the Aduersarie insults ouer the Saints as if they had the better of them nay the whole victorie and had carryed them already into captiuitie It is not for any respect that God hath to the wicked that hee suffers often his children to be oppressed and vexed by them boasting and bragging of the equitie of their Cause the truth of their Profession and the soundnesse of their Religion but I answere them It was for no goodnesse that was in Nebuchadnezzar that the Lord deliuered his people into his hands for his Idolatrie was great greater was his crueltie and greatest was his pride As for his Idolatrie it was such that according to the custome of other Heathen when they were about to enterprise any thing they were wont to immolate and sacrifice vnto their heathenish Gods and by the looking into the intrailes of the beast sacrificed where the Deuill gaue them some signe they coniectured what would be the end and euent of their enterprize so Nebuchadnezzar doubting whether hee should wage warre against Ierusalem or the Ammonites did immolate and offer sacrifice vnto his Idols and Gods Pecudumque reclusis Pectoribus inhians spirantia consulit exta He stood at the parting of the way and did looke into the u Ezekiel 21.21 liuer As for his crueltie hee made the whole world as a wildernesse he destroyed the Cities thereof and opened not the house of his * Isa 14.61 17. prisoners And as for his pride the holy Ghost calls him Lucifer the sonne of the morning who said in his heart Ibid. vers 12 13 14. that he would ascend into heauen and exalt his Throne aboue the Throne of God hee would ascend aboue the heigth of the clouds and bee like the most High Now I hope our Aduersarie will not say that for any desert in Nebuchadnezzar the Lord put his people into his hands no more is it may I say for their merits or works of supererogation or for the worth and worthinesse of their Nebuchadnezzar their high Priest their Prince their God that the Lord suffered and in many places as yet doth suffer his owne to bee vnder them in captiuitie for their breaden God their woodden Images their canonized Saints c. paint out their foule Idolatrie their torturing and tormenting martyring and massacring of Gods Seruants doth sully paint out their crueltie and his Holinesse assuming vnto himselfe and their attributing vnto him all power in Heauen Earth and Hell doth demonstrate their vanitie and ignorance and his ambition and insolence But as the Iewes transgressions were the cause of their captiuitie Foure reasons why the godly are often ouerthrowne by the wicked so our sinnes are the cause of our afflictions And if you would be further satisfied why the Lord did and doth often suffer the wicked to preuaile against the godly let vs to his glorie and our owne shame confesse first 1. Their owne sinnes generally that our wickednesse is the cause thereof Why was the children of Israel deliuered into the hands of the Philistimes fortie yeeres because they did euill in the sight of the x Iudg. 13.1 Lord. The case is ours it is for our sinnes that the Lord suffers vs often to haue the ouerthrow of our enemies The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a y Prou. 28.1 Leuit. 26.36 Lyon saith Salomon doth not the Lord himselfe plainly tell vs that if we harken diligently vnto his Voyce and doe his Commandements then we shall be blessed when we come in and blessed when wee goe forth our enemies shall bee smitten before our face they shall come out one way against vs and flee seuen wayes before vs but if we doe not harken to the Voyce of the Lord nor obserue his Statutes then the Lord will cause vs to bee smitten before our enemies Wee shall goe out one way against them and flee seuen wayes z Deut. 28. before them Againe it is to be doubted there bee too many cursed Achans amongst vs 2. The couetous mind of common souldiers whose heart is onely set vpon the accursed thing I meane their mind is not to fight so much for Gods glorie and the good of his Church as it is for the prey the accursed Babylonish garment and siluer Shekels this forced the children of Israel to flie before the men 2 Ios 7. of Ai and this may be the cause why we flie before the face of our Enemie Thirdly 3. Want of deuotion amongst our selues there is but too little deuotion amongst vs we are not so feruent in prayer nor so zealous in our supplications to God as wee ought doe wee not remember that when Moses hand was lifted vp that Israel preuailed but when his hand fell downe then Amalek b Exod. 17.11 preuailed it was not Iosuahs sword but Moses wordes not Iosuahs power but Moses his prayer that discomfited Amalek Lastly 4. For the wickeds further condemnaâ—ion and the godlies triall and humiliation the Lord doth often suffer the wicked to haue the better hand of the godly for the ones humiliation and for the others destruction Doe we not read in that lamentable conflict betwixt the children of Beniamin and the children of Israel Israel had the better part first in the equitie of the cause for both the wickednesse was committed amongst the Beniamites and then they maintayned their folly in not harkning vnto the good aduice of Israel and deliuering vp the offendors the children of Belial to suffer for their lewdnesse and to put away euill from Israel Secondly there was great oddes in number for Israel was almost twentie for one Lastly they were permitted and licensed by the Lords owne mouth to goe against them and yet for all these they were twice discomfited and fortie thousand of Israel slaine but what did this worke contrition and humiliation in Israel for they sorrowed and wept before the Lord but in the other pride and presumption for they said among themselues they are smitten downe before vs as at the first but what followed in the end Israel hath the victorie the Beniamites are wholly ouerthrowne sauing a sew that fled to the wildernesse vnto the rocke c Indg. 20. Rinnon these are the reasons why the Lord doth often suffer the godly to haue the ouerthrow by their Aduersarie but if the godly would preuaile against their Enemie they must not doe euill in the sight of the Lord they must stone out all accursed Achans forth from amongst them they must lift vp their hands nay their hearts vnto the Lord and they must weepe and lament before him then gird your swords vpon your thigh O you most mightie according to your worship and renowne good lucke haue you with your Honour ride on because of the Word of Truth of Meeknesse and of Righteousnesse and your right hand shall teach you terrible d Psal 45. things pull downe the walls of Iericho
seemely order of seruing of God Some of vs crie out against the Kings supremacie some raile against the reuerend Priesthood and Prelacie and too many of vs whet our tongues and sharpen our pennes to speake and write against the 〈…〉 chaste ceremonies and discipline of this Church of England and so wee must fill vp our Sermons with 〈…〉 inuectiues exclayming against the 〈…〉 forsooth and withall falsly reproching the 〈…〉 Ecclesiasticall as full of superstition and Poperie Wee call euery thing in question and raise doubts where the matter is as â—â—eare and euident as the light of the Suâ—â—â— By 〈◊〉 doing wee giue our Adueâ—saries iust cauâ—e to 〈…〉 in hope of aduantage Wee cause the Word of 〈…〉 spâ—ken of and bring many of the ignorant sort to waue and wander in their opinions stumbling at euery straw and starting aside at euery crosse and is to bee seared erelong the complant of Chrysostome in a case not much different bee not verified amongst vs whilst we are doubtfull in questions there be but few true Christians there is but one Faith one Truth and one Baptisme one Law and one Gospell and why should there not bee one heart and one soule one tongue to preach and one hand to penne the onely Truth these jarres about light and slight queres befits not true Christians there is but one harmonie amongst the Saints in heauen and there should bee but one harmonie amongst the Saints on earth Christ is of all with one voyce praysed in the Church triumphant and should be so also in the true Churches militant Wherefore let vs imitate and follow the Apostles who with one consent continued landing and praysing x Act. 2. God Now Lord we beseech thee to be with our mouth as thou wast with Moses to open our lips as thou did deft Dauids and to touch our tongue as thou did dest Ezekiels and to open to vs a doore of vtterance as thou did-deft thy Apostle that so we may continually pray vnto thee and daily prayse thee so long as we liue vpon the face of this earth that hereafter wee may with Quires of Saints and Angels sing vnto thee in the highest Heauens prayse and glorie wisedome and thanks honour and power for euermore Amen THE ATHEISTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR The third sequell that followed vpon their deliuerance viz. The Heathens confession THE FOVRTH SERMON VERS 3. Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them IN these words you haue the third sequell that followed vpon this deliuerance viz. The Heathens confession what God had done for his people When the land of Israel was desolate and when the house of Iudah went into captiuitie the Ammorites reioyced at their fall crying ha ha against them they clapt their hands they stamped with their feet and reioyced in heart against the land of Israel The Moabites insulted ouer them the Edomites molested them and the Philistimes did reuenge themselues for their old hatred vnto them and all that pâ—ssed by Ierusalem opened their g Theodoretus nonnulli aperite os pro irridere accipiunt iuxta illud Psal 22.7 14 13 14 79.4 Origen aly ex stimant referre potius mâ—rem belluae deuerare cupientes Psal 23.13 Jer. 51.34 Christoph à costro lib. 5. comment ler. mouth they h Sibilare mouere caput signa iocaâ—tis per ludibâ—ium contemnentis itaâ—ccipitur sibilare Reg. 9. Zoph 2. similiter mouere caput Psal 21. hissed they gnashed their teeth they wagged their heads they clapt their hands saying is this the Citie that men call the perfection of beautie and the ioy of the whole earth Come let vs deuoure it for certainely this is the day wee have seene it and found it Thus did the prophane Heathen insult ouer Gods People and Sanctuarie but now when they see that they haue found fauour againe with God and that hee hath graciously brought againe their captiuitie and in his wrath cast downe their enemies they are confounded for all their power and they lay their hands vpon their mouth not daring to barke or bay any more at them but amazed and astonished they are forced to confesse that The Lord hath done great things for them In the words The parts of the Text. we may obserue First The Confessors the Heathen Secondly the thing confessed the Lord hath done great things for them And therein wee may note First the Agent the Lord. Secondly the Act hath done great things And thirdly the Persons for whom for them By whom the godly are reproched by the same they are often commended viz. the Iewes The parties confessing were the Heathen euen they who before did deride them and thought them a people forsaken and not regarded So that here wee may learne that often they who laugh at Gods people and children in time of their afflictions and reproch them * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Gen. kom 51. in time of their miserie euen they in the end are constrained to acknowledge Gods goodnesse towards them and whereas before they opened their mouthes against them so in the end they are forced to commend them And herein is both the power and loue of God manifested when he forceth his childrens enemies to be the trumpets of their praise And so whilest the Viper is vpon Paules hand the Barbarians abhorre him as a murtherer but when he casts it off without harme they thinke a Acts 28.3 4 5 him a God Whilest Iob lyes a wofull wretch vpon the dunghill his neighbours forsake him his acquaintaince forget him his wife disdaines him his seruants him his wife disdaines him his seruants disobey him the wicked despise him and euen vagabonds and villaines deride b Iob 19. him But when the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Iob then they came all to him feast and reioyce with c Iob 42. him As Dauid went out of Ierusalem sleeing from Absalom wicked Shimei vpbraides him as a bloudie man and a man of Belial curses him and throwes stones at * 2. Sam. 16. him but as Dauid returned to Ierusalem hee was one of the first that went to meet him falls downe before him acknowledges him for his Lord and Soueraigne confesses his fault and craues his gracious * 2. Sam. 19. pardon Our Sauiour himselfe whilest he suffered vnder and vpon the Crosse was stripped scoffed at crowned and crucified of the Souldiers and the high Priest Scribes and Pharises mockt him saying He trusted in God let him deliuer him now if he will haue him Yet when the vaile of the Temple rent asunder when the Heauens were darkened and the Sunne obscured when the Graues opened and the Earth quaked the Centurion and his companie were all stricken with an exceeding feare and confessed that he was the sonne of d Matth. 27.43 God And so the Iewes in their miserie and extremity became an open shame vnto their enemies a very
King of Egypt to rob m 1. King 14.26 it or with Antiochus to ransacke n 1. Macc. 1.21 22. it but with Ioash to repayre o 2. Chron. 24. it with Iosiah to renew p 2. Chron. 34. it and with Cyrus to reare it and raise it againe Thirdly he was benigne and bountifull and liberall Thirdly his liberalitie to the poore Iewes to all such as were imployed in this worke or resorted home to Ierusalem for all such as through pouertie were not able to returne hee caused to bee releeued with siluer gold substance cattell and willing q Ezra 1. offerings strictly charging and commanding that for the building of Gods House the expences and charges should be raised out of his r Ezr. 6. reuenues if all Christian Princes were as forward as he was the Foxes durst not so boldly walke vpon Mount Sion nor the little Cubs destroy her Vines nor deuour her Grapes What is the cause that euery where wee see so many Churches ruinated and so many Chappels razed to the ground the Lords Houses so defaced and his Seruants so disgraced but because Naboths Vineyard is impropriated to be Ahabs f 1. King 21. Orchard and Strangers eate Panem sanctisicatum the hallowed bread which belonged to Aaron and his t Exed 29.32 33. sonnes and our great ones like Nebuzaradan with their vnhallowed hands doe rob Gods House of it u 2. King 25. treasure Hence it is that in many places the estate of the Church is like vnto that of the Iewes The carued worke of Gods House is broken downe with Axes and Hammers the Synagogues of God are burnt vp and the dwelling place of his Name is euen defiled and pulled downe to the * Psal 74. ground Hence it is that so many poore Ministers are dieted with Michaia with bread and x 1. King 22.27 water and are apparelled with Dauids seruants with garments cut off by the y 2. Sam. 10.4 buttocks and goe like famished Nazarites with a visage blacker then a z Lam. 4.8 cole and trauell like the Gibeonites with torne clothes and clouted a Iosua 9.5 shooes but let all Symoniacall and sactilegious persons take heed of the curse that hangs ouer them for spoiling of Gods Church and pilling of his Ministers For you are cursed with a curse because you haue spoiled mee saith the Lord in Tithes and b Mal. 3.8.9 Offerings Fourthly Fourthly his wisedome and valour in Martiall affaires I may obserue in Cyrus wisedome ioyned with valour policy with power the Prophet setteth downe the fiercenesse and furiousnesse of the Chaldaeans by comparing them for forwardnesse to Leopards and for their fiercenesse * Hab. 1.8 to Wolues beasts so rauenous that the one for eagernesse leapes and jumps and the other with open mouth for greedinesse runnes vpon the prey by which comparisons hee manifestly expresseth the nature and condition of that sauage Nation yet the Lord inabled Cyrus to subdue them and girded him with strength and power to ouer-come c Isai 45.1 2 3 4 5. them and as bee inabled him with power and valour so he indued him with wisdome and policy Vide Diâ—d Sicul râ—um antiq l. 3. c. 4. de aedificatione Babylonis caepit â—rbem Cyrus quam vel bumano opere extrui â—otuisse vel bumana virtute destrui posse vâ—runque pene incredile apud mortales erat Orâ—sius Babylon was immured with strong Walls so fortified with Rampires and Towres so impeopled with thousands of Souldiers and so fenced with the Riuer Euphrates that to the Inhabitants it seemed invinsible and therefore Balthasar with his Princes fearing no danger sits securely feasting and drinking in the sacred Cups but Cyrus diuides the Riuer into so many Channels that hee with his Souldiers passe through safely and so comes vpon the Chaldaeans as Gideon came vpon the Amalekites at vnawares and whilst they are in the height of their jollitie the Medes Inuadunt vrbem somno vinoque sepultam enter into Babylon as the Graecians entered Troy whilst some of them are drowsie through sleepe and some drunke with wine Wisedome and valour are required and expected in Rulers and specially in a Warriour hee must not be like Rehoboam a child and e 2. Chro. 13.7 faint-hearted nor yet like Ahab too aduenturesome and f 2. Chron. 18. forward but like Iudith bold as a Lyon and yet like Dan wise as a g Gen. 49.9 and 17. Serpent Iosuah though hee was animated and incouraged by the Lord himselfe to fight against all the Kings of h Ios 1. Canaan yet warily he sends Spyes to view and search the i Ios 2. Land and politikely lyes in ambush and takes the Citie of k Ios 8. Ai. Iudas Macchabaeus was strong valiant from his l 1. Macc. 2.66 youth yet priuily he assaults his Enemies in the night comes vpon them at vnawares and burnes vp their Townes and Cities on a m 2. Macc. 8.6 7. Phil. Mel. Chro. lib. 2. sudden Now omitting to speake of Cyrus his education which some haue thought to haue beene vnder Daniel in the Palace of Shusan in the Prouince of Elam and other memorable gifts wherewith God had indued him lest I should bee too prolixe and tedious yet in that the Lord vseth him as an instrument to deliuer his people out of the hands of their Enemies it should animate and encourage all Christian Princes to sight the Lords battels manfully in resisting all the Enemies of the Truth to Gods glorie and the good of his Church God promised and purposed to roote out the prophane inhabitants of Canaan and yet he excites Moses and Aaron Iosua and Caleb to warre against them the Lord can with water drowne his Enemies as hee did the n Exod. 14. Egyptians by an Angell destroy them as he did the o Isa 37.36 Assyrians with a noyse to affright them as he did the p 2. King 7.6 Aramites and fell them with hailestones as he did the q Ios 10.11 Ammorites yet to verifie his word Whosoeuer sheddeth mans blood by man his blood shall bee r Gen. 9. shed Hee will vse man as an instrument to punish the crueltie of man God in his Decree and iust Iudgement hath determined to destroy and ouerthrow this Westerne Babylon and though hee might destroy it with fire from Heauen as he did f Gen. 19. Sodom yet will he haue the Inhabitants of the earth to bee instruments and agents herein For the Kings of the earth shall make her desolate and naked they shall eate her flesh and burne her with t Reuel 17.13.16 fire And who knowes whether euen this bee not the time appointed for the destruction and desolation of that whorish Citie and bloody See For the deliuerance of Gods Saints from all Antichristian and Babylonish bondage and for bringing againe the captiuitie of Sion But mee thinks I heare how
fearefull Field of Blood but as the Apostle saith Aboue in Heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour y Phil. 3.20 the Lord Iesus Christ. Secondly ☞ shee is compared to Sion to shew vs that as a Citie that is built vpon a Hill z Match 5.14 cannot bee hid so shee and her members should not alwayes lurke in obscuritie nor lye hid through aduersitie the Arke must not euer be kept close in the House of Obededom Moses Basket must not alwayes bee shrowded among the Bull-rushes the Prophets cannot bee continually hid in the Caue of Obadia nor Eliah lurke still in a Caue on Mount Horeb no for it shall bee in the last dayes that the Mountayne of the House of God shall be prepared on the top of the Mountaynes and shall be exalted aboue the Hills and all Nations shall flow vnto it and many people shall say come let vs goe vp to the Mountayne of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes c Isai 2.2 3. and we will walke in his paths Againe 2. Sion a Hill of great strength Sion was a Hill of great strength and securitie so the Church of God is so firmely and steadfastly grounded that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it shee is that House of wisedome ☞ surely seated vpon seuen g Pro. 9.1 Pillars she is that goodly edifice built vpon a Rocke against which though the winds blow the floods flow and the raine beate yet can shee not be moued for the Rocke whereon shee stands is Christ how is both the ground-stone that doth vphold and the corner stone that doth conioyne the whole * Matth. 21.42 Psal 118.22 Isa 28.16 Acts 4.11 Rom. 9.33 1. Pet. 2.6 7. building so that neither the assaults of Satan nor the attempts of man can ouerthrow the least stone thereof For all that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remayneth for h Psal 125.1 euer Thirdly Mount Sion was not barren through coldnesse 3. Sion a Hill very fruitfull like the Hill Caucasus nor through heate like the Hill Vesuvius it is not cursed like the Mountaynes of Gilboah nor polluted with corruption like Golgatha but it is watered with dew from heauen like Hermon moystned with the siluer Streames like the Springs of Lebanon and stored with all fruitfull Plants like Mount Ephraim where by wee are taught ☜ that the Church is replenished with all spirituall blessings and heauenly graces shee is that Mountayne whereon the Lord doth feast all people with fined wines and fat things shee is that House of wisedome wherein the Lord hath killed his victuals drawne his wine and prepared a Table for his ghests shee is that Orchard replenished with all sweet fruits as Camphyre and Saffron Calamus and Cinamon here are the waters of Life to quensh our thirst here is the bread of Life to stay our hunger here is the precious balme of Gilead the costly oyle of Oliuet to soften our wounds and to cure our sores here is hony to comfort vs milke to nourish vs and wine to cheare our hearts and in a word the Lord will satisfie vs with the fatnesse of his House and will giue vs drinke out of the Riuers of his pleasures for with him is the Well of Life and in his Light shall we see light Lastly Mount Sion aboue all the Mountaynes of Iudaea was most beautifull and seemely 4. Sion a Hill most beautiful the situation of it being delectable and amiable For Mount Sion lying northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole Earth and Câ—tie of the great King whereby mystically was expressed the beautie of the Church the Arke of the Couenant was ouer-layed within and without with gold and all things in Salomons Temple were couered with gold ☞ pointing out the glorie and the beautie of the mysticall Temple the House of Christ the Hill of Holinesse and the Tabernacle of the most High wherein must enter no deformed Thersites no base Abimelek no crooked Vulcan no lame Mephibosheth no couetous Croesus no vncharitable Diues no lasciuious Lamea no gadding Dinah and no wanton Dalilah but such as with Esther are purified and cleane such as leaue their sinnes as the Woman did her pitcher such as forgoe their iniquitie as the Apostles did their Nets such as throw their errors away as blind Bartymeus did his cloke euen such like and none else The Church called Sion in regard of the signification must stay on this holy Mountayne for none shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle nor rest on his holy Mountayne but such as walke vprightly and worke righteousnesse Now 1. Heape tumulus acer nus as for the signification of the word Sion first it is translated a heape and that doth shew vs first that the Church is a company ☞ called and collected from all the corners of the Earth to be one body in z Rom. 12.5 Christ the Iewes aboue all the Nations in the world were chosento bee a precious people to God â— Deut. 7. yet the inuisible Church was not limited within such narrow bounds for euen among the Heathen God had his throughout all Ages he called Rachab out of Iericho Ruth from Moab and he had Iob in the Land of Vz and now the partition wall is broken downe there is but one Sheepherd and one sheep-fold There is neither Iew nor Grecian bond nor free male nor female but all are one in c Gal. 3.28 Christ Iesus Againe ☞ the Church being compared to a heape conioynd and gathered together doth shew vs what vnitie and amitie what peace and tranquillitie there should be within her walls Shee should be like Ierusalem all within her selfe at vnion and not like the Tower of Babel full of confusion like Christs Coat all of one peece and not like Ieroboams coat cut into twelue peeces teaching vs that there ought to be no contention no diuision no confusion no dissention amongst her members but we should all be of one soule and one minde keeping the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of * Ephes 4.3 2. A Glasse Speculum Speâ—ulatio peace Moreouer Sion signifieth as much as a Glasse or Speculation because the Law which serues for a looking glasse wherein a man may behold his naturall f Iam. 1.23 face ☜ and whereby he may come to know himselfe and his corrupt nature was first there to be read there to be had and there to be vnderstood For the Law came foorth of Sion and the word of the Lord from g Isa 2.3 Ierusalem The Women brought their looking glasses and offered them to the vse of the h Exod. 38.8 Tabernacle teaching vs that if we would apparantly perceiue the leprous spots of our vgly sinnes to repaire to the Tabernacle to Mount Sion where the Law
Psal 106.21 them I might adde hereunto 4. Absolutely necessary that wee haue nothing else to giue vnto God but onely the calues of our o Hos 14. lips prayse and thankes Which Dauid knowing full well doth question himselfe What shall I giue vnto the Lord for all his benefits bestowed p Psal 116.12 vpon mee Is there any thing in me but sinne Haue I any thing but what I haue receiued of him Is not he the portion of mine q Psal 16.5 inheritance Hath not hee prepared my Table anoynted my head with Oyle and made my cup to r Psal 23.5 ouerflow yet will I not be vngratefull for I will take the cup of saluation and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will offer sacrifice of prayse I will thanke him for his benefits in the presence of all his people in the Courts of the Lords House and in the midst of f Psal 116.17 18 19. Ierusalem Againe ingratitude is a thing so hatefull to God 5. It is benesiciall whereas ingratirude is hurtfull that he will not let it goe vnpunished Saul for his vnthankefulnesse is depriued of his Crowne the old Israelites for their forgetfulnesse of Gods goodnesse were not suffered to enter into the Land of promise Nay hee would not spare good Ezekiah for his vnmindfulnesse of his great deliuerie from the King of Ashur but strikes him with a deadly disease Yea and it withdrawes Gods blessings bestowed vpon them Quae Deus dat gratis aufert ingratis Aug. for what God giues to the thankefull he takes from the vngratefull as he did the Crowne from Saul and gaue it vnto Dauid Ingratitude is called a parching wind Ventus vrens desiccans fontem misericordiae Ruenta gratiae Bern. serm 51. in Cant. that dryes up the Fountayne of Gods loue and goodnesse whereas thankfulnesse doth open the Garners of Gods bountie and mooues the Lord to raine downe innumerable blessings vpon vs. For as the Master made his seruant who was faithfull in a little Steward ouer much so such as are thankfull for a little God will blesse with much Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuâ—â—aâ—ie Chrys in Matth. For thankesgiuing is the motiue of blessing To conclude it is a vice so distastfull that Gregorie saith He is not worthy to receiue who is not thankfull for that he hath receiued 6. Vngratefulnesse abhorred of Infidels Nay it was so abhorred of the very Infidels and Pagans that the Athenians would not permit an vngratefull person to beare rule amongst them And the old Romanes thought them worthy to be seuerely punished euen with death it selfe And Lycurgus being askt why amongst all his Lawes he had not made one against this vice answered That he lest it to the gods esteeming it so haynous a crime that it could not be sufficiently punished by man Let this teach vs to follow the aduice of the Apostle in all things t 1. Thess 5. to giue thanks And let vs exercise our selues in Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Songs with thanksgiuing in our hearts to the u Col. 3.16 Lord. Dauid when hee was freed from all troubles and deliuered out of the hands of all his enemies sung a song of prayse vnto the x Psal 18. 2 Sam. 22. Lord. Ezekiah after he recouered out of his deadly disease pennes song and leaues it to posteritie as a monument of his thankfull heart for Gods y Is 38.9 to 21. benefits And when the Saints in the Primitiue Church were let out of prison and set at libertie being before miserably captiuated by Maxentius and Maximinus they publikely through the open Streets and Market places did walke in troopes and assemblies praysing and thanking the Lord in Psalmes and Songs When blind Bartimeus receiued his sight Euseb hist Ecc ' lib. 9. cap. 1. he was so thankfull that hee would not part with our Sauiour but followed praysing and glorifying z Maâ— 10.46 Luke 18.43 God And vvhen Peter restored the lame to his limmes hee vvent into the Temple vvith Peter and Iohn vvalking leaping and praysing a Acts 3.8 God In a word therefore If vve be deliuered from the hands of our enemies as Dauid was If we be brought from the gates of the Graue as Ezekiah was If we be brought out of prison as the Saints were and out of captiuitie as the Iewes were If we haue our sight restored to vs as Bartimeus had our limmes as the cripple had and our health as AEneas b Acts 9.33 had Let vs offer vnto the Lord the sactifice of Prayse and render to him the calues of our c Heb. 13.15 lips with Ionah sacrificing vnto God with the voyce of d Ion. 2.9 thanksgiuing and with Dauid sing vnto him all our life and whilst we liue to prayse e Psal 104.33 him But if wee remember and thinke with our selues how wee are redeemed from the captiuitie wee were in vnder Sinne and Satan how vvee are freed from the power of Death and Hell by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ as vve haue great cause to reioyce so haue wee reason to be thankfull to God for the same At the birth of our Sauiour vvho vvas borne for the saluation of Man the Angels and whole Armies of heauenly Souldiers praysed God saying Glorie be to God in Heauen in Earth peace and good will towards f Luk. 2.13.14 men Elizabeths Salutation Maries Hymne Zacharias Psalme and old Simeons Song are all motiues to stirre vs vp to thankfulnesse for so vnvaluable a blessing Let euery one of vs therefore endeauour to shew our selues thankfull in word * Nec verbo c. and in worke vvith heart and hand Nec verbo tantum vel linguâ— sed opere veritate exhibâ—amus nos gratos quod gratiarum actionem magis quam dictionem à nobis exigit datur grâ—tiarum Bern. ser comâ—â— vitium ingratitudinâ—s awaking our drowsie soules and reciting them vvith Dauid to prayse the Lord saying My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within me prayse his holy Name My soule prayse thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits who forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities who redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and compassion who satisfieth thy mouth with good things and reneweth thy youth like the Eagles my soule prayse thou the g Psal 103.1 2 3 4. The tongue the instrument to set forth Gods prayse Lord. For thus should our mouth bee filled with laughter and our tongue vvith singing The instrument for setting forth and publishing of Gods prayse is the tongue for it is the Interpreter of the Minde and by it vvee expresse vvhat before wee conceiued in minde For vvhat the heart thinkes the mouth speakes Dauids heart is meditating some good matter and his tongue is the pen of a readie h Psa 45.1 Writer For
scorne and derision vnto all that were about them And the Heathen said Where is now their c Psal 79.4 and 10. God But now perceiuing how powerfull the Lord was in deliuering them and how mindfull hee was of them they are forced to confesse that the Lord had done great things for them Here wee may see what is the nature and condition of this wretched world it * Hoc sanè mundi est ingenium vt ijs malediâ—at auersetur quibus videt Dâ—um extâ—rnè maledicere contra ei benedicat cui externè à Domino videt benedici Cùm sueris faelix multos numerabis amicos tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Nihil ergo mirum quod Iob â—b amiâ—is reuâ—faâ—ur afflictione liberatus qui in afflictione ab omnibus suit destitutus Mercâ—in Iob 42. blesseth honoureth and reuerenceth all such as they see the Lord to blesse with worldly honours and preferment and on the other part they curse hate and abhorre all such whom it pleaseth the Lord any wayes to afflict outwardly yea one and the selfesame man shall bee regarded and reproched by the world as his case and estate doth change and alter in the world as you haue heard Iob for an example who first in the time of his prosperitie hee was honoured of all all bowed the knee to him but in his miserie and aduersitie they all fled from him forsooke him yea and laught him to scorne yet when the Lord restered him to his former health and blessed his estate his friends kinred and acquaintance did all flocke to him and feasted with him yea of their owne accord they brought presents to him and comforted him when they saw what great things the Lord had done for him Let this bridle the disdainfull ambition of all such as dare reproch any of Gods seruants in time of their crosse and calamitie as if for their transcending sinnes the Lord had forsaken them like Iobes friends who from the greatnesse of Iobes torments did conclude that hee had beene vnthankefull vnmercifull vncharitable his wickednesse great and his iniquities f Iob 22.5 6 7 8. innumerable or with churlish Nabal because Dauid was in need and want held him as a ruâ—agate g 1. Sam. and a runaway And the neighbouring nations about Ierusalem because of her infinite afflictions thinke the Iewes to bee abiects and cast awayes and so reioyce at their fall and helpe forward their afflictions Let vs not thus peruersely iudge of the Saints of God Let vs not thus adde affliction to the afflicted For Nabal shall sinart for his churlishnesse to Dauid Eliphaz and his companions shall bee sharpely reproued for their vncharitable iudgement of Iob. And the Heathen shall suffer for the vnaduised and wrongfull censure of Gods people For the Lord will purchase vnto his seruants praise and fame throughout all the land of their h Isa 60.14 62.12 Zâ—ph 3.18 19 20. shame which shal make their enemies confesse that the Lord hath done great things for them The second obseruation that offereth it selfe to be considered in these words is that God doth not onely deliuer his Church and Children The godlies deliuerance is often so miraculous that is affrights and astonishes the wicked but hee doth so deliuer them that the wicked stand amazed and astonished thereat When the King of Iericho heard how the Lord had dried vp the waters of the red Sea before the Israelites and what a glorious victorie hee had giuen them of the two Kings of the Ammorites hee and all the inhabitants of the land were sore amazed they were greatly affrighted their heart fainted and their courage was i Iob 2.9 10. abated Proud Nebuchadonosor at the miraculous deliuerance of the three Children out of the fiery furnace was so much astonished there at that hee was constrained to acknowledge and confesse the mightie signes and great k Dan. 3. wonders of God And when Paul and Sylas being cast into prison and hauing their feet made fast in the stockes so that in the Iaylors opinion they were sure enough at midnight the foundation of the prison was shaken the doores opened and euery mans bonds loosed the Iaylor awakened and would haue killed himselfe being so suddenly affrighted and amazed at the sight of those great things which the Lord had done for l Acts 16. them Thus the Lord will deliuer his owne children First to manifest his power and glorie that the Gentiles may know that hee is the God of saluation To this end hee would haue Gideon to encounter with the Amalekites and Madianites with no more then three hundred men that his power might be the better knowne in so m Iudg. 7. great a victorie And so by his wonderfull plagues inflicted vpon the Egyptians and by the miraculous bringing of his people out of Egypt hee did vindicate to himselfe glorie and worship for the Scripture sayth vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I exalted thee that I might shew my power on thee and that my name might bee declared through all the n Rom. 9.17 earth To make the Heathen confesse that the Lord hath done great things for Israel Againe to let the wicked see that there is nothing can hinder or let the libertie and deliuerance of the godly when God once purposeth to redeeme and saue them The Sea shall diuide it selfe Iordan shall start backe that they may passe safely a Pillar of fire shall giue them light by night and a cloud shall ouer-shadow them by day the Heauens shall raine downe meate and the drie Rocks shall powre out drinke vnto them no power no might and no policie in man can detayne them for hee maketh warres to cease in all the earth hee breaketh the Bowe and knappeth the Speare in sunder and burneth the Chariots in the o Psal 45.9 fire Hee breaketh the gates of brasse and bursteth the yron p Is 45. doores hee vnlooseth the capriues bonds hee deliuereth the prisoners out of the q Psal 68.6 stocks and brings them out of the Pit wherein there is no r Zacb. 9.11 water that the Heathen may confesse that the Lord doth great things for them O how should this encourage vs whensoeuer wee are molested and oppressed of the wicked though they with Zanecherib thinke that God is not able to deliuer Ezekiah out of his hands and with Nebuchadnezzar doe confidently beleeue that it is impossible that God should preserue Ananiah Mishael and Azariah from so cruell a death and with Pharao blasphemously say who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce and let Israel goe yet need we not to feare nor bee discouraged but euery one of vs with Dauid ought to say in God is my trust and I feare not what man can doe vnto f Psal 27.1 mee It was the saying of Euripides when the Athenians sought against the Thebans Iupiter is my helper and I doe not feare Now
whereas wee haue the liuing Lord and not a Paynim God for our helper should any of vs distrust or be in feare For our God is not as their god euen our enemies be t Deut 32.32 iudges that the Heathen may confesse that the Lord hath done great things for vs. O how should this asswage the tyrannie and abate the cruell insolencie of the wicked ouer Gods Children sith the Lord to their owne astonishment can set them at libertie and let them see that they are neither able to detayne them nor powerfull to restrayne them whensoeuer the God of saluation purposeth to deliuer them For albeit the Philistimes thinke they haue Samson safe enough in cordes though the Goaler thinke he hath Paul sure enough in the stocks and although the Quaternions of Souldiers are perswaded that they haue Peter fast enough in fetters yet shall they be deceiued For the snares shall be broken and wee u Psal 124.8 9. deliuered For our helpe is in the Name of the Lord which hath made Heauen and Earth and the Lord of Hosts is with vs and the God of Iacob is our x Psal 46.11 refuge to make the very heathen confesse that the Lord hath done great things for vs. Now whom doe the Heathen acknowledge to be the Iewes deliuerer Not Ashteroth the god of the Sydoniaus nor Chemosh the Idoll of the Moabites nor Milchom the abhomination of the Ammonites for all these are but vanities but the Lord whose power is inexplicable whose wisedome is ineffable and whose greatnesse is incomprehensible Now they perceiue that these Gods are but gold and siluer the works of mens hands they haue mouthes and speake not eares and heare not eyes and see not hands and touch not and feet and walke y Psal 115.3 4 5 6 7. not so that they are not able to doe any thing much lesse so great things as to worke the ouerthrow of Babylon and bring againe the captiuitie of Sion Therefore they are forced to confesse that he who is great and Lord aboue all Gods and who worketh whatsoeuer pleaseth him in heauen and in earth in the Sea and in all deepe places who bringeth vp the clouâ—es from the ends of the earth and who causeth the lightning with the z Psal 135.5 6 7. raine that he I say and none but he dealt so graciously with his people and did so great things for them Thus God by the manifestation of his power will let the wicked know By the wonderfull works of God the Heathen come to some acknowledgement of God that hee is the God of Gods and Lord of Lords When fire descended from heauen at the prayer of Eliah and consumed the burnt offering the idolatrous people forsaking Baal and his Priests fell vpon their faces and cryed out saying * 1. Kin. 18.39 The Lord is God the Lord is God Darius who doubted of Gods sufficiencie to rescue Daniel from the jawes of the Lions when hee saw Daniel come forth safe without hurt or harme he acknowledged Gods power in his deliuerance made a decree throughout all the prouinces of his Empire that men should tremble and feare before the God of b Dan. 6. Daniel And the prophane heathen seeing the wonderfull power of God manifested in his fatherly care in deliuering his Saints from the crueltie of Maxentius and Maximinus Euseh hist Eccl. â—b 9. cap. 1. and in changing their wofull captiuitie into a ioyfull libertie vvere so much astonished and confounded thereat that they vvere forced to confesse that the God of the Christians vvas the onely true and omnipotent God O how could this but confound the idolatrous Heathen if that they had but duely and truely considered the omnipotencie and power of this great God Iehouah who fayned vnto themselues so many gods impotent weake to succour them in aduersitie and to doe any thing for them Among all their gods Iupiter was in greaterst estimation as Father and King of Gods and was called Iupiter quasi iuuans pater a helping Father yet as the Poets fayne he wept when he could not set Sarpedon at libertie Such imbecillitie and such impotencie vvas in these Heathenish Idols and Paynim Gods but the Lords hand is neuer shortned that it cannot c Isa 50.20 helpe hee is euer able to deliuer vs and he is alwayes readie to releeue d Is 59.1.2 vs if our iniquities make not a separation betwixt him and e Iâ—r 5.25 vs and if our sinnes hide not his mercies for amongst the Gods there is none like vnto him saith the Psalmist there is none that can doe like vnto his f Ps 86.8 9 10. vvorks all Nations shall come and vvorship before him and glorifie his Name for hee is great and doth wondrous things he is God g Is 37.16 alone and therefore the Heathen now vpon the Iewes deliuerance confesse that he hath done great things for them O that the foolish Atheists who say in their heart that there is no God would but list vp their eyes to behold the daily wonders and wonderfull miracles whereby the Lords power and omnipotencie is daily shewed that hee might bewaile this blindnesse and repent them of their ignorance and wilfull error Fot as when Iohns Disciples came to our Sauiour and enquired of him whether he were the Messiah that should come Christ bids them goe backe againe to Iohn and shew him what things they had seene how the blind did see the deafe did heare the halt did goe the dead were raysed and the poore receiued the h Luke 7.19 20 21 22. Gospell By these miracles giuing them to vnderstand that he was the Messiah indeed Euen so the daily wonders which God doth worke besides the great things that he brings to passe as the streaming of the Heauens the shooting of the Starres the thundering of the Aire the invndation of Seas the shaking of the Earth and such like doe plainly demonstrate vnto the most ignorant Atheist that there is a God omnipotent and omniscient who is the efficient Causer of these things For as the Ie wes might haue knowne our Sauiour by the miracles he i Iob. 10.25 did Euen so by the works of God all men may see that there is a God Creator and Conseruer of all For the heavens declare the glorie of God Presentemque refert quaelibet berba Deum and the firmament sheweth forth his power one day telleth another and one night certifieth another Wee reade of Archimides that hee was much soâ—nended among the Heâ—then for his skill in contriuing and compacting the motions of the Sunne Moone and Planets with the course of the Heauens and celestiall Spheares in his Horologie We reade like wise of Architus whose Art was admired of them for causing a Doue of wood to hang in the Aire We reade of the two painters Apelles and Zeuxis whose cunning was wondred at the one for deceiuing the beholders with an
whole Citie how great things Iesus had done vnto him Here then first is commended to vs our duetie which is with Dauid to speake of all Gods marueilous k Psal 9.1 works With the Shepheards to publish them and with the Apostles to preach them The Souldiers when they saw the earth quake and the Angell rolling away the stone from the doore of the Sepulchre with other miracles at our Sauiours Resurrection they were bribed by the Priests to conceale n Matth. 28. them When Christ prayed to his Father to glorifie his Name there came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe which many of the Rulers hearing did beleeue in him but because of the Pharisies durst not confesse o 10.12 him Yet neither mony nor malice fauour nor feare of men must make vs conceale Gods prayse or be silent from she wing forth his wonderfull works For if once we beleeue in our heart we must confesse with our mouth For with the heart men beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth they confesse vnto saluation Moreouer here is condemned the slothfull dulnesse of men who neuer enter into the consideration of Gods works done vnto them nor at any time acknowledge Gods goodnesse and kindnesse towards them But as the Prophet saith The Harpe and Viol the Timbrel and Pipe are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands And what is the cause of this Is it not because like the men of Iudah who went into the Land of Egypt they attribute all to the Queene of Heauen and to their p Ier. 44.17 18 19. Idols or like Epicures they ascribe all to Chance and Fortune or with the Peripatetikes to Nature and naturall Causes or with the Stoikes to Fate and Destinie if they bee inriched with temporall things as was Nabal if they bee preferred to honour as was Haman if they bee adorned with externall bodily fauour as was Absalom or inwardly endued with worldly wisedome as was Achitophel they thinke that either by Fortune or by Fate such things come vnto them neuer regarding God nor minding Gods prouidence therein Whereas the Apostle saith That euery good thing and euery perfect gift comes from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of q Lam. 1.17 lights But let vs shake off this blindnesse and with Dauid medicate vpon the wonderfull works of God For they are great and ought to be sought out of all that loue r Psal 111.2 him and if with Iacob we be inriched with Ioseph extold to honour with Ezekia deliuered from sicknesse with Israel freed from bondage and slauerie and here with the Iewes brought out of seruitude and wofull captiuitie Let vs giue the glory to God acknowledge his goodnes before the sonnes of men confessing that the Lord hath done great things for vs. The first thing in particular that I promised Gods power implyed in his Name to obserue in these words was Gods power and that first implyed in his Name and set downe in his Worke. His Name Iehoua a name which the Hebrewes called Tetragrammaton because it consists say they of foure letters as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Grecians and Deus with the Latines They held it ineffable not because it could not be pronounced but because the signification of it could neuer fully be conceiued For some of the learned are of opinion that the Omnipotencie Wisedome and Eternitie of God are all implyed in this Name of all the names of God it was held in greatest reuerence so that seldome the Iewes did name it but when the occasion was weightie and of great importance as when the Israelites were deliuered out of Egypt Moses and the people began their song The Lord is a man of warre and Iehouah is his f Exed 15.3 Name And here in this short Psalme it is no lesse then foure times mentioned the more as it seemes to set forth the greatnesse of their deliuerance Before our Sauiour was conceiued for our Redemption he was named of the Angell IESVS in which blessed Name some obserue to bee included the vowels called Tetragrammaton with one S of the Hebrewes wherein was a mysticall or hidden signification of his Diuinitie But not to be too curious let vs still compare their deliuerance with our redemption and see the Analogie betwixt these two names First as the name Iehouah was not knowne to the Israelites the Iewes predecessors before their deliuerance out of Egypt was at hand For before this Name was not reuealed to the t Pro. 6.2 3. Patriarchs and now after their deliuerance from Babylon they acknowledge that onely hee whose Name is Iehouah was their Deliuerer So before our redemption did approch and before Christ was to be conceiued for our saluation his name IESVS was not reuealed but the Prophets named him u Is 7.14 Emmanuel and entituled him wonderfull x Is 9.6 Counsellor the mightie God the Prince of y Ier. 23.6 peace all which did but explaine the true signification of this one Name and now must we not expect saluation in any other For amongst men there is giuen no other Name whereby we must be saued Act. 4.12 Againe as the full signification of the Name Iehoua cannot be conceiued so the full signification of this name IESVS cannot bee expressed For this one Name contaynes all things which were foretold by the Prophets of the Nature and Office of Christ the fiue Letters saith one that are in the Name IESVS signifies as much as that He is Iucunditas moerentium aeternitas viuentium suaâ—itas doâ—entium vbertas egentium sanitas languentium joy and jocunditie to such as mourne eternitie and life to the liuing sweet comfort of the sorrowfull prosperitie and wealth to the needfull soundnesse and health to the diseased and sicke Moreouer as the Name Iehouah was neuer vsed amongst the Hebrewes but with great feare and reuerence euen so with the like reuerence ought Christians to vse the Name of IESVS For at this Name euery knee must bow of things in Heauen and things in Earth and things vnder the z Pbil. 2.10 Earth In a word therefore Let vs with all reuerence take these Names in our mouthes For holy fearefull and reuerent is the Name of * Psal 111.9 God holy and therefore to be sanctified terrible and therefore to be feared The Lord hath done great things for vs. Because the Psalmist was not able to expresse all things Gods power seâ— out in his workes which the Lord did for his people at their deliuerance Magnificauit i. magnifica fecit magnifice fecit magna nos fecit sic ferè omnes comment from their captiuitie he includeth the ouerthrow of their Aduersarie their owne libertie the reparation of the Temple and restauration of Religion and all things else in two words The Lord hath done great things
for vs. Their Enemie was proud and powerfull and thought in his heart that hee could not bee humbled Their libertie and freedome was a thing in their eyes impossible The Temple was rased to the ground and past all hope to bee reedified againe The true Religion was generally decayed and in their iudgement could not easily bee restored But God who is Omnipotent and All-sufficient did for their sakes bring all these things to passe If I should here take occasion to speake of Gods power and sufficiencie and of his wonderfull works I should deseruedly be taxed for presumption in attempting a thing beyond the vnderstanding of man For he doth great things and vnsearchable yea marueilous things and without b Iob 9.10 number But his power here is manifested chiefly in these three The ouerthrow of Babylon the deliuering of Sion and in the restoring of pure Religion The Chaldeans were a bitter and furious Nation terrible and fearefull Their iudgement and dignitie proceeded of themselues Their Horses were swifter then Leopards their Horse-men many and as the Eagle hasting to the prey their faces sharpe like an East wind and they gathered the captiuitie as the Sand they mockt Kings they scorned Princes they did deride strong Holds they were strong and mightie their Quiuer an open Sepulchre and without mercy and compassion they deuoured eate vp and destroyed all before c Hab. 1. and Ier. 5.16 them but how suddenly are the wicked destroyed Euen now Pride is a chaine vnto them and Crueltie couereth them as a garment they set their mouthes against heauen and their tongue walketh through the earth but the Lord hath set them on slippery places and casteth them downe into desolation they are suddenly confounded perished and horribly d Psal 73. consumed Babylon the head Citie of Chaldea in their iudgement was inuincible being immured with wals of three hundred feet in heigth and threescore and fifteene in breadth inuironed and intrenched with the great Riuer Euphrates and inclosed with an hundreth Gates of brasse but shee is suddenly surprised sacked ruinated and rased to the ground And now Babel the glorie of the Kingdoms the beautie and pride of the Chaldeans is become like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah an habitation of Deuils and a cage of cleane e Ier. 50.39 and Isaâ— 13.19 20 21 22. spirits Their libertie was a thing so farre beyond their expectation Tam admirabilis quam captiuitas videbatur insolubilu â—â—usc that it seemed as impossible as their captiuitie seemed insoluble Their captiuitie was such that all their hope of deliuerance was gone they thought themselues forsaken and cleane cut off they were like a Bird caught in the snare of the Fowler like a Brand burning in the fire and like dead and withered bones Now as there is smal hope of the insnared Bird lesse of a burning brand but least of all of withered bones so there was no great hope of their deliuerie yet saith the Psalmist Our soule is escaped euen as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and we are f Psal 124. deliuered And the holy Ghost saith that they were like a brand taken out of the fire and the Prophet saith that when he prophesied ouer the bones the Lord caused them to come together bone to bone sinow to sinow and they receined life and breath againe by all these giuing them to vnderstand that though their deliuerie was past all hope and albeit they were detayned in most strict captiuitie burnt vp with oppression and consumed by the wickeds crueltie yet in his owne time he would breake the snares of their captiuitie quench the flames of oppression and strengthen them and make a mightie Nation of them againe that they might as here they doe confesse The Lord hath done great things for vs. The reparation of the Temple and reformation of true Religion was no little blessing wherewith God blessed them Nebuchadonosor was not content to rob the house of God of it treasure and to carrie out of it all the vessels of gold and siluer but withall he brake downe the wall and burnt it vp with h 2. Clro 36. fire And whereas before their last carrying away to Babylon the Priest and the chiefe of the people polluted the house of the Lord with all the abominations of the Heathen certainely now when they had beene in long captiuitie and great slauery they did much accommodate themselues to the custome of the Chaldeans so that there could not be but a great decay of the true worship and seruice of God And if wee cast our eyes to the 74. and 79. Psalmes wee shall see what patheticall lamentations the godly powre out from the bitternesse of their soule for the insolencie of the Heathen ouer the Lords Heritage and Sanctuarie we may there behold a wofull spectacle of desolation the Temple is defaced the Synagogues of God destroyed Gods Saints disgraced and pure Religion almost extinguished and vtterly decayed But God who is powerfull in all things will chiefly manifest his power in this in repayring the Temple and restoring pure Religion To what a lowe ebbe was the seruice of God come in the dayes of Manasse when the high places that Ezekiah had pulled downe were set vp againe and the groues of Ahab were erected againe when hee caused his sonne to passe thorow the fire when he offered to all the Host of heauen and when witches wizards soothsayers and inchanters were i 2. Kings 22. multiplied Yet in the time of godly Iosiah the Temple is repaired the Idols are put downe the groues are burnt into ashes the coniurers and soothsayers are flame and the Law read vnto the k 2. Kings 23. people againe so great things the Lord did for them Whilest wee consider the great goodnesse of God here shewed vnto the Iewes in all these it should encourage vs ☞ now in these troublesome times when the Church of Christ is on euery side hedged in with her enemies And truly if wee but obserue how that lamentable estate of the Church vnder the yoke of Babylon doth in all points agree with the doleful condition of the Church of Christ vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist and crueltie of Rome this westerne Babylon wee may safely affirme that the one was a liuely patterne of the other and withall confidently assure our selues that as the Lord deliuered the Iewes his people from the slauerie and bondage of that easterne Babel so in his owne time he will assuredly fully free his Saints and seruants from the seruitude of this westerne Babel that wee may with the Iewes confesse the Lord hath done great things for vs. Hector Pintus Aduertendum eos fundatos qui side muniti sunt qui iusttiam colunt pietatem qui 〈◊〉 Ecclesie Romanae Catholicâ— obâ—diunt qui Christum eiusdâ—m Ecclesiae constitutorem sequuntur Contra verò cosqui Babylonem colunt qui Lutbevanam persidiam
Persians Thirdly That nothing in this life is stable and permanent vnlesse the Lord doe preserue and confirme it and from these and such like wee may gather good obseruations for our selues touching our redemption through Christ First That as God appointed his people deliuerance before euer they went into captiuitie so before the fall of man nay before euer man was created God had determined his Sonne should be the Redeemer of Man yea as the Apostle saith before the foundations of the world Againe As they were the first yeare of Cyrus reigne set at libertie and after restrayned by Cambyses his sonne Spiritualis nostra liberatio nunc quidems inchoatur in hac vita sed in resurrectione erit integra consummata Fabr. Haec libertas 〈◊〉 sed non quantum ad nos attinet perfecta quapropter iugiter orandum conuerte c. Pomer in loc Haec liberatio quoad nos imperfecta dum sumus in mortali carne sumus adbuc in Babylone Scult in locum so although by our Sauiour we be redeemed from the tyrannie of Sinne and Satan yet still are we molested by the temptations of the one and polluted with the dregs of the other True it is the price of our redemption is paid and the hand-writing is cancelled but the full consummation of our redemption shall be in the end of the world For as the Apostle saith wee haue receiued the earnest of our Inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased libertie vnto the prayse of Gods l Eph. 1.14 glorie Lastly As they could not maintayne their owne libertie without Gods assistance no more can we being deliuered from any grieuous sinne continue from falling thereinto againe or into the like without the assistance of Gods Spirit For when wee thinke m 1. Cor. 10. our selues to stand fastest we are in danger to fall soonest Thus wee see that in all these respects the Iewes had and we still haue reason to pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie In this prayer I pray you obserue the Matter O Lord bring againe our captiuitie and the Manner as the Riuers in the South In the Matter first wee may note the Psalmists pietie in that he hath recourse to God onely in this time of captiuitie by feruent prayer and then his pittie in that he prayes not for himselfe alone but hauing a fellow-feeling of the Iewes sorrow hee prayeth compassionately for all saying O Lord bring againe OVR captiuitie If I would largely speake of Prayer I might shew you how first there is no time limited and then no place exempted from Prayer I meane from a mans priuate sacrifice and not the publike seruice For that the Temple was the House of n Isai 36.7 Matth. 21.13 Prayer and the ninth houre was the o Act 3.1 houre of prayer but for the other first there is no time limited For the Apostle wills vs to pray p 1. Thâ—s 5.17 continually If in the morning learne of our q Mark 1.35 Sauiour if in the euening of r Gen. 24.63 Isaak if at mid-night of Paul and Å¿ Act. 16.25 Sylas if all the night of t San. 15.11 Samuell learne I say at all times to pray For so our Sauiour bids vs Watch and pray u Luke 21.36 alwayes Againe no place exempted I will saith the Apostle that men pray euery where lifting vp pure x 1. Tim. 2.8 hands If thou bee in thy house learne of y Act. 10.30 Cornelius if in the field of z Gen. 24. Isaak if in the Temple of a 1. King 8.22 Salomon if on the Mount of b Exod. 14. Moses if in the Garden of our c Iob. 18. Sauiour it in thy Chamber of d Dan. 6. Daniel if in thy bed of e Is 38. Ezekiah if on thy Couch of f Psal 6. Dauid Learne I say to pray These and the like generall obseruations I might touch in Prayer but I purpose not to discourse of Prayer common-place-wise and therefore let vs haue recourse vnto the words O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The first thing that offereth it selfe to be considered is the Psalmists Pietie who in this their captiuitie earnestly doth pray vnto the Lord for their deliuerance From whence we leâ—rne that in all our troubles and afflictions we ought to flee to God onely by seruant prayer First I say Oâ— quod 〈…〉 Gâ—â—g in our afflictions because the mouth which is stopt in time of prosperitie is open in time of aduersitie witnesse the Israelites who in their prosperitie and ease forgate God and did not so much as inuocate his Name but when through aduersitie their soule sainted in them then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them out of their distresse Agâ—â—ne I say in trouble we must flee to God For so he hâ—th commanded Thou shalt call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer g Psal 50. thee And the Prophet saith Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was vpon h Is 26.16 them Further we ought to call vpon God alone for hee onely can heare our crie and cure our sore that is he onely can heare vs. In my trouble I called vpon the Lord and complayned vnto my God and hee heard my voyce out of his holy Temple and my complaint entred into his i Psal 18.5 6. eares saith Dauid I haue seene the affliction of my people in Egypt and I haue heard their crie saith the Lord to Moses And as he can only heare vs so he can only releeue vs. For he without all naturall meanes can cure euery disease aboue nature hee can stay the womans running issue and contrarie to nature he can giue sight vnto the blind borne he onely can bring Ionah out of the Whales belly Daniel out of the Den and his seruants out of the firie furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly Oranti subsidium Dâ—â— sacrificium Diabolo flagellum Aug. we must flee to God by Prayer for that is a present helpe to him that prayeth witnesse Ezekiah who in his extreme sicknesse is restored to his former heal â—â—it is a pleasant sacrifice to God for like Noahs sacrifice it smells so sweetly in the Lords Nostrills that it diuerts away his wrath and it is a sharpe scourge vnto the Deuill more fearefull vnto him then Tobias perfume to driue him from vs. Lastly we ought in all our troubles to haue recourse so God by faithfull and feruent Prayer For Faith and Zeale are the supporters of Prayer like Aaron and Hur who vpheld Moses hands whilst hee prayed The ancient Fathers could neuer sufficiently prayse the efficacie of Prayer and therefore Saint Augustine calls it the Key of Heauen and truely so Claâ—em Coeâ—i For by Prayer Elias opened the Heauens when he brought both Fire and Water from thence Fire to burne vp the sacrifice
and Water to fructifie the earth Chrysostome calls it the soules sunne Solem anime because as the Sunne doth inlighten the World so Prayer illuminates the mind Tabulam naufrâ—goâ—um Paulin And others haue called it the Seamans Card which brings vs through so many billowes and so great surges of temptations vnto our quiet Hâ—rbour But for all this thou mayest aske mee Quest why GOD doth not then heare vs alwayes when wee call vpon him First 〈◊〉 non exaud untuâ— 1 Quando petimus indignâ— viz terrena Mat 6.25 c. 〈◊〉 necessaâ—â—â—â— Mat. â— 11 12. nesâ—imus quaeâ— Mat. 20.20 21 22. Dâ—â— voluntati repugnantia Deut. 3.25 26. 2. Sam. 12.16.2 Quando petimus indignè viz. ore tantum Hos 7.14 aâ—sque â—ide Ma. 21.22 in malum finem Iac. 4.2 3.3 Quando indigni petimus id est in pâ—â—â—aâ—is existâ—nces Ioh. 9.31 perseâ—â—antes Isa 59.1 2 3 c. Deo resistentes Hos 5.4.15 Iâ—noc â—rooem in Psal 〈◊〉 Iâ—â— de vorag dom 〈◊〉 post festâ—â—m Trinit â— â— 3. it is either because wee come vnto him as Mephibosheth came vnto Dauid vnshauen and k 2. Sam. 19. vnwasht and so our sinnes as the Prophet sayth doth hinder good things from vs. Secondly wee aske and receiue l Iam. 4.3 not because wee aske amisse like vnto that man who though hee vrged King Agesilaus with his promise yet was denied what he demanded because hee desired a thing that was vniust so wee obtaine not because wee desire of God what is not conuenient for vs. For else wee haue an assurance in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth m 1. Iob. 5.14 vs. Thirdly because wee pray not feruently as Anna did for a sonne nor instantly as Eliah did for raine nor faithfully as the Canaanitish woman for her childs health but faintly fondly faithlesly otherwise his eyes are the righteous and his eares are euer open to n 1 Pet. 3. â—2 their prayers o 2. Kings 1.2 Heere then wee see how the wicked of our times are much condemned who no sooner are visited with the correcting hand of God but presently they repaire to the Deuill and his Instruments like Ahaziah who beeing sicke of a fall goes to Baalzebub the god of Eckron or with Saul who being afraid of the Philistims goes disguised to the Witch p 1. Sam. 28.7 8. of Endor or with Balacke who fearing the Israelites sends for the Wisard q Numb 20. Balâ—am or with Pharaoh whom no sooner God began to punish for his obstinacie and hardnesse of heart but presently hee calls for his r Exod. 7.11 Sorcerers or with Baltazar who seeing Gods iudgements before his eyes sends for his soothsayers and Å¿ Dan. 5.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas â—om in Ps 45. Inchanters or like Sannacherth who being wonderfully discomfited by an Angel when he besieged Ierusalem repaired to his temple and worshipped his god t 2. King 19.37 Nisroch Nay I wish to God that many amongst vs who seeme most forward in their deuotion were not too much besotted with this errour that when the Lord doth visite them with sicknesse or any other affliction though they doe not directly goe to the Deuill like Ahaziah yet Asa-like they will seeke to the Physicians 2. Chr. 16.12 and not to the Lord. Or if they call vpon God yet they come to him as the wife of Ieroboam came to Ahijah 1. Kings 14. disguised with an hypocriticall heart and counterseit countenance Is 31.1 but yet in heart they looke not vnto the holy One of Israel they seeke not vnto the Lord and yet none shall bee saued but such as call vpon the Name of the Lord. Ioel 2.32 As heere the Psalmist doth saying O Lord bring againe our captiuitie Againe what should we thinke of the Romish Locusts who direct not their prayers to God alone but to Saints and Angels making them like vnto God omnipotent and omniscient For in time of famine they call vpon Saint Vrban in tempest vpon Saint Nicholas in warre vpon Saint George and in captiuitie vpon Saint Leonard Thus they forsake the Lord the fountaine of liuing waters and digge vnto themselues pits that hold no u Ier. 2.13 water Paul and Barnabas would not be worshipped x Act. 14. when they were liuing and shall wee inuocate them when they are dead Peter would not suffer Cornelius to fall downe y Ad. 10.26 before him and shall wee kneele vnto his image The Apostles confessed themselues to be but men and shall wee now reuerence them as gods Fie vpon such foolish fondnesse away with this deuillish doctrine and let vs all that feare God flee vnto God onely in all our afflictions for they that wait on lying vanities forsake their owne mercie but saluation is of the a Iona 2. Psaltes cos qui adbuc in captiuitate erant pet affectum sibi copulans earum nâ—mine exclamat ad Deâ—â— nos pari affectu ad excâ—amandum infirmat conuerte Iac. â—anson in locum Lord. Therefore pray wee with the Iewes O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The second thing wee obserue in this Prayer is the Psalmists pittie for hee prayeth not for himselfe alone bur for all the afflicted members of the Church teaching vs to doe the like for all our fellow-members in Christ Iesus who are either detained vnder the Turkish tyrannie or are oppressed vnder the Antichristian yoke let vs as hauing a fellow-feeling of their grieuances compassionate them and powre out our supplications for them here with the Psalmist O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The duties we owe vnto such as are afflicted are chiefly foure What duties one Christian owes to another in time of affliction First To compassionate them Secondly To comfort them Thirdly To instruct them Fourthly To pray for them The first two of these wee see to haue beene intended of Iobs friends For when they heard of his miserie they agreed to goe and lament with him and to comfort b Iob 1.11 12. him The third wee learne of Isaiah when hee visited Ezekiah in his bed c Is 8.1 of sicknesse And the last is both commanded by the d Iam 5. Apostle and commended by example First I say wee ought to compassionate them Nehemiah when Artaxerxes asked him the cause of his sadnesse answered Why should not my countenance bee sad when the Citie the place of my fathers sepulehres lieth waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire e Neh. 2.2 3. Ieremiah did so compassionately lament the destruction of Ierusalem that his eyes did faile with teares his bowels swelled and his liuer was as it were powred out vpon the f Laâ— 2.11 earth Wee ought not with the Priest and Leuite with a hard heart passe by the wounded but with the good Samaritan biâ—d vp his wounds wash his sores with wine and soften
rayne the seed rots vnder the clods the corne withereth the grasse fadeth the slowres are burnt vp the pastures plants and trees are dryed and dead all which tend to the great hurt and losse of man which made Achsab the daughter of Caleb Iosua 15.18 19. so earnestly desire of her father a blessing which was a portion of ground where there was Springs of water yet they who remayne in those barren climates were no more wretched and in no greater want or penurie then these poore distressed Iewes were in their captiuitie For their Countrie was desolate and Foxes run vpon Mount Sion they were hunger-beat and starued Iam. 5. For they had no water without siluer no wood without money no bread without hazard of their liues no pleasure without paine no profit without perill no delight without danger Water was no more pleasant to the liraclites Psâ—â— 107. when their soules fainted in the wildernesse of Zim Rayne no more welcome to Samariah after three yeares drought streames of water no greater a blessing vnto Achsah and fluent Riucrs no more profitable vnto the drie and sunne-be at South then this their deliuerance and libertie would be vnto them when they might sit vnder their owne Vines and see the pastures growing greene the trees bringing forth their fruit the Pig-tâ—ee and the Vine giuing their force their Barnes filled with wheat and their presses abounding with Oyle and when they might eate of the fat and drinke of the sweet Blessed O thrise blessed be the Lord this Kingdome may say what few other Nations can boast of that it hath not beene subdued nor â—ath beone made subiect vnto any forren Kingdome these many hundreth yeares but with a conquering hand hath ouer-run other potent Countries and made them tributarie to it selfe We haue not had our streets swimming in blood nor our Townes burnt vp our Children haue not beene made fatherlesse nor our Wiues widdowes yet these and many moe euils the poore Iewes did suftayne as we may reade in the 79. Psalme Againe in this our great peace and tranquillitie wee haue abounded with all store of plentie the Heauens haue giuen vs rayne in due season the earth hath yeelded her increase and the trees of the field haue brought forth their fruit our threshing hath reacht vnto the Vintage and our Vintage unto the sowing time we have eaten our bread in plenteousnesse and dwelt in our Land safely But if we would haue these blessings continued if with Dauid we desire to lye and rest securely in our beds with Abraham sit safely at our owne doores with Boaz follow after our owne Reapers with Iudah wash our garments in wine and with Iob bathe our pathes in butter let vs not prouoke the Lord to wrath against vs by our abominable sinnes The Iewes infinite transgressions were the cause of their abominable afflictions and their iniquitie did bring them vnto this woful captiuitie therefore if we would not feele the smart of the one let vs not delight in the sugred venome of the other Yet thou wilt say Who can abstayne from sinne Quest. seeing the iust man falleth seuen times a day True yet though with Dauid wee fall into adulterie ☜ with Aaron into idolatrie with Noah into intemperancy Answ with Lot into incontinency with Peter into inconstancy and with Thomas into infidelitie by reasonof the slesh rebelling against the spirit which leads vs captiues vnto the Law of sinne Yet let not Sinne and Satan ouer-rule vs let vs not voluntarily willingly become murthering Cains mocking Chams incestuous Ammons vnnaturall Absaloms malicious Achitophels and vnmercifull Hazaels O let vs Lot captiuate our selues to drunkennesse like Nabal to gluttonie like Diues to the world with Demas to couetousnesse with Ahab nor to crueltie with Herod but let vs breake off our sinnes betimes by vnfayned repentance and with Ezekiah call for mercy with the Publican crie for pardon and with the prodigall beg remission Now the Lord grant that our soules may bee refreshed with the Riuers of Life that the fierie flames of sinne may be quenched and our hearts replenished with all spirituall graces that being fully freed from the captiuitie of our corruption we may enioy the libertie and freedome of the Kingdome purchased for vs and promised vnto vs by Christ our Sauiour to whom be all prayse for euer and euer AMEN TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND RELIGIOVS GENTLEWOMAN Mistresse ELIZABETH FOLIAMBE Noble and vertuous Mistresse WHen I called to mind the great losse many receiued by the death of that worthie personage your noble Aunt my most honoured Ladie in whose hearing some of these drie Sermons were preached whose gracious attention secmed to giue unto them some fauourable approbation And now being published to the open view of the world and withall depriued of her Countenance from whence they should haue receiued their true lustre I had once resolued to haue let them passe without a Mistresse yet whilest I was musing of Salomons proposition Prou. 31.10 Who can find a vertuous Woman And at last remembring how you haue hitherto shewed your selfe not onely a Niece but a Child of hers no lesse affectionate to the Word no lesse thirsting after Grace to vse the Apostles words 2. Iob. 1.4 I reioyced greatly that I had found of her Children walking in the trueth and so thought myselfe bound in equitie to commend that vnto you which I was indebted to consecrate to her Moreouer the great respect I haue euer receiued from your noble Husband doth oblige mee thereunto yet am I silent of his courtesies lest by verball thankefulnesse I should seeme to craue new fauours 1. King 2. Now hee that doubled the Spirit of Eliah vpon Elisha redouble in you these vertues which were in that Elect LADIE that heereafter it may be said of you as it may now be truely affirmed of her Many daughters haue done vertuously but shee surpassed them all Your Worships and your noble Husbands to command in all Ministeriall duties IOHN HVME THE THIRD GENERALL PART OF THIS PSALME Viz. A Consolation not onely to the captiue Iewes but generally to all the faithfull that lie vnder the Crosse and groane vnder the burdon of their sinnes expounded in three Sermons whereof the First is The commoditie of the Crosse THE EIGHTH SERMON VERS 6. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy NOw wee are come to the third generall Part of this Psalme wherein the Psalmist doth consolate and comfort all the distressed Iewes who were not as yet returned home to Iudea but still detained in Chaldea by some of the Persian Kings vnder whom they indured not a few troubles yet the Psalmist doth tell them that for their afflictions they shal haue case and for their sorrow they shall reape ioy Hugo from hence would inferre Three sorts of persons compared to a sower first the charitable man for foure respects Opera bona in has vitalachrymosa Hug. â—â—r that
certaintie hee shall doubtlesse come againe Secondly The iocun ditie with ioy Thirdly The vtilitie and bring his sheaues with him Hee that goeth The old Israclites during their abode in the wildernesse did not dwell in standing houses but in boothes and tents still in trauell and neuer setled in remembrance whereof they kept the feast of Tabernacles to put them in mind how they had bene so long strangers in a strange a Leu. 23.34 Land The Iewes when they were led captiues out of their owne Land they wandered palantes palentes like wearie wights and poore pilgrimes through the prouinces of Babel And therefore when Haman plorted their destruction hee called them a scattered and dispersed b Est 3.8 people And the first Feast they obserued after their deliuerance was the Feast of c Neh. 8. Tabernacles No question but it was in remembrance of their seuentie yeares soiourning and sorrowing in the Land of Babel If wee compare either the old Israelites in Egypt or the Iewes in Babel with our selues poore Christians in this world wee shall find our estate to be but a perpetuall pilgrimage a continuall wandring to and fro without any certaine place of abode Abraham the father of the faithfull dwelt in d Gen. 22.8 tents which might be remooued from place to place and so did Isaak and Iacob confessing themselues to haue been but strangers and pilgrims vpon e Hâ—b 11.9.13 earth The bodie of man is called a f 2. Cor. 5.4 tabernacle I know the time is at hand that I must lay downe this my tabernacle saith the g 2. Pet. 1.14 Apostle The life of man was called a pilgrimage Few and enill haue the dayes of my life beene and I haue not attained vnto the yeares of my fathers in the dayes of their h Gen. 47.9 pilgrimage Was Iacobs answere to Pharaoh when he questioned him how old he was and man himselfe is but a stranger vpon earth I am a stranger and soiourner as all my fathers i Ps 39.12 were which was Dauids acknowledgement By all these we see what is our case in this world wee are all but pilgrimes strangers and soiourners And if any would know why the life of man is a perpetuall going a continuall pilgrimage The Apostle tells vs that heere wee haue no continuing k Heb. 13.14 Citie And therefore hee sayth to the Philippians Our connersation is in l Ph. 3.10 heauen In this world wee are not vnlike the Israelites wandering in the desarts or wildernesse out of the way finding no Citie to dwell in till the Lord conduct vs as he did them by the right way that wee may goe to a Citie of m Psal 107.4 5 6 7. habitation which is not in this world but in the kingdome of heauen Ierusalem that holy Citie which is n Reu. 21. aboue Is our life then a pilgrimage mee thinks this should teach vs to behaue our selues accordingly and to walke as Pilgrimes and Strangers Pilgrimes they vvalke Nec onerosi nec otiosi Neither ouer-loding themselues with trash least they should bee vvearied nor yet vnprouided least they should faint So must vve vvalke not ouer-laying our selues by heaping sinne vpon sinne vvhich wee shall finde heauier in the end then euer Moses his Man found his burden of sticks But vve must cast away euery thing that presseth downe and sinne that hangeth so fast o Heb. 12.1 on yet vvee must not goe idle but vvemust carry our crosse and follow Christ The one is a heauie burden And Christ bids vs come to him and he vvill ease vs. Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heauie loden and I will ease you saith hee but this is a light burden My yoke is easie and my burden light Suscipite iugum christi nolite timere quod suâ—ue est festinate quod leue est Ambr. saith Câ—rist And therefore vvee are exhorted to take vpon vs Christs yoke not to feare it for it is sweet and to hasten to vnder-goe it for it is light and it is good for a man when he beares his yoke from his p Lam. 3. youth Further To a stranger strangely entertayned in a strange Countrey the remembrance of his natiue soile is sweet vnto him So the Iewes In hostili terra dulcis amor patriâ— August vvhilst they sate by the Riuers of Babylon and remembred Sion the Mountayne of God and Ierusalem the Towne of peace which the Lord had giuen them for their inheritance When they considered vvhat pleasures they had there and vvhat paynes they indured vvhere they vvere they wept and vvayled and truely Quanto bet amara sentitur tanto fit illa duâ—cior if vvee but call to minde the ioy of Heauen vvhich is our soules natiue Countrey and compare the sorrowes of this World vvith the pleasures of the World to come it vvould make vs with the Apostle desire to be dissolued and to be vvith Christ For the more bitter vve feele the one the more sweet vve shall find the other Hee that Now goeth Some referre this Verse as a consolation to the people at their first going into captiuitie and translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apollinatius They went weeping with whom the Septuagint seemes to agree who hath it walking they went Others too strictly referre it as consolatorie speech to the needie husbandman Of whom the Greeke Poet is one who saith The husbandmen sorrowed carrying their seed But the words are allegoricall for one thing is expressed and another vnderstood and I referre it to the people that were still in Babylon molested and vexed by the Persians But to leaue them and come to our selues Their case was no worse in Babylon then ours is in this * In bâ—c mundo non dolere non laborare non periclitariim possibile Aug. World For it is impossible for any man to liue in this world and not to be in sorrow trouble and danger This world is like the Citie of Athens for as one said of it It was a goodly place for a Philosopher to passe through for there hee should see and heare many things that might better his vnderstanding shee being the Nurse and Mother of all learning but it was not good for him to stay there because hee could hardly liue there in any safetie So wee may say of this World that if a man onely passe through it he may behold many delectable and wouderfull works of God to better his knowledge but if hee once take vp his place of abode in it then hee is in present ieopardie and danger of his life For it is no lesse dangerous for a Christian to liue in it then it was for a Prophet to remayne in Ierusalem which stoned all that came to q Luk. â—3 33. her Let this instigate euery one of vs to despise this world sith therein wee find nothing but trouble sorrow
Mercy and Iudgement Ioy and Griefe are contraries and when the one preceeds the other followes after So if the Lord who is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great h Ioel 2.13 kindnesse doe suffer the wicked in this world to reioyce in their pleasures wayting for their amendment yet in iudgement hereafter their laughter shall bee turned into mourning and their ioy into heauinesse vnlesse they repent betimes Witnesse the rich Clutton who passed ouer his life in ease and prosperitie being clothed costly and dieted daintily yet after wards was tormented with an vnquenchable flame For they that now laugh shall weepe and i Luke 6.25 wayle So on the other part they that now mourne shall bee made glad and ioyfull witness poore Lazarus afflicted and full of soares more pittied of Dogs then dogged Diues who after his afflictions was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosom the place of all happinesse pleasure and comfort For they that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Is not this a great comfort to vs in all our troubles That he that now goeth on his way weeping shall doubtlesse returne with ioy cum gaudio interno with an inward ioy when their conscience is quiet and their soule reioyceth that their sinnes are pardoned they iustified and shall assuredly bee glorified Truely there is no ioy in the World to that of a peaceable conscience witnesse Ezekiah when in his greatest extremitie his conscience told him that hee had walked vprightly before k Is 38. God and the Apostle greatly reioyced when he knew nothing by himselfe He shall returne cum gaudion exteâ—no with an out ward ioy reioycing as one saith in the beautie and glorie of all the Creatures For Christ shall make all things l Isa 65.17 2. Pet. 3.13 Reuel 21.1 new For euen the Heauens shall reioyce and the Earth shall be glad and all Creatures shall be ioyfull when they are deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of m Rom 8.21 Gad. He shall returne cum gaudio eterno with an euerlasting ioy The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with prayse and euerlasting ioy shall hee vpon their heads they shall obtayne ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall sies n Isa 35.10 away This is that ioy which the Apostle calls ineffable and o 1. Pet. 1.8 glorious This is that ioy which the Schoole-men call Intensiuum extensiuum so extended that it can neuer be ended and so intended that is so great and so full of ioy as greater and fuller there cannot be With this ioy Steuen was rauished when he saw the Heauens open and Christ sitâ—ing at the right hand of his heauenly Father It is such a ioy whereunto being compared all pleasure is but payne all gladnesse but griefe all sweet but sure and all fauour but filth Thrice happy are they that are partakers of this ioy For blessed is he that now weepes for he shall laugh And bring his sheaues with him The Iewes after their deliuerance was published and proclaymed by Cyrus their great pouertie and penurie v v as changed into great prosperitie and plentie For they v v ere supplyed with Siluer Gold Cattell vvith precious things and with willing p Exrat offerings In like manner their Progenitors the Israelites after their great wants and scarcitie of all things in Egypt for all their flesh-pots they were brought to a Land that did flow with milke and honie and abounded in all things Both these did but typically point out the great commoditie that the faithfull shall reape by the Crosse Our Sauiour sayth wee shall receiue double in this world and much more in the world to come Abraham after his long pilgrimage was seated in a fruitfull Land and found the Lord an exceeding great reward Dauid after his great persecution and long banishment had his lot fallen into a pleasant ground Iacob after his great seruitude was greatly enriched And Iob receiued double for that hee lost Thus our afflictions are like the hearbe Moly ☞ whose root is blacke and the blossoms white like Aarons Rod which brought foorth buds blossoms and ripe Almonds and like Samsons dead Lion filled with meat and honie But what are all these to that which wee shall receiue heereafter The Euangelist Matthew sayth wee shall receiue an hundred Å¿ Matth. 19.29 fold a number finite for an infinite but Luke sayth much t Luke 18.28 more because they are in number infinite hee sets them downe indefinite And the Apostle sayth that neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor the heart of man can conceiue the things which God hath prepared for them that lone u 1. Cer. 2.9 him Should not this with the Apostle make vs esteeme the afflictions of this present time not worthie of the glorie that shall bee * Rom 5.18 reuealed Our Sauiour wills vs with ioy and gladnesse to suffer persecution for great is our reward in heauen Our reward sayth one is so manifold that it cannot be numbred so great that it cannot be valued so singular that it cannot bee compared and so lasting that it can acuer bee ended 〈…〉 Saint Augustine speaking of the ioyes and pleasures which the godly shall haue in heauen sayth that wee may more easily tell what is not there then what is there There is no discontent no gâ—ese nomourning no miserie no corruption no death no penurie no pouertie But what is there Neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard for the naturall man perceiueth not these things and yet there are pleasures for euermore yea wish what thou wilt Quicquid voles erit quicquid noles non crit August and it shall bee there and abhorre what thou please and it shall not bee there Further the consideration of this heauenly reward these sheaues these ioyes should make vs lightly to esteem this present world and cause vs not to value these corruptible things at so high a rate Shall wee with the Gadarens preferre our swine before our saluation With the Israelites the flesh-pots of Egypt before the heauenly Mannah With Demas the pelfe of this world with the pleasures of the world to come No God forbid This is like Isops cocke to value a barley graine before a precious gemme with Plutarchs Grillus to esteeme of Cyrces her swilling tub better then of Vlisses his dainties And Glaucus-like to change coates of gold for brasen armour or like Dioclesian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preferre a few pot-hearbs before a Crowne and Imperiall Scepter and Esau-like to sell our birth-right for bread and pottage But let vs with the Apostle account all these things but losse and a Heb. 12.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato dung with the Philosopher nothing and nothing worth and with the Saints let vs willingly forgoe them knowing that in heauen wee haue a better and