people He giueth pleasures vnto Kings pascit thronos Cyril potestates virtutes angelos who feedeth Patriarks Kings Prophets and the Princes of beleeuers Thus may you perceiue blessing and blessednesse well met in him who hath in himselfe such power of blessing that he can make others blessed This happinesse is the high crowne of immortality which wee all desire to reach as Hester did the top of her husbands Scepter The meanes whereby this blessing is inclined to vs Hester and the staires whereby wee climbe vp to it are mercies and graces gifts of Gods blessing In these the Lord beckneth to vs to come to him as Ahashuerosh held out the golden Scepter to the Queene So Hester drewe neere and touched the top of the Scepter Many naturall men haue troubled themselues in vaine with many examinations of this blessednesse to proue what it is I may not stand here to rip vp the secrets of profound Philosophers from whose curious eies were hidden those treasures which they neuer found Therefore they neuer had true peace Psalm 14.3 for the way of peace haue they not knowne they are all gone out of the way Their highest point neerest to our truth is this that man hath no true blessednesse vntill hee be ioyned to the first of all things that can be vnderstood This is an high flight and far beyond the sublunary thoughts of baser mindes yet far short of the mount of true Diuinity God is blessednesse it selfe and to bee vnited vnto God is the perfect blessednesse of man in Iesus Christ Emanuel to knowe him confesse him and delight in him But God is the obiect of mans faith not the subiect of his intellect the heart of man is too narrow a circumference to compasse God in his vnderstanding Therefore is Gods name incomparable I am that I am in the Present tence whom no power can shift out Some haue translated more properly I will be who I will be to shew that God is able of himselfe to hold his being and happinesse against all rebellion Stabilisque manet daens cuncta moueri To this purpose is that spoken of God Dei esse est Gregory dissimiliter nunquā esse with God is no variablenes Here then let vs acknowledge by faith more then all those deepe schollers could reach by reason that our blessednesse is in our vnion with God Phil. 4.7 our peace which passeth all vnderstanding Among the secrets in the reueiled word these two are great One the hypostaticall vnion of two natures that the word is made flesh The other is our spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nisi vna persona esset Deus et homo non rectè diceretur Dominus gloriae crucifixus est our sure copulation with Christ without confusion That is a mystery beyond naturall capacitie only entertained by faith in the Church This is also a great mystery resembled in short patternes of the head and members knit of the husband and wife vnited In this exact and present worke there are two bonds one on Gods part the other on ours Ex parte Christi Sp. S. ex parte nostra fides nostra est vnionis vinculum Thus by the twist of Gods holy spirit and our hallowed faith we are made one with Christ and he is made vnto vs redemption sanctification wisdome and righteousnes 1 Cor. 1.29 Wherefore are these wonders come to passe but for our happinesse which cannot be had any where but in God the fountaine of blessednesse There doe wee daily tender vnto God that paiment of soueraigntie which we may not yeeld to any other God is sufficient so is none but he sufficient of himselfe so is none but himselfe sufficient for himselfe and for others so is none other sufficient for himselfe and for all and so are not all beside him put all together This is our God Lord who is like vnto thee Qui sedet in coelo repletiue that heauen and earth are full of the maiestie of his glory Psal 71.19 Ephes 1.23 This is our God worship him all yee gods who sits aboue and holdeth blessednes a faire marke in his hand for vs all to runne vnto 1 Cor. 9. We must all runne this life is the course heauen is the goale Expectat nos Deus pater vt haeredes filius vt fratres Sp. sanctus vt vnctos And here we are made a spectacle to the world to Angels and to men Will you behold two runners Iacob and Iacob both running after the Roe Christ is the Roe which runs before them both in the race of happinesse like a Roe on the mountaines of Bether So did Iacob runne and hath obtained by faith so doth Iacob runne that he may obtaine by faith Heb. 11.21 Lord let him so runne that he may obtaine O all yee vacant triflers of the world why stand you heere idle as the men in the market place What stand you for gazing one on another as Iosephs brethren We must all labour in the vine yard that we may receiue wages all striue that we may be crowned all bee exercised that we may be in breath non incipientibus sed proficientibus We must be I organimous that we may continue to the end be blessed Thus did the Apostle runne and continue to his ioy I haue finished my course qui amat ardentius currit velocius loue and great reward makes labour light the reward is blessednesse But it is high time to step out of this digression from the marke to the meanes from beatus to benedictus There are apparant vnto vs in holy Scripture diuers blessings of diuers kindes Some are of the Superiour to the inferiour some of the inferiour to the Superiour and some of the equall to the equall All these haue their speciall distinctions and vse When the vnderling doth acknowledge the goodnesse of the Superiour and sendeth vp to him thankes and praise for his kindnesse Psal 103 1 Psalm 148 this seruice is called the blessing of reuerence Thus the Prophet doth blesse God My soule blesse thou the Lord. And such a sacrifice of praise is that in the melodious hymme of our praier book O all yee workes of the Lord blesse yee the Lord. The other blessing betwixt equals is termed benedictio charitatis when one good christian doth pray for an other as Saint Peters counsell is blesse and Saint Pauls yea blesse I say and curse not But heere I may but touch and goe The first blessing of the Superiour to the inferiour hath this branch also as blessing of absolute power and blessing of authority committed more or lesse Blessing of absolute power hath in himselfe his preferment aboue all blessings as heauen which droppeth on the highest trees hath his preheminence aboue all effusions and drops of trees or mountaines Euery good and perfect gift discendeth downe from aboue to the parts below from heauen to earth as the precious ointment went downe from the
the Rose and the Lillie of the field Multiplicis medicinae to open dangerous passages to soften hardnesse of heart to heale wounds Matth. 6. and repell venemous infections O consider this Lillie of the field for our chiefest comforts are in this Lillie Christ is the Violet Matth. 11. the sweetest Violet which groweth lowe by the ground Learne of me for I my selfe am mecke and lowely This violet was remoued from heauen to the earth to raise vs from the earth to heauen Some Philosophers hold opinion that the dew which falleth from the highest part of that Region of the aire worketh deepest vpon the earth for being more oylie and rich matter it doth more fatten the ground and with gentle kisses entice forth the fruites thereof Hosoeuer this be of that dew it is most sure of the fattest dewe lesus Christ This is the dew of the morning which commeth from the highest and falleth lowest euen into the center into the heart of Iacob The dew of heauen is the cause of the fatnesse of the earth else hath the earth no fatnesse idest the diuinitie of Christ is the fatnesse of our humanitie The Lord giue thee of the dew of heauen and the fatnesse of the earth Here here is mans blessed abundance This is Manna Exod. 16. sweet Manna the bread of Angels all about the Church as the dew lay round about the host sweet dew sweet as the violet and the smell of life was in it Christ his humilitie is our glorie and his lowest steppe to death was our high staire to life Yea in his humilitie we are exalted Esa 53. as with his stripes we are healed Behold the smell of this violet But last of all 1. Cor. 15. Christ is the corne eare the right wheat corne which dieth and liueth againe Ioh. 10.18 of it selfe it dieth and liueth againe I haue power to lay downe my life and to take it vp againe and all other liue by this The spirit of grace and the holy Scriptures are the flower of this wheat The disciples of Christ gathered eares of corne on the sabbath day and we here in England euery Sabbath day trauaile through the corne field Jnâ—erlin Rupertus Spicae Scripturarum Spiritum viuificantem habent Sentences of Scripture haue the spirit of life in them Is any man hungrie and can forbeare gathering Ambulant per Sata cum Domino qui in Scripturarum meditatione delectantur Rabanus c. They keepe the Lord company in his corne field which walke on in holy meditations of the Scriptures Iesus went on the Sabbath day through the corne and his Disciples were hungrie and began to plucke the eares of corne and rubbe them in their hands and to eate common walkers sometimes plucke and rubbe but eate not These feele no necessitie of eating else would they eate for hunger as the Disciples did If we be Christians we are farre short of our selues to care onely for necessaries to the body as the Ant or Mouse make their prouision not caring if the soule pine and perish for want of Sabbath daies coâ—ne What shall we say then to the contentious oppositions of proud spirits against the necessitie of such sustenance The Papists themselues some of them will say that the word of God either read or preached doth clense the vncleane enlighten the blind heale the broken and raise the dead Yea sometimes ouercome with the power of the word of God they will confesse a matter of truth Rodolph Francis Verbum Dei maioris efficaciae quà m medicinae vel reliquiae sanctorum The word of God is the sicke mans falue more effectuall then all the drugges of Traditions Wherefore thinke you did the Prophet Esaie deliuer from God that Sermon of the excellent abilitie of the word of God That as raine and snowe maketh the earth to bring forth the budde Esa 55. that it may giue seed to the Sower and bread to him that eateth thus the word of God should hearten and releeue the needie 1. Cor. 9.16 Wherefore did the Apostle so much preferre spirituall riches before carnall and pronuounce a woe against himselfe if he did not preach the Gospel to minister the bread of life to the Church The Lord had commanded him to this seruice and therefore he knew he should be beaten with many stripes Luc. 12.47 if hee did the worke of the Lord negligently Ad hoc Apostolus tenetur quod debuit fecit etiamsi non potuit quantum debuit The Apostle being bound by Gods precept to his office hee ought to doe as much as hee could albeit he could not as much as hee ought A learned man calleth this dispensation Necessitas debiti iustitiae Caietane It is indeed of iustice and dutie to distribute the childrens bread to whom it is appointed And this is the cause why it is called Necessitie of obligation releefe of obligation in respect of Gods commandement of releefe in lew of the peoples want Thus to this purpose was it said That the minister may euer find causes too many to cause him to worke propter populi indigentiam where is more neede to bestow more feed This is the corne which we all neede for a remedie against ignorance Gregorie or errour or sinne or any vnbeleefe therefore come all and taste and smell how sweet the Lord is what varieties of recreations are in the smell of this corne eare Sithence then it is euident that there are such store of gentle contentments in our blessed Sauiour that he is all in all the vine oliue rose lillie violet and corne eare I would begge an Office to bidde a feast Prou. 9. Let me this once take vpon me to inuite guests for wisedom Whosoeuer is simple let him come hither yea whosoeuer is wise let him come hither The King Queene Prince and all the royall Progenie the Nobles Counsellors Iudges Rulers Teachers and all come taste O dor Christi est Spiritus sempiternè recreatiuus and feele and smell the kindnesse of the Lord. He is all word of eternall life here is our feeding he is all mercie and forgiuenesse of sinnes here is our healing he is all fulnesse of grace here is our smelling He is sweet in speaking sweet in smelling sweet in speaking neuer man spake like this man John 7.46 sweet in smelling all merits and fauours of sustentation preseruation and of saluation O blesse Sauiour in the sauour of thy oyntments we will runne after thee that we may be as the King Cant. 1. and the Kings sonne sweet in thy sweetnesse Thus we praise and blesse the smell of the Kings sonne and passe here the first riuer of Paradise all of the sweet smell of mercie Mercies of God to the King in his gift of this sonne mercies of God to this sonne in the gifts of his graces and mercies of God to vs all in both these gifts of the King and
top of Aarons head to the beard Psal â—33 2 the skirts of his clothing This blessing of absolute power is Gods onely to giue who at his pleasure can bestow temporall or eternall gifts Sometimes temporall vpon the creatures for man or vpon man in the vse of the creatures Ephes 1.3 Sometimes eternall vpon the Saints as he blessed the elect with all spirituall blessings in Christ chosen before the foundations of the world Aquinas This blessing hath no match and therefore it is said benedicere Dei est causare bonitateÌ„ there is none but God which can create goodnesse in man The other Superiour blessing is by commission to Gods Deputies which blessing is either more-common or more rare The common blessing is praier sent as an Angell to fetch the blessing of God from the top of the ladder in heauen to the foot of the ladder on earth Thus the superiours in the Church for which cause we thinke superiority expedient do pray for the blessing of God inward and outward and ex officio doe shew that God will bestow them wich are necessary This blessing is dayly or ought to bee of Kings to their subiects Pastors to their flocke and Parents to their children The blessing of the King to his subiects Iosh 22 1 Paralip 16 3 Reg. 8 as Ioshuah blessed the Rubenites as Dauid blessed the people in the name of the Lord or as Salomon blessed all the congregation of Israel Thus shall the King prolong his daies in the kingdome and his sonnes in the middest of Jsrael The blessing of the Pastor to the flock Deut. 17.20 Nomb 6.23 Leu. 9.23 Hebr. 7.1 ought to be as Aaron blessed the people at Gods appointment as Moses and Aaron blessed the people when the glory of the Lord appeared and as Melchisedec blessed Abraham the Priest of the most high God met Abraham c. blessed him This blessing when it is directed according to the prescript and allowance of the word of God is then of great power by the power of God annexed by promise The blessing of parents to their children is also of good vse and commendable among vs in England for the good speede commonly obserued in these blessings Apud Britannos inprimis sacra antiquitatis vestigia etiamnum hodie clara in hac parte sunt Hyperius Raedius Britannicarum claritatum speciosus The Britanes are most honourable aboue all Nations for the continuance of this holy ordinance This is without all doubt an holy order which the Lord ordeined from the beginning that children might bee preserued within the compasse of dutifull obedience to their parents and might esteeme greatly of their great office ouer them Moreouer this obseruation beeing a comely correspondence to the fifth commandement doth thereby approue it self that in our religion it should not be neglected or reputed a stranger And this is more manifest by the reasons of the Wise man in which hee lappeth his counsels for the precious estimation of the parents blessing Eccles 3.11 For the blessing of the father establisheth the house of the children and the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations I might here lift vp some monuments on which it hath been proued and written how the blessings curses of parents haue kindled fire of heauen or hell as if Gods will and the parents were all one In this purpose an heathen speaketh as if he had been a Diuine in the skill of secrets Si affirmabit pater aduersus nos pati nos oportet quod ille faciat cuius potestas plus potest God doth iustly effect that which man doth iustly craue But of all blessings by commission that is the highest and of most power which is called the Patriarchall or Propheticall blessing With this blessing Isaac blessed Iaacob and Iaacob after blessed his sonnes This is called a blessing of excellency for that those holy men indued with the spirit of Prophesie did blesse with the blessing of God which could not be supplanted I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed These blessings were as delectable nuts in the Church because in them beeing words of men there was deliuered the blessing of God Cant. 6.10 as the kirnell in the nut So that Iaacob gone towards his blessing might say I went downe into the garden of nuts The Lord had so enacted the couenant of grace with those gracious fathers that it did rest in custodie vt sanctum depositum as an holy pledge deliuered in trust They by their solemne blessing might conuey this treasure to their posterities in whose families the Church and life of saith was to continue till Christ his comming Thus Noah blessed his sonne Sem before and Moses blessed the twelue Tribes after Concerning Noah his blessing the question is asked wherefore that largesse of Patriarchall blessing was bestowed on Sem when as Iaphets fauourable demeanour towards his father was of equall reuerence and care for his fathers honour as Sems was The answer to this question is plaine that the holy ghost did foresee how from Sem should spring Abraham and all his holy followers of whom the most blessed fruite that euer did grow was to come into the world Therefore to Sem was that great Patriarchall blessing conueyed yet had Noah an other blessing for Iaphet as Abraham had for Ismael and Isaac had for Esau This secondary blessing was far short of the first as the light of a starre is short of the light of the sunne Yet this blessing might be inlarged to Iaphet if hee would light his starre at the sunne and dwell within the light of the Church within the tents of Sem according to the condition of the blessing God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tents of Sem. And thus is it happilie with vs Gentiles conuerted and perswaded to fetch our light at Christ in the tents of Sem our blessing is inlarged by him and the Church with his blessing is inlarged by vs. Now then let me shew you how Iaacob the Hebrew and our English Iaacob are a blessed field The superiour blessing is vpon them both and their blessing is made manifest vnto vs in three most worthy allowances The first is for scituation the second for plants and the third for fruitfull vantages of watering In the first Iaacob is a blessed field scited in the sunne the fairest funne the Sonne of God which alway shines A blessed scite is Iaacobs conscience thus neighboured with the sun his conscience is asweet lodging sweetned with the ioies of Christ as his father Abrahams bosome O blessed Iacob thy fathers blessing hath Iodged thee in the bosome of Christ as the spouse in the bosome of her husband Cant. 2.4 Hee brought me into his wine-seller and loue was his banner ouer me God dwelling with Iaacob and Iaacob is two waies One in tabernaculo personali in the flesh of man the other in tabernaculo mistico in the
the throne of God and of the Lambe Rebecca's breasts are one holy Scripture and all holy Scripture as one heauenly Canaan which floweth with milke and hony of one sauour and power of life But whence then is the difference of these two brethren shal I climbe vp into Gods throne and sit with him among the secrets of his incircumscriptible predestination no I will reuerence the Arke of his secret treasures but I will not search it without warrant Here is abyssius imperuestigabilis which S. Paul calleth deepenesse Rom. 11.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all immense beyond waight and measure Here Pride may busie her selfe to doe much hurt as some Epicures Nigidius figulus Eudoxus Auerrois Esa 28. 1. Sam. 6. Eccl. 40. Electos reprobos certo consilio discreuit Deus illos ad vitam gratis destinando hos ad poenaem iustè ordinando Eph. 1.4 Rom. 96.13 and other Philosophers and other Schoole-men haue done But woe to the crowne of Pride her latter end is worse then the beginning as the Bethshemites were stricken in their hinder parts None can comprehend those secrets more then a man can hold the seas in his fist or measure heauen or count the sands or waigh the mountaines If any bold bayard shall say there is no preordination because he cannot fathome it it were as if the blind should say there is no Sunne because he cannot see it Let this suffice that God hath chosen his in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid If any aske how let the Apostle answer of his meere good will forestanding all causes in our own worthinesse God calleth all to the Church and in eternal and indissoluble prescience espying vessels of honour and wrath the one sort is chosen the other left as light ware at the ballance Thou art waighed in the ballance and found too light Vnto this point is annexed the recogitable oddes betwixt the elections of God man Those things which man chooseth are therefore chosen because they are waight but the gold of gods choyce is therefore waight because it is chosen Thus did God loue and choose Israel not because they were better people then other but they were better because God did choose them The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a pretious people to himselfe All Popish Atheisme and other blasphemous insuitations against God for election and reiection of Iacob and Esau were easily dashed if I should preferre Gods prerogatiue aboue the Popes We are certified long since Distinct 40. Si Papa that if the Pope doe carrie many thousand with him into hell no man may be so bold as to coÌ„trol him quia cuntos iudicaturus à nemine est iudicandus c. Because the Pope may iudge all men and may not be iudged of any But I haue no pleasure to idle out my pretious time with such trifles One thing I haue to speake out of lowly and reueiled knowledge in the discussions of the learned concerning the Bee and the Spider to manifest the worke of grace receiued Whatsoeuer of the word of God Iacob suckes the suppe is honie Esa 55. 2. Cor. 2.16 or wine or milke more worth then money or money worth all sanctified the sauour of life vnto life But whatsoeuer Esau suckes it turneth to humour corrupt accursed the sauour of death vnto death Ioh. 10. Ioh. 6. Prou. 9. It is not giuen to all to know the voyce of the shepheard to taste the bread of life or to sauour the wine of wisdome as many in the same garden passe many wholseome hearbes and flowers in ignorance or insensibilitie which others gather in knowledge for smell and taste Meierus Iudicia Dei credentibus mella sapiunt sed incredulis etiam mellitissimae promissiones sunt fellis plenae The iudgements of God are an honie combe to the beleeuers but to the vnbeleeuer the sweetest promises of God are bitternesse If any call to me to know why I call this bane humour in proÌ„ptu causa est for the word is of the same fashion with those euill thoughts affections wordes and deedes which our countrimen commonly call humours Sunt impij vt venenatae quaedam bestiae sues bonos odores non ferentes The wicked are like some venemous and fulsome beasts which are sicke with the breath of wholesome smels Deut. 32. Their vine is of Sodome the poyson of dragons and the cruell gall of Aspes But since the wicked ones do thus wilfully foreshew their owne ruine let thee elect be still gathering more ioy to their consciences and reioyce that their names are written in heauen Now then to passe on Luk. 10.20 lest I should loose mine Ecce in the plaine field Behold the two twins were at strife for the blessing which was a dignity annexed to the birthright as an excellencie vnited to the crown whosoeuer holdeth one for euer must haue both They stroue for the birth-right before their birth and in the very inslant the strife continued for Iacob had Esau by the heele Signum retardantis eum qui prior erat Gen. 25.26 Lâ—oâ—orus fatigantis eum qui fortior praeualentis in certamine pietatis It was a signe that the better should ouertake his elder that the weaker should ouercome the stronger true pietie win the masterie of false sanctitie What was their contention ended with their birth Gen 25.31 Hemingius Inaequacior quaÌ„ Glauci Diomedis permutatio no the strife continued stil for the birth-right Sel me euen now thy birth-right and Esau sware vnto him and sold his birth right vnto Iacob Esau as the foole selleth heauen for earth Iacob as the wise merchant buyeth the pearle Now Iacob is become sonne and heire to the crowne of Gods blessings The blessing is not yet declared vpon him but hee is as sure of the blessing as of the birth-right Thus was the preeminence of blessing vpon Ephraim before Iaacob laied his right hand on him Psal 139.16 for in the volume of thy booke were all things written before there was any of them but it was not manifest till then A Doctrine of comfort is this to all which haue receiued that sauing grace which is sufficient They are as sure of glory as they are of grace 2 Cor. 12 because glory belongs to grace as the inheritance to the heire and the blessing to the birth-right yet so as birth-right blessing grace and glory and all are of Gods gift Rom. 6.14 Mercedem opibus delitam negamus gratuitum fatemur nemo dicat deum debere 4. talentae quia duo dedit vel bominibus deberi gloriam quia impartitus est gratiam Mar. 14.25 Leuit. 23.39 Gwerricus Abbas not of mans merit or worthinesse by the Law for ye are not vnder the Law but vnder grace The time of glorie is next to the time of grace in the surety of succession as the time of the feast was next
the Kings sonne Behold the smell of my sonne THE SECOND SERMON GEN. 27.27 Behold the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed I Am returned to remeditate our ioies in the manifold causes of our many ioies The sonne to whom I am next now in my text doth display many ioies all causes of ioy to vs all if we all as birds of the day be in loue with this sonne Now to the second riuer all of truth My Sonne Heere I might deale forth vnto you many multiplicities of the sonnes of nature grace and glory but heere Laconismus is best welcome There is a sonne of nature and a sonne of grace which both haue interest in this riuer of the truth of God One as the owner and Lord Pooramont the other as tenant and inholder The sonne of God by nature is Iesus Christ the truth it selfe and God of truth the sonne of diuine generation the onely begotten sonne of God Symbolum Nicâ— Iohn 3. begotten before all worlds There is a sonne of grace the sonne of regeneration borne againe of the spirit of God borne vnto glory in the celestiall Ierusalem among the company of innumerable Angels Hebr. 12.22 Such a sonne is Iaacob a pleasant sonbne by the holy participation of the communicable graces of the naturall sonne of God Heere may wee take a ioyfull view of our release from the post-fines of sinne both feare and shame Frigius The superbious Stagge cannot but feare the little Dogge Why so because he is but nature And albeit hee be procerous in comparison and beareth strong armes vpon his head yet doth he fly with shame The true Israelite albeit hee be but a yongue stripling and the least of all his brethren as Dauid was yet he cannot feare the roring Lion Why so because he hath grace a priuilege aboue nature Why Iohn 17.12 what is Iacob by nature a sonne of the earth of flesh darknesse death wrath hell and perdition I might shew you all these flesh-brands in mine owne nature to my shame but my short time cals for better matter What mends hath grace made behold how good and ioyfull a thing it is Iaacob is a sonne of heauen earth abolished a sonne of the spirit flesh mortified a sonne of light darknesse vanished a sonne of delight wrath abandoned Mat. 9.15 1. Cor. 15. a sonne of life death is swallowed vp in victory a sonne of the bride groomes chamber death is swallowed vp in victory and all dishonour is exiled for euer more Such sonnes are Iacob and Iacob Hebrew and English King Salomons loue betwixt them King Salomon made himselfe a Pallace of the trees of Lebanon Cant. 3.9 all white and sweet as Frankincese of Lebanon These two are trees of Lebanon Suauitate candore morum melliti eburnei saccarati lactei sweet and white as the trees of Lebanon Loe here is the smell of my sonne What is it thinke you a small matter to become the Kings son Iaacob is Isaacs sonne and the Prince is the Kings sonne and they all are Gods sonnes Eph. 1.14 elected adopted sanctified iustified and sealed vnto the day of redemption Thus are they all made wise sonnes a wise sonne maketh a glad father and hee that begetteth a wise sonne shall haue ioy of him Prou. 10 Prou. 13 as happely the King hath of the smell of his sonne Shall I now begge a discourse There haue beene euill sonnes of euill fathers as the sonnes of Cain and Cham euill sonnes of good fathers as some sonnes of Dauid good sonnes of euill fathers as Ezechiah the sonne of Achah and Iosiah the sonne of Ammon and good sonnes of good fathers such were Isaac and Iaacob The first sort were a iust recompence that they should bee serued themselues as they had serued others The second sort were vngratefull birds which stained their owne nest Iuda 5 1. Sam. 2 17 and caused their fathers to smell ill before the vncircumcised as Hely his sonnes did He might iustly complaine against his sonnes as the Iewes did iniustly against Moses and Aaron Exod. 5.21 yee haue cause our sauour to bee lothsome before Pharaoh The third sort were a blessed allowance these snined as light in the middest of a crooked generation Phil. 2.15 their fathers before and their sonnes after beeing set vpon euill But the fourth sort is the chiefest honour and splendor of the Church Firmamentuâ—â— veritatu in Christo confirmatum Apoc. 5.8 Prou. 27.9 good sonnes of good fathers all in the Church as the lights in the firmament All these are as the golden Viols full of odors odoriferous and delectable to their parents as ointment and perfume reioice the heart You Nobles Gentles Merchants and Fathers all what are your sonnes euill of euill or euill of good or good of euill or good sonnes of good fathers which is more to bee desired then gold Trie the smell of your children and prooue whether your sonnes and daughters haue beene dedicate to diuels as many were among the children of Israel 4 Reg. 17.17 By euill example many giue their children to the sorcerie of Popery and to all prophanesse of opinion and malefaction Through fier they passe to Priests and Iesuites to the orders and disorders of Rome Ad bullatas nug as magu asâ— piciunt quam ad scripturas vt Asint stramina malunt quam aurum Many of your children are sent to Lypsius his Ladies to seruice and to the Ignatian Friars to schoole The sonnes of the Prophets were discriples and schollers of the Prophets sonnes of good smell many of yours are ali enigenae cuckoo birds strangers to your owne country Church and Prophets and liuing sometimes euen in the middest of all loue not the heart of any The King is the head here in his dominions next vnder God and the Prince is the heart vnder the head your children loue neither of them no nor their parents neither but to serue their owne turne and their great Mistris the Whore of Babylon You may too many of you thanke your selues you haue yeelded them to their course as Daedalus did his sonne in the fiction with wax vpon their wings bullis indulgentialibus linitas Hâ—nc pâ—rtinaciâ— papistica vt Eutichiana in hac fide genitus sum etiam vsque hodie vixi et in ea opto mori Too many of you haue set them in tune or rather out of tune to your owne Romane instruments your hearts Thus your corrupt children are gone backward they are strangers from the wombe euen from the belly haue they erred and speake lies Mandrabuli more worse and worse If you thinke this reason giuen of your sonnes ruines be without reason hearken to the Prophet Thy father was an Ammorite and thy mother an Hittite and in thy natiuity when thou wast borne thy nauell was not cut Vt è sinubus nubium eâ—aculantur fulmina et
breeds another but there is too much already in word and deed of this badde matter Now let vs with ioy looke againe on the Kings sonne trie his spirit hitherto vnvanquished smell the sweetnesse of his pretious oyntments which the Popes dead flies haue not yet corrupted Fathers behold the Kings sonne and see of what fashion opinion and affection your sonnes should be he smels as Iacob did Iacob did smell of Christ Psal 12.1 all of truth I must confesse my sorrow of heart in that iust complaint for the faith and truth are diminished from among the children of men There are many numbers of them like idoles of the heathen which haue eyes and see not or in speciall like Harpocrates the dumbe god which did see as they supposed but could not or would not speake To all those whatsoeuer they be we may truly say Quid igitur profuit te vidisse veritatem quam nec defensurus es nec secuturus As the nice dame which can looke vpon the table richly furnished with sumptuous prouisions and hath no stomacke to put them vp It hath beene vrged against the Separatists long agoe that the perfection of the Church is aboue and not belowe in heauen and not on earth And to this purpose are instances pressed out of Pater noster which was all hands without eies and our Father which is all eies with out few hands But see here the true proportion of true religion both hands to doe and eies to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince and the Princesse in mutuall armes embracing and feeding one the other as Prou. 8 Exalt her and she shall exalt thee This sonne is filius dextrae the right sonne royall the sonne of the right hand compendium gratiarum a treasure of the treasures of gladnesse The eies of the multitudes looke on him and the noblest of all the Nobles say of him thou art worth ten thousand of one of vs. 2 Sam. 18.3 The true sonne and true heire to a true King The son the heire the title the inheritance the creation all sauour of truth Behold the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field Heere wee must leaue the second riuer where mercy and truth are mette together in the Prince as the light and warmth of the sunne to reioice together as two riuers of Paradise to runne one with an other So that the Prince may happilie say in the end Psal 119.32 I haue runne the way of thy commandements and the Lorde may say of the Prince Behold the smell of my sonne Now are wee come to the cordiall waters of righteousnesse There is among men a Merchants Righteousnesse There is among men a poore mans Righteousnesse There is among men a proud mans Righteousnesse There is among men a Christians Righteousnesse The first is the righteousnesse of a prophane Merchant who selles all his righteousnesse for smoke of vaine glory Matth. 6.1 Take heede of this righteousnesse The second is the righteousnesse of a proud Lady a proud heart in a beggers purse Thou saiest I am rich and increased with goods and haue neede of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable Apoc. 3 Matth. 5. and poore But except your righteousnesse do exceed the righteousnesse of Scribes c. The third is the righteousnesse of the man with a gold ring and goodly apparell who must euer bee the best of the company What hath God commanded which he will not do This man is as the foole which hearing that God commanded man to walke streight neither turning to the right hand nor the left he would ouer hedge and ditch hilles and houses till hee fell and could passe no further Eccle. 7.17.18 There is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice but be not thou iust ouermuch The fourth is Abrahams righteousnesse Hee beleeued and it was counted to him for righteousnesse So vnderstand this Scripture that good Christians may put off that slander of Solifidians For the true Christan is not fier without heat or day without light No the way of the righteous shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day This is Iaacobs righteousnes glistring with his father Abrahams righteousnesse both righteous in Christ The ground in which wee find this current of righteousnesse is called a field where wee haue of field roome good store In the word of God we finde diuerse fields the field of the fatherlesse the field of beasts Prou. 23.10 Psalm 8.7 Prou. 24 and the sluggards field In the field of the fatherlesse the wild Boare doth often roote and the greedy Wolfe doth make subtill entrance In the field of beasts Nebuchadnezar liued all in pride blasphemie rapine lust drunkennesse as too many in our times Psalm 104 liue more like beasts then men where all the beasts of the field doe meete and the wilde Asses quench their thirst In the sluggards field are thistles and nettles as a wicked mans life is all full of offensiue transgressions for want of Christian exercise But I haue thought to speake of other fields Luke 6.1 Iohn 18.1 There is ager frumenti the corne-field where Christ walked hortorum the field of gardens where Christ praied the field of bloud the potters field bought with the price of bloud and ager Meridianus the sun-shine field whither Christ is ascended This Meridian field is the ioyfull Theatre for all true beleeuers whither Iaacob and Iaacob are risen with Christ Colos 3 the one spe the other re one initians the other initiatus one in via the other in patria one in possession 1. Joh. 3.14 Ioh. 5.24 the other in infallible assurance For we know that we are translated already from death to life But what field is Iaacob a corne-field so haue we heard of him in the corne-eare that his Corne and Wine and Oile increased Faith Hope Cant. 4 16. and Loue. Iaacob is a field of gardens all of vigent flowers and pinguous hearbes of grace that of his owne heart he may say with excellent desire Let my beloued come into this garden and eate his pleasant things Let come prosperity aduersity or terror or flattery or what ill blast soeuer Ionah 4 7. Iob. 1 Cant. 4.16 as on Ionahs gourd or Iobs house yet this field shall prosper and the more it is blowen more sweet it smelles Arise O North and come O South and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow Iacob is a field of bloud the vndefiled bloud of the Redeemer was sprinkled vpon him Apoc. 14.1 the bloud of the Lambe of God which standeth on mount Sion The bloud of the Lambe was let out by his enemies in the field of bloud but it was shed vpon his friends as water on the thirsty ground to comfort it This is the bloud of the Testament which God hath appointed vnto you Hebr. 9.12 Yea this precious bloud was powred
out vpon the rich fields of heauen and earth that we might be all one flocke bought and paid for and seised into possession by his precious bloud-shedding he hath set at peace through the bloud of the Crosse both things in heauen Col. 1 20 and things in earth Iaacob is a potters field Christ Iesus was laid vp in this field 2. Cor. 4.7 that Iacob might die to sinne and liue to righteousenesse Iaacob hath heauenly treasure in an ear then vessell Matth. 13.4 Christ is the hidden treasure in the potters field more worth then all the field But shall I say that Iaacob is a Meridian field yes a goodly sun-shine field of common ioy and profit to the Church As the common court of the Tabernacle was vpon the sun-shine side a faire and comely passing to the Church Exod. 27.9 Thus was Iacob a faire field of common passage for the Saints for all must come by Iaacob This is the generation of them which seeke him Psalm 24.6 of them which seeke thy face O Iaacob Nostrum est rapere regnum coelorum per gratiam quod quis nequeat attingere per naturam our nature being lame Ierome Chrisostome we must be strengthened in grace to hold heauen by violence So then albeit Iaacob be a common field in whose faire paths and steppes of faith we repaire daily towards the house of God Yet is he but a figure of a fairer field for Christ himselfe is for vs all our rich faire common field He is ager frumenti where we haue all our bread of life Ioh. 6. Hee is ager hortorum where all the Church hath all her spices He is ager sanguinis our mercy truth righteousnesse and peace beeing all died in his bloud who did tread the winepresse alone Hee was ager figuli a man of earth in all things like vnto man sinne onely excepted hee bare the shape of a seruant in our potters field Yet this was his priuiledge that his vessell was not broken Hee was pierced with thornes and scourges and bored through with nailes and speare but he could not be broken among the spoiles of death Not a bone of him shall be broken Esa 12.46 Esa 53.5 Hee was broken for our iniquities in the separation betwixt his body and soule but his body could not be corrupt because it was neuer attaint with sinne with which seale the stay of our field is put together Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption Psalm 16.10 When all his enemies had done against him what they could hee wonne the masterie from them all as the sun at none day doth winne the victory of all the clouds of darknesse and is thus become our Meridian field Heere stands our glorious sonne the King of glory as the sunne in Gibeon on the top of the hil whilest the Lord doth fight for Israel Iosh 10 Vers 13.14 Apoc. 1 The sunne abideth in the middest of our heauen as the son of man in the middest of seuen golden candlestickes and there is no day like this Christ Iesus is our common field 1. Cor. 1.24 and there is neither Iewe nor Grecian nor bond nor free shut out which haue any title in this field as the righteousnesse of Christ for a wedding garment Matt. 22.11 There are none secluded which making right vse of their talents haue right desire to enter into the Lords ioy Matt. 25.21 as the wise virgins which went in with the bridegroome into the wedding Here we all gather plenteous redemption as Ruth gathered plentie of releese in the field of Boaz Ruth 2.15 Let her gather among the sheaues and doe not rebuke her O blessed Boaz our Sauiour what strength is in thee for vs all what strong charity what faire righteousnesse hast thou scattered for vs all to gather As Boaz scattered some of his sheaues of set purpose for Ruth Vers 16 so Christ himselfe let fall some of his sheaues for vs that we might gather without rebuke Ecclesia militans est sancta imputatione inchoatione segregatione sanctitate multimoda à sancto sanctorum imbuta Nay who can tell how many thousand more Christ hath done for vs that we may gather heauenly fruits and after feede thereon for euer It is said of Ruth that shee gleaned in the field till euening Heere vntill euening till the day of this life bee spent wee gather all our good conditions comforts profits pleasures all our mercies sweet remissions all our truth true faith all our righteousnesse faire beauty and all our peace sweet rest vntill our euerlasting sabbaths rest in that blessed field of Gods rest for euer But all this while where is the Prince hath hee no place heere or doth he beare no Armes in this Field Yes now let all the worthies of the world looke on him the Prince is Hur all white cleane hands and cleane heart and vpholdeth the armes of his worthy father as Hur did the hands of Moses to the discomfiture of our enemies 〈◊〉 he going downe of the sunne The Prince is a field of Corne Colos 3. â—6 Nom. 24.6 Heb. 10.22 Psalm 78.39 the Word of God doth plentifully dwell in him A field of gardens as the gardens by the riuers side A field of bloud sprinkled in his heart from an euill conscience and yet a potters field Let him remember that he is but flesh and a winde that turneth not againe What then are all those sanctities lost in him no now let my tongue touch my heart and let my voyce shout out for ioy that the Prince is our English Paradise Henricus campus meridianus magnae Britanniae The Lord sent him out of the North into the South and now is he becom our meridian field for the health and wealth of Christendome The Lord hath brought againe the captiuitie of Sion Psalme 126.1 and here is the health and wealth of these dominions Now shake thy selfe from the dust arise and sit downe O Ierusalem loose the bands of thy necke O captiue daughter Sion Shall I compare with that happie time of our blessed Queene Elizabeth They which were banished in Queene Maries time for sowing were sent for againe in Elizabeths daies to reape a fauourable recompence of God Psal 126 5 that they which did sowe in teares might reape in ioy In former time the people went downe into Egypt and Ashur oppressed them without cause but now how beautifull vpon the mountaines are the Watchmen which see lift vp their voyce and shout together Now is our mouth filled with laughter Vers 2 and our tongue with ioy our ioy renewed new ioy doubled double ioy multiplied our manifold ioyes established in the King and the Kings sonne Heere is cause enough for vs all to confesse the largesse of Gods mercifull true and righteous dealing in the performance of his promise Leu. 26.9 I will haue respect vnto you and make you
much preaching and too much Sun-shine together Perpetua aestas omnia exurit but the danger is more ne perpetua hyeme omnia rigerent lest cold religion should be closed vp in frozen hearts and in the want of the warmth of the word of God this times deuotion become cold and dead as ice When I remember this miscreant conceipt it seemeth to me like a fowle serpent with a great bellie full of young ones all deuourers of faith Thus may you more easily vnderstand our Sauiours question When the sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on the earth who knoweth not that faith may be starued for want of the waters of comforts and pined for want of food and choaked for want of spirit if thou withdrawest thy breath then we are gone Psal 146.4 Thus mans breath departeth he returneth to the earth and his thoughts perish What then must wee haue nothing but reading of the most sure word of the Prophets 2. Pet. 1.19 to take heed vnto Yes beloued I would be loth to say that we should be acquainted with no other businesse but reading expounding or hearing the word of God as those Heretickes erred which would haue nothing but praying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I grant there must be Ortus occasus Solis a time to speake Eccles 3.7 and a time to keepe silence a time to sowe and a time to mowe Yet the word of God as the Sunne may not be too long downe lest there be too much darkenesse and cold ignorance and indisposition to good manners And for a parting blowe to those wise men whose wisdom descendeth not from aboue Iam. 3.15 but is earthly sensuall and deuillish I would commend one answer more to them more to the purpose Their comparison is not well ioynted because of the oddes betwixt Nature and Grace Psal 58.5 The truth is cleare against all adders which stoppe their eares that albeit there can be too much Sun it is pittie that euer faire weather should doe harme too much prosperitie and blasts of winde yet can there neuer be too much faith loue Matth. 8.26.14 31.16.8 obedience neuer too much grace Therefore are there so many complaints of too little manifold prayers that grace may be multiplied vpon the Church Now must I speake of the third field 1. Pet. 1 2. in which Gods seed is sowen This field is the soule of man Ezech. 8. this is Gods field All soules are mine The Lord soweth seeds of grace purposely in our soules that they may growe and out-growe our sinnes as seeds are sowen in their seasons to out-grow the weeds Therefore euery one which is borne of God doth no sinne 1. Ioh. 3.4 Psal 47.1 because his seed remaineth in him Heere then let all English people clap their hands sing lowd vnto God with a cheerfull voyce for this one instance of a Princely soule In the troupes of many miraculous coniunctions and oppositions you may all behold some strange ones here Rare coniunctions of Maiestie and Humilitie of Youth and Wisdome of Temperance and yeares of lust to sin What Halcyons dayes in summer It is reported that the Halcyon doth breed in winter and then there are daies of peace then warres cease in all the world In the daies of winter of old age then sinnes cease in microcosmo the force of carnall desires are not so fierce against the soule When the Almond tree shall flourish concupiscence shall be driuen away Eccles 12.5 But Halcyons daies in summer in youth health strength and plentie peace and so brietie in the times of strong rebellion insurrections and skirmage a passing coniunction This can come to passe but onely one way by which it is thus come to passe The Prince is fastened to the head Coloss 2.19 knit with bands and ioynts and increasing with the increasing of God Without exception this is a singular example of ioyfull astonishment as S. Peters deliuerance was to be exempt out of the chaines of darknesse Acts 12. when his friends thought his enemies were too strong against him Is it not a wonder in our daies infidelitate epicurismis luxuriante ac saepius ad atheismum vrgente yet this incomparable Prince as a pillar of Gods house to stand fast and as a mount that cannot be remoued There are a thousand young plants in the Kingdome shaken as reeds and daily wauering are carried about with euery wind as clouds without water Ephes 4.14 Iude 12. yet still the Prince groweth as an heauenly plant which cannot be plucked vp Looke on him all yee prosapiae nobiles all whosoeuer ye be of noble pedegree generous progenie or religious ancestors are not his actiue vertues before you so many Heroes all singing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now stirre and quit your forces well Jste primus prodijt in Scenam vt vos sequamini To cut out sinne and cast downe hell And now look on him againe where you may perceiue an opposition like rare as is the coniunction duellum perpetuum a most martiall combat betwixt opportunitie and sinne These two are commonly in league alter in alterius iactantes lumina vultus soothing vp one another as mutuall flatterers We shall seldome see these two to meet at any time without shaking of hands as friends and hardly are they separated if the barres of law be not strong and of sound vse against them Such is the common greeting betwixt them as betwixt Prosperity and Pride which are seldome perswaded to part company There is one greeuous sorrow with which may parents are painted that our youth doe beare in their thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not virgins but curtesans Now the least euill word to young men takes fire youth is vt ignis ad torrem as hastie to sinne as the dry brand to be kindled There is no need of vnchaste songs and wanton plaies to intice youth to wantonnes for they are apt to euil Et quia facilè vulpes pirum comest as wise to doe wickedly as the Fox for his prey Marke then Plautus Luke 16.8 here is an happy marke for you all worth your aime pearelesse youth with prudence to flie from euill when as at the same yeeres others doe basely flie to euill Is not his praise and statue iustly raised who doth mortifie his vnruly affections when with such strong enemies many of the strong young men are slaine Many of the beautifull women strong men haue perished in the power of those enemies that the Prophet may sigh and lament O that mine head were full of water Ierem. 9.1 and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Verily this young Prince doth with great ioy draw waters out of the welles of saluation that though thousands fall on his right hand Esay 1◠3 Psal 91.7 and ten thousand