bee in the schoole of Soler Socrates then Iudas to bee at the Lords Å¿ Iohn 13.26.27 Supper or Cham in the t Genes 7. v. 7 Arke yea lesse fit then for a Iayz to sing amongst Nightingals for a foole to sit on the bench with Iudges for a Quacke-salver to consult in the Colledge of Physitians or the rurall fidler to joyne his Pans pipe or Oaten reede with the Quire of the Muses the chorus of the musitians or to adde one more as though * Qui Bavium non amat odit tua carmina Mevi Bavins or Mevins or a ballating Poetaster should intrude amongst the heaveÌ„ly * Est Deus in nobis agitante calescinius illo inspired spirits of a Virgill an Ovid a Homer a Hesiod a Chaucer a Spencer a Ben-mont such lettered Laureates c. Alas what delight hath a plow-boy a Cow-boy to handle a penne that knowes not a B. from a Buls foote as the phrase is What delight should I take to be amongst the Dutch or Welsh or wilde Irish w 1. Cor. 14.11 whose language I understand not to whom I am as a Barbarian and they to me so what a good yeare should a swearer doe in heaven where there 's nothing but blessing God with everlasting Hosannahs and Halelluiahs with which he is altogether as unacquainted as a poore preÌ„tice with the mysteries of of his trade the first day of his admittance or a childe with Greeke and Hebrew the first day that ever he handled booke how to speake the language of Ashdod the language of hell cursing swearing swaggering ryoting reveilling c a profane spirit knowes well or rather ill enough It 's naturall to him as for the fire to burne the Sea to fome c. He swims without x Sine coâ—tiâ—e natare a Corke hee takes these as some doe the the Art of cunny catching at his owne hand he needes no tutor no prompter but the Devill and corruption But for the language of Canaan the language of heaven the tongue of y 1. Cor. 13.1 Angels how to blesse God how to expresse with the inspired Apostles magnalia a Act. 2. v. 11. Dei the wondrous workes of God how to set forth the glory of God as did Augustine and Ambrose when in heavenly responsories is said one answering another as Cherubin Cherubin they alternatly in b Alterius vicibus amant alterna Camenae canentes amenae c. courses compiled that holy hymne called Te Deum or We prayse thee O God c. I say though a profane person should have moe tongues then c King of Pontus that 's said to have spoke 22. languages Mithridates Scaliger or d Whose dictionarie consists of eleuen languages Calepine yet till God scrape or wash his tongue from oathes and blasphemies give his mouth a physicall or rather a metaphysicall purge heate his tongue as the Disciples with celestiall e Act. 2. v. 3. fire as f Esay 6 v 6.7 Esay with a coale from the Altar he never can speake to any purpose except in hypocrisie as did g Iohn 12 4.5.6.7 Iudas h 2. King 9.32 Iezabell and i 2 Sam. 14 v 3 Ioab like a horse that goes a forced pace any thing Theologically good tending to Gods glory and the good of others And if hee be as a fresh man untrayned for any part of Gods service as he is or should be a souldier militant here on earth is it probable that he is fit for a higher office and place to serve the Lord joyntly with Saints and Angels in heaven SECT I. The blasphemer fitted for Hell BEsides the profane blasphemer is not so unfit for heaven but he is on the contrarie as fit for hell as a cut purse is for the Pillory or a traytor for Tyburne yea as a good Grammer Scholler is fit for a higher schoole even the Vniversitie for Sathan by the helpe of native and hereditarie corruption as a wily nurse having herein earth trayned up the blasphemer in the language of Ashdod and other abominations as sinne never goes bird alone like some father that teacheth his sonne his owne trade and makes him more expert exquisite then himselfe his purpose is to preferre him to a higher or rather to a lower place even to be a free denizen in the low countries the nethermost hels his owne Dukedomes and Demaines where whensoever the earth by a commission from the God of heaven is wearie of k Telluris inutile futile pondus Horat. him and casts him out as once shee did the l Iudg. 1. Ge. 15. vers 16. Cananites as the Sea casts out her froth there he may as free as any in great Belzebubbs territories in a trice set up or set ope his mouths shop and have free vent for all his blaspemies were they tenne times moe and more abominable yea and he shall have too such pension and pay as they deserve abundance of fire and brimstone storme and tempest shall be his portion to m Psalm 11.6 drinke And sure as hee that knowes the language and the fashions of a countrie makes lesse bones at it to travaile thither and hath more hope of entertaynement in France Italy Germany Polland Hungary Slavonia if hee can speake well and perfectly the French Italian Germaine Polonian Hungarian Slavonian tongues So he that speakes in his horrid oathes imprecations and execrations the language of hell as I perswade my selfe were the Devill himselfe as he assumes shapes truely and really metamorphized into the heart the habit and speach of some man hee could not act worse pageants then some doe slaunder more maliciously blaspheme more boysterously c. such a man when ever God by his sergeant death sends him a passport may travell in a trice into the Devils Dominions and have worke at will and aboundant wages even more then he desires but large as much as he deserves yea me thinkes as by a mans speech it 's easie discerned what countrie-man a man is English Irish Scottish a Germane or the like so a man a Minister chiefly may even here this day give a great guesse at thousands as infallibly as the two Damosels did of n Math. 26.72 Rhoda Act. 12. vers 13.14 Peter what countrie you as yet belong to and whither you set your faces to Sion or to Sathan even your tongues bewray you whether you speake Sibboleth or o Iudges 12. vers 5.6 Shibboleth as Ephramites or as Gileadits as Angels or Devills Oh as I begun this pressed point I end it If ever you desire to be like the Angels in glory sympathize with them though you cannot equalize them in grace chiefly consecrate as they their whole powers you your least member to the glory of God else that part unreformed all your p Iames 1. v 1â— Read all these excellent means and motives against swearing forswearing M. Downâ—â—â— foure Treatises
Ambrose David here and his people their holy hymnes gratulatorie prayses Iö Paeans as our plantations this day to the glory of the God of glorie the giver of all grace And sure if ever I saw heaven upon earth it is when a religious Pastor and a zealous people are assembled together in Gods house upon the Lords Sabaoths or a religious familie as a private or pettie Church hearing and preaching the word as in Pauls time continued the whole r Act 20 7 day expounding Scriptures as in Ezras Å¿ Neh 8.5.6 7 8 time in publicke prayers early in the morning as in Tertullians dayes and the Primitive t Pliny the Iunior testifies so much of them in epistle to Traian apologizing for Christians times in some places and Churches in our times singing of Psalmes as our Saviour with his Disciples at his last Supper Oh sure here is an Image indeed of heaven here is in some parts of Gods worship vita coelestis vita celitum the life of the Saints in earth and in heaven here is Bethell Gods owne w Gen. 35 7 house the place is holy x Exod 3 5 ground God himselfe here is present u Marke 14 26 walking in the middest of the y Revel 2.1 golden Candelstickes as he was with Sydrach Mysaach and z Dan. 3.24.25 Abelenago singing in the Babylonian flames and with these joyfull Saints Saunders a Apud Foxum in Mart. â—ilogiâ— Glâ—ver and others who rejoyced and triumphed in the middest of that Romish Babylonian flames in which the Martyres were tortured in Queene Maryes dayes here Christ himselfe is present and president too as hee was with his Disciples after his b Luke 24. Resurrection and Ascension in the dayes of c Act. 2.1.2.3 Pentecost according to his promise Whether there be naturall Musicke in nerves arteries and sinewes the simularie or dissimularie parts of the bodie of d Opinio Heripinli Medici Albereâ— Durerâ— Tyurdei l 2. Musices vide Tolosaeuum Syntax arâ—is Mirabilâ— l. 12 c. 8 pag 189 man or whether elementarie musicke in the elements as e In Tymeo in Platonem Marsil Ficinus Plato f In sonno Scip. Macrob. in Ciceronem lib 2. c. 1 Tully Matrobius thought or whether celestiall and heavenly musicke in the Spheares as Pyâ—hagoras first g Apud Athen. lib. 14. cap 14. imagined and to which manie learned men since in all ages have in some h Vt inter Philosophos Plat. li. 10. Reip. pa. 670. Macrob. lib. 2. de somn Scip. c. 3. p. 90. Plutarch de musica tom 2 pa. 707. Inter Poetas Aristoph in nubibus act 1. scan 3. pa 169. Virgil. Aeneid pag 167 Manilius l. 1. pa. 25. Iuter Theologes Anselm demundi magine ca. 24. tom 3. pag. 300. Beda de musica practicit tom 1. p. 417. Maâ—imus Tâ—ius serm 21. p. 256. ser 23. pag. 280. sense subscribed though by others contradicted others disputed others doubted these musicall controversies to me are not much materiall Here is that musicke which as David said of Goliahs sword 1) 1. Sam. 21.9 ther 's none like unto it Here is the musicke of musickes as Salomons Canticles are called the song of songs to which the Quier of heaven joynes with the Chorus of Saints in earth At this the Angels rejoyce 2) Luke 15 vers 10. as at tht conversion of sinners With this God himselfe is delighted his spirit ravished refreshed more then ever Alexander or any other was wrought upon by modulations of anie earthly man Where on the contrarie to make application to our owne times if ever I saw the verie image and picture of hell it is when a carelesse Emperick of Soules a doltish Sir Iohn-lack Latin a blinde Pholypheme a profane Esau one of Ieroboams priests 3) 1. King 12. vers 31. is placed over a people of Sodom 4) Isay 1. v. 10. as a Wolfe over goats whereupon Gods owne Saboths which should be consecrated as glorious daies to the Lord 5) Ier. 17.27 are perverted profaned rather to the service of Bacchus Priapus and Venus as once the heathenish Floralia Bacchanalia c. that the Devill should so rule and raigne in the popish or profane parish keepe such a rackett as the chiefe steward both with Pastor people that neyther barrell being better Hering in stead of preaching there should be pyping or idle prating playing as the Israelitish wantons once with the Moabitish women Numb 25. in stead of Devotion dauncing in stead of singing of Psalmes discharging of oathes like vollies of shott and roarings of Canons with full foole foule mouthes even in the very face of the Almightie Oh the difference betwixt Davids dayes and ours those Ioviall Saturnall golden dayes in which he lived and our Iron irefull times Davids people had they acted such publicke parts of Gods prayses in our dayes worshipped God so seriously so solemnely so sincerly now they had beene counted and called Puritans Precisians every mothers sonne of them many an i Gen. 21.9 Ismalite would have scoft them manie a k 2. Sam. 20.6 Micholl mockt them yea had but part of this Congregation assembled in the night as the persecuted Christians were sometimes occasioned for their securitie and the Disciples after Christs l Acts 12. v. 12 Ascension had there beene any religious m Chiefly a Damosell Rhoda as Act. 12.13 Shee would be counted called too an â—â—rodias women amongst them though Mary Magdalens Salomees or Susanas they should all have beene taxed and traduced to have beene of the Family of love or lust Adamits or Anabaptists they had beene censured everie one their devotions had been turned on the tipp of malignant tongues into promiscuous daunces they had escaped no better then the Primitive Christians or then the sincerest in those dayes at least they had beene counted more precife then wise more hypocriticall then holy thus publicke to prayse and worship God which they might have done well enough in private without this Heraulding and Trumpetting Gods prayse and in his their owne perhaps they had not escaped the imputations which Festus gave unto m Acts 26.24 Paul and n 2. King 9.11 Iehues consort Captaines to the annoynting Prophets even of mad men SECT VIII Davids times and ours further ballanced inrespect of multitudes then Religious now Irreligious THus David and his people were as in a plurifie or burning feaver of zeale carried up as o 2. King 2.11 Elias as in a fiery Chariot we are now in a cold palsie frozen as Esops snake yea as p De frigiditate Salamandri Discorides lib. 2. c. 5. Galenus de Temper lib. 3. cap. 4. Et Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 4. Salamanders not to be heated extinguishing all sparkes and fires that are put in us by good motions from God or put to us by good motives from man
profanesse Iewish usury Cannibal-like crueltie execrable and horrible blasphemies against emulatitions against all that have any shew of religion with other transgressions perpetrated and resolvedly committed against God and man be thankefulnesse all which indeede with the like shew and speake an unthankefull tongue heart and life as the Ivy bush shewes the Taverne the blew spots the plague biles and carbuncles and ploukes in the bodie and face the inward infection of the Liver and the smoake and sulphur the inward brimstonely matter that 's in Etna in Pliny choaking w De Vesuvio Solinus cap. 40. de eo nihil Plinius praesaga forsan mente iude sibi exitium futurum de modo mortis Lege in epistola Plinij Iunioris ad Cornel. Tacitum hostoricum Vesuvius and the like c. I say unlesse this may stand for thankefulnesse as if counterfeit coyne shall stand for pay there 's no further glimpses and sparks of further thankefulnesse in our promiscuous multitudes though we see here the inflamed zealous fires of David and his Congregation CHAP. VII Gratitude to God for all his graces pressed from the practise of all the Saints in the Church Militant THus as Salomon sends the sluggard to the Aunt or a Proverb 16. v. 6. Pismire to learne b De cuius prudentia diligeÌ„tia tam Mira vide apud Plin. libr. 2. cap. 41. lib. 11. cap. 30. Arist libr. 9. cap. 38. Basilium in exem homil 9. providence and diligence to the Connyes the Locusts the Spider to learne wisedome c Prov. 10. vers 25.26.27.28 prudence to the Lion the Greyhound and the hoc Goate for constancie and d Ch. 30. v. 31. courage as Ieremie sends the Iewes to the Almanacke of the Storkes The Turtles and the Swallowes to learne the circumspect observation of times and e Ierem. 8. v. 7. seasons as Christ himselfe our Saviour sends his disciples and in them us to the f Math. 10. v. 16 Dove to learne simplicitie to the Serpent to learne not matchavillian but religious g De mira serpentis solertia pracipuè in capitis custodia in pollis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Plevius Plinium libr 8. cap. 27. Aristot. lib. 8. cap. 17. August de Civitat Dei libr. 8. cap. 15. Et Theologice applicant idem Augustin serm 4. ad frat in Eremo Chrysost hom 34. in Matth. tom 2. pollicie So I have according to my Tallent sent this ungratefull age according to my ministeriall mission and commission from God as to the Pagans so even to Birdes Beasts Fishes and Fowle to learne that gratitude to God for all his graces which as I have prescribed David and his people here in my Text piously publikly much more privately practised Now the effecting of this grace being that which purposely premeditatingly projectingly I doe affect that I may roule every h Omnem movere lapidem stone touch every string attempt every meanes use every motive to bring our English-Irish Israel paralell with Davids Israell changing my forme of speech modulating now in another Tune and Tone I desire that every man that desires to have an Israels heart to be a true Israelited i Iohn 1.47 Nathaniel indeede to consider that if the practise of the worst of men the Pagans the worst of beastes too yea the worst of animate creatures except the very Devils and infernall spirits shame not his ingratitude yet that hee would be lured and allured by the imitation vertuous emulation of the best that are or ever were of created natures eyther in earth or in heaven to the performance of this tributary taske which God imposeth upon every soule that hath the organes and instruments of reason rightly k For God requires no praise of fooles naturals mad-men young infants such as have yet no use of reason nor may be admitted to the Eucharisticall Supper fitted even to prayse his great and glorious Name as David and these Davidicans did here as they will answere the contrary to their perill at the great day of audit and great Court of Parliament before the King of Kings And herein first to begin on earth and then by a Theologicall Climax or gradation to ascend up as high as heaven let us looke to the Saints militant here on earth and wee shall see a cloud of witnesses like the cloud and the piller of fire going before Israell to l Exod 40.38 Canaan as the new created starre or the Angell moving in the starre or in forme of a starre going before the Easterne Magi as their conduct and convoy unto m De hà c stella ut de Magis ipsis multa dispâ— at Bosquerus in eccho conom in locit Math. 2 1.2.3 Christ preceeding going before in this never to much pressed till practised dutie inviting inciting us to insist in their steps Repetens ab origine prime to begin as they say from the beginning wee have n Genes 4. v. 4. Abel in true gratitude to God surpassing ungratefull Cain as the Sunne exceeds the pitchy cloud sacrificing the best of his Lambes the first fruites the chiefe and choyse of his o SacruÌ„ pingue dabâ— noÌ„ macruÌ„ sa â—rificabo Sphinx Philosophica Theologica flocke as a free-will offring for a blessing upon the rest though I know too it have a speciall p See Moses unvailed in octavo extant reference to the oblation of Christ the true Paschall q Iohn 1. v. 29. Lambe so Genes 24. vers 17. wee have Abrahams servant blessing the Lord for his mercies to his master Abraham and for making his journey prosperous vers 26.27 so Genes 32. vers 10. wee have Iacob acknowledging himselfe unworthy of the least of the Lords mercies which hee specifically specially enumerates So in token of gratitude for renued mercies as an everlasting testimonie to them and their seede for ever in all succeeding generations how much they poyzed and prized as Courtiers from their King the least mercies and favours from God and to oblige them and theirs in an eternall indissoluble bond of obedience Abraham Isaac Iacob and the rest the best of the Patriarkes where ever they came built Altars set up stones and pillers to the honour of the Name of the r Sir Abraham Gen. 11.8 Gen. 22.14 Isaac Ge. 26. v. 25. Gen. 28 17. Iacob Gen. 31.13 v. 53. Gen. 35.1 v. 7. Lord as the Egyptian Kings in their Å¿ Mela de his li. 1. c. 5. Strabo lib. 16. praecipué Pli. l. 36. c. 12. describit deridet ut vanas etiosaâ— Pyramides Nabuchadnezzar in his t Dan. 4. v. 30. Babel the Nymrodians in their u Gen. 11.1.2 Tower Absalon in his w 2. Sam. 18.18 piller Cyrus in his sumptuous x De hac demo non meminit Pli. ut observat Aldus in Indicae ad Plin. naturalem histor describunt tamen alij
of the glorified Saints are eternally uncessantly imploied namely in standing about the Throne of the Lambe n Revel 5. v. 15 12.13.14 Eâ—ch 7. v. 9.10.11.12 Christ clothed with white robes Palmes in their hands as Emblemes of victorie over that triple Câ—rberus the flesh the world the Devill and crying with a loud voyce Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne and unto the Lambe Blessing and glory and wisedome and thankesgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen This is the continuated voyce of the Saints of the Elders that serve God day and night in his Temple Thus they sing Haleluiah in heaven for the judgements upon the great Romish o Revel 19. v. 1.2.4 whore which hang over her head for avengment of the blood of so manie of Gods servants innocent Martyres which causelessely shee hath effused Thus they rejoyce too at the marriage of the Lambe and for the graces alreadie given to the Bride the Church chiefly the Iewels of the Gospell by which shee is daily fitting her selfe for the solemnization of her espousals in p Vide Bright-mannum nostrum in locum heaven This indeede is vita celitum vita coelestis the heavenly life their life in heaven who are ever standing before the Lambe yea according to the distinction of q Zanch. de sex operibus de Angelis Distinguit in ministrantes assistentes Zanchie and r Casmannus in sua Angelographia Casman this is the life too of these that are ministrantes ministring from God For as the Devils where ever they be whether limitted or confined to the earth or dispersed in the Ayre or in the fire or in the waters or in the Mines or cranneyes under the earth or in the Center of the earth or below the center as some thinke ther 's locall hell as most probable because most remote from heaven or confined to some climate some Province some Towne some Circuite of ground some mountaine some fountaine some Court some Pallace some chamber some Nunnery or Monastery where they have played reakes and Å¿ Instat Cardan in lib. 4. de parieâ— c. 176. Langius li. 1. epist. an 1539 Wier de prastig l. 4 ca. 9.10.11 pranckes yea or to the bodies of some men as once in the t Cald ventriloquisis by Text contra Marrion c. 25. by Chrys in 1. Cor. 12. by Oecumens in Act. 16. v. 16. because the devill spoke within their bellies as once in the Serpent Pythonists ordinary in the dayes of Christ and extraordinarie now where ever according as the learned discusse and determine these u As Delrius discus Magicar lib. Tyareus de locis infestis Wâ—er de praestig daemonuÌ„ Perer. de Magia Laur. Ananias de natur daemonuÌ„ cum alijs intricates he bee permanent or transient he carryes still his Hell about with him as murtherers traytors adulterers blasphemers his darling sons carry their petty Hels in the gnawings of their consciences So on the coÌ„trary the good Angels where ever they be whether in BethleÌ„s fields with the Shepheards or in Daniels w Dan. 6. v 22 den with Daniel or in the fiery furnace with Sydrach Misaach and x Dan. 3. v. 25. Abednego or in Sodom with y Gen. 19. v. 15. Lot or in the doore of the Tent with z Gen. 18.2.3 Abraham or whether with Manoah and his a Judg. 13.9 wife in the fields or with the Virgin Mary in her b Luk. 1.26.27 Closet or where ever else they ever carrie their heaven about with them they are still in heaven or heaven in them in respect of Gods c Luke 1. v. 19. presence which fils them as the Moone is filled with the light of the Sunne and in this fulnesse of joy which they have in from God they cannot but resonate and resound backe againe their prayses to God for even when these heavenly souldiers are on earth with Bethlems d Luk 2.13.14 Shepheards as if they had beene in these highest Emperyall heavens into which Paul was e 2 Cor. 12.2 rapt they sing Glory to God on high on earth peace and amongst men good will Now to act our parts as we pray in that best of f The Lords prayer preferred by Cyprian by Daneus de Orat Dominica by Alstedius in Theolog. Catech. prayers in respect of the Author matter manner and method Thy will be done in earth of us mortall men readily promptly g Math. 6.10 See Brimsley and lately M. Bernard in their plaine paraphrases upon the Lords prayer sincerly c. as it is in heaven of the immortall Angels so unlesse wee meane to prate and prattle rather then pray as did the h Math 6.7 heathens and our vulgar i â—n their Tantologies Battilogies Latin prayers Papists unlesse we will take Gods name in k Abuse of prayer by M. Perkins in his Golden chayne by Alsted Theol. Catech is made a maine breach of the third Command vaine and abuse this primary and principall part of Gods l Gen. 4.26 Vide Scultetum de praecatione pag. 4 5. c. worship unlesse wee will verba dare dally with deceive and delude the Almightie we must straine and studie desire and indeavour to practise as wee pray wee must blesse God on earth as the Angels doe in heaven we must not blaspheme on earth the God of heaven which the Angels doe not dare not cannot doe wee must prayse God not pinch God as the angry Curre may the stoutest Lion Wee must magnifie God as the Angels doe not martyr God murther God teare and crucifie over and over againe as Augustine alludes the glorified humanitie of Christ worse then the Iewes on the Crosse as hellish and profane spirits doe not sparing his wounds his bloud his heart his head nay not his feete his nayles and his guts as our roarers our rake-hels our rascalities and ragga-muffins doe such as in their practise have turnd just renegadoes Iulianists Oecebolians Apostaites worse then Turkes and Mahumetans forsaking Christ nay opposing Christ more fearefully then Witches and Conjurers Oh this is indeede to be like unto the Angels like unto the Gods as the Devill Iesuitically m The Devill first taught the doctrine of equivocation the Iesuite in it is not a scholler to Iesus non cuÌ„ Iesuitis qui itiâ— cum Iesuitis c. equivocated with Adam and n Gen. 3.5 Eritis sicut dâ— ludit deludit in hoc verbo dâ— id est eritis sicut Angeli dij dicti sicut daemones id est sicut mali angeli dij vel daemones dicti a scientia Eve But what Gods What Angels even Angels of darkenesse not Angels of light For surely to curse teare blaspheme God is the very life course practise of damned spirits the tortured ghosts of Devils and men reprobate Angels and reprobate men Cain Iudas Esau Saul
and distractions of families incumbrances from your callings and what other lets disturbance impediments and remoraes whatsoever which doe everie way in this your warfare here imbondage and inthrall you from the performance of this or any other spirituall duetie in that measure and perfect manner that you would or should of which you daily complaine with the h Rom. 7.23 Apostle and all the faithfull and against which you daily strive and fight in the Christian conflict and bickering i Gal. 5. v. 17. duell betwixt grace and nature the flesh and the spirit Oh let it be your living dying yet never dying comfort that you that begin cordially and Christianly to blesse God here after this short life is ended which is as brittle as k Esai 40 6. 1. Pet. 1.24 glasse as wavering as the winde as frayle as the Ice as swift as a poaste or a weavers shittle as melting as snow as fading as smoake or the fields flower as vanishing as a dreame you shall joyne your spirits to the spirits of the just to sing and ring forth your everlasting Hosannahes and Haleluiahs to the God of spirits for which end as Pauls wish and hearts desire was that Israell might be l Rom. 10.1 saved so my wish and hearts desire is that all of you might here be so farre sanctified that innitiated in this life as prentices to this heavenly science or as journey-men or journing men even strangers and pilgrimes with m 1. Chr. 39.15 David the Patriarkes and n Hebr. 11.13 1. Pet. 2.11 Prophets travelling and peregrinating in this vaile of miserie in your few evill o Genes 47.9 dayes ere you sleepe with your p 1. King 2.10 fathers you would so learne to speake the language of Canaan with the tongues and Tones of Angels that at the last as free Denizens free Citizens infranchized and priviledged in all the liberties of grace and glorie you may keepe a perpetuall Iubilee an everlasting Sabbath of prayses and holy expressions in that heavenly Canaan celestiall Ierusalem Mount Sion which is q Gal. 4.26 above to which my hopes be that you are my desires be that you may be travelling breathing and aspiring SECT II. Motives further urging here to begin the lâ—fe of Grace after of Glorie OH suffer the word of exhortation I beseech you as heavenly Quyristers begin even here even now even this day the Quyre on earth It 's not thanke worth to be eternally thankefull in heaven you must doe it you can doe no otherwayes if you once come there It 's as naturall if I may use that word for the blessed spirits to blesse and prayse the Lord as for the fire to burne the Sunne to shine the waters to move the Seas to ebbe and flow r Aelian hist li. 10. c. 44. Plin. li. 5. cap. 9. Nilus to overflow or any other creatures celestiall or sublunary animate or inanimate to move and worke and produce effects according to their natures and severall proprieties But to prayse God here joyfully cordially constantly to breake here through all impediments as Davids three worthies through the Garryson of the Philistines to fetch the desired waters of Å¿ 1. Chr. 11. vers 18. Bethlem to strive here against all discouragements as in the Olympicke t De his ludis multa apud Celium RhodignuÌ„ historicos Poetas sunt quos curriculo pulverem Olympicum collegisse iuvat c. Horat. games for Masteries to swim against the streame of all oppositions as is said of the u Arist anim lib. 9. cap 48. Dolphin and Samon to be resolute against all repugnances of the false and flattering flesh that bids the spirit as Peter bade Christ favour it selfe The tempting Devill the persecuting world who by the imputations of hypocrisie humorousnesse fantasticalitie singularitie at least of Puritanisme and Precisnesse seeke to quench in every zealist all sparkes of Devotion as soone as ever kindled yea as w Math. 2.16 Herod and x Exod. 1.22 Pharaoh to drowne murther even Christ and Christianitie in all the Israell of God as soone as ever new borne I say those that can thus digest all those bitter pilles as physicall and can be as was Davids y 2. Sa. 6.21.22 case with Micholl more zealous in this and all other duties the more they are opposed like the fire that burnes the more the more it is z Quo magis premitur eo magis astuat ignis supprest this indeede is prayse worthy everie inferior birde can chippe and croude it in the spring and can sing in the Sunne shine that is a birde indeede that can sing in the storme and charoll it in the Winter every fish can play in the calme the Dolphin and some moe can play in the tempest everie man can blesse God in the Sunne-shine of his prosperitie with full bagges full barnes full bellies and clothed backe But to blesse God in adversitie in the stormes of affliction with Iob on the a Job 1. v. 21. dunghill Daniel in the Lions b Dan. 6.21.22 den with the three companions of c Dan. 3.23 Daniels in the furnace with the Martyres at the d Many had that strength grace given them in the paganish Arrian popish persecution nominated in the Martyrologie but chiefly by him who hath epitomized all the booke of Martyres fol. 3.4.5.6 7.8.9.10 to fol. 18. c. stake to sing songs of Sion here in a strang land this is that which is most acceptable to the Almightie Oh then that my words might prick and fasten like the goades and nayles of the sanctuarie that I might plead and prevaile with you Even now with Noahs e Genes 7.9 Dove to enter into the Arke to leave the carrion and fleshly lusts of the world on which the worlds Crowes Dogs and Vultures prey and glutt themselves here to be at rest in God and on God Oh let my counsell be f Dan. 4.24 acceptable here strive to enter into the Bride-grome g Math 25.10 chamber to rejoyce as Paranymphs and friends of the h Math. 9 15. bridegrome to sing with Salomon a divine Epithalamium in honour of the spirituall espousals betwixt Christ and his Church Oh that you could here sleepe in quiet rest and tranquilitie of the soule in heavenly contemplations as that Endimion is said to have slept with the i Apud Natalem Comitem in Methiologijs Moone in the phylosophicall speculations here be conversant in the mount with God as k Exod. 19.3 Moses get a glimpse of the glorie of Christ in the mount with Peter Iames l Math. 17.4.5 2. Pet. 1.17 Iohn for in the mount of high and heavenly thoughts and meditations God will bee seene Christ will bee found in m Luk. 2.46 Ierusalem which is the vision of n Visio Paciâ— peace Oh that we could ascend up from earth to heaven with
it plaine psal 145. v. 10. Thy Saints saith he shall blesse thee they shall speake of the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power They only indeed can doe it they will doe it As unpossible for a heart possessed a spirit replenisht with grace not to blesse God as for a man to have a living soule and not to breathe a sound heart and yet never to move nor work there being unlesse 1. in some sickish fit of weakenesse 2. 2. Sam. 12.9 2. sam 24.1 1. chron 21.1 1. King 19.4 2. Chron. 32.24 25. in some dead swoune of temptation as once in our David 3. some distemper of impatiencie as once in Elias 4. some surging oppressing overflowing humor or tumor of spirituall pride some Tympanie of inflation as once in Ezechiah 5. some Lethargie of securitie and forgetfulnesse psal 106. v. 13 21. as in Israels prosperitie 6. some brawninesse or fatnesse as in * deut 32.15 Iesurun I say unlesse in such cases there being as swift as nimble as enargetical operative a motion in a sanctified heart to move spiritually to the praysing of God as for a naturall and fleshie heart to move in any naturall motion yea as the lesse grace the more ingratitude it being impossible that an Esau should be truely thankefull for his birthright gen 25.33.3.4 math 26.23.47 Luk. 12.18.19 1. Sam. 25.10.11 15. which he sells for broth a Iudas for such a master as he sells for silver a churle for his full barnes and bagges a Nabal and a Laban which is Nabal backward for any blessing of sheepe and goods they receive from God or for anie kindnesse from a David Gen. 31.7 or a Iacob or anie man the instrument of their God so long as they carrie about them these their poysoned cankred serpentine hearts unpurged unpurified from the venom of originall and actuall sinne as for a dead man to walke a dead trunck to talke or a leaden Organ-pipe to make any musick without blowing they wanting the best bellowes and breath of the spirit of God so on the contrary the more grace there is in any man the more his heart and tongue abounds redounds with the prayses of God even as the greater the fire the greater heate and the fuller the fountaine the freer flow the streames This holds both in the Saints in earth and heaven and in the Angels who as they are most holy so they are most heavenly in sounding and singing their continued Hallaluiahs Rev. 5.8 9 10 11 12. to the glorie of the Lamb upon the Throne SECT II. Further prosecuting Davids gratulation YEa as it holds in the nature humane and angelicall men and Angels Mark 14.32 35 so it holds in Christ himselfe the head of the Angells who in the daies of his flesh as he had the spirit without measure so as sparkes from his heavenly fire ascending upward as he did pray continually he did rejoyce evermore and in all things give thankes 1. Thess 5.16 17 18. Luke 10.17 18 19 21. as for the propagation of the Gospell the subjugation of Sathan the faith of his elected ones yea as a shame to unthankefull Christians who as Hoggs and swine trample the best blessings under their feet Iohn 17.24 25. Iohn 6.13 luke 9.16 Luke 22.17 2. cor 11.24 1. Kings 19.14 iohn 2.17 2. Sam. 17.10 16.10 iob 1. ult iam 5.11 Num. 12.3 2. Sam. 14.7 2. Sam. 11. never elevating tongue nor eye nor heart to the donor and giver of their food life he never used the creatures eyther bread common or sacramentall but first he blessed them But to pretermit all other instances and to keepe mee close to this excellent president in my Text of a gracious and gratefull heart we shall see this holy Prophet David for zeale another Elias for courage a Cure de Lyon for patience another Iob for meekenesse another Moses for wisedome as an Angell of God for sinceritie a man after Gods owne heart not so mainly vainly culpable in anie thing except in the matter of Vrias we shall see this David never wanting to his God in gratitude as God was never wanting unto him in pouring out his benefites and blessings For as a patterne of a pious Prince to all Princes of a holy and heavenly heart looke in the first and second bookes of Samuel in the bookes of Kings and of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and you shall see beneficium postulans officium a dignitie requiring a dutie that God never had a mercie in store for David of adornation or preservation temporall or spirituall generall to the Church and Common-wealth of Israel or speciall to himselfe but he had a holy Hymme an Eucharisticall song a spirituall Psalme againe as a gratulatorie retaliation to the glorie of the donor like these Euchonnastick Verses usually in our Colledge Chappels in the praise of the Founder Above all other places 2. Sam. 7. ponder and peruse the second of Samuel and seventh chapter where David resolving with himselfe to build a Temple for the Arke of God dwelling within Curtaines ver 1.2 and revealing this resolution to the Prophet Nathan and receiving a placet and an approbation againe from Nathan vers 3. but they both reckoning without their Host God contradicting the execution of this resolution in the subject because David had beene a man of warre but yet not in the matter appointing that to be performed by Salomon his peaceable sonne which was projected by his martiall father yet the Lord accepting in David as in all his children the * Est aliquid voluisse si non voluisse will for the work the affection * Apud Deum affectus cordis pro effectu operis Gen. 22.15 16. Luke 21.3 2. Cor. 8.12 for the action as he did in Abrahams sacrificing of Isaac the poore widdowes myte the almes of the poorest Corinthians as well as the richer Achians the Goats hayre and Badgers skins of the meanest as well as the gold and purple of the mightiest to the building of the materiall as spirituall Temple he sends David a comfortable message by Nathan in such a gracious acceptance what mercies both temporall and spirituall the Lord will accumulate both upon David and Salomon vers 12 13 14 15 16. that David surprised in an extasie of joy and gladnesse and ravished in spirit not able longer nor further to conceale his hidden flames he resolvedly sets himselfe before the Lord and offers there with his heart soule and spirit and tongue all as he professed in some * Psal 111. v. 1. Et 136 ver 1. Et 148. vers 1. Et psal 103. v. 1. Gen. 8. v. 21. Iohn 12 v. 3. Psalmes such an Eucharisticall and gratulatorie sacrifice as like Noahs offering smelt as a sweet perfume or savour of rest or as that boxe of Alabaster broke by gratefull Mary Magdalen on Christs head in the nosthrils of the Almightie for as
Legall Regall Royall Throne Oh in the experience of these and all other his mercies generall and speciall how is he vocally cordially really thankefull with his heart tongue minde soule spirit affections blessing lauding praysing magnifying extolling glorifying the great and glorious Name of Iehovah his God acknowledging him his w psal 18 1. Rocke his refuge his Asylum his Sanctuary his King his God his guide his leader his x Psal 23.1 per totum shepeheard his sure salvation leading him to the pure pasture spreading his Table Crowning him with mercie protecting him in all perils causing his lott to fall in a faire ground giving him a goodly heritage He attributes nothing like the proud presumptuous foolish profane men of our age who sacrifice to their owne Nets eyther to his owne sword and speare or to the valour of his owne men the thousands of his Israel the prowesse of his y Adiuo the Eznite Eleazar the Ahobite Shammah the Hararite Abishat Benaiah Asahell and other of Davids worthies 2. sam 23 equalizing Hector Achilles Hercules Thesius Caesar Pompey c or any amongst the heathens worthies the pollicies of his Counsellors much lesse to that heathenish Idol z Te facimus fortuna deam caloque locamus Fortune the Chymera of ignorance and the addle egge of a So crusht in fitters by S. August in his boks de Civitat Dei by Vives his cōmentator and Lactantius in his Institutions Folly nor to chance and good lucke those serpents bred in the braynes of unthankefull men whereby Gods glorie is stung and wounded but as tutoring us as the Rivers which come from the Sea returne to the Sea from whence they flow and as the beames which come from the Sunne reflect backe againe from the Earth up towards the Sunne as the clouds which are extract in their uapours from the earth being dissolved fall againe upon the Earth so all the mercies which David received hee did thankefully reflect them backe againe to the honour and glory of the giver the Lord himselfe the Mecenas of the Church the great b Ezek. 36.25.26 Ier. 31.33 Zach 12.10 Patron of all the Adwovsons of his giftes of Grace unto the sonnes of grace Oh vade tu hac similiter whosover thou art high or low that hast received thy tallents c Math. 25. from thy master from thy maker goe and do thou the like that David did blesse that God who blessed thee thou so shalt be blessed by the happiest usury as David was Blesse God I say as you should doe not as too many gracelesse godlesse men doe blaspheme him as you should not CHAP. II. David prayseth God personally SEcondly as discharging my next Bill David blesseth God as Piously so Personally in his owne person though a King he is not ashamed to doe his homage and fealtie and service to the King of Kings even as some other pettie Kings as once in d See Stowes chronicle epitomized pa. 44. England and in Persia to e Esth ch 1. v. 1 Assuerus in Babylon f dan. 4.22 to Nabuchadnezzar in Greece to Alexander have yeelded their tributarie subjection to greater Kings as at this day to the great Turke and the great Mogull So David as once that Saint g In aurea Legenda made by a man plumbei cerebri as one of their owne notes Christopher in the Legendarie Fable will serve the greatest hee will heere in the Earth as the Angels and Saints in heaven h revel 4.10 throw downe his Crowne and his Scepter before the Lambe he will fall downe and worship before the Lords footestoole i psal 95 6. Though he have a heart like k 2. sam 17.10 a Lion yet he will bowe like a reed melt like waxe weepe like a whipt Child bleat and crie out like a forsaken Lambe when for some sinne to be corrected or physically prevented he is under Gods Ferula dieted with the bread of affliction Though he be as a Lion Rampant when hee is in the midst of his and Gods enemies yet hee is couchant when hee is before the Lord. So againe though he be a wondrous wise man an Oracle as his Sonne Salomon a miracle of wisedome as an Angell of God to discerne cases and causes as the woman of l 2. sam 14 17 Tekoah told him yet at the returne of the Arke of God from the Philistines hee is so overjoyed that forgetting himselfe or rapt beyond himselfe in zealous gratitude to God wrapt in a Lynnen Ephod as a Child before a Pipe or as a Morrice Dancer as Micholl thought hee daunced before it withall his might But it was not in a vaine profane promiscuous daunce as amongst us such as the worst of the m De diversis saltationibus tripudijs Ethnicorum Lege Iul. Pollucem libr. 4. Onomast c. 13. c. 14. Atheneū lib. 1. c. 8. li. 14. c. 12 libr. 4. c. 24. Syntaxeon artis li. 12. c. 19. p. 207 heathens used from whence wee borrow it and the best have n Inter Patres Chrys hom ult in Col. ho. 2. in Gen. hom 49. in Math de filia Herod et Amb. l. 3. de virginis Aug. contra Petil. c. 6. in psal 32 inter nostrates Petrus Martyr in locis Viret Instit. in praecep 7. Taffin of amendment of life li. 2. c. 18. inter ethnicos Cicer pro Murena erat 25. Seneca Plat. Plutarch reproved but it was before the Lord as he told that ill egg of a worse o Mali corvi maūm ovū est in equis est in filijs paterna virtus paternū virus Crow that mocking daughter of a persecuting Father who had elected him and rejected Saul and all his house Thus punctuall thus personall is David in his services his sacrifices David is neyther so proud nor so prophane as all the Morall men of our times that cannot will not serve God themselves but if at all by a Deputie who even at their full Tables sometimes at their rich and ryotous Naball-like feastes as I have seene and observed both in England and Ireland eyther gracelessely pretermit Grace or saying rather then praying of Grace as they say using abusing the creatures without ever sanctifying them more by p Tit. 1.15 Prayer then the Oxe doth his hay the Horse his provender or the Swine his draffe or ackorns sitting downe and rising up as q gen 25.34 Esau did when he ate his deere-bought broth for which his sold Birth-right was the shott without ever blessing God like a carnall carelesse wretch as hee was Or if this dutie for forme and fashion sake bee performed it is put to a Schoole-boy a yong Sonne a little Gyrle as the mouth of the Table to speake to God for them to intercede as their deputie though the parents can be content sometimes to the robbing of Levie and r Mal. 3.8 God in Levie to play the Parsons part and to
Alexandrum ab Alexandro Plutarchum cum alijs Magi and other Pagans with their wise men and Philosophers both in warre and peace upon all occasions But David knowes his owne strength how to stand on his owne bottome in this businesse though Nathan had beene which hee was not of such a Popish proud usurping Iesuited spirit to have contradicted this gratulatorie festivall as Zedekiah z 1. King 22.24 in the dayes of Michay Hananni Pashur a Ier. 20.2 and other false Prophets in the dayes of Ieremy crossed these best projects and proceedings which were for the welfare of Israell David knew that a lawfull king as he is called * Psal 82. God is solo Deo minor onely lesse then God and that everie soule is to be subject to the higher b Rom. 13.1 powers and so consequently Popes Cardinalls and all Prelates if they have soules and that every Christian Magistrate as he is custos utriusque Tabulae a keeper of both the tables of the Law so he must looke that Gods plough goe forward in duties religious towards God as Caesars in duties righteous betwixt man and man And therefore as Ezekiah will ordaine and institute a c 2. Chr. 30.1 2 3. Passeover to the Lord send and encourage the Priests and Levites to teach the thousands of d vers 22. Israel as e 2. Chr. 23.1 2. Iosiah and Nehemiah and f Neh. 8.4 5. Ezra will cause the book of the Law to be read expounded and interpreted in the eares of all Israel and so other religious kings of Iudah and Ierusalem sitting at the Helme of the Church as well as of the Common-wealth steere both aright So David here besides the managing of manie worthy and memorable morall acts for the good of Gods flock and heritage over whom he was superintendent he also out of his discretion or rather devotion institutes this solemnitie in my Text in which he exhorts and excites the people to holy and religious gratulations for mercies temporall and spirituall Oh as the practise is lawfull and laudable against all Antichristian contradiction as our English g Such as have writ against Becan Eudemon and the oppugners of the K. booke and of the Oath of Allegeance worthies have convinced it from Scriptures and all Histories in Christian Kings that have setled religion rooted out heresies and hereticks placed and displaced Bishops and Ministers put Zadoks in the place of Abiathars called ratified and approved generall h See D. Sutcliffe de Concilijs contra Bedar and provinciall Councells so I desire it might have what it deserves as the approbation prayers and prayses of all Christian subjects so the zealous imitation of all Christian Princes that so with Davids heart doing Davids work they might receive Davids wages double blessings from God from man in earth and in heaven SECOND PART Israels gratulation CHAP. I. From Davids spirit THus wee have seene David act his part Piously Publickly Primarily Personally Perswasorily Politically and independantly as a Prince on which I reflect for memories sake now let us see briefly and succinctly how the Congregation here act their parts and that is obsequiously readily universally For as they obey Davids motion for the matter blessing God so for the forme and maner they obey willingly speedily without demurring contradicting procrastinating even at first motion for the extent universally all the Congregation blessed God as may be hoped too cordially and without hypocrisie their practise in all every of the points as tutoring teaching us what to doe in the like cases so redarguing reproving what we do not First then eye apply the first act As David sets them a good copie they write after it they wade where he breakes the yce they daunce after his pipe he is as the primus motor the first mover in these visible heavens they as depending planetarie bodies move after his motion they receive spirituall sparkes from his fires they are enlightned heated by his example This is well when the people are truely religious truely zealous for the qualification and forme of grace as is their Prince or their Pastor though they should come short as the people did here in respect of David of their measure of grace for it s something to be in the second and third place in a run race k As in the Olimpick games est aliquid prodire tenus si non detur ultra though one cannot attaine the l There was difference in the valours of Iashobeam Eleazar Abishai Baniah and other of David worthies yet all valiant 1. Chr. 11.10 12 15 22 c. first it s something for the widdow to offer her mite Luke 21.2 though she have no more for a proselite Iew to bring Goats hayre or Cammels hayre m Exod. 25.9 or Badgers skins to the building of the Temple though as wanting gold and silver purple he can bring no better it s something to shoot neere the marke and to ayme the white though it be not hit it s accepted though poore Ioseph poore Mary offer up but a paire of young o Luke 2.24 Pigeons or turtle-doves when their povertie will not affoord Kydds and Lambes All are not strong men in Christs family some are p Heb. 5.12 Babes all are not great Graduates in Christs Colledge some are Tyroes and but newly admitted all have not grace in the like measure There is one glory of the q 1. Cor. 15.41 Sunne another of the Moone and another glory of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another in glory as one man from another in grace There are diversities of gifts but the same r 1. Cor. 12.4 spirit All have not one faith alike there 's a weake faith in the oft doubting Å¿ Matth. 8.26 Luke 24 38. oft discussing Disciples in the Father t Mark 9.24 of the possessed childe There 's a strong faith in Peter walking on the waters in the Cananitish u Math. 15.27 woman the * Matth. 8.10 Centurion the woman with the sanguinolent x Luke 8.49 issue all sonnes daughters of beleeving y Gal. 3 9. Abraham There 's a wondrous gift and measure of the spirit in z Dan. 6.10 Daniel praying three times a day this our a Psal 17.1 51.1 55.17 David with that perplexed Anna b 1. Sam. 1.15 upon everie occasion effusing and pouring out his soule in prayer c Vt Psal 4.1 5.1 6.1 28.1 38.1 abundant also redundant in the praises of d Vt in Psalm antea recitatis God his heart ever meditating of good matters his tongue the pen of a readie e Psal 45.1 writer his inward f fires breaking out in outward flames not contenting nor conteyning himselfe but even at midnight he must rise what to do not to light and smoake a Tobacco-pipe as some that are besotted and bewitched with the weed
Gospell the faith and patience of the Saints their grouth in grace their forwardnesse in zeale their readinesse to distribute their constancie in profession their perseverance in the truth together with Gods merciefull proceedings with himselfe in turning him in his name and nature from a Saul to a Paul from a Wolfe to a Sheepe a persecuter to a professor a Preacher a Canniball to a Christian a blasphemer to a blesser of r 1. Tim. 1. vers 12 13.14.15.16 17. Christ yea from a Cater-piller to be like Iames Iohn and Cephas a piller from a confounder a founder from a supplanter a planter of the Church of Christ These mercies together with that Tallent of preaching of tongues of knowledge above his fellowes of parts of Å¿ 2. Cor. 9. 2 Cor. 10. Paulus de ipso per totum paines of patience in doing suffering more then the rest that doore of utterance opened to him so abundantly were as they should be to all in Pauls place of Pauls spirit the ground not of Thrasonicall ostentation luciferian pride and presumption as in t Ierem. 20.1.2 Pashur Hanany u 1. King 22. v. 24. Zedekiah the Romish Iesuites and Baalites as formerly in Å¿ The intollerable of Arrius Samosaetenus other hereticks Gent. Magd. where Caesar as Pelargus our Iesuites praefat ante suum Iesuitismum Arrius Nestorius Paulus Samosetenus and all other Pseudoprophets Pseudopostles Pseudomartyres Pseudochristians Heretickes Schismaticks but of holy and humble thankefulnesse I might inlarge my meditation in this point if I would wade into ancient and moderne historie from the practise of all other Saints and holy men of God that ever were chiefly millions of Martyres Confessors recorded by Eusebius the Tripartite and the rest of Ecclesiasticall historians Foxe in his Martyrologie nominated by name and described by their states callings whose faiths like the t Arist. libr. 5. cap. 19 Etiamsi Discorides libr. 2 cap. 50. Galenus lib. 3 de tempor cap. 4. contradicant Salamandrum in ignem vivere ignem extinguere asserit tamen Plinius libr. 10 cap. 〈…〉 Plin. 〈…〉 Civit. Dei libâ— 21. cap. 4. Salamander and that Pyralis or Ceâ—astia living even in the fires and hotest persecutions even in the midst of flames as Paul Silas in the lower prisons have sent out the sparks of holy prayses in hymnes and Psalmes and spirituall songs c. But above all which is instar omnium in stead of all as the best president to us Christians we have the un-erring as precept so practise of Christ every action of his humanitie being our u Omnis Christi actio nostra est instructio instruction as he prayed continually rejoyced evermore in all things gave w 1. Thes 5.16.17.18 thankes chiefly for the propagation of the Gospell the subjugation of spirits to his disciples the falling downe of Sathan like lightning yea in the very benediction of the creatures abounding with prayses to his heavenly x Matth. 11.25 Matth. 26.30 father so should wee if wee be Christians in truth and sinceritie as in name profession imitate our Christ as members of his bodie branches of his Vine and docible disciples to that best of Masters otherwayes as Augustine once noted that it was incongruous under a thorney head to looke for soft and delicate effeminate y â—ub spinoso capite non debeÌ„t membra esse molâ—a Augustinus members it 's as incongruous under a blessed blessing head to have as many Christians have execrable execrating cursing accursed blasphemons members CHAP. VIII Gratitude further proved and pressed from the Saints and Angels in the Church triumphant with thunderbolts against this blaspeming in stead of blessing Age. BVt if the examples of the Saints on earth move us not I wish that sursum corda wee would lift up our hearts and eyes a little higher paulo maiora canentes unto the Saints and Angels in heaven looking to the soules and spirits of the just in the nature Angelicall and humane we have a fairer coppie to write after a more resplendent white to shoote at in the Church Triumphant then wee can have in the Church Militant where the whitest Swan hath his blacke feete the purest gold his drosse the fairest face of grace his moale the most eminent light his cloud or eclypse as may be instanced besides a Gen 19. v. 36. Lot b Gen. 9.21 Noah c Iohn 10. v. 25. Thomas d Math. 26.70.72 Peter c. Patriarks Apostles even in two of the best for great men good men the world ever had in David Hezekiah the one committing such e 2. Sam. 11. 2. Sam. 24.1.2.3 2. Sa. 16.1.2.3.4 sinnes the other omitting such f 2. Chron. 3â— 24.25.26 a dutie as both soyled their graces and put them to wash away those tinctures and staines with penitentiall g Psal 6. v. 6. 2. King 20.3.4 teares by the heate of renued love drawne out of the best distillatorie limbeckes of broken hearts and compunct spirits so that it 's dangerous to imitate the best men that ever were except the sanctifier and Saviour of men in every point of their practise least like the motion of that h Materia compacta in instina acris regione noctis frigore constipata ventâ—rum vi aliquando a malo Angelo agitata Simon Maiolus de diebus cauiâ— p. 1. câ—ll 1. pag. 9. ignis fatuus or transient fire cald in my countrie Maude with wispe they leade us wrong in the darke night of some errors into the Devious by pathes of irregularities But to imitate the Angels and soules spirits of the just in heaven their example is the right cynosure the streight line of our actions and affections the right Carde and compasse of our conversation the very Pole according to which to steare our practise in our manifold fluctuations and dangerous aberrations in the Sea of this world because they being inseperably united unto God to be like unto them is to be like unto God even partaker of the divine i 2. Pet. 1.4 nature they are fixt in their port and haven their heaven not subjected now like us in our surges to any shipwracke of faith or k 1. Tim. 1.19 conscience therefore it 's good for us to cast anchor as neere them as wee can to build our Tents and l Math. 17.4 Tabernacles as neere theirs as we may to ascend up the Mount to them by meditation contemplation imitation as in other things so especially in this dutie in singing and ringing forth here below as they above the prayses of their God and our God in joyning our quire to theirs in this holy Anthem Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy m In Te Deum glory If wee looke into that mysterious revelation wee shall see what the very life of the Angels is in what the spirits
Pharaoh Nero Caligula Heliogabalus Holofernes Apostate Iulian whorish Pope Ioane Nicromanticall Sylvester Alexander the sixt athisticall Caesar Borgias treacherous Absalon serpentine Achitophell soule poysoning Mahumet blasphemous Arrius Michael o Burned in Geneva vide in fine Aretij locor communium Servetus with millions moe Would you know what they are now doing Their bodies are jayled and imprysoned in the grave till Gods generall assises But what of their soules Thus in the middest of their exquisite tortures in hell unlesse God gave speedie grace to some to die better then they lived even with their father the Devill whom they sympathize as in sinnes so in p Math. 25 41 sufferings they rave they rage they fret they fume they revile they blaspheme they execrate they curse the Majestie of the Almightie they wreake their Teene and wrath on God as that madded Baiazet cope't up in an iron Cage did upon q See besides Knels his Turkish historie the history of Tamb. extant in quarto Tamberlaine even by raging and reviling like madded dogges tyed up in iron chaines they barke and fome at the mouth and belch out blasphemies as the condemned miscreant that curseth the Iudge the Iurie and the Bench when their malignant malice and mischiefe can proceede no further And indeed as wicked men are by the spirit of God cald the sonnes of r 1. Sam. 1.16 1. Sam 9.27 Beliall the children of the very Å¿ Iohn 8. v. 44. 1. Ioh. 3. v 10 Devils so Doe they not patrizare are they not as like their father as if they were spit out of his mouth Do they not look as like him as egge to t Non â—vâ—â—m evâ— similius egge snow to snow or rather pitch to pitch Do they not resemble him as face answers face in a glasse Hee blasphemes God in hell they blaspheme God here on earth He is the old u Revela 12.9 Dragon they are as yet but w Rev. 16. v. 9. Serpents yet growing to be Dragons and as full of venom for their measure as he is whose names they beare whose nature they have Should such die in this state and condition blaspheming the name of God as so many thousands doe in the world especially if they be never so little crost or toucht by the hand of God or tongue or hand of man then letting their oath-pellets fly from their hell-heated mouthes as did Michaes x Iudg. 17.1.2 mother the contesting Isralite in the dayes of y Lev. 24.10.11 Moses and these accursed carnalists prophecied of in the z Apoc. 16.9 Apocalypse I pray you to let such reflect a little on their case and condition d Math 5 35.36 August ad consentium de mendac cap. 15. Chromat in locum Iames 5.12 Psal 25. v. 3. Zachar. 5.3 Deut. 28.58 in Apocryph Eccles 23. v. 11. if God would please to open their hood-winckt eyes besides the Scripture that 's infallible true firme above heaven a Matth. 5.18 earth irrevocable above the decrees of the Meedes and b Dan. 6.8 Persians to be verified in every letter title and syllable according to qualifications of objects in workes of justice as of mercie I say besides the verdict of the word which must in due time be verified else God were no c Numb 23.19 God and the word but a fable like these of Esopes or Lucians which were blasphemy to imagine I say yet againe and againe besides the thunderbolts from Gods own mouth that strikes the swearer as low as e Psalm 9.17 hell the center of profanesse nothing keeping him out of it but a small twine threed of life every day and night as a blacke worme and a white gnawing this threed and at last a blatrant f M. Perkins allusiue simile in one of his Legall motives in his Treatise of repentance beast cald death perhaps suddenly lopping and cropping this threed and sends the customarie swearer into the lower pit without ever bayle or maineprize remission or redemption If there were no word or if the word were as carnall life heart g Psalm 14.1 Athists account it of no more certaintie then mother Hubbardes tales Bebelius h Bebilij facetiae extant in octavo jeasts or Melanders i Alelandri Iocoseria extant in decimo sexto jocoseria yea then the lying legend of the k Papists their Limbo Patrum and picke purse Purgatorie yet even in reason let me expostulate with an impious and profane spirit and whisper but some few wordes into the eare of a blasphemous swearer how fit he is for hell and how unfit for heaven if he should die suddenly as some of his predecessors have done and be swept away as dust and l Psalm 1.4 chaffe in an instant as were reveiling Corah Dathan and m Numb 16.32.33 So Anastasius the blasphemous Arrian Emperour was struk with a thunderbolt from heaven as also Olympius the Arrian like Ioab with three darts blaspheming the Trinitie See in the end of Zegedine his Common places in folio de his cum multis alijs Abiram for alas what should he doe in heaven being conditioned and qualified as he is what worke is there for him that he could doe that he would doe In heaven there is perpetuall sempiternall blessing of God as we have proved which taske he is as fit for as yet as an Asse for n Asinus ad Lyram Sus Minervam Erasmi chiliad a Harpe a Sow for a Sack-bot he that cannot sequestrate one minute of an houre one houre in a day one moment of time to prayse God hee that hath as much heart to this or any other spirituall dutie as a Beare to the stake the Bull to the ring the coward to the battle or the Asse to the race he that 's wearie in the Church or in a religious familie to beare one part or burthen in a Psalme which is indeede his burthen or chayned but to a Sermon or a Sacrament for an houre hath his eares taken up as by commission sore against his will his heart being o As Ezechiels auditors EZche 33. vers 31.32 a wooll-gathering rogeing stragling like Dinah perhaps in the p Gen. 34. v. 1. fields in the Towne in the Taverne in the Theator the tappe-house the Tobacco shop the brothell-house perhaps in his baggs in his Barnes in his coyne his counting house his corne-heapes or amongst his sheepe and brutes Is it probable or possible judgement finding a man just as death leaves him the Tree lying as it q Ecclesiastes fals that this man should dying in this tune and temper be fit to joyne his untuned spirit with the heavenly Quire of Angels to blesse and laud the Lord for ever ever Oh lesse fit is this man for this spirituall motion then Saul to be amongst the r Estne Saul inter Prophetaâ— 1. Sam. 19.24 Prophets then drunken Philoxenus to
pag. 26.27.28.29 â—â— 49. c. Religion is in vaine And know further what I have heretofore more inlarged that a man begins eyther his heaven or hell in this q Hic vita aeterna tenetur aâ—â— amutitur life Here he is in the suburbs of one of the two of Saint Augustines r Aug. de 〈◊〉 vit Cities eyther Ierusalem which is Å¿ Gal. 4.26 above or Sodom whcih is here below Here by grace a man hath Charter and interest after liverie seisure and possession of glorie Here it 's easily seene which way he walkes even by what he t Loquere â—t tâ— videam Socrates ad Ephebum quendam talkes A man neede not wish with Momus a window into a mans heart let him looke into his mouth there he hath the best prognosticatum of his minde as the unâ—erring truth it selfe hath u Math. 12. ver 32.33.34.35.36 determined Figges never grew from Thistles nor Grapes of * Iam. 3.12 Thornes nor sweete streames ever came from a poysoned corrupted w Iam. 3.11 fountaine let us make the inside cleane then all is cleane So shall we be able in earth as the Angels in heaven in sinceritie without hypocrisie in filiall love not in servile feare incident to the x Iam. 2.19 Devills and reprobates with purged and in good measure purified spirits even here on earth inchoatively and after in heaven perfectly to make one Quyre with the Angelicall spirits to the ever blessing and praysing the God of spirits SECT II. I Doe not denie indeede but a wicked and a gracelesse man may sometimes speake good wordes not onely savouring of Morall wisedome of experience and deepe observance as the sentences sayings and Apothegmes of Socrates Solon Biaâ— Thales c. and the Greeke and the Romane y Recorded by Valerius Maximus Diogenes Laertius Brusonius Lycosthenes and others Sages yea the expostulations of z 2. King 9.31 Iezabell with Iehu the disswasives of a 2 Sam. 24 3. Ioab to David the speaches of some even of the unbeleeving b Iohn 7.40.46 Iewes the censure of Gamahel concerning c Act. 5.35.36 Paul the counsell of Pilates wife concerning d Math. 27.19 Christ which many such specialties doe demonstrate but he may speake wordes even in outward shew and appearance savouring relishing of grace as appeares in Balaams e Num. 23.10 wish Agrippaes f Act. 26.28 flash the first to die the second to be a true Christian besides the Pharisees g Luk. 18.11 prayer the foolish Virgins crying h Matth. 25.11 Lord Lord the carnall Iewes desiring the i Iâ—hn 6.34 bread the adulterous Samaritane desiring the waters of k Iohn 4.15 life with many moe It cannot be denied also but the best men may sometimes speake wordes at first blush savouring of a carnall spirit such as have hardly the prints and impression of grace as appeares in Abrahams l Genes 12.13 simulation or dissimulation Ioseph his swearing by the life of m Gen 42.15 Pharaoh Eves tempting of n Genes 3 6. Adam Iudahs solliciting of his incestuous o Genes 38.16 Thamar Davids murtherous vow against p 1. Sam 25.22 Naball his folly in commanding his people to bee q 2. Sam. 24.1.2 numbered his bloudie jussion in the slaughter of r 2. Sam. 11.15 Vriaâ— his unjust verdict against Å¿ 2. Sam. 16.4 Mephibosheth in Peters t Math. 26. Luk. 23. deniall his disswasion of Christs u Math. 16.22 passion the culpable request of Iames and w Mark 10.35 Iohn the incredulitie of Saint x Iohn 20.25 Thomas with many moe verifying that of Saint y Iames. 3.2 Iames that he is a perfect man indeede which offends not with his tongue yet neverthelesse that is true in Divinitie which the eternall truth hath revealed that wordes justifie or z Math. 12.37 condemne that the mouth speakes the man eyther good or bad as it eyther blesseth or blasphemeth God or a Iames. 3 9. man For first this is to be presupposed that usually the just pure have pure b Proverbs words their hearts their consciences and their spirits being c Titus 1. v. 15. pure Abraham prayes for d Genes 18.25 Sodom for Ismael e Genes 17.18 Isaac for f Gen. 25 2â—â— Rebeca Moses blesseth the children of g Deut. 33.1 Israell Iacob blesseth his h Genes 49. 48.15 sonnes and the sonnes of i Gen. 48.20 Ioseph Samuel and Ioshuah exhort to the service of the true k 1. Sam. 12.13 Ioshuah 24. God Lot exhorts the l Genes 19 7. Sodomites Boaz comforts m Ruth 2.11.12 Ruth Eli reproves his n 1 Sam. 2.23 sonnes Gideon pleades against o Iudg 6 31.32 Baall the Prophets pray and prophecie the Disciples preach all that looked for the consolation of Israell blesse with Zachary the God of Israell for the incarnation and exhibition of Iacobs Shiloh the promised Messias as David cals his tongue his p In psalmiâ— glory So all the godly have made doe make except in some temptation or the breaking out of hereditary sinful corruption their tongues organs and instruments of the glory of God as againe the wicked when they speake usually unlesse when they faine and straine to the contrarie pronouncing Parrat-like such wordes of which they have no feeling against the heart and against the haire coldly comming from them as from sicke men or are over ruled by a speciall hand as q Numb 23.5 Balaam and r Iohn 18.14 Cayphas in his prophesie Pharaoh Neco in that which hee told Å¿ 2. Chro. 35.21 Iosias or out of common gifts as Iudas in his preaching Saul in his t 1. Sam. 10.6 prophecying the wise men amongst the Heathens from Morall Philosophie or the verie Ethickes of nature I say usually except in these specified cases when the wicked speake their wordes speake them wicked even as what bitter streames the fountaine sends forth these streames speake the fountaine no better then bitter since nemo dat quod non habet none can give what he hath not or shew better stuffe then he hath within him the mouth of a good man being as the opening of heaven which never opened but there was alwayes some remarkeable good thing happened as eyther Christ u Act. 1.11 ascending or the spirit w Iohn 2.32 descending or the like the mouth of a wicked man being as the opening of hell out of which never proceeded as into which never entred ever ought that good was or it is as the opening of the Tryoan Horse in which were armed Greekes fatall to Ilium or as the opening of Pandoras boxe out of which flew all leprosies and diseases or as the opening of Curtius his gulfe of the Sicilian x Plin. lib. 2. cap 106. August de Civit. Dei lib. 3. cap. 31. Aetna or that
Plinie choaking y Orosius lib. 7. cap. 9. Procopius lib. 2. Bel. Got. Nicepher libr 3. cap. 12. Vesuvius out of which proceeded nothing but filthie foggs and sulphurious stincking streames as appeares in Ismaels r Genes 21.9 scoffing or as the Apostle cals it tongue ſ Gal. 4.25 persecuting Michols t 2. Sam. 6.20 mocking Rabsakees u 2. King 18.28 29.30 rayling Simeibs w 2. Sam. 16.5 6.7 revilings the sonnes of Belials disdainings and dispisings of x 2. Sam. 20 1. David and of Saul y 1. Sam. 10.27 Sauls profane execration and a 1. Sam. 14.39 swearing Senacharibs and Goliahs b 1. Sam. 17.36 defying The cursing of that carnall c Levit. 24.11 Israelite and Michaes d Iudg. 17 2. mother Corahs e Numb 16.3 dispiting the ungratefull Israelites rebelling and f Numb 11.1.4 murmuring against God Moses and Aaron to omit the Pharisees g Marke 3 22.28.29 blaspheming against the holy Ghost their vilifying and vituperation of h Iohn 9.24 Christ Ananias and Saphiras i Act. 5.3 lying Gehezies k 2. King 5.25 dissembling the old Prophets hypocriticall l 1. King 13 18. haulting Simon Magus his m Act. 8 9. Magicke and monstruous mistakings in his n ver 19.20.21 stakings Elimas the sorcerers o Act. 13.8 disswasions of Sergius Paulus from Pauls preaching and as is manifest by the multitude of oathes and blasphemies which as thicke as the the Atomie or Sunne moathes besides talke wholy composed of rebauldrie folly dissimulation and treacherie come from the multitude which testifie that there 's no grace in their hearts since ther 's no good in their wordes they rule not the least member how much lesse the greater therefore all their religion and profession is p Iames. 1.26 vaine Therefore as thou wouldst be perswaded that with the tongue of Angels thou shalt glorifie God hereafter get a cloven tongue a fierie tongue not from hell as the q Iam. 3.6 most but from r Act. 2.3 heaven as the best to be an instrument of Gods glorie here which if thou attaine thou maist infallibly conclude that here thou art holy in the Church Militant and art tending and bending to be happie in the Church Triumphant else know that a swearing a blaspheming an execrating and cursing tongue shewes an unholy heart as corrupt streames shew a corrupt fountaine as sower fruite shewes such sapp and such ſ Iam. 3.11 roote as vlcers in the bodie and fierie ploukes in the face shew an unsound or inflamed Liver Yea as the blacke spots shewes the Poxe and the blew spots the plague fristed haire mannish attire a rouling eye gadding t Prover 7.10.11 feete a tempting tongue painted face naked breastes and uncovered dangling duggs the Ivie bushes that proclayme what Wine within is to be had for love or money not more demonstrating a very whorish u 2. King 9.50 Iezabell then a tongue which makes a daily trade of evill and cursed speaking shewes an evill and accursed w Math. 12.35 heart a sensuall and unsanctified soule yea that the very Devill speakes in and by such men as he did once in the x Vide Pareum Parerium in Genes 3.1.2 Serpent in Apollos y De ludebrijs illusionibus diabolicis in hoc oraculo vide apud Herodot lib. 1. 3. apud Valerium lib. 1. 9 c. 12. Et apud Maiolū de vaticinijs col 2. pag. 99. Oracle in many z Vide apud Delrium disq Magie apud Lorinum Commentarijs in Act. 16. pag. 628. 629. Ex Hieronymo Pythonists possessed persons even as Gods spirit speakes in and by the elect as once in and by his Prophets or Evangelists and disciples and so for thee in this state fate and condition possessed or rather plunged poysoned and pestered with such a filthie heart and foule mouth that 's altogether as unfitted untuned and unprepared for holy Hymnes and songs Divine Anthems and heavenly prayses as an Asse for an Harpe as the adage b Tanquam Afinus ad Lyram is For thee I say to imagine in this predicament to die and not be damned but to passe without any change or conversion in heart or life wordes or workes from a sathanicall life to an Angelicall life in heaven is a sweete deluding slumber a brave golden dreame a bewitching conceit an Eutopaean Paradise a meere Castle in the ayre without any warrant foundation a 2. Pet. 1.21 from the God of truth from the Scriptures of truth CHAP. IX SECT I. Motives here to begin the life of the blessed I Still desire to adde more fuell to this Celestiall fire of true Gratitude which I labour as I have I hope already instrumētaly kindled further to inflame in the hearts of our English-Irish Israell like that once materiall c Apud Maiol col 22. de elemēto ignis Vestall fire never to die or extinguish but to live and last to burne and blaze even when the sparkes of nature are quenched and the radicall moysture of all and every one of you drunke up and consumed Oh I desire that when your earthly and elementarie part is dissolved your dust turnd to dust and to mummiamized earth that then your better part your soules more pure and subtile then eyther fire or ayre may with the Angels and the d Reve. 5.11 Revel 7. ver 11. Elders clothed in pure white before the throne of the Lambe yea with the e Vide de ordine natura Cherubin Seraphin apud Cassantum in Catalogo gloria mundi par 5. p. 79 80. Cherubins and Seraphins wholy fired and inflamed with the love of God as inchoatively and initiatorily here on earth so perfectly constantly perpetually in the Emperyall heavens laude and prayse and blesse and magnifie and glorifie that great Tetragrammaton the mightie Iehovah f De his nominibus cum significationibus vide apud Zanchium de tribus Elohim de attributis Dei El A donay Elohim c. in all his great and glorious titles names and attributes for ever for ever without any persecution of the world opposition of tongues scoffing of Ismaelites flouting of Michols or any externall interruption and disturbance from the sonnes of Beliall which labour the extinguishing of all the sparkes of spirituall zeale in any devoute Proselite of the house of David of the new g Zach. 12.10 Ierusalem yea without any internall suggestions and temptations from Sathan but above all without any distraction of minde division or divulsion of thoughts alienation by these externalls or any other molestation in the outward or inward man from your selves as having there a full and free exemption infranchizing manu-mission from all this dulnesse of flesh deadnesse of heart lumpishnesse of spirit corruption of nature pressures of crosses and losses exigents and straites for these outward things cares
o 2. King 2.11 Elias in the fiery chariot of zeale that we could strive even in this life to enter at least the suburbs of the heavenly Citie that we had our p Phil. 3.20 conversation even in Heaven our Heaven begun here on earth Sursum corda that being risen with q Collos 3.1.2 Christ we might seeke those things that are above placing and planting our affections not on things in earth but on things in heaven that we could send our hearts as the Disciples their hearts and r Act. 1.11.12 eyes after Christ that is ascended that Å¿ A man in his incarnation a Lambe in his passion a Lion in his resurrection an Eagle in his ascension Eagle high mounted at least that we could soare up to his Crosse in Golgotha in the meditation of his passion not to breede compassion towards him who now from suffrings is entred into t Luk. 24.26 glorie as the superstitious Fryers as may be seene in u In his mount Calvarie Guevara Lodowicke de w In his Soliloquies grounded from severall Gospels Ponte and x His meditations Granado c. make that the chiefe end of their mentall meditations of his sufferings and of their Idolatrous crucifixes but to resolve to suffer with him that we may be glorified with him to feele the power of his death to die to sin the power of his y Rom. 6.8.9.10 resurrection to rise againe to newnesse of life to blesse and prayse the z Apoc. 5.9 Lambe because he hath redeemed us from all the nations and kingdomes and kinreds of the earth If for this end we tract and trace our incarnate crucified saviour from Ierusalem to a Matth. 27 Luk. 23. Marke 15. Iohn 19. Golgotha with his sword pierced weeping mother the dolefull daughters of Ierusalem Ioseph of Arimathea and the Centurion and for this end looke upon him whom our sinnes have b Zach. 12.10 pierced with the Eagle eye of our faith as the Antitype of the Brazen Serpent whom Moses erected in the c Numb 21.9 Iohn 3.14.15 wildernesse looking on him also in the glasse of the Gospell where we may see him as the Apostle of the Gentiles tels the convert Corinthians even crucified amongst us if by this sight of him we can get unto him by saving d Iohn 1â— 3 knowledge into him by e Epiâ—â— 3.16 faith we grow up with him as planted in f Ioâ—â— 15.4 him by the sappe of the spirit we make a blessed speculation of his passion Oh that besides the fruite of his passion we could get here some glimpse of his transfiguration a true type of his glorification some glimmering and reflection of the heavenly Canaan as Moses a perfect view and Synopsis of the g Deut. 34.1.2.3 earthly here seeke some glimpse of heavenly light as the prisoner the gleames or beames of the Sunne through some crannie in the walle or doore or key-hole through the vaile of thy flesh as the spouse in the Canticles that had a glimpse of her h Cant. 5.4.5.6 welbeloved looking through the hole of the doore and her heart was affectioned to him Here in thy greatest pressures of bodie soule and spirit get some refection by reflection with that primitive Protomartyre i Act. 7.56 Stephen and the rapt k 2. Cor. 12.4 Apostle on Christ crucified and glorified and of the glorie of Christ prepared purchased layd up as revealed Here get some warmth and heate in your hearts as the Apostles and the two disciples that went to l Luk. 24.32 Emaus by oft talking communing with Christ by the word and m Oratio oris ratio vel colloquium cum Deo Isidore prayer by that meanes receiving from Christ that best new-yeares gift that love token promised by Christ to all his n Iohn 14.17.18.19 elect exhibited as once in the o Act. 2.3 forme ever in the effects of p The Spirit like fire c. 1. Illuminates with knowledg 2. Heates with zeale and love 3. Mollifies the heart 4. Causeth sparkes of praier 5. Purgeth drosse of sinne 6. Purifies the heart 7. Changeth with what it meetes with in to it owne nature Geminianus in summa exemplorii similit fire Oh that we could breake off companie and societie with man chiefly wicked men so much as our callings and charge to be discharged will permit that in our meditations and soule Soliloquies in innitiation of Saint Augustine Bernard Anselme and other heavenly minded men we might be more conversant with God Oh why doe wee not retire our selves as q Genes 24.63 Isaac into the fields as Augustine and Alixius into the r Libro Confessionum related fully and applied in Parsons Resolution orchard as Ioseph of Arimathea into our Å¿ Iohn 19 41. Garden or immure our selves according to Christs t Math. 6. vers 6. precept and his Virgin u Luk. 1.28 mothers practise into our private closet or chamber for some sequestrated time there to meditate of the mercies of God of the merits of Christ of the priviledges of grace of the Christians dignitie of the joyes of a better life c there to exhilerate our selves according to the Apostolicall counsell and command and according to the president set us in my Text by David and his nobles to rejoyce before the Lord and in the Lord more then the carnalists and the moralists of our times in their Corne and Wine and Oyle w Psal 4.7 increased more then Laban in his x Gen. 29.2 sheepe Naball in his y 1. Sam. 25.36 feast Balthezar in his z Dan. 5.2 drinke Herod in his a Mark 6.17 Herodias Saul in his b 1 Sam. 16.16 23. Harpe Nero in his c Suetâ—nius in Nerone qualis artifex pereo Musicke the carnall Iewes in their d Amos. 6. v. 6. Minstrelsie then the Philistines in their e Iudges 16.23 Dagon and madding mirth or any other licentious libertines in their luxurious and sabaritish delights Oh why doe wee not retire and sequestrate our soules our thoughts our actions our affections from all carnall delights desires more fully more freely to converse with God setting times a part even for the verie nonce to prayse God as did f Psal 55.17 David as Daniel did for g Daniel 6.10 prayer arising with that man after Gods owne heart even at midnight to give thankes unto the Lord Oh that my wordes like spurres and goads like the pricke under the Nightingals breast that is said to awaken her in the night from sleeping to singing might excite and stirre you to this neglected and too much pretermitted dutie And for this purpose I wish we might here use this world as though we used it not as the Marriner the Seas and his Ship as the Souldier his armes as the traveller his Inne as the Student his
recreation as the Spaniell the waters for our turnes and times for a time for meere necessitie and conveniencie not giving it our hearts nor affections shaking it of when we have done with it for h Seeking only quae ad victâ—â— cultumque necessaria Cicero meate drinke and clothes and imbracing in the inwards of our soules more pure spirituall contentive and satisfactorie delights and desires Oh be as much as thou canst in the mount of spirituall speculation rather then in the vallie of externall actions rather in the lightsome i Gen. 46.34 Exod. 10. ver 23 Goshen with Gods Israell then in the darkesome Egypt with the uncircumcised rather suffer affliction as Moses with Gods k Heb. 11.24.25 people then injoy the pleasures of sinne for a season rather desire with David to be a doore keeper in Gods house then to live in the Tents of Kedar as Lot in l Genes 19. 2. Pet. 2.7 Sodom Ezekiah amongst m Ezek. 2. ver 6 Scorpions rather fast with Gods children the mourners in Sion as Esther with her n Esther 4.16 maydes Mordocheus with the distressed Iewes o Ezra 10. v. 1.2 Ezra p Dan. 10. v. 2.3 Daniel and q Nehem. 1. v. 4 Nehemiah then feast with the profane Balthezars and drunken Nabals of the world rather sing songs of Sion with Moses Deborah Miriam Zachary the two Annas and the spirituall Israell of God to the laude and praise of God then songs of Sodom to the Lute and Tabret and Harpe to the dishonour of God with that carnall r Amos 6.6 Esay 22. vers 13 Israell Avoyd the companie of the wicked fly from their societie as Manes the Calcedon Bishop did from Iulian the Apostate Iohn from Cerinthus Origen from Paulus Samesetenus Polycarpus from Marcion Athanasius Chrysostome and the Å¿ Of all these there is ample mention made by Socrates Eusebius the Germaine Centuries c. As I have alledged them already in my Origens repentance Orthodoxes Alexandrians and Antiochians from the blaspemous Arrians as from a dogge a t Cane poenis angue adagium snake and a devill Come no neerer them then to the plague who have hot mouths like Armenian Dragons hot as Ovens with fire from hell spitting burning venomous sparkes of blasphemies in the face of Heaven For to converse with such is to have our Hell on earth but to praise God with the Saints yea withall the creatures magnifie him in all his glorious attributes this is to have heaven on u Vita celitum vita caelestis earth Oh happie as holy is that soule who in imitation of the Larke and the singing Quyristers of the Ayre hath his chiefe delight to be mounting upwards and singing above as neere to God as he can get and useth this grosser earth but onely for foode and meere necessaries making no stay below till it soare up againe that it be intrapped as these incautelous birdes in the lime-twigs of lustes in the gins of temptations Oh happie he that not contented with ordinarie duties with our common Protestants materially and cursorily performed such as their stinted tasks of saying rather then praying Prayers reading of Chapters singing of a Psalme saying Grace before and after meate as they use to say by themselves or children their atturneys running daily in these unlesse by carnalite or profanesse omitted as in a Laborynth or Circle like a Milne-horse ever in one pace without ever quickening their motion what extraordinarie occasion soever come eyther of prayer in humiliation or praysing God in true Gratulation those that besides these ordinaries can sequestrate times to dedicate and consecrate their very soules and spirits to the very God of spirits extraordinarily in manner and measure as occasion is offered eyther of mourning such as was in the dayes of w Esay 22. v. 13. Esau x Osee 6 v. 1.2 Osee y Dan. 9. v. 1.2.3.4.5 Daniel z Ioel. 1. v. 5.8.11.13 cha 2.15.16.17 Ioel a Ezra 10.3.5 Ezra b 1. Sam. 1.10 Anna c Iob. 3.24 Iob d Ierem. 9. v. 1.2 Ieremie or of rejoysing such as in the dayes of David both herein my Text and elsewhere when David penned his Eucharisticall Psalmes sung publickly in the Church he and the Elders of Israell as also in the dayes of his sonne Salomon Ezekiah and Iosiah after him exulting and triumphing before the Lord. Oh happie he that can marry as some Fathers besides e Stella Bona ventura in Lucam Fryers have alluded both Martha and f Luke 10. vers 41.42 Mary Rachell and Leah can unite and so conjoyne the fruitefull thoo-bleare eyed life of action as lesse faire with the more beauteous life of contemplation that in his generall calling as he is a Christian can make holy and spirituall duties the unbending of his bow sauce to his meate his verie recreation and best preparing to the duties of his speciall and particular calling as he is a man such a man is indeede a Phoenix amongst men Rara avis in terris as the Hevites said of g Gen. 23. v. 6. Abraham even a Prince of God amongst men yea he that can be a regular observant of these few rules by blessing the Lord with his heart and mouth the members of his bodie and faculties of his soule here in grace shall inchoate and begin even in the vallie of the world in the vaile of his flesh the life of glorie such an one shall attaine to more Evangelicall perfection then ever did Iew Papist or Pelagian in the meere observation of Moses his Legals whether Morals Cerimonials or Iudicials Yea by these rules he shall come neerer God shoote neerer heaven walke more in the light of the Sunne as every way more perfect Yea I say further he shall inherit and injoy sweeter extasies of soule raptures of spirit comforts of conscience peace of heart joy in the holy Ghost then ever any superstitious popeling regular Fryer or Monasterian in this earth had notwithstanding all their Thrasonicall bragges and boasts to the contrary of ther feined revelations apparitions and enthusiasmes by their strictest observance of the rules of their Saint Francis Benedict Dominick c. or these that are forged and fathered on Basill h De regulis Francisci Basilij Augustini c. vide Fusius apud Hospinianum de origina Monocatus Augustine or any other recorded by i Vide Cassiani collationes SuriuÌ„ Lippomanum Pomerium de sanctis Marulum Abdiam Gregorium in dialogis Cassianus and their owne writers Oh could we trie how good and gracious the Lord is had we but a spirituall gust of the comforts of grace If wee did but once eate the spirituall Manna that 's hid from the world Could wee turne the bread of life in succum sanguinem into bloud and moysture Could wee be weaned from the world to be fed as children truely newly k 1.
prerogatives given them by the inspired a 1. Pet. 2.9 Apostles of a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a chosen generation c. To whom were the Oracles of whom came Christ according to the b Rom. 9.4 flesh wee doe not onely weigh and paralell blessings with them layd in equall ballance but all things duely pondered wee as farre mee thinkes exceede them as they exceeded once the invironing Nations and this will plainely and perspicuously appeare if wee and they Britam mans and Iewes be compared together as c In his lives Plutarch compared the Greekes and the Romanes both in our best and worst our dignities received from God our obliged yet neglected dueties that wee owe to God wee shall bee found to beare the bucklers from them Repetens ab origine primo to begin then from the beginning c. First wee know the Lord of his meere mercie and Philanthropie entred into covenant with the Iewes gave them the seale of the covenant Circumcision initiated with their father d Gen. 17. v. 1.2 7 9.10.11.12 Rom. 4.11 Abraham he by this e Ioshuah 5. ve 5.6 Deut. 5. v. 1.2.3 covenant elected and selected them from all the Nations Kingdomes and kinreds of the earth to bee a peculiar people to himselfe of them and amongst them he had his Church instituted prescribed and established his owne worship gave them lawes and ordinances Morall Ceremoniall Iudiciall as farre exceeding the lawes of Solon Numa Pompilius Mercurius Trismegistus Adraco or any other Legifers amongst men in equitie puritie and perfection as the Gold exceedes the Brasse or Tynne by these hee hedged and limited them within their bounds all that he exacted of them againe in reciprocall requitall of his mercies was onely f Deut. 5.40 obedience to his lawes and statutes His love he first set upon g Deut. 5 v. 34.35.36.37.38 them and choose them not they him not for any merit or worthinesse that was in them but of his meere mercie and paternall good will adopting them unto himselfe repudiating and in a manner rejecting for a time all other people whom hee shut up in unbeleefe in respect of them as Moses oft times urgeth unto them So to reflect upon our selves for this our English Israell hath not the Lord sequestrated and separated us from Pagans and Heathens yea even from Turkes and Iewes themselves whom for a time he hath rejected for their h Rom. 11.20 unbeliefe to be a Church unto himselfe a people zealous of good workes were we not once as wee may see our faces in the glasse of the i Rom. 1.29.30.31 Romanes k 1. Cor. 6.9.10.11 Corinthians Thessalonians l Ephes 2. v. 2.3 vers 11.12 Tit. 3. vers 3. Ephesians in their pristine estate before their conversion in the uncircumcision of the flesh serving lusts and vaine Idols without God in Christ strangers from God and Aliens from the Common-wealth of the true Israell in the power of m Act. 26.18 death in the power of darkenesse having our very understandings n Ephes 4.18 darkned as ignorant of the true God and of the way and meanes of life and salvation were wee not once even darkenesse it selfe an obscure people even to the world devided and cast out as it were into an unknowne corner and o Divisos ab orbe Britannos etc. Virgil. angle though now as a Candle on a Table as a Beacon on a Hill as a Citie on a Mountaine that cannot bee hid giving light and luster to the gazing and admiring world whose eyes are upon our eminencie * De laudibus Angliae nostrae lege apud Cassaneum in Catalogo par 12. pag. 348. Beromensem in Chronicis lib. 4 but in respect of our spirituall estate wee were like other Gentiles walking in the vanities of our mindes children of disobedience in whom the Prince of the Ayre ruled wilde p Rom. 11.24 olives ere wee were ingrafted But even when we were thus in our blouds the Lord past by us and said we should q Ezech. 16. ver 3.4.5.6 live by the light of his word whether by Ioseph of Arimathea or who else or in the dayes of r The Papists contend that this Isle first received the faith in time of Lucius Anno Dom. 180. And in time of Augustine sent by Gregory Anno 600. but as appeares by some passages out of Bede and Peter Cluanensis yea by Tertullian contra Iudaeos Origen homil 4. in Ezech. we received the Gospell long before the time of Eleutherius eyther by Ioseph of Arimathea as Gildas thinkes lib. 4. de Victoria or by Simon Zelotes as Nicephorus affirmes libr. 2. cap. 4. Lucius or else when I dispute not now I say by this light by blessed organs and instruments we were brought first from Paganish after from Popish darkenesse more hideous then the Egyptian or the ſ De tenebris Chymerijs in Oppido illo in Bosphoro sito Multa Plin. lib. 6. cap. 6. c. 11. c. 13. Et Mela li. 1. c. 4. Chymerian and reduced into the lightsome Goshen of the glorious Gospell called to be a people that before as it were were no people gathered to be a Church yea a glorious Church as any in Europe or in Christendome besides for the continuation of the Gospell the propagation and profession of the true Religion the zeale and sinceritie knowledge and answerable practise of preachers and professors puritie of Gods worship freed in a great measure from the leaven of Popish and Paganish Idolatrie and superstition holinesse of life and illumination of judgement shining in many eminent members as pearles in Gold notwithstanding the nevy and warts and spots and blemishes in this of ours as ever have beene in the best reformed Churches by open profane ones and secret hypocrites as wooden legges to the bodie as rotten boughes to the Tree in the true Church like corrupt humors in the bodie rather then of our Church I say Churches of t Revel 24. vers 14.20 Revel 3.15 Asia of u 1. Cor. ch 3.3 ch 5. v. 1.5 ch 6. v. 1. ch 11. v. 1◠Corinth and the best that are or ever were Militant on earth till they be Triumphant in heaven for the number of for the sinceritie and measure of Grace in our present and pristine Proselites true Nachaniels zealous professors and confessors constant and couragious Martyres since the dayes of that Belgicke Elias Luther who have upon tryall I am perswaded still would answere their names of Protestants protesting cōfessing for the faith till death sealing the truth with their bloud reflecting on those I may well say according to my hearts perswasion that our English-Scottish Sion our Church of great Brittaine of all other Churches is as the Dove amongst the Birdes as the Lilly amongst the flowers as the Sunne amongst the Planets Christs owne Spouse though w Cant. 1. v. 4.5 blacke yet faire yea
chiefly as some histories instance for their sanguinolent devilish malignant disposition in using to crucifie some children as upon our good friday still in derision of our Messias when I see how all nations are weary of theÌ„ as a tender stomack of unholsom meate ready to disgorge theÌ„ how as th'Apostle speaks of theÌ„ even to this day God they please not and are contrarie to all men 1. Thes 2 15. How as is said of o Gen. 16. v. 12. Ismael like Ismalits rather then Israelits their hand is against every man everie mans against theÌ„ how even the Turkes detest theÌ„ above any nation for killing their own Prophet Christ the best Prophet they say that ever was excepting Mahomet will not admit any amongst them except he first turne Christian and then a Turkish Renegado In their reproach also using a kinde of imprecation if this be not true would God I might die a p M. Purchase in his pilgrimage Iew as our perverse Irish use a worse when I doe such or such a thing I le turne Protestant and goe to Church I say laying to heart and desiring all and everie of us to lay to heart these premisses this strict and severe though just and legall proceeding of God with these his owne people in these specified particulars together with his multiplied accumulated renued mercies to us in giving us so many blessings forgiving or forbearing us still after all our rebellions and provocations by which even wee racke and stretch his patience as cloath on the tentor hookes not cutting us off as hee might doe and hath done them roote bough and branch but giving us a large space of repentance as hee did to q All the time that â—oâ— lived amongst them Sodom to the old r All the time the Arke was in building world to Å¿ Revel 2.19 Iezabell not fortie dayes as to t Ionas 3. Ninive but fortie yeares in the pure and powerfull preaching of the Gospell under a gracious Deborah and more then twentie yeares added since under so wise and worthie a King all this while manuring and managing and pruning us as once his Israelitish u Esay 5. vers 1.2 3.4.5 Vineyeard hedging us in and invironing us with so many mercies of adornation and preservation as would stretch Arithmeticke to number them and Geometrie to measure them making us as famous over the whole world as they are infamous us as much feared as was Ioshuah of the Cananites Alexander of the Indians Taubut of the French w A Drumme was made of his skin to terrifie his enemies when hee was dead teste â—ranâ—zio in VaÌ„dalia libr. 11. cap. 9. Maiol colloq 7. pag. 270 Et Akiatâ— in Emblem sic câ—te detracta Ziseas c. Zoenus potuit vincere Pontifices Zisca of the Popish amongst the Bohemians Constantine amongst the Pagans and Bellisarius and Narses amongst the Gothes and Vandals yea as much loved and admired of our friendes and confederates and awefully feared of our enemies as they all are of all hated and detested with an Anathema Maranatha till the vayle be removed that they love and receive yea beleeve in the Lords Christ their expected Saviour Yea when I consider how the Lord by the word preached by the inward motions and suggestions of his spirit which sometimes in some flashes knockes at the doore of the heart of a x Numb 23.10 Balaam a carnall y Ioh. 6.34 Iohn 7.46 Iew a z Iohn 4.15 Samaritane a a Pilate Math. 27.23.24 Iohn 18.38 Heathen an b Act. 26.28 Agrippa by crosses by afflictions which wrought on c 2. Chron. 33.10.11 Manasses and the Gospels d Luk. 15.16.17 prodigall yea sometimes on these Iewes e Hosâ—â— 6. v. 1.2 themselves by fatherly castigations and corrections paternall admonitions and expostulations legall Cominations and redargutions Evangelicall promises and consolations yea even by mercies and judgements nay even by signes and wonders from the earth from the heavens from the ayre by Comets blazing starres visions and apparitions as often to these Iewes before their f See the book extant called Doome forewarning to judgement where at large is recited the voice commanmanding some to goe to Pella the crying of one Iesus woe woe to Ierusalem with manie visions and wonders destruction as prodigious and prognosticating as anie recorded by g Texter in Officina de Miraculis Textor or h Lycosthenes hath write a great booke onely de Prodigijs Lycosthenes How I say by all these the Lord hath lured us unto him laboured to weane us from our sinnes as the childe from the desired dugge that iniquitie bee not our i Ezek. 18.30 destruction as it was to these Iewes c. when I see hee hath rowled everie stone touched everie string used all meanes for our conversion to prevent our confusion chiefly drawne us with the cordes of love using to us the rod of beautie as our indulgent Shepheard to them the rod of bands making us above any Nation in the World patternes and presidents of his mercie as they of his justice to present times and to all posteritie making them exemplarie markes of justice to us not us to them as our sinnes deserved I say thus comparing mercies and judgements together as white with blacke as the Heathens Venus with Vulcan our mercies this day ballanced and poyâ—ed with their miseries have such a luster that if we see them not wee are blinde if with David and his people we blesse not the Lord for them wee are as much past grace as past gratitude CHAP. XIIII Speciall deliverances of our Princes Peeres and people from Romish Treasons THus have wee opened the Boxe and seene the pearles the blessings of great Brittaine comparing Nation with Nation our English with the Iewish Sion but to come neerer still to my scope and ayme and to instance in moe specialties the priviledges and prerogatives that wee have had even in our owne memories to omit former times equall with the Iewes in the happie and prosperous Regiments of our Kings and Governours may notably serve as a further pricke and goade to true gratitude so pressed and prescribed for in some particulars wee shall have the ballancing if not the casting scales I cannot enumerate all as hee that comes into a garden pluckes not everie flower but some choyce ones compare our late Deborah our mother in Israell Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie with their David our present Liege Soveraigne with their Salomon not onely in the propagation and continuation of true Religion together with the two goodly Daughters of so gracious a Mother Peace and k Religio peperit divitias ast filia devoravit matreÌ„ Plentie in which wee sympathize with them nay farre exceede them for as our times have not beene so turbulent so truculent so bloudie and boysterous as Davids that was a man of warre and shed much bloud as hee