeared with ordure or blood how can we think it can be otherwise then ill-taken of the holy God that we should in a beastly garbe offer our selves into his presence It is not onely in regard of spiritual filthyness that the evill Spirits are called unclean but even of external also wherein how much they delight we may well appeal to the confessions of those Witches and Sorcerers which upon their conviction and penitence have laid open the shameful rites of their nightly meetings Bod in Demonomania c. Augustin l. de Haeres Philastr de Haeres Neither was it without cause that some of their prime agents in the antient Church were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those filthy fashions which were in use amongst them Gnostici borboritae quasi coenosi ob turpitudinem in suis mysteriis c. Contrarily what pleasure the pure and holy God takes in the cleannesse both of flesh and spirit is abundatly testifyed by to those many and strict injunctions of lotions and purifications which we finde upon every occasion in his antient law and though those lawes be not now obligatory as being for the substance of them ceremonial and typical yet they have in them so much tincture of an eternall morality as to imply a meetnesse of decent cleanlinesse in the services of God In the observation whereof it is meet for us to hold a midle way betwixt
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By good works The vulgar reads it thus and the Council of Trent cites it thus and some of ours so the text runs thus Give diligence that by good works ye may make your calling and election sure I inquire not how duly but certainly there is no cause that we should fear or dislike this reading good works are a notable confirmation to the soul of the truth of our calling and election Though Cardinal Bellarmine makes ill use of the place striving hereupon to inferre that our certitude is therefore but conjectural because it is of works For the solution whereof justly may we wonder to hear of a conjectural certitude Certainly we may as well hear of a false-truth what a plain implication is here of a palpable contradiction Those things which we conjecture at are only probable and there can be no certainty in probability Away with these blinde peradventures had our Apostle said and he knew how to speak guesse at your calling and election by good works his game here had been fair but now when he saies By good works indeavour to make your calling and election sure how clearly doth he disclaim a dubious hit I-misse-I and implies a fecible certainty And indeed what hinders the connection of this assurance Our works make good the truth of our faith our faith makes good our effectual calling our calling makes good our election therefore even by good works we make our election sure Neither can it hurt us that the Cardinal saith we hold this certainty to be before our good works not after them and therefore that is not caused by our good works We stand not nicely to distinguish how things stand in the order of nature surely this certainty is both before and after our works before in the act of our faith after in our works confirming our faith neither do we say this certainty is caused by our good works but confirmed by them neither doth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imply alwaies a thing before uncertain as learned Chamier well but the completing and making up of a thing sure before To which also must be added that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good works must be taken in the largest latitude so as to fetch in not only the outward good offices that fall from us in the way whether of our charity justice or devotion but the very inmost inclinations and actions of the soul tending towards God our believing in him our loving of him our dreading of his infinite Majesty our mortification of our corrupt affections our joy in the holy Ghost whatsoever else may argue or make us holy These are the means by which we may and must endeavor to make our calling election sure But to let this clause passe as litigious the undoubted words of the text goe no less If ye do these things ye shall never fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things are the vertues precedently mentioned and not falling is equivalent to ascertaining our calling and election Not to instance then and urge those many graces which are here specified I shall content my self with those three Theological vertues singled out from the rest faith hope charity for the makeing sure our calling and election For faith how clear is that of our Saviour He that believes in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Joh. 5.24 This is the grace by which Christ dwels in our hearts Ephes 3.17 and whereby we have communion with Christ and an assured testimony of and from him For he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 John 5.10 And what witness is that This is the record that God hath given us eternall life and this life is in his Son verse 11. He that hath the Son hath life verse 12. See what a connection here is Eternal life first this life eternal is in and by Christ Jesus this Jesus is ours by faith This Faith witnesseth to our souls our assurance of Life Eternall Our hope is next which is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thrusting out of the head to look for the performing of that which our faith apprehends and this is so sure a grace as that it is called by the name of that glory which it expecteth Colos 1.5 For the hope sake which is laid up for you in heaven that is for the glory we hope for Now both faith and hope are of a cleansing nature both agree in this Purifying their hearts by faith Act. 15.9 Every one that hath this hope purifyeth himself even as he is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 The Devil is an unclean Spirit he foules wheresoever he comes and all sin is nasty and beastly Faith and hope like as neat huswives when they come into a foul and sluttish house cleanse all the roomes of the soul and make it a fit habitation for the Spirit of God Are our hearts lifted up then in a comfortable expectation of the performance of Gods merciful promises and are they together with our lives swept and cleansed from the wonted corruptions of our nature and pollutitions of our sin this is an undoubted evidence of our calling and election Charity is the last which comprehends our love both to God and man for from the reflection of Gods love to us there ariseth a love from us to God again The beloved Disciple can say We love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 And from both these resulteth our love to our brethren which is so full an evidence that our Apostle tells us we know we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 For the love of the Father is inseparable from the love of the Son he that loves him that begets loves him that is begotten of him Shortly then think not of a ladder to clâ—mbe up into heaven to search the books of God First look into your own lives those are most open we need no locks or keyes to them the Psalmist in his fifthteenth will tell you who is for that blisseful Sion are your lives innocent are your works good and holy do ye abound in the fruites of piety justice Christian compassion Let these be your first tryall it is a flat and plain word of the divine Apostle whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God 1 John 3.10 Look secondly into your own bosomes open to none but your own eyes If ye find there a true and lively faith in the Son of God by whose blood ye are cleansed from all your sins by vertue whereof ye can cry Abba Father a sure hope in Christ purifying your souls from your corruptions a true and unfained love to your God and Saviour who hath done so much for your soules so as you dare say with that fervent Apostle Lord thou knowest that I love thee and in him and for his sake a sincere love to his
only hold it fit out of our obedience to the lawes both of our church and kingdome to continue a joyful celebration of a memorial day to the honour of our blessed Saviour But that other authority which you tell me was urged to this purpose I confesse doth not a little amaze me it was you say of King James our learned Soveraigne of late and blessed Memory whose testimony was brought in before the credulous people not without the just applause of a Solomon-like wisdome as crying down these festivals and in a certain speech of his applauding the purity of the church of Scotland above that of Geneva for that it observed not the common feasts of Christs Nativity and Resurrection c. Is it possible that any mouth could name that wise and good King in such a cause whom all the world knowes to have been as zealous a patron of those festivals as any lived upon earth and if he did let fall any such speech before he had any Downe upon his chin whilst he was under the serule what candor is it to produce it now to the contradiction of his better experience and ripest judgment Nay is it not famously known that it was one of the main errands of his journy into his native Kingdome of Scotland to reduce that church unto a conformity to the rest of the Churches of Christendom in the observation of these solemn dayes One of the five Articles of Perth and to this purpose was it not one of the main businesses which he set on work in the Assembly at Perth and wherein he employed the service of his worthy Chaplain Doctor Young Dean of Winchester to recall and re-establish these festivalls And accordingly in pursuance of his Majesties earnest desire this way was it not enacted in that Assembly that the said feasts should be duely kept Doubtlesse it was and that not without much wise care and holy caution which act because it cannot be had every where and is well worthy of your notice and that which clears the point in hand I have thought good here to insert the tenor of it therefore is this As we abhorr the superstitious observation of Festival dayes by the Papists and detest all licentious and profane abuse thereof by the common sort of professors so we think that the inestimable benefits received from God by our Lord Jesus Christ his Birth Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending down of the Holy Ghost was commendably and godly remembred at certain particular dayes and times by the whole church of the World and may be also now Therefore the Assembly ordaines that every Minister shall upon these dayes have the commemoration of the foresaid inestimable benefits and make choice of several and pertinent texts of Scripture and frame their doctrine and exhortation there to and rebuke all superstitious observation and licentious profanation thereof I could if it were needful give you other proofes of King James his zeal for these dayes but what should I spend time in proving there is a sun in the Heaven and sight in that Sun The name of that great King suffereth for his excesse this way Shortly then the Church of God his anointed law antiquity reason are for us in this point and I doubt not but you will gladly be on their side away with all innovations and frivolous quarrels we were divided enough before and little needed any new rents The God of peace quiet all these distempers and unite our hearts one to another and all to himself Farwell in the Lord. TO My Reverend and worthily Dear Friend M r. WILLIAM STRUTHERS One of the Preachers of EDINBOURGH THe hast of your Letters my reverend and worthy Mr. Struthers was not so great as their welcome which they might well challenge for your name but more for that love and confidence which they imported thus must our Friendship be fed that it may neither feel death nor age The substance of your Letter was partly Relation and partly Request For the first Rumour had in part prevented you and brought to my ears those Stirs which happened after my departure and namely together with that impetuous Protestation some rude deportment of ill-governed Spirits towards his Majesty Alas my dear Brother this is not an usage for Kings they are the nurses of the Church if the child shall fall to scratching and biting the brest what can it expect but stripes and hunger your Letter professes that his Majesty sent you away in peace and joy and why would any of those rough-hewn Zelots send him away in discontentment But this was I know much against your heart whose often protestations assured me of your wise moderation in these things How earnestly have you professed to me that if you were in the Church of England such was your indifferency in these indifferent matters you would make no scruple of your ceremonies yea how sharp hath your censure been of those refractaries amongst us that would forgo their stations rather then yield to these harmeless impositions So much the more therefore do I marvell how any delator could get any ground from you whereon to place an accusation in this kind But this and the rest of those historicall passages being only concerning things past have their end in my notice Let me rather turn my pen to that part which calleth for my advise which for your sake I could well wish were worthy to be held such as that your self and your collegues might find cause to rest in it howsoever it shall be honest and hearty and no other then I would in the presence of God give to my own soul Matters you think will not stand long at this point but will come on further and press you to a resolution What is to be done will you hear me counselling as a friend as a Brother Since you foresee this meet them in the way with a resolution to intertain them and perswade others There are five points in question The solemn festivities The private use of either Sacrament Geniculation at the Eucharist Confirmation by Bishops For these there may be a double Plea insinuated by way of comparison in your Letters Expedience in the things themselves Authority in the commander some things are therefore to be done because they are commanded some others are therefore commanded because they are to be done obedience pleads for the one justice for the other If I shall leave these in the first rank I shall satisfie but if in the second I shall supererogate which if I do not I shall fail of my hopes Let me profess to you seriously I did never so busily and intentively study these rituall matters as I have done since your Letters called me unto this task Since which time I speak boldly I made no spare either of hours or papers Neque enim magna exiliter nec seria perfunctorie as I have learned of our Nazianzen and besides this under one name seemed a common cause and
warfares to God should not intangle himself with this world it is a sufficient and just conviction of those who would divide themselves betwixt God and the World and bestow any main part of their time upon secular affairs but it hath no operation at all upon this tenet which we have in hand that a man dedicate to God may not so much as when he is required cast a glance of his eye or some minutes of time or some motions of his tongue upon the publick business of his King and Countrey Those that expect this from us may as well and upon the same reason hold that a minister must have no family at all or if he have one must not care for it yea that he must have no body to tend but be all Spirit My Lords we are men of the same composition with others and our breeding hath been accordingly we cannot have lived in the World but we have seen it and observed it too and our long experience and conversation both in Men and in books cannot but have put something into us for the good of others and now having a double capacity qua cives qua Ecclesiastici as members of the common wealth as Ministers and Governours of the Church we are ready to do our best service in both one of them is no way incompatible with the other yea the subjects of them both are so united with the Church and Commonwealth that they cannot be severed yea so as that not the one is in the other but one is the other is both so as the services which we do upon these occasions to the Comonwealth are inseparable from our good offices to the Church so as upon this ground there is no reason of our exclusion If ye say that our sitting in Parliament takes up much time which we might have imployed in our studies or pulpits consider I beseech you that whiles you have a Parliament we must have a convocation and that our attendance upon that will call for the same expense of time which we afford to this service so as herein we have neither got nor lost But I fear it is not on some hands the tender regard of the full scope to our calling that is so much here stood upon as the conceit of too much honour that is done us in taking up the room of Peers and voting in this high Court for surely those that are averse from our votes yet could be content we should have place upon the wool-sacks and could alow us ears but not tongues If this be the matter I beseech your Lordships to consider that this honour is not done to us but our profession which what ever we be in our several persons can not easily be capable of too much respect from your Lordships Non tibi sed Isidi as he said of old Neither is this any new grace that is put upon our calling which if it were now to begin might perhaps be justly grudged to our unworthyness but it is an antient right and inheritance inherent in our station No less ancient then these walls wherein we sit yea more before ever there were Parliaments in the Magna Consilia of the Kingdome we had our places and as for my predecessors ever since the Conquerours time I can show your Lordships a just catalogue of them that have sat before me here and truely though I have just cause to be mean in mine own eyes yet why or wherein there should be more unworthiness in me then the rest that I should be stript of that priviledg which they so long injoyed though there were no law to hold me here I cannot see or confesse What respects of honour have been put upon the prime Clergy of old both by Pagans and Jewes and Christians and what are still both within Christendom and vvithout I shall not need to urge it is enough to say this of ours is not meerly arbitrary but stands so firmely established by law and custome that I hope it neither will nor can be removed except you will shake those foundations which I believe you desire to hold firme and inviolable Shortly then my Lords the church craves no new honour from you and justly hopes you will not be guilty of pulling down the old as you are the eldest sons and next under his Majesty the honourable patrons of the Church so she expects and beseeches you to receive her into your tenderest care so to order her affairs that ye leave her to posterity in no worse case then you found her It is a true word of Damasus Uti vilescit nomen episcopi omnis statua perturbatur Ecclesiae If this be suffered the misery will be the Churches the dishonour blurre of the act in future ages will be yours To shut up therefore let us be taken off from all ordinary trade of secular imployments and if you please abridge us of intermeddling with matters of common justice but leave us possessed of those places and priviledges in Parliament which our predecessors have so long and peaceably injoyed ANTHEMES FOR THE CATHEDRAL OF EXCETER LOrd what am I A worm dust vapor nothing What is my life A dream a daily dying What is my flesh My souls uneasie clothing What is my time A minute ever flying My time my flesh my life and I What are we Lord but vanity Where am I Lord downe in a vale of death What is my trade sin my dear God offending My sport sin too my stay a puffe of breath What end of sin hells horrour never ending My way my trade sport stay and place help up to make up my dolefull case Lord what art thou pure life power beauty bliss Where dwell'st thou up above in perfect light What is thy time eternity it is What state attendance of each glorious sp'rit Thy self thy place thy dayes thy state Pass all the thoughts of powers create How shall I reach thee Lord Oh soar above Ambitious soul but which way should I flie Thou Lord art way and end what wings have I Aspiring thoughts of faith of hope of love Oh let these wings that way alone Present me to thy blissfull throne ANTHEME FOR Christmas Day IMmortall babe who this dear day Didst change thine Heaven for our clay And didst with flesh thy Godhead vail Eternal Son of God All-hail Shine happy star ye Angels sing Glory on high to Heavens King Run Shepherds leave your nightly watch See Heaven come down to Bethleems cratch Worship ye Sages of the East The King of Gods in meanness drest O blessed maid smile and adore The God thy womb and armes have bore Star Angels Shepherds and wise sages Thou Virgin glory of all ages Restored frame of Heaven and Earth Joy in your dear Redeemers Birth LEave O my soul this baser World below O leave this dolefull dungeon of wo And soare aloft to that supernal rest That maketh all the Saints and Angels blest Lo there the God-heads radiant throne Like to ten thousand Suns in one Lo there thy Saviour dear in glory dight Ador'd of all the powers of Heavens bright Lo where that head that bled with thorny wound Shines ever with celestial honor crownd That hand that held the scornfull reed Makes all the fiends infernall dread That back and side that ran with bloody streams Daunt Angels eyes with their majestick beames Those feet once fastened to the cursed tree Trample on death and hell in glorious glee Those lips once drench't with gall do make With their dread doom the world to quake Behold those joyes thou never canst behold Those precious gates of pearl those Streets of gold Those streams of Life those trees of Paradise That never can be seen by mortal eyes And when thou seest this state divine Think that it is or shall be thine See there the happy troups of purest sprights That live above in endless true delights And see where once thy self shalt ranged be And look and long for immortalitie And now before-hand help to sing Allelujahs to Heavens King FINIS BOOKS printed for and to be sold by John Crook at the Sign of the Ship in St Pauls Church-yard ANnales veteris novi Testamenti Aviro Reverend Jacob Usserio Archiepisco Armachano Folio The Annals of the Old and New Testament with the Synchronismus of Heathen story to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans by James Usher D.D. Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland Folio The Antiquities of Warwikcshire illustrated beautified with Maps prospects and pourtractures by William Dugdale Folio Hymens Preludia or Loves Master piece being the 9th and 10th parts of Cleopatra Folio The History of this Iâ—on Age wherein is set down the Original of all the wars and commotions that have happened from the year of God 1500. Illustrated with the figures of the most Renowned persons of this Time Folio The History of the great and renowned Monarchy of China Fol. The holy History containing excellent observations on the Remarkable passages of the old Testament written Originally in French by N. Caussin S.I. and now rendred into English by a Person of Honour 4. Ejusdem de textus hebraici Veteris Testamenti variantibus Lectionibus ad Lodovicum Capellum Epistola Quarto Usserii de 70. Interpretum versione syntagma Quarto Montagues Miscellanea Spiritualâ—ia 4. second part A Treatise of Gavelkind both name and thing shewing the true Etymology and derivation of the one the nature antiquity and Original of the other by William Sonner Quarto The Holy Life of Mounsier de Renty a late noble man of France 8. Certain discourses viz. of Babylon the present See of Rome of laying on of hands of the old forme of words in Ordination of a set forme of prayer being the judgment of the Late Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland by N. Bernard D. D. Octavo The Character of England with reflections upon Gallus Castratus 12. The French Gardiner instructing how to cultivate all sorts of Fruit-trees with directions to dry and conserve them in their natural An accomplished peice illustrated with sculpture By whom also all manner of Books are to be sold brought from beyond the Seas