of Christendome with their continual intelligence is thought to advise most of that mischief which the Turks put in execution against us I omit what Authors report of them concerning the judgement of God upon their bodies that they are to this day a nasty people much addicted to the leprosie Hence that fable in Tacitus that the Israelites were driven out of Egypt Symmâ Dâ—i bonitate id factum est nè populos ad lepram proclives animal leprosissimum magis ac magis infestaret Theat Nat. p. 354. for that lothsome disease Mind Bodinus his observation He observes it for a special providence of God that in Arabia which bordereth upon Judea there are no swine to be found lest that most leprous creature saith he should more and more infest and infect that people who are naturally subject to the leprosie And therefore some have thought they were forbidden to eat Swines-flesh and Hares-flesh because in diseased bodies it easily turnes to ill humours They are so despicable a people for their unexpiable guilt in crucifying Christ that they are therefore banished as it were out of the world by a common consent of Nations Yea the very Turks themselves so hate them Iudaus sim si fallo that they use to say in detestation of a thing I wish I might die a Jew if so and so But chiefly Gods judgement for their unbelief is upon their mindes as may be read at large Rom. 11. Whence we may observe Note that God in his just judgment gives over such as are enemies to the Gospel to the Devil to be blinded that they cannot convert This is a fearful estate But yet for all this before the end of the world they shall be called That Nation lies under many promises Therefore it is our duty not to despise them nor despaire of their conversion but to pray for them as they did for us when we had no breasts Cant. 8.8 The natural Branches Rom. 11.21 Gentiles Great was the knowledge of the Heathen sages witness the seven wise men of Greece Archimedes of Syracuse who had a name and fame saith Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of humane but of a kinde of divine wisdome So had Socrates so had Apollonius of whom Philostratus saith Non doctus sed natus sapiens that he was not taught but born a wise man These all were the worlds wizards but what came they to Lactantius truly telleth us in the name of the whole community of Christians That all the wisdome of a man consisteth in this Instit l. 3. c. 30. to know God and worship him aright But this they never attained unto The Tyrians had an hand in building the Temple the molten sea stood upon twelve oxen which looked towards East West North and South The new Jerusalem hath twelve gates A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To shew that there is every way accesse for all sorts to Christ who is also fitly called the second Adam the Greek letters of which name as Cyprian observeth do severally signifie all the quarters of the earth He was born in an Inne to shew that he receives all commers His garments were divided into four parts to shew that out of what part of the world soever we come Christ is willing to entertain us Jether an Ishmaelite may become an Israelite and Araunah the Jebusite may be made an exemplary Profelyte The Gentiles saith one were converted by vertue of this prayer Gen. 9.27 as Paul was by Stephens But this text Mal. 1.11 the perverse Jews could never abide to hear of nor can they to this day And therefore it is that they have in their expositions basely depraved it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and corrupted the true sense of it Calling us still Goi Mamzer bastard Gentiles Let us pity and pray for them as Isa 25.7 8. And let us praise God who hath made us Gentiles meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 And take heed we sin not away our light causing God to take his Kingdom from us and give it to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof God shall perswade Japhet Gen. 9.27 and shall dwell in the tents of Shem. Countrey A mans native countrey is pleasant and sweet to all Nos patriae fines dulcia linquimus arva Nos patriae sines Nescio quâ natale solum dulcedine cunctos ducit immemores non sinit esse sui Vlysses was very desirous to see the smoke of his countrey Shall I leave my countery that hath been as a mother to bring me into the world and to nourish me in it A man in conscience by the law of Nature is bound to his own countrey But this world is not our countrey Socrates is highly commended for his answer Omne solum sorti patria est being demanded what countrey man he was he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundanus the world is my countrey all countreys are alike to me Yet in truth we have no countrey in the world Heaven properly to speak is our countrey and we must seek it Desire a better countrey Heb. 11.16 that is an heavenly Signes Signum est quod seipsum seu sui praeter se aliquid animo repraesentat There are signs 1. Of Gods wrath such are prodigious events 2. Of his power such are Miracles 3. Of his grace such are Sacraments For irreverent using of good means Vzziah was smitten with leprosie Fifty thousand Bethshemites for looking irreverently into the Ark which was a sign of mercy These signes of mercy proved means of misery Signa sunt triplicia 1. Memorativa quae praeteritum aliquid in memoriam reducunt Hujusmodi voluit Deus esse Irieum 2. Demonstrativa quae praesentia monstrant Vt fumus ignem 3. Prognostica quae futura praenunciant ut varius solis color dum occidit Juxta illud Poetae Caeruleas pluvias denunciat igneus Eurus As God hath given us signes and foretokens of a tempest so hath he also of an ensuing judgement and blames those that take not notice thereof sending them to school to the Stork and Swallow Jerem. 8.7 If Elias see but a cloud as an hand arising from Carmel he can tell that great store of rain will follow that the whole heaven will anon be covered Many prodigies there were before the last desolation of Jerusalem A terrible tempest at Rome the same year that Luther began to stir Blood raining at Brixia in Italie in the year 874. for three dayes and three nights c. Gods signes have a voice and words speaking both to our eyes and ears A prudent man foreseeth the evil not by divination or star-gazing but by a judicious collection and connection of causes and consequents As if God be the same that ever as holy just powerful c. If sinne be
faith were alone Tanquam sponsus cum sponsà in Thalamo howbeit it is such a faith as works by love 3. He that can rightly distinguish betwixt Law and Gospel let him praise God for his skill and know himself to be a good Divine For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in heaven Ideo moralis lex vocatur quia de moribusâ—est omni beminum generi semper communis Zanch. The Moral Law it is eternal and albeit some special duties of certain commandments shall cease when we come to heaven yet the substance of every one remaineth We live by the same Law in effect as the Saints above do and do Gods Will on earth as they in heaven The ministerials of this Law shall pass away together with this life the substantials shall pass into our glorified natures and shine therein as in a Mirrour for ever Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets Mat. 5.17 Ne minima quidem litera Luth. Rom. 3.31 I am not come to destroy but to fulfill For verily I say unto you It is easier for Heaven and earth to pass than one title of the Law to fail Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law For the Law is holy and just Cap. 7.12 and good Lex Talionis Lex Talionis Aâ—â—st quandâ— quis idem patitur quod alteri fecit Vocatur à Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi reciproâ—â— mutua passio à verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est vicissim patior A Latinis Talio jus talionis quia talia tribuuntur qualia quis fâ—cit Aulus Gâ—llius in Histor aut alteri praestitit Vnde apud Gellium dicitur retaliare quasi talia retribuere qualia alter secit De hoc jure etiam in sacris literis extat preceptum Moses exigit vitam pro animo oculum pro oculo Christus in Evangeliâ— inquit quâ— mensurâ— metieritis remetietur vebis Et Propheta Esaias vae tibi qui spolias alterum quoniam ipse spâ—liaberis What wouldest thou have done with me said Tamerlane to the fierce Bajazet Turk hist fol. 220. then his prisoner had it been my fortune to have fallen into thy hands as thou art now in mine I would said Bajazet have inclosed thee in a Cage of Iron and so in triumph have carried thee up and down my Kingdom Even so said Tamerlane shalt thou be served One Perillus gave to Phalaris King of Cicile Necenim â—ex justor â—lla est Quamnâ—cis artisicâ—s arte pâ—riâ—â— sâ—â— an hollow or brazen Bull wherein to scortch and torment men by fire praising the device with this commendation That the noise of the tormented would be like the bellowing of a Bull. But there was a due reward unto the inventour for the first trial was made of himself God usually retaliates and dealeth with men according to the manner and way of their wickedness The sin and suffering oft meet in some remarkable circumstance Babylon hath blood for blood Jacob cometh as the elder to Isaac and Leah cometh as the younger to Jacâ—b He that denied a crumb wanted a drop Asa that set the Prophet in the stocks had a disease in his seet Sodom sinned in fulness of bread and it is expresly noted that their victuals were taken from them by the four Kings Their eyes were full of uncleanness and they were smitten with blindness They burned with lust and were burned with fire They sinned against nature and against the course of nature fire descends and consumes them Sisera annoy's Gods People with his Iron Charets and is slain by a nail of Iron Jesabels braâ—s that devised mischief against the innocent are strew'd upon the stones By a Letter sent from Jezreel she shed the blood of Naboth and by a Letter from Jezreel the blood of her sons is shed Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomons Temple the seven years work of so many thousands therefore he is turned a grazing and seven seasons pass over him The blasphemers in the Revelations gnaw their tongues through pain and Dives was tormented in that part chiefly Cyprian yielding the reason of it Quia lingua plus peccaverat Thus God delights to give men their own to pay them home in their own coyn to remete them their own measure to beat them with their own weapons to over-shoot them in their own bows and to shape their estates according to their own patterns When it is thus know the sin by the judgement and silence murmuring Adonibezek an Heathen observed As I have done God hath done to me With what judgement ye judge Mat 7.2 ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again The Gospel THE word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of to bâ—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nuntius 〈◊〉 unutium Evangelium signifieth glad-tidings that is the proper notation of the Original word And the same may our English word Gospel admit for Spel in ancient signified speech Gespel then is a good speech Or quasi Gods-spell Gods power or charm to call us to be Christians as Romans 1.16 The Gospel is the Power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth It is sometimes taken for the Sacrifice which the Heathen offered to their gods It is so used in Xenophon Homer Odyss for joyful news And sometimes for the reward which is given to him who bringeth glad-ridings In Scripture it is taken for glad-tidings in general For the history of Christ But by an excellency it is restrained to signifie The most joyful message of salvation And sometimes for the publishing of the Doctrine of Christ Consider the Gospels 1. Antiquity 2. Excellency It is at least as old as Moses which was the first writer that we read of The Athenians thought it to be a new Doctrine Yet it is as ancient as Moses nay as Adam for the Doctrine of the Gospel was in Paradise The Law was before the Gospel yet the Gospel is more worthy than it darkness went before the light the night before the day yet the day is more glorious than the night All creatures were made before man yet man excelleth them all The Sword-bearer goes before the Major yet he is not greater than the Major All things are not to be esteemed by their precedency and priority in the world There cometh one after me said John yet in honour and dignity he is before me So the Gospel cometh after the Law yet it is more excellent than the Law In the Law there is nothing but matter of fear in the Gospel of love in the Law God is against us in the Gospel he is Emanuel God with us The Law curseth the Gospel blesseth The Law is a denunciation of wrath of a curse against us because of transgression only the Gospel is an annunciation of mercy and forgiveness That breatheth forth only a cold blast a North-wind of
thither Again there was no end why Christ should do thus Either as the Papists hold to bring souls out of hell Vestigia nuâ—â—a retroâ—sum Because this is a rule in Divinity That souls that are once in bell shall never come out thence Or to make further satisfaction for the sins of his people upon earth because Christ had fully satisfied Gods wrath upon the Cross and therefore cried out It is finished Or to vanquish and overcome the Devil because he spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed over them in the same Cross Christ by dying destroyed him who had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2.14 His Resurrection When the Philistines thought they had Sampson sure within the Ports of Azzah he arose at midnight and took the doors of the gates of the City and the two posts and carried them away with the bars thereof on his shoulders up to the top of the mountain which is before Hebron But our mighty Conqueror and Deliverer Qui agnus extiteâ—at in passione factus est Lâ—â— in resurrectione Bernard hath more excellently magnified his power For being closed in the grave the Sepulchre sealed and guarded with soldiers a stone rolled to the mouth of the grave and he thus clasped in the bands of death He rose again the third day before the rising of the Sun he carried like a Victor the bars and posts of death away â—s upon his shoulders and upon the Mount of Olives he ascended on high leading Captivity captive The manner or specialty of Christs rising 1. In the same Body that fell Feel it saith he to his Disciples Else no resurrection And in this proportion all rise 2. So as he saw no corruption because he knew no sin A specialty and priviledge above the sons of men who must say to corruption Thou art my father 3. By his own power I have power to lay down my life Virtute proprid ut victor prodiâ—t dâ— sepulturâ Idem and to take it up again 4. As a Common blessing as a Representative and not as a Private person All his did the same with him that were within the purchase of his blood Our Phaenix consumed to ashes is now revived The young Lyon of the tribe of Judah of late sleeping in the grave by the quickning yell of his Sire viz. the Power of the Godhead was raised and roused up The stately Stag resumed his shed horns The late withered Flower of the root of Jesse reflourished The Sun of Righteousness once shadowed with a cloud and eclipsed with disgrace shineth put again with brighter beams All was done for which he was put into the grave and why should he be kept any longer in prison the debt being paid Christ is risen from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 and become the first fruits of them that slept Ascension As the Grissin is like a Lamb in his legs the Lyon in his back and the Eagle in his beak so Christ in his Passion was a Lamb in his Resurrection a Lyon and in his Ascension an Eagle for He went away to his Father Christus ascendit Quo In coelum Aërium Stellatum Empyreum Which is called Domicilium Dei Angelorum hominum beatorum novus Mundus Coelum novum Coelestis Hierosolyma Paradisus Sinus Abrahae c. Thus Christus excelsior coelis factus Secundum quam naturam Humanam hinc localiter visibiliter Quâ potentiâ Suâ non alienà Quando 40 dies post Resurrectionem ut 1. Certi simus de ejus resurrectione 2. Instruat suam Ecclesiam de regno suo ut discerent quae docerent discipuli Effecta sequentia 1. Intercessio Christi 2. Nostra glorificatio 3. Testimonium peccata esse remissa 4. Christum victorem esse 5 Missio Spiritus 6. Nunquam nos carere consolatione Christum nos semper defensurum Hinc in câ—elum circumfusa nube sublatus est ut hominem quem dâ—lexit quem induit quem à morte protexit ad patrem victor imponeret Cypr. de Idol van Thou hast ascended on high Psal 68.18 thou hast led captivity captive When he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men For such an high Priest became us Hebr. 7.26 who is holy harmless undesiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens His session at the Fathers right hand A King having an onely begotten may set him in the throne as heir and successor to reign with him and use right of dominion over all as partner in the Empire Thus David dealt by Solomon Vespasian by Titus and our Henry 2. by his eldest son Henry whom he crowned while he was yet alive though afterwards he suffered him not to be what himself had made him This Exaltation of Christ Christus sedet ut judex stat ut vindex is an argument sufficient to prove his Deity He that sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on high is God Scripture doth not say he standeth though in another sense he is said so to do that belongs to servants and inferiors but he sitteth Kings Senators Judges sit when they hear causes He sits not at the commandment or appointment of another but of himself He knows his place and takes it not at the left hand but which is higher at the right hand his Fathers Equal Out of this we have two notable comforts If Christ sitteth above in the highest places then he beholdeth all things here below A man that is upon the top of some high Tower may see farre and Christ being in the high Steeple and Tower of Heaven can see all things on Earth If the wicked be laying of plots and snares against his children Christ being in Heaven sees them and in due time will overthrow them He that sitteth in Heaven laugheth them to scorn Moreover this is a singular comfort that our Head King and Defender is in Heaven and hath equal power glory and majesty with God We have a friend that sitteth on the right hand of God and hath all power in Heaven and Earth therefore let us fear nothing he will keep us none shall do us any harm but it shall all turn to our good in the end As Christ sitteth in the heavens so we shall one day sit there with him Many shall come from the East and from the West and from the North Luk. 13.29 and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God Mat. 19.28 Ye shall sit on the twelve seats and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel Which is not spoken of all the Apostles for Judas never sate there nor yet of the Apostles only but of all Christians Know ye not that we shall judge the world We shall one day sit in heavenly places with Christ we sit there already in our Head but we shall likewise sit there in our own persons with our Head Let this comfort us against
or dross of hypocrisie fraud or duplicity sound-hearted persons are in Gods esteem perfect persons Truth of grace is our perfection here in heaven we shall have perfection as well as truth Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Joh. 1.47 Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32.2 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me Psal 25.21 Hypocrisie The hypocrite is the worst kinde of player D. H. by so much as he acts the better part he hath alwaies two faces oftimes two hearts he can compose his fore-head to sadnesse and gravity He is like the picture of Janus having one face before another behind Or sons solis now hot now cold while he bids his heart be wanton and careless in whose silent face are written the characters of Religion which his tongue and gestures pronounce but his hands and heart recant he turnes into the Church and salutes one of the pillars on one knee worshipping that God which at home he cares not for while his eyes are fixed on some passenger his heart knowes not whether his lips go he rises and looking about with admiration complaines of our frozen charity he will always sit where we may be seen best and in the midst of the Sermon pulls out his table-book as if he feared to lose that note then he turns to a quotation in his Bible with a noise and doubleth down the leaf as if he had found it askes a loud the Preachers name and repeats it he can cammand teares reckoneth many sinnes with detestation while he keeps his darling in his bosome no times no prayers fall from him without a witnesse belike lest God should deny that he hath received them and lest the world should not know it his own mouth is the trumpet to proclaim it with the superfluity of his usury he builds an hospital and harbours them whom his extortion hath spoiled flesh on friday is more abominable than his neighbours bed he abhors more not to uncover at the name of Jesus than to swear by the name of God he comes to the sick-bed of his step-mother and weepes when he secretly feares her recovery he greetâ— his friend with so clear a countenance as the other thinks he reads his heart in his face he is the strangers Saint the neighbours disease the blot of goodnesse a rotten stick in a dark night a poppie in a corn-field an ill tempered candle with a great snuffe an Angel abroad a Devil at home and worse when an Angel than when a Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are many men who are servants of the eyes as the Apostles phrase is Eph. 6.6 who when they are looked on act vertue with much pompousnesse Ambitie lux uria impotentia scenam desiderant sanabis ista si absconderis Senâ— Epist 95. and Theatrical bravery But these men when the Theatre is empty put off their upper garment and retire into their primitive baseness Diogenes endured the extremity of winters cold that the people miget wonder at his austerity and Philosophical patience But Plato seeing the people admiring the man and pitying the sufferance told them that the way to make him warm himself was for them to be gone and take no notice of him Even so they that walk as in the sight of men serve their designe well enough when they sill the publick voice with noises and opinionâ— and are not by their purposes engaged to act in private Serapion in Cassian noted to a young person who perpetually accused himselfe with the greatest semblances of humility but was impatient when Serapion reproved him Did you hope that I would have praised your humility and have reputed you for a Saint It is a strange perversnesse to desire others to esteem highly of you for that in which to your self you seem most unworthy Nil lasciviâ— est Carisiano In Saturnalibus ambulat togatus Mart. Carisianus walked in his Gown in the feast of Saturn and when all Rome was let loose in wantonnesse he put on the long robe of a Senator and a severe person and nothing was more lascivious than he And such was the Cynick whom Lucian deâ—ided because that one searching his scrip in expectation to have found in it mouldy bread or old rags he discovered a bale of dice a box of persumes and the picture of his fair Mistresse But alas I to take delight either in the suppletories of our own good opinion or to think the flatteries and praises of others should heal the wounds of our honour will prove but an imaginary and Phantastick restitution Hypocritae curiosi ad cognoscendum vitam alienam desidiosi ad cognoscendam suam Aug. Hypocrites are curious searchers of the lives of others careless correctors of their own And surely the mind that sharply looks to the faults of others Bazil doth but slowly consider her own defects Mens peracutè perspiciens alienos errores tarda est ad proprios cognoscendos defectus It is said the French are wiser than they seem and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are The godly are as the French and hypocrites as the Spaniards who carry the basest spirits under the proudest looks Like the Philosophers Sapientes potius cupimus videri non esse quà m esse non videri He is an image in a cross way that may point at the way but cannot go it Or like the Play which is called the motions wherein is no life though motion Friendship in Court is like Musick at a feast a man hath nothing but a sweet sound for his money Or rather it is like those Apothecary drugs that are hot in the mouth but cold in operation It is quick to promise but slow to perform receiving substance but returning smoke so is hypocrisie The fish Sepia is betrayed by a black colour she casteth out to cover her So counterfeits by a cloud of pretended holynesse which shall onely serve for a cloud of witnesse against them The more eminent men are in quality the more foul is the quality of their offence therefore as dishonourable actions are greatest blemishes in those that are honourable by blood or profession because vertues are greater ambellishments in them than in others Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas So wicked actions are most odious to those who are not onely professours but professed patrons of Religion and vertue in these it is an advance of evil Dissembled hypocrifie doubleth iniquity If it were possible the Divel were then worse than himself it was when he came up in Samuels mantle Jesabels paint made her more ugly If ever you take a Fox in a Lambes skin hang him up for he is the worst in the generation A Gibeonite in old shoes fly like the plague these are so much the worse Devils as they are holy Devils The Heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
who are of the day be sober 1 Thes 5.8 Luxurie Luxuria negligentia mores sunt hominum non temporis vitia Seneâ— Epictetus may say semper aliquid discâ—ns senesco But Polixenus semper aliquid bibens nihil ex timesco Seneca speaks of some that singulis auribus bina aut terna dependent patrimenia hanged two or three Lordships at their eares And such are those amongst us as one saith that turn their lands into laces and rents into ruffs c. Usually such persons spend all till they leave themselves nothing at all Preter celum canum M. Livius but ayr to breath in and earth to tread upon as a certain Roman prodigal boasted That 's for the back Quid enim majore Chachinne Excipitur vulgi quà m pauper Apicius Iuv. Sat. 11. Valer. now for the belly It is reported that the expences of Apicius his kitchin amounted to more than two Millions of gold He having eaten up his estate and finding by his account that he had no more then 200000. Crowns remaining thought himself poor and that this sufficed not to maintain his luxurie whereupon he drank down a glasse of poyson Some say he hanged himselfe The glutton Philoxenus is said to inveigh against nature for making his neck so short and to wish himself a Cranes neck that the pleasure and tasâ— of meat might be longer in rellishing To such a one neither water land nor air is sufficient Suttan Solyman was so given to it Turk Hist fol. 144. that when his brother Musa drew neer unto the place where he lay as his manner was banqueting with great pleasure in his camp and full of wine he was not sensible of the danger Nay when newes was brought unto him that his brother was at hand with a great power he in his drunkennesse caused the messenger that brought the newes to be beaten and when he had with greater earnestness than was to his liking affirmed that his report to be true he commanded him to be slain for troubling his mirth But Strabo writes of the Gaules Grimst p. 58. the ancient inhabitants of France that they were so temperate as that they did avoid by all meanes to be fat and big-bellied and if any young man were biggar than a certain measure he was blamed It was said of Ninias second King of the Assyrians Summum bonum in ventre aut sub ventre posuit that he was old excellent at eating and drinking And of Sardanapalus one of the same line Tully tells us that his gut was his God And Plutarch that he hired men to devise new pleasures for him What mines are able to maintain the expences of Prodigality It was usually said of Henry Duke of Guise that he was the greatest usurer in France because he had turned all his estate into obligations These three saith one B. B. B. Back Belly and Building fine clothes sumptuous feasts and over-stately structures like the daughters of the horse-leech suck out the blood of mens substance The Prodigal makes his own hands his Executors and his own eyes his overseers drawing much of his Patrimony through his throat and spending the rest upon harlots who usually leave him as bare as crowes do a dead Carcass Ruine follows riot at the heeles Luxurie is attended by beggery A famous and ample instance we have in that Parable Luk. 15 And daily experience shews it to be a plain truth But behold a worse mischief As the clouds darken heaven so intemperate banqueting the mind Chrysologus As the violence of winds and waves sinkes a ship so luxurie our soules and bodies in the depth of Hell He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich Prov. 21.17 We to them that are at ease in Zion Amos 6.1 4 6. That eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall That drink wine in bowles and anoint themselves with the chief ointment c. Zeal It is the Extream heat of all the affections when they are seething or hissing hot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we love God and his people out of a pure heart fervently He loveth not at all in Gods account whose love is not ardent desires eager hopes longing Non amat qui non Zelat Aust hatred deadly anger fierce grief deep fear terrible voyce eyes hands gestures actions all lively Unto true Christian Zeal there be these six things required Will. Dict. 1. A desire after something which is truly good or against something which is evil indeed 2. That in this desire there be earnestness and vehemency 3. That there be a grief for this good thing we desire or for some abuse done to it 4. That this desire and grief be tempered with charity and discretion 5. That we seek not our own but Gods glory 6. Lastly that all this do proceed and come from sincere and distinct knowledge of the word Gal. 4.18 Rom. 10.3 1 Cor. 10.31 Zeal without knowledge is dangerous as appeared in the Jews and doth in many others It makes men proud and having drunk in an opinion they cannot be removed with reason As a man cannot write in a paper already written nor plow in a ground over-runne with bushes so it is hard to fasten any reason upon a mind prepossest with fancy Zeal is such a thing which if it be well ordered is most beautiful in a Christian but if not a thing of exceeding danger as fire in moderation is most comfortable in extremity most fearful Seperate Zeal and knowledge and they become both unprofitable But wisely join them and they perfect a Christian being like a precious Diamond in a Ring of Gold For Zeal without knowledge is like a little ship without ballast and fraught but with a great many sailes which is soon either dasht against the rocks or topped over And knowledge without Zeal is like a goodly great ship well ballasted and richly fraughted but without any sailes which quickly falleth into the hands of Pirates because it can make no speed It is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good matter but Zeal misplaced how dangerous is it It is better to creep in a good way than to run in a wrong way Even idleness is better than such dillgence Yet they who misplace their Zeal are commonly more in diligence than they who place it aright and they who are in a false way make more hast than they who are in a true The nature of man will carry him two miles at his own bidding rather than one at Gods Zeal without knowledge is as wild-fire in a fooles hand it is like the Devil in the Demoniack that casts him sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water Examples of holy Zealots were Bucholcer Luther Laurentius Athanasius Ignatius Paul Baruch of whom it is said Nehem. 3.20 Seipsum accendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
obitum faelicem Which Cyrus understanding delivers him saying Et ea quoque mihi evenire possunt This was also a vertue for which Q. Camd. Eliz. Elizabeth was said to be famous Next to the holy Scripture she preferred as the best piece Seneca's book of clemency In a word Mercy is an excellent and divine vertue it draweth near to the nature of God who is the Father of mercies Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Mat. 5.7 Be ye therefore merciful as your father also is merciful Yea Luke 6.36 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies Col. 3.12 Cruelty Crudelitas est atrocitas animi in paenis exigendis Cruelty hath usually something to cover its deformity It is one of the companions of ambition and covetousnesse If Ahab have a desire to Naboths vineyard either Naboth must part with it or his life There is a manifold cruelty 1. Mr. Marburie Cruelty of combination when we make our selves strong in a faction to oppose and oppresse all that go not our way 2. Cruelty of the eye when we can be content to behold our brethrens miseries without any compassion 3. Cruelty of heart when we make our selves merry with their afflictions 4. Cruelty of tongue when we insult over them and brand them with taunts 5. Cruelty of the hands When we 1. Either persecute their persons with molestation 2. Or touch their liberty with unjust restraint 3. Or rob them of their goods by cruel direprions 4. Or hinder the course of justice that should do them right 5. Or procure their death So that they are not all innocent of this great offence that keep themselves from shedding of blood They that invade the meanes or maintenance of life that pinch the labourer in his wages or make the hireling work for nothing or let their hire sleep in their custody whilst he pineth for want of things necessary are all guilty of it Tacitus saith of the Germanes out of whom our Saxons that they were so given to Mars that they thought it no better than sloathful to get that by sweat which they might have by blood It 's storied of Nero he fell into such a sucking vaine of slaughter Euseb l. 2. c. 25. that he abstained not from his most dear and familiar friends Yea he tormented with divers kinds of death his own mother his brethren his wife Strabo saith that the ancient Irish were so savage that they fed upon mans flesh Grimst p. 34. Solinus addes more that when they were victors they rubbed their faces with the blood of them that were slain in the fight after they had drunk some Exemplum de populis habitantibus in minori Asià circa pontum habemus qui crudis humanis carnibus vescuntur proprios suos liberos coquunt amicis inter epulas proponunt Exemplum etiam de quodam Phalaride qui dicitur filium suum comedisse The Turks are a most barbarous people having Christians in their hands Turk Hist fol. 756. some they have put quick into the ground to the wast and there for their pleasure shot at them with arrows others have they stripped their skins over their eares and others miserably empailed And no lesse famous rather infamous for inhumanity are the Spaniards Sr. Fr. Drakes travels Of some they have squeezed out their brains Others they have rosted till their eyes dropt out And think they shew the innocent Indians great favour when they do not for their pleasure whip them with cords scratch them with thornes and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon Another Author addes In India you may find more cursed prodigies than ever the Sun beheld in any Map of misery where the Roman Apostles did exceed Cain or if possible Judas where they ravished and then murthered Queenes tore infants in peices cast men to mastives cut children in collops to feed dogs men never did the like Devils could do no more The Romans descended from Edom say the Jewes Edom had a name of blood Mount-Seir was their possession Usually Hereticks are exceeding cruel witness the Sadduces of old Anabaptists of later times Eusâ—b l. c. 3.23 the hill of blood Acheldama their purchase the field of blood Our English when they grow Romish against the nature of our Nation become bloody which is imputed to the scituation of the English Colledge in Rome which is founded in the ruines of bloody Neroes house Of all the stories of Christians of Heathens of all the bloody Tragedies plotted in hell or acted under heaven never any so horrid as the bloody baptisme of India by the Jesuites They have long intended to have the second part of this Tragedy to be acted here The courtesie that Polyphemus promised Vlisses was that he should be the last that he would devour The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel Pro. 12.10 It was said of our K. Edward the fourth that he had made the white rose flourish as long as Henry the fourth the red if he had not made it change colour with too much blood Q. Tomiris having overcome Cyrus and taken him cut off his head and casting it into a boll of blood said Satia te sanguine Those who are the lovers of other mens miseries usually misery finds them out Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations Gen. 49.5 6 7. O my soul come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united for in their anger they slew a man and in their self-will they digged down a wall Cursed be their anger for iâ— was fierce and their wrath for it was cruel Revenge Some have been heard to say Proniâ—â—eres ad vindictam sumus quà m gratiam Bodin O how sweet is revenge What a pleasent draught is a draught of blood Spightful spirits hunger and thirst for the downfall and misery of those who stand in their way nor will any thing satisfie hatred but the ruine of those who are hated Yea some men though themselves be mortal yet their wrath may seem to be immortal As was Hanibals against the Romanes and our Edward the first against the Scots Dan. Hist fol. 201. Adjuring his Son and Nobles if he died not to bury his corps till they had absolutely subdued the countrey Bodinus relates a most tragical story An Italian was at deadly feud with one once his familiar friend Bodin lib. de Repub. cap. 6. pag. 951. and for ten years sought occasion to satisfy his wicked revenge but being frustrated of his hope pretended reconciliation and having one time an advantage sets on the man overcometh him and is going to kill him The miserable men desired him to spare his life The revengeful man said he would do it on condition he would renounce God and all the benefits of his soul Though this was hard to the poor man yet fear of death makes
before the shadow is behind So was it in Christ to them of old This Sun was behind and therefore the Law or shadow was before to us under grace the Sun is before and so now the Ceremonies of the Law those shadows are behind yea vanished Which are a shadow of things to come Colos 2.17 but the body is of Christ Priest The name of a Priest is an honourable name in the book of God not a name of reproach and contempt Sacerdos qâ—sacer dux docens â—rans â—fferens Artaxerxes in his letter to Ezra gives him an honourable title Ezr. 7.12 There was a worthy and glorious Priesthood under the Law An High Priest in goodly apparel c. Besides him there were a great number of Priests and Levites throughout all the towns and Cities of Israel they offered the sacrifices of the people made an attonement for them and instructed them in the wayes of the Lord. Yet all these are nothing to our Saviour Christ he excels them as much as the sun doth the starres or the body the shadow The Priests lips should preserve knowledge Mal. 2.7 and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Melchisedeck In the sacred Scriptures he is said to be the Priest of the most high God Euseb hist Eccles l. 8. c. 4. so consecrated and ordained neither by any oile prepared of man for that purpose neither by succession of kindred attaining to the Priest-hood as the manner was among the Hebrews Wherefore our Saviour according unto that order not of them which received signes and shadowes is published by an oath Christ and Priest So that the history delivereth unto us neither corporally annointed among the Jews nor born of the Priestly tribe but of God himself before the day-star that is being in essence before the constitution of all wordly creatures immortal possessing a Priest-hood that never perisheth by reason of age but lasteth world without end The thing concealed by Moses is the eternity of Melchisedeck not indeed but in respect of Moses history He is introduced by him on the suddain as if he came then presently from heaven and returned thither again for Moses never spake of him before nor after Gen. 14. So that whether he were Shem as the Hebrew Doctors and others or some other is not easy to determine The Melchisedechian Hereticks held that he was the Holy Ghost or at least some created Angel Others say it was Christ himself under the habit of a King and Priest It is most probable that he was a mortal man and a Canaanite but yet a most righteous man and a Priest of the most High God by special dispensation and so a pledge and first-fruits of the calling of the Gentiles to the knowledge and obedience of Jesus Christ of whom he was a lively Type And that Kedarlaomer and the other Kings that over-ran the countrey and spoiled it forbeare out of reverence to the man and his office to meddle with his Territories He is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not because he had no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stock or kindred but because there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no mention of it no commemoration of his kindred in the Scripture Without father and mother he was not in respect of generation but in respect cofommemoration his parents are not mentioned no more are Jobs nor the three childrens Chrys Theoph. And for his eternity he was without beginning of dayes quia hoc scriptum non est Christus quia non habet initium Tedious I might be saith Dr. Reynolds in insisting on this point who Melchisedech was But when I find the Holy Ghost purposely concealing his name In Psal 110. Genealogy beginning ending and descent and that to special purpose I cannot but wonder that men should toile themselves in the dark to find out that of which they have not the least ground of solid conjecture and the inevidence thereof is expressely recorded to make Melchisedech thereby the fitter Type of Christs everlasting Priesthood The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 after the order of Melchisedech Sacrifice Amongst the Heathens whatsoever was burnt or offered up unto the Gods upon an Altar it had the name of a sacrifice And sometimes it was called victima quod vincta ad ar as stabat because the beast that was to be sacrificed stood bound unto the Altar Sometimes Hostia from an Obsolete verb hostio which is to strike because certain under-officers called in Latine Papae standing by the Altars all their upper parts naked and a lawral garland upon their head did hostiare victimam strike down and kill the sacrifice Others are of opinion that this name Hostia is taken from Hostis Ovid. an enemy according to that of the Poet Hostibus à domitis hostia nomen habet Because either before warre to procure the Gods favour or after warre in token of thankfulness they did hostiam ferire offer up the sacrifice There were divers sorts of sacrifices among the Jews 1. Whole burnt-offerings 2. Trespass-offerings 3. Sin-offerings 4. Peace-offering The sacrifices we are principally to offer up now Vâ—â— Dei est purum gratissima victima pectus Naz. are 1. Christ is to be offered up daily to God as the Propitiation for our sins 2. A brokon and contrite heart 3. Prayer and thanksgiving to God 4. We must offer our selves An Holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Four things commend the sacrifice of Christ 1. Sufficientia quoad pretium 2. Efficacia contra peccatum 3. Gloria quoad Praemium 4. Victoriâ— quoad adversarium As man had sinned so the blood of man must be poured out for the sin of man yea the blood of such a man as knew no sin A sinner cannot satisfy for sinners Neither was he to be a meer man but God and man The power of man is finite the power of God is infinite Therefore he that delivered us from sin offered up himself by his eternal Deity Blood Quid est sanguis quam rubens humor quid caro quam terra conversa in figuras suas Tertul. Robert Samuel Martyr said our bloodshed for the Gospel shall preach it with more fruit Act. Mon. Sanguis Martyrum sâ—men Ecclesâ— and greater furtherance than did our mouths lives and writings as did the blood of Abel and Stephen and many moe As Christ was man consisting of flesh and blood so he was also God an eternal and incomprehensible Spirit From this infinite and unspeakable Deity the blood of Christ receivs a power to make satisfaction for our sins Wherupon it is called the blood of God Act. 20.28 So it is called by a communication of Properties to set forth the incomparable value and vertue thereof The blood of Martyrs was offered up
by the assistance of the Holy Ghost yet it was not meritorious It was the power of the Deity that made Christs blood meritorious That gave both value and vertue to it both to satisfy and to sanctify And so we come to have a double benefit by the blood of Christ justification and sanctification from sins which are dead works The blood of Christ may be considered two wayes in the work of redemption 1. As the price of our Redemption Eph. 1.7 2. As it carries the right of Redemption Blood implies neernesse of relation Act. 17.26 As the blood of Adam runs in the veines of all his posterity and so there is a natural relation among all mankind So God hath made Christ and us of one blood Heb. 2.14 Christ as God had power to redeem us but as being Immanuel God with us he had also a right to redeem us The Pelican with her blood both feeds her young and cureth them being sâ—ung with serpents This is applicable to Christ in a spiritual sence The Idolaters offered the blood of their sons and daughters to their Idols but they would not offer their own But Christ gave not any blood but his own by his own blood he made a way into Heaven for us Constantine being told that nothing would cure his Leprosie but the blood of Infants would rather dye But Christ was content his blood should be shed to cure us A mother brings up her child with her owne milke but Christ his children with his owne blood Is not this the water said David 2 Sam. 23.17 for the which three worthy men ventured their lives he would not drink of it though very thirsty Our swearing drunkenness c. these cost the blood of the Son of God We are washed from them in the blood of Christ and shall we wollow in them When we are provoked to sin let us reason with our selves Indeed the water of these sins is sweet but did it not cost the blood of Christ We think sin to be nothing yet all the Martyrs on the earth and all the Angels in heaven could not have freed us from 〈◊〉 Christs blood is the price of our redemption the Son of God must shed his blood for it Therefore let the consideration hereof be a perpetual bridle to restrain us from sin Without shedding of blood is no remission Hebr. 9.22 Mass A certain Sorbonist finding it written in the end of St. Paul's Epistles Missa est Buxto f. c. bragged he had found the Mass in the Bible And another in reading in Joh. 1.41 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion Some of them as Bellarmine for one would fain ground it on Malac. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others fetch the Missa from an Hebrew word which signifyes tribute coming of another which signifies to melt because it many times melteth away mens estates Rectè quidem Rivet per Missam scilicet piet as omnis liquefacta dissoluta Upon these words Heb. 7.18 Reprobatio quidem fit praecedentis mandatâ— c. Here the Jesuites shew themselves very acute their wit mounteth above the Moon The old Mandate say they is gone viz. the Levitical Priesthood with the sacrifices thereof And the new Mandate is come in the room thereof that is the Gospel with the sacrifice thereof the Mass Whereof Maunday Thursday 〈◊〉 his name quasi Mandat Thursday because then the old Mandate of the â—ascal Lambe was abolished and the new Mandate of the sacrifice of the Mass was ordained in the supper Indeed Dr. Jones well observes it was once called Shear-Thursday because the Priests did shear their hair and shave their crownes on that dayâ— Afterwards it had the name of Maunday Thursday not of the Latine word Mandâtum that is far fetched but rather of the English word Maund or basket because the People brought their provision for feasting on that day in such To love one another is called the new Mandate but the supper hath never that name But here the Jesuites it may be make this note rather to shew their wit than Divinity Object In the time of the Law there was many sacrifycing Priests but now in the time of the Gospel there is but one sacrificing Priest and that is our Saviour Christ which offered one sacrifice once for the sins of the world Indeed spiritually we are all Priests to offer spiritual sacrifices to God but there is no Priest to offer an external sacrifice for sin but Christ This is firm there is but one sacrifice of the New Testament whereby the daily sacrifice of the Mass is over thrown There is but one bloody sacrifice which was once offered on the crosse but there is an unbloody sacrifice which Christ instituted at his last Supper Cum faciam vitulâ pro fâ—â—gibus ipse venito where the body and blood of Christ are offered under the similitudes of bread and wine which is a commemoration and an applification of his sacrifice on the crosse to usâ— for Christ said to his Disciples Hoc facite that is sacrificate As the Poets say Answ But where do they read in any Author the Hoc facite with an Accusative case doth signifie to sacrifice The Poet doth not say facere vitulam Besides Christ then ordained no Propitiatory sacrifice which was to be offered every day he instituted a Sacrament not such a sacrifice Moreover 1. In every sacrifice there is sensibile quiddam as Bellarmine confesseth and they also say it is an eternal thing and they call it Visibile sacrifiolum But in this imaginary sacrifice there is no outward sensible thing that may be discerned by the senses They say that the body and blood of Christ are there invisible under the shape of bread and wine therefore by their own Position it is no sacrifice 2. They confesse it to be an unbloody sacrifice and then no Propitiatory for the quick and dead Sacrificium incruentum as they will have it For without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins There is no blood shed therefore no remission of sins Then a Mass is worth nothing but a Phantastical dream of their own The Papists were used to say the sacrifice of the Mass that it was propitiatory for the quick and the dead but being forced to it by the light of Scripture they let go that hold and affirm that it is onely representativum commemorativum applicativum of the sacrifice on the crosse But however they minse it all the sacrifices instituted by God must cease after the oblation of that sacrifice whereby eternal redemption is obtained for us And then this new forged sacrifice is but a bird of their own hatching and must cease Besides if Christ be offered up in the sacrifice of the Mass then he suffers at every Mass for there can be no offering of Christ without suffering but he suffers not even in the judgment of the Papists Neither Bellarmine nor any of them
spent thirty years in Gallia Narbonensi in weeping for her sins And of St. Peter that he always had his eyes full of tears insomuch as his face was furrowed with continual weeping It s said of Sr. Philip Sidney that when he met with any thing he well understood not he would break out into tears faciles motus mens generosa capit The spouse in the Canticles had her eyes like the pooles of Heshbon glazed with tears Verbum preces lachrymae miserae arma sunt Ecclesiae Oratio sine malis est tanquam avis sine alis And as musick upon the water sounds farthar and more harmoniously than upon the land So prayers with tears are more pleasing to God and prevalent with him Tears are not words formally but virtually their voice is very significant Tears are effectual Oratours Laâ—ga Dei pietas veniam non dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum te lachrymante dabit Let us drown our sins in a deluge of tears Peter never look't more sweetly than when he wept most bitterly David never sung more Pathetically Chrysost than when his heart was broken most penitentially when tears instead of Gemmes were the ornament of his bed It is a witty observation of one that God is said in Scripture to have a bag and a bottle a bag for our sins a bottle for our teares and that we should help to fill this as we have that Every drop of these is kept safe as so much sweet-water Put thou my teares into thy bottle Psal 56. â— Pardon Est Paenae meritae remissio Seneca Sed nisi peccassem quid tu concedere posset Ovid. Dum tribuit veniam denotat culpam Pardon of sin is the removing or the lifting off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the passing away of sin from the sinner Job 7.21 Called 1. Paying of a debt 1 Joh. 2.12 2. Removing out of sight Isa 38.17 3. Washing and purging Psal 51.1 2. 4. Covering and not imputing Psal 32. 5. Blotting out Isa 43.25 Sin makes a man a debtor Grave votabulum debitorts And saith Ambrose the name of debtor is very unpleasing yet such is every sinner a debtor to Gods Justice by reason of the breach of his law Indeed man as a creature was a debtor to Gods authority commanding but withal he was able to pay that debt to the full and therefore it was no burden nor misery whereas man as a sinner is a debtor to Gods Justice punishing and this such a debt as he is never able to satisfy and therefore must lye in prison for ever A sinner may be red with blushing at the time of sinning but must needs be oftentimes pale for fear of paying Augustus would fain buy his pillow who was so much in debt as conceiving it was good to sleep on How can a sinner sleep securely who is indebted so deeply But now forgiveness taketh off this obligation and consequently the punishment it self so that look as a forgiven debtor is freed from whatsoever penalty his debt did render him liable to yea from being so much as liable to the penalty so is the forgiven sinner from the punishment it self which is the remote term and the obligation to it which is the proxime term of Pardon In this respect it is that Anselm saith to forgive sin is not to punish it And Austin to the like purpose And the schools For know there 's a great difference between these two to withold the Execution off and to withdraw the obligation to the punishment It is one thing for a creditor to give day of payment and another thing to cancel the bond A vast difference between forgiving and forbearing mercy This latter God vouchsafeth even to those who go on in sin but the former onely to his own penitent servants Novatus the proud Heretick denied possibility of pardon to them that had any whit fallen off in times of persecution though they rose again by repentance But Gods thoughts are not as mans Isa 55.8 Mic. 7.18 Beg we supernal grace to beleeve this and measure not God by our model God forgives all manner of sin all without exception Mat. 12.31 yea though it be blasphemy He blots out enormities as well as infirmities Isa 44.22 The sun by his force can scattâ—r the greatest mist as well as the least vapour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the sea by its vastness drown mountains as well as mole-hils The grace of our God abounds to flowing over The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin Dicitur Christus emundare abomni peccato quia nullum est tam immâ—ne facinus quod Christi sanguine non potest clui Justin in 1 Job 1.7 Paul was a blasphemer and so sinned against the first table he was also a persecuter and sinned against the second table he was injurious and so came near unto the unpardonable sin and yet he obtained mercy and pardon Ego admisi unde tu damnare potes me sed non amisisti unde tu salvare potes me saith Austin Man cannot commit more than God can and will remit to the penitent Men may forgive the trespasse God onely the transgression Ministers remit sins ministerially as Nathan did God onely authoritatively and by his own power Forgive us our debts Mat. 6.12 Read Mat. 18.27 Psal 33.1.2 Psal 103. â— 2 3 12. Isa 55.7 c. Mortification It is the one half of Christianity It is a dying to the world a denying of the will and all its natural desires An abstinence from pleasure and sensual complacencies that the flesh being subdued to the spirit both may joyn in the service of God and in the offices of holy Religion Haec tria in se comprehendit 1. Agnitio Peccati 2. Odium Peccati 3. Fugam à peccato Ab initio mortificationis naturae peccatum languescit in progressu labescit Origen In the beginning of the conflict corruption grows sick of it and by our pressing and pursuing it pines away it self into a consumption As Christ hath suffered in the humane nature so must we in the sinful nature using it as Christ was used that is first stripping it naked by confession and then piercing it the hands of it in respect of operation the feet in respect of progression and the heart in respect of affection We are so incorporated to the desires of sensual objects that we feel no relish or gust of the spiritual there is no proportion between the object and the appetite till by mortification of our first desires our wills are made spiritual and our apprehensions supernatural and clarified For as a Cook told Dionysius the tyrant the black broth of Lacedaemon would not do well at Syracuse unlesse it be tasted by a Spartans palate so neither can the excellencies of heaven be discerned but by a spirit disrelishing the sottish appetites of the world and accustomed to diviner banquets And this was also mystically signified by
veniunt ad classica venti And did not Julian while he was religious make Italy and Africk stoop to the Roman Empire When suddenly after his revolt he perished Socrat. l. 7. c. 18. Thus did Heraclius conquer the Persians till he became a Monothelite viz. An Heretick Regi menda maxime â—egum est salus Sen. holding there was but one will in Christ Piety and humility will make a Prince more famous than Hannibals incursions through the Alps into Italy than Scipio's great conquests Caesars miraculous victory or Alexanders sole Monarchy Besides as it shall magnifie him on earthâ— so shall it felicitate him in Heaven Aug. for as one saith truly Qui non tumet vento superbiae non cremabitur igne Gehennae Henry the first 〈◊〉 in Advaâ—â— of Learning Epist his Embleme was Rex illiteratus Asinus coronatus It 's said that in King James there met a rare conjunction as well of divine and sacred literature as of prophane and humane so that he stood invested of the triplicity which in great veneration was ascribed to the ancient Hermes therefore called Trismegistus the power and fortune of a King the knowledge and illumination of a Priest and the learning and universality of a Philosopher There have been Princes saith he and that in this Land which as the Heathen Politician compared his Tyrant have been like to ill Phyâ—icians that have purged out the good humors and left the bad behind them Or as Nazianzen like unto flies that light upon those parts which are sore but over-passe the parts which are whole With whom any thing hath been lawful but to be religious some of your gray hairs can be my witnesses Paulus Quintus Thus said he of whom one saith that for his Religion and learning he might dispute with that infallible Pope for his triple crown Ferdinand the son of Alphonsus King of Naples Turk Hist fol. 455. a Prince of rare perfection and singularly graced with all the vertues of true Nobility yet by the good fortune of the French against him and mutablenesse of the Neapolitans framing their fancies according to the condition of the time beginning to be had in contempt of them and receiving an unsufferable affront from an ingrateful and disloyal Captain of his own unworthily named Justus keeping him out of his own Castle and after all means used admitting no more than his single person At his very entrance he stabb'd the unworthy wretch to the heart with a dagger insomuch that he was slain in the midst of his armed soldiers Which was done with such a countenance and majesty that the Warders with their weapons in their hands dismayed with his look forthwith at his commandment opened the gate and received him in with all his followers Whereby it appeareth that in the countenance of Princes rests a certain Divine Majesty in all fortunes above the common course of Nature which is of power to daunt the hearts of most disloyal Traitors in the performance of their unnatural Treasons The Royal Scepter belongs to the King to stretch ouâ— in mercy to Hester and the Sword to strike Haman in justice Non minus Principi turpia sunt multa supplicia quà m Medico multa funera saith Seneca However it 's storied of Henry King of France the fourth of that name called also Henry the Great that he vanquished all them that opposed themselves to his just pretensions Grimst p. 101. and afterwards vanquished himself in pardoning them that had banded against him And yet it 's said France had never the like and they that come after may justly desire to see the reign of so mighty and so good a Monarch who made his people live in peace his neighbours in assurance and his enemies in continual fear Daâ— Hist Our Henry the sixth being indeed coursly used in a tumult and wounded for that he was at an under yet being restored he freely pardoned the offender saying Alas poor soul he strook me more to win favour with others than of any ill will be bare me A rare example of patience in a Prince In the Fable that Achilles was brought up under Chyron the Centaure part a man and part a beast is ingenuously but corruptly expounded by Machivel That it belongeth to the education and discipline of Princes to know as well how to play the part of the Lion in violence and the Fox in guile as of the Man in vertue and justice To be distrustful is the sinew of wisdom Yet Queen Elizabeth Fide sed cuâ— vide she would not believe any thing against her Subjects which a Mother would not believe against her children She said she would have her Subjects shorne but not devoured Trajan constituting a Ruler of the Praetorium gave him a sword with this mandate Hoc ense utaris pro me justè faciente contra me utaris si injusta fecero Alphonsus the Neapolitan King had a Standard with the signe of a Pelican piercing her breast with her beak to let out her blood to her young ones to feed them with this inscription Pro lege grege As in bodies so in the Republique Pliny the most grievous disease is that which comes from the head A sin though it be fearful in all yet in a King is more eminent and cause of example Rex si bonus muritor est tuus si malus tentator tuus est Therefore the sins of Kings are more dangerous than in the Plebeians However that 's a good rule Austin gives Is he a good King he is thy Nurse receive thy nourishment with obedience If evil he is thy Tempter receive thy trial with patience The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over men 2 Sam. 23.3 must be just ruling in the fear of God Court The proverb is Exeat Aulà qui velit esse pius Yet that 's a rare commendation that is given by Xenophon of Cyrus his Courtiers That though a man should seek or choose blindfold he could not miss of a good man And of George Prince of Anhalt of whom Melancthon writeth That his Chamber was Ecclesia Academia Curia a Church an University and a Court. And doubtless such a one was David's Court Psal 101. Therefore let us not shoot our fools bolt rashly and say of such places as Nathanael did of Galilee Can any good come out thence Scripture affords us a Catalogue of many and pious good Courtiers in the Courts both of good and bad Princes whose hearts have not been puffed up with preferment As Joseph Obadiah Nehemiah Mordecai Daniel c. Yea in the Court of Caesar himself All the Saints salute you chiefly they that are of Caesars houshold Phil. 4.22 Subjects Submission which we owe unto Rulers hath in it these six things 1. Obedience Tit. 3.1 2. Honour Rom. 13.7 3. Loyalty endeavouring their preservation 4. Piety in praying for them 2 Tim. 2.1 5. Maintenance
therefore famous in Bethlehem But yet many things were left unrectified which either they did not see or could not help All which may shew us that it is a praise proper to Christ only to be Alpha and Omega Author and Finisher of that he sets about Behold Rev. 21.5 I make all thinks new Read Isa 65.17 18.2 Cor. 5.17 Mutability Princes are like the Sun and great Subjects are like the Dials if the Sun shine not on the Dial no man will look on it Wicked purposes are easily checked not easily broken off Sauls sword is scarce dry from the blood of the Philistines when it thirsts anew for the blood of David Saul rent Samuels garment now David Sauls both were significant the rending of the one signified the Kingdome torne out of those unworthy hands the cutting of the other that the life of Saul might have been as easily cut off Both signes and symptoms of mutability The greatest changes are incident to the greatest persons Rulers of times become captives and they who sate on Thrones live in Prisons Nebuchadnezzars goodly image did degenerate and gradually abase from a head of gold to a breast and armes of silver thence to belly and thighes of brasse to legges of iron and feet of iron and clay All these represented some Kings and Kingdoms falling and others rising upon their ruines till a Kingdom do arise which should never fall The most durable creatures are changeable the heavens are an emblem of continuance yet in a perishing condition and shall be if not totally annihilated yet much altered from what they are as will amount to this They are no more The mountains and rocks change ordinarily by the power of time every mixt body hath the seed of corruption in it and therefore must corrupt naturally though God should not destroy it providentially or judiciarily Man is a very mutable creature In his body suffering every day an alteration perfective or corruptive yea while he is growing stronger hasting not only to weaknesse but to dissolution Farther consider him in reference to his mind we use to say of several men so many men so many minds And for his civil state Quot homines tot sentcutiae of honour power riches and relations day unto day makes report that it is of little continuance Man hath three great changes 1. In his outward condition a change from weaknesse to strength from poverty to riches from sorrow to joy 2. Death is the great change of mankind The Saints change for the better wicked men for the worse 3. At the Resurrection for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Only mortality is the stage of mutability for beyond this world there are no changes Heaven and Hell a state of eternal blessednesse or wretchednesse have no changes in them nor anything that is Heterogeneal or of another kind Heaven which hath light and joy in it hath no darknesse no sorrow at all in it Hell which hath darknesse and sorrow in it hath no light nor joy at all in it Mixtures and changes are made here on earth when our last change is fully come we shall go beyond all changes All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait Job 14.14 till my change come Help Aid or Assistance Many mens helps are like that of Hananiab to Jeremiah cap. 28.13 They break some yokes of wood that they may have the better occasion to make for them yokes of iron There is a two fold help God giveth 1. Common And this Gods people have with the rest of all the world 2. Special Carrying them forth to do gracious acts and to perform good compleatly Without me ye can do nothing John 15. Far were the Romans from helping the oppressed Britains Dan. Chron. when they sent for aid they complained that betwixt the barbarous enemy and the Sea as two kind of deaths they were either murthered or drowned but their implorations prevailed not But the Saints comfort is that where humane help faileth divine beginneth Give us help in trouble for vain is the help of man Psal 60.11 Desolation I will utterly consume all things from off the land saith the Lord I will consume man and beast I will consume the fowles of the heaven and the fishes of the sea This is a threatning against Juda by the Prophet Zephaniah Cap. 1 2 3. the strangest devastation and destruction that ever was for in the plague of Egypt there was the death of the first-born the death of beasts and of the fishes by water turned into blood but I find not that the fowles of heaven were destroyed In the drowning of the world although the beasts of the field and fowles of the air perished yet cannot I collect the destruction of the fishes But in this man and beast and fish and fowle all things are threatned to be destroyed Hierom affirmeth the like of his native Countrey wasted so with warre Vt prater calum et canum et crescentes vipres et condensa siâ—varum cuncta perierint In meâ patriâ deus venter est et in diem vivitur sanctior est illâ— qui ditior that besides air and earth and briars and forrests all was destroyed And that we may not wonder at this severity of God here what he elsewhere saith In my Countrey their belly is their god their glory is in their shame and they minde earthly things And so their end hath been destruction and utter desolation True it is that desolation is the fruit of sin witnesse Sodom which was once as Egypt yea as Eden but is now a place of Nettles and Salt-pits Judea that once Lumen totius Orbis now laid desolate And Babylon a place if we may believe Strabo of incredible fertility and increase yet suffering destruction by thy Medes It were easie to instance in the seven Churches of Asia the Palatinate and other parts of Germany c. Yea such is the hatred God beareth to sin that his hand is upon the insensible creatures for mans sake A fruitful land turneth he into burrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 197.34 Arts and Sciences commendable and cursed Ars. NEmo est quin aliquâ arte praeclarus est Art is twofold of 1 Body 2. Soul Either 1. Cosmetick Amongst other History is much to be conunended as Antedating time and bringing experience without gray hairs Art of Decoration 2. Medicinal Art or Cure 3. Athletick Art or Activity 4. Voluptuary eruditus luxus as Tacitus calls it It is storied that about Astreds time King of England before his instauration there was not a Grammarian sound in his Kingdom to teach him Nulla ars doceri praesumitur nisi intentâ priùs meditatione discatur Artisicium est judicare de arte is a maxime of infallible truth and yet ignorance begets confidence He that teacheth man knowledge Psal 94.10 shall not he know Ingenuity
according as the Apostle writes Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Being thus lifted up in the very gall of bitterness there was given him gall and vinegar to drink his last that so the second Adam might bear the punishment of the first Adams offence in tasting the juice of the forbidden fruit Neither did the malice of men fix it self here till they fixed both his hands and his feet to the Cross with nails which assures us of the blotting out of the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us both of the dissolution of all Ceremonial pactions and of the full cancelling of the Bond Moral for so much as concerns the forfeiting that lay upon us This did not satiate their cursed humours Col. 2.14 but a spear must be thrust through his side that we might find an open passage to the Heavenly Jerusalem for our selves cleansed with his blood that cleanseth from all sin and washt away with the water of Regeneration flowing from him as from a bottomless Fountain of eternal life Thus was our Saviour roughly handled in his last gasp till he gave up the ghost Therefore did he come That mundus ex mundo that he might minister and give his life a ransom for many Mat. 20.28 A ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 To be a Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 even of them that deny him who bought them and bring justly on themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 And such an High-Priest became us When this Oblation was finish'd 2. He made another of the same Body revived and raised from death but sprinkled with his blood This he did in the Heavens in the glorious presence of the Divine Majesty to be a perpetual remembrance and token of the payment of our Ransom of the impetration of our Redemption For Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.11 12. So that he offered up himself first here below after above The first being done ceased For in that he died he died once to sin Rom. 6.10 The second is perpetuated Because he continueth for ever he hath an unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.24 He accomplish'd the first ut Agnus mactandus as a Lamb to be slain This he doth always at Agnus mactatus as a Lamb slain but quickned again by the Spirit That was consummated in the state of his Humiliation this continueth in the state of his Exaltation both prosecuted in the height of his love for the glory of God and the benefit of man For the first He was sanctified with the unction of the Spirit For the last He was consecrated by his manifold passions anointed with his own blood So that upon Earth he provided himself by the first to do the last in the Heavens being made higher than the Heavens And certainly such an High-Priest became us As this our High-Priest made himself an Offering for sin 1 Tim. 2.5 so made he also and ever makes intercession for transgressors Isa 53.12 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.2 S. Paul calleth him the Mediator betwixt God and man who speaks a good word for us that we might be where he is and as he is free from condemnation Rom. 3.34 Tam recens mâ—bâ— nuâ—c Christus est acsi â—âc borâ fudiffet sanguinem Luth. For saith he Who shall condemn It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of God making intercession for us and to that end ever liveth Hence will he never fail to do it in all ages because consecrated to iâ— for evermore All accusations are here hereby nonsuited and removed which either men or devils may make against us But lest some should vainly surmise that Christ intercedes for all promiscuously To prevent all such misconception remember what he saith I pray not for the world Joh. 27.9 but for them which thou hast given me Unbelievers and disobedient are excluded from the benefit of his Intercession as well as the merits of his Passion only the Elect faithful that are constant to the death and continue to the end shall be partakers of both And this is the second part of his Priesthood practised by him in the execution of it which is not done in the anguish of his soul or humbly bending of the knee or kissing of the hand as if he were prostrate at the feet of his Father but in confidence of his blood-shed which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel which he presents to his Fathers aspect as a never to be forgotten spectacle of a cursed death voluntarily suffered for the sins of men upon the value and worth whereof depends the whole efficacie of his function by which we have admittance to the Throne of grace and entrance into the place of the blessed Heb. 10.19 Hence Gods favour is established upon us and he not provoked against us Gods compassion is vouchsafed us in the times of distress the Devils power is restrained that he cannot hurt us our faith kept that it may not fail us our sins forgiven he pleading for us protection granted us against the worlds hatred our supplications and suits obtained our imperfections by degrees abolisht our hope of the heavenly glory within the vail made sure unto us needful blessings in the interim confer'd upon us for the Father alwayes heareth the Son and resteth well-pleased in him and through him in us I could wish the men of Rome would rest well pleased in him with whom the Father is well pleased would hear of no other meriting Intercessor but of him whom the Father heareth alwayes nor of any other Redeemer than of him only whom the Father appointed to bring us to him But such is their Sacrilegious bounty that in that office which is bestowed only on the Kings Son they most injuriously would employ the Kings servants A greater blurr cannot be put upon our Saviour to disparage him nor any thing sound more harsh in the ears of well-informed Christians they may not think they may put this off with honour with allowing him to be the only Mediatour of redemption but not of intercession their practice contradicts their speeches for they do not only beg the prayers of the Saints but their merits too to purge away their sins and supply their wants So they part the whole mediation betwixt God and man betwixt Christ and the Saints the Son of God and the sons of men But
saith Bernard Offenso Dee c. Bern Jer. 17.5 When God is offended with me Who shall pray for me to make man my refuge I am inhibited under the pain of a dreadful execration Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord. To commit our cause to the blessed heavenly Courtiers that are indeed ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 We have no such warrant c. Therefore his conclusion it Talis ergo requirendus ad orandum qui sit idoneus ad placandum we must therefore seek to such a one to pray for us who is of a competent ability to make God propitious to us And such alone is the Angel of the Covenant the mâ—â— Christ Jesus For none cometh to the Father but by him none are reconciled to God but by his passion by his intercession And such an High-Priest became us Now the Lord Jesus Christ the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good work to do his will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight Christian Religion hath for its object Christ and him crucified which to know is in the end life without end All our happinesse is enwrapt in him for in him alone 1 Cor. 1.30 and by him shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed he is made to us of God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Hence he became our High-Priest to reveale to us the will of the Father whereby we may become wise unto salvation thus he is our wisdom To bestow upon us everlasting righteousnesse whereby we may be justified in the sight of heaven thus he is our righteousnesse To infuse into our hearts the saving graces of his quickning Spirit whereby we may be holinesse to the Lord so our sanctification Lastly to pour out his righteous soul a sacrifice for sin whereby to redeem us from the power of our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us thus our redemption So that of this fulnesse we do all receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1.16 and grace for grace Gratia N.T. pro gratia V. the grace of the new Law the Law of faith for the grace of the old Law Theophil the Law of works saith Theophilact that is the grace by which we receive the remission of sinne next the grace by which we receive at last everlasting life saith August which is the free gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. August Rom. 6. ult First the grace of God towards his Son after the grace of the Son toward us to make us the sons of God say Divines But with Musculus I say Musculus that our receiving of grace for grace is of grace upon grace intimating the pouring out upon us an over-flowing measure and a copious multiplication of supernatural gifts without discrimination First we receive one then another than to that with an augmentation of all according to the divine dispensation wherefore the Father of mercies is said to blesse us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 1. electing us in him before the foundation of the world adopting us in him his Son to be his sons in him making us uccepted in him as in his beloved redeeming us through the precious blood of him as of a Lamb without spot vouchsafing us the forgivenesse of our sins for his sake according to the riches of his grace unfolding unto us by the divine illumination of his Spirit the secret mysteries of salvation and sealing us by the same Spirit to the glorious day of our full and perfect redemption John 14 6. Sequemur Demine te perte ad te te quia veritas per te quia vita ad te quia vita Bern. Our High-Priest himself tells us that He is the way the truth and the life whereupon Saint Agustine Ambulare vis est via falli non vis est veritas mori non vis est vita wilt thou walk uprightly He is the way wilt thou not be deceived He is the truth Wilt thou not die He is the life The like saith Saint Ambrose Si Caelum desideras via est si errorem fugis veritas est si mortem times vita est If thou desirest heaven He is the way if thou declinest error He is the truth if thou fearest death He is life He hath laid open the gates of heaven for them to enter that believe in him that walk in him He is the way he hath dispel'd all the clouds of ignorance and mists of error that we might see the truth and embrace it He is the truth he hath swullowed up death in victory that we might in him triumph over death and the grave and live in him with him and by him and He is the life All these is our High-Priest to us the way truth and life in whom the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily He is holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners Davenant in Colos 2. and made higher than the heavens For such an High-Priest became us Which leads me to his gracious qualities Thy gracious assistance therefore my blessed Saviour deny me not but supply my wants out of the largenesse of thy bounty fill my heart with heavenly meditations then guide my pen to set forth thy praise being holy harmlesse c. Quo major est cujusque virtus eo difficilius est de ipso dicere Bertius in Oraf by how much more eminent are the good parts of any man by so much the more difficult is it to report exactly of his deserved commendations The glorious shine of my Saviours worth the Sun of righteousnesse doth so dazle I professe my weak understanding that as I cannot fully comprehend his admired worth so I cannot but be defective in delineating his matchlesse qualities wherefore foreseeing I shall come short perhaps of the Readers expectation but certainly of a perfect decyphering of such a High-Priests character as the Spirit hath exprest be so charitably affected as either to passe it over with a friendly connivance or to taxe it with an easie censure In confidence therefore of Divine assistance and Christian good-will I proceed under correction because of polluted lips to treat of the holinesse of our High-Priest He is holy as he is God for God cannot be tempted with evil James 1.13 There is no unrighteousnesse in the holy one of Israel Hearken unto me saith Job cap. 34.10 ye men of understanding far be it from God All sin is offensivum Dei adversivum á Deo that he should do wickednesse and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity Hither tends that part of Davids prayer Psal 5.4 Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse neither shall evil dwell with thee Either therefore we must confesse him
8.36 For Christ hath freed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us If the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed And liberty from the bondage of sin Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin saith our Saviour Joh. 8.34 But he that hath the peace of a good conscience is not in subjection to the dominion of sin but is servant to righteousness having obtained the liberty proper to the sons of God to which he is called Liberty from the burden of humane traditions and superstitious inventions of men either crept into the Church through the subtilty of Satan or neglect of the Pastors or impiously imposed by the Antichristian Hierarchy under the shew of piety and Religion 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Liberty from the fear of Tyrants in matters concerning the solemn worship of God or fear of danger in matters indifferent The conscience of a man rightly informed and guided by discretion is apt to undertake all that may make for Gods glory the Churches good and his own salvation Fear not little flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom The last effect of this peace is Joy and it is called Joy unspeakable in the Holy Ghost such an excess of joy as we want utterance to express it A good conscience that is a pacified conscience saith Solomon is a continual feast it frollicks and merries the heart in the very prease of adversity it encourages a man to alacrity of spirit and a certain hope of victory and it admits no bitter invective to be cast out against us to deject us nor produceth any clamorous accusation to ruine us Amâ—s but being calm and quiet excusat absolvit consolatur saith Amesius it pleads our excuse it frees us from condemnation it brings in an ebullition or a springtide-like overflow of all soveraign comforts Balaam did wish that he might die the death of the righteous I for my part wish to live the life of the righteous None under heaven can live a more truly jocund life or at greater hearts ease than he that hath an upright conscience towards God and towards man His soul in the midst of tribulation is full ballasted with rejoicing which the world cannot take away Hab. 3.18 It was Habbakkuk's resolution that notwithstanding all misery he would rejoice in the Lord he would joy in the God of his salvation But is it so with the wicked can they participate of saving consolation It cannot be Yet my charity forceth this good wish for them I would they did for then would they bid adieu to all sinful courses which in the end prove dismal I am sure I have seen the wicked rejoice in their wickedness yet that rejoicing as it is like crackling of thorns under a pot of short continuance so it is never hearty And wot you why surely because their conscience can never be at rest There is no peace Isa 57.21 saith my God unto the wicked For their consciences tell them that the Lord hath a quarrel unto them for their sins they see their condemnation printed in their soul as it were with red letters in an Almanack How can it be otherwise Where there is no zealous reluctation to evil but a constant gliding into mischief and study to transgress when sinners confident in the imagination of their giddy heads like Tumblers that stand upon their heads kick against Heaven what expectation of peace or joy or what hope of Divine solace can they have On the contrary They that war against the flesh and will not admit any composition th Satan they that spend themselves to please God and to be in league with heaven It cannot be but being that all your aims bend at peace Isa 57.2 you shall end in peace and rest in joy and glory everlasting Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever There remains yet two other kinds of peace to be treated of peace with one another and with the creatures Sin the cause of all confusion hath so distempered the whole fabrick of man and bred such malignant humors in our nature that unlesse the God of order take us in hand we are apt upon the least occasion to lay violent hands one upon another or else by secret contrivances to work one anothers downfal If unbridled passions once get but an head in man nothing unlesse Gods restringent grace stop him shall hold him from breaking out into outragious disorders Wherefore to cure this malady this running sore it seemed good to the God of peace to send his beloved Son the Prince of peace into the world Part of whose function was not to put men together by the eares Sacrosancta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nobis committitur non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to combine their hearts together by a loving union He came and preached peace to you that were afar off and to them that were nigh My peace saith Christ I give unto you And this is my commandment saith love it self that ye love one another Ephes 2.17 John 14.27 cap. 15.12 17. History reports that the Temple of Janus in Rome Paynim at the time of Christs Nativity had all the gates thereof laid open Histor Rom. which was interpreted to be a manifest intimation of a general peace over all the world And out of doubt in whom the Spirit of Christ beareth rule they are ever addicted to a peaceful life for peace whereof the turbulent spirit makes no reckoning is reckoned among the fruits of the blessed spirit Seeing then that Christ brought it preacht it gives it commands it I shall therefore briefly presse it This kind of peace is twofold Civil and Ecclesiastical As Religion is the King upon which the Government of the Political State depends and moves so Peace is the Raile that keeps both close together Truth hath aver'd it that Kingdoms Cities and houses divided against themselves cannot stand Factious spirits in the Commonwealth and schismatical hot-brains in the Church by their unhappy divisions lay a gap open for destruction to enter in by For the preventing whereof be ever observant of the Apostles wholsome advice which is 1 Thes 4.11 5.13 to study to be quiet and to be at peace among your selves We must not let loose the raines to precipitate passion or let flie distastful language unbeseeming the professors of the Gospel of Christ but ever by a sanctified discretion moderate our minds in love and keep our selves within the precise circuit of Piety and Religion Reason it self pleadeth for a civil behaviour towards all which in reason cannot be denied
speaking unto Abraham he saith That in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed It was necessary necessitate praecepti by the necessity of precept Hitherto are referred the Types of Christ which were significant intimations of his succeeding passion As Abrahams offering up his son Isaac the brazen Serpent erected in the Wildernesse according to that John 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernesse even so must the Son of man be lifted up The Paschal Lamb was a type hereof for Christ is called the Lamb of God John 1.29 that takes away the sins of the world Besides this the Prophets did precisely foretel the particulars of his suffering how his familiar friend should betray him Psal 41.9 What price he was sold at for thirty pieces of silver Zech. 11.12 What became of these thirty pieces ver 13. What time he should suffer Daniel How his Disciples forsooke him and Peter denied him Psal 38.11 Zech. 13.7 It was foretold that he should be falsely accused Psal 41. That the great ones of the world should plot his fall Psal 2. His silence is noted Isa 53. So are the spittles wherewith they defiled his face Isa 50. And the buffettings and smitings that he suffered at their hands Isa 53. The Reed in his hand the mockings and reproaches the Vinegar and Gall the parting of his rayment the piercing of his hands and feet and sides the staring upon him and wagging their heads his crucifying betwixt two thieves and his last parting with the very words he used then were precisely revealed by God to the Prophets and set down by them in Scripture Our Saviour himself saith Luk. 9.22 that the Son of man that is himself must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and chief Priests and Scribes and be slain Caiphas being high Priest prophesied as much John 11.50 That it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not And as the Poet speaks Vnum pro multis dabitur caput It was necessary necessitate indigentiae by the necessity of our want We stood in need of his sufferings without which we could not be saved for without the shedding of blood Hebr. 9.22 there is no remission It was the ordinance of God from eternity that by blood we should be redeemed and no otherwise Not that he could not redeem us otherwise but that he would not otherwise deeming this way the most convenient And therefore lastly It was necessary necessitate commoditatis by the necessity of commodiousness and conveniencie There was no better away to free us from sin to work our salvation to reconcile us to God than by the sufferings and death of the Son of God I doubt not but God in his infinite wisdom might have used another means for the saving of our souls besides this but lest we disparage Gods judgment we cannot say but this was the most convenient and best because it was the determination of his will before all time Which was the reason that Saint Cyprian aver'd this Non reconciliare Deo potuerit exules damnatos quaelibet oblatio nisi sanguinis hujus singulare sacrificium not every oblation could reconcile such unto God as are banished from the presence of God and worthy of condemnation but only the peculiar and only propitiatory sacrifice of the blood of Christ The necessity of this conveniencie consists in these respects beside freedome from sin and reconciliation to God 1. In that it serves for the manifestation of the love of God to us according to that Rom. 5.8 God commended his love toward us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us And herein is the love of Christ also commended greater love can no man shew than to lay down his life for his friends but Christ did his for his foes Now it was necessary for us to have assurance of the favor of God which is given us by the death of his Son 2. In that it serves for an example to us of obedience to the pleasure of our heavenly Father Of humility of constancie of righteousnesse and of other vertues and graces manifested in his Passion 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps 3. In that it served to procure for us with a great deale more conveniencie Hebr. 10.20 justifying grace and eternal glory by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh 4. In that there is brought upon man a greater necessity of keeping himself free from sin being that he understands that he is redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 6.20 The Apostle saith that ye are bought with a price therefore glorifle God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods The consideration of Christ's death should be a means to deteine us from transgressing the Divine Ordinances and to keep us within the compasse of his Law Passe the time of your sojurning hear in fear for as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from year vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. 5. In that it serves for the greater dignity of man That as man was deceived seduced and overcome of Satan So Satan might be overcome by a man And as man deserved death so death might be overcome by a man the man Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 15.57 Thanks be to God saith the Apostle which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And thus much of the necessity of the sufferings of Christ of the necessity of Gods Decree of his Promise of precept of our want and of conveniencie Here is no coactive necessity whether he would or not to suffer for he saith I lay down my life for my sheep He did suffer willingly yet his sufferings were not so voluntary as that they became arbitrary in his choise that is he might choose to suffer or not to suffer for Amâ—s Si Christi passiones nullâ fuissent lege impositae nihil pertinerent ad satisfactionem Now listen to the effects that these sufferings of his wrought for us By them we are freed from sin For He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1.5 And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 And from the power of Satan We meritted to be delivered up unto Satan the justice of God did so require it The Devil himself endeavoured to stop from us the way to life but the death of Christ opened the way for us and did exceed that power that was given to Satan of God by the righteousnesse of Christ he was overthrown Now saith our Saviour shall the Prince of this world be cast out And
him renounce God and Salvation upon which that wretched malicious enemy killeth him with this boast Now he had satisfied his revenge for he had not onely killed his body but damned his soul It is a great depravity in our natures and surely an affection that savoureth of hell to comfort our selves in the sufferings of others But to procure the miseries of others in those extremities wherein we hold an hope to have no society ourselves is methinks a strain above Lucifer and a project beyond the primary seduction of hell Revenge Indignus Casaris irâ— 1. It is an effeminate passion the generous mind disdaineth it as not daining to debase himself These are the worst spirits that are possest with thoughts of revenge Quippe minuti Semper infirmi est animi exiguique voluptas Vltio Hail Vero magni est animi quasdam injurias negligere nec ad quorundam convicia habere vel aures vel linluam Erasm thunder lightning hurt not superiour bodies but inferiour so childish quarrels hurt not great and high minds 2. It is a biting passion like a worm it gnaweth the heart of him that is infected with it 3. It is full of injustice it tormenteth the innocent 4. The execution is not onely painful but dangerous he doth that he wisheth to be undone the fear of justice tormenteth him and the care to hide him those that love him 5. To kill his enemy is not revenge for he feeleth not the power of his wrath which is the end of revenge In true revenge the revenger takes some pleasure and he upon whom he is revenged must feel the weight of his displeasure and repent which he that is killed cannot do Besides to kill is cowardly for though it makes an end of the quarrel yet it wounds the reputation It is a trick of precaution not of courage the way to proceed safely not honourably A wise man will neglect injuries Momus in Lucian tels Jupiter It is in thy power whether any one shall vex or wrong thee One having made a long and idle discourse before Aristotle concluded it thus I doubt I have been too tedious unto you Sr. Philosopher with my many words In good sooth said Aristotle you have not been tedious to me for I gave no heed to any thing you said The manlier any man is the milder and more merciful as David 2 Sam. 1.12 And Julius Caesar who when he had Pompey's head presented to him wept and said Non mihi placet vindicta sed victoria I seek not revenge but victory True it is that private revenge is utterly unlawful unlesse it be in a mans own necessary defence where the case is so sudden that a man cannot call in the help of the Magistrate but must either kill or be killed Otherwise that of Lactantius holdeth true Non minus mali est injuriam referre quà m inferre And that of Seneca Immane verbum est ultio revenge is a cruel word I will conclude this in the words of Ambrose O domine Comment in Luk. l. 10. in illa verba lucae cur emere me jubes gladium qui ferire me prohibes Cur haberi precipis quem vetas promi nisi forte ut sit parata defensio non ultio ut videar potuisse vindicare sed noluisse Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath Rom. 12.19 for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. Murder It is reported of the Bees that aegrotante unâ lamentantur emnes when one is sick Homicidium est injustâ homin is occisio Ames they all mourn And of sheep that if one be faint the rest will stand betwixt it and the sun till it be revived Onely man to man is most pernicious We know that a bird yea a bird of prey once fed a man in the wildernesse that a beast Homo solus sibi inimicus yea a beast of fierce cruelty spared a man in his den Whereupon saith a learned Father Ferae parcunt aves pasount homines saeviunt hence also we may conclude with Solomon Pro. 17.12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man Cypr. serm 6. rather than a fool in his folly Surely if others sins have a woe hanging at their heeles according to that of Job Cap. 10.15 bloody men shall have a woe with a witnesse Nahum 3.1 as those that walk in the way of Cain â—ude 11. The blood of one Abel had so wany tongues as drops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Caryl and every drop a voice to cry for vengeance True neither did the blood nor the earth speak formally the blood had no voice and the ground was silent blood hath no more voice of its own than water hath or than a fish that lives in the water hath but the Lord speakes thus to shew that he will certainly bring bloody sins chiefly the sin of blood to light The justice of God in all ages hath sent out his writ of enquiry after bloody men and for the blood of the innocent Yea God will as it were give a tongue to the earth he will make speechless creatures speak rather than blood shall be concealed Blood may be concealed a long time but blood shall not alwayes be concealed Murder is a crying sin for which God makes inquisition and strangely brings it to light Wonderful are the instances how murderers have met with the hand of revenge some immediately from God others from the civil sword of the Magistrate some from the hand of murderers like themselves and many have done violence to their own lives being haunted and hunted by the furies of their own consciences It was a saying of K. James that if God did leave him to kill a man he would think God did not love him The blood of man violently spilt doth not bring sorth hony-bees to sting hands and face but the monstrous beast called revenge which hath destroyed whole kingdomes The blood of a wicked man Mr. Needlars Expos Not. if innocently shed cryes If Abel had murdered Cain Cains blood would have cryed and called upon God for justice against Abel But Abels blood cryes according to the worth of the person for Abel was a Saint c. Psal 72.14 Psal 116.15 Blood-guiltiness made not onely Cain restlesse Clamitat in coelum vox sanguinis Sodomorum vox oppressorum merces retenta laborum but how terrible also was the voice of it in Judas conscience It did need no tongue no voice no witnesse to accuse it but his own No man accused Judas but in case of blood Judas must accuse himself Mat. 27.3 The burden of it lyes so heavy on the conscience and how strangely doth the Lord bring forth blood by the persons themselves The busy brood of Romes factors are called Jesuites but they may more fitly be called Jehuites Jesus was as meek as a Lamb but Jehu was a man of blood so be they
Andronicus the old Emperour of Greece in his speech to his young Nephew said Forasmuch as I next unto God have been the Author of thy nativity and increase give me my life Turk Hist fol. 172. spare thy fathers head with violent weapon spill not that blood from which thou thy self hast taken the fountain of life Man truly beholdeth heaven and earth and heaven and earth behold mens actions Wherfore make not the heaven and the earth beholders of so wicked an outrage as never man ever committed If brothers blood long ago cryed out unto the Lord against Cain how much lowder shall the fathers blood cry unto the Lord and declare so great a wickednesse unto the earth the sun and starres and make it abhorred of all the Princes of the world Regard my miserable old age which of it self promiseth unto me shortly death Reverence the hands which have oftentimes most lovingly embraced thee yet crying in thy swathing clouts Reverence those lips which have oftentimes most lovingly kissed thee and called thee my other soul c. Charles the ninth of France Author of the bloody Massacre of Paris died of exceeding bleeding Richard the third of this Kingdome and Q. Mary had the shortest raigns of any since the conquest Absolom and Achitophel came to tragical and unhappy ends So did all the Primitive persecutors according to that Psal 55.23 Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their dayes Phidias painted the image of Minerva with his own that none could deface the one but both So hath God imprinted his own image upon man And though its true by the fall it is defaced and abolished yet are there some reliques thereof still abiding which God will not have destroyed Consider if hatred be so damnable what is murder It is the destruction of Gods image of a member of Christ for whom Christ died and a Temple of the Holy Ghost The land is polluted by it and cannot be expiated but by blood If Dives be in Hell for not saving life how shall they escape Hell that destroy it Whose sheddeth mans blood Gen. 9.6 by man shall his blood be shed for in the imagâ— of God made he man The Law is made for the lawlesse and disobedient for murderers of fathers 1 Tim. 1.9 and murderers of mothers Deliver me from blood-guiltiness Psal 51.14 O God Ingratitude Omne dixeris maledictum cum ingratum hominem dixeris To render good for evil is divine to render good for good is humane to render evil for evil is bruitish but to render evil for good is devillish While I hold up his chin to save him from drowning he with his heel should kick me under water Lycurgus the Lacedemonian law-giver would make no law against such Quod prodigiosares esset beneficium non rependere because it could not be imagined that any would be so unworthy as not to recompence one kindnesse with another And the old Romanes decreed that such as were found guilty of this fault should be cast alive to the Cormorant to be pulled in pieces and devoured Ingrato quod donatur deperditur saith Seneca And Amare non redamentem Ille non dignus est dandis qui ingratus est de datis Speed est amoris impendia perdere saith Hierom All 's lost that is laid out upon an unthankful person He buries benefits as the barren earth doth the seed He is as once was said of the Pope like a Mouse in a satchel or a Snake in ones bosom who do but ill repay their Hostess for their lodging An unthankful man is a naughty man nay he is an ugly man Therefore our Saviour fitly yokes them together To the unthankful and to the evil Luk. 6 35. Injury Qui nescit ferri injurias vivere nescit Socrates when one gave him a box on the eâ—r in the market-place said Quà m molestum est nescire homines quando prodire debeant cum gratiâ What an odd thing it is to go abroad without an head-piece Pestifera vis est valere ad nocendum saith Seneca And yet again bars revenge Hydrae uno capite resecto septem alia repullala bant Vnde Proverbium Hydram secaâ— For saith he Quemadmodum praecisae arboâ—es plurimis ramis repullulant ita crudelitas auget inimicorum numerum tollendo For it engageth all their relations against us in the quarrel In a matter of strise saith Basil he hath the worse that carries it And Aristotle himself yieldeth That of the twain it is better to suffer the greatest wrong than to do the least But how many have we like the angry Bee that care not to sting another though it be to the loss of their own lives Whiles we are thus busie in breaking those darts that men shoot from afar against us we are oppressed by the Devil near hand us Nay in thus resisting evil we give place to the Devil whom if by patience and forbearance we could resist he would flie from us Not rendring evil for evil 1 Pet. 3.9 Innocency After that Bajazet and his four sons were made away Turk Hist. fol. 782. at the command of Solyman the Magnificent there remained the youngest but new-born and at nurse who was now upon the death of his father commanded by his said Grandfather to be strangled also The Eunuch sent by Solyman to have done the deed and loth to do it himself took with him one of the Porters of the Court a desperate and otherwise an hard-hearted Ruffian a man thought fit to have performed any villany He coming into the chamber where the Child lay and fitting the bow-string to the Childs neck to have strangled him the innocent Babe smiled upon him and lifting up it self as well as it could with open arms offered to have embraced the Villain about the neck and kissed him Which guiltless simplicity so wounded the stony-hearted man that he was not able to perform the intended butchery of the poor simple Child but fell down in a swoun and there lay for dead Such is the rare force of Innocency Yet we must neither be Foxes nor Asses The Romane rule was Neâ— fugere nâ—â— soqui He that makes himself too much a Sheep shall scarce escape worrying with Dogs Columbine simplicity doth well when it is mixed with Serpentine subtilty A Serpents eye saith one in a Doves head is an excellent ornament Be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Mat. 10.16 Contentation Pirrhus being demanded of Cyneas What he intended after he had won his many great intended Victories answered Live merrily To whom he replied So he might do already would he but be content with his own It is not the great Cage that maketh the Bird sing Nor the great Estate that brings inward joy and cordial contentment As a Bird with a little eye and the advantage of a wing to soar with may see far wider than an Oxe with a greater so the Righteous