God going along with his people in the Light of his countenance and blessing in the midst of their Camp Tents Tabernacles And in the New Testament it is called a following of God of him who is the Light a walking worthy of the Lord worthy their vocation circumspectly wisely honestly orderly in Truth in Love in Knowledge in good works in newness of life in the fear of the Lord and in comfort of the holy Ghost And in this Church Christ walks amidst the seven golden Candelsticks and this Church shall walk with him in Albis in white stoles when all believing Nations shall walk in the light of the new Jerusalem Behold I have set before you light and darkness the good and the evil way but chuse the good eschew the evil and walk as Children of Light For first We may do so for the words are an exhortation and the Wisdom of God exhorts to nothing impossible No imposing upon his creature without a previous disposing He enforms us of no Duty but he gives means of performance We shall have a portion the danger is our running away from our heavenly Father and wasting our whole stock We shall not want Grace to help us in time of need if we receive it not in vain if we abuse it not if we turn not his Grace into wantonness He invites us to a race who assists us also in the running and cals to us to cast off all that may hinder us And if he lay any thing upon us first he promises it shall be no more then he enables us to bear and then bids us cast our care upon him for he cares for us and he carries for us hath carried the most insupportable burden bore all our sins in his body on the tree that we might be at perfect liberty both in body and soul And if the Son so make us free then are we free indeed and being thus at this liberty by Christ we may well go on our way prescribed having our hearts enlarged as David saith I may go nay I can walk thy ways O Lord yea then I will run the wayes of thy Commandments And surely till then till the ripe season God doth not call upon men for mark the exhortation here and you shall see it leans back and listens to the words before and is like a pair of Compasses of which though one foot stand stifly here on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the verb of Command and of present activity yet the other is as far removed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the adverb of time Draw them up together and we shall inclose the whole Will of God Put the adverb to the verb and it is together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now walk as the palsie-bed rid man now and not till now not till healed in case to walk When you were darkness you could not see to walk as Children of Light then you saw not you regarded not God and that time of your ignorance God oversaw too He regarded it not but now under the Gospel Dispensations he will have all men to come to Repentance and knowledge of the Truth In corrupt nature mankind lay as in fetters and manicles on hands and feet like St. Peter bound with two chains but if an Angel of Grace come down with a Light into the prison then Peter will up and follow the direction of that Light then he will when his Irons are knockt off and then shall nothing hinder him then the Iron gate flies openof its own accord strong prevalent lusts to which he hath been lockt and wedlockt and that Iron sinew in his soul that rock of Adamant shall dissolve and break into a bitter-sweet flood of Repentant tears Such advantage may we make of this little Particle Now now we have got it into the heart of the exhortation It is Gods Will ever now walk now or never to day while it is called to day lest hereafter you have no more dayes And now while it is this instant Now lest we never have another Now Now while we are called upon labor and pluck up our feeble knees and give all diligence to make our calling begin there and so our Election sure 2 Pet. 1. and so is St. Paul here and elsewhere to be understood While you have time and light and free Grace offered in the Word of Grace Now when called to labor in the Vineyard O delay not have a care of your precious souls and work out your salvation with sear and trembling Phil. 2.12 2. As we may let us do this work nay we must for the words are Imperative mood as well as present tense and none exempted they are in the plural number too And though the verb be of the active voice yet it implies our whole duty what we justiy own to Christ our Saviour which is both an active and passive obedience Active first And in that is first to be considered action immanent within the heart devotion there upon that Altar that 's most acceptable to God who is the Father of spirits John 4. seeks such to worship him I will marry her and speak unto her heart saith Christ by the Prophet to his Church his Spouse and betwixt spoused Pairs the offices are mutual God sanctifies your hearts by his Spirit and his holy Spirit calls upon you in his Word Sanctifie you the Lord God in your hearts 1 Pet. 3.15 We are renewed and purified and drest by him habitually But in use of his Graces in acts of Faith and Repentance and Obedience we must be dayly renewing and purifying like the spunging of a Statue or trimming of an Armor it is the Armor of Light Rom. 13. though done yesterday yet must be done to day again and in this sense we must be carefull for to morrow too Secondly In Actions transient for we are his workmanship Eph. 2.10 What then we to do nothing for our selves Yes that follows in due place and time His work-manship created in Christ Jesus To what unto good works which he hath ordained that we we should walk in them For whether that of Cajetan be exactly true or no that infused habits are of the same nature with acquisite Thus far it is true that both are preserved and maintained by works and action Hast thou Faith shew it Let your Light so shine and God is glorified when his Children of Light are seen walking in Love All vain pretences then Et utinam hoc esset bene latuit fallentis semita vita and so the monkish solitude with their Mors pretiosae are here all together shaken out of this walk and likewise the proud and painted Pharisee the swelling seeming Justiciary which sect repuliulates and comes up thick in every successive Generation Solomon saw a brood of them pure in their own eyes yet most impure of a strange alloy and medley religious and wicked And those of St. Paul's order he confesses to be Zealots very strict in appearance fast twice
riding on his horse of wood over all the surges that devoured the world of the ungodly So in the time of Ahab and in the time of Queen Mary in our own land when the waves of persecution rouled high and raged horribly God reserved many Prophets in a cave by means of Obadiah and many thousands that bowed not the knee to Baal or were won to crouch to the Romish superstition or shrink from the Reformed Religion This is the mercy of God that when sometimes the wicked are swept away as the house of a Spider when the arrow flies by day and terror by night then comes out the Indulgence and Dispensation Touch not mine Anointed a thousand shall fall before thee and ten thousand at thy right hand Psalm 91.7 Or if God do not ever in publique calamity give his own a temporal deliverance for Cadit Ripheus yet he promises to redeem their soul from deceit and violence and precious shall their death be in his sight Psalm 72.14 Secondly The day of making up these Jewels is understood by some of the time of powerfull preaching of the Gospel principally when Christ himself and his fore-runner the Baptist entered on the office of converting the world so much also is intended here of that Sun of Rightcousness rising with healing in his wings his day-star coming in the Spirit of Eliah cap. 4.2 And we find indeed the time of our Saviour called the time of Reformation surely by that powerable Instrument of his Word it is that his Jewels are made up John prepared the Way and cleansed the people by baptism to repentance Christ wrought up many by himself more by his Apostles after St. Peter at one Sermon three thousand at another five thousand souls And in that time of our Saviour those Jewels were made bright and manifest even to their Despisers See Anna Elizabath Zachary Simeon whom the curious Pharisees reckoned among the base vulgar that knew not the Law but they then were known for Jewels and the other for a generation of Vipers Thus when the World in the Wisdom thereof knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe and to make what the world accounts weakness his Power to salvation For to this is ascribed first the birth and breeding of these Jewels For to which of the Angels said God at any time This day I have begotten thee But as that speech hath a natural Interpretation of Christ our elder Brother so applyed to us in a supernatural Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 which is therefore stil'd the uncorruptible seed 1 Pet. 2.12 God makes thee as he made this All a work of power but in recreating in producing Light of Christianity uses his Word and Wisdom to give thee form so in the New Testament his Word precedes his Miracles and the Donative to the Apostles first was Fieri Vehicula scientiae such as enliven the Receivers For man lives not by bread only and for this cause the Saints are called living stones built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself the chief Corner-stone Again The word as it breeds and gives life so Light Grace and Lustre We cannot with the waxen wings of sense or reason flie up to the Deity not as revealed in Christ and ripeness and perfection and rectifying of meer Reason gains us nothing It loses rather and builds downward disclosing the earthly Globe and shutting up Heaven Only God is able by the power of his word to take hold of our souls and like so many keyes apply the graces of Faith and Hope and Love to the wards of prepared rational Nature For the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is that which by original Purity and perfect obedience and satisfaction in his death he hath acquired to and for all his members But the noble Instrument to work that Grace a way into our souls is the declaration of his Gospel in use and Ministry of his Word Yea the Scripture informs us of Illumination by this same means in the very Angels Eph. 3. But the purest Saints are all in darkness till this flaming light be held from heaven no previous disposition in the soul no Platonick Recordation would ever bring us to the least glympse of salvation were it not for this dew of Grace which from the Word we drink into our understanding and thereby direct our Wills and even in their imaginations find it powerfull against all those starts and exorbitancies reducing and bringing into Carptivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Jesus For as health is the absence of sickness and serenity nothing but the avoidance of clouds and shadows so the Word where it comes hath an innate and genuine property to dispel sin like Davids harp driving out Sauls devil You are clean saith our Saviour propter Sermonem by reason of the Word therefore resembled to rain medicines fonntains Such an eager and piercing operation and opposition as it penetrates the closest sin and is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart so Magdalens whoredom and nest of Devils dislodged Zacheus swoln to a Camels grosseness abated to the smalness of a thred fit to be drawn through the eye of a Needle fit to enter into the kingdom of Heaven with this was Lydia's heart opened all other appliances but charms or holy water This mighty word of stones able to raise up children unto Abraham this the double edged sword of the spirit this the fire and the hammer and file to frame and work out Gods Jewels from the rough till piece by piece God thereby hath removed those ruines which through Adams fall opprest all humane nature and hid away the primitive beauty and perfection of our souls Lastly 'T is this that transforms from Prophaness Rebellion Hypocrisie and purges the most dissolute Were with shall a young man reform of all other the most difficult by taking heed according to thy Word and then this Word it is which adorns and teaches how to hang about the neck and ears of Gods holy ones all those shinning graces of precious Faith and Hope and Charity and Meekndss and heavenly-Mindedness c. And therefore in our passage are we not to take notice of this I say we both Preachers and people we first as Jewellers to sever the precious from the vile if speak to speak as the words of God and yet to furnish themselves with all helps of learning the better to insinuate by Similes and riches of discourse and so to raise the imagination and fill the understandings of their hearers but above all it points directly at the curiosity of our pains and carefull industry to be work-men needing not to be ashamed They must be work-men indeed that dcal with Jewels specially with cuting them to the life and perfect beauty and fashioning them in all their points that the man of God may be
in due season to such souls as are weary And first to clear up that misty Objection of ignorance Know for a certain that salvation's no matter of wit but as St. Austin in that known speech of his The faithful soul is safe in the sim plicity of his believing and not in the vivacity of understanding and as Nazâ—anzene hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nothing could be more unequal then that our faith and so the way to salvation should be a thing only incident to learned bra ns Remember thy belief is like thy love he that commanâ—'s both gives both and having given a first spark blows it to a flame and if smal and weak yet if right and hearty good enough The best schollar of them all hath no better a Receipt then thou and God will firm thy Reed to support thee all the way to Heaven and as for dejection and aptness to despair I will take again that Cup of consolation in hand and strive to brew it so as it may relish on the palate of the weakest Christian and afford him a complacency at least an allay to all thought of impossibity or difficulty wont to prevail with such as taste themselves and consider not the puâ—ssance of Vitis and Racemus the power of God For our errour proceeds both wayes not knowing the Scriptures or not observing the power of God My Ingredients shall be but two and taken from two Comparisons 1. First compare this act of Regeneration with the worlds Creation there for the consolation of the darker and weaker spirit we find it vain to enquire what was before the frame so it is not clear what shall be after the dissolution so in Recreation what goes before of the destinating is a Depth and what the state of glory shall be is not clear it appears not yet what we shal be 1 Joh. 3. But this appears the Grace of God appears and his free act is evident in both The creature can contribute nothing at first and then though a double cover on the earth of darkness and the deep yet that released by his power infinite and then having removed the waters also by virtue of his Producat he made the land appear and suddenly disappear invested in a robe of numerous plants and flowers Just so in this work of thy new birth Darkness is first all over thee and t is Gods method first darkness and then light Our imaginations dark and our foolish heart full of darkness and all that men can do in that state of nature deeds and works of darkness But then comes oriens ex alto with his marvellous Light till the day dawn and Day-star rise in our hearts Those hearts that were all dark before all was a Chaos till light pin'd to the Sun stream'd to remotest angles And so it was with that Apostle St. Thomas deepsy cover'd in infidelity till the powerful light let in through his sense upon his soul Then see how soon he sees and startles up and fervently rises in that cry of Domine Deus my Lord and my God! and the spirit speaks the same comfort evidently to all Arise thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee Light for he hath it and he is it He is the true Light in both those main properties of Light First Light makes things discernable in night great stones and blocks So to blind nature gross sins lie undiscovered till Light of Grace infuse a tenderness and scrupulosity and a discretion and ability both to observe the surprizes of and ask pardon for the least offences Then secondly The other Property of Light Irradiation it not shews alone but beautifies and gnilds and enamels where it lights so doth that Grace of Gratum faciens His embracing Grace upon thy soul rendring it gracious and precious in the eyes of thy heavenly Father Lastly I forget not that second Cover of the deep That inland Gulf of Corruption inborn and bred up with us respecting which we all must crie with David de profundis Out of the deeps But then remember one deep calls upon another There is a deep of Mercy answers the depth of all our misery and to top this Consolation if the waves of ungodliness make us afraid and roar horribly or after a sense of Mercy and Forgiveness we fear the reflux and revalescency of our prevailing sins upon us Remember his bow is in the clouds his gracious promise in his holy Word to make his Power perfect in weakness and he hath given to the Sea a Law and said to wickedness Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here stay thy proud waves 2. Our secondingredient is from Resemblance of our Saviours incarnation First In Virgo his birth of a pure Virgin Mary so is thine of a pure heavenly Grace distilled from God without mans contribution or assistance When the Angel came to salute her when Christ came to Nicodemus one with tidings of her conceiving the Son of God the other with strange news of a man being born again and so become the Son of God both wondred alike both ask in effect the self same question How can these things be How can a man be born again and take notice the answer is the same to both for there is no other The holy Ghost shall come upon thee the Power of the most High shall do this in an act of as great freed om as the blowing of the wind so is every one that is born of the Spirit A second considerable comfort is that of infinite distance God the simplest essence to stoop and marry with mans body of all other the most compounded substance This hindred not the day-spring from on high to visit us why then dismaid to look down upon our own spirit wherein is summamalitia when we know in his sacred spirit there is summa bonitas and for all the distance and for all the deadness of our souls womb to conceive a thought that is holy of our selves yet he descends that Spirit which is the Comforter and applies unto us in an union so high and heavenly as all words forsake us in the expression Thirdly Another Consolation yet in plenè administravit when God descended to us but staid at her Full of Grace not abhorring to be there enclosed who yet fills and even then filled Heaven and earth wherein then and before and since he fully hath the administrations so it must be no dismay to thy own soul that God descends and shines into many others having abundance of spirit and of such a diffusive Power as the Sun which though received whole in the light and graces here yet shines elsewhere and think if a word spoken by us can pass to a whole audience and if our discursive Spirit can so suddainly shoot and subtilly pass to things distant and manifold What Energie is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Power in his Spirit differenced from ours both
know further of this Divine Method which is the Aquaeduct the Ventiduct the Luciduct which way still doth Christ in his Spirit conveigh this Holy water this gentle Air this blessed Light to our Spirits I confess this is one of the most necessary important and most usefull Queries we can make and which being clearly resolved will shame both Papists that hide away as much as they can and other Hereticks that blaspheme the Scriptures and pretend to a Spirit enthusiastick which is nothing but the Devil of delusion and spirit of Giddiness And therefore for our best Resolve upon this question Let us do as our Saviour in the point of marriage enquire how it was in the Beginning Look back then to the Creation consider how came Light at first At first the Spirit moves and broods over that which is in it self a confusion a depth and a darkness and then his mighty Word Fiat Lux. He spake and it was Light then Then when all was dark he made material Light and Christ Jesus is the WORD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as Speech is the Image of the mind so he the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his person Heb. 1.3 The immaterial Light that was never made and the Spirit of the true God in declaring the true Way of his Worship and mans true way thereby to obtain eternal life as the very heathen trusted to the false gods fained Oracles which of necessity must be revealed before man could find or follow it goes that way still that is by the WORD His Word wherein is his Will revealed from Heaven both makes and is our Light This world is Gods Book wherein as in a Glass of wonders we discern him but that print being Dim to us that are sin-blind it pleased him by lively Oracles to make a Mirror far more clearly revealing his mind And as God engraved his form on his Son before all worlds so what that Son is and what the Father is to us in him the Spirit proceeding from both delivers in the Scriptures of both Testaments And as the Sun guilds and enamels clouds and streams and hill Tops with his raies but thrusts his own pure Light his own living sire through the bodies of the stars so other Authors can but yield a faint reflexion of that beam which is direct and native in his book where the very Law he stiles a flaming Light The Prophecies a more sure Word then any Eye-evidences of the Apostles to which we do well to look saith St. Peter himself as to a Light shining in a dark place till the day dawn the day-star rise in our hearts But then the Gospel written and spread by his Evangelists and held out by his spouse the Catholick Church is his marvellous Light He brought life and immortality to Light by the Gospel 2 Tim 1.10 and in Acts 26. 16. I have appeared to thee saith our Saviour to that choice vessel of his Grace and name to make thee a Minister and a witness c. And now behold I will send thee to the Gentiles to what end A glorious end to open their eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light from the power of Satan unto God and accordingly we find it 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid in them that perish in whom the god of this world hath blinded their unfaithfull minds that the Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ who is the Image of God should not shine unto them And in the sixth verse he shews the Walk and Circuit of this Light God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts there first and then the casting of the beam to give light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ O then you have the means of Light and Grace among you Ministers you are the Light and Salt of the earth and who shall question that truth which the Truth himself hath testified And would it not be a very dark and desolate and a very flash and unsavory world without a publique Ministry of the Word and Sacraments The Clergie however despised are all out Spiritual Fathers Propter quos hanc suavissimam Lucem aspeximus But yet you and they both must know how they have it and the Apostle tells us that too in the next words We have this Treasure in our earthen vessels that the excellency of the Power might be of God and not of us You are not sent to a Means and Medicine of our preparing or any humane but to Gods Divine Ordinance that which is his Power and Wisdom to Salvation to every one that believes And therefore this may be enough to give all humble Christians satisfaction and acquiescence Speak then thy Word O Lord and thy servant shall be healed shall be undarkened and though like Bartimeus though sin-blind have my eyes opened with a word Mar. 10.12 St. Peter spake but words unto Cornelius but words whereby he and his house should be saved words so richly blest that the Text saith while Peter spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word Did not our hearts burn within us said those Disciples Luke 24. to whom our Saviour opened the Scriptures And the Apostles hearers prickt at their Hearts cried Men and Brethren What shall we do to be saved And what a large field of the Fathers testimonies do I here forsake to break by your patience into an Inclosure or two of the very Papists our enemies and the enemies of the Scripture Yet see the excellency of Gods word even those enemies being Judges Cardinal Bellarmine himself is in his superlatives Certissima tutissima regula credendi lib. 1. de verb. Dei ca. 20. and need we any more after so full a witness I 'le name but another but one Instar omnium 'T is he that in a traiterous itch of wit took on him purposely the abuse of Scripture that by mis appliance and prophane wresting he might so abuse our Princes and our Church Mark yet what he is forc'd to say and sure 't is worth our observation if I diminish him not in my English There is in Scripture sayes he an invisible Majesty an hidden splendour a Glory unperishable a wisdom in-exhaustible The solace of humane and the beginning of a Divine life made by the holy Spirit making our spirits holy compat'd with which the Egyptian sages will look pale and poor the Chaldee impure the Grecians blockish Plato no body and Philosophy it self a fool 'T is the print of Heaven on earth and if any where the Joy of Paradise or at least a brave Resemblance of Divine Light be shewed 't is in Scripture containing all that is severed from the actual Vision of God himself Again The paper burns me not yet am I all inflamed in reading it 'T is no composure no artificial tread the Scripture uses
with those three Children of Light then walk on to fire unquenchable and utter darkness Then know O King that though our God will not deliver us yet will not we transgress the bounds of his Law to worship the Image that thou hast set up But then in this case we must look to our evidence that it be clear and sull Light nor streightned nor enlarged by our own or other mens false expositions For allow him but the ordinary gloss and every sinner will excuse his grossest crimes Is not the prohibition plain enough Thou shalt not commit Aultery Fornication Let it not be once naned yet all this with a Roman wash of venial sin or their rule of Caute si non caste will easily perswade some of their Novices or she Prosylite that there may be a kind of witty fornication tolerable or moderate Adultery So that Command Thou shall not steal Let the High-way thief or Highland Plunderer interpret he will tell you It s true unless you be under an invincible necessity or else promise to restore or accompt one day though you intend the day of Doom and such glosses men allow themselves in the main Articles of the Creed I believe the Catholick Church Ask the Anabaptist what it is It is a company whereof he is a prime man illumined needing no Scripture-rule but the Law of love and liberty Ask the Papist And he saith 't is nothing but a fine man at Rome with a triple Crown and a number of Fellows in red hats like Minstrels attending on him while with his foot he kicks off the Crowns of Kings and treading on the necks of Emperors cries super Aspidem Basiliscum c. Or briefer thus The Catholick Church in our Creed is Ecclesia Catholica Romana which though it be a Bull and infold a contradiction yet it serves for a Charm and the poor seduced Papist on whose brest it is hung is therewith stupified and dare not stir out of that Circle if he do the Devill will take him for God hath no deer out of that Pale that 's the Ark and out of the Popes Parish there is Salvation So then it must be no false or new-devised but old and full Light from Scripture that shall guide us And it can never become any Child of Light to cast his conscience into cloudy and raw and scrupulous fetters and startle and flie out of a Christian course or from a Christian Church upon conceited or imaginary Tropicks much less when the world or Devil would draw us to disorder our ways by their Cancer and Capricorn the griping claws of earthly Profit or the goatish Delights of sensual and carnal Pleasure Secondly And above all our Saviours Light is our best Direction And observe that Sun of Righteousness ere he rose a clear Light comes forth of Promises and Prophesies then a Day-star then in fulness of time he breaks the East discloses and he shines on in Wisdom at twelve years old grows in stature in Grace and Favour with God and man After his Baptism and taking on him the Ministry He goes about Preaching Healing doing good and suffering evil till he die rises ascends sends the Holy Ghost intercedes in Heaven for us and on earth is with us by his Spirit and Word to the end and in the end his final Reâ—olution and Revisitation to bring us to those joyes â—hat have no end This was and is his course Vade tu fae similiter Go thou and do like him How can we Why Be followers of God The Child may follow though non passibus aequis In his action he said I have given you an example and of his Passion the Scriptures saith He suffered leaving us an example Children learn to write and sew by Copies and Samplers so must we and so shall we if once our hearts be toucht with an Adamant if once tramed on by the Epiphany of such a star Then like those Eastern Magi we shall rejoyce to follow it yea content to take up our Cross and follow him content to be down and dark and despairing so we may rise to Light and stradiation and enabling Grace pursuing him through Ignorance Error and Death who is the Way the Truth and the Life And never giving over our Revolution and Resolution till we come to set where we rose born back with endless and impatient desires to enjoy Jesus the Author and Finisher of our saith and the end of our faith the salvation of our souls I have done with the explication of my Text There remains a word of Application to our selves first so had we best or it will be done to out hands with Medice cura te ipsum May I have leave then once more to look upon the Light and apply it first to the Learning and then to the Life 's of clergie men Wherein if I shall seem to teach any of these my Reverend Fathers or of my Learned Brethren it is with this protestation of primo meipsum 1. Our Learning first must be Lux in Demino we are Seers eyes to the Mystick body of Christ Jesus Dark Ignorance then to us should be a thing most horrible as t is to that sense in nature A foule and fearfull sight if those holes in our faces were empty and those bals of living fire pluckt from our fronts What is it when me want filling for so large a Sphere as our profession is A wofull Spectacle to see a blinking Glow-worm where a star of Magnitude should shine We are Gods Lawyers and Physitians with truth of Direction and severity of observance in our cures And is it not scandalous and dangerous an Ignoramus an Emperick or Montebank in our Calling unless as Circe and AEsculapius were both accounted Apollo's off-spring so Mediocrity and Excellency make no difference in Profit or Repute which makes so many take up with Atalanta Declinat cursus aurumy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But God would have us workmen able Ministers dividing the Word of Truth arighe And is noe Learning a mighty wedge and wrest in that Affair Aristole handles the affections in his Rhetoricks and sure I am that all our Rhetorick hath edge little enough to pierce into the wooden and stony affections of our common hearers Orpheus it had need to be in Sylvis to draw Beasts and Blocks And what shall we do in learned Audience They will soon perceive upon whose wheels our motions are such as can taft every vein of water and tell which savours Sulphur Vitriol or Steel but worst of all in convincing the Adversary What will become of our empty Frigats grapling with a man of war or a Jehu Jesuit thaâ— charges furiously when he finds a wak Adversary We must walk then to the Heaven of Scripture and stars of Interpreters no casting off those Beam without a self-illuminating and to get us work mens tools for sharp and flat peirce not alike though there be the like percussion We are Gods Smiths and
Monarchies so after he had joined and made up a Church of Jews and Gentiles he blest and preserved it through the ten Persecutions and to this very day For now we are refining this Gold and extending this propriety of God in his Saints and servants under the new Testament as we have cause to do we that live since that fulness of time which delivered him to the world in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell Then cartainly this consideration of our being Gods Peculiar in Christ the Sen of his love will rise to a full consolation For in him we know the Covenant was renewed and sealed in his sacred blood whereby those great Rivers of Creation and Providence flow over and fall into the large sea of Redemption and by that sea we may sail fairly on to the fair havens of Sanctification and compassing the point of good hope of a true and lively hope arrive in the end at endless Glory All this will be done if once we be his own in him that is his only Beloved if once he admits us into the league make us Confiederates and Princes of the Union Kings unto God by his blood Rev. 1.7 The Emphasis is upon His for that blood of his that Unction that Inauguration will effect it He and They God and Man at distance at enmity before by him who is both God and man and so a fit Modus and Medium and a fit Mediator are reconciled God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself No wonder though this be not only called a grand Mysterie as it is considerable in the person of Christ alone God manifested in the flesh that God should be made our very flesh but also as it reflects as it returns to us and brings us back for our flesh his Spirit That 's a Mysterie even Marriage wherein of two is made una Caro one flesh but this is more when we are joined to Christ per eundem by one and the same Spirit The Fathers are bold and industrious in the mintage of new words to express the nearness of God and man in Christs Incarnation by Corporation Illumination Adunation Contemperation But what man or Angel knows a word large and entire enough and high enough to title that Union by wherein the Apostle saith Man joined to the Lord is one Spirit and changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory This is that nuptial mentioned in Hos 2.18 and rementioned in the Gospels and all Solomons song and Davids Psalm 45. are Epithalamions wholly spent in Celebration of this Solemnity It was an happy Contract the Union of great Brittain when in the worlds Temple two Kingdoms were the wedded pair a gracious King was Priest and the Sea like a marriage-ring encircling both That was the way had it held for the education of both Realms to a Grandeur and Convalescence And even in story of time past it is a pleasant a delightsom Consideration to behold an Infant-state rise to maturity as in Rome or Venice But will you put out the eyes of all History or Poetry and dis-illustre all the Senate and becloud all the Clarissimo's of all mankind Look then upon God in his Son Christ Jesus founding a most noble Incorporation whereof all bodies Politick are but weak representations Excellent things are spoken of thee thou City of God And we know how large that holy Father Augustine is in delivery of those excellent things in his Civitate Dei whereof Christ is the supream Head The parts of this society Kings and Priests venerable and sacred persons in all antiquity and where other bodies want a soul the Ligament and soul of this body is the holy Ghost For by one Spirit are we baptized into one body and all made to drink into one Spirit Eph. 4.4 So that in this Center all meet Gods possession the Saints priviledge and in that these are become words all of one signification His Chosen His Holy His own His Royall His Peculiar People Nor can this chuse but prove a pure refined golden Consolation indeed when we find the proof in Gods own Testament that Jesus is not only the Mine wherein all the Treasures of Wisdom are hid but Jesus is the pure and grand golden Ingot of all the Comforts contained in holy Scriptures out of which Ingot are coined so many Medals some with Serpents and Anchors and some with Lions and Lilies and Doves and Crowns and Roses and Carduus Benedictus too good for Tremor cordis and all with the Effigies of that Cross whereon our joyes depend and wherein is found that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Apostle the exceeding riches proclaimed and offered to sail by the Possessor himself saying Buy of me fine Gold for fine Gold is he to the worlds brasse-farthings or as the Sun let in on stars or seas on pools which over-run chase away engulph and strike out their petite drops and sparkles Shall we hope to reach it in a big comparison and so comprehend that which is incomprehensible and cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive What Speaker can search out words fit for the unsearchable riches of Christ As Sopor Domini is the language of the Holy Ghost for the deepest sleep and Tuba Domini a superlative for the loudest found and Gandium Domini to express the very joy of Heaven so the Apostles Gaudete in Domino even here in the Kingdom of Grace implies the best and purest consolation 'T is with an Emphasis that if there be any consolation in Christ there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the joy as well as in the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord my Lord and my God with an Abfit too God for did I should prophane or mix this joy with any thing else I shall not need for this is enough to make St. Paul overflow exceedingly to abound with all joy and St. Peter to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious This is comfort enough for every Christian to diminish and bedwarf and dis-illustre all those glimmerings and Glow-worms all those gleanings in risled fields and all that we are fain to feign to find in forelorn Ariadnes that is other mens leavings of Wealth and Beauty and Wit and Honor which are but empty Rinds and Husks and widowed shels and shoos thrown away in contempt and weariness And yet this Crown of Consolation here set on our souls in Grace is topt and phan'd and crown'd again This Consummation hath another Consummation yet above it The Emperor that keeps his hungry Eagle still poor man when the Romish Harpyes have devoured his dainties is glad after two duller Crowns to take a third of Gold which his holiness forsooth puts on and off at pleasure But the Christian faith which makes us Kings in Jesus blood and embalms us with his oyl of gladness assures us of a tripled Comfort when on those Crowns of hope and joy below the holy of Holies who will
fountain and such a physical and real Influence it hath on all mans habits and actions And if the estate of the best and purest be no better what shall we boast our selves who as they say of Northern Jewels that they are of a vicious softness and will not endure the file so certainly in respect of the primitive Christians when the Church was a true heaven upon earth we are as far from the brightness and miracles of their works as from their firm and miraculous faith It remains that we encourage our selves and stir up the Grace of God that is in us and though we cannot approve our selves in a perfection to a perfect God in whose eyes the moon shines not saith Job and the stars are impure yet if we be but vigilant to dress the paradise of our souls and keep out the Tempter preserving our breast at a garden enclosed and a fountain sealed up if we but earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints and labor to shake off the sin that cleaves so fast unto our nature if we run and press to the mark and strive to purifie our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to grow up into full holiness such is then the manifold Grace and Goodness and tender mercy of our gracious God that he not only assists but accepts of our weak endeavors and approaches so far as to impute the very Act of cleansing and obtaining pardon too to such a frail condition and contention We do not we dare not say with Bellarmine de purg lib. 2. cap. 10. it pleases Christ to joyn our satisfactions with his own but by our complying under the hand of God and intention and love to work according to the influx of divine Grace we do by his indulgence impetrate for those sins for which we can never make compensation And as the Scripture enforms us of a cleansing by Redemption and Remission through the blood of our blessed Saviour and a second by application of that blood and a third by infused Regeneration so there is a fourth of mortifying and repressing of Concupiscence subjecting to the Regiment of Grace and also in renouncing and expelling sin by the contrary Acts of vertue and obedience of faith and works of Light expelling Darkness wherefore the Apostle saith All that have this hope in them have purged themselves even as he is pure And again You have purified your souls by obedience to the Truth through the Spirit 1 Pet. 2.22 Here then for a close fals in fitly that exhortation of Zophar in Jab 11.14 If iniquity be in thy hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacles for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be stedfast and not fear thine age shall be clearer then the noon-day thou shalt shine forth and be as the morning But all this is still upon that condition in verse 13. which is If thou prepare thy heart and stretch forth thy hands towards him which puts us in mind of Invocation and the use of Prayer for Gods assistance For as it is with Pearls according to the dew which it receives from Heaven in quantity and quality so doth the shel-fish breed her Pearl and after the Measure and Showr and Proportion and Instilment of divine Grace which our souls drink in we increase and grow in Purity and Sanctification and therefore we should put this into our hourly Letany as the woman in the Gospel John 4. Lord evermore give us of this water We know Lord in our selves there is no more goodness then in the mass of mankind in the rest of our fellow dust and pebbles but that thou by thy powerfull Grace and holy Spirit are pleased to drop and pierce and work upon us and purge away our dross and make us thy blessed work-manship created in Christ Jesus unto good works we have nothing can have nothing from our mixture or specifique forms or power of those materials whereof we consist and therefore to that end we may work Do thou first work thy Will on us instruct inform inlighten us cause thy face to shine upon us and so quicken our dull and earth-affecting souls that they may conceive an heavenly fire and ardent affection and intention by working together with thy Grace and so causing us in the end to work out our own salvation through Jesus Christ to whom c. S. D. G. THE THIRD SERMON At Oatlands MALAC. 3.17 And they shall be mine sayes the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels THis Text at first and second opening afforded us a double priviledge of Gods people in reference to their owner stiled here by his high and stately Title of Dominus Exercituum First They are his own his peculiar and then they are his Jewels In handling the first Priviledge I endeavoured to discover a Mine of Consolation even in this and drew certain Materials from this Mine namely the radiant mingle of Light and joy discernable in a Christians Profession Disposition Conversation Secondly the Connexion and Combination of Graces and Mercies from God observable in this Text pitcht like a Tabernacle with Curtains and Coverings with Loops and taches of comfort coupled one to another in Conjunctions And thirdly the Expansion and Dilatation thereof over all Adversity then the conserve Complication of all our comfort in our great Protector who is Dominus Exercituum And lastly I set on the Crown and consummation of all Consolation in Christ Jesus In our Discourse upon the second priviledge of Gods servants in being his Jewels was shewn in what respects especially this Metaphor is maintained and in what qualities the resemblance chiefly is most clear and useful to us All which being done that which is left us now to do is a Retrospect and a Prospect to look back first to the very Ground-work and Foundation whereon God layes this whole pile of Comfort which will be found to be nothing but his holy fear and then we are the more chearfully to look and go forward with the end of our Text and the end of our Faith and Hope and Pravers that in the work of God upon our bodies and souls in those several dayes wherein he promises and will perform this making up of his Iewels which dayes are four First the Day of punishing the ungodly Secondly the Day of powerful preaching the Word then the Day of Death and last the Day of the last Judgement Our first business and it is indeed the main business is to look to our Foundation Other foundation can no man lay but what is laid saith St. Paul that is Christ Jesus That 's most sure but so is this also that every one which calls on the Name of the Lord must depart from iniquity and this again as sure as the reft that without instruction and divine wisdom no man is able to do that and then the only way to that
wisdom is This Foundation of Fear The fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom And there God begins here and we must follow his method Look back into the former words and you shall find the qualification of his servants Those that he allows for his and will one day reserve as his jewels are they that in perilous and corrupt times do fear before him and think upon his name They there is an Emphasis to be placed on them They and none but they shall be mine Three things we may touch in this observation First God requires this qualification Secondly we are to enquire after it in our selves Thirdly to comfort our selves in Gods Grace and Mercy in this Appropriation that both this Amulet is tyed to a mans own bosome and also all consolation in God grounded upon his Fear First God will have such as are capable of this Description here no talk of comfort without this qualification when St. Peter sayes God is no accepter of persons Act. 10.34 that word is but a regarder of Faces and refers only to that distinction which he had newly learnt of God to be no longer an imbarment a wall of partition that is the difference of Jew and Gentile A Jew was now of no more advantage no better accepted then any other nation but in the next verse he assures himself and his hearers and us and all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that fears God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the man by way of Excellency That man that fears him shall not need to fear his being accepted of him and so God is an accepter of persons a curious Decipherer an exact culler out of such as shall be his servants takes no mans word Veneris commendat epistola Marti that 's usual among men a great mans or a great womans letter and we esteem it of weight that poor addition of a proper of an handsom man But God sees not as man sees sayes Samuel at the sight of many proper men looks not on the outward appearance but what we ballance least is of most value with him Honesty Religion an heart indued with a holy fear of God And then though it is said his thoughts are not as mans thoughts yet he tells us here that man only that finds God in his own heart is a man after Gods own heart and he that so thinks upon Gods name God will so think upon him that he will hear him hearken to him and set him down in the Book of his Remembrance in the former verse and in this verse of my Text he will own him make him up one day for his jewel and spare him as a man spares his own son that serves him So that all this cry and trail of Blessings before and in and after the text depend upon they belong to and listen after that which is past of Fear and Devotion For it were not fit that any person unqualified should have so large so excellent a portion as this which embraces which contains all that the soul can receive here or hereafter For God changes not their tenure not his very term of mine at that last and dreadful and joyful day of Judgement But then it shall be made evident in the eys and a truth enforced upon the hearts of all such souffers at Religion as are mentioned in cap. 1. ver 13. The wisdom of all such prophane contemners of Devotion as say it is in vain to serve God and what profit c. at ver 14. shall be blasted and confounded and then you shall discern sayes the 18. ver then you shall find a difference betwixt the Righteous and the wicked between him that serves God and him that serves him not But in mean time those glorious and these gracious Speranda fruenda are all incorporate in these Agenda here God will have such a field for his seed such trees to graft upon such Materials to raise his Temple Otherwise as no earthly Prince how gracious soever will hear and hearken to and put such a servant down in his book of Remembrance as shall apparently forget his duty to him so God hath testified abundantly that on Israels defection he will neglect his own Property Propriety his own choice of his chosen Israel they even They shall be the generation of his wrath Ier 7.29 liable to that fierce wrath of that God who is a consuming fire a generation of his wrath fuel of his wrath till their end here and of his endless wrath hereafter As it is one way upon Repentance he blots out all their sins from his Remembrance so from his Remembrance he blots out all the Promises of this book upon their contempt Forgets then what he had said of his first-born and rebuâ—ing even kings for their sakes his dear Child for whom his bowels were troubled the Signet on his hand tender as the apple of his eye heires by Promise All all evacuated because all subconditione of applying their hearts to the Covenant and that Covenant is here establisht and renewed with us in these terms of fearing the Lord and thinking on his Name This is our first particular in this Foundation of comfort to look to our qualification because God admits none but of this temper The second by way of application to every single brest is to search and examine our selves whether we have this blessed Fear and holy thoughtfulness and so can thence fairly argue and prove our own being Gods own our peculiar priviledge of being Gods peculiar For first this may be known for the Spirit of God is not in his servants spiritual men as the foul spirit by possession or obsession in a Pythonisse or such as are his sensless utensils and perceive not the power that transports them feel not the operation of their Mover and thence it is that we have so frequent Monitories which were vain and useless if it could not be done of prove your selves try the spirits know you not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And indeed though a man will find or fain to find a Dictamny a medicine made of wine and noise and company to throw off the Arrow and some men think it probatum that there is in this sense a sword-cure that is there is an easie way to heal up any wound that the sword of the Spirit the word of God in the Ministry of his servant can make it is but sleighting the Preacher or allowing him for a blunt or bold fellow and the Sermon a dull or a dry piece yet such a man knows he does but dissemble in all this and withold the truth of God in unrighteousness bemisting and darkening his own conscience or else that Cassandra that Prophet in his own bosom if she might be heard would make him wiser teach him better and clearer then the most illustrious Divines that is the best that is the plainest Teachers For that incorrupt and incorruptible
Judge is joyn'd in Commission with the Holy Ghost to lead us into all Truth and to bring all such that is all needful truth to our remembrance The Spirit of God bears witness but it is with our spirit and so enables us to pronounce sentence of self-clearing or self-condemnation When therefore I dare knock at that privy Chamber door at that closet and dare ask that question Am I a Divine Royalist a true Deilift a godly Christian One of Gods peculiar where then is my fear my thinking on his Name Do I serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce before him with reverence Do I indeed as one of his Royal Priesthood present my body and soul and all their children all their off-spring the actions of my hands and the Imaginations of my heart and projects of my brain as a lively sacrifice unto my God Does my justice and honesty my chastity and sobriety for even these may rise from corrupt springs flow from this only consideration Is the bottom of my conceited happiness any better then a sick mans dream or mad mans boiling fancy Do I indeed feel my confidence grounded on a modest a tender and reverential fear Doe the Larum the remembrance of this strike louder and faster in my brest then all Satans temptations with meminto Philippe Henrics Garole not that thou art but a man but that thou art no mans man nor no womans man nor no devils man taken captive to do his Will This I must thus enquire and this when I thus know then I must resolve with Joshua Let others do what they will I and my house at the least I and my heart and all that is within me will serve the Lord. Shall such a man as I that profess Christ and his Gospel shall I flie saith one Can I do this wickedness and sin against God Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot saith another of Gods fearfull and faithfull servants God forbid Do I profess to serve that Lord of Hosts who keeps a book of Remembrance whose eye is ever zenith and so pure that no iniquity can tarry in his sight and shall I not pass the time of my dwelling here in fear of his most blessed name And do we can we think then nay do they or can they say what they will can they indeed think in good earnest can they believe themselves to be Gods peculiar people and such a Priest-hood and chosen People as Christ shed his precious blood to purchase who though they dare not but fear men and tremble at the sound of some great name on earth yet have no true fear of God before their eyes such as dare curse swear pollute and blaspheme that very name in which both we and they profess to look for both Protection and Salvation Thirdly Our third and last particular in this observation about the Ground-work of all our comforts bottom'd on our fear of God is the joy and blessing the Grace and Mercy tender indulgence of God unto us in this Appropriation that God vouchsafes to tie this cordial joy fast to each single-hearted Christian so admits him under this signet to be of his cabinet Council in the inward Testimony of his Spirit assuring him his spirit that he is the â—ords own that so the Joy of his faithfull servants may as himself hath spoken it be full and that not by rejoycing in another but by finding and feeling the Ground and Principles of true Joy and Confidence in themselves For I am not therefore honest or valiant because some credulous brethren or some brethren of the Sword repute me so and would so give it under their hands No I pass not for yours or any mans Judgement saith St. Paul a silly fame is that into which a man is voted or for which he hath a Testimonial or Certificat I know saith he in whom I have believed and so every just and justified man lives by his own faith as well as he lives by that very bread which himself eats It is no trusting to Salvation implicite if I pin my soul to that great name of the Catholique Church and know no meaning of it but only him that calls himself the Head of it when he can be scarce or but at most a corrupt member or if I make a Pope of that poor private Priest that creeps in at my window If I freely resign my soul to him and say I must confide in you for so millions profess and boast themselves to do Can I tell whether this Romist will cary it to Heaven or Hell or neither in haste but make it stay in purgatory as some souls they tell me must do till the day of Judgement I cannot relish that dependance on any mans infallibility for if I could be certain of their high Priests election that all things therein had been rightly and canonically performed which is very difficult if not impossible yet for his low Priest whom he sends to me and who for his own food and maintenance brings me the Sacraments of Penance and the wafer-god to be assured of his intention on which they teach the very essence of all Popish devotion depends they must acquaint me how I shall be a Searcher of hearts which God hath reserved only to himself and therefore assuredly as some Papists have openly jeared the pretended infallibilâ—y of their Father so no doubt but his white sons the Jesuits like the Latine Augurs do laugh when they meet in secret at the open gullage of the world willing to mistake their infamous mother for the very Catholique Church in the Apostles Creed and yet our own Ladies in stead of Preserves from St. Austins boxes of Prascriptum Legis Pradicta Prophetarum which are soundly mingled with this holy sear in the Text are content to swallow their conserves of implicite faith and blind obedience and comfort their hearts with the cold consideration of an Indulgence when yet the blessed and the blasting the cordial and yet confounding Truth of God in this ponit hath wrung after a thousand wranglings that plain consession from a learned but a bitter and violent Papist that the Church by her Ministerie and Magisterie received of God doth cause us to believe yet for all that the very Reason wherefore we believe is not the Church but God speaking in us This is Stapleton in his third book of the Authority of the Scripture cap. 12. And indeed when all is said and done nothing but the Testimony of Gods own Holy Spirit is ever able to minister true consolation in believing The God of peace it is that fils us with all peace and joy in believing if we belive St. Paul ' to the Romans cap. 15. verse 13. But this is not meant of any private whisper or Enthusiasus which is deceitfull but of the spirits Testimony joyned to his Holy Word in the clear evidence thereof assuring our spirit that God is become our
From motions regular about his Poles Shall even deadly sins in disaray Keep off our minds from his Diurnal sway Under the Law made he his resting place And chose the cutse to leave us under Grace But still to morals tied our hearts and hands Scorn not his easie yoak nor break his bands Without those Grates all fire of vertue cools None lawless thus but Devils Popes and Fools An Hymn on Trinity Sunday 1625. Tuned according to S. Bernards Cur mundus militat c. SIDesideria cordium satias Aeternas volumus agere gratias O pater Luminum pater illius Qui pater noster est tibi filius Per quem Coelestia singula feceris Quicum fundamina terrae conjeceris Quorum mens agitat molem mirabilis Atque operarius est ineffabilis OTRINE rejici quanquam sim meritus Me tamen refici dignare spiritus Re visas obsecro sol semper oriens In Lutum recidens Cor meum moriens Vt quae refulserit exinde Puritas Sit illi salus sancta securitas Heu sines animam hac in putredine Mundani pulveris omni dulcedine Supernae Gratiae privatam degere Quam nutu facili possis protegere Si Desideria cordium satias Aeternas volumus reddere gratias Ad Iesum Redemptorem Tu qui Serpentis caput contuderis Qui Preces Lachrymas sanguinem fuderis Orcum post tumulum qui penetraveris Et mortis Dominum morte prostraveris Et super nubium tractus ascenderis Ac modis milites mille defenderis Labimur labimur Heu dicto citiùs Jesu suavissime ni sis propitius Menteis irradians faveris lumine Ac labes diluens cruoris flumine Et sancti spiritus accendens flamine Nos incredibili leves solamine Si Desideria cordium satias Aeternas volumus habere gratias On the Holy SACRAMENT LOrd to thy flesh and blood when I repair Where dreadfull joyes and pleasing tremblings are Then most I relish most it doth me good When my soul faints and pines and dies for food Did my sins murder thee To make that plain Thy pierc'd-dead-living body bleeds again Flow sad sweet drops what diffring things you do Reveal my sins and seal my pardon too A Psalm for Christmass day morning 1 FAirest of morning Lights appear Thou blest and gaudy day On whom was born our Saviour dear Make haste and csme away 2 See See our pensive breasts do pant Like gasping Land we lie Thy holy Dews our souls do want We faint we pine we die 3 Let from the skies a joyfull Rain Like Mel or Manna fall Whose searching drops our sins may drain And quench our sorrows all 4 This day prevents his day of Doom His mercy now is nigh The mighty God of love is come The day-spring from on high 5. Behold the great Creator makes Himself an house of clay A Robe of Virgin flesh he takes Which he will wear for ay 6 Heark heark the wise Eternal Word Like a weak Infant cries In form of servant is the Lord And God in Cradle lies 7 This wonder struck the world amaz'd It shook the stary frame Squadrons of spirits stood and gaz'd Then down in Troops they came 8 Glad Shepherds ran to view this sight A quire of Angels sings And Eastern Sages with delight Adore this King of Kings 9 Bis. Joyn then all hearts that are not stone And all our voices prove To celebrate this holy One The God of Peace and Love PRAYER and PRAISE TO work strong lines and wreath a Crown of Baies For Jesus Brows Take servent Prayer and Praise 1. That runs and flows and bears a deeper sense Then winding Verse or ratling Eloquence It rises first and breaks through hearts of stone But not till Aarons rod be struck thereon Cleft with Remorse then climbs through weeping eyes With silver feet transcending far the skies To wash his feet whose purple drops divine Will turn this water into Angels wine 2. This made of words which are but vapor pent In forge of flesh by panting bellows sent To mix with mother Air yet this to me Shall both a blessing and an honor be Saith God who cals those things as if they were Which are not so or do not so appear To us And look how sweet it strikes the sense When vernal winds inspire their Influence On flowery Meads so thanks like Incense rise And Heavan takes praise as perfum'd sacrifice A Psalm for Sunday Nights 1 COme Ravisht souls with high Delight In sweet immortal Verse To crown the day and welcome night Jehovahs praise Reherse 2 O sing the Glories of our Lord His Grace and Truth resound And his stupendious acts Record Whose mercies have no bound 3 He made the All informing Light And hosts of Angles fair 'T is he with shadows cloaths the night He clouds or clears the Air. 4 Those restless skies with stars enchaste He on firm hindges set The wave embraced earth he plac'd His hanging Cabinet 5 Wherein for us all things comply Which he hath so decreed That each in order faithfully Shall evermore proceed 6 We in his Sommer sun-shine stand And by his favour grow We gather what his bounteous hand Is pleased to bestow 7 When he contracts his brow we mourn And all our strength is vain To former dust in death we turn Till he inspire again 8. Then to this mighty Lord give praise And all our voices prove The Glory of his name to raise The God of Peace and Love The Christians Reply to Christs Venite POssum good Lord by thee inclinal Volo sometimes with ease I find Nolo yet runs so in mind Male still makes me lag behind PRIDE will fall but Grace to the Humble 1. THis fall Fell Lucifer first tries Who endlong fell never to rise Woman the next then man and all Proud flesh from them have caught the fall 2. From this foul falling sickness shall The fall of one recover all Mankind that medcin'd by his Spirit His best of Graces shall inherit Whereby he still in it doth fall Upon his humble servants all His conjugal Prayer Domestick GOD infinitely Great and Good Purge all our sins by Jesus blood From serpentine three deadly foes The Gardens of our souls enclose That Spirit which Grace and Truth affords Rule all our actions thoughts and words Our hearts into his Temples raise Our tongues loud Organs of his praise Lord make our selves and Race throughout Pure humble sober chast devout Loyal and gratefull wise and just On thee and industrie to trust Blest with a low but glad estate In food and Rayment moderate Nor rich of poor to be en ied Nor poor to be by rich supplied Give freedom Order Health and Peace Then in thy favour to decease When Nature here by Grace prepar'd May look for Glory afterward Vpon a Bible presented to a young Lady the Lady Kath. C. 1624. THE world is Gods large Book wherein we learn Him in his glass of wonders to discern But
Let us then lift up our hearts together with our hands to Go◠in the Heavens 1. OUR first part is Vitis and that is Christ we way take his own word John 15. 1. I am the true Vine Poor hedge and harth wine you may wring from natural knowledge and from moral Books and dull muddy stuff the world affords mingled with Mandragoras whose effect is betwixt sleep and poison But would you that above the spirit of Cecub or Falernian wine The Vine which breeds a liquor potent and mighty in operation Quod cum spe divite manet in Venas A cup of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that fills with holy Raptures and Extasies and lifts your Spirit up to become Partaker of the divine Nature Then come to me saith he He all alone at this He and none but He can give this Grace Search the Vineyards the Scriptures They testifie of him Those Cherubins the Old and New Testament clap all their wings together for the enclosing him who is A. and Ω. the same Rock and Mannae Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever The Book of God is Paradise everywhere Trees of knowledge bowing their eminent tops But Christ Jesus the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden The Fruit and Kernel of which Fruit is here in Vitis Objection 1. 2. But in 1 Pet. 1.3 we find this made the Act of God the Father Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us again c. and ascribable to him as an Act of Power and Wonder first above that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And secondly As an Act of Love of which he is the Fountain While not as a Father alone but as a Mother too he conceives in the womb of Predestion brings forth in Vocation tenders and bears in arms and on his wings of Providence and hath Viscera misericordiarum in the plural And again this is made the work of the holy Ghost Tit. 3.8 By the washing of the new birth and renewing of the Holy Ghost c. And so much seems implied in that Commission Receive you the holy Ghost and then Whose sins you remit c. For answer hereto briefly we learn from the school that though in the sacred Trinity be order yet no Degree and in their Acts ad extra they all blessedly conspire as in this particular the Apostle informs us 1 Cor. 6. By the Grace of God the Father through the blood of his Son are we raised as so many Temples of the holy Ghost And as the Son is in at Creation by him were all things made he being the power and wisdom of the Father so the Spirit is called his Gift too whom I will send you from the Father and in the Galatians it is stild the Spirit of Christ All build then this holy frame But he lies down as the Foundation as that precious corner-stone on whom his Saints relie by vertue of their precious Faith and partake all these precious Promises in him Yea and Amen He that Olive of whose fatness and Vine from whose root live all the Branches which he performs in special too by a double distillation of his Grace and blood while the blood of that Vine is made ours and we through it and him made Sons of God and most properly in this Filiation here mentioned his Act who is in nature Filius He by generation to make us so by Regeneration Thus have we endeavoured to dig and discover this to the root indeed that root ineffable of three in one God the Father as Author and Fountain the Son as means and merit the Spirit forming cherishing and preserving the new Creature A Grace flowing from the Father by the Son in the Power and Operation of the holy Ghost Objection 2. 3. But where 's the Text then How do we receive it by Faith Our Saviour Answers it in the fifteenth of St. John This is done by insition as we by it receive him that is abide in him and that cannot be without assenting and obeying both By both which we begin to live and draw sap and conrinuating strength of spiritual Life The life I now live I live by the power of the Son of God 'T is his Act and Gift in the first Light and Influence and first Attraction and bowing our will to receive him and in obediential performaces too asubsequent and concurrent Grace yet a Nostrality too so far as a non fugere saith St. Austin nay as a Sequi too and an Agere a co-working with the work of him that works all in all and all our works in us And the manifest of this Insition by believing and so receiving him is a plain and easie Decision of that drie and tedious Jangle which infects the mysterie of Godliness For nor Faith nor works alone Nor they without their root Nor it without his fruits Poscit opem conjurat amice Faith working by Love Objection 3. 4. But which way How can these things be Which way is the Light parted saith Job c. Where comes our divine Light of Reason to clasp and Grace it self under that noble and ampler Lamp of Faith The Answer is prepard by St. Peter who tells us where it grows the immortal seed of his his Word called therefore the Word of Life and the Word of his Grace and this very Grace the Word of Faith to which is ever annext the use and blessing of those Sacraments of the one whereof our Saviour tells us Except a man be born again and of the other Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood no life is in you no kingdom of Heaven for you PARTICVLAR 2. 5. THus far of Vitis Our second Particular is Racemus The bunch of Grapes 'T is rendred here by Power but is understood in an Excellency Power cum Priviledgio This indeed intended as Caput Votorum For as he saith Quid voveat dulci alumno So what is it that thy soul desires Is it Beauty Belive there are no such Roses and Lilies in their Midsummer as Gods Sons in their early Spring That being true of every member which is spoken of the body in general Thou art all fair No deformity not that of sickness nor that of age nor spot nor wrinckle Free from all defilement of sin a brave and high victorious and insolent Beauty that pure fair white and red in his innocence and in the blood of the Lamb. Is it riches How faint and cold and poor a word to this that makes a man rich in God! And rich in faith is equivalent to that For by that is a poor wretch under all made Heir to God who is rich over all and enjoyes not these shadows of the world but those unsearchable riches of Christ not filthy lucre defiling in the acquist but fine Gold So that thy adoring Mammon is but a mockery to thy soul It cannot make thee it may marr it
are all heads upon the same string fastened with our faith in Vitis here for our principal Jewel which if any of these fall loose is lost for ever and then all our preaching and ministring and your hearing and receiving vain and we be stript of our whole Creed even from God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth along to Christ crucified and on to life everlasting But we have not so weakly learned Christ to be shaken from our botome with such wind and waves of wicked Disputants Let us take heed of infection from a second sort such as in deeds deny him having a shew but no power of godliness such as may be tract like the snail by their unclean and slimy passages and yet dare resolve it in the Imparative Let us leave some Tokens of our wantoness so of our prophaness blasphemie drunkenness in every place This is a large field and a common place but for I am upon an health suffer me to single him out and say a coolword or two this morning next his heart unto the drunkard such especially as in a more then barbarous custom for in Est 1. no man might compell by forcing healths make it yet a more sickly and disorderly drunkenness First I commend to their consideration St. Pauls Epiphany where the Grace of God comes it appears saith he and how teaching us to denie ungodliness c. and to live soberly So then where sobrieey is not learnt the Grace of Christ hath appeared in vain Then that Caveat of our Saviour which he gave even to his own Apostles Take heed lest your hearts be overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness Why What 's the danger and so that day come upon you unwares My next is that Redoubt and Barricado rather of St. Peter wherewith he makes out the enemie the Lion At one end he plants the great Ordinance of Faith Whom resist stedfast in the faith At the other he makes it sure and sets good guard Be sober and watch as if all our faith without sobriety would not keep out the devil that roaring Adversary who can out-roar these roars and devour these Devourers of drink My close shall be that terrible sentence of the great Judge of heaven and earth gone out against them That they shall never inherit the Kingdom of heaven It now remains I should press for faith in the foundation and furnishing a Believer with reasons of his faith against the Aâ—heist Jew and Mahumetan and then for the super structure of Good works But these are fitter for large Treatises in books then short notes in a Sermon Let us come then to the last trial how we receive Christ by receiving his Receivers Persons deputed to take our homage and receive our reward in his stead 1. AND first The Poor With him I shall deal as usually men do dispatch him briefly Yet such are near and dear unto the Vine and sent as Leiger-Embassadours and à Latere too cut like another Eve out of his own bleeding side Members of that mistical Body whereof he is supream Head and whoever wrongs oppresses grinds or pares them to the blood He cries in Heaven Non cruor hic de stipite manat I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest It will come all to one in the end In as much as you have done it to them you have done it to me On the other side Do them good relieve them and he will reward it and make them able to requite it in proportion Receive them to harbour and those friends shall stand at heaven-gate to receive you into everlasting habitations 2. The Priest would be received too For Is not he in Vitis He that receives you receives me And is not our Ministry Vitis laetificans chearing God and man Did not the first Preachers receive largely for themselves and you when they received the holy Ghost and received power from on high at Christs ascension and gifts for men and were not the Apostles an odour of a sweet smelling savour to God and to men that received it even the savour of life unto life And is there not a Botrus of Blessing still received in receiving our Ministry If it be saith which is receiving Christ it is the word of God which we preach Nay May we not in a sober sense ask What have you that you have not received if it concern your spiritual state Christendom matriculation ablution from sin at one Receipt in baptism The body and blood and spirit of your Saviour by frequent receivings of the Eucharist which by the way now let me tell you in a word in verbo Sacerdotis if you should change for the mass it would lessen your receipts for whereas no lay-person hath a drop of the chalice allowed yet they have a Missale case that if any of the Consecrate-wine fall on the floore or pavement in that case a lay body may be permitted to lick it up left the dog should A fair reward it will be for such as decline to that Religion that Religion which hides away and denies the use of the word it self which is the power and wisedom of God to mans salvation But to fall back to our reckoning and Receipts is there nothing else Remember at night when you go to bed what is she if any be that sleeps in your bosome if you have not received her at the hand of some ordered and lawful Minister And when you shall go to your latest bed the Grave what difference from brute animals if we assist not to make it an honest and honourable Sepulture strange that mankind cannot well come in nor well stay nor well go out of this world without us and yet the world hates us Doth not this deserve a Torcular And I need not here press the cup of Comfort all apt enough to receive that benefits of Light and Salt and few so sensless but perceive it would be a very dark and a flash unsavoury dwelling here without the Gospel even stony ground will take in the Seed and gladly But where 's the Consideration of what is due to us And here I spare you I will not press that in the old Testament of Honouring God with your substance and first fruits and tithe of all that you possess I know the evasion you would turn over a new leaf and turn me to the new Priesthood in the New Testament yet take heed what you do for what is the news there How soon in that primitive Church do you meet with fellers of Possessions and laying all at the Apostles feet that 's a Torcular indeed and puts me in mind of a pretty passage in Tannerns a Jesuit who wishes withall his heart that all the Kings in Christendom would come and bring in all that ever they have and put it in their Churches treasury and henceforth be ruled by her but his Conclusion I like best Hoc in aeternum nunquaâ—fiet this will never be while the world stands saith
and the winter house Solomons house in Jerusalem and that in the Green and that in the forest of Libanon 1 King 7. And if many houses for a man for a King What for the King oâ— Kings Why the Scripture besides this in the Text mentions very many houses of the Lord a multiplicity a Zodiack of houses for the Sun of Righteousness for our Lord and Master Christ Jesus both to receive our service and to do us service in them all c. 1. First Mundi machina the Universe the whole round world with many fair and goodly rooms 2. then that named Habitaculum ejus sacrum Heaven his dwelling place the new Jerusalem of miraculous Structure past Amphions or Apollo's fingring The work of thy fingers saith David yet he speaks it only of this rough cast out-building stuck with stars which though a glorious sight yet is but the cover or shell of this great hollow Egg wherein as in a perfect Vivary full of Cages and Parks and ponds he hath ark't and housed together us and all inferiour Creatures But of his higher Palace His Empyreal in most court imperial for his Saints and Angels the Apostle calls it an House not made with hands but as he is light and his robe is so cloaths himself with light so is the house Light inaccessible Domine bonum est Let us dwell here No more go down from this mount but 3. we must descend as he vouchsafed to do to the womb of the Virgin Sol in Virgine sometime it s one of his houses in the Zodiack and now the Son of Righteousness was there there was God hid and housed for a time nay Gemini in virgine not in a Nestorian but in a sober sence and to crie up the Miracle such as never was God and Man together though in two natures yet in one person remaining what he was yet taking and made what he was not There was a right vivary indeed when the Lord of Glory blessed for ever took lise blood of the blessed Virgin our Lady O what a Store-house Treasure house Jewel house was that that confined that reserved such a Rarity What a strange new earthly heaven for God to dwell and dress himself in and yet behold without breaking that house forth he comes and brings a fourth house on his back another new house of his own making still though assisted in the nchoation yet terminated in his person 4. he only of the blessed Trinity wearing that garment they all wrought upon which creando assumpsit sumendo creavit non extra sed in persona sua which rayment was a body real not phantastick as Marcion that eldest child of Satan so Polycarpus called him and the Marichees imagined For then is all our faith imaginary too if no true conception then nor birth nor death nor resurrection true then is our preaching and your believing vain This destroyes all but we have not so learned Christ if we have been taught as the Truth is in Jesus We have learned that our Lord here took our very nature and true flesh woven with sinews a clay-house moated round about like one of ours that is compast with all mans infirmities sin except but very man of the substance of his mother No substance out of God or new caelestial or sidereal or Elementary matter as Valentinus thought A body then like ours yet in this unlike that in ipso articulo in the very moment of Conception it was proved entire and perfect in all the parts and endued with a rational soul at once which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saâ—tb Damascen the very extract of all novelty when that invisible and incommunicable verity by the Spirit took a soul and by the soul a body saith both Damascen and St. Cyprian when not by any addition or aggregation of Parts by degrees and leisurely sed uno conâ—extu the whole figure and frame of the body set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mighty work of Gods holy Spirit faith St. Austin and the School into which though a flow of manifold Graces from the divine nature of Wisdom Power Glory yet in the two natures united we preserve those adverbs all of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is without Mutation Confusion Division Separation as the Council of Chalcedon against Eutyches Corpus aptasti it is in the Psalm Never so fitted for an house For in this house dwels the fulness of the God-head bodily that is not by a simple Inhabitation nor Assistance or Habitude or Dignity or that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willing consent or what they call Equality of honor or Nuncupation or Beneplacitum only None of all these will serve but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Union or Unition rather hypostatical In this house dwelt our Lord many years submitting to clouds and waves of Our Infirmities and in this house new-raised from ruine and made glorious this blessed Eagle flew Cage and all This holy Inhabiter of Eternity ascended house and all to his Holy Habitation in Heaven and is there enthroned on the right hand of his heavenly Father 5. But while he was an infant Lord in the hand of his blessed Virgin Mother here he dwelt a while in his Cradle-house the stable-cratch then the Palace of a great King at the sign of the Star in Bethlehem then the right house of Bread Panis Angelorum The true Bread-house and true Head-house though low and little of all his greater Houses his famous Churches after at those great Cities of Jerusalem Caesarea Antioch and in good time their sister Rome her self their little Sister earst that had no brests but since ovationed for Mater Domina as if Domus Cultus Dominus himself had been born and upbrought there ab Origine 6. But stay a while Let us observe Dominus Domus yet better and we shall find him returned from AEgypt abiding at Nazareth and Capernaum and Jerusalem but commonly in the dwelling houses and banqueting houses of his Converts 7. Let these then if I staied too long at the former serve briefly for two Removes of our Lord. And because the Sea of Tiberias is near at hand we may safely walk with him on the water or see him take ship or hear him preach from thence and then a Ship is more then Domus 't is Domus Domini the house of the Lord then indeed 8. From the Press of people he was fain to hide himself in that house But no house must hide or hold him long Over the brook Cedron there was a Garden and oft he resorted thither and thence betrayed was brought from house to house to Annas house and Caiphas to Pilats's Judgement-hall to Heroa's and back again to Pilate's so to his Cross and never rested till the noble Joseph laid him in his Garden-house in a new Sepulchre where never man lay yet that the common house and lodging of mankind the Grave 9. There Kings and Counsellors of the
meat and drink to do service And here again Corpus aptasti I am sure we sure were â—â—â—er so fitted for a body and for an house For were it not for this house in woful state were all the great houses of the Land all the Princely houses of all Christian lands the famous houses of York and Laneaster Valois Burbon Medices and Austria The right descent and purest royal blood is from this house of flesh but for this house and his wearing it and bearing all ours sins on the top of it For into the house they came not What Title but from this Ancestour to Paradise the Palace the Nonsuch above not a Tarquin Priscus or Superbus but beholden to this Servius nay the best and purest votaties in this house of God the place of his service not David or Solomon or good King Ezekiah not Constantine or Theodosius or Jacobus or Carilaus no gratious King of famous Memory or present Merit no body though never so embellisht or embraved shall ever joyn in that Quire of his Saints and holy Angels above without the mediation of the body of Jesus our Lord and the service done in that body 5. But what service in that Inn at Bethlem where was no room for him it was yet made serviceable for us for there we Inn to this day all at that Star we Gentiles claim by those that were Primitiae first Guests to that house of Gold and Incense we find there he had and we Partakers of his fine Gold and good service hath his Incense done us I am sure We pray Lord increase our faith and he that could help our unbelief Lord might do us good service if so surely a hundred Sermons in this house not more available then the dumb Cradle of our Lord in that cratch The Scripture speaks evidently saith the Apostle the Scripture lies mute thâ— Cradle house yet therein is an herald to proclaim the fulfilling of two great Prophecies one was Et tu Bethlem there Christ to be born The other that of his poverty A Worm shame of men out-cast of the people Upon the very Pillars of this house which are but the staves of the Cratch may we safely relie and build our Faith this blinded and madded the Jew but thus it must be thus must Christ be born if ever he do us good this obscureness to manifest him this emptiness to be his fulness of a Messiah to fulfill the Scripture that so our joy might be full full of joy and Peace in believing This the service he doth our Faith and no less service in making us humble I believe Lord and may not every one say I am humble Lord too but Lord help our unhumility Help us off with the double lets of outward Pomp and inward Pride Behold this Royal Insant reaches out his hand to serve us from his Cratch in our Bed-chambers and by his powerfull his high and mighty and stupendious Humility thrusts it to our hearts and strips off all from the souls and bodies of his faithfull servants all that may offend the eye of his heavenly Father and in that voice comes from him in this Cradle though yet inarticulate we hear him in the evidence of his holy Word and Spirit say Learn of me Put on the Lord Jesus Christ who thus in this House serves us and helps his servants both in their Faith and their Humility 6. and 7. In the sixth and seventh the private houses and banqueting houses of his servants the Lord serves as a Builder and a Watch-man and a â—â—aplain to say Grace and bless and loves to do â—â—vice there in the freedom of his conversation said in his dish by the proud Pharisee and in dayly working that Miracle of warry juice turned into Wine concoct into fresh and cheerfull blood 8. Next he serves us in those water-houses Wilt not thou O Lord go forth with our Armies saith the Psalmist so we may say The Lord hath gone forth with our Navies as in 88. so Quadragesimus octavus too Mirabilis Annus And then it is the Lord and the Power of his Might that hath saved the Metaphorical ships of Church and State kept those Bottoms from forreign invasive storms and dangerous Schisms and Leaks at home Skilfull Mariners may do well but he the Pilote at the Helm Christo Duce auspice regno is a Right Prophetick and true Inscription by Land and Water His bloody Cross a braver Flag and nobler Badge then Lucida sidera Castor Pollux This Pollens Lux ipsa the true Light to guide the whole feet He did us worthy service who first came by ship to conveigh the Light of the Gospel hither some years before a spark of fire at Rome What doth Lux by whose blessing on our ships we may by the same way derive the Light to other Nation yet in darkness as importing so thus exporting too the unsearchable Riches of Christ to which all Treasures of East and West are pale and drowsie and muddy things as a little Gravel in comparison Thus venture I still on with my frail bark and well enough if still Cesarem veho bear his well tryed Patience and attention along while Dominum Caesarem vebo That Lord who now could find no further house-room on earth or water but ceas'd not yet to do us further service in his very Sepulchre 9. For till he came thither thither we were come dead and buried bound hand foot in the grave-cloaths of our sins sealed up and claspt down with a stony weight of the wrath of God which would have prest us to the nethermost Hell But behold in that short time of his abode in this house what Rare Redoubts and Mines this mighty Engineer casts and contrives works a descent through the Iron jaws of death down to Hell and like a Conqueror ascends leading in Triumph Captivity Captive opening so and seasoning and sweetning so this house before so dreadfull filled with ultimum terribilium that his Disciples all that love and seek him in Life and Death shall never find discomfort in a Grave Nothing but a Requiem and Dormitory with Angels sitting at the head and feet till he awake them in Tuba novissima and raise them to a meeting in the clouds where all his servants shall enter into the joy of that their Lord. 10. As for the Catholick Church to demand his service there is to ask What good the Vine the Head the Bridegroom the Corner-stone do to the Branches Members Spouse and Building in those strict Unions nay closer then all those per euâ—dem spiritum Behold so am with you never to offer to part from you never to suffer you to part from me to the end of the world in the end and world without end which will be soon discovered by the Service done to each particular Member in every â—fâ—nr Souls and Bodies in that house For is not our body his house wonderfully and fearfully built that little world of beauty shaken
out of dust and bals of living fire fiâ—xt in our eye-brow what work makes this heavenly Potter even with that clay in white red blew after all his polishing forced to take it down and like China earth hiding some for many 1000 years will shew his Power in their raising far fairer then before and yet able to dispatch the same effect on others in a moment in the twinckling of an eye changed and not die by a suddain dissolution and a suddain re-union But far rarer Workmanship is the Recreation of our souls washt brighter in his blood and heightned by his Spirit We need but two things for our souls Grace Truth and both came by Jesus Christ from his fulness we receive both by whose service and Ministry we are made New Creatures invested in a Robe and admitted to an Order past the Fleece and Garter the Right Order of the holy Ghost Brag not vain man O run not up into some beastly figure if guilding like a snail or tracing the way of thy preferment by thy blood or match thou be mounted to a local state of Wealth and Honor for these can add no new substantial forms But this access of Spirit from this Lord is right enobling and superinduces a new soul which like fire devours and takes up all within thee and winding in one Coelestial flame and embracing Understanding Will Affections wings and lifts up all to Heaven 12. Lastly In this very house where we assemble for the Worship and Service of the Lord it is the Lord himself that does the Service to the whole Assembly So that a non nobis Domine is fixable upon the porch of this and every house of God For first he invites us hither Come I Call upon me Seek you my face The skie of Scripture hung round with provocations calling us to service and being entered who executes the parts of our Divine Service in this house of Prayer And is it not he that prays for us in us with us before us and teaches us to pray and say after him Our Father and as once by himself in Prayers and strong cries so here assists our dulness and deadness of Spirit by his own quickning Spirit inditing our Prayers and raising our Devotion with sighs and groans that cannot be exprest It is secondly a house of preaching and we indeed preach Jesus and our selves your servants for Jesus sake nay him a Servant for your sakes But if we speak him right it is he that speaks the word of the Lord heavenly Treasure from our earthen vessels that the excellency might be of God and not of us 'T is he that first did write the word which is his Power and Wisdom to our salvation and 't is he that spels the Gospel and reads and speaks to us in his Word and he that laies out and distributes sentences to several bosoms as every man hath need and he alone that follows the Sermon home and saies it all over again to our hearts Finally his House is a House of Communion for the Saints and Churches of God for the due receiving of his holy Sacraments And as in the Baptistery it is he that receives the Infants in his arms and washes their Souls in his blood and makes the water there a Laver of Regeneration So in the Supper of the Lord it is the same Lord who first shed those primordial purple drops at his Circumcision the first fruits of his all powerfull blood to begin the work of our Salvation and ever since at every holy Communion gives both body and blood the food of faithfull and repentant Spirits and makes those sad sweet drops fall again to the anguish first and then the healing of our souls For such a different office hath this blessed Sacrament that it serves both to discover our sins and to seal our Pardons Wherein while faithfully we receive him he really receives us into him and we him into us So all of us become one body and one Spirit and all by the service of one and the same for ever Jesus Christ to whom c. S. D. G. A SERMON Preached at YORK 1640. AT The Council of King and Lords EPHE 5.8 For you were once darkness but are now Light in the Lord. Walk as Children of Light IN the Skie of Scripture shines the Sun of Divinity And all Divinity all that Sun is shed in these thee Radii The Lapse the Restoring the Duty These are a perfect Catechism And a sum of these is the Epistle to the Romans injust Methode and this Text a methodical Brâ—â—iat of that Epistle indeed an Epitome of all the Book of God for here we have the Creation the World struck out of Chaos or what is more mysterious It could not chuse but please the Angels then to see the LIGHT rise out of darkness by a powerfull FIAT and the earth anon to emulate heaven by vertue of a Producat But this This Rare Work the Angels desire to prie into 1 Pet. 1.12 And if we pace along we shall find here Enoch walking with God Abraham called out of VR to another VR a purer Light The deliverance from Egypt the Red Sea the Rock the Mannae the Ark the Mercy-seat And here are all the Sacrifices the Life and Substance of them all with the Fulness and Light of all the Promises and Prophesies and here is the new Testament The Star appears Behold we bring you glad tidings Run Shepherds and see the great Shepherd of all our Souls whiles yet an Infant Loe He is wrapt here in the Swadling bands of this Text. He is the Word and this his Comment his Paraphrase and Explication You were once c. These words are a Tree laden with fruit most precious the very shell the rind is precious But if we open this Onyx this Pearl Cabinet it contains rare Food and Medicine and Wine and Balsam a Quintessence an Extraction beyond the Spirits of Oyl and Wine and Spices For what Chymist can draw Light Is not that that thing my sterious in Job 38. which way saith he is the Light parted yet here is more the Sun the Spring of Light here is that Sun of Righteousness and the Father of Light and the Spirit of Illuminations All All the holy blessed and glorious TRINITY unfolded here we may with Moses in a pious sense see him that is invisible Behold that rare workman tasking himself in his main project busie in dispatch of all his Miracles at once The Leper is cleansed the Lame walk the Blind receive their sight the dead are raised Nay Majus opus moveo The earth raised up to Heaven Flesh wrought up to Spirit Nature changed to Grace and dust advanced to he Partaker of Divine Nature For you were once Darkness c. A Comprehensive Text it is will take in all persons Speak I to a King or Lords Will they not all be glad at heart to be enlightned by this Dominus in the
Lastly As it is implyed that our Saviours victory on the Cross was his purchase of the Gentiles Rev. 2.26 27. and Phil. 2. His stooping even to the Cross precedes his exaltation and then a Genuflexion and universal Acclamation All tongues to confess him c. So the mission of his Apostles to the Gentiles was after his passion and a little before it we find in John 12.24 some Greeks desired to see him and he answers in a Riddle If the grain of wheat die it will bring forth much fruit which was meant of himself saith St. Austin He was to die by the unbelief of the Jews and then to be multiplyed in the faith of all Nations as we see it come to pass But that faith saith St. Paul Rom. 10. it grows not in nature comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And this hath brought us a little on our way in the understanding of our second part which we now pursue Lux in Domino Light That 's the matter here and the manner is in Domino or the other way for the matter indeed is in Domino and the manner by way of Illumination For what is meant surely that great work of God Mans restoring is meant included in a second great work Illumination of our minds and that in a third great work The light of the Sun in our eyes How rare and choice a fruit must that be which hath such curious Coverings The very Metaphor or rather Box and Nest of Metaphors is observable Is God a Metaphorical God saith one D. D. And he answers himself In a pious and humble meaning respecting the Scriptures heights and Excellencies in Allegories not only sinews in the Milk of Gods Word and things in his Words but spreadings and strange Rhetorical passages and curtains of figures flowing into figures Where are those Sophisters and Grand Seniors and grave Rabbies with their old dissembled Ensigns of Ignorance the Beard the Habit and the Title that will allow men no use of humane Learning in disclosing Divine Mysteries Is the Grape therefore harsh because such Strainers cannot reach it Theology shall remain the crowned Queen of Sciences but will admit her Hand-maids to carry keys to her Cabinets But ere we look in here be pleased to arrest your consideration on the covering of this Ark that is the Light of Heaven And as before in Darkness so here again we are blind with dazling How many are the opinions of those rowling Torches of Heaven the Sun and Moon St. Austin and in his old age too for it is in his Euchir ad Lauren. knew not whether he might account them to the Angels And for the Light Who shall tell us what it is When it comes to our doors and beats upon our eves we know not whether it have a real Being in the Air or an Intentional The first the second both and neither of both are defended Look into the Microcosm and Fiat Lux else all invisible no form no distinction and all inglorious nor use nor beauty 'T is Plenitudo the filling of all the Creatures and gives them Cognition Life Motion View the Microcosm the Light of the Body is the eye and not the Organ so much as the visive Power the light within that sits behind those Glass-windows with a balance and a file and weighs and works upon the shapes of things that enter But both these Lights are Darkness if the Medium be not illuminated if the Air be dark and searching the Scripture though we find not what it is yet we find a world of wonders in it Five things imparted yet remain entire Knowledge Vertue Happiness Joy and Light and this the Embleme of them all No good thing but Light takes it in by comparison all good things but never any ill Wisdom Health Beauty Food Joy and Reputation All the Graces of God Knowledge Faith Love Hope Joy Consolation yea the very Glory to come all our Joy and endless Bliss in that vision of Light And if God should ask us What house we would make him or to what compare him Should we offend in saying LIGHT though nothing resemble God exactly yet something better shews how far he is beyond all resmblance and by that Light his Creatures afford our admiration of his Incomprehensibleness may be raised higher and higher and with it so raised our longing after him enlarged And sure as in the works of Grace none liker God then LOVE So in the works of Nature Light as it is the eldest so the amiablest and the likest to the Father and what the Fathers affection is to it we may see by his first giving Light to the Chaos It could yield him no delight who was the double Parent so long as it lay in Night and Darkness and so deep in too that nothing yet was day What stood thus blindly could not be pleasing in his eye who is all eye But when it saw the Text saith God saw that all was good Doth he not dwell in Light and cover himself with Light as with a Garment May we not say his House and Robe and Eternal Essence are all one boundless christal Globe of Light Doth not he say so God is Light the Father the Father of Lights and the Son is God of God and Light of Light and the Holy Spirit as in this wide Engine of the world it is an inward eye which moves and rowls Spiritus in us alit So in our Souls it is the Spirit of Illuminations directing us to that place where in his Light we shall see Light even see God face to face and know him even as we are known I had not staid so long on this this cover here but that I conceived it might be in our way to discover what remains remembring my Promise to pass this part in explanation so demonstrating in an Orb where every part gives Light unto one another Here by the way might be inferred the usefulness of our sight and how we are bound to bless God that enjoy that Comfort And secondly How to compassionate the blind that sit in darkness considering there is no perfect joy on earth without it no nor in Heaven it being one of the torments in hell Darkness and contrary to the Inheritance of the Saints in Light And thirdly Applying to such times as these Rejoyce in this favour of Heaven that earthly men cannot restrain or excise the comforts of the Air and Light c. But we pass to our fruit it self the meaning of this Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in our restoring veil'd here under this God-like Creature of Light That illumination which we receive from him by his Spirit relieving us from our state of corruption and bondage of darkness and translating us into his marvelous Light and glorious liberty of the Sons of God For you were c. In Domino In Domino For he is Light in the abstract others by participation He the true Light the cause efficient
who by his beams currents it out and delivers it over to all others 'T is in him universally and totally not now Light and now Darkness and exemplarily For all Light uniformly and causally prae-exists in him as in the simple and supernatural cause of all Lastly In him is Light in all the Powers of Light Expansion Renovation Nutrition Conciliation and in this power he vouchsafes it us though thus to make it ours it cost him more then making Light at first then he spake the Word only but here he suffered Multa tulit Sudavit alsit But blessed be the Lord God of Israel he hath raised a mighty Salvation for us in him Two ways as we are in Domino by Justification and then as Dominus in nobis by Sanctifications See already for our comfort Darkness of the first Adam taken off by a double Light in the Second Plus addidit medicina Christi ad salutem quam infirmitas detraxit sanitati saith St. Ambrose on the 12. cap. of the second of the Coriuthians And St. Paul agrees the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift of free Grace far to exceed the loss Rom. 5. and calls this dealing of our Saviour The exceeding Riches of his Grace Eph. 2.5 Call it the Miracle and the grand Mysterie no words will reach it Call it the Height it s above all the Depth there is no founding it nor Length nor Breadth imaginable by our weak spirits can span it Call it the Incomprehensibleness Numen the Deity of his Mercy to restore Light and Ability that we might have Life and have it more abundantly 1. A Sun and a Moon for day and night it is so Justification a Sun a prime a Spring original purity absolute in him and we in it and under the imputed Raies thereof our whole persons made bright and gâ—â—tious and acceptable Adam was brave in his native Integrity but this above humane perfection the Righteousness of God preserved too by him that it may never be lost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now that is nor man nor Devils able to take them out of his hands those that are thus made Lux in Domino that is justified by faith working by love This is that white Robe which as it hath no spot so it will admit no mixture in the Act and Energie of justifying Our merits wrought up with his are like Musk and Ambergreece in a Perfume faith Gomesius a Papist and thinks he makes a fine composition but is it not rather an odious comparison Yea we are to renounce all those devices of Congruity Configuration Conformity c. if supposed to contain any vertue in themselves toward the Act of Justification only that true Hercules sailing in the frail vessel of his flesh comes to unrivet us from the Caucasus of despair to which mankind was fastened by a knot inexplicable and inextricable God is just and man unrighteous a sinner and must die and for sin is in darkness and shall not see Light Christ Jesus stoops to untie this knot denies the Minor makes the sinner righteous justifies the ungodly makes Darkness Light in Domino and then there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus 2. The second Light is Sanctification and that 's the striking the raies not upon us only but into us The first is in him only and ours by imputation God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself pleases himself in that but this second is inherent Righteousness in our hearts called Holiness without which we shall never see nor please God You will say these are high and glorious sounds and these Graces with their distinct or united natures and times have exercised the wits of men but since they are Donatives in the hand of our heavenly Father How are these things made over to us Clear that passage make this part of your discourse this Point of Divinity lightsom to our Capacities Tell us how shall these things be So said the blessed Virgin to the Angel when she was to conceive Christ in her body and for this Conception this Perception of the Lord in thy soul the same Answer must serve The holy Ghost shall come upon thee The Power of the most high can do this by his Spirit and how oft is that repeated Habitat he dwells in us by his Spirit and if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his that 's the surest mark and a man cannot say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit which is therefore called the finger and hand of God the vertue and Power of Christ who tells us in Joh. 14. I will not leave you Orphans I will come to you there 's his visitation and abide with you there 's his Residence and erecting of a Court and adds I will be your Teacher Comforter Remembrancer and all these in his Spirit who is all these to us these are his Offices and operations And must not he needs have Heaven at hand that hath the God of Heaven in his heart John lean'd upon his bosom but Christ rests in thy bosom by his Spirit opening thy dim eyes and opening them twice saith St. Austin giving a double Light in the Lord First to see thy sin and guiltiness and blenching at the horror thereof opens them again to see thy Saviour in his blood and the Spirit of his Grace But all this I have said you will say still is meer speculation But tell us what heavenly Magick or Mastick can combine or which way shall these two spirits meet How Gods Spirit and mans comes thus to match and marry in Domino Quae ferramenta qui vectes said the curious Enquirers into the Creation And have not we some as curions in this Reparation States have their Arcana Imperii their Ragioni di stato which is Jus Dominationis and every Trade is called a Mysterie But God must shew us all the jointures and Inlay of his Work and Will Take heed of pressing into Light lest we be opprest with the Glory Poor man What discernest thou in the workings of those Spirits that are but Creatures and vassals to the Creator yet have their methods Eph. 6. Inventions Circumventions and are exalted above thy reach in high places have the vantage ground of Pigmee mankind Nay What seest thou of thy own spirit Who saw it come in or go forth In the Air we all breath in the wind that fans that air which are but a little kin to spirits what do we understand yet God is so indulgent to our nature and weakness as to take in for us auxiliary Light of comparison for the clearing of that which in the downright act is indeprehensible Here 's a stir indeed saith the poor blind-born man in Joh. 9. With what and how which way Well! I cannot tell you all but one thing I am sure of I was blind born blind and now I see And our Saviour John 3. Thou bearest the sound of wind and
knowest it is wind by that but knowest not whence nor whither So is every one that is born of the Spirit The cause and course is secret but the effect discernable As in Creation our soul and body meet by breathing so here the mystick work is Inspiration and infusion of manifold graces but those graces have activities and such whereby you shall easily perceive that you were once darkness but are now Light in the Lord. These Graces then will give us further Light whose excellencies are laid out in those expressions of Water Floods Fountains and Fire and Milk and Manna and Oyntment and their Efficacies in those names of Seal and Evidence and Earnest and Witness and Joy and Consolation And are there not fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. Fruits that grow not up from the bitter Root of corrupted nature but from another Principle and which in their bloom and freshness render a man not like those Ethnick Graces only facile and sweet in conversation though they do that too but gracious in Gods aspect and glorious too shining as a Light in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation If we shall taft a fruit or two in specialty I will only trie to do it in this notion here and under this Capacity of Light 1. Knowledge even that of nature is a Light and mans soul still is the Lamp of God saith Solomon and a Wisdom residing therein that Recedes as far from folly as Light ftom Darkness and this was all those great Philosophers Animalia Gloriae had which puft them up so For this hath some tincture of the Serpent and soon inflates yet alas Mans salvation is that Grove and Mysterie Nulli penetrabilis astro not pervious nor peirceable by the star-light of Reason There must come a supernatural Light from Heaven which as in the Giver it is called a Sun of Righteousness rising with healing in his wings the day-spring from on high and the True Light so in the Receiver it is called a great and marvellous Light of which Will you hear St. Paul I count all loss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the supereminence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord this indeed is all for in this is all This is Eternal life to know Thee and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ to know him for my Jesus to apprehend him for my Justifier by a second Grace by a true and lively Faith 2. Faith then is another Light of the sanctifying Spirit superinduced on the Light of Reason to raise and perfect it for it is not in stones or beasts God can from stones raise up Children unto Abraham but if so the work must first be done by Infusion of a rational soul and the golden Key of this Grace then fitted to the prepared wards of reasonable Nature It is not amiss to compare it to Sybillaes golden bough which grew to and upon the Trce and as he adds Auri per Ramos aura refulsit So this superstructure out-shines the utmost endeavours and perfections of Nature and Reason and resembled it is by some as the Seal to Wax It is not naked and meer reason as Air is Fire but Faith is rather printed reason and there joined Light if we wilfully exstinguish not their flames will yield the bearer fair Direction and Confidence and Consolation There may be there will be a coarctation a compression of this flame in the act of Faith a damp upon the alacrity thereof yet if there be not in us an evil heart desirous nay wilfully set to depart from the living God If you abide in me saith our Saviour then certainly as his Father and he with the sacred Spirit joyntly made Light at first and pin'd it to that Sun which was never wholly darkned since and as he the true Light breaking from the clouds of the blessed Virgins body and joyned to mans nature retains that nature still now glorified so the Spirit of this Grace possessing thy spirit loves never to part again but grieves when we offer to quench his coelestial fires O then learn not to despair of Mercy and Assistance Clouds and Eclipses obscure and wandring and wicked thoughts self-accusings and self-condemnings and Satans suggestions may trouble and affright us But if we abide in him and be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might and resist the Devill he will flie from us and our hope in Christ and the Power of his Resurrection like a rising Morn will scatter all the delusions and rebellions of the Night and remember his gracious Promise Hell-gates shall not prevail against a Faith of Adherence All the Powers of Darkness let loose upon St. Paul yet he was safe I know in whom I have believed I live saith he no not I but Ckrist lives in me and it is his Spirit only that can give assurance that whereas I was darkness my Faith in him makes me light in the Lord. 3. As for Love another Grace the Grace of Graces the bond of perfection and especially of that coelestial Armor and Ardor of the soul to God What might we say Whatdo they feel into whose breasts is shot this right coelestial flame and there shed abroad by the holy Ghost which is given them Away then with all wanton fires of earthly Love or ambition set them but by this and they will appear poor and wan discolour'd pale and drousie things and like meretritious females shewn with modest and noble Matrons dasht all out of countenance 4. Lastly for I am not too long to insist on these Graces so perceptible to the Possessors if we would have true and lasting joy Where shall we seek it Is it to be found among those Pangs and Convulsions and Palpitations of an earthly sensuall mind Mala mentis gaudia as the heathen Poet calls them and plac'd by him far within the Porch of hell Meteors of imperfect mixture Scansory and seeming to mine and aim at lightsomness and height of Spirit But having crackt awhile and blaz'd down they slide again and resolve into their first earth and drossiness But he that hath tasted of the heavenly gift the joy in the Holy Ghost wherein the Kingdom of Heaven on earth doth principally consist can tell you of a joy that is full a joy unspeakable and glorious consisting in a dispersion of all that is dark and desolate and a true Light that is Lux in Domine Light in the Lord. Thus have we trac'd this Oriens ex alto and thus far described that Method that Lucidus Ordo of Gods procedure in descent of his Spirit and defluence of his Graces Thus far we are come to meet with this great Bishop of all our souls this blessed Visitor and have observed his way of baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with enthean fire and confirming his People with the manifold Graces of his Spirit But yet since he is in Heaven and that Spirit is to descend on us we are not satisfied till we
also Negatively Dewâ— 5. â—7 Not kill nor cozomit adultery nor steal and so the Apostle Be not dsceived Neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor covetous nor drunkards c. 1 Cor. 6.9 Not yet to shew you further of this in that new eapanfure and firmament of his Grates under the New â— estament till I come to the consummation I intend â—or the conclusion But by the way even this connexion of comforts may awake our consideration and raise our admiration and by that call up and address and enlarge our thankfulness St. Beraard wonders as well he may at those Dual junâ—toes of God and man and of maid and mother and then that admirable conjuncture in man of faith and reason mixing their auxiliary forces and mutual assistances to comprehend and believe this Mystery How can our souls then escape an extasie of comfort when we light upon those conjunctive precious Promises God will give grace and glory and no good thing will be withhold Glory and Honor and Immortality on every soul that does well and on the contrary the Remembrance of the Law of God given in conjunction should make us tremble to sever what God has so joyn'd and entender our consciences to avoid every wickedness not abhorring Iâ—ols and committing sacriledge not pretending to fear God and yet dishonor the King and yet hope to escape the chain-shot of Gods Judgements which come in conjunctions too and for them that treasure up sin he treasures up wrath against the day of wrath he hath treasures of hail and stormy tempests stor'd up for the ungodly plagues of famine and sword and diseases tribulation and anguish temporal and spiritual and Eternal 3. A third Material is the Expansion the extension of this golden Ingor The spreading and dilatation of this comfort of our being Gods peculiar before we look upon it Refin'd in Christ in the state and trial of adversity For if thou beest of those that in corrupt times canst fear before the Lord and think upon his Name which are the qualifications of these Jewels of God in the Text in what blessed Ark and Repository then art thou How safe dost thou dwell under the shadow of those wings that are never nipt never lose any long feathers wings that are a tent in time of peace in time of war a Pavilion and a strong tower of defençe and protection Let then the world hate disclaim on thee Caesar frown Princes persecute the whole world against thee as it was once said of Athanasius yet as Athanasius entitles one Psalm the 62. Psal Adversus omnes Insidiantes all enemies of state fame body and soul so mayst thou write over this Text and make hither thy appeal and hence derive thy Cordial and Restorative in this that thou art Gods own the Lord of Hosts is with thee the God of Jacob is thy Refuge All the Sentences of Scripture containing gracious Promises are as St. Jerome told Paâ—la fences for the brest of a Christian How is this then able to hoop it round with steel and keep it up from sinking in despair be the affliction never so forcible to press it down Though thou wert humbled with all Davids miseries that thou couldst take up all his complaints at once Though the proud rise and assemblies of the terrible seek after thy soul and thou bear in thy bosome the Reproaches of all the mighty though thou art left as a sparrow or as a Pelican in the desert a brother of Dâ—agons and companion of Owls thy Lovers and friends put far from thee and thy acquaintance into darkness and though thy bones are burnt up as an harth and sorrow hath dryed up thy strength that thy bread is ashes mingled with weeping though thy soul melt thy spirit ore-whelm'd and thy heart within thee be desolate though the terrours of death compass thee and the pains of Hell get hold upon thee or were thy wretchedness equal to that of holy Job Broken with a tempest and fill'd with bitterness the venom drinking up thy spirit thy reins clâ—ven asunder and thy gall poured out upon the ground thy face foul with weeping and thy eye-lids in the shadow of death Or in thy Reputation like him made a by-word and tabret for drunkards or like St. Paul the spectacle of disgrace a fool the scum and off-scouring of all things Yet all this fire is quencht in one drop of his mercy whose thou art and who is thy keeper and Defender Thou shalt be mine sayes God mine for all this the sooner for this I will look upon thee respect remember thee own thee raise thee lift thee up visit mark thee seal thee and make thee up a Jewel for my self 4. This was the Expansure and Dilatation next is the complication of our comfort as it is wrapt up here in Dominus Exercituuâ— the Lord of Hosts Indeed the arresting and conserving of all joyes is in him that weares that Name by a right Excellency And this Title falls fitly in our way to be tryed before we can make a full extraction For though the Emphasis be in They as we shall see anon and the comfort enclosed in â—â— ine yet would this Mine prove but heavy leaden Ruff. Verbum frigidum as St. Cbrysostome calls moum tuum were it pronounced by the greatest Monarch upon earth The life of it is in that the living God hath spoken it For shall not the Judge of all the world do right and hath the Lord spoken and will not perform it That Lord whose Attributes of Power and Mercy both are specified in this Appellation of Dominus Exercituums The pith and strength of all lies in this For though this Name seem incidental here and by way of Perenthesis yet is it axis cardo the hinge on which the whole hope of the Righteous turns and it would break the sence of the whole sentence to leave out this The sence I am sure of the blessing not so full nay none at all if he were not Dominus Exercituum The School makes three Degrees of perceiving God by Names both in nature and Scripture First Negationis remotionis He is not the Sun not finite mutable Secondly Perfectionis affirmationis when what is most excellent in things create we apply to God by way of Analogy and Resemblance so we call him Just Merciful High Glorious Thirdly Names of Excellence and Supereminence as this Title here for to seek him amongst the Hosts of his Creatures yea in the highest things we know is Ridiculous but to determine him there is impious Vltra altra quarendus cryes St. Bernard And yet though it be an impotent hope and impudent attempt to imprison God in Names yet as God every way incomprehensible to make some impression of his Nature to Moses gave himself a Name so we find the man after Gods own heart and by his own inspiration say the Lord is a man of war The Lord of Hosts is his Name By which conjuncture of War and
victorious Army of boyes or Pesants chance to over-run a Kingdom with noise of weapons as the Prophet describes it and rowling of garments in blood what then become of all their glory their Pattents and painted wax If then you seek for right enobling and to be truly honorable or if you would be men of good estates indeed and enjoy certainties and perpetuities sludy to be in the favour and protection of the Lord of Hosts for then however it go for this world you shall be sure of Eternal blessedness in another at that day when he shall make up his Jewels Secondly a contrary use for all those wretched souls as pride themselves in being none of Gods Elect that mock at mention of Grace and Godliness whose language is fully recorded in the second of Wisdim and their Posterity to this day praise their saying and continue the same frontless impudence A Race of impious scorners Solomons fools imagining it the utmost of disgrace that can be stuck upon them to be call'd or counted Religious or Lovers of God a profession fit for a crue of sullen melancholy simpletons Mean time in what a fearful condition do these Jewels of the Devil live I and glory in their shame and perdition for let me speak to some one roaring Leader of this band and say who hath bewitcht thee into this Delusion It may indeed advance thee to some friend ships and full tables that thou art a full swearer a curious drunkard or an Eloquent Historian of those sins wherewith thy body bewrayes thy youth to have abounded and yet thou art content to belye thy self in the Relation and being thus far from remorse thus given over to a Reprobate mind thou art not able to conceive the Apostle where he tells thee they are without hope that are without God and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands what is it to fall out of the hands of the living God and so that he which made thy soul filled it with noble faculties offers it Grace and Holiness and Purification should be forced by thy wilful rejection of Grace and Mercy to give over his work to cast thee off for ever that thy soul should contract so much dross and defilement thy works of darkness so extinguish all impressions of Light and Beauty as thy Creator should not I am sure will not own thee but say to thy everlasting horror and astonishment Depart from me I know no such workers and boasters of iniquity Thirdly to trie our selves Dost thou believe that God esteems thee as a Jewel purchased by Jesus blood and that he sets his heart upon thee O take heed this be not vanity and mad presumption Reflect on what we said last of those properties inherent or ascribed to precions stones and shew me first thy faith by thy works What are the vertues and precious operations of thy faith and profession If thou beest of a refined and sanctified nature thou wilt be a grace and an honor to thy God And where is that thy love to his name thy zeal to his glory and then is thy life operative upon others by thy example won to goodness Art thou precisely carefull and curious to preserve others specially those within thy charge from Ignorance Idleness Prophaness Wantonness Bribery Drunkenness Or on the contrary Is thy manner of conversing with men scandalous and ignoble sinfull and shamefull O remember then however thou mayest have a name to live thou art but dead though thou seem pure in thy own eyes or the applause of Parasites yet those eyes truly enlightned would see thy own deformity that thou art yet in thy sins and not cleansed from thy wickedness yet in thy pure that is thy impure naturals and far from being any Partaker of the divine Nature Consider then our selves by those two propertie especially Solidity and Clearness First Are we firm and sound no counterfeits constant in the practice as well as profession of Christ Never worse times then these of late but never better times for trial And if our hearts have been preserved unshaken there is yet a Scrutiny and an Inquest after our Holiness and Purity and Clearness for God will have his Jewels untainted Our God is of pure and fiery eyes and no impure thing must tarry in his sight Come out saith God and touch no unclean thing and then you shall be precious in my sight be my Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6. In those precious stones on Aarons brest-plate was engraven Holiness to the Lord and Gods material Temple so beautified tipically prescribes what those souls should labor to be which God vouchsafes to make Temples for his holy Spirit Unclean spirits inhabit wicked souls but the holy Ghost takes it in despite is grieved and quencht with our pollutions and so for God the Father the Father of Lights he will not endure the deeds of darkness under colour of his service Pure religion and undefiled even before God the Father is in a main branch to keep a mans self unspotted of the world James 1. ulc i. e. escaping the corruptions which are in the world through lusts God is good to Israel i. e. to all that are of a clean heart Indeed a Jewel of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath its honor thence vocatus fuit inclytus is the Paraphrase so called for its excelling Purity And so lastly in reference to our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that redeemed us to be a peculiar people to himself and like himself Tiberius would not suffer the image of Augustus in Ring or Coin to be born into any unseemly Place so the adopted Sons and Servants of God will be carefull of disgracing the glorious Image of Christ Jesus sealed and imprinted in their souls by admitting stains and blemishes but be carefull to abstain from the least appearance of evil and to purifie themselves even as he is pure because till then he is not throughly enamour'd of his spouse the Church till her neck be comely with rowes of stones till she be as the Rose and Lilly all fair and no spot in her Yet all this is spoken and must be taken with the Apostles Caution and Restriction not as if any had or ever could attain perfection here No they reckon a number of infirmities that the most precious Jewels are subject to There is Fumus Vmbra Nubeculae Scabrities Capillus Sal Punctum Scobes Plumbago Ferrugo Rubigo Vomica which distain the purest stones So in the choicest of Gods people in the rarest vessels of his honor prepared unto Glory remain those Reliques like Clouds and Ices They have all their grains and spots Delict a quotidianae incursionis and St. Austin speaking of the Churches brightness and perfection adds Ad hoc Electa non ut jam sit talis sed ut ad hoc paretur Their goodness may be true because unfeigned but not altogether fair save only by comparison So hath sin poisoned the
all those gracious Promises those Letters of Love indited by the Holy Ghost in Prose and Verse which cry unto us to turn and look upon and accept the salvation profered that salvation which our blessed Saviour wrought for us by strong cryes and by the effusion of that blood which yet cryes and intercedes freshly for us not all these availab letill the third visitation of his Spirit which is therefore called the Comforter Coming as Jobs friends in visitation both to mourn and comfort him Nay what Visitant what Physitian what Confessor what Wise of thy bosom what Friend who is as thine own soul would so attend for he abides for ever So minister for he helps Vna sublevat for the Greek better expresses it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assists in lifting against our Infirmities so pray and groan for us with sighs and groans that cannot be exprest against all our faintings and despairs our sick fits of fear and distrust giving us Evidence Earnest broad Seal of Heaven untill the day of our full Redemption And this is that comfortable Visitation of the sacred Spirit respectively to the means of Grace when he will not trust me with the Bible alone the story of his Birth and Death not the Sermon alone the Exposition and Application of that Story but comes after both and sees how they work nay makes them work in me and enables me in some good measure to work by them Mans office in regard of this mercifull visitation it to debate and answer Debate first Think what we were before he visited Lost Captives Enemies Dead in sins and trespasses He then to drop his Blood and Grace his manifold Grace preventing exciting guiding confirming softly pierceing even into stony hearts which is described by many a sweet and amorous Metaphor These are his Flaggons and Apples and our state a Marriage above that too there 's una Caro one flesh But this Union so high and holy no words reach it Per â—undem Spiritum by one and the same Spirit But what shall we do First Believe else we make God a lyar and there 's the quarrel when we trample upon despise and count the blood of this Covenant as an unholy thing and if we tremble to contemn him shall we dare to think it nothing Shall we take a solemn Pride in despising his servants Et eo nomine even therefore hold a man despicable because a Minister Remember it is observed as the height and Precipice of all iniquity as far as people could do or God could suffer when God rising early by them was mockt in them the Text saith then there was no remedy 2 Chron. ult cap. But again Debate What shall we do and the Apostle meets this Consultation Make your Calling and Election sure and this to be done in Gods Method Enquire after our Calling first and not begin at the wrong end Hearken to that cry of the Spirit within thy soul the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and not too fondly spend the time in searching those rouls of Gods predestination and take heed of sinking thy soul toward a despair in his Mercy or to a self-condemnation For the Spirit of God speaking peace darest thou still proclaim a War Or if God have no bill against thee shall thy timerous Conscience be framing vain and carnal Answers Doth not God ask by way of Indignation Where is the bill of thy mothers divorce or to which of my Creditors have I sold thee Isaiah 50.1 If so Then what shall I answer answer God in obedience all the Creatures preach this Answer there is in all a Correspondency The Corn and Wine and Oyl hear us and the Earth hears them and the Heavens hear it but all hear him even the most unruly Creatures are our Rule the stormy wind and Tempest obeying his voice So we his Voyce without in his Word and his Voyce too within by his Spirit speaking to our hearts not then drown those motions or bury them in company and wine and worldly cares or pleasures lest so we quench grieve or do despight to the Spirit of grace and obey him actually not in professory Religion only but walk in light and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Lastly quid retribuam what answer but a grateful admiration as he that spake after a full apprehension O Lord what is man that thou dost so visit him This sacrifice as he counts it an Honour so t is all we can offer all we can offer him on earth and when all things here have end endless thanks shall have their beginning in Heaven As that Church in triumph there all those Angels and all those Virgins Prophets Apostles Martyrs with their loud clarious and Trumpets and Harps of Gold and Ivory strike nothing sing nothing but Hallelujah So we that are parts of the Church Militant should exalt our voyces and joyn in full Chorus We praise thee GOD we acknowledge c. Heaven and Earth shall thus be full of his glory 2. Gods second Visitation is in Judgement and for sin general When we find him coming forth of his Treasury his store-house of plagues War Famine wild beasts Pestilence and particular of crosses sickness loss But t is the great visitation here chiefly meant in the day of Judgement For Job was under temporal calamity now already at the pronouncing of this Text yet as we are viatores in our way to take notice of this especially as it reaches his servants his choisest though with limitation with that distinction ever ad correctionem non aâ—ruinam and yet they fall thick in the morning saith Job in the night saith David nay visiteth him every morning and trieth him every moment Job 7.18 For is there not a swarm an hydra and wheel of troubles in our whole life per caput circa saliunt latus saith he when rose the Sun so fair but ere his fall some clouds have seiz'd on them if not on him some grief some nay many many perturbations enough I 'le warrant thee for I have Gods own testimony enough for the day is the evil thereof Upon this Visitation when it drops when it falls when it pours on us what shall we do Why first debate stand and consider as Job if all should go Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked must I return Is it the height the depth of any grievous affliction What is it more then that of my Saviour O but he was more then man is it more then theirs in Heb. 11. rackt sawn asunder c. Hast thou yet resisted to blood or is it come to the fiery tryal And then in affliction at least after it ask thy soul is it not good for thee Heb. 11.2 as the Apostle speaks of strangers may not a man this way receive Angels unawares as Gen. 28.16 Jacob on his journey at Bethel when he wak'd and said surely God is in this place so God is in this Visitation and I was
Romans and God himself confined his own people and pinned them down with Laws and still controules the rising of their cruelty by remembrance of their own condition in Egypt and for that very end the Holy Ghost proceeds here with a double Argument against such Insolency which Tremelius cals Elegantissimam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Argument drawn saith he a Judicio Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Judgement of our common Lord and Master respectless of any mans person and therefore the despising either of his person or of his cause yea of such a cause as wherein he dares contend with me that am his Master even this God will not bear I must answer for this nay I shall not be able to answer it if I be guilty but of this And the second argument is taken a jure naturali in the fifteenth verse Is my mold or mettle better then my mans Is a Lords flesh and blood of a purer composition then his Grooms or his Foot-mans Did not he that made me in the womb make him And did not one fashion us in the womb or fashion us in one womb that is the common womb of our mother earth What is then the lesson hence but meekness for all to practise but specially those in upper place since none is more superior then a Master over his slave And for this purpose the Scripture presents us with two strange examples Moses so chosen to advancement by God himself So known of God as his friend Dignified by his miraculous Power in the eyes of his enemies and by the conduct of his people that never man more prompted to take state upon him and yet it is said this Moses was the meekest man alive The other is David when he danced before the Ark and Michal reprooving him he told her he would be more vile since so she called his humility and confesses the bottom of his heart Psal 131. I have behaved my self and quieted my soul even as a weaned child We find this was at least they said so in the intent of those Philosophers both Sceptique and Epicurean to arrive at Mansuetudo Tranquillus animus to clear the soul like a fair and unclouded Heaven and this was brought us by the Doctor of Heaven Christ Jesus both in precept Learn of me to be humble and meek and in patience possess your souls and in practice stooping himself not to a survey of our miseries but clad enclosed compassed with all mans infirmities sin only accepted and as unashamed as glorying in his humility he cries out tell the daughter of Sion not her Servant but her Soveraign her King the King of Kings comes nnto her meek And is it not then a miserable consideration a wretched spectacle to see a proud man and a humble God an angry impatient and a merciless man and yet a God of Love and long-suffering I look to Heaven and thence I find descending the Saviour of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is his Description in Hebrews 1.3 the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express image of his person in shape not only of a man but of a servant He that commands Legions of Angels and whose attendants they were in the wilderness and proud of the office to serve him as his Cooks and Butlers And shall not this example work on me that am but dust and worms and keep me from insulting over Inferiors who though my servants and my meaneft Hines and Drudges are yet respecting him our Lord and Father both my fellow servants and my fellow brethren Observe the provocations to this Vertue He scorns the Scorner resists the proud but gives Grace to the humble The Meek he will guide in Judgement in his Judgement he will teach them his way Psalm 25. When he shares the world he tels us The Meek shall inberit the earth and delight themselves in abundance of peace Psalm 39 7. which he ratifieth in his blessing Mat. 5.5 â—ut this is earthly blessing is it not so in heavenly things too Hear him in his Prophet Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings and we know what that means To whom to the Meek His first coming was for the Meek in the same Prophet Isa 11.4 And to meet again with the Text When God shall visit when this Son of God shall stand up to judge and to cast all proud and barbarous and cruel dispositions into Hell so he will then lift up the Meek and never leave these polisht Jewels till he hath inset them in heavenly Glory For the Lord takes pleasure in his people and will beautifie the Meek with salvation Psalm 149.4 Aud therefore who is a wise man saith St. James Jam. 3.13 let him shew out of a good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom for such is heavenly wisdom at verse 17. first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy c. If we preach it must be in love and the spirit of Meekness 1 Cor. 4. ult If you hear Receive with meekness the Word Jam. 1.21 If we will both Preacher and Hearers walk worthy our Vocation it must be with all lowliness and meekness c. Ephe. 4.2 For as if in this one grace all the rest were lock'd and infolded so doth the Apostle speak there and reckoning up the several gifts of the Spirit in Gal. 5. they seem all to be but Meekness diversified to several names To end I beseech you brethren by the meekness and gentleness of Christ Be ye cloathed with humility and upon that reason which is here in my Text God visits for rigor he resists the proud but gives Grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5.5 Furthermore If cruelty exclude from Paradise and disable from standing in the day of visitation Use this for terror against all the terrible Ones upon earth all exalted and crnel Oppressors They must hear of the wrath of this Supervisor in Heaven who sees them from thence and from thence they shall in that day see him come to visite for this sin Though they can over-soar and escape all power on earth yet see what a day the Lord threatens to make in Amos 8. and joyn to that the Prophesie of Isaiah 10.1 2 3. c. and Jeremy 6.6 c. Lastly Extend this for Consolation Regum timendorum in proprios greges saith he the highest power on earth can stretch but to their Vassals but over Princes themselves is his Perogative and Dominion that here stands up in my Text and of whom Solomon saith hc is higher then they In the cause and quarrel of Christ Jesus then we must put on the resolution of those three valiant Children The God whom we serve is able to deliver us Dan. 3. but if not we will not disobey his Command for any countercommand on earth And in this all those poor Saints of God that groan under the Turkish
make the Seer overseen to lose the eyes of his mind to drown his holy unction in drink and suffocate the Spirit of Grace he must be apt to teach saith the Apostle and in the same place it follows Not addict to Wine left that disqualifie his Palate and Brain and render him Ineptum unfit to teach or to be taught But I hasten to a fourth and last sort of Visitors that is all Christians in performance of that general Duty which concerns both preacher and People and is indeed a prime part of Christianity and that which St. James calls Pure Religion namely to visit the fatherless and widdows in their adversity and that which will be remembred and enquired after at the great and dreadfull visitation by the Judge of all the world who will demand not what we have preacht or heard or professed bnt what we have done And among those works of mercy that shall follow and felicitate such as die in the Lord and shall then rise in the Power of his Resurrection this is a Chief our visiting the sick and those in prison And the omission of this shall be taken as a neglect and refusing of Christ Jesus in person In as much as you have not done it to them you have not done it to me Consider what I have said and the Lord give you and me and us all Understand in all things Let us pray for a Blessing c. THE FIRST SERMON AT COVRT GEN 3.9 The Lord God called unto the man and said Adam where art thou 1. A Text antient and catholique for all times seasonable fit for all places fit for all places and persons Is it to a King that I preach I may tell him this Sermon whereof my Text is a piece was the first piece of sound Divinity and preacht to the first Monarch-Lord of all the earth yet preacht by a greater King even the King of Kings and Lord of Heaven and Earth If I were preaching to a Parliament I could tell them this was the first that ever was in which the first malignant-Party was justly sentenc'd and the two first Delinquents in mankind put to Fine and Ransom 2. Take us together without respect of persons and the Text will serve to call upon every man here that professes himself a son and a servant and yet is apt to forget the Law of the Lord his God Where art thou first for the place In whose house in whose Courts in whose presence-Chamber and even this Demand considering our usual inconsideration is enough to shiver us as it did lacob with Surely God is in this place and I was not aware And then where art thou In whose Court of Judicature and even now to be called to thy answer for the same business as Adam here The breach and violation of Gods Commandment For thou hast eaten also of the forbidden fruit for so is the committing of any thing against which Gods prohibition lies and are we like then to be found Recti in Curia Can we answer him any one thing of a thonsand so the Call will concern us and the sense of the words will penetrate to our hearts also if we refuse not if we run not away from God and seek to hide our transgressions in summ it is a Text well worthy our serious attention 3. We may call it an Introduction to a judicial proceeding of God against man after his sin For after sin comes Judgement Premit comes So it was ab origine Adams case The first book-case that ever was And Judgement as St. Peter saith begins at the house and more here it begins with the Son of God for as in fulness of time he sent his only begotten Son in the similitude of sinfull flesh and to condemn sin in the flesh and though he knew no sin yet to be punished for sin being made sin for us and bearing all our sins in his body So here he comes in the beginning of time to arraign and condemn sinfull flesh in his own Son Christ is his honourable true and only Son begoten of his Father before all worlds by an everlasting generation and ineffable that none can declare But all the sons of men are his sons too by a generation declared in Ethnique Poety first and then in antient Catholique and Apostolick Divinity made of that Poety Acts 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are his Off-spring and Generation we all are so but our Forefather was so by a kind of Primogeniture as St. Luke expresly Which was the Son of Adam which was the Son of God Whence even thus early may we make application that certainly it will be then a poor and barren a silly and impotent a base and impudent hope for any son of Adam to look for Impunity Rather all must look in severals one day to hear this Call of God Where art thou Wheresoever thou shalt be or howsoever found dead among those that live in pleasures drowned and soakt in fleshly lusts or choacht in wordly cares or quick from the dead from that dispersion and resolution to watery slime and mud to earthly dust or aerie Atoms All the Mass and Collective body of mankind once made and then at once remade by his mighty Word shall hear his almighty Word that Voyce and Trump of God Return you sons of men Arise and come to Judgement Let us in Gods name and fear do so now Arise quicken our thoughts prepare for since prevent we cannot that last by considering of this first Judgement 5. Wherein the parts are four our two first parts are the two Parties appearing in and at this Judgement God the Judge and man the Delinquent Our third particular is the manner of the process Calling The Lord God called unto the man And the last is the matter of the Summons Where art thou which in the literal sense is Whether art thou fled But in the Mystick it bears a kind of secret Increpation and a touch of pitty Where art thou The glory of my Workmanship become the shame of all the Creatures Into what a miserable condition reduced that thou art ashamed of thy self Alas Adam where art thou and before we finish our Observations on the Text we may come to make use of both these Interpretations 6. The first part of this Judgement is the two persons appearing so I said there were two But yet it is not so The first person spoken of is the Judge and he is present The Lord is at hand But the guilty sinner he flies for 't Et non est inventus But it is not possible for him to escape or lie hid the sin will find him out and we must all appear Rejoyce O young man saith Ecclesiastes Eccle. 11. in th◠youth in excess of Riot Pomp Rage thou canst cover all under the fig leaves of youth but know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgement young and old without difference every soul to answer for every thing
and umbragious being chas'd away by the fiery indignation of a powerfull God especially with this co-consideration that his treason had been committed against a Lord so gracious But whether this Gracious and great Lord God was the second Person the Lord of Glory our blessed Redeemer Christ Jesus as some will have it conceivd both of this and other apparitions in the old Testament I stay not to determine nor to enquire But thus far only this Note will easily fall upon and into our consciences if we resist not if we despight not the Spirit of this Grace Namely that we should bear an infinite derestation to sin which procured at first and hath that malignant properte intrinsick and everlasting in all successive sin and sinners to provoke still the anger and offence of a most gracious Lord and if so then to think further of that infinite Grace and Love and goodness which even after sin committed could procure that Lord to compassion and could draw so deep a descent of Mercy as to submit himself to his most bitter Passion whereby he gives every wounded soul a clear assurance in an open pardon sealed in his own blood and also in this very Name leaves an Intimation that all our disobedience all our foul and many and weighty sins fall yet within the measure and compass and cannot sink us past or beneath the mercies of a gracious Lord God And therefore we to raise our souls upon this double Name as on a pair of powerfull wings oversoaring despair and flying up into his bosom who is our hope and life our dread and Love our Judge indeed but yet our Advocate that calls to us Come to me and whose blood cryes for us and we therefore to cry to him with that Disciple newly awakened to that frightfull and that delightfull double sight at once both of his sin and his salvation in Christ which made him so resolutely and so cheerfully take and wreath these Names together with Mâ—us in the appliance Dominus Deus meus my Lord and my God 12. This instruction I know and so you will apprehend it fits far better with the â—exts of the new and yet is no stranger in the old Testament For even Isay and Malaâ—hy in their clear and frequent forementions of our Lord retain as well the Relishes of Evangelists as Prophets and David openly sings and playes him on his Harp as Evidently as Elegantly Nay not so vail'd in Moses but that this very place of Genesis so early in the worlds infancy reveals some think the very person sure we are the Office of our Lord and Saviour whose after-manifestation and coming to destroy the works the Devil had made is promised within six verses and call'd a bruising of the Serpents head 13. But let us pursue this same consideration another way that a gracious and so a glorious Lord and God is offended and by sin drawn to an opposition to an enmity with his beloved creature man The vileness of sin is many wayes discovered in the language of the Holy Ghost It is to a main height of expression when God descends to so low a comparison as that in Amos I am prest under your sins as a Care is prest under many sheafs My Rebellion my stubbornness is a dangerous sin done against my Prince or Pastor or Parents And my violences my cruelties are heavy sins because in them I oppress my brother as a good man it may be better in his eye that made us both then my self But did I ever understand till now that I may oppress him that is optimus maximus my God also Is it not enough to weary men sayes the Prophet but shall I dare to vex and weary my God also and afflict and grieve my gracious Lord and his Holy Spirit No wonder we find David complaining My sins are a sore burden too heavy for me to bear when Davids Lord tunes his voice to the same key Your sins are a sore burden too heavy for me to hear Dost thou not see O vain man by this the vileness the odiousness of thy sin which makes him impotent that is Omnipotent As also in that term of Abomination How frequent is the use thereof in holy Scripture to cause us to write this lesson into all our souls from thence Nothing makes us so ugly spectacles to that Lord our God as sin which causes him to turn his face away in displeasure not able to abide us in his sight nay forced to deny his own workmanship Depart I know you not thus making him ignorant that is Omniscient And yet above and beyond and beneath all these we may collect the height and breadth and depth of a sinners dangerous and fearfull condition by those speeches of anger and provocation The wrath of a King is as Messengers of death the Wise man tells us and he that provokes him to anger sins against his own soul What is it when we provoke the holy one of Israel to anger O Lord rebuke me not in thy anger if in that mood I be called into Judgement O Lord who is able to abide it And this is doubtless one of the depths of Satan one of his main aims in provoking us to sin that thereby God being provoked to anger may declare himself our enemy What shall we then say Men and Brethren What will we then do May we not then say justly that other Lords have unjustly reigned over us Infoelix Lolium steriles dominantur our base and barren lusts and pleasures have indeed justly by Gods permission and by way of punishment had dominion over us by our willing submission of our souls to their sway and tyranny And will we still do so continue in sin still make a mock of gross and grievous sins never startle or admit the least umbrage of remorse at open blasphemies and often Adulteries drunkennesses Are not such mens Souls and Bodies States and Children in a fearfull manner engaged to the wrath of God which they hourly provoke by these abominations Alas poor wretched man or woman however titled Preacher or Hearer Lawyer or Courtier Lord or Lady every wickedness every known sin I dwell and delight in and resolve on is not only a touching pitch whence inevitable defilement nor a carrying fire in my bosom impossible to escape detriment but is an opposition a rebellious outstanding and sleighting of my God enmity for the wrath of God is manifoldly proclaimed from Heaven and Wisdom cries it in the streets Gods Declaration we are not ignorant of and dare we then despise If I be a Lord where 's my fear What earthly Monarch the anointed of the Lord unless super-anointed with the spirit of patience and meekness above mortals can endure his lawfull Commands to be vilified And can we look for less then suddain execution of that wrath which is drawn out and ready to fall on sinners and hath been the sinners case from the beginning Adam was our first Father
Division and Confusion These are the winds Euroclydon and Boreas and his brethren that lift up the waves of popular Tumults and none but Jehovah can still this Tempest 14. Especially if Maximi mingle in the mass of Populorum and run with them to the same excess of riot in Opprobrium which God forbid True Nobles and great ones worthy the name of the Worthies of Israel will consider the base alloy to be ingloriously harded with vulgar spirits and wise men will not easily be blown up or hurried away with every wind of Doctrine but be and do like those nobler Bereans that is search if those things men preach be so or no. They will read and believe the Scripture which tels them that the Lords anointed who raised them to be Majores Maximi made them suscipere magìs maximè The fountain of all honour is ordained of God to be Caput Head over all the Tribes in the Old and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supream in the new Testament â—ud so set on the Throne and in the place of God that the Kings enemie is Gods enemie Every Opprobrium cast at him reviles Jehovah here renâ—ers the Rebuker of David a Blasphemer of the Lord. And therefore for the Lords sake since â—o parting him and Caesar every Maximus will â—arn what every Minimus every Christian that hath a soul as Saint Paul saith most learn that 〈◊〉 to be as Jehovah made them subject and that or conscience sake to God conscience of sinning against God blaspheming God and the King go together and the sin is done against Heaven and that Father there which is committed against Paâ—â—rem patriae here To cut a lap from the Kings to be made honest Davids heart smite him and those hearts are but dull and heavy stuff that can endure Detraction to disrobe or expose to disgrace the spiritual Fathers of the Church and especially that Father whom in Oaths and Prayers we stile next and immediately under God over all persons 15. Thus are we something onward to a remedy if either Populus would be reclaimed or Maximi disclaim their associaton but if neither our next Remedy is here explicite Gest are in sinu that is Patience Gods own remedy he is patient and he is provoked every day and Christus Domini bids us Learn of him and Christus Domini David did so in the case of Shimei Let him alone it may be the Lord will look on my affliction and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day and so servi Domini enform us St Paul and St. James You have need of Patience and let patience have her perfect work Take the Prophets for examples of suffering affliction and of Patience so this Medicine is Catholicon and hath Gods Probatum affixt The patient abiding of the week shall not perish for ever 16. The last Remedy is in Recordare benedictum which make a whole prayer and first 1. Prayer in general it is the invention of Gods people from the beginning Tents and Iron-works from Cain and His but Invocation from Enos and his royal Progeny and God would have it so Ever since he kept house on earth it must be called an House of Prayer for all Nations all that would be of the houshold of faith and fellowship of the Saints If that honour then this work which pleases God above incense and doth him more honour then all burnt Sacrifice But what good to his servants all the good our hearts can desire for would we do Wonders drie up Seas cleave Rocks stop the Sun or the Lions rage quench the violence of fire subdue Armies Kingdoms or over-power created and increated Nature bind down the hands of God himself Prayer hath done this and more with that Prayer of Bow the heavens and come down the Church of God brought down that Jesus at whose name we bow who bows the Spirit of God to us into us and fills us full of Grace and Truth of Faith and Hope and Love and Joy and all those Graces which serve to bring us in Grace and to reconcile us though sinners and enemies to the Father through the Son as he proclaims the Peace himself In quo acquiesco 2. Secondly Here is Christus Domini at prayer Iexhort that first of all Prayers and Supplications be made for Kings that 's well but I shew you amore excellent way Kings to make Prayers Supplications for themselves an appeal lies to and here from for Caesar too at this Throne of Grace before this Mercy seat of God who is the only Ruler of Princes And in this Davids zeal exemplary I was glad saith he when they said unto me Let us go up to the house of God Our feet shall stand in thy Gates O Jerusalem And in trouble and trouble of enemies let others seek what remedy take what course they please but I take my self nay I give my self unto Prayer 3. Thirdly Prayer in distress the proper Remedy because God erected the Court of Requests in Heaven for the grievances of his Houshold This the pool with several Porches and Parishes where if we wait in right season we may be cured be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never so noisom what disease soever it be Should the enemies of Christus Domini conspire and continue to drie up that oyl of heavenly Power which pours it self from the head for the preservation of the members or the state it self grow sick of a Tympany or false conception or shake and totter with the palsie or we have just cause to complain in the Church and pray God to deliver u from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I think such as regard no Topicks fetch their Arguments from no common place of old Reason or Religion evil and absurd men 2 Thess 3.2 O yet here 's our refuge The weapons of our Militia are our our Prayers to him that cals upon us to call upon him in time of trouble and he will deliver us 4. Fourthly Speciaily Prayer is prevalent in this particular textual disease and malady of Opprobrium Our Litany with Libora nos Domine is the best Ditany to throw off this arrow to return and repay and requite it into their bosom that annoy us is but Lutum luto purgare No though it be a case which nearly concerns us and an offence of an high nature yet our best way is to remove it to the highest court of audience in Heaven before the Judge of all the world where we have advocatum Regium and the darling and favorite of that court to plead our cause which is his own and who took this course himself reviled not again but commited it to him that judges righteously The Apostle indeed Eph. 6. arms and prepares the Souldier of Christ with an Helmet and a shield a sword too of the Spirit and fits him with an whole Armoury beaten our in Heaven for him But how concludes he praying always with all
prayer and supplication 5. Lastly This particular Prayer of David Recordare Domine a word including all Law of God all Duty of man all Sermons and all Prayers For as the Decalogue hath a tree of Life in the midst a branching RECORDARE stretching over both Tables So both again comprised in two Memento's of Vivere Mori and both these contracted to bene vivere two Memoraries The one for Praeterita the Pit whence hewen the Mass wherein corrupt that for Erubescere and then Novissims least the infernal Pit shut her mouthes upon us and this for Contremiscere and so the Spirit and Quintessence of all Sermons is here For we are but Gods Remembrancers so is the Holy Ghost too in preaching and in Prayer Though you know these things saith Saint Peter yet my Duty is to put you in mind in Remembrance If any man be fallen remember and do thy first works if gone back Remember Lots wife To a single person Recordare tui to an Husband to a Father to a Ruler Tui Tuorum Tuâ—rum then such have need of firm and large Memories And preaching to a King of a King from the Book wherein this holy King and sweet Singer of Israel lies embalmed and being dead yet speaks and stricking still his Harp a strain of Davids Recordare will not be disdained Recordare me Domine saith he to God and I to his anointed Remember David and all his troubles And how they stand here yet fresh and fair to be read to his renown in GODS Chronologie However State or Church Monuments may fail a gracious Soveraign but envies self cannot do so Post Fata quieseit and Querimur then turns to Quaerimus Davidi yet God preserves him ever in his book of Remembrance mentioned in Mal. 3. Are not these things noted in thy Book by that heavenly Recorder The righteous shall be had in everlasting Remembrance 16. And so the Sermon might go round to all the Subjects a whithering poor Minister to a dilatory Prelate or forgetfull Patron Recordare Domine and a good Patron to an idle Pastor pointing to the Pulpit Recordare Domine too To the Voluptuary at his fourth health least he hear it too late in hell when he cannot get a drop Fili recordare Finally it will fit us for Imprere a Motto to all our Coats or Coat-armours our Courts or Coaches over all our Houses upon all our Pictures and for Posies to all our Rings to the Bridegroom Domine to the Bride left she forget the Covenant of her God Recordare Domina Thus is it if we speak â—o men all Sermons so is it if to God all Prayers A form of Prayer for David and all Gods servants in all Cases but one Remember not Lord our sins and our offences and yet even therein Lord remember us in Mercy Remember thy old loving kindness and forget not thou to be gracious But in all our troubles if Kings oppress their people Clamabunt ad Dominum is allowed for the lawfull Remedy 1 Sam. 8.18 That is but right and as good reason then for David when from his soul he breaths that vote of God Deut. 32.29 O that this people were wise That they understood That they would consider And yet finds them to mistake and cannot undeceive them but still they beat him with Rebukes in his Bosom and slanders in all his paths then to return and appeal to his God with Recordare Domine Lord clear up the Mist and cause a Right Understanding and a fair Proceeding that I by just Rule and they by due obedience may glorifie thee our only Lord and Saviour Even so rejoycing in the Testimony of a good Conscience and the discharge of his Duty Nehemiah is bold with this form Remember me O my God and wipe not out my Kindnesses c. And to name no more It was the last prayer that took with the Lord of life before his death Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom And yet even after death it may serve us for Epitaph to call upon God for the Consummation Nay after still in that Consummation it will be of use to mingle with Te Deum Magnificat in the quire of Saints and Angels No Independency even in that Church Triumphant but Recordare Domine as from the Lord our Beginning so on thee for ever depends the Perpetuity and perpetuating of our Endless Felicity 17. Blessed be the Lord We are come to our Anâ—heme After Prayers and Sermon to a Benedictus A close refused by some Interpreters as unsutable to the Context But Calvin saith not so Why not as well in the end as in the Beginning of this Psalm My Song ever shall be of the loving Kindness of the Lord that is his Prologue and doubtless to ease his grifes and raise his hopes He purposely makes choice of this Epilogue Vlysses way to pass the waves of this troublesome world and all Encounters was Resolution and Patience But Orpheus and David singing the Praises of the immortal God shall scape not only Syrens but Scilla too with all her dogs and all the Blasphemies and slander in the gulf of Opprobrium here Therefore the King shall rejoyce in thee O Lord Thy praise shall be ever in his mouth So may thy blessings ever be upon him and his seed after him and let all the people that fear God and honour the King say Amen and seal it again with Amen And so the Priest shall do his Duty even bless all Gods people in his name and to his name ascribe as is most due a Benedictus in Aeternum Blessing and Honour and Glory and Praise be unto our God Now Henceforth and for Evermore Amen Amen A SERMON CALLED THE Zodiack at Court 1 CHRON. 23. ver ult And that they should keep the charge of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the charge of the holy Place and the charge of the Sons of Aaron their brethren in the service of the house of the Lord. IN the service of the house of the Lord The first Text that I find mentioning the service of the Lord in his house and serves as a Glass wherein we see first Domus abstracted then Domus Domini in conjunction Thirdly Cultus Worship or Service due to Dominus in this Domus and reasonable service 1. Quâ Dominus as he is our Lord and then quâ servus too as he vouchsafes to do us service in many other of his houses and all the service in this house For Domus single In a word It is a main blessing if God afford man an house else worse then Birds or Foxes and therefore as Cains curse unhoused a Vagabond and Abrahams tryal Get thee from thy Fathers house so enrowled among Gods works of Power and Mercy mingled he makes men dwell together in an house and makes them housholds like a flock of sheep An house and a meinie and him many houses Multiply the blessing and encrease the Joy The Summer house
Salvation and I come to feel and know this of a certainty by Gods Power made perfect in my weakness which I discern in finding his Holy fear rooted in my heart and so fixt that no stout words of prophane nor incursions nor invasious nor seas of overwhelming Corruptions in the examples of godless men about me can prevail over me to abandon my Religion which is bottomed on my holy fear and reverend thinking on his blessed Name For as I have said the mercy of our indulgent Father appears not only in tying this amulet to our own bosom that every man is sav'd by his own faith and not another mans bnt also in the manner of this ancorage 'T is his special Grace that my being Gods own is made descernable in the Light imparted to my own soul from his Word and Spirit whereby I perceive the Covenant sealed betwixt God and me in Christ Jesus But this is more wonderfull mercy still that my assurance and modest infallibility of salvation is fastened by his Almighty Power and so surely fastened to so slender a cordage so weak and tender and bruised reeds as my Faith and fear are for these two are to our purpose terms convertible This fear in my Text hath Gold and Treasure in it and contains the precious nature of faith too and discovers the same Efficacy and Properties of lively faith so that he who possesses or is bereft of it is so of God himself See for this Jer. 2.19 This is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts So he puts Fear for our whole Religion So rare a Builder is that Lord of Heaven that as he made the Heavens themselves and the earth of nothing and hung saith Job the earth in the midst of the air upon just nothing So in this mighty work of Grace when I am afraid of not being fast enough his goodness makes that very fear the means of fastning and confirmation and anchors my assurance to my fear Behold the unsearchable and unspeakable riches of his mercy in this that he forsakes not man therefore because he finds not in flesh and blood the Pority of Angels but as it s said to Levi Mal. 2.5 My Covenant was with him of life and Peace and Life and Peace include all Blessings and I gave them to him For what Observe it well The free Grace of God in this exchange I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name and just such is the Appliance here of all this consolation for God hears and hearkens at verse 16. and a book of Remembrance is written before him for whom now all this and sor what For them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name and they shall be mine for that I will love them for that inward testimony and qualification and that inward Testimony and Qualification shall assure them of my love Is not this enough to make every one of us say at parting hence Well! I shall think the better of the fear of God as long as I live for this Sermon Do so in the name of God and take this further resolution with us Never to listen to the harsh and cruel doctrine of the Romish which a man would think were enough to throw down all the rest of their building in unstable soules if those souls would but seriously stay to think upon it if they would not like unclean beasts still swallow and never chew the cud and yet since it is fallen from them they must their Priests must by the oath ex officio all desperately maintain it as if they were told openly by one of their own Doctors at the Council of Trent and that is this That God will never be so assured never so contracted and espoused to believers hearts in everlasting love but even after all their Merits and Satisfactions and Penances and Pilgrimages and Supererogations too Is it not strange considering how wide they open their Ark at first and assure all clean and unclean beasts that will come in of never perishing Nay after all Pardons under the swelling seal and all plenary Indulgences Is it not a miserable case The wretched fluctuating Penitent after ablution extream Unction Absolution and all must be content to die in discontent and fall with horror and perplexity of Conscience and all his comfort in a little faint hope that it is not wholly impossible for him to get through long and dreadfull purging flames at length to the joyes of heaven But let us in Gods name still continue to repose our souls on Christ and resting on this ground of comfort in this appropriation we shall find no reason to conceive hardly of him who is the Father of Mercies and God of all consolation or impute a rigidness and tetrical sowerness or rather a tyrannous enwrapping us in inevitable damnation To admit no such jealousies and fears and suspitions of our Lord here but wisely learn to compound and keep close in conjunction that which God hath mixt and and put together That is a rejoycing in the Lord with trembling a worship joined with godly fear and joy in the holy Ghost and so we may return from his service as the women returned from his Sepulchre with fear and great joy PART 2. WE are come to our second part the Prospect the day of our deliverance and making up amongst Gods Jewels which day is fore-fold 1. The day of punishing the ungodly such a day as some think is described here at cap. 4.1 In such burning days the trial shall be made and then God will resolve this scruple here at verse 17. twixt them that serve him and such as serve him not and his Jewels in that day he will save spare as a man spares his own son as men incline to favour their peculiar and their Jewels and Treasure above all their stuff of less value as men in danger of shipwrack reserve a Jewel though forced to unlade the ship of all her other burden or as they catch away in times of war or fire or thieves some precious thing above all other goods And this renews the former consolation that to these Saints which excel in vertue these precious Jewels whose saith is precious sastned on the most precious blood of Christ belong all those precious Promises of compassing hiding embracing covering relieving defending comforting setting his eye heart soul upon them of opening his ears and hearkning to their cries of drawing near helping respecting assisting establishing blessing delivering by Protection Exaltation Coronation and this no empty but a real comfort including all time He hath and doth and will deliver us saith St. Paul He hath done it to his servants in the evil day in all their evil days of sorrow Sickness War Plague Famine Prison Deluge of waters or of ungodliness So Noah was boxed up in his ark