the Aduersarie insults ouer the Saints as if they had the better of them nay the whole victorie and had carryed them already into captiuitie It is not for any respect that God hath to the wicked that hee suffers often his children to be oppressed and vexed by them boasting and bragging of the equitie of their Cause the truth of their Profession and the soundnesse of their Religion but I answere them It was for no goodnesse that was in Nebuchadnezzar that the Lord deliuered his people into his hands for his Idolatrie was great greater was his crueltie and greatest was his pride As for his Idolatrie it was such that according to the custome of other Heathen when they were about to enterprise any thing they were wont to immolate and sacrifice vnto their heathenish Gods and by the looking into the intrailes of the beast sacrificed where the Deuill gaue them some signe they coniectured what would be the end and euent of their enterprize so Nebuchadnezzar doubting whether hee should wage warre against Ierusalem or the Ammonites did immolate and offer sacrifice vnto his Idols and Gods Pecudumque reclusis Pectoribus inhians spirantia consulit exta He stood at the parting of the way and did looke into the u Ezekiel 21.21 liuer As for his crueltie hee made the whole world as a wildernesse he destroyed the Cities thereof and opened not the house of his * Isa 14.61 17. prisoners And as for his pride the holy Ghost calls him Lucifer the sonne of the morning who said in his heart Ibid. vers 12 13 14. that he would ascend into heauen and exalt his Throne aboue the Throne of God hee would ascend aboue the heigth of the clouds and bee like the most High Now I hope our Aduersarie will not say that for any desert in Nebuchadnezzar the Lord put his people into his hands no more is it may I say for their merits or works of supererogation or for the worth and worthinesse of their Nebuchadnezzar their high Priest their Prince their God that the Lord suffered and in many places as yet doth suffer his owne to bee vnder them in captiuitie for their breaden God their woodden Images their canonized Saints c. paint out their foule Idolatrie their torturing and tormenting martyring and massacring of Gods Seruants doth sully paint out their crueltie and his Holinesse assuming vnto himselfe and their attributing vnto him all power in Heauen Earth and Hell doth demonstrate their vanitie and ignorance and his ambition and insolence But as the Iewes transgressions were the cause of their captiuitie Foure reasons why the godly are often ouerthrowne by the wicked so our sinnes are the cause of our afflictions And if you would be further satisfied why the Lord did and doth often suffer the wicked to preuaile against the godly let vs to his glorie and our owne shame confesse first 1. Their owne sinnes generally that our wickednesse is the cause thereof Why was the children of Israel deliuered into the hands of the Philistimes fortie yeeres because they did euill in the sight of the x Iudg. 13.1 Lord. The case is ours it is for our sinnes that the Lord suffers vs often to haue the ouerthrow of our enemies The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a y Prou. 28.1 Leuit. 26.36 Lyon saith Salomon doth not the Lord himselfe plainly tell vs that if we harken diligently vnto his Voyce and doe his Commandements then we shall be blessed when we come in and blessed when wee goe forth our enemies shall bee smitten before our face they shall come out one way against vs and flee seuen wayes before vs but if we doe not harken to the Voyce of the Lord nor obserue his Statutes then the Lord will cause vs to bee smitten before our enemies Wee shall goe out one way against them and flee seuen wayes z Deut. 28. before them Againe it is to be doubted there bee too many cursed Achans amongst vs 2. The couetous mind of common souldiers whose heart is onely set vpon the accursed thing I meane their mind is not to fight so much for Gods glorie and the good of his Church as it is for the prey the accursed Babylonish garment and siluer Shekels this forced the children of Israel to flie before the men 2 Ios 7. of Ai and this may be the cause why we flie before the face of our Enemie Thirdly 3. Want of deuotion amongst our selues there is but too little deuotion amongst vs we are not so feruent in prayer nor so zealous in our supplications to God as wee ought doe wee not remember that when Moses hand was lifted vp that Israel preuailed but when his hand fell downe then Amalek b Exod. 17.11 preuailed it was not Iosuahs sword but Moses wordes not Iosuahs power but Moses his prayer that discomfited Amalek Lastly 4. For the wickeds further condemnaâ—ion and the godlies triall and humiliation the Lord doth often suffer the wicked to haue the better hand of the godly for the ones humiliation and for the others destruction Doe we not read in that lamentable conflict betwixt the children of Beniamin and the children of Israel Israel had the better part first in the equitie of the cause for both the wickednesse was committed amongst the Beniamites and then they maintayned their folly in not harkning vnto the good aduice of Israel and deliuering vp the offendors the children of Belial to suffer for their lewdnesse and to put away euill from Israel Secondly there was great oddes in number for Israel was almost twentie for one Lastly they were permitted and licensed by the Lords owne mouth to goe against them and yet for all these they were twice discomfited and fortie thousand of Israel slaine but what did this worke contrition and humiliation in Israel for they sorrowed and wept before the Lord but in the other pride and presumption for they said among themselues they are smitten downe before vs as at the first but what followed in the end Israel hath the victorie the Beniamites are wholly ouerthrowne sauing a sew that fled to the wildernesse vnto the rocke c Indg. 20. Rinnon these are the reasons why the Lord doth often suffer the godly to haue the ouerthrow by their Aduersarie but if the godly would preuaile against their Enemie they must not doe euill in the sight of the Lord they must stone out all accursed Achans forth from amongst them they must lift vp their hands nay their hearts vnto the Lord and they must weepe and lament before him then gird your swords vpon your thigh O you most mightie according to your worship and renowne good lucke haue you with your Honour ride on because of the Word of Truth of Meeknesse and of Righteousnesse and your right hand shall teach you terrible d Psal 45. things pull downe the walls of Iericho
is read whereby we shall see the spots of our soules as in a looking glasse we may see the blots of our skin For by the Law comes the knowledge of i Rom. 3.20 sinne Lastly Sion is a Glasse ☜ because whilst wee are in this militant Church wee see not perfectly but as it were through a glasse obscurely Here wee see Christ standing behind the wall our sinnes being like a partition betwixt Him and k Isa 59.2 vs here with Moses we see onely his l Exod. 33.23 back-parts here with the blind man we discerne m Mark 8.24 nothing thorowly but hereafter wee shall see face to n 1. Ioh. 3.2 face here wee know but in part but hereafter wee shall know euen as wee are o 1. Cor. 13.14 knowne Thus farre haue wee spoken of the Iewes deliuerance wherein we haue touched First the Deliuerer both principall the Lord and instrumentall Cyrus Secondly the manner of their deliuerance which was by the ouerthrow of their Enemie Thirdly the Time which was when the threescore and ten yeeres foretold by Ieremiah was fulfilled and lastly wee haue seene the reasons why the Church of God is comprehended vnder the name of Sion it followes to speake of the sequels that followed vpon this deliuerance but let this suffice for this time and now Let vs desire and in all humilitie pray the Lord still to bee fauourable to Sion and still to build vp the walls of p Psal 51.18 Ierusalem that the sonnes of them that haue afflicted her may come and bow downe to her and all they that haue despised her may fall downe at the soles of her feet and call her Isa 60.14 Citie of the Lord Sion the holy one of Israel which the Lord grant for his onely Sonne our onely Sauiours sake Amen THE SAINTS SECVRITIE OR The first sequell that followed vpon this deliuerance viz. Their coadmiration THE SECOND SERMON VERS 1. Then were we like vnto them that dreame THese wordes contayne the first thing that ensued after the first report of their libertie viz. their owne astonishment and wondering at this vnlooked for alteration and vnexpected change of their estate They * Erant sicut somnâ—antes were like vnto them that dreame There be some that translate these wordes a Sicut consolati vel â—orroborati like vnto them that are comforted and chearished and make this particle b Sicut Sicut non similitudinem sed prâ—â—rieâ—aâ—emdenoâ—at Aug. As not to import any similitude but rather the truth and more certaintie of their consolation as when we say such a man doth like an vpright man we affirme that such a man is honest and vpright Iohn saith The Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst vs and wee beheld the glorie thereof as the glorie of the onely begotten of the * Father Where this particle As 2 Ioh. 1.14 doth not betoken a likenesse but the truth and proprietie of the matter that that glorie beseemed and belonged to the onely begotten Sonne of God so that the meaning should be this Non implâ—tionem sed imperfectionâ—m Beati dici non possunt plene consolati quia nondum ipsis associati sunt omnes electi ad communis gaudy complemâ—ntum Lorin That they were truely comforted and fully reioyced when they were freed from captiuitie and set at libertie But others thinke that As doth not insinuate a fulnesse but a want of ioy because they could not fully bee comforted seeing they were not as yet fully deliuered their ioy could not be full when their libertie was not in whole but in part Neither can the ioy of the faithfull be said to be full in this world because here we sorrow and b Rom. 8.23 grone Here we haue the Spirit our c Iob. 14.16 comforter but we looke for d Rom. 8.19 another Here wee are as sorro wing and yet e 2. Cor. 6. reioysing Here we reioyce in f Rom. 12.12 hope and hope deferred makes a sicke g Prou. 13.12 Sicut somniantes Quantacunque hic sit consolatio est quasi â—mbra quaedam tantum similâ—tudo suture consolationis Remigius in locum heart And therefore it pleaseth some rather to translate it like vnto them that dreame confirming their former assertion by this translation because whatsoeuer comfort we haue in this life especially if it be not spirituall is but vaine and vanishing and like a dreame it is but a shade and similitude of the comfort we shall receiue hereafter Now to find out the true meaning of the wordes following the latter the most vsed and most accepted translation Wee must briefly touch the seuerall sorts of dreames which are either naturall or supernaturall supernaturall are diabolicall and diuine * Diuine dreames Diuine procured by God himselfe whereby hee did reueale his Will vnto his Seruants as to Iacob and Ioseph And sometimes he restrayned by dreames the wicked from euill as Laban from hurting Iacob and Abimeleck from defiling Sarah Thus God spake in dreames and visions of the night when sleepe falleth vpon h Iob 33.14.15 men * Diabolicall dreames Diabolicall dreames are such whereby the Deuill deludeth and deceiueth vexeth and tormenteth men as he did Brutus before his last conflict with Augustus appearing to him fearefully in his sleepe and telling him that he was his euill spirit and that hee should see him at Philippi where after he being ouercome he desperately flue himselfe By dreames he doth vexe and trouble the wicked as hee did the Egyptians who besides the manifold plagues inflicted vpon them the sight of fearefull dreames vexed i Wisd 18.17 them but in this place where the Psalmographer doth compare the Iewes after their first hearing of their deliuerance to men that dreame * Neither of both heere meant no such dreames are to be vnderstood For all dreames procured of God were true and certayne and the euent and issue sure and certayne but such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as proceed from the illusion and deception of the Deuill were obscure and vncertayne and the euent ambiguous and doubtfull and it had beene no lesse sinne to beleeue the last then to doubt of the first Naturall dreames are caused either through the perturbation of the minde when it is charged and disquieted with cares Naturall dreames from whence they come for dreames come by the multitude of k Eccle. 5.3 businesse or from the affections thereof as the hungrie and thirstie dreame that they are eating and drinking when they are faint and their soule l Isaiah 29.8 longeth or they proceed from the constitution of the body if the partie be flegmatike his dreames are vsually of waters if cholerike of warres if sanguine then are they mirthfull if melancholike then are they mournefull Now The Psalmists meaning it seemes the psalmist doth compare them either to such as by the ardent affection of the
non vs dominâ—â— vllum in no babentes sid per insidizs agentes vs nos ad se pertrahant Zanch. in Eph. 4. and hath ouerthrowne his Kingdome yet he goeth about not as hauing any dominion ouer vs but to insnare vs by his cunning allurements and draw vs to him by his subtle intisements For this cause the Apostle aduising Timothy to labour to win and conuert the opposers of Truth whom hee calls the Deuils captiues hee vseth not the vsuall and proper word for a captiue but a word metaphorically taken from catching wild beasts by hunting Whereby is implyed that the Deuils power is destroyed yet he hunts about to catch vs in his snares and therefore the holy Ghost by the Apostles admonisheth vs to bee wary and vigilant and not to suffer our selues to be deceiued and circumuented Lastly all the ancient Expositors from these words he ascended on high and led captiuitie captiue August Beda Anselm in Ephes 4. infers another Captiuitie which is that wae being freed from the slauerie of sinne and seruitude of Satan are become Christs seruants And whereas before wee were the Deuils bondslaues now wee are Christs captiues and whereas before wee were vnder the bondage of Satan wee are now vnder the yoke of Christ and blessed are they that are vnder this yoke and are of the number of such captiues For here is no mourning no murmuring but great ioying and reioycing For we are redeemed from the hand of our enemies to serue him without feare Yet in regard of our naturall corruption and the Deuils daily temptations may we not cease to pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie As the Riuers in the South The manner after which the Psalmist would haue their libertie inlarged is set downe in these words b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ageil in loc as the Riuers in the South Which of diuers are diuersly conceiued and consâ—rued First an vnnamed Greeke Author is cited by Agellius who would haue this place to haue reference to tâ—e Câ—tie Rhinocolura built as hee saith in the frontispice of Egypt by such people as for capitall crimes were exiled and driuen out of the Kingdome by Amasis whither the Sarazens often resorted and by violent inuasion and forcible entrie robbed them of their goods and substance and after they had thus spoiled the impotent inhabitants they returned to their owne Tents and Places of abode but by Gods iust iudgement and permission the Riuer that passed by the Sarazens habitations and runne towards Rhinocolura after some tempestuous raine ouerstowing his banks drowned the Sarazens and with a swift current did carry downe their Tents goods and substance to Rhinocolura with all the commodities which they before had carried from thence so that the distressed and impouerished inhabitants of that poore Towne were by the meanes of this invndation both reuenged of their enemies and inriched with greater wealth by this allusion the Prophet should desire both a iust reuenge of their enemies as also a recompence for their losses But to leaue this conceited coniecture and more conceited construction of this innominate Author we come to the opinions of others who come neerer to the Prophets meaning First by these words some thinke that hee vnderstandeth the Riuers which the Lord caused to slow in the wildernesse and the waters which hee caused to gush out of the stonie c Eâ—videtur alludi quando è pet a eduâ— it torrentem fluenta aquarum Genebr in loc Rocke Others are of opinion that indefinitely he meaneth any Waters and Springs whatsoeuer which slowing in any drie ground doth fructifie and make fruitfull the same Some coniecture by this allusion that hee desires the Lord d Captiuos nosâ—â—â—s copiose recâ—rrere saâ— tantâ—â— cum gaudio sâ—â—ctu quo terra sitiens excâ—â— it fluentes p r cam riuulos aqâ—a plenos Cornel. Iansâ—n in loc to cause their fellow-captiues so copiously and in such abundance to returne and with as great ioy and prosit as the thirstic ground drinks in the streames full of water passing by it Others that he would signifie e Voluit signisiâ— re tam graâ—am almrandem fore populâ— ex captiuitate liberationem atque esse posit si hab tanâ—lâ—ss solâ—tudines contingerent fluminâ— Bucerus in locum hereby that their deliuerance out of captiuitie would bee as acceptable vnto them as floods of water can bee to such as dwell in a drie and barren wildernesse And others that he desireth their libertie to be accomplished with as great celeritie as a Riuer being bankfull doth run with a swift current or as Genebrardus saith hee would haue their deliuerance effected speedily more terrentium cito accrescentium as Riuers after rayne on a sudden doe swell and rise Briefly Argumentum petiâ—um vel à potentia Dei vel ab vtili Vide Scult in loc it is an Argument taken either from Gods sufficiencie to effect it or from the vtilitie that would redound to themselues when it was effected As for Gods sufficiency looke with what facilitie and ease hee did formerly bring water out of the hard Rocke and Riuers out of the drie wildernesse for their forefathers with the like facilitie when it pleased him he could bring againe their captiuitie And vpon the assurance of the Lords omnipotencie to effect so much and much more when it best liked his gracious goodnesse for them the Prophet now entreateth him by feruent prayer to coole and refresh their captiuitie as the Springs in the South of Arabia did coole and refresh the drie and scorched wildernesse at the Israelites departure out of Egypt As for the vtilitie they should receiue by this their libettie we may conceiue it if we consider first how the Psalmist in these few words desires the Lord to bring home the remnant that remayned still in Babylon and then to reestablish such as were alreadie returned to their former estate as also looke how profitable showres * Quemadmâ—dum largus insbâ—r aut fluuins eiusmodi solum recreat fruges calore solis adustas mirificè resicit it a liberatio ab exilio vebementer asslictos moerore depressâ—s Israelitarum animos vicissim criget incredibili gaudio perfundet Gein in loc of raine and coole streames would bee vnto the Sunnebeate South no lesse profitable would their deliuerance be vnto them being burnt vp with the burning Sunne of persecution The South countrie is naturally drie and hardned and so vnfruitfull and barren and therefore when it is moistned and mollified besprinkled and bedewed with fresh streames and coole waters it is made fertill and fruitfull so here the Prophet doth couertly expresse how hurtfull and hatefull their captiuitie was vnto them by comparing it to barren ground and how pleasant and profitable their deliuerance would bee by allusion to Riucrs in the South For as where the Sunne beats hot and where the ground is not moystned with the first and latter
of the Eagle is to soare sublimius so high till he can behold the Sunne The nature of the Lion is to goe Vlterius on forward scorning for any feare to turne backe All these should serue as motiues to perswade vs to goe on With the trees we must grow vpwards with the Sunne wee should run out our race With the Eagle soare alost till wee can behold Christ who is the Sunne of l Mal. 4.2 righteousnesse and we must not bee danted but boldly goe on like a Lion if need require through a whole Armie of afflictions But if we rightly consider the former two reasons they will suffice to forewarne vs to take heed of all kind of Apostacie and to teach vs to beware that with Demas we doe not forsake the Apostles societie and embrace this present m 2. Tim. 4.10 World or with Hymeneus reiect pure doctrine and delight in prophane n 2. Tim. 2.17 bablings or like Iudas first preach Christ and then betray him or like Herod euen now to heare Iohn gladly and by and by to behead him or with Iulian first seeme earnest Professors and in the end proue blasphemous Persecutors nor play the part of Nero in the beginning to doe well and in the end to thirst after all euill It is fearefull to put the hand to the Plow and to looke backe but it is damnable with the Dogge to returne to the vomit or vvith the Sow to the wallowing in the myre Wherefore as the Prophet exhorteth let vs goe on from strength to strength vntill we all appeare before God on o Psal 84. Sion And as the Apostle saith Forgetting what is behind still endâ—uour to that which is p Phil. 3.13 before because He that now goeth on his WAY The life of man in this world is called a Way The Lord maketh my way that is my life vpright saith Dauid And mans departing out of this vvorld is called a Way I goe the way of all the Earth saith Iosua when he was about to q Ios 23.14 die In this life there is via auersi a vvay of him that is vvay ward from the vvayes of God and this vvay is commonly trodden in by all mankind For all are gone out of the way there is none that doth good r Psaâ— 14. no net one Secondly there is via peruersi a way of the obdured peruerse and obstinate sinner Woe be vnto them for they haue walkt in the way of Å¿ Iud. 11. Cain And thirdly there is via reuersi a way of the conuert and penitent and that is onely proper to the godly and approued of God For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked shall * Psaâ— 1.6 perish The first two wayes are too well knowne and too much vvalkt in But this last way is that straight and narrow Way that leadeth vnto Life and few there be that find it All that will goe on in this vvay must expose themselues vnto innumerable dangers For all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution The vvay of man in this life may be compared to that way which Phoebus prescribed to his sonne Phaeton hee must passe by the Bull Pâ—r tamen aduersi gradieris cornua Tanri Aemoniosque arcus vielentiqueâ—a Leonis Ouid Met. for many young Bulls haue compassed me saith Dauid and mightie Bulls of Basan haue closed me u Psal 22.12 about He must passe by the Archer for the wicked haue bent their Bow to cact downe the poore and needie and to slay such as bee vpright of x Psal 37.14 conuersation And hee must passe by the jawes of the Lion For the vngodly compasse the godly in their steps like a Lion that is greedie of prey and as it were a Lion lurking in secret y Ps 17.11 12. places And as one saith The way of man is the path of bruit beasts For the godly are beset by the vngodly on euery side as it were vvith bruâ—t beasts Yea Semita bominum callis â—eâ—â—rum Isid this way of the righteous is not vnlike the way that Sea-tossed AEneas had vnto Italie For through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of God Per varios easus per 〈◊〉 discrimina rerum tendimus in câ—lum sedes vbiâ— fata quietas ostendunt Virg. Aen. Seeing then our way in this life to Life eternall is so hard and difficult Let vs with Moses beg at Gods hands if wee haue found fauour in his sight to shew vs the vvay that vve may know z Exo. 33.13 him Now Christ is this Way I am the Way the Truth and the a Iob. 14.6 Life Will vve vvalke directly he is the Way would we not be deceiued by the Way he is the Truth and his Word which is Truth is a Lanterne to our feet and a light vnto our b Psal 119. pathes This is our way to Heauen Hee must guide vs to our celestiall Canaan as the Pillar of fire did the Israelites to the Land of Promise the Scarlet thread the two men vnto the house of Rahab and as the Starre did guide the wise-men to Bethlem else if he be not our Leader and Directer like the blind Sodomites wee may wearie our selues with groping for Lots doore like the Israelites we may wander vp and downe in the wildernes but wee shall neuer reach home For none can come to the Father but by him that is the Way He that now goeth on his way WEEPING The Septuagint here vse a word which carryes a double signification so that we may reade the words eitherthus He that goeth on his way sorrowing or thus hee that goeth on his way suffering By the first may bee gathered their griefe and godly sorrow for sinne By the last their payne and griefe sustayned for sinne both are very consonant and agreeing with the matter If we receiue the former then wee may cast our eye to Daniel who mourned and prayed to Ieremiah whose eyes were like Buckets dropping downe teares and to Nehemiah who fasted grieued sorrowed and prayed and all of them confessing that be cause of their sinnes such things came vnto them A worthy example for vs al to sorrow truely and to weepe bitterly for our sinnes Esau indeed wept and Ahab humbled himselfe but the one was vnseasonable and the other but temporarie These are not pleasing to God nor auailable to vs. For we must now goe on our way weeping We must sorrow truely and weepe constantly ☞ One of our late Writers speaking briefly of true repentance and conuersion hath wittily 1. Cercanseissum worthily ingeniously and iudiciously obserued a threefold heart in man First arent heart which is like a garment ript in the seame that may bee easily sewed vp againe 2. Cor confâ—actum Secondly a broken heart which is like a beggars cloake 3. Cor contritum tottered and torne and yet may
to be too curious let it suffice vs to know that he was borne a light to the Gentiles and the glorie of his people z Luke 2.32 Israel that the Heathen might now confesse that the Lord had done great things for them The Propher speaking of the zeale and forwardnesse of the Gentiles to associate themselues with the Iewes and to come to the Church makes Gods goodnesse and loue to the Iewes as a great reason enducing them thereunto We will goe with you saith the Gentiles to the Iewes and why For we haue heard that God is with a Zach. 8.23 you that hee doth loue and affect you that hee wonderfully preserues you and miraculously deliuers you that with his Word hee instructs you and with his Spirit sanctifies and briefly that hee is with you Thus Gods goodnesse vnto others is often the meanes to conuert many Gods goodnes to some is often a meanes to conuert others to strengthen their faith and to enlarge their mouthes to set foorth Gods prayse When our Sauiour raysed Lazarus to life many of the Iewes beleeued in him When the Gaolor saw what God had done for Paul and Sylas he fell downe before them desiring to know what he must doe to be b Acts 16. saued And the woman who had the issue of blood beholding what wonderfull cures our Sauiour did and how willingly he restored health to all that beleeued perswades her selfe that if shee but toucht the hemme of his garment shee should be cured and therefore thronged fast through the prease vntill she had touched c Mark 5.28 him and when Christ restored health to the sicke of the palsie all that were there spectators glorified God And to conclude this point here the Heathen seeing and obseruing Gods goodnesse to the Iewes with an inward assurance as it were that he would doe no lesse for them setting apart as it seemes their foolish Idols they affirme him to be Iehouah confesse his power and acknowledge his fauour to his people in that hee hath done great things for them Of all sorts but a sew shall by saued Quia non omnes sed aliqui inter omnes Ludâ—l Car in lâ—â—um Qu a in aduen iâ— Domini Genies vniuersaliter non crediaerunt sed mâ—â—r Gentes erant ex Gentibus fideles sacti Fra. de puteo carth in cat cur in locum One thing before we conclude this sequell and that is that it is to be obserued that the Psalmist sayth not Then said the Heathen but they among the Heathen because not all but some of all sorts shall be saued Salomon sayth he saw a little Citie and a few men in it and a great King came against it and compassed it about and builded Forts against it and there was found therein a poore wise man who deliuered the Citie but none regarded the poore d Eccl. 9.14.15 Salomons allegorie of the little Citie paraphrased man To vnfold this Allegorie The Church is this Citie so called because her members are in loue vnited one vnto another like a Citie whose edisices are conioyned and compacted together for Ierusalem is builded like a Citie that is at unitie within e Psal 122.3 it selfe But shee is a little Citie For what is Ierusalem in bignesse to Babylon The one but sixe miles the other aboue threescore in compasse And what is the Church of Christ in largenesse to the Synagogue of Satan The inhabitants are but few for narrow is the way and straight is the gate and few there be that enter in f Matth. 7. thereat The great King that comes against it is the Deuill the Prince of darkenesse the Prince of this g 10.14 world and the Prince that ruleth in the h Eâ—b 2. aire Hee compasseth it for he trauerseth the earth to and i Iob. 1. fro and goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may k 1. Pet. 5. deuoure Infinite wayes doth hee assault and seekes to ouerthrow this little Citie but Christ is that poore man who though he was the King of Kings and God of glorie yet in mans ijgnorant iudgement he was thought base and l Isa 52.14 vile and who being rich for our sakes became poore that wee through his pouertie might bee made m 2. Cor. 8.9 rich But Christ is the poore wise man for he is wisdome n Pr. 9.1 it selfe the hidden wisdome of his Father and was made vnto vs wisedome and righteonsnesse sanctification and o 1. Cor. 1.30 redemption Hee saued this little Citie from the enemie for he trode vpon the head of the serpent he disarmed the strong man and tooke possession of the house himselfe He put downe the great Leuiathan and loosed all the workes of the p 1. Iohn 3.8 deuill Thus wee see that the Church of Christ is but a little Citie the inhabitants few and the enemie the deuill both cruell and craftie Let vs labour therefore to enter in at the straite gate that we may be of this small number and of Christs little flocke for many are called but few are chosen A few but of Ezekiels haires were kept vp in his q Eze. 5. lappe The basket of good figs was only r Ier. 24. approued Gods children were only marked in their f Eze. 9. foreheads And heere but some among the Heathen confesse and acknowledge the Lord. Let vs striue to make it appeare that wee are some of these few haires good figs and of the number of those who are markt in their foreheads For God will make a short account of all the t Rom. 9.28 earth and but a few shall be v Luk. 13.23 saued therefore but a few among the Heathen confesse that God had done great things for Israel Now Lord fulfill the number of thy seruants bring in the fulnesse of the Gentiles gather together the dispersed sheepe of the house of Israel that both they and wee being gathered into one x Iohn 10.34 fold may both together follow and worship one Sauiour Christ Iesus the only Shepheard and Bishop of our y 1. Pet. 2.25 soules to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit wee ascribe all praise and honour now and for euer Amen GODS GOODNESSE OR The last sequell that followed vpon this deliuerance viz. The Iewes owne confirmation of that which before the Heathen had confessed THE FIFT SERMON VERS 3. The Lord hath done great things for vs. HEere the Iewes doe confirme what before the heathen did confesse Omnine verè locuti estis experti longè melius veritatem sententiâ— vestre faâ—emur benefâ—â—â— magnitudinem superare spem cogitationemque noâ—ram non modo meritum Iorinus in locum that God had dealt graciously with them in doing so great things for them as if they said it is true yea truth it selfe that you haue spoken and wee hauing felt and found the truth thereof may and will affirme it We acknowledge the
greatnesse of the benefit to exceed our thought and to be aboue our expectation and much more to excell our desert and merit In the words wee may consider First Gods power both implied in his name Iehouah and set downe in the Act Nonabsoâ—um est â—lieua vâ—â— sententia vel testimonio quamuis bi qui priores vsurpant inimici sint Idem in doing great things Secondly The Iewes approptiating the end of these workes vnto themselues for vs. But by the way let vs obserue some generall obsertations before we follow the parts in particular As first seeing they make vse of the Heathens words repeating the selfe-same without either addition or diminution we may gather with Lorinus that it is not amisse sometimes to vse the testimonie and sayings of others albeit the first authors of such phrases sentences and assertions bee our enemies yea prophane and Heathen and why First because their owne weapon is of greater force to confute and confound their erroneous opinions Magnum firmum ab aduer sarys argumentum Cat. aureâ— in locum Maiores in eosdem viros babet Lorin as Goliahs sword serued to cut off his owne head and therefore the Apostle Paul seeing that inscription at Athens to the vnknowne a Act. 17.23 and vers 28. God He tooke occasion to dispute against their superstition And in like manner with the verses of Aratus and Maenander and other heathenish Poets hee condemned them of gluttonie idlenesse drunkennesse and lewd behauiour Againe the necessitie of vsing such Writers is sometimes such that without them some places of Scripture can not be truly expounded As for example Christ promiseth â—o him that ouercommeth a white b Râ—u 2.17 stone Now how shal we find out the sence and meaning of that place vnlesse we bring it from some heathen Writer Mos suit antiquis niuâ—is atâ—isque lapillis â—is damnare reâ— illis absoluâ—re culpa Ouid Metam fab 1. who affirme that amongst them there was a custome vpon any mans arraignement if he were found faultie or guilâ—ie to giue him a blacke stone in signe that he was condemned but if he were sound innocent then had he a white stone in token of absolution And so in any single conflict the vanquished had a blacke stone and the victor a white In the thirteenth of the Reuelation ☜ the holy Ghost describing the Beast sayth His name is the name of a man 666. Now where haue wee the like example in all the Scriptures else yet one of the Sibils Monadas octo 〈◊〉 octo heca onâ—adas octo whose Prophesies agree in many things with Iohns Reuelation speaking of our Sauiour sayth that his name containeth the number of 888. and so doth the blessed name Iesus by this computation Thus you see then to vse the similitude of the Papist Pintus that Vtexvili terrasret osum ourum pro swordâ— sic c. insidâ—lis homint bona aliquando procedit doctrina zt aurum eligitur terta relinqustur sic nos ab iniquis salutarem doctâ—inam accipere debemus deprauatos arum mores detesteri Hect Pintus in Eze. 31. We must publikely diuulge Gods goodnesse toward vs. as out of base earth precious gold is brought forth so God permitting it from very Infidels and Heathen men proceeds often sauorie and wholsome doctrine And as the gold is accepted and the earth refused so wee ought as wee may take from the wicked any sound doctrine but yet abhorring their lewd life and absurd manners But I will not further insist in this point onely I wish a moderation in the vse and quotation of such authors The second generall obseruation is this seeing they iffirme what the Heathen did auerre yea and publikely professe and confesse the same wee learne that it is not enough for vs to praise God priuately for his memorable workes and for our selues to be mindfull of his benefits but withall we should publish and diuulge the same The Lord himselfe did enioyne the Israilites to shew the wonders that he had done for them in Egypt to their c Exo. 13.14 posteritie Dauid when he had placed the Arke in the Tabernacle he appointed to Asaph and his fellowes a Psalme whereby the people might bee put in remembrance of Gods benefits vnto them as also thereby to be stirred vp to declare abroad his maruelous workes his wonders and the iudgements of his d 1. Câ—â—o 16.1 to 37. mouth And the people of God at the destruction of Babylon exhort one another to goe to Sion to praise God and there to publish the workes of the Lord. Which here the faithfull doe in declaring how the Lord had done great things for them The publishing of Gods workes serues first to strengthen the hearers thereof in the faith yea and so settle their affections in the true worship of God When Moses told Iethro his father in law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israels sake and how hee had deliuered them Iethro praised God and affirmed that now hee knew that the Lord was greater then all the e Exo. 18.9 10 11. gods And when the woman of Samaria heard our Sauiour tell her all things that euer shee did shee runnes from the Well and goes into the Citie declaring so much to the inhabitants and many of the Samaritans vpon her report beleeued in f 10.4 Christ For this cause therefore if there were no other reason to moue we ought publikely with the Iewes to confesse what great things the Lord hath done for vs. Againe it argues that wee are not ashamed of our profession and that we are not affrighted by the face of man to set forth Gods prayse and to shew our vocation For this cause Dauid said I will declare thy iudgements before Kings and will not be g Psal 119.46 ashamed For this cause the Protomartyr Steuen repeated vnto the Iewes from the first Couenant that God made with Abraham vnto that present time summarily Gods benefits towards them briefly relating their ingratitude towards God by breaking his Couenant violating his Lawes Act. 7. murthering his Prophets and at last cruelly crucifying our S AVIOVR the Iust besides euen vnto death hee boldly reprooued them for their hardnesse of heart and incredulitie in that they would not remember and confesse howe the Lord had done so great things for them Lastly and chiefly thereby wee giue glorie vnto God and shew our thankfulnesse For this cause the Man that was borne blind did both glorifie God and manifest his thankfulnesse when so truely he related how he came to his sight so constantly stood in defence of Christs innocency and so boldly reprehended the Pharisies for their h Iob. 9.1 to the end incredulitie and for this end our Sauiour sent backe the man our of whom hee had cast a Legion of Deuils who according to Christs direction went his way i Luke 8.39 and published throughout the