living God because God dwelleth remaineth in our souls our souls in our bodies our bodies in the Church the Church in the world There are many other reasons of this appellation but the Apostle dwelleth most upon this of dwelling Where God dwelleth there is his Temple but he dwelleth in our hearts by faith we are therefore his Temple If exception bee made to this reason that dwelling proveth a House but not a Temple l Cal. in hunc locum De homine si dicatur hic habitat non erit protinus templum sed domus prophana sed in Deo hoc speciale est quod quemcunque locum suâ dignatur praesentiâ eum sanctificat Calvin answereth acutely that if wee speake of the habitation of a man wee cannot from thence conclude that the place where he abideth is a Temple but God hath this priviledge that his presence maketh the place wheresoever hee resideth necessarily a Temple Whereas the King lyeth there is the Court and where God abideth there is the Church It might bee sayd as truly of the stable where Christ lay as of the place where God appeared to Jacob This is the house of God and the gate of heaven Here I cannot but breake out into admiration with Solomon and say m 1 Kin. 8.27 The heaven of heavens cannot containe thee O Lord and wilt thou dwell in my house in the narrow roome of my heart Isocrates answered well for a Philosopher to that great question What is the greatest thing in the least n Isoc ad Dem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The minde said hee in mans body But Saint Paul teacheth us to give a better answer to wit God in mans soule And how fitly hee tearmeth here believers the Temple of God will appeare most evidently by paralleling the inward and outward Temple of God the Church and the soule 1 First Churches are places exempt from legall tenures and services and redeemed from common uses in like manner the minde of the faithfull and devout Christian is after a sort sequestred from the world and wholly dedicated to God 2 Secondly Temples are hallowed places not by censing or crossing or burning tapers or healing it over with ashes and drawing the characters of the Greeke and Hebrew Alphabet after the manner of popish consecration but by the o Joh. 17.17 Word and Prayer by which the faithfull are also consecrated Sanctifie them O Lord with thy truth thy Word is truth 3 Thirdly Temples are places of refuge and safety and where more safety than in the houshold of faith God spared the City for the Temples sake and hee spareth the whole world for the Elects sake 4 Fourthly the Temple continually sounded with vocall and instrumentall musicke there was continuall joy singing and praising God and doth not the Apostle teach us that there is p Eph. 5.19 joy in the holy Ghost and continuall melody in the hearts of beleevers 5. Fiftly in the Temple God was to bee q Phil 3.3 worshipped and Christ teacheth that the true r John 4.24 worshippers of God worship him in spirit and in truth and Saint Paul commandeth us to ſ 1 Cor. 6.20 worship and glorifie God in our body and spirit which are his 6. Sixtly doe not our feet in some sort resemble the foundation our legges the pillars our sides the walls our mouth the doore our eyes the windowes our head the roofe of a Temple Is not our body an embleme of the body of the Church and our soule of the queere or chancell wherein God is or should be worshipped day and night The Temple of God is not lime sand stone or timber saith t Lact. divin instit l. 5. c. 8. Templum Dei non sunt ligna lapides sed homo qui Dei figuram gestat quod Templum non auro gemmarum donis sed virtutum muneribus ornatur Lactantius but man bearing the image of God and this Temple is not adorned with gold or silver but with divine vertues and graces If this be a true definition of a Temple and description of the Ornaments thereof they are certainly much to be blamed who make no reckoning of the spirituall Temple of God in comparison of the materiall who spare for no cost in imbellishing their Churches and take little care for beautifying their soules Hoc oportet facere illud non omittere they doe well in doing the one but very ill in not doing the other It will little make for the glory of their Church to paint their rood-lofts to engrave their pillars to carve their timber to gild their altars to set forth their crosses with jewells and precious stones if they want that precious pearle which the rich Merchant man sold all that hee had to buy to have golden miters golden vessels Mat. 13.46 golden shrines golden bells golden snuffers and snuffe-dishes if as Boniface of Mentz long agoe complained Their Priests are but wooden or leaden Saint u Amb. Auro non placent quae auro non emuntur Jnven sat 11. Fictilis nullo violatus Jupiter auro Ambrose saith expresly That those things please not God in or with gold which can bee bought with no gold In which words hee doth not simply condemne the use of gold or silver in the service of God no more than Saint x 1 Pet. 3.3 Peter doth in the attire of godly Matrons Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire and wearing of gold or of putting on of apparrell but let it be in the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price but he Lactantius both speak comparatively and their meaning is that the chief adorning of Churches is not with the beauty of colours but of holinesse not with the lustre of pearles and precious stones but with the shining of good workes not with candles and tapers but with the light of the Word not with sweet perfumes but with a savour of life unto life It will bee to little purpose to sticke up waxe lights in great abundance in their Churches after they have put out the pure light of Gods Word or hid it as it were under a bushell in an unknowne tongue Rhenamus reporteth that hee saw at Mentz two Cranes standing in silver into the belly whereof the Priests by a device put fire and frankincense so artificially that all the smoake and sweet perfume came out at the Cranes beakes A perfect embleme of the peoples devotion in the Romish Church the Priests put a little fire into them they have little warmth of themselves or sense of true zeale and as those Cranes sent out sweet perfumes out at their beaks having no smelling at all thereof themselves so these breath out the sweet incense of zealous praiers and thanksgiving whereof they have no sense or understanding at all because they pray in an unknowne tongue And so from the
eare-pleasing Madrigals and Fancies but the strong and loud voice of Cryers to call all men into the Court and summon them to the barre of Christs judgement hee that promiseth his Apostles and their successors to give them a b Luk. 21.15 I will give you a mouth c. mouth hath given mee at this time both the mouth and the Motto the Motto of the embleme viz. the words of my text Zelus domus tuae devoravit me In the uttering whereof if ever now I need to pray that the Lord would c Esay 6.7 touch my tongue with a coale from his altar with a coale that I may speake warmely of zeale with a coale from the altar that I may discourse holily of his Temple Saint d Homil. 3. Utinam daretur mihi de superno altare non carbo unus sed globus igneus offeratur qui multam inveteratam rubiginem possit excoquere Bernard made the like prayer upon the like occasion O saith hee that there were given unto mee from the altar above not one coale but rather a fiery globe a heape of coales to scorch the abuses of the time and burne out the inveterate rust of vitious customes By the light of these coales you may behold in this Scripture 1 In David as the type Christ 2 In Christ as the mirrour of perfection zeale 3 In zeale as a fire 1 The flame 2 The fuel The flame vehement consuming or devouring devoravit The fuel sacred me mee No divine vertues or graces like to Christs affection No affection in him like to his zeale No zeale like to that which hee bare or rather wherewith hee was transported to his Fathers house which even eat him up and may deservedly take up this golden moment of our most pretious time May it please you therefore Right c. to suffer your religious eares to bee bored at this present with these sacred nayles or points which I humbly pray the holy Spirit to fasten in your hearts 1 The vertue or affection it selfe zeale 2 The object of this affection thy house 3 The effect of this object hath eaten up 4 The subject of this effect mee 1 In figure David 2 In truth Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who is sufficient for these things or able worthily to treat of 1 An affection most ardent zeale 2 A place most sacred thine house 3 An effect most powerfull hath eaten up 4 A person most divine mee Zeale is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burne or hizze as water cast on metall melted and it signifieth a hot or burning desire an ardent affection and sometimes it is taken 1 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or emulation which is a commendable desire of attaining unto anothers vertue or fame 2 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 envie which is a vitious affection repining at anothers fame or fortune 3 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jealousie which is an irkesome passion arising from love wronged at least in opinion And no other fire wee finde on natures forge or the Philosophers hearth but on Gods altar there burneth another manner of fire fed with pure fuell which like a waxe light or taper yeeldeth both a cleare flame and a sweet fume and this is holy zeale All things that are cast into the fire make a smell but the burning of sweet odors onely makes a perfume so the hot and fervent 1 Desire of 2 Intention in 3 Affection to the best things onely is zeale Fire is the noblest of all the elements and seated next to the heavens so zeale sparkling in the soule is the chiefe and most heavenly of all spirituall affections Some define it to bee the fervour intention excellency or improvement of them all Heat 1 In e Rom. 12.11 Ferâ—ent in spirit devotion if it exceed becommeth zeale 2 In f Col. 4.13 affection if it be improved groweth to be zeale 3 In g 1 Cor. 14.12 desire of spirituall gifts if it bee ardent is zeale 4 In h 1 Cor. 7.11 indignation or revenge of our selves if it bee vehement is called by the Apostle zeale Fervent devotion ardent love earnest desire vehement indignation all are zeale or rather are all zeale for there is a 1 Zeale of good things which maketh us zealous of Gods gifts 2 Zeale in good things which maketh us zealous in Gods service 3 Zeale for good things which maketh us zealous for Gods glory And answerable to the three operations of fire which are to heat to burne to consume 1 The first heateth us by kindling a desire of grace 2 The second burneth by enflaming our hearts with the love of God 3 The third consumeth by drying up the heart absuming the spirits with griefe and hazzarding our persons and estates in removing scandals and reforming abuses and profanations of God his name house or worship as also revenging wrongs done to his houshold and servants In summe zeale is a divine grace grounded upon the knowledge of Gods word which according to the direction of spirituall wisedome quickeneth and enflameth all the desires and affections of the soule in the right worship of the true God and vehemently and constantly stirreth them up to the preserving advancing and vindicating his honour by all lawfull meanes within the compasse of our calling Rectum sui est judex obliqui If you set a streight line or rule to a crooked figure or body it will discover all the obliquities in it Hang up an artificiall patterne by an unskilfull draught and it will shew all the disproportions and deformities in it Wherefore Aristotle giveth this for a certaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or character of a true definition to notifie and discover all the errors that are or may be devised about the nature of the thing defined which are in this present subject wee treat of sundry and manifold For as when there is publicke notice given of a ring found with a rich stone set in it every one almost that ever was owner of a ring like unto it especially if his owne bee lost challengeth it for his so all in whose temper affections or actions any naturall or spirituall divine or diabolicall heavenly earthly or hellish fire gloweth challengeth the pretious coale or carbuncle of zeale to bee theirs The Cholericke and furious the quarrelsome and contentious the malicious and envious the jealous and suspicious the Idolatrous and superstitious the indiscreet and preposterous the proud selfe-admirer the sacrilegious Church-robber the presumptuous and exorbitant zealot nay the seditious boutefieu and incendiary all pretend to zeale But all these claimers and many more besides are disproved and disclaimed by the true definition of zeale which is first a grace and that distinct from other not more graces or a compound of love and anger as some teach or of love and indignation as others for the graces of the spirit and vertues of the minde are incoincident As
And the Musicians will tell us that some discords in a lesson binding wise as they speake and falling into a concord much grace the musicke 2. Secondly wee wish that all Magistrates Ecclesiasticall and Civill would first make proofe of gentler remedies and seeke rather to winne men by perswasions than draw them to Church by compulsion Monendo potiùs quà m minando verbis magis quà m verberibus to use rather commonitions than comminations words than blowes discourses than legall courses arguments than torments 3. Thirdly in making and executing penall Statutes against Heretickes and Idolaters all Christian Princes and States must wash their hands from bloud and free themselves from all aspersion of cruelty For no fish will come into the net which they see all bloudy and they who are too quick in plucking at those that differ from them in Religion root up those oft-times for tares which if they had been permitted longer to grow might have proved good corne 4. Fourthly they must put a great difference between those that are infected with Hereticall opinions whereof some are ring-leaders some are followers some are obstinate others flexible some are turbulent others peaceable on some they ought to have g Jude 22 23. compassion making a difference and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire 5. Lastly nothing must be done herein by the intemperate zeale of the heady multitude or any private motion but after mature advice and deliberation be appointed by lawfull authority To the particular instances brought from our neighbour Nations that are repugnant to this rule wee answer with Saint h Serm. 66. in Cant. Approbamus zelum factum non laudamus Bernard Wee approve their zeale yet wee allow not of their proceedings These cautions observed that religions differing in fundamentall grounds are not to be tolerated in the same Kingdome we prove 1. First by the Law of i Deut. 22.10 11. Moses which forbiddeth plowing with an Oxe and an Asse together or to weare a garment of divers sorts as of woollen and linnen together The morall of which Law according to the interpretation of the best Expositors hath a reference to diversities in Religions and making a kinde of medley of divers worships of God 2. Secondly by the grievous punishment of Idolaters appointed by God himself k Deut. 13.6 8 9. If thy brother or son of thy mother or thine own son or thy daughter or the wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine own soule entice thee secretly saying Let us goe and serve other gods thine eye shall not pity him neither shalt thou keep him secret but thine hand shall be upon him and then the hand of all the people to stone him to death Solùm pietatis genus est hic esse crudelem It is piety in this kinde to shew no pity It is not in the power of Kings and Princes to reverse the decrees of Almighty God or falsifie his Oracles who saith No l Matth. 6.24 man can serve two masters For what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what m 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 3. Thirdly if these testimonies of everlasting truth perswade us not that God who is truth must be worshipped in truth and not with lyes and in a false manner yet Christ his inditing the Angel of Thyatira for suffering Jezebel and the Angel of Pergamus for not silencing false Teachers I have a few things against thee saith the Spirit that thou hast there them that maintaine the doctrine of Baalam The Spirit chargeth not the Angel with allowing or countenancing but tolerating only false doctrine Therefore the toleration of Heresie and Idolatry is a sinne which God will not tolerate in a Magistrate which I further thus demonstrate 4. Fourthly God will not hold any Prince or State guiltlesse which permitteth a pollution of his name but the worship of a false god or the false worship of the true God is a pollution of his name as himselfe declareth n Ezek. 20.39 Pollute my name no more with your gifts and your Idols God is a jealous God and will endure no corrivall if wee divide our heart between him and any other hee will cut us off from the land of the living as hee threatneth I o Zeph. 1.5 will cut off the remnant of Baal and them that worship the host of Heaven upon the house tops and them that worship and sweare by the Lord and by Malcham 5. Fifthly what shall I adde hereunto save this that the bare permission of Idolatry was such a blurre to Solomon and most of the succeeding Kings of Juda that it obscured the lustre and marred the glosse of all their other Princely endowments For after the description of their vertues this blot is cast upon their reputation But the high p 1 Kin. 15.14 places were not taken away But thrice happy q 2 Kin. 18.4 Hezekiah who by demolishing the brasen Serpent which Moses had made because the children of Israel burned incense to it erected to himselfe an everlasting monument of praise And yet more happy r 2 Kin. 23.25 Josiah after whom the Holy Ghost sendeth this testimony Like unto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like unto him Why what eminent vertues had Josiah above others what noble acts did he which the Spirit values at so high a rate no other than those which we find recounted in the books of Kings and Chronicles Hee brake downe the Altars of Baalim and cut downe the Images that were on high upon them hee brake also the groves and the carved Images and the molten ſ 2 Chron. 34.4 5. Images and stamped them to powder and strewed it upon the graves of them that sacrificed to them and hee burned the bones of the Priests upon the Altar He defiled Topheth which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom that no man might make t 2 Kin. 23.10 11 12 13. his sonne or his daughter passe through the fire to Moloch and he took away the horses that the Kings of Judah had given to the Sun and the Altars that were on the top of the upper chambers of Ahaz the Altars which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the house of the Lord and the high places that were before Jerusalem which Solomon had builded and so he tooke away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel and u 2 Chro. 34.33 compelled all that were found in Israel to serve the Lord their God 6. Sixthly farther to teach Magistrates that they ought sometimes to use violent and
their body than any article of their creede whereas on the contrary side the Romanists as they impeach the article of Christs incarnation of the Virgin Mary by teaching that his flesh is made daily by the Priests in the Masse not of her blood but of bread and of his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father till hee come to judge the quicke and the dead by teaching that his body is at once in a Million of places on earth even wheresoever Masses are said so they most manifestly overthrow the articles he instanceth in viz. 1 The ninth tenth The ninth by turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universall into particular and empaling the whole Church within the jurisdiction of Rome as the Donatists did of old within the Provinces of Africa The tenth by branding them with the markes of heretickes who believe the remission of their owne sinnes by speciall faith 2 As the Cardinall is foulely mistaken in the point of divinity so also in the matter of history both of former ages and this present wherein wee live For who knoweth not that other articles besides the ninth and tenth are at this day oppugned by the Servetians Antitrinitarians Sosinians Vorstians Anabaptists Libertines and Familists whose heresies strike at the soveraigne attributes of God the Trinity of persons deity of Christ his incarnation satisfaction second comming and life everlasting 3 Neither were these two articles instanced in first impugned in our age or since the 1000. yeere as hee accounteth but long before in the third and fourth ages by the Novatians Donatists Luciferians Meletians and Pelagians 4 Neither was Sathan so long in setting heretickes on worke to undermine all the articles of the creede If you peruse the bedroll of heresies in Irenaeus Epiphanius Philastrius and Augustine you shall finde that within the space of 400. yeeres the Divell so bestirred himselfe that hee left no article of the Apostles creede untouched by them 5 And lastly neither had the enemy of mankinde any care at all of order in employing heretickes to overthrow our christian beliefe more than an enraged enemy all set upon spoile in demolishing an house thinketh of pulling downe every stone in order for to what end serveth order when nothing but present confusion is sought Therefore against the rule of method set downe by Bellarmine Sathan in the second age called in question the last article of the creed by Papius and the Millenaries In the third age hee called in question the eighth article concerning the holy Ghost by the Macedonians and Pneumatomachi In the first age hee called in question the second article concerning the divinity of Christ by the Ebionites and Cerinthians as also the eleventh by the Ephesians and those Corinthians whom the Apostle taketh to taske in this chapter and confuteth in my text Obser 2 My second observation from the occasion is that some heresies as namely this of the Corinthians concerning the resurrection against which the Apostle bendeth all his forces have beene very auncient and some heretickes contemporaries to the Apostles As God is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Dan. 7.13 that is Auncient of dayes or rather Auncient to dayes as God speaketh of himselfe e Esa 43.13 Before the day was I am so the Divell is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the old Serpent whose spawne are all heresies as well old as new No truth at the first delivery thereof could bee auncient nor can any errour after it hath long passed from hand to hand bee new Time is without the essence of those things that are measured by it and consequently cannot make that which is in it selfe evill good nor that which is good evill Antiquity can no more prescribe for falshood than novelty prejudice the truth Bare antiquity therefore is but a weake plea in matter of religion f Tertul. de Vol. Virg. quodcunque contra veritatem sapit haeresis est etiam vetus consuetudo whatsoever savoureth not of truth or is against it is heresie yea although it be ancient and plead custome 1 It was the Samaritans plea against the Jewes g Joh. 4.20.22 Our Father worshipped in this mount c. But it was rejected by our Saviour saying you worship you know not what 2 It was the plea of the hereticks called Aquarii against the Catholicks but disproved by Saint h Ep. 74. Consuetudo sine veritate est vetustas â—rroris Cyprian saying Custome without truth is no better than inveterate errour 3 It was the plea of Guitmundus against the practice of the Romane Church in Gregory the great his dayes but disparaged by him saying custome ought to give place to truth and right i Grat. dist 8. for Christ said not Ego sum consuetudo I am custome or prescription but Ego sum veritas I am truth Nay it was the very plea of the Paynims against the Christians and long agoe disabled by the ancient Fathers Saint Ignatius Arnobius Ambrose and Augustine Ignatius thus puts it by Some say they will not believe the truth of the Gospell if wee produce not ancient records for it to whom my answer is k Ignat. epist ad Philad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is my antiquity his words are to mee in stead or as good as all ancient records l Arnob. l. 2. cont gent. Quod verum est seâ—um non est c. Arnobius gravely determines the point the authority saith he of Religion is to be weighed not by time but by the divine author thereof that which is true is not to be traduced as late or too new Saint m Amb. l. 3. ep 30 Reprobatis messem quia sera est foecunditas c. Ambrose seconds Arnobius saying to the heathen doe you finde fault with our Christian religion because it is later than your heathenish superstition you may by the same reason picke a quarrell with harvest because it comes not till the end of summer and with the vintage because it falls late in the yeere and with the olive because hee beareth fruit after other trees Lastly Saint n Quaest vet novi Test Quasi antiquitas praejudicet veritati hic est mos diabolicus ut per antiquitatis traducem commendetur fallacia Austine returnes them a smart answer for this absurd plea They say that that religion which is elder cannot bee false as if antiquity or custome could doe the truth any prejudice at all 't is a divellish custome to vent falshood under the title of antiquity Whereunto may be added that in propriety of speech that is not antiquity which is so esteemed the age wherein wee live is indeed the eldest because nearest to the end of the world and those times which wee reverence as elder are by so much the younger by how much they were neerer to the beginning of the world and the birth of time it selfe The Catholike Christian Church was never so
keep the other above As Fishermen so likewise the Fishers of men in the draw-net of the Gospel make use both of corke and lead the generall promises like corke beare us up in hope the conditions like lead keep us downe in feare These conditions cannot bee performed without grace therefore all must implore divine aide yet grace performeth them not without the concurrence of our will We must therefore exercise our naturall faculties we must seeke the Kingdome of God we must strive to enter in at the narrow gate wee must search for wisedome as for treasure we must labour for the meat that perisheth not we must stirre up the graces of God in us we must work out our salvation with feare and trembling t Cic. lib. 2. de orat Lepidus lying all along upon the grasse cryed out Utinam hoc esset laborare O that this were to labour and get the mastery so many stretching themselves upon their ivory beds and living at ease in Sion say within themselves Utinam hoc esset militare O that this were to goe in warfare and fight under the crosse but let them not deceive themselves heaven is not got with a wish nor paradise with a song nor pardon with a sigh nor victory with a breath it will cost us many a blow and wound too before we overcome Observ 3 There can be no conquest without a fight nor fight without an enemy who are then our enemies nay rather who are not evill angels men the creatures and our selves angels by suggestions men by seduction and persecution the creatures by presenting baits and provocations and our selves by carnall imaginations lusts and affections fight against the spirit of grace and kingdome of Christ in us Omnes necessarii omnes adversarii Against all these enemies of our peace with God wee hang up a flag of defiance in our crisme and lift up our ensigne when we are crossed in the forehead and proclaime a warre under Christs banner in our renouncing the Divell and all his workes which beginneth at the Font and endeth at our Grave Philip graced his warre against the Phocenses and our Ancestors their exploits against the Saracens for Palaestine with the title of Bellum sacrum the holy Warre but neither of their expeditions and martiall attempts so properly deserved that appellation as this I am now to describe unto you Those warres were for Religion in truth or pretence but this warre is Religion and true Christianity and the weapons of this warfare are no other than holy duties and divine vertues which by some are reduced to three 1. Prayer 2. Fasting 3. Almes-deeds For say they as our enemies are three the Divell the Flesh the World so they tempt us to three vices especially 1. Pride 2. Luxury 3. Avarice Now our strongest weapon 1 Against pride is humble prayer 2 Against luxurie frequent fasting 3 Against avarice charitable almes Howbeit though these are the most usuall and if I may so speake portable armes of a Christian yet there are in his armorie many more and some more forcible than these which St. u Ephes 6.13 14 15 16 17 18 Paul taketh out and gilds over with these sacred attributes the sword of the Spirit the helmet of salvation the shield of faith the breast-plate of righteousnesse the girdle of truth the shooes of preparation of the Gospel of peace As this warre is thus holy in respect of the weapons used in it so much more in respect of the Prince that decreeth it the Heraulds that proclaime it the field where it is fought and the cause for which it is undertaken The Prince who decreeth this warre is the Holy One of Israel the Heraulds that proclaime it are the Ministers of the Gospel the field where the battell is fought is the militant Church the end for which it is undertaken is the advancement of Christs kingdome of grace in us and us in the kingdome of glory The Roman Historians divide their warres into three kinds 1 Externa forreine 2 Civilia civill 3 Servilia servile Forreine against other States Civill against seditious Citizens Servile against mutinous slaves This our warre partaketh of all these three kinds and may be termed both a forrein a civill and a servile warre A forrein in respect of Sathan and his band A civill in respect of the world A servile in respect of the flesh and slavish lusts that warre against the Spirit In other warres some are exempted by their calling as Priests some by their sexe as women some by their yeares as old men and children some by their indisposition of body or minde as sicke and impotent persons not able to beare armes but in this warre it is otherwise none can challenge any priviledge Not Priests for they blow the trumpet and give the onset not children for as soone as they are borne they are enrolled in the Captaines booke and are crosse-signed for this service in baptisme and it may be said of many of them as x Pet. Dam. serm de sanct Vict. Prius vicit quam vincere noscet Damianus spake of St. Victor the confessour He conquered before he could know what it was to conquer and St. Cyprian of martyred infants for Christ in his dayes y Cyp. ep 4. Aetas necdum habilis ad pugnam idonea extitit ad coronam The age which was not yet fit for warre was found worthy to receive a crowne Not women for they fight daily the good fight of faith and many of them are crowned in heaven with white and red garlands white consisting of lillies in token of their chastity and innocent purity red consisting of roses in testimony of their z Cyp. de â—aâ— viâ—g â—ortior 〈◊〉 viâ—is toâ—quenâ— uâ— iâ—veâ—tutor blood shed for the name of Christ Not aged and infirme persons for like Saint * 2 Cor 12 10. Paul when they are weake then they are strong nay when they are weakest then they are strongest when they are weakest in body they are strongest in spirit when they lye on their death-bed and are not able to stirre hand nor foot they grapple with the a 1 Pet. 5.8 roaring Lion that runneth about seeking whom hee may devoure and conquer him by their faith In other warres though the fight last many houres yet in the end either the night or the weather or the victory or the flight on one side parteth the armies and oftentimes necessity enforceth on both sides a truce for a time but this warre admitteth no intermission abideth no peace or truce all yeelding is death and treaties of peace mortall In all other battels hee that killeth conquereth and hee that is slaine is conquered but in this the persecuters who slay are b Cyp. dâ— laps Seâ—â—ciunt toâ—â— toâ—quentibus foâ—â—torâ—s pulsantes laâ—â—ntâ—s unâ—â—las pulsâ—ta lâ—matâ— membra vicerunt conquered and the Martyrs who are slaine and breath out their soules with a triumphant Io Paean in
owne the pearles of the Gospell To heare one who hath the tongue of the learned discourse of the worke of grace enlightning the minde regenerating the heart rectifying the will moderating the desires quieting the affections and filling the soule with unspeakable joy is a great delight to us yet nothing to that we take when we feele grace working upon our soules and producing all these divine effects within us When wee read in holy Scriptures what are the priviledges of the sonnes of God wee see the hidden Manna but when the p Rom. 8.16.17 Spirit testifieth to our spirit that wee are the sons of God and if sonnes then heires heires of God and joint heires with Christ then we eat The hidden Manna Some take the hidden Manna in my text for the mysteries of the Gospel others for the secret vertues of the Sacraments q Primasius in Apoc. Christus factus est homo ut panem Angelorum comederet homo Primasius for Christ himselfe who as he saith was made man that man might eate Manna the food of Angels Pererius for incomparable sweetnesse in the contemplation of heavenly things Cornelius à Lapide for spirituall comforts after temptations all in generall speake to good purpose But if you demand of me in particular what is this hidden Manna I must answer as Cato did when one asked him what he carried so fast lockt up in a chest It is lockt up saith he that thou shouldest not looke into it nor know I cannot tell you what it is because it is hidden onely this is open and manifest in the Scriptures that in the Word the Sacraments Prayer and Meditation the Elect of God find hidden Manna that spirituall sweetnesse which may be compared unto or rather preferred before the relish of Manna to the corporall taste And what St. Cyprian speaketh of the worke of grace in our conversion Sentitur priusquam dicitur it is felt before it can be uttered may be applied to this hidden Manna gustatur priusquam dicitur no tongue can speake of it worthily that hath not tasted it as r Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste 〈◊〉 they are sweeter than hony to my mouth David did who preferreth it before the hony and the hony-combe And St. Å¿ Aug. confes l. 9. c. 1. O quam suave mihi repentè fuit carere mundi suavitatibus quas amittere metus fuit am dimittere gaudium crat tu enim proâ—â—s intraâ—as omni voluptate dulcior Austine O what pleasure tooke I in abandoning all worldly pleasure for thou O Lord enteredst into me for them sweeter than any pleasure And St. Jerome who calleth God to witnesse that sometimes he found heaven upon earth and in his spirituall elevations and raptures thought that hee communed with quieres of Angels And St. t St. Eph. Domine recede à me parumper quia vasis infirmitas ferre non potest Ephraim who was so over-filled with joy in the Holy Ghost that he made a strange prayer O Lord for a little while depart from me and restraine the influence of spirituall joy lest the vessell breake And St. u Mihi hae pruna rosae videntur Citat Cornelius à lap Comment Tiburtius whose inward joyes and spirituall raptures so drowned his bodily tortures that when he trod upon live coales he cryed out saying These live coales seeme to me no other than red roses The scholars of Pythagoras beleeved that the celestiall bodies by their regular motions caused an harmonicall sound and made admirable musicke though neither he nor any other ever heard it and shall not we beleeve that there is hidden Manna though we never tasted it if not upon the report of these Saints who spake of their owne sense and experience yet upon the credit of him who both promiseth to give this hidden Manna and is it himselfe x John 6.51 I am the living bread which came downe from heaven Christ and his word retaine not only the name of Manna but the chiefe qualities and properties thereof First Manna rained from the skies Christ and his word came from heaven Secondly Manna had a most sweet yet a new and strange taste so hath the word it is sweeter than hony to the spirituall tast though the carnall man like better of the flesh pots of Egypt than of it Thirdly Manna relished according to the stomackes of them that ate it and answered all appetites so the word of God is milke to children and strong meat to men Fourthly Manna erat cibus reficiens nunquam deficiens the children of Israel fed on Manna in the wildernesse till they entred into the earthly Canaan in like manner the Word and Sacraments are our spirituall food till we arrive at the celestiall Canaan Fiftly Manna was eaten by it selfe without any other meat or sauce added to it the word of God must not be mingled with human traditions and inventions They who goe about to sweeten it with such spices marre the tast of it and may more justly be taxed than that King of Persia was by Antalcidas who by pouring oyntment upon a garland of roses corrupted the naturall smell and fragrancie thereof by the adulterors sophistication of art Sixtly some portion of the Manna was laid up in the Arke and kept in a golden pot for after-times and part of the mysteries of holy Scripture are reserved for us till we come to heaven and in regard of such truthes as are not ordinarily revealed in this life some conceive the word to be here termed Hidden Manna Howbeit we need not restraine the words to those abstruse mysteries the declaration whereof shall be a part of our celestiall happinesse for the whole doctrine of the Gospell may in a true sense be called hidden Manna because it containeth in it Sapientiam Dei in mysterio the wisedome of God x 1 Cor. 2.7 hidden in a mysterie For albeit the sound of the word is gone into all the world yet the harmonie in it is not observed by all The chapters and verses of the Scripture are generally knowne but not all the contents He that saw the outside of Solomons tents could not ghesse at the royaltie of that Prince but he that entred in and took a particular view and inventory of his pretious furniture rich hangings massie plate full coffers orient jewels and glittering apparell might make a good estimate thereof A blind man from his birth though he may heare of the Sun and discourse of his golden raies from the mouth of others yet can he not possibly conceive what delight the seeing eye taketh in beholding that glorious brouch of heaven and Prince of the starres When we heare the last will of a rich man read unto us which we beleeve little concerneth us though it be never so well penned or copied out it little affecteth us but if we have certaine notice that by it some great legacie in lands or money is
word of God both conceived by the holy Ghost and brought forth in sacred sheets that as the one consisteth of two natures humane and divine visible and invisible so the other of two senses externall and internall externall and visible in the shadow or letter internall and invisible in the substance or spirituall interpretation either tropologicall or allegoricall or anagogicall as the learned distinguish Doth e Sen. ad Lucil. ep 23. Levium metallorum fructus in summo est illa opulentissima sunt quorum in alto latet vena assiduè pleniùs responsura fodienti experience teach us that the richest metals lie deepest hid in the earth Shall we not think it very agreeable to divine wisdome so to lay up heavenly knowledge in Scriptures that the deeper we dig into them by diligent meditation the veine of precious truth should prove still the richer Surely howsoever some Divines affect an opinion of judgement it is judgement in opinion onely by allowing of no sense of Scripture nor doctrine from thence except that which the text it selfe at the first proposing offereth to their conceit yet give me leave to tell them that they are but like Apothecaries boyes which gather broad leaves and white flowers on the top of the water not like cunning Divers who fetch precious pearles from the bottome of the deepe St. f L. 2. confes c. 31. Sensit omnino ille cogitavit cum ea scriberet quicquid hic veri potuimus invenire quicquid nos non potuimus aut nondum possumus tamen in t is inveniri potest Austine the most judicious of all the Fathers is of a different judgement from them herein For he confidently affirmeth that the Pen-man of the holy Ghost of purpose so set downe the words that they might be capable of multiplicitie of senses and that he intended and meant all such divine truthes as we can finde in the words and such also as we have not yet or cannot finde and yet by diligent search may be found in them Now as the whole texture of Scripture in regard of the variety of senses may not unfitly be likened to the Kings daughters g Psal 45.14 raiment of needle-worke wrought about with divers colours so especially this of the Canticles wherein the allegoricall sense because principally intended may be called literall and the literall or historicall as intended in the second place allegoricall Behold here as in a faire samplar an admirable patterne of drawne-worke besides King Solomon in his royall robes and his Queene in a vesture of gold divers birds expressed to the life as the white h Cant. 5.12 ver 11. â— 2.2 ver 13. c. 4.14 c. 2.1 c. 5.14 c. 1.17 c. 5.15 c. 1.10 Dove washed with milke and the blacke Raven divers trees as the thorne the fig-tree and the vine the myrrhe spikenard saffron calamus cinamon with all trees of frankincense divers flowers as the Rose and the Lilly divers precious stones as the Berill and the Saphir lastly divers artificiall woâ—kes as Houses of Cedar Rafters of Firre Tents of Kedar Pillars of Marble set in sockets of fine gold rowes of Jewels Chaines and here in my text Borders of gold and Studs of silver Sanctius and Delrio upon my text observe that Solomon alludeth to the i She shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold 13. verse of the 68. Psalme and what the Father prophesied of the Spouse the Sonne promiseth to her viz. to make her borders or as the Hebrew signifieth also k Brightman in Cant. Turtures aureas alii murenulas aliilineas septuaginta similitudines turtles of gold enameled with silver Howbeit it seemeth more probable that these words have a reference to the 9. verse of this chapter and that Solomon continueth his former comparison of a troup of horses in Pharaoh's Charriot and thus the borders and chains in the 10th and 11th verses are linked to the 9th O my beloved and beautifull Spouse as glorious within through the lustre of divine vertues and graces as thou art resplendent without in jewels and precious stones to what shall I liken thee or whereunto shall I compare thee Thou art like a troupe of milke white horses in Pharaoh's princely Charriot adorned with rich trappings and most precious capparisons For as their head and cheekes are beset with rowes of stones so thy cheekes are decked with jewels that hang at thine eares as their neckes shine with golden raines so thy necke is compassed with chaines of gold and pearle and as their breasts are adorned with golden collars quartered into borders enamelled with silver so that thou must herein also resemble them wee will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver to hang about thy necke and downe thy breast Thus much of the letter or rather letters of my text which you see are all golden flourished over with strikes or as Junius translateth the words points of silver now let us endevour to spell the meaning As artificiall pictures drawne by the pencill of a skilfull Opticke in the same part of the frame or table according to divers sites and aspects represent divers things looke one way upon them you shall see a man another way a lion so it is in this admirable piece drawne by the pencill of Solomon according to divers aspects it presenteth to our view divers things looke one way on it and there appeareth a man to wit King Solomon looke another way and there appeareth a lion the lion of the tribe of Judah looke downeward upon the history and you shall see Solomon with a crowne of gold and his Queen in her wedding garment looke upward to the allegory and you shall see Christ crowned with thornes and his Spouse the Church in a mourning weed and under the one written a joyfull Epithalamium under the other a dolefull Elegy Agreeable to which double picture drawne with the selfe same lines and colours wee may consider the chaines and borders of gold in my text either as habiliments of Solomons Queene or ornaments of Christs Spouse If wee consider them in the first sense they shew his royall magnificence and pompe if in the second either they signifie the types and figures of the Jewish Synagogue under the law or the large territories and rich endowments of the Christian Church under the Gospell k Faciemus tibi similitudines aurâ— cum puncturis argenti Origen who taketh the seventy Interpreters for his guide thus wadeth through the allegory The Angels saith he or Prophets speake here to the Spouse before her husband Christ Jesus came in the flesh to kisse her with the kisses of his lips and their speech is to this effect O beautifull Spouse wee cannot make thee golden ornaments we are not so rich thy husband when bee commeth will bestow such on thee but in the meane time wee will make thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
one field tares and wheat out of one mouth proceeds cursing and blessing Behold an ambitious simoniacall Priest of the Romane constitution and that but for a yeer vaunt over him that is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek Behold bloudy Caiphas consulting nay determining to put Christ to death not for any fault of his but because it was profitable to the Priests it is expedient for us yet doth hee colour his bloud-thirsty appetite with a varnish of common good If wee let him alone all men will beleeve in him and beleeving him to be a God will advance him to be a King the Romans will come take away this place and our Nation He is but one man what is the bloud of one man to the quiet of a publike state Melius est ut pereat unus quà m unitas let one man dye that the whole Nation perish not This is Caiphas his meaning vouchsafe we a look to it before we consider the meaning of a much better spirit Solomon his Lilly is most beautifull among thornes The Rose sayes Plutarch is never so fragrant as when it is planted by the Nettle the doctrine of the Holy Ghost seemeth never more excellent than when it is compared with the doctrine of Divels It is expedient he should dye he saith not it is just or lawfull Bonum commodis non honestate metitur Caiphas profit is become the rule of justice in whose hands now it is not only to judge according to the rule of law but to over-rule the law also In imitation of whom I verily thinke it was that Clemens the fifth being demanded how the Templer Knights might be cut off made this answer Si non licet per viam justitiae licet saltem per viam expedientiae But if it be profitable to whom cui bono to whom is it so to us now hee speakes like himselfe To S. Paul all things were lawfull yet many things did not seem expedient to Caiphas that is expedient which is not lawfull But shall a just innocent man a Prophet nay more than hee that was more than a Prophet lose his life for nothing but your commodity the answer is that though he be all these yet in a manner he is but unus one man and we are many better it were that he suffer a mischiefe than we an inconvenience therefore be his quality what it may be let him dye Ne saevi magne Sacerdos Let not the high Priest be angry will nothing but his death appease you You have a guard keep him sure manacle his hands fetter his feet only spare his life bring not his bloud upon your head Tush it is for our profit His bloud be upon us Thus crudelitas vertitur in voluptatem jam occidere hominem juvat it was meat drink to them to spill the bloud of Christ Jesus and being pleased to consider him but as a man they trampled on him as a worme and no man Ystel in Exod. Behold here in another sense Caiphas a bloudy Ruby yet as the Rubies about Egypt aureâ bracteâ sublinuntur so hath he gold foyle Scripture in his mouth the words of the Holy Ghost who not only out of the mouth of babes and sucklings will have his praise out of the mouth of asses and brute beasts will have his power to be knowne but also out of the mouth of reprobates and incarnate divels will have the same truth in the same words confirmed which holy Prophets and the holy Spirit by which they spake would have revealed For not onely holy men as the Preacher observed but sometimes also unholy men speake as they are moved by the Holy Ghost Agit Spiritus Dei per bonos per malos per scientes per nescientes quod agendum novit statuit but in a different manner The Holy Ghost so touched the hearts of holy Prophets that their hearts enditing this matter of Christs passion their tongues became the pen of ready writers but on the contrary as Caiphas did honour God with his lips while his heart was farre from him so saith Saint Chrysostome the Spirit of God touched his lips but came not neere his heart It is expedient In the exposition of Caiphas the meaning is it is good for us pretending common good to kill Jesus but the sense of the Holy Ghost is that the precious death of our Saviour would be expedient for us and his alone bloud once shed for his people an all-sufficient ransome for their soules Expedient it was and behoovefull in the first place that he who should satisfie for sinne the wages whereof is death should bee a man subject to death Secondly that he should dye Thirdly inasmuch as with respect to his people he became a man subject to death so that hee should in the end lay downe his life for the people Fourthly that he should be sufficient by his alone death to satisfie in their behalfe for whom he dyed Lastly we must enquire whether the profit of his passion be such as extendeth to our selves or not we shall find it doth for so are the words of the Text It is expedient for us Expedient it was that the Saviour of man should be a man Ecce homo behold he is so for comming to save man suscepit naturam quam judicavit salvandam he became in all things sinne only excepted like unto us It was fit it should be so for if the Deity had opposed it selfe non tam ratio quà m potestas Diabolum vicisset what mystery had there bin for God to vanquish the Divell how should the Scripture have bin fulfilled The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head yet there is an experiment beyond all this Experiar Deus hic discrimine aperto an sit mortalis saith the spirituall Lycaon if hee carry about with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body subject to dissolution doubtlesse hee is a man Thus therefore that hee might shew himselfe a man it was expedient that hee should die Is this thy reward O sweet Saviour for stouping thine infinite majesty so low as to become earth and thirty three yeeres to converse amongst us must thou dye It must bee so yet not for any necessity of justice in respect of himselfe for never Lambe more innocent nor of constraint for at the very time of his apprehension when hee had lesse than twelve Apostles hee had more than twelve Legions of Angels at his becke at the breath of his mouth the majesty of his countenance the force of those his words I am hee a whole troupe of his persecuters fell backwards but it must bee so because the determination of the Trinity and the conformity of his owne will thereunto will have it so Oblatus est quia voluit saith the Prophet I lay down my life saith himselfe Yea Caiphas said as much in effect It is meet not that one should be put to death but that he
begotten Sonne a Priest for ever to sanctifie our persons and purge our sins and tender all our petitions to his Father What sinne so hainous what abomination so grievous for which such a Priest cannot satisfie by the oblation of himselfe What cause so desperate in which such an Advocate if he plead will not prevaile What suit so difficult which such a Mediatour will not carry We may be sure God will not be hard to be intreated of us who himselfe hath appointed us such an Intercessour to whom he can deny nothing Therefore surely if there be any Balme in Gilead it may be found on or gathered from the branches of this text The Lord sware And will not repent Is not this addition needlesse and superfluous Doth God ever repent him of any thing May wee be bold to use any such speech concerning God that he repented or retracted any thing We may the Scripture will beare us out in it which in many places warranteth the phrase as l Gen. 6.6 Then it repented the Lord that he had made man upon the earth and he was sorrie in his heart and m 1 Sam. 15.35 It repenteth me that I have made Saul King for he is turned from me and hath not performed my commandements and n Psal 106.15 He remembred his covenant and repented according to the multitude of his mercies and o Jer. 18.10 If this Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plagues that I thought to bring upon them but if they doe evill in my sight I will repent of the good that I thought to doe unto them therefore now amend your wayes and your works and heare the word of the Lord God that the Lord may repent him of the plagues that he hath pronounced against you and p Jon. 3.9 God saw their workes that they turned from their evill wayes and God repented of all the evill that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not All which passages I have entirely related quia de Deo etiam vera dicere periculosum est as the heathen q Hil. de Trin. l. 5. Non potest Deus nisi per Deum intelligi à Deo discendum est quid de Deo intelligendum est Sage wisely observeth It is dangerous to speake even true things of God for we may speake nothing safely of him which is not spoken by him in holy Scriptures And above others the Ministers of the Gospel have a speciall charge given them not onely to looke to their matter but to have a care also retinere sanam formam verborum to keepe unto a wholesome platforme of words and phrases such as all those are which the holy Ghost hath sanctified unto us whereof this is one God repented c. which may be safely uttered if it be rightly understood Certaine it is and a most undoubted truth that the nature of God is free from passion his actions from exception his will from controll his purpose from casualty his sentence from revocation and therefore when God is said in holy Scripture to repent of any good by him promised or actually conferred upon any or any evill inflicted or menaced we are not from thence to inferre that there are any after-thoughts in God but onely some alteration in the things themselves As Parents and Nurses that they may be the better understood of their Infants clip their words or speake in a like tone to them so also our heavenly Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may the better understand him speaketh to us in our owne language Num. 23.19 God is not a man that hee should lie nor the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall be not doe it hath he spoken and shall he not make it good and expresseth himselfe in such termes as best sort with our conceits and apprehensions When we condemne the courses which we have formerly taken or undoe any thing which we have done our after-thoughts checke our former and we retract our errour and this retraction of our opinions and change in our minde we call repentance which though it be farre from the nature of God yet is it by a figure attributed unto him the more significantly to expresse his infinite hatred and detestation of sin in regard whereof he cast man out of his favour as if he had repented that he had made him he cast Saul out of his throne as if he had repented that he had set him in it as also to represent his compassionate love towards penitent sinners which prevaileth so farre with him that upon the least relenting and humiliation on our parts he reverseth the fearefull sentence he passed upon us as if it repented him that he ever had pronounced it We repeale some act or constitution of ours or cancell some deed because we repent of that which formerly we had done but God is said to repent not because his minde or affection is changed but because his actions are such as when the like are done by men they truely repent Thus St. n L. 9. de Civ Dei Poenitentiae nomen usurpavit effectus non illius turbulentus affectus Austine resolveth the case Some such effects which in men proceed from repentance descried in the Actions of God have occasioned these and the like phrases God repented and was sorrie in his heart Yea but what effects are these Hath he ever reversed any sentence repealed any act nay recalled so much as any word passed from him Is the * 1 Sam. 15.29 strength of Israel as man that he should lie or as the sonne of man that hee should repent Is not hee the o Hâ—b 13.8 same yesterday and to day and for ever Are not all his menaces and promises all his mercies and judgements all his words and workes p 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us Yea and Amen Doubtlesse it shall stand for an unmoveable truth when heaven and earth shall passe away Mal. 3.6 Ego Deus non mutor I am the Lord I change not therefore we are yet in the suds there appeareth no ground to fasten repentance upon God either quoad affectum or quoad effectum But here the q Aquin. par 1. q. 16. art 7. Aliud est mutare voluntatem aliud velle mutationem Schoolemen reach us a distinction to take hold on whereby we may get out of the mire It is one thing to change the will and another thing to will a change God willeth a change in some things at some times but he never changeth his will Some things God appointeth to continue for ever as the dictates of the law of nature and the Priesthood of Christ some things for a time onely as the Legall Ceremonies and the Aaronicall Priesthood Againe some things he promiseth absolutely as
our Saviour yet it pierceth the heart of most that are meere men whom when hee cannot terrifie with feares he setteth upon them argenteis hastis suggesting after this manner Haec omnia tibi dabo thus and thus it shall be with thee by usury and oppression and sacriledge and cousenage thou shalt gather much wealth and become a great man Wherefore it standeth us much upon to be able to rebate the edge of this sharpe and dangerous weapon of Satan or to wrest it out of his hands and fight against himselfe with it as the Apostle here doth What fruit had yee What advantage have you made of sinne what commeth in by your unjust and ungodly courses what doe ye gaine by ventring your bodies and soules in Satans bottome what commodities doe your hellish voyages bring you If the Apostle had framed his interrogation thus What pleasure had you in those things whereof yee are now ashamed they might easily have put it by saying No wise man maketh pleasure his summum bonum or the mark he chiefly aimeth at If he had shaped it thus What honour or credit got you by those things whereof yee are now ashamed a colourable answer might have been We are not vain-glorious we build not our fortunes in the ayre upon the breath of other mens mouthes but when hee thus brandisheth his sword What fruit had yee in those things hee toucheth them to the quicke and enforceth them to answer directly to his interrogatory or condemne themselves of greatest folly which imputation of all other men cannot brooke It is acutely observed by e Arist Ret. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle who with the same sharpnesse of wit pierced into the secrets of nature and mysteries of policy that if you deale with a Counceller of state about any motion of his in any publike consultation and prove unto him that what he propounded stood not with equity or the honour of the state as for example to take advantage upon the weaknesse of our neighbours and confederates to bring them under us though they never offered us any wrong hee will give you the hearing and not vehemently contest with you but if you goe about to demonstrate that such a proposition of his if it had taken place would have proved disadvantageous to the Common-wealth hee will be at daggers drawing with you and never bee brought to yeeld to you in that point Whereupon he inferreth that howsoever justice honesty the dignity and honour of the Common-wealth are things to be thought upon and serve for ornaments of speech and motives to some few yet that which turneth the ballance and carrieth the greatest sway in all politicke consultations is matter of profit and emolument which hee there determineth to be the end of all deliberations And though Tully in his books f Cic. de lib 7. de oratore disliketh Aristotles opinion herein alledging against it the practice of the Romane state which as he there would beare us in hand ever stood more upon nobler termes of their honour and soveraignty than upon baser respects of gaine and profit yet when he grew elder and experience better instructed him in his booke of partitions he concurreth with Aristotle in judgement and the Lacedaemonians in practice who though they were otherwise commended for their upright dealing and harmlesse carriage yet were noted alwaies to wave the point of honesty ubi de commodis Reipublicae ageretur when the commodity of the Common-wealth was interessed therein That Maxime of the Parthians Nulla fides nisi prout expedit no faith or keeping touch with any but as it maketh for advantage is not more abhorred by Statesmen in their words and confuted in their discourses than exemplified by them in their actions Wherefore sith the consideration of profit and emolument is of so great importance in all affaires and passages of life let us see whether the vines of Sodome or the trees of Paradise are more fruitfull or rather whether sin be not altogether unfruitfull For if it appeare so then hath the worldly man no cover or shelter for his sinne and that it is so appeareth not only by this interrogatory of the Apostle and the paralleld Text thereunto g Ephes 5.11 have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse but reprove them rather but also by the most usuall names of sinne in Scripture 1. Folly 2. Vanity 3. A Lye 1. Sinne is called folly because the sinner is very witty in inventing sleights to deceive himselfe withall cunning and secret in spreading a net and laying a snare to catch his owne soule in hee taketh great paines and keepeth much adoe to undoe himselfe and can there bee greater folly than this As the wisedome of God made knowne by the preaching of the Gospel seemeth foolishnesse to the worldly man so it is most true that the wisedome of this world is folly with God and often called by that name in the Proverbes and Ecclesiastes 2. As sinne is called folly so it is called also h Psal 14.1 Pro. 7.22 11.29 12.15 19.1 c. vanity for sinne is vain because empty of all goodnesse because it hath nothing in it because the projects and enterprises of the sinner take no effect or not such as he promised himselfe 3 In the same respect all sinnes in generall are tearmed lyes because they promise and make shew of great gaine comfort and contentment to be reaped by them whereas they bring nothing lesse but are like the deceitfull ground in the Poet that mocketh the husbandman i Virg. Geor. 1. Expectata seges vanis elusit avenis This reason Saint k L. 14. de Civ Dei c 4. Beatus vult ess etiam non sic vive ido ut possit esse quid est hac voluntate mendacius unde non frustra dici potest omne peccatum esse mendacium non enim sit peccatum nisi eà voluntate quâ volumus ut bene sit nobis vel nolumus ut malè ergô mendacium est quòd cum fiat ut benè sit nobis hinc potiùs male est nobis vel cum fiat ut meliùs sit nobis hinc potiùs pejùs est nobis Austine was well pleased with as appeareth by his often running upon it They would saith hee bee blessed who take a course to hinder themselves from blessednesse or deprive themselves of it in which regard all sinne may bee called a lye because no man committeth sinne but out of a desire to doe good to himselfe whereas indeed by his sinne hee hurteth and endammageth himselfe I finde three Emblemes in holy Scripture whereby this truth is represented to the eye The first is Psal 12.8 Impii ambulant in circuitu the wicked walke in a circle or a ring which the Holy Ghost affirmeth of them not so much because they often traverse the same thoughts and tread a kind of maze in their mindes as because their labours
love Nay how canst thou not be perswaded sith hee himselfe hath said it I chasten as many as I love which words that thou maist take more hold of he hath often repeated them in holy Scripture Desirest thou greater assurance than his words which is all that heaven and earth have to shew for their continuance yet if thou desire more rather helpes of thine infirmity than confirmations of this truth observe who are oftenest longest under Gods afflicting hand who are fullest of his markes if they are deepest in sorrow who are highest in his favour if they mourne in Sion who sing Halelujah in the heavenly Jerusalem if they goe in blacke and sables here who are arrayed in long white robes there if they lay their heart a soake in teares who are men after Gods owne heart if Benjamins portion be greatest in afflictions assuredly manifold tribulations and Gods favour may stand together In the truth of which assertion all those Texts of Scripture may establish us which set before us the sweet fruits that are gathered from the crosse as 1. Knowledge It is good for mee that I have been k Psa 119.71 afflicted that I may learne thy statutes 2. Zeale I will l Hosea 5.15 goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offences and seeke my face in their affliction they will seeke mee diligently 3. Repentance I truly am m Psal 38.17 18. set in the plague and my heavinesse is ever in my sight I will confesse my wickednesse and be sorry for my sinnes When the people were stung with fiery serpents they came to Moses and said We have n Num. 21.7 sinned for wee have spoken against the Lord and against thee And againe In their o 2 Chro. 15.4 trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel and sought him and he was found of them When the Prodigall was pinched with famine he came to himselfe and said How many hired p Luke 15.16 17 18. servants in my fathers house have meat enough and I perish with hunger I will arise therefore and goe to my father c. 4. Patience Tribulation worketh q Rom. 5.3 4. patience and patience experience and experience hope 5. Joy in the Holy Ghost Receiving the Word with much affliction with r 1 Thes 1.6 joy in the Holy Ghost 6. Triall of our faith which like Å¿ 1 Pet. 1.7 gold is purged by the fire of afflictions Though he t Job 13.15 slay mee yet will I trust in him Our u Psal 44.18 19 20. heart is not turned backe nor our steps gone out of the way no not when thou hast smitten us into the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death 7. Righteousnesse No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but * Heb. 12.11 grievous neverthelesse yet afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby 8. Holinesse It x Heb. 2.10 became him for whom were all things in bringing many sonnes unto glory to consecrate the Captaine of our salvation through afflictions The y Heb. 12.10 fathers of our flesh for a few dayes chastened us after their owne pleasure but hee for our profit that wee may bee partakers of his holinesse 9. Estranging our affections from the world and earthly desires Eliah requested that he might dye It is z 1 Kin. 19.4 enough Lord take away my life I am no better than my fathers We that are in this tabernacle doe * 2 Cor. 5.4 groane being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 11. Humility The a 2 Cor. 12.7 messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet mee and that I should not be exalted above measure there was given mee a thorne in my flesh 11. Renovation and ghostly strength Therefore I b 2 Cor. 12.10 take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for when I am weake then am I strong and though our outward man decay yet our inward man is renewed day by day 12. Freedome from everlasting torments When c 1 Cor. 11.32 wee are judged wee are chastened of the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world 13. Encrease of celestiall glory For our d 2 Cor. 4.17 light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory The Heathen that never tasted the least part of these fruits yet feeling by experience that the mind cloyed with continuall felicity grew a burden to it selfe was deprived hereby of matter and occasion of excellent vertues and not so onely but infatuated and wholly corrupt thereby maintained this memorable Paradoxe e Demet. apud Sen. Nihil eo infelicius cui nihil intelix contigit That none was so unhappy as bee who knew no mishap nor adversity at any time Nay they went farther in that their conceit and thereby came nearer to my text affirming that store of wealth large possessions high places and great honours were not alwaies signes and tokens of the love of God God saith the wise Poet and the best Philosopher taketh it out of him f Aristot Rhet. l. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sendeth many men great prosperity not out of love and good will but to the end that they may bee capable of greater misery and that the calamities which they are after to endure may bee more g â—uven sit Numerosa parabat excelsae turris tabulata unde altior esset casus impulsae praeceps immane rumae eminent and signall Tolluntur in altum Ut lapsu graviore ruant Misery is alwayes querulous and even weake objections often ruine them who are already cast downe with griefe such as are these Doth not God threaten to powre out his plagues upon the wicked Doe wee not read in Saint h Rom. 2.9 Paul Tribulation and anguish upon every soule that sinneth of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Are not losses infamy captivity banishment tortures and torments judgements of wrath how then can they bee arguments of love I answer that originally all the evils of this life came in with sinne and were punishments of it and they retaine their nature still in the wicked but in the godly by the mercy of God and merits of Christ they are changed from judgements of wrath into chastisements of love from stings of sinne to remedies against sinne from executions of vengeance to exercises of excellent vertues and the inflicting of them so little prejudiceth Gods love to his chosen that hee no way more sheweth it to them than by thus awaking them out of their sleepe and by this meanes pulling them out of hell fire And therefore the Prophets threaten it after all other judgements as the greatest of all that for their obstinacy and impenitency God would punish them no more
true Howsoever what piety is it nay what equity nay rather what abominable iniquity and impiety is it florem Diabolo consecrare faeces Deo reservare To consecrate the flower of their youth to the Divell the world and the flesh and reserve the lees or dregges of their old age for God To dedicate to him our weake and feeble dotage if we live to it what is it better than to offer the f Deut. 15.21 blind and the lame for sacrifice which God abhorreth Repent therefore repentè repent at the first offer of grace Ye shall scarce find any precept of repentance in Scripture which requireth not as well that it be out of hand as that it be from the heart Remember thy g Eccles 12.1 Creatour in the dayes of thy youth To h Psal 95.7 8. day if yee will heare his voice harden not your heart Seek i Psal 32.6 the Lord while he may be found Now he may be found now he seeketh us now he calleth to us let us therefore breake off all delayes and pricke on forward our dull and slow affections with that sharp and poynant increpation of Saint k Confes l. 8. c. 5. Modò modò non habent modum quamdiu cras cras cur non hoc dic cur non hac horâ finis turpitudinis meae Ib. Verba lenta somnolenta modò ecce modò sine paululum sed sine paululum ibat in longum c. Austine Why doe I still procrastinate my comming unto thee O Lord Why not now why not this day why not this houre an end of my sinfull course of life Deo Patri Filio Spiritui sancto sit laus c. THE DEFORMITY OF HALTING THE LVII SERMON 1 KIN. 18.21 And Elijah came to all the people and said How long halt ye betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him and the people answered not a word Right Honourable c. ELijah who sometimes called for fire from heaven was himselfe full of heavenly fire the fire of zeale for the Lord of Hosts His words like fire 1 Give light 2 Heate 3 Consume 1 They give light to this undoubted truth That one and but one Religion is to be embraced either God or Baal must be worshipped in no case both Stand firme to one How long halt ye betweene two 2 They heate and enflame true zeale and devotion If the Lord be God follow him 3 They burne up indifferencie and neutralitie If Baal be he goe after him This passage of Scripture relateth a Sermon of Elijah wherein we are to note more particularly 1 The Preacher Elijah 2 The Auditorie the whole Parliament of Israel 3 The Text or Theame handled by him viz. What God is to be worshipped what religion to be established and maintained by Prince and people Now although I perswade my selfe that there is none in this whole assembly who halteth betweene the Popish and reformed Churches or hath once bowed his knee to the Romish Baal yet because Satan hath of late not only turned himselfe into an Angell of light to dazle the eyes of weake Christians in point of Doctrine but also into a Seraphim of heat and zeale under colour of devotion to bring us to offer strange fire upon Gods Altar and especially because there is no lamp of the Sanctuarie that burneth so brightly but that it needeth oyle continually to be powred into it to feed the flame the opening of this Scripture cannot but be seasonable and usefull to reduce you into the path if you swerve from it never so little or to prick you on if you are in the right way that leadeth to the kingdome of God The key to open this Text is the occasion of this exhortation of the Prophet wherefore before I proceed to the exposition of the words I must entreat you to cast a looke backwards to the occasion of them and the cause of the peoples haulting downe-right a circumstance not giving more light to the right understanding of the Prophets reproofe than strength to our stedfast standing and upright walking in the high way to Heaven What the religious Father spake by way of Apologie for handling controversall points in the pulpit Ideo non dubitavimus dubitare ut vos non dubitaretis We therefore make no scruple to move doubts that yee may not doubt but upon the solution of them be more settled in your most holy faith I may say truly that therefore I hold it needfull to make a stay at the cause of the poeples haulting that their haulting may be no stay to your godly proceedings that you may never hault upon their ground which was so slipperie that they slid now this way now that way not able to set sure footing any where Elijah by his divine commission drew them to Gods Altar but Ahab especially at the instigation of Jezebel by his royall power enforced them to offer at Baals groves between both they were miserably perplexed their minds distracted and their worship divided betweene God and Baal Men are led by examples more than precepts especially by the examples of Princes or Potentates which carrie a kinde of Sovereigntie over mens affections and manners as they themselves have over their persons insomuch that their morall vices yea and naturall deformities also have beene drawne and patterned out by some of their subjects as if they were vertues and gracefull ornaments a Jan. Grut. annot in Tac. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodorus Siculus telleth us in sober sadnesse that it was the custome of the Aethiopians to maime or lame themselves in that part or foot on which their Prince limped because they thought it a great disparagement for their Prince that any about him should goe more upright or have a more gracefull gate than hee And Atheneus likewise reporteth of Dionysius his familiars that because himselfe was somewhat purblinde they as they sate at table reached towards dishes as it were by aime and sometimes missed that they might not seeme more quick-sighted than he And to make up the number when Philip received a wound in his eye Clisophus as if hee had got a blow on the same eye putteth a patch on it and when afterwards Philip was run thorow the right thigh in comes Clisophus all to be plaistered on that thigh and out-halteth his Master We can hardly hold laughing when we read or heare of the madnesse rather than folly of so grosse flatterie yet wee have cause rather to weepe at the sight of a farre worse flatterie and yet most usuall whereby some indeere themselves into great personages by imitating their vices and profane carriage To expresse these they account it a kinde of merit of favour or at least an homage due to their greatnesse because saith b Lactant. divin instit l. 5. c. 6. Et quoniam regis vitta imitari obsequii quoddam genus est abjecerunt omnes pietatem ne regi
lately celebrated with a fit antheme Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivitie captive the later may supply this present thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God may dwell among them Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation for on this day Christ received gifts for his Church the gifts of faith hope and charitie the gift of prayer and supplication the gift of healing and miracles the gift of prophecie the gift of tongues and the interpretation thereof Verily so many and so great are the benefits which the anniversary returne of this day presenteth to us that as if all the tongues upon the earth had not beene sufficient to utter them a supply of new tongues was sent from heaven to declare them in all languages The new Testament was drawne before and signed with Christs bloud on good Friday but c Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby yee are sealed to the day of redemption sealed first on this day by the holy spirit of God Christ made his last Will upon the crosse and thereby bequeathed unto us many faire legacies but this Will was not d 1 Cor. 12.4 5 8. There are differences of administrations but the same Lord and diversitie of gifts but the same spirit For to one is given by the same spirit the word of wisdome unto another the word of knowledge by the same spirit administred till this day for the e And 2 Cor. 3.8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious ministration is of the spirit Yea but had not the Apostles the spirit before this day did not our Lord breathe on them John 20.22 the day he rose at evening being the first day of the weeke saying Receive yee the holy Ghost The learned answer that they had indeed the spirit before but not in such a measure the holy Ghost was given before according to some ghostly power and invisible grace but was never sent before in a visible manner before they received him in breath now in fire before hee was f Calv. in Act Anteà respersi erant nunc plenè imbuti sprinkled but now powred on them before they received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before authority to discharge their function but now power to worke wonders before they had the smell now the substance g Aug. hom de Pent. Nunc ipsa substantia sacri defluxit unguenti cujus fragrantia totius orbis latitudo impleretur iterum adfuit hoc die fidelibus non per gratiam visitationis operationis sed per praesentiam majestatis of the celestiall oyntment was shed on them they heard of him before but now they saw and felt him 1. In their minds by infallible direction 2. In their tongues by the multiplicity of languages 3. In their hands by miraculous cures S. Austine truly observeth that before the Apostles on this day were indued with power from above they never strove for the Christian faith unto bloud when Satan winnowed them at Christs passion they all flew away like chaffe And though S. Peters faith failed not because it was supported by our Lords prayer Luke 22.32 yet his courage failed him in such sort that he was foyled by a silly damsell but after the holy Ghost descended upon him and the rest of the Apostles in the sound of a mightie rushing wind and in the likenesse of fierie cloven tongues they were filled with grace and enflamed with zeale and they mightily opposed all the enemies of the truth and made an open and noble profession thereof before the greatest Potentates of the world and sealed it with their bloud all of them save S. John who had that priviledge that hee should stay till Christ came glorifying the Lord of life by their valiant suffering of death for his names sake In regard of which manifold and powerfull effâ—cts of sending the spirit on this day which were no lesse seene in the flames of the Martyrs than in the fiery tongues that lighted on the Apostles the Church of Christ even from the beginning celebrated this festivity in most solemne manner and not so onely but within 300. yeares after Christs death the Fathers in the Councels of h Concil Elib c. 43. Cuncti diem Pentecostes celebrent qui non fecerit quasi novam heresem induxerit pumatur Eliberis mounted a canon thundring out the paine of heresie to all such as religiously kept it not If the Jewes celebrated an high feast in memory of the Law on this day first proclaimed on mount Sinai ought not we much more to solemnize it in memory of the Gospel now promulgated on mount Sion by new tongues sent from heaven If we dediâ—â—â— peculiar festivals to God the Father the Creatour and God the Sonne the Redeemer why should not God the holy Ghost the Sanctifier have a peculiar interest in our devotion S. i Serm. in die Pent. Si celebramus sanctorum solennia quanto magis ejus à quo habuerunt ut sancti essent quotquot fuerunt sancti si veneramur sanctificatos quanto magis sanctificatorem Bernard addeth another twist to this cord If we deservedly honour Saints with festivals how much more ought wee to honour him who maketh them Saints especially having so good a ground for it as is laid downe in this chapter and verse And when the day of Pentecost was come As a prologue to an act or an eeve to an holy day or the Parascheve to the Passeover or the beautifull gate to the Temple so is this preface to the ensuing narration it presenteth to our religious thoughts a three-fold concurrence 1. Of time 2. Of place 3. Of affections Upon one and the selfe same day when all the Apostles were met in one place and were of one minde the spirit of unity and love descendeth upon them Complementum legis Christus Evangelii spiritus As the descending of the Sonne was the complement of the Law so the sending of the spirit is the complement of the Gospel and as God sent his Sonne in the fulnesse of time so he sent the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fulnesse of the fiftieth day When the Apostles number was full and their desire and expectations full then the spirit came downe and filled their hearts with joy and their tongues with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnifica Dei facta the wonderfull works of God vers 11. That your thoughts rove not at uncertainties may it please you to pitch them upon foure circumstances 1. The time when 2. The persons who They. 3. The affection or disposition were with one accord 4. The place in one place 1. The time was solemne the day of Pentecost 2. The persons eminent the Apostles 3. Their disposition agreeable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The place convenient in an
God only knowes Jam ad Triarios res rediit now the whole shock of the army and the maine battell is to advance and upon the sinceritie of the humiliation and fervency of devotion and strength of our united praiers sighes this day dependeth much the safety and life of our State and in it of our Church and in it of our true and incorrupt Religion Let no man goe about with Mercuries inchanted rod to close the eyes of our Argus's let no man sow pillowes under the elbowes of our true Patriots to make them sleep in security lest destruction steale upon us at unawares It is certaine our enemies sleep not and it is most certaine that our crying sinnes have awaked Gods justice it standeth us therefore upon to watch and pray Judgement is already begun at the house of God the Angel hath poured out his viall of red wine upon the Churches of Bohemia and their fields are thicke sowne with the blood of Martyrs the same Angel hath emptied another viall upon the Churches in the Palatinate and the sweet Rhenish grape yeelds in a manner now no liquor but blood a third viall runneth out at this houre upon the reformed Churches in France and our sinnes as it were holloe to him to stretch his hand over the narrow sea and cast the dregges of it on us who have beene long settled upon our lees and undoubtedly this will bee our potion to drinke if wee stretch not our hands to heaven that God may command his Angel to stay his hand If hee have already turned his viall and wee see drops of bloud hanging in the ayre yet the strong wind of our prayers may blow them away and dispell them in such sort that they shall not fall upon us a gale of our sighes may cleare the skie Moses praiers manicled the hands of Almighty God and shall not the united devotions of this whole Land either stay or turne his Angels hand Away with all confidence in the arme of flesh away with all hope in man away with all cloakes of sinne and vizzards of hypocrisie there is no dissembling with God no fighting against him Albeit our land bee compassed with the sea as with a moat and environed with ships furnished with ordnance as with brazen and iron walls though the most puissant Princes on earth should send us innumerable troupes to succour and aide us yet we have no fence for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we lye open to heaven wee are naked to the arrowes of the Almighty and no carnall weapons for succours can stand us in any stead onely the helmet of salvation and the buckler of faith and the powder of a contrite heart and the shot of pious ejaculations may doe us some good It is our pride Beloved that hath throwne us downe and it is humility which must raise us our divisions have weakened us and it is union that can strengthen us our luxury hath imbezelled us and now nothing but fasting and abstinence can recover us our sinnes have made a breach and nothing but repentance can make it up our profane oathes our sinfull pleasures our carnall security and sensuality hath driven away the Spirit of grace and comfort from us and nothing can wooe him to returne backe againe but our vowes of amendment unfeigned teares and sorrowfull sighes Let us therefore ply sighes and b Cyp. ep 1. Incumbamus igitur gemitibus assiduis deprecationibus crebris haec enim sunt arma coelestia quae stare perseverare fortiter faciunt haec sunt munimenta spiritualia tela divina quae protegunt nos Et serm de laps Oportet transigere vigiliis noctes tempus omne lachrymosis lamentationibus occupare stratos solo adhaerere cineri in cilicio volutari sordibus prayers for these are the spirituall weapons we alone can trust to through the intercession of Christs bloud which speaketh better things for us than the bloud of Abel These weapons our Lord himselfe made tryall of in my Text and sanctified them to our use viz. passionate teares and compassionate prayers When hee drew neere to Jerusalem and fore-saw in spirit that shee drew neere to her ruine his eyes melted with teares he beheld the City and wept and his heart breaketh out into sighes Oh that thou knewest Teares trickle not down in order neither are sighes fetched by method Expect not therefore from mee any accurate division or methodicall handling of this passionate Text only in the first place fasten the eye of your observation upon the eyes of our Saviour and you shall discerne in them 1. Beames of love He beheld 2. Teares of compassion He wept over it In the next place bow the eares of your religious attention towards his mouth and ye shall heare from him 1. Sighes of desire Oh or if that thou knewest 2. Plaints of sorrow But now they are hid from thine eyes I have pitched as you see upon a c Hom. Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moist plat or fenny ground wherein that your devotion may walke more steadily I have laid out for you five knolls or steps to rest upon and pawse 1. Venit He came 2. Vidit He beheld 3. Flevit He wept 4. Ingemuit He sighed 5. Oravit He prayed 1. Venit or appropinquavit he drew neere The end of our Saviours life here was the sacrifice of his death he was borne that he might die for us and by one oblation of himselfe on the crosse satisfie for the sinnes of the whole world Now all sacrifices by the Law were to be offered at Jerusalem to Jerusalem therefore hee comes up to finish the worke of our redemption and he maketh the more haste because Easter was neere at hand when he was to eate the Paschall Lambe with his Disciples and to be eaten of them in the mysterious rite of the Sacrament to kill the passover in the type but to be killed himselfe in the truth Oh how farre hath our Saviour left us behind him in his love He came with a swift foot to us we returne with a slow foot to him he made more haste to give himselfe than we make to receive him After hee received the commandement from his Father to lay downe his life for his sheep he rode more cheerfully into Jerusalem and was led more willingly to the altar of the crosse where hee lost his life than we repaire to his holy table there to be partakers of the bread of eternall life He came neere to the City that he might view it he viewed it that hee might weep over it hee wept over it that hee might testifie a threefold truth 1. Naturae of his Nature 2. Amoris of his Love 3. Doctrinae of his Doctrine or prophesie 1. Veritatem naturae the truth of his humane nature He must needs be a true man who out of compassion sheds teares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic fatur lachrymans Cold stone or metall relenteth not a phantasme