prayer and supplication 5. Lastly This particular Prayer of David Recordare Domine a word including all Law of God all Duty of man all Sermons and all Prayers For as the Decalogue hath a tree of Life in the midst a branching RECORDARE stretching over both Tables So both again comprised in two Memento's of Vivere Mori and both these contracted to bene vivere two Memoraries The one for Praeterita the Pit whence hewen the Mass wherein corrupt that for Erubescere and then Novissims least the infernal Pit shut her mouthes upon us and this for Contremiscere and so the Spirit and Quintessence of all Sermons is here For we are but Gods Remembrancers so is the Holy Ghost too in preaching and in Prayer Though you know these things saith Saint Peter yet my Duty is to put you in mind in Remembrance If any man be fallen remember and do thy first works if gone back Remember Lots wife To a single person Recordare tui to an Husband to a Father to a Ruler Tui Tuorum Tuâ—rum then such have need of firm and large Memories And preaching to a King of a King from the Book wherein this holy King and sweet Singer of Israel lies embalmed and being dead yet speaks and stricking still his Harp a strain of Davids Recordare will not be disdained Recordare me Domine saith he to God and I to his anointed Remember David and all his troubles And how they stand here yet fresh and fair to be read to his renown in GODS Chronologie However State or Church Monuments may fail a gracious Soveraign but envies self cannot do so Post Fata quieseit and Querimur then turns to Quaerimus Davidi yet God preserves him ever in his book of Remembrance mentioned in Mal. 3. Are not these things noted in thy Book by that heavenly Recorder The righteous shall be had in everlasting Remembrance 16. And so the Sermon might go round to all the Subjects a whithering poor Minister to a dilatory Prelate or forgetfull Patron Recordare Domine and a good Patron to an idle Pastor pointing to the Pulpit Recordare Domine too To the Voluptuary at his fourth health least he hear it too late in hell when he cannot get a drop Fili recordare Finally it will fit us for Imprere a Motto to all our Coats or Coat-armours our Courts or Coaches over all our Houses upon all our Pictures and for Posies to all our Rings to the Bridegroom Domine to the Bride left she forget the Covenant of her God Recordare Domina Thus is it if we speak â—o men all Sermons so is it if to God all Prayers A form of Prayer for David and all Gods servants in all Cases but one Remember not Lord our sins and our offences and yet even therein Lord remember us in Mercy Remember thy old loving kindness and forget not thou to be gracious But in all our troubles if Kings oppress their people Clamabunt ad Dominum is allowed for the lawfull Remedy 1 Sam. 8.18 That is but right and as good reason then for David when from his soul he breaths that vote of God Deut. 32.29 O that this people were wise That they understood That they would consider And yet finds them to mistake and cannot undeceive them but still they beat him with Rebukes in his Bosom and slanders in all his paths then to return and appeal to his God with Recordare Domine Lord clear up the Mist and cause a Right Understanding and a fair Proceeding that I by just Rule and they by due obedience may glorifie thee our only Lord and Saviour Even so rejoycing in the Testimony of a good Conscience and the discharge of his Duty Nehemiah is bold with this form Remember me O my God and wipe not out my Kindnesses c. And to name no more It was the last prayer that took with the Lord of life before his death Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom And yet even after death it may serve us for Epitaph to call upon God for the Consummation Nay after still in that Consummation it will be of use to mingle with Te Deum Magnificat in the quire of Saints and Angels No Independency even in that Church Triumphant but Recordare Domine as from the Lord our Beginning so on thee for ever depends the Perpetuity and perpetuating of our Endless Felicity 17. Blessed be the Lord We are come to our Anâ—heme After Prayers and Sermon to a Benedictus A close refused by some Interpreters as unsutable to the Context But Calvin saith not so Why not as well in the end as in the Beginning of this Psalm My Song ever shall be of the loving Kindness of the Lord that is his Prologue and doubtless to ease his grifes and raise his hopes He purposely makes choice of this Epilogue Vlysses way to pass the waves of this troublesome world and all Encounters was Resolution and Patience But Orpheus and David singing the Praises of the immortal God shall scape not only Syrens but Scilla too with all her dogs and all the Blasphemies and slander in the gulf of Opprobrium here Therefore the King shall rejoyce in thee O Lord Thy praise shall be ever in his mouth So may thy blessings ever be upon him and his seed after him and let all the people that fear God and honour the King say Amen and seal it again with Amen And so the Priest shall do his Duty even bless all Gods people in his name and to his name ascribe as is most due a Benedictus in Aeternum Blessing and Honour and Glory and Praise be unto our God Now Henceforth and for Evermore Amen Amen A SERMON CALLED THE Zodiack at Court 1 CHRON. 23. ver ult And that they should keep the charge of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the charge of the holy Place and the charge of the Sons of Aaron their brethren in the service of the house of the Lord. IN the service of the house of the Lord The first Text that I find mentioning the service of the Lord in his house and serves as a Glass wherein we see first Domus abstracted then Domus Domini in conjunction Thirdly Cultus Worship or Service due to Dominus in this Domus and reasonable service 1. Quâ Dominus as he is our Lord and then quâ servus too as he vouchsafes to do us service in many other of his houses and all the service in this house For Domus single In a word It is a main blessing if God afford man an house else worse then Birds or Foxes and therefore as Cains curse unhoused a Vagabond and Abrahams tryal Get thee from thy Fathers house so enrowled among Gods works of Power and Mercy mingled he makes men dwell together in an house and makes them housholds like a flock of sheep An house and a meinie and him many houses Multiply the blessing and encrease the Joy The Summer house
and defiled both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soon after they were made There 's opprobrium ab origine Thence all slanderers may count their Pedigree For the devil infusing this venom into those Giants enflamed them to the scaling of Joves Throne or if not that we will believe the Scripture that if Nimrod the mighty light upon a rout of Populorum such babling and bawling sots as he found in Shinar all of one lip Gen. 11.1 they in their wicked conspiracy so it is called Wisd 10.5 would soon be at it for a City and Tower unperishable Make it of Brick incombustible and for drowning they 'l take order with the Almighty for the top shall reach to Heaven 9. So deduce Opprobrium from the old Dragon to a Serpentine Cadmean Nimrodian race of Giants mixt of Populorum and Maximorum too And what shamefull work will they make a mad work indeed even a world of wickedness time to look to the Circumference For if these have all one language concur in voting for a new frame and have a mind to be towring aloft nothing will stay them but Sidera feriam ero sicut Altissimus then that 's reaching Heaven right but the wrong way for they are not at Heaven yet Such a piece of work in hand and they bragged of a mountain-birth But Quid exit You know who blasted the business by a consusion first and a diffusion and dispersion afterwards and observe the just recompence the Sentence ex ore tuo Nequam Their babling to marr their building their own tongues to make them to fall fall out and fall off no longer able to stand to their great work because unable to understand one another 10. But for all that sundring at Babel soderd again we find them in the Text. This Generation of Nimrod Belus let him be and these right sons of Belial for no yoak will hold them for observe this confluence of Omnium Populorum Maximorum and find Jusque datum sceleri ex plebiscitis Senatus consultis seelera exercentur all exceeded When mens hands are once at liberty no King in Jsrael why then every man doth what seems good in his own eyes and so here when their tongue 's once loose the Lords anointed shall be reproacht The Lord himself blasphem'd And what Lord shall controul them so floats the ship without an Helm so flings the horse without a Bridle and so their tongues run madding through the world far worse so that the Apostle St. James cries it thrice Fire Fire Fire How great a mischief comes of this Fire setting on fire the the course of nature and is set on fire of Hell thirher still it brings us you see this untuly evil full of deadly and divelish poison all contract in this Malady all concentered in opprobrium 11. But be this poison of Populorum never so noxious and those that ejaculate never so mighty What are these all to the Almighty these Maximi to him Christ is opt max. Shall Jehovab suffer by such a Typhoeus or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be liable to such aspersion No Inimici tui Domine shall not be able to do this violence to thy anointed David nor move a tongue to infest the meanest of thy servants This is indeed the point under tryal for all this seems asserted in holy Scripture 1. First Servi are servati They should indeed be sure to be pelted and dusted and stoned from this Center painted with infamous spots and tokens of this plague in their bosom but for Jehovah here a good Domine that hath chosen and though not quite taken them out of this present evil world yet as good for they use it as if they used it not their Conversation is in Heaven and themselves within three steps In Eph. 2. He hath quickned us together with Christ and hath raised us together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus And is not that high and aloof far and free from Opprobrium 2. Next is David the Lords anointed his body secured in the Sepulchre and this Monster is no Hyena Pascitur in vivis His immortal part is mounted not on Doves but Angels wings and past the clouds and storms of Populorum here hath met those acclamations on mount Zion and made one of that innumerable company the general Assembly and Church of the first-born among the Spirits of just men made perfect and in a Kingdom that cannot be moved all this in Heb. 12.22 23. So David himself is free body and soul from the strife of tongues and left above this world of wickedness 3. Much more is Davids Lord advanced set on the right hand of his Father all his enemies made his foot-stool far above all Principalities and Powers and at his coronation all knees have bowed and all tongues confessed that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father 4. And for God the Father What can Opprobrium do to him The Lord is King be the people never so impatient the earth never so unquiet God that is very high exalted higher then the highest far aboue all Gods above all men sure out of their reach 't is he too that can still the raging of the waves and the madness of the people If the Fremuerunt be never so loud against the Lord and against his anointed He that sits in Heaven shall laugh The Lord shall have them in derision And now where is Davids Petition What is become of our Circumserence Servi Christus Domini Jehovah all free from Opprobrium nay never a one of all these for all this begin with the highest first and if this Monster set on Jehovah flie in his face he will sure spare none of the rest 1. And we need not go far for proof they corrupt others and speak of wicked Blasphemy their talking is against the most high they blasphem thee dayly saith David even weeping ripe that God would not redress and repress those Blasphemies We need go but to this very Text Remember it O Lord thy enemies have blasphemed thee we need not so much Alas We cannot stop our ears against words cloathed in death and jeasts flumine dignos and those execrable Oaths and Perjuries for which the land mourns spent in despight of God and of his Prophets flying roul full of plagues against such Swearers who yet roul on and roul out their hours in hellish Blasphemies as if they practised here against their coming thither No wonder then if earthly Gods put up and bosome many and mighty reproaches and abuses when it is here upon Record and evidence too much every where of this Crimen laesae Majestatis as high as Heaven 2. Next for Christ Jesus Pursue his story but from his Baptism for all the opening of Heaven and the Doves descent and his Fathers attestation coming among his own How did they receive him Not as the Lord Messiah but as a Messiah in
and none able to answer him a word yet were they still offended at him and even in that offended because he was unanswerable nay the lustre of his Grace and Goodness his temper and sweetness and clearness dis-illustring the highest of their Priests and Princes and Rulers of the people being dazled and madded with the splendor of his Vestigia the prints and proofs the tracts and evidences of his meekness and innocence all along in his active and passive obedience when there was nothing else for the tooth and tongue of envy they took indignation at his very vertues and Pilate knew that for envy they had delivered him to his Judgement 12. And now methinks we have been all this while in America among Negroes black slaves not so much as an Albus dextris but all black toothed and black-mouthed and black-tongued and black-sould people A generation viperous and rising strangly from the earth with spears and swords not in their hands but in their mouths And yet Negroes can but poison arrows to take away mens lives but these opprobrious people corrode the very honour of Gods best servants far more precious then life it self O foul presumption How camest thou into the world to cover and blast both carth and skie and all the Children of the Light and him that is the Father of Light overrunning all with this new Chaos this foul Reconfusion 13. Indeed some read for all the people here all the Mighty and if so that will make Infamy yet more infamous and this world of wickedness worse then it was 'T is best to hold us to our old belief for if with Copernicus we turn the skeme and so let Servi Rex David Christus Domini himself that is the whole Church militant on earth which is his Spouse his Dove his dearly Beloved one body and one Spirit with Christ and dear as his eyes or heart be under a power of such Populorum with the sway and addition of Maximorum that is if Might be added to multitude then will the Church of God be but a miserable Center when those other wheel aloft and thwart their underlinings like the Zodiaque All the bosoms then of all the servants of Jehovah Christus Domin would soon be filled with Reproaches and with deadly arrows like the poor Anatomy in the Almanack Cancer would not only go against the stomack while others lie heavy on the head and heart but every pelting petty Sagittary would be dribbling at the legs and very Aquarius pour out the venom and dregs and bottom of his Tankard upon Vestigia here the Footsteps of Gods people PART 2. ANd then what Remedy against Opprobrium populorum truly if we intend it of Faex populi the skum it is like Babylon they cannot because they will not be cured born and bred like a wild Asses colt saith Job worse saith Isaiah then Ox or Asse know not their own Owner not God that made them Subjects nor Gods anointed set over them for their good Rom. 13. Such stuborn stomacks as are irreducible by moral swasion or any power of Eloquence not Orpheus nor any from hell tune them to a temperate obedience either of that Command in the beginning of the old Testament which God gave Laban concerning Jacob Nequid durius speak no harsh language nor to a fear of that Commination in the end of the New Testament against such as despise Dominions and speak evil of Dignities and of things they know not raging waves foaming out their own shame and concludes the Lord is coming with 10000 of his Saints to execute Judgement upon such impious sinners for all their ungodly deeds and for all their hard speeches Will these regard a Prophet or a Preacher against whom their usual fence is to strike him with the tongue when with such the Lords anointed shall be no longer so if they list to bring their Expurgatory for they can do it as fast as Jesuits or Anababtists That brace of Sects whose Dignity proceeds of themselves like those Chaldeans in the Prophet and who scoff at Kings and Princes are a scorn unto them Hab. 1.10 Nay What Cure for such mad men as think themselves all Kings or as the Devil boasts that all the Kingdoms of the earth are their Doles and Donatives as mad as he that fate in the haven and counted all the ships arriving there his own proper goods Such sots as these may have at times some Lucida but never continue in one mind David for a fit shall be the breath of their Nostrils they will sing his Glory and challenge ten parts in the King But the Son of Bichri a man of Belial may turn all this with one blast and every one of them gone with Opprobrium We have no part in the Son of Jesse 2 Sam. 20. So one while the barbarous people call St. Paul a Murderer and presently a God Gods are come down to us in the shapes of men O run and fetch Garlands and let us sacrifice All on a suddain the wind changes and then this fine speaker Mercury must be stoned But what speak we of Servi Christus Domini was not our Lord himself so tost from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to crucâ—fige He They 'l none of him give them Barabbas What was he A thief he was a Robber made Insurrection in the City and committed Murder Did they not make a rare choice Yet such wise men as these are those who to this day first elect themselves and then clep and call their friends and fellows by the names of Saints and Children of God As for Moses and Aaron they are too proud and officious but Core and his complicies are called the people of the Lord and when they saw them go down quick to hell yet next morning at it again the people of the Lord still But is there no Balm no Physitian Yes enough if Mountbanks not mistaken for Doctors and if they prescribed not poison instead of medicine Such leaders seduce and cause a mad people to err The divisions of Reuben were from great thoughts of heart But might not Simeon and Levi these were their Writers and Teachers be the Raisers and Fomenters of such Divisions Sure I am in Num. 16. where the Rubenites conspite against Moses the meekest man on earth and Aaron the Saint of the Lord it is Corah and his company of Levites and that coar of envy in their hearts for the high Priesthood that began the mischief And how oft do we read forewarnings of false Prophets and in Act. 20.20 among your selves saith the Apostle shall rise up men speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them And I wish such Incendiaries only came from Rome with their charm of the Church Catholique and that we were free from Impostors and Seducers in this sence for drawing Disciples after them and infusing such Doctrines that with Satyrâ—k Sermons and incentive vociferations they have filled the State and Church both with
victorious Army of boyes or Pesants chance to over-run a Kingdom with noise of weapons as the Prophet describes it and rowling of garments in blood what then become of all their glory their Pattents and painted wax If then you seek for right enobling and to be truly honorable or if you would be men of good estates indeed and enjoy certainties and perpetuities sludy to be in the favour and protection of the Lord of Hosts for then however it go for this world you shall be sure of Eternal blessedness in another at that day when he shall make up his Jewels Secondly a contrary use for all those wretched souls as pride themselves in being none of Gods Elect that mock at mention of Grace and Godliness whose language is fully recorded in the second of Wisdim and their Posterity to this day praise their saying and continue the same frontless impudence A Race of impious scorners Solomons fools imagining it the utmost of disgrace that can be stuck upon them to be call'd or counted Religious or Lovers of God a profession fit for a crue of sullen melancholy simpletons Mean time in what a fearful condition do these Jewels of the Devil live I and glory in their shame and perdition for let me speak to some one roaring Leader of this band and say who hath bewitcht thee into this Delusion It may indeed advance thee to some friend ships and full tables that thou art a full swearer a curious drunkard or an Eloquent Historian of those sins wherewith thy body bewrayes thy youth to have abounded and yet thou art content to belye thy self in the Relation and being thus far from remorse thus given over to a Reprobate mind thou art not able to conceive the Apostle where he tells thee they are without hope that are without God and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands what is it to fall out of the hands of the living God and so that he which made thy soul filled it with noble faculties offers it Grace and Holiness and Purification should be forced by thy wilful rejection of Grace and Mercy to give over his work to cast thee off for ever that thy soul should contract so much dross and defilement thy works of darkness so extinguish all impressions of Light and Beauty as thy Creator should not I am sure will not own thee but say to thy everlasting horror and astonishment Depart from me I know no such workers and boasters of iniquity Thirdly to trie our selves Dost thou believe that God esteems thee as a Jewel purchased by Jesus blood and that he sets his heart upon thee O take heed this be not vanity and mad presumption Reflect on what we said last of those properties inherent or ascribed to precions stones and shew me first thy faith by thy works What are the vertues and precious operations of thy faith and profession If thou beest of a refined and sanctified nature thou wilt be a grace and an honor to thy God And where is that thy love to his name thy zeal to his glory and then is thy life operative upon others by thy example won to goodness Art thou precisely carefull and curious to preserve others specially those within thy charge from Ignorance Idleness Prophaness Wantonness Bribery Drunkenness Or on the contrary Is thy manner of conversing with men scandalous and ignoble sinfull and shamefull O remember then however thou mayest have a name to live thou art but dead though thou seem pure in thy own eyes or the applause of Parasites yet those eyes truly enlightned would see thy own deformity that thou art yet in thy sins and not cleansed from thy wickedness yet in thy pure that is thy impure naturals and far from being any Partaker of the divine Nature Consider then our selves by those two propertie especially Solidity and Clearness First Are we firm and sound no counterfeits constant in the practice as well as profession of Christ Never worse times then these of late but never better times for trial And if our hearts have been preserved unshaken there is yet a Scrutiny and an Inquest after our Holiness and Purity and Clearness for God will have his Jewels untainted Our God is of pure and fiery eyes and no impure thing must tarry in his sight Come out saith God and touch no unclean thing and then you shall be precious in my sight be my Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6. In those precious stones on Aarons brest-plate was engraven Holiness to the Lord and Gods material Temple so beautified tipically prescribes what those souls should labor to be which God vouchsafes to make Temples for his holy Spirit Unclean spirits inhabit wicked souls but the holy Ghost takes it in despite is grieved and quencht with our pollutions and so for God the Father the Father of Lights he will not endure the deeds of darkness under colour of his service Pure religion and undefiled even before God the Father is in a main branch to keep a mans self unspotted of the world James 1. ulc i. e. escaping the corruptions which are in the world through lusts God is good to Israel i. e. to all that are of a clean heart Indeed a Jewel of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath its honor thence vocatus fuit inclytus is the Paraphrase so called for its excelling Purity And so lastly in reference to our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that redeemed us to be a peculiar people to himself and like himself Tiberius would not suffer the image of Augustus in Ring or Coin to be born into any unseemly Place so the adopted Sons and Servants of God will be carefull of disgracing the glorious Image of Christ Jesus sealed and imprinted in their souls by admitting stains and blemishes but be carefull to abstain from the least appearance of evil and to purifie themselves even as he is pure because till then he is not throughly enamour'd of his spouse the Church till her neck be comely with rowes of stones till she be as the Rose and Lilly all fair and no spot in her Yet all this is spoken and must be taken with the Apostles Caution and Restriction not as if any had or ever could attain perfection here No they reckon a number of infirmities that the most precious Jewels are subject to There is Fumus Vmbra Nubeculae Scabrities Capillus Sal Punctum Scobes Plumbago Ferrugo Rubigo Vomica which distain the purest stones So in the choicest of Gods people in the rarest vessels of his honor prepared unto Glory remain those Reliques like Clouds and Ices They have all their grains and spots Delict a quotidianae incursionis and St. Austin speaking of the Churches brightness and perfection adds Ad hoc Electa non ut jam sit talis sed ut ad hoc paretur Their goodness may be true because unfeigned but not altogether fair save only by comparison So hath sin poisoned the