of their enemies Josh 10.13 Thirdly the earth it selfe and things contained in it do yeeld obedience to heaven for if the heaven be favourable in sending downe raine and fruitfull seasons Act. 4.17 Psal 65. the earth answerably will bring forth her encrease for the good of man but if the heaven be brasse the earth also will be Iron Deut. 28. Lastly as the powers of the heavens are such as that they can draw up clouds from the earth Psal 13.5 which do distill raine upon the earth to water the Furrowes thereof so we desire that the spirituall heaven may transforme us into an heauenly nature not setting our minds on earthly things but on things above For the things contained in heaven as they are heavenly so we desire that we living on earth may have our conversation in heaven that earthly man to whom God said Terra es Gen. 3. may by this meanes be made heavenly In the third heaven is contained in respect of his humanity first Christ himselfe who is both in heaven and earth for as he is called the head Ephes 3.23 of his Church he is in Heaven but in respect of his body which is called Christ 1 Cor. 12. he is on earth Therefore we pray that Christ on earth that is the Church may do Gods will even as Christ the head who is in heaven hath done it that as Christ our head came not to doe his owne will but the will of him that sent him Joh. 6.38 so the whole body of Christ may labour to fulfill the same Secondly in heaven thus are Angels which fulfill his Commandement and hearken to the voyce of his word Psal 10. So our prayer is that men to whom God hath made the promise that they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20. may labour to be like the Angels in doing Gods will as they hope to be like them in nature Thirdly in heaven there is the Congregation of the first borne Heb. 12.23 that is the Saints departed wherefore our prayer is that as they have and still do carefully fulfill Gods will so the Saints on earth and Church militant may do the same Againe whereas Saint Cyprian out of the 16. Psalm 2. and 19.1 saith that heaven is here upon earth for when the Psalmist saith The Heavens declare the glory of God the Apostle applyeth that to himselfe and to the rest of the Apostles Rom. 10. of whose preaching he saith No doubt their sound went out into all Lands and their words unto the ends of the World So that the Apostles were heavens living on earth So our prayer is that as they living on earth lived an heavenly life and began heaven here so our carnall heart may be applyed to the meditation of heaven that we may be Saints on earth Ps 16. The Wiseman saith of the body That it being dust at the houre of death turnes it self to dust from whence it came and that the spirit returnes to God that gave it Eccl. 12.17 Thus must the spirit returne to God in our life-time and we must while we be on earth and beare the Image of the earthly man seeke still to be in heaven and here labour more and more to beare the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 As the heavenly part of man that is his spirit is willing and doth not only consent that Gods Law is good but delight in it Rom. 7. so must we be carefull to bring our flesh in subjection that our old man and outward man may conforme himselfe to the inward and new man 2 Cor. 4. Eph. 4. Secondly touching the question How Gods will is done in heaven the answer is that where his will is both dulcis and amara voluntas a sweete and a bitter will it is there obeyed and performed in both kinds for the heavens do not onely at Gods commandement keepe a continuall motion which is agreeable to nature but against nature Sunne and Moone stand still at his will Jos 10. whose obedience tels us that our duty is to doe his will not only in things agreeable with our nature but when his will is contrary to our liking This obedience was performed in Christ Not my will but thine be done Luk. 22. and in the Angels which at Gods commandement are ready not onely to ascend but also to descend Gen. 28. to shew that they are content not onely to appeare in heavenly glory which is their nature but also to be abased according to the Apostles rule I can abound and I can want Phil. 4. The heavenly bodies do service to all Nations and the Angels are ministring spirits Heb. 1. As naturally they have a desire to ascend to beare rule so at Gods commandement they are content to descend to do service here below they do altogether fulfill Gods will Psal 104. whereas the nature of man doth hardly grant to obey Gods will in that which seemeth strange to flesh and blood as Agrippa affirmeth of himselfe Thou somewhat perswadest mee Act. 26.25 The Saints in heaven confesse to God Thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and were created Rev. 4.11 And therefore refuse not to subject their will to the will of God be it pleasant to them or not but as our Saviour speaketh Yee seeke mee not because ye saw the miracles but for that ye did eate of the loaves and were filled Joh. 6.26 So if we do that which God requireth it is rather for our owne sake with regard to our owne private profit then to do Gods will The heavenly Angels do Gods will with willingnesse and readinesse of mind which is the fat of their sacrifice and therefore they are said to have every one sixe wings Esay 6. From whose example wee must learne to do all things commanded of God without murmuring or disputing Phil. 2.14 and that because it is Gods will we should do it In earth when God willeth any thing that is not pleasant to our wils we make excuse Luk. 14. or we post it off to others as Peter said to John Joh. 21. Quid autem hic We are ready to communicate with flesh and blood Gal. 3.16 and to say with the Disciples Durus est hic sermo this is a hard speech Joh. 6. If we cannot shift it off from our selves yet as the Devill reasoned Cur venisti ante tempus Matth. 18.29 and as the people say It is not time yet to build the house of the Lord Hagg. 1.5 So we are ready to deferre and prolong the doing of Gods will as much as may be when we do it as the uncleane spirit would not come out of the child but with much crying and renting of him Mark 9.26 so we cannot do Gods will but with great murmuring and grudging and when men do Gods will in this sort they do it not as it is done in heaven by the Angels and Saints that willingly obey it but as the Devills in hell which against their
repentance The persons to be delivered are expressed in the word nos which implyeth a twofold reason the one in regard of the word libera We are thy servants therefore make us free and suffer us not to be slaves to Satan So the Prophet reasoneth Psal 116. 143. Secondly againe deliver us for we are thy children those whom thou hast taught to call thee Father therefore though we be Mephibosheths for our deformity and Absolons for our ungraciousnesse yet shew thy selfe a Father to us and of servants though we be not only unprofitable Luk. 17. but evill and wastfull Luk. 16. yet because we are thy servants deliver us Thirdly we are thy workmanship therefore despise not the workes of thine owne hands Psal 138. Fourthly We are thy Image Gen. 1. Fifthly the price of thy Sonnes blood Sixthly Vessels to carry thy Name we are they upon whom thy name is called therefore deliver us else wee shall be a reproach to them that are about us Dan. 9.18 Seventhly we are the members of thy Church which is the body of Christ Jesus our Saviour our head Rom. 12.5 Eph. 1.22 The other reason is from the word mala the devill as hee is our enemy so he is Gods and he hateth us because we are thine and therefore laboureth to draw us from thee but save thou us that wee fall not from thee as he hath done Lastly us for we may not pray for our selves alone but for our brethren also that God will be good to them likewise and though we be out of trouble yet because we be of the body we may truly say deliver us when we pray in the behalfe of our brethren that are under the crosse Untill the last enemy death be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 we shall never be fully freed but have one evill or other Therefore we are to pray for that time when we shall hunger and thirst no more when God shall wipe all teares from our eyes Rev. 7.16 at the least if he take us not presently out of the world yet to keepe us from the evill of the world Joh. 17.15 till that day when there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine Rev. 21.4 but God shall be in all to us for ever THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON For thine is the Kingdome Power and Glory for ever and ever SAint Paul willeth that all things in the Church be done orderly 1 Cor. 14. which no doubt he tooke from Christ whose answer to John Baptist Matth. 3.14 was Sic enim decet for so it becommeth whereby wee see that both Christ and his Apostles have alwaies observed a decorum or decency in all things So touching prayer our Saviour Christ to shew that it is an undecent thing for any having done his Petitions to breake off suddenly or to beginne his prayer without any introduction hath not onely made an entrance to his prayer wherein he acknowledged Gods goodnesse but also addeth a conclusion wherein hee confesseth his Kingdome Power and Glory which the Fathers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee tooke the patterne of this conclusion out of the old Testament where King David acknowledgeth Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and glory and victory and thine is the Kingdome 1 Chron. 29.11 In the beginning we heard that all Prayer and Invocation is nothing else but a testimony and confession The Petitions that are severally made in this Prayer are confession of our weaknesse want need and unablenesse to do any thing that may please God The beginning and end of it are an acknowledgement of Gods riches power and goodnesse whereby he is inclined to supply our wants for that hee is not onely willing as a Father but able as a King so that whatsoever prayer we make whether Tekinnah or Tehillah whether we pray that we may receive some good thing of God or praise him for good received is a confession and both these confessions make for Gods glory not only to him that was to make confession of his sin it was said Da gloriam Deo Josh 7.19 but the blind man that had received a benefit by the recovery of his sight was said to give glory to God Joh. 19.24 The beginning of this prayer was a confession of Gods goodnesse the end of his power for unto doing of good is required not onely willingnesse but power and ability To shew that God is willing we are taught to call upon him by the name of Father for any father is willing to do his child good but with this willingnesse there must concurre an ability to do good which howsoever it be wanting in earthly Fathers yet it is not wanting in our heavenly Father for whereas nothing doth more expresse power then the name of a King Christ acknowledgeth God to be such a Father as hath Kingdome power and glory and therefore is able to do us whatsoever good he will So God himselfe affirmeth of himselfe I am a great King Mal. 1.14 Rev. 19.16 he is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords so that if wee will pray to God the Father wee have cause to conceive hope that hee will heare our Petitions and help us because he is not onely willing as a Father but able as a mighty glorious and powerfull Prince Secondly if to God the Sonne his dying for us doth assure us of his good will and readinesse to do us good and his rising againe from the dead when he hath broken the yron barres doth assure us of his power Thirdly if to the Holy Ghast we shall not need to doubt of his willingnesse for he is the essentiall love of God which is shed in our hearts Rom. 5. Besides he is the spirit operative by whom God worketh all good things in the hearts of his people and therefore able to do whatsoever good for us and those two to wit the assurance of Gods goodnesse and power are the two parts of the anchor of our hope Heb. 6.18 19. and he gives us not onely audaciam petendi but also fiduciam impetrandi not only boldnesse to aske but also assurance to obtaine The make requests in our owne behalfe and acknowlegement to God of his love and power are both confessions but the principall is the acknowledgment of his gooodnesse and Kingdome power for to make request to God for good things that we want concernes men but to confesse Gods power and goodnesse is that wherein the heavenly Angels are occupied in they feele no want of any good thing and therefore they have no neâ—d to make petition to God as we on earth and therefore all the confession that they make is of Gods goodnesse and power whereof they cry continually Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts the earth is full of his glory Esay 6.3 The same is done by the Saints in heaven Blessing and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour and power and might be unto our God for evermore Rev. 7.12 Whereby we learne that wee
kingdomes of this world for both power and glory may be ascribed to an earthly Prince and it is certaine that Solomon had them all and therefore as hee is distinguished from earthly fathers for that he is said to be in heaven so he differs from earthly Kings in that his Kingdome is said to endure for ever and ever There is another difference implyed in the Article earthly Princes have a Kingdome a Kingdome of power and a certaine glory in this world but it is not the Kingdome This prepositive Article imports two things a Generality and a Superiority for the first point he that hath but a peece of the earth to beare rule in is not an universall King but God is King over all the earth Psal 47. Therefore if wee be so carefull to behave our selves aright in the presence of an earthly King whose Kingdome is limited within certaine bounds which if hee exceed he is no more King much more ought we to praise and glorifie him whose Kingdome is universall Secondly for the superiority of Gods Kingdome there are a great number of Kings on earth but of this Kingdome it is said All Kings shall fall downe before him all Nations shall worship him Psalm 72. For hee is said to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. Touching the other difference signified by the word for ever Though a man had all the earth for his Kingdome yet it could not be a Kingdome for ever and ever no Prince ever raigned the whole age of a man and so long time as a man naturally may live which the Philosophers say is the space of an hundred yeares but his Kingdome indures not onely the age of a man but In seculum For ever Thy Kingdome Power and Glory endureth for ever and ever whereas mans Kingdome Power and glory lasteth but a few yeares and sometimes but a few dayes Jezabel had a glorious Kingdome but within a few yeares it was said of her Ubi est illa Jezabel 2 Reg. 10. when it was fulfilled which the Prophet Jeremiah foretold 13.28 Tell the King and Queene Humble your selves for your dignity shall be taken away and the crowne of your glory shall fall downe And the like is the greatnesse of all earthly Kingdomes and therefore Christ teacheth us to direct our Petitions to him whose Kingdome is everlasting Psalm 145. whose power endureth for ever and ever not to a mortall King but to God Qui solus habet c. which onely hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. who being himselfe an everlasting King and incorruptible is able to bestow upon us both a Crowne 1 Pet. 5. and an inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not 1 Pet. 1.4 This is our hope and the perfection of our desires and therefore as the Creed hath his period in Life everlasting so last of all we are taught to pray for Glory everlasting THE NINETEENTH SERMON Amen WE are now come to the last word of the Lords Prayer the power and efficacie whereof at this time is to be considered for there is in it every way matter worthy of our consideration and wee cannot perfectly accomplish our duty in prayer except we understand this word aright For after we have laid out our severall petitions to God and made our allegation to God why we desire to be respected by him namely because we are of his Kingdome and Jurisdiction for that we have no power of our selves to do any thing Lastly because that we confesse that all glory is to be ascribed to him then it remaineth that we desire of God that those Petitions and allegations made by us may by him be ratified which is done in the word Amen Wherein the ancient Writers consider two things First Jerome saith it is Signaculum consensus nostri that by it we acknowledge that whatsoever we can desire is contained in this forme of prayer Secondly as S. Cyprian saith it is votum desiderii nostri that as wee allow of this forme of Prayer and the Petitions made therein so we desire that it will please God to performe and accomplish them so in this word is implyed the consent of our minde to allow of the things which we are taught to pray for in this Prayer and secondly the desire of our heart for the obtaining of the same The one is the seale of our faith in as much as wee acknowledge those things to be true The other is the seale of our love whereby we testifie our desire for the accomplishment of these Petitions The one is referred to Truth the other to the fervencie of the spirit in which two things as our Saviour affirmeth Joh. 4.24 the right worship of God consisteth concerning which word to be added in the end of our supplications there is an absolute commandement not only in the old Testament Let al the people say Amen 1 Chron. 16.33 Ps 106. but in the New as appeareth by S. Pauls question 1 Cor. 14.16 who to shew the necessity of this word he saith How shall the unlearned say A men to thy thanksgiving for indeed it concerneth every one as he will answer the transgression of dicet omnis populus all the people shall say which is a flat commandement not to be omitted to adde this word to their prayer The word it selfe is originally Hebrew but used by the Evangelists and retained still in every language and tongue without translation or alteration either in Greeke Latine or any other the reason of the retaining of it is that is might appeare that the Synagogue of the children of Israell and the true congregation of the Church of Christ gathered out of all Nations is but one mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the same we are given to understand by this that the Spirit of Adoption is said to cry non onely Abba in the hearts of the Jewes but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Father in the hearts of the Gentiles Rom. 8.20 Therefore our Saviour would not have his name to be either intirely Hebrew as Jesus Messias or intirely Greeke as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the one in Hebrew the other in Greeke Jesus Christ to shew that he is our peace who of two hath made one that hath reconciled us both in one body and that he is the corner stone whereby the Church consisting both of Jewes and Gentiles is coupled together and groweth to be one holy Temple to the Lord Eph. 2.14 Though they be as the Apostle speakes Congregatio primogenitorum Heb. 12.23 yet we are the Church of God as well as they we I say that are borne after them we that are of the Gentiles have none other law for our direction then that which the Jewes had as the Apostle saith I write no new commandemem but an old commandement which you have heard from the beginning 1 Joh. 2.7 Wee have no other faith but as the Apostle saith eundem spiritum fidei habentes 2 Cor. 4. The same grace is offered
Gods goodnesse and was in happinesse after desiring to depart from God fell into extreame misery 1. Into sinne 2. Into shame 3. Feare 4. Travell care vexation of body and mind Lastly into death So by comming to God we shall have all these redeemed and become happy againe The opinion of others that thinke a man may have his felicity here and of himselfe may be reduced to these five heads 1. Wealth 5. Divers opinions concerning mans felicity Particular exceptions worldlings 2. Honour politickes 3. Pleasure Epicures 4. Vertue Stoicks 5. Contemplation Idea Plato c. 1. Against riches that felicity doth not consist in them Goods goods apparrell c. preferre not a man to a higher place but keepeth his nature from decaying but felicity maketh a man higher then he was Against these short exceptions and 1. against wealth 1. Wealth in things artificiall is not for it selfe neither is wealth naturall for it selfe but onely supplying the wants of nature but cannot bring us to an higher estate 2. The end of man is better then man himselfe but these worse than man for a man for his life would give the whole world therefore 3. à modo retorquendi Stoicorum From the Stoicks manner of retorting It is a strange thing that that should be optimum bonum the chiefe good which hath beene doubted since the world stood whether it be good or evill Seneca semper eguerunt interprete alwaies needed an interpreter 1. That they make not a man good 2. That God and the celestiall natures have them not yet happy 3. That is not good which may sometimes profit but that which alwaies profiteth 4. The inconveniences that should come hereby 1. then men should not be esteemed by that they are but by that they have so his leather bagge full of money should be better then himselfe None esteemeth a sword by the scabbard nor the horse by his trappings 5. The good that commeth from wealth is in spending it and parting from it Sic esset summa felicitas abscedere a felicitate quod omnium absurdissimum So chiefe felicity should consist in parting from felicity which is most absurd 2. Nor doth humane felicity consist in honour this is but a signe of vertue and the signe is alwaies deterior to the thing signified 2. Honour 1. They bring themselves from this in saying that honos est virtutis umbra honour is but the shadow of vertue for who knoweth not that we must leave the shadow and follow the body therefore potius statuenda est virtus felicitas we must rather determine vertue to be felicity 2. Seeing there must be honourers and honoured therefore there must be many to make one happy quod felicitatis non est which pertaines not to felicity 3. As they may have honourers so they may have dishonourers sic partim erunt felices partim infelices so they shall be in part happy in part unhappy But they leave that which is the greatest Honore dignunt esse quod virtutis est to be worthy of honour which belongs to vertue 4. Quia honor est bonum sine omni stabilitate for honour is a good without any stability and hangeth on other mens mouthes Therefore we shall fall into that absurdity that we should make felicity most mutable like a Vane or Weathercocke Christ triumphed royally riding into Ierusalem after three or foure daies he was accused of the same people that would before have made him their King in so much that they cried crucifige eum c. crucifie him As for pleasure 3. Nor doth it consist in pleasure Our body receiveth paine by every part by the pricking of a pin in the skin the very mould of our body doth reclaime against it For there are but two parts and conditions whereby pleasure is commended to us and for the one the Epicures themselves have wished themselves to be like Cranes for the other like Sparrowes 2. Cum homo sit spiritualis intellectualis voluptas sensibilis seeing a man is spirituall and intellectuall but pleasure sensible Therefore by comming to pleasure he commeth to a thing inferior to himselfe but felicity must be above him And Seneca wisheth himselfe never to have beene botne if he had beene borne to this end s Sapere cibum Vinum potare to taste meate to drinke wine 3. We should be more miserable then the boasts if pleasure were our end for they use their pleasures openly and at liberty man in his most lawfull pleasures is ashamed to doe them openly apage felicitatem quae latebras quaerit away with that felicity which seeketh corners 2. They doe it without remorse of conscience man after he hath done it is pricked in his conscience and feeleth paine in himselfe In voluptate humana elsi vel maximè legitima 1. verecundâ—a 2. successio morsus conscientiae In humane pleasure even the most lawfull there is 1. a bashfulnesse 2. a succeeding of a biting conscience Quicquid bonum est ex hypothesi è se bonum non est sed eo quod dat illi conditionem illam 4. By their owne confession it is not good unlesse it be moderated so that it hath the goodnesse from that which giveth moderation to it If pleasure should be felicity then should the vertues of temperance continence shamefac'dnesse c. have been lost 3. Temperantia est abstinentia à voluptatibus Temperance is an abstinence from pleasures Therefore felicitas esset in abstinentia à selicitate Happinesse should be a restraining from happinesse 5. We say that he is continent that abstaines from pleasures Shall we say also that he is continent that abstaineth from felicity or that he is praiseworthy 6. Plutarch If an Epicure had but an houre to live and for that houre it were put to his choyce whether for that houre he would sport himselfe in greatest pleasures and make a sumptuous banquet or worke some noble exploit to get him a perpetuall fame I know saith he he would rather choose some noble act then to enjoy such a momentanie pleasure and so would condemne his owne opinion Morall vertues are onely to pacifie the troublesome parts of the mind i. the affections The pacifying of our affections Nor consists felicity in vertue to bring an easinesse to our actions Omnis autem actio est proper finem every action is for some end Therefore sunt alii ultra hunc fines there are other ends beyond this There is of every vertue a severall use as of Justice to maintaine Peace Of Fortitude to procure Peace therefore these have a further end then themselves 3. This principall vertue s prudencie est enim forma virtutum omnium for it is the forme of all vertues is defined to be nothing else but a direction to an end prudentia est scientia eorum quae aguntur propter finem prudence is a knowledge of those things which are done for the end 4. Quidam habent peratiam
sufficiently sifted They give us money and say it is good but will not suffer us to weigh it 2. If ever there were mulierum fabulae old wives fables 2. It is fabulous it is very like they are in the Alkoran its full of untruths Andreas Maurus not onely a Saracen but also a Bishop of theirs hath set downe 900. untruths out of the Alkoran whereof these be two first 15. chap. Eluiraim that Abraham was the sonne of Lazarus a beggar whereas it is certaine that there are about 3000. yeeres betweene them Secondly 18. section That Mary the mother of Christ was Moses sister whereas there are 1600. yeeres betwixt 3. Doctrine the manner of it it came of the will of man that was captivated wholly to his sence and could goe no further Thirdly their doctrine foolish vulgar carnall altogether belonging to the body there is nothing in it but is visible sensible c. 16. section Mahomet saith he was in Heaven and saw God as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having the forme of a man but his face he could not see but he felt his hand and that was seven times colder then the Ise Of the Angels that they have bodies and many heads and some of them 70000. heads Of the divels that they were circumcised and being circumcised must needs have bodies Of the Starres chap. 23. that they are nothing else but Candles in a round Glasse hanging downe by chaines And this is the manner of his doctrine 4. The promises of this religion brutish wicked 4. His Promises chap. 35.52.54 His Paradise after this life he maketh of those brutish pleasures of gluttony of leachery c. 5. His doctrine or precepts 65. chap. A plaine indulgencie for swearing and perjury 5. the precepts satanicall And there for a small matter they will sweare and forsweare for revenge and murder chap. 41. non ulcisci injuriam impium it is impious not to revenge an injury For Polygamie and divorcing 3. chap. the practice doth confirme it and the precept is plaine And for Adultery chap. 23. none may accuse one without foure witnesses Every man hath foure wives fifteene Concubines he may have 41. chap. they may couple themselves with beasts and those that doe this are counted the holiest men among them for spoile whatsoever they can get in Via Dei Polygamy hath almost made all the countrey robbers because otherwise they are not able to maintaine their owne wives 6. The miracles false and without witnesses in the way of God as they call it is their owne 16. chap. And that is the cause why there goes none into their dominions unlesse they be well furnished who neverthelesse are then commonly spoyled 6. For his miracles there are some set downe but all without witnesses 92 ch When he was a child being sent into the fields with Cattell for he was a driver of Asses he met with the Angell Gabriel which ript his belly tooke out his heart cut it in two out of the middest of it tooke a lumpe of blacke blood which as he said maketh men to sinne and is the beginner of temptation in man after closed up his heart and did put it into his place againe First there is no such lumpe say all the Anatomists Secondly there cannot be a naturall cause of temptation which is spirituall Secondly being with one of his kinsmen in a faire Moone-shine night his kinsman required this of him that he would cause the Moone to come downe and breake it selfe into two halfes and that the one part might come into one of his sleeves and the other into the other sleeve and come out whole at his brest and so goe up into her place againe and so it did But its marvell that the Astronomers did never misse her out of Heaven and one would thinke it impossible for such a great body to come into such a slender body seeing they have noted the very least Eclyps it was a close miracle betweene him and his cosen 7. It s propagation by force Lastly by what meanes the propagation of his Kingdome came 9. chap. That God delivered him a sword to compell men to his religion if they would not otherwise be brought to it but as before is said unnaturall meanes for truth And so it hath beene his practise alwaies At the first he was of very base condition subject to the falling sicknesse and troubled with divels First he was a servant but afterward by the bignesse and comlinesse of his body after his Masters death married with his Mistresse whom he served before whom he entised by sorcery after was banished by the men of the same City for his evill demeanor Machah his wife and his 15. concubins After that by the helpe of his wifes friends and his parents recovered the City got the rule of the City warred against the King of Scythia to whom they were then in subjection having overcome him by meanes of the negligence of the Emperour Heraclius entering a league of peace with the Emperour and after breaking it got all the Emperours Dominions It prevailed when the world was at the worst when religion was cleane worne out when there were fewest learned men it hath never taken hold of any excellent man The Turke himselfe standeth in awe of the robbers so that he is faine to feed them with money that they might not be troublesome to him either for the gifts of nature art or grace It agreeth not with the proceedings of Christian religion the manner of the proceeding of Christian faith was not by killing but by being killed The effects of their religion in perjury in swearing in murther in sheading of blood of their children and kinsfolkes Some have slaine 17. of their kindred to convey the succession of the Empire to one of their owne in divorces their spoyling about Arabia deserta Last they live in a most servile estate for they can convey nothing to their successours but after their death all is the Turkes Mancipia sunt sui imperatoris 2. Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have a more sure word of prophecie whereunto ye doe well that ye take heed How we know that those Scriptures are the true words of God Men in old time spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Religion is the coupling of relations between God the Creator and man the creature God is provider and man that is the provided for Quod propter aliud pâ—sterius est eo propter quod est That which is for some other thing then for it selfe is posterior to that for which it is as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts Now the fourth is ours That it is to take place before in the other three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of confutation or negatively Now in the fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 positively But because the fourth
judgement as Ps 69.25 a visitation in outward goods Let his habitation be voide c. Againe for transgression a visitation vpon the body 2 Sam. 11.14 vpon the child In the taking away of Gods benefits Matth. 21.42.43 And yet a more greivous punishment quando paena odii est odium And as God saith thus qui sordescit sordescat adhuc so he may say qui odio me prosequitur odio me prosequatur adhuc For it is the moth and consumption He visiteth the sinnes of the fathers on the children c. that is whereas the Devill playeth the Sooth-sayer in Peter Matth. 16.22 parce tibi Domine let none of these things come to thee whereas they thought to haue saved themselves by this means God saith As neither they so neither their sons after them nor their sonnes sonnes their sonnes nephews shall escape For the first for himselfe They thought the Devill had given them good counsell but Deuter. 7.10 God protesteth there that he will pay it to his owne face that hateth him 2. And on his children when he thinketh he hath best provided for them then he pulleth downe evill vpon them The which craft of sinne to make us beleeve we avoyde such an evill by that by which we bring it vpon vs. The Devills prophecie good counsell so that when the wrath of God hath consumed him it taketh hold on his posterity Ps 79.5 he will be angry still like fire and shall goe along to the third and fourth generation Now to consider the grievousnesse of the punishment we measure it by three things 1. a Gravitate 2. a Multiplicitate 3. a Prolixitate For the greatnesse grievousnesse of it it 's said that it shall be upon the children which are in accompt with the fathers as themselves Luke 8.41.42 he fell downe at JESUS feet desiring helpe because his only daughter lay a dying and Luke 9.38 miserere mei for my sonne is sicke and 2. Sam. 18.33 they were so deare that the father would redeeme their life with the losse of his owne as there David could for his rebellious sonne Absalom vtinam pro te mortuus essem This sheweth that the thing is very deare to them They are our worke and not as Abrahams well Gen. 21.25 werein when it was taken from him he thought he had wrong but a part of our substance as Gen. 2.23 bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh Gen. 3. and not that alone but a principall part of the substance Zerang the seed and the beginning as though it were but the chaffe after the children were borne Againe Prov. 17.6 Childrens children are the crowne of their Elders our crowne while we live and as the heathen man saith our image and remembrance when we are dead For multiplicity that that is Luke 12.47 the distinction there by many and few stripes is here for the multiplicitie and manifoldnesse three or foure generations For the continuance and length Mar. 12.40 They devour widows houses under pretence prolixae orationis ideo erit eis prolixum judicium Long judgement shall wait on them So it is here the whole memory of man a generation So long as a man can remember so long as the mind of man can endure he shall be punished and as he can have any abiding in this life or as he can have any to beholde it after him Hereby wee see it verified Hebr. 13.20 that it is a fearfull thing to fall into GODS hands And Ps 44.20 we see how the godly accompt of it It is so fearfull that the godly had rather abide death then breake this Commandement That is that martyrdome is rather to bee chosen then to transgresse that which he hath prescribed in his Commandement Here may be a question concerning the justice of this visitation Whether one may justly be punished for anothers offence Where we note that the very word which proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD is not free from mistaking minds and therfore let not this discourage any And those words Ezek. 18.2 Jer. 3.29 They shall say no more Our fathers have eaten soure grapes c. Rise they not as a scoffe of these words That which seemeth to stand against this is Deut. 24.16 every one must suffer for his owne offence and he saith not here he will punish the child for the fathers offence but that hee will visit the fathers offence on the child so neither the contrary he will not punish the father for the child set downe Ezek. 18.20 anima quae peccaverit morietur Gal. 6.5 Every one shall beare his own burthen and 2. Cor. 5.10 Every man at the judgement seat of CHRIST must receave the things done in his body c. For the making of this plaine Understand that this is the course of many learned men especially of the Schoole-men They say as to the place of Esa 38.1 to Hezekiah Put thy house in order that as there is meant non quid suturum esset sed quid ex despositione naturae futurum esset by nature thou art to die so here GOD speaketh non quid saceret sed quid ex dispositione meriti nestri saceret But this would make neglectummandati and the commination would be vaine On the other side we will proceed on this order Whether it be a thing unjust that one man offending another should be punished I say not for his offence for so it is not There be three respects in punishing 1. Satisfactio 2. Medicina 3. Correctio By these three a man may justly be punished and yet no offence committed by him First for satisfaction as in suretiship when the debt pertaineth to one man and his friend taketh it upon him and beareth the punishment is this injustice Absit For then that which CHRIST hath done for us to wit our Redemption should be of none effect But voluntarily one may satisfy for another yet no wrong done to justice nor yet punishment taken for the offence of the other Secōdly for medicina may it not be as in the body For the eye the head is sicke and the arme is let bloud for it for otherwise the whole body might be brought into danger So then it is not only a just thing but also a necessary Therfore If punishmēt be sent propter medicinam as a medicine another may beare it without breach of justice as it is in Physicke that that is deprived must be lesse then the thing for which it is deprived as a Finger to be given for an Eye this is a good medicine So temporall things are to be given for the recovery of spirituall temporall punishment may be taken on the sonne for the recovery of the father spiritually 3ly For correction In that as before there is a respect to this the amendment of the equality broken A man should desire no more than GODS will is but we see daily he doth Therefore hee breaketh equality and is to make amends for it Therefore he must break
making of the soile fit and so to gula and in it to crapula feeding too much It is well said that gula is vestibulum luxuriae the gallery that letchery goeth thorow and that by reason the faculties stand so for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is officina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nuâ—ritiva is officina generativae the nutritive faculty is the shop of the generative and so if it be well looked into there is good hope that wee shall the better deale with it Gal. 5.21 Whereas he saith there that one of the fruits of the flesh is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannesse hee addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 banâ—uetting as another Ezek. 16 49. The Prophet there saith that one of the especiall motives of the Sodomits was fulnesse of bread that mâ—de them fit for destruction And Ierom upon that place saith nunquam ego edacem hominem castum putabam pro qualitate ciborum est ordo membrorum for venter bene pastus cito despumat ad libidinem I ever thought a great eater to be unchast for according to the quality of the meates is the order of the members a well fed belly will soone waxe wanton There commeth to this Ingluvies gluttony besides that as Iohn 6.12 it is injurious to God in destroying Gods creatures Luke 15.13 a wasting of Gods creatures in vaine It is fruges male consumere Idlely to spend graine Prov. 23.20 21. And it will at last begger a man Siracides cap. 18. vers ult sheweth how he must make banquets although he borrow for them and so come in debt The Heathen man foed ssimum patrimoniorum exitium culina They cannot be worse spent then upon the kitchin And besides as Numb 11.34 there are graves of lusts i. surfettings that hasten a mans death It is our gentile vitium nationall sinne There is an infinite sort of graves of lusts in our Countrey When they are sicke they call for sanitas and when they have it they become afterwards to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betrayers of their health with surfetting Besides these effects in the body Againe in the soule Luke 8.17 It maketh Sermons and whatsoever exercise of godlinesse unfruitfull it is a speciall meanes to choake it Luke 21.34 It maketh our heart so heavie and our braines so unapt by reason of the fuming of the meate and drinke that riseth up to the head that a man is not fit for any thing but to sleepe Amos 6. Greg. saith ad ineptam laetitiam scurrile mirth Besides this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lust there is first hebetudo mentis durities cordis a dulnesse of the minde and hardnesse of the heart Amos 6.6 They drinke their wine in bowles and they had no compassion on Iosephs affliction c. There is no sympathy with these and them that want and it is a great preparative to the vice After when as Deut. 32.15 Moses in his song my fatling well fedde recalcitravit kicked and so will the body Prov. 27.2 Bring up your servant wantonly and he will prove stubborne feede him delicately and he will be check-mate with you Eccles 30.8 Equus indomitus a horse not broken becommeth head-strong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be wilfull a wanton childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the flesh proveth stubborne if it be like didectus impinguatus Iesurum waxed fat 1 Pet. 2.11 These desideria carnis these concupiscences militant adversus animam They make the enemies warfare stronger against the soule And what a folly is it to strengthen the enemy Then in this behalfe for avoyding of these concupiscences Pauls counsell 1 Cor. 9.27 Castigatio corporis to keepe under the body and one manner of castigation is per damnum by taking away some commodity as castigatio jumentorum the keeping under of labouring beasts is by taking away their provender This in effect is that we use Temperance which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Butler of all vertues Naturally this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosophers call her the voyce of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let me not be hungry thirsty cold c. Esau when he was hungry called Iacobs pottage lenticulum a little Lentill it was it seemes then savory Sitis non quaerit aurea pocula thirst cares not for drinking in gold But it is this Non resistere ulli desiderio quod habet umbram naturae when we yeeld to any desire that pleaseth nature that maketh us wanton he will not have it in this dish and he will not eate it if it be thus drest and so then venter the belly commeth to be molestus cliens a trouble some client We must necessarily have recourse to Temperance which consisteth in modo in the meane and that modus est in medio and that meane is in the middle and that is knowne per regulam by the rule Therefore the rule of Temperance is 1. Necessitas vitae Rule of temperance things necessary for life 1 Tim. 6.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having food and raiment let us be therewith content 2. Necessitas officii things necessary for our duty and calling 1 Cor. 9.25 he that is athleia a wrestler must not have so much meat so if he fast he detracteth or he that will be contemplative and a student detracteth a husband-man addeth 3. Voluptas quae neutrum horum impedit seu impediat things necessary for delight which neither doe or may hinder either of the former two If it be against duty or against life it is peccatum a sinne According to these rules we must bridle our desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee must make temperance our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Coach-man and give her the bridle that she may constringere relaxare Temperamia fraenos gutiuris constrimgit relaxat both keepe us in and let us out for temperance both gives the reines to and takes them away from the appetite Aug. The Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venus waites on plenty And for temperance Eâ—â—â—â—â—d if the first part be well looked unto the other will be easie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first regulate the belly The rule of five branches for governing himselfe in this 1. Concerning the substance if ye respect not the substance Luk. 16.19 the rich glutton must fare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—lendide delicately every day Numb 11.6 They were weary of Manna and they must have Quailes For certaine it is Dan. 1.12 if a man have moratum ventrem no dainty palate his Pulse will serve It is that that served Daniel and his companions and yet they looked never a whit the worse Else as 1 Sam. 2.16 Elies sonnes they must have roste they cannot eate sodden meate when a man breaketh not himselfe as for the substance of the meate it is not to be dainty nor course so he be injurious to the Adverbe lauie costly And last of all 1 King 17.6 by Elias his
as a speciall means thereto in Commandement 7. not onely adultery but also all wantonnesse so here is forbidden not onely falshood but also vaine and foolish speech Our Saviour sets downe three heads of the sinnes against this Law 1. Slander 2. Pride the occasion of flattery and boasting 3. Foolishnesse which is the roote of vaine speech Our Saviour Matth. 12.36 and verses before going treateth of this Commandement and concludes it thus of every idle word wee must account Besides false witnesse in judgement and out of it of flattery boasting and simulation notwithstanding this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and jesting and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he distinguisheth not as he did in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy communication and filthie but he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and jesting though it be accounted of nothing in the world but urbanity Whereas indeed they doe but abuse that word for in truth it is nothing but a foolish and idle babling as our Saviour cals it and after shall appeare and as Iob 34.35 words of no value The Prophet Esa 5.18 Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords c. woe to them and Prov. 30.8 he prayeth to be removed farre from vanity and lies By which two places it is manifest that vanity brings lies and with them the catalogue of those sinnes that belong unto this Commandement As wantonnesse is forbidden in the seventh and superfluity in the eighth Commandement so here vanity of speech Concerning which Psal 144.8 he maketh it an especiall part of a wicked man And Esa 59.4 they trust in vanity which is the first step to lies and they proceed further to iniquity David Psal 26.4 glorieth that he had not kept company with dissemblers and vaine men or as Solomon saith Prov. 21.6 among such as tosse vanity like a Tennis-ball Such as make questions and receive as vaine answers and reply againe as vainely And this Iob. 31.5 by the light of nature saw among the rest that this was one thing wherein his conscience bare him witnesse that he was free that hee had not walked in vanity which is good for no use And then as Chrysostome saith well upon Ephes 4. what workeman is there that will have any toole that will serve him to no use and therefore he concludeth that this ars animarum this art of saving of soules being ars artium scientia scientiarum the Art of Arts and Science of Sciences there must not be any thing in it belonging to vanity And hereupon the Fathers say that Quicquid est ociosum est criminosum whatsoever is idle is sinfull For this cause the Apostle bids us stay foolish questions Tit. 1.8.9 and his reason is because they be vaine Now except the major proposition be this which must be generall whatsoever is vaine is to be avoided it were no syllogisme And we see this is to be avoided so there is in us saith the holy Ghost an untowardnesse as is pullus onagri the wild Asses colt so is man from his youth A forge of vanities 1 Pet. 1.18 Rom. 13.4 For as Iob saith there is a forge of idle thoughts which bring forth Ephes 4.17 vaine conversation therefore we must in the beginning take heede of this that we will not as the Gentiles doe that we lift not up our heads to vanity Both which we shall doe Psal 24.4 if we have our conversation idle and vaine Ephes 4.29 he sheweth us what this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no corrupt communication proceed c. He will have our conversation to be to edification that God may have praise our neighbour may be built up in his knowledge and affection by our example If not this then a second that there be a necessary use of it or if not that yet it must be such as may give grace to the hearer And if we will take Paul for example we may best learn ex verbis ejus in Epistolis from his owne words in his Epistles what his speech was For we doubt not but he shewed himselfe like in his common speech For the first we know his examples are plentifully to edification That we may doe it ad necessitatem for our necessary use it is manifest by 1 Tim. 5.23 he bids him for the health of the body drinke wine which no man will say was done ad aedificationem but ad justam necessitatem to edification but yet it was done upon just and necessary grounds Thirdly if not this yet that whereas he bade him bring the cloak which he left at Troas 2 Tim. 4.13 c. and so vers 20. he saith Erastus abode at Corinthus Trophimus I left at Miletum sicke which doe not directly serve to edification though indirectly it doe all other things And therefore those narrations which concerne a man to know being not things of necessary use take a second place for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutations this is a third whither Rom. 16. wholly may be reduced Now in these Salutations there is no edification nor yet just necessity for in divers examples they are omitted but they serve to encrease love and savour among men Col. 4.6 he exhorts every man that his speech be powdered with Salt not with scurrisity and profane urbanity non nigro sale Momi sed canâ—â—nte sale Mercurit not with that blacke Salt of Momus but with the white Salt of Mercurie Whereby our wits being dulled and our spirits condensated they may be sharpened againe which often have a good and necessary use To this end serveth that 2 Cor. 12.13 where he saith I have not beene chargeable to any of you I pray you forgive me this wrong Surely there was no cause why he should crave pardon for this fault but no doubt this pierced deeper then if he had uttered it in direct words and termes Now but that grace must concurre with edification Rom. 12.3 a fruitfull speech and profitable to edification and none in the world could have expressed it more wittily and Phil. 3.3 he calleth the circumcision concision Eph. 5.4 The Apostle disswadeth us from foolish talking and exhorteth us to thanksgiving whereupon the Hereticks called fratricelli the poore humble brethren would have no word in answering but laudate Deum praise God Who when they were demanded any question said alwayes laudate Christum praise Christ But the old Church understood well enough per metonym effecti by a metonymy of the effect thanksgiving for that which was thankworthy Then whatsoever speech it is that may be brought to one of these three kindes is not evill but good Albeit that that which is lawfull be not kept for we are to strive after the best things that is that it may be done ad aedificationem to edification so that though these terrene consolations these pety comforts be lawfull yet exultations in Psalmes and spirituall songs are better Yet
yee call him Father without respect of persons c. Then passe the time of your dwelling here in feare 1 Pet. 1.13 Our is a word of hope as Father is a word of faith for he that saies noster our includes himselfe and by hope applyeth Gods favour in particular to himselfe which by faith he apprehends to be common to all neither doth appropriate it to himselfe saying My Father but includes them with himselfe and so the word our is also Vox charitatis the voyce of Charity As the first word did teach us the Father-hood of God so the word our implyeth the fraternity we have one with another for God to shew what great regard he hath of the love of our neighbour hath so framed and indited this prayer that there is neither Ego nor mi nor meum nor mea neither I nor mine nor my but still the tenor of it is Our Father our bread our trespasses us from evill Therefore one saith that prayer is not onely breviarium fidei an abridgment of our faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mutuall pledge of our love towards our brethren which is then especially testified when we pray to God for them For this prayer which our Saviour sets downe for us and all Christians prayers are not the prayers of nature pro se orat necessitas necessity stirreth up men to pray for themselves but the prayers of charity when we are to commend the state of our brethren to God as well as our owne quia pro ali is charitas for charity prayeth for others for in this prayer there is matter not onely of supplication for the avoyding of evill and comprecation for the obtaining of good in our owne behalfe but of Intercession also to teach us that whether we desire that evill be rëmoved or good be bestowed upon us we should desire it for others as well as for our selves The use of this doctrine is of two sorts first against Pride for if God be not the Father of one man more then another but all in common doe call him Our Father why then doth one man exalt himselfe above another Have we not all one Father Mal. 2. and the Apostle saith Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. and our Saviour saith Vos omnes fratres estis Yee are all brethren Mal. 2.3.8 Therefore we are not onely to love one another as brethren but to honour one another because we are the sonnes of God for this end the Apostle exhorteth In giving honour to one before another Rom. 12. So farre ought we to be from despising one another Cur enim non pudeat aspernari fratrem quem Deus non aspernatur filium Why are we not ashamed to scorne him to be our brother whom God scorneth not to be his sonne Secondly it serveth against malice wēe were all in the loynes of Adam when he fell and all one in the body of Christ so that whatsoever he as our Head hath done or suffered the same all men doe and suffer in him And lastly we are all included in this word to teachus that wee ought to wish the same good to others which we doe to our selves for this is that which Christ commendeth in our Christian practise in the duty of prayer Vt singuli orent pro omnibus omnes pro singulis that each should pray for all and all for each other He hath taken order that no man can pray this prayer but he must pray for others as well as for himselfe and so doe good to all and the mends that is made him is that they also for whom he prayed doe likewise at another time pray for him and though we cannot alwayes pray in such fervencie of Spirit as is required in prayer yet the holy Ghost doth supply our infirmity by stirring up others to pray and make intercession in our behalfe cum gemitibus inenarrabilibus with unspeakable groanes Rom. 8. even then when we cannot doe for our selves and this is a speciall benefit which the faithfull have in the Communion of Saints The Apostle saith that God to assure us that hee takes us for his sonnes hath sent his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. the one of these words hath respect to the Iewes the other to the Gentiles teaching that it is our duty to pray both for Iewes and Gentiles and so for all though they be strangers to us Secondly we are to pray for sinners be their sinnes never so great in hope that God will give them the Grace to repent and to come out of the snare of the Devill 2 Tim. 2. and that he will translate them out of the state of sinne into the state of grace for this life as long as it lasteth is tempus praestitutum poenitentiae a time ordained for repentance Thirdly as for our brethren so for our enemies as our Saviour willeth Matth. 5.44 for they also are comprehended under the word noster For God hath shut up all in unbeliefe that hee may have mercie upon all Neither are we to pray in generall for all but for some in particular as neede requireth Not in generall for all good things but for some speciall blessings As we are to pray generally that Gods will may be done so for that this is Gods will our sanctification 1 Thes 4. we may pray in particular for those things that we have neede as to be delivered from all temptations generally so specially from those sinnes whereunto the corruption of our nature is most inclined THE EIGHTH SERMON Which art in Heaven WHich words containe the second part of this invocation for as in the word Father we call upon the bowels of Gods mercy so by these words Which art in Heaven we do invocate the arme of his power for so it is termed by the Prophet in the Old Testament Stirre up thy strength and help us Psal 80.2 Rise up thou arme of the Lord Esay 51.9 So that as the Lepers doubt Matth. 8. is taken away by the consideration of Gods fatherly goodnesse so that when we know that this our Father hath his beeing in heaven it takes away that doubt which we use to make of his power Domine si quid potes Lord if thou canst do us any good Mark 9. For the stile of God in respect of our necessities consists of his goodnesse and greatnesse which as they are both expressed by the Heathen in the title Optimus Maximus so the power of God in these words which they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dwelling in heavenly habitations Christ willing to expresse the greatnesse of Gods power doth it by that place where his glory and power are most manifest and that is heaven whereof the Prophet saith The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke Psal 19.1 For when we see a poore cottage we presently ghesse that the dweller is no great person but if