taken for the nature of the Godhead or for God generally as in the 4. Ioh. 4.24 of Iohn God is a Spirit Sometimes for the third person in the Godhead specially so in the 1. Ioh. 5. There are three which beare record in heauen 1. Ioh. 5.7 the Father the Word and the holy Spirit Sometimes the good Angels are called spirits as in the first of the Hebrewes Hee made the spirits his Messengers Sometimes the euill angels are called spirits Heb. 1.7 as in the 10. of Luke Luk. 10.20 In this reioyce not that the spirits that is that the diuels are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen Sometimes againe it is taken for the winde So in the 3. of Ioh. Spiritus vbi vult spirat The winde bloweth where it listeth Ioh. 3.8 Sometime it is taken for a vehement zeale and violent motion of the minde either to good or euill Luk. 9.55 So in the 9. of Luke Nescitis cuius spiritus estis You know not of what spirit you are Sometime it may be taken for breath as the signe of the soule or life as in the 2. of Iames the last verse As the body without the spirit is dead Iam. 2.26 so faith without workes is dead also Where by spirit I doe not thinke to be properly vnderstood the soule as the Rhemists would haue it in their annotations on that chapter for then workes must animate and giue life to faith as the soule doth to the body whereas S. Austin teacheth that Opera sunt ex fide non ex operibus fides That workes are of faith and not faith of workes So then as breath is not the life of the body but a signe of the soule which is the life of the body so charity is not the forme of faith good workes are not the life of faith but they are a signe of that confidence and trust in God which is forme and which is the life of faith As therefore that body which is without spirit that is without breth is knowne to be but a dead body So that faith which is without good workes is knowne to be but a dead faith Sometime indeede it is taken for the soule of man as in the seauenth of the Acts. Domine suscipe spiritum meum Act. 7.59 So Saint Steuen Lord receiue my spirit that is my soule And so our Sauiour Christ in the 23. of Luk. Pater in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum Father into thy hands I commend my spirit that is my soule Luk. 23.46 Contrarie to that error of Apollinaris who held that Christ had a true body but had no soule but in steed of the soule stood the diuinitie which is plainly confuted by that of our Sauiour in another place where he saith Mark 14.34 My soule is very heauie euen vnto the death And againe Christ was made man like vnto vs in all things sinne only excepted and therefore needs must haue a soule which is the chiefe and principall part of man Sometimes againe it is taken for the mind of man Pro animo quo sapimus pro mente qua diuina contemplamur And this is said to be the noblest part of the soule Whereof the Apostle in the first of the Thess 5. I pray God that your spirit and soule 1. Thess 5.23 and body may be kept blamelesse and in the 1. Cor. 2. What man knoweth the things of man saue the spirit of man 1. Cor. 2. â—â— that is the minde of man which is in him Finally it may be taken sometime for the will of man or rather for a mixt power in the minde and will of man and so vnder the leaue of better iudgement I take it to be vsed here in my text Now let vs see in the next place who stirred vp this spirit this Mixtam potestatem in mente voluntate humana And that was God The Lord stirred vp the spirit Here must I of necessitie passe by a a maine point of controuersie touching mans will for I haue farre to goe and but a little time to spend and I would not willingly forget that saying of S. Hierome Quâm auditoris animus plus quà m valet tenditur mentis corda rumpitur When the eares of auditors are once strained beyond their accustomed compasse the strings of their attention are ready to burst asunder Briefely then to the purpose and no more The Lord stirred vp the spirit Here the Prophet setteth downe God to be the author of the godly motions of their minds and of the good inclination of their wils that they might not attribute any thing to their owne strength or powerfulnesse And as the Prophet preached not of his owne head and by his owne authoritie but by the instinct of Gods holy Spirit as the Lord his God had sent him So the Spirit of the same Lord stirred vp the minds and wils of Prince Priest and people first to here Gods messenger secondly to learne his will thirdly to feare him and fourthly to doe what he required at their hands The Prophet faithfully deliuered the word of the Lord as you may see in the 12. verse But to shew that Paul May plant and Apollos may water and that neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase It is here said That the Lord stirred vp the spirit Whence we learne so oft as we doe any thing that good is not to attribute that arrogantly to our selues which properly belongs to God seeing no man is fit for Gods worke but whom God stirreth vp transforming his minde informing his vnderstanding reforming his will conforming his affections and forming or rather creating in him a cleane heart and renewing a right spirit within him And thus is man changed into the image of God from from glory to glory by the spirit of the Lord whose workemanship he is 2. Cor. 3.18 created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes Eph. 2.10 which God hath ordained that he should walke in them The Apostle teacheth in the 2. of the Cor. and the 3. that of selues as of our selues we are not able to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 much lesse saith S. Aug. are we able to desire to will and doe a good worke but all our sufficiency saith th'apostle is of God who worketh in vs Et velle operari Phil. 2.13 both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure So that without Gods operation first to make vs willing and cooperation afterwards when we are willing we are neither able nor willing to doe any thing that good is No euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue Iam. 1.17 and commeth downe from the Father of lights who as at the first with his preuenting grace doth worke this in vs to be willing so afterwards with his subsequent grace he doth accompanie vs cooperate and
to see that all his Subiects as well Clergie men as Lay men each man in his vocation doe obserue and keepe them duely And therefore S. Augustine saith to Bonifacius Aug. Epist 50. ad Bonis In hoc seruiunt Domino Reges herein Kings are said to serue the Lord as they are Kings when within their owne Realmes and Dominions they doe those things which none can doe but onely Kings Obiect But the Apostle in the 5. of the Hebrewes at the 1. verse will tell vs that not Zerubbabel the Prince but Iehosua the high Priest is ordained for men in things that appertaine to God and so we say too that hee is ordained to doe them as it followeth in the next word of the same Scripture to offer guifts and sacrifices for sinnes which wee acknowledge to be the peculiar Office of Iehosua the Priest which if Zerubbabel the Prince take vpon him to meddle with as sometime King Vzziah did then transgresseth he the bounds of his Office and prouoketh the wrath and vengeance of the Lord against him as King Vzziah did 2 Chro. 26.19 Solution But to prouide by good lawes ciuill punishments and orders that Ministers doe their duties in things concerning God and not onely the Ministers but the people too this is Zerubbabels charge this is the Kings charge And so is he ordained of God within his Realmes and Dominions next and immediatly vnder Christ a supreame Gouernour ouer all persons and that in all causes not onely ciuill and temporall but also religious and Ecclesiasticall so farre forth as belongeth to the outward preseruation but not to the personall administration of them wherefore the supremacy which we giue vnto our Zerubbabel in causes Ecclesiasticall is to deale therein not as King Vzziah but as good King Ezekiah did that is not to offer Incense not to preach the Word not to administer the Sacraments not to celebrate publike prayers not to practise the discipline of the Church and such like But to see that these things bee done as they ought to bee done by such as are lawfully called thereunto this is Zerubbabels charge And in giuing this to Caesar we giue no more then is Caesars The greater then is their fault who reprooue the Oath of the Kings supremacy as wicked and vngodly For to be sworne to this of his Maiesty is no more but to acknowledge him to be the lawfull Soueraigne And why may not our Parliament take an oath of Englishmen for Iames our King against the Pope vsurping his right as well as Iehoida tooke an oath of the men of Iudah for Ioash their King 2. King 11.4 against Athaliah that vsurped his State as you may reade in the 2. Kings 11. This poynt then let me close vp with that of Saint Augustine In hoc seruiunt Domino Reges c. Herein are Kings said to serue the Lord as they are Kings when within their owne Realmes and Dominions they doe command good things Aug contra Cresâ—â—b 3. cap. 13. and forbid the contrary not onely concerning the ciuill state of men but concerning the religion of God also so S. Augustine writing against Cresconius And now let vs descend to the last poynt to bee handled to wit the end wherefore the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Prince Priest and people And that was to the building and repairing of his Temple They came and did the worke in the house of the Lord of hosts their God To shew that they were awaked from sleepe they came and set themselues to worke A good argument that a man lies not still sleeping Many you know will answer in their sleepe speake and talke in their sleepe and say they will doe this and that and yet all the while lye sleeping still But when you see a man once set himselfe handsomely to worke then you may be assured that he is awaked indeed As when the chiefe poise of a clocke lies downe vpon the ground all the wheeles stand still but as soone as the weights are wound vp from the ground presently all the wheeles are set a worke and are euery one in its proper motion and so by the Horologe and the bell you may see and here how the day passeth In like manner so long as the heart of Prince Priest and people lay groueling on the earth and earthly things running euery man to his owne house letting Gods house lie waste so long their was no stirring no motion in them towards the building of Gods Temple But as soone as the Spirit of the Lord drew vp the poise of their heart from the earth toward heauen and heauenly things presently as so many wheeles all the powers and faculties of their soules and all the parts and members of their bodies were set a worke in building the house of the Lord of hosts their God Some commanding some directing some aduising some deuising some working in brasse some in gold and siluer some in purple some carrying some sawing some squaring timber some hewing stones some building the walles and some bearing mortar And so couragiously and cheerefully did they follow this businesse that whereas before Gods house lay waste in the dust and in the rubbish for the space of fortie yeeres after their returne from Babylon Now they had finished the worke in foure yeeres space as we reade in the sixt of Ezra They began the second yeere and made an end in the sixt yeere of King Darius Ezra 6.15 As you may see by comparing this prophesie with that of Ezra And now to come vnto our selues Application Let this teach vs beloued as carefully and as cheerefully to set forward the building of Gods spirituall Temple And what is that the Apostle will tell you Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19 and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you O let vs then repaire the ruines 1. Cor. 3.16 and breaches of this temple made by sinne and Satan and let vs adorne and beautifie it with meekenesse temperance sobrietie chastitie faith hope charitie and such like spirituall graces that the Spirit of God may take a delight to dwell in our heart as in the Sanctum Sanctorum of this Temple From whence as from betweene the Cherubines of verity and mercy it may vtter the oracles of God to the euerlasting consolation and comfort of our soules And let vs remember what the same Apostle saith 1. Cor. 3.1 If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy And therefore let vs glorifie God in our body and in our spirit for they are Gods 1. Cor. 6.2 They are the temple of the holy Ghost Againe let this instruct and teach vs as cheerefully and with as great alacritie to set forward the building of Gods spirituall house which the Apostle calleth the Church of the liuing God the pillar and the ground of truth built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and
worke with vs that we will not in vaine according to S. Austin In short then As the eccho answereth not vnlesse first there be a voice or a sound as it were infused into it So Zerubabel the Prince Iehoshua the hie Priest and the remnant of the people could not answer in the language of true obedience vnto God vntill first the voice of the Lord did sound in their eares and his holy Spirit was infused into their hearts whereby they might say Paratum est cor nostrum Deus paratum est cor nostrum Our hearts are ready ô God our hearts are ready and so are our hands for the building of thy house And the Lord stirred vp excitauit The word in the originall signifieth to awake out of sleepe according to S. Hierom And so he translates it thus suscitauit Dominus spiritum And the Lord awaked the spirit Which me thinkes is a notable metaphor or borrowed phrase of speech setting forth the nature of sinne vnto vs. For sinne is indeede a sleepe of the soule hauing no feare nor feeling of God so long as a man lyes secure and carelesse in it And this is a phrase much vsed by the Apostle Saint Paul as you may see throughout his Epistles As in the 13. of the Rom. It is now time to awake from sleepe Rom. 13.11 and in the 1. of the Thess 5. Let vs not sleepe as other doe 1. Thess 5.6 but let vs watch and be sober And in the 1. Cor. 15. Awake to liue righteously and sin not 1. Cor. 15.34 and in the 5. of the Ephes Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead Ephes 5.14 and Christ shall giue thee light c. Thou hast a name that thou liuest saith the Lord to the Church of Sardis in the 3. of the Reuel 1. verse but indeed thou art dead Now as if this death in sinne were a sleepe he saith in the 2. verse be awaked and if thou wilt not awake I will come on thee as a theefe c. God in his holy word by corporall things vseth to declare vnto vs the nature of things spirituall both good and bad As we when our bodies lye sleeping in our beds which is the very image of our graue can neither see here feele taste smell mooue out of the place nor take any pleasure in any one creature of God vntill we be awaked So when we lye sleeping in sinne we can neither see the Maiestie of God with the eye of our faith nor feele his mercies offered vnto vs in his Sonne Christ nor can taste at all how sweet our Lord and Sauiour is our eares are stopt from hearing good counsell we perceiue nothing at all of Gods goodnesse toward vs his word is vnsauorie vnto vs neither be once stirred vp to any one good worke of pietie toward God nor to any one good worke of charitie toward men So that as the Shunamite sonne lay dead starke dead vntill the Prophet Elisha came and stretched himselfe vpon him laying his mouth vpon his mouth and his eyes vpon his eyes 2. King 4.34 and his hands vpon his hands vntill his flesh waxed warme and he opened his eyes and saw saith the text In like manner albeit we haue a name that we liue yet are we dead starke dead in trespasses and sinnes vntill God by his Prophet vntill God by the preaching of his sacred word together especially by the powerfull opâ—ration of the H. Ghost do touch as it were our eyes and our eares and our mouthes our hands and our hearts and that the spirituall warmth of a new life be wrought in vs being baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire burning vp all carnall affections and kindling our hearts with faith hope charitie and such like spirituall graces As that Lacedemonian then when he could not set a dead man to stand vpright vpon his feet said Oportet aliquid intus esse there must be somewhat within meaning a life or a soule to quicken him So we can not be set to stand vpright before God as true conuerts as penitent and repentant persons vnlesse there be aliquid intus somewhat within euen the spirit of truth working together with the word of truth to quicken and support vs. The meanes to awake men out of this sleepe of sinne are many and diuers but the ordinarie and speciall meanes which God vseth is the preaching of his word which he will haue to be sounded as a trumpet in the eares of his people according to that in the 58. of Esay Cry aloud as you vse to a man that lies in a dead sleepe Cry aloud spare not life vp thy voice like a trumpet Esay 581. shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes Dauid was a good king and said to be a man after Gods owne heart yet he was apt to fall into the sleepe and slumber of sinne adultery and murther and therein lay securely sleeping for the space of a yeere vntill the Prophet Nathan came and sounded the trumpet of Gods word in his eares then he awaked and cryed out peccaui Against thee oh Lord haue I sinned 2. Sam. 12.13 c. as it is in the 51. Psalme which he composed vpon the same occasion Ezekiah was a good and a religious king yet was he apt to fall into the sleepe of sinne euen pride and vaine-glory and therein lay securely sleeping vntill the Prophet Esay came and sounded the trumpet of Gods word in his eare then he began to awake and he had no sooner cast downe his eyes vpon his black feete but presently he began to let fall his proud peacocke plumes 2. King 20 15 16. c. as you may reade in the 2. Kings 20. chapt Ioas was a good king so long as his vncle Iehoida the hie Priest â—iued and sounded the trumpet of Gods word in his eares but as soone as Iehoida dyed and the trumpet of Gods word lay still Ioas began to slumber nap yea and fell fast asleepe 2. Chron. 24.17 aufinem cap. He fell into a grosse sinne of foule idolatry and therein was murthered by his owne seruants as you may reade in the 2. of Chron. the 24. chapt Now to come home vnto my text The Iewes here after their returne from Babylon fell into a deepe and a heauie sleepe of securitie and carelesnes forgetting God and his house where he would be worshipped But the Prophet Haggai had no sooner sounded the trumpet of Gods word in their eares but they awaked and presently came and did the worke in the house of the Lord of hosts their God Here if you marke it not only the meaner sort the remnant of the people fell asleepe but Zerubbabel the Prince and Iehoshua the hie Priest were heauie headed too and had neede to be awaked as well as the rest Whence we may obserue that there is not the wisest man nor the greatest
c. For what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse what communion hath light with darkenesse what concord hath Christ with Belial and what agreement can there be betweene the Temple of God and Idols The same Apostle will tell vs in another place that There is but one Body Eph. 4.4 c. and one Spirit and one Baptisme and one Lord and one God and one Faith and so but one true Religion and all in vnitie Et non habet Dei charitatem qui Ecclesiae non diligit vnitatem So S. Austin He hath not the loue of God that loues not the vnitie of his Church Phithagoras as Plutarch writeth in his Morals attributing much to numbers Plut. in Moral constituted two chiefe principles the one he called vnitatem vnitie the other binarium numerum the number of two Vinitatis natura si acri insit c. If the nature of vnitie saith he be in the ayre it maketh a good temperament if in the mind it worketh vertue if in the body it procureth health if in families cities kingdomes it causeth peace and concord But if saith he againe it be not in the ayre there is a tempest if not in the minde there is vice if not in the body there is sicknesse if not in families cities kingdomes and let me adde if not in the House of God if not in the Church of Christ there is nothing but discord and dissention Et Deus non est discordiae sed pacis Deus saith the Apostle God is not the God of discord the God of confusion O no he is the God of vnitie 1 Cor. 14.33 he is the God of amitie he is the God of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints Marcus Agrippa as Seneca writeth was wont to say that he owed much to Salust for one little short sentence which was this Senec. epist 94. Concordia parua res crescunt discordia magnae dilabuntur By concord small matters grow to be great by discord great and mightie matters come to iust nothing he did acknowledge that he owed much to Salust for this short sentence because by it he was optimus frater optimus amicus because by it he was made a good brother and a good friend Surely beloued if we could but well remember that little short peece of a sentence in the 34. Psal secke peace Psal 34.14 and ensue it we might acknowledge our selues deepely indebted to the Prophet Dauid for the same which being well pondered and well cōsidered of vs would make vs to become good brethren and good friends and good husbands and good wiues and good neighbours and good subiects and finally good Christians endeauouring to keepe vnitatem spiritus in vniculo pacis the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 43. I remember once I saw an emblematicall picture wherein was graphically described a Christian Common-wealth diuided into three States The Regall Ecclesiasticall and popular estate And euery one of these drawne in a chariot after the manner of Caelius Secundus triumphes The first was the Regall estate and in this chariot sate the king But giue me leaue to speake in the language of my text In this chariot sate Zerubbabel the Prince accompanied with sapientia wisedome And she me thought was aduising him as if she said vnto him as it is written in the second Psalme Psal 2.10 Bee wise yee kings and be learned yee that are Iudges of the earth This Chariot was drawne with two horses The one white trapt with crownes and laurell garlands and his name was praemium bonorum the reward of the godly The other horse was blacke trapt with whips swords halters such like and his name was Paena malorum the punishment of the wicked The Chariotor that guided this chariot was called Iustitia Iustice with a paire of ballance in the one hand and a sword in the other hand teaching Zerubbabel teaching Kings Princes Iudges and Magistrates how they ought to execute iustice vprightly to the punishment of euill doers 1. Pet. 2.14 and for the praise of them that doe well In the second place followed the Ecclesiasticall estate And in this chariot sate Iehoshua the hie Priest accompanied with veritie the truth and she me thought was counselling him as if she said vnto him as sometime it was said to Archippus in the 4. of the Coloss Col. 4.17 Take heed vnto the Ministerie which thou hast recciued in the Lord that thou fulfill it This chariot was drawne with a doue and a serpent alluding to that of our Sauiour Christ Be wise as Serpents and simple as doues Math. 10.16 The Coachman that guided this caroach was called fides faith In the third place followed the popular estate and in this chariot sate the remnant of the people accompanied with obedientia obedience And she me thought was reading a Lecture to them as if she drew her text from the 13. of the Romanes Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God c. This chariot was drawne with an Oxe and an Asse the Oxe was called Labor the Asse was called pacientia patience Teaching subiects how they ought to liue euery man in his vocation laboriously and industriously and how they ought patiently to beare those burthens which by authoritie are imposed on them remembring how it is written in the 13. of the Rom. Giue to euery one his due tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome Rom. 13. ◠and so forth The Coachman that guided this Coach was called fidelitas allegeance Now after all these followed a fourth chariot and this is it whereunto my speech aymeth And this was called currus charitatis the Chariot of charitie In this Chariot sate Zerubbabel the Prince and Iehoshua the hie Priest and the remnant of the people altogether Signifying as I take it that whatsoeuer oddes whatsoeuer difference there is in this world betweene State and State and betweene man and man quoad externa in regard of birth riches dignities and promotions honours and such like And howsoeuer euery estate and euery person hath his precedency according to his degree and place in giuing honour going one before another Rom. 12.10 yet ought euery estate and euery person to be ioyned together to ride together and to be drawne together in the chariot of charitie And they were all compassed round about with a golden chaine which was called catena vnitatis The chain of vnitie alluding to that in the 133. Psal 133.1 Psal Behold how good and how ioyfull a thing it is in the sight of God in the sight of Angels and in the sight of men for brethren whether brethren by nature or brethren by nation or brethren by religion and profession Behold how good and how ioyfull behold how good and how comely a thing it is