thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction death with death and the grave with destruction Howbeit destruction here as it is applied to Israel seemeth not so much to signifie destruction in the vulgar acception that is the pulling downe of the houses or sacking of townes and villages as the dissolution of the state and downefall of the Kingdome of Israel and therefore the point herein to be seriously thought upon is the Soph Pasuck full point and fatall period of all earthly States Societies Common-wealths and Kingdomes All naturall things carry in their stile Corruptible all humane in their stile mortall all earthly in their stile Temporall to distinguish the first sort from things supernaturall which are incorruptible the second sort from things divine which are immortall the third sort from heavenly which are eternall The things which are seene saith the h 2. Cor. 4.18 Apostle are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall It is the royall prerogative of him who i Apoc. 19.16 17.14 hath written upon his thigh and on his vesture King of Kings and Lord of Lords that his Kingdome is bounded with no limits nor confined to time the eternity whereof is proclaimed in holy Scriptures by five noble Heralds two Kings two Prophets and an Archangell The two Kings are k Psal 45 6. Thy throne O God is for ever David and l Dan. 4.32 Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion Nebuchadnezzar The two Prophets are m Cap. 17.14 His kingdome is that which shall not be destroyed Daniel and n Micah 4.7 The Lord shall reigne from henceforth even for ever Micah The Archangell is o Luke 1.31 32 33. Horat. car l. 1. od 3. Semotique prius tarda necessitas leti corripuit gradum Gabriel whose trumpet soundeth most shrill and giveth a most certaine sound Behold thou shalt conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne and shalt call his name Jesus ver 31. He shall be great and shall be called the sonne of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David ver 32. And he shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shal be no end ver 33. Of all other there shal be For all politike bodies are in some sort subject to the condition of natural bodies As these so they have their beginning or birth growth perfection state decay and dissolution And as the statures of men in this decrepit and feeble age of the world are much diminished and their life shortened so even States and Empires fall short of their former greatnesse and are like sooner to arrive to their period naturall end or to speake more properly civill death and dissolution called in my text destruction Some who have taken upon them to calculate as it were the nativitie of the world and erect a scheme of all the living have set the utmost day of the duration of the one and life of all the other to fall within foure hundred yeares according to an ancient tradition of the Jewes fathered upon the house of p Melancthon in Chron. l. 1. p. 10. Sex millia annorum mundus duo millia inane duo millia lex duo millia dies Messiae propter peccata nostra quae multa magna sunt deerunt anni qui decrunt Elias The world shall last sixe thousand yeeres two thousand thereof there shall be a vacuitie or emptinesse two thousand the Law shall continue and the dayes of the Messiah shall make out two thousand more of which if any be lacking by reason of our many and grievous sinnes they shall be lacking The Cabalists favour this conceit and labour to wierdraw it out of the first verse of the first chapter of Genesis where because they finde sixe Alephs or A's which in numerall characters signifie so many thousand yeares conclude the duration of the world from the first creation to the end shall make up just that number of yeeres And many also of our Christian Chronologists streining the letter of q 2 Pet. 3.8 One day with the Lord is as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeeres as one day St. Peter too farre allot precisely sixe thousand yeares for the continuance of the world at the seventh thousand they beleeve we shall all begin to keepe our everlasting Sabbath in heaven For the period of particular Kingdomes Gasper q Pâ—ucer praesat in Chron. Carion Hanc periodum lege quadam sancitam divinitâ—s magnis Impeâ—iis fatalem esse universales mutationes afferre ostendunt omnium temporum historiae Peucerus observeth that it seldome or never exceedeth 500. years which he proveth by these instances following From the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt to the building of the first Temple we finde much about five hundred yeeres run out the first as also the second Temple stood thereabouts the Assyrians ruled in Asia so long Athens was ruled by Kings Rome by Consuls just so many yeers From Augustus to Valentinian the last five hundred yeeres are reckoned all which time the seat of the fourth Monarchy of the world was fixed at Rome The Church of Rome in a sort continued in her puritie for five hundred yeeres After the Papacie and superstition grew to the height in the westerne parts before the thousanth yeere and five hundred yeeres after the happy reformation begun by Martin Luther Yet neither that tradition of the house of Elias nor the observation of Peucerus are of infallible certaintie r Acts 1.7 which the Father hath 〈◊〉 in his owne power It belongeth not to us to know times and seasons and though often God hath translated Kingdomes within the limits of five hundred yeeres yet not alwayes some have lasted longer as the Monarchy of the Assyrians some farre shorter as the monarchy of the Persians and after them of the Grecians The Christian Kings of Jerusalem finished their course within a hundred yeeres Men may probably ghesse at the circumvolution of great Empires and Kingdomes but neither can the Astrologers certainely foresee by the course of the starres nor Å¿ Bod. de rep l. 4. c. 2. ex Plat. pol. 8. Platonicks define by the accomplishment of the nuptiall number nor Politicians foretell by their intelligence with forreine States nor Magicians determine by conference with their familiar spirits but the Prophets of God onely forewarne by inspiration from him who hath decreed before all time the dayes of man and continuance of families and periods of Kingdomes and ages of the world and lasting of time it selfe That which Belshazzar saw t Dan. 5.25.26 a hand writing upon the wall all Princes and States may see and read in the records of heaven kept in holy Scripture Mene Mene thou art numbred thou art numbred thy yeares are summed thy dayes are appointed thine houre is set Be thou as great and glorious as Nebuchadnezzars Image
the more humble the more grace because they more desire it and are more capable thereof For the more empty the vessel is the more liquor it receiveth in like maner the more empty wee are in our owne conceits the more heavenly grace God z Mat. 11.25 infuseth into us To him therefore let our soules continually gaspe as a thirsty land let us pray to him for humility that wee may have grace and more grace that wee may be continually more humble Lord who hast taught us that because thy Son our Saviour being in the forme of God humbled himselfe and in his humility became obedient and in his obedience suffered death even the most ignominious painfull and accursed death of the crosse thou hast exalted him highly above the grave in his resurrection the earth in his ascension above the starres of heaven in his session establish our faith in his estate both of humiliation and exaltation and grant that his humility may be our instruction his obedience our rule his passion our satisfaction his resurrection our justification his ascension our improvement of sanctification and his session at thy right hand our glorification Amen Deo Patri Filio Sp. S. sit laus c. LOWLINES EXALTED OR Gloria Crocodilus THE LIII SERMON PHIL. 2.9 Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him Right Honourable c. WEe are come to keep holy the solemnest feast the Church ever appointed to recount thankfully the greatest benefit mankinde ever received to celebrate joyfully the happiest day time ever brought forth and if the rising of the sun upon the earth make a naturall day in the Calendar of the world shall not much more the rising of the Sun of righteousnesse out of the grave with his glorious beams describe a festivall day in the Calendar of the Church If the rest of God from the works of creation was a just cause of sanctifying a perpetuall Sabbath to the memory thereof may not the rest of our Lord from the works of redemption more painefull to him more beneficiall to us challenge the like prerogative of a day to be hallowed and consecrated unto it shall we not keep it as a Sabbath on earth which hath procured for us an everlasting Sabbath in heaven The holy Apostles and their Successors who followed the true light of the world so near that they could not misse their way thought it so meet and requisite that upon this ground they changed the seventh day from the creation appointed by God himselfe for a a Ignat. epist ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas Homil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de verb. Apost ser 25. Domini resuscitatio consecravit nobis diem Dominicum Vide Homil. Eccl. Of the time of prayer Hooker Eccles polit l. 5. sect 70. p. 196. The morall Law requiring a sevent part throughout the age of the world to be that way employed though with us the day be charged in regard of a new revolution begun by our Saviour Christ yet the same proportion of time continueth which was before because in a reference to the benefit of creation and now much more of renovation thereunto added by him which was the Prince of the world to come wee are bound to account the sanctification of one day in seven a duty which Gods immutable decree doth exact for ever Sabbath and fixed the Christian Sabbath upon the first day of the weeke to eternize the memory of our Lords resurrection This day is the first borne of the Church feasts the Prototypon and samplar Lords day if I may so speak from whence all the other throughout the yeere were drawne as patternes this is as the Sunne it selfe they are as the Parelii the Philosophers speake of images and representations of that glorious light in bright clouds like so many glasses set about the body thereof With what solemnity then the highest Christian feast is to be celebrated with what religion the christian Sabbath of sabbaths is to be kept with what affection the accomplishment of our redemption the glorification of our bodies the consummation of our happinesse the triumph of our Lord over death and hell and ours in him and for him is to be recounted with what preparation holy reverence the Sacrament of our Lords body and bloud which seales unto us these inestimable benefits is to be received with that solemnity that religion that affection that preparation that elevation of our minds we are to offer this morning sacrifice Wherefore I must intreat you to endeavour to raise your thoughts and affections above their ordinary levell that they fall not short of this high day which as it representeth the raising and exaltation of the worlds Redeemer so it selfe is raised and exalted above all other Christian feasts Were our devotion key cold and quite dead yet mee thinkes that the raising of our Lord from the dead should revive it and put new life and heat into it as it drew the bodies of many Saints out of the graves to accompany our Lord into the holy City After the Sun had bin in the eclipse for three houres when the fountaine of light began againe to be opened and the beames like streames run as before how lightsome on the sudden was the world how beautifull being as it were new gilt with those precious raies how joyfull and cheerfull were the countenances of all men The Sunne of righteousnesse had been in a totall eclipse not for three houres but three whole dayes and nights and then there was nothing but darknesse of sorâ—ow over the face of the whole Church but now hee appeares in greater glory than ever before now he shineth in his full strength What joy must this needs be to all that before sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death In the deadest time of the yeere we celebrated joyfully the birth of our Lord out of the wombe of the Virgin and shall we not this Spring as much rejoyce at his second birth and springing out of the wombe of the earth Then he was borne in humility and swadled in clouts now he is borne in majesty and clothed with robes of glory then he was borne to obey now to rule then to dye now to live for ever then to be nailed on the crosse at the right hand of a theefe now to be settled on a throne at the right hand of his Father As Cookes serve in sweet meats with sowre sawces Musicians in their songs insert discords to give rellish as it were to their concords and b Cic. de orat l. 3. Habeat summa illa laus umbram recessum ut id quod illuminatum est magis extare atque eminere videatur Rhetoricians set off their figures by solaecismes or plaine sentences in like manner the Apostle to extoll our Saviours exaltation the higher depresseth his humiliation the lower he expresseth his passion in the darkest colours to make the glory of his resurrection appear the brighter
to the law of all Nations most inhumanely insolently and barbarously useth mee employed as a publike minister of state for our whole Nation But all this in vaine these wrongs fell right upon them It was just with God that they who in disdaine of his Sonne cryed out Wee have no King but Caesar should finde no favour at Caesars hands and much lesse at Gods before whom they preferred Caesar Baron annal Noluerunt florem nacti sunt Florum praesidem They would none of the flower of Jesse they cast him away therefore God in justice after the former troubles sent them by Nero's appointment Deputy Florus 5 The Pharisces envie at the peoples crying Hosanna to Christ punished who robbed their Church treasury to raise a rebellion after put them to the sword for this rebellion received money of them to save them from spoile and spoiled them the more for it insomuch that the Scribes and Pharisees and chiefe Rulers who rebuked the people for bringing in Christ to Jerusalem with branches of palmes and happy acclamations of Hosanna to the sonne of David Hosanna in the highest are now forced to bring out all the treasures of the Temple and Priestly ornaments by them as it were to adjure the people and beseech them even with teares to march out of Jerusalem in seemliest order and with expressions of joy to meet and greet the Romane souldiers who requited their salutations with scornes and their gifts with pillaging them Note here the Jewes envie at Christs triumphant riding into Jerusalem punished 6. I beseech you observe the circumstances of time persons and place and you shall perceive that divine Justice did not onely make even reckonings with them in every particular of our Saviours sufferings but also kept the precise day and place of payment Galilee wherein Christ first preached and wrought so many miracles first of all suffers for her unbeliefe and is laid waste by Vespasian The infinite slaughter at Jerusalem began with the high Priest Ananus his death whom the Zelots slew in the Temple Sanguine foedantem quas ipse sacraverat aras A lamentable sight saith Josephus to see the chiefe Priest a little before clad with sacred and glorious vestments richly embroidered with gold and precious stones lye naked in the streets wallowing in dirt mud and bloud to behold that body which had been annointed with holy oyle to bee torne with dogges and devoured by ravenous and uncleane fowle to looke upâ—â— the Altar in the Temple polluted with the bloud of him who before had hallowed it with the bloud of beasts But so it was most agreeable to divine Justice that that order though never so sacred should first and most dreadfully rue our Lords death whose envie was first and malice deepest in the effusion of his most innocent bloud Who can but take notice of that which the Histories of those times written by Jewes as well as Christians offer to all readers observation viz. That the Jewes who escaped out of Jerusalem and fell into their enemies quarter because they were thought to devoure downe their money and jewels that the Romane souldiers might not finde them about them were in great numbers after they were slaine ripped 7 Their giving money to Judas to betray him repaid and bowelled and that besides those Jewes crucified by Flaccus whose death a Philo in legat Alii die festo mortuos de crucibus detraxerunt at hic non mortuos de crucibus sed vivos in crucem sustulit Philo so much bewailed because the execution was done upon them at their great Feasts without any regard to the solemnity of the day there were so many in this last siege of Jerusalem 8 Their crucifying him repaid with advantage crucified on the walls every day that there wanted in the end crosses for mens bodies and spaces for crosses Note here their price of bloud given to Judas to betray his Master as also their crucifying the Lord of glory was repaid with advantage Crucified they are in their persons for some of them that conspired Christs death might live till this time or in their children and nephewes by hundreds who cryed to Pilate when hee would have freed Christ Away with him away with him Crucifie him crucifie him Their bloud is shed for money who gave money to betray innocent bloud and shortly after thirty of them are sold for a piece of silver who bought his life at thirty pieces of silver As wee have compared persons and actions or rather passions so let us now parallel times and places Titus began to besiege Jerusalem as Caesar Baronius exactly calculateth upon the day in which our Saviour suffered hee surveyed the City on Mount 9 Their contempt of Christs teares Olivet whence our Saviour before viewing it wept over it And now the Jewes have their wish against their wills their 10 and their cursing revenged Matth. 27.25 owne curse is returned to their bosome viz. His bloud bee upon us and our children For so indeed it was in such a manner and measure as never before was heard or seene Besides those that fled out of the City which were either crucified upon the walls or slaine by the gates when Titus made a breach into the City hee saw all their streets paved in a manner with carkeises and caemented with bloud yea their channels ran with gore so full that the best meanes they could think of or use to quench the fire of the Temple was the bloud of the slaine And now Jerusalem which had been so free in 11 Their stoning Gods Prophets and spilling innocent bloud repaid casting stones at the Prophets and killing them that were sent unto her to exhort them to repentance unto life and shewed before of the comming of the Just One of whom these later Jewes had been the betrayers and murderers hath not one stone left upon another in her Acts 7.52 but is made even with the dust nay nothing but dust Sutton de Tiber. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dirt leavened with bloud the just temper of that Tyrants complexion in whose reigne the Lord of glory was crucified What other conclusion are wee to inferre upon these sad premisses but this that it is a most fearfull thing to provoke the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Who shall bee able to stand before him in the great day of his wrath from whose face the heaven and the earth fled away 1 Pet. 2.7 Mat. 21.42 44. and their place could no where be found The stone which the builders refused is now become the head of the corner Take heed how yee stumble on it or lift at it Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but upon whomsoever it shall fall it shall grinde him to powder Vid. mag de burg sub finem Cent. prim Baron annal tom 1. as it did Herod and Pilate and Annas and Caiaphas and all that were
If they are to account for their owne Stewardship certainly either at the private audit the day of their death or at the publike audit the day of judgement after which they shall be no longer Stewards but either Lords in Heaven or Slaves in Hell Wherefore O Christian whosoever thou art whether thou swayest the scepter or handlest the spade whether thou sittest at the sterne or rowest at the oare whether thou buildest on the roofe or diggest at the foundation make full account of it thou shalt be called to an account for thy worke be not idle therefore nor secure Secondly that for which thou art to account is no place of authority but an office of trust no Lordship but a Stewardship be not proud of it nor unfaithfull in it Thirdly this office of trust is not a Treasurership but a Stewardship be not covetous nor unprofitable Fourthly this Stewardship is not anothers but thine owne be not curious nor censorious Fifthly this thy Stewardship is not perpetuall but for a time it expireth with thy life be not negligent nor fore-slacke thy opportunity of making friends to receive thee into everlasting habitations after thou must relinquish thy office That God is Lord of all his claime unto all is a sufficient evidence to us For hee cannot pretend a false title who is truth it selfe neither can any question his right in any Court who is author of all lawes as hee is maker of all things which are his by a threefold right 1. Of Creation 2. Purchase 3. Possession 1. Of Creation for that which a man maketh is his owne 2. Of Purchase for that which any one purchaseth is his owne 3. Of Possession for that which any one is possessed of time out of minde is his owne By the first of these the Father may claime us as all things else who made all By the second the Sonne who redeemed the world By the third the holy Ghost who inhabiteth us and after a speciall manner possesseth us g Isa 66.1 Heaven is my throne saith God and the earth is my footstoole You see then great reason why God should be compared to a rich man with whom all the rich men in the world may not compare neither in lands nor in cattell nor in mony and treasure Not in lands for the bounds of the earth are his land-markes and the Sunne is his Surveyer Nor in cattell for h Psal 50. every beast of the forrest is his and the cattell upon a thousand hills Not in mony or plate for i Haggai 2. gold is mine and silver is mine saith the Lord. Nor lastly in goods for that golden chaine of the Apostle k 1 Cor. 22.23 All are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods may bee drawne backward by the same linkes thus All are Gods and God is Christs and Christ is ours Yea but it may be argued against this conclusion that God hath small or no demaines in as much as hee holdeth nothing in his owne hands having let out if I may so speake the heaven to Saints and Angels the ayre to Birds and Fowle the water to Fish the earth to Men and Beasts to dwell in it and reap the fruits thereof But the answer is easie for though God make no benefit of any thing to himselfe yet hee keepeth the right and propriety of all things in himselfe and hee must needs keep all things in his hands who clincheth the Heavens with his fist Moreover hee requireth homage of all his creatures which are but his tenants at will or to speake more properly servants to be thrust out of office and state upon the least offence given or dislike taken Which condition is farre worse than the former For a tenant hath some kinde of propriety and interest in that which hee holdeth of his Landlord and if he performe all covenants provisoes and conditions of his lease or agreement with his Lord hee may not without apparent wrong bee suddenly turned out of house and home much lesse may his Lord seize upon all his goods and dispose of them at his pleasure The case standeth farre worse with a Steward who hath nothing he may call his but his office for which hee may be alwayes called to an account and upon it discharged Yet this is the state of the greatest States and Potentates of the world they have no certainty in any thing they possesse or enjoy For which cause Saint l Hom. 2. ad po◠Antioch Omnes usum et fructum habemus dominium nemo Chrysostome findeth great fault with the wills and testaments of great personages in his time by which they bequeath lands lordships and inheritances in their own name and right as if those things were absolutely in their power they usurpe saith hee upon Gods prerogative who hath given unto them the use and profit of the things of this life but not the dominion no nor propriety in strict point of law unlesse a man will account that to be his own for which he is to give an account to another The Steward is no whit the richer because hee hath more to account for but in this regard more solicitous and obnoxious Which observation we may crowne with this corollary That they who seem to have the greatest and best estates in this world are in the worst condition of any if their gifts be not eminent and their care and industry extraordinary to make the best advantage to their Master of the many talents committed to them The reason hereof is easie to ghesse at and was long ago yeelded by Gregory the m Greg. sup Evang dominic Cum augentur dona crescunt rationes donorum great As their means and incomes so their accounts grow For n Luke 12.48 To whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more to whom more is given more shall be required of him To speake nothing of the many imployments and distractions of men in great place which sacrilegiously robbe them of their sacred houres devoted to prayer and meditation and bereave them of themselves I had almost said deprive them of their God and the sweet fellowship of his holy Spirit they must give so much audience to others that they can give but little attendance on God Publike imployments and eminent places in Church and Common-wealth expose those that hold them to the view of all men their good parts whatsoever they have are in sight and their bad too which men are more given to marke quis enim solem ferè intuetur nisi cum deficit when doe men so gaze upon the Sunne as in the eclipse in so much that the very word Marke is commonly taken in the worst sense for some scarre blemish or deformity A small coale raked up in the ashes may live a great while which if it be raked out and blowne soone dyeth and turneth into ashes They that were kept in close prison by Dionysius enjoyed the benefit of
thing so much as their tiring In summe they spend all their time in a manner in beautifying and adorning their body to please their lovers but in comparison none at all in beautifying and adorning their soules to please their Maker and Husband Christ Jesus Of these Saint m James 5.5 James long ago gave us the character They live in pleasure in the earth and waxe wanton and are fatted for the day of slaughter I spare to rehearse other lavishing out of time lest the rehearsing thereof might seeme worthy to bee numbred among the idle expences thereof And now it is time to set the foot to the account of my meditations on this Scripture The Conclusion and draw neere to that which we all every day draw neerer unto an end The * 1 Pet. 4.7 end of all things is at hand be sober therefore watch unto prayer The day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the workes thereof shall be burned up This great Doomes-day cannot bee farre off as wee see by the fearfull fore-runners thereof howsoever the day of our death which may be called little doomes-day will soon overtake us peradventure before the Sunne yet set or this glasse be runne Wherefore I beseech you all that heare mee this day in the feare of God by occasion of the summons in my Text to enter into a more strict examination of your life than ever heretofore bring out all your thoughts words deeds projects councels and designes and lay them to the rule of Gods Law and if they swerve never so little from it reforme and amend them recount how you have bestowed the blessings of this life how you have imployed the gifts of nature how you have increased your talents of grace wherein the Church or Common-wealth hath been the better by you consider how you have carried your selves abroad in the world how at home in your private families but how especially in the closet of your owne heart You know out of the Gospel that a mans n Mat. 12.44 house may be swept and garnished that is his outward conversation civill and faire and yet harbour seven uncleane spirits within If lust and covetousnesse and pride and envie and malice and rancour and deceit and hypocrisie like so many serpents lye under the ground gnawing at the root of the tree be the leaves of your profession never so broad and seem the fruits of your actions never so faire the vine is the vine of Sodome and the grape the grape of Gomorrah There is nothing so easie as to put a fresh colour upon a rotten post and to set a faire glosse upon the fowlest matters to pretend conscience for most unconscionable proceedings and make religion it selfe a maske to hide the deformity of most irreligious practices But when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened and the intents and purposes of all our actions manifested and the most hidden workes of darknesse brought to light As it is to bee hoped that many that are infinitely wronged in the rash censures of men shall be justified in the sight of God and his Angels so it is to be feared that very many whom the world justifieth and canonizeth also for Saints shall be condemned at Christs barre and have their portion with hypocrites in hell there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore sith we shall all one day come to such a publike such an impartiall such a particular tryall of all that we have done in the body either good or evill let us looke more narrowly to all our wayes and see that they be streight and even 1. Let us search our heart with all diligence let us look into all the corners thereof and see there lurke no wickednesse nor filthinesse nor hypocrisie there let us looke to our thoughts that they be pure to our desires that they be lawfull to our affections that they be regular to our passions that they be moderate to our ends that they be good to our purposes that they be honest to our intentions that they be sincere to our resolutions that they be well grounded and firme 2. Next let us take our tongue to examination and weigh all our words in the ballance of the Sanctuary and try whether they have not been light and idle but grave and profitable not crafty and deceitfull but simple and plaine not false and lying but true and faithfull not outragious but sober not filthy but modest not prophane but holy not censorious but charitable not scurrilous but ponderous not insolent but lowly and courteous not any way offensive and unsavoury but such as might o Ephes 4.29 minister grace to the hearers 3. Lastly let us lay our hands upon our handy workes and examine our outward acts and deeds 1. Whether they have been alwayes justifiable in generall by the Law of God that is either commanded by it or at least warranted in it 2. Whether they have been and are conformable to the orders of the Church and lawes of the Land For wee must obey lawfull authority for conscience sake in all things that are not repugnant to the divine Law as Bernard piously resolveth saying Thou must yeeld obedience to him as to God who is in the place of God in those things that are not against God 3. Whether they have been agreeable to our particular calling For some things are justifiable by the Law of God and man in men of one state and calling which are hainous sinnes in another as we see in the cases of Uzza and Uzziah 4. Whether they have been answerable to our inward purposes intentions and dispositions For though they are otherwise lawfull and agreeable yet if they goe against the haire if they are done with grudging and repining and not heartily they are neither acceptable to God nor man 5. Whether they have been all things considered most expedient For as many things are profitable and expedient that are not lawfull so some things are lawfull that are not p 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawfull unto me but all things are not expedient expedient and because they are not expedient if necessity beare them not out they become by consequent unlawfull For we are not onely bound to eschew all the evill we know but also at all times to doe the best good wee can else wee fulfill not the commandement of loving God with all our heart and all our soule and all our strength To summe up all I have discoursed unto you first of the Stewardship of the things of this life secondly of the account of this Stewardship thirdly of the time of this account The Stewardship most large the account most strict the time most uncertaine After the explication of these points in the application I arraigned foure Stewards before you first the sacred
secondly the civill thirdly the wealthy fourthly the ordinary and found them all very tardy and imperfect in their accounts which that you might not be I but even now delivered unto you the rule of three or golden rule as it is called in sacred algebray whereby you may easily number your dayes and cast up your accounts and infallibly perfect the bookes of your conscience What remaineth but that at your first and best opportunity you fall on this worke cast your accounts privately in the chamber of your heart peruse the booke of your conscience mend what is amisse by unfained and hearty repentance fetch out all the blots and blurres there with the aqua fortis of your teares and if yet there remaine any thing which you cannot well account for to meet your Master before hand upon your knees and beseech him to put it upon his Sonnes score and to satisfie himselfe out of the infinite treasury of his merits or to wipe it out with the spunge that was offered him on the Crosse This if yee practise daily and make even with God every night you shall be perfect and ready when your Master shall call for your accounts and you shall be found of him in peace and he shall then say unto you Well done good and faithfull Stewards yee have been faithfull in a little I will set you over much yee have been faithfull in temporall I will trust you with eternall goods yee have been faithfull in earthly I will commit to you heavenly treasures yee have been faithfull in a Stewardship I will give you a Kingdome enter into your Masters joy Into which God grant we may all enter when we are passed out of this vale of teares through the merits of Christs death and passion by the conduct of his holy Spirit To whom three persons and one God c. PHILIP HIS MEMENTO MORI OR The Passing Bell. A Sermon preached in Mercers Chappell at the Funerall of Master Benet Merchant THE XXII SERMON DEUT. 32.29 O that they were wise then they would understand this they would consider their later end Right Worshipfull c. HEnoch lived by just computation so many yeeres as there are dayes in the yeere viz. 365. and he was the seventh man from Adam and dyed in anno a Sethus Calvis in Chron. Sabbathico the Sabbathick yeere and thereby became a lively Embleme both of this life and the life to come For the labours of this life are governed by the course of the Sunne which is finished in that period of time and the rest of the life to come is evidently prefigured in the Sabbath It is farther written of him in the holy Records of eternity that he b Heb. 11.5 Gen. 5.24 walked with God and was therefore translated that hee should not see death to teach us that they who walke with God all the dayes of their life as he did shall come into no condemnation but immediately passe from death to life from death temporall to life eternall which was not obscurely disciphered unto us in the narration of the seventh dayes creation After the mention of every day in the weeke and the worke thereof wee reade so the evening and the morning were the first day and so the c Gen. 1.5 8 13.19 23 31. second and the rest but after the relation of the seventh dayes creation on which God rested and blessed and sanctified it the former clause is quite d Gen 2.1 2 3. omitted It is not added as in the rest so the morning and the evening were the seventh day because in Heaven whereof the Sabbath was a type there is no morning and evening much lesse night but as it were perpetuall high-noon For the e Apoc. 21.23 Lambe is the light thereof and this Lambe is the f Mal. 4.2 Sunne of righteousnesse which never riseth nor setteth but keepeth still in the midst of the Empyreall Heaven and Throne of God as on the contrary in Hell there is nothing but continuall midnight and everlasting darknesse Thus the wisedome of God justly and the justice of God wisely hath proportioned the rewards in the life to come to the workes of men in this life they that cast off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light and walk in the light as children of the light here shall hereafter possesse the inheritance of the g Colos 1.12 Saints in light but they who love darknes more than light and have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse and continually walke as in the darke in grosse and palpable ignorance in gluttony and drunkennesse in chambering and wantonnesse and the like sinnes of darknesse here shall hereafter inhabit the region of perpetuall darknesse and never vanishing shadowes of death O that we were wise then we would understand these things and in the beginning of our race in this world thinke of our h â—â—n ep 30. Ut mortem nunquam timeâ—s semper cogita later end For the beginning of wisedome is the consideration of our end and a forcible meanes to bring us to everlasting life is to meditate continually upon our death To thinke what wee shall be stench and rottennesse and worse if we be not better ashes and cinders of hell will through the power of Christs death make us what we should be that is dead to sinne dead to the world dead in our selves but alive in God How can hee live in sinne who perpetually apprehendeth that hee shall dye eternally for his sinne how can he make a trade of iniquity and a sport of religion and a mock of God and a god of his belly who hath hell torments alwayes before the eyes of his minde i Lament 1.9 Jerusalem remembred not her last end therefore shee came downe fearfully and because wee put from us the evill day it commeth fast upon us It were unpossible to goe on forward as wee doe in the wayes of sinne and pathes of death if wee would dwell but a little while upon these or the like thoughts After a few dayes perhaps this very day yea this houre I shall be called to a strict account of my whole life charged with all the sinnes open and secret that ever I have committed accused by the Divell convicted by mine owne conscience condemned by the dreadfull Judge of quicke and dead to be cast into utter darknesse in hell there to endure such torments for ever as it would breake the strongest heart and conquer all humane patience to feele but for an houre Haec cogitare est vitiis omnibus renunciare to enter into a serious consideration of these things is to chase away all wanton and wicked thoughts and to send a bill of divorce to the world and all her minions the mistresses of our carnall affections but this is the mischiefe as S. k Cyp. de mortal Aeterna tormenta nemo cogitat quae metueret conscientia si crederet si metueret
Babylon before his comming into the flesh and after his death first under the fury of the Heathen next the cruelty of the Arrian Emperours and since that under the insolency of the Turke in the East and tyranny of Antichrist in the West As hee is termed by the Prophet Esay Vir dolorum a man of sorrowes so we finde her Uxorem lachrymarum a wife of teares as he was crowned with thorns so she lyeth in the briars as he was laid in wait for at his birth so she at her new birth as he fled from Herod into Egypt so she from the Dragon into the wildernesse as he was tempted once so she is alwayes as he bare his crosse to Golgotha so she hath borne hers in all parts and ages of the world Indeed sometimes she hath had lucida intervalla times of lightsomenesse and joy when Kings have been her nursing fathers and Queenes her nursing mothers but for the most part she sitteth in darknesse as a close mourner yet solacing her selfe with c Micah 7.8 Rejoyce not against mee O my enemy When I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be light unto mee hope of better times Hence it is that all the pictures that are drawne of her in Scripture are either taken from a d Apoc. 12.13 child-bearing woman frighted by a Dragon gaping to devoure her babe or a e Lament 1.1 widow making lamentation for her husband or a mother f Matth. 2.18 weeping for her children or a g Psal 39.12 pilgrime passing from country to country or an hermite lodged in the wildernesse as here in my Text. The Saints of God are described in holy Scripture clad in three sutes of apparrell different in colour 1. Blacke 2. Red. 3. White Blacke is their mourning weed Red their military ornament White their wedding garment They mourne in blacke for their sinnes and grievous afflictions They fight in red against their bloudy persecutours They triumph and sit at the marriage feast of the h Apoc. 16.11 And white robes were given to every one of them Lambe in white Two of their sutes they are well knowne by on earth the third is reserved in Gods Wardrob and shall be given them in Heaven The two former may be called their working day apparrell but the last their Holy-day or Sunday For they weare it not but upon their everlasting Sabbath in Heaven Their red and blacke vests doe not so much cover their bodies as discover their state and condition in this world where they alwayes either stand and fight with their bodily and ghostly enemies or sit downe and i Job 7.1 weep for their irrecoverable losses and incurable wounds Their life is a i Job 7.1 continuall warfare upon earth three potent enemies continually bid them battell 1 The World Without 2 The Flesh Within 3 The Divell Both within and without The Divell never ceaseth to suggest wicked thoughts the World to present dangerous baites the Flesh to ingender noysome lusts The Divell mainly assaulteth their faith the World their hope the Flesh their love and they fight with three speciall weapons 1 Temptations 2 Heresies 3 Persecutions Temptations I call all vitious provocations heresies all false doctrines in matter of faith and salvation persecutions all outward afflictions Temptations properly lay at the will heresies at the understanding persecutions at the whole person which though the Church of Christ for the most part in her noble members couragiously endureth and therefore is fitly compared to the Pyrausts which are nourished in the fire and to the Phoenix because she riseth againe out of the ashes of the burnt bodies of Martyrs yet sometimes especially in her weake and more feeble members to escape this fire she flies into some wildernesse or remote or obscure place where God alwayes provideth for her Division And the woman there is the frailtie of her nature fled there is the uncertainty of her state into the wildernesse there is the place of her retirednesse where she is nourished by God there is the staffe of her comfort a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes there is the terme of her obscuritie and the period of all her troubles And the woman c. Though all the prophecies of this booke are darkned with much obscurity yet by illustrating the vision set downe through this whole chapter and hanging it as it were a great light in the most eminent part of it we shall easily discover what divine truth lyeth hid in every corner thereof The holy Apostle and the Evangelist S. John in a divine rapture saw a most faire and glorious woman in travell and an ugly red Dragon with seven heads and ten hornes standing before her with open mouth ready to devoure her child of which she was no sooner delivered but her son was taken up to the Throne of God and she carried with the wings of an Eagle into the Wildernesse the Dragon thus deceived of his prey after which his mouth watered cast out of his mouth water as a floud after her to drowne her Such was the vision marke now I beseech you the interpretation thereof By the woman all that have dived deepe into the profound mysteries of this booke understand the Church whose beautie and glory is k Ver. 1. There appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the Sunne and the Moone under her feet and upon her head a crowne of twelve starres illustrated by the Sunne cloathing her and the Moone supporting her and the Starres crowning her The Sunne either signifieth the knowledge of Gods Word which enlighteneth the Church throughout or Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse who cloathes her with the robes of his righteousnesse Mal. 4 2. and exalteth her to his throne of glory above the Moone on which she standeth and thereby sheweth her contempt of this uncertaine and mutable world ruled by the Moone and subject to as many changes as that planet Thus it seemeth cleere what is meant by the Sunne and Moone but what shall we make of the crowne of twelve starres set upon her head It seemeth to represent either the number of the twelve Patriarkes the Crowne of the Jewish or the twelve Apostles the Crown of the Christian Church The man child which this woman had no sooner brought forth but he was caught up unto God in his Throne Ver. 5. and was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron is undoubtedly our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as by comparing the fift verse of this chapter with Psal 2. v. 9. and Apoc. 2.27 and 19.15 appeareth most evidently As for the Dragon he is so set out in his colours v. 9. that any may know him there he is called the old Serpent the Divell and Satan which deceiveth the whole world The waters which he casteth out of his mouth are multitudes of people which he stirreth up to persecute the Church He is described with
24. corruptible man but also of beasts and fowles and creeping things The difference which Cardinall Bellarmine maketh between an Image and an Idoll viz. that an Idoll is the representation of that which hath no existence in nature but an Image the likenesse of something really existent is false and repugnant to Scripture For the Cherubims in the Aâ—ke were Images yet never was there any thing in nature existent in such a forme as they were expressed viz. in the face of a childe with six wings And no man doubteth but that the Image which Aaron made the Nehustan which Hezekiah brake downe Bell and the Dragon Rempham Baal and Dagon were Idols and the worshippers of them Idolaters yet were these figures the representations of things existent in nature viz. of a King a Beast a Serpent a Starre the Sunne and a Fish and therefore what arguments the ancient Fathers Origen Arnobius Lactantius and Minutius Felix use against the Heathenish Idols will serve as strong weapons to knocke downe and batter in pieces all Popish Images What a q Divin instit l. 2. c. 2. Quae igitur amentia est aut ea fingere quae ipsi postmodum timeant aut timere quae finxerint Non ipsos inquiunt timemus sed cos ad quorum imaginem sunt facta quorum nominibus consecrata sunt nempè ideò timetis quod eos esse in coelo arbitramini Neque enim si dii sunt aliter fieri potest cur igitur oculos in coelum non tollitis cur ad parietes ligna lapides potiùs quà m illò spectatis ubi eos esse creditis Hominis imago tum necessaria videtur cùm procul abest supervaâ—uâ— futura cùm praesâ—o adest Dei autem cujus spiritus ac numen ubique dâ—â—â—â—sum aâ—esse nunquam poâ—â—st semper â—â—quâ—mago supervacanâ—a est madnesse is it saith Lactantius either to make that which they ought to feare or to feare that which themselves have made If yee worship the Images for themselves yee are more senslesse and blockish than they for they if they had life and sense as ye have would not suffer you to worship them but themselves would fall downe and worship you their makers But if as some will colour the matter yee worship not the Image but God by the Image why then lift yee not up your eyes to heaven where yee know God sitteth in his majesty why cast yee them downe why in offering up your prayers to him turne yee to a carved stone or painted post The use of an Image is to preserve the memory of those that are dead or absent therefore sith God is alwaies alive and present with us his image is alwaies superfluous And in our devotion to turne to it is all one as if a man in the presence of his friend or a servant in the presence of his master having a message to deliver to him-should turne from him and tell a tale to his picture And is it not a strange thing that sottish men should performe such a deale of respect and ceremony to the image bow downe before it bring presents and burne incense to it and yet all this while make no reckoning at all of the goldsmith whose creature it is Questionlesse there can bee no r Orig lil 8 cont Celsum Simulachra Deo dicanda non sunt fabrorum opera c. visible or bodily image made to resemble the nature of the invisible God but if wee will draw a picture of him it must be in the Å¿ Minutius Felix in dial Deus in nostro dedicandus est pectore quod simulachrum Deo fingam cùm fi recté existimes sit Dei homo ipse simulachrum table of our hearts by expressing his divine vertues and attributes t Lactant. loc supr cit Simulachrum Dei non est illud quod digitis hominis é lapide aut aerâ—â—lâ—â—â—e materiâ fabricatur sed ipse homo quoniam sentit movetur multas magnasque actioneâ— habet Recté Seneca in moral Simulachra deorum venerantur illis supplicant illis per totum assident diâ—m 〈◊〉 â—stant illis stipem jaciunt victimas cedunt cùm haec tantoperé suspiciunt fabros qui illa feceâ—â— contemnunt Is not man himselfe made after Gods image what an incongruity then were it for man to thinke of making or dedicating any other image to God who is it himselfe What abjectnesse and basenesse is it for him who beareth the image of the living God to cast himselfe downe before and adore the images of dead men and women We reade of a barbarous and savage act of a cruell tyrant who bound living men to dead carkasses till the one corrupted the other and both rotted together Is not the cruelty of those Heathen Emperours as barbarous who perforce couple the living images of God the soules of men to dead images to corrupt them thereby Which of these battell-axes is not as serviceable altogether to knocke downe Popish Images as to maule and deface Heathenish Idols And this may suffice for the paralleling of Baalites and Papists in generall as they are Idolaters let us now compare them in speciall 1. As the Papists plead for themselves that they worship not Idols that is the representation of things feigned and devised by man but images of things truly existent so the Baalites might varnish over their idolatry saying that the image they worshipped was not of any feigned deity but of that which all men and women saw which was not only visible but also most glorious to wit the Sunne 2. As the Baalites stood upon the multitude of Baals worshippers and ministers For to one Priest or Prophet of God that durst shew his head they had above foure hundred that followed the Court and had their table there albeit indeed there were more than seven thousand in Israel that never bowed the knee to Baal yet these played least in sight and there were more than seventy times seven thousand in all Israel that for ought appeares either willingly or by constraint bowed to him in like manner the Papists at this day brag of nothing so much as of the multitude of their professours and paucitie or latencie of those especially in former ages that professed the reformed religion or impugned the Roman faith 3. As the priests of Baal called him Baal Samen King or Lord of heaven so doe the superstitious Papists call the blessed Virgin the Queene of heaven 4. As the Baalites erected divers images to Baal which received names from the places where they stood as Bal Peor Baal Zephon Baal Tamar so have the Papists erected divers images to our Lady which they in like manner denominate from the cities where they are set up as the Lady of Loretto the Lady of Sichem the Lady of Mount Seratto the Lady of Hailes Nostre Dame de Paris de Rouen c. 5. As the servitours of Baal were distinguished into
Aprilis aerae Christianae An. Dom. 1615. Johan 21.15 16 17. 15. Quum ergo prandissent dicit Simoni Petro Jesus Simon fili Jonae diligis me plùs quà m hi dicit ei Certè Domine tu nosti quòd amem te dicit ei Pasce agnos meos 16. Dicit ei rursum secundo Simon fili Jonae diligis me ait illi Certè Domine tu nosti quod amem te dicit ei Pasce oves meas 17. Dicit ei tertio Simon fili Jonae amas me tristitiâ fuit affectus Petrus quod tertio dixisset ipsi amas me dixitque ei Domine tu omnia nosti tu nosti quòd amem te dicit ei Jesus Pasce oves meas Sermons preached at Paris in the house of the right Honourable Sir Thomas Edmonds Lord Embassadour resident in France lying in the Fauxburge of St. Germans in the yeeres of our Lord 1610 1611 1612. The checke of Conscience page 609. Rom. 6.21 What fruit had yee in those things whereof yee are now ashamed for the end of those things is death The Vine of Sodome page 620. Rom. 6.21 What fruit had yee then in those things c. The Grapes of Gomorrah page 629. Rom. 6.21 What fruit had yee in those things c. The hiew of a Sinner page 638. Rom. 6.21 Whereof yee are now ashamed The wages of Sinne. page 645. Rom. 6.21 For the end of those things is death The gall of Aspes page 661. Rom. 6.21 For the end of those things is death Ferula Paterna page 672. Revel 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten I. The nurture of Children page 681. Apoc. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Chasten The lot of the Godly page 693. Apoc. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten As many The oyle of Thyme page 702. Revel 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten As I love The sweet Spring of the waters of Marah page 710. Apoc. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten I love The Patterne of Obedience page 719. Phil. 2.8 Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse The reward of Patience page 725. Philip. 2.9 Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him Lowlinesse exalted page 735. Philip. 2.9 Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him A Summons to Repentance page 747. Ezek. 18.23 Have I any desire at all that the wicked should dye saith the Lord God The best Returne page 757. Ezek. 18.23 Not that he should returne from his wayes and live or If he returne from his evill wayes shall he not live The danger of Relapse page 765. Ezek. 18.24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall hee live all his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee dye The deformity of Halting page 776. 1 Kings 18.21 And Elijah came to all the people and said How long halt yee between two opinions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him and the people answered not a word Old and new Idolatry paralleled page 784. 1 Kings 18.21 If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him One God one true Religion page 794. 1 Kings 18.21 If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him Bloudy Edome page 802. Psal 137.7 8. 7. Remember O Lord the children of Edome in the day of Jerusalem who said Raze it raze it even to the foundation thereof 8. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall hee be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Sermons preached in Lambeth Parish Church The watchfull Sentinell page 814. A Sermon preached the fifth of November Psal 121.4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Abraham his Purchase page 825. A Sermon preached at the consecration of the Church-yard inclosed within the new wall at Lambeth Acts 7.19 And were carried over into Sechem and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a summe of mony of the sons of Emor of Sechem The Feast of Pentecost page 834. A Sermon preached on Whitsunday Acts 2.1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all together with one accord in one place The Symbole of the Spirit page 842. Acts 2.2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting The Mysterie of the fiery cloven Tongues page 850. Acts 2.3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them Christ his lasting Monument page 856. A Sermon preached on Maundy Thursday 1 Corinth 11.26 As often as yee eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye doe shew the Lords death till he come The signe at the Heart page 864. A Sermon preached on the first Sunday in Lent Acts 2.37 And when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Christian Brotherhood page 876. A Sermon preached on the second Sunday in Lent Acts 2.37 And they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren c. The perplexed soules Quaere page 883. A Sermon preached on the third Sunday in Lent Acts 2.37 What shall wee doe The last offer of Peace page 891. A Sermon preached at a publike Fast Luke 19.41 42. 41. And when he was come neere he beheld the City and wept over it 42. Saying If thou hadst knowne even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes A Catalogue of the Authors cited in this Work with their severall Editions A. ABen Ezra Basil 1620. G. Abbot Lond. 1620. R. Abbot Lond. 1606. Aelianus Lugd. 1577. Aeneas Sylviue Col. 1535. Aesopus Venet. 1606. Agapetus Bib. pat T. 6. p. 1. Col. 1622. C. Agrippa Paris 1567. G. Alanus Antw. 1576. Albertus Mag. Basil 1506. Alcazar Lugd. 1618. P. de Alliaco Mogunt 1574. J. Almainus Paris 1512. Fr. Alvarez Lugd. 1608. Ambrosius Mediol Basil 1555. Ambrosius Ansbert Bib. par T. 9. p. 2. Col. 1622. Andradius Col. 1564. Amphilochius Bib. pat T. 4. Col. 1622. Anselmus Col. 1573. Antiphon Orat. Paris 1609. Anthologia Grec Epig. Franc. 1600. Apuleius Venet. 1504. Apollinarius Bib. pat T. 4. Col. 1622 Th. Aquinas Venet. 1594. Arboreus Paris 1540. Aretas Bib. pat T. 6. Col. 1622. B. Aretius Bern. 1604. Th. Argentinensis Gen. 1585. Gr. Ariminensis Venet. 1503. Aristophanes Francof 1597. Aristoteles Lugd. 1590. R. Armacanus Francof 1614. Arnobius Rom. 1562. Arnoldus Bib. pat T. 6. Col. 1622. Articuli Eccles Angl. Lond. 1628. Athanasius Alexandrinus Par. 1581. Avendanus Madrid 1593. Augustinus Hypponensis Par. 1586. P.
are his How should hee not know them whom he fore-knew before the world began and wrote their names in the booke of life Apoc. 13.8 Phil. 4.3 With my fellow labourers whose names are in the book of life Exod 28.21 A glorious type whereof was the engraving the names of the twelve Tribes in twelve precious stones with the point of a Diamond never to be razed out To seduce any of the Elect our Saviours a Mat. 24.24 And they shall shew great signes and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. If supposeth it to be impossible for this were to plucke Christs sheep out of his hand b Joh. 10.28 29 They shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them 〈◊〉 is greater than all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand which none can do All the Elect are those blessed ones on Christs right hand to whom he shall say at the day of Judgement c Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world was laid they are the Church of the first borne which are written d Heb. 12.23 in heaven Now although all that yeeld their assent to supernaturall verities revealed in Scripture may not presume that their names are written in the booke of life for Simon Magus beleeved yet was he in e Act. 18.13 23 the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity nay the f Jam. 2.19 Divels themselves as St. James teacheth us beleeve who are g Jude 6. reserved in chaines of darknesse unto the judgement of the great day yet they who beleeve in God embrace the promises of the Gospell with the condition of denying of ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and living godly righteously and soberly in this present world and lay fast hold on Christ have no doubt attained that faith which Saint Paul stileth h Tit. 1.1 the faith of Gods Elect and Saint i Act 13.48 15.9 Luke maketh an effect of predestination to eternall life for such a k Rom. 3.28 Joh. 1.12 faith purifieth the heart justifieth before God putteth us into the state of adoption worketh by love and is accompanied with repentance unto life which gifts are never bestowed upon any reprobate if we will beleeve the ancient l Greg. l. 28. in Job c. 6. Extra Ecclesiae mensuras omnes reprobi etiamsi intra fidei limitem esse videantur Aug. cont Pel. l. 1. c 4 de unit eccl c. 23. Hoc donum propâ—ium est eorum qui regnabunt cum Christo Plin. nat hist l. 21. c. 8. Postquam dâ— ficere cuncti flores mâ—defactus aqua reviviscit hybernas coron is facit Fathers The seed of this faith being sown in good ground taketh deepe root downeward in humility and groweth upward in hope and spreadeth abroad by charity and bringeth forth fruits of good workes in great abundance it resembleth the true Amaranthus which after all the flowers are blowne away or drop downe at the fall of the leafe being watered at the root reviveth and serveth to make winter garlands even so a firme and well grounded beliefe after the flowers of open profession of Christ are blown away by the violent blasts of persecution and temptation being moistened with the dew of grace from heaven and the water of penitent teares reviveth againe and flourisheth and furnisheth the Church Christs Spouse as it were with winter garlands unlooked and unhoped for The third pillar The love of God is not more constant than his decrees are certaine nor his decrees more certaine than his promises are faithfull Therefore in the third place I erect for a third pillar to support the doctrine delivered out of this Scripture the promise of perseverance which I need not hew nor square for the building it fitteth of it selfe For it implieth contradiction that they who are endued with the grace of perseverance should utterly fall away from grace Constancy is not constancy if it vary perseverance is not perseverance if it faile And therfore S. m Aug. de bono persev c. 6. Hoc donum suppliciter emereri potest sed cum datum est contumaciter amittti non potest promodo enim potest amitti per quod fit ut non amittatur etiam quod possit amitti Austin acutely determines that this gift may be obtained by humble praier but after what it is given it cannot bee lest by proud contumacy for how should that gift it selfe bee lost which keepeth all other graces from being lost which otherwise might bee lost When I name the gift of perseverance in the state of grace I understand with that holy Father such a gift * Aug. de correp grâ—t c. 12. Non solâ— n ut sine isto dono persevâ—rantes essâ— non possunt verum etiam ut per hoc donuÌ„ non nisi perseverantes sint Gratia qua subventum est infirmitati voluntatis humanae ut indeclinabiliter insuperabiliter ageretur quam vis infirma non deficeret nec adversitate aliqua vinceretur sed quod bonum est invictissimè vellet hoc differere invictissimè nollet not onely without which wee cannot persevere but with which we cannot but persevere Such an heavenly grace whereby the infirmity of mans will is supported in such sort that it is led by the spirit unfailably and unconquerably so that though it be weake yet it never faileth nor is overcome by any temptation but cleaveth most stedfastly to that which is good and cannot by any power bee drawne to forsake it This gift of the faithfull is shadowed out by those similitudes whereto the godly and righteous man in Scripture is compared viz. of a a Psal 1.3 tree planted by the river side whose leafe shall not wither Of the hill of Sion which may not be removed but standeth fast for ever Psal 125.1 Of a b Mat. 7.24 house built upon a rocke Quae Obvia ventorum furiis expostaque ponto Vim cunctam atque minas perfert coelique marisque Ipsa immota manens Upon which though the raine descended and the flouds came and the windes blew and beat on it yet it fell not for it was founded upon a rocke but it is fully plainly and most evidently expressed promised in those words of c Jer. 32.40 Jeremy I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good and I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Which Text of the Prophet is by the d Heb. 5.10 Apostle applied to the faithfull under the Gospel and thus expounded by S. Austin e Aug. l. de bono persev c. 2. Timorem dabo in cor ut non recedant quid est aliud quam talis ac tantus
overthrow of the Jewish Nation by Vespasian and his sonne Titus Others deferre the accomplishment of this prophecy till the dreadfull day of the Worlds doome when by the shrill sound of the Archangels Trumpet all the dead shall bee awaked and the son of man shall march out of Heaven with millions of Angels to his Judgement seat in the clouds where hee shall sit upon the life and death of mankinde That day saith Saint d August l. 20. de civitate Dei Ille dies judicii propriè dicitur eo quod nullus erit ibi imperitae querelae locus Cur injustus ille sit foelix cur justus ille infoelix Austin may bee rightly called a Day of Judgement because then there shall bee no place left for those usuall exceptions against the judgements of God and the course of his providence on earth viz. Why is this just man unhappy and why is that unjust man happy Why is this profane man in honour and that godly man in disgrace Why doth this wicked man prosper in his evill wayes and that righteous man faile in his holy attempts Nay why for a like fact doth some man receive the guerdon of a crowne and another of a e Juvenal Satyr Sceleris pretium ille crucem tulit hic diadema crosse or gibbet the one of a halter the other of a chaine of gold These and the like murmurs against the justice of the Judge of all flesh shall bee hushed and all men shall say in the words of the f Psal 58.11 Psalmist Verily there is a reward for the righteous Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth And then Christ may bee said properly to bring or send forth judgement when hee revealeth the secrets of all hearts displayeth all mens consciences and declareth the circumstances of all actions whereby all mens judgements may bee rightly informed in the proceedings of the Almighty and all men may see the justice of God in those his most secret and hidden judgements at which the wisest on earth are astonished and dare not looke into them lest they should bee swallowed up in the depth of them I speake of those judgements of God which Saint g August lo. sup cit Dies declarabit ubi hoc quoque manifestabitur quà m justo Dei judicio fiat ut nunc tam multa ac penè omnia justa Dei judicia sensus mentemque mortalium fugiant cum tamen in hac repiorum fidem non lateat justum esse quod latet Austin termeth Occuliè justa and justè occulta Secretly just and justly secret so they are now but at the day of Judgement they shall bee manifestly just and justly manifest then it shall appeare not onely that the most secret judgements of God are just but also that there was just cause why they should bee secret or kept hidden till that day Lastly then Christ may bee said properly to bring forth judgement unto victory because hee shall first conquer all his enemies and then judge and sentence them to everlasting torments Of which dreadfull Judgement ensuing upon the glorious Victory of the Prince of peace over the great Whore and the false Prophet and the Divell that deceiveth them all from which the Archangel shall sound a retreat by blowing the last trump and summoning all that have slept in the dust to arise out of their graves and come to judgement I need not to adde any thing more in this Religious and Christian auditory Wherefore I will fill up the small remainder of the time with some briefe observations upon the ruine and utter desolation of the Jewish Nation who even to this day wandring like Vagabonds in all countries and made slaves not only to Christians but to Moores Turkes and other Infidels rue the crucifying of the Lord of life and the spilling of the innocent bloud of the immaculate Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World As according to the custome of our country Quarter-Sessions are held in Cities and Shire-townes before the generall Assises so Christ a little more than forty yeeres after his death at Jerusalem and ascension into Heaven held a Quarter-Sessions in Jerusalem for that country and people after which hee shall certainly keep a generall Assises for the whole world when the sinnes of all Nations shall be ripe for the Angels sickle Some of the wisest of the Jewish Rabbins entring into a serious consideration of this last and greatest calamity that ever befell that people together with the continuance thereof more than 1500. yeeres and casting with themselves what sinne might countervaile so heavie a judgement in the end have growne to this resolution that surely it could be no other than the spilling of the Messias bloud which cryed for this vengeance from heaven against them And verily if you observe all the circumstances of times persons and places together with the maner and means of their punishments and lay them to the particulars of Christs sufferings in and from that Nation you shall see this point as cleerly set before your eyes as if these words were written in letters of bloud upon the sacked walls of Jerusalem Messiah his Judgement and Victory over the Jewes 1. Mocking repaid 1. Not full sixe yeeres after our Lords passion most of those indignities and disgraces which the Jewes put upon him were returned backe to themselves by Flaccus and the Citizens of Alexandria who scurrilously mocked their King Agrippa in his returne from Rome by investing a mad man called Carabbas with Princely robes putting a reed in his hand for a Scepter saluting him Haile King of the Jewes Note here the Jewes mocking of Christ repaid unto themselves yet this was not all 2 Whipping repaid The Alexandrians were not content thus scornfully to deride the King of the Jewes they proceeded farther to make a daily sport of scourging many of the Nobility even to death and that which Philo setteth a Tragicall accent upon at their solemnest Feast Note here the Jewes whipping and scourging Christ upon the solemne Feast of Passover repaid unto them 3. Spitting repaid 3. And howsoever their noble and discreet Embassadour Philo made many remonstrances to the Emperour Caligula of these unsufferable wrongs offered to their Nation yet that Emperour because the Jewes had refused to set up his Image in the Temple was so farre from relieving them or respecting him according to the quality he bare that he spurned him with his foot and spit on his face Note here the Jewes spitting on Christ repaid them 4. The Jewes refusing Christ to be their King to flatter the Romane Caesar reveneâ—d on them by Caesar himself 4. In conclusion the Emperour sent him away with such disgrace and discontent that hee turning to his country-men said Bee of good cheare Sirs for God himselfe must needs right us now sith his Vicegerent from whom wee expected justice doth so much wrong us and contrary
freer from the fumes of bodily meats and the smoake of worldly cares and businesse As for the exceeding in some one day or other in variety of all palate provocations it is a vaine thing for me or any other to speake against it quia venter non habet aures the belly hath no eares especially to heare any thing against it selfe If it had I should have craved a Writ of remove of these Vitellian feasts out of the confines of Lent or made a motion that these surcharges of purse and stomacke might be turned into the Lacedaemonian b Phiditia were sparing meales or frugall seasts so named from ecl 〈◊〉 signifying to spare or be thrifty Phiditia or at least that the superaboundancie in them might not be wasted by luxurie to the hurt of our owne bodies but dispenced by charity to the reliefe of others that devotion might recover that in almes deeds which it loseth in fasting so would our tender and indulgent Mother Christs dearest Spouse the Church vouchsafe these meetings her presence as Mary the Mother of Jesus was present at the Feast in Cana and Christ himselfe would furnish the wine of spirituall joy and gladnesse even at these Feasts though like Saint Paul c 1 Cor. 15.8 borne out of due time But I leave the time and have an eye to the notes pricked in my text which are three 1. Religion enjoyneth learning Be learned 2. Learning becommeth and qualifieth Judges Ye Judges 3. Judges give sentences of and rules for land The earth 1. Divine wisedome excludeth not humane learning Be learned 2. Learning is not onely a comely ornament but a necessary accoustrement of a Judge Ye Judges 3. All Judges on earth are Judges of earth that is consisting of earth or sitting upon the earth The earth The earth is their materia ex qua and circa quam too 1. The matter of which they are made 2. The matter on which they make and give their judgement and sencence O all ye Kings of these Netherlands manum ad Sceptrum oculos ad Astra there is a King above who over-lookes you all and will one day breake your Scepters with his Iron mace O yee Judges of this lower Circle and Circuits manum ad Gladium oculos ad Astra there is a Judge of heaven who will set his tribunall in the clouds and call all you to his bar and your judgements in question before him Be wise now therefore O ye Kings advance his Kingdome in yours be learned ye Judges of the earth declare his judgement by yours Tullie giveth this character of Thacydides that in his writings there are neere as many d Cic. declar orat Numerum verborum numero sententiarum penè consecutus est sentences as words such is the Rhetorike of this parcell of holy writ the parts are answerable to the words the points of doctrine to the parts the uses to the points of doctrine 1 Erudimini there is the charge 2 Judices there is the stile 3 Terrae there is the circuit of the Judges 1 Be learned there is the aime of your study 2 Yee Judges there is the title of your place 3 Of the earth there is the embleme of your frailty These parts hold good correspondence 1 The first with this present exercise 2 The second with this honourable auditory 3 The third with this holy time 1 It is most agreeable at a Reading to treat of learning Be ye learned 2 It is most proper to give the Judges charge before the prime Judges of the kingdome Ye Judges 3 It is most seasonable to frame a discourse of the mould of us all earth and ashes in the time of Lent Of the earth By the law the e Levit. 1.16 And ye shall pluck away the filth thereof with his feathers and cast it besides the Altar by the place of the ashes crop or as it is in the Hebrew the filth of the birds that were sacrificed together with their feathers were to be cast in locum cinerum into the place of ashes Now if ever is the season not only to purge or remove the filth of our lives out of the sight of God but also to cast away the beautifull pompes maskes shewes and all othes vanities of the world which are no better than feathers in locum tinerum where wee ought to mourne for our sinnes in sacke-cloth and ashes pulvis cinis dust and ashes have great affinity with terrae in my text Be learned When f Cic. de orat l. 1. Neque tam molestus mibi fuit Antonius quod jus nostrum civile pervellit quam jucundus quod se id nescire confessus est Antony carped at the study of the civill law withall acknowledging his small sight therein Scaevola a great Lawyer smiling said that he made a kind of amends for his invective against the Law by professing his ignorance therein For it is no disparagement to any science or profession to bee sleighted by such as understand it not A bright beame and great light troubleth and dazeleth and paineth also a weake eye Urit enim fulgore suo Who can blame g Peti Dialectâ—cum criminatur sed cum ad interrogata respondere non possit Petilian the Donatist for complaining of Saint Austins Logicke whereby that ignorant Hereticke was non-plussed and shamed Verily as fast hath no enemy but gluttony chastity but lust frugality but luxurie wisedome but follie humilitie but pride orthodoxe doctrine but heresie so neither knowledge but ignorance Wherefore whatsoever faire glosse of the Scriptures selfe-sufficiency the Brownists and Separatists put upon their secret undermining of our Schooles and Universities and stopping up the Well-springs of good Learning among us their true end is that h Eras adag Inter coecos luscum regnare posse among blinde men they might bee some body who among sharpe-sighted men are no body For the Latine proverbe puts them in some heart viz. that a purblinde man may be a jolly fellow nay by good reason chosen a King among such as are starke blinde Doubtlesse if ever learning were needfull it is now adayes most necessary when men by subtle Sophistry and deceivable eloquence not onely goe about to wrangle us out of our estates but also juggle us out of our Religion Call ye it a reformation is it not rather the deformation of a building to damb up the lights thereof The state of g Aelian de var. hist l. 3. Gravissima 〈◊〉 poeâ—am inflixerunt ut libeâ—os suos non docerent literas Miâ—ylene desiring to be revenged to the uttermost on their Confederates that had revolted from them after they had got the mastery of them laid this as the forest punishment they could devise upon them that none of their children should goe to schoole or be brought up in learning And in a like regard Julians persecution was accounted more grievous than that of Dioclesian though that blasphemous Apostata shed
Adag Semper Africa aliquid apportat novi c. so in the places of moist meetings monstrous sinnes are begotten monstrous oaths monstrous blasphemies monstrous murders monstrous uncleannesse here Popery is familiarly broacht nay Atheisme freely vented Gods creatures abused his Sabbath profaned the actions of the State censured the watchfull Magigistrates and the zealous Ministers of the Gospell and all that make profession of Religion nick-named jeared and made a parable of reproach here prophane Musicke and impure Songs are played and sung even in time of divine Service here 's no difference of dayes holy or common nay no difference of day or night I had almost sayd nay nor of Sexes If the hands of the religious Magistrates be not strengthened and their zeale stirred up to take some course to abate the incredible number and reforme the unsufferable abuses of these sinks of all impurity especially about the skirts and suburbs of the city we have cause to feare a worse fire than that which lately affrighted us falling in that place where it might bee as a dreadfull beacon to warne both City Borough and Suburbs I meane such a fire as fell upon Sodome and Gomorrha t Caus in Polyhist symb Polycritus writeth of a Lake of troubled water in Sicily quam si quis ingrediatur in latum extenditur into which the deeper a man wadeth the larger it doth extend it selfe Such a lake my discourse is fallen into the water is foule and troubled and the deeper I sinke into it the more it enlargeth it selfe and lest it should overflow the bankes of the allotted time I will suddenly leape out of it into my second part which is Christs prerogative whereby he is become the first fruits of them that slept Wee have surveyed the ground let us now take a sample of the fruits in the spreading whereof abroad I must handle two things 1 The reference 2 The inference 1 The reference is to Leviticus 23.10 When you reape the harvest you shall bring in a sheafe of the first fruits of the harvest unto the Priest ver 7. and he shall wave it And to Exod. 34.22 You shall observe the feast of weeks the feast of the first fruits of wheat harvest Now let us set the truth to the type As the first fruits were reapt in the harvest when the corne was ripe so Christ was cut off by death in his ripe age 2 As the sheafe that was offered was shaken before so there was an u Mat. 28.2 earthquake at Christs lifting out of the grave 3 As the sheafe was offered the morrow after the Sabbath so Christ the first day of the week after the Sabbath was presented alive to his Father at his resurrection Lastly as there was a distance of time between the first fruits which were offered on Easter day those that were offered at the day of Pentecost so there is a distance of time between Christs rising from the dead which was 1600. yeers ago ours which shall be at the last day Thus much for the reference now to the inference which is twofold 1 Christs prerogative in that he is the first fruits 2 The Saints communion with him in that they are of the heape 1 Christs prerogative * Joh. 3.31 Hee that is in heaven is above all for x Mat. 28.18 to him is given all power in heaven and earth and y Phil. 2.9 a name above all names z Eph. 1.22 he is the head of the Church and a Eph. 5.23 Saviour of the body he is the first b Heb. 1 6. begotten of the Father c Mat. 1.25 first borne of his Mother the first d Col. 1.18 Rev. 1.5 begotten of the dead e Col. 1.15 first borne of every creature Therefore as Quiros strongly concludes in every order both of creation and regeneration of nature and grace of things visible and invisible hee hath the preheminence among all let him have the precedency in our love and affections let us not set any thing above him on earth who hath the first place in heaven If hee bee the head of men and Angels let the knees of all in heaven in earth under the earth bow to him if hee bee the bright morning starre let the eye of our faith bee earely upon him if hee bee f Apoc. 22.16 Alpha and Omega the First and the Last let him bee first in our thoughts and last in our memory g Apoc. 1.8 let us begin our prayers in his name and end them in his merits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primâ dicta mihi summâ dicende Camenâ If he be the first fruits Reshith bicorre the first fruits of the first fruits let all the sheaves do homage to him let us sanctifie him in our minds let us offer him the first fruits of our hearts the first fruits of our lips the first fruits of our hands the first fruits of the earth the first fruits of our thoughts the first fruits of our desires the first fruits of our prayers the first fruits of our labours the first fruits of our substance so will he esteem us h Jam. 1.18 the first fruits of his creatures and we shall receive the i Rom. 8.23 first fruits of the spirit here in our regeneration and the whole harvest hereafter in our glorification as our holy brethren that are fallen asleep in soule have received already who rest from their labours and their workes follow them and here you may see them I may say of them as Isaac said of Jacob Gen. 27. The smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed And behold here as in a corne field Allude to the Hosp tall children in blew coates blew flowers intermingled Here the Preacher read the Catalogue printed of all the poore relieved in the Hospitals of the City which followeth Children kept and maintained at this present at the charges of Christs Hospitall in the said house in divers places of this city and suburbs and with sundry nurses in the country 905 Which is a farre greater number than hath hitherto beene since the foundation The names of all which are registred in the books kept in Christs Hospitall there to bee seene from what parishes and by what meanes they have beene from time to time admitted Children put forth apprentices discharged and dead this yeere 69 There hath beene cured this yeere last past at the charges of Saint Bartholomews Hospitall of souldiers and other diseased people to the number of 832 All which were relieved with money and other necessaries at their departure Buried this yeere after much charges in their sicknesse 121 Remaining under cure at this present at the charge of the said Hospitall 262 There hath beene cured this yeere last past at the charges of Saint Thomas Hospitall of souldiers and other diseased people 731 All which were relieved with money and other necessaries at their
their sight in those darke roomes which they lost when they were suddenly brought forth into the open ayre by the over bright reflection of the Sunne beames from a wall new white-limed Which I speake not to detract from dignity or obscure glory or disparage nobility or dishonour worldly preferments or honours in them whose merits have been their raisers For these honourable titles and dignities are the lustre of eminent quality the garland of true vertue the crowne of worldly happinesse and to the lowly high favours of the Almighty The marke I aime at is to give some content to them whose places are inferiour to their vertues and advice also to those whom God hath or shall raise to great places and high preferments Let the former consider that there can be no obscurity where the Sunne shineth that he is truly honourable not alwayes whom the Prince putteth in high places but he upon whom God lifteth the light of his countenance that it is sufficient that hee seeth their good parts from whom they expect their reward that the more retired their life is the lesse exposed to envie and more free from danger that the fewer suters or clients they have to them the more liberty they have to be clients to God the lesse troubles they have about their temporall estate the better they may looke to their spirituall and secure their eternall lastly that the lesse they are trusted with the easier their account shall be at the great audit On the other side let those who have degrees accumulated and honours and preferments heaped upon them seeke rather to diminish their accounts than to increase their receipts and pray to God daily for lesse of his goods and more of his grace that they may make a better account at the last day and then receive a Kingdome in Heaven for a Stewardship on earth Beloved brethren you see your calling you are Stewards not Lords thinke upon it seriously that you may be every day you shall be one day called to a strict account for all that you have or enjoy This was the first point of speciall consideration I recommended to you from the nature of our office which is here called a Stewardship The second was that wee are not Gods Treasurers but his Stewards and that our imployment is not to gather up and keep but to expend and distribute our Masters monies for the maintenance and reliefe of his poore servants according to their severall necessities And looke whatsoever we lay out in this kinde shall be allowed upon our accounts and put upon our Masters score who acknowledgeth it to bee his owne debt o Mat. 10.42 Whatsoever you doe unto any of these little ones you doe it unto mee You clothe mee in the naked you feed mee in the hungry you relieve mee in the distressed you visit mee in the imprisoned you ransome mee in the captive you cure mee in the wounded you heale my pierced hands and feet with the oyle which you poure into their wounds Thrice happy Stewards wee if wee can so handle the matter that we may bring our Master indebted to us for the interest of his owne mony For he p Prov. 19.15 who giveth to the poore lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay it him againe So exceeding bountifull is he that he giveth us aboundantly to pay our fellow-servants and payeth us double for giving it them After our Saviour had healed the man with a q Marke 3 5. withered hand to shew that it was whole he commanded him to stretch it forth in like manner if wee desire to shew and make a sensible proofe that the sinewes of our faith are not shrunke that the hands of our charity are not withered we must stretch them out and reach our almes to the poore which we will be more willing and ready to doe if we reflect often upon our office shadowed out under this Parable which is to bee Stewards not Treasurers of Gods manifold blessings Secondly if wee consider that wee lay out nothing of our owne but of our Masters purse And thirdly that whatsoever we lay out for him upon earth we lay up for our selves heaven according to that rule of Saint r Leo ser quod Thesaurum coâ—dit in coelo qui Christum pascit in paupere manus pauperis gaâ—aphylatium Christi Leo Hee layeth up treasure in heaven who feedeth Christ in the poore the poore mans hand is Christs boxe This branch of our duties which is to be alwayes fruitfull in good workes extendeth farther than the expending of monies or good usage of the blessings of this life For all the members of our body and faculties of our foule and graces of the spirit are paâ—â— of our Masters goods and must bee imployed in his service and occupied for his profit Besides all these wee are accountable to him for our time which wee may not wastefully and prodigally lavish out in sports and pastimes but so thriftily expend upon the necessary workes of our calling that we may save a good part to consecrate it to exercises of piety and devotion whereby wee may multiply the talent of grace committed unto us There is no covetousnesse commendable but of time of which yet most men and women are most prodigall Å¿ Senec. ep 1. Quem mihi dabis qui aliquod pretium tempori ponat qui diem aestimet c. spenders Any jewell that is lost may be found yea though it bee cast in the sea as Polycraâ—es his ring was which a fish in his mouth brought backe into his Kitchin Yea the treasure of grace and pearle of the word which the rich Merchant sold all that hee had to buy yea God himselfe after we have lost him may bee found if we seeke him in time onely lost time can never be recovered Wherefore that wee may not lose any moment of the time allotted which is so precious but put it to the best use for the increase of our talent of knowledge I passe from the Stewardship of the things of this life to the account we are to give of this Stewardship In which that we may more readily and safely proceed first I will set up a great light secondly remove some rubs out of the way The light shall bee a cleare confirmation of the truth of the point out of the Scriptures which are most evident and expresse both for the unavoidable necessity and strict severity of the last judgement Wee professe in our Creed that Christ who now sitteth at the right hand of his Father in heaven shall from thence come to judge the quicke and the dead and wee have sure ground in Scripture to build this article upon For t Acts 10 42. there wee reade that Christ is ordained of God to bee Judge of the quicke and the dead and that u Rom. 14.10 we shall all stand before his judgement seat nay that wee x 2 Cor. 5.10
must all appeare before his tribunall which is so certaine a thing to come to passe that Saint y Apoc. 20.12 13. John in a vision saw it as present And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the bookes were opened and they were judged according to the things wrote in those bookes Now for the terrour of that day I tremble almost to rehearse how it is described in holy Scriptures by S. z Apoc. 20.11 John I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and heaven fled away and by Saint * 1 Pet. 4.17 Peter The time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God and if it begin there what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel and if the righteous shall scarce bee saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare It is hard to say whether the antecedents are more direfull or the concomitants more dolefull or the consequents more dreadfull The antecedents are formidable The a Mat. 24.29 Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall be turned into bloud and the starres shall fall from the skies and the powers of heaven shall bee shâ—â—â—â— b Luk. 21.25 26. In the earth shall be distresse of Nations and perplexity and the sea and tâ—â— waters shall roare and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things that are comming on the earth The concomitants are lamentable Behold he c Apoc. 1.7 commeth in the clouds and all eyes shall see him and all kindreds of the earth shall mourne before him And yet the consequeâ—â— are more fearfull than either the antecedants or concomitants For the bookes of all mens consciences shall be spread abroad and every man shall answer for all the d Eccles 12.14 workes that he hath done nay for every e Mat. 12.36 word he hath spoken nay for every thought purpose and intent of the heart For when the Lord commeth he will bring to light the f 1 Cor. 4.5 hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart Having set up a faire light I will now take away some blockes and râ—â—â— that lye in the way of my discourse The first is that God executeth judgement in this world and therefore Salvianus hath written a booke Deâ—â—â—â—â— senti Dei judicio of Gods providence over his Church and present judgement Doth hee not open his treasures to the righteous and poure downe the vialls of his wrath upon the wicked in this life Doth not Saint Paul affirme that those that beleeve are g Rom. 5.1 justified already And Saint John that those that beleeve not are condemned h John 3.18 already What place then remaines for a future tryall Secondly immediately upon our death our soule is carried either by good Angels into Abrahams bosome or by evill into the dungeon of hell what then need they come to the generall assizes who have received their doome at the quarter sessions Thirdly if all mens consciences shall bee ripped up and all their secret sinnes be discovered in the face of the Sunne at the day of judgement that day cannot be but dreadfull to the most righteous man on earth yet Christ saith to his Disciples i Luke 21.28 When these things come to passe lift you up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh and they in this regard long for his second comming and pray continually Come Lord k Apoc. 22.20 Jesu come quickly The first rubbe is thus removed though Gods judgements overtake some yet not all in this life For the afflictions of the godly and the prosperity of the wicked were a great eye-sore to l Psal 73.12 David and m Jerem. 5.28 Jeremy Moreover God hath rewards both temporall and eternall the former he dispenceth in this life the later in that which is to come Hee that beleeveth is justified already before God and in the sense of his owne conscience for he hath peace with God And in like manner hee that beleeveth not is condemned already in Gods decree and hee hath received also the sentence of condemnation within himselfe as a fellon is hanged in the law and may know what his sentence shall be before it bee executed or pronounced against him This hindreth not but that the publike sentence shall passe upon both at the last day for eternall salvation or damnation The second is thus removed Immediately upon death every soule knoweth what shee is to trust to but this it not knowne to the world Besides the body must bee rewarded or punished as well as the soule therefore partly to cleare the justice of God in the sight of men and Angels partly to render to the body and soule that have been partners in evill and good their entire recompence after the private session at our death God hath appointed a publike assizes at the day of judgement The third rubbe is thus taken away The day of judgement is both terrible and comfortable to the godly terrible in the beginning comfortable in the end terrible in the accusation by Sathan comfortable in the defence by Christ our Advocate terrible in the examination but comfortable in the sentence Yea but their sores are laid open and they are fowle their debts are exhibited and they are very many their rents in their conscience are shewed and they are great It is true their sores are laid open but annointed with Balsamum their debts are exhibited but with a faire acquittance signed with Christs bloud their rents in their conscience are seene but mended and filled up with jewels of grace It is farre otherwise with the wicked their sores appeare without any salve their debts appeare but no acquittance their rent in their conscience appeareth and remaineth as wide as ever it was being never made up or mended by repentance therefore they cry n Apoc. 6.16 to the mountaines fall on us and to the hills cover us from the presence of the Lord and from the wrath of the Lambe This point of doctrine is not more evident in the proofe than profitable in the use which is threefold 1. To comfort the innocent 2. To terrifie the secure 3. To instruct all First to comfort the innocent For many that have walked sincerely before God have been censured for hypocrites many innocents have been falsly condemned many just men have suffered for righteousnesse sake and many faithfull Christians have been adjudged to mercilesse flames for their most holy profession To all these the day of judgement will bee the brightest day that ever shone on them For then their innocency shall break out as the light and their righteous dealing as the noone day then they shall have the hand of their false accusers and judge their Judges then they shall see him for whom they have stood all their life time and strived even to bloud Every losse they have sustained for his
sinkes of impurity to purge out the filth that is in the skirts of Jerusalem to reforme all abuses and to prevent Gods judgements upon this Realme by punishing all the violaters of his lawes Remember that thou who here sittest upon the bench shalt one day be called to the barre to be tryed for eternall life or death before the Judge of all flesh from whose face the heavens and the earth fled and their place could no where bee found O thinke in time to make a better reckoning before thy summons to give in thy last account in the words of my Text Give an account c. viz. of thy authority and commission After the Ministers of the Gospel and the Magistrate 3. To the rich and covetous come the rich of this world to be admonished to looke to their accounts Thou whom thy Master hath trusted with much of his goods and coine to beautifie his Sanctuary to maintaine them that serve at his Altar and to stay and silence the lowd cryes and deep sighes of the hungry thirsty naked oppressed imprisoned and captivated members of thy Redeemer doest thou bury thy mony under the ground or locke it up in thy iron chest till it rust Doest thou like the Gryphine in the naturall story keep others from the precious metall whereof thy selfe makest no use at all Thou g Cypr. de cleemos Servas pecuniam quae te servata non servat c. savest the mony which being saved will not save thee and losest by keeping it the blessing of God the prayers of the poore nay thine owne soule by preferring thy Mammon and setting it in thine owne affection before thy Saviour How canst thou give an account of thy Stewardship who hast laid out nothing for thy Masters use who yet will certainly question thee as well pro lucro cessante as pro damno emergente as well for not imploying his mony for his advantage as for that thou hast imployed to losse In which regard Saint h James 5.1 James ringeth them a sad peale after the passing bell hath gone for them Goe to now you rich men weep and howle for the miseries that shall come upon you your riches are corrupted your garments moth-eaten your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnes against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire 4. To the Prodigall Here let not the prodigall spender vainly flatter himselfe that his condition shall be easier at the day of judgement than that of the covetous because he suffereth not his mony to rust but rather causeth it to glissen in his plate glare in his jewells glitter in his apparrell shine in his gilt rooms cabbinets furnitures and hangings For all this lustre shall bee a cleare evidence against him of his wasting his Masters substance and if it shall goe hard with the hard and covetous man who layeth not out his Masters mony what may this exhauster expect if the Miser shall suffer as a i Cypr de elecmos Sacrilegium est rem pauperum non dare pauperibus sacrilegious person because he giveth not the poore their due what punishment is he like to endure who robbeth the Church racketh his tenants oppresseth the poore extorteth from or exacteth upon all to maintaine either his vain glorious pride or delicate pallate or idle sports or impure pleasures How many hunger and cold starved poore will have an action against this Steward for preferring his Hawkes and Hounds before them and riotously expending that in one luxurious feast which would have fed them for many yeeres and laying out that in one costly sute or rich jewell wherewith hundreds of them might have been clothed in the bitterest winter season and thereby their lives preserved how will they be ashamed and confounded at the great audit day to deliver in an account after this manner In vain sports thus much in satisfying my lust thus much to make ostentation of my greatnesse thus much to be revenged of my enemies thus much for maintenance of Gods worship not the tenth of my tenth nay not the hundreth part of my rapines for the reliefe of the poore a trifle in voluntary oblations nothing at all O thinke upon this in time that you may make better reckonings before you bee summoned to give in your last accounts in the words of my Text Give an account of thy Stewardship of thy wealth and worldly blessings 5. To all men in generall Are all dispensers of the Word and Sacraments are all in authority are all commanders have all the wealth of the world surely no yet all are accountants some for their trade and course of life others for their naturall parts and gifts and all for their time Few I perswade my selfe can give a good account of the first fewer of the second but fewest of all of the third It was spoken by a Heathen of the Heathen but I feare it may be truely said of many Christians in profession k Sen. ep 1. ad Lucil. Magna pars vitae labitur malè agentibus maxima nihil agentibus tota aliud agentibus that they spend a great part of their life in sinfull actions the greatest in idlenesse the whole in impertinent businesse The dearest losse of all is of time because if wee have imbezelled our estate by ill husbandry we may repaire it by thrift and industry if we have pawned our plate and houshold-stuffe jewells they may be redeemed againe if we have morgaged our lands the morgage may be satisfied and our lands restored but the time that we have idlely or lewdly or loosely spent can never bee recovered No man need Bellerophon like spurre a flying horse time posteth of it selfe yet many men not content to let time goe from them in her swiftest motions they drive her out and devise how they may set her packing and bee soonest rid of her like the l Aelian var. hist l. 1. Persian King who proposed a great reward to any that could invent any new pastime they highly value such companions with whom they may lavish out the flower and best of their time The account of these brave Gallants and noble Sparkes as they are termed is soone cast Halfe the night gamed and revelled and as much of the day slept out and the remainder indifferently shared between the Taverne and the Play and the worst of the three Neither can the other sexe give an account much better 6. To Women whose day after a ramisticall dichotomy being divided into forenoone and afternoone the former part is usually taken up in dressing trimming and I feare in that for which they have no colour in holy Scriptures nor the example of the best times painting the later in idle visits and seeking after the fashions They allow themselves little time for the contemplation of any thing save their face and dresses in their glasses nor trouble they their heads with any
us they may receive us into everlasting habitations 5. To seeke the Lord whilest hee may bee found and not to deferre our repentance from day to day 6. To be sure to provide for our eternall state whatsoever becommeth of our temporall and to preferre the salvation of our soule before the gaining of the whole world 7. To examine daily our spirituall estate and to informe our selves truly how we stand in the Court of Heaven in Gods favour or out of it 8. To observe to what sinnes wee are most subject and where wee are weakest there continually to fortifie against Sathans batteries 9. In all weighty occasions especially such as concerne our spirituall estate to aske counsell of God and take direction from his Word 10. To consider the speciall workes of Gods providence in the carriage of the affaires of this world and make use thereof to our selves 11. Lastly to meditate upon the Law of God all the dayes of our life and consider their blessed end that keep it with their whole heart and their accursed death that transgresse it And so I fall upon the second branch of my Text Observ 3 They would consider I have already proposed wisedome to your desires now I am to commend consideration to your wisedome The Schoole Divines make this the speciall difference between the knowledge of men and Angels that the knowledge of Angels is intuitive but of men discursive they see all things to which the beame of their sight extendeth as it were on the sudden with one cast of the eye but we by degrees see one thing after another and inferre effects from causes and conclusions from principles and particulars from generalls they have the treasures of wisedome and knowledge ready alwayes at hand we by reading hearing conference but especially by meditation must digge it out of the precious mynes where it lyeth In which regard Barradius alluding to the sound of the word though not to the Grammaticall originall saith meditatio est quasi mentis ditatio meditation is the enriching of the soule because it delves into the rich mynes of wisedome and maketh use of all that wee heare or reade and layeth it up in our memories Seneca fitly termeth it rumination or chewing of the cud which maketh the food of the soule taste sweeter in the mouth and digest better in the stomacke By the Law of God the u Levit. 11.3 7. beasts that chewed not the cud were reckoned among the unclean of which the people of God might not eate such are they in the Church that never ruminate or meditate upon those things they take in at the eare which is the soules mouth I know no difference more apparent between a wise man and a foole than this that the one is prometheus hee adviseth before the other is epimetheus he acteth first and deliberateth afterwards and * Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wardeth after hee hath received the wound the one doth all things headily and rashly the other maturely and advisedly A man that hath an understanding spirit calleth all his thoughts together and holdeth a cabinet councell in the closet of his heart and there propoundeth debateth deliberateth and resolveth what hee hath to doe and how before hee imbarke himselfe into any great designe or weighty affaire For want of this preconsideration most men commit many errours and fall into great inconveniences troubles and mischiefes and are often caught unawares in the Divels snare which they might easily have shunned if they had looked before they leaped and fore-casted their course before they entred into it It is a lamentable thing to see how many men partly through carelesnesse and incogitancie partly through a desire to enjoy their sensuall pleasures without any interruption suffer Sathan like a cunning Faulkner to put a hood upon their soules and therewith blind the eyes of the understanding and never offer to plucke it off or stirre it before hee hath brought them to utter darknesse O that men were wise to understand this cunning of the Divell Application and consider alwayes what they doe before they doe it and be they never so resolutely bent and hot set upon any businesse yet according to the advice of the x Cic. Orat. pro Pub. Quint. Si haec duo solùm verba tecum habuisses Quid ago respirasset credo cupiditas c. Orator to give their desires so long a breathing time till they have spoken these two words to themselves Quid agimus what doe we what are we about is it a commendable worke is it agreeable to the Word of God and sutable to our calling is it of good report and all circumstances considered expedient if so goe on in Gods name and the Lord prosper your handy-workes but if otherwise meddle not with it and put off all that the Divell or carnall wisedome can alledge to induce you unto it with these checkes of your own consciences saying to your selves Shall we offend God shall we charge our consciences shall we staine our reputation shall we scandalize our profession shall we despite the Spirit of grace shall we forfeit our estate in Gods promises and foregoe a title to a Kingdome shall wee pull downe all Gods plagues and judgements upon us in this life and hazzard the damnation of body and soule in hell and all this for an earthly vanity a fading commodity a momentary pleasure an opinion of honour a thought of contentment a dreame of happinesse Shall we bett with the Divell and stake our soules against a trifle shall we venture our life and put all the treasures of Gods grace and our crowne of glory in the Divels bottome for such light and vile merchandize as this world affordeth Is it not folly nay madnesse to lay out all upon one great feast knowing that we should fast all the yeere after to venture the boiling in the river of brimstone for ever for bathing our selves in the pleasures of sinne for an houre We forbid our children to eate fruit because we say it breedeth wormes in their bellies and if wee had the like care of the health of our soules as of their bodies wee would for the same reason abstaine from the forbidden fruit of sinne because it breedeth in the conscience a never dying worme O that we were wise to understand this and to Consider our later end I have proposed wisedome to your desires in the first place and in the second referred consideration to your wisedome now in the last place I am to recommend your later end to your consideration A wise man beginneth with the end which is first in the intention but last in the execution and as we judge of stuffes by their last so of all courses by their end to which they tend It is not the first or middle but the last scene that denominateth the play a tragedy or a comedy and it is the state of a man at his death and after upon which wee are to
some pastours and eminent professours to sow his field in future times and propagate Religion to posterity These may and ought to flie in time of persecution provided first that they flie not when their conscience perswadeth them that their flight will be a great scandall to Religion and a discouragement to the weaker and they feele in themselves a great and earnest desire to glorifie God by striving for his truth unto bloud For being thus called by God and enabled and encouraged they must preferre Gods glory before their life and a crowne of martyrdome before any earthly condition 2. That they leave not the Church destitute For Christ giveth it for one of the characters of an hireling to y John 10.13 flie when hee seeth the Wolfe comming and looke to his owne safety taking little care what becommeth of his flocke 3. They must not use any indirect meanes to flye they may not betray Gods truth or their brethren to save their owne life he that saveth his life upon such termes shall lose it and he that loseth his life in Gods cause shall finde it You will say peradventure how may this be I answer as that which is lost in Alpheus after a certaine time is undoubtedly found againe in Arethusa so that which is lost on earth shall be found in Heaven Hee that loseth his life for Christs sake in this vale of teares shall finde it at the last day in the z Psal 16.11 river of pleasures springing at the right hand of God for evermore When the Starres set here they rise in the other hemisphere so when Confessours and Martyrs set here they rise in heaven and shall never set againe Therefore as Christ spake of Virginity wee may say of Martyrdome what he spake of the garland of white roses we may of the garland of red Qui potest capere capiat Hee that is able to receive it let him receive it he that is not able let him trace the footsteps of the woman here that fled Into the wildernesse Not by change of place saith a In Apoc. c. 12. Fugit non mutatione loci sed amissione status ornatus Pareus but change of state and condition I see no reason of such a restraint the Church may and sometimes doth flye two manner of wayes 1. Openly when being persecuted in one country shee posteth into another 2. Secretly when shee abideth where shee was but keepeth her selfe close and shunneth the eye of the world and worshippeth God in secret mourning for the abominations and publike prophanations of true Religion Thus then wee may expound the words the woman fled into the wildernesse that is she withdrew her selfe from publike view kept her exercises of Religion in private held her meetings in cryptis hidden places as vaults under ground b Heb. 11 38. They wandred in deserts mountaines and dens and caves of the earth dens and caves in the earth or if persecution raged above measure and without end removed from country to country and from city to wildernesse for safety By wildernesse some learned Expositors understand remote countries inhabited by Paynims and Gentiles where yet the fire of persecution is not kindled For say they though such places be never so well peopled yet they may be termed deserts because never manured by Gods husbandry never sown with the seed of the Word never set with plants of Paradise never watered with the dew of heavenly grace And if the Church had not removed into such wildernesses she had never visited us in England severed after a sort from the whole world Toto divisos Orbe Britannos But such hath beene Gods goodnesse to these Ilands that the woman in my text was carried with her c Ver. 14. And to the woman was given two wings of a great Eagle Eagles wings into these parts before the Roman Eagles were brought in here our Countrey submitted it selfe to the Crosse of Christ before it stooped to the Roman scepter Howbeit I take not this to be the meaning of this Scripture For the propagation of the Church and the extending her bounds to the remotest regions of the world maketh her catholike and by it she becommeth glorious whereas the Spirit speaketh here of her as in some eclipse The wildernesse therefore here meant must needes be some obscure place or region to which she fled to hide her selfe If you demand particularly when this prophecy was fulfilled I answer partly in those Hebrewes of whom St. Paul writeth that they lay in wildernesses and dennes and caves of the earth partly in those Disciples that were in Jerusalem in the time of the siege and a little before who mindfull of our Saviours commandement fled into the mountaines and were miraculously preserved in Pella as Eusebius writeth partly in those Christians who in the dayes of Maximinus and Dioclesian fled so farre that they never returned backe againe into any City but were the fathers of them that live in woods and desarts as Hermites or inclosed within foure walls as Recluses and Anchorites partly in those Orthodoxe beleevers who in the reigne of the Arrian Emperours tooke desarts and caves under ground for sanctuary of whom St. Hilarie writeth saying d L. adver Auxent Ecclesia potius delituit in cavernis quam in primariis Urbibus eminebat The Church rather lurked in holes and vaults under ground in those dayes than shewed her selfe openly in the chiefe Cities partly in those professours of the Gospell who ever since the man of sinne was revealed have beene by him put to great streights and driven to lie hid for many yeeres in solitary and obscure places in all which persecutions of the Church God prepared for her not only a place to lodge in but a table also that they should Feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Some referring this prophesie to the Jewes abode in Pella find the time to be precisely three yeeres and an halfe others by dayes understanding yeeres reckon from the declining age of Constantine till the great reformation in our age neere upon a thousand two hundred and threescore yeeres in all which time the true Church hath played least in sight and beene in a maner buried in oblivion But neither is this calculation exact neither as I conceive doth St. John speake of one flight onely nor of any particular place nor definite number of yeeres but after the manner of Prophets putteth a definite number for an indefinite and foresheweth that the true Church must for a long time lie hid and withdraw her selfe out of the worlds eye as it is afterwards exprest a time times and halfe a time a time under the heathen Emperours times under severall Heretikes and last of all halfe a time in that last and greatest tribulation immediately before the utter overthrow of Antichrist For that e Mat. 24.22 persecution shall be shortened as our Saviour intimateth for the Elects sake lest all flesh should
Anthemes first single voices answering one the other and after the whole Quire joyning in one as it were tracing the same musicall steps hath not nature drawne with her pensill a perfect grasse green in the Emrald a skie colour in the Saphir the glowing of fire in the Carbuncle the sanguine complexion in the Ruby and the twinckling of the starres in the Diamond and all these together in the Opall which hath in it the lustre and beautifull colours of all these precious stones c Plin. nat hist l. 37 c 6. In Opale est Carbunculi tenuior ignis Amethysti fulgens purpura Smaragdi virens mare c. incredibili misturâ lucentes Such is this feast of all holy ones it is the Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kalendars pandect as it were a constellation not of many but of all the starres in the skie in it as in the Opall shine the beautifull colours and resplendency of all those precious stones which are laid in the d Apoc. 21.19 foundation and shine in the gates and walls of the heavenly Jerusalem Upon it we celebrate the chastity of all Virgins the simplicity of all Innocents the zeale and courage of all Confessours the patience of all Martyrs the holinesse of all Saints Upon this day the Church militant religiously complementeth with the Church triumphant and all Saints on earth keep the feast and expresse the joy and acknowledge the happinesse and celebrate the memory and imbrace the love and set forth the vertues of all Saints in heaven Which are principally three shadowed by the allegory in my Text 1. Patience in tribulation They came out 2. Purity in conversation And washed their garments 3. Faith in Christs death and passion Made them white in c. The better to distinguish them you may if you please terme them three markes 1. A blacke or blewish marke made with the stroake or flaile Tribulation 2. A white made by washing their garments and whiting them 3. A red by dying them in the bloud of the Lambe 1. First of the blacke or blew marke They came out of great tribulation The beloved Apostle and divine Evangelist Saint John who lay in the bosome of our Saviour and pryed into the very secrets of his heart in the time of his exile in Pathmos had a glimpse of his and our country that is above and was there present in spirit at a solemne investiture or installation of many millions of Gods Saints into their state of glory and order of dignity about the Lambe in his celestiall court The rite and ceremony of it was thus The twelve e Ver. 5 6 7 8. Tribes of Israel were called in order and of every Tribe twelve thousand were sealed in the forehead by an Angel keeper of the broad Seale of the living God Ver. 2. After this signature Loe a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe and they had long white robes put upon them and palmes given them in their hands in token of victory and they marched on in triumph singing with a loud voice Salvation from or to our God that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lambe at which words all the Angels that stood round about the Throne and the Elders and the foure living creatures full of eyes fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen Praise and glory and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen This glorious representation of the triumphant Church so overcame and tooke away the senses of the ravished Apostle that though he desired nothing more than to learne who they were that he had seen thus honourably installed yet he had not the power to aske the question of any that assisted in the action till one of the Elders rose from his seate to entertaine him and demanded that of him which hee knew the Apostle knew not but most of all desired to know and would have enquired after if his heart had served him viz. who they were and whence they came that were admitted into the order of the white robe in Heaven The answer of which question when the Apostle had modestly put from himselfe to the Elder saying Lord thou knowest the Elder courteously resolveth it and informeth him particularly concerning them saying These are they that are come out of great tribulation c. Thou mightest perhaps have thought that these who are so richly arrayed and highly advanced in Heaven had been some great Monarchs Emperours or Potentates upon earth that had conquered the better part of the world before them paving the way with the bodies and cementing it with the bloud of the slâ—ine and in token thereof bare these palmes of victories in their hands Nothing lesse they are poore miserable forlorne people that are newly come some out of houses of bondage some out of the gallies some out of prisons some out of dungeons some out of mynes some out of dens and caves of the earth all out of great tribulation They who weare now long white robes mourned formerly in blacke they who now beare palmes in their hands carried their crosses in this world they who shout and sing here sighed and mourned under the heavie burdens of manifold afflictions all the dayes of their pilgrimage on earth they whom thou seest the Lambe leading to the f Ver. 17. living fountaines of waters dranke before deep of the waters of Marah and full cups of teares in the extreme heate of bloudy persecutions and in consideration of the great tribulation which they have patiently endured for the love of their Redeemer he bestoweth upon them these glorious robes whited in his own bloud and hee taketh them neere to himselfe that they may stand before him for evermore g Mat. 5 11 12. Blessed thrice blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for great is their reward in heaven The heavier their crosse is the weightier their crowne shall bee their present sorrowes shall free them from all future sorrowes their troubles here shall save them from all trouble hereafter their temporall paines through his merits for whom they suffer shall acquit them from eternall torments and the death of their body through faith in his bloud shall redeeme them from death of body and soule and exempt them from all danger miserie and feare Which priviledges the spirit sealeth unto them in the verses following They h Rev. 7.15.16.17 are before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them into living fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all
divinae deducatur injustitia est sordet in districtione judicis quod in aestimatione fulget operantis Gregory drives to the head Our very righteousnesse if it bee scanned by the rule of divine justice will prove injustice and that will appeare foule and sordid in the strict scanning of the Judge which shineth and seemeth most beautifull in the eye of the worker Fiftly a meritorious worke must hold some good correspondency and equivalence with the reward ours doe not so for if wee might offer to put any worke in the ballance certainely our sufferings for Christs sake but these are too light yea so farre too light e Rom. 8.18 that they are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall bee revealed in us Upon this anvile Saint f In ep ad Col. Hom. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in psal 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome formeth a steele weapon No man sheweth such a conversation of life that hee may bee worthy of the kingdome but this is wholly of the gift of God and although wee should doe innumerable good◠deeds it is of Gods pity and mercy that wee are heard although we should come to the very top of vertue it is of mercy that wee are saved And g Ansel de mensurat crucis Si homo mille annis serviret Deo ferventissimè non mereretur ex condigno dimidium diei esse in coelo Anselme steepeth it in oyle If a man should serve God most devoutly a thousand yeeres hee should not deserve to be halfe a day in heaven What have our adversaries to say to these things what doth the learned Cardinall whose name breathes * Bella Arma Minae Warres Armes and Threats here hee turnes Penelope texit telam retexit hee does and undoes hee sewes and ravels after many large books written for merit in the end Quae dederat repetit funemque reducit hee dasheth all with his pen at once saying Tutissimum est it is the safest way to place all our confidence onely in Gods mercy that is to renounce all merit Now in a case so neerely concerning our eternall happinesse or misery hee that will not take the safest course needs not to bee confuted but either to bee pittied for his folly or cured of his frenzie To conclude this point of difference the conclusion of all things is neere at hand well may men argue with men here below the matter of merit but as St. h Ep 29. Cum rex justus sederet in throno suo quis gloriabitur se mundum habere cor quae igitur spes veniae nisi misericordia superexultet justitiam Austine feelingly speaketh of this point When the righteous judge from whose face heaven and earth fled away shall sit upon his throne who will then dare say my heart is cleane nay what hope for any man to be saved if mercy at that day get not the upper hand of justice I need plead no more for this Dabo in my text if it plead not for us at that day wee shall never eat of the Manna promised but it shall bee for ever hidden from us I will give To eat The sight of Manna which the Psalmist calleth Angels food especially of the hidden Manna which by Gods appointment was reserved in a golden pot had beene a singular favour but the taste thereof is a farre greater The contemplation of celestiall objects is delightfull but the fruition of them much more Even of earthly beauties the sight is not so great contentment as the enjoying neither is any man so affected with delight at the view of a rich cabinet of jewels as at the receiving any one of them for his own Now so it is in celestial treasures delights through Gods bounty abundant goodnesse unto us we own what we see we taste what we touch and we feel what we believed and we possesse what we have heard and our heart entreth into those joyes in heaven which never entred into the heart of man on earth In which respect the Psalmist breaketh out into that passionate invitation i Psal 34.8 O taste and see how gracious the Lord is and S. Paul into that fervent prayer k Phil. 1.9 And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Saint l Confes l. 6. c. 10. Te lucem vocem cibum amplexum interioris hominis mei c. ubi fulget animae quod non capit locus ubi sonat quod non rapit tempus ubi olet quod non spargit flatus ubi sapit quod non minuit edacitas ubi haeret quod non divellit satietas Austine in that heavenly meditation O let mee enjoy thee the light the sound the food the love and embracement of my inward man thou art light to the eye musicke to the eare sweet meats to the taste and most delightfull embracings to the touch of my soule in thee that shineth to my soule which no place comprehendeth and that soundeth which no time measureth or snatcheth away and that smelleth which no blast dissipateth and that relisheth which no feeding upon diminisheth and that adhereth which no satiety can plucke away When therefore the ancients define celestiall happinesse to be the beatificall vision of God grounding themselves especially upon these texts of scripture m Mat. 5.8 Psal 27.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and seeke his face evermore My heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seeke and n Psal 17.15 I will behold thy face in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse And o 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a glasse darkely but then face to face wee are to understand these speeches by a figure called Synecdoche wherein a part is put for the whole for certainely there is a heaven in the will and in the affections as well as in the understanding God hath enriched the soule with many faculties and in all of them hath kindled manifold desires the heat whereof though it may bee allayed for a time with the delights and comforts which this life affordeth yet it can never bee quenched but by himselfe who made the hearth and kindled these fires in it As the contemplation of God is the understandings happinesse so the adhering to him is the wils the recounting of his blessings the memories the embracing him the affections and generally the fruition of him in all parts and faculties the felicity of the whole man To apply this observation to the words in my text When the dispensers of the mysteries of salvation open the scriptures they set before us heavenly treasure they point unto and shew us the golden pots of Manna but when by the hand of faith we receive Gods promises and are enriched by the graces of the spirit then we
mistaking of any other man should not take off the edge of our desires to gaine an invaluable jewell but whet our diligence the more to observe more accurately the notes of difference betweene the true and counterfeit stone upon which I shall touch anon after I have convinced our Romish sceptickes by evidence from the nature of faith the profession of Gods Saints the testimony of the Spirit and undeniable signes and effects that all that are called by the word effectually have this white stone in my text given unto them whereby they are assured of their present estate of grace and future of glory Doct. 1 The faith of Gods e Tit. 1.1 Elect is not a bare assent to supernaturall verities revealed in Scripture which may bee in a Reprobate and is in the f Jam. 2.19 Devils themselves Thou beleevest there is one God thou doest well the Devils also beleeve and tremble but a divine grace whereby being fully assured of Gods favour to us wee trust him with our soules and wholly rely on him for salvation through the merits of his sonne The sure promises of the Gospell are like a strong cable let downe to a man in a deepe pit or dungeon on which hee doth not onely lay hand by faith but hangeth and resteth himselfe upon it and thereby is drawne out of darkenesse to see and possesse the inheritance of the Saints in light To beleeve the communion of Saints is not onely to bee perswaded that there is a communion of Saints in the world remission of sinnes in the Church resurrection of the flesh at the last day and life everlasting in heaven but to bee assured by faith that wee have an interest in this communion benefit by this remission and shall partake the glory of this resurrection and the happinesse of life everlasting They who had beene stung by fiery serpents and were healed by looking upon the brazen serpent did not onely beleeve that it had cured many but that it would cure them Here the Logicians rule holdeth Medicina curat Socratem non hominem physicke is not given to mans nature to cure the species but to every man in individuo to heale his person and to every sicke soule that applieth unto it selfe the promises of the Gospell Christ saith g Mat. 9.22.29 Bee it unto thee as thou beleevest thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace Hereupon Saint h Fides dicit aeternabona reposita sunt spes dicit mihi teposita sunt charitas dicit ego curro post ea Bernard bringeth in the three divine graces Faith Hope and Charity singing as it were a catch and taking the word one from another Faith beginneth saying everlasting treasures are layd up in heaven Hope followeth saying they are layd up for mee Charity concludeth I will seeke after them And verily no man by a generall Romish credulity but by a speciall faith in Christ can say with Job My redeemer with David My salvation with the Spouse My beloved with the blessed Virgin My Saviour with Thomas My Lord and my God much lesse can hee warrant these possessives with a scio i Job 19.25.26.27 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall see him stand up at the last day upon the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for my selfe And k Psal 45.11.12 I know that thou favourest me thou upholdest mee in my integrity and fettest me before thy face for ever And l Rom. 8.28 Wee know that all things worke for the best to them that love God We know that when m 2 Cor. 5.1 our earthly tabernacle is dissolved wee shall have an eternall in the heavens n 1 Joh. 2.5 Wee know that wee are translated from death to life because we love the brethren Opinion and science a conjecturall hope and an assured beliefe as much differ as a shaken reed and a well growne oake which no winde can stirre To know any thing saith o L. 1 posterior c. 2. Scire est causam rei cognoscere quod illius causa sit quod res illa aliter se habere non posset Aristotle is to know the cause and that this cause is the cause of such an effect and that the thing it selfe cannot bee otherwise than wee conceive of it in which regard the Greeke Etymologist deriveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because opinion waggeth and inclineth the mind by probabilities on both sides but science fasteneth it and maketh it stand unmoveable With these texts of scripture attributing knowledge of salvation to all beleevers our Trent Merchants are manifestly gravelled and sticke in the mud yet they endevour to boye up their sunke vessell by a distinction of a double knowledge 1 By common faith 2 By speciall revelation They yeeld that some who have been admitted to Gods privie Councell by speciall revelation have been assured of their crowne of glory but they will by no meanes grant that beleevers can attain to this certainty by their common faith yet such is the clearnesse of the texts above alledged for the point in question that they easily like the beames of the sunne breake through this popish mist For Job speaketh not of any speciall secret revealed unto him but of the common article of all our faith concerning the resurrection of the flesh I know that my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand up and I shall see him with these eyes And what David speaketh of his knowledge of Gods favour and stedfast beliefe of his future happinesse p Ad Monim l. 1. â—ustus ex fide vivens fiducialiter dicit credo videre bona domini in terra viventium Fulgentius applyeth to every beleever The just man living by faith speaketh confidently I beleeve that I shall see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living And S. John ascribeth this knowledge not to any singular revelation but to charity the common effect of faith We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren whereupon S. q Tract 5. in ep Joh. Nemo interroget hominem redeat ad cor suum si ibi invenerit charitatem securus sit quia transiit à morte ad vitam Austin giveth this sage advice Let no man enquire of man let him have recourse to his owne heart if he find there charity let him rest assured that he is passed from death to life And S. Paul joyneth all the faithfull with him saying We know that all things worke for the best to them that love God and There is layd up a crown of righteousnesse which the righteous Judge shall give mee at that day and not to mee onely but to all them also that love his appearing In like manner Saint r Ep. ex regist l. 6. Hac fulti certitudine de ejusdem redemptoris nostri misericordiá nihil ambigere
sed spe debemus indubitatâ praesumere Gregory impropriateth not this assurance to himselfe or some few to whom God extraordinarily revealeth their state hereafter but extendeth it to all making it a common duty not a speciall gift saying Being supported with this certainty wee ought nothing to doubt of the mercy of our Redeemer but bee confident thereof out of an assured hope By the coherence of the text in the eighth to the Romans we may infallibly gather that all that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and have received the first fruits thereof and the testimony within themselves are the Sonnes of God know that all things worke together for their good Have wee not all received the spirit of adoption doe we not come to God as children to a most loving father doe wee not daily in confidence of his love cry Abba Father If so then the Apostle addeth farther that the Spirit testifieth to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God And lest any hereticall doubt cast in might trouble the spring of everlasting comfort as if we were indeed made sonnes for the present but might forfeit our adoption and thereby lose our inheritance the Apostle cleareth all in the words following v. 17. If sonnes then heires heires of God and joynt heires with Christ God adopteth no sonne whom he intendeth not to make his heire neither can any that is borne of him cease to be his sonne because the ſ 1 Pet. 1.23 Being borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible seed of which he is borne is incorruptible and this seed still remaineth in him 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him There are three means of assurance among men 1 Earnests 2 Seales 3 Witnesses In bargaines earnests in deeds seales in trialls witnesses First to secure summes of money or bargaines we take earnests of men or some pledge behold this security given us by God even the t 2 Cor. 1.22 earnest of his Spirit in our hearts On which words St. u Chrysost in secund ad Cor. hom l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome thus plainely glosseth He saith not the Spirit but the earnest of the Spirit that thou mayst be every way confident for if he meant not to give thee the whole he would never have given this earnest in present For this had beene to lose his earnest and cast it away in vaine Secondly to confirme all grants licences bonds leases testaments and conveyances seales are required behold this confirmation also Ephes 1.13 In whom ye are sealed by that holy Spirit of promise and 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Whether we speake of the seale sealing or the seale sealed we have both For we are sealed by the Spirit of grace as by the seale sealing and by the grace of the Spirit as the seale sealed that is printed upon us In reference to which place Daniel x Chamierus de fid l. 10. c. 13. Sigillorum varii sunt gradus alia simpliciter ad rei pertinent certitudinem indefinité sic Reges sigillis suis muniunt diplomata sic contrahentes sigillis schedam suam muniunt sed alia spectant personae certitudinem quae obsignari dicitur id est signo peculiari insigniri ut eo sciat se in numerum eorum ascriptum ad quos tale aliquod jus pertinet ut cum Rex Equitibus suis torques concedit ut procerto habeat se Equites esse Chamierus rightly noteth that there are seales put to things for their confirmation and certaine signes or badges answerable to seales given to persons at their investiture as a collar of S's and a blew ribbon with a George to the knights of the Garter c. We have both these seales sigillum rei by the Sacrament and sigillum personae by the Spirit which sealeth us to the day of our redemption Thirdly to prove any matter of fact in Courts of justice witnesses are produced behold this proofe of our right and title to a kingdome in heaven proofe I say by witnesses beyond exception the holy Spirit and our renewed consciences The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our Spirit that wee are the children of God Rom. 8.16 On which words St. Chrysostome thus enlargeth himselfe y Chrysost in epist ad Rom. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man or an Angel or an Archangel had promised thee this honour to be the Sonne of God thou mightest peradventure have made some doubt of it but now when God himselfe giveth thee this title commanding thee to call him Abba Father who dare question thy title If the King himselfe pricke a Sheriffe or send him the Garter or the Seale what subject dare gainesay it Lastly as the Planets are knowne by their influence and the Diamond by his lustre and the Balsamum by his medicinall vertue and the soule by her vitall operations so the gift here promised is most sensibly knowne by the effects 1 Exceeding love 2 Secure peace 3 Unspeakable joy 4 Invincible courage He that is not certain that he hath or ever shall receive any benefit by another or comfort in him loveth but a little He that was condemned to die and cannot tell whether he hath a pardon for his life or no can be at no peace he that heareth glad tidings but giveth little credit to them rejoyceth but faintly he who hath no assurance of a better life will be advised how he parteth with this But the Saints of God and Martyrs of Jesus Christ are exceedingly enflamed with the love of their Redeemer in comparison whereof they esteeme all things as dung they enjoy peace that passeth all understanding they are ravished with spirituall joy they so little passe for this present life that they are ready not onely to be bound but to dye for the Lord Jesu they rejoyce in their sufferings they sing in the middest of the flames they lie as contentedly upon the racke as upon a bed of doune they prove masteries with all sorts of evill they weary both tortures and tormentors and in all are more than Conquerours therefore they know assuredly how they stand in the Court of heaven they feele within them what Christ hath done for them they have received already the first fruits of heavenly joyes and doubt not of the whole crop they haue received the earnest and doubt not of their full pay they have received the seales and doubt not of the deeds of their salvation they have received the testimonie of the Spirit and doubt not of their adoption they have received the white stone in my text and doubt not of their absolution from death and election to a kingdome in heaven What doe their dying speeches that ought to live in perpetuall memory import lesse First St. y 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. Pauls I am now ready to be
mandasse ne quis se dominum deinceps vocaret divinantem credo verum Principem orbis terrarum ac mundi totius natum esse Platina writeth Augustus by a Proclamation forbad that any should call him Lord whereby though he intended no such thing yet God who secretly moved him to it may seeme to give all men to understand that no Lord ought to be named the same day with his sonne that when he came into the world all other Lords and Kings were as much obscured as the starres are at the rising of the Sunne m Hom. Il. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In his presence and in comparison of him there is no King Lord or Master For as all Kings are but his subjects all Lords his servants so all Masters his scholars in whose schoole there is great difference betweene the scholars some are able to construe a lecture to others but none can give a lecture but he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the wisedome and the word of God From whence we heare n Mat. 11.29 Learne of me of whom we heare o Mar. 3.17 This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare him p Col. 2.3 In whom we heare all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid to whom wee heare St. q John 6.68 Peter beareth record Thou hast the words of eternall life and St. Ignatius r Ignat. epist ad Philad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is my ancient record and Tertullian ſ Tert. Nobis non opus est curiositate post Christum nec inquisitione post Evangelium cum hoc credimus nihil amplius credere desideramus hoc enim prius credimus nihil ultra esse quod credere debeamus There needs no curiositie after Christ nor farther enquiry after or beyond the Gospell when we beleeve it we desire to beleeve no more and St. Cyprian t Cyp. ep l. 2. ad Cacil It is agreeable to the Religion we professe and our reverence to God to keepe the truth of that which our Lord hath delivered and according to his commands to correct what is amisse that when he shall come in his glory and majesty he may find that we hold that he admonished us to keepe and observe what he taught and doe what he did and St. Jerome u Hier. ep 57. Nullum primum nisi Christum sequentes We follow none as first but Christ and Vincentius Lerinensis adver heres Keepe the Depositum x Quid est depositum quod tibi creditum non quod à te inventum quod accepisti non quod excogitasti Custodi fidei catholicae talentum esto spiritualis tabernaculi Bezaleel pretiosas divini dogmatis gemmas exculpe fideliter coapta adorna sapienter adjice gratiam splendorem venustatem intelligatur te exponente illustriùs quod ante obscurius credebatur eadem tamen quae credidisti ita doce ut cum dicas novè non dicas nova What is the Depositum That wherewith thou art trusted not which thou hast found out that which thou hast received not which thou hast invented keepe the talent of the Catholike faith be thou a Bezaleel of the spirituall Tabernacle cut the gems of divine doctrine shining in his word insert them curiously in thy discourse set them off with a good foyle let men understand that by thy exposition clearly which before they beleeved obscurely yet be sure to teach no more than thou hast learned of Christ though thou speake in a new manner yet deliver no new matter If we teach not that which we have learned of Christ or teach any thing as needfull to salvation which we have not learned of Christ we hazzard if not lose the name of Christians for Disciples of Christ Christians are all one no Disciple of Christ no Christian every one so far a Christian as a Disciple of Christ What Christians then are Papists whose Creed consisting of foure and twenty articles twelve of them they learned of Christ the other twelve of Antichrist as may be seene in the Bull of Pope y Bu la S.D.N.D. Pii Papae quarti super formâ juramenti professoris affix ad Conc. Trid. p. 439. Pius affixed to the Councel of Trent Shall we simply affirm that they are Christians we wrong then our selves and all the reformed Churches who have severed from them Shall we absolutely deny that they are Christians we wrong them who hold with us the profession of the Trinity the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper and the three Creeds the Apostles the Nicene or Constantinopolitane and that of Athanasious Although the Roman Cardinall might justly be blamed who caused his Painter to draw King Solomon halfe in heaven and halfe in hell yet I suppose they could not justly be censured who should draw Popery or the Church of Rome as she is at this day partly in heaven and partly in hell in heaven in respect of those heavenly truthes which she maintaineth with us against Atheists Jewes Turkes and all sorts of Infidels and many ancient Heretiques but in hell in respect of many pernicious and hellish errours which she pertinaciously defendeth against the cleere letter of Scripture and doctrine and practice of the Primitive Church The blessed Apostle resolveth a like question concerning the Jewes who received the Old Testament but rejected the New in a like manner y Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospell they are enemies for your sake but as touching the election they are beloved for the Fathers sake Wee can hardly come off this controversie upon better tearmes than these that Papists as concerning the principles of the common faith are Christians but as touching their proper errours by addition to it detraction from it corruption of it they are no Christians You wil say this is no simple or direct answer neither need it so to be because the question is not simple As it is superfluous to give a mixt or double answer to a simple question so it is dangerous to give a simple and single answer to a mixt question or a question of a mixt subject 1 For instance let the question be concerning Ayat the Jew who used indifferently either of his hands as we use our right hand Whether was he a right handed or a left handed man 2 Or concerning a part of speech which taketh part of a noune and part of a verbe Whether is it a noune or a verbe 3 Or concerning a Myrmaid which in the upper part resembleth a maid in the lower a fish Whether is it a fish or a maid 4 Or concerning the Muscovy Monster which feedeth like a sheepe yet groweth like a plant and hath his root affixed to the earth Whether is it a beast or a plant 5 Or concerning an Androgyne that hath in it both sexes Whether is it a man or a woman 6 Or concerning the apple mentioned by Seneca that hath in it a middle kinde
be no other than grace and he who hath a greater measure of grace must needs more love the Fountaine of grace Christ Jesus As Jesus therefore more loved John so John more loved Jesus hee followed him boldly to the high Priests hall hee never denyed him once as Peter did thrice hee with his mother attended him at the crosse and from that day tooke the blessed Virgin to his owne home and therefore though Christ promised the keyes of heaven to Peter first yet hee gave Saint John a greater priviledge to leane on his breast Which leaned on his breast Of Saint Johns leaning on Christs breast foure kindes of reasons are given 1 A civill by Calvin 2 A Morall by Theophylact. 3 A mysticall by Saint Austine 4 A tropologicall by Guilliandus Though saith a Calv. in Harmon Calvin for a servant to lye on his masters breast may seeme unseemly yet the custome of the Jewes being not to fit at table as we do but at their meales to lye on beds or carpets on the ground it was no more for Saint John to lye on Christs breast than with us to sit next to him unlesse with Theophylact we conceive that Saint John upon the mention of our Lords death and that by treason tooke on most grievously and beginning to languish through griefe was taken by Christ into his bosome to comfort him or wee interpret with Saint Austin and others of the Ancients Sinum Christi Sapientiae secretum the bosome of Christ the cabinet of celestiall jewels or treasury of wisedome and inferre with Saint Ambrose from thence b In psal 118. Johannes cum caput suum super pectus domini reclinaret hauriebat profunda secreta sapientiae That John when hee laid his head to Christs breasts sucked from thence the profound secrets of wisedome and with c Beda in Evang Johan Quia in pectore Christi sunt omnes thesauri sapientiae scientiae reconditi meritò super pectus ejus recumbit quem majore caeteris sapientiae scientiae singularis munere donat Beda That Christ revealed to Saint John as his bosome friend more secrets and that the reason why his writings are more enriched with knowledge especially of things future than the rest is because he had free accesse to Christs breast wherein all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge were hid Moreover as d Guil. com in Johan c. 21. Guilliandus observeth S. John lay upon Christs breast for the same reason that Moses appointed in the law the breast of all sacrifices for the Priest to teach us that wisedome and understanding whose seat is the breast and heart ought to be the speciall portion of the Priests Among so many ingenuous reasons of this gesture of Saint John if wee leane to Saint Austines opinion the use wee are to make of it is with reverence and religious preparation to read and heare all the bookes of holy Scripture and especially Saint Johns writings who received those hidden and heavenly mysteries in Jesus his bosome which Jesus * Joh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath revealed him heard in his Fathers bosome All Scriptures are given by e 2 Tim. 3.16 divine inspiration and are equally pillars of our faith anchors of our hope deeds and evidences of our salvation yet as the heaven is more starry in one part than another and the seas deeper in one place than another so it is evident that some passages of Scripture are more lightsome than others and some books contain in them more profound mysteries and hidden secrets and most of all S. Johns Gosspell and his Apocalypse wherein by Saint Jeromes reckoning the number of the mysteries neare answereth the number of the words quot verba tot sacramenta If wee like of Theophylact his reason wee are from thence to learne not to adde affliction to the afflicted not to vexe them that are wounded at the heart but to stay with flaggons and comfort with apples those that are in a spirituall swoune and by no meanes to withhold from them that faint under the burden of their sinnes the comforts of the Gospell to support them especially considering that hee as well killeth a man who ministreth not to him in due time those things which may hold life in him as hee that slayeth him downe right Lastly if wee sticke with Calvin to the letter it will discover unto us the errour of many among us that contend so much for sitting at the Communion and a table gesture as they speake whereas Christ at his last Supper neither sate nor used any table at all In eating of the Passeover wee read f Mat. 26.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 14.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 22.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christ with the twelve fell down or lay downe after the Jewish manner which was nearer to kneeling than sitting But what gesture precisely hee used in the delivery of the holy mysteries it is not expressed in Scripture most probable it is that he kneeled or at least that the Apostles kneeled when they received the sanctified Elements from him For no doubt they who in the first ages immediatly succeeded the Apostles received the Communion as the Apostles maner was and that they kneeled the heathen cavill against them that they worshipped bread and wine maketh it in a maner evident For had they sate or stood in the celebration of the Sacrament the Gentiles could have had no colour to cast an aspersion of bread-worship on them but because in receiving the sacred elements of bread and wine they kneeled downe and religiously called upon God the Paynims conceived that they adored the creatures of bread and wine And they among us who cannot distinguish betweene kneeling at the Sacrament and kneeling to the element bread worship and the worship of Christ in religiously and reverently participating the holy mysteries of his body and blood are as grossely ignorant in Christian rites as the ancient heathen were Verely did they consider seriously who it is that under the forme of bread and wine offereth unto them his body and blood even Christ himselfe by his Spirit and what they at the same time in a thankfull love offer to God their bodies for a holy and living sacrifice and what then they receive a generall pardon of all their sinnes under the seale of the King of heaven I perswade my selfe their hearts would smite them if they strived not to receive so great a benefit from so gracious a Majesty as in the most thankfull so in the most humble manner But it is not the position of your bodies but the disposition of your mindes which in this rare patterne of my text I would commend to your Christian imitation The best keeping the Feast of a Saint is to raise him as it were to life by expressing his vertues and
blessed Virgin the babe a Luke 1.41 sprang in the wombe of Elizabeth so I doubt not but that at the reading of this text in your eares the fruits of your devotion which are your religious thoughts and zealous affections leap and spring for joy in the wombe of your soule for now is the accepted time the time of grace now is the day of salvation the day of our Lords Incarnation As the golden tongued Father spake of a Martyr Martyrem dixisse laudâsse est to name a man a Martyr is to commend him sufficiently so it may be said of this text to rehearse it is to apply it I need not fit it to the time for the time falleth upon this time and the day upon this day now if ever is this Now in season If any time in all the yeere be more acceptable than other it is the holy time we now celebrate now is the accepted time on Gods part by accepting us to favour now is the day of salvation by exhibiting to us a Saviour in our flesh let us make it so on our parts also by accepting the grace offered unto us and by laying hands on our Saviour by faith and embracing him by love and by joy dilating our hearts to entertain him with all his glorious attendants a troupe of heavenly Souldiers singing b Luke 2.14 Glory be to God on high on earth peace and good will towards men c Esay 49.13 Sing O heavens and be joyfull O earth and breake forth into shouting O ye mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon the afflicted Keepe this holy day above others because chosen by God to manifest himselfe in the flesh bid by an Angell and by him furnished both with a lesson and with an Anthem also Well might the Angell as on this day sing glory in excelsis Deo c. for on this day the Son of God out of his good will towards men became man and thereby set peace on earth and brought infinite glory to God in the highest heavens Well may this be called by the Apostle d Gal. 4.4 The fulnesse of time or a time of fulnesse which filled heaven with glory the earth with blessings of peace and men with graces flowing from Gods good will The heavens which till this time were as clasped boxes now not able longer to containe in them the soveraigne balsamum of wounded mankind burst open and he whose name is e Cant. 1.3 an ointment poured forth was plentifully shed upon the earth to revive the decayed spirits and heale the festered sores of wounded mankind Lift up then your heavie lookes and heavier hearts yee that are in the midst of danger and in the sight nay within the claspes of eternall death you have a Saviour borne to rescue you Cheare up your drouping and fainting spirits all ye that feele the smart and anguish of a bruised conscience and broken heart to you Christ is borne to annoint your wounds bruises and sores Exult and triumph ye gally slaves of Satan and captives of Hell fast bound with the chaine of your sinnes to you a Redeemer is borne to ransome you from spirituall thraldome Two reasons are assigned why festivities are religiously to be kept 1. The speciall benefits of God conferred upon his Church at such times which by the anniversary celebration of the dayes are refreshed in our memories and visibly declared to all succeeding ages 2 The expresse command of God which adjoyned to the former reason maketh the exercises of devotion performed at these solemnities duties of obedience It cannot be denied that in this latter consideration those feasts which are set downe in the booke of God have some prerogative above those that are found wrtiten onely in the Calendar of the Church But in the former respect no day may challenge a precedencie of this no not the Sabbath it selfe which the more to honour him whose birth we now celebrate resigned both his name place and rites to the f Athanas hom de semenie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords day and if we impartially compare them the worke wrought on this day was farre more difficult and the benefit received upon it greater than that to the memory whereof the Sabbath was at the first dedicated It was a greater miracle that God should be made a creature than that he should make all creatures and the redemption of the world so farre exceeds the creation as the means by which it was wrought were more difficult and the time larger the one was finished in sixe dayes by the commandement of God the other not in lesse than foure and thirty yeeres by the obedience of Christ the one was but a word with God the breath of his mouth gave life to all creatures the other cost him much labour sweat and bloud and what comparison is there betweene an earthly and an heavenly Paradise Nay if wee will judge by the event the benefit of our creation had beene none without our redemption For by it we received an immortall spirit with excellent faculties as it were sharpe and strong weapons wherewith wee mortally wounded our selves and had everlastingly laid weltring in our own blood had not our Saviour healed our wounds by his wounds and death and raised us up againe by the power of his resurrection To which point Saint Austine speaking feelingly saith Si natus non fuisset bonum fuisset si homo natus non fuisset If hee had not beene borne it had beene good for man never to have beene borne if this accepted time had not come all men had beene rejected if this day of salvation had not appeared wee had all perished in the night of eternall perdition Behold now is the accepted time In this Scripture as in a Dyall wee may observe 1 The Index 2 The Circles Certaine Behold Different 1 The larger 2 The narrower The accepted time The day of salvation To man in generall it is an accepted time to every beleever in particular it is a day of salvation Lynx cum cessat intueri cessat recordari Because we are like the Lynx which mindeth nothing no longer than her eye is upon it the Spirit every where calleth upon us to looke or behold Behold not alwayes or at any time but now not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not time simply but season the flower of time not barely accepted but according to the originall well accepted or most acceptable not the day of helpe or grace but a day of salvation As in the bodies which consist of similar parts the forme of the whole and the forme of every part is all one for example the whole ocean is but water and yet every drop thereof is water the whole land is but earth and yet every clod thereof is earth the
whole stone is but a diamond and yet every carrect thereof in it is diamond the whole wedge is but gold and yet every plate every smallest foyle or raye is gold and as the soule of man is tota in toto tota in qualibet parte corporis is whole in the whole and whole in every part of the body so there is season in the whole text and in every part thereof for there is season and that instant in now there is season and that welcome in accepted time lastly there is season and that most welcome in the day of salvation In the g Esay 49 8. accepted time I will heare thee in the day of salvation I will helpe thee This I will heare thee is as it were the noyse of heavenly musicke afarre off Behold the accepted time this soundeth like musick at our gate but now is the day of salvation this is like musicke at our eares Behold the accepted time the day starre beginneth to appeare Behold the day of salvation the sunne is risen Behold now is that time now is that day the sunne is directly over our heads it is now high noone Behold is as a larum bell of attention now is as a finger of indication or application to a season 1 Indefinite a time of acceptation 2 Definite or singular a day of salvation That for information this for our consolation Behold is as a star or hand in the margent pointing to some excellent matter In the Scripture wee finde foure sorts of Ecce's 1 An Ecce of demonstration as h Joh. 19.5 Behold the man 2 An Ecce of admiration as i Mat. 2.9 Behold the starre 3 An Ecce of affection as k Joh. 1.47 Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guilt 4 An Ecce of excitation or attention as l 1 Cor. 15.51.52 Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleepe but wee shall all bee changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpe The Rabbins write of Davids harp that it sounded of it selfe by the winde onely blowing on it without the touch of any string it were to be wished that our heart strings were like his harp strings and would give a sweet sound by the winde onely of the Spirit blowing on them without any touch of an Ecce of excitation or increpation but so it is that though our soule be full of divine graces like Argo's eyes yet Mercury with his enchanted rod the world with fascinating pleasures or the Syren of our flesh with her effeminate songs closeth them all and wee need an Ecce like the m Act. 12.7 Angels stroke on Peters side to awake us out of our dead sleepe A strange thing it is that our eyes should bee open and wee runne with all speed sometimes before day out of doores to see a May-game or a Masque or a Pageant or a Morrice-dance and yet wee should need to have an Ecce to stirre us up and plucke open as it were our eye-lids to behold the light of heaven and the glory of the celestiall Paradise Wee listen willingly to wanton musick and lascivious songs but must be pulled by the eare to listen to the sacred songs of Sion Beloved did you fasten your attention did you thoroughly consider of what you cannot but heare again againe unlesse with the deafe adder you stopped your eares something would sticke by you all our sermons all our admonitions all our reprehensions all our consolations should not bee like letters written in sand or the tracke of a ship in the sea or of a bird in the ayre or of a serpent upon a stone whereof there remaines no print at all Saint Hierome speaking of an Imperiall law restraining the luxury of the Clergy The law saith he is good but this is not good that the manners of the Clergy were so dissolute that they needed such a coercive law Bonum cauterium sed vae nobis quod indigeamus tali cauterio so it may bee said of these Ecce's or Beholds in Scripture that they are good and of singular use but it is great pitty that wee should need them it is a signe that our spirituall man is very drowsie if not in a dead sleepe that the Spirit calleth so often and so loud upon us sometimes 1 To awake our faith as n Esay 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall hee with childe and shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Emanuel 2 To awake our hope as o Apoc. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee to give every man as his workes shall bee 3 To awake our love as p 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what love God hath shewen unto in that wee should bee called the sonnes of God 4 To awake our feare as q Apoc. 1.7 Behold hee commeth with the clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall vaile before him 5 To awake our joy as r Luk. 2.10.11 Behold I bring you tidings of exceeding great joy which shall be to all people that to you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. 6 To awake our thankfulnesse as Å¿ Psal 134.1 Behold now praise the Lord all ye servants of the Lord which by night stand in the house of the Lord. 7 To awake our compassion as t Lam. 1.12 Behold if there were ever sorrow like unto my sorrow wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath 8 To awake our diligence and industry in eager and speedy pursuing the meanes of our salvation as here in my text Behold now is the accepted Time Other things are with more ease described than understood but time is easily understood not described or defined so easily there is no rusticke so rude who understandeth not what you meane when you speake of time yet never any Philosopher to this day hath exactly defined or described it Aristotle maketh an essay in his Physickes determining time to be Numerum motus secundum prius posterius The number of motion or motion numbred according to the former or latter parts thereof but he faileth in this his definition For questionlesse time is as well the measure of rest as of motion we sleepe as well in time as we worke in time And as a ship in the Sea whether the passengers lye in their cabbins or walke on the deckes holdeth on her course so whether we sleepe or wake labour or be at our ease the time of our life goeth on When Josuah commanded the Sun to stand still in the heavens all the motions of the celestiall bodies ceased yet was there then time wherein that noble Generall accomplished his victory The Platonicks definition is truer who say that time is eternity limited but yet no way perfect I grant time is as it were a portion or cantle of
eternity yet I deny that this is any good description of time because every description ought to be per notius by something that is more known whereas eternity is farre more obscure than time it selfe all men have a common notion of the one few or none of the other Neither doe they give any better satisfaction who define time by duration For albeit there is a time of duration of every thing and a duration also of time it selfe yet duration is not time duration is the existence of any thing in time not the terme or time it selfe They define time most agreeable to the Scriptures who affirme it to be the continuall fluxe of moments minutes houres dayes weekes moneths yeeres ages from the creation of the world to the dissolution thereof after which the u Apoc. 10.6 Angel sware that time should be no more But I need to speake no more of time at this time because the word in my text is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time but season or as it is here rendered The accepted time The season is that in time which light is in the aire lustre in metals the flower in plants creame in milke quintessence in hearbs the prime and best of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now there being a threefold season 1. Naturall which Husbandmen observe in sowing Gardeners in planting and graffing Mariners in putting to Sea Chirurgians in letting bloud Physicians in purging c. 2. Civill of which the Poet speaketh Mollissima fandi tempora which all humble suppliants observe in preferring petitions to Princes and great Personages 3. Spirituall which all that have a care of their salvation must observe in seeking the Lord while he may be found The Apostle in this place pointeth to this third and his meaning is Behold now presse hard to get into the kingdome of heaven for now the gate is open now labour hard in Gods vineyard for now is the eleventh houre now put up your petitions to the Prince of peace for now is the day of audience now provide your selves of spirituall merchandize for now is the mart now cast your selves into the Bethesda of Christs bloud for now the Angel troubleth the water now get a generall pardon for all your sinnes under the broad seale of the King of heaven for now is a day of sealing When the King commeth saith St. x Chrys in hunc locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome there is no time for sessions or assises but for pardon and favour Behold now the King is come to visit his subjects upon earth and from his first comming to his last the day of grace continueth Behold now is this accepted time He calleth it an accepted time saith St. y Ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome because now God accepteth them to favour who a thousand times incurred his displeasure It is called in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a time of good will and favour as Calvin rendereth the words who biddeth us marke the order first a time of grace is promised and after a day of salvation to intimate unto us that salvation floweth from the meere grace and mercy of God We are active in sinne to our owne damnation but meere passive to the first grace we draw on damnation with the cart-ropes of vanity but God draweth us to salvation with the cords of love The speciall point of doctrine to which this ecce or index in my text pointeth is that we ought to take speciall notice of the time of grace beginning at the birth of our Saviour and ending to us at the day of our death and to all men that shall be upon the earth at the consummation of the world As the celestiall spheres are wrapt one in another and the greatest which the Philosophers terme the Primum mobile invelopeth all the rest so the parts of time are enclosed the lesser in the greater houres in dayes dayes in yeeres yeers in ages and ages in the time of the duration of the world To explicate then to the full the time of our Lords birth it will be requisite to treat 1 Of the age of the world 2 Of the yeere of the age 3 Of the day of the yeere in which the true z John 1.9 light that lighteneth every man that commeth into the world first shined on the earth 1 Of the age of the world The Jewes according to an ancient tradition received from the house of Elias make three ages of the world as it were so many stages of time 1 From the creation to the law 2 From the law to the Messias 3 From the comming of the Messias to the end of the world To each of these they allow two thousand yeeres counting thus 1 a Carion in Chron. Duo millia vacuum 2 Duo millia lex 3 Duo millia Messias post mundi deflagratio Saint y Aug. de civit Dei l. 22 c 30. Post hanc tan quam in die septimo requi escet Deus cum eundem septimum diem quod nos erimus in seipso faciet requiescere Austine doubleth these files and maketh reckoning of sixe ages 1 From Adam to the Deluge 2 From the Deluge to Abraham 3 From Abraham to Solomon 4 From Solomon to the captivity 5 From the captivity to Christs birth 6 From Christs birth to the day of judgement after which in the seventh we shall all keepe an eternall Sabbath in heaven By both which computations it appeareth that the birth of our Saviour fell late towards the declining and end of time as b Maxin Taur hom 6 de nativ In fine temporum natus est ille cujus aeternitatem nulla saeculorum tempora comprehendunt Maximus Taurinensis observeth Here the wit of man which like the Sea will still be working though oftentimes foaming out his owne shame curiously enquireth why the desire and joy of all mankind was so long delayed why he was so late born whose birth was of more importance than of all the Potentates Princes Kings Emperours and Monarchs of the whole world Was not Christ the bright morning starre how came it then to passe that he appeared not till the afternoone if not evening of the world Was not he the bridegroome whose * Marriage song Epithalamium Solomon by the spirit of prophesie endited in the booke of Canticles how could hee then heare his dearest Spouse breathe out so many sighes and shed such abundance of teares in so many ages still longing for his comming and crying c Cant. 1.1 Let him come into the flesh and kisse mee with the kisses of his lips Was not hee the good Samaritan which healed the wounded man after Moses the Levite and Aaron the Priest passing by left him as they found him and did him no ease at all how then could this tender hearted Chirurgian suffer wounded mankinde to lie so many ages weltring in his owne bloud and
take no pity on him To silence these curious questionists the most judicious Divines teach that albeit God hath speciall reasons of his will for every thing he determineth yet to us his will must stand for the last and best reason The fullest answer that can be given to that demand why Christ was borne in the dayes of the Roman Augustus about the two and fourtieth yeere of his reigne is that then was the fulnesse of time that is the time was fully come which God appointed before all time for the comming of his Sonne in the flesh And surely a fitter time could hardly have beene chosen whether we respect the condition of the patient or the quality of the Physician or the state of Judaea or of the whole world at that time First if we regard the condition of the patient before Adam fell and by his fall tooke his deaths wound there was no need of a Chirurgian or a Physician and after he was wounded it was fit that he should feele the smart of his wounds a while and by wofull experience find that he was not able to help himselfe With this reason d Summ. p. 3. q. 1. art 5. Non decuit à principio humani generis ante peccatum Deum incarnari non enim datur medicina nisi infirmis nec statim post peccatum conveniens fuit Deumincarnari propter conditionem primi peccati quod a superbia pervenerat unde comodo homo erat liberandus ut recognosceret se indigere liberatore Aquinas rested satisfied Secondly if we regard the quality of the Physician For no man sendeth for the greatest Doctour especially if he be farre off before he hath tried others that are neere at hand or the cure grow dangerous if not desperate Before the King commeth himselfe many Embassadours and Noble men are sent Nature and Art observe the like method proceeding from lesse noble to more noble workes from the egge to the chicke from the seed to the fruit from the kernell to the apple from the dawning to the day from childhood to youth and from youth to perfect age The painter in like manner first maketh a rude draught of a face after perfectly pourtrayeth it and last of all casteth beautifull colours upon it the Chirurgian first washeth the wound then poureth in wine to search it and after oile to supple and heale it in like manner the providence of God proceeded in the dispensing the meanes of mans salvation after the twylight of nature and dawning as it were of the day the day starre appeared more obscurely in the publishing of the law but manifestly in Saint John Baptists doctrine and then the Sunne arose in the preaching of the Gospell first God sent Priests and Prophets as messengers then Angels and the Archangell as it were Princes and Peeres of heaven and last of all he sent his Sonne the heire of all things Like a Chirurgian he first cleansed the sores of wounded man by pouring in the wine of the Law after he suppled and healed them by pouring in the oyle of the Gospell first he rough hewed us by Moses and after plained and smoothed us by Christ that we might be as the polished corners of the Temple Thirdly if we regard the state of Judaea which was now most deplorate being destitute both of King and Law-giver for Herod a stranger usurped the Crowne and destroyed the Sanedrim or great Councell they had now no Prophet or Seer to lead them in this time of thickest darknesse now therefore if ever the Messiah must come to set all right Fourthly if we regard the state of the whole world which at this time was most learned and thereby most capable of the doctrine of the Gospell Besides it being reduced to a Monarchy and the parts thereupon holding better correspondency one with the other a greater advantage was given for the dispreading of Christian doctrine through all the Provinces of the Roman Empire 2 Of the yeere of the age As God crowned the age in which our Lord tooke flesh with many remarkeable accidents so also the yeere of that age 1 First Herod this very yeere bereaving the Tribe of Judah of King and Lawgiver utterly abolished their grand Councell and thereby the Prophesie of Jacob was verified that c Gen. 49.10 the Scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Lawgiver from betweene his feet till Shilo come The substance of the Scepter if I may so speake was departed before and this yeere the shadow also remaining hitherto in the Sanedrim which had a kind of sovereign power to make lawes and execute them vanished away now therefore Shilo commeth 2 Secondly Moreover this very yeere Augustus Caesar d Luke 2.1 sent forth a Decree that the whole world should be taxed which was not without a mystery viz. that this yeere the world should be prized and an estimate made thereof when our Lord came into the world to redeeme it Little thought Augustus when he gave order for drawing that Proclamation of drawing Marie to Bethlehem that she might there be delivered according to the prophesie of e Micah 5.2 Micah yet so did Augustus his temporall Decree make way for Gods eternall determination of Christs birth in Bethlehem 3 Thirdly this very yeere the same Emperour shut up the Temple of f Functius in Chron. Janus where all the Roman warlike provision lay and established a peace through the whole world that so the Prince of peace might be borne in the dayes of peace 4 Fourthly this yeere also he enacted a law g Sethus Calvisius ex Dione Cassio De manumissione servorum of setting servants at liberty which might have some reference to the spirituall freedome which h John 8.36 Christ purchased for us whereof hee himselfe saith If the Sonne make you free you shall bee free indeed 5 Fiftly this yeere in a certaine Shop or Inne to be let in Rome a i Plat ex Eutrop paulo diac fountaine of oyle sprang out of the earth and flowed a whole day without intermission Magna taberna fuit tunc emeritoria dicta De qua fons olei fluxerat in Tiberim Which may seeme literally to verifie those words of the Prophet k Esay 10.27 It shall come to passe in that day that his burden shall be taken off thy shoulder and his yoake from off thy necke and the yoake shall be destroyed because of the oyle or annointing 6 Sixtly what should I speake of the falling downe of the Temple of l Magdeburg ex Petro comest Templum pacis corruit Romae ne alibi quam in Messiâ pax quaereretur peace in Rome about this time Might not that be an item that true peace was no where now to bee sought save in Jesus Christ our onely Peace-maker now come into the world to reconcile Heaven and Earth and establish a covenant of grace betweene God and man for ever 7 Seventhly neither is m Calvis
word of God as it is written which here I must change and say Hearken unto the word of God as it writeth For to the Angel of Thyatira the second Person which is the Word of God thus writeth Write It is a great honour to receive a letter from a noble Personage how much more from the Sonne of God St. d Eâ— 40. Quid est aliud Scripture sacra n â—i quaedam epistola Omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam Gregorie excellently amplifieth upon this point in his epistle to Theodorus the Physician If your excellencie saith he were from the Court and should receive a letter from the Emperour you would never be quiet till you had opened it you would never suffer your eyes to sleepe nor your eye lids to slumber nor the temples of your head to take any rest till you had read it over againe and againe Behold the Emperour of heaven the Lord of men and Angels hath sent you a letter for the good of your soule and will you neglect to peruse it Peruse it my son studie it I pray thee meditate upon it day and night Where letters passe one from another there is a kinde of correspondencie and societie and such honour have all Gods Saints they have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne O let us not sleighten such a societie whereby we hold intelligence with heaven let us with all reverence receive and with all diligence peruse and with all carefulnesse answer letters and messages sent from the Sonne of God by returning sighes and prayers backe to heaven and making our selves in the Apostles phrase commendatorie letters written not with inke but with the Spirit Thus saith the Son of God Not by spirituall regeneration as all the children of promise are the sonnes of God but by eternall generation not by grace of adoption but by nature Who hath eyes like a flame of fire and feet like fine brasse Eyes like a flame of fire piercing through the thickest darknesse feete like brasse to support his Chuch and stamp to pouder whatsoever riseth up against it like fine brasse pure and no way defiled by walking through the midst of the golden candlestickes Wheresoever he walkes he maketh it holy ground Quicquid calcaverit hic rosa fiet There are three sorts of members in holy Scripture attributed to our head Christ Jesus 1 Naturall 2 Mysticall 3 Metaphoricall Naturall hee hath as perfect man Mysticall as head of the Church Metaphoricall as God By these members wee may divide all the learned Commentatours expositions They who follow the naturall or literall construction of the words apply this description to the members of Christs glorified body in Heaven which shine like flaming fire or metall glowing in a furnace But Lyra and Carthusian have an eye to Christ his mysticall eyes viz. Bishops and Pastours who are the over-seers of Christ his flocke resembling fire in the heat of their zeale and light of their knowledge whereby they direct the feet of Christ that is in their understanding his inferiour members on earth likened to fine brasse to set forth the purity of their conversation and described burning in a furnace to expresse their fiery tryall by martyrdome Alcasar by the feet of fine brasse understandeth the Preachers of the Word whom Christ sendeth into all parts to carry the Gospel Those feet which e Esay 52.7 Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace Esay calleth beautifull Saint John here compareth to the finest brasse which f Beda in Apoc Pedes sunt Christiani in fine seculi qui similes erunt orichalcho quod est aes per ignem plura medicamina perductum ad auri colorem sic illi per acerbissimas persecutiones exercebuntur perducentur ad plenam charitatis fulgorem Beda and Haimo will have to bee copper rendring the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the most resplendent brasse such as was digged out of Mount Libanus but Orichalchum that is copper and thus they worke it to their purpose As brasse the matter of copper by the force of fire and strong waters and powders receiveth the tincture of gold so say they the Christians that shall stand last upon the earth termed in that respect Christs feet shall by many exercises of their patience and fiery tryalls of their faith be purified and refined and changed into precious metall and become golden members of a golden head I doe not utterly reject this interpretation of the mysticall eyes and feet of Christ nor the former of the naturall members of his glorified body because they carry a faire shew and goodly lustre with them yet I more encline to the third opinion which referreth them to the attributes of God For me thinkes I see in the fiery eyes the perfection of Christ his knowledge to which nothing can bee darke or obscure as also his vigilant zeale over his Church and the fiercenesse of his wrath against the enemies thereof Bullenger conceiveth our Saviour to be pourtrayed by the Spirit with eyes like a flame of fire because hee enlighteneth the eyes of the godly but Meyerus because he suddenly consumeth the wicked both the knowne properties of fire for in flaming fire there is both cleare light and intensive heat The light is an embleme of his piercing sight the heat of his burning wrath Where the eye is lightsome and the object exposed to it the eye must needs apprehend it but the Sonne of Gods eyes are most lightsome nay rather light it selfe in which there is no darknesse and g Heb. 4 13. all things lye open and naked before him yea the h Apoc. 2.23 heart and the reines which he searcheth In Courts of humane justice thoughts and intentions and first motions to evill beare no actions because they come not within the walke of mans justice but it will not be so at Christs Tribunall where the secrets of all hearts shall be opened Let no man then hope by power or fraud or bribes to smother the truth or bleare the eyes of the Judge of all flesh For his eyes like flames of fire dispell all darknesse and carry a bright light before them Let not the adulterer watch for the twi-light and when hee hath met with his wanton Dalila carry her into the inmost roomes and locke doore upon doore and then take his fill of love saying The shadow of the night and the privacy of the roome shall conceale mee For though none else be by and all the lights be put out yet he is seen and the Sonne of God is by him with eyes like a flaming fire Let not the Projector pretend the publike good when he intends nothing but to robbe the rich and cheate the poore Let not the cunning Papist under colour of decent ornaments of the Church bring in Images and Idols under colour of commemoration of the deceased bring in invocation of Saints departed under colour
ardebat cor vestrûm in vobis cùm exponeret vobis Scripturas The second jewel was a Saphir according to the Hebrew derivation from Sepher a booke wherein we may reade both the doctrine and graces of the second Speaker Hic lapis ut perhibent educit corpore vinctos saith Vincentius and was not his doctrine a Jayle-delivery of all deaths prisoners It is a constant tradition among the Rabbins that the tables of stone Bellar. l. 2. de Verb. Dei wherein the ten Commandements were written with the finger of God were of Saphir For although Pliny affirmeth Nat. hist l. 37. that the Saphir is a stone altogether unfit for sculpture yet this can be no just exception against this tradition sith the engraving of the ten Commandements was done by the finger of God above nature Moreover it is cleare out of this Text that the name of one of the Patriarchs was written in the Saphir Such a Saphir was the second Speaker having the Lawes of God imprinted in his heart The third jewell is a Diamond in Hebrew called Jahalom because it breaketh all other stones in Greek Adamas that is unconquerable because it can neither be broken by the hammer nor consumed in the fire nay the fire saith Zenocrates hath not so much power as to stain the colour much lesse impeach the substance of this stone Call to mind among the vertues of a Magistrate conspicuous in this divine Oratour his unconquerable courage unstained integrity and the comparison is already made Pliny reporteth Adamantem sideritem alio Adamante perforari thinke you not that if a man could have a heart as hard as the Adamant this Adamant pointed with sacred eloquence could breake it and make it contrite Lastly Pliny addeth that the Diamond is a soveraign remedy against poyson Et ideò regibus charissimus iisque paucis cognitus in high esteem with Princes if as our gracious Soveraigne hath so all Christian Princes had such Diamonds as this if such Preachers were their eare-rings they should be free from the danger of all poysoned and hereticall doctrine If as the stones placed in the second row agree with the gifts of the Speaker so they sort as well with the doctrines of his Text I am sure you wil all say that this second order of stones is not out of order A most remarkable story of the Carbuncle we have that cast in the fire among live coals it seemeth to have no grace in it but quench the other coals with water it shineth more gloriously in the ashes than ever before so our Saviour in the brunt of his passion while he was heat by the fire-brands of hell Scribes Pharisees Jewes Romans seemed to be dead and lose all his colour beauty nay was indeed dead according to his humane nature his soule being severed from his body but after the consummation of his passion and the extinction of the fiery rage of his persecuters with his bloud in his resurrection he shewed himself a most glorious Carbuncle shining in majesty burning in love After his resurrection in the day of his ascension hee taketh possession of his throne in heaven which Chap. 1. V. 26. in Ezekiel is said to bee like a Saphir stone now sitting at the right hand of God the Father having conquered sin death hell made all his enemies his footstoole he is become the only true orient Diamond in the world whether you take the name from the Greek ἄδαμασ ab ά δαμαω or the Hebrew ×להי from ×לה being invincible himselfe and overcomming all adverse power breaking his obstinate enemies in pieces like a potters vessell with a rod of iron The embossment of gold in which these gems of divine doctrine were set was his Text taken out of A Sermon preached by Doctor John King then Dean of Christ-Church and Vicechancellor of the University of Oxford afterwards Lord Bishop of London upon Easter day in Saint Peters Church in Oxford ESAY 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my body shall they rise awake and sing yee that dwell in dust for the dew is as the dew of herbes and the earth shall cast up her dead IT would aske the labour of an houre to settle this one only member I finde such a Babel of tongues at odds about so few words Variae lectiones Whereas we reade terra projiciet or ejiciet the earth shall cast up or bring forth as it doth her herbs and winter prisoners Junius hath Dejecisti in terram Castalio terram demoliris the Seventy Terra cadet S. Jerome Dejicies in terram the Chaldee paraphrase Trades in infernum and for mortuos in Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rephaim from a word signifying to cure per antiphrasin the Seventy reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked or ungodly S. Jerome Gigantes stout and robustious against God But to set you in a right and inoffensive way I reduce almost an infinity of distractions to two heads For all of them either speak of the resurrection of the dead indefinitely which they doe that say Terra ejiciet to wit postquam in terram dejecisti For the earth cannot cast up that it hath not and Manium terram demoliris or of the destruction of the wicked one only species of the dead which the Seventy call impios others Giants mighty to transgresse both senses as the Northern and Southern rivers running from contrary points meet in the Ocean so these from sundry and discrepant conceits run into one common place of the generall resurrection save that the latter adde a straine to the former of Gods vengeance and wrath prepared for the wicked Sense twofold Thus having set the letters of my Text together accorded the words it remaineth that their scope and intent be freed from question There is not one of the learned Scribes old or new Jew or Christian whose spirit and pen hath not fallen upon one of these two senses viz. that the Prophet either speaketh of the resurrection of the dead at the last day or of the restitution and enlargement of the people from their present straights in which say they calamity is a kind of death captivity as the grave Gods people as the seed in the ground Gods grace and favour as the comfortable dew to revive and restore them to their wonted being Of these two companies some goe after the literall grammaticall sense lending not so much as the cast of their eye toward the allegory as Strigelius Clarius Brentius Others on the other side of the banke standing for the shadowed resurrection are not so peremptory but si quis aliter sentire mavult per me liber hoc faciat and Calvin himself in his commentary layes out as it were a lot as well for the true as the typicall resurrection Falluntur Christiani qui ad extremum judicium restringunt Prophetatotum Christi regnum ab initio ad finem
a fellow-feeling of one anothers miseries and to t 2 Cor 1.11 Phil. 1.4 Câ—lâ—s 4.3 2 Thes 3.1 Heb. 13.18 James 5.16 pray one for another but he no where layeth such an injunction upon the dead to pray for us or upon us to pray to them Fourthly we have many presidents in Scripture of the faithfull who have earnestly besought their brethren to remember them in their u Phil. 1.19 Gal. 4.3 2 Thes 3.1 Philem. 22. Heb. 13.18 prayers but among all the songs of Moses psalmes of David complaints of Jeremy and prayers of Prophets and Apostles you shall not find any one directed to any Saint departed from the first of Genesis to the last Verse of the Apocalypse there is no precept for the invocation of Saints no example of it no promise unto it Fifthly lastly we entreat not any man living to pray for us but either by word of mouth when he is present with us or by some friend who wee know will acquaint him with our desire or by letters when we have sure meanes to conveigh them to him whereby hee may understand how the case standeth with us what that is in particular for which we desire his prayers All which reasons faile in the invocation of Saints deceased for wee have no messengers to send to them nor means to conveigh letters to the place where they are neither are they within hearing neither can we be any way assured that they either know our necessities or are privie to the secrets of our heart For the Mathematicall glasse which some of the Schoolmen have set in heaven wherein they say the Saints in heaven see all things done upon earth to wit in God who seeth all things it hath bin long since beat into pieces for I demand Is this essence of God a necessary glasse or a voluntary that is Do they see all things in it or such things only as it pleaseth him to present to their view if they see all things their knowledge must needs be infinite as Gods is they must needs comprehend in it all things past present future yea the thoughts of the heart which God peculiarly x Apoc. 2.23 I am he that searcheth the heart and reines assumeth to himself yea the day of Judgment which our Saviour assureth us no man knoweth not the y Mat. 24.36 Angels in heaven nor the son of z Mar. 13.32 But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels that are in heaven neither the Son but the Father man as man If they see only such things as God is pleased to reveale unto them how may he that prayeth unto them be assured that God wil reveale unto them either his wants in particular or his prayers how can he pray unto them in faith who hath no word of faith whereby hee may be assured either that God revealeth his prayers to them or that God will accept their prayers for him Certainly there was no such chrystal instrument as Papists dream of to discover unto Saints departed the whole earth all things that are in it in the time of Abraham Isaac or Josiah for St. Austin in his book de a Cap. 13. Si parentes non intersunt qui sunt alii mortuorum qui noverunt quid agamus quid ve patiamur ibi sunt spiritus defunctorum ubi non vidunt quaecunque aguntur aut evenâ—unt in istâ vitâ hominibus curâ pro mortuis out of the second book of Kings the 63. of Esay concludeth that sith kings see not the evils which befal their people after their death sith parents are ignorant of their children without doubt the Saints departed have no intelligence how things pass after their death here upon earth So far is it froÌ„ being a branch of their happines to know the passages of human affaires here that S. b Jerom. in epitaph Nepot Foelix Nepo ianus qui haec non audit non videt Jerom maketh it a part of their happines that they are altogether ignorant of them happy Nepotian who neither heareth nor seeth any of those things which would vexe his righteous soule do cause us who see hear them often to water our plants By this which hath bin said any whose judgements are not fore-stalled may perceive the impiety of that part of Romish piety which concerneth invocation of Saints it is not only needless fruitless but also superstitious most sacrilegious for it robbeth God of a speciall part of his honour and wrongeth Christ in his office of mediatour When he holdeth out his golden scepter unto us calleth to us saying Come unto me come by me I am the way shal we run to any other to bring us to him shall we seek a way to the way shall we use mediatours to our mediatour this were to lay a like imputation upon our Redeemer to that which S. c De civit Dei l. 1. Interpres deorum eget interprete sors ipsa referenda est ad sortes Austin casteth upon the heathen Apollo the interpreter of the gods needeth an interpreter we are to cast lots upon the lot it selfe Let it not seem burthensome unto you my deare brethren that I speak much in behalf of him who alone speaketh in behalf of us all we cannot do our Redeemer a worser affront we cannot offer our mediatour a greater wrong than to goe from him whom God hath appointed our perpetuall advocate intercessor imploy Saints in our suites to God as if they were in greater grace with the Father or they were better affected to us than he Have we the like experience of their love as we have of his did they pawn their lives for us have they ransomed us with their bloud will he refuse us who gave us himselfe will he not powre out hearty prayers for us who powred out his heart bloud for us will he spare breath in our cause who breathed out his soule for us shall we forsake the fountain of living water and draw out of broken cisternes that can hold no water shall we run from the source to the conduit for the water of life from the sun to the beam for light of knowledge from the head to the members for the life of grace from the king to the vassall for a crowne of glory But I made choice of this Scripture rather to stirre up your devotion than to beat down Popish superstition therfore I leave arguments of confutation set to motives of perswasion Look how the Opal presenteth to the eye the beautifull colours of almost all precious stones so the graces vertues perfections of all natures shine in the face of God to draw our love to him among which two most kindle our affection vertue and beauty nothing so lovely as vertue which is the beauty of the mind beauty which is the chief grace and vertue of the body To give vertue her due
Fathers of children Magistrates of cities and Kings of realmes who have received your authority from God bee ruled by him by whom yee rule take him for a president in your proceedings from whom yee have your warrant hee first convinceth then reproveth after threatneth and lastly chastiseth those all those whom he loveth doe yee likewise first evidently convince then openly rebuke after severely threaten and last of all fatherly chasten with moderation and compassion all those indifferently without partiality who deserve chastisement not sparing those who are most deare and neare unto you But to the bruised reed to the drouping conscience overwhelmed with sorrow and griefe both for sinnes and the punishment thereof the Spirit speaketh in the words of my text on this wise Why doe yee adde affliction to your affliction and fret and exulcerate your own wounds through your impatience It is not as yee conceive your enemy that hath prevailed against you it is not a curst Master or a racking Land-lord or a partiall Magistrate or an envious neighbour that wreakes his spleene and malice upon you but it is your heavenly Father that striketh you and he strikes you but gently and with a small ferular neither offereth hee you any harder measure than the rest of his children so hee nurtureth them all Neither are yee cast quite out of favour though cast downe for the present nay bee it spoken for your great comfort yee are no lesse in favour than when your estate was entire which now is broken and your day cleerest which is now overcast Yee are so farre from being utterly rejected and abandoned by your heavenly father that yee are by this your seasonable affliction more assured of his care over you and love unto you For hee never saith As many as I love I smile upon or I winke at their faults but I rebuke and chasten whom hee lesse careth for hee suffereth to play the trivants and take their pleasure but hee nurtureth and correcteth you whom hee intendeth to make his heires yea joint heires with his best beloved Christ Jesus Therefore submit your souls under his mighty hand in humble patience after that raise them up in a comfortable hope kisse his rod quae corpus vulnerat mentem sanat which woundeth the body but healeth the soule makes the flesh peradventure blacke and blew but the spirit faire and beautifull Arguite castigate vos ipsos convince your owne folly rebuke your bad courses chasten your wanton flesh with watching fasting and other exercises of mortification confesse your faults and grieve not so much because yee are stricken as that ye should deserve to bee so stricken by him then will the affection of a father so worke with him that hee will breake his ferular and burne his rod wherewith hee hath beaten you and the overflowing of his future favours will make it evident that whatsoever was said or done before was in love to make you partakers of his holinesse and more capable of celestiall happinesse Wherefore let all that mourne in Zion and sigh as often as they breath for their many and grievous visitations heare what the Spirit saith to the Angel of Laodicea I rebuke and chasten as many as I love Spices pounded and beaten small smell most sweetly and Texts of Scripture yeeld a most fragrant savour of life when they are expounded and broken into parts which are here evidently foure 1 The person of Christ I. 2 The actions of this person Rebuke and chasten 3 The subject of these actions As many 4 The extent of the subject As I love 1 The person most gracious I. 2 The actions most just Rebuke and chasten 3 The subject most remarkable Whom I love 4 The extent most large As many 1 In the person you may see the author of all afflictions 2 In the actions the nature of all afflictions 3 In the extent the community of all afflictions 4 In the subject the cause of all afflictions Of this extent of the subject subject of the actions actions of Christ by his gracious assistance and your Christian patience and first of the person 1. That in all afflictions of the servants of God God is the principall agent and hath i Isa 45.7 I make peace create evill the greatest stroake needeth not so much evident demonstration as serious consideration and right and seasonable application in time of fearfull visitations For what passage can wee light upon at all adventures especially in the writings of the Prophets where wee finde not either God threatning or the Church bewailing afflictions and sore chastisements k Amos 3.6 Is there any evill in the city which I have not done saith the Lord And l Lam. 1.12 Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce wrath saith his captive Spouse What face of misery so ugly and gastly wherewith hee scareth not his disobedient people To them that have hard hearts and brazen browes that cannot blush hee threaneth to make m Lev. 26.19 the earth as iron and the heaven as brasse hee martials all his plagues against them sword famine pestilence stings of serpents teeth of wilde beasts blasting mildew botches blaines and what not And according as he threatneth in the law he professeth that he had done to the Israelites in the dayes of the Prophet Amos n Amos 4.6.7 8 9 10. I have sent you cleannesse of teeth and scarcity of bread in all your coasts and yet yee have not returned unto mee also I have withholden the raine from you and yet yee have not returned I have smitten you with blasting and mildew your gardens and vineyards the valmer-worme hath devoured and yet yee have not returned unto mee Pestilence I have sent you after the manner of the Egyptians and your young men I have slaine with the sword and yet yee have not returned unto mee I have overthrowne you as God overthrew Sodome and Gomorrah and you were as a fire-brand out of the burning and yet yee have not returned unto mee There being a double evill as the Schooles distinguish Malum 1. Culpae 2. Poenae the evill of sin and the evill of punishment to make him the author of the former and to deny him to be the author of the later is a like impiety For the former errour impeacheth his purity sanctity the later his justice and providence It is true that in the afflicting of his children God sometimes useth none of the best o Job 1.2 2 Cor. 12.7 Hieron lib. de vir illustr in Ignat. De Syria ad Romam pugno ad bestias in mari in terrà ligatus cum 12. Leopardis hoc est militibus qui me custodiunt quibus si benefeceris pejores sunt iniquitas eorum mea doctrina est instruments neither do they intend what God doth in laying heavie crosses upon his children yet he keepeth their malice within such
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he emptied himselfe word for word made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a servant and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Wherefore God also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 highly exalted him Superexaltavit as if ye would say he highly raised him on high The stroake is doubled upon the naile to drive it in further the beame is reflected to give more light and heat the word is repeated for more significancy and efficacy as Visitando visitabo and desiderando desideravi and benedicendo benedicam and gavisi sunt gaudio magno a◠in c Exod. 32.34 visiting I will visit that is I will most surely visit and I have d Luke 22.15 desired with desire that is I have vehemently desired to eate this Passover and the wise men e Mat. 2.10 rejoyced with joy to see the starre that is they exceedingly rejoyced and in f Gen. 12.2 3. blessing will I blesse thee saith God to Abraham that is I will wonderfully I will extraordinarily blesse thee with store of blessings so here superexaltavit he highly raised on high signifieth he raised him by many degrees he exalted him to the highest honour he was capable of so highly that all creatures whatsoever are far below him In these two words highly exalted are wound up three Articles of our Christian Beliefe immediately following one the other in the Apostles Creed 1. Resurrection 2. Ascension 3. Session at the right hand of God When he was raised from the dead he was exalted but when he ascended and tooke his place at the right hand of God above all thrones dominions principalities and powers he was highly exalted As there are three descents in his humiliation his death his going downe to Hell his lying in the grave three dayes and three nights so there are three ascents in his exaltation correspondent unto them to the first degree of his humiliation his death answereth the first degree of his exaltation his resurrection to the second his descent into hell his ascension into heaven to the third his lying three dayes and three nights in the grave which was the lowest degree of his humiliation the highest degree of his exaltation his sitting at the right hand of God The sweet flower of Jesse which was set at his death and thrust deep into the ground at his buriall is now sprung up from the earth in his resurrection openeth his leaves and sends forth a savour of life unto life to all that by faith smell unto it But to keep to the words of my Text the parts whereof resemble insecta animalia those creeping things which if you cut them asunder will joyne againe therefore is as the communis terminus to them all because the Son of God was so farre humbled it was fit he should be exalted accordingly because he humbled himselfe therefore God exalted him because he humbled himselfe so low God exalted him so high where humility goes before there is a just cause of exaltation and where there is a cause God will exalt and where God exalteth he exalteth highly Wherefore It is hotly argued between the reformed Divines and Papists Utrum Christus sibi meruerit Whether Christ merited any thing for himselfe or only for us The Romanists stand for the first the Protestants for the second opinion I see no cause why this controversie should not be composed for questionlesse Christs humiliation deserved an exaltation neither can we attribute too much glory to our Redeemer Albeit therefore as Mediatour he merited for us yet as man he might also merit for himselfe and the word Quaproptet Wherefore seemeth rather to imply the meritorious cause of his exaltation than a consequence only of the hypostaticall union Where God exalteth there is alwayes some cause he advanced not his Son without merit Whose example if they in whose gifts the greatest preferments are did alwayes follow the garlands of honours should not be taken from them that winne the race and given to standers by Cato was in the right who said he had rather that men should aske why hath Cato no statue or monument rather than why should he have a monument And surely it is a greater honour that men should enquire why such a man of worth is not preferred than why is such a man of no worth preferred yet as in nature so in states the heaviest bodies will ascend ad supplendum vacuum to fill up a vacuity Worthlesse men like Apes and Monkies will not be quiet till they have got to the top of the house and when they are there what doe they but make mouthes and faces at passengers or breake glasses or play other ridiculous feats The old thorow-faire to the Temple of honour among the Romans was by the Temple of vertue but now it is said men have found a neerer way through the postern gate of Juno Moneta The ancient Philosophers did but dreame of a golden age but we see it Aurea nunc verê sunt secula plurimus auro Venit honos auro conciliatur amor This may be well esteemed the golden age in which gold is in greatest esteem Gold supplies all defects and answereth to all things A g Exod. 32.6 Calfe shall be worshipped with divine honour if he be of gold But the best is they that rise like Jonas gourd in a night are blasted in an houre and as they are raised no man knowes why so they fall no man knowes how It is not possible that a high and great building should stand without a foundation Now if we will beleeve Saint Austine the foundation of honour is worth and this must be laid deep in the ground of humility He humbled himselfe therefore God highly exalted him If Christ who humbled and abased himselfe so low be now so highly exalted above all principalities and powers and thrones and dominions there is no cause then why any of Gods children humbled under his hand how low soever they are brought should despaire of rising againe Looke they upward or downward they may fasten the anchor of their hope beneath them our Saviour was who now is above the heavens Are they spoiled of their goods he was stripped starke naked Have they left a great estate he left a Kingdome in Heaven Are they falsly accused he was condemned of blasphemy Are they railed at he was spit upon Are they pricked with griefes he was crowned with thornes Doe they lye hard he hung upon the crosse Doe they sigh for their grievous afflictions he gave up the ghost in torments Are they forsaken of their friends he was for a time of his Father My h Mat. 27.46 God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Have they things laid to their charge they never knew he was charged with the sins of the whole world which pressed him downe to the earth nay yet lower to the grave
jewells but in the judgement and estimation of vertue doubtlesse they have more true honour done unto them whom the best reverence in their minds for their eminent gifts and graces how obscure soever their condition and place be than those of lesse or no worth to whose office and place they give the cap and knee When the Asse that carried the Idoll of Isis upon his backe saw all the people fall downe before the goddesse he lift up his head and kicked up his heeles and never left braying as being proud of so great honour done unto him which folly of the silly beast the people checked in such sort for the present that it grew afterwards for a Proverbe Non tibi sed r Eras chil Isidi Alas stupid beast the worship is not performed to thee but to the image which thou bearest I know ye prevent mee in the application and therefore I presse these things no further only give mee leave to offer to them who are out-stripped by men of inferiour quality in their way of preferment these considerations following That the coale which is healed in the ashes liveth when that which is raked out and blowne soone dieth the jewell in the casket is safe and most resplendent when that which is taken out and worne is soyled or lost Publike offices and eminent places in Church and Commonwealth expose those that hold them to the view of all as their good parts are taken notice of so their bad cannot bee concealed Now if any man or woman otherwayes faire or beautifull should yet have some one foule deformity in their face were it a cut or scarre or boile or botch or the like would they desire much to bee seene would they not either keepe in or by a maske or vaile cover this imperfection Beloved Christians there is none that hath not some or other greater imperfection in his minde than any deformity in the body can bee Privacie and places of small or meane employment cast a vaile over those infirmities and imperfections in such sort that none or very few espy them publike callings and places of great action discover them to the view of all In which consideration if wee compare one with the other the setting forth of their vices and imperfections with the blazing of their vertues and good parts if they have any I am perswaded that never any proud and worthlesse or vaine-glorious or ambitious person obtained their end the constant applause and praise of men For though for a time they are upon the tongue of all and entertained with greatest acclamations before their blinde sides and manifold imperfections are known yet after veritas temporis filia hath brought in her evidence against them their acclamations are turned into exclamations against them their name putrefieth even whilest yet they are alive If a Souldier that hath done good service in a countrey where there were no good coyne but brasse or lead pieces made currant by the Princes command for the present necessity should have this condition offered him that if hee would bee content with so much of his pay as might defray his necessary charge and forbeare the rest till hee returned to his owne countrey hee should receive so much in quantity in the purest gold as he might there in basest coine could hee except against it nay should hee not be very unwise to refuse so good an offer The like condition is propounded by God unto them that daily fight his battels for the good service they doe and the losses wounds infamy or disgrace they suffer glory and honour is due unto them at least by promise the glory of this world is of lesse value in comparison of celestiall than the basest coine in comparison of the purest gold yet the countrey wherein they serve this earth affordeth no better but if they forbeare till they returne to their owne home in heaven there they shall receive gold for copper pearle for glasse a massie crowne of gold for a gilt paper coronet glory from God and his Angels for glory from men Lastly the words of the Apostle Saint Peter are very remarkable to this purpose ſ 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time they who are not yet may be exalted in due time if the due time fall by their life time no man shall be able to crosse them in their advancement nor defeat them of it if not they cannot commence any suit of unkindnesse against our gracious God for not exalting them sooner than he did the greatest instruments of his glory the Prophets and Apostles nay and his only begotten Son who became obedient unto death before he exalted him The belssed Apostle S. Paul expected not his garland before he had t 2 Tim. 4.8 I have finished my course I have kept the faith therefore is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse run his race neither did any of the Roman Captains think it long to stay for their donatives till the day of triumph when they received a Crowne from the Emperour not below in the streets but above in the Capitoll Our day of triumph is the day of judgment when we are to receive a crown of righteousnesse not on earth but in heaven In the meane while if any preferments or honours bee cast upon us let us not esteeme them as our hire but take them onely as earnests but if wee lead our life ingloriously and breath out our last breath in silence and obscurity let this bee our solace that as there can bee no darknesse where the sunne shineth so neither is there any place to bee accounted private or inglorious where God and his Angels are present There needs no other proofe where God is an eye-witnesse of our labours and performance no applauders where his Angels are spectators I fill up this border therefore with a flower taken from Saint * Cyp. l. 4. ep 5. Nec minor est martyrii gloria non publicè inter multos periisse cùm pereundi causa sit propter Christum perire sufficit ad testimonium martyrii testis ille qui martyres probat coronat Et ib. Solus non est cui Christus in fugâ comes est solus non est qui templum Dei servat ubicunque fuerit sine Deo non est Cyprians samplar This Martyr understanding of the discontent taken by some Martyrs in his dayes that the Proconsull had so ordered that they should bee put to death privately and thereby made Martyres sine martyribus witnesses deposing for the faith of Christ without any to testifie their constancy or take example by their patience thus hee quieteth their mindes The glory of your martyrdome saith hee is nothing eclipsed by the privacy of your suffering so the cause be for the faith of Christ it will bee abundantly sufficient proofe of your patience and assurance to you of your reward that
world this City Propertius will tell you to be Rome Septem urbs clara jugis toti quae praesidet orbi 3. The ornaments of Antichrist are scarlet and purple gold jewells and precious stones which the Pope weares especially on high dayes 4. The time of Antichrist his rising is fore-told to be after the division of the Romane Empire after which it appeares by all stories that the Pope grew to his greatnesse 5. The vices of Antichrist are these especially 1. Pride he shall exalt himselfe above all that is called God that is Princes and doth not the Pope so who admitteth them to kisse his feet arrogateth to himselfe a power over them to depose them and dispose of their kingdomes 2. Idolatry or spirituall fornication the great Whore is said to commit fornication with the Princes of the earth and doth not the Pope intice all Kings and Princes to idolatry which is spirituall fornication 3. Cruelty the Whore is said to bee drunke with the bloud of Saints I need not apply this note both their owne and our stories relate of many thousands by the Popes meanes put to death for the profession of the Gospel under the names of Lionists Waldenses Albigenses Wickliffists Hussites Lutherans Calvinists and Hugonots 4. Imposture Antichrist shall come after the power of Sathan in all power of signes and lying wonders and who pretend miracles and abuse the world with Legends of lyes but the Popes adherents 5. Covetousnesse through covetousnesse hee shall with feigned words make merchandize of you Now the wares wherewith the Whore of Babylon deceiveth the world what are they but her pardons indulgences hallowed beads medalls Agnus Dei's and the like 6. The Beast is said to have e Apoc. 18.11 hornes like a Lambe and to speake like a Dragon and to exercise all the power of the first beast This agreeth to the Papacy and Pope who resembleth Christ whose Vicar he calleth himselfe and arrogateth to himselfe Christs double power both Kingly and Priestly He exerciseth also the power of the first beast to wit the Romane Empire described by seven heads and ten hornes because as the first beast the Romane Empire by power and temporall authority so the Pope by policy and spirituall jurisdiction ruleth over a great part of the world 7. It is written of the Whore of Babylon that the Kings of the earth should give their power to her for a time but that in the end they should f Apoc. 17.13 16. hate her and make her desolate which we see daily more and more fulfilled in the Papacy I will be as briefe in the application as I have been long in the explication of this Scripture Babylon is figuratively Rome and Rome is mystically Babylon The Edomites the instigators of the Babylonians and partners with them in the spoyle of the Israelites may well represent unto us Romish Priests and Jesuited Papists rightly to be termed Edomites from Edome signifying red or bloudy For a bloudy generation they are as appeareth by their treasonable practices against Queen ELIZABETH of happy memory and our gracious Soveraigne now reigning These verily seeme the naturall sonnes of Esau who hated Jacob because God loved him and sought to destroy him and his posterity because their father blessed them even so they hate our Jacob and seeke to root out his posterity because God hath blessed him with so many crownes and crowned him with so many blessings They had thought in their mindes as we reade Genes 27. The daies of g Gen. 27.41 mourning will come shortly and then wee will kill Jacob. But blessed be the God of Jacob who delivered his annointed from the power of the sword The more I looke upon the Edomites or Esauites the more likenesse I find between them and our unnaturall countri-men Jesuited Papists The Edomites pretended that they were of the elder house of Isaac and these pretend that they are of the elder Church which is the house of God The Edomites though they were brethren to the Jewes yet they behaved themselves towards them like mortall enemies even so our English Papists though they are our kinsmen and countri-men yet since Pope Pius his excommunication of Queen ELIZABETH they have proved the most dangerous enemies both of our Church and State even in this resembling the Edomites that as they not only vexed and persecuted the people of God themselves but also instigated the Babylonians against them so these not content to plot treasons sow sedition stirre up rebellion in our kingdome have dealt with forraine Kings States to invade our Kingdome and root out both Church and Common-wealth What pity is it that our Rebecca should have her bowells rent within her by two such children striving in her wombe It followeth In the day of Jerusalem Jerusalem had a day after which she slept in dust the daughter of Babylon appointed a day for England a fatall and dismall day a blacke and gloomy day or rather a Gomorrhean night in which a hellish designe against our Church and Common-wealth was attempted and if God himselfe had not miraculously defeated it it had been acted a designe to destroy both at once with fire and brimstone not falling downe from heaven but rather rising up from hell I meane a deep vault digged by the myners of Antichrist and fraught with juysses billets barres of iron and 36. barrells of gun-powder like so many great peeces of Ordnance full charged and ready to bee shot off all at once to blow up the house of Parliament with the royall stocke and the three estates of the Kingdome Remember O Lord the children of Edome in that day or rather for that day in which shall I say they said Raze it raze it to the very foundation they more than said it or cried it they would have thundered it out they assayed it they did what they could to raze it For they planted their murdering artillery at the very foundation of it Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was furious nay barbarous nay prodigious to cut off root and branch at once to beat downe City and Temple with one blow to snatch away on the sudden the King and Prince Queen and Nobles Bishops and Judges Barons and Burgesses Papists and Protestants Friends and Enemies and carry them up in a fiery cloud and scatter their dismembred members or rather ashes over the whole City O daughter of Babylon worthy to bee destroyed because thou delightest in destruction happy shall he be that taketh thy young children and monstrous brats viz. treasons plots conspiracies and unnaturall designes against Prince and State and dasheth them against the stones To draw towards an end and to draw you to a reall thanks-giving to God for the deliverance of the three estates of the Kingdome like the three children from the fiery furnace heat by the daughter of Babylon God hath done great things for us this day whereat wee rejoyce let
lately celebrated with a fit antheme Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivitie captive the later may supply this present thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God may dwell among them Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation for on this day Christ received gifts for his Church the gifts of faith hope and charitie the gift of prayer and supplication the gift of healing and miracles the gift of prophecie the gift of tongues and the interpretation thereof Verily so many and so great are the benefits which the anniversary returne of this day presenteth to us that as if all the tongues upon the earth had not beene sufficient to utter them a supply of new tongues was sent from heaven to declare them in all languages The new Testament was drawne before and signed with Christs bloud on good Friday but c Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby yee are sealed to the day of redemption sealed first on this day by the holy spirit of God Christ made his last Will upon the crosse and thereby bequeathed unto us many faire legacies but this Will was not d 1 Cor. 12.4 5 8. There are differences of administrations but the same Lord and diversitie of gifts but the same spirit For to one is given by the same spirit the word of wisdome unto another the word of knowledge by the same spirit administred till this day for the e And 2 Cor. 3.8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious ministration is of the spirit Yea but had not the Apostles the spirit before this day did not our Lord breathe on them John 20.22 the day he rose at evening being the first day of the weeke saying Receive yee the holy Ghost The learned answer that they had indeed the spirit before but not in such a measure the holy Ghost was given before according to some ghostly power and invisible grace but was never sent before in a visible manner before they received him in breath now in fire before hee was f Calv. in Act Anteà respersi erant nunc plenè imbuti sprinkled but now powred on them before they received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before authority to discharge their function but now power to worke wonders before they had the smell now the substance g Aug. hom de Pent. Nunc ipsa substantia sacri defluxit unguenti cujus fragrantia totius orbis latitudo impleretur iterum adfuit hoc die fidelibus non per gratiam visitationis operationis sed per praesentiam majestatis of the celestiall oyntment was shed on them they heard of him before but now they saw and felt him 1. In their minds by infallible direction 2. In their tongues by the multiplicity of languages 3. In their hands by miraculous cures S. Austine truly observeth that before the Apostles on this day were indued with power from above they never strove for the Christian faith unto bloud when Satan winnowed them at Christs passion they all flew away like chaffe And though S. Peters faith failed not because it was supported by our Lords prayer Luke 22.32 yet his courage failed him in such sort that he was foyled by a silly damsell but after the holy Ghost descended upon him and the rest of the Apostles in the sound of a mightie rushing wind and in the likenesse of fierie cloven tongues they were filled with grace and enflamed with zeale and they mightily opposed all the enemies of the truth and made an open and noble profession thereof before the greatest Potentates of the world and sealed it with their bloud all of them save S. John who had that priviledge that hee should stay till Christ came glorifying the Lord of life by their valiant suffering of death for his names sake In regard of which manifold and powerfull effâ—cts of sending the spirit on this day which were no lesse seene in the flames of the Martyrs than in the fiery tongues that lighted on the Apostles the Church of Christ even from the beginning celebrated this festivity in most solemne manner and not so onely but within 300. yeares after Christs death the Fathers in the Councels of h Concil Elib c. 43. Cuncti diem Pentecostes celebrent qui non fecerit quasi novam heresem induxerit pumatur Eliberis mounted a canon thundring out the paine of heresie to all such as religiously kept it not If the Jewes celebrated an high feast in memory of the Law on this day first proclaimed on mount Sinai ought not we much more to solemnize it in memory of the Gospel now promulgated on mount Sion by new tongues sent from heaven If we dediâ—â—â— peculiar festivals to God the Father the Creatour and God the Sonne the Redeemer why should not God the holy Ghost the Sanctifier have a peculiar interest in our devotion S. i Serm. in die Pent. Si celebramus sanctorum solennia quanto magis ejus à quo habuerunt ut sancti essent quotquot fuerunt sancti si veneramur sanctificatos quanto magis sanctificatorem Bernard addeth another twist to this cord If we deservedly honour Saints with festivals how much more ought wee to honour him who maketh them Saints especially having so good a ground for it as is laid downe in this chapter and verse And when the day of Pentecost was come As a prologue to an act or an eeve to an holy day or the Parascheve to the Passeover or the beautifull gate to the Temple so is this preface to the ensuing narration it presenteth to our religious thoughts a three-fold concurrence 1. Of time 2. Of place 3. Of affections Upon one and the selfe same day when all the Apostles were met in one place and were of one minde the spirit of unity and love descendeth upon them Complementum legis Christus Evangelii spiritus As the descending of the Sonne was the complement of the Law so the sending of the spirit is the complement of the Gospel and as God sent his Sonne in the fulnesse of time so he sent the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fulnesse of the fiftieth day When the Apostles number was full and their desire and expectations full then the spirit came downe and filled their hearts with joy and their tongues with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnifica Dei facta the wonderfull works of God vers 11. That your thoughts rove not at uncertainties may it please you to pitch them upon foure circumstances 1. The time when 2. The persons who They. 3. The affection or disposition were with one accord 4. The place in one place 1. The time was solemne the day of Pentecost 2. The persons eminent the Apostles 3. Their disposition agreeable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The place convenient in an
her husband on the sudden loseth him which I call God to witnesse saith x Orig. in Cant. Conspicit Sponsa Sponsum qui conspectus statim abscessit frequenter hoc in toto carmine facit quod nisi quis patiatur non potest intelligere saepe Deus est testis Sponsum mihi adventate conspexi mecum esse subitò recedentem invenire non potui Origen I my selfe have sensible experience in my meditations upon this book And who of us in his private devotions findeth not the like Sometimes in our divine conceptions contemplations and prayers we are as it were on float sometimes on the sudden at an ebbe sometimes wee are carried with full saile sometimes we sticke as it were in the haven The use we are to make hereof is when we heare the gales of the Spirit rise to hoise up our sailes to listen to the sound when we first heare it because it will be soon blown over to cherish the sparkes of grace because if they be not cherished they will soone dye There came a sound Death entred in at the windowes that is the eyes saith Origen but life at the eares z Gal. 1.8 For the just shall live by faith and faith commeth by hearing The sound is not without the wind for the Spirit ordinarily accompanieth the preaching of the Word neither is the wind without the sound Away then with Anabaptisticall Enthustiasts try the spirits whether they be of God or no by the Word of God To the y Esay 8.20 Law and to the testimony saith the Prophet Esay If they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them And if we saith the Apostle or an Angel from heaven preach unto you any other Gospel than what ye have received that is saith St. * Aug. contr lit Petil. l. 3. c. 6. Praeterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus Evangelicis accepistis Anathema sit Austine than what is contained in the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings let him be accursed From heaven This circumstance affordeth us a threefold doctrine 1. That the Spirit hath a dependance on the Son and proceedeth from him for the Spirit descended not till after the Son ascended who both commanded his Disciples to stay at Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father which yee have a Act. 1.4 heard saith he from mee and promised after his departure to send the b John 15.26 When the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father Act. 1.5 Yee shall be baptized with the holy Ghost not many dayes hence spirit and accordingly sent him ten dayes after his ascension with the sound of a mighty wind in the likenesse of fiery cloven tongues 2. That the Gospel is of divine authority As the Law came from heaven so the Gospel and so long as we preach Gods word ye still heare sonum de coelo a sound from heaven Thus c Lactan. instit l. 3. c. 30. Ecce vox de coelo veritatem docens sole ipso clarius lumen ostendens Lactantius concludes in the end of his third booke of divine institutions How long shall we stay saith he till Socrates will know any thing or Anaxagoras find light in darknesse or Democritus draw up the truth from the bottome of a deep Well or Empedocles enlarge the narrow pathes of his senses or Arcesilas and Carneades according to their sceptick doctrine see feele or perceive any thing Behold a voice from heaven teaching us the truth and discovering unto us a light brighter than the sunne 3. That the doctrine of the Gospel is not earthly but of a heavenly nature that it teacheth us to frame our lives to a heavenly conversation that it mortifieth our fleshly lusts stifleth ambitious desires raiseth our mind from the earth and maketh us heavenly in our thoughts heavenly in our affections heavenly in our hopes and desires For albeit there are excellent morall and politicke precepts in it directing us to manage our earthly affaires yet the maine scope and principall end thereof is to bring the Kingdome of heaven unto us by grace and us into it by glory This a meer sound cannot doe therefore it is added As of a rushing mighty wind This blast or wind is a sacred symbole of the Spirit and there is such a manifold resemblance between them that the same word in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine spiritus signifieth both what so like as wind to the Spirit 1. As the wind bloweth where it d John 3.8 listeth so the Spirit inspireth whom he pleaseth 2. As wee feele the wind and heare it yet see it not so wee heare of the Spirit in the word and feele him in our hearts yet see him not 3. As breath commeth from the heat of our bowells so the third person as the Schooles determine proceedeth from the heat of love in the Father and the Son 4. As the wind purgeth the floore and cleanseth the aire so the Spirit purifieth the heart 5. As in a hot summers day nothing so refresheth a traveller as a coole blast of wind so in the heat of persecutions and heart burning sorrow of afflictions nothing so refresheth the soule as the comfort of the Spirit who is therefore stiled Paracletus the Comforter 6. As the wind in an instant blowes downe the strongest towers and highest trees so the Spirit overthrowes the strongest holds of Sathan and humbleth the haughtiest spirit 7. As the wind blowing upon a garden carrieth a sweet smell to all parts whither it goeth so the Spirit bloweth upon and openeth the flowers of Paradise and diffuseth the savour of life unto life through the whole Church 8. As the wind driveth the ship through the waves of the sea carrieth it to land so the gales of Gods Spirit carrie us through the troublesome waves of this world and bring us into the haven where wee would bee Cui cum Patre Filio sit laus c. THE MYSTERIE OF THE FIERY CLOVEN TONGUES THE LXV SERMON ACTS 2.3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them AMong the golden rules of a Cael. Rodig lib. antiq lect Nunquam de Deo sine lumine loquendum Pythagoras so much admired by antiquity this was one that we ought not to speake of God without light the meaning of which precept was not that we ought not to pray to God or speake of him in the night or the darke but that the nature of God is dark to us and that we may not presume to speak thereof without some divine light from heaven Nothing may be confidently or safely spoken of him which hath not been spoken by him In which regard b Salv. de gubern lib. 1. Tanta est Majestatis sacrae tam tremenda reverentia ut non solùm illa quae
grieves not a picture weepeth not these teares then of our Saviour may serve as haile-shot to wound all such Heretickes as imagined that Christ had but an imaginary body 2. Veritatem amoris the truth of his love It is true love which resolveth it selfe into teares upon the sight or apprehension of anothers losse griefe or danger When Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus the Jewes said Behold how he d Joh. 11.36 loved him and when the Disciples and whole multitude saw Christ weepe as soone as he came in sight of Jerusalem they could not but say within themselves Behold how he loveth this city 3. Veritatem prophetiae the truth of his prophecie concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and all the calamities that shortly after befell the Jewish nation they must needs be true evils and judgements certainly to come upon the city which the Sonne of God foretelleth with wet eyes Quum appropinquavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he came neere If Christ in his humane body could have beene present in many places at once as the Trent Fathers teach and our e Bell. lib. 3. de sacr Euch. c. 3. 4. Romanists set their faith upon the tenters to beleeve he then might have spared many a wearisome journey he needed not to have travelled as he did from country to country and city to city all the progresses which he made through Judea and Galile and Samaria and the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon might have beene saved For without stirring his foote by this doctrine he might have presented himselfe at the same time in Nazareth and Bethlehem and Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum and Nain and Jerusalem as if we may beleeve f Aelian de Var. hist lib. 4. Pythagoras eodem die horâ visus est in Metapentio Crotona in Olympo femur aureum ostendit Aelian Pythagoras at the same time was seene in divers cities and there shewed his golden thigh a fit miracle for aurea legenda the golden legend sed quia non legimus non credimus but because we find no such thing in Scripture we beleeve it not We are so farre from finding it there that we find the direct contrary g Math. 28.6 He is not here for he is risen If there be any force at all in this reason of the Angel the humane body of Christ cannot be in more places at once for could it be in more places at once it might have beene in the grave and risen out of it at the same time which the Angels for supposeth to be impossible Hector adest secúmque deos in praelia ducit In this battell against the Trent faith we have men and Angels on our side for as the Angel argueth here from the impossibility of the existence of Christs body in more places at once so do the ancient fathers h Lib. 4. contr Eutic Christi corpus quando in terra fuit non erat utique in coelo nunc quia est in coelo non est utique in terra Vigilius Christs body when it was upon earth was not at the same time in heaven and now because 〈◊〉 is in heaven it is not therefore upon earth and Saint i Aug. l. 20. cont Faust Manic c. 11. Secundum praesentiam spiritualeÌ„ nullo modo pati illa possit secundum praesentiam corporalem simul in sole luna cruce esse non possit Austine When ye Manichees teach that Christ was at the same time in the Sun and in the Moone upon the Crosse what meane ye by presence his divine spirituall that is nothing to your purpose for according to that hee could not suffer Do you mean corporall according to that he could not be together in more places and consequently not as ye suppose in the sunne and in the moone and upon the crosse at once As the Poets faigne of Hercules that in his cradle with one graspe of his hand hee killed two serpents so by the handling of this one circumstance if the time and this present occasion would permit mee I might kill two monsters of heresies the former of transubstantiation which you see lieth halfe dead before you the latter of consubstantiation the former holdeth a multi-presence and the latter an omnipresence or ubiquity of Christs body The word appropinquavit he came neere reacheth a blow home to both these For comming neere a place is a locall motion Now every locall motion must have a terminus à quo and a terminus ad quem a place or point to bee left and another to be got which cannot be verified in a body which in the same time is in utroque termino in the terme from which and the tearme to which it is to move much lesse can an infinite or omnipresent body move locally because such a body according to their supposition filleth all places and consequently cannot goe from one to another iâ—â—â—nnot lose any place it had or acquire any it had not This comming heere then of our Saviour to Jerusalem proveth that the Lutherans and all ubiquitaries are as farre out of the way in this point as Papists they that hold this errour must blot out all Christs gests recorded by the Evangelists and reverse all his progresses from Judea to Galile and from Galile to Judea from Jerusalem to Nazareth and from Nazareth to Jerusalem from land to sea and from sea to land Moreover to entitle a creature to ubiquity is to deifie it and to attribute this incommunicable property of the deitie to the humane nature of Christ is to confound his two natures Thus heresies unnaturally engender the later with the former and Lutheranisme begets Eutychianisme at which monstrous error though the Romanists are startled yet the heresie of transubstantiation which they foster at this day is of the same cast Admit once that Christs body may be at the same time in heaven at the right hand of his Father on the Altar in the right hand of the Priest why may it not be in milions of places if it may be wheresoever masses are said why may it not also by divine power be where they are not said why not then every where if it may stand with the unity of an individuall body to be in two distinct and distant places at once it may as well be in two hundred places and if in two hundred in two thousand and if in two thousand every where The nature of an individuall body which is to be indivisum in se divisum â caeteris omnibus is as well destroyed by putting it in two places at once as in two millions Wherefore as wood cleavers drive out one wedge by another and conjurers cast out one spirit by another as bad and as Plato tooke downe Diogenes trampling upon his rich carpet k Eras Apoph and saying I tread Platoes pride under my feete Calcas fastum sed alio fastu thou treadest upon my pride saith
the daughter of my people Such was Saint Pauls g 2 Cor 11.29 Besides those things that are without that which commeth upon mee daily the care of all the Churches who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not Of the same temper was Saint Cyprian I h Cypr. ep 16. Compatior condoleo fratribus nostris qui lapsi pâ—rsecutionis infestatione prostrati partem nostrorum viscerum secum trahentes acrem dolorem suis vulneribus intulerunt Et l. de laps Cum plangentibus plango cum deflentibus dâ—fleo cum prostratis fâ—atribus me quoque prostravit affectus sympathize and condole with you for those of our brethren whom the cruelty of persecution hath overthrowne and laid upon their backs the wounds which they have received no lesse paine mee than if part of my bowells had been plucked out of my body And againe I mourne with them that mourne and weep with them that weep and am cast downe with them that are fallen This sympathy is a more noble worke of mercy and charity towards our afflicted brethren than bounty it selfe he that spendeth his affection upon his brother in his distresse doth more than hee that reacheth unto him an almes for the one giveth somewhat out of his purse the other out of his bowells on the contrary want of naturall affection is ranked with the worst of all vices i Rom. 1 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being filled with all unrighteousnesse wickednesse covetousnesse maliciousnesse full of envie murder debate back-biters haters of God disobedient to parents covenant breakers without naturall affection implacable unmercifull Doubtlesse they are monsters in nature that want bowells nothing more provoked God in k Salvian de Dei gubern l. 6. Confundebatur vox morientium vox bacchâ—ntiâ—â—m vix discerni poterat plebis ejulatus qui fiebat in bello sonus populi qui clamabat in circo Salvianus his judgement to double his stroaks upon the French when the Goths came in upon them than that they had no sense or feeling of their brethrens calamities The voice of the dying could hardly be distinguished from the clamours of those that were drunk at the same time when the people without the City cried out for feare of the enemy the people within the City shouted at their sports It is not safe for any to feast when God calleth to fast to sing when God calleth to sigh to brave it in gorgeous apparrell when God calleth to sackcloth Whose heart quaketh not at that thunder-clap in the Prophet Esay l Esay 22.12 13 14. And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth And behold joy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine And it was revealed in my eares by the Lord of hosts surely this iniquity shall not bee purged from you till you die The sinne wherewith God charged the old world before it was over-flowne with a deluge of water and Christ in the Gospel chargeth the new which shall be over-flowne with a deluge of fire is the same wherewith hee here chargeth the Jewes that they knew not that is tooke not notice of the time of their visitation m Luk 17.26 27 28 29 30. As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be also in the daies of the Son of man They did eate they dranke they married wives they were given in marriage ntill the day that Noah entred into the Arke and the floud came and destroyed them all Likewise also as it was in the daies of Lot they did eate they dranke they bought they sold they planted they builded but the same day that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all Even so shall it be in the day when the Sonne of man shall be revealed The meaning is they went on in the ordinary tract of their businesse as if there had been no judgement toward as also did the inhabitants of Jerusalem at this time whom when Jesus saw so neere the brink of destruction and yet so carelesse he wept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he considered what he was to suffer for that City and what that City afterwards was to suffer because of him his griefe ran over the naturall bankes his eies The same organ is ordained for seeing and weeping to teach us that weeping should not be without seeing nor sorrowing without understanding The cause why we weep not for the desolation of our Jerusalem neere at hand if this our present fasting and repenting in dust and ashes remove it not is because wee see not the evills that hang over our heads wee see them not because we put them farre from us or hide them from our eies The infant while it lieth in the darke prison of the mothers wombe never quatcheth nor weepeth but as soone as ever it commeth out of the womb into the light it knits the browes and wrings the eyes and cries taketh on even so the childe of God whilest he is yet kept in the darke of ignorance in his unregenerate estate never crieth to his Father nor weepeth for his sinne but as soone as the light of grace shineth upon him hee bewaileth his grievous misery and never thinketh that he hath filled his cup of teares full enough The spouts will not runne currently if we pump not deep If then wee would have the spouts which nature hath placed in our heads run aboundantly with teares of repentance we must pump deep we must dive deep into the springs of godly sorrow which are the consideration of our owne sinnes and the afflictions of Gods people Were Jesus now upon earth in his mortall body and should behold this Kingdome as he did the City of Jerusalem and take a survay of all the evills we doe and are like to suffer could he thinke you refraine from teares would he not second his teares with groanes And so I passe to the fourth step 4. Ingemuit he sighed saying If thou knewest or Oh that thou hadst knowne The Greekes in their Proverbe give it for a character of a good man that he is much subject to sighing and free of his teares n Eras chil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am sure the best man that ever was as hee wept more than once so hee sighed often When he opened the eares of the deafe and dumbe and when the Pharisees seeking of him a signe tempted him he o Mar. 7.34 Looking up to heaven he sighed and saith unto him Effata be thou opened Mar. 8.12 sighed deeply in his spirit and when he raised p John 11.38 Jesus therefore groaning in spirit commeth to the grave Lazarus stinking in the grave and againe in my Text. And this he doth not as God for immunity from passion is a prerogative of the divine nature but as Calvin
to an account to consider how deeply thou hast engaged Gods justice to poure down the vialls of his vengeance upon thee for thy rebellion against his ordinances thy corporall and spirituall fornication thy resisting the spirit of grace thy peremptory refusing of the meanes of salvation thy persecuting the truth even to the death and imbruing thy hands in the bloud of Gods dearest servants sent to thee early and late for thy peace Jerusalem had a day and every City every Nation every Church every congregation every man hath a day of grace if he have grace to take notice of it hath an accepted time if he accept of it and he may find God if he seek him in time It was day at Jerusalem in Christs time at Ephesus in S. Johns time at Corinth Philippi c. in S. Pauls time at Creet in Titus time at Alexandria in S. Markes time at Smyrna in Polycarps time at Pergamus in Antipas time at Antiochia in Evodius and Ignatius time at Constantinople in S. Andrew and Chrysostomes time at Hippo in Saint Austines time now in most of these it is night it is yet day with us O let us worke out our n Phil. 2.12 salvation with feare and trembling whilest it is o Heb. 3.7 13. called to day if the Sun of righteousnesse goe downe upon us we must looke for nothing but perpetuall darknesse and the shadow of death Although Ninevehs day lasted forty daies and Jerusalems forty yeers and the old worlds 120. yeers and although God should prolong our daies to many hundred yeeres yet we should find our day short enough to finish our intricate accounts That day in the language of the holy Ghost is called our day wherein wee either doe our own will and pleasure or which God giveth us of speciall grace to cleare our accounts and make our peace with him but that is called the Lords day either which he challengeth to himselfe for his speciall service or which he hath appointed for all men to appeare before his Tribunall to give an account of their own workes A wicked man maketh Gods day his owne by following his owne pleasures and doing his own will upon it and living wholly to himselfe and not to God but the godly maketh his owne daies Gods daies by imploying them in Gods service and devoting them as farre as his necessary occasion will permit wholly to him Wherefore it is just with God to take away from the wicked part of his owne daies by shortening his life upon earth and to give to the godly part of his day which is eternity in heaven I noted before a flaw and breach in the sentence as it were a bracke in a rich cloth of Tissu If thou knewest in this thy day what then thou wouldst weep saith S. p Homil. in Evang Gregory thou wouldest not neglect so great salvation saith q Comment in Evaâ—g Euthyrtius it would bee better with thee saith Titus Bostrensis thou wouldst repent in sackcloth and ashes saith r Brug in Evang Brugensis But I will not presume to adde a line to a draughâ— from which such a workman hath taken off his pensill and for the print I should make after the pattern in my Text and now in the application lay it close to your devout affections I may spare my farther labour and your trouble for it is made by authority which hath commanded us to take notice of those things that belong to our peace viz. to walke humbly with our God by fasting and prayer wherefore jungamus fletibus fletus lachrymas lachrymis misceamus let us conspire in our sighes let us accord in our groanes let us mingle our teares let us send up our joynt praiers as a vollie of shot to batter the walls of heaven let all our hearts consort with our tongues and our soules with our bodies what wee doe or suffer in our humiliation let it be willingly and not by constrant let our praiers and strong cries in publike be ecchoed by the voice of our weeping in private who knoweth whether God may not send us an issue out of our present troubles by meanes unexpected who knoweth not whether he may not have calicem benedictionis a cup of blessing in store for those his servants beyond the sea who have drank deep of the cup of trembling Christ his bowells are not streightened but our sins are enlarged else it would be otherwise with them and with us I have given you a generall prescription will ye yet have more particular recipe's take then an electuary of foure simples The first I gather from our Saviours garden Let your Å¿ Luke 12.35 loines be girt and your lamps in your hands Let your loines be girt that is your lusts be curbed restrained and your lamps burning that is your devotions enflamed Gird up your loines by mortification discipline and have your lamps burning both the light of faith in your hearts and of good workes in your hands The second I gather from S. John Baptists garden t Matth. 3.8 Bring forth fruits meet for repentance or worthy amendment of life let your sorrowes be * Cyp de laps Quam grandia peccavimus tam granditer defleamus answerable to your sinfull joyes let the fruit of your repentance equall if not exceed the forbidden fruit of your sin wherein ye have most displeased God seek most to please him Have ye offended him in your tongue by oathes please him now by lauding and praising his dreadfull name and reproving swearing in others Have ye offended in your eies by beholding vanity and casting lascivious glances upon fading beauty enticing to folly make a covenant from henceforth with your eies that they cast not a look upon the world or the flesh's baits imploy them especially from henceforth in reading holy Scriptures and weeping for your sins Have ye offended in thought sanctifie now all your meditations unto him Have ye offended in your sports let now your delight be u Psal 1.2 in the Law of God let the Scriptures bee your * Aug. l. 11. confes c. 2 Sint deliciae meae Scripturae tuae nec fallar in iis nec fallam ex iis delicacies with S. Austine meditate upon them day and night make the Lords holy-day your delight Esay 58.15 and honour him thereon not following your owne waies nor finding your owne pleasure nor speaking your owne words The third I gather from S. James his garden x Jam. 4.10 Cast down your selves before the Lord and he will lift you up The Lion contenteth himselfe with casting downe a man if he couch under him and make no resistance he offereth no more violence Corpora magnanimo satis est prostrâsse Leoni It is most true if we speake of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah for hee will not break a bruised reed much lesse grind to powder a contrite heart If Ahabs outward humiliation who notwithstanding had sold himselfe