full from the communion of the Church of England pretending the great corruptions that be some in the doctrine but most in the Discipline thereof Is Sion the Mountaine of the Lord still although both sinne and vengeance have left it desolate Did Christ call the Temple his fathers house when the ungodly prophaners of it had made it a den of theeves I dare not say now though that Mountaine of the Lord and the place whre Gods honour did sometimes dwell and wherein God tooke delight hath almost endured sixteen hundred yeeres desolation and is now the cage of uncleane birds inhabited by Turks and Saracens and for the profit of both by Popish Idolators which make prize of Pilgrims resorting to visite the places sometimes hallowed by the presence of Christ and his Mother and his holy servants I dare not say that God hath lost his interest therein or resigned all his right thereto Nullum tempus occurrit regi I remember the Prophecy of Zacharie But it shall be one day Zac. 4.7 8 which shall be knowne to the Lord nor day nor night but it shall come to passe that at evening time it shall be light And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Ierusalem A Prophecy not yet fulfilled for though Interpreters doe commonly attribute this to the coming of Christ in the flesh and the light of the Gospel beginning at Ierusalem and shining over all the world the words of the Text do directly confute that exposition for this prophecy is determined to the evening time that is to the latter end of the world and Christ came in the fulnesse of time And at the coming of Christ in the flesh it was not as here is said Nor day nor night for then Lux magna orta est the sunne of righteousnesse arose in our hemisphere the very night was lighted to the shepherds with an extraordinary clarity And such a light shone in Ierusalem as not only lighted them but it was a light to lighten the Gentiles it shone to the East upon the Magi there and all the ends of the world soon saw the salvation of their God Therefore I conclude that this prophecy is to be fulfilled towards the end of the world when God shall call againe his people from far and his dispersed from the ends of the earth When the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in then shall God call again his people and remember the oath that he sware unto Abraham and the sure mercies of David Then shall he set his name again in Ierusalem and displant the intruders upon his possession and settle his habitation once again upon the Holy mountain at the end of the world Yet I do not affirm that there shall be again a Common-wealth of the Jewes or a distinction of Tribes as heretofore that wall of partition is taken down and the bond of Christian Religion shall be the bond of peace and God hath said it Tros Tyrius ve mihi nullo discrimine agetur Both Jew and Gentile all shall be alike But God hath layed such claime to this mountain and professed so much love to it that I dare not beleeve that he can forget it for ever but that when the time the appointed time shall come he will have mercy upon Sion and will pitty the ruines and dust thereofâ—â—â— But when here Sion is called Mons sanctus meus my Holy mountain here is a quaere how any place can be called Holy and what kind of holinesse it is which is ascribed to any place Surely if it be Sanctus quia meus what place is it where God is not he is in the valley of the shadow of death he is present over men in the nethermost hell But God is said to sanctifie some places here on earth because he is present there 1. Secundum specialem curam in respect of his speciall care and protection 2. Secundum specialem cultum in respect of his speciall Worship Ierusalem was the place which God took into his speciall protection and where he placed his speciall worship for the Lord God was well known in Sion at Salem was his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion 1. And for the speciall care that he had of that place He loved the gates of Sion more c. And though the earth was the Lords and all that therein is yet of Sion he said here do I dwell I have a delight herein And this Spiritualis cura Spiritual care so sanctified that place that when Israel had polluted the worship of God and Heathen came in upon Gods inheritance and defiled his Sanctuary yet ceased not that place to be Holy not by any inherent holinesse as the Roman Church suggesteth but only secundum specialem curam because it was not yet out of Gods speciall protection and only thus it is holy at this day 2. Propter specialem cultum for his speciall worship when any place is dedicate to Gods worship and separate from common use it is an holy place and God vouchsafeth there specialem praesentiam a special presence For I am not of Mr. Calvins mind who saith Templa non sunt propria Dei habitacula unde aurem propius admoveat For God hath a speciall interest in those places which are separate to his special worship and the very place is fearful to them that have any sense of Religion and as Damascen saith plus participat gratiae operationis Dei they partake more of the powerfull operation of God For why is Heaven the Throne of God more then the earth but because God doth there more expresse his glory then he doth here And for the interest that God hath in those consecrated places consider Gods challenge in my Text Sion though in the Land of the Chaldeans is the Mount of God Churches and Lands once given to God do remain his for ever for unlesse God shall manifestly reveale his resignation to man what man on earth hath any assignment from him of his right Beloved we have power to give to God of his own but we have no power on earth for revocation when it is once Sacred and God hath enclosed it no man can lay it common But the fat of the Church hath fed so many of all degrees in this Land to that grouth and strength that this Doctrine is a Paradox and we are but laught at when we plead the right of God to things sacred For if Sacriledge be a sinne what rank of men in this or our neighbour kingdome doth not live in sin and by sin The Mount of Sion is challenged here to be the holy Mountain of God in whose hand soever the possession thereof be and all that invade the right of God in things sacred shall heare him complain Prov. 20.25 Ye have robbed me and though they make it strange and aske wherin have we robbed thee Solomon will tell them It is a snare for a man to devoure that which is Sanctified
hope that either God may divert the evil or mitigate the same or give patience to bear it or sanctifie the chastisement ad dignam emandationem for their amendment for onely the Lord knoweth who are his When Saul was rejected and Samuel was the messenger of that heavie judgement 1 Sam. 15.35 yet Samuel did not cease mourning for Saul untill the day of his death That is the most effectual manner of praying even that which the Holy Ghost useth in us with sighs and groans Plus fletu quam afflain Thus when Abraham saw Ishmael cast out for a scorner and persecutour of Isaac yet he prayed O that Ishmael might live in thy sight And God said I have heard thee also concerning him somewhat is obtained Therefore let us still be praying for all men Especially seeing God doth not make us of his counsell so far as to declare to us whom he accepteth and whom he rejecteth From this lesson of the certainty of the judgements of God upon the wicked certain whether we consider the nature of God without change or the weaknesse of man without any possibility of resisting or the nature of the reprobate without any ability of repenting We are taught 1. To rest in the decree of God let us know that he cannot deny himself and therefore though wrath go not out from the Lord presently and although his judgement is delayed yet let us resolve that upon the wicked he will rain snares and he will break the impenitent with rods of iron He was an hundred and twenty yeers preaching to the old world and they repented not so long was he ere he would pluck his hand out of his bosome yet at last he smote the World with a great slaughter and drowned all but eight persons Two Errours do grow in us if we do not wisely weigh this doctrine 1. An Errour in judgement These things hast thou done and I kept silence Psa 10.21 thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self as Aug. Deum quia non pateris ultorem vis habere participem quia malefacta tua placent tibi tu putas etiam ea placere mihi 2. An Errour in manners Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily Eccles. 8.11 therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evill For indeed what maketh men to walk so unconscionably on earth blaspheming the sacred name of the highest Majesty polluting his holy Sabbaths making their belly their penny their pleasure their God but this corrupt opinion of Gods either not seeing or not caring or pardoning of sins the presuming on his mercy not knowing this that the judgments of God howsoever deferred will surely light where they are threatned Therefore let every man in hearing and reading of the word of God observe his owne sins how they are threatned and let him know that he hath no way nor means but by his serious repentance to escape that judgment 1. Let us take heed of dallying with the Almighty God for be not deceived God is not mocked they that think to finde him when they list know not that there is a time when he will be found and they that neglect that time do lose their season of him 2. But especially let men take heed of abusing his patience and making that a motive to and a strength of sin for Laesa patientia fit furor patience abused turns to fury when men sin against the mercy of God they spill the medicine that should heal them they cut the bough that they stood on for it is that which keepeth our heads above water and standeth in the gap 3. To conclude let men take heed of falling so farre from God as to make a covenant with death and an agreement with hell that is to make peace with Satan for this bed the Prophet saith is too short and this covering is too narrow to cover us We are taught here not to repine at the present prosperity of the wicked This hath much disquieted very godly persons David confesseth it to have unrested him and his foot had almost slipt Psal 73. It made some wise men among the heathen doubt An sit providentia whether there be a providence and no humane wisdome can maintaine providence because bonis malefit good men suffer There is a parting of the red sea and then it will appeare who be Israelites and who be Aegyptians What if it last prosperous all their life long at the parting of the soule and body Lazarus and the rich man shall feele a change therefore grudge not the wicked their pleasures of sin for a season 2. By what means this intelligence of the judgement against Edom was given the meanes are two 1. By a rumour from the Lord. 2. By the Embassadours sent from the Heathen 1. The rumour from the Lord. Jeremiah useth the same word the Interlin auditum audivimus à cum Domino Jer 49.14 His meaning is as before is exprest that God hath put this prophecie in the mouth of many of his Prophets so that it is not a particular instinct by revelation to some one but a rumor that is a general opening of the same filling the mouths of many which declareth the consent of the Prophets in this Prophecie Doctr. It advanceth the message of God amongst men when the Lords trumpets doth Dare sonum certum give a certain sound when they all agree together as one man in the ministery thereof The messenger that came from Michaiah to bring him to the two Kings Jehoshaphat and Ahab thought he had used a great argument to perswade Michaiah to Prophesie good successe to that intended expedition against Ramoth-Gilead 1 Reg. 22.13 saying Behold now the words of the prophets declare good unto the King with one mouth let thy word I pray thee be like the word of one of one of them c. These false prophets all joyned together to flatter that expedition God revealeth the secret hereof by Michaiah there was an evil spirit offered his service to God saying I will go forth and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets And God said Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also The Prophets and Ministers of God do consent in their message and Sathan that studieth the ruine of the Church doth his best to make his false prophets agree all in a tale to make the fairer shew of Truth that he may deceive many It is one of the great objections of the Papists against our Religion that it cannot be the Truth of God because we Ministers do not agree in the Preaching thereof To whom we answer That the Church of England in all points both of Religion and Discipline is as a city which is at unity within it self if some particular Persons in the Ministery leave the way of the Church and go in their own way that is no fault of the Church but the
Authority and at last tempt them to separation Mr. Perkins upon the Article of the Holy Catholike Church doth learnedly handle this point Object First saith hâ— they object That our Assemblies are full of grievous blots and enormities He answereth Sol. The defects must be 1. Either in Doctrine 2. Or in manners 1. Defects in Doctrine 1. Either Errours praeter fundamentum besides the foundation 2. Or contra fund mentum against the foundation He maintaineth that our Church of England doth teach no Doctrine against the foundation of Christian Religion 2. For corruption in manners he declareth that it cannot make a Church no Church but an imperfect Church therefore Christ commandeth to hear them which preach well and live ill as the Scribes and Pharisees which sit in Moses chair Object Again he findeth it objected that the Church of England doth hold Christ in word but denieth him in deed Sol. Answer Denyall of Christ is Either in judgment Or in fact To deny Christ in judgment which obstinacie is against the foundation and maketh a Christian no Christian To deny Christ in fact only sheweth us to be weak and imperfect in our profession of the Gospel and the best of Gods servants cannot keep out of this ranck because it is impossible for them that carry a body of sinne who do the evill that they would not to hold conformity of life and conversation with their knowledge and good desires And truly the authors or the actors of chisme do shew much uncharitablenesse in their separation from our Church for the Apostles rule is Be not unequally yoked with Infidels What concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selves saith the Lord. And do they judge their brethren to be Infidels the sons of Belial Idolaters that they do separate from us Againe the same Apostle saith If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Tim 6 3. and to the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse from such separate your selves Can any lay this to the charge of our Church that we offend in this kind It is true that nothing is more easie then to accuse but men and Devils cannot prove this against our Church The Church of the Jewes in the times immediately after Christs Ascension was the Church of God neither did Christ forsake that Church in his time nor the Apostles after him But when certaine men heardened and disobeyed Acts 12.9 speaking evill of the way of God Saint Paul departed from them and separated from them and separated the Disciples of Ephesus from certaine Schismatiques he separated but not from the Church Therefore arise against such in battell detect them to publike authority seek their amendment or if that cannot be compassed prosecute the ridding them out of the Church for those Edomites do not love the welfare of our Jerusalem and they will not know those things which belong to peace The way of peace they have not known Under the name and title of Edom we may understand the whole Kingdome of Satan and Israel the Church of God stirred up by the embassadours the Ministers of God to arise against it in battell For this is our life called a Warfare because we fight against Satan the professed enemy of the Church against all his forces Both his outward forces in the world And his inward forces Corpus peccati the body of sin The holy Apostle Saint Paul knowing the danger of the elect doth not only awake us to fight and giveth us his owne example so fighting not as one beateth the aire But he prescribeth us to a fit armour Ephes 6.19 c. and teacheth us how to put it on that we may be able to defend our selves and to resist Satan This is no power of our own but our strength in the Lord and in the power of his might 3. To come nearer home as God told Rebecca when Iacob and Esau were yet in her womb there striving Gen. 25.23 there be two Nations in thy womb so Saint Paul will tell you that there is in every regenerate man two opposite forces The flesh and the spirit and rhese strive the spirit hath God put into us to rule the flesh rebelleth against the spirit Therefore to will is present with us but we are not able to do to good that we would yea he confesseth that he cannot do the good that he would and that he doeth the evill that he would not The spirit of God is Gods Embassadour calling upon our spirits to arise against the flesh in battell and that is the true use of all Doctrines of mortification and of godly life to strengthen the spirit against the flesh to weaken the power of the body of sin And for this Saint Paul did bring his body in subjection for such is the nature of this fight that the more we resist our naturall and sensuall desires the more we advance the force of our spirits against our flesh And it a most glorious conquest for any servant of God to overcome himself Obadiah verse 2. Behold I have made thee small among the Heathen thou art greatly despised 2. The effect of this judgment 1. From God I have made thee small c. 2. From God and man Thou art greatly despised 1. From God Three circumstances aggravate the judgment 1. Edom is made small 2. Made small among the Nations 3. I have done it 2. From God and man 2. Circumstances 1. Thou art despised 2. Thou art despised greatly Before I handle these parts two things offer themselves to consideration which make easie way unto the understanding of the Prophecie 1. The preface to this Prophecie Behold 2. The phrase thereof 1. The Preface Behold Whereby he openeth the eyes of the Idumaeans to look into their future estate it is a word much used in holy Scripture and ever maketh way to some worthy and considerable matter here the Lord would have the Idumaeans take notice of the judgment and wrath to come Not that they should repent them of their sins and turne to God for God hated them and set his face against them and they had hearts that they could not repent but hence we learn Doctr. It is Gods manner to give warning of his judgments even to those who will not take warning that they may be without excuse and Ezekiel must prophecie to those that will not receive him And thou shalt speak my words unto them Ezek. 2.7 whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are most rebellious He giveth a reason before Reason 1 Use 5 Yet they shall know that there hath been a Prophet amongst them God will have the ungodly know that he hath tendered to them the meanes of escape from his judgments by the ministry of his word that they may have nothing to
in summa pericula misit Venturi timor ipse mali fortissinâ—â—â— ille est Qui promptus metunda pati The feare of evil to come hath endangered many he is the most valiant that is ready to suffer what is feared 2. It tryeth our faith Christ said to Peter Cur times exiguâ fide praedites when he so felt himselfe sinking in the waters God promised I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Do we beleeve him Dare we trust him as Christ Do you beleeve in God beleeve also in me 2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Jam. 2. 3. Knowing this that the trying of your Faith worketh patience 4. But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 1 Pet. 1 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more precious then of gold which perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ c. 3. This setteth before our eyes the great appearance that our enemies shall make before us either in this world when our eye shall have our desire on them that hate us or in the last day when the Saints shall judge the world which serveth to admonish us with the Prophet To commit our wayes to the Lord and to trust in him for he shall bring it to passe Excellent is the story of Elisha whom the King of Syriâ— sent an Army to take and they beset Dothan where he lodged but Elisha prayed and God smote the whole Army with blindnesse and he whom they sought offered himselfe to them to be their guide and he brought them into Samaria and then God opened their eyes and they saw themselves in the hand and power of their enemies Thus doth God blind the eyes of the enemies of his Church and when ther malice is at the height they find themselves set at the Barre to be judged by his Saints then Iacob shall judge the Mount of Esau Methinkes I see the great appearance of the boisterous Tyrants of the earth whose eyes did sparkle fire in the faces of Gods servants whole tongue spake proud words whose foot trode upon Gods Saints whose hand spared them not whose countenance darted against them scorne and disdaine and whose swords were made drunke in the bloud of Gods Holy ones With what a feareful trembling and horrible dread they come to this judgement against their wils where they shall see the Saints all in long white robes like a flock of sheep that come from the washing in whose glorified faces they shall behold their owne shame and dishonour in whose place and joy they shall behold the bloudy persecution wherewith they have oppressed them in their life and in whose setled happinesse they shall read their doom of eternall woe And as Saint Peter saith How shall the wicked and ungodly appeare there needs no more evidence against them bring them to judgement and that sight shall convince them 3. The issue and effect of all And the Kingdome shall be the Lords This is the proper fruite of our deliverance from the hands of our enemies that the Kingdome of God may be established on earth in Gods Church 1. For so long as the enemies of God do tyrannize and fill all with their grosse actions the face of the Church is covered the Temples of God are defiled and demolished the worship of God seeketh private corners and sheweth not it selfe the Saints of God fly from the Sword of Persecution wandring here and there from one Nation to another people and it is hard to say where the Church of God is During the persecution under the cruell Emperours till Constantine aross and restored the Kingdome to God the Kingdome of God on earth was not abolished quite but it was in some sort invisible not that it was then hidden from all the faithfull as it was from the world therefore concerning the invisiblenesse of this Kingdome we do affirme 1. That though this Kingdome of God be so established on earth that the gaâ—â—â— of hell shall not prevails against it because God gave to his son that asked him the heâ—â—hen for his inheritance and the utmost part of the earth for his possession And Christ promised to give the Holy Ghost to his Church to abide with it for ever 〈◊〉 yeâ—at sometimes the faithfull may be so few in number and they so separated one from another in the pursuit of their owâ—â— sâ—â—â—ty that the world cannot easily discome the face of a Church This some of the Church of Rome have confessed affirming that about the time of Christs passion and the dispersion of his Disciples theâ—â— true faith remained onely in the blessed Virgin Mary But untruly◠〈◊〉 the Disciples though they fled from the persecution of that time they fled not froâ—â— the â—aith of Christ But was it not so in Eliahs time when he knew of no more but himselfe alone that served the true God yet God had knees that had never bowed to Baal even then 2. We affirme that Satans Kingdome may so farre dilate it selfe in power and spreading that the externall government of the Church may cease the succession of Bishops and Pastors may be interrupted the Discipline of the Church hindered and the outward exercise of Gods Worship suspended the sunne of righteousnes may suffer ecclipse and thus much the Rhemists do confesse in their notes upon 2 Thes 2.2 3. That which the common opinion doth embrace for the Kingdome of God may be Satans Kingdome whose doctrine is poison whose pastors are wolves in sheeps cloathing whose children are bastards of the Strumpet of Babylon This appeares in the Church story for when Româ— forsook her first Love and began to turne saith into faction and religion into carnall policy to establish a tâ—anscendent greatnesse on the face of the earth and to tyrannize over all that stood for the truth revealed in the word then was the candle of the Church put out so farre as they could prevaile and the word of God the light of our steps was taken away from the people Then did the faithfull subjects of Gods Kingdome hide themselves from the sword and the fire and the sundry persecutions which Rome devised to oppresse them then their heresy past for truth commonly their usurpers for lawfull Bishops their mercenaries for Pastors their legendes for Gospel and they boasted themselves the only true Church of God and Spouse of Iesus Christ And when by the ministry of Dr. Lurher the Church began to lift up the head againe and that one single man opposed the Pope and was a burning and shining Lampe to whose light many dayly resorted we see that ever since that time the Church hath come more and more in sight and growne both in number and strength Kings have been nursing Fathers and Queens have been Nurses and the Kingdom of God hath been gloriously advaanced on earth Then did England
Schisme of Private men Such as they are discovered so are they restrained and separated from the rest to Room then Parcius ista viris tamen objicionda memento Personall oppositions do not fasten imputation upon any entire Church of God And we say to the Roman Church Novimus et qui to c. For we have good evidence even from their own wrightings that the Church of Rome hath in later times dissented from those Tenets which in former times it hath maintained not in matters of light moment but in the main points of Christian Religion 1. For the books of Canonicall Scripture the learned of former times did refuse all those books which we call Apocryphall as well as we yet the Counsell of Trent hath since placed them in the Canon and given them equall authority with the Canonicall Scriptures 2. For the sufficiencie their own best learned have heretofore acknowledged the same as much as we 3. The vulgar translation hath been by their learned refused the originall preserved 4. For the conception of the Virgin Mary without sin it is not yet determined in the Church but contradictories are allowed 5. The distinction of Mortall and Veniall sins 6. The Doctrines of merite of super-erogation of the seven Sacraments of Transubstantiation of Purgatory of praying to Saints worshipping of images Indulgencies Popes supremacie all refused Therefore let them no longer charge us with differences our Church doth maintain one Truth in all these things with the former Church of Rome against this that now is Therefore let us observe the setled doctrine of the Church in which we live and receive that against the perverse oppositions of all schismaticall coiners of new Doctrines and that is the safest way for us to walk in for this rumor Domini is no rumour of the Lord. Doctr. 2 2. Because it is auditus a Domino heard from the Lord whence we are taught to distinguish between the rumours which we hear from men and those rumours which we hear from the Lord let us judge them by the word of God and let us learn of the Church the Spouse of Christ who best discerneth these spirituall things because they are deposited with it and the Spirit of God is with it and abideth with it for ever How holy Scriptures must be interpreted Let every man put his own particular fancies and humours to silence and as the Apostle saith let us receive with meeknesse the word of God and let it be graffed in us For the word of the Lord endureth for ever that is like him that gave it without variablenesse there is in it no shadow of change It was Davids rest Audiam quid loquatur Deus I will hear what the Lord speaketh And that we may hear this rumour of the Lord profitably The word is given to profit withall let me shew you who they be that receive the word of God profitably these namely who 1. Receive it in their understanding 2. in their judgement 1. In their understanding knowing what the Lord speaketh in his Word for the Word is the revelation of the good will of God To this is necessary 1. A preparation to this understanding 2. An use of the means For the preparation of our understanding two things are necessary as Saint Paul speaketh 1. Be not conformed to this world this world is our enemy Rom. 11.1 we must shake off all acquaintance with it it is the serpents fair fruit wherewith he tempteth us he setteth the eye and the heart a lusting and filleth us with the pride of life Christ first separated his disciples from the world then he fitted them to his service They deceive themselves that think they may embrace true religion and the world too following the vanities of fashion and surfetting in the pleasures of life for Godlinesse and vanity cannot dwell together and the god of this world blindeth the eye of the understanding that they which love the world cannot love God and the secrets of the Lord are revealed to none but such as love and fear God 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of the minde that is be ye new Creatures casting off the old man which is corrupt for this new wine must be put in new casks We must sing a new song Canticum novum novus homo a new man none else can sing it therefore David desired Cor novum a new heart and spiritum rectum a right spirit it is the only new fashion as in many of ours to renew the old fashion the image of God stamped in us in our Creation which is decayed repaired anew by the image of the new Adam who came to restore us 2. A use of the means which are 1. Delight in reading of the word give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.15 what though thou understand not what thou readest no more did the Eunuch but God sent Philip to him he was in the way of illumination Idle and wanton books take up too much of our time from the reading of Gods book rumor populi a rumour of the people takes us from reading this rumor Domim this rumour of the Lord. Yet these things are written for our use and onely these things make the man of God wise to salvation 2. Meditation for that helpeth the understanding and layeth up what we read in the memory that we may know where to have it again when we have need of it It is said of Mary Luâ—k 251 that she kept all these sayings in her heart The wise son of Sirach saith well The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel Ecclus. 21 14. and he will hold no knowledge as long as he liveth Truly the cause of all our sins and frailties is want of meditation in the Word want of keeping it in our heart we see in our selves how we are affected here in hearing of the Word of God if we did meditate on it we should have the same affections still 3. Hear the Word preached for this is Gods ordinance for the saving of souls Nehem. 8. Ezra had a pulpit of wood made him he stood up be read the law and gave the sense and all the people wept when they heard the wonderfull things of the Law But it is said All the people were attentive both man women yet he preached not by the glasse but from morning till mid-day And Paul preached from evening till midnight for it pleaseth God by the foolishnes of preaching to save those that beleeve Be swift to heaâ— 4. Meditation is necessary also after hearing the word in the publike Ministery for the Minister speaking to a mixt auditory if he divideth the word aright he hath a portion for every hearer milk for some stronger meat for others some have need of information in things unknown some of comfort some of resolution in doubes some of confutation of errours some of chiding some have need to have their dulnesse spurred others their deadnesse quickened
when they shall see their ruine 3. Exhortation 1. This doth admonish us to trust in the Lord for he never faileth them that put their trust in him trust is best exprest in a storme when the waves rage horribly when the sorrows of death compasse and the floods goe over our soule In faire weather when health and youth and plenty and power and pleasure make a calme in our life and we have the desire of our hearts it is no tryall of us to say surely God is good to Israel But in the furnace seven times heated in the den of Lions in the belly of the Whale in the vally of the shadow of death they that then trust in the Lord they declare their faith more then victorious In sicknesse and smart and paines of the body in want and misery those that then say to God Thou art my Rock and my Fortresse my strong hold and the God of my Salvation though thou kill me I will trust in thee These are more then conquerors by faith for they do not only conquer feare and all the temptations to despaire but they do advance instead thereof joy in the Holy Ghost rejoycing in tribulations and giving thanks to God for all their sorrows 2. This teacheth us patience for tribulation briâ—geth forth patience and patience must have a perfect worke to hold out to the end by our patience we possesse our soules for the impatient man is not his own man impatience is like drunkennesse it so staggereth our reason and drowneth our understanding in the deluge of passion and perturbation that our tongue speaketh our heart thinketh our hand worketh things that in the next casme we have cause to repent 3. Affliction is Cos orationis the whetstone of prayer it turneth us all into â—rayer as I have taught and maketh us call upon him who is Deus liberator God our deliverer 4 Affliction is Cos obedientia the whetstone of obedience so now I keep thy Commandements saith David Quia bonum est me affligi because it is good for me to have been afflicted I have gotten that good by it 5. It teacheth us commiseration of the sorrows of our brethren and filleth us with comforts wherewith we comfort them according as we have received comfort our selves in our sorrows So when we visite one another in sicknesse if we have had either some other or some like paines our selves we tell them how we found ease so the Apostle saith Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercy and God of comfort 2 Cor. 1.2 who comforteth us in all tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 4. Rebuke This doctrine chideth those that can receive good at the hands of God and not evill who upon every affliction fall out with God and murmure at his visitations and doubt of his favour as if temporall ease and prosperity were the measure of his love There is a root of bitternesse in us and the best of Gods Saints have declared themselves to be but men in this tryall afflictions are too strong for us we cannot well endure paine we cry to our Chirurgeon Tolle quia urit take it away it paineth me the plaister paineth us he telleth us Non tollam quia sanat I will not because I would cure you we see that this paine is soon over God continueth but a while in his anger this is the only Purgatory of the Elect and this sire is but for our drosse and this medicine is but for our disease 2. He calleth Jerusalem though thus wasted and overthrown My Holy Mountaine David saith He loved the Gates of Sion more then ill the habitations of Jacob. God sayed of it Here will I dwell for I have a delight therein The former doctrine declareth that God did not meane to cast off his people for ever and the next words ver 17. promise restauration Two things had met on this Mountain to corrupt it and unsanctifie it 1. The grievous and crying sinnes of the people of God provoking wrath 2. The barbarous cruelty of the enemies of the Church executing wrath These made no difference betweene holy and unholy but first robbed and pillaged the Sanctuary and carryed away the treasures and utensils the ornaments of the Temple and all that might yeeld them any profit and then put fire to that admirable pile of the curiousest structure for art and cost that ever the bright eye of heaven look't upon I cannot but stay your thoughts upon the way to consider with me what desolations sin may make upon the earth Here is blood spilt in Ierusalem the holy City no respect of the gray haires no compassion of the fairest Virgins no tendernesse either to new-borne or unborne children Here is deportation of others in numerous multitudes into Captivity to become Vassals to thy proud Conqueror the Assyrian Monarch Here is the City of God demolisht the very ring and jewel of the jewel of the world the Psalmist calleth it The joy of the whole earth here is the Temple the rich Diamond of that ring the place wherein God was served offerings were burnt therin to his name that now made an Holocust and Burnt-offering it selfe and sending forth lambentes sydera flammas flames ascerding to the stars The specious spacious Courts of that house Gods owne enclosure and all the holy mountain the glebe-land of the Church layd common The land emptied of her native inhabitants save some few reserved to be the drudges of the Caldeans to plough their grounds and to dresse their vines Beloved a greater example of the provocation of sin or the execution of justice no time not all the Bookes of time have ever shewed And what shall we say hath sinne lost the sting that it had wont to carry or hath God lost his seeling that we should equall that City in sins and not expect equall vengeance Every man shunnes it to be a Prophet of ill news and men had rather exhort then correct If we come with the rod which Paul threatned we may chance bansel it our selves Sinners be too bold to be under the check of Gods Ministers but there is one a loft that sayeth But I will reprove thee and set in order before thee the things that thou hast done The comfort yet is that this Mountaine of Sion though thus punished is called Gods mountaine still God vouchsafeth to owne it and call it his the enemies thereof have gotten the possession of it yet God will not lose the right of his inheritance there for he meaneth to build up againe what the enemy hath destroyed and returne againe those whom the enemy hath carried away captives as the next Section declares fully Let the brethren of Schisme and Separation lay this to heart who