A SPIRITVALL POSIE FOR ZION OR Two Decades of Observations Theologicall and Philosophicall BY ARCHIBALD SYMMER Preacher of Gods word at Great-Oakley in North-hampton-shire Virus ero sime carnalis aranea carpat Sed mel siqua legat spiritualis apes LONDON Printed for W. Sheares 1629. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir THOMAS BROOKE of Great-Oakley Knight one of his Majesties Iustices of Peace in North-hampton-shire and my very gratious Patron Grace in this world and glory in the world to come Right Worshipfull WOnderfull is the power of the Almighty in the sense of Smelling and powerfull is his providence in the object of the same whether corporall or spirituall for as the first object is double naturall and artisiciall so is it a double demoustration of that vigilant care The first part of this ocular argument is this goodly Theatre the earth garnished with her glorious garment of Flora's fertilities that admirable diversitie of fragrant flowers The second part is apparent by that acumen hominis which God hath instilled into his reasonable creature for the refreshment of the spirits through the nostrils for the witty industry of man about the procurement of artificiall smels is great as appeareth by his diligence about the Moschat Sivet Conradus Gesner Hist of foure footed beasts c. But as the spirituall smell of the soule is farr more pretious so is the Divine Love Providence in this farre more great and gratious the impregnable proofe pregnant trueth wher of is his eternall word whence the Redeemed of the Lord doe gather odoriferous flowers to prevent the noysome and loathsome smell of impietie the contemplative smelling of which gratious garlands is the continuall delight of Davids Blessed man Psal 1.2 the practique a sweet savour unto the Lord as in the example of Noah Gen 8.21 Now out of this sacred Garden by the blessing of that ever blessed Gardener I have gathered a few spirituall flowers which I present unto your Worship in testimonie of my thanksulnes for all your constant loves earnestly craving that these first fruits of my poore Labours may passe into the world under the shelter of your gratious acceptation which patronage if I obtaine then shall this Tuzzimuzzie have its wished and expected smell Though theresore the mighty Apolloes of this Learned generation could have dedicated vnto your W. a farre more odoriferous Nosegay yet reject not this simple one The Persian Prince tooke in good part The water of the well Because he saw the giuers heart The givers gift excell So let it please your W. to respect Non quid sed quo animo for what I can I offer For loe I offer at your kindnesse shrine This little Incense or this flower of mine And so I humbly take my leave commending both your selfe and all yours to the effectuall blessing and grace of the Lord and to the power of his word whereby hee is able to build you up further and to give you an incorruptible inheritance among those that are called and sanctisied through faith in the Lord Iesus Your Worships ever to command ARCHIBALD SYMMER To the Christian Reader IT may come to passe Christian Reader that some affe-ear'd Midas will misconstrue these words of the Wife-man Heeks 12.12 Of making many bookes there is no end and much reading is a wearinesse of the flesh and some Cynicke Momus will mutter with the COmicke Niljam dictum quod non sit dictum priur all this therefore is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But let thy Christianity canse thee to consider the truth of that tryed Position 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nil tam facile quà m otiosum dormientem de alioram labore vigilijs disputare Hieron in Hos Martial shall sooner finde Lelius carping his verses then publishing his owne Sed tu vide et side The drift of my labours is thy good the information of the ignorant and reformation of the rebellious If I obtaine this thing blessed is my desire If thou attaine this end blesse God the Beginner and finisher of the same and so let carping Theon bite till his gums ake and viperous Zoilus spider-like consume his owne bowels through vnregarded malice but thou Vive vale siquid novisti rectius ist is Candidus imperti si non his utere meeum And so I commend thee to the grace of the Almightie and rest Thine in the Lord Iesus A.S. A SPIRITVALL Posie for ZION The first Decad. Fl. 1. Of CHARITIE IEhova Alpha and Omega Invocatio Gen. 15.1 Ps 18.2 thou All sufficient Shield to thy Saints who out of the mouth of babes Psalm 8.2 and sucklings hast ordained strength and perfected thy prayse direct and protect I humble intreat thee both the minde and pen of thy poore servant that whatsoever shall proceed from hence may bee according to the Analogie of faith and tend to the declaration of thy most orthodoxall will through Christ our Immortall Redeemer Amen And thou Gentle Reader because I would have thee use me and peruse my labours in Love and Iudgement I have begun with thee in Love and of Charitie and Sebrietie Aristotle entereth into the treatise of his Demonstratiue Syllogisme in his Posterior Analytikes with the consideration of the these three Questions principally Cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to borrow the Aegyptian spoile wee will beginne our Love the Infallible Demonstration of unfained Christianitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 13.11 that there is Brotherly Love even among the Militant Saints of God is questienlesse for as Ichova the true God is the God of Love so the true Chrulian the man of God is the man of Love as were Abraham Gen. Rom. 9.3 Col. 1.4.1 Thess 1.3 Philem. 5. Heb. 6.10 Apoc. 2.19 45.15 Moses Exod. 32.32 Paul the Colossians the Thessalonians Philemon the Hebrewes and the Angel and Pastor of the Church in Thyattia Neither indeed is it possible to be otherwise for as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 13.1 Though I speake with the tongue of men and of Angels and haue not Charitie I am become as sounding brasse or a tinckling cymball And as by faith the Redeemed of the Lord possesse Christ lesus their Immortall Husband Gal. 3.26 and by patience their owne soules Luke 21.19 so by the eternall bond of Christian Amitie they enjoy one another 1 Cor. 13.13 Ps 133.1 Though therefore as the Lord lesus saith Matth. 24.12 Among the wicked because iniquity shall abound the Love of many shall waxe cold yet the Love of the Elect shall continue and whosoever denieth this shall of necessitie inferre and averre this monstrous and rediculous absurditie that there is no treu Congregation on the earth which flatly contradicteth that trueth of the holy Ghost Psalm 97.10 The Lord preserveth the soules of his Saints Then take away Charitie take away the Congregation of Charitie Eph. 1.23 and 5.30 for this Mysticall Body of Christ
powerfull Provident IEHOVA divide the Sea and thy people passed through as by dry land which their Adversaries assaying to do Heb. 11.29 were drowned and so thine Inheritance saw thy joyous alvation O Lord our strength and our Redeemer Thus of Preservation now of Prevision The Psalmist restifieth by daily experience that in all the course of his dayes he never saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed beg ging bread 1 King 17.6 Psal 37.25 Eliyah though he was in adversitie yet did he not sterve for God commanded the Ravens to bring him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the Evening and he dranke of the brooke What hope of earthly helpe was there left for the poore Widdow of Zarephath for the famine was so great among the Zidonians vers 12. that shee had but an handsull of Meale in a barrell and a little Oyle in a Cruse and was gathering two sticks when the Prophet came to her that she might goe in and dresse it for her and her sonne that they might eate it and die But behold the timely vertuous presence of Gods Providence verse 16. The barrell of meale wasted not neither did the Cruse of Oyle faile untill the day that the Lord sent Raine and plenty upon the earth There be a muleitude of facred passages touching this divine vigilant care but for brevities sake we will measure Hercules on Olympus by his foor and by the sweetnesse of these few lee us esteeme of the rest accordingly Now this reverent esteeme and high valuation of our bountifull Fathers uncessant care ouer his Elect it is both contemplative and practique for as the theorique speculation and knowledge of a thing is perfected by the practise of the same so fareth it with this point of Christianity It is an easie matter for a man in prosperitie and the comfortable sense of the Lords palpable Providence to know and consesse his divine bountie but he only maketh the right use of this knowledge who in the dolorous dayes of bitter griefe and cutting claimitie can relie upon his God for release and consolation Such an upright Christian proved David who in the Agonic of his deepest distresse Ps 1301. when deepe called unto deepe by the noise of the wat erspoutes of the Almightie yea when all his billowes were gone over him then cried he unto the Lord v. 5. even out of the depthes for in Gods word was his hope So in thy most deplored adversitie trust in thy Redeemer Iob 13.15 Though the Lord would kill me yet will I trust in him and the Lord will make thee a triumphant Champion over all thine enemies I am perswaded by joyfull experience that although thou wer'st as it were at the verie brinke of death yet the Lord would never faile thee nor forsake thee for the seven eyes of the Lord runne too and fro through the whole earth Zeph. 4.10 Fl. 4. Of SINCERITY GOD is a Spirit saith the holy Ghost Iohn 4.24 and they that worship him must worshap him in spirit ana intruth Therefore sarth the Wise man Prov. 23. Of the hypouite 26. Mysonne give me thue heart What shall wee say then of the Hypoenite that will give unto God but the body O dignum Thebano anigmate monstrum a prodigious monster as mostrous as Virgils fama wheresore we will answer even as Diogeres did concerning the flatterer Amng wlde beasts the biting of the back biter and slanderer is most dangerous and among the tamer for t that of the siattering Hypocrite He may sitly be likened to the Heathens Centaurus halse a man and halse a horse or to the Poers Chimara which had the head and breast like a Lyon and the hellie like a Goate and the taile like a Dragon so the Hypocrite in formall ostentation hath the bodie of a Saint Matth 25.33 but in truth the soule of a reprobate Goate and heart of a Devill whole end shall be as the red Dragons The Gentiles Ianus had two laces the one behind and the other before even so hath the Formalist one to God and another to the Devill The Partridges of Paphlagonia have two hearts Flin Nat. Hist lib. 11. c. 37. so hath this Formall Prosessor for as the Psalmist saith Psal 12.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. With a heart and a heart with a double heart doeth he speake and this his double heart makes him to be of a double Religion as the Poet reports of Artemidorus Pinxisti Venerem colis Artemindore Minervam Et miraris opus displicuisse tuum Mart So with his mouth he worships with the Iewes the living God but with his heart some Idoll as that of Mammon Isa 29.13 swinish sensualtie or terrestraiall glorie c. and so with the carnall I fraelites his bodie marches on toward the land of Promise but his minde is the flesh-pots of Aegypt Exod. 16.3 He is in the Chureh as the Devill in somer times was in an Enterlude or Stage-play for as Sathan not withstanding his dexterious histrionicall acting of his part of the Comedie was no true reall man as were the rest of the Actors so the Hypocrite not withstanding his apish formall shew of Pietie and devotion is no true man of God as are the actors of his honour Therefore Cardinall Cusan calleth the whole Body and Company of all them that be called Christians reck oned universally together Ecclesia conjecturalis a Church conjecturall becaute we know it not by certainty but by conjecture for in this Church they that seem Predestinate before men are ostētimes reprobare before God Act. 1.24.2 Tim. 2.19 and that Omniseient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehova he only knoweth them that are his and will one day sinde out the Hypocrite to his immortall shame and consusion To whom then doth hee appertaine to his Infernall father that taught him this apish tricke of dissimulation For first that old Dragon transformeth himself into an Angell of light and then he traines up this Mimique 2 Cor. 11.14 his first-borne in the art of this servile formalitie Avant then O Sathan away with hypocrisie and thrice-welcome O most saithfull Sinceritie This is a blessed companion the most gratious of ten thousand for the heart that is garnished with this gift of grace is ever graced with the presence of God the giver so that the workes of such a Nathanael though imperfect yet are they pleasing acceptable unto him The Lord that worketh both the wil the deed will accept the affect for the effect the wil for the deed Phila 13. And finally 2 King 10.15 as Iohn said to Iehonadab If thy heart be right as my heart is with thine then give me thine hand and come up into my Charet so if our hearts be right as the Lords heart is with ours Psal 4.3 then will he say Ascend now into my holy Mountaine of Grace and so shall
and the Obeliske of Semiramis were reckoned thereafter Howbeit there be many alas in the state of wedlocke that have lived and doe live or rather dye destitute of this sweetest Amitie Such unnaturall monsters were those obstinate Iewes Dent. 24.1 Matth. 19.7 8. whose he arts were so hard that Moses was faine to permit them to write their Wives a Bill of divorcement and to put them away But of all such beasts most beastiall was Calphurnius Bestia Plin. Nat. hist 1. 27 c. 2. who as Plinius Secundus reporteth killed two of his Wives asleepe by his side with the poyson Aconite as appeareth by that challenge and declaration which M. Coelius his accuser made against him Iude v. 13. Now to all such is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse even a wofull separation from the members of the Bride and the Lambes wise and from their joyfull communion for ever more The Vse Eph 5.25 to tho end Wherefore Husbands love your Wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it cleanse it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrickle or any such thing but that it should be holy without blame So ought men to love their wives as their owne bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himselfe For never man yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth cherisheth it even as the Lord doth the Church For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Gen. 2.24 Matth. 19.5 Marke 10.7 1 Cor. 6.16 Col. 3.18 For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they twaine shall bee one flesh This is a great secret but I speake concerning Christ and the Church Therefore every one of you doe yee so Let every one love his wife even as himselfe and let the wife see that she feare her husband and submit her selfe unto him as it is comely in the Lord. Fl. 8. Of CONTINENCY THe Apostle Paul saith Calvin Instit lib. 2. 1 Cor. 7.34 c. 8. sect 43. defineth Pudicitiam conjunctam cum castitate corporis antmi puritatem The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and in Spirit The Subject then of this chaste vertue is both the body and the loule Wherefore speculative wantonnesse and Incontinencie of the minde is condemned of the Lord Iesus Matth. 5.28 Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie with her already in his heart Saint Augustine commendeth three sorts of Chastitie Virginalem Conjugalem Vidualem Three sorts of Chastitie Lib. 3. c. 19. de Lamiis Concerning the first the same fatner saith Nulla carnis foecunditas sanctae Virginitaeti carnis etram comparari potest And as Wierus saith Est magnum crimen Perrumpere virginis hymen And it is stiled by divers of the ancient fathers to bee the Queene of Vertues sister of Augels Heavens gravitie and divine Chastitie The dignity of Virginitie The second is coÌ„mended of the holie Ghost Heb. 3.4 Whereby the honourable estate of Marriage is blessed and the bed kept pure and undefiled And the Apostle calleth her that is graced with viduall chastity a widow indeed who being left alone trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day but she which liveth in pleasure is dead while shee liveth 1 Tim 5.5 6. Admirable was the Chastitie of divers Heathens When Scipio Asricanus entred by force of armes into Carthage among the Captives Scipios Continencie there was a young gentle-woman of wonderful beautie presented unto him who though he was in the prime of his youth yet conquered his owne affections and would commit no act of dishonour with the Virgâ—ine Q. Curtius When Alexander the Great conquered Darius notwithstanding his Queene was of such exquisito beautie that all Asia could not equalize her and that mightie Conquerour was of like yeares to this â—oyall Ladie c. yet would he not entertaine a wicked thought towards her Pedro Mexiâ— but sent Leonatus one of his favorites to comfort her It is reported of Francis Sforsa Count Coronell of the Florentines that during the sackage of Casanova whensome of his souldiers had taken Prisoner a very beautiful yong woman who submitted her self unto him he would not touch nor know her after any uncivill manner whatsoever Now if these vncircumcised Gentiles were so continent Gen. 39.8 2 Sam. 13.12 Iob. 31.1 Exod. 18.19 what shall we say of the sanctified continencie of Ioseph Thamar and Iob wherefore let every pure-hearted member of Christ uncessanâ—ly imitate these blessed patternes of modestie And as Iethro the Midianite counselled Moses so let the chast practise of these heatheÌ„ incite and incourage Christians to honestie and puritie of living For Continencie it is a fruit of the Spirit against which there is no law Gal. 5.2 And this is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Thess 4.3 4. that yee should abstaine from fornication that â—verie one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and â—onour c. for whereas everie sinne that a man committeth 1 Cor. 6.18 v. 5. Iam. 1.5 is without the bodie the fornicator sinneth against his owne bodie and without true repentance shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Therefore if any man lacke this wisedome of abstinence let him aske of God which giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man Matth. 9.11 and it shall be given him It shall also be manifested in him for a modest man dwelleth at the signe of a modest countenance and an honest woman at the signe of an honest face which may be sitly compated to Salomons Temple whose gate was called Beautifull Acts 3 2. shewing that if the entrie be so beautifull within is exquisite Beautie Fl. 9. Of LABOVR HE that gà thereth by labor Prov. 13.11 c. 14.13 Eccl. 7.15 sa it hthe Wise-maÌ„ shall increase and In all labour there is abundance And Iesus Siracides praiseth it in this manner Hate not laborious worke neither Husbandrie which the most High hath ordained for therich blessing of the Almightie accompanieth the diligent hand Isaac sowed in the land of Gerar Iob 42.10 Prov. 10.3.6 and received in the same yeare an hundred fold and the Lord blessed him Gen. 26.12 And the Poct attrlbuteth great force and might to industrious paines Labor omnia vincit Improbus duris urgens in rebus egestas Georg. There is no difficultie but laborious Travelis of power to conquer which is evident by that universall conquest of that Mightie Maccdouian Alexander the Great and those twelve notable labours which as Poëts write Hercules performed And Plinie in his Historie of Nature recordeth Lib. 11. c. 30. that the Pismires weare the verie flint and pibble stoneswith
is the Church of the God of Love and Kingdome of Amitie else should it bee divided and as the Lord saith Matth. 12.25 Every Kingdome aivided against it selfe is brought to desolation So certaine then amiable is the admirable residence of this sacred affection in the sanctified hearts of the godly that they need not aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there Charitie All this therefore is written for the information and refermation if it be possible of these prodigious and malitious monsters of men who being destitute of this heavenly grace like the Salamander love to live in the fire of viperous contention that at the last they may bee brought to a sense and sight of their tragicall estate and lamentable condition that they are yet in their sinnes in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie they are strangers from the life of God and aliens from the Common-wealth of Hrael Now since this Love is so lovely and this Charitie is so charitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is it Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desinition of Charitie It is that regenerated affection of the sanctified will whereby the true Christian embraceth his sellowfaint with glorious exultation and triumphing gladnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charitie is that Ecernall Tie whereby the members of Christs Mysticall Spouse are inseparably united and conjoyned by the meanes of which intire Obligation is set a worke that brave and noble fire of Christian Zeale that Zelus amicitiae which is a compounded assection of loy and griese loy for the prosperitie of the Righteous and Griefe for their adversitie The first was in David 2 Sam. 6.14 which made him dance before the Lord w th al his might because of the spirituall tranquilitie of Israel The second was in Phine ths wife wherefore she named her childe 1 Sam. 5.21 Ichabod and said The glorie is gone from Israel because the Philistines tooke the Arke of God from them Thus the Saints of God are both the Subiect and Obiect of this celestiall affection Of the first alreadie now of the second and that for the illustration of our definition The Spirit of God Heb. 13.1 The object of Charitie calleth this renued motion of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so then materin obiecti is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the notation of the word frater uterinus but in sense more that is the party beloved is our Germane brother not onely by carnall and naturall generation but likewise yea more by spirituall and supernaturall regeneration whereby Iehoua is our Father 1 Iohn 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.16 and the new Hierusalem our Mother But the extendure of this Fraternity and Brotherhood is more perspicuous Gal. 4.26 Gal. 6.10 As we have opportunity let us doe good unto all men but especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith And which is St. Pauls Houshold of faith Deut. 5.16 17 18 19 20 21. and his all men Euen Moses Neighbour Eocod 20. from vers 12. to 18. the epiteme and summe whereof is Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Luke 10.27 If some tempting Lawyer or lusticiarie Pharisee aske who is my neighbour the Lord Iesus himselfe answers there A certaine man in his journey from Hierusalem to Iericho was wounded of theeues â—uke 10.30 and left halfe dead The Priest and the Leuite that passed by shut up their bowels of compassion from him but a certaine Samparitane as hee iourneyed that way came where the poore distressed wight and oppressed soule lay he was touched with a sympathie and fellow-felling of his miserie and extended his warchfull paines his loving cre and mercifull liberalitie unto him and all to procure his comfortable recoverie Which now f these three was neighbour unto him that fell among the robbers Let the Lawyer answere Hee that shewed mercie an him Herein appeareth the trueth of the Apostles Allmen and the equitie of his vniuersall loue and that by an argument a minori If a stranger be a neighbour then much more our domestikes fellow-citizens c. but the first is true ergo the last at least should be so if this bastard generation would no more degenerate The proposition is plaine the assumption is prooued out of the Lawyers answer to Christ The Samaritane that shewed mercie on the robbed man ws neighbour unto him Now that the Samaritanes in generall and so consequentlie this mercifull one were all strangers to the Iewes is euident for our blessed Redeemer calleth the thankfull Samatitane Leper whom he had clensed A stranger Luke 17 18. the woman of Samaria marvelled that Christ as concerning the flesh Rom. 9.5 being a Iew would aske drinke of her which was a woman of Samaria For the Iewes said she have no dealings with the Samaritanes Iohn 4.9 Therefore as the Apostle saith Gal. 3.28 There is neither Iew nor Greske there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ lesus so there is neither American nor Indian neither Barbarian of Morocco nor In habitant of Monomotapa but all are brethren whom as we haue opportunitie wee must embrace with Charitie those that are true Saints with joy for their sanctification those that are not in the iudgement of Charitie with heartie and earnest supplications to the Lord for their true and timely conuersion Wherefore to concluded this passage with that noble practise of Plato It is written of that Moses Atticissans that when he did give almes to a poore profligate wretch his friends admired that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato that diuine Philosopher would take pittie on such a misereant but he answered Do bumanitati non homini I shew mercy on this man not as he is wicked but as and because he is a man of mine owne nature And indeed his reason was good for as Tullie saith Sanguinis conjunctio devincit homines charitate Consanguinitie is a necessaries bond and naturall motive to Charitie And if wee consider our first Parents wee shall find our selues bound though è longinquo by the same obligation for as Saint Paul saith to the too superstitious Athenians Acts 17.26 The Lord hath made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one blood all nations of men c. Wherefore Exod. 23.4 If thou meet thy enemies Oxe or his Asse going aftay thou shalt surely bring it backe to him againe c. And If thine enemie hunger seed him if he thirst give him drinke Rom. 12.20 for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head And if thou wilt not obey that heathen shall rise vp at the day of Iudgment and condemne thee w ho art but a bastard Christian Now since this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this definition of lone shews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cause of Charitie what a blessed affection it is it may be demanded in the third roome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉