Sylas singing prayses to their God though in the middest of fetters a Act. 16.25 Act. 16.25 All this layd together makes me admire how so great a Scholar as the Roman Champion Bellarmine was should in this particular point so play the part of an ill Rhetorician who is wont to place some of his strongest arguments in the b Praecepta sunt eorum qui dicendi rationem tradunt ut ad extremam orationis partem quae potentissima atque optima in caussà sunt reserventur quoniam extremum illud in auditorum animis infixum haeret Ludov. Granatâ—ns quà supra conc 2. p. 447. initio close of his speech as to set this note last after a large catalogue before as a certaine marke of the true Church c Bellar. â— lib. 4. de notis ecclesiae cap. 18. initio nota 15. Temporall prosperity whereas that is no where lesse to be found then there for that precious vessel of d 2 Tim. 2.20 honor would gather rust were it not scowred often by afflictions Beloved Christians our good God deales with us in this regard as a refiner doth with his lumpe of oare of silver or the richer metall to purge it from the drosse and fit it for his use he casts it first into the furnace so doth Almighty God his chosen ones who below are but as gold is in the oare having the drosse of much corruption unmortified in them from which the Lord by sicknesse or some such like affliction would gladly purge them refine them so fitting and preparing them for his own use and glory by this sayth Esay shall the iniquity of Jacob be e Isa 27.29 and Mal. 3.3 purged And thus we read even of this very good King Hezekiah f 2 Chro. 32.31 2 Chro. 32.31 that God left him though a deare Saint by a spirituall desertion to himselfe for some time to know what was in his heart that is sayth Austin not that God meant hereby to informe himselfe for all things lye open and naked to the eyes of him g Heb. 4.13 Heb. 4.13 but to make Hezekiah know that there was in his heart corruption enough which like a Jebusite in Canaan 't is Saint Bernards comparison was not as yet wholly expelled from his inward coasts And here againe in this text whether for probation of his faith as of h Zech. 13.9 Aurum indiget percussione puer verberatione Ben Syra moral sentent 4. est hoc ingenium auri ut quo magis illud malleo diducendo percusseris eò magis fulgeat sic c. Paulus Fagius in exposit ibid in 2. Tim. 2.20 electi vocantur aurum gold or for castigation of some speciall delinquency he is permitted to be as St Paul was by his messenger i 2 Cor. 12.7 buffeted with a disease of sicknesse yea though an k Isa 38.3 upright man and highly in Gods favor for so we read In those dayes was Hezekiah a Prince not more great then good sicke and that unto Death Now for application of this point let me say to all Gods true Children as Saint Peter doth of the l 1 Pet. 4.12 fiery tryall my deare brethren thinke not this strange as if some new thing when yee be afflicted happened unto you for lo this is the surest badge of Christianity the unavoydable portion of all that will live godly in Christ Jesus yea there is a necessity in it we m 2 Tim. 3.12 must suffer sayth Saint Paul n Act. 9.16 2 Tim. 3.12 This meditation made the primitive Saints to be ambitious of such sufferings for the cause of Christ the Apostles o Act. 5.41 rejoyced in it as in the greatest worth and honor in the dayes of persecution when those ten bloody tyrants whereof Nero was the first p Tertull in Apologet c. 5. dedicator as Tertullian cals him the ring-leader to the rest when Christianitie was nick-named a q Act. 28.22 sect and that sect every where spoken against Act. 28.22 when but to name ones selfe a Christian was crime enough to be sent unto the dungeon or the metal-mines or the teeth of Lyons and such like other torments in these crimson-coloured dayes your zealous Saints would so far strive as 't were to suffer that no voyce was oftner heard then this Sum ego Christianus And I am also a Christian so had they then to borrow Jeremies expression r Jer. 30.21 engaged their hearts to approach unto the Lord that they would Å¿ Heb. 12.4 resist iniquity even unto the shedding of their blood The crosse we read in following times was that which was by Christian Princes displayed in their banners and the figure thereof much preferred to all other pompous shewes what ever so I t See sir Henry Spelman tom 1. concil Anglic. in anno 712. ex concilio Londinensi p. 207 208 edit 1639. find that Constantine the great commanded it instead of his wonted Labarum richly decked with pretious Diamonds to be carried before his souldiers as if with the blessed Paul he had u Gal. 6.14 gloryed in nought else save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ All these Saints well knew that this was the way to glory they were not ignorant that before God rested the seaventh day he did first work six dayes so must we have our Hexameron of labor and enduring before we may expect our Sabbatisme and eternall rest with Christ But when we have thus suffered first we may assure our selves of no lesse Crown then of a Kingdome in eternall glory x 2 Tim 2.12 2 Tim. 2.12 we see there is but a letters difference nay but an aspiration between onerari honorari and the same word in Hebrew signifyeth both a burthen and blisse and the first Martyr under the gospell wore a Crown in his name for y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stephen in the greek so signifyeth and surely that I may conclude this point the more we suffer for z Mat. 5.11 12. righteousnesse sake for 't is the cause not the smart that makes the Martyr the ampler will be our glory Qui habet in hâc vitâ multum crucis habebit in alterâ multum lucis this meditation as the burthens did the Israelites should make good Christians to encrease the a Exod. 1.12 more in number and as those precious plants sweet-smelling trees though they bee cut in peeces and dryed yet still do reteine their sweet and pleasant sent yea doe keep within them more true peace of soule then all the barren and unsavory trees of wickednes in their full flowers and blossomes can yeeld out being beaten and scourged with a cursed conscience In a word our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory b 2 Cor. 4.17 2 Cor. 4.17 yea the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us c Rom. 8.18 Rom. 8.18 Wherefore silence all recoyling passions and repinings under Gods strokes whatsoever they be and whensoever they doe fall on thee see sayth Saint d Jam. 5.10.11 James thou hast the Prophets my brethren who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an ensample of suffering affliction and of patience and behold we count them happy which endure so that truly saith Saint Peter as yee heard but now this is no e 1 Pet. 4.12 new thing happened unto you for loe Hezekiah though a godly and a gracious Prince was yet afflicted he was sicke and that unto Death And so I take my leave of Hezekiahs Person and next I passe unto the consideration of his disease aegrotavit he was sicke In those dayes was Hezekiah sicke Aegrotavit he was sicke The second part what disease this was that now so heavily befell him is a quaere made and the best learned do resolve that it was the very Plague it self which they collect from verse the 7th of this Chapter and from Isa 38.21 where the prophet proves Physitian also of the body and bids them take a lumpe of figges and lay it on the boyle which done he streight recovered Now for the quality of this disease the Plague had I either time or list to expatiate thereon I could tell you first what Physitians say of it namely that it is an epidemicall feaver joyned with deadly contagion how scripture describes it in termes of greatest terrour comparing it sometimes to the f Exod. 9.3 murraine sent amongst beasts else where styling it the consuming evill g Deut. 28.21 22 Deut. 28.21 22. that on a sudden flying night and day as an h Psal 91.5 arrow of Gods own quiver maketh desolate houses Cities Countries so that thousands and ten thousands fall by it in a moment as we read i Num. 16.49 Num. 16.49 of foureteene thousand taken almost instantly away by it in a moment for murmuring at the hand of God upon Corah and in lesse then three dayes seventy thousand destroyed in the dayes of King David 2 Sam. 24. In short it s reckoned by God himself k Ezek. 14.21 Ezek. 14.21 not as a common judgement only but as one of the foure sore judgements that he hath in store for stubborn and rebellious sinners in which these things are eminent and remarkable above other viz. that it suddenly surprizeth in the middest of our jollity alas how many think you in the very act of their sin how many more who thinke of nothing lesse then death nor at that time of making their peace with God wherein howsoever I would have no man censorious for what thinke you of l 1 Sam. 4.18 Eli and of m 1 Chro. 13.10 Vzzah good men both for ought we know or find in the maine of their lives and he that lives well can never dye ill at least for ought we know in respect of their finall and eternall state to come yet however when God seizeth any by the pestilence it must be acknowledged a judgment of the Lord more then ordinarily grievous lo yet and see even that good King Hezekiah is sick thereof our note from hence is this which I can but name and leave it in summe this The heaviest of Gods outward judgements light sometimes on his own dear children as well as upon Aliens I could prove it largely but that my mainely intended businesse is yet behind see o Amos 3.2 Amos 3.2 you only have I known of all the families of the earth you only in comparison for here the Prophets expression is if I mistake not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have I known not scientiâ visionis alone by my generall knowledge by which I see behold and know p Gen. 1.31 all things whatsoever I have created yea even the proud and wicked though q Ps 138.6 afar off but also scientia approbationis by my knowledge of especiall approbation having culled out and as it were selected you from all the rest as the choisest of my chiefe r Mal. 3.17 Jewels who are as tender to me as the very ſ Zech. 2.8 apple of mine owne eye yet if you so dear so tender do offend me I will surely visite upon and punish you for all your iniquities the like instance we have extant t Deut. 28.59 where the Lord threatens his owne people that if they fayle in their obedience and observance of what was commanded touching the feare of Gods dreadfull and glorious name The Lord thy God then would the Lord make even their plagues wonderfull even great plagues and for a farther aggravation such as are of long continuance yea more yet u Lam. 4.6 Lam. 4.6 the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater then the punishment of the sin of Sodome that was overthrown as in a moment and no hands stayed on her compare Ezek. 5.9 c. and this is done mainely when they are apt to be carried with the x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. in od streame of a generall iniquity then must they share in like outward though they do not alwayes in like inward epidemicall and generall judgements if Gods people will escape the y Rev. 18.4 plagues of Babylon they must forsake her sins else there can be no hope to escape like punishments with her though a monstrous strumpet so St Austin tels us that the Christians therefore tasted like extremities from the Goths and Vandalls with the rest for that they did not zealously enough stand up in opposition to the lewd exorbitances of those godles times It fals out often too when they grow too wanton with Gods favors and indulgence flattering themselves with this that God will not destroy the z Gen. 18.25 righteous with the wicked nor shall the a Psa 91.7 plague come nigh their dwellings whereas the Lord is pleased as sometimes to take the rose and leave the thorny stalke behind so yet sometimes againe he takes them both away together though the one when plucked off to take delight in and the other to burne up in unquenchable and in endles torments The righteous may be smitten b Good Jacob is pinched with the common famine no piety can exempt us from the evils of neighborhood no man can tell by outward events which is the Patriarch and which the Canaanite B Hall in his contemplat of Joseph p. 56. edit 1617. with the wicked but not the righteous as the wicked namely for the future finall issue of them both they be not all damned eternally who are smitten unto death by pestilence who dye of the plague c Num 14.29.13 their carkeises indeed did but God forbid c the Soules of all that fell in the wildernesse by the plague should be judged to miscary d Heb. 3.17 Heb. 3.17 so far as
DEATH'S SUMMONS AND THE SAINTS DUTY Laid forth first summarily in a Sermon on 2. King 20.1 in the Cathedrall of St. Peter in EXETER Janu. 24. 1638. at the solemne Funerall of a well-deserving CITIZEN Since somewhat enlarged for the Common good by WILLIAM SCLATER Master of Arts late Fellow of KINGS Colledge in CAMBRIDGE now a Preacher of Gods Word in the City of EXETER LUKE 12.20 Thou foole this night thy Soule shall be required of thee PROV 27.1 JAM 4.13 14. Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Quid cogitas te diù victurum cùm nullum diem habeas securum Claudius Viexmontius Parisiensis Institut ad Poenitent part 1. cap. 1. LONDON Printed by Richard Hodgkinson 1640. TO The Right Worshipfull PETER SAINTHILL of Bradnynch Esquire one of the Masters of His Majesties Court of Chancery Justice of Peace for the County of Devon c. an eminent example of Piety and worth the happinesse of Heaven and Earth Much honored Sir AFter I had though not without many modest reluctations first from within obteyned leave of my selfe to make those thoughts which have already in some part passed in a transient sound by the eares of some legible in a larger Volume by the eyes of many I could not bethinke mee of a Nobler Patronage than from your selfe a worthy not more highly placed upon the hill of deserved Eminence then as your Name proclaimes you in your conspicuous and devout practices a most accomplished and exemplary Saint My engagements to that * Mr. Peter Tayler good friend whom I have have not lost only seene to be sent before me to his heaven whose decease gave an hint unto these slender yet as my hope is usefull meditations were such as that methought I could not suffer my respects to yeeld up with him on a suddain their last Ghost nor one grave to swallow both his corpse and memory I tooke therefore this cue of opportunity as to testifie my respectivenesse to him and to those surviving who most neerely related to him so withall to leave some publique monument of all gratitude most worthy Sir to you not more endeared unto him dissolved in his life time than rich in many favors to my selfe which were therefore the more Noble and of higher value for that they utterly transcended all deservingnesse in me should I attempt on this occasion to blazon the armes of your eximious worth resplendent in a Coate whose crest must needs be glory embellished by so various graces which like the a Can. 1.11 golden borders of the Spouse overlaid with silver having the best sides inwards in a close integrity set you beyond the reach of flattery or the shocke of envy alas the best Heraldry of mine eloquence would here be posed and in so copious and full a theam my oratory quite languish under the povertie of but-apt expressions give me leave then to admire what I am not able by mine insufficient quill to amplifie enough in you Let this suffice your verie Name so well resembled in your b Conveniunt rebus nomina saepesius actions hath made you a perfect Mirror to the West Lord what a blessed prospect is it thus to view greatnesse and goodnesse as righteousnesse and peace to c Psal 85.10 claspe each other or like Davids Palace and Gods Tabernacle to dwell d Psal 132.13 14. together upon one Sion Goe on Noble Sir to credit your Countrey the love whereof is like the orient rayes of the brightest Taper of the Firmament universally displayed upon you by your worthy undertakings persist couragiously to be not more a promoter than as you have long beene a e Matth. 5.9 maker of peace and amity it shall winne you f Rom. 15.13 peace of soule and carry you upon the wings of honour as another Noahs Dove to the Arke of that happinesse into which the g Isa 9.6 Prince of peace himselfe shall h Gen. 8.9 receive you out of a troublesome and stormy world by the armes of his mercy Continue still to make your House a Temple where the dayly incense of Devotion ascends up as a rich perfume sweetened by the i Rev. 8.3 4. Angell of Gods presence unto Heaven and where each tongue to me seemed as a severall Organ to sound out Gods praises Be not k Gal. 6.9 weary to daigne countenance and encouragement to the l 1. Tim. 6.11 men or God who m 1 Tim. 5.17 labour in the Word and Doctrine Loe we need such Patrones to support us under the unworthy affronts of carnall and besotted earth-wormes who sleight and under-value even the n Matth. 7.6 Pearles of Heaven it selfe because which is their grosse stupidity and o 2. Cor. 4 4. blindnesse brought to them by us but in p 2. Cor. 4.7 earthen vesells This poore piece of my Labours in the Lords great q Matth. 9.37 Harvest humbly prostrates it selfe to be shrowded under the wings of your favour vouchsafe to cover it by them it shall under such a protection slight the meagre aspects of any whether malecontented or malevolent dispositions The Sermon was at first indeed in Preaching but as that r 1. King 18.44 45. little Cloud like to a mans hand seene by Elijahs servant from the top of Mount Carmel but it 's now swollen and womb'd-out into a bigger one from whence if but some few drops distill to refresh the Lords ſ Psal 68.9 inheritance I shall rejoyce in that good God of mine who hath thus farre t 1. Tim. 1.12 enabled me after my u Rom. 12 3. measure for his weighty service Nothing remaines but that I earnestly implore the full blessings of Gods both hands to be powred upon you and with you upon your vertuous Consort and Familie and that the x Heb. 13.20 21. God of peace who brought againe from the dead our Lord JESUS that great Shepherd or the Sheepe through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to doe his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Your most true honourer in my thankefull observances much devoted William Sclater Exon 12. Febr. 1639. DEATHS SUMMONS AND THE SAINTS DUTIE 2 KINGS 20.1 In those dayes was Hezekiah sick unto death and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him and said unto him Thus saith the Lord set thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not live MY Text yee see is Verbum diei in die suo much like to King Salomons apple of gold in his picture of silver a word spoken in due a Prov. 25.21 season and as that golden apple artificially set within that hollow silver globe when placed against the orient brightnes of the Sun did thorow that chrystall glasse fastened in the globe before it attract
one meditation my worthy Brethren solace our hearts and cheere up our spirits under those outward abasures and undervaluings that we somtimes meet with from your carnall besotted worldlings who know no more then l Mat. 7.6 swine to value the pearles of heaven nor how to prize the inestimable m 2 Cor. 4.7 Treasure of the Gospell though brought unto them by us but in earthen vessells Isaiah by name the Prophet by function the son of Amos by discent and Pedegree one of noble and of royall linage yee see how I may say as Paul doth of his letter written to his Galatians cap. 6.11 this subject is very n Gal. 6.11 large and not only time but copiousnesse of matter overwhelmes me Wherefore as Tertullus told his noble Foelix o Act. 24.4 Act. 24.4 That I be not farther tedious herein unto you I pray you that you would heare me of your clemency and patience a few words more of this Prophets visite and the matter of it and then as Foelix bad St. Paul I shall go my wayes for this time till a more convenient season may call me againe hither Yee have the visite it selfe in these words He came to him A worthy act indeed a good lesson to us Ministers that we speedily addresse us to our people in like case and p Jude 2.23 save we them with feare as Saint Jude adviseth ver 23. pulling them out of the fire of temptation or of hell to which the adversarie would perchance in death emplunge them and surely there would be a very profitable use of some q My Lord B◠of Ely quá supra p. 23. vide privat form of pastorall collation with their flock for their direction and information in particular spirituall duties such as was private confession avoyding the grosse and intolerable abuse thereof now among the Romish Masse-Priests and the sillily deluded people led by them in the ancient Church But yet here is a lesson for our people too to doe as Saint James exhorteth when they be sick to send and r Jam. 5.14 call for us in season so the good sister of sick Lazarus ſ Joh. 11.3 sent to Christ Joh. 11.3 yea even Hezekiah here when there was upon him a day of trouble he sent the chiefest of his servants to the Prophet and that betimes too e're the evill spread too farre that he might lift up his t 2 King 19.2 3 4. Prayer for him 2 King 19.2 3 4. a point this is that merits your best notice and cals for your carefull practice who knows what disadvantage to your selves what discomfort to your selves and others standing by you this delay may breed Well the Prophet is come and what now doth he do there not sooth or fish out for a legacy but the text sayth he fals instantly upon the discharge of his Commission to the sicke Prince for so we read he came to him and being come Hee said unto him thus saith the Lord. This part I called in my division the good Prophets employment which stood in the delivery of his message to the King and therefore it is described 1. Formally in this expression he said unto him Thus saith the Lord. 2. Materially and this three wayes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Positively Thou shalt dye 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Negatively and not live 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Exhortation Set thine house in order First formally in these words He said unto him thus saith the Lord He said it seemes he was a Prophet and therefore he would not be tongue-tide surely he that likened Idoll-shepheards who had mouths and u Psal 115.5 spake not unto x St Gregory compares good Preachers to watchfull dogs quia faciunt magnos latratus praedicationis Dogs yea to y Isa 56.10 11. dumbe dogs despicable creatures the price whereof and of an whore the Lord professeth to z Deut. 23.18 abhorre alike would not himselfe suffer his sick Patient wanting comfort to miscarry by his wilfull silence or neglect hee knew the blood of soules was precious in Gods sight and as that of Abel a Gen. 4.10 cryed loud to Heaven for requitall My worthy brethren let us remember that when the Spirit did descend upon the Apostles he came in the similitude of b Act. 2.3 cloven tongues first of tongues the best c Psal 108.1 member that David had to d Isa 58.1 tell Israel of her sinnes and Judah of her great transgressions yea to e Psal 66.16 tell the people that feare God also what mercifull things he will doe for their soules if they would once but f Psal 34.8 taste and see and upon experience discover how g 1. Pet. 2.3 gracious the Lord is and then of cloven tongues that they might rightly h 2. Tim. 2.15 divide and as it were cleave out of the whole lumpe and precious masse of the Word of God to every one his i Luke 12.42 proper portion k 1. Pet. 2.2 milke to whom milke and l Heb. 5.13 14. stronger meate unto whom stronger meate is due rightly dividing the word of truth as our Saviour making known m John 15.15 all things that he had heard of his Father unto his friends the Disciples and as St Paul not shunning to declare unto the Church of Christ all the n Acts 20.27 whole counsell of God so much of it he meant as was o 2. Cor. 12.4 lawfull and fit to be imparted surely God will never thanke a man for keeping in of his counsell rather I think where the counsell and the secret of the Lord is there as Jeremie professeth Gods word is in the heart of a truly zealous Minister rightly called and well qualified as a p Jer. 20.9 burning fire shut up in his bones he is weary with forbearing and cannot stay namely from giving of it a doore of q Eph. 6.19 utterance when the heart is hot within and in the middest of musing thoughts the fire of zeale burneth David cannot without much pain hold his peace but he must needs be speaking with his r Psal 39.3 tongue thus doing a faithfull Pastor may in the day of reckoning and account with God with comfort lift up his head and say as my prophet here hath sayd before him though his words strictly were indeed a prophecy of Christ behold I and the ſ Isa 8.18 children which by thy blessing and giving of u See Joh. 17.26 encrease unto my t 1 Cor. 3.6 endeavours in the Ministry thou hast given mee But to say no more of this saying of my Prophet here lest I incur those proverbiall scom's sus Minervam or else that x Cum nesciret loqui nescivit tacere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us next observe how he begins his saying to the King It is yee see with a sic dicit Dominus thus sayth the Lord
d 1. Cor. 6.19 Temples of the Holy Ghost in which as in and among the true Church of God he will e 1. Cor. 3.16 17. dwell and abide even for ever and ever And thus much also of the mysticall house which is as yee have seene the Church of the living God Now whether or no doth the ordering of this House come within the compasse of our Prophets exhortation to Hezekiah in this Text to set his House in order before his Death Saint Paul saith that the f 2. Cor. 11.28 care of all the Churches lay upon him those particular Churches of the Gentiles I thinke he meanes which were the members of the whole body of the Catholique and Universall Church at large Surely so doth the whole Church within the proper Territories of any pious Prince appertaine to him to order for the best advantage of Gods glory and the g Psal 122.6.7 peace and prosperity of the Church it selfe Thus we find good Kings to stand affected in all ages of the Church a speciall example we have in that famous King h 2. Chro. 19.5 6 7 8 9. Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 19. who tooke care not onely to appoint Judges able and holy to end and order secular affaires but also in Hierusalem did Jehoshaphat saith the Scripture verse the 8th ibidem set of the Levites and of the Priests and of the chiefe of the Fathers of Israel for the judgment of the Lord and for controversies when they returned to Hierusalem and he charged them saying Thus shall ye doe in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart and certainely when the Sword of a valiant Goliah and the Ephod the Sword of the Magistrate and the Sword of the Spirit are brandished or drawn forth together as David said to Ahimelech of the Sword of Goliah there is i 1 Sam. 21.9 none to that so there is no union no ordering of the house of the Church like this whilest the prophane Sensualist and the hypocriticall Atheist shall be smitten to the ground together Steddily and happily must the Arke of God needs go when it is drawn by peace and holinesse tyed together as those two milch kine keeping the high way and turning not aside to either hand saith a learned and most elegant k Mr. John Bury one of the Prebends of Exeter in his epist dedicat before his Visitation serm styled the Moderate Christian edit 1630. Preacher of our western parts Now the way to obteine or to settle both these is when as Davids Palace and Gods Tabernacle dwelt together upon Mount Sion both the spiritual first directs the temporall and then the Temporall sword doth back the spirituall to defend and ayd or like to Hippocrates twins they breathe and live and alwayes go l Inpromâ—venda justitia usque quaque gladius gladium adjuvabat nihil inconsulto sacerdote qui velut Saburra in navi fuit agebatur D Hen. Spelman epist dedicat ad Regem Car. praefix Concil Aug. together for which cause we find also that King David could not m Psal 132.4 sleep till he had provided for Gods house and taken speciall order for the establishing and observation of Gods statutes and divine ordinances not only in the Tabernacle at Sion but by the whole Church of God under his dominions furnishing it with Priests and Levites singers and the like yea cherishing and honoring the Prophets of the Lord of hostes and therefore he so earnestly importunes the devotions of all good people to n Psal 122.6 7. pray for the peace of Hierusalem and the prosperity of her palaces as being the known type and representation of the o Jerusalem civitas sancta est sancta ecclesia Catholica spiritualis Jerusâ—lem as Paulus Fagius in libro Precationum Hebr. prec 8. Church of God for by that antonomafia St Paul expressely calleth it Gal. 4.26 Hierusalem that is the Church of God which is above that is either as triumphant actually enthronized into her glory as the woman in the Revelation cloathed with the sun to wit the p Mal. 4 2. Sun of righteousnesse Christ Jesus him selfe who is her q 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousnesse is above all in r Rev. 12.1 heaven already being there safe and set out of the gunshot of the Devill and all his annoying temptations or else above because though militant as yet below notwithstanding in Å¿ Col. 3.2 affection she is still above and her t Phil. 3.20 conversation is in heaven alwayes howbeit shee here as Abraham in a strange Country u Heb. 11.9 sojourneth a while in these earthly Tabernacles for this Hierusalem the Church of God was King David so sollicitous and carefull Nor did this care give up the ghost with those x See D. Buckeridge his excellent serm upon Rom 13 5. preached at Hampton court before the Kings Maâ— sept 23. 1006. to this purpose godly Princes but as if there had been a Pythagoricall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that zealous disposition hath passed by happy Transmigration to the rest of those good Kings that succeeded and save only when the woman was driven into the y Rev. 12.14 wildernesse sometimes and persecuted with the Dragon so that she hath been faine to seeke for z Heb. 11.38 dens and caves to shelter her in all ages by the providence of good Princes she hath prospered and for that very cause too the pious Kings themselves as a See 2 King 22. Josiah Asa and the rest good Princes the better also we find in the Ecclesiasticall story of the Church since the dayes of the Gospell that the like care of her welfare hath not slumbered for after that sore long lasting tempest in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ of persecution raised by those ten Scarlet Tyrants of those times there was a dawning againe of some ease and rest peeping out b Narrant hunc Philippum Arabem primum ex imperatoribus Romanis factum esse Christianum â—â—quid intellexerit ille Arabicus miâ—â—â—â— quaâ—is ejus pietas fueâ—it nâ—scimus Jâ— Carion Chron. l. 3. p. 272. in 8 in Anno Christi 248 〈…〉 252. first in the short reigne of Philip an Arabian but he being nipped in the very bud or blossome of his government within five yeeres space or there abouts could not bring any thing this way to any noted perfection but his pious intentions for the Church were interpretativè I doubt not esteemed as actions by the Lord Immediately upon this God raised up Constantine the great the honor of whose birth our Britaine was enobled with his care was not purposed alone but put in execution for he spread the gospell of Christ in the sign of whose crosse he still gloried and prevailed erected Churches countenanced the Clergy and indeed was famous for the Churches cause And when that foul heresie of Arius about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christ with
lid alwayes poring downwards as King David saith of worldly carnall men they have set their eyes bowing d Psal 17.11 down to the earth thus when Elijah was about to be carryed unto heaven in a fiery chariote it s noted that he cast off or let e 2 King 2.13 Elias dimisit pallium id est bona hujus mundi quandò in curru igneo Spiritus sancti in coelum rapiebatur Hugo de Prato florido serm 60 Dominica infra octav Ascens fall his mantle that now perchance would have cumbred his shoulders so certainly its most true when we wrap our selves too closely bemuffled us in the warm weeds of these earthly businesses we are too dull to mount nimbly into Heaven when Moses was to approach the bush of Gods presence he must ere he shall come hither as David e're he durst to compasse Gods Altar f Psal 26.6 washed his hands in innocency put off his g Exod. 3.5 shoes from his feet that is he must wash the feet of his Soul his affections from all the dirt and sweat and h Ber f. 43. L. Sterquilian soyled cogitations of the world as Saint Bernard glosseth it as when Abraham was to go up to one of the mountaines of Moriah to offer a Sacrifice to the Lord it s noted that he left his * Gen. 22.5 servants and his Asse behinde him at the foot of the hill that is as Barradius moralizeth it his servile and worldly affections as the blessed Virgine having beene saluted by an Angell and greeted with good tidings from Heaven immediately she left Nazareth of which the Proverb it seemes went among the Pharisees that out of Nazareth no i John 1.46 good thing came and went with haste into the k Luke 1.39 Hill Countrey and kept her selfe busied in things above so that great Mercurius Trismegistus professeth that when he fixed his mind to contemplate things l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Mercur Trismegist in Paemandro cap. 1. initio above the senses of his body were affected even as a man oppressed by the heavinesse of sleepe whilest his soule kept up like a Meteor above the earth still upwards towards Heaven thus finding the speediest issue much like the disposition of the Spouse in the Canticles who whilest her heart was awaked for her Husband Christ she was in her sense of the body m Cant. 5.2 asleepe and drowzie to the world wherefore if we respect with old Simeon our quiet in death and then as Gods servants to depart with him in n Luke 2.29 peace let us though not cast our o Mundo carnem subtrahendam non eo inficias non è mundo tollendam quod ipsum in nostrâ potestate non sit Du Plessis pag. 61. in 8º de vitae mortisque consideratione selves out of the world yet as those Mariners in Saint Pauls tempest p Acts 27.18 19 lightned the Ship by casting out the tackling let us cast the world with the rubbish and appurtenances thereof out of our selves dealing herein as Abraham did with his servant Hagar when through too much cockering and indulgence she began to waxe malapert and sawcy he cast her out and q Gen. 21.10 14 sent her away to wander in the wildernesse of Beer-sheba so when the world and flesh begin to r Gal. 5.24 lust too eagerly against the Spirit it must be subdued though not destroyed it must be in affection cast out ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrsost Hom. ad cap. 6. Rom. ver 12. rectified or crucified with the affections and lusts thereof the reason hereof is for that the more empty the soule is of the world the more full it is of God and so on the contrary therefore we read in Scripture that God appeared mostly unto his Prophets and great Saints in extasies in visions and in t Cognitio futurorum meliùs potest fieri in dormientibus quà m in vigilantibus eò quòd quando anima abstrahitur à corporalibus ut in somno aptior redditur ad percipiendum in fluxum Divinum Raynerius de Pisis tom 2. Pantheolog cap. 12. de Prophetiâ pag. 723. in quarto dreames by night when the soule hath beene estranged as it were from usuall commerce with the body God and Mammon be such u Jam. 4.4 enemies that like heate and cold the first qualities in the Elements in intense degrees they cannot dwell together in one and the same heart The x Aristot lib. 3. de animâ cap. 5. text 4. cum Jul. Pacio in comment ibid. Philosopher gives a very rationall argument to prove this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is within so intimately existent already that it is in a sort the same with what the minde is fastened upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Philosopher saith so the Scripture it selfe plainely He that is joyned to the Lord is y 1. Cor. 6.17 one Spirit this I say thus fixed within already expelleth and bolteth out what is not of the same but of another nature from without and our Saviour is himselfe expresse that no man can serve God and z Matth. 6.24 Mammon at the same time in intense degrees and in that manner as God himselfe expects it from him Matth. 6.24 Hence we observe that the Israelites after they had once eaten of the old corne of the land they found the Manna from Heaven on the next morrow to a Josh 5.12 cease nor had they any of that b Psal 78.25 food of Angels more Josh 5.12 Saint Austin gives the reason of it clearely Si animus habet undè delectetur extrinsecùs sine delectatione manet intrinsecùs that is if the Aegyptian flesh-pots of fat and greazie delights from without can content the minde enough then it cannot finde true inward chearefulnesse and delectation within and yet from c Psal 45.13 within all the glory of Gods Church is brought yea there principally it is and lyes Certainely what an honourable person of great parts said of Riches and other appurtenances of the world at large is much more true in death they are the very d Lord Verulam Essay 34. baggage of vertue the Romane word is better impedimenta for as the baggage is to an Army so are riches to vertue it cannot well be spared nor left behinde but yet it hindereth the march yea and the care of it disturbeth often loseth the victory and it 's worth our notice how Saint Paul hath joyned those two together set your affections on things above and e Col. 3.2 not on things below Col. 3.2 necessarily implying that whilest men do keep scraping with Aesops cock and spurle for pearles of contentment in the dunghill of the earth below and as our Apostle saith doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f Phil. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mind earthly things and as the greeke word signifyes do place their
our house in order My speech now like Hezekiah on this his supposed death-bed is ready to be dissolved suffer it to gaspe a few minutes more and it shall expire Ye have heard what it is to set our house in order and the benefit thereof our worthy Å¿ Mr Peter Taylor Brother and my deare friend here departed a man not more respective of my person than a professed profitable Auditor of mine He was not now to seeke to levell his accompt with God nor to set the spirituall house of his soule in order having had before this often sensible intimations within him of the decay of Nature the stroke indeed of death it selfe and the summons thereof was somewhat t We of this City have very lately had divers examples of suddaine death of persons of no meane quality and heare of more abroad suddaine but a very few houres before his dissolution yet not the expectation and surely death can never be too suddaine if it be not unlooked for from a suddaine and unlooked for death good Lord deliver us but he that with Saint Paul dyes u 1. Cor. 15.31 dayly to sinne and with King David carryeth his soule alwayes in his x Psal 119.109 hand in expectation of a dissolution can never be unhappy in the speediest passage from the body into Heaven and he that lives y Mors mala putanda non est quam bona vita praeâ—esserit Augustin de Civit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 11. well can never dye ill The manner of his deceasing I know not to what better to resemble than to St Peters comming unto Christ upon the waters z Matth. 14.29 30 31. Matth. 14.29 30 31. when St Peter was bid to come for he would not adventure on so high a businesse without a warrantable command first from his Lord Christ he was come downe out of the ship and he walked on the water to goe to Jesus but when he saw the winde boisterous he was afraid and beginning to sinke he cryed saying Lord save me and immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him even so he a Luke 24.1 early on the Lords day Januar. 20. 1638. in conscience of Christs command to b Psal 27.4 visite his Temple and not to forsake the c Heb. 10.25 assembly of the Saints arising and as St Peter from the ship going downe from his bed was about to fit himselfe to goe to Jesus though not on the Sea yet in the Temple where he knew he might in his Word as old Simeon did in his d Luke 2.28 Armes embrace him and where he was no slacke but a frequent and diligent visiter of him and a sincere honourer without saction without ostentation of his worship but as he assayed to goe loe the winde was boisterous Death summons him and beginning to sinke not in despaire but under bodily weaknesse he cryed out saying as Saint Peter Lord save me so he Lord be mercifull unto me and speedily Jesus caught him and as I am perswaded commanded his good Angell to carry up his soule into the e John 14.2 mansion of blisse f Matth. 25.34 prepared for him from the beginning of the world It is a notable both signe and effect of true faith in suddaine g My Lord the Bishop now of Exon in his second 〈…〉 on the History of thâ— New Testam pag. 135 〈◊〉 1634. extremities to ejaculate holy desires and with the wings of our first thoughts to flye up instantly to the throne of grace for present succour Upon deliberation it is possible for a man that hath beene carelesse and prophane by good meanes to be drawne to holy dispositions but on the suddaine a man will appeare as he is what ever is most rife in the heart will come forth at the mouth it is good to observe how our surprisalls finde us the rest is but forced this is naturall out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And when the strings of speech are broken and the outward senses have lost quite their externall prospects who knows what things of joy h 2. Cor. 12.4 unspeakable in that abstention of the soule from the body as St Paul in his rapture a good man though seized suddainly by death may heare Should I here next bestow my selfe in a copious Panegyrick I should finde an houre more too little to dispatch my laudatory Oration as Elihu in Job said on another occasion I am i Job 32.18 full of matter I could tell you how as Onesiphorus did St Paul he oft k 2. Tim. 1.16 refreshed the bowells of the poore and impotent he was as l Job 29.15 eyes to the blind as a staffe and feet to the lame and what a great and a secret m Rom. 16.3 helper of poore Tradesmen in the dead time of Trading and how carefull to see the hirelings n Levit. 19.13 wages discharged let them acknowledge who I beleeve shall hereafter finde him wanting and for fidelity to his friend no o Fidus Achates saepè apud Virgil. faithfull Achates ever out-went him nor was Jonathan ever more true to David or David to Jonathan of whom yet we read that in their lives they were lovely and pleasant and in their deaths they were not p 2. Sam. 1.23 divided were these vertues capable of bequeathment I could wish that he had left them as Legacies to all that yet live and survive him But I must remember that I am now in the Pulpit not at the Deske onely let me adde this as the conclusion of all which also my entire affection to his memory urgeth from me He was a true Nathaniel an Israelite indeed in whom was no knowne no approved or allowed q John 1.47 guile and such as these were they whom CHRIST commended and hee saith Paul is r 2. Cor. 10.18 approved whom the LORD commendeth and what is CHRISTS approbation but the sure earnest of an eternall glorification My beloved Christians we have much to answer to Almighty God for pious and good examples and who is there amongst us but must be forced to cry out Lord be mercifull unto me in this Now at last yet let us Å¿ Jam. 4.8 cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts as St James adviseth us let us desire God to fit us for the worst of times and the best of ends let us t Psal 119.109 continually carry our soules as in our hands ready to resigne them unto the hands of the God that by infusing created them and by creation infused them We have breath yet indeed but 't is but in our u Isa 2.22 nostrills ready each moment to give up Wherefore let us with King David x Psal 16.8 set the Lord alwayes before us and not onely so but as St Peter saith let us y 1. Pet. 3.15 sanctifie this Lord God in our hearts Many know God but
yet they z Psal 50.22 forget him saith the Prophet that is as Saint Paul interprets they doe not like to a Rom. 1.28 reteine God in their knowledge that is to * Haec est summa delicti nolli agnoscore quem ignorare non possis S. Cyprian de Idolor vanitate sect 5. acknowledge him to be such a God as he hath revealed himselfe to be in all his glorious attributes of Omnipotency Omnisciency Omnipresence Infinitenesse Eternity did we not onely know but also acknowledge and b Psal 45.10 consider these things aright did we labour thoroughly to c Isa 42.25 44.19 lay them to our hearts to d Psal 107.43 ponder them by continuall meditation and as we ought to be affected with them it could not be but that we should often remember how Eternity depends upon a moment how great an e Rom. 14.12 account every one of us even from the f Eph. 5.12 secret and g 1. Cor. 4.5 hidden workes of darknesse to an h Matth. 12.36 idle word must in particular make to this i Psal 77.13 great God and k 2. Tim. 4.8 righteous Judge of l Gen. 18.25 all the earth when after death wee must all m 2. Cor. â— 10 appeare before his dreadfull Tribunall and awfull seate of Judgment how could we then but as Enoch walke n Gen. 5.24 with God and with Abraham o Gen. 17.1 before God as alwayes in his presence as to whose eyes all things lye open and p Heb. 4.13 naked yea as one who knoweth all our thoughts long q Psal 139.1 before they be and when they are findeth them all to be but r 1 Cor. 3.20 vain certainely did we seriously consider this we would in our severall places speedily set our houses in order whether it be the house spirituall Corporall Mysticall Ecclesiasticall Secular or oeconomicall our Conversation would be in heaven Å¿ Phil. 3.20 even whilest we are alive here upon earth And so being ready as the good t Matth. 25.4 Virgins with oyle in our lamps how joyfully may we meet our Bridegroom and cry out with those blessed Spirits u Rev. 22.20 Come Lord Jesu come quickely This foregoing preparation made the ancient Martyrs to embrace death as the prooeme unto immortality x Isidor Pelusiota l. 4. epist 52. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Isidore Pelusiota told his good friend Theon Labour we to get the meditation of the Lord thus to become as David professed y Psal 104.34 sweet unto us we shall then with St. Paul groane under the z Rom. 7.24 misery of this body of death even a Phil. 1.23 long to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Lord open thou our dim yea our blind eyes that we may see him fasten our hearts upon him by a lively Faith alwayes give us right apprehensions of thee and heavenly things that living the life of thine b 1 Pet. 1.14 obedient children * Matth. 25.23 and faythfull servants in a conversation c Psal 50.23 ordered aright wee may so honor thee our good God here in this life of grace below that in the end of all wee may enjoy the fulnesse of thy promised and d Matth. 25.34 prepared glory above in Heaven even at thy right hand at whose right hand are e Psal 16.11 pleasures for evermore even where there is health without sicknesse life without death joy without sorrow even joy f Pet. 1.8 unspeakeable and full of glory And that only and alone for his sake who hath so dearely g 1 Cor. 6 â—0 bought us Jesus Christ the h 1 John 2.1 righteous to whom with thee ô Father and thy blessed spirit three all-glorious persons one infiite and all 〈…〉 s God our God be given of us and of all thy Saints all glory praise dominion and Salvation in the Church i Eph. 3.21 by CHRIST JESUS throughout all ages World without end Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Imprimatur JOHANNES HANSLEY Novem. 7th 1639.