he cryes Consummatum est It is finished Iohn 19.30 In his whole life his face inclined towards the Sunne For hee might truely say in the words of the Prophet David I have alwayes set thy Law before my face Psalm 119. And as the face of the Cherubine looked alwayes towards the Mercy-seate so the face of this Marygold was alwayes towards the Sun of Gods Law He was so addicted thereunto that it was his meate to doe the Will of him that sent him and to finish his Worke. Iohn 4.34 John 4.34 The Lord calls him His righteous Servant who shall justifie many by his Righteousnesse Esay 53.11 His righteous Servant There is the exactnesse of his Obedience Who shall justifie many by his Righteousnesse there 's the Superrogation of his Merits Thus is Christ compared to the Marygold and may bee justly tearmed Nazarenus The Flower of Obedience Here then have I let you see a Garden of fragrant Flowers to the sight beautifull to the smell odoriferous What remaines but that we enter into this Garden and gather of these Flowers from the Crosse of our Saviour and making Garlands thereof weare them upon our Heads and Poses to carry in the bosome of our Hearts O thou sweet Nazarenus draw us by thy odoriferous sent after thee yea unto thee Lead us into thy Garden and comfort us with the fragrancy of thy Celestiall Flowers Nay make us O blessed Nazarenus spirituall Gardens unto thy selfe Set in our Hearts some slippes of these Flowers purge us from the weeds of vice and insteed thereof make Humility to flourish in our cogitations Innocency in our conversations Temperance in our appetites Charity in our affections and Obedience in all our actions to the Salvation of our Soules the good example of our Brethren To the glory and praise of thee our blessed Saviour who wert art and ever shalt be Iesus of Nazareth And so I come to the last word of Pilates Inscription King of the Iewes King of the Iewes THese were the last words of Pilates Inscription fastened upon the Crosse whereon our Saviour Christ was crucified which is the third pretended Cause of his Crucifying Little thought Pilate that Christ was truely King of the Iewes when he set up this Title For he received this Name not by Pilates Inscription onely but by his Fathers Ordination For hee is our Great King who ruleth all things who hath subdued all our Enemies tryumphing on his Crosse over the World the Flesh and the Devill He is called The King of the Iewes not carnally but spiritually not of those that were of the seede onely but of such as are of the Faith of Abraham that is of such as beleeve with the heart and confesse with the mouth that he is their King and Governor This Title was not first given him upon the Crosse for the Prophets did prophesie of it before I have set my King upon my Holy Hill of Syon sayes David Psal 2.6 And so the Prophet Zachary Chap. 9. ver 9. Rejoyce greatly thou Daughter of Syon shout out thou Daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee Hee is just and having Salvation lowly riding upon an Asse His Dominion and Government was fore-told by Daniel Chap. 7. vers 14. There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all people Nations and languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdome which shall not be destroyed It is he that is Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 Rev. 19.16 With this Title did the Wise men seeke him Math. 2.2 Where is hee that is borne King of the Iewes With this Title did the Souldiers deride him Math. 27.29 Haile King of the Iewes And with this Title did Pilate thinke to dishonour him as it is in this Text Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes A King indeed hee was though Pilate knew it not whose Kingdome though it be in this World yet is it not of this World having nothing in it that is Temporall or Terrestriall but all Spirituall and Celestiall depending not upon Man but upon God consisting not in Riches Pompe Cities Castles Forts Armies But in Righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 He is universall Monarch in whose hands are the hearts of Kings whose Vicegerents onely they are heere upon Earth The Pope weares a Triple Crowne in token of his three-fold Kingdome In Heaven in Earth and in Hell or Purgatory What he assumes usurpingly Christ Iesus enjoyes properly For hee is a King Regens in Coelo per gloriam in Mundo per gratiam in Inferno per justitiam A King I say reigning in Heaven by his Glory in Earth by his Grace in Hell by his Iustice Unto this Kingdome Christ hath a Triple right The first as hee is God coequall with the Father by whom all things were made John 1.3 John 1.3 and this he is Iure Creationis By right of Creation Secondly he is King as hee is the Sonne of God whom the Father hath appointed Heire of all things Heb. 1.2 And this is Deno Patris By the donation of his Father All power is given me both in Heaven and Earth Math. 28.18 Thirdly he is King as he is Mediator betweene God and Man And this is Merito Redemptionis By the merit of Redemption and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is here styled Rex Iudaeorum King of the Iewes As hee is then our Iesus so is hee our King The which Title King presupposes a Kingdome and a Kingdome presupposes Subjects and Subjects presupposed Lawes and Government In the handling therefore of this Kingly Office I am constrayned though but in a word to unfold unto you a whole Commonwealth Christs Office his Kingdome his Subjects and his Government And first of his Office he is Rex A King The word King imports a Soveraigne power over Subjects whereof the Scripture records foure sorts First there is Rex infernalis An infernall King which is the Devill called by Iob Chap. 41. the last Verse Rex super omnes filios superbiae A King over all the children of pride And also tearmed by our Saviour Iohn 12.31 Princeps mundi The Prince of this world And by St. Paul Eph. 2.2 Eph. 2.2 Princeps Aëris The Prince of the Ayre And by St. Iohn Rev. 9.11 King of Locusts Abaddon by name a destroyer by nature whose Kingdome is of this world whose subjects are the slaves of sin and children of Disobedience whose government is wickednesse and whose Law is the transgression of all Gods Commandements Secondly there is Rex temporalis A temporall King such as Saul David Solomon Ezechias and others were in Israel Such as are now Kings of the Nations This Kingdome is both in this world and of this world Their Subjects men ordered by Reason and governed by Lawes Civill and Ecclesiasticall Thirdly there is Rex
unwilling others vilifie it the world is a clog to some Pride is a Remora to others Some disdaine the King others martyre his messengers not one of a Thousand becomes a true Subject This Kingdome is the Church militant which is nothing else but Numerus credentium The number of true beleevers which is Numerus exiguâ—s A small number like Ieremye Berries here and there one very thinnely strewen and sparingly sowne Yet though they be but few their confidence is strong for Feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome Luke 12.32 And so I passe in my Sermon the which God grant wee may all doe in practice from the Kingdome of Grace unto the Kingdome of Glory Into which Kingdome no false hearted Subjects are admitted Nullus egreditur emicus nullus ingreditur inimicus Out of this Kingdome shaâ—l no friend passe into it shall no enemy enter There shal be no Schismes nor seditions but the God of Peace shall rule all their hearts peaceably There Jesus shall Reigne over all his Saints as King and yet shall make them his Friends nay his Brethren O qualis ille Rex qui omnes servos suos facit amicos quod multo magis est fratres Oh what a blessed King is he who makes all his servants his friends nay which is more his brethren There shall be peace without warre joy without heavinesse holinesse without impurity and happinesse without intermission This world is our way that is our Countrey this our War-fare that our Tryumph this our suffering that our glory Heere are we as it were in the Wildernesse there wee shall possesse the heavenly Canaan the Metrapolis wherof is the New Ierusalem whose glory is unexpresseable If a man had the tongue of men and Angels and should undertake a description of it he that enjoyes it may very well say of it as the Queene of Sheba did of Solomons Kingdome that the one halfe of it was not revealed In it is no Creature base or thing contemptible but all things are superabundantly glorious A glorious King whose blessed vision will make us all happy and in whom we shall enjoy all beatitude glorious Subjects even the blessed Saints and Angels a glorious place farre transcending any earthly Paradise or terrestriall place of pleasure Were it possible to finde on earth a Citty so glorious as Saint Iohn describes Rev. 20.10 yet were it not to bee compared to the glory of Christs Heavenly Kingdome There are Riches which cannot rot pleasures which cannot fade Honour that cannot be lost Life that cannot be expired O blessed King of the Iewes happy is that man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that hee may dwell in thy Courts he shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy House even of thy holy Temple It is the King that must choose him hee cannot deserve the dignity of a Subject for there is Gratia sine merito Charitas sine modo Favour without merit and Love without measure Against this Kingdome can no Enemy resist upon this Kingdome can no Enemy make invasion For this Kingdome was no price given but the precious blood of the King of the Iewes the which blood hee shed to purchase this Kingdome not for himselfe but for his Subjects And so I passe from this Kingdome unto the Subjects of this Kingdome Rex Iudaeorum King of the Iewes King of the Iewes what Iewes is hee King of of those blasphemous rebellious Iewes which cryed out Crucifie him Crucifie him They were of the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 3.9 Rev. 3.9 and said they were Iewes but were not For all are not of Israel that are Israel Rom. 9.6 And some that are not of Israel are the Israel of God For more are the children of the desolate than of the married wife Esay 54.1 His Subjects then are not onely the Iewes Naturall but the Iewes Spirituall called by the Apostle The Israel of God Gal. 6.16 And these are such as are Nathanaels true Israelites in whom there is no guile Iohn 1.47 Iohn 1.47 being rather Heires of Abrahams faith than of his flesh It is not then the seed of Abraham but the Faith of Abraham that makes a man an Israelite and he is not a Iew that is a Iew outwardly but hee is a Jew that is a Iew inwardly namely by beleeving in Christ and doing his Will As the Kingdome of Christ is Diversè secundum hic illic so are his Subjects divers either such as are here in the Church militant whom I may call his Souldiers or such as are in the Church Tryumphant whom I may call his Conquerors In the Kingdome of Grace which is the Church Militant they onely are true Subjects who besides the outward calling of the Gospell are made partakers of the inward calling of the Spirit which is the Donation of saving Faith and Communication of heavenly Grace whereby the heart is opened as the heart of Lydia was Acts 16.14 when shee attended unto the things which were spoken of St. Paul and when a man is made a lively member of Christs mysticall body being both in profession and practice truely Christs And in this Kingdome though Subjects have divers functions some governing as Rulers both to defend extend and enlarge Christs Kingdome others being governed as Inferiors yet they all jumpe in this that they are fellow-souldiers labouring in this war-fare Neither Regality nor dignity neither Riches nor Poverty exempting them from this spirituall function and ghostly subjection unto Christ their King From this Kingdome are excluded first all such as are without the Pale of the Church unto whom the Gospell of Christ hath not beene preached as Heathens and Pagans or with whom the Name of Christ is vilified as Iewes and Turkes Secondly they are excluded who are Iewes outwardly but not inwardly that is Christians by name but not by practice Hence then are excluded all Hereticks and Schismaticks being publicke disturbers of the peace of Syon and all carnall Gospellers and loose Libertines which by their wickednesse wound the bowels of the Church and all superficiall Pharisies and dissembling Hypocrites which privily yeeld themselves servants to sinne and slaves to the Devill These are in this Kingdome but not of this Kingdome professing Christ their Soveraigne but vouchsafing him onely a Reed for his Scepter wearing his colours but forswearing his service talking of his name but not walking in his wayes Not every one therefore that receives his Badge of Baptisme or maketh an outward show of his Service is truely his Subject For this is but to enter into the utter Court of the Temple and of these may be affirmed that of our Saviour Math. 22.14 Multi vocati pauci electi Many are called but few are chosen In the Kingdome of glory they onely are Subjects whom Christ hath redeemed from the earth for whom hee shed his blood and bare this Title over his Head As Christ is King of Heaven Iure
Judgement giving Praemium Paenam Punishment and Reward the recompense of Reward to a faithfull subject and the paine of Damnation to trayterous rebells For he is a just Judge whom neyther bribes can allure nor gifts entice nor threats can alter from doing right Oh then seeke this Iesus seeke this Nazarenus seeke this King of Iewes Seeke him for thy Lord and hee will finde thee for his inheritance install him for thy King and he will enfranchise thee for his subject admit him for thy Governour and hee will admit thee to glory and immortality For his Kingdome is not of this world below but of the world above as was typified by placing this Title above his Head not under his Feete Oh then deare Christian come out of the world and out of this dangerous and dreadfull security of the Flesh Whatsoever seemes glorious to the eye odoriferous to the smell harmonious to the eare delicate to the taste and soft to the touch O forsake them all to follow Christ Awake oh thou Soule that sleepest for the Lord is come Hee is come with Salvation he is come with Vertue hee is come with Glory For Iesus commeth not without Salvation nor Nazarenus without Vertue nor The King of the Iewes without Glory Bee of good comfort thou lost sheepe Iesus is come to seeke and to save that which was lost Bee of good comfort thou lamenting sinner Nazarenus is come to decke thee with ornaments of Grace Be of good comfort thou that aspirest to true Honour for The King of the Iewes will make thee partaker of his Kingdome If thou seeke this King of the Iewes thou must seeke him with Humility for hee was Humility it selfe Hee insteed of a Crowne of Gold was content for thy sake with a Crowne of Thornes for Regall attire with a Purple garment yea goary wounds for a Kingly Scepter a Reede in his hand for a Throne the Crosse for joyfull Acclamations blasphemous Exclamations for delicate dainties Vineger and Gall Oh seeke him then in Humility for pride ascendeth not with the King of Humility nor malice with the God of Mercy nor Lust with a Virgin-sonne of a Virgin-mother nor wickednesse with the Just one And if thou bee a subject of this Kingdome bee not like the Swine Qui Rosas projiciunt ut lutum quaerant Who reject the sweet Rose to accept the stinking mire Oh never conforme thy selfe to this world bee not of that durty generation but since thy King and Saviour is in Heaven let thy conversation be in Heaven also let the World and her brave vanities goe which way they will bee thou as Anselme sayes sweetly Corpore ambulans in Terra sed corde habitans in Coelo One that walkes on Earth with thy Body but dwellest in Heaven with thy Heart Get out from thine owne Countrey the World from thine owne Kinred the Flesh and from thy Fathers House the family of Satan unto the Land which the Lord hath shewen thee even that Kingdome which the King of the Iewes hath prepared for thee where thou shalt behold Pulchrum Senatum pulchrum Regnum Regem pulcherrimum A glorious Assembly of Saints a glorious Kingdome but a King most glorious where wee shall shine in Glory and Brightnesse with Albes of Innocency on our backes Palmes of Victory in our Hands Crownes of Glory on our Heads and Songs of Tryumph in our Mouthes then shall wee enter into Sanctum Sanctorum Into the Holy of Holies there shall wee celebrate Sabbatum Sabbatorum The Sabbath of Sabbaths Then shall wee sing Canticum Canticorum The Song of Songs which none can learne but those that are redeemed from the Earth Then shall we give eternall Honour Glory and Praise to him that was is and ever shall bee Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Laus Deo The Authors Prayer to Iesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes collected out of the fore-going Discourse Jesus O Thou Sonne of God and sweete Saviour of the World Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus Thou art made unto us of God Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wisedome by thy Word preached Righteousnesse by our sinnes pardoned Sanctification by thy grace infused and Redemption by thy paines sustained Have mercy upon us miserable sinners Oh our blessed Saviour who hast borne our sorrows shed our teares suffered our disgrace sustained our punishment and payd our debt inspire us with thy Holy Spirit that though the Iewes Turkes and Infidels revile thee wee may still honour thee though they blaspheme thy Name Iesus we may adore it though they persecute it we may make it our refuge For thy Name ô Iesus is a strong Tower the righteous flye unto it and are secured Though Iewes Turkes and Heathen disdaine thy Name yet give us Grace that we may estimate it to be a precious Oyntment powred out though they vilifie it let us sweet Iesu still glory in it for with the Lord there is Justice but with thee Oh Saviour there is plenteous Redemption Oh Lord what Pilate deem'd to be thy shame prooves to be thy glory he writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom he could not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet will we ever acknowledge Iesus to be thy Name and Iesus is thy Nature Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this Name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death was honoured What thou brought'st into the world by the Angels Direction thou carriedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription To thee therefore I say once more and will never cease saying and praying Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus O good Iesu be thou to me a Saviour Nazarenus sanctified OH Holy Nazarenus who wast sanctified in the wombe and out of the wombe whose Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth full of Grace in thy Workes full of Truth in thy Words holy in thy Birth holy in thy Life and holy in thy Death vouchsafe to looke upon us miserable sinners who were conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity Sanctifie us with thy holy Spirit that from thee wee may derive such holinesse of life and conversation that all our thoughts words and workes being through thy Grace sanctified may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee who hast commanded us to be holy as thou art holy Nazarenus separated O Loving Nazarenus thou who wert that Scape-goate separated from thy fellows to make an attonement for the sins of the world thou that wast separated from thy Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon thee the forme of a Servant thou that wast separated from thine owne Nation when thou fleddest into Egypt for feare of Herod thou that wast separated from thy Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe thy Fathers Will thou that wast separated from thy Disciples when thou hungst upon the Crosse thou that wast separated from the living when thou dyedst for our Redemption thou that wast separated from the World when thou ascendedst into Heaven vouchsafe to
looke with the eyes of pitty and compassion upon us most wretched and miserable Caitiffes separate our sinnes farre from us as farre as is the East from the West blot them all out of thy Remembrance cast them behinde thy backe drowne them in the bottome of the Sea that they may never rise up against us to make a wall of separation between thee and our poore soules Nazarenus Flos or Floridus OH thou flourishing Nazarenus thou sweete smelling Flower sprung out of the stemme of Iesse Thou fragrant Rose of Sharon thou white Lilly of the Valleyes thou who containest all sweetnesse in thy selfe in regard of the sweetnesse of thy Vertues manifested in thy holy conversation wherein thou art a sweet smelling Flower for imitation Thou that doest impart thy sweetnesse to us in regard of thy Passion wherein thou didst offer thy selfe to God a Sacrifice of a sweete smelling savour for our Reconciliation Oh thou eternall sweetnesse which wee shall enjoy hereafter in the Kingdome of Heaven draw us with thy delicious Odours after thee yea unto thee Lead us into thy Garden and comfort us with the fragrancy of thy Celestiall Flowers the Violet the Lilly the Saffron the Rose and the Marygold nay make us O blessed Nazarenus spirituall Gardens to thy selfe set in our Hearts some slippes of those Flowers purge us from the weeds of Vice and Wickednesse as Pride Deceit Gluttony Drunkennesse Envy Malice and Disobedience and insteed thereof make Humility to flourish in our cogitations Innocency in our conversations Temperance in our appetites Charity in our affections and Obedience in all our actions to the salvation of our soules the good example of others and to the glory and praise of thee our sweete Nazarenus King of the Iewes OH Thou Soveraigne Monarch of Heaven and Earth reigning in Heaven by thy Glory in Earth by thy Grace and in Hell by thy Justice Oh thou King of the Iewes who hast sole power to command our Soules take us into thy protection who flie under the shadow of thy wings Oh suffer us not to deny our Alleageance unto thee let us never make any confederacy or enthrall our selves to the World the Flesh or the Divell who are Enemies unto thee and would faine bring us into subjection unto them get the Dominion over us and make us their vassals And although all worldlings gluttons drunkards uncleane persons and all that doe continue in wickednesse without repentance have made themselves bond-slaves unto these Tyrants yet grant ô powerfull King that we whom thou hast called to the inheritance of thy Saints in love stand fast in the liberty wherwith thou hast made us free not suffering our soules to be entangled againe with the yoake of bondage Wee know that their service is nothing but misery and tyranny the World will deceive us the Flesh will infect us and the Devill will destroy us from such Kings good Lord deliver us Onely thou ô blessed King of the Iewes be our spirituall Soveraigne thou art wise and wilt instruct us thou art liberall and wilt reward us thou art mighty and wilt defend us thou art just and wilt not forget us thou art severe and wilt not suffer the wicked to tryumph over us thou art peaceable and wilt give us peace with God peace with our Neighbours and peace with our owne Soules which is the peace of a good Conscience Yea thou art our peace who hast wrought our Reconciliation with God the Father to whom with thee oh Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes and the Holy Ghost our everlasting Comforter be all honour and glory world without end Amen A Prayer to Jesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes in the behalfe of the Church and all the Members thereof O Thou sweete Saviour of the World thou Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda thou fragrant Rose sprung from the Roote of Iesse wee humbly beseech thee to blesse thy Universall Church dispersed and despised over the face of the Earth and therein comfort all those that are comfortlesse strengthen those that are weake uphold them that stand raise up them that are fallen Send helpe comfort and consolation in thy good time to all thy Children that bee in sorrow neede sicknesse misery or any other adversity More especially we beseech thee to blesse this Church and Common-weale wherein wee live enter not into Judgement with the crying sinnes of the Land but first remove from us our sinnes and then in mercy take away thy heavy Judgments which are already fallen upon us and which is greatly to be feared will every day more and more befall us unlesse with true and unfeigned Repentance wee turne unto thee O Iesu who art both willing and able to save all those that flye to thee for succour Continue wee humbly beseech thee the rich treasure of thy Gospell amongst us give it a free passage dayly more and more convert or else confound all those that are enemies unto the same and which seeke to overthrow that Church which thine owne Right hand hath planted and whereof thou thy selfe art the chiefe corner-stone sometimes of the Builders refused Reforme those things which are amisse in thy Church and grant that thy Glorious Majesty may bee exalted in this Nation ever-more in sincere pure and holy worshipping of thee To this end O good God powre downe all thy blessings both spirituall and temporall upon thy deare Servant and our most gracious Soveraigne whom thou hast appointed to rule over us CHARLES by thy gracious goodnesse King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Blesse him with thy saving Health annoint thine Annoynted with the sweete senting Oyle of Joy and Gladnesse above all his fellows Let the advancement of thy Honour and Glory be the chiefest aime of his desires give unto him a more than ordinarie strength courage and magnanimity fit to sustaine and beare the weight of so heavy a burthen as the weight of so many Kingdomes are Grant unto him the Spirit of Wisedome discretion and government that with all Equity and Justice hee may these his Kingdomes peaceably and quietly governe Defend him from all forraigne invasions and from the mischievous practices of domesticall Traytors scatter all his Enemies abroad make them like water spilt upon the earth never to be gathered up againe blesse him in life with many happy dayes in death with the peace of Syon and in Heaven with the ioyes of Paradise Blesse together with him with abundance of blessings spâ—â—â—â—all and 〈…〉 Majesties 〈…〉 Queene 〈…〉 Charles 〈…〉 succeeâ—◠〈…〉 with all 〈…〉 â—â—all Pro 〈…〉 excellent 〈…〉 Elizabeth the 〈…〉 Sister with 〈…〉
continued until hee undertooke the Propheticall and Sacerdotall functions From which Towne he received this Title to be called Nazarenus Iesus of Nazareth This then is a Title given unto Iesus taken from the Towne or Village where the Angell Gabriel brought the message unto Mary and where Christ dwelt after his returne from Egypt and not from the order and Votary of Nazarites as some doe vainely imagine Neither is this Title without a Mystery For this word Nazarenus signifies three things Sanctified Separated and a Flower In all which sences Iesus may be truely tearmed Nazarenus First hee was sanctified not imperfectly and in part but perfectly and in whole And this was not by any external meanes after his Birth but onely by the Holy Ghost in his conception And therefore he was sanctified in utero in the wombe and ex utero Out of the wombe Hee was sanctified in the wombe the which Sanctification hath two parts First the stoppage in the propagation of Originall sin and of the guilt of Adams transgression which because Christ was from Adam as from a Root and not by Adam as by a Father is not derived unto him For man is originally sinfull not because of his substance but because of his Generation proceeding from a sinfull man For God at the beginning set downe this Order that what evill Adam had brought upon himselfe he should derive the same to every one of his posterity begotten by man Therefore when any Father begets a Child he conveyes into it besides humane nature the corruption of humane Nature Christ therefore for the preventing of this was not begotten by Man but conceived modo ineffabili by the Holy Ghost That so hee might take the substance of the Virgin without the corruption of that substance The second part of this Sanctification which is ex utero Out of the wombe is the perfect endowing of the Manhood of Christ with all purenesse and holinesse to make him a meete Mediatour Hee was sanctified out of the wombe for his whole Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth Ioh. 1.14 Full of Grace in his works full of Truth in his words Holy in his Birth holy in his Life and holy in his Death Secondly as he was Nazarenus sanctified so is he Nazarenus separated He was that Scape-goat seperated from his fellows to make an Attonement for the sinnes of the World Lev. 16.10 He was seperated from his Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon him the forme of a Servant Phil. 2.7 Phil. 2.7 He was separated from his owne Nation when he fled into Egypt for feare of Herod He was separated from his Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe his Fathers Will Hee was separated from his Disciples when he was hanging upon the Crosse Hee was separated from the Living when he dyed for our Redemption Hee was separated from the World when hee ascended into Heaven And thus was Iesus tearmed Nazarenus that is Separated Thirdly Iesus is Nazarenus That is Flos or floridus A Flower or flourishing for so is is hee called Esay 11. There shall come a Rod out of the stemme of Jesse and a branch or as the Vulgar Translation hath it Flos de radice ejus ascendet A Flower shall grow out of his roote Christ is more specially called Nazarenus a flower because as Protagoras observes Flowers Solem habent in Coelo Patrem Solum in terra Matrem That is Flowers have the Sunne in the Heavens for their Father and the soyle on the earth for their Mother So Iesus the Flower out of Iesse had in Heaven a Father without a Mother according to his God-head And in Earth a Mother without a Father according to his Manhood As he was God not differing from the Father but semper apud Patrem semper cum Patre temper de Patre semper in Patre Alwayes by the Father alwayes with the Father alwayes of the Father and alwayes in the Father Even so as he was Man he was Homo de homine propter hominem secundum hominem super hominem He was Man of Mankind according to his substance Man for mankind in regard of our Redemptihis Man according to mankind in regard of his Nature Man above mankind in regard of his Holinesse Sine quo Pater nunquam fuit sine quo Mater nunquam fuisset Without whom the Father never was and without whom the Mother never had beene Iesus is called here Nazarenus a Flower First because of the sweetnesse that is in him Secondly because of the sweetnesse he is to us That sweetnesse which is in him is expressed two wayes First in the sweetnesse of his Vertues manifested in his holy conversation wherein hee was a sweete-smelling Flower for imitation Secondly he was a sweet smelling Flower in his Passion when hee offered himselfe to God a Sacrifice of a sweete smelling savour for our Reconciliation Eph. 5.2 Eph. 5.2 Lastly he is the hope of that eternall sweetnesse which we shal enjoy hereafter in the Kingdome of Heaven For Dedit Humanitatem in terra praetium nostrae Redemptionis sed servat Divinitatem in Coelo praemium nostrae glorificationis Hee gave his Humanity upon the Earth the price of our Redemption but doth reserve his Deity in Heaven the reward of our glorification There are five principall Flowers in use with us Our Saviour is coÌ„pared unto five sorts of Flowers whereunto this our Nazarenus this our Iesus may bee fitly compared The Violet The Violet the Lilly the Saffron the Rose and the Marygold The Violet you know is little in quantity low in growth not raised farre from the earth signifying hereby the Humility of our Nazarenus the Lowlinesse of our Redeemer The which Humility of Christ was manifested in three particulars Nascendo In his Birth Vivendo In his life Morienâ—o In his death In his Birth he was humble For being the Creator of all things be disdained not to become a Creature Factor terrae factus in terra Creator Coeli creatus sub Coelo St. Aug. saith St. August Hee that made the Earth was borne upon the Earth Hee that created the Heavens was made under the Heavens He chose not to be the Son of some Great Empresse but of Mary a poore Virgin in Israel Hee was not borne in a Princely Palace but in a Stable not layd in a curious costly Cradle but in a silly Cratch Not attended on by Knights Potentates but by Oxen and Asses and such like creatures Such was our Saviours Humility in his birth In his Life He was content to worke at the Trade of his supposed Father Ioseph not affecting Lands Houses nor possessions For the Foxes had holes the Birds of the Ayre had nests but the Son of Man had not where to lay his Head Not abounding in worldly Treasure for the Fish of the Sea must pay Tribute unto Caesar Not ambitiously aspiring unto Rule and Government for when the people would have made
the beginning of the world but unto the otheâ— Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Thus is Christ Iesus an impartiall King punishing all the wicked within his Dominions and rewarding the good wherfore we may say that our King of the Iewes is Rex severus A severe King The sixt and last property of a good King is that hee be Pacificus A peace-maker and that both in his owne Kingdome and abroad This is the commendation that Plutarch gives to Numa Pompilius in whose daies the Temple of Ianus was kept shut for the spâ—ce of Forty yeares And this praise in the Scripture is given to Solomon that during his Reigne Israel was neither molested with civill Wars at home nor forraigne with other Nations herein being a Type of our King of the Jewes who was called long before he was borne Princeps pacis The Prince of peace Esay 9.6 He was borne in a time of a generall peace when he wrought our peace on Earth he is our Peace He came and preached peace unto them that were a farre off and to them that were nigh Eph. 2.17 Justly did Christ merit to bee called The Prince of peace for before his comming there were many Questions in the World which at his comming hee fully determined The first question was in the sacred Trinity and that was this Whether Man having transgressed should be redeemed seeing the Angels that fell were not to be redeemed And it was determined Affirmatively that Man should be redeemed though the Angels were not Because the Angels sinned by no suggestion but of their owne accord whereas Man sinned by the suggestion and fraud of Satan Secondly because the Angels were spirits and should have stood firmely in Obedience whereas Man did consist of flesh and blood which is alwayes prone to fall according to that of our Saviour Math. 26.41 The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weake Thirdly because the whole Nature of Angels fell not but onely some that were Rebellious whereas the whole Nature of Mankinde fell as having sinned in the roote and pitty it was that so noble a Creature should wholly perish Fourthly because the fall of an Angell was the ruine of an Angell and made him past recovery Whereas the fall of man made him not past recoverie The second Question in the Holy Trinity was who should worke this Redemption whether the Father or the Sonne or to Holy Ghost And it was determined that the Sonne should doe it Because unto the Father is attributed Power unto the Sonne Wisedome unto the Holy Ghost Goodnesse Now Lucifer ambitiously desired Gods Power and therefore sinned against the Father Man desired Gods Wisedome Yee shall be as Gods knowing good and evill and therefore sinned against the Sonne Antichrist usurpes the Goodnesse of the Holy Ghost and therefore sinnes against the Holy Ghost and is the sonne of perdition and cannot be saved Now Ejus est liberare c. It behooveth him that receiveth the injury to give the Indulgence and Man that had offended against the Son must be redeemed by the Sonne The third Question in the sacred Trinity was How Man should be redeemed whether by power or condigne satisfaction And it was determined not by power but by punishment And seeing man had offended by Pride Disobedience and carnall delight Christ the Sonne of God made satisfaction by Humility Obedience and the suffering of Death The fourth Question was betweene God and Man for God complained against Man that hee had offended him and Man complained against God that God had forsaken him Christ tooke away this difference by becomming a Mediator Now a Mediator must have three properties Community Authority and Power Community hee must be indifferent betweene both so was Christ having Community with God as God and Community Authority with Man as Man Hee must have Authority too to argue the Cause on either side So had Christ pleading for his Father that Man had broken his Law pleading for Man in making satisfaction He must also have Power upon the determination of the cause to make a Reconciliation so had Christ having made peace through the blood of that his Crosse to reconcile all things to himselfe whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Colos 1.20 The fift Question was betweene Man and Satan The Devill pleaded right unto Mankinde who had sold himselfe to him for an Apple The difference is taken away by Christ who pleads the Apple to bee none of the Devils and therefore hee bought him not with his owne but Christ redeemed him not with Silver or Gold but with his owne precious blood 1 Pet. 1.18.19 And mans sinne could not so much exceede in Demerit as Christs sufferings did in Merit The sixt and the last Question was betweene Man and Woman For Man complained of the Woman that she had allured him and the Woman of the Man that he should have reprooved her but because they were both Authors of their owne perdition Christ hath made them both partakers of his Redemption Hee tooke flesh of a Woman that Women might not thinke themselves excluded but in the person of a Man that Man thereby might be redeemed Thus hath Christ in the world wrought a world of Peace for us not peace with the world For Non veni mittere pacem saith he but peace with God peace with the Angels peace with Men peace with the Creatures and peace with our owne Consciences Wherefore we may justly say that our King of the Iewes is Rex pacificus A peaceable King And thus we have seene the Condition of our Soveraigne Iesus Christ how he hath approved himselfe a good King For he is wise liberall powerfull indifferent severe and peaceable answerable to which qualities are all his Actions For every worke of his is either a worke of VVisedome or a worke of Mercy or a worke of power or a worke of providence or a worke of Justice or a worke of Peace as if he intended in all things to shew himselfe a King for our commodity But as the King of Israel changed his habit and disguised himselfe when he went into the Battell at Ramoth-Gilead 1 King 22.30 1 King 22.30 so Christ indeed disguised himselfe who being in the forme of God and equall with God took upon him the shape of a Servant continuing ever though unknowne to the wicked Iewes Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Wherefore seeing wee have but one Soveraigne Monarch who is God and Man and King of the Iewes that hath the sole power to command our soules let us never deny our Alleageance to him Let us never make any confederacy or enthrall our selves to the World the Flesh or the Divell which would soone get the Dominion over us and make us their vassals And although all worldlings drunkards and uncleane persons and all that continue in wickednesse without repentance have made themselves bond-slaues unto these Tyrants yet let us
whom God hath called to the inheritance of his Saints in loue stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free not suffering our soules to be entangled againe with the yoake of bondage Gal. 5.1 Their service is nothing but misery and wretchednesse For Mundus decipit Caro inficit Diabolus destruit The World will deceive us the Flesh will infect us and the Devill will destroy us from such Kings Good Lord deliver us Onely O blessed King of the Iewes bee thou our spirituall Soveraigne thou art wise and wilt instruct us thou art liberall and wilt reward us thou art mighty and wilt defend us thou art just and wilt not forget us thou art severe and wilt not suffer the wicked to tryumph over us thou art peaceable yea our peace for thou hast wrought Reconciliation with God the Father who with thee bee glorified for ever-more Fly then thou sinner from bondage to liberty from death to life from misery to glory Behold The King of the Iewes calls thee Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 Here is a Proclamation of pardon for thy revolt if thou wilt seeke it if thou wilt embrace it He that is King of the Jewes waites when thou wilt become his Subject Behold saith hee I stand at the doore and knocke if any man open unto me I will come in and suppe with him and he with me Rev. 3.20 Set open the gate of thy heart and the King of glory will come in Psal 24.7 He will come tibi si credis contra te si non credis If thou receive him with faith and repentance hee will come to comfort thee if neither with faith nor repentance hee will come to confound thee If thou become a Subject hee will defend thee if thou continue an enemy hee will destroy thee Now is Christ comming into thy Soule as once hee came to Ierusalem Oh beleeve that he is thy King entertaine him joyfully cut downe the Branches of old Adams corruption put off the ragges of sinne spread them in the way and let thy Saviour trample on them Receive him with hearty acclamations and say Hosanna to the Sonne of David Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Thus much touching the Office of our Jesus He is a King Now for that a King does necessarily presuppose a Kingdome for they are Relatives the next thing wee are to treate of is his Kingdome There was never any earthly Empire but had his limits and was bounded with some parts of the habitable World The Assyrian Grecian Roman and Turkish Emperors though they spread themselves farre and wide yet was there alwayes some Lands Nations and Kingdomes exempt from their Dominion There was never any earthly Monarchy that was perpetuall but as it had a time of increase so hath it a time of decrease being either by sedition or forraigne invasion or some vice or other brought to ruine herein resembling the naturall body of man which hath a time to bee conceived a time to bee nourished and a time to bee brought unto perfection But when it hath attained his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His full growth it declines againe as the Sunne when hee is come to the Meridian and in tract of time either by its owne imbecility or it may be sooner by diseases or soonest of all by sudden Death droppes into the Grave As it is with this Little world Man so is it with that Great Man the world subject it is to change and alteration Now herein Christs Kingdome exceeds all Kingdomes which as it is boundlesse for place so is it endlesse for time infinite in extent and eternall for continuance Hee shall reigne over the House of Iacob for ever there is his perpetuity and of his Kingdome there shall bee no end there is his infinitenesse The Kingdome of Christ is twofold Superius and Inferius His Kingdome which is above and his Kingdome which is below Or rather they are one Kingdome differenced by two degrees though usually we call one The Kingdome of Grace and the other The Kingdome of Glory The Kingdome of Grace is that which our Saviour sayes is within us Regnum Dei intra vos est The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 Luke 17.21 wherein CHRIST solely reignes without substituting any Viceroyes or Depuâ—â—â—s For the greatest Monarch aâ—â— the most righteous Christian in the World is in this case but a fellow subject and therefore hath no rule over the Soule or command over the Conscience in matters divine tending to Gods worship though otherwise in matters Civill and Polâ—â—icall For as I have distinguished Christ from a temporall King so may his Kingdome bee distinguished from the other the one being wholly spirituall the other Per se directè wholly temporall This Kingdome or Grace is nothing else but our spiritual incorporation into the mysticall body of Christ being made lively branches of him who is the true Vine being established through faith in Christ This Kingdome consists not in worldly dignities terrestriall Tryumphs Citties Souldiers Councellours but in Righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 All are not Subjects of this Kingdome that are visibly in this Kingdome For some there are that are dead Members rotten Branches having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Some againe there are which bee but Forraigners and Aliens though suffered to trade and traffique in it yet many of these have gotten the outward habite and have learned the Language of this Kingdome and doe so cunningly counterfeit that they cannot bee discerned from true subjects by any but by the King himselfe This Kingdome is but an initiation of the other Here have wee the first fruits there wee shall have the whole lampe this is but an earnest penny that other the full payment in this wee labour in that we receive the reward This is Christs Viâ—eyard that his place of payment this is his Worke-house that his Treasury this is the Field of War-fare that the place of Tryumph yet here we must reigne over our selves before we can be crowned there For Regnum Coelorum sperare non potest qui propria membra regere non potest Hee can never hope to reigne in Heaven who doth not first reigne over his owne members here on Earth This Kingdome is not so secure as the other heere many fall away others are cut off some intrude without their Wedding-garments and are therefore imprisoned as Spyes This Kingdome is often disturbed by sedition of Heresies and Schisme oft shaken by the gusts of persecution often shrewdly undermyned by privy temptations but never overwhelmed For he who is King thereof is the Rocke whereon this Kingdome is immoveably founded Unto this Kingdome all strangers are invited the gates or Ports are shut to none For Gremium Ecclesiae nulli clauditur But some are