A SERMON Preached at the happily-restored and reedified Chappell of the Right Honorable the Earle of Exceter in his House of S. Iohns On Saint Stephens day 1623. By IOS HALL Deane of Worcester LONDON Printed by F. Kyngston for George Winder and are to be sold at his shop in S. Dunstons Church-yard 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR good Lady the Lady Elizabeth Countesse of Exceter RIght Honourable this poore Sermon both preached and penned at your motion that is to mee your command now presents itselfe to your hand and craueth a place though vnworthy in your Cabinet yea in your heart That holy zeale which desired it will also improue it The God whom your Ld. hath thus honoured in the care and cost of his house will not faile to honor you in yours For me your Honour may iustly challenge mee on both sides both by the Druries in the right of the first Petronage and by the Cecils in the right of my succeeding deuotions In either and both that little I haue or am is sincerely at your Ladish seruice as whō you haue merited to be Your Honours in all true obseruance and duty IOS HALL TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Dr. HALL Deane of Worcester my worthy and much respected Friend all happinesse with my loue in Christ Iesus REuerend Sir this Sermon I know is at the Presse before you expected But I thought as this glorious Chappell occasioned it so it might minister occasion of perpetuall remembrance of the Chappell by remaining its first Monument And altho both these were confined to the priuate the Chappell for the Family of my Right Honourable Lord the Earle of Exceter who hath giuen the materiall thereof sufficient luster and the Copie of the Sermon to the Cabinet of my truly Noble and vertuous Lady his Countesse yet both these are much and oft required to the publike the Sermon to be an instruction and so it is the Chappell to bee an example and so it may be The Sermon to teach all to be all glorious in their soules The Chappell to teach some who build houses for their owne habitation to set vp another for Gods Religion The Sermon was craued at the hands of my Honourable Lady that it might come to the Presse who of her owne pious disposition gaue forth the Copie and for her Noble esteeme of your selfe and of the worth of your Sermon was willing and desirous to giue it way to the Printer And this I thought good to impart vnto you and to the courteous Reader that you may be satisfied of the meanes how and the cause why it comes in publike And so praying for you and desiring your prayers for me I remaine Your truly louing Friend H. Baguley A SERMON PREACHED AT THE reedified Chappell of the Right Honorable the Earle of Exceter in his House of Saint Iohns HAGGAI 2. 9. The glory of the latter House shall bee greater then of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I giue peace saith the Lord of Hosts AS we haue houses of our owne so God hath his yea as great men haue more houses then one so hath the Great God of Heauen much more more both in succession as here the latter house and the first and in varietie He hath an house of flesh Ye are the Temples of the liuing God An house of stone Salomon shal build me an house An house immateriall in the Heauens 2. Cor. 5. 1. Wherefore then hath God an house Wherefore haue we ours but to dwell in But doth not he himselfe tell Dauid and so doth Stephen the Protomartyr vpon whose day we are falne tell the Iewes that He dwells not in Temples made with hands True Hee dwells not in his House as we in ours by way of comprehension he dwells in it by testification of presence So doe we dwell in our houses that our houses containe vs that we are only within them and they without vs. So doth he dwell in his that yet hee is elsewhere yea euerywhere that his house is within him Shortly God dwells where he witnesses his gracious presence that because hee doth both in the Empyreall heauen amongst his Angels and Saints and in his Church vpon Earth therefore his dwelling is both in the highest Heauen in perfect glory on Earth in the hearts and assemblie of his children As of the former our Sauiour saith Jn domo Patris mei Jn my Fathers house are many Mansions So also may wee say of the latter There is much varietie and choice in it There was the Church of the Iewes the Church of the Gentiles There is a materiall and a spirituall house In the one Salomons Zorobabels such piles as this In the other so much multiplicitie as there are Nations yea Congregations that professe the name of Christ One of these was a figure of the other the Materiall vnder the Law of the Spirituall vnder the Gospell Yee see now the first house and the latter the subject of our Text and discourse The latter commended to vs comparatiuely positiuely Comparatiuely with the former Maior gloria Positiuely in it selfe Jn this place will J giue peace Both set out by the stile of the promiser and avower saith the Lord of Hosts All which challenge your Christian attention As the first house which was materiall was a figure of the second which is spirituall so the glorie of that materiall was a figure of the glorie of this spirituall Now because all the life and glorie of the spirituall stands in Christ the Messias the Prophet lookes through the type of the material at him which shal beautifie yea glorifie the spirituall of whose exihibition the Prophet speakes Adhuc modicum Yet a little while and J will shake the Heauens This Modicum was but some 500. and odde yeeres much to men but a modicum to the Ancient of dayes with whom 1000. yeeres are but one day It is in and by him that this latter house vnder the Gospell shall in glorie surpasse that first vnder the Law The Prophets had spoken gloriously of the Temple that should be and now lest when the people should see the homely and cottagelike reedification of Zerubbabel they should be dis-hartned and offended the Prophet desires to draw their eyes from the stone and timber to the spirituall inside of the Euangelicall Church shewing the glorie of this latter House to exceed the former Some grosse Interpreters haue lookt with Iewish eyes vpon the outward fabrick which was threefold Salomons Zorobabels Herods Salomons sumptuous and magnificent Zorobabels meane and homely Herods rich and maiesticall immodico sumptu incredibili splendore as one sayes Salomons was before defaced Now because Zorobabels was so farre from making this Word good that the people wept when they saw the difference which Caluin well obserues was not without a speciall prouidence of the all-wise God else the Iewes would so haue fixed their eyes vpon the outward splendor that they
looke towards the Temple if they could not come to it in their deuotions So now that the Church is Catholike or vniuersall and euery of our Churches is equally Gods house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shal gladly with Peter and John goe vp to this Temple to pray How can wee looke for a better incouragement then God giues vs here In this place will I giue peace In the latter as it is Auditoriū so I create the fruit of the lips to be peace saith God Naturally we are all euen those that applaud themselues in the best opinion of their harmeles and faire disposition enemies to God Enemies both actiuely passiuely Actiuely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-haters Rom. 1. Passiuely Filii irae The sons of displeasure Wee fell out in Adam through our own wilfull Apostasie and disobedience and we still stand out in the maintenance of our inward corruption There is no way to peace but by reconciliation there is no way to recōciliation but by the Gospel of Iesus Christ which is Euangelium pacis there is no proper element for the Gospell of God but the house of God Locus iste Jn this place will J giue peace It is not I know for euery hart to apprehend either the want of this peace or the miserie of this want This is one of those happinesses which is most brag'd of where it is least had The sensual Securitan pleases himself in the conceit of his owne peace All is well at home he quarrels not with himselfe for hee denies himselfe nothing God quarrels not with him here are no checks of a chiding conscience no frownes of an angrie Iudge nothing but Pulchritudo pacis as the Prophet speakes Alas my beloued call not this peace call it stupiditie euen Hell it selfe is not a Kingdome diuided in it selfe There is no blessing which is not also counterfeited Pacem veram dabo is the stile of the Prophets Ier. 14. 13. This were a needlesse Epithet if there were not a false peace such is this of carnall hearts That Word of eternall Truth must stand There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Haue you seene a sore suddenly fild vp with vnsound flesh and fairely skinned ouer without all offence to the eie which ere long will breake out againe and bewray a secret and so much-more-hardly-cured corruptiō Such is a wicked mans peace Haue you seene a slaue sit quietly in the Gally not struggling with his chaine not repining at his Oare necessitas fortiter consuetudo facile Haue you heard a dying man professe that hee felt no paine Such is a wicked mans peace of which he shall once say though now all seeme smooth and plausible Jn pace amaritudo mea amarissima Jn peace J had great bitternesse Esay 38. 17. Neither is the want of this peace lesse perceiued then the misery of this want Men see no difference in the face of Heauen whatsoeuer they doe their blasphemies and prayers find the same intertainement therefore the carelesse man resolues I shall haue peace though I follow the wayes of mine owne heart Oh the miserable sottishnesse of wilfull sinners Sinne lyes like a sleeping Bandog at the doore of their heart they looke vpon him as if hee would neuer wake or as if though he should yet he were so clogged and chained and muzled that there can be no danger of his hurt Let God but rowze him vp a little he shall bay them to despaire hee shall flie vpon them and pull out their throats Then shall their troubled heart proiect terrible things and they shall feele what it is to liue in the anger of a God They shall see the Almightie putting himselfe into the fearefull formes of vengeance Who can stand before his indignation And who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger His furie is powred out like fire and the rocks are throwne downe before him Nahum 1. 6. And if his very loue haue drawne blood of his deare ones Terrores Domini militant contra me saith holy Iob The terrors of the Lord are set in aray against mee Iob 6. 4 and hee that bore the chastisements of our peace the Sonne of his loue could lay My God my God why hast thou for saken me Oh what shall be the Iudgements of his wrath If this be the rod of children Oh what shall be the Scorpions for his enemies They shall see that gulfe of fire ready to receiue them into euerlasting burnings They shall see the Deuils their incessant tormentors ready to seize vpon their guilty soules Then O then shall they know too late what an happinesse it is that God here promises Dabo pacem Would we then auoyde the vnspeakeable horror of this wofull condition Would wee find the bed of our sicknesse and death comforted with the sweete testimony of an heauenly peace betwixt God and our soules See whence we must fetch it Jn this place will J giue peace If euer we haue it wee must haue it from the blessed ordinances of God his Word and Sacraments which this place can affoord vs. In vaine shall yee seeke for this deare Christians in a licentious Tauerne in a rich Counting-house in Chambers of dalliance in full Tables in Pompous Courts no not in thrones of earthly Maiestie Alas many of these are the make-bates betwixt Heauen and vs most of them can marre none of them can make our peace It is onely the despised Ministery of the Gospell the Word of reconciliation as it is called 2. Cor. 5. 19. which sounds in Gods House that can doe it As yee loue your soules therefore as you would find peace at the last and would looke with a comfortable assurance in the face of death and iudgement as yee would see a gracious Mercy-seate in the dreadfull Tribunall of God at the day of our last appearance frequent the House of God attend reuerently and conscionably vpon the sacred Institutions of God yeeld your selues ouer to be wrought vpon by the powerfull Gospel of Iesus Christ Oh be not you wanting vnto God he will not bee wanting vnto you but will make good this promise of his vnfaileable grace Jn this place will I giue peace It is a great word that is heere spoken Dabo pacem and therfore it is vndertakē by an omnipotent Agent I will giue peace If all the Angels of Heauen should haue said so we should soone haue replied as Korah and his company did to Moses and Aaron Yee took too much vpon you Numbers 16. 3. This worke is not for any finite power the stile of peace is the peace of God the stile of God the Mediator betwixt God and man is The Prince of Peace He is the true Salomon the other was but typicall It is he onely that when the Disciples were tossed with contrary winds and threatning billowes could command the winds and waues to a calme It is hee onely that when his Church is tossed with the winds and
waues of raging and impetuous enmitie can giue outward peace It is he only that when the distressed soule is tossed with the winds and waues of strong temptation of weake diffidence can giue inward peace Iustly therefore doth hee challenge this act as his owne J will giue peace We vse to say It is best treating of peace with a Sword in our hand Those who hauc the aduantage of the warre may command peace vnderlings must stoope to such conditions as the victor will yeeld To shew vs therefore how easily he can giue peace God stiles himselfe the God of Hosts a title wherein he takes no small delight referring not to the being of the creature but to their marshalling not to their naturall estate but their militarie neither would God bee lookt at in it as a Creator but as a Generall In but two of the Prophets Esay and Ieremy no lesse then an hundred and thirtie times hath hee this stile giuen him Euery thing as it hath an existence from the Maker so an order from the Gouernor and that order is no other then warlike wherein it doth militare Deo serue vnder the colours of the Almightie All creatures are both mustred and trained and placed in Garrison and brought forth into the field in the seruice of their Creator they are all excercitus pugnatorum If yee looke into Heauen there is a company of heauenly Souldiers Luke 2. Neither was there only the construction of Idolaters vniuersa militia coeli to which these burnt Incense but of Moses himselfe Thus the Heauen and the Earth were finished and all the Host of them Gen. 2. 1. If yee looke to the Earth not men onely whom reason hath fitted for such designes but euen the bruite yea the basest and indociblest of the brute creatures are ranged into arayes euen the very Locusts though they haue no Leader yet Egrediuntur per turmas They goe forth by bands Prou. 30. 27. And if ye looke into Egypt where for the time was Sedes belli you shal find a Band of Frogs that were appointed to march into the very Bed-chamber the Bed the Ouens the Dishes of Pharaoh you shal find an host of Lice of Flies of Caterpillers sent against those Egyptian Tyrants Else-where yee shall find troopes of Palmer-wormes of Locusts of Canker-wormes of Caterpillers to set vpon Israel Ioel 1. 4. Shortly where he meanes to preserue the fierie Charrets and Horsemen of Heauen shall compasse Dothan Where he meanes to destroy the most despicable of his creatures shal be armed to the ruine of the proudest Doth Goliab stalke forth to the defiance of the God of Israel A Pebble out of the Brooke shall straw him on the ground Doth an Herod heare his flatterers gladly say Nec vox hominom sonat Stay but a while God sets his vermine vpon him all the Kings Guard cannot master those Lice He hath Hornets for the Hiuites and Canaanites Exod. 23. Mice for the Philistims Iudg. 6 Rats for the couerous Prelate A Flye for Pope Adryan A world of creatures for either defensiue or offensiue seruices Quare fremuerunt gentes Why doe the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the Earth set themselues and the Rulers take councell together against the Lord and against his Anointed Presumptuous dust and ashes that dare rise vp against the God of hosts If a silly Ant out of a Mole-hill should march forth and proffer to wrestle a fall with a Gyant there were some proportion in this challenge there is none of a finite power to an infinite Should all the powers of Hell band themselues with those on earth Quis restitit What power haue they of being of motion but from him whom they oppose How easily can he blow vpon their enterprizes How easily can hee command these to their Dust those to their Chaines Be confounded therefore O vaine men whose breath is in your Nosthrils and that not your owne neither when yee thinke of the power and Maiestie of the God of Hosts And why are we dismayd with the rumors or feares of the strongest oppositions Gebal and Ammon and Amalec the Philistims with them that dwell at Tyre Ashur also is ioyned to the incestuous children of Lot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O thou of little faith why fearest thou The Lord of hosts is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge Psal 46. Come all yee Bands of wickednesse and conspire against the Scepter of the Kingdome that is the Gospell of Iesus Christ He hath his Armageddon He hath a Feast for the fowles of the Aire and the beasts of the field whom he hath inuited to the flesh of Captaines and the flesh of Kings Reuel 19. 8. I will not bee afraid of ten thousands of people that haue set themselues against mee round about Dominus suscepit The Lord hath sustained me and he is the Lord of Hosts Yea why are we apalled when we see the measures of the sonnes of Anak the spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places If wee looke at their number they are Legions If to their strength they are Principalities and Powers If to their nature they are spirits that rule in the ayre Wee are men flesh and blood single weake sinfull What euer we are our God is in Heauen and doth whatsoeuer hee will hee is the Lord of Hosts though Cowards in our selues yet in him wee are more then Conquerors hee who is more then All power then All truth hath said it The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against his Church Thanks be to God which giueth vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Lastly he is the Lord of Hosts his vndertakings are infallible Hath hee said that the glory of the Euangelicall Church shall exceede the Legall Hath hee said that In this place he will giue peace How can the Church faile of glory or the soule of peace His Word can be no more defectiue then himselfe impotent Trust God with his owne causes trust him with thy selfe doe that he bids expect what he promises haunt this House of his wait on his ordinances The Lord of Hosts shall giue thee that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and with peace glorie in that vpper House of his not made with hands eternall in the Heauens To the possession whereof that God who hath ordained vs in his good time mercifully bring vs. And now O Lord God of hosts make good thy promises to this House of thine Whensoeuer any Suppliant shall in this place offer vp his praiers vnto thee heare thou in Heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest haue mercy What Word soeuer of thine shall sound out of this place let it bee the sauour of life vnto life to euery hearer What Sacrament soeuer of thine shall bee in this place administred let it be effectuall to the saluation of euery receiuer Thou that art the God of glory and peace giue peace and glorie to thy Seruants for thy mercies sake for thy Sonnes sake euen the Sonne of thy loue Jesus Christ the Just To whom with thee and the holy Ghost one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and thanks giuing now and for euer FINIS The least of the greatest is more then the greatest of the least Gospell of the Kingdome Consecrated by Heraclius Patriarch of Ierusalem I wil giue peace Glory to God in the highest heauens in earth Peace c. The Gospell of peace The beauty of peace I will giue true peace Necessitie hath taught him to beare it strongly custome easily Who hath resisted his will