pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained I remember God charged the Priest to sanctifie the breast of their shake offering as well as the shoulder of the heaue offering That we might see it is not so much the outward man as the inward wherein he delighteth neither is it enough to beare Christ in the head as Minerua did Iupiter vnlesse we beare him in the heart as Mary did our Sauiour Grauidare potuit grauare non potuit beatam virginem He might well fill her wombe with the glorie of his flesh he could not burden her with trouble of his presence How then will they satisfie this demaund that haue no heart vnto goodnesse The armie Philopoemen is likened vnto a man that hath legs feete but no belly because they wanted money which is the heart of warre so I feare in the Church militant there be diuerse that haue legs and feete but no bellie they haue the legges and the feete of outward conuersation but they want the heart and the belly of inward deuotion Non vitae sed famae negotiatores as Tertul. makes the charachter such as negotiate and trade more for a good name then for a good life for a good report then a good conscience If the Lord will be on the eare who so readie to attend his word and to call for a Sermon If the Lord will be on the tongue who so forward to confesse his name or to speake of Religion till they haue turned Sacramentum in sermonem as Saluianus speakes the sacred vse of his glorious name into vaine babling and the foolish contention of words and trifles But let him call for the heart they are quite blanke either it is losteth the cares of this world or sold to worke deceit and wickednesse Thus haue they a shew of godlinesse but denie the power thereof like fidlers that are more carefull in tuning their instruments then in tuning their liues their tongues are their instruments if they be in tune and the strings thereof well set to faire language and glozing hypocrisie all is well they haue done their parts and dutie I know not whether I may say they haue no heart or a double heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hebricians vse to speake a heart and a heart one for Christ another for Belial one for God another for the Diuell Sure I am they are cardiaci and fall vnder the curse the wise man hath denounced Vae duplici cordi Woe to the double heart for the Lord will not part stakes with any neither hath righteousnesse any communication with vnrighteousnes They are not many hearts but one that he desireth howbeit the conditions thereof be diuerse For it must be a new heart and a cleane heart a sound heart and a broken heart renewed by his word clensed in his bloud sound by the truth of doctrine broken by the contrition of spirit else will he forsake the tabernacle of our body and abhorre both heart and arme which is the second receptacle of our Sauiour Put me vpon thy arme For though Loue precede Faith in order of perfection yet Faith precedes Loue in order of generation did the Prophet begin to speake before the heart waxt hot and the fire was kindled in his breast First beleeue with thy heart then confesse with thy mouth yet so that heart and mouth and hand and arme may go together Good workes ioyned to Faith are as a strong building on a good foundation the building of gold and siluer vpon that ground which is laid of old I meane Christ Iesus Mary had no sooner borne Christ in her wombe and presented him in the Temple but Simeon takes him in his armes and embraceth him ioyfully For we must not be ashamed of our profession but carrie the ensigne of our Sauiour openly before vs that so the vertue and the patience and the meeknesse and the obedience of Christ Iesus may be found in euery part but chiefly in our actions Christ on the heart is like seed on the earth Christ on the arme is like corne on the eare Christ on the heart like a tree planted by the riuers of water Christ on the arme like a tree bringing fruit in time of Autumne and therefore true Religion and vndefiled before God is practicall and operatiue in the workes of mercie To visit the fatherlesse and widowes in aduersitie and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world If our lips drop hony by the preaching of his word and the sweetnesse of his doctrine it is good and commendable but if our hands drop myrh by the crucifying of him and the mortification of our earthly members by the obedience of Christ and the perfect imitation of Christian holinesse it is most comfortable and heauenly There be that follow the paths of Christ and to vse the words of Saluianus Patentiora faciunt Domini vestigia they make the footsteps of our Sauiour more plaine and easie by the example of their vertue and the euidence of their bountie These be they which beare him in their armes and carrie him as a lampe burning in their hands for the benefit of others Do men gather figs of thornes or grapes of thistles Ye shall know them by their fruite And as Christ said of himselfe interrogate opera aske my workes for they speake of me so may we say of them interrogate opera aske their workes for they speake of them looke not on the face regard not the voice they may haue the voice of Iacob but the hands of Esau enquire of their workes they beare witnesse of them and are the surest markes of euery Christian Auditur cum videtur saith Tertullian A good Philosopher is best heard when hee is seene and a true Christian best knowne by the glasse of his life and the president of his actions It is a good resemblance that ancient Father vsed in his Moralls Alis feriunt vbi opera ostendunt The works of the Saints are as the wings of the Cherubins that touch one another for as they smite one another by their wings so we excite one another by our workes and prouoke as it were to godlinesse of liuing remember then I beseech you the end of your vocation that ye are the workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus to good workes That he gaue his life for you to the end you might be a peculiar to himselfe zealous of good workes die vnto sinne liue vnto righteousnesse cast of the workes of darknesse put on the armour of light that ye may be worthy of the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of our Sauiour in all things may be honoured Ye are they of whom the Apostle doth trauell in birth that Christ may be formed in you and you transformed into him as well in arme as in heart as well in body as in spirit O let it neuer be said of these blessed armes the armes of your workes as Milo said of his armes the armes of his flesh Hi
blacknesse of our nature the sacred Vnion and Sacramentall coalition of God and man Christ his Church in the cords of loue and the bands of mercie for there is no similitude able to reach the depth hereof shee will euer be in his sight he will euer be in her thoughts shee will be engrauened in the palmes of his hands he will be placed as the signet of her arme Shall I tell you the claime of this interest it is Loue for that was strong as death and cruell as the graue he spared not his life vnto death but gaue it as a ransome for the sinnes of many and sealed it with his bloud crying to her as Galba to his souldiers Ego vester vos mihi I am wholly deuoted vnto you you are wholly deuoted vnto me therefore will hee bee as a seale on her heart and as a signet on her arme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet on thy arme The words of the Text are as a sacred armorie where you haue a shield for the hand and a couer for the heart or as an heauenly wardrobe where me thinkes I see the cloake and the ring which Iudah left with Tamar the ratification and assurance of spirituall grace and euerlasting holinesse they hold some Analogie with the offices of state the seale and the signet here is a seale a broad seale for the largenesse of our hearts Put me as a seale on thy heart here is a signet a little signet for the roundnesse of our armes As a signet on thine arme Pauca at salutaria expedita at sancta as we reade in Saluianus short and holy few and wholesome breefe in words and precept but in sence durable and permanent That which I shall punctually distinguish vnto you is first the habit and ornament of the Church that is Christ and his righteousnesse implyed in the affixe of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me or set me Secondly the Part and the Subiect to be adorned that is the heart and the arme Put me on thy heart and on thine arme Thirdly the figure and semblance that is a seale or a signet Put me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet on thy arme Last of all the superinduction with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall which is vpon or the circumposition with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint which is about Put me as a seale on thy heart and a signet about thine arme All this is gathered and recapitulated in that of Paul to the Romans Put ye on Christ Iesus and take no care for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof But more perfectly in the same Apostle to his Corinthians Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your soules for they are his He will be on thy heart by Faith and Truth and inward sanctification he will be on thy arme by loue and holinesse and outward manifestation He will be here and he will be there as a seale or a signet that bearing the markes of Christ Iesus in our bodies wee may be like those thousands of Israel who were sealed in their fore-heads sealed and selected vnto the Lord against the day of our redemption Put him on thy heart for he is the wisedome of God Put him on thy arme for he is the power of God Put him on thy heart for he is the life of thy soule Put him on thy arme for he is the strength of thy flesh Put him on thy heart for he is the onely begotten Sonne of God who liueth in the bosome of his Father Put him on thy arme for he is the mighty Redeemer of the world that sitteth on the right hand of God in the glorie of the Father Put him on thy arme that he may direct thine actions Put him on thy heart that he may settle thy affections Put him as a seale and signet on both that he may know thee for his owne and bind thee to himselfe with an euerlasting couenant Quid enim prodest si Deum gestamus in fronte vitia in animo recondamus as Saint Augustine hath obserued What auailes it to haue God in the fore-head so we treasure vp wickednesse in the conscience If he be on thy heart by studie and meditation he will learne thee knowledge and make thee vnderstand the mysteries of his crosse and the righteousnesse of his kingdome If he be on thine arme for practice and imitation he will order thy goings and make thee delight in the way of truth and the custodie of his precepts If he be as a seale on the doore of thy heart and the posts of thy arme thou shalt not onely escape the punishment of the destroying Angell but exalt thy horne and triumph with the Lord and reioyce exceedingly in the power and glorie of his saluation Thus doth God call vpon vs but it is for our good and comfort There is much pleasure in that we loue though sometime absent but then is our ioy full and there is life in it when that we loue is at hand and present Therefore will he be in oculis in osculis as the signet of our arme for sight and presence as the seale of our hearts for delight and remembrance Put me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet on thine arme Hitherto wee haue lookt vpon the words of the Text as so many coynes of gold siluer I shall now put them in the ballance of the Sanctuarie and take their seuerall value that so I may proceed to my first obseruation Christ and his righteousnesse implyed in the affixe of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me or set me Some play the Criticks and would haue the Church to speake vnto Christ not Christ to the Church because the affixe is not masculine but of the seminine gender indeed if points and vowels had bene equall with the Originall and not inuented after by the Iewish Rabbins they might deserue hearing but since it is otherwise our safest course is to run with the Fathers I meane Theodoret and the rest who make Christ the spokesman and that for himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me and set me Great and wonderfull is the beautie of the creature such as might bewitch the heart of man with the inchanting cup of deceitfull vanitie but whether yee looke vpon the brightnesse of the starres whether ye behold the glorie of the Angels whether ye consider the treasures of the deepe whether ye admire the power of the elements from the center of the earth to the circle of the heauens there is nothing ought to be as a crowne to vs saue that gracious light which shined to Moses in the bush and sate in the Tabernacle amidst the golden Cherubins It is the word of Christ must be as the iewell of our eares it is the yoke of Christ must be as the chaine of our necks
the foundation of that spirituall building that new Ierusalem which came downe from heauen and is like vnto a Citie that is at vnitie within it selfe Thus you see there is much ground for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me and that we should rather forsake nets ship with Iames Andrew yea the whole world our selues to boote then not to cleaue to him that is aeternum gaudium the fountaine of life the author of blessednesse the glorie of his Church the honour of Paradise the euerlasting ioy and great reward of men and of Angels that when the Prince of this world shall come we may take vp the words of our Sauiour Venit sed nihil inuenit Indeed he came but he found nothing in me Iohn 14. 30. Yet there be that do more affect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nicephorous writeth in historie The image of Caesar more then of Christ That which theeues may steale and the moathes eate and the rust consume more then him that abides for euer Others like the Gergasens driue him out of their coasts and will not abide he should come neare their houses if once they see him in his distrest members whether blind or lame or sicke or naked they cry with those Diuels in the Gospell Quid tibi nobis fili Dauid What haue we to do with thee ô thou Sonne of Dauid dost thou come to vexe vs and trouble vs before the time Yet there he is and makes profession of it Esuriui it is I that was an hungrie and ye gaue me no meate it is I that was athirst and ye gaue me no drinke it is I that was naked and ye did not cloath me it is I that was in prison and ye did not visit me Here might I knocke at the consciences of many examine what it is they lay to heart Hath not pride shut Christ out of the heart of the vaineglorious Hath not pleasure shut Christ out of the heart of the voluptuous Hath not profit shut Christ out of the heart of the couetous Hath not strife and enuie and contention and diuision quite shut him out of the heart of the turbulent and seditious These are thy Gods ô Israel which lead thee backe into the darknesse of Aegypt Lares Penates those Idol gods that set vp altars in thy heart and rule in the temple of thy body So that Christ may stand at the doore and knocke till his head be full of dew and his lockes with the drops of the night there be few will let him enter crying as he doth in my Text or rather in the Gospell Volucres nidos vulpes foueas the birds haue their nests and the foxes their holes but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head Yet is there a double place due to him the one without the other within the one on the heart the other on the arme And so I passe from the ornament to the subiect from Christ Iesus the Bishop of our soules to our hearts the sea and palace of his residence Put me on thy heart and put me on thy arme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nyssen writes in the life of Moses heart and arme are emblematicall the one of contemplation the other of action Both due to God and his seruice but first hee calls for the heart like wisedome in the Prouerbs My sonne giue me thy heart If our heart be the seate of loue what is God but loue If our heart be the keepers of our treasure What is God but our treasure he lay in the heart of the earth three dayes when he was abased but now he is exalted let him rest in the earth of our hearts from day to day and from generation to generation Though he be Lord of all and command euery part yet there would he set vp his throne and place the septer of his dominion as in the Metropolis of his Kingdome It is fitly resembled to a Castle which being taken and surprized the whole Citie is forced to yeeld the vnderstanding her intelligence the affections her counfellours the sences her watchmen the members her seruants Yet if the Lord do not keepe the Citie it is all in vaine and therefore saith the Euangelist Intrauit Iesus in Castellum The Lord went into the Castle or intrabit Iesus in Castellum the Lord shall go into the Castle that saluation may be our walls and praise our gates For if Satan get but footing all is lost Ierusalem will be as a heape of stones and the abomination of desolation will light vpon our Citie It was a controuersie betweene Plato and Galen whether the heart or the braine were the seat of life and motion but the Church resolueth determinately that our heart is the receptacle of heauenly grace and spirituall inspiration In the naturall man it liues first and dyes last in the spirituall man it liues first and dyes last Let the eye be darke how great is that darknesse let the heart be dead how great is that deadnesse a goodman bringeth forth good things out of the treasure of his heart an euill man bringeth forth euill things out of the treasure of his heart For as there is life in the heart so out of the heart proceedeth thefts and murders fornications and adulteries the 15. and the 19. of Mathew Be aduised then who it is you place there If Christ knocke let him not stay he alone is that fire which is able to soften thy heart though hard as iron or impenetrable as the adamant and make it like melting waxe in the midst of thy bowels He alone is that bread which is able to fill thy heart the seuerall Angels of that capacious Trigonum with the immensitie of his presence O let him not stand onely in thy forehead by show and profession but call him into thy heart by faith and prayer and deuout acknowledgement and religious inuocation else are ye like those that go into the Sunne not for heate or warmth but to be seene and to be admired shall he cry to these Vulnerasti cor meum thou hast wounded my heart thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes and wilt not thou make answer Paratum est cor meum my heart is readie ô God my heart is ready O the true Isaac and beloued of his Father this is that deare and onely beloued sonne which he will haue thee offer Almes mercie repentance charitie instruction prophesie contrition humiliation or whatsoeuer we can performe without a heart is but as an offering without salt and makes but an hatefull and prodigious sacrifice If the Psalmists reioyce it is in the innocencie of heart If the Apostle exhort it is to simplicitie of heart If the Lord be pleased it is with vprightnesse of heart If the Law be ended and the Gospell established it is in loue from a pure heart and a good conscience The end of the Law is loue from a
temporall blessings are for the most part Catholike and Vniuersall bestowed promiscuously without exception yet grace and peace and righteousnesse and adoption are neuer giuen to the reprobate For there is no peace vnto the wicked saith my God but fightings without and frightings within as the Apostle noteth they fly when none doth pursue and are afraid where no feare is Horrendum quatiente animo tortore flagellum well are they compared to a raging sea that neuer rests whose waters cast out mire and dirt their desires as winds that stirre and raise their passions their passions are as waues that turmoile and tosse their soules their soules are as ships that float to and fro and are carried vp and downe with restlesse motion and violent agitation in the midst of their bodies For as Bees are driuen away with smoake forsake their hiues so the coales of wrath and the stifling fumes of choaking enuie do remoue and exterminate the diuine sweetnesse of Christian peace and quietnesse Whence is that of Chysologus Haeretici in ira Christiani in pace Simeon is glad Herod is troubled the sheepe of Christ are quiet Wolues are inraged the Angels reioyce and are exalted the Diuels tremble and are confounded The Arke of Gods Church is safe and lyeth at Anchor the barke of Infidels floates and lies in continuall danger I remember in the reigne of Selymus when a Persian Embassadour came to entreate peace of the Turkes a desperate fellow discharged a shot and would haue slaine him being taken and examined hee neuer changed countenance but replyed hee was an enemie to his Lord and most vnworthy any peace the like answer shall be giuen to the wicked when they seeke for peace and the Lord will sweare they shall not enter into his rest Looke vpon the troubles of their heart and consider their manifold distractions who is able to expresse the stroakes and the scourges the wounds and the torments that make them bleede within the furies that haunt their breast and twine as snakes about them the seuerall pleits of the writhen thoughts and perplexed cogitations They are cursed in the field and cursed in the Citie cursed in the fruit of their land and cursed in the fruit of their bodie their children perish and neuer behold the Sunne their cattell are smote with lightning and their flocks of sheepe with hot thunderbolts their vineyards are destroyed with hailestones and their mulbertie trees with frosts the Caterpiller eates their grasse and the Grashopper their labour the Lord doth smite them with Feuers and Agues and blastings and mildewes and neuer leaue till they be destroyed the Lord doth cast vpon them the furiousnesse of his wrath trouble and displeasure with the immission of diuels and incursion of euill spirits For they are enemies of God and most vnworthy of this peace that peace which is here published and confined to his seruants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To men of good will Not to men of good vnderstanding onely For knowledge puffes vp but to men of good will For charitie buildes vp Not to men of good deeds onely for sometimes they may bee hypocriticall and Pharisaicall but to men of good will for they are perfect and Angelicall Such as embrace Christ willingly and receiue his word ioyfully with true loue and hearty deuotion These are quadrati lapides as Saint Austin square stones that neuer fall howsoeuer they be turned Their life is like the breeding of those Halciones which makes their nest in the sea as long as the one liues the other breeds there is a great calme and wonderfull serennitie Beware then of enuie and the Lord deliuer vs from hatred malice and all vncharitablenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil as God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God so the Diuell is hatred and he that abideth in hatred abideth in the Diuell O yee that feele the arrowes of God sticke fast in you returne into your hearts and examine your consciences see whether your will bee good or bad rectified or depraued If the Lord make way to his indignation and giue your life to the destroyer if your riuers be dryed vp and your waters turned into bloud if the heauens bee as brasse ouer your head and the earth as iron vnder your feete if yee haue dust for raine for dew ashes if your sheepe be giuen to the enemy and your labour to the stranger if your hearts boyle with anguish and the sorrowes of death compasse you round about thinke it is for lacke of this good will because yee haue not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good will towards your maker good will towards your neighbour If yee had good will ye would not be so much disquieted They are men of good will that are the vessels of peace and the subiect of this blessing and the good will that dwelt in the bush will dwell in none but such as haue good will In this God is like that Romane Emperour Odit pallidos macilentos His soule doth abhorre such as are leane with enuie and pale with malicious wickednesse O that diuine charity were shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and the vertue thereof spread as a veine through the body of our Church O that our soules were as the Pallace of Salomon and the midst thereof paued with loue toward the daughters of Hierusalem Then would the Lord couer vs all the day long and we shall dwell in safetie then would hee lie betweene our shoulders and wee should be as Ioseph that was separate from his brethren Beloued I may say of these breasts as Christ doth of the Churches Meliora vino â—bera Thy breasts are more pleasant then wine The breasts of pietie and deuotion the breasts of mercie and compassion the breasts of true loue and Christian affection I would to God I could see them run and flow as spouts and conduicts in the midst of your habitations And me thinks I do to the honour of God and the abundant increase of your rest and quietnes Yet this is not enough vnlesse yee adde bowels vnto breasts breasts will soone dry vp if they bee not fed with the melting of our bowels and therefore saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put yee on the bowels of compassion that as Christ was inuested in our flesh so we might be inurserated with his bowels the tender bowels of mercie louing kindnes If thy heart rise against thy neighbour remember the peace thou hast with God if thy soule delight in honour think of the glory that is giuen to the Lord. Non venit Dominus vt impleret aqua Hydrias sed vt animas spiritus sancti gratia irrigaret saith Ambrosius the Lord is not come to fill our water pots with wine but to water the soules of men with the graces of his spirit that we might haue peace with our selues good will towards others and the sacrifice of praise for him that dwelleth in the highest Neuer was that of the Psalmist more fitly vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the heauens reioyce and the earth be glad Let the earth be glad for there is peace in it Let the heauens reioyce for there is glorie in the highest Let the earth be glad for hee that was heauenly was made earthly Let the heauens reioyce for he that is earthly was and is heauenly and let both take vp that which the Angels sung vnto the sheepheards Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men when the Angels sang Christ was naked on the earth now we sing he is glorious in the heauens Therefore doth our solemnitie exceed theirs and we may better say Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men I reade of one Pope that would haue none reade this verse but onely the Priests but we know that all the elect are Kings and Priests to God A royall Priesthood a holy Nation purchased redeemed with his bloud and therfore let vs ioyne in this dochologie and neuer rest saying Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men I will shut vp all in that closure of the Apostle Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and the Spirit bee in honour and glorie in the earth as it is in heauen till the earth mooue and the heauens forget their motion Amen Amen FINIS
ALAE SERAPHICAE The SERAPHINS WINGS to raise us unto heauen Deliuered in six Sermons partly at Saint Peters in Westminster partly at S. Aldates in Oxford 1623. By IOHN WALL Doctor in Diuinity of Christ-Church in Oxford BERNARD Ser. 4. de verbis Esaiae Qui vnâ tantùm alâ volare contendit quò magis attollitur eò peiùs colliditur LONDON Printed by G. M. for ROBERT ALLOT and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Blacke Beare 1627. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God IOHN Lord Bishop of Lincolne the Worthie Deane of Westminster one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell my very Honourable good Lord and Noble Patron be multiplyed daily fauour with GOD and Men. RIGHT HONOVRABLE IN the vision of Ezechiel there was rota in rotâ One wheele within another my desire is there may be here ala in alâ One wing within another or rather indeed one wing vpon another the wings of these Seraphins within the wings of your protection and the wings of your protection vpon the wings of these Seraphins For as in the Tabernacle the faces of the Cherubins looked towards the seate of Mercie So do the faces of these Seraphins looke towards the Seate and Sea of your Honourable fauour and gracious pietie Stories write of FORTVNE and VICTORIE that when they came from MACEDONIA and coasted towards ROME they put off their wings and layd them downe as if they would go no further What are these winged tracts and feathered writings but in the Prophets phrase liber volans In the Poets language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If once they come into your Honours presence they will leaue their wings and seeke no other Patronage When they first sounded in the aire for the most part you gaue them audience Now they first come to the light vouchsafe them countenance and let them euer glorie in his name that sits like an Angell in the Church of God and doth most truly verifie the character of Athanasius who was said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of an heauenly and Angelicall presence of a more heauenly and Angelicall vnderstanding God forbid I should dip my pen in oyle or mingle honie with my sacrifice as one that would enchant your eares with the Syrens language of demulcent vanities Church and State Altars and Tribunals haue witnessed the Nobilitie of your Soule and quit me of that suspicion whose diffusiue goodnesse many haue found and do iustly honour Augustine writes of that good Father Ambrose that his breast was Sanctū Dei Oraculum an heauenly Oracle from whence God spake There is none almost so ignorant of your diuine Excellence but is readie to make the Parallel and we reade of the same Father in his life by Costerius that he was neuer aduanced to any gouernment in the Church though neuer so powerfull and sublime quin ampliore dignus haberetur but that he seemed worthie of a greater Such is the worlds opinion of your rare VVorth and Senatorian Eminencie though you begin with Hilarion in Saint Hierome Calcare mundi gloriam To contemne and trample vpon the outward Pompe of humane glorie I haue not least reason though I am least able to do your Lordship seruice and therefore as your fauours towards mee haue bene like the Graces in Seneca Virgines pure and chaste Virgines not violated or depraued with the least touch or thought of corruption So must they be euer Iuvenes greene and flourishing lest at any time they die and perish through vnthankfulnesse or obliuion It is my wish that I had some lasting monument of Art and Wit more durable then brasse or marble to engraue the memorie of your Sacred and Diuine merits that you might not onely be chartaceus or parietarius but Cedrinus and Marmorarius or that which comes nearest to eternitie Well may you challenge the learnedst pen since your Diamond-pointed quill taken from some Angels wing hath giuen a kind of immortalitie to the learnedst and best of Kings our late SOVERAIGNE of most pretious and blessed memorie But what can you expect of him that is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Basil writes of himselfe one of those ancient fisher-mens disciples All that my Tree beares is but fruite of this kind wherein your Lordship most abounds Yet am I encouraged by that of the Epigrammatist Iupiter Ambrosiâ satur est Nectare viuit Nos tamen exta Ioui thura merumque damus to waite behind at your Honours feete with the poore Oblation of this worthlesse mite and to draw you a while as Bernard did Eugenius ab amplexibus Rahelis from the care and exercise of publike administrations If there be small good in the Tree there is much in the Bush and therefore lest I should be ouer-troublesome to Moses talking with God in the mount I end with Iacobs beneplacitum The good will of him that dwelt in the bush rest vpon the top and flower of your sacred and diuine Excellence Your Lordships most humble deuoted Chaplaine and Seruant in all duty and thankfull obseruance IOHN WALL CVLTVS ANIMAE THE Soules Ornament TERTVL de cultu foem Vestite vos serico probitatis byssino sanctitatis taliter pigmentatae Deum habebitis amatorem THE FIRST SERMON CANTICLES 8. ver 6. Set me as a Seale vpon thy heart and as a Signet vpon thine arme THough all Scripture be giuen by inspiration and is profitable to instruct and to reprooue that so the man of God may be perfect in euery good worke yet is there none more sutable with the rest of Gods Arke and the peaceable condition of his Church then what is now before me It is written by Solomon a King of peace it is framed into a song the voice of peace it begins with a Kisse the signe of peace it is spent in Loue the bond of peace it runs vpon him that is our peace and hath not onely made peace our borders but set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse the things in earth and the things in heauen This peace is most comfortably shadowed forth vnto vs in the mysticall Dialogue of this Sacred Epithalamie where vnder the rine and the barke of things visible and corporall we draw neare vnto the flower and the pith of that which is inuisible spirituall for what the Apostle writes of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law is spirituall that Nyssen extends to this song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This song is spirituall and will not abide we should continue in the outward court and naked letter of springs riuers gardens vineyards breasts towers spices ointments or whatsoeuer may delight the organs of our sence but drawes vs to a higher meaning agreeable to the Maiestie of God and the diuine sublimitie of his vndefiled goodnesse till hauing pluckt the vayle from off the face of Moses we behold with pure eyes the tender bowels of his vnspeakable loue to that Aethiopian Queene the
one shewes the greatnesse of his Maiestie the other shewes the obedience of his ministry whilst hee takes the censure of his flesh and fills it with the coales of the altar and presents the supplications of his Church and makes the smoake of those spirituall odours ascend before the Lord as from the hand of an Angell O the gracious entrance of our triumphant Sauiour into that heauenly tabernacle before hee was from the earth earthly now hee is from heauen heauenly There be heauens corporall there hee is by the presence of his body there bee heauens mysticall there hee is by the influence of his Spirit For the soule of euery Christian may bee likened vnto heauen in the corporall heauens yee haue a Sunne to giue light in the mysticall heauens yee haue Christ to bee your guide in the corporall yee haue Starres that shine by night in the mysticall ye haue vertues eminent and conspicuous that shine in the night of aduersitie and the darknesse of tribulation in the corporall yee haue continuall serenitie in the mysticall perfect tranquilitie in the corporall ye haue an extension of parts in the mysticall of charitie the loue of God being spread abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and our bowels yearning with mercy and compassion towards the afflictions of our brethren So that God is still in the holy place there will he dwell there is his rest for euer Though we seldome frequent the place of his Sanctuary some perhaps once a yeare as the high Priests did the inward Tabernacle some perhaps once in their liues as Christ did this heauenly Tabernacle yea I feare many leaue the holy place and choose places most vnholy and defiled defiled with superstition and idolatrie defiled with riot and luxurie defiled with extorsion and crueltie defiled with vncleannesse and impuritie where the Sunne may scarce peepe without feare of darkening or the light without danger of infection O the deplored estate and lamentable condition of spirituall Gadarens and Daemoniacall Christians that abide in graues and lie as it were in the deepe of hell that sticke in the mire and clay or rather in the sinke and iakes of abhominable pollutions and Heliogabalian filthines How do they depart from the liuing God and forget the footsteps of their Sauiour The place where he goes is holy the ground where hee stands holy and as hee is holy in his words so is hee holy in his wayes O let there not bee such a distance betwixt head and members lift vp your heads raise vp your thoughts though your bodies lie on the earth let your soules be in heauen nay be yee a heauen vpon earth shining with truth establisht with hope adorned with righteousnesse extended with lour hung and spread with those gracious clouds of knowledge and instruction that Christ may bring his Father and come into your holy place and cast out the bond woman and take his rest as in a sanctuarie Vbi habitabo saith Austin in the name of God Where shall I dwell Dost thou thinke I will abide in the ruinous building of thy collapsed nature and depraued affections or in the sordid building of thy staind actions and wicked pollutions Surely no I looke my house should be cleane swept and garnisht with the flowers of vertue as the Diamond or the Carbuncle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nyssen he that is Lord of honour and glory will not bee owner of that which is dishonourable and inglorious If hee would not suffer the vncleane spirits to name him hee shall not suffer the vncleane men to enioy him they cryed and were rebuked if they cry they may bee refused Awake then and consider whose temples yee are this is the will of God euen your sanctification This is the will of God euen your glorification O my brethren me thinkes I see the names of all that stand before me written in the booke of life and I seeme to reade through that sea of glasse the diuine pedegree of your sacred race and heauenly genealogie There is Abraham your Father and Isaac his sonne or rather Iacob to whom the promises were made yea there is God your Father in whom all the families of heauen and earth are named and Christ his Sonne flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone together with that Spirit by whose grace we are knit and linkt in one fellowship and communion there is the ring and the robe which the Angells which bee his seruants shall cast vpon vs the ring of endlesse blisse and interminate happinesse the robe of perfect iustice and immortall holinesse Why do not we mooue as the clouds and flie as the Doues vnto our windowes Why is not our heart together with our treasure nay with our flesh and with our bloud with our strength and with our glorie He is gone before that we may follow after first by contemplation then by conuersation till at length we be inducted into mount Sion the blessed Temple of our spirituall Ierusalem hauing not onely quiet and peaceable but actuall and corporall possession Now we haue Ius ad rem then wee shall Ius in re Now wee are inuested with right and power then we shall be superinuested with immortalitie and honour like those blessed Elders that worshipt the Lambe which doth wipe all teares from their eyes and guide them to those fountaines of liuing waters Did wee consider how great and excellent things God hath promist to all that loue him in the heauens our hearts would bee turned and set more by the holy place then by the honourable place or the place of custome and of sweetnes or the place of maiestie and of greatnesse there is the flower of wheate and the abundance of delight Riuers of oyle and flouds of peace in comparison whereof our ioy is heauinesse our fulnesse vacuitie our pleasure bitternesse our riches pouertie our beautie ashes our comelinesse deformitie It is Dauids note that God hath set the wicked as a wheele and the reason is giuen by a learned Father Anterius cadit posterius eleuatur The former part turnes downe the hinder part turnes vp so they incline and how downe towards the glorious brightnes of that which is before and permanent but rise are lifted vp towards the emptie shadow of that which is past and transient let them be as a wheele so wee be as a Chariot or an Eagle mounted and soaring towards the place of vision where Christ sits in the glorie of the Father Sequar illum quem mea occidit tarditas was the speech of Cassius when Brutus had bene slaine by the stay of his aide and the negligence of his armie I will follow him that my slownesse hath put to death They are our sinnes that haue put Christ to death the slownesse and backwardnesse of our hearts and vnderstandings to do any thing that is good O let vs follow him in the bearing of his crosse and the entrance of his glorie Sequar eum quem mea
aspect of that face which the Angels desire to behold and that continually Whereupon saith Dauid Letificabis nos in lumine vultus tui Thou shalt make vs glad with the ioy of thy countenance And this is it which is termed Domini gaudium our masters ioy For indeed wee are all seruants of one master King and Priest sheepheard and flocke Prophet and Disciple Magistrate and subiect which made that great Emperour Constantine neuer writ to any Christian though neuer so meane but with this direction as Eusebius noteth ad fratrem conseruum to his brother and fellow seruant Worthy to bee obserued by such as are Grandes and Demigods vpon earth lest at any time they despise the humilitie of others low condition But I would not haue the name of master take vs from the ioy of our master that is it I would imprint into you that you may be receiued into it O that your hearts were fixt vpon it and that ye would seeke after the fountaine of eternall happinesse Then would yee fly your selues and abandon the corruption of humane infirmitie like that good man in Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that would not suffer the nobilitie of his soule to bee depraued with carnall filthines How doth it come to passe that so many are caught with vanitie led with curiositie taken with desire inflamed with pleasure wract with enuie defiled with luxurie poysoned with malice enraged with furie stung with serpents haunted with maladies troubled with cares vexed with heauinesse drowned and plunged in the sea and gulfe of inextricable miseries but onely for neglect of this ioy because they do not looke after their masters ioy and sing with the blessed Virgine My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour God forbid we should forbid any to reioyce the Text perswades it the Lord commands it and my heart is enlarged towards you with ioy and gladnesse Laetemur iugiter modo innocentèr Let vs reioyce daily so it be without hurt in the Lord in our master Wee haue iust cause to feare that many preferre the ioy of the world before the ioy of the master mutable vanitie before true felicitie And yet let me do them no wrong they are very desirous of their masters ioy but who is their master Is not pride or couetousnesse or violence or extortion or some domineering habit of malitious wickednesse Lust calls to one and sayes I am thy master Reuenge to another and sayes I am thy master seuerall vices to seuerall humours with the like claime of subiection and obedience So that where God hath many seruants created vnto good workes the Diuell hath as many pensioners sold vnto euill workes Base slaues mercenary hirelings if not for pleasure at least for profit they come into the diuels ioy his baites and his contentments the Diuell comes into their ioy their soules and their consciences into some by a pot into others by a sop as hee did that accursed miscreant and Apostate Iudas but wee hope better things of you and such as doe accompanie saluation For mee thinkes yee are come alreadie into your masters ioy the Tabernacles of God the Courts of his Sanctuarie Where yee serue him with gladnesse and come before his presence with a song For if there were ioy in heauen for one sinner that repenteth what ioy shall there bee with the Lord of heauen for so many Christians that mooue toward his Courts and fly as the Doues to their windowes O how beautifull are your feete how aimiable are your doings How is the Lord pleased with your sacrifices and oblations whilst yee come from the East and stand in the gates of the daughter of Sion and open your treasure and present the Lord with the riches of your substance euen gold and myrhe and frankincense For this it is that hee doth open his bosome and stretch forth his armes and lift vp his voyce and extend the golden scepter of his louing kindnesse to the end yee may come to his royall Pallace saying to vs as the King did to Hester What is thy petition and what is thy request it shall be giuen thee to the halfe of my kingdome Come with mee from Lebanon euen with mee from Lebanon or rather as it is in my Text Intra in gaudium Domini tui Enter into thy masters ioy O let not the ioy of man draw vs from the ioy of God O let not the ioy of the creature draw vs from the ioy of the Creator O let not the ioy of the left hand draw vs from the ioy of the right hand O let not the ioy of things visible and temporall draw vs from the ioy of things inuisible and eternall Could the ioyfull sound of Amphions harpe raise stones to the fencing of Thebes And shall not the ioyfull cry of our Sauiours Spirit draw vs to the building of that heauenly Ierusalem Audite vocantem quia exaudit inuocantem saith Austin be not slow to here the Lord when hee calls vnto you because he is ready to heare you when you call vpon him Yee see the power of your vocation yee are called by our Sauiour yee see the nature of your inheritance it is ioy and gladnesse yee see the benefit of your seruice it is the ioy of your Lord and master as the Romanes painted the Graces so hath God planted his children Semper gaudentes semper ridentes they were euer laughing and these are euer lauding lauding and praising and singing and reioycing with ioy vnspeakable and glorious My prayer shall be with Moses Si inueni gratiam if I haue found grace in thy sight shew vs thy way if wee haue found grace in thy sight shew vs thy selfe and shew vs thy glorie bring vs vnto thy rest and take vs into thy ioy that Israel may bee truly Israel and see God that Israel may bee glad in him that made him and Sion may bee ioyfull in her King euen Iesus Christ thine onely ioy and our onely Sauiour to whom with the Father and the Spirit three persons and one God bee ascribed all power maiestie and dominion this day and for euer Amen Angelorum ANTIPHONIA The Angels Antheme BERN. Cant. Ser. 13. Tibi Domine gloria maneat illibata mecum bene agitur si pacem habuero LONDON Printed for ROBERT ALLOT THE SIXTH SERMON LVKE 2. 14. Glorie bee to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men WHat Iob prophesied time hath verified that when the corner stone was layd the sonnes of God reioyced and the starres of the morning praised him together Christ our Sauiour is the stone of the corner that lyeth in the foundation of his Church the starres of the morning are the glorious Angels and Citizens of heauen that shine as Iasper about the throne of God and cry Hosanna in the highest Blessed is hee that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest whereupon saith Ambrose Laudatur in coelis