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A13284
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A spirituall posie for Zion. Or Two decades of observations, theologicall and philosophicall. By Archibald Symmer, preacher of Gods word at Great-Oakley in Northhampton-shire
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Symmer, Archibald.
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1629
(1629)
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STC 23588; ESTC S118075
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30,896
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50
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which is Sempiternall Iehova that Iustitia Archâ—typa Polan Syatag and created Instioa Ectypa which is twofold Legall and Evangelicall Legall is twofold Vniversall and Particular Vniversall is twofold Philosophicall and Christian The best Philosophicall Righteousnesse and the most plausible workes of moralitse are but splendida peccata glistering sinnes gilded abominations as the Iustice of Aristides the wisedome of Xenophon the Muse of Athens the rare Loyalty and admirable fidelitie of Attilius Regulus for they were not of faith Rom. 14.23 But Christian Righteousnesse though imperfect is pleasing to God through Christ of whom we are made Christians Particular lustice is twofold Commutative and distributive Commutative Iustice is that Common Equity which should be practised in our civill Commerce and Humane Conversation Iustinian whereof Iustinian noteth ten particulars as the Observation of right in traffique of reason in Contracts and of equalitie in exchanging of one thing for another c. By distributive Iustice the Magistrate assigneth unto every one his fit order and function in the Republique Gal. 3.11 All these species of Righteousnesse are not able to justifie a sinner in the sight of God For when wee have done all those things which are commanded us we must confesse we are unprofitable servants for wee have done but that which was our duty to doe And if thou Psal 130.3.4 shouldest straitlie marke what is done amisse who could stand before thee But Lord there is mercie with thee that thou mayest be feared Wherefore wee flie to the shelter of the Lords soveraigne bounty to the supreame Sanctuarie of that Evangelicall Iustice the Immortall Merits of the Sonne of God Phil. 3.9 even that Righteousnesse which is through the faith of Christ whereby we are Iustified Gal. 6.14.15.16 God forbid then that we should glorie save in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them mercie upon the Israel of God Fl. 6. OF HVMILITIE CLementia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paser Prov. 15.33 Iam. 4.6 Meekenesse is the glory of the minde the grace of the whole man and harbinger of his honour For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Iehova talked with Elijah 1. King 12.13 neither out of the blustering winde nor out of the boysterous carth-quake nor out of the furious fire but the still and soft voyce spake unto him so with those that Chamoeleon-like are puffed up with the winde of pride and with the Salamander liue in the fire of contention the God of peace will not dwell 2. Cor. 13.11 Isa 57.15 but ontly with the contrite humble peaceable Spirit When the men of Ephraim murmured against Gidcon because he did not call them when hee went to fight with the Midianites he answered Iudg. 8.1.2.3 What have I done now in comparisn of your Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better then the Vintage of Abiezer Your last act which have slaine two princes Ored and Zeeb is more famous then my whole enterprise and so by Humilitie he appeased them Iudge 8. Agathocles King of Sicilia garnished his palace with earthen Vessels in memorie that he was but a potters sonne and so by his Humilitie he embroydered the basenesse of his birth Humble thy selfe therefore under the mightie hand of God 1 Pet. 5.6 that in due time he may exalt thee For thou seest no just cause of Arrogancy in why selfe Vnde superbit homo cujus conceptio culpa est Text. Nasci poena labor vita necesse mori Let Christ be thine Examplar and his lowlinesse thine Exemplum or Patterne who washed the Disciples seet Learne of him to be meeke and lowly in heart and thou shalt finde rest unto thy soule Fl. 7. OF THE PEACE OF CONSCIENCE SPeciosum nomen Pacis saith Hilarie beautifull is the name of Peace where of there be foure sorts Ioh. 13.52 Matth. 11 29 2 Cor. 13.116 Externall Internall Suprnall Eternall Externall Peace is the Civile Quiet of association and is injoyned Rom. 12.18 Supernall Peace is that Ioyfull Liberty of Reconciliation whereby we are reconciled and made at one with our God againe and is menâ—â—oned Isa 40.1 Eternall Peace is that Perfect case and rest of Glerification is cemmended 1. Cor. 2.5 Apoâ— 21.4 Internall peace is that unspeakable tranquilitie of mande 〈◊〉 passeth all naturall understaÌ„nding Prov. 15.15 which the peaceable King calleth a continuall seast c. 18.14 Iob. 1.21.13.15 and 19.25 which will Lastaine all the infinacies of the body This made Iob a triumphant conquerer over all his crosses and by the power of this Inward Victorie the Righteous can rejoyce even in Phalaris Bull. But a wounded Spirit who can beare it The paine of the body is but the body of paine but the sorrow of the Sould is the Soule of sorrow When the heart * Primum viwens et ulti num morieas which is the fountaine of Life faileth then death prevaileth so when the Conscience is appaled Infirmitie conquereth tlibulation hath the vpper-hand over the whole man This soule of sorrow and quinâ—essence of paine selt Nero whiles as Suctonius writeth the Internall suries scourged his naked COnscience for the monstious murther of his mothr Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautuns Happie are they whom this Miscreants miserie can perswade to seeke for mercy 1 Cor. 1.12 In all things with the Blessed Apostle to keepe a good Conseience Hic murus akeneus esto Nil conscire sili Prov. 28.11 nâ—llâ— pallesâ—ere culpa So while the wicked flie when none pursueth we shall be bold as a Lion Fl. 8. Of SPIRITVALL IOY THY Thone O God is an everlasting Throne The scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnes thou lovest righteousnesse Ps 45.6 7. and hatest iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes above thy fellowes 1 Ioh 2.27 v. 20. This same Anoynting Balme of Ioy which the faithfull have received of that Holy One abideth in theÌ„ how theÌ„ can they chuse but evermore rejoice for this unction teacheth them of all things 1. Thes 5.16 Rom. 8.15 16 17. v. 28. that they are the redeemed of the Lord and Adopted sonnes of the Father that they are helies of God and joint-heires with Christ so that all things worke together for their true and ever lasting Happinesse Onely these are the men that have true cause of solid gladnesse for the joy of the wieked is but superficiall like the noyse of thornes under a pot for even in the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowfull Wherefore as the Persians became Iewes that they might be participant of the light and gladnesse of the Iews so let Atheists become Christians Ester 8.17 Rom. 14.17 that they may be partakers of the joy and honour of Christians For all true peace and joy proceedeth of the holy Ghost Fl. 9. Of THE RESVRRECTION OF THE IVAT BEhold the noble practise honourable condition and invicible hope of the Righteous They set the Lord dwaies before their faces Ps 16.8 9 10. because he is at their right hand they shal not be moved therefore their hearts are glad and their tongues rejoyce their flesh also shall rest in hope for the Father hath not left the soule of his Sonne Christ their head in hell neither did he suffer that his Holy One to see corruption but now is Christ risen from the dead 1 Cor. 15. Col. 3.4 and become the first fruits of them that sleepe and when Christ who is their life shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glory This will the boundlesse power of Iohova persorme for if weake simple man can make of the dust of the earth the carious glasse then can the Omnipotent Wise God reforme our corruptible bodies out of the dust 1 Cor. 15.19 v. 57. This will his mindefull mercy also bring to passe for here our Ioyes are deferred untill that day for if in this life onely we have hope in Christ wee are of all men most miserable Therefore be we stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as yee know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. So Apoc. 22.20 Come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen Fl. 10. Of ETERNALL LIFE IN the Kingdome of Glory saith Cassiodorus there is no crosse In Psal 6. no calamitie never maÌ„ failed on the raging sea of this turbulent world in so great a calme that sometime hath not bin tossed too fro w th the tempestuous wind of adversity and Euroclidon of calamitie but there is sinus maris and sinus matris the haven of endlesse rest This is that Arabia foelix that aboundeth in the spirituall plentie of all delectations So great is that glory that the Scripture describeth it in allegoricall and sigurative phrases as Apoc. c. 21. 22. As we account this world a better mansion then the wombe so shall we account the world to come a better dwelling place then this valley of teares even as they that stand on the top of the Alpes judgè the Cities of Campania to be but low cottages The refore as the watch of a Diall touched with the Calamite moveth alwayes and trembleth till it be turned toward the Pole-Articke so we must never rest but walke continually from strength to strength till every one of us appeare before the Lord our God in Zion Amen FINIS Laus Christonescia Finis
naturall Period and there is a period of divine Prescience If a man reach to his naturall Period Titelman Nat. Philos lib. 8. c. 20. 21. then the dayes of his yeeres saith Moses Psal 90.10 are but threescore yeeres and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourescore yeeres yet is his strength then but Labour and sorrow An aged man is but a mooving Anatomie or a Living mortuarie But scarcely doth one of a thousand reach vnto this end yea of Gods owne Inheritance according to the vulgar Position Optimi quique minimè diurnant Camb. Brit. but they finish their dayes at the terme of Divine prescience which they cannot passe Lachesis is weary of spinning the difficult threed of our sinfull life By our rioting and drunkennesse chambering and wantonnesse strife and envying Fatall Atropos is enforced as it were to cut it This is our misery let us be warned of it but it is the Lord that must deliver us from it and teach vs to number our dayes Psal 90 1â— that wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome So shall the truth of the Gymnosophists Motto appeare in us The day of death is the Birth-day of vertuous soules Fl. 3. Of the SOVLES Immortalitie IN all things naturall there is one thing or other which is the spoile of it as is the canker to the Rose the worme to the Apple and the Caterpiller to the lease but the soule of man not being compounded of Physicall principley is not subject to the dissolution of the same Eccles 12.6 7. When the silver coard is lengthened and the Golden ewer and the pitcher broken at the well and the wheele at the crikeme and dust returneth to the earth as it was then the â—pirit returneth to God that gaue it Plato doth frequently ternie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. of kinne unto God and conseqaenely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. everlasting and of one selfe same nature with the immortall ones And that which Virgil writeth in his second Eclog. concerning the Drug or Spice of Assytia and the growing thereof every where Assyrium vulgò nascetur Amonum it is interpreted of some men to be meant of the Immortalitie of the Soule whereof Phocylides speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Soule of man Immortall is and never weares away With any age or length of time but liveth fresh foray Damnable then is that Atheisticall Tenent of Plinie the Naturalist that The Soule is subject to Mortality And desperate was that dying speech of Pope Paul the third Now at length I shall trie three things whereof I haue much doubted all my Life 1. Whether there bee a God 2. Whether there be any hell 3. Whether Soules be immortall O thrice-barbarous stupiditie and monstrous Incredulitie More tollerable was poore Cleombrotus that beleeved Platoes report concerning the Soules Immortalitie Thus Immortall is the Spirit and Immortall is its condition O then aspire wee unto that onely proper and blessed Immortalitie in the Bosome of the Immortall God blessed for ever Mat. 6.20 Let vs lay vp treasures for our selves in heaven where neither the moth nor canker corrupteth and where theeves neither dig through nor steals Vt corpus redimas quicqnam toler are negabis At pretium pars hac corpore majus habet For our backes wee provide Luxurious apparell for our bellies delicious dainties and for our beastes hay and provender Are not our soules much better then these Luke 10.40 Chuse therefore with Marie the better part for this better part which shall never be taken from vs. Fl. 4. Of KNOVVLEDGE LIse without Leaâ—ning saith Cato is like the Image of death Hominis mens discendo alitar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. A Lord without Letters is as a trce without fruits a day without Sunne and a night without Moone or starres For this cause Literature hath beene of great value and esteeme from time to time even among Ethnickes The Athenians chose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee the Patron of their Citie and preferted Minerva because of her knowledge to Neptune for they knew there could be no greater glorie then to have a Learned Patron therefore they preferred her peaceable Olive to his martiall sword and her dragon to his Triton and that in wisedome for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No riches so noble as divine Instruction It is recorded of Philip King of Maecedony that he rejoyced notso much because Alexander was borne vnto him as that he was borne in the dayes of Aristotle Alexander the Great for of his father hee received but his simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of his Maister his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his happy Philosophicall Beeing by the meanes whereof he spared Aristotles Natiue Citie And when he found among the spoyle taken from Darius the Kings Casket of Persumes he made of it a Case for Homers Iliades Pindarus for his Learning was spared and with his whole family escaped destruction Ptolemeus Philadelphus notwithstanding he had already made a great Librarie containing 50000. bookes yet he rested not contented therewith till he procured the Septuagints Translation which with him was of highest value So. doe all they love the joyous beames of knowledge 2 Cor 4.6 Gen. 1.3 in whose hearts God that coÌ„manded the light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined to gine the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ For an Ignorant man as the Grecians say seeth nothing although he have eyes Now Ignorance is twofold Positive and negative The first is wilfull and damnable blindnesse the second againe is twofold including either negationem infinitantem simply denying knowledge or any aptitude to Learning as in native sooles and beastes Pravae dispolstionis et purae negationis or negationem Privantem which is subdivided into Irrationalem rationalem Irrationalis is brutish Ignorance such as was in vs and is in our Children being first borne and it is called by Iunius Ignorantia miserabilis Rationalis Ignorantia is that whereby a man may be ignorant of many things the knowledge whereof is not expedient for him For although we ought to labour for knowledge yet must it be with diserâ—tion which Plinie wanted in searching to know by reason why the hill Vesuvius burned so as it did wherefore he reaped the due guerdon of vntimely death But what the Naâ—malist wanted the Psalmist had Lord my heart is not haughty Psal 131.1 nor mine eyes losty neither doe Lexercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me But of those things we are bound to know the voluntaire rebellious Ignorance condemneth Let vs therefore first be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desirâ—us of knowledge and then we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 learned indeed yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even taught of God Fl. 5. Of RIGHTEOVSNES IVstice in generall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Conformitie with the Law of God and it is twofold uncreated