an Internal Worship be manifested better than by an External Deportment All Nations not only Jews but Gentiles had Rites in the Adorations of their supposed Deities All meeting in this as a Principle of Nature that Divine Worship cannot be rightly Celebrated without some Outward Solemnity Did not God command the use of Ceremonies unto the Jews Now the Moral and Ceremonial Law were not promulgated at different times but both together And those whom God hath joyned let no man put asunder Will it not cause a Dis-respect to hear the Service of God hudl'd over as a Scrivener reads a Bond or an Indenture Are we so great Enemies to Innocency that a Surplice should afright us from attending the Ordinances of God That the Priest should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so general a practice in all Ages of the Church that none did Officiate in Holy Offices but he was clad in Raiment White as Snow They are not the Embroideries of Religion I so admire as to have its Garment too heavy and weighty nor such a plainness as to abhor all Decency and Comliness For let us suppose the worst that there are some Spots which may be spared cou'd they be handsomly taken out yet what Because of this must I rend my Garment in pieces and be naked Or shall I suffer rude Hands to cut and tear it in pieces as they please to the great injury and Perturbation of the Church Ceremoniae tanquam Cerei They are as Lights which give Lustre and Brightness to Gods House and the Services performed there and one way to make it a Den is to extinguish this Light that it may not give Light to them entring the House of Prayer Secondly As the Church can't but be dark without Ceremonies so if the Life of Doctrine requir'd in the Priest be not a Lamp unto our Feet and Light unto our Paths to guide us into the wayes of Peace The Blessed Jesus himself hath stiled the Preachers of the Word not only the Lights of the World but also the Salt of the Earth a City set upon a Hill they are not only Stars but Angels chosen Vessels men of a thousand their Feet are stiled Beautiful and they themselves the Glory of Christ good reason then if our Lights should shine before men for seeing we are called to this Eminent Function having the Title of Light attributed us we cannot think it sufficient we have Lamps unless furnished with Oyl that our Doctrine may promote the Glory of God and save both our own and the Souls of them committed to our Care The House of Prayer may be a Den if the Flames therein be not real but Painted Thus St. Paul chargeth Timothy To take heed unto himself and his Doctrine and put them in remembrance to stir up the Gift of God 'T is not enough to fill the Golden Candlestick of the Temple unless they give Light to those that enter in otherwise what are they more than prettily contrived Antickes under a Building who seem to groan under the oppression of that which doth support them 'T was our Saviours Command That we should always have our Loyns girt that is with the Girdle of Sincerity and Truth or with other Expositors by External Conformity in our Habits we must be Pillars of Fire to guide others out of the night of Ignorance and wilderness of Errour For are not the Priests Lips to preserve Knowledge and are not we to enquire of them what concerns our Souls for they are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts I shall conclude this only minding you of that Solemn Oath at our Installment into this Sacred Office That we would give Faithful diligence to Minister the Doctrine and Discipline of Christ For if the Lights of the Church be darkened how great is that Darkness And what will be the House of Prayer but a Den c. Thirdly As there must be the Light of Doctrine so also of Conversation in the Priest yes and it must be Perspicuous too that Religion and the Doctors thereof may have a good Report amongst all men of whatever Sect or Perswasion that they may find no occasion to Revile or Blaspheme us Blaspheme us I say for in doing it unto us they do it unto Christ we have Motives sufficient to incite us to a circumspect walking For waving the express command of our Saviour let us consider how many Enemies we have in the World who watch for our Halting and are so quick-sighted that they discern the least Lint hanging on a Black-Gown No Cloath so subject to be discoloured as that of ours Men are not like that Pious Emperour who would cover the Nakedness of his Clergy with his own Royal Robe but joyful to embrace every little occasion to render us Contemptible This then should awaken us but if this will not do let us consider how absurd it is to undo that on the Week-day which we Preached on the Lords Shall we be diligent in Instructing of others and we our selves remain Ignorant and Foolish Shall we speak brave flourishing words in commendation of Religion and reclaim Rhetorically against Vice yet make it our Trade and Practice The Vrim and Thummim were both put into Aaron's Breast-Plate that he might be a Living Sermon as well as a Preacher of Sound Doctrine He who wanted an Eye Hand Foot or had any blemish in his Body was forbidden by God to attend at his Altar then much more sure polluted in Soul They who bear the Vessels of the Lord must be Clean Ye have made it a Den of Theeves was a great aggravation of the Churches Prophanation Secondly I descend to the Theeves or Persons defiling Gods House The first of them is he who crept into the Ministry without Commission thus the Saviour of the World tells us He who creeps into an House by the Window the same is a Theef and a Robber And if so what can he be stiled less who thrusts himself into the Priest-hood and not by the door of Lawful Authority Thus to run without Commission is an Usurpation of that which none should take upon him but he that was called of God as was Aaron by an External as well as Internal call The Apostles were trained up a long time before Christ sent them on that Employ they were not sent to Preach the Word so soon as they were Enrolled into the number of his Disciples like hasty Births with Shells upon their Heads but they attended and waited for a full Authority and Commission But alas Authority is now so much slighted and trampled on that men fancy if they can but spare so much time from their Shops they have Authority enough to skip into the Office of the Priest but are they not Theeves and Robbers who force themselves into the Ministry without License or Abilities they pretend indeed to a large share of Spiritual Influences which they resume will supply all other Defects and adapt them fit Ministers of the Gospel
by the tyes of Friendship How do we dissolve into Tears How great are our Griefs and Sorrows Now if we be judg'd insensible for our not relenting the loss of Friends What brand of shame and Infamy do they deserve who neither Mourn Weep or Fast when a Cypress Vail hath over-spread the Royal Diadem Shall we not be Dejected and Sorrowful when the Sword of Death hath cut off Him in whose Hand alone rested the Sword of Justice Shall not We Fast and Weep at the Fatal Catastrophe of Saul and Jonathan Are not our Souls Elemented as it were of nothing but Sadness when our Ears are pierced with the lamentable news of the fall of the People of the Lord accompanied with the sad misfortune of the House of Israel Moses's Death may justly command a Brinish shower but much more if accompanied with that of Aaron if King and Priest Nobles and Subjects Lords and Commons be involv'd in the same misfortune then certainly we must want words to express the bitterness of our Griefs Niobe found a vent for her Passion when made unhappy by the loss of one or two of her little Babes but when rob'd of all she became Insensible Curae leves loquuntur They are Inferior Evils admit of Tears but those of a Superior Nature are unexpressible When Church and State King and Priest are partakers of one and the same Calamity what moderation can be expected in our Elegiack Threnes and Mournful Lamentations For where can we find words to express the Conflicts and Agonies of our Souls Yet still the misfortunes are far greater which give occasion to this lamentation in the House of David for when the Amalikite had told them the pitiful and fatal overthrow of Saul and Jonathan by the Philistines Army then the Text tells us They Mourned and Wept and Fasted c. Mourning Weeping and Fasting were the Dutiful as well as Holy Performances of all pertaining to the Family of David and ought not that to be this days chief work in the Houses of us all For God hath commanded me to acquaint you that every Master of a Family and all that are under his Protection should by Fasting serve the Lord and the neglect thereof will be justly imputed to the Masters Charge at the great and solemn day of Account The Hebrew word for Mourning which the Vulgar Latin render Plangentes signifies Funebri ritu Lugere a Funeral Mourning and does not this days Duty command the same David and his Family bemoaned the Effusion of Royal Blood and is not That the dismal occasion of this days Lamentation Lace befits not a Mourning Suit expect not then Flourishes of Rhetorick in a Mourning Sermon On such a Day and Text as this the Preachers words should be Sighs his Accents Groans and the Auditors Tears the best Commendation of the Discourse For this end I appear amongst you this day though not as my Saviour in another case to send fire but as the Woman at the Well to draw water that the Kingdom of England may become like that where the Angel of the Lord deliver'd his doleful Message to the Israelites Bochin a place of Weepers And oh how happy will it be if as when all Israel were gathered together at Mizpeth so when all Subjects pertaining to the Crown of England being Assembled together in the House of God may draw water and pour forth their Prayers before the Lord for the Royal Blood which as on this day was poured out and spilt as water upon the ground that so we may imitate the example of the Royal Prophet and his Domesticks Who Mourned and Wept and Fasted c. The Text may afford us many Particulars but least I seem tedious I shall contract my Meditations into these Two The Persons Mourning and the persons Mourned for Consider we the first And it were needless to dwell upon a Theam obvious to all who consult this Chapter For who are they But David and his Family and those who are of his Retinue at the first accosting the Amalikites that Condoled the hard Fate of Saul and Jonathan For though he was disaffected to David an adversary who hunted after his Life and from whom he had escaped as a bird from the hand of the Fowler Nevertheless David forgets not to commiserate His and his Nobles condition Nay though God himself had rent the Kingdom from Saul and conveyed it over unto David yet still he Song his Elegy that he might not go to the Grave unlamented and he gives the reason of this in his Tenderness and Pity to Saul who was so Cruel unto him why he was so troubled for his Death who should be no sooner dead then his own Head should be incircled with the Royal Diadem and that was because he was Anointed with Oyl None that are Anointed with Oyl but ought to have a Tribute of Salt Tears pay'd unto their Hearse By the Laws of Friendship he was oblig'd to be concern'd for the Death of Jonathan but as for Saul who studied his destruction and laboured his ruine who was his inveterate Enemy and wholly bent to do him mischief whence cou'd it proceed but from an unfeigned Respect and untainted Loyalty to his Prince an Obedience and Love to him whom God had instituted his Vicegerent over Israel and it is on that account we read they Mourned c. 2. I descend to the Persons Mourned for And who are they But King Priest and Commons and indeed all of us are equally concerned to Mourn and Weep for their Saul's and Jonathan for their Priest the People of the Lord and for their Brethren the whole House of Israel when they are cropt by the Seyth of an immature and sudden death we have a Duty incumbent on us to Mourn and Fast and Humble our selves when God punishes Kings for the sakes of our Sins by an unripe and untimely Death Common reason will teach nature to pay a more than ordinary Tribute of Sighs and Tears at the last Obsequies of them who move in the highest Sphere publick Persons Hearses may justly challenge the Distillation of private Persons Eyes all Rivulets and little Torrents empty themselves into the main Ocean Can any man forbid or fault this Holy Water Who would not be Baptized in such a Fountain Dethroned Princes have had this paid them by their Enslav'd Subjects Cum nil nisi flere relictum When they were not capacitated to do more their grateful and generous Spirits disdain'd to do less Eminent persons in all Ages have been thus bemoaned by the Church of God not only those who have been blasted in the greenness and tenderness of their Age in their most precious days but those also who have dropt away with Age and been gathered to their Fathers by the long Rake of silent Time Thus the Sons oâ— Jacob bewailed their Aged Father seven days with great and sore Lamentation Thus when Moses the Faithful Prince and Ruler of his People fell asleep all
Salvation yet never think on Repentance but resolves to venter for it till the last Breath and for its acceptance too at so untimely a Season For it is first a great hazard whether God will then assist me with so much Grace as to Repent which if he do I then secondly run the venture of an After game whether that Repentance will be acceptable by him because without Controversy it cannot be perfected For if Holy Writ by a true Repentance understand and mean an Amendment and Reformation of Life as certainly it does Then tell me what difference is there not to Repent at all or not to begin it till the last Thread of Life be a Spinning For how can I Amend Reform or lead a new course of Life when alas poor Creature that I am I am no longer to be To day therefore c. Thirdly Are not all the Leaves of the Book of Life Exhortatory Perswasions to a speedy Repentance For where God commandeth me to Pray there he urgeth to Repentance because otherwise my Prayer would be defective and render no sweet smelling Savour in the Nostrils of God Nay without Repentance I pronounce it impossible to Pray to God with that Ardour and Zeal we are obliged For to Pray aright is to cast away all Affections to Sin the least Glances to Temptations to be Sorry we have Sinned with a full Resolution never to be Guilty of the like Transgression or the same Madness and thereupon Solomon declar'd The Prayer of the Wicked is an abomination to the Lord Yea consult Truth it self and you may hear it declaring I hate your Burnt Offerings my Soul loathes your Solemn Assemblies bring me no more vain Oblations They are adjudged vain and loathsome because not perfumed with the sweet Incense of Repentance Thus you may hear the man in the Gospel declaring God heareth not Sinners John 9.31 that is Those who have sinned and have not yet repented being unhappy in their hasty Sin much more miserable in their slow Repentance An Impenitent person Soiles and Discolours every otherwise well approved Action he Envenomes and Poisons even the very Mercy of God For if such a man Pray what is it esteemed more than Howling If he Mourn what is it more than hanging down the Head like a Bull-rush If he Sacrifice what is it but the cutting off a Dogs neck If he rejoyce what is such mirth But a Blaze and Crackling of Thorns under the Pot For God regards and gives ear to none but the Penitent on which account you may observe Christ commanding us to Pray and instructing us what we should Pray for enjoyns us every day To Pray for the remission of our Sins Mat. 6.10 11. We can't request our dayly Bread unless we beg a dayly forgiveness of our Sins So likewise Holy David in the Text and St. Paul from the Psalmist in his Epistle to the Hebrews To day if you will hear c. Not only strictly commanding us not to put off our Repentance one day but also affirming every such delay is an act of Obduration and so a new sin is added to the old So oft then as I meditate on those Melodious Words and Charming Eloquence of the Son of Syrach I seem'd to hear all the bright morning Stars and Sons of Glory calling to us below to make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord and to put not off from day to day for sudainly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed and perish in the day of Vengeance Ecclesiasticus 5.7 For every day of our Life may probably be adjudged the day of our Burial for what is it more than the Life of Roses which in the Evening make a Tomb of that Scarlet which was its morning Ornament and Glory What reason therefore can be more prevalent than this to provide the best Arguments we can for our Justification before Death because God frequently smites Sinners in their Confidences he strikes them in their Securities in their Delays they may meet with a Surprise in their Procrastinations they may be frustrated of their Hopes and Death may rob them of the Benefits and Advantages of to morrow For what is bold man as some confidently speak to resolve not to Repent till Christmass Easter Whitsontide next Communion or such prefix'd Festival and Seasons Alas poor Dust and Ashes that we are How probable is it whilst we revolve such Thoughts in our mind an Imposthume Swelling in our Head or Breast may make us big with Death How probable is it some popular Disease raging in our Streets may slay him in three days time May not to morrows Dinner breed a Surfeit or this nights Intemperance a Feaver How oft do we see Death riding Triumphant in our Dwellings and Crowned with the Spoils of many numbers of Men Alas it is impossible to enumerate all the possibilities of dying Suddainly or the Probabilities how soon our Lives may be ravel'd out to its utmost Thread For though we flatter our selves in the Plentiful-lest hopes of a Gaudy Fortune Death may meet ev'ry one of us with a Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee Let any one therefore who hath any thing besides the Shape and Lineament of a Man but really acknowledge that he is Mortal let him but confess himself to be a man and subject to the Accidents of Mortality and that very Confession must be a confutation of them who defer their Repentance For I appeal to your selves Is it reasonable for me who confess my self a Sinner and am perswaded of a Supreme Existence and believe that he knows I am a Sinner and will Infallibly punish me for my Sins if not washed away with the Tears of Repentance can I be thought Rational and in my Wits if I defer it unless upon the confidence of a long Life And grant my Supposition should the promising my self many days promote a Life and state of Impenitency Is it so intolerable to live Virtuously Is the Yoak of Christ so uneasie Are the Commandments of God so Grievous Will to live Righteously Soberly and Godly in this present World quite strip us of our pleasant days and make us wast our Hours in a Moross Austerity or Sullen Gravity Or are the hopes of Life intended for no other purpose than to delay our Sin and defer our Repentance God forbid for such premises can't be guilty of a worse Conclusion However he that seriously meditates on those many numbers of men who like little Blossoms are Cropt by the Scythe of Death in the Tenderness of their Age will have but small reason to consent to these evil purposes from such weak and contingent Principles I cannot tell the precise Minuit of my Death or take an exact measure of this Span of Life and then to defer my Repentance is a Sham put upon my own Soul and a contempt of all the Divine Revelations of Heaven and Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉