HEAVEN and EARTH Reconcil'd A Sermon preached at Saint Paules Church in Bedford October 3. 1612. At the visitation of the right Wor. M. Eland Archdeacon of Bedford By Tho. Adams Minister of the Gospell at Willington 1. Corinth 5.19 For God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation LONDON Printed by W.W. for Clement Knight and are to be sold at his Shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the holy Lambe 1613. To the right Honourable Lord HENRY Earle of Kent Lord of Hastinge Weisford and Ruthyn RIGHT HONORABLE I Know not vnder whose winges I might better shelter an Apologie for the Ministrie then vnder your Honours who haue euer liued a ready Patron to defend vs from the oppositions and wronges of our Aduersaries making them no friendes to your selfe that are enimies to the Gospell wherein you haue procured some blessed trouble to your selfe by frequent complaintes deserued great loue of your Countrey and secured your Soule of an eternall recompence Let it be your prayse happinesse comfort that you haue not onely not liued in opposition to the Trueth as our refractary Papistes nor in the luke-warme Neutrallitie of this age that conceiues a mixt Religion compounded of Syon's and Babilon's nor thought it enough to countenaunce Preachers as some that would make God beholding to them for their lookes but you haue stoode to seconded succoured and which is yet a higher testimony relieued many a distressed Seruant of the Lord not with Micha's wages or pittances of Charitie but with ample Rewardes worthy your Honour's bountie to giue and their necessitie to receiue Let all these true and happy reasons plead for and somewhat iustifie my ambition that haue dared to looke so high for Patronage at your Honour Worthier Pennes haue contented themselues with meaner Protections It is not the excellencie of the worke but the Noblenesse of your disposition that incourageth me who am thence prompted not to feare your acceptation You that haue been sâ— generâ—llâ— Shadow of Refreshing to Ministers take from me all cause to distrust your fauour specially in the countenauncing of that written which you haue euer actually and really furthered Proceede most honoured Lord to affect the Trueth yet more zelously by your helpe to support it by your fauour to protect it so shall you make blessed vse of that Honour God hath heere inuested you withall and interest your selfe to the honour of Heauen and whiles Nobilitie without Religion dyes in infancie and is buried in the graue of Obliuion your Noble zeale or zealous Noblenesse shall liue heere to your Makers glory and the Churches comfort and hereafter leaue behind it a neuer-decaying monument of Honour which if the ingratitude of men should forget shall neuer passe the hand of God vnrewarded with glory This Booke salutes your Honour with the New yeare may they both giue you happie content The God of mercies multiply his fauours and graces on you and make your Cuppe to runne ouer with his blessinges Your Honour 's humbly deuoted Tho. Adams Heauen and Earth Reconcil'd Dan. 12.3 They that turne many to Righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer THese words are prophetically spoken and turne ouer to vs a golden Leafe whose Incke is Nectar and the Pen from the winges of Angels I meane the matter expressed is wholly Celestiall Quis sit finis iustorum et iustificantium iustos What shall be the end of the Righteous and of them that make them so Porta patet caelâ—-procul Oh procul este profanâ— I must in some sort open you the euerlasting Dores shew you the King of glory and your glory in him Let a holy reuerence possesse your soules say with Jacob the place is fearful none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heauen Suppose that great Prince set on his Throne of vniuersall Iudgement vpon all Creatures that haue borne the image of God summoned before him hauing past an irreuocable sentence will you heare what shall become of the lust Open your intellectuall sanctified eyes able with Steuen to pierce through the curl'd Cloudes and with meditations râ—p't to the third Heauens behold them as heere described The Wee shall shine as the brightnes of the Firmament and they that turne many to Righteousnes shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer A loftie metaphor when the lowest part of it is not lesse high then the Firmament then the Starres Iust men shall paralell the brightnesse of the azure Skie and Ministers shall shine as Starres in it nay they shall transcend both in glory Wee shall then see the Firmament and Starres as farre below vs as now our humbled mortalitie thinkes them aboue vs and could they shine as bright as euer their creation left them the Righteous shall out-shine them for They shall be fashioned to the glorious body of Christ. The wordes may be distinguished In opus et mercedem into the Worke and the Wages Heere is Earth and Heauen in this text our Way and our Countrey dishonour and honour trouble peace Our Earth Way Trouble goes thus farre They that turne many to Righteousnesse Our Heauen Countrey Peace followes Shall shine at the Starres for euer and euer 1 We Ministers on earth are not vnfitly compared to logicall copulatiues that must ioyne togeather a Subiect and a Predicate 1. The Subiect we worke on is Men Many Men. 2. The Predicate we worke them to is Righteousnesse 3. Ministers are the Copulatiues that vnite these Conuertentes that make Men and Righteousnesse friendes which neuer naturally and heartily loued one another since that Apple set our first Parents teeth on edge 2. Our Heauen followes and there is nothing but ioy in it 1. Wee shall shine No more be counted the Drosse and off-scouring of the world as Paul sayes No more be like low Hedges which euery Nimrod hunter persecutor treades downe for his sport No more be like reiected and vnthought of things which the eye of scorne lookes ouer Wee shall stand where we shall be seene Wee shall shine 2. Not meanely and with a glimmering light but as Starres reserued to the Sonne of righteousnesse his greater and chiefe glory we shall shine as Starres 3. This for euer not like Meteors whiles a grosse spuncie squallid substaunce lastes Nor like Stella cadentâ— falling Starres which seeme fixed in some Spheare but are not as S. Iohn sayth They went out from vs for they were not of vs But without passing the Horizon of glory without obscuring without interposition of any Cloudes Wee shall shine for euer and euer This is our Heauen but I must keepe you on Earth awhile though you long more for the other place THE SVBIECT The Subiect we must exercise our skill on are Men temper'd of the same mould hauing a soule inspired from the breath of the same God as
deare to him as our selues bought with no worse Blood then his Sonnes guarded with Angels protected by the same prouidence and compassed about with the same mercies that we are God made Man after his owne likenesse that there might be Quoddam in terris dei simulachrum a certaine Image of himselfe on earth wherein he might be delighted as it is naturall to euery being to affect that which suffers deriuation from it as Apelles was delighted with his Tablets Pigmalion with his Yuorie Statue Narcissus with his forme in the Fountaine a Woman with her face in the Glasse and Parentes with the offspring of their loynes Sâ—crates then is composed of no better mettall then his Schollers nor the Minister then the people Thinke not your selues Lordes ouer them all persons are equally respected of God Praesumus officiâ— pares sumus dignitate coram deo Wee are aboue them in Office not in Dignitie with God Let this meditation suppresse our pride either naturally borne with vs or accidentally contracted by a selfe opinion it is an easie fault and soone incurred for a Minister to be proud of his giftes of his place as Mirionâ— was of the spirit and to preferre himselfe to those he teacheth nay to his fellow teachers Let me haue no need to remember you of that Vnum restat one thing is wanting an humbled soule Thou hast ouercome many corruptions subdued lustes qualified infirmities take heed least Vincenda superbia restat Pride remaynes yet to be ouercome Hee that contemnes others makes himselfe most contemptible But Quorsum haec to what end is this no such vice cleaues to vs. I would it did not I would no Starre did enuy the brighter shining of another But alas Pride is a subtile insinuating nature euer conuersant in good thinges it crept into Paradise nay it stoale into Heauen No sinne is more sawcie none more bold with God none lesse welcome It tooke vp lodging in the Pharise that was so precise in tything almes prayer Many a Pharise is proud that he is not proud so subtile is that temptation of our Aduersary when a man will be humble to make him highly conceited of his humilitie not vnlike the Cynicke that condemned Plato's pride with a worse of his owne I thanke God J am not as others sayes that Pharise he was not indeed but had litle reason to thanke God for it The emptiest Barrell makes the loudest sound Hee that is truly learned hath learned this not to boast it It often befalles such as it did that Cardinall who making a shew of bringing much Treasure into the Land one of his Mules stumbled the Port-mantle broake and there was a goodly shew of Mosse and Straw and Stones They that looke so bigge vpon their brethren were their Cabinet opened all the great supposed Treasure within would appeare to be meere Huskes Froth and Ignoraunce The Sunne excells the Moone in glory yet both are Starres without emulation one of another The higest Cedar will suffer the lowest Shrubbe to grow vnder it He that digges the ground hath his vse in the Garden as well as he that drawes the Knot Siluer is Mettall as well as Gold and the Beggar may be as good a Subiect as the Lord. Christ gaue his life for his Sheepe as well as for his vnder Shepheardes Despise not then thy fellow Seruantes least the Maister of vs all despise thee This Subiect is set downe indefinitely Many Whence obserue that the power of God is heere perspicuous that designes a few to conuert many nay one man to haue the charge of a Congregation Compare the Minister with his Charge and thinke the difference 1. One man to a multitude 2. One without pompe to many mighty wise rich noble 3. A weake man with a few leaues of Paper to those that are armed with a preiudiciall opposition of Nature against it 4. The Message not promising libertie ease incouragement to lustes but threatning persecution crosse rodde trouble yet to bind Kinges in Chaines and Nobles in Fetters of Yron to recouer the Heathen from their auncient and nationall Idolatries and prostrate them to the name of Jesus to make the drunkard sober couetous mercifull malicious charitable Hic digitus Dei This is the Finger of God Thus one Moses shall giue preceptes to sixe hundred thousand men able to beare Armes One Peter conuert three thousand at a Sermon One Minister full of weaknes affect a great congregation erect depresse with either threates or promises and perswade wild Japheth as tame as a Lamb into the Tents of Sem. Thus a doosen weake Apostles passed once through legions of Souldiers prohibitions of Lawes menaces of aduersaries oppositions of flesh Pride Religions Satan into the Courtes of Kinges and ouercame them with the Gospell What shall we say We admire the Conquest of Alexander that with fourty thousand men subdued all Asia If his Armie had been greater his victorie his glory had been lesse If he had atchiued it with fewer we would haue doubted his honour but if with twelue deified him Jesus Christ hath and doth dayly make greater conquestes with fewer Souldiers subduing soules which a greater victorie then that of bodyes sine vt et armis without Militarie engines Yet who apprehendes the immensenes of his power or admires the deapth of his wisedome Indeed it is admirable if any such thing be wrought in these dayes time was one Sermon could turne manie now many Sermons cannot turne one Many thirsty soules haue drunke at one Fountaine and been satisfied infinite Fountaines are now open and none will drinke They come indeed to Iacobs Well but they bring no Pitchers with them no Fayth no Attention no Conscience hence their thirst burning and killing thirst is not quenched God hath set open the dores of Mercy Gospell Grace Glory onely our Heartes are shut vp wee may as well preach to these materiall Walles and moue the Seates as your canteriz'd and nummed consciences When we haue studied our colour into palenesse our strength into weaknesse our bloods to Gelly and spoake away our spirites into ayre you are the same still and your sinnes in the same strength not a Mammon Belial Melchom changes their lodginges or is vnroosted out of your heartes You come before the Pulpit but your Fayth and Conscience is left behind you Your Clossets Shoppes Fieldes nay perhappes Tauernes and Tap-houses plead possession of your affections and all the Law that comes out of the Chaire of Moses cannot giue the Deuill a Defeasance What then shall we not shine in this glory because so few haue been turned by vs Nothing lesse and we haue precedent for it Though Jsrael be not gathered yet shall J be glorious in the eyes of the Lord sayth the Prophet Though when we haue spent our strengths in Jsrael the Widow of Sarepta is more charitable Though the Altar hath enioyed our labours we not her priuiledges yet for vs is layde vp a crowne of glory Though
we are censured for couetous but how lewdly Is this couetise to desire our owne I say not the Churches superfluities which they called once Bona Pauperum the goods of the Poore but euen the Churches necessaryes which are Bona Christs the goods of Christ which now Latci possident prophane men enioy for Gentlemen haue cut out their gallant suites out of the Churches Broad-cloth and left the Church her selfe nothing but meere Shreds shall I say Who haue more done it then they that stand so for the beauty of the Church None more deface her then they that most seeme to adorne and pollish it Let them vndoe two or three Ministers by their impropriations and they will reward one of their owne humour with the plaisters of their bounty Such corrupted Patrons are of Dionisius mind that rob'd his God of his golden Coate as more fitte for himselfe They say Nero and Agrippa came into the world with theyr feete forward and what Monsters prooued they sure neuer worse to the Commonwealth of Rome then Simonicall Patrons to the Church of England Well if briberie fraud Simony will not carry them to Hell let them hope still to be saued but I would they heard me if they be saued so lyuing and so dying there is hope for the Diuell to be saued It is graunted sinne but they may repent true but did euer man repent that hauing time and meanes could and would not restore let them returne their extorted money which they haue cruelly gotten by Simonicall contracts to the poore Minister or if he be dead to his Wife and Children or I will sooner beleeue that Iudas repented Iudas restored yet repented not truely and shall they repent truely that restore not Let them bragge of their gaines that haue thus coosoned God the Church their owne soules If euer they come with Simony on their backes into Heauen I may be of the Indians minde who dying vnder the Spanish crueltie and admonished to prepare for Heauē to escape Hell asked to what place the Spaniards went They answered to Heauen Then quoth the Indian let me neuer come there For surely Simonistes and honest men doe not belong to one house There are 3. Pees in a line of relation Patrons Priestes People Two of these Pees are made leane to make one P. fatte Priestes haue leane Liuinges People leane Soules to make Patrons haue fatte Purses I accuse not all in generall no one in particular Namque mihi nec equos mihi nec rapuere inuences but for Zions sake I cannot hold my peace which is so sicke of this disease that she lyes at the mercy of God for recouery 2. Let me speake yet more particularly to you ouer whom God hath placed a Minister as a Starre Despise him not at your perill you despise God himselfe and shall not goe scotfree on your soules be it that heare me this day whose table talke is furnished vp with iestes with inuectiues against Ministers Whatsoeuer thou art God hath honoured the poorest Minister aboue thee and taken him as worthy to serue at his owne table but not thee nor thy fathers house were his head Gold his Treasure richer then Hezekiahs and euery roome in his house better furnished then Salomons he may stand in need of the Minister as great a Potentate as Pharaoh was and as despiceable as he thought Moses yet his Courtiers often heard him Send for Moses so was Phenustocles euer banished in peace but sent for home in warre we are passed ouer in the dayes of pride as superfluous creatures of whom no vse but when the wrath of God falles on the naked conscience then the Minister is thought on and the soule receiues some comfort whiles he feeles the sicke-beating Pulse or leanes on the groning Pillow speaking from vs to Heauen the humble deuotions of a penitent heart and from Heauen to vs the comfortable thinges of Sion and the neuer fayling mercies of a tender Sauiour Thus like some Fruite trees in faire weather you throw Cudgels at vs in foule runne to vs for shelter I will not speake affirmatiuely to you in these rotten dayes of ours wherein nothing but priuations are in force and frequent Despise not afflict not impouerish not your Starres I will not say magnifie blesse inrich them because I cannot hope it yet Oh for shame doe not their contraries 1. Despise not Why should I intreat this Wee might imitate the fashion Spernere se sperni Scorne them that scorne vs but I perswade you for your owne sakes since it is not possible you should honor the message of God and despise him that God hath chosen to bring it We shal be your good Ministers till discordant thinges drop from vs and then farewell good conceit as Tertullian spake merrily of the Heathen Vnlesse God please Man he shall be God no longer Now Man must be propitious to God Reproofes are good Physicke though not so well rellish'd Indulgence is sweete and you may thinke it better cheare but you will not be so well after it In these misiudging dayes it is exceeding hard to ouer-reach the Deuill if we let sinne alone his Kingdome flourisheth if we strike at him and hit not the bough he sits on we mooue him not if we doe we are iudged partiall personall wreakers of our owne spleene There is scarse a man that can read English scarse a woman that can make her selfe ready to Church but will presume to teach the Minister and either we must preach what you will heare or you will not heare what we preach In Holiogabolus time there was a Senate of Women we haue Conuocations they consulted about Tyars ours about Religion Let vs take heed it is one of the Deuils subtilest and shrewdest trickes to make vs so zelous in Religiō that we grow wanton and this sinne is so much the more dangerous as it endures not the reproouing thus if an holy impatience arme the Ministers tongue to speake too smart against your sinnes he is straight sayd to rage So Semeiah said of Jeremy Iehu of Elisha the Jewes of Christ and the Gentiles of Paul Of those that neuer will be sober we are called Bedlams But S. Aug. well cleares this vnder the person of Dauid Jnsanire videbatur sed regi Achis insanire videbatur id est stultis et ignorantibus Dauid seemed madde but he seemed so to the King of Achis We are called mad-men but of none saue mad-men their common exceptions against vs and contemptes of vs are these 4. 1. They say we are Men why doth not God send by worthyer Messengers as by Angels They had best teach him Send by whom thou shouldest send 2. They say we are simple men As the Apostles were Fishermen and Amos an Heardman Gallants scorne that a Clowne should teach them their duties They call vs Idiotes Innocentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies such as doe no hurt but taken for Fooles that