a golden colour whereupon it hath that name it sparkleth and being laid before the fire wil quickly be inflamed burne This stone is an Embleme of our pure loue towards God the Father whose presence when we behold him face to face shall be so attractiue that our hearts shall be set on fire with his loue Secondly the Berill is greene hath power to procure Loue this stone is the Embleme of that good loue which shall be betwixt God the Sonne and vs who loued vs first and was incarnate and we then shall loue him most dearely being incorporated and made fellow heires with him Thirdly the Topaze is yellowish resembling the Sun-beames and it is an Embleme of our true loue towardes God the Holy Ghost which like the beames of the Sunne shall euer shine and whose heare shall neuer be quenched neuer extinguished The fourth thing is the perfection of Iustice expressed by the three stones in the fourth Triplicitie Iustitia est virtus saith Ambrose suum cuique tribuens Iustice is a vertue that giues euery one his due to euery one of vs that hath it it imparts Continencie to our neighbour friendship and to God honour Which three are discribed by the Chrysoprasus the Iacinth and the Amethyst First the Chrysoprasus in the night shines like fire in the day like golde In it behold our future perfection in Continencie and Temperance wee are now fraile and vnstable our passions and affections are euer changing in the day-time of prosperitie wee shine like gold wee reioyce in the Lord and magnifie his holy Name but in the Night of aduersitie we are of n Iob. 2.9 Iobs Wiues minde who counsailed her husband to curse God and die But in the world to come we shal be Et ignei aurei vel tanquam aurum probatum in igne Like gold tryed in the fire purged of all our drossie passions and earthy affections So absolutely Continent that if wee were lyable to Crosses yet should no Crosse crosse vs. Secondly the Iacinth euer suites it selfe to the temperature of the Aire if the aire be cleare it is bright if the aire be dimme it is darke Such like hereafter shall our disposition be altogether harmonicall Might there be in Heauen o Eccle. 3.4 a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance wee should mourne with them that weepe and laugh with them that daunce such should be the Symphathie of the Elect. Here vpon earth it is quite contrarie Wee weep with them that laugh and laugh with them that weepe one enuies at anothers prosperitie and reioyceth at anothers miserie and affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Saith the Poet One Tyler enuies an other One Carpenter another one Musitian an other one Beggar another and one Courtyer an other but marke our alteration the ayre at the last day shall be purged and it will euer be faire and cleare weather all grudging and enuie shall be banished and we shall for euer be linked together in brotherly loue and friendship Thirdly the Amethyst is of a purple colour and sparkles like the fire a fit figure of that due honour which the zealous Elect in heauen shall giue to God for euer whilst we are clothed with this flesh euen the most righteous man is luke-warme in Gods seruice but when this Corruption shall haue put on incorruption We shall stand vp like fire and our words shall burne like a Lampe p Apoc. 19.1 euer singing and saying Hallelu-iah Saluation and glory and honour and power be to the Lord our God And thus by the foure Triplicities of precious stones in the wall of the Citie of new Ierusalem whose name Christ heere promiseth to write vpon them that ouercome are signified the foure heauenly indowments of the Elect namely the Glorification of the bodie the Sanctification of the Soule the Consummation of Charitie and the perfection of Iustice all which proceed from q Rom. 9.16 the free grace of God no desert or merit in our selues And thus much may be proued by the Comming downe of this holy Citie out of heauen from God And I will write vpon him my new Name In the Epistle of Christ to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus He promiseth to giue them that ouercome a r Apoc. 2.17 white stone and in that stone a new name written and here he saith that he will write vpon him that ouercommeth his owne new name In the first place hee alludeth vnto the custome of electing Magistrates by white and blacke stones shaddowing in that figuratiue speech the mysterie of our Election and the s Rom. 8.18 Bern. ser 2. in die Penticost Seale of Gods Spirit whereby wee both know and are assured of our Saluation In the second place he hath reference to an vse which was amongst the Gentiles of erecting Statues Pillars and Arches in honour of their Men of valour and Conquerours vpon which were ingrauen their worthy Exploits Hereby declaring the great glory that shall be bestowed vpon such as perseuere in righteousnesse defend the truth and subdue feare t Phil. 2.8.9 Our Sauiour saith Saint Paul because hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse is highly exalted by GOD and hath a name giuen him aboue euery name Hereby is signified that God the Father hath giuen vnto him u Dan. 7.14 Dominion and Honour and a Kingdome that all people Nations and Languages should serue him This Honourable and Glorious name will Christ write vpon his seruants setting them at his right hand in the heauenly places farre aboue all Principalitie and Power and might and Domination and euery name that is named in this World Shall then such as be constant and courageous be made Pillars in Gods house hauing written vpon them the Name of God the Name of new Ierusalem and Christs new Name titles aeternall and truely noble O then who would not by their godly life shew themselues to be ambitious of this glorie What a huge tower did Nimrod build to get him a name Themistocles vsed to walke vp and downe solitarily in the night and one asking him the cause hee answered The Trophies and fame of Milciades awake me Let then the glorious memorie of Dauid Ioâ—sh Ezechiah and Iosiah stirre vp all earthly Arch-angels to walke before God with vp-right hearts Let the fame of Augustine Ambrose Basile Athanasius and the rest of the ancient learned Bishops moue all our Cherubims and Seraphims terrestriall to be industrious and painefull in Gods haruest And lastly let the Example of S. Paul who was neuer idle in his Ministerie being as Ierom stiles him Hier ad Pammach Vas electionis tuba Euangelij rugitus Leonis nostri flumen eloquentia Christianae A chosen vessel the trumpet of the Gospel the roaring of our Lion and streame of Christian eloquence be a motiue to perswade all Ministering Angels in
set with the Chrisolite his bellie like white yuorie couered with Saphires his legges like marble pillars set on sockets of gold and his countenance like Libanon excellent as the Cedars Oh who then would not for a little time in this world hold fast and be constant hauing such a Patterne and such a Patron Ecce venio Behold I come These words haue a rellish both of life and death they be as sweet as hony and as bitter as worme-wood they be restoratiue to the Elect but poison to the reprobates therefore our Sauiour speakes them to comfort the one and terrifie the other To the wicked nothing is more yrkesome then the day of death and the day of Doome O mors quam amara c O death how bitter is thy memorie saith the Wise-man to him that putteth his trust in his possessions And the Euangelist tels vs that at the last day m Apoc. 6.15 the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe captaines and the mightie men shall hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines and shall say to the Mountaines and fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe but on the contrary part Death to the righteous is euer welcome For blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them and for the day of Doome it is to them Mell in ore melos in aure Iubilaeus in corde the name of it is as honie the mention of it melodie and the very thought of it a yeere of Iubilie wherefore the Saints departed cry Quousque Domine How long Lord Veni domine Iesu veni citò saith Iohn Come Lord Iesus come quickely to whom our Sauiour makes this comfortable Reply Ecce venio behold I come This Venio I come may well be compared to n 1. Sam. 16. Dauids Harpe and o Iosuah 6. Ioshuas Trumpet the sweet warble of Dauids harpe refreshed king Saul in his agonie and did driue away the euill spirit the sound of Ioshuas Trumpet made the walles of Iericho tremble and leueld them with the ground the like operation proceedes either from the hearing or reading of these two words Ecce Venio behold I come Let one of the Elect heare them imagine his shoulders be ouer loaden with the Crosse his head prick't with thornes and his back embrodered with stripes as indeed in this world the righteous euer suffer affliction and persecution which like euill spirits haunt and torment them yet I say let them but heare this ecce venio and their countenances will be cheared and their hearts comforted so pleasant is the harmonie of this heauenly Harp But let a Reprobate either heare or read them suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Prouerbe hee swimme vp to the very eares in riuers of gold be crowned with Rose-buddes and sleepe vpon a bed of yuorie as indeed the wicked in this life are euer most happy free from Crosses free from tribulations yet I say let them in the very surfet of their pleasures but heare this ecce venio and like p 1. Sam. 1.37 Nabal their hearts will die within them and like q Dan. 5.6 Balthasar at the sight of the hand-writing on the wall the ioynts of their loynes will be loosed and their knees smite one against another so fearefull is the sound of this heauenly Trumpet Ecce venio eitô Behold I come quickly The comming of Christ is both certaine suddaine and short first it is most certaine so we gather out of the word Venio I come for our Sauiour herein speakes of a future iudgement as if it were present Secondly it shall be suddaine for behold I come saith Christ like a theife in the night Thirdly it shall be short Behold I come shortly though his comming be certaine yet the time when is vncertaine for it shall be suddaine and short I cannot then but condemne the boldnesse of them that dare assigne the very yeare month and day of Christs comming to Iudgement considering that their assertion is flat opposite and contrary to the Scripture which saith r Marc. 13.33 that the houre and day of Christs comming is not knowen to the Angels nor to the Sonne of Man but to the Father onely and yet Cusanus like s Gen. 11.4 Nimrod to get him a name hath built a Babel of meer coniectures as first his opinion is that the world shall end between the yeere 1700. and 1734. because as Christ rose againe in the foure thirtith yeare of his age so the Church of God shall rise at the latter day in the foure and thirtith Iubile which make one thousand seuen hundreth years Secondly as after the first Adam in the foure and thirtith Iubile there came a consumption of sinne by Water for the Flood was one thousand sixe hundred fiftie sixe years after the Creation of the world so in the foure thirtith Iubile after the second Adam there shall be a finall consumption of sin by fire Other coniectures he hath but being but coniectures I let them passe saying with Augustine De saluatoris reditu qui expectatur in fine tempora dinumerare non audeo Aug. in Epist 28. nec aliquem Prophetarum hac de re numerum annorum existimo praesciuisse c. Of our Sauiours returne which is expected in the end I dare not number the times neither doe I thinke that any of the Prophets knew the number of the yeares but rather that to stand which the Lord saith t Act. 1.7 It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath kept in his owne power The Lord to great purpose would haue that day kept secret that our hearts should be in continuall expectation of it Aug. in psal 36. con 1. Ser. 6. 17. Quid ad te saith Augustine quando venies sic vine quasi hodiè venturus sit non timebis cum venerit What is it to thee when hee commeth so liue as though hee should come to day and thou shalt not be afraid when hee commeth Remember thine end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse the day of Death and the day of Doome are two Pole-starres vpon which we that be Pilgrims and trauailers vpon earth must euer fixe our eyes Ioseph of Aramathia made his Sepulcher in his Garden and the Aegyptians in their banquetting houses had euer the picture of Death so ought wee in the midst of our worldly pleasures and delights continually to cast vp our accounts daily to number our dayes What know wee when the Bridegrome will come It behoueth vs therefore like wise Virgins euer to haue our Lampes full of Oyle and to be in readinesse to giue attendance For behold Christ will come certainely suddainly and shortly Hold that thou hast that no man take
with two eies the first being like a Doues eie washt with milke the second like a flame of fire Mercy and Iustice according to whose seuerall viewes he made two Decrees the one of Election the other of Reprobation which two resemble the two streames that issue from the throne of God k Dan. 7.10 the one being all fire the other l Reuel 22.1 Water of life m Ephes 1.4 Rom. 9.16 Election is the decree of God whereby on his owne free will he hath ordained certaine men to saluation without any fore-sight of their good workes to the praise and glory of his grace n Rom. 9.21 Reprobation is Gods decree whereby according to the most free and iust purpose of his will he hath determined to reiect certaine men vnto eternall destruction to the praise of his iustice These decrees are built vpon two seuerall foundations o Rom. 11.32 Adams sinne is the ground of Reprobation of Election p Heb. 5.5 Christ Iesus is the foundation called of his Father from all eternitie to performe the office of a Mediatour that in him all those which should be saued might be chosen as then he was predestinate to be the Reconciliation betwixt God and mankinde so likewise there was preordained a Mariage or vniting of the two Natures Diuine and Humane Secondly the Bridegrome he is willing for he confesseth as much by the mouth of the Psalmist saying q Psal 40. In the volume of the booke it is written that I should fulfill thy will O my God I am content to do it thy law is within my heart Euer since the making of this decree God the Sonne and his spouse the Church like a paire of Turtle Doues haue loued and wooed each other as appeareth by those sweet passions with which this Song is full fraught and yet from the time that he was first promised till the fulnesse of time when he was conceiued r Cant. 2.9 He euer stoode behinde the wall looking through the windowes and appearing through the grates These windowes were the Sacraments Circumcision and the Paschal Lambe these Grates the Tabernacle of Moses and the Priesthood of Aaron all of them principall Types and figures of the Messiah s Cant. 2.3 Thus for a long time the Church vnder his shadow onely had delight and his fruite was sweet vnto her mouth But at length she growes loue-sicke and cries t Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flagons and comfort me with Apples for I am sicke of Loue. u Cant. 1.1 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for his loue is better then wine As if she should haue said how long will he appeare vnto me onely in types and figures when shall mine eies see the Saluation of God which he hath prepared to be a light to the Gentiles and the glory of the people Israel x Cant. 4.16 Let my beloued come into his garden and eate his pleasant fruite Let the word be made flesh and dwell amongst vs. Our Sauiour therefore y Cant. 4.9 whose heart from the beginning she had wounded with one of her eies and a chaine of her necke Because he would not suffer her to pine away and languish with expectation answeres her saying I am come into my garden my sister my spouse As if he should haue said the Contract of Marriage which by my Fathers decree was from eternitie is now consummate by my Natiuitie In which Consummation three Circumstances may be considered First the publishing of the Banes by the Angell Gabriel thus speaking to the Virgin Mary z Luc. 1.28 Haile thou that art freely beloued the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and hauing thus saluted her he tells her that she shall conceiue and beare in her wombe a Sonne and call his name Iesus But how shall this be saith Mary seeing I know no man this she speakes saith Theophilact not doubting of the euent but enquiring the manner The Angell answeres her a Luc. 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the vertue of the most high shall ouershadow thee Vide hic saith Cyprian cooperantem simplicem trinitatem Quae est virtus altissimi nisi Christus virtus sapientia patris c. See here the whole Trinitie are at worke together what is this vertue but Christ the vertue and wisedome of his Father of whom is this Vertue but of the most high Although then the Sonne alone was conceiued and incarnate yet both the Father and the Holy Ghost were present to sanctifie his conception which is the second circumstance and the manner of the Mariage He was not conceiued of the seede of Ioseph and Mary as Ebion dreamed but by the holy Spirit of the seede of Mary alone as may appeare by these testimonies b Gen. 3.15 The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head Feare not Ioseph c Mat. 1.20 to take Mary for thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost A strange conception here is Aarons rod cut from the stem blossoming and a Virgin without a man conceiuing Christ was conceiued by the holy Ghost there is an argument of his Diuinitie and borne of a virgin there is a proofe of his humanitie so he is neither God only hauing an aierie body as Apelles the hereticke thought nor meere man as the d Epipha lib. 2. tom 2. haeres 69. Arrians surmised but God and Man vnited one Christ conceiued by the holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary which natiuitie of Christ is the third circumstance and the very forme of the Marriage betwixt him and his Spouse the Church Our Sauiour out of the Virgins wombe came like a Bridegrome out of his chamber full of glory and yet in all humility e Philip. 2.6.7 For being in the forme of God and thinking it no roberie to be equall with God he made himselfe of no reputation tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man This his lowlinesse appeareth further in the very choise of his Mother who was a poore Virgin betrothed vnto a Carpenter He was conceiued when she was a Virgin betrothed but hee was borne when she was a Virgin married because hee would honour both Single life and the marriage bed A Virgin she was to fulfill the Prophecie of Isaiah saying f Isai 7.14 A virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne Ante partum in partu post partum Virgo saith S. Ierome Before at the very instant and after her deliuerie a Virgin not past foureteene yeares of age as Augustine and Chrysostome writ Flos ipse in the flower of her youth she bore him who is the g Cant. 2.1 Rose of the field and the Lilly of the vallies A Virgin but yet very poore God euer lookes on the inside but the world on the out-side of a man Let
bridle and Wantonnesse or Impudencie in Vncleannesse and Greedines in sinning transforme him into a dogge and therefore Saint Paul writing to the Ephesians giueth an excellent caueat against these sixe Sorceresses saying This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their mind Hauing their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart Which being past feeling haue giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse For without shall be Dogges The second generall part is a Detestation for the wicked are heere called dogges which importeth Hatred and Basenesse as may appeare by the vse of this Title both in profane and diuine writers Odit cane peius saith the Poet she hates him worse then a dogge Non eum salutat magis quam canem saith the seruant in the Comedie she giues him the entertainment of a dogge So likewise in the Scriptures Goliah when hee saw young Dauid come against him armed onely with his staffe his sling and fiue smooth stones in his bagge or scrip he said vnto him Am I a dogge that thou commest vnto me with stones When Isbosheth reprooued Abner for going to Rispah the Concubine of Saul hee was wroth and said g 2 Sam. 3.8 Am I a dogges-head The paraphrase then both of Goliahs and Abners words is this Am I so vile so base and so contemptible So in these words Almightie God to shew and manifest his detestation and hatred of sinne calles all Reprobates dogges saying For without shall be dogges In the Scriptures we reade that when God is prouoked to anger he declares by foure seuerall waies howe much he abhors and detests sinne namely by strange signes Allegories Ironies and Characters First by strange signes to omit many other there is one most remarkeable in the Prophecie of Hoseah where wee finde that God being greatly offended at the Israelites for their Idolatrie deciphers the foulenesse of their Sinne by an vncouth signe Goe saith hee to the Prophet h Hos 1.2 Take vnto thee a wife of Fornications and children of Fornications So Hoseah went and tooke Gomer the Daughter of Diblaim and of her begot two Sonnes and a Daughter which were thus named by God himself Izreel Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi S. Hierome the Chaldie Paraphrase Rabbi Kimhi and Aben Ezrah say that this was onely a Vision but the more ancient Hebrew Doctors affirme that it was a thing done indeed by the appointment of God and therefore no sinne in Hoseah here then God by a very strange signe preacheth against the Idolatrie of Israell and proclaimeth vengeance against them for their sinnes as may be shewed out of the names of Hoseahs wife and his Children of Fornication First in that Hoseah marryes the Harlot Gomer which is by interpretation Corruption the daughter of Diblaim which signifies a cluster of Figges hereby is taxt the spirituall Whoredome of Israel which being corrupted by the Gentiles with a full consent had played the Harlot for so saith God himselfe i Hosea 1.2 The Land hath committed great whoredome departing from the Lord. Againe the name of Hoseahs first child is Izreel which is dispersed the second is Lo-ruhamah which is not obtaining mercy and the third Lo-ammi that is not my people There three names are Signes of Gods wrath and Sermons of vengeance The Israelites once Gods inheritance must be carryed away captiues and be dispersed ouer the face of the earth because they were become like a Cluster of rotten Figges corrupted with spirituall Fornication and being dispersed though they cry vnto God for his ayde yet will he shew them no mercy nor euer acknowledge them to be his people thus by a most strange Signe of Hoseahs marrying of a Harlot and begetting children of Fornication God declareth how much hee detesteth Sinne. Secondly by Allegories an example hereof we haue in the Prophecie of Ezekiel where the Lord thus saith k Ezech. 23.2.3.4 Sonne of man there were two women the daughters of one Mother and they committed Fornication in Aegipt they committed fornication in their youth there were their breasts pressed and there they bruised the teates of their Virginitie and the names of them were Aholah the Elder and Aholibah her Sister and they were mine and they bare Sonnes and Daughters thus were their names Samaria is Aholah and Hierusalem Aholibah c. In these words Allegorically God inueyeth most bitterly against the Idolatry of Samaria and Hierusalem in that as a token of Detestation hee compares them to two Harlots being he most odious and loathsome of all creatures Thirdly by Ironies or Iesting and Taunting a Iest is Gods Hierapicra his bitter confection his rod of Iron his Sheepe-hooke called Bondes his two-edged Sword be most peircing reproofe and the best remedie to cure a desperate sore Some Diuels saith Psellus are driuen away by Iesting and Saules euill Spirit lest him at the sweet sound of Dauids Harp and a Taunt is very forcible to make a man ashamed of his Sinne. When Adam and Heuah were fallen in Paradice God said l Gen. 3.22 Behold the man is become as one of vs to know good and euill here God derideth Adams folly because hee was seduced by the woman So likewise the Prophet Eliah mocketh the Priests of Baall saying m 1 Reg. 18.27 Cry loud for he is a God eyther he talketh or pursueth his enemies or is in his iourney or it may be that hee sleepeth and must be awaked thus God to shew his hatred of Sinne laugheth as the Wiseman saith at the destruction of the wicked and mocketh when their feare commeth Fourthly by Figures and Characters Sinne is most liuely expressed by a foule Picture and therefore God to set forth his owne hatred and to breed in vs a loathing of it vseth sometimes Characters whereof there be diuers patternes and instances as for example n Prou. 30.14 That generation whose teeth are as swords and their iawes as kniues to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth and the poore from among men I meane tyrannicall oppressors Procustes his progenie Land-rackers which measure their Tenants vpon a Bed of Iron cutting them shorter if they be too long or haue too much and tentaring or stretching them out longer if they be too short these Caterpillars I say are by the Prophet Amos called Kine o Amos. 4.1 Heare this word saith hee ye Kine of Bashan that are in the mountaine of Samaria which oppresse the poore and destroy the needy and they say to their masters bring and let vs drinke Furthermore vniust Iudges such as Iustifie the wicked for reward and condemne the innocent such as crucifie Christ in his members and let the murtherer and the robber Barabas loose there are by the Prophet Zephaniah called p Zeph. 3.3 Wolues in regard of their cruell