For enery one that slaundereth shall be cut off as well on this side as on that And euery one that telleth tales shall be cut off as well on this side as on that And it shall bee brought foorth and it shall enter into the house of the sâ—â—underer and him that telleth tales and him that delighteth to hatch lyes And it shall remaine in the midst thereof and it shall consume it with the Tymber thereof and the stones thereof Thus as the Tale-bearer accuseth others so haue I accused him and blazed him to the worlde that yee may the rather beware of him and shunne him nowe you know him And when he shal intrude into your company or presume to tread within your houses ye may shut the doore against him and be ready to giue him the like entertainement as Christ did to the deuil wheÌ„ he said Auoyde sathan so you may say to this messenger of sathan Auoyde Tale-teller come not at mee Thou art the breeder of my trouble and the Authour of my confusion Thou commest as a friend ful of â—ayning â—lattery but I know thee to be a fiende and a mortall foe to me and mine Therefore I defie thee and do debar thee from my societie for euer Now then in time be warned all ye that haue lent diligent eares to such beware how you pertake with theyr sinnes As no theefe woulde presume to steale without a receauer so no Tale-bearer will presume to bring a tale without a receauer Therefore as Christ warned his disciples Beware how yee heare So I say vnto you Beware how you heare Be not carryed away with euerie winde be swift to heare good things If thou hast heard a slaunder against any let it die with thee and bee sure it shall not burst thee Blessed is the man that hath not offended Ecclus 14. in his tongue nor hath fallen by the word of his mouth Peters persecution and his deliuerance ACTS 12. 3. 4. 5. And when hee sawe it pleased the Iewes hee proceeded further he tooke Peter also c. From the â— verse to the 11. SAthan the Accuser of our bretheren will euer stirre vp one or other to persecute the poore Church of Christ He beganne with Adam our graundfather euen in Paradice prouoking him to eate of the forbidden siuite whereas it had beene told him before In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Hee proceeded further and procured Caine to sley Abell hee incensed â—sau against Iacob made Saul to persecute Dauid sette Nabucadnezar against Daniell Iesabell against Eliah Not to â—unne vpon particulars the Scribes pharisces against Christ Herod the Father against the Innocents Herod the Sonne against Iohn Baptist and this Herod against Iames and Peteâ— Beholde the Serpents policie note in what sort he bestirres himselfe euen by seating himselfe in the hearts and consciences of great men by making Kings and Princes Rulers his instruments for the practizing of crueltie against Gods Church The mightie men of the earth vvhich ought with their authoritie that they haue from God to maintaine and stablish true religion and to vphold the Church when stormes of persecution doe arise Theyr handes and theyr endeuours are most forwarde in labouring to suppresse Religion and the professours theirof they first lyft themselues vp against the Lord against his annoynted The second â—ormer Herod raged most violently against Iohn Baptist and against Christ and this Herod heere mentioned exerciseth like tyrannie against the Apostles of Christ Iames was alreadie slaine and so had Peter beene but for the holy time of Passeouer as now commeth to be considered The Text offereth these three thinges worthy our obseruation First the captiuitie of Peter Secondly his deliuerance Thirdlie his thankfulnesse And when he saw it pleased the people This bloody persecuting Tirant did vex the Church of God by killing Iames with the sword by imprisoning Peter thinking to dispatch him in like manner hauing no cause at all Sometimes men persecute of malice as Caine did Abel sometimes of enuie as Esau did Iacob sometimes through Idolatry and for religion as Nabucadnezer did the three chyldren somtimes of couetousnesse as Iudas did his maister sometimes of ignorance as the Iewes in putting Christ to death Father forgiue them they know not what they doe But thys Tyrant could yeeld no cause or reason for his impâ—â—soning of Peter but this the slenderest and weakest reason of a thousand For that hee saw it pleased the people Hee did it to win the peoples fauour not caring for Gods fauour Thus did Herod and the same doe the wicked Tyrants continually buy the fauour good lyking of their subiects with the blood of Gods seruaunts Saul wheÌ„ he persecuted Dauid had some pretence for he feared his kingdome The Philippians in like maner had some pretence when they beate Paul and Sylas with rods and after cast them into prison They trouble our Citty quoth they preach ordinances that are not lawfull Demetrius had somewhat to colour the sedition and tumult raisd in their Citty against Paul he feared his craft would little auaile him if Paules doctrine had taken place for beeing a siluer Smith hee made shrines for Diana The king of Babilon had some pretence when he put the three children into the fierie furnace he feared that the Gods whoÌ„ he worshipped should be despised The Princes of Zedechiah had some pretence when they put Ieremie into the dungeon He weakened say they the hands of the men of warre in prophecying that their Citty should bee giuen ouer into the hands of the King of Babell These pretences how colourable so euer could not excuse theÌ„ in their actions they were but base subterfuges no better then coates of nettes or like Fig-leaues to couer the nakednes of their cause of little moment and lesse substance Yet they carried some shew of reason and with men made of the same grist might seeme to bee of force in defence of that they did But this reason of Herod for imprisoning Peter is too too vaine and ridiculous onely he did it because hee sawe it pleased the people The like we reade of Pestus in the Acts willing to doe the Iewes a pleasure he deliuered Acts 25. Paul into their hands And so Pilat for feare of the Iewes deliuered Christ to be crucified It skilleth much how the people are affected if the multitude be religious doe loue the word tyrants shall not dare to rage so much their tyrannous purposes howe wicked so euer shal not break out no more then the practises of the Scribes Pharisies could preuaile against Iohn to put him openly to death because of the multitude for all the people counted Iohn as a prophet King and people all in this place ioyned together in a wicked conspiracie against Peter The people encouraged the King and the King prepares himselfe to satisfie their desires in committing Peter to close prison A King hath a name
in this historicall discourse of Christ his trauailing to Ierusalem is thys Hee prooueth that in this place which indeede is the scope and drift of the vvhole Booke viz. to cleere to the world but especially to the vnbeleeuing Iewes that Christ is the only Messias or Sauiour proued so by his birth his life death liuing dying rising and ascending As Iohn the Baptist poynted at Christ the Lambe of GOD purging the sinnes of the world so heere Saint Luke poynts at Christ vveeping for the sinnes of the world When the people of Ierusalem laughed Christ wept as when the Ministrell played Elisha prophecied and therefore this Cittie otherwise famous but in this infamous 2. Reg 3. 15 worthily ranne to ruine and so receiued a true and due recompence for her securitie And when he drew neere the Cutie hee beheld it and wept for it The Schoole-men do note many things in Christ appertaining to saluation Prudentiam in eius doctrina Wisedome in his doctrine Temperantiam in eius vita Temperance in his life Fortitudinem in eius tortura Fortitude in sustaining torments Diuinum numen in miraculis Diuine power in his works Consolationem in dictis Consolation in his words and in this place Compassionem in eius tristitia compassion in his sorrowfulnes for he wept vpon Ierusalem Hee wept To teach vs to weepe and to haue compassion in beholding the lamentable state and condition of our neighbours We must weepe for them as Christ wept for the Iewes and withall hee teacheth vs to weepe for our selues as hee bad the daughters of Ierusalem to weepe for themselues To drawe yet a little neerer to the embowelling of these words for a cleerer narration obserue with me these foure things 1. The person who came that was Christ 2. The place whether he came to Ierusalem 3. The action or rather you may terme it a passion hee wept 4. His admonition in reprehending theyr ignorance and fore-telling theyr fall Now then that wee haue founde out the Myne let vs digge for the treasure The person who came to Ierusalem was Christ And the Scripture doth manifestlie declare how great he was for he was God The Father and I are one Ioh. 10. How humble he was for he was the Sauiour of the worlde His humilitie appeared in taking our nature vpon him Being God it pleased him to become man and to dwell with men hee withdrew himselfe from none no not from the Publicans and sinners That Iesus who was Contempte Mundi a hater of this worlde one that nothing esteemed the pompe and glory thereof for when the Tempter presented before him at one viewe all the kingdoms of the earth Math. 4. Tempter and temptation were both driuen to retire One powerfull worde of Christ quite vanquisht him as Dauid ouercame Golias with one stone when it perced into his temples That Iesus who refused all worldly superioritie and power for when in the sixt of Iohn they woulde haue made him theyr King he conueyed himselfe out of the way Who was mercifull for he forgaue the woman taken in adultery Who was powerful for his words made the souldiours giue backe when they came to take him As in the 4. of Mathewe his worde made the prince of darknesse giue backe when he came to tempt him Who was pittifull this place proueth it He wept That Christ who is called Vera lux the true light for the saued to walke in The Iohn 1 5 Reu 22 16 bright Morning star The flower of lesse The mighty Lyon of the trybe of Iudah The Author and finisher of our fayth That Christ to whō that excellent voyce of glory once sounded from the heauens This is my well beloued sonne in whom I am Luke 3 22 well pleased Hee who was promised by the Father figured in the Lawe spoken of by the Prophets poynted at by Iohn Baptist manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached to the Gentiles 1. Tim. 3. 16. beleeued on in the world and receiued vp in glory This Christ came to Ierusalem So much briefely is spoken for the person now for the place The place whether Christ came was Ierusalem the Metropolis or chiefe Citty in all Asia by interpretation A vision of peace Yet this people knevve not their peace God had stampt a remembrance of his blessings in the very name of Ierusalem yet could not this people cōsider of it they made no vse of this peace which God had giuen them This Citty had in it many faults in Christes time For first they knewe not theyr peace Secondly they prophaned the Temple of God making it a denne of theeues and a shop of Merchants where it should haue beene the house of prayer Thirdly in it were the Prophets slaine Fourthly it fostered within it the greatest enemies of the Crosse of Christ Fiftly beeing the Citty of the great King it was allotted to destroy the great King Christ Iesus the King of glory This Citty so polluted Christ comes to visite As once God the Father said Come let vs goe downe and visit Babel so heere Christ Gene 11 7 the Sonne sayth to his Apostles Come let vs goe visite Ierusalem In which his comming to Ierusalem we see it first noted by the Euangelist he drew neere the Citty for beeing a Prophet hee would doe as did the Prophets Samuell came neere to Israell Ionas came to visite Niniuie and Christ came heere to visit Ierusalem Hee drew neere to it Hauing first trauailed to Iericho and after to Beth-phage and then to Bethany at last he comes to Ierusalem Wherein wee are to note the great dilligence of Christ to verifie his former words I came to seeke and to saue that which was lost He neuer ceased to doe the will of his Father Beeing but twelue yeeres old he taught in the Temple and disputed vvith the Doctors hearing them apposing them Luke 2 46 We should be armed with like industrious diligence The chyldren of God are euer noted to be eyther going or walking or running Peter during the time of his fall is noted sitting to shew his carefulnes but so soone as hee felt the soule-stirring motions of Gods Spirit calling him to repentance hee Luk. 22. 62. sits no longer but goeth out The Israelites are recorded to be alwaies Num. 33. trauailing and remouing till they came to Canaan Moses so soone as hee was borne was Exod. 2. 3. cast out among the flagges from thence he was brought to the Kings Court in Egypt After that he was driuen to she to Midian and from Mydian backe againe to Egypt And after all this what long and tedious trauels did hee vndergoe in that long iourney to Canaan Wherein is rightly typed the state of euery religious Christian mans life Our life heere is but a pilgrimage a vanishing vapour that suddainly is lost while a man lookes vpon it and therefore holie men must learne of Moses and of Christ
to haue vestimentum é pilis Camelorum et zonum pelliceam his apparell of Camels haire and a girdle of a skinne about his loynes Here was an humble man But the rich man in Luke 16. is otherwise pictured It is not omitted as a matter of speciall note that he was apparelled in purple and fared deliciously euery day Heere was a proude man How doth the Lorde by Esay rip vp the â—ryde of our rioting age expressing by â—ame al the handmaides of pride Slippers calls and round tyres sweet balls bracelets and bonnets the tyres of the head the tablets earings rings and mufflers costlie apparell the vailes crisping pynnes the glasses fine linnen hoodes and lawnes c. Had the Prophet liued in these times how might he haue inueighed against the gaudines of apparrell long staring ruâ—â—es peâ—iwiggs fardingals maskes fannes painted faces partlets bracelets frontlets fillets all lets to let and hinder vs from humilitie When God began to make apparrell for man he made it but of the skinnes of beasts And all the former Saints were couered onely with Goates-skinnes and the haâ—â— of Camels But nowe this fashion is quâ—â— out of fashion for wee rob all the creatuâ—â— of the world to cloath our backs by taking from some their wooll froÌ„ some their skâ—â— from some their fur and from some thâ—â— very excrements not sparing so much a the silly poore worme for the silke is bâ— the excrement of wormes Nay rather then wee will be vnfurnished of any thing that may adorne or beautâ—â—â— vs wee will not sticke to diue as it were 〈◊〉 to the bottom of the sea and turne vp 〈◊〉 sands of the sea for precious stones When the glystering silkes â—uffle on 〈◊〉 backs and the precious Indian rings 〈◊〉 vpon our fingers when our necks are â—â—â—ged with goodly and costly chaynes 〈◊〉 the wristes of our hands with bracelets 〈◊〉 thinke all the vvorld dooth admire vs and vvee seeme in our owne eyes like the 〈◊〉 kyms or like the builders of Babell 〈◊〉 thought to hyde theyr heades among 〈◊〉 clowdes A godly deuoute man who now is wâ—â—â— the Lorde meruaileth much at the vaniâ—â— of proude men I wonder saith hee thâ— men should in seeking to exalt themselues â—o farre debase themselues for in clothing â—hemselues so richly they make theyr apparell better than themselues theyr bodies are not so much woorth as their apparell â—hey would be better then all men and yet â—annot make theÌ„selues equall to the clothes â—hey weare vpon theyr backs Salomon when he was most royally roaâ—ed was not halfe so glorious as the Lâ—lly in â—he fielde If the Lilly did exceede Sâ—lomon and â—ee a King vvhy should priuate men or great men in high place or in lowe place howsoeuer striue to be proud since they â—annot make themselues like one of the flowers of the field which florisheth before â—he Sieth and is cut downe in a moment O let vs not so passe away our dayes in vanitie let vs rather learne this lesson of Christ here taught vs which is humilitie Euen from the beginning of his life the â—ime of his birth in Bethleem to the time of his death in Caluary alwaies hee practized humilitie He sought no rich apparell but was conâ—ent to be lapt vp in a few clowâ—es When he came to the world hee sought no stately building to dwell in The Foxes had holes and the birdes of the ayre had nestes but the Son of man had not whereon to lay his head In sted of a cradle hee had but a Cratch and a stable in sted of a chamber for there was no roome in the Inne other guests had taken vp the lodgings See what poore entertainement was made heere for him who was the King of glory a pallace was not good enough for him yet in Bethleem a Towne that had maâ—â—â— houses in it and many roomes hee alone could get neither house nor house-roome Ioseph his supposed Father Mary the blessedst among women though she were euen nowe trauailing to be deliuered were glad of a stable like as Iacob was glad of stones to put vnder his head in stedde of a pyllow when he slept at Bethell The Inne-keeper had made it to entertaine his guestes horses yet it is dignified heere and of a base place it is made an honorable place of better reckoning then any Emperours Chamber or Prince in the worlde for it was our Sauiour Christ his â—odging The person tooke away the vileâ—â—es of the place and made it honourable Micah when he wrote of Bethleem Thou Bethleem art little among the citties of Iudah might also haue saide Thou Inne in Bethâ—eem or rather thou stable of that Inne in Bethleem art little among the houses in Bethleem yet in thee shall he be borne that must rule Israell Zachary prophecying of Christ his comming sayth thus Reioyce ô Sion shoute for â—oy ô daughter Ierusalem for behold thy King Zach 9 9 commeth vnto thee he commeth poore and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a colt the foale of an Asse Hee was poore indeede when hee might not commaund an house but hee did it to shewe his humilitie The Lord of all had least of all hee had not so much as a house to be borne in and yet his father was a carpenter hee made many a house for others but none for himselfe noâ— his sonne Humilitie neuer founded gay houses this hath sprung vp but of late yeeres for our auncestors contented themselues vvith simple lodgings Heere-hence comes it which is not so coÌ„monly as truely spoken Gay-clothing sumptuous building hath vndone England Good-house-keeping and hospitalitie Are lost through pride prodigalitie Before time honest men contented them selues with an homely hall and a loouer no Now stately buildings cold kitchens chimney nor parlour nor vpper chamber and in such houses the poore founde good reliefe But nowe our houses haue so inlarged themselues as if they were so many citties for height and statelines like Nabucadnezers pallace in Babell and the manie roomes in them like the streetes of Niniuie one wrought within another like Dedalus Labyrinth or the Pyramides in Memphis and Egypt that a man being once in them can hardly finde the way out of them many halls and many parlours many chimneyes or shewes of chimneyes and of many scarce one or none smoaking Goodlie mock-beggers And all this came in with pride it vvas neuer so in his ruffe as now it is and therefore no better time to presse this example of humilitie then nowe Hee teacheth vs this lesson that teacheth vs al things Learn of me for I am humble and meeke yee shall finde rest for your soules Christ that was borne for vs so gouerne vs by his Spirit of grace that this sinne of pride and all other enormities beeing suppressed in vs wee may practize that humilitie which at last will exalt vs to immortalitie and infinite happines It followeth In the dayes of Herod the King
he ran to the sigtrees or as Iob vpon the dunghil without his children his vvife his friends his wealth his health Hee had nothing now who before had all things onely his scabbes sores did beate him company In the 133. psalme the Prophet considering the great treasure of peace and vnitie falls into a kinde of admiration saying O howe good and ioyfull a thing it is bretheren to dwell together in vnitie It is like the precious oyntment vpon Aarons head which ran down vnto his beard and went downe to the borders of his garment It is like the dewe of Harmon that falls vpon the mountaines of Sion In the former verse hee calls all the chyldren of God brethren and ought brethen to be deuided Abraham when he deuised how to bring his seruants and Lots seruants to vnitie vseth this argument O let not vs fall out fâ—â— we are brethren The like speech is vsed by the Patriarch in the 42. of Gen. They told Ioseph Wâ—â— are all one mans sonnes And in the 13. verse We thy seruants are al brethreÌ„ So should we say We are all one mans sonnes for God is our Father and we his sonnes yea vvee are all brethren and therefore why should not we agree and be at one A kingdom that is not at peace in it selfe cannot florish and a house that is deuided cannot stand What breedes so many Scismes sects and varietie in opinions but diuision Labour then for vnitie for that is the onely watch-man that peserueth the Citty My house A house consists of a foundation the sellers the side-poasts and the roofe and euery of these must be agreeable and fitting one to another This sheweth what vnitie is And a Citty consists but of many houses ioyned together in due proportion the very name sheweth the worke-maister who first built the Cittie It was vnitie for it is called Ciuitas quasi ciuium vnitas Many seedes are sowne in one field and beeing growne vp they fill but one eare are bound vp in one sheaffe and are lapt vp in one loafe This sheweth vnitie The body of man hath many members many parts the head the arinâ—â— the shoulders the feete c. Yet all make but one bodie The head alone commaunds and all the other parts are pliable and seruiceable to him Let vs also learne to serue our head foâ— we being many members of one body haue also but one head euen Christ Let vs not then be deuided from our head for then wee shall be censured to make a worse rent then the Iewes did who deuided his garments but we deuide his flesh and his body so long as we are not at vnitie A house of prayer The Temple is called not the house of crueltie nor the house of maliciousnes nor the house of pride nor the house of couetousnesse as these Merchants thought to make it but the house of praier The Iewes had Citties of refuge to she vnto but the place of refuge for Christians nowe to slye vnto is Templum Dei the house of prayer Here is the place where the Priestes the people ought to pray before the lord euen betweene Vestibulum et Altare the porch and the Altar as Ioell speaketh In the 7. of Math it is said Seeke and you shall find If wee will sind Christ heere is the place where we must seek him not as they that sought after Eliah when hee was translated but as Ioseph and Mary sought for their sonne in the temple they sought him and there they found him and there shall wee be sure to finde him if wee seeke after him with the like affection that they did And hauing found him if you wil know how you may both speake with him and speed with him in your godly requests this place resolues you Prayer must be the harbenger to passe from you to him it will in no wise returne againe to you till it hath preuailed like the Doue that returned with the Oliue leafe in her bill Prayer poured out with deuotion vttered with zeale is for power so forcible and for motion so swift that it pearceth like a Thunder-bolt clowdes skies and hauing come to God it departs not away till it hath preuailed by strong wrestlings like Iacob for a blessing In the 2. chro 6. we find Salomon praying in the temple he desired God that his eyes should euer be open his eares alwaies attentiue to the prayers that should be offred vp in that place and his prayer then is effectual for vs now that pray before the lord in the temple beeing the place whereof hee hath spoken he would put his name there This house of prayer hath been â—requented by the godly in all ages since there began to bee a Temple And when there was 〈◊〉 Temple yet there were solemne assemblies and holy meetings from the beginning In the 4. of Gen. vpon the restoring and reestablishing of religion presently after the byrth of Sheth wee reade that men assembled together called vpon the name of the Lord. After the flood Noah his familie sacrificed vnto the Lord. Gen. 8. 20. And after him Abraham built an Altar at Bethell and called vppon the Name of the Lord. Iacob did the like and Moses all ages to Christ The Tabernacle made by Moses was in sted of a Temple Reuerence my Sanctuary Leuit. Peter Iohn went vp to the Temple to pray Symeon went to the Temple Anna prayd in the Temple Here is the place where the afflicted may finde consolation the poore may finde plenty the wealthy shal find thankfulnes and the thankful shall haue more gifts the desperate shall finde comfort the sicke a Phisition the sinner in a word shall finde his Sauiour where he may embrace him in his armes if he will as Symeon did Of prayer that is of publique prayer not of priuate If we will pray priuatly wee haue houses to pray in at home Enter into thy chamber and there poure out thy hart vnto God and hee that heareth thee in secret shall reward thee openly If thou pray when thou shouldest heare thou prophanest the place and thy prayer shal returne as a curse into thy bosome For Math. 6. the word of truth hath spoken it Hee that turnes away his eare from hearing the law his prayer shall be abhominable It is not a priuat place and therfore it wil entertaine no priuate action If thy heart call vpon thee to present any priuat prayer to the Lord follow the vse of holy men in all ages Isaac went out into the fieldes to pray and meditate Iacob beeing alone in Bethel fell to prayer Gen. 28. Dauid watered his couch with teares which fell from him while he prayed Daniell in his chamber fell to prayer Dan. 6. Peter in the 9. of the Acts went vp to the top of the house to pray Christ went aside into the mountaine to pray If I pray beeing in the Temple and all the congregation there
present another preacheth a third man standing by readeth heere is no order but confusion and God is not the God of confusion Let all things in the Church be done decently and in order Thus haue you seene Christ our Lorde entering into the Temple in deuotion and in zeale correcting the abuses that hee found there Teaching them withall the right vse of the Temple and what exercises of holines the place requireth that so they might not come together to condemnation Let it be considered what is sayd and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all thinges that hauing attained in some measure to the fulnesse of knowledge that is in Christ Iesus and beeing stablished in euery good worke and word our fruite may be holines and our end euerlasting life Let vs pray the spirit of Grace to enter into the temples of our harts and thence to purge and cast out all corruptions whatsoeuer To God onely wise our Sauiour be rendred all honor glory praise with thanksgiuing now and euer Amen ⧠The history of our Lords Birth ¶ A Sermon preached by the Authour at Shrewsburie vpon Christ his day MATH 2. 1. 2. When Iesus then was borne in Bethleem in Iudea in the dayes of Herod the King behold there came Wise men from the East to Ierusalem saying Where is hee that is borne King of the Iewes For wee haue seene his star in the East are come to worship him TWo principall motiues or reasons beloued in our Lord induced me to make choise of this Text. One vvas the occasion of our meeting at this time which is to solemnize keep in memorie the Natiuity of our Lord Sauiour Christ Iesus The other the great necessity of the doctrine in these wordes contained For they deliuer vnto vs the history full discourse of Christes Incarnation beeing one principall branch in the misterie of our Redemption So you see how both text time our meeting matter or cause of our meeting all conspire together and are alike sutable There shoulde be no matter of greater force to draw men together than this vvee haue nowe in hand for it is able to furnish vs with all necessary knowledge like the roule that Ezechiell tooke from the Angell which wheÌ„ he had eaten it filled both Ezch 3 belly and bowels hee straightwayes began to prophecy We liue not in those times wherein vve may offer rich presents vnto Christ like the Wisemen nor can wee nowe poynt at the bodily presence of Christ as Iohn did not can we feast him in our houses as Zacheus did nor can we embrace him in our armes as once Symeon did when hee came by inspiration into the Temple Christ nowe looketh not for these curtesies nor can we performe theÌ„ if we would But this and all this we do when we come to heare Christ preached vnto vs when we open our harts to entertaine the worde as Lydia did and when wee embrace with alacritie and cheerfulnesse the doctrine of Christ And as I haue told you one capitall branch of this doctrine is this concerning his natiuitie Men are carefull very diligent in calculating theyr owne byrth-dayes and theyr childrens natiuities for a more certaine account they kalender them vp to the end they may not be forgotten and thys they â—may doe for reason requireth it law alloweth it and ciuility commends the same But a thousand times more careful ought we to be both Prince prophet people to kalender and keepe in memory the natiuitie of our Lord Sauiour conscience â—inforceth it custome calls for it and vvhich is most of all Christâ—â—â—â—â—e commaunds it For vnto this name and to no other vnder heauen are we baptized Of Christ wee are called Christians We are his schollers his seruaunts his disciples and therefore very careful should we be to honour our Lord Maister in keeping holy his day For as Christ in earth sought nothing but the glory onely of his Father so his father now in heauen seekes nothing but the glory of his sonne And as the same sonne beeing here on earth humbly debased himselfe as a seruaunt vnder all men to obey his Fathers will so hath it pleased God his Father againe to exalt him not onely to surmount the glorie of all Princes and Potentates whatsoeuer but also with such power maiestie hath he aduaunced him that euen the very knowledge and beleese of his glorious Name is able to giue euerlasting life to all sinners be they neuer so greeuously burdened or laden whosoeuer will come vnto him to seeke any refreshing So proued by his oâ—n testimony in the 6. of Iohn verse 40. Thy is the will of him that sent mee that euery maâ— that beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Haue not wee great reason then to remember this day of Christ a day as Saint Augustine calls it of all dayes the beginning of all daies the beginning of eternitie to the beleeuers Hee was borne to make vs rich hee vvas layd in a stall euen among beastes to exalâ— vs to the company of Angels Hee was borne an exile a banished person from the cradle driuen to flie into Egypt as Moses did to Mydian to the end he might make vs free Vt Moses in vluas Hee came from heauen to the earth to the end hee might dravve vs from earth to heauen Hee tooke vppon him a naturall â—ody to make vs heauenly bodies He was made flesh to make vs spirits he was made the sonne of man to make vs the â—onnes of God To as many as receiued him â—o them gaue hee power that they might be the â—onnes of God Great reason haue wee then â—o remember him that did all this for vs. And this much shall briefely suffice to â—tirre vp your mindes to a carefull contemâ—lation of Christ and his glory Now let vs â—eare S. Mathew speaking When Iesus then was borne at Bethleem c. For the increase of our fayth and for an â—ndoubted certaintie heere is layd downe â—he true story of Christes birth with cirâ—umstances thereunto belonging The maner of our Lords birth is at large â—eliuered by this our Euangelist in the forâ—er chap afore my Text beginning at the 8. verse The other circumstances runne â—eere in these wordes as first The place â—here he was born In Bethleem 2. When â—n the dayes of Herod 3. Who came first to â—im The wise men 4. How did they know â—ee was borne or howe were they directed â—â— finde him They were guided by a starre 5. To what end came they to him Iâ— worship him This day and time was foretolde by the Prophets commended to men by Angels and celebâ—ated by the godly Fathers of the Church Esay long before the comming of Chrâ—â—â— prophecied saying Loe a virgine shall â—â—â—ceaue Esay 7 and beare a sonne and they shall 〈◊〉 name Emanuell And againe Vnto vs a â—â—â— Esay 9 is
borne and vnto vs a child is giuen And in the ninth of Damel the very moment of time wherein Christ should come is sâ—gniâ—ied by Gaâ—riell Seuenty weekes saâ—â— Dan 9 2â— he are determiâ—ed vpon the people and 〈◊〉 the â—oly Câ—â—ty to finish the wickednes 〈◊〉 seale vp the sinnes and to reconâ—ile iniquiâ—â—â—â— to brinâ— in euerlâ—sting righteousnes to sâ—â— vp vision and propheâ—ie to annoynt theâ—â—holie To make vp the harmonie Micah poâ—teth to the very place vvhere our Loâ—â— should be borne And thou Bethleem Mica 5 2. little to bee among the thouâ—andes of Iuâ—â—â— yet out of thee shall â—ee come that must rule â—â—raell To produce proofes in so cleere a â—â—â—â—er were to poynt to the sunne being alreaâ—ie mounted to Zenith where it is perâ—ect day The legall the ceremoniall historical â—ropheticall Scriptures all prefigured Christ to come Christes own testimony agreeing to this â—earch the Scriptures for they testifie of mee Ioh 5 39 And againe Had ye belâ—eued Moses ye would â—lso haue beleeued me for Moses wrote of me Semen mulieris contret caput serpâ—ntis And â—â—â—thy seede shall all the nations of the â—arth be â—lessed Of this day and time Iacob prophecied â—lmost two thousand yeeres aâ—ore Christ â—hat he should come in the fulnes of time The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a â—aw-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shiâ—oh come and the peoplâ— shall be gathered vnto â—im He shall binde his Assâ—-foâ—le vnto the vine â—nd his Aâ—â—es colt vnto the bâ—st â—â—â—e The Lord Goâ— will raiâ—e vp a Prophet from Deut 18. â—mong you out of your brethren vnto â—â—â— yee â—hall barken But all this is but to light a candle at â—oone day For wee all from the â—â—â—â— to the suckling from the gray head to the tenâ—â—â— babe all are trayned vp in this doctrine we receiue it from an autentique truth We all professe it and beleeue it that Christ â— at this time tooke our nature vpon him became flesh for our sakes and therefore â— will be the more sparing in amplifying thâ—â— point VVere it so that I were to speake before Infidels or before an vnbeleeuing sort â—â— Iewes vvhich are not yet resolued thâ—â— Christ is come because the vaile is not â—â— taken from them and theyr harts are hardned that they cannot beleeue the Scriptures then had I neede to produce all the testimonies that might be founde for confirmation of this doctrine and gayning â—â— them to the sayth And yet all this notwithstanding vvoâ—â—â— hardly preuaile since it appeares by Christes owne testimonie of theÌ„ that they â—â—â—â— giuen ouer to a repâ—obate sence Seeing â—â—â— shall see and not perceiue and hearing you 〈◊〉 heare and not vnderstand For had they not beene altogether hardned and solde to infidelitie so many scriptures and prophecies of Christ all which â—hey daily read in their Sinagogues would haue forced them to acknowledge Christ whom yet they denie VVee would haue thought that if wee had beene then liuing in that age of theyrs when Christ was borne among them conuersed with them wrought so many miracles before them vvee could not haue been so faithlesse All the chiefest Iewes both Priestes and Scribes beeing asked where Christ should be borne aunswered thus At Bethlehem in Iudâ—a Yea and they alleage this pregnant place out of the Prophets For it is written Thou Bethlem c. And againe which condemneth them further in the 7. of Iohn 42. Sayth not the Scripture that Christ shall come of the seed of Dauid out of the Towne of Bethleem Yet though they knew all this wheÌ„ Christ came among them they denied him so do they gore themselues in their owne sides â—ike the Baalites The reason vvhy the Euangelist so precisely layeth downe these circumstances of the manner time and place vvith other occurrences of our Sauiour Christ his birth is for that hee would take away all distrustfulnes and also to verifie the former prophecies of Christ that when it came to passe wee might acknowledge the truth therof since it fell out in the same sort time and place as was so long before fore-told Well let vs especially remember to giue God thanks for this grace giuen vs that we are not faithlesse like the Iewes who to this houre resist the truth in vngodlines Or like Thomas the Apostle that would in no wise beleeue till hee had put his fingers into the print of the nayles But wee not seeing doe beleeue and can say with an vndoubted testimony Thou art our Lord our God And a special blessing followeth this our faith for our Sauiour iustifies it Thou hast seene and beleeuest 〈◊〉 Iohn 20. say blessed are they that haue not seene â—â— haue beleeued When Iesus then was borne Here we are to learne the mercy of God in sending his sonne to the worlde for ouâ— good onely which mercy of GOD made S. Iohn exclaime with a rauishing kinde of admiration So God loued the world that hee sent his only begotten sonne into the world 〈◊〉 â—re might liue through him And in the tenth verse Heerein is loue in that God loued vs first and sent his sonne to be â—a reconciliation c. And in the 17. verse he makes the same repeticion in substance still expressing the mercy and loue of God This was so melodious a note in his eares when he strooke vpon loue that as a byrde beeing taught to record doth double and treble one and the same thing often so doth Iohn vpon this loue of God as if hee could neuer part from it So God 〈◊〉 the word And heerein appeared the 〈◊〉 of God And God loued vs first c. Iohn could no more part with this loue then Elisha could with Ehah â—â— the whirlewinde deuided them A Father of the Church 〈◊〉 vpon this loue of God saith that the 〈◊〉 â—n of the world and after that the creation of man did not argue a greater 〈◊〉 in God that this In giuing vs his Son to be borne for vs. All the other workes of God as the making of the heauens the 〈◊〉 and the creatures haue in them matter enough of admiration but this one surmounteth all the rest beeing as Nazianzen speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worke that passeth all admiration they may wonder at this that wonder at nothing besides at this loue of God in sending his sonne to be borne for vs after such a supernaturall maner to be borne of a virgine to translate him from the heauens to the earth God and the Sonne of God whom the heauens nor the heauen of heauens could containe nowe to be included in so narrow a roome as the wombe of a Virgine They that passed by Hazaels corpes stoode still and wondered here may we rather wonder at a liuing body Let the foolish Philosophers henceforth burne their bookes as the Ephesians did their vaine bookes they build al vpon reason Acts 19. vpon the causes of
things but thys is a reason beyond reason by no humaine reason to be comprized The hautie Astronomers that walke among the starres that send vp their typtoecoÌ„ceits beyond the clowdes as if they were the onely commaunders of the world and could measure the heauens with a span as they seeme to shut vp all in one globe let them trace it no more vpon the pinacles of planetary influences If they can be so humble as to walk with vs heere beneath vpon this earth the seely Cratch in Bethleem where our Lorde lay and the wombe of a virgin trauailing with the most glorious person of the worlde Christ Iesus at whose feete Kings Emperours must cast downe theyr crownes as before the chiefe and supreme King King of Kings and all Kings glory heere may they sinde I say matter enough to occupie theyr wits and senses withall and here they may rather contemplate thys Comet thys blazing starre as in vvhose presence the greatest starre Sunne Moone and all doe lose theyr light Here they may rather wonder at his so strange comming into the worlde as his Disciples wondered at his going out of the world vpoÌ„ his ascending We all acknowledge this loue of God in that he gaue vs his sonne to be borne for vs but where is that serious consideration where is that Isaac aâ—ong vs that will goe out into the fieldes to meditate of this so excellent a benefit S. Paule counted this world but dung in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ yet with many nowe adaies dunge it selfe the basest thing is preferred before the deerest thing For what is siluer and gold the mammon of this world which the wicked doe so highly magnifie but very earth and vile dung This time wherin we celebrate our lords natiuity we make it a time of feasting and a time of merrie-making and tyme of reioycing but I feare too too fewe there are that reioyce that Christ was as at this tyme borne for them If thys true reioycing were planted in vs it would cut off much vanity and much reioycing in euill It would make vs fall into this holy parlee and angelicall conference Hath God performed this great worke for me and shall I be vnthankfull Shall I forget him that testified so great so vnspeakable kindnes for mee in not disdaining to take my flesh and nature vppon him to be borne for me to die for me to shed his hart blood for mee and to sustaine intollerable torments for mee which I should haue vndergone And all to the end I should lyue and not die If one man should die for another here were demonstration of great loue but in that Christ our Lord would die for vs beeing the sonne the onely sonne of God the brightnes of glory farre superior to the Angels this is yet greater loue such loue as no tongue nor pen can amplifie Expresse it we cannot rather wee may wonder at it and exclaime like Paule O the riches of Gods grace Was borne Heere we must also learne the obedience of Christ our Lord and his humility As it was loue in God the Father that sent forth Christ into the world so it was obedience in Christ the Sonne of God that brought him and presented him vnto the world God would haue him come and it was his will to come for so testifieth he of him selfe Loe I come to doe thy will ò God Hebr. 10. O that we could possibly pactise the like holy obedience that when by the motion of Gods Spyrit working in vs and calling vpon vs to doe any good thing wee might be ready to aunswere We are come to do thy will This was euer in Christ but it is sildome or neuer in vs As the Father hath Ioh 9 29. sent me so I doe alwayes the thinges that please him His humilitie is likewise testified in â—aking our flesh vpon him in beeing borne for vs and in deâ—ecting himselfe to sustaine in his glorious body our infirmities For it pleased him to become in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted Great was this humilitie it must beare downe our pride it must teach vs to bee humble and meeke if wee will passe from earth to heauen whether hee is now ascended Abraham bowed himselfe to the Angels to shew that there is no way to come neere vnto God or to the resemblance of Christ but by humility All do gape after honour as Eue thought to be equall with GOD her Maker shee would be higher then shee was and shee would needes from Paradice mount vp to heauen before her time But because she sought it by pride therefore by pride she lost both the one and the other heauen and Eden till Christ regayned them by his humilitie Humilitie is the first step to honour as pride is to basenes and therefore saith Saâ—omon Pride goeth before destruction and an â—igh minde before the fall Pryde before and shame behinde as â—ewys the French-King spake both pithily and pleasantly When pryde is on the horseâ—acke then is shame on the crooper Our Sauiour in the eyghteene of Mark chaulking the way that leades vnto honor saith He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted but the proud he checketh when he saith thus Hee that exalts himselfe shall be brought low As heere we find humilitie in Christ so may we find it in all the holy men before since Christ Ioseph though he were the greatest Potentate in Egypt yet confessed he was but a shepheards sonne and this he vttered being Gen 46. in the ruffe and prime of his honour Yet Ioseph knew right well that the name of a sheep-keeper was odious to the Egyptians Moses is registred to be the meekest man vpon the earth Dauid beeing instaled into the kingdome humbly acknowledgeth his beginning Thou tookest Dauid when hee followed the Ewes great with young His honour made him not forget his peâ—gree That Prince who spake mildly humbly to Eliah was not consumed so if 〈◊〉 will not be consumed with the fire of Goâ— wrath we must be humble Saint Basill speaking of the creation 〈◊〉 man saith Cur accepit Deus 〈◊〉 Why did God take the dust of the earâ—â— Câ—m 〈◊〉 audis cur elâ—uaris Why should dust and ashes be proud then Surely neyther honour noâ— riches nâ—â— friendes nor apparrell nor ought else if â— the glory of the world were heaped vppâ— vs it should not make vs proude If theâ— mightest weare â—oth of gold remembeâ— couers but a â—oule â—â—rkaâ—â—e dust ashes Of all sorts of proude men they are â—o be most condemned that are proude of theâ— apparrell as if they should glory in thâ—â— shame for apparrell was made to coueâ— our shame When Adâ—â— had sinned and so knew thâ—â— hee was naked presently hee made himselfe breeches of â—â—g-leaues So sinne and shame were the first Taylors that shaped Adams garments The humble and proude are both noted â—â— Scripture by theyr diuersitie of apparell Iohn is noted
his owne Country and amongst his owne Christ beeing in Bethleem among his own is not receiued and therfore as our Sauiour told the Iewes when they bragged they had Abraham to theyr Father God is able euen of stones to raise vp sonnes to Abraham So heere rather than Christ shall want honour God rayseth men from farre that neuer knewe Iury nor Ierusalem to come vnto him and to present him vvith rich gifts vndoubted testimonies of a true worship They were Wise men yet but worldly wise till they came to Christ and then they learned of him true vvisedome euen the Word of lyfe which was able to saue theyr soules In the example of these Wise men trauailing so farre to seeke Christ wee must learne that if vvee will come to Christ as vvee ought wee must forsake our parents our Countrey and friendes VVee must leaue all behind vs the worlde the cares thereof to the end we may be the lighter in our iouâ—ney towards Christ VVee shall be sure to finde no rubbes in the way able to stay vs if wee doe but consider that we are running vnto Christ To Christ must we runne not to Idols nor to the power of men but vvee must trauaile to him alone to hiâ— onely must vve offer and to no other For he is Agnus Dei he is the Lambe of GOD that taketh away the sinnes of the world It is neyther Angell nor Saint that can heare vs or intreate for vs or can grant the thing wee aske for Christ alone can do it for he alone hath borne our infirmities Hee is the onely Phisition that healeth vs hee is the brazen Serpent vpon whom vvho-soeuer looketh recouereth He is the Samaritane that powreth wine and oyle into our woundes These men thus trauailing to Christ are not recorded who they were and it is cuâ—iositie for vs to pry vnto that which the spirit of God hath kept secret But VVise men they vvere and religiouslie vvise it seemes they vvere for they vvere inflamed vvith a feruent desire to see Christ Some are of opinion that they were Magicians such as had skill in diuining and interpreting difficult matters and in foretelling thinges to come And the originall vvord would seeme to carry this sence Magoi Such knowledge was extraordinary it is forbidden and accursed in many places of Scripture Let none bee founde among you that hath a spirit of diuination or that is a sâ—rcerer or a charmer Deut. 18. 10. And if any turne after such Ego excidam Leuit. 20. And such it may be were these Wise men before they knewe Christ but this prophane wisedome went from them vvhen the true knowledge of Christ was implanted in them These Magi were Wise-men and Gentiles they first came to see Christ and therfore they are called the first fruites of the Gentiles they had neither the law nor the Prophets read vnto them yet they first labour to finde out Christ Signifying that it is God onely who formeth euery Christian mans hart hee can soone turne Dauid from adultery Adam to confesse his sinne Paule of a persecutor to become a professor He can make of stones sonnes to Abraham and of Gentiles sound Christians As heere hee caused these Wise men to come from farre euen from the East to Ierusalem to vvorshippe Christ So is there no respect of persons with God but in all places who so feareth him and worketh righteousnes shal be accepted From the East to Ierusalem As Christ our Lorde came from the bosome of his Father to be incarnate and to dwell among vs so these Wise men came from theyr country from the East to finde out Christ their Redeemer This sheweth theyr great desire Ieroboam saide it was too far to goe to Ierusalem but these Wse men did not thinke it too farre to come from the Fast to IerusaleÌ„ to worship Christ â—inding him not at Ierusalem they traueled yet further to Bethleem in Iudea they neuer rested till they found out him that saued them By grace they sought him and by fayth they founde him whom they woulde not lose againe for the gayning of the world But leaue wee these Wise men thus traueling returne we to our selues awhile and I doubt not before wee haue done by the guide of that starre in this story mentioned to place theÌ„ in the Inne at Bethleem together with that princely babe though pooâ—ely lodged whom they with such a longing desire expected to behold The vse of the doctrine to our selues is this we must caâ—y the like desire and the same holy affection that they did We must labour to come to the knowledge of Christ we must seeke after where it is to be had by traueling for it though it were as far as Ierusalem knowing that the sufferinges of this world are not woorthy the glory that shall be reuealed Wee may not looke that Christ shoulde come to vs we must rather goe to him and neuer cease going till wee come where our soules he maâ— belodged together We read of the earnest care of the church in the â— of 〈◊〉 in the first second and Shee neuer gaue ouer to seeke him 〈◊〉 shee â—ound him And so should wee be like diligent and carefull VVee should noâ—â—uâ—â—er our eyes to sleepe nor our eye-â—â—ds to â—â—â—mber nor the temples of our â—ead to take any 〈◊〉 â—â— should not cease 〈◊〉 and day seeking still seeking and inquiring after him whom our souleâ— long for till we haue â—ound him Like these Wise men whom theyr â—edious iourney 〈◊〉 inquired euen in the 〈◊〉 of Ierusalem and in the open places thereof whether all the people of the woâ—ld hâ—d recouâ—â—e there they demaunded for the newe borne King of the â—ewes at length in Bethleem they finde him This may 〈◊〉 the lazie 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 men â—ho 〈◊〉 they know the comfort and 〈◊〉 they haue in Christ yet will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 myles to heare the Word which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is nowe no 〈◊〉 to be founde in his bodily presence among vs onely 〈◊〉 is present in the Word and there alone hee will be sought for As Christ shewed himselfe to the Wisemen at Bethleem and after shewed himselfe to the Doctors in the Temple So in our Bethleems in our citties and Townes and in our Temples doth he still shew him selfe in his word and in his Gospell dailie taught and preached It is not now that Ierusalem in Iudea noâ— Nâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—m that Bethleem where these wise men once were that Christ will be found in now Our trauell is easier and our iourney â—aâ— shorter he is come home to our own countrey from 〈◊〉 to England and from Ierusalem to London and to all the Citties and townes wiâ— in our Land teaching and expounding in our Sâ—agogues euery Sabbaoth Yet â—ewe labour to heare him the Wise men shall rise vp at the last day to coÌ„demne such Yet more it controules the
louing vs more then that howe carefull to manifest his loue in sending vs his onely sonne to reconcile vs and lastly what he requireth of vs in liew of this his carefulnes which is that he louing vs we should also loue one another God is the first that inuiteth and the last that forsaketh neuer leauing but first left and euer offering till he be refused Hee still spreadeth his armes like as the Cherubins doe their wings O let vs yeelde to his embracings least when wee would he will not and so wee seeke the blessing with Esau too late and cannot preuaile though we shedde many teares And so I end this Loue-song as I began to the end that if you be so dull of hearing as that you haue forgotten the sum of all that hath beene deliuered yet at least you may remember the burthen of the song Heerein is loue not that we loued God but that God loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Beloued if God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another Soli Deo gloria The Propheticall Kings tryumph PSALME 118. 24. This is the day that the Lord hath made Let vs reioyce and be glad in it The whole Argument of the Psalme is in substance thus much DAuid being the last and least of all his Father house being despised of his owne brethren persecuted by Saule and vtterly reiected of the Iewes dooth notwithstanding obtaine the Kingdome to iustifie the trueth of that Scripture There is no regard of persons with Acts. 10. 35. God but in all places and among all Nations who so feareth him and worketh righteousnes shall be accepted And agayne God hath chosen the vile things of the world to confound the honourable And the virgins song was this God hath Luk. 1 52. put downe the mighty from their seates and hath exalted the humble and meeke Dauid being the yongest sonne of Ishay and of smallest reckoning is taken from the sheepe-fold and crowned a King from guiding sheepe in Bethleem to gouerne a 1. Sam. 16. mighty Nation in Israel So God alone numbreth wayeth deuideth Hee measureth seasons times and yeares hee setteth vp Kings and putteth downe Kings at his pleasure as wee reade in the 2. of Dan. 21. The very coÌ„sideration of which kindnes and exceeding fauour of the Lord caused Dauid to pen this Psalme to testifie thereby his thankfulnes And this is briefely the substance of this Psalme And yet is this but a litterall construction you must knowe that another misticall matter and of greater import is heere deliuered In the person of Dauid Christ our Lord is most liuely set forth Who being the king of glory the very sonne of God heire and Lord of all things was notwithstanding reiected of the Iewes among whom hee was borne he came among his owne and his owne receaued him not But maugre the malice of the deuill and his instruments flesh and blood could not preuaile Herod and all the wayting for of the people of the Iewes could not ouerthrow Christ and his Kingdome Nay they rather ouerthrow themselues Hee is neuerthelesse exalted his enemies quite confounded yea hee hath crushed them with a Scepter of iron and broken them in peeces like a potters vessell To make the Tyrantes of the vvorlde to knovve how vayne a thing it is to band themselues against the Lord and agaynst his annoynted The carefull consideration heere of gladded the hart of Dauid more then the stablishment of his owne throane Yea it filled him vvith such vnspeakeable ioy when once the Spyrite of GOD had taught him that Christ shoulde come from hys loynes to be a Prince to his people and to gouerne them vvith righteous iudgements for euer and howe hee alone must make his enemies his foote-stoole I say it so reioyced him that hee could not choose but sing tryumphantly to the Lord. The right hand of the Lorde is exalted The right hand of the Lorde bringeth mightie thinges to passe The stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone in the corner And so in a heauenly kinde of meditation he contiâ—â—eth the same note to the words of my text proclayming as it were a new holy-day to the Lord which should religiously be obserued throughout aâ—l ensuing posterities euen to a thousand generations This is the day which the Lord hath made Let vs reioyce and be glad in it This Text needes no curious diuision for the words deuide themselues This is the day There is the Prophets proclamation Which the Lord hath made There is the Author from whom it is sent Let vs reioyce c. There is the celebration of it This is the day Dauid beeing endued with the spirit of prophecie could tell that Christ shoulde come in the flesh as could the Patriarchs and all the holy men before him And least a matter of so great tydinges should by the malice of sathan or by the practise of bloody tyrants be lapt vp in obscurity both our Prophet heere and all the rest did in all ages record the same in sundry places of Scripture as well to chalenge it from forgetfulnes and obliuion as also to take away all excuse from the vnbeleeuing Iewes who if they had not beene altogether giuen ouer to a reprobate sence they must of necessity haue acknowledged Christ since he was so liuely poynted at by so many prophecies throughout the whole Scripture Moses in the 3. of Genesis told it plainly or rather God himselfe by Moses speaketh that the seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents head Zachary telleth Sion and Ierusalem that her King was comming He commeth poore Zach 9. 9. ryding vpon an asse c. Christ himselfe speaking of Abrahams testimony sayth Abraham sawe my dayes and reioyced As a lambe before the shearer so opened he not his mouth And diuers other testimonies whereof the Scriptures are plentifull Dauid as if hee had seene all prophecies sealed vp speaketh in this place of Christes day as it were as if he had beene already in the world This is the day Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord. For Sions sake I will not hold my tongue Esiy 62. for Ierusalems sake I will not rest till the righteousnes thereof breake forth as the light What was that lampe light but Christ all the law and the Prophets did presignify to the world that Christ should come euen to the time that the Angell appeared to the Shepheards and bad them goe see him whom all the world desired to behold So that we may preach to our selues as Christ did to the Iewes In our eares this day are all these Scriptures fulfilled This is the day This proclamation is very sutable to that in the second of Luke Beholde I bring you tyâ—ings of great ioy which shall bee to all flesh that vnto you this day is borne a Sauiour It was indeed tydings of the greatest ioy that might come
beware to transgresse and how to carry our selues in a greater measure of sobrietie Surely great and beioynd measure intollerable is the vanitie of sinfull men in thys behalfe for we dishonour God in our bodies where we should glorifie him GOD hath made vs Christian men but we shewe our selues no men but beasts among men Hee that loueth father or mother more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me We do worse we loue our follies our vanities and our pastimes more then God Some are giuen to one vanitie some to another as all sinnes are not found in one and yet in one are many founde and noâ—e without some and all are in vs and among vs all Our true reioycing were rather this to bestow the time in meditation stil to praise God for this rich treasure to penne godlie songs and psalmes of thankfulnes like Dauid to be deuising with Micah what wee should giue vnto the Lord for that which he hath giuen vs. Wee hang our houses with Holies and greene boughes but we our selues should rather be holy boughes euen trees of righteousnes as we are called by Esay 61. If wee will needes feast let vs yet beware of the abuses in feasting Iob can best counsaile vs heerein We reade in the 1. chapter of his booke That when his sonnes and daughters had made an end of banquetting in theyr houses euery one his day hee like a carefull Father sent for them and sanctified them and sacrificed for them And this did Iob euery day for he feared his sonnes had blasphemed God in theyr harts Iob doubted that his children had committed many slips and that they carried not themselues in such a Christian-like sobriety as was required in those holy feasts and therefore hee did both send for them and sacrificed for them Parents ouer their children and maisters ouer their housholds should be armed with like godly iealousie For if this religious care were had both of our selues and ours fewer offences would be committed or at least beeing committed they would bee soone salued by prayer and sanctisication as Iob did For this example is pend and registred for our good and for our imitation that in all our feastings and meetings and merry-makings wee should remember our selues pray that God would pardon our corruptions and prophane carriage of our selues in time of our feasting For it is an hard and difficult matter at such times to keepe our selues so cleare but some corruption or other will cling vnto vs. Sinnes then are soonest swallowed lyke the dainty morsells that passe downe our throates and so sinne goes downe as fast and is deuoured with pleasure like the Apple that Eue tasted The pleasantnes of it to the eye and the toothsomnes of it to the mouth pricked forward her desire and so in eating shee fell and so in eating vvee fall And therefore it is sayde Woe to the full for the full are apt to sorget God The deuill neuer fell to tempting till the houre of eating came And when hunger called for meate hee also called for his temptations and presented before them the most delicious meate such as hee well knewe was fitting to theyr swnet-mouthd humours It behooueth vs therefore especiallie to beware howe wee feast not for that feasting in it selfe is euill nay it is a thing commended and commaunded in Scripture as the feastes of Tabernacles and the feastes of Sabaoths and Iubilees and new moones c. And Christ wrought his first miracle at a feast The abuse it is that wee speake of which often is committed in our feastinges For in our pleasures the deuill hath hidde hys snares and therfore a godly man giues this prouiso or caueat Handle your pleasures sayeth hee as you handle Bees that is first take out the sting and after you may play with them without harme It may be that my Sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their harts So let vs say of our selues as Iob spake of his Sonnes It may be in this tyme of our banquetting we haue sinned and blasphemed It may be our good cheere and delicious fare and our carde-playing and our dauncing and our reuelling and our other vanities haue made vs forgette GOD and our selues and forget Christ who is the feast-maker the cause and Author of our meeting at this time Now then that I haue shewed you the difference betweene the true reioycing and the false aduise your selues which you will follow As Iosuah said at his farewell when hee was to be gathered to his people to goe the way of all the worlde Now saith hee choose you whether you will serue the Gods of the heathen or serue the Lord. So I say whether you will hence-forth serue your lustes or serue God If God be God serue him If Baal be God serue him Eyther sticke to vanity or sticke to God God hath not redeemed you to sinne any more but that you should subdue and vtterly kill the whole body of sinne for it is said Be ye holy as I am holy But know that if you runne on in your vanities you runne from God who hath created you and from Christ who hath redeemed you and from the spirit of God by whom you are sealed If wee sinne wilfully nowe after we haue receaued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and Heb. 10 26 violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersarie Full of dreadfulnes is that in the 6. of the same Author to the Heb. It is impossible that they which were once lightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made pertakers of the holy Ghost haue tasted of the good worde of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall Heb. 6 4. away should be renued againe by repentance seeing they crucifie the sonne of god and make a mock of him But beloued wee haue perswaded our selues better things of you and things that accompanie saluation though wee thus speake God forbid that I should thinke that all the good seede of the worde so plentifully sowed in your harts now the space of forty yeares should fall to the ground in vaine Paul hath not so planted you noâ— Apollo watred you in vaine that you should still proue faithlesse and barren but there must needes be in you some increasing in knowledge some growing in religion some prositing in vnderstanding The thornes choake not all nor doe the birds deuoure vp all nor is all fallen vpon stony ground to hinder the growth of the word And yet if all this should be so there is hope neuerthelesse in the fourth part it beeing the better part and the fructifying part will make amendes for all the rest yeelding increase an hundred fold like the seede of Isaac Licet pars minima sit TripluÌ„ in duplo The Anatomie of Tale bearers LEVIT 19. 16. Thou shalt not walke about with tales among my people GOD hath made
vs principally and before all thinges to glorifie him and serue him in holines all the daies of our sinfull pylgrimage he hath also for a secondarie purpose created vs euen to be helpfull and seruiceable one to another As we must be especially carefull howe wee runne into those sinnes that are offensiue to the maiestie of God and doe prouoke his displeasure so must we be carefull in like manner howe wee commit such offences and trespasses agaynst our brethren or neâ—ghbours whereby wee may incurre their hatred and displeasure God dooth looke into our carriage behauior among our selues that we offend not one another that so being created after the similitude of God in holines wee might also bee profited in holding on our course in the same holines by performing all Christian duties both towards God and man The vvhole duty of a Christian man consists but in two points viz. in holines towards God and in righteousnes towards man aunsvverable to that short diuision made by our Sauiour Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart c. And thy neighbour as thy selfe The one dooth necessarily imply the other and they cannot be seperated for S. Iohn prooues it If thou loue not thy brother whom thou hast seene howe canst thou loue God whom thou hast not seene Of the latter onely I am to speake in this place and of that but in a particularity neither as my Text doth leade me This portion of Scripture nowe to bee handled is one of the branches of the commandements in the second table inforcing righteousnes towards man It is one of the edges of that more than one edged sword to cut in sunder the very hart-strings of false witnes-bearing For a false tale is a false testimony and the secret accusing of our neighbours by bad reports whereby their name and fame may be impeached is a species or kind of false witnes bearing and it is such a trespasse as doth quite ouerthrow the peaceable state of all Christian societies Thou shalt not walke about with tales among my people God in this place vseth two principall arguments to inforce this coÌ„maundement The one taken froÌ„ the person of our selues in the word thou and the other from the person of God in the word shalt Thou being as thou art my creature the workmanship of my hands whom I haue formed and fashioned out of the clay and so by breathing into thee breath of life did make thee a lyuing soule Thou who art but vile earth very corruption and rottennes Thou shalt not c. The carefull remembrance of our selues in a dutifull remorce is a matter of such force that it is able to batter or at least to mollifie the most obdurate heart of anie Christian and to stirre him vp to a sincere obedience toward God his Creatour Nature it selfe hath stampt a reuerent impression euen in the vnreasonable creatures working a dutifulnes in them towards their benefactours Esay prooues it to reprooue men that somtimes shew theÌ„selues worse then beasts The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters crib yet Israel knoweth not me My people hauâ— forgotten him that made them Though it were practised by a prophane man yet was it a practise of Christianity that which we read of Phillip King of Macedon Hee caused this lesson of mortality to bee euery morning sounded at his dore Memento Philippe te esse hominem This lesson did hee learne euen in the morning in the beginning of the day least his kingly tytles and honours and magnificence might make him forget him selfe as Coruinus forgot his name Least hee might vvaxe insolent and proude against GOD lyke Nabuchadnezer when hee ietted it in his royall Pallace at Babell Or like Alexander Sonne to this King Phillippe who after this farre vnlyke his Father being rapt away with the high conceite of honour termed himselfe a God To verifie that which hath beene long agoe fore-tolde by the propheticall King Man being in honour may be compared to the beasts that perrish This consideration of a mans selfe it is the very eye of the soule vvhereby shee looketh and pryeth into her vvhole estate It is the very doore of humility and where it is soundly planted in any religious Christian it so beautiâ—ieth and inuesteth him that he shall seeme no other than a verie liuely resemblance of Christ our Lord svvadled vp in cloutes and layde in a manger This consideration was in Dauid when looking first vppon him-selfe hee after looked vp to GOD and exclaymed with a rauishing kinde of admiration O Lord what is man that thou shouldst be so mindfull of him or what is this mortall generation that thou shouldst so graciously visite it And agayne in a greater measure of humility in the two and twentieth Psalm hee calles hym-selfe a vvorme and no man I haue saide to corruption thou art my Father and to rottennes thou art my mother Moses the seruant of God and the meekest man vppon the earth thought there could be no greater argument of perswasion to draw the Israelites to the true seruice of God than this we now speake of being taken from the person of man I haue chosen thee from among all Nations vnder heauen to be a peculier people to my selfe therefore thou shalt obserue all my ordinances to doe them And againe in the 40. of Exodus Thou art my first borne c. Therefore I looke that thou obserue my commaundements A certaine deuoute man was woont to thanke God for three things First for that God had made him a reasonable creature not a beast 2. For making him a man and not a woman 3. For making him a Christian man Where this or the like coÌ„sideration goeth before there sinne and sathan following after can no more preuaile against thee than the Philistines could against Sampson wheÌ„ he brake the cords I say if wee doe but consider what wee are how weake and corruptible we are and what great thinges notwithstanding God hath done for vs in making vs of nothing giuing vs the whole worlde to commaund and the creatures in it the sunne to shine to vs the fire to warme vs the earth to beare vs beastes fowles and fishes to feede vs. These and a thousand times greater things than these beeing duly considered must needes produce in vs an effectuall operation for performance of this righteousnes we speake of God being so mindful of vs should force vs to bee mindfull of him in the carefull practise of his commaundementes And thus much for the first argument drawne from the person of our selues The second argument is taken from the person of God noted in the word shalt not Before God had published the commandements he pressed them with this speciall charge I am Lord that brought thee out of the land of Aegipt c. Wherein thou wast a staanger 400. yeares Therefore bee carefull to doe my commandements And the same againe is repeated in the second of Leuit. I
such as is wont to proceed from them that are distracted and as it were at theyr wits end What shall I doe This Iaylour was not carefull howe to aunswere the Rulers that had committed them nor doth he deuise what excuse hee might make to the officers Magistrates who in all likelihood would exact them at his handes who had the custodie of them But all these matters layd apart hee is nowe possessed with a deeper meditation which is how he may be saued Syrs The first word noteth his humility and reuerence Syrs or Lordes to signifie that there is a reuerence and an honour stampt in the very name and office of Ministers and therefore it is said Feare God and honour his Priestes And they that minister well are worthy of double honour O howe beautifull vppon the Mountaines saith Esay are the feete of them that preach peace that publish good tydins saying to Syon thy King raigneth They are called the eyes of the body operatores messis the work-men in the haruest The messengers inuiting to the mariage of the Kings sonne The horse-men and chariots of Israell Spirituall Fathers Angels starres c. If men did but consider of these honorable tytles which the word of God doth attribute to the Ministers of his Word thys calling would not receaue that contempt as at this day it dooth Gods sacred Worde would be more reuerently entertayned and the Ministerie it selfe better reckoned Surely great is and beyond measure intollerable the misterie of iniquitie in thys respect which woorketh strongly iâ— the chyldren of disobedience Sinne sathan haue both conspired together to broach in mens hearts thys contempt of the Ministers of the Gospell to the end that in the Minister the Ministerie it selfe in time might vtterly bee contemned The Authour to the Hebrues denounceth an heauâ—e iudgement against theÌ„ that doe but neglect the meanes of theyr saluation Much rather then must they expect the seueritie of Gods iudgements that shall despise and contemne with and high hand the ministery of the word He that despised Moses law died vnder two or three witnesses but how shall hee be sentenced that treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God and counteth the blood of the Testament where-with he was sanctified as an vnholy thing and so despites the spirit of grace Certainly if Princes take the contempt as done to them which is done to theyr Embassadours If Hanun and Ammon stinke in the nosthrils of Israell for their villâ—ny ossered to Dauids messengers If Iudas tooke peny-worths of himselfe and became his owne executioner for betraying his Lord and Maister If Ierusalem faiâ—e and famous Ierusalem became an heape of stones and the shame of the world for despising and euill intreating of so many prophets that were sent vnto them how shall God suffer these mocking Micholls these oppressing Pharaoes and rayling Rabshakehs Whether they be Libertines or Neutrals Athiests or Papists of any Religion or of no Religion in Citty or in Country or wheresoeuer they be how shall God suffer them at last though he suffer them long to escape his wrath And know you that heare the Preacher for fashion sake that goe home and iest at him your bellies full that censure him at your pleasures that eate him at your feasts that buy and sell him at your shoppes that recreate your selues with his faults The day will come when ye shall know and be driuen to confesse that Prophets haue beene among you and then you will wish you had learned that which the Iaylor nowe teacheth you which is to humble your selues in all reuerence euen at the feet of Gods messengers and so to seeke the meanes of your saluation Sirs So then the first doore that openeth to Gods graces and treasures is humility Many a faire and large house hath but a narrow entry and a low doore And so the lowe gate of humility is the doore of Gods house narrow without but within are many Mansions And we must first passe by the narrow before we come to the broad Hauing made this reuerent preparatiue he comes to the matter What must I doe to be saued This one question is woorth all questions that may bee made for in other demaundes whatsoeuer a perâ—ect aunswere cannot be so giuen at once but wee must demaund againe and againe neuer giue ouer questroning till wee haue a full aunswer that pleaseth vs. But this demaund this one question but once made cuts off all others and beeing but once aunswered wee rest satisfied like this laylour for it ministreth a full contentment to our desires O that all men were like this Iaylour to make like questions This should be our first demaund but wee make it our last after all the lessons that wee haue learned yet wee haue beene schooled in this we haue not learned how to be saued Wee haue no leasure to thinke on this for our other businesses of the world call vs from it Like those lingerers in the Gospell Hee that should haue followed Christ sayde Nay suffer me first to goe bury my Father Still there will be one let or other to hinder vs from saluation like the fowles that cumbered Abraham in his sacrifice Eyther we haue bought a yoake of Oxen and must of necessity goe proue them or we haue taken a Farme we must goe see it or we haue married a wife and cannot come So we haue no time yet and lesse leasure to learne how to be saued We will learne this lesson last of all and after all when we are most vnsit to learne and haue almost quite lost our wits our sences then we will goe to schoole This Iaylour did not so so soone as hee felt the motion of Gods spirit within him calling him to the knowledge of this holy lesson he lingers not nor deferres the time but hee suffers the spirit of God to worke him and to frame him now he is pliable as the Smith doth his iâ—on while it is hote He did not suffer this golden oportunity to slip which in no case specially in heauenlie matters ought to be neglected but he runnes to the Apostles as the Apostles themselues a little before ranne to Christ when they prayed in the prison and saith What must I doe to be saued Of all intergatories this is the sweetest yet least thought vppon or practised fewe that haue learned to minister it to themselues or others All generally settle their mindes vpon other matters meerely contrary to this The most part study howe they may be rich how they may be honourable how they may aduance themselues and so be magnified in this world How they may be possessed of house lands how in a word they may reape the crop of all the pleasures that this transitoâ—y life can aford them Fewe or none care how to be saued so this that should be the Alpha of our desires it is the Omega of our endeuours Christ saith Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the