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A51245 Ho thésauros en ostrakinois skeuesin. A pearl in an oyster-shel: or, pretious treasure put in perishing vessels. The sum or substance of two sermons preached at Withall-Chappel in Worcestershire. Wherein is set forth the mightiness of the Gospel, the meanness of its ministration. Together with a character of Mr. Thomas Hall, his holy life and death. By Richard Moore, a willing, though a most unworthy servant of God in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ. Moore, Richard, 1619-1683. 1675 (1675) Wing M2583; ESTC R222046 51,229 137

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infirmities of flesh and blood you may see it in Elias 2 King 15. 14. Jam. 5. 17. in Jonah in Peter and the rest of the Apostles So Ministers in this sense are Earthen Vessels and Satan is sensible of this and therefore will sift them to the bran Can he Luke 22. 31. but get such as they to side with him in the promotion of his works of darkness it makes much for the advancement of his Interest As Luther said of a great Scholar Cupit a te ornari Diabolus 3. They are Earthen Vessels in respect of their resolution and dissolution subject to the stroke of death as well as others Za● 1. 5. like water spilt upon the ground or like Earthen Pitchers that are carried oft to the Water but are come broken home at last Eadem conditione mortalitatis simili conditione vobiscum humanitatis afficiuntur Budaeus 4. They are obnoxious to crosses and changes in their outward estate in the world they pass from prosperity to adversity they suffer imprisonment banishment Psal 123 3 4. contempt and scorn and are counted the very scum and off-scouring of all things God is pleased many 1 Cor. 4. 13. times to empty these Vessels and to pour them forth as Wine out of a Jer. 48.11 Cask and they are vilely esteemed of men as Vessels of no value The Reasons are such as these They have here many times to do with men of earthly minds to plant Isa 51. 16. a Heaven and to found a Earth or rather that God may do it by their Ministry as our Translators render the Words Now what Vessels are fitter for the Lords use to call home the Vessels Deut. 5. 24 25. of Mercy than men like themselves The Israelites would not hear of it that Exod. 20. 19. God should speak unto them immediately from Heaven but by the Ministry of Moses a man like themselves So men of like passion are men of more compassion such as can truly say with the Apostle Who is weak and I am not 2 Cor. 11. 29. weak Who is offended and I burn not Likeness breedeth liking and our own weakness feebleness afflictions stir up affection as it did in Calvin of whom it is said He was no otherwise affected towards the Churches than if he Beza in vit Calv. had born them upon his shoulders 2. The great Shepherd of his Sheep will have it so to humble us that when we take notice of the Treasure we 2 Cor. 12. 7. are intrusted with we may seem low and little in our own eyes and esteem of our selves Coniah a Vessel wherein is Isa 13. 3. Jer. 22.28 no pleasure Flesh and blood is apt to boast in parts in gifts wherein happily we may esteem to excel other men But did we but consider our own brittle imbecillity and from whom our sufficiency comes We would no more boast than of a borrowed Sute or the Man of his Hatchet Alas Master It was borrowed 2 Kings 6. 5. 3. The Lord doth so ordain that this precious Treasure should pass to you through Earthen Vessels 1. That you should not cast Contempt upon this holy and honourable Calling of the Ministry because of the meanness of mens persons parts parentage trials or temptations since Gods Prophets and even Christ and his Apostles were liable to the like Amos was neither a Prophet nor the Amos 1.1 Son of a Prophet but a Herd-man of Tekoah Jesus Christ before he entred upon his Ministry served in the mean employment of a Carpenter his Apopostles Mark 6. 3. were many of them poor Fishermen And the Apostle Paul was sometime a Tent-maker though indeed brought Acts 18.3 up at the feet of learned Gamaliel and yet for all the trials and temptations that he indured the Galatians were nothing the less indeared to him you know saith he How that through the infirmity of the Gal. 4. 13 14. flesh I preached the Gospel and the trials of me which was in my flesh ye despised not neither abhorred 2. The Lord will have it so that you should not have Ministers persons in admiration for any elegancy of Wit Jude 16. excellency of Learning strength of Memory c. Since they are but Men and of like passions and the Lord is pleased Acts 14. 15. many times to hide the great mysteries Mat. 11.25 1 Cor. 1. 26. of his Kingdom from the wise and prudent of the world few of such are called I know well that God distributes his Gifts variously to some a greater measure than to other men and such are worthy of double honour especially if they labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17. But though you ow them reverence yet you must not have them in admiration For this was the Original of the various Sects at Corinth I am of Paul and I am of Apollos and I of Cephas 1 Cor. 1. 12. and the Apostle is afraid lest any one should think o him above that he seeth in him and will rather glory in his infirmities 2 Cor. 12. 5 6. for this very cause 3. That the Grace of regeneration may be ascribed not to the preaching of Men but to the power of God so in the Text and by the operation of his Spirit 4. The Lords intent in this dispensation may be to puzzle and perplex the great Wits of the world who rest and relie upon their carnal wisdom and think thereby to fathom the depth of these 1 Cor. 3. 18. Mysteries but such must empty their Vessels of this Earthly Treasure and count it trash before they be capable of Phil. 3. 7. conceiving of or receiving in the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg in Christ for Intus existens prohibet alienum If any man among you seem to be wise in this world let him become a fool 1 Cor. 3. 18 19. that he may be wise Vse 1. Admire the goodness and gracious condescention of God who might have delivered his mind to you by the ministration of Angels and in terrible things as at the Tradition of the Law upon Mount Sinai with Exod. 20. 18. thunder lightning and sound of a Trumpet the Mountain burning and covered with blackness darkness Heb. 12.18 and tempest so full of terror that not only the People but even Moses himself Exod. 19. 16. trembled But God was pleased to deliver his will to you by men formed of the same clay cut out of the same Job 33.6 7. lump with your selves Earthen Vessels Well may we say with the Psalmist Lord What is man sorry sickly mortal miserable Psal 8. 4. man that thou shouldst be thus mindful of him to leave thy mind to us and Heb. 1. 1. deliver it by the Ministry of Men As the Disciples said Vse 2. If the Apostle who was so eminent an Instrument of Christ and laboured more abundantly than the
Honourable Earl of Manchester to be Pastor of Uttington in Lincoln-shire GReat was the Jewel hid within this field A Pearl more precious than the earth doth yield One grace surpasseth Gold and Gems as far As the Sun shining doth the brighter Star This parti-colour'd coat wrought such debate And caus'd thy brethrens envy their hate That from thy place and people thou wast sent To suffer sharp and severe ' prisonment Far worse than that of Joseph in the pit Who afterwards was sold to th' Ishmaelite And by that Merchant-man who came from far To the Kings Provost-Martial Potiphar Where he was prosperous yet by the wile Of her who would by sin his soul defile Was stript of 's coat to keep his conscience His feet were fettr'd for his continence Tell me bless'd Saint what was not this thy fate If thou wast not far more unfortunate For in his bonds good Joseph was more free Who favour found was loos'd honourably But 't was otherwise with thee dear brother Who wast sent from one prison to th' other 'Till death by a Habeas Corpus did remove Thy flesh to th' earth thy soul to heaven above In those thy bonds thou wast so comfortable As made adversity amiable For Divine Truth was girdle to thy loyns And uprightness the brest-plate of thy reins A Faith most firm a shield of thy defence And an incomparable patience Hope was the only helmet of thy head The Gospels peace did light thee to thy bed Thy feet thus shod thou fearest no surprize But could'st defend thy self ' gainst injuries Thou having gotten these to good degree Obtain'st a conquest over Calamity Sore were thy life's troubles sweet thy rest Thy smel 's as of a Field that God hath blest Richard Moore Vpon the Death of many Reverend Ministers since Bartholomew 1662. IF passion be a spur to poetry Sure it should teach me for to verifie Were there but Sympathy who can but weep To see so many Pastors laid to sleep What shall the poor Sheep do now these are dead But dread likewise they shall be scattered The Lord hath smitten many Cedars tall How should poor poplars chuse but fear a fall Are Israels chariots and horsemen gone How should we chuse but weep and make great moan Old Ash foreseeing what a dearth would be Of Sions Seers fell fell down suddenly Although it proved his death yet would he grieve And buried was on Barthol'mew Eve As father Ely bowed his aged head First when the news came thy two sons are dead But when he heard once that the Ark was lost It brake his heart his neck his life it cost Vines Naulton Cawdry Calamy went hence Like Nard and Camphire trees of Frankincense Still sending forth their aromatick scent Till twice extinct from us to Heaven they went Learned Vines went away as in a sleep And Zealous Naulton who was wont to weep Calamy for London he loved so well When in the Fire he heard her passing-Bell Cawdry crowded on Caryl White and Strong Gouge Gataker Hill whitaker and Young Gravely judicious Burges and Hall Who was Tom-tell-troth Baker and Burdall Pale death why do'st thou make such haste And the true Churches Treasure waste Tell me in truth what is there no reprieve That such renowned Worthies might survive See that a Supersedeas thou grant That such the Clergies benefit may'nt want Though thou accostest them with swiftest wing I 'me well assured thou hast lost thy sting They 're now made more than conquerors since dead And are triumphant who were conquered Their Captain Christ hath got the Victory And soon O Death will make an end of thee In the mean time thou canst not surely kill A Child of God but cure him of his ill His Soul 's above thy reach and in a trice When once dismiss'd shall mount to Paradice Nor hurt the Body only lay 't to bed In th' Grave or Coffin where it 's buried RICHARD MOORE De Immortalitate BRight Marble nor the gilded Monunuments Of valiant Heroes nor the rare Contents Of wealthy Monarchs shall out-last thy fame Immortal Scholar of eternal name Neither shall time thy praises e'r divide As learned yet as e'r was on our side Fierce Mars his Sword may Statues overturn And wealthy Cities into Ashes burn Spoil and deface the works of costly plates High Spires and Temples prized at dear rates Yet cannot blur nor these thy Works o'return Immortal Hall who sleepest in thine Urn Art dead do'st speak by Books thou 'st left behind Sight to the faithful eyes unto the blind Bright Orient Pearls to light through misty vales O're gloomy Mountains and obscurest dales When Kingdoms are o'return'd like Troys sad Town The brightest Gem thy lofty front shall crown Posterity Halls learned Name shall boast When this our Isle and Europe quite is lost Aeternitati Comparatum omne tempus breve Popham Gardiner An Epitaph on the never-to-be-forgotten Divine Mr. Thomas Hall STay Passenger in this cold dusty Urn Read carefully in reading see thou learn Life's brevity the shortness of mans days How soon his glory fadeth and decays How soon his honour 's brought unto the Grave How soon the worms their satisfaction have What does his Learning him at all avail When once his vital Spirits dying fail If literature could free learn'd Men from death This Golgotha and dormentorious earth Halls Skeleton should never yet have found Who did with copious works so well abound Genius of art thy loss we do lament Mellifluous Orator who still time spent In reading seeking hearing sapience But now alas from us he is snatcht hence That makes us weep weeping we do deplore Tears blur our writings we can write no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life's Shortness Life 's a bubble Full of trouble And a vapour Or a tapour Life 's a flower Lasts an hour Soon it blasteth Sooner wasteth Then think how soon Mans pleasures fly away Since all his life-times but a winters day Like to the flower that with the Suns uprise His bud unfolds and in the ev'ning dies His swift concurrent motions like th' Sun With winged paces suddenly are gone Then think on God on grisly death's strong hand How thy poor soul at Gods just bar must stand Therefore prepare his aid see thou implore When that thou com'st his bar to stand before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solon Have God in mind him serve with filial fear And think how soon thy dying time is near Lord shall my soul when body it doth die Lord-liking climb the heavens Canopie Then farewel Earth Place of my Birth Adieu vain Pleasures Heaven yieldeth Treasures Far better than this tottring Stage doth yield Where we can't act but presently are kill'd O grisly pale-fac't death why so unkind To take him hence and leave me here behind Because I am not ripe too green of years To full this Corn-field of destroying tares If t' were not so thou wouldest take me hence To Heaven above thy dear's ones recompence Where Saints do triumph when the prize they 've won When this my body may out-shine the Sun When Moses-like I view the three in one FINIS Books to be Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside In Folio SErmons upon the whole Epistle o● St. Paul to the Colossians By Mr. John Daille translated into English by F. S. 2. An Exposition of Temptation on Mat. 4 v. 1 to the end of the 11 v. A practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Mans Choice on Psal 4. v. 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgess Forty six Sermons upon the whole Eight Chapter of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans 8 Sermons upon the whole fourth Psalm 10 Sermons upon the whole forty second Psalm 19 Sermons upon the whole 51 Psalm 9 Sermons upon the whole 83 Psalm All Five by Tho. Horton D. D. Left perfected for the Press under his own Hand a little before his Death XXVI Sermons upon several Texts of Scriptures By the Learned and Reverend John Donne D. D. Quarto's The Morning-Exercise against Popery or the principal Errours of the Church of Rome Detected and Confuted in a Morning-Lecture preached lately in Southwark By several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London Mediocria or the most natural and plain understanding according to the Scripture of the great Doctrines of Election Redemption Justification the Covenants the Law and Gospel and of Perfection Large Octavo Captives bound in Chains made free by Christ their Surety or the Misery of graceless Sinners and their Recovery by Christ their Saviour By Tho. Doolittel The Faithfulness of God considered and cleared in the great Events of his Word or a second Part of the fulfilling of Scripture By the same Author Speculum Sherlockianum or a Looking Glass in which the Admirers of Mr. Sherlock may behold the Man as to his Accuracy Judgment Orthodoxy The Childs Delight together with an English Grammar The true way of reading and spelling English Both by Tho. Lye Small Octavo A Religious Family or a Treatise in which is 1. The Beauty and Excellency of a pious and well-ordered Family described 2. The single Mans Family-Book faithfully prescribed By Phil. Lamb. Index Biblicus Multijugus or a Table to the Holy Scripture wherein each of its Books Chapters and divers Matters are distinguished and epitomized The almost-Christian Discovered or the False-Professor tried and cast By Matth. Mead. The Godly Mans Ark or the City of Refuge in the Day of his Distress with Mrs. Moores Evidences for Heaven By Edm. Calamy The true Bounds of Christian-Freedom By S. Bolton The sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ By Will. Bridge A Discourse against Transubstantiation or an Answer to the ordinary Question whether a Man may be saved in the Roman Catholick Religion By I. C. D. D.
Jesus Sacrae Scripturae tui sunt sanctae deliciae mei Augustin Christ made of the Scriptures As also our famous Orthodox Modern Divines Dr. Prideaux left these Verses behind him written upon his Bible This sacred Volume in whose precious leaves The Mysteries of Heaven in treasures lie The Object and the Subject of each Christian eye Who lives by this by death shall never die Here shines the Sun of grace diffusing wide His quickning rays on all from side to side Here God and Man do both embrace each other Met in one Person Heaven and Earth do kiss Here a pure Virgin doth become a Mother Who bore that Son who the worlds Father is Here true bliss cometh flying from on high To hawl Man out of Hells dark Empiry John a Wigord Take one taste of those few among the many famous verses written by Mr. Clark See his Divine Poem or Poetical Meditation p. 622. In his Mirror This Book these Sentences these Lines Each Word and Letter To me is better Than Chains of Pearl and golden Mines 'T is Heaven transcrib'd and glory pen'd Gods Truth no doubt Was copied out When he this Gift to man did send J. C. You see Sir with what a Cloud of Witnesses you are compassed about for your conduct incouragement in your way towards Canaan your heavenly Country that you may taste of the hidden Mannah and read and rumina●● upon this Bread of Life and Food 〈◊〉 your Faith And as by much porin● and pondering upon the Statute-Law● of the Land you may become a wise an● able Justiciary so hereby a true an● intelligent Christian and the better acquainted with your own heart For th● Scriptures are so penned as Athanasiu● saith that every man may think the● speak de se in re sua of him in hi● Affairs Indeed there is little good ●● be got by reading the Scriptures cursorily and carelesly but if you do it duel● and diligently with attention affectio● and supplication they will have such a● influence upon the Soul and such a● Erasmus in his Preface upon Luke efficacy as is to be received from no other Book that can be named hereb● how hath the proud heart been humbled the hard heart softned those boisterou● and predominant passions and affection subdued and every thought captivate● into the Obedience of Christ so tha● the Man hath become of a Lion a Lamb● of a Leopard a Lamb of a Swine ● Sheep Who sees not at this day that th● nauseating of this Bread of Life hath brought many men to spiritual leanness set them upon dangerous precipices of pride till they have fallen into the dead sea of practical Atheism whereas a serious searching out of the Will of God revealed in his Word is an effectual Dr. Stillingfleet in his Epist to Origin Sacrae means for the maintaining a powerful sense of Religion in the souls of men Be sure therefore to make a diligent search into the mind of God as it is here manifested For the dignity of the Scriptures and the Majesty of Christ who is the Author and the matter of them mutually look one upon another as the Sun doth on the Stars and the Stars on the Sun for as the excellency of the Sun appears by the glory of the Stars to which it giveth light so the Majesty of Christ is manifest in the Scriptures to which he giveth credit And as the Pearl by the often beating of the Sun-beams upon it becomes glorious so we by beholding as in this Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. It happily may be expected from some according to the Custom of such 2 Cor. 9. 10 11 13. Dedications that I should speak of your personal worth but I well know your modesty would by this means be 〈◊〉 ●o the blush and some disaffected persons might count me a parasite I shall therefore turn such Praises into Prayers that he who is able to make all grace abound in every good Work would multiply your Seed and increase the Fruits of your Righteousness that others may glorifie God for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ this is Sir and shall be the hearty Prayer of Your Servant in the same Saviour Richard Moore Wetherock-hill Novemb. 4th 1674. To the Candid Christian Reader WIse Solomon saith There is no end in making Books In Eccles 12. 12. this Case Covetousness and Ambition like the two Daughters of the Horseleech never say it is enough and in Polemical Discourses Men are endless in their Answers and Arguments so that the Reader after a curious inspection will find many things impertinent acted in passion and utterly to fail his expectation like the hungry Dog gnawing upon a Flint-stone wherewith he may assoon as we say in the Proverb break his Neck as his Fast Which made Erasmus so ironically to pass his Censure of such Multi mei similes saith he hoc Morbo laborant ut cum scribere nesciunt a scribendo tamen temperare non possunt And lest any man should say unto me Physician heal thy self Know good Reader that the Subject-matter of this small Piece is not Controversial but truly Christian you have here an Impartial Narrative of a Man of God a Godly Divine who was illustrious in his generation one that thundred in his Doctrine and lightened in his life who was a holy President to his Flock and left many wholsome Precepts behind him when he died He was conscious that Examples do more affect or infect than Rule that Practice doth obviate Precept and that our life is a continual imitation and that we are one anothers pattorns and temptations that most men go the way that is gone not the way that must be gone and are carried by the gale of Custom rather than by the guide of Conscience he chose therefore to go before his Charge in all manner of Conversation and Godliness He was one that was high in Parts holy and lowly in Heart the more he knew the As Nazianzen of Athanasius more he perceived his own ignorance as Boughs loaded with Fruit and full Ears with Corn and bow down the head and bend towards the Earth As for such who have the highest natural Endowments without grace they are but glittering Glow-worms in the dark or as Toads which they say have a Pearl in the head and poyson in their whole body The Devil desires to be adorned with these counterfeit Pearls and Bristoll-stones But this renowned Worthy had a good inside and outside clean hands a learned head and a loyal heart to Jesus Christ It were to be wished that such who are Justin Martyr non in verbis sed in factis res Religionis dependet Hesiod so ready to strive about words would strive to imitate him in good works to imitate Vertue is a Vertue to be imitated and herein that is truly excellent wherein we strive
these men where they might buy a cheap Piece of Ground or where Gold and Silver and precious Jewels lay hid in the Earth though it were a great way off and hard to get Would they not hearken to me Oh how would they run or ride dig and delve in the bowels of the Earth to get them Bu● I acquaint you with a more precious Purchase with a far more enduring Substance and tell you it is nigh unto you where it is hid and how easie Rom. 10. 8 it is to be had yet I cannot prevail with you for my life to take a little pains to get it or to part with a little of that which you cannot long keep though it were to gain that you can never lose Well your Treasure you are for and your Treasure without true repentance you will have such Psal 140. 10. as it is such as you have laid in and laid up for your selves even Treasures of Wrath against the day of Wrath and the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of Rom. 2. 5. God Vse 2. Which that you may avoid let me prevail with you to make the Gospel your Choice count it your chief Good below God and Christ It is a Legacy left you by your dearest Lord sealed with his precious blood herein you have a promise of the Pardon of Sins of Adoption of Sons whereby if you are not wanting to your selves you may become Heirs of God and Joint-heirs with Christ and Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints And will you not read it Will you not heed it at least with as much care as a Child would his Fathers Will to know what he hath left him to see whether some one or other have not a Title before him to the chief Treasure Alas beloved Do we see it and is it not our shame that those Terrae-Filii Sons of the Earth can even sweat for Silver forbear Pleasures that they may get Profit dig deep in Mines for Precious Mettle and choice Jewels storm dangers and difficulties by Land Omnis cupiditas in illum tendatur and Sea The Merchant the Mariner the Mathematician the Mechanick the Souldier and he that studies the Philosophers-stone And will you not take as much care be at as much cost use as much courage in Christianity at least in searching into those golden Mines of the Gospel wherein are discovered Joh. 5.39 those hidden Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg in Christ St. Chrysostom saith to this purpose In his Homil Super Orat. Annae Such as dig Treasures out of the Earth though they get infinite Wealth yet give not over till they have drawn the Mine dry for this is their chief care not to get out much but to leave none behind How much more should we endeavour to know the Read the Lady Jane Grays Letter written to her Sister whole mind of Christ contained in the Gospel lay out our selves about it and labour in it day and night The Gospel is a pure Treasure very pure purity it self free from all dross Such as dig in Mines for Gold and other Psal 119. 140. precious Mettals are willing to work hard though the Oar hath much dross and dirt that cleaves to it till it be refined but this is a pure and proved Word pure as Silver tried in a Furnace of Earth fined seven-fold Psal 12.6 2. It is a perfect Treasure in all parts without mixture of any other alloy nothing must be put to it or ought be taken from it Those precious things that are taken out of the Deut. 12. 32. Earth even all Mettals have their mixture which doth somewhat debase them but the Word of Christ is perfect Psal 19.7 of it self and compleat without the additions or traditions of men He that addeth to or diminisheth any thing Rev. 22. 18 19. from it shall have no part in the Book o● life but shall partake of the plagues that are written it Oh how inexcusable are the Papists who count it imperfect and pollute it with the mud and Mine of their vain inventions and carnal-Gospellers who profane it who take not pains to read it who heed it not neither hoard it in their hearts 3. It is a precious Treasure Gold Silver and Jewels are precious things and yet they are but as the Offal and Excrements of the Earth a man may have much of them and yet be miserable and say with Caesar Omnia fui nihil profuit I have been all things and never the better but the price of Job 28. Psal 119. 72 127. this is above rubies to be esteemed as gold nay above fine gold even above thousands of gold and silver Had the Lord thought these things a fit portion for his people he would not have given them to his enemies the barbarous Indians have much more of these than you 4. It is a profitable Treasure to teach to convince profitable for all 2 Tim. 3. 16. things to correct and to instruct in righteousness Gregory calls it the heart and soul of God Athanasius the food of the Soul St. Augustine the Fortress 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Errors Irenaeus the invariable Rule of Truth In a few words it teacheth true godliness which is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. for all persons whether in a publick or private capacity 2 Tim. 3. 17. It is profitable for men in all Duties in all Estates and Conditions which respect their active or passive obedience It teacheth men what they ought and what they ought not do how to live and how to die and how to suffer and how to carry themselves in prosperity and adversity The Apostle had never taken out that Lesson had he not learnt it here viz. to be content in every estate to know how Phil. 4. 11. to want and how to abound and as one that had nothing yet possessing all 2 Cor. 6. 10. things A strange hyperbolical Speech a Riddle to the world 5. It is a pleasant Treasure sweeter than Honey yea than the droppings Psal 19. 10 Psal 119. 103. Hos 13.15 of the Honey-combs Ephraim who was a pleasant Child in Gods account Jer. 31. 20. yet he had the Treasure of all his pleasant things spoiled but here is a sweetness wherewith as the Soul of man shall never be satiated so neither shall it ever be satisfied till it come to Heaven It is a lasting Treasure an everlasting Sweetness I might add what I before said The Gospel is a heaped a hoarded a hidden and a heavenly Treasure Vse 3. And now you Sons of Pleasure and Daughters of the Horsleach who are so ready to cry Give and are never satisfied Tell me what you would have And where you are like to mend your selves You are for Profit here is Gold for you you are for Pleasure and here 's Honey for you Oh how well might you be without these Earthly-sweets Would you
behave your selves in the House of God in your own Houses as Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants Come Isa 55. 1. ●o this publick Treasury where these ●hings are to be had but you must know this that these Treasures are not to be attained without digging and Christian Diligence in the use of means It is a hard work to dig for Gold and you must make heart-work of it The Job 3. 21. Apostle minds young Timothy of this Eccles 1. 13. who had made it his trade from his youth Meditate of these things and give thy 1 Tim. 4. 15. self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear And Solomon saith If thou seekest her as Silver and searchest for her as for hid Treasure Then shalt thou understand Prov. 2.4 5. the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Quest But what further means must we use to get this Treasure Answ You must be sure to seek it Nihil quaeritur nisi per viam suam in Gods ways and in the use of the good means he hath appointed As 1. You must mix the Word with Faith in your hearts when you read it or when you hear it for such as bring not Faith along with them depart from the Word without Fruit The Gospel Heb. 4. 2. preached profiteth not them that hear it who mix it not with Faith Faith in the heart is like the sweet confection of Oyntment poured upon Christ his Head it casts a sweet scent and savour into all the parts and powers of the Soul it is Oyl to these wheels and makes them go with agility in the ways of God 2. Pray unto God that he would Psal 119. 18. pour upon you the eye-salve of the Spirit for this Treasure lyes deep and our shallow capacities cannot comprehend it our understandings being not only blind but blindness it self Eph. 1.18 Domine velamen amove Volumen evolve Pray therefore that your understandings may be unvailed that the Truths of Christ may be revealed that neither the Organ may be dim nor the Object dark But of this I spake before 3. Live under a godly Ministry where the Word drops like pretious dew from Sion into the fertile vallies This is the Indies where this Treasure lies These Preachers lips preserve knowledg and you must seek the Law at Cant. 1.8 their mouths feeding your kids besides the shepherds Tents Such who are used to dig in Mines know by the colour of the Sands and by the taste of the Waters that run from the Mountains where the true Treasure lieth So you may guess where and from what sort of Men you may get the Pearl of Price even from such who wear the Brest-plate of Science and Conscience whose care is as it was said of Chrysostom In vita Christ Non aures titillare sed corda pungere not to tickle the ears of the Hearers but to prick and pierce their Hearts into whose hearts the true Light hath shined 4. Be diligent in season and out of season and by frequent hearing of Sermons be searching for this hid Treasure This is the means that God hath promised to bless when we lie with the lame man waiting at the Pool Men John 5. 3. use to omit no opportunity to get gain the love of Gold makes many a man not mind his meat or his sleep but he will toil even and take pains when he should rest and refresh nature So he that would get this Jewel must with the Prophets blessed man meditate in the Psal 1. 2. Law of God day and night 5. Such who would get skill in searching for Earthly Treasures must confer with others to know where the right Vein for Silver is what tedious Job 28. 1. Horace his Epistle Travels have been undertaken for this Impiger extremos currit Mercator ad Indos So such as would have this precious Pearl must read and run from one Dan. 12. 4. Amos 8. 12. Sermon to another inquire and retire into themselves and converse with others Luke 24. 17. Lastly Learn from hence to prefer the Gospel before the most pretious things in the world since it affords a truer Pleasure a more induring Treasure Gold is got out of the basest element the Earth and admired only by men of earthy minds who make it their God and sell their Souls to the Devil for it Oh! the misery the mischief that the Love of it hath wrought in the world For this cause Crates the Philosopher is said to cast his Gold into the Sea with these words Ego vos mergam ne ipse Solinus c. 68. mergar a vobis It was never true to any that trusted in it But the Gospel though it come from Earthen Vessels yet it is pure and most pretious sure and certain established for ever in Heaven Psal 119. 89. Mat. 6. 19. Lay not up therefore for your selves a Treasure on the Earth where rust and canker do corrupt but lay up for your selves a Treasure in Heaven c. But I proceed to the Pot into which this Treasure is put Earthen Vessels SERMON II. 2 COR. 4. 7. But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels WE have this Treasure Non pretio sed promisso not by debt but by dowry not by purchase but by Promise I might observe other things hence but I must proceed Doct. 2. That Christs Embassadours are Earthly Vessels A Vessel is an Instrument of use in which we do keep or carry any necessary 2 Tim. 2. 20. Commodity that concerns life's good And by a Metaphor it is transferred to men who are so called because they are Heirs 1. Either of Gods Election 2. Or of his Rejection 1. Of his Grace and Glory Or 2ly Rom. 9. 21. of his Anger and Indignation For the Potter hath power over the Clay to make one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour 1. Vessels of Wood and stones and such as are hypocrites in the visible v. 22. Church 2. Vessels of Gold and Silver viz. v. 23. The Elect. Moreover the Word is used in a general signification for any one that God 2 Tim. ● 22 designes to do him service in a publick or private capacity As Cyrus Nebuchadnezzar c. in a subserviency to his providence And in this sense it is put for the Ministers of the Gospel and thus our Apostle Acts 9.15 is called a chosen Vessel to bear the Name of Christ among the Gentiles And they may be here called Earthly Vessels 1. In respect of their Creation and Constitution and the base matter of Gen. 3.19 1 Cor. 15. 47. their making Adam of Adamah red Earth The first man was of the Earth earthly 2. In respect of their Corruption that cleaves to them whiles they remain in the earthly house of this their Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 Acts 14. 15. being subject to many perturbations and passions and
and confirmation in his Faith probably by Fire falling Judg. 6. 21. upon the Sacrifice but he had not so to Cains which was all the ground 1 King 18. 3. of the grudge he had against him This Faith of Abels is further illustrated 1. By the Evidence of it he obtained witness that he was righteous 2. By the recompence of it he was rewarded and regarded of God by his Faith the Lord took care of him avenged Calvin upon the Text. his Death reputed him among his Saints whose death is precious in his sight His Blood cried to God and Psal 72. 14 Gen. 4. 10. the ground that received it uttered a Voice and was clamorous against the Murderer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it he being dead yet speaketh or rather as the Learned Criticks translate it is yet spoken of Nempe in Scriptura saith Beza Where-ever Abels Faith is spoken of whether in the Scripture or preached of and published to the world though since he were dead yet still there shall be a memorial of him as if he were yet alive as was said of that Woman in the Gospel by our Lord and Saviour Where-ever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world Mat. 26.13 there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her Doct. That the renowned fame of the Saints who lived by and died in the Faith shall be recorded as well as recompenced and rewarded after their death The righteous shall be had in everlasting Psal 112.6 remembrance their good name and renown shall not only be lasting when they shall be laid asleep in the dust but it shall be for an everlasting remembrance Wise Solomon makes out the proof of this by Contraries Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt The memory of the just is blessed and the Name of the wicked shall not Prov. 10.7 Abels Sacrifice shall have a savour of acceptance Maries Ointment shall smell sweet in the Nostrils of God and good Men and Demetrius shall have a John 3. good report of all and even of the Truth it self When Cains Murder Judas his monstrous Treason and Absoloms Rebellion shall be an everlasting abomination See for the further opening of the Point 1. What it is to live by the Faith of Jesus Christ 2. Who they are that do so 3. How a Believer is said to speak not only living but dead 4. Why a Saint is said so to do 1. The just man is said to live by his Faith Hab. 2. 4. Thus the holy Apostle Paul dead by the Law revived by the Gospel from the time of his Conversion to the time of his Dissolution whilst he abode in the body of Flesh he lived by the Faith of the Son of God and being dead yet Gal. 2. 2. speaketh in the lively Oracles of the Word of Life In allusion to this speech of the Apostle Behold saith Reverend Dr. Rivet upon his Death bed I am dead I am risen again I live no more in my self but I live in the life of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. To live by Faith is to seed upon a Hab. 3. 17. Promise in the failure of outward provision and to draw out from thence supports and supplies to bear up the spirit Heb. 10. 38. 11. 38. of life in a Believer When there is no visible appearance in the Creature no blossom on the Fig-tree nor fruit in the Vine then Christ must be the Christians life breath and bread he will interest himself in a Promise of the Word as his present portion and provision Heb. 11.39 though he have not yet received the things promised in hand but only hath it in hope And were we to pass sentence who is a rich Man we would not so much look into his Purse to see how much Gold he hath but into his Chest to see what Deeds and Indentures what Bonds and Evidences he hath So if you would see whether you are Rich and Righteous towards God be sure search what Promises you have treasured up in your hearts For as he is a rich Man who is rich in Bonds so the Believer that can plead the Promise in prayer and put these Bonds in sute 3. As the true Believer lives to God so he hath laid up for him a goodly heritage and though for the present he be but as the Heir under age yet he is Psal 16.6 Gal. 4. 1. sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of the Inheritance Ephes 1. 14. until the Redemption of the purchased Possession Every Believer is an Heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ and Rom. 8. 17 hath an assurance of the heavenly Inheritance here 1. By Purchase 2. By Promise 3. And in the first-fruits of the Spirit which is a part of the whole as an Earnest is a part of payment for the Purchase 3. A Believer is said to speak not only living but dead 1. By his Blood 2. By his Example 3. By his Precept 1. By his Blood And in this sense the Blood of Christ is said to speak better things than the blood of Abel it Heb. 12. 24 speaks peace pardon remission and reconciliation with God but the Blood Gen. 4. 10. of Abel cries and calleth for punishment revenge and vengeance The glorified Saints cannot be said Rev. 6. 10. Rom. 12. 19. thus to speak properly they seek not revenge but leave it to God whose Prerogative it is it is meant only of the provocation of their suffering 2. Believers may be said to speak by th●ir Example for the worlds imitation and admonition not only living but 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. Jam. 5.10 dead So the Apostle Take my Brethren the Prophets for an ensample in suffering who have spoken to you in the Name of the Lord. The Prophets were now dead yet they had left such renowned Presidents and Examples of Patience behind them that they even speak yet to us by their heroick and impregnable Faith and Fortitude in bearing injuries and forbearing enemies in taking patiently the spoiling of their Goods knowing this that they had in Heaven a more induring substance 3. Believers may be said to speak not only living and dying but even when dead by the lively Precepts they left behind after they went off the stage of this world and were buried with their Fathers thus they are said to speak with us at this very day Faith hath this mighty force and efficacy in it that it works wonders Isa 26. 19. in Heaven and Earth and in the Grave by virtue of it many received Heb. 11. 35. their dead to life again as the Widow of Sarepta the Sbunamite and the Friends of Lazarus Faith hath a force to remove Mountains and true justifying Faith is not beneath Miracles Jesus Christ is the Prince and Principle of Life and his People are