what shew of reasoÌ„ can be given why the spirit of a particular Minister in the publick worship of the Church may not yea ought not to be limited and regulated by the spirit of the Church representative as well as the spirit of a whole Congregation by the spirit of a particular Minister For every particular Minister is as much subordinate to the spirit of the Church representative as the spirit of the Congregation is to his So much for this objection There remaineth yet a third which may be answered in two or three words No set forme of prayer say they can serve for all occasions What then Yet why may it not be used for all such occasions as it serves for if any sudden and unexpected occasion happen for which the Church cannot provide the spirit of her Ministers is free Who will forbid them to supply in such a case that by a voluntary and arbitrary forme which the Church could not provide for in a set forme And this is what I intended to say of this argument THE SANCTIFICATION OF GODS NAME MATTH 6. 9. LUKE 11. 2. Sanctificetur nomen tuum Sanctified or hallowed be thy Name ALthough I make no question but that which we so often repeat unto Almighty God in our daily prayers is for the generall meaning thereof by the most of us in some competent measure understood Yet because by a more full and distinct explication the knowledge of some may be improved and the meditations of others occasioned to a further search I hope I shall not doe amisse nor be thought to have chosen a theame either needlesse or not so fit for this Auditory if I shall inquire what that is we pray for in this first Petition of the prayer our Lord hath taught us when we desire That Gods Name may be sanctified For perhaps we shall find more contained therein then is commonly taken notice of The words are few and therefore shall need no other Analyse then what their very number presents unto us viz. Gods Name and the sanctifying thereof Sanctificetur Nomen tuum I will begin first with the last in order but first in nature Nomen tuum Gods Name By which according to the style of holy Scripture we are to understand in this place first of all God himself or his sacred Deity to wit abstractly expressed according to the style of eminency and dignity 〈◊〉 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine Majesty as we are wont for the King to say His Majesty or the Kings Majesty and of other persons of honour and eminency Their Highnesse Their Honour His Excellency and the like So of God His Name and sometimes with the self-same meaning His Glory as Ier. 2. 11. Hath any Nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods but my people have changed their Glory i. their God for that which is good for nought So Psalme 106. 20. of the Calf made in the Wildernesse They changed their Glorie into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grasse And S. Paul Rom. 1. 23. They changed the Glory i. the Majesty of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man c. Such is the notion but much more frequent of Gods Name In a word Nomen Del in this kinde of use is nothing else but Divinum Numen Whence it is that in Scripture To call upon the Name of God To blaspheme the Name of God To love his Name To sweare by his Name To build a Temple to his Name for his Name to dwell there And in the New Testament To beleeve in the Name of the Lord Iesus To call upon the Name of the Lord Iesus these I say and the like expressions have no other meaning then to doe these things to the Divine Majesty to the Lord Jesus whose is that Name above every Name where at every knee must bow Accordingly here Sanctificetur Nomen tuum Hallowed be thy Name is as much as to say Sanctificetur Numen tuum Sanctified be thy Divine Majesty Secondly under the Name of God here to be sanctified or hallowed understand besides the Majesty of his Godhead that also super quod invocatum est Nomen ejus whereupon his Name is called or that which is called by his Name as we in our Bibles commonly expresse this phrase of Scripture that is all whatsoever is Gods or God is the Lord and owner of by a peculiar right such as are things sacred whether they be persons or whether things by distinction so called or Times or Places which have upon them a relation of peculiarnesse towards God For such as these are said in Scripture To have the Name of God called upon them or To be called by his Name that is To be His. Thus we read in Scripture of an House which had the Name of God upon it or which was called by his Name that is of Gods House 1 Kings 8. 43. Ier. 7. 10. c. Of a City upon which the Name of God was called or named to wit the Holy City Jerusalem the City of the great King the Lord of hosts Ier. 25. 29. Dan. 9. 18. Of an Ark upon which the Name of God the Lord was called 1 Chro. 13. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 2. that is the Lords Ark or the Ark of his Covenant as it is elsewhere named Of a people upon which the Name of the Lord was called or which were called by his Name Deut. 28. 10. Dan. 9. 19. and elsewhere that is were his peculiar and holy people as is said in like manner and with like meaning of the Church of the New Testament Iames 2. 7. Acts 15 17. I represent not these places of Scripture at large because I know that every eare that is acquainted with Scripture can beare witness unto them And for the meaning of this expression of Gods Name to be called upon a thing or a thing to be called by his Name that it is all one as to say it to be His besides the evidence of the matter wherabout it is used appeares by the same phrase used in two other places of the like relation of men to that which is theirs as Gen. 48 16. Where Iacob blessing Iosephs sons saith The Angell which redeemed me from all evil blesse the lads and let my name be called upon them That is let them be mine namely as Reuben and Simeon are mine as he saith a little before for they are words of adoption Again in the fourth of Esay where it is said That seven women should take hold of one man and say We will eat our own bread and weare our own apparel onely let thy Name be called upon us to take away our reproach That is Doe thou own us or let us be thine that it may not be a reproach unto us that we have no husband The Ancients were wont to set the Names of the Owners upon their houses and other possessions whâ—ch they called Tituli Titles Chrysologus Serm. 145.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were all one as men then conceived Note here that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were taken to be the souls of men deceased and that not among the Gentiles onely but as may seem among the Jews also For Iosephus in his seventh Book De Bello Iudaico Cap. 25. mentioning these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon occasion of a certain herb supposed to be good for them saith expresly by way of Parenthesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus sunt pessimorum â—omâ—num vivis immersi I tell not this meaning to avouch it for true but only that you might understand how Iustin Martyrs argument proceeds to prove that souls have existence after Death from Daemoniaâ—i My last proof is taken from those Energumeni which are all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so often mentioned in the Church Liturgies in the ancient Canons and in other Ecclesiasticall writings many ages after our Saviours being on earth and that not as any rare and unaccustomed thing but as ordinary and usuall They were wont to send them out of the Church when the Liturgie began as they did the Poenitentes Auditores and Catechumeni which might not be partakers of the holy Mysteries If those were not such as we now adayes conceive of no otherwise then as mad-men surely the world must be supposed to be very well rid of Devils over it hath been which for my part I beleeve not Nay that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were such as I speak of Balsamon and Zonaras both in their Scholia upon the Canons of the Church will I think inform us For to reconcile two Canons concerning these Energumeni which seem contradictory one called of the Apostles in these words Si quis Daemonem habet ne fiat Clericus sed neque cum fidelibus precetur Another of Timotheus quondam Patriarch of Alexandria speaking thus Si qui fidelis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debet esse sanctorum mysteriorum particeps To reconcile these I say they affirm the former which admits them not to be meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him that is continually and alwayes mad ne forte quid mali aut inhonesti agat aut Daemoniac as voces emittat ita ut populum Dei conturbet atque divinum officium impediat But that of Timotheus which admits them to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him that is mad but by fits and hath his Lucida intervalla And thus I have acquainted you with what I have observed to confirm me in this opinion and make no doubt but there are more passages yet to be found this way then I have met with PROVERBS 21. 16. The Man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in coetu Gigantum IT is a question sometimes moved amongst Divines and worth resolving How and by what name the place and condition of the damned which in the Gospel is called Gehenna was termed or expressed in the Old Testament before the Captivity of Babylon and whilst the first Temple stood For presently after the Return the afore-mentioned name Gebenna began to be frequented as appears both by the second of Esdras the Chaldee Paraphrast and other Jewish writings where that name is often found as also by the Gospel where our Saviour useth it as then vulgarly known amongst the Jews But it is as certain that before the Captivity or second Temple for so the Jews call the time of their state after their return this name was not in use both because it is no where to be found in the Canonicall Scriptures of the old Testament which were all written within that time and especially because the ground and occasion thereof was not till about that time in being which was the pollution of the valley of the sons of Hinnom or Tophet by King Iosiah and the dreadfull execution of divine vengeance in that Place Hence it became to posterity to be a name of execration and applyed to signifie the place of eternall punishment For this valley of Hinnom Gehinnom or as afterward they pronounced it Gehenna was a valley neer Jerusalem in a place whereof called Tophet the children of Israel committed that abominable Idolatry in making their children to passe through the fire to Moloch that is burnt them to the Devil For an eternall detestation whereof King Iosiah polluted it and made it a place execrable ordaining it to be the place whither dead Carkasses Garbage and other unclean things should be cast out For consuming whereof to prevent annoyance a continuall fire was there burning Yea not man onely but the Lord himself as it were consecrated this place to be a place of execration by making it the field of his vengeance both before and after For first this was the place where the Angel of the Lord destroyed the host of Senacherib King of Assyria where one hundred and eighty thousand of their Carkasses were burnt according to that Esay 30. Through the voyce of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down For Tophet this was a place I told you in the valley of Hinnom is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it This was also the place where the Idolatrous Jews were slain and massacred by the Babylonian armies when their City was taken and their Carkasses left for want of room for buriall for meat to the fowles of heaven and beasts of the field according to the word of the Lord by the Prophet Ieremy in his seventh and nineteenth Chapters The children of Iudah have built the high places of Tophet which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire which I commanded them not neither came it into my heart Therefore behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall be no more called Tophet nor the valley of the son of Hinnom but the valley of slaughter For they shall bury in Tophet till there be no place And the carkasses of this people shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the field and none shall fray them away Hence as I said this place being so many wayes execrable for what had been done therein especially having been as it were the gate to eternall destruction by so remarkable judgements and vengeance of God there executed for sin it came to be translated to signifie the place of the damned as the most accursed execrable and abominable place of all places the invisible vallâ—y of Hinnom For such was the property of the Jewish Language to give Denominations unto things unseen from such analogicall and borrowed expressions of things
for religious duties The one called Proseuchae the other Synagogues the difference between which was this Proseucha was a plot of ground encompassed with a wall or some other like mound or enclosure and open above much like to our Courts the use properly for prayer as the name Proseucha importeth A Synagogue was aedificium tectum a covered edifice as our houses and Churches are where the Law and Prophets were read and expounded and the people instructed in divine matters according to that Acts 15. 21. Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day From whence also ye may gather that Synagogues were within the Cities as Proseucha's were without which was another difference between them as you shall hear confirmed That Proseucha's were such places as I have described them to be I prove out of a notable place of Epiphanius a Jew bred and born in Palestine who in his Tract against the Messalian Heretiques after he hath told us that the Messaliam built themselves certain houses or large places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fororum instar which they called Proseuchae he goes on thus Et habuisse quidem Iudaeos jam olim ut Samaritas certa quaedam ad precandum loca extra urbes quas Proseuchas dicerent ex Apostolorum Actibus liquet ubi purpurae institrix Lydia Apostolo Paulo occurrisse dicitur De quo ita Scriptura narrat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it seemed to be a place of prayer of which I shall say more anon He goes on still Est Sicimis saith he quae hodie Neapolis dicitur Proseuchae locus extra urbem Theatro similis secundo ab urbe lapide situs Quem ita aperto coelo area subdiali extruxerunt Samaritae Iudaeorum in omnibus imitatores Out of these words you may collect every part of my description First that Proseuchae were out of the Cities in the fields Secondly that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the ancients Forum or place of market and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the open aire and without roof such as the Courts of the Temple also were whither the people came to pray so that they were as it were a kind of dis-joyned and remoter Courts unto the Temple whither they turned themselves when they prayed in them Thirdly that they were ordained for places of prayer All these are in this passage of Epiphanius and moreover that such a one was in his time remaining at Sichem the place my Text speaks of there erected by the Samaritans in that as in all things else imitators of the Jews What better testimony could be desired These Proseucha's of the Jews both name and thing were not unknown to the Poet Iuvenal when describing in his third Satyr in what manner proud and insolent fellows in the City of Rome used in their drunken humours to abuse and quarrell with those they met in the streets in the night time whom they took to be of mean estate and condition he brings them in speaking thus Ede ubi consistas in quâ te quaero Proseuchâ where dwell you in what Proseucha should I seek or enquire for you intimating that he was some poor fellow either that dwelt in an house that could not keep out wind and weather but was like a Jews Proseucha all open above or he alludes to the banishment of the Jews out of Rome by Domitian in his own time and then fresh as who had no where else to bestow themselves but in their Proseucha's out of the City or who used to assemble in the Proseucha's according to some of these senses is Iuvenall to be understood For that the Jews had Proseucha's about the City of Rome appears by Philo Iudaeus in his De legatione ad Calum where commending the clemency and moderation of Augustus Caesar he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he knew the Jews of Rome had their Proseucha's and that they used to assemble in them especially on the Sabbath days and yet never molested them as Caius did The same Philo mentioneth Proseucha's elswhere though it be not to be dissembled that he seems to comprehend Synagogues also properly so called under that name as being better known to the Gentiles who called both by that name Iosephus in his Life tels us of a Proseucha at Tiberias in Galilee in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the next day the Sabbath the whole people were gathered together in the Proseucha which is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a large edifice fit to receive a great multitude In the New Testament the name of Synagogue is frequent but that of Proseucba seldom whence may be conjectured that both are comprehended under that name as in Philo both are termed Proseuchae yet once or twice as learned Interpreters think we read of Proseucha's in the new Testament as namely Acts 16. 13. which Epiphanius even now alledged to that purpose where S. Luke tels us that S. Paul being come to Philippi in Macedonia on the Sabbath Day they went out of the City to a river side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where there was taken to be a Proseucha or where was famed to be a Proseucha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will bear both The Syriack hath Quia ibi conspiciebatur Domus orationis the Arabick Locus orationis For if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were taken here for prayer it selfe as if the sense were where prayer was used to be made it should rather have been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet if it were so taken it would still argue no lesse then that there was here an appointed place for prayer and that out of the City which is all one as to say there was a Proseucha so I take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 16. verse of the same Chapter where it is said It came to passe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we went to the Proseucha especially since we read not in the Text that S. Paul went thither to pray but to preach where he deemed there was an assembly that day according to custome And we sate down saith S. Luke and spake unto the women which were come together there A second place where a Proseucha is mentioned in the New Testament may be that Luke 6. 12. where it is said that our Saviour went out into a high Mountain to pray and continued all night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Proseucha Dei so Drusius thinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here to be taken for a place and the Article helps the sense otherwise it seems an odde and unaccustomed expression for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mean in prayer made unto God and why should it not be as likely that our Saviour might sometimes pray in their Proseucha's as teach in their Synagogues Thus we have seen the testimonies for Proseucha's their use and difference from Synagogues
of thy life And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 414 MALACH 1. 11. For from the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts 471 Four other Treatises by the same Author formerly Printed viz. 1. The Name ALTAR or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THPION 2. CHURCHES that is Appropriate places for Christian Worship 1 COR. 11. 22. Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or despise ye the CHVRCH of God 31. B. 3. The Reverence of GODS HOVSE ECCLESIASTES 5. 1. Look to thy foot or feet when thou commest to the House of God and be more ready to obey then to offer the sacrifice of fools for they know not that they doe evill 81. B. 4. Daniels WEEKS DAN 9. 24 25 26 27. 24. Seventy Weeks are allotted for thy people and for thy holy City to finish transgression and make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to fulfill Vision and Prophecy and to anoint the most Holy 140. B. 25. Also know and understand that from the going forth of the Commandement to cause to return and to build Ierusalem unto MESSIAH the PRINCE shall be Sevens of Weeks even threescore and two Weeks the street shall be built again and the Wall even in a strait of Times 146. B. 26. And after threescore and two weeks shall MESSIAH be cut off but not for himself and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a floud and unto the end of the Warre Desolations are determined 158. B. 27. And he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one Week and in the midst of the Week he shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease and for the overspreading of Abominations he shall make it desolate even untill the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate 163. B. A CONTINVATION OF CERTAIN DISCOVRSES ON Sundry Texts of SCRIPTURE LUKE 2. 13 14. 13. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying 14. Glory be to God on high or in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men AT the Creation of the world when God laid the foundations of the earth and stretched out his line thereon the stars in the morning as God himself describes it Iob 38. 7. sang together and all the sons of God that is the holy Angels shouted for joy This in my Text is so like it that a man would think some new Creation were in hand nor were it much wide of truth to affirm it for if ever there were a day wherein the Almighty Power the incomparable Wisdom the wonderfull Goodness of God again the second time appeared as it did at the worlds Creation it was this day whereof S. Luke our Euangelist now treateth when the Son of God took upon him our flesh and was born of a Virgin to repair the breach between God and man and make all things new The news of which restauration was no sooner heard and made known to the Shepheards by an Angel sent from heaven but suddenly the heavenly Host descended from their celestiall mansions and sung this Carol of joy Glory be to God on high welcome peace on earth good-will towards men A Song renowned both for the singularity of the first example for untill this time unlesse it were once in a Propheticall Vision we shall not finde a Song of Angels heard by men in all the Scripture and from the custome of the Church who afterward took it up in her Liturgy and hath continued the singing thereof ever since the days of the Apostles untill these of ours Yet perhaps it is not so commonly understood as usually said or chaunted and therefore will be worth our labour to inquire into the meaning thereof and hear such instructions as may be learned therefrom Which that we may the better do I will consider first the Singers or Chaunters The heavenly Host Secondly the Caroll or Hymne it self Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory be to God on high c. For the first the heavenly host here spoken of is an Army of holy Angels For the Host of Heaven in the language of Scripture is twofold Visible and Invisible The Visible Host are the Stars which stand in their array like an Army Deut. 4. 19. Lest thou lift up thine eies saith the Lord there unto heaven and when thou seest the Sun Moon and Stars even all the Host of heaven shouldst be driven to worship and serve them The Invisible Host are the Angels the heavenly Guard according to that of Micaiah 1 King 22. 19. I saw the Lord sitting upon his Throne and all the Host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left So Psal. 103. Blesse the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandements Blesse the Lord all ye his Hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure Where the latter words do but vary that which is expressed in the former From this it is that the Lord Jehovah the true and only God is so often styled the Lord or God of Sabaoth or of Hosts that is King both of Stars and Angels according to that Nehem. 9. Thou art God alone and the Host of Heaven worshippeth thee By which Title He is distinguished from the Gods of the Nations who were some of the Host to wit of the Stars or Angels but none of them the Lord of Hosts himself For the same reason and with the same meaning and sense in the Books written after the Captivity he is styled Deus coeli the God of heaven as in Ezra Nehemiah Daniel in which Books together with the last of Chronicles the title of Deus Sabaoth is not to be found but the title of Deus Coeli only and as may seem taken up for some reason in stead of the other But to return to what we have in hand It was the Angelicall Host as ye hear who sang this Song of joy and praise unto the most High God And wherefore For any restitution or addition of happinesse to themselves No but for Peace on Earth and Good-will towards men He that was now born took not upon him the Nature of Angels but of men He came not into the world to save Angels but for the salvation of men Nor was the state of Angels to receive advancement in glory by his comming but the state of men and that too in such a sort as might seem to impeach the dignity and dimme the lustre of those
it were done ignorantly but if wittingly and presumptuously there was no atonement appointed for it though for other sins there be even to perjury it self For as it is in Mal. 3. 4. Will a man rob his God Another proof and testimony of the hainousnesse of this sin is that so ancient a custome in Dedications todade it with a curse which to be no late custom as some may suppose taken up among Christians but used both by Jew and Gentile before Christ was born may appear by that Decree of K. Darius for the building of the Temple of Jerusalem which concludes with this execration The God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all Kings and People that shall put to their hand to destroy this house of God which is at Ierusalem I Darius have made a Decree let it be done with speed Ezra 6. 12. From this custome it came that Anathema signifies such a Donary given unto a Temple and an accursed thing or that which hath a curse with it So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew a thing cursed and destined to destruction and also a kinde of offering or consecration which had a curse laid upon it namely a curse to him that should meddle with it Which kinde of consecration had this peculiar that even the very individuall might never be altered changed or redeemed upon any terms Levit. 27. 28. whereas other offerings might so that a valuable thing or better were given for them Such a consecration I mean a Cherem or consecration under pain of a curse in the very individuall was that of the City Iericho as the First-fruits of the conquests of Canaan To these Arguments I will adde two or three examples to this of Ananias of the punishment of this sin and so conclude To begin then with the beginning of all Was not the first sin of Mankinde for which himself his posterity and the whole earth was accursed a great and capitall sin But this if we look well into it was no other for the species and kind of the Fact then Sacriledge Such the ancient Jews conceived Adams sin to have been namely a species of theft as may be gathered out of the Book De morte Mosis where Moses is brought in deprecating death and answering God that his case was not such as Adams for he transgressed by stealing and eating what God forbad him to meddle with and so was justly condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But who could Adam steal from save from God only And therefore I say the first sin of mankinde for the Fact was the sin of Sacriledge For whereas among all the trees of the Garden which God gave man freely to enjoy there was one Noli me tangere which he had reserved unto himself as holy in token he was Lord of the Garden Man by eating of this as common violated the sign of his Fealty unto the great Landlord of the whole Earth and committed Sacriledge for which he was cast out of Paradise and the whole earth accursed for his sake Might I now say that to this day many a son of Adam is cast out of his Paradise and the labours of his hands accursed for medling with this forbidden fruit But to go on Achan for nimming a wedge of gold and a Babylonish garment of the devoted thing of Iericho aforementioned brought a curse both upon himself and the whole Congregation of Israel For the Sacriledge of Eli's sons who not content with those offerings which God allowed them for their maintenance robbed him of his Sacrifices to furnish their own Tables God gave not only his people but even the Ark of his Covenant into the hands of the Philistins For the Sacriledge of the seventh or Sabbaticall year God caused his people to be carried captive and the land lie waste 70. years By the Law of Moses every seventh year the whole land was sacred unto the Lord so that no man that year might challenge any right of propriety either to sow his field or prune his vineyard or reap that which grew of it self or gather the fruits of his vineyard undressed only he might eat thereof in the field as at other times any might of that which was none of his as he travelled by otherwise every mans field and vineyard was that year free as well to the Servant as the Master to the Stranger as the Owner to beasts as well as to men The same year also were all servants and all debts sacred unto the Lord and so to be released whence that year was called The Lords Release See Exod. 21. Levit. 25. Deut. 15. This consecration being as much as the forgoing of the seventh part of every mans profits the covetous Jews for many years neglected the observation thereof For which sin the Lord as himself professeth caused them to be carried captive and the land to lie waste seventy years without Inhabitant till it had fulfilled the years of Sabbath which they observed not For their Idolatry he gave them into the hands of the Gentiles their enemies for their Sabbaticall Sacriledge hee added this unto it that they should beside their bondage be carried captives into a strange Countrey and their land lie desolate 70. years For the Sacrilegious profanation of Belshazzar in causing the Vessels of Gods House to be made his Quaffing-bowls for himself and his Lords his Wives and his Concubines to carouse in was the hand writing upon the wall sent which did so affright him that the Text says His countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another And the same night Gods vengeance light upon him Dan. 5. Lastly in the days of the Greek Kings God gave his own Temple and worship to be profaned and his people to be trodden under foot by Antiochus Epiphanes a Gentile King because they themselves had a little before profaned the same with sacrilegious hands having betraid the Treasures and Offerings of the same unto a Gentiles coffers and sold the sacred Vessels to the Cities round about them 2 Mac. 3 4. 5. cap. JOEL 2. 17. Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the Porch and the Altar and say Spare thy people ô Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach THese words are part of a description of a Fast as the Context before and after will tell you and they contain a Rite or Custome wont to be used in such solemne deprecations namely for the Priests of the Lord who are to be the Intercessors and Mouth of the Congregation not then as at other times to enter into the Temple to offer and sanctifie with Incense the prayers of the people at the Golden Altar before the vail but to prostrate themselves without the door between the Porch and the Altar of burnt-offering as unworthy to approach the Throne of the Divine Majesty or come over his Threshold and therefore
despising of others be cropped and withered and these I can tell you will quite spoil a garden where many good flowers grow If after this manner we be affected then are we humbled If not we are not sufficiently taken down all our service is hypocrisie nor will our devotions be accepted of that all-seeing Majesty who resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble GEN. 3. 13 14 15. 13. And the Lord God said unto the woman What is this that thou hast done And the woman said The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat 14. And the Lord God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattell and above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel THE Story whereof the words I have read are part is so well known to all that it would be needless to spend time in any long preface thereof Who knows not the story of Adams fall who hath not heard of the sin of Eve our Mother If there were no Scripture yet the unsampled irregularity of our whole nature which all the time of our life runs counter to all order and right reason the wofull misery of our condition being a scene of sorrow without any rest or contentment This might breed some generall suspition that Ab initio non fuit ita but that he who made us Lords of his creatures made us not so worthlesse and vile as now we are but that some common Father to us all had drunken some strange and devillish poyson wherewith the whole race is infected This poyson saith the Scripture was the breach of Gods commandement in Paradise by eating of the forbidden fruit for which Adam being called to an account by the great Judge and laying the fault upon the woman which God had given him for an helper God vouchsafes as ye hear in my Text to examine the Woman saying What is this that thou hast done And she answers The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat These words contain in them two parts First Gods Inquisition accusing Secondly the womans Confession excusing her fact The first in the first words And the Lord said unto the woman c. The second in the last words And the woman said The Serpent c. For the first words which God speaks being considered absolutely are an indictment for some crime as they are interrogative they are an inquisition concerning the same and therefore I call them an Inquisition accusing So the second are a Confession as the woman says I have eaten but with an excuse when she says The Serpent beguiled me and therefore I call them a Confession excusing In the Inquisition are two things to be considered First the Author and Person who makes it which is the Lord God himself So saith my Text And the Lord God said unto the woman Secondly the Inquisition it self What is this that thou hast done In the Person who comes and makes this Inquest being the Lord God himself we may observe and behold his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his wonderfull goodnesse and unspeakable love to mankinde which here reveals it self in four most remarkable circumstances First in his forbearance And the Lord said When said the Lord namely not till Adam had accused her she who was first in the sin was last questioned for the same and that too because her husband had appealed her God knew and observed well enough the first degree and every progresse of her sin he needed no information from another yet as though he were loth to take notice thereof as though he were loth to finde her guilty yea as though he were loth to denounce the punishment which his Justice required he comes not against her untill now and that as though he were unwilling to come at all If we look back into the story we shall yet finde a further confirmation thereof How long did God hold his hand before he stripped the woman especially of that glorious beauty of her integrity and made her with opened eies to see her shamefull nakednesse She had at the first onset of her conference with the Serpent sinned a sin of unbeleef of God and yet God spared her In the progresse she sinned more in her proud ambition of being like to God himself and to be wise above what was given her and God yet spared her She sinned when she coveted and longed once to eat of the forbidden fruit when it began to seem more pleasing and desirable unto her then obedience to Gods Commandement and God yet spared her At last she takes and eats thereof and so came to the heighth and consummation of her sin and yet behold and see the clemency and longanimity of our good God he paused yet a while untill she had given unto her husband also and then and not till then he opened their eyes to see their wofull misery A lesson first to us men if so be we think the example of God worthy our imitation to bear long with our brother as God bears with us to admonish him as it is in the Gospel the first second and third time before we use him like an Heathen or a Publican to forgive him seven times yea as Christ says to Peter if he repent and ask forgivenesse seventy times seven times Secondly this may be a cordiall of spirituall comfort unto us sinners though we make a shift to keep our selves from the execution of sin yet we finde our hearts full of sinfull thoughts ungodly desires and unclean lusts and such like sinfull motions from the infirmity of our flesh which notwithstanding we cannot ever expell or be rid of yet let us hope that God out of his mercy will bear with our weaknesse and passe by our infirmities who bore with the sin of our first Parents untill it came to execution The second circumstance is the temper of his Justice in that he vouchsafes first to enquire of the offence and examine the fact before he gives sentence or proceeds to execution The like example we have Gen. 11. where it is said The Lord came down to see the City and Tower which the children of men had builded afore he would confound their language or scatter them abroad from that ambitious Babel upon the face of the earth Again Gen. 18. the Lord says I will go down and see whether they of Sodâ—me have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know He from whom no secrets are hid he that formed the heart of man and knows all the works we do he that trieth and searcheth the heart and reins even he will first examine the fact will first hear what miserable man can say for himself before his sentence shall