and in the eyes of God doth grace and commend vs as if it were ours But if you looke to sanctification that redounds from Christ vnto vs it maketh vs starres in the spirituall firmament though of vnequall magnitude and vnequall glory St. Paul is cleare for it 1 Cor. 3. Wee with open face behold the glorie of God and are transformed into the same image from glorie vnto glory euen by the powerfull spirit of Christ. When the Apostles did but see Christs transformation in the Mount though themselues were not transfigured yet they thought it so happy a sight that they cryed out Bonum est esse hìc Let vs pitch our Tabernacles here And what would they haue thought if themselues also might haue been partakers of the same glorie if themselues might haue appeared like vnto him if they might haue beene as he was yet such is our condition in Christ The last morall shall be that whereas other things that fill vs proportion themselues vnto and take vp whatsoeuer capacity they finde it is not so with Christ whatsoeuer he filleth that he enlargeth Aug. Confes and the more we haue of him the more capacity we haue the more capacity of glory for that is that wherewith he filleth all other things deale worse with vs they straighten our capacitie or fill vs with vanitie Wherefore were we as wise as we should be wee would suffer no bodie to take vp any roome in vs but only Christ wee would leaue no corner for the diuell or the world or our corrupt lusts And indeede who would with-hold any part from him to continue a straight a darke a filthy dungeon that by his presence may bee made a large a light a glorious habitation And yet so it is some of vs steale our heads from him and entertaine errour some steale their hearts from him and therein lodge sinnefull lusts there is no man that doth not with-hold some part and keep that part the worse for it But this should bee to euery one of vs his votiue prayer To thee O Christ I consecrate totum me and totum mei my whole selfe and all that is in me humbly desiring that nothing may inhabit me but thy selfe and that which commeth from thee This is that whereunto I aduise my selfe as I aduise you And that I aduise not in vaine let vs lay this text to the former there we heard of a desire here of a filling Salomon hath a good rule A desire accomplished delighteth the soule So that if we profited so much by the last sermon as to make Christ our desire we may be comforted by this which assures vs that our desire shall be filled Yea whereas desire is sinus cordis the bosome or lappe as it were of the heart if we doe enlarge it God will replenish it But let vs bee sure that this sermon doth little concerne vs if the former tooke no place in vs. Dauid no sooner heard that Obed Edoms house prospered by hauing the Arke but hee was stirred vp with a godly zeale to bring it vnto Sion to bring it to his owne Citie What shall I wish vnto you but that hauing heard the blessing that Christs presence brought to Zorobabels Temple euery one of you would striue to lodge him in your Temples the temples of your bodies the temples of your soules So may he fill these mysticall as he did that typicall Temple so fill them here with the glory of his grace that they may bee hereafter filled with the grace of his glorie Psal 24. Wherefore lift vp your heads O yee gates and bee yee lift vp yee euerlasting doores and the King of glorie shall come in 85. Saluation is near them that feare him that glory may dwell in their Land LEt thy worke O Lord be seene towards thy seruants and thy glorie vpon their children that in the sensible sweet comfort thereof wee may all now and euer sing Glory bee to thee O Lord most high Blessing honour glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer and euer Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON The siluer is mine and the gold is mine The glorie of this later house shall bee greater than the glory of the former THe bountie which Christ vouchsafed that Temple which was built by Zorobabel is by this our Porphet set forth absolutely and comparatiuely Of the absolute consideration thereof I spake last I will passe now on to the comparatiue exprest in those words which now I haue read vnto you Of this comparison we must obserue 1 the preface and 2 the contents The preface will teach vs what Christ can the contents what hee will doe Christ can in point of bountie doe as much as he will so much the words of the preface import The siluer is mine the gold is mine And he will doe more than the Iewes doe desire for they would haue beene contented if they might haue had a Temple but as goodly as that of Salomon Christ will doe more for them The glory of the later house shall be greater than the glorie of the former But more distinctly These points of Christs power and his will must be opened first seuerally then ioyntly If wee looke into them seuerally then wee shall finde that the preface which sets forth Christs power doth in the outside of the words entitle him to these earthly mettals gold and siluer but the inside will informe vs that he is owner of much more precious mettals of gold and siluer that are heauenly As for the contents the comparison therein presented vnto vs may be conceiued eyther of fabricke to fabricke or furniture to furniture I will touch at both that so you may the better see of whether and how far my text may be iustified Hauing thus opened the points seuerally I will ioyne them together and shew you that first Christs power is set downe before his will that the Iewes should not thinke he doth promise more than hee can performe secondly that his will beareth correspondencie to his power and he giueth gifts not sutable to the narrownesse of our desire but to the widenesse of his owne store Of these particulars I shall now God willing speake briefly and in their order God grant we may so listen to and profit by that which shall be said concerning Christs power and will that it may bee his gracious will alwaies to sustaine and blesse vs according to his all sufficient power Come we then to the preface and first to the outside of the words The siluer is mine the gold is mine If so we reade the preface it doth entitle Christ to these earthly mettals gold siluer and his title is iust and clear he that made all is owner of all now all things were made by Christ and without him nothing was made that was made Iohn 1. therefore wee may conclude with the Psalmist Psal 24. The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the
place of mortality But enough of the place Christ ascended not onely in place but in state also in a blessed place he had a blessed state and his state is reduced to two branches Glory and Power for he sate downe on the right hand of God and the right hand of God singifieth both first glory They that come neare in place to the person of a King come neare also in glory and dignity vnto him St. Paul saith he was receiued vp into glory Dauid Psal 8. he was crowned with glory and worship The Author to the Hebrewes he is set downe at the right hand of Maiesty farre aboue all powers and principalities hauing a Name giuen him aboue all names And this is opposed to the forme of a seruant which Christ tooke in the dayes of his flesh while hee was in the world he emptied himselfe of glory and made himselfe of no reputation becomming as the scorne of men and out-cast of the people not a house to hide his head but after the Resurrection he appeares in another habit In the first of the Reuelation and other passages of that Booke Iohn saw him as the King of Glory and the Fathers interpret those words in the Psalme Be opened O ye gates and be ye lifted vp ye euer lasting doores and the King of glory shall come in of the Ascension of Christ and entring into his glory for then did he lift vp himselfe aboue the Heauens and his glory aboue all the Earth As his state was full of glory so was it also of power for all power was then giuen vnto him both in heauen and earth and all knees bowed vnto him all things were put vnder his feet and he became King of kings and Lord of lords Heb. 4. yea he heares vp all things with the word of his power it usharper than any two-edged sword The Psalmist compares it to sharpe arrowes Psal 45. he hath an tron scepter in his hand wherewith he breakes the wicked as a Potters vessell finally he reignes in the middest of his enemies And this power is opposed to that weaknesse wherein he appeared in the dayes of his flesh the condition of that time is amply set downe Esay 53. wherein you shall see nothing but passion and subiection and the Gospell confirmes that Prophesie wherein you shall finde that from the day of his birth vntill the moment that he gaue vp the ghost Christ endured as if hee were the subiect of euery wicked mans blasphemous tongue or bloudy hands but the case is now altered for his enemies are now the patients and he the agent they are subiect vnto him and hee can as hee will bridle and crush them for his Kingdome is ouer all This is the summe of the Exaltation of Christs person and our nature in his person for hee made vs sit with himselfe in heauenly places that will appeare better in the second part of the Triumph Wherein I noted two particulars the first was that the monuments of the Conquest did attend the chariot of the Conquerour Incedunt vinctae longo ordine gentes Quam vartae linguis habitu tam vestis armis to this allude these words He led captiuity captiue and indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes that which is taken by force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ was the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah and Esay cap. 63. he is described as a glorious Conquerour Shah the prey be taken from the mighty or the captiuity of the iust be deliuered Thus saith the Lord the captiues of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be deliuered Esay 49. Christ the stronger man entered the strong mans house he bound him he rifled him But St. Austin on these words obserues a distinction of captiues and captiuity In Psal 67. Austin on these words obserues a distinction of captiues and captiuity there is inuolunt aria captiuit as and voluntaria whereof the former is misera the later faelix the fiends of Hell were taken captiues Christ triumphed ouer them and made a shew openly of them and the children of God were taken captiues Col. 2. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Cor. 10. for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purchased people And St. Paul tels vs that the weapons of his spirituall warfare are mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds casting downe imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ The children of God are deliuered from captiuity but to continue captiues still for they must take vpon them Christs yoake and they must account themselues not their owne but his The very same doth St. Paul meane Rom. 6. when he saith that of seruants of sinne we are made seruants to righteousnesse for servus and captivus are Synonoma's But betweene these captiues there is this difference that the first are vnwillingly captiues and in their captiuity are miserable for they are reserued in chaines of darknesse for the iudgement of the great day and they take little content in this thraldome But as for the children of God they are glad that they haue so changed their Master and well they may be for they are made happy by the change for their seruice is perfect liberty and what can our heart more desire In this difference captiuity being vnderstood of both sorts it is true that they attend Christs chariot the wicked vincti as Prisoners the godly coronati as being Conquerours for what Christ did hee did for them and there is a sense thereof in euery one of them But how is this true that eyther the one or the other are so captiues seeing this our Apostle in this very Epistle doth tell vs Cap. 6. that we striue not with flesh and bloud but with powers and principalities and spirituall wickednesse in heauenly places We must therefore obserue that Christ hath taken away from Sathan two things ius in nos and dominium in nobis His right vnto vs hath Christ taken away absolutely in his owne person for Christ hath the keyes of death and hell and Sathan cannot stirre but when and as farre as Christ giues him leaue As for dominium in nobis Christ hath taken that away by putting his spirit into vs and thereby mortifying the old man but yet so that wee still consist as well of the old as of the new the flesh rebels against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Thus Christ is pleased to exercise vs that wee may imitate his Triumph and by experience of our trampling vpon Sathan be vndoubtedly assured that Christ hath bruised his head St. Paul was buffeted by a messenger of Sathan he prayed and Christ answered him My grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weaknesse If we would but resist the Deuill he would fly from vs if we would resist I say stedfast in faith
coniugall Couenant that is betweene God and man God hath promised to be our God and we haue promised to be his People but eyther side promiseth to the other exclusiuely God promiseth to be our God and the God of none as he is ours and wee promise to be his People and to be the People of no other God as we are his This appropriation of our selnes vnto God is that which the Apostle speakes of 1 Cor. 8. Though there be that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many yet vnto vs there is but one God God the Father and one Lord Iesus Christ This made Dauid to say Psal 73. Whom haue lin heauen but thee Psal 139. and there is none in earth that I desire in comparison of thee Yea doe I not hate them that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred as if they were mine enemies Psal 16. but all my delight is in thy Saints which are on the earth As man in his zeale doth so proceede exclusiuely towards God so doth God towards man for God taketh the Church for his peculiar Exod. 19. therupon promiseth Abraham I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them thâ—t curse thee This is true coniugall Loue of each side and vpon this knot commeth in zeale which is otherwise called iealousie and is nothing but the affection of eyther part whereby it so desires to enioy the other as that none other either haue it or wrong it for if eyther the wife communicate her selfe to any other or be by any other wronged the iealousie of the husband is stirred vp against his wiues enemies or against his wife Against his wife so speakes God Ezekiel 16. And I will iudge thee as women that breake wedlocke and shed blood are iudged and I will giue thee bloud in sury and iealousie And as hee proceedeth in iealousie against his adulterous wife so doth he against enemies that wrong her thereupon the Prophets expresse his anger against them by iealousie and the Church Esay 62. desiring reuenge saith Lord where is thy zeale In this place the zeale respects reuenge vpon the enemies not vpon the Spouse you may perceiue it by the coherence of this Text with that which goeth before where mention is made of a deliuerance and Christ is here brought in as the Deliuerer the ground of the worke is zeale Finally marke that whereas Gods glory doth as well appeare in our deliuerance as our owne good yet in working thereof God seemeth to be moued rather with his loue to vs than care for his owne glory and giueth a good patterne vnto vs that we likewise in seruing of God must respect not so much our owne saluation as his glory And so haue you heard the Warrant of this Doctrine what remaines but that I vse vnto you the words of the Psalmist Be yee lifted vp O yee gates be yee lifted vp O euerlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Who is the King of glory euen the Lord of Hosts hee is the King of glory You haue heard him described and haue heard the substance and excellencie of his Person and State Behold God is our saluation let vs trust and not bee affraid the Lord Iohouah is our strength and song he also is become our saluation therefore with ioy let vs draw waters out of this Well of Saluation O Lord that art able and willing let me feele the efficacie both of thy power and will in making me partaker both of the Person and State of Christ and the excellencie of both So shall all my power be set on worke by all my will to make me wholly thine as thou art pleased to be mine Grant this mutuall knot may bee so knit that I neuer breake it so shall I be sure that thou wilt euer hold it IHS SIXE SERMONS VPON The Second of HAGGAI HAG. 2. Vers 6 7 8 9. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth and the sea and the dry land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of Hosts The siluer is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts The glory of this latter house shall bee greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I giue peace saith the Lord of Hosts ALthough the fruits of seruing God be not his The first Sermon but our owne welfare yet if it were not more furthered by him than it is endeauoured by vs wee should neuer fare well because wee should neuer serue him Our impediments are two and they are two extreames Carelessenesse and Curiositie Carelessenesse keepes vs backe when we should beginne and when we should goe forward Curiosity slakes our zeale Sometimes we doe not serue God because we doe not care for him and sometimes we grow cold in pietie because we thinke our best endeauours are not worthy of Gods maiestie Thus the euill Angell whether hee appeare in his darkenesse or in his counterfeit light both waies gaines vpon vs. This Prophecie of Haggai doth little else but propose an example of eyther impediment and the remedie that is applied thereunto the Iewes yeelde the example but the remedy is from God The Iewes in acknowledgement of Gods great goodnesse should vpon their returne out of the Babylonian captiuity haue made their first work the re-edifying of Gods house but they were otherwise minded and busied themselues about their owne houses That memorable speech King Dauids religious meditation neuer came into their hearts which is recorded 2 Sam. 7. Lo saith hee I dwell in a house of Cedar but the Arke of God lodgeth vnder Curtaines therefore I will build him an house But these Iewes could finde in their hearts to dwell in sieled houses and let the Temple lye in its â—uines Wherefore God corrects and reformes this their carelessenesse corrects it with rebukes and stripes reformes it by his word and spirit By these meanes were they brought at length to begin the worke They beganne but were quickely wearied and it was curiosity that wearied them They were contented indeede to build a Temple vnto God but not except it might be so goodly a one as was that of Salomâ—n and because their ability would not reach so farre many of them gaue ouer working and fell to weeping Behold a wicked curiosity which vnder colour of Gods honour would not honour him at all Well God must remedie this impediment also and he doth it by teaching the Iewes two excellent rules in Religion The first is wee must not iudge of Gods workes as wee doe of mens In mens workes by the beginning wee make coniecture of the ending and a iudicious man when hee seeth a foundation will easily ghesse what pile of building will be raised
their owne Heads winnowed like Chaffe Neither with their Heads only but also with their Hearts There is not a Passion which like a strong Gale of Winde doth not transport them Anger raiseth stormes within them Vaine Glorie as wings carrieth them beyond themselues Couetousnesse makes them base Enuie makes them vnsociable Pride maketh them Tyrants Luxurie makes them Beasts the Vngodly are as plyable as a Weathercocke neither need they any other winde to shift their situation but only their owne Passions But as if this Inward Wind did not turmoile them enough they are subiect to an Outward the wind of Gods Iudgement which the Chaldee Paraphrase calls Ventum furentem and the Prophets very commonly call it a Whirlewind Saint Iohn Baptist tels vs Matth. 3.12 that Christ shall come with his fanne in his hand and therewith shall throughly purge his floore Where marke that Gods Iudgement is compared to Wind of which our Sauiour Christ tels Nicodemus the wind bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3.8 thou knowest not whence it commeth nor whether it goeth so doe Gods Iudgements surprize men when the vngodly crie Peace Peace 1. Thess 5.3 then comes suddaine destruction vpon them You shall find this fully and excellently described Iob 21. But marke the Opposition of Chaffe vnto the Wind the weaknesse of 〈◊〉 to the irrisistiblensse of the Wind especially if it be a Whirlewind whither you respect the Impotencie of their owne Affections vnder which they sinke or Gods Vengeance which must needes ouer-beare them Who would set the Briars and Thornes against me in Battle saith God Esay 27 I will goe through them I will burne them together It must needs make much to the Miserie of the Vngodly that being so little able they must abide so violent an encounter violent it is but yet such as is meet for them for the Vngodly are called Reshagnim turbulent and tumultuous people and what Iudgement is so fit for them as to bee harrowed and hurled with the Wind They that giue rest to none it is pittie they should haue any rest The Vulgar addes to the Text Exegeticè from the Earth The wind driues the Chaffe from the Earth Saint Hierome makes a good Note vpon it Tà m infoelix erit impius vt ne terrenus sit puluis most miserable is the case of the Vngodly when the Earth that bare them 〈…〉 will not endure them God in Deuteronomie threatens such a Iudgement to the Iewes and we see that at this day they endure it their case may be any mans case and if wee bee Vngodly the Whirlewind may driue vs out of the good Land which God bestowes vpon vs. Russinus goeth a step higher Si facies terrae species patriae Coeleâ—lis accipitur recrè puluis à facie terrae proijci dicitur quia à Visione Calestis Gloriae impius remouetur Adam in Paradise below forfeited Paradise aboue and the Iewes had little hope of Heauen the Truth that were cast out of Canaan the Type thereof Neither may wee presume of the Kingdome of Glorie if we be vnworthy of the Kingdome of Grace And no wonder for Chaffe that is winnowed from the threshing Hoore is reserued for the fire 〈◊〉 3. as Saint Iohn Baptist telleth vs neither are the wicked separated from the good but for their greater Woe But I must conclude Three things we learne in this Text First that the Vngodly are subiect to a double Punishment Poena Damni and Poena Sensus they are depriued of great Good and the Euill is great whereunto they are exposed Secondly the Non Sic and the Sicut aduise vs to compare the Happinesse of the Blessed Tree with the Miserie of this winnowed Chaffe that the Contraries being set one against the other we may the better discerne them and resolue which of them to choose Last of all We may see that there is no reason why we should enuie the pompes and vanities of this wicked World seeing they haue neither Substance nor Continuance Iob teacheth it more then once and so doth Dauid Psal 37. and 73. When we goe to a Play we doe with the Eyes of our Reason correct the Eyes of our Bodie and our Reason iudgeth them but Varlots whom our Sense beholds as Kings It were to be wished that when we come to the Stage of this World we would bring thither aswell the Eyes of Faith as of Reason our Iudgement would not bee so often perplext nor our Resolution staggered as they are with the seeming prosperitie and Glorie of the World we would with Moses 〈…〉 esteeme the rebuke of Christ better then the Treasures of Egypt and endeauor to be happy rather in deed then shew To shut vp all Blessed we would all be in this World but few take Notice of the Euidence of true Blessednesse That Euidence is in the first Resemblance the Resemblance to the Tree Let vs obserue it and desire to partake it otherwise we may be deluded with a seeming Euidence which you haue heard of in the latter Resemblance the Resemblance of winnowed Chaffe the double Miserie that is in it should make vs abhorre it as the double good of the former should make vs affect it God giue Vs a true Iudgement to distinguish them and Grace to make that discreet choice that we may partake the former of them Amen PSAL. 1. VERS 5. Therefore the Vngodly shall not stand in the Iudgement nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous THe words contain the second of those Euidences whereby it may be known who are Blessed Men are Blessed in this Life and that which is to come and God hath set marks vpon either degree of Blessednesse The markes of the first degree you heard vnfolded when I last spake vnto you vpon this Psalme It followes then that I now open vnto you the markes of the second degree so farre as I find them exprest in this Verse For the better vnderstanding whereof we must obserue First what matter is contained in these words and then whereupon these words are inferred In the World to come there are two remarkable things the Entrance into and the State of it in either of these there is some thing Common and something Proper both to the good and the bad In the Entrance that which is Common is Iudgement both must come to the Barre that which is Proper is That in the Iudgement the Righteous can the Vngodly cannot stand In the state it is Common to good and bad to bee Societies or Congregations but it is Proper to the Righteous to be of such a Congregation whereinto the Vngodly shall not come neither shall the Righteous come into the Congregation whereof the Vngodly shall be So much must bee supplyed à Pari the ground is the same for both the reason of the latter difference is contained in the former for they that differ in the Iudgement must differ in the Societie also seeing God is pleased that that shall be
he committeth some to his seruants they are trusted with the keeping and the care thereof but if hee haue any thing of speciall price and which hee esteemeth more then ordinarie that he layeth in his owne Cabinet he reserueth the keeping thereof vnto himselfe The portion of Good which is so tendered is by the Holy Ghost called Segulia 1 〈◊〉 19. Luckâ— 2 8. which we render a peculiar treasure such as King Dauid had and Salomon Vnto this practice of Kings or great men doth God allude in this resemblance all the world is his but by commission or permission hee intrusteth his creatures with much of it but his Church is more deare vnto him then so he maketh her the subiect of his speciall care and giues vs to vnderstand that she is a speciall Iewell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exempt people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people of extraordinary note so the Translators render Segulla no phrase more vsuall in Moses then to call Israell a pretious people and neuer doth God resemble his Church when hee meaneth to honour it but hee resembleth it to things of greatest value I will not trouble you with the Canticles Cap. 4 1â— where it is called Hortus conclusus and is made the verie Paradise of God I will keepe my selfe to our present allusion In the old Testament the Tabernacle was a type of the Church as it was militant the Temple of Salomon was a type of it as it shall be triumphant and what were both of them made of but of the costliest timber mettall stones silke that could bee had Esay foretold the fabricke of the Church in the state of Grace that it should be of Carbuncles and precious stuffe and how sumptuous is the state of it in Glorie as it is described by Saint Iohn in the Reuelation Cap. 21. Our Sauiour in the Gospell compares the Kingdome of Heauen Math 13. which is the Church vnto a treasure hid and to a pearle of very great price But to speake more plainly the fountaine from which the Church springeth is the pretious louing kindnesse of God Psal 36 7. 1. Pet 1.19 the redemption that was paid for it was the pretious blond of Christ the foundation whereupon it is built Esay 28.16 1 Cor 3.11 is a pretious corner stone the doctrine by which it is built vp is gold siluer and precious stones the persons whereof it consisteth are vessels of Gold 1. Tim. 1.19 1 Pet 1 4 1 Pet 1 7. vessels of honour all the promises that are made vnto it are pretious promises and their faith is pretious how can they then chuse but bee a pretious people If you haue not enough to proue it that one phrase putteth it out of all doubt that the Church is Gods peculiar treasure God himselfe resides there and frameth the Church vnto his Image Christ liueth there the Church is his body the Holy Ghost doth breath there the Church is his Temple finally the Angels attend there the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Alexand. it is the Sanctuarie of God Can there be any thing added vnto the value where there is such a Presence And where there is such a Prouidence becommeth not the Church most peculiar Certainely that which is the Treasure of those Diuine mysteries must needs bee accounted Gods peculiar treasure I will dwell no longer vpon the Resemblance onely take notice that it promiseth more then an ordinarie good in so significant a phrase And indeed what tongue can expresse the fauour that is implied in the value that God setteth on vs and the care that he will take of vs when he calleth vs his Peculiar treasure But what God resembleth that hee brancheth hee openeth the good more plainely which he did but shadow figuratiuely and the first branch doth set forth the Eminencie of the state of Israel They shall be a Kingdome of Priests The phrase is read diuersly 1. Epist 2. Cap 1. 5. Moses hath here a Kingdome of Priests Saint Peter rendreth it a Priestly kingdome in the Reuelation Saint Iohn telleth vs that Christ hath made vs Kings and Priests The reconciliation is easie for in the Church euerie member of the Church is so a King that he is a Priest and so a Priest that he is a King And why He is Primogenitus Gods first borne Exod 4.22 so God called Israel and Saint Paul telleth vs that they that come into the Church Hebr. 12. come into the congregation of the first borne Now the Law of nature doth acknowledge this right of Primogeniture that is made a man Lord of his brethren and Priest of the most high God so that these words Kings and Priests are equipollent to first borne and are the ground of our prerogatiue whereof you shall heare anon But let vs take these words a sunder Cap 16. Cap. 12. First then the Israelites shall bee Kings The Church as it is described in Ezekiel is adorned with a Crowne and that woman which is described in the Reuelation hath a Crowne of twelue Starres vpon her head Psal 45. Matth. 18. the Psalmist calleth her a Queene the Parable of the marriage Feast calleth her the Wife of the Kingssonne her state is royall and all her children are Filij regni Children of the Kingdome the Gospell that is verbum regni doth so honour them they are heyres apparent vnto the kingdome of Heauen Saint Chrysostome vpon 2 Cor. 1. Ad sinem Cap. doth excellently open the Analogie betweene a member of the Church and a King A King saith he hath a Crowne and God doth Crowne his people with mercie and louing kindnesse Psal 103. A King hath his Robes of state and the Church is at the right hand of Christ in a vesture of Gold wrought about with diuers colours Psal 45. Christ himselfe is her clothing A King hath his Guard tending vpon him for his honour and safetie and the Angels of God pitcht their Tents round about the godly Psal 34. A King hath a multitude of Subiects whom hee doth direct and correct and the children of God haue many thoughts and desires ouer which they haue power to order and represse them And indeed herein principally standeth the Kingdome residet in se quisque animo regali euerie man is a Soueraigne ouer himselfe hee doth polish his owne little Common-weale prescribing a measure and obseruing good order in his head in his heart in his soule and in his body It is the Kingdome of grace which is Preached in the Gospell 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 3. Iohn 8. 〈◊〉 1. by which we obtaine the Kingdome of glorie which is promised to them that rule well therein slâ—uerie to sinne is the direct opposite vnto this kingdome this title forbiddeth vs all earthly and sensuall thoughts and desires it requires that wee be kingly in both or else we doe not answere our title And the more is
true Oliue is the Iew and if the Gentile partake of the fatnesse thereof he must be grafted thereinto and become a Branch of that Oliue To the Ephesians more plainly more fully he maketh the receiuing of the Gentiles into the Church to bee an admission into the Couenant into the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 3. a becomming one body with them But as the Gentile becommeth a Iew so is it not a Iew according to the flesh but according to the spirit A Sonne of Abraham he is but a spirituall Sonne the partition wall is taken downe yea the Arke it selfe is remoued Ieremy 3. and the Ceremonies which cloath the Religion of the Iewes cease they are not imposed vpon the Gentiles Yea the Iew himselfe becommeth a Gentile the Iew I say becommeth a Gentile carnally as the Gentile becommeth a Iew spiritually Of the ten Tribes it is most cleare that after their Captiuity they neuer returned and there is no such Nation to be heard of in the world they are mingled with other Nations and become Gentiles according to the flesh And as for the other two Tribes that made vp the Kingdome of Iuda many thousands of them were conuerted to the Christian Faith in the daies of the Apostles and yet there is not extant any Nationall Church of them neither was there long extant any they also are become Gentiles according to the flesh And God that buried the bodie of Moses so that it could not be found lest the Iewes should commit Idolatry with that body whereby God had wrought so great Miracles seemes also to haue as it were buried so many Iewes as became Christians by mingling them with the Gentiles lest that superstition which hath besotted the Gentiles to goe a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land should haue wrought more strongly in making them dote vpon that holy people But God hath turned all the world into a Canaan hath of all Nations compounded the Israel of God Of a truth saith St. Peter I see there is no respect of Persons with God but in euery Nation whosoeuer beleeueth and feareth God is accepted of him There is neyther Iew nor Gentile Graecian nor Barbarian bond nor free but all are one in Christ all are contained vnder this name Vs. In the Prophet vpon this ground Israel seemes to note the Gentiles Ezek. 37. when both Iuda and Israel are remembred to bee conuerted to God and the whole house of Iacob You see of what Nation the People is now see of what Condition Borne to Vs giuen to Vs. And who are we for whom God hath done this Gifts are bestowed vpon Persons eyther for their worth or for their need For their worth and so they are Munera honoraria they are presented in dutifull acknowledgement of their worth whether it be worth of vertue or worth of degree For their need and so they are Munera eleemosynaria conferred out of a pitifull compassion of others wants This gift is not of the first kinde it cannot be Honorarium There was no worth in vs which God should honour with this gift bestowed vpon vs. Our degree was of no regard our vertue of much Iesse the former was none in comparison and the later was none at all It must then be Munus eleemosynarium and indeed so it was the Scripture so speaketh of it Through the tender mercy of our God the day-spring from on high hath visited vs so saith Zacharie And St. Paul Tit. 3. After the kindnesse and loue of our Sauiour towards man appeared not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but of his mercy he saued vs. And indeed it was a worke of great mercy For whereas there is but duplex malum malum Poenae and malum Culpae a double euill of Sinne and Woe we were plunged deepe in both deep in Sin deepe in Woe To pity him that is deep in woe is not strange it seemeth to be the proper act of Mercy but pity towards Malefactors the Philosophers acknowledge none No man say they pitieth a Thiefe when he goeth to the Gallowes or a Murderer feeling the stroke of Iustice how much lesse would they pity them if the sinne were against themselues and that committed by a Vassall against his Lord a Vassall that had receiued much fauour against his Lord from whom he receiued it In such a case they acknowledge no pity Yet this is our case and we haue found pity so great pity that Christ was borne for Vs and Christ was giuen vnto Vs. So that of this pity as well Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely the Cause but the Occasion must be found in God It is cleare that the proper Cause is the goodnesse of God and it is as cleare that the occasion also must bee fetched from him Were there onely malum Poenae in vs there might bee found in vs an Occasion of Mercie but seeing there is also malum Culpae there cannot but bee an Occasion of Iustice Our double Euill worketh a double Occasion and so maketh Mercie and Iustice as it were to striue in God And indeed both take their occasions Natus satisfied Iustice for a Person came forth that was able to giue full satisfaction vnto Iustice but Datus satisfied Mercy because this Person was freely bestowed vpon Vs. So that if we put Borne for Vs and Giuen to Vs together we see the sweet Harmony that is in the Quire of Gods Attributes None singeth alone they concent together yet so that some one doth most loudly speak the praise of God and in our case Mercy reioyceth ouer Iudgement For though our sinnes haue occasioned Iustice and therefore Christ was borne for Vs that he might satisfie that iustice that was too heauie for vs yet our Woe occasioned Mercy which gaue Christ vnto Vs that in our own Person we might enioy the Blessings of God We are borne for our selues that we may liue and haue all the comfort of our life present to come blessings which we wanted and by which when we receiue them our state is the better It is not so with Christ he was borne for others not for himselfe and giuen to others not to himselfe for what wanted he whereof he needed a supply Hee was in the forme of God and what good is there that is not in the Nature of God which is the ouerflowing Fountaine of all good Looke vpon the State of Christ this Point will appeare clearly No man will doubt but his Birth was for the good of others that considereth that his glory is not his owne but ours He sitteth indeed at the right hand of God and is lifted vp aboue all Angels and Arch-angels and euery Name that is named in Heauen and Earth in this World and that which is to come but what gaineth he by it who was from eternity most high in the glory of his Father Christ himselfe affirmeth it Iohn 17. Glorifie mee O Father with that glory
be otherwise minded will they nil they they shall one day finde that they haue no exemption from them Thus saith the Lord is our warrant regard not our persons regard that Lord whose Embassadors wee are receiue the words wee speake so long as we speake his Words not as the words of men but as the Word of God Finally couple Thus saith with the Lord of Hosts The Lord of Hosts noteth Gods Power Thus he saith noteth his Will Our soules shall finde little rest on Gods Power if it be not sure of his Will for God can doe many things which he will not doe though he cannot will any thing which he cannot doe Luke 3.8 God could raise vp Children vnto Abraham of stones but hee would not but the many miracles which he hath wrought shew that hee can doe what he will The coupling then of these words Thus saith the Lord of Hosts imports Gods willing power and powerfull will which amount vnto an authority fit to build our Faith vpon and to giue law vnto our Conuersation I haue sufficiently shewed you What the warrant is wee must now in few words see Why it is repeated so often For I dare say you shall not finde any passage in the Scripture where Thus saith the Lord is so often read in so few lines The reason is the weightinesse of the matter whereunto it is annext Mortall Princes vse not to signe Bils the contents whereof are triuiall matters many things are done by vertue of their Authority whereunto their signature is not vsed Euen so ordinary matters passe in the Word of God without nay speciall vrging of his Authority when that is prefixt the point is of great regard and if it be often ingeminated it giueth vs to vnderstand that we must take speciall notice of euery clause of it What must wee gather here then but the weightinesse of euery branch of this Text And indeede if you haue not forgotten what hath been obserued on euery part thereof you will easily confesse that there is not one of them which is not so weighty as to deserue Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Was not the shaking of Heauen and Earth the shaking of all Nations a weighty point and therefore deserued it not to be signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the shaking did deserue this signature much more did the Comming of the desire of all Nations especially seeing he came to fill the Temple with glory and as it deserued so it was signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the giuing of Glory were a matter of great moment what shall wee say of the degree of Glory Surely it required a great ability so great as we would hardly haue beleeued had we not bin heartened by Thus saith the Lord of Hosts and it must proceed from so great bounty as may be testified by the same Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Finally the peace wherein we possesse whatsoeuer good is contained in Christs presence doth so passe mans vnderstanding that to establish his heart in the beliefe thereof he needes this signature Thus saith the Lord of Hosts At length to conclude You haue heard in the former Sermons What in this Whom you must beleeue you must not separate Whom from What that which we must beleeue doth no doubt most pleasantly affect vs because it is our good but he whom we must beleeue doth most firmely secure vs because he is the Author of that good As then when wee gather fruit from a tree we doe not fixe our eyes onely vpon the boughes from whence we immediately gather it but also thinke vpon the roote which feeds those boughes and maketh them to bee fruitfull so in our religious meditations we must couple the Author with the Matter of blessings that God may be glorified as well as our soules are benefited If we say with Saint Paul I know whom I haue beleeued then we shall be secure that he will safe-keepe whatsoeuer any of vs committeth vnto him hee will keepe our soules keep our bodies and all that which himselfe hath bestowed vpon them Grace and Peace Christ will keepe them vntill his day his second day the day wherein the great and the little world shall receiue their last shaking Then shall the desire of all Nations which at first came in Humility returne againe in Glory hee shall returne to fill his House his Church with glory conformable to his owne Glory Then hee will open vnto vs all his treasures of siluer and gold and therewith adorne his Spouse which being Triumphant shall infinitely exceed her selfe as she was Militant Then shall our Peace come to the full and none shall be able to take our blessednesse from vs because none shall be able to separate betweene vs and Christ They shall not if we build our Faith vpon Gods reuealed Will vpon his Almighty Power vpon my Text Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Now let vs that are a handfull of his Host while we are militant so giue glory vnto the Lord of Hosts that we may hereafter bee triumphant and hauing palmes in our hands and crownes on our heads with harpes and tongues wee may sound and sing ioyntly and cheerfully Halleluiah Praise ye the Lord and with the whole Host of the Kingdome of Heauen saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy Glory Amen יהוה A SERMON PREACHED Vpon the ANNVNTIATION day LVKE 2.28 Haile thou that art highly fauoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women THis is a part of the Gospell appointed for this day and this day goeth commonly for the Annuntiation day whether the day haue his right place in the Calender I leaue to be disputed by Chronologers what is meant by the Annuntiation is an argument fitter for Diuines certainly for the Pulpit the third part of this Chapter treats thereof and it is conceiued in forme of a Dialogue In the Dialogue there are two speakers the Angell Gabriel the Virgin Mary and each of them maketh two speeches the Angell to the Virgin and the Virgin to the Angell The Angell in his first congratulates the Virgin whom hee informeth from God that she shall bee the mother of Iesus Christ Good newes but strange strange that a Virgin should be a mother this Virgin the mother of that Childe The Virgin thought so nay she said so whereupon the Angell addeth his second speech importing that though the thing be wonderfull yet the meanes are powerfull these must be thought vpon as well as that and she must resolue that nothing shall hinder it because it is the Holy Spirit that will doe it So spake the Angell The Virgin replies vnto him to his first speech shewing her willingnesse to vnderstand the message which hee brought that is gathered out of her question Quomâ—do c. to his second shewing her readinesse to obey so soone as shee vnderstood it that appeares in her submission Ecce c.
word doth encourage them to dye for who would be troubled when he is called to lay his wearied bones at rest But as the word hath that encouragement so hath it a better also and which doth comfort more For notwithstanding the rest expected yet the parting of soule and bodie is irkesome the rather because we see that this sweet companion our body must vndergoe so different a condition from the soule The soule goeth to Abrahams bosome there to be feasted with the foode of Angels but the body must turne to dust and become the foode of wormes And who can endure this surely he that remembers that it is but for a moment the body doth but sleepe it shall awake againe and awake to be of the same condition with the soule for so much we are taught in the next word which is Primitiae first fruits aequiualent to the Resurrection a phrase well befitting the season To vnderstand it we must obserue that in the Law there were two kinds of first fruits One generall consisting of the first of all the Holy Lands increase Leuit. 23. Verse 10. 17. and those might bee offered at any time of the yeare another speciall that was restraind to certaine seasons Easter and Whitsontide The first season was Easter day for the Passouer was slain vpon Good friday the day whereon Christ dyed the next was to bee a holy Conuocation wherein Christ continued in the Graue and the day following was the sheaff of first Fruits to be presented to the Lord and that was the first day of the weake the very day wherein Christ rose from the dead So that this word Primitiae is vere significant and shewes how the Truth did answer the Type Christs Resurrection was meant by that first fruits Hauing found the originall of the phrase let vs now rip it vp and inquire into the meaning of it and then we shall finde that it intimates two things Christs Prerogatiue and our Communion First of Christs prerogatiue Though the Resurrection belong to Christ and them that slept yet first to Christ first dignitate causatione some adde tempore also but I leaue it to bee disputed by the learned that may passe inter piè credibilia but these two are articles of faith for doubtlesse Christ had it in a greater measure and the measure that we haue we haue it from him First of the digintie Vnumquodque recipitur ad modum recipientis as was Christs capacitie so was his participation his capacitie was infinitely beyond ours his participation must be answerable The capacitie may bee conceiued by his Vnction and his Vnion Our Mysticall vnion comes farre short of his Hypostaticall and the vnction of him the Head farre exceeds the droppes that distill therefrom into euery one of vs that is but a Member when he rose his glorie was without all comparison The best of men is but a Starre of what magnitude soeuer hee bee but Christ is as the Sunne at the presence whereof the glory of all starres vanisheth Therefore is hee Reshith Biccure the first fruite of first fruits as the Law speakes eyther word notes an eminencie the first alluding to his title The Head the other to his title of First borne how much more eminent then is he when both are ioyned together This is his first Prerogatiue intimated by his being The first fruits But as he is Primus dignitate so is he causatione also Scrm. 10. de Pasâ—h for he caused his owne and is the cause of our Resurrection His owne St. Bernard so differenceth him from others Reliqui suscitantur solus Christus resurrexit Well may others be raised Christ only rose hee only by himselfe could conquer death Therfore though the word be passiue yet must it be vnderstood actiuely Christ was so raised that he raised himselfe and that not onely merito but efficacia also as the Godhead graced the manhood to merit it so was the manhood inabled by the Godhead to atchieue it But Christ rose though in se yet pro alijs in his owne person for our good that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his purchase by death 1 Pet. 2.9 This is meant in the Law of First fruits when God telleth the Israelites they shall be presented to make you accepted and therefore as hee was the cause of his owne so is he the cause of ours also Primum in vnoquoquegenere est causa reliquorum God hath giuen eternall life but this life is in the Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath this life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not this life Ioh. 1.5 for he only is the quickning Spirit and hath the keyes of death and hell But Causa is eyther aequiuoca or vniuoca Christ is Causa Resurrectionis in both senses he is Causa aequiuoca euen to the wicked for he is iudge and therefore shall summon all in the Graue his Angels shall gather as well tares as wheate and the goats as well as the sheep shall he call before him Yea hee shall not only cause their rising but their incorruptibilitie also for it is by his Almighty power that they shall bee supported to endure their torment This causation only is not here meant but causatio vniuoca also for he is Primitiae faciens primitias what himselfe hath he makes others to enioy and therefore Theophylact obserues well Primitiae ad sequentes respectum habent these first fruits haue respect to others as if one of many should beginne to doe that wherein he is afterward to be followed by others And this appeares in our Communion Communion in name and in the condition answerable to the name In name For as Christ so wee are called Primitiae so speakes Ieremy cap. 2. v. 3 Israel was holinesse to the Lord and the first fruits of his encrease and S. Iames cap. 1. v. 18. Of his owne will begot hee vs that we should bee a kinde of first fruits of his Creatures and Reuel 14. These are redeemed from among men being the first fruits of God and the Lambe Hee is not so then the first fruits as if we were left to prophane vses for though in comparison of vs Christ is the First fruits yet in comparison of the world we also are so esteemed Leuit. 23. and therefore there is a second First fruites mentioned in the Law which was offered at Whitsontide and represented the Church to whom the Law was giuen and vpon whom was poured the Holy Ghost But as we communicate in name 1 Cor. 15. so doe wee also in the condition answerable to the name for Christus est Typus Christianorum As wee haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shall we of the heauenly also To open this Point a little farther Christus is Typus victoriae vitae There bee two things wherein the first fruits doe warrant vs communion with him Victorie and Life Victorie ouer all ouer enemies they shall all be subdued no
ranke the ranke of men such as are Epicures yea vnto the ranke of diuels such as are profest Atheists this Land swarmeth with too many of them they are not ashamed so gracelesse are they yea so senslesse that they do not tremble to name themselues the damned Crue such vallies would be filled vp if it might be by discipline they should bee reclaimed if not by the sword they should be cut off lest they proue bottomlesse gulfes and swallow vp the whole Land it is to be feared if thâ—y bee long tolerated God will pursue with vengeance the whole Land for their blaphemies Besides these you shall find some serpentine waies S. Iohn calleth them crooked waies the waies of subtill foxes that wilily circumuent yong ones and simple ones and strippe them of their goods of their lands they would be set straight and that craft which preuailes elsewhere should not serue when they are pierced into by the direct eye of a Iudge Finally you shall find ruffe waies the waies of scandalous persons that are exemplarily ill and make many weake ones to fall they must bee made smooth if their hearts cannot be altered yet their deeds must be bridled that they cause not others to offend such are the corrupters of youth by gaming by drinking other loose liuing In a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you must apply your measure to them and spare no obliquitie that is in any of them then shall the way of all the people be via librata as Esay speakes of the way of righteous men it shall bee straight or leuell There is one thing more which I may not omit This word is neuer read but plurall the reason therof may be manifold the worst is worth your marking If you look vpon the persons on whom a Iudge workes they are good or bad he must withhold iustice from neither of them and iustice requires that one haue proemium the other poenam each receiue according as he deserues and iudgment is not full except both parties haue their due so saith the Law The Iudge shall iustifie the righteous and condemne the wicked You may not violate this Combination There is another Combination in the Rule by which you iudge and that is of commutatine and distributiue Iustice you haue two Barres one for nisiprius and the other for criminall Causes my text requires that the measure be euen at both Barres Adde hereunto that you are Custodes vtriusque Tabulae and must haue a care as well that God bee serued as the Common Weale keeping your selfe to the discreet limitation which Constantine the Emperour set vnto himselfe leauing Episcopatum ad intra vnto vs I meane the defining of sacred things and taking vnto your selues no more but Episcopatum ad extra the compulsiue commanding of those that are refractarie vnto the good Ordinances appointed by the publicke authoritie of the Church that so the slanders of the Romanists may be refuted and yet that duetie that you owe to Gods Church bee discharged You must take care of this second Combination There is a third also that lookes to your owne persons here must bee a Combination of your head and your heart you must iudge not onely rectum but rectè that the sentence bee vpright depends vpon you skill but it is your heart that maketh it a vertuous sensentence And surely the Holy Ghost meaneth something when in the sixteenth of Deuteronomie it is said Thoushalt follow Iustice Iustice hee meaneth the Iustice of the head and the heart Yea seeing you are not onely Magistrates but Christian Magistrates there must bee in your sentence not onely Equitie but Pietie your Religion must raise your morall vertues vnto an heauenly pitch and what you doe you must doe in Faith and to the Glorie of God This is the last Combination and for you the best the former two doe rather benefit others I conclude this Point with a wish that you would imitate Iob who when hee came to the Tribunall reports of himselfe that hee put on righteousnesse and it couered him iudgement and it was a robe and a crowne vnto him Iob 29. And I pray God that righteousnesse may goe before you and set your steppes in the way And thus much of the manner of dealing It followeth now that we come vnto the Reasons which are two The first is the reason of assembling the people or calling an Assizes there is great reason for that for there is much amisse The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolued Were wee immutable though wee should neede directiue yet of correctiue instice wee should haue no neede A Parliament were enough to set vs in a good way it would bee superfluous to examine our wayes at an Assizes but our condition was mutable in Paradise it is much more so now It appeares in that wee may bee dissolued or as the word in the originall is melted But there are two kinde of meltings according as the parts of the bodie melted are of two sorts homogeneous or heterogeneous If homogeneous as gold and siluer then though they melt yet do they not loose their holdfast cast gold into the fire melt it will but so that in running the parts doe hold fast together But if the parts bee heterogeneous then not onely the whole melteth but the parts fall asunder and are loosed the one from the other The melting whereto wee are subiect is of the later sort and therefore the Interpreter intending the meaning rather than the signification of the word translates it are dissolued that is so melted as that one part hangs not to another But let vs looke a little farther into this kinde of melting As in our bodie naturall so in the bodie politicke melting groweth from some outward heate which extracteth the inward and so dis-inableth the parts which were strengthned thereby to hold together There is a fire of charitie and iustice by which the societie of men is fostered and cherished so long as they hold wee hold together and when they faile wee fall asunder now they faile not except they bee extracted extracted by a fire and that is the fire of Hell the Diuell that could not endure that blessed societie that we enioyed in Paradise with God with Angels each with the other but loosed all the bands and set vs at oddes cannot endure so much as the continuance of ciuill societies but hee is still at his forge and is blowing of his coales and wee are too apt to come neare his fire the fire of concupiscence which is a melting fire Saint Austine fitly on this place moueth the question and answers it himselfe Si defluxit terra vnde defluxit nisi à peccatis hee addeth cupiditate superiorum roboratur quasi liquescit cupiditate inferiorum if wee will finde out the true cause of melting wee must finde it in sinne And sinne what is it but the inclination of our heart vnto these base and earthly things which should bee
one hath occasioned many a wholsome Law to hold in others that would sall into the like sinne And GOD by MOSES giues an excellent patterne to all good Gouernours of making such occasionall Lawes in cases Ecclesiasticall Ciuill and Criminall Ecclesiasticall Numb 9. Ciuill Numb 27.36 Criminall Numb 15. and in this Chapter We haue now to doe with a criminall case the case of Blasphemie concerning which we find reported in this Chapter an haynous fact seuerely punished by GODS Commandement and an excellent prouisionall Law grounded thereupon to preuent the like sinne The fact with the punishment thereof you may read in the verses that goe immediately before the Law is set downe in these that now I haue read vnto you Wherein we will consider two things first what this Law contayneth secondly to whom it was giuen It contaynes the two maine parts of a Law for it opens the sinne and prouides a punishment In opening the sinne it sheweth vs against whom and how it is committed The person against whom is GOD. But the name of GOD is taken either for one that though he be not yet is reputed to be such or for him which is GOD indeed which is the true GOD. Both are here mentioned the reputed GOD in these words his God the true in those other the Name of the Lord. The sinne against either of these persons is committed by mentioning and vilifying them those two things must be vnderstood in either of these words curse and blaspheme If this sinne be committed here is a punishment prouided for it the Text will teach vs what it is and vpon whom it must be inflicted What it is we learne here first in generall he must beare his sinne by sinne is meant punishment the offender must beare it the Gouernour must put it vpon him least the State suffer for him In speciall the punishment is here set downe that it must be Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill Ecclesiasticall for he must be cast out of the Tents which was a kind of Excommunication Ciuill it must be vltimum and ignominiosissimum it must be no lesse then death he shall dye and that death must be most ignominious two wayes ignominious first for that he was stoned to death which is mors eminùs illata they that executed him stood a sarre off as if they did abhorre him Secondly he was to haue no eye to pittie him for euery one was to be his Executioner All the Congregation shall stone him This is the punishment And this punishment must be inflicted vpon all without any indulgence no person must be excepted quicunque whosoeuer doth blaspheme must suffer And because amongst the Israelites there were natiues and aliens both are giuen to vnderstand as well he that is borne in the Land as the stranger that the Law concernes them if they presume to blaspheme they must suffer yea and suffer so they must surely dye certainly be stoned they must looke for no commutation no mitigation of their punishment This is the Law And this Law was giuen to the children of Israel so saith the entrance into my Text Thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel Israel was GODS peculiar people and it beseemed them to be the more zealous for his glorie I haue broken vp the Text that this Penitent may be made sensible of his grieuous sinne and we may be warned to take heed of the like man reaped where he did not sowe gathered where he did not scatter These are affirmatiue blasphemies And vnto these you may referre false Prophets false Apostles Hereticks yea and Schismaticks too which come vnsent speake vnwarranted make GOD the Author of their owne deuices these are all more or lesse affirmatiue blasphemers yea and they also that without warrant curse in the Name of GOD or by GOD any other person or thing Besides these there are negatiue and they are those which either wholy deny or much lessen the perfections of GOD. Ps 94. Some put out the eye of his Wisedome they say Tush the Lord doth not see and is there any vnderstanding in the Highest Some bridle his Power 2 Kings â—â— What God is he that can deliuer out of my hand saith the proud Sennacherib God is the God onely of the Hils say the King of Syria's Captaines Epicures strip him of his Prouidence Scilicet is superis labor est ca cura quietos Sollicitat God will doe neither good nor euill These and such like Chryfoct we may call negatiue Blasphemers and the rule is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that would be bad would haue nothing good in GOD. Vnto these you may referre them that giue to the creature that which is proper to the Creator that implyes a denyall for if they be common to others they are not onely his it is blasphemie to auer it And such Blasphemers are all that make and worship false Gods yea and Christs also Finally by reason of Reference vnto GOD sacred Persons and Things are exposed to both kinds of blasphemie the affirmatiue and the negatiue Wherefore the Dragon is said to blaspheme not onely the Name of GOD but also his Tabernacle that is his CHVRCH and the Inhabitants of Heauen Well whether the blasphemie be affirmatiue or negatiue by this time I thinke you conceiue that it is a fearfull thing and if you doe not certainly you will if you take notice of these three points which issue all of them out of that which you haue heard First Whereas sinne may be committed either onely against the Law or also against the Law-giuer this is committed immediately against the Law-giuer and you know that though he make bold which breaketh the Law of the Prince yet his presumption is most intolerable that layeth hands vpon his Person And what thinke you then of him that dares set himselfe against him that is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Secondly A mans tongue was made to glorifie GOD therefore DAVID cals it his glorie and the best member that he hath And how intolerable is it for a man to abuse that to GODS dishonor which was giuen him to set forth his prayse Not his tongue onely but any part of his body for a man may blaspheme by writing by painting by caruing sundry other wayes whereas man whole man and onely man of all creatures in this visible world was made to vnderstand GODS Word and his Workes that as he had the benefit of them so he might giue him the glorie of them both Thirdly the mischiefe that man doth himselfe by this spirituall folly Cap. 27. He that casts a stone vp saith the sonne of Sirach it will fall downe vpon his owne head Cap 35 Our sinnes our righteousnesse neither helpe nor hurt GOD as speaketh Elihu in Iob if we reuerence GOD the comfort is not his but ours as the discomfort is not his but ours if we dishonour him Doe we blaspheme affirmatiuely GOD will vindicate his owne glorie Ps 50. and