vale of tears which drawes on apace shall present it selfe you may look Death in the face without dread the Grave without fear the Lord Jesus with comfort Thus let all the saving blessings of Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity be gloriously shining upon your selves your children and posterity which is the daily vote of him who is Your Worships most humble and devoted Servant in the Lord Jesus JOHN CRAGGE Octob. 10. 1656. A SERMON Preached formerly in the University of CAMBRIDGE The Text Psalm 144. 4. Lord what is Man A Time there was before all Times when there was no Day but the Antient of Dayes no Good but God no Light but the Father of Lights Arts were but Idea's the World a Map of Providence Heavens the Book in Folio Earth Water Aire and Fire in Quarto Hell the Doomes-day pageant Men and Angells but Capitall Letters in the Margent of Gods Thoughts Elohim Bara But loe the World and Time begun the Heavens were spread as a Curtain the Sphears incircled round Comets and blazing Stars Lightnings and Tempests Birds and feathered Fowls seated in the Aire Leviathans and Fishes in the Sea The Earth infoulded within the armes of the Ocean embraces the Centre beset with Plants and Herbs and Garlands of all Flowers gives nourishment to Beasts and Creeping things Sanctius his Animal Lastly Man was made Lord Paramount of all he calls Earth Heaven and Elements Birds Plants and Beasts according to their Nature each by their names clear light of Reason makes him a Logician Stars an Astronomer Nature of all Creatures a Philosopher Earth and Paradise a Geographer Thus nothing is hid from him while he is unknown to all The Stars shine Heavens smile upon him the Aire cherishes him Fruits nourish him Lions and all Beasts couch before him all at once as with a sudden rapture admire and know not what to call him It 's thou O Lord alone that madest him that pouredst him out as Milk that curdedst him as Cheese that writst all his members in the volume of thy Book that knowes him Lord what is Man Man that was here David's mirrour of admiration must be our glasse of speculation Ignorance in not knowing the true cause of things is the true cause of Admiration in things David a man after Gods owne heart knowes Man and yet he knowes not Man he knowes him in respect of the efficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ofspring of God as Aratus said he knowes him in respect of the matter Adam quasi Adamah composed of red earth he knowes him in respect of the form his soul is spiraculum vitarum breath of lifes life vegetative common with the Plants life sensitive common with the Beasts life reasonable peculiar to himselfe temporall and eternall He knowes him in respect of the end all his thoughts words works are so many motions God is the Centre his speculations imaginations meditations are so many Lines God is the Circumference in God from God and for God is all his good in whom we live move and have our being But in this he knowes not man Reason is at a stand why God that stood in need of no Creature should create Man to delight in him so vile a creature that Angels more glorious Creatures than he should minister unto man that Heaven with all her Hosts and Armies should serve man that Christ that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both God and Man should be accursed and dishonoured for Man that Man might be blessed and honoured with God should leave Heaven and his Father's Throne that Man might live for ever in Heaven and before the Throne All Creatures confesse your ignorance in this confessing it admire admiring give God the glory Fountains clap your hands Mountaines bend your heads skip you little Hills like Lambs old men and Babes young Men and Maids Angells and Choristers of Heaven joyne in this hymne Glory be to God on high peace on earth and towards men good-will But why peace on earth and towards men good-will cease to scan and leave it to him that is the Lord of Man Lord what is Man Which words are an Epiphonema or conclusion following an Eucharistia or spirituall gratulation inforced from a soul deeply solaced with the meditation of mercy in the depth of misery The parts are two First an Apostrophe or Appellation Lord Secondly an Erotema or Interrogation What is Man There is a what of objurgation a what of interrogation a what of admiration a what of meditation David meditates of Man the more he meditates the more he admires the more he admires the more he asks the more he asks the more is his task till mirrour is changed into terrour and every glance into a trance Earth that sustaines him tell me Fruits that nourish him tell me Aire that cherishes him tell me Creatures that serve him tell me Stars that shined at his Nativity tell me Astronomers calculate Gymnosophists unfold this Riddle Angells unvail your faces and tell me Man unmask thy selfe and tell me What is man Mount up my Meditations higher pierce through the clouds towards Heavens Glorified Saints Principalities and Powers tell me If all these be silent let wretched Man be bold to ask of Him that sits upon the Throne concerning man Lord what is man Man before the Fall created Man after the Fall degenerated Man by grace regenerated Man after death glorified What in his creation What in his degeneration What in his regeneration What in his glorification Man by creation wholly pure an Angell by degeneration wholly impure a Devill by regeneration partly sanctified a Saint by glorification entirely crowned a King An Angell in Eden a Devill in the World a Saint in the Church a King in Heaven and all this but silly Man Lord what is Man First Man created before the Fall what Man was in God's decree and intention before the Creation what in his union and composition in the Creation what in his rule and dominion after the Creation Man in Gods decree and intention a creature next to the Creator that Hell envied Earth admired Heaven desired a Gemme of beauty a Pearl of vertue a Star of glory Heir to a Crown if he had not crossed himselfe What in his union and composition in the Creation The Son of God moulded by God and yet not as the Manichees dream of the Substance of God the Image of God and yet not that Image which was God a Spirit from Heaven breathed into a Body of Earth and yet not all earth Fire gave him naturall heat Aire gave him vitall breath Water humours the Fire was purified the Air clensed the Water purged the Earth refined to make up this fine complexion of Man and yet materiam superabat opus the workmanship surpassed the matter as far as Heaven surpasses its matter At the contemplation whereof Davâ—d bursts out into admiration Psal 139. 14. I was fearfully and wonderfully made And Gaâ—en before an Atheist composes an Hymne in the
Romish crucifying Turkish ganging Jewish stoning Christian racking burning firing fagotting are nothing to this And besides this infinitnesse it is everlasting infinite the Grasse of the Field Sands in the Haven Stars in the Heaven may be numbered but the Dayes and Months and Years and Ages of the torments of Tophet are numberlesse which makes the frying Soul cry out Fountains cool me Mountains cover me Rocks hide me Sea swallow me up that I may be freed from this bottomlesse Sea of misery What Adamant can endure this knocking what Steel this beating what Brasse this burning Lord what is Man We passe from man Degenerate and come to man Regenerate the third what what Man is by Regeneration what in his Redemption what in his Justification what in his Sanctification In his Redemption a Slave bought with a precious Price a Prisoner rescued an Enemy reconciled a Malefactour pardoned Wretched Man was the Prisoner the Enemy the Malefactour Christ is the Price the Rescuer the Reconciler the Pardoner Woods of Franckincense Floods of Nectar Ophir India and Havilah though replenished with Gold and Pearls could not pay this Price Angells would have sunk under the burden Man could not satisfie God could not suffer therefore Christ became both God and Man God to satisfie Man to suffer He left his Fathers Throne for the Virgins Wombe a heavenly Mansion for a Manger a Crown for a Crosse where he was crowned with Thorns crucified between two Theeyes as a Rose amongst Thornes scourged with Whips fastned with Nails pierced with a Spear where with Saint Augustine view his body sacrificed for man his wounds bleeding for man his price payed for man his head bending to kisse man his hands stretched out to embrace man and then say Lord what is Man Secondly what Regenerate man is by Justification disrob'd of unrighteousnesse arrayed with Christs robes of Righteousnesse cloathed with the Wedding garment annointed with new Oyle furnished with the oyle of Grace burning in his Lamp The first-born of Saints are his associates God his Father Christ his elder Brother Crete strove for Jupiter Thebes for Pindar the seven Cities for the birth of Homer shall not we for the Birth and Brotherhood of Christ which begets in us a new birth This new birth frees Man from the second Death the strongest the richest the learned'st must taste of Death's cup Pompey have no grave Bajaset be brained in an iron Cage proud Saladine leave nothing but a shirt Crassus be cashiered at Carrae Aeschilus was slain with a Torteis shell Euripides torn by Doggs Mahomet the false Prophet by Hoggs Terrence was drowned But Man that is born anew Elected Justified in Christ shall not die eternally but live for ever with Christ Thirdly what Regenerate Man is by Sanctification changed from a vassall of wrath to a vessell of honour a spirituall creature purified with the Spirit not with Pelagian purity of conception Romish holy-water sprinkling Popes pardoning extream unction purgatory scorching not with the Libertines law of Liberty that hath no Law but by Grace in the soul that graciously clenses both body and soul The Understanding is lightned because Christ is his light the Will obedient to God because he is born of the will of God the Heart by spirituall comfort is heartned and gives over burning the Conscience barking the Pulse of horrour beating all his Hoste of Body and Soul is set to serve the Lord of Hostes Knees bend to pray Tongue sounds to praise Feet run Hands fight the Lords Battle Nor is this all but Man enjoyes him that is all in all and all in him For in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. all are ours we Christs and Christ Gods Satan cease to tempt him Flesh to allure him World to beguile him all is in vain the Word feeds him the Spirit guides him the Creatures serve him the Angells guard him what joy of the Spirit within what without none knowes no not the Spirit of Man but the Spirit of him that made Man Lord what is Man Thus what Man regenerate is in Redemption Justification Sanctification we come to the last what what Man is in his Glorification what glorified in soul till the Resurrection what in both body and soul to eternity after the Resurrection What Man is glorified in soul till the Resurrection a glorified soul by Christs Resurrection winged swiftly upon the wings of Cherubims to Heaven where for every Crosse she receives a Crown in either Palme a Palme of Victory Angells come at her entrance and salute her with an Euge thousands of Seraphims Thrones Principalities and Powers salute her with an Euge Patriarchs Priests Prophets Apostles Martyrs salute her with an Euge Souls of Friends Parents Husband Wife Children and all Saints deceased before her salute her with an Euge nay Christ himselfe salutes her with an Euge Well done good and faithfull servant To whom that Soul with all the Souls returnes Hallelujah honour and praise to the Antient of daies that sits upon the Throne Now glorified Soul that wouldst have wondred with the Queen of Sheba at Solomon in his royalty at the Grand Sultan going to his Seraglio at the Pope in his Procession tell me how thou wilt wonder and glory to see that Wonderfull that neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man Lord what is Man Thus what glorified Man is in Soul till the Resurrection the last and not the least what glorified both in Body and Soul for ever after the Resurrection Glorified in regard of the place of Glory the object of Glory the prerogatives of Glory In regard of the place which is Paradise the third Heaven the Heaven of Heavens the heavenly Jerusalem built of pure Gold walled with Jasper founded on pretious stones the Gates twelve Pearles watered with the Water of life planted with the Tree of life bringing forth twelve kindes of Fruits to feed the twelve Tribes of Israel Pallas Temple at Troy Diana's Temple at Ephesus Jerusalem's Temple in Sion must give place to this Temple of the new Jerusalem which is the place of glory And as glorified in place so glorious by the Object of glory in that place The Object is the vision of the Unity in the Trinity where Man shall see all Felicity in the Glasse of the Trinity Moses his face shined with the shining brightnesse of Gods hinder parts Paul was senslesse of all joyes but Heaven when he was rapt into the third Heaven Peter was transported in Soul when Christ was transfigured in Body How glorious then will thy face shine when thou shalt see God face to face injoy the immediate communion with the Trinity which will be joy to mans soul health to his body beauty to his eyes musick to his ears hony to his mouth perfumes to his nostrills meat to his belly light to his understanding content to his will delight to his heart whole happinesse to every part Glorious in the Prerogatives of glory
whether in their time and if they had it all is but to make Gold a little glittering Clay What then should we do to gain Christ in gaining whom we gain Heaven and all How often have we heard and pittied some whom the world accounts her dearest Minions beyond an ordinary pitch of Epicurisme or Atheisme Midas-like to cram their soul with wishes to themselves to their Children of the flesh-pots of Aegypt trash of this world ballast to fill the guts not one poor wish I fear scarce a thought for Heaven for Christ Me-thinks I could resolve my selfe into Jeremie's lamentation and Nehemiah's tears to see the preposterous course worldlings take to provide earthly garbage for their Children advancing them by Marriage when ignorant of the principles of Religion they go together like Brutes They themselves tumbled into the grave like the rich Glutton leaving their posterity in as pittifull a plight as he his five brethren Tell me I beseech you what comfort is it to a damned soul in hell to leave Children upon earth wallowing in abundance without Christ they shall be as Fellons apprehended with the Mannure in which they glory and cast into the same Prison The Rich without Christ are so far from having all things that they have nothing like the mad lunatick man at Athens they may perswade themselves that every ship that is landed is their own like the Lamâ—ae or Witches think they feed upon delicacies like Sanguine-dreams fancy they have Earldomes Dukedomes Mountains of Gold yet all is but a fancy And admit the meat thou eats the cloaths thou puts on the pleasure thou enjoyes the lands thou possesses be truely thine own without Christ they are but as Trees without fruit Clouds without rain Combes without honey have no more proportion to that a Christian enjoyes than a house of Cards hath to a Palace a Mole-hill to a Mountain a King on a Stage to a King on a Throne And admit thou receive some reall comfort here the more will be thy sorrow hereafter for every minute of sugered delight thou shalt have an eternity of horrour the more thy strength thy beauty thy riches thy honour here the more will be thy feeblenesse thy deformity thy want the deeper thy disgrace hereafter Boast now O Worldling of that thou enjoyest without Christ glory as a Cripple of his soars a Prisoner of his Fetters a Pirate of his robberies at the Gallowes of the things thou usurpest till Judas-like thou throw them away as the cursed price for which thou hast sold thy soul to Satan and confesse as thou wilt be once compell'd that only he that hath Christ hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things All things in this world are like Sun-dials blaze-Torches Tapers Candles all Stars at once they are of no use flow Riches Honour Strength Wives Friends Children to our contentment without this Sun of Righteousnesse it is still night They may be Copies of Gods grace but without Seal Ciphers of no value till the Unity in the Trinity by Christ the Meadiatour be joyned with them When this union is once made then as if the whole World were a Globe of Gold the Earth a Centre of Diamond the Heavens poured down Balme the Clouds showred down pretious Oyntments all for the solace of that man God shall replenish his Soul with comforts and no wonder seeing he hath given him his Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall he not with him give all things This is the three-fold Emphasis by which this Argument is amplified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a note of Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Negation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Augmentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall he not also As if he had said It is a thing beyond all possible certainty and more then certain that he will give us all things and more then all things if it be possible and all of this because he hath given us his own Son who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all of all and all in all and more than all And the reason of this inference may be either taken from the Cause Christ that made all things containes all things or from the Signe He that could give Christ can give all things He that would give Christ will give all things God hath given to Satan power in the world and therefore he is styled in Scripture god of this world the prince that rules in the the aire To the blessed Angells he hath given power in Heaven therefore they are called Thrones dominions principalities and powers but to neither of them hath he given his Son Some Divines make this the occasion of Lucifer's fall and the Angells they ambitiously aspired desired the union with the Unity in Trinity envyed that the seed of Woman should be united with the eternall Word the second Person in the Trinity God hath given eternall Crownes to the Angells in Heaven power to the Devills upon Earth but Christ to neither of them But he hath given us Christ therefore he wil with him give us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things in Heaven and Earth Wherefore art thou then perplexed within me O my Soul still trust in God Ille providebit He will be thy great reward Quid dubitas de possessionibus saies St. Chrysostome herum dominum cum habeas Why doubtest thou of possessions when thou possessest the Lord of all even Christ the Son of God Now O Lord thou that sparedst not but crucifiedst thy Son for our sins-sake crucifie our sins and spare us for thy Son's sake Spare us for thy Son's merits who wouldst not spare thy Son for our sins demerits Receive us by the red Sea of his Blood through the dead Sea of Death to the Land of Promise To whom with thee O holy Father c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Preached before these times as prognosticating the storms that were then impendent whereof part are fallen since The Text Psal 76. 7. And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry THE time when the occasion why and the Author by whom this Psalm was penned is not generally agreed upon but that it was as all Scripture is from the holy Ghost in time of spirituall joy and exaltation after some glorious victory none makes question And if Moses and the Israelites sung a Song of deliverance for the overthrow of Pharaoh Barak and Deborah for the death of Sisera why may â—ot we think with the Septuagints that this is a Song of deliverance for that miraculous discomfiture of Senacherib's army in the daies of Hezekiah But we leave that as more then probable come to the parts of the Psalm which are four The first is a Preface in the two first verses laying down the Argument that God is to be praised enforced by two reasons the one drawn from his wonderfull works whereby he hath shewed himselfe to the Jewes the other from his speciall presence at Jerusalem and
21. which St. Paul presses Heb. 12. 1 2. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame Fourthly these sharp humours have run in all the veines of the mysticall body of Christ hitherto no afflictions befall us but such as are accomplished in our brethren that are in the world Joseph was in prison Daniel in the Lion's den the three Children in the fiery furnace Job on the dunghill Lazarus prostrate at the rich Man's gates the blessed Virgin 's heart was pierced with a sword the Apostles in the gaole And we have a promise that the God of all grace after we have suffered a while will make us perfect stablish strengthen and settle us And that God of his fidelity will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that we may be able to bear it Fiftly God hath put bounds to the storms of this troublesome Sea huc usque thus far the waves shall rage and no further Thirty years were appointed the sick man at Bethesda's pool twelve years to the woman with the bloody issue three months to Moses ten daies of tribulation to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna three daies plague to Dâ—vid Yea the number of the godly mans tears are registred in Gods book and the quantity kept in his bottle they are but a showr that will end in sun-shine a troublesome torrent that will waft us to the haven of rest Be faithfull unto death and thou shalt receive a Crown of life Sixtly we are called to give an account of our Stewardship how we have improved our Talent to repetitions in Christs school to see how much faith patience and godlinesse we have learned all this while and whether we cannot like â—ob receive at the hand of God some evill as well as we have hitherto received a confluence of good As therefore we have alwaies prayed Thy will be done so let us not be now offended at this which is done by his holy will Seventhly meditate that all things shall work together for the best to them that love God insomuch that neither death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Every pang is a prevention of hellish pains every sanctified respite an earnest of heavens rest It is but the Crosse of Christ sent before to câ—ucifie the love of the world in us let us therefore with Simon of Cyrene carry it after him the pains will shortly passe the joy will never passe away Lastly consider there is no equality no proportion betwixt the houre of temptation here and the everlasting jubilee hereafter As is the centre to the circumference an instant to eternity a molehill to a mountain a drop of water to the sea so are the Saints crosses to their crownes as is the earth little or nothing in respect of heaven so is our earthly sufferings in respect of it therefore glory is called the kingdome of God of the Father of Heaven Abraham's bosom Matth. 8. 11. it 's called a Paradise of pleasure wherein is the Tree of life the house of our Father all fulnesse of joy the new Jerusalem an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fades not away reserved in the highest heavens It 's called the glory of God our glory rest refreshment such felicity as neither eye hath seen ear hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man For it is the habitation of God of Christ of the holy Ghost as great a difference as there is betwixt a Snailes house and a Palace a Tortoise shell and Solomon's Temple Jonah's Gourd and the Towers of Ninivey so much and more difference is betwixt heaven and any thing that can be upon earth We see this is the composure of the World that finest things are scituated in the highest places the earth as grossest is put in the lowest room the Water above the Earth the Aire above the Water the Fire above the Aire the Sphears of Heaven purer then any of them above the rest which you see beautified with Sun Moon and Stars shining more gloriously then all the pretious Stones in the world and all this but the neather side of the pavement of that Palace then what shall be the glory of the Heaven of Heavens within able to drink up all afflictions as the Sea does the River Iordan There are three distinct places in which every Saint successively is resident first in his mother's wombe secondly in the world thirdly in heaven As much as the whole Universe is larger then our mothers wombe so much is heaven larger and ampler than it for if one star exceed the earth so much in bignesse then what shall the heavens that contain infinite stars Secondly as in largenesse so in time our time to be in our mothers wombs is but nine months but on earth it may be an hundred times nine months but our beeing in heaven is without period of daies months or years Thirdly as no man can remember what sorrow he had in his mothers wombe so shall our joies in heaven drink up all our sufferings upon earth And this glory consists either essentially in the beatificall vision or operatively in the effects it works in us Essentially in the beatifical vision though the Familists and Millenaries understand it not confounding grace and glory but no man upon earth hath seen God neither can he be seen that is perfectly it is true we may see God here in a naturall vision in his Creatures as in a Glasse wherein some splendour of his glory shines he may be seen in a specular or symbolicall vision by signes and characters of his glory so Moses is said to have seen Gods hinder parts Esa 6. 1. I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne high and lifted up his house was full of majâ—sty and the Seraphims stood about him We see God here by the vision of faith when by Doctrine of Christ his Son and the operation of the Spirit we know the will of the Father But the beatificall vision in heaven is to behold God and Christ Jesus face to face we shall see him as he is no veiles being put betwixt us Stay here and pause a while What comfort will this be to see the Lamb sit upon his seat of state If the wise men of the East came so far and rejoyced to see him in the manger what will it be to see him sitting in his glory If St. Iohn Baptist did leap at his presence in his mothers wombe what shall this his presence do in his royall and eternall Kingdome If the Queen of Sheba was astonished at the sight of Solomon what shall we be at the sight of millions of Saints in his Court
all things Omniscient to know all things infinite in Wisdome to contrive in Mercy to dispose in Bounty to bestow He only that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maker of all things He only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the giver of all things It was the dream of Avicen that Angells by the power of God did make the Heavens the Heavens the inferiour Bodies But he was a Turk and his Doctrine in this relishes more the Alcaron than the Evangelists As unsound is that Sentence of the Master of the Sentences That God could communicate to the Creature the power of Creation For Creation is a production of a thing out of nothing to make a thing of nothing an act of Omnipotency Omnipotency an incommunicable Attribute of God as incommunicable as that Attribute of giving every good and perfect gift to be attributed to none but Him that made all things for Man Gen. 1. 29. Behold I have given you every herb every tree the fruit of every tree every beast of the field foul of the aire fish in the sea creeping thing upon the earth O curva in terris animae O fond souls like the poor lunatick man at Athens to presume upon that which is Gods prerogative Vermis crastinò moriturus a worm that must die to morrow Before God had given Man a Beeing by Creation he gave every thing for the Well-beeing of Man by his everlasting purpose Predestination Election Purpose to make Man in his own Image to make so many in number of men though not all their souls at once as Origen said as there are Angells fallen so many as the Angells that remain in purity say some so many as the Angells pure and impure say others how many uncertain and that 's the truth most certain By Predestination in which gift or chain of Gods mercies are three links First the decreeing of man to a supernaturall end Secondly the gift of eternall life which is the supernaturall end Thirdly the disposing of all saving means to this supernaturall end all effected in time yet ordained before all time By Election which is a culling and picking of some out of the masse of sin leaving others in the masse of corruption As a Jeweller purifies what Gold a man sifts what Wheat he pleases so God purifies the Elect his Gold sifts the Saints his Wheat for his Granarie passes by the rest for their sin I will not determine whether Originall or actuall sin nor deny them Christ in some sense whom the Father spared not but delivered up for all The reason why Christ was not effectuall for all was their infidelity and sin It is true as the School-men say Predestinatio nihil ponit in praedestinato Predestination is an act of meer mercy in God not of merit in man neither in regard of the Decree which was when he was nothing of the first infusion of Grace when he was worse than nothing in which God was the sole Agent man the Patient yet man is an Agent and operative in using of grace which he was a Patient in receiving of Whether God gives this grace to all indifferently I will not here question But to the purpose to whom he gives this grace in Christ he will give all And as God was a giver in intention before he made any thing so he was a bountifull giver in execution after he had made all things By Creation by Preservation to sustain the body by Vocation Justification Sanctification to adorn the soul here by Glorification to crown both body and soul hereafter By Creation making that of nothing which was neerest nothing the first matter of all as the Philosophers calls it Moses Tohu vebohu the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Poets a Chaos or rude masse of unpiled Matter out of which was made the starry Heavens to give light the azured Skye a Throne for the Clouds the Aire for birds to flie men and beasts to breath in the Earth paying her yearly revenue of herbs Plants flowers the Sea an unsteady Element for fishes made rather for use and wonder than pleasure All made by God all gifts given by him And as given by Creation so continued by Preservation garding of us by his immediate providence by Angells by Secondary causes By immediate Providence For as omnia fecit sic omnia fulcit that hand that made all things supported all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his eye behold all things Spiritus intùs abit his Spirit that moved upon the waters moves every where in him all things live and move and have their being And as he gards us with his Providence so with his Angels whether with a good Angel to support us as a bad to tempt us whether every man have one ordinarily deputed whether from his Birth or from his Baptisme curious speculations more befitting the Schooles than the Pulpit I 'le not dispute My present Theme is to prove that it is God that gives that He in my Text that gave his Angells charge over his Son hath given his Angells charge over all for whom he hath given his Son and he hath given his Son for us all that they should take us up in their armes lest we dash our feet against stones And shall not He that gave his Angels as ministers his Cherubims as flames of fire give us an inheritance with the Angells and free us from eternall fire To his immediate Providence as he hath substituted the Angells so all Secondary causes the Heavens with motion light influence the Fire to refresh the Aire to cherish the Earth and Sea to nourish Food to feed Physick to cure Cloaths to cover these our bodies All these he gives us as Aquinas saies non propter defectum suae virtutis sed propter abundantiam suae bonitatis not that his power fails but that his mercy overflowes For he could feed us without food cure us without physick save us from cold without covering Neither is he only the giver of temporall things for the body but spirituall for the soul by Vocation either externall the Word preached Aaron's golden Bells ringing the Sacraments as nails of the Sanctuary or internall the Law by the Spirit hammering the Gospell softning Grace seasoning our Souls By Justification in forgiving our sins and imputing to us the merits of his Son By Sanctification as the Gold by filing so our Souls by purifying are made clean The Sun enlightens the dark Moon the Sun of Righteousnesse enlightens by his Spirit our dead members By Glorification non nostra merita sed sua dona coronans crowning not our merits but his own mercies These we touch briefly because in giving his Son he gave these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver of all And if God be the giver of all as Rivers receiving their Springs from the Sea return them to the Sea let all things give praise to the God of gods to the Lord of lords for his
the body of a Mortall made an Immortall body of a Corruptible an Incorruptible of a Naturall a Spirituall of a Weak a Powerfull of a Deformed a Beautifull A Body shining as the Stars the Soul in glory exceeding the Body as far as the Moon exceeds the Stars Christ in brightnesse exceeding all as far as the Sun the Moon Thus it shall be done to the Man whom the King of Glory will honour At the last doom will Mountains burn Devills mourn Man shall be mounted up with Angells and Christ the Archangell towards Heaven Open ye Gates be ye opened ye everlasting Gates and let the King of Glory come in with all his troops of Glory Say all Creatures what is any Creature What is Man Lord what is Man that thou conferrest this glory upon him Sing all Creatures Men Angells with Hymns Anthems Hallilujah's keep an everlasting Sabbath of Thanksgiving with Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaths heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory To thee we give all Honour and Glory both now and for evermore A SERMON Preached before the Generall of all the Forces of South-Wales and the West of England The Text Matth. Cap. 13. v. 45 46. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly Pearls Who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it HEAVEN is not feisable for mony then shall an earthly price run in equipage with it Well might this seem a Paradox if it were not a Parable That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4. 17. excessive weight above transcends our Scales below Earth is but an Atome and what we see is scarce worth to make an Emblem of what we hope to see Well said Empedâ—cles Terra terram inspicimus aeihere aetherem In an earthen Globe we see the earth's Diameter and in a paper-Sphear the Circle of the Sphears A Mapp displaies the World Counters the revenues of a Crown and if we look up higher a Pearl a Palm of Victory For The Kingdome ef Heaven is like a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls Seek saies our Saviour and you shall finde and if ought this Pearl is worth the scrutiny Earth hath her pretious Stones the Sea her Pearls then what hath Heaven The World is a Sea the Church a Ship sailing for Pearles and bound for Heaven the Haven The Pixis of our Saviours speech through this whole Chapter points at this Pole In the first verse we finde Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Sea In the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 entring into a Ship and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sea And here resembling Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Merchant-man trafficking by Sea Scripture hath her rich Mines oâ— Rhetorick and in every Mine a Mystery This sweet conflux of the History with the Allegory was not for nothing Well then make on for this Kingdome Christ is the Gate the Word the Way the Key This Key hath many Wards In the third Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Parable of the Sower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 24. another Parable of the Tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 33. another Parable of the Leaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 44. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a hâ—dden Treasure And in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man A Parable a Parable and then another Parable Again and again and all these Parables and Againes but Parallelisms to Heaven Line upon Line and Precept upon precept Lord how blinde are our eyes that need so many Lamps to enlighten them The three first pointed at the power of the Gospell the fourth at the price this fifth at the superlative transcendency of the price Gold is the best of Mettalls Pearles better than Gold Heaven is like Pearles nay the best of Pearles The Kingdome of Heaven c. Parables had their birth in Paradise He shall bruise thy heel and thou shalt break his head Gen 3. 15. Plato commends them in his Dialogues and does not Christ They are fit similitudes or if you will comparisons That which no mortall eye hath seen and such is Heaven must be made known by that which hath been seen Princes send Pictures to inform their Paramours Some things sublimed above a mortall reach must be read below in Characters proportioned as the Sun's splendour in a Pail or as Medusa's head is fained in Perseus glittering Shield Moses his face must have a Vail before he can be spoke with These are three-fold Typicall as foretelling Apologicall as illustrating Methologicall as instructing This Parable is all by Faith giving forefight by Knowledge sight by Sanctification insight into Heaven Then take up this Optick-glasse The Kingdome of Heaven is like c. The parts in generall of this Apologue are two First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that is compared or like Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to what it is compared or like The thing that is likened is the Kingdome of Heaven the thing to which it is likened is a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearles The Antapodosis or reddition to the former part is not expressed but by collection to be gathered from the latter As Synchronisms so Parallelisms that begin together must needs end together Thus then take the Diagramma First a man under sin is compared to a Merchant-man Secondly his seeking of some good things as omnia appetunt bonum to seeking of goodly Pearls Thirdly the price of glory in Heaven being found is compared to that one Pearl of great Price the Merchant found Fourthly as the Merchant sold all that he had to buy that Pearle so must we forsake all Earthly things for this Heavenly Pearle A Christian then is as a Merchant probable good things as Pearls Heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that most pretious of Pearles thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by inversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by alternation These are the two passions the Philosopher makes of a Parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing alike irradiates another For as face answers to face in a Glasse so the Kingdome of Heaven to this Pearl For the Kingdome of Heaven is like c. Of these Parts by Divine assistance and your Christian patience in order so using the Similitude as Painters their Shadowes to illustrate the Portraicture of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies St. Chrysostom In Apologues we must have an eye at the Authors purpose lest by too curious inquisition we wring out blood Thus then take the Paraphrase as a Chart to direct our Compasse in the future discourse St. Jerom by goodly Pearles understands the godly Precepts of the Law and the Prophets by that one Pearl of great price the precious blood of our Saviour by which we were bought with a price The Merchant sold all to purchase this Pearl so with St. Paul we must forsake
Lord alwaies and again I say Rejoyce By this zeal John Baptist leapt in his Mothers wombe at the presence of Mary conceiving By this zeal Simeon's trembling armes received heat to embrace our Saviour By this zeal the Angels rejoyce in heaven at a sinners conversion Surely it was a high pitch of affection and no affection but zeal that lift the soul of Diagoras of Chylon the Lacedemonian of the Roman VVidow off the hinges this affection was joy And as a high pitch of joy so strain the pegg of sorrow and it will prove zeal Joy a rapture for the present good sorrow a pressure for the present evill Rachell's sorrow for her Children Mourning and weeping and great lamentation Jeremiah's mourning for the captivity of the people Come and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow may make up the tale of zeal David's mourning all the day long watering of his couch Ezekiah's chattering as a swallow or crane in the desert is the fruit of zeal Hope when it is wafted with full sailes towards the Haven and like the Heliotrophium spreads it selfe towards the Sun of righteousnesse is zeal It was this zeal of strerched forth Hope that put this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full assurance in Paul's mouth I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 38. And as hope so fear when it is a Graduate in the University of the Soul puts on the habit of zeal this fear must be filiall Such zeal as this was the fear of Martyrs which feared God more then thousand deaths and burnings This zealous fear of God wrought in Ignatius this heavenly resolution Fire gallowes wilde beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my body and all the tortures of hell come upon me so that I may enjoy my Lord Jesus and his kingdome Anger when in the forge of the affections it receives a heat more than ordinary becomes zeal In this zeal Moses broak the Tables when he saw the golden Calfe set up Phinehas in this zeal thrust through the Adulterers Samuel slew Agag Hatred when it growes inveterate and headie Aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus is zeal This is the zeal that all Saints have towards sin Satan corruption Love when it is elevated to the height is zeal such love such zeal was that of Jonathan's love stronger than death stronger then the love of a woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoycing at anothers hurt when it is fixed upon the right object in a high measure is zeal that object must be malum poenae the evill of punishment not malum culpae the evill of sin In this zeal Moses and the Israelâ—tes sung a song of deliverance for the overthrow of Pharaoh Barak and Deborah for the death of Sisera This zeal wings David's Apostrophe to God VVash thy footsteps O Lord in the blood of thine enemies and laugh at their destruction Thus you see zeal consists not in anger love or sorrow alone but in a high pitch of all the affections or any of them In the second place we come to distinguish the severall kindes of zeal or by the touchstone of tryall to difference true from false All zeal is a fire and then true when like Eliah's fire it is from Heaven then false when like Nadab's and Abihu's it is strange fire such as God commands not False zeal may be fixed either upon the true or false object true zeal onely upon the right object When zeal is set upon the false object it may be great setting Churches and Commonweales in combustion but can never be good This wildfire is either Doctrinall in opinion or Practicall in conversation Doctrinall so the Turks are zealous for their Mahometan superstition and Alcaron the Ephesians for their Temple of Diana and silver Shrines the Church of Rome for their Popes Supremacy Images Indulgences the Brownists against the buildings of our Churches which they call Antichristian Synagogues Practicall in conversation when our zeal towards riches makes Mammom our God and things below that should be our Perspective-glasse to look towards Heaven proves our Looking-glasse when such is our zeal in Prayer that though we seem to petition first for spirituall things after for temporall our affections reads them backwards like figures valuing the latter ten times more than the former Again zeal may be false when it is fixed even upon the right object and that either in regard of the measure or means In regard of the measure either too cold which is remission or too hot which is superstition too cold and this is the temperature of carnall worldlings time-serving polititians formall professours that will seem to be Christians and yet will give no sheafe of their corn no penny of their talent no oyle of their cruse to the poor members of Christ Christians in name yet Devills incarnate indeed zealous for the smoak of their chimney's the watercourse of their channells the dust of their waies the bubble of their fame yet without any touch of conscience hear the name of God blasphemed see his Church profaned ruinated see the Fatherlesse wronged the Widow oppressed see the bleeding wounds of both Church and Common-wealth gaping Zeal upon the right object too hot which is superstition this zeale is either of them which are too hot for Ceremonies that they advance them into the chair of Substance punish the neglect of them as severely as blasphemy as murther as theft Too hot against Ceremonies that while they brand others with superstition surmount the highest Tower of superstition forsaking holy solemnities for a Ceremony the Sacrament for a gesture the Ministry for things of the least moment pay Tithe of Annise Mint and Cummine let passe the wonderfull things of God strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camell False zeal yet fixed upon the right object in regard of the means and ground upon which it is builded builded either upon ignorance our own ends or other men Ignorance of them that are hot in themselves a spur to others a censurer of all men that are slacker then they in duties that ought to be done yet they know no ground in Scripture no reason in Nature why This is false zeal the zeal of ignorant Romists to believe as the Church believes Zeal upon the right object for our own ends thus Judas was zealous for the bag the People in the Wildernesse for the Bread the Priests of Bell for the Wheat and Oyle those in Tertullian's time that went with the Christians to the Assembly of Prayer because they were commonly attended with Love-feasts This is false zeal because it is not a heat of the heart but of the stomack and may be so sincere as to arise out of the bowells yet it ends in the belly False zeal upon the right object when it is builded upon men zealous of the Word when it is
Pigeons having drunk of this River of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyntly together hold up our Bills towards Heaven in token of thankfulnesse thank him who is the God of glory for devesting himselfe of glory that he might restore us to hope of glory We reverence men on Earth Rome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship to Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more worship to the Mother of our Saviour Queen of Heaven as they style her But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory only to the God of glory My glory saies God I will not give to another but my peace I will give Which was sung by the Angells at the Nativity Glory be to God on high peace on earth It is Aristotle's saying in his Ethicks We give praise to men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a better thing than praise to God And what is that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God in your body and your spirits which are Gods It is Plato's phrase in his Respublica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God Aratus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye are God's offspring Joyne them both together and we have the poynt Glorifie God because ye are Gods But as Honour so Glory is in dante in the Giver we have no glory to give all glory is Gods to whom we ought to give and when it is given it is but his own but a part of his own And if all tongues should glorifie him at once it addes no more to his glory then a drop of a bucket returned to the Ocean whence it issued As Rivers return to refresh the Sea whence they came Sun-beams by reflection are inflamed so our hearts by glorifying God must be enflamed that he may glorifie us In storms in calms blow what winde wil the Mariners Needle still points at the Pole in prosperity in adversity we ought to aime at Gods glory Here I say we ought in Heaven I am sure we shall for there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angells Leiturgie is singing of Hymns of glory But what need we look so high was not our first Reformers so Observe the blessed method the Spirit dictated them in the very dawning out of Popish superstition First Contrition then Confession then Absolution then Petition then Gloria Patri Glory be to God then Venite exultemus Come and rejoyce then severall Psalms as so many Hallelujah's for the Day each concluding with Gloria Patri Glory be to God After the first Lesson Te Deum laudamus We praise thee O God or the Song of the three Children Benedicite omnia opera Let all his works glorifie God After the second Lesson Jubilate Deo Be joyfull in God Ending still like Frankincense put out with this sweet odour Gloria Patri Glory be to God Well then if this was the heavenly language in the infancy of our Church let every grown Member of the Church glorifie God in Body This was delivered An. 1640. in Spirit for all his mercies but especially for this mercy of Redeeming us with the price of his own pretious blood Therefore with Angells and Archangells and all the company of Heaven we laud and magnifie thy glorious Name evermore praising thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hostes Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high To thee we ascribe all honour and glory both now and for evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Expressing the benefits accruing from our Saviours Death and Passion insisting only upon the latter part by reason of the affinity with the former Subject The Text Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things THIS Text is an Exchequer the Treasurer God the Gift all things the parties to whom all men the key Christ God the Father that spared not to give Christ for us all will not spare with him to give us all The Parts in generall are two First an Hypothesis or Supposition Secondly a Thesis or Position The Hypothesis or Supposition hath a double reference looking back at the former unties a a knot looking forward at the latter is an argument to confirm a truth in matter drawn a majori from the greater to the lesse in form an Enthymema thus unfolded God spared not but delivered up his own Son therefore he will not spare but deliver up all things for his Saints It is amplified first from the party or person giving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He in Grammer the Third but here the First Person in the Trinity Secondly from the double act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not spared negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hath delivered up affirmatively Thirdly from the object or gift that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his only begotten Son Fourthly the subjects or parties for whom not Angells but Men for when he ascended above Principalities and Powers he gave gifts to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us not restrained to some of us but with a note of universality all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us all He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all The second Branch is in it selfe a Position in reference to the former a Conclusion The parts of it as the Rivers of Paradise are principally four First the Donor God Secondly the Donation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift or Charter Thirdly the parties to whom it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us Fourthly the Donative or gift and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things amplified with the correlative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him By him all things were made in him all things are given All of this illustrated by a threefold Emphasis here expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a note of Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Negation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Augmentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall he not also He that spared not his own Son c. We have already â—ntred into this Exchequer where we have seen the rich treasurie of Gods mercy in delivering up his Son for us all Now is the second return this Exchequer is yet open let us all enter in further by him the Dore and the Way to see how that with him he will freely give us all things How shall he not with him also c. The first part is the Doner He The word is twice repeated by an Epanados in relation to a double act of mercy He that gave Christ for the health of our souls that He will give us all things for the health of our bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is which was which is to be Jam. 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights He is Omnipotent to make
continuance by reason of our unthankfulnesse all places have become Aceldamaes houses of blood fields of blood ditches of blood towns of blood Churches of blood in this land that was once Insula pacis an Island of peace Lord water our eyes with tears of godly sorrow like Gideon's fleece while others are drie that we may be drie saved from those waters of afflictions wherein others are drowned beget in us fruits of contrition worthy of repentance and then repent that thou hast sent this spirit of division and destroying Angell amongst us Secondly this necessity of afflictions may comfort Gods children in all troubles on this consideration that afflictions are sent of God consecrated by his Son Jesus Christ suffered of all Saints that are now triumphant in Heaven that he that sowes in tears shall reap in joy that he that wears a Crown of thorns with Christ here shall wear a Crown of glory with him in heaven hereafter Seriously meditating in our hearts that God afflicts us not in fury but in mercy and that for these ends 1. That he may draw us from the Love of the world 2. That he may cure our spirituall sicknesses 3. That he may preserve us from fearfull falling into damnable sins 4. That he may deliver us from the wrath to come and the torments of hell 5. To try and examine the sincerity of our faith 6. To make us run unto God the fountain of living waters 7. That God might shew his outstreched arme in delivering us 8. That they may be sanctified to the increase of our glory Now our afflictions are of two sorts either internall in soul or externall these either in our names or in our goods or in our persons here we have comfort against all Is any in prison look upon the Irons entring into Joseph's soul and yet delivered Is any in banishment look upon David restored from thence to a Kingdom Is any hungred starved naked full of soars look upon Lazarus in Abraham's bosome Is any afflicted with losse of goods health children look upon Job's triumph after misery Does any suffer for conscience sake look upon the crowned Martyrs in heaven Is any a man of sorrowes look upon Christ before whose Throne Angells Saints and Cherubims throw down their Crownes and Palms of glory Thirdly the necessity of afflictions may teach us not basely to fear them but rather fear sin that laies us naked to Gods fierce indignation and the malice of our enemies fear indiscretion that creates unto us many needlesse troubles fear superstition and ignorance for that makes a man mistake his cause fear singularity and presumption so as to rest upon our own sufficiency These are worse then affliction as much as the sin is worse then the punishment Fourthly the necessity of them may make us lift up our eyes at Him that rules the wheel of providence No affliction springs out of the dust but comes from God he hath tempered the cup and said Drink this Christ could not escape it though he besought it thrice with tears and then shall we Our sins deserved afflictions to the full God turned them to our good Moses at the first called the Rod his but when he had wrought miracles with it it was God's The rod of affliction is Gods let us therefore kisse it Thy rod and thy staffe saith David hath comforted me Swine feed upon Acorns and look not up at the Tree Doggs snarl at the stone and mind not the hand that threw it But David minded Shimei not so much that cursed him as God that sent that shame upon him A Christian that makes this right use of afflictions is the worlds wonder with the bush in which Jehovah appeared to Moses he burns and yet consumes not Hananiah the false Prophet broke off the timber yoke from Jeremie's neck but had one of iron put upon his own He that burnes God's Rod shall be beatt with Scorpions Fifthly if this life be a passage through the wildernesse of afflictions then here we are not perfect as we would be The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passe through afflictions Every passage is a motion every motion as the Philosopher said is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an imperfect act moving for an end running for a goal this end this goal is the Kingdom of God for We must through much affliction enter into the Kingdom of God So the second Proposition offers it selfe That through these afflictions or waters of Marah we shall at length come to heaven This is somewhat sweeter and sugars the former therefore I beseech you observe it For a storm here we shall have a calm for Christ's crosse an eternall Crown our nights of mourning shall be turned into Halcyon daies for months of affliction we shall have years of jubilee for a rod of correction we shall have a palme of victory our mournfull Elegies of lamentation shall be turned into Hallelujah's of consolation With this Athanasius comforted the Saints under Iulian's persecution that affliction was but nubecula citò transitura a storm that would quickly end in a sunshine or calm So did our Saviour his disciples Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven Nay as if they were already in the suburbs of glory v. 12. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Take up the perspective glasse of Faith and look towards Heaven and there you shall see the noble Army of Martyrs Prophets Apostles Evangelists set down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God yet if you look at their journall towards heaven you may trace them by their blood These afflictions are sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passions but such passions as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lessons of no lesse than Christ and his kingdome Here they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of straitnesse elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of narrownesse Matth. 7. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strait is the gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 narrow is the way But it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leading unto life into a heavenly Canaan that flowes with milk and hony Hony in the Bee is not without the sting neither the Kingdome of God without affliction 2 Cor. 4. 17. we have an unparallel'd parallelism of these two This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding great and eternall weight of glory Here they are both cast into the scales and their weights duely poysed where first consider the difference between the subjects or things weighed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worldly affliction is cast into the one scale and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly glory into the other Secondly their quantities and that either durationis of continuance affliction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 momentary for a day glory is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting for ever or molis of weight affliction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which are two the one young Samuel revealing who by this occasion received primam tonsuram his first unction to prophecy the other is old Eli who like Sexagenarius de ponte as his bodily so his spirituall eyes grew dim for 1 Sam. 3. 1. The word of the Lord was pretious in those daies there was no open vision Secondly we have the thing revealed which is either the sin or the punishment of sin sin either the father Eli's for not correcting and chastising his sons or the sin of his sons Hophni and Phinehas who being Priests of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. were sons of Beliall knew not the Lord by their rapine made men abhor the daily sacrifice 17. lay with the women that assembled at the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 22. The punishment of sin either threatned first by a man of God not otherwise named 1 Sam. 2. 27. secondly by Samuel himselfe that the Lord would cut off the whole family of Eli from the priesthood and that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3. 14. Or executed in the fourth Chapter for thirty thousand of the Israelites were put to the sword the whole Camp scattered Hophni and Phinehas the Priests slain the Ark of God taken captive by the Philistims the Wife of Phinehas hearing of it fell into the pangs of childbirth and was delivered of a Son calling his name Ichobod the glory is departed from Israel and so expired and at the relation of the messenger Eli being ninty eight years old fell back from his chair and brake his neck Thus the whole Family was dysastered rarò antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede poena claudo Seneca Punishment and shame like a blood-hound alwaies pursues sin at the heeles the Ark was taken the Army routed the Priests slain Phinehas his Wife perished in the after-pangs Eli brake his neck Hence observe that sin is the deserving cause procuring the ruine and calamity of Church and State Cities and Families Sin it is that infects our purest aire that damps our richest mines that poysons our sweetest dainties that laies thornes in our softest beds of down that undermines Palaces pulls down Crowns shakes Thrones and ruinates Kingdomes that sets all mortall Wights at opposition heat against cold cold against heat winter and summer light and darknesse moysture and drought in arms one against another That the whole world is become a boyling furnace of contradictions where man is the mettall the body is the drosse which must first be burned by the refining fire of death before the soul can become pure gold fit for the heavenly Sanctuary For the proof of this hear Jeremie's lamentation Lam. 3. 39. Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Heaven and earth answers his Interrogatory with a soul 's sad Eccho Man suffereth for his sins Come on further and see all Creatures Angells Men Beasts Plants Elements Heavens in sorrowes discord sighing out the sad Epitaphium of mans mortality 42. We have sinned and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared thou hast covered us with wrath and persecuted us thou hast slain and not spared Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death As tooth for tooth eye for eye hand for hand one talent for another so death is a deserved reward for sin death first seizing upon the body while we live by the canker of corruption and mortality bringing at the length death of the body by dissolution and all this hatched and brooded under the Cocatrice sin Come on and travail with St. Paul to Corinth 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this cause saies he many are weak amongst you and sick and many sleep For this cause that is for the poyson of sin the canker of corruption in generall for spilling of our Saviour's blood piercing his side nailing his feet unworthy receiving of the holy Sacrament in particular Are sick that is feavours boyle you consumptions waste you plague and pestilence devour you And many sleep sleep in an everlasting Lethargy and apoplexie of death never to be awaked before the last doom Many that Biers are become restlesse Peripateticks the Spade and Mattock tyred the Sextons still digging the Graves still gaping passing-Bells without any stop or period confounding the language one of another the Church-yards more peopled then the Theaters Mista senum ac juvenum densantur funera no sex nor age nor young nor old are spared but are made a subject for death to read mortalitie's lecture upon This made David complain that his bones waxed old and that his moysture was turned into the drought of summer Psal 32. made him houle and cry that his daies were consumed like smoak his bones were burned as hearth withered like grasse he was become like a Pelican in the wildernesse or a sparrow on the house top Ps 102. This made Job complain that his griefe was heavier then the sand of the sea that the arrowes of the Almighty were within him that the poyson had drunk up his spirit the terrours of God had set themselves in array against him Job 6. This makes all Mankinde rot as a Pomgranate shiver as a Potsheard splinter as a Venice Glasse corrupt as a standing Pool and vanish into ashes like Sodom's Apples And the reason of all this is because the justice of God requires it sin is daily in the view of his all-piercing eye sends up cries aloud into his holy ear piercing through the clouds for revenge importuning his vindicative hand to whet his glittering sword to feather his arrowes to make sharp the point of his spear to wash his footsteps in blood And then shall not he that hath called his footstool the Earth and his throne the Heavens to witnesse and hath sworn by himselfe the greatest that sin shall not passe without revenge shall not he be just Besides this consider all Creatures as daily Oratours that miserably complaining put up their petitions to him The higher House the suburbs of Heaven sits drooping the Sun is turned into blood and eclipsed the Stars unsnuffed burn dim within the socket of their sphears their naturall force abated their influence impaired all waxes old as does a garment and saies that sin is the cause The aire is stifled with the poysoned breath of meteors and insteed of comforting the inhabitants of the earth is become a stage of prodigies and terrours flying Dragons amaze blazing Stars as Beacons of astonishment affright Thunder with her loud Canon-shot makes roaring the impetuous fury of the Bolts brings death the Clouds in time of need are barren in time of harvest intoxicate the earth with deluges no dew sometimes but mildew no light but lightning no blast nor gale of winde but blasting and saies that sin is the cause The sea roules the windes blow unmercifully the waves rage impetuously all things are troubled unnaturally which makes the Leviathans roar and the fishes die and saies that sin is the cause The earth quakes
in â—phig v. 1 112. Eurip. v. 711. to this which is said to be the invention of Erato the Priest did sacrifice to Minerva a Heifer never married in the yoke Wherefore Clytemnestra speaking of her daughter whom they pretended to marry to Achilles demanded of her husband 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether he had seen the sacrifices performed They did also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offer their baskets to Diana their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nuptiall gifts and nuptiall votes to Juno And these were not to be interrupted for any civill solemnity as appears by Agamemnon who importunately called upon by his wife to attend the wedding feast religiously makes answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. Iph. v. 721. Flat delegibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When I have done my wedding sacrifice Hence their Priests were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 celebraters of marriage and the solemnities themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marriage ceremonies which was performed by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or master of Ceremonies Theognis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 16. at the nuptialls of Cadmus under the Dramma of Muses and Graces as Theogenis personates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To joyne in one body with the Grecians the antient Romans may next â—ally up their Forces who usually first contracted the parties to be matched in their espousalls Salmuth in Pancirol lib. rerum deperd cap. de nuptiis This resembles the preparatory acts of our Magistrates and Registers Juvenal Satyr 6. which were termed sponsialia a spondendo because each engaged to other to live as man and wife This preludiatory act might be commenced by the Parents or civill Officers who for their greater security writ down the form of the Contract upon Tables of Record as appeareth by Juvenal Si tibi legitimis pactam junctamque tabellis Non es amaturus These tables were sealed with the Signet of competent witnesses there present who thence were denominated Signatores not without the Omen of Sooth-sayers procured by either sex as the Satyrist emblazons it Veniet cum signatoribus Auspex Juvenal Satyr 10. This done certain solemnities were used by a Pontifex or chiefe Priest and the woman made sure to the man by pronouncing a set form of words in the presence of ten witnesses at least then a solemn sacrifice was offered part whereof the married couple were joyntly to eat especially the consecrated Cake a farre the bread-corn or matter of it the sacrifice was termed confarreatio and the marriage it selfe farracia the dissolution of it diffarreatio If any of these Hieron ferarius Philippic orat Ceremonies especially the last were relinquished they were judged nuptiae innuptae marriage unmarried as we call our enemies gifts no gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrewes shall bring up the rear whose Patriarchs as is formerly glanced by vertue of primogeniture being Priested did sanctifie and blesse their childrens marriages as Rebecca's Parents and Brother did hers Gen. 24. 60. saying Be thou the mother of thousands of millions and let thy seed possesse the gate of those that hate them The latter Jewes acted their nuptiall solemnities under a Tent or Canopy called in their language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elias Thisbite Chuppa to which the Psalmist alludes Psal 19. 4. In them thou hast set a tabernacle for the Sun which as a bridegrrom comming out of his chamber rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race And this was done in the assembly of ten men at least where the Master of the Ceremonies was styled by them Baal Mischte which by St. John Joh. 2. 9. is languaged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefe of the marriage Chamber The tabernacle or chamber it selfe was called Beth hillula the house of praise the marriage Song Hillulim praises they that sung this Epithalamium or marriage Song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of the Scukius de convivio lib 2. c. 3. bridechamber Matth. 9. 15. Now whether that mazel tob good luck wished for by all the guests was not specially implored by one who was consecrated for that end I leave it to the scrutenie of others Their marriage Liturgie copied out at large by Genebrard speaks no lesse the system whereof epitomized was this The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chiefe of the marriage chamber took a cup and blessed it saying Blessed be thou O Lord our God the King of the world which createst the fruit of the Vine Blessed be the Lord our God the King of the world who hath created man after his own Image according to the Image of his own likenesse and hath thereby prepared unto himselfe an everlasting building Blessed be thou O Lord who hast created him Then descending to particular invocation for the Bride-groom and the Bride closes with a benediction and in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or poculo charitatis drinks to them both Now seeing Uzzah by a sudden syderation was unmanned for touching the Arke Saul and Uzziah un-kinged for approaching the Altar Corah and his complices sodomized in a new Asphaltic gulph for counter-censuring Moses and Aaron shall we think that any did attempt this sacram palestram solemn wrastling with God by publick prayers and praises without holy oyle and sacerdoticall unction especially seeing the Jewes held Targum Hierosolumit Gen. 30. 21. a quaternion of blessings more immediately dependent on God to wit the key of Rain the key of Food the key of the Grave and the key of the Womb These say they were neither deposited to Angells nor Seraphims and therefore fittest to be worn at the girdle of them to whom our Saviour entrusted the keyes of the kingdome of heaven The whole informed thus It is expedient that the Law of Nations Argum. 1 be observed It is the Law of Nations Greek Latine Jewes c. that marriage be solemnized by a Priest Therefore it is expedient that marriage be solemnized by a Priest Therefore it is expedient that marriage be solemnized by a Priest or lawfull Minister So I have spent my forelorn hope consisting of ragged Regiments emprested out of scattered Lawes of Nations which if they seem not to charge home my auxiliaries shall make amends which now draw up consisting of whole Brigads of Ecclesiasticall prescriptions marching with Canons mounted successivly since the Apostles times taken out of the Magazin of generall Councells For the originall of Christian Marriage by Ministers is like the heads of Nilus unknown I 'le build upward ascending the scale of Ecclesiasticall practice beginning with that demi-canon of our late Assembly of Divines charged by Ordinance of Parliament the Report whereof is this Because Solemnization of marriage Directory pag. 28. die Jovis 13. Mart. 1644. Anordinance of Parliament for establishing and observing this present Directory throughout the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales The form of solenmization of Matrimony confirmed by severall Acts of Parliament such as marry