RECVSANTS CONVERSION A SERMON PREACHED AT St. JAMES before the PRINCE on the 25. of Februarie 1608. BY DANIELL PRICE Master of Arts of Exeter Colledge in Oxford At Oxford Printed by Ioseph Barnes 1608. TO THE ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE HENRIE PRINCE OF Great Britaine and DVKE of CORNWAYL the glory of grace in this life and the grace of glorie in the future REligious most Gratious Prince let me craue pardon for my presumption in offring that vnto the eie of the world which I lately preached in the eare of your Highnesse The vnde served vnexpected attention and former acception of these labours haue drawne this little gift in representation of my remembrance therein VVith this I present my selfe and service being ever ready with all my power to doe your Highnesse the humblest duty thinking my selfe happie when I may performe any thing which may testifie my true zealous and dutiful affection Your highnesse hath already cunning Aholiab and Bezaleel sweet singing David Parable speaking Ecclesiastes Sinne smiting Micaiah Ionas powerfull for Contrition Peter potent for compunction Barnabas singuler for Consolation These all haue dedicated and consecrated their labours to the building of Gods temple in you For my owne part I confesse I am not able with these to bring taches or rings or earings or bracelets or iewels of gold or Onix stoÌ„es or Sittim wood or ointmeÌ„ts or spices or perfumes but the little oile which I haue I desire to present for the light of the Temple Your Grace is the comforte of the old the hope of the young and the ioy of all tanquaÌ„ ad clarum beneficum sidus certatim ad volant they striue to flocke to your Highnesse as to the comfortable starre of their happinesse wishes praiers presents be their offrings VVith me it is worse then with many I haue nothing to present vnlesse as Eschines did to Socrates I should present my selfe and ah las in my selfe I finde that there is such a disproportion betweene a presents worthinesse and my weaknesse that even in this I had beene disanimated had I not beene by your gratious favour encouraged It now remaineth that in the huÌ„blest manner I can devise I wholy resigne my selfe studies labours endeavours course of life to your Highnesse protection and disposition craving pardon for my boldnesse and ever praying for your Highnesse blessednesse that you may be truly gratious in this life and truly glorious in the life to come Your Highnesse most humbly devoted in all service DANIELL PRICE Esay 2.3 Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob WHen the Lord for many yeeres togither had manifested himselfe to be the God of Israell expected that his people would become the Israell of God it proved at the leÌ„gth that Israels sins made them to become Ismaels sonnes of a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a peculiar people a holy nation they became an vnwise and foolish generatioÌ„ a disobedient and rebellious generation a generation that set not their harts aright whose spirit was not confident in their God dishonouring Gods Maiestie despising Gods mercy abusing his goodnes abasing his glory prophaning the Kings holyday the Saboath of the Lord poluting the Sanctuary the Chamber of Presence of the Lord neglecting his precepts the Acts of Parliament of the Lord conteÌ„ning his holy-ones the Privy Counsell of the Lord not regarding him as a father who had adopted them his sonnes or as a Master who had hired them his servants or as a husband who had espoused them as his wife or as a Lord who had delivered them as his people out of the fieâ—y furnace of the land of Aegypt of the house of bondage HerevpoÌ„ the Lord sent forth his heavenly heralds the Prophets with their celestiall proclamations to signifie his anger conceiued against their sinnes and yet his mercie if it were received by sinners that so he might inviâ—e those that did rebel incite those that did neglect hasten those that did linger and recall those that did wander to sue out their pardons and to recouer those places that they had lost in the house of his Courts Etym. nom Prophetarum Thus sent hee forth Esay his health to heale their sicknesse Ieremie his exaltation to bring them to humiliation Esekiell his strength to helpe their weaknes Daniel his iudgement to manifest his mercie by these 4. as by 4. truÌ„pets or by the 4. windes or by the 4. rivers of Paradise or by the 4. Evangelists he doth send out his spirituall Pursevants with their celestiall proclamatioÌ„s Our Prophet Esay is one of these foure who having sounded a Parle in the former Chapter and having contested with this people Summa totius primi capitis proueth that they are a sinfull nation a people full of iniquity seed of the wicked corrupt children their whole head sicke and their whole hart beauy so that from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head nothing but wounds and sores swelling corruptioÌ„ the land wast the cities burnt Zion like a beseedged Citie the faithful Citie become a harlot the siluer drosse the wine water the Princes rebellious and that therfore the Lord would consume theÌ„ and vtterly ouerthrowe them Yet not withstanding all this their miserie in this Chapter hee prophecieth of Gods great mercie that there shal be a time of the restauration of the Church of the erection of the Temple of the election of the Gentiles the house of the Lord shal be prepared vpon the mountaine and the mountaine of the house of the Lord shal bee prepared on the top of the mountaines shal be exalted aboue al the hills and the people shal resort thervnto and shal mutually and reciprocally excite and solicite each others with these words of my Text. Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord to the mountaine of the God of Jacob. Which words emblematicallie doe describe Ecclesia militantis symbolum triumphantis exercitium the true signe of the Church militant on earth and the holy exercise of the Church triumphing in heauen Wherin if devotion compunction conuersion assention or religion may moue let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith vnto the Church or rather what the Church speaketh with the spirit come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob. If vnitie amitie or vnamitie maie moue if the prophet who was a noble courtier or the people who were worthy Converts or the place they goe to to the house of God or the God of that house Deus Iacobi maie draw attention from you O then come see and heare tast the gratious goodnes of the Lord in the society of his Saints with one minde one mouth inuiting one another with these words come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the
mountaine of his house So that the meaning of the words is this that they that had beene recusants from the Church aliants from the Congregatiō of Israell should at the lenght be written in Gods book incorporated into Christes bodie cloathed with Christes righteousnesse admitted to bee schollers in Christes Church Esay 18.7 and receaued to bee inheritours of Christes Kingdome and as this our Prophet speaketh in his 18. Chap. vers 7. At that time a present shal bee brought vnto the Lord of hostes a people that is scattered abroad and spoiled and of a terrible people from their beginning hetherto a nation euen by little and little troaden vnder foot whose Land the riuers haue spoiled to the place of the Lord of hosts to the mount Syon These bee the people these the present these bee they that come that goe that goe on that goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the god of Iacob The doctrine that J gather from this place is this that euerie one haue an especial regard and care to knowe whether he be a true member of the Church Doct whether he be truly one of the societie of al Christiā souls The reason of this doctrine is this they that bee not of this Church they cannot assure themselues of any true ioie Reason anie true peace anie true comfort in this life or in that to come J might proue this by many places but J know not howe J maie be dispenced with in this congregation for prolixitie of speech and therfore wil drawe vnto an end Psal 15.1 Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh this question who be the true members of the Church Lord who shal dwel in thy Tabernacle or who shal rest vpon thy holy mountaine J referre you to the answere viewe it obserue it read it then remember The truest argument that we haue to proue these Conuerts to be of the Church is this their earnest desire to come to present themselues before the Lord in his house So that leaving al other marks I dare be bold to averre out of this place That they that come to present thēselues vnto God in his house with true faithful lowlie penitent and obedient soules they are the true Saints and seruants of God O how should this moue vs to earnest and vnfained devotion howe should this moue vs to sing with David O how pleasant are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts Indeede they were pleasant and amiable to him he could haue wished himselfe a very Potter a dorekeeper in the house of his God yea when he was absent from the Tabernacle he lamented that his happinesse was not so much as the very Sparrow and Swallow that sound a nest and building place in the Temple s 84.4 concluding in that Psalme O blessed are they that dwel in thy house I need not to tell you of the magnificēt structure of the Temple how gloriously erected how beautifully frāed how past al imaginations furnished how finished dedicated blessed admired honored frequēted how esteemed by God himselfe as a holie mansion the very ioie of the earth the beauty of the world the glorie of al natiōs the pallace of the great king the delight paradise of the highest where was the Arke couenaunt the tables of the Testimonie the Seraphins Cherubins and mercie seat al being strange things of much excellencie but the summitie of al happinesse was the residence of Gods eternal fauour there J need not to tel you of the honor that the verie heathēs had in their reputing of this to be most holy of Antiq. ib. 11.8 2.2 14.8 Iosephus in his Antiquities testifieth what obseruant regard was borne to this sanctuarie by Alexander the great by Ptolomaens Philadelphus by Pompey the great and many others J omit the stiles titles names attributs and other encomiasticks of this Temple The vse J make of the doctrine proposed is this to exhort euerie man to comfortable remembrance of this benefit that he is one of Gods Church and maie be bould to present himselfe before the Lorde in his Church that wheras manie dare not be bold to speak vnto some others of the same mould and matter dare not I saie come into the presence or enter the priuie Chamber yet they maie be bold to enter Gods great Chamber of presence the residence of his fauour the habitation of his honour his Sanctuarie Temple Tabernacle mountaine house Church Ho wought this to moue vs Seeing wee maie bee bold to come to this mountaine yea more to the house of this mountaine nay more to the God of this house of this house J maie wel saie for if euer he were God he was Deus Iacobi And J from the inwards of my soule pray that this Court of St Iames maie be as truely Domus Iacobi as he hath bin Deus Iacobi who knoweth not that he is Deus Iacobi a God a great powerful God whose Court is Celum wose hal is expansum whose starre-chamber is firmamentum whose exchequer is profūdum whose Kings bench is Empyraeum whose throne is heauen whose footstole is earth whose washpott is the sea whose attendants be Angels whose horses be the winds whose Chariots be the fire whose word is his wil whose wil is his command whose commande is his power whose power is eternal making him feareful to his enimies merciful to his seruants iust in his iudgmēts true in his promises wonderful in his mercies meruellous in his wounders al this is comprehēded in this he is Deus Jacobi J hope none of you are so stonie harted but wil be moued by the mountaine or if not by the house of this mountaine or if not by the God of this house or if not yet sure by this title that he is Deus Jacobi J shall exhort and by violence drawe some conuersion or compunction or deuotion from you Gratious Prince giue me leaue to speake to your Highnes J confesse J am not Agapetus to giue precepts to Iustinian or a Plinie to giue instructions to Traian or an Aristotle to giue Councel to the young Prince Alexander yet giue me leaue to remember your highnesse of one higher the Lord of Lords the Prince of Princes Remember his name his feare his seruice his honour his Church let it for euer be your ioie and the Crowne of your dignitie with the good Emperour Theodosius rather to be membrum Ecclesiae then caput Imperij let the example of David be euer before your Princely eies his profession I my house wil serue the Lord his protestation It did mee good when they said we wil goe vnto the house of the Lord my feet shal stand in thy gates o Jerusalem So shall the eies that see you blesse you the eares that heare you giue witnes to you and the mouthes that speake of you shal crie from the earth to the heauens blessed be the wombe that bare the and the papps that gaue
thee suck and God himselfe shal vtter his voice from the heauen to the earth Peace be within thy wales and plentiousnesse with in thy Palaces Honorable springes of Nobilitie yee generous and in genious spirites I haue not the spirit of Paule to speake to the Noble men of Beraea yet giue mee leaue to remember you of your duty which the Lord requireth Kings cast their Crownes at his feete and Nobles seeke their honour in his seruice Perfourme dutie to him and yee shall be more Noble then yee were borne yee shal bee partakers of a new birth in Christ Jesus adde vnto the Nobilitie of your birth the Nobilitie of life the Nobilitie of vertue is your owne of birth your predecessours Et quae non fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco Remember your God his seruice Religion Remēber his Tēple Remēber that this place is the Spring-Garden of the Nobilitie here ye grow vp as plants here shal ye be preferd to be as the polished Corners of the Temple O then remember the honor due vnto the Temple I hope you hope for the blessings of the eternal life one of them is to be made Pillars in the Temple of my God Are you to bee pillars in the Temple of God Revel 2 O then remēber the Loue you ought to shew vnto this temple What shoulde I speake of the corners or pillars of the Temple Templum est is viventis Dei yee are the Temple of the liuing God the Scripture speaketh it I neede not demonstrate it your lips be the Organs of this Temple your thanksgiuing the hymnes of this Temple your vnity the harmonie of this Temple your tongues the censors of this Temple your praiers the incense of this Temple your hart the Altar of this Temple your repentance the sacrifice of this Temple your zeale the fire of this Temple which as the fire in the Temple let it neuer goe out The time wil come when you wil acknowledge this condemne your selues for contemning this when you wil hate the pompe and glorie and all the state of this world when in true iudgement you shal finde your gold and siluer to bee but the earths dregs your silkes but the excrements of wormes your Pearles but the rubble of the sea the sweetest muske to be natures avoidance the most gorgeous apparell to bee follies garnish and prides ensigne the most faire houses riotts witnesses oppressions monumentes the greatest cheere the bodies stench and the bellies burthen the greatest offices favours butterflies and monies bondslaues Authoritie envies obiect and cares subiect the chiefest Glory statteries shaddow and popularities apprentice Ah las what fruit or ioie or comfort wil ye then haue of those things whereof yee wil be ashamed O then remember now euen now in your tender yeares to tender your selues to your God for they that honor him he wil honour them and they that despise him he wil despise them Al of you worshipfull beloued Remember what you haue hard this day if the Text I haue chosen the Conuersion of the Gentiles cannot moue you to Conuersion yet let the time wherein I speake It is Lent a time of al others in the whole yeer appropriated for this holie worke of Cōversion Devotion comming to the Church and performing of diuine offices Jt is the time wherein Christ in fortie daies did suffer more misery then in all his life It is the time in which he did hunger fast thirst watch praie sweat bleed faint and die for thee That so he might be the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the sinners of the world Remember this weake weary bleeding fainting dying Lamb worthy is this Lamb that was killed to receiue power and riche◠and wisdome and strength and honour and glorie praise And let al the Creatures which are in heauen and on the earth and vnder the earth and in the sea and al that are in them sing praise and honour and glorie and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for evermore Amen