continued until hee undertooke the Propheticall and Sacerdotall functions From which Towne he received this Title to be called Nazarenus Iesus of Nazareth This then is a Title given unto Iesus taken from the Towne or Village where the Angell Gabriel brought the message unto Mary and where Christ dwelt after his returne from Egypt and not from the order and Votary of Nazarites as some doe vainely imagine Neither is this Title without a Mystery For this word Nazarenus signifies three things Sanctified Separated and a Flower In all which sences Iesus may be truely tearmed Nazarenus First hee was sanctified not imperfectly and in part but perfectly and in whole And this was not by any external meanes after his Birth but onely by the Holy Ghost in his conception And therefore he was sanctified in utero in the wombe and ex utero Out of the wombe Hee was sanctified in the wombe the which Sanctification hath two parts First the stoppage in the propagation of Originall sin and of the guilt of Adams transgression which because Christ was from Adam as from a Root and not by Adam as by a Father is not derived unto him For man is originally sinfull not because of his substance but because of his Generation proceeding from a sinfull man For God at the beginning set downe this Order that what evill Adam had brought upon himselfe he should derive the same to every one of his posterity begotten by man Therefore when any Father begets a Child he conveyes into it besides humane nature the corruption of humane Nature Christ therefore for the preventing of this was not begotten by Man but conceived modo ineffabili by the Holy Ghost That so hee might take the substance of the Virgin without the corruption of that substance The second part of this Sanctification which is ex utero Out of the wombe is the perfect endowing of the Manhood of Christ with all purenesse and holinesse to make him a meete Mediatour Hee was sanctified out of the wombe for his whole Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth Ioh. 1.14 Full of Grace in his works full of Truth in his words Holy in his Birth holy in his Life and holy in his Death Secondly as he was Nazarenus sanctified so is he Nazarenus separated He was that Scape-goat seperated from his fellows to make an Attonement for the sinnes of the World Lev. 16.10 He was seperated from his Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon him the forme of a Servant Phil. 2.7 Phil. 2.7 He was separated from his owne Nation when he fled into Egypt for feare of Herod He was separated from his Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe his Fathers Will Hee was separated from his Disciples when he was hanging upon the Crosse Hee was separated from the Living when he dyed for our Redemption Hee was separated from the World when hee ascended into Heaven And thus was Iesus tearmed Nazarenus that is Separated Thirdly Iesus is Nazarenus That is Flos or floridus A Flower or flourishing for so is is hee called Esay 11. There shall come a Rod out of the stemme of Jesse and a branch or as the Vulgar Translation hath it Flos de radice ejus ascendet A Flower shall grow out of his roote Christ is more specially called Nazarenus a flower because as Protagoras observes Flowers Solem habent in Coelo Patrem Solum in terra Matrem That is Flowers have the Sunne in the Heavens for their Father and the soyle on the earth for their Mother So Iesus the Flower out of Iesse had in Heaven a Father without a Mother according to his God-head And in Earth a Mother without a Father according to his Manhood As he was God not differing from the Father but semper apud Patrem semper cum Patre temper de Patre semper in Patre Alwayes by the Father alwayes with the Father alwayes of the Father and alwayes in the Father Even so as he was Man he was Homo de homine propter hominem secundum hominem super hominem He was Man of Mankind according to his substance Man for mankind in regard of our Redemptihis Man according to mankind in regard of his Nature Man above mankind in regard of his Holinesse Sine quo Pater nunquam fuit sine quo Mater nunquam fuisset Without whom the Father never was and without whom the Mother never had beene Iesus is called here Nazarenus a Flower First because of the sweetnesse that is in him Secondly because of the sweetnesse he is to us That sweetnesse which is in him is expressed two wayes First in the sweetnesse of his Vertues manifested in his holy conversation wherein hee was a sweete-smelling Flower for imitation Secondly he was a sweet smelling Flower in his Passion when hee offered himselfe to God a Sacrifice of a sweete smelling savour for our Reconciliation Eph. 5.2 Eph. 5.2 Lastly he is the hope of that eternall sweetnesse which we shal enjoy hereafter in the Kingdome of Heaven For Dedit Humanitatem in terra praetium nostrae Redemptionis sed servat Divinitatem in Coelo praemium nostrae glorificationis Hee gave his Humanity upon the Earth the price of our Redemption but doth reserve his Deity in Heaven the reward of our glorification There are five principall Flowers in use with us Our Saviour is coÌ„pared unto five sorts of Flowers whereunto this our Nazarenus this our Iesus may bee fitly compared The Violet The Violet the Lilly the Saffron the Rose and the Marygold The Violet you know is little in quantity low in growth not raised farre from the earth signifying hereby the Humility of our Nazarenus the Lowlinesse of our Redeemer The which Humility of Christ was manifested in three particulars Nascendo In his Birth Vivendo In his life Morienâ—o In his death In his Birth he was humble For being the Creator of all things be disdained not to become a Creature Factor terrae factus in terra Creator Coeli creatus sub Coelo St. Aug. saith St. August Hee that made the Earth was borne upon the Earth Hee that created the Heavens was made under the Heavens He chose not to be the Son of some Great Empresse but of Mary a poore Virgin in Israel Hee was not borne in a Princely Palace but in a Stable not layd in a curious costly Cradle but in a silly Cratch Not attended on by Knights Potentates but by Oxen and Asses and such like creatures Such was our Saviours Humility in his birth In his Life He was content to worke at the Trade of his supposed Father Ioseph not affecting Lands Houses nor possessions For the Foxes had holes the Birds of the Ayre had nests but the Son of Man had not where to lay his Head Not abounding in worldly Treasure for the Fish of the Sea must pay Tribute unto Caesar Not ambitiously aspiring unto Rule and Government for when the people would have made
Judgement giving Praemium Paenam Punishment and Reward the recompense of Reward to a faithfull subject and the paine of Damnation to trayterous rebells For he is a just Judge whom neyther bribes can allure nor gifts entice nor threats can alter from doing right Oh then seeke this Iesus seeke this Nazarenus seeke this King of Iewes Seeke him for thy Lord and hee will finde thee for his inheritance install him for thy King and he will enfranchise thee for his subject admit him for thy Governour and hee will admit thee to glory and immortality For his Kingdome is not of this world below but of the world above as was typified by placing this Title above his Head not under his Feete Oh then deare Christian come out of the world and out of this dangerous and dreadfull security of the Flesh Whatsoever seemes glorious to the eye odoriferous to the smell harmonious to the eare delicate to the taste and soft to the touch O forsake them all to follow Christ Awake oh thou Soule that sleepest for the Lord is come Hee is come with Salvation he is come with Vertue hee is come with Glory For Iesus commeth not without Salvation nor Nazarenus without Vertue nor The King of the Iewes without Glory Bee of good comfort thou lost sheepe Iesus is come to seeke and to save that which was lost Bee of good comfort thou lamenting sinner Nazarenus is come to decke thee with ornaments of Grace Be of good comfort thou that aspirest to true Honour for The King of the Iewes will make thee partaker of his Kingdome If thou seeke this King of the Iewes thou must seeke him with Humility for hee was Humility it selfe Hee insteed of a Crowne of Gold was content for thy sake with a Crowne of Thornes for Regall attire with a Purple garment yea goary wounds for a Kingly Scepter a Reede in his hand for a Throne the Crosse for joyfull Acclamations blasphemous Exclamations for delicate dainties Vineger and Gall Oh seeke him then in Humility for pride ascendeth not with the King of Humility nor malice with the God of Mercy nor Lust with a Virgin-sonne of a Virgin-mother nor wickednesse with the Just one And if thou bee a subject of this Kingdome bee not like the Swine Qui Rosas projiciunt ut lutum quaerant Who reject the sweet Rose to accept the stinking mire Oh never conforme thy selfe to this world bee not of that durty generation but since thy King and Saviour is in Heaven let thy conversation be in Heaven also let the World and her brave vanities goe which way they will bee thou as Anselme sayes sweetly Corpore ambulans in Terra sed corde habitans in Coelo One that walkes on Earth with thy Body but dwellest in Heaven with thy Heart Get out from thine owne Countrey the World from thine owne Kinred the Flesh and from thy Fathers House the family of Satan unto the Land which the Lord hath shewen thee even that Kingdome which the King of the Iewes hath prepared for thee where thou shalt behold Pulchrum Senatum pulchrum Regnum Regem pulcherrimum A glorious Assembly of Saints a glorious Kingdome but a King most glorious where wee shall shine in Glory and Brightnesse with Albes of Innocency on our backes Palmes of Victory in our Hands Crownes of Glory on our Heads and Songs of Tryumph in our Mouthes then shall wee enter into Sanctum Sanctorum Into the Holy of Holies there shall wee celebrate Sabbatum Sabbatorum The Sabbath of Sabbaths Then shall wee sing Canticum Canticorum The Song of Songs which none can learne but those that are redeemed from the Earth Then shall we give eternall Honour Glory and Praise to him that was is and ever shall bee Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Laus Deo The Authors Prayer to Iesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes collected out of the fore-going Discourse Jesus O Thou Sonne of God and sweete Saviour of the World Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus Thou art made unto us of God Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wisedome by thy Word preached Righteousnesse by our sinnes pardoned Sanctification by thy grace infused and Redemption by thy paines sustained Have mercy upon us miserable sinners Oh our blessed Saviour who hast borne our sorrows shed our teares suffered our disgrace sustained our punishment and payd our debt inspire us with thy Holy Spirit that though the Iewes Turkes and Infidels revile thee wee may still honour thee though they blaspheme thy Name Iesus we may adore it though they persecute it we may make it our refuge For thy Name ô Iesus is a strong Tower the righteous flye unto it and are secured Though Iewes Turkes and Heathen disdaine thy Name yet give us Grace that we may estimate it to be a precious Oyntment powred out though they vilifie it let us sweet Iesu still glory in it for with the Lord there is Justice but with thee Oh Saviour there is plenteous Redemption Oh Lord what Pilate deem'd to be thy shame prooves to be thy glory he writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom he could not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet will we ever acknowledge Iesus to be thy Name and Iesus is thy Nature Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this Name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death was honoured What thou brought'st into the world by the Angels Direction thou carriedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription To thee therefore I say once more and will never cease saying and praying Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus O good Iesu be thou to me a Saviour Nazarenus sanctified OH Holy Nazarenus who wast sanctified in the wombe and out of the wombe whose Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth full of Grace in thy Workes full of Truth in thy Words holy in thy Birth holy in thy Life and holy in thy Death vouchsafe to looke upon us miserable sinners who were conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity Sanctifie us with thy holy Spirit that from thee wee may derive such holinesse of life and conversation that all our thoughts words and workes being through thy Grace sanctified may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee who hast commanded us to be holy as thou art holy Nazarenus separated O Loving Nazarenus thou who wert that Scape-goate separated from thy fellows to make an attonement for the sins of the world thou that wast separated from thy Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon thee the forme of a Servant thou that wast separated from thine owne Nation when thou fleddest into Egypt for feare of Herod thou that wast separated from thy Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe thy Fathers Will thou that wast separated from thy Disciples when thou hungst upon the Crosse thou that wast separated from the living when thou dyedst for our Redemption thou that wast separated from the World when thou ascendedst into Heaven vouchsafe to
of Sceva Act. 19.14 found this to be true by their owne deare experience for they could not adjure the evill spirit though they used the name of Iesus whom Paul preached And as they ascribe too much to the Name so they ascribe too little to the Person of Iesus in that they make him but a Demi-Saviour joyning others with him as partners in the worke of our Redemption coupling our workes with his Merits our satisfaction with his satisfaction The intercession of Saints with his Intercession especially the Intercession of the Virgin Mary whom they call the Queenâ— of Heaven the Mother of Grace requesting her that by the authority of a Mother shee would command her sonne Oh take heede of sharing stakes betweene Christ and any creature in the act of our salvation He will not bee accounted joynt purchaser of our Redemption with any no not with his owne Mother the Virgin Mary for hee was her Saviour as well as ours My Spirit reioyceth in God my Saviour saith she Luke 1.47 Luk. 1.47 And Sanguinem quem de Matre accepit pro Matre obtulit saith one of the Fathers The Blood which hee receiued from his Mother hee shed for his Mother Let us acknowledge our selves lost by Nature but found onely by Christ He onely it was that came to seeke and to save that which was lost We were through Adams transgressions bound by the Divel wee are losed onely by Christs Passion Alligavit fortem vinculis Passionis It is hee that bound the strong man spoyled him of his weapons It was hee that set us at liberty when we were in bondage That found us when wee were lost That called us home when wee were banished That raised us when wee were dead that redeemed us when wee were miserable captives he restored our lives by losing his owne he unbound us by fastning himselfe he overcame by being overcome he redeemed us by enthraling himselfe he cured us by his owne wounds raised us to life by his owne Death made us rich by his owne poverty robbed himselfe of his dignity by becomming a creature of his Royalty by paying of tribute of his liberty by becomming a servant of his credit for he was blasphemed of his joy for hee was heavy to the Death of his wel-fare for hee was wounded scourged nayled crucified and all this for our Salvation What Saint or Angel did Nay what Saint or Angel could doe the like for us He onely and alone Carnem suam pro omnium Carne dependit animam suam pro omnium anima constituit saith Saint Cyril St. Cyril He I say payned his flesh for the flesh of us all his soule for all our soules Hee was Moses Serpent to heale us Gods Lambe to feed us with his flesh and cloath us with his fleece The true Pelican nourishing us with his blood O profunditas Divitiarum O the depth of the riches of the mercy of this our Jesus Let us draw waters of comfort out of this depth of Mercy Let us not rest contented with that generall name of Christians but labour for assurance of salvation that as Thomas called Christ his Lord and his God Ioh. 20 28. so we may by faith every one particularly call him Our Jesus We are all naturally like the wounded man betweene Jerusalem and Jericho Luke 10.30 Luke 10.30 Let us seeke out that good Samaritan who hath compassion on us will binde up our wounds powre Wine and Oyle into them and restore us to health Sinne is an unsupportable load with it we are all over-burthened yet our Jesus calls us Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 He invites gratiously let us hasten speedily Non pedibus sed affectibus Not with our feet but with our affections Whilst he standeth at the doore and knocks let us open unto him lest by too long delay wee lose him Then shall wee open the doore but hee hath withdrawne himselfe then shall we seeke him but not finde him call him but he will not answere wherefore while the time serves let us say unto our Iesus as David to the Lord Say unto my Soule I am thy Salvation If we aske in time we shall receive If wee seeke in time we shall find if we knocke in time hee will open unto us if wee beleeve we shall be saved Away then with all conceite of our owne merit or the Holinesse of any Saint Let Christ be the sole Lord of our salvation without any Copartner for hee alone hath possession of that three-fold Treasury which must make us rich unto salvation namely the Treasure of Glory the Treasure of Grace and the Treasure of Wisedome Man was exiled from Celestiall Glory Christ alone enjoyed the Treasury of Glory that hee might bring Mankind unto Glory Man was an enemy unto God therefore Christ had the Treasury of Grace to reconcile man unto God Man was blind and wrapped in darknesse therefore Christ had the Treasury of Wisedome to teach men the way to eternall Life Looke in Iohn 1.14 Joh. 1.14 and you shall finde all these three comprehended in one Verse Spectavimus glorian plenam gratia veritatis We saw the glory of Christ behold the first full of Grace behold the second and Truth behold the third Now therefore let us say Non nobis Domine non nobis sed Nomini tuo da gloriam Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory For thou O Iesus art made unto us of God by thy paines sustained Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wherefore seeing that thou my blessed Saviour hast borne my sorrows shed my teares suffered my disgrace sustained my punishment and payd my Debt let Iewes Turkes and Heathen revile thee I will honour thee let them blaspheme the Name of Iesus I will adore it let them persecute it I will make it my refuge for the Name of the Lord is a strong tower of Righteousnesse They that flye unto it are secured Let them disdaine it I shall esteeme it to bee a precious oyntment powred out let them vilifie it I will glory in it For with the Lord there is Iustice but with our Iesus there is plenteous Redemption O Lord what Pylate deemed to bee thy shame proves to bee thy glory Hee writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom hee would not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet this is thy Name this is thy function Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death is honoured What thou broughtest into the world by the Angels Direction thou carryedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes And so I passe from his Name Iesus unto his Title Nazarenus of Nazareth Nazareth NAzareth was the name of that Towne which Ioseph dwelt in when hee returned out of Egypt in the which Iesus
him King he refused it and conveyed himselâ—e from among them such was our Saviours Humility in his Life In his Death he suffered himselfe to bee scourged spit on blasphemed crown'd with Thornes and condemn'd by an unjust Judge Lastly when hee was nayled most cruelly upon the Crosse and made a spectacle of disgrace unto all beholders and had sustained the utmost of the Jewish malice yet hee prayed for his enemies saying Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Luke 23.34 Such was our Saviours Humility in his Death This Humility of our Saviour is recorded by Saint Paul Phil. 2.6.7 where he sayes of him That being in the forme of God he thought it no robbery to bee equall with God And yet he made himselfe of no reputation but tooke upon him the shape of a servant and humbled himselfe and became obedient to Death even the death of the Crosse This Humility of our Saviour is exposed by himselfe to us for our imitation Learne of me for I am meeke and humble in heart Math. 11.29 And thus is Christ compared to a Violet and may be justly called Nazarenus The Flower of Humility The second Flower whereunto our Nazarenus is compared is the Lilly The Lillie a Flower growing upon a straight stalke raised from the Earth white of colour and of a fragrant smell signifying unto us the innocency of our blessed Saviour Ego sum Lilium Convallium You know whose speech it is Cant. 2.1 I am the Lilly of the Valleys The Ancients were wont tom Emblematize Innocency by Whitenesse which is the most pure and perfect colour And so the Ancient of Dayes is sayd to have his Garments white as snow Rev. 11.14 And well may he be called a Lilly for his Whitenesse well may hee be styled a Lambe for his Innocency Ecce Agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the World Iohn 1.29 whole Hands Heart and Tongue were free from injury O Mirrour of Innocency who offended neither in thought word nor deed being neither disobedient to God nor injurious to men but full of Grace towards God and of Truth towards men Moses led not the Israelites into Canaan but Iosuah the sonne of Nun because he offended not at the waters of strife Noting unto us that hee who was to be the Saviour of the World and the Leader of the spirituall Israel into the Celestiall Canaan must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without sinne In Nature our Jesus of Nazareth was like other men but in Holinesse of Nature transcending all men In all things like us sinne onely excepted He was Nostri generis socius sed nostrae contaminationis alienus Like us in Nature but not like unto us in corruption of Nature Great was the commendation which was due by merit unto Cato and Fabritius two noble Romans famous for their Uprightnesse and Integrity Singular was the Innocency of Samuel Recorded 1 Sam. 13. ver 3. approved by the suffrages of all Israel who defrauded or oppressed no man who had neither taken away any mans Oxe or Asse nor had blinded his eyes with the bribes of aâ—y one The Integrity of these Worthies reaches but to men but the Innocency of our Saviour extends it selfe farther even to the Law of God which he violated not in the smallest thing in the least precept This made him bold to demand of the Iewes Ioh. 8.46 Quiâ— ex vobis arguet me de peccato Which of you can convince me of sin He was holy in his cogitations upright in his intentions divine in his words just in his workes Free from Originall free from Actuall sinne neither omitting good nor committing evill sanctified in his Conception holy in his Birth innocent in his Life and righteous at his Death Adam was innocent at his Creation but his Whitenesse was soone sullyed and changed into Blacknesse But in our Nazarenus was no inclination that Satan could worke upon And therefore hee sayes The Prince of this World commeth but he finds nothing in me So immutable was his Purity so unchangeable his Innocency as could neither by the World nor the Devill nor by any other meanes become stayned or polluted What was his whole Life The Modell of Obedience a Glasse of Righteousnesse yeelding to his Parents Duty and Reverence Giving bread to the hungry sight to the blind hearing to the deafe feete to the lame health to the sicke life to the dead comfort to the sorrowfull forgivenesse to the sinner rendring unto Caesar that which was Caesars and unto God that which was Gods Heere was Innocence so spotlesse as that it was approved from Heaven by the voyce of God himselfe This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am wel pleased Maâ—h 3. Math. 3. the last Verse It was cleered by Pilate too though an unjust Judge I finde no fault in this man Luk. 23.14 It was confessed by the repenting Thiefe upon the Crosse in the same Chapter vers 41. This man hath done nothing amisse Thus is Christ compared to the Lilly for his Whitenesse and may justly bee called Nazarenus The Flower of Innocency The third Flower wherunto our Nazarenus may be compared is the Saffron The Saffron which is a Flower as St. Bernard observes used in making of Sawce for Meate St. Bern. or in seasoning some kind of Dishes and does represent Abstinence or Temperance which may very fitly figure out unto us the Temperance of our Nazarenus When first hee set foote into his Propheticall Office and began to make himselfe knowne to the World hee entred with admirable Abstinence fasting miraculously Forty dayes and Forty nights Math. 4.2 Profane Esau sold his Birth-right for a messe of pottage Gen. 25.32 and was the picture of a Belly-god But to shew that the Kingdome of God did not consist in meates and drinkes as our Apost sayes Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 Christ beginneth with Fasting and continues in Temperance which is a moderate use of meate and drinke unto the end Not like many Divestes who fare delicately every day turning fasting into feasting making their guts a Gulfe of pleasure and their Belly their God drawing all their Happinesse downe their throats He who was God of Heaven and Earth and had all things at command who opens his hand and filleth all things living with plenteousnesse was pleased to use sparingly that which others spent prodigally and to save that by Abstinence which others spoile by Luxury And thus is Christ compared to the Saffron and may be fitly called Nazarenus The Flower of Temperance The fourth Flower whereunto our Nazarenus may be compared is the Rose The Rose the most noble of all Flowers dilating it selfe abroad and of a ruddy colour which properly represents Christ our Nazarenus Ego sum Rosa Sharonis Cant. 2.1 I am the Rose of Sharon He is first like the Rose in his dilatation and spreading himselfe abroad seeking not onely
whom God hath called to the inheritance of his Saints in loue stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free not suffering our soules to be entangled againe with the yoake of bondage Gal. 5.1 Their service is nothing but misery and wretchednesse For Mundus decipit Caro inficit Diabolus destruit The World will deceive us the Flesh will infect us and the Devill will destroy us from such Kings Good Lord deliver us Onely O blessed King of the Iewes bee thou our spirituall Soveraigne thou art wise and wilt instruct us thou art liberall and wilt reward us thou art mighty and wilt defend us thou art just and wilt not forget us thou art severe and wilt not suffer the wicked to tryumph over us thou art peaceable yea our peace for thou hast wrought Reconciliation with God the Father who with thee bee glorified for ever-more Fly then thou sinner from bondage to liberty from death to life from misery to glory Behold The King of the Iewes calls thee Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 Here is a Proclamation of pardon for thy revolt if thou wilt seeke it if thou wilt embrace it He that is King of the Jewes waites when thou wilt become his Subject Behold saith hee I stand at the doore and knocke if any man open unto me I will come in and suppe with him and he with me Rev. 3.20 Set open the gate of thy heart and the King of glory will come in Psal 24.7 He will come tibi si credis contra te si non credis If thou receive him with faith and repentance hee will come to comfort thee if neither with faith nor repentance hee will come to confound thee If thou become a Subject hee will defend thee if thou continue an enemy hee will destroy thee Now is Christ comming into thy Soule as once hee came to Ierusalem Oh beleeve that he is thy King entertaine him joyfully cut downe the Branches of old Adams corruption put off the ragges of sinne spread them in the way and let thy Saviour trample on them Receive him with hearty acclamations and say Hosanna to the Sonne of David Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Thus much touching the Office of our Jesus He is a King Now for that a King does necessarily presuppose a Kingdome for they are Relatives the next thing wee are to treate of is his Kingdome There was never any earthly Empire but had his limits and was bounded with some parts of the habitable World The Assyrian Grecian Roman and Turkish Emperors though they spread themselves farre and wide yet was there alwayes some Lands Nations and Kingdomes exempt from their Dominion There was never any earthly Monarchy that was perpetuall but as it had a time of increase so hath it a time of decrease being either by sedition or forraigne invasion or some vice or other brought to ruine herein resembling the naturall body of man which hath a time to bee conceived a time to bee nourished and a time to bee brought unto perfection But when it hath attained his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His full growth it declines againe as the Sunne when hee is come to the Meridian and in tract of time either by its owne imbecility or it may be sooner by diseases or soonest of all by sudden Death droppes into the Grave As it is with this Little world Man so is it with that Great Man the world subject it is to change and alteration Now herein Christs Kingdome exceeds all Kingdomes which as it is boundlesse for place so is it endlesse for time infinite in extent and eternall for continuance Hee shall reigne over the House of Iacob for ever there is his perpetuity and of his Kingdome there shall bee no end there is his infinitenesse The Kingdome of Christ is twofold Superius and Inferius His Kingdome which is above and his Kingdome which is below Or rather they are one Kingdome differenced by two degrees though usually we call one The Kingdome of Grace and the other The Kingdome of Glory The Kingdome of Grace is that which our Saviour sayes is within us Regnum Dei intra vos est The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 Luke 17.21 wherein CHRIST solely reignes without substituting any Viceroyes or Depuâ—â—â—s For the greatest Monarch aâ—â— the most righteous Christian in the World is in this case but a fellow subject and therefore hath no rule over the Soule or command over the Conscience in matters divine tending to Gods worship though otherwise in matters Civill and Polâ—â—icall For as I have distinguished Christ from a temporall King so may his Kingdome bee distinguished from the other the one being wholly spirituall the other Per se directè wholly temporall This Kingdome or Grace is nothing else but our spiritual incorporation into the mysticall body of Christ being made lively branches of him who is the true Vine being established through faith in Christ This Kingdome consists not in worldly dignities terrestriall Tryumphs Citties Souldiers Councellours but in Righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 All are not Subjects of this Kingdome that are visibly in this Kingdome For some there are that are dead Members rotten Branches having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Some againe there are which bee but Forraigners and Aliens though suffered to trade and traffique in it yet many of these have gotten the outward habite and have learned the Language of this Kingdome and doe so cunningly counterfeit that they cannot bee discerned from true subjects by any but by the King himselfe This Kingdome is but an initiation of the other Here have wee the first fruits there wee shall have the whole lampe this is but an earnest penny that other the full payment in this wee labour in that we receive the reward This is Christs Viâ—eyard that his place of payment this is his Worke-house that his Treasury this is the Field of War-fare that the place of Tryumph yet here we must reigne over our selves before we can be crowned there For Regnum Coelorum sperare non potest qui propria membra regere non potest Hee can never hope to reigne in Heaven who doth not first reigne over his owne members here on Earth This Kingdome is not so secure as the other heere many fall away others are cut off some intrude without their Wedding-garments and are therefore imprisoned as Spyes This Kingdome is often disturbed by sedition of Heresies and Schisme oft shaken by the gusts of persecution often shrewdly undermyned by privy temptations but never overwhelmed For he who is King thereof is the Rocke whereon this Kingdome is immoveably founded Unto this Kingdome all strangers are invited the gates or Ports are shut to none For Gremium Ecclesiae nulli clauditur But some are