like a spider in a corner which sucketh out all goodnesse and grace In so great danger are we by getting wealth to poyson our soules that it may well be called vnrighteous Mammon Therfore doth Christ teach how to make friends of this dangerous enemy to make treakle of vipers flesh to make a box of precious oyntment to annoynt the feet of our blessed Sauiour those surbated feet which tred vpon the earth naked and miserable that when we shall want they may receiue vs into euerlasting habitations that third and last branch of my Text being the end and motiue to good workes 3. This last end is a motiue to any good worke answering 3. Quaeres 1. Cui bono What good of well doing Euerlasting habitations a royall reward 2. But when When we shall stand in greatest need want 3. By whose meanes They shall receiue you They. 1. Prou. 23.5 First Prouerbs 23. Riches take wings as Eagles and flie into heauen If they flie thither let them flie There neither rust nor moth doth corrupt there theeues doe not breake thorow and steale Quod non dederis aut vivus amittis aut mortuus dimittis That which is not giuen is either lost while wee liue or left when we die but that which is giuen is as seed sowne it increaseth an hundred-fold Panis frangendo crescit It s like the bread broken to the hungry multitude It multiplieth not vnto bread that perisheth but vnto euerlasting life But shall good workes purchase heauen Not by the vertue of the workes they be but the fruits of charitie nor by the vertue of charitie that 's but the fruit of faith nor by the vertue of faith that 's but an instrument to apprehend Christ who alone by his merits hath made this purchase and prepared these mansions for vs. By faith in Christ we are iustified before God and made heires of these euerlasting habitations our faith iustified to our selues to be a liuely faith by charitie in our hearts which to vs is a more sensible qualitie then faith Our charitie is iustified before the world by workes which to the world are visible and more apparent then charitie Our workes shall be iustified before men and Angels by our reward if they proceed from true charitie and faith in Christ So then wee are adopted sonnes of God and made Inhabitants of heauen only by Iesus Christ wee are iustified by faith in Christ we are sanctified by charitie from faith charitie shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost wee shall bee glorified by the workes of charitie and wee are enabled to these workes by the riches of iniquitie Thus worme-eaten Mammon may procure vs an incorruptible crowne by being an instrument of those Good Workes which are fruits of that tree of Charitie which springeth from that root of Faith which groweth in our hearts from that seed of the Word which reuealeth vnto vs that Sauiour of the World who is the onely author of all these blessings and graces But when shall wee enioy these blessings When we shall stand in greatest need when we shall be turned out of our Stewardship for we are but Stewards nothing that we haue is our owne 1. Because wee must part with it Si vestra sunt tollite vobiscum Wee brought nothing into this world neither may wee carry any thing out of this world 2. Because wee must giue account how we spend them May not I doe with mine owne what I list Mat. 20.15 Matt. 20. Therefore not ours Saepiùs risi testamenta legum dieentia Hic habebit agrorum vsum ille dominium Chrysostome was wont to smile when he read mens Wils Such shall haue the vse such the Lordship such for a time and such the fee simple Terra Domini est plenitudo eius We are but Tenants or rather Stewards at will Pardon mee honourable Lords though I count you but Stewards you are no more and wee are no lesse The Parable extends to all Euery one hath a portion for which he must answer and out of which he must be turned Either the birth-right of Reuben or the gouernment of Iuda or the iudgement-seat of Dan or the eloquence of Nephthali or the rich blessings of Ioseph or the pleasures of Asser or the strong bones of Isachar Either wealth or wit or strength of body or authoritie or portion or other things which if wee imploy to the honour of our Lord and Master we may gaine a Kingdome by it when wee want and that want shall be at the houre of death Then shall wee want euery thing when wee shall haue nothing Our friends will leaue vs because they cannot helpe vs perhaps they will shed a few funerall teares after our corpse they will stand you in no stead if you would there 's no water sooner dried Happily you haue a stately Tombe ouer your dead bones Picta domus coeco or some few words in your commendation Philomela surdo Then shall we want indeed when wee shall haue neither wealth to releeue vs nor friends to comfort vs nor so much as these earthly Tabernacles to shelter our soules but poore soules shall bee turned out of house and home Then happy shall they bee who shall be receiued into those euerlasting habitations But who shall receiue vs Shall the poore Can they bestow mansions Much adoe to get places themselues Christ shall say at the last day Mat. 25.35 Matt. 25. I was hungry c. In as much as yee did it to one of those yee did it vnto mee As Christ therefore is said to receiue these almes on earth which the poore receiue and not he so the poore in heauen are said to receiue vs into euerlasting habitations which Christ shall bestow and not they Doth not Christ tell his Apostles They shall sit on twelue seats Mat. 19.28 iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel Doth not S. Paul tell the Saints that they shall iudge the world yea the Angels Conceiue that 1 Cor. 6.3 and vnderstand this that those poore soules to whom you haue done any good in the name of Good either by your wealth or counsell or any comfort whatsoeuer that all these shall testifie what you haue done before the eternall Iudge and approue that sentence which shall crowne you with glory Can you imagine how the Queene of Saba and the men of Niniue shall rise vp at the day of iudgement and condemne the Iewes Matth. 12. So shall the men women Mat. 12.41 and children of your Hospitals rise vp and testifie Sweet Iesus had it not beene for these and these benefactors wee had perished for want Then shall a multitude of poore Schollers rise vp and testifie Sweet Iesus had it not beene for these and these we had neuer beene enabled to preach thy Gospell or enlarge thy kingdome Then shall Iesus say Come yee blessed of my Father receiue the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world As Paul and Siluanus and Timotheus said to the Thessalonians in the first Epistle and the first chapter You are our hope our ioy our crowne of reioycing in the presence of the Lord Iesus Christ at his comming 1 Thess 1.19 because the Thessalonians would then testifie how these had laboured in the Gospel for the good of their soules so may euery one of you right honourable and welbeloued say of all those to whom you haue done good in the name of good You are our crowne in the day of the Lord Iesus because those shall testifie your good workes before men and Angels and iustifie that sentence which shall receiue you into euerlasting habitations Christs counsell then is good That wee make friends of poore Saints with vnrighteous Mammon But how shall wee know the poore Saints from others As all rich goe not to hell so neither shall all poore be Saints in heauen Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen If then thou be poore and proud poore and enuious poore and murmuring poore and malicious that Kingdome belongs not to thee But our rule in doing good must bee a rule both of wisdome and charitie of wisdome in making good choice of the parties of charitie in deeming and hoping the best of them If wee be deceiued in our choice that shall not preiudice our good deed Charitatis error salutaris est Eccles 29.12 wee seldome sinne in charitie Claude eleemosynam in sinu pauperis ipsa orabit prote Admit their praiers whom thou hast releeued be not acceptable to God yet as Abels bloud did crie for vengeance against Cain so the Almes deeds themselues shall goe vp into the presence of God for Cornelius Act. 10.4 Act. 10.4 To conclude See the wisdome and goodnesse of our God who hath opened the gates of heauen both for poore and rich that the poore by pouertie and the rich by wealth may attaine a kingdome Art thou poore Hee that wore a crowne of thornes for thee hath taught thee of thornes and tribulations to make a crowne of glory Art thou rich He that is Lord of heauen and earth hath taught thee in this Parable by wealth to attaine an eternall Tabernacle So as poore and rich one by suffering the other by doing well may meet at the last day with rich Abraham and poore Lazarus in the Kingdome of glory To which Kingdome the God of all righteousnesse bring vs for his Sonnes sake To whom with the blessed Spirit three persons and one euerlasting and only wise God be all honour and praise both now and for euer Amen FINIS
author of all Ego posui te saith the Lord I haue set thee that is I haue made thee a Cherub with my holy oyle haue I annoynted thee I haue couered and protected thee in the middest of all dangers to the end that thou might couer and protect my Church neither is it vnfitly added by the Translater I haue set thee in Honour for there cannot be a greater honor then to protect the Church of Christ nor a more lasting honor for all posterity euen 14. generations I dare be bould to say this title of couering Cherub is a more honourable and glorious title then Prince King Emperour or Monarch of the world If all this honour was done to and for shadowes what shall be done to the body it selfe for Hiram and Salomon and his Temple and the Cherub and the Arke were but all shadowes of these blessings we enioy what honour is it to protect that Church for which the King of heauen hath taken such paines as hee could not doe more for his Vineyard That Church for which the King of glory that fils heauen and earth with his glory became a lumpe of flesh Who bindes Kings with chaines and Nobles with linkes of Iron was himselfe swadled in clouts and laid in a manger what honour is it to be a nursing Father and to giue milke to that which was bought and is daily fedde with the flesh and bloud of the Sonne of God what honour is it to couer that with his Cherubs wings which the Angels in Heauen desire to behold and look into 1 Pet. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Peter and hee alludes vnto the Cherubs that were made bowing and looking into the Arke and Mercy seate so the blessed Angels in Heauen who continually behold the face of our Heauenly Father they bow themselues and count it a part of their contemplatiue happinesse to looke into those holy mysteries of saluation which wee on earth doe enioy Which that this Church may enioy while the Sun Moone endureth beseech wee him who dwells amongst the Cherubs and blessed Angels to blesse vs and our Cherub to the honour and glory of his blessed name and our euerlasting comfort in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and holy Spirit three persons one eternall euerliuing and onely wise God be all honor praise and thankes this day and for euer Amen FINIS THE POSSESSION OF A KING Another Sermon before the KING GENESIS 28.13 The land whereupon thou sleepest will I giue thee and thy seede THis short sentence deliuered without curiosity doth speake three things 1 The land of Promise 2. The promise of the Land 3. The persons to whom the Land is by promise assured 1. The Land of Promise specified in the word whereupon 2. The promise of the Land deliuered in the worde Dabo 3. The parties first Iacob himselfe in person then his posterity after him The Land whereupon thou sleepest will I giue thee and thy seede this is the effect of the Text. But if I should rent it from the premises I should offer iniury to the context for it is not entire of it selfe neyther can it stand alone 1 While Iacob was sollicitous for a biding place vpon earth Vers 12. God points him the way to heauen in the former verse Behold a ladder whose top reached vnto heauen and the Angels of God went vp and downe by it 2 To assure him that that way was open for him he reneweth the couenant made vnto his Fathers in this verse I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac 3 Then followes my text The Land will I giue thee c. teaching Iacob euer to set heauen before earth euen then when he most desired and stood in greatest need of a place vpon earth to prouide for his mansion in Heauen I wote not whether the holy Ghost had any such intent in transposing Isaacs words while he was blessing his two Sons in the former chapter for in Esaus blessing the fatnesse of the Earth is put before the dew of heauen Gen. 27.39 but in Iacobs blessing it is quite contrary God giue thee of the dew of heauen and the fatnesse of the earth Vers 28. howsoeuer this I am sure of that our Sauiour plainely asseuers that if wee first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof all these shall bee ministred according to our seueral places the whole land wherupon he sleepeth to Iacob and his seede First T is not an vnknowne land a farre off which I will giue thee but euen this whereupon thou sleepest and secondly a fruitfull and plentifull land that floweth with milke and honey and thirdly which is more a blessed and holy land whereupon thou sleepest and sleeping dreamest and dreaming beholdest the gate of heauen and the way to eternall happinesse There bee prophane spirits in the world farre be they from the pallaces of Iacob who would perswade vs that Religion and this gate of heauen is but a dreame but let them know that the foolishnesse of God is wiser then the wisedome of men and the weakenesse of God stronger then men whose power and wisedome doe by silly meanes shine the most glorious what is counted more idle then a Dreame What is of greater importance then the way to life What 's weaker then water What 's stronger then the house of God yet he that laid the beames of his chambers in the waters hath reuealed that to Iacob in his sleepe which the greatest potentates of the earth and the most quicke disputers of the world could neuer finde broad waking Iacob slept vpon the land which God gaue him and might sleepe soundly for he was weary but his sleepe was a troubled sleepe and great matters did runne in his head by which it seemes God would diuine vnto Iacob that possessors of great Dominions must be sometime content with broken sleepe when meaner persons sleepe more securely vnder the shadow of their wings we that little know what belongs to these can reade in our bookes Tali nocte dormire non potuit Rex as good King Dauids eye-lids slumbers and Iacobs vpon his stony pillow Our Sauiour did once sleepe in a shippe and then suffer a tempest to rise to intimate that while Gouernours sleep in security there is some danger of a Tempest yet see the mildnesse of him that was able to command all that when his Disciples did presume to awaken him he was not offended This land whereupon thou sleepest whereon thou takest though a troublesome yet a most happy and heauenly sleepe this land will I giue thee and thy seede and so wee passe to the 2 Dabo Iacob might claime this land by right of inheritance by his discent from Abraham and Isaac by the same right that Abraham is called the heyre of the world Rom 4.13 Romanes the 4. yet Dabo I will giue is that vpon which Iacob relieth Gods gift is the best inheritance
this word Honour which is commended to the fauourable opinion of the world to bee blowen to and fro with the breath of mens nostrils there is an heauenly substance to bee disposed of to bee placed after death according to thy death either in euerlasting Tabernacles or perpetuall torments Wherefore endangering thy selfe in single combat not onely to die but to die the death not onely to perish but to perish and come to a fearefull end not onely to be cut downe but cut downe and cast into the fire Then poize these two the blemish of honour with the hazard of euer lasting life in the ballance of thy iudgement and accordingly make resolution I presume none will deny but in our vsuall and daily quarrels the danger is great and rufull for any Christian to consider but in a case of necessity when otherwise neyther Court can cleare me nor the deuise of man giue remedie there laying apart all personall respects abandoning all affections of Honour without any desire of reuenge only for triall of right I le commend my cause to the proofe of Armes and sentence of weapon to be directed by Diuine iudgement If your resolution be such let mee commend vnto you a double consideration of cause and person 1 Is thine iniury so hainous as may not be borne and the triall so difficult as neyther can bee manifested by Record of Writte Ier. 32.44 nor decided by testimony of two or three witnesses established by our Sauiour nor indeed by Oath Ioh. 8.17 which the Apostle makes the vpshot of all controuersies amongst men If thy quarrell be such Heb. 6.16 thou appealest to the iudgement of Weapon 2 Then in the second place examine thy selfe if respecting the priuate iniury and blemish of honour thou canst meet thine enemy in the field and leaue all sinister affections at home if thou canst carry Christian Charity in thine heart and the weapons of Death in thy hands If thou canst commend a prepared soule to thy Sauior intend to shed that bloud for which his bloud was shed on the crosse If thou canst expect the reward of Gods saints in heauen determine to cast out thy brothers soule in a wrong cause then see you haue warrant and keepe thy resolution but vnderstand that this thy passage into heauen if there be any such after all honest pretences mans witte can deuise all the Differences the Law can afford are bestowed vpon it will prooue as hard and narrow a passage for thy soule as a Nedles eye for the huge Cammell What shall we say then Is there no redresse for the blemish of honour and reputation Yes beloued there will come a day when the most secret cause will be made manifest when all the Courts in the world shall be iudged ouer againe till which time God hath reserued many causes vntried for his owne Court. Therefore saies St. Paul 1 Cor. 3.5 Iudge nothing before the time till the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidde in darkenesse and then shall euery man haue praise of God haue patience then till the trumpe blow and the walls of Iericho fall flatte to the ground Till the Heauens passe with a noyse and the elements melt with feruent heate then shalt thou meet the iudge of the world and receiue sentence according vnto right then shall thine honour bee restored seuen fold in the sight of Men Angels there meane while resolue thy selfe like a Christian if thy supposed honour affect thee in case of Gods honour or the safety of thy soule cast it off better it is for thee to enter heauen lame in honour maimed in reputation in the sight of the world then hauing all sound to be cast into hell fire I speake not after the manner of men else would I perswade that it were not a world could ecclipse true honour Well true or supposed honour shall I suffer disgrace till the last trumpe This is an hard interim I would to God I could releeue you Shall I with S. Augustine adfratres in Eremo commend vnto you the example of our Sauiour who beeing disgraced and shamefully dishonoured of his enemies the first oblation he offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse was prayer for his enemies that were not so fit it was writ adfratres in eremo but I know to whom I speake Shall I commend the Prophet Dauids example who dishonourably reuiled of Shimei reuenged not againe but dealt honourably with lame Mephibosheth the remnant of his enemies house Yea but Dauid was a Prophet altogether swallowed vp with diuine contemplation we are not of that precise coat yea but Dauid was a Prince and well wist what true honor meant a valiant Prince whose arme would encounter a bow of steele and by the might of his God spring ouer a wall yet herein was his glory to shew kindnes to his deadly foe 2 Sam 9.3 Remaines there not one saith Dauid of the house of Saul on whom I may shew the saluation of God Honourable Dauid that thought it the most honour to be likest God in shewing mercie to his enemies All my Fathers house saith Mephibosheth to Dauid were but dead men before my Lord the King Posse nolle nobile To reuenge a quarrell argues skill and courage but to forgiue or not regard an iniury that is right Honourable Wherefore to conclude this point Mar. 8.35 that which our Sauiour Christ pronounced in the Gospell of Marke is as truely to be meant of honour as of life Whosoeuer will saue his honour shall loose it and whosoeuer shall lose his honour for my sake and the Gospels shall saue it Be it then farre from dust and ashes to seate himselfe in Gods place crying vengeance is mine I will repay it to extoll his owne honour before Gods least he that sits in heauen laugh them to scorne and the Lord should haue them in derision This is one point in which vaine man the Sonne of Adam does affect to become a God Like one of vs. If it would please Almighty God to looke downe from Heauen vpon the sonnes of men Psal 13.2 hee might behold more presumptuous and aspiring gods amongst men or would hee come downe from heauen to make triall of these cries that are come vp to him Gen. 18.21 as himselfe speaketh in the 18. of Genesis would it please him to take a view of his own dwelling place the holy house of his habitation he should perceiue one of Adams vnhallowed sonnes seated in his roome houzed within the holy stones of Sion his chambers chaires adorned with the Churches robes himselfe and his family fed with Tithes and Offrings would not this prouoke Almighty God to take my text for good sooth and say behold the man is become a god like one of vs harboured in our sanctuary and serued with our Priests like one of vs honored and worshipped in consecrated Tithes and holy offerings like one of vs whiles
laid in a womans lap like one of vs. Behold the incomprehensible light of glory put into a lanterne of corruptible flesh the bread of life an hungred and the fountaine of liuing water a thirst like one of vs. Behold the eternall God in whom is no shadow of change no mutability at all hath put on a peece of clay a bundle of grasse a bubble of water is become a vapor a shadow a Dreame when he became man like one of vs If this will not satisfie thine indignation more then this since man by his fall is compared to the beasts let this Oxe and the Asse of Bethleem salute me Behold the incomprehensible deity that fills heauen and earth is laid in a manger and the Lord of Heauen installed in a stable like one of vs If this will not suffice thy wrath let Traitors Robbers and Malefactors of the world salute me Behold the immaculate Sonne of righteousnesse is condemned at the barre the glory of heauen spit vpon he that sits vpon the Cherubins and rides vpon the wings of the winde is mounted vpon a Crosse and hanged vp betweene two theeues like one of vs. Thus was our cause pleaded and our saluation enacted at the high Parliament of the blessed Trinity This is the intercession of Christs bloud that speakes better things then the bloud of Abell which cried for vengeance this is the comfortable speech of the Sonne that mittigates the bitternesse of his Fathers Irony This is the pleasant voyce of God in a burning bush that the hot wrath of God consume vs not This is the hony in the Lions mouth the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda that hath broke the Serpents head and trod Sathan vnder feete Thus is Heauen and earth ioyned and God and man reconciled The gates of heauen are lift vp and the euerlasting dores set open now men and Angels may praise God in one quier and sing one song Glory to God on high in earth peace and good will towards men Now the Cherub which before kept man from the tree of life with a fiery sword does ouershadow the Mercy seate for man This is the Lords doing and it is maruellous in our eyes what shall we doe then but take the cup of saluation and praise the name of the Lord euery man commemorating his benefits with the Prophet Dauid Psal 103. Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thy sins and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from death and crowneth thee with mercies and compassions which filleth thy mouth with good things making thee young and lusty like an Eagle These are the benefits of the Lord of life who became sinne knowing no sinne that thy sinnes might be forgiuen thee the satisfaction of him who was whipt and scourged that by his stripes thine infirmities might be healed Of him that was humbled vnto death the death of the Crosse that thy life might be redeemed from death from eternall death Of him that was crowned with thornes to crowne thee with mercies and compassions Of him that dranke vineger and gall dranke amaine the cup of Gods wrath that thy mouth might be filled with good things Of him that was pierced and mangled vpon the Crosse became a bleeding carkasse Eagles foode that thy soule therein vpon feeding might become young and lusty like an Eagle Iouis Vir gines ales that great Eagle that brake the net for vs and we are escaped from death vnto life from the bondage of Sathan to the freedome of the Sonnes of God heyres and fellow heyres with Christ of his Fathers kingdome crowned with glory and immortality like one of vs This is the body of the Doctrine contained in this sentence By your patience in a word let me sink it a little deeper towards the hart then I will commend it you to the grace of God You see how the edge of this I conical speech which otherwise might gall wound miserable man is abated by the indulgence of the sonne of God what then hath this sentence lost his edge is it become blunt and to no vse yes beloued it is the word of God spoken by God himselfe therefore sharper then any two edged sword but the edge is turned from wounding men to the cutting downe of all those affections that grow in men I cannot better resemble it then to Abrahams knife which was stretched ouer his sonne Isaac till the Angell of God from heauen turned the knife from Isaac to the Ramme caught by the hornes Gen. 22.10 so was the Ramme killed and Isaac saued aliue In like manner this sharpe sentence of Almighty God sharper then knife or razor to a proud man in misery had not the eternal Son of God The euerlasting father The Prince of Peace turned the edge of this sentence from Isaac to the Ram from wounding the sons of men to the killing of the rammishnesse of our affections to cut downe those lofty and aspiring mindes that threaten the clowds and rob God of his honour Wherefore Right honourable and Worshipfull let vs humble our soules vnder the sacrificing knife of Almighty God which will mortifie our corrupt and boystrous affections let vs open our bowels to embrace that two edged sword of the Spirit which will cut downe both extreames of vice from the golden meane of our mortified affections Let vs suffer our selues to be cropt and prun'd by our heauenly father that wee may bring foorth fruits worthy of Repentance lest in stead of a pruning knife to lop off the sprigs that shoote out beyond measure there bee an Axe layd to the Root we cut downe and cast into the fire lest this fatherly and gentle Irony be turned into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter derision when he that sits in heauen shall spie vs a farre off in heauen laugh vs to scorne and the Lord haue vs in derision Iudge you selues therefore that yee be not iudged of the Lord giue sentence vpon your selues that yee bee not condemned of the Lord humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God lest he execute himselfe iudgement and humiliation vpon you I am not ignorant how vnsauory these sack-cloth Sermons are to flesh and bloud but I know no other way to heauen since man lost heauen by lifting himselfe aloft then must he get it againe by humbling himselfe in sacke-cloth and ashes no passage into Paradise but vnder a fiery sword the sword that cuts away the branches of our corrupt nature no climbling into heauen but ouer a crosse our Masters beaten way and his Disciples Hee that will looke euer to attaine to that place of blisse where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes must haue his eyes like the fish-ponds of Heshbon standing full of water which makes them more beautifull in the sight of our beloued Spouse Hee that with
Dauid will haue God to put off his sacke-cloth and gird him with gladnesse must himselfe put it on and mourne with sorrow Capernaum sayes our Sauiour which art lifted vp to heauen shalt bee brought downe to hell for if these things which are done in thee had beene done in Tire and Sidon they would haue repented in sacke-cloth and ashes therefore the onely way to keepe Capernaum out of hell is sacke-cloth and ashes when the Iudge of the world shall giue sentence at the last day see the goodnesse of God to mankinde euen in the sentence of condemnation Goe yee cursed into hell fire prepared for whom for you no for the Diuell and his Angels when thou wilt become one of Lucifers Angels mount thy selfe into the seat of God Esay 14. Ero similis altissimo become a God like one of vs Then shalt thou fall from heauen like lightning pierce the clouds as a thunderbolt and come downe with such a vengeance Therefore let vs tread the steps of our Lord that hath broken the Ice and trod out the way for vs who desires vs to learne but one lesson of humility for the rest of our soules It may seem a strange speech deliuered from Christ When I am lift vp I will draw all men vnto me Iohn 12.31 signifying what death he should die is it like that himselfe hanging vpon the crosse could entise others to that cursed tree It must be a great humiliation surely and so it must be Non decet sub spinoso capite membrum esse delicatum If the head of Christ wore a crowne of Thornes It is no dishonour for the foot to catch a thorne let it not grieue vs to tread the steps of the eternall Sonne of God and king of glory but learne of him euen of him that ridde vpon an Asse was mounted vpon a Crosse to be humble and so you shall finde rest vnto your soules The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall possesse your humble soules and the Prince of Peace descend like a shower into a fleece of wooll into your meeke and gentle soules Then shall the dew of heauen water your contrite and broken soules with all celestiall graces Then shall we reape euery graine we haue sowed in teares and these soules that haue mourned and turmoy led themselues in this cloddy and mirie earth of sinful flesh shall returne with ioy to the Father that gaue them carry their sheaues with them from which sorrow to which ioy hee deliuer vs and bring vs that hath redeemed vs and bought it for vs les us Christ the righteous to whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be all honour and glory from this time forth and for euermore Amen THE NECESSITY of the PASSION A Sermon on good Friday at the Crosse LVKE 24.46 So it is written and so it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes might be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Ierusalem THIS is one of the little Gospels of Christ reuealed now in plain words hidden before in Moses and the Prophets euen from the Apostles and Disciples till it pleased our Sauiour Christ to open their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and then to deliuer these words which now by Gods prouidence in the Euangelicall writings be come vnto our hands For God in his Diuine dispensation thought it meete that Moses face should shine through the vaile that the Arke of the Couenant should be couered that the Tabernacle should bee ouershadowed with a Cloud that there should be a vaile of the Temple which should bee as a wall before the Holy of Holies vntill the fulnesse of Time came that his owne Sonne should bee manifested in the flesh to speake face to face to vs. Vntill the couer of the Arke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is called Romanes the 3. should be opened at the Passion that we might looke into it Rom. 3.25 and see what it behooued Christ to suffer vntill the Sonne of righteousnesse should rise againe the third day to dispell the cloud of the Tabernacle vntill the vaile of the Temple should be rent that wee might behold the Mercy-seate of God in stead of iudgement that we might see the Cherub with stretched wings ready to flie with the glad tidings of Remission of sinnes to all Nations beginning at Ierusalem So that the Remoouing of those vailes was nothing but the reuealing of these mysteries which my Text declares That Sonne of God our Sauiour who opened the vnderstandings of the Disciples to see so much remooue the vaile from your hearts that you may discerne as much and rightly apply the same And that it may the better sticke by vs and worke vpon vs obserue the order of the Holy Ghost in the Text deliuered in foure distinct points The Proofe of the Redemption The Worke of the Redemption The Fruites of the Redemption The Ministration of the Redemption 1 The Proofe a Testimony of Scripture So it is written 2 The worke consisting in two things the Suffering 2 The worke consisting in two things the Resurrectiō 3 Out of these two spring two fruites Repentance out of the Passion 3 Out of these two spring two fruites Remission out of the Resurrection For as the Passion of Christ workes in vs Repentance which is the Passion of a Christian so the Resurrection dissoluing the bands of Death doth absolue vs from the chaines of sinne which is the Resurrection of a Christian 4 The ministration of it to the world by publique proclamation The text calls Preaching 2 This preaching with authority in his name 3 This authority giues a large commission to all Nations 4 Yet not confusedly but in orderly proceeding beginning at Hierusalem This I conceiue to be the most easie and plaine tract of this Scripture So it is written and so it behooued c. So it is written The proofe This sword of the Spirit Christ did take vnto him when hee first entred the lists with Sathan in the 4. of Matthew and so now after his resurrection taking his leaue off the Church armeth his Disciples with the same sword So it is written and as Sathan at the first laboured to wrest it out of the hands of Christ so euer since hee hath endeauoured to driue vs from it knowing it to bee safest for vs and the most deadly weapon against him So it is written 1. Great Loue of God Magnus amor that hee vouchsafed to feede his Church in the infancy so famlliarly with Reuelations but a greater Loue when the is Reuelations are vpon record that posterities might haue recourse vnto them to iudge of Reuelation and decerne of Spirits by So it is written No maruell therefore though writing the Law made the Diuell so madde that he set the people a madding vpon a Calfe hoping by that stratagem to put their Captaine Moses into
knowes so long as the Church is firmely built vpon this the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Now as the graine of mustard-seede groweth so must we proceede from faith to knowledge vnaduised they are that would haue vs prescribe a scantling of Faith and knowledge as if eyther more were needlesse or lesse damnable but God in wisedome thought it meet to prescribe no such certainety and that for two reasons 1 To stirre vp our sluggish nature To forget that is behind and endeauonr to that which is before Philip 3 13 It is perfectio viatoris the perfection of a traueller still to goe on what need we goe to Church I know the summe of all beleeue in Christ Iesus c. Such sluggards shall neuer grow rich in grace that good corne shall neuer prosper in their hearts because they are so ouer-growne with thornes and thistles 2 Because God would not limit his mercies As it pleaseth him to saue infants without any knowledge so also to saue some in all degrees of knowledge ioyning wisedome mercy in proportioning somthing to the Times ages wherein men liue some to the place where some to the capacities of the persons themselues God exacts not so much knowledge of the woman of Samaria as of Nicodemus Iohn the 3. Art thou a Doctor in Israell nor so much of them that dwell in the middest of Spaine as of them in the heart of England nor of those that liued in the time of superstition as of vs that are in the Sunshine of the Gospell It is a sure rule if wee hold the foundation sure and conforme our liues and affections thereafter the ignorance of other branches shall neuer condemne vs except it be wilfull or affected ignorance 1 Wilfull ignorance in such as eyther contemn or neglect the meanes of further knowledge or such as in doubtfull cases will venter without aduice and then say I meant no hurt 2 Affected ignorance when wee suffer our affections to blinde our vnderstanding Act 19 25. like Demetrius that perswaded the crafts-men not to heare the Apostles because they liued in a profitable trade But simple ignorance in a well meaning Christian is eyther passed ouer in mercy or more knowledge reuealed in time as the Prophet in the Psalms To him that ordereth his conuersation aright Psal 50. vlt will I show the saluation of God Cornelius Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and almes-deedes The two wings of deuotion flye vp to heauen together for as it is in supplication Forgiue vs as wee forgiue so in almes Giue vs as we giue them rather then Cornelius shal want knowledge for saluation God will send Peter from Ioppa If any man doubt let him begin with the feare of the Lord and practise those grounds he knowes well and then by degrees learne to goe on and build vpon them as in Hebr. 6.13 Hebr 6.1.3 beeing the doctrine of the beginning of Iesus Christ Let vs goe on and pray to God that we may lay the foundation safely and surely that in Faith and charity wee may be knit altogether in the body of Christ TRACT II. WEE haue in the former exercise found the Rocke whereon wee may safely build vpon this Rocke must the maine grunsels bee laide such principles of Christianity and Articles of Faith as bee expressed in Scripture in the plainest places after compiled by the Church into a little body or short forme such as Irenaeus first sets downe as receiued of all churches about 178. which he testifies to be so vniformely professed in all Churches as if all Christians had but one soule and one mouth In Germany France East and West Europe and Asia and in all places of the world As there is but one Sun to euery nature so there is but one Faith to euery Christian hee that is most powerfull in speech can say no more and they that are most simple meane no lesse Tertullian expresseth another thing to the same effect Anno 210. after that the Fathers of the Nycen Counsell Anno 324. after that Athanasius made his Creede more fully designing the persons in Trinity against Arrius Anno 333. These ancient knowen verities being agreed vpon of all Churches long before these distractions Let vnstable mindes that finde their soules wauering in Religion giue attention 1 Cor. 9.22 for such I make inquirie as Paul 1. Corin. 9.22 Became all things to all men So we wil doubt with the doubtfull stand vpon indifferent ground looke on both sides with a single eye that we may the better discerne the true way of a Christian resolution Be wee sure then to hold the foundation and to build vpon these truths which all Churches in all ages haue agreed vpon Heere take we footing as vpon firme ground and looke a little about vs before we resolue where to light These parts of the Church within our view doe each of them becken vs to their side The Church of Rome bids vs returne to our olde mother as onely true Catholike The Brownist cries come to our congregation we are euen iump as it was in the Apostles time nay to ours sayes the Anabaptist Lo heere is Christ lo there It is the plea of euery Church But of all the Church of Rome cries loudest and if her challenge be true it stands vs in hand to listen to it for it concernes vs as much as euerlasting life is worth Extra Ecclesiam Romanam non est salus Without the Church of Rome is no saluation Yet she must pardon vs though we make a pause and do not presently make it an article of our Faith because wee finde it not in any of our ancient Creeds nor in any plaine text of Scripture in any translation theirs or ours what chymicall witts may extract thence wee will not now dispute A Catholicke Church wee finde but a Romish Catholike Church we find not That all Christians haue such necessary dependance vpon any place or person Rome or Bishop of Rome and vnder such a penalty of eternall damnation It seemes then this is the Rocke without which all other articles will not saue vs and yet the auncient Church hath forgotten to put it in any of her Creedes It is not in the Apostles Creede Irenaeus hath left it out of his Tertullian out of his the Nycene theirs Athanasius out of his And Peter out of his Catholicke Epistle 2 Pet. 1.13 when at the time of his departure out of this life hee tooke his last farwell of the Church First one Church we acknowledge built vpon Christ the sonne of God Eph. 4.4 fully described in the 4 of the Ephesians by one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Father 1 One body because a Church is nothing else but a society of beleeuers called out of the rest of the world by the word of God and though it run as the Sea through many Countries and thence receiues many names like the seuen Churches of
and whatsoeuer is not grounded vpon his promise hath but a sandy foundation whose promise doth establish euery mans right which houldeth his right from God and so professes This did Iacob know and this did he acknowledge It was the phrase of Esau his brother Gen. 33.9 and the manner of his speech that hee vses speaking of his possessions Brother I haue enough Like the rich miser in the Gospell Soule take thine ease thou hast enough laid vp for many yeares but Iacobs answer is in another tenor God hath had mercy on mee therefore I haue all things Doubtlesse euery good thing and euery perfect gift commeth downe from aboue from the Father of lights but shall wee obserue out of the Pronoune Tibi vpon whom this gift is bestowed It is that wherein the goodnesse and power and wisedome of God did most gloriously manifest it selfe 3 Tibi 1 To thee Iacob whom I haue chosen of purpose before thou wast borne that thou mayest giue all glory to mee Before thou hadst done good or bad I saide Iacob haue I loued 2 To thee I giue it whom I deliuered from the bloudy hands of Esau that sought thy life from the treacherous conspiracy of him whom I ordained to be thy seruant and to bow to thee and by this thy deliuerance I witnesse that thou art preserued for some excellent worke 3 To thee will I giue it to whom I haue reuealed this Ladder the onely true way to heauen by which the gate of Heauen is open vnto thee and a continuall commerce is had betwixt heauen and earth by which I standing at the toppe will bee thy GOD and my Angels shall bee thy fellowes Ascending and Descending to defend thee and thy Dominions To thee will I giue whom I haue so instructed in the knowledge of my Sonne CHRIST who is the onely Ladder that knits heauen and earth together the sole mediator betwixt God and man the foote of whose humanity standeth vpon earth the top of whose Diuinity reacheth vnto Heauen Endeuour more and more to settle and establish this Ladder in the land where thou sleepest and this Ladder shall establish the land to thee and thy seede for euer Thou well perceiuest what Ladder this is no peeced ladder as some dreamers haue dreamed but intire of it selfe the way to heauen is not peeced out eyther by Saint or Angel or any other but by Christ alone standing on earth reaching along vnto the highest Heauen Neither is this way so easie as some haue slaunderously reported that wee teach and as flesh and bloud is prone to beleeue wee shall not be carried to Heauen in a Fether-bed but we must climbe a Ladder If we be carried as Elias was in a chariot t' will be a fierie Chariot If we will climbe we must take paines for the way is long and the impediments many That our Church did euer teach a Theoricall Faith without practise is a meere slander Wee must apprehend and lay hold on this Ladder with the hand of Faith climbe euery steppe of it with the feete of our affections in being conformable to the Sonne of God or else wee shall neuer attaine that which we expect so hath God predestinated his to be Rom. 8.29 1 The first steppe is his Conception and Birth vnto which wee must bee conformable in our regeneration and new birth 2 To his Circumcision in the cutting the Foreskinne of our hearts that wee may bleed in remorse for our wicked life 3 To his infancy by conuerting and becomming as little children else we can neuer enter into the kingdom of God 4 To his Baptisme by our washing and purification from dead workes 5 To his Life by learning his humility meekenesse patience and obedience to his Fathers will 6 To his Death by mortification and fruites of repentance which if it bee a godly repentance What care will it worke What indignation What feare what zeale what reuenge euen to the crucifying of our selues vnto the World 7 To his Resurrection in newnes of life good works but here commonly wee make a stand as though wee were out of breath if one of the Sonnes of thunder do not vrge vs forward 8 To his Ascension by deuotion hauing our conuersation in heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of God From the foote of his conception to the height of his Ascension we must climbe if euer we meane to reigne with him this Ladder did God reueale to Iacob which Iacob did well consider therefore saith God to thee will I giue the land that thou maist settle this Ladder in the land 4 To thee Iacob will I giue it that thou maist bee as thy name is a supplanter or a wrastler to supplant Esau and all prophane Edomites out of the holy Land to wrastle with many crosses and all impediments which hinder GODS glory and good gouernment for the old Serpent is a supplanter still and will neuer leaue biting at the heeles to make vs fall backward from God Christians thought themselues secure when Gouernours who vsed before to persecute them were become Christians Great cause they had to reioyce but none to bee secure Imperatores factisunt Christiani sed nunquid Diabolus factus Christianus Though Emperors become Christians and the most sincere Christians become Emperors so long as the Deuill is aliue and Walketh Iacob must wrestle still that hee may become Israell to preuaile with God and man Pray wee that our Iacob may so preuaile as Israell did not so much by his sword as by his true sincerity 5 To thee Iacob and thy seede Heere will I rest and proceede no further The promise was to thy progenitors in part but to thee intier I was the God of Abraham but in the line of Isaak only I made a promise to Isaak but in the line of Iacob but to thee and thy seede without limit The family of Abraham was diuided betwixt Isaak and Ismael whom men called Ismaelites The family of Isaak was diuided into Iacob and Esau and his were called Edomites but the family of Iacob vnited all the Tribes which became one Church one Body one Kingdome knowne by the name of Israel and doubtlesse had Salomon preserued that vnity and vniformity of Religion which before was established the house of Iacob had neuer beene diuided But Salomon diuided religion wherein Gods kingdome consisteth betwixt God and idols therefore did God in his iust iudgement rent his kingdome betwixt Ieroboam and Rehoboam But in Iacob it was vnited wherein hee was a type of the chiefe corner stone Christ Iesus who vnited many Nations into one euerlasting Kingdome A fit subiect for Simeons song Mine eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to bee the glory of thy people Israell an admirable patterne for Princes how to carry themselues in their kingdomes For such was the dispensation of God that tooke away contempt on one side and enuy on
owne defence and in commiseration of a masterles people vers the 11. O Lord why does thy wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought out of the land of Aegypt with great power and a mighty hand See how they be put off from one to another God will not owne them Moses cannot they be their owne they be themselues I haue seene this people and behold it is a stiffe-necked people saith God to Moses in the 9. verse and What did this people to thee that thou brought such a sinne vpon them saith Moses to Aaron verse 21. Thou knows this people that they are euen set on mischiefe saith Aaron to Moses vers the 22. Thus doe their sinnes fall vpon their owne heads they lost the glory of being Gods people they lost the honour of being the Children of Israell euen the Nobles of the Children of Israell cap. 24.11 Though men be neuer so well discended vice does taint the bloud it staines Nobility especially this of resisting gouernment they bee left to themselues alone a degenerate multitude they be neither Gods Children nor the Children of Israell this and the like are the fittest appellations of such a sinfull people 2. The occasion which mooued this people thus to doe was taken and not giuen Moses was absent what then was hee not about publique businesse receiuing Lawes and Ordinances from God for the gouerning of them such Lawes as no nation vnder heauen had the like did hee not acquaint them with all this before hee went more then Gouernours are bound to doe In the 24. chap. verse 14. Moses told them all the words of the Lord How far was he gone but into the mountaine leauing them at the foot He left them not alone without Iudges cap. 24.14 whosoeuer hath any matter let them come before them Yea but he tarried long before he came downe How long not six weekes in all So impatient so quickly haue they forgot the couenant made at their parting cap 24.3 All things that the Lord hath sayd we will doe repeated againe in the seuenth verse and ratified with sacrifices Is the impression of thunder and lightning so soone worne out will not the twelue pillers erected at his going at the foot of the hill bee sufficient remembrances for six weekes absence Children of Israel well might he call them children and Moses their nurse to carry them as sucklings in his bosome which he conceiued not euer crying and complaining neuer satisfied taking occasion where none is giuen There was great difference for a quiet contented heart when Moses was a Shepheard and when hee was the Gouernour of this people Nec abnuendum si dat imperium Deus nec appetendum 3. Moses is gone they wote not what is become of him 3 The Instrument or they will not know the power is in them somewhat some exployt must bee done and who must countenance the matter but Aaron One highest in authority and that should be holiest in life hee must bee the man and so hee was Omnis caro foenum If Aaron Moses Vicar amongst the people If Peter Christs Vicar in the Church who should bee Summi Pontifices If these fall so fowle that one denies his Lord the other preferres a Calfe before him let the Church of God neuer be built vpon that Rocke but vpon that which Aaron prefigured and that which Peter discouered in the sixteenth of Matthew Mat 6.16 Aug. vlt. D. tract in Ioh. Super hanc quam confessus es petram sayth S. Augustine vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed will I build my Church God in Aaron would teach Israel that hee who was thus captiuate to sinne himselfe could not deliuer captiues from sinne by his sacrifices as the Apostle prooues at large in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Moses died in the wildernesse Aaron fell fowly in the wildernesse the mortality of the one and infirmity of the other were as Schoole masters of Christ the Lambe of God and Lord of life to deliuer vs from sinne and death 4. 4 The meanes But let vs not as the manner of the world is lay more imputation vpon Aaron then there is iust cause his infirmity was great yet was he no voluntary agent but a forced Instrument they assembled themselues against him tumultuously and vrged him in threatning manner vp make vs Gods True it did not excuse him more then Pilate who feared a tumult Matthew the 27. Hee should rather haue died a thousand deaths then haue yeelded yet see what pretty policies he hath to stay the businesse 1. Hee calles for golden eare-rings of their wiues sons and daughters in the second verse thinking women would by importunity bring any thing to passe rather then part with their iewels and ornaments there was some hope that either the couetousnesse of men or the pride of women might so farre preuaile that some domesticall dissention might hinder this great conspiracy against the God of heauen But as Sathan will not cast out Sathan so one sinne is hardly wrought against another especially those diabolicall sinnes of pride and idolatry There was no cost spared for all the people plucked off their iewels not one from another but from themselues in the third verse their Idoll was their Iewell they neuer yet bestowed such cost vpon the true God that brought them from the bondage of Pharaoh nor on Moses their Gonernour as now vpon the image of a Calfe 2. When there is no remedy he takes the Iewels casts them into the fire fashions a Calfe carueth it made a grauing toole to goe ouer it built an Altar proclaimed an holy-day whil'd the time that Moses might come downe or some accident befall to stay their fury so vnwilling was Aaron but they forced him 5. What to doe Make vs Gods to goe before vs Gods seruice is a reasonable seruice in the 12. of Romanes Rom. 12.1 but the seruice of sinne is most vnreasonable especially this of Idolatry that a God can be made that Aaron a sinnefull man can make a God that hee can giue it life and motion to goe before them Is it possible the people should bee so senselesse This poynt then will beare two Queries 1. What Gods they meant should bee made Make vs Gods 2. To what end to goe before vs. Some thinke they meant onely a sensible resemblance of the true God or an image to which some Diuine power might vpon consecration bee annexed but I doubt they troubled not their heads with such differences 1 They called them gods in heathen tearmes they were weary of one God and now they must haue a plurality though Elohim be vsually translated in the singular number yet in this place I take it plurally because St. Stephen does so reade it in the seuenth of the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7.40 Make vs gods Idolatry implies plurality a plurality a nullity dicite plures dicits nullum two infinites there cannot be eyther
one must run into another or they must bee finite on one side 2 When I consider how Dauid speakes of ancient Idolaters Psal 115. Psa 115.8 They that make them are like vnto them how Esay describes them cap. 44. vers 16. They bake bread with one peece Esay 44.16 rost meate with another warme themselues with the third and of the residue make a god How in Baruc the 6. Baruc. 6.19 Cats and Owles do redeeme their Gods from their enemies Rats and Mice that would deuoure them I conceiue the most sencelesse kinde of idolatry and howsoeuer Aaron might seeke to refine it in the 5 verse in proclaiming an holy-day to Iehouah the true God yet sure the people themselues conceiued it in grosse The like difference may bee taken in matters of inferiour superstition betwixt the schoole distinctions and the practise of the vulgar Non colitur imago sed Deus in imagine colitur Imago sed alio cultu cultu eodem at nō vniuocè sed analogicè reductiuè distinctions well filed and refined in the braine but alas the people in whom is greatest daunger who are not able to distinguish betwixt Aarons Beard and the Beard of Aaron must of necessity fall into extremity howsoeuer Aaron in this place might helpe them with references and reductions to Iehouah yet in the peoples intention this idolatry was very grosse 2 To what end to goe a Procession to goe before vs did not the Cloud goe before them by day and the pillar of fire by night yea the Lord himselfe went before them in the pillar and the cloud in the 13. Chapter vers 21. yea and that at this present verse the 22. he tooke not away the cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people This will not content them they must haue a Calfe a costly Calfe and when all cost and caruing is bestowed vpon it it cannot goe it must bee carried before them whereas the cloud and pillar of fire moued without their helpe See how men please themselues in their owne deuices be they neuer so foolish more then in Gods owne institutions be they neuer so full of Diuine wisedome But whither should it goe before them I thinke themselues scarce know whether whither they meant to roue vp and downe in the wildernesse sit downe to eat and drinke and rise vp to play but if they intended a set iourney it was eyther toward Canaan or as I thinke rather backe againe into Aegypt else why should they thinke of a Calfe but in alluding to the Aegyptian Apis that pide Bull they meant to goe into Aegypt therefore they must haue an Aegyptian God to guide them These be thy gods ô Israell that brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt as strangers when the Aegyptians desired vs to be gone and these shall conduct vs backe againe But that which perswades mee most is in the Acts of the Apostles they turned in their hearts backe againe into Aegypt Acts 7.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying make vs gods Their harts were in Aegypt already they wanted nothing but a God to guide them If all things in the wildernesse were in figure vnto vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10.11 This history most of all all of vs were vnder the bondage of Aegypt subiect to sin death and hell taskemasters of that spirituall Pharaoh who hath power ouer death Heb. 2.14 Our true Master Christ hath deliuered vs out of Aegypt and brought vs vnder hope of enioying that celestiall Canaan In the meane time he is gone vp to the mountaine to God the Father to mediate for vs and to write the Gospell is the Law of Christians the new couenant he hath left his deputies beneath Ciuill Ecclesiasticall to gouerne vs in his absence Hee hath left Sacramentall representations as the cloud did represent his humanity the fier his diuinity but his absence is so long not a few weeks but many hundred years that we carry vs in this life as if we knew not what is become of him where is the promise of his comming 2 Pet. 2.4 in the 2. of Peter and the 3. Thus we sit downe to eate and drinke rise vp to play Euery one hath his gods his dearling affections his desires his deuices though as wise as Calues Deus est suacuique cupido these foolish desires leade vs back againe into Aegypt there to make bricke or gather stubble for that 's the Dicotomy of this world we are either making bricke to build or plant our selues on earth or gathering stubble picking the strawes of vanity and pleasure in which return if we hold on we had better we had neuer been deliuered for Christ will come as suddenly as Moses did from the mount eyther himselfe in iudgement or by his messenger Death giue vs our portion make vs drinke the powder of our Gods wrath The dregs of sinne which will turne into the gall of Aspes Hee that presumes Christ will be long a comming and that death is a farre off hee will surely come to him vnlooked for The Master of that seruant will come in an houre when he is not aware Luk. 12.46 There bee three Parables St. Luke ioynes in an excellent order The Parable of the Prodigall Sonne the vniust Steward and the rich Glutton The Prodigall by prodigality became miserable by misery was drawne to repentance But because men when they haue runn themselues out of breath in wickednesse presently haue the parable of the prodigall childe in in their mouthes He addes vnto that the vniust Steward who had short warning to giue vp his stewardship he wisely cast in his minde what to doe Quid faciam and neuer ceased casting till he resolued Scio quid faciam and presently put it in execution set downe quickly and because euery man should not expect any speciall admonition before hand he addes vnto that the Parable of the rich man who thinking his Master would belong a comming follows his pleasure in momento descendit in infernum died and was presently in hell before hee lift vp his eyes vnto heauen So doth sudden destruction euer follow presumptuous sinnes Therefore these golden glistring calues that we propose vnto our selues to follow bee it the Calfe of wealth or pleasure or ambition let vs breake them in peeces and stamp them to powder by true repentance before the Lord come and breake them for vs let vs drinke the powder in the teares of sorrow and contrition that iudging our selues we may preuent the iudgement of God that wee may redeeme the time we haue so vainely spent in doubling the workes of a good life and happy is that man whom the Lord when he commeth shall find so doing Which happines God grant vnto vs for his Sons sake Iesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be al Honor and Glory both now and for euer Amen THE MOCKE OF
REPVTATION A Publique Sermon GENESIS 3.22 Behold the man is become like one of vs. ALL story and discourse whatsoeuer endited by the spirit of Wisedome the more concise it is the more pithy is the sentence and the matter of more speciall note which Truth if it hold as like it doth in Diuine writte Lo heere the Acts and Monuments of a thousand six hundred and odde yeares comprized within the compasse of six small chapters the onely true Records of that Age containing story of more weight and worth then all the bookes and Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda which respect beside others common to holy scripture doth intimate vnto vs what vertue and pith the holy Ghost hath pressed and couched together within euery sentence of this Chronicle whereof my Text is one and such an one amongst the rest as is noted by the finger of the holy Ghost in the margent Behold the first word of wonder we finde pointing at some spectacle worth the beholding A spectacle not for men to gaze vpon but Man a spectacle to God and Angels who beeing placed by God in Paradise was by his folly put into a dreame of a deity aspiring in knowledge to become a God was in vnderstanding made like the beasts that perish turn'd out of Paradise into the open field amongst the beasts to be clad in Leatherne hides and skins of beasts wandering in this miserable plight Almighty God puts him in mind of his glorious Godhead Behold the man is become like one of vs a God and no man where indeede hee was a wretched worme and no man These wordes deliuered by God in a figuratiue speech and in the forme like nailes doe pierce deeper and sticke faster then an ordinary speech An ironie but vttered by a man of God 1 Kings 18.21 made Baals Priests lance themselues with kniues till the bloud followed A figure that being spoken as here it was to a proud man in misery is Death vnto him and cuts deeper then any knife vox tamen haec est non tam insultantis quam caeteros ne superbiant deterrentis God in this Ironie did not so much intend to wound a miserable man as to warne his posterity Wherefore Right Honourable Right Worshipfull welbeloued when I gaue all diligence to speake vnto you of those swelling humours that raigne in the Sonnes of Adam I was directed to this Scripture which for the Maiesty of it was deliuered by God himselfe in the solemne assembly of the blessed Trinity and holy Angels for the vse of it to the terror of all vs which lay in the loynes of Adam for the Vertue of it pointed with an Irony to pierce our affections and sticke fast in our memories That wee breake not Gods bonds asunder nor cast away his cords from vs least he that sitteth in Heauen laugh vs to scorne and the Lord should haue vs in derision The sentence it selfe like Christs garment may not bee diuided it is so wouen into one period that to dismember the words were to disgrace the figure yet to auoid confusion of speech and helpe our memories I will distinguish these two points 1 Mans purpose and aspiring minde to become a God 2 The shamefull misse of his purpose that indeede became nothing lesse Both which are insinuated in this figure and may naturally be branched out of this sentence Verse 22. Peccasse Adamum tam specie quam indiuiduo is a schoolepoynt very probable That Adam did not sin onely personally as a particular man but as bearing the person and nature of all mankind for that diuellish infection of an aspiring minde hath made as deepe an impression in Adams posterity as euer is did in himselfe Dan. 4.27 Acts 12.21 Nebuchadnezzar and King Herod the one for Power the other for Speech affecting a Diety are two fit Emblemes of man in this place Is not this great Babel that I haue built by the might of my power for the honour of my Maiesty spoken like God himselfe Is not this great Heauen and Earth which I haue built by the might of my power for the honour of my Maiesty but while the word was in the Kings mouth his Kingdom was rent from him himselfe turned out of his palace among the beasts of the field Herod after hee had made a smooth oration in a great assembly for assenting to the peoples applause The voyce of God and not of man became a prey to the wormes these two beare the Image of the olde Adam who being in honour like Nebuchadnezzar was cast out of Paradise amongst the beasts that perish and for listening to the Serpents voyce Eritis sicut Dij like Herod became mormes meat Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne But what do I tel you of Kings and Monarches that of the Poet Est Deus in nobis is common in euery mans conceipt no affection so ridiculous which vaine man hath not made a God 't were vaine to stand vpon particulars shall I tell you of the God of Gods exalted aboue heauen and earth It is the God of honour and reputation amongst more A God mighty and terrible a iealous God and a consuming fire a God more honoured of English Gallants then euer was Iehouah in Iudaea or Iupiter amongst the Grecians Si quoties peccant homines Iupiter is very sparing of his thunder-bolts though often dishonoured of mortall men and the God of Israel when hee was in his greatest fury and most prouoked to execute iudgement yet is sayd to seale vp his plagues amongst his treasures Deu. 32.34 as though hee were loth to spend them God is patient and yet God is prouoked euery day but if our honours bee touched neuer so little agitante calescimus illo out goes a challenge presently hee shall die the death Thus as vengeance were ours miserable men will bee Gods to die for it By your patience Honourable and worshipfull sauing your Honours and Reputations giue me leaue to estimate them one degree below Gods honour and your owne saluation Happily you will obiect It is our honour and wee stand vpon it more precious and deere to vs then life it selfe for that is the life of our mortall liues and preserues vs liuing after our death life without honour is no life and honour after life makes death no death wherefore in this respect no lesse honourable is our Resolution then Razis the father of the Iewes commended in the Machabees 2 Machab. 14.42 in chusing rather to die manfully then suffer reproach vnworthy his noble stocke 'T is true God forbid we should deny but that honour in a noble minde is to bee preferred before a thousand liues if our liues were altogether in our nostrils if our Essence did returne into the wombe of the first Chaos as things of baser being if our spirits did vanish into the light aire like the spirits of beasts then were this reason without exception But wee must remember that besides
we may take vp our lodgings with Baucis or Philemon or content our selues with ten shekels of siluer and a suit of apparell Then sure blessed must that house be where God is so wel regarded saies that idolatrous miscreant Micah Iud 17. ver vlt. As for Tithes and Offerings they be but Leuiticall customes ceremonies and shadowes vanished away at the Sunshine of the Gospell thus are wee content to haue our mouthes musled and our tongues tied The Romane Orator plaid his prizes neuer worse then in his owne cause and I know not how it comes to passe either we are ouer-modest to pleade for our selues least wee might seeme partiall or too timerous wee are content at Balacks becke neyther to blesse nor curse or which is worst of all if euer wee meane to enter Gods house our selues must come like Gods like Iupiter himselfe in a goulden shower or stand without ô aur eum orationis flumen these be the golden streams of eloquence that make the Preachers voice the voice of a God But as I begun to say we are vnfit Orators for this theam will it please you to heare almighty God speake in his own person Malac. 3.8 Will a man spoyle his gods but you haue spoyled me saith the Lord A strange speech for the God of heauen to speake to mortall men You haue spoyled me and that made the people of Israell to wonder Lord wherein haue we spoyled thee God answers in Tithes and Offerings parturiunt montes a ceremony a shadow a toy no beloued almighty God fights not with shadowes nor is so zealous for a ceremony there is more in it then all they account for these are not Mint and Annise we talke of but matters of greater moment All the wonders the Apostles wrought vpon the earth were sauing wonders restoring men to their health and perfection but when they mette with sinne of alienating Church goods in Ananias and Saphira their wonder was an extraordinary iudgement no lesse then present death When the Lambe of God walked vpon the earth hee is obserued neuer to haue wrought any thing by force or violence but all with gentle perswasions and fatherly admonitions so obserueth S. Augustine in one booke Vera relig c. 16. Cap. 13. yet the Father was deceiued for himselfe doth retract that point in his booke of Retractions and does confesse that indeed when hee met with this sin of Marchandize in the Church of God then his patience was mooued to vse some Discipline then and onely then in all his life did the Lambe of God play the Lion of the tribe of Iuda for himselfe alone with a three-stringed whip draue the Marchants out of the Church Now if these Marchants shall quit him with his owne and through their marchandize driue Christ out of the Church they are no more to look for a whip of cords but a rod of iron to break them in peeces like a Potters vessel If they will needs meddle with forbidden fruit as Adam did they must looke to turne Gods as Adam did in whom I beseech you a little to looke your selues as in a glasse Man hauing his choyce of all the pleasant fruits in Paradise only except the forbidden fruit whereof if hee eat the same day he must die the death was visited by the Serpent yea hath God indeede sayd ye shall not eat indeede sayes the woman we eat of the trees of the Garden but of the fruit of the tree in the middest of the garden there is a tree in the middest of the garden worth all the rest of the fruit of that tree God hath sayd Yee shall not eat neither shall ye touch it lest yee die Die sayes the Serpent yee shall not die die the same day yee shall not die at all die the death yee shall liue most happy liues yee shall bee Gods but what became of them we all know by wofull experience So you beloued are by Gods goodnesse heere placed in a land like Eden for pleasure and plenty blessed like Ifrael with the deaw of heauen and fat of the earth enriched like Tyrus whose Marchants were Princes and Chap-men the Nobles of the land sucking the abundance of the sea and treasure hid in the sand onely the forbidden fruits of the Church touch not least ye die the Death Then comes the Serpent hath God indeed said ye shall not eate of these fruits Indeed answers flesh and bloud we eat of the fruits of the Land and aboundance of the Sea but there be certaine Holy fruites of the Land worth all the rest Tithes and Offrings the flower and fat of the land pleasant springs Orchards Gardens for recreation goodly stones that wold build vs stately houses and towers whose top might reach vnto heauen were we but possessed of these we should be gods vpon earth Thus stollen waters are sweete and the bread of deceit is pleasant to a man but afterwards saies Salomon it turnes to grauell in the mouth and then you know what followes a gnashing of teeth when almighty God shall come to giue sentence Adam where art thou Hast thou eaten of the forbidden fruit whereof I saide thou shouldst not eat Thou shalt be cast out of the Paradise of this world not in Letherne skins among the beasts of the field but starke naked among the fiends of Hell where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Then he that sits in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne and the Lord shall deride them with a bitter Irony Behold the man is become like one of vs Sonne remember thou in thy life time hadst a paradise of pleasure no dwelling would please thee but the sanctuary and habitation of God no lands and liuings content thee but those hallowed and dedicated to God no bread sweet and pleasant vnto thee but Tithes Offrings and holy things of God This shall be the Lords derision this is that fearefull sentence whereto my text is but a warning peece and the fall of Adam but a figure and so wee haue done with the second generall point wherein the Sonne of Adam affecteth to become a God like one of vs. Out of the last words Vnus è nobis it is agreed that almighty God directed his speech to the persons in Trinity whence it may bee demanded to which of the three persons man affected to bee like like one of vs though indefinitely it may be vnderstood of any yet the Schoole determines Hee affected not so much to bee like the Father in power or the spirit in loue as in knowledge to resemble the second person who is the wisedome of his Father for it followes like one of vs knowing good and euill The sum of which is that man created in perfect reason endued with great measure of knowledge according to his kind yet in time was to attain to greater perfection but vnwilling to stay his time and expect the meanes appointed by God thought to take a shorter out but tast an
Calfe shall become a God That great Oxe Nabuchadnezzar lifted vpon a Monarchy had his saluters at hand O King liue for euer as if it were not impossible but a Monarke might bee immortall like God Hi homines prorsus exstultis insanos faciunt Our Parents Adam and Eue went a fooling after a Godhead and heere comes the Deuill with an Eritis sicut Dij ye shall be Gods and carries them headlong like an heard of Swine into vtter perdition Atque sic homo factus est Deus thus did the man become like one of vs. The Serpent hauing his prizes is fled away and Man heares no more of him his Oracle prooues true but in a wrong sence their eyes were open but to their own shame They had the knowledge of good and euill but by wofull experience And for the third he said they should be Gods and children to the most high God but they died like men and fell like one of the Princes like the Prince of Babell from the worlds dominion to the beasts of the field like the Prince of Angels from glory and ioyfull blisse to extreame misery and torment of conscience like Prince Herod from a conceipt of a god to a pray for wormes Here ends the tragedy of wofull man wallowing in the pitte of endlesse perdition vexed by God from heauen with a tanting Ironie Behold the man is become like one of vs. It were great pittty to leaue man in this miserable case will our text leade vs no further but iumpe to the pit of perdition No sweetnesse to bee sucked out of Gods Ironia but all bitternesse and wormewood Yes beloued The Father of all creatures delights not in tanting vexing or tormenting of any The God of all consolation who in the middest of Iudgement thinkes vpon Mercy was neuer more ready and quicke to show mercy then at this present For before euer hee did pronounce iudgement vpon man at the 16. verse of this Chapter he promised the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head in the 15. verse giues promise of redemption before the sentence of condemnation the reason of which redemption may bee gathered out of the last words of my text vnus è nobis according to the premised doctrine In Matthew the 12 Mat. 12 32 He that sinneth against the Sonne shall be forgiuen but he that sinneth against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come Sathan in this act sinned directly against the holy Ghost of meere enuy maligning the state of man and therefore his fall was without redemption but man offending more directly against the second person affecting in knowledge to be like the Sonne of God the wisedome of his Father wherefore almighty God saies S. Barnard in the fury of his wrath seeing his sonne so dishonoured and as it were thrust out of his throne by the aspiring minde of man cries vengeance is mine and I will repay it I le reuenge my sonnes iniuries vpon Adam and his posteritie for euer nay father replies the Sonne in tender zeale to his Fathers glory Let it neuer be said thou madest man for nought and the sons of men for endlesse perdition thou that madest the Heauen for thy perpetuall seate and established the earth neuer to bee remoued Thou that in wisedome hast created all things for some happy end willt thou bring man the image of heauen and glory of the earth the collection of creatures and mappe of nature the impression of diuine essence to shame and confusion Let that malitious Serpent neuer boast himselfe that he hath disgraced the workemanship of thy hands and defaced thy diuine Image that he made the Prince of Paradise a vassall of hell and the Lord of Creatures a bondslaue to Sathan And for mine owne iniury Si propter me haec tempestas orta sit If I bee the occasion of all these troubles and tumults take mee father and cast mee out of thy presence into the Sea of that troublesom world that thereupon may ensue a calme let the deepe swallow me vp and the water of affliction goe ouer my soule that many soules may peaceably arriue at the Hauen of eternall happinesse If for tasting the forbidden fruite of Paradise the whole earth must be barren and cursed with vnfruitfulnesse let the plowers plow vpon my backe and make long furrowes whereout man may reape most ioyfull fruites of my bitter passion If in the sweate of his browes he shall eat his bread let mee by mine agony and bloudy sweat become that bread of life whereof if he feede he shall liue for euer Let mee be crown'd with those thornes which the cursed earth for his sake brought forth since it hath pleased thee for my sake to take his figge leaues from him put him into Leatherne skins to salute him with this Irony behold the man is become like one of vs let mine enemies for his sake take mine owne garments from mee and put vpon mee Scarlet Robes to mock deride me with Haile King of the Iewes If man for affecting mine image in knowledge bee for my sake cast amongst the fiends of Hell let me for his sake take vpon me the image of man that man by me may be exalted among the Angels in heauen If for eating of the tree in the garden hee shall die the death let mee be made that fruit hanging vpon that cursed tree in Golgotha wherof if he eat he shall liue the life that euerlasting life wherby in glory and true happinesse hee shall indeed become like one of vs If for affecting that faire seeming fruit of Paradise man shall become an exile from the place of plasure let me be made a pleasant fruit of a new promised land Grapes of Canaan growing out of a withered and deformed stocke without forme or fashion that goodly cluster of grapes carried vpon the barre of the crosse pressed out into most precious liquor a pleasant wine that makes glad the heart of man and does him good at the soule Father since it is thy good pleasure in tender zeale to mine honour thus to bring forth miserable man for a wonderment and gazing stocke to the whole hoast of Heauen with an Ecce Since nothing else will pacifie thy wrath and heauy displeasure for thy sonnes sake I my selfe will bow the heauens and goe downe inuest my selfe with a vaile of flesh and couer of skin the shape of a seruant that mortall men may in trueth salute me not without a wonder Behold the God of heauen is become a mortall man like one of vs Aeternity it selfe is born and immortality put into the graue like one of vs. Behold the eternall Sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worlds without a Mother brought forth of his Mother into the world without a Father He that built heauen and earth a Carpenters Sonne and the Prince of Heauen spoyld of his royalty become a sucking babe like one of vs
Gentile made one Church then the Partition wall was broken downe and all respect of persons remoued then was Ierusalem to be inhabited without wals for the multitude of inhabitants Then did the Church of Christ become Catholique Zach. 2.4 dispersed farre and wide ouer the face of the whole earth Then was the manifold wisedom of God made manifest to the Angels in heauen by this mystery which was kept secret in God from the beginning of the world hence was the mystery of saluation reuealed and deriued to vs that dwell in the ends of the world shut vp in another world like fishes in the Sea so that wee from the North as well as from the East and West shall replenish the kingdome of God and to our comfort be it spoken Luc. 13.29 that heauenly Ierusalem described Reuelations the 21. hath as many gates and as open on the North side as any other part vnder heauen in the 13. verse of that Chapter I haue swiftly passed ouer the former points as more familiarly knowne amongest you giue mee leaue by your honourable patience now I am come to the last point a little to pause vpon it Beginning at Ierusalem By this diuine dispensation I perceiue the truth of Gods promise performed vnto the Iewes The righteousnesse of God shewed to his Sonne The wisedom of God for spreading of the Gospell and the goodnesse of God towards the sinners of the Gentiles in that it began at Ierusalem 1 It could not bee that the wickednesse of men could make the promise of God of none effect therefore seeing the inhabitants of Ierusalem were the children of the Prophets and of the Couenant made with their Fathers true Oliue branches springing out of the roote of Abraham to whom did appertaine the adoption the glory the giuing of the Law the seruice of God and the promises Christ to performe this promise beginneth at Ierusalem 2 As God a righteous iudge honoured him in recompence of his humiliation so did he honour him in the same place he suffered In Ierusalem was he despised at his Passion In Ierusalem shall he be glorified by his Gospell In Ierusalem in the assembly of much people at the solemne feast of Easter did Christ suffer a publique execrable shamefull death of the Crosse therefore at the feast of Whitsuntide before the assembly of many nations in the famous City of Ietusalem shall his name be first honoured in preaching of the Gospell 3. The manifolde wisdome of God is heere manifested as well for the publishing as the confirmation of the same 1. If God would haue his Gospell spred amongst all nations like the riuer of Eden where shall we make the head of the spring but at Ierusalem Acts 2.5 where was dwelling euery nation vnder heauen 2. If he would haue the truth of the Gospell tried before men of knowledge amongst the Doctours in the Law and these that were skilfull in all science where should he make the first probation but at Ierusalem The truth of God seekes no corners nor auoydes the light like the Oracles of the Diuels in the 45. of Esay Esa 45.19 It seekes not to establish it selfe in weake places it creepes not priuily amongst the people like the heresies of the false Prophets 2 Pet. 2. but as Christ when he first shewed himselfe was seene amongst the Doctors at Ierusalem and as Paul when his Doctrine was called in question Gal. 2 2. hee went and conferred with the best at Ierusalem So for this cause also the Gospell of Christ began at Ierusalem 3. If he desire to fettle his Gospell in the world shall not choose the City before the Countrey the famous City of Ierusalem there is the strongest hold get that and the rest will yeeld Act. 17.16 When was the spirit of Paul stirred within him but when hee came to Athens There hee laboured more earnestly with all kinde of men with all kinde of Sects being the Seminary of learning a plentifull haruest as at Ierusalem 4. If hee would make a way that the Athenians and the rest of the Gentiles should receiue the Faith what greater argument could bee vsed then this That it was receiued before at Ierusalem that the Iewe the very professed enemies of Christ recanted embraced the Faith and beleeued him whom they crucified what secondary meanes made Paul so powerfull among the Gentiles but this That Saul a lew a learned lew Gamaliels scholler a religious lew of the strict Sect of the Pharisies a zealous lew persecuting this way vnto the death became so earnest a professour of the same 5. What greater encouragement for vs sinners of the Gentiles that saluation was first offered in Ierusalem to them that were his murtherers why then should wee sinners despaire of his mercy when the theefe on the crosse saw him not onely forgiue but pray for those that did torment him he laies in for himselfe Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome there is hope for Theeues and Murtherers if for these and doubtlesse saluation will bee easily attained if for Ierusalem It began at Ierusalem but it flowed ouer the face of the earth yet is heere no footing for vniuersality to bee an infallible marke of the truth of Religion for the Gospell doth not spred at once ouer all nations like Noahs floud but like riuers of waters winning ground in one place and losing in another dried vp at Ierusalem and Samaria and flowing in other places The triple estate of Christs Church is well shadowed in the three famous figures of the same Shee was in her infancy being a little flocke tossed like Noahs Arke in mans iudgement ready euery moment to bee swallowed vp 2. She shall be in her triumphant estate like Salomous Temple on Mount Sion that cannot be mooued but in the mean time she is Moses Tabernacle in the wildernesse mooueable from place to place first pitched at Ierusalem and in the East parts of the world after that in the West since remooued into the North amongst vs and S. Paul tels vs It shall returne to the Iewes from whence it came so all Israel shall be saued Rom. 11.26 there is not any place or people vnder the Sunne that can challenge the Residence of the Church of Christ Admit Peter liued and died and was crucified at Rome what then did not a greater then Peter liue and die and was crucified at Ierusalem did hee not rise the third day did hee not appoynt Apostles send downe his Spirit plant his Church at Ierusalem yet it is remooued thence long since It beganne at Ierusalem went through other places now among vs. Wherefore now it behooueth vs to looke about vs and consider this poynt what can wee say for our selues why this Candle-sticke should not be remooued from this place also A notable place there is in Ezechiel Ezech. 9.3 as it was in Ierusalem so with vs hee rose from them twice and then went away
them so many meditations at home that brought him first to Timothies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often infirmities when hee was but young the Gout St. Gregories disease the stone St. Barnards hell the burning ague St. Augustines Purgatory All these he had Mat. 7. like Light and Salt hee did wast himselfe draw on disease vpon disease and which is the life of Loue and St. Pauls Impendam cut off all hope of life yet not vnrewarded in liuing and louing for he refused all for your sakes who would haue done this but for a crowne not a crowne of Paper to write of him and adorne his memory as I doe Plusarch in Agesil 1 Thes 2.19 but St. Pauls crowne of reioycing in his care and labour for you so did he Ouare so was this Lambe crowned with gould so did hee sacrifice himselfe and so was crowned D Fenton the Preacher of Grayes Inne for the space of 17. yeares whom euery man did know to bee so approued for Sanctity so Catholicall for profession so conformable for vnity so discreet in commanding so in dustrious in disposing so able in performing so modest in speaking so sober in zeale so right in iudgement so affable in conuersation so amiable in aspect and that which was an admirable conueiance to his iudgement his inuincible meekenesse against all contradictions of opinions that he went like meeke Moses through the redde Sea Num. 12.2 a world of Diuisions enclined to no faction but followed his calling as he did the cloud and the pillar that wee may say with the same affection as Hales of Bonauenture non videtur Adam in homine isto peccasse neuer was more knowledge and so much innocence in a Preacher that was the sonne of Adam We haue lost our delight he hath changed his for better in that place where there is exact knowledge and perfect righteousnesse Let therefore the worthinesse of him bee a motiue to those of your society that are vnsteddy that they make no intercisions in this point but relie vpon him as an Oracle sent from heauen As it was once the crie of the Synode Haecest fides Cyrilli haec est fides Cyrilli so haec est fides Fentoni Whosoeuer haue any other acclamation proceeeding from spirituall tymorousnesse or diabolicall peeuishnesse there cutting betwixt two religions these intercisions will at the last proue abscissions turne to separations from God and his Church like Goates And as it was not Abell but his bloud Matth 25. so not the writer but the letter shall be the blacke scrole of their condemnation at that day when all iudgements and opinions shall be cleared which writings are grounded vpon rules of Scripture according to which Scriptures he professed In which profession he liued according to which life he died and as he liued and died a Lambe Reuel so no doubt he followes the Lambe of God from meekenesse to maiestie from humilitie to Glorie FINIS THE WANT OF DISCIPLINE A SERMON PREAched before the King at White-Hall EZECHIEL 28.14 Thou art the annointed Cherub which couereth and I haue set thee in Honour IT was the Royall state of Tyrus to which God by his Prophet directeth this speech a royall and flourishing estate it was which God thus honoured comparing it to his holy Cherub in the Holy of Holies which coue red the Mercy-seate and the Arke of God Yet notwithstanding those sinnes specified before and after my Text did at length ouerthrow that state those hainous and grieuous sinnes by which euen the Cherubs themselues were broken in peeces and the most famous kingdomes of the world long since layd in the dust And were it not for these sinnes so greeuous so generall so inueterate Hee that sitteth Iudge a-among the Gods and dwells betweene the Cherubs would haue dwelt there still for how loth hee was to depart witnesse this our Prophet in the ninth chapter The glory of the God of Israell was gone from the Cherub whereupon hee was and stood vpon the doore of the house Cap. 9.3 Great abhominations those were which then mooued God to remooue from his seate his Mercy-seate and when he remoued he stood but vpon the dore of the house offered as if he would be gone but went backe againe and staid there still Being forced againe to remoue in the tenth Chapter Cap. 10. he staid at the dore still loth to depart but at the last when there was no remedy no hope of amendment no remorse he went away for all adoe The more cause haue those Kingdomes and States to magnifie the name of God among whom he vouchsafeth to continue and dwell still and for whom hee hath caused these examples to be written that in them they might look themselues consider their dignitie with thankefull hearts and in their dignity their dutie with obedient hearts to the highest maiesty for these two dignity and dutie are euer so twisted together as they ought neuer to be seuered Both of them implied in each part of this text In the name of Cherub In the annointing or hallowing of the same In the worke or office of couering And last of all in the Author of all this excellence the Lord I haue set thee in honour In euery one of these Nescio an plus honoris vel oneris sure I am too much honor cannot be giuen to them who bear so great a burthen Wherfore that subtil serpent shewed Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them he shewes them all in a moment of time Luk. 4.5 saith S. Luke full well knowing if he should haue giuen Christ any longer time to haue looked into them hee would haue perceiued somewhat in them that would not haue tempted him so much Great is the glory of them without question as appeares by this glorious comparison Cherubs were pictures of Angels like men to teach that some men should be like Angels and though all euen the best of vs in regard of our personall infirmities shall be men not Angels yet in the place and execution of publique functions we ought to be Angels not Men Angels so it pleaseth God to call publique persons in respect of his Diuine image which he hath put vpon them for as Angels doe carry the name of the Sonnes of God aboue other creatures in the first chapter of Iob so these men be filij Excelsiomnes Iob. 1.6 Psal 82.6 in the fourscore and second Psalme not as ordinary persons like pictures drawen to the shoulders in respect of Reason and vnderstanding but drawen throughout as Cherubs were to take in heart and affections and the whole man For the vnderstanding part My Lord saith Mephibosheth is as an Angell of God 2 Sam. 19 27. so able for his wisedome to iudge of all matters for sincerity and readines to execute as Angels are ready to doe the will of God Ps 103.20 So it is our daily Prayer that his will may be done in earth as it
is in Heauen that is with all integrity as the holy Angels doe it with all alucrity as the Seraphins do it Esay 6.2 described with sixe wings in the Prophecy of Esay That they may doe his will both in Iustice like the Cherub at the gate of Paradise with the blade of a sword shaken as also in mercy like this Cherub with wings euermore stretched out 2 A Cherub is but an Angel but this Cherub carrieth the name of Christ the annointed who in that he was annointed was reputed farre more excellent then an Angell as in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Vnto the Sonne he saith Heb. 1.8 thy throne is for euer the Scepter of thy Kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse wherefore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes All Christians receiue some droppes of spirituall vnction for which they be colled Christiani from Christ but Christus Domini the annointed of the Lord is amongst men as Christ among the Angels annointed aboue his fellowes hallowed and sanctified aboue the rest and separated from the rest to take vpon him the person of God himselfe to sit vpon his throne and to execute his iudgement Blessed bee the Lord thy God saith the Queene of Saba who hath loued thee to set thee on his throne as King in stead of the Lord thy God 2 Chro. 9.8 As annointing doth imply a dignity Vncti Domini è grege factisunt egregiae creaturae so doth it with all a duty for Oile is both a gentle and a very Soueraigne thing It cureth by way of suppling to teach them to be gracious Soueraignes to establish their royall thrones by mercy Prouerbs the 20. Prou. 20.28 Num. 11.12 Like Moses carrying his people in his armes as a Nurse doth her sucklings So Dauid tendering his people as he Tendered his Ewes great with young ones like Salomon As a shower of Raine distilling into a fleece of Wooll Psal 72.2 like Christ himselfe who though he bruised his enemies with the Rod of Iron and brake them in peeces like a Potters Vessell yet amongst his owne did hee not breake a Bruised Reede nor quench a Smoaking flaxe Which tender care ouer the flocke of God insinuated in the word annointed is most liuely expressed in the office of couering for as Christ doth professe hee would often haue gathered his people euen as a Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her wings so these annointed Cherubs doe with their wings stretched out couer the Mercy-seate and Arke of God This Cherub to whom Ezekiel heere speaketh was thus farre honoured that being a Gentile he was vouchsafed to be a Benefactor vnto the Church of God for that which Dauid prophecied of him in the fiue and fortieth Psalme Psal 45.12 The daughter of Tire shall doe homage with presents the same was accomplished by Hiram King of Tirus and his Subiects in Salomons daies who sent Cedar and Firre-trees Gold and what euer was desired to the building of the Temple 1 Kin. 9.11 whose Nauy brought much gold from Ophir and precious stones Chap. 10.11 whose cunning worke men made all these exquisite workes described in the seauenth Chapter of the same booke by whose meanes the Temple was adorned and beautified euen as the Cherubs did adorne the Mercy-seate for which Honor done vnto him for Hiram tooke it to be a great Honour in the first of Kings the fifth The state of Tyrus was honoured 1 Kings 5 7. as we see in this place aboue 14. generations of Kings after him from Salomons daies to these of Ieconias All which was but a prefiguration that Kings and Princes of the Gentile should be protectors of the Church of Christ the first fruits whereof we did commemorate yesterday in the wise men of the East the full haruest whereof is reaped and enioyed by vs in the North all the daies of our life and wee hope shall be by our posterity to the end Blessed be those daies wherein it may be saide in plenitudine sensus euen in the fulnes of the holy Ghosts meaning that not onely this Scripture but many other ioyfull Prophecies to this purpose are fulfilled in our eares that Christian Princes twice annointed Cherubs for this kingdome and that which is to come be our Nursing Fathers Esay 49.23 and nursing mothers that the tender Church of Christ shall sucke the milke of Gentiles and the breasts of Kings as if Kings had breasts to feede and wings to couer and protect the Church of Christ Tues Cherub Protegens which couereth the Arke of God and in it 3. things 1 The Tables of the Couenant the morall Law of God for though the ceremoniall Law did passe as a shadow in the presence of the Body though the curse of the morall Law be abolished in the name of Iesus who hath saued vs from the same and though the rigor of it be mollified and suppled by Christ Cant. 1.2 whose name is a precious ointment powred out that our vnperfect keeping of it is in him acceptable vnto God yet the euerlasting and euer-binding Law it selfe was engrauen by the finger of God in Tables of stone and reserued in the Arke to be kept for euer so as hee that willingly breakes the least of these Commandements shall bee of least accompt in the kingdome of God Mat. 5.19 Matthew 5.19 2 The Goulden pot of Manna not such as perished in a night with wormes be melted in the day by the Sunne but preserued Manna representing that spirituall foode that perisheth not but came downe from heauen to feede our soules to euerlasting life Both these haue beene hitherto couered and preserued safe for vs not in figure but in truth 3 But there is a third which was also put into the Arke and that by the speciall command of God himselfe Of God to Moses in the 17. Numb 17.10 of Numbers Aarons rodde that budded the rodde of Discipline without which the Church of Christ is better fedde then taught This Rodde is eyther wanting or so withered that it will not smart men care not for it their consciences are not kept in awe for want of it St. Paul could threaten the Church of Corinth with this Vultis vt in virga veniam ad vos 1 Cor. 4.21 shall I come vnto you with the rodde or in loue and the spirit of meekenesse Sure if any bee of such a good disposition that wee can winne them with meekenesse it is well but the Rodde is gone Our Sauiour Christ after his resurrection when hee would teach his Apostles by fishing how to fish for men Iohn the twenty one and the sixth hee bids them Cast out on the right side of the shippe Iohn 21.6 and they shall finde accordingly wee cast our nets and wee hope on the right side but see the successe 1 Many there be will neuer come within compas of the net there be Recusants on both sides the