image of his Creator It is the onely crowne which the Lord hath set vpon his head Coronasti eū Thou hast crowned him with glory worship God forbid I should deterre any from that spirituall ambition and Christian emulation whereunto the Apostle doth excite Whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue any praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thinke of these things and consider them with vnderstanding Agreeable to that of Tertulltan in his Gloriam quaerimus de quibus salutem speramus Wee may glorie in that which furthers our good and tends to our saluation It is the emptie shadow of humane vanitie and proud vsurpation of diuine equalitie that is to be condemned when men glorie as if they had not receiued and arrogate that to themselues which is due vnto God Like Herod that was consumed of wormes because hee delighted in the praise of men and tooke that to himselfe which belonged to his maker In which sence that of Seneca may be vsed Quid ni tui miserior si pantonimica obstrepuerint instrumenta c. Hee is much to bee pitied that is euer receiued with the cry and applause of vulgar admiration It is better for mee to die saith the Apostle then any should cause my reioycing to be vaine And it were better for vs to bee had in execration and to bee made Anathemaes to our brethren then any should cause our reioycing to bee vaine and emptie without respect vnto God and the praise of his annointed that which I read in Saint Bernard is very good Si ante vestrum tribunal stare oporteret c. O my brethren if I were to stand before your tribunall I would delight in your praises if I were to be tryed by my owne sentence I would rest satisfied with mine owne opinion But what a vanitie yea what a madnesse is it since the Lord is to bee my Iudge not to seeke the approbation of his goodnesse and to make his glorie the crowne of my reioycing Remember then I beseech you the voyce of those many thousands in the Apocalyps Worthie is hee that was slaine to receiue honour and wisedome and riches and power together with that generall acclamation when all the creatures in heauen and earth made a shout crying Praise and honour glory and power bee to him that sits vpon the throne and to the Lambe for euer If the Baptist decreast when our Sauiour increast let our pride vanish and the glory of our light bee darkened as a candle at noone when the Sunne is in his strength that when we shall bee toucht with the glorie of our strength and the glorie of our wisedome and the glorie of our riches ches and the glory of our power wee may say as Christ did to Mary Touch me not for as yet I am not gone vp to the Father It is heauen that is the seate of glory and that with God the receipt whereof is like that pretious ointment and sacred perfume which the Lord charged the Priests to make and sanctifie to himselfe throughout all their generations But if euer the Lord were to be glorified and the whole aire to ring with the melodious Harmonie of symphoniacall inuitations If euer Gabriel the Archangell were to leade vs forth with a song and wee to follow as workmen did Miriam with Timbrels and dances If euer the heart of man were to be made an altar of praise and thankfulnesse and the whole Church to call for the Harpe and Violl the Psalter and the Dulcimer Now is the time whilst the golden candlesticke is placed in the midst of the Tabernacle and that Virgin bush of Maries wombe brings forth the light of the whole world and is not defiled or consumed whilst the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon vs and there is a starre come from Iacob whose comfortable raies pierce the deepe enlighten the heauens search the darknesse of the graue and spread ouer the face of the whole earth with radiant and shining lustre O the gratious bounty and wonderfull humilitie of so great dispensation God is become man the word flesh a Virgine a Mother the Creator a creature and to speake in the language of Saint Austin Qui regit sidera lambit vbera Hee that gouernes the influence of the starres drawes the sweetnesse of his mothers breast taking that from vs whereby hee may saue vs and ioyne vs to himselfe in the highest places who would not spring with Iohn in the very wombe and burst with Zacharie into the voyce of ioy and gladnesse through the strongest barres of infant silence and naturall imperfections to behold that Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world inuested in the golden fleece of humane nature to see the King of righteousnesse which sits by the throne of God forsake the bosome of his Father and proceed from the wombe of Mary as a Bridegroome from his chamber without preiudice to his Godhead or diminution of his power before the Lord was inuisible and wee heard the voyce of God as Adam in the coole of the garden sometime he spake in lightning sometime hee spake in thunder sometime from the clift of a rocke sometimes from the consuming flames of burning fire But now wee looke vpon him through the cloud of flesh and the lanthorne of his bodie so qualified and tempered to outward sight and corporall apprehension that we may not onely see but handle the word of life in the forme of man and habit of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that learned Father Nazianzene in an Oration though wee haue strayed in the desart of this world yet now we haue a cloud of direction to goe before the white cloud of his sacred flesh to lead and guide vs to that heauenly Canaan Hic est Dominus Iesus this is Christ the Lord the mediator of God and man the sonne of a Virgine the Bridegroome of his Church more faire and comely then all the sonnes of men that created his mother when he was begot of his Father and glorified his Father when hee was borne of his mother Iesus Christ the righteous Yesterday and to day and the same for euer For there bee many things in his birth which deserue praise and euerlasting remembrance The first is his goodnesse that he would endure the prison of our flesh the second his power that hee could manifest his strength in our weaknesse the third his wisedome in finding meanes for our deliuerance the last his iustice in satisfying the Law and making himselfe obedient to the actuall performance that we may cry with the Psalmist O Lord thy truth reacheth to the heauens and thy mercie to the clouds If any seeke to bee Authors of that whereof they onely bring tidings they are false Prophets Aemulantes diuinitatem furantes diuinationem as Tertullian nor Saint nor Angell nor Cherubin nor Seraphin nor any of that coelestiall Hierarchie may share
temporall blessings are for the most part Catholike and Vniuersall bestowed promiscuously without exception yet grace and peace and righteousnesse and adoption are neuer giuen to the reprobate For there is no peace vnto the wicked saith my God but fightings without and frightings within as the Apostle noteth they fly when none doth pursue and are afraid where no feare is Horrendum quatiente animo tortore flagellum well are they compared to a raging sea that neuer rests whose waters cast out mire and dirt their desires as winds that stirre and raise their passions their passions are as waues that turmoile and tosse their soules their soules are as ships that float to and fro and are carried vp and downe with restlesse motion and violent agitation in the midst of their bodies For as Bees are driuen away with smoake forsake their hiues so the coales of wrath and the stifling fumes of choaking enuie do remoue and exterminate the diuine sweetnesse of Christian peace and quietnesse Whence is that of Chysologus Haeretici in ira Christiani in pace Simeon is glad Herod is troubled the sheepe of Christ are quiet Wolues are inraged the Angels reioyce and are exalted the Diuels tremble and are confounded The Arke of Gods Church is safe and lyeth at Anchor the barke of Infidels floates and lies in continuall danger I remember in the reigne of Selymus when a Persian Embassadour came to entreate peace of the Turkes a desperate fellow discharged a shot and would haue slaine him being taken and examined hee neuer changed countenance but replyed hee was an enemie to his Lord and most vnworthy any peace the like answer shall be giuen to the wicked when they seeke for peace and the Lord will sweare they shall not enter into his rest Looke vpon the troubles of their heart and consider their manifold distractions who is able to expresse the stroakes and the scourges the wounds and the torments that make them bleede within the furies that haunt their breast and twine as snakes about them the seuerall pleits of the writhen thoughts and perplexed cogitations They are cursed in the field and cursed in the Citie cursed in the fruit of their land and cursed in the fruit of their bodie their children perish and neuer behold the Sunne their cattell are smote with lightning and their flocks of sheepe with hot thunderbolts their vineyards are destroyed with hailestones and their mulbertie trees with frosts the Caterpiller eates their grasse and the Grashopper their labour the Lord doth smite them with Feuers and Agues and blastings and mildewes and neuer leaue till they be destroyed the Lord doth cast vpon them the furiousnesse of his wrath trouble and displeasure with the immission of diuels and incursion of euill spirits For they are enemies of God and most vnworthy of this peace that peace which is here published and confined to his seruants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To men of good will Not to men of good vnderstanding onely For knowledge puffes vp but to men of good will For charitie buildes vp Not to men of good deeds onely for sometimes they may bee hypocriticall and Pharisaicall but to men of good will for they are perfect and Angelicall Such as embrace Christ willingly and receiue his word ioyfully with true loue and hearty deuotion These are quadrati lapides as Saint Austin square stones that neuer fall howsoeuer they be turned Their life is like the breeding of those Halciones which makes their nest in the sea as long as the one liues the other breeds there is a great calme and wonderfull serennitie Beware then of enuie and the Lord deliuer vs from hatred malice and all vncharitablenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil as God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God so the Diuell is hatred and he that abideth in hatred abideth in the Diuell O yee that feele the arrowes of God sticke fast in you returne into your hearts and examine your consciences see whether your will bee good or bad rectified or depraued If the Lord make way to his indignation and giue your life to the destroyer if your riuers be dryed vp and your waters turned into bloud if the heauens bee as brasse ouer your head and the earth as iron vnder your feete if yee haue dust for raine for dew ashes if your sheepe be giuen to the enemy and your labour to the stranger if your hearts boyle with anguish and the sorrowes of death compasse you round about thinke it is for lacke of this good will because yee haue not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good will towards your maker good will towards your neighbour If yee had good will ye would not be so much disquieted They are men of good will that are the vessels of peace and the subiect of this blessing and the good will that dwelt in the bush will dwell in none but such as haue good will In this God is like that Romane Emperour Odit pallidos macilentos His soule doth abhorre such as are leane with enuie and pale with malicious wickednesse O that diuine charity were shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and the vertue thereof spread as a veine through the body of our Church O that our soules were as the Pallace of Salomon and the midst thereof paued with loue toward the daughters of Hierusalem Then would the Lord couer vs all the day long and we shall dwell in safetie then would hee lie betweene our shoulders and wee should be as Ioseph that was separate from his brethren Beloued I may say of these breasts as Christ doth of the Churches Meliora vino â—bera Thy breasts are more pleasant then wine The breasts of pietie and deuotion the breasts of mercie and compassion the breasts of true loue and Christian affection I would to God I could see them run and flow as spouts and conduicts in the midst of your habitations And me thinks I do to the honour of God and the abundant increase of your rest and quietnes Yet this is not enough vnlesse yee adde bowels vnto breasts breasts will soone dry vp if they bee not fed with the melting of our bowels and therefore saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put yee on the bowels of compassion that as Christ was inuested in our flesh so we might be inurserated with his bowels the tender bowels of mercie louing kindnes If thy heart rise against thy neighbour remember the peace thou hast with God if thy soule delight in honour think of the glory that is giuen to the Lord. Non venit Dominus vt impleret aqua Hydrias sed vt animas spiritus sancti gratia irrigaret saith Ambrosius the Lord is not come to fill our water pots with wine but to water the soules of men with the graces of his spirit that we might haue peace with our selues good will towards others and the sacrifice of praise for him that dwelleth in the highest Neuer was that of the Psalmist more fitly vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the heauens reioyce and the earth be glad Let the earth be glad for there is peace in it Let the heauens reioyce for there is glorie in the highest Let the earth be glad for hee that was heauenly was made earthly Let the heauens reioyce for he that is earthly was and is heauenly and let both take vp that which the Angels sung vnto the sheepheards Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men when the Angels sang Christ was naked on the earth now we sing he is glorious in the heauens Therefore doth our solemnitie exceed theirs and we may better say Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men I reade of one Pope that would haue none reade this verse but onely the Priests but we know that all the elect are Kings and Priests to God A royall Priesthood a holy Nation purchased redeemed with his bloud and therfore let vs ioyne in this dochologie and neuer rest saying Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men I will shut vp all in that closure of the Apostle Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and the Spirit bee in honour and glorie in the earth as it is in heauen till the earth mooue and the heauens forget their motion Amen Amen FINIS
blacknesse of our nature the sacred Vnion and Sacramentall coalition of God and man Christ his Church in the cords of loue and the bands of mercie for there is no similitude able to reach the depth hereof shee will euer be in his sight he will euer be in her thoughts shee will be engrauened in the palmes of his hands he will be placed as the signet of her arme Shall I tell you the claime of this interest it is Loue for that was strong as death and cruell as the graue he spared not his life vnto death but gaue it as a ransome for the sinnes of many and sealed it with his bloud crying to her as Galba to his souldiers Ego vester vos mihi I am wholly deuoted vnto you you are wholly deuoted vnto me therefore will hee bee as a seale on her heart and as a signet on her arme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet on thy arme The words of the Text are as a sacred armorie where you haue a shield for the hand and a couer for the heart or as an heauenly wardrobe where me thinkes I see the cloake and the ring which Iudah left with Tamar the ratification and assurance of spirituall grace and euerlasting holinesse they hold some Analogie with the offices of state the seale and the signet here is a seale a broad seale for the largenesse of our hearts Put me as a seale on thy heart here is a signet a little signet for the roundnesse of our armes As a signet on thine arme Pauca at salutaria expedita at sancta as we reade in Saluianus short and holy few and wholesome breefe in words and precept but in sence durable and permanent That which I shall punctually distinguish vnto you is first the habit and ornament of the Church that is Christ and his righteousnesse implyed in the affixe of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me or set me Secondly the Part and the Subiect to be adorned that is the heart and the arme Put me on thy heart and on thine arme Thirdly the figure and semblance that is a seale or a signet Put me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet on thy arme Last of all the superinduction with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall which is vpon or the circumposition with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint which is about Put me as a seale on thy heart and a signet about thine arme All this is gathered and recapitulated in that of Paul to the Romans Put ye on Christ Iesus and take no care for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof But more perfectly in the same Apostle to his Corinthians Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your soules for they are his He will be on thy heart by Faith and Truth and inward sanctification he will be on thy arme by loue and holinesse and outward manifestation He will be here and he will be there as a seale or a signet that bearing the markes of Christ Iesus in our bodies wee may be like those thousands of Israel who were sealed in their fore-heads sealed and selected vnto the Lord against the day of our redemption Put him on thy heart for he is the wisedome of God Put him on thy arme for he is the power of God Put him on thy heart for he is the life of thy soule Put him on thy arme for he is the strength of thy flesh Put him on thy heart for he is the onely begotten Sonne of God who liueth in the bosome of his Father Put him on thy arme for he is the mighty Redeemer of the world that sitteth on the right hand of God in the glorie of the Father Put him on thy arme that he may direct thine actions Put him on thy heart that he may settle thy affections Put him as a seale and signet on both that he may know thee for his owne and bind thee to himselfe with an euerlasting couenant Quid enim prodest si Deum gestamus in fronte vitia in animo recondamus as Saint Augustine hath obserued What auailes it to haue God in the fore-head so we treasure vp wickednesse in the conscience If he be on thy heart by studie and meditation he will learne thee knowledge and make thee vnderstand the mysteries of his crosse and the righteousnesse of his kingdome If he be on thine arme for practice and imitation he will order thy goings and make thee delight in the way of truth and the custodie of his precepts If he be as a seale on the doore of thy heart and the posts of thy arme thou shalt not onely escape the punishment of the destroying Angell but exalt thy horne and triumph with the Lord and reioyce exceedingly in the power and glorie of his saluation Thus doth God call vpon vs but it is for our good and comfort There is much pleasure in that we loue though sometime absent but then is our ioy full and there is life in it when that we loue is at hand and present Therefore will he be in oculis in osculis as the signet of our arme for sight and presence as the seale of our hearts for delight and remembrance Put me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet on thine arme Hitherto wee haue lookt vpon the words of the Text as so many coynes of gold siluer I shall now put them in the ballance of the Sanctuarie and take their seuerall value that so I may proceed to my first obseruation Christ and his righteousnesse implyed in the affixe of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me or set me Some play the Criticks and would haue the Church to speake vnto Christ not Christ to the Church because the affixe is not masculine but of the seminine gender indeed if points and vowels had bene equall with the Originall and not inuented after by the Iewish Rabbins they might deserue hearing but since it is otherwise our safest course is to run with the Fathers I meane Theodoret and the rest who make Christ the spokesman and that for himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put me and set me Great and wonderfull is the beautie of the creature such as might bewitch the heart of man with the inchanting cup of deceitfull vanitie but whether yee looke vpon the brightnesse of the starres whether ye behold the glorie of the Angels whether ye consider the treasures of the deepe whether ye admire the power of the elements from the center of the earth to the circle of the heauens there is nothing ought to be as a crowne to vs saue that gracious light which shined to Moses in the bush and sate in the Tabernacle amidst the golden Cherubins It is the word of Christ must be as the iewell of our eares it is the yoke of Christ must be as the chaine of our necks
on a thousand mountaines For Christ is our Passeouer and it is the sprinkling of his bloud that must purifie the vessels of our Sanctuarie Who shall take away the sins of the world but the Lambe of God or what satisfaction to bee made without price of his bloud that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nissen speakes the abolisher and destroyer of Mosaicall rites but the establisher and confirmer of spirituall righteousnesse This made the Lord cloathe him with a garment dipt in bloud Apoc. 19. and verifie that Prophesie of Iudah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall wash his coate in wine and his cloake in the bloud of grapes Caro eius stola eius saith Ambrosius his coate is his flesh and his cloake is the puritie of his manhood that hides our sinnes and couers our infirmities This did he wash and rence and purge and clense in the bloud of grapes that he might consecrate the whole bodie of his Church and present her glorious to the Father without spot or wrinkle Whence is that elegant speech of learned Austin Non vis habere maculam lauare in sanguine non vis habere rugam in crucem extendere Wilt thou haue no spot be thou washt in the bloud of Christ wilt thou haue no wrinkle bee thou stretcht vpon his crosse Oh the staine and pollution of our sinnes that will not bee purged without the bloud of Christ Iesus O the bowels and compassion of our Sauiour that is prodigall of his life to purge our iniquities hee tooke from vs the death of his flesh and spilt for vs the bloud of his life or rather as the text is read by Hierome Sanguinem animae the very bloud of his soule Hic est sanguis noui foederis this is the bloud of the new Couenant which is shed for you and for many shed and showred on the face of the whole earth in great plentie and abundance that it might worke in vs the fruite of good liuing and produce those heauenly flowers of loue charitie patience humilitie deuotion pietie and whatsoeuer is most pleasing to the Lord of glorie Indeed God tooke a Ramme for Isaac but if his owne Sonne do not come with his owne bloud there will neither be entrance for him nor redemption for vs. Hee is the Ramme that was caught in the bush of thornes and must be a sacrifice for all the sonnes of Abraham It is his bloud that stickes vpon the doores of the Isralites and to this day keepes away the destroying Angell from the Tabernacles of the Christians Well might the Iewes haue spared that scarlet robe which they cast vpon his loynes for before they had left him they made scarlet of his flesh died and dipped in the bloudie torrent of his rosie passion The best scarlet is but dibaphum twise died but his once and againe and a third time yea there were seuen effusions of his bloud as so many streames from the head of Nilus The first as soone as hee was borne when they tooke away the fore-skin of his flesh and spilt his bloud before it was well receiued A second in the garden when he was cast into a bloudy sweat the curtaines of Solomon were rent and the pores of his body were opened whilst euery part sent forth bloud and water trickling on the ground The third in his scourging when they plowed his backe with whips and made long furrowes on his shoulders A fourth at his coronation when they placed him as a rose among thornes and set a prickling crowne on his head the white rose became red and the puritie of his innocencie tooke colour from the misery of his sufferings The fift in the nayling of hands A sixt in the piercing of his feete but the seauenth and last when his side was opened and the depth of his wounds discouered the tendernesse of his bowels the iron went into his soule the speare toucht his very heart that hee might haue a feeling and sympathie of our infirmities Now did the spouts runne and the fountaines streame with the sweetnesse of the grape and though he were fastened on the crosse yet died he like Seneca in a bath not of water but of bloud and that his owne once shed but euer springing to safetie and redemption that it might drowne our sins and purge our soules and quench that sierie blade which the Cherubin hangs ouer the gate of Paradise to keepe vs from the tree of life the portion of our inheritance Where but on the crosse when but at the effusion of his bloud did hee say to that cursed malefactor Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso this day thou shalt bee with me in Paradise Then were the gates of heauen set wide open and there was a way through bloud to that euerlasting portion which he tooke from the hand of the Amorite by his sword and by his bow his sword his word his bow the mysterie of his incarnation where the maiestie of the Godhead stoopt to the weakenesse of the manhood and bowed as it were to the strings of humane frailtie In vaine then do men crucifie themselues and are perswaded that martyrdome is the onely way to heauen like those Priests of Baal and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Rome that teare their flesh with hookes and whips the bloudie instruments of voluntarie pennance as if they would redeeme the transgressions of their soules with the fruite of their bodies and expiate diuine iustice with the cruell butchering and most vnnaturall oblation of their sonnes and daughters vnto Idols It cost more to redeeme soules neither shall any deliuer his brother by the execrable practises of so great impieties Nor by Orizons nor by Dirges nor by Pardons nor by Indulgences or the like inuentions of superstitious dotage In this case we may vse the words of Saluianus Semper redempti nunquam liberi They are euer redeemed but neuer freed For we are not bought with things corruptible but with the pretious bloud of Christ as a Lambe without spot If the Sonne free vs then are we free and where the Spirit is there is libertie Qui melior aduocatus saith Ambrose what better aduocate then hee which gaue himselfe for vs Are not the figures ended and the ceremonies abolished Is not the Temple destroyed and the Priesthood of Aaron quite extinguished Let the Iewes meete and seeke to repaire their temple fire shall breake from out the earth as in the dayes of Iulian to deuoure them and roote out their foundation for we haue no Priest but Christ no altar but his Crosse no sacrifice but his flesh no ransome but his bloud no incense but deuotion no fire but the Spirit no temple but heauen no order but that of Melchisedech which stands and abides for euer And let all such know that wallow in flesh and bloud the bloud of their sinnes and the bloud of their iniquities that delight in bloud and make no conscience how they spill innocent bloud Christian bloud that are
set vpon miracles and labour to conuert water into bloud colour seas die riuers as if they would sayle and swim to Paradise through bloud of their enemies that Christs bloud may witnesse against them and charge them with the bloud of their slaine which hee so dearely purchast that as his bloud calls for pardon so their bloud calls for vengeance and may one day come vpon the desperate malefactor without repentance to his ruine and confusion Whence is that resolution of Anastasius the Emperour cited by Euagrius in the third booke of his storie Quod nihil velit aggredi that he would aduenture no exploit though neuer so honourable and glorious if he thought it might cost him a drop of bloud But such mildnesse requires a golden age that we cōdemne is the brutish violence of sauage furie It were good some bloud were let in vs not the bloud of our flesh but the bloud of our soules I meane the lust of our desires and the heate of our affections For as Bernard speakes Sanguis animae voluntas mea The bloud of my soule is the will of my heart and if there were a vent made for the corruptions thereof wee should find a more easie passage into heauen for there is a spirituall galarie and milken path that leadeth vnto God euen truth and holinesse puritie and righteousnesse our hearts being sprinkled from an euill conscience with the bloud of Christ and assured confidence in the merit of his passion O the rubricke and witnesse of eternall glorie that makes vs Saints in the kingdome of heauen and washeth our soules from their spirituall leprosie How should we adore the Sacrament of his bloud how should wee thirst after the fountaine of his bloud Crying with our Sauiour in the Gospell sitio I am a thirst He thirsts after our good let vs thirst after his bloud He thirsts after our saluation let vs thirst after his righteousnesse till our bloud-thirstinesse take away our bloud-guiltinesse and his bloudie wounds cure our bloudie issue the naturall fluxe of originall impuritie that it may bee true in vs which is spoken of the Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riuers of the water of life shall flow out of their bellie The wild beast finds sweetnesse in the bloud of man and hunts for it Shall not wee more in the bloud of Christ and thirst for it it is milke to the weake and makes him strong it is wine to the strong and makes him chearefull O bee not slow to frequent the Temples and to loue the seruice and to honour the stones and to worship the alters where so grieuous a veine is opened to the house of Israel When Vitellius came into a field of bloud died with the slaughter and strewed with the bodies of the dead others were annoyed he onely cryes out Optime hostis occisus melius ciuis There is a good smell in the bloud of an enemie much better in the bloud of a subiect A most inhumane speech and full of tyrannie but had he said Optime hostis melius Christi There is a good smell in the bloud of an enemie but much better in the bloud of Christ that had bene religious pietie which is now recorded for outragious crueltie For indeed it is his bloud that is the sauour of life and smell of a field which the Lord hath blest that fills the nostrils of our heauenly Father and makes him forget the stinke of our wounds and the putrifactions of our iniquities whilst he stands like Phineas to mediate for vs in that holy place where now hee makes his entry and so I passe from his humiliation to his exaltation from the key of his bloud to the closet of his glorie Hee entred the holy place The sonnes of Israel came to their earthly Canaan through the red sea the Sonne of God to that heauenly Canaan through a sea of bloud that flowed with milke and honie this with the sweetnesse of peace and glorie that a land of holinesse this a place of holinesse where peace and holinesse and truth and righteousnesse haue taken vp their rest and made their habitation For holinesse becomes the house of God for euer perfect holinesse vniuersall holinesse with a vniuersality of time it is for euer with a vniuersality of subiect it is so that no vncleane thing may enter It was a good inscription which a bad man set vpon the doore of his house Per me nihil intret mali no euill may passe through me whereupon said Diogenes Quomodo ingredietur Dominus How then shall the master get into his owne house I know not how it may agree with our mansions vpon earth sure I am the first part is most conuenable with that coelestiall Bethel the gates of heauen and blessed sanctuarie of eternall righteousnesse For whatsoeuer is there is holy the Saints holy the Patriarchs holy the Martyrs holy the Prophets holy but the Lord himselfe most holy and blessed neither is this holinesse originall in those coelestiall bodies but deriuatiue from the Lord of all things It is he that sanctifies and makes them holy times places men Angels names ceremonies vessels instruments things animate things inanimate with the gracious spirit of his sauing righteousnesse They are holy because the Lord is holy and must needs subscribe to that great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Cherubins Holy holy holy Lord God almightie which is which was and which is to come But wherein stands the differerence betwixt the holinesse of God and the holinesse of his place Deus sanctus quia sanctificans the Lord is holy because he sanctifies and is not sanctified that is holy because it is sanctified and cannot sanctifie else might Adam haue continued holy as long as hee was in Paradise and the diuell as long as hee was in heauen but the one was cast out and the other was cast downe that so the holy one might come into the holy place and say with the Prophet Deus non homo I am God and not man The holy one of Israel in the midst of thee Hos 9. 11. For though hee were humbled vnto death and lay melting on the fornace of his crosse yet was he exalted vnto life and snatched as a brand out of the fire and that as Saint Ambrose speakes In vmbraculo nubis vt foueantur vulnera passionis In the coole shade of a spreading cloud to qualifie the heate of his bleeding wounds Neither is there any Christian but may discerne as farre with the ioyes of faith as euer Stephen did with the eyes of his body when hee said Behold I see the heauens opened and the sonne of man stand at the right hand of God Luke saith hee stands Dauid he sits yet are they both true he sits as a Iudge for the Lord hath giuen all power to his Sonne he stands as an Aduocate For we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins The
as most incorruptible and repugnant rectifie their iudgement and subscribe to that of God They shall discerne betwixt the cleane and the vncleane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in strife or controuersie they shall stand vp to iudge according to my ordinance Ezech. 44. 24. Beloued wee know the sacred maiestie of legall decrees and monotheticall exercises may bee well preserued when by lawfull authoritie from higher powers it is committed to religious professors And though Aarons rod must euer yeeld to the rod of Moses and bee iudged by it yet may it sometimes bring forth ripe and pleasant Almonds But I touch here as at the riuer Nile and that onely to cleare the text My scope is to support the weaknesse of your patience and long animitie that as yee serue Christ and walke in him so likewise ye would abide his leasure and waite the time of his reward It was a comfortable speech which the Emperour vsed to Galba in his childhood and minoritie when he tooke him by the chinne and said Tu Galba quandoque imperium degustabis Thou Galba shalt one day sit vpon a throne and let it cheare the Saints of God how little soeuer in the sight of the world that one day they shall sit vpon a throne Et tu Galba impertum degustabis thou Galba thou little one thou Iacob thou Israel thou worme Iacob thou poore Israel that sits in the dust with Iob or lyest on thy bed of sicknesse with him that was paraliticall shalt one day sit vpon a throne and bee gathered with Princes with the King of kings and the Lord of lords that raignes ouer the house of Dauid and turneth righteousnesse into iudgement the Carpenters sonne is gone before to make roome as yet the seates are not built nor the thrones erected when he shall fashion the world anew and returne in the clouds of heauen wee shall bee enstalled with him and receiue as it were Stallum in choro vocem in capitulo A seate in the quire and a voyce in the Chapter of that blessed temple the temple of Ierusalem Now he cryes to vs as he did to Mary Noli me tangere touch me not wee may not touch the seueritie of his iudgements nor the maiesty of his greatnesse touch mee not for though I am gone vp to the Father I am not come downe to you in power Then shall yee sit with mee vpon my throne as I sit with my Father vpon his throne vpon my throne for ye shall partake of my iudgements and yet vpon twelue thrones for ye shall haue your seuerall mansions whilst the whole world doth cry with the Antiochians In Theodoret vicit Deus Christus eius The Lord and his Christ hath got the victorie the Lord and his Saints haue got the victorie Be patient therefore and haue nothing to do with the stoole of wickednesse which imagines mischiefe as a law But stand as men waiting for the Bridegroome with your loynes girt and your lampes burning gird your loynes with chastitie and abstinence kindle your lampes with charitie and holinesse Blessed are the seruants whom the Lord shall finde so doing Verily I say vnto you Hee shall gird himselfe and make them sit downe at table with him and come and serue them Luke 12. 37. Euen so Lord Iesu come quickly it is long since thou camest in the flesh and wast made lower then Angels bee not slow to returne in the clouds and approoue thy selfe higher then Angels dost not thou heare the cry of those soules which lye vnder the altar Quousque Domine how long sweet Iesu Such is the voyce of all thy louing seruants that languish and faint with the continuall expectation of thy glorious presence Quousque Domine how long sweet Iesu Wilt thou hide thy selfe for euer and shut vp thy louing kindnesse in euerlasting displeasure Veni Domine Iesu Come Lord Iesu and make no long tarrying Cibus viatorium salus beatorum saith Fulgentius as thou hast bene the strength and comfort of all that trauell by the way so be the crowne and glorie of all that are come to the end of their way The Prophets desired to see thy comming vpon the earth to the end they might be redeemed Wee looke for thy appearing in the heauens to the end wee may bee glorified Tunc implebuntur vota saith elegant Bernard then shall our longing bee satisfied and our desires accomplished wee that haue followed thee in truth shall rest with thee in peace and wee that rest with thee in peace shall iudge with thee in righteousnesse this peace this truth this righteousnesse this glorie the Lord of his great mercie grant vnto vs for the merit of his Sonne Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the Spirit bee praise and glorie from generation to generation Amen COELVM APERTVM THE Opening of Paradise HIERON in Epist Nihil Christiano foelicius cui promittitur regnum coelorum LONDON Printed for ROBERT ALLOT THE FIFTH SERMON MATH 25. 21. Enter into thy masters ioy THe best men are but Gods stewards and as it were dispensers of his manifold graces Whatsoeuer vertues wee haue they are pledges of his loue and gifts of his spirit or rather as it is implyed in the series of this parable talents and deposites of our Lord and master Paul and Dauid agree in one that when hee went on high hee bestowed gifts vpon men and there is none but may professe with Iohn the Euangelist De plenitudine eius of his fulnesse haue we all receiued some strength some vertue some wisedome some knowledge some power some eloquence some faith some holinesse some tongues some healings some prophesies some miracles for the honour of God the beautie of the world the gathering of the Saints the building of the Church the perfecting of our liues the crowning of our soules in the day of our Lord Iesus So that we may not bury our talent in the ground or hide it in a napkin with that vnprofitable seruant lest we be like the Iewes of whom Austin spake Verba non facta legis habuerunt They kept the words of the Law they neglected the works of the Law full of leaues void of fruit worthy to bee excluded the kingdome of heauen and exiled from the presence of God with those foolish Virgines For he is as the text notes a hard man That reapeth where hee soweth not and gathereth where hee stroweth not Though he forbid vs to put our money to vse yet doth hee charge vs to giue his into the banke that when he comes he may receiue it with increase being as Saint Ambrose notes Foenerator gratiae A great vsurer and a wonderfull extortioner not of things temporall as gold and siluer but of things spirituall as faith and holinesse the like endowments lent vs for the good of others Whence is that of a learned Father Augentur dona crescit ratio The larger our gifts the greater our account Hee that gaue vs a blessing will call
videtur in terris The shew and manifestation of his presence is in the earth but the celebritie and declaration of his glory is in the heauens For if the Psalmist would haue a trumpet blowne in the new moone Blow the trumpet in the new moone There is a trumpet of praise and glorie that must sound and bee lifted vp shall I say in the new Moone or rather in the feast of Tabernacles Whilst the Tabernacle of God is with man and to speake in the phrase of Nyssen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Israel but the Lord of Israel dwelleth in a tent or a booth and is receiued into the darke mansion and earthly Tabernable of humane flesh and mortall corruption Yee haue a president from the Angels though hee were not a Sauiour to them but to vs. For he tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham Yet doe they begin the Antiphone and teach vs how to sing Though we may not compare with their knowledge and vnderstanding yet may wee emulate their pietie and deuotion My prayer shall be that which the Apostle vsed in the behalfe of the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God of patience and consolation make yee like minded that with one mouth yee may praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ saying and singing as it is in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorie to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men That which I haue read vnto you is a sacred Hymne and diuine Embasie where there is discouered a threefold benefit of our Sauiours incarnation The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the loue and good will of him that dwelt in the bush Good will towards men The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace and reconciliation with God the Father On the earth peace The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour and glorie and that from the noblest creatures I meane the Angels that dwell in the height and sublimitie of eternall blessednesse Glorie to God in the highest on the earth peace good will towards men But that which ariseth most clearely from this fountaine is a blessing receiued and a blessing returned A blessing receiued and that is peace On the earth peace A blessing returned and that is Glorie Glorie to God on high In the first wee note the Motiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuine loue and spirituall adoption Good will towards men In the second wee note a circumstance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the highest Either locall and so by the highest we vnderstand the heauens Or personall and so by the highest we vnderstand the Angels Glorie be to God on high on the earth peace c. Glorie bee to God on high For the heauens send downe and the clouds drop righteousnesse On the earth peace For saluation and Iustice are come forth it brings them forth together Good will towards men For we are satisfied with the abundance of his louing kindnesse Grace and Mercy compassion and bounty from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Who so great and eminent that he may not honour God it is the practise of the Angels Glorie to God in the highest Who so powerfull and magnificent that hee should not embrace peace it is the onely blessing on the earth On the earth peace Who so amiable and preualent that hee should not stand by this grace it is the onely stay of life and happinesse Towards men good will O the diuine maiestie of this heauenly Sacrament where hee that is despised of his owne is the attonement for his enemies hee that lyeth among the beasts is the securitie of man hee that cryeth in a stable is magnified in heauen and that by an host of spirituall souldiers saying and singing Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Yee haue now seene the notes of my song I shall resume them in their order though to vse the words of Iohn I am not worthie to vntie the latchet of his shooe Ligatura calceamenti ligatura mysterij saith Gregorie the latchet of his shooe is the mysterie of his birth For the brightnesse of the Godhead lyeth shadowed and shrouded vnder the veile and couer of his manhood diuinitie in humanitie power in infirmitie maiestie in humilitie immortalitie in frailtie life in death and Christ in the flesh O let not that be wanting in you towards me which abounds in God towards all I meane voluntas bona a good will and beneuolous disposition whilst I begin with my first note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorie to God on high It is well the Angels set glorie before peace For there will be no peace with man if there be not glorie to the Lord it is one of those peculiars which he reserueth to himselfe the first is vengeance and therefore saith Moses Vengeance is mine and I will repay the second power and therefore saith the Euangelist The Lord hath giuen all power to his Sonne the last and chiefest is Glorie and therefore saith Esay I will not giue my glorie to another Indeed the Lord made all things for his glorie and if he be not glorified in their actions hee will bee glorified in their punishment by the seueritie of his iustice This made the Apostle to exclude euery creature from the fellowship hereof To the King euerlasting inuisible immortall and onely wise God bee honour and glory And the Psalmist is distinctly negatiue by a perfect abdication from himselfe and others Not vnto vs not vnto vs but to thy name be the glorie That wee may say vnto her as Ioseph vnto his Mistris My Lord hath committed all things vnto my hand and kept nothing from me but onely thee which art his wife How shall I do so great wickednesse and sinne against my Lord The Lord hath committed all things vnto our hands sent vs his Angels giuen his Sonne powred forth his Spirit multiplyed his graces and kept nothing from vs but this glorie which is espoused to him from euerlasting How shall wee do so great wickednesse as to sinne against the Lord and spoile him of his glorie Yet there is an inward glorie wherein wee may reioyce proceeding from a good conscience The holy Ghost bearing witnesse to our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God For glorie and honour and peace shall bee to euery soule that doth good to the Iew first and also the Grecian Yea and an outward glorie too so it bee limited within the bounds of pietie and charitie I meane the honour of God and the benefit of our neighbour In Deo secundum Deum propter Deum as the learned haue distinguisht First in Deo from God as the Author and fountaine then secundum Deum not after the will of man but after the will of God Last of all Propter Deum to the honour of God and the aduancement of his Gospell O gloriam licitam saith Tertulltan such Philotimie is very iustifiable and worthy of man the
in this honour it is thou onely which hast the glorie And that in altissimis and ab altissimis First in the highest for the heauens declare the glory and are the stage and theater of thine euerlasting power and triumphant maiesty secondly of the highest For the Angels praise thee and the Saints giue thankes vnto thee the heauens and all the powers therein continually do cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboth heauen and earth are full of thy glory thy praise is their ioy thy honour their comfort thy celebritie their felicitie by whose power they are made by whose wisedome they are illuminated by whose grace they stand fast and shall neuer bee remooued Whence is that of Dauid Beati qui habitant Blessed are they which dwell in thy house they will euer bee praising thee Though I could assigne many reasons of this glory from the Angels as the excellent dignitie of their wonderfull creation for they beare the signiture of God in their nature the continuall fruition of diuine sweetnesse for they tast and drinke thereof as from a riuer the sure confirmation of their eternall blessednesse for they are setled and established by the incarnation of our Sauiour Yet that which fills their hearts with praise and their tongue with ioy is their instauration of their decay because thou hast built vp the walls of Ierusalem and made vp their breach by the saluation of man and the redemption of our nature The walls of Ierusalem are the companies of Angels which are built vp and made compleat by reducing man to the state of their perfection Therefore do they reioyce and sing therefore do they cry aloud vpon their beds and to vse the words of Cyprian Gratulabundi praedicant they magnifie the riches of Gods mercy with exceeding ioy and wonderfull gratulation O my brethren and yee whom I tender as mine owne bowels in the Lord. What a motiue is this to Christian loue and perfect charitie Shall the Angels praise God for vs and shall not we praise the Lord for our selues Shall an armie of spirituall souldiers triumph in the redemption of man and shall not wee reioyce in our owne saluation and the miraculous deliuerance of our brethren True deuotion is full of compassion and the Saints of God do not onely suffer together but reioyce together with Hymnes and Psalmes of spirituall melody singing to the Lord with grace in their hearts Whence are they termed filiae Iudah daughters of Iudah and filiae confessionis daughters of confession as learned Austin makes the exposition such as praise God and offer the sacrifice of thankfulnesse for his loue to man and his blessings out of Sion Tell mee then what spirit they are of that call to heauen for vengeance and would haue the Lord send downe fire vpon their enemies that delight in the ruine and destruction of their brethren yea machinate the subuersion of States and Kingdomes with the diuellish practises of most hellish inuentions That curse where the Lord doth blesse and cry against the highest powers as the Romane legions against Iouian the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast escaped the edge of the sword and the furie of battell would God thy flesh had beene giuen to the fowles of the aire and the dogs had licked thy bloud as the bloud of Iezabell by the wall of Iezrael well may they resemble Abaddon and Apolluon the Diuell and his angels they are most repugnant to God his Angels For their song is of glory peace yea and of glory for peace and that with man vpon the earth which is the second note of this Hymne and desires continuance of your deuotion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the earth peace Though glory belong to heauen and peace to the earth yet was there a time when neither was to be found Man had prouoked God to anger and taken away our peace translated the worship of God to Idols and depriued him of his glory but now they are both in their naturall seate and the comming of our Sauiour is like the returne of that Doue into the Arke with the gracious branch of peace of mercy When Ionah was cast into the sea the storme ceast and there was a great calme when the Lord brought his first begotten into the world the troubles were abated there was a great peace throughout the whole earth Fluuius pacis as Esay writeth A floud of peace for a sea of misery and that which before was a place of exile and banishment is now the Tabernacle of rest and quiet where the Lord hath extended peace and safetie and righteousnesse and glorie as a flowing streame For that which hee taught as an Oracle in his life and bequeathed as a legacie at his death I meane the sweetnesse of peace and the aboundance of holinesse was now begun in the time of his birth and set as a pearle on the top and crowne of his blessed incarnation whence is hee termed a King of peace our heauenly Salomon yea our very peace that made both one and set at peace through the bloud of his crosse the things on earth and the things in heauen How can wee choose but rest in peace now the Lord is come who is to the whole earth as Apollo was to Delos that hee may settle and stablish it with an euerlasting quietnesse But Luke and Mathew are at variance and there is warre betwixt the words of my Text and that of the Gospell Thinke yee that I am come to send peace into the world I came not to send peace but a sword what a sword and yet peace Fire and yet peace warre and yet peace these things are incompatible and as the Poet notes Frontibus aduersis pugnantia Yet may they bee reconciled and stand together The sword of the spirit with the peace of conscience the fire of loue with the peace of religion war against Satan and his angels with peace towards God and his Angels For as the naturall body is framed of contrary elements so diuerse qualities may perfect the mysticall body of Christ Iesus And though we do not striue against flesh and bloud yet do we against the Prince of this world and against spirituall wickednesses in the highest places whence is that of Bernard Inter Babilonem Hierusalem pax nulla betwixt Babilon Hierusalem there is no peace Satan is the King of Babylon Christ of Hierusalem which he defends with cōtinuall resistances though he be not the God of confusion but of order in all the Churches of the Saints What then is the peace of my Text but sacred and diuine such as Christ wisheth to the Apostles and the Apostles to the elect in their generall salutations Peace with God for we are reconciled to the Father Peace with Angels for they reioyce in our conuersion Peace with men for they shall bee gathered into one flocke Peace with the creature for it shall be in league with vs Peace with our owne selues
betwixt the flesh and the Spirit the will and the vnderstanding the reason and the affections that all the powers and faculties of soule and body may agree with a sweet Harmony and gracious consent to serue God in true loue and perfect obedience Thus doth our Lord blesse vs with his peace by the wonderfull expiation of our sinnes and trespasses and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the earth for the earth of our hearts that brought forth thornes and briars doth now abound and flourish with the sauing fruit of truth and holinesse whilst euery one cryeth with the Psalmist Praise thy God ô Ierusalem praise thy God ô Sion which maketh safe the barres of thy gates and blesseth thy children within thee which maketh peace thy borders and doth satisfie thee with the flower of wheate All peace is sweet and acceptable without which spoile and rapine as a wild beast out of the forrest surprizes houses families temples cities and not onely deuoures the habitations of the righteous but subuerts and lays wast the greatest Empires mightiest kingdomes as a desart or a wildernesse But the interior peace which keepeth our hearts and minds in the knowledge and loue of God and exceeds the power of humane vnderstanding is the richest iewell that euer was bestowed vpon the earth Like a bed and palate where the Spouse of Christ may rest with ease and pleasure vntill his second comming O how beautifull are the feete vpon the mountaines of those that bring such tidings that speake comfortably to Hierusalem and say to her that her warfare is accomplished and her iniquitie pardoned that shee is iustified by faith and hath peace with God that her righteousnesse is grauen on his fingers and her walls are euer in his sight that hee stands behind the wall of his flesh and hath broken downe the partition wall of her offences That neither height nor depth nor things present nor things to come nor life nor death nor any other creature is able to separate her from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Were this peace finished where it is begun we should haue a terrestriall Paradise and a heauen vpon earth but that which is imperfect in our trauell shall be perfect in our country that we may esteeme it as a pledge of future glory and not inuert the method of the Angels like those in Bernard who seeke peace in heauen and glory on the earth till they loose both peace and glory For it is peace that is our inheritance on the earth and that which followes her immoueable center as motion heauen is the tranquillity of rest holines Though Christ might haue promised many things to his Disciples and giuen them power ouer kingdomes and nations as well as ouer serpents and scorpions yet all that hee sayes vnto them is In me pacem habituri In mee yee shall haue peace as if this alone were able to counterpoize and weigh downe all the miseries and afflictions and calamities and persecutions and disgraces and reuilings that euer the world might cast vpon them That counsell of Seuerus was good vnto his souldiers In vobis pacem caeteros despicite So ye agree among your selues ye may despise the threats of your enemies and it must needs aduantage true Christians In vobis pacem caeteros despicite haue peace among your selues or rather with God and neuer feare what the Diuell or man can do against you Beware then lest at any time ye forgoe this peace yet if yee will not bee pacifici yet be pacati If ye will not make peace with others yet take peace vnto your selues from God and his Ministers that yee bee not as those against whom the Disciples shooke off the dust of their feete and left them in their wickednesse Seeke this peace loue this peace pray for this peace long for this peace keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace that as Christ is knit to vs in the vnitie of person we may be knit to him in the vnitie of profession O my brethren yee are the sonnes of peace and the heires of peace by the gracious visitation of our heauenly Salomon Christ Iesus his cradle his infancy his weaknesse his pouerty his exhibition to sheepeheards ouer their flocks his presentation to Simeon in the midst of the temple are all signes of peace and most infallible tokens of this spirituall tranquillitie Possesse your hearts with peace and your soules with patience peace towards your Maker and peace towards your neighbour Let it rest in your flesh and take sanctuary in the earth of your mortall bodies till yee feele that in your selues which is here published by the Angell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the earth peace As for these who haue neither peace with God nor peace with man but awake his beloued out of sleepe and disturbe the quiet of his Church they are worse then vnbeleeuing Iewes or Iewish souldiers for howsoeuer they cast lots for the garment of our Sauiour they would make no diuision of it but these rend and teare I will not say the garment but the body of Christ which is his Church with open strife and scandalous diuision Persecutor non fregit crura Donatus rupit Ecclesiam saith learned Austin the souldiers would not breake the legs of Christ but Donatus teares the Church of Christ As long as his body hung vpon the crosse among theeues and malefactors it remained whole but when it was receiued by Christians it was rent and torne into many parts and sections Beloued I feare they are more inhumane and intractable then Wolues or Tigres or whatsoeuer is of wild or sauage disposition for all creatures though neuer so fierce were gathered in Noahs arke and met together but these extrauagant Separatists will hardly assemble into the Arke of Christs Church or ioyne together in the vnitie of faith and conformitie of Religion If it bee for lacke of knowledge they are to be pittied if it be for lacke of charitie they are to be condemned And so I leaue them to the act and complement of all that hath bene spoken and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good will towards men Towards men good will Some haue good will without peace they are infortunate and miserable some haue peace without good will they are perfidious and deceitfull but my Text puts both together On the earth peace good will towards men There be that referre this to God and take it for the eternall loue of diuine complacence which moued him first to the worke of our redemption There be that referre it vnto man and make it a limitation of that which goes before reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not peace on earth to men good will but peace on earth to men of good will This is the sence of Austin Bernard Cyprian Ambrose together with the most ancient and learned of the Fathers and may not be refused For howsoeuer
ALAE SERAPHICAE The SERAPHINS WINGS to raise us unto heauen Deliuered in six Sermons partly at Saint Peters in Westminster partly at S. Aldates in Oxford 1623. By IOHN WALL Doctor in Diuinity of Christ-Church in Oxford BERNARD Ser. 4. de verbis Esaiae Qui vnâ tantùm alâ volare contendit quò magis attollitur eò peiùs colliditur LONDON Printed by G. M. for ROBERT ALLOT and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Blacke Beare 1627. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God IOHN Lord Bishop of Lincolne the Worthie Deane of Westminster one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell my very Honourable good Lord and Noble Patron be multiplyed daily fauour with GOD and Men. RIGHT HONOVRABLE IN the vision of Ezechiel there was rota in rotâ One wheele within another my desire is there may be here ala in alâ One wing within another or rather indeed one wing vpon another the wings of these Seraphins within the wings of your protection and the wings of your protection vpon the wings of these Seraphins For as in the Tabernacle the faces of the Cherubins looked towards the seate of Mercie So do the faces of these Seraphins looke towards the Seate and Sea of your Honourable fauour and gracious pietie Stories write of FORTVNE and VICTORIE that when they came from MACEDONIA and coasted towards ROME they put off their wings and layd them downe as if they would go no further What are these winged tracts and feathered writings but in the Prophets phrase liber volans In the Poets language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If once they come into your Honours presence they will leaue their wings and seeke no other Patronage When they first sounded in the aire for the most part you gaue them audience Now they first come to the light vouchsafe them countenance and let them euer glorie in his name that sits like an Angell in the Church of God and doth most truly verifie the character of Athanasius who was said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of an heauenly and Angelicall presence of a more heauenly and Angelicall vnderstanding God forbid I should dip my pen in oyle or mingle honie with my sacrifice as one that would enchant your eares with the Syrens language of demulcent vanities Church and State Altars and Tribunals haue witnessed the Nobilitie of your Soule and quit me of that suspicion whose diffusiue goodnesse many haue found and do iustly honour Augustine writes of that good Father Ambrose that his breast was Sanctū Dei Oraculum an heauenly Oracle from whence God spake There is none almost so ignorant of your diuine Excellence but is readie to make the Parallel and we reade of the same Father in his life by Costerius that he was neuer aduanced to any gouernment in the Church though neuer so powerfull and sublime quin ampliore dignus haberetur but that he seemed worthie of a greater Such is the worlds opinion of your rare VVorth and Senatorian Eminencie though you begin with Hilarion in Saint Hierome Calcare mundi gloriam To contemne and trample vpon the outward Pompe of humane glorie I haue not least reason though I am least able to do your Lordship seruice and therefore as your fauours towards mee haue bene like the Graces in Seneca Virgines pure and chaste Virgines not violated or depraued with the least touch or thought of corruption So must they be euer Iuvenes greene and flourishing lest at any time they die and perish through vnthankfulnesse or obliuion It is my wish that I had some lasting monument of Art and Wit more durable then brasse or marble to engraue the memorie of your Sacred and Diuine merits that you might not onely be chartaceus or parietarius but Cedrinus and Marmorarius or that which comes nearest to eternitie Well may you challenge the learnedst pen since your Diamond-pointed quill taken from some Angels wing hath giuen a kind of immortalitie to the learnedst and best of Kings our late SOVERAIGNE of most pretious and blessed memorie But what can you expect of him that is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Basil writes of himselfe one of those ancient fisher-mens disciples All that my Tree beares is but fruite of this kind wherein your Lordship most abounds Yet am I encouraged by that of the Epigrammatist Iupiter Ambrosiâ satur est Nectare viuit Nos tamen exta Ioui thura merumque damus to waite behind at your Honours feete with the poore Oblation of this worthlesse mite and to draw you a while as Bernard did Eugenius ab amplexibus Rahelis from the care and exercise of publike administrations If there be small good in the Tree there is much in the Bush and therefore lest I should be ouer-troublesome to Moses talking with God in the mount I end with Iacobs beneplacitum The good will of him that dwelt in the bush rest vpon the top and flower of your sacred and diuine Excellence Your Lordships most humble deuoted Chaplaine and Seruant in all duty and thankfull obseruance IOHN WALL CVLTVS ANIMAE THE Soules Ornament TERTVL de cultu foem Vestite vos serico probitatis byssino sanctitatis taliter pigmentatae Deum habebitis amatorem THE FIRST SERMON CANTICLES 8. ver 6. Set me as a Seale vpon thy heart and as a Signet vpon thine arme THough all Scripture be giuen by inspiration and is profitable to instruct and to reprooue that so the man of God may be perfect in euery good worke yet is there none more sutable with the rest of Gods Arke and the peaceable condition of his Church then what is now before me It is written by Solomon a King of peace it is framed into a song the voice of peace it begins with a Kisse the signe of peace it is spent in Loue the bond of peace it runs vpon him that is our peace and hath not onely made peace our borders but set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse the things in earth and the things in heauen This peace is most comfortably shadowed forth vnto vs in the mysticall Dialogue of this Sacred Epithalamie where vnder the rine and the barke of things visible and corporall we draw neare vnto the flower and the pith of that which is inuisible spirituall for what the Apostle writes of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law is spirituall that Nyssen extends to this song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This song is spirituall and will not abide we should continue in the outward court and naked letter of springs riuers gardens vineyards breasts towers spices ointments or whatsoeuer may delight the organs of our sence but drawes vs to a higher meaning agreeable to the Maiestie of God and the diuine sublimitie of his vndefiled goodnesse till hauing pluckt the vayle from off the face of Moses we behold with pure eyes the tender bowels of his vnspeakable loue to that Aethiopian Queene the
it is the faith of Christ must be as the girdle of our loynes it is the iustice of Christ must be as the clothing of our nakednesse his crosse our standard and his bloud our colours What is the glorie and boasting of Christians but in him that died for vs in that name which is aboue euery name in that name in that name whereunto wee are baptized and wherein we are blest O thou Lord of hoasts and King of Israel we adore thy maiestie we honour thy mercie the sacrifice of thy flesh the oblation on the crosse the price of our redemption the riches of thy saluation whereby thou hast paid our debt and reconciled vs to the Father Therefore saith that chosen vessell God forbid I should glorie in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I vnto the world If any man preach other then yee haue receiued let him be accurst If any man receiue other then we haue preacht let him be accurst Saint Bernard giues the reason Alijs rebus non tam ornati quà m onerati sumus Other things are more cumbersome then profitable it is well if they prooue not hurtfull and pernicious like that fatall habit which the Turkish Emperors vsed to cast on those whom they meant to execute famously knowne by the name of deaths mantle in their stories What meaneth that of Christ for himselfe Without me yee can do nothing but in me ye haue life eternall Or that of Paul against himselfe Was Paul crucified for you or were ye baptized into the name of Paul But that wee should be wholly fixt on this obiect and drawne from the loue and the seruice and the foolish admiration of euery creature No man likes his friend should loue his gift better then himselfe and shall the Lord be pleased with such that care more for his blessing then for his goodnesse I will not say but that he is most readie to loose the bands of Orion and to power downe the sweete influence of the Pleiades as so many golden showers in the bosomes of his seruants yet is it his pleasure wee should set more by his person then by his fauours Aurum in arca Deus in conscientia saith that learned Father Austin God in the heart is like gold in the coffer Health to thy nauell marrow to thy bones cheere on thy table musicke in thy feasts sweetnesse in thy pleasures securitie in thy honours store in thy garners plentie in thy vineyards increase and fulnesse of all thy soule doth loue or imagine Yet may we delight in the temporall benefits of our spirituall Isaac the fatnesse of the earth and the dew of heauen so it be with relation to his glorie Non ad corruptionem sed ad consolationem non ad illigandum sed vtendum as Saint Austin hath distinguished it not to corruption but to consolation not to be entangled with their vanitie but to be refresht with the lawfull vse of their supply and vertue It is not said he that loueth father and mother is vnworthy of me But he that loueth father or mother or brother or sister more then me is vnworthy of me Neither is it a positiue vse but a comparatiue that is here restrained Well may the seede of Abraham embrace riches and honour and iurisdiction and power and due obseruance as it were from the sheaues of their brethren together with the sweet encrease of the Sunne and the sweet encrease of the Moone as a reward of pietie or the smell of a field which the Lord hath blest but if it be more then him they are vnworthy of him or if it be not for him they are vnworthy of him and therefore saith Ambrose In omnibus istis fragret odor Christi In all this let the sauour of Christ be fragrant and his loue abound Yea let it be predominant and supereminent as oyle on the top of water that our water may be turned into wine the rainy delights of watry pleasures into the sweet wine of true ioy and spirituall gladnesse It was the pride of Seneca and he boasted much Vbicunque ago Demetrium circumfero that wheresoeuer he went he bare Demetrius with him O that we could say the like of God! Vbicunque ago Deum circumfero Wheresoeuer I go I beare Christ Iesus with me the secret of my bosome is as the house of Zacheus where he was receiued with chearefulnesse and alacritie it is not a materiall crucifixe or a visible picture wrought in gold or framed in siluer but the sweet remembrance of my blessed Sauiour that is euer with me the print of his loue the example of his vertue the image of his goodnesse the record of his mercie all the miracles that he wrought for my conuersion all the precepts that he gaue for my instruction all the miseries and indignities that he endured and sustained for my libertie and saluation the power of his death the triumph of his crosse the glorie of his rising the comfort of his appearing is that which I bind as signes vpon my arme and lay as Camphire betweene my breasts Vbicunque ago Deum circumfero Wheresoeuer I go I beare Christ Iesus with me as the lot of mine inheritance as the crowne of my felicitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Alexandrinus the friend of my bosome the companion of my studie It is the light of thy countenance that was stampt vpon vs and it is the light of thy countenance that must shine within vs if euer wee be as the Moone faire and beautifull Whence shall the image of God deriue her beautie but from God Whence shall the Spouse of Christ take the ornaments of grace and comelinesse but from the treasure of his righteousnesse Adultera anima saith Austin that soule is wicked and adulterous guiltie of spirituall fornication which embraceth the creature and leaueth the Creator There is no helpe for vs but in that fountaine which our Fathers thirsted in the wildernesse It is with the heart of man as with the hand of Moses when he pluckt it out of his bosome it was foule and leprous when he put it in it was faire and comely Christ is our bosome and the cure of our leprosie the refuge of his Sanctuarie without him we are foule and leprous with him honorable and glorious sanctified and purged from the leprosie of sinne and the filth of iniquities We reade in the Stories of the Church that when Antioch was troubled with a lamentable earthquake Euphremion the Bishop receiued an Oracle that euery one should write Christus nohiscum Christ be with vs vpon the doores of their houses which being done the earthquake stayed and the inhabitants were comforted I know not how true that was sure I am if the faith of Christ be written vpon the doores of our hearts it will not onely stay the feares and the earth-quakes of our weake flesh and ruinous habitations but make strong our bars and stablish
candle in a darke place did not Paul so and the holy men of old I could leade you to that noble armie of heauenly Martyrs that wash their garments in the bloud of the Lambe and now stand about the throne of God with crownes on their heads and palmes in their hands Though I know the encounter of my text is not outward and temporall but inward and spirituall Yet let mee call to mind one exploit for the word of truth when these generous Argonauts were transported to the Citie of the great King for the honour of God and the libertie of his seruants France Germanie Denmarke Italie with this our mother Iland sent forth their strength and were mooued with zeale towards the house of God and the place of his Sanctuarie The greatest Princes and most heroicall worthies of this European clime engaged their liues their persons their honors their fortunes to redeeme Sion to recouer Ierusalem from the miserable bondage of Turkish slauerie Beloued the remembrance hereof is as fire within my bones and I must needs recount with exceeding ioy and exultancie of spirit how they rode on for the word of truth as the Knights of Rhodes or of Malta till their right hand shewed them terrible things and neuer left before they had hewne the enemies of God in peeces and crowned themselues with honour and renowne The stars from heauen in their order fought against that man of sinne and euery Christian tooke vp that song of Deborah Thou hast marched valiantly ô my soule thou hast marched valiantly the Lord grant that we may still preuaile against Amalek by the inuiolable faith of Christian Princes that keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and ride on daily for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse For its sake and by its power for it is the onely prop that beares vp the thrones of Princes and makes their crownes flourish Ferrum tuetur Principes melius fides The munition of armes doth well the armes of faith doe better Whereupon said Nestorius the Bishop to Theodosius the Emperour in the seauenth booke of Socrates Tuin profligandis c. Do thou see Gentilisme and impietie do not annoy the Church and wee will see violence and hostilitie do not hurt thee agreeable to that of Solomon mercie and truth preserue the King and his throne is establish by iustice I will not argue the translation yet let me tell you the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for the word of truth and of meekenesse and of righteousnesse but for the word of truth and the meekenes of righteousnesse for the word of truth there is the Law for the meeknesse of righteousnesse there is the Gospell The one as the Court of Iustice the other as the Court of Chancery that qualifies and mittigates the rigor of the former yet what is the word of truth but the word of Christ Hee is truth and in him are the figures verified what is the meeknesse of righteousnesse but the meeknesse of Christ He is righteousnesse and in him we are all iustified though he be true and iust it is not without the spirit of clemencie and of meeknesse that ye know is inseparable from a Lambe and must needs adhere to the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world If hee that walkt in the midst of the golden candlestickes had eyes like fire the head and the haire were as snow or as wooll It was not wine alone nor oyle alone which that good Samaritane poured into the hurt of the wounded neither was God in the fire nor in the earthquake nor in the wind that brake the rocks and tare the mountaines but in the still and soft voyce which is more powerfull then all the force of Periclean lightning and Pannicall execrations I remember in Plutarch a conspiracie betweene the Winde and the Sunne which should take away the trauellers cloake first the winde blowes cold and sharpe and makes him gather it close and hold it faster at length the Sunne pierceth with the subtle heate of his melting beames This makes him cast away both cloake and coate So that is often done by the mild insinuation of loue and gentlenesse which the blustering winds of terrible threats can neuer bring to passe How then do they recede from conformitie with our Sauiour in life and doctrine that speake stones and haue words as sharpe as arrowes that euer stand on the top of mount Horeb and breath nothing but thunder and lightning iudgement without mercie to their afflicted brethren well may they haue the word of truth they haue not the meeknes of righteousnes yet the Prophet ioynes them both Christ rides on for both and with both for we are not come to the mount that might not be toucht nor to the blacknesse and darknesse of a tempest where Moses said I feare I quake but to mount Sion the Citie of the liuing God and to that coelestiall Ierusalem and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men and to Christ the mediator that rideth on for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse I haue done with Christ the substance I come to Solomon the type and yet what Solomon haue wee to mention saue onely the sonne of Dauid and the heire of peace that is gone forth and rides on full of glorie and honour that he may spread the truth of Christ as farre as the name of Christ beyond the pillars of Hercules and heale those waters of Ierico as with the salt of his most gracious spirit and incontaminate holinesse enuying the glorie of Iouinian Qui exercitum paganum fecit Christianum that made such Romans very good Christians as hee found heathenish and giuen to Idols Sure I am it is vpon the word of truth and of meeknesse and of power and of righteousnesse that sacred chariot I will not say of cardinall but heroicall and Princely vertues for they are the wings and the horses that aduance and lift him vp aboue his fellowes how can wee choose but wish him good lucke and send our prayers after him Good lucke haue thou with thine honour ride on for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse there is little Beniamin their Ruler the Princes of Iudah the Princes of Zabulon Good lucke haue ye with your honor c. O ye heauens resolue into showers and melt ye waters aboue the heauens into a dew of coelestiall benedictions crowne him with the blessings of Iacob and let all the gifts of the Patriarches descend on the top of him that was separated from his brethren from the vtmost bounds of these euerlasting mountaines say to him as to Zabulon reioyce in thy way as to Isachar reioyce in thy tents let him sucke the abundance of the sea and giue him the treasures that lie hid in the sands ô thou which sittest aboue the water-floud and treadest on
one shewes the greatnesse of his Maiestie the other shewes the obedience of his ministry whilst hee takes the censure of his flesh and fills it with the coales of the altar and presents the supplications of his Church and makes the smoake of those spirituall odours ascend before the Lord as from the hand of an Angell O the gracious entrance of our triumphant Sauiour into that heauenly tabernacle before hee was from the earth earthly now hee is from heauen heauenly There be heauens corporall there hee is by the presence of his body there bee heauens mysticall there hee is by the influence of his Spirit For the soule of euery Christian may bee likened vnto heauen in the corporall heauens yee haue a Sunne to giue light in the mysticall heauens yee haue Christ to bee your guide in the corporall yee haue Starres that shine by night in the mysticall ye haue vertues eminent and conspicuous that shine in the night of aduersitie and the darknesse of tribulation in the corporall yee haue continuall serenitie in the mysticall perfect tranquilitie in the corporall ye haue an extension of parts in the mysticall of charitie the loue of God being spread abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and our bowels yearning with mercy and compassion towards the afflictions of our brethren So that God is still in the holy place there will he dwell there is his rest for euer Though we seldome frequent the place of his Sanctuary some perhaps once a yeare as the high Priests did the inward Tabernacle some perhaps once in their liues as Christ did this heauenly Tabernacle yea I feare many leaue the holy place and choose places most vnholy and defiled defiled with superstition and idolatrie defiled with riot and luxurie defiled with extorsion and crueltie defiled with vncleannesse and impuritie where the Sunne may scarce peepe without feare of darkening or the light without danger of infection O the deplored estate and lamentable condition of spirituall Gadarens and Daemoniacall Christians that abide in graues and lie as it were in the deepe of hell that sticke in the mire and clay or rather in the sinke and iakes of abhominable pollutions and Heliogabalian filthines How do they depart from the liuing God and forget the footsteps of their Sauiour The place where he goes is holy the ground where hee stands holy and as hee is holy in his words so is hee holy in his wayes O let there not bee such a distance betwixt head and members lift vp your heads raise vp your thoughts though your bodies lie on the earth let your soules be in heauen nay be yee a heauen vpon earth shining with truth establisht with hope adorned with righteousnesse extended with lour hung and spread with those gracious clouds of knowledge and instruction that Christ may bring his Father and come into your holy place and cast out the bond woman and take his rest as in a sanctuarie Vbi habitabo saith Austin in the name of God Where shall I dwell Dost thou thinke I will abide in the ruinous building of thy collapsed nature and depraued affections or in the sordid building of thy staind actions and wicked pollutions Surely no I looke my house should be cleane swept and garnisht with the flowers of vertue as the Diamond or the Carbuncle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nyssen he that is Lord of honour and glory will not bee owner of that which is dishonourable and inglorious If hee would not suffer the vncleane spirits to name him hee shall not suffer the vncleane men to enioy him they cryed and were rebuked if they cry they may bee refused Awake then and consider whose temples yee are this is the will of God euen your sanctification This is the will of God euen your glorification O my brethren me thinkes I see the names of all that stand before me written in the booke of life and I seeme to reade through that sea of glasse the diuine pedegree of your sacred race and heauenly genealogie There is Abraham your Father and Isaac his sonne or rather Iacob to whom the promises were made yea there is God your Father in whom all the families of heauen and earth are named and Christ his Sonne flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone together with that Spirit by whose grace we are knit and linkt in one fellowship and communion there is the ring and the robe which the Angells which bee his seruants shall cast vpon vs the ring of endlesse blisse and interminate happinesse the robe of perfect iustice and immortall holinesse Why do not we mooue as the clouds and flie as the Doues vnto our windowes Why is not our heart together with our treasure nay with our flesh and with our bloud with our strength and with our glorie He is gone before that we may follow after first by contemplation then by conuersation till at length we be inducted into mount Sion the blessed Temple of our spirituall Ierusalem hauing not onely quiet and peaceable but actuall and corporall possession Now we haue Ius ad rem then wee shall Ius in re Now wee are inuested with right and power then we shall be superinuested with immortalitie and honour like those blessed Elders that worshipt the Lambe which doth wipe all teares from their eyes and guide them to those fountaines of liuing waters Did wee consider how great and excellent things God hath promist to all that loue him in the heauens our hearts would bee turned and set more by the holy place then by the honourable place or the place of custome and of sweetnes or the place of maiestie and of greatnesse there is the flower of wheate and the abundance of delight Riuers of oyle and flouds of peace in comparison whereof our ioy is heauinesse our fulnesse vacuitie our pleasure bitternesse our riches pouertie our beautie ashes our comelinesse deformitie It is Dauids note that God hath set the wicked as a wheele and the reason is giuen by a learned Father Anterius cadit posterius eleuatur The former part turnes downe the hinder part turnes vp so they incline and how downe towards the glorious brightnes of that which is before and permanent but rise are lifted vp towards the emptie shadow of that which is past and transient let them be as a wheele so wee be as a Chariot or an Eagle mounted and soaring towards the place of vision where Christ sits in the glorie of the Father Sequar illum quem mea occidit tarditas was the speech of Cassius when Brutus had bene slaine by the stay of his aide and the negligence of his armie I will follow him that my slownesse hath put to death They are our sinnes that haue put Christ to death the slownesse and backwardnesse of our hearts and vnderstandings to do any thing that is good O let vs follow him in the bearing of his crosse and the entrance of his glorie Sequar eum quem mea
time yee should awake and returne with the Shunamite I would to God yee were as those Switzers who are ready to serue for the best pay If Satan bee able to giue more follow him If Satan be able to promise more follow him Quis fascinauit Who is it that hath bewitched you as the Apostle writeth to the Galatians had ye rather eate huskes and feede swine with the prodigall then haue bread enough and sit at table with the children Had yee rather lie in hell as sheepe that death may gnaw vpon you then raigne in heauen as Iudges that life may abide in you By how much it is better to sit in a throne and iudge the tribes of Israel then to stand at the barre and here the sentence of condemnation by so much is it more safe and comfortable to follow God then man Christ then Belial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazian Let vs flie the world and the Prince thereof but seeke Christ and sticke vnto his mercie the exhortation is enforced by that of Ambrose teneat clauus si reuocat infirmitas If the weaknesse of our flesh and the infirmitie of our nature draw vs from him let the remembrance of his death and the nayles of his crosse pin vs to him Who could make vs but hee who did saue vs but hee who but hee shall adorne vs with his grace and crowne vs with his glorie set vs in his presence where there is fulnesse of ioy and place vs at his right hand where there are pleasures for euermore how can yee neglect so great saluation how can ye leaue so great felicitie ye haue seene his starre in the East and hee that bringeth light out of darkenesse hath shined in your hearts to the light of knowledge in the face of Christ Iesus There is no excuse left but the stay of his promise and the expectation of his goodnesse that it is not yet but shall be hereafter in the second birth of the whole vniuerse which is the terme and point of this complement and perfection My last circumstance that knocks at the doore of your hearts and eares to keepe them open It is stored of a Romane that he neuer beheld the rubbish of old marble or lookt vpon the ruines of any ancient building but he wept and cryed Recordatione temporum meliorum ploro I grieue and lament to thinke of the dayes which are gone and past But wee are contrary and as he lookt backe with griefe and sorrow on that which is past so wee looke forward with ioy and comfort towards that which is to come the changing of our flesh the instauration of our nature the renewing of the world the transformation of the elements when the creature that trauels and groanes vnto this present shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption for then it is wee must enioy the right and seate of Iudicature and prehemmence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the regeneration Which some call the resurrection others call the redemption of our bodies when mortalitie shall bee swallowed vp of life and this corruptible shall put on incorruption For the first generation and birth of man is when hee comes into the world the second generation and birth of man is when hee is raised out of the world and taken into heauen Ad contemplandum lumen aeternitatis as Saint Gregorie speakes to contemplate the Lord and to behold eternitie and as there is a regeneration of the inward man after the image of God by grace and faith in the bloud of Christ and the lauour of Baptisme termed by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lauour of regeneration where he is begot of the immortall seede and borne as it were anew of water and the spirit so must there be a regeneration of the outward man by the power of God Who shall change our vile bodies and make them like vnto his glorious body which extends to euery creature sublunarie as the elements coelestiall as the heauens Behold saith God I create a new earth and a new heauen Behold saith Iohn I see a new earth and a new heauen So that we may boldly cry with Peter Expectamus nouos coelos We looke for a new earth and a new heauen according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse For he shall change them and they shall be changed the earth shall be changed and cloathed with beautie the aire shall be changed and purged from obscuritie the fire shall be changed that is do not consume the water shall be changed that it do not putrifie the heauens shall be changed for they shall rest from motion and receiue a greater perfection of brightnesse and claritie the Sunne shall stand in the East and the Moone in the West where first they were created that wee may behold the faire beautie of the Lord and looke vpon his Sonne in a throne of glorie Sonne of God and yet Sonne of man for hee shall iudge as hee was iudged and returne in the same forme wherein he was despised that euery eye may see whom they pierst and be not affraid of him they crucified for the greatnesse of his power and the brightnesse of his presence Quid facturus saith that notable Moralist if his enemies went backe and fell to the ground when he came in weakenesse and humilitie to be iudged how shall they start and bee confounded when he comes in power and maiesty to iudge the world and to pronounce the sentence of condemnation against euery cursed malefactor Foelix trembled at the mention of it and these vnhappy Foelixes shall neuer be able to abide the sight of his glorious throne enuironed with a guard of heauenly souldiers At length wee see what our hope is and when it shall be reuealed not before the day of iudgement and the coming of our Sauiour Beware then lest yee bee ouer hastie to iudge before your time I speake onely of priuate censure vncharitable suspition malicious calumnie spightfull detraction which is not iudicium but praeiudicium not iudgement but preiudice Eagle-sighted in the faults of others and ready to sticke as flies in the sores and vlcers of their griefes and infirmities As for that golden pillar of publike iudicature The ground and basis of regular states and well ordered kingdomes it is strengthened in my text and ministerially with subordination deriued to such as are Apostolique For if wee shall iudge the tribes of Israel and the families of the earth nay the whole world together with the blessed Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much rather smaller things and such as pertaine vnto life the argument is not humane but diuine drawne from the mouth and pen of that great Doctor and vessell of election in the sixt Chapter and the first Epistle to the Corinthians Where hee speakes inclusiuely and makes himselfe a Iudge as well of things temporall as of things eternall and let all such as hold the sonnes of Zadocke most vnworthy of all iusticiarie function
thirsteth in the midst of waters but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come into the ioy of thy Master and take part of it with delight and satisfaction as one that doth feele and tast how good the Lord is Thus doth one deepe call vpon another Abyssus luminosa abyssum tenebrosam The depth of light and claritie vpon the depth of blindnesse and obscurity the depth of power and maiestie vpon the depth of weaknesse and humilitie the depth of goodnesse and mercie vpon the depth of wretchednesse and misery And all this for the noise of the water pipes which is nothing but the sound and the cry of repentance and humilitie Hee sware vnto the generation of our fathers they should neuer enter into his rest because they prouoked him in the wildernes Hee saith onely to the generation of their children they shall enter into his rest If they obey his precepts What is his word as good as his oath yes when he that speaketh is truth it selfe and he sweareth that hath none greater then himselfe For his passion was our redemption and if I may vse the words of Bernard Clauus penetrans clauis aperiens The nayles that fastned him to the crosse the speare that ran him through the lance that opened his side the iron that went into his soule is made a key to vnlocke heauen and to make vs enter Therefore do wee sing triumphantly in the Churches Liturgie When thou hadst ouecome the sharpnesse of death thou didst open the kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers Agreeable whereunto is the vision of Saint Iohn I lookt and behold there was a doore opened in the midst of heauen and the first voice I heard was as the sound of a trumpet saying Come vp higher But if God himselfe did not rest the seuenth day before he considered the works of his creation and found them good God saw all that was made loe it was very good Gen. 1. 31. How shall we hope to enter his rest that eternall Sabboth of our bodies and our spirits before we haue done some good examined our hearts tried our faith prooued our workes and found some goodnesse in the midst of their imperfections wee may not please God without faith or see God withour holinesse The bridegroome will passe by without notice of vs if wee haue neither faith in our hearts nor oyle in our vessels The oyle of grace the oyle of mercy the oyle of deuotion the oyle of charitie shining and burning to the comfort of our brethren As wisedome doth not enter the house of an euill soule so an euill soule doth not enter the house of wisedome Therefore doth he stand at the doore and knocke with an aperi sponsa aperi columba Open my loue open my done Open to me the gates of righteousnesse that I may open to thee the gates of blessednesse For except your righteousnesse exceed that of the Pharises yee shall neuer enter the kingdome of heauen Looke vpon those Elders which stand before the throne they are clothed with white robes and haue palmes in their hands which is nothing but the flower and beauty of their good workes and Christian pietie It is storied of the Scythians that once a yeare they made a great feast where none may come but such as haue slaine an enemie The feast God makes vs is the ioy of my Text a great feast and in the simplicitie of termes exceeding gaudies but there is no entrance or admission before we haue crucified the body of sinne slaine an enemie sacrificed a rebell yea many enemies and many rebels that fight against the soule by true confession and heartie repentance neuer to be repented of Adiebus Ioannis Baptistae saith Christ Since the time of Iohn Baptist the kingdome of heauen suffers violence Why since the time of Iohn Baptist But onely to shew the vertue of repentance because hee taught repentance and was neuer without a poenitentiam agite in his mouth Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Whence is that of Gregorie Rapiamus fletibus quod non debetur meritis Let vs snatch that by force of teares which is not due to the merits of workes If any bee meeke patient humble penitent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Christ taught in a Sermon vpon the mount theirs is the kingdome of heauen and theirs onely is the kingdome of heauen I know there bee many pretend keyes and would faine leade vs into a fooles paradise by a vaine conceit of their deceitfull merits witnesse that great Clauiger of Rome that vsurpeth all power in heauen and earth as if he alone had the key of Dauid That openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth It is not enough for Christ to loose if hee binde it is not enough for Christ to remit if he retaine it is not enough for Christ to say enter if hee say be gone O the cursed blasphemie of that open sepulchre how doe they spoile God of his naturall right and peculiar iurisdiction And yet they are not the keyes of heauen but of hell which these men keepe abyssi claues as Saint Iohn writes the keyes of that bottomlesse pit where they leade many by the heresie of their doctrine and the impiety of their actions If not by the thunder and lightning of their fierce anathemaes and direfull imprecations It is a pretty story which I read of Pope Leo when he was troubled in conscience and toucht with the remorse for his iniquities his Confessor cheared him vp with a Quid times sancte pater Holy father what makes you affraid Haue not you the keyes of heauen and the merits of Christ at your dispose There is none in the world that hath so great power and command as your selfe O saith Leo know yee not that hee which sells any thing hath no right in that which is sold I feare since wee haue so often sold Christ and his merits we shall haue no right nor interest in them our selues Wretched men that yee are who shall deliuer yee from the body of despaire May we not say to them as Christ did to others in the Gospell Woe be vnto you yee take the keye of knowledge but yee do not enter your selues and such as come yee forbid Woe be vnto you ye take vnto you the keyes of heauen but you do not enter your selues and such as come yee forbid or rather indeed yee bid all that come at your publike Iubilies as base Hucsters of Gods free mercy in the sale and market of Pardons and Indulgences But howsoeuer these men abuse that power against the truth which is giuen for the truth we are sure Christ hath left keyes with his Church Tibi dabo claues was a grant made to the Apostles in the name of Peter and stands good to euery Minister of the Gospell vnder the broad seale of the Crosse To thee will I giue the keyes of heauen They haue all the
ioy their works are the acts of ioy their thoughts are the springs of ioy their language is the voice of ioy whilst they sing and cry Ioy within the gates of Hierusalem and peace bee on Sion One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord then to liue at ease in the tents of vngodlinesse Can there bee a feast or a bankquet without ioy there shall be the supper of the great King Can there bee a wedding or nuptials without ioy There shall bee the marriage of the Lambe where the Lord shall worke a greater miracle then euer he did in Cana and conuert the teares of outward heuinesse into the wine of inward gladnesse till wee bee drunke with the sweetnesse of his loue and the pleasures of his kingdome hauing as Nyssen writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A sober kind of drunkennesse for if ioy be an act of loue and the effect of charitie as the Schooles haue determined there must needs bee great ioy where there is so great loue perfect ioy where there is perfect charitie ioy in our owne saluation ioy in the felicitie of our brethren whom wee shall loue as our owne soules by the vnitie of the Spirit But we may not thinke to find out the springs of Nilus or the seuerall grounds of these infinite reioycings O that I had a pitcher large enough to draw the well is deepe and my heart is not able to containe much lesse to present you with the ioyes of that heauenly kingdome Helpe mee with your prayers raise mee with your spirits let not the cry of Rome drowne the cry of Ierusalem the one calls to paine and torment the other calls to ioy and comfort the one calls to a Limbus Patrum the other calls to the garden of Eden The one calls to the fire of Purgatory the other calls to the life of glory the one calls to the triall of your workes in imaginary flames the other calls to the crowne of your workes in reall blessednesse and that by the example of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Intra in gaudium Domini tui Enter into thy masters ioy Here then is one key more to raise our ioy a little higher and that is a relatiue terme Domini gaudium our masters ioy It skils much who is ioyned with vs in the partaking of any good Some had rather die with their friends then liue with their enemies and the poore Indians chose rather to go to hell with their ancestors then to heauen with the Spaniards If then it bee sweet and comfortable to be in ioy what is it to be with our Lord and Gouernour To enter his ioy to eate and drinke with our master at his table and in his kingdome or rather to make him our meate and drinke that is the bread of life and the well-spring of saluation Yet thus doth God intreate his seruants and there is nothing so deare to him but they shall haue part with him His owne ioy his owne secret his owne sweetnesse his owne comfort his owne robe his owne iustice his owne clothing his owne righteousnesse nay his very life and spirit shall be giuen to them as a seale and pledge of extraordinary grace and speciall fauour Much like that of Cyrus though humane resemblances come short of diuine presidents who neuer liked any dish but he sent part to his friends Semesos anseres semesos panes saith my Author sometime the bread himselfe did eate sometime the meate himselfe did tast from his trencher with this kind and friendly salutation Cyrus tibi ista quod ipsi fuerint iucundissima The King sends you this because he likes it best himselfe and holds it choise and daintie It is a small thing for the Saints of God to reioyce vnlesse it bee in the Lord. The ioy of the creature is transient the ioy of the Creator permanent They must partake of their masters ioy and reioyce in that where his soule delighteth Quo gaudet quod praestat the ioy hee giues and the ioy hee takes the ioy he loues and the ioy he is Whereupon saith Bernard Non aurum pollicetur Dominus the Lord doth not promise gold nor siluer or pretious stones but himselfe He will be our ioy and hee will be our comfort our substantiall ioy our euerlasting comfort our solid ioy our euerlasting glorie and the very crowne of our ioycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nyssen speakes the giuer of the crowne and the crowne that is giuen the disposer of the treasure and the treasure that is disposed the merchant that sells the pearle and the pearle that is sold by the merchant from whose golden beames and smiling rayes all the creatures in heauen and earth receiue beauty and perfection The reason is taken from that diuine master of humane knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefest good is most pleasant and voluptuous in himselfe because most good most blessed most absolute most perfect and as hee reioyceth in himselfe so wee must reioyce in him The vision of his nature the contemplation of his Dietie where there is fulnesse of ioy and pleasure for euermore It is his brightnesse must clarifie our vnderstanding his goodnesse must sanctifie our affections his fulnesse possesse our hearts and satisfie the vastnesse of our greatest spirits What though Adam were affraid at the voyce of God walking in the garden we shall triumph at the sight of God riding in the heauens Gauâ—isi discipuli viso Domino saith the Euangelist The disciples reioyced when they saw the Lord but the whole world shall be rauished with ioy when they looke vpon Christ not as hee is in his works but as he is in himselfe his Essence his diuinitie with the cleare eyes of loue and knowledge like those creatures in the Apocalyps Which are full of eyes about the throne and amidst the throne about the throne in the sight and comprehension as it were of diuine greatnesse amidst the throne in the tast and fruition of diuine goodnesse O thou bright Sonne of eternall glory that dost create the Saints exhilarate the Elders diaper the heauens serene the elements inspire the Cherubins inflame the Seraphins enlighten the temple of Ierusalem and make glad the Citie of our God thy loue is our ioy thy peace our ioy thine eyes our ioy thy lookes our ioy If thou wert like a bundle of my the in thy sufferings thou art as a heape of Camphire in thy blessings Thou dost cheare vs now but it is imperfectly and as it were by a proxie the proxie of thy creatures the proxie of thy seruants Sometimes the fatnesse of the earth and the dew of heauen sometimes by the comfort of friends and the abundance of thy treasure at most by the pretious influence of thy inuisible graces but thou shalt one day cheere vs by thy selfe the maiestie of thy presence the fruition of thy company the vision of thy person the