fruitefull trees and all Cedars beastes and all cattell creeping thinges and feathered fowles Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the world young men and maidens old men and children to praise the name of the Lord for if euer now we may say Blessed be the eyes that see the things that we see so royall learned and religious a King so noble worthy gracious a Prince the kingly father so happy so excellent the princely Sonne so rarely vertuous so obedient though I will not say as those heathen did of the Apostles gods haue descended to vs in the likenesse of men yet I will with the heathen Historian confesse Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prince is an Image of God which title is the most glorious chaplet coronet frontlet tablet bracelet of a Christian Prince Aug. de Temp. At the Feast of the Natiuity wee are taught to bee borne againe at the Feast of Easter to rise againe at the Feast of Whitsontide to pray for the spirit at this Feast of Trinitie to receiue the spirit and by this great and solemne long wished-for Feast of this CREATION wee are taught to pray for the creating of new hearts good soules religious spirits honest consciences And howsoeuer the head of my Text serueth only for the Prince the CREATION yet the body of my Text serueth for all people it is the renouation of the mind Create in me a new heart I haue prouided this messenger to send vp to heauen for new souls an ambassadour quicke of speed faithfull for trust happy for successe whom neither the tediousnesse of the time nor difficulty of the passage can hinder but as a chariot of fire will presently be lifted vp into the presence of the Almighty to seeke his assistaÌ„ce It is the messenger that Ezekias vsed to haue the charter of his dares renued Esay 38.3 2. Kings 4.32 Math. 5.7 that Elisha vsed to haue the Sunamites childes soule renued that the sicke of the palsey vsed to haue his hands and feete renued and that Dauid vsed to haue his heart renued It is prayer the language of heauen the tongue of Canaan Austin in Soliloq the speech of Zyon the musick of Ierusalem the harmony of sinners the melody of Saints It is that fire which being kindled by the spirit of God in the Temple of the soule will euer burne vpon the Altar of the heart and euer ascend from the censor of the Tongue till thou hast obtayned of God the petition of Dauid Create in me a new cleane pure vndefiled vncorrupted heart Diuisio I will onely insist vpon these two parts first the greatnesse of his suite Duae partes no purgation or clensing or curing or recouering or quickning but a new creating Create in mee Secondly the greatnes of his sore sorrow not his hand or foot or eye or head only ill affected but his heart the best member the Metropolis of his soule Create in mee a new heart And of these briefly praying as Saint Austin did on the like occasion Deus faciet hunc textum tam commodum quam accommodatum God make this text so commodious for our soules as accommodated for these our times And first for the Creation Prima pars Hosiod Ouid. Plato vide Phillip Mornay lib. 10 de vera Religione Tull de Nat. Deor. The Creation is the Genesis of the booke of God the first Act in Nature as Heathens confesse the first ouerture of Gods power as Diuines witnesse a worke so wonderfull that the Atheist inquireth of Plato quae ferramenta qui vectes quae mollitiones quae machinae tanti operis fuerunt what were the Engins posts machinations pullyes leauers pillers scaffolds of so great and wonderfull a worke Who can imagine that so many things diuerse in quality immense in quantity high in sublimity deepe in profundity could euer bee made that so many sinews and ioynts and connexions and con-catenations should bee so orderly disposed in that great Fabrique Nasci to be borne is a wonder a body though little to bee so framed the ioynts to mooue so actiuely the sinews to stirre so nimbly sences to vtter force so sharply the lungs to breath so powerfully Iob. it drew Iob into admiration and to aske who hath framed thee in the wombe but to bee Created a world so massy so mighty vnlesse man looke with the eyes of Grace through the windowes of Nature hee cannot as a naturall man perceiue it but Moyses taught it Plato Moses Atticus Gen. 1. Plato learned it and though the Atheist do not beleeue it yet in the first of Genesis in the Capitall Characters of Heauen and Earth it is described and some vnder-take to free Aristotle from denying the Creation though his workes do much oppugne it hee being as ambitious to ouer-come all other opinions as his Scholler Alexander to conquer other Nations The word Create Aquiuas in Scripture is taken by the Schoolemen Fathers diuersly pro prefectione ex nihilo In the Image of God he created man pro generatione ex propria substantia Gen. 1.27 These are the generations of the Heauen and the Earth as in Genesis Gen. 2.3 Pro renouatione as in Esay I will Create a new Heauen Esay 65.17 and a new Earth pro donorum Christus infusione as in the Ephesâ—â—ns Created by his spirit to good workes Ier. 31.22 pro filij Dei incarnatione as in Ieremy The Lord hath created a new thing a woman shall compasse a man And in this place pro regeneratione as some pro iustificatione as others Improperly it is vsed many wayes as either that in our Anniuersary Act and Commencement of the Vniuersities the Creation of our Doctors or as at this feast the word is vsed for the Royall inuestiture and Creation of the most noble Prince But to returne to our purpose Regeneration may fitly bee called a Creation In the one the other is shadowed In praedestination the huge and vast deepe the darke forme whereof can hardly be discerned In vocation the seperating of light from darknesse of knowledge from ignorance in the soule In iustification the Sunne is created the beames of grace begin to shine In glorification the new Adam is framed after the image of God and placed in the Paradise of immortality Dauid had tasted of these riuers of Paradise he had beene praedestinated called iustified but now these streames and currents were dryed vp his forme was in a chaos his sunne in a cloud folly had polluted his eyes filth had possessed his thoughts bloud had defiled his hands shame had couered his head sinne had prophaned his heart not onely no whole part in his body but no whole part in his soule no meanes to cure him to create him a new There was a time when he cryed out Concaluit cor et exardescit ignis my heart is hotte Psal 39.3 Aust in Psal and the
obedience as in Abraham for obedience is virga consolans next obedience dwelleth patience as in Iob for obedience without patience is baculus non dirigens In a word in this Paradise is the tree which Hugo describeth Arbor bonitatis quae per timorem seminatur Hugo de Sancto victore the tree of goodnesse which is set by feare strengthened by faith watered by grace germinated by godlines will waxe greene by hope will fructifie by loue will build by learning will blossom by long-continuing will grow ripe by patience and the fruite of life will be gathered at death the fruite of grace now and of glorie hereafter for these differ but Tempore loco but in time and place as the Schoolemen speake then euery honest vnmasked Christian may say as Dauid did Cor meum dilatasti thou hast expatiated my heart a great doore is open and here dwell mercie and truth and righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost In such a sanctified heart there dwels not the affectation of the titles of the world which bee but follia terrae the liuelesse leaues of the earth or the desire of the fortunes of the world which bee Lollia terrae Bernard the emptie windie chaffe of the earth or the earnest seeking for the wealth of the world which be but Illia terrae the exenterated guttes and garbage of the earth or the prosecution of the pleasures of the earth which be but Lillia terrae the fading falling failing strawing-flowers of the earth All these haue not habitation or commoration here the good HEART with Saint Bernard counteth them shadowes and in accounting them so it thinkes too well of them for there is much excellent Arte in delineating a shadowe or it thinketh them dreames A Elian. histor and sleeps Chrysost as Chrysostome and this thought is also too good for in sleepes there bee much ease and sweete comfort or holdeth them with Sirach to bee smoakes and that censure also is too good for them for in incense there is sweete sauour in smoakes or further with Nazianzene calleth them follies and this as the rest is too good a name for them for Erasmus wrote much in the praise of Folly And therefore vpon little aduise concludeth with Saint Paul that they bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stercora dung and filth and stench Adams Apple Esaus broth Philip. 3. Babilons Cuppe Iudas soppe the Sorcerers Serpents the Spiders webbe the Cocatrices Egges the waters of Tema which in a moisture swell in a drought faile All these cannot fill the heart Orontius describeth the world in the forme of a Hart and leaueth many spaces voide in the figure of the Hart that cannot be filled vp with the world for a Circle cannot fill vp a Triangle so that the heart is more then all the world nothing can fill the heart but God the parts of the heart be a Trinary and nothing can fill vp this Trinary but the three persons of the Trinity Ecclesiast mencioneth a vaine heart Esay a barren heart Ieremy a deceitfull heart the Psalmist a sinfull heart Paul a double heart Moses a hard heart But Dauid desireth the new the cleane heart When the Sunne riseth then the beasts arise from their dens the Fowles from their nests and men from their beds So when the Heart setteth forward all the members will follow nothing will stay after the Heart but as the eyes of seruants looke to the hands of their Maisters and the eyes of hand-maides to their mistresse so the members of the body waite vpon the heart vntill the Lord haue mercy vpon vs and therefore Christ spake Make cleane within in the heart and all will bee cleane Math. 13.26 Luke and therefore the Publicane beate vpon his heart as if hee were angry that it waked not all the rest therefore Saint Paul speaketh Make melody to the Lord in your hearts Ephe. 5.19 shewing that the members make a sweete harmony when the heart is in tune and therefore Salomon Gods Purueyor cryeth for the heart Pro. 23 26. If Pilate had washed his heart when hee washed his hands Math. 27.42 hee had beene as cleane as Naaman comming out of Iordan 1. Kings 5. If the Sichemites had circumcised their hearts Gen. 34.22 when they circumcised their flesh they had saued their soules when they lost their liues Gen. 4.2 If Caine had offered his heart Math. 5.20 when hee offered his fruites his offring had beene as acceptable as Abels If the Pharisey had lookt into the in-side as well as to the out-side his heart had beene as cleane as his hands It is not enough to say my foote standeth vpright Psal 26.12 Psal 88.9 Psal 25.15 Psal 108.1 Psal 42.1 or my hands I stretch foorth towards thy holy Temple or mine eyes are euer toward the Lord or mine eares O Lord hast thou opened or O God my Tongue is prepared But as the HEART desireth the water-brooke so longeth my HART after thee O GOD so beeing renued in heart the heart shall bee capable of a new Soule the Soule of a new body that body of a new garment that garment of a new girdle And the Christian being so altered and changed and reformed and CREATED a new GOD will manifest to him those new things in Esay Esay 42.9 Ier. 31.31 those new Couenants in Ieremy those new Commandements in Iohn Iohn 13.14 Math. 26.28 Heb. 10.20 Ezech. 18.31 those new Testaments in Matthew those new liuing wayes in Paule those new beleeuing hearts in Ezechiell to make them new Creatures yea new men to giue them new names and to make them capable of a new Heauen and new Earth The vse of this is to exhort euery one in this great and Honourable assembly to leaue off the iniquitie of his heart and to bee changed by the renuing of his minde that hee may prooue the good will of GOD acceptable and perfect Cast of the Morian skinne expunge the Leopards spottes flye out of Babell haste out of Zodome Goe not back looke not back but for euer Consecrate thy selfe thy soule thy body to thy GOD and let his word dwell plenteously in thee in all wisdome Col. 3.16 You my Brethren now admitted into the sacred function of the Cleargie remember this Preach this practise this Let not a white hayre of lightnesse bee found vppon your blacke garments nor a blacke spotte of filthinesse polute your white surplisses take heed of the moate of Schisme and beame of superstition let your Garments haue the high Priests Pomegranates as well as Bells your Lampes be as well inwardly burning as outwardly lighting and neuer be weary of the worke of the Lord 1. Cor. 15. in as much as your labor is not in vain in the Lord and he that promiseth wil performe though in this last and worst age he that hath stepped but two steppes from the dunghill such whose fathers Iob would
greatest strongest wisest goodliest godliest haue fallen Patriarckes Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors stars Angels al haue sinned yea and some so fallen that they neuer rose again sinne thou not that thou maist rise but so rise from sin that thou maist neuer fal againe Feare O feare the fall swallow not the hooke of delight Conscientia contrist ans scientia Bernard in Cant. as Saint Bernard doth etymologize the word Conscience will follow if sin be the Prologue shame wil be the Epilogue the woorme the whip the scourge of conscience will feare thee she is marked and obserued by her owne eye though no other eye perceiue her followed and chased by her owne foote though nothing in heauen or earth pursue her shee fleeth feareth and yet stingeth and fretteth and hath a thousand witnesses within her owne breast when she is free from all the world Happy then if the conscience finding her misery seeke the promise the promise take hold on faith faith aske praier praier aske God that God heare and mercy answer that againe we may be created in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our liues Triplex Creatio spiritualis This Creation is spiritually wrought first by Baptisme the character of Christians marke of the Church signe of the Chosen oth of the Saints liuery of the Seruants assurance of the Sons of God A peccato mundans Poenam relaxans rationalem illuminens Albertus in Comp. Theol. Eusebius Concupiscibilem ad bonum inflammans Characterem inueniens as Ratisbonensis collecteth the power and vertue hereof Constantine neuer Baptised before hee was dying and Dauid neuer so baptised as heere when he was almost dead and then in his last gaspe wash me clense me purge me Neuer any a more true knight of the Bath then he hee had the waters of Iordan pooles of Shiloan fountaines of Lebanon springs for the Spring and fall of the leafe But our Baptisme doth create vs anew no sacrifice or sacrament of the old law so powerfull they were but remembrances gratulatory no oblation propriatory but this so energeticall as that the forme and frame soule and body bee changed It is the great seale of the Charter of heauen which is proclaimed Omnibus Christi fide libus Gratia gratis data Gratia gratum faciens Gratia praeuaen Gratia subsequens To all the Christian people of the world Secondly wee are Created by Grace Grace is shed into our hearts The distinctions of Grace among the Schoolemen will be harsh to many in this assembly but all must know that in this wee must acknowledge with the Prophet Grace Grace Zechariah 13.1 all is Grace euen that fountaine opened to the house of Dauid For our righteousnesse cannot Create vs no more then we can Create it for had we Iustitiam Gentilium it were but vaine and Philosophicall had we Iustitiam Pharisaeorum it were but shadowy and legall had wee onely Iustitiam Viatoris it were but imperfect and casuall no sparke of our owne can enflame vs onely Grace can Create vs A sweeter word then Grace was neuer vttered Miriams Tabrel Asaphs Trumpet Ieduthun his Neginoth Dauid his Cimballs Salomons Songs the Spouses sonnets neuer made sweeter melody then this beloued voice of the beloued GRACE It is the Balme that runneth from the head to the beard and from the beard vnto the skirts of the garment it is Iordan that maketh glad the City of God it is the roabe of righteousnesse that couereth the whole man God giueth liberally thereof to euery one Gratiam dat datam conseruat conseuatam multiplicat multiplicatam remuâ—â— erat giueth Grace freely conserueth Grace giuen multiplieth Grace conserued and rewardeth Grace multiplied Creati sumus per gratiam we are Created by grace Thirdly Creati sumus per poenitentiam wee are Created againe by Repentance it is the spring of the life of man the budding of the figge tree the reuiuing of the withered lilly Plyn Nat. Histor that as the Swallow reneweth sight the Eagle reneweth youth the Hart reneweth strength Psal 103,5 so Man by repentance casteth of the sinne that presseth downe and is againe Created and restored purged washed sanctified This Creation requireth many conditions as the Fathers obserue Aust. in Psal Alber. de sacr for Repentance must bee tota wholy with all the heart Secondly Amara bitter make lamentation Ioel 2 12 Ier 6 26 Wisdom 6.18 and bitter mourning Thirdly Voluntaria voluntary come freely and willingly vnto the Lord. Fourthly it must be Accelerata speedy Eccles 5 3 Cant. 5 3 deferre not to pay that which thou hast paied vnto God And fiftly it must be Continua continuall and perseuerant if thou hast put put off thy coate how shalt thou put it on If thou haue washed thy feet how shalt thou defile them Thus obseruing the conditions binding thy selfe by this obligation thou shalt be Created as Dauid was If wee should looke vpon him when he was taken from the sheepfolds from following the Ewes great with young from being so meane in his brothers eyes nay in his owne eyes euen then when his fathers house was of the poorest in the Tribe him-selfe the least of his family lowest of brethren and if after wee shall behold him aduanced from being a Shepheard to follow sheepe to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer a shepheard to gouerne and lead people from being the meanest of his bretheren to bee Lord and then to change his coate for a Court his sheep-hooke for a Scepter to become wiser then his teachers greater then his enemies more puisant then Saul more victorious then Ammon more honoured then the Aged this in the eye of man was a new Creation but yet not to bee compared with this Then his state was changed from poore to riche now his soule is changed from sinfull to a sanctified state And being so Created againe the words of the Psalme may fitte him O well is thee and happy shalt thou bee thou art fairer then the children of men full of grace are thy lips because God hath blessed thee for euer The vse of this is to direct vs to a due regarde of our corruption Vse who haue neede so to bee reformed in our liues and yet in this consideration euen to behold the mercy seate the throane of grace from whence by the powerfull operation of Gods spirit we may be created Vides miseriam agnosce misericordiam August doost thou behold thy misery acknowledge Gods mercy euer able to change thee and to purge thee from actuall deprauations and natural corruptions from thy many mighty heauy filthy bloudy crying sinnes and therefore to call frequently to God to pray heartily for this reformation to pray that wee may powre in our prayers Solinus for as the stone Diacletes is said to loose all her excellent power and operation if put into the mouth of a dead man so Prayer if put into a mans mouth whose
heart is dead or whose hand is vncleane it looseth all the soueraine properties Some of the Fathers haue deciphered the three Theologicall vertues of faith hope and charity by the three that attended Christ at the transfiguration on the Mount and at his agony in the garden Peter Iames and Iohn Peter by faith Iames by hope Iohn by loue If thou didst imagine thy selfe to haue all these three and hadst not the power of Prayer it were nothing Not to speake of the efficacie of hope or loue the wonders of faith be many to remoue mountaines to quench the fire to stay the windes to resist enemies Prayer hath all these it remooueth mountaines thy sinnes bee as Mountaines before the Throne of GOD it remooueth them further from thee then the East is from the West it quencheth fire if the fire of lust kindle within thee by Prayer thou mayest quench thee if the windy storme of any deiected desperat thought do blow within thee pray vp Lord let thy enemies bee scattered if the Diuell world and flesh set vpon thee yet by this thou shalt put to flight all infernall complices It opened and shut heauen it brought plenty and dearth drought and raine and will if thou bee acquainted with her be the sweetest companion that euer accompanied any on the face of the earth to say no more it will preferre thee and create thee heire apparant of the kingdome of Heauen The festiuity of the Creation now celebrated should infuse greater spirits into vs then heretofore such occasions of ioy to vs of happinesse for vs such triumphes applauses Iubilees as these do draw from vs gratulation and acclamation in that God hath not onely giuen his iudgements vnto the King but his righteousnesse to the Kings sonne 72.1 leauing such a hope for the young such a comfort for the old such happinesse for all such a young Ptolomey for studies and Libraries such a young Alexander for affecting martialisme and chiualrie such a yong Iosiah for religion piety This should stirre vs vp to acknowledgement of Gods mercies by his Highnesse and mooue vs to a spirituall ambition for our owne happinesse That as in such honorable state he is to be created PRINCE of so great place here on earth by his Purple robes Sword Signet Golden Staffe the earnests of his glorious and triumphant royalty in Heauen so seeing God hath Created vs Kings and Priests as Saint Iohn speaketh Reu. 1. we should desire the benefit of this spirituall Creation to put on the roabes of righteousnesse the sword of the spirit to receiue the staffe of protection to be placed as signets on Gods hand There was as Creation of a Prince in Scripture but it was the poorest and meanest that euer was The Prince his name is found in Esay Esay 9.6 The PRINCE of Peace and of his creation mention is made in Ieremie The Lord hath CREATED a new Thing on the earth Ier. 31.22 it was new indeed as Augustine confessed a saeculo non est auditum Aug. de Temp. neuer since the beginning of the world was the like newes heard and Bernard stood at an amazement at this Creation Bernard de Jncarnat there was Lux non lucem verbum infans aqua sitiens panis esuriens At that creation there was a light not shining the word an infant not speaking the water of life thirsting the bread of life hungring God himselfe descending and the Creator Created if I may so speake A body hast thou Created saith the Psalmist a body without sinne to endure the suffrings for sinne and to vndergoe all the torments that the vnbounded inuention of hell could deuise This was a new thing Nouum et omnium nouitatum nouitas supereminens Jerome saith Ierome such and so merueilous miraculous extraordinary a nouelty as the world of worlds cannot yeeld the like president Let the Sibills speak of their new Rutilans Sydus Aug. de Ciuit. Dei the Astronomers of their new starres in Cygno Serpentario let the Imaginaries find out a new Vtopia the Cosmographers their new-found America let Pancirolla write whole volumes De nouis Repertis and Mercurius Gallobelgicus the worlds Post-master for newes supply newes euery yere yet no like newes to this no Creation since the first Creation of the world like to this the Court then to like in a poore Inne the stable to be the bed-chamber the cratch the Royall pallat VVinter and Hunger to attend and yet the VVisemen to offer Angels to honour Shepheards to sing of him Oracles then to cease Deuils then to tremble this was a New a strange Creation To Zebedees children Christ answered Ye cannot be baptized with the Baptisme wherewith I must bee baptized so I may say wee would be loath to bee CREATED in that order that he was CREATED But let it be our morning and euening prayer that we may be created according to his likenesse that as he of God became man so we of men may become the sonnes of God Delay not it is daungerous presume not it is perillous Dauid sought it and found it vnlesse thou seeke it with heartie prayer thou maist seeke it and not find it Austin Huic fit misericordia tibi non fit iniuria though he shewed great mercie to Dauid and will not to thee he doth thee no iniurie Take heed least impenitencie cause him to prooue a wrath-reuenging God and let no man continue in sinne that grace may abound Reprobates Deuils can do no more if any do so he may sleepe his euerlasting sleepe of sinne neuer be warned neuer be wakened more God may say to thee as he said to the Disciples and pronounce that sentence against thee for thy sleepe of the soule as he did to them for the sleepe of the bodie For henceforth sleepe and take thy rest till thy eyes sinke into the holes of thy head I will neuer come nor send nor call nor waken thee the night shall compasse thee and the pit shall shut her mouth vpon thee In our Church Lyturgie which is in these daies like to Christ crucified between two there is a most comfortable promise drawne from Scripture At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart God will put away all his wickednesse out of his remembrance thereupon many take their pleasure and glut themselues with sinne referre all good thoughts till the last houre neuer put their hands into their bosome to see how leaprous they be their mouthes continue to bee the vents to breath forth the putrified sauour of their soule their eyes the windowes their eares the doores of destruction their vnderstandings flaues to their willes their wils common curtizans of pollution their memories the table-booke of their corruptions O miserable and fearefull state of such If any at any time in any case had reason to crie with Dauid these haue Create in me a new heart And so much