in this land whereof many seueralls haue buried as much treasure as would erect and found seuerall collegiat or cathedrall Churches This age therefore wherein wee liue admiring all these Temples and Colleges which are built and see none built now doe say and often affirme looking but vppon one of our Churches If this were now to bee built the whole land could not erect the same Whereas if they cast their eies vpon the houses of many Noble men Knights and meane gentlemen they might easille discerne where the affection resteth For you shall see their houses like pallaces aduanced vp to heauen pompous and specious to behold euerie smokey chimney ouertopping and ouerpeering the Lords temple which happily obscurely stands stooping and drooping beceath like a rude heape of stones being made the receptacles of Owles and Ostritches Zim Ohim dancing Satyres Or if they would look vpon the vain maskes and shews and frantik pleasures vpon which thousands are imployed to driue away the darknesse and teadiousnesse of winter they might easily conceiue that this woful world is directly opposed to God and al holy goodnesse This is contrarie to Dauids affection for it was his heart greefe that hee might not dwell in the Courtes of the Lords house and it was his especiall wish That he might beholde the beauty of the Temple of the Lord. And this is also far different from the deuotion of the christian Emperors and estates of the primatiue Church who erected Churches built Colleges Schooles endowed them with maintenance and left them to posteritie and they like cormorants haue deuoured the church reuenues and left the children thereof to liue like Gideans souldiers in the lapping cold water Furthermore as concerning Iudg. 7. 6 the endowments of the Church this world holdes it as a granted proposition that non oportet christum ditescâ—re Contrarie to the practise of the first church which was founded and framed by the finger of God whether you respect it in the tabernacle or in the temple In time of the tabernacle being yet in the desert the ordinarie treasure of the Church was 2400. shekels of siluer and 120. shekels of golde euerie shekell weighing halfe an ounce Yea the treasurie was euen then a Nemo scit as may be gathered out of the booke of Numbers The treasury of the temple was valued to be at one time laid vp in store 8000. Cichars of golde and seuenteene thousand Cichars of siluer euerie Cichar weighing 1800. shekels beside the oblations and gifts at the building againe of the temple in the time of Nehemias Yea eueÌ„ in the time of Sanhedrim Mithridates had at one time 800. talents Cic. orat pro L. Flac Ioseph antiq l. 14. c. 12 of treasure of the temple as Cicero in his Oration for Flacous recordeth And Crassus a Roman Captaine had at another time of Eleazar the Priest a beame of treasure weighing 700. talents and more as Iosephus testifieth But what do I insist vpon the Iewish Churches treasurie seeing the Christian Church affordeth so pregnaÌ„t testimonie how diuelish this deuice of the world is that the end therof as of the possessed is worse then the beginning But I may not longer detaine you with looking far backe Recount but from the time of King Edward the first when the world was inforced to enact the statute of Mortmaine whereby it was prouided that none should giue to the church without an especial licence from the king which statute is yet vnrepealed but I thinke it may bee repealed without preiudice to the Kings Crowne or dignity or disparagement to the state seeing the affections dispositions of this world are not toward the Church vnlesse it bee in some good words from some certaine specious word-mongers But what may be the cause that many of the houses of the Nobilitie and gentrie of this Land prosper not nor beare the part honour that their forefathers did seeing some haue attempted al meanes both direct vndirect to aduaÌ„ce their fortunes to the vtmost as namely First by improuements and racking of Tenants that Iesuiticall deuice popish practise saluing it with this hypocriticall plaister It is lawful for euery man to make the most of his owne Whereby they endeuour to shadow al their vnconscionable and vnchristian dealings Secondly by the fauours of their prince which hath not a little lifted vp the conditions of some Thirdly by all forfeitures morgages perpetuall suites turmoiles in the law wresting it out of the handes and hearts of the lawfullie possessed And lastly by their practise in claiming from the Church by impropriations concealements fraudes and other infinite strange deuices and practises And yet all this will not serue but they are yet more greedie then before and farre more needy then their ancientâ—ie Surely beloued and blessed in the Lord Iesus I know no other cause but this your fore-fathers were neuer wel but when they were bethinking themselues what they should giue vnto the Church and maintenance of the Gospell of Christ Iesus and therefore GOD blessed all that they possessed but you as directly contrarie seek by all meanes to haue from the Church you care not how wherof it commeth that all you haue is thereby accursed neither can you enioy it Doe you see a Representatiue Church vpon the earth who founded it did not your progenitors If the same minde had beene in them which is in you what face or fashion of a Church had there beene at this day in the Christian world Nay furthermore because couetousnes and Prodigalitie cannot sweepe stake with the Churches goods in that poore remainder which is left after which the world yet most greedily gapeth and vnsatiablie lusteth the Sonnes of religion stand vp like the agents and aduocates of desperation and plead that the fulnesse of bread hath made the Church to wantonize therefore they must be so bold as to take it from them for feare they should surfeit And further that Endowments hath poisoned religion and therefore they haue prepared an Antidote And lastly that our hearts and affections we may bestow vpon God but as for our goods wee may imploy them otherwise yea any waies they think well but to the Church and Gods word So that you see now beloued the worldlings themselues feare not to surfet and die with fulnesse nor to be poisoned with these Endowments but such is their charitie and care of Gods Church that they would not it should thus miscarrie and therefore they will carry what they may from it Hence is it that your faith is so little that were our Sauiour liuing on earth hee might truely say vnto you O yee of little Faith For what tokens remaine of your being Christians in this world but euen as the cursed complaine their life is like a ship that passeth through the water maketh a noise with the violence of winde carrying her sailes but when shee is past no token remaines of her passage or as a
and also ab illo malo from the deuill and all his designements Lastlie it is the perfection of the church if we respect the time to come for hee is the ancient of daies not to bee antiquated by length of time He is the perfection of our soules and bodies in the resurrection and in a word our exceeding great reward So he praieth verse 24. That we may be where he is that we may behold his glorie which was from euerlasting Of this knowledge of the power of Christs praier manifold is the holie and deuine vse practise 1. Of hope which quickneth vs. For while we pray heere on earth wee knowe and beleeue assuredly that Christ praieth for vs and pleadeth our cause as an aduocate in heauen In his humiliation hee praied for vs in his exaltation then assuredlie oh Angelicall Manna 2. Of reuerend boldnesse which the spirit of God exhorteth Seeing Heb. 4. 14. 15. 16. then that wee haue a great high Priest which is entered into heauen euen Iesus the Sonne of God Let vs hold fast our profession for wee haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin Let vs therfore goe boldly vnto the throane of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede 3. Of resolution if the praier of Elizeus was powerfull to restore 2. Reg. 4. 36. Act. 20. 12. to life the Sonne of the Shunamite and of Paul to bring againe the breath of Eutychus Why should not wee resolue to trust in the Lord albeit hee kill vs for he killeth and maketh aliue againe he laies vs in the dust and raiseth vs vp to euerlasting and euerliuing glorious felicitie 4. Of confirmation for heere are all the blessings of Garazim and the dew of Hermon which falleth vppon the hill of Sion which is Gods Church where the Lord promiseth his peace and blessing for Zach. 2. 5. euermore this is not murus aheneus but murus igneus not a wall of Brasse but of fire wherein is not onely protection but terrour and vtter destruction Protection to Gods Children a terrour to their enemies euen a far off but if they bee so foole hardie as imagining their skins to be thunder proofe and approach to hurt his church they and theirs shall bee vtterlie consumed 5. Of precedent wee ought also to pray for our selues and for our brethren for that is a countermure against all assaults of Sathan and therfore Christ our Sauiour so aduiseth vs Pray continually Luk. 18. Lastly of direction Christ praieth to God the Father immediately wee therefore in his name onely ought to send out our praiers not to Saint or Angell for that is an iniurie to the whole Trinitie First to God the father who is the obiect of our praiers so himselfe speaketh Call Psa 50. 15. vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare you 2. To God the Sonne for he is the one and onely mediatour of our praiers There being but one God and one mediatour betweene God and man 1. Tim. 2. 5 which is the man Christ Iesus 3. To God the holy Ghost for he is the breath of our praiers Wee in our selues knowing not what to pray for Rom. 8. 26 nor how to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes vnutterable Now let vs descend from the person which is the Sonne of God vnto the parties which are the Sonnes of men First as they are designed by titles of fauour honour Secondly as they are distinguished by notes of separation from the world I pray for them which are my Sonnes by adoption my Saintes by calling my Princes and Priests by conuersation my beloued by decree my baptized by institution my Illuminates by purpose and mine Associates by promise His Sonnes so Saint Iohn stileth Iohn 1. 12. them As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to bee the Sonnes of God An heauenlie priuiledge The Sons of men become the sonnes of God by knowing acknowledging Iesus Christ The same diuine in words of admired demonstration pointeth this out saying Behold what loue the father hath giuen to vs that wee wretches should be called the Sonnes of God And because the Euangelist thought it not enough that wee should be so called he addeth further Deerely beloued now are we 1. Io. 3. 1. 2 the Sonnes of God but yet it is not manifest what wee shall bee If then we be sonnes some vertue together with the seede is transfused Bonus sanguis non mentitur Honourable blood cannot counterfeit Whereupon the spirit of God warneth vs that we shew our selues as Sonnes not as bastards for Heb 12. 8 whome hee praieth not 2 I pray for them which are my saints by calling whome I haue purged by my blood and sanctified by my spirit The blood of Iesus 1. Ioh. 1. 7 Christ purging vs from al our sinnes And Paul testifieth that Iesus Christ was declared mightilie to be the sonne of God by the spirit of sanctification Rom. 1 not onely in himselfe which was powred out on him without measure but also vppon euerie one of his in some measure We ought therefore to bee holy as our heauenlie father is holie wee beleeuing also a communion of Saints which is seene by faith and not by eie 3. I pray for them which are my Princes my Priests by conuersation So Peter entituleth 1. Pet. 29 them ye are of the Royall Priesthood Royall therefore Princes Priesthood therefore Priests Princes in swaying their affections Priestes in sacrificing their pleasures and in offering their daily sacrifices to God for themselues others In euerie true christian there shineth a certaine princely maiestie seasoned and sorted with a Priestlie modestie and humilitie Chrysostome saith they are knowne by their gate by their looke by their vesture by their voice Their going princely being shod with the Eph. 6. 15. shoes of preparation of the Gospell Psal 131. 1 Their lookes Princely being lifted vppe vnto the hils from whence commeth their helpe Their vesture Priestlike al glorious Psa 45. 13. within Their voice Priestlike soft and milde as Iacobs voice and these are those for whome Christ heere praieth 4. I pray also for them which are my beloued by decree Beloued before they were Iacob haue I loued Beloued when they were children Hos 11. 1 when Israel was a childe I loued him Beloued when they were men Zorubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel shal be as the signet vpon Hag. vlt. my right hand Beloued when they are not Right deere in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints yea albeit Beggers yet beloued for angels attend them in after death Luc. 16 22 to carrie and conuey them to rest 5 I pray for them which are my Baptized outwardly by
earthly things for they are put betweene their sight and the Church So saith Saint Paul If our 2. Cor. 4. 4. Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of the infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Note that the God of this world blindeth them and so they suffer a fearefull eclipse The Sunne is Idem in tract desphaera eclipsed when the bodie of the Moone is interposed betweene our sight and the bodie of the Sunne not that the Sunne loseth any light but is therby shadowed from our sight In like manner the sonne of GOD is eclipsed to the wicked worldlings by the offence that they take of the churches meanenesse This is apparent by the speech of the Pharisies Doth Ioh. 7. 48. 49. any of the Rulers or the Pharisies beleeue in him but this people which know not the law are accursed The offence they take at the church is the meannes deiection therof which yet is confirmed by our Sauiour That the poore receiue the Gospell Fitly also are they resembled by the Meteors for the Philosophers Aristot de meteor l. 1. tearme them the passions of the Elements so likewise are these distemperatures of the world In the Church they are Heretikes and Schismatikes In the Common-wealth Traitors and Combustions In societies and corporations the fire brands of hell and dissension They are Meteors of euerie element of the fire as tailed Meteors for if they bee great and honourable in the world they draw a great traine with them of Seruitors and Retainers all which must bee at their beck and insist in the steps of their insolencie and diuellish policie many of which sort of Meteors do fall from the firmament and so do these and the fal of them is great And some of these Meteors are not indeed of the fire but seeme to bee hauing in them neither illumination nor heat but onelie a false glimmering and these the Naturalists call ignes fatui walking fires in the night season So these wretched worldlings haue no goodnesse neither effectiuè nor formaltier neither in themselues reallie nor towards others indeed and verilie but onely a false and feigned glosse of goodnesse hypocrisie Like also to the Meteors of the Ayre For Bernard calleth them venti furentes raging and blustering winds throwing downe and violently ouerturning whatsoeuer occurreth them And Augustine calleth them venti Aug. in soliloquio adurentes windes scorching and drying vp by their vnthankfulnesse the chrystall streame of Gods mercie and grace which would flow vnto them Like also vnto the watrie Meteors euen to those Nubes pendulae which promise raine but giue neither drop nor dew So Saint Iude stileth them Clouds they are without water Iude 12. carried about of euerie winde Lastly among the Meteors of the earth to lead are they resembled by the Prophet for he saith Iniquitie is as Zac. 5. 7. 8. a talent of lead which if they doe not looke vnto it will weigh and sway them downe to the bottomlesse pit of hell and heauinesse You see now how fitly the wicked are resembled to the eclipses and Meteors of the firmamentarie world Now let vs descend vnto the Elementarie and heerein they are like vnto them in their corruption and rebellion First vnto the fire in vnkinde blastings so these in their wilfull and wicked blasphemies Secondly vnto the Aire when it infecteth so they by their euill examples and misperswasions corrupt and taint all those which are neare vnto them Thirdly as the water by vncouth and vnvsual inundations doth runne ouer the land and destroieth both the corne and cattel so doe these cormorants and wretched worldlings depopulate whole countries by enclosures by racking their miserable tenants Lastly they are fitly resembled vnto the Briers and Thornes of the earth for the spirit of God saith as is the Lilly amōg the thornes so is my spouse among the Can. 2. 2. daughters As for the causes of the world they know but two therafter they work accordingly The 1. is the material cause They happilie credit and deeme the world to bee made of nothing for they desire to reduce and bring it and themselues to nothing And in liuing here without Christ it to thē they to it are nothing for asmuch as without him was made nothing For if a worldling be deuote Ioh. 1. 3. his religion is an Idoll and an 1. Cor. 8. 4. Idoll is nothing in this world and if hee bee irreligious and an Atheist his bellie is his God and the end thereof is faeda annihilatio filthie nothing This being the difference betweene a superstitious Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 person an Atheist the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinks there is no God the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisheth there were no God to punish his Idolatrie so that the world to them and they to themselues are nothing Their life onely beeing a meere phantasie and their liuelihood a meere fopperie And as the world is said to be round which is the formall cause so these wretches run aroūd temporizing in the world doing a Omnia pro tempore nihil pro veritate Al things to fit the time nothing for the truth b Optat. li. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 2. Tim. 3. 7 Alwaies about the way neuer in the way like those silly women that Paul speaketh of Who are euer learning and neuer come to the acknowledgement of the truth For if you respect their practise they are like vnto the Hedge-hog which hath two holes one toward the South the other toward the North and when the winde bloweth in the north she shutteth that and openeth the other toward the South and turneth her selfe that way If the winde blow in the South shee openeth that to the North and that way reposeth herselfe Semblably doe these for with euerie winde they turne and with euery note tune accordinglie If you respect their heart it is like the cart wheele which alwaies turneth round in the dirt so their affections are turmoiled in the vilest and basest conditions If you mark their thoughts they are like a rowling axe-tree euer deuising mischief and miserie euen vpon their beds for there is no pece to the wicked In a word if you consider their whole life it is like vnto a Mil-horse euer mouing round and neuer going forward but at night in the same place as in the morning so these as religious as godly as well disposed at thirtie as at twentie at sixtie as at sixteen at the euening of their death as at the morning of their birth And for other causes besides these two they neither know nor desire to learne For as touching the efficient cause which is God they haue said with the cursed in Iob Depart from vs wee
desire not the knowledge of thy waies And as for the enforcing cause which mooued God to make the world Iob. 21. which was his goodnes they bid the Lord keep the heauen to himselfe for they purpose not to trouble him as for the earth it is their portion and they are content therewith Concerning the instrumentall cause whereby the Lord made the world which was the personall Word the Sonne of God Christ Iesus They are like to the Disciples of Ephesus Who had Act. 19. 2. not heard whether there were an holy Ghost or no. So these haue not heard whether there bee a Iesus Christ or no or if they did heare they regarded it not And lastly for the finall cause wherfore God made the world that herein men should serue and glorifie him they are either mad with Empedocles that there shall bee more and more worlds or dote with Democritus that this world was ex Contingenti and so by chance and chaffer they do deuise al their businesse whiles they are in the world These are such as Christ praieth not for forasmuch as they neuer speake of him or thinke on him But it may bee verified of Grafion in his Chron them as Queene Mary said of herself lying vpon her death-bed to her friends and comforters that if they did rip her when shee was dead they should see Callis stamped in her heart intimating that she conceiued such sorrow at the losse of Callis that it pearced her heart and killed her So these are in such loue with this world that they onely heare it they talke and thinke onely thereon that if they were opened you should see the world engrauen and written in their hearts But this is the condemnatiō of the world That light Iohn 3. 19. is come into it and men loue darkenes more thē light Yet be you of comfort all yee blessed and beloued of the Lord for you shall be the Iudges 1. Cor. 6. 1. of this world And with the residue Saint Iames shall expostulate and so I will cōclude the examination of the resembance why the wicked are likened to the world O ye Iam. 4. 4. adulterers and adulteresses doe yee not know that the amity of the world is the emnitie of God Whosoeuer therefore will bee a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And is not this world wherein wee now liue full fraught with such enemies of God Is not this the world that Christ praied not for behold the ataxie and disorder of all things The last Lords day from this place you heard the plea of the Lord against this age of the world and this land wherin is no truth nor mercy but Hos 4. 1. 2. swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring with breaking out and blood toucheth blood now you heare the reason thereof because these are the people whom the Lord Christ praieth not for Hence is it that the life of some is a loathsome stie of impuritie and impietie and they lie wallowing in the dung and draft of their sinful filthinesse Of others their life is a Corban of vniust guiles which they falslie call Gaines And of others whose life is an Acheldama of blood and oppression for they care not who wants nor starue so they may epicurize gourmandize spend it on their vaine and vile lusts and wilfull affections But alas what doe I intend to capitulate the wretchednesse of this time and age wherein we now liue which is rather to bee detested then commemorated especially seeing a godly brother did so earnestly so feruētly touch and taxe the particulars the last Lords day to which I referre your remembrance and at this time onelie desire you to looke to one onelie mischiefe and villanie whereof this world is too too guiltie and wherein it doth directlie oppose the Church of Christ Iesus and subiects it selfe to this feareful exception that Christ praieth not for it And that is in those things which are consecrated by well disposed mindes out of the world to the seruice of the Almightie The miserie whereof and mysterie of vngodlinesse now busily worketh and is seene first in this worlds affection toward God in the things that belong vnto him And secondly in the vse thereof intended to perpetuitie For the first The affection of the former world hath beene to giue the best things to God so did Abel giue of the fat of the earth in his deuotions vnto the Lord and Salomon the flowre of euery sacrifice yea the very heathen obserued in their Idolatrous worship to giue the things that were First Pura without blemish Secondly Proba sound Thirdly Profana not giuen before And lastly Sua truely their owne But the affection of this world is cleane conrrariant For in dedicating your children to the Lord if they bee deformed or foolish then yee say they are good enough to become Priests Of our yeeres the worst we giue to God as our old and withered age as for the flower of our life wee wholly addresse that to the slauery of Satan to spend it in vanitie and wantonnesse counting it a preiudice to our youth a disparagement to our estate to giue our selues to our beads before wee bee decrepit and good for nothing else And as for the things wee offer vnto the Lord yee make choice of the worst the vncleanest the vnsoundest or some pittance perhaps of a great masse which yee haue vniustly scraped or violently or craftily gotten of other mens goods Or else some taking a poore remorse of what infinite wealth he hath robbed the Church of doth in his miserable pitie bestow some part of her own vpon her again and thinketh he hath bound God vnto him to bee beholding vnto his bountie for euer And this beloued in the Lord is the affection of this world vnto the glorie and seruice of the most High Now as touching the vse which is intended to perpetuitie two things are principallie to bee noted First are Temples built for the publike seruice of God and secondly the endowments of Churches and reuenewes for the maintenance and perpetuating of that sacred seruice not that the Lord of heauen of earth wanteth any thing that we haue but this is his ordinance whereby wee may and ought to be exercised in the imploiment of those things wherewith hee blesseth vs to the promotion of his glorious seruice Concerning Temples the Elders of the Iewes thought they could not come to our Sauiour with a more forcible motiue whē they intreated for the Centurion Luk. 7. 5. 6. then to say He is worthy thou shouldest doe this for him for hee hath loued our nation and hath built vs a Synagogue Few either are in this our age for whom wee may thus pleade but it it bee in the building of a fine house or the deuising of sundrie vanities and foolish pleasures thousands are thought little enough to bee bestowed Witnesse those manifolde fabrikes and structures