of God but it appeares not yet what we shall be Hast thou heere much peace there is more here wee haue desiderium pacis there pacem desiderij Heere a desire of peace there the peace of our desires Hast thou heere some ioy there is more now ioy with sorrow checker-worke white and blacke roses but thornes with them then ioy with safety safety with eternity such ioy as shall neuer be taken from vs. There Rex veritas Lex charitas pax foelicitas vita aeternitas If one day in lower Sion be better then a thousand daies in the tents of wickednesse then one day in vpper Sion is better then a thousand yeeres in this valley of teares If Peter was so rauished with Mount Tabor where onely Christ was transfigured what is he with this Mount Sion where all are glorified How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord If Gods Tabernacles be so louely what is his mansion If there bee such ioy in the remission of sinne what is there in the abolition of sinne If there bee now such sweet peace in thy heart such musicke in thy conscience what mayst thou thinke there is in heauen But because non capimus illa illa capiant nos we cannot comprehend those pleasures let those pleasures comprehend vs. Good seruant the ioy is too great to enter into thee therfore enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. This Mount Sion did God giue to Christ and Christ to vs. God to his Sonne Yet haue I set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion The Sonne to vs A Lambe stood on Mount Sion and with him 144. thousand c. A Lambe in figure slaine from the foundation of the world A Lambe in fact led like a Lambe to the slaughter standeth sits not idle nor lies asleepe hee that kepeth Israel neyther slumbers nor sleepes whereon not as the two beasts his opposites that rise out of the earth and Sea but on a Mount What Mount not Sinai but Sion Other mountaines quake at his presence The hils melted like waxe at the presence of the Lord. But Sion heard and was glad and the daughters of Iuda reioyced Other mountains in homage to this haue skipped and danced about it The mountaines skipped like Rams and the little hils like Lambes He stands therefore is willing to defend on a Mount therefore able to defend on Mount Sion therefore ready to defend because hee is in the middest of his owne and sees his Church round about him So that though all the red Dragons on earth and blacke Deuils in hell rage against vs yet the Lambe on Mount Sion will defend vs. There now hee stands calling vs by grace there we shall one day behold him calling vs to glory vntill hee giue this glory to vs yea then and euer let vs giue all glory to the Lambe that stands on Mount Sion This is the place which the Lord chose and loues He refused the Tabernacle of Ioseph and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim But chose the Tribe of Iudah the Mount Sion which he loued This praise did inherit and inhabite Sion The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue desired it Let the precedent of Gods affection worke in all our hearts a zeale to Sion The Lord that chose Sion chuse vs to Sion he that desired it his habitation make it the habitation of our desires It is his rest let it be ours that we may rest with him Here will I dwell saith he let vs all pray to dwell there Though it bee a hill a high hill though paines and toyle in getting vp yet let vs ascend for aboue there is eternall ioy The City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem I come from the Situation to the Citie you heare where it is heare now what it is A City in a Mountaine Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the Mountaine of his holinesse Beautifull for situation the ioy of the whole earth is Mount Sion on the sides of the North the City of the great King God is knowne in her Palaces for a sure refuge Heere be foure circumstances 1. Quae sit not a Village but a City 2. Cuius not mans but Gods not a faigned but the liuing Gods 3. Qualis not earthly but heauenly 4. Quo nomine not Sodome or Samaria but the City of peace Ierusalem The Citie The Church may be compared to a Citie for three resemblances of Safety Vnitie Paucity 1. For safety Cities haue euer bene held the securest places So Lot said of little Zoar Let me escape thither my soul shall liue Cain fearing the execution of his curse built him a Citie for refuge and called it Enoch The motiue that caused those wicked to build a City was security lest we be scattered abroad vpon the face of the whole earth The Israelites had their Cities of refuge and a Law of their protection Num. 35. 27. But there is no Citie of sure refuge but this Citie of the liuing God It is ordinary with men to put too much trust like Israel in their walled Cities Except the Lord keep the Citie the watchman waketh but in vaine Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Thou thinkest thy selfe secure because an inhabitant of this famous London No thou liuest in an Iland therefore in danger of the Sea in a Christian Iland therefore in danger of the Turke in a Protestant Iland therefore in danger of the Pope in a chiefe City of this Iland therefore in danger of the diuell The Citie is perilous for pride the more spectators the more acclamations the larger the Theater the lowder the applause The solemne assembly in Cesaria puffed vp ambitious Herod to his owne destruction The people showted Vox Dei but the wormes confuted their flattery his folly Simon Magus ventured that flight in a Citie to which in an obscure Village he had neither been tempted nor would haue attempted And whether quicke commings in of money make not this Citie vnsafe to many soules miserable experience hath euinced Praeceps locum princeps damnum suddaine profit is capitall losse But suppose men care not so much for the safety of their soules are their bodies secure Thieues homicides fires deny it But if they scape all these fires yet not the last fire Your buckets may quench other fires not this no milke nor vineger can extinguish that wild fire As in the dayes of Noah a Doue could not set downe her foote for water so nor at this day for fire Let this meditation like a fortunate storme driue you to harbour the weakenesse of all Cities in the world to the safety of the Citie of God 2. For vnitie Familiarity hath the name Quasi eiusdem familiae as it were of the same
praemium tantis lobâ—…ribus quaesitum lest the reward be lost which thou with much labour hast aymed at It is not enough Quaerere coelum sed acquirere non Christum sequi sed consequi To seeke heauen but to find it not to follow Christ but to ouertake him not to be brought to the gates but to enter in Many will say to Christ in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophecied in thy Name But the Master of the house is first risen hath shut to the doore Either they come too soone before they haue gotten faith and a good conscience or too late as those foolish Virgins when the gate was shut If then wee haue begun let vs continue to entrance Cuiusque casus tantò maioris est criminis quantò prinsquam caderet maior is er at virtutis Euery mans fault hath so much the more discredite of scandall as he before he fell had credite of vertue Let vs beware that we doe not slide if slide that we do not fall if fall that wee fall forward not backward The iust man often slips and sometime falls And this is dangerous for if a man whiles hee stands on his legges can hardly grapple with the deuill how shall he do when he is falne downe vnder his feete But if they doe fall they fall forward as Ezekiel not backward as Eli at the losse of the Arke or they that came to surprise Christ Iohn 18. They went backward and fell to the ground Cease not then thy godly endeuours vntill Contingas portum quò tibi â—…ursus erat Say we not like the woman to Esdras whether in a vision or otherwise when he bade her goe into the Citie That will I not doe I will not goe into the Citie but here I will die It is a wretched sinne saith August after teares for sinne not to preserue innocence Such a man is washed but is not cleane Quia coÌ„missa flere definit et iterum flenda committit He leaues weeping for faults done and renues faults worthy of weeping Think not thy selfe safe till thou art got within the gates of the Citie Behold thy Sauiour calling thy Father blessing the Spirit assisting the Angels comforting the Word directing the glory inuiting good men associating Go cheerfully till thou enter in through the gates into the Citie The manner Through the gates Not singularly a Gate but gates For Chap. 21. the Citie is said to haue twelue gates On the East three gates on the North three on the South three and on the West three To declare that men shall come from all the corners of the World from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and shall sit downe in the Kingdome of GOD. These Gates are not literally to be vnderstood but mystically Pro modo intrandi for the maner of entrance The gates are those passages whereby we must enter this Citie Heauen is often said to haue a Gate Striue to enter in at the strait Gate saith Christ. Lift vp your heads O yee Gates and be ye lift vp yee euerlasting doores saith the Psalmist This is none other but the house of God and this is the Gate of Heauen saith Iacob There must be Gates to a Citie they that admit vs hither are the Gates of Grace So the analogie of the words inferre dooing the commandements is the way to haue right in the tree of Life obedience and sanctification is the Gate to this Citis of saluation In a vvord The Gate is Grace Citie Glory The Temple had a gate called Beautifull Act. 3. But of poore beauty in regard of this Gate Of the gates of the Sanctuary spake Dauid in diuerse Psalmes with loue and ioy Enter into his gates with thanksgiuing and into his courts with praise This was Gods delight The Lord loueth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Iacob This was Dauids election to be a Porter or keeper of the gates of Gods house rather then dwell in the Tents of wickednesse This his Resolution Our feete shall stand within thy gates O Ierusalem Salomon made two docres for the entring of the Oracle they were made of Oliue trees and wrought vpon with the carnings of Cherubins The Oliues promising fatnesse and plenty of blessings the Cherubins holinesse and eternitie These are holy gates let euery one pray with that royall Prophet Open to mee the gates of righteousnesse I will goe into them I wil praise the Lord. This is the Gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter In briefe we may distinguish the gates leading to this Citie into two Adoption and Sanctification Both these meet in Christ who is the onely gate or doore vvhereby we enter Heauen I am the doore saith our Sauiour Ianua vitae the gate of life by mee if any enter in hee shall be saued Adoption Is the first Gate We haue receiued the spirit of Adoption Without this passage no getting into Heauen The inheritance of glory cannot be giuen to the children of disobedience they must first be conuerted adopted heires in Christ. The Grace of God is two-fold There is Gratia gratis agens and Gratia gratum faciens This second grace which is of Adoption is neuer in a reprobate not by an absolute impossibilitie but by an indisposition in him to receiue it A sparke of fire falling vpon water ice snow goes out on wood flaxe or such apt matter kindles Baptisme is the Sacrament of admission into the Congregation of Insition and Initiation whereby vve are matriculated and receiued into the motherhood of the Church Therefore the sacred Font is placed at the Church-doore to insinuate and signifie our Entrance So Adoption is the first doore or gate whereby wee passe to the Citie of glory This is our new Creation whereat the Angels of heauen reioyce Luke 15. At the creation of Dukes or Earles there is great ioy among men but at our new creation Angels and Seraphins reioyce in the presence of GOD. Our Generation was A non esse ad esse from not being to be But our Regeneration is A malè esse ad benè esse from a being euill to be well and that for euer Through this gate we must passe to enter the Citie vvithout this death shall send vs to another place No man ends this life well except he be borne againe before he ends it Now if you would be sure that you are gone through this gate call to mind what hath been your Repentance The first signe of Regeneration is throbbes and throwes you cannot be adopted to Christ without sensible paine and compunction of heart for your sinnes The Christian hath two Birthes and they are two gates hee can passe through none of them but with anguish Both our first and second Birth begin with crying Our first birth is a gate into
A Crucifixe Ephe. 5. 2. He hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering The good Politician directed Math. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents The way home Math. 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dreame Semper Idem Hebr. 13. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday Gods bounty Prou. 3. 16. Length of dayes is in her right hand The lost are found Luke 19. 10. For the Sonne of man is come to seeke A Generation of Serpents Psal. 58. 4. Their poyson is like the poyson of Serpents Heauen made sure Psal. 35. 3. Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation The Soules refuge 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according The end of the Contents THE HAPPINES OF THE CHVRCH HEBR. 12. Ver. 22. But ye are come vnto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing GOD the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels 23. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust men made perfect 24. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel THEY that make comparisons alteram partem deprimunt vt res alterius emineant debase the one part that they may aduance the honour of the other Our Apostle abates the glory of the Law that he may giue more glory where it is more deserued to the Gospell For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glory The summe of the comparison is spent in these three generalls 1. There were Omnia terrena et externa all things outward and sauouring of earth ver 18. A Mount that might still be touched c. Here all Interna et coelestia spirituall and heauenly 2. There are all Obscura et caliginosa darke and difficult Blacknesse darknes c. Here all Clara et illustria cleare and conspicuous therfore the Prophet called Christ Solem Iustitiae The Sun of Righteousnesse and Iohn Baptist stiled him That light which lightens euery one comming into the world 3. There all were Terribilia fearefull and amazing not onely to the people ver 19. who intreated that the Word should not bee spoken to them any more But euen to Moses ver 21. So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Here all Amabilia et laeta louely as Rachel delightfull as Musike the Gospel is called the Message of peace Our Apostle therefore preacheth a double quantity in the Gospell Magnitudinem Gloriae multitudinem gratiae the greatnes of Glory to worke in vs reuerence the multitude of Grace to worke in vs loue obedience The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Christ Iesus The excellency of Christ aboue Moses is exemplified in the third Chapter of this Epistle Moses verily was faithfull in all Gods house as a seruant But Christ as a Sonne ouer his owne house c. To the words the parts are generally two the Accesse and the Obiect First for the Accesse Yee are come What on your own feet without a Guide No Accessistis hoc est fide Euangelica perducti estis Yee are come that is yee are brought by the faith of the Gospel There is one that brings you God euery person in the blessed Trinity It is Opus Patris No man can come except the Father draw him Opus Filij Draw me we will runne after thee Opus spiritus sancti Let thy good spirit lead me into the Land of righteousnes Man is by nature in Zedechias case blind and lame Blind Non inuenisset viam nisi via inuenisset eum vnlesse the vvay had found him he could neuer haue found the way Lame he may know that the Temple of heauen hath a beautiful gate Grace but cannot come thither till God brings him loo sen his stupified ioynts and put into his hand the Almes of mercy This done he may enter into the Temple walking and leaping and praising GOD. Thus first he giues the Soule eyes vnderstanding then feet gracious affections and now expects that he should come God hath not so done all for thee that thou shouldest doe nothing for thy selfe A Deo sine te factus à te fine Deo infectus A Christo sine te refectus non à te fine Christo nec à Christo sine te perfectus God did create thee without thy selfe thou didst lose thy selfe without God without thy selfe Christ did redeeme thee but neither thy selfe without Christ nor Christ without thy selfe shall perfect thee Potest Dominus inueniri adueniri non praeueniri There may be a finding of God a comming to God but no preuenting of God Haue faith Hee that commeth to God must belieue and that of thine owne for there is no comming on anothers foote Thus that we might come to Christ Christ came to vs. Non de coelo merita nostra sed peccata traxerunt Not our merits but our maladies drew that great Physician from heauen to vs. Yee are not comming but come it is rather a time perfectly past then expectantly future Which plainely demonstrates that this is a description of the Church in her militant estate so well as triumphant Indeed either hath a relation to other a communion to other and the inestimable priuiledges of them both are wrapped vp together The connexion of Glory to Grace is so infallible that they often change names Heauen is called the kingdome of Holinesse and Holinesse is called the kingdome of Heauen Yee are saued by hope and Hee that belieueth hath euerlasting life and is passed from death to life So sure as if they were already in Heauen So Paul Our conuersation is in heauen from vvhence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. The obiect or place of our arriual is described by many excellent and honourable titles First it is called a Mount but is there so much happinesse in that Feriunt summos fulgura montes the highest Mountaines are most danger'd to the violences of Heauen ver 18. There was a Mount burning with fire This is no Mountaine of danger or terror but Sion safe pleasant delightfull Sion the ioy of the whole earth the beloued of GOD the Iohn that leaned on the bosome of Christ. The Lord loues the gates of Sion better then all the dwellings of Iacob But though a Mount though Mount Sion yet it might be a solitary and vnfrecuented Hill like that whereunto the Diuell tooke Christ and shewed him the kingdomes of the world vvhere a man can onely see glory not enioy it Or like that mount Nebo or top of Pisgah whereon Moses might onely stand and behold the Land of Canaan Not so but on this Mount there stands a City a populous Citie and full of buildings like that wherein Christ
that is called by my Name as I haue done to Shiloh It lies in the power of sinne to make the most blessed places accursed God turnes a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabitants that dwell therein Ciuitatis euersio morum non murorum casus The ruine of a Citie is not the breach of the walls but the apostacie of manners Were our Fences stronger then the seuen-folde walls of Babylon the sinnes within would hurle downe the Bulwarkes without If there be Prauilegium among vs there is no Priuilegium for vs. This Sion then stands not on earthly foundations for at the generall dissolution the earth with all the workes in it Cities Castles Townes Towres shall be burnt vp If it were built on a saâ—…dy foundation when the raine the flouds and windes shall conspire against it it would fall and the fall of it would be great But Sion is built on Christ Behold I say in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious he that beleeueth on him shall not be confounded This is conspicuous by the Antithesis of Mount Sion with the Gospell to Mount Sinai with the Law The Apostlecals that montem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mount that might be touched if this had beene vpon earth it had also beene contrectabilis touchable but it is onely spirituall Hee alludes to Gods Prophesies and Promises Euangelium proditurum de monte Sion that the Gospel should come out of Mount Sion This is manifest to those that will consider and conferre these places Obad. vers 21. Esa. 2. 3. Mie 4. 2. Come let vs goe vp to the Mount of the Lord for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of God from Ierusalem Esa. 59. 20. with Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Sion the Deliuerer and shall turne away vngodlinesse from Iacob Sinai gaue thraldome by Moses Sion giues freedome and saluation by Iesus These two words giue vs two comforts of grace Fortitudinem quia mons Beatitudinem quia mons Sion Securitie because it is a mountaine Felicity because it is Mount Sion 1. Heere is considerable the validity and strength of grace that comes by Christ we are not built in a valley but on a mount A mountaine hath euer beene held the place of safety I said in my prosperity I shall neuer be moued What is his reason Lord thou of thy fauour hast made my mountaine so strong But alas what are all the mountaines of the earth to mount Sion Woe to them that trust in the mountaines of Samaria The prophane Edomite stands on his mountain and derides the iudgement of God The Syrians thought God only Deum montium a God of the mountaines It was vpon the high mountaine that Israel played the harlot Many sit on their mountains and giue defiance to heauen The couetous mans mountaine is his riches there he thinkes himselfe safe Soule rest thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeares The ambitious mans mountaine is his honour and who dares finde fault with so promontorious a celsitude yes Euery mountaine shall be brought low Sensualitie is the voluptuous mans mountaine there he refugeth himselfe against all reproofes But when the iudgements of God shall come vpon the earth in vaine they shal cry to the mountaines Fallon vs and to the hills Couer vs. As neyther against the waters in the former Deluge so nor against the fire in the latter dissolution shall the mountaines defend onely this Mount Sion shall saue vs. The mountaine of worldly confidence hath not more strength of defending against the assaults of men then danger of exposing to the violences of heauen Heere is the difference betwixt the worldlings building and the Christians 1. They thinke themselues onely to build high aspiring to an equality with mountaines and as low builders poore deiected and reiected creatures But indeed they build low for all sublunary things are low buildings onely he that builds on this Mount Sion builds high and sure when all oppositions and aduersary forces haue done their worst he stands firme like Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth fast for euer The Wise mans mind is euer aboue the Moone yea aboue the Sun What turbulencies soeuer be in the world all is peace there In my Fathers house there are many mansions In domo it is a house not a Tabernacle Of my Father for if he hath afforded such a house for his enemies how glorious is that he hath reserued for himselfe and his friends Patris mei saith Christ My Father your Father is able to giue you a cottage for your short life My Father giues a house for euer There are Mansions à manendo not moueable tents but mansions Many enow for all none shall be troubled for want of elbow-roome Therefore let all Mountaines stoope to this The mountaine of the Lord shall be established in the top of mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hills and all Nations shal flowe vnto it This is Gods Mountaine who hath chosen of all Nations Israel of all Tribes Iuda of all Cities Ierusalem of all Temples that of Salomon of all Mountaines Mount Sion 2. The worldlings thinke this Mountaine is but a dreame because they cannot see it nor touch it But our Apostle sayes it is intrectabilis it cannot be touched with earthly fingers no profane feet must tread in those holy Courts Naturall mens vnderstandings are led by their senses Plus oculo quà m oraculo they will belieue no further then they see Giue mee good cheare sayes the Epicure this I can see and taste and tell not me of your spirituall banket in heauen Giue me good liquour sayes the Drunkard the bloud of the grape this giues colorem saporem odorem colour to the eye sauour to the palate odour to the sent heauen hath no Nectar like this Giue me honour saith the Ambitious which may aduaunce me that from this Mountaine of preferment I may ouerlooke the inferiour world and behold vassals prostrate to my Celsitude this I can feele and see tel not me of your inuisible kingdome and Such honour haue all his Saints Giue mee gorgeous apparell sayes the proud this vvill make me admir'd giue me admission among the great ones tell not me of our Robe of Glory Giue me gold saies the Couetous this I can see it is my Sunne by day and my Moone by night I can spend my time delightfully in telling feeling treasuring this neuer tell me of your treasure in heauen Well if there be no remedy but Sense must be your Religion and this world your God take your choise these grosse palpable things trust you in these Mountaines but Lord giue vs this Mount Sion which our Lord Iesus Christ hath established for vs. Now sith we are built vpon a Mountaine let vs know that we are conspicuous all the world takes notice of vs. The faithfull
teares he that payes not this tribute of raine shall want the sun-shine of mercy The subsidies of our mouthes are our praises Tibi omne os confitebitur Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise The subsidies of our eares are attention to his word Mary sate at Iesus feete and heard his word The subsidies of our heads are meditations of his power iustice mercy truth The blessed man doth meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night This reduceth Christianity to practice a rare habite and yet it is as possible to be good without it as to swallow and neuer chew the cudde A Sermon without consequent meditation may come to be remembred againe in hell The subsidies of our knees are geniculations I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. Steuen kneeled downe prayed c. If our knees be too stout to pay this tribute heauen gate will be too low for our entrance The subsidies of our hands are almes to the poore the due paiment of this interest shall blesse and increase the principall Giue and it shall bee giuen you To the King wee pay Fifteenes to God Tenths these he hath separated to himselfe The honest Pharise could say Tyth and be rich the dishonest Christian sayes Tyth and bee poore But what men get by this detinie shall be their fatall destiny they shall leaue the gold behind them but carry the guilt with them to euerlasting fire Robbe not this Citie militant lest God turne you from the City triumphant Of the liuing God This hath beene an ancient attribute to God liuing and it is added heere partly for distinction partly for demonstration First it distinguisheth the owner of this Citie from other titular gods For there bee gods many and lords many The name of gods hath beene giuen to men to Idols to lusts Homines Dij mortales Idola dij mortui Libidines dij mortiferi Men are gods dying Idols dead lusts deadly There are 1. Dij deputati reputed and deputed gods such are Magistrates and Princes I haue said Yee are gods but these are mortall gods ye shall die like men You haue your life from this liuing GOD both the life of nature common with others and the life of power superiour to others The powers that be are ordained of God Pilate receiued that power from God whereby hee vniustly condemned the Sonne of God Thou couldest haue no power against me except it were giuen thee from aboue Wee must giue to those gods obedience eyther actiue or passiue actiue when they command well passiue though they command ill Otherwise we incurre damnation for obstinate disobeying as themselues haue damnation for vniust commanding These are momentany gods as men are Kings on the stage till the play is done 2. Dij fictitij fayned gods as Mars the god of warre Neptune the god of the sea c. They were strange gods that ran a whoring after women made way to their lusts if not by flattery by bloud Scarce ranker villany in the Deuils then was found in those gods This the Philosophers obiected against Paul that he was a setter forth of strange gods The superstitious Lystrians tooke Paul and Barnabas for such gods Dij descenderunt the gods are come downe to vs in the likenesse of men But Paul vers 15. points them to the liuing GOD that made heauen and earth Those fayned gods are confounded by this liuing GOD. 3. Dij manufacti gods made with mens hands Idols but these are dead gods Yea not onely dead but nothing An Idol is nothing in the world It is true that they haue matter and forme the gold brasse wood or stone whereof they are made be substances they haue something in esse naturae nothing in esse vitae they haue stuffe but no life in them They haue eyes and see not there is no breath in their mouthes S. Paul commends in the Thessalonians this happy conuersion from dead idols to the liuing God O that it were as easie to confute Idolaters as it is to confound Idols Res hominis conculcat talem Deum No Idol is so great a god but the foote of man can kicke it downe 4. Dij vsurpantes vsurping gods deuils So Paul calls Satan the god of this world Of the whole world What is then left for God Not so he is Deus improborum not elementorum God of the wicked not of the frame of the world The Prince of this world is already iudged A goodly god that is already iudged The God of peace shall tread Satan vnder your feet Not you but God shall tread him down to your comfort vnder your feet Therefore give no place to the Deuill for there is no place for the Deuill but where it is giuen him 5. Dij sensuales sensuall gods Some make their belly their god and delicate cheare his sacrifices Meates for the belly and the belly for meates but God shall destroy both it and them Others make gold and siluer their gods worse then Pagan Idolatrie they had gods of corne and of wine But These idols of siluer and of gold which they made for themselues to worship they shall one day castaway with malediction Some make their wife a goddesse dote vpon her with the extremest Idolatry a faire coloured peece of clay hath more worship then the Lord of heauen To some their Patron is a god they more quake at his frowne then at all the curses in the Bible These are not onely dead but deadly gods For demonstration the owner of this City is the liuing God both formaliter in himselfe and effectiuè to others who onely hath immortality Onely Are not Angels and mens soules immortall But God giues to them this immortality onely he hath it in himselfe Therefore hee is called the liuing God and the God of life there be three degrees of life all giuen by this liuing God 1. Vniuersall which consists of sense and motion of this the beasts participate Thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they are created 2. Rationall a life proper to man not to other earthly creatures 3. Supernaturall which belongs onely to the faithfull Christ himselfe is this life in vs. Now liue not I but Christ liueth in mee Haec vita reponitur deponitur nunquam This life is laid vp but neuer lost The world sees it not because it is hid with Christ in God We now feele it liue by it But when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Behold here with comfort the master wee serue the liuing God Riches is a flying Master it hasts away with the wings of an Eagle Honour is a dying master it brings a man to the sepulcher and then goes backe with the Heralds Pleasure is a spilling Master Wo to them that laugh for they
shall weepe Satan is a killing master his wages is hell fire But all in grace is liuing and enliuing Idols are dead and neuer were aliue men are aliue but shall bee dead pleasures are neyther aliue nor dead Deuils are both aliue and dead for they shall liue a dying life and dye a liuing death Onely the liuing God giues euerlasting life Ierusalem This is the appellation of the Citie As Canaan was a figure of heauen either of them called the Land of Promise so locall Ierusalem is a type of this mysticall Citie There are many conceits concerning the denomination of Ierusalem Hierom thinks that the former part of the word comes from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy because Ierusalem is called the holy Citie But then there should bee a mixture of two seuerall languages Greek and Hebrew to the making vp of the word The Hebrewes deriue it better they say Sem called it Salem Peace and Abraham Iireh The place where he attempted the sacrifice of his sonne he called Iehouah-Iireh The Lord will see Thus put together it is Ierusalem visiopacis This is more probable then from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ierom or from Iebus as Pererius This is euident from the 76. Psalme ver 2. In Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion So that Salem Sion were both in one place The Iewes haue a Tradition that in one and the same place Cain and Abel offred in the same place Noah comming out of the Arke sacrificed in the same place Abraham offered Isaac in the same place stood Areunah's threshing floore which Dauid bought in the same place Melchisedek the Priest dwelt in the same place Salomon built the Temple and our Lord Iesus Christ was crucified But to let goe ambiguities Ierusalem is a City of Peace This is plaine Melchisedek was King of Salem that is King of Peace Gods Church is a Church of peace That of Plato ouer his dore is worth our remembrance Nemo nisi veritatis et pacis studiosus â—…trabit Let none enter but such as loue peace and truth Saint Paul is bold to his Galathians I would to God they were euen cut off that trouble you Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturas nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit No sober man speakes against reason no Christian against the Scriptures no peaceable man against the Church Hee that is not a man of peace is not a man of GOD. Peace is the effect of patience if men would beare iniuries and offer none all would be peace It is the greatest honour for a man to suffer himselfe conquered in that wherin he should yeeld Be of one mind liue in peace and the God of loue and peace be with you A iust reward if we haue one mind and liue in loue and peace the God of loue and peace shall be with vs. Heauenly This Citie is on earth but not of earth This is not terrestriall Ierusalem She is in bondage with her children She was not onely then vnder the Romane seruitude literally but according to Pauls meaning allegorically shee could not attaine the liberty of the Spirit but abideth vnder the wrath of God and horrour of conscience But this Ierusalem is heauenly I saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming downe from God out of heauen prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband Now it is called Heauenly in three respects Of Birth of Conuersation of Inheritance Ortus coelestis quoad originem progressus coelestis quoad conuersationem finis coelestis quoad translationem Here is all heauenly Ierusalem that is aboue is free the mother of vs all In hoc quòd dicitur sursum originis altitudo quòd Ierusalem pacis multitudo quòd libera libertatis magnitudo quòd mater faecunditatis amplitudo quòd nostrum omnium charitatis latitudo The Church in the Creede hath three properties Holy Catholike knit in a communion The word Aboue intimates she is Holy the word Mother that shee is knit in a communion the word Of all that she is Catholike Ierusalem is a type of the Catholike Church in Election Collection Dilection First for Election The Lord hath chosen Sion That out of all Cities this out of all Nations Ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people enclosed from the Commons of this world Gods owne appropriation 2. For Collection that was walled with stone this hedged in with grace God planted a vineyard in a very fruitfull hill and he fenced it It is well mounded and the Citizens of it linked together with the Bond of peace 3. For dilection Beautifull for situation the Palace of the great King the Sanctuary of his holy worship his Presence-chamber the pillar and ground of the truth There was the seate of Dauid here the Throne of the Sonne of Dauid that openeth and no man shutteth that shutteth and no man openeth A heauenly Citie 1. In respect of her Birth and beginning heauenly For the Lord of heauen hath begate her of immortall seed by the word of truth Art thou a Christian behold thy honourable birth and beginning Was it an honourable stile Troianus origine Caesar Then much more Coelestis origine sanctus Euery Saint is by his originall heauenly Beare thy selfe nobly thou hast a celestiall generation 2. In respect of growth and continuance heauenly Our conuersation is in heauen Wee liue on earth yet saith the Apostle our conuersation is expresly in heauen Our affections are so set on it that wee scarce looke vpon this world wee so runne to our treasure there that wee forget to be rich here but like the Saints cast our money at our feet Act. 4. Corpore ambulantes in terris corde habitantes in coelis Our bodies walke on earth our hearts dwell in heauen To the hating and despising world vvee answere Nil nobis cum Mundo nil vobis cum Coelo Wee haue small share in this world you haue lesse in the world to come 3. In respect of the End Ideo dicitur coelestis quia coelum sedes eius Our soules are neuer quiet till they come to their wished home Thus hath GOD blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places The Church in her worst part is below in her best aboue Earth is Patria loci but heauen Patria iuris As Irishmen are dwellers in Ireland but Denisons of England We dwell in houses of clay vvhose foundation is in the dust but are ruled by the Lawes of that supernall Citie Father my will is that those thou hast giuen mee may be with mee where I am Amator mortuus est in corpore proprio viâ—…us in alieno A Louer is dead in his owne body aliue in anothers Animus velut pondere amore fertur quocunque fertur saith August Loue waighes and swayes the soule whither soeuer it be carried Exi
c. Sometimes Reducentem Psalm 126. 4. Turne againe our captiuitie O Lord as the streames in the South Often Educentem Psalm 105. 43. Hee brought forth his people vvith ioy and his chosen with gladnesse Neuer Seducentem beguiling deceiuing causing to erre for that is opus Diaboli who is the Accuser and Seducer of men For the latter Into a wealthy place The greatnesse of our felicity doth farre transcend the grieuousnesse of our past misery The dimension of our height exceedes that of our depth neyther did affliction euer bring it so low as our eleuation hath aduanced vs high Hereon S. Paul Rom. 8. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall bee reuealed in vs. whether we compare or their Strength Length For their vigour or strength the affliction of man in the greatest extremitie that he can lay it on man is but finite as the afflicter The blow comes but from an arme of flesh and therefore can wound but flesh Yeeld the extention of it to reach so farre as any possible malice can driue it yet it can but racke the body distend the ioynts sluce out the bloud and giue liberty to the imprison'd soule Which soule they cannot strike Therefore saith Christ Feare not him that hath power ouer the body onely not ouer the soule And euen in the middest of this dire persecution God can eyther quite deliuer vs that the storme shall blow ouer our heads and hurt vs not or if he suffers vs to suffer that yet he will so qualifie the heat of it that the coole refreshing of his blessed spirit inwardly to the Conscience shall in a manner extinguish the torment But now this vvealthy place the spring of ioy that succeedes this winter of anguish is illimited insuppressible inexpressible infinite So strongly guarded with an almighty power that no robber violently nor theefe subtilly can steale it from vs. Some pleasure is mixed with that paine but no paine is incident to this pleasure There was some laughter among those teares but there shall be no teares in this laughter For Teares shall bee quite wiped from our eyes By hovv much then the power of God transcends mans yea Gods mercie mans malice by so much shall our reioysing exceede our passion By how much the glorious City of heauen walled with Iasper and pure gold shining as brasse is stronger then the vndefensed and naked cottage of this transient world our future comforts arise in measure pleasure and security aboue our passed distresse Thus for Strength If we compare their Length we shall finde an infinite inequalitie Paul calls affliction momentany glory eternall Time shall determine the one and that a short time a very winters day but the other is aboue the wheeles of motion and therefore beyond the reach of time For a moment in mine anger saith the Lord I did hide my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy I haue had compassion on thee Nothing but eternity can make eyther ioy or sorrow absolute Hee can brooke his imprisonment that knowes the short date of it and he finds poore content in his pleasure that is certaine of a sodaine losse We know that our pilgrimage is not long through this valley of teares and miserable Desart but our Canaan home Inheritance is a wealthy place glorious for countenance blessed for continuance vvealthy vvithout want stable vvithout alteration a constant Mansion an immoueable Kingdome Vnto vvhich our Lord Iesus in his appointed time bring vs. To whom with the Father and Spirit of consolation be all praise and glory for euer Amen GODS HOVSE OR THE PLACE OF PRAYSES PSALME 66. 12. I will goe into thy House with burnt offerings I will pay thee my vowes THE formerverse connexed with this demonstrate with words of life Dauids Affliction Affection His Affliction to be ouer-ridden with Persecutors his Affection to blesse God for his deliuerance Great misery taken away by great mercy requires great thankefulnesse I will goe into thy c. Before wee put this Song into parts or deriue it into particulars two generall things must be considered The Matter The Maner the Substance the Forme The matter and substance of the verse is Thankèfulnesse the manner and forme Resolution The whole fabricke declares the former the fashion of the building the latter The Tenor of all is Praysing God the key or tune it is set in Purpose I will goe into thy house I will pay thee my vowes So that first I must intreat you to looke vpon a Solution and a Resolution a debt to be payd and a purpose of heart to pay it The Debt Is Thankefulnesse This is the matter and substance of the wordes God hauing first by affliction taught vs to know our selues doth afterwards by deliuerance teach vs to know him And when his gracious hand hath helped vs out of the low pitte hee lookes that like Israel Exod. 15. wee should stand vpon the shore and blesse his name Dauid that prayed to God de profundis out of the depths haue I called vnto thee doth after praise him in excelsis with the highest Organs and instruments of laud. Generall mercies require our continuall thankes but new fauours new prayses O Sing vnto the Lord a New Song for he hath done maruellous things There is a fourefold life belonging to man and God is the keeper of all His naturall ciuill spirituall and eternall life Eloudie man would take away our naturall life Psal. 37. The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him GOD keepes it The slanderous world would blast our ciuill life God blesseth our memory The corrupted flesh would poyson our spirituall life God hides it in Christ. The raging Deuill would kill our eternall life God preserues it in heauen Vnworthy are wee of rest that night wherein we sleepe or of the light of the Sunne that day wherein we rise without praysing God for these mercies If wee thinke not on him that made vs vvee thinke not to vvhat purpose hee made vs. When I consider the workes of GOD saith Augustine I am wonderfully mooued to praise the Creator Qui prorsus ita magnus est in operibus magnis vt minor non sit in minimis vvho is so great in his great workes that hee is not lesse in his least But when we consider his worke of Redemption about which he was not as about the Creation six dayes but aboue thirtie yeeres Where non sua dedit sed se he gaue not his riches but himselfe and that non tam in Dominum quà m in seruum et sacrificium not to be a Lord but a seruant a sacrifice We haue Adamantine hearts if the bloud of this saluation cannot melt them into praises But speciall fauours require speciall thanks vvhether they consist in Eximendo Exhibendo either in redeeming vs from dangers or heaping vpon vs benefites Our Prophet in fiue instances Psal. 107. exemplifieth
this dutie Of Trauellers Captiues sick-men sea-men others subiect to the manifold varieties of life For Trauellers They wander in the Wildernesse in a solitary way hungry and thirstie their soule fainting in them They cry vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuers them out of their distresses For Captiues They sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death fast bound in affliction and yron Their prayers find a way out of the prison to God and God deliuers them out of the prison to liberty For Sick Because of their transgression they are afflicted their soule abhorreth all manner of meat and they draw neere vnto the gates of death The strength of their prayers recouers the strength of their bodies For Mariners They reele to and fro staggering like a drunken man and are at their wits end They by their prayers appease the vvrath of God and hee appeaseth the wrath of the vvaues and winds Now the burden of the Song to all these deliuerances is this O that men vvould therfore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men And because these foure dangers are short of the innumerable calamities incident to mans life therefore in the end of the Psalme much misery is heaped vp and the Lord is the scatterer dissoluer of that heape that all flesh might sing Saluation is of the Lord. And because these mercies are infinite so that vvhat Christian may not say with Dauid Thy goodnesse hath followed mee all the dayes of my life Therefore I infer with Paul In all things giue thanks So our Psalmist My mouth shall be filled with thy praise all the day long What is meant by All the day saith Augustine but a praise without intermission As no houre slips by thee without occasion let none slippe from thee without manifestation of gratitude I will praise thee saith he O Lord In prosperis quia consolaris in aduersis quia corrigis In a prosperous estate because thou dost blesse me in affliction because thou doost correct me Fecisti refecisti perfecisti Thou madest mee when I was not restoredst me when I vvas lost supplyest my wants forgiuest my sinnes and crownest my perseuerance But as Quò acerbior miseria eò acceptior misericordia the more grieuous the miserie the more gracious the mercy So the richer benefite requires the hartier thanks Great deliuerances should not haue small gratitude vvhere much is giuen there is not a little required To tell you what God hath done for vs thereby to excite thankfulnesse would be to lose my selfe in the gates of my Text. I told you this was the ground and module of the Psalme But I know your curious eares care not so much for plaine-song you expect I should runne vpon Diuision Heare but the next generall point and I come to your desire reseruing what I haue more to say of this to my farewell and last application I come from the Debt to be paid to his Resolution to pay it I will goe into thy house I will pay c. Though he be not instantly Soluendo he is Resoluendo He is not like those Debters that haue neither meanes nor meaning to pay But though he wants actuall he hath votall retribution Though hee cannot so soone come to the place where this payment is to be made yet hee hath already paid it in his heâ—…rt I will goe I will pay Here then is the Debters Resolution There is in the godly a purpose of heart to serue the Lord. This is the child of a sanctified spirit borne not without the throbs and throwes of true penitence Not a transient and perishing flower like Ionah's Gourd Filius noctis oriens moriens but the sound fruit which the sap of grace in the heart sends forth Luke 15. VVhen the Prodigall Sonne came to himselfe saith the Text as if he had been formerly out of his wits his first speech was I will arise and goe to my Father and will say vnto him Father I haue sinned And what he purposed he performed he arose and went I know there are many that intend much but doe nothing and that earth is full of good purposes but heauen onely full of good works and that the tree gloriously leaued with intentions without fruit was cursed And that a lewd heart may be so farre sinitten and conuinced at a Sermon as to will a forsaking of some sinne VVhich thoughts are but swimming notions and vanishing motions embrions or abortiue births But this Resolution hath a stronger force it is the effect of a mature and deliberate iudgement wrought by Gods Spirit grounded on a voluntary deuotion not without true sanctification though it cannot without some interposition of time and meanes come to performe that act which it intends It is the harbinger of a holy life the little clowd like a hand that Eliah's seruant saw pointing to the future showres of deuotion Well this is but the beginning and you know many beginne that doe not accomplish but what shall become of them that neuer begin If he doth little that purposeth and performes not what hope is there of them that vvill not purpose It is hard to make an Vsnrer leaue his extortion the vncleane his lusts the swearer his dishallowed speeches when neither of them saith so much as I vvill leaue them The habite of godlinesse is farre off when to vvill is not present we despaire of their performance in whom cannot be wrought a purpose But to you of whom there is more hope that say vve will praise the Lord forget not to adde Dauids execution to Dauids intention God loues the present tense better then the future a Facto more then a Faciam Let him that is President ouer vs be a precedent for vs. Hebr. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I come not I will come but I do come to doe â—…y will O GOD. You haue heard the matter and manner of the Song the Substance is Gratitude the Forme a Resolution to giue it To set it in some Diuision or Method That euery present soule may beare his part heere be three straines or staires and graduall ascents vp which our contemplations must mount with Dauids actions 1. An entrance into Gods house I will goe into thy house It is well that Dauid will bring thither his praises himselfe But many enter Gods house that haue no businesse there that both come and returne empty-hearted that neither bring to God deuotion nor carry from God consolation 2. Therefore the next straine giues his zeale he vvill not come empty-handed but with burnt offerings Manifold and manifest arguments of his harty affection Manifest because burnt offerings reall visible actuall and accomplished works Manifold because not one singular oblation but plurally offerings vvithout pinching his deuotion 3. But yet diuerse haue offered Sacrifices and burnt sacrifices that stunke like Balaams in Gods nosthrils tendring
Bullocks and Goates not their owne hearts Therefore the third straine affirmes that Dauid will not onely offer beasts but himselfe I will pay thee my vowes So that in his Gratitude is obseruable Quo Loco Modo Animo In what place Gods house after what manner vvith burnt offerings with what mind I will pay thee my vowes His deuotion is without exception all the labour is to worke our hearts to an imitation I will goe into thy house The first note hath two straines Place Entrance The place he purposeth to enter is described by the Property Domus Proprietary Dominus This house was not the Temple for that was after built by Salomon but the Tabernacle or Sanctuary GOD had his house in all ages as the wise Creator of all things he reserued to him a portion in all things Non propter indigentiam sed in re cognitionem not that hee had need of them but that he might be acknowledged in thē Though he be Lord of all Nations in the world because the Maker of all men yet he reserued a particular number of men appropriated them to himselfe and these he called Suum populum His people Though thousands of Angels stand before him and tenne thousand thousands of those glorious spirits minister vnto him yet he culleth and calleth out some particular men to celebrate his seruice sanctifying or setting thē apart to that office these he calls Suos ministros His Priests his Ministers Though he be a Spirit immortall most rich and Lord of all things the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof yea heauen and the glory thereof If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine c. yet he reserueth to himselfe a certaine share of these inferiour things and this hee calls Suam sortem his portion His tythes his offerings Though he be Eternall first and last without beginning without end God of all times and yet vnder no time with whom a thousand yeares is but as one day and euerlastingly to be honoured Yet hee reserueth to himselfe a certaine time wherein hee lookes for our generall worship this he cals Suum Diem his day his Sabbaths Though hee be the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity vvhose Name is Holy though infinite and comprehended in no place Yet he sets apart some speciall place wherein his great name shall be called on and this he calls Suam Domum His house So Math. 21. My house shall be called the house of prayer Here I will goe into Thy House God neuer left his Church destitute of a certain sacred place wherein he would be worshipped Adam had a place wherein he should present himselfe to God and God did present himselfe to him Paradise God appeared to Abraham in a place and sanctified it and there Abraham built an Altar for it was holy When hee commanded him to sacrifice his Sonne Isaac hee appointed him a place on a mountaine And on this very mountaine was afterwards Salomons Temple built 2. Chron. 3. Iacob according to the seuerall places hee dwelt in built seuerall Altars to serue God on The Israelites were translated out of Egypt for this very cause that they might haue a place to sacrifice to the Lord. When they were come into Canaan God commanded and directed Moses to make a Tabernacle which was but mobile Tabernaculum to bee dissolued when Salomons glorious Temple was finished Now all these particular places were consecrated to the seruice of God and called Loca Dei Gods Places as Dauid calls this Domum Dei Gods House This is the first note of the straine the Place The next is his Entrance wherein obserue 1. That Dauids first care is to visit Gods house It is very likely that this Psalme was written by Dauid eyther in exile vnder Saul or in persecution by Absalon or in some grieuous distresse whereout being deliuered hee first resolues to salute Gods House Chrysostome in Opere imperfect or whosoeuer was the Author of that booke notes it the property of a good Sonne when hee comes to towne first to visite his Fathers house and to performe the honour that is due to him We finde this in Christ. Math. 22. so soone as euer he came to Ierusalem first he visits his Fathers house He went into the Temple What the Sonne and Lord of Dauid did there the same course doth the Seruant of his Sonne take heere First I will goe into thy House Oh for one dramme of this respect of Gods house in these dayes Shall that place haue a principall place in our affections we would not then thinke one houre tedious in it when many yeares delight vs in the Tents of Kedar This was not Dauids opinion One day in thy Court is better then a thousand Nor grudge at euery penny that a Leuy taxeth to the Church as if Tegumen parietibus impositum was enough bare walls and a couer to keepe vs from raine and aliquid ornatus was but superfluous except it be a cushion and a wainscot seate for a Gentlemans better ease The greatest preparation vsually against some solemne feast is but a little fresh straw vnder the feete the ordinary allowance for hogs in the stye or horses in the stable For other cost let it be Domus opportuna volu◅m a cage of vncleane birds and so it must bee so long as some sacrilegious persons are in it It was part of the Epitaph of King Edgar Templa Deo Templis Monachos Monachis dedit agros He gaue Temples to God Ministers to those Temples and maintenance to those Ministers But the Epitaphs of too many in these dayes may well run in contrary termes They take Tenths from good Ministers good Ministers from the Churches yea and some of them also the Churches from God But here Quicquid tetigero vlcus erit that which I should touch is an vlcer and I will spend no Physicke in immedicabile vulnus vpon an incurable wound but leaue it Enserecidendum Domini to be cut off with the sword of Gods vengeance 2. Obserue the reason why Dauid would goe into Gods house and this hath a double degree To giue him 1. Praise 2. Publike praise 1. Praise Might not Dauid praise God in any place Yes Dauid might and must blesse the Lord in any place in euery place but the place that is principally destin'd to this purpose is Domus Dei Gods House The name which God imposed on his house and by which as it were he Christned it was Domus orationis the house of prayer As Christ Math. 21. deriues it from Esa. 56. My house shall be called the house of prayer Therefore those houses were called in the Primitiue times Dominica the Lords houses and Oratoria houses of prayer deuoted to the praise of God I might heere take iust cause to taxe an error of our times Many come to these holy places and are so transported with a desire
of hearing that they forget the feruencie of praying and praising God The End is euer held more noble then the meanes that conduce vnto it Sin brought in ignorance and ignorance takes away deuotion The Word preached brings in knowledge and knowledge rectifies deuotion So that all our preaching is but to beget your praying to instruct you to praise and worship God The most immediate proper seruice and worship of God is the end and hearing but the meanes to that end And the rule is true Semper finis excellit id quod est ad finem the end euer excells that which leads to the end Scientia non est qualitas actiua sed principium quo aliquis dirigitur in operando Knowledge is not an actiue qualitie but onely a meanes to direct a man in working Non tam audire quà m obedire requirit Deus God reckons not so much of our audience as of our obedience not the hearers but the dooers are blessed in their deed Indeed Christ saith Blessed are they that heare the Word of God but with this condition that they keepe it The worship of GOD is the fruit of hearing shew me this fruit Our Oratoria are turned into Auditoria and we are content that God should speake earnestly to vs but wee will not speake deuoutly to him I hope that no man will so ignorantly and iniuriously vnderstand me as if I spake against hearing of Sermons frequently God forbid you must heare and we must preach Acts. 6. The Apostles gaue themselues continually to prayer and to the preaching of the Word Where yet Prayer is put in the first place I complaine not that our Churches are Auditories but that they are not Oratories not that you come to Sermons for Gods sake come faster but that you neglect publique prayer As if it were onely Gods part to blesse you not yours to blesse God And hereof I complaine with good company Chrysostome saith that such a multitude came to his Sermons that there was scarce roome for a late commer those would all patiently attend the end of the Sermon But when prayers were to be read or Sacraments to be administred the company was thinne the seates empty Uacua desertaque Ecclesia reddebatur Beloued mistake not It is not the onely exercise of a Christian to heare a Sermon nor is that Sabbath well spent that dispatcheth no other businesse for heauen I will be bold to tell you that in Heauen there shall be no Sermons and yet in Heauen there shall be Halleluiahs And this same end for which Dauid came to Gods house shall remaine in glory to praise the Lord. So that all Gods seruice is not to be narrowed vp in hearing it hath greater latitude there must be prayer praise adoration and worship of God Neither is it the scope of Christianitie to knowe but the scope of knowledge is to be a good Christian. You are not Heathen to aske Quid credendum What must we belieue nor Catechists to demand Quid faciendum What must we doe You know what to belieue you know what to doe Our preaching hath not so much need monere as monere though you also need instruction yet more need of exhortation for you haue learnt more then euer you haue followed Come then hither both to heare God and to praise God As Dauid was not onely here a Praiser but ver 16. a Preacher Come and heare all ye that feare God and I wil tell you what he hath done for my soule 2. Which fitly brings mee to the further exemplyfying of this cause mouing Dauid to enter into Gods house Which was not onely to praise him but to praise him publiquely Otherwise he might haue muttered his orisons to himselfe no he desires that his mouth should be a trumpet of Gods glory as frequently in the Psalmes I will praise thee before the great congregations There are some that whatsoeuer seruice they doe to God desire many vvitnesses of it others desire no witnesses at all The former are hypocrites who would haue all mens eyes take notice of their deuotion as if they durst not trust God vvithout witnesse for feare he should deny it Such were the Pharises they gaue no almes without the proclamation of a trumpet and their prayers were at the corners of streets such corners where diuerse streets met so more spectable to many passengers To these Christ Math. 6. Doe thy deuotion in secret and hee that seeâ—… in secret shall reward thee openly The other haue a little desire to serue GOD but they would haue no witnesses at all They depend vpon some great man that will be angry with it And these would faine haue God take notice of their deuotion and no body else So Nichodemus stole to Christ by night and many a Papists seruant would come to Church if hee were sure his Master might not know of it For hee feares more to be turned out of his seruice then out of Gods seruice To these Christ Luke 12. Be not afraid of them that can kill the body and no more but feare him that hath power to cast into hell yea I say vnto you feare him A man may better lose his Landlords fauour then the Lords fauour his Farme on earth then his manor or mansion in heauen Dauid was neither of these His thankfulnesse shal not be hidden timore minantium nor yet will hee manifest it amore laudantium Neither for feare of Commanders nor for loue of commenders He is neither Timidus nor Tumidus not fearefull of frownes nor luxurious of praises but onely desires to manifest the integritie of his conscience in the sight of God It is the manner of the godly not onely to ruminate in their minds Gods mercies but to divulge them to the bettering of others When vvee yeeld thus to the world a testimony of our faith thankfulnesse in Gods publique honour we prouoke others to harken to religion and inflame their hearts with a feruent desire to partake the like mercies The fame of Alexander gaue heart to Iulius Caesar to be the more noble vvarriour The freedome of our deuotion giues an edge to others Beneficium qui dedit taceat narret qui accepit Let him that giues a benefit be silent let him speake of it that hath receiued it There is that law of difference saith that Philosopher betwixt the dooer of a good turne and the receiuer of it Alter statim obliuisci debet dati alter accepti nunquam The one ought quickly to forget what he hath giuen the other ought neuer to forget what hee hath receiued We are the receiuers and must not forget God gaue the Law to Israel and the Custome of the Saints obserued it What we haue heard and knowne and our Fathers haue told vs we will not hide from our children shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord. Indeed there was a time when Christ forbad the
publishing of his benefite Mark 1. to the Leper See thou say nothing to any man of it But he went out and began to publish it much to blaze abroad the matter I know diuerse Diuines by curious distinctions haue gone about to excuse the matter by making this an admonitory not an obligatory precept But I subscribe to Caluin and Marlorat who taxe it for an offence and manifest breach of Christs commandement And Ierome on that place sayes that Non erat necesse vt sermone iactaret quod corpore praeferebat His tongue might be silent for his whole body was turned into a tongue to publish it The act was good but not good at that time Disobedient he was be it granted yet of all disobedient men commend me to him Let not then any politicke or sinister respects tye vp our tongues from blessing him that hath blessed vs. Suffocate not the fire of zeale in thy heart by silent lips lest it proue key-cold But say with our Prophet My foot standeth in an euen place in the congregations vvill I blesse the Lord. We perceiue now the motiue cause that brought Dauid into Gods house I would take leaue from hence in a word to instruct you with what minde you should come to this holy place We are in substance inheritors of the same faith which the Iewes held haue in stead of their Tabernacle Sanctuary Temple Churches places set apart for the Assembly of Gods Saints Wherein wee receiue diuine Mysteries and celebrate diuine Ministeries which are said by Damascen Plus participare operationis gratiae diuinae There is nothing lost by the Gospell which the Law afforded but rather all bettered It is obseruable that the building of that glorious Temple vvas the maturity and consummation of Gods mercy to the Iewes Infinite were his fauours betwixt their slauery in Egypt and their peace in Israel God did as it were attend vpon them to supply their wants They haue no guide why God himselfe is their guide and goes before them in a pillar of fire They haue no shelter the Lord spreads a cloud ouer them for a Canopy Are they at a stand and want way The Sea shall part and giue them passage whiles the diuided waters are as walls vnto them For sustenance they lacke bread heauen it selfe shall powre downe the food of Angels Haue they no meat to their bread A winde shall blow to them innumerable Quailes Bread and flesh is not enough without drinke behold a hard rocke smitten with a little vvand shall powre out abundance of water But what is all this if they yet in the wildernesse shall vvant apparell their garments shall not waxe olde on their backes Doe they besiege Iericho walls shall fall downe before them for want of engines hailestones shall braine their enemies Lampes and pitchers and dreames shall get them victorie The Sunne shall stand still in Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Aialon to behold their conquests Lacke they yet a Land to inhabite the Lord will make good his promise against all difficulties and giue them a land that flowes with milke and honey But is all this yet short of our purpose and their chiefe blessednesse They want a House to celebrate his praise that hath done all this for them behold the Lord giueth them a goodly Temple neyther doth hee therein onely accept their offerings but he also giues them his Oracles euen vocall oracles between the Cherubins I might easily paralell England to Israel in the circumference of all these blessings but my center is their last and best and whereof they most boasted The Temple of the Lord and the Law of their God To answere these wee haue the Houses of God and the Gospell of Iesus Christ. We haue all though all in a new manner 2. Cor. 5. Old things are passed away behold all things are become new They had an Old Testament we haue the New Testament They had the Spirit wee haue a new Spirit They had Commandements we haue Nouum mandatum the New commandement They had an Inheritance Canaan we haue a new Inheritance promised Vids nouum coelum nouam terram I saw a new heauen and a new earth To conclude they had their Temple we haue our Churches to which as they were brought by their Sabbath so we by our Lords day wherein as they had their Sacraments so we haue our Sacraments Wee must therefore beare the like affection to ours as they did to that We haue greater cause There was the shadow heere is the substance there the figure here the truth there the sacrifices of beasts heere of the Lambe of God taking away the sinne of the vvorld I finde my selfe here occasioned to enter a great sea of discourse but you shall see I will make but a short cut of it It is Gods house you enter a house vvhere the Lord is present the place where his honour dwelleth Let this teach vs to come 1. With Reuerence Ye shall hallow my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. The very mention of this Reuerence me thinkes should strike our hearts with our selfe-knowne guiltinesse How few looke to their feet before they enter these holy dores Eccl. 5. and so they offer the Sacrifice of imprudent and impudent fooles If they are to heare they regard Quis not Quid any thing is good that some man speakes the same in another triuiall If the man likes them not nor shall the Sermon Many thus contend like those two Germans in a Tauerne One said he was of Doctor Martins religion the other protested himselfe of Doctor Luthers religion and thus among their cups the litigation grew hote betweene them whereas indeed Martin and Luther was but one man Others when they come first into the Church they swappe downe on their seates clappe their hattes before their eyes and scarce bow their knees as if they came to blesse God not to intreat God to blesse them They vvould quake in the presence of an offended King who are thus impudent faced in the house of God But saith the Lord whose Throne is the heauen and the earth his footstoole I will looke to him that trembleth at my vvord So Iacob Gen. 28. was afraid and sayd Hovv fearefull is this place This is none other then the house of God and this is the gate of heauen Whereupon Bernard Terribilis planè locus c. A fearefull place indeed worthy of all reuerence which Saints inhabit holy Angels frequent and God himselfe graceth vvith his owne presence As the first Adam was placed in Paradise to keepe it so the second Adam is in the congregation of his Saints to preserue it Therefore enter not without Reuerence I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I vvorship toward thy holy Temple 2. With Ioy. None but a free-will offering is welcome to
Another tempest comes and now hee vowes againe the seuen at least Deliuered then also he thought that seuen were too many and one Oxe vvould serue the turne Yet another perill comes and now he vowes solemnely to fall no lower if he might be rescued an Oxe Iupiter shall haue Againe freed the Oxe stickes in his stomacke and hee would faine dravv his deuotion to a lower rate a Sheepe vvas sufficient But at last being set ashore hee thought a Sheepe too much and purposeth to carry to the Altar onely a few Dates But by the way he eates vp the Dates and layes on the Altar onely the shels After this rate doe many performe their vowes They promise whole Hecatombes in sickenesse but they reduce them lower and lower still as they grow vvell He that vowed to build an Hospitall to restore an Impropriation to the Church to lay open his inclosures and to serue God with an honest heart brings all at last to a poore reckoning and thinkes to please the Lord with his empty shells There vvas some hope of this mans soules health vvhiles his body was sicke but as his body riseth to strength his soule falls to vveakenesse It is the reproach of Rome No peny no Pater noster let it not be our reproach and reproofe too No plague no Pater-noster no punishments no prayers Thy vowes are Gods debts and Gods debts must be payd He vvill not as men doe desperate debters dismisse thee on a slight composition No Iustè exigitur ad soluendum qui non cogitur ad vouendum He is iustly required to pay that vvas not compelled to vow Non talis eris si non feceris quod vouisti qualis mansisti si nihil tale vouisses Minor enim tunc esses non peior Thou remainest not the same hauing vowed and not performed as thou hadst beene hadst thou not vowed Thou hadst then been lesse thou art now worse Well then Beloued if wee haue vowed a lawfull vow to the Lord let vs pay it Let it not be sayd of vs that we doe Aliud sedentes aliud stantes one thing sitting in our chayre of sickenesse another thing standing in our stations of health The Lord doth not deliuer vs out of the bond of distresse that we should deliuer our selues out of the bond of obedience Be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape The next blow of his hand will be heauier because thou hast soone forgotten this Who can blame iustice if he strike vs with yet greater plagues that haue on our deliuerance from the former so mocked him with the falling fruites of our vowed deuotion Come wee then whose hearts the mercy of God and bloud of Iesus Christ hath softned and say with our Psalmist We vvill goe into thy house O Lord we will pay thee our vowes You see all the parts of this Song the whole comfort or harmony of all is Praising God I haue shewed you Quo loco in his house Quo modo with burnt offerings Quo animo paying our vowes Time hath abridged this discourse contrary to my promise and purpose In a word which of vs is not infinitely beholding to the Lord our God for sending to vs many good things sending away froÌ„ vs many euill things O where is our praise where is our thankefulnesse What shall we doe vnto thee O thou preseruer of men What but take the cup of saluation and blesse the Name of the Lord O let vs enter into his gates with thanksgiuing and into his Courts vvith praise let vs be thankefull vnto him and blesse his Name And let vs not bring our bodies onely but our hearts let our soules be thankfull Mans body is closed vp within the Elements his bloud within his body his spirits in his bloud his soule within his spirits and the Lord resteth in his soule Let then the soule praise the Lord let vs not draw neere with our lippes and leaue our hearts behind vs but let vs giue the searcher of the hearts a hartie praise Ingratitude is the deuills Text oathes execrations blaspemies lewd speeches are Commentaries vpon it But thankfulnesse is the language of heauen for it becommeth Saints to bee thankefull As therefore we would giue testimonie to the world and argument to our owne conscience that vvee serue the Lord let vs promise and performe the vvords of my Text We will goe into thy house with burnt offerings we will pay thee our vowes The Lord giue thankfulnesse to vs and accept it of vs for Iesus Christ his sake Amen MANS SEED-TIME AND HARVEST OR Lex Talionis GALAT. 6. 7. Be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape THESE words haue so neere alliance to the former that before wee speake personally of them we must first finde out their Pedegree To fetch it no higher then from the beginning of this Chapter the line of their Genealogie runnes thus 1. Supportation of the weake vers 1. and 2. 2. Probation of our selues vers 4. 3. Communication of dueties to our Teachers vers 6. The first is an action of Charity the second of Integrity the third of Equity This last is the Father of my Text and it is fitte that we being to speake of the childe should first looke a little into his Parentage Patrique simillima proles It is this Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things This one would thinke should stand like the Sunne all men blessing it yet Mammon hath suborned some dogges to barke against it Will they say Let him is onely permissiâ—…e They shall finde it was imperatiue Let there be light and there was light Though their sensible hearts want the obedience of these insensible creatures Or will they except against Taught as if they that vvill not be taught were not bound Indeed many are betâ—…er fed then taught otherwise they would not deny foode to his body that does not deny food to their soules Or perhaps they will plead Indignitatem docentis the vnworthinesse of the Teacher And what Paul shall be worthy if euery Barbarian may censure him But non tollatur diuinum debiâ—…um propter humanam debilitatem Let not God lose his right for mans weakenesse You haue robbed me saith God not my Ministers Will not all this quarrelling serue yet still Pauls proposition must haue some opposition Though we must giue something to our Teachers yet this charge doth not fetch in Tithes This this is the point proue this and you shall finde many a great mans soule as his Impropriations cannot be in a damnable Lapse I would say somthing of it but me thinkes I heare my friends telling me what Sadolet said to Erasmus Erasmus would proue that worshipping of Images might well bee abolished I grant quoth Sadolet thy opinion is good but this point should not bee handled because it vvill not
made thee whole Faith in respect of the Obiect is called in Scripture The faith of Iesus Christ in respect of the subiect vvherein it is inherent it is my faith and thy faith Thy faith hath made thee whole Hath saued thee made whole not thy body only that 's but part the worst part but thy soule also Totum te thy whole selfe saued thee The other nine had whole bodies this tenth was made whole in soule too saued The richest Iewell Christ left to his Church is Saluation My heâ—…rts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saued Not their opulencie not their dignitie not their prosperitie was Saint Pauls wish but their Saluation If the deuils would confesse to vs the truth they would sâ—…y The best thing of all is to be saued That rich man would faine send this newes out of hell Let Lazarus testisiâ—… to my brethren lest they also come into this place of torment The teâ—…timony of saluation was blessed newes from the mouth of him that giues Saluation Iesus Christ. The vessell of mans soule is continually in a Tempest vntill Christ enter the Shippe and then follovves the calme of peace It is remarkeable that God giues the best gifts at last Christ gaue this Leper health bonum this was good For Vita non est viuere sed valere It is more comfortable to die quickly then to liue sickly He gaue him a good name that he returned to giue glory to God melius this was better But now lastly he giues him saluation Thy faith hath saued thee Optimum this is best of all Vltima optima Hath God giuen thee wealth blesse him for it hath hee giuen to thee health blesse him for it hath hee giuen thee good reputation blesse him for it hath he giuen thee children friends peaceable dayes blesse him for all these But hath hee giuen thee Faith especially blesse him for this hee hath giuen thee vvith it what we beseech his mercy to giue vs all Saluation in Iesus Christ. I conclude there is a faith powerfull to iustifie the soule by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ but it neuer dwelt in a bosome that lodgeth with it lust and dissolutenesse If while we seeke to be iustified by Christ we our selues are found sinners is therefore Christ the Minister of sinne God forbid Which verse may not vnfitly bee distinguished into foure particulars Quòd sit Si sit An sit Absit There is a Concession a Supposition a Question a Detestation 1. The Concession Quòd sit that is so he takes it granted that all true Christians seeke their onely Iustification by Christ. 2. The Supposition Si sit if it bee so that in the meane time wee are found sinners 3. The Question or discussion An sit is it so is Christ therefore the Minister of sinne 4. The Detestation Absit God forbid Where let vs behold what the Gospell acquireth for vs and requireth of vs. It brings vs liberty the Law gendereth to bondage and that saith Aquinas Quantum ad Affectum and Quantum ad Effectum 1. The Law begets an affection of feare the Gospell of Loue. Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Breuissima apertissima duâ—…rum Testamentâ—…rum differentia Tiâ—…or Amor. There is a short and easie difference betwixt the olde Testament and the new Feare and Loue. 2. The Law brought forth onely seruants the Gospell sonnes Ierusalem aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Libera quòd liberata free because shee is freed For if the Sonne make you free you shall be free indeed This it brings to vs it also challengeth something of vs that wee vse not our liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by loue serue one another All things are free to vs by faith yet all things seruiceable by charity Vt simul stet seruitus libertatis libertas seruitutis that the seruice of liberty and liberty of seruice might stand together A Christian for his Faith is Lord of all for his loue seruant to all That therefore we might not abuse our freedome nor turne the grace of God into wantonnesse the Apostle after the reines giuen puls vs in with the Curbe though iustified by Christ take heed that wee bee not found sinners a checke to ouer-iocund loosenesse a correctiue not so much libertatis as liberatorum of our freedome as of our selues being freed In vaine wee pleade that Christ hath made vs Saints if our owne euill liues proue vs sinners Indeed as God couenants by the Gospell to remit our sinnes so wee must condition by the law to amend our liues For that faith to which the promise of Iustification and eternall life is made is a faith that can neuer be separated from charity Wheresoeuer it is there is loue ioyned with it bringing forth the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and praise of God This is that faith to which all the promises of God are yea and Amen in Christ to the glory of God by vs. The Lord that hath made them Yea and Amen in his neuer-failing mercies make them also Yea and Amen in our euer-beleeuing hearts through our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen THE SAINTS MEETING OR Progresse to Glory Ephes. 4. 13. Till we all meete in the vnitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. THe first word of the Text is a gate to let in our considerations to contemplate this goodly citie which indeed is like Ierusalem a citie of 〈…〉 of the Lord vnto the 〈…〉 to giue thankes vnto the name of the Lord. And when we are in let vs number and ponder the towers powers of it for euery pinne and pinnacle shall afford vs comfort But we must first passe by this Portall Vntill and this very entrance will giue vs two obseruations 1. Teacheth vs that God hath ordained the Ministery of the Gospell to last to the end of the world Christ hath giuen Apostles Prophets Euangelistes Teachers To perfect the Saints and to edifie his bodie to continue Till we all meete in the vnitie of faith c. So was his promise after his Charge Math. 28. His charge Goe teach all nations his promise Loe I am with you alway vnto the end of the world God will send Shepheardes till euerie lost sheepe be brought to the folds of peace The Ministers voyce shall sound till it bee ouertaken by the Archangels Trumpe The ministration of the Law had an end but there is none to the ministration of the Gospell before the end of the world Hereof may be giuen a double excellency to the Gospell and prelation aboue the Law It is more Gratious Glorious 1. The Gospell is more
with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp The workes of mens hands the workes of their brines their very thoughts shall perish The Lords voyce shooke the earth and hee hath saide yet once againe I will shake not the earth onely but also heauen O blessed place that is not subiect to this shaking whose ioyes haue not onely an amiable countenance but a glorious continuance The things that are shaken shall be remoued but the things that are not shaken remaine for euer All the terrours of this worlde mooue not him that is fixed in heauen Impauidum ferient ruinae They that put their trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot beremoued but abideth for euer But the Tabernacles and hopes of the wicked shall perish together For the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doeth the will of God abideth euer Whereon sayth August Quid vis Vtrum amare temporalia transire cum tempore an amare Christum viuere in aeternum Whether wilt thou loue the world and perish with it or loue Christ liue for euer 3. Myracle The rockes rent A wonderfull act to breake stones and rend rockes This giues vs two obseruations 1. This did foresignifie the power and efficacie of the Gospell that it should bee able to breake the very rockes As the death and passion of Christ did cleaue those solid and almost impenetrable substances so the publishing of his death and passion shall rend and breake in pieces the rockie hearts of men So Iohn Baptist said God is able of stones to rayse vp children vnto Abraham The hearts of Zaccheus Mary Magdalene Paul were such rockes yet they were cleft with the wedge of the Gospell This is that Rod of Moses able to breake the hardest Rockes till they gush out with flouds of penitent teares This is Ieremies hammer powerfull to bruise the most obdurate hearts The bloud of the Goate sacrificed of force to dissolue Adamant There is power in the bloud of Iesus to put sense into stones Blessed are you if you be thus broken-hearted for him whose heart was broken for you For the broken heart the Lord will not despise 2. Obserue the wonderfull hardnesse of the Iewes hearts The stones rent and claue in sunder at the cruell death of Iesus but their hearts more stony then stones are no whit moued They rend not their garments much lesse their hearts when as the earth rent the Stones her bones and the rockes her ribbes The flints are softer then they the flints breake they harden They still belch their malicious blasphemies the rocks relent the stones are become men and the men stones O the sencelesnesse of a hard heart rockes will sooner breake then that can be mollified Euen the hardest creatures are flexible to some agents flints to the raine iron to the fire stones to the hammer but this heart yeelds to nothing neyther the showers of mercie nor the hammer of reproofe nor the fire of Iudgements but like the stithy are still the harder for beating All the plagues of Egypt cannot mollifie the heart of Pharaoh It is wondrously vnnaturall that men made the softest hearted of all should be rigidiores lupis duriores lapidibus more cruell then wolues more hard then stones I woulde to GOD all hard-heartednesse had dyed with these Iewes but it is not so Howe often hath Christ beene here crucified in the word preaching his Crosse to your eares in the Sacraments presenting his death to your eyes thinke thinke in your owne soules haue not the stones in the walles of this Church beene as much moued God forbid our obduratenesse should be punished as theirs was since they would be so stony-hearted Ierusalem was turned to a heape of stones and the conquering Romanes dasht them pitifully against those stones which they exceeded in hardnesse Here let the wicked see their doome the stones that will not be softned shall be broken There is no changing the decree of God but change thy nature and then know thou art not decreed to death Stony harts shall bee broken to pieces with vengeance doe not striue to alter that doome but alter thy owne stony heart to a heart of flesh and so preuent it in the particular Wolues and goates shall not enter into heauen thou maiest pull starres out of heauen before alter this sentence but doe it thus Leaue that nature and become one of Christes sheepe and then thou art sure to enter No adulterâ—… nor couetous person sayth Paul shall inherite the kingdoâ—… of heauen this doome must stand but not against thee if thou bee conuerted Such were ye but ye are washed c. You are not such Had the Iewes ceased to be stones they had beene spared God will roote thornes and bryers out of his vineyard if thou wouldst not haue him roote out thee become a Vine and bring forth good grapes God threatens to breake the hairy sealpe of him that goes on in sinne yet mayest thou ward this blow from thy selfe Goe no further on in sinne When God comes in iudgement to visite the earth to shatter rockes and breake stones in peeces thou hast a heart of flesh mollified with repentance Let the earth quake and the rockes teare thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace 4. Miracle The graues were opened and many bodyes of Sanits which slept arose Concerning this two questions are moued 1. Where their soules were all this while before I answere where the scripture hath no tongue we should haue no eare Most probably thus their soules were in heauen in Abrahams bosome and came downe to their bodyes by diuine dispensation to manifest the power and Deitie of Christ. 2. Whither they went afterwards I answere by the same likelyhood that they died no more but waited on the earth till Christs resurrection and then attended him to heauen But these things that are concealed should not be disputed Tutum est nescire quod tegitur It is a safe ignorance where a man is not commanded to know Let vs then see what profitable instructions we can hence deriue to our selues They are many and therefore I will but lightly touch them 1. This teacheth vs that Christ by his death hath vanquished death euen in the graue his owne chamber That gyant is subdued the graues flie open the dead goe out This beares ample witnesse to that speach of Christ. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue The bodies of the Saints what part of the earth or sea soeuer holds their dusts shall not be detayned in prison when Christ cals for them as the members must needs goe when the Head drawes them He shall speake to all creatures Reddite quod deuorastis restore whatsoeuer of man you haue deuoured not a dust not a bone can be denyed The bodyes of the Saints shall be raised sayth August Tanta
Which mysterie they thus resolue that the Lyon of Iudah should one day giue himselfe for vs a perfect expiatory Sacrifice Thus Once in the end of the world hath hee appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe 7. The last poynt is the Effect Of a sweet smelling sauour Here is the fruit and efficacie of all Neuer was the Lord pleased with sinfull man till now Were he neuer so angry here is a pacification a sweete sauour If the whole world were quintessenced into one perâ—…ume it could not yeeld so fragrant a smell We are all of our selues putida putrida cadâ—…vera dead and stinking carkases the pure nostrels of the most holy cannot endure vs behold the perâ—…ume that sweetens vs the redeeming bloud of the Lord Iesus This so filles him with a delightfull sent that hee will not smell our noisome wickednesse Let me leaue you with this comfort in your bosomes How vnsavoury soever our owne sinâ—… haue made vs yet if our hand of faith lay hold on this Saviours censor God will sent none of our corruptions but we shall smell sweetely in his nostrels Beâ—…d for all O deare Iesus Mori debâ—… tusolvis 〈◊〉 peccaviâ—…us tu â—…uis Opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito châ—…as sine â—…do We should die thou payest it we haue offended thou art punished A mercie without example a favour without merite a loue without measure Therefore I conclude my Sermon as we all shut vp our prayers with this one clause Through our Lord Iesus Christ. O Father of mercie accept our Sacrifice of Prayer and Prayse for his Sacrifice of payne and merite even for our Lord Iesus Christ his sake To whom with the Father blessed Spirit be all glory for ever Amen THE GOOD POLITICIAN DIRECTED MATTH 10. 16. Be ye wise as Serpents and harmelesse as Doues OVâ—… of euery creature simply considered there is some good to bee learned The diuine Poet sweetly The World 's a Schoole where in a generall siâ—…rie God alwayes reads dumbe lâ—…ctures of his glorie It is a three leau'd booke Heauen Earth and Sea and euery leafe of this booke euery line of euery leafe euery creature in this vniuerse can read to man for whom they were made a Diuinitie lecture In a speaking silence they preach to vs that Deitie which made both them and vs and them for vs. Seculâ—…m Speculum the world is a glasse wherein wee may behold our Creators Maiestie From the highest Angell to the lowest worme all instruct vs somewhat For one and the same almightie hand that made the Angels in heauen made also the wormes on earth Non superior in illis non inferior in istis Besides this generall lecture they haue all their particular schoole Salomon sends vs to the Aâ—…t to learne Prouidence Esay to the Oxe to learne thankfulnesse Many beasts doe excell Man in many naturall things Nos aper auditu praecellit aâ—…anea tactu Vultur odoratu Lynx visu simia gustu The Bore excels vs in hearing the spider in touching the Vulture in smelling the Lynx in seeing the Ape in tasting Some haue obserued that the art of curing the eyes was first taken from the Swallowes The Eâ—…gles haue taught vs architecture we receiued the light of Phlebotomie from the Hippopotamas The Egyptian bird Ibis first gaue to Physicians knowledge how to vse the Glister The Spider taught vs to Weaue Here the Serpent instructs vs in Policie the Doue in simplicitie Now we are falne among Serpents stinging serpents enemies to man can wee fetch away any good from them Yes those very venemous and malicious creatures shall afford vs Documenta not Nocumenta they shall teach vs not touch vs. I may say of them as it is sayd of the Iewes Hostes sunt in cordibus suffragatores in codicibus They are our enemies in their hearts our friends in their bookes The malice of Serpents is mortall their vse shall be vitall So it may so it shall if our sobrietie keepe the allowed compasse For our imitation is limited qualified We must not be in all points like Serpents nor in all respects like Doues but in some but in this Be ye wise as serpents harmelesse as doues Perhaps other vses might be accommodated As the Serpent might teach vs how with wisedome to dwell below on the earth and the Doue with wings of innocence to flie vp to heauen aboue We may in earthly matters keepe a serpentine and winding motion but to heauen with the Doue we must haue a strait course But I confine my selfe to the pith of the Text and our Sauiours meaning Be wise as Serpents innocent as Doues The words may not vnfitly be distinguished into a Perhibition Cohibition as it were the Raines and the Curbe The Perhibition allowance or Raines Be wise as serpents The Cohibition correctiue restraint or Curbe Be harmelesse as Doues They must goe hand in hand without disiunction Vnited they are commodious parted dangerous There is a necessitie of their vnion to our peace diuide them and you loose your selues Witte without innocence will offend others Innocence without witte will not defend our selues Prudentia sine simplicitate malitia simplicitas sine prudentia stultitia Witte without innocence is wickednesse innocence without witte is foolishnes Whosoeuer hath the one and wants the other must needs be either guiltie of follie or of dishonestie Least we be too craftie and circumuent others let vs keepe the innocencie of the Doue least we be too simple and others circumuent vs let vs keepe the wisedome of the Serpent Let vs first see from the Serpent how we should bee wise and then goe to the Doue for innocence Sixe principall Lessons of Wisedome the Serpent may teach vs. 1. Their first policie is by all possible meanes to defend their head If they must encounter with danger they expose their whole body to it but howsoeuer they will safeguard their head They write of them that though all a serpents body be mangled vnlesse his head be cut off which he cunningly hides by a kind of attractiue power and vigor one part will come to another againe This is to vs a singular document of Wisedome to looke well to our Head Christ is our Head and the sinewes and nerues that knitte vs to him is our Faith and Hope let vs preserue these indanted indamaged We fight against an enemie that seekes especially to wound vs there He strikes indeed at euery place he hath sayth Ierome noâ—…ina mille mille nocendi artes therefore Paul chargeth vs to Put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against all the wâ—…les of the Deuill but especially the head Aboue all take the shield of Faith and the Helmet of saluation saue the Head Protect all parts if it be possâ—…le let not oppression wound thee in the hand nor blasphemie in the tongue nor wantonnes in the eye nor couetousnesse
he is Not future euents but present condition may be thus learned Neither day nor night scapes a good man without some profite the night teacheth him what he is as the day what he should be Therefore said a Philosopher that all waking men are in one common world but in sleepe euery man goes into a world by himselfe For his dreames doe signifie to him those secret inclinations to which hee thought himselfe a stranger though they were home-dwellers in his heart Euen those fancies are speaking images of a mans disposition And as I haue heard of some that talke in their dreames and then reueale those secrets which awake they would not haue disclosed So may thy dreames tell thee when thou wakest what kind of man thou art The hypocrite dreames of dissimulation the proud woman of paint and colours the theefe of robberie and booties the Iesuite of treasons Let them aske their very sleepe qualeâ—… sint what manner of men they arâ—… For so lightly they answere temptations actually waking as their thoughts doe sleeping Thus onely a man may make good vse of his dreames Here let vs obserue that God doth sometimes draw men to him suis ipsorum 〈◊〉 by their owne delights and studies No doubt these Magi were well acquainted with dreames it being amongst Ethnickes and Peripatetickes a speciall obiect of diuination Therefore there is a booke bearing the name of Aristotle De diuiâ—…ne pâ—…r somnium Many â—…ors these men had swallowed by dreames now behold in a dreame they shall receiue the truth So God called them by a Starre whose profession was to relie too much on the Starres Quare per Stellam vt per Christum ipsa materia erroris fieret salutis occasio Why by a Starre that through Iesus Christ the very matter of their error might be made a meanes of their saluation Per 〈◊〉 illâ—…s vocat quâ—… familâ—…ria illis consâ—…tudo fecit God cals them by those things which custome had made familiar to them They that are stung with Scorpions must be cured by the oyle of Scorpions Thus God allures men to him as Fishermen 〈◊〉 with such baites as may bee somewhat agâ—…ble to them Paul is occasioned by the Alâ—… 〈◊〉 the vnknowâ—… God to make knowne the true God the 〈◊〉 Iesus Doth Dauid loue the Sheepe-folds he shall be a Shepheard still From following the eâ—…s great with yong he brought him to feed Iacob his people and Isrâ—…ll his â—…ritance Doth Peter loue fishing he shall goe a fishing still though for more noble creatures to catch souleâ—… Doe these Magicians loue Starres and Dreames behold a Starre and a Dreame shall instruct them in the truth of God Old Isâ—… takes occasion by the smell of his Sons garments sauouring of the field to pronounce a spirituall blessing The smell of my Sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Ierome notes of Amos that he begins his Prophecie with roaring The Lord shall roare from Sion Because he being a field-man kept the woods where hee was wonted to the roaring of Lyons Iudaei signa quaerunt Doe the Iewes seeke a signe Why Christ will there euen among them worke his Myracles Doth Augustine loue eloquence Ambrose shall catch him at a Sermon All things shall worke to their good that are good Omnia etiam peccata All things euen their very sinnes sayth Augustinâ—… 〈◊〉 in his Essayes writes that a libidinous gentleman sporting with a Courtezan in a house of sinne chanced to aske her name which she sayd was Mary Whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reuerence that he instantly not onely cast off the Harlot but amended his whole future life Well-beloued since this is Gods mercie to allure vs to him by our owne delights let vs yeeld our selues to be caught What scope doth thy addiction leuell at that is not sinfull which Gods word doth not promise and afford What delight can you aske which the Sanctuarie giues not Loue you hunting learne here to hunt the Foxes the little Cubbes those craftie sins sculking in your bosomes Would you dance let your hearts keepe the measures of Christian ioy and leape like Iohn the Baptist in Elizabeths wombe at the saluation of Iesus Delight you in running Paul sets you a race So runne that ye may obtaine You shall haue good company Dâ—…id promiseth that he will run the way of Gods commandements Peter and Iohn will runne with you to Iesus Loue you Musicke Here are the Bels of Aaron still ringing the treble of Mercie and the tenor of Iudgement Leui's Lute and Dauids Harpe There are no such songs as the songs of Sion Would you be merry Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce If euer you found ioy like this ioy the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost backe againe to the world Louest thou daintie cheare here be the best cates the body and bloud of thy Sauiour the bread of life no hunger after it Wilt thou drinke much Drinke my wine and my milke drinke yea drinke abundantly O Beloued Bibâ—…e 〈◊〉 as the originall imports drinke and bee drunken with loues pledge the health that Christ begun euen asauing health to all nations Are you ambitious there is no preferment like that to be had here in the Court of the King of Kings Dauid iudged it no little thing to bee Sonne in law to a King but what is it then to bee a King Desire you stately buildings Alas the whole world is but a Cottage a poore transient Tabernacle to the Mansions promised by Christ. Lastly are you couetous Yet I need not aske that question but take it as granted Why then here is gold more precious then that of Arabia or of Hauilah rust or theefe may distresse that this is a treasure can neuer be lost What should I say more What can winne you Which way soeuer your desires stands God doth allure you The best thinges in earth or in heauen are your baite With these doth the Lord seeke you not for any need that he hath of you but for your owne saluation When the fairest of all Beloueds doth thus wooe vs let him winne vs and espouse vs to himselfe in grace that wee haue the plenary marriage in glory You see the Manner of their Warning The Matter That they should not returne to Herod Why not to Herod Because the Lord now lets them see his hypocrisie For howsoeuer he pretended Ver. 8. to come and worship him yet he intended not seruire but sâ—…uire not to honour him but to murder him He cals the Wisemen priuily as if hee quaked at the propagation of this newes for it came vpon him like the pangs of death He commands them to inquire de infante not de rege of the babe not of the King for that title galled him to the heart That I may worship him Dirum facinus tingit colore pietatis
doat on it that so kisse it being a deformed stigmaticke How greedily would they gather the flowers who will not forbeare the thornes They that so admire it being transient and temporall how would they bee enamoured on it if it were eternall But the world passeth and God abideth They shall perish but thou remainest they all shall waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall bee changed but thou art The Samâ—… and thy yeares shall not faile Therefore trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God And then they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mâ—…unt Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth for euer Iesus Christ the Saâ—… yesterday and to day and for euer 2. This perswades vs to an imitation of Christs Constancie Let the stablenes of his mercie to vs worke a stablenes of our loue to him And howsoeuer like the lower Orbes we haue a naturall motion of our owne from good to euill yet let vs suffer the higher power to moue vs supernaturally from euill to good There is in vs indeed a reluctant flesh a Law in our members warring against the Law of our minde So August confesseth Nec planè nolebam nec planè volebam And Egâ—… eraâ—… qui volebam ego qui nolebam I neither fully granted nor plainely denied and it was I my selfe that both would and would not But our ripenesse of Christianitie must ouergrow fluctuant thoughts Irresolution and vnsteddines is hatefull and vnlike to our master Christ who is euer The Same A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes The inconstant man is a stranger in his owne house all his purposes are but guests his heart is the Inne if they lodge there for a night it is all they are gone in the morning Many motions come crowding together vpon him and like a great prease at a narrow dore whiles all striue none enter The Epigrammatist wittily Omnia cùm facias miraris cur facias nil Posthume rem solam qui facit ille facit He that will haue an oare for euery mans boate shall haue none left to row his owne They sayth Melancton that will know aliquid in omnibus shall indéed know nihil in toto Their admiration or dotage of a thing is extreame for the time but it is a wonder if it out-liue the age of a wonder which is allowed but nine dayes They are angry with Time and say the times are dead because they produce no more innouations Their inquiry of all things is not Quà m bonum but Quà m novum They are almost wearie of the Sun for continuall shining Continuance is a sufficient quarrell against the best things and the Manna of heauen is loathed because it is common This is not to be alwayes the same but neuer the same and whiles they would bee euery thing they are nothing but like the worme Plinie writes of multipoda that hath many feete yet is of slow pace A while you shall haue him in England louing the simple truth anone in Rome groueling before an Image soone after he leaps to Amsterdam and yet must he still be turning till there be nothing left but to turne Turke To winter an opinion is too tedious he hath bin many things what hee will be you shall scarce know till he is nothing But the God of Constancie would haue his to be constant Stedfast in your faith to him Colos. 1. Continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell Stedfast in your faithfulnesse to man promising and not disappoynting Doe not aliud stantes aliud sedâ—…tes least your changing with God teach God to change with you Nemo potest tibi Christum â—…uferre â—…isi tâ—… illi auferas No man can turne Christ from thee vnles thou turne thy selfe from Christ. For Iesus Christ the same yesterday c. We come now to the Circumference wherein is a distinction of three times Past Present Future Tempora mutantur the times change the Circumference wheeles about but the Center is the same for euer We must resolue this Triplicitie into a Triplicitie Christ is the same according to these three distinct termes three distinct wayes Obiectiuè in his Word Subiectiuè in his Power Effectiuè in his gratious Operation Obiectiuely Iesus Christ is the same in his word and that Yesterday in Preordination To day in Incarnation For euer in Application Yesterday in Preordination So Saint Peter in his Sermon tels the Iewes that he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God And in his Epistle that he was verily preordained before the foundation of the world Reuel 13. He is called the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world Prius prâ—…fuit quamfuit His Prophets did foretell him the Types did prefigure him God himselfe did promise him Râ—…tus or do Dei the decree of God is constant Much comfort I must here leaue to your meditation If God preordained a Sauiour for man before he had eyther made man or man mar'd himselfe as Paul to Timothie he hath saued vs according to his own purpose aâ—…d grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the world began then surely he meant that nothing should separate vs from his eternall loue in that Sauiour Quos 〈◊〉 increatos redeâ—…it perditos non deseret redemptos Whom he chose before they were created and when they were lost redeemed he will not forsake being sanctified To day in Incarnation When the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a Woman The word was made flesh which was sayth Emissenus Non deposita sed sepositâ—… maiestate Thus he became younger then-his Mother that is as eternall as his Father He was Yesterday God before all worlds he is now made man in the World Sanguinem quâ—…m pro matre â—…btulit antea de sanguine matris accepit The bloud that he shed for his Mother hee had from his Mother The same Eusebius on the 9. of Esay acutely Vnto vs a child is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen He was Datus ex Diuinitate natus ex virgine Datus est qui erat natus est qui non erat He was Giuen of the Deitie Borne of the virgin He that was giuen was before he as borne was before Donum dedit Deus â—…quale sibi God gaue a gift equall to himselfe So he is the same yesterday and to day obiectiuely in his Word Idom qui velatus in veteri reuâ—…latus in none In illo praedictus in isto praedicatus Yesterday prefigured in the Law to day the same manifested in the Gospell For euer in Operation He doth continually by his Spirit apply to our consciences the vertue of his death and passion As many as receiue him to them giues â—…e power to become the Sonnes of God