in the heart but howsoeuer shield thy head loose not thy hope of saluation thy faith in Iesus Christ. Homo qui habet se habet totum inse said the Philosopher He that hath himselfe hath all in himselfe But ille habet se qui habet Christum ille habet Christum qui habet fidem He hath himselfe that hath Christ and he hath Christ that hath faith Whatsoeuer you loose loose not this though you loose your loues though you loose your liues keepe the faith I will trust in thee though thou kill me saith Iob. I haue kept the faith saith Paul though I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus If insatiate death be let alone to cutte vs into pieces with the sword to grind vs into the mawes of beastes to burne vs in the fire to ashes yet so long as our head Christ is safe he hath the Serpents attractiue power to draw vs to him Father I will that they whom thou hast giuen me be with me where I am The more we are cut off the more we are vnited death whiles it striues to take vs from him sends vs to him Keepe faith in the Head With what mind soeuer Seneca wrote it I know to good vse I may speake it Malo mihi successum deesse quam-fidem I rather want successe then faith Fidem qui perdidit nil habet vltra quod perdat He that hath lost his faith hath nothing els to loose But it is the Lord that preserues the head O God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my â—…ead in the day of battell 2. The next Policie in Serpents is to stop their â—…ares against the noyse of the charmers This is one of the similitudes which the Psalmist giues betweene the wicked and Serpents Their poison is like the poison of a Serpent they are like the deafe adder that stoppeth hor â—…are Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers charming never so Wisely This charming as they write was invented in the Easterne countreyes where they were pesterd with abundance of serpents Which musicke the Serpent hearing wisely distrusting his owne strength thinkes it the surest course to stop his â—…ares This he doth by couching one â—…are close to the ground and covering the other with his voluminous tayle The incantations of this world are as often sung to vs as those charmes to the Serpents but we are not so wise as Serpents to avoyd them Sometimes a Siren sings vs the charmes of lust and thus a weake woman overcomes him that overcame the strong Lyon Lenam non potuit potuit superare Leaenam Quem fera non valuit vincere vicit hera Sayes the Epigrammatist He goeth after her straight way though her houseâ—… the way to hell going downe to the chambers of death Sometimes Satan comes to vs like a gold-finch and whistles vs a note of vsurie to the tune of ten in the hundred we are caught presently and fall a dancing after his pipe Sometimes like Alecto he charmes vs a Madrigall of revenge for private wrongs instantly we are caught with malice destruction sits in our lookes Not seldome hee comes to a man with a drunken caroll lay thy peny to mine and we will to the wine he is taken suddenly he runs to it though he reeles from it He sings the slothfull a Dormi securè and hee will sleepe though his damnation sleepeth not Yea there are not wanting that let him sing a song of blasphemie they will sweare with him Let him begin to raile they will libell with him Let his incantation bee treason and they will answere him in gunpowder Yea let him charme with a Charme a witlesse senceles sorcerie and if a tooth akes or a hog grones they will admit it admire it Of such follie the very serpents shall condemne vs. But as open â—…ar'd as men are to these incantations of the Deuill and sinne let the musicall bells of Aaron be rung the sweet songs of Sion sung they will not listen they will not be charmed with all our cunning So that wee shall be faint to send them to the Iudgment seate of God with this scrole on their forheads Noluerunt incantari Lord wee haue done our best but this people would not be charmed 3. Their third Policie They flie mens societie as knowne enemies and rather chuse a wildernes seeking peace among bryers and thornes And may they not herein teach vs with Moses rather to chuse affliction in a wildernes with the people of God then to enioy the pleasure of sin for a season Much hath bin and may be said to lessen mens dotage to the world and yet one word I must adde Non quia vos nostra sperem prece posse moveri Did euer any of you know what the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost is whiles that comfort and iubilation dwelt in your heart I aske you how the world stood in your sight Stood it not like a deformed witch deuils sucking on her breasts a shoale of vgly sinnes sitting like screechowles on her head bloud and massacres besmearing her face lies blasphemies periuries waiting at her backe extortion and oppression hanging on her armes wickednes and wretchednesse filling both her hands the cryes grones and imprecations of widowes and orphans sounding in her eares heauen thundring vengance on her head and the enlarged gates of the infernall pitte yawning to entertaine her Is this your Paramour O ye worldlings Is this the beautie you hazard a soule to get O munde immunde euill fauoured world that thou shouldst haue so many louers Ecceruinosus est mundus siâ—… amatur quidsi perfectus esset Quid forâ—…osus faceret quùm deformis sic adoratur If the world beeing ruinous so pleaseth men what would it doe if it were sound and perfect If it were faire and beauteous how would wee dote on it that thus loue it deformed But how rare a man is hee Qui nihil habet commune cum seculo that hath no communion with this world That retires himselfe like the Serpent and doth not intricate his mind in these worldly snares who does not watch with enuie nor trauell with auarice nor clime with ambition nor sleepe with lust vnder his pillow But for all this Vincet amor mundi money and wealth must be had though men refuse no way on the left hand to get it We may charge them Nummos propter Deum expendere to lay out their wealth for Gods sake but they will Deum propter nummos colere worship God for their wealths sake We say let the world waite vpon religion they say let religion waite vpon the world You talke of heauen a kingdome but Tutius hâ—… câ—…lum quod brâ—…uis â—…ca tenet That heauen is surest thinke they that lies in their coffers As those two Gyants bound Mars in chaines and then sacrificed to him so men first coffer vp their
that is called by my Name as I haue done to Shiloh It lies in the power of sinne to make the most blessed places accursed God turnes a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabitants that dwell therein Ciuitatis euersio morum non murorum casus The ruine of a Citie is not the breach of the walls but the apostacie of manners Were our Fences stronger then the seuen-folde walls of Babylon the sinnes within would hurle downe the Bulwarkes without If there be Prauilegium among vs there is no Priuilegium for vs. This Sion then stands not on earthly foundations for at the generall dissolution the earth with all the workes in it Cities Castles Townes Towres shall be burnt vp If it were built on a saâ—…dy foundation when the raine the flouds and windes shall conspire against it it would fall and the fall of it would be great But Sion is built on Christ Behold I say in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious he that beleeueth on him shall not be confounded This is conspicuous by the Antithesis of Mount Sion with the Gospell to Mount Sinai with the Law The Apostlecals that montem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mount that might be touched if this had beene vpon earth it had also beene contrectabilis touchable but it is onely spirituall Hee alludes to Gods Prophesies and Promises Euangelium proditurum de monte Sion that the Gospel should come out of Mount Sion This is manifest to those that will consider and conferre these places Obad. vers 21. Esa. 2. 3. Mie 4. 2. Come let vs goe vp to the Mount of the Lord for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of God from Ierusalem Esa. 59. 20. with Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Sion the Deliuerer and shall turne away vngodlinesse from Iacob Sinai gaue thraldome by Moses Sion giues freedome and saluation by Iesus These two words giue vs two comforts of grace Fortitudinem quia mons Beatitudinem quia mons Sion Securitie because it is a mountaine Felicity because it is Mount Sion 1. Heere is considerable the validity and strength of grace that comes by Christ we are not built in a valley but on a mount A mountaine hath euer beene held the place of safety I said in my prosperity I shall neuer be moued What is his reason Lord thou of thy fauour hast made my mountaine so strong But alas what are all the mountaines of the earth to mount Sion Woe to them that trust in the mountaines of Samaria The prophane Edomite stands on his mountain and derides the iudgement of God The Syrians thought God only Deum montium a God of the mountaines It was vpon the high mountaine that Israel played the harlot Many sit on their mountains and giue defiance to heauen The couetous mans mountaine is his riches there he thinkes himselfe safe Soule rest thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeares The ambitious mans mountaine is his honour and who dares finde fault with so promontorious a celsitude yes Euery mountaine shall be brought low Sensualitie is the voluptuous mans mountaine there he refugeth himselfe against all reproofes But when the iudgements of God shall come vpon the earth in vaine they shal cry to the mountaines Fallon vs and to the hills Couer vs. As neyther against the waters in the former Deluge so nor against the fire in the latter dissolution shall the mountaines defend onely this Mount Sion shall saue vs. The mountaine of worldly confidence hath not more strength of defending against the assaults of men then danger of exposing to the violences of heauen Heere is the difference betwixt the worldlings building and the Christians 1. They thinke themselues onely to build high aspiring to an equality with mountaines and as low builders poore deiected and reiected creatures But indeed they build low for all sublunary things are low buildings onely he that builds on this Mount Sion builds high and sure when all oppositions and aduersary forces haue done their worst he stands firme like Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth fast for euer The Wise mans mind is euer aboue the Moone yea aboue the Sun What turbulencies soeuer be in the world all is peace there In my Fathers house there are many mansions In domo it is a house not a Tabernacle Of my Father for if he hath afforded such a house for his enemies how glorious is that he hath reserued for himselfe and his friends Patris mei saith Christ My Father your Father is able to giue you a cottage for your short life My Father giues a house for euer There are Mansions à manendo not moueable tents but mansions Many enow for all none shall be troubled for want of elbow-roome Therefore let all Mountaines stoope to this The mountaine of the Lord shall be established in the top of mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hills and all Nations shal flowe vnto it This is Gods Mountaine who hath chosen of all Nations Israel of all Tribes Iuda of all Cities Ierusalem of all Temples that of Salomon of all Mountaines Mount Sion 2. The worldlings thinke this Mountaine is but a dreame because they cannot see it nor touch it But our Apostle sayes it is intrectabilis it cannot be touched with earthly fingers no profane feet must tread in those holy Courts Naturall mens vnderstandings are led by their senses Plus oculo quà m oraculo they will belieue no further then they see Giue mee good cheare sayes the Epicure this I can see and taste and tell not me of your spirituall banket in heauen Giue me good liquour sayes the Drunkard the bloud of the grape this giues colorem saporem odorem colour to the eye sauour to the palate odour to the sent heauen hath no Nectar like this Giue me honour saith the Ambitious which may aduaunce me that from this Mountaine of preferment I may ouerlooke the inferiour world and behold vassals prostrate to my Celsitude this I can feele and see tel not me of your inuisible kingdome and Such honour haue all his Saints Giue mee gorgeous apparell sayes the proud this vvill make me admir'd giue me admission among the great ones tell not me of our Robe of Glory Giue me gold saies the Couetous this I can see it is my Sunne by day and my Moone by night I can spend my time delightfully in telling feeling treasuring this neuer tell me of your treasure in heauen Well if there be no remedy but Sense must be your Religion and this world your God take your choise these grosse palpable things trust you in these Mountaines but Lord giue vs this Mount Sion which our Lord Iesus Christ hath established for vs. Now sith we are built vpon a Mountaine let vs know that we are conspicuous all the world takes notice of vs. The faithfull
of God but it appeares not yet what we shall be Hast thou heere much peace there is more here wee haue desiderium pacis there pacem desiderij Heere a desire of peace there the peace of our desires Hast thou heere some ioy there is more now ioy with sorrow checker-worke white and blacke roses but thornes with them then ioy with safety safety with eternity such ioy as shall neuer be taken from vs. There Rex veritas Lex charitas pax foelicitas vita aeternitas If one day in lower Sion be better then a thousand daies in the tents of wickednesse then one day in vpper Sion is better then a thousand yeeres in this valley of teares If Peter was so rauished with Mount Tabor where onely Christ was transfigured what is he with this Mount Sion where all are glorified How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord If Gods Tabernacles be so louely what is his mansion If there bee such ioy in the remission of sinne what is there in the abolition of sinne If there bee now such sweet peace in thy heart such musicke in thy conscience what mayst thou thinke there is in heauen But because non capimus illa illa capiant nos we cannot comprehend those pleasures let those pleasures comprehend vs. Good seruant the ioy is too great to enter into thee therfore enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. This Mount Sion did God giue to Christ and Christ to vs. God to his Sonne Yet haue I set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion The Sonne to vs A Lambe stood on Mount Sion and with him 144. thousand c. A Lambe in figure slaine from the foundation of the world A Lambe in fact led like a Lambe to the slaughter standeth sits not idle nor lies asleepe hee that kepeth Israel neyther slumbers nor sleepes whereon not as the two beasts his opposites that rise out of the earth and Sea but on a Mount What Mount not Sinai but Sion Other mountaines quake at his presence The hils melted like waxe at the presence of the Lord. But Sion heard and was glad and the daughters of Iuda reioyced Other mountains in homage to this haue skipped and danced about it The mountaines skipped like Rams and the little hils like Lambes He stands therefore is willing to defend on a Mount therefore able to defend on Mount Sion therefore ready to defend because hee is in the middest of his owne and sees his Church round about him So that though all the red Dragons on earth and blacke Deuils in hell rage against vs yet the Lambe on Mount Sion will defend vs. There now hee stands calling vs by grace there we shall one day behold him calling vs to glory vntill hee giue this glory to vs yea then and euer let vs giue all glory to the Lambe that stands on Mount Sion This is the place which the Lord chose and loues He refused the Tabernacle of Ioseph and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim But chose the Tribe of Iudah the Mount Sion which he loued This praise did inherit and inhabite Sion The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue desired it Let the precedent of Gods affection worke in all our hearts a zeale to Sion The Lord that chose Sion chuse vs to Sion he that desired it his habitation make it the habitation of our desires It is his rest let it be ours that we may rest with him Here will I dwell saith he let vs all pray to dwell there Though it bee a hill a high hill though paines and toyle in getting vp yet let vs ascend for aboue there is eternall ioy The City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem I come from the Situation to the Citie you heare where it is heare now what it is A City in a Mountaine Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the Mountaine of his holinesse Beautifull for situation the ioy of the whole earth is Mount Sion on the sides of the North the City of the great King God is knowne in her Palaces for a sure refuge Heere be foure circumstances 1. Quae sit not a Village but a City 2. Cuius not mans but Gods not a faigned but the liuing Gods 3. Qualis not earthly but heauenly 4. Quo nomine not Sodome or Samaria but the City of peace Ierusalem The Citie The Church may be compared to a Citie for three resemblances of Safety Vnitie Paucity 1. For safety Cities haue euer bene held the securest places So Lot said of little Zoar Let me escape thither my soul shall liue Cain fearing the execution of his curse built him a Citie for refuge and called it Enoch The motiue that caused those wicked to build a City was security lest we be scattered abroad vpon the face of the whole earth The Israelites had their Cities of refuge and a Law of their protection Num. 35. 27. But there is no Citie of sure refuge but this Citie of the liuing God It is ordinary with men to put too much trust like Israel in their walled Cities Except the Lord keep the Citie the watchman waketh but in vaine Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Thou thinkest thy selfe secure because an inhabitant of this famous London No thou liuest in an Iland therefore in danger of the Sea in a Christian Iland therefore in danger of the Turke in a Protestant Iland therefore in danger of the Pope in a chiefe City of this Iland therefore in danger of the diuell The Citie is perilous for pride the more spectators the more acclamations the larger the Theater the lowder the applause The solemne assembly in Cesaria puffed vp ambitious Herod to his owne destruction The people showted Vox Dei but the wormes confuted their flattery his folly Simon Magus ventured that flight in a Citie to which in an obscure Village he had neither been tempted nor would haue attempted And whether quicke commings in of money make not this Citie vnsafe to many soules miserable experience hath euinced Praeceps locum princeps damnum suddaine profit is capitall losse But suppose men care not so much for the safety of their soules are their bodies secure Thieues homicides fires deny it But if they scape all these fires yet not the last fire Your buckets may quench other fires not this no milke nor vineger can extinguish that wild fire As in the dayes of Noah a Doue could not set downe her foote for water so nor at this day for fire Let this meditation like a fortunate storme driue you to harbour the weakenesse of all Cities in the world to the safety of the Citie of God 2. For vnitie Familiarity hath the name Quasi eiusdem familiae as it were of the same
he is Not future euents but present condition may be thus learned Neither day nor night scapes a good man without some profite the night teacheth him what he is as the day what he should be Therefore said a Philosopher that all waking men are in one common world but in sleepe euery man goes into a world by himselfe For his dreames doe signifie to him those secret inclinations to which hee thought himselfe a stranger though they were home-dwellers in his heart Euen those fancies are speaking images of a mans disposition And as I haue heard of some that talke in their dreames and then reueale those secrets which awake they would not haue disclosed So may thy dreames tell thee when thou wakest what kind of man thou art The hypocrite dreames of dissimulation the proud woman of paint and colours the theefe of robberie and booties the Iesuite of treasons Let them aske their very sleepe qualeâ—… sint what manner of men they arâ—… For so lightly they answere temptations actually waking as their thoughts doe sleeping Thus onely a man may make good vse of his dreames Here let vs obserue that God doth sometimes draw men to him suis ipsorum 〈◊〉 by their owne delights and studies No doubt these Magi were well acquainted with dreames it being amongst Ethnickes and Peripatetickes a speciall obiect of diuination Therefore there is a booke bearing the name of Aristotle De diuiâ—…ne pâ—…r somnium Many â—…ors these men had swallowed by dreames now behold in a dreame they shall receiue the truth So God called them by a Starre whose profession was to relie too much on the Starres Quare per Stellam vt per Christum ipsa materia erroris fieret salutis occasio Why by a Starre that through Iesus Christ the very matter of their error might be made a meanes of their saluation Per 〈◊〉 illâ—…s vocat quâ—… familâ—…ria illis consâ—…tudo fecit God cals them by those things which custome had made familiar to them They that are stung with Scorpions must be cured by the oyle of Scorpions Thus God allures men to him as Fishermen 〈◊〉 with such baites as may bee somewhat agâ—…ble to them Paul is occasioned by the Alâ—… 〈◊〉 the vnknowâ—… God to make knowne the true God the 〈◊〉 Iesus Doth Dauid loue the Sheepe-folds he shall be a Shepheard still From following the eâ—…s great with yong he brought him to feed Iacob his people and Isrâ—…ll his â—…ritance Doth Peter loue fishing he shall goe a fishing still though for more noble creatures to catch souleâ—… Doe these Magicians loue Starres and Dreames behold a Starre and a Dreame shall instruct them in the truth of God Old Isâ—… takes occasion by the smell of his Sons garments sauouring of the field to pronounce a spirituall blessing The smell of my Sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Ierome notes of Amos that he begins his Prophecie with roaring The Lord shall roare from Sion Because he being a field-man kept the woods where hee was wonted to the roaring of Lyons Iudaei signa quaerunt Doe the Iewes seeke a signe Why Christ will there euen among them worke his Myracles Doth Augustine loue eloquence Ambrose shall catch him at a Sermon All things shall worke to their good that are good Omnia etiam peccata All things euen their very sinnes sayth Augustinâ—… 〈◊〉 in his Essayes writes that a libidinous gentleman sporting with a Courtezan in a house of sinne chanced to aske her name which she sayd was Mary Whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reuerence that he instantly not onely cast off the Harlot but amended his whole future life Well-beloued since this is Gods mercie to allure vs to him by our owne delights let vs yeeld our selues to be caught What scope doth thy addiction leuell at that is not sinfull which Gods word doth not promise and afford What delight can you aske which the Sanctuarie giues not Loue you hunting learne here to hunt the Foxes the little Cubbes those craftie sins sculking in your bosomes Would you dance let your hearts keepe the measures of Christian ioy and leape like Iohn the Baptist in Elizabeths wombe at the saluation of Iesus Delight you in running Paul sets you a race So runne that ye may obtaine You shall haue good company Dâ—…id promiseth that he will run the way of Gods commandements Peter and Iohn will runne with you to Iesus Loue you Musicke Here are the Bels of Aaron still ringing the treble of Mercie and the tenor of Iudgement Leui's Lute and Dauids Harpe There are no such songs as the songs of Sion Would you be merry Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce If euer you found ioy like this ioy the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost backe againe to the world Louest thou daintie cheare here be the best cates the body and bloud of thy Sauiour the bread of life no hunger after it Wilt thou drinke much Drinke my wine and my milke drinke yea drinke abundantly O Beloued Bibâ—…e 〈◊〉 as the originall imports drinke and bee drunken with loues pledge the health that Christ begun euen asauing health to all nations Are you ambitious there is no preferment like that to be had here in the Court of the King of Kings Dauid iudged it no little thing to bee Sonne in law to a King but what is it then to bee a King Desire you stately buildings Alas the whole world is but a Cottage a poore transient Tabernacle to the Mansions promised by Christ. Lastly are you couetous Yet I need not aske that question but take it as granted Why then here is gold more precious then that of Arabia or of Hauilah rust or theefe may distresse that this is a treasure can neuer be lost What should I say more What can winne you Which way soeuer your desires stands God doth allure you The best thinges in earth or in heauen are your baite With these doth the Lord seeke you not for any need that he hath of you but for your owne saluation When the fairest of all Beloueds doth thus wooe vs let him winne vs and espouse vs to himselfe in grace that wee haue the plenary marriage in glory You see the Manner of their Warning The Matter That they should not returne to Herod Why not to Herod Because the Lord now lets them see his hypocrisie For howsoeuer he pretended Ver. 8. to come and worship him yet he intended not seruire but sâ—…uire not to honour him but to murder him He cals the Wisemen priuily as if hee quaked at the propagation of this newes for it came vpon him like the pangs of death He commands them to inquire de infante not de rege of the babe not of the King for that title galled him to the heart That I may worship him Dirum facinus tingit colore pietatis
doat on it that so kisse it being a deformed stigmaticke How greedily would they gather the flowers who will not forbeare the thornes They that so admire it being transient and temporall how would they bee enamoured on it if it were eternall But the world passeth and God abideth They shall perish but thou remainest they all shall waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall bee changed but thou art The Samâ—… and thy yeares shall not faile Therefore trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God And then they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mâ—…unt Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth for euer Iesus Christ the Saâ—… yesterday and to day and for euer 2. This perswades vs to an imitation of Christs Constancie Let the stablenes of his mercie to vs worke a stablenes of our loue to him And howsoeuer like the lower Orbes we haue a naturall motion of our owne from good to euill yet let vs suffer the higher power to moue vs supernaturally from euill to good There is in vs indeed a reluctant flesh a Law in our members warring against the Law of our minde So August confesseth Nec planè nolebam nec planè volebam And Egâ—… eraâ—… qui volebam ego qui nolebam I neither fully granted nor plainely denied and it was I my selfe that both would and would not But our ripenesse of Christianitie must ouergrow fluctuant thoughts Irresolution and vnsteddines is hatefull and vnlike to our master Christ who is euer The Same A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes The inconstant man is a stranger in his owne house all his purposes are but guests his heart is the Inne if they lodge there for a night it is all they are gone in the morning Many motions come crowding together vpon him and like a great prease at a narrow dore whiles all striue none enter The Epigrammatist wittily Omnia cùm facias miraris cur facias nil Posthume rem solam qui facit ille facit He that will haue an oare for euery mans boate shall haue none left to row his owne They sayth Melancton that will know aliquid in omnibus shall indéed know nihil in toto Their admiration or dotage of a thing is extreame for the time but it is a wonder if it out-liue the age of a wonder which is allowed but nine dayes They are angry with Time and say the times are dead because they produce no more innouations Their inquiry of all things is not Quà m bonum but Quà m novum They are almost wearie of the Sun for continuall shining Continuance is a sufficient quarrell against the best things and the Manna of heauen is loathed because it is common This is not to be alwayes the same but neuer the same and whiles they would bee euery thing they are nothing but like the worme Plinie writes of multipoda that hath many feete yet is of slow pace A while you shall haue him in England louing the simple truth anone in Rome groueling before an Image soone after he leaps to Amsterdam and yet must he still be turning till there be nothing left but to turne Turke To winter an opinion is too tedious he hath bin many things what hee will be you shall scarce know till he is nothing But the God of Constancie would haue his to be constant Stedfast in your faith to him Colos. 1. Continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell Stedfast in your faithfulnesse to man promising and not disappoynting Doe not aliud stantes aliud sedâ—…tes least your changing with God teach God to change with you Nemo potest tibi Christum â—…uferre â—…isi tâ—… illi auferas No man can turne Christ from thee vnles thou turne thy selfe from Christ. For Iesus Christ the same yesterday c. We come now to the Circumference wherein is a distinction of three times Past Present Future Tempora mutantur the times change the Circumference wheeles about but the Center is the same for euer We must resolue this Triplicitie into a Triplicitie Christ is the same according to these three distinct termes three distinct wayes Obiectiuè in his Word Subiectiuè in his Power Effectiuè in his gratious Operation Obiectiuely Iesus Christ is the same in his word and that Yesterday in Preordination To day in Incarnation For euer in Application Yesterday in Preordination So Saint Peter in his Sermon tels the Iewes that he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God And in his Epistle that he was verily preordained before the foundation of the world Reuel 13. He is called the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world Prius prâ—…fuit quamfuit His Prophets did foretell him the Types did prefigure him God himselfe did promise him Râ—…tus or do Dei the decree of God is constant Much comfort I must here leaue to your meditation If God preordained a Sauiour for man before he had eyther made man or man mar'd himselfe as Paul to Timothie he hath saued vs according to his own purpose aâ—…d grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the world began then surely he meant that nothing should separate vs from his eternall loue in that Sauiour Quos 〈◊〉 increatos redeâ—…it perditos non deseret redemptos Whom he chose before they were created and when they were lost redeemed he will not forsake being sanctified To day in Incarnation When the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a Woman The word was made flesh which was sayth Emissenus Non deposita sed sepositâ—… maiestate Thus he became younger then-his Mother that is as eternall as his Father He was Yesterday God before all worlds he is now made man in the World Sanguinem quâ—…m pro matre â—…btulit antea de sanguine matris accepit The bloud that he shed for his Mother hee had from his Mother The same Eusebius on the 9. of Esay acutely Vnto vs a child is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen He was Datus ex Diuinitate natus ex virgine Datus est qui erat natus est qui non erat He was Giuen of the Deitie Borne of the virgin He that was giuen was before he as borne was before Donum dedit Deus â—…quale sibi God gaue a gift equall to himselfe So he is the same yesterday and to day obiectiuely in his Word Idom qui velatus in veteri reuâ—…latus in none In illo praedictus in isto praedicatus Yesterday prefigured in the Law to day the same manifested in the Gospell For euer in Operation He doth continually by his Spirit apply to our consciences the vertue of his death and passion As many as receiue him to them giues â—…e power to become the Sonnes of God
A Crucifixe Ephe. 5. 2. He hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering The good Politician directed Math. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents The way home Math. 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dreame Semper Idem Hebr. 13. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday Gods bounty Prou. 3. 16. Length of dayes is in her right hand The lost are found Luke 19. 10. For the Sonne of man is come to seeke A Generation of Serpents Psal. 58. 4. Their poyson is like the poyson of Serpents Heauen made sure Psal. 35. 3. Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation The Soules refuge 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according The end of the Contents THE HAPPINES OF THE CHVRCH HEBR. 12. Ver. 22. But ye are come vnto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing GOD the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels 23. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust men made perfect 24. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel THEY that make comparisons alteram partem deprimunt vt res alterius emineant debase the one part that they may aduance the honour of the other Our Apostle abates the glory of the Law that he may giue more glory where it is more deserued to the Gospell For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glory The summe of the comparison is spent in these three generalls 1. There were Omnia terrena et externa all things outward and sauouring of earth ver 18. A Mount that might still be touched c. Here all Interna et coelestia spirituall and heauenly 2. There are all Obscura et caliginosa darke and difficult Blacknesse darknes c. Here all Clara et illustria cleare and conspicuous therfore the Prophet called Christ Solem Iustitiae The Sun of Righteousnesse and Iohn Baptist stiled him That light which lightens euery one comming into the world 3. There all were Terribilia fearefull and amazing not onely to the people ver 19. who intreated that the Word should not bee spoken to them any more But euen to Moses ver 21. So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Here all Amabilia et laeta louely as Rachel delightfull as Musike the Gospel is called the Message of peace Our Apostle therefore preacheth a double quantity in the Gospell Magnitudinem Gloriae multitudinem gratiae the greatnes of Glory to worke in vs reuerence the multitude of Grace to worke in vs loue obedience The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Christ Iesus The excellency of Christ aboue Moses is exemplified in the third Chapter of this Epistle Moses verily was faithfull in all Gods house as a seruant But Christ as a Sonne ouer his owne house c. To the words the parts are generally two the Accesse and the Obiect First for the Accesse Yee are come What on your own feet without a Guide No Accessistis hoc est fide Euangelica perducti estis Yee are come that is yee are brought by the faith of the Gospel There is one that brings you God euery person in the blessed Trinity It is Opus Patris No man can come except the Father draw him Opus Filij Draw me we will runne after thee Opus spiritus sancti Let thy good spirit lead me into the Land of righteousnes Man is by nature in Zedechias case blind and lame Blind Non inuenisset viam nisi via inuenisset eum vnlesse the vvay had found him he could neuer haue found the way Lame he may know that the Temple of heauen hath a beautiful gate Grace but cannot come thither till God brings him loo sen his stupified ioynts and put into his hand the Almes of mercy This done he may enter into the Temple walking and leaping and praising GOD. Thus first he giues the Soule eyes vnderstanding then feet gracious affections and now expects that he should come God hath not so done all for thee that thou shouldest doe nothing for thy selfe A Deo sine te factus à te fine Deo infectus A Christo sine te refectus non à te fine Christo nec à Christo sine te perfectus God did create thee without thy selfe thou didst lose thy selfe without God without thy selfe Christ did redeeme thee but neither thy selfe without Christ nor Christ without thy selfe shall perfect thee Potest Dominus inueniri adueniri non praeueniri There may be a finding of God a comming to God but no preuenting of God Haue faith Hee that commeth to God must belieue and that of thine owne for there is no comming on anothers foote Thus that we might come to Christ Christ came to vs. Non de coelo merita nostra sed peccata traxerunt Not our merits but our maladies drew that great Physician from heauen to vs. Yee are not comming but come it is rather a time perfectly past then expectantly future Which plainely demonstrates that this is a description of the Church in her militant estate so well as triumphant Indeed either hath a relation to other a communion to other and the inestimable priuiledges of them both are wrapped vp together The connexion of Glory to Grace is so infallible that they often change names Heauen is called the kingdome of Holinesse and Holinesse is called the kingdome of Heauen Yee are saued by hope and Hee that belieueth hath euerlasting life and is passed from death to life So sure as if they were already in Heauen So Paul Our conuersation is in heauen from vvhence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. The obiect or place of our arriual is described by many excellent and honourable titles First it is called a Mount but is there so much happinesse in that Feriunt summos fulgura montes the highest Mountaines are most danger'd to the violences of Heauen ver 18. There was a Mount burning with fire This is no Mountaine of danger or terror but Sion safe pleasant delightfull Sion the ioy of the whole earth the beloued of GOD the Iohn that leaned on the bosome of Christ. The Lord loues the gates of Sion better then all the dwellings of Iacob But though a Mount though Mount Sion yet it might be a solitary and vnfrecuented Hill like that whereunto the Diuell tooke Christ and shewed him the kingdomes of the world vvhere a man can onely see glory not enioy it Or like that mount Nebo or top of Pisgah whereon Moses might onely stand and behold the Land of Canaan Not so but on this Mount there stands a City a populous Citie and full of buildings like that wherein Christ
shall weepe Satan is a killing master his wages is hell fire But all in grace is liuing and enliuing Idols are dead and neuer were aliue men are aliue but shall bee dead pleasures are neyther aliue nor dead Deuils are both aliue and dead for they shall liue a dying life and dye a liuing death Onely the liuing God giues euerlasting life Ierusalem This is the appellation of the Citie As Canaan was a figure of heauen either of them called the Land of Promise so locall Ierusalem is a type of this mysticall Citie There are many conceits concerning the denomination of Ierusalem Hierom thinks that the former part of the word comes from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy because Ierusalem is called the holy Citie But then there should bee a mixture of two seuerall languages Greek and Hebrew to the making vp of the word The Hebrewes deriue it better they say Sem called it Salem Peace and Abraham Iireh The place where he attempted the sacrifice of his sonne he called Iehouah-Iireh The Lord will see Thus put together it is Ierusalem visiopacis This is more probable then from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ierom or from Iebus as Pererius This is euident from the 76. Psalme ver 2. In Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion So that Salem Sion were both in one place The Iewes haue a Tradition that in one and the same place Cain and Abel offred in the same place Noah comming out of the Arke sacrificed in the same place Abraham offered Isaac in the same place stood Areunah's threshing floore which Dauid bought in the same place Melchisedek the Priest dwelt in the same place Salomon built the Temple and our Lord Iesus Christ was crucified But to let goe ambiguities Ierusalem is a City of Peace This is plaine Melchisedek was King of Salem that is King of Peace Gods Church is a Church of peace That of Plato ouer his dore is worth our remembrance Nemo nisi veritatis et pacis studiosus â—…trabit Let none enter but such as loue peace and truth Saint Paul is bold to his Galathians I would to God they were euen cut off that trouble you Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturas nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit No sober man speakes against reason no Christian against the Scriptures no peaceable man against the Church Hee that is not a man of peace is not a man of GOD. Peace is the effect of patience if men would beare iniuries and offer none all would be peace It is the greatest honour for a man to suffer himselfe conquered in that wherin he should yeeld Be of one mind liue in peace and the God of loue and peace be with you A iust reward if we haue one mind and liue in loue and peace the God of loue and peace shall be with vs. Heauenly This Citie is on earth but not of earth This is not terrestriall Ierusalem She is in bondage with her children She was not onely then vnder the Romane seruitude literally but according to Pauls meaning allegorically shee could not attaine the liberty of the Spirit but abideth vnder the wrath of God and horrour of conscience But this Ierusalem is heauenly I saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming downe from God out of heauen prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband Now it is called Heauenly in three respects Of Birth of Conuersation of Inheritance Ortus coelestis quoad originem progressus coelestis quoad conuersationem finis coelestis quoad translationem Here is all heauenly Ierusalem that is aboue is free the mother of vs all In hoc quòd dicitur sursum originis altitudo quòd Ierusalem pacis multitudo quòd libera libertatis magnitudo quòd mater faecunditatis amplitudo quòd nostrum omnium charitatis latitudo The Church in the Creede hath three properties Holy Catholike knit in a communion The word Aboue intimates she is Holy the word Mother that shee is knit in a communion the word Of all that she is Catholike Ierusalem is a type of the Catholike Church in Election Collection Dilection First for Election The Lord hath chosen Sion That out of all Cities this out of all Nations Ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people enclosed from the Commons of this world Gods owne appropriation 2. For Collection that was walled with stone this hedged in with grace God planted a vineyard in a very fruitfull hill and he fenced it It is well mounded and the Citizens of it linked together with the Bond of peace 3. For dilection Beautifull for situation the Palace of the great King the Sanctuary of his holy worship his Presence-chamber the pillar and ground of the truth There was the seate of Dauid here the Throne of the Sonne of Dauid that openeth and no man shutteth that shutteth and no man openeth A heauenly Citie 1. In respect of her Birth and beginning heauenly For the Lord of heauen hath begate her of immortall seed by the word of truth Art thou a Christian behold thy honourable birth and beginning Was it an honourable stile Troianus origine Caesar Then much more Coelestis origine sanctus Euery Saint is by his originall heauenly Beare thy selfe nobly thou hast a celestiall generation 2. In respect of growth and continuance heauenly Our conuersation is in heauen Wee liue on earth yet saith the Apostle our conuersation is expresly in heauen Our affections are so set on it that wee scarce looke vpon this world wee so runne to our treasure there that wee forget to be rich here but like the Saints cast our money at our feet Act. 4. Corpore ambulantes in terris corde habitantes in coelis Our bodies walke on earth our hearts dwell in heauen To the hating and despising world vvee answere Nil nobis cum Mundo nil vobis cum Coelo Wee haue small share in this world you haue lesse in the world to come 3. In respect of the End Ideo dicitur coelestis quia coelum sedes eius Our soules are neuer quiet till they come to their wished home Thus hath GOD blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places The Church in her worst part is below in her best aboue Earth is Patria loci but heauen Patria iuris As Irishmen are dwellers in Ireland but Denisons of England We dwell in houses of clay vvhose foundation is in the dust but are ruled by the Lawes of that supernall Citie Father my will is that those thou hast giuen mee may be with mee where I am Amator mortuus est in corpore proprio viâ—…us in alieno A Louer is dead in his owne body aliue in anothers Animus velut pondere amore fertur quocunque fertur saith August Loue waighes and swayes the soule whither soeuer it be carried Exi
spoken Be of good cheere This same But is like a happy oare that turnes our vessell from the rocks of despaire and lands it at the hauen of comfort But c. Thou Thou onely without helpe or succour of either man or Angell that art able to saue with a few as well as with many that art A man of vvarre Exod. 15. and commest armed against thine enemies with a speare of wrath and a sword of vengeance Thou of whose greatnesse there is no end no limits no determination Thou O Lord without any partner either to share thy glory or our thanks Thou broughtest vs out Thou of thy owne goodnesse so well as by thy ovvne greatnesse hast deliuered vs. No merite of ours procured or deserued this mercy at thy hands but our freedome comes onely by thy Maiestie of thy mercy Here were no armes of flesh nor Armies of Angels in this worke of our Redemption but Thou hast brought vs out that vvee might praise thy Name Therefore wee say Blesse the Lord O our soules O Lord thou art very great thou art clothed vvith honour and maiesty Eduxisti Broughtest out Great workes become a great God Opera testantur de me saith our Sauiour My workes beare witnesse of mee I heale the sicke cleanse the Leprous giue sight to the blinde raise the dead cast out deuils Will you not belieue O ye carnall eyes vnlesse you see will you trust your fiue senses aboue the foure Gospels vers 5. Come then and see the workes of God See workes not a fancie speculation or deceiuing shadow but reall visible acted accomplished workes Eduxists Sensus assensus Let demonstration conuince you the Snare is broken and we are deliuered The Lord workes potenter and patenter There is not onely manifold mercy but manifest mercy in his doings He brought vs out When the vngodly see vs so low brought that persecutors ride ouer our heads they are ready to say Where is now their Gâ—…d Behold hîc est Deus our God is heere where there was need of him opus Deo a work fit for the Deity to performe Misery had wrapped and entangled vs the wicked hands had ty'd vs as the Philistines did Samson with the bands of death Here then was Dignus vindice nodus a knot worthy the finger of God to vntie He looked downe from the height of his Sanctuary from heauen did the Lord behold the earth For what purpose To heare the groning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death Behold the waters went ouer our soule yet we were not drowned Malice had doomed vs to the Fire but our comfort is Nihil potestatis in nos habuâ—…sse ignem that the fire had not power ouer vs. They trode vs vnder their cruell insultations but the Lord hath lifted vs vp The Lord of Hosts was with vs the God of Iacob was our refuge Vs. To this act of God if we tye the Subiect wherein hee workes and knit to Eduxisti Nos which I called verbum solitudinis a word of former wretchednesse and calamitie we shall finde our misery a fit obiect for GODS mercy Especially if you set the others malice against our meeknesse their wickednesse against our weakenesse the persons whom God deliuers the persons from whom will greatly commend the mercy of our deliuerance It is a pleasure to God to haue his strength perfected in our infirmitie When the danger is most violent in it own nature and our sense then is his helping arme most welcome Esa. 17. In the day of griefe and of desperate sorrow the haruest shall be great a plentifull croppe of ioy Qui Deus est noster Deus est salutis He that is our God is the God of saluation and vnto God the Lord belong the issues from death He delights to haue vs say in this deepe extremity Eduxisti Thou hast brought vs out When Ionas was taken vp by the Mariners put from the succour of the Shippe no helpe in any Rockes nor mercy in the waters neither means nor desire to escape by swimming for he yeelds himselfe into the iaws of death with as mortified affection as if a lumpe of lead had beene throwne into the sea a man would haue thought that saluation it selfe could not haue saued Ionas Yet Ionas shall not die Here is now a deliuery fit for God a cure for the almightie hand to vndertake Mans extremity is Gods opportunity Distressed desire is importunate It is time that thou haue mercy vpon vs yea the time is come But if God doe not presently answere we are ready to pant out a groane of despaire The time is past If our importunity preuaile not wee thinke all opportunity is gone But God sayes Tempus nondum venit the time is not yet God waites the maturity of the danger the more to increase his honour As Alexander cheared himselfe when hee should fight with men and beasts haughty enemies and huge Elephants Tandem par animo meo periculum video I see at last a danger somewhat equall to my minde Will you heare when this time is come Iohn 11. Martha tells Christ Master if thou hadst beene heere my brother had not died Christ knevv this before vers 15. Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there that you might belieue Obserue the different thoughts of God and man Martha is sorry Christ is glad She thought that the time of helpe was past Christ thought that the time was not opportune till now Iairus his seruant comes and tels him Thy daughter is dead trouble the master no further This was the word Christ expected to heare And now he sayes Be not afraid onely beleeue Heare the Israelites desperate complaint The waters of the Sea roare before their faces the wheeles of the Chariots rattle behinde their backs hereon they cry to Moses Were there no graues in Egypt that thou hast brought vs hither to die Now saith Moses Feare not stand still and see the saluation of God From that hath beene spoken and that which follows we may obserue two workes of Gods mercy Which consist Remouendo Promouendo the one remouing avvay much euill the other preferring to much good Eduxisti shewes his kindenesse in freeing vs from calamity In locum opulentum his goodnesse in exalting vs to dignity The former is an act of deliuerance the latter of aduancement So there is Terminus à quo from whence vvee are freed and Terminus ad quem to which vvee are exalted For the former wee haue God heere Educentem bringing out of trouble Sometime wee finde GOD Ducentem leading guiding directing Wilt not thou O Lord goe forth vvith our hoastes And Hee ledde them through the wildernesse by the hand of Moses and Aaron Sometimes Inducentem vers 11. Thou broughtest vs into the net thou hast laid affliction vpon our loynes Sometimes Adducentem Thou O Lord hast brought vs home to thy selfe
praemium tantis lobâ—…ribus quaesitum lest the reward be lost which thou with much labour hast aymed at It is not enough Quaerere coelum sed acquirere non Christum sequi sed consequi To seeke heauen but to find it not to follow Christ but to ouertake him not to be brought to the gates but to enter in Many will say to Christ in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophecied in thy Name But the Master of the house is first risen hath shut to the doore Either they come too soone before they haue gotten faith and a good conscience or too late as those foolish Virgins when the gate was shut If then wee haue begun let vs continue to entrance Cuiusque casus tantò maioris est criminis quantò prinsquam caderet maior is er at virtutis Euery mans fault hath so much the more discredite of scandall as he before he fell had credite of vertue Let vs beware that we doe not slide if slide that we do not fall if fall that wee fall forward not backward The iust man often slips and sometime falls And this is dangerous for if a man whiles hee stands on his legges can hardly grapple with the deuill how shall he do when he is falne downe vnder his feete But if they doe fall they fall forward as Ezekiel not backward as Eli at the losse of the Arke or they that came to surprise Christ Iohn 18. They went backward and fell to the ground Cease not then thy godly endeuours vntill Contingas portum quò tibi â—…ursus erat Say we not like the woman to Esdras whether in a vision or otherwise when he bade her goe into the Citie That will I not doe I will not goe into the Citie but here I will die It is a wretched sinne saith August after teares for sinne not to preserue innocence Such a man is washed but is not cleane Quia coÌ„missa flere definit et iterum flenda committit He leaues weeping for faults done and renues faults worthy of weeping Think not thy selfe safe till thou art got within the gates of the Citie Behold thy Sauiour calling thy Father blessing the Spirit assisting the Angels comforting the Word directing the glory inuiting good men associating Go cheerfully till thou enter in through the gates into the Citie The manner Through the gates Not singularly a Gate but gates For Chap. 21. the Citie is said to haue twelue gates On the East three gates on the North three on the South three and on the West three To declare that men shall come from all the corners of the World from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and shall sit downe in the Kingdome of GOD. These Gates are not literally to be vnderstood but mystically Pro modo intrandi for the maner of entrance The gates are those passages whereby we must enter this Citie Heauen is often said to haue a Gate Striue to enter in at the strait Gate saith Christ. Lift vp your heads O yee Gates and be ye lift vp yee euerlasting doores saith the Psalmist This is none other but the house of God and this is the Gate of Heauen saith Iacob There must be Gates to a Citie they that admit vs hither are the Gates of Grace So the analogie of the words inferre dooing the commandements is the way to haue right in the tree of Life obedience and sanctification is the Gate to this Citis of saluation In a vvord The Gate is Grace Citie Glory The Temple had a gate called Beautifull Act. 3. But of poore beauty in regard of this Gate Of the gates of the Sanctuary spake Dauid in diuerse Psalmes with loue and ioy Enter into his gates with thanksgiuing and into his courts with praise This was Gods delight The Lord loueth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Iacob This was Dauids election to be a Porter or keeper of the gates of Gods house rather then dwell in the Tents of wickednesse This his Resolution Our feete shall stand within thy gates O Ierusalem Salomon made two docres for the entring of the Oracle they were made of Oliue trees and wrought vpon with the carnings of Cherubins The Oliues promising fatnesse and plenty of blessings the Cherubins holinesse and eternitie These are holy gates let euery one pray with that royall Prophet Open to mee the gates of righteousnesse I will goe into them I wil praise the Lord. This is the Gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter In briefe we may distinguish the gates leading to this Citie into two Adoption and Sanctification Both these meet in Christ who is the onely gate or doore vvhereby we enter Heauen I am the doore saith our Sauiour Ianua vitae the gate of life by mee if any enter in hee shall be saued Adoption Is the first Gate We haue receiued the spirit of Adoption Without this passage no getting into Heauen The inheritance of glory cannot be giuen to the children of disobedience they must first be conuerted adopted heires in Christ. The Grace of God is two-fold There is Gratia gratis agens and Gratia gratum faciens This second grace which is of Adoption is neuer in a reprobate not by an absolute impossibilitie but by an indisposition in him to receiue it A sparke of fire falling vpon water ice snow goes out on wood flaxe or such apt matter kindles Baptisme is the Sacrament of admission into the Congregation of Insition and Initiation whereby vve are matriculated and receiued into the motherhood of the Church Therefore the sacred Font is placed at the Church-doore to insinuate and signifie our Entrance So Adoption is the first doore or gate whereby wee passe to the Citie of glory This is our new Creation whereat the Angels of heauen reioyce Luke 15. At the creation of Dukes or Earles there is great ioy among men but at our new creation Angels and Seraphins reioyce in the presence of GOD. Our Generation was A non esse ad esse from not being to be But our Regeneration is A malè esse ad benè esse from a being euill to be well and that for euer Through this gate we must passe to enter the Citie vvithout this death shall send vs to another place No man ends this life well except he be borne againe before he ends it Now if you would be sure that you are gone through this gate call to mind what hath been your Repentance The first signe of Regeneration is throbbes and throwes you cannot be adopted to Christ without sensible paine and compunction of heart for your sinnes The Christian hath two Birthes and they are two gates hee can passe through none of them but with anguish Both our first and second Birth begin with crying Our first birth is a gate into
with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp The workes of mens hands the workes of their brines their very thoughts shall perish The Lords voyce shooke the earth and hee hath saide yet once againe I will shake not the earth onely but also heauen O blessed place that is not subiect to this shaking whose ioyes haue not onely an amiable countenance but a glorious continuance The things that are shaken shall be remoued but the things that are not shaken remaine for euer All the terrours of this worlde mooue not him that is fixed in heauen Impauidum ferient ruinae They that put their trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot beremoued but abideth for euer But the Tabernacles and hopes of the wicked shall perish together For the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doeth the will of God abideth euer Whereon sayth August Quid vis Vtrum amare temporalia transire cum tempore an amare Christum viuere in aeternum Whether wilt thou loue the world and perish with it or loue Christ liue for euer 3. Myracle The rockes rent A wonderfull act to breake stones and rend rockes This giues vs two obseruations 1. This did foresignifie the power and efficacie of the Gospell that it should bee able to breake the very rockes As the death and passion of Christ did cleaue those solid and almost impenetrable substances so the publishing of his death and passion shall rend and breake in pieces the rockie hearts of men So Iohn Baptist said God is able of stones to rayse vp children vnto Abraham The hearts of Zaccheus Mary Magdalene Paul were such rockes yet they were cleft with the wedge of the Gospell This is that Rod of Moses able to breake the hardest Rockes till they gush out with flouds of penitent teares This is Ieremies hammer powerfull to bruise the most obdurate hearts The bloud of the Goate sacrificed of force to dissolue Adamant There is power in the bloud of Iesus to put sense into stones Blessed are you if you be thus broken-hearted for him whose heart was broken for you For the broken heart the Lord will not despise 2. Obserue the wonderfull hardnesse of the Iewes hearts The stones rent and claue in sunder at the cruell death of Iesus but their hearts more stony then stones are no whit moued They rend not their garments much lesse their hearts when as the earth rent the Stones her bones and the rockes her ribbes The flints are softer then they the flints breake they harden They still belch their malicious blasphemies the rocks relent the stones are become men and the men stones O the sencelesnesse of a hard heart rockes will sooner breake then that can be mollified Euen the hardest creatures are flexible to some agents flints to the raine iron to the fire stones to the hammer but this heart yeelds to nothing neyther the showers of mercie nor the hammer of reproofe nor the fire of Iudgements but like the stithy are still the harder for beating All the plagues of Egypt cannot mollifie the heart of Pharaoh It is wondrously vnnaturall that men made the softest hearted of all should be rigidiores lupis duriores lapidibus more cruell then wolues more hard then stones I woulde to GOD all hard-heartednesse had dyed with these Iewes but it is not so Howe often hath Christ beene here crucified in the word preaching his Crosse to your eares in the Sacraments presenting his death to your eyes thinke thinke in your owne soules haue not the stones in the walles of this Church beene as much moued God forbid our obduratenesse should be punished as theirs was since they would be so stony-hearted Ierusalem was turned to a heape of stones and the conquering Romanes dasht them pitifully against those stones which they exceeded in hardnesse Here let the wicked see their doome the stones that will not be softned shall be broken There is no changing the decree of God but change thy nature and then know thou art not decreed to death Stony harts shall bee broken to pieces with vengeance doe not striue to alter that doome but alter thy owne stony heart to a heart of flesh and so preuent it in the particular Wolues and goates shall not enter into heauen thou maiest pull starres out of heauen before alter this sentence but doe it thus Leaue that nature and become one of Christes sheepe and then thou art sure to enter No adulterâ—… nor couetous person sayth Paul shall inherite the kingdoâ—… of heauen this doome must stand but not against thee if thou bee conuerted Such were ye but ye are washed c. You are not such Had the Iewes ceased to be stones they had beene spared God will roote thornes and bryers out of his vineyard if thou wouldst not haue him roote out thee become a Vine and bring forth good grapes God threatens to breake the hairy sealpe of him that goes on in sinne yet mayest thou ward this blow from thy selfe Goe no further on in sinne When God comes in iudgement to visite the earth to shatter rockes and breake stones in peeces thou hast a heart of flesh mollified with repentance Let the earth quake and the rockes teare thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace 4. Miracle The graues were opened and many bodyes of Sanits which slept arose Concerning this two questions are moued 1. Where their soules were all this while before I answere where the scripture hath no tongue we should haue no eare Most probably thus their soules were in heauen in Abrahams bosome and came downe to their bodyes by diuine dispensation to manifest the power and Deitie of Christ. 2. Whither they went afterwards I answere by the same likelyhood that they died no more but waited on the earth till Christs resurrection and then attended him to heauen But these things that are concealed should not be disputed Tutum est nescire quod tegitur It is a safe ignorance where a man is not commanded to know Let vs then see what profitable instructions we can hence deriue to our selues They are many and therefore I will but lightly touch them 1. This teacheth vs that Christ by his death hath vanquished death euen in the graue his owne chamber That gyant is subdued the graues flie open the dead goe out This beares ample witnesse to that speach of Christ. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue The bodies of the Saints what part of the earth or sea soeuer holds their dusts shall not be detayned in prison when Christ cals for them as the members must needs goe when the Head drawes them He shall speake to all creatures Reddite quod deuorastis restore whatsoeuer of man you haue deuoured not a dust not a bone can be denyed The bodyes of the Saints shall be raised sayth August Tanta