dead whilst they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. Was the Word able to raise the Gentiles suffer it then to conquer thy lusts to mollifie thy hard heart to wash thee to supple thee in the fountaine of Israel the Spring of living waters to be a lanthorne unto thy feet and a light unto thy pathes Psal 119. It is worthy the consideration of the most considerate that CHRIST is come unto thee Ioh. 1. 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us And if thou continue a wicked Cham a cursed Canaan a prophane Esau a flowting Ismael and comest not unto him by prayer and obedience and he into thee by his Spirit Iohn 14. 17. be sure he will come to thee and against thee in his judgements to thy most fearefull ruine and destruction as he came to Herod Iulian Antiochus like a Lionesse bereft of her whelpes and to the rest of his enemies Luke 19. 27. Those mine enemies That would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and stay them before me Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish in the way Psal 2. Inflame my heart O Lord with zeale to desire thee desiring thee to seeke thee and give me grace by seeking to finde thee in the word Sacraments c. To teach us that untill a mans eyes be opened his heart touched and his soule enlightned and hee by the Gospell endued with the power of grace from above he seeth no glory nor excellency in religion and Christianity like those Gentiles so long as they wallowed in their sinnes and superstitious vanities the pretious word of reconciliation was to them but as pearles cast before Swine Math. 7. 6. Or the childrens bread unto doggs Math. 15. 26. But when the unsearchable riches of CHRIST was preached unto them a mysterie which from the beginning of the world was hid in God and not opened to the sonnes of men nor to very Angels principalities and powers Eph. 3. 5. 8. 9. the accomplishment of which riches is the glory and joy of heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. the Angels desire and delight to looke into it we see how inwardly they are affected with it and they see no glory in any thing else as the wife of Phineas 1 Sam 4. 21. calling the arke the glory of Israel As Saul before an Herod a Iulian persecuting CHRIST with as much fury as any tyrant breathing out nothing but fire and faggot yet when he was smitten downe to the ground by the powerfull voyce of CHRIST he became a most zealous Preacher of the trueth in which formerly hee saw no glory and a pillar of that Church which even now he would have pulled downe and desires to know nothing but CHRIST and him crucified Gal. 6. 14. he joyes in nothing else Those also Acts 2. 13. that were mocking the gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles affirming the heate of too much wine to cause that volubility of straÌ„ge languages among them Yet when Peter had taught them that it was the accomplishment of Gods faithfull promise prophecyed by Ioel chap. 2. 28. of the powring out the bottomlesse Ocean of Gods Spirit in the gifts and graces thereof upon all flesh and had applied a corrasive of redargution and reproofe unto them for crucifying CHRIST they are changed and pricked in their hearts longing after the way of salvetion vers 37. Men and brethren what shall we doe The like wee see Acts 16 in the laylor when hee heard Paul and Silas praying and singing Psalmes in the Prison he is presently like King Saul 1 Sam 10. 9. when the Spirit of God came upon him changed into another man So in him was a strange alteration being cast downe by the miraculous earthquake and the cohibition of Paul verse 29. his backwardnesse into forwardnesse he called for a light and sprang in his pride into humility he came trembling and fell downe his cruelty in his former insulting over them into compassionate mercy he brought them forth his desire which was formerly to persecute them to be saved by them What shall I doe to be saved So the sinne-sunke citizen woman that had a long time almost rotted in the Dead Sea and sulphureous Asphaltites of loathsome lust hearing of a IESVS a Saviour though in a proud Pharisies house Luke 7. 37. stickes neither for costly oyntment to annoynt him nor sâ—aâ—e to stand behind him nor plenty of teares to wash his feete who was watering her soule with the dewe of Grace nor her haire which sometime like Nauplius his lights to bring the Grecian fleet to destruction in revenge of his sonne Palamedes was as a baite to ensnare the hurtlesse passenger to wipe his feete which was to wipe her soule with the immaculate sacrifice of his owne bloud Iohn 1. 29. Thus we see Publicans and sinners when once they are touched in remorse for finne how deepely they are affected and inwardly touched Rom. 7. 24. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death even with Ezekiah Esay 38. 14. To chatter like a Crane or a swallow and mourne like a dove with David Iob and the children of God with prayers teares watchings mournings to fill heaven and earth for the pardon of theyr sinnes their reconciliation with God the peace of conscience the comfort of the Spirit of comfort and the Salvation of their soules When the civill honest man is scarcely moved with any sence or feeling of the need of his conversion he feeles no sweetnesse in the word which is sweeter than honie or the honie combe Psal 19. 10. He feeles no need of it and yet Iob esteemes it above his ordinary food we have our spirituall life by it 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever We have Gods benefits for his words sake 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy words sake and according to thy promise hast thou done all these great things The preaching there of makes Saâ—an fall downe as lightning Luke 10. 18. Witnesse those new found Indiâ—â— lamaica Iappo Virginia which have formerly had a strange familiar commerce with Satan and have sacrificed unto him though not for love yet for feare of heart as the Pigusians every morning runne with baskets full of rice to pacifiâ— him in the shape of a blacke dogge with many more brutish benevolences to him So soone as Christopher Columbus and others had discovered them and planted the Gospell in some parts of them how deepely have these poore Pagans bin affected the kingdome of Satan demolished that now seldome or never he appeares among them He sees no power in it he accounts of the threatnings denounced out of the Word but as Morbasan the Turke did of the Excommunication of Pius 2. when he sent him word to call in his Epigrams Thus doe wicked men and civil honest men
how backward wee are in the performance thereof that must so often be called upon Now to gather all these into an handfull as a well composed Posie pleasant to the smell Consider that this which stands in the porch of this Psalme is not superfluous but notes the fervent ardency which is required in this Duty which must be performed not superficially orally but zealously heartily which must or ought to be the salt and season of all our Duties and Devotions Our prayers and our praises must not freeze betwixt our teeth but even with Eliah must be transported to Heaven in a fierie Chariot winged with the heate of our zeale and there is no Sacrifice so incomparably pleasing to Almighty God Next the thing enjoyned is to Praise which is nothing else as Aristotle sayth but to elucidare make manifest and knowne as it were a cunning Herald the greatnesse of vertue as to praise Alexander for his Liberality Iulius Caesar for his Patience c. To praise Mercy Power Iustice Wisedome what is it but to magnifie those eminent backe-parts and attributes of Iâ—HOVA the mighty GOD in and by which hee hath revealed himselfe unto his Creatures Men and Angels Exod. 34. 6 And so this leades us to the true object of our Duty The Lord as hee is called God in respect of his goodnesse so is hee Lord in regard of his Majesticke greatnesse This title is given to a great man upon earth and more is Sycophantically given to the Pope to be called besides Lord a God which are but onely so in title How great then is hee which makes and unmakes these Lords at his pleasure There be many Gods and many Lords 1 Cor. 8. 5. but this is he which controls and commands them all Others by Authority of usurpation Psal 82. 1. But he is judge among the Gods able to do more by his absolute power than he will by his actuall able in potent not impotent workes He is called Omnipotent saith Augustine in doing what he pleaseth not in suffering what he pleaseth not Which makes him and none but him the true object of our praise and service not the World Flesh or Devill but the Lord not the Saints in heaven Iob. 5. 1. To which of the Saints wilt thou turne not to Baal-zebub the God of Ekron nor Belzâ—bub the Prince of Devils but with David Psal 73. 28. It is good for mee to drawe neare unto the Lord. Our prayers and praises confidence and hope doe here levell at him as the surest marke Make him the beginning and end the first and last of all thy labours and endeavours saith Gregory Nazianzen the very Heathen could both acknowledge and practise this So then this stands as one of the Priests upon a turret of the Temple or as a monitor to tell us what praise belongs not to our selves Prov. 27. 2. Let another man praise thee and not thine owne mouth a stranger and not thine owne lips This is Pharisee-like Luke 18. Because he had slow neighbours he becomes his owne trumpet and sounds an Alarum to his owne follie this is but a cold praise to blow the coales with thine owne breath This fault was sometimes in the Church of Câ—â—inth 1 Cor. 4. 7. which the Apostle reproveth Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received gifts of mind as learning wisedome gifts of body strength agility beautie if thou hast received them why boastest thou as if thou hadst not received them Which is a Metaphor taken from swolne vessels which have in them nothing but ayre Or from some member in the body sweld with rotten putrifaction and corrupt humors Know then that every good and perfect gift comes downe from the Father of lights Iam. 1. 17. This is the ground-worke of all Christian modesty Hast thou Faith It is from thy calling hast thou Remission of sinnes and Iustification It is from Christ The gift of Prayer Prophecy Preaching or of the Tongues it is from the Spirit all which or whatsoever else thou hast doe offer thee occasions of humility and modesty more than of pride or haughtines because thou hast received them Yet consider this that a man may speake in his owne praise in the case of necessity when a mans person or cause is calumniated or whereby the glory of God may be advanced to the credit of his calling and the profit of the Church as Paul the most modest of the Apostles as appeareth 1 Cor. 15. 9 I am the least of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God ashamed and yet not ashamed to confesse 1 Tim. 1. 15. A blasphemer a persecuter and iniurious the chiefe of all sinners Yet when the credit of his calling came into question and the wonderous worke of God in him seemed to bee disparaged by false Apostles he was then a chiefe Apostle one that spake more languages than they all had more revelations and was more extraordinarily called and if any one may boast this holy elect vessell of salvation the learned Doctor of the Gentiles may boast and will praise himselfe and so may you Neyther must wee hunt after others to praise us where there is good Wine there needs no Ivie-bush and where there is true worth there needs no flatterer It is but a poore reputation that is pinned upon another mans Tongue and hangs upon the sound of his clapper This man must bee left as a prey for his Parmeno and carry with him the badge of Pride as Augustine sayth Hee that desires to bee praised needes no other witnesse of his ambitious heart and the apparent danger of a swelling Impostume Neyther must wee settle our admiration and praise upon any particular Person or Sect to pinne our salvation onely upon them as if they were the onely Oracles of GOD to account of them as the people voyced of Herod Act. 12. 22. The voyce of God and not of Man And thus to despise others as not sufficiently guifted for their calling and embassage what is this but to have mens persons in admiration The Apostle accounts such to be but Carnall 1. Corinth 3. 3. For yee are yet Carnall there being among you envying strife and divisions are yee not carnall and walke as men While one sayth I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos are yee not carnall For what is Paul or Apollos but the Ministers by whom yee beleeve Nihil aliud molitur Apostolus nisi quòd personarum ratio non habeatur in Ecclesia In this the Apostle aymes at nothing else but that there should be no Prosopolepsie or acception of persons in the Church Hee reproves their judgement in this because they gave to their Ministers more than was requisite and expedient as if the Spirit of God were too
to see their charmers because one of them laughed not to see another in their antique and apish Idolatries which are more fit to please babes than any way to satisfie the conscience of man all in the shadowe nothing in the substance If these then or any such have forestalled the market of our affections and have taken a lodging in our hearts let us deale with them as Iacob did with his false Gods or as Ephraim with his Idols cast them out And let the current of our affections run in the right streame and be fixed on the right obiect Praise ye the Lord. Whence and from what hath bin spoken and the naturall genuine sence of the words themselves let us erect for our supportance in this duty the doctrine following viz. It is a chiefe duty necessarily enioyned to all creatures and especially to man to become instruments of the glorious praise of their omnipotent Creator This was the gracious practise of old Zacharie Luke 1. 68. for receiving his gracefull sonne Iohn supposed to be the Messiah Ioh. 1. 21. a blessing from God no sooner given but a blessing from man returned Blessed be the Lord God of Israel c. rightly called in the language of Canaan a blessing ingratitude being the devils text wicked men the Glossers and Expositors both which must end in a cursed destruction Blessed Marie in her song cals it a magnifying Luke 1. 46. My soule doth magnifie the Lord. To magnifie is to make great Now God is the best the greatest and cannot in himselfe be made lesser or greater by us all that we can doe either in the magnifying or vilifying of him is in regard of others when we sweare falsely protest rashly blaspheame like an Atheist or Turke we do to our power lessen his greatnes when we unthankefully returne not his due praise for his mercies we vilipend debase as much as we can his gracious goodnes and when we magnifie him wee make him great wee proclaime him good To make this more plaine and to drive this dutie deeper into our soules it is in regard of vs the end of our election foreseene in the mercy and love of God before the foundation of the World as over-looking our estate in Adam as changeably good to that in Christ immutably glorious Ephes 1. 6 To the praise of his glorious Grace It is the end of our creation even enjoyned to insensible animals the visible and legible booke of our instruction and lessoning in this duty the sunne moone day night Psal 19. 1. and every thing that hath breath are summoned by Davids Trumpet to become the well uned Cymball of their Creators praise But Man the rare Epitome of all these hath an instrument of speech to tune it to a higher key Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive honour and praise for thou hast created all things for thy wils sake and for thy pleasures sake were they created It is the end of our redemption Rev. 5. 9. Thou art worthy to take the booke and open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud And thus I must instance in the rest even to the lowest particular deliverance from the hellish and the highest to the least and lowest danger as Exod. 15. Iudg. 5. c. no sooner a deliverance but a song of thanks giving to the deliverer And it is the summe of what thy God for this requires of thee Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt praise mee Reas 1. Because as all rivers come from the sea and returne thither againe returning as it were a thankefull tribute to their Lord Even so all things come from the Father of lights Iam. 1 17. which are for our good as from the fountaine of goodnesse and must or at least ought in thankefulnesse to returne to him againe All the gifts of fortune falsely so called as riches and possessions the gracefull endowments of the body as agility beauty strength all the goods of the minde as wit learning No silver in Benjamins sacke till Ioseph put it in and no good in man except God bestowe it Even that noble skill in physicke standing upon two legs Reason and Experience is an excellent meanes to preserve our health and yet for all this it is the great Doctor which hath Heaven for his chaire that keepeth us alive for so soone as he is angry wee are gone wee bring our yeares to an end as a tale that is told Psal 90. 9. If the keepers of our house doe not tremble and the grinders cease not and the golden ewer be not broken and our eyes the windowes of our bodies be not darke it is from the Father of lights Hence renowned Salomon and all the learned Clearkes have their wisedome and the same it was which tooke away that great knowledge from the learned Trapezuntius who was not onely infatuated in his learning but forgot his owne name Hence are all students counselled by Sarisburiensis in Policratico to knocke at heaven gate to God for their good speede that the key of knowledge may open a doore of utterance So there are diversities of gifts diversities of administrations and diversities of operations but all from the same Spirit from the same Lord who worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12. Among the Apostles Paul was good at planting Apollos at watering Among the Fathers some construed the Scriptures all egorically as Origen who excelled others either in effect or defect Augustine dogmatically Hierome more literally Gregory the great Morrally and Chrysostome pathetically And also among our moderne writers Erasmus was full of matter and words Luther had store of matter without many words Carolostadius neither c. as Luther himselfe wrote upon the wals of his Chamber So also among our ordinary Preachers some have good utterance but a bad conceite some an excellent utterance but a meane wit some both some neither As for the gifts appertaining to the will 2 Cor. 3. 5. All our sufficiencie is of God For faith which as some thinke belongeth both to the will and understanding it is also the gift of God 10. 6. 29. This is the gift of God that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent God worketh in man the first desire to beleeve ipsumvelle credere saith Augustine The staying of the bloudy fluxe of thy corruption comes from some vertue in Christ Mar. 5. 30 The purging of thy lippes from lying swearing blaspheaming c. is by a coale from the Altar Esay 6. 6. The gift of Prayer powerfully solliciting the throne of mercy and filling heaven and earth with Abba father proceedes from none but the Spirit which makes intercession for us with groanes which cannot be expressed Rom. 8. 26. The tongue of the learned it is from the Lord Esay 50. 4. If thou hadst
Swearers c. the Sunne would cloud and obnubilate his glorious face the Moone her light the Cressets of heaven their twinckling lustre from the rebellious idolatrous disobedient sinner that hath so long viewed and enioyed their excellent comfort continually cast from those chrystall eyes of heaven and is not lessoned by them to praise his God the Vestall-earth mourns under the burthen of a rebellious Nation every furrow thereof cries against the depopulating Incloser Iob 31. 38. The stones and timber where the wicked man dwelleth Hab. 2. 11. All he possesseth is his enemie because he is an enemie to God witnesse these tenne Plagues powred uppon Egypt both from heaven and earth all the creatures are Gods armie to fight against them that fight against him So then if thou be a blasphemer Persecuter c. wert thou in a City whose walls were as strong turretted and inexpugnable as the wall that Phocas built about his Pallace yet shall it be really performed on thee as it was voyced to him in the night Did they teach the heavens they may be scaled the sinne in the soule spoyles all A cities overthrow is sooner wrought by wicked lives than weake wals saith Augustine they worst enemies are thy finnes saith Ambrose so the hoast of creatures are thine enemies while thou hast no peace with God peace and wickednesse cannot dwell together The heathen gods indeed could not revenge their owne quarrels as the Poet speakes of Mars but our God hath heaven earth and hell to fight his battels a thousand wayes to revenge mille nocendi artes Wicked man why dost thou continue in thy sinnes and say with stupid pharaâ— Who is the Lord When thou canst not breathe moove or live without him Learne then like the Bee to gather honie from every flower to give praise from every creature all objects to a meditating Salomon are wings to mount his thoughts to heaven as the old Romanes seeing the blewe stones were put in minde of Olympus so from every creature to elevate our thoughts to Sion and so we may honour God in honouring him in his creatures Whether yee eate or drink Do all to the glory of God in all things giue thankes 1 Thes 5. 18. Every creature is good and ought not to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4. 4. Be not then an unthankfull Esau to sit downe eate drinke enjoy the creatures and irreverently rise up and goe thy way Gratitude opens ingratitude pens up and closes the wine cellars the heavens the buckets and cisternes of the skie are ready to showre vpon the thankfull Praise the Lord makes the heavens as Nilus Egypt fertile Lastly to drive this Hallelu-jah deeper into thy Soule consider that thou not only hast the creature from God but also he must give it power to comfort nourish and sustaine thee There is indeed bread that nourisheth not Esay 55. 2. Why doe yee spend mony for that which is not bread and labour for that which satisfieth not it seemes but is not bread and if it bee it satisfies not Such is that bread of secrecies and waters of stealth Prov. 9. 17. The delicates and cates that sinne sets before us deadly cuppes and Acheronticke potions Zâ—uxes painted grapes to feede the devils black birdes to meager leannesse But God gives the creature power and strength It is not thy meate drinke sleepe cloathes that of themselves doe nourish and warme thee more than the hard and cold stone but Gods blessing upon them Math. 4 4. Man lives not by bread onely but by the word and blessing of God Else might thou starve in the midst of thy plenty The poore man with Daniel may be as well liking with pulse and pure water as they that eate of the portion of the Kings meate may goe as warme in his ragges as they in Kings houses that are cloathed in soft raiment if God blesse his bread and water Exod. 23 25. Thus when God threatens a famine and dearth he takes not away the bread it selfe but the staffe viz. the strength nutritive power of it Levit. 26. 26. When I shall breake the staffe of your bread Ezech. 4. 16. 5. 16 I will breake the staffe of bread called Esay 3. 1. the stay of bread and the stay of water It is but a poore elementall creature to which Gods blessing hath not added strength if God did not heare the heavens for vertue the heavens the earth for influence and the corne the wine for vegetative power Hos 2. 21. All simples were but simple things and all componds idle when they want the best ingredient Gods blessing Goutish Asa wants this powerfull ingredient in his physicke when 2 Chron. 16. 12. He sought not the Lord in his disease but to Physitians He was not so lame in his feete as in his faith Wee must not sticke so fast in the secrets of Philosophy but also looke upon the mysteries of Divinity God is the chiefe Physitian let Plato hold the candle to Moses and Physitians learne from the sonnes of the Prophets In all thy labours and endeavours Psal 127. 2 it is in vaine for thee to rise up earely to sit up late to eate the bread of sorrowes For except the Lord give a blessing to our workes it is but to plowe the sand and to lodge at the Labour in vaine 1 Cor. 3. 6. Paul plants Apollos waters but God gives the increase So the vintage of workes depends upon the showres of Gods blessing The workes of the world may have likely and proud entrances but yet halt in the conclusion if not attended from a superior influence But God from a slender beginning brings a plentifull issue as in that Balme immortall incorruptible seed of the Word which in it selfe is dead by Gods Spirit assisting concurres to the begetting of a new man powerfully mortifying the rotten flesh and quickning the spirit That little mustard-seede which spreads up into branches able to give the fowles of heaven harbour able thus armed to binde the strong man disarme him and cast him out of his usurped possession of thy soule 2 Cor. 10. 5. Casting downe the highest things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and captivating every thought to the obedience of Christ Ier. 23. 29. A hammer to breake the stone not in the reynes but in the heart As a tree hath manifest to the eye leaves flowers and fruite but the root lyes hid And as in man the body is seene but the better and purer part is vailed under the curtaine of his flesh And as in all things we see the Accidents not the forme and substance So the Word we heare but the life of it is the power of God So then if thou seest a blessing upon thy labours wicked men called and that come to passe prophecyed by Esay 11. 6. Ravenous Wolves Cruell
Leopards c. swearers lyers drunkards forsaking their wicked loathed slavish drudgery to the world flesh and divell and submit their sinewy neckes uncircumcised hearts and prophane lives in obedience to the scepter of Christ and out of a syncere profession and unfaigned confession cry with the Souldiers under Iovinian We are Christians and will be true to the colours of the Crosse according to our Sacramentall Oath under the banner of our Michaël we will wage warre with the red Dragon and all the spirituall enemies of our salvation God by his Word hath perswaded us called and called us out of our inchanted fooles Paradise wherein we lay in the prison and dungeon of spirituall darkensse into his marvailous light hath opened our eyes freed our feete and as a bird we are escaped out of the cordes and manacles of our hellish sinnes And whereas we lived to our owne corruptions emancipated to our lusts even the devill the Prince of the ayre Eph. 2. 3. tutoring our disobedience now wee live to God the life of God the life of Grace our scorching lusts and rebellious natures which heavenly influence should have wasted the scalding cup of Gods wrath are washed cleansed in the bloud of the immaculate lambe made ours in our justification and sealed to us in the laver of our new baptizing renovation He that is the ministerial instrument of this wondrous work which causeth admiration and ioy in men and Angels Luke 15. 7. Though his tongue were the pen of a ready writer Psal 45. 2. and spake as the Oracle of God had the mouth of golden Chrysostome the gravity of Tertullian the spirit of heavenly Augustine could make Felix tremble with Paul conjure the cursed workes of darkenesse Yet if he sacrificed to his owne nets and yarne he robbes God of his praise and glorie It is not thy word nor thy eloquence or learning but Gods power that brings these mighty things to passe and so all other things If the mercy of God be not in our sustenance we may dye with meate in our mouthes as did the Israelites if his providentiall goodnesse restraine her influence and withold her vertue were our garments as rich as Aarons Ephod there were no heate or benefit in them Nature declines her ordinary working when Gods revocation hath chidden it Though thou labourest and sweatest with diligence till the taper of thy life were burnt out if the Lord prosper not thy handy worke thou makest but roapes of sand to bind Sampson Then sing with the Psalmist Not unto vs O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the glorie The principall end of Gods actions must be the end of ours and his is his praise Prove 16. 4. The Lord made all things for himselfe viz for his owne praise even the wicked for the day of evill Even out of the unhallowed heape of sinne will he mould the silver trumpet of his owne praise To teach us That God is praised magnified and made great by us when his Image is repaired in us Gen. 1. 26. Let vs make Man after our owne Image Now this image which is his righteousnesse and holinesse the new man Ephes 4. 24. newly comming out of the mint of Regeneration as furnace-smoaked Israel out of Egypt is a glorifying of God and this as a curious worke graces the artificer magnifies the maker Man the little Epitome or Compendium of the world hath bin admired for his wonderfull structure and frame called by that almost miracle of Antiquity a great Miracle Nothing more admirable than Man Man a certaine divine thing Memento quòd homo sit quoddam Omne what shines not in him Our Saviour CHRIST honours him with a large tytle Mark 16. 15. Goe Preach the Gospell to every creature and who but Man must have the benefit of this Gospell But if wee looke upon him as the image of God repaired a new creature nay a new creation 2. Cor. 5. 17 As Ioseph comming from Prison as Mordecai whom the King of honour will honour as Queene Hester perfumed with the aromaticall graces of the Spirit having the royall robe of Christs righteousnesse Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all faire my Love and there is no spot in thee comely as the Curtaines and pompe of Salomon having cast off the blacke scorchings of Kedar Cant. 1. 5. and the Gibeonitish ragges of sinne now remember old things no more Esay 7. he is now a glorious creature and here is God magnified the greater measure of grace affords a greater measure of praise Strive then beloved to have thy unhallowed soule sanctified thy life reformed thy crooked pathes of vanity straighted every thought brought into subiection that God may be made greater in thee and thou the trumpet of his praise And the further to stirre us up to holinesse consider that the magnifying of God is the magnifying of our selves Luke 1. 46. Mary sings My soule doth magnifie the Lord and verse 49. He that is mighty hath magnified me He that blesseth the Lord is encreased he that blaspheameth decreased Our exultation is the first staire of our exaltation Wouldest thou be exalted made great and honoured of God of men and Angels then season thy soule with grace honor God For they that Honour him he will honour and they that despise him shall be dispised 1 Sam 2. 30. He that goes to the Court of Honour must passe by the temple of vertue from the Pallace of Grace to the Place of Glory Learne then to have the praise of God in thy mouth Let Hallelu-jah be the Cadence in all our Musicke and our Musicke in all our actions that being our practice on earth we may one day be Angelicall Choristers in Heaven Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name for Omne bonum nostrum velipse vel ab ipso All our good is either God or from God Parties Gentile Iewe enjoyned to this duty 1. The Gentile the stocke of Iapheth one of the sonnes of Noah Gen. 9. 18. the eldest by birth but reckoned by way of Anticipation in the last place And though a long time they stoode as it were excommunicate and cut off from the Covenant of grace yet in Gods appoynted time this rejected seede is perswaded to dwell in the tents of their brother Sem the Iewe as Noah prophecyed And the neuer erring Spirit makes this place a propheticall prediction of Gods never failing purpose of their calling Rom. 15. 11. with many other scriptures pregnant to prove it the word Nations in the old testament in Hebers tongue being rendred by Paul Gentiles a most fit prophecy for this purpose sayth Marlorat and others upon the place Thus though a great while the forlorne Prodigall sate in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death and God vouchsafed his loves and favours to the Iewes
it did and now their gold is become drosse which makes the Prophets complaine that Bethel is become Bethaven the house of God the house of vanity the valley of vision into the valley of the shadow of death Esay 22. 1. Their house is left unto them desolate Mat. 23. 38. Looke upon that famous Citie which was the glory of the world whose turretted Bulwarkes and huge heapes of well-compacted Fabricks made the Disciples to wonder Mat. 24. 1. Mar. 13. 1. and the Kings of the earth to stand amazed yet now verefied that was spoken Ier. 19 11. I will breake this people and this Citie as one breaketh a potters vessell that cannot be made whole againe and make their citie as Tophet and Mic. 3. 12. Zion shall be plowed as a field Ierusalem shall become heapes and the house of the Lord as the high places of the Forrest The ruines thereof saith Ierome shall continue to the worlds end the consummation of her desolation shall continue without any change saith Theodoret Indeed Aelius Adrianus the Emperour built a citie neare to it which he called after his owne name Aelia which since goes under the name of Ierusalem but hath neither the fashion nor scituation of it but of it saith Iosephus the very foundations are laid so flat as men would thinke there never had been habitation there The first captivity of the Iewes after the Law was that prophesied Ier. 51. 7. Babylon hath beene a golden cup in the Lords hand that made all the earth drunke with vengeance which came upon them Psal 137. 1. By the waters of Babylon we sate downe and wept c. But they were surprised againe after the death of Christ as being willing neither to beare the hard yoake of the Law nor that of the Gospell which is easie Mat. 11. and a law of libertie Iam. 2. 12. The Eagle in the Roman Ensigne towred so high with incredible majestie that it couched all the world under it like lesser birds and made them tributary to Caesar to which this whilome holy land of Iury now stinking in her abominations became a prey and after many apparitions and voyces from heaven from the East and West and divers civill broyles within the wals as if their owne hands had been made to be excoutioners of their rebellious soules famine making mothers eate their owne children and these wombes that first gave them harbour were made the places of their buriall then came the Pestilence and laid them groveling by heapes gasping and gazing vpon the Temple so lamentably and miserably that Titus lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven called God to witnesse it was not his cruelty but their impiety that had awaked God in vengeance to bring the man upon the red horse Rev. 5. 4. bloud and warre and winged sword to flie in triumph among them so many slaine and so many taken prisoners that thirty Iewes were sold for one penny because among them their Master was sold for thirty pence Aelius Adrianus which built another Citie would have reedified this but could not and Iulian the Apostata thought in his blasphemous imagination to have built it as glorious as it was to disprove CHRIST who had prophecied before of the utter dissipation of it but he that sits in heaven laughed him to scorne his workemen and worke were hindered by the falling of lime and sand by the flashing of fire and earthquakes as if God had laid the curse of Ierico upon it Iosh 6. 26. Cursed be the man before the Lord that raiseth up and buildeth this Citie So Ierusalem is like Reuben Gen. 49. 2. The beginning of Gods manly strength but in the end was unstable as water to forsake God and so to be forsaken of him and her dignitie is gone So this matchlesse people who had these nine most excellent priviledges which all the world wanted Rom. 9. 4. First to be Israelites Secondly to whom pertained the Adoption Thirdly and the Glory fourthly and the Covenants fiftly and the giving of the Law sixtly and the service of God seventhly and the Promises eightly whose are the Fathers ninthly of whom came CHRIST according to the flesh and which addeth to their dignitie the miracles of CHRIST the immediate worke of his Godhead were wrought among them Acts 10. 38. Hee went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the devill for God was with him yet all these are not able to sway with God nor to keepe backe the point of his flaming sword that was brandished over them for sinne till it was sheathed in their destruction and their foreheads branded with Caines marke to wander dispersed upon the face of the earth without King without Prince without Priest without Image without Ephod and without Teraphim as Israel aforetime was threatned Hos 3. 4. and they now have felt almost as long as the first Age was before the Floud so scattered and have so corrupted their owne Pedegrees that at this day there is not a Iew in the world which can say he hath his genealogie certaine but are a scattered and contemptible Nation throughout the whole earth And not alone to instance in that now forsaken nation such is the weight and power of sinne that after the plantation of the Gentiles the Church of Rome a virgin and the chaste and faithfull spouse of CHRIST their faith was renownedly spoken of through the whole world Rom. 1. 8. continuing stedfast in that doctrine by which she became the Church of CHRIST but since when she became an uncleane filth prostituted to all manner of fornications embrued and drunken with the bloud which she hath spilt usurping upon the land-markes of Supremacy exalting her selfe above all that is called God and is worshipped 2 Thes 2. 4. like the proud Lucifer Esay 14. 14. above the height of the cloudes her hatefull ambition cruelty and abhominations hath caused God even to spue her out of his mouth to give her up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes and hath warned us by an admonition of his owne Spirit Reu. 18. 4. Come out of her my people The old world so long as it continued in Gods service and the sonnes of God had no commixture with the lascivious daughters of men issuing from the murtherous loines of runnagate Cain they stood sure as mount Sion resting upon the brazen pillars of Gods love and favour but when once they mixed with the wicked and inordinately doated upon the face of skin-deepe beauty see a miserable spectacle of Gods wrath the cataracts and windowes of heaven were opened Gen. 7. the floud of Gods anger prevailed against the multiplyed world dispeopled it and brought those great multitudes to eight persons where we see what it is to offend God A fruitfull land maketh the barren for the sin of them that dwell therein Psal 107. 37. See the Church of Ephesus Reu. 2. 2. a glorious Church God
with liking makes a remembrance of her graces I know thy workes and thy labour and patience and how thou canst not forbeare them that are evill c. yet vers 4. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love thy pristine originall purity thy zeale hath lost his ardor and become chilly and cold as Caucasus and for this relapse he threatens the confiscation of her Candlesticke the removing of his favours as they have sufficiently proved in experience remaining under the most inhumane tyrant in the world the Turke in the most irreligious religion the licentious inventions of the Arabian Mahomet Thus will the Lord deale with us for sinne Amos 4. 12. and this is the bitter fruite that springs and sproutes from the cursed roote of this blacke and poysonous Hellebore It cast the Angells from heaven Adam out of Paradise destroyed the old world burned Sodome and Gomorrha and turned them to a sulphureous lake of stinking brimstone cursed the earth defileth the land making Lebanon a Forrest Sharon a wildernesse Carmel a desert For sinne mirabile dictu God disclaimes and disavowes his owne creature the worke of his owne hands the frame of his owne wisedome the care of his owne providence whom he visites every morning Math. 25 12. Verily I say unto you I know you not Miserably wretched then is every wicked man that hath by sinne so distamped the Image of God and moulded himselfe into the similitude of Satan that God will never take notice of such a metamorphosed changeling And for sinne the creature groanes desiring to be delivered and renued which shall shortly come to passe in the conflagration of this goodly and glorious architecture of the vaulted heavens the spangled skies and this strong pillared earth And if we demaund a reason why God so hateth sinne it is Reason 1. because of his owne purity he is of pure eyes and if he looke upon sinne it is but as the pure eyed Sunne shines upon the nasty dunghill and yet remaines pure if he takes notice of it he puts upon himselfe the person of a revengeing Iudge Heb. 13. last verse a consuming-fire cloathes himselfe with majesty and honour puts off his roabes of Mercy and puts on the bloudy garments of fury and anger and glorifies himselfe in his Iustice So odious is sinne that God will not spare it in his most deerely beloved The devill from a bright Angell of light is thrust downe to hell not for any defect in the creature for that is good but for sinne The priviledge of being mother to the worlds Saviour would not have pleaded salvation for the blessed Virgin if she had bin found in the power of sinne without faith and repentance Nay if it had bin found in the spotlesse humanity of our Saviour CHRIST himselfe though the very Sonne and substance of his love it had beene sufficient in the purity of his Iustice to have bound him for ever under the chaines of perpetuall darkenesse The venemous poyson of the aspe viper basiliske Amphisbena having two heads as if she were not hurtfull enough to cast her poyson at one mouth onelie yet they are never hurtfull to themselves But sinne as the Ivie embracing the Oake till it have sucked up his sap leaving him marrowlesse and dead and which is an enemy to all plants as Plinie saith destroyeth the subject in which it is nourished and viper-like devoureth the wombe wherein it was conceived Iam. 1. 13. When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death the wages and guerdon thereof Rom. 6. last verse Reason 2. because it is most repugnant opposite contrary and contradictory to the essence of God and seekes to its utmost power not onely to hurt but even to destroy God extolling and exalting it selfe against him 2 Cor. 10. 5. of which Iob 15. 26. speaking of the wicked man warring with God he runneth uppon him even on his necke upon the thicke bosses of his bucklers as it were to push him with the hornes of his pride and prophanenesse like the Iron hornes of Zedekiah 1 King 22. 11. and to pull him downe from the throne of his eternall happinesse this is Giant-like to wage battle with heaven And yet with Nimrod Gen. 11. thou buildest but the Babell of thine owne confusion for who hath ever beene proud against God and prospered It is Elihu's Axiome in divinity Iob. 35. 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him What canst thou do to the impassible God but even as Caligula thunder against the true Iehovah as he against the fained Iove till thou be destroyed with the loude and cloud-rending clappes of true Thunder Ier. 14. 26. I will powre their wickednesse upon them So we see how hatefull sinne is to God and that for it he will plucke off even the branches whom he loves so dearely Though we stood in his favour as Zorobabell the signet upon his finger as Iedidia his beloved yet if we sinne he will chasten us and if we continue in it he will damne us he will deprive us of his word his worship and then bring on the maine Ocean of his anger as he did to the Iewes when the Christians were remooved from them to Pella and make us feele and know that he is not bound to any people or place but sinne breaks the leagues were it as â—rong as the three fold cord of Salomon as unlooseable as the Gordian knot And so much for the Doctrine the Vses follow Seeing then that when the Iewes fell away from God he had the Centiles in store to graffe in their stead and the arme of the Lord is not shortened When any one people will not bring forth the fruite of the Gospell but abuse it he will take it away and bestowe it elsewhere it serves to caveat First the Minister Secondly the whole body of the people Thirdly every particular person First then to thee that ministrest at the Altar and waitest upon the holy things of God 1 Cor. 9. 5. that art set in the place of that good and faithfull steward which should distribute to every one his portion in due season that messenger interpreter one of a thousand that must declare unto man his righteousnesse and deliver him that he goe not downe into the pit Iob. 33. 23. If thou decay in love to God to his word to thy brethren if thou lie in any knowne sinne and grosse impiety it is a meanes to deprive thee either of thy gifts or of thy calling as was done to Iudas when he was found a traytor in his Apostleship he was remooved and the price of bloud required at his hands and Matthias appoynted in his place Acts 1. 26. When Ieremie failed in delivering the Lords message to the people either for feare or impetience the Lord himselfe becomes a Prophet unto him If
engraven us upon the palmes of his hands verse 16. sometime in the tendernesse of hennes to their Chickens Mat. 23. 37. which how tender it is we see in the continuall care that she hath in hatching feeding and to her power in defending her young and yet all these are but shadowes in regard of substantiall and everlasting love which CHRIST IESVS the heavenly Henne hath over his beloved ones his love is as himselfe infinite for whatsoever is in God is God his mercy his justice c. and all those backe-parts of the mighty IEHOVAH Exod. 34. 6. When he is called mercifull what is he but mercy it selfe in the abstract saith Savanorola if they were al gathered together that are in heaven and earth and it be demaunded of them how they have been saved they all stand as a cloud of witnesses to testifie Gods free mercies and to say with the Church Psal 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the praise Now consider further that the mercifull kindnesse of God is 1. Generall 2. Speciall The generall is his providentiall care over all his creatures in creating preserving sustaining and maintaining of them Psal 36. 6. Thou O Lord wilt save both man and beast Mat. 5. 45. He maketh the Sunne to rise on the evill and the good and sendeth raine upon the just and unjust Iohn 5. 17. My Father yet worketh and I worke with him meaning in his generall care in the supporting of the creature this is called Psalme 51. 1. Loving kindnesse or benignity extending it selfe to the very Ravens Psal 147. 9. Luke 12. 24. The speciall mercy is that by which hee loves his owne in CHRIST redeemes sanctifies and saves them by his free grace 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all men especially of those that beleeve this he exerciseth toward us both in giving and forgiving both which Moses describes at large Exod. 34. 6. Mercifull in which he doth as it were clothe himselfe in the affections of man Ier. 31. 10. His bowels are troubled for Ephraim Matth. 9. 36. His bowels even earned in compassion to see the multitude wandring as sheepe without a shepheard how pathetically he perswades the reformation of his Church Cant. 6. 7. Returne returne O Shuâ—â—mite returne how passionately he deplores Ierusalem Luke 19. 42. If thou haddest knowne even thou in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace in a word he rejoyceth in his owne mercie but sorrowes for our miserie Gracious which intimates a forwardnesse to doe us good he is never weary in doing it Iam. 1. 5. he gives liberally to all Slow to anger full of patience Gen. 6. 3. How long did he wait the repentance of the old world in his mercy stopping the course of his deserved vengeance Psal 95. 10. Fourty yeares long did he suffer the murmuring Idolators and Adulterers in the wildernesse Psal 106. 43. Many a time did they provoke him to anger by their Counsels yet Is 30. 18. he waits that he may have mercie Aboundant in goodnesse and truth noting his disposition by kindnesse to win men the immutable constancie of his promises which is the inexhaustible fountain of his mercies he reserves them for thousands his goodnes is not like the morning dew dispierced and exhaled by the Sunne nor like the Coffers of the greatest Potentate which may be drawen dry but a Lamp which is fed by the oyle of Immortalitie and which makes up the measure he forgives iniquity transgression and sinne no marvell than if David call them in his experience the multitude of his tender compassions in which he tenderly embowelleth his chosen as the womb enfoldeth nourisheth the new conceived Embryo where he shewes mercies he shewes them by multitudes if the royall heart of Alexander thought it not honourable to give small things how much more than shall the all-sufficient God give that exceeds him as much as the maine Ocean the least riveret he is ready to forgive Isa 55. 7. Father of mercies and God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. Very pittifull and full of mercy Iam. 5. 11. The heighth length bredth and depth thereof passeth all understanding Eph. 3. 18. All these compassions and mercifull kindnesses may be reduced to a sixe-fold ranke First preventing Mercies whereby hee did us good when we knew not keeping us from many sins which otherwise we had committed many and many have we coÌ„mitted against him but far more should we have done if his mercie had not prevented us acknowledg than Gods mercy toward thee even in those sins which thou hast not coÌ„mitted If thou seest one which is debtor to me for a sin and I forgave him know also that thou art a debtor to me because I prevented thee from the like because there is in every mans corrupted brest since the fall of Adam the Seminarie and seed-plot of all iniquitie springing from the bitter root of that originall Corruption the match and tinder the fuell and fountaine of every actuall transgreson so that there is no enormitie which the most debauched wretch hath committed but thou hadst acted the like if grace had not preuented boast not thy selfe then in this but with devoute Bernard extoll the mercie of the Almighty Secondly are his sparing mercies experienced in his longanimitie and patience in which thou mayest say I have sinned and thou heldest thy tongue I have transgressed and thou hast spared me when thou lookedst upon Zimri and Cosbi slaine in the act of uncleannesse Ananias and Saphira the old world Sodome and Gomorrha Iulian Herod with thousands more the dierfull spectacles of Gods powerfull Iustice hast thou not sufficient cause to glorifie that God that hath so long suffered thee to wallow in the puddles of thine iniquitie and hath not sunke thee downe to the pit of perdition but still waites that hee may have mercie Thirdly his pardoning mercies else what benefit were it to be long spared and at last paid home as it shall be with every impenitent though he enjoy the sun-shine of Gods patience yet in the end the wrath of God shall burne as an Oven as Tophet against him though now he see the hand of Gods justice behind his backe clouded and vailed in his daily continued mercies yet the conclusion will prove a tragicall Catastrophe though he passe with a slow pace yet he goes in order though with leaden feet yet with Iron hands but this feare is taken away by these pardoning mercies by which in the bloud of Christ he makes us as cleane as if he never had been poluted Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Fourthly are his renuing mercies by which he gives not onely remission of sinnes but also the grace of renovation by which they become new creatures trees of righteousnesse bearing and abounding in the fruits
temporall protection with the sending of CHRIST for our redemption where we see two things 1 The matter of the duty 2 The manner The matter to be performed is Thankesgiving commanded Psal 50. 15. 1 Thes 5. 18. Confirmed unto us in the practice of Gods children Exod. 15. 1. 2. Iudg. 5. 1. Luke 1. 68. And as it becommeth Saints to be obedient so to be thankefull Psal 33. 1. The Israelites are upbraided with the contrary 2 Chron. 32. 25. and Hezechia rendered not againe according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore the wrath of God was upon him upon Iuda and Ierusalem The unthankefull person is not worthy of the bread which he eates he is unworthy to be rewarded which returnes not thankes for the reward this causeth God to shut up heaven against us making it Brasse above us and the earth Iron under us whose hardnesse and unseasonable fructifying may sufficiently convince us of unthankefulnesse he stops up the channels of his love and the boundlesse streames of his favours because our hearts are dammed up with Ingratitude he would have open thankes for secret mercies as Rivers come from the Sea closely through the cranies and silent pâ—ssages of the earth but returne opeâ—ly giving manifest notice of their thankefulnesse to the God of the Sea all being his owne Hag. 2. 9. No benefit but should bee the mother of thankes Colos 3. 15. What can wee either thinke or speake or write which may be more acceptable to God then Thankesgiving sâ—â—th divine Augustine What can be spoken more briefly heard more chearefully understood more joyfully or done more fruitfully it is the Musicke which Saints and Angels make in heaven Rev 5. 9. and 19. 1. 3. and should be the burthen of all our mirth it is salt to season all our sacrifices the want whereof God will not dispence withall Ephes 5. 20. Giving thankes in all things at all times and by all meanes the contrary hath beene condemned as the poysoning of a vipor not only in the Schoole of Grace but even in the Academie of Nature an ingratefull person to be a short Epitomie of all odible and avoy dable things Rom. 1. 18. Collos 2. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 2. as one unworthy to participate of any mans love Then praise the Lord O my Soule and be not unmindfull of any of his benefits c. Psal 102. To stirre up our hearts to a conscionable performance of this duety hee that Gulon-like devoures Gods blessings even to the eating of his daily food without giving thankes eates not to God Rom. 14. 6 lives not to God but to his belly is like Pharaohs butler to Ioseph Laban to Iacob Iudas to CHRIST the new Pharaoh to the Israelites and the Israelites to God how can we be thus unmindfull of him that howerly is so mindfull of us let our tongues cleave to the roofe of our mouthes and with the father of Iohn Baptist be dombe let us be beasts with Nabuchadnezar till we learne in a thankfull remembrance to acknowledge the most high let us perish with ingrateful Ierusalem Chorazin and Bethsaida Sodome and Gomorrha If it were so punished in the poore Gentiles having onely the purblind light of Nature to guide them onely reading their lessons in the darke volume of the Creatures to be given up to strange sinnes and strange Iudgements Rom. 1. 21. for their Ingratitude what shall then become of us which have not onely that but the day-light of the Scripture and of the Spirit Doe wee so requite the Lord O stubborne and unthankfull generation that we are CHRIST condemnes it with admiration in the ten Leapers Luke 17. 17. Are there not ten cleansed We do not wonder at ordinary things because every day obvious but we are amazed at a Centaure or Monster at any thing deficient or superfluous in Nature because extraordinary So wee doe not admire the ordinary sinnes of men because wee see them daily but wee gaze at an ingratefull person because hee is hatefull and almost unknowne to Nature it selfe It was a Custome among the Romaines That if a Servant made free became vnthankfull to bee adiuâ—ged to his pristine bondage GOD from time to time to moove us to this Dutie hath caused his Mercies to bee kept in remembrance as a pot of Manna in the Arke and also the fragments of his miraculous banquet Iobn 6. c. Bee not then like churlish Nabal like Horse or Mule that have no understanding but let thy tongue that so long hath beene mute and silent become the well-tuned Cymball of prayse and the silver trumpet of Thankesgiving this is thy Heauen upon earth and when the Word Prayer Faith and Hope shall cease it shall remaine Blessing and Honour might and Thankesgiving be unto our God for evermore Revel 7. 12. Having finished the matter which is both the prescript and postscript the Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending of this Psalme let us see in the last place the manner how this dutie must be performed and layd downe Collos 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and Spirituall songs singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where note First that the service of God among Christians is not a sad dull melancholique and solitary kind of life but full of joy and myrth Secondly a Monasticall and Heremiticall life condemned Thirdly that there is an excellent use of singing Psalmes And lastly to what end with the uses First against which it hath beene long objected by the whole Colledge of the professors of prophainnesse that in Religion there is no mirth but only deepe lumpish melancholy to be found here we see the contrary and that euen under the law which might seeme the saddest time of Gods service yet was it performed in the Temple with Organes and Instruments of most ravishing mâ—sicke which as yet did but shadow to us and give a taste of that great joy which afterwards should follow under the Gospell Which is glad tidings of great ioy Luke 2. 11. first chaunted and tuned by those heavenly Choristers the Angels the like in every service Psal 2. 11. Serve the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling Psal 95. 1. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us reioyce to the rocke of our Salvation chearefulnes and thanksgiving is required in all things Goe thy way then eate thy bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart for God accepteth thy cheerefulnesse in thy workes let thy garments be alway white and let thy head want no oyntment Eccles 9. 7. Wee see indeed the man that lookes through the spectacles of Nature soaring upon the laging wings of earth sees no further or higher then earths happinesse cannot rejoyce in Gods mercy in electing adopting c. or any other things spirituall which are and ought