who can expresse the same but with teares of blood Gen. 49.18 O Lord wee have waited for thy salvation all the day long Come thou therefore O God from Teman Hab. 3.3 and thou Holy One of Israel from mount Paran Thus is the lovely City of the God of Love hated But behold the spirituall madnesse of the intoxicated braines of their opposers The hatred is no more strong and malicious then strange and marvellous Certainly some Circe or Proserpiua hath given them a Stygian potion else they could never prove such boistrous bedlams and ravening Woolues among the poore Sheepe of the Lord lesus For it is onely for the love of the Lord to his deare Children that these ingrate Rebels receive any good But for the Churches sake the Sunne should beturned into darknesse the Moone into blood and the Starres should withdraw their shining yea the ground would cleave asunder that is under them Num. 16.31 32.33 and the earth would open her mouth and swallow them up as it did Korah Dathan and Abiram so that they and all that they have should goe downe alive into the dolefull pit of endlesse perdition But as corke causeth yron to swim and keepeth it from sinking while they are joyned together so by the meanes of the Elect the Reprobate are preserved for a while from sinking and destruction Whilest righteous Lot continued in Sodom it was safe Gen. 19.24 but as soone as 〈◊〉 it the Lord rained upon it both fire and brimstone from Iehova out of heaven Exod. 14.22 No sooner had Israel passed through the red Sea but the waters returned and overthrew the Aegyptians so that Pharao Ver. 28 15.10 Heb. 11.29 and all his hoste sanke as leade in the great depths So at the consummation of the world when the number of the Elect shall be pertected and they ready for the Lord and their blessed immortalitie then shall the heavens at the brightnesse and terrour of that dreadfull Iudge of the world passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with servent heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 2.10 where then shall the wicked appeare then shall they confesse that as God blessed Obed Edom and all his houshold while the Arke continued with him 2 Sam 6.11 so they injoyed the blessings of God while his Saints continued with them And as the soes of the Church are foolish and mad so are they accursed of God for their furie and malice against his children and their end tragicall and lamentable For they like Ovids Giants warre against God himselfe Met. lib. 1. when they hate and persecute his dearest servants What doe yee against the Lord saith the Spirit Nah. 1.9 The machination and enterpriles of the Assyrians there against Iudah and Israel were against the Lord God himselfe Whosoever spoyleth the members of Christ upon earth let him feare that dreadfull complaint of their vindictive Head from heaven Act. 9.4.5 Saul Saul why persecutest thou met it is hard for thee to kicke against the prickes Wherefore unto all such belongeth the most just vengeance of the Lord of hostes They shall all be consumed and turned backe that hate Zion they shall be as the grasse upon the house tops which withereth afore is groweth up wherewith the mower filleth not his hand nor the gleaner his lap neither doe they which goe by say The blessing of the Lord be upon you we blesse you in the name of the Lord Psal 129.5 6 7 8. What was the end of Antiochus Epiphanes most woefull for after that he had sudued both Aegypt and Iudea 1 Maecab 1.18 19. spoyled the Temple and wasted the Citie of Iernsalem 1 Mac. 1.23 Dan. 8.9 to 15. erected an Idoll upon the Altar of the Lord and purposing to ransacke the Cities of Elimais and Persepolis 1 Mac. 6.1.3.4 2 Mac. 9.5 to 12. 1 Mac. 6.13.16 2 Mac. 9.9 28. he was repulsed by the Citizens and being stricken with an incurable disease he dyed an ignominious death and that in a strange land in the mountaines for the wormes rose up out of his owne bodie and whiles he lived in sorrow and paine his flesh fell away and the filthinesse of his smell was noysome to himselfe and all his Army Wherefore as saith discomfited Senacheribs inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Learne by the tragicall ruine of this mercilesse monster to feare God and love his Saints for they that recieve these his Darlings receive Christ himselfe Matth. 10.40 and they that receive Christ receive the Father that sent him Fl. 7. Of CONIVG ALL AMITY IN humane societie there bee divers kindes of Loves as Fatherly Filiall Brotherly vnitie c. but as Salomon saith of the Vertuous Wise Prov. 31.29 Many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all so I say of Cordiall Amitie betweene Husband and Wife many Lovers have beene loyall but thou surmountest them all Love is the mightiest and most imperious affection of the whole heart and nature of man and this is the most durable and constant of all loves Slender trifles can quickly destroy other amities which are meerely improper to this but this Divine and Intire affection being sealed and ratified by the power of that supreame prerogatiue cannot be separated Gen. 2.22 neither by tribulation nor anguish famine nor nakednesse Nothing but death can bee the divider For Love is strong as death Iealousie is cruell as the grave the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vebement flame Many waters cannot qnench Love neither can the floods drowne it If a man would giue all the substance of his house for Love it would vtterly be contemned Which appeareth by the practise even of sundrie Gentiles Quintus Curtius writeth that Darius being conquered by Alexander the Great Darius sustained that disparagement and bitter distresse with couragious patience but when newes was brought him that his faire Queene Roxana was dead to shew that hee affected her more then all his royall dignitie he wrung his hands and wept bitterly Baptista Fulg. reporteth that a poore labouting man in Naples being berest of his Wise by a foyst of Moores threw himselfe into the Sea and swum after them till they tooke him up into the Gally Afterward they were both brought before the King of Thunis who being moved with compession at the relation of his love Plin. Nat. hist lib. 36. c. 5. sent them both home againe Artemisia bare such a love to her Husband Mausolus that she builded a Sepulcher for him and called it Mausolaeum after his name which was so glorious that it was ranked among those marchlesse Monumens which are termed The seven wonders of the world and that next unto the Temple of Diana in Ephesus so that the great Colosse of the Sunne at Rhodes the statue of Iupiter Olympius the wals of Babylon the Aegyptian Pir mides
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the cause of it for as the Poet saith Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere ausas Charitie is an heavenly agitation both in and on the sanctified heart whence then is it from the earth no for all that is of the earth is both earthie and earthly but brotherly loue is heavenly therefore it must needs come from the Lord of heaven heavenly This fire then is kindled from the Empyrell Paradise of God and this love is enlived and caused after this manner The God of Love yea the Lord of Love it selfe hath loved us 2 Cor. 13.11.1 Iohn 4.16 Zeph. 2.1 Ephes 1.4 when we were not worthy to bee loved yea before we were at all in rerum natura which divine supreame love moved and procured him to chuse us in Christ before the foundation of the world That we should be holy and blamelesse before him in love This love of the Lord to his Saints kindleth in their hearts this their deare love to their loving God againe which is a finall cause of that sempiternall love So then that archetypus primigenius amor that un searchable love of IEHOVA is the efficient cause hujus amoris ectypi of this our love to our Maker for as the seale imprinteth into the waxe that image and character that is ingraven first into it selfe so the Love of God to us imprinteth into our hearts our love to him againe And of this love of ours to the Lrd ariseth our bounden Charity to our Brethren The Faithfull love one another because they love the Lord. Neither is it possible to be otherwise for the Spirit saith If a man say I love God and hateth his Brother be is a lyar for hee that loveth not his Brother whom hee hath seene how can he love God whom he hath not seene 1 Iohn 4.20 The necessity then of the connexion of those two loves of God and man is great yea absolute and the equity of of the dependencie of the latter upon the former is infringible because man is the Image of God created after the same Calvin Iust 1.2 c. 8. sect 40. Gen. 1.27 and the Samts recreated and renued in knowledge c. Colos 3.10 whence it followes that whosever loves the Lord dearely with Danid Ps 18.1 cannot choose but love his children sincerely Wee doe not speak of that mercenary love wherewith the servile Mammonists and slavish drudges of this perishing world with the Iewes doe love God for his Wine his Oyle and such transitories nor of that evanishing shadow of sâ—â—ming Charity wherewith the Hypocrites of this subtile generation favour the righteous for by-respects and sinister ends but we treat of that true love wherewith we love our blessed God for his owne most sweet and gracious selfe and of that upright Charity by the meanes whereof in trueth of heart we may say one to another as Paul to his Corinths It is not yours but you that I seeke a Cor. 12.14 And so this Brotherly love is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that infallible signe of true saving grace planted in that sanctified heart that enjoyes it whereby such a noble faithfull and loving Brother may most certainly perswade his owne soule that hee truely loveth his God and was first beloved of him and that before the â—oundation of the world so that now all things worke together for his best his Blisse Rom. 8.28 even his eternall Ioy being called according to the purpose of God which is his sweetest consolation For never did yea never could there any man love the chosen Darlings of God but onely he who was first beloved eveâ—lastingly and mercisully chosen of God O then let us labour for the reall practise Application true exercise of this most joyfull and blessed affection The woman of Samaria when shee knew that gift of God namely the excellencie of the water of Life shee entreated the Lord to give it her that she might thirst no more Iohn 4.15 So behold and consider the dignity of this fire of Love and Life and be ravished with a servent desire of it Motives to Charity And that we may be moved unto the amiable performance of this most acceptable obedience let us listen to these two mightie motives the first is the soeveraigne will and imperious precept of the Lord of hostes the second is the fruitfulnesse and gracious bounty of this liberall Grace Concerning the first we are most frequently commanded to love our neighbour Exod. 23.4 Lâ—uit 19.18 Dâ—ut 22.1 Proverb 15.17 Esay 1.17 Matth. 19.19 Luke 11.42 Iohn 13.34 35. c. 15.12 17. Rom. 12.9 10. c. 13.8.1 Cor 1.2.2 Cor. 2.8 Gal. 5.6.13 14. 22. Ephes 3.17 c. 4.2.15 32. Phil. 1.9 c. 2.2 Colos 2.2.1 Thess 3.12 c. 4.9 c 5.8.1 Timoth. 1.5 c. 2.15 c. 4.12 c. 6.11.2 Timoth. 1.13 2.22 Tit. 2.2 Heb. 10.24 Iam. 1.27.1 Pet. 1.22 c. 2.27 c. 3.8 c. 4.8 c. 5.14.2 Pet. 1.7.1 Iohn 2.10 c. 3.11.14.16 18. 23. c. 7.11 21.2 Iohn 5. Iude 2. So frequent is the precept because the duty is so necessary Concerning the second motive great is the utility and bounty of love for first it causeth that amiable and quiet peace of assotiation which the Psalmist declareth with the blessings that accompany the same in this manner Behold how good and how comely and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133. It is like the precious oyntment upon the head that ran downe upon the beard even Anrons beard that went downe to the skirts of his garments as the deaw of Hermon and as the deaw that descended upon the Mountaines of Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Charitie is the exercise of the faithfull Cal. 5.6 1 Cor. 16.14 Whence it comes to passe that as the ungodly bury many good gists in others under that one infirmity of malice â—rov 10.12 so Gods Children cover many infirmities in others under that one good gist of Charity for as St. Hierome saith Non aequè audiunt Inimici Amici qui Inimicus est etiam in scirpo nodum quaerit Envie hath the yellow laundies 1 Cor. 13.5.6 but Charity is not easily provoked thinketh no evill rejoy ceth not in iniquitie but rejoyceth in the truth for Charitie is not suspitious but beareth all things beleeueth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Chap. 8.2 Chap 13.4 Charitie edifieth Wherein in many things for it worketh longanimitie and patience kindnesse benevolence and humilitie Vnto these Charity addeth spirituall magnanimitie 1 Iohn 4.18 By the vertue of Charitie the Saints live in the light of the Lord and are blamelesse 1 Iohn 2.10 By Charitie we are perswaded of the sanctifying grace of God in this world Chap 3.14 and of his crowning glorie in the world to come Finally Charitie is the bond of perfection Coloss 3.14 and the
yee sit hereafter in my triumphant Charet of Glory world without end Fl. 5. Of TRVE BLESSEDNESSE ALL things saith Aristotle in the beginning of his Moral Philosophie desire some Good Ethic. Lib. 1. c. 1. but all things yea even man neither knows which is that Good nor the way how to attaine unto it and therefore he shall never finde it out as long as he leanes to the subtiltie of humane wisedome and phantasticall quirkes of corrupt reason The profound Philosophers of the Gentiles who gloried of their surmounting knowledge laboured hard for the understanding of this secret but never could they reach their intended scope The Iewes also travelled herein but went not all one way in searching this as may appeare by their divers sects that arose about one hundred and thirty yeares before the Incarnation of Christ Gualt in Luc. c. 6 Many held that True Happinesse did consist in terrestriall and earthly goods even transitory trifles and Childish nifles some in Riches some in Honour and flourishng Pompe and some in sensuall pleasures c. But they were al most grosly deceived 1 Sam 16.7 9 10 12. for as among the sons of Iesse neither Eliab nor Abinadab nor Shāma nor any of the seven but David was anoynted King of Israel so neither plenty nor popular applause nor any such fading vanity but onely that glorious Immortalitie in the loyfull Paradise of God and his unchangeable Love in Christ Iesus this is poore mans True Foelicity But suppose they had hit the marke and one of these things had beene that True Blessednesse yet had they beene still in an errour because they mistooke their Summum bonum the chiefe good of a man and confounded it with foelicity as though they were one and the same thing whereas indeed they are divers for Polan Synt. Beatitudo non est Summum Bonum sed fruitio Summi Boni Happinesse is not the Chiefe Good but the use and enjoyment of it as the Mammonist his riches are his Summum Bonum not his soelicitie but the cause thereof for his imaginarie Happinesse is the use and effect of his riches as saith the Poët Pauper enim non est cui rerum suppetit usus Hor. So the Saint Chiefe Good is God but their Blessednesse is the fruition of this supreme most Blessed Good God which is his saving Grace in this lise and crowning Glorie in the life to come Now albeit the Tenents of all these naturall men were most erroneous Arist Foelicitie yet I may preferre Aristotle to the rest of them for his Foelicitie as being more civill and morall then theirs for Epicurus his foelicitie is most sensuall and beastiall and so fit onely for swine but of all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that is vertue which hee defineth after this manner Foelicitie is the chiese Action of a mans mind arising of the most excellent Vertue But herem he faileth for this Genus is erroneous Though the principall Action even of the most Vertuous regenerate minde whereof naturall Aristotle never dreamed as that serious meditation of Davids Blessed man Ps 1 2. in Iehovaes Law both day and night be true Happinesse yet that onely is not the True nor chiefe blessednesse of a man but beside yea before action there is Reconciliation and Acceptation with God whereby the Elect both Iewes and Gentiles are Iustified and Blessed in his sight Rom. 4.6 7 8. Even as David describeth the Blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessedare they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Psalm 32.1 2. Iustification then by the faith of the Sonne of God is True blessednesse indeed yea in an high degree both unspeakeable and glorious And this doth the Originall Language punctually declare for saith the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O terque quaterque beati Most blessed is that poor man Vers 2. c. O divine Paradox here miser miserabilis Adam a piece of red earth but dust and ashes Gen. 3.19 18.27 a sinfull poore wretched soule a Child of the Devill an heire of eternall indignation by nature becomes a friend of God and by grace a Sonne of the Most High a most cursed Caitife is made a most Blessed Saint for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a noune of the plurall number onely though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de quo praedicatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sub jectum singulare and it is as much in significatiō as Beati as Rabbs David Kimhi interpreteth Munsterus because such a one is blessed not with one but with a pluralitie of foelicities Rom. 8.32 and benedictions for Christ is his and so all that is Christs is his Now Christ is rich in Blessings for in him are hid all the treasures of the wisedome and knowledge of God who of God the Father is made unto us both Wisedome and Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 Sanctification and Redemption Wherefore to conclude this man is Truely Blessed this man is onely Blessed and cannot possibly any more bee cursed even as he that hath the Philosophers stone how can he chuse but be rich Ho then every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters of Blisse Isa 55.1 Psal 118.22 Match 21.41 Act. 4.11 Rom 9.13 1 Pet. 2.6 Ps 4.6 7. and let him that would bee rich in God get this Tried Elect precious Corner-stone in Zion There bee many that say who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up the lovely light of thy joyfull countenance upon us for then shalt thou put more joy and gladnesse in our hearts thereby then all prophane Esaues that embrace the dung of this world in their armes for their inheritance and happinesse cais possibly injoy even in the time that their Corne their Wine do most abundantly increase for this is that swectest secret voyce of God from heaven saying unto our wearie soules Isa 40.1 that this comfort belongs unto us our iniquitie is pardoned for Hierusalem hath received of the Lords hand doable for all her sinnes Rom. 5 1 2 3 4 5. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God and not onely so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh pationce and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is spred abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Therefore Solon thou art deceived with thy naturall Motto Silicet ultima semper Expectanda dies homini est Ovid Metam dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremdque funera debet The true Saints and servants of God are Truely
Blessed and ought so to be esteemed even in this life as the very precious darlings of the Lord of life infranchized denisens of the Subuibs of that immortall Kingdome of glorie enjoying heaven upon earth Prov. 15.5 and continually feasted of the Lord God of Sabbath with such internall supernall dainties as the world can neither understand give nor take from them Their condition farre surmounteth that of Croesus for no Cyrus can despoyle them of their Blessed riches and most durable inheritance For if God bee for us who can be against us Wherefore neither tribulation Rom. 8 31. vers 35 38.39 nor nakednesse nor perall nor sword nor death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord but in all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loved us Fl. 6. Of THE LOVELINESSE OF MESSIAHS SPOVSE THere bee two motiues and impulsive causes of love namely Beautie and Bountie which is manifest by the frequent procurement of carnall affection Oculis digitis as we say in many Now both these are in the Church the Bride and the Lambes wise Apoc. 21.2 9 The Churches Beautie therefore shee is lovely Concerning the first Ierusalem is builded as a Citie that is compact together in it se le Psal 122.3 And the gates thereof are after the names of the Tribes of Iâ—rael Ezek. 48.31 Though she be blacke in the eyes and esteeme of the world yet shee is comely to the sight of the Lord her Redeemer even as the tents of Kedar and as the Curtaines of Salomon Cant. 1.5 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within Psalm 45.13 Like a Lilly among the Thornes so is the Love of Christ among the daughters Cant. 2.2 Chap. 7.4 Her eyes are like the fish-pooles in Hesbon by the gate of Beth rabbim her nose is as the Tewer of Lebanon that looketh toward Damascus Vers 7. Verse 5. Arist Cat. Her stature is like a Palme tree and her breasts like clusters The King is tied in her rasters Now of the qualitie is the denomination of a thing Beautie maketh beautifull who then is so beautifull as the Israel of God for the never fading beautie of holinesse Psal 90.17 and the glorious Majesty of the Lord their God is upon them The Churches bountie And as touching the second The members of Messiah being united together by the indissoluble obligation of love cannot possibly chuse but bee truely liberall for true love is liberall Cornelius gave much almes to the people Act. 10.2 At Antiochia when Agabus had signified by the Spirit that there should be great famine throughout all the world which also came to passe under Claudius Caesar then the Disciples everie man according to his abthtie purposed to send succour unto the brethren which dwelt in Iudea which thing they also did and sent it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Act. 11.28 29 30. The Churches of Macedonit to their power yea beyond their power they were willing and prayed Paul with great instance and entreatie that hee would receive their liberality and see to the distribution thereof among the same poore Saints 2 Cor. 8 3 4. What Iupiter Hospitalis was ever so bountifull to his guests as was that reverent Gaius whom that beloved Disciple loved in the truetâ— 3 Ioh. 1 5. Iohn 13.23 so amiable is the congregation of the faithfull Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that love thee peace be within thy wals and prosperity within thy Palaces For my brethren and neighbours sakes I wish thee now prosperitie because of the house of the Lord our God I will procure thy wealth Psalme 122.6 7 8 9. The like affection bare the upright Christians one to another under the tyraÌ„â—izing Emperours as witnesseth Tertullianus in Apologetico But as the Magnet and Loadstone though it draw yron unto it Plin. Nat. bist lib. 36. c. 16. yet the stone Theamedes abhorreth yron rejecteth and driveth the same from it so the godly have many mortall inveterate enemies yea from the very beginning of the Primitive and Originall world Quis talia fando Myrmidonum Dolopumve aut durimiles Vlissei Temperet à lachrymis They have beene most frequently infested with the martial horrour of hell and annoyed with the boysterous floods of Belial Caine slew his brother Gen. 4.8 and wherfore slew he him because his workes were evill and his brothers righteous 1 Iohn 3.12 and his infernall posteritie opposed themselves to the religious Progenie of Sâ—th and so barbarousls maligned them from time to tune that they decreased and many degenerated whilest the other increased and flourished by the building of Cities and inventing of trades so that all the holy fathers being dead onely Noah with seven soules were preserved in the Arke Gen. 7.13 was the Seminatie of the subsequent Church So fared the people of God in the dayes of Abraham Ismael mocked and persecuted Isaac Gen. 21.9 Gal 4.29 Neither were the Prophets and their Disciples any better then their Fathers Matt 5.12 for the Prophet Isaiah was sawen asunder with a wooden Saw by blood thirsty Manasseth Ieremiah after that he had beene persecuted even by his owne fellow-cit zens his evill neighbours of Anathoth Ier. 11.21 c. 12.14 in the end was stoned of the Iewes in Aegypt Amus was killed with a barre of yron Iewal apolog And the Lord of hostes â—elieth Iehoshua the high Priest that his fellowes that si before him are contemned in the world and esteemed as monstrous persons Zechar. 3.8 even as the Children whom the Lord had given Isay were instar Portenti as signes and wonders in Israel Isa 8 18. As touching the persecution and tribulation of the Apostles the Lord Iesus himselfe prophesieth that they should be hated Luke 6.22 separated from their Synagogues for the Son of mans sake which also came to passe on the Primitive Church namely the Aposiles and their diseiples who ended their Pilgrimage under Trajan and so continued on the Successive Church under the burchering Roman Emperours during the space of three hundred yeares almost even unto the time of Constantme the Great The Philosophers Act. 17.18 Epicureans and Steikes of Athens called S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seminivorbius a babler and after many tribulations Nero beherded him Marke was burned at Alexandria And as Iusiin Martyr witnesseth all Christians were called Apolog. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Godiesse people and Christian Religion as Eusebius writeth for very spight was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea saith Plinie Eib. 1. c. 4. It is Contemptus omniam Numinum And as touching the anguish and distresse of the Lords poore Inheritance and the malice of the wicked against them ever since