we not delivered as a prey unto their teeth But by the honourable convoy of his mercy by the hand of his clemency are wee brought to the haven where we would be Oh that men would therefore c. Have you heard and read of Ionah embarked en wombed Ionah 1.17 and entombed in the entrals of that great Leviathan yet blessed with protection Even wee also have had the like menaces of windes and waves stormes and tempests to make us fit morsels for those living mountaines whose entrals and gorges would soone consume us to a gelly Ionah 2.10 But the mercies of the God of Ionah are not yet diminished for he hath brought us to the haven where we would be Oh c. Mat. 8. â—3 24 Lastly have you heard both of sinners and Saviour both in one ship covered with waves tossed with tempests he asleep they awake they fearefull he powerfull they as sufferers he as a commander both of them and what they feared The case was ours we have beene though not in eadem nave in the same ship yet in codem praedicamento Toto sonuerum aethere â—â—mbi Vir. in the same predicament And when we cride in our distresse he heard us when we went to awake him he arose and calm'd the waves stilled the windes stayed the spouts repelled the gusts rebuk't the stormes And by his mercy are we brought to the Haven where wee would be Oh that men would therefore c. He that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth was our aide and helper or if he have seem'd to sleepe t is as he expounds himselfe Cant. 5. Cant. 5.2 I sleepe but mine heart waketh He seemes to use sleepe but his heart waketh and himselfe is vigilant for our protection Once indeed aboue all other times he seem'd to us to sleep out a miserable and fearfull storme as if he had forsaken us as once his Father had forsaken him t is worthy the file and records of eternitie Mat. 27.46 In the mould of Genoa In Genoa the eight of Ianuarie last was such a storme and tempest as caused the Inhabitants to rake up the urnes and bring forth the ashes of the deceased Saint Iohn Baptist as a propitiatory sacrifice to calme the raging Sea I neither beleeve that they are or that they are of some vertue or that they have them if they were yet there all the he Saints and she Saints Angels Lords and Ladies of Heaven were sued unto for mercy and deliverance Mat. 8.27 In this never to bee forgotten misery we cryed unto the Lord our God who seemed to sleepe and be awakened and both the windes and sea they did obey him De profundis clamavi out of the depth did I cry unto the Lord. Abyssus abyssum invocat One depth calls on another a depth of our misery caused for a depth of his mercy he did neglect us but for a while for the greater manifestation of his mercie and increase of our services Oh that men would Psal 99 6. c. Moses Aaron and Samuel Noah Daniel and Iob those spirituall Courtiers and favourites of the King of heaven in their distresses cried unto the Lord and hee heard them and delivered them and his mercies are renewed to us everie morning and his compassions faile not Lam 3.22 Psal 86.1 He will have us know that when sinners bow their hearts he will bow and bend his eares to their prayers and supplications And that he desires not the death of a sinner but rather c. As I live saith God the Father as I dye saith God the Sonne I desire not nor delight not in the death of sinners no he is proner to mercy then to judgement He was longer in destroying one Citie I in threatning to destroy it than in building of the whole world Ionah 3.4 Exod. 20.11 Fortie dayes and Ninive shall be destroyed sixe dayes and the whole world was made the heaven earth the sea and all that therein is Well may he forget to be angry with us Psal 30.5 Psal 136.1 for the stormes of his anger endure but for a moment but he can never forget to be mercifull for the calmes of his mercy endures for ever So much for the two generals viz. the Dangers that provoke us to awfulnesse the Mercies that move us to thankfulnesse 3 General Duties to draw us to obedience the third follows which is duties to prouoke us to obedience And this obedience must reflect backe againe and be seene and shewed in the performance of a double dutie viz. The publication of his praises and proclamation of his wonders Text. Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men This is all the Text will enjoyn or the Prophet looke for or the God of Text and Prophet require after the receit of his mercies to yeeld unto him his tribute of praises T is as much as he doth aske t is as little as we can give t is his due and our duty Of both which a word or two and there cannot much more remaine Hitherto we haue but numbred the turrets and bulwarks of this text as David wisht the spectators of Sion Psal 48.1 Psalme 48. and haue beene stayed in Atrio templi in the porch entrance and body of the Text. Now suffer me to leade you by the hand into the sanctuary of Sanctum sanctorum or holy of holyes He that will not lend an eare deserues not that euery Angell should moue a wing or descend the ladder or looke out of the windows of heaven to assist him either in his wants or wishes Gen. 28.12 The first piece of our obligation consists in the publication of his praises and to do this brings honour to God He that offereth me praise he honoureth me Psal 50.23 The second is the declaration of his wonders and he that doth not this draws a curse and propheticall anathema upon his owne head which waits for such as regard not the worke of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Psal 28.5.6 Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare c. Those that haue beene most deeply interest in humaine miseries and the receit of divine favours are called here to the performance of these holy seruices And they onely because there cannot be a greater argument of Gods praise and our duty then escape from danger and receit of mercy This truth is firmely built upon the pillars of the Text. The conquering Romans in all their honourable and glorious triumphs Hist Rom. suffered none to make any triumph to erect any Prophees or to enter into the Temple of honour where were Crowns Garlands Palms Lawrels Robes Aul. Gel. Rewards Emblemes but they must first passe the Temple of vertue where were Swords Iavelins Targets Lances Helmets and other instruments of warre by which they must purchase their
which I say to you as Moses concerning the building of the Tabernacle Exod. 25.9 Fac secundum hoc exemplar And as our Lord and Sauiour to the questioning Lawyer Go thou and do so likewise Whatsoeuer things haue vertues in others will be no lesse eminent in the imitatours Wherefore then whatsoeuer things are honest Phil 4 8. just good vertuous laudable that follow they will carry away a blessing Shall the Iewes offer their children in sacrifice in imitation of Abraham S. W. R. Hist Or Agessilaus King of Sparta offer sacrifice in imitation of Agamemnon which was throwne off the Altar by the Thâ—ban Lords in Aulis And shall not we be prouoked by better examples to imitation of better actions God requires neither trophies nor triumphs sacrifices nor burnt offerings of us though we receiue as great and greater mercies as our progenitors who so testified their thankfulnesse He askes no more of us but to be thankfull and to praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Well said the seruants to the Prince and Peere of Syriah 2. King 5.13 to their Master Naaman when they would prouoke him to follow the Prophets order and advise If the Prophet had required some great thing of thee wouldest thou not have done it how much more when he bids thee but wash and be cleane So say I if the Lord of Prophets should require some great things of you would ye not do it How much rather when he bids you to wash your selues from the foule spots of unthankfulnesse and be cleane Should God raise a Subsidie and challenge but what is his owne and require of you that are Lords both of Sea and Land to resigne your Lordships in the one your interest in the other your title to both Of you Land Lords to give up your rents and revenues Of you rich men to give away your wealth of you poore men to give away your almes of you Officers to give away your fees of you Servants to give away your earnings of you Marriners to give away your dear bought wages I know that this would be Dui us Sermo Luk. 18.23 a harsh and unreasonable request But quis requisivit Mic 6.3 who hath required those things at your hands God hath not troubled you with sacrifices nor wearied you with offerings no the God of heaven hath another request unto you which you may not you must not deny him and Saint Paul in Gods name and I in Saint Pauls name Beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God Ro 11.1 that ye present your selves soules and bodies as a holy living and acceptable sacrifice unto God for although the other were an unreasonable yet this is but your reasonable service Rom. 12.1 Caius Cotta that thankefull Roman Plut. vit Ro. when hee would shew himselfe truely gratefull to the Senate hee gave them his soule and his reason was vita mors iura naturae sunt Life and death are the rites of nature We cannot better testifie our prayses and gratulations than by giving our soules unto our Maker whose they are by creation and redemption saying with the Psalmist Psal 41.5 Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of truth Ioseph charged his brethren to bring with them their little Brother Benjamin else they might all have beene left behinde So Christ our elder brother Gen. 42.20 chargeth us to bring with us our little brother Beniamin of thankfulnesse else all other services are of no value Plut. in v. Thes Aegeus the Father of Theseus sent his sonne to graple with the Minotaure and gave him one sute of blacke sailes and another of white to be hoysed onely and worne in case he got the victory which though he had got yet he returnes home with the blacke sailes he went out with at sight of which his father threw himselfe from the Sigean Promontory where he expected his sonnes arrivall In which history is lively moralized the naturall dispositions of too many who like Theseus the sonne of Aethra Aegeus after a happy voyage and prosperous doe returne with the blacke sayles of ingratitude and unthankfulnesse Eph. 4.30 and hereby grieue the spirit of their holy and heauenly Father by which they are sealed unto the day of redemption whereas if they did hoyse the candid and white sayles of gratulation and applause they should rejoyce both Angels and Cherubins that sit upon the scaffold of heauen expecting our victory and happy arriuall Luk. 15.10 Now that we may aright blesse God for his mercyes let us in praising of him offer this sourefold sacrifice First let us offer the sacrifice of charitable almes as occasion is offered to us To doe good and distribute forget not He 13.16 for with such a sacrifice God is well pleased I hereby wee shall make our selues Creditors to God and him a debtor to us Pro. 19.17 For hee that giueth unto the poore lendeth to the Lord he that putteth his money into the banke of heaven shall make plentifull returne in this world Luk. 18.10 an hundred fold and in the world to come life everlasting Secondly offer to God the sacrifice of an humble penitence and contrition Psal 51.17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit Psal 51.17 a broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not thou canst not despise While your hearts are thinking of your sinnes let your eyes be like the Pooles of Heshbon by Bathrabim Cant. 7.4 which were euer full of standing water to wash away those soule spots that sullage of Adams clay that rests within us Thirdly le ts sacrifice our wils and make a perfect and absolute resignation of them to the will of God whether it be paetiendo or faciendo by doing or suffering by a patient sufferance of what he inflicts by an obedient yeeldance to what he commands In this we do no more then the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world who subscribed to the will of his Father Mat. 6.10 Not my will but thy will be done Fourthly and lastly wee must sacrifice our sinnes if ever wee meane to bring any honour to God by yeelding him his praise This sinne offering or offering of sinne is equally necessarie with them that went before Even those that are as neare to us as Isaac was to Abraham must be sacrificed those that are as neare as our right eye or hand must be cut off Mat. 5 29. puld out and offered Gen. 2â— 10 Sinne is an Hagar that must be thrust out of doores else Sarah our conscience shall never be at rest and quiet 1. Sam. 5.4 Sinne is a Dagon whose necke must be broke upon the threshold of repentance 1 King 5.10 Sinne is a Naaman that must be washt in Iordan seven times in the vermilion streames of our Saviours sufferings seventy times seven times Ionâ— 1.15 Sinne is a
for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men And now I have waded thorow the three generall parts of the Text thus much onely for the literall signification the tropologicall is briefly this The Church of God is this ship tossed upon the Ocean tumbled upon the unconstant billows of this troublesome world labouring with the boysterous windes of opposition opposed with the enemies of Gods grace and her peace packt and poasted from haven to haven from countrey to countrey Sometimes she is carried downe to the deepe and nethermost Hell as in the times of Nero Maximilian Domitian and other Romane Emperours as also in the dayes of Queene Mary in England Sometimes againe she is lifted up into the heaven by an happy and blessed tranquillity as in the daies and times wherein we live and the Gospell flourisheth The holy Bible is her armorie and place of defence and t is like the Tower of David Cant. 4.4 In which are weapons shields and targets for a thousand I for ten thousand thousand valiant men The Law as her fore-castle to them that went before wherein was placed the chase-pieces and thundering Cannons of legall austerities discharged by her cunning marks-men the Prophets and Patriarks against the bulwarks of heresie and Babels of sinne in all ages The Gospell is now our armory and place of defence and herein also are variety of weapons which are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God to throw downe strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4.5 Here is the Helmet of salvation the shield of faith and Breast plate of righteousnesse the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Eph. 6.13 which will quench the fiery darts of the devill that like a roaring Lyon goes about seeking whom he may devoure In this shippe of our English Church sits the soveraigne Majestie of our Lord and King as supreame head and governour his Nobles Lords Iudges Councellors as representative pieces of his owne Majestie sit in the steerage of estate and to them is committed the helme of government His reverend Clergie of all degrees are each of them another Palenurus or all Pilots guiding you in the right and perfect way informing your judgements reforming your lives according to the card and compasse of Gods holy Word The many promises of mercy patternes of mercy precepts of mercy presidents of mercy are as so many favourable gales and windes to further us till we come to the end of our faith the salvation of our soules All men are embarked in this ship of the Church whose pretended voyage is to the Land of Canaan but not all alike Some as passengers receive neither wages nor content in this tedious and troublesome voyage who desire a quicke and speedy passage thorow this Baca of feares this Bochim of teares and with Saint Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Others as Marriners in their owne proper element know of no other happinesse ayme at no other felicity than what the sea of this world affordeth them The longer they stay the greater their pay they have their portion here in this life and in the other they receive onely the wages which is due unto them it were better they were without it for the wages of sinne due to the servants of sinne is death both of body and soule when the former receive onely the gift of God which is eternall life I had rather stand to his courtesie than engage him to payment Before we can arrive at our Canaan of felicity our Port and haven of heaven wee must all passe through the straits of the last judgement For wee must all appeare before his iudgment sent 2. Cor. 5.10 to stand to our triall at the universall inquisition and then arrive at our desired haven where for ever we shall spend our dayes in praysing the Lord for his goodnesse and in declaring his wonders to us the children of men Angels shall meet us with our Palmes our Robes our Crownes Arch-angels with triumphs and Carols of Coelestiall blisse and while we are thus singing of our praises to the King of glory the whole host and Quire of heaven shall say Amen But so much for the literall and historicall meaning of the words Pardon my willing errour of tediousnesse Polulogie is the common fault of travellers my desire was this day to pay my vows where I am most obliged and to whom and before whom and to erect this Sermon as a Pillar of thankfulnesse and an Altar of praise that like the Prayers and Almes of Cornelius might reach up to heaven I should be sorry it should proove a Babel to breede confusion eyther in your patience or your memory About this pillar are written these three things Dangers to draw us to awfulnes Mercies to draw us to thanfulnesse Duties to draw us to obedience And but three as being most portable for your memory easie for your judgement ready for your use Neyther is this Pillar of Prayse dedicated as was that Athenian Altar Acts 17.23 with this inscription Ignoto Deo to an unknowne God or Lord but to a Lord of mercy wisedome and power who knowes best when where and how to succour and relieve us Let this serve both for present use and future memory Thus if wee blesse God hee will blesse us Blessed therefore be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and redeemed us his people Let them whom the Lord hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy praise the Lord Let them that are daily spectators of his wonders in the deepe praise the Lord when they are brought to the haven where they would be Let the house of Israel and the house of Aaron accord in these holy and religious services to publish his prayses And what ever others doe or doe not My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnesse The Lords holy name be blessed and praised from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same and let all the people present say Amen So be it FINIS Errata Pag. 4. lin 24. reade lest 5. 16. Countries 7 20. praise and thankfulnesse 8. 21. my first 9. 2. what 11. 4. and. ibid. 6. aires 12. 3. if 13. 10. after danger reade Scilla and Charibdis little injured by the Poets in expression of it's danger 14. 17. spouts 16. 15. so should they 35. 10. the seas ibid. 24. this 41. 10. us to 42. 3. such ibid. 5. their ibid. 18. called 45. 17. the. 47. 19. the. ibid. 11. walking 48. 12. Those that ibid. 18. Caleb ibid. 23. best relish the. 50. 5. both 53. 15. that 55. 7. at 56. 15. beene vertuous LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper 1634.
honour and passe to their Temples So reade we 2 Tim 2 5. Nemo coronabitur nisi qui Legitime certaverit Revel 7. Reade also our vision of that blessed Saint who were those that were watching with crownes on their heads Palmes in their hands Haleluiahs in their tongues adoration in their hearts long white robes on their shoulders emblemes both of honour and victory Hi sunt qui venerunt ex tribulatione These haue come out of tribulation and have washed their robes in the bloud of the Lambe Rev. 7.14 They are fittest to be Heralds of divine praises that haue beene the deepest interested in humane miseries Thus I haue long dranke of those waters that are more bitter than the waters of Marah more venemous than the waters of Nonacridis are fittest to receiue that double fauour that Ascha the wife of Othniel begged of Culel The springs aboue Iosh 19.15 the springs beneath blessings from heauen and blessings from earth They can but relish our bread and Mannah of heauen King 22 that haue long eaten and dranke such as Ahab threatened to Micaiah the bread of sorrow and water of affliction 1. King 22.27 They are most glad when they are brought to the haven Psal 107.25 whose soules have most melted and whose bodies have most suffered in the deepe and dangerous waters They are fittest for the calmes and favourable ayres of a mercifull God Hor. of the sonnes of Dia. Sunt quos Eâ—ea domuÌ„ reducet palma coelesiis Thy sons like heavenly wights do come with an Eâ—eon Garland home 1. Cor. 9.24 that have beene tost and tumbled upon the surges and billows of a mercilesse ocean In vaine should the actors in the Olympian games have professed either their skill or abilities if they had not sometimes returned like the sonnes of Diagoras with an Elcan palme and Garland In vaine should we runne if we should not sometimes get the Crowne In vaine should we wrestle if not sometimes get the mastery In vaine should wee bee cast downe into the deep if not sometimes raised up againe to the heaven and after long be brought to the haven where we would be And in vaine should wee bee brought to the haven where we would be if we should not praise the Lord for his goodnesse or declare c. Exod. 15.1 When God mercifully delivered Israel from the hand of Aegypt and Aegyptian bondage there followed a Song of praise Exod. 15. When Christ mercifully delivered his Israel from the Egypt of sin and iniquity Luk. 1.68 there followed a song of blessing Blessed be the Lord. Iudg. 5.12 Deborah after her victory and Siseraes ouerthrow may not sleepe out such a favour nor slumber out such a mercy But Deborah must awake and Baruke must arise to utter a song of triumph and victory Awake awake Exod. 17.14 Deborah Moses himselfe after his conquest and Amalecks ruine must write it in a booke for a memoriall and rehearse it in the eares of Iosuah Which he did and more hee erects an Altar enrowls the mercy thereon offers it with thanks hallowes it with sacrifice This priestly Prophet and Propheticke King David as he hath many Psalmes of prayer to expresse his misery So hath he many of praise and thanksgiuing for the receit of mercy witnesse those that he hath committed to the care of those chiefe Musitians to Ieduthun to Gittith to Neginoth to Sheminith and many more Besides these holy men of old neuer was there any age that wanted such as did yeeld ample and large testimony of their praise and thankfulnesse for the receit of blessings and benefits Caesar All Caesars actions ended in a triumph Antonius Pius erects his Pillar Antonius Pius Traian and Traian his about which are engrauen their victories and conquests they both stand firme in Rome to this day So should all men that God hath blessed with deliuerance and victory erect some pillar of thankfull remembrance and acknowledgement that succeeding ages may be stirred up to leaue the like monuments of praise in the like deliuerances and beholding our good works may glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5.16 So was Themistocles animated the performance of many a noble action Val. Max. by beholding the triumphs and trophies of Miltiades And Alexander seeing the victories and conquests of Achilles engraven on his Tombe was stirred up and provoked to an honourable emulation of the like valour and magnanimitie I and Caesar when he saw the tombe of Alexander in the Temple of Hercules in Spaine and about the walls of the Church the conquests of the world he wept to thinke how little he had done and how much Alexander In ea aetate qua iam terrarum orbem subegisset It was worthy of Caesars teares to consider if he had done nothing in the time and age wherein Alexander had conquered the world Right even so may we that will not be provoked by others patterns and examples to a demonstration of our gratitude be compelled to weepe with Caesar while we see how the lives and acts of meere moralists do shame us besides our owne None of us but have received favours of an higher nature than any of them But alas where are our erected pillars where are our Hecatombes where our holocausts where the pyramides of our praises where our smoking Altars our burning Incense our hallowed sacrifices our holy services Gen. 31.47 Tell me who with Laban hath erected a Iegar-saha dutha a Pillar of witnesse betweene God and him of Gods mercie and his thankfulnesse Who with Iacob hath built an Altar of acknowledgement and entituled it El-elhoim Israel Gen. 33.20 Exod 17.14 16. to shew that God is the God of Israel Who with Moses hath registred the fauours of his God and ruine of his enemies upon an Altar and called the name of it Iehovah Nissi Who with Ionah disgorged out of the bowels of the deepe hath erected his pillars of praise His one for Ionahs two which yet stand firme on the confines of Syriah and are called by the name of Ionahs Pillars or neare the place where the Fish set Ionah ashore Who with the holy woman hath powred out the oyntment of her best praises upon the head of her Saviour Mat. 26.7 Or with the woman that Christ cured of her bloudy issue hath left a double monument one of her own miserie another of her Saviours mercie Ioseph Eccl Hist as we reade she did in Ecclesiasticall Histories Who so is wise will ponder these things and seeke to make some benefit by these examples which I lay before you Psal 107. ult as Iacob laied his Rodde of greene poplar before the sheepe of Laban Gen. 30.37 when he layed speckled Rods they brought forth speckled Lambes but when hee layed fairer and white roddes they brought forth faire and white lambes I lay before you not speckled but fairer and candid examples of
Ionah that must bee throwne ouer boord if ever we meane that the tempests of vengeance shall cease or be bettered by calmes of mercy You that love your sinnes as Iudah loved Tamar Ge. 38.15 to enjoy your pleasures by them as Saul loved David to get honour by them Ge. 30.36 as Iacob loued Laban to get wealth and riches by them You must part with all in all or none at all One legge in the stocks will hold fast the whole body one sinne in the soule will hold fast both body and soule In vaine shall you praise God for his goodnesse if you displease him with the continuance and increase of sinne and wickednesse To what purpose will you offer to sing Psalmes of praise and thanksgiuing if the noyse of your sinnes drowne the noyse of your Psalmes as Drummes in the sacrifice of Molech did drowne the cry of the burning and tormented Infants or as the ringing of the Bels doth drowne the noyse of the clocke How dare ye professe a subjection and loyaltie to the King and Crowne of heauen if we nourish sinne in our bosomes and hearts a traytor both to him and us Eccles 5.1 Or offer the sacrifice of praise to please him when we offer the sacrifice of fooles to provoke him This is the high way to enrage him by whose power we are created by whose providence we are preserued to send worse judgements upon us then we have escaped Iud. 16.19 Such as with Sampson will sleepe in sinne as in the lappe of Dalilah let them beware their locks Iudg. 5.26 Such as with Siserah will short in this Iael's tent let them beware their liues If you will boyse sayle in all weathers who can deplore your shipwracke If you will runne from Niniveh to Tarshish Iona. 1.3 who will pitty you though you meet with a worse storme in your teeth than what you seeke to avoid Dâ—str Tr. So did Polydamas that sonne of Antenor to auoid a storme runne under a ruinous rocke that crusht him and killed him So did the wise of Lot escape the vengeance of Sodome Ge. 19.26 yet continuing in her sinne procured a worse and more peculiar to be turned into a pillar of salt And so shall all such as are not seasoned by her example but will wilfully split themselues upon the Rocke of their owne sinnes they are unworthy of my farther reproofe or your farther attention Such as will avoid both the sinne and danger must praise the Lord for his goodnesse And such as will give unto their heavenly Caesar his tributary due of praise must do it Mat. 22.21 by acknowledging him to bee a Lord So said Ieptha to the men of Gilead Iudg. 11.9 If I fight for you against the children of Ammon shall I not be your head As I say to all of you whose faces seeme to congratulate this day whose attentions seeme to entertaine this doctrine If he fight for us against our enemies and deliuer us shall not he be our Lord Yes Le ts first acknowledge him and secondly le ts apply him all the merits of his active and passiue obedience must be laid claime to by a peculiar and particular application so did Thomas who seemed to haue engrossed him to himselfe Ioh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Thirdly by obeying him as a Lord in mercy for feare we finde him to be a Lord in justice Those mine enemies that will not I shall rule over them Lu. 19.27 bring them hither that I may slay them Heb. 10 31. It s a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing Lord. Fourthly le ts praise him as the onely Lord of heaven and earth without a riuall For his glory hee will not giue unto another nor his praise to grauen Images God in the frontispiece of his royall Law provokes perswades his people Israel to haue or serue no other Gods but him because he and no other God but he Exod 20.1.2 had brought them out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage So let all such as the Lord hath redeemed out of the hands of the enemie praise him alone as their soveraigne Lord He that hath more than one God or one Lord hath neither God nor Lord. Alexander told Darius King of Persia Quin. Cur. offering to him halfe his kingdome that the Heaven had not two Sunnes neither should the Earth have two soveraignes One Alexander was enough for a world Val. Max. one Phoenix enough for an age Duos Alcibiades neque Attica neque Graecia tulit Nor Greece nor Athens brought forth two Alcibiades Sparta brought not forth two Lysanders nor the world two such Lords Let those fishermen that know no better sacrifice unto their nets or Neptune those husbandmen unto their dunghill or to Ceres for their corne others to Bacchus for their wines to Pallas for their oyles to Apollo for their wisedome to Minerva for their peace Let the Turks thank their Mahomet for protection the Persians go to their god Nergal for defence the Hamathensians to Asima for strength the Babylonians to Succobenoth for deliverance Ier. 1â— 13 For according to the number of their countries are the number of their gods Let them and all Atheists go to their false and foolish Dieties all Papists to their Saints but let us go unto the Lord our God Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord. Oh that they would either cease to bee men or being men would never cease to praise the Lord. Or yet if our tongues could be weary of the publication of his praises yet let them be employed in the proclamation of his wonders Text. And declare the wonders that he doth for c. We men are put upon the labour and taske of Angels To publish his praises and proclaime his wonders is the office and theame of the Hyerarchy of heaven who are ever singing their divine Carols of praise â—â—d rejoycing in the expression of his wonders Had I the tongue of men and Angels you the eares and wings of Cherubins wee could neither well enough nor soone enough extoll his praises or expresse his wonders Of both I may say as the Psalmist said before me Who can expresse the noble acts of the Lord Psal 106.2 or shew forth all his praise Yet since the royall hand of heaven vouchsafe not onely to require but requite our weake performances with acceptance As we have begun with his praises so let us go on a little also to declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men Duhartas 1. day The world 's a booke in Folio written all with Gods great works in letters capitall This world is a booke in Folio wherein are written the workes and wonders of Gods omnipotent hand the acts and monuments of our maker and preserver in his owne proper characters Not as Christ wrote when hee wrote in the dust that spirituall paradox Ioh. 8
8. But as the Prophet Ieremiah speakes in another case Ier. 17.1 Stylo ferreo in ungue Adamantino As with a penne of iron and point of a diamond Man is no other but a concise abridgement of this booke of the world and an intire Index to shew and point out the capital observations of the voluminous and massie pile Would you see works of imitation he turnes you to the leaues and pages of Gods sacred Oracle the Conclave of holy Scripture Would you see works of Admiration no page in this booke of the world no act in this great and high creation but gives us occasion I call you not to a tedious recapitulation of what I have spoken before in the expression of his wonders in the Sea there are enough as yet remaine unrelated For it is above all creatures wonderfull whether in regard of the scituation of it which is above the Land and roares and rageth as if it would swallow up the earth as the earth did Corah and his rebellious traine Num. 16.32 Yet he keeps it within his bounds with a Huc usque or a Ne plus ultra thus farre shalt thou go and no farther Or upon the nature of her ebbes and flows Iob 38.11 her fuls and wanes her spring and neape tides It hath puzled the wisest Moralist Q. Cur. concludes onely that t is terrible Fluxus refluxus maris terrorem incutit Or upon the innumerable number of creatures that are within the bowels of that womb of moisture B. Hall There are those living and moving Ilands the Whales that for greatnesse of body Psal 104.6 infinicy of number variety of forms strangenesse of shape are above our apprehension or expression These dance rowle and tumble upon her fearefull billows Or upon the wonderfull art of Navigation and sayling which now is grown so excellent and so common that we cease to bestow more wonder on it That the water a creature of fidelity should firmely beare up all vessels from the shallop to the ship from the smallest Caruel to the mightiest and greatest Carrack and with the helpe of propitious and favourable windes convey them from climate to climate from India in the East to India in the West if it were to the Antipodes themselues to the benefit and commodity of their far distant owners It 's recorded to be the answer of a Traveller to one asking him what he had seene in his Alexandrian journey Credite mihi fratres ego ibi faciem nullius vidi nisi tantum Episcopi c. Beleeve me brethren I saw no face there save the Bishops So if I were in a few words to give an accurat and exact account of my two or three yeares absence Credite mihi fratres c. Beleeve me brethren I saw the face of none save onely of him that is the Bishop of our soules For his face and Image is upon all the works of his hands by Sea or Land That looke how Phydias Didac de la Vega Iol. the cunning Artificer had so curiously engraven his picture upon Minervaes shield that none could look upon the shield but he must looke upon the picture of him that made it for it could not be taken off without the ruine of the shield Right even so with reverence to the Majestie of heaven be it spoken hath God that great and cunning Artificer of heaven engraved his picture upon all his workes that none can looke beside it nor beyond it aboue it or below it all his workes do both spread his glory and proclaime his Dietie Looke we upwards The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work The heaven of heavens that rowls so gloriously both above our heads apprehentiōs Act. 7.50 is the royall palace and place of his residence there is the Chamber of his presence Psal 123. There the guard chamber of Angels Archangels and Cherubins Matt. 24.36 There the lodging Chambers and many mantions of those spirituall Courtiers the glorified Saints these do all declare the glory of God and the firmament as an open Court or Hall for all commers doth shew his handy worke It would puzle a Roman Antiquary or Persian Sophie or the most curious indagator of Natures secrets to shew the nature number order of the greater and lesser lights and lanterns of heaven the Sun Moone Starres Plannets windes thunders lightenings Meteors vapors which do there attend the pleasure of the King of glory and fulfill his words Psalm 104.8 While I thinke speake or write of them I must do it in the Prophets language Oh Lord how wonderfull art thou in all thy works in wisedome hast thou made them all Or if we looke downe from heaven which is his throne Act. 7.49 to earth which is his footstoole even there also do wee see the image of his goodnesse For the earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord and so is the broad sea also Here we behold him in his goodnesse and wisedome making one Country the helper and mutuall supporter of each others welfare He makes one the Granary to furnish her neighbours with corne another the Armory to furnish the rest with weapons another the Piscary to furnish the rest with fish another the Treasury to furnish the rest with gold As Spaine is famous for her Wines Calabria and Apulia for their Oyles Sicilia and Turky for their Corne Newfound land for Fish Greece for fruit Italy for Armes Russia for Furres Barbary for Gold England for all Those blessings that severally make other Countries happy are conspired to meet in ours Whether it be by the proper commodity of our owne native soyle or by traffique and merchandize with others or by both He that travels farthest may sit downe by the waters of Babylon and weepe Psal 137.1 while hee remembreth this our matchlesse Sion O England say I happy for peace happy for tranquillity happy for a generall conflux of all happinesse that can make either soule or body blessed Lu. 19.42 miserable only because she knows not her owne happinesse Oh that thou wouldest know in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace So should this peace rest long within thy walles Psal 122.7 and plenteousnesse within thy Pallaces and thou shouldest continue as thou art the terror of thy foes the glory of the world the Mart of Nations And thus while wee wonder or declare the wonders that God doth for the children of men Isa 25.1 may we say with Esay Thou art my God and I will praise thee for i◠thou hast done wonderfull things And with Moses Exod. 15.11 Who is a God like unto our God fearfull in praises doing wonders And while we meditate of the works themselues let 's reflect our contemplative thoughts of Adoration upon that great Atlas of heaven that supports them all with the two shoulders of his power and providence Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord