Lam. 2 13. thee for her bruising was incurable her wounds were dolorous there was none to pleade her cause none to apply a plaister there were no medicines nor belpe for her all her Loners had forgotten her and sought her not for the Lord had striken her with a sharpe chastisement and with the wound of an k Ierem. 30.12 13 14. Bern. in Cant. enemie and now it onely remayneth that vnde morbus irrepsit inde remedium intret from whence came the sore from thence should come the salue and it is the Lord that killeth and giueth l Deut. 32.39 life woundeth and maketh whole bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth m 1. Sam. 2.6 vp who according to his promise gaue health vnto her and healed her of her n Iâ—r 30.17 wounds This serueth for our instruction whensoeuer we are deliuered out of any trouble or affliction to impute all the praise to God alone Iehosaphat when the Lord had giuen him a maruelous victorie against his enemies hee returnes to Ierusalem praising God with Viols Harps and Trumpets ascribing vnto the Lord all the glorie o 2. Chron. 20â— 1.6 29. Templum Oraâ—rium thereof Theodosius being told of the wonderfull ouerthrow of the Vsurper Iohn his aduersarie he and all his followers resorted to the Temple where they passed ouer the day with praise and thanksgiuing acknowledging that God by his owne Arme and power had cast downe that Tyrant And Fl. Heraclius being deliuered from Cosroe the King of the Persians Socrat. bist Eccl. lib. 7. cap. 23. and hauing his Kingdome freed from his tyrannie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did in the hight of his triumph at Bizantium openly praise God for his deliuerie and the more to shew his thankfulnesse did cause to be stamped vpon his coyne with his owne Image these words Glorie bee to God in heauen because he hath broken the yron doores and hath deliueâ—â—d the holy Kingdome of Heraclius if then wee bee freed from persecution let vs confesse with Dauid Reusu in Symle is Caes Rom. class 2. that saluation is of the p Psal 3.8 Lord if we be brought from the jawes of death and the gates of the graue let vs say with Ezekiah the Lord was readie to saue q Isai 38.20 mee and if wee bee brought from the deepe of destruction and the very gulfe of hell let vs acknowledge with Iona that mercy and saluation is of the r Ion. 2.9 Lord for the saluation of the righteous is from the Lord and he is their strength in the day of f Psal 37.39 trouble and therefore it is said here that the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion Moreouer here we ought to learne in whom we should put our confidence and on whom wee should rely in time of trouble not in man nor in his strength for cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from t Ier. 17.5 God not in riches nor gold for they cannot saue vs in the day of the Lords anger and wrath they cannot deliuer vs in time of vengeance and u Pro. 18.11 Eccles 5.1 Ezek. 7.19 indignation not in the multitude of alliance and acquaintance for they in time of aduersitie like Dauids familiars will flee from vs and like Iobs friends will forsake vs not in Idols and works of mens hands which haue eyes and see not eares and heare * Psal 115. Quis tam demens qui arbitretur aliquem quod ipse non babet â—are alteri posse Lactâ—lib 1. cap. 15. de fals Relig. not and so cannot helpe vs nor yet in Saints deceased who neither heare nor see vs all these like an Egyptian reede and like a broken staffe will faile vs if we leane vnto them but we must trust in him whose all-seeing eye doth behold our afflictions and whose all-hearing eare is euer open to harken to our lamentations and whose powerfull hand is euer able to helpe vs out of all our tribulations in him we must trust who onely can see the seruitude of his x Exod. 3.7 Israelites in him who can heare the complaint of y Psal 18.6 Dauid in him that can bring Ioseph out of prison Daniel out of the Den and Ieremiah out of the Dungeon in him who can restore sight to blind Bartimeus health to sicke Ezekias limmes to lame Aeneas and life to dead Lazarus yea and blessed are they whose hope is in God and who trust in the Lord that brought againe the captiuitie of Sion Their instrumentall and subordinate deliuerer was Cyrus The instrumentall deliuerer Cyrus of whom though hee bee not named in this place it shall not bee much impertinent to the purpose to speake of some things commended in him and to bee imitated of vs as First Many worthy and commendable parts in Cyrus First his thankfulnesse his worthy acknowledgement of Gods gracious goodnesse towards him in his preferment and promotion for whereas the Lord had giuen into his hands all the Nations of the Earth and had made him as sole Monarch in the East hee did not take the praise thereof to himselfe like Zaneherib bragging of his owne a Isa 36. and 37. chapters strength nor like Nebuchadnezzar boasting of his owne b Dan. 4.27 power but hee acknowledged all to haue proceeded from the God of c Ezâ— 1.2 1. Esd 2.3 heauen a memorable president to bee imitated and thought vpon by all who are beyond their expectation placed vpon the Stage of preferment for promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the d Psal 75.6.7 West but from him who arrayed Ioseph with fine lining and gold e Gen. 41.42 rings Mordecai with the Kings apparell and Crowne f Esth 6.8.11 Royall Daniel with purple and chaines of g Din. 5.29 gold and who brought Saul from seeking his fathers h 1. Sam. 9. Asses and Dauid from the i Psal 78.71 sheep-cote to hold the Scepter and weare the Crownes of Princes for thus shall it bee done to the man whom the King the King of Kings will honour Secondly Secondly his obedience to perform Gods will his mindfulnesse of Gods Precepts whereby it was foretold many yeeres before that Ierusalem and the Temple should bee reedified and repayred by him and withall his willingnesse and obedience to performe the same for first by publike Proclamation hee giues the Iewes libertie to returne to raise the walls of the Citie and to reare the Temple k 2. Câ—ro 36.23 〈◊〉 â— againe and besides he restores all the Vessels of gold and siluer to the number of fiue thousand and foure hundred to Zerubabel the Prince of ludah which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple A commendable patterne to be followed of all Peeres and higher powers they ought not with Manasses to pollute the House of l 2. Chron. 33. God with Shishake
Oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes to free vs from the Graue and Hell As Cyrus was the Lords c Isa 44.28 Shepheard to bring his sheep out of the mouth of Daniels d Dan. 7.4 Lion the King of Babylon so Christ was the chiefe Shepheard and Bishop of our e 1. Pet. 2.25 soules to bring vs out of the jawes of the deuill who goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may f 1. Pet. 5.8 deuour As Cyrus releeued the poore and impotent with siluer gold and g Ezra 1. substance so Christ ascending on high gaue gifts vnto men for to euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of h Ephes 4.7 8. Christ. As by Cyrus the Temple was replenished and beautified againe with vessels of gold and siluer so through Christ the Temple was purged from Pharisaicall i Luke 19. leauen and the Church beautified againe with the pure and vndefiled Word And as by Cyrus the Lord deliuered the Iewes after Ieremiahs threescore and ten yeeres were expired euen so when Daniels threescore and ten weeks foure hundred and ninetie yeeres were k Dan. 9.24 fulfilled euen in the fulnesse of time God sent his Sonne borne of a woman and made vnder the Law to redeeme vs which were vnder the l Gal. 4.4 Law at what time the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion Sion was a Mountayne by Ierusalem The partie deliuered Sion so famous amongst all the Mountaynes of Iudaea that not onely the Iewes Ierusalem nay nor yet the whole Kingdome of Iudaea but euen the whole vniuersall Church consisting both of Iewes and Gentiles are comprehended vnder that name for Mount sion lying Northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole Earth and Citie of the m Psal 48.2 great King but in this place it is taken for the remnant of the Iewes that were permitted to returne from Babylon to Ierusalem from Chaldaea to Iudaea according as it was shewed to Ieremiah in a vision wherein he saw two baskets of Figs the one exceeding good the other exceeding n Ier. 24. euill by which was signified that the prophane and rebellious amongst the people should be destroyed with the sword famine and pestilence but vpon part of the people God would set his eyes for good build them and not destroy them plant them and not roote them out One part of Ezekiels haires were cut with a knife another burnt with fire the third scattered in the wind but a few in number were bound vp in his o Ezek. 8.1 to the end lap The Prophet saw sixe men euery one hauing a weapon readie to destroy and yet they that mourned were markt in their p Ezek. 9. foreheads By these figuratiue comparisons wee may see that it is the godly who are but few in number compared to the wicked that mourne and grieue for their sinnes to whom properly belongs the tender mercy and free loue of God it is Mount Sion the Lords Church and Children whom hee tenders as the apple of his eye whom hee couers vnder his wings whose mouth hee filleth with good things whose dayes hee renewes like the Eagles whose life hee redeemeth from the graue and whose soule hee freeth from corruption But thou wilt say Quest. were there none else but the Elect of God onely set at libertie and freed from this captiuitie Yea truely Answ Animalia mitia immitia For I know that in Noahs Arke there was the Lion and the Lambe blessed Shem and cursed Cham who were together deliuered from the Deluge representing the visible Church wherein many wicked as well as the godly are freed from corporall troubles and doe frequently participate of temporall blessings as here no question but many of the vngodly as well as the Saints of God did receiue the benefit of this deliuerance but they haue no part in our Redemption they doe not participate of Sions saluation for Cham may bee in the Arke with Shem and yet be accursed and Iudas may be in the ship with Peter and yet bee damned and herein doth their deliuerance differ from our Redemption A difference betwixt their Deliuerance and our Redemption although the one was a type of the other For their deliuerance by Cyrus out of Babylon was common to the vngodly with the godly but our Redemption from hell through Christ is proper and peculiar to the Elect onely Let not vs therefore from this their deliuerance conclude a generall Redemption like the Origenists who hold an vniuersall saluation of Men and Deuils God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe q Rom. 11.32 that he might haue mercy on all this and such like Texts they wrest and misse-construe but we must know that this word is sometimes taken vniuersally for all mankind as in that place In Adam all die sometimes more strictly for some viz. the Elect onely as in the words following r 1. Col. 15.22 In Christ all shall be made aline sometimes indefinitely as in that place All held Iohn as a f Matth. 21.26 Non de singulis generum sed de generibus singulorum Prophet that is many for all neither saw nor acknowledged nor beleeued Iohn I thousands neuer heard of him Lastly Augustine himselfe who for a time was much blemished with this error but after espying the danger thereof hee mightily confutes this erronious opinion and wisely answeres such fond obiections This All saith he must be vnderstood not of euery man but of men of euery sort the Gentile as well as the Iew the poore as well as the rich contra for there is no difference betwixt the Iew and the Grecian for he that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him and whosoeuer shall call upon the name of the Lord shall t Rom. 10.12 13. Reade the second Chapter to the Romans Quest Answ The Church compared to Mount Sion both for the situation and signification of Sion First for situation in foure respects 1. Sion a Hill of great heighth be saued Now why is the Church compared to Mount Sion First for the situation and secondly for the signification of it as for the situation of it one saith that it was a Hill magnae altitudinis fortitudinis plenitudinis pulchritudinis of great height strength fruitfulnesse and pleasure First a Hill of great heighth and sublimitie whereon the Temple of Salomon was built and not below in a Valley Noahs Arke did rest on the Mountayne u Gen. 8.4 of Ararat the figure of the Tabernacle was first shewed vpon Mount * Heb. 8.5 Moriah the Law was giuen vpon Mount x Exod. 20. Sinai and Salomons Temple was built vpon Mount Sion all teaching vs where our conuersation should be ☞ not here below in this theeuish Caue of Cacus in this hellish Den of Cerberus in this wofull Valley of Teares and in this
minde doe dreame of things they would faine haue or to such as are of a sanguine complection and so naturally and vsually dreame of ioyfull and pleasant things If we follow the former exposition wee may expound the words to their commendation 1. Acception of the wordes that they did so vehemently long after and so earnestly desire their deliuerance that sleeping and waking it runne in their mindes that as waking they wisht it so dreaming they desired it Looke how the minde of Man in the day is exercised so commonly his braine and his phantasie in the night is busied The Louer dreames of loue the Couetous of siluer the Luxurious of lust the Gamester of his sport and the Souldier of his fights because in the day time their thoughts are occupied there with as it is in the prouerbe The hungrie Dog dreames that he is eating Canis panes somnias So it seemes here that the Iewes hauing their thoughts daily imployed about their deliuerance they could not choose but dreame of it nightly By the precurrent signes of the day of Iudgement which for the most part are alreadie fulfilled wee may coniecture nay we may assure our selues of the nearnesse and propinquitie of Christs comming for our redemption but which of vs with Daniel are casting vp the m Dan. 9.2 Times or with old Simeon are alwayes wayting for the consolation of * Luke 2.25 Israel We all liue in securitie and neuer minde the Day of the Lord but many of vs prophanely as the Apostle saith iest at his comming saying Where is the promise of his n 2. Pet. 3.4 comming And as the Prophet saith wee put farre away the euill day and approach to the seate of o Amos 6.3 iniquitie We neuer dreame of a Iudgement we neuer thinke that we must giue an account before the Tribunall of that Iudge that was iudged for vs. We neuer remember that we must all receiue according to our * Ier. 22.9 Psal 62.12 Iob 34.11 Pro. 24.12 Ezek. 33.20 Matth. 16.27 Rom. 2.6 2. Cor. 5.10 1. Pet. 1.17 Reuel 22.12 workes We neuer call to mind how the wicked must goe into eternall fire and how the godly shall be receiued into life euerlasting And with the Iewes we neuer thinke vpon our last p Lam. 1.9 end Wee liue in safetie wee sleepe in securitie like the old World in Noahs time and like Sodome in the dayes of Lot the one liuing in securitie and the other lulled in sensualitie till both were destroyed the one with fire and the other with the deluge but if wee would either giue care vnto the exhortation of Christ who pointing out the signes that should preceed his comming bids vs when these things come to passe lift vp our heads q Luke 21.28 for our Redemption draweth nigh or if we would consider that his comming shall be sudden like a lightning in the East shining vnto the r Matth. 24.27 West and vnexpected like a Thiefe in the f 1. Thess 5.2 night How the time is so neare and the houre vncertayne mee thinks it should rowse and raise vs out of our dead sleepe of securitie and make vs monethly daily and hourely wake watch and wait for the Day of Christs reuelation and our redemption and blessed is that man whom the Sonne of Man shall find so doing at his t Matth. 24.46 comming and happy is hee that after this kind is like vnto them that dreame If we referre the people at this their vnexpected deliuerance The second acception of the wordes to such men as are of a sanguine complexion and so vsually in their sleepe dreame of pleasant and ioyfull things which they thinke they haue when they haue them not The meaning of the Psalmist must be this that their deliuerance was so great and wonderfull that when they first heard the first report thereof they gaue little credit thereunto and valued it like a dreame and as men in a sweet sleepe are deluded with a vaine hope of a vanishing dreame so they thought they had beene deceiued with an vntrue report of a true deliuerance Here wee may obserue The Saints incredulitie that God doth often send succour and deliuerance to the godly in the time of their afflictions Eâ—senon liberari sed somnium vidisse putant Musculus distresse and aduersitie that many times they themselues doe doubt of the truth thereof and thinke that in very deed they are not deliuered but rather that they haue dreamed Peter being imprisoned by Herod when he was deliuered by an Angell for all the light that did shine in the prison though the Angell smote him on the side and raysed him vp though he caused the chaines to fall off his hands though he spake to him three seuerall times Surge cinge circunda arise quickly gird thy selfe and cast thy garment about thee though hee conducted him safely by the watches and though he caused the yron gates to open willingly yet for all this hee was like vnto them that dreame For hee knew not that it was true that was done by the Angell but thought that hee had seene a u Acts 12.6 7 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrâ—shom 65. in Gen. vision When old Iacob was told of his sonnes that his sonne Ioseph was aliue his heart fayled and hee beleeued them not but when he had heard all that Ioseph had said and when hee saw the Charets that Ioseph had sent then as it were raysed from a sleepe and awakened from a dreame his spirit reniued and reioycing he cryeth out I haue enough Ioseph my sonne is yet * Gen. 45.28 Debi'a um est cor cius non credidit somnium vel sabulam duxit quia praconcepta opinio de Iosephi more nimis tenaciter inbâ—sit Parcus in Gen. ca. 45. aliue Lorinus seemes to excuse this their distrust because they were so ouer-rauished with ioy that they misse-doubted the true cause of their ioy like the Apostles who hauing Christ after his Resurrection standing before them they were so exceedingly ioyed that reioycing they wondred and x Luke 24 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubted and like the two Maries when the Angell told them of our Sauiour Christs Resurrection they returned from the Sepulcher reioycing and yet withall feating It may be they feared the truth of so glad newes and doubted lest they were deceiued by some y Matth. 28.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Somniantes nobis videmur ra admiratione quasi nonverè istâ— agantur sunt enim maiora capiu nostro postquam omnia erant desperata Pomeran apparition Thus as Liuius reports when the Grecians being vanquished by the Romanes hearing that their libertie was granted vnto them by the Romanes they did reioyce excessiuely but yet beleeued it not fully and looking one vpon another wondring at this vnlooked for freedome they suspected themselues to be but deluded with a vaine hope with an idle dreame
glad for the Spirituall blessings then for any temporall benefits wee receiued by the like deliuerance Many were the blessings the Lord conferred vpon vs when hee deliuered vs from that tragicall Conspiracie but these were the principall the Church was not subuerted our gracious Prince the Churches Head vnder Christ and his royall Progenie was not destroyed nor the light of the Gospell extinguished And these should giue vs iust occasion to reioyce First with the Iewes Wee must preferre Ierusalem to our y Psal 137. chiefe ioy Then with Mephibosheth wee ought to preferre our Masters safetie reioycing that our Lord the King is come home in peace And thirdly Heere with the Iewes z 2. Sâ—â— 19.30 wee should make great ioy that wee haue the Law and the Leuites still amongst vs. Thus must we reioyce after this sort must wee exercise our selues at all such times but not giue our selues wholly ouer to delicacie and Musicke as the Israelites did in Amos a Amos 6.4 5 6 time nor yet spend the day in drunkennesse and wantonnesse as the Iewes did in Isaiahs b Is 5.11.12 time For they had the violl harpe timbrell pipe and wine in their feasts but they regarded not the worke of the Lord neither considered the operation of his hands But may wee not at such time vse lawfull sports Quest and exercise our selues in honest recreations Yea For first these pleasures of the bodie and mind which are of good report are indifferent if modestly vsed Answ Secondly honest exercise doth much relieue the debilitie of nature and doth quicken the dull spirits which else would be depressed and ouerladen with immoderate labour Yet in the vse of these lawfull pleasures some cautions must be obserued First they must be iust and lawfull ☜ Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are worthie loue whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are of good report of there bee any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on c Phil. 4.8 these things sayth the Apostle Secondly wee must take heed weâ— offend not thereby our weake d 1. Cor. 8. brother though in themselues they be f Rom. 14.15 21. indifferent yet must wee abstaine from the vse of things indifferent if they giue any offence to the weake Thirdly lawfull recreations must bee at seasonable times Vpon the Sabbath we must not doe our owne will it is the Lords day and wee must consecrate it as glorious to the Lord in honoring him not doing our owne wayes nor seeking our owne will nor speaking a vaine g Is 58.13 word Lastly wee must not exceede but wee must keepe a moderation in the vsing of these lawfull pleasures for he that reioyceth must bee as though he reioyced h 1. Cor. 7.30 not Wee must vse them as Ionathan tasted the honie onely for his necessarie i 1. Sam. 14.27 refreshment and as Timothie was to drinke wine onely a little to preserue his health and to relieue the debilitie k 1. Tim. 5.23 of nature and like Gideons Souldiers wee must onely but lap with the l Iudges 7.6 tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not drinke a full draught of them otherwise wee prooue our selues to be of the number of those who are called louers of pleasure more then louers of m 2. Tim. 3.4 God Now if wee obserue the words some what narrowly it must not be omitted Facti sumus laetantes non laetati sumus Quisacit beneficium facit gaud um qui â—os libâ—râ—t cosdem laetisicat Hugo Card. in locum that the vulgar Latine hath it Wee were made glad and not wee reioyced Because as Hugo sayth Hee that bestowes the blessing giues also grace to reioyce in the blessing and hee that deliuers vs doth also cause vs reioyce in our deliuerie From whence wee gather that God is the onely Author of all true ioy and he alone doth comfort vs after all our troubles It is he that changeth our griefe into gladnesse our mourning into mirth and that wipes away all teares from our eyes and crownes vs with euerlasting ioy which no man can take from vs. And therefore Dauid being troubled in soule and grieued in mind prayes thus vnto the Lord Make mee to beare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce But thou wilt now aske mee Quest. how thou mayest know that ioy that comes from the Lord from all other ioy I answere First Answ by the antecedent signes as first true humiliation for as God giueth grace to none but to the lowly so hee giueth ioy to none but to the humble and as darkenesse was before light so there must be first true contrition and then will follow true consolation Secondly it proceeds from a liuely hope for wee reioyce vnder n â—om 12.12 hope as the hope that Abraham had of Christs Incarnation caused him exceedingly to reioyce for mans saluation Againe it is knowen by the concomitants as first righteousnesse of life For the kingdome of God is not in meat and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy o Rom. 14.17 Ghost Then it is alwaies accompanied with these two associats First A holy feare serue the Lord in feare sayth Dauid and reioyce before him with p Psal 2.11 trembling Secondly A quiet conscience and so the Apostle Paul reioyced for the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse hee had his conuersation in the q 2. Cor. 1.12 world Thirdly it may be knowne by the consequents or effects First Patience in aduersitie Wee reioyce sayth Paul in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth r 2. Cor. 6.10 Rom. 5.3 patience Secondly it causeth vs to vilipend and vnder-value all other ioy God forbid sayth the Apostle that I should glorie or reioyce in any thing but in the Crosse of Christ. Now if the Lord hath giuen thee grace to bee truely humbled for thy sinnes and hath giuen thee a liuely hope in the death of his Sonne and withall hath endued thee with a holy feare if thy conscience bee at peace with God if thou be patient in aduersitie and if you contemne all earthly and worldly ioy and yet inwardly thou art glad and ioyfull assure thy selse that that ioy that gladnesse proceeds of the Lord and all such may say here with the faithfull wee are made glad To conclude Lorinus sayth Wee are comforted or made glad as hauing forgotten their former troubles Quasi â—â—iorum obliti maâ—rum Lorin in locum so that the Iewes being now as it were rauished with their present felicitie and jocunditie Magnificauit magnificauit non â—emâ—è conâ—â—â—â—ur hâ—c duplicatin sed vâ— osteâ—deret magnam quam coeperunt Letitiam Chrysan locum they altogether forget their former woe and miserie Certainely they were greatly ioyed and great was
strew the gates of Sichem with salt burne vp the Citie of Aâ— for blessed is hee that rewardeth Babylon as shee hath serued vs yea blessed shall hee bee that dasheth her children against the stones and assure your selues that as the Lord hath decreed so in his owne time he will bring againe the captiuitie of Sion Captiuitie is twofold Corporall of the body and that either imprisonment as Ioseph in Pharaohs chiefe Stewards e Gen. 40.3 house and Ieremie in the house of f Ier. 37.15 Ionathan the Scribe or else seruitude and subiection that one Nation is to another as Israel to Egypt and Iudah to Babylon Captiuitie Spirituall of the Soule is either of the regenerate through the corruption of nature for there is a Law in our members rebelling against the Law of our minds and leades vs captiue to the Law of g Rom. 7.23 sinne or of the reprobate whose hearts are hardned in their wickednesse for be that committeth sinne is the seruant of h Ioh. 8.34 sinne and of whom a man is ouercome of the same hee is brought in i 1. Pet. 2.19 bondage now the latter of these is the cause of the former as the Prophet saith The Lord afflicted Iudah for the multitude of her transgressions and her children are gone into captiuitie before the k Lam. 1. enemie Now in the bringing againe of Sions captiuitie wee must first obserue the manner and then the time The Time is noted out in the particle When The manner of their deliuerance the Manner is here not mentioned but it was thus first The Lord inabled Cyrus to subdue their Enemie and then put it into his heart to set them at libertie and hence wee might gather for our consolation that God will not onely free his Church and Children out of all their troubles but also ouerthrow all their Oppressors and Disturbers for as a Father burnes the rod when he hath chastised his child euen so deales God with the wicked whom he vseth as a rod to correct his Children in his indignation hee burnes them and in his fiery wrath he consumes them But is it not iniustice in God Quest first to put his people into the hands of the Heathen and after to punish the Heathen for their cause No Answ because the vngodly whensoeuer the Lord doth glue his people ouer into their hands they oppresse and vexe them without all measure or meane iniustice Summum ius summa iniuria crudeles vocabo quicum puniendi causam habent modum non habent Sen. de Clem. ad Ner. Now wee know that the strictest Law proues greatest wrong and Seneca calls all such cruell who hauing cause to punish yet haue no measure in punishment this crueltie kindled the Lords wrath against the Chaldaeans I am iealous saith the Lord of Hosts ouer Ierusalem and Sion with a great zeale and am greatly angrie against the carelesse Heathen for I was angrie but a little and they helped forward the l Zath 1.14 15. affliction Againe Answ 2. I st us est iniustuÌ„ euadere iuste quam iustum punire iniuste Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked are not content to exercise this crueltie vpon delinquents and offenders but besides they dare lay violent hands vpon the Lords seruants whereas it agrees better with equitie to let the guiltie goe as innocent then to punish the innocent wrongfully yea and is is better faith one vniustly to absolue then wrongfully to condemne and why The one is an offence and iniquitie and the other wickednesse and impietie Now the Babylonians kild the Prophets and murthered the Preachers of the Lord hanged vp their Princes dishonoured their Elders defiled their Matrons and deflowred their m Lam. 5. Virgins and villainously abused them without all distinction of sexe or exception of n 1. Esd 1.53 54. 2. Chron. 36.17 persons this inhumanitie added vnto their former crueltie did whet the Lords anger and did prouoke him to wrath against them as wee may see by his threatning of them by the mouth of his Prophet Sit still saith he and get thee into darknesse O daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more bee called the Lady of the Kingdomes I was wroth with my people I haue polluted mine inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy but thou didst lay a very heauy yoke vpon the Ancient therefore shall euill come vpon thee and thou shalt not know the morning thereof destruction shall come vpon thee which thou shalt not be able to put away destruction shall come vpon thee suddenly ere thou be o Isai 47.5 6. and 11. vers aware Let this teach men to take heed how they vexe or molest Gods Saints for as Dauid slue the Lion and kild the Beare because they medled with his p 1. Sam. 17.34 35. Lambs so shall the Lord smite wound and slay such as deuour his Lambs whom hee tenders as the apple of his eye and as Moses killed the Egyptian because he did contend with an q Exod. 2.11 12. Hebrew euen so the Lord will deale with all that dare enter the lists or contend with his Seruants for it is a righteous thing with him to recompence tribulation to them that trouble r 2. Thess 1.6 Insta malis haec admisso pro crimine pâ—ena est Si que fâ—cerunt eadem patiantur ipsi them and therefore he will assuredly require the blood of Abel at the hands of Cain he will be auenged on the Egyptians for oppressing his Israelites and he will repay double the crueltie of the Chaldeans when the Lord brings againe the captiuitie of Sion The time of their deliuerance is noted out in this particle The time of their deliuerance Ier. 25.11 Dan. 9.2 When and that was not before the threescore and ten yeares foreprophesied by Ieremiah were expired But why did the Lord suffer his people to continue so long in captiuitie The reason is because they abhorred the Lawes of God they despised his Ordinances Quest. Answ they did violate his Couenant and they did not keepe his Sabbaths and therefore the Lord dealt with them according to his Word if thou wilt not obay mee nor keepe all these Commandements I will scatter you among the Heathen and I will draw out a sword after you and your Land shall be waste and your Cities shall bee desolate then shall the Land enjoy her Sabbaths as long as it lyeth Å¿ Leuit. 26.33 34. waste Where wee see that they continued thus long in captiuitie First because of their sinnes Secondly that the Lords Word might bee verified and his Threatnings accomplished Thirdly that the Land might rest and enioy her Sabbaths now the Land had fulfilled ten Sabbaths in these threescore and ten yeeres Further Answ 2. Daniel alludeth his three score and ten weeks vnto these threescore and ten yeeres as they were threescore
and ten yeeres in captiuitie before they were deliuered so it should be but seuentie seuens foure hundred and ninetie yeeres till our Redemption should be wrought by Christ by his death to abolish sinne bring in iustice demolish iniquitie performe euery vision and prophesie t Dan. 9.24 and to anoint the most Holy The obseruation which I gather from this place is as Salomon saith That to all things there is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose under the heauen a time to bee borne and a time to die a time to seeke and a time to lose a time to reape and a time to sow a time of warre and a time of u Eccles 3.1 2. peace a time of bondage and a time of freedome a time of captiuitie and a time of libertie there is a time of foure hundred yeeres for Israel to bee in Egypt a time of twentie yeeres for Iacob to be with Laban a time of two yeeres for Ioseph to be in prison and a time of threescore and ten yeeres for Iudah to be in Babylon yet when these Times are expired Israel shall come out of Egypt Iacob shall part with Laban Ioseph shall bee brought out of prison and Iudah out of Babylon This should teach vs to rest contented in abiding the Lords leasure and not presumptuously to appoint him as it were a time to free vs out of affliction wee must refer that to him for when I see conuenient time saith the Lord I will iudge * Psal 75.2 righteously Daniel was patient vntill he vnderstood that the three score and ten yeeres were accomplished and then in all true humilitie he powred out his Prayers and Supplications to the Lord for their inlargement so let vs in time of affliction call vpon God Non est Deus temporibus alligatus sed pro l berrimâ— sua voluntate edit opera sua quando ipsi placilum est Polanus in Dan. cap. 9. to be out Deliuerer and yet in the interim rest contented and wait patiently for the time appointed of God for we see that Christ our Mediator will interceed for vs in x Zach. 1.12 due time and God will both heare vs in an acceptable time and helpe vs in a day of y Isai 49.8 saluation Againe seeing they were not deliuered before these three score and ten yeeres were expired it puts vs in mind that so long as wee are in this body wee are as it were in captiuitie for here we haue no case for we are borne to labour wee haue no rest for our life is a warfare Per septuagintâ— annâ—s in quibus fily Israel captiuitatem sustinuerùnt significatur tempus poenitentiae viz. vila nostia in qua Dominus numerat dies quomodo expendimus tempus Hug. Card. in Psal 90. wee haue no home for we are but sojourners wee may looke for no rest for the Deuill doth maligne vs and wee are sure to haue no peace for the world doth malice vs but when the yeeres of this seruile thraldome are accomplished we shall be freed from the world purged from sinne and deliuered from Satan and yet this is not till the consummation of our life and the houre of our death For the time of our life is three score yeeres and ten Psal 90. vers 10. One question further may here bee demanded Quest. when these three score and ten yeeres did begin and when they did end They did neither begin in the yeere of the World 3364. Answ but before Christ 606. nor ended in the yeere of our creation 3434. before the natiuitie 536. as some haue coniectured for this their opinion will not agree with Daniels three score and ten weeks 490 yeeres for they will differ sixe and fortie yeeres nor yet are they to bee numbred from the beginning of Iehoiakims reigne as others haue thought for then there should bee more then three score and ten which is not to bee warranted nor yet are they to bee reckoned from Ieconiahs carrying away for then there should be seuen short which is not to be allowed but wee must begin our account at the carrying away of Daniel and other Nobles which was in the first yeere of Nebuchadnezzars reigne the fourth yeere of Iehoiakims reigne and seuen yeeres before the carrying away of Ieconiahs and these yeeres were ended the first yeere that Cyrus wonne * See Dan. 1. Ier. 25. Matth. 1.11 2. Chron. 36.9 2. King 24.12 and 25.27 Ezra 1.1 Sequatur quisque bac in parte quod videbitur vero maxime consen aneuâ—n nan vt illa tempora suerunt turbulentissima ita temp rum suppucatio satis est impexa Bullingerus in Dan. homil 1. cap. 1. Babylon Here wee might obserue how truely the Lord obserueth his promise made vnto his Children When the foure hundred and ninetie yeeres of Israels being in Egypt was expired euen the selfe same day departed all the Hosts of the Lord out of z Exod. 12.41 Gal. 3.17 Egypt in the same time that he promised Abraham a sonne Sarah conceaued and bare Isaak at the same season that God told a Gen. 18.10 and 21.2 Rom. 9.9 The Iewes deliuerance and our redemption compared together Facâ—is discensus Auerni sed reuocare gradum su crasque euadere ad anâ—â—is hoc oâ—us hic labor est See Col. 1. Heb. 10. Rom. 5.2 Cor. 5.1 Cor. 15.2 Tim 1. Ephes 1. Col. 3. Abraham And hereafter the three score and ten yeeres are fulfilled bee brings the Iewes out of Babylon and brings againe the captiuitie of Sion But now before wee proceed let vs compare their Deliuerance with our Redemption First as they of themselues were not able to free themselues from the bondage of the Chaldeans and therefore the Lord sent Cyrus to be their Deliuerer so man of himselfe had power to taste malum malum that cursed apple which like the apple of Sodom was pleasing to the eye but poyson to the tooth and so falling mad himselfe and all his posteritie seruants to Sinne and slaues to Satan but of himselfe was vnable to recouer his fall and free himselfe and vs from that slauerie yet the loue of God toward Man was such that he sent his owne Sonne coequall and coeternall with himselfe who payed the price of our Redemption and deliuered vs from the Deuils seruile thraldome for Man hauing once offended God could not againe haue pacified his wrath satisfied his iustice made recompence for the offence nor reconcild vs to his fauour and therefore Christ our Redeemer hath cancelled the Hand-writing that was against vs vanquished death ouercome hell ouerthrowne sinne and subdued Satan he hath triumphed ouer all our Enemies ascended on high and led captiuitie captiue and like a victorious Conqueror hath entred into heauen in our behalfe and purchased for vs the hope of a better Inheritance that as Cyrus was the Lords anointed to bring his people out of b Isa 45.1 Babel so Christ was anointed with the
fearefull Field of Blood but as the Apostle saith Aboue in Heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour y Phil. 3.20 the Lord Iesus Christ. Secondly ☞ shee is compared to Sion to shew vs that as a Citie that is built vpon a Hill z Match 5.14 cannot bee hid so shee and her members should not alwayes lurke in obscuritie nor lye hid through aduersitie the Arke must not euer be kept close in the House of Obededom Moses Basket must not alwayes bee shrowded among the Bull-rushes the Prophets cannot bee continually hid in the Caue of Obadia nor Eliah lurke still in a Caue on Mount Horeb no for it shall bee in the last dayes that the Mountayne of the House of God shall be prepared on the top of the Mountaynes and shall be exalted aboue the Hills and all Nations shall flow vnto it and many people shall say come let vs goe vp to the Mountayne of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes c Isai 2.2 3. and we will walke in his paths Againe 2. Sion a Hill of great strength Sion was a Hill of great strength and securitie so the Church of God is so firmely and steadfastly grounded that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it shee is that House of wisedome ☞ surely seated vpon seuen g Pro. 9.1 Pillars she is that goodly edifice built vpon a Rocke against which though the winds blow the floods flow and the raine beate yet can shee not be moued for the Rocke whereon shee stands is Christ how is both the ground-stone that doth vphold and the corner stone that doth conioyne the whole * Matth. 21.42 Psal 118.22 Isa 28.16 Acts 4.11 Rom. 9.33 1. Pet. 2.6 7. building so that neither the assaults of Satan nor the attempts of man can ouerthrow the least stone thereof For all that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remayneth for h Psal 125.1 euer Thirdly Mount Sion was not barren through coldnesse 3. Sion a Hill very fruitfull like the Hill Caucasus nor through heate like the Hill Vesuvius it is not cursed like the Mountaynes of Gilboah nor polluted with corruption like Golgatha but it is watered with dew from heauen like Hermon moystned with the siluer Streames like the Springs of Lebanon and stored with all fruitfull Plants like Mount Ephraim where by wee are taught ☜ that the Church is replenished with all spirituall blessings and heauenly graces shee is that Mountayne whereon the Lord doth feast all people with fined wines and fat things shee is that House of wisedome wherein the Lord hath killed his victuals drawne his wine and prepared a Table for his ghests shee is that Orchard replenished with all sweet fruits as Camphyre and Saffron Calamus and Cinamon here are the waters of Life to quensh our thirst here is the bread of Life to stay our hunger here is the precious balme of Gilead the costly oyle of Oliuet to soften our wounds and to cure our sores here is hony to comfort vs milke to nourish vs and wine to cheare our hearts and in a word the Lord will satisfie vs with the fatnesse of his House and will giue vs drinke out of the Riuers of his pleasures for with him is the Well of Life and in his Light shall we see light Lastly Mount Sion aboue all the Mountaynes of Iudaea was most beautifull and seemely 4. Sion a Hill most beautiful the situation of it being delectable and amiable For Mount Sion lying northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole Earth and Câ—tie of the great King whereby mystically was expressed the beautie of the Church the Arke of the Couenant was ouer-layed within and without with gold and all things in Salomons Temple were couered with gold ☞ pointing out the glorie and the beautie of the mysticall Temple the House of Christ the Hill of Holinesse and the Tabernacle of the most High wherein must enter no deformed Thersites no base Abimelek no crooked Vulcan no lame Mephibosheth no couetous Croesus no vncharitable Diues no lasciuious Lamea no gadding Dinah and no wanton Dalilah but such as with Esther are purified and cleane such as leaue their sinnes as the Woman did her pitcher such as forgoe their iniquitie as the Apostles did their Nets such as throw their errors away as blind Bartymeus did his cloke euen such like and none else The Church called Sion in regard of the signification must stay on this holy Mountayne for none shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle nor rest on his holy Mountayne but such as walke vprightly and worke righteousnesse Now 1. Heape tumulus acer nus as for the signification of the word Sion first it is translated a heape and that doth shew vs first that the Church is a company ☞ called and collected from all the corners of the Earth to be one body in z Rom. 12.5 Christ the Iewes aboue all the Nations in the world were chosento bee a precious people to God â— Deut. 7. yet the inuisible Church was not limited within such narrow bounds for euen among the Heathen God had his throughout all Ages he called Rachab out of Iericho Ruth from Moab and he had Iob in the Land of Vz and now the partition wall is broken downe there is but one Sheepherd and one sheep-fold There is neither Iew nor Grecian bond nor free male nor female but all are one in c Gal. 3.28 Christ Iesus Againe ☞ the Church being compared to a heape conioynd and gathered together doth shew vs what vnitie and amitie what peace and tranquillitie there should be within her walls Shee should be like Ierusalem all within her selfe at vnion and not like the Tower of Babel full of confusion like Christs Coat all of one peece and not like Ieroboams coat cut into twelue peeces teaching vs that there ought to be no contention no diuision no confusion no dissention amongst her members but we should all be of one soule and one minde keeping the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of * Ephes 4.3 2. A Glasse Speculum Speâ—ulatio peace Moreouer Sion signifieth as much as a Glasse or Speculation because the Law which serues for a looking glasse wherein a man may behold his naturall f Iam. 1.23 face ☜ and whereby he may come to know himselfe and his corrupt nature was first there to be read there to be had and there to be vnderstood For the Law came foorth of Sion and the word of the Lord from g Isa 2.3 Ierusalem The Women brought their looking glasses and offered them to the vse of the h Exod. 38.8 Tabernacle teaching vs that if we would apparantly perceiue the leprous spots of our vgly sinnes to repaire to the Tabernacle to Mount Sion where the Law
heart but it must bee expressed with the tongue Dauid being in great perplexitie resolued to be silent Ex trisâ—tia cordis sequitur trisâ—â—tia oris Greg. and to rule his tongue as it were with a bridle but being ouercharged with griese out of the bitternesse of his soule his tongue burst out O Lord let mee know how long I haue to liue let mee know mine end and the number of my dayes for thou hast made them as it were a span long and mine age is nothing in respect of thee and euery man liuing is altogether y Psal 39. 3. to 7. vanuie Whereas elsewhere being deliuered from great danger and therewith greatly ioyed his tongue explaines what ioy his heart containes Thou hast turned sayth hee my mourning into ioy thou hast loosed my sacke and girded mee with gladnesse therefore shall my tongue praise thee and not cease O Lord my God I will giue praise vnto thee for z Psa 30.11 72. euer The Iewes when they sate by the riuers of Babel weeping in great anguish and sorrow of heart their fingers would not frame to strike vpon their sweet sounding instruments their a Psal 137. Taâ—â—um sait nostrum gaudium vt ipsum caelare corde non potuevinius sed plena etiam facta sunt ex abundantia corâ—s ora nostra gaudio siscanticis linguis nostris laudes confessionis exu'tationâ—â— cecinimus redemptori nostro Fr. Tit. in lotum tongues would not vtter any melodious Psalmes of mirth but all their songs were mournfull Elegies dolefull tunes and wofull lamentations But now being permitted to returne from Babylon home to Ierusalem the virgins reioyce in the dance they shout for ioy among the Gentiles and their mouth is filled with laughter and their tongue c. But what were their Songs and what was the subiect thereof They were Cantica Sionis Songs of Sion Cantica Salutis What kind of songs the godly sung at this deliuerance Songs of Saluation Such songs as they were wont to sing in Sion to the honour and glorie of God Such Songs as they vsed to manifest their thankefulnesse vnto the Lord for their deliuerance and saluation So from hence wee may learne two things First what kinde of songs beseemes and befits the godly Secondly the end of the godlyes songs As for the first they must be such as tend to the honour and glorie of God they must bee Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall b Eph. 5.18 19. Songs Such songs did the sweet Singer of Israel sing Such songs did his sonne Salomon penne And such songs were appointed to the Singers of the Temple to c 2. Chr. 25. sing This is that melodie which wee must make to God in our hearts and these are the songs which we must sing with the spirit and d Col. 1.9 understanding I will not heere bee too prolixe in rebuking the baser sort of people whose delight is only in lasciuious ballets Lasciuious songs are to be auoided and wanton sonnets to satisfie lust and content their carnall appetite only this they are vnlawfull and to be abhord by all regenerate Christians First because they proceed from an vncleane and carnall heart as the efficient cause For as a cleare fountaine doth not send foorth muddie streames or filthie puddle no more can the heart be cleane from whence comes these obscoene and filthie songs Secondly they are to be distasted for the material cause the matter and subiect of them being vaine and carnall Thirdly Vide Zanch. in Eph. 5. they are not to be followed in regard of the formall cause because the forme and composition of them is carnall consisting for the most part of words lasciuious and full of lyes Neither are they to bee embraced but chiefly to be reiected because of the finall cause for it is likewise carnall They tend not to Gods glorie nor to edification but their end is either to flirte vp lust or for gaine or to gaine fauour and as we say to deceiue the Time Now I wish vs all onely to remember that vncleannesse filthinesse and foolish talking ought not once to bee named amongst e Eph. 5.3 â— Christians for euery idle word we must giue account at the day of f Matt. 12.36 37. Iudgement and therefore our tongue must be imployed in spirituall singing The end and scope of the godlies Songs and Psalmes The end of the godlies songs should be to shew their thankfulnesse in praysing and lauding the Lord whensoeuer they are deliuered out of any trouble or haue receiued any blessings or benefit of God as here the Iewes did after the Lord had compassion on them and brought againe the captiuitie of Iacobs Tents and comforted the desolations of Sion and made her desert plentifull like g Isa 51.3 Eden then ioy and gladnesse prayse and the voyce of singing was amongst them and the voyce of the ioyfull and thanksgiuing did proceed h Iâ—r 30.18 19. from them Here then in these words and our tongue with singing First wee see what should bee our practice viz. continually to prayse God for all his mercies loue and kindnesse shewed vnto vs. And next that it is the tongues office to be the instrument to shew forth this prayse As for the first Thankfulnesse first practised it hath euer beene practised of all the faithfull After the peoples deliuerance out of Egypt Moses and Aaron and all the people sung Miriam and the Women played vpon Tymbrels songs of prayse and thanksgiuing vnto the i Exod. 15. Lord. Hannah when the Lord opened her wombe and enlarged her mouth ouer her enemies so that Peninnah could no longer vpbraid her for her barrennesse shee sings a song of prayse to shew her k 1. Sam. 1. and 2. thankfulnesse We find the like in Deborah after the ouerthrow of Sisera of the Israelites at the death of Goliah and of Iudith when shee had slaine Holofernes all their songs should serue for examples to stirre vs vp to thankfulnesse for diuers motiues there bee to mooue vs thereunto First it is commanded Thou shalt call upon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee 2. Commanded and thou shalt glorifie l Psal 50.15 mee Where the Lord promising to deliuer vs out of trouble giues vs a twofold precept first to pray vnto him for it and then after we are deliuered to prayse him 3. Commended Secondly it is commended Noah after his deliuerance from that vniuersall Deluge to shew his thankfulnesse built an Altar and offered an burnt offering therevpon which is so commended that the Lord is said to smell a sauour of m Gen. 8. rest and thereby shewed himselfe appeased and his anger pacified Thirdly the neglect of this ductie is condemned in the old Israelites who to their great ignominic and shame are branded with this blot that they forgate God their Sauiour who had done great things for n
h 2. Cor. 1.12 conscience sayth the Apostle Now the wickeds conscience is euer vexed for euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull so that there is a mixture of dissembled ioy with a desperate griefe Besides to the godly is onely sent the true Comforter Ioh. 16.7 Ioh. 14.16 17. Ioh. 15.26 the holy Ghost I will sayth our Sauiour pray to the Father and hee shall giue you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee know him for hee dwelleth with you and shall be in you Heere then we see that the ioy of the wicked be what it will is in effect no ioy but a counterfeit for Phil. 4.7 Rom. 14.17 there is no peace but the peace of conscience no ioy but the ioy of the holy Ghost no comfort but from the Sonne of consolation Now the wicked they haue not this peace non est pax impijs for there is no peace to the i Is 57 2â— wicked They haue not this ioy because they haue not the holy Ghost and they haue not this comfort because they haue no part in Christ the God of comfort But the godly are said to be anointed with the oyle of ioy Because a ioyfull heart maketh a chearefull countenance and clothed with the garment of k Is 65.3 gladnesse Because inwardly they are clothed with the robes of righteousnesse This ioy was so great and so generall amongst the Saints that as their captiuitie brought vnto them an vniuersall sorrow so their deliuerance brings with it a generall ioy And so the Psalmist doth expresse it whilest hee sayth indefinitely in the person of them all whereof wee reioyce From whence wee note that a common good should worke in vs a common gladnesse A common good should worke in the faithfull a common gladnesse Moses and Myriam did not onely themselues reioyce but the whole congregation with them the men with Moses and the women with Myriam for their deliuerance out of Egypt Mordecas and Esther reioyced not aloneâ— but the whole Church for their deliuerance from Hamans intended massacre For this cause both God hath commanded and the Church haue obserued cerâ—aine dayes set apart whereon they might generally feast reioyce and bee thankefull in remembrance of Gods mercies manifested in their deliuerance from the hands of their enemies As for example the Iewes kept the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar with ioy and feasting and to this day it is a ioyfull day vnto them in remembrance of the before mentioned l Hesâ—â— 9.19 deliuerance And Iudas Maccabeus did institute the Feast of the dedication in remembrance of the purging of the Temple from the prophanations of m 1. Mac. 4. Antiochus a feast which our Sauiour seemed to approoue by his owne n Io. 10.22 23. presence So often as wee consider this it should put vs in mind of the publicke and generall good both the Church and Common-wealth receiued on the fift of Nouember when the Lord by his wonderfull prouidence reuealed the horrible treasons and damnable plots of these Romish Locusts who laboured sought after and attempted the ouerthrow of Prince and Subiect Priest and people and aboue all the extinguishing of the Gospell As there is none of vs no not from Salomon himselfe that sits vpon his throne vnto poore Lazarus that hes at our gates but they haue reapt good and comfort thereby so let there be none of vs that will not obserue this day as holy vnto the Lord. On this day this happie day this blessed fift of Nouember which the Lord turned to vs from sorrow to ioy and from mourning into a ioyfull day The Lord did wonderfull great things for vs whereof we reioyce He subdued those vnder our feet that rose vp against o Ps 18.39 vs. Hee broke the snares and deliuered p Ps 124.7 vs. And whereas the enemie had resolued to shut vp the mouthes of all that praysed God to quench the glorie of his Temple and of his q Esth 14 9. Altar and to open the mouthes of the Heathen to praise their idols The Lord hath shut their r Deut. 18. mouthes and put his Word into the mouthes of his seruants still to speake vnto vs all that hee commands them In all these respects and many moe the Lord hath made vs this day to reioyce ouer our Å¿ 2. Chro. 20. â— 7 enemies For which great blessings let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thankesgiuing and shew our selues glad in him with Psalmes For the Lord is a great God and agreat King aboue all t Ps 95.1 2 3 4. gods Hee hath beene fauourable vnto his owne Land He hath brought againe the captiuitie of Iacob Hee hath forgiuen the iniquitie of his People and couered all their sinner u Psal 84.1 2. Selah O this is the day that the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in x Psaâ— 118.24 it But how shall wee keepe such holy dayes Quest and how shall wee reioyce at such feastiuall times In the eight of Nehemiah wee read Answ that presently after the walls of Ierusalem were finished the people feasted and reioyced but marke what order and decorum they kept First Their zeale was so great to heare the Word of God that they earnestly require Ezra the Scribe to read the Law vnto them Secondly They giue diligent attention vnto him whilest hee is reading Thirdly With all humiliation and reuerence they praise and worship the Lord. Fourthly When they considered their offences against the Law they sorrowed and wept All these they did before they feasted and reioyced ☞ A good president for vs to begin all our feasts with a holy feare and all our festiuals with Diuine worship First Wee must worship fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker for hee is the Lord our God and wee are the sheepe of his pasture and the people of his hands When wee haue done this then with the Iewes Wee may goe eate of the fat and drinke of the sweet so that wee commit no excesse therein either in drunkennesse with Nabal or in gluttonie with Diues and besides in our feasts wee must remember the poore and send part vnto them for whom none is prepared And then after our feasting wee may reioyce and make great ioy Yet our ioy must not bee like the carnall Israelites who sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose vp againe to play But wee must reioyce as Dauid did when hee danced before the Arke And as Myriam did when shee played vpon a Timbrell and sung praises vnto the Lord. Further the people here made great ioy but why because they vnderstood the words that the Leuites had taught them Teaching vs to be much more
Persians Thirdly That nothing in this life is stable and permanent vnlesse the Lord doe preserue and confirme it and from these and such like wee may gather good obseruations for our selues touching our redemption through Christ First That as God appointed his people deliuerance before euer they went into captiuitie so before the fall of man nay before euer man was created God had determined his Sonne should be the Redeemer of Man yea as the Apostle saith before the foundations of the world Againe As they were the first yeare of Cyrus reigne set at libertie and after restrayned by Cambyses his sonne Spiritualis nostra liberatio nunc quidems inchoatur in hac vita sed in resurrectione erit integra consummata Fabr. Haec libertas 〈◊〉 sed non quantum ad nos attinet perfecta quapropter iugiter orandum conuerte c. Pomer in loc Haec liberatio quoad nos imperfecta dum sumus in mortali carne sumus adbuc in Babylone Scult in locum so although by our Sauiour we be redeemed from the tyrannie of Sinne and Satan yet still are we molested by the temptations of the one and polluted with the dregs of the other True it is the price of our redemption is paid and the hand-writing is cancelled but the full consummation of our redemption shall be in the end of the world For as the Apostle saith wee haue receiued the earnest of our Inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased libertie vnto the prayse of Gods l Eph. 1.14 glorie Lastly As they could not maintayne their owne libertie without Gods assistance no more can we being deliuered from any grieuous sinne continue from falling thereinto againe or into the like without the assistance of Gods Spirit For when wee thinke m 1. Cor. 10. our selues to stand fastest we are in danger to fall soonest Thus wee see that in all these respects the Iewes had and we still haue reason to pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie In this prayer I pray you obserue the Matter O Lord bring againe our captiuitie and the Manner as the Riuers in the South In the Matter first wee may note the Psalmists pietie in that he hath recourse to God onely in this time of captiuitie by feruent prayer and then his pittie in that he prayes not for himselfe alone but hauing a fellow-feeling of the Iewes sorrow hee prayeth compassionately for all saying O Lord bring againe OVR captiuitie If I would largely speake of Prayer I might shew you how first there is no time limited and then no place exempted from Prayer I meane from a mans priuate sacrifice and not the publike seruice For that the Temple was the House of n Isai 36.7 Matth. 21.13 Prayer and the ninth houre was the o Act 3.1 houre of prayer but for the other first there is no time limited For the Apostle wills vs to pray p 1. Thâ—s 5.17 continually If in the morning learne of our q Mark 1.35 Sauiour if in the euening of r Gen. 24.63 Isaak if at mid-night of Paul and Å¿ Act. 16.25 Sylas if all the night of t San. 15.11 Samuell learne I say at all times to pray For so our Sauiour bids vs Watch and pray u Luke 21.36 alwayes Againe no place exempted I will saith the Apostle that men pray euery where lifting vp pure x 1. Tim. 2.8 hands If thou bee in thy house learne of y Act. 10.30 Cornelius if in the field of z Gen. 24. Isaak if in the Temple of a 1. King 8.22 Salomon if on the Mount of b Exod. 14. Moses if in the Garden of our c Iob. 18. Sauiour it in thy Chamber of d Dan. 6. Daniel if in thy bed of e Is 38. Ezekiah if on thy Couch of f Psal 6. Dauid Learne I say to pray These and the like generall obseruations I might touch in Prayer but I purpose not to discourse of Prayer common-place-wise and therefore let vs haue recourse vnto the words O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The first thing that offereth it selfe to be considered is the Psalmists Pietie who in this their captiuitie earnestly doth pray vnto the Lord for their deliuerance From whence we leâ—rne that in all our troubles and afflictions we ought to flee to God onely by seruant prayer First I say Oâ— quod 〈…〉 Gâ—â—g in our afflictions because the mouth which is stopt in time of prosperitie is open in time of aduersitie witnesse the Israelites who in their prosperitie and ease forgate God and did not so much as inuocate his Name but when through aduersitie their soule sainted in them then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them out of their distresse Agâ—â—ne I say in trouble we must flee to God For so he hâ—th commanded Thou shalt call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer g Psal 50. thee And the Prophet saith Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was vpon h Is 26.16 them Further we ought to call vpon God alone for hee onely can heare our crie and cure our sore that is he onely can heare vs. In my trouble I called vpon the Lord and complayned vnto my God and hee heard my voyce out of his holy Temple and my complaint entred into his i Psal 18.5 6. eares saith Dauid I haue seene the affliction of my people in Egypt and I haue heard their crie saith the Lord to Moses And as he can only heare vs so he can only releeue vs. For he without all naturall meanes can cure euery disease aboue nature hee can stay the womans running issue and contrarie to nature he can giue sight vnto the blind borne he onely can bring Ionah out of the Whales belly Daniel out of the Den and his seruants out of the firie furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly Oranti subsidium Dâ—â— sacrificium Diabolo flagellum Aug. we must flee to God by Prayer for that is a present helpe to him that prayeth witnesse Ezekiah who in his extreme sicknesse is restored to his former heal â—â—it is a pleasant sacrifice to God for like Noahs sacrifice it smells so sweetly in the Lords Nostrills that it diuerts away his wrath and it is a sharpe scourge vnto the Deuill more fearefull vnto him then Tobias perfume to driue him from vs. Lastly we ought in all our troubles to haue recourse so God by faithfull and feruent Prayer For Faith and Zeale are the supporters of Prayer like Aaron and Hur who vpheld Moses hands whilst hee prayed The ancient Fathers could neuer sufficiently prayse the efficacie of Prayer and therefore Saint Augustine calls it the Key of Heauen and truely so Claâ—em Coeâ—i For by Prayer Elias opened the Heauens when he brought both Fire and Water from thence Fire to burne vp the sacrifice
the godly must sow good workes in this valley of teares and the Iesuites Bellarmine and Lorinus doe nominate Charity and Almes-deeds Indeed the charitable man may bee compared vnto a Sower in many respects First The Sower is diligent and carefull hee will lose no time hee will omit no opportunitie so the Godly in the morning must sow his seed and not let his hand rest in the euening that is he must not like the wretched worldling deferre his charitie till his last gaspe like the hog that is good for nothing till he be dead but whilest it is time wee must doe good a Eccl. 5.6 Gal 6.10 vnto all Secondly A Sower will sow of his best seed so hee must not like Cain offer the worst vnto the b Heb. 11.4 Lord but as Iacobs children carried vnto Ioseph of the best fruits of the c Gen. 43.11 Land so must hee honour the Lord with his riches and with the best fruits of his d Pro. 3.9 encrease Thirdly A sower will sow wisely discreetly obseruiag the nature of the soile whereinto hee will cast his seed so must hee wisely distribute his charitie as the Apostle sayth doing good to all but especially to such as are of the houshold * Dabit paupeâ—i indigenti meliori effectâ— paupert innocenti melâ—orâ— affictu of faith Fourthly As a Sower soweth liberally as the ground requireth so must hee bestow vpon the poore bountifully as hee can spare and the other needeth What his hand is able to giue hee must giue with a chearefull e Eccl. 35.10 eye remembring that hee that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee that soweth liberally shall also reape f 2. Cor. 9.6.7 liberally Now hee that thus soweth shall not bee vnrewarded Shall Abrahams and Lots hospitalitie to strangers Obadiahs care of the Prophets the Centurions loue to the Saints Lines bountie and Iobs benignitie to the poore be forgotten of the Lord No certainely for Hee that gimeth vnto the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which hee hath giuen Let this mooue vs all to put on the bowels of compassion to commiserate the poore estate of our distressed brother Let vs with Cornelius feed him with Doreas cloath him and with the beloued Gaius cherish and relieue him For if wee giue vnto the poore wee shall not want And if wee cast our bread vpon the waters after many dayes wee shall find i Eccl. 11.1 it If we giue vnto the poore wee offer vnto the Lord and therefore as noble Artaxerxes remunerated poore Sinetas for a handfull of cold water so and more bountifully will God reward vs for Whosoeuer shall giue a cup of water for Christs sake shall not want his k Matth. 10.42 Mar. 9.41 The penirent man compared to a sowrr in three respects Quiopera poenitentie faciunt lachrymas compunctionis effundunt c. Dion Carth. in locum Is 28.24 25. reward And whosoeuer shall thus sowe in teares hee shall reape in ioy Others from these words gather that they who sorrow and lament for their sinnes shall haue their sinnes freely pardoned and themselues fully comforted Indeed the humbled sinner may be compared vnto a Sower for these respects First Because as the husband-man first plowes his ground Secondly breaks the clods Thirdly makes it plaine and then sowes his seede So must euery sorrowfull soule that would sowe in teares hee must plow vp the fallow ground of l Icr. 4.4 the heart rend and seauer it in pieces Rent your bearts and not your m Ioel 2.13 garments But this is not enough proscindere to open it vp but withall hee must breake the clods Iudah shall plow and Iacob shall breake his n Hos 10.11 clods Neither is this enough confringere to breake it but also hee must sarrire breake it small and make it plaine as with a harrow Proscindet sarriet humum suam Hee shall breake vp and harrow his ground It is not therefore sufficient to rend the fallow ground of our hearts nor yet to breake it vp vnlesse wee harrow it breake it small and make it plaine for it is a contrite and broken heart that wee must haue truely mortified mollified bruised and beat in pieces if wee would sowe in teares Secondly to euery Sower two things are requisite First hee must weed out all the thistles thornes and bryars or else his ground will be ouergrowen by o Pro. 24.30 31. them So must the faithfull soule pull vp all the thistles and thornes out of his heart hee must roote out all the tares of vice and wickednesse or else hee labours in vaine for they will choke and ouergrow the good feed of repentance so that he cannot sowe in teares Thirdly Raine is requisite to the Sower for the moistning and mollifying of his p Is 30.23 ground that hisseed may prosper and grow so must the drie earth of our hearts be watered with Iobs snow-water from q Iob 9.30 aboue with the raine of righteousnesse with the heauenly dew of Gods Spirit and with waters from below Seminare in laâ—brymis est seminare cum lachrymis Lorin in locum viz. the vufained teares of a sorrowfull soule else our repentance is to no end our hearts are but a little rent and plowed vp like Ababs Pharaohs and Iudas which shall neuer be fertile or fruitfull vnlesse with Dauid and Ezekiah Peter and Marie Magdalen they be truely and duely watered with flouds of teares If wee thus once sow in teares we shall sow vnto our selues in righteousnesse and reape after the measure of r Hos 10.12 mercie Wee shall reape beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of Å¿ Is 61.3 he uinesse I dare not passe ouer this point so slightly and therefore I will obserue first the manifold reasons and occasions the godly haue to sorrow and mourne Secondly how needfull and behoofefull it is for them to sorrow and lament And lastly what profit and gaine they shall reape and gleane in the end thereby The occasions of the godlies sorrow are infinite some sorrow for the present miserie they sustaine whilest they soiourne in this wretched world as Dauid did mourne that he dwelt in Mesech remained in the tents t Ps 120. of Kedar and as Lot whose soule was vexed continually whilest hee was in Sodom some for the delaying and staying of the happinesse they wisht for which made Simeon desire to depart in peace and Paul wish to be dissolued Some for the sinnes they themselues haue committed like Mary Magdalen and the poore Publican some for thetransgressions of their brethren as Daniel and leremiah for the sinnes of Ierusalem some for the paucitie of the godly as Eliah and u Mic. 7.1 2. Michaiah some for the multitude of the wicked as did Dauid for the increase of his foes and some for the oppression
to come No but there is no such matter For woe be vnto them that are at ease in Sion woe be vnto them that are rich for they haue receiued their consolation woe be vnto them that are full for they shall hunger All these haue a Haruest by themselues and a Vintage of their owne when the Angell shall thrust in his sickle and cut them downe and throw them into that vnquenchable flame where they shall bee in torment for euermore And therefore I conclude with the Philosopher there is none more vnhappy then hee that hath not tasted of aduersitie Now let vs see the commoditie that the godly shall reape by their afflictions Whosoeuer soweth in teares shall reape in ioy The issue of their afflictions and the commoditie of their crosse is they shall reape in ioy As the afflictions of the Church were figured out by Noahs Arke by Moses bush c. so by the same was the saluation and safetie of the Church prefigured ☜ Noahs Arke was carried alofton the top of the Flood and not drowned Moses bush burned and was not consumed The Israelites passed through the red Sea and were not ouer whelmed The three Children went vp and downe in the Furnace but were not scorched Daniel was in the Lions den but not deuoured Peters ship was tossed but not ouer-turned Pauls boat was carried to and fro but not ouerthrowne and the Woman was persecuted of the Dragon but not ouercome All these plainly shew that the persecutions Vide Fabritium Laeâ—a cataâ—iâ—oâ— be omnis crux viâ—titâ—r in gaudiâ—â— sicut patet Deut. 32.39 1. Sam. 2.6 Iob 5.18 Esai 30.26 Matth. 5.4 Luk. 6.21 Ioh. 16.20 2. Cor 1.7 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Heb. 12.11 vexations and troubles of the godly are not permanent and perpetuall They shall not succumbe â—or sinke in the Sea of afflictions No they shall once be releeued once released and once eased of all their griefe They shall not alwayes eate of the bread of affliction They shall not euer sup of the bitter pottage They shall not continually drinke of the waters of Marah No the bitter waters shall bee salted and the deadly pottage sweâ—tned the one shall become holsome and the other healthfull Afflictions shall not alwayes be gnawing vpon them like the Vulture on the heart of Prometheus They shall not alwayes be exercised with troubles like Syciphus with the continuall â—olling of a stone nor for euer troubled with tribulation like Ixion with the turning of a wheele The faggot shall once bee taken off Isaakâ— backe and crosse of Simons shoulders and the whip from Pauls loynes and the fetters from Peters limmes For they that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy The Lord delights not in the death of any and therefore hee chastiseth his owne Children but in loue and for a short time till they amend and returne to him For hee vvill not contend vvith them for euer g Is 57.36 neither will he be alwayes wroth Ezekiels Cherubines had the face of a man mild and gentle as well as the visage of a Lion fierce and terrible shewing that hee is as well yea more merçifull to cherish vs then hee is wroth in chastising vs and in the Arke of the couenant was as well a pot of Mannah as Aarons rod. For our comfort that God will as well in mercie nourish vs as in iustice nurture vs. For hee is mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and of great h Eâ—od 34.6 goodnesse who though for a little time hee doe forsaâ—g vs yet with great compassion hee doth gather vs and though for a moment hee hide his face from vs yet with euerlasting mercie hee hath compassion on vs. Moreouer hee doth make a difference betwixt his owne elect and the reprobate the one hee chastiseth in wrath but the other in mercie the ones punishment is eternall but the others temporarie Wee read that before the old magistrates in Rome were carried bundles of rods with an axe Rods for petie delinquents but the axe for proud and incorrigible malefactors So the Lord chastiseth the godly with small twigs but hee bruiseth the vngodly with a rod of yron Hee deliuers the iuct out of temptation and reserues the wicked against the day i 2 Pot 2.9 of iudgement Is not this to our great comfort that wee shall be relieued our losses recompenced our paines released and our troubles rewarded And if wee sowe in teares wee shall reape in ioy But thou wilt say Quendo When shall wee reape The Apostle tells vs that in due time wee shall k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6. reape This life is our seed-time wherein wee must bee continually labouring plowing and sowing For man must eate in sorrow all the dayes of l Gen. 3.17 his life But our haruest is in the life to come for Blessed are they that die in the Lord they rect from their labours and their workes follow m Reu. 14.13 them Then as euery man hath sowen so shall he reape They that haue sowen dickednesse shall reape the n Ioh 4.8 same Hee that hath sowen sedition and strife shall reape irrecouerable o Pro. 6.12.15 destruction They that haue sowen the wind shall reape the p Hos 8.7 whirle-wind They that haue sowen to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption and they that haue sowen to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life q Gal. 6.8 euerlasting They that haue sowen righteousnesse shall reape a sure r Pro. 11.18 reward And they that haue sowen in teares shall reape in ioy Behold now the end of all your afflictions though you fall yet you shall Å¿ Mic. 7.8 rise If you suffer but tribulation ten dayes a short season and abide faithfull vnto death you shall receiue the crowne of t Reu 2.10 life The Lord will not suffer you to fall for u Psal 55.22 euer But when hee sees conuenient time hee will iudge x Psal 75.2 righteously Then hee will send good after euill as hee created light after darkenesse and he will change iustice into mercie as hee did water into wine But thou wilt say alasse the godly haue no ease at all in this life â—hey are in continuall sorrow in perpetuall griefe and hee that purposeth to liue a godly life must resolue alwaies to sowe in teares Truely thou art much deceiued for as there be diuers occasions for the godly to sorrow so there be diuers reasons for them to reioyce in their greatest afflictions for albeit they be heere in great trouble and tribulation yet they know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthie of the glorie that shall bee shewed vnto y Rom. 8.18 them Although they longed for desired happinesse be delayed yet they reioyce vnder z Rom. 12. hope Although they mourne for their corruption yet they reioyce for the testimonie of their a 2. C r. 4. conscience Though they grieue for
curiously g Pro. 9.1 carued This is the Palace of Salomon the Pillars thereof are filuer the pauement gold the hangings purple and shee is paued with the loue of the Daughters of h Cant. 3.9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ierusalem this is that inheritance which the Apostle calls * Am aâ—â—us nibil igne deperdit venificys omnibus resistit Plin. lib. 36. cap. 19. vndefiled that withereth i 1. Pet. 1.4 not Where he vseth two words The one a name of durable precious stone and the other of a pleasant flower whose colour fadeth not The one shewing quam permanens how that it is an euerlasting inheritance The other quam placens how amiable and delectable it is This is the euerlasting Tabernacle our Sauiour speakes of This is that building giuen vs of God which the Apostle calls a House not made with hands but eternall in the k 2. Cor. 5.1 Heauens and which Saint Peter termes the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus l 2. Pet. 1.11 Christ and as it is eternall so are all things therein eternall The things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are m 2. Cor. 4.18 eternall There wee shall haue lucem aeternam eternall light For there wee shall haue no Sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnesse of the Moone shine vnto vs for the Lord shall be our euerlasting light and our God our n Is 60.19 glorie There shall wee haue vitam aeternam eternall life This is that record saith Saint Iohn to wit that God bath giuen vs life eternal and this Life is in his o 1. Iob. 5.11 Sonne There we shall haue gloriam aternam eternall glorie For God hath called vs vnto euerlasting glorie in Christ p 1. Pet 5.10 lesus and there we shall haue gaudium aternum eternall q Is 35.10 ioy For all that trust in the Lord shall reioyce and triumph for r Psal 5.11 euer The other word ☞ which the Apostle vseth for the setting foorth of this celestiall inheritance Amarantus immareese bilis quod non marces at sed decerptus assernetur Plin. l. 21. cap. 8. is vsed of Plinie for the name of a floure which doth not lightly fade nor decay and which for pleasant colour and louely beautie is called of some Writers Flos amoris in English Floramour or floure Gentle Whereby the Apostle will let vs know that all things in this celestiall Ierusalem are not onely durable and permanent but also delectable pleasant There is nothing that can dislike vs and there wants nothing that may delight vs. Our eares shall bee delighted with the melodious harmonie of that heauenly Å¿ Reuel 5.4 and 19.1 Halleluiah our smel with the odoriferous perfume of the golden Censor The prayers of the t Reuel 8.3 Saints our taste with the pleasant fruit of the Tree of Life which is in the middest of the Paradise of u Reuel 2.7 God and our eyes in beholding him that made x Psal 100.3 vs that saued y Phil 3.20 vs and â—â—at glorifies z Rom. 8.30 vs. The consideration of this strucke Dauid into such an admiration of this blessed Cities perfection that being rauished with the beautie thereof and ouer-come with a longing desire to enioy these pleasures he could not but crie out O Lord of Hosts how amiable are thy Dwellings my soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courts of the a Psal 85.1 2. Lord. Consider wee now with our selues from whence wee come and whither we must returne from seruitude and slaueric thither where we shall be free and at libertie Ierusalem which now is is in bondage but Ierusalem which is aboue is b Gal 4.25 26. free From a place where wee sorrow grieue and c Rom. 8.22 23. grone Thither where the Lord will wipe away all teares from our eyes and where there is no sorrow neither griefe neither d Rouel 21.4 crying From hence where wee can find no rest thither where our eyes shall see Ierusalem a quiet Hahitation and a Tabernacle that cannot be e Is 33.20 remoued From hence where wee haue no peace thither where there shall bee no end of our f Is 9.7 peace From hence where we are in continuall danger and jeopardie thither where we shall be in safetie and securitie For my people shall dwelt in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting g Is 32.18 places From hence where wee are vexed with the societie of the wicked thither where we shall prayse God with our whole heart in the Assembly and Congregation of the h Psal 111.5 iust From hence where wee are in want and aduersitie thither where wee shall haue full facietie and content of all things where God shall be to vs i 1. Cor. 15. all in all Hither it was that old Simeon longed to returne when he sung his Nunc dimittis Lord let thy seruant depart inpeace Hither it was that blessed Steuen longed to come when he said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Hitheriâ— was that the Apostle desired to be when he wisht to be dissolued and to be with Christ Yea and hither it was that Dauid thirsted to come when he chose rather to be a doore-keeper in the House of God then to dwell in Kings Palaces And hither let me exhort you all to returne as the Prophet did the Iewes to come out of this Babel and to flee from the Chaldeans the wicked Inhabitants of this world with a voyce of k Isa 48.20 ioy Goe your way stand not still but remember the Lord afarre off and let Ierusalem come into your l Ier. 51.50 minde Hee shall returne with ioy Hee shall not returne with sorrow or griefe but with great gladnesse and ioy The old Israelites whilst they were in Egypt grieued and groned being oppressed with their grieuous taskes and burdens But when they were freed from thence they marched towards Canaan with the noyse of musicke with the sound of Timbrels dancing and reioycing The Iewes sitting by the Riuers of Babel wept They could not sing the Songs of the Lord in a strange Land their tongue claue vnto their f Psal 137. jawes but when the Lord turned againe their captiuitie they returned with great gladnesse and with the voyce of singing Their mouth was enlarged and their tongue vntyed to prayse the Lord with ioyfull Songs of prayse Euen so whilst we are captiues in this wretched world we are full of sorrow and griefe but when wee returne to Sion wee shall be as full of ioy and gladnesse Verily verily saith our Sauiour yee shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce yee shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into g Iob. 16.20 ioy One contratie doth follow vpon another is an Axiome in Philosophie and here it may bee a true Position in Diuinitie
wondering and meruailing at this their vnexpected freedome which made them like vnto men that dreame I suppose the curious Obseruer of dreames supposeth that I should obserue somewhat else of the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of the obseruation of dreames I purpose not to wearie the godly eare in relating the curious and fond coniectures of the idle Expositors of dreames onely this which is not very dissonant from this place but rather seemeth to bee implyed in the words For whilst the Psalmist sheweth the peoples incredulitie by comparing them to such as dreame he doth couertly taxe the vanitie and deceitfulnesse of dreames So that I say we may conclude The obseruation of dreames vnlawfull and why that it is absolutely vnlawfull to bee too curious an Obseruer of dreames For first they are forbidden You shall not soothsay nor obserue dreames Secondly they are in themselues vaine and idle Where there are many dreames there are many vanities Thirdly they are deceitfull and erroneous for dreames haue caused many to erre But thou wilt say Quest are not diuine dreames lawfull and laudable Yes truely they were to be receiued and beleeued Answ but now there are none such or they are not frequent nor vsuall How then wilt thou say doe I vnderstand that place of Ioel I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh Octiect and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see Å¿ Ioel 2.28 Solutio prima visions I vnderstand it as the Apostle expounds it that by these words are meant the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit which vnder the Gospell should be giuen to the Church in greater abundance then in times past and whereas in old times they had dreames and visions so vnder Christ they should haue cleare reuelations and this was verified when on the day of Pentecost the holy Ghost descended in the visible forme of fiery clouen tongues and sate vpon the Apostles and when the House was filled with an audible sound from heauen as of a mightie rushing wind whereupon the Apostles were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them t Act. 2.1 2 3 4. Solutio seeunda vtterance Againe if you take that place of Ioel literally yet was it fulfilled in the time of the Apostles When the Lord powred out his Spirit vpon all flesh Man and Woman Iew and Grecian your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie as did Agabus and the foure daughters of Philip the Euangelist Your n Act. 21.9.10 young men shall see visions and your old men shall dreame dreames as did old Peter in his * trance and the young man Paul when hee was rapt vp into the third x 2. Cor. 12.2 3 4. Heauen Yet thou wilt say Quest is there no vse at all then to be made of dreames I answere Answ as for those dreames that are procured by the Deuill whose end is either to vexe or disquiet the godly as by Gods permission he did Iob who complayneth Iob 7.13.14 Non satis habuit Satan Iobum ita grauiter in corpore assligere nisi etiam cius animum terrificis somnijs consternaret Merc. in Iob 7.13.14 that in his Couch where hee sought for rest and in his bed where hee did hope for comfort euen there and then he was affrighted with dreames and astonished with y visions or else to hinder the good and saluation of man as his intent was to hinder mans saluation by moouing Pilates Wise in a dreame to mooue her husband not to intermedle with our Sauiour knowing that vnlesse Christ suffered Man could not be z Matt. 27.19 saued Thirdly Vide Tertull de somnijs tom 2. if he cannot bewâ—â—ch the heart of Man yet his end is to defilo the body by obscene and filthy thoughts Vide Tho. 22. â— 154.5 as that pollution of the body which happens to man in the * Leuit. 15.16 Qui nocturno est pollutus somâ—ie night for which man was accounted vncleane vntill the euen was and is certainly procured by dreames proceeding from the Deuill Lastly hee striues there by to infect the ignorant with * Daemon plerunque somnoijs se immiscet implens super stitione noxia hominum animos eosque non tantum wariè de ludens sed etiam pernitiosè de cipiens Greg. superstition thereby to diuert and turne away their hearts from the true worship and seruice of God to such I say we ought at no time to giue credit but abhor them and pray against such dreames As for the vse of naturall dreames it is onely physicall for thereby wee coniecture of the bodies constitution as hee that dreames of blacke mists darke fumes and cloudie smokes abounds with melancholy And hee that dreames of strife and contention is ouer-charged with choller or by them we may ghesse of the nearnesse and propinquitie of some disease As if a man dreame of bathing in hot bathes it is likely hee shall shortly after fall into some hot Ague This is the vse that Galen Hippocratas and Aristotle doe make of dreames Consule Aristetelem de in somnijs and other I know none and therefore I conclude with that vulgar Verse Somnia ne cures nam fallunt somnia plures For dreames regard not any for dreames deceiue many And with the aduise of the Wise-man who saith Somnia fallaci ludunt temeraria nocte Et pauidas mentes falsa timere iubent Properâ—â— lib. 3. that Diuinations Sooth-sayings and Dreames are vaine and the heart fancieth as a Womans heart in trauell if they bee not sent to thee from the most High in time of thy visitation set not thy heart upon them for dreames haue deceiued many and they haue fayled that haue put trust in b Eccl. 34. them And now to make an end our Redemption shall bee like vnto the Iewes deliuerance on a sudden and when wee least expect it And as Cyrus came into Babylon to set the Iewes at libertie and to bee auenged on the Chaldaeans for their crueltie before they were aware euen so Christ the Sonne of Man will come to redeeme his Elect and to iudge the wicked at an houre when yee c Luk. 12.40 thinke not bee not you therefore like the foolish Virgins sleeping and slumbring without Oyle in your Lamps when the Bridegroome comes to his d Mas. 25.1 to 14. marriage Bee not you like vnto the euill seruant beating your fellowes and giuing your selues ouer to gluttonie and drunkennesse For the Lord e Luk. 12.45 46. of such a seruant will come in a day when hee looketh not for him and in an houre that hee is not aware of and will cut him in sunder and will appoint him his portion with vnbeleeuers But let your loynes be girded about and your lights burning and yee your selues like vnto men that waite for their
Lord when he shall returne from the Wedding that when hee commeth and knocketh they may open to him f Luke 12.35.36 immediatly Now the Lord grant vs grace seeing wee know not when the Master of the house commeth at euen or at midnight or at Cocke crowing or in the g Marke 13.35.36 morning to watch and pray lest comming suddenly hee find vs sleeping and like vnto men that dreame Amen THE FREE-MANS FRANK-INCENSE OR The second sequell that followed vpon this deliuerance viz. Their congratulation THE THIRD SERMON VERS 2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing HEere is the second thing that did follow vpon their deliuerance Tandem certo persuasi verè haec srastari sopulo beneficia totam hanc remesse u'xaep non â—vaep vt loquitur Plaâ—o boc est non esse fallaâ—em imaginem in somne obiectam sed beneficium qued reuera ipsis nibil tale sperantibus aut opinansibus eâ—biberetur soluti sunt in risum Mollerus to wit Congratulation and ioy conceaued there upon No sooner did they know assuredly that the Lord graciously had set them at libertie but forthwith they are glad and reioyce and sing Psalmes of praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. In the words wee may note two things 1. Their Ioyfulnesse Then was our mouth filled with laughter 2. Their Thankfulnesse And our tongue with singing Their mouth was filled with laughter but not with a vaine and carnall Non vane sed vere The seuerall kinds of laughter but with a true and spirituall laughter First 1. Risus nequitiae The wicked when they take delight in sinne are said to laugh In laughing the Foole committeth a Prou. 10.23 wickednesse but that is a wicked laughter when their sport is in the pleasure of b Eccles 27.13 sinne Secondly 2. Risus stultitie The light behauiour of man is tearmed a laughter A foole lifteth up his voice in laughter but a wise man doth scarely c Eccles 21.20 smile But that is a foolish laughter for a mans excessiue laughter and going declares what he d Eccles 19.30 is Thirdly 3. Risus insaniae The pleasures and prosperous estate of man in worldly matters is called a laughter They prepare bread for laughter and wine to comfort the e Eccles 10.19 liuing But that is a mad laughter I said of laughter thou art mad and of ioy what is this that thou f Eccles 2.2 doest Fourthly The wickeds scoffing and deriding of the godly in time of trouble is termed a laughter O Lord giue not thy Scepter vnto them that bee nothing lest they laugh at vs in the time of our g Esther 14.11 miserie But that is a proud and disdainfull laughter and in the end they shal find that the Lord will laugh at their h Psal 2.4 Pr. 1.26 destruction Lastly That ioy and gladnesse of heart which the Lord gâ—uâ—s vnto the godly may be named a laughter So Bildad said to Iob. Behold Godwill not cast away an upright * Affligeris quidem aliquandiu sed si aleum redier is teâ—ta prosperabit vt vebementer gaudeas praegoudio in risum soâ— naris Mercerus in Iob. cop 8. man neither will hee take the wicked by the hand till hee haue filled thy mouth with laughter and thy tongue with i Iob. 8.10.21 reioycing Hee will not forsake thee if thou bee righteous nor reiect thee if thou bee godly but hee will giue thee occasion to reioyce Heere it is taken for the comfort and ioy which the godly conceaue from the testimonie of Gods goodnesse in relieuing them out of aduersitie and releasing them from * Vide Mollerum in lecum captiuitie I and as great was Gods goodnesse therein so great was their gladnesse thereof euen so great that for ioy they brake foorth into laughing and * Non cessabit Deus benefacere bonis donec perfectè faciat beatos ita vt prae nimiâ— gaudio in risum gratiarum actionem prorumpant Occolamp in Iob 8. thankesgiuing The obscruation which I gather from this place is once againe to vse the words of Salomon that to all things there is an appointed time a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance It is reported of Heraclytus that hee was euer weeping and of Democritus that hee was euer laughing But it is not so with a Christian there is an intercourse betwixt these two the one followes after the other sometimes hee hath cause to sorrow and sometimes occasion to reioyce As for example the Israelites when they were oppressed with the intollerable crueltie of Pharaoh and the Taske-masters they had a time of mourning But when they were deliuered from his tyrannie and saw their enemies ouer whelmed horse and horsemen in the sea they found a time for k Exo. 14.20.21 dancing Dauid when hee washt his bed and watered his couch with teares hee had a time of l Psal 6.6 weeping When Nathan pronounced the sentence of absolution vnto him from the bloud of m 2. Sam. 12. Uriah which was such a corasiue to n Psal 51.14 his conscience hee had a time of laughing And here the Iewes during the time of their captiuitie Lam. 5.22 and 3.48.49 when they seemed as vtterly reiected of all reproached of none regarded When they wept continually in the night and when their eyes did drop downe teares and cast out riuers of water they had a long and dolefull time of weeping but now when the Lord hath cast downe their enemie set them at libertie and brought againe their captiuitie And whereas now in Ierusalem there might bee heard againe the voice of ioy and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the Bridegroome and the voice of the o Ier. 33.10.11 Bride They haue a ioyfull and glad time for laughing According to this the Iewes Antheme Then was our mouth filled with laughter Againe where as it is said Our mouth is filled with laughter A little sorrow bringeth to the godly great ioy Wee may see how a little sorrow causeth to the godly a great deale of ioy A woman when shee is in trauell hath sorrow which certainly is most grieuous and yet short of some few houres continuance But assoone as shee is deliuered of the clild shee remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the p Iohn 16.21 world Truely euen so momentanie sorrowes of the righteous bring foorth euerlasting ioyes which doe extirpate and exstinguish all remembrance of former heauinesse De annis non se luisset si annos sustinuisset Orig. lib. 2. Vide chrysost bom 25. ad populum Antioâ—h Pinedam Com. in Iob. cap. 2. vers 8. sect 12. Num. 4. Oecolamp Merâ—â—n Iob. 42. Iobes grieuances were great and endured long yet was it but for the space of some moneths as some haue collected