top of Aarons head to the beard Psal â—33 2 the skirts of his clothing This blessing of absolute power is Gods onely to giue who at his pleasure can bestow temporall or eternall gifts Sometimes temporall vpon the creatures for man or vpon man in the vse of the creatures Ephes 1.3 Sometimes eternall vpon the Saints as he blessed the elect with all spirituall blessings in Christ chosen before the foundations of the world Aquinas This blessing hath no match and therefore it is said benedicere Dei est causare bonitateÌ„ there is none but God which can create goodnesse in man The other Superiour blessing is by commission to Gods Deputies which blessing is either more-common or more rare The common blessing is praier sent as an Angell to fetch the blessing of God from the top of the ladder in heauen to the foot of the ladder on earth Thus the superiours in the Church for which cause we thinke superiority expedient do pray for the blessing of God inward and outward and ex officio doe shew that God will bestow them wich are necessary This blessing is dayly or ought to bee of Kings to their subiects Pastors to their flocke and Parents to their children The blessing of the King to his subiects Iosh 22 1 Paralip 16 3 Reg. 8 as Ioshuah blessed the Rubenites as Dauid blessed the people in the name of the Lord or as Salomon blessed all the congregation of Israel Thus shall the King prolong his daies in the kingdome and his sonnes in the middest of Jsrael The blessing of the Pastor to the flock Deut. 17.20 Nomb 6.23 Leu. 9.23 Hebr. 7.1 ought to be as Aaron blessed the people at Gods appointment as Moses and Aaron blessed the people when the glory of the Lord appeared and as Melchisedec blessed Abraham the Priest of the most high God met Abraham c. blessed him This blessing when it is directed according to the prescript and allowance of the word of God is then of great power by the power of God annexed by promise The blessing of parents to their children is also of good vse and commendable among vs in England for the good speede commonly obserued in these blessings Apud Britannos inprimis sacra antiquitatis vestigia etiamnum hodie clara in hac parte sunt Hyperius Raedius Britannicarum claritatum speciosus The Britanes are most honourable aboue all Nations for the continuance of this holy ordinance This is without all doubt an holy order which the Lord ordeined from the beginning that children might bee preserued within the compasse of dutifull obedience to their parents and might esteeme greatly of their great office ouer them Moreouer this obseruation beeing a comely correspondence to the fifth commandement doth thereby approue it self that in our religion it should not be neglected or reputed a stranger And this is more manifest by the reasons of the Wise man in which hee lappeth his counsels for the precious estimation of the parents blessing Eccles 3.11 For the blessing of the father establisheth the house of the children and the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations I might here lift vp some monuments on which it hath been proued and written how the blessings curses of parents haue kindled fire of heauen or hell as if Gods will and the parents were all one In this purpose an heathen speaketh as if he had been a Diuine in the skill of secrets Si affirmabit pater aduersus nos pati nos oportet quod ille faciat cuius potestas plus potest God doth iustly effect that which man doth iustly craue But of all blessings by commission that is the highest and of most power which is called the Patriarchall or Propheticall blessing With this blessing Isaac blessed Iaacob and Iaacob after blessed his sonnes This is called a blessing of excellency for that those holy men indued with the spirit of Prophesie did blesse with the blessing of God which could not be supplanted I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed These blessings were as delectable nuts in the Church because in them beeing words of men there was deliuered the blessing of God Cant. 6.10 as the kirnell in the nut So that Iaacob gone towards his blessing might say I went downe into the garden of nuts The Lord had so enacted the couenant of grace with those gracious fathers that it did rest in custodie vt sanctum depositum as an holy pledge deliuered in trust They by their solemne blessing might conuey this treasure to their posterities in whose families the Church and life of saith was to continue till Christ his comming Thus Noah blessed his sonne Sem before and Moses blessed the twelue Tribes after Concerning Noah his blessing the question is asked wherefore that largesse of Patriarchall blessing was bestowed on Sem when as Iaphets fauourable demeanour towards his father was of equall reuerence and care for his fathers honour as Sems was The answer to this question is plaine that the holy ghost did foresee how from Sem should spring Abraham and all his holy followers of whom the most blessed fruite that euer did grow was to come into the world Therefore to Sem was that great Patriarchall blessing conueyed yet had Noah an other blessing for Iaphet as Abraham had for Ismael and Isaac had for Esau This secondary blessing was far short of the first as the light of a starre is short of the light of the sunne Yet this blessing might be inlarged to Iaphet if hee would light his starre at the sunne and dwell within the light of the Church within the tents of Sem according to the condition of the blessing God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tents of Sem. And thus is it happilie with vs Gentiles conuerted and perswaded to fetch our light at Christ in the tents of Sem our blessing is inlarged by him and the Church with his blessing is inlarged by vs. Now then let me shew you how Iaacob the Hebrew and our English Iaacob are a blessed field The superiour blessing is vpon them both and their blessing is made manifest vnto vs in three most worthy allowances The first is for scituation the second for plants and the third for fruitfull vantages of watering In the first Iaacob is a blessed field scited in the sunne the fairest funne the Sonne of God which alway shines A blessed scite is Iaacobs conscience thus neighboured with the sun his conscience is asweet lodging sweetned with the ioies of Christ as his father Abrahams bosome O blessed Iacob thy fathers blessing hath Iodged thee in the bosome of Christ as the spouse in the bosome of her husband Cant. 2.4 Hee brought me into his wine-seller and loue was his banner ouer me God dwelling with Iaacob and Iaacob is two waies One in tabernaculo personali in the flesh of man the other in tabernaculo mistico in the
sacrifice all sweet 2 Filius is truth the word of eternall life and standeth here in the middest of this little garden dropping dewes of heauen to water it as the tree of life in the middest of Paradise In caeteris erat alimentum in isto etiam Sacramentum By other trees the body had sustenance by this the Soule instruction Therefore was it called Arbor vitarum Christ is the tree of liues Behold the tree of life in the middest of the garden on whom the liues of all the Saints doe depend for euer Christ is the truth and the life of the Church all sure 3 Ager is righteousnesse O inualuable righteousnesse of Christ where we gather all our righteousnesse for Christ is made vnto vs righteousnesse Iste est regula nos regulati He is our guide and we his followers as liues are guided by their soule Thus are wee made to flourish like the Palme tree and to growe like the Cedars of Lybanus all faire 4 Benedictus is peace our healthfull peace in our deere peace offering our redeemer whence wee receiue our heauenly requiem and rest from all our labours all blessed Thus we receiue our lot of inheritance Coloss 1.12 S. Cassianus Ioh. 20. among the Saints in light vnitatem socialem cum angelis in vinculo pacis The legacie of the Prince of peace Irrequietū est cor nostrum O bone Iesu donec quiescat in te O sweet Iesus how our hearts doe pant till they rest in thy peace that we neuer pant any more Here you may perceiue a comely Quadrant of the Soueraigne Ecce like that beautiful type of the Temple whose borders were foure square 3 Reg. 7.31 The Church is also resembled by the Quadras a pretious stone foure square S. Ambrose of despected colour yet of respected vertue Quadratura significat stabilitatem Ecclesiae the quadrant imports sound resolution But it is likely that some will aske where is Dominus the great Master of the houshold he which is Lord of the smell the Son the Shield and the blessing In whom by whom for whom from whom mercie and truth and righteousnesse and peace and all things are Rom. 11.36 In all things let me vnderstand what I say and tell you what I do vnderstand S. Augustine Omnes vtique naturas intelligere debemus quae naturaliter sunt neque enim ab ipso sunt peccata quae naturam non seruant sed vitiant Wee must meane all natures which are pure issues in natures for from him are not any faults which doe not conforme nature but deforme it Now then to that question I answer that I cannot shew him when hee goeth by one I see him not Iob. 9.11 If I goe to the North where he worketh yet I cannot see him Iob. 23.9 he will hide himselfe in the South and I cannot behold him Enoch is said to walke with God but he was taken vp into the Eagles ned and no more seene Gen. 5.24 4. Reg. 2.11 Elias went to walke with God but he was rapt vp in fierie chariots and no more seene here till the transfiguration for a fit Man here cannot see so farre as to see what God is Therefore Moses when he was on the lower Mount did hide his face at this excellens obiectum Exod. 3.6 which doth dazell mans presumptuous intelligence more then the Sunne doth his piercing eie the Sunne is a creature God is the Creator finitiad infinitum Some say that Isaias was therefore slaine S. Hierome for saying that he did see God yet without peraduenture he did see him iuxta possibilitatē humanam non vti est sed vt voluit se videri so farre as man could see who cannot see God as his desire is to see but as Gods pleasure is to be seene You may remember when the Lord was asked for his name his answer was I am wonderfull and past vnderstanding Exod. 3. Wee grant in good meaning that there is meridiana visio when we shall see face to face when we shall know that wholly 1. Cor. 13.12 which wee know now but in part But that meridian sight cannot see God fully to comprehend or measure him Deus ad plenum non cognoscitur in via neque in patria Isichius The sharpest sight either at home or abroad cannot discerne the fulnesse of God We shall know him to the full S. Augustine for the sufficiencie of our felicitie which shal be perfect and to the capacity of our glorified conceipt which shall be great but not infinite as God is and so is nothing else When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy Image Psal 17.15 Many millions of painefull considerations haue beene inrolled in the monuments of the Church of the Secrets of God which are all but as all the nations Esa 40.15 Alcuinus as the droppe of a bucket in comparison or as a droppe to the Ocean Some haue desired to tell vs what God is of himselfe and what hee is to vs. That of himselfe he is all length id est eternitie all breadth De us est Sphaera incomparabilis cuius centrum est vbique circumferentia nusquā charitie all height maiestie all depth wisdome That he is to vs our possessor he abideth within vs and is not contained our guard he remaineth without vs and is not debarred our king hee continueth aboue vs and is not mooued our rocke he supporteth vs for euer and is not confined I might point out vnto you many glosses of faire shew and all short of that which the Apostle in few wordes attempteth to this purpose 1. Tim. 6.16 He onely hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the light which none can attaine vnto whom neuer man saw neither can see Yet in all our walke through this garden wee shall see his beames shining vpon it and with faith hope and loue admire his presence whose seat is in the pillar of the cloud Eccles 24. Now then let vs proceed to consider first the head of this Text with the antecedents and then the foure quarters with their correspondence In euery part we find three consutes 1 First historicall narration pleasant in Iacob 2 Secondly mystical signification splendent in Christ 3 Thirdly congruent application honourable in the Prince In the head Behold I must craue fauour to walke a long procession The Lord had promised a blessing to Abraham in the number and honour of his issues count the starres if thou canst so shall thy seed be numberlesse as starres for exceeding plentie glorious as starres for heauenly beautie This promise was sure yet it came on with leaden feete Abraham was long without a child and Abraham was longer without the child of Promise Artopaus quanta maiora tanta longius protracta Dei beneficia vt sint chariora vt Isaac Christus vita aeterna The greatest blessings seeme many times a great way off
tonitrua quibus coloni in aruis affliguntur ita è co dibus malorum parentum euoluuntur pssimi filij suis vicini◠cruente infesti nor washed nor saulted c. Good tutors and teachers should performe the offices of good mid-wifes to your children these to helpe them in their generation those to further them in their regeneration This is the cause that there are among vs so many young Amorites and Hittites for want of holy education Amorites and Hittites a bitter people cruell rebels yet pratlers which dare so vaunt themselues that they are euen an astonishement vnto vs. But may I bee so bold heere to aske another question What are such parents better then Tantalus Cambyses or Lysimachus One of them killed his sonne of pride another of furie and the third of foolish loue The popish father is right as Lysimachus who by the cursed perswasion of a cruell step-mother killed his sonne his valiant sonne Agathocles Haud ero securus dum sit tibi tanta securis O Nouerca Roma thou hast intised many a father to murder his owne child and many children to reuolt from God a tender hearted father Papa caput est ecclesiae vt caminus est Domi in se fumos Jesuiticos recipiens et effundens vt enecet Ier 39.3 Apoc. 18 Deut. 13 Deut. 18 and the true Church a most louing mother Yes by thy instigations as the stings of the Hornet thou hast set to worke many a Ragmag and Neregall These as a close couered candle haue secretly kindled fire vpon christian States to melt and dissolue all holy gouernment Ah thou hast imployed Ragmag and Neregall with all the rest of the Princes of the King of Babell to teare off the life or religion or peace or all from Ierusalem O Nouerca Roma Queene mother thou saiest thou art a Queene but thou art a dreamer a deceiuer a charmer a regarder of times a counsellour with euill spirits a step-mother as those Lurida terribiles miscent aconita Nouercae alwaies tampring with poyson for Gods children Menander Did not the Poet dreame of thee in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is not a worse mischiefe then a wicked step-mother Per ea quae sunt placida suadēt foeda 3 Reg. 18.4 4 Reg. 11.1 Quae dedit infidus mella venena puto Let thy sisters either Phaedra or Medea be thy Iudges how thou hast raged against Kings children or thinke of them of whom thou art more certaine in holie writte how thy sisters Iesabel and Athaliah shall rise against hee in the great day for killing the Prophets and the Kings linage Thus died the mild French King before thus followed the puifant French King after and both died of their mothers knife If then the sunne haue reueiled this way of a Serpent vnder a stone is not Rome hasharsheol a Wolfes house Vbi cascus cascam duxit and your good mother a bloud-sucker You tell vs daily that your father is holy his name is holinesse but your mother is a murtherer De Papa quam plurims quod de hircosis dicunt quo redolentioribus sese odoramentis fumigauerint eo tetrius olent hyrcum Ita pater iste mendax quo sacratioris titul◠laruam iudueril eo gra uiorem expirat mephitim eius fallacitas and therefore we thinke your fathers holinesse is to blame The Diuell hath a wide circle compassing the earth and that Strix of Rome is angry as the Bore which whets his teech because his circuit is not as large as the Diuels Who seeth not also that Satan and his holinesse are agreed to marke all with their blacke cole and brand them for Heretikes which blesse themselues with Gods blessing out of their reach Therefore to requite the Popes kindnesse I dare presume to take a little more roome to wrastle one fall with his holinesse for the wrong done to this name of holinesse I know well that the Popes solliciters haue much confidence in their Champion as the Philistines had in Goliah yet must hee needes fall which will stand on his tiptoes vaunting himselfe against Gods cause as hee did and more blasphemous then Rabshakeh arrogate to himselfe the Title which is proper to God This name of God the type of his incomparable perfection Exod. 28. was engrauen onely in gold the golden letters beeing as the letters of a seale to signifie him who onely by himselfe is of himselfe It was his proper name which being holinesse it selfe is able to make others holy God is more able to make Aaron holy then fire is able to make the mettall hot or the sunne able to infuse his heat into the day both these creatures may be restrained by God but the Creator by none God can with hold the naturall powers from the strongest Exod. 3. Iob. 40.4 and the fairest so that the fire shall not burne in the bush nor the sunne shine in Egypt God can illuminate man with the light of life and none can forbid it Canst thou restraine the sweet influence of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion hath man an arme like God Shall then challenge of equalitie with God in his matchlesse name be made by a weake and sinnefull man whose foundation is dust and his daies vanitie Some of the learned thinke it was the ineffable name of God which was engrauen on the plate of gold and so they write of the opinion of some of the Rabbines which being granted then the name there written cannot bee the Popes What if Aaron did beare this name in the Myter vpon his fore-head yet was it borne not as Aarons owne name but his Master his name whom Aaron serued as it is written Holinesse to the Lord. Let mee yeeld as much vantage as a wrastler may and lend the Pope that hold of an ancient father S. Hierom. Exod. 28.38 Totam Pontificis pulchritudinem Dei vocabulum coronet protegat But why so that Aaron may beare the iniquitie of the offerings c. This is plaine which was in speciall commanded for Aaron and none other wherein he was the singular type of Christ and of none other who onely could take away the sinnes of the world and none other Ioh. 1 2. Cor. 5.18 Ibidem to reconcile the people to God We poore Ministers haue the ministerie of reconciliation giuen vnto vs but none are reconciled to God but by Iesus Christ for God was in Christ reconciled the world to himselfe And he which hath the highest place in the ministration must be holy but he cannot be Holinesse he must be true but he cannot be the Truth these are Gods preheminences Therefore is this name Gods onely and properly Quarto modo to signifie that soueraigntie which is aboue the Popes capacitie But what needeth this attempt will some say to cast him downe who hath so often cast himselfe downe like a blinde man who cannot see or a drunken man which
at his left hand yet the plague cannot come nigh him Say then this is the fairest white rocke of all our Albions white rocks to keepe out the inundations of our enemies Vt regâ—lus apicularum iâ— temporibus estiuis suaueolentes flosculos in prato delibans deliciosa condit mâ—lla suis colonis Sic iste princeps in Ecclesiae Anglicauae mel lificio scripturas poenitissimè depascens vberrima suis gaudia supeditat Psalm 124 4 Reg. 9 Hest 1.5 In a word this is the Phenix bird de thure viuens which may teach you all when to make your flight from sinne Let not your flight bee in winter in the sorrows of old age and the sorrowes of the gray head It is a pleasant song for young men to sing in the spring time of their liues Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler Who can but praise those birds which liue in innocencie grana comedentes pura and hate to do euill Who can but smile at the prospect of those fields which yeeld plentifull increase to euery greene hearbe for the vse of man and will allow no roome to harmefull weedes Loe heere Iaacob and Iaacob are those birds and those fields birds fethered and fields clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ Now compare all gardens with this field the gardens of the Kings of Iudah and Israel or of Hashuerosh all the delicate plots of the Aegyptian Thebanes Hesperines the fields of Semiramis Alcuines or Spanish or Italian gardens of all the Romane deuices Some of these were either fantasticall conceits and neuer were or corruptible vanity and are not or momentarie existence and shall not be But these two fields Iaacob and Iaacob with their gardener Christ Iesus betwixt them are euerlasting fields their Cedars their high enterprises their hisope their lowly endeauours of grace shall neuer perish Their leafe shall not fall and beeing placed by the water side Iacob shall bring forth his fruit in due season Psalm 1 Rom. 6.22 his fruit righteousnesse and the end euerlasting life Behold the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field And heere I take my leaue of this field Now let vs lie downe in peace The field which the Lord hath blessed Pacem te poscimus omnes I am at the last to speake of blessing this the fourth riuer that runneth softly in valle benedictionis in the fall of Gods blessings This the riuer of peace which runneth softly as the waters of Siloe I could wish you all wel bathed in this water and so commend you to the grace of our English Paradise If I should beginne this Treatise as Bonauenture for good speede hath taught me Luk. 2 Ioh. 20 Prou. 3 I might commend the blessings of peace that it is the language of heauen the treasure of Christ and the faire path of God By the vertue of peace the warfare betwixt God and man is well ended and betwixt man and man is well decided Hee which knew how much the righteousnesse of God is in loue with peace would with all his heart desire peace with this righteousnesse of God This attonement betwixt God and man which our peace-maker hath made for Iaacob is concluded in this blessed word blessed as a blessing of all blessings The word is ambiguous in our English tongue and therefore must be resolued into his proprieties Sometime blessing is the meanes to happinesse and sometime happinesse itselfe When it is the meanes it is benediction as it is heere and when it is happinesse it is beatitude as in other places Beatitude est summus finis rationalis creaturae tantum Benedictio est aliarum creaturarum The reasonable creature onely can be blessed with beatitude Hine Diabolus est simia Dei et Papa Diaboli the other creatures also with benediction as the field garden cattell basket and store or the day as the sabbath or the iourney as Iaacobs was This is short measure in respect of the other for euery beatitude is a benediction but they cannot be conuerted equally One of these is more common then the other as there are many motions to one end The motions are more common then the end for they either few or more may bee often hit the end seldome and neuer but at the last cast A man may attaine to some meanes to no end to some benediction and to no beatitude as they which runne and runne short or as the archer which hauing the blessing of strength shooteth many arrowes at the marke and all beside In some places you may finde him a blessed man whom the Lord hath inlarged with many gifts as to increase and multiply in many children riches honours dominions Psalm 144. â—â— Happy are the people which are in such a case yea happie is the man which hath his quiuer full of them This happinesse is translated beatitude and yet is but temporary extending to this present life onely But this blessing is commonly called benediction Austen Beda Thomas as the Fathers and Schoolmen expound it Benedictio Dei est donorum eius collatio vel multiplicatio In some places the blessed man is hee whom God hath enriched with eternall blessings that hee is an happy man for the discharge of his debts and the accomplishment of his duties The discharge Psalme 32.1 Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen The accomplishment Psalm 1.1.2.3 Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the vngodly but his delight is in the law of the Lord. This man thus discharged and accomplished is the blessed subiect into which beatus and benedictus are vnited into one As in the name of Ascher there is both blessing and happinesse benediction and beatitude Gen. 30.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ah blessed am I for the daughters will blesse me and shee called his name Ascher blessednesse S. Ambros Interliu Gen. 49.20 Blessednesse indeed if we consider the substance for Ascher was a figure of Christ who enriched vs with his riches that it is said of him excellently His bread shall be fat and hee shall giue pleasures for a King To this purpose are heere discussed both an history and a mystery Cyirl Colos 2.3 Matth. 13.46 In the history diuitiae mundi in the mysterie deliciae Christi who can be better vnderstood in the full accomplishment of all the Christ in whom are hid all the treasures He is the Pearle of great prize which saith of himselfe Riches and honour are with mee euen durable riches and righteousnesse Huius inopia ditat fames satiat mors viuificat This is Ascher his bread shall be fat and hee shall giue pleasures for a King Esay 25.6 Ipse est panis pinguis qui mentes fidelium impinguat In this Mountaine shall the Lord of Hoasts make a feast of fat things full of marrow and wines fined and purified to all his
people He giueth pleasures vnto Kings pascit thronos Cyril potestates virtutes angelos who feedeth Patriarks Kings Prophets and the Princes of beleeuers Thus may you perceiue blessing and blessednesse well met in him who hath in himselfe such power of blessing that he can make others blessed This happinesse is the high crowne of immortality which wee all desire to reach as Hester did the top of her husbands Scepter The meanes whereby this blessing is inclined to vs Hester and the staires whereby wee climbe vp to it are mercies and graces gifts of Gods blessing In these the Lord beckneth to vs to come to him as Ahashuerosh held out the golden Scepter to the Queene So Hester drewe neere and touched the top of the Scepter Many naturall men haue troubled themselues in vaine with many examinations of this blessednesse to proue what it is I may not stand here to rip vp the secrets of profound Philosophers from whose curious eies were hidden those treasures which they neuer found Therefore they neuer had true peace Psalm 14.3 for the way of peace haue they not knowne they are all gone out of the way Their highest point neerest to our truth is this that man hath no true blessednesse vntill hee be ioyned to the first of all things that can be vnderstood This is an high flight and far beyond the sublunary thoughts of baser mindes yet far short of the mount of true Diuinity God is blessednesse it selfe and to bee vnited vnto God is the perfect blessednesse of man in Iesus Christ Emanuel to knowe him confesse him and delight in him But God is the obiect of mans faith not the subiect of his intellect the heart of man is too narrow a circumference to compasse God in his vnderstanding Therefore is Gods name incomparable I am that I am in the Present tence whom no power can shift out Some haue translated more properly I will be who I will be to shew that God is able of himselfe to hold his being and happinesse against all rebellion Stabilisque manet daens cuncta moueri To this purpose is that spoken of God Dei esse est Gregory dissimiliter nunquā esse with God is no variablenes Here then let vs acknowledge by faith more then all those deepe schollers could reach by reason that our blessednesse is in our vnion with God Phil. 4.7 our peace which passeth all vnderstanding Among the secrets in the reueiled word these two are great One the hypostaticall vnion of two natures that the word is made flesh The other is our spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nisi vna persona esset Deus et homo non rectè diceretur Dominus gloriae crucifixus est our sure copulation with Christ without confusion That is a mystery beyond naturall capacitie only entertained by faith in the Church This is also a great mystery resembled in short patternes of the head and members knit of the husband and wife vnited In this exact and present worke there are two bonds one on Gods part the other on ours Ex parte Christi Sp. S. ex parte nostra fides nostra est vnionis vinculum Thus by the twist of Gods holy spirit and our hallowed faith we are made one with Christ and he is made vnto vs redemption sanctification wisdome and righteousnes 1 Cor. 1.29 Wherefore are these wonders come to passe but for our happinesse which cannot be had any where but in God the fountaine of blessednesse There doe wee daily tender vnto God that paiment of soueraigntie which we may not yeeld to any other God is sufficient so is none but he sufficient of himselfe so is none but himselfe sufficient for himselfe and for others so is none other sufficient for himselfe and for all and so are not all beside him put all together This is our God Lord who is like vnto thee Qui sedet in coelo repletiue that heauen and earth are full of the maiestie of his glory Psal 71.19 Ephes 1.23 This is our God worship him all yee gods who sits aboue and holdeth blessednes a faire marke in his hand for vs all to runne vnto 1 Cor. 9. We must all runne this life is the course heauen is the goale Expectat nos Deus pater vt haeredes filius vt fratres Sp. sanctus vt vnctos And here we are made a spectacle to the world to Angels and to men Will you behold two runners Iacob and Iacob both running after the Roe Christ is the Roe which runs before them both in the race of happinesse like a Roe on the mountaines of Bether So did Iacob runne and hath obtained by faith so doth Iacob runne that he may obtaine by faith Heb. 11.21 Lord let him so runne that he may obtaine O all yee vacant triflers of the world why stand you heere idle as the men in the market place What stand you for gazing one on another as Iosephs brethren We must all labour in the vine yard that we may receiue wages all striue that we may be crowned all bee exercised that we may be in breath non incipientibus sed proficientibus We must be I organimous that we may continue to the end be blessed Thus did the Apostle runne and continue to his ioy I haue finished my course qui amat ardentius currit velocius loue and great reward makes labour light the reward is blessednesse But it is high time to step out of this digression from the marke to the meanes from beatus to benedictus There are apparant vnto vs in holy Scripture diuers blessings of diuers kindes Some are of the Superiour to the inferiour some of the inferiour to the Superiour and some of the equall to the equall All these haue their speciall distinctions and vse When the vnderling doth acknowledge the goodnesse of the Superiour and sendeth vp to him thankes and praise for his kindnesse Psal 103 1 Psalm 148 this seruice is called the blessing of reuerence Thus the Prophet doth blesse God My soule blesse thou the Lord. And such a sacrifice of praise is that in the melodious hymme of our praier book O all yee workes of the Lord blesse yee the Lord. The other blessing betwixt equals is termed benedictio charitatis when one good christian doth pray for an other as Saint Peters counsell is blesse and Saint Pauls yea blesse I say and curse not But heere I may but touch and goe The first blessing of the Superiour to the inferiour hath this branch also as blessing of absolute power and blessing of authority committed more or lesse Blessing of absolute power hath in himselfe his preferment aboue all blessings as heauen which droppeth on the highest trees hath his preheminence aboue all effusions and drops of trees or mountaines Euery good and perfect gift discendeth downe from aboue to the parts below from heauen to earth as the precious ointment went downe from the
for there the Lord appointed the blessing to fall and life for euer more It is easily perceiued whence all these waterings proceed ab hortulano Christo the good woman supposed Christ to be a gardener and he is a gardener indeede more truly then she supposed This is the gardener which came by water and bloud to nourish his garden 1. Ioh. 5.6 1. Cor. 10.2 Moses came by water and so our fathers were baptized in the cloud and in the Sea Christ came by water and bloud Ephes 4.5 yet without imaginary difference of Baptisme for the fathers were baptized into the bloud of Christ There is but one Baptisme They were all baptized into the bloud of the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world The Apostle affirmeth of the Israelites 1 Cor. 10.1 Act. 19. that they were baptized vnto Moses and the Disciples at Ephesus answered for themselues that they were baptized vnto Iohns Baptisme And with right vnderstanding we may readily discerne the vnitie of Baptisme against all Idle suppositions for Moses Iohn Baptist and S. Paul were but Ministers of one Baptisme vnto the remission of sinnes in Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.13.14 There was not any one baptized in any of their names as it is argued that not any Corinthian was baptized in the name of Paul that any should beleeue in him or worship him It might well bee said that those were baptized vnto Pauls Baptism viz. in the doctrine of Paul as the Israelites were in the doctrine of Moses and those Disciples in the doctrine of Iohn And thus may you vnloose that knot that the people beleeued the Lord and his seruant Moses Exod. 14.31 that is they beleeued in God by the doctrine or ministery of Moses Now then let Iaacob and Iaacob confesse that they haue all their waterings and washings of Christ Cant. 6.1 Most happy gardens thus watered and washed by this gardener Christ is come into his garden in the middest of the garden is a fountaine of liuing waters Ioh. 4 Psalm 36.9 this maketh the garden blessed Christ is the well of liuing waters O blessed fountaine with thee is the well of life and this is the happinesse of our Paradise that both these brothers may ioyfully reioice with the Saints Gal. 2.20 thus I liue yet not I now but Christ Iesus liueth in me Heere might I shew you triplicem Paradisum the terrestriall spirituall and celestiall paradise all well met in Christ The naturall man in the beauty of his princely I mage built vpright with his face prone to heauen was our terren Paradise in Paradise before his fall The spirituall man renued and borne againe of water and of the spirit in oriente fidei constitutus set with his face towards the day spring he is the beautifull continent of Gods manifold rich blessings to man and this is our spirituall Paradise The holy troops of Angels and Saints in heauen in their cheerefull recreations melodious pleasures are that heauenly Paradise 2 Cor. 12 of which S. Paul doth so triumph albeit his sight was but at a blush taken vp he knew not how Here might I discourse further of the earthly Paradise how it is changed into a spirituall Paradise in the conuersion of the sinner and how the spirituall Paradise is translated by Iesus Christ into the heauenly one Paradise into an other But the most exquisite Paradise of all is Iesus Christ himselfe qui est triplex Paradisus Thinke of his body without spot and of his spirit without staine and of his diuinity without mixtures of feblenesse and mutability O triplex Paradisus Heere flourish without thornes and thistles all the faire flowers of Paradise I would bee glad to stay heere yet I must passe further from this faire contemplation with an obiectiue question What is Iacob a field without weeds No such a field is Christ but neither Iaacob before nor Iaacob after nor any other man but God Joh. 3 The enuious man is dayly sowing his tares yet there is a winde which bloweth where it listeth daily sent of God to kill those seedes Hee which well considereth this worke may well thinke that Raphael the Angell of God is sent of purpose to kill those seedes in the quickning to keepe Iaacob and kill his enemies The aduersarie is daily breeding and feeding Giants Atheisme Gen. 14 12 Marlorat Gentilisme Mahumetisme and Papisme and these are the ringleaders of all violence against the Church as the 4. Kings which carried Lot away by force These marshal their complices with strong hand and lead after them neglect and contempt of God Pride Idolatry Blasphemie Malice Couetousnesse Prodigality Drunkennesse such an innumerous Army of Locusts that we haue cause to say as the Israelites said we haue seene monsters there Happie is that man which taketh those Giants whilst they are young Psalm 137. and dasheth their heads against the stones Satan is alwaies hatching these Serpents firie Serpents in our bosomes but Christ is the great Physitian Ioh. 3 Nomb. 21 Ferus lift vp as the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse to kil those Serpents and cure them which are bitten So Moses made a Serpent of brasse Christ is the Physitian the Serpent without poyson as the brasen Serpent was And as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the son of man be lift vp that the wounded might bee healed and the sinner saued Christ is the Angell of God he is more then Raphael both the Physitian and the physicke of God to heale our Iacob of all his hurts that he may confesse of Christ as the other Iacob did Gen. 48.16 the Angell which hath deliuered me from all euill Now then shall I offer a challenge in the name of this Angell to all the enemies of Iacob What Serpent Dragon Beare Leopard Fox or Woolfe Tyger wild Boare Lion Giant or Diuell himselfe can roote vp this field thus kept vnder the shadow of the almighties wings Psal 57.5 Basil This vineyard thus fenced with Gods blessings election vocation regeneration sanctification iustification preseruation all sure stakes and all preparatiues to glorification the crowne of all Gods blessings Heere is a pleasant Mount to stand on for the vpshot of this text The prouidence of God is as an high Zodiacke ouer Paradise where the Lord is beholding in a pleasant prospect Psal 11 1 Multa sine voluntate Dei facta sunt nulla sine prouidentia Psalm 46 2.5 Psalm 76 6 Corda disponen do casus commutando successus ordinando voluntates moderando omnia intendoÌ„do ad finem melâ—rem all the mirth-full benedictions of this field This prouidence hath a long reach tam ad vermiculos in coeno quà m ad angelos in coelo It is Lorica castrorum the fort of defence for all the tents in this militant Church a sure defence whither all celestiall birds do flie for safetie fly to the
mountaine as a bird This prouidence did direct Iacob to his Patriarchall blessing and maintained him in it What though all the earth be mooued and the mountaines fall into the Sea yet shall our Paradise be safe for God is in the midst of it What if all the world stand forth as Senacharibs hoast against the Church yet shall it stand vp At thy rebuke O God of Iacob both the chariot the horse are cast asleepe here are they falne but we are risen and stand vpright The Church of God is often represented to a ship and the prouidence to a sterne which doth direct the Master his mate the King the Prince and all passengers in the ship to their seuerall blessings and guide them out of all their waiting dangers Thus are they brought into peace externall internall eternall into a wealthy place a quiet conscience all cloathed as the virgine in wrought gold all smelling sweet with Gods promises and shining with the beautie of the Kings righteousnesse Psalme 37.6 Psalm 76.4 he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgements as the noone day Be the legions mustered against Iacob as strong as the hils of the robbers or be they stout confident in themselues Anno 1588. Mirabilis annus Psalm 37.20 as that Spanish Armado called the inuincible Armado Yet all their power shal vanish into smoak as that did They all ouermatched with the prouidence of God euen with the smoak did they consume away Psal 35.9 Faber quas secit compedes ipse gestat therefore King Dauid did solace himselfe in the meditation of this prouidence reioising that God had so serued a defesance vpon the plots of Achitophel that his subtilty fell on his own head And so all the fury of Pharaoh Sisera and Amon was retorted vpon themselues Pape quid hoc est Papam à Dauide nostro interfectum vt Goliah est proprio ipsius gladio interemtus as the bookes libels of the Seminaries are their owne snares nailes on their owne heads and swords in their owne sides Thus they perished at Endor in the well which they digged and became dung for the earth Heere then let vs all clap our hands with the sonne of Amos and say If all people gather together on heapes and gird themselues they shal be broken for God is with Iacob How fauourably did this prouidence guide the poore Christians into Pella that little harbor when they should all haue beene eaten vp that they might sing vnto the Lord their high tower Vt Cadmaei fra tres sese mutuo iugulantes Ita Midianitae Moabitae Ammonitae et Papistae hostes ecclesiae mutuis sese vulneribus confecerunt Esa 8.9 Eusebius 2. Sam. 22.3 Espine Vt coelum or bes in suo circuitu omnes complectitur ita in Dei omnipotentis amplexu omnia circuuntur Angl. Chron. redcunt Saturnia regna sure refuge and horne of their saluation How happilie was that Carolus Martellus conducted out of al his hazards into the regencie of France according to Salomons sentence for out of prison he commeth forth to raigne whenas he that is borne in his kingdome is made poore What should I speake of that Hungarian great Matthius how miraculouslie he was preserued and enthronized by this prouidence I would willinglie remember many if time could permit as well as that famous young Constantine who preuailed against those coniured tirants Dioclesian Maximinian others and did win that peace to the Church which had no fellow All those preuailes were effected vnder this standerd the prouidence of God But once for all with what an happy gale of wind was that reprised Earle of Richmond after 10. yeres banishment conueyed hither to ascend vp to the throne of Henry the seuenth of England O blessed prouidence which by speciall fauor vnited Isaac Rebecca for the leading of this blessed consecration vnto Iacob Which by a dexterous care for Iacob hath vnited that Henrie and Elizabeth his wife the white Rose and the red by whom this blessing is arriued to our Land for vs all thus richly blessed The beauty and bands of Great Brittane Psal 18.11 Psal 68.17 Blessed with the blessing of our incomparable King our matchlesse Prince and all the King and Queenes royall progeny A blessing brought vpon the wings of the wind millions of hearty praiers a blessing brought with Gods owne chariots the thousands of Angels that wee may all say and sing the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee reioice These are the fairest sweetest most wholsome and welcome blessings temporall blessings of our field Therefore let vs all pray that the father may be blessed more and more in his sonne and the sonne euery day more in his father that they may both liue for euer partners with Abraham Isaac and Iacob coheires with Christ and deare sonnes to God our father that of either of them hee may say for euer Behold the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed To which blessed God Father Sonne and holy Ghost one holy Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in blessed Vnitie let vs to our vttermost ascribe all honor and praise and thanks for euermore Amen FINIS The Booke to the Reader I seeme to my selfe as a man decaied in his senses or if you will as an house shaken in his building I must confesse my copy was of dim sight my hand-writing of ill scribling like rough timber knotty and vnready Therefore though I be pained in my heart for my manifold maimes and looke in the eie of my Reader like one which commeth out of the house with a scratched face yet I hope to obtaine fauor of thee gentle Reader with desire to correct some errata as followeth Page 1. Line 17. for flouds reade foulds p. 2. l. 19. r. as lines are guided by their rule p. 4. l. 2. for attempteth r. attexeth p. 5. l. 28. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. in margin r. vagientem in cunis ibid. adultam necare p. 6. l. 11. for at once r. one p. 8. l. 33. for and now r. Answere No. p. 11. l. 32. for putteth r. hideth p. 14. l. 11. by their r. either p. 16. l. 5. r. coruus for consonus p. 18. l. 32. for oyle r. oliue p. 19. l. 2. r. and honour ibid. l. 37. for testit r. desit ib. for with workes r. which wanteth p. 22. l. 11. for and r. ah ib. 28. 29. for haunt r. heart p. 24. l. 7. for are r. our p. 32. l. 16. r. all of Lebanon p. 47. l. 14. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 48. l. 19. r. Alcinous