Pigeons having drunk of this River of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyntly together hold up our Bills towards Heaven in token of thankfulnesse thank him who is the God of glory for devesting himselfe of glory that he might restore us to hope of glory We reverence men on Earth Rome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship to Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more worship to the Mother of our Saviour Queen of Heaven as they style her But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory only to the God of glory My glory saies God I will not give to another but my peace I will give Which was sung by the Angells at the Nativity Glory be to God on high peace on earth It is Aristotle's saying in his Ethicks We give praise to men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a better thing than praise to God And what is that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God in your body and your spirits which are Gods It is Plato's phrase in his Respublica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God Aratus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye are God's offspring Joyne them both together and we have the poynt Glorifie God because ye are Gods But as Honour so Glory is in dante in the Giver we have no glory to give all glory is Gods to whom we ought to give and when it is given it is but his own but a part of his own And if all tongues should glorifie him at once it addes no more to his glory then a drop of a bucket returned to the Ocean whence it issued As Rivers return to refresh the Sea whence they came Sun-beams by reflection are inflamed so our hearts by glorifying God must be enflamed that he may glorifie us In storms in calms blow what winde wil the Mariners Needle still points at the Pole in prosperity in adversity we ought to aime at Gods glory Here I say we ought in Heaven I am sure we shall for there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angells Leiturgie is singing of Hymns of glory But what need we look so high was not our first Reformers so Observe the blessed method the Spirit dictated them in the very dawning out of Popish superstition First Contrition then Confession then Absolution then Petition then Gloria Patri Glory be to God then Venite exultemus Come and rejoyce then severall Psalms as so many Hallelujah's for the Day each concluding with Gloria Patri Glory be to God After the first Lesson Te Deum laudamus We praise thee O God or the Song of the three Children Benedicite omnia opera Let all his works glorifie God After the second Lesson Jubilate Deo Be joyfull in God Ending still like Frankincense put out with this sweet odour Gloria Patri Glory be to God Well then if this was the heavenly language in the infancy of our Church let every grown Member of the Church glorifie God in Body This was delivered An. 1640. in Spirit for all his mercies but especially for this mercy of Redeeming us with the price of his own pretious blood Therefore with Angells and Archangells and all the company of Heaven we laud and magnifie thy glorious Name evermore praising thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hostes Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high To thee we ascribe all honour and glory both now and for evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Expressing the benefits accruing from our Saviours Death and Passion insisting only upon the latter part by reason of the affinity with the former Subject The Text Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things THIS Text is an Exchequer the Treasurer God the Gift all things the parties to whom all men the key Christ God the Father that spared not to give Christ for us all will not spare with him to give us all The Parts in generall are two First an Hypothesis or Supposition Secondly a Thesis or Position The Hypothesis or Supposition hath a double reference looking back at the former unties a a knot looking forward at the latter is an argument to confirm a truth in matter drawn a majori from the greater to the lesse in form an Enthymema thus unfolded God spared not but delivered up his own Son therefore he will not spare but deliver up all things for his Saints It is amplified first from the party or person giving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He in Grammer the Third but here the First Person in the Trinity Secondly from the double act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not spared negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hath delivered up affirmatively Thirdly from the object or gift that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his only begotten Son Fourthly the subjects or parties for whom not Angells but Men for when he ascended above Principalities and Powers he gave gifts to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us not restrained to some of us but with a note of universality all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us all He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all The second Branch is in it selfe a Position in reference to the former a Conclusion The parts of it as the Rivers of Paradise are principally four First the Donor God Secondly the Donation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift or Charter Thirdly the parties to whom it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us Fourthly the Donative or gift and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things amplified with the correlative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him By him all things were made in him all things are given All of this illustrated by a threefold Emphasis here expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a note of Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Negation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Augmentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall he not also He that spared not his own Son c. We have already â—ntred into this Exchequer where we have seen the rich treasurie of Gods mercy in delivering up his Son for us all Now is the second return this Exchequer is yet open let us all enter in further by him the Dore and the Way to see how that with him he will freely give us all things How shall he not with him also c. The first part is the Doner He The word is twice repeated by an Epanados in relation to a double act of mercy He that gave Christ for the health of our souls that He will give us all things for the health of our bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is which was which is to be Jam. 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights He is Omnipotent to make
the body of a Mortall made an Immortall body of a Corruptible an Incorruptible of a Naturall a Spirituall of a Weak a Powerfull of a Deformed a Beautifull A Body shining as the Stars the Soul in glory exceeding the Body as far as the Moon exceeds the Stars Christ in brightnesse exceeding all as far as the Sun the Moon Thus it shall be done to the Man whom the King of Glory will honour At the last doom will Mountains burn Devills mourn Man shall be mounted up with Angells and Christ the Archangell towards Heaven Open ye Gates be ye opened ye everlasting Gates and let the King of Glory come in with all his troops of Glory Say all Creatures what is any Creature What is Man Lord what is Man that thou conferrest this glory upon him Sing all Creatures Men Angells with Hymns Anthems Hallilujah's keep an everlasting Sabbath of Thanksgiving with Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaths heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory To thee we give all Honour and Glory both now and for evermore A SERMON Preached before the Generall of all the Forces of South-Wales and the West of England The Text Matth. Cap. 13. v. 45 46. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly Pearls Who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it HEAVEN is not feisable for mony then shall an earthly price run in equipage with it Well might this seem a Paradox if it were not a Parable That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4. 17. excessive weight above transcends our Scales below Earth is but an Atome and what we see is scarce worth to make an Emblem of what we hope to see Well said Empedâ—cles Terra terram inspicimus aeihere aetherem In an earthen Globe we see the earth's Diameter and in a paper-Sphear the Circle of the Sphears A Mapp displaies the World Counters the revenues of a Crown and if we look up higher a Pearl a Palm of Victory For The Kingdome ef Heaven is like a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls Seek saies our Saviour and you shall finde and if ought this Pearl is worth the scrutiny Earth hath her pretious Stones the Sea her Pearls then what hath Heaven The World is a Sea the Church a Ship sailing for Pearles and bound for Heaven the Haven The Pixis of our Saviours speech through this whole Chapter points at this Pole In the first verse we finde Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Sea In the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 entring into a Ship and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sea And here resembling Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Merchant-man trafficking by Sea Scripture hath her rich Mines oâ— Rhetorick and in every Mine a Mystery This sweet conflux of the History with the Allegory was not for nothing Well then make on for this Kingdome Christ is the Gate the Word the Way the Key This Key hath many Wards In the third Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Parable of the Sower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 24. another Parable of the Tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 33. another Parable of the Leaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 44. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a hâ—dden Treasure And in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man A Parable a Parable and then another Parable Again and again and all these Parables and Againes but Parallelisms to Heaven Line upon Line and Precept upon precept Lord how blinde are our eyes that need so many Lamps to enlighten them The three first pointed at the power of the Gospell the fourth at the price this fifth at the superlative transcendency of the price Gold is the best of Mettalls Pearles better than Gold Heaven is like Pearles nay the best of Pearles The Kingdome of Heaven c. Parables had their birth in Paradise He shall bruise thy heel and thou shalt break his head Gen 3. 15. Plato commends them in his Dialogues and does not Christ They are fit similitudes or if you will comparisons That which no mortall eye hath seen and such is Heaven must be made known by that which hath been seen Princes send Pictures to inform their Paramours Some things sublimed above a mortall reach must be read below in Characters proportioned as the Sun's splendour in a Pail or as Medusa's head is fained in Perseus glittering Shield Moses his face must have a Vail before he can be spoke with These are three-fold Typicall as foretelling Apologicall as illustrating Methologicall as instructing This Parable is all by Faith giving forefight by Knowledge sight by Sanctification insight into Heaven Then take up this Optick-glasse The Kingdome of Heaven is like c. The parts in generall of this Apologue are two First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that is compared or like Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to what it is compared or like The thing that is likened is the Kingdome of Heaven the thing to which it is likened is a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearles The Antapodosis or reddition to the former part is not expressed but by collection to be gathered from the latter As Synchronisms so Parallelisms that begin together must needs end together Thus then take the Diagramma First a man under sin is compared to a Merchant-man Secondly his seeking of some good things as omnia appetunt bonum to seeking of goodly Pearls Thirdly the price of glory in Heaven being found is compared to that one Pearl of great Price the Merchant found Fourthly as the Merchant sold all that he had to buy that Pearle so must we forsake all Earthly things for this Heavenly Pearle A Christian then is as a Merchant probable good things as Pearls Heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that most pretious of Pearles thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by inversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by alternation These are the two passions the Philosopher makes of a Parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing alike irradiates another For as face answers to face in a Glasse so the Kingdome of Heaven to this Pearl For the Kingdome of Heaven is like c. Of these Parts by Divine assistance and your Christian patience in order so using the Similitude as Painters their Shadowes to illustrate the Portraicture of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies St. Chrysostom In Apologues we must have an eye at the Authors purpose lest by too curious inquisition we wring out blood Thus then take the Paraphrase as a Chart to direct our Compasse in the future discourse St. Jerom by goodly Pearles understands the godly Precepts of the Law and the Prophets by that one Pearl of great price the precious blood of our Saviour by which we were bought with a price The Merchant sold all to purchase this Pearl so with St. Paul we must forsake
praise of him that made him styling the fabrick of mans body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the handy-work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved by God For the Body is the Soul's Castle the mouth the entrance the Lipps a double leav'd door the Teeth a portcullis and Ivory gate the Tongue the porter trenchman and Soul's Oratour the Head an eminent Tower where four senses externall Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting three senses internall Common sense Fantasie Memory keep so many scout-watches The Brain the Armorie and Treasury fenced about with hair skin bone the pia Mater or golden Eure the Neck a Wheel to turn this Turret to every point in the Compasse The Tongue Teeth and Palate musicall Instruments for modulation of the voice the Chordae or silver cords stretched through the body the Liver is the Well the Pores the Conduits the Veines the Pitchers of blood the Heart is the Cistern and Fountain of Life the Systole and Diastole moves gales of winde to free from putrefaction For this cause Man is called a Microcosme or little World in that he resembles the greater World The Liver resembles the Ocean the Veines the lesser Rivers the Breath the Aire the naturall Heat the warmth of the Aire the radicall Moysture the fatnesse of the Earth the Hairs of our head the Grasse of the earth Knowledge Light our Eyes the Sun and Moon our Beauty of Youth the Flowers of the Spring the Thoughts of our Minds Motions of Angells our four Complexions resemble the four Elements seven Ages seven Planets Thus was Man created a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containing All till that by usurping All he lost All. Neither was this Beauty solely the Bodies but the Soul in beauty far surpassed the Body as far as the Soul is more active than the Body The Understanding clear without ignorance the Will holy without disobedience the Affections calme without distemperance Thoughts undistracted Heart untempted Conscience unwounded The wonderfull union of them both more wonderfull than both Earth and Heaven were espoused a Body from Earth a Soul from Heaven were united that nothing but Death could part nor Death neither if bodily concupiscence with Martha had not made choise of the worser part Knowledge of sicknesse and sorrowes was unknown No Paracelsus distracted about Extractions It would have been the Physitians Disease that there was no Disease the Grave's Death that there was no Death Envie 's Griefe that there was no Envy What Man was in Rule and Dominion after the Creation Emperour of the whole Earth Admirall of the whole Sea Heir of Eden peerlesse Peer of Paradise that with the Grand Sultan he might have insulted styling himselfe Ruler of the World and Shadow of God With the Pope have worn a triple Crown trampling upon Hell triumphing upon Earth trusting For Heaven All Creatures seeing the splendour of Majesty and God's Image resplendent in this new created Magistrate with reverence pointed at him with an Ecce Adam lo Adam The Stars that lately created were gazed upon as the world's wonder wonder at this new created Star with an Ecce Adam The Angells those ministring Spirits Heb. 1. 14. behold him to whom they must minister with an Ecce Adam God who after the Fall came with an Ecce exprobrandi or upbraiding comes now with an Ecce demonstrandi or declaring to all Creatures Ecce Adam lo this is Adam whom ye must all serve this Adam Lord of all was Man Lord what is Man Thus we have done with the first what what Man was in his Creation We come to the second what what man is in his Degeneration where we must distinguish of a three-fold what what degenerate Man is in his life what in his death what after death The Degenerate in life what in his Body what in his Soul In his Body the length of his time the strength of his time What Man is in the length of his time His life is a Mask his Prologue is acted in secret within the Curtains of the Womb the Protasis in his Birth and Cradle the Epitasis in his checker'd mirth and sorrow Death is the Catastrophe the Grave his Wardrobe His time is a gliding Shuttle a riding Post a flying Cloud a spying Eagle a floating Ship a fading Flower The Shuttle is through the Post is gone the Cloud dissolves the Eagle vanishes the Ship is out of ken the Flower fades His length is but a Span his strength Grasse his beauty but a Venice-Glasse a China's Dish his thoughts Dreams his body a Shadow his flesh but a Vapour his glory but a Taper which begins as a Bubble continues as a Blaze ends with a Blast Lord what is man Thus what Man his Body is in length of time the second what in strength of time what in his Infancy what in his Youth what in his Manage what in his Old age in all these Natures ridle unfolding Sphinx his ridle In his Infancy an Image hath hands and cannot handle right tongue and cannot speak feet and cannot go a soul and cannot understand an unreasonable Brute in the shape of reasonable Man conceived in lust imbrued in blood brought forth in sorrow with throbs and throws His Youth an untamed Tiger unsetled Quicksilver a Camelion of every colour a Polypus of every shape an Ape in all imitations beginning to swell with Pride boyl with Revenge burn with Lust gaspe for Honour gape for Riches Manhood is a Monster composed of many miseries a Sea of sorrowes a World of warrs where all fears affright him The Sea is full of Pirats the Land of Robbers Wealth is envied Poverty is contemned Wit distrusted Simplicity derided Religion suspected Vice advanced and Virtue disgraced Old age is a Creple blinde as Appius blear-eyed as Leah lame as Mephibosheth bald in the head wrinkled in the face rotten in the teeth stinking in the breath teasty with choller withered with drinesse overwhelmed with sicknesse bowed together with weaknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking upon the earth which must be his grave till he lie down in the grave gasping for breath begins with crying continues with sighing and ends with a groan Lord what is man Thus is every Age of life a Stage of strife that well may we sing with Ausonius a Turtle-like Song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Time is a troublesome Tide no place or condition is secure in the world Fear of Enemies affright Suits in Law vex wrongs of Neighbours oppresse care for Wife and Children consume The house is full of cares the Field is full of toyl the Country of rudenesse the City of factions the Court of envy the Church of Sects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What course of life then shall a man take when every life is a curse What Art shall he study when he is the dolefull subject of every Art and studying it studies his own misery What does Grammer teach him but to speak the language of his owne confusion The first part whereof containes the
mercy endureth for ever Mountains and Hills Fountains and Springs all Tongues and Tribes and Kindreds praise the God of mercies as long as his mercy endureth and his mercy endureth for ever The Stork paies tribute of her young the Trees of their fruits the Earth of her flowers for tillage Shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 return blessing and praising to him for his infinite blessings And those that turn this blessing into a curse will be cursed as an Anathema Maranatha a bitter curse Democritas and Epicurus denyed God the gift of Creation of the World while they lived yet questionlesse ere this confesse that fabricavit infernum he made Hell for them when they were dead Some give God speciall providence of celestiall things in heaven but not of terrestriall upon Earth this Atheism Eliphaz imputes to Job Job 22. 13. Thou sayest how doth God know can he judge through the dark cloud thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not Rabbi Moses expunged all corruptible things except man out of the Calender of Gods care The Stoicks tie the god of Fate to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inevitable necessity of Fate Aristotle at the first maintained the World to be eternall without Creation yet at the last ascribes the glory of the World to God and that in his Book de Mundo which Justine Martyr calls the Module of all his true Philosophie where he confesses that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the handi-work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved by God Galen the great Physitian ascribed the fabrick of mans body to Nature not the God of Nature but astonished at the workmanship of it burst forth into an Hymn concerning him that made it and that in his third Book de usu partium â—ompono canticum in creatoris nostri landem I will make a Song saies he in the praise of him that made me Lesse divine is that opinion Gregory Nyssen reproves in divine Plato making God the Guardian of spirituall the Angells of Temporall the Devills of human things These were Vipers not Men that wounded those bowells of compassion that made all things for the use of men But in God is a threefold Providence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universall preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 motion to all good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permission of all evill that his infinite goodnesse may appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver This is the second Branch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift or charter There is a commutative giving by way of exchange when we exchange one thing for another as gold for Garments Thus God gives all receives nothing A distributive giving to every man according to his desert but to us is no gift of merit but of Gods free mercy A ministeriall giving not of his own but of his Masters thus Men and Angells are Gods Almners he the rich Owner and Donor of all There is a pernicious giving to the receivers destruction like the Grecian Horse to the Trojans Deianira's shirt to Hercules Eutrapelus his treasurie to his Favourites But every gift of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving If the Son ask bread will the Father give him a stone if a fish will he give him a serpent That we as Toads turn the pure potions of Gods mercies into poyson the grace of God into wantonnesse is from us the ungratefull receivers not from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free giver The word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace which is a free gift of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoyce because as Plutarch saies there is nothing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fruitfull of joy as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace so that by the name we finde that grace is a free gift of God flowing from his love God is a free giver because he is a lover for all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts are beams from the sunshine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He so loved the world such a sic as can not be parallel'd with a sicut It was love to make us of nothing his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bowells of pitty to redeem us when we were worse then nothing Love linked with pitty with Christ the means internall to link all means externall to sugar and sweeten this life Therefore as the Greek word hath the name of love so the Hebrew of pitty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chen is grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chinam a free gift both of them comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chanam to have pitty This love this pitty of God will more appear if we seek out the several Charters of his grace of his free gifts There is a grace temporall common to all a grace spirituall speciall to the Saints this speciall grace is either gratis dans in God accepting or gratis data in man receiving In man receiving there is a grace preventing a grace following a grace working a grace co-working a grace exciting a grace perfecting these graces are internall and proper to them that have Christ and given in the former branch of the Text with Christ the grace meant here is common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall be given overplus with Christ and those are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things for this life that our heavenly Father knowes we stand in need of He himselfe the giver will be to us a gift which is all in all a Castle to the besieged liberty to the prisoner a father to the fatherlesse a husband to the widow cloaths to the naked bread to the hungry health to the sick oyntment to the head oyle to the face wine to the heart marrow to the bones strength to the body comfort to the soul and all these he gives with Christ through whom is eternall salvation both of body and soul Now if God freely give all let us in token of gratefulnesse return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver The Stars shine the Heavens rain the Earth fructifies Cattle multiplies all by his free gift who if he should close his hand of bounty the Stars shine not the Heavens rain not the Earth fructifies not Cattle multiply not Consider this and wonder O Epicure that rises up to eat lies down to sleep with Solomon's sluggard that hath eyes inclosed with fat with David's Bulls of Basan that ascribes all to thy fortune carriage cunning providence Many while they are in prosperity feed upon Gods blessings like Swine upon Acornes and look not up at the Tree whence they fall when they are in adversity like Dogs snarl at the Stone that smitt them but minds not the hand that threw it never considering with Job
which are two the one young Samuel revealing who by this occasion received primam tonsuram his first unction to prophecy the other is old Eli who like Sexagenarius de ponte as his bodily so his spirituall eyes grew dim for 1 Sam. 3. 1. The word of the Lord was pretious in those daies there was no open vision Secondly we have the thing revealed which is either the sin or the punishment of sin sin either the father Eli's for not correcting and chastising his sons or the sin of his sons Hophni and Phinehas who being Priests of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. were sons of Beliall knew not the Lord by their rapine made men abhor the daily sacrifice 17. lay with the women that assembled at the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 22. The punishment of sin either threatned first by a man of God not otherwise named 1 Sam. 2. 27. secondly by Samuel himselfe that the Lord would cut off the whole family of Eli from the priesthood and that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3. 14. Or executed in the fourth Chapter for thirty thousand of the Israelites were put to the sword the whole Camp scattered Hophni and Phinehas the Priests slain the Ark of God taken captive by the Philistims the Wife of Phinehas hearing of it fell into the pangs of childbirth and was delivered of a Son calling his name Ichobod the glory is departed from Israel and so expired and at the relation of the messenger Eli being ninty eight years old fell back from his chair and brake his neck Thus the whole Family was dysastered rarò antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede poena claudo Seneca Punishment and shame like a blood-hound alwaies pursues sin at the heeles the Ark was taken the Army routed the Priests slain Phinehas his Wife perished in the after-pangs Eli brake his neck Hence observe that sin is the deserving cause procuring the ruine and calamity of Church and State Cities and Families Sin it is that infects our purest aire that damps our richest mines that poysons our sweetest dainties that laies thornes in our softest beds of down that undermines Palaces pulls down Crowns shakes Thrones and ruinates Kingdomes that sets all mortall Wights at opposition heat against cold cold against heat winter and summer light and darknesse moysture and drought in arms one against another That the whole world is become a boyling furnace of contradictions where man is the mettall the body is the drosse which must first be burned by the refining fire of death before the soul can become pure gold fit for the heavenly Sanctuary For the proof of this hear Jeremie's lamentation Lam. 3. 39. Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Heaven and earth answers his Interrogatory with a soul 's sad Eccho Man suffereth for his sins Come on further and see all Creatures Angells Men Beasts Plants Elements Heavens in sorrowes discord sighing out the sad Epitaphium of mans mortality 42. We have sinned and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared thou hast covered us with wrath and persecuted us thou hast slain and not spared Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death As tooth for tooth eye for eye hand for hand one talent for another so death is a deserved reward for sin death first seizing upon the body while we live by the canker of corruption and mortality bringing at the length death of the body by dissolution and all this hatched and brooded under the Cocatrice sin Come on and travail with St. Paul to Corinth 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this cause saies he many are weak amongst you and sick and many sleep For this cause that is for the poyson of sin the canker of corruption in generall for spilling of our Saviour's blood piercing his side nailing his feet unworthy receiving of the holy Sacrament in particular Are sick that is feavours boyle you consumptions waste you plague and pestilence devour you And many sleep sleep in an everlasting Lethargy and apoplexie of death never to be awaked before the last doom Many that Biers are become restlesse Peripateticks the Spade and Mattock tyred the Sextons still digging the Graves still gaping passing-Bells without any stop or period confounding the language one of another the Church-yards more peopled then the Theaters Mista senum ac juvenum densantur funera no sex nor age nor young nor old are spared but are made a subject for death to read mortalitie's lecture upon This made David complain that his bones waxed old and that his moysture was turned into the drought of summer Psal 32. made him houle and cry that his daies were consumed like smoak his bones were burned as hearth withered like grasse he was become like a Pelican in the wildernesse or a sparrow on the house top Ps 102. This made Job complain that his griefe was heavier then the sand of the sea that the arrowes of the Almighty were within him that the poyson had drunk up his spirit the terrours of God had set themselves in array against him Job 6. This makes all Mankinde rot as a Pomgranate shiver as a Potsheard splinter as a Venice Glasse corrupt as a standing Pool and vanish into ashes like Sodom's Apples And the reason of all this is because the justice of God requires it sin is daily in the view of his all-piercing eye sends up cries aloud into his holy ear piercing through the clouds for revenge importuning his vindicative hand to whet his glittering sword to feather his arrowes to make sharp the point of his spear to wash his footsteps in blood And then shall not he that hath called his footstool the Earth and his throne the Heavens to witnesse and hath sworn by himselfe the greatest that sin shall not passe without revenge shall not he be just Besides this consider all Creatures as daily Oratours that miserably complaining put up their petitions to him The higher House the suburbs of Heaven sits drooping the Sun is turned into blood and eclipsed the Stars unsnuffed burn dim within the socket of their sphears their naturall force abated their influence impaired all waxes old as does a garment and saies that sin is the cause The aire is stifled with the poysoned breath of meteors and insteed of comforting the inhabitants of the earth is become a stage of prodigies and terrours flying Dragons amaze blazing Stars as Beacons of astonishment affright Thunder with her loud Canon-shot makes roaring the impetuous fury of the Bolts brings death the Clouds in time of need are barren in time of harvest intoxicate the earth with deluges no dew sometimes but mildew no light but lightning no blast nor gale of winde but blasting and saies that sin is the cause The sea roules the windes blow unmercifully the waves rage impetuously all things are troubled unnaturally which makes the Leviathans roar and the fishes die and saies that sin is the cause The earth quakes
21. which St. Paul presses Heb. 12. 1 2. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame Fourthly these sharp humours have run in all the veines of the mysticall body of Christ hitherto no afflictions befall us but such as are accomplished in our brethren that are in the world Joseph was in prison Daniel in the Lion's den the three Children in the fiery furnace Job on the dunghill Lazarus prostrate at the rich Man's gates the blessed Virgin 's heart was pierced with a sword the Apostles in the gaole And we have a promise that the God of all grace after we have suffered a while will make us perfect stablish strengthen and settle us And that God of his fidelity will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that we may be able to bear it Fiftly God hath put bounds to the storms of this troublesome Sea huc usque thus far the waves shall rage and no further Thirty years were appointed the sick man at Bethesda's pool twelve years to the woman with the bloody issue three months to Moses ten daies of tribulation to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna three daies plague to Dâ—vid Yea the number of the godly mans tears are registred in Gods book and the quantity kept in his bottle they are but a showr that will end in sun-shine a troublesome torrent that will waft us to the haven of rest Be faithfull unto death and thou shalt receive a Crown of life Sixtly we are called to give an account of our Stewardship how we have improved our Talent to repetitions in Christs school to see how much faith patience and godlinesse we have learned all this while and whether we cannot like â—ob receive at the hand of God some evill as well as we have hitherto received a confluence of good As therefore we have alwaies prayed Thy will be done so let us not be now offended at this which is done by his holy will Seventhly meditate that all things shall work together for the best to them that love God insomuch that neither death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Every pang is a prevention of hellish pains every sanctified respite an earnest of heavens rest It is but the Crosse of Christ sent before to câ—ucifie the love of the world in us let us therefore with Simon of Cyrene carry it after him the pains will shortly passe the joy will never passe away Lastly consider there is no equality no proportion betwixt the houre of temptation here and the everlasting jubilee hereafter As is the centre to the circumference an instant to eternity a molehill to a mountain a drop of water to the sea so are the Saints crosses to their crownes as is the earth little or nothing in respect of heaven so is our earthly sufferings in respect of it therefore glory is called the kingdome of God of the Father of Heaven Abraham's bosom Matth. 8. 11. it 's called a Paradise of pleasure wherein is the Tree of life the house of our Father all fulnesse of joy the new Jerusalem an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fades not away reserved in the highest heavens It 's called the glory of God our glory rest refreshment such felicity as neither eye hath seen ear hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man For it is the habitation of God of Christ of the holy Ghost as great a difference as there is betwixt a Snailes house and a Palace a Tortoise shell and Solomon's Temple Jonah's Gourd and the Towers of Ninivey so much and more difference is betwixt heaven and any thing that can be upon earth We see this is the composure of the World that finest things are scituated in the highest places the earth as grossest is put in the lowest room the Water above the Earth the Aire above the Water the Fire above the Aire the Sphears of Heaven purer then any of them above the rest which you see beautified with Sun Moon and Stars shining more gloriously then all the pretious Stones in the world and all this but the neather side of the pavement of that Palace then what shall be the glory of the Heaven of Heavens within able to drink up all afflictions as the Sea does the River Iordan There are three distinct places in which every Saint successively is resident first in his mother's wombe secondly in the world thirdly in heaven As much as the whole Universe is larger then our mothers wombe so much is heaven larger and ampler than it for if one star exceed the earth so much in bignesse then what shall the heavens that contain infinite stars Secondly as in largenesse so in time our time to be in our mothers wombs is but nine months but on earth it may be an hundred times nine months but our beeing in heaven is without period of daies months or years Thirdly as no man can remember what sorrow he had in his mothers wombe so shall our joies in heaven drink up all our sufferings upon earth And this glory consists either essentially in the beatificall vision or operatively in the effects it works in us Essentially in the beatifical vision though the Familists and Millenaries understand it not confounding grace and glory but no man upon earth hath seen God neither can he be seen that is perfectly it is true we may see God here in a naturall vision in his Creatures as in a Glasse wherein some splendour of his glory shines he may be seen in a specular or symbolicall vision by signes and characters of his glory so Moses is said to have seen Gods hinder parts Esa 6. 1. I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne high and lifted up his house was full of majâ—sty and the Seraphims stood about him We see God here by the vision of faith when by Doctrine of Christ his Son and the operation of the Spirit we know the will of the Father But the beatificall vision in heaven is to behold God and Christ Jesus face to face we shall see him as he is no veiles being put betwixt us Stay here and pause a while What comfort will this be to see the Lamb sit upon his seat of state If the wise men of the East came so far and rejoyced to see him in the manger what will it be to see him sitting in his glory If St. Iohn Baptist did leap at his presence in his mothers wombe what shall this his presence do in his royall and eternall Kingdome If the Queen of Sheba was astonished at the sight of Solomon what shall we be at the sight of millions of Saints in his Court