let us all live to see this day again and have the liberty as well as occasion yet to rejoyce in it Upon this comes in David now presently with Thou art my God and I will thank thee Thou art my God and I will praise thee O let us do so too cry out one to another as the Psalm concludes O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever Turn all our rejoycings into thanks and praise make it a day of praise that so rejoycing worthily this day we may be thought worthy to rejoyce in that day opening and dilating our hearts and mouths with joy to day in this day of Christs particular Resurrection we may have them fill'd with joy and gladness at the day of the general Resurrection this day of the Lord convey us over happily to that these our imperfect joys be advanced or translated into everlasting ones into a day where there is no night no sorrow but eternal gladness and rejoycing for evermore THE FOURTH SERMON UPON Easter Day St. MAT. xxviii 5 6. And the Angel answered and said unto the women Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Iesus which was crucified He is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord lay BVt is He not here What do We then here to day Come see the place where the Lord lay Why 't is not worth the seeing now 'T is but a sad place now He is gone No place worth the seeing or the being in if He who is our being be not there Old Iacob's descendam lugens in internum is all that we can look for we must go down with sorrow to the grave But fear not though Our Lord indeed is gone but risen and gone away himself they have not stoln him away He 's past stealing He 's risen and alive Nor is he gone so neither but we may find him anon again in some better place Had we found him here in the grave to day it had been sad indeed He had been lost and We had been lost and both lost for ever He is risen He is not here are the words that disperse the clouds and clear up the day make it so clear that Videtur mihi hic dies caeteris diebus esse lucidior says St. Augustine Sol mundo clarior illuxisse astra quoque omnia elementa laetari Never any day so bright The Sun the Stars and all the Elements more sprightful and glorious to day than ever they even dance for joy The Angels themselves to day put on their glorious Apparrel bright shining Robes to celebrate this glorious Festival at the grave ver 3. A place where they this day day strive to sit sent thither to dispel our fears and disperse our sorrows and raise our hopes and advance our joys And indeed it was no more then needed when this day first arose no more then what needs still to those who seek Iesus which was crucified who go out with these tender hearts to the grave to weep They need comfort and encouragement direction and other assistance too They lie open to fears and troubles to errors and mistakes often in their seekings They had need of an Angel to guide them and the news and certainty of a Resurrection to support them and by this we find here shall so find it if they truly seek him This is the business both of the Text and of the Day The whole business of the Angel here and of his speech to the women that sought Iesus that was crucified In which when I have shewn you I. The Persons the Angel speaking it and the women to whom it was spoken I shall shew you then II. In the speech Somewhat 1. to disperse the fears Somewhat 2. to approve and encourage the endeavours Somewhat 3. to correct the search Somewhat 4. to inform the judgments Somewhat 5. to confirm the faith of those who here seek or shall at any time hereafter set themselves to seek Iesus which was crucified For 1. Fear not ye says the Angel there our fears are disperst 2. I know you seek Iesus which was crucified there our endeavours are approved of or encouraged 3. He is not here There 's our search corrected 4. He is risen as he said there 's our judgement informed 5. Come see the place where the Lord lay there 's our faith confirm'd All you see plain and orderly in the Text both the Particulars and the Sum of it I shall go on orderly with the Particulars and so shew you first the Persons both the speaker and to whom 't is spoken The Angel is the speaker and stands here first I shall begin with him And an excellent speaker he is The tongues of Angels above all the tongues in the world besides You will say so anon when you have heard his speech examin'd In the mean time a word of Him St. Matthew mentions here but one St. Mark no more St. Luke two St. Matthew's Angel sate upon the stone which was rolled away from the mouth of the Sepulchre ver 2. St. Mark 's sate on the right side of the Sepulchre within Chap. xvi ver 5. St. Luke's Angels stood by the women as they stood perplexed in the Sepulchre St. Luke's xxiv 4. And St. Iohn speaks of two Angels more the one sitting at the head the other at the feet where the body of Iesus had lain St Iohn xx 12. And yet in all these diversities no contradiction The story runs smoothly thus These pious women mention'd here come early to the Sepulchre to embalm their Masters Body whilst they yet stood without for fear this Angel in the Text that sate before the door upon the stone he had rolled away invites them to come in where they were no sooner entred but they saw a second Angel sitting who entertain'd them almost with the same words and is he remembred by St. Mark when they had a while perus'd the bowels of the grave and found nothing there but the desolate linnen in which their Lords body had been wrapt being somewhat perplexed at the business they were comforted by two other Angels which immediately appear'd to resolve their doubts and sent them to the Disciples to tell the news and are those spoken of by St. Luke whereupon away they hast only Mary Magdalen returns again with St. Peter and St. Iohn who having lookt and entred into the grave away they goe but she stands still without and weeps till two other Angels as St. Iohn relates shew forth themselves to stop her tears and divert her moans and shew her her Lord standing at her back Thus we need no Synechdoche's no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no strein'd figures to make things agree But thus you see Angels are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation as the Apostle tells us Heb i. 14. They stand by us when we think not of them They
a cold sweat to think of it before 't was built Gen. xxviii 17. Will the Lord dwell on earth Is it true says Solomon Can it be so Lord What am I says Holy David and my people that we should but offer to it Lord What is it that we should be allow'd to touch so holy ground with our unhallowed feet look upon so holy a sight with our unholy eyes that such a glo-worm as Man should be set upon a Hill But above all 3. Lord what is man Lord what is man that thou should'st so regard him as to advance him also into the holy Hill of Heaven too Lord what can we say what can we say Shall corruption inherit incorruption dust Heaven a worm creep so high What he that lost it for an Apple come thither after all he in whom dwelleth no good thing be let stay there where none but good and all good things are He that is not worth the Earth worth nought but Hell be admitted Heaven Lord What is Man or rather what art Thou O Lord how wonderful in mercies that thus priviledg'st the sons of men Admirable it is worth the whole course of your days to admire it in and you can never enough It will appear yet the more by the glory that accompanies it It is a glorious priviledge indeed even admirable for its glory Even in all the senses we take the words 't is 5. a Glorious Priviledge Glorious to be Sains they are heirs of Glory Glorious to be Saints in Churches for the Angels that are there 1 Cor. xi 10. to wait upon us and carry up our Prayers for the beauty of holiness that is seated there for the God of Glory whose presence is more glorious there But it is without comparison to be Saints in Glory Grace is the portion of Saints that 's one ray of Glory The Church the House of God is the Gate of Heaven Gen. xxviii 17. that 's the entrance into Glory What then is Heaven it self What is it to enter there into the very Throne of the King of Glory Lift up your heads O ye Gates lift up your heads and let us poor things in to see the King of Glory the Hill of the Lord can be no other then a Hill of Glory His holy place is no less than the very place and seat of Glory And being such you cannot imagine it 6. but hard to come by the very petty glories of the World are so This is a Hill of Glory hard to climb difficult to ascend craggy to pass up steep to clamber no plain campagnia to it the broad easie way leads some whether else St. Mat. vii 13. the way to this is narrow ver 14. 't is rough and troublesome To be of the number of Christs true faithful servants is no slight work 't is a fight 't is a race 't is a continual warfare fastings and watchings and cold and nakedness and hunger and thirst bands imprisonments dangers and distresses ignominy and reproach afflictions and persecutions the worlds hatred and our friends neglect all that we call hard or difficult is to be found in the way we are to go A man cannot leave a lust shake off bad company quit a course of sin enter upon a way of vertue profess his Religion or stand to it cannot ascend the spirtual Hill but he will meet some or other of these to contest and strive with But not only to ascend but to stand there as the word signifies to continue at so high a pitch to be constant in Truth and Piety that will be hard indeed and bring more difficulties to contrast with And yet to rise up to keep to that Translation that is to rise up in the defence of holy ways of our Religion is harder still to bloud it may come at last but to sweat it comes presently cold and hot sweats too fears and travels that 's the least to be expected Nor is it easie as it often proves to gain places to serve God in Temples are long in building that of Hierusalem 64 years together Great preparation there was by David and Solomon to that before and no little to the rearing of the Tabernacle It was 300 years and upward that Christianity was in the World before the Christians could get the priviledges of Sanctuaries and Churches The more ought we sure to value them that we come so hardly by them We would make more of the priviledge if we considered what pains and cost and time they cost how unhandsom Religion looks without them how hard it is to perform many of the holy offices where we want them how hard it would be to keep Religion in the minds of men if all our Churches should be made nests of Owls and Dragons and beds of Nettles and Thistles Yet I confess it is hard too to enter into those holy places with the reverence that becomes them to rise up holy there Every one that comes into the Church does not ascend he leaves his soul too oft below comes but in part his body that gets up the Hill the mind lies grovelling in the Valley amongst his Grounds and Cattel Nor may every one be said to rise up or stand in his holy place that stand or sits there in it unless his thoughts rise there unless his attention stands erect and stedfast up to Heaven when he is there he is indeed in the place but he unhallows it it is no longer holy in respect of him He must ascend in heart and soul raise up eyes and hands voice and attention too that can be properly said to ascend into the Hill of the Lord or rise up in his holy place Which how hard it is the very stragling of our own thoughts there will tell us we need not go to the Prophet to find a people that sit there as if they were Gods people and yet are not that hear his Word and stand not to it that raise up their voices and yet their hearts are still beneath We can furnish our selves with a number too great of such enow to tell us how hard it is to ascend into the Hill of the Lord and rise up in his holy place so few do it And if these two ascensions be so hard what 's the third the very righteous are scarcely sav'd 1 Pet. iv 18. If by any means I may says St. Paul 1 Cor. ix 27. supposes he may not he is afraid at least after all his Preaching he should become a cast-away fall short of the goal miss the Crown come short of the top of the Hill of the holy Place So hard a thing is Heaven so clogg'd are the wings of our soul so heavy and drossie are our spirits and our earth so earthy that it is hard to ascend so high We feel we find it and they but deceive themselves that think 't is but a running leap into Heaven a business to be done wholly or easily upon our Death-beds when we can
our polluted ugliness We will in a word profess if we believe he is our Lord we can no less than even desire him to depart lest he should see too many errors and miscarriages in his servants Indeed the whole sum of all is but to teach us humbly to confess our selves unworthy of such a Lord and Master not worthy of his Miracles not worthy of his Mercies not worthy of his Presence and ways or methods of his Presence being no better than sinful men This if you carry home and lay it up and practice it you carry enough for once and this well done will be a sure foundation for all Christian vertues Yet I will not bid you say with St. Peter expresly Depart O Lord or at least when you have said so in humility say presently again with faith rather tarry with us O Lord for we are sinful men Say to God as Iacob did to the Angel that wrestled with him I will not let thee go unless thou bless me Or else Lord if thou wilt depart yet come again and take me with thee though I be a sinful man or depart O Lord as thou art angry with us let thine anger go but turn thy self again in mercy and be pleased to stay What though we be sinful men O Lord Yet we are men thy Creatures the work of thine own hands the price of thine own bloud Spare us therefore good Lord and though thou hast departed from us for a long too long a season return again and save us for we are sinful men people that have need of thy Presence never so much as now who cannot be without it who though we are not worthy to be with thee yet we cannot but desire to be with thee for ever and ever Turn thee then O Lord and be gracious unto thy Servants cleanse us from our sins free us from our iniquities fit us for thy Presence compass us with thy mercy and visit us with thy salvation salvation here and salvation hereafter where we may enjoy thy blessed and glorious Presence for evermore THE SECOND SERMON UPON THE Calling of St. Peter St. LUKE v. 5. Master we have toyled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net THe words are a complaint for labour spent in vain yet not quite without hope of better success And they are St. Peters to Christ at whose word notwithstanding so much pains already lost he fears not to fall to his work again And the words have both their History their Moral and their Allegory they tell us what was and what will be what was St. Peters and his Fellows lot and what will be ours both in moral and spiritual employments to lose all our labour if Christ if God be not by us if our Master look not over us if his Word be not with us both to direct us what to do and to bless us in the doing They here toyl'd all the night and took nothing that 's the History Men often toil and labour day and night and catch as little that 's the Moral Nay Gods own Labourers his Fishermen fish and fish labour and take pains and catch nothing that 's the Allegory Now what 's the reason but because God is absent all the while For that as man lives not so he thrives not but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God All we prosper or profit is by the power and vertue of his Almighty Word and in the power of that Word we must let down our Nets if we look for a draught and though we have laboured all this while and caught nothing or but little or though it must be still our Lot to labour still and get nothing yet in confidence of that Word we must let down again and now we do yea though it be his pleasure that our Net return again both empty and broken I will not meddle now with St. Peters Story as he was a Fisherman what he sometimes was it matters not God respecteth no mans person I shall consider him only under these two notions As a man one of the same common fortune with the Sons of men and as a Fisher of men one selected by the great Master of the World to ensnare the souls of men to bring them to his own table and in this sense I divide the words into generals 1. St. Peters and his Partners ill success that they toil'd all night and took nothing 2. His conclusion yet to go to his work again upon Christs command and confidence of better issues Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net In the First whether consider St. Peter under the common condition of men as a man or under the nature of an Apostle as a man separate to a holy Function to deal with bringing other men to the Kingdom of heaven through his Ministry and Office we have these particulars 1. That all our labour by it self is but toil and misery if Christ be not in it to lighten those words We have toil'd 2. That 't is uncomfortable as being in the night a sad dolesom time if Christ be not by to enlighten it 3. That 't is vain and unprofitable we get nothing by it all if he be not with us to direct and bless us We have toil'd all night and taken nothing 4. That be it whose it will how seasonable soever be we as wise and politick in it as we can be we never so industrious in our trades or Works so it will be We we men that well enough know our Trade we who have toil'd and omitted no pains we who have toil'd all night fail'd in no point of art or time we yet even we have taken nothing all the while that Christ was not with us 5. That of this we may and must sometimes complain with St. Peter to our Master Master we have toil'd c. Complain we may yet not be discouraged for all that or lay down our Work for in the second general we have several particulars against it II. Not to leave off work but to resolve to set to our work again and hereafter to direct it better to guide and set it by his Will and Word that so it may thrive and prosper 1. To do it at his Word that is readily whensoever or as soon soever as he commands 2. At his Word that is obediently for his Word sake upon his Command and Word 3. Nevertheless at his Word that is confidently notwithstanding all that Flesh or Reason can say against it 4. And lastly resolutely to resolve come what will upon it we will do it Nevertheless at thy Word I will let down the Net I begin with St. Peters ill success and that 's no comfortable beginning but 't is the beginning of the Text and I love order every where though it cost never sodear to keep that Well then We have toiled all the night says St. Peter for himself and
terrible things But yet if you would fain be Martyrs you may be Martyrs without dying I die daily saith St. Paul a living Martyr Would you know how that is There is a spiritual Martyrdom that sometimes equals the others torments with its own difficulties 1. Abstinence in the midst of swelling plenty 2. Humility in the pride of rising glory 3. Meekness in the confluence of domineering injury 4. Chastity in the flower of blooming youth of sparkling bloud 5. Bounty in the depth of poverty 6. Joy in the abyss of misery 7. Charity to our enemies in the height of their insulting cruelty 8. Obedience in the hardest Precepts that most cross our own opinions and desires This the race without which the other is but a naked title an airy name This is always Propositum nobis the race of them that seek thy face O Iacob And now I speak of Martyrdom I should not forget Per Patientiam Patience the proper vertue of a Martyr Patience hath Pain for her object So then to run with patience is to fear no pains so we may finish our course to undergo all for faith and righteousness sake 'T is no small thing to cast off all delights and pleasures we have been at that in Deponentes 't is much more to endure evils too that 's in Curramus per patientiam The Christians life is a very race of patience He suffers all And patience is chearful He does not only suffer evil but welcome it 'T is more 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tarry stay abide under it not to be weary of it presently 'T was but a desperate speech of the Son of a Murtherer so Elisha stiles him Why should I wait for the Lord any longer More 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is under then keep thy self under still let 's have no pride in patience under afflictions then think they come from above and take them so with all submission as not worthy but below the mercy of punishment Not tarry under only but tarry till the end too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as well perseverance as patience and Per Patientiam per is through so run through not part of the way Patience runs the Race but perseverance keeps the Goal Neither is this enough Patience has been long mistaken for a heady daring and braving of deserved punishment 'T were well we would remember Patientia comes from Pati Passive we must be only here suffer evil when it comes not thrust our selves upon it Running indeed is agere not Pati and the Primitive Christians upon some secret inspirations who knows perchance to dant the fury of their Persecutors by their chearfulness have run to torments Vos autem non sic we have not that warrant and yet we may be active too Curramus per patentiam let them be companions never without Per or Cum between them never sever'd Patience is a dull heavy vertue without curramus without faith and righteousness without life Active enough we may be but not in seeking crosses They 'l come fast enough themselves There 's time and place for curramus when in the midst of injuries we run to heaven for succour Thus also Curramus per patientiam both joyned do well together Patience and Prayer That Patience may have her perfect work and we all with joy finish our course it will not be amiss to tell you how the very words would have you run what the very words would have you observe in running 1. Running is our swiftest course Such must your speed be here 2. Running is a motion that actuates every part Our running must be so total universal soul and body not a member idle 3. 'T is the liker so to be if we do certamen currere that is Currendo certare strive to do it 'T is a Race and in a Race there run many strive who shall run fastest Do it emulously 4. Strive yet not so strive as the Sons of strife to provoke but to love says St. Paul Heb. x. One curramus joyns us all together and let us keep so in Vs not I and you but let us run unanimously 5. That it may appear so Remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without corners Such let your course be open to the world Run not separate not your selves into corners Veritas non quaerit Let the Donatists to their Conventicles for by the way I cannot pass but tell you that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in prophane Writers signifies Templum a Church sometimes as if our course could not be right if it bent not thither 6. To run into corners as it separates from others so it breaks the bond of charity as it entombs our works in darkness so it eclipses the Divine glory 'T is but to hide the Talent in a Napkin or a sign we are ashamed of our Religion when we closet up all our piety and devotion 7. Not into corners not aside neither on the right hand nor on the left no way of your own finding out but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The way that lies before you The Kings high way you cannot miss it Yea but if we miss of a happy end 't were all one as if we mist of the way Yes but set before us it is Who set it He that is our crown and glory 'T is before us we then to look forward Whether Unto Iesus ver 2. to the joy that was set before him the same verse unto the throne of God the last words of that verse and the last of our desires He that proposed the Race proposes the Prize and sets on the Crown ye cannot now fear lest you should run in vain Now therefore so run with patience chearfulness humility courage constancy with all your speed and powers emulously and yet altogether openly yet not to be seen streight on yet upward and all the way your eye thither so run that you may obtain I have now almost run my self out of breath and you out of patience Give me leave to run out my Text too for I am come to the conclusion Therefore run 'T is a Cloud of Saints therefore away with sins that other Cloud 'T is a cloud about us then off temptations too 'T is a Cloud Et qui sunt illi qui ut nubes volitant the quick flying cloud therefore run at least 'T is a cloud of Martyrs therefore run with patience 'T is a Cloud that God has set about us and 't is the race he has set before us both set that this may be run Had we not a guide it might seem unreasonable to force us to an uncertain journey or were it not a guide from heaven we might as easily fear misguiding or were it a star our eyes might dazle into blindness and we lose our guide could we fear the sad melancholy of a solitary
all fuluess is and dwells Col. ii 9. God blessed for ever Rom. ix 5. Let 's make this acknowledgment of him profess and proclaim it as they do here call him the ever blessed Blessed 6. be all his works actions and passions the works of our Redemption Justification Sanctification Glorification which all come to us only through his Name and Merits Attribute we all to him and to his Name Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be the praise and glory of all these great and wonderful things Blessed lastly be all his purposes and intentions towards us he came to reveal his Fathers will unto us bless him for that bless we should all such that make known unto us the will of God Beati pedes Evangelizantium Blessed be the feet of the Ministers of the Gospel much more this great Archbishop of our Souls that sends them He came to glorifie the Father S. Iohn viii to teach us to do so bless him for that He came to save and deliver us from all kind of evil however we wilfully thrust daily into it some or other bless him for that say all good of him that wishes and works all good to us but which is only truly to bless further we all purposes what we can and help them forward that he and we may be glorified by the hand For this blessing is not meerly a form of words we must 1. earnestly and heartily desire God to bless to bless all Christs ways of coming to us that we may joyfully and chearfully and devoutly entertain him Desire God 2. to bless him that cometh in his name him whoe're he be that he sends to us but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially that his coming may come abroad to all the world all come in unto him Desire 3. that man may bless him incite the sons of men to sing praise too unto him Praise him all ye Nations praise him all ye people strive what we can to get all we come nigh to come with us and bear a part in blessing him In a word bless we our selves in him think and profess and proclaim our selves blessed that Christ is come to us that we have our part and portion in him place all our joy all our rejoycing all our triumph that he is with us that the name of the Lord is declared unto us that by his coming the name of the Lord is called upon us that we are now of his retinue that we now belong unto him that he is daily coming in us And for this Hosanna now 3. in excelsis indeed Hosanna to him in the highest sing we it as loud as we can reach as loud as we can cry it And that may pass for the first interpretation of in excelsis that we are to cry it as loud as we can cry it do what we can to express our joy how we can to give him thanks to exalt his praise what we are able in excelsis to the highest of our power so Psal. cxlviii 1. Praise him in the height We all of us in excelsis in our highest yea and 2. the very highest the very most in excelsis of us all the highest of us is too low to praise him worthily yet praise him O ye highest ye Kings and Princes of the earth Kings of the earth and all people Psal. cxlviii 11. come down from your excelsis and lay your Crowns and Scepters at the feet of this King as S. Luke that cometh and submit all your Kingdoms to the Kingdom of Christ make ye all your Kingdoms to bless his that your Kingdoms also may be blessed Nay and yet there are higher then these highest who are to praise him Praise him all ye heavens Psal. cxlviii 4. Praise him all ye Angels praise him all his Hosts ver 2. So S. Luke intimates it when he expresses it peace on earth in Heaven and glory in the highest glory in Heaven for the peace that is made between Heaven and Earth by him that cometh here in the name of the Lord by whom says the Apostle all things are reconciled Whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Col. i. 20. Hosanna in the highest for this peace with the highest sung be it by Heaven and Earth by Angels and Men the Angels sung somewhat a like Song at his Birth when he was coming into the world according as St. Luke interprets it and will sing it again if we invite them as the Psalmist does to sing with us and we must desire it that God may be prais'd all glory both in Heaven and Earth That 's the way indeed to Hosanna in the highest as it is a Song of Praise but 't is also we told you a prayer that even our praises and the ground of them may continue A prayer 1. to God in excelsis the most highest as the Psalmist speaks Save us O thou most highest No salvation but from those everlasting hills of mercy salvation to be look'd for from none else the very meanest of the multitude know that A prayer 2. for salvation in excelsis that he would deliver us with a high hand work salvation with a mighty arm such as all the world might see it that he would magnifie this King that cometh and exalt his Kingdom that cometh to the clouds set it above the reach and power of malicious men make it grow and prosper maugre all contradiction and opposition of the highest and strongest of the earth A prayer 3. for salvation in excelsis indeed for salvation in the highest Heavens not only to be delivered here but to be sav'd hereafter not only for Grace and Righteousness here of the highest pitch but for glory of the highest order a prayer that God as he has exalted him that here came in his name so he would exalt us all that call upon his name to sit at his right hand in heavenly places in the highest right So these multitudes pray and so pray we so praise they and so praise we Do what we can our selves to praise and bless him and do what we can to get others do it call upon the Angels to joyn with us do it with all our might and strength stretch out our voices scrue up our strings nothing content or satisfie us in our prayers or praises but the highest the highest thankfulness the highest devotion the highest expression and way of both that either the multitudes before or the multitudes that follow Iews or Christians former or latter Saints ever used before us All perhaps cannot spread carpets cloths and garments to entertain him nor have all Boughs of Palms or Olives to meet him with all have not wherewith to make a solemn shew and flourish but all have tongues all may sing Hosanna's to him or if that word be hard all may cry Save us Lord and Blessed be he that came and cometh If we have neither substance to praise him with nor solemn Ceremonies allowed
acknowledging of Gods blessings the first part of ours so sure a point of it that Confiteri to acknowledge or confess the blessing or him that sends it is above sixty times in the Book of Psalms set down for blessing And whole Psalms you have that are nothing else but an enumeration and catalogue of blessings the 66. the 103. the 104. the 105. the 107. the 136. And the more particular we are in it the more we bless him You have heard how particular Zachary is in it here He hath visited he hath redeemed c. given us nine particulars leaves neither gift nor giver unacknowledged Honourable it is to do so honourable to reveal to reveal the works of God says the Angel Iob xii 7. honourable to him honourable to us we cannot honour God without it nor expect honour from him if we will not acknowledge it Come and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul is the best way to begin our blessing 2. But it is but to begin it We must go on to the next way of blessing set close to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Benedictus from Benedicere both tell us there is much of it in words Only verbum is factum and dicere is facere sometimes in the holy page So we must take both words and deeds to do it with The word by the hand of thy servant as the Scripture sometimes speaks is the best way to bless him with Yet to our benedicere in the first sense first And to do that to give him good words is the least that we can give him let us be sure then not to grudge him them Confess we that he is good and gracious and merciful full of mercy plenteous in goodness and truth Streighten we not his visits stifle we not his Redemption coop we not up his salvation to a corner suffer we it to run large and full that the whole world may bless him for it Let us 2. speak it out Gods blessings were not done in a corner no more must ours Publick and solemn they would be And the Church has made it and Text part of the publick service that every one might bear a part in blessing God Every one of us and every thing of us too our souls and all that is within us heart and mind and all All within us and all without us our lips praise him our mouths praise him our hands praise him our flesh praise him our bones say who is like him all the members of our body turn themselves into tongues to bless him Bless we him 3. in set Hymns on purpose in good votes and wishes that his Church may prosper his Name be magnified his Glory advanced to the highest pitch for bene dicere is bene vovere too And sanctificare is no less To bless is sometimes to sanctifie So God blessed the seventh day is God hallow'd it and to sanctifie a day or place to bless him in is to bless him by his own pattern that he hath set us well said if well done I dare assure you to set apart both times and places to bless him in 2. But dicere is not all sung never sweetly said never so well The Lord bless thee in common phrase is the Lord do good unto thee Indeed Gods blessing is always such his benedicere is bene facere His saying is a doing his blessing a making blessed 'T is fit our blessing should be somewhat like it To himself indeed we can do no good He neither wants it nor can be better'd by it To His we may Though not to his head yet to his feet The poor we may bless them And the blessing them is blessing him for inasmuch as ye have done it unto these you have done it unto me says he himself S. Mat. xxv And truly it must needs be a poor blessing that cannot reach his feet Nay 't is a poor one if it reach no higher Indeed he that giveth alms he sacrifices praise says the Son of Syrach Ecclus. xxxv 2. And praise is blessing But to bless is to honour too And honour the Lord with thy substance says a wiser then the Son of Syrach Prov. iv Something must be done to his own honour So nething given or offered to support that here among us for to bless is to give thanks and that intimates somewhat to be given to him as well as said or spoken to him It will else be verba dare and not gratias a meer cheating him of our thanks As soon as Naaman the Syrian was cured of his Leprosie he begs of the Prophet to accept a blessing for it Nature had taught him God was to be blest so 2 Kings v. 15. When the Captains of Israel had found by their whole numbers how God had delivered them they come with a blessing in their hands of sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels of gold for the house of God Numb xxxi 52. David and his people the story tells us blest him so too 1 Chron. xxix 20 21. offered incredible sums of Gold and Silver for the service of the house of God And let me tell you without begging for it that the House of God being now by this Visit in the Text made the very office of salvation where he daily visits us and entertains us with his Body and Blood with holy conferences and discourses where he seals us every day to the day of Redemption and offers to us all the means of salvation there can be no way of blessing God so answerable and proportionable to his thus blessing us as thus blessing him again Yet where there is nothing thus to bless him with there is yet another way of blessing him nay where there are other ways this must be too To bless him is to glorifie him and a good life does that S. Mat. v. 16. By our ill lives the name of God is blasphemed says the Apostle Rom. ii 24. Then by our good ones it must needs be blest Zachary seems to point at this way of blessing when he tells us we were delivered that we might serve our Visitor in holiness and righteousness ver 75. And thus he that has neither eyes to look up nor hands to lift up nor feet to go up to the house of blessing nor tongue to bless him nor so much as a Cross to bless himself or God not a mite to throw into his treasure may truly bless him and be accepted To this and all the other ways of blessing is the Text set And let all now come in and bear a part in blessing Blessed be the Lord God of Israel is now lastly a call to call them in The Prophet David does so Psal. cxlviii Sun and Moon and Stars and Light Heaven and Earth and Waters both above and under them Dragons and Deeps Fire and Hail and Snow and Vapour and Wind and Storm and Hills and Trees and Beasts and Cattel
Worms and Fowl Kings and People Princes and Iudges Young men and Maidens Old men and Children all Sexes Degrees and Ages Men and Angels and all kind of Beings does he call on to praise and bless and magnifie their Creator Indeed the whole Creation is blessed by this Visit so 't is but just they should bless God for it Yet how should all these things we mentioned do it many of them have no tongues to say many no sense to understand it Why they do it yet The Sun by day the Moon by night may become torches to light his servants service The Earth brings forth her Corn and Wine to furnish out his Table the deep gives up her Riches and brings home Golds and Silks to adorn his Holy Altars the Earth brings Stones and Minerals the Hills and Mountains Trees and Cedars to his House the fire kindles Tapers for it all the meteors of the air and all the seasons of the years do somewhat every wind blows somewhat towards it The very Birds and Swallows get as near the Altar as they can to bless him the Snow and Cold and Ice crowd as near Christmas as they can to bear a part in this great Solemnity in our solemnest thanksgivings Only he that has no need of this visit no need of Christ or his Redemption that cares not to be saved needs keep no Christmas may stand out or sit or do what he will at this Benedictus But sure when all things else thus come in throngs to bless him and even Ice and Snow come hot and eager to this Feast and willingly melt themselves into his praises we should not methinks come coldly on to bless him but come and bring our Families and Children and Neighbours with us to make the Choire as full as possibly we can Tell one another what Christ did to day what he every day does for us how he visited us to day how he still visits us every morning how he redeemed us to day how he does day by day from one ill or other how he began to day to raise up salvation for us and will not leave raising it for us till we can rise no higher Tell we our children next how in this God had respect to David his anointed and that they must learn to have so How he had regard to David his Servant will have so to them if they be his servants let them therefore be sure they be so fit them thus to sing their parts betimes in Hymns and Anthems and praises to their God that they that cannot speak may yet lisp it out and when they can speak out sing it loud and shrill that the hollow Vaults and Arches may eccho and rebound his praises not your Children only but stones also be thus rais'd up for children unto Abraham 'T is in the power of your hands grave Senators Fathers and Brethren to make the stones cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber to answer Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power to him that has rais'd up to us so great salvation I look upon this great Solemnity of yours as a meer design of blessing God and the Torches that light you hither as so many lights set up to make the light of your good works shine the greater You have not only these blessings in the Text but millions more to invite you to it Not to repeat the blessings and deliverances I have told you all blessings and salvations else you owe to this days Visit of the Almighty to this Horn he raised up for us Let us bring them also into the roll and thus bless him for them Some of you he has delivered out of trouble bless you him for that Some of you he has recovered lately from a sickness bless you him for that Some of you he has delivered lately from a danger bless you him for that You he has visited in distress visit you his Temples his poor and needy servants and bless him so You he has redeemed of late from the gates of death redeem you the time hereafter walk circumspectly and soberly and for the rest of your life serve him better and bless him so You he has sav'd out of the hands of Hereticks and Seducers save you your selves henceforward from that untoward generation and come no more among them Pay him visit for visit redemption for redemption one salvation for another and bless him so You he has rais'd to some honour and preferment raise you up some pillar of thanksgiving for it You he has rais'd to an estate raise you up some memorial to him out of it You he has rais'd out of nothing you out of a desperate condition your house and family out of ruines help you God again to raise his house and he will say you bless him for it Let there be some token of gratitude set up here as God set the Rain-bow in the Clouds Gen. xix 15. that he may look upon it and remember and save you in the time of need with his mercy for it In a word God has signally and strangely visited us of late years with his salvation redeemed us from our enemies and all that hate us those Horns that like those in Daniel pusht down and scattered all before them that threw down our Temples took away our daily service set up the abomination of desolation in these holy places Horse and Foot and Arms and all the instruments of desolation and stampt upon all holy things and persons he has rais'd us up a mightier horn to make those horns draw in theirs a horn in the house of his servant David restored our David his anointed to us kept him his servant returned him as he went safe and sound in the principles of his Religion restored him and his house us and ours kept them at least from utterly pulling down O that men would therefore now praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders he has lately done for the children of men As many Scarlets now as you please to adorn your gratitudes as many Torches now as you please that we may see them what solemn processions now as you judge fit to make to evidence your blessings to the Lord God of Israel for what he has done for us for either our souls bodies or estates So shall God again bless all your blessings to you the poor shall bless us and the Church shall bless us and these walls shall bless us and the children yet unborn shall bless us and all our blessings be continued to us we shall be visited and redeem'd and sav'd upon all occasions in all necessities on every hand and at every turn till he bring us at last to his eternal salvation to sing eternal Allelujahs everlasting Benedictus's Hymns and Praises with all the Blessed Saints and Angels to God blessed for evermore To this glorious blessing he bring us all who this day came to visit us that he might Jesus Christ. To whom
in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Godhead in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his manhood 2. the unity of his person in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. His Offices in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His eternal generation in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his temporal in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly of our way to behold him and our duty when we see him How to obtain this glorious sight of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of salvation and how to entertain it Of which that I may speak with reverence and you hear with profit Let us pray c. I begin with that which we all desire and hope to end Salvation and first with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give me leave to do so in the sense of Prophane Authors It will fit the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were dies salutares Festivals for some famous deliverances among them And may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then be this great Festival of the Nativity of Salvation this happy day which come about by the circling of the year expects now the solemnities of our joys and thanksgivings You see the day it self is in the Text and now we have seen that let 's look into the occasion of it what 't is that makes it Holy-day Something seen or done upon it what 's that Salutare tuum says the Text a Saviour seen and a salvation wrought nay this seen too for viderunt oculi to both if they be two There is but one word for both and it may be they may be but one However distinguish them we will for a while though we unite them in the upshot Salvation Simeon might with as much ease have call'd him Saviour but that he thought too little You would have blam'd his eye-fight had he seen no more Saviours there have been many Moses and Ioshua and Ieptha and Samson I cannot tell you how many and they have brought salvation in their times and sav'd their people but none of all was ever made salvation but this days Saviour who is made unto us righteousness and salvation Made to us is that all nay is it in himself Other Saviours when they have saved others themselves they could not save They themselves did still stand in need of being sav'd Christ needs none other but himself He is Salvation no Saviour so but he And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither Salvation neither for male only nor female only but both of the Neuter gender Neither male nor female but all one in Christ Iesus 2. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Feminine not a weak Feminine Salvation but a strong firm one the mighty strength of his right hand 3. Not a Feminine Salvation not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest we should fondly look for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Virgin Mother Not she but the Virgins Son the Holy Ghost as I may say afraid of Salvatrix mea Salve Redemptrix before ever Christianity dreamt of that Sacriledge But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is yet more salvation with an Emphasis with an Article This Salvation Many Saviours and Salvations too without doubt had aged Simeon seen in the large circuit of his years without a Nunc dimittis but no sooner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no sooner this but he grows weary of the world his life grows tedious to him he would be going What means this hasting to his Grave when he folds salvation in his arms Why this it is that gives it a pre-eminence above all beside Death now it self is conquer'd and now first to die is to be saved Salvation not only from Death but from the terrours of it Salvation is a deliverance a deliverance is from some evil of sin or punishment To be deliver'd from punishment be it but the loss of goods of liberty or health is a kind of Salvation and if the loss be great we are deliver'd from the salvation great but if the punishment stretch it self beyond the limits of fading time if it be to be extended through eternity the deliverance then great without question well deserves the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be deliver'd from punishment and eternal punishment is no small matter beyond all humane power yet from sin is far beyond it If we be not sav'd from that 't is but an incomplete a partial salvation from the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvum facere to make all whole again to heal the wounds of sin by the plasters of mercy to restore a man to his lost health his lapsed justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 integrum facere to give him health Thy saving health O Lord. Adam lost it in him we all and every day we lose it still We confess as much morning and evening There is no health in us And what is it we gain then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we so soon are at a loss yes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is salvum conservare too to keep us well when we are so Good God in what need stand we of thy salvation We sin we are punisht we are freed we rise again we slip and fail and fall again to deliver us to restore us to preserve us as it requires so it makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an emphatical an exceeding great salvation Nor is this all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy salvation from sickness or imprisonment or poverty or death man may sometime save us yet not so but that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 's too God by man But deliver us from the lowest prisons from a Hell of miseries sin and its attendants and keep us upright and entire 't is only God-man can do it That 's Gods peculiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His wonderful salvation His by propriety It had no other power but the strength of his own right arm to bring this mighty thing to pass It had no other motive then his own immense love and goodness to effect it We were in no case to deserve it profest enemies we had nothing in us to make it ours but that it might be wholly his Thy salvation Yet thy salvation why so What can God be saved Thy salvation our salvation rather yes both Thine actively ours passively Thou savest we saved And may it not be His passively too Thy salvation Thou thy self saved Thy Promises thy Truth which is thy self thy Mercy which is thy self thy Iustice which is thy self sav'd from the censure of unjust man by preparing him a Saviour Man had almost thought God had broke his word now that 's sav'd Some still will not let his mercy be sav'd but destroy it with justice and in destroying that turn justice into gall and wormwood ruine that too by denying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universal Saviour It was time high time to tell us from Heaven
' um For our viderunt must not end when the Eucharist is past when we depart this sacred place I will take the cup of salvation says the Psalmist there it is do that here But I will rejoyce in thy salvation do so both here and at home Et exultabo and let me see you do so Let not your joy be stifled in your narrow bosoms but break out into expression into your lips into your hands Not in idle sports excess of diet or vain pomp of apparel not that joy the joy of the world but the joy of the Holy Ghost It is salvation that you have heard and seen and are yet to see to day what 's our duty now If it be salvation let us work it out with fear and trembling It is salvation to be seen some eminent work let us then confess we have seen strange things to day A most certain sure salvation it is let not a sacrilegious doubtful thought cast a mist upon it It is prepared let us accept it prepared for all let us thank God for so fair a compass and not uncharitably exclude our selves or others God has enlarg'd the bowels of his mercy let us not streighten ' um It is a light let us arise and walk after it It is a glory let us admire and adore it Was our Saviour seen so should we be every day in the Congregation was he prepared to day let us be always shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Does he enlighten us O let us never extinguish or hide that light till this light be swallowed up by the light of the Lamb till this day-spring from on high prove mid-day till Gentium and Israelis be friendly united in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no darkness to distinguish them no difference between light and glory till the beginning and end of the Text meet together in the circle of eternity till viderunt oculi meet with gloriam till our eyes may behold that light which is inaccessible that light and glory which know no other limits but infinite nor measure but eternity To which he bring us who this day put off his glory to put on salvation that by his salvation we might at length lift up our heads in glory whither he is again ascended and now sits together with his Father and the Holy Ghost To which three Persons and one God be given all praise and power and thanks and honour and salvation and glory for ever and ever Amen A SERMON ON St. Stephens Day ACTS vii 55 56. But he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God And said Behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God YEsterdays Child is to day you see become a man He that yesterday could neither stand nor go knew not the right hand from the left lay helpless as it were in the bosom of his Mother is to day presented to us standing at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father he whom earth yesterday entertained so poorly and obscurely heaven here this day openly glories in Now the horn of our salvation is raised up indeed the Church thus shewing us plainly to day what yesterday we could not see for the rags and stable that it was not a meer silly creature a poor child or man only that came to visit us but the Lord of Glory so making him some recompence as we may say to day for the poor case she shew'd him in yesterday But that 's not the business Yesterday was Christs Birth-day to day St. Stephens for Natalitia Martyrum the Birth-days of the Martys were their death-days call'd they then first said to be born when they were born to execution A day plac'd here so near to Christs that we might see as clear as day how dear and near the Martyrs are to him they lie even in his bosom the first visit he makes after his own death was to them to encourage them to theirs The first appearance of him in heaven after his return up was to take one of them thither And yet this is not all Christs Birth and the Martyrs Death are set so near to intimate how near death and persecution are to Christs Disciples how close they often follow the Faith of Christ so thereby to arm us against the fear of any thing that shall betide us even Death it self seeing it places us so near him seeing there are so fine visions in it and before it so fair glories after it as St. Stephen's here will tell you And if I add that Death is a good memento at a Feast a good way to keep us within our bounds in the days of mirth and jollity of what sort soever it may pass for somewhat like a reason why St. Stephen's death is thus serv'd in so soon at the first course as the second dish of our Christmas-Feast Nor is it for all that any disturbance to Christmas Joys The glorious prospect of St. Stephens Martyrdom which gives us here the opening of Heaven and the appearance then of Gods glory and of Christ in glory may go instead of those costly Masques of imagin'd Heavens and designed Gods and Goddesses which have been often presented in former times to solemnize the Feast We may see in that infinitely far more ravishing and pleasing sights than these which all the rarity of invention and vast charges could ever shew us Here 's enough in the Text to make us dance and leap for joy as if we would leap into the arms of him in Heaven who stands there as it were ready to receive us as he was to day presented to St. Stephen I may now I hope both to season and exalt our Christmas-Feast bring in St. Stephens story that part of it especially which I have chosen so full of Christ so full of glad and joyful sights and objects that it must needs add instead of diminishing our joy and gladness And yet if I season it a little now and then with the mention of Death it will do no hurt I must do so that you may not forget St. Stephens Martyrdom in the midst of the contemplation of the glory that preceded it That must not be for the day is appointed to remember it And though we shall not designedly come so far to decipher it having no more then the praeludium of his death before us we will not so far forget it but that we will take it into the division of the Text in which we shall consider these four particulars 1. His accommodation to his Death His being full of the Holy Ghost that fitted and disposed him to it 2. His preparation for it He looked up stedfastly into Heaven so that he prepared himself for it 3. His confirmation to it He saw the glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God that
establish him a throne for ever 2 Sam. vii 11 12 13. God will be behind hand with none that do good to his Habitation or really intend or go about it Nay the very Sparrow is blest and the Swallow is blest that love but his House that sing their Mattens and Vespers at his Altars the devout Prophet even envies them for it Psal. lxxxiv 3. So great are the blessings of the House of God and so ever are those persons under his eye so in the eye of blessing whose good deeds are there continually putting God in mind of them If you would but remember how God forgets his mercy or which is the same how he remembers them in Iudgment who do ill to his House or to the Offices how he strikes Vzzah dead for an irreverent touch of the Holy Ark how he smites Vzziah with a leprosie for an encroachment upon the sacred Office 2 Chron. xxvi 19. and turns Saul out of his Kingdom for the like fault 1 Sam. xiii 14. How he thrusts Nebuchadnezzar out of doors Dan. iv 33. because he had burnt up his Houses in the Land 1 King xxv 9. 'T is just indeed he should have no House who will let God have none How he despoils Belshazzar of his Kingdom because he had spoild his Temple and was now prophaning those holy spoils carouzing in the sacred bowles Dan. v. 30. How he quite forgets all mercy to the Iews and casts them out as soon as they prophaned his holy Temple and abused his Messengers Priests and Prophets 2 Chron. xxxvi 14. and professes he could hold no longer when they had arrived at that height of insolent wickedness How he makes the Heavens forget their dew and the earth her fruit because they let his house lie waste Hag. i. 9 10. you will readily conclude how he remembers those that raise the Walls and repair the Ruines and reverence the Sanctuaries and love the Priests If them with Curses then these with Blessings if them with diseases then these with health if them with exile these with quiet dwellings if them with scarcity these with plenty Vbertate Domus the plenty of his house if them with desolate and decaying Families these with happy and full Posterities if them with death then these with life even for ever and ever VI. But 't is time now to remember our selves And many things we are here to be remembred of That 1. We have a House of God as well as Nehemiah to do good to Many houses of God in the Land now as well as in the Psalm lxxiv. 9. This above the rest whose decay'd Towers and ruin'd Pinacles and ragged Walls and open Windows and falling Roofs and broken Pavements call loud for a Repairer of the breaches And 't is not Nehemiahs Mercy and Bounty nor the Levites thin revenue added that can do it Blessed indeed be God that he hath put it into the heart of the King to begin and offer so freely to the Work But I hope we shall ere long have reason to bless him for your offerings too This House is Gods all such houses Gods as well as that of Bethel or that of Sion or those Synagogues of the Iews stiled several times his houses That they are so the solemn Dedications always of them to his Name with so much glory say enough And if Domus orationis be Domus mea the House of Prayer be Gods and Christ says it is and sure he knows both what is his own and how to call it the daily celebration of that Publick Worship there will give a second proof That some such there were even in the Apostles times some house besides such as we eat and drink in that must not be so used must not be so despised the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. xi â—â— and that it was then called the Church of God in the same verse is to tell you in plain English our Churches are Gods houses And God has in our days own'd them for his own That signal preserving them in the heat of War and Plunder rage and fury when men were so wrathfully displeased at them and so implacably set against them That protecting them 2. through all the Triumphs of a godly Atheism and a sacriledge out of Conscience both as unsatisfied as the grave so miserably greedy that they would violate their Fathers Sepulchres and scatter their ashes in the air and wind for an inconsiderable piece of lead or brass or stone That miraculous restoring them 3. to all the holy Offices this Church in particular destined to a sale and deferred only to see who would give most are evidences of it too great to be disputed that God has vindicated his right and kept it for himself And I hope you will all remember it and now help him in it Court and City both of you And remember 2. These Houses have their Officers their Offices their Ceremonies as well as that here in the Text. Offices to be performed Officers to perform them and Ceremonies to perform them with Your countenancing your encouraging your protecting them are the good deeds you may do to them Remember therefore 3. I beseech you that you do so Three arguments there are in the Text to perswade it 1. Good it is to do so good deeds they are God 2. will remember them when they are done God 3. will remember you for doing them 1. Good they are remember that And good works are a good foundation 1 Tim. vi 19. a foundation upon which you may lay hold on eternal life says St. Paul there and can you desire a better Indeed Iudas tells us it would do better upon the poor But had he had the selling of the Ointment then or when some of his Disciples had the selling of it since Were the poor ever the better for it Were not thousands sent a begging by it Sure sure he that can be content to see the Church in ruines will not much pass to see the poor in rags He that envies the Church-mans wealth will never pity the poor mans want and he that one time sells the Church will next time sell the poor if he can get by him But we will not set good deeds together by the ears 'T is enough that these are good but 't is more 2. that God remembers them that he takes a particular notice of them 2. I may say too a notice of the particulars The Scrowles of them are laid up for an everlasting remembrance Feasts of Dedication have been always kept for a memorial of them and Christ himself vouchsafed to be present at them St. Ioh. x. 22. And if the Syriac Translator may be allowed to read the last verse of the Chapter Et ad oblationes ad sacra temporibus Festis Statutis memoriam hujus rei mihi serva we see these good deeds were solemnly remembred in those solemn Feast and Nehemiah expected his should be so Their persons have anciently been remembred
and rule these resolutions desires and endeavours two Lights he makes true rectified reason and supernatural grace to guide them what to do at all seasons days and years and many little Stars many glimmerings of truth begin then to discover themselves which before did not After all this 5. the sensitive faculties in their course and order bring forth their living creature according to their kind submit themselves to the command of the superiour reason And then lastly when the Spirit has thus totally renewed the face of the earth of our mind and affections is the new man created after the likeness and image of God in righteousness and true holiness This the course this the order of the Spirits coming He comes moving upon the waters of repentance and first enlightens the darkness of our souls he orders all our faculties and powers he makes us fruitful to good works he daily encreases divine light and heat within us he reforms our sense subdues our passions regulates our reason sanctifies them all comes in light comes in grace comes in truth comes in strength comes in power that we might in his strength and power come one day all in glory And now he that thus created the old World and still creates the new new create and make us new and pray we all with holy David Psal. li. 10. Create O Lord in us new hearts and renew right spirits within us Cast us not O Lord for ever though we are now full of errors from thy presence and keep not thy holy Spirit from us but let thy Spirit of truth come down and guide us out of our wandrings give us the comfort of his help again guide us again into the ways of truth and stablish us there with thy free Spirit and that for the merits and mercies of thine only Son who here promised to send him and this day accordingly sent him to guide us to himself from grace to grace from truth to truth from truth below to true happiness above Jesus Christ our Saviour To whom c. THE THIRD SERMON UPON Whitsunday St. JOHN xvi 13. Howbeit when He the Spirit of Truth is come He will guide you into all truth AND He this day began to guide has continued guiding ever since will go on guiding to the end began it with the Apostles continued it to the Church and will continue it to it to the end of the World Indeed he that looks upon the face of the Christian Churches now would be easily tempted to think that either the time was not yet come that it should be fulfilled or that it had been long ago and his promise come utterly to an end for evermore For so far are we from a guide into all truth that we have much ado to find a guide in truth false guides and false spirits are so rise so far from being guided into all truth that 't is neerer truth to say into all error as if this guide had quite forsaken us or this promise belong'd not at all to us Yet for all that to us it is For the truth is 't is not this Guides this Spirits fault but ours that this all truth is so nigh none at all He will guide still but we will not be guided And into all truth too he will but we will not we will have no more than will serve our turn stand with our own humour ease and interest that 's the reason why he guides not now as in the days of the Apostles the first times the times of old We will not let him we cannot bear it as it is in the verse before or worse we will not bear we will not endure it every one will be his own guide go his own way make what truth he pleases or rather what him pleases the only truth every one follow his own spirit that 's the reason why we have so little of the Spirit of Truth among us There are so many private spirits that there is no room for this Yet if into all or indeed any truth that 's worth the name of saving we would be guided to this One we must return to one spirit or to no truth There is but one Trurth and one Spirit all other are but fancies He that breaks the unity of the Spirit that sets up many spirits sets up many guides but never a true one chance he may perhaps into a truth but not be guided to it and as little good come of it where the analogie of Scripture and Truth must needs be broken by so many differing and divided spirits 'T is time we think of holding to one Spirit that we may all hold the same Truth and in time be led into it all The only question is Whether we will be led or no If we will not the business is at an end If we will we must submit to this Spirit and his guidance his manner and way of guiding By so doing we shall not fail in any necessary saving truth He will guide us into all truth Which that he may as I have heretofore out of the former words told you of his coming so shall I now by his assistance out of these latter tell you of his guiding for to that intent and purpose he came to day and comes every day came at first and comes still comes 1. to guide to guide 2. into truth 3. into all truth 4. even you and all into it yet 5. to guide only not to drive or force us to guide after his own way and fashion not our fancie of which lastly we need not doubt or make a question he will do it So that now the Parts of the Text will plainly rise into these Propositions 1. That though Christ be gone he has not left us without a guide but has sent Him that shall guide us still 2. That He that shall do it is He that very He that is the Spirit of Truth just before No other can 3. That guide therefore into truth he will no other will 4. That he will guide not into this truth or that truth only but into all 5. That he will guide even us too You and you and you us as well as those that were before us all 's but You. 6. That he will do it yet but after his own way and fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the way he comes after as he comes so will he guide set us a way to find the truth and guide us after that way and no other 7. That for certain so it is He will Howbeit he will though yet he has not though yet we peradventure will not or cannot endure to be guided yet when we will set our selves to it He will guide us into c. it shall be no fault or failure of his for he for his part will is always willing The sum of all is this to assure us 1. that notwithstanding all the errors and false spirits now abroad there is a Spirit of Truth still
only that meek and merciful man St. Gregory that valiant Lion St. Ambrose that laborious Oxe St. Ierome that sublime Eagle St. Augustine as some please to fancy these four beasts or the four first Patriarchates as others have interpreted them but all the four corners of the earth have since profest it and with the twenty four Elders faln down and worshipt it The lustre and glory of that glorious mystery has shone thorow all the quarters of the World and all his famous mercies to his people and his judgments against their enemies are still daily celebrated and magnified in all the Congregations of the Saints This St. Iohn foresaw and here foretels the poor persecuted Christians then that how hard soever things went with them then they should ere long turn all their sighs and lamentations into Songs of praise for their deliverance and salvation This they should and 3. we should as much It was foretold of them they should it is commanded us we should Therefore glorifie him says the Apostle 1 Cor. vi 20. glorifie him in your bodies and glorifie him in your spirits glorifie him with the bodies that glorifie him and glorifie him with the Spirits that glorifie him bear them all company in so doing do it all the ways you can you can neither do it too many nor too much Put on the faces of Eagles in the Temple and raise your souls up there and praise him Put on the faces of men at home and let the holiness of your conversation praise him there Put on the appearance of Oxen in your Callings and let the diligence of your Actions and Vocations praise him Put on the appearance of Lions abroad in all places of temptations and let your courage in the resisting and repelling them praise him there Thus we truly copy out our pattern Yet to transcribe it perfectly well we must now secondly also transcribe their earnestness For here they not only give praise and glory unto God but they do it earnestly they rest not doing it they rest not saying that is 1. They cannot rest unless they say it And I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep nor mine eye-lids to slumber neither the temples of my head to take any rest till I have found out a way to praise my God till I have offered up the service of my thanks and added something to his glory must be the Christians resolution 2. They rest not saying is they say it and say it again say it over and over Holy Holy Holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in some Copies nine times read Holy nine times repeated they think they can never say it enough No more it seems did David when he so oft repeated For his mercy endureth for ever in one single Psalm Psal. cxxxvi And hence it is the Church to imitate this holy fervour so often reiterates the Doxologie and inserts so many several Hymns and even either begins almost all its Prayers and Collects with an acknowledgment either of his Mercy Goodness and Providence or ends them with acknowledgment of his Majesty Power and Glory this both to imitate the glorious Saints and to obey the Apostles injunction of being fervent in Prayers and Praises 3. They rest not saying is they rest not but in so doing That 's their rest their joy their happiness to do so thus to be always praising God It would be ours too had we the same affections to it or the same senses of it We could not go to rest nor lie down to sleep could not sit down and take our rest till we had first lift up our eyes and hearts nay and voices too sometimes till we had first paid our thanks and given him praise for his protections in our ways and labours untill then 3. But to be thus eager and earnest at it is not all So we might be for a start and give over presently but 't is day and night that Angels and good men do it There is no night indeed properly with the Angels 'T is with them eternal day yet all that time which we call day and night they are still a saying it The Morning comes and they are at it the Night comes and they are at it still Let me go for the day breaketh says the Angel that strove with Iacob Gen. xxxii 26. And I must sing my Mattens adds the Chaldee Paraphrase as if he had said I can stay no longer I must go take my Morning course in the heavenly Choirs And in the depth of night we find them by whole hosts and multitudes at their Gloria in Excelsis Glory be to God in the highest St. Luke ii 13. The first fervours of Christian Piety were somewhat like this of the Angels You might have seen their Churches full at midnight all the Watches of the night you might have heard them chanting out the praises of their God and all the several hours of the day you might have found some or other continually praising God in his holy Temples as well as in their Closets Nay in the Iewish Temple they ceased not to do so Ye that by night stand in the House of the Lord Psal. cxiv 2. Praise him ye says holy David for indeed ye stand there to praise him and the Temple it self stood open all the day for all comers to that purpose when they would Therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing says the Psalmist Psal. xxx 13. 'T is a good thing to do so Psal. xcii 1 2. To tell of thy loving kindness early in the morning and of thy Truth in the night season so good that David himself resolves upon it Psal. cxlv 2. Every day will I give thanks unto thee and praise thy Name for ever and ever prays also that his mouth may be filled with Gods praise that he may sing of his glory and honour all the day long Psal. lxxi 7. from morning to night and from night again to morning he would willingly do nothing else Nay be the night and day taken either in their natural or moral sense either properly for the spaces and intervals of light and darkness or morally for the sad hours of affliction and adversity and those bright ones of jollity and prosperity good men praise God in them both do not cease to do it if sorrows curtain up their eyes with tears and put out all their light of joy and comfort yet blessed be the Name of the Lord cry they out with patient Iob Chap. i. 21. Again if their paths be strow'd with light and the Sun gild all their actions with lustrous beams if Heaven shine full upon them they are not yet so dazell'd but they see and adore Gods mercy in them and in the mid'st of all their glories and successes they are still upon his praise and render all to him Neither the one night nor this other day make them at any time forget him A good item to us hence 1. not to suffer
to let down the Net confident now by the power of his Word only to obtain what neither his Art nor labour could procure before nor reason perswade him to at any time nay what all they perswade him now against This is the right rule of faith and obedience even against hope to believe in hope to believe his Word above our Reason to neglect all petty under-scruples to rely wholly upon his authority It was Abrahams glory that he considered not his own body now dead nor the deadness of Sarahs Womb considered not the strength of nature when Gods Promise came above it Rom. iv 19. that he was so ready to offer up Isaac in whom God had promised him to call his Seed as if he believed God could raise him up again being dead or else some way or other make good his Promise which was made in Isaac and that he would do it to though Isaac were made a Sacrifice and so no natural or reasonable possibility left him for any such hope Yet nevertheless do he would as God commanded offer up Isaac at his word as readily here as St. Peter let down his Net Nevertheless lastly at thy Word we will whether that is he please to bless us according to our wish or not whether we shall bring up fish or no whether he will have us take or not we will let down the Net because he bids us To the former confidence is to be added resolution As we know and are confident he can by his Word do what he will so whether he will do it yea or no yet for his Word because it is his will that we should still continue on our labours and work we will do so we will let down the Net come what will come of it Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Preach we must for Woe is me says the Apostle if I preach not the Gospel the command is hard upon us And whether your works be like to prosper in your hands as you desire or whether not labour still you must and not be idle To toil all night and catch nothing is uncomfortable yet to toil all night and catch nothing and yet to toil again is constancy and resolution and may challenge the reward of no petty vertue at his hands who so esteems and accepts it You shew as much daily in temporal affairs Ye work and toil and lose your labour yet you try again you plow and sow and sometimes bring home little yet you plow and sow again Be we but as resolute in our spiritual affairs and work and they will succeed at last to pupose to make a recompence for all former misfortunes If your Prayers after a whole night return empty if your endeavours to repentance and amendment if your wrestling with temptations or strugling for mastery with your passions and sins be not presently answered with success but you yet groan under the dominion of them not yet fully able to resist temptations nor to leave off your sins or break off your transgressions if you cannot by some nights and days of exercise and endeavour obtain yet those graces and vertues you desire endeavour yet again strive and pray and labour yet again and in his name and word pursue your work In his name you cannot miscarry at the last your Net will come at length full fraught with grace and glory You see the very Apostles of Christ are in the like condition many nights and days toil and labour brings them nothing home yet they still fish again and so must we if at last we may gain but one poor soul into the Net of the Kingdom nay though but save our own And if none but that yet we most let down the Net for more not despair of more there may come more at length We must preach and you must hear again and again line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little cast on this side cast on that in season and out night and day with all patience and long suffering as the Apostle speaks if so be at last that Jesus will deign to come unto us that he will vouchsafe to speak effectually to his servants and make them hear that he will please to stand by and call the fish into the Net Master we have now at thy word let down the Net O speak the word only and thy Servants shall hear thee and hasten to thee and obey thee and be wholly taken by thee Our labours are vain without thy blessing nothing in them but weariness and toil have mercy upon this our sad and uncomfortable condition and relieve us both the Fishers and the Fish and lift us up out of this Sea of misery this depth of iniquity catch us all together in thy Net and us unto thy self into thy Kingdom where there is no more toil or labour no more â—ight at all no more tempestuous Seas or weather where we are sure to catch that which is above all our labours all our toil a full and sufficient recompence for them all the over-ful infinite and unspeakable rewards of eternal glory A SERMON UPON THE Transfiguration St. LUKE ix 33. And it came to pass as they departed from him Peter said unto Iesus Master it is good for us to be here and let us make three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said AND St. Peter when he thus said he knew not what was in the Mount with Iesus Moses and Elias and saw their glory One cannot blame him for crying out 't was good being good building there though somewhat there was in it that was amiss it seems when St. Luke tells us he knew not what he said But methinks the words would sound nothing amiss at all if they had been taken up by us upon our late being with Christ in the holy Mount at the holy Table or if used still in reference to that good meeting Master it is good for us to be here in thy holy presence let us build Tabernacles tarry here go down no more henceforward in our affections to earth or earthly things Let us build here Tabernacles for thee for Moses and Elias that neither thy Gospel Law nor Prophets may go from us never henceforth depart out of our hearts and mouths Sure there is no error in such a speech of ours whatever was in St Peter's Indeed somewhat there was faulty in St. Peter's as there is commonly in the most of our best words and actions somewhat more or less at least then should be in rigor if God should enter into judgment with them The sudden apprehension of unexpected or extraordinary joy or happiness be it spiritual or be it temporal makes many affections and expressions arise in the best of us somewhat irregular sometimes Our business at this time and upon these words is to rectifie them by considering what was here short or over in St. Peter's what
our own Translation first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moderetur let it Rule Wars and dissensions have ruled long enough let peace rule now Many passions there are that bustle in us for supremacy when there rises any contest between us and our Superiours or between us and our Equals Envy would carry it Anger would over-bear it Discontent would order it Pride would decide it Honour would dispose it Interest would drive the trade Lust would sway it Covetousness would have all Peevishness would have more but let peace for all that and none of them rule the business says the Apostle What we do let it not be to gratifie our envies nor to satisfie our spleens nor to humour our discontents nor to court our prides nor to exalt our repute nor to drive on our interests nor to fill our purses nor to fulfill our lusts nor to sooth our peevishnesses but to promote Peace and Unity among all we have to do with The unruliness of these passions are the things that hinder it whilst we give way to them to any of them we are nothing but combustion These are to be laid down at the foot of peace nothing done by us upon their accompt and then we shall be quiet Nay not only over the passions let peace bear rule but even among the vertues There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second sense palmam ferat let her wear the Crown bear away the Prize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 14. this above them all Bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering put them on all but this above them as a robe of honour Excellent graces all but the bond of all that ties them all together the bond of perfectness which perfects all why 't is this for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here Love in that verse is the peace of God in this For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to knit together and so fits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bond there as well as does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here fits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as love does there also God being all perfection and his peace a knitting or binding God to man and man to man and man to God so perfecting all Where this is wanting we are but imperfect nor is our vertue nor our felicity complete He is the perfectest Christian that is most for peace and he only conquers what side soever at any time prevails who makes peace or does most for it But as peace must rule our passions and crown our vertues so it would do well to decide our controversies the third sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dijudicet or determinet If controversies or differences arise among us as rise they will let us first consider calmly on them weigh them without passion discuss them without noise treat of them without heat and if they chance to be so troublesome that they cannot easily be decided either by reason of the eagerness of the Disputers or the interests of the Parties or the abstruseness of the question the Spirit of peace will quickly do it Keep thy Faith and Opinion to thy self Rom. xiv 22. trouble neither thy weak nor thy strong Brother with them disturb not the peace of the Church about them but sit down and rest thy self in the decision of the Church be content with general terms of agreement and draw not out Controversies into nice expressions the peace of the Church is commonly I may say always more considerable than the question and he determines best that either determines or is determined for peace To do this the better I shall give a fourth signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych Medius sit vel arbiter let there be a Moderator or Mediator made to moderate the contention This does well we find in all particular Contests cannot but do so surely in the Churches We must not always be our own Judges Best refer it and then either our Superiours or our Laws will be the fittest for it But what ever may be perhaps objected against Superiours in particular the Law and Canon they stand always impartial judges they cannot be accused to lean either to the one or the other they are akin to neither and not capable of flattery or a bribe let them then be Umpires between us and decide the matter Yet to be sure to keep the peace let there be order kept So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. signifies ordinet let peace set some order now among us The Apostle St. Paul was very careful of it when he spent two several Chapters to the Corinthians the xii and xiv of his first Epistle to prescribe it Indeed peace cannot consist without it where there is no order there can be no peace where there is confusion there can be no quiet that body must needs be torn in pieces where the members draw several ways that Church into more where the members of it do what they list go which way they please No keeping rule for peace without keeping order After all these readings the Vulgar comes in with an Exultet And though I can scarce guess how it came to be the interpretntion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it comes not amiss to tell us that Gods peace does not make dull and heavy hearts It makes us merry it makes us glad stills all the grudges that rise within us all the quarrels that rise without us every thing that would disturb our quiet Nothing so glad so merry as the soul that dwels in peace where peace keeps Court which is reconciled to God at odds with no man in amity with all Thus all the Triumphs of the world are much below the Garlands of Peace and the Apostle may not only well say Moderetur let it rule but Exultet let it triumph and let us triumph when it does And now to sum up the severals that you may know at once what it is to have peace rule If the peace of God rule truly in us it must over-rule our passions it must advance our vertues it must decide our differences it must compose our quarrels it must work us into order and it must make us chearful under its commands in our obedience under it So it will infallibly if it once be seated where it should be in our hearts That 's the place the Apostle would have it exercise its rule and dominion in the fourth Motion he makes here to us in the behalf of peace Let the peace of God rule in your hearts 4. And were it once but sincerely there it would rule our words into a milder key our actions into a smoother dress we should hear no whispers against the Government of Church or State no feigned jealousies of Superstition coming in no talk of I know not what Persecution coming on no canting of sad times at hand no suggesting of vain fears no