Church of Pergamus Revelat. 2.15 was stained with the filth of the Nicolaitans Laodicea was blinde and naked and Sardis was dead Revel 3.17.3.1 In one Arke Family Field Barne Net there was Cham Ismael Tares Chaffe Bad fish with Sem Genes 7.13 Gen. 21.9 Isaac Wheat Math. 13.25 Corne good fish 3.12.13.48 There is no perfection in this life VSE Luke 17.10 When wee have done all we can we are all unprofitable servants Yet under the colour of perfections want let us not abound with folly and though we be sinners let us not cast away the feare of God Hebr. 12.3 Wee have not yet resisted unto bloud neyther have wee yet attained the marke Phil. 2.13 14. But wee follow hard towards it for the price of our high calling in Iesus Christ Secondly What was this filth of the Sanctuarie It was Twofold Proper and Metaphoricall Proper viz. dust durt and filth growne and contracted by not using of the Temple This was the sinne of them in the time of Haggai They themselves dwelt in seeled houses Hag. 1.4 and the house of God lay wast This is the sinne of our times and to all such I will say in the wordes of that Prophet Consider your owne wayes in your heart Yee looked for much Hag. 1. ◠9. and loe it came to little because of my house that is wast From the Proper we come to the Metaphoricall filth viz. The Idols Altars Ornaments whatsoever were brought in contrarie to the law of God for so all Divines both theirs and ours doe expound it not without reason 2. King 23.13 Isa 30 22. Ezech. 2 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech 8.17 for Idols are called Corruption yea a polluted and a menstruous cloth Nay more then that they are called Gillulim stercora dung and that which is worst of all they are tearmed stinke VSE Oh! that these things would move us to hate Idolatry from the ground of our heart and not to thinke the better of it for the externall pompe and beautie though the Images be of gold and silver and the Ornaments rich yet the Prophet bids the faithfull to say unto them Isa 30.12 Get you hence As an adulteresse the fairer the fouler So Idolatrie Simil. Isa 44.9 the more fine the more filthy the more daintie the more deformed the more delectable the lesse profitable Let our Aduersaries doate if they will upon their golden Babylon let us esteeme all their Idols Aliars Beads Graines and Popish Ornaments no otherwise then the Scripture esteemes them namely to be filth And now let me conclude with a Question Is there any filth in our sanctuaries at all I answere For the maine filth of Idolatrie God be thanked it is well kept out but let us search Ierusalem with lights Zephan 1.12 whether there be any other left As for example If there be found among us any renewing of any Popish doctrine That is filth If contrarie to those religious Articles agreed upon in a Convocation held in this City 1615. there be any Images of the Trinitie or expressing of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost in any outward forme That is filth If in our Congregations any thing be done without Order and edifying That is filth If the life of the speaker be not orderly but dissolute That is filth Out with this filth and out with that filth and out with everie thing that doth offend Math. 13.41 that God may come to his holy Sanctuarie and finde us there sitting clothed with the cleane and Wedding garments of Faith and obedience And to this end let everie one cast out the filth out of his owne heart which is Gods spirituall Sanctuarie and the Temple of the holy Ghost That he which hath pure eyes and cannot abide that thing which is evill Habac. 1.13 may take delight to dwell within us untill wee come to that celestiall sanctuarie which is above Hebr. 8.2 and to Iesus the Mediator of the New Testament Hebr. 12 24. Malach. 3.1 Isa 9.6 the Angell of the Covenant and the Prince of Peace THE SECOND SERMON Viz. The Merchant Commodities Preached at St. MARIES in Limmericke In the time of the generall Assizes holden for that Citie Iuly 13. 1624. Before the R. Ho ble the Earle of Thomond And before The Lords Iustices of Assize Sr. George Shurley Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of his Highnesse Court of chiefe Place in Ireland and Sir Edward Harris Knight one of his Majesties Iustices in the same Court By G. A. DVBLIN Imprinted by the Societie of Stationers Anno Domini 1625. THE SECOND SERMON The Merchant Commodities 1. KINGS 21.2 Because it is neere by my House RIght Honourable and the rest right dearely beloved in our Lord having proposed this History of Ahab and Naboth as a fit subject for such assemblies I came to that part of the Text which concerneth the reason why Ahab should desire Naboths Vineyard Which reason was Twofold viz. Matter of Necessitie because he needed a Garden of Hearbes Matter of Commoditie because it was hard by neere his house After that I had spoken of the first I came to the second where I proposed unto you three severall meditations viz. concerning A House Neerenesse Commodiousnes I have spoken of the first already and have proposed sundrie abuses which men runne into for a House and withall offered you Eight Meditations for Houses viz. Foure for Houses Materiall viz. Houses of our Owne Houses of the Poore Houses of the Prophets and the House of Go◠1. Ti. 3.15 2. Cor. 5.4 Iob 10.21 2. Cor. 5.1 Foure for Houses Metaphoricall viz. The Church of God The house of the Bodie The house of the Grave and The house of Heaven I have also spoken of the second viz. of the neerenesse of Naboths Vineyard to the Pallace of Ahab and have shewed the absurditie of Ahabs covetousnesse for by the same reason he might aswell have coveted all the neighbour bounding Lands because they were neere and Naboths Wife too because shee was neere Then I corrected the vanitie of the world which seeke for those things that are neere and neglect that which ought to be most neere Rom. 10.8 and deare unto them and so I then concluded that in all our actions we ought to draw to God whether for a Hebr 11.6 Direction or b Ephes 5 1. Imitation or c Psalm 30.8 Consolation and this with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or assurance of Faith which as by a certaine sprinkling purgeth our hearts from an evill d Hebr. 10 22 Conscience Thus much for an entrance by way of repetition Now let us proceede to the third and last Meditation viz. Matter of Commodiousnesse For this Vineyard of Naboth it was not onely neere the house of Ahab but it was Etzel at or by his house so commodious as nothing could be more devised This day therefore I must
these Commodities are excellent for you they shall furnish you with that which was graven on the breast-plate of Aaron Exod. 28. Heb. 5.4 and if you weare of the same piece that you vent to others it will truely honour you and make you to shine as starres for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Psalm 49.1 To conclude ô all yee Sonnes of Adam high and low rich and poore one with another Hearken unto me Iudg. 9.7 that God may hearken unto you Leave none of these Commodities unseene unsought unbought not one of them unshaken untost untaken Oh! That yee would flie as Doves to the windowes Isa 60.8 and as Buyers desirous of gaine to assemble in these shops of the Saints Yee may goe further and fare worse yee cannot be so fitted in any of the shops of the Merchants of Tyrus of Sinne Isa 28.20 of Sathan or of Antichrist As Isay saith The Bed is too strait and the covering to narrow So I say The Wares are too deere and the Commodities too course But those that I set forth unto you out of the shop of the Lord are faire and cheape and profitable are full and fine and durable warranted to you for good aswell in this life 1. Tim. 4.8 as for that which is to come Oh! That these things might move us to covet after these spirituall Wares that being furnished with them we may finde Grace with God Favour with men Peace in our owne soules untill wee come to that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzene Nazianzen calleth God the chiefest Artisan even to him that is the maker donor of these spirituall Merchandises Revelat. 22.16 Iesus Châ—â—â—â— the righteous the bright morning starre FINIS THE THIRD SERMON Viz. The Shepheard and the Sheepe Preached At Ennis in Thomond And In the Dioces of Killaloe In the time of the generall Assizes holden there for the Countie of Clare Iuly the XX. 1624. Before the Right Honourable the Earle of Thomond And before the Lords Iustices of Assize for that Countie and before the Reverend Father in God Iohn Lord Bishop of that Dioces By G. A. DVBLIN Imprinted by the Societie of Stationers Anno Domini 1625. THE THIRD SERMON Viz. The Shepheard and the Sheepe IOHN CHAP. X. Verses 27. 28. 27. My Sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me 28. And I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neyther shall any plucke them out of my hand RIght Honourable Reverend and all right dearely beloved in the Lord Iesus I trust that God hath given me some footing in this Diocesse and therefore hither am I come to doe some part of my dutie I have spoken else-where Seven dayes before at Limmericke Psalm 51.15 verie lately in such another assembly if now also the Lord will be pleased To open my lippes my mouth shall shew forth his prayse As in the Citie I turned Merchant so now in the Countrie I must turne Sheepheard And my Text which runneth upon that subject contayneth 2. things The Summe and The Parts The Summe is the drift and scope namely of the Sheepe Division and consequently of the Sheepheard The parts of the Text contayne a particular description of the Sheepe and that in Foure things 1 The Title given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheepe 2 The owner of them Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mine 3 Their Dutie 2 fold To heare the sheepheards voice To follow him 4 The benefit they get from the Sheepheard In Two things 1 Affirmatiue 2. fold He knowes them He giues them eternal life 2. Negative 2. fold They shall not perish No man shall take them out of his hand Thus much for the Division Now according to this order I will speake of somuch of this Text as Gods assistance your patience and my time will permit The summe And first of the Summe scope drift and maine subject of the Text namely of the Sheepe and consequently of the Sheepheard that is of the faithfull and of their chiefe Pastor Iesus Christ For though the Sheepheard be not named yet the Sheepe and the Sheepheard are Relatives and according to the nature of Relatives one cannot well be defined without the other But in casting up this Summe let us see the manner of it for it is so full that no Cypher can therein bee found it is not calculated ContingeÌ„ter by chance to lay down a little of the Sheepe and then to say somewhat of the Sheepheard but Providenter of set purpose the Lord doth so inter-lard and mingle together the relation of the Sheepe and the Sheepheard that nothing could be devised with more Art and I thinke the like passage is hardly to be found else-where in the sacred Volumes For marke the wordes and observe What doe They What doth He What doe they They begin and account themselves to be Sheepe For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the beginning of the Text in the Originall What doth He He professeth himselfe to bee their Owner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mine What doe They They heare his voyce What doth He He knowes them What doe They They follow Him What doth He Hee gives them eternall life What doe They They seeke for no more they are silent lye downe and rest being secure and sure that They shall never perish What doth He For their further securitie he promiseth them that no Man shall plucke them out of his hand Doe you not see what an excellent frame this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Trismegistus calleth him this publicke workeman Lactant. lib. 4. cap. 6. IESVS CHRIST doth make But is there nothing herein but Art alone Looke againe stay and wonder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You have found a better thing then Archimedes Oh! The admirable comfort of a Christian VSE the deare and neere respect that Christ hath of his Chosen for here he inter-laces and inter-mingleth himselfe with them and by a sweete kinde of Communion he maketh them as it were one with him This is it 1. Corinth 1.9 which the Apostle saith that God hath called us unto the fellowship of his Sonne Ruth 2.22 If Ruth got a blessing when she joyned her selfe with the handmaydes of Boaz Oh! How many blessings shall befall us being thus joyned mingled and incorporated with IESVS CHRIST And let this Meditation raise us up to an high pitch of thankefulnesse that the Lord vouchsafes to come so close unto us among us within us and withall let it stirre us up to Sanfictication cleanenesse of heart cleanenesse of hands cleanenesse of all our members within us without us being now so neerely so deerely conjoyned to our Head Thus much of the Summe Now to the Parts namely to the Foure-fold description of the Sheepe The Title Sheepe Where First in order wee meete with the Title which is given them Sheepe The Faithfull have many Names given to
A QVATERNION OF SERMONS PREACHED IN JRELAND in the Summer season 1624. BY GEORGE ANDREVVE Master of ARTS and Deane of Limmericke The severall Titles Texts Time and Place are set downe in the next Page DVBLIN Imprinted by the Societie of STATIONERS Printers to the Kings most excellent Majestie Anno 1625. The first Sermon The Title The Temple-purger The Text 2. Chron. cap. 29. vers 3.4.5 Time place May 16 at Dublin The second Sermon The Title The Marchant commodities The Text 1. Kings cap. 21. vers 2. Time place Iuly 13. at Limmericke The third Sermon The Title The Shepheard and the sheepe The Text Iohn 10. vers 27.28 Time place Iuly 20. at Ennis The fourth Sermon The Title Sions compasse The Text Psalm 48. vers 12.13.14 Time place August 15. at Limmericke THE FIRST SERMON Viz. The Temple-purger Preached at CHRIST-Church in Dublin on Whitsunday May 16. 1624. Before the Most Honourable the Lord Deputie of Ireland and Councell of State in that Kingdome By G. A. Imprinted at Dublin Anno Dom. 1625. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE LORD HENRIE CARIE VISCOVNT FALKLAND LORD DEPVTY OF IRELAND Most Honourable THe Evangelist S. Luke mentions a quaternion of Souldiers Act. 12.4 and I a quaternion of Sermons that is Polemicall this is Theologicall And out of this which the desire of many faithfull ones the importunitie of some judicious friends have drawne from me I have presumed to set forth two to stand Sentinell before your Honor. The first was naturally yours for I came from farre to give it The last is necessarily yours for you came from farre to take it Both preached before you both graced by you your honourable presence your attention So both are yours and you are Christs 1. Cor 3.22.23 and Christ is Gods I confesse they are the two extreamest in this Booke for so the order of time required but he which is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Revel 1.11 no doubt will give a blessing unto them both in regard that the extreames and the meane and the maine and all was intended for his glory They are my first Infants which the light hath seene nature bids me to seeke forth a nourisher and whom sitter can I finde then him who under God was the chiefe cause of their life Isa 49.23 and is the common nursing Father of this Church Vouchsafe therefore Right Honourable to reflect upon him vvho desires to expresse his dutie towards you now by sight as then by speach especially in a worke that is accompanied with hope of profit and comfort to the Church of God Even so Right Noble Lord Ride on and prosper with the word of truth and righteousnesse Keepe open the dores of the Temple and repaire it Nehem. 2.19 Ezra 7.21 Nehem. 2.8 Prevent every Sanballat and Geshem and let Ezra and Nehemias be gracious in your eyes Reformation is the worke of the Lord and therefore let not your hands be weake You have an Hezekiah with you even the strength of God To him I leave you and from him I wish you all increase of honour with externall internall eternall peace Your Honours To doe you all humble service in the Lord. George Andrewe THE FIRST SERMON The Temple purger 2. CHRON. CAP. 29. vers 3.4.5 3. He opened the dores of the house of the Lord in the first yeare and in the first Moneth of his raigne and repaired them 4. And he brought in the Priests and the Levites and gathered them into the East streete 5. And said unto them heare yee me yee Levites sanctifie now your selves and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carrie forth the filth out of the sanctuarie MOst Honourable and all right dearely beloved in our Lord and Saviour I have begun already to speake unto you out of this Text Iune 1. 1623. which I then stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Temple-purger since which time our Temples were threatned to have been defiled by our Adversaries for they had conceived hope to have set up their banners in our Congregations Psalm 74.4 But he that sitteth in the Heavens laughed them to scorne Psalm 2.4 and scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart Luke 1.51 The match is put out and the Powder will not take so that for the time past we may comfortably say with David Psalm 114 7. The snare is broken and we are delivered and for the time to come confidently say with Micah Rejoyce not against me O mine enemie though I fall Mic. 7.8 I shall arise I will therefore Christ being my guide proceede in that my Text least withall it be said to mee as is said in the Gospell Luke 14.30 This man began to build and was not able to make an end Now in the first place I must repeate my former division for the Text had naturally three generall heads Who When What. First Who was the purger of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hu. He viz. Hezekiah King of Iudah Secondly When was the Temple purged In the first yeare of his raigne and first Moneth Thirdly What course was taken in this purging A twofold course First for the house of God Secondly for the guides of the house Where three considerations are offered 1. The care taken for them 2. The titles given them In the generall Priests and Levites In the particular Priests Levites 3. The paines taken with them viz. What Hezekiah did What he said What he did Two things 4 He brought them in 5 He gathered them into the East streete What he said Two things 1. For the preparation Heare yee me yee Levites 2. For the matter a threefold command Sanctifie now your selves Sanctifie the house of the Lord Carrie the filth out of the sanctuarie Thus much for the division I have alreadie spoken at that other season of the first generall head viz. Who was the purger of the Temple even He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hezekiah the King where I observed That the care of Gods Temple worke of reformation is worthy of a King nay necessarie for a King as I then proved by five arguments viz. The rule of Scripture The consent of the Fathers The example of godly Princes The confession of our Adversaries The practise of our owne The use whereof was threefold viz. First to shew the world what is the right of Kings and that herein Papall power is but usurpation Secondly to tell the world Hart. conf with Ren. cap. 9. d◠4. that it is but a tricke in the Papacie to draw the ground of Regall supremacie onely from the time of King Henrie VIII Thirdly to pray that God would stirre up the spirit of Princes to make use of their owne right and that in due time he would be pleased to send a David into Spaine a Iehosaphat into France a Iosias into Italy a Constantine into Germanie that with our
good For hither come flocking they which have spent their substance upon whores dice and surfetting This crew hath dissembled holinesse From hence start out so many Stoicall apes patched rogues cowled monsters who having no credit left in things humane yet for their monstrous habit sake are put in trust with the things of God whose life being most lewd and filled with all villanie is yet left unpunished thorow pretence of Religion And lastly Cornelius Mus Corn. Mus Conc. Evang. de festis tom 1. ser 4 saith O my beloved Rome Thou art wholy turned away overthrowen and perverted Thou art become a stewes a fornace an hell Every order is departed from God Religious men are become dissolute Virgins have cast off shame Priests their Gownes Monkes their cowles Elus l. orat in Conc. Trid. in 3. Dom. Advens With what monsters of filthinesse is not both Priest and People defiled Begin at the Sanctuary of God see if there be any hope or helpe for honest life Would God they were not fallen with one consent from Religion to superstition from Faith to Infidelitie from Christ to Antichrist The sacred name of Iesus is made a jest and fable among the Iewes and Pagans by reason of us whose wickednesse with a shamefull report is bruted over all the world Ser. 33. in Cant. or in Conc. Rhemens Yea S. Bernard himselfe saith of them in his time Many Devils are chosen to be Bishops they are the ministers of Christ and they serve Antichrist Rom. 14.4 Ephes 4.20 Basil But let them stand or fall to their owne Master We have not so learned Christ. Basil saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with words but deedes that is not with wordes alone least we nourish with a word and kill with a worke Oh! VSE Exod. 28.37 Let the name of Holinesse be upon us as it was upon the forehead of Aaron let the Nature of it be within us and without us too like that Vrim Thummim upon the heart and breast-plate of Aaron and let all pray with David Exod. 28.30 O Lord let thy Priests be clothed with righteousnesse Psal◠132 9. And thus much of the Kings first command Sanctifie your selves Now for the second command Sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your Fathers I have formerly spoken of the House of God and therefore I shall now spare to speake Onely here by the way observe that he cals it not the house of their Fathers for then they would have pretended antiquitie but the house of the Lord God that they might attend to veritie and withall the Lord God of their fathers that they might joyne both together even Antiquitie and Truth Our boasting Adversaries are somewhat like the Gibeonites they pretended unto Ioshua that they came from farre Josh 9.4 6. and packt up a companie of old sacks and bottles to colour their fraud when indeede they dwelt neere at hand So these men of Rome patch up a garment with the shreds of Antiquitie when as they are but the younger Children of Time For What age can that Religion be of which was never heard of in the time of Christ nor in the time of his Apostles Or if they had a shew of Antiquitie it were nothing for Antiquitie without Veritie is but vanitie Or if they will have it in the wordes of Cyprian Cyprian coutra epist. Stephan Papae against a Pope himselfe Consuetudo sine veritate est vetustas erroris Custome without truth is the antiquitie of error But of this by the way The maine thing that this part of the Text intends is the Sanctifying of the Temple Sanctifie the house of God That is cleanse the Temple and prepare it to a holy use for otherwise there was no holinesse in it at all Many things in the Scripture are said to be Holy viz. Exod. 3.5 Levit 24.9 Math. 4.5 2. Pet. 1.18 Psalm 79.1 The Place where Moses stood The shew-bread The Citie of Ierusalem The Mount Tabor and the Temple it selfe is called Holy Yet not by any inhaerent holinesse but onely during the time of Gods presence Holy uses Christ his miracles Transfiguration or the like Oh! VSE What impostures are done in the Papacie under the name of Holinesse viz. Holy fathers of the Church of Rome Holy house viz. The house of Inquisition Holy Wels or waters Holy Maide of Kent And lastly the Holy Crosse in this kingdom but more truely the hollow Crosse a stale for Idolatrie an offence to Gods children and generally an impoverishing and robbing of the Subject Psalm 93 5. VSE Yet holinesse becommeth the house of God for ever A lesson not onely for those that are Officers in the house of God but even for all that tread in the Courts of the Lord our God To everie man belongs some especiall vertue as Liberalitie to the Rich Patience to the Poore Iustice to the Magistrate Humility to the Minister but Holinesse answereth unto all and to shew the generalitie of it it was prophecied by Zechary Zech. 14.20 that holinesse should be written upon the horse-bridles yea everie pot in Ierusalem should be holy vers 21. the whole Nation was called holy yea and upon the verie coine it selfe was there stamped on one side Ierushalaijm kedhoshah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy Ierusalem But oh How farre are this people now degenerated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their kedhoshah which signifieth Holy quickly turned into kedheshah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 23.17 Isa 1.21 Rom. 11.20 Hebr. 12.14 which signifieth an Harlot Oh! How is the faithfull Citie become an harlot saith the Prophet Be not high minded but feare Let there be no profaine person among us but follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. And hitherto of the Kings second command Now of the last command Carrie the filth out of the Sanctuarie By the Sanctuarie is not meant a place of refuge as Isa 8.14 Isa 8.14 but it concernes the Temple of God in Ierusalem and had foure parts viz. Atrium gentium or the outward Court Adrich theat in Ierusal nu 101 Revelat 11.2 Atrium Iudaeorum or the inward Court Adricho ibid. num 87. Exod. 27.9 The holy place Exod. 26.33 The holiest of all Hebr. 9.3 Among all these by the Sanctuarie is meant commonly the holy place or Tabernacle But Synecdochically is meant the whole Temple 2. Chron. 29.16 both the inward and the outward parts And here I observe Two things viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod Quid. First that there was filth in the Sanctuarie But was there any indeed In the Sanctuarie What in the Holy place In the House of God Yes there was filth there And it is not strange The Church of Corinth 1. Corinth 5.1 was stained with the filth of Incest The Church of Galatia Galat. 1.6 was stained with the filth of a new Gospell The
that I intend with Bellarmine to make multitude De noti Ecclesia libr 4 cap 7 to be a note of the Church for when they have talked their fil yet Christ shal have but a little flocke Luke 12 32 and He is true of his word that said Few doe enter in at the straite Gate Math 7 14 But yet you will say Are they few whom no man can number Revel 7 9 I answere This is spoken Hyperbolically and by the way of Comparison If the King would muster his Armie and gather Twentie out of every Parish in this Kingdome it would be an admirable great Armie yet it were not a handfull to those that are left behinde so are the multitude of Gods Saints little in respect of the wicked yet they are many great too in account with God And if yet thou doe contend and thinke them to be but few as they are indeede doe thou make One and so the number will be increased 3 The third Meditation is Sions Memoriall and that may be taken Two wayes Actively and Passively Actively Sion hath the Art of memorie shee remembreth her Creator for the Time past Eccles 12 1 she remembers his wonders of old for the Time Present Psalm 77 11 Psalm 71 24 her tongue talketh of his righteousnesse daily and for the Time to come even from generation to generation Psalm 79,13 shee will set forth his prayse and here in the Text shee tels it to Posteritie this was the practise of the Saints in the Old Testament as Abraham who commanded his Sonnes Genes 18 19. and houshold after him to keepe the wayes of the Lord. Yea and of the Saints in the New for Peters care was that the dispersed Iewes should have remembrance of his doctrine 2 Pet 1 15 even after his departure And seeing that Sion is so good a Remembrancer Let our tongues cleave to the roofe of our mouthes if wee remember not thee ô Sion Psalm 137 6 Passively Sions memoriall Sion is remembred If God hath made his wonderfull workes to be had in remembrance as David speaketh then cannot Sion be forgotten Psalm 111 4. for there is no worke of his more wonderfull then his preservation of the Church Wheresoever this Gospell is preached saith Christ there shall this that shee hath done be spoken of for a memoriall of her Math 26 13 That which was Mary Magdalens lott shall befall the rest Ever shall be remembred Abels offering Noahs obedience Abrahams faith Iosephs chastitie Davids zeale Salomons wisedome The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Prover 10 7 but the name of the wicked shall rott 4 The fourth Meditation is Sions priviledge There was Mount Sinai Exod. 19 1. Psalm 87 1 Lyrae in Psal 86 aswell as Mount Sion but yet his foundation in Sion saith the Psalmographe that is as Lyrae expounds it God layd the foundation of his Church in Sion In Sinai was the Law given but in Sion the Gospel In the Law Heb 12 21 God speaketh words of feare and trembling but in the Gospell 2. Corinth 5 18 the word of meekenesse peace When the Lord visited Elias in the Cave there came a Winde and the Lord was not in the winde 1 King 19 vers 11 12. and an Earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and a fire but the Lord was not in the fire Then at last came a soft and still voyce and there the Lord was So is the Lords love to be felt not so much in the thunders of Sinai as in the comforts of Sion And though his Power is seene in the swelling waters of Iordan Ierem 13 5. Isai 8 6 yet is his delight rather in the soft running waters of Siloe a fountaine at the foote of Sion therefore mount Sion above all others is called Gods Hill Psalm 68.15 The schoolemen doe make God to be the object of Faith and it is true in his kinde but if they meane it Personally of the Father they rather draw wretched soules out of the way then direct them to the marke for without Christ the Father is an angrie Iudge therefore He saith Iohn 14.6 No man commeth to the Father but by mee Hee is Iacobs ladder Genes 28 12 Isai 59 20 which joyneth heaven and earth together and this is that Redeemer which came unto Sion So that here is our priviledge We are not come to mount Sinai Galat. 4.24 which gendereth unto bondage but to mount Sion to the Citie of the living God and to Iesus the Mediator Hebr. 12.22 whose bloud speakes better things then that of Abel 5 The fift Meditation is Sions Promises That Rom. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paul speakes the preferment of Sion for the Iewes they had the Adoption and the Promises Rom. 9.4 Rom. 3.2 Aug. in Psalm and to them were committed The Oracles of God Augustine saith that the Iewes were the Librarie keepers of the Christians and to this end it is thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ios 15.15 they had their Kiriath-sepher the City of the Booke And in the first Councell of Constantinople being the second general by 150. Bishops Ierusalem is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. li. 5. c. 9. or Mother Citie of all Churches If such tearmes and promises had beene given to Rome all the Pulpits of Italie would have rung at it but we see there is no such thing With what impudencie then did Benedict III. rob Ierusalem of her right and give it to Rome Extr. com de elect cap. 3. sanct Rom. For hee decreed Rome to be first and Ierusalem the fift among the Seas of the Patriarches and of late Trid. Conc. sect 25. de Delect the Trent-Councell hath called Rome the Mother Mistris of all Churches But by this Novell Disseisin they have weakened nay overthrown their pretended Supremacie 6 The sixt is Sions Perpetuitie For it is the Hill wherein the Lord will abide for ever and yet wee see Psalm 68.16 that God was not eternally tyed to externall Sion for now the Wayes of Sion lament Lament 1.4 and no man commeth to her solemne feasts Let our Romanists looke unto this point They stile Rome Aeterna Vrbs Am. Marcel and as the Iewes unto Ierusalem the Donatists to Affrica so these men would tye the Church to Rome The Church is called in the Creede Catholicke and in this sense justly stiled Oecumenicall scattered over all the world but they would bring it backe into a narrow roome The Romane Catholicke Church Grounds of the Old and New Religion p 1. c. 6. and The Catholicke Romane Faith But particulars are not generals Obiect And though the Catholicke Church hath his Perpetuitie yet particular Churches have their Period and so had Sion Solut But God promised a perpetuitie to Sion Hee did so but it was under a condition