is never kindly till then They define solicitie shortly Never kindly till then to be nothing els but Pax desiderij For give the desire perfect peace and no more needs to make us happy Desire hath no rest and will let us have none till it have what it would and till the Resurrection that will not be 1. Pax pressura our SAVIOVR opposeth Chap. 16. Chap 16.33 If we be pinched with any want Desire hath no peace 2. Let us want nothing if it were possible No peace yet Pax Scandalum the Psalmist opposeth Psal 119 16â— When we have what we would somewhat commeth to us we would not somewhat thwarts us Till non est eis scandalum till that be had away desire hath no peace 3. Let that be had away yet a new warre there commeth Peace and feare are heere opposed We are well neither pressura nor Scandalum but we feare tolletur a vobis that it will not hold or we shall not hold The last enemie will not let us be quiet Till he be overcome our desire hath no perfect peace That will not be till the Resurrection But then it is Pax plena pura perpetua full without want pure without mixture of offensive matter and perpetuall without all feare of forgoing of tolletur a vobis And that is pax desiderij and that is perfâ—ct fâ—licitie The state of the Resurrection and the wish of the Resurrection day Thus we see good it is and fit it is It remaines we see What it is What 2 What peace peace When we speake of Peace the nature of the word leadeth us to aske With whom And they be diverse But as diverse as they be it must be vnderstood of all though of someone more especially then the rest There is a peace aboue us in heaven with GOD that first 1 Peace witâ— GOD. They were wrong heere their feare ran all upon the Iewes It should have looked higher The Iewes they kept out with shutting their doores Against GOD no doore can be shut First peace with Him and with Him they have peace to whom CHRIST saith Pax vobis There is another peace within us in sinu with our heart For 2 With our ownâ— hâ—arts betweene our spirit and our flesh there is in manner of a Warre The lusts of the fâ—â—sh even Militant wage Warre saith Saint Peter against the soule And 1 Pet. 2.11 where there is a warre there is a peace too This is peace with feare heere Which warre is sometime so fearefull as men to riâ—d themselves of it ridd themselves of life and all Conclude a peace there This followeth of the first If all be well above all is well within There is a peace without us in earth with men with all men 3 With all men The Apostle warrants it peace with the Iewes heere and all I will never feare to make civill peace a part of CHRIST 's wish nor of his Beati Pacifici neither Matt. 5.9 He will be no worse at Easter then at Christ-masse He was at this His second then at that his first birth Then Ianus was shut and peace over all the world Tâ—rtullâ—an Apolâ—g Oâ—bem pacatum was ever a clause in the prayers of the Primitive Church that the World might be quiet Yet is not this the peace of CHRIST 's principall entendment but their peace 4 Among themsâ—lâ—es to whom CHRIST spake Pax Discipulorum Pax vobis intervos Peace among them or betweene themselves It was the ointment on AARON'S head AARON that had the care of the Chuâ—ch It was the dew that fell upon SION SION Pâ—â—l 133.2 the place where the Temple stood The peace of Ierusalem that it may be once Psal 122.3 as a citie at vnitie within it selfe The primitive peace that the multitude of Beleevers may be of one heart and one minde All the rest depend upon our peace with GOD and Act. 4 32. our peace with Him upon this a Marke 9.50 Phi. 4.9 Pacem habete inter vos and Deus pacis erit vobiscum The peace of Ierusalem b Psa 122.6 they shall prosper that love it saith David c Pro. 12.20 Ioy shall be to them that counscile it saith Salomon d Matt. 5.9 Blâ—ssed shall they be that make it saith CHRIST How great a reward should he finde in heaven how glorious a name should he leave on earth that could bring this to passe 1 Peace Christ 's wâ—sh This is CHRIST 's wish And what is become of it If we looke upon the Christian world we see it not it is gone as if CHRIST had never wished it Betweene Iehu and Ieroboam Salomon's feed went to wracke Iehu his proceedings like his chariot wheeles headlong and violent But Iehu is but a brunt too violent to last long Ieroboam is more dangerous who makes it his wisedome to keepe up a Schisme in Religion they shall sway both parts more easily GOD forbid we should ever thinke Ieroboam wiser then Salomon If peace were not a wise thing Matt. 12.42 Mat. 9.50 the Wisest man's name should not have beene Salomon A greater then Salomon would never have said Habete salem Pacem If you have any salt you will have peace Sure when the Disciples lost their peace they lost their wisedome Their wisedome and their strength both They were stronger by congregatis then by clausis foribus more safe by their being together then any door could make them It is as CHRIST told us Luk. 10. where He prescribes this forme of salutation it speeds or it misses thereafter as it meets with the Sonne of peace Speeds if it finde him Luk. 10·5 6 if not comes backe againe and takes no place Well though it doe not we must still hold us to CHRIST 's Wish and when all failes still there must be Votum pacis in corde though enmitie in the act yet peace in the heart still Still it must hold Amicus ut non alter Inimicus ut non idem friends as if never otherwise Enemies as if not ever so Quasi torrens bellum warre like a land-flood that will be drie againe Quasi fluvius pax Peace as a river never drie but to runne stil and ever But yet many times we aske and have not because we aske not aright saith Saint Iames Iam. 4â—3 We know not the things that belong to our Peace we erre in the order manner site place or time 1. The order of it first wished The Order which helpeth much first it is first Primum ante omnia Capuâ— fidei the prime of His wishes No sooner borne but Pax in terris No sooner risen but Pax vobis Apertio labiorum the very opening of his lipps was with these words The first words at the first meeting On the very first day It is a signe it is so in His heart That which most greeveth us we first complaine
if they were to be saved by one that came out of the great Cittie Ninive or Grand Cayre rather then out of the little hamlet of Bethlehem But all this was done to bring that vertue in credit I find no reason rendred of it but this That by what manner place He made choise of to be borne at He would teach us what manner of spirits He doth affect to take up his residence and to rest in The high and excellent saith Esay that inhabites aeternitie Esay 57.15 He also will rest with the lowly with those that be no bigger then Bethlehem in their owne eyes a Esay 66 2. To them He lookes b Pro 3.34 gives grace to them c Matt 11.25 Matt. 25.40 to them He reveiles what He keeps from the great ones of the world And when He shall sit in all His glorie He shall say Quod minimis hijs mihi Say it forward affirmativè And say it backward negativè Quod non minimis hijs nec mihi What to these minims to me What not to them not to me neither To end this point then For little Bethlehems sake to love the vertue that is like it And for the vertues sake to honor it Honor it there is a Starr over it there is a Saviour in it Honor it for that which comes out of it for the fruit it yeelds More good comes forth out of that poore Towne mihi saith the Prophet to me nobis may we say to us all then from all the great and glorious Cities in the world What good Nazianzen tells us Bethlehem honor a parvam quae te inducit in Paradisum It gives us our introduction to Paradise Bethlehem it gives us a Guide to day if we will follow Him will bring us thither to our originall happinesse Nay further then so to the dayes of aeternitie And Him we must follow and it we must honor even this vertue if ever we meane to come there II. The Person This for the Place Now for the Person that commeth from this place For being in speech of a place he continues in locall termes fit for a place Egredietur ex te Egredi is to come forth and that is properly from or out of a Place And the rather he doth it because withall it is a terme that fitteth His Birth well So the Scripture saith Naked came I forth that is was I borne The child that first comes forth that is the first Iob 1.21 Gen. 38.28 is borne This word is twise repeated 1 Once out of Bethlehem Ex te 2 Another from everlasting Ab aeterno These two set out to us His two commings forth that is His two Nativities Nativitie is nothing but a comming forth Those two His two natures since Nativitas est ad naturam via Nativitie is but the way that leads to Nature 1 Egredietur ex te as the Sonne of man as DAVIDS Sonne â— Egressus Ejus ab aeterno as the Sonne of GOD as Davids Lord. III. His Natures 1 As Man from Beâ—hleâ—em Egredietur ex te Egredietur is the tense of the time to come To come when Mica wrote this and in the Future but come when * Matt. 2.1 Saint Matthew cited it and in the Praeter When IESVS was borne at Bethlehem But future and praeter both are in time So this His Birth in time But the other hath neither Future nor Praeter neither mood nor tense nay no Verbe at all It is expressed by a Substantive to shew His subsistence before all time from all aeternitie 2. Ex is a Place out of it He came so in it He was and this Birth locall as before temporall So was not His other that hath no ex that is ab ab aeterno For as aeternall no place conteines Him He is every where fills both heaven and earth 3. Te that place is Bethlehem a place upon earth According to which it is said there shall come a Root out of Iesse Esai's terme Chap. XI Ver. 1. and out of it a Branch Esay 11 1. Ier. 23.5 Zach 6.12 Luk. 1.42 Ieremie's Chap. XXIII v. 5. Thence Germen a Floure or blossome Zacharie's Chap. VI. v. 12. and from it this Fruit of Ephrata the Fruit of the Virgins womb Root branch blossome and fruit all of the earth earthy But there came forth at the same time a Starr too to shew He had another more high and heavenly being For this of Bethlehem was not His first flight as we say the other 2. As GOD fâ—om everlasting Psal. 110 3. though it stand behind in the verse was before that by farr Ex utero ante luciferum Ante luciferum before the Starr of His Birth nay before any morning starr came forth He was come forth A principio saith Mica And it is Saint Iohn's In principio the two first words of his Gospell long before Mose's In principio the two first words of Genesis But to leave no place to doubt of his meaning he glosseth his a principio with ab aeterno that is from everlasting By which very words from aeternitie Arius error of erat quando non erat falls to the ground For nunquam erat quando non erat aeternitas Never was there call it what you will when aeternitie was not For as everlasting forwards is to quando tempus non erit amplius there shall be no more time So everlasting backward is to quando tempus non erat adhuc when there was yet no time at all Now let it not trouble you that this His aeternall is the plurall number outgoings as if they were more then one It is but the Hebrew phrase They vse to expresse the Superlative ever by the Substantive of the plurall number to call that man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessings whom they meane to be most blessed So that outgoings which is but one but so high after such a manner so past our reach as Esay askes Esay 53.8 Generationem Ejus quis enarrabit Who shall declare His generation No one no singular will reach it and so it is expressed plurally So vse they also to note out continuance And so it sets out to us the continuall emanation or proceeding of Him from His Father Heb. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostles word as a beame of brightnesse streaming from Him vncessantly Never past His generation but as the Schoolemen call it actus commensuratus aeternitati For Hodiè genui te Psal. 2.7 is true of every day yet because it hath co-existence with many revolutions of time though it be indeed in it selfe but one drawne out along yet according to the many ages it lasteth it seemeth to multiplie it selfe into many And so is expressed plurally Though the principall sense alwaies saved we may referr this Plurall to both His outgoings both as Sonne of GOD before all times and as Sonne of man in the fullnesse of time For this later though executed
This is the way the right way walke in it And in this way our guiding must be mild and gentle Els it is not Duxisti but traxisti drawing and driving and no leading Leni spiritu non durâ manu rather by an inward sweet influence to be led then by an outward extreme violence to be forced forward So did God lead this people heer Not the greatest pace I wis for they were a yeare marching that Deut. 1.2 Exod. 13 18. they might have posted in eleven dayes as Moses saith No not yet the neerest way neither as Moses telleth us For He fetched a compasse diverse times as all wise Governors by His example must doe that desire rather safely to lead then hastilie to drive forward The Spirit of God leadeth this people saith Esai as a horse is ridden downe the hill into a valley Es. 69. â—â— which must not be a gaâ—opp lest horse and ruler both come downe one over another but warily and easily And sicut oves still giveth us light seeing the text compareth it to a sheepe gate Touching which kinde of Cattell to very good purpose Iacob a skilfull shepheard answereth Esau who would have had Iacob and his flocks have kept company with him in his hunting pace Nay not so Sir said Iacob it is a tender cattell Gen 33.13 that is under my hands and must be softly driven as they may endure if one should over-drive them but one day they would all dâ—e or be layd up for many daies after Indeed 1. Reg. 10.11 Rehoboam left ten parts of his flocke behind onely for ignorance of this very point in Duxisti For when in boysterous manner he chased them before him telling them what yoâ—es he would make for them a farre unmeet occupation for a Prince to be a yokemaker they all shrunk from him presently and falsified his prophecie cleane For wherâ—as he told them sadly His little finger should be as bigg as his Fathers whole body it fell out cleane contrarie for his whole body prooved not so bigg as his Fathers little finger A gentle leading it must be and in the beginning such was the course Therfore yee have the Kings of Canaan in Genesis for the most part called by the name of Abimelech that is Pater Rex a King in place a Father in affection Such was Mâ—ses our leader heer a meeke man above all the men on the earth Num. 12.3 Such was David himselfe who full bitterly complaineth Ah these sonnes of Zervia are too hard 2. Sam. 3.39 too full of execution for me And to end this point thus describeth he his good Prince in the 72. Psalme He shall come downe not like hail-stones on a house top Psal. 72.6 but like the dew into a flecce of wooll that is sweetly and mildly without any noyse or violence at all Last of all All this reducing and right leading and gentle leading must end in an end they must not goe and go still in infinitum that is no leading but trying outright Psa. 23.2 It must be sicut oves whom the good Shepheard in the 23. Psal. leadeth to a place and to a place meet for them where there is green pasture by the waters of comfort So was it in this people heer They were led out of Aegypt to sacrifice to GOD and to learne His Law in the mount of GOD Sinai and from thence also to Sion it selfe His owne rest and holy habitation And even so our people are led from the wandrings of this world unto the folds of GOD 's Church where as the Prophet saith in the 73. Psalme first GOD will a while guide them with His counseile and after will receive them into His glorie Psa. 73.24 And this is the end of all leading To bring us all from the vaine proffers of the world which we shall all finde as Salomon found it vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas to the sound comfort of His word in this Booke Eccles 1.2 which is indeed veritas veritatum omnia veritas in the knowledge and practice whereof when they shall have fulfilled their course heer GOD will bring them to His owne rest to His heavenly Ierusalem where is and ever shal be faelicitas faelicitatum omnia faelicitas But in this life heer we come no further then the borders of His Sanctuarie as he telleth us in the next Psal. in the way whereof if GOD lead us constanter constantly Psal. 78.54 not after our wanton manner out and in when we list all the other inferiour leadings shall acompanie this one For this leading leadeth them all He shall lead our Counselors that they shall advise the counseiles of his owne heart He shall lead our Iudges that they shall pronounce the judgements of His owne mouth He shall lead our forces into Edom the strong cities and holds of the enemie He shall lead our navie in the sea by unknowne pathes to the place it would goe and I can say no more Through all the dreads and dangers of the world through the perills of the red sea through the perills of the desert through the malice of all our enimies He shall safely lead us and sureâ—y bring us to His promised kingdome where we shall see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living And this is the benefit Psal. 27.17 and thus much for that part The third part Popalum tuum The value of which benefit we shall the better esteeme if we consider the state of the Parties on whom it is bestowed set downe in these words Populum tuum which is the third part Populum Deut. 32.6 That all this good is for the people worthy not so much as the least part of it For what is the people Let Moses speake for he knew them Siccine popule stulte insipiens And Aaron too for he had occasion to trie them This people is even set on mischiefe Exod. 32.22 Psal. 68 3â— Exod. 32.9.33 3. And if you will David also Inter Belluas populorum And to conclude GOD Himselfe Populus iste durae cervicis est This is the people We may breefly take a view of all these Act. 19.32 Will you see the folly and giddinesse of this multitude ye may Act. 19. there they be at the Towne-house some crying one thing some another and the more part knew not why they were come togither Therefore Moses truly sayd it was a fond and giddy-headed people Will yee see the brutishnesse of the people In the 22. Acts you shall see them taking up a crie Act. 22.23 upon a word spoken by Saint Paule and casting of their clothes and throwing dust into the ayre as if they were quite decayed of reason that David truly might say inter belluas populorum Will ye see the spight and malice of the people In the 16. Numbers for Coreh's death they challenge Moses and Aaron Num. 16.41 yee
CHRIST by this storie openeth us a Casement into the other life and sheweth us whether we goe when we goe hence 1. First That as in this life though but one yet there are two diverse estates to death though it be but one neither hath two severall passages And through it as through one and the same Citie gate the honest subject walketh abroad for his recreation and the lewd malefactor is caried out to his execution 2. Two states then there be after death and these two dis-ioined in place dislike in condition both set down within the verse One of comfort 2 The other of torment 3. And that both these take place jam presently For immediately after His death and while all his five brethren yet lived and yet any of them were dead he was in his torments and did not expect the generall judgement nor was not deferred to the end of the world 4. And to make it a compleat crosse for so it is as the poor and rich meet heer so do they there also otherwhile and go two contrary waies every one to his owne place LAZARVS to his bosome the rich man to his gulfe◠and ones miserie endeth in rest the others purple and fine linnen in a flame of fire Verè stupendae vices saith CHRYSOSTOME verily a strange change a change to be wondered at to be wondered at and feared of those whom it may concerne any manner of way and at any hand to be had in remembrance To applie these two to the party we have in hand and to beginne with the first estate first Two things are in it sett downe by him 1 The one in the word Fili 2 The other in the word Recepisti 1 Fili. First that he was Abraham's sonne and so of the religion onely true and one that as himselfe saith of himselfe had had MOSES and the Prophets though tanquam non habens as though he had them not For little he used and lesse he regarded them yet a Professor he was 2 Recepisti Secondly as by nature ABRAHAM 's sonne so by condition or office one of GOD 's Receivers Receivers we are every one of vs more or lesse but yet in receipts there is a great latitude Great betweene her that received two mites and him that received a thousand talents Between them that receive tegumenta onely covering for their nakednesse and them that receive ornamenta rich attire also for comelinesse and againe that receive alimenta food for emptinesse and oblectamenta delicious fare for daintinesse Now he was not of the petie but of the maine receipt It is said He received good things and it is told what these good things were Purple of the fairest and linnen of the finest and quotidie splendidè every day a double feast Which one thing though there were nothing els asketh a great Receipt alone Heer rich in this life and who would not sue to succeed him in it One would thinke this wood would make no crosse nor these premisses such a now therefore But to him that was thus and had thus all this plentie all this pleasure post tantas divitias post tantas delicias to him is this spoken but now thou art tormented Which first estate as it was rich so it was short therefore I make short with it to come to cruciaris Which though in syllables it is shorter yet it is in substance that peece to which he is fastened in length of continuance farre beyond it 2. The 〈◊〉 of the crosse The second state cruciaris Cruciaris is but one word but much weight lieth in it therefore it is not sleightly to be passed over as being the speciall obiect of our Recordare and the principall part of the crosse indeed Two wayes our SAVIOVR CHRIST expresseth it 1 One while under the terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is torture 2 Another under the terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is anguish of the Spirit referring this to the inward paine and that to the outward passion The soule being there subiected by GOD 's iustice to sensuall paine for subiecting it selfe willingly to brutish sensualitie in this life it being a more noble and celestiall substance Of which paine Saint CHRYSOSTOME noteth that because many of us can skill what torment the tongue hath in extremitie of a burning ague and what paine our hand feeleth when from the hearth some sparke lighteth on it CHRIST chose to expresse them in these two Not but that they be incomparably greater then these yea farre above all we can speake or thinke but that flesh and bloud conceiveth but what it feeleth and must be spoken to as it may vnderstand And it is a ground that in termes here and els where proportioned to our conceit torments are uttered farre beyond all conceipt which labouring to avoid we may but labouring to expresse we shall never do it Yet to helpe them somwhat we shall the more deeply apprehend them if we do but compare them as we may and never go out of the confines of our owne verse With Recepisti first To consider this that his torment is in the present tense now upon him Cruciaris His good all past and gone Recepisti Marke saith Saint Augustine of his pleasure omnia dicit de praeterito Dives erat vestiebatur Epulabatur Recepisti He was rich did goe did fare had received was did and had all past and vanished away all like the counterpane of a Lease expired and our Abraham likeneth it to wages received and spent before hand Secondly If we lay togither his torments and bona tua in vitâ For we shall find they are of a diverse scantling The one had an end with his life and ô quam subito The other when it beginneth once shall never have an end That life is not like this No if all the lives of all I say not men women and children but of all and every of the creatures that ever lived upon the earth or shall live to the worlds end were all added one to another and all spunn into one life this one exceedeth them all This then I make no question will make another degree to thinke quod delectabat fuit momentaneum quod cruciat est aeternum Thirdly if we match it with Lazarus autem that is with the sight of others in that estate whence he is excluded and in them with sorrow to consider what himselfe might have had and hath lost for ever Chap. 13 2◠There shal be saith CHRIST of this point weeping and gnashing of teeth to see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophetts in the kingdome of GOD and your selves thrust out of doores Not onely weeping for grief that themselves have lost it but gnashing of teeth also for very indignation that others have obteined it And of others not some other but that Lazarus iste one of these poor people whom we shunn in the way and drive our coaches apace to escape from
oportuit Christum pati It behooved Christ Christ ought to dye and rise againe None but that Why afterward between this and His passion Luc. 24.26 He shewed diverse others and how then saith He none but it Signes indeed He shewed yet not any of them so pregnant for the purpose they sought as was this They sought a Signe of the season as by the XVI Chapter is plaine that this was the time the Messiaâ— was to come To put them out of doubt of that to that point Chap. 16.4 none so forcible as His death and rising againe figured in that of Ionas That and none but that All He did els the Prophetts had done the like Given Signes from heaven which they heer sought yea even raised the dead But raise Himselfe being dead get forth of the heart of the earth when once he was in that passed their skill Never a Patriarch or Prophet of them all could doe that Non Nisi None but He. So as therein He shewed Himselfe indeed to be the true and undoubted Messias and never so els in any signe of them all For Signes being compounded of Power and Goodnesse not Power alone but Power and Goodnesse that is the benefit or good of them they be done for Never so generall so universall so great a Good as by CHRIST'S death as it might be Iona's casting in Nor ever so great so incomparably great a Power as by raising Himselfe from death to life set forth in Iona's casting up againe Those twaine by these twaine more manifest then by any other The Signe of the greatest Love and power Love to die power to rise that ever was wrought This Nisi then is a Non nisi in a new sense A None such This Signe Signum non nisi a signe paramount a Signe paramount All els nothing in comparison of it I keepe you too long from it The Signe is laid in the Prophet Ionas Sicut Ionas and we are much bound to God for laying it in him they and we both And Ionas is a Non nisi such a Signe for us and besides so many peculiars of CHRIST in him as in effect no signe but he First for them for an evill and adulterous generation For them Propheta peccator no signe so meete to be given as he For Ionas and non nisi Ionas was Propheta peccator the trespasser or Sinning Prophet among them all Sinners I know they were all they confesse as much themselves But for transgressing the expresse Commaundement of GOD in not obeying God's immediate call therein none of the rest to be tainted He onely was Propheta fugitivus fled touch was in the transgression sent to Ninive and went to Ioppe sent east went flat west was even taken with the manner as we say and arrested in the very flight For an evill and an adulterous generation this was a good signe say I and so might they if they knew their own good For them and for us and in a word for all sinners for he is Propheta peccator and so Propheta peccatorum And CHRIST is pleased to picke out His fugitive Prophet His run-away and make him a Sinner and such a Sinner His Signe As to come Himselfe in the similitude of sinfull flâ—sh so to make sinfull flesh His similitude to come into a sicut with All that sinfull flâ—sh might have hope in the Signatum in Him Rom. 8 3. of whom this was the Signe This theirs and ours The next is ours and we highly to blesse GOD for it For us Propheta gentium that being to set His signe in a Prophet He would doe it in him choose him out to make him His patterne who was Propheta Gentium the Prophet of the Gentiles sent to prophecie to Ninive that were heathen as we and our fathers were And in that a Non nisi too For none but he was so never a Prophet of them all sent to the heathen the rest to the Iewes all This sending of his to the Gentiles was to us of the Gentiles a gate of hope that in former ages and long before Christ came in the flesh Hos. 2.45 we Gentiles were not forgotten Even then sent GOD a Prophet to Ninive And what was Ninive the head Citie of the Assyrians the greatest Monarchie then in being and so the principall place of all Paganisme That thus in Signo we were not forgotten a signe it was no more should we be in Signato but CHRIST be to us as Ionas to them a light to lighten the Gentiles 〈◊〉 2.32 〈◊〉 49.6 and His salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth 〈…〉 Let me add this yet more to our comfort This Ionas whom He thus sent on this errand to the Gentiles what was he Of all the Prophets all whose prophecies we have remaining on recond in the Bible the foure great the twelve lesse of them all all the sixteene 〈◊〉 14.25 He was the first in time Senior to them all Plaine by 2. Kings 14. that he prophesied long before eny of them For it is there said that his prophesie came to passe in the daies of Ieroboam the Second who lived the same time with Vzzia in Iuda And in Vzzia's time the eldest of all the rest did but begin to prophesie So his was doon before theirs was begoon Him that was thus first in the ranke of them all did GOD send to us Gentiles to us first before eny to the Iewes A Signe we were not last nay first in His care in that visited by Him first as to whom He sent the first of all the sixteene And I may say to you this was to them an Item as if GOD were now to turne Gentile as looking that way having a minde to them then even in Iona's time they to come in shortly and the Iewes to be shut out and that as they had then prioritie in Signo so should they no lesse in Signato and the fullnesse of the Gentiles come in 〈◊〉 11.25 before the conversion of the Iewes This to us Sinners to us Gentiles to us Sinners of the Gentiles was Salutare Signum a healthfull Signe every way These three are put on the by In the maine point of the Text and of the time two more 1. 〈◊〉 Signum 〈◊〉 Non nisi 〈◊〉 piacularis 〈◊〉 He and non nisi none but he had the honor to be a piacularis hostia as it were for the casting him into the sea served in a sort as a kind of expiatorie sacrifice as farr as to the temporall saving of the ship he sailed in And therein as a meet Signe he expressed Him whose death was after the full and perfect expiation of the sinnes of the whole world 2. 〈◊〉 Propheta 〈◊〉 .. Then againe Ionas and non nisi onely he was propheta redivivus that his peculiar above them all He the onely Prophet that went downe into the deepe into the Whale's
and we to aske who that other was The tenour of Scripture that Noble man then read was out of the LIII Chapter and this of ours out of the LXIII ten Chapters between But if S. PHILIP had found him reading of this heer as he did of that he would likewise have begun at this same Scripture as that he did and preached to him CHRIST Onely with this difference out of that CHRIST 's Passion out of this His Resurrection For Esa. 53.7 For He that was ledd as a sheep to be slaine and so was slaine there He it is and no other that rises and comes heer back like a Lion from Bozra imbrued with blood the blood of His enemies I have before I was aware disclosed who this Party is It was not amisse I so should not to hold you long in suspense but to give you a little light at the first whom it would fall on CHRIST it is Two things there are that make it can be no other but He. 1 One is without the text in the end of the Chapter next before There is a proclamation Behold heer comes your SAVIOVR and immediatly Chap. 62.11 He that comes is this Party heer from EDOM He is our SAVIOVR and besides Him there is none Even CHRIST the LORD 2 The other is in the text it selfe in these words Torcular calcavi solus I have trode the wine-presse alone Words so proper to CHRIST so every where ascribed to Him and to Him onely as you shall not read them any where applied to any other no not by the Iewes themselves So as if there were no more but these two they shew it plainly enough it is it can be none but CHRIST And CHRIST when Even this day of all dayes His comming heer from EDOM will fall out to be His rising from the dead His returne from BOZRA nothing but his vanquishing of hell We may use His words in applying it Thou hast not left my soule in hell but brought me back from the deep of the earth again Psal 16 10.71.20 Nothing but the act of His rising again So that this very morning was this Scripture fulfilled in our eares The whole text entire is a dialogue between two 1 the Prophet and â— CHRIST There are in it two Questions and to the two questions two Answers 1 The Prophets first question is touching the Party himselfe who he is in these words Who is this To which the Party himselfe answers in the same verse these words that am I one that c The Prophets second question is about his colours why He was all in red in the second verse Wherefore then is thy apparell c The answer to that is in the third verse in these I have troden c For I will tread them downe Of CHRIST Of His rising or comming back of His colours of the wine-presse that gave Him this tincture or rather of the two wine-presses 1 the Wine-presse of Redemption first 2 and then of the other Wine-presse of Vengeance THe Prophets use to speake of things to come as if they saw them present before their eyes That makes their Prophesies be called Visions In his vision heer I. The first Question touching the Partie Who it is Psal. 60.9 the Prophet being taken up in spirit sees on comming Comming whence From the Land of countrey of IDVMAEA or EDOM From what place there From BOZRA the chiefe Citie in the land the place of greatest strength Who will lead me into the strong Citie That is BOZRA Who will bring me into EDOM He that can do the first can do the latter Winn BOZRA and EDOM is woon There was a cry in the end of the Chapter before Behold heer comes your SAVIOVR He looked and saw one comming Two things he descries in this Party 1 One his habite that He was formosus in stolâ very richly arrayed â— The other his gate that He came stoutly marching or pacing the ground very strongly Two good familiar notes to descrie a stranger by His Apparell whether rich or mean which the world most commonly takes notice of men by His Gate for weake men have but a feeble gate Valiant strong men tread vpon the ground so as by it you may discerne their strength Now this Party He came so goodly in his apparell so stately in his march as if by all likelyhood he had made some conquest in EDOM the place He came from had had a victorie in BOZRA the Citie where he bad been And the truth is so He had He saith it in the third verse He had troden downe his enemies had trampled upon them made the blood even start out of them which blood of theirs had all to stained his garments This was no evill newes For ESAI 's countrimen the people of GOD EDOM was their worst enemie they had With ioy then but not without admiration such a Party sees the Prophet come toward him Sees him but knowes him not thinks him worthy the knowing so thinking and not knowing is desirous to be instructed concerning him Out of this desire askes quis est Not of himselfe he durst not be so bold Who are you but of some stander by Whom have we heer Can you tell who this might be The first question But before we come to the question a word or two of the place where he had beene and whence he came EDOM and BOZRA what is meant by them For What is meant 1 by Edom. Mat 2.14 if this Party be CHRIST CHRIST was in Aegypt a child but never in EDOM that we read never at BOZRA in all His life So as heer we are to leave the letter Some other it might be the letter might meane we will not much stand to look after him For how ever possibly some such there was yet it will plainly appeare by the sequele that the testimonie of IESVS as it is of each other so it is the spirit of this prophesie Apoc. 9.10 Go we then to the kernell and let the huske lie let go the dead letter and take we to us the spirituall meaning that hath some life in it For what care we for the literall Edom or Bozra what became of them what are they to us Let us compare spirituall things with spirituall things that is it must do us good I will give you a key to this and such liâ—e Scriptures Familiar it is with the Prophets nothing more then to speak to their People in their owne language then to expresse their ghostly enemies the both mortall and immortall enemies of their soules under the titles and termes of those Nations and Cities as were the knowen sworne enemies of the Common-wealth of ISRAEL As of Aegypt where they were in bondage as of Babylon where in captivitie elswhere as of EDOM heer who maliced them more then both those If the Angell tell us right Rev. XI there is a spirituall Sodome and Aegypt where our LORD was crucified and if they
case of the Eunuch in the eight Chapter and â—ot a right Gentile among them all But heere now are a sort of very Gentiles indeed in puâ—is naturalibus such as we and our fathers were No Proselytes ever This Centurion the Antesignanus the standard bearer to us and to all that were meere Heathen men indeed and this Comming our Comming properly Never in kind never to very Gentiles indeed till now It is well sorted you see On the Iewes and Proselytes at Ierusalem their City On the Gentiles Verse 1. at Caesarea Caesar's Citie of all the Cities in Palaestine fitting the Gentiles best Well observed it is about the calling of the Gentiles That that in the Old and this 1. Ion 1.3 Verse 5. in the New Testament they came both from one place from Ioppe both Thence loosed Ionas to Ninive Thence sett out Peter to Caesarea Secondly that Caesarea is the Ninive as it were of the New Testament Ninive 2. Esay 36.13 was the Citie of the Great King of the Gentiles at that time Caesarea Caesar's citie as great a King over the Gentiles at this from whom went a commandement that the whole world should be taxed Luk. 2.1 Thirdly that was performed by Ionas this by Bar-jonas So is Saint Peter called by our SAVIOVR 3. Matt. 16.17.13 when he made his confession that CHRIST was the Sonne of GOD And that was at Caesarea Where what he confessed then he comes to preach now That of Ionas an Omen as it were of this heere of Saint Peter Ionas and Bar-jonas from Ioppe they went both Both from one place both to one end Act. 11.18 both to convert the Gentiles to shew that GOD had given them also repentance to life Allway this the better For Ionas at Ninive he ends with Ninive shall be destroyed Ion 3 4· Bar-jonas at Caesarea with Acceptus est illi that the end of the Text. Or if you will goe to the end of the Sermon Verse 43. the end is shall obtaine remission of sinnes as good as it every way So the Parties fitt well The Time as well The Holy Ghost heere came upon them as they were at a Sermon even as we now are Peter opened his mouth they stood attentive the HOLY GHOST came downe That to be heere is a disposition to receive the Holy Ghost And it may please GOD the like may befall us being occupied now as they then were The Summe Of that Sermon these are the first words Of which words what can be said more to their praise then that which the Angel saith of them the next Chapter at the fourteenth verse That Peter being sent for should at his comming speake words to Cornelius by which both he and his houshold should be saved Those words the Angel there spake of that Peter should speake are these I have read GOD of his goodnesse send them the same effect In veritate comperi shewes they are a compertum est and that is authenticall with a Teste So is this Teste Cornelio totâ familiâ witnesse he and his whole familie and friends Such are most praiâ—ed for they are animatae exemplo have a soule put into them by an example Specially when they be so reduced to a singular as that singular afterward is reduced to a generall Both which are in this Best preaching of a Text when the Commentarie stands before it as heere For what is in the Text propounded was fulfilled in the auditorie yer they went As fulfilled in them in particular so extended to all in generall for it hath an omnigente put to it that nothing was done to him there but the same shall be done to any other Eny of eny nation that shall be found in like sort disposed as we finde he was that is whose prayers and almes shall come up into remembrance before GOD. GOD shall not be wanting to them Veâ—se 4. but provide them of further meanes requisite to their salvation It is a thing well befitting the providence of GOD all his creatures when He hath made them to see them provided of such things as are needfull for them As he doth saith the Psalme for the young ravens Psal. 147.9 Matt. 10.39 saith the Gospell for the poore sparrowes valued two of them at a farthing Naturas verum minimarum non destituit Deus the smallest things that be He leaves them not destitute If not them His halfe-farthing creature much lesse men as He is pleased to speake with the least more worth then many sparrowes So GOD argues with Ionas if he made such adoe for his gourd which sprung up in one night and withered in another should not GOD spare Ninive wherein there were so many thousands Ion 4.10.11 that knew not their right hand from their left Gentiles though they were And if His care extend to all men and he make his raine to fall Matt. â— 45 and his sunne to shine upon the evill and unkinde Deut. 32.2 Mal. 4 2. shall He not bring the raine of his Word as Moses calls it Deut. 32. to fall on them and make his sunne of righteousnesse as Malachie calls it to arise upon them that feare him A view whereof we may take in this familie heare even of the Sunne of righteousnesse the White sunne rising upon one that feared GOD with all his houshold gave much almes and prayed to GOD daily Written by him this but not written for him onely that it was Whit-sunday with him but for us also to whom it shall likewise be if we be de gente Corneliâ expresse and follow him in that which was accepted of in him Two points we have to proceed on 1 The first The Division heere is a point newly perceived by Saint Peter 2 The second What that was A point newly perceived in these 1 In veritate comperi Of a truth I perceive 2 What the point was in these that in every Nation c. In that Saint Peter saith Truely I now perceive as if before he had not as indeed he had not For he was in the mind before that but in unâ gente but now he perceives that In omni gente is the truer tenet That even to Saint Peter there were some things incomperta something not perceived at first that came to be perceived after Then an instance What that was And it was about GOD 's accepting Both waies Privativè what GOD accepts not Positivè what He accepts Accepts not Persons that is once But accepts of such as feare Him and worke righteousnesse of what Nation soever be he an Italian of what condition soever be he a Centurion All is one Of which two the one feare is an affection within of the heart The other worketh righteousnesse is an action without of the hand Cornelius's heart and Cornelius's 〈◊〉 these they be Whence we shall learne three points more 1 One how we may be accepted to GOD if we be as
will say as the Fathers say upon the like occasion Faxit Deus tam commâ—dâ— quà m est accomoda I pray GOD make it as profitable as it is pertinent as frâ—â—tfull to you as it is fitt for you The Division 1. This whole Scripture hath his name given it even in the first wordâ— Charge saith he the rich c It is a Charge 2. It is directed to certaine men namely to the Rich of this world 3. It consisteth of foure branches Whereof Two are negative for the removing of two abuses 1. The first Charge them that they be not high minded 2. The second Charge them that they trust not in their riches The reason is added which is a Maxime and a Ground in the Law of Nature That we must trust to no uncertaine thing Trust not in the uncertaintie of riches The other two are affirmative concerning the true use of riches 1. The first Charge them that they trust in GOD. The reason Because He giveth them all things to enjoy plenteously 2. The second Charge them that they do good that is the substance The quantitie that they be rich in good workes the qualitie That they be ready to part with and a speciall kind of doing good to communicate to benefit the publique And all these are one Charge The reason of them all doth follow Because by this meanes they shall lay up in store and that for themselves a good foundation against the time to come The end that they may obtaine eternall life I. A Charge PRaecipe divitibus Charge the rich of this world c. Beloved heer is a Charge a Praecipe a Precept or a Writt directed unto Timothie and to those of his Commission to the world's end to convent and call before him He the rich men of Ephesus and we the rich men of this Citie and others of other places of the earth and to give them a charge Charges as you know use to be given at Assises in Courts from the Bench. From thence is taken this judiciall terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it appeareth Act. 5.28 Did not we charge you streightly saith the Bench in the Consistorie judicially assembled Whereby we are given to understand that in such Assemblies as this is the Lord of Heaven doth hold His Court whereunto all men and they that of all men seeme least the rich and mighty of the world owe both suit and service For as earthly Princes have their Lawes their Commissions their Ministers of the Law their Courts and Court-daies for the maintenance of their peace So hath the King of Kings His Lawes and Statutes His Precepts and Commissions by authority delegate Rom. 7. Matth. 28.19 Ite praedicate Go preach the Gospel His Counsailors at Law whom Augustine calleth Divini Iuris Consultos His Courts 〈◊〉 â—â—culto conscientiae in the hid and secret part of the heart and conscience Psal. 7.8 for the preservation of His peace which the world can neither give nor take away to the end Psal. 119.165 that nâ—ne may offend or be offended at it This we learne And with this we learne all of us so to conceive of and to dispose our selves to such Meetings as this as men that are to appeare in Court before the Lord there to receive a charge which when the Court is broken up we must think of how to discharge In which point great is the occasion of complaint which we might take up For who is there that with that awe and reverence standeth before the Lord at His charge-giving that he receiveth a charge with at an earthly Barre Or with that care remembreth the Lord and his charge wherewith he continually thinketh upon the Iudge and his charge Truly the Lord's Commission is worthy to have as great reverence and regard attending on it as the charge of any Prince truly it is Weigh with your selfe is not GOD 's charge with as much heed and reverence to be received as an earthly Iudge's Absit ut sic saith Saint Augustine sed vtinam vel sic GOD forbid but with more heed and reverence well I would it had so much in the meane time And which to our shame we must speak I would we could do as much for the Bible as for the Statute-Books for heaven as for the earth for the Immortall GOD as for a mortall man But whither we doe or no yet as our SAVIOVR CHRIST said of Saint Iohn Baptist If ye will receive Matt. 11.14 this is that Eliah which was to come so say I of this Precept If ye will receive it this is the Charge the Lord hath laid on you And this let me tell you farther that it is such a Charge as it concerneth your peace the plentifull use of all your wealth and riches in the second Verse of my Text Which giveth us all things to enjoy plenteously c which may move you Or if that will not let me add this farther It is such a Charge as toucheth your estate in everlasting life the very last words of my Text. That is the well or evill hearing of this Charge is as much worth as your aeternall life is worth And therefore Matt. 11.5 He that hath eares to heare let him heare It is a Charge then and consequently to be discharged To be discharged where 2. To the Rich. Charge saith he the rich He speaketh to the Rich you know your owne names you know best what those rich men are Shall I tell you You are the rich he speaketh unto you It is the fashion and the fault of this world to exercise their authority on them most that need it least For rich men to feast them that least need it for mighty men to preferre them that least deserve it It is an old Simile we have oft heard it that The Lawes are like Cobwebbs that they hold fast the seely flies but the great Hornetts breake through them as oft as they lift And as there are cobwebb-Lawes which exempt mighty men So the same Corruption that was the cause thereof would also make Cobwebb-Divinitie For notwithstanding the Commission runneth expresly to the Rich Charge c notwithstanding they be in great danger and that of many snares as the Apostle saith in this Chapter and therefore need it greatly Verse 9. Yet I know not how it comes to passe whither because they thinke themselves too wise to receive a charge any charge at all or because they thinke themselves too good to receive it at the hands of such meane men as we be and if they must needs be charged they would be charged from the Counsaile from men more Noble and Honorable then themselves they would not gladly heare it surely they would not and because they would not gladly heare it we are not hasty they should heare it And great reason why as we thinke for as it is true which is in the Psal. 49.18 So long 〈◊〉 they do good to