another the Glory of GOD. Those by all the Workes which in any of them were created This by GODS Resting in it and Sanctifying of it So haue S. Ambrose Chrysostome and Basill in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so hath that divine Poet Seigneur du Bartas with a gift of excellencie handled each one of those Daies that well they haue made it to appeare that each of them may lend to other each and all of them may lend to vs though they lend vs too infinit and vnspeakable though ever spoken matter of GODS Glory And in this respect Bodin speaketh very well towards th' end of the first Chapter of his first booke De Republica Deus Opt. Max. cum omnia sapientèr tum illud potissimùm quòd rebus agendis ac negotijs contraheÌ„dis sex omnino dies definiit diem verò septimuÌ„ contemplationi quieti sanctissimae consecraâ—it quem vnuÌ„ ex omnibus beauit cuisoli benedixit vt diem huncfestuÌ„ hilaritèr ac iucundè transigamus in pulcherrima Dei praepotentis opera iudicia iussa intuentes in eius laudibus acquiescamus Where besides the blessednes by GOD himselfe bestowed on that Day which is bestowed on his service that which before we spake of and is expresly proved out of the beginning of the second of Genesis This is also a thing of very singular note That not only the six daies of Gods working I say not The Workes only that GOD made in the six daies but the six daies of GODS Working haue taught man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too as Aristotle hath distinguished them in his sixth booke of Ethicks and the fourth Chapter But the Seauenth Day hath learned him Contemplation also And this to be the Endc of all trades and occupations of all arts and sciences of all affaires negotiations both civill and domesticall Even vpon the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy to enioy our rest with reioycing in the Lord in pulcherrima Dei praepotentis opera iudicia iussa intuentes in eius laudibus acquiescere and by contemplating the beautifull Workes of GOD his iudgements and his commandements to rest and reappose our selues wholy on the magnifying of GODS name casting away from vs euery thing that presseth downe as the Apostle speaketh the sin that hangeth so fast on vs. That so at the least once in the week we may be fouÌ„d resting and residing in our proper Element without any worldly gravitation This the Heathen men had some glimmering of And therefore how ever they derided metuentem Sabbata patrem yet they themselues though all in darknes as they were busied themselues about such things as the Sabbath Day had taught theÌ„ Hence were they so prolixe in their Contemplation Contemplatiue felicity Hence had they their Dayes of vacation from civill affaires even th' administration of iustice it selfe Ille nefastus erit per quem tria verba silentur Fastus erit per quem lege licebit agi And all this learned they by the sound of the Sabbath Day The sound of the Sabbath Day which had gone out into all lands according to that which is in the next verse saue one vnto my Text. S. Chrysostome in the tenth Homilie of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of GODS Resting the Sabbath Day and Hallowing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If then Beloved it were one of the first Items that ever GOD gaue vs if the law of Nature hath taught it vs if the Day it selfe even this Day so long agoe and now so long time together hath told it vs if it be the Expetible End of all our actions the soveraigne Felicity of this life To dedicate some Whole Day in the week to the worship and service of GOD and to the workes that are spirituall Ought we not ought we not so to doe Though it had never beene expresly written in the ten commandements For One Day telleth another The Fourth Exposition is S. Austins in his eighteenth Sermon De Natali Domini That the Dayes which we in Christianity keepe holy and festivall or otherwise duely and reverently obserue in memorie of any especiall thing concerning Christ doe one certifie another So the Day of Christs Birth the Day of the Purification the Day of th' Annunciation of the blessed Virgin the Day of Christs ResurrectioÌ„ the Day of his Ascension the Day of his Sending the Holy Ghost the Dayes which now we obserue in tokeÌ„ that Christ fasted so many Dayes and Nights for vs Et Christi merito quaeque notata Dies doe one relate and recount vnto another the Glory of GOD his vnspeakeable goodnesse towards vs in calling to our memories witnessing to the world the gladsome tidings of the Gospel Dies Nativitatis diei passionis dies Passionis diei Resurrectionis c annunciat Verbum Illic natum hic passum In illa Angelorum gaudium in ista totius mundi luctum sed tamen omnium in Resurrectione triumphuÌ„ c as S. Austen speaketh One Day telleth c. In the next place it shall not be amisse if we first of all examine the very wordes themselues what they may signifie in the Original conferred too with other languages They are in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where all the difference is about the signification of the prefixe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a note either of the Genitiue or Datiue case and sometimes too by the preposition De or Ad to be expounded Hence some haue vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place as if it were to be interpreted by the preposition De. So Kimhi hath taken it as if we should read it thus One Day telleth of another And then the meaning is That One Day sheweth another day in like sort to follow after him and that there shall be the same reason of the subsequent as was of the precedent day The Sun still continuing on his goodly order and vicissitude of rising and setting So hath One Day told another the Glory of GOD and hath made him knowne not in Israël only but vnto all people Hence Cicero could say Diet noctisque vicissitudo conservat animantes tribuens aliud agendi tempus aliud quiescendi Sic vndique omni ratione concluditur mente consilioque divino omnia in hoc mundo ad saluteÌ„ omnium conservationemque admirabilitèr administrari See how the heathen man here speaketh Sic vndique omni ratione concluditur It is concluded every way by every reason The Glory of God in his providence every thing is a meanes a Medius Terminus to proue to Demonstrate it withall Whether it be the vicissitude of the Day and of the Night or the continuall suite and following of one Day vpon another One Day Telleth another So
David in the Church according as they are divided by some into 20. by others into 30. Daies of reading them One Day of praying in the Church One Day of Gods service in the Church recounteth vnto another day of like sort or otherwise the Glory of GOD. The service and worship of GOD being by this meanes continued still in the Church his name continually magnified and the glory of his name spread farre and neere by the report of what is done every day in the Church So not to speake of Hiram king of Tyrus and others so came vnto the Queene of Sheba the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord as t' is expressed 1. King 10. 1. And herevpon shee came and blessed the Lord GOD of Solomon as t' is said in the ninth verse So I pray GOD may the fame of King IAMES concerning the name of the Lord be conveyed to the Turks Infidels and to the vtmost parts of the world that so if GOD will they may be wonne to blesse the Lord God of our godly King and Soveraigne So King David made such great and royall provision for the service of GOD 1. Chr. 25. And in the two fortieth Psalme and else where so often hee expresseth his fervent desire to haue the worship and service of GOD daily obserued in the Church Nay so king Solomon built a house for the Name of the Lord GOD of Israel 1. King 8. 20. Which too to build as t' is in the 18. ver was in the heart of king Dauid And he did dwell that he was so minded So minded That so from day to day as it were by One Daies Report vnto anrther the worship and Glory of GOD might be as farre as farre may be dilated extended even vnto the ends of the world This what say I this the daily service of GOD in Churches the rites and ceremonies the riches and solemnities the royaltie and magnificence therein vsed to haue been alwaies very singular meanes of the advancement of the Glory of the most glorious and the holy worship of the holiest Yea truely Beloued and that in Christianitie and when it fared but hard with Christians nor had they such peace plentie so many well munited kingdomes of their owne as now they haue I report me but to the smallest insight in history Let Titus be excepted for being so much moved as Iosephus reporteth with the Temple at Ierusalem And let be vnreckoned in like case Cosröe Aar and Daber kings of Persia And let those who therewithall least of all were moved moue forwarde this cause most of all For Hequin of the Persians the like when they saw that Christianity encreased as they thought too fast then began they to look more narrowly to the Temples of the Christians then to inhibite them the vse of their accustomed solemnities yea and to constraine them vpon those daies in which the worship and service of GOD should haue beene celebrated with most magnisicence to keepe them within the doores of their houses vpon paine and perill of their liues Lastly when all this would not serue then downe tumbled they the Temples theÌ„ selues the Temple of the Resurrection and the like According to the old policie of Nabuchodonosor Antiochus Epiphanes and others So laboured they as mnch as in them lay to barre the Dayes telling one another by this meanes the Glory of GOD. So endeavoured they to make the Day more silent then the Night the night because they loued darknesse more then light Oh then Beloued if not the desire of the hallowing of GODS name which ought to be the first in our desires may moue you to provide diligently yea and as much as in you lieth magnificently too for the daily service of GOD and your every daies frequeÌ„ting of it yet let the Day your daily Orator if you will your Orator too either perswade you therevnto or else beg so much at your hands that you would be so good as to countenance his Report with your presence enrich it with your presents vnto GOD beautifie it with your holinesse and make it happie by your serving of GOD. For if Protarchê° as Aristotle relateth said that the Altar-stones were happie may I not much more account that Day happy wherein GOD himselfe is honoured And if the fervent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of GOD shall be revealed Rom. 8. 19. hath it not a fervent desire also of his owne felicitie And when is the Daies best happinesse but when the true Diespiter the true GOD whose is the Day and the Night shall be most highly honoured Let then your zeale and assiduitie in the worship and service of GOD make that One Day may make vnto another the more ample and honourable Report of GODS glory For which purpose I exhort every one of you as S. Paule doth the Ephesians and the Colossians that you would speake vnto one another that you would teach one another that you would exhort and admonish one another that you would stirre vp put one another in mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Psalmes and Hymns and spirituall songs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singing with and without Instruments And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singing with a comely and graceful kind of thanksgiving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your hearts in your strongest affections vnto the Lord. And let me say vnto every soule as Prudentius prudently saith to his owne soule in the Preface of his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saltem Voce Deum concelebret si meritis nequit Hymnis continuet dies Nec nox vlla vacet quin Dominum canat At least wise let vs bestowe our voices sounds and voices vpon the Lord and vpon the celebration of his praises if wee will afford him nothing else Let vs like Rectors of the quire of the Dayes continue on their Telling one another their chaunting and recounting the Glory of GOD by our Psalmes our Hymnes and spirituall songs And that so much the rather because as Theodoret noteth on the words of my Text according as he is translated wee men are here taught illi Deo hymnorum catilenam afferre to bring and offer vnto God songs and hymnes of praises thankfulnesse We I say are here taught it even by this one Days Telling another One Day telleth another The Third Meaning is such as that according to the Infinite variety of GODS works and of the Glorie which he conferreth on them it maketh The Dayes so to Multiply their words That therby The Report of Gods Glory Infinitely passeth through the Treasures of the Deepe doth Infinitly Grow and Spring and Creepe and Goe and Swim and Fly and Fly Vnder and Aboue the Heauens doth Infinitly Moue and Liue Liue for Euer And this Meaning is that every of the Six daies wherein GOD made the world The Seaventh day also wherein he rested do One declare vnto
also of the orderly succession of the Day and of the night haue S. Chrysostome and Theodoret expounded the words of my Text as in the second Generall part shall farther be declared Others take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the genitiue case as if wee sound it thus One Day telleth or vttereth the word or the speech of another Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with like meaning vnto that of Kimhies and that One Day deriueth his knowledge vnto another Day one Day maketh report of another Daies adventures and looke what is done to day we shall heare of it another Day A third sort and they the most and the most approved vnderstand here the Datiue Case or which is all one in meaning the Accusatiue with the Preposition Ad. Dies dieâ— or Dies ad Diem One Day telleth another or telleth to or vnto another Of this last sort some are of opinion that some thing ought here to be supplyed as if by the Day telling another were strictly to be vnderstood The Day succeeding the other Verum rectius sine subintellectione hic versus accipitur saith Iansenius in his Annotations And indeed there is so much the lesse need of subaudition because there is a word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a word expressed And however This Day declaring the Glory of his Maker shal so soone as soone at night leaue of any more to be yet shall not GODS Glory therewith all leaue off any more to bee declared by it For this day speaketh a Word to the succeeding day The Day telleth out to the Day a Word as one English manuscript Translation very well hath and in a sort deriveth transfuseth transmiseth yea dying bequeatheth as a legacy to his successour the ever succeeding predication of GODS praises No otherwise then as by our late Queene of famous memory though shee be dead yet GOD is ever magnified because of her Successour hauing as great a care of the setting forth of GODS Glory as ever she had One Day Telleth another And were it not more out of order then t' is out of due time I would here take occasion to exhort every one of you by the Dayes even This Dayes example to endeavour to leaue behind you when you bee dead gon some monument of your owne though it be but a good name and that is better then a good ointment Ecclesiastes 7. 3. and to bee chosen aboue great riches Prov. 22. 1. I say some monument or other of GODS Glory Even as yon see this Day our late Soveraigne though shee haue left no monument behinde her as some suppose yet hath she left a name and a famous memoriall behind her so that her praise shall bee spokeÌ„ of by One Dayes telling another Yea and for a monument she hath left vs a great emolument I mentioÌ„ not the Statute of Provision but the free and golden current of the Gospell and that great monument of GODS Glory her most honourable successour This might teach vs to provide at least in our last wils for that which our former wills so much neglect and for which it was that GOD gaue vs any will at all even the setting forth of the honour and Glory of his heavenly Maiestie Considering that besides the godly examples of holy men of old the Day also as yong as it is taketh all his care for bequeathing of this one and only thing to his successour and for admonishing his heire apparant of this thing even when he is neerest to the Night of his death For Dies moritur in noctem tenebris vsquequaque sepelitur as TertulliaÌ„ speaketh The night is the dayes death and darknes is the graue to bury him in Yet so for all that One Day Telleth another One Day The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence or else from the Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Arabian Iaumi which yee will is in all likelyhood made the Latine word Iam now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle in his fourth Booke of Physicks context 122 That shall come now which shall come to Day And that is said to haue come now which is said to haue come to day As if by One Daies telling another were meant too that Now telleth Now that is One While telleth another one time certifieth another yea not so much as the least Moment of time but it yeeldeth for the glory of GOD some matter of great moment And if Aristotle thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy his haÌ„dling in his naturall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought all these to be overpassed by vs in a Christian audience when as not one of them but is contained within the Daies Report not one of them but sheweth the Glory of GOD either Now or else But Now or else But lately or else Suddainely by things Arist vbi supra in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suddainely Extant or else a great while since or else a great while hence or else some time or other And all this by the wonderfull workes of the Almighty which he worketh in all the differences of Time One Day telleth another For our English Telleth the originall hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Chalde Paraphrase expoundeth by a word of theirs signifying to shew or to declare One Day sheweth or declareth vnto another Agreeably to that in the first verse of this Psalme The heavens Declare the glory of GOD and the Firmament Sheweth his handy work And to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the souâ—th verse of this Psalme Like also vnto that which before you heard out of S. Austin Dies diei Annunciat verbum The Chalde Translation besides that which thereof afterwards shall bee said expoundeth it by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Day Apponeth or Addeth vnto another Of which Non video saith Bucer quid sibi voluerit quod Diei Appositionem tribuit nisi forsan intellexerit DieÌ„ nova Dei semper opera exhâ—bendo animis nostris materiam offerre de Deo tam magnifieis eius operibus diligentius cogitandi I see not saith he what hee meaneth by one dayes Apponing or Adding vnto another vnlesse happily that every day bringeth forth some newe worke or other of the Almighties giueth vs still farther matter and occasion of more diligently perpending considering the power wisdome and goodnesse of GOD in all his workes But for the Hebrew and Arabian words It is first to be noted that according to them both wee may here read One Day shall tell another For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here the Future Tense of the third Coniugation Which Coniugation Augmenteth or Increaseth the words Signification by importing a Double Action by Adding or Apponing to the verbs Former Action which it had in the first Coniugation the Impost of the Efficient or Impulsiue cause According
will appeare in the second Generall part One Day telleth another The Litterall sense that Iâ—nscnius bringeth of these words besides the affinitie it hath with some alreadie mentioned inclineth much to that of Dionysius Carthusianus who entertaineth in these wordes that which well he may a Metonymie whereby The Day is said to doe that which is done in the day to Tell that which is told in the day Hence Brentius here translateth Singulis diebus annunciat verbum The knowledge of God encreaseth dayly And according to that last exposition which the Ordinary glosse here bringeth is both by Day Night continued vnto all posteritie The workes of GOD or men by the workes of God doe from Day to Day shew the Glory of his kingdome and talke of his Power So too One Day telleth another Rabbi Schlomohs exposition is like to some before going that every Day and every Night with their coÌ„tinuall course and order doe ioyne together in the celebration of the Power and wisedome of GOD. One Day Telleth another Abraham Ezra taketh the meaning of the words to be the same which before yee heard out of Bucer vpon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That every day bringeth forth some new worke or other of the Almighties Because every day and so every Night too vttereth discloseth some new matter in which the power wisdome and goodnesse of GOD is in a new maner and after a peculiar sort made manifest Quidam ad eas laudes quas à patribus acceperunt addunt aliquam suam saith Cicero So doth the Day Beloued even every Day besides that which it receiueth of the precedent dayes as of his Auncestors or Predecessors Add still some new matter of his owne whereby GODS name is magnified As if vix ea nostra voco were his motto Who saith that that which was done yesterday is done To Day No more is that our doing much lesse our deseruing which others haue performed Let every man proue his own worke saith the Apostle and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe and not in another Even as every Day hath something of his owne something done To Day whereby hee gladly sheweth forth GODS Glory as all his Predecessors did One Day tellerh another Of like meaning are these words in the iudgement of some who iudge not amisse neither with that of the heathen mens but whose it is is not yet well determined Discipulus est prioris posterior dies The later Day is the former Dayes scholler or Disciple Hence Bucer here translateth Dies diem docet One Day Teacheth another Omnis res anterior posteriori norman praeministravit saith TertulliaÌ„ Every fore-going thing prescribeth is as t' were a patterne or a samplar vnto that which followeth Inquire of the former age saith Iob. Iob. 8. 8. And I haue considered the dayes of old saith David the yeares that are past Psal 77. 5. Inquire now of the Dayes that are past saith Moses Deu. 4. 32. which were before thee since the Day that GOD created man vpoÌ„ the earth c. And Deut. 32. 7. Remember the dayes of old saith Moses too consider the yeares of so many generations For One Day telleth another To the full meaning and vnderstanding of which words it is as true and all as pertinent too that Prior dies posterioris est discipulus The former day is also the later dayes scholler or disciple One Day telleth another The former day telleth the later and the later the former The first the Chalde Translation seemeth to mee to haue aimed at by their word of Diminution The second also by their word of Addition And this later agreeably vnto that which before yee heard out of Bucer That the Later Day telleth the former Day this the heathen men saw also as well as they did the other Hence is that of Aeschylus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time as it groweth older and older so it will informe thee better it will teach thee more and more And hence is that of Demea in Terence Nunquam ita quisquam benè subductâratione ad vitam fuit quin res aetas vsus semper aliquid apportet noui aliquid moneat vt illa quaete scire credas nescias quae tibi putâris prima in experiundo repudies This especially if with the Apostle we preferre it to a higher sense may well serue to allay the puffe of knowledge in vs. 1. Cor. 8. 2. If any man thinketh that he knoweth any thing hee knoweth nothing yet as he ought to doe For One Day telleth another Finally if yee will haue the full and whole meaning of these words together according to their farthest bout and circumference respecting especially The Matter of the Dayes Report I must needes hold with them for this one place of holy Scripture who avouched that every passage thereof was Seaventie manner of wayes to be interpreted For I say not that this place of holy Scripture may beare Interpretation seaventy manner of wayes But seauenty times seaventy For Every Day Every way considered telleth every Day every way considered the Ever Ever-Ever lasting Glory of the Lord. So hath One Day told another ever since the beginning So doth so shall so may One Day tell another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Peter speaketh for Euer and a Day a Day of Evermore And I would it could be more then for Evermore Amen To God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost three persons one God immortal invisible and only wise even to God who is that he is Be rendred and ascribed all praise honour glory power maiestie kingdome and dominion both now and throughout all Eternity Amen THE DAYES REPORT OF GODS GLORY PSALM 19. VERSE 2. One Day Telleth another c. IN these wordes that which partly appeareth by that which heretofore hath beene saide on them and that which is agreed vpon by all the best Expositors there is contained a Prosopopoeia Elegans Prosopopoeia an elegant Prosopopoeia as Iunius Tremellius and others haue tearmed it Hoc Eructat verbum saith Theodoret on my Text Indicat scientiam Enarrant gloriam Dei non animata esse quae videntur docet verùm est quaedam Prosopopoeia homines docens ab his quae videntur ad opificem qui minimè cernitur pervenire illi hymnorum cantilenam afferre That is This same One Day telleth another and One Night certifieth another and The heauens declare the Glory of God argueth not the Heavens the Dayes or the Nights to be liuing * creatures indued with voice Speech and Language But t' is a kinde of Prosopopoeia whereby men are taught by the visible things of this world to be brought to the invisible Creatour of them and so to bring and sing vnto him praise Glory Thankesgiuing Coelt singult dies eo Deum et eius opera praedicant quòd nobis praedicandi materiam exhibent saith Bucer the
heavens and the Dayes are therefore said to declare Gods Glory to praise his workes and to publish the same one vnto another because they yeeld vs matter of so doing Singulis diebus adeâ—que singults momentis Deus manifesta sui testimonie edit corum consideratione in cognitione Deide die in diem proficimus saith Gualter Every day yea and every moment God sheweth forth manifest tokens and testimonies of himselfe by consideration whereof we are from Day to Day more and more furthered in the knowledge of God Nec intelligas saith Caietan coelos narrare annunciare loquendo sed materiam narrationis annunciationis praebendo We may not thinke that the heavens do declare or that the dayes tell one another by speaking but by ministring matter for speech and declaration And as Dionysius Carthusianus speaketh Dicuntur coeli enarrare Gloriam Dei siâ—ut dicuntur benedicere Deo eumque laudare videlicet quoniaÌ„ praebent intuentibus occasionem atque materiam contemplande Creatoris potentiam sapientiam perfectionem The heavens and so likewise the Day the Night are said to declare the Glory of God in that sense that they are said to blesse the Lord and to praise his name to wit because they furnish their spectatours with matter and occasion of contemplating the power wisdome and perfection of their Creatour According to that of Isay Isa 40. 26. Lift vp your eies on high and behold who hath created these things Finally this One Dayes telling to another is like vnto that in the 12 of Iob. v. 7 8. Aske now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the heaven and they shall tell thee or speake to the earth it shall shew thee or the fishes of the sea and they shall declare vnto thee Thee and vnto Thee So it is indeed vnto Men for Mans sake for his Learning ad hominus vtilitatem for Mans Profit as Theodoret here speaketh that one day telleth another Illi audiunt tanquam verbum eructuatum saith S. Austin illi tanquam scientiam annunciatam Quodenim ructuatur praesentibus ructuatur They that is men doe heare as it were a word and as it were knowledge vttered vnto them for looke what is vttered is vttered vnto them in their owne persons One day inciteth vs by one thing another by another as anone yee shall heare out of Munster The noise that they make is like the voice of a cryer vnto Vs like an Oyes wherby Our hearing is required Their sounding and resounding their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a catechising vnto vs. In the 145. Psalme wheÌ„ the Prophet David had said All thy workes praise thee O Lord c. They shew the mightinesse of thy kingdome talke of thy power he addeth immediatly the end thereof That thy power thy glory and mightinesse of thy kingdome might be knowne vnto men v. 10 11 12. And how ever it be of that that is done sure we are that what is written is written for our learning Rom 15 4. Let vs therefore obserue for our instruction that which was last spoken of the Dayes Speaking The Maner of it how that it is but by a Prosopopoeia And it may well teach vs our dutie Vs Men Women who only were made to be the speech-sounding letters in the whole Alphabet of the Creation For alas the Day indeed soundeth GODS prayses But how doth it sound them Truely wee must lend a figure to that sounding speech and speaking sound or else it will bee neither sound nor speech Only we wee men and women can truely and properly speake GODS praises if we will We only haue speech and language and haue it only to that purpose Our Tongue and Speech are our only apparant Glory aboue other creatures whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cauod in Hebrew signifieth both Glory Toung As P. Martyr well noteth in his common place of the Resurrection sect 28. Psal 16. 9. Gen. 49. 6. my Glory that is my Tongue Or is it so rather because our tongue should alwaies be sounding forth the Glory of GOD of GOD who is our Glory Ier. 2. 11. And Let him that glorieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory in the Lord. 1. Cor. 1. 31. And yet see whether the Day be not more forward in sounding forth speaking the praises of our GOD yea eveÌ„ vnto vs our selues rhen are we which should be the only speakers in this lower house of the Parliament of GODS praises For heare what the Prophet David saith in the next verse vnto my Text according vnto most Translations There is neither speech nor language but their voices are heard among them And in the next to that Their sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world And as Iunius and Tremellius haue very well translated the former verse Non est sermo neque verba eis sine his intelligitur vox eorum They haue neither speech nor words and yet is their voice very intelligible According to that of S. Chrysostome vpon that The heavens declare the glory of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tell me how doe they declare the Glory of GOD They haue no voice they are not possest of any mouth tongue they haue none at all How then doe they declare the Glory of GOD By their sight saith he And afterwardes he declareth how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By our seeing of them we fall to thinking to considering of them to vnderstanding this and that out of them And that wheÌ„ we behold such beautifull creatures as are the heavens the Dayes of heauen wheÌ„ we see in the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such Beautie such Greatnesse such Height such Site and position such Frame and Fashion so sufficient so long time to endure In the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other things as great as those such Coâ—sonancie and Modulation such Order and Moderation so Exact and Curious We should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adore and worship him who hath made them such faire and beautifull bodies passing not only our perfect vnderstanding but even our conceits capacitie For if we only looke and gaze on them though to the ende of the Horizon if wee onely note every Horoscope and not apply such admirable sights to their right ende vse his Glory who hath exhibited them vnto vs what great matter quid tanto hiatu dignum haue wee done Even as little children who when they should learne their lessons doe nothing but looke vpon the painted babery of their bookes being loth to bee guâ—ltie of more learning then is the gilt of the cover or the leaues and skilling no more of the Text then the Text hand letters come vnto Lastly getting no more fruit of all their schooling then is vpon the fig tree in the end of their Accidence If either Sight or Hearing or both of
money imitate the Day and Nights equalitie equabilitie The Day pilleth not or polleth it taketh nothing from his fellow but giveth him rather that which he hath to giue For One Day telleth another It fareth with the Dayes in the yeere as they say it doth with fruitfull trees and plants in some places of Barbary where they plant vnder the Date tree the Oliue tree vnder the Oliue the figge tree vnder that the Pomegranate vnder it the Vine vnder the Vine they sow Wheat and vnder Wheat pulse all prospering one vnder the others shadow yeelding their fruit the same yeere So all the Dayes of the yeere are as it were planted one vnder the other one aboue the other some are higher some lower and placed are they Secundum sub supra making vp as it were a whole Predicament of GODS praises The predicating whereof is the fruit they all beare they all beare the same yeere whilest the one still prospereth cōmeth vp vnder the Night and shadow of the other This may shew vnto vs our duty condition For we are all placed in this world yea evē in this Realme in like sort as the Dayes one vnder another one in higher another in lower place alvnder one Summum Genus as it were one most noble Soveraigne He is vnto vs as the Sunne to the Dayes that be vnder him for Gen. 1. 16. 18. and Psal 136. 8. The Greater Light was made to rule the Day or to speake too little of him he is as the date tree to those that be vnder him He hath even the oliue tree vnder him the figge tree and the vine These three trees Iudg. 9. wil teach vs that are Subiects our duties evē as the daies of the yeare doe teach vs too These seek not Superiority one over the other but look in what place GOD hath set them be it better or worse higher or lower formost or hindermost That they keepe therein keepe the ordinances which GOD hath appointed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith S. Chrysostome vpon the words of my Text. They the Dayes keepe themselues within their owne bounds and limits and the one seeketh not to extrude the other Nay he saith farther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heare yee this yee high-minded and that are puffed vp and who are loth to giue place and yeld superiority vnto others or who having once gotten into office are loth to leaue the same againe for others The Day giveth place vnto the Night encrocheth not vpon that that ought not to bee his But thou still having and taking the fruition of honour preferment canst not abide thy brother to haue take part with thee The dayes they intend to let their light shine to shine vpon the earth Gen. 17. to giue light vpon the earth v. 15. I would ye did intend nothing else but to let your light so shine before mē that they seeing your good works might glorifie your Father which is in heaven And I would yee did not rather striue for Superioritie for higher places and one to goe before another Hence are men now-adaies so prone to conspiracy treason and rebellion because they are so vnlike the Dayes of the yeare whilst they cannot stay til it commeth to their turnes to be exalted Yee may see by the example of the Oliue the Fig-tree and the Vine Iudg. 9. That they that beare good fruit indeed wil not haue a kingdome that appertaineth not to them no though it be offered them but rather giue themselues to follow diligently that vocation wherevnto they are called so seeking to glorifie GOD yea and to cheare him too by the fruit of good living like vnto the fatnesse of the Oliue the sweet and good fruit of the Fig-tree and the wine of the vine But t' is the Bramble or the Bryar which beareth such bad fruit who would advance himselfe aboue the trees would haue all put their trust vnder his shadow As if his shadow were a fit sufficient shelter for the highest Cedars of Lebanon Wherefore Beloued be yee not like vnto the scratching bramble but to the good trees that had rather liue vnder the shadow of another and so bring forth fruite not once a yeere only but like vnto the Tree of Life in the Reuelation every Moneth of the yeare yea Every Day of the yeare while it is called To Day Because so doth every severall Day of the yeare One Day Telleth another Here also if we consider the Dayes and the Nights too in Relation to their Rulers and Governours we shal farther see how they Relate Gods Glory whilest they afford excellent instructions both for the Rulers Guides of GODS people and also for the People themselues that are Guided and Governed For the first they ought to be like vnto the Rulers of the Day and of the Night They are The Lights in the Firmament of the Heaven The Sunne The Moone the Starres Their Office two fold To Rule To Giue Light So by them The Heavens Declare the Glory of God the Firmament sheweth his Handy worke So also by Kings Rulers whilest they are full of the Light of Knowledge and not only Rule but Giue Light too vpon the Earth Their High Seas and Seates of Honour their Thrones Chaires of Estate Declare the Glory of God and their Commonwealths strong Firmament sheweth his Handy worke Whilest I say there is no Day or Night no Subiect so Darke and Ignorant but hath a wise and Learned Ruler and a Iudge a Guide a Leader well Iustructed Such a one as in his place and calling being himselfe Lightsome is very industrious in Giuing Light vnto his Day-and-Night Subiects and Inferiours Such a one as is first principally Christ himselfe who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The End and perfection of all Kingly Glory and Dominion who should be First in their Intention that beare rule yea and in their Attention too as a perfect patterne and a most true Rule of well Ruling Whose Dominion is from one end of the world vnto the other Whose Throne is Everlasting Whose Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousnesse Who is that Sunne of Righteousnes to whom in a Mysticall Sense the 5. and 6. verses of this Psalme are most sutable and in Whom as hereafter shall be shewed the Glory of God is most resplendent But vnder him and though in our Horizon Next Immediatly yet a great way after him Such a one as is our King not to flatter him but that GOD may be more and more Glorified by Him and he incited to Run on in being Next and Annexed to him in Giuing Light to whom in Ruling he is Next who is like vnto The Sunne in the 5 th and 6 th verses of this Psalme which commeth forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber Braue and Chast and vndefiled And Reioyceth in the Lord hartily and in the Statuts of the
Lord v. 8. As a Giant or strong man whom nothing may put backe or divert from his setled godly resolutions To Runne his Course or Race In the way of Gods Commandements from one End of Them vnto the other and therefore is Temperate in All things 1. Cor. 9. 25. and that for the Ioy that is set before him Heb. 12. 2. To obtaine a Crowne Incorruptible 1. Cor. 9. 25. and that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most Braue and Royall Reward of his well doing For so In keeping of theÌ„ there is Great Reward v. 11. And therefore too he may well be seene to Runne as Swiftly as he runnes Gladly and Willingly even to Runne All the world over in One Day having a Care of All his Subiects and through his zealous Heat coupled with The Light of Knowledge finding out all that is amisse and repugnant to Gods Glory and reforming it And this not One Day only but with continuall perseverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here the worthiest Title of a King vnto the Ende vntill he come to him that is The beginning and the End and to the hight of Gods Glory through him And so From Day to Day from One Day to another froÌ„ Day Temporall to Day Eternall One Day Telleth another Now likewise for the People They may here learne and be admonished not to attempt speake or imagin any Evill against their Rulers and Superiors no more then doe the Dayes and the Nights who to their Rulers oppose no vnrulines neither withstand they their Lights least they should stand in their own Light and so be nothing else but Darknesse As it fareth with theÌ„ who by Disobedience to their Guids and Governours by plotting mischiefe against theÌ„ seeke to extinguish their owne Light as though being wearie of ther Old Eyes they would pluck them out so either see with the holes or exchaÌ„ge them for New And being herein so vnlike to Children of the Day as that they are not to be reckoned Children of the Night whilst they enter meddle with such hideous and prodigeous Workes of Darknes as are not to bee found in the Blackest and the Darkest Night Againe the People are here taught concerning their Kings and Princes Rulers and Leaders Guides and Governours That though they be never so Good never so well Allied never so Wise Learned yea though they were Gods Signet vpon his Right hand Ier. 22. 24. yet they should not be Proud of theÌ„ Glory in them Presume on them or put Trust or Confidence in theÌ„ much lesse Adore them giue away Gods Glory vnto them All which not we only of this Land but commonly All People of the world are and haue beene faultie in Al which were more tolerable in the Dayes Nights then in any of vs all For as much as their Seducements should be through greater Enticements Their Rulers are in Higher place more Glorious more Full of Light then ours and if Solomon in all his royaltie were not like vnto one of the Lilies of the Field much lesse vnto all the lights of Heaven Theirs are situated in a Firmament ours in Infirmitie Theirs haue a kinde of Everlasting permanencie ours as soone as God taketh away their Breath they die and are turned againe to their Earth and to their Dust Their Rulers are of greater Might then ours Witnesse their Motions Influences and Operations their Oppositions and Coniunctions their severall Aspects the like whereby they are of so great force both by Sea and Land and in the Aire being Causers also of Generation and Corruption shewing thereby the Glory of the First Mover and Creator and his Superexcellent Omnipotencie And yet for all this The Dayes and Nights are not Proud of them Rely not on them put no Affiance in them or their Alliance desert not their Allegiance Dutie and Obedience to their Creatour to the Command of his Supremacie because of them they Glory not in them but in him that made them made them Day and Night Light and Darknesse before such Rulers were set over them They worship not the Creatures but the Creator finally they Report and Declare his glory and not theirs but so as theirs also redoundeth to his glory who is Blessed for ever Consider next Beloved how that wee haue a longer time of continuance then hath the Day therefore haue more Time to learne And yet wee see we haue so played the Truants that we are come to Day to be taught our dutie towards GOD yea our Prince too of an Infant that is but a Day old For Angustisâ—imum habet Dies gyrum saith Seneca The Day hath but a narrow compasse The Moneth is of a far greater bout then he The Yeere like vnto one of the greater Circles is of a greater circuit then they both The Day in Longevity like vnto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if this bee not rather like vnto the Day The Day but a Day old yet it addeth some knowledge vnto the Dayes of old Ostendent terris Hunc tantùm Fata neque vltrà Esse sinent It doth but peepe into the world and but shew it selfe as it were vpon the stage and yet maketh it a Great shew of Gods Glory Peepes vs Such Lecture of the Day Both as he comes and flyes away Bides but to bid the world Adieu And doe Dayes Duty to his Dieu So that it may say with the Prophet David I haue more vnderstaÌ„ding then my Teachers Psal 119. Mem. v. 3. And in the next verse I am wiser then the Aged Dayes should speak saith he and Multitude of Yeeres should teach Wisdome But what So much Wisdome in so Few yeeres Few yeeres Few Dayes Few Dayes yea and Few of Dayes As few and of as few as One. And yet that One not so long as One Day Naturall And that One can be no more then Once once expired can not be reiourned once past his terme can haue no returne For what Veréne potest esse Dies saepiùs qui semel fuit Certè non potest saith the heathen Orator And yet for all that so liberall is it of his little life and short Time to spend it to GODS Glory and to mans behoofe That according to the Italian Proverbe Come la candela fair ' ben ' a gliâ—altri male a mistesso Like the Candle it burneth out it selfe to giue Others Light Like the Candle of lesse Continuance then those to whom it giveth Light Yea so as it were Superstitiously liberall is the Day of his Little and short Breath in this point of Service That Gods Glory being as it were an Aliph of vnion wherby All the Dayes words are loyned together in One the Day conâ—umeth it selfe in that One-Continuall-All-Day-Long-Pronunciation never Once taketh breath till it hath yeelded vp the Ghost We are so farre off from bestowing our Breath vpon the Continual pronunciation of
Gods Glory and vpon the preserving of vnity of words That we rather bestow it in pronouncing the contrary and in Disvniting of Things and persons Our Tongues our Wits our Spirits our Liues which we ought rather to spend in Keeping the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4 3. are wasted to the dishonour of GOD in making worse then Superstitious Diuisions and separations of Things that God hath ioined togither yea and of Religion it selfe vnder a pretence only of Religion and of Gods Glory This and the like Expence or Mispending rather though it be of Life and Breath it selfe vpon Gods Glory and Mans Good is but Equivocall and Counterfeit T' is Antichristian Scattering Luk. 11. 23. T' is no true tingling of our Hearts through the heate of Loue and therefore but a Tinkling Cymball In suÌ„me t' is but Hay and Stubble such as is made manifest by the Dayes Declaration and Revealed by Fire but shall not abide the Touch of This Dayes Declaration if ye put theÌ„ together compare them for likenesse much lesse of the Last Dayes Declaration and Fiery Tryal when all Declaring Dayes shall Concurre and concurring shal conspire to giue in most Evident proofes against vs How blame-worthy we are speÌ„ding so much Breath indeede and so many Dayes as we doe to spend it and them as we doe to spend so little and of It and Them to spend so little in the Honour of God whose is the Day and the Night Psal 74. 17. and whole is the Spirit the Breath Iob. 34. 14. and in the Releeuing of our poore distressed Brethren a high point of Gods Honour too A high point is this of Gods Honour To haue Respect vnto Low Things A thing resembling Gods Goodnesse a Pleasing Sacrifice vnto him and to the Dayly Offering whereof All Dayes Nights together with their Rulers doe invite vs. The one like vnto the King of Heavens Amongrs Disperse abroad and giue Euery Day Night the Light of his BeneficeÌ„ce The other like thaÌ„kfull and kinde Almes folkes shew vnto vs Men what Every Day and Night is given them The one and the other shew and giue to vnderstand That what they giue and what is given them is given vnto vs That what every Day and Night is giueÌ„ All is ours That we should imitate their giving or rather the perfection of his giuing who is the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift Descendeth who giueth vs Abundantly All things to Enioy who giveth vs Every Day our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where is such Dayly Bread as al the Schollers in the world cannot expresse All that is given vs with That Bread Bread with such an Epithete as sheweth Gods Glory by the weaknesse of mans capacity with such an Adiection as noteth the weakenes of mans Existence that he can no more continue One Day without Gods sustenance then the Adiectiue can stand without the Substantiue with such an Adiunct as iointly intimateth vnto vs the Knowledge Wisdome Power Goodnes of God Who knowing whereof we be made and having a perfect Insight into our substance yet being vnperfect and our Bones and Members being not hid from him by whom Day by Day they were Fashioned when as yet there was none of them is Able and Vouchsafeth Day by Day to giue vs Our Bread so Agreeable and Conducing to Our Nature to the Susteining of Our Substance Lastly Bread with such an Addition vnto Gods glory and our good as that it containeth All that God giveth vnto vs making for the one or for the other and far beyond all that we caÌ„ desire or deserue Among the rest that Bread from Heaven Ioh. 6. Bread Supernaturall Light-Bread Bread of Life of life too Supernaturall Everlasting That Bread that comprehendeth all the rest that we can and can not comprehend Which our Heavenly Father giving vs and having giuen for vs all how shall he not with him also freely giue vs All things Then God giuing vs such Bread and that Continually and we Dayly praying vnto God to giue it to the poore as well as to our selues shall we vnthankfully crossing the fulfilling of our owne desires be sparefull and Niggardish of our Bread in communicating it vnto our Brethren Our Brethren yea or if that be not enough in lending it backe againe vnto our Father Who if he giue vs All things spirituall and Temporall is he not worthy of the lone of Some Temporall He that giveth to vs all Bread and light and life to eate it in and hath promised to giue vs Bread and light and life Eternall And now it may bee we will brag of giuing Bread vnto the poore and that perhaps Every Day But then Beloved let vs remember the Addition that is annexed to Our Bread that God doth giue vs as it were prescribing a ConditioÌ„ of liberality to our giuing Without which it is not our Bread that is such as is in our Dayly prayer which wee giue It is our Courâ—est sorte of Bread when as Ours is the finest The Poorest when as Ours is the richest and when as the poorest haue most neede of the richest t' is Bread with Tearmes of Diminution yea and sometimes of reproch and derogation when as Ours is with most liberall Addition with Supererogation without Casting any maÌ„ in the Teeth This Learne if not by One Dayes Adding abundantly to another yet by Our Dayly Breads AdditioÌ„ The Poore shall never cease their Righteousnes that relieue them shall never cease and therefore our Liberalitie towards them should never cease so long as any Day or Night lasteth One Day vnto another Telleth both the one and the other Yea as thoâ—gh it were an especiall part of the Dayes Office so to doe so each Day in and by his light doth still more and more present and tender to the view of our tender Compassion the lamentable spectacles of our Poore Afflicted Brethren that they may be succoured by vs as wee are or would be relieued by the Day or any thing hee bringeth vs and that To Day that Hee the present Day may be graced by GODS being glorified by our works of Charitie and Plentifull Sowing to the Spirit In His little Day-Time That so we may walke henceforth as Children of the Day and of the Light following that which they as our Fathers Tell Vs and consulting Tell one another for our Good That in any case we be no longer like vnto those Proci or Wooers in Homer of whom even the very swine-heard Eumaeus that base peasant could see to Tell and Complaine vnto Vlysses That they wastfully and Immoderatly Spent all things both by Day and Night and yet did not any Day or Night offer of their Spendings any Sacrifice vnto GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for also many Daies and Nights which come from GOD. Let vs take heed Beloued least in like sort Despising the Glory of
or piteremate And a thousand such like phluaries foolish vnlearned questions which engender strife envie raylings backbitings evill surmisings vaine disputations and which are vnprofitable and vaine as S. Paul speaketh nothing concerning any man much lesse a Christian mans life as ill befiâ—ting his Discourse Vnlesse they thinke that GOD hath placed them here in this world for an end so vaine and frivolous and not rather with the Prophet David As long as they liue to praise the Lord as long as they haue any being to sing prayses vnto our God yea and alwaies to bee talking of his worship his Glory his Praise and wonderous Workes Psalm 145. 5. This Glory of GOD to bee the Subiect of One Dayes Speech vnto another This Praise of his to be the price they all intend and contend for in all their conference was every where pointed at in my former Sermons One Day telleth another That which One Generation is said to tell another yea and which all the workes of GOD are said to shew and to talke of in the 145. Psal Where v. 4. One Generation shall praise thy workes vnto another and declare thy power And v. 10 11 12. All thy workes prayse Thee O Lord c. They shew the Glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy power And looke what the Heavens are here said to declare in the first verse of this Psalme The Heavens declare the Glory of God and Psal 97. 6. The Heavens haue declared his Righteousnes what the Firmament is here said to shew v. 1. The Firmament sheweth his Handy Worke Of that also is it here to be vnderstood that One Day Telleth another So that what for the infinitenesse of GODS Glory for who can expresse the noble acts of the Lord or shew forth all his praise Ps 106. 2. And The Lord is great and caÌ„ not worthily be praysed Ps 96. 4. And The glorious Name of God excelleth aboue all thanksgiuing and praise Nehe. 9. 5. And what for the manifold Workes of God O Lord how manifold are thy Works Ps 104. 24. eveÌ„ as manifold as All Things are I find my selfe in a narrow streight whilst I haue vndertaken vnto you more then I can performe For so it is that in lesse theÌ„ an houre I must tell you if I should tell you all what every Day telleth vnto every Day every Houre vnto every Houre yea every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Moment of time vnto every Moment According to that which hath beene deliuered in the explicated Meaning of the words of my Text. And that were more then to tell you the many diverse coÌ„binations of each letter of all the Alphabets in the world with each other letter although wee should take the same letter as often in the same word as it is possible For more infinite are the Things theÌ„selues the letters of the Alphabet of GODS Glory among which All Dayes and Nights too like so many Sunne and Moone-Letters must haue place theÌ„ are all the Letters of all the Words of all the Languages in the world There is neither speech nor laÌ„guage where their voice is not heard Nay there is not any letter of any language in the world but maketh one of the wordes of Gods Glory and many words may be made of it to that purpose And well wee may recount vnto you some one word or some of the words which One Day telleth another but all the words we cannot because we know not all the letters of this Alphabet So that when I labour to tell you every thing that One Day telleth another it fareth with me as sometimes it did when I thought to haue numbred a great flocke of fould residing vpon a great River whilest I began to tell a great troope that were risen there rose vp still more and more even in the telling of them mingling themselues so thicke together and flying so fast one after another that what with their fast flying some one way some another every way a great cry my memory and sight were so distracted that my whole designe was broken of For so so many are the Dayes so fast following one vpon the other so diversly shewing forth Gods Glory so full fraught with the messages thereof so abounding still more and more with matter of Gods Glory even Dum loquimur whilest we speake vnto you and whilest they speake one vnto another that it will be more then we shall be able to do in so short a time to point at some two or three of those excellent Reports whose wel appointed infinitenesse hath disappointed my farther yea well neere infinite intendment First therefore of the Glory of God in Generall and then of some excellent Particulars therof both being the matter of the Dayes Report and the Subiect one way or other of their Speech The Glory of God is that most absolute paragon of perfection whereby he is truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Damascen speaketh superperfect aboue and before all perfection That Divine Excellency whereby he is superexcellent eminent aboue al things yea aboue Excellencie it selfe or any name that is named not in this World only but also in that that is to come Eph. 1. 21. That infinite Sea of Essence as S. Basill and Damascen call it Which also Damascen elswhere tearmeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Being beyond all Being a more then Divine Divinity Againe t' is cleped by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Power aboue all power as also speaketh the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farre aboue all power and Might In a word His Omnipotent Infinite and Eternall Being And this is proved by the enterchangeable putting of God himselfe and of his Glory for the same As Psal 108. 5. Set vp thy Selfe or be Thou exalted O God aboue the Heavens and thy Glory aboue all the Earth But most evidently by the answere God gaue to Moses Exod. 33. Where when Moses desired to see Gods Glory no saith God Thou canst not see my face for there shall no maÌ„ see Me and liue Where we are advertised that as to see Gods Glory is to see God himselfe so his Glory can be no moreknowne then can himselfe in his owne nature This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this naturall Glory of God as others of the Fathers and the Schoolemen so also Damascen well saw and saw also that the Naturality thereof maketh a maine difference betwixt the Glory of God and of other things of the Creatour the creature where he saith Móyos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He only is truely Glorious as not having his Glory froÌ„ any other as with vs they say Honor est in honorante Epictetus in the first chapter of his Enchiridion reckoneth Glory to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of vs but Himselfe being the cause and fountaine of all Glory and Goodnesse This maketh the difference
the 9. Psalme saith S. Austin Quid est seculum seculi nisi cuius effigiem tanquam vmbram habet hoc seculum Vicissitudine enim temporum sibi succedentium c aeternitatis quaedam imitatio est What is world without end saith he but that which this world hath some shadow or resemblance of For in the continuall vicissitude of times succeeding one the other there is a certaine Imitation of Eternity And that it is another manner of Eternity which is in God then that which is in the Dayes the World or Times of the World and that this Eternity is but a counterfeit and indeed none at all in respect of that is manifest by Eternall Duration in which as t' is in the Additions on the 89. Psalme Omnes Dies sunt simul nec sibi invicem succedunt All Dayes are at once doe not one succeed the other as they they doe with vs here in this world And therefore no marveile if with God One Day as S. Peter saith be as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeeres as one Day with whom all Dayes and times are all together and all alike present And therefore he only truely hath Eternity And as it is of the Eternity of the Dayes so is it of all other the Dayes Resemblances of their makers Glory Among the rest the Light of the Day is no light argument how that God is infinitly a purer kinde of Light and as farre surpasseth the Day-Lights absolutest perfection perfection yea rather imperfectiō if wee compare it with the superperfectnesse of the Creatour This this vse of setting forth Gods Glory by truely extenuating the Day and Lights perfection in their highest elevation is pointed out vnto vs in the 7. of Wisdome where t' is said of the Wisdome of God Shee is more beautifull then the sunne and is aboue all the order of the starres and the Light or the Day as God called the Light Day is not to be compared vnto her For Night commeth vpon it but Wickednesse cannot overcome Wisedome The Day-Light for all his rare perfection yet must needs endure his darke opposite the Night his obscurest adversary to come over it yea and for the time to overcome it But the Light of Gods Wisedome hath no enemy no not the Prince or power of Darknesse able to overcome it no nor to come over it And therefore the brightest Day-Light is indeede no Day nor Light but Night and Darknesse it selfe in comparison of God himselfe To whom Darknes Light are both alike Psal 139. 11. Who is the True Light the Everlasting Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Light of Life the Light in which is no Darknesse the Light which hath no Entercourse or Fellowship with Darkenesse The Light that caused the Light to shine out of Darknes the Light that shineth In the Darknes Quid tibi videbitur Divina Lux cùm illam suo loco videris Thou that so much admirest the Light of this World what then thinkest thou Wilt thou thinke of that Light of God in Heaven when thou shalt see it There in his Brightest Glory or shalt there See God As He Is as S. Iohn speaketh 1. Ioh. 3. 2. In Thy Light shall we see Light saith he Psal 56. 9. God send vs that Light of Heaven Now here to declare the Glory of God but so as vnto the World it is declared we had need summon together All Things with their Perfections But because the summons would so be longer in sending forth thē I may be in speaking vnto you at this time we will now content our selues with those and their perfections who are present already and therefore need not to be warned to make their appearance but that their appearance be in their owne likenesse such as their Creatour hath allowed and allotted them in making them after His owne likenes And they are The Dayes here in my Text with their Perfections And you Men Fathers Brethren who are all the children of the Day with all your Excellencies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle in his 7 th booke of Physicks and the 4. Chapter The proper vertue of a thing is his perfection And the Vertue of each thing is to doe that passingly well for which by the maker thereof it was ordeined and appointed So the Vertue of all the Workes of God is to serue excellently well to that purpose to which God hath deseigned them That they may do as Elihu speaketh Whatsoever he commandeth them vpon the whole World This is otherwise tearmed their Beauty their Rationall or Intellectuall Fairenesse So saith Simon de Cassia very excellently Quam pulchritudinem quaelibet creatura singulatim atque coniunctim habere potest in ordine vniversi quà m vt id agat quod sibi praeceptum atque impositum est illum obtineat finem ad quem ordinata est c What other Beauty or Comlinesse in a so wel ordered World ether iointly or severally can Gods creatures haue Then to doe that which is inioyned commaunded them to attaine and retaine still that end wherevnto they were ordeined So is every Tree at his fairest whē it bringeth forth such fruit as the first and Naturating Nature hath naturally ingraffed in it according to his kinde So there is no greater fairenesse of the Eie then sight of the Eare then hearing of the Nose then smelling These being the Ends wherevnto nature hath advanced thē So the Dayes are then at their fairest when they serue mans turne to worke labour in For herevnto hath God ordeined them according to that Man goeth forth to his worke and to his labour vntill the evening And Are there not twelue houres of the Day And Sufficient for the Day is the travaile therof Instigatque animos opera ad maior a calentes Exacuens varijs mortalia pectora curis as S. Hilary saith of the Day And then too are the Dayes in their perfectiō when by their Lightsomnesse they not only further mens actions but set forth also all visible perfections so farre forth as that God called the Light Day The Light which Damascen calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c The Beauty and ornament of all things visible And yet God called the Light Day yea and S. Hilary saith as much of the Day Dies varia rerum discriminat ora Et dat cuique suum disiectâ nocte colorem c. So that it is one of the Dayes as well as of the Lights perfections to make the Beauty of other things appeare This and all this maketh the Nature of the Day to be so hard a thing for vs to define A thing attempted indeede by many yet never for ought I know attained vnto by any And no marveile For if the true differences of all things be of so hard enquirie as that that difference whereof wee thinke
our selues most sure hath suffered some doubt good Philosophers maintaining other creatures besides man to be reasonable and S. Basil defending against Eunomius the nature of the Earth to be vnknowne what then may we thinke of the true difference of so pure a creature as the Light or the Day And this againe argueth how much more his own nature and perfection is beyond our reach who hath made the Day and the Light such as surmounteth the height of humane wit and vnderstanding Nor is it the Light visible onely which the Day according to his beautie and perfection vttereth Dicitur namque tempus facere id quod fit in tempore saith Dionysius Carthusianus on my Text. The Time or the Day is said to doe that which is done in Time or in the Day Hereof are exāples in Scripture herehence is that Inscription of the Booke of Chronicles Latined Verba Dierum And Cùm Doctorum officio tam probè fungantur dies ac noctes as Calvin saith on my Text The Days and Nights being vnto vs such good Teachers and Instructers Therefore t' is the Light of knowledge also which the Day vttereth knowledge of GOD by all his workes All his workes whether of Creation Conseruation Iudgement Grace or whatsoever they be even as many as he would haue knowne vnto man For hee worketh great things which we knowe not Iob. 37. 5. And Psal 77. 19. his footsteps are not knowne And Ecclesiast 16. 21. The most part of his workes are hid And yet how infinite are those workes of GOD which are made knowne vnto man that by meanes of the Dayes revealing and relating the same one vnto another That which GOD hath also ordained the Dayes for to be mens instructers and informers by their comparing the events of one Day with the accidents of another according to that Psalm 89. 12. Teach vs so to number our Dayes that wee way apply our hearts vnto wisdome And Psalm 78. 5. I haue considered the Dayes of old and the yeares that are past And Hag. 2. 16 19. Consider in your minds from this Day afore c. And Deut. 4. at the 32. verse Inquire now of the Dayes that are past which were before thee since the Day that God created man vpon the earth and aske from the one ende of heauen vnto the other if there came to passe such a great thing as this or whether any such like thing hath beene heard These and all other the Dayes beautifull vertues perfections of which there are more in my former discourses to bee seene how still they are preserued how at this Day and from time to time continually they are retained and maintained by them is by the Prophet David witnessed where he saith They continue this Day according to thine ordinance for all things serue thee And Psal 104. 19. He appointed the Moone for certaine seasons and the Sunne knoweth his going downe Numquid vlla in ipso est Sole praevaricatio c. saith S. Ambrose vpon the 18. Psalme Sol diem illuminat tempora statuta custodiens c. manet ipsa immutabilis demutatio conversio vertere ordinem suum nescit vna omnium obedientia c. Is there any prevarication in the Sun it never fayleth to enlighten the Day keeping his appointed times and both Sun and Day and all are in their enter changeablenesse vnchangeable They keepe their turnes without turning out of order and hold on their conversions without being inverted or perverted They all per forme one vniforme obedience And S. Chrysostome on the first chap to the Romanes saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haue yee not seene the goodly orders of the Day and of the Night how they abide the same continually And Ecclesiastic 16. 27. They The Day and the Night cease not from their offices Which had it not heretofore sufficiently been proued or were it any waies to be doubted of yet Dayly Experience Quae nunc pro Domino which now speaketh in the Dayes owne case maketh it a case more then evident For behold one perfection of the Day insteed of all even that last before mentioned of incessantly enlightning mans heart and vnderstanding with the knowledge of GOD by all his workes Which because they are infinite wee must insist in some particulars in which God as in his meanes is especially seene of vs to wit in those great workes of deliuerances and defences which he provideth for whole Nations and people against publike and private practises as a great Statesman of our times though Temporall yet Spiritually hath written Pertinent herevnto are all the wondrous works of GOD which he wrought for and amongst his people of Israell In respect whereof not only were those things spoken His name is Great in Israel Hee hath done Great Things for vs He hath not dealt so with any Nation and the like but vndoubtedly these wordes also of my Text haue by the Prophet David beene deliuered Nor so onely but they haue beene penned also by the Toung of that Ready Writer in regard of All Gods powerfull Workes All his Mercies and Iudgements shewed towards or among Iewes or Gentiles even All People and Nations of the world whether in their Exaltation or Depression according to that which heretofore in the first Exposition of my Text hath beene declared Here whole People and Nations yea All People and Nations ioyning with the Iewes in that same Infancie related dilated Ezech. 16. thereout to make perfect the praise of Gods Glory who giueth to Every Nation and to All People Their Multiplying Increasing Waxing Great Rich Clothing Excellent Ornaments The word of Life v. 6 The Overspreading of his Loue v. 8. To be His and His Annointed to Prosper into a Kingdome To be Renowmed for Beautie Beautie made Perfect through His Comelines which He putteth vpon them v. 14. See then Beloved whether the Dayes beautie and perfection in revealing and relating vnto vs such Beauty Comelinesse of such works of GOD be e're a whit abated or diminished nay whether it bee not rather more and more exquisitely polished and refined And for this purpose I will resume that Deut. 4. 32. Inquire now of the Dayes that are past which before thee c. Inquire Beloued were there ever greater deliverances of any Nation and people then haue beene of ours in these late Dayes every Day as it were striving with other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a happy strife for England which of them should be the conveyer vnto vs of the gladdest tidings of our greatest deliverance By the late Queenes Dayes of famous memory how diversly were the Dayes diapred with Gods admirable Workes in protecting this our country people Her selfe and the whole Realme by her safety before shee began to reigne strangly preserved and shee reserved by God to be our Queene and to bring the people of this land out of darke ignoraunce superstition into his marveilous
light Afterwards reigning how often and admirably was she the whole Realme delivered from the raging of their enimies No sooner a Rebellion then easily repressed No traiterous designe but opportunely discovered ether by the parties own confessioÌ„ or otherwise after a straÌ„ge sort No conspiracie by divlish association and witchery so strongly compacted which by the divine prudence and providence was not by and by confronted and confounded No invasion so mightily addressed which by the powerfull goodnes of the Almighty was not soone countermaunded and the authors thereof mightily distressed danted endangered by weake meanes No Plague so contagious and general which by the mercifulnesse of God hath not quickly wonderfully ceased No dearth so direfull which ere long by the mercifull hand of God hath not beene eased No rumour of warre which was not still from time to time and in short time stilled and appeased Last of all The Day of her death which aforetime had beene deemed dreadfull to the whole land was by the extraordinary worke of Gods wisdome so converted into a ioyfull catastrophe as that that very Day yeelded vs vnspeakeable matter of magnifying the great Goodnesse loving kindnes of our God Who against that Day had provided vs of a religious a gracious and a learned king one as not without rovall issue to take away that former feare so not then to learne or vnaccustomed to sway a scepter Him I say had God provided vs yea preserved also aforehand for vs that for the farther good and preservation of this kingdome he with his rightfull title shoulde succeede the last Queene therein and that so peaceably as that not so much as one sword should bee drawne no nor one Word vttered or muttered against him And as he succeeded thus peacebly so he should be even a Salomon for peace making vs at peace withall the world and at peace too within our selues by the happy vnion of both these kingdomes God by meanes of him making Great Brittaine as a â—itie that is at vnity in it selfe and making peace within her Walles and plentiousnesse within her palaces But since the time of his Maiesties reigne a time as yet of small spaciousnes God adde thereto the length of many Dayes and yeeres how mightily God hath preserved him and in him this whole Iland is fresh enough in your memories You cannot yet forget vnlesse vee too much forget God the deliverance froÌ„ the treason of Watson the rest The deliverance of vs all from that great Plague and ceasing it wherewith in the beginning of his Maiesties reigne God for a short time chastised vs. Or if ye might forget these so quickly yet shall not that late most hideous horrible intended Massacre by gunpowder the 5. Day of November last shall not that I say continue for ever in our memories as if it had beene there Written and engraveÌ„ with a pen of yron and with the point of a diamond for ever That so that 5. Day of November may still remeÌ„ber vs of the Mercy and Iudgement of the Lord in that Massacre Mercy in that it was but inteÌ„ded IudgemeÌ„t in that it might was neere to haue beene perfourmed Which what do we say that it was inteÌ„ded In which the match and powder were almost already tended which should haue blowne vp at once and in one instant the Kings Maiesty the Queene Prince and States of Parliament where this Iland should haue seene the whole body of her inhabitants cut off at one blow vnius populum pereuntem tempore mortis yea where there should haue beene for them all even in the deliberation of common affaires Communis rogus ossibus astra Misturus One common fiery blast that should haue blowne vp their bones into the firmament An attempt beyond that of Salmoneus Dum flammas Iovis sonitus imitatur Olympi For here the vniversall Estate of three kingdomes which so many yeeres together had stood quiet pleasant happy and yet had never before reioyced in a condition so happy plausible and well governed as was that whereon it was at that day with great surety reapposed had in a moment of time not beene disturbed only but vtterly dissipated and consumed In imitation for the Divle doth counterfaitly imitate and emulate the things of God in imitatioÌ„ I say of that last Day end of Time when in the twinkling of an eie Vna Dies dabit exitio multosque per annos Sustentata ruet moles machina Mundi Then Inquire now of the Dayes that are past which were before thee since the Day that God created man vpon the earth and aske from the one end of heaven vnto the other if there came to passe such a great thing as this or whether any such like thing hath beene heard And if I may be so bold to apply that which followeth too Did ever people heare the voice of God speaking out of the midst of a fire as we haue heard and lived And that in the 36. verse Out of heaven he made vs heare his voice to instruct vs vpon earth he shewed vs his great fire and we heard his voice out of the midst of the fire The fire yea Beloved such a fire that should haue beene as never the Israelites heard of Their Dayes can tell ours of such a fire as was never heard of before and ours againe can requite theirs with the Report of such a fire of gunnepowder as heretofore hath not beene heard of They lived so ever praised be God doe we too our King Queene Prince States State all are as yet in perfect estate God shewed theÌ„ his great fire vpoÌ„ earth And so in the vaute he shewed vs the wood and gunpowder ready for the fire which he had well neere kindled in his wrath The voice of God spake vnto them out of the midst of the fire And so it did and doth vnto vs all by the Dayes Report the Report we haue heard of our deliverance liverance the 5. Day of November out of the midst of so furious a fire Yea the voice of GOD speaketh vnto vs to this whole Land this whole vnited Iland as vnto them in the same Chapter Take heed to thy selfe keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the thinges which thine eies haue seene and that they depart not out of thine heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sonnes Forget not the Day the 5. Day of November wherein thou wert so strangely delivered and learne therby to feare me all the Dayes that thou shalt liue vpon the earth Teach thy children saying as t' is in the Psalme This is the Day which the Lord hath made or as others read This is the Day in the which Lord hath made hath made a mighty deliverance for vs his people of this Land and hath made his
of the Earth to be so Wise and Learned so to Serue the Lord so to Reioice in Him so to Kisse the Sonne and to put their Trust in Him as that their very Mottos Emblemes Inscriptions Dedications and Consecrations signifie the same Pilate himselfe by the Diuine power providence maugre the Enimies of Christ prescribing to them herein when he wrote that Title or Inscription and put it on the Crosse of Christ The Interpretation whereof Eructuateth the great power of Christ and how Invincible He the Intitled is against whose very Title nothing could prevaile But especially He himselfe That Intitled King that Crowned and Flowrishing King of Kings Lord of Lords hath taught them so to doe in that which hee said touching the Coyne of the Tribute and the Image and Superscription thereof Render therfore vnto Caesar the things which are Caesars and vnto God the things that are Gods The things that are Gods What are they Christ elsewhere taught thē saying Thine is the Kingdome and the Power and the Glory for Ever So that therefore even out of the Image and Inscription there is a Tribute due vnto God too a Tribute of Thankes and of Praysing his Glorious Name a Tribute of Attributing and Ascribing the Glory of the Image and Inscription and All that is Caesars vnto GOD. This The Dayes also doe not omit to tell vs which what Name Title or Inscription soever they beare whether of the Sunne or of the Moone or any other yet their word or Motto sheweth That the Glory thereof all the Glory of the Sunne the Moone the Starres the Heavens and the Dayes of Heaven and of all things else is and ought to be attributed and appropred to the All Gloriom Creatour For so One Day telleth a Word vnto another Where next I cannot choose but reprehend the Vaine and Prophane yea and Diabolicall Mottos Titles Devises Emblems Impresas Epitaphes Epigrams Anagrams Pageants Playes Enterludes Inscriptions Dedications such like applauded embraced by Christs Souldiers yet are they Antichristian Badges Whereof some are Wanton and Lascivious some Prowde and Vaine-glorious some Prodigall and Luxurious some False and Iniurious Iniurious are they all to Gods Glory by being Extravagant from His words words-direction ether by Corrupting of Good Māners or by something which doth Coincidere meete together with it in the Divle and fall together into Hell as by propagating of Profanenesse by Affecting to Magnifie Mens Names insteede of GODS by Engendring of Strife and Scandals by Intituling themselues or others to that which is not theirs yea and to that which is not theirs yea and to that Papall Glory of God which is not theirs and vnto which all that is theirs should be assigned and resigned One Day telleth a word vnto another Where in the next place obserue with me how for word some Translate Speach voice or Language According to those words of the third verse Here also the Great Glory of God is seene by that great Glory of Man aboue other Creatures wherwith GOD hath doubed and enobled him the better to enable him to set forth the Glory of God that so exalted him This hath beene before entreated of And appeareth to be so much the more Excellent a Gift because it is so long a comming For it is not given Ordinarily in an Instant but in Succession of Time in the processe of many Dayes and Nights We are Infants a great while and with much adoe learne to Speake our own mother Tongue but with much more adoe the languages of others We must bee long experienced and practised therein before we can be perfect For so One Day Telleth Speach vnto another This should teach vs to make high reckoning therof and when we haue this gift to imploy it diligently to that purpose wherefore we had it seeing that it was so long before we had it before that we coulde Glorifie God by it seeing also that the Time will not be long before our Speech will failc vs. For this too Experience learneth vs This One Day telleth another The Speach and word of God to be Aeternall but the Speach and words of Man to be every Day neerer and neerer to Expiration One Day telleth a word or Speach vnto another Behold another Actuary or rather a whole Chorus or Company of Tongue-Actors singing melodiously vnto Gods Glory Namely the great Increase of Languages that Continuance of Dayes and Times hath vttered in so much that already they amount in reckoning to many Hundred There are saith the Apostle so many kindes of voyces in the world and none of them is without signification Surely no. Nor without Signification of the Glory of God In the shewing forth whereof see here how the world hath from time to time profited by Languages The time was when The whole Earth was of one Language and of one Speach And Then did One Day tell another the Glory of God by that One Speach or Language Vnder which GOD wrought so many wonderfull works and whereby He the author of that vnion did then the better enable the Nations to vnitie of Mindes in the true worship of him and to the attaining to the Knowledge of the Truth with more facility But when they abused that Vnion and that easie way of getting vnderstanding by vnderstanding all that was spoken in the world to Proud Presumptuous Association and Confederacie Thē also GOD declared his Power in Confounding their Language and making such a Division among them as was never heard of in the world and which their vnheard of Malice and Presūption brought vpō them That one of them vnderstood not the other So to giue them to vnderstand their dutie by Diuision and Want of vnderstanding which before they would not learne by Vnion of Speech and vnderstanding Yet even then too the Powerfull Wisdome and Goodnesse of GOD proceeded on still to the farther manifestation of it selfe by that Confusion and Diuision of Speech even at that Day out of that Babeling Infancy of the world Ordaining his Praise His Praise In producing afterwards Distinct Knowledge out of that Confusion as it were Light out of Darknesse making it appeare every Day more and more vnto the world by the ensuing Multiplicitie of Languages which in Times ensuing were also vnderstood How Well he could Teach that had so well Divided How out of the Mouthes of Such Infants as Men then were and ever would bee but that God Teacheth them hee could so well Divide vnto the World Disperse His Praise of Knowledge He still preserued Knowledge that was Good in the midst of that Division yea and increased it thereby making afterwards Diverse Languages and the Guift of Tongues a meanes of dividing greater Knowledge and more ample Declaration of his Glory to the world To which rightly appertaineth the straunge and admirable preservatiō of so much of the Hebrew
and All Things to His Glory So is his power made perfect through weaknes 2. Cor. 12. 9. So hath he chosen the Foolish things of the world to Confound the Wise and the Weake to confound the Mighty c. 1. Cor. 1. 27. That no Flesh should Glory in His presence It is there also worth the observation how that those words Out of the Mouth of Infants c are inserted in the Second verse of the 8. Psalme betweene the first and third verses in which the Prophet magnifieth Gods Glory in consideration of the Heauens such like workes of his and his Ordeining As also the words of my Text are in the second verse of this Psalme interposed betweene the first verse and the rest in which the Heauens too and such like Creatures are brought in for the Declaration of Gods Glory As though the Heavens too and the Dayes of Heauen the Sunne the Moone the Starres the Firmament and the rest were to be reckoned among those Babes and Infants out of whose Mouthes together with others hee hath Appointed the predication and perfect Composition of his prayses And as though that second verse of the 8. Psalme might serue to Parallell my Text in the Dayes Parliament of Gods Prayses And here we may not omit to bring in the Sunne and the Moone the Dayes the Nights as it were Kings with their Nobility in their Extraordinary Attire and Parliamentall Robes most wonderfully and Miraculously Testifying the Glory of their Creatour our Redeemer Among other things so Strangly Enacted by them we haue in most infallible Recorde That Worke that Strange worke of the Lords That Act of his that Strange Act of His Isai 28. 21. Whereby the Sunne at His Bidding stood still in Gibeon and the Moone in the Valley of Aialon The Sunne that otherwise in This Psalme fo Swiftly with such Alacrity Runneth his Course yet There by the same Commanunding power had no power to proceede was put to a Demurre Abode in the midst of the Heaven and Hasted not to goe downe for a Whole Day And there was no Day like that Day before it nor after it Iosh 10. 12 13. When One Day was as Long as Two Ecclesiasticus 46. 4. One Day went beyond it selfe in Lauding the Lord and lost his owne proper Name in Magnifying the Name of the Creatour For how should it haue any longer the Name of Day that was so much Longer then a Day was nether Artificial nor Naturall Yet is it stiled Such a Day as the like was never before it nor after it A Day of more then Ordinary Continuance in his Luminous Voluminous Expositiō of his Makers Glory by observing his Ordinance And therfore Dignified with the Name of None-Such and to be of an Higher Order then the rest Here men may learne to preferre the Glory of Gods Name before their owne To approue themselues the Ministers and Servants of Reporting Gods Honour by their Honour and Dishonour by Evill Report and good Report That the losse of Name or Reputation for God and Godlynesse for the Glorious Gospels sake in the Service of ether shall be with manifold advātage restored them in this Life and that that is to come Lastly that the best way to get Extraordinary Precedencie and Reputation and an Excellent Name aboue others is by Exceeding others in Paines and Industry by Extraordinary Points and Exploits of Gods Service by Keeping his Commaundements whether in things Ordinary or Extraordinary with Ordinary and Extraordinary Endeavour All this we are better taught then by all this even by The Day and Sunne Christ Iesus who as he was imployed in the Most Extraordinary Works of GODS Glory and therein demeaned himselfe with Most Extraordinary Obedience and losse of Worldly Reputatirn not Seeking his Own Glory so is he also Most Highly Exalted hath obtained Most Extraordinaoy Appellations a Most Excellent Name and A Name aboue Every Name vnto The Glory of God the Father Another strāge Work of Gods Enacted by the Sun by the Day was The Suns not Stāding Still as before but Going Tē Degrees Backward in the time of King Hezekiah A wōderful Retrogradatiō of the Sū that was so Sensible in a Sū Diall A strange Reiournemēt of the Suns Dayes Iourney of the Iournal or Day-Booke and of the Dayes Parliamēt of Gods Glory On which both the Sū his People are still ready to Dance their Attendance whether it be by Tracing Ordinarily Forward or Extraordinarily Backward or else by Stāds Pauses Supernaturall Yea and the Sun-Day the best of all others is the best of all others for this Dauncing Hee that went more then Ten or Ten Thousand Degrees Backward by his Humiliation is our best leader and teacher in Going Forwarde in Standing Still and Going Backward and in Going Forward by Standing Still Going Backward When as yet we Men and women the Glory of GOD Inviting and Commanding vs will not Daunce will neither Goe Ordinarily Forward in our Callings with Perseverāce nor crossing our Corrupt Nature Stand Still with Extraordinary Patience nor Goe Extraordinarily Backward with Humilitie A third thing Enacted was The Darknes which when Christ Crucified was over all the Earth from the Sixt Houre vnto the Ninth Houre When as The Sun was Darkned Luk. 23. 45. Darkned with a Super naturall Eclipse both in respect of the Cause thereof and of the Time that it Lasted The Cause whether it were The Moone Miraculausly Capering to and fro from the point of Opposition to Closing in Coniunction with the Sun or whether the Moone then Interposed betweene Mens Sight and the Sunne was the Iniquitie Infidelitie Crueltie and Ignorance of the Iewes which was then and afterwards at the Full And was then hath beene ever since too neere allied to the Taile Head of the Old Dragon As also the Indignity and Compassion that the Sunne the Moone and the Day were then moued withall not induring as it were to hold the candle or to giue Light at the offering of such hainous Iniury to their Creatour no nor to shew thēselues in their Ordinary Glad and Light Garments but being themselues also clad in Sad Mourning Weedes of Darknesse where they saw such Deeds of Darknesse and The Lord of their Light to be so full of Dolours Solisque Labores And their Sun to be so pained in his being pawned punished for vs The Day as it were Disdaining and Disclaiming those Houres to be any of his wherein The Lord of Glory should be Crucified being contented for Christs sake to loose by an Eclipse Three Howres of that little Time of his life that consisteth but of Twelue The Cause of that Contentednesse of The Day was another if not the only Cause of that Eclipse namely That men might thereby the better Scan The Glory and The Power of Christs Deitie That as the Sunne was then so Extraordinarily and
but a spanne long They are gon like a shadow and passe away like smoake Psa 102. The Dayes will last whē all Our Dayes are past they will line when we are dead and gone And why then Good GOD hast thou made Man that he of all others he rather then the Day should be the Speaker in the Parliament of thy Praises Hee in Words to Glorifie thy Name not onely for himselfe but for all other Creatures too tanquam nomine aliarum creaturarum omnium pro tot tantisque beneficiis c. as Zanchius speaketh and Epictetus hath the like in the name as it were of all other Creatures What and of the Day too which it selfe after his Manner speaketh so much in thy praise And must it not needs then be no more then One word of thy Praise and Glory of our Thankesgiving vnto thee for all thy Benefits which any of vs all can vtter all our life long in respect of thy Glorious Name how it excelleth aboue all Thankesgiving and Praise Nehem. 9. 5. One Day telleth a Word vnto another A Word and allwaies of GODS Glory The Subiect every Day and to every Day the same continually Yet never is any Day wearie of this every Dayes Subiect so shewing how the Glory of God is no more tedious for a continuall Subiect in this world then it will be for an everlasting Obiect in the world to come Then iudge you Beloued whether they bee not worthy of Reprehension who thinke it too much to haue the Gloria Patri c. so much repeated and would allow it but one place for many as my selfe haue seen in too many places of this Land where neglecting the Order prescribed by the Church by our Service Booke of concluding every Psalme with the Gloria Patri c. they and they too some of them who otherwise would seeme to be formall enough make hast to skipp over the often mention of that Glory for which they were created and vnto which they owe their chiefest service They that thus find fault with the so oftē together inculcating of Gods Glory why finde they not the like fault with the Seraphims Who in the sixth of Isay ver 2. 3. burning with the loue of Gods Glory otherwise thē these fault-finders doe One cryed vnto another said Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of hostes the whole world is full of his Glory Why correct they not our Saviours Eli Eli vpō the crosse Or his praying the Third time saying the Same Words Mat. 26. 44. Why blame they not the Prophet David for that he would haue all those that loue the salvation of the Lord to lay alway the Lord bee praised Psal 40. 19. And for that same in one selfesame Psalme Foure times reiterated Psal 107. O that men would therfore praise the Lord for his goodnesse declare the wonders that he doth for the childrē of men And that as often in the same Psalme So whē they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble he delivered thē out of their distress And that Thrice in one Psalme Psal 115. He is their helper and defender And that Psal 116. I will call vpon the name of the Lord And that Ps 118 In the name of the Lord will I destroy them As also for that so often together repeated Psalm 118. and 136. His mercy endureth for ever Lastly why blame they not the Prophet David for here avouching that One Day still telleth the Glory of God vnto another Nay and the Dayes themselues too for so doing For telling a word But a word and But one word of Gods Glory Alwaies of GODS Glory and yet alwaies telling that besides that doing nothing For Every Day vnto another vttereth the Same The Same what 's that same The Glory of God Nor every Day only insisteth only on this golden Matter but every Houre of the Day too yea and every Moment of an Houre according also to that Explication given in my first Sermō still dwelleth on this one Glorious Subiect vncessantly vrging the never ceasing Glory of the Highest Some man will say he disliketh not the often repetition of the Gloria Patri c quatenus for or in that it is the often mention of Gods Glory But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He may not so be gone For quatenus even in and for that it is the often mentioning of Gods Glory therefore he ought not at all to dislike it T' is as you haue heard the End wherevnto man is ordeined to shew forth GODS Glory both in word and deed t' is all his Vertue and Perfection He therefore that shall mislike the continuall doing thereof ether way doth as if he should picke a quarrell with a Rose because it never smelleth but sweet or with himselfe for being alwaies Reasonable and happily that maketh him in this thing so vnreasonable for t' is a shame Beloved that such Professours of the Service of GOD as we would seeme to be should yet come short of giving that Glory vnto GOD which even the whole world sticketh not to doe part-Christians as they are reckoned Turkes and Infidels and all Not any Tract in Arabian which is not begun with the name of God and of the Mercifull God prefixed to it In the End of the Lords Prayer though the Glory of GOD be there immediatly before mentioned as yee knowe in the Conclusiō yet there is annexed also to this sense Honour and Praise and Glory and Vertue and Power Iustice to God the only King everlasting for evermore In the beginning even of the Alcoran it selfe are put those three letters Eliph Lem Mim which they call the Seale of the Booke and by which as they say are meant the Name the Maiestie and high Commaunde of God It being a thing even by the Law of Nature written in mens hearts and vnto which the whole world is driven by words to magnifie GODS name by a verball predication to declare his Glory And doth it not then concerne vs more neere now that the Glory of God is every Day more and more made manifest to Seale vp every Psalme yea if it were possible every word every worke every thought every imagination of ours with some specification or else some intimation or other of that Great Glory T' was not the often repetition Beloved that made the First dislikers of the Gloria Patri c not to favour it No. the Arrians stucke at it because they stucke at Christs Divinity So did the Sabellians because they cōfoūded the Three Persons Wherfore the Church then wisely brought in the Gloria Patri c as to try who were such Heretikes so especially for the mainetaining of Gods Glory against them Yea but the Cause why it was so ordained is now ceased And how is that true Arrianisme as yet remaining among the Turks according to the first sowing therof among them by Sergius Monachus who was an Arrian Or say that this
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What will the Heathen say at that Day can they say O God we knewe thee not wee heard not of thee No did saith he never heard yee the Heavens speaking vnto you by their sightlinesse and the excellently composed harmonie of all things souÌ„ding shriller then any trumpet never saw you the manner of the Day and of the Night how still they continue on their course c. Athanasius also vpon the Title of this Psalme saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What saith he to the Heathen c. to the Heathen For because t' is the Worde of God too which One Day reporteth vnto another and yet for all that they haue not beleeued The Dayes Report therefore are they altogether without excuse for not Beleeuing when they heard the word of God O but if wee had heard That Word of God which you haue heard the Revealed Written word of God then we might haue beleeued O no it is not likely GOD at all times and in all ages providing for all men the fittest meanes in respect of themselues of their times to bring them vnto GOD because he would haue all men saued Therefore as t' was said of the Iewes Luk. 16. 31. If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dâ—ad a gaine So may we say of the HeatheÌ„ If they would not heare the workes of God if not the Report that the Dayes and other of Gods Creatures gaue forth touching Gods Glory neither would they haue beene perswaded if they should haue had heard Moses and the Prophets That which was made manifest in many of theÌ„ who questionlesse had beene made acquinted with the Books of Moses and yet continued still in their Infidelitie Then how much more inexcusable are the Atheists and Infidels of these later times who haue heard The Report that one Day maketh to another of The will of God Revealed not only by his Workes but per doctrinaÌ„ per inspirationem by Doctrine and hy Inspiration too For the whole Scripture is giuen by Inspiration of God and is profitable to Teach c. 2. Tim. 3. 16. Which whole Scripture they haue had long ere this by One Dayes Report vnto another promulgated and proclaimed vnto them And so haue they had Another word to teach theÌ„ too another Word of God another Word which One Day telleth to another Nor only haue they had the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets to instruct them but of the Apostles too nor of those only but of him that taught them too even of Christ himselfe and therefore as yet of Another word of God too another Word which One Day telleth to another Another Yea and anothergates Word of God is this of which wee are now to speake in the next place being now as it were carried backe againe into the maine Sea of GODS Glory The Dayes here in my Text seeming to smile out a certaine willingnesse to haue the whole course of their Discourse there determined like as when Oceano properant se tingere Soles One Day Telleth a word vnto another A Word By Telling of whose Glory the Dayes haue gain'd the greatest Glory of their whole Report Report now iumping ioyning hands with that Report of the Prophet Isaiah where he saith Lord who hath beleeued our Report c. which Report to report vnto you of whose Glory it was I leaue to S. Iohn chap. 12. v. 41. A Word of which as in his Common place and as his Expanse and Pertingencie together with GODS Glory is extended over all and beyond all Encomiasticall Explication much already hath beene spoken And yet as in his Proper place of Circumscribing Glory I haue more to say of Him which I haue thought vpon Ecclesiasticus 39. 12. A Word more Significant then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daâ—ar is in Hebrew A Word that signisieth a Thing whereby all Words doe Signifie A Thing before All things in whoÌ„ All things consist Col. 1. 17. A word Strong of Almighty Operation Cause of All things and by whom All Words and Workes Arose and were Raised vp from Nothing A Word that is The Day Spring from an High that hath visited vs. Luk 2. v. 78. out of whose Strength comes forth Sweetnesse A Word that is a Branch or Sprout Zach. 3. 8. 6. 12 overspreading the whole world aimed at by the Branches of Signification of the Dayes Telling and that as the Prophet saith shall Grow vp out of his place and shall cause Others to growe and Arise vp by Him and with him A Word that is the Standing Standert Roote of Iesse that being Lifted vp draweth all men vnto him into his Glorious Rest Vs especially The Gentiles that Trust Seeke vnto his Ensigne whom also he hath receaued to The Glory of GOD as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 15. where he withall maketh Christs Arising a Refuge to the Gentiles A Light vnto Them and a Ruler over Them to be an Especiall point of GODS Glory That the Gentiles might Glorifie GOD for his Mercy c. And therefore I might by no meanes omit to touch this point in this Relation of GODS Glory no nor to touch the mindes of vs Gentiles with This Points Admonition how that vpon iuse cause it is especially required of vs Gentiles to Glorifie the Lord. And therefore let vs all herevnto for ever by your Amendment in Obeying his Commandements say Amen A Word That is Alpha and Omega The Beginning and the End of all the Alphabet of all the words works that wee or any other can Speake or Doe vnto GODS Glory A Word So Beginning That So was In the Beginning and Before The Beginning of All Worlds That In him By him and Through him is not only the Source the Beginning but the very Being of Dayes and Nights and the rest of GODS Creatures And So that never will any Day or Night nor should any of his Of spring make an End of Talking and of making Shew Declaration of His Beginning His Beginning that causeth the Creatures Perfectst Being His Beginning and making of an End To whom and For whom are All Things and their Ends. Whose Making of an Ende shall giue Beginning to their Greatest Glory and Happinesse which is an Everlasting view of The Greatest shew of GODS Glory when in the End of the Alphabet God shall be All in All 1. Cor. 15. 28. Most Admired for his Great Goodnes Ω how Great and Ω how Good Most Richly and Gloriously Beseene and Seene of All. One Day telleth a word vnto another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Word is the Lord saith Clemens Alexandrinus So Iustin Martyr vnderstandeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctrine and the Appearing or Comming of Christ to be here vttered revealed and reported S. Austin also on the Title of this Psalme
saith De Iesu Christo haec dicuntur These things are spoken of Iesus Christ. And on my Text by the word Word he vnderstandeth Plenitudinem â—ncommutabilis Sapientiae Det quod verbum in principio Deus a pud Deum est The Fulnesse of the vnchangeable Wisdome of God which word was in the Beginning GOD with GOD. In like sense Arnobius and many others haue taken the Word which here One Day is said to tell another Especially those who haue interpreted these words Allegorically whereof ye heard in my first Sermon To this Exposition are fitting among other things the Springs of the Arabian Root There also bespoken for this Service Neither is the Word Omer therevnto vnsutable being as hath beene said onely of the Singular Number Even as Christ also himselfe is One and Singular One Seed Gal. 3. 16. One Mediatour and One Saviour One as hee is GOD One as hee is Man and One as he is both GOD and Man One as GOD One as The Onely Begotten Sonne of GOD And therefore One too in the Assumed Humanitie by vnitie of Person So still One and But One word as before ye heard but such a One as is better then all others being well Learned will make you the greatest Scholers in the world Yee need not nay yee must not goe so farre as to the Plurall Number to Learne more then One such word to become as Singular Scholers as S. Paule was who Esteemed not to Knowe Any thing saue Iesus Christ and him Crucified Si Christum Discis satis est sicaetera Nescis Si Christum Nescis nthil est sicaetera Discis Learne Christ and thou art Blest no matter for therest Saue Christ Learne All the rest to Saue thou waÌ„tst the Best And no marvaile for this Word is Proper onely vnto him who Knoweth All things to know the Proprieties of this Word is a true Impropriation of the Benefit of All Knowledge Yea the very Etymologie of this Word is True Reason Word-Truth and Word of Truth enough to make True Schollership And if the Words of Men doe so further vs in the way of Learning and Knowledge how then shall not this most Curious and Exact word this Lordly Word this Word of the Lord and Proper word of God being once learned prosper with vs to the Command of commendation for our Learning If Men Scholers words such Skilfull prayses haue What must Lord Master Makers word that All Skill gaue If Made words of Made Men such skil make-praises haue What word that skild Skild MeÌ„ to Make Kild to Saue In this and every respect Apolinarius doth well reÌ„der this Word here in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Honoured or a pretious word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chosen or Choice and Pretious S. Peter calleth him and hee is called by Hermes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Holy word Of this indeed most Choice most Holy most Honourable and most Pretious Word of GOD Two things 1 The One How this word is by One Day told vnto another 2 The other That the Dayes by recounting this word doe most of all recount Gods Glory 1 Touching the first t' is an excellent place of Athanasius against the Gentiles where he saith Iuvat creaturam ipsam contra illos citare testem clamantem quodammodo autorem opificemque summ Deum Patrem Domini nostri Iesu Christi apertè praedicantem And a little after Nempe enim haec ipsa constantia praedicat insinuatque Patrem verbi suum esse opificem ac Deum dum absque vlla coÌ„tradictione ipsius paret imperio sicut divina quoque Lex admonet dicens Coeli enarrant Gloriam Dei c It liketh me well saith he to produce as witnesse against the Heathen the Heavens and the Firmament the Day the Night yea and the whole state of things created as it were or well neere openly proclaiming and pronouncing God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ to be their maker and creatour For this their stablenesse continuance alwaies after one sort signifieth and denounceth the Father of the word to be their maker and their God whilest they still obey his saying of the word without any word of contradicting or gainsaying That which also Gods word telleth vs where t' is said The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy Worke One Day telleth a word vnto another c. Diverse and sundry waies is this Word by One Day told vnto another as by the ResemblaÌ„ce that every Day hath of the Creatour and therefore of this Word also This being that word of the Lord by which the Heavens and the Dayes were made Psal 33. 6. and Ioh. 1. 3. this Word being that Wisedome of the Lord by which he hath laid the foundation of the earth and that Vnderstanding through which he hath established the HeaveÌ„s Prov. â— 19. Of the Resemblance of the Creatours Glory enstamped in the Dayes already hath beene spoken To which we may adde that of Theophilus Antiochenus lib. 2. Who saith that those three first Dayes which were before the creation of the two great Lights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are types and models of a Trinity of God and of his Word of his Wisedome So that this Word was that Day first declared in which Gods Wisedome first declared it selfe vnto the world by making the first Day the works thereof by such a word of Wisedome and in such wisedome of his word And in like sort was this word declared by the rest of the Dayes of the Creation declared was it in their Creation Also afterwardes this Word was that Day excellently published pronounced in which he first was promised for the Redemption of the world Then againe froÌ„ time to time from Day to Day continually how often by types figures by shadowes and resemblances by visions and by prophecies was this Word still forshewed yea and shewed forth vnto the world So that it was no marveile if by the Dayes so so reporting this Word vnto the world the very heathen men themselues had such knowledge of this heavenly word as they had For Fuerunt Prophetae non ipsius in quibus etiam aliqua inveniuntur quae de Christo audita ceeinerunt sicut etiam de Sibylla dicitur c. saith S. Austin in his begunne Exposition on the Epistle to the Romanes There were certaine Prophets and yet none of Gods Prophets nether in whom are some things found concerning Christ which after they had heard they also sang of reported among whom was Sibylla Which saith S. Austin I should not easily haue beleeved but for that of a certaine famous Poët among the Latins meaning Virgil Vltima Cumaet venit taÌ„ carminis aetas c. And S. Austin hath afterwardes in the same place how that th' Apostle knew ea in
libris gentium inveniri testimonia veritatis that there were such testimonies of the Truth found in the books of the GeÌ„tiles And again alittle after In literis GentiuÌ„ superstitiosae idololatriae plenissimis aliquid quod ad ChristuÌ„ pertinet invenitur There is something found coÌ„cerning Christ theÌ„ in the most superstitious Idolatrous books of the Gentils Norknew the GeÌ„tiles something only concerning Christ For they had knowledge also of this Word even as he was the Word as appeareth by that of Serapis vnto Thulis king of Aegypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Lactantius in his 4 th booke of Divine Institutions the 9. Chapter saith That the Philosophers were not ignorant of this VVord and alleageth there to that purpose Zenon predicating this word Hermes often describing virtutem maiestatemque verbi the vertue and maiestie of this word Besides Eusebius and Cyrill write and the like is also shewed by S. Chrysostome S. Basill That Amelius a Platonist and Heraclitus approved it to bee well said of that Barbarian so called they S. Iohn because he was a Iew In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and that word was God S. Austin also affirmeth that he had read this beginning of S. Iohns Gospell in the bookes of some of the Platonists And in his teÌ„th booke de civitate dei cap. 29. he saith That a certaine Platonist as Simplictanus a reverend old man and which was afterwards Bishop of Myllane was wont to tell him said That that beginning of S. Iohns Gospell was worthy to be writteÌ„ in Golden Letters and to be set vp and published in everie Church and Congregation and that in the most eminent and conspicuous places Out of all which wee gather still more and more how inexcusable the Infidels and vnbeleevers are for not Beleeving this word of God yea and for not Beleeving in him of whom by every Dayes Report they had heard so much And so much of the first thing here observed touching this most honorable most pretious VVord of God 2 The other and last thing is That the Dayes by recouÌ„ting this word doe most of all recount Gods Glory The Reason hereof is plaine For God speaking diverse and sundry waies vnto vs that we may see him and there being Three miroirs in which God sheweth him selfe and his Glory vnto vs to be knowne to wit his word by his works his word by the Scriptures his word Christ Iesus by this last word only is God best known shineth perfectly vnto vs In as much as t' is by him too that God is by those other two waies or anie way whatsoever revealed vnto vs. And in as much as he is the Best word of all as S. Iohn laboureth to proue both in his Gospell and in his Epistles in both which he calleth him The word of life atque in vita concludit omnia Dei beneficta vnder Life he compriseth all Gods Benefites saith one there Among the which the chiefest redouÌ„ding most to GODS Glory is our RedemptioÌ„ both promised performed So here we haue a word out of whose IncarnatioÌ„ asof the most rare excellent most Divine woÌ„derful Babe Suckling the Praise of God is best perfited Out of whose Nativity but much more out of the effusion of his Bloud as of the Best wine Reserved to the last and the infusion thereof into our wounds out of the aspersion and inspersion thereof and out of the vertue of his most Glorious Resurrection doe the Sparkles of Gods Glory arise and mount vp into the Highest Hereof and how Sweete how Gracefull and how Glorious the Speech is the Hearing the Report hereof hath in this poore speech of mine already beene reported to your hearing In Respect of all which yea All Gods Benefites towards vs Christ is most worthily called Omer a word A word in Deed or a Doing word A word of Greatest Power to Doe Such things A word of most Faithfulnesse to Doe what was said in Things of so hard Beliefe and for Those who were so Vnfaithfull in their Deedes and Sayings A word of Greatest Comfort a true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Homer vnto vs according to all Greekish Derivations A word a pledge of Gods Good will towardes vs. A word our true Hermes and Interpreter by whoÌ„ GOD and Man came to parle to together A word by whose wordes we must be Guided and all our wordes workes must be Directed Yea and to say it againe A word of most True DirectioÌ„ which we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Follow as the Guide of our feete into the way of peace A word whereby GOD did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Follow after man that had Forsaken him Seeke him that was Lost vntill hee Found him Made him and after he was Marred did Remake him And therefore too A word for vs to put our Trust Confidence in aboue all Things Works in the world According as David often saith In thy word not In my VVorkes is my Trust A word to whom hauing hidden in him all the Treasures of VVisdome and Knowledge Col. 2. 3. doe most truely and principally belong those exceeding high Elogies or Reports of Commendation which very many haue giuen vnto Homer Among the rest That of King Alexander calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingly Poët That of Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He only of all Poëts or Word-Works contrivers is so wise and wittie to Know what is Fit for him to Doe and to obserue a Decorum in every thing And that of Velleius Magnitudine Operum fulgore CarminuÌ„ Solus appellari Poët a mer uit He only for the Greatnesse of his Works and Resplendent Glory of his Words hath deserued the name of a Poët or a Word-Work Maker In the Words of the Lord are his Workes Ecclus 42. 15. By the Word of the Lord were the Heauens Made c Hee spake the word and it was Done Hee spake the Word and they were Made he Commanded and they were Created Yea He Spake the Word too Men they were Remade he said Amen and Men they were Recreated Amended Who ever Spake as This Word Speaketh Who ever Writ or Wrought as This Word Worketh Yea writeth too in the Tables of our Hearts and writeth â—ookes too of GODS Glory of larger volume then the Heavens and of more contenting Contents then the Creation One Day Telleth another This Word to be Their Maker And more then that This VVord to be Mans Maker and Remaker Word worth His word for worke of Day of worlds RedeÌ„ptioÌ„ Worthy Worlds All-Dayes words and workes of Redamation More worthy word of words and workes of Commendation Then All-Dayes Glory-words and workâ—s can make Râ—lation And no marveile For here we haue a Day Telling and Told of of Ioy vnspeakeable The Day or
Time of our Redemption By and through a Word vnspeakeable O how we Loose the Day and truely doe the Truants play When nothing we assay as Treasure Trovants of That Day Which to Kings Treasuredue of Heavēs Prayses may accrue Whilst Day is still in view whē Word did Happy Dayes renue Such Word of Such a King Word King Word God Such Being King End and Beginning of Words Works Worlds and Ev'ry thing O might Liues Thankefull Ryme in Deede to vs Redeeme the Time Lost by Vnthankefull crime In Words For Words Redeeming Time O word of our Redemptiō ô Omer our true Rome and Strength of our Redemption ô our Redeeming Homer too And therefore our true Divine Homer too most worthy of so high an Aspiration most worthy of the Attribution of Divine Titles and of the Immortal and Heavenly Nature Which if by a profuse Hyperbole to make the best of it they haue beene ascribed that by some Christians too to Homer of the Infidels to the Almost Adoring of him Thē much easier I hope it will be to perswade all men to ascribe and that without any Hyperbole to this Christ-Homer of vs Christians True Divinity the Divine and Heavenly Nature perfect Deity and Equality with God and so to proceede from Almost to Altogether worshipping of Him This also is enforced by vertue of his being as every Day exceedingly vnto Gods glory Reporteth of him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word of God the word of his Mind the word of his Counsell the word of his Wisdome and Intelligence For saith the Apostle What man knoweth the things of a Man saue the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knovveth no Man but he that is of the same Nature with God No not Those Deepe things of God which are Revealed vnto vs are Searched or Reuealed but by the Spirit of God much less are All things yea Those Deepe Things of God which are Concealed frō vs and Vnsearchable and the Inward Essentiall Things of God much lesse I say are they Searched but by GOD who knoweth thē without Searching Who knoweth the Mind of God but Himselfe Who hath beene his Counseller or Man of his Counsell but Himselfe Who of His Knovvledge and Wisedome but Himselfe In a word who is in the Bosome of the Father as S. Iohn speaketh but such a one His Sonne as is of the Same Nature with Himselfe Moreover Saint Iohn saith plainely and without Trope or Figure that That word was God God And what more can be said to shew the excellencie of this word Word And what lesse then is a word to bee a God And therefore he must needs be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word or that word a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an eminent sort Whose Glorious Eminencie as it is at once deciphered by S. Iohn Ioh. 1. 14. When he saith we saw the Glory thereof as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father so also shal it be shewed in all that followeth Whilest we shal farther declare how by this word or Sonne of God we are brought to the rightest knowledge of God and that in him is Gods Glory most resplendent Isai 9. 6. He is called Counseller As who only is pri vie to Gods Counsell and can best Counsell vs in things concerning GOD. He is as yee haue heard our right Hermes and our Homer too To whom both Princes and Peoples Muses should bee addicted and affixed Whose Healing Leaues and words of wisedome ought still to lie in and vnderneath our heads On whom our best way and Method is ever to relie and set vp our Rest for Knowledge and for Learning On whose Supportation if we recline our dull and heavy heads as S. Iohn did when he lay and leaned on his Breast we shall both take Sweete and Safe and Satisfying Rest and also take Best Counsell of our Pillow For that is our true Sibylla too out of whose Words and Works we are best instructed in the whole Will of God In as much as GOD himselfe is best able to Declare his owne minde vnto vs. The Poet Claudian de laude Christi speaking of the comming of Christ maketh this to be the End thereof Vt possis monstrare Deum ne lubricus error Et decepta diu varij solertia Mundi Pectora tam multis sinerent mortalia seclis Autorem nescire suum That men might rightly know God their maker Which knowledge of GOD by Christ Iesus we that are indeede Christians know to be as much worth as Felicity it selfe according to that Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ To know thee by Iesus Christ In whom whatsoever the Father hath he would haue heaped and hoarded vp that so he might both communicate himselfe wholy vnto vs and might glorifie his name Hence saith Christ I and my Father are one And He that seeth me seeth my Father And No man commeth to the Father but by me And No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reveale him And I am the Way And I am the Doore And I am the Light And Ioh. 1. 9. He was the true Light which lighteth every man that commeth into the World For t' is by him that the lustre of his Fathers Glory best of all bebeameth the whole world Hence the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 6. placeth and reposeth the Light or Illumination of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ when he saith God hath shined in our hearts to giue the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Iesus Christ In the Face of Iesus Christ For he is the liuely Image of his Father The Image of the invisible God Col. 1. 15. and 2. Cor. 4. 4. The Brightnesse of his Fathers Glory and the very Image of his Substance Heb. 1. 3. And as t' is in the 7 th of Wisdome verse 25 26. He is a pure influence that floweth from the Glory of the Almightie the Brightnesse of the everlasting Light The vndefiled Mirrour of the Maiestie of God and the Image of his Goodnesse We spake before of other Images and Resemblances of Gods Glory All which come infinitely farre short of this Image For Man himselfe herevnto compared is not so much the Image of God simply as hee is said to be made rather after the Image of God Indeede 1. Cor. 11. 7. Man is there called The Image and Glory of God But elsewhere he is said to be made after the Image of God Why The Image And yet why After the Image The Image because he is indeede like vnto GOD. Againe After the Image because of the vnlikenesse or vnperfectnesse of this likenesse in that he doth