Meeting marvelous in our eyes Will yee stay a little and take a view of the Parties Foure they are These foure 1 Mercie and 2 Truth 3 Righteousnesse and 4 Peace Which quaternion at the first sight divides it selfe into two and two Mercie and Peace they two Paire well they be collectaneae as Bernard saith of them in one place bedfellowes But Mercy and Truth Righteousnesse and Peace sleepe together collactaneae as in another place sucked one milke one breast both And as these two so the other two truth and righteousnesse seeme to be of one complexion and disposition and commonly take part togither Of these Mercie seemes to favor us and Peace no enemie to us nor to any seeing we must speake of them as of persons mild and gentle persons Rom. 13.4 both For Righteousnesse I know not well what to say Gestat gladium and I feare non frustrà Nor of Truth who is vera and severa severe too otherwhile These I doubt are not like affected The reason of my doubt Of one of them Righteousnesse it is told heer for great newes that She but looked downe hitherwards from heaven Before then She would not have done that A great signe it is of heart burning when one will not doe so much as looke at another not endure his sight We cannot promise our selves much of her No nor of Truth One was so bold in a place to say Omnis homo mendax Rom. 3.4 and feared no challenge for it By that it seemes all stands not well with her neyther So then two for us two against us Their order Mercie first Peace last For their order Mercie is first and Peace last With both ends we shall do well enough GOD send us to do but so with the midst Yet this is not amisse that they which favor us lesse are in the midst hemmed in on both sides closed about with those that wish us well and they between us and them On the one side Mercie before On the other Peace behind Their sorting Mercie and Truth Another that in this double meeting Mercie sorts not her selfe goes not to Righteousnesse nor Righteousnesse to her but to Peace A kind of crosse meeting as it were there is the better hope of accord Mercie and Righteousnesse have no Symbolizing qualitie at all no hope of them but Truth with Mercie hath There is Truth as well in the Promise of Mercie as in the threat of Iustice. Righteousnesse and Peace Heb. 7.2.6.20 And it stands yet better between the other two Righteousnesse and Peace Melchisedek which is by interpretation King of Righteousnesse the same is King of Salem that is of peace He that is after the order of Melchisedek King of both like enough to sett accord between them two both of them his lieges This for the view of the Parties These meet heer The Occasion but what is obviaverunt without osculatae sunt Better let them stand in sunder still and never meet There seemes to be two Meetings implyed One obviaverunt without and another with osculatae sunt Before they mett heer they were parted the one from the other For they that meet come from diverse coasts Before this meeting they have been in diverse quarters one from the other and not come together thus a good while Their distance in place grew from their distance in affection estranged one from the other That they mett not I will not say but that they mett not thus ever before Els what remarkable thing were there in this Meeting or worth the composing of a Psalme if it had been familiar with them thus to meet every other nay any other day How came they then asunder that it should be a marveile to see them meet Of their severing Not from themselves Since naturally they are not strangers all foure in the bosome of GOD from all eternitie Attributes all foure of His undivided essence So not divided of themselves Not of themselves then That they were divided it was about us the quarrell ours that made them part company Thus I gather it If at CHRISTS birth they mett at Adams fall they parted If when Truth was borne on earth they came together But from Adams fall when Truth perished from the earth they fell in sunder That was when the first lye was told and beleeved and that was nequaquam moriemini by Adam and thereby GOD much wronged So that Adams cause it was and so Gen. 3.4 ours that first divided heaven yea the very Attributes in GOD we see and so in a sort GOD Himselfe So they parted first Col. 1.20 It could not be sayd by the Apostle that CHRIST pacified all things in heaven and in earth if there had not in heaven been somewhat to be taken up For all this yet I deny not but they might and did meet once before But So their first meeting was in opposition it was an obviaverunt without an osculatae sunt Never both these till now Out of CHRIST and before His birth they mett in opposition In CHRIST and at his birth did these foure Lights come to meet and to be in conjunction now They mett before obviaverunt but instead of osculatae it was altercatae sunt While Mercie and Peace would have Adams and our case relieved Righteousnesse and Truth would by no meanes endure it The plea is drawen up and reported at large by Bernard in his first Sermon upon the Annunciation Mercie began for out of her readinesse to doe good she is heer Mercies Plea she is ever formost Her inclination is or rather she herselfe is an inclination to pitie such as are in miserie and if she can to releive them yea though they deserve it not For which is the comfort of the miserable sinner she lookes not to the partie what he is or what he hath done or deserved but what he suffers in how woefull and wretched a case he is And her plea is Nunquid in vanum Psal. 89.47.30 ◠What hath GOD made all men for nought What profit is in their blood It will make GODS enimies rejoice Thither it will come if GOD cast them cleane of What then Will He cast them of for ever Psal. 74.18 will He be no more entreated Hath GOD forgotten to be gratious With these and such like pij susurri as he calls them did she enter into GODS bowels and make them yerne Psal. 77.7 8. and melt into compassion And certainly if there were none to stand against us there were hope Mercie had prevailed But Truth must be heard too and she layes in just matter of exception Pleades Truth 's Reply Ioh. 1 1. Deus erat Verbum What is God but His Word and His word was as to ADAM morte morieris So to his Sonnes anima quae peccaverit The soule that sinneth Gen. 2.17 that soule shall dye GOD may not falsifie His word His word is the truth
Repentance Ephrata and Faith Ephrata Et sic de caeteris if they be true Els be they but vites frondâ—sae leaves and nothing els Simulachra virtutum and not vertues indeed Of Zabulon Hos. 10.1 not of Iuda and so not the right Fruictfull them and of what fruict That is in the very name it selfe 3. In good works Beth-lehem of Bethlehem Not the fruict of the lipps a few good words but the precious fruict of the earth as Saint Iames calleth it lehem good bread that fruict Such fruict Iam. 5.7 as Saint Paul carried to the poore Saints at Ierusâ—lem Almes and offerings that is the right fruict Cum signavero fructum hunc it hath the Seale on it for right Such Rom. 15.28 as the Philippians sent him Phil. 4 18.10 for supply of his want whereby he knew they were alive againe at the roote in that they thus fructified yeelded this fruict of a Sweet odour and wherewith GOD was highly pleased as there he tells them Psal. 132.6 It was not sure without mysterie that the Temple was first heard of at Ephrata at this fruictfull place No more was it that which the Fathers observe of the trees that were used about it Not a post of the Temple not a Spar nay not so much as a pin but was made of the wood of a fruit-bearing tree No barren wood at all in it No more was it 2. Sam 18.25 that the very Altar of the Temple was founded upon a threshing floore Areuna's where good come was threshed All to shew it would be plenteous in feeding and clothing and such other pertaining to this of Ephrata Which how ever they be with us Matt 25.35.36 42 43. will be the first and principall point of enquiry at the day of Doome even about feeding and clothing and other workes of mercie By both ioyned Bethlehem parvula Ephrata Now if we could bring these two together make a coniunction of them in Gemini it were worth all For I know not how but if there be in us ought of Ephrata if we happen to be any thing fruitfull but in any degreâ— away goes parvula streight Streight we cease to be little We begin to talke of Merit and Worth and I wote not what Indeed if we be all barren and bare it may be then and scarce then neither but peradventure then we grow not high-minded But so we fall still upon one extreme or other if fertile then proud if humble then barren We cannot get to be humble yet not fruitlesse or to be fruitfull yet keepe our humilitie still Not Ephrata Psal 87.4 and parvula together But that is the true Bethlehem and there was He borne And thus far I hope we have beene led right and are in our way His manner of feeding By the Sacrament Beth-lehem Gen 3 6 Ioh 6 48. But leading is not all Heer is qui pascet too and we may not passe it For to that He leads us also Dux qui pascet We followed a false Guide at first that led us to the forbidden fruit the end whereof was morte morâ—emini This now will lead us to a food of the nature of the Tree of life even the bread of life by eating whereof we shall have life in our selves even life immortall That is His food He leads us to And if we would forget this both the Person and the Place the Person qui pascet that shall feed and the Place Bethlehem the house of bread would serve to put us in remembrance of it Even of the breaking of bread which the Church as this day ever hath and still vseth as the Child-house feast We spake of Transeamus usque Bethlehem going thither that may we even locally doe and never goe out of this Roome inasmuch as heer is to be had the true bread of life Ioh â— 51. that came downe fâ—om heaven Which is His flâ—sh this day borne which He gave for the life of the world Ioh 6.32 41.31 called by Him so the true bread the bread of heaven the bread of life And where that bread is there is Bethlehem ever Even strictè loquendo it may be said and said truly the Church in this sense is very Bethlehem no lesse then the Towne it selfe For that the Towne it selfe never had the name rightly all the while there was but bread made there bread panis hominum the bread of men Not till this Bread was borne there Psal. 78.25 which is Panis Angelorum as the Psalme calleth it and man did eate Angells food Then and never till then was it bethlehem and that is in the Church as truly as ever in it And accordingly the Church takes order we shall never faile of it There shall ever be this day a Bethlehem to go to a house wherein there is bread and this bread And shall there be Bethlehem and so neer us and shall we not go to it Or shall we goe to it to the House of bread this bread and come away without it Shall we forsake our Guide leading us to a place so much for our benefit Luk. 17.37 Vbi Domine was the Apostles question and His answer Vbi corpus ibi aquilae where the bodie is there the eagles will be Let it appeare we are so For here is the Bodie Els doe we our duty to Him but by halves For as our duty to Dux is to be led So our duty to qui pascet is to be fed by Him To end And thus ducendo pascit and pascendo ducit leading He feeds us and feeding He leads us till He bring us whither Even to A principio backe againe to where we were at the beginning and at the beginning we were in Paradise That our beginning shall be our end Thither He will bring us Nay to a better estate then so to that wherevnto even from Paradise we should have been translated to the State of aeternitie to the ioyes and ioyfull dayes there even to glorie ioy and blisse aeternall To which He bring us even our blessed Guide that this day was in Bethlehem borne to that end IESVS CHRIST the Righteous A SERMON PREACHED before the KINGS MAIESTIE at White-hall on Wednesday the XXV of December A. D. MDCXVI being CHRIST-MASSE day PSAL. LXXXV VER X.XI. Misericordia Veritas obviaverunt sibi Iustitia Pax osculatae sunt Veritas de terra orta est Iustitia de coelo prospexit Mercie and Truth shall meet Righteousnesse and Peace shall kisse one another Truth shall budde out of the earth and Righteousnesse shall looke downe from Heaven I Have here read you two Verses out of this Psalme which is one of the Psalmes selected of old by the Primitive Church and so still reteined by ours as part of our Office or Service of this day As being proper and pertinent to the matter of the Feast and so to the Feast it selfe For the meeting here specified
was to be at the birth of the MESSIAS So saith Rabbi MOSES and other of the Iewes Was at the birth of our SAVIOVR So say the Fathers with uniforme consent and co nomine have made this a CHRIST-MASSE day Psalme As his manner is the Psalmist in it under one compriseth the type and the truth both By those things which befell the people of the Iewes the Church typicall shadowing out of those things which were to befall the Antitype of it CHRIST and His Church For primâ propria intentione it cannot be denied but the Psalme was first sett according to the letter upon the turning back of the captivitie of Babel But the Prophet knew well that was not their worst captivitie nor should be their best delivery There was another yet behind concerned them more if they understood their owne state aright which was reserved to the MESSIAS to free them from To that he points Even that Rom. 7.23 the Apostle complaines of Rom. 7. wherein the soule is led away captive under sinn and Sathan the very true Babell indeed as which bringeth with it everlasting confusion From which CHRIST the true Zorobabel is to sett us free us and them both There is a Meeting heer A meeting at a Birth A birth The Summe that did them in Heaven Righteousnesse by name good to behold The Meeting in obviaverunt The Birth in orta est The pleasure to behold it in prospexit de coelo Prospexit is to see with delight as when we looke into some pleasant prospect A meeting qualified for the manner For they do not meet and passe by but meet and Salute as friends with an osculatae sunt a signe of love begun or renewed This meeting is of foure Foure which of them selves propriè loquendo are nothing but Attributes or Properties of the Divine Nature But are heer by the Psalmist brought in and represented to us as so many Personages Personages I say inasmuch as they have heer personall acts ascribed to them For to meete to kisse to looke downe are all of them acts personall And looke how the Psalmist presents them so we treat of them in the same termes the Text doth At a Birth at Orta est these foure meet heer At orta est Veritas the birth of Truth de terrâ from the earth For two Ortus there were and this not His antesaecularis ortus de coelo His Birth before all worlds from heaven but His ortus de terrá His temporall birth from the earth Lastly the birth of this Birth as I may say the effect it wrought Of which more there are in the neighboring verses Heer in these besides the meeting occasioned by it there is but one That such a spectacle it was as it drew Righteousnesse it selfe from heaven to looke at it Time was when Righteousnesse would not have done so much not have vouchsafed a looke hitherward Therefore respexit nos Iustitia is good newes That then and ever since She hath beheld the earth and the dwellers in it with a farre more favorable regard then before And all for this Births sake And when was all this When He that saith of Himselfe I am the Truth Ioh. 14.16 when He was borne upon earth For orta est Veritas and natus est CHRISTVS will fall out to be one Birth What day soever that was this meeting was upon it And that was this day of all the dayes of the yeare The Meeting and the Day of this meeting heer all one and the Birth of CHRIST the cause of both So being this dayes worke this day to be dealt with most properly Onward we have heere foure Honors of this Day Every one of the foure giving it a blessing 1 It is the day of ortus Veritatis Truths birth 2 And the same the day of occursus Misericordiae the Meeting heer mentioned 3 And of osculum Pacis the Kisse heer expressed 4 And of prospectus Iustitiae Righteousnesse's gratious respect of us These from each of them in severall And generally the day of reconciling them all Holding us to these we are to speake of the 1 Meeting the 2 Parties 3 the Birth The Division and the 4 Effect heer specified to come of it Of this Meeting in CHRIST Then in Christianitie not to be broken of by us but to be renewed and specially this day HEer is a Meeting And that is no great matter if it be no more I. 1. The Meeting Not casuall How many meet we as we passe to and fro dayly and how little do we regard it But that meeting is casuall Somewhat more there is in Sett Meetings It was not by hap not obviaverunt But of purpose simply but obviaverunt sibi Sibi sheweth they had an entent they came forth on both sides Not to meet any fift person but to meet one another But not every Sett meeting is memorable This is I find a Psalme heer made And that memorable in remembrance of it And lightly Songs be not made but de rarò contingentibus not of ordinary but of some speciall great Meetings The greatnesse of a Meeting groweth three waies 1 By the Parties Who 2 The Occasion Whereon and 3 the End Whereto they meet All three are in this The Parties in the first Verse the Occasion and End in the second The Occasion a birth an occasion oft of making great Persons meet And the End that comes of it that Righteousnesse who is to be our Iudge and to give the last sentence upon us beholds us with an aspect that promises favor 3 The Parties The Occasion and the End we shall touch anon Now of the Parties If the Parties great the Meeting great The conjunction of the Great Lights in heaven The enterview of great States on earth ever bodes some great matter Who are the Parties heer Foure as high as excellent Attributes as there be any in the God-head Or to keepe the style of the Text foure as great States as any in the Court of Heaven The Manner of their meeting These meet and in what manner Great States meet otherwhile in a pitched field Not so heer This is an obviaverunt with an osculatae sunt they run not one at another as enimies they run one to another and Kisse as loving friends And that which makes it memorable indeed is that these Parties in this manner thus meet who if all were well known were more like to turne taile then to meet one to run from another Nay one to run at another to encounter rather then run one to another to embrace and kisse Not meet at all at least not meet thus standing in such termes as they did Not Mercie Peace or Truth and Righteousnesse Mercie and Peace if they two had mett or Truth and Righteousnesse they two it had not been straunge But for those that seeme to be in opposition to doe it that is it that makes this
Ezek. 18.20 falsifie the truth that may not be And then steppes up Righteousnesse and seconds her Righteousnesse seconding her Psal. 145.17 that GOD as He is true in His word so is He righteous in all His workes So to reddere suum cuique to render each his owne to every one that is his due and so to the sinner stipendium peccati the wages of sinne that is death God forbid Rom. 6.23 the Iudge of the world should iudge unjustly that were as before to make Truth false so heere to do Right wrong Nay it went further and they made it their owne cases What shall become of me said Righteousnesse What use of Iustice if GOD will doe no justice if He spare sinners And what use of me sayth Mercie if He spare them not Hard hold there was inasmuch as Perij nisi homo moriatur sayd Righteousnesse I dye if he dye not And Perij nisi Misecicordiam consequatur sayd Mercie if he dye I dye too To this it came and in those termes brake up the meeting and away they went one from the other Truth went into exile as a stranger upon earth The first meeting broken up Terras Astraea reliquit she confined her selfe in Heaven where so aliened she was as she would not so much as looke downe hither upon us Mercie she staid below still ubi enim Misericordia esset sayth Hugo well si cum misero non esset Where should Mercie be if with miserie she should not be As for Peace she went betweene both to see if she could make them meet againe in better termes For without such a meeting no good to be done for us For meet they must and that in other termes or it will goe wrong with us Our Salvation lies a bleeding all this while The Plea hangs and we stand as the prisoner at the barre and know not what shall become of us For though two be for us there are two against us as strong and more stiffe then they So that much depends upon this second Meeting upon the composing or taking up this difference For these must be at peace betweene themselves before they at peace with us or we with GOD. And this is sure we shall never meet in heaven if they meet no more And many meanes were made for this meeting many times but it would not be Where stayed it It was not long of Mercie she would be easily entreated to give a new meeting no question of her Oft did she looke up to heaven but Righteousnesse would not looke downe Not look not that Small hope she would be got to meet that would not look that way-ward Indeed all the question is of her It is Truth and she that holds of but specially She. Vpon the Birth you see heer is no mention of any in particular but of Her as much to say as the rest might be dealt with she only it was that stood out And yet she must be got to meet or els no meeting No meeting till Iustice satisfied All the hope is that she doth not refuse simply never to meet more but stands vpon satisfaction Els Righteousnesse should not be righteous Being satisfied then she will remaining vnsatisfied so she will not meet All stands then on her satisfying how to devise to give her satisfaction to her mind that so she may be content once more not to meet and argue as yer-while but to meet and kisse meet in a ioynt concurrence to save us and set us free And indeed Hoc opus there lies all how to set a song of these foure parts in good harmonie how to make these meet at a love-day how to satisfie Iustice upon whom all the stay is Not in any but the Christian Religion And this say I no Religion in the world doth or can doe but the Christian. No Queer sing this Psalme but ours None make Iustice meet but it Consequently None quiet the conscience soundly but it Consequently no Religion but it Withall religions els at odds they be and so as they are faigne to leave them so For meanes in the world have they none how to make them meet Not hable for their lives to tender Iustice a Satisfaction that will make her come in The words next before are that glorie may dwell in our land Verse 9. This glorie doth dwell in our land indeed And great cause have we all highly to blesse GOD Psal. 16.6 that hath made our lott to fall in so faire a ground That we were not borne to enherit a lie that we were borne to keepe this Feast of this Meeting For bid any of them all but shew you the way how to satisfie Iustice soundly and to make her come to this meeting how GODS Word may be true and His worke just and the Sinner find mercie and be saved for all that They cannot The Christian onely can doe it and none els All beside for lack of this passe by the wounded man and let him lie still and bleed to death Luk. 10.31.32 Bid the Turke All he can say is Mahomets prayer shall be upon you Mahomets prayer what is that Say he were that he was not a just man a true Prophet What can his prayers doe but move Mercie But GODS Iustice how is that answered Who shall satisfie that Not prayers Iustice is not moved with them heares them not goes on to sentence for all them He can goe no further he cannot make justice meet Bid the Heathen he sayes better yet then the Turke They saw that without shedding of blood there was no satisfying Iustice Heb 9.22 and so no remission of sinne To satisfie her sacrifices they had of beasts But it is impossible as the Apostle well notes that the blood of bulls or goats should satisfie for our sinnes Heb. 10.4 A man Sinne and a beast dye Iustice will none of that What then will ye goe as farr as some did the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Mic. 6.7 Nor that neither For if it were the first borne the first borne was borne in Sinne and Sinne for Sinne can never satisfie This Meeting will not be there Bid the Iew he can but tell you of his Lamb neither And while time was that was not amisse while it stood in reference to Saint Iohn Baptists Lamb Ioh 1.29 the LAMB of GOD this day yeaned as having the operation the working in the vertue of that That being now past there is no more in the Iewe's then in the Gentiles sacrifice Beasts both both short of satisfying So for all that these can doe or say no meeting will there be had Onely the Christian Religion that shewes the true way There is One there thus speaketh to Iustice Sacrifice and sinne-offerings thou wouldest not have then said I Lo I come He of whom it was written in the volume of the booke Psal. 40.6 c. that He should do
this day then doth it spring forth as it were is to be seene above ground then Orta est de terrâ in very deed 4. The Effect Of the effect now Births are and have been diverse times the ending of great dissentions As was this heer For by this Birth took end the two great Howses An vnion of them by it First by this Truth is gained Truth will meet now That truth will come to this truth On Truth she is gained tanquam minus dignum ad magis dignum as the Abstract to the Arcâ—etype And Truth being now borne of our Nature it will never we may be sure be against our Nature being come of the earth it will be true to his owne countrie being made man will be for man now all He can By this meanes one of the opposites is drawne away from the other Got to be on our side It is three to one now Righteousnesse is left all alone and there is good hope she will not stand out long For lo heer is good newes first that respexit de coelo she yet lookes downe from heaven now On Righteousnesse So as this birth in earth you see workes in heaven and by name upon Righteousnesse there For though there were none in heaven but it wrought upon them yet the Psalme mentions none but Righteousnesse For of all she the least likely and if she be wrought on the rest there is no doubt of How can there they are all woon to us already With Righteousnesse it works two waies First downe she lookes Whither it was 1 She lâ—â—kes dâ—wne that she miâ—sed Truth to see what was become of her and not finding her in heaven cast heâ— eye to the earth But there when she beheld Verbum caro factum the Word â—â—esh Ioh 1.14 the Truth freshly sprung there where it had been a strange plant long time before Aspexit and Respixit she looked and looked againe at it For a Sight it was to move to drâ—w the eye yea a fight for Heaven to be a Spectator of for the Angells to come downe and looke at for Righteoâ—snesse it selfe to do so too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Angells word in Saint Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint's word heer both meane one thing 1 Pet. 1 12. The Greeke word is to look as we say wishly as it as if we would looke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even through it the Hebrew word that is as if Righteousnesse did beat out a window So desirous was she to behoâ—d this Sight And no mervaile for what could Righteousnesse desire to see and satisfie her selfe with that in Him was not to be seene A cleane birth a holy life an innocent death a Spirit and a mouth without guile a Soule and a bodie without Sinne. In Him she beheâ—d tâ—em all Them and whatsoever els might yeeld her full satisfaction Lay judgement to the rule and righteousnesse in the ballance nothing oblique will be found in Him nothing but streight for the rule nothing minus habens but full weight for the ballaâ—ce Thus when Truth from the earth then Righteousnesse from heaven Then but not before Before Righteousnesse had no prospect no window open this way She turned away her face shut her eyes clapt to the casement would not abide so much as to looke hithâ—r at us a sort of forlorne sinners not vouchsafe us once the cast of her eye The case is now altered Vpon this sight she is not oneâ—y content in some sort to condescend to do it but she breaks a window through to do it And then and ever since this Orta est she looks upon the earth with a good aspect and a good aspect in these caelestiall lights is never without some good influence withall Bâ—t then within a verse after not onely downe she looks but downe she comes 2 Downe she comes Verse 13. Such a power attractive is there in this Birth And comming she doth two things 1 To meet Meets first for upon the view of this birth they all ran first and Kissed the Sonne 2 To kisse And that done Truth ran to Mercie and embraced her and Righteousnesse to Peace and kissed her They that had so long been parted and stood out in difference now meet and are made friends Howsoever before removed in ortu veritatis obviaverunt sibi howsoever before estranged now osculatae sunt And at that birth of His well met they all in whom they meet all The Truth He is and per viscera Misericordiae He came through the tender mercies of our GOD Luk. 1 7 8. 1. Cor. 1.30 Ephes. 2.14 and He is made to us Righteousnesse and He is our Peace All meet in Him for indeed all He is that no mervaile they all foure meet where He is that is all foure And at this meeting Righteousnesse she was not so of-ward before but she is now as forward as forward as any of the rest Mark these three Let ts not Pâ—ace prevent her as Mercie did Truth but as Mercie to Truth first so she first to Peace as forward as Mercie every way 2 Nay more forward then Mercie for Mercie doth but meet Truth and there is all but she as more affectionate not only meets Peace but kisses her And indeed Righteousnesse was to doe more even to kisse that it might be a pledge of forgetting all former unâ—indnesse that we may be sure she is perfectly reconciled now 3 And one more yet to shew her the most forward of them all out of the last Verse At this meeting she followes not drawes not behind Verse 13. she will not goe with them She is before leaves them to come after and beare the traine She as David is before the Arke puts S. Iohn Baptist from his office for the time Righteousnesse is his forerunner Righteousnesse shall goe bâ—fore tread the way before Him the formost now of all the companie By all which ye may know what a looke it was she looked with from Heaven Thus ye see CHRIST by His comming hath pacified the things in Heaven A peece of Hosanna is pax in coelis There cannot be pax in terris till there it be Colos. 1.20 first But no sooner there it is but it is peace in earth streight which accordingly was this day proclaimed by the Angells Luc. 2.14 So by the vertue of this birth heaven is at peace with it selfe and heaven with earth is now at peace So is earth too with it selfe and a fulfilling of the Text by this meeting is there too The Iewes they represent truth to them it belongeth properly For Truth was where were Eloquia Dei Rom. 9.4 the Oracles of GOD and they were with the Iew. The Gentiles they claime by Mercie that is their vertue Where was Mercie but where was miserie and where was miserie Luc. 1.79 but with them that lay in darknesse in the shadow of death And
that was the Gentiles case before this orta est But when the partition wall was broken downe and the two met in one then also in a sense Mercie and Truth met togither So these two And so the other two likewise For Righteousnesse she was where the Law was for that the rule of righteousnesse where the Covenant of the Old Testament was doe this and live the very voice of Iustice But Peace was where CHRIST was in the Gospell Ipse est Pax nostra for He is our Peace Peace and Peace-maker both Qui fecit utrunque unum that hath made the Lawe and the Gospell the Old Testament and the New to be bound togither now both in one volume II. Of this meeting in Christianitie Thus we have done with CHRIST I would now apply this meeting to our selves another while For I aske did this hold did these meet only in CHRIST Doe they not in Christianity likewise Yes there too With CHRIST came Christianitie looke what in His birth now in the new birth of every one that shall be the better by it even the same meeting of the very same vertues all Mercie and Truth first to meet Truth of confession confession of our sinnes which if with figge-leaves we seeke to cover 1. Ioh. 1.8 and confesse not there is no truth in us And some truth there is to be at least this truth or no meeting with Mercie But when this truth commeth forth mercy meeteth it streight Will ye see the meeting Peccavi said DAVID there is truth 2. Sam. 12.13 Transtulit Dominus peccatum saith Nathan there is mercie Mercie and Truth met togither Homo in terris per veritatem stimulatus peccásse se confitebatur Deus in coelis per misericordiam flexus confitentis miserebatur Truth pricked man to confesse his sinnes and Mercy moved God to pitie him confessing and send Mercy to meet Truth Will ye goe on to the other Verse It holds there too this For where a true confession is by man made Veritas de terrâ orta est Truth is budded out of the earth And so it must yer Righteousnesse will give us a good looke from Heaven But will assoone as it is for when this truth springs freely from the earth to our owne condemnation immediatly upon it Righteousnesse shewes her selfe from Heaven to our justification Will ye see this too Luc. 18.14 Lord be mercifull to me a sinner there is Truth from the earth descendit domum suam justificatus there is Righteousnesse from Heaven But will ye marke Here are two truths and in either Verse one This later is the truth of Veritas orta est of CHRISTS Religion And in this treaty it was an article of Inprimis mercy not to meet any but them that professe the truth of CHRISTS birth from the earth Both these were borne togither By and by upon the birth of CHRIST the Truth the other birth also of Christian truth did flourish and spread it selfe all over the earth The whole world before given over and even growne over with Idolatry quite covered with the mist of error and ignorance began then to entertaine the Christian profession and by it to worship God in spirit and truth the true Religion which is never true if it have not this meeting And this meeting it cannot have if it have not the meanes of it ortus veritatis de terrâ The same say we likewise for the Righteousnesse which looked downe and shewed her selfe It was not that of the Lawe which never came past the top of Mount Sinai but a new righteousnesse cast in a new mould a heavenly one which never saw the earth nor the earth it before before this birth which is the righteousnesse of CHRIST reveiled in His Gospell when that Truth sprang this Righteousnesse looked downe upon it Now as this of Mercie and Truth enter us so truth not truth alone but truth with truth's paire with righteousnesse carrie us forward to God Truth is not enough not the truth of Religion never so knowne never so professed not without Righteousnesse Truth is but the light to guide us Righteousnesse is the way to bring us thither A light is to see by A way is to goe in So is righteousnesse It followes streight ponet gressus in viâ Verse 13. Righteoâ—snesse shall set us in the way of His steppes Steppes that is the course of life For scienti by knowledge of the truth and not facienti by the practise of righteousnesse peccatum est illi saith S. Iames Iam 4 17. Luc. 12.44 and plagaemultae saith S. Iames his Master Sinne in that man that severs these two is lesse pardonable and more punishable then in any other And then turne Righteousnesse to Peace and they will not meet barely but more then meet Kisse in signe there is betweene them more then ordinarie affection Fac justitiam habebis pacem Saint Augustine stands much on this Psal. 34.14 Eschew evill and doe good saith he there is Righteousnesse and then seeke Peace and ye shall not be long in seeking it She will come forth her selfe to meet Righteousnesse and kisse her And this he assâ—res us as a certeine signe to know on the one side true righteousnesse for that tends to peace not to questions and brabbles wherof there never will be end So on the other side true peace that kisses righteousnesse comes not togither like Samsons foxes by the tailes by indirect meanes but cleerly and fairly Such meanes Iud. 15.14 as all the world will confesse to be right and good Now marke the order how they stand Mercie leads to Truth and the knowledge of it and Truth to Righteousnesse and the practice of it and Righteousnesse to Peace and the waies of it Guides our feet first into the way of Peace And Luc. 1.79 such a way shall there alwaies be do all the Controversie Writers what they can a faire way agreed upon of all sides questioned by none in which who so orders his steppes aright may see the salvation of our God Even the way heer chalked out before us To shew mercy and speake truth do righteousnesse and follow peace And by this rule proceeding in the points whereto we are come already even those truthes wherein we are otherwise minded would in due time be reveiled unto us This is Zacharies peace and this of his well followed in the end will bring us Simeâ—ns peace Nunc dimittis in pace to be dismissed to depart hence in peace Luc. 2.29 and Pax in novissimo Peace at the latter end is worth all Peace in the end is a blessed end and the beginning of a Peace which never shall have end Mercy our beginning and Peace our end This for the meeting as in CHRIST so in Christianitie or the course of a Christian mans life Now a word for the continuance of this meeting For I aske againe Met they to part By no meanes but
as they be togither now so to continue still The continuance of this meeting We had much adoe to get them togither thus Now we have them so let us keepe them so in any wise For as this meeting made Christianitie first So there is nothing marres it but the breaking it of againe No greater bane to it then the parting of these Let me tell you this Saint Augustine is very earnest upon this point of the keeping of righteousnesse and peace upon this Psalme and this Verse and of truth and mercie togither in the next upon misericors and verax against them that would lay hold on mercie and let go truth O saith he that will not be they mett together they will not part now Either without either will not be had And so of the two others There be that would have Peace and passe by Righteousnesse Tu fortè unam habere vis altâ—ram non vis sayth he you would gladly have one Peace and for Righteousnesse you could be contented to spare it Aske any would you have Peace With all my heart he will answere There is no having one without the other Osculantur hae amant hae why they kisse they love togither Si amicam pacis non amaveris non amabit to paâ—e if ye love not â—er friend that is Righteousnesse she will none of your love Take that from Saint Augustine Set this downe then Christianitie is a meeting One cannot meet Two there must be and they may But it is not a meeting of two but of two with two so no lesse then foure As CHRIST Himselfe was not one nature So neither doth Christianitie consist of any one vertue Not under foure There is a quaternion in CHRIST His 1 Essence and His 2 Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hypostasis in divinis His 3 Flesh and His 4 reasonable Soule in humanis Answerable to these foure are these heer these foure to His foure And as it is a meeting so a crosse meeting of foure Vertues that seeme to be in a kind of opposition as hath been noted No matter for that They will make the better refraction the coole of one allay the heat the moist of one temper the drought of the other The soft vertues need to be quickned the more forward to be kept from Altum sapere So are the elements of which our bodie So are the foure winds of which our breath doth consist which gives us life And these in the Text have an analogie or correspondence Psal. 93.1 Esa. 66.12 Psal. 46.4 with the elements observed by the Auncients 1 Truth as the earth which is not moved at any time 2 Quasi fluvius Pax saith Esay Peace as a water-streame the quills whereof make glad the Citie of GOD. 3 Mercie we breath and live by no lesse then we doe by aire Esa. 66.16 and 4 Righteousnesse she ventura est judicare saeculum per ignem in that element You may happen find one of these in Scripture stood much upon and of the other three nothing sayd there but all left out Conceive of it as a figure Synecdoche they call it As ye have heer man called earth yet is he not earth alone but all the other three elements as well No more is Christianitie any one but by Synecdoche but in very deed a meeting of them all foure Ioh. 17.3 It deceived the Gnostique this place This is aeternall life to know thee Knowledge saith he is it As if it were all and so he bad care for nothing els but to knowe and knowing live as they list The Encratite he was as farr gone the other way He lived streightly and his tenet was non est curandum quid quisque credat Id curandum modò quod quisque faciat So that ye hold a streight course of life it skills not what ye hold in points of faith No meeting with these Single vertues all Yes it skills For both these were wrong both goe for Heretiques Christianitie is a meeting and to this meeting there goe Pia dogmata as well as Bona opera Righteousnesse aswell as truth Err not this error then to single any out as it were in disgrace of the rest Say not one will serve the turne what should we do with the rest of the foure Take not a figure and make of it a plaine speech Seeke not to be saved by Synecdoche Each of these is a quarter of Christianity you shall never while you live make it serve for the whole The truth is sever them and farewell all take any one from the rest and it is as much as the whole is worth For as Bernard well observed non sunt virtutes si separentur upon their separation they cease to be vertues For how loose a thing is Mercie if it be quite devoid of Iustice We call it foolish pitie And how harsh a thing Iustice if it be utterly without all temper of mercie Summa injuria then that is Iniustice at the highest Mercie take truth away what hold is there of it who will trust it Truth take Mercie from it it is Severitie rather then veritie then Righteousnesse without Peace certeinly wrong is much better better then perpetuall brabbling And Peace without Righteousnesse better a sword far This if you sunder them But temper these togither and how blessed a mixture Sett a song of all foure and how heavenly a melodie Enterteine them then all foure 1 Hope in mercie 2 Faith in truth 3 Feare of righteousnesse 4 Love of peace O quam praeclara concordia O how loving a knot how by all meanes to be maintained how great pitie to part it The Time of this meeting A little of the Time now when this meeting would be No time amisse no day in the yeare but upon entreaty they will be got to meet Yet if any one day have a prerogative more then another of all the daies in the yeare on this day most kindly the day we hold holy to the memorie of this meeting the day of orta est the occasion of it In remembrance of the first meeting then they are apt and willing to meet upon it againe forward ever to meet the day they first mett of themselves But CHRIST this day being borne this day to meet of course One special end that He was borne was that at His birth this meeting might be If to day then they should not meet that were in a sort to evacuate CHRISTS birth if there should be a Veritas orta without an obviaverunt sibi So that if we procure it not we had as good keepe no Feast at all What is then the proper worke of this day but still to renew this meeting on it For CHRISTS birth we cannot entertaine but all these we must too Necessarie attendants upon it every one They be the vertues of His Nativitie these At His birth CHRIST bethought Himselfe of all the vertues which He would have to attend
Servants GVIL LONDON IO. ELIENS A Table of the Contents Sermons of the Nativitie preached upon Christ-masse-day I. HEb 2.16 He in no wise tooke the Angels But the Seed of Abraham He took p. 1. II. Esai 9.6 Vnto us a Child is borne and unto us a Sonne is given c. pag. 10. III. 1. Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse which is God is manifested in the flesh c. p. 17. IV. Gal. 3. v. 4.5 When the fulnesse of time was come God sent His Sonne c. p. 23. V. Luk. 2. ver 10.11 The Angel said unto them Be not afraid for behold I bring you good tydings c. That there is borne unto you this day a Saviour c. p. 33. VI. Ioh. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us c. p. 44. VII Heb. 1. v. 1.2.3 At sundry times and in diverse manners God spake in the old time c. In these last daies He hath spoken by His Sonne c. p. 53. VIII Ioh. 8.56 Your father Abraham reioyced to see my day c. p. 62. IX Esai 8.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive c. and she shall call His name Immanuel p. 72. X. Mic. 5.2 And thou Bethlehem Ephrata c. out of thee shall He come forth c. p. 83. XI Psal. 85. v. 10.11 Mercy and truth shall meet c. Truth shall budd out of the earth c. p. 96. XII Luk. 2. v. 12.13 And this shall be a signe unto you you shall find the Child swadled c. p. 108. XIII Luk. 2.14 Glorie be to God in the high heavens and peace upon earth c. p 119. XIV Matt. 2. v. 1.2 When Iesus was borne c. Behold there came Wise men c. p. 129. XV. Matt. 2.2 Saying Where is the King of the Iewes c For we have seen His Starr c. p. 139 XVI Ephes. 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of the times He might gather together into one all things c. in Christ. p. 148. XVII Psal. 2.7 I will preach the Law whereof the Lord said to me Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee p. 159. Sermons of Repentance and Fasting preached upon Ashwednesday I. Psal. 78.34 When He slew them then they sought Him c. p. 173. II. Deut. 23.9 When thou goest out with the Host against thine enemies keepe thee then from all wickednesse p. 183. III. Ier. 8. v. 4.5.6.7 Thus saith the Lord shall they fall and not rise c. p. 193. IV. Ioel. 2. v. 12.13 Turne you unto me with all your heart and with fasting c. p. 203. V. Matt. 6.16 When you fast p. 214. VI. Ibid. Looke not sowre as the Hypocrites c. p. 227. VII Matt. 3.8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy repentance p. 238. VIII Ibid. p. 249. Sermons preached in Lent I. Psal. 75.3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved c. p. 263. II. Psal. 77.20 Thou didst lead thy people like sheepe c. p. 273. III. Mar. 14. v. 4.5.6 Therefore some disdeigned c. and said To what end is this wast of ointment c. p. 285. IV. Luk. 17.32 Remember Lot's Wife p. 299. V. Luk. 16.25 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures c. p. 309. VI. 2. Cor. 12.15 And I will gladly bestow and be bestowed for your soules c. p. 321. Sermons of the Passion preached upon Good friday I. Zach. 12.10 They shall looke upon Me whom they have pierced p. 333. II. Lam. 1.12 Have ye no regard c. p. 349. III. Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Iesus the Author and Finisher of our faith c. p. 365. Sermons of the Resurrection preached upon Easter day I. Rom. 6. v. 9.10.11 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more c. p. 383. II. 1. Cor. 15.20 But now is Christ risen from the dead and was made the first fruits of them that sleepe p. 394. III. Mar. 16. v. 1 to the 8. And when the Sabbath day was past Marie Magdalen and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome brought sweet ointments that they might come and embalme Him c. p. 403. IV. Ioh. 20.19 The same day then at night c. came Iesus and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you p. 414. V. Iob. 19.23 to the 28. Oh that my words were now written c. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth c. p. 423. VI. 1. Cor. 5. v. 7.8 Christ our Passe-over is sacrificed for us Therfore let us keep the Feast p. 44â— VII Psal. 118.22 The Stone which the builde refused c. p. 43â— VIII Col. 3. v. 1.2 If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above c. p. 459. IX Phil. 2. v. 8.9.10.11 He humbled himself c. For this cause God hath exalted him c. That at the name of IESVS every knee should bow c. p. 469 X. Ioh. 2.19 Dissolve this Temple and within three daies I will raise it p. 481. XI 1. Pet. 1. v. 3.4 Blessed be God c. which hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ c. p. 493. XII Matt. 12. v. 39 40. As Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly So shall the Sonne of man be c. p. 50â— XIII 1. Cor. 11.16 If any man seeme contentious we have no such custome c. p. 517. XIV Ioh. 20.11 to the 17. But Marie stood by the Sepulcher weeping c. p. 531. XV. Ioh. 20.17 Touch me not p. 543. XVI Ibid. Go to my brethren and say to them I ascend to my father and your Father c. p. 553. XVII Esai 63. v. 1.2.3 Who is this that commeth from Edom c. I have troden the winepresse alone c. p. 566. XVIII Heb. 13 v. 20.21 The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ c. Make you perfect c. p. 577. Sermons of the Sending of the Holy Ghost preached upon Whit-sunday I. Act. 2. v. 1.2.3 When the Day of Pentecost was come c. p. 595. II. Act. 2.4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speake c. p. 608. III. Ioh. 14. v. 15.16 I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter c. p. 617. IV. Ioh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I goe away For I go not away the Comforter will not come c. p. 628. V. Act. 19. v. 1.2.3 Paul came to Ephesus and found there certaine Disciples And he said c. Have you received the Holy Ghost c. p. 638. VI. Ephes. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God c. p. 650. VII Psal. 68.18 Thou art gone up on high Thou hast ledd captivitie captive c. p. 662. VIII Luk. 3. v. 21.22 Now it came to passe when all the people were baptized and that Iesus also
of Grace and Truth both Many are the perfections whereof He is full Two onely heere chosen out as two streames 1 Grace and 2 Truth With them He commeth with the fullnesse of them Not of one of them but of both Grace referreth to the Sonne Truth to the VVord Grace is to adopt us Iam. 1.18 Truth to beget us anew for of His owne will He hath begotten us by the word of Truth And these do very fitly follow after glorie Glorie of it selfe terrifies and makes stand aloofe Grace invites And His glorie is such as is full of grace His Mercie as great as His Maiestie full out A blessed thing it is when these two meet and they that are in glorie are full of grace too It is not so with every one that is in glorie But though there be Grace vnlesse there be Truth too all is nothing For Grace because it is plausible and pleaseth the people it is affected there is a taking on grace in face and phrase but when all is done it wanteth sound truth That is right grace that hath truth ioyned to it Verbum gratiae and verbum charitatis both and it is both Yea verbum caro His word is not wind it hath flesh on it His Truth is as it were the flesh of His Grace Thus may be the consequence But of these two choise is made as of those our nature stood most in need of Out of grace we were and without grace as Sinners and in errors wandring up an downe as even the best of our nature did at his comming into the flesh This is the state He found us in when He came among us Eph. 1.6 Ver. 16. Against the first gratificavit nos in Dilecto He brought us in grace againe through His Beloved SONNE Gratiam pro gratiâ he saith after streight for the grace His Sonne had with Him He received us to grace Against the later He brought us Truth to set us in the right way Via Veritas Vita Veritas betweene both Via veritas or veritas viae the true way Vitae veritas or veritas vitae Ioh. 14.6 the true life that is Life eternall We cannot be without either This for our need But within a verse after I finde these two set in opposition to the Lawe Ver. 17. and the Lawe to them as if S. Iohn pointed us whereto we should refer them The Lawe full of rigour many threats and curses in it CHRIST bringeth the word of Grace opposeth to that The Lawe full of emptie shadowes and Ceremonies which Truth is set against Corpus autem CHRISTVS CHRIST the very body to Lex habens vmbram So Colos. 2.17 Heb. 10.1 requisite to quit us of the Lawe The Lawe the Word that marred flesh The bringing of these two together is a great matter and together they must be Grace take it from Truth and it is fallax but a vizour but a meere illusion Truth sever it from grace and it is ingrata but an unpleasing thing Grace and Truth kept in sunder and never met before but when the Word and flesh met then did they meet and kisse each other sayth the Prophet Pâ—al 85.10 and doth with a whole psalme celebrate this meeting They must meet and Grace be first as here We shall never endure the severitie of His Truth Grace first then Truth unlesse Grace come before and allay it But when Grace hath brought us to Him Truth will hold us with Him By Grace we shall accomplish what Truth requireth at our hands that so receiving Grace and walking in Truth we may come to the third the reward of both Glorie Full of both Luke 1 2â— Act. 7.55 Ioh. 3.34 Full of them and the word would not be passed Wee finde others full of grace as his Blessed Mother and as S. Stephen Theirs reacheth not to us None of them have more then serves for themselves For the Spirit is given them but by measure but pleâ—â—â—â—ndo vasis in them the fulnesse of a Vessell if ye take any thing out to poure into another it is the lesse for it But His is plenitudo fontis the fulnesse of a fountaine which is never drawne drie qui implet abyssum non minoratur fills a great poole and it selfe never the lesse Of which fulnesse they all received and He never the emptier We shall not need to goe to any other store-house or helpe to supply or fill up CHRIST with any other as if he were but halfe full He is full full of both Our care is to be to make ourselves fit Vessells and there is all Thus farre Quòd Verbum factum caro Now Quid Verbum carni the Benefite II. Quid Verbum Carni The Bâ—nefit and that which the Benefite ever draweth with it the Duety Quid Caro Verbo 1. Factus caro benefaciet carni being made flesh He will be a Benefactor to it No man ever hated his flâ—sh and no more can He us who are flesh of His flesh or rather He of ours Ephes. 5.29 He seeth us daily in Himselfe He cannot looke upon His flesh but He must thinke upon us And GOD the Father cannot now hate the flesh which the Word is made which is now taken into one person with His onely Sonne and united to the Deitie it selfe If He love the Word He must love it too for the Word is become it either love both or hate both But love it certainly for as this day When He brought His Sonne clothed with it into the World He gave expresse commandement Heb. 1.6 all His Angells should worship Him so clothed and our flesh in Him A new dignity which is this day accrued to our Nature to be adored of the blessed Angells Our Nature questionlesse is set in high favour with GOD GOD send our persons so too and all shall be well Besides good hope we now have that He being now flesh All flesh may come to Him to present Him with their requests Time was when they fled from Him Ps. 65.2 but ad factum carnem jam veniet omnis caro For since He dwelt amongst us all may resort unto Him Yea even Sinners and of them it is sayd Hic recipit peccatores Luc. 15.2.2 comedit cum eis He receiveth them receiveth them even to His Table A second hope that seeing He hath made our flesh His Tabernacle He will not suffer this of ours the same with that of His to fall downe quite and come to nothing the same He dwelleth in himselfe not to perish utterly but repaire it againe Psal. 16.9 and raise it out of the dust So that insuper Caro nostra requiescet in spe our very body may rest in hope to be restored againe and made like to His glorious bodie Phil. 3.21 A third that where it was flesh and bloud shall not inherit the Kingdome of God it is reversed flesh aâ—d bloud shall
that feat Corpus autem aptasti mihi Make him a bodie to doe it in and He will doe it Give Him an ortus est let Him be but borne He will make them meet streight Iustice and all For all the world sees if order could be taken that He that the Sonne of GOD the Word and Truth eternall would say Lo I come would take our nature upon Him and in it lay downe His soule an offering for sinne there were good hope of contenting Iustice and that the Meeting would goe forward Deus sanguine in suo Ephes. 5.2 GOD with his blood What sinne in the world would not that serve for What Iustice in heaven or earth would not that satisfie If ye speake of an expiation a ransome an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRISTS owne word a perfect commutation there it is This had Matt. 16.26 Iustice will meet embrace kisse Mercie shake hands joyne now friends Iob 33. â—â— Inveni enim in quo repropitter I have found that now wherewith I hold my selfe fully content and pleased This way ye shall make them meet or els let it alone for ever VER XI Truth shall budde out of the earth and Righteousnesse shall looke downe from Heaven ANd this is it the Christian Religion setts before us how the Sonne of the most High GOD of heaven and earth took on Him our Nature that in our nature 1 The Birth Vâ—ritas oâ—ta est de terrâ— for our nature He might make to GOD even stando in terminis justitiae suae as the Schoolemen speake standing on the termes of his most exact strict justice a compleate full every way sufficient satisfaction And this lo makes the meeting This honour hath the Christian Religion above all other this glorie doth dwell in our land that these foure by CHRISTS Birth in it are brought not onely to obviaverunt sibi but even to osculatae sunt And if this be the glorie be not they the shame of Christian profession that cherish in their bosomes and entertaine with stipends such as are come to this phrensie I will call it to say what needs any satisfaction what care we whither Iustice meet or no that is in effect what needs CHRIST Cannot GOD forgive offenses to Him made of His free goodnesse of His meere mercie without putting his SONNE to all this paine Fond men If He would quit His Iustice or waive His truth He could But His justice and truth are to Him as essentiall as intrinsecally essentiall as His Mercie of aequall regard every way as deere to Him Iustice otherwise remaines vnsatisfied and satisfied it must be either on Him or on us For with beasts or prayers it will not be And it will hold of till it be If Iustice be not so mett with it will meet with them And they had better meet a shee-beare robbed of her whelpes Prov 7.12 then meet Iustice out of CHRISTS presence To us they meet this day at the Child-house For these great Lights could not thus meet but they must portend some great matter as it might be some great Birth toward The Astrologers make us beleeve that in the Horoscope of CHRISTS Nativitie there was a great Trigon of I wote not what Starrs met together Whither a Trigon or no this Tetragon I am sure there was these were all then in coniunction all in the ascendent all above the horizon at once At Orta est the Birth of Veritas the truth de 〈◊〉 from the earth The Occasion of drawing these foure together Christ the Truth Veritas prima Veritas will fitt CHRIST well who of himselfe said * Ioh. 14.6 Ego sum veritas I am the truth So is He Not that of the former Verse which is but veritas secunda the truth spoken or vttered forth He the veritas prima the first truth within That depends upon this Then are the words vttered true when there is an adaequation betweene them and the mind So the first Truth He is And Veritas secunda too The first and last both For now by His comming He is the adaeaeqation of the Word and the Work the Promise and the Performance That way He is truth too The truth of all Types 2. Cor. 1.2 the truth of all Prophecies For in Him are all the promises Yea and Amen Yea in the first truth Amen in the last That actuall verifying is the truth when all is done and that He is by His birth Christ de terrá And as the truth fits His Nature so doth earth Man Of whom GOD a Gen. 3 19 Earth thou art To whom the Prophet thrise over b Ier. â—2 29 Earth heare the Word of the LORD By whom the Wise man c Eccles. 10.9 Quid superbis Why should earth be proud d Esay 45.8 Germinet terra Salvatorem Let this earth bring forth a SAVIOVR be the terra promissionis the Blessed Virgin who was in this the Land of promise So was this very place applied by Irenaeus in his time Iren lib 3. cap 5. Lact. l. 4. cap. 12. who touched the Apostles times So by Lactantius So by Saint Hierom and Saint Augustine Those foure meet in this sense as doe the foure in the Text Quid est veritas de terrâ orta est CHRISTVS de faeminâ natus Quid est Veritas Filius Dei Quid terra Caro nostra What the truth CHRIST What the earth Our flesh In those words they find this Feast all Christs â—rta est double 1 De Coelo For Orta est it is double Therefore de terrâ is well added Another Ortus he had de coelo to wit His heavenly Divine Nature which as the day sprung from on high and He in regard of it called Oriens by Zacharie in the New Testament But this heer is de terrâ Luc. 1.78 a 2 De terra for the word properly signifies the shooting forth of a sprigg out of the ground and He in regard of this Ortus called the Branch by Zacharie in the Old Zec. 3.8 b Orta de 2. And there is more in Orta For it is Rabbi Moses note that is properly when iâ— springeth forth of it selfe as the field flowers doe without any seed cast in by the hand of man so saith he should the MESSIAS come Take His nature not onely in but de of the earth Not bring it with Him from heaven the error of the brainesick Anabaptist Gal. 4.4 Esa. 11.1 but take it of the earth be the womans Seed made of a woman out of the loines of DAVID Virga de radice Iesse the Roote of Iesse Nothing more plaine â— Orta est 3. And yet more from orta est For that the truth while it is yet vnaccomplisht but in promise onely it is but as the Seed vnder ground hid and covered with earth as if no such thing were assoone as ever it is actually accomplished as
then they wish when they say Glorie be in the highest that high and lowe Heaven and Earth Men and Angells would do their parts to make His praise glorious glorious at the highest On earth sound it out farre and wide all the world over to the ends of the earth Psal. 150.4.5 and lift up our voices and help them with instruments of all kinds and make them to be heard up to the very Heavens that so it may be in altissimis indeed Yea that all creatures in both ravished with the consideration of the great favour and good will of GOD in this daies Birth testified would take occasion to fill their mouthes with the praise of His goodnesse in resolving His wisdome in contriving His mercie in promising His truth in pâ—rforming the worke of this Day the blessed Birth of his Sonne For the worke of the Day to make the day of the worke a glorious day causing it to be attended with a number of daies according to the number of the moneths of the yeare as no Feast els Glorious in all places as well at home with Carolls as in the Church with Anthemes Glorious in all Ages even this day this yeare as on the very day on which He was borne Glorious in habit in fare But specially as we see the Angells here doe with the service of GOD the most solemne service the highest the most melodious Hymnes we have and namely with this heere of the Queere of Heaven In a word all the waies â—e can all the waies God can have any glory from us to let Him have it and have it even at the height in altissimis And good reason we should so wish CHRIST lost His glorie by being thus in the cratch We tooke some from Him to wish Him some for it againe That was ignominia in infimis to wish Him gloria in altissimis in liev of it Againe we get glorie by it our Nature so For the glorie we get by GOD heer below to returne some glorie to GOD there on high This is votum gloriae this wish we when we wish gloria in altissimis The next is votum pacis they wish Peace may be upon earth 2. Peace in Earth 1 Even Augustus his peace first that is the first commeth to our minds when we heare that word the shutting of IANVS for that also was a blessed fruict of this Birth Esay fore-told it There should then be a bridge from Ashur to Egypt Esa 19.23 and from Canaan to them both that is from every nation to other to traffique and to trade togither That but not only that but the taking downe also of the partition wall Eph. 2.14 which formerly MOSES had set up between the Iew and the Gentile the making of them both one in the body of his flesh Saint Pauls peace And yet further For both these are peace upon earth of earth with earth Augustus can the world can give that peace though many times they will not But he speakes in a Place of the peace which the world cannot give that is peace with heaven That there should not be ESAIS bridge only Gen. 28.10 but IACOBS ladder set up from Bethel to heaven a peace-able entercourse with that place by the Angells descending and ascending between us and them And further yet peace at home with our selves and with our owne consciences Psal. 116.7 Turne againe â—o thy rest ô my Soule for in finding Him we shall find rest to our Soules And last to answere Gloria in altissimis Pax in novissimis peace at the parting which is worth all Simeons peâ—ce a good Nunc dimittis in pace Ver. 29. a departing hence in peace And all by meanes of viderunt oculi the sight of the Salvation of this Day All these are in voto pacis The third is there may be in GOD a good-will toward men And 3. Good wil toward men good-will is a kind of Peace but somewhat more with an extent or prorogation a kind of peace peculiar to men which the other parts of the earth are not capable of So a further matter to men then bare peace Even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thinke well to beare good-will to be well pleased with men And what greater wish can there be then In quo complacitum est CHRIST hath no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is His high glorie Mat. 3.17 that for His and this His births sake which we now celebrate that which is verified of His Person is verified of both His Natures of Him not only as SONNE of GOD but even as SONNE of man too And what is verified of Him as SONNE of man may be verified also of the Sonnes of men of all Mankind This wish is at the highest and more cannot be wished then that this favour to day begunne may still and ever continue to us all So have you now the three parts of the Angells wish Summa votorum Glorie be to GOD. c. What is now to be done Three things more To see the 1 Connexion copulative I. The Connexion copulative Glory Peace 2 the Sequence 3 and the Division 1 The Connexion copulative a blessed couple Glorie and Peace 2 The Sequence but first glorie and then Peace 3 The Division which to which 1 One to GOD 2 The other to earth 3 The third to man Glorie and Peace are coupled togither with an and And in earth peace That Glorie would not be soong alone but Peace togither with it We will not we may not skip the Copulative that couples togither high and low heaven and earth and in them GOD and Man But that which I respect specially Glorie and peace must be soong togither If we sing Glorie without Peace we sing but to halves No Glorie on high will be admitted without Peace upon earth No gift on His altar which is a speciall part of His glorie but lay downe your gift and there leave it Mat. 5.24.55 and first goe your way and make peace on earth and that done come againe and you shall then be accepted to give glorie to heaven and not before And ô that we would go and doe the like have like regard of His glorie that He hath of our peace But this knott of Gloria et Pax is against those that are still ever wrangling with one thing or other and all for the Glorie of GOD forsooth as if these two could not ioyne GOD could not have His glorie if the Church were at peace as if no remedie the Angells Et must out 2. The Sequence Glorie before Peace Glorie and Peace but Glorie first and then Peace There is much in the order Glorie to be first els you change the Cleff the clef is in Glorie that the key of the Song That is to be first and before all Peace to give place to her Glorie is the elder Sister And no Pax in terris vnlesse it be first
Yea Stella Regia the Starr Royall Kings themselves have their hold and claime by it CHRIST is not onely for russet clokes Shepheards and such shewes himselfe to none but such But even the Grandez Great States such as these Venerunt they came too and when they came were welcome to Him For they were sent for and invited by this Starr their Starr properly These at His birth at His welcome into the world And others such as these at His death at his going out of it Then Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable Counsailor Matt 27.60 bestowed on him a faire new toomb and others came with their hundred pound of sweet odors So that comming and going He was beholden to such The Tribe Ioh. 19.39 CHRIST came of was the Royall Tribe to whom the Scepter belonged And in the Prophesie it followes A starr shall rise over IAAKOB and a Scepter out of ISRAEL Num. 24.17 To Kings to Scepters CHRIST cannot but be well inclined Among his Prophets I find AMOS an heardman True but I find ESAY Amos 1.1 Dan. 1.6 and DANIEL both nobly descended and of the blood Royall In his descent there are BOOZ and IESSE plaine countrie men But there are DAVID and SALOMON too and a list of Kings withall that so Matt 2 6. there may be a mixture of both It is true Saint PAVL saith You see your calling 1. Cor. 1. â—6 Not many mighty not many noble after the flesh Not many he saith Not any he saith not he should then have spoken contrarie to his owne knowledge Some pertained to this Starr went by it The a Act 13 7. Lord Deputie of Cyprus the great b Act. 17.34 Iudge in Arcopago diverse of the c 11. nobler sort at Beroea And diverse of d Phil 4 22. CAESARS houshold came in and had all their calling by and from him As likewise the great e Act. 8.27 Lord Treasurer by Saint PHILIP and the f 2. Ioh. 1. Elect Ladie by Saint IOHN Those all were of this troope heere Vnder this Starr all of them Stella Magnatum To conclude from our SAVIOVR CHRISTS owne mouth As there is in Heaven roome for poore Lazarus So that roome was in the bosome of one that was rich that is of ABRAHAM a great Man yea a great Prince in his time 1 Stella Gentium 2 Stella Peccatorum de gentibus 3 Stella Magnatum 4. Wise men But yet all this while we have not touched Stella Magorum Not yet delt with Magi the very word of the Text and the chiâ—fe person they represent For beside that they were great States they were also great Learned men And being both they are stiled rather by the name of the skill and Learning then by that of their Greatnesse to point us to the qualitie in them we are principally to regard You shall not need startle when you heare the word Magi as if they were such as Simon Magus was Of later times it sounds not well this name Of old it was a name of great honour as was the name of Tyrannus and Sophistes all in the like case Evill and vnworthy men tooke them up after and so they lost their first reputation But originally Magus was a title of high knowledge I add of Heathen knowledge and comprehend in it this very knowledge that they were well seene in the course of heaven in the Starrs and bodies caelestiall Their Vidimus Stellam shewes as much The Starrs GOD hath given for Signes saith the Booke of Genesis Gen. 1.14 Even the ordinarie And if them the extraordinarie such as this much more For Signes they are open the Signature who can This learning of theirs made them never the further from CHRIST we see It did them no hurt in their comming to CHRIST No more then it did Moses that he was well learned in all the Wisedome of the Aegyptians saith Saint STEPHEN Acts 7.22 Nor no more then it did Salomon that he passed all the children of the East in their owne learning I. Reg. 4.30 No more then it did Daniel that he was brought up and well seen in the cunning of the Chaldaeans Dan. 1.4 No more these then the gold and spoyles of Aegypt did the Tabernacle hurt that was hoong all over with them They that are seene in these learnings of Aegypt of Chaldaea of the East are not thereby barred at all This is their Starr their guide a guide apt and proper for them that knew the Starrs for them that were learned CHRIST applieth himselfe to all disposes all things what every one is given to even by that CHRIST calleth them Saint PETER ANDREVV IAMES and IOHN Fishermen by a draught of fish These that were studious in the Starrs by a Starr for the purpose And note that the apparition to the Shepheards was no sooner over but this Starr appeared presently if not the very same houre that is both at once In like manner CHRIST at first to shew the glorie of His greatnesse took and imployed Fishermen such as had no bringing up in Schooles But it was not long after but Learned men came in apace Learned men of all sorts a Tit. 3 13. Zenas in Law b 1. Tim. 4.11 Luke in Physique c Act. 18.24 Apollo with his Eloquence d Act 17.34 Dionyse with his Philosophie e Act. 26.24 S. Paul with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much learning which he had at Tharsus as famous an Vniversitie for Asia as Athens was for Greece Which Learning for all Festu's phansie turned not his braines nor did them any hurt at all There is no Starr or beame of it There is no truth at all in humane Learning or Philosophie that thwarteth any truth in Divinitie but sorteth well with it and serveth it Ioh 14.6 and all to honour Him who saith of himselfe Ego sum Veritas I am the Truth None that will hinder this Venerunt keepe backe any Wise man or make him lesse fit for comming to CHRIST So you see your calling all foure 1 Gentiles may come 2 Sinners of the Gentiles may come yea though they be peccatorum primi of the primer sort 3 Men of place 4 Men of Gifts Learned and Wise may come In Magis insunt omnes hij all are in Venerunt Magi The Starr goes before them guides them all to CHRIST The Application It remaineth that what we may doe we will doe that is come For further then Venerunt we are not like to come at this time And though we goe no further it skills not so we doe but that come Even that will serve For it is all in all We shall goe in the companie of Wise men that is onâ—â— And if the Shepheards were too homely to sort with these are companie for the best they were companie for CYRVS and DARIVS and all the great Monarchs of Persia. Ecce Venerunt it is in the Text And indeed not onely
Gâ—n 1.2 Lâ—vit 19.11 With the Holy Ghost the true Vnction and the truth of all unctions whatsoever The Spirit and water agree the Spirit moved on the face of the waters The Spirit and bloud agree The Spirit of life is in the bloud the vessells of it the arteries runne along with the texture of the veines all the body over To His comming this Spirit agreeth also When He came as Iesus To His comming the Spirit conceived Him When He came as CHRIST the Spirit annointed Him When He came in water at His Baptisme the Spirit was there came down in the shape of a Dove rested abode on Him When He came in blood at His Passion there too Ioh 1.32 It was the aeternall Spirit of GOD by which He offered Himselfe without spott unto God Heb. 9.4 So the most fit that can be to beare witnesse to all Praeseas interfuit vidit audevit was present heard and saw was acquainted with all that passed none can speake to the point so well as He. The Spirit is a witnesse is true every way But why is it said The Spirit the câ—â—efe witnâ—ssâ— It is the Spirit that beareth witnâ—sse seeing they both water and bloud beare it too it is water it is blood that beare witnesse also They indeed are witnesâ—es but it is the Spirit He it is that is the principall witnesse and principally to be regarded before the rest Heere he comes in last but He is indeed first and so as first is placed at the eight verse where they are orderly reckoned up And good reason He is one of the three both above in heaven and beneath in â—arth third there above first heer beneath a witnesse in both Courts admitted ad jus testis in both for his speciall creditt in both the medius terminus as it were between heaven and earth between God and man Besides it is sayd It is He He it is that bâ—areth witnesse For it is neither of the other will doe us any good without him the whole weight lieth upon him Not the water without the Spirit it is but nudum egenum clementum â—al 4.9 Ioh. 6. â—3 Not the bloud without the Spirit no more then the flâ—sh without the Spirit non prodest quicquam as said He whose the flâ—sh and bloud was CHRIST himselfe Will you see a proof without it CHRIST came to Simon Magus in water Act. 18 1â— Mat. 26. he was baptized CHRIST came to Iudas in bloud he was a communicant but Spirit there came none to testifie they were both never the better The better nay the worse Simon perished in the gall of bitternesse Iudas bibit mortem de fonte vitae Act 8 2â— from the cup of blessing drank downe his owne bane All for want of Et spiritus est So is it 1. Cor. 10 1â— with the word and with eny meanes els Ioh. 4.14 Ioh. 6.17 But let the testimonie of the Spirit come the water becomes a well springing up to aeternitie the flesh and blood meat that perisheth not but endureth to life everlasting And even in nature we see this Water if it be not aqua viva have not a spiâ—it to move it and make it runâ—e it stands and putrifies and bloud if no spirit in it it congeales and growes corrupt and foule as the bloud of a dead man The spirit helpeth this and upon good reason doth it For CHRIST being conceived by the Spirit it was most meet all of Christ should be conceived the same way That which conceived him should impregnate His water should animate His bloud should give the vivificat the life and vigor to them both It is the Spirit then that giveth the witnesse Now in a Witnesse above all it is required he be true the Spirit is so trâ—e as he is the Truth it selfe 2 The truth of His witnesse Ioh. 14.6 The Spirit the truth Why CHRIST saith of Himselfe I am the truth All the better for Verum vero cònsonat one truth will well sort with will uphold will make proofe one of another as these two doe prove either other reciprocally The Spirit CHRIST 's proofe CHRIST the Spirit 's CHRIST the Spirit 's Every spirit that confesseth not CHRIST is not the true spirit The Spirit CHRIST'S 1. Ioh. 4.3 CHRIST if He have not the Teste of the Spirit is not the true CHRIST Alwaies the Truth is the best witnesse And if He be the Truth on His teste you may beare your selfe Not so on water or bloud without Him they may well deceive us and be falsa and fallacia as wanting the Truth if He if the Spirit be wanting That truth to be knowen It will then much concâ—rne us to be sure the Spirit on whose testimonie we are thus wholy to relye that that spirit be the truth And it is the maine point of all to be hable to discerne the Spirit that is the truth because as there is a Spirit of truth so is there a Spirit of error abroad in the world 1. Ioh. 4.6 2. Câ—r 11.4 yea many such Spirits and the Apostle who tells us of altum IESVM in the same verse tells us of alium Spiritum too We be then to trie which spirit is the truth that so the spirit on whose witnesâ—e we rest our selves be the truth How take we notice of the Spirit How knew they the Angel was come downe into the poole of Bethesda but by the stirring and moving of the water By His spirituall motions Ioh. 5.8 So by stirring up in us spirituall motions holy purposes and desires is the Spirit 's comming knowen Specially if they doe not vanish againe For if they doe then was it some other flatuous matter which will quiver in the veines unskilfull people call it the life-bloud but the Spirit it was not The Spirit 's motion the pulse is not for a while and then ceaseth but is perpetuall holds as long as life holds though intermittent sometime for some little space Yet hold we it not safe to lay overmuch weight upon good motions which may come of diverse causes By newnesse of life and of which good motions there are as many in hell as in heaven The surest way is to lay it on that our SAVIOVR and His Apostles so often lay it Ioh 6.63 2. Cor. 3.6 that is on Spiritus vivificat The life is ever the best indicant signe of the Spirit Novum supervenisse Spiritum nova vitae ratio demonstrat that a new Spirit is come a new course of life is the best demonstration The notes of that life Ioh. â— 8 2 Tim. 4.1 1. Cor. 1â— 11 1 Breath Now life is best knowen by vitall actions Three the Scripture counteth 1 Spiritus ubi vult spirat by breath 2 Spiritus manifestè loquitur by speech 3 Omnia haec operatur unus idemque Spiritus by the worke these three 1 The neerest and most proper note
he passed over to the latter part of the verse and when there was none els to doe it He tooke the matter into his owne hands Himselfe held the assise found him guilty gave order for his excecution sent up one to doe it and one that formerly had beene his speciall friend and if I be not deceived sworne brother as Iâ—ab to bring Absalon to his end that destroyed him for not hearing destroy not And yet the goodnesse of GOD stayed not heere neither but where in the text in Saul's case there was but one blow one danger one delivery In this there were no lesse then three one after another First came Abisai he and his armed man GOD delivered him Then came the other the Master of the mischiefe then bewrayed and as one bewrayed desperately set GOD againe delivered him Then last of all and that was worst of all came the popular tumult whose rage knowes no reason who as they Num. XVI called Core and Dathan the people of the Lord so these little better and even then also did God by his mighty providence turne away the destruction This in the text was soon done a few words and away This of the day it was long first and much adoe yet it was done the longer and the more the more is God to be magnified for it And when all was done there he that was saved was but Saul but heer envie flatters not but if envie it selfe should speak it would say Major Saule hîc a greater then Saul eny For the territorie of the least of your kingdomes was greater then that of his And melior Saule hîc a better then Saul was heere saved better without all comparison So the beginning was as they made account Conclusit Deus inimicum nostrum The end was as it prooved Conclusit Deus inimicos Domini Regis GOD made a conclusion of their wicked premisses and their wretched persons all at once So the conclusion was Ne perdas to the King and Non insons to the children of perdition Now to that GOD that when You were shutt up forsooke You not but delivered You à malitiâ diei hujus à Daemone meridiano that in the depth of all Your danger when there was no tongue on earth could say Ne perdas said it from heaven and sayd it thrice over for that His threefold deliverie render we threefold thankes and praise thrice blessed be His holy Name for it And He grant that this lesson of David's may take deep root in all our hearts that there may never be a Quis in Israël to lift up his hand to the like action all may be quit none found guiltie ever of so foule a crime None on Abisai's side to make any such motion all of David's mind to mislike it to say Ne perdas Ne perdas though it be Saul But for David Neperdas is not enough To Him and such as He is let us with one voyce crie Hosanna not onely not destroy but Hosanna Lord save Lord prosper Lord add dayes to his dayes that his yeares may be as many ages And as this day thou didst so still and still prepare thy loving mercie and truth that they may preserve Him even for ever and ever A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT HOLDENBIE on the V. of AVGVST A D. MDCX. I. CHRON. CHAP. XVI VER XXII Nolite tangere Christos meos Touch not mine Annointed HEERE is a Speech but we know not Whose nor to Whom nor yet well concerning Whom onely concerning certaine Persons whom the Speaker whosoever He is calleth His Annointed It behooveth us to know these three who they be The person whose the speech is Persona loquens He that saith Meos Him we finde at the foureteenth verse Ipse est Dominus Deus noster He is the Lord our GOD GOD it is that speaketh heere He that challengeth them for His by calling them Mine The persons to whom in the verse before Non reliquit hominem He leaveth not a man So it is to all in generall but specially to some more quicke of touch then the rest whose fingers are never well till some way or other they be touching whom GOD would not have touched The persons concerning whom whom He stileth His Annointed will fall out to prove the Princes of the earth We must not say it but proove it say it now proove it anon Now as if some body were about to offer them some wrong heere commeth a voice from heaven staying their hands and saying See you touch them not Quos Deus unxit homo ne tangat Whom GOD hath annointed let no man presume to touch Of which it may well be said as the Psalmist saith to us every day Hodiè si vocem To day if ye will heare His voice harden not your hearts and ye may For as this day now ten yeeres from the same Person and the same place a like voice there came concerning His Annointed in whose presence we stand That GOD would not have His Annointed touched this Text is a witnesse and this Day is a witnesse The Text dixit the Day factum est Referred unto the Text next before 1. Sam. 26.9 Touching the same point when time was in this place you heard Ne perdas you shall heare it againe now but from an higher person under a streicter charge and with a larger compasse The person higher for that was David Sedecce major Davide hîc but behold a greater then David is heere This is no voice on earth neither of Prophet nor Apostle we now heare Audivi vocem de coelo We heare a voice from heaven And thence neither of Saint nor Angell but of GOD himselfe To shew His care of them His Annointed He would have none give the charge about them but himselfe Himselfe in person Non alienae vocis organo sed oraculo suae from none other but from His own mouth The charge streicter for there it was Destroy not the worst that could be Heere it is Touch not the least that may be and so even that way amended much The compasse larger That was to Abishai but one man and it was concerning Saul one King onely and therefore it was in the singular Ne perdas This is Nolite and Christos the number altered of a larger extent farre even to All men concerning All his Annointed Nolite in the plurall that is None of you Christos in the plurall that is None of them Them not touched not Any of them You not touch not Any of you Non reliquit hominem He leaveth not a man but forbiddeth All. Now out of this plurall you may deduce any singular Out of Christos any King Out of Nolite any party Out of Tangere any hurt and so not any man to doe any hurt to any His Annointed This Text the first and great Commandement concerning this point A Commandement it is and I may safely say Primum magnum mandatum The first and great
not onely in making them to be found but in keeping them from being lost For the same that was the way to be found at first the very same is the way not to be lost ever after And it concernes David or any as neerly not to be lost again as it doth at first to be found Now if David looke well to these two words and lose them not God will not lose him he may be sure but be at hand still readie to defend him Vnlesse David lose them he cannot lose God and unlesse he lose God he cannot be lost David ever lost them Num. 31.16 before his enimies could doe him any harme All Balaam's cursing will doe him no hurt nothing but his wicked counsaile to unmake him his servant and so to lose GOD and so to be lost of GOD and so to be lost utterly lost Lay up this then The way to servari a Deo is to servire Deo And lay it up well It is the onely article of Covenant on David's part Vpon these two words depends all that followes upon Servum meum If they be sure all is sure And this for inventio â—od tells it I have found But I find heer inventi praedicatio besides To find is one thing to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inveni 〈…〉 found another One may finde and keep his owne counsaile so men doe for 〈◊〉 most part But God heere proclaimes His finding tells all He hath found And 〈◊〉 doe so but such as are surprised with joy as the partie in the Canticles Inveni 〈◊〉 quaesivit anima mea I have found whom my soule fought and I would the world 〈◊〉 it I am not a little glad of it Commonly where there is care in seeking as beâ—ore there is joy in finding Ioy then and it is not joy alone for one may gaudere in sinâ— keepe his ioy to himselfe but gaudium cum gloriâ this For he not onely ioyes iâ— his invention but glories in it and even boasts of it that doth inventum prâ—â—iâ—â—re The word which he useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made famous by Archimedes who in a great passion betweene glorying and reioicing first cryed it when he had found thâ— secret of King Hiero's Crowne But no lesse famous by Saint Andrew Ioh. I.XLI. Who upon the finding of CHRIST came running to his brother Saint Peter with Arâ—himedes's crie We have found him the Messias we have found Him Messias in Hebrew is nothing els but annointed and we shall see David annointed straight Aâ—d sure next to the joy of Christ Christus Dominus we may place the ioy of Chrisâ—â—s Domini and take up our next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for him God's word will well become us to use And to whom is this To his Saints to them Ioy to His Saints by it he tells it looke the last verse before As if they had their part in this finding so invites he them to the fellowship of the same ioy Tells them that such a one He had found and for them and for their good He had found him They to reape speciall benefitt by it by this finding therefore they to take speciall notice of it they specially to reioyce with him for it 1. Ioy of the finding Ver. 15. And what should I say but as this Psalme saith a little before Beatus populus qui scit inhilationem Blessed are the people that can skill of this joy that can skill of their own good What it is to have a King a King found to their hand but specially a King thâ—t is God's servant Verily if God's Ioy be our ioy it is to be with us as with 〈◊〉 it was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of ioy And truely all this Text both that which is past his care in seeking and his ioy in finding and that which followeth his honour in annointing his mercie in making this Covenant his truth in keeping it His rescuing them from his revenging them upon their Enemies all is but to shew us how much He doth and if we will doe as He doth how much we are to be even to set by even to ioy and glorie with Him in Inveni Davidem Serâ—um Meum And this for his finding Now no more adoe but proceed to his annointing To what end then found To annoint Very many are found very few so found Found to annoint scarse one of many millions But they that are so found are eo ipso the greatest persâ—â—ns and of the highest Calling upon earth So much is there in this word annointing And this also God takes to Himselfe unxi no lesse then the former inveni God the annointer Finds and annoints both And both the Act His and the oile His. Vnxi I did it and oleo meo The oyle is God's My oyle it was I did it with So finds Kings and finds oyle and finds fingers and all Nothing goeth to them but it is God's It seemeth otherwise Samuel could not find him indeed but we finde he did 〈◊〉 him though He did so but not as of himselfe what he did 1. Sam. 16.13 in the Person of God he did it And the Law is what one doth by another not that other but himâ—elâ—e is sayd to doe it to be the Author of the deed For this must stand true that God heer sayth Himselfe That whose fingers soever were used GOD it was that anâ—â—inted him And annointed him with oyle holy oyle His holy oyle Oyle We can never find Kings in Scripture but still we find this word with them 1. With oyle 〈◊〉 find them in oyle and oyle is for continuance The colours of the Crowne 〈…〉 water-colours to fade by and by they be layd in oyle to last and to hold out all â—eâ—thers So in oyle not in water And in oile not in wine For though the Samaritan have both and there is use of both Luc. 10.34 in time and place Yet heere onely with oyle There is no acrimonie nothing corrosive in it it is gentle smooth and suppling All to teach them a prime quality of their calling to put in oyle enough to cherish that vertue that the streames of it may be seene and the sent of it may be felt of all For that will make David to be David that is as his name is truly beloved 2. With holy oyle Oile and holy oyle Holy not onely to make their Persons sacred and so free from touch or violating all agree of that but even their Calling so also For holy unction holy function Now this holy oyle troubles the Iesuite shrewdly and all those that seeke to unhallow the Calling of Kings For if the holy oyle be upon them why should they be sequestred quite from holy things more then the other two that have but the same oyle Indeed as they say if they were but to deale with common matters common oile would have served well enough and so
as the children of perdition should be are lost 〈◊〉 are you And where are they gone to their owne place to Iudas their brother Acts 1.25 〈◊〉 as is most kindly the Sonns to the Father of wickednesse there to be plagued with 〈◊〉 for ever The same way may they all goe and to the same place may they all 〈◊〉 all that shall ever once offer to do the like Thus to the very last syllable of the last verse is this Text found true in you and this Covenant made good to 〈◊〉 All the six points of it all of them in futuro in the Text shall and shall be Comes 〈◊〉 the day and puts them all in praeterito to you changeth shall and shall be into was 〈◊〉 did That thus we read it now His hand did hold you fast His arme did strengthen 〈◊〉 the Enemie was not hable to doe you eny violence no more was the Sonne of wickedâ—essâ— to hurt you But He did smite downe your foes and did plague them that hated you 〈◊〉 the Covenant was fully kept with you and sealed even with the blood of them that 〈◊〉 it And now let all them that tooke eny joy in the first finding and annointing 3 Ioy for your delivering heere 〈…〉 their joy afresh for this second when you were thus in a manner lost and found 〈◊〉 When it was just as in the Gospell Perijt et inventa est Luke 15.6.9 And if he in the 〈◊〉 for his sheep and she for her groat called all their friends together and cryâ—â— Congraetulamini mihi how much greater a Congratulamini belongs to this Where not a groat Mar. â— 20 but He that is the Image and superscription of all our groats yea all our Coyne silver and gold is found againe To find some praises of God for this findiâ—g And what shall this be all No I trust having thus at the hands of GOD found the faithfull mercies of David we will stay a little and looke out some of the faithfull prayers of David to render Him for this for such a finding Let us do so I pray you And we shall not need to go farre not any further then our owne Psalme and but even to the very first words of it The first Verse of the Psalme Cantabo Psal. 145.9 Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo Vpon another no lesse worthy Deliverance I well remember you then tooke up the like Misericordiae Domini super omnia opera Ejus Very fitly that but this agrees rather with us now For it is the beginning of the Psalme whereof the text is a part Made as it were the Anthem for this Sermon Mercie in making this Covenant Will ye see how it agrees There was mercie in making this Covenant there was truth in keeping it See then how aptly he hath sett it My song shal be alwaies of the mercie of the LORD that made it with my mouth will I be shewing His truth that kept it from one generation to another And shall not we sing of His mercie And shall not we set forth his truth Truth in keeping it Sing of His mercie that made this Covenant shew forth His truth that made it good every article and suffered not one word of it to fall to the ground The second verse of the Psalme Ego dixi But if we cannot well sing it for lack of a Queere He hath taken order for that too For the very next the second verse of the Psalme that he begins with Ego dixi I have said that if we cannot sing it we may yet say it And it is but the same over againe I have said Mercie shal be set up for ever Thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens What truth It followeth in the third verse this truth of His Covenant to David To sing that and to say this to make our songs on this ground and our sermons on this theame He hath said it to set up His mercie He hath done it to exalt His truth Ever to do this in aeternum In aeternum is the word of the verse if our dulnesse could endure it all the dayes of the yeare To do it in aeterâ—um speciaâ—ly this day Luke 19.19 But of all the dayes in the yeare this day not to faile of it Hodiè salus facta est domui huic Nay regno huic Nay Regnis his This day then not to faile of it For having found this mercie and felt this truth this day shall we not at the least this day thank Him for this day Shall the Sun of this day arise and go down upon us and not see us together to render Him praise for this so loving a mercie for this so faithfull a truth Shall he find hand and arme to succour and to save us and shall not we find mouth and lips to blesse and magnifie Him for it GOD forbid Application to Vâ— Let us then sing that My song shal be alwaies of the mercies of the Lord record it at least Or for default of it say this I have said Mercie shal be set up for ever thy truth shalt thou establish in the heavens Be they never so false upon Earth thou in hâ—aven shalt stablish it By way of preaching Say it per modum Concionis so we have Say it then per modum Orationis so let us do and so an end Even so LORD so let it be Set up this thy mercie for ever for ever stablish the truth of this thy covenant By way of prayer with thy Servant our Soveraigne that it never faile Him as not this day so not at any other time Let thine hand be still upon Him and thine arme about Him for ever between Him and His harmes Violence and hurt never come neer Him The sonnes of wickednesse be ever farr from Him Let them be non proficients all the sort of them that studie or practise this wicked lesson Never lose thou Him or suffer Him to be lost Ever find Him good Lord to succour and save Him and let thy right hand find out His enemies to smite and plague them with the same blowes thou didst smite and wâ—th the same plagues thou didst powre on these of this day The destinie of this day come on them all And for Him let His annointing still be frâ—sh on Him and His crowne still flourish on His head Let Him all the day walke in the light of thy countenaâ—ce and at night 〈…〉 the covering of thy wings This day as once it did and as ever since it hath 〈◊〉 let it long and many yeares rise prosperous and happie to him This day and all daies That he that we all may sing of thy mercie and set forth thy truth all the daies of our life Heare us O LORD and graunt it for thy SONNE' 's sake our SAVIOVR c. A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE IN THE CATHEDRAL CHVRCH at SALJSBVRJE on the V. of
à vobis And so He is He from them and they from Him as farr as the bottome of the nethermost hell is from the topp of the highest heaven And ever the same hand of GOD be so layd on them that shall offer to lay hands on GOD'S Annointed So may they all shutt their eyes as many as it shall seeme good in their eyes to doe the like So may their hearts be smitten that ever hatch in their hearts eny thought that way tending And the faithfull mercies of David be upon them Esai 55.3 whose eye and hand heart and tongue shall see say and thinke and doe as he did And let the King live live yet many yeares to see the renewing of this blessed day and to refresh the memorie of God's mercies upon it shewed him and in him shewed us all And now to returne to the beginning We may I trust now say Ecce dies venit Behold the day is come with a higher accent A day in regard of the deliverie into their hands de quo dixit diabolus but in regard of the deliverie from them de quo dixit Dominus which GOD did bespeake Bespeake but in a better sense not thus in quo tradam in manus but rather in quo eripiam de manibus not deliver You into but to deliver You out of their hands And yet it is dies in quo tradam too but the edge turned toward them Not in quo tradam te illis but in quo tradam illos tibi not deliver you into your enemie's but deliver your enemies into Your hands The beginning was they made full accompt You had been given over into theirs and that the good should have beene in their eyes The end as is happily proved they were given into Your hands and the good was in Yours removed thither And you have done and they suffered what was good not in their but Your owne eyes heaven and earth approving it and rejoicing at it Now then as if they had done to You that was good in their eyes it had made many weeping eyes it had been Ecce dies funestus so seeing they have suffered what was good in Yours and even in God's eyes and thereby made many a gladd heart shall it not be Ecce dies festus Psal. 118.15.16 a day of ioy and health in the dwelling of the righteous wherin the right hand of the Lord had the praeminence the right hand of the Lord brought this mightie alteration to passe As they meant it it had beene a day the devill had marred Psal. 118.24 as it fell out this was a day that the Lord hath made and let us reioice and be glad in it with the voice of ioy and thanksgiving among such as keepe holy day Holy I say for let God have the honour of the day for setting so many Ecce's upon it For which all daies but specially as the day it selfe returnes we to make returne of our thanks upon it Even upon it upon this day for this day for the many Ecce's of this day to God the Author of them for the King and his safetie the subiecta materia of them for the Ecce surrexit è spelanc â his rising out of the cave in effect as good as his rising out of the grave or as David in this Psalme calls it his delivery from the Lyon's den Psal. 57.4 thence he rose And for Ecce abijt viam that a way was made him that he was not made away but that his way he went Then went and many â— way since hath gone and many more may still goe and the Angel of the Lord take 〈◊〉 of him to keepe him in all his wayes Psal. 91.11 and the Lord Himselfe preserve his going 〈◊〉 and comming in from this time forth for evermore 〈◊〉 is a Psalme as I sayd the LVII purposely sett of his being there in the 〈…〉 scaping thence the Psalme is like the day represents it fitly The forepart 〈◊〉 full of danger and feare Miserere mei Domine miserere mei Psal. 57.1.4 and My soule is 〈◊〉 Lyons well befitting You when You were under their hands But the latter 〈◊〉 the Catastrophe full of joy and triumph When You were gott out of the cave 〈◊〉 â—ere now upon Your way then it was I trust and ever will be as there it 〈◊〉 My heart is ready ô GOD my heart is ready I will sing and give praise Psal. 57.7.8.9.10.11 〈◊〉 up my glorie awake Lute and harp I my selfe will awake up early I will praise thee among the people I will sing unto thee among the nations For thy mercie is great toward me it reacheth even up to the heavens thy truth above the clouds Sett up thy selfe ô Lord above the heavens and thy glorie over all the earth as this day thou didst indeed So ends the Psalme and a better end there cannot be So will we end with glorie and praise blessing and thanks to all the three Persons of the glorious Trinitie To whom for this day and the Ecce of this day be ascribed this day all these Even this day and for ever A SERMON PREPARED TO BE PREACHED Vpon the V. of AVGVST A. D. MDCXXIII GEN. CHAP. XLIX VER V. VI. VII Simeon et Levi fratres c Simeon and Levi brethren in evill the instruments of crueltie are in their habitations Jnto their secret let not my soule come my glorie be not thou joyned with their assembly For in their wrath they slew a man and in their self-will or furie they digged downe a wall Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell J will divide them in Iaakob and scatter them in Israel I Have read you a Text out of a peecè of Genesis a part of Iacob's last words before he went out of the world or as they call it a Clause of his last Will and Testament There is in it a Censure upon a couple of his Sonnes In which censure I take it I have read the destinie of another couple in attempting both of a like soule designe they as these and these as they As Simeon and Levi the brethren of the Text so these two the brethren of the day To open the case heer in the Text The day will open it self sufficiently You are to imagine You see Iacob being now about to go out 〈…〉 world lying at the very point of death lifted up in his bedd for so he was his 〈…〉 before him all twelve in order according to their severall ages as 〈…〉 â—he world He had somewhaâ— to say to them it should seeme and 〈…〉 these two his second and third Sonnes he called to mind a foule 〈…〉 â—ommiâ—ted upon Hemor and Sichem and the whole Citie Of which 〈…〉 before at the XXXIIII Chapter 〈…〉 it were done and past many yeares before that it might seeme to have 〈…〉 yet it comes fresh to his mind and troubles him
Sion why not the captivitie of Ierusalem Iuda Israel Ierusalem Iuda Israel were ledd away Captives no lesse then 〈◊〉 They the greater and more generall why not the Captivitie of them but of 〈◊〉 It should seeme there is more in Sion's then in the rest that choise is made of it â—â—fore the rest Why what was Sion We know it was but a Hill in Ierusalem Psal. 48.2 on the â—â—rth-side Why is that Hill so honoured No reason in the world but this That 〈◊〉 it the Temple was built And so that Sion is much spoke of and much made of it â—onely for the Temple's sake For whose sake it is even for His Church that the LORD loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Iacob Loveth her more and so her captivity goeth neerer Him and her deliverie better pleaseth him Psal. 87.2 then all â—â—cob besides This maketh Sion's captivitie to be mentioned chiefly as chiefly regarded by GOD and to be regarded by His. As we see it was Psal. 137.1 When they satt by the waâ—â—â— of Babylon that which made them weepe was When we remembred thee ô Sion that â—â—eir greatest griefe That their greatest griefe and this their greatest ioy Laetatà 〈◊〉 when newes came not saith the Psalme in domos nostras We shall goe now eveâ—â—one to his owne house but in Domum Domini ibimus Psal. 122.1 We shall goe to the house of the 〈◊〉 we shall appeare before the GOD of GODS in Sion â—ion God loved and fauoured highly yet how deare soever Sion is in His sight for 〈◊〉 sinnes propter peccata populi mei she sometimes is forsaken and afflicted by Him â—â—ough He take not His mercie utterly from her nor suffer His truth quite to faile Psal. 89.33.32 yet 〈◊〉 visiteth her offences with the rodd and her deeper transgressions with scourges and 〈◊〉 the rest with this scourge of Captivitie To be plagued at home in their owne land is but a rodd in comparison Captivitie 〈◊〉 a scourge in respect of it and a sharpe one To be bereft of all we have and of that which they have that have nothing els libertie to be carried into a strange 〈◊〉 to be made bond and thrall to the proud commands of an Enemie Wo is me for 〈◊〉 saith Ieremie And no man shall need but to read his Lamentations only There 〈◊〉 particular to be seene the evill of captivitie how sharpe a scourge it is The 〈◊〉 was made for that end 〈◊〉 of all Captivities none so evill as that of Babell If any other be a scourge that 〈◊〉 In Aegypt their case was more tolerable their soules were free there 〈◊〉 their bodies in Servitude they might serve God yet they were not compelled 〈◊〉 downe before Isis or Osiris Onely the Captivitie of Babell is the captivitie of 〈…〉 lesse then bodies There they must fall downe before the great Idol in the field Dura 〈◊〉 3.1.6 or be throwne into the furnace 〈◊〉 iâ— the worst place that is for Sion to be carried captive to And this is the first degree Sion is afflicted and that with Captivitie with the Captivitie of 〈◊〉 Now to in Convertendo Dominus â— The Lord 's Turning of it Lamen 4.9 They that fell by the sword saitâ— Ieremie were in better case then they that went into captivitie save onely thâ—â— thâ—â— poore hope they had left They might returne againe They might returne and so they did Sion went into Captivitie but her captivitie weâ—t not so farre but it turnes againe It is one of the Songs of Sion Many a time have they afflâ—cted me from my youth up c. Psal. 129.1.2 And againe Many a time have they afflicted me c. 〈◊〉 is many and many times more but yet they have not prevailed against me finally Heere is a proofe of it Though brought to Babell yet not left there though 〈◊〉 into Captivitie yet restored to libertie There may be snares for her but the end is Psal. 124.7 Psal. 116.16 laqueus contritus est there may be bonds but the end dirupisti vincula Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder Sion's captivitie is still turned back But who shall turne it In Convertendo Dominus Cyrus may seeme to have done it But alas Cyrus is â— great Monarch and they a sort of poore Captives Besides he is a Heathen man an Idolater a stranger to them and their Religion no waies like to turne or to be turned Mat. 16.3 Quis revolvet nobis hunc lapidem what engine shall bring this about Dominus the Lord shall For though the hearts of Monarchs be as rivers of many streames Pro. 21.1 yet In manu Domini cor Regis saith a great Monarch in His hand their hearts be Et 〈◊〉 vult convertit and He can turne them as the streames in the South This verse referring to that of Salomon It is the Lord then the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Turner of the greatest Monarch's hearts that thus turned Cyrus's heart Psal. 118.23 Cyrus being turned his Decree came forth for their returne A Domino factumest istud It was His doing they saw it they noted it and they had beene to be noted of great blindnesse if they had not noted it But note it they did So they beginne one of their Songs Psal. 124.1.2 Nisi quia DEVS and againe they repeate it Nisi quia DEVS If the Lord had not done it it had not beene done But for him they had beene in Babell still Thus much 1 for Sion's captivitie and 2 the Lord 's turning The Lord turned away the Captivitie of Sion So have ye the worke Halleluja for the worke 2. Hallelujâ— For â—he workmanship or manner And againe Halleluja for the Work-manship To escape a Captivitie is enough it skills not now howsoever it is well thankes be to GOD. But it receiveth encrease and is made capable of a higher degree by the Manner and that greatly All captivities are grievous specially that of Babell And all returnes joyfull specially from thence Yet is even that made more joyfull two waies sett higher by these two degrees 1. That it was like a dreame It is ever a signe of a very strange event when men at the seeing ought though they be awake yet think they are not though they doe not dreame yet thinke they are in a dreame 2. That they among the Heathen talked of it It is ever a signe of a famous accident when other men specially other Nations speake and speake magnificè of it So strange as like a dreame 1 Vnlookt for Faecti sumus sicut somniantes We were as it were in a dreame it came so unlook't for For so come dreames we know without looking for Men know not when they go to bedd what they shall dreame of And it is a benefit to have a benefit come like a dreame 〈◊〉 waiting longer for it â— Without labour Then it came
worse for the soule therefore simply worse Worse for that would have wasted but to the ground and there left but this should have fetched up foundations and ground and all Worse certainly for that should have consumed but Samaritans onely but this for the good of the Catholique cause Samaritans and Iewes both Yea such as themselves were Disciples and Iames and Iohn too if they had been there for companie Worse for this had the shew of an example Sicut fecit Elias but ours Sicut fecit who Not Sicut fecit Elias No Sicut without example Never the like entered into the heart of any that carried but the shape of a man So still the advantage on our side Now for the deliverie when all is done that which was saved heer was but a poore towne without a name I should much wrong that famous Assembly and flower of the Kingdome if I should offer to compare it with that either in quantitie alas like little Zoar to great Ninive or in qualitie when in ours to say nothing of the rest One there was more worth then ten thousand such as they 2. Sam. 18.3 we have good Scripture for it These heer were rebuked but verbally on earth Ours really rebuked from heaven Really rebuked in their intention by miraculous disappointing the execution And themselves put to a foule rebuke besides GOD first blowing their owne powder in their faces to write their sinne there and after making their bowells their mercilesse bowells to be consumed with fire within the very view of that place which they had meant to consume with fire and all Vs in it CHRIST came to save us There be manifest stepps of His comming Apparant first in that He made them they could not conteine their owne spirits but brought them out by their owne dicimus made them take penn and paper and tell it out themselves and so become the instruments of their own destruction which is the worst of all Againe He came when He gave His Majestie understanding to read the riddle of so soon as the letter is burnt to construe the dialect of these unknowne spirits and pick it out of a period as dark as the cellar was dark where the powder lay There is but one comming in the text He came not to destroy but to save Heer were two in ours both commings of CHRIST 1 He came not to destroy but to save us in mercie 2 He came not to save but destroy them His second comming in judgement To conclude This one notable difference there is on our side They should have been destroyed by miracle and we were saved by miracle The right hand of the LORD brought it to passe which is of all others Psal. 118.16 the most welcome deliverance And shall I then upon all this make a motion Master wilt thou we speake to these whom thou hast delivered that seing thou tookst order the fire should not ascend to consume them they would take order their prayers may ascend up and as the odours of the Saint's phialls burne before Thee still and never consume but be this day ever a sweet smell in Thy presence Their fire they came to put under the earth CHRIST would not have burne another fire He came to put upon earth Luke 12.49 and His desire is that it should burne even that fire whereon the incense of our devotion and the same fire of our praise burne before GOD and be in odorem suavitatis We were appointed Eph. 5.2 â—o be made a sacrifice If Isaac be saved shall nothing be offered in his stead Shall we not thank GOD that he was better to them then Iames and Iohn and to us better then those were that will needs thrust themselves to be of His societie That when this dicimus was said of us too stayed it at dicimus and never lett it come to perâ—icimus miraculously made knowne these unknowne spirits that He turned and rebâ—ked the motion and the spirits that made it that He came once and twice to save 〈◊〉 and destroy them If we shall let us then do it let our soules magnifie the Lord Luke 1.46 and our spirits rejoyce in Goâ— our Saviour that the beginning of the Text and of our case was fire to consume them in the first verse that the end was non perdere sed salvare in the last Such may ever be the end of all attempts to destroy us So may He come still and still as heer He came never to destroy ever to save us And as oft as He to save us so oft we to praise Him And GOD grant that this answer heer of CHRIST may serve for a determination of this case for ever and every Christian be so resolved by it as the like never come in speech more by any dicimus But if as we know not what spirits are abroad that every destroying spirit may be rebuked and every State preserved as this town heer was and as we all were this Day And ever as He doth save still we may praise still and ever magnifie His mercie that endureth for ever Psal. 136.1 Amen A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL on the V. of November A. D. MDCXII LAMENT CHAP. III. VER XXII Misericordiae DOMINI quia non sumus consumpti quia non defecerunt miserationes Ejus It is the Lord 's mercies that we are not consumed because His compassions faile not THE verse is not amisse The booke suits not so well For this joyfull day of our great and famous Deliverance CHRIST 's Luk. 7.32 tibijs cecinimus is more meete then Iohn Baptist's Planximus and David's harp then Ieremie's Lamentations This I know commeth to your mindes at the mention of this melancholique booke But yet if we weigh our case well not what it fell out to be but what it was ment to have beene the very booke will not seeme so out of season For this very day should it not have beene a day of lamentation to the whole land was it not so marked in their â—â—lendar And they had had their wills would they not have given matter of mâ—king a booke of Lamentations over this State and that another manner Book 〈◊〉 more and with longer Chapters then this of Ieremie's By the mercie of GOD it proved otherwise But what shall we so entend the day what it is as we forgett what it was like to have beene No the booke and the verse Iuxta se posita will do well one sett out the other as the blacke-worke doth the white The Booke putt us in minde but for GOD 's mercie in what case we might have beene The Verse by GOD 's mercie what we are And even to thanke Him that our lott was to hitt the verse and misse the booke to fall within the one and without the other The truth is I had a desire That Misericordiae Domini might have their day and this day I thought to dedicate chiefly to
in the booke of life in heaven have done before you in diverse workes of charitie to the maintenance of the Church the benefit of Learning and the reliefe of the Poore of the land This is to do good This I trust you understand This know that GOD hath not given sight to the eye to enjoy but to lighten the members nor wisedome to the honourable man but for us men of simple shallow forecast nor learning to the divine but for the ignorant so neither riches to the wealthy but for those that want reliefe Thinke you Timothee hath his depositum and we ours and you have none it is sure you have We ours in inward graces and treasures of knowledge You yours in outward blessings and treasures of wealth But both are deposita and we both are feoffees of trust I see there is a strange hatred and a bitter gainsaying every where stirred up against unpreaching Prelates as you terme them and Pastors that feed themselves onely and they are well worthy If I might see the same hatred begoon among your selves I would thinke it sincere But that I cannot fee. For that which a slothfull Divine is in things spirituall that is a Rich man for himselfe and no body els in things carnall and they are not pointed at But sure you have your harvest as well as we ours and that a great harvest Lift up your eyes and see the streets round about you the harvest is verily great and the Labourers few Matt. 9 37· Let us pray both that the Lord would thrust out Labourers into both these harvests that the treasures of knowledge being opened they may have the bread of aeternall life and the treasures of well-doing being opened they may have the bread of this life and so they may want neither I will tell you it another as easie a way Saint Augustine making it plaine to his auditorie somewhat backward as it should seeme was faine to tell them thus thus to define doing good Quod non vultis facere hoc bonum est said he that that you will not doe that that I cannot get you to do that is to doe good Shall I say so to you No indeed I will not I hope better things and partly I know them But this I will say that which the Papists with open mouth in all their books to the slander of the Gospell that which they say you doe not nay you will not doe that is to doe good One of them saith that our Religion hath comforted your force attractive so much and made it so strong that nothing can be wroong from you Another he saith that our Religion hath brought an hardnesse into the bowells of our Professors that they pitie little and the cramp or chiragra into their hands that they give lesse Another 〈◊〉 our preaching hath bredd you minds full of Salomon's horsleches that cry â—riâ—g in bring in and nothing els All of them say that your good workes come so from you as if indeed your religion were to be saved by faiâ—h onely Thus through â—ou and through want of your doing good the Gospel of CHRIST is evill spoken of â—mong them that are without They say we call not to you for them that we preach not this point that we leave them out of our Charges Libero animam meam I deliver heere mine owne soule I do now call for them I have done it elsewhere yer now Heere I call for them now I take witnesse I call you to record I call heaven to râ—cord Domine scis quia dixi scis quia locutus sum scis quia clamavi Lord thou knowest I have spoken for them I have called for them I have cried for them I have made them a part of my charge and the most earnest and vehement part of my charge even the charge of doing good Vnto you therfore that be rich be it spoken heare your charge I pray you There is no avoiding you must needs seale this fruit of well-doing you must needs do it For having wealth and wherewithall to do good if you do it not Inprimis talke not of faith for you have no faith in you if you have wherewith to shew it and shew it not Saint Iames saith you have none to shew Nor tell me not of your religion there is no religion in you Iam. 1.27 â— Pure religion is this as to very good purpose was shewed yesterday To visite the fatherlesse widowes and you never learned other religion of us Secondly if you do it not I warne you of it now you shall then find it when you shall never be hable to answer the exacting of this charge in the great Day where the question shall not be of the highnesse or lownesse of your mindes nor of your trust and confidence or any other vertues though they be excellent but of your feeding clothing visiting harbouring succouring and in a word of your well-doing onely This I say to you beare witnesse I say it Now to Them in your just deâ—ense I say for GOD forbidd but while I live I should alway defend this Honourable Citie in all truth to them whom the mist of envie hath so blinded that they can see no good at all done but by themselves I forbidd them the best of them to shew me in Rhemes or in Rome or any popish Citie Christen such a shew as we have seene heer these two daies To day but a handfull of the heape but Yesterday and on Moonday the whole heape even a mightie armie of so many good workes as there were relieved Orphanes the Chariotts of this Citie 2. King 2.12 I doubt not and the horsemen thereof They will say it is but one so they say Be it so yet it is a matchlesse one I will go further with them Spoken be it to GOD 's glorie Non nobis Domine non nobis Psal. 115.1 sed Nomini Tuo dagloriam Not unto us not unto us O Lord but unto Thy Name give the praise for the loving mercie and for thy truthes sake which we professe I will be able to prove that Learning in the foundation of Schooles and encrease of revenues within Colledges and the Poore in foundation of Almes-houses and encrease of perpetuities to them have received greater helpe in this Realme within these forty yeares last past since not the starting up of our Church as they fondly use to speake but since the reforming ours from the error of theirs then it hath I say in any Realme Christen not onely within the selfe same fortie yeares which were enough to stop their mouthes but also then it hath in any fortie yeares upward during all the time of Poperie which I speake partly of mine owne knowledge and partly by sufficient grave information to this behalfe This may be said and said truly And when we have said this what great thing have we said that time for time so many yeares for so many thirtie yeares of light