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
the Architects of Noah his Arke they built the Arke and were drownd themselves Take heede my beloved brethren least when we have preached to others 1. Cor. 9.27 we our selves be cast-awayes 2 The second is the Limitation Now not put expletivè Psalm 118 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Hebrewe Na but emphatiâ—è Gnattah Now even at this time whatsoever yee did before It teacheth Two things 1 Now in relation to the time past as if hee should have said My Father Ahaz silenced you disturbed you in your calling you gave your selves to other affaires and were polluted But Now returne and sanctifie your selves againe VSE And truely while wee attend not our calling wee are unsanctified peradventure there is an unwilling desertion How much more blame-worthy are we if willingly we forsake our calling and blot out the character which God imprinted This deserta militia without just ground drawes on the censure of man and the vengeance of God 2 Now in relation to the time to come as if he should have said VSE Now ô Now and deferre it not even now be sanctified while it is called Today Delay brings danger as in other affaires so especially in the matters of God To morrow Craâ— Craâ—â—â—rvus â—â—t Aâ—g confess lib. 8. cap 12. is not the voyce of the Dove To morrow saith Augustine and Why not now ô Lord Why should not my uncleanenesse have an end this verie houre 3 The third Consideration is a Question Whether Priests and Levites can sanctifie themselves as here they are commaunded I answere They cannot for it is the Lord that must purifie the sonnes of Levi Malaâ—h 3.3 yet to encourage us he gives us the honour of the worke 1. Io. 3.3 We have no freewill unto good 2. Corinth 3.5 for wee are not able of our selves to thinke a good thought much lesse to doe a good worke It is Christ that is made unto us 1. Cor. 1.10 1. Thes 4.3 1 Pet. 1.15 Marke 9.50 not only Iustification but Sanctification yet wee are still called unto holinesse and sanctification Have salt in your selves saith Christ alas Have wee in our nature any seasoning or savour of spirituall wisedome at all No but when he said Have then hee Gave that when wee feele our wants we may crie with that good Father Domine da quod jubes jube quod vis Aug. conf li. 10 Give us O Lord what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt 4 The last Consideration is matter of Correction Priests and Levites are here called to sanctification yet What grievous coÌ„plaints were made against them viz. Isaiah Isa 56.10.11.12 saith they were blind watchmen dumbe dogges greedie and given to wine Hosea Hos 6.9 saith they murder in the way by consent and worke mischiefe Zephany Zeph. 3.4 saith they are light and wicked persons and have wrested the Law Malachy Malach 2.8 saith They are gone out of the way and have broken the Covenant of Levi. I wish that these and the like sinnes may not be found in the heritage of Iacob VSE Ecclesiast 23.15 If ever there were neede of sanctified Priests it is now Oh! How many are there who by a dissolute life doe make religion to be made a scorne I have spoken but one word and that somewhat secretly because I like not to discover the nakednesse of Noah and I feare that some Church-papist did over-heare me to tell it in the streetes of Azkelon But if so I will then crie aloud and say 2. Sam. 1.20 Psalm 75.5 Set not up your horne on high for if you doe I will plucke you downe againe with the hands of Ten of your owne approved Authors viz Aventine Albertus Magnus Holcot Platina Clemangis Genebrard Staphilus Iansenius Cornelius Agrippa and Cornelius Mus all which take them joyntly together doe speake such shamefull and vile things of the Popes and Cleargie of Rome that they make them the beastliest monsters that ever trod upon Gods earth And in particular thus A vent annal libr 8. in â—nit pag 481. The Pope saith Aventine sets over the flocke of Christ Goates Woolves adulterers ravishers usurers cookes muletors perfidious perjured ignorant Asses nay he setteth boyes wantons to rule the Lambes I am ashamed to say what manner of Bishops we have Albert. Magn in Evang. Ioâ— c. 10 Those saith Albertus Magnus which rule in the Church be for the most part Theeves and Murtherers rather Oppressors then Pastors Perverters then Teachers Seducers then Guides These be the messengers of Antichrist and such as supplant the flocke of Christ. Platin in vita Marcellim Sed quid futurum saith Platina nostra aetate arbitramur qua vitia nostra eò crevêre ut vix apud Deum misericordiae locum reliquerint Quanta sit avaritia sacerdotum eorum maximè qui rerum potiuntur quanta libido ambitio pompa superbia desidia quanta ignoratio tùm suiipsius tum doctrinae Christianae Quam parva religio quam corrupti mores vel in hominibus secularibus detestandi non attinet dicere cùm ipsi ita apertè palam peccent ac si inde laudem quaererent 〈…〉 Sapient seâ—l 182 The Priests of our age saith Holcot be like the Priests of Baal Dagon Priapus wicked Angels Angels of Hell 〈◊〉 angâ— de staâ—â— Ecclesiae pag. â—7 â—â— 5â— c. Concerning Monkes Clemangis saith they are slipperie indisciplinated dissolute running up and downe into dishonest places hating nothing so much as their reading and praying rule and religion The Friars are worse then the Pharisees making shew of Austeritie chastitie humilitie but secretly they goe beyond the luxuriousnesse of all worldly men And like Bels Priests devoure with their brats the oblations of the people And what are Nunneries now a dayes but the execrable brothel houses of Venus that now the veyling of a Nunne is all one as if you prostituted her openly to be a whore Pontifices saith Genebrard circiter quinquaginta Genebrar Chronolog lib. 4. seculo 10. pro spatio ferè 150. annorum a Ioan. 8. ad Leonen 9. recesserunt totaliter à virtute praedecessorum suorum fuerunt Apotactici Apostatici vè potius quam Apostolici It is much to be lamented saith Staphilus Staphilus Apol. part 1. that the life behaviour of the reverend Priest-hood answers not their godly and high Profession but is very scandalous to the world Can this be denied It is alas too true Truely saith Iansenius Iansen concord pag. 270. the greater part of Bishops Pastors are so infatuated that they bewray themselves to have no corne of Salt in their life and doctrine There is no hope when they themselves are irrecoverably corrupted by whose health others should be holpen There be saith Agrippa Corn. Agrippa de vanitate scient cap. 62. in the Church Monckes Fryars and Anchorites but few among them are
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
Of the Title that is given unto the Faithfull they are called Sheepe Now to the Second generall part namely to the Owner The Owner of the Sheepe even Christ the speaker in this Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mine In our English translation the wordes are but Two My Sheepe but in the Originall they are Foure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Sheepe These Mine each of them having his Praepositive article Copor de artic cap. 1. which as Grammarians speake Certificant emphaticè a thing remarkeably to be observed in that description of the whore of Babylon in the Apocalypse Revel 17.1 where within the compasse of seven wordes the article is sixe times found There is therefore some extraordinarie thing both there and here Let us search into it Paul tels the Corinthians and us 1. Cor. 6.19 that wee are not our owne Now if we be not our owne Whose are we for we must besome bodies He tells us Yee are Christs 1. Cor 3.23 and here Christ tels us yee are Mine yee are verie Mine But How and by what right is Christ our Owner In a Twofold manner Iure poli jure soli Iure praemij iure pretij In particular I must enlarge it into Sixe wayes whereof the Two first are common to all the sonnes of Adam but the foure last onely proper to the Sonnes of God 1 First we are Christs by the way of Creation Genes 1.26 for he hath made us and in this respect all persons are called his sonnes and daughters Deut. â—2 1â— But though all men in Adam were created by God and that according to his Image yet this Image of his Gen. 1.26 doth principally shine in his Saints so that this first way Coloss 3.10 we are in some respect principally and peculiarly his owne 2 Secondly we are Christs by the way of his Providence and Preservation Job 7.20 Math. 5.45 thus he is called The Preserver of men but though he cause the Sunne to arise upon the evill and upon the good as he himselfe speaketh yet David in an especiall manner calleth him Psalm 31.23 The preserver of the faithfull and Paul when he calls him in a common sense The Saviour of all men 1. Tim. 4 10. yet hee presently addeth especially of those that beleeve which must make us with David Psalm 31.19 to breake forth into a loving admiration and say O How great is thy goodnesse ô Lord which thou hast layd up for them that feare thee before the Sonnes of men 3 Thirdly we are Christs by way of Predestination namely in that wee are chosen in him before the foundation of the world and predestinate to be adopted thorough him according to the good pleasure of his will and to the prayse of the glorie of his grace as Paul at large delivers to the Ephesians Ephes 1.23.4.5 This doctrine is taught by rhe same Apostle Rom. 8.29 to the Romanes and is acknowledged by our Adversaries Bellar. de Grat. lib. 2. cap. 10. and though carnall Gospellers doe eyther make a mocke at the same or take it as an occasion to sinne yet we know it is a most comfortable doctrine to the Sheepe of Christ that according to the finall cause thereof Ephes 1.4 We should be holy and without blame before him in love 4 Fourthly We are Christs by way of Redemption By whom we have Redemption saith Paul And againe Ye are bought with a price Ephes 1.7 1. Cor. 6.20 If we did but enter into the consideration of everie circumstance it would drive us into an admiration of the love of CHRIST whether in it wee doe observe The Act or the Person or the Manner or the Price or the Time The Act of our Redemption was to be bought out for wee had sold our selves to sinne 1. King 21.25 like Ahab nay unto Sathan himselfe then was Christ contented to be sold too Math. 26.15 into the hands of sinners that he might buy them out againe from Sinne and Sathan The Person redeeming was no other then IESVS CHRIST Man could not redeeme himselfe from sinne being a sinner The Angels could not for they were but creatures and no stedfastnesse found in them Iob. 4.18 But it was his Sonne his onely Sonne his onely begotten Sonne Oh! The greatnesse of his love that he would send none but his Sonne Oh! The guilt of our sinne that could not be expiated by any but by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Man CHRIST IESVS Greg. Theol. lib. 2. de fil The manner of our redemption willingly He offered up himselfe saith the Apostle It was man that owed to God a debt but He became a voluntarie suretie Hebr. 7.27 and undertooke the debts of us all Innocencie made him free but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affection towards man Tit. 3 4. brought Him under the charge of our accounts and when the Lord was readie to strike He stept in betweene the blow and us and receaved it upon his owne Soule for Math. 26.38 His soule was heavie unto the death The Price of our redemption was his bloud Ephes 1.7 So saith Paul Redemption through his bloud So Peter 1. Pet. 1.18 Not with silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ So saith Iohn the bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne 1. Io. 1.7 Genes 1.3 But could not now a word have done it as it did at the first If not a word yet a worke If not some one worke yet the whole passages of his life If not his life yet a naturall death No nothing could doe but Bloud For Hebr. 9.22 without bloud there is no remission Christ may say to us as Zipporah said to Moses O bloudie husband Exod. 4.26 so ô bloudie spouse bloudie servants Sonnes and sinnes of bloud David would not drinke of the water of Beth-lehem when he saw it was got with danger of bloud Oh! 2. Sam. 23.17 That wee would refuse the waters of Sinne which are nothing else but the price of Bloud The Time of our redemption Rom. 5.10 when we were his enemies If we had beene his friends or had merited anie thing at his hands or had bine first reconciled to him it had beene something but now whilest wee are in our bloud as the Prophet speaketh he gave us bloud for bloud Ezech. 16.6 Genes 9.6 not by the way of a direfull revenge but of compassionate redemption Therefore now considering the Time Rom. 13.11 we must needes acknowledge that wee are his owne and untill Time shall be no more Revel 10.6 to set forth his prayse Rom 4 25. 5 Fiftly we are Christs by way of Iustification For to that end Hee rose againe It is good neyther to condemne the just nor to commend the wicked yet Christ without sinne hath done the latter even while wee were sinners to justifie us We