Leopards c. swearers lyers drunkards forsaking their wicked loathed slavish drudgery to the world flesh and divell and submit their sinewy neckes uncircumcised hearts and prophane lives in obedience to the scepter of Christ and out of a syncere profession and unfaigned confession cry with the Souldiers under Iovinian We are Christians and will be true to the colours of the Crosse according to our Sacramentall Oath under the banner of our Michaël we will wage warre with the red Dragon and all the spirituall enemies of our salvation God by his Word hath perswaded us called and called us out of our inchanted fooles Paradise wherein we lay in the prison and dungeon of spirituall darkensse into his marvailous light hath opened our eyes freed our feete and as a bird we are escaped out of the cordes and manacles of our hellish sinnes And whereas we lived to our owne corruptions emancipated to our lusts even the devill the Prince of the ayre Eph. 2. 3. tutoring our disobedience now wee live to God the life of God the life of Grace our scorching lusts and rebellious natures which heavenly influence should have wasted the scalding cup of Gods wrath are washed cleansed in the bloud of the immaculate lambe made ours in our justification and sealed to us in the laver of our new baptizing renovation He that is the ministerial instrument of this wondrous work which causeth admiration and ioy in men and Angels Luke 15. 7. Though his tongue were the pen of a ready writer Psal 45. 2. and spake as the Oracle of God had the mouth of golden Chrysostome the gravity of Tertullian the spirit of heavenly Augustine could make Felix tremble with Paul conjure the cursed workes of darkenesse Yet if he sacrificed to his owne nets and yarne he robbes God of his praise and glorie It is not thy word nor thy eloquence or learning but Gods power that brings these mighty things to passe and so all other things If the mercy of God be not in our sustenance we may dye with meate in our mouthes as did the Israelites if his providentiall goodnesse restraine her influence and withold her vertue were our garments as rich as Aarons Ephod there were no heate or benefit in them Nature declines her ordinary working when Gods revocation hath chidden it Though thou labourest and sweatest with diligence till the taper of thy life were burnt out if the Lord prosper not thy handy worke thou makest but roapes of sand to bind Sampson Then sing with the Psalmist Not unto vs O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the glorie The principall end of Gods actions must be the end of ours and his is his praise Prove 16. 4. The Lord made all things for himselfe viz for his owne praise even the wicked for the day of evill Even out of the unhallowed heape of sinne will he mould the silver trumpet of his owne praise To teach us That God is praised magnified and made great by us when his Image is repaired in us Gen. 1. 26. Let vs make Man after our owne Image Now this image which is his righteousnesse and holinesse the new man Ephes 4. 24. newly comming out of the mint of Regeneration as furnace-smoaked Israel out of Egypt is a glorifying of God and this as a curious worke graces the artificer magnifies the maker Man the little Epitome or Compendium of the world hath bin admired for his wonderfull structure and frame called by that almost miracle of Antiquity a great Miracle Nothing more admirable than Man Man a certaine divine thing Memento quòd homo sit quoddam Omne what shines not in him Our Saviour CHRIST honours him with a large tytle Mark 16. 15. Goe Preach the Gospell to every creature and who but Man must have the benefit of this Gospell But if wee looke upon him as the image of God repaired a new creature nay a new creation 2. Cor. 5. 17 As Ioseph comming from Prison as Mordecai whom the King of honour will honour as Queene Hester perfumed with the aromaticall graces of the Spirit having the royall robe of Christs righteousnesse Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all faire my Love and there is no spot in thee comely as the Curtaines and pompe of Salomon having cast off the blacke scorchings of Kedar Cant. 1. 5. and the Gibeonitish ragges of sinne now remember old things no more Esay 7. he is now a glorious creature and here is God magnified the greater measure of grace affords a greater measure of praise Strive then beloved to have thy unhallowed soule sanctified thy life reformed thy crooked pathes of vanity straighted every thought brought into subiection that God may be made greater in thee and thou the trumpet of his praise And the further to stirre us up to holinesse consider that the magnifying of God is the magnifying of our selves Luke 1. 46. Mary sings My soule doth magnifie the Lord and verse 49. He that is mighty hath magnified me He that blesseth the Lord is encreased he that blaspheameth decreased Our exultation is the first staire of our exaltation Wouldest thou be exalted made great and honoured of God of men and Angels then season thy soule with grace honor God For they that Honour him he will honour and they that despise him shall be dispised 1 Sam 2. 30. He that goes to the Court of Honour must passe by the temple of vertue from the Pallace of Grace to the Place of Glory Learne then to have the praise of God in thy mouth Let Hallelu-jah be the Cadence in all our Musicke and our Musicke in all our actions that being our practice on earth we may one day be Angelicall Choristers in Heaven Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name for Omne bonum nostrum velipse vel ab ipso All our good is either God or from God Parties Gentile Iewe enjoyned to this duty 1. The Gentile the stocke of Iapheth one of the sonnes of Noah Gen. 9. 18. the eldest by birth but reckoned by way of Anticipation in the last place And though a long time they stoode as it were excommunicate and cut off from the Covenant of grace yet in Gods appoynted time this rejected seede is perswaded to dwell in the tents of their brother Sem the Iewe as Noah prophecyed And the neuer erring Spirit makes this place a propheticall prediction of Gods never failing purpose of their calling Rom. 15. 11. with many other scriptures pregnant to prove it the word Nations in the old testament in Hebers tongue being rendred by Paul Gentiles a most fit prophecy for this purpose sayth Marlorat and others upon the place Thus though a great while the forlorne Prodigall sate in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death and God vouchsafed his loves and favours to the Iewes
Swearers c. the Sunne would cloud and obnubilate his glorious face the Moone her light the Cressets of heaven their twinckling lustre from the rebellious idolatrous disobedient sinner that hath so long viewed and enioyed their excellent comfort continually cast from those chrystall eyes of heaven and is not lessoned by them to praise his God the Vestall-earth mourns under the burthen of a rebellious Nation every furrow thereof cries against the depopulating Incloser Iob 31. 38. The stones and timber where the wicked man dwelleth Hab. 2. 11. All he possesseth is his enemie because he is an enemie to God witnesse these tenne Plagues powred uppon Egypt both from heaven and earth all the creatures are Gods armie to fight against them that fight against him So then if thou be a blasphemer Persecuter c. wert thou in a City whose walls were as strong turretted and inexpugnable as the wall that Phocas built about his Pallace yet shall it be really performed on thee as it was voyced to him in the night Did they teach the heavens they may be scaled the sinne in the soule spoyles all A cities overthrow is sooner wrought by wicked lives than weake wals saith Augustine they worst enemies are thy finnes saith Ambrose so the hoast of creatures are thine enemies while thou hast no peace with God peace and wickednesse cannot dwell together The heathen gods indeed could not revenge their owne quarrels as the Poet speakes of Mars but our God hath heaven earth and hell to fight his battels a thousand wayes to revenge mille nocendi artes Wicked man why dost thou continue in thy sinnes and say with stupid pharaâ— Who is the Lord When thou canst not breathe moove or live without him Learne then like the Bee to gather honie from every flower to give praise from every creature all objects to a meditating Salomon are wings to mount his thoughts to heaven as the old Romanes seeing the blewe stones were put in minde of Olympus so from every creature to elevate our thoughts to Sion and so we may honour God in honouring him in his creatures Whether yee eate or drink Do all to the glory of God in all things giue thankes 1 Thes 5. 18. Every creature is good and ought not to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4. 4. Be not then an unthankfull Esau to sit downe eate drinke enjoy the creatures and irreverently rise up and goe thy way Gratitude opens ingratitude pens up and closes the wine cellars the heavens the buckets and cisternes of the skie are ready to showre vpon the thankfull Praise the Lord makes the heavens as Nilus Egypt fertile Lastly to drive this Hallelu-jah deeper into thy Soule consider that thou not only hast the creature from God but also he must give it power to comfort nourish and sustaine thee There is indeed bread that nourisheth not Esay 55. 2. Why doe yee spend mony for that which is not bread and labour for that which satisfieth not it seemes but is not bread and if it bee it satisfies not Such is that bread of secrecies and waters of stealth Prov. 9. 17. The delicates and cates that sinne sets before us deadly cuppes and Acheronticke potions Zâ—uxes painted grapes to feede the devils black birdes to meager leannesse But God gives the creature power and strength It is not thy meate drinke sleepe cloathes that of themselves doe nourish and warme thee more than the hard and cold stone but Gods blessing upon them Math. 4 4. Man lives not by bread onely but by the word and blessing of God Else might thou starve in the midst of thy plenty The poore man with Daniel may be as well liking with pulse and pure water as they that eate of the portion of the Kings meate may goe as warme in his ragges as they in Kings houses that are cloathed in soft raiment if God blesse his bread and water Exod. 23 25. Thus when God threatens a famine and dearth he takes not away the bread it selfe but the staffe viz. the strength nutritive power of it Levit. 26. 26. When I shall breake the staffe of your bread Ezech. 4. 16. 5. 16 I will breake the staffe of bread called Esay 3. 1. the stay of bread and the stay of water It is but a poore elementall creature to which Gods blessing hath not added strength if God did not heare the heavens for vertue the heavens the earth for influence and the corne the wine for vegetative power Hos 2. 21. All simples were but simple things and all componds idle when they want the best ingredient Gods blessing Goutish Asa wants this powerfull ingredient in his physicke when 2 Chron. 16. 12. He sought not the Lord in his disease but to Physitians He was not so lame in his feete as in his faith Wee must not sticke so fast in the secrets of Philosophy but also looke upon the mysteries of Divinity God is the chiefe Physitian let Plato hold the candle to Moses and Physitians learne from the sonnes of the Prophets In all thy labours and endeavours Psal 127. 2 it is in vaine for thee to rise up earely to sit up late to eate the bread of sorrowes For except the Lord give a blessing to our workes it is but to plowe the sand and to lodge at the Labour in vaine 1 Cor. 3. 6. Paul plants Apollos waters but God gives the increase So the vintage of workes depends upon the showres of Gods blessing The workes of the world may have likely and proud entrances but yet halt in the conclusion if not attended from a superior influence But God from a slender beginning brings a plentifull issue as in that Balme immortall incorruptible seed of the Word which in it selfe is dead by Gods Spirit assisting concurres to the begetting of a new man powerfully mortifying the rotten flesh and quickning the spirit That little mustard-seede which spreads up into branches able to give the fowles of heaven harbour able thus armed to binde the strong man disarme him and cast him out of his usurped possession of thy soule 2 Cor. 10. 5. Casting downe the highest things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and captivating every thought to the obedience of Christ Ier. 23. 29. A hammer to breake the stone not in the reynes but in the heart As a tree hath manifest to the eye leaves flowers and fruite but the root lyes hid And as in man the body is seene but the better and purer part is vailed under the curtaine of his flesh And as in all things we see the Accidents not the forme and substance So the Word we heare but the life of it is the power of God So then if thou seest a blessing upon thy labours wicked men called and that come to passe prophecyed by Esay 11. 6. Ravenous Wolves Cruell
till returning to the Arke of Gods mercie Comfort thy selfe then in Gods mercie which will not suffer thee to bee over-yoaked with thy sinnes plead with him in the receiving of Adam Manasses and the whole troupe of reconciled sinners and though thine adversarie Sathan write a booke against thee answere cursed Cain disabling Gods mercy Gen. 4. 13. with Augustine Thou lyest Cain for greater is Gods mercie than mans iniquitie and say to thy disconsolate spirit Why art thou so sad my soule Psalm 11. And as we ought and in dutie are enjoyned to give thankes for all things so are we chiefely to sing our Haâ—â—elu-jahs unto God for the performance of the promised Messiah and that in the practise and phrase of the Priest Zacharie Lu. 1. 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and redeemed his people c. And with old Simeon in his Cygnean dying Hymne Blessed be thou O Lord for our eyes have seene thy salvation Lâ—ke 2. 30. That fountaine of living waters Iere. 2. 12. In regard of whom all other things are but the broken Cysternes of vaine and disconsolate hope The refreshing waters of Gods free mercies the purchase whereof is without money or prize Esa 55. 2. least you thinke it too deare and because water if you thinke it not worth the labour it 's wine and milke whose worth and necessitie you well know that true Aqua vitae which whoso drinketh shall never thirst but it shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life Iohn 4. 14. He is our Bethlehem and house of bread the living bread that came downe from heaven Ioh. 6. 35. He is a ship of safety which beares us by the comfortable goale of his love and the gentle Zephirus of his mercie from the shelves and rocks of blacke dispaire so that though immodest Modest as Generall to the Emperour Valens the Arrian burne the ship wherein the Christian Legats were imbarked seeking to destroy the Confessors and professors of Christianity which though they perished in their wooden barke were sure enough in the heavenly Arke by CHRIST He is that unspeakeable gift of God for which we must give thankes 2 Cor. 9. vlt. And if thou knowest the gift of God Iohn 4. 10. Which is the gift of all gifts which is given to us Esa 9. 6. In comparison of whom all other are but as the drop of a Bucket to the whole Ocean in whom appeare the bowels of Gods love and the inscrutable depths of his mercy in him through him and by him while we were sinners and enemies to bring to passe that wonderfull worke of our Redemption Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. In him by this wee see the fulnesse of it 1 Iohn 4. 9. And as Bethlem to Iurie and Scicilia to Italie were accounted their granary for their fruitfulnesse the Poets faining Ceres to keepe residence there so may our Saviour CHRIST be accounted as the store-house and Cornu-copia of all good things to his Church Col. 2. 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily ver 9. In him we are compleate ver 10. Knowledge and wisedome are in men by revelation in Angels by vision but in him by union of whose fulnesse wee all receive Iohn 1. 16. Thy being well-being and eternall being have their dependance on him this consolation of Israel this expectation of the Gentiles this Noah to comfort thee Gen. 5. 29. This crucified Lord shewed to Constantine to comfort him in his expedition against the Tyrant Maxentius with a promise of victory is opposed against all thy feares and discontents if finne presse and oppresse thee he is thy righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. If the curse vexe thee he is thy blessing Gen. 12. 2. Galath 3. 8. If weakenesse pinch thee he is thy strenght Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 9. If the great debt of thy sinnes lay hold on thee charging to pay that thou owest he is thy paiment Matth. 17. 27. If damnation make thee afraid he is thy salvation Acts 4. 10. If death he is thy life Iohn 14. 6. If Sathan he hathover come him Heb. 2. 14. If hell shall open her mouth upon thee he hath victoriously Sampson-like borne away the gates quelled and quashed the power of it Hos 13. 14. So that in and through him onely thou art more then a Conquerour Be not like the Horse or Mule that have no understanding nor like the sonnes of the earth the cockered Darlings of unstable Fortune who gaping after the transitory things of the world can onely now and then in a carnall humour send forth a short ejaculatory Thanksgiving for their temporals which they possesse but seldome or never for CHRIST IESVS which they possesse not without whom they must be content to perish for ever This is that rich pearle bestowed upon the Merchant resolving above all things to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse setting saile for the Cape De bona Speransa fraught and bound for the New Ierusaleâ— than let thy mouth from thy heart the fountaine of all true praise be as this silver Trumpet filled with Hallalu-jahs for this heavenly and unspeakable gift Thirdly this Doctrine just in the phrase of another Baptist preaching in the wildernesse of Iudea cryes unto us in a more then necessary exhortation especially in these last and worst dayes Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand Matth. 3. 2. The selfe-same holy use which the Spirit of holinesse drawes from the Doctrine Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance 2 Peter Chapter 3. verse 9. The Lord is not slacke concerning his promises as some men count slacknesse but he is long suffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Turne yee then unto the Lord your God for hee is gracious and mercifull slow to anger of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill Ioel 2. 13. and that you may rightly turne find ease and refreshing for your soules Consider that as in Iacobs ladder which reached from earth to heaven there were certaine steppes for ascending and descending so are there certaine degrees in descending to this all-curing Bethesda of repentance First is an inward perplexitie sitting like Hagar Gen. 21. 15. when her bottle was emptied or like the Prodigall Luke 15. which by his want is forced to a consideration of his estate retorting his thoughts into himselfe is deepely affected with the solid apprehension of his owne misery verse 17. and in this perplexed case concludes against himselfe that if he remaines as hee was his case was desperately hopelesse and hee must perish for ever upon which hee resolves with himselfe to goe home to his fathers house by repentance seeing the gate of Mercie opened to
2. Which may have the ordinary giftes of the Spirit they may prophecy with Saul and Cajaphas preach and doe miracles with Iudas speake like the Oracle of God with Achi tophel cry Lord Lord Math. 7. 22 challenge an interest in the free demesnes of heaven Math. 25. 11. Open to us and yet are sent packing to their hell home with a nescio vos I know ye not If ye aske the reason and cause of it Our Saviour CHRIST orally and oraculously returnes it Math. 11. 25. This mystery of Salvation is hid from some and revealed to others even So Father for so it seemed good in thy sight as in a Princes Proclamation It is our pleasure All the workes of these men failing in their end not done in faith to the glory of God and if God rewarded them it was temporally for temporall respects the good of mankind civill order and society not shewing any approbation thereof in respect of himselfe their mercy justice continency c. being without faith was sinne as Augustinâ— saith which indeed ariseth not from the act of compassion but from the privation of faith they may have these and many more honest civill moralities but they never have the inward calling the donation of faith the true knowledge of God I know my sheepe and am knowne of mine Iohn 10. 14. which knowledge is like the Sunne casting his beames upon us by whose reflection we looke upon and viewe the Sunne Gal. 4. 9. Seeing ye know God or rather are knowne of God If they have any it is a literall no saving or spirituall knowledge no true love of God for he never knew or loved them 1 Iohn 4. 19. We love God because he loved us first If these carnall Capernaites follow CHRIST doing his will in any thing it is more for his loaves than his love Ioh. 6. 26. all proceeding from some sâ—nister respect their praise or profit they never have the inward beautifying of the Church To be all glorious within Psal 45. 13. the rich habiliments and garments wherewith as Isaac decked his beloved Rebecca and the King of Persia religious Mordecai CHRIST Iâ—SVS bespangleth his spouse These be the foolish Virgins which a long time had their lives blossoming as if their soules had bin the maidenly bride of CHRIST when in the end they were unvailed and found the speckled adulteresses and uncleane concubines of Satan Math. 25. This is the man boldly intruding himselfe into the marriage supper not having on a wedding garment his faith but figge leaves notable to cover his nakednes Math. 22. These walke like friends in the Church of God together But many are called and fewe are chosen In the third ranke are they which out of the brazen mountaines of Gods election flowing out of the rivers of his endlesse mercy which are not onely within the skirts and territories of his regiment as the former but they are inwardly sanctified called and culled out of the whole heape and masse of Mankind by a lively Faith engraffed and planted into the mysticall body and have as neare an union and communion with their head CHRIST as the branch hath with the vine the members with the head or the husband with the wife Ephes 5. 30. We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones these are built upon the sure foundation the rocke of safety and horne of salvation Luke 1 69. He is the corner stone upon which their whole building is coupled Eph. 2. 20 No other foundation can any man lay than that which is already laid which is IESVS CHRIST 1 Cor. 3. 11. and These are living stones built upon him 1 Per 2. 5. Othoniel delivered the Israelites from Chushan and is therefore called their Saviour Iudg. 3. 9. but they fell againe into the hand of Moab Ehud rescued them from the Moabites and they became servants to the Canaanites Iudg. 4. 2. A Physitian may cure a man of one disease and he may after fall into another or the same and dye of it But CHRIST hath them sure Iohn 10. 28. I give my sheepe eternall life and they shall never perish hee hath washed away theâ—r sinnes and made a passage to heaven a perfect and sure rocke of safety upon which these are placed Antiquam generis labem mortalibus agris Abluit obstructique viam patefecit Olympi Poore mortals sicke he washed hath from auncient staine Originall And opened wide Olympus path that barred was and shut to all So that here the gates of Hell and Luciferiall powers of darknesse may shoote their darts of poysoned malice as against CHRIST the head Math. 4. so against these the members to be retorted upon themselves as from a tower of brasse for â—hee that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe and though the two first parts be cut off and dye the third will the Lord fine as Silver and Gold Zach. 13. 9. And from this consideration ariseth a Cordiall a Caveat and a dolefull Madrigall First it affords a comfortable cordiall to the Christian that he is one of those secret ones inwardly called separated from the world and endued with power from above This is the summum bonum and chiefe dignitie and blessednesse of all other So that it may be said of him as a certaine heathen of a wise man of a wise man He is onely lesse then God And as another spake of the vertuous He that hath vertue hath with her as a dowrie all good things As the Lord of hoastes and of the whole earth and all that therein is Psal 24. 1. accounteth it his greatest dignity and title of honour to be stiled The Lord God of Israel of his Church Luk. 1. 67. as thence receiving his greatest honour So is it the chiefest honour of a man to be an Israelite a limme and member of that Society of the Communion of Saints It is indeed the worlds felicity to build pillars with Absalom towers with Nimrod to call our lands after our owne names to engrosse rich revenewes Parsonages and patrimonies for our posterity to build our nests on high and to covet an evill covetousnes to our houses while The stones cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber answere it Hab. 2. 9. worse than the King of Sodome Gen. 14. 21. Give me the soules and take the goods to thy selfe But we say to the spirituall king of Sodome the divell give us the goods and take our soules to thy selfe This is our hope and our posterity praise our doing selling our Saviour for thirty pence our heaven for a messe of pottage and our soules laied in the banke for a quid dabitis What will ye give me Ps 4. 6. Who will shew us any good O miserable mucke-worme that sellest thy soule and thy solace thy heaven and thy happinesse for these faile-friends which in the time of neede cannot so much as cure the aking of
dead whilst they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. Was the Word able to raise the Gentiles suffer it then to conquer thy lusts to mollifie thy hard heart to wash thee to supple thee in the fountaine of Israel the Spring of living waters to be a lanthorne unto thy feet and a light unto thy pathes Psal 119. It is worthy the consideration of the most considerate that CHRIST is come unto thee Ioh. 1. 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us And if thou continue a wicked Cham a cursed Canaan a prophane Esau a flowting Ismael and comest not unto him by prayer and obedience and he into thee by his Spirit Iohn 14. 17. be sure he will come to thee and against thee in his judgements to thy most fearefull ruine and destruction as he came to Herod Iulian Antiochus like a Lionesse bereft of her whelpes and to the rest of his enemies Luke 19. 27. Those mine enemies That would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and stay them before me Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish in the way Psal 2. Inflame my heart O Lord with zeale to desire thee desiring thee to seeke thee and give me grace by seeking to finde thee in the word Sacraments c. To teach us that untill a mans eyes be opened his heart touched and his soule enlightned and hee by the Gospell endued with the power of grace from above he seeth no glory nor excellency in religion and Christianity like those Gentiles so long as they wallowed in their sinnes and superstitious vanities the pretious word of reconciliation was to them but as pearles cast before Swine Math. 7. 6. Or the childrens bread unto doggs Math. 15. 26. But when the unsearchable riches of CHRIST was preached unto them a mysterie which from the beginning of the world was hid in God and not opened to the sonnes of men nor to very Angels principalities and powers Eph. 3. 5. 8. 9. the accomplishment of which riches is the glory and joy of heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. the Angels desire and delight to looke into it we see how inwardly they are affected with it and they see no glory in any thing else as the wife of Phineas 1 Sam 4. 21. calling the arke the glory of Israel As Saul before an Herod a Iulian persecuting CHRIST with as much fury as any tyrant breathing out nothing but fire and faggot yet when he was smitten downe to the ground by the powerfull voyce of CHRIST he became a most zealous Preacher of the trueth in which formerly hee saw no glory and a pillar of that Church which even now he would have pulled downe and desires to know nothing but CHRIST and him crucified Gal. 6. 14. he joyes in nothing else Those also Acts 2. 13. that were mocking the gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles affirming the heate of too much wine to cause that volubility of straÌ„ge languages among them Yet when Peter had taught them that it was the accomplishment of Gods faithfull promise prophecyed by Ioel chap. 2. 28. of the powring out the bottomlesse Ocean of Gods Spirit in the gifts and graces thereof upon all flesh and had applied a corrasive of redargution and reproofe unto them for crucifying CHRIST they are changed and pricked in their hearts longing after the way of salvetion vers 37. Men and brethren what shall we doe The like wee see Acts 16 in the laylor when hee heard Paul and Silas praying and singing Psalmes in the Prison he is presently like King Saul 1 Sam 10. 9. when the Spirit of God came upon him changed into another man So in him was a strange alteration being cast downe by the miraculous earthquake and the cohibition of Paul verse 29. his backwardnesse into forwardnesse he called for a light and sprang in his pride into humility he came trembling and fell downe his cruelty in his former insulting over them into compassionate mercy he brought them forth his desire which was formerly to persecute them to be saved by them What shall I doe to be saved So the sinne-sunke citizen woman that had a long time almost rotted in the Dead Sea and sulphureous Asphaltites of loathsome lust hearing of a IESVS a Saviour though in a proud Pharisies house Luke 7. 37. stickes neither for costly oyntment to annoynt him nor sâ—aâ—e to stand behind him nor plenty of teares to wash his feete who was watering her soule with the dewe of Grace nor her haire which sometime like Nauplius his lights to bring the Grecian fleet to destruction in revenge of his sonne Palamedes was as a baite to ensnare the hurtlesse passenger to wipe his feete which was to wipe her soule with the immaculate sacrifice of his owne bloud Iohn 1. 29. Thus we see Publicans and sinners when once they are touched in remorse for finne how deepely they are affected and inwardly touched Rom. 7. 24. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death even with Ezekiah Esay 38. 14. To chatter like a Crane or a swallow and mourne like a dove with David Iob and the children of God with prayers teares watchings mournings to fill heaven and earth for the pardon of theyr sinnes their reconciliation with God the peace of conscience the comfort of the Spirit of comfort and the Salvation of their soules When the civill honest man is scarcely moved with any sence or feeling of the need of his conversion he feeles no sweetnesse in the word which is sweeter than honie or the honie combe Psal 19. 10. He feeles no need of it and yet Iob esteemes it above his ordinary food we have our spirituall life by it 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever We have Gods benefits for his words sake 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy words sake and according to thy promise hast thou done all these great things The preaching there of makes Saâ—an fall downe as lightning Luke 10. 18. Witnesse those new found Indiâ—â— lamaica Iappo Virginia which have formerly had a strange familiar commerce with Satan and have sacrificed unto him though not for love yet for feare of heart as the Pigusians every morning runne with baskets full of rice to pacifiâ— him in the shape of a blacke dogge with many more brutish benevolences to him So soone as Christopher Columbus and others had discovered them and planted the Gospell in some parts of them how deepely have these poore Pagans bin affected the kingdome of Satan demolished that now seldome or never he appeares among them He sees no power in it he accounts of the threatnings denounced out of the Word but as Morbasan the Turke did of the Excommunication of Pius 2. when he sent him word to call in his Epigrams Thus doe wicked men and civil honest men
it did and now their gold is become drosse which makes the Prophets complaine that Bethel is become Bethaven the house of God the house of vanity the valley of vision into the valley of the shadow of death Esay 22. 1. Their house is left unto them desolate Mat. 23. 38. Looke upon that famous Citie which was the glory of the world whose turretted Bulwarkes and huge heapes of well-compacted Fabricks made the Disciples to wonder Mat. 24. 1. Mar. 13. 1. and the Kings of the earth to stand amazed yet now verefied that was spoken Ier. 19 11. I will breake this people and this Citie as one breaketh a potters vessell that cannot be made whole againe and make their citie as Tophet and Mic. 3. 12. Zion shall be plowed as a field Ierusalem shall become heapes and the house of the Lord as the high places of the Forrest The ruines thereof saith Ierome shall continue to the worlds end the consummation of her desolation shall continue without any change saith Theodoret Indeed Aelius Adrianus the Emperour built a citie neare to it which he called after his owne name Aelia which since goes under the name of Ierusalem but hath neither the fashion nor scituation of it but of it saith Iosephus the very foundations are laid so flat as men would thinke there never had been habitation there The first captivity of the Iewes after the Law was that prophesied Ier. 51. 7. Babylon hath beene a golden cup in the Lords hand that made all the earth drunke with vengeance which came upon them Psal 137. 1. By the waters of Babylon we sate downe and wept c. But they were surprised againe after the death of Christ as being willing neither to beare the hard yoake of the Law nor that of the Gospell which is easie Mat. 11. and a law of libertie Iam. 2. 12. The Eagle in the Roman Ensigne towred so high with incredible majestie that it couched all the world under it like lesser birds and made them tributary to Caesar to which this whilome holy land of Iury now stinking in her abominations became a prey and after many apparitions and voyces from heaven from the East and West and divers civill broyles within the wals as if their owne hands had been made to be excoutioners of their rebellious soules famine making mothers eate their owne children and these wombes that first gave them harbour were made the places of their buriall then came the Pestilence and laid them groveling by heapes gasping and gazing vpon the Temple so lamentably and miserably that Titus lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven called God to witnesse it was not his cruelty but their impiety that had awaked God in vengeance to bring the man upon the red horse Rev. 5. 4. bloud and warre and winged sword to flie in triumph among them so many slaine and so many taken prisoners that thirty Iewes were sold for one penny because among them their Master was sold for thirty pence Aelius Adrianus which built another Citie would have reedified this but could not and Iulian the Apostata thought in his blasphemous imagination to have built it as glorious as it was to disprove CHRIST who had prophecied before of the utter dissipation of it but he that sits in heaven laughed him to scorne his workemen and worke were hindered by the falling of lime and sand by the flashing of fire and earthquakes as if God had laid the curse of Ierico upon it Iosh 6. 26. Cursed be the man before the Lord that raiseth up and buildeth this Citie So Ierusalem is like Reuben Gen. 49. 2. The beginning of Gods manly strength but in the end was unstable as water to forsake God and so to be forsaken of him and her dignitie is gone So this matchlesse people who had these nine most excellent priviledges which all the world wanted Rom. 9. 4. First to be Israelites Secondly to whom pertained the Adoption Thirdly and the Glory fourthly and the Covenants fiftly and the giving of the Law sixtly and the service of God seventhly and the Promises eightly whose are the Fathers ninthly of whom came CHRIST according to the flesh and which addeth to their dignitie the miracles of CHRIST the immediate worke of his Godhead were wrought among them Acts 10. 38. Hee went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the devill for God was with him yet all these are not able to sway with God nor to keepe backe the point of his flaming sword that was brandished over them for sinne till it was sheathed in their destruction and their foreheads branded with Caines marke to wander dispersed upon the face of the earth without King without Prince without Priest without Image without Ephod and without Teraphim as Israel aforetime was threatned Hos 3. 4. and they now have felt almost as long as the first Age was before the Floud so scattered and have so corrupted their owne Pedegrees that at this day there is not a Iew in the world which can say he hath his genealogie certaine but are a scattered and contemptible Nation throughout the whole earth And not alone to instance in that now forsaken nation such is the weight and power of sinne that after the plantation of the Gentiles the Church of Rome a virgin and the chaste and faithfull spouse of CHRIST their faith was renownedly spoken of through the whole world Rom. 1. 8. continuing stedfast in that doctrine by which she became the Church of CHRIST but since when she became an uncleane filth prostituted to all manner of fornications embrued and drunken with the bloud which she hath spilt usurping upon the land-markes of Supremacy exalting her selfe above all that is called God and is worshipped 2 Thes 2. 4. like the proud Lucifer Esay 14. 14. above the height of the cloudes her hatefull ambition cruelty and abhominations hath caused God even to spue her out of his mouth to give her up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes and hath warned us by an admonition of his owne Spirit Reu. 18. 4. Come out of her my people The old world so long as it continued in Gods service and the sonnes of God had no commixture with the lascivious daughters of men issuing from the murtherous loines of runnagate Cain they stood sure as mount Sion resting upon the brazen pillars of Gods love and favour but when once they mixed with the wicked and inordinately doated upon the face of skin-deepe beauty see a miserable spectacle of Gods wrath the cataracts and windowes of heaven were opened Gen. 7. the floud of Gods anger prevailed against the multiplyed world dispeopled it and brought those great multitudes to eight persons where we see what it is to offend God A fruitfull land maketh the barren for the sin of them that dwell therein Psal 107. 37. See the Church of Ephesus Reu. 2. 2. a glorious Church God
conformed to the lawes of God and thine obedience performed unto CHRIST that the word may work alteration to purifie thee mollifie and open thy heart convert thy soule season thee with grace dissolve the workes of darknesse heale thy wounds of sinne make thee fit for Heaven And here come justly to be taxed besides those convicted Recusants who have shaken off the yoke of obedience and given theyr names to the Beast all those that negligently frequent the congregation accompting more of losse and dung of ease pleasure and profit then of the Word which is able to turne Wolves into Lambes Sinners into Saints Isa 11. 6. A congregation gathered together in the Church sayth the father Are like an armie of fighting men armed by prayer and prayses against the spirituall enemies of their soules where the word offers it selfe to be thy loadstarre to CHRIST thy Iacobs staffe to scale Heaven thy lantherne to light and the heavenly Manna to feed thy soule in which place and upon which ordinance CHRIST promiseth a blessing My house shall be called the house of Prayer and where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them take a patterne of the servants of God the primitive Church Acts 2. 46. the Prophetesse Anna Luke 2. 37. and the Church in St. Augustins time which he compares to Ants because they were alway about the Church as the Ant is about her hole or home and let not God for this negligence deprive thee of his Grace and bring upon thee that fearefull curse which is due to those which doe his worke either negligently or not at all Iudg 5. 23. Curse yee Meroh said the Angell of the Lord Curse yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty The second sort are not negligent commers but heedlesse hearers hearing line upon line but returning without profit the Scripture sayth Gregory the great is like a River in which the Lambe may wade and the Elephant swim or like an Apothecaries shop in which are Potions and Pils Corrasives and Cordials fit for every occasion for every disease but as Chrisostome sayth when the Minister prayeth or preacheth one walketh another talketh another sleepeth while the Divell rocketh him in his cradle like Ionah securely in the sides of the Ship in the middest of the tempest without profit or desire to be instructed returning as a doore upon the hinges at night in the morning station whereas the word should be as the laver of Brasse to Aarâ—n and his Sonnes to wash thee withall Exod. 30. 18. and thou shouldest bee with the servant in the law boared in thine eare Exod. 21. 6. Thy flesh circumcised thy heart instructed the fallow ground ploughed and broken up Ierem. 4. 4. The soule hammered Ier. 23. 29 and thou wholy framed as a signet fitted for a mans right hand Ier. 22. 24. When this axe is layd to the roote of the tree Math. 3. 10. take heed then to thy feete when thou enterest into the house of God Eccles 5. 1. least in the end thou be taken for an unprofitable servant and in the fearefull case of Ierusalems negligence and heedlesnesse How often would I have gathered thee as a hen her chickens and yee would not Math. 23. 37. A third sort are such as are displeased with what they heare like the Mule kicking the dam that feedes them or like undutifull children at every angry word casting dirt and myer in the face of their Parents or like these Apes which breake every looking glasse because it shewes their deformities whose galled backes or rather unsound consciences no sooner feele the Aqua-Fortis of reproofe but presently as Ahab with Elija they accompt their Minister their enemie 1 Kings 21. 20. or as the same Ahab spoke of Michajah He never Prophecies good unto mee 1 Kings 12. 8. And for all this what hath the righteous done How hath the Minister offended thee when he wounds thy selfe-love and the pride of thine heart and when with the axe of the word hee is hewing and fitting thee as a lively stone for Gods building wee see in the Law Deut. 19. 5. If a man hewing timber in the wood should by chance let his axe fall from the helue and hurt a man hee was to goe to a Citty of refuge for his safety Why should it not then pleade the pardon of thy Pastor when by chance by the sword of the Spirit hee rubbs thy galled sores touches thy Dalilah thy Herodias thy most beloved sinnes and tels thee plainely Thou must not have thy brothers wife thou must leave her or leave thy Heaven and happinesse Consider further that every man being as a brand taken forth of the fire all the Placentia pleasing words comforts and cordials cannot cure him till he be lashed with Moses and driven out of himselfe into CHRIST let not then the poysonous love of sin stop thine eares causing thee to say of it as Abraham of Ismael Gen. 17. 18. O that Ismael my carnall pride prophainnesse might live in thy sight or conceit of it as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19. 20. Is it not a little one Such a sinne is but a peccadillo a little one a small oath an officious lye a sleight excuse these are with thee but small matters whereas thou must give an accompt of every idle word the Divell like a cunning Nimrod and hunter spreads his nets of pleasure profit selfe-love c. To drive thee out of love with the word to esteeme it base or needlesse and so to banish it as the Gargasites did CHRIST or troublesome and contrary to thy peace as Amazia Amos 7 12. Goe thou Seer and flye into the Land of Iuda and there eate bread and prophecie but know beloved as in the Law of Moses Deut. 25. The elder brother dying the younger was to marry his widdow so to rayse up seede unto his deceased brother so by preaching and teaching reproving and exhorting must the Minister as a younger brother unto CHRIST he is the Embassadour in CHRISTS stead to wooe and winne men to be reconciled with God 2 Cor. 5. 18. Suffer then the words of exhortation and reproofe rejoyce with Zacheus Luke 19. 9. Because Salvation is come to thine house let the word win thee that thy Minister by thy profiting in the carefull discharge of his office may answer unto God having brought Beniamin backe Iohn 17. 12. Of all those whom thou hast given mee I have not lost one Secondly consider these repeated words as they containe and enjoyne a duty to be performed Hallelu jah wee saw it in the portall of the text and finde it againe in the end as it were reviving a duty which is and hath beene forgotten of so many in praising God for his manifold mercies and truth continued from him the Creator to the creature in creating preserving maintaining spirituall and
admonish either our selves or others with profit Secondly wee must sing with grace in our hearts that is in exercising and stirring up the graces of God in our hearts as our loy Faith Love confidence and commemoration of Gods benefits either in giving or forgiving kindleing our dead zeale as a fire with bellowes 2 Tim 1. 6. Thirdly wee must sing with our hearts not onely tongues and voyces but with a zealous desire by our singing to glorifie God Psal 47. 7. Sing yee praises with understanding Psal 118. 27 Bind the Sacrifice with cordes to the hornes of the Altar hence wee are sayd to prepare our hearts 1 Cor. 14. 14 Thus David bids his Lute his Harpe his glory his tongue to awake Ps 57. 8. he would not have his heart sleeping while his tongue is walking and waking for Non vâ—x sed votum non musica chordula sed cor non cantans sed amans cantat in aure Dei T is not thy voyce but vowe not well tun'd harpâ— but heart Not sound but solid love mirths in Gods hearing part The fourth is to sing to Gods glory with an holy remembrance of his awfull and Majesticke presence and this is that which is observed by Cramerus that if our doxologies and thankesgivings be acceptable they must begin from God as the first mover and primus moter of his owne praise they must be of God as the matter and argument of all our songs they must be with him as the end and scope of all our Hosannaes of mercy and Hallelu-jahs of praise thus making him the efficient materiall formall and finall cause of all our service joyned together by the Prophet Ps 86. 4. Râ—ioyce the Soule of thy servant c. First in that he would his soule to be made joyfull hee desires God to move it to that duety 2. Where he calls God hee shewes the matter of his Psalmodicall melody 3. The listing up of his heart unto God hee intimates his end and marke And lastly to whom hee dedicates his Musicke To teach all Christians a conscionable diligence in this duety all creatures in theyr kinde blesse their Creaâ—or even they that want tongues as Sunne Moone Starres c. Psal 148. The unreasonable creatures giue with their tongues obedient testimonies thereof the Birds of the ayre sing beasts of the field make a noyse even the hissiâ—gs of Dragons in the deepe are Psalmes of prayse unto God Praise thou the Lord theâ— with the best member thou hast which is thy Torgue the Eye is to see for all the Eare to heare for all the Hand to worke for all the Nose to smell for all and the palate to taste for all but the Tongue in the highest office is to sing prâ—ises to God for all it s every mans duety as a I must pray unto God so all must prayse God and as CHRIST IESVS carryes up thy prayers being perfumed upon him the true Altar on which they are offered so will hee doe thy Psalmâ—s of praise being winged with holy devotion this is thy heavenly melody the mirth of thy family aromaticall perfume of thy châ—mber an holy homage to God the sacrificed calves of thy lips If thou hast then beene a Mute and tongue-tyed in this duety though thou be opposed therein by th prophane world and Sathanstand at thy right hand as he did against Sacrifizing Iehoshua Zach. 3. 2. be now as a speaking vowell or at least a consonant to Stentorize the prayses of thy God even with a lowd voyce Psal 34. Continually while thou livest Psal 104. 33. Before the morning watch Ps 119. 147. At midnight and seaven times a day ver 164. Thy mouth daily rehearsing his righteousnes and Satvation Psal 7. 15. Let his Statutes be thy Songs in the house of thy Pilgrimage Psal 119. 54. Learne to tune thy voyce here on earth that thou mayst have a place among the Psalmodicall quier of Heaven acquaint thy heart with spirituall mirth sing Davids Psâ—lmes that thou mayest have Davids spirit it thou wilt not sing unto God take heed least in his justice he deprive thee of thy blessing of peace mirth and liberty either taking away thy tongue which hee made for the same purpose and the service of which hee requires or cause thee to sing his songs in a strangâ— land as he dealt with the Iewes Psal 137. for their vnthankefulnesse Lastly this reproveth the usuall vanity of flesh and blood First in vaine layes which are sung to the world Secondly lascivious Bâ—llads which are tuned to the flesh Thirdly Satyricall libels to the Divell All which are to exâ—lt and strengthen the three Goliha's and great enemies of mans Salvation even to sing praises to the curâ—â—d Trinity of Hâ—ll these are the fuming and fomenting nourishment to Luxurie the Bellowes to blow the embers of lust the Palate-pleasing meate of the Serpent their originall from â—odome not Sâ—on from Bedlam not Beth'lem from Bethaven not Bethel from Iericho not Ierusalem from the Tap-house not the Temple the well-befiâ—ting accoutrements and vaine garbe of the children of vanity And yet we see the world admiring flesh and blood inventing the Divell brewing and bâ—oâ—ching the Sonnes of the earth exâ—lting defending these hell-bred Sonnets having the packet of their braines so full fraught with them that they have left no roome for the Lords Psalmes What is this buâ— to bâ—ilâ— up the Kingdome of darknes and to make ungodly Proselites for the greaâ— Cham and Prince thereof These be Sathans watchfull Vaites which though they be esteemed as Augustine spake of the Donatists who in his time lived as Theeves but were honoured as Martyrs yet here they are condemned as the spuâ—ious off-scowring of men not praysers of God but Organs and Organous provokers and movers to all uncleanenesse And this is a Loidoramastick to libellers whose malicious tongues and pennes writing in blood as Draco writ his lawes are set on fire by Hell whose mouthes are like the gate of the Temple called Shallecheth out of which they cast the filth of the Temple So they the foule aspersions of shame upon the persons of the Innocent But consider beloved and learne by insulting over these rightly and holily to prayse God let â—o filthy communication proceede out of your mouthes least the Mouth the Messenger of the heart bewray an ancleane fountaine Evill words corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. Ratio habenda est Sermonis cum non sit in eo parum momenti ad animuÌ„ afficiendum aliquo modo vel ad mores corrigendos vel corrumpendos Thy words worke not in vaine upon the affections of the hearers but either correct or corrupt their manâ—eâ—s It is onâ—ly the Word of God which is eternall life Iohn 6 68. which ministreth grace to the hearers Learne then to speake the language of Cannan Isa 19. 18. for a word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver
thy finger much lesse give ease to a sinne-loaden sin-sicke soule All they can doe is to attend thy loathsome corps like a ricke of hay to thy cursed buriall But the Godly with David place their felicity in the remission of sinnes Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne In Gods favourable countenance Psal 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and this exceedes all things else as farre as the Sunne excelleth the least light-borrowing starre as the purest gold the foulest drosse the poorest officer in this fraternity is preferred before a scepter-swaying Monarch Psal 84. 10. I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Here is keyes before crownes caitiffes before Kings Lazarus before Lords What then will it profit a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule Mat. 16. 26. Remove thy selfe then from all societies and joyne thy selfe unto this as Moses left the idolatrous prophane court of Pharao and refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and joyned himselfe to Gods people Heb. 11. 24. So doe thou shun the tents of wickednes when all the wicked societies in the world shall be deplumed and cast into hell thou shalt be received into everlasting habitations Reioyce in the Lord and againe I say reioyce Phil. 4. 4. Next is the Caveat and this like a watchman standing upon a turret of the Temple gives warning to take heed to the calling whereunto God hath called us and to walke worthy of it As it was with the Egyptians and Israel wheresoever the one was there was darknesse but the other had light So must Gods people be discerned from others by the light of theyr conversation shining as a candle upon a candlesticke in the sight of all as a citty or beacon upon a hill Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that they seeing your good workes may glorifie God in the day of their visitation A Christian must take heede how he walkes hence the Apostles Caveat for thy feete Ephes 5. Walke circumspectly For thy tongue let no filthy communication proceed out of thy mouth it must not be like Shallecheth but the beautifull gate of the Temple Full of grace are thy lips Psal 45. For thy loynes they must not be loose and lascivious but girt For thy eyes Iob. 31. 1. I have made a covenant with mint eyes and so for the rest all must be like the strings of a Davidicall Harpe in tune All thy wayes are marked and by thy weakenesse and upon thine infirmities the prophane wretch layes the lawfulnesse of his impieties If the Abbot pipes the Monkes daunce As Popish pictures and images are lay-mens bookes so examples are the bests patternes and most followed One vivall is better than ten vocall instruments A Christian is the salt of the earth if he loose his savour wherewith must he be seasoned Take heede then of stayning thy profession whether generall or particular In thee every mote is a mountaine every cicatrice a Cocatrice and every fall is a full sea of iniquity As it is unseemely for Achilles to have the base behaviour and be a drudge to the servile offices of Thersites So is it for a Christian nobly sprung of the bloud royall of heaven to bowe himselfe to the base druggery of the most base of creatures Satan Agnosce O Christiane dignitatem tuam divine consors factus naturae noli in veterem vilitatem degeneri conversatione redire memento cujus capitis cuius corporis sis membrum reminiscere quòd erutus de potestate tenebraruÌ„ translatus es in Dei lumen regnum Acknowledge O Christian thy dignity and that thou art made partaker by the divine nature returne not into thy old vilenesse of thy degenerate conversation remember of whose head and of whose body thou art a member remember that thou art taken out of the power of darkenesse and translated into the light and kingdome of God Vse then thy graces to Gods glory If thou hast bin a dogge a Gentile returne not to thy vomit If thou hast bin at the custome house returne not with Demas but keepe thy profession unstained with Mathew How greivous is it unto almighty God to give give graces to dishonour himselfe withall As Câ—râ—â—â— shreatned to the river Gindes that had drowned one of his white horses to cut it into so many chanels till it should loose both depth name and glory So will God deale with our vertues and graces plucke them from us if wee abuse them and leave us to a multitude of enormous impieties suffer the divell to re-enter us with seaven worse than himselfe fill us so full of the tares of iniquity that not the glory nay scarce the name of Christian shall be left written upon us as may be seene in Saul 1 Sam. 10. 24. See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen that there is none like unto him among the people endued with excellent gifts of governement and fought many excellent battels of the Lord but when he began to rebell and goe against the commandement of God as in the matter of Agag Chap. 15. then Chap. 16. 14. The spirit of the Lord departed from him and an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him deprived and deplumed of all those graces of excellent government The like we see in Iulian who being borne of Christian parents from the line of religious Constantine so carefully lettered and educated in Christianity and that under Christian teachers that he was forbidden to heare Libanius the Syrian because he was a Pagan Yet afterwards hearkning to the Pagans he was deprived of the profession of the Crosse and became a fearefull Apostats both an Ismael with his tongue and pen and an Esau with his sword persecuting his former profession blasphemously continuing therein to his last gaspe which was breathed out full of blasphemiâ— when the fatall dart had given him his deadly wound whether by the ministry of men or Angell he filled his hand with his bloud and cast it into the ayre saying thus reprochfully of CHRIST Thou hast overcoâ—e O thou Galelian The like of Nero whose first five yeares were peaceable and gracious that we might say of him as Suetonius of Tâ—tus He was the love and delight of mankind But after falling to stâ—ddy Magicke and sold himselfe to a Lernâ— and â—â—ltitude of vices that he made his minde as filthy as his body he lost all vertue and became the vilest Monster that ever the earth bred or bore hee delighted as much in villanies and strange murthers as ever he did in his Musicke the first persecuter of the Church among the Romane Emperors in the Martyrdome of Paul and Peter a Saul-like bloud sucker in fratricide marricide and what not a monster of men notable