consequence as before of strength indeed our safety is by Defence That by strength both by such well-fenced Cities as instrumentall meanes in the 35 of Numbers you read of Cities of Refuge Numb 35.6 Cities where very Delinquents might find safety But wee haue none such heer to secure vs euen from undeserved Dangers undeserved I mean particularly by any such notorious crime no of all the Fortifications in the world I would faine see that Place that could wall out a Famine or a Pestilence I 'me sure Samaria was a well-fenced City and yet both these enterd it and wellnigh vnpeopled it 1 King 18. 1 Kings 18. nor need wee goe so farr for sad Examples They haue lately enterd our own Cities one keeping still Possession no Fences heer are Iudgmâ—â—t-proofe not Argob's Cities let them bee wald as high as heaven Deut. 3. Dent 3.5 a showre of vengeance Saloimus Hell out of heauen shall raine down on Sodome be it nere so well immured Iâ—sh 6.20 and indeed who dares put Confidence in a City-walls that hath but euer read or heard of Ierico An Arme of flesh is but a bruised Reed no Safety either in Horses or Chariotts Pharaoh found one of them as Dauid saies a vaine thing to saue him Exodus 14. Exod 14.25 where his Charriotts hurried the faster to destruction for their wheels being off and what safety in the multitude of an Hoast Zenacherib will tell you whose Confidence was as great as his Army 2 King 19 one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand slaine in one night without an enemy 2 King 19 35. Cautior Exemplo Tu. Each one take heede that wee doe not repeat this Errour this impious Presumption as I feare too many of this Kingdome doe Relying too much vpon Earthly Force misattributing our long peace and safety to the populousnes of this Nation and admired Shipping of our Moated-Island God is not in all their thoughts like the proud Emperour that cut off the heads of all the Gods in Roome Nero. and caused the Image of his owne be set vpon them Wee sacrifice to our own sword and speare when T is the Right-hand of the Lord that bringeth mighty things to passe These I confesse shipping and munition are meanes and instruments but unlesse from God whence are they all and without his assistance may soone againe as often heeretofore become Ventorum Ludibrium a prey to Tyrants the sport and rattles of the winde and waves I may share in that doome of Tyre against the ships of Tarshish Isa Isai 23 14. 23. Bee still yee that dwell in the Isles who are called the strength of the Sea whose Merchants are as Princes howle yee ships of Tarshish for your strength is laid waste You can remember we have been driven to that of David Psal 60.10 Thou O God wentest not forth with our Armies till we came to his acknowledgment there vers 11. vaine is the help of man v. 11. God will have the glory of our wellfare and fit he should since hee is the authour of it who else live heer in a shop of angry Meteors violent Elements each of which as well as forraigne enemies would soone destroy us were not Hee our Lord Protectour how often therefore and how justly does David call Him Rocke and Refuge Strength and Tower Castle and Fortresse Conclude wee then with him Psal 4.8 Psal 4. Thou Lord only makest us to dwell in safety who have else no continuing City heer no City of safety Last of all A City an emblem of rest Man no continuing City Iosh 21. a City is an Hieroglyphick of rest and therefore in the 21. chapter of Ioshua t is said God gave his people Citles which they builded not and rest round about them nay eternall rest it selfe borrowes an expression from the name of City T is called The new Ierusalem Heb. 12.21 the City of the living God But man is no Citizen of this as t is a representative of rest his life a giddy-wheele the Orbs the Clouds the Windes the Rivers not so full of motion his Bodies restlesnesse you saw before I speake now of the travells of his minde that busie Spirit hurried through thousands of the worlds distractions which yet if best imployed is subject to bee tyred even Reading is a wearinesse saies the wise Man and ther 's no end of many bookes unlesse an Eccles 12.12 end of their Authour But if this Mill grinde empty have not the minde good things to worke on and how does it set it selfe on fire on fire of hell by sinnefull and cupidinous Revolutions what mischiefe leaves it unimagined on the Bed unpractis'd up how full of all contemplative uncleanesse even to the making up that sinnefull Climax Genesis 6. Gen. 6.5 The Heart of Man the Thoughts of the Heart and Imaginations of the Thoughts are all evill evill onely and continually no rest from sinning and thence how restlesse Conscientia sraenum aut slagellum thinke you is the guilty Conscience onely in this particular like to God that it never slumbers nor sleepes the clamour of this shrew deading the noyse of Ravens or of Thunder not only audible to us waking but interrupting of our best repose Job 7. Iob 7.13 when I say my Bed shall comfort mee and my Couch shall give mee rest then thou frightest mee with Dreames and terrifiest me with visions Enough to make one wish with David one 's owne Metamorphosis Psa 55. Quis dabit Pennas Columbinas Psal 55.6 Oh that I had wings like a Dove for then would I fly away and be at rest at rest from the distracting cares that follow this vaine worlds affaires at rest from the impetuous solicits of the flesh at rest from the importunate temptations of the Devill at rest from the refractory impieties of wicked company all which make every honest David sigh out heer Vae mihi misero Psa 120. Woe is mee Psal 120.5 that I am constrained to dwell in Meseck c. Thus is our life a tossed Arke tumultuous without sicke within and the poore soule like Noahs restlesse Dove can finde no ground to fixe on * Inquietum est cor meum donec requiescat in te Reu. 14.13 Iob. 14 2. till shee returne from whence shee flew at first and then indeed shee rests rests from her labours so saies the Spirit Revel 14. but heere hath no continuing City no City of rest Iob summes up all my particulars chap. 14. v. 2. and the totall is Man borne of a Woman is but of few daies and many troubles hee commeth up like a Flower and is cut downe he never continueth in one stay ther 's the Text in Paraphrase hath no continuing City And having thus demolished this earthly City how can wee now choose but with * Livius Metellus sacking Siracuse lament the transient vanity thereof and bewaile our strong desires
by hearkning after false Riches and therefore now are driven to our wants to these complaints Non habemus Wee infatuated our selves by listning after false Knowledge I that Tree of Knowledge bereft us of the Tree of Life taught us to know evill onely and left us doubly like the beasts that perish Psal 49.12 Psalme 49. both for infatuation and corruption like the beasts indeed for praecipitation unto death but not for the protraction of their life most of them running man out of breath if wee may beleeve the ſ Virgilii Epigr. de aetat animal Naturalists as specially I thinke in this particular the Crow nine times numbring out his age the Stagg foure times exceeding hers the Raven againe trebling his the Phoenix as long liv'd as all of them These and others sport and chant away whole centuries of yeares while man sits sighing over his poore handfull Psalme 39 5. Dies fecisti palmares meos Psal 39. Thou hast made my daies but a spanne long nay rather a short spanne Mine age is nothing unto thee saies David there to God that might say heere unto the beasts mine age is nothing unto these And yet it would favour but of learned Heathenisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to chide at Nature as some have done and call her Step-mother to man and naturall to others the u Aristot in Histor Anim. Philosopher himselfe takes of that cavill affirming one day of a life of reason above an age of non-intelligence beyond all their longaevity of senfe but Divinity turnes this seeming discontent into a comfort informing us that this life properly belongs to things of sense all its chiefe blandishments treasure or pleasure being but sensuall and no otherwise than imaginarily good x The good man envies not the bruites vivacity much good may it doe them then with the length of this life that are to have none other Non equidem invideo while nobler soules of reason and religion trampling on this hasten to a better a life among their Brother-Angels in their owne Country Heaven There to measure reall felicities no more by Time but by eternity No longer then let this bee a complaint but consolation non habemus that wee have heere no continuing City Thus having brought you acquainted with the Plainteifs as wêll as with your selves consider now their wants Transition to the second particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have not a continuing City A continuing City Wee are not heere restrained unto the Letter as spoken of materiall buildings though even in that sense also it bee true enough Mors etiam saxis obeunt Marmora Citties have their period and dissolution The litterall truth of the Text. both occasionall and naturall Some of them like goodly Troy and better Ierusalem those phoenix-Phoenix-Cities of the world in successive Ages buried in fiery Tombes rak'd in their owne Ashes Others too many of them witnesse all Germany like old Roome and Carthage sackt and demolisht by the bloody hand of Warre so that you see the Emperiall Cities of the foure great Monarchies nay those Monarchies themselves all as well as * Isai 47.1 Babylon now sit in the dust and 't was but flattery in that * Livius Historian who called Rome Eterna Civitas after so many downefalls and scarce a feather now of that proud Eagle left it was not altogether a fiction the Poets describing of old Saturne their god of Time how hee devoured his children though of stone for such they feigned hee had I am sure the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is reall and calls him Tempus edax for whatsoere Time brings forth Time destroyes This I need say no more of every languishing body every nodding structure is a demonstration and had not pious care and suddaine too prevented that publick-glory of the Mother City Saint Pauls Church had preacht a non permanentem the litterall truth of the Text but happy are they who build such Tabernacles heer that are not chid by that same Prophet Haggai Haggai 1 4. 1 Is this a time for you to dwell in seiled houses and let mine House lye waste c. Yet alas how wanton now a daies is the worlds invention for superfluous building Temples are to old fashion'd the zealous y Bernard Father may still sigh Men build as though they should continue for ever and glut as though to dye to morrow which indeed they may rather feare Isai 5.8 such a woe being denounced against them Isa 5. but to avert it imitate that ecclesiasticall Centurion Luk. 7.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost hom 2. Luk. 7. and if thou needs wilt build let Saint Chrysostome be a little thy surveighour Wouldst thou erect beauteous and splendid Edifices I forbid thee not saith hee yet found them not on earth t is but an heape of sand but situate in those calme Regions that are above the breath of danger build in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heere literally no continuing City Besides too many now a daies God knowes finde another sense to verifie the Text by reason of their tradelesse shops and fickle offices experience it a failing a discontinuing City but wee sticke not on the barke any longer Adouble synecdoche led further than the letter by a double synecdoche First Continentis pro Contento Cities heere put for the inhabitants and our want of peacefull residence shadowed under their discontinuance the Text strongly reflecting on that pilgrimage of Abraham Gen. 12. Gen. 12. City for the inhabitants Gen. 23 18. where hee is called from his owne Country and his Fathers house to divide a life between variety of strange lands and dangers so that indeed wee reade of none other setled possession that he had but Mackpelah his onely purchase a place of buriall thus it was with the Father of the Faithfull he had no continuing City Nor any thing better with the children few and evill have beene the dayes of my Pilgrimage saies old Israel Gen. Chap 49. 49. long and evill the daies of our Pilgrimage murmure the children of Israel in the wildernesse Exo. 14. That Iourney Exod 14. a true Type of the Saints way to Heaven per varios casus c. who wandred up and downe saith hee destitute and afflicted Heb. Heb. 11.37 11. Militant is the Churches name shee is an hoast upon continuall marches and removes Our habitations heere so often varied by occasions either of some losse dis-favour sicknesse or of death I need give no examples that like the traveling Common-wealth of Israel wee have rather so many-severall stations than appropriate mansions Non habemus hîc permanentem Againe Synec doche partis heere 's a Synechdoche Partis whereby this word City as the prime part and Master-peice of Earths perfection is put for the whole glory and happinesse thereof and so a City is an emblem of Strength of Unity of Rest of Safety in neither
of which respects as I le succinctly shew you have wee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere any Continuing City First Prov. 10. â—â— Psalm 60.9 t is an emblem of strength Prov. 10. The Rich mans wealth is his strong City and Psal 60. Who will lead me into the strong City This is the frequent Epithite through the holy booke strong and well fenced Cities indeed there 's the Vis Vnita the combination of most Men and Armes the Store-house of Munition Civitas cor reipub T is the heart of the body-publick A City an embleme of strength Man no continuing City the seat of most spirit and vigour deservedly may these be called strong houlds Now what a City man hath in this sense soone bee your owne Iudges walke but about it view well the Towers thereof if you can finde any how weakely is hee fenc'd about with these thinne walls of clay walls that every Ague shakes every Dropsie drownes every Feaver fires every Danger batters one Fort indeed there 's in it the heart but that so feeble as t is in a continuall trembling a palpitation not more for breath than trouble Psal 38. Psalm 38.10 watchmen too it hath eyes placed in a Tower the Head but neither foreseeing or preventing mischiefe at best exercises either dimme or drowsie The Souldiers of it the Hands oft treacherous advantaging the Enemy and by sinnes wounding his owne Bosome while in all this extremity his Carriages the Feet are unable to convey him from surprisall or keepe him from being captive to the grave so weake a City man is that even wormes doe conquer it * Plinius Nat. Hist Pliny tells us for a wonder of a City undermined by Conies but wormes triumph ore this and scarce ere glory of the victory What is it trow Philosophers call Man a little world for is it because hee hath such Earthquakes in him so many Cholicks and Palsies is it because he hath such Thundrings suddaine Noyses in his Head because such Lightnings Inflammations in his veines Hee is a little world indeed himselfe the earth and his misery the sea nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great world of weaknesses God knowes borne the most helpelesse of all creatures and lives the sport of every least distemper how seasonable here for man is Saint Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2 Cor. 11.29 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is weak and I am not weake yet put the case with David hee bee so strong hee come to eighty yeares yet is it no continuing City but a doubled misery labour and sorrow Psal 90.10 Psal 90. non habemus we have heer no continuing City no City of strength Secondly A City a figure of unity Man no continuing City Psal 122 3. a City is a figure of unity Psa 122 Ierusalem is as a City that is at unity with it selfe at unity I a City like each building of it is an aggregation of many into one the proper place of lawes and government which are the causes and maintainers of peace unity and concord But alas wee have no such City no continuing unity but rather heer continuall discord witnesse too many unquiet Families our clamorous streets and the revenging Hall indeed so deepe root hath that envious mans seed taken in the ground of humane hearts that the whole world almost would I could exempt either Church or State is become little better than a field of Tares for the first what flouds what Seas can lend us teares enough to bewayle this want of unity in matters of Religion how is the seamelesse Coat of our blessed Lord now a dayes Want of unity in the Church rent and torne by factious novelists which the bloody Souldiers themselves spared that it might prefigure his united Church how is the Spouse like her Head and Saviour crucified betweene two malefactors at one side the insulting Papist at tother the murmuring Praecisian while I speake of love I will not strait wish both cut off that trouble us but as our charitable mother-Church hath taught us pray Lord forgive our Enemies persecutors and slanderers and turne their hearts for Religion hath no such scandall as this want of union And for the Common-wealth how full of jarres and contentions â—rigida pugnahan Calidâ— Ovid. Met 1. The Elements fire and water not at such strife as men sure that Prophet spake of our times Ephraim against Manasseh Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Iuda Isai 9.21 Isai 9.21 all so captious of indignities so apprehensive of all trespasses such going to law for trivialls Histor that what was anciently said of the fryars of this Realm with a little variation may be said of the Lawyers Those liv'd of the Ignorance but these wax fat on the strife of the people ah what is become of that sinne-covering Amity the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and badge of primitive Christianity Lib. 50. Ecc. Hist as Eusebius told a Bishop of his age that askt him how he should know the Christians from the Infidels in those miscellaneous times Vide quam invicèm diligunt Christiani * O foelix hominum genus sâ—â—vestros animos amâ—r quo Coelum regitur regat Bâ—et lib. 2. con Iohn 13.35 observe but how they love each other how fast those brethren hold the bands of Amity and the same distinction gives the Bishop of our soules Heereby I know that you are my Disciples if you love one another John 13. But how are wee degenerated into Nabalisme love fled and not so much as friendship left very Heathens and Jewes had both their Amicorum paria their golden paire of friends as David and Ionathan whose soules were knit together Theseus and Perithous who durst exchange their bosomes and bee the mutuall sewers of their flowing Hearts But hard it is among Christians now to finde such Unity as the Apostle sayes I speake this to our shame Now love sits on the lips and can soone take her flight frothy Courtship Humane friendship fraile Iudas kisses Ehuds embracements are the friendships of this age or if any be more real yet are they oft leavened with inconstancy and like the leagues of warre hold but for their owne hopes and ends very Mary-golds that follow but the Sunne and cloze against the clouded Evening Now for the Cor nescium tomerare fidem that Heaven-borne spirit that dares bee faithfull in spight of all the shuffles the rude world puts on him dic musa virum that knowes not upon any urgencies to violate devoted friendship yet to keepe words is a qualification of a Saint Psal 15.4 Prov. 31.10 Psal 15. but such an one were as great a rarity as Salomons Prov. 31. nay the Text concludes it an impossibility non habemus we have here no continuing City no City of unity Thirdly A City an emblem of safety Man no continuing City a City is an Emblem of safety of safety by
of so weake an object as no continuing City But least a too long discourse heere contradict my Thesis and prove it a continuing City I passe the Plainteifs and their wants to take a glance by way of application on their place of streights the Vbi Text. where wee are so indigent and that 's Hic Heere Indeed there is a place where the woman is cloathed with the Sunne Reu. 12. and the Moone under her feet .i. where the Church and every member of it is roab'd with glory and farre above the reach of any mutability Bernard but as Saint Bernard saies surrexit non est hîc this is in the City that 's above it is not heere This place is the Moones chiefe Regiment The Vbi where we are streightned her very exchange as it were to vent all her varieties constat genitum nihil save alteration nothing continues heer Earth you see is the least of Elements and to the Heavens no more than is a single Atome to the Sunne an infinite substance then such as the soule of man is needs must bee streightned heere this little circle can never fill the hearts vast Triangle thât nothing but the Trinity vaine therfore the continuing heere This againe is the lowest and most dreggish Element the sinke of all and so Cladium Officina the shop of dangers and diseases and they both so destructive that no continuing heer statio malefida carinis T is the valley of the world Earth the valley of teares teares indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where we enter life with cryes continuing with sighes and going out with groanes This is our musicke heere heere where mirth is but apparent griefe is reall where wee eate the bread of carefulnesse Panis noster lapidosus mingling our drinke with weeping all our actions with sinning this is our diet heere heere where wee onely taste of joy but glut in sorrow we walke in happinesse but journey in calamity this is our travell heer heer where riches are but thornes honours but pinnacles and pleasures * Habet omnis hoc voluptas stimulis agit feuentes apiumque par valantum c. Boet. de Con. Dan 232. Bees that leave more sting than hony these are our treasures heer so that the world you see with all its pompe makes but up a Nebuchadnezars Image Dan. 2. though the head bee gold the breast of silver belly brasse and legges of yron yet are the feet of clay let one be honourable another rich a third beauteous a fourth nere so vigorous yet are the foundations of them all but clay and a small stone from out the sling of death does breake and liken them to dust and this the end of all things heere Now mee thinkes by this time we should be all of holy Monicas minde St. Austins pious Mother who as he tells us having thus discoursed over the frailty of the world together melted into this expression * Quantum ad me attinet nullâ re jam delector in hac vitâ Quid hîc facio lib. confess c. 10. Iob. 14 14. For mine owne part saies she I am now delighted with nothing in this world and what doe I longer heer but practise Iobs attendance So after all this colloquie of ours anatomizing the vaine world what can you finde heere worthy your affections not worthy your disdaine Quid hic facimus then what do we do heer heer in our unsatisfi'd desires our eager prosequutions treasuring for the Moath and Theefe like Spiders spending our bowels to catch Flyes Menott and as Menott saies of wily Hunters losing an Horse of price in pursuit of an Hare worth nothing heer being neither City of Strength you see nor City of Unity nor City of Rest nor City of Safety no continuing City what doe wee then heere Ixion Alexanders question grasping of a Cloud for Iuno T was a question once debated in the Court of Alexander what was the greatest thing in the world and having many about him of all Sciences a Geographer answers him the Mount Olympus that hill indeed being so vast and high as frequently is took for Heaven it selfe an Astronomer hee answered t was the Sun that world of light so * The Sun bigger than the earth 166. times according to Eustach and others Luk. 14 33. many times bigger than the earth a Parasite tells him his own victory but an honest Moralist that stood by affirmed the greatest thing in the world to be an heart that could contemne the greatest well said Philosopher answered as though he had heard Christ himselfe preach on that fourteenth of Luke Quicunque non reliquerit omnia who so forsakes not all in competition 〈◊〉 mee is not worthy of mee nor of Heaven a paire of imitable examples one of them a Heathen and shall Christians come behind such in contemning of the world and greatest things of it then let us even change names with them but let our soules aspire with Monica's that glory of 〈◊〉 sex and coppy of the other Quid hic facio what doe wee doe heer like Davia thirst for better waters Psal 42. Psal 42.1 and yet as t was with Monica unum erat c. one thing there was that made that female Saint desire a little longer continuance heer sc her sonnes conversion and to see him baptized a Christian So one thing must our soule desire of God that wee may live to see that christened baptized in the teares of penitence and then quid hic facio away to our continuing City what doe such Eagles heer when as their Carkeise is in Heaven indeed what doe wee so long looking on this Terrene-globe whose Zones are all intemperate freezing charity or scorching envy avaritious drought or riotous profusenesse whose paralels are equall cares and feares whose Circumference is vanity and Center is corruption Respicite jam Coeli Spatium definite aliquando vilia mirari Boet. l. 2. Con. Hearke how the Philosopher calls us off behold now the beauteous frame of Heaven and desist at length to admire base earthly things Transitus in 2. gen let the bodies figure be the soules tutour and a sursum oculi teach sursum corda an elevated eye an upright heart the heart to seeke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Continuing City the eye to looke for one to come and that 's the second Generall the Coelestiall Sphoere of this same Christian-Map Wee looke for one to come And here the Christian and the Heathen Part Who haue all this while gone along together in the Non habemus They likewise vndauntedly apprehending their mortality and such as dare to hasten it Mors malorum remedium miseriarum finis Cicero Vitae prodigiosè prodigi desperate vnthrifts of their Blood onely to period their Miseries yet some of Them in generall Notions dreamt of the Soules Immortality huc Ethnici saies Lorinus In locum thus farre shined the dim
Boetius T is better to have beene afflicted Iob. 5.17 adverse fortune more profits man than smiling starres and Iob as well as David had experienc'd it Blessed is the man saith hee the man what man thinke you the man that 's clad in purple and fares deliciously every day no that 's not hee is' t the man whom the King will honour with the Ring and Steed and royall Roabe t is not he neither what then is' t the man that hath caught this world in a purs-net and by th'omnipotence of his gold commands al the felicities that grow in Salomons walk sub Sole under the Sun no none of these but beatus a Domino castigatus blessed is the man whom God correcteth To this purpose St. S. Austins dialogue in Soliloq Austin feignes a conference twixt God and himselfe God personating a Merchant and himselfe a chapman Vaenale habeo saies God I have merchandise to sell Quid est what is it saies the holy Father wy Regnum Coelorum saies God the Kingdome of Heaven quo emitur saies Saint Austin what 's the price on t Paupertate Regnum afflictione Requies Ignominiâ Gloria For poverty saies God the richest Kingdome for momentany affliction eternall rest and for reproach a Crowne of Glory since then our light affliction which is but for a moment bringeth us a more excellent eternal weight of glory Rom. 8.18 Rom. 8. Let us not refuse the chastning of the Lord but when he sends it patiently suffer evill and thus you have the duty Seeke Seeke by doing good doe good by Charity and Prayer and Seeke by suffering evill and suffer by abstaining all intemperance and sustaining all afflictions so run and you shall obtaine thus seeke and you shall finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the continuing City that wee looke for And t is an obiect worthy all this paines our best deservings undeserving it take but a glimpse on 't 1 Cor. 13.12 The obiect of our search for we can no more heer we see as in a glasse but darkely 1 Cor. 13. Consider the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abstractly as a City then as a concrete One to come First you see t is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a City not a Wildernesse as is this world where we are all in Pilgrimage to the Sepulcher and behold heer a most exact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'twixt this same and the former City The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this City and the former the worldly one's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 built but of clay and stubble the worke of mens hands and those that make them are like unto them of a facile dissolution but this coelestiall City is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made by Him who made the hands whose Archtectour is the Almighty these buildings therefore are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 14.2 2 Cor. 5.1 Ioh. 14. the abiding mansions whereas those earthly ones are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. but Gourds but fleeting Tabernacles you remember tother was a City of Negatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither of Strength nor Unity Rest nor Safety this of all good affirmatives wherein are all Those fixt as in their proper Sphere 1. T is a City of Strength aske St. Iohn else Reu. A City of Strength Reu. 121. 21. the foundation all of Gold the walls of Adamant and its twelve Gates of Pearle materialls of the strongest Psal 103 20. yet guarded with innumerable Angels that excell in strength Psal 103. garrisond with an Army of Martyrs and govern'd by the Lord of hoasts indeed there can want no Strength where dwells omnipotence heer then were that an opportune desire quis deducet me in Civitatem munitam Psal 60.9 who will lead me into this strong city that the Text wil if thou follow it This too is a City of Unity A City of Vnity Charitas virtus viae patriae the King of Salem's dwelling house those Starres are the embroyderies of Peaces Coate and the gay-beames of Sun and Moone but the bright smiles of Loue Tryumphant Coelum charitatis patria Heaven is the place where shee was bred Faith and Hope are low borne virtues to her 1 Cor. 13. 1 Cor. 13.8 heere they begin and heere they end But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this greater grace of love unity a stray indeed on earth take up their eternall rest in Heaven nay there were no Heaven without it Concord heer ever flowes and knowes no ebbe springing from the undivided Trinity unto the goodly fellowship of the Prophets and communion of all Saints quibus lux eadem Cantio unica who shining all with the same light of glory breath all the same incessant Halilujahs None envying others happinesse vessells all full though of their severall cises None know either want or emulation This Ierusalem is the City at unity with it selfe Psalm 122.3 A City of Safety Psal 122. Thirdly t is a City of Safety you see strengthned beyond all opposition seated above short-armed danger Altissima venti non perflant no angry storme can shake the Cedars of this Libanus or blast the Ascenders of this holy Mountaine heer only may wee cry Peace peace all safety dwelling heer no enemies being left to interrupt it Sinne and Sorrow hell and the grave all conquerd conculcata pedibus 1 Cor. 15.27 by him who hath subdued al things yet were the world let loose against them Christs little flocke need feare no ill they are in such an hand Iohn 10.28 as who shall take them from him Joh. 10. Etiamsi fractus illabatur orbis Impavidos ferient ruinae Let the world totter into its first Chaos ruine should threaten them in vaine whom God makes dwell in safety Psalm 4.8 Psalm 4. This Canaan's full of secure Vines and Fig-trees the Prophet Zachary means this City sure when he saies Men shal dwell in it and there shall be no more destruction but Ierusalem shall be safely inhabited Zech. 14.11 A City of Rest Zech. 14.11 Lastly all these speake Heaven a City of rest where there is such Strength and Love and Safety needs must there be true security I heaven is the Center of soules as is the Earth of bodies and onely there they rest there indeed being contentation adequate to the Soules capacity no further search no more desire wheras heer one * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacri cordis humani figura quae sibi mutuo solùm sufficiant Psal 107 9. corner of the heart or other still is empty â—ulcimentum innitenti plenitudinem continenti sufficientiam Possidenti coelum praebet Heaven satisfieth the hungriest soule with goodnesse Psal 107. And yet this heavenly rest is not to bee taken as some impious Spirits only privatively as a totall cessation from all sacred businesse for in that
sense Saints have no rest in Heaven never ceasing to fall down before the Throne saith S. Ren. 4.8 Iohn never silencing their sacred anthems to the King of glory but as Philosophy saies of the Spheres sc motus iste eorvm quies This holy motion is their endlesse rest respect of al molest and wonted troubles which this world showres on them heer are they said to rest Reu. 13.14 and so saies the Spirit Reu. 13. they rest from their labours And now could but divine contemplation transport you with Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12 2. but snatch your soules awhile from out their earthly Tenements elevate them to the heaven wee speake of what glorious objects not to be revealed should you there behold there should you see felicity walke hand in hand with eternity and what this world can never shew you glory attended on by safety Serenitas sine nube Saintas sine infirmitate August de Civitat Dei iucunditas sine moerore pulchritudo sine deformitate Sapientia sine errore vita sine morte Ther 's light never clouded health never weakened pleasure unmixed with griefe or beauty with deformity a Moone with out her spots wisdome acquainted with no errour and life beyond the reach of death Deum sine fine videbimus sine fastidio amabimus sine defatigatione laudabimus as that Father sweetly warbles there shal you see th' Eternal eternally One whom all shall love without saciety and unwearied praise him continually there likewise should your eares w th equal happines baÌ„quet themselves on the true coelestial melody sweeter than that feigned of the Sphaeres sc of Halilujah-singing Saints Angels there should you find coÌ„cursuÌ„ omniuÌ„ bonoruÌ„ as t were an happy Marriage a conflux of all the Goods united so that ther 's nothing absent that you could wish present nor any thing present that you could wish absent Psal 87.3 heer then with David wee may lye down in wonder quam gloriosa de te dicta sunt what glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God! and yet like as to Sheba's Queene not the one halfe can be told you c. But yet this happines is too much for the present brevior voluptas in this life pleasure is the shorter Twinne Christiani Messis in Herba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore as an exercise of our hope and patience t is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee looke for one to come you see the industrious Husbandman reaps not presently but with a costly confidence many dayes weekes and moneths waites at expectation's gate Iam 5. so must wee saies Saint Iames looke for this precious seed and have long patience for it delay whets our desires and multiplieth our estimation yet may not violate the rule of patience Cicero de conso or anticipate the call of Nature like him that reading Plato's Booke of the soules immortality made himself away to hasten to it but such make more haste than good speed Christians must wrap up Davids sitio and Saint Pauls cupio in Iobs expectabo Iob. 14.14 all the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait till my change commeth and take the Apostles word for 't in due time wee shall reap if wee faint not Gal. 6 9. Gal. 6. The Mariner too that man of hopes the watery-ploughman you see endures his voyage ere he gaines his fraight yet Patience for the most part somewhat he receives before hand but his compleated payment not till hee makes his utter Porte So likewise in our passage to the true Elizium wee patiently must cut through winds and waves not looking for our entire wages till our course be finished yet in meane time 2 Cor. 1.22 wee are not without that Arra Spiritus 2 Cor. 1. the carnest of our hopes the co-assurance of Gods Spirit with ours I we have heere Heaven in the blossome the fruit not till hereafter heer the harmonious feast of a good conscience which is heaven inchoate but for the consummation futuram inquirimus wee looke for that to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innuit certitudinem durationem This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one to come intimates heere certitudinem durationem both the certainty and duration of this supernaturall City the certainty quia habet rationem promissi because it beares the force of a promise and so it is Heb. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for God hath prepared them a City Heb. 11.16 the Saints then sure enough shall have it since Hee hath prepared it all whose promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 1 20. Psalme 89.3 The certainty of this City And if his word were not enough wee have his oath Juratus sum per sanctitatem I have sworne by my holinesse saith hee that I will not faile David for ever Psal 89. Et vae si Deo juranti non credamus woe bee to our infidelity if wee beleeve not the oath which hee sware in the house of his servant David that hee would give us c. indeed with faithlesse man what is to come may still be so but promise-keeping is Gods attribute David describes him by it Psa 77. that keepeth his promise for ever Psalme 77.8 His performance and his promise differ not in essence 1 Cor. 15.58 if in time and therefore as St. Paul exhorts 1 Cor. 15. Brethren bee yee steadfast and unmoveable your Hope being not in vaine in the Lord we look for one to come and that shall come wee looke for I and not onely come but ever shall continue Futuram speakes the permanence that while t is present The duration of it perpetual it shall bee still to come This Future knowes not any preter-perfect-tense yeares eating up dayes ages swallowing yeares time losing his prius and posterius nere so much past yet nere the lesse to come not like our poore joyes heere fluunt praeterfluunt no sooner flowâ—d to us almost but ebbing from us but a continuing City stord with fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psalm 16.11 Psalm 16. evermore more perennious than the glyding streame or constant Sunne I the Sunne may bee one day darkened and the Moone pay home her borrowed light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fixed Starres may become Planets and wander headlong from their Spheres whole Nature may so forget her office that heaven and earth may passe away at hae manebunt in aeternum but these pleasures like the right hand they wait on remaine for evermore and this is our expected City whose inhabitants you le say by better title than they of Tarsus may bee called Cittizens of no meane City Act. 21 39. Act. 21. This is the Coelestiall Sphere whose Zodiack is felicity whose Constellations are degrees of glory whose Poles Joy and Eternity And now you have the paire of Christian Globes the Map of both worlds spread before you that