they ask this question Of whom wise men propound questions unto men fit and able to answer them who were here the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the wise learned of them Whence we may note that the wise in every kinde are persons meet to be advised withall in doubts of all sorts and the spiritual wise in spirituall difficulties It is Gods Ordinance Isaiah 2.1.2 4. Both Nature Art may be at a stand in spiritual things especially concerning Christ which as the Apostle witnesses are very mysterious Ephes 3.4 1 Tim. 3.16 5. When Nature and Art are at a loss they must be holpen by Grace And therefore the Wise men hoping well of the Jewes as Gods peculiar people goe to Jerusalem now corrupted and consult with them Who yet give us example and teach us to advise with men holy and wise in the Lord especially to travell to the City of God the heavenly Jerusalem and enter into the Sanctuary Psal 27.4 and 73.16 17. and 122.4 6. When Gods Priests Prophets and Teachers are asleep strangers come and awake them 7. Nature and Art may be good handmaids unto Grace and do Jerusalem good service 8. Here is the accomplishment of Iacobs Prophesie Gen. 49. When the Scepter was departed from Judah and a Lawgiver or Ruler from between his feet then must Shilo come and not till then And thus it was now with Israel They had no King Herod was a stranger an Edomite an earthly one And therefore the Star shewed as well as the Prophesie that their spiritual Messiah was come 9. When God takes away the outward honor power Kingdom and dignity from his people it is because He would bestow an inward and spirituall in the roome of it They had now no outward Prince of their own now therefore the Lord makes known unto them Messiah the Prince the true King of the Jewes the King of Israel 10. Nature and Art though illustrated by grace in some measure may yet be at a loss as these Magi were concerning the place of Christs Nativity and present abode 11 Many know that Christ is somewhere born but where and among what people they know not 12. The ignorance of something as where Christ is born must not discourage us or make us slothfull but stir us up the rather to inquire And let us I beseech you make yet a more strict and narrow search where Where shall we finde Him that is born King of the Iewes It extreme neerly concernes us all For hereby we know the Spirit of God Every Spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the Spirit of Aniichrist 1 Ioh. 4.2 3. And know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 But if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and the Spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8. Now if Christ be born in us He is borne in us at least as a child And what is most notable in a child is not innocency simplicity and humility If therefore Christ be a childe born in us where is his innocency If uncleanness fornication adultery or adulterous thoughts be in us innocency is not in us we are then become not the members of Christ but of an Harlot and he who toucheth her shall not be innocent Prov. 6.29 If covetousness be borne in us Christs innocencie is not in us he that maketh hast to be rich shall not be innocent Prov. 28.20 If rebellion or sedition be born in us Barabbas may be born in us Christs innocency is not born in us so Daniel reasoned Dan. 6.22 2. If Christ as a child be borne in us where is his simplicity If subtilty deceit and fraud goe not out of our streets if we circumvent and go beyond our brother in bargaining so far we are for having Christs simplicity born in us that we know not the Father who is the avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.5 6. If so the Serpent hath beguiled us and corrupted our mindes from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 Thirdly if Christ be a childe born in us where is his humility If our heart be lifted up in us if we be proud of wealth or honor or knowledg or what ever else where is Christs humility Therefore the blessed Virgin when she magnifies the Lord for Christ born in her He hath regard saith she the lowliness of his handmayden Luke 1. If neither the innocency nor simplicity nor humility of the Child Christ be born in us how is Christ born in us so much as a child True it is these are but weak where Christ is new born But let them consider this who think they ought alwayes to be so weak and place their strength and power of Religion in complaining of their weakness Doth the child continue alwayes a child or doth he grow up to greater age and strength Eph. 4.14 15. Let them also consider this who although they want the innocency simplicity and humility of the Child Christ yet presume themselves able and well grown Christians yea such are grown up to the Old age of Christ Why because they finde the flesh rebell against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh which they take for a signe of a perfect regenerate man He who thus judgeth of himself as I fear too many do let him know that he is but yet a childe a little child if so much in Christianity And for proof of this compare I beseech yee Gal. 4.19 with cap. 5.17 But though Christ be born as a Child yet is He then a King Is the child Christ born a King in thee Where Christ is born a King there He must reign Isaiah 9.6 Vnto us a Child is born c. and the Government is upon his shoulder c. Does this King reign bear rule and govern thee and me Where He reignes the wilde passions the brutish and savage affections as hatred variance emulation wrath strife c. they are tamed and brought into subjection under the Child that is born a King Isaiah 11.6 In the dayes of Christ so it is in the Chaldy Paraphrast The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the fatling together and a little Child shall lead and govern them Proverb 20.8 And therefore Christ is called the King of the Iewes What is that to us The true Iewes are they who praise and glorifie their God Genests 29.35 He is not a Iew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew who is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart and Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. Of such Iewes Jesus is the King Ye perceive
heaven and earth dissolved and lost whence the creature is subject to vanity yet as we recover our selves out of the fall through the power of faith in the second Adam all those destructive and noxious influences loose their power upon us Meantime they cannot truly be said to be the cause of finne unto us For neither Sun nor Moon nor other Planet nor Starres nor Constellations nor Angels acting them can do any thing in this Elementary world otherwise then a Lute or other Mustcall instrument can be said to make harmony of it selfe alone without the touch of the skilfull Lutanist And such instruments also are all these whose harmonicall motions wholly depend on him who doth according to his will both in the army of Heaven and the inhabitants of the Earth Dan. 4 35. So that if we blame the Starres we must lay the change higher as either upon God himselfe or upon the Angels His immediate instruments who act by the Stars Wee cannot justly lay the blame on God For let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God c. Jam. 1.13 No say not he hath caused me to erre Ecclesi 15.12 For he hath no need of the sinfull man So contrary is this to their assertion that God in great wisedome contrived a way to bring sinne into the world that hereby he might glorifie his justice Abne simus tam satui adulatores Dei. saith St. Hierom Gods justice ha's no need of our lies Nor can our sin be imputed to the Angels whose property it is to doe his Commadement and harken to the voyce of his Word Psal 103.20.21 When men are driven from thefe vaine refuges they commonly lay the blame upon the Devill The Devill they say ought them a spight True it is the Prince of the Aire rules in the Sonnes of disobedience but the Sonnes of disobedience first yeild up the rule of themselves to the Prince of the Aire The Devill rules in them but first lust rules in their members The Devill takes them captive at his will but first they yeild themselves captive of their owne will And therefore our Saviour who attributes the lusts of wicked men unto the Devill He attributes withall the lusts of the Devill unto wicked men when they freely and willingly commit them Ye are saith He of your Father the Devill and the lusts of your Father ye will doe The words in our English are obscure The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lusts of your Father ye will ye have a lust to doe Joh. 8.44 So true is that of St. Austin Falso de natura sua aut stellarum influxu conqueruntur mortales quod peccatum adeò voluntarium est quod si non voluntarium non est peccatum The Apostle referrs all to the true Originall Rom. 6.19 Ye have yeilded your members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquitie Yea justly we may lay all the blame of the Starres malignant influence upon our selves and our owne perverse will We our selves furnish the Astrologers the Chiromantes and Physiognomers with matter of prognostication and prediction For although the Stars incline and be apt to raise vicious passions and affections in one sadnesse and melancholique thoughts in another wrath in another wanton love which the Astrologer well knowes in the nature of those influences we readily yeild unto those influences though there be in us the power of God through faith to lay those turbulent Spirits break their force and vigor And by this cowardly yeilding we make the Astrologer speake truth who otherwise by our resisting the temptation and suggestion unto sinne would easily be deceived So true is that sapiens dominabitur astris A wise man over-rules the influences of the Stars And this truely to me is an argument that the present generation of men in this I and is and hath beene extreamly brutish corrupt and sensuall and withall that the principles of Astrologie are sirme and good in that their predictions and prognostications touching this present'age have proved so true which never could have come to passe had men acted according to the principle of christian faith and right reason and not secundum id bruti according to their brutish and corrupt nature in them To conclude all suffer I beseech ye the word of exhortation yea especially who professe yourselves followers of these magi these wise men in the Text Do ye as they did Be ye guided by the Stars unto Jesus Christ seek yee him who made the seven Stars and Orton Amos 5.8 And as it is a lawfull yea and honorable science which ye professe so use it lawfully use it to the honour of God and the good of mankinds All lawes prescribe bounds and limits ultra quos citraque nequit consisâ—ere rectum Lawes of God and Lawes of men keepe us within due bounds and we ought to be subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lord sake Transgresse not therefore the due bounds of your Art by any undue practice of it make not the planets and constellations the immediate necessary causes of humane actions Search not too farre into particular acts of men with their events Make no undue use of your Art to self interests to covetousnesse pride or vaine glory Give not fourth your predictions as oracles which possibly ye know may prove untrue The highest God can and doth often crosse the course of nature yea and oftentimes he produceth that which could not be foretold by the observation of the Stars Esay 47.11.12 13. Desire not converse nor conference with the Genii The evill Angels are ready to transforme themselves into Angels of light and obtrude themselves as helpers that in the end they may deceive and destroy If thus or any like way ye go beyond your bounds ye will give offence to the weake adyersaries of Astrologie who though ignorant of your Art yet many of them I doubt not are good meaning men Yea ye will give advantage to the common enemy of mankind That evill Spirit who ha's his name from fearching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from knowing he having beguild our first parents with that specious promise which he never could perform That they should be as Gods knowing good and evill he pursues their posterity in whom he findes the like desire when they doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but will be prying into events beyond the Sphere of naturall influences and because cretainly to foretell contingent good or evill is the property of God himselfe Esa 41.23 Here here especially he will be like unto God and to satisfie your curiositie will pretend skill toforetell things purely contingent Nunc specimen specitur nunc certamen cernitur sitis nec ne ut esse oportet boni mali cujuslibet Here no doubt ye walke in the midst of snares and upon the battlements of the housâ— as the wise man speaks Some falling by the ill practice of your lawfull Art have become
of magi magitians and of wise men Wizards But I hope yea I know better things of some of you and have good ground to hope the like of all I understand that of Suidas which he speakes of the Magi of old in Persia is true of ye all That ye are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of wisedome and lovers of God And that the noble science of Astrologie by you is now to be restored unto it's antient lustre and glory Lastly be we all exhorted to follow the Magi the wise men in the Text to seek the Lord Jesus Christ the King of the Jews and if we follow these wise men in the Text they no doubt will lead us to him I shall use no other method then they did We must heed the Law that is our Schoolmaster unto Christ Thus no man câ—mes to him except the Father draws him Job 6. And heed the propeticall word which as a light shines in a darke place untill the day dawn and the day star or the Sun as it is in the Syriac arise in our hearts For this purpose we must make use of the least helps that God hath given us use our senses and our understandings to the fearching of him out in the creature The heavens declare his glory and the firmament shew his handy worke Praesentemque refert quaelibet herba deâ—â— When we seek him thus with all our heart God the Father reveales the like Starre unto us that he did unto these wise men even the illumination of faith so St. Anselm Rhabanus and others understand this Star For faith is the evidence of things nâ—t seen Heb. 11.1 By the guidance of this faith this Star we must leave our Country as the wise men did And as their and our Father Abraham did Gen. 12. Who followed this Starre saith the Apostle Heb. 11.8 By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance obey'd and went out not knowing whither he went Out of our selves wee must goe whither soever we goe otherwise there 's no comming unto Christ And walke we must in the sleps of that faith of our Father Abraham Rom. 4.12 The covetous man must forsake his covetousnesse that 's his Country the unclean person his lasciviousnesse and uncleannesse that his Country he lives in it the Drunkard angry envious contentious persons must depart out of their drunkennesse their wrath their envie their strife they are their Countries wherein they live But we must not follow these wife men too close They went up to Jerusalem out of their humane judgement and good hopes they had of the Jewes They thought it was most likely they should find the King of the Jewes in the royal City that they should learne where hee was of the learned Scribes But humanum sâ—agitantes consilium divinum amisere ducatum saith St. Bernard while they sought the counsell of men they lost the guidance of God Thus did Samuel but it was while he was but a childe God called him and he came to Eli the doting Priest But when God revealed his Son in me saith St. Paul I conferred not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. Nor must we Not but that there are learned scribes and they taught unto the Kingdome of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a duall there are good and bad together The Scribes tell the wise men that the King of the Jewes is borne in Bethlehem the House of Bread Very fitly was the Bread of life born in the house of Bread whear the Bread of life is broken Doe we thus seek him or seek we him rather for our own advantage as some sought him for the loaves Iohn 6. This is to seek Christ in Bethlehem the house of bread not in Betulehem Iuda but in Bethlebem in the tribe of Zabulon Iosh 19.15 that is they seek Him for the loaves in their own habitation that 's Zabulon as the Scribes who told the Wise men that Christ should be born in Bethlehem yet they themselves went not out of their own Town to seek Him Thus without doubt the greatest part of men seek Christ they will not go out of themselves to finde him they would have Him come to them in their sins in their Countrey they will not go to Him This is the reason of so much sighing and and groaning wherein many men place a great part of their religion they would finde Christ and not depart from their covetousnesse their envie their pride their hatred c. their own Countries it is impossible While we are yet in our own Country this bread in hidden Manna Therefore Bethlehem signifies also the house of War implying thus much unto us that we cannot feed of the bread of life unless we strive or fight for it Labour for that meat that endures unto the everlasting life The Inhabitants of the Island Baleares gave not their children meat unless by slinging they first struck it down from some high place where it was lodged He who will not labour shall not eat the bread of life To these the Lord promiseth refreshment out of the true Bethlehem To him that overcometh there is Bethlehem the house of War to him I will give to eat of the hidden Manna there is Bethlehem thr house of bread Revel 2.17 But Bethlehem was the place where Christ was born in the flesh Christ in these last dayes is to be born in the Spirit when Christ was born in the flesh He was bounded within a certain place The Wise men must take a long journey to come and seek Him When he is born in the Spirit He is not bounded to this or that place Matthew 24.23.26 27. not here or there for as the lightning c. The winde or Spirit blows where it lists John 3.8 But if Christ be so born how and where shall we finde Him Wisdom she is easily seen of those that love her and found of those that seek her c. Wisdom 6.12 13 14. Yea there will be no need of curious searching they who are born of the Spirit He seeks them Iohn 4.23 24. Yea when he is thus born according to the Spirit His presence will be so illustrious he will need no farther demonstration They in whom He is so born shall finde his birth in themselves yea others also shall acknowledge it in them Esay 61.9 But Christs first comming in the flesh was honoured and declared by a new Star and would not our good God vouchsafe to honour Christs second comming and that more gloriously in the spirit with a star also Doubtlesse beloved our good Lord hath not been wanting unto us herein though herein I fear we have been and are extremely wanting to our selves In the year of our Lord. 1572. There appeared in Casslopeia a star of the greatest magnitude and far greater then any of that constellation It was observed by the most skilfull and famous Astronomers of that time to hold the same
and is a King in us as Herod the Edomite was and the Image of the earthly we bear untill the Image of the heavenly appears And therefore as we have borne the Image of the both naturall and corrupt earthly so we shall bear the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 No marvell then if the earth be moved at the presence of the Lord that the earthly man tremble when he hears the newes that he must part with his Dominion and Soveraignty in us according to the decree of God The elder shall serve the younger Gen. 25. This is no Gospel no glad tydings unto him This cannot come to pass without a great deal of strugling not onely that within us in our hearts like that in the womb of Rebecca but also without us in the world The strong man is not easily bound nor by any other than the stronger one Luke 11. Herod that Mountain of glory or honor as his nâ—me signifies must needs tremble and be moved when he hears newes of one who turnes the Earth upside down Isaiah 24.1 And brings into contempt all the honorable of the Earth Isaiah 23.9 It was true what the Accusers of our Lord gave-in against Him though not in their sense Luke 23.2 that He did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vulg Lat. subvertere Gentem turn the Nation upside down And as true was that though he meaning otherwise whereof the zeloticall Jewes accused Paul and Silas Arts 17.6 saying they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they had turned the world upside downe for so no doubt where ever the Preaching of the Gospell takes effect so that Christ as King comes to reigne He turns the world upside downe what was above before He then brings under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is high in men even the tumour of their proud and lofty thoughts it is abominable in the sight of God Luke 16.14 He puts downe the mighty from their seats and exalts the lowly and meek Luke 1.52 Esay 25.2.12 and 26.5.6 And this though a great change to both yet both and well they may rejoyce and glory in it Iam. 1.9 Yea what the Lord did at the giving of the Law prefigured what should be done at the publishing of the everlasting universall Gospell And therefore when the Preacher of it Revel 14.6 had published it presently comes forth another Angell saying Babylon is fallen is fallen c. even that threefold Babel out of which the three Frogs proceed even the spirits of Divels which now a long time have gone forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty Revel 16.13 14. And then the greatest changes must be made For He who went before conquering went to conquer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 6.2 For in this most holy estate when transgression is to be finished and an end made of sinne and reconciliation for iniquity and the everlasting righteousnesse brought in and the most holy annointed the Lord does not then speake on earth as Ebr. 2.3 but from heaven Ebr. 12.25 Then not onely the earth is to be moved but also heaven Ebr. 12 26. not onely the sinfull earthly thoughts minds and affections of the corrupt Adam nor onely the spiritual wickednesse in heavenly things but also those things which in comparison of legall administrations were accounted heavenly even they in regard of the new heaven and the new earth that now appeares even they must be shaken as already they are in some measure of this estate the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.16 17. But if the first Starre designed and pointed at the very City and House where Christ was borne according to the flesh and this wonderfull Starre point to none Christs comming in the flesh in that respect will be more glorions than His comming in the Spirit and so the latter House shall not be more glorious than the former which yet hath a Promise that it shall be Haggi 2.9 Know we therefore that this wonderfull Star directs unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revelations 20.9 It points to Bethlehem as the other did Luke 2.4 the City of David that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beloved City beloved of God where the Lord promised the blessing Psal 133. where God who is the love it self dwe's therefore the Name of that Mysticall City is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezâ—k 48.35 This is that City where the Citizens love God their neighbour and their enemy the true Philadelphia This beloved City is that which is set on an Hill Mat. 5.14 wherein they of Gods houshold dwell Ephes 2.19 Therefore when the Psalmist hath spoken of the shaking of the earth at the giving of the Law Psa 68.8 whereby was figured also the changes at the giving of the Gospell as I shewed before he tels us of the gracious raine which fals not like that Mat. 5. upon the evill and the good the Word Preached drops on all but it s a figure of the holy Spirit which the world cannot receive saith our Lord this therefore fals on Gods inheritance onely ver 9. even the Hill of the Lords house ver 15. Mons Dei mons pinguis fat with the unction of the Spirit which is imparted unto all truely called Christians This Hill like that I told you of out of Master Camden and Master Speed keeps the Sheepe safe in their coats and all the trees of righteousnesse growing upon it onely it turnes those West which were East and the East West They that were first become last and the last first It over turnes all meer ceremoniall outside worship and changes the beaten great rodes even that broad way of open known sinners and that kinde of narrow way which is indeed cut out of the same broad way consisting in an affected kinde of strictnesse in regard of some bodily exercises which neglect of the true narrow way of mortification which leads unto the everlasting life And as that Hill mounted it selfe on the top of another and there rested so this Hill of the Lord must raise it selfe above all the little Hils even all particular Churches divided in judgements and opinions for why leape yee ye Hils why strive ye for superiority yea supremacy one above another This is the Hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the Lord will dwell in it for ever For that of the Prophet must have its fulfilling in these last dayes Esay 2.2 that the Mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountains and be exalted above the hils and that shall not be shaken but remain Heb. 12.27 He that hath ears to hear let him hear But alas may many a poor soul say I have vicious inclinations and the Stars have their destructive influences on me And how shall I follow this wonderfull new Star into this glorious City Let us therefore know that as there are influences from the Stars which move and incline us unto evill by reason of our depraved nature so are there also influences of grace and truth which proceed from the Son of righteousness with which the woman is clothed who hath put on Christ and from the bright morning Star Iohn 1. Revel 22. These influences are received by a living and powerfull faith which hath the vertues not onely of some one Star or some one Asterisme or Constellation but even of all the Stars all the Constellations of the heavens And therefore the Church moves and shines like the starry heaven which the Apostle delights to see Col. 2.5 I am with you in Spirit joying and beholding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the orderly Motion firmamentum fidei Vulg. Lat the Firmament of your Faith by this Word the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the power of this Faith this firmament of Faith all the temptations of the Devill and his Angels are extinct and frustrate 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom resist steafast in the Faith Jam. 4.7 Resist him and he will flye from you By vertue of this Faith we quench all the fiery darts of the Devill By vertue of this Faith all the influences inclining to evill may not onely be frustrate of their effect but also turned to good Hast thou received an impression of sadness set it on the right object thy sin and remember Blessed are they that mourn c. Art thou moved by another Influence to covet and heap up wealth Lay up thy treasure in Heaven c. Doth another Influence incline thee to wanton love Advance it to the love of thy God thy neighbour and thine enemy Art thou yet by another Influence inclined to wrath Be angry and sin not Ephes 4.26 That is so be angry with thy self that thou mayst not sin If such Philadelphians we shall be if such Citizens of the Beloved City the City of David Prov. 3.20 By walking after and with these Wisemen we also shall be wise and as they found the Lord Jesus so shall we finde Him also Iohn 14.21 We shall become true Magi truly Wise-men And we shall become Guides to others and win their soules unto the Lord Jesus and so become more wise Prov. 11.13 And shine as the Firmament yea We shall become Stars and shine as lights in the world Dan. 12.3 They who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they who turn many into Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever FINIS