the other the cause For vnity in it selfe is the cause of all participation For vnitie is in charitie and charitie communicates all good things 'T is bountifull 1. Cor. 13. and if any suffer it suffers with it participation still Now in Heauen and the Church triumphant there will bee ful participation because there is perfect vnion But on earth whether it bee in the State or the Church militant looke how much there wants of perfect vnitie and so much there will euer want of ioyfull participation Well both State and Church owe much to vnitie and therefore very little to them that breake the peace of either Father forgiue them they know not what they doe But if vnitie bee so necessarie how may it bee preserued in both How I will tell you how Would you keepe the State in vnitie In any case take heed of breaking the peace of the Church The peace of the State depends much vpon it For diuide Christ in the minds of men or diuide the mindes of men about their hope of Saluation in Christ and tell me what vnity there will be This so farre as the Church is an ingredient into the vnitie of the State But what other things are concurring to the vnitie of it the State it selfe knowes better then I can teach And would you keepe the Church in peace that it may helpe on the vnitie of the State If I mistake not that can neuer bee done but by Christian patience And that I finde in the letter of my Text. For it is not here simply said Ierusalem is as a Citie no but built as a Citie Built and vpon a Hill Esay 2. Many a cold a bitter storme it must endure God knowes And if Christ had not been a Rocke in the foundation I make no question it had beene downe long ere this Built then but vpwards in the Building from this foundation marke all along the walls of it Lapis lapidem portat portatur there is such vnitie in the Building that euery stone beares another and is borne by another And the Apostle cals for the same dutie in the spirituall Building Gal. 6. Beare yee one anothers burthen So no patience no bearing and no bearing no vnitie The Building cracks presently And continue it cannot long if the great Master-Builders take not care of the Morter If it bee laid with vntempered or distempered morter all will bee naught Ezech. 13. This Psalme was vsed for many yeeres together in the Church at Euensong vpon New yeeres day the day of the Circumcision Why the Church appointed it for that day is not my question now This I am sure of This Psalme calls vpon vs for the peace of Ierusalem vers 6. And that peace can neither be had nor held long vnlesse there bee a Circumcision and a paring off round about of heated and vnruly affections in the handling of differences And there must bee a Circumcision and a paring off of foolish and vnlearned Questions yea and of many Modal too such as are fitter to engender strife then godlines 2. Tim. 2. or no peace This is the way and no other that I know to see Ierusalem flourish as a Citie at vnitie within it selfe both for State and Church The second praise of Ierusalem is from the Religion of it For thither the tribes goe vp euen the Tribes of the Lord to the testimonie of Israel to giue thanks to the name of the Lord. Ierusalem is very right now At vnitie and Religious Oh that it had knowne the day of its visitation and continued so Luk. 19. For at this time the Tribes went vp to the Temple It begins well for to the Temple to the Church to the consecrated place of Gods seruice is one of the best iourneyes men of all sorts can make And you may giue a shrewd guesse at the deuotion of the time by the frequenting of the Church And this their publike comming to worship at the Temple was Gods expresse commandement Exod. 23. Therfore assembling and meeting at publike seruice in the Church is no humane Institution but frō God himselfe Nor is this Ceremonie Iewish or Ambulatory to cease with the Law and that Temple but omnino perpetuum altogether permanent in the Church of Christ Christians must to the Church and place of seruice too Why but what are they to doe when they come there What Why Ierusalem was right here too They did giue thanks to the name of the Lord and there 'T is no good signe when men are to seeke what they should do when they come to Church Yet if any man bee ignorant my Text will informe him men are there now to doe as they did then to giue thanks to the name of the Lord. The 70. and the vulgar haue it To confesse to the name of the Lord. It comes all to one For bee the word Thanke or Confesse it stands here expressiue of the whole Liturgie of all the publike externall Seruice of God All which if it bee not accompanied with the inward seruice of the heart is worth nothing So they went to the Temple as we must goe to the Church To confesse To pray To worship To praise To giue thanks to God which euen vnder the Law was preferred before Sacrifice it selfe Psalm 50. Nor may the wisedome of the world thinke that to pray and to giue thankes to God are void actions For what euer worldlings thinke the Church doth great seruice to the State while it prayes And it is no hard thing to proue this out of those Polititians themselues which haue giuen the world iust cause to thinke they wrapped vp God in their pocket when they went to counsell For their great Master confesseth that not a few but many things happen to States ex fato vrgente out of such a pressing destiny that they cannot bee preuented though the remedies bee obuious and at hand And is it so Why then where is the wisedome of the wise 1. Cor. 1. Is it not confounded out of question ' t is For yee see the remedy is acknowledged to bee at hand and yet not found This purblind wisedome cannot see it But to come home to him This Fatum vrgens what ere it bee if there bee a remedy and at hand it may bee preuented 'T is true it cannot by worldly wisedome onely For nisi Dominus except the Lord keepe the City all other watchfulnesse is in vaine Psalm 127. But then allow God that which is fit for him due to him The highest roome at the Councell-Table hee 'l quickly diuert this Fatum vrgens this pressing necessity The time was whē Ruine was trauelling so fast toward Nineue that it came within 40. daies of the Citie Ion. 3. And it was fatum vrgens it came on apace Did any wiseman of that State discouer that danger secure a remedy Not a man The Prophet preached the danger Deuotion as
blind as 't is thought stumbled vpon the Remedy Prayer and Repentance things which with worldly wisdom hath little to do And therefore to pray and giue thankes are no emptie Actions for the State Well then To pray To prayse To worship To giue thanks here 's a great deale of Seruice mentioned to God and yet sure no more then needes But in the ancient Church of the Iewes was there no Reading no Preaching of the Law to informe the people Yes out of question They heard Moses and the Prophets in their Synagogues euery Sabbath day Acts 13. yea and in the Temple to if S. Basil be right But marke then The Originall Copie of the Law The word of God written in Tables of Stone was in the Temple at Ierusalem And there the Priests which were to iudge according to the Law Deut. 17. This Law they might and did expound but they might not crosse with it No preaching in their seuerall Synagogues and Parishes that I may so tearme them but was according to the Law conteined in the Arke at the Temple the Mother Church And 't was fit For if euery man may preach as he list though hee pretend the Law and the Gospel too Ierusalem will bee quickly out of vnity in it selfe And if they leaue comming to the Arke and the Testimonie the world will soone haue as many differences in Religion as there bee yong ignorant and bold Priests in Parishes Now there was a double Testimonie and Conuention betweene God and the people The Law was the witnesse and Couenant on Gods part with the people And that the people should come and tender their homage and obedience to God and the Law that was the Testimony and the Couenant of the people with God Deut. 16. God he promised to bee present at the Arke Exod. 25. And he performed it Num. 7. And so God is alwayes ready at his end of the Couenant All the feare is we fall short and come not as wee should either to heare Gods Testimony to vs or to giue Testimonie to the world by our obedience And herein as in all things else Christ bee mercifull that brought mercie into the Couenant And you may obserue too that this comming to the Temple to pray and to worship is called here by the Prophet an Ascent or going vp Ascenderunt and an Ascent it is It was fitted in the Letter For the Temple at Ierusalem was built vpon mount Moriah no going vp to it but by an Ascent And 't is fit in regard of the Materiall Church now For how low soeuer the situation of any of them be yet 't is motus sursum vpward still and towards heauen to frequent the Church And 't is fit in regard of the whole Militant Church That 's an Ascent too to come out of Paganisme Heresie or Schisme into the Church at vnity in it selfe Hee that fell among Theeues and was almost killed by the way was not going vp to Ierusalem but downe to Iericho S. Luk. 10. from the Temple I warrant you And as St. Augustine speakes si non descendisset 〈…〉 ones non incidisset if he had not beene sinking and going downewards from God and from his Church hee had not fallen into the hands of Theeues But 't is most fitt in regard of the Church triumphant in Heauen For thither is no going but by Ascending Ascending still out of the dreggs of this sinfull life And he is miserably out of this way that sinks farther and farther into sinne and dreames he is in the way to Heauen Nor can any man say faine I would to Heauen but I want staires to to ascend and get vp For this Psalme is Psalmus Graduum a whole Ladder of steps from the Church here to the Church in Heauen And 't is not vnfit neither to expresse what paines they then were content to take to serue God For from their remotest habitations and many were very farre off euery male came vp thrice a yeere to the Temple to worship And they might not appeare before the Lord empty Exod. 23. no paines then too much no charge too great to serue GOD. And notwithstanding both paines charge properabant ascendere they made haste to come vp Now the Church is at our doores and wee care not for going into it And wee come vp empty handed else it were not possible so many Churches should lye so ruinous as they doe Will you giue me leaue to tell you the reason of this 'T is in my Text. When this deuotion was on foote Ierusalem was at vntie in it selfe For so goes the Text. Ierusalem at vnitie and then ascenderunt then they ascend by multitudes and their deuotion with them And this falls in vpon the Persons that went vp to serue the Lord. And they were the Tribes Not all the Tribes Families and Kinreds of the earth No For the many by Idolatry had made themselues strangers to the true God of Israel But Tribus Domini the Tribes of the Lord they went vp all of them The 12. Tribes from the Patriarks the seede of Iacob were then Gods peculiar seruants They were made so in the Couenant The Testimony of it was the Law So this honour to bee the Tribes of the Lord God's people was reserued in the band of Religion If they had not beleeued and serued God they had not beene his They might haue been Tribes if you will without seruing in the Temple but not Domini not of the Lord but by that seruice And they might haue beene in some kinde of vnitie but not in Domino not in the Lord but by that vnion And they might haue been builded as a Citie but not ad Dominum to the Lord's honour and their owne saluation but by that faith And which was the honour of Ierusalem then in all Dauid's time and Salomon's too All the Tribes went vp All not a Recusant Tribe or Person among them Now I may not omit the place whither they were to ascend It was Ierusalem There the Temple In that the Arke In that the Law And the Law sayes not simply that they shall assemble and meete to serue the Lord but precisely that they shall doe it in the same place which the Lord shall chuse Deut. 16. And the Lord chose Sion the Temple at Ierusalem to bee this place 2. Chron. 7. Would you haue a reason why God tied them so stricktly to one place 'T is not hard to giue it That people were wonderfully prone to Idolatry therefore saith S. Basil God tyed them to one place of worship lest wandring here and there in strange places they might fall into the seruice of strange Gods And marke it God would then haue but one Temple erected one Altar in one Citie that the people might not fall asunder into different superstitions and leaue true Religion least followed And the Iewes seeing the command neuer halted in this duety so
long as Ierusalem was at vnitie in it selfe But when that brake all misery began For no sooner had Ieroboam made a Rent in this vnity and torne away ten Tribes from the house of Dauid but by and by Samaria is as good as Ierusalem and the Calues in Dan and Bethel as good as that God that brought them out of the land of Egypt 3. Reg. 12. So dangerous a thing it is when vnitie and God's command are broke together The Iesuite Lorinus tels vs There are better causes to perswade vs now to goe on pilgrimage ad Limina Petri and the Iubilees at Rome then the Tribes had here to goe to Ierusalem What better causes The Iewes had Gods expresse commandement to goe to Ierusalem and the forme of worship that was there And what better warrant can any man or any people haue then Gods command Let him or any other shew me such a command That all the whole Church of Christ all the Tribes which now serue the Lord must come in person or consent and doe it at Rome wee will neuer stay for Lorinus his better reasons Wee will take Gods command for a good one and obey it But they must not thinke to choak vs with the wool that growes vpon Pasce oues S. Iohn 21. which as the Fathers haue diuersly spunne out so no one of them comes home to the cloathing of Rome with such a large Robe of State as she challengeth And this in the meane time will bee found true That while they seeke to tye all Christians to Rome by a diuine precept their Ambition of Soueraignty is one and a maine cause that Ierusalem euen the whole Church of Christ is not at vnitie in it selfe this day Now beside the honour seruice done to God the people had many other benefits by comming vp and meeting at Ierusalem Many but one more especially And that comes in to the third commendation of Ierusalem the Gouernment both Spirituall and Temporall For there also are the seates of Iudgement euen the seates of the house of Dauid So they might serue themselues at the seats of Iustice while they went to the Temple of serue God In the ascending 't was illuc thither And here at the sitting 't is illic there One the same City honoured with God his Church and the King And it must needs bee so For these three God the King and the Church that is God his Spouse his Lieutenant vpon earth are so neere allyed God and the Church in loue God the King in power The King and the Church in mutuall dependance vpon God and subordination to him That no man can serue any one of them truely but he serues all three And surely 't was in a blessed figure that Gods house and the Kings stood together at Ierusalem The Temple if I mistake not vpon the East and the Palace of Salomon vpon the South-side of the same Mountaine to shew that their seruants and seruice must goe together too that no man might thinke himselfe the farther from God by seruing the King nor the farther from the King by seruing God The Kings power is Gods ordinance and the Kings command must bee Gods glory and the honour of the Subiect is obedience to both And therefore in the Lawe the same command that lay vpon the people to come vp illuc thither to Ierusalem the very same lay vpon them to obey the Iudges and the house of Dauid illic when they came there To obey the Sanhedrim the Iudges Deut. 17. and both them and the King after the house of Dauid was setled as in this place For then there was seated as diuers of the Fathers and later diuines obserue both Authorities both of the Priests and of the King and his Iudges So the first lesson which the people doe or should learne by going vp to the Temple is obedience to both spirituall and temporall Authority but especially to the house of Dauid Well then illic there were the Seates or Thrones of iudgement Of all things that are necessary for a State none runs so generally through it as Iustice and Iudgement Euery part and member of a Kingdome needs it And 't is not possible Ierusalem should bee long at vnitie in it selfe if Iustice and Iudgement doe not vphold it And 't is in vaine for any man whether hee bee in authority or vnder it to talke of Religion Gods seruice to frequent the Temple if he doe not in the course of his life exercise and obey Iustice and Iudgement And this Lesson Religion euer teacheth For it was the very end of Christs comming to redeeme vs That wee might serue him in holinesse and in righteousnes S. Luk. 1. In holines toward God that 's first and then in righteousnes and iustice towards men that 's next And they stand so that the one is made the proofe of the other Righteousnes of Holines For he that doth but talke of Holinesse and doth vniustly therewhile is but an Hypocrite This for Iustice the preseruatiue of vnitie Now for the Seates of it They which are appointed to administer Iustice and Iudgement to the people haue Thrones or Chayres or Seates call them what you will the thing is the same out of which they giue sentence vpon Persons or Causes brought before them And they are signes of authority and power which the Iudges haue And 't is not for nothing that they are called Seates For Iudgement was euer giuen in publike sitting And there 's good reason for it For the soule and minde of man is not so settled when the Body is in motion For the Body moued moues the humours and the humours moued moue the affections and Affections moued are not the fittest to doe Iustice and iudgement No Reason in a calme vnmoued is fittest for that Now the Seates stand here both for the Seats themselues And so sederunt Sedes is Actiue for Passiue The Seates sate for The Seates are placed or for the Iudges that sit in them or sederunt id est permanserunt for the perpetuity and fixing of the Seates of Iustice. The Seates must bee in some reuerence for the persons that sit in them The persons must haue their Honour for the Office they performe in them And the Seates must bee fixed and permanent that the people which are fallen into Controuersie may know the Illiâ— and the Vbi whither to come and finde Iustice. The words in my Text are plurall Seates of Iudgement And 't is obseruable For the exorbitances of men that quarrell others are such and so many that one Seat of Iudgement only was scarce euer sufficient for any State Seates they must be they seldome want worke In the prime times of the Church Christians could not hold from going to Law one with another and that vnder vnbelieuers 1. â— Cor. 6. To meet with this frailtie of man God in this Common-wealth which himselfe ordered