therefore Christ proposeth a Parable that we should always pray Luke 18. Prayers are Arma Christianorum as Tertullian And I fear those weapons have been too often wanting in our Armies I am sure they were the weapons the best weapons in Moses days And you may see what made Joshua conquer Amalek and what put life into the Camp whiles Moses Cruce and Prece prevails with God Exod. 17.11 12. And the Apostle doth perchance allude to this 1 Tim. 2. when he requires men to pray Lifting up pure hands every where much more when we expose our lives to the Casualties of War When the Hoste goeth forth against thine Enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing Deut. 23.9 then especially then or never When Judah is in Captivity or danger then pour out thy soul in Prayer to God and then especially then or never Audi Domine the second thing observable To whom Moses doth direct his Prayer Hear Lord not hear Abraham hear Isaak or if those Patriarchs were then in Limbo as our Neighbours tell us yet methinks they should have another conceit of Enoch whom God took away Gen. 5. nay translated him that he should not see death Heb. 11.5 And yet 't is not Hear Enoch but Hear Lord. Vnto thee will I direct my prayer Psal 5. Whom have I in Heaven but thee Psal 73.25 To him therefore to him let us make our Addresses in all our Troubles for He calls He commands Venite ad me And doubtless that of Isai Chap. 63. is sound Divinity in the New Testament also Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel knows us not And those Saint-Servants may remember what Tertullian upbraided the Heathen withal in his days Vos Irreligiosi qui eam that is health and help Quaeritis ubi non est petitis à quibus dari non potest praeterito eo in cujus potestate est God is a Jealous God and will not have his Honour given to another Now as 't is Hear Lord so 't is Hear Lord the voyce of Judah Moses the Magistrate or if you will Moses the Priest For Moses and Aaron among his Priests Psal 99.6 Moses prayeth for Judah that 's not enough Judah must pray for himself also whether it be Judah the Warriour or Judah the Law-giver Psal 60. In War in Peace Judahs Prayer must be heard Hear Lord the voyce of Judah St. Peter bid Simon Magus repent and pray to God Acts 8. But what saith Simon pray ye to the Lord for me 'T is true Abrahams Prayer is heard for Abimeleck Moses is heard for Pharaâ—h Micha is perswaded of Gods favour for getting a Priest into his house Obed-Edom thrives for giving harbour to the Ark And the Shunamites Cost bestowed upon Elisha was not in vain 'T is true Oratio Justi oratio efficax multum valet as St. James said The fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much But Pray ye to the Lord for me is not enough Your own Repentance must make way for the Priests Prayers and your Prayers must go along with Theirs Judah's voyce must be heard as well as Moses's Prayer His heart is not enough God requires his voyce also I hate those Pharisaical Long-prayers and those cryed-up Bablers of the times so much say I of our Hypocritical Zealots whose House-reading is Roaring and their loud Prayers give Alarums to their sleeping Neighbours and what they do is to be known of men Intra in Conclave saith our Saviour Matth. 6. When thou prayest retire thee to thy Closet and shut the Door c. That 's for thy private Prayers but in the Church do the Works of the Church If thou be of the Congregation bear a part with the Congregation Let thy tongue tell me thy hearts awake I know Hannah prayed with the heart her lips only moved her voyce was not heard Her Sex perchance required that Modesty And she well knew the place she prayed in But surely the Godly cannot always contain themselves They will they must break out Tears and Desires will seek for vent Concalvit cor meum intra me saith David Psal 39. Mine heart was hoâ— within me the fire kindled and at the last I spake with my tongue And in this posture shall you most while find the Saints in their Prayers Moses cries to the Lord Exod. 8. Samuel crieâ— to the Lord 1 Sam. 7. Thus the Israelites thus David almost every where Clamavi ad Dominum In the 142 Psalm 2. v. I poured out my Complaints before him so we read The Tremelâ—ian reads it I poured out my Meditations before him not Quicquid in Buccam venerit not those sudden Raptures and ex tempore-long-winded-prayers of our New-gifted Pharisees But I poured out my Meditations I durst not offer any indigested unpremeditate-Prayers I Conclude this part Non vox sed votum The Heart as 't is the principal part of the body and seat of life so is it the principal part and life of our Prayers wherefore the heart must in no case be away But as our Saviour said upon another occasion These things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Heart and Tongue let both in Gods name go together Give him both that made both So will God hear the voyce of Judah The Second part followeth And bring him unto his people or as the Tremellian reads it Reduce bring him back Bring him home again unto his People Who hath not read the misery of Kings and Princes in all Ages Their Captivities Banishments and unthought-of Deaths How many have attended the triumphant Chariots at Rome Or who hath not heard of Bajazets Cage or Sapor's Foot-stool Many have gone forth but vestigia nulla retrorsum They wanted this Blessing of Judah God brought them not back unto their People But I shall keep my self to Israel and Judah those great Examples of Gods Justice and Mercy The Rebellious Israelites did a long time prosper at length losing their Religion they lost withal Gods Favour and their dearest Country They were totally Conquered made Captives and A never to Return did seal up their sorrows They left the Commandments of their God and their God left them He was angry very angry with Israel so that the Lord removed them out of his sight 2 Kings 17.18 They lost not only their Power and their Country but their Name also None left but the Tribe of Judah only in the same place And Moses's Blessing did not depart from Judah Still a Duc and a Reduc followed him God brings out David from the Philistins and Joash out of the Temple Manasseh is carried into Babylon yet God brought him back again 2 Chron. 33. And Jehoiachin after 37 years Captivity comes out of Prison to a Throne Still God rememembred Judah Afterwards follow those Indulgencies of Cyrus and Darius Judahs full Restorement They to their Country and one of their own to govern them Moses's Prayer still takes place Judah was brought back unto his People We have
frothy Traveller bringing home little else unless it be a rotten Carcass corrupt Manners a wounded Conscience or some Fantastick fashion of Attire But wiser men have wiser thoughts They 'l mark the perfect man Yea and with Herod they will observe him too Mark 6.20 Highly honour him for his Goodness sake 1 Thess 5.13 And thus the Baptist leads us to our second part And behold the upright He was a perfect man and Herod knew it but that 's not all He was Rectus An upright man too And he did smart for it And he might have slept in a whole skin as we say If he could not flatter yet he could hold his peace He might have chosen whether he would have come in with his Non licet And he that takes upon him to reprove great Men must expect no great thanks afterward 'T is true indeed But how should he be a good man then how should he be upright The man you are to mark must be Bonus sibi aliis benevolus Good to himself Good to other Just to both There 's a double Uprightness or Justice Of the Person and of the Cause We would have both And yet may a Wicked man have a good Cause and a Good man have a bad Cause or a good Cause badly prosecuted or acted But I shall leave this The uprightness in my Text is in relation to others To render to every man his due Rom. 13. First to God Secondly to Caesar Thirdly to our Fellow Subjects Our first care must be Religion and Gods Glory Our second Loyalty and the honour of the King Our third Suum cuique To do as we would be done unto To live in peace and unity with our Neighbours The first is Religion David thought it a proposterous Course to beautifie his Palace and leave the House of God neglected That he should dwell in an house of Cedar and the Ark of God lie within Curtains 2 Sam. 7. That Cardinal saw his Errour too late who first finished his Kitchin then sets upon the Colledge and reserves the Fabrick of the Church till last Not so Not so The upright man will be sure in the first place to preserve his Religion intire Give God his due abominate all Heathenish Sacriledge And yet why call I it Heathenish The very Heathens will rise up against the men of these dayes and condemn them They by the very glimmering light of Nature held this sin in detestation and have recorded to Posterity the fearful punishment from God and Man upon these kind of Malefactors But yet withal the wisest of them came short in giving God his due honour whiles thâ—y attributed too much to their own Industry Fortune and Policy Thus Atticus Aristides Scipio Socrates and that noble Athenian Captain who in the middest of his Conquests cryes out Hoc ego feci non Fortuna His unfortuâ—ate Enterp izes ever afterward may teach us more Christian Moderation and Acknowledgment The sword of the Lord and of Gideon Judg. 7. Gods sword iâ— the first place and he must have the first honour I will honour those that honour me and they which despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2. And therefore Behold the upright They who cry out with David Quis ego and with the Baptist Non sum dignus Our chiefest care must be to preserve Religion Fear God and then in the next place Honour the King Just to him too A Duty taught by Christ both by Precept and Example Matth. 22.21 Matth. 17. the last St. Paul St. Peter All require it And though these dayes breed men of another temper who can distinguish between the Person and his Authority yea and upon causless pretences separate them each from other bringing the Person into contempt and transferring his Authority over to the Sword or Frantick People Yet I make no question can we but have patience and use we but the probable and lawful means for our Restorement God will raise up his Power and come amongst us The Righteous shall not alwayes be forgotten and the patient abiding of the Mâ—ck shall not perish for ever O therefore fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with those who are given to change Fly from those Amphisbaena's double-headed double-hearted Serpents Those Despisers of Government as St. Peter calls them and such as speak evil of Dignities 2 Pet. 2.20 That curse the King not in their thoughts a loue but in words and works too Men like the Stagg who shelters himself under the leaves of the Vine in a time of trouble and such is his requital he gnaws and rents those leaves which protected him when once the danger is over And thus hath Soveraignty been dealt withal Those very men who were laden with Favours graced with Offices raised to Honours those have been the foremost men to pluck him down who raised them up And what was said of Joab 2 Kings 2.5 They have shed the blood of war in the time of peace And therefore pereant let not their hoary head go down to the grave in peace But for the Religious and Loyal man Behold him And he that cryes Vivat Rex long may he live cum Rege sub Rege in despight of all Enemies and Opposition The third mark of the upright man is to give every man his own He can say with Samuel Whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded And with St. Paul 2 Cor. 7.2 We have wronged no man we have corrupted no man we have defrauded no man And this is the upright man which we seek and having found we behold him with admiration I fear me there are not many of those black Swans in those blacker dayes when the world is so full of Oppression Circumvention and Fraud Frater fratrem a token the world draws near to an end one brother cuts the throat of another one friend supplants another Nulla fides pietà sque viris qui castra sequuntur that was the old saying But Court and Camp and all is alike yea and Honestissima nomina rebus turpissimis imponunt as the Oratour said Cheating Lying Whoring Painting are entertained under the cloak of Wit Policy Kindness Care Honesty and Religion are dull Ceremonies unless with Aristippus we can wear all colours and change our Religion as we do our Garments or unless wee 'l speak placentia run with the Times and court the Ears of our itching Auditors our Company may well be spared Now amidst so many dangerous dayes and such prodigious Impieties amongst so many corrupt People and so abominable in their doings Considerate rectos via at the fourteenth Verse of this Psalm consider respect imitate those that be of a right conversation If you can see a Samuel if a Paul if one that hath two Coat-ready to impart to him that hath none If your Publicans Scribes Clarks exact no more then is appointed them If Souldiers contented with their Allowance If a Lawyer that will not
can offer up no greater Sacrifice to our Master We can purchase no greater happiness to our selves We can leave no better example to others We can bring no greater comfort to our Friends then under the hand of the merciless Executioner undauntedly to acknowledge whose Servants we are and with a free though fading spirit to confess our Saviour First We can offer up no greater sacrifice to our Master You shall first understand who ought properly to be called a Martyr Cyprian makes two sorts The first of them who shed their bloud Cypri ep st 9. Epâ—â—t 25. c Lib. de Duplâ—ci Martyrio in ter opera Cypriani tomo tertio Zanch. tomo 6. in cap. 2. ad Philip v 30. apud Aquinam 2â— 2â— q. 124. art 4. the second of them who are ready so to do for Christs sake And to those last torments were wanting saith one they were not wanting to the Torments Zanchius a knowledgeth that the Curch did usually call this later sort Confessors yet he will have Epaphroditus a Martyr and Hierom doth somewhere call the blessed Virgin a Martyr quamvis in pace vitam finicrit and Poâ—icrates * Euseb l 3. c. 28. G. 3. calls John the Evangelist a Martyr And Chrysostome tells the people of Antioch that a man may alway be a Martyr for Job was one and suffered more then many Martyrs did saith Bernard in his Sermon of Abbot Benedict Homil. 25. pretily differenceth Martyrs from Confessors and somewhere else tells us of three kinds of Martyrdom without bloud We must first conclude with Cyprian and Augustine In Senten Gab. Prateol Flench Heâ—es lib 3. §. 5 The Cause not the Suffering make a Martyr We disclaim the Campates a kind of Donatists who would have all voluntary Deaths Martyrdoms I think St. Augustine calls them Circumcelliones August de Haeres c 69. Prateol l 13. § â—6 Zanch tomo 6. in epist ad Phil cap 1. Idâ—m ib d August â—omâ— in Psal â—â— And l kewise Pelibianus who taught them to be Martyrs who slâ—w themselves in detestation of their Sins But â—o saith one Judas should have been a Martyr Secondly As Talis Causa so Talis Poena They are Martyrs who testifie the Truth Vsque ad mortem even sealing it with their 〈◊〉 The other whom the Church calls 〈◊〉 are â—eâ—â—de 〈◊〉 Martyres aequivocè Martyres so Zanchius Vbi Suprà in c. 2. v. â—0 in secundam secundae q. 124. art 4. Apud Zauch ubi supra in cap 1. Designati Martyres so Tertullian Interpretativè inchoativè secundum quâ—d mental Martyrs so Cajetan And therefore we may be bold with St. Augustine to blot out some and question other some even the holy Innocents themselves question I say not their bliss but their testimony that the dignity of Proto-Martyrship may remain unto St. Stephen The sum of all is this He is properly a Martyr who is tormented to the death for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 Of King Henry and Queen Maries Martyrs both for the honour of the dead and the peace of the Church I say nothiâ—g Academ quaest Cic 1. Officiorum Perchance the question then was or most while was for bounds as Tully speaks but now 't is for the whole possession and inheritance Nay 't is Vter esset non uter imperaret I am sure Heaven cannot hold us and Mahomet and blessed is he that shall lay down his life in so good a Cause A cup of cold Water shall not lose his reward Math 10 4â— Whosoever shall forsake Houses Mark 10 3â— or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for the Name of Christ shall receive an hundred fold more for the present and in the world to come eternal life What shall he have that forsaketh all He that offereth praise and thanksgiving honoureth God Ps◠〈◊〉 ver◠〈◊〉 He that gives his bread to the poor members of Christ feeds his Saviour but he that gives himself his life his bâ—â—â—â— doth give all and therefore more then all He that gives his life can give no more John 15.13 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen thou couldst offer no greater sacrifice to thy Master Secondly We can purchase no greater happiness to our selves I should much wrong you if I should labour to prove this If Heaven be better than Earth if the Crown of life better than the pains of death if things eternal better than temporal if to be alwaies happy better than ever in hazard in fear in trouble then he that suffereth for the Name of Christ doth to himself purchase Name Fame Heaven Happiness and with Mary hath chosen the better part which shall never be taken from him then he that loseth his life shall find it Math. 10.39 and he that dies with Christ shall live with him shall reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 and the momentany afflictions which he doth here endure shall cause to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more excellent weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 In a word participes passionis shall be gloriae participes as saith Chrysologus If we share with him in affliction here Chrysolog serm 40 Calvin inâ—titut lâ—b 3 â—ap 8. sect 7 he will impart to us blessedness hereafter So happy are these men whom God vouchsafeth that special honour as to die for him Write them blesâ—ed aâ— the voice said Revel 14.13 no men more no mâ—n like And therefore râ—member â—rom whence thâ—â— a t falâ—en Thou couldest purchase no greater happiness to thy self Thirdly We can leave no better Example to others St. Paul Philip. 1.12 14. tells us that his durance turned to the furtherance of the Gospel insomuch that many Brethren in the Lord were emboldned through his bands and durst more frankly speak the Word In Ecclesiastick History you shall read continually how one Martyr led the way to another and the noble resolution they shewed in their Death made hundreds then alive to take the same course yea so powerful is Example in this kind that the very Heathen not onely gave them testimony of Courage but were won to the Faith and sealed the same Testimony with their bloud Beda Hist. Angl. lib. 1. Palatina and the 3 Convers of England part 3. So did St. Alban beget his Headsman to the Faith and had him his Companion to the Kingdom of God So did the Constancy of Pope Sixtus the second strengthen St. Laurence and St. Laurence brings Romanus from a persecuting Souldier to be his fellow-Martyr Tryphon did the like and almost who did not The Phoenix-ashes some say yields another Phoenix but the Martyrs by life and death beget many Tertul. apolog c. 50. Semen est sanguis Christianorum Now if they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. How happy are those faithful Witnesses in Heaven whose holy lives and unterrified
and good esteem yea in his defence of Plancius Flos Equitum Romanorum c. They vvere the very flower of the Gentry the Ornament of the City and the very strength of the Commonwealth Such an one vvas the Proto-Evangelist St. Mathew and Zachaeus in the next Chapter nay he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a One if I mistake not as was called Decumanus in 2. contra Verrem An Officer over those Officers now whether this was Zachaeus or another besides Zachaeus I cannot say He was a Publican and his prayer was Lord be merciful unto me In the 9th Verse of this Chapter 't is said That the Pharisees trust in themselves that they are just not so I saith he nihil mihi arrogo I crave Mercys I will not speak of Corah and Dathan those wretched Rebels nor of that poor man whose stick gathering or rather Sabbath breaking vvas punished with so exemplary a death No nor of Sodom and Gomor those Registers of thy displeasure nor yet of that pillar of Salt that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianz. calls it vvhich proclaims to all passengers thy Justice yet each of these is enough to strike terror into the flinty heart of the most obdurate and benummed sinner But O my God thou didst destroy a vvhole vvorld for their vvickednesâ— Thou gavest a vvhole Nation into Captivity Meek Moses and holy Aaron were in thy displeasure kept out of that wished for Land of promise David a man after thy own heart felt thy fury And thou vvouldest not spare Coniah though he were the Signet of thy Right hand And whither then shall I turn vvhither shall I look vvhither shall I run O God be merciful unto me It is most true I am not summoned to give up my account and for ought I know I may live many fair years and take these dumpish melancholly hateful cogitations into my consideration at my best leasure But I know not how There is something within me troubles me Vt furiae sic meae mihi recurrunt injuriae A thing they call Conscience doth bear witness against me and my own thoughts are ever accusing or excusing 't is so 't is so Juven Prima est haec ultio quod se Judice nemo nocens absolvitur But I am rich and vvealthy vvhy may I not then say to my Soul Soul take thy ease surely me thinks 't were not much amiss but I have read In Solomon's Proverb 23.5 That Riches have wings and will fly from us or we shall be taken away from them I vvas told of late by one Hor. Linquenda tellus domus placens Vxor neque harum quas colis arborum Te praeter invisas Cupressos Vlla brevem Dominum sequetur I must leave all behind me Lands and Houses and Wife and all and of all my Groves and Gardens I shall have nothing but a few boughs or flowers to besprinkle my Grave Nay there died the other day 't is before in the 16. Chapter there died a noble Gentleman and a gallant House keeper great Dives that vvas cloathed in purple and fine Linnen and fared delicately every day And they say that now in Hell he is no more regarded then the poorest slave or most debauched Rascal in all the world yea he cannot get one drop of vvater to cool his tongue And therefore I shall never forget vvhat I vvas taught of late Luk. 6. Woe be to you rich men for you have received your consolation And therefore my prayer shall ever be Gâ—d be merciful unto me 'T is true I am in health able to go to Church able to go up to Church at the 10th vers But vvhat is health To day a Man to morrow none To day well to morrow dead I am in Authority but this is as uncertain as Health or Life for 't will enter into no Covenant but be gone at his own pleasure besides they say potentes potenter in the 6th of Wisd and 8th ver That mighty men shall be mightily punished and the greater vve are the greater our account must be Indeed I am any thing befriended of Caesar favoured at Court feared at home I am any thing yet am I nothing Vanitas Vanitatum omnia Vanitas Vanity Vanity and all is Vanity and therefore God be merciful unto me Surely these are the vvords of great Humility God be merciful unto Me He saith not To Vs to Vs Sinners but to Me What have I to do vvith other men They are all just and righteous in comparison of me and therefore to Me not disclaiming that mutual bond or debt of praying one for another but acknowledging himself unworthy to be ranked together vvith others I see here before mines eyes a famous Pharisee and one who hath done many good vvorks and lives that strict life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read Act. 26.8 a strict and rigorous kind or life Act. 26 5. his works are many and manifest But what have I done What have I to boast of An Exactor a Briber a merciless Oppressorâ— but God be merciful to me a sinner This is the last point of my Text and to be considered 4. A Sinner alass I am a Sinner not only Theologically but Philosophically also I have gotten the very habit of Sinning My Sins encrease and aâ— with many little brooks into one River I overflow the Banks and therefore mihi peccatori I know nothing in my self vvorthy the name of a Man I am not worthy to be called thy Son my fittest Title is the fowlness of my life I am a Sinner totus peccator I am sold under Sin if I had any thing vvhereof to boast timeo tamen omnia dixit I may have too vvell a vveening of my self and if I could say Nihil mihi conscius sum vvhich alass alass is quite contrary Chrysol Job 25. Isai 64. yet could I not thereby be justified No no Moses dubitat Aaron deviat and the Saints the Stars themselves are impure in thy sight But as for me I am all of me an unclean thing and all my righteousness is as a fiâ—thy clout Moses rod in his hand vvas a rod but vvhen he cast it from him it became a Serpent while I lay slumbring in my sins and delighted me in my vvickedness 't was the Rod in Moses's hand I thought all was well but now I hate them I fly them they are Serpents and I shake at the very sight of them So a Sinner but a repenting Sinner He knew the vvay to Remission and Forgiveness vvas by Submission and Acknowledgment But to ask pardon for his sins and yet to lye vvallowing in his sins vvould avail nothing or if avail to his fâ—rther Condemnation And therefore he vvill not vvith the Dog to his vomit again but either vvith St. Mathew he forsook the Telonium and came not to his place of Receipts again or if he did 't was but to make friends of his unrighteous Mammon and either he