Romish crucifying Turkish ganging Jewish stoning Christian racking burning firing fagotting are nothing to this And besides this infinitnesse it is everlasting infinite the Grasse of the Field Sands in the Haven Stars in the Heaven may be numbered but the Dayes and Months and Years and Ages of the torments of Tophet are numberlesse which makes the frying Soul cry out Fountains cool me Mountains cover me Rocks hide me Sea swallow me up that I may be freed from this bottomlesse Sea of misery What Adamant can endure this knocking what Steel this beating what Brasse this burning Lord what is Man We passe from man Degenerate and come to man Regenerate the third what what Man is by Regeneration what in his Redemption what in his Justification what in his Sanctification In his Redemption a Slave bought with a precious Price a Prisoner rescued an Enemy reconciled a Malefactour pardoned Wretched Man was the Prisoner the Enemy the Malefactour Christ is the Price the Rescuer the Reconciler the Pardoner Woods of Franckincense Floods of Nectar Ophir India and Havilah though replenished with Gold and Pearls could not pay this Price Angells would have sunk under the burden Man could not satisfie God could not suffer therefore Christ became both God and Man God to satisfie Man to suffer He left his Fathers Throne for the Virgins Wombe a heavenly Mansion for a Manger a Crown for a Crosse where he was crowned with Thorns crucified between two Theeyes as a Rose amongst Thornes scourged with Whips fastned with Nails pierced with a Spear where with Saint Augustine view his body sacrificed for man his wounds bleeding for man his price payed for man his head bending to kisse man his hands stretched out to embrace man and then say Lord what is Man Secondly what Regenerate man is by Justification disrob'd of unrighteousnesse arrayed with Christs robes of Righteousnesse cloathed with the Wedding garment annointed with new Oyle furnished with the oyle of Grace burning in his Lamp The first-born of Saints are his associates God his Father Christ his elder Brother Crete strove for Jupiter Thebes for Pindar the seven Cities for the birth of Homer shall not we for the Birth and Brotherhood of Christ which begets in us a new birth This new birth frees Man from the second Death the strongest the richest the learned'st must taste of Death's cup Pompey have no grave Bajaset be brained in an iron Cage proud Saladine leave nothing but a shirt Crassus be cashiered at Carrae Aeschilus was slain with a Torteis shell Euripides torn by Doggs Mahomet the false Prophet by Hoggs Terrence was drowned But Man that is born anew Elected Justified in Christ shall not die eternally but live for ever with Christ Thirdly what Regenerate Man is by Sanctification changed from a vassall of wrath to a vessell of honour a spirituall creature purified with the Spirit not with Pelagian purity of conception Romish holy-water sprinkling Popes pardoning extream unction purgatory scorching not with the Libertines law of Liberty that hath no Law but by Grace in the soul that graciously clenses both body and soul The Understanding is lightned because Christ is his light the Will obedient to God because he is born of the will of God the Heart by spirituall comfort is heartned and gives over burning the Conscience barking the Pulse of horrour beating all his Hoste of Body and Soul is set to serve the Lord of Hostes Knees bend to pray Tongue sounds to praise Feet run Hands fight the Lords Battle Nor is this all but Man enjoyes him that is all in all and all in him For in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. all are ours we Christs and Christ Gods Satan cease to tempt him Flesh to allure him World to beguile him all is in vain the Word feeds him the Spirit guides him the Creatures serve him the Angells guard him what joy of the Spirit within what without none knowes no not the Spirit of Man but the Spirit of him that made Man Lord what is Man Thus what Man regenerate is in Redemption Justification Sanctification we come to the last what what Man is in his Glorification what glorified in soul till the Resurrection what in both body and soul to eternity after the Resurrection What Man is glorified in soul till the Resurrection a glorified soul by Christs Resurrection winged swiftly upon the wings of Cherubims to Heaven where for every Crosse she receives a Crown in either Palme a Palme of Victory Angells come at her entrance and salute her with an Euge thousands of Seraphims Thrones Principalities and Powers salute her with an Euge Patriarchs Priests Prophets Apostles Martyrs salute her with an Euge Souls of Friends Parents Husband Wife Children and all Saints deceased before her salute her with an Euge nay Christ himselfe salutes her with an Euge Well done good and faithfull servant To whom that Soul with all the Souls returnes Hallelujah honour and praise to the Antient of daies that sits upon the Throne Now glorified Soul that wouldst have wondred with the Queen of Sheba at Solomon in his royalty at the Grand Sultan going to his Seraglio at the Pope in his Procession tell me how thou wilt wonder and glory to see that Wonderfull that neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man Lord what is Man Thus what glorified Man is in Soul till the Resurrection the last and not the least what glorified both in Body and Soul for ever after the Resurrection Glorified in regard of the place of Glory the object of Glory the prerogatives of Glory In regard of the place which is Paradise the third Heaven the Heaven of Heavens the heavenly Jerusalem built of pure Gold walled with Jasper founded on pretious stones the Gates twelve Pearles watered with the Water of life planted with the Tree of life bringing forth twelve kindes of Fruits to feed the twelve Tribes of Israel Pallas Temple at Troy Diana's Temple at Ephesus Jerusalem's Temple in Sion must give place to this Temple of the new Jerusalem which is the place of glory And as glorified in place so glorious by the Object of glory in that place The Object is the vision of the Unity in the Trinity where Man shall see all Felicity in the Glasse of the Trinity Moses his face shined with the shining brightnesse of Gods hinder parts Paul was senslesse of all joyes but Heaven when he was rapt into the third Heaven Peter was transported in Soul when Christ was transfigured in Body How glorious then will thy face shine when thou shalt see God face to face injoy the immediate communion with the Trinity which will be joy to mans soul health to his body beauty to his eyes musick to his ears hony to his mouth perfumes to his nostrills meat to his belly light to his understanding content to his will delight to his heart whole happinesse to every part Glorious in the Prerogatives of glory
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
persert Niceph. lib 2. cap. 40. Baron ad diem 28 Octob. Magdeb. cent 1. l. 2. cap. 2. avouches that he having preached to many Countries conveyed at the last the Doctrine of the Gospel to the Western Ocean and British Ilands With these Baronius and the Magdeburgenses agree To these three Apostles Antiquaries joyne some Apostolick men or Evangelists as Aristobulus whom St. Paul nameth in his Epistle to the Romans recorded by Mirmannus iâ— theatro de conversione gentium pag. 43. Mirmannus Dorotheus in Synop. Dorotheus and Baron out of the Greek Martyrol ad diem 25. Martii Johannes Capgravius in Britanniae catalago Polydor Virgil. hist Anglic. lib. 1. Camdeâ— in descript Prov. Belg. Brit. Harpsfield in histor Ecclesiast fol. 3. Baleus Flâ—mingus Scropus Baronius to have propagated the Gospell in Brittain as also Joseph of Arimathea a Noble-man of Jury who buried our Saviour is said to have travelled through Gaul and from thence to be sent by St. Philip as some say or by St. Peter himselfe as he passed that way too and from Brittain as others into this our Nation wherein he obtained a place to exercise an Eremeticall life for him and his ten Companions in the Iland called Avallonia where Glastenbury after was builded For this there is a cloud of modern * Witnesses Thirdly Brittain was renowned for retaining the Gospell in the primitive purity longer then other Churches yea then that of Rome commended so much by the Apostle and afterwards by Cyprian as will appear by two circumstances whereof the former is this When there was a Schism in the Eastern and Western Churches about the celebration of Easter Polycrates with the Orientall Bishops alledged the authority of John Philip Polycarp yea the prescript of the Gospell for their warrant Victor Bishop of Rome alledged for their warrants St. Peter and St. Paul Such as were more moderate which principally were the Britains Ostendit nec Victorem nec Polycratem justam habuisse causam de festo Paschatis tam odiose digladiandi nam nec Salvator inquit nec Apostoli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. misliked to see a schism in the Church for so small a matter judging with Irenaeus Observationes illas esse liberas That those rites were things adiaphorous or indifferent concluding as Socrates hath it that neither Victor nor Polycrate had any just cause so bitterly to contest about such trivialls seeing neither Christ nor his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by any Law had commanded the observation of it Secondly when Augustine the Monk Galfrid Monumothensis histor Britannica l. 8. c. 4. imposed upon the British Church the Romish superstitions they renounced them the occasion was this Gregory afterwards Pope surnamed the Great seeing-beautifull children sold in Rome enquired Cujates of what Country they were It was answered Angli English Potius Angeli saies he Rather Angells He further enquired Of what Province They replyed of Dira Nay saies he knowing they were Pagans Dei ira the wrath of God He thirdly demanded Under what King It was answered Alla. Efficiam saies he ut canant Halelujah I will make that they shall sing Hallelujah Whereupon he shortly after sent his Legat Augustine Cent. 2. cap. 2. to convert the Saxons which being effected he endeavoured to perswade the British Church to accept the Popes Supremacy and the Romish Ceremonies which to that day they had not knowne as Altars Images Vestments Crosses but were strongly opposed by Dinotus Daganus and Columbanus Qui nullam in ritibus mutationem admittere volebant which would admit of no change in Religion But by degrees this Serpent insinuated Centur. 6. lib. 5. cap. 17. and got focting in that King Osuvius inclined thereto and the matter was debated with so hot contention that from words it came to weapons and twelve hundred Churchmen were slain that refused subjection to the Sea of Rome Yet the red Dragon wholly prevailed not till almost two hundred years after this the whole Iland was seduced by the blandishments of one Ecbertus to submit their necks to the Roman slavery Sed quorsum haec Whither tends all this To encourage us to stand fast to our tacklings and vindicate that Truth thus famously in the daies of yore glorified in this Nation but now like Hippolytus his body torn piece-meales that scarce a wise Aesculapius knowes how to joyne it wherein I will adventure first a word of the disease then of the cure The disease arises from the hedge of Discipline pulled down when proud slime will acknowledge no Superintendency over it This Inclosure lay common Satan first perswades to deny Infant Baptism then all Baptisme then all Ordinances whence one turnes Leveller another a Ranter a third a Quaker a fourth a spirituall Monarchist One impugnes Christs Divinity and becomes an Arrian another his Satisfaction and proves a Socinian a third his Incarnation and turnes Jew a fourth a Sceptick of all Religions till truly of none The cure consists of two ingredients first soundnesse of judgment in profession secondly sincerity of heart in practice Soundnesse of judgment in profession respects either Doctrine or Discipline Doctrine which must be regulated by those Oracles delivered by our Saviour and his Apostles as interpreted by the current of primitive Fathers while as Egisippus said the Church was a pure Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeping Clemens Alexandria the good old way as is expressed in the joynt harmony of Confessions of all reformed Churches Discipline that those grand Ecclesiasticall Canons Let all things be done decently and in order in peace without schism without scandall may be precisely observed and put in execution by some Scripture-grounded authority Besides these the last and not the least is sincerity of heart in practise for howsoever the World doting upon guilded miseries stinking vanities golden fetters judges purity of the Spirit but Ecquid divitiae pereuntes transitoriae facultates nisâ— stercora aeterna diligentibus sunt Greg. in 2 Reg. c. 2. Non debet pro magno haberi honor humanus quia nullius est ponderis fumus August de Civit. dei lib. 5. c. 17. folly I can assure you in the word of life and truth the richest and rarest confluence of all human happinesses the most exquisite excellency and variety of the greatest worldly pompe and splendour that ever the Sun saw since the first moment of its creation is but dust in the ballance it is but dung to a humble mind savingly enlightned with the foretaste but of the least glimpse of that incomprehensible endlesse glory which shall shortly be revealed to the upright in heart To this end the thirsty longing of my soul and heartiest prayer shall ever be that ye may shine every day more and more gloriously in all personall sanctity plantation of godlinesse in your own family a holy zeal in advancing the affairs of God where you have any power or calling that when the last period of your mortall abode in this
of the Amethist the amiable greennesse of the Emerald all these were nothing to this one pretious Pearl There is a Pearle Gemites wherein appears a hand in hand that is this Pearle Christ Jesus and his Kingdome wherein God and Man are joyned hand in hand and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God with us Well then get this Philosophers Stone and thou needs want no Gold of the Sanctuary this most pretious Pearl so pretious that it is beyond all conceptions transcendant Reason cannot fathom it but is at a stand Scripture expresses that it is unexpressible Phil. 4. 7. Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man The Saints at the sense of it are rapt into an Extasie Cherubims vail their faces Sanctifying grace in man comes somewhat near it which causeth joy in the heart unspeakable and yet there is as great a disproportion as for a Star that is enlightned by the Sun to expresse the whole glory of the Sun The World is but a painted Map the reall Vision is in Heaven all Creatures are but Raies and Spangles from this Pearle that sits upon the Throne and keepes the Keyes of Life Tell me then poor soul what if this World were as the Gardens of Alcinous Elysian fields or Paradise the Rivers run with Nectar the Fields brought forth Ambrosie Hyacinth and Moly thy Ways were strowen with Carpets thy Head crowned with Rose-buds each Tree were as the Tree of Life or Apples of the Hesperides the Heavens were a Globe of Gold the Earth a Centre of Diamond the Clouds shoured down pretious Pearles like Gold in Diana's lap each Man were an Orpheus or Amphion with Musicks harmonious charm to set Devotion on the Wing Tell me whether this one pretious Pearl being found thou wilt not sell all that thou hast and buy it So we are come to the last Parallel or fourth River of our Paradise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He went and sold Grace is nimble heel'd will not stand still when it is transported with an Object but moves unto it as grave things to the Centre The Merchant sought this Pearl before he found it and when he had found it he still went on A Christian moves in a Circle that point that ends one motion like a Terminus communis begins another Standing water corrupts Go we must for this Pearl and yet we need not farr Pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to the Tombs of Saints are now out of date Heaven in this Sunshine of the Gospell is to be found every where Go but not from thine own Pastour in every Church Revel 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride saies Come Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely And yet he went and sold That which cost our Saviour his Blood must cost us something Though we have nothing but what we have received yet God must receive of that which we have Or if we have any thing it is but sin Let us cut off our Hand of revenge pluck out our Eye of lust belch out our Heart of pride and sell our selves that we may buy our Saviour This is to sell all that we have not for a new Inheritance in a New England under a new Discipline this is with Demosthenes to buy repentance to be repented of which some of them confesses Others like the mured Anchorit at Bruxells bites-in the lip and dissembles and sees their exchange to be like his that gave golden Armour for Brasen but too late We must sell all to buy Heaven Shall Creates of Thebes throw his Gold into the Sea for purchase of Philosophy and shall not we for Christ Many in Hadrians time lost their goods their lives in following that false Messias that styled himself Benchochab the son of a Star but proved Bencozba the son of a Lie But he that followes Christ shall gain his life and fight under that Banner that Constantine saw with this inscription and the apparition of the Crosse or rather crucified Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this overcome What then if we had the whole World to cast in counterpoise with this Pearl it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not worthy of it but as the dust of the Ballance in comparison We are like Sun-Dialls unlesse It shine blaze Torches Tapers Candles all Stars at once are of no use flow Riches Honour Strength Wives Friends Children to our contentment without this Sun of Righteousnesse it is still night Lesser Pearles may be Copies of Gods Grace but without Seal Cyphers of no value unlesse the Unity in the Trinity be joyned with them We cannot conceive so great a number of earthly things but still more may be added more desired but he that hath this Pearle is ravished in spirit cannot conceive more hath contentment in minde cannot desire more his Cup doth overflow To the fruition and beatificall vision whereof God of his mercy bring us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Preached at the Ordination of MINISTERS The Text Revel 3. 19. Be Zealous THIS word is one of the last uttered by Him who is Alpha and Omega the First and the Last to the Church of Laodicea the last of the seven Churches of Afia A golden Lesson delivered by Him that stands in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks girded about his Papps with a golden Girdle counselling us to buy Gold tryed with the fire A light shining from Him that holds the light of the seven Stars in his right hand whose countenance shines as the lightning A burning Coal of Affection sent from his Altar the feet of whose affections burns as fine Brasse in a Furnace to in flame the key-cold affections of the luke-warm Laodiceans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous The Angels of these seven Planet-moving Churches are compared here to seven Stars yet all of them borrowing their light from that Son of Man Christ Jesus that shines in the midst of them The Angell of the Church of Laodicea is ranked here like the Moon the last in the Sphear of this heavenly Vision As the Moon waining from grace she hath left her first love as the Moon eclipsed she is poor and blinde and naked as the Moon seeming the greatest in her own eyes I am rich increased in goods and stand in need of nothing when she is the least of the Stars wretched and miserable as the Moon bemoystening all things with watry humours not with dew-dropping tears of repentance but with carnall humours to be repented of Repent and do thy first works As the Moon neither hot nor cold in it selfe they are luke-warme so hot as still Professors so cold as but hypocriticall disguisers As the Moon the Fountain of coldnesse to others befreezing the well-springs of Grace and sluces of Charity thus this poor Church is sick quid faciet what shall she do To what Gilead shall she resort for Balm Come all you that are sick and
are stained with lying oppressing and cousenage the Taverns and Innes abound with filthy vomitings wickednesse raignes in every state every condition every place shall we still put far from us the evill day Thus you see we have angred God and that unlesse he be appeased the day of his anger is at hand The third Use is of Instruction how to prevent it and that is by repentance First taking a strict examination of our selves how often in what manner in what measure we have angred God A Physician must first know the disease before he can apply the cure Then we must be heartily sorry that we have offended God this godly sorrow must work like a strong potion work in the understanding in the will in the affections in the conscience bruise the bones twinge the spirit break the heart Thirdly we must aggravate it by remembring that we have not onely angered Men and Angells but Christ that dyed for us No heat of fire nor knock of hammers can break the Adamant but annoint it with the hot blood of a Goat it falls in splinters Not precepts not threatnings not judgments can make a stony heart contrite till God in Christ move it Fourthly we must forsake our sins whereby we have angered God The Scolapendra when she hath swallowed an hook vomits out her bowells with it and so is quit When we have swallowed iniquity that the guilt thereof stings us let us vomit and spew out our darling pleasures pluck out our eye of lust cut off our hand of revenge belch out our heart of pride and so in the rest Fiftly we must appease Gods anger with prayer come to the Altar bring Incense stanâ— before the Mercy-seat cry unto him that sits between the Cherubims have some Moses to hold up his hand for us and with us some Samuel to make intercession for us And if all this will not pacifie him let some Magistrate like Moses Phinehas or Ioshua execute judgment that so the plague may be stayed Hitherto the first point that if we continue in sin God will be angry The second followes That when God is angry none can stand in his sight or abide it or That the anger of God is a terrible unspeakable unsupportable intolerable burden Every word in the Text hath a speciall Emphasis to prove this Who may stand Who shall Angells they are but like refracted beams or raies if God should hide his face they would cease to shine Shall Man his glory and pomp like the colours in the Rainbow vanishes away when God puts forth in anger the brightnesse of his face Shall Devills If he speak the word they are tumbled down from Heaven like lightning Stand in thy sight Stand. What! a Reed against a Cedar a Thistle in Lebanon against a Cedar in Lebanon a Feather against a Flame a Grashopper against an Almighty a head of Glasse against a head of Brasse When once thou art angry Angry By sending out his wrath that it wounds like arrowes angry in pouring it out that it drownes like water angry in kindling of it that it burnes like fire nay a consuming fire but that may be quenched an unquenchable fire but that may cease to burn when it lacks matter an everlasting fire that never goes out That that 's it such anger as is never fully shown but in punishment of Reprobates in no punishment but that in Hell in none in Hell but that eternall First to prove that Gods anger is terrible we need go no further but to the godly to seek it How have the stout-hearted pulled in their horns and melted like Snailes Snailes as Naturalists observe put in salt dissolve into water How hath it grinded them to dust Hear David Psal 32. complaining that his bones waxed old and that his moysture was turned into the drought of summer Hear him houl and cry Psal 102. that his daies were consumed like smoak that his bones burned like hearth withered like grasse that he was become like a pelican in the wildernesse or a sparrow on the house top Hear Job complain Chap. 6. that his griefe was heavier then the sand of the sea that the arrowes of the Almighty were within him the poyson had drunk up his spirit the terrours of God had set themselves in array against him Secondly that Gods anger is unspeakable we can all tell how great none can tell it 's like God himselfe infinite in greatnesse and unlesse he in mercy put an end to it it 's like eternity infinite in time eternall therefore the Saints have thought no Rhetorick sufficient enough to expresse it in but sighes no tongue but scrikes and groans no inke would cast but tears no paper but a wounded heart no words of force but exclamations of despair and such as issue from a bleeding soul As Lines drawn from the Circumference meet in the Centre and pierce it through yet no part of them is comprehended in it so many arrowes of Gods anger may meet in us pierce us through but expresse them we cannot nay when we are in the greatest agonies As burning-glasses by reflection of the beams of the Sun cause heat and burning which is not in the Sun but presents not the least glory of the Sun So we can better expresse our passions than unfold the weight of that mighty arme that smites us Thirdly that the anger of God is unsupportable we need no other instance but of our blessed Saviour He that makes the Heavens roul without an axel-tree causes the Earth to hang in the Aire as a ball poysed without pillars puts bounds to the waves of the Sea staggering over the banks He sweat and bled and groaned under this burden We have heard tell of finite Creatures that have endured mangling of bodies ripping of bowells racking of joynts burning of flesh boyling in oyle but under this stroak he that was God and Man was in a sense compelled to cry out O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Fourthly that the anger of God is intolerable Judas Cain and Saul could tell before their deaths and it is to be feared better since and many reprobates in this life are so racked that it pierces the whole Man head heart side back all parts at once ake and sweat and tremble the eye sees no comfort the tongue tastes no comfort the ear hears no comfort and as there is no ease within so no comfort without no place nor bed nor board nor house nor Church no creature nor meat nor drink nor friend nor wife nor child will afford any comfort How many have found a weight beyond the weight of mountains lying upon their soules and wish that they had rather been famished or starved or burned or strangled long before and catch and call for death for hell leap out of the fire into the flame And if this be the arraignment of God's anger in this life what will be the terrible execution hereafter You may have this proved by examples
every one greater than Solomon throwing down their Crowns before him the King of Kings To this joyne the communion of Saints imagine what a comfort will it be to meet with the noble Army of Martyrs the goodly fellowship of the Prophets the holy society of all the Apostles Evangelists Confessors where we shall see their Crowns of glory set upon their heads which Christ confers upon them not for their merits but for his mercies sake The effects the beatificall vision works on us are radiant either in soul or body in soul where first the understanding shall be truly enlightned with divine and heavenly knowledge which God shall immediately reveal unto us without the ministry of men and Angells Secondly in our Will which shall be filled with righteousnesse and holinesse perfect love towards God charity towards our fellow Saints for ever Thirdly in our Affections which shall be composed without at axie or disorder into eternall harmony as Beâ—nard saies sweetly Deus implebit animam rationalem luce sapientiae concupiscibilem justitiâ irascibilem perfectâ tranquillitate God will fill the soul with light of wisdome the concupiscible faculty with righteousnesse the irrascible with perfect tranquillity The effects it works on the body consists in these particulars First of mortall bodies they shall be made immortall of corruptible incorruptible our flesh that is subject to so many mutations vexed with so many diseases defiled with so many corruptions pestered with so many infinite calamities shall be made most glorious and most perfect to endure for ever without change and to raigne with the soul world without end Secondly of a naturall it shall become a spirituall body not in essence and being but in quality and condition because it shall be freed from all paines and troubles that belongs to the same as sin eating drinking sleeping and the like Thirdly of a weak it shall become a powerfull body by reason of agility and nimblenesse able to mount towards Heaven and meet our Saviour in the Aire Fourthly of a deformed and imperfect it shall be a perfect and beautifull body Iacob shall not halt Leab shall not be blear-eyed nor Mephibosheth lame but all shall be as nimble as Harts Fiftly in our bodies shall appear resplendent glory beautifulnesse and shining brightnesse we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angells glistering like stars conformable unto Christs glorious body Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever Well then seeing it is thus let us say with Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good so we may enjoy him with Austin Hic seca hic ure Lance here seare here so we may have glorified bodies with Ignatius Fire gallows wilde beasts breaking of our bones quartering of our members crushing of our bodies so our bodies so that we may enjoy our Lord Jesus and his Kingdome Take our earthly possessions so that we may raigne with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A briefe APPENDIX Concerning the nature of TITHES IN these free times wherein every one takes liberty to expose his thoughts to the world give me leave also to offer up my Mite into the publick Treasury which shall consist but of a twofold consideration first whether dishonouring of the Ministry secondly whether robbing of God in Tithes and offerings and defeating of Christ's Embassadours of a comperent livelyhood may not portend misery and calamity if not ruine to a Church or State For the former when God gives up a people to dishonour their Ministers it argues Religion is declining They are his Souldiers Stewards Angells He is their Portion He hath promised to be with them to the end of the world that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them that he will recompence a cup of cold water that is given them he that heareth them heareth Him he that despiseth them despiseth Him When the Prophet would discover the Jewes to be ready to be swallowed up in the whirle-pool of destruction he gives them this character that they are like a people that contest with their priest Corah and Dathan murmured against Moses and Aaron and the earth swallowed them up with all their partakers For the latter which here I principally intend the danger of robbing of God in Tithes and Offerings and defeating Christs Spouse of her joynture let three things be seriously weighed First whether the tenth part of the fruits of the earth are not as due to God as the seventh part of our time and so the moralitie thereof founded upon the same bottom that our Christian Sabbath is Secondly if not so whether there is not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morall equity if the Priesthood under the Law received the tenth part and more the Ministry under the Gospell which is more honourable and laborious should not receive at least as much and whether that be not the principall scope of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. which he makes good by severall arguments Thirdly if neither of these Rocks should prove impregnable whether this be not a wall of brasse able to endure what siege Antichristian forces can lay against it that being once consecrated and by speciall donation appropriated unto God a Power lesse then Divine can not reduce them to any other use without sacriledge and taking the Scepter out of Gods hand And whether that signall judgment inflicted on Ananias and Saphyra Act. 5. for retaining that which they had devoted unto God onely by their private vowes be not a miraculous confirmation of this truth and a piller of salt to be looked upon to the worlds end Israel is a thing hallowed to the Lord and his first fruits all they that eat it shalloffend evill shall come upon them saith the Lord Jer. 2. 3. Tithes are Gods portion whereby we acknowledge His royalty and superintendency over us and therefore being once solemnly bequeath'd unto him may seem to be inviolable by any just Law of man for these reasons First Abraham and in him Levi payed Tithes to Melchizedeck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even of the spoiles taken in war Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 4. and that above four hundred years before the Law was given Secondly Jacob vowed as he went to Padan Aram that if God would blesse him the Lord should be his God and that surely he would give the tenth unto him Gen. 28. 22. Now that the Lord should be acknowledged for his God was a morall duty and no lesse the other for substance especially after his vow and reducible to the duties of the first Table Thirdly God strictly commanded to pay the tithes of all things to the Priests and Levites nay the first fruits first and second tithes heave-offerings wave-offerings which amounted to nineteen in the hundred or above the sixt partâ— which Precept if it be not purely morall but judiciall in some circumstances respecting equity betwixt Priest and People
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