recited In Apolog. ad Guliel Abbatem S. Theodorici prope finem O vanitas vanitatum saith he sed non vanior quam insanior Fulget Ecclesia in parietibus in pauperibus eget suos lapides induit auro suos filios nudos deserit de sumptibus egenorum servitur oculis divitum Inveniunt curiosi quo delectentur non inveniunt miseri quo sustententur Where vpon he concludes afterward Proh Deum Si non pudeat ineptiarum cur vel non piget expensarum By which it is cleare that vnnecessary structures superfluous charges ambitious pompe are the things they strike at where the painting of the house is the impouerishing of the houshold Otherwise they applauded the worke Sainted in a manner the Founders acknowledge the Iewes comendation of the Centurion with our Saviours approbation to bee a notable warrant and encouragement Hee is worthy for whom thou shouldest doe this for he loueth our Nation and hath built vs a Synagogue Luke 7.5 4 They are not worthy therefore to bee confuted or scarce deserue to be mentioned who in hatred of a Nation or Religion or in heat of faction overthrowe Gods houses such as were Nabuchadnezzar Antiochus Dioclesian the Maniches Messalians and Eustathius reckoned vp by n = a De cultu sanct l. 3. c. 1. Bellarmine de cultu sanct l. 3. c. 1. With whom when he ranketh the Petrobrusians Waldenses Wickleuists Taborites a man may chuse whether he will beleeue him For it is no new practise for Papists to make their opposites odious by fastning vpon thē such groundlesse calumniations Faine also to the same purpose he would find somewhat against the n = b Porro Lutherani Calvinistae admittunt Templa sed solum ad concionandum sacramento administranda reprehendunt autem quòd fiant templa adorandum quod consecrentur certoritu quod dignis sumptibus ornentur De cultu sanctor l. 3. c. 1. Lutherans and Calvinists but their innocency is so apparent and his mouth so toothlesse that hee snarleth rather then biteth He would giue vs forsooth a n = c Ibid. c. 3. modell how we should build our Churches First they must bee like Solomons Temple consisting of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Porch a Body and a quire otherwise all is out of frame and the workemen and contriuers shall bee shent Then if they point not most an end to the East for direction of our faces that way in Prayer our devotion is like to finde cold comfort It were pitty to omit those fiue pretty reasons hee brings from the depth of Schoole Divinity to proue it The first is Geographicall Paradise was towards the East though not according to the Vulgar yet according to the Septuagints Translation and therefore we should pray towards the East n = d Aq. 2.2 q. 84. art 3. I maruell whether this plot must hold also with his consorts in the East-Indies and China for if their faces likewise in prayer must be setled East-ward Paradise for ought I know will be cast at their backs The second reason is Astronomicall Because the Heauen begins his motion from the East which if the scripture confirme not Claevius vpon Sacrobosco will make it good The third is Propheticall Christ is named vir oriens n = e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zach. 6. And therefore with great reason should be looked for in the East The fourth is in some sort morall Christ vpon the Crosse looked Westward and therefore to looke him in the face wee must set our faces Eastward Also toward the East he ascended into Heauen and from the East he shall come as lightning Mat. 24.27 And is not this enough to make all suppliants in their Prayers looke Eastward His last inducement is altogether Politicall Exod. 26. The Iewes prayed toward the West should not wee therefore to crosse them pray toward the East Vt significemus as he adds eorum esse Literam occidentem n = f Bellar. de cultu sanct lib. 3. c. 3. nostrum autem spiritum vivificantem to signifie that they haue the Westerne Letter and wee the Easterne Spirit for so it must be rendred to make sense in the point he vrgeth it These are the great Cardinals reasons for Church architecture which I refute not but leaue for their conversion who affect to direct their Prayers by the Rumbes in the Compasse The thing we disallow not as in it selfe meerely indifferent yet imbrace it not on such Iesuiticall inducements but in regard of a commendable conformity Notwithstanding Tom. 1. p. 932. An. 443. n. 5. we may take notice by the way that Pope Leo the fourth as Binius and Baronius acknowledge in opposition to the Maniches praying to the Sunne East-ward made a Decree that Catholici ad occidentem conversi Deum colerent Catholickes should worship God with their faces toward the West Whom Bellarmine might haue done well to haue reconciled Durand de ritib. l. 5. c. 2. with his successour Vigilius who not long after as Durand tels vs first determined the contrary De cultu sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 2. vid. Hospinianum de Templis lib. 7. cap. 1. 6. Better are his forces imployed against the Anabaptists who though they maintaine a worse opinion against the building of Churches yet they iustifie it with more probability then Bellarmine doth their situation Arguments of the Anabaptists They vrge vs with the practise of the Patriarkes who occasionally erected Altars where they thought meetest and pleased God by their sacrifices yet never so much as dreamed of a Church They presse vs with the impossibility of the attempt and that from Gods owne mouth Isai 66.1 Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstoole where is the house you will build vnto me which they backe with these places of the New Testament Act. 7. God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as if he needed any thing Which S. Paul repeateth to the Athenians cap. 17. And had not our Saviour catechised the woman of Samaria before Ioh. 4. That Gods worship vnder the Gospell should not be restrained to the Mountaine of Samaria or Temple of Ierusalem but left free as the Apostle dispenseth I will therefore that men pray every where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting 1. Tim. 2. They conclude therefore that the Iewish Temple was but a type of Christ to vanish therefore not a patterne for Christian Churches and that the light of nature taught divers Heathens that which the Stoicks delivered positiuely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answere to the first Churches for the Gods are not to bee built at all But all this is soone answered The Patriarchs case and ours is not alike their owne habitations for the most part were moueable Tents their families parochiall Congregations fixed houses therefore for
our vndertakings It will be taken better from the mouth of that King-preacher Solomon in whom all these met and yet all these together gaue never content I haue seene faith he all the workes that are done vnder the Sunne Cap. 1.14.15 and behold all is vanity and vexation of the spirit That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred I returned and saw as it were by a second survey vnder the Sunne that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong Cap. 9.11 neither bread to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding nor favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all When King David 2. Sam. 18. invited old Barzillai the Gileadite that had done him good service at a pinch to follow him to the Court for a recompence how wisely doth the good old man excuse himselfe I am this day saith he fourescore yeeres old and can I discerne betweene good and evill Can thy servant tast what I eat or what I drinke can I heare any more the voice of singing men or singing women Let thy servant I pray thee turne backe againe that I may dye in mine owne citty and be buried in the graue of my Father and of my Mother My sonne Chimham perchance may be fitter for these courtly imployments other matters belong vnto me to looke after And least this Expectation should be turned off to old men only as though younger had no such thing to looke for The Apostles instancing in Moses may bee taken for a patterne Heb. 11. By faith Moses saith he when hes was come to yeares and throughly vnderstood himselfe refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoh's daughter chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt And the maine reason is there added for he had respect vnto the recompence of the reward How then should the wise man vainely glory in his wisdome or the mighty in his strength or the rich in his wealth Ier. 9. or the advanced in his honour These are eminent blessings we must confesse if they come by good meanes and are managed accordingly But if any of these or all together could giue content it cannot much affect by reason of its shortnesse nor constantly in the times vncertainty nor fully in the midst of troubles nor sincerely amongst many supplanting emulations nor safely in regard of the after reckoning That which therefore must satisfy the vnderstanding fulfill the desire ioy the heart is not here to be had but hence to be looked for which are New Heavens and a New earth the fore-mentioned inheritance for the fourth place 9. New Heauens and a new Earth Heavens we haue herein the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and earth in the singular which casteth vs vpon the distinction of Heavens which is two fold according to the Mathematicians and according to Divines Of the Mathematicians some hold no difference of Orbes at all but these are of the newer stampe and are not yet so fully receaued as the others The other agree not vpon the number of Orbes For Aristotle puts but eight Ptolomie nine Purbachius with his followers tenne Maginus eleuen by reason of the distinct motions they haue obserued in the wandring and fixed starres Yet aboue all these they grant an Immoueable Heauen in which Aristotle saies there is neither place nor emptinesse nor time that makes it grow old but the Inhabitants thereof are inalterable impassible immortall hauing sufficient in all things in the height of happinesse De caelo l. 1. t. 100. And this Hee relates as the opinion of the Ancients before him But Philosophers and Mathematicians herein must not bee our guide Men may dispute vpon these things according to that of Ecclesiastes in the vulgar edition Mundum tradidit disputationi eorum cap. 3.11 And one may speake more probably then another But that which followes in the same Text may curb them No man may finde out the worke of God from the beginning to the end We are yet here learners in the lower forme and out of doubt shall knowe more hereafter when wee come to the higher Divines from Scripture acknowledge but 3 heauens The first in the space ascending frō whence we are as farre as the course of the Moone which they call the heauen aeriall The second which they name syderiall from thence to the vtmost convexity of the first moueable in which are al the revolutions of the Planets and fixed starres which we see and obserue here below The Third aboue all these is that which the Schoolemen call Coelum Empyraeum But in Scripture I finde it to haue nine other names 1. The third Heauen 2. The Heauen of heavens 3. Paradise 4. The house Habitation and Throne of God 5. The seat of blessed Angels and Saints 6. Abrahams bosome 7. The new Hierusalem 8. The heauenly Country 9. The Citty that hath foundations A reverend and learned Bishop of ours in his Survey of Christs sufferings Bilson Pag. 441. for that Christ is said to haue ascended aboue all heauens Ephes 4.10 But that may be vnderstood aboue all heauens seene So that this fourth heauen shall only make the eminent'st place in the third and so no difference will be from the Ancients Thus wee see some ground for the plurality of heauens mentioned in the Text where the earth is notwithstanding one admitting the water into it's concavities to make vp one entyre globe of which there is no controversie But what these New Heavens New Earth should be that here are promised and to bee looked for that will aske some further discouery 10 New as we know is opposite to old the old heavens that are now are mentioned before by our Apostle ver 5. New are here to be look'd for Two things then will come in question First what shall become of the Old secondly what these New heavens shall be and how supply their places For few I thinke will imagine Heb. 10. that both shall stand together but rather conclude as the Apostle doth in another case He taketh away the first that he may establish the second Now concerning the abolishing of these Heavens and Earth which are subject to our view there are two opinions some contend that they shall remaine Others that they shall be quite annihilated They shall remaine for euer say the Peripateticks as they never had a beginning But this tenent as it had birth among heathen Philosophers so it found among the same the Stoicks Epicureans Poets Sybils and all the Ancients as S. Hierom witnesseth to refute it In Isaiam 51 who generally held this world should perish at length by sire Nay the Turks in the Alcoran and Bannians of the Moguls country are of the same perswasion therefore
there needs no more to be said herein Amongst Christians most acknowledge a purging rather then abolishing by taking off the corrupt qualities onely not the substance Divers of the Fathers were of this minde and most of the Schoolemen whom most new writers of all sides follow But against this refining of these visible celestiall bodies for the vtter abolishing of them there are 12 pressing Texts of scripture urged by Conradus Vorstius which are seconded by the consent of many Fathers and Iesuites In locum who herein make bold to vary from their owne consorts The time will not giue me leaue Serrarius A Lapide to examine all differences I shall goe no further therefore then our Apostles owne arguments that are premisses to my Text. For is it not punctuall in the 7. verse that the heavens and the earth which are now are reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement Doth hee not descend to particulars in the 10. and 12. verses that the Heavens which are now shall passe away with a great noyse that the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth and workes thereof shall be burnt vp Doth he not infer therevpon in the 11. that all these things shall bee dissolved And in the words of my Text that wee are to looke for New Heauens and a New Earth Dissolution mends not a fabrique as Serrarius well vrgeth against Suarez Henriquez and Pineda his fellow Iesuits but destroyes it rather And how may that which passeth away be said to be reserued and let stand The same passing away is prophecied of the Heavens as of the Elements why should these therefore be annihilated and the others bettered by the change Surely if S. Peter had thought of this refining only some words of his would haue intimated so much Now I had rather beleeue one Peter affirming this totall Abolishing In Math. 24. as Maldonate saies in this very case then many disagreeing juniors denying it especially where other places of scripture concurre for this Exposition The Sea shall be no more Time shall be no more The New Hierusalem shall haue no need of Sunne or Moone as the scripture instructs vs. The end that they were created for was for mans vse and man vsing them no more to what end should they bee reserved To say for a Monument what hath beene or an Out-let for the Saints descending sometime froÌ„ Heauen for their recreation to solace themselues or to be an Habitacle for the beasts restored or a receptacle for Infants or other honest Heathens as Socrates Plato and Aristotle that had not deserued hell nor Heauen as Catharinus and Salmeron the Iesuite Sixtus senensis l. 6. annot 340. with some other pittifull Divines amongst vs would haue vs beleeue are but groundlesse surmises These Heavens and Earth then which we see being vtterly taken away as a stage removed when the Pageant is finished the new Heavens and new Earth we are to expect can be no other but that Heaven of Heavens and place of fulnesse of ioy wherein once being setled we shall never be remoued Now these Heavens are here termed New not in regard of their New making but of our New taking possesioÌ„ of them by a most happy change for our new habitation and heavens they are said to be in the plurall and earth in the singular number because they come in stead of that covering and that earthly habitation which we now inioy but there vpon our finall remouall shall be vtterly abolished So that the Text then may well beare this paraphrase We looke for New Heavens that is the supreme Court of Gods presence And a New Earth that is a New habitation for vs which shall infinitly exceed the commodities and happinesse of these Heavens and Earth which wee now enioy but then with our Translation shall be dissolved And this is that which our Apostle maintaines if the Recognitions of Clement bee true against Simon Magus whom Hyppolytus Irenaeus Hilary and divers others follow Nay Aquila and Symmachus make the Text to speake for it according to S. Hierom's Testimony the heaven and earth comminuentur in Nihilum shall be battered into nothing Isay 51.6 11. This takes off then that ancient errour of the Chiliasts or Millenaries which many of our moderne writers are so diligent to set on foot in these our dayes againe Of which some talke of a first Resurrection of the Martyres who shall bodily rise and raigne with our Saviour in heauen a thousand yearâ—s before the generall Resurrection of others Others say this raigne shall bee with our Saviour here vpon Earth and set downe the beginning of it to bee about some 60 yeares hence All these men agree that these 1000 yeares are yet to come wherein three things must concurre The binding of Satan The nationall calling of the Iewes and this millenary raigne vpon earth And all before the last day of iudgement But now if these new heavens and new earth which we are to looke for be only the place of the blessed in heauen If these are onely now to be looked for but possessed hereafter not by the bodily prepossession of some a 1000 yeares before the rest of their fellow members but by all together after the last sentencing of the sheepe and the goates It will bee most requisite for vs to provide our selues and take comfort in a constant expectation of that which vndoubtedly shall come to passe and not humour our security with such groundlesse fancies wherein the further wee wade our satisfaction will proue the more intricate Two difficult places as I conceaue they especially stand vpon The first Romans 8. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an earnest expectation is attributed to all other creatures besides man at length to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God The second is Revelat. the 20. where after the ouerthrow of the Beast false Prophet with their followers and the casting of them into the lake burning with Brimstone that is as most interpret the finall destruction of Antichrist in the 19. Chapter the binding of Satan first Resurrection and raigne of a thousand yeares as things succeeding are described in the 20. Chapter But in the first place no immortall being of the bruit creatures is promised for that were to make them equall with their Masters and happier then most of their fellows that had done as much service before them but a simple deliuerance and dismission from the servitude they were in to vngratefull men So Birds Beasts and Fish must suffer for our diet Horses other beasts of like nature groane vnder burdens for our necessities and pleasures They were created of God for that purpose and to no further degree of happinesse Their Annihilation therefore to them must needs be a kinde of deliuerance And therefore when it is promised they shall be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God the Text will well
a tried experience extorting couertousnesse of a carefull providence and damnable dissimulation of a notable headed polititian How many of our greener yeares affect not rather the name of a good fellow then of a good Christian come at Sermons as at plaies to censure rather then to practise and take vp all new fashions both in garb and complement except that newnesse of life which our Saviour commendeth But I tell thee my good Christian brother these leakes are not so little but they may quickly sinke thee the very touch of this pich is sufficient to defile and thou tread but on the egges of this wily cockatrice thou shalt presently perceiue that there lurketh a serpent Were the Angels punished eternally for sinning once and thinkest thou to stand out in iudgement with so many transgressions must our thoughts be scāned shall our words escape or our words bee condemned and yet our actions pardoned Bee not deceiued God is not mocked Inclinations motions intentions our most secret and lightest sinnes are as Eli's sonnes they will breake our neckes if wee breake not off them Gods Word is a two-edged sword which must kill our faults or vs and if we stumble and dash against the Corner stone Mat. 21.44 it will fall vpon vs and grinde vs to powder For as one sparke of fire may burne a whole City and one naked place in an armed man saith S. Chrysostome giue way to a deadly wound Jn Matth. Homil. 35. Vid. August in Johan tract 12. so the least graine of sinne vnrepented may draw such mountaines of miseries vpon vs which all that wee can doe or say without Gods infinite mercy shall never bee able to remoue O that we would therefore deale with these vanities as Ioseph did with his Mistris and breake out at the first assault into this or the like contemplation Thus and thus hath the Lord done for me he brought me into this World to overcome this world that by contemning this I might enioy a better Doe not all creatures serue me that I should serue him and haue I ought of mine owne but only by his bounty how then should I doe any wickednesse and sinne against him who beholdeth my least backslidings and will surely punish them He spared not the naturall branches and shall I haue an indulgence hath his Sonne suffered to redeeme his enemies and shall his enemies escape that contemne his Sonne No certainely Beloued hee is just as well as mercifull if thou turne from his statutes thou shalt bee overturned In a day that thou lookest not for Math. 24.50 Psal 18. and in an houre that thou art not aware of the snares of death shall overtake thee and paines of Hell shall compasse thee round about Thine Adversary shall not onely deliver thee to the Iudge but the Iudge deliver thee to the Sergeant which is the second circumstance I before proposed followeth to lead furthery your judicious considerations 7 The Iudge shall deliuer thee to the Sergeant This Iudge all consent vpon to bee Christ to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgement Ioh. 5.22 For though the Apostles are said also to iudge Luk. 22.30 and the men of Niniveh Aquin. supplem q. 89. art 1. Lomb. lib. 7. c. 18. Math. 12.41 yet this is but by way of assession or approbation as the Schoolemen expound the former or exemplarily as produced to convince others who haue lesse profited by greater meanes as Beza and Piscator intimate of the latter none hauing absolute authority Jn 12. Mat. but the to whom all power was given Math. 28.18 Next Luk. 12.58 what this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signify for which Saint Luke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Remists and our last Translation Officer Vid. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 7. D. Fulke Minister some old translations Doomesman and we here Sergeant there is some small difference S. Ambrose S. Augustine would haue it to be the good Angels because these are said to minister to our Saviour in the former Chap. at the 11. verse to come with him chap. 16.27 to gather the tares Chap. 13.30 But Chrysostome Gregory Theophylact Hugo and Abulensis together with the Ordinary glosse doe thinke it rather the Divels office Ibid. For these are the cursed Iaylers of the damned which must accompany them eternally in everlasting fire Math. 25.41 Both opinions are probable saith Bellarmine Piscator joynes them together In hunc locū and Buccasenus shewes the reason The Goates saith he are deliuered to the good Angels to be separated from the sheepe and from thence to the evill to bee tortured for ever Whence I gather in stead of many this one generall observation That there shall be a Iudgement hereafter wherein every man shall receiue according to his workes 8 I need not to be curious in prouing this point which is receiued as a principle in the Articles of our faith That Sadduce which denies it denies also God and shall sooner feele it then haue time to prevent it 1. Cor. 15.22 In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the terrible sound of the last Trumpet the sonne of man shall come in the clouds of heauen Math. 24.30 with all his holy Angels in power and great glory when the Sunne shall be blacke as sackcloth of haire Rev. 12.5 the Moone like bloud the Starres fall vnto thee earth as a figtree casteth her leaues the heauens depart as a scroll roled and every mountaine and I le moue out of their places when the earth melteth the sea roareth the elements dissolue nations howle all the world flasheth with the terrible and all consuming flames mentioned by the blessed Apostle S. Peter 2. Pet. 3.40 then shall we all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 that every mā may receiue according as he hath done 2. Cor. 5.10 And here beloued in a matter of so serious importance it should be idle for me to breake out into the mazes and vagaries of the Schoole-men as to determine with the master of the Sentences 4. Sent. dist 47. Ibid. that this last fire shall as the first floud rise iust fifteene cubits aboue the tops of the highest mountaines or with Nicholas de Orbellis that the materiall Crosse whereon our Saviour was crucified should bee carried as a Mace before him when hee cometh to Iudgement In supplem q. 88. art 4. or with Aquinas and the rest of that side that the place of this Iudgement shall bee in the ayre right against mount O liuet over the valley of Iehoshaphat Well saith Artemidorus in his Oneirocritiques No dreames of a private man may haue a publike interpretation For what should we speake in such obscurities 4. Sent. dist 47. Epist 24. ad Hieronym that the Lord putteth not into our mouthes That which Lombard hath of the authority of Angels in this
Merchandise of you Secondly Presumptuous and selfe-willed detractours that despise government Ib. 10.12 are not afraid to speake ill of Dignities and as naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speake evill of the things they vnderstand not Thirdly sensuall Epicures that count it pleasure to riot Ib 13.14 hauing eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease from sinne Fourthly false-hearted vndertakers like Balaam the sonne of Bosor who loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse tampering much Ib. 15. and performing nothing not so wise as the Asse he rode vpon and this whole messe we haue in the former chapter But the fift sort followes in this more desperate then any of the former for these are Scoffers and Atheists 3.3 that mocke at Religion and bend all their learning and wit to dispute against it Tell them of the end of the world the resurrection of the dead or the comming of Christ to Iudgement these will reply for ought they can perceiue V. 6. things stand as they did at the beginning and so are like ever to continue For since the Fathers fell asleepe the sonnes haue followed in the same trace and in the revolution of so many thousand yeares there hath appeared in that behalfe no great shew of change Now against such miscreants our Apostle binds his maine forces and stirreth vp his dispersed countrymen to sticke close to the holy Prophets and Apostles For assure your selues saith hee that as the world had a beginning and once perished by water so hereafter it shall haue an end V. 6. and whatsoever these mockers prate be consumed with fire Neither thinke you this time long a comming V. 7. for though it seeme so to vs it is otherwise with God to whom one day is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares V. 8. are as one day It is his long suffering as it were that puts backe the clocke that we might take the opportunity to repent and be the better provided But come it shall and that suddenly as a thiefe in the night V. 9. Appeare it shall and that most terrible V. 10. when the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise the elements melt with fervent heat this earth and all the stately buildings and workes therein shall be vtterly burnt But howsoever this vniversall combustion shall ruine the fabricke of this world and involue those desperate wretches in it that set their hearts vpon it yet you it shall not touch at all to procure you the least trouble Let the foundations of the earth sinke away vnder our feete our habitations totter about our eares the aire faile our nostrills the Heavens aboue to cover vs or to giue vs light Neverthelesse we shall not be vnprovided of a better habitation For wee according to his promise looke for a new Heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 My Text therefore sets forth the helpes and hopes that every good Christian may depend vpon when all this world failes him In which may it please you to obserue 1. His Exemption in these words Neverthelesse we 2. His Evidence he hath to shew for this Exemption Gods promise According to his promise 3. The Tenure or Manner of holding this his evidence it is not in possession but expectation Wee looke for 4 The contents of this Tenure New Heavens a New earth 5. The excellency of those Contents wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse What can the heart of every true Beleeuer more desire then here is put home vnto it What can be more firme assurance then here is laid before vs The Horrors of the last Assises be they never so terrible thy vnquestionable Evidences shall quit thee Let this worlds vncertainties be never so dangerous thou canst not be put by thy Expectation for future possession This Possession is no lesse then the perpetuall inheritance of New Heauens and a New Earth not liable to quarrelling or Law suites which this world is full of because in that dwells righteousnesse without shadow of change or interruption Of these Particulars as they lye as God shall assist me and your Christian patience with the time giue scope And first of the first which is the true Christians Exemption included in these words Neverthelesse we 3 The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall for which we haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Syriacke is not here so much continuatiue as adversatiue opposed to the dangers before mentioned Notwithstanding though all the world be in Combustion and the wicked in the vtmost despaire cry to the mountaines to fall vpon them and the Hills to cover them yet with the followers of the Lambe it shall goe well they shall then be exempted both from troubles and terrours which sheweth the vnspeakable priviledge of Gods servants aboue all the world besides Iust as in the hideous storme of fire and Brimstone vpon Sodome and the cities of the Plaine God remembred Abraham saith the text and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow So in this vniversall and finall destruction the children of God shall be remembred As Daniel in the Lions denne they shall be rescued not a haire of their heads shall bee sindged nor smell of fire passe vpon them as happened to the children in the Babylonish fornace David in the 91. Psalme triumphantly sings out this Priviledge Who so dwells vnder the defence of the most highest shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty His wings shall protect him his feathers shall cover him his faithfulnesse and truth shall be his shield and Buckler The snare of the Hunter the noysome Pestilence the Noone Divell as both the 72. and the vulgar giue it or as the Chalday Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daemon Meridianus the whole company of Divels when thousands shall fall besides him and ten thousands at his right hand shall not come neare him Lions and Adders and Dragons shall be securely trampled vnder his feete For he shall giue his Angels charge over them to keepe them in all their waies And howsoever worldlings thinke and speake contemptuously of this sort of people yet the Apostle giues them their due that they are a chosen Generation a Royall Priest-hood a holy Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 2.9 a purchased company by no lesse then the dearest bloud of our Lord and Saviour Christ Iesus If these mourne they shall be comforted when they weepe Math. 5. God will wipe off their teares Rev. 7. They startle not or shrinke at any evill tidings Though they walke in the valley and shadow of death Psal 112. Psal 23. there is a rod and a staffe that frees them from disasters when all worldly protection and supersedeas'es proue out of date Titles of all civill honour haue their period Lawes and statutes of men may no longer priviledge then this Exemptio clericorum will bee of perpetuall force and retaine his full power strength
and virtue Neverthelesse 4 Clemens Alexandrinus out of this doctrine dehorteth all from vnseemely carriage Orat. adhort ad Gentes as detracting much from such priviledged persons whom the Lord hath graced with these excellent immunities And how should earthly greatnesse exalt it selfe saith S. Hilary when this greater dignity is slighted In Psalm 18. wherein all Gods people are sharers Our kingdome is saith Saint Ambrose that Christ In locum with the father and the holy Ghost should reigne in vs. If we by this meanes are Kings why make wee our selues slaues to our inordinate desires If Priests where are the sacrifices of a troubled spirit of a broken and contrite heart of prayer and praise and thankesgiuing of almes deeds and other good works that we should offer continually vnto him that hath made vs so Servaunts freed through ingratitude say the Lawyers may be plucked backe to their former condition and priviledges we know abused may be soone forfeited O how stiffe and peremptory we stand for any temporall Immunity and how little notice is taken of this protection and exemption which in the last and terriblest Parliament will only passe for current Hee that is wise will ponder these things and thankfully frame in his heart these or the like pious meditations Lord what sawest thou in vs to preferre vs before so many others That when all the world shall be dissolved our estate shall be bettered How commeth it to passe that among so many nations wee should haue the light of the Gospell amongst vs as at this day so long so peaceably vnder so constant and gratious Defenders of the faith What virtue of ours hath effected this that of those which professe Christianity we should enioy it purged from Idolatry and superstition wherein so many of our neighbours ly so dangerously intangled You might make out the rest Beloued by descending to more particulars At hearing the same Sermon why is Lydia's heart opened when others remaine obdurate The Greeke Areopagite beleeues when the Roman Gallio cares for no such matter Certainely somewhat there will be found to come from a higher and more effectuall operation then is likely to rise from our naturall dispositions Last of all what comfort can be more cordiall or animating then this In the midst of extreamest dangers to know our case to be exempted with a Neverthelesse In the violence of the greatest storme to find our building founded on the rocke so that we may conclude with David Psalme 46. God is our hope and strength a very present hope in trouble therefore will we not feare though the earth bee moved and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof rage and swell and though the mountaine shake at the tempest of the same Neverthelesse Christs little flocke shall finde shelter his vineyard shall be guarded his chosen be provided for according to his promise Which brings in the Evidence for this Exemption in the second place to be opened According to his promise 5 Precepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Practise promises and prophecies like the foure rivers of paradise streame out of the fountaine of holy writ and compasse all that therein is contained Precepts are the Law-givers imperiall decrees which how they haue bin obserued by those to whō they belonged Practise sheweth in particular examples Promises set forth a patterne for the mending of that which in examples hath beene found amisse And Prophecies of future events forewarne both good and bad what they are to expect those Reward the other Punishment Thus we see in the old Testament the law of Moses is attended with the Historicall bookes of Iosua Iudges Kings Chronicles and the rest to represent vnto posterity how it hath bin observed or broken Exhortations and Promises in generall succeede in Iob David Solomon and the rest of the Hagiographi to sharpen the Churches industry for the stricter fulfilling of the law To which the predictions in the greater and lesser Prophets are laid to lead men to the Messias who should perfect that which was defectiue and bring in everlasting righteousnesse of faith spoken of by Daniel which wee now proclaime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 9.24 in the glad tidings of the Gospell So in the New Testament the Evangelists giue vs the precepts mixed with Practise The Acts Practise interlarded with precepts The Epistles Exhortations Precepts and Promises common to all The Apocalyps Prophecies in more particular events Precepts command Practise leades Promises assure and incourage Prophecies prepare before hand Nothing in Gods booke is omitted that may make the man of God to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 3.16 as Paul tells Timothy perfect throughly furnished vnto all good works without the supply vnwritten Traditions Our Apostle in this place tēders no worse Assurance then Gods promise But where this promise is registred particularly he mētioneth not Oecumenius with the Greeke fathers referres vs to the 14. of St Iohns Gospell verses 2. and 3. to that promise of our Saviour In my Fathers house are many mansions If it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also This promise must needs be meant of our Saviours second comming and is somewhat to the matter in hand But whether this be that which our Apostle meant is more then can be iustified A Translation only there is assured but New Heavens and a New earth are no way mentioned The latter writers therefore send vs rather to Isaiah cap. 65. and the 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a New earth and the former shall not be remembred and the New heaven and the New earth which I make shall remaine Cap. 66.22 Here we haue the words but the sense according to most Interpreters reacheth no farther then the times of the Gospell in the new Testament wherein all things being made new a new creature a new lumpe a new man a new Covenant a new spirit a new heart a New and liuing way by a Metonymicall Emphasis import the qualification of those who shall attaine to this Newnesse but in such sort as though with the persons contained the things contayning were Innovated Now then what Isaiah prophesied of the first comming of Christ and Christ of the second S. Peter takes for one and so hath relation to both To the first as a type of the second which driue to the same Issue citing neither in particular vpon supposall that these evidences of so speciall importance were so well knowne to the faithfull that the mentioning only of them needed no farther direction where to find them 6 This might shame our Negligence in hearing Gods word and not obseruing or remembring it as we ought There is scarce any evidence that pertaines to our temporall estate wherein wee are not very conversant and punctuall If any promise vs ought we may get by we will bee
beare it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God that is when such a deliuerance comes of men these shall be freed from their seruitude by being not at all hauing done the businesse they were ordained for For the second place of the Apocalyps wherein the binding of Satan is related after the destruction of the Beast This concludes not that it must bee done afterward Which briefly may be thus made plaine In the 12. Chapter we haue the dragon pursuing the flying woman but in the 13. ver 2. This Dragon hauing done his worst to drowne her and foyled in his project he resignes his authority and power to his Vicar the Beast who vnder a pretext of Religion might doe more hurt then he could being loose by heathenish-persecution How this beast behaued himselfe in his Vicar-ship we haue from the 13. to the end of the 19. Chapter where his ruine is related Then the Apocalypt returnes to relate how Satan was bound in particular which hee had formerly mentioned onely in generall How I say bound how loosed and what he did after with Gog and Magog This the very ordering of the Text intimates For in the beginning of the 18 and 19. Chapters we haue this note of continuation with that which went before And after these things but in the 20 no such connexion appeareth the text only running And I saw an Angell As though he should haue said Thus much concerning the destruction of the Beast Now I returne to relate what shall become of the Dragon that resigned his authority to this Beast mentioned before in the 13. Chapter Out of which exposition that for ought I perceaue may passe with greater probability then any Chiliasticall will clearely follow that the 1000 yeares of Satans binding and raigne of the Saints which all grant to be the same time are not now to be looked for in New Heavens and a new Earth or a Heaven vpon Earth as some haue fancied but are expired and past already which may be further thus briefly evidenced 12 For we may conceit of a foure-fold binding of Satan intimated by our fourefold deliuerance from his fourefold Tyranny The first from terrifying vs by his right and might over vs which hee had gotten when by the Apostasy of our first parents in whose loynes wee all were all became his vassals The deliuerance from this was by our Saviours Incarnation who in the nature of man bound the strong man that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serue him without feare The second was from vrging the hand writing that was against vs whereby hee claimed vs as it were his villaines or apprentises The deliverance from this was by our Saviours passion whereby this hand writing that was against vs was blotted out and nailed to the crosse and so taken vtterly out of the way The third was from burdening vs with the killing letter and Ceremonies of the Law A yoake that neither wee nor our fathers were ever able to beare This some convèrted Iews euer presse to haue oblieged in equall commission with Christianity But from this wee were fully acquitted at the destruction of Ierusalem ruine of the Temple whereby was also remoued that stumbling blocke The last was from the mercilesse persecution of heathenish tyrants which continued as 't is well knowne vntill Constantine the great who attaining the Empire being a Christian put a period also to that Now then if from these foure bindings of Satan we account a 1000 yeares downeward the foure loosings will fall out neere about this reckoning from the Incarnation the thousand yeares are expired about Sylvester the seconds time from the passion in Benedicts the 9th from the Destruction of Ierusalem in Hildebrands from the raigne of Constantine the great in the time of Boniface the eight and the rising of the Ottoman family Now what Monsters these Popes were and what prodigies then appeared in the world and what exclamations there were of good and learned men That Satan was then loosed the histories of those times approued by all sides at large declare which I may not stand vpon Three things are here vsually opposed The twofold Resurrection The temporall felicity of the Church here vpon Earth and the Nationall calling of the Iewes to Christianity which these thousand yeares reckoned as past leaue no place nor space for hereafter after But the two first are taken by judicious Interpreters spiritually For we haue but one resurrection of the body in our Creed This first then in the Revelations may be wel expounded of the rising of our soules by grace and faith to a liuely apprehension of the manner of our saluation For the second our Saviour professeth that his kingdome is not of this world he calleth his followers to crosses and afflictions who raigne notwithstanding and triumph in the midst of oppositions by the inward testifying of their consciences and haue alwaies the better of their Adversaries in the end And therefore last of all by ought that hath been before delivered the calling of the Iewes which S. Paul reveales as a mystery Rom. 11. may hereafter take its place when it shall please God to bring it about That after the plucking downe of Antichrist with his horrible superstitions and Idolatries which I take to be the greatest stumbling blocke that yet keepes them back from imbracing Christianity they may thinke vpon the evidence of truth which the fulfilling of the Old Testament in the New most apparantly suggesteth so at length see their obstinate blindnesse and bee converted From all which premisses may be concluded that New Heavens or New Earth are left to be expected here of vs before the day of Iudgement but after that to be inherited eternally in the highest estate of our soules and bodies with God and his blessed Angels in the highest Heavens In which dwelleth righteousnesse The excellency of this inheritance my last part to conclude with 13. Wherein or in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelleth righteousnesse There is here a double reading Beza and Serrarius the Iesuite intimate it in this sense We in whom dwelleth the righteousnesse of faith looke for a New Heaven and a New Earth Others as our Translation hath it we the children of God looke for a New Heaven and a New Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which new heauen and new earth dwelleth righteousnesse Here it only soiourneth there it dwels Here it hath only a moueable tabernacle there a mansion Here it is mixed with manifold imperfections there entyre and in the greatest eminency Here among some there in all Here for a time or flash there eternally What vse then should we better conclude with Beloued then with that which our Apostle here vrgeth both before and after my Text Seeing that all these things shall be dissolued these better are to bee only looked for what manner of Persons ought we to be
these our dayes who must haue all as they will or else all is out of frame but so launceth that he may heale so openeth that hee may binde vp againe and to the severall sores discovered applieth an agreeing remedy Idlenesse therefore must be shaken off by a willing and ready minde not to famish but feed the flocke which is not so much theirs as Gods ver 2. filthy lucre must not be thought vpon when a Crowne of Glory is proposed a Crowne that fadeth not to bee receiued from the chiefest shepheard vers 4. And what a cooling card next followes against the Lording over Gods inheritance This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned ver 3. younger saith hee submit your selues vnto your elders All of you bee subiect one to another ver 5. Submit be subiect No apparell so befits an honest hearty Christian as to bee clothed with humility If he be proud hee hath God for his enemy If humble Gods grace for his erection and protection Now because this swelling of Ambition is fed with such a confluxe of no cious humours that one dressing would scarce serue and it stood the Apostle vpon not to leaue the cure vnperfect Hee addes the words of my Text as a playster to doe the deed seeing that domineering is not for your profession Mutuall subiection is your truest badge Humility your best clothing God himselfe the opposer of the proud and the most gratious protector of those that are Humble Humble your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time 2. Which according to the expresse words implyed consequences may thus bee paraphrased You reckon your selues to be Elders and I hope you take me for no lesse Wee witnesse what Christ hath suffered and beleeue what glory he hath provided for vs. But suppose you that his flocke is committed vnto vs thereby to feed our selues let that pine through want to pretend an over-sight and intend nothing lesse Is this the example we shew the Crowne wee ayme at The Humility we should bee clothed with No certainly my Brethren Christ hath suffered for vs and the servant is not greater then his master The inheritance is his and his stewards must not convert it to their private pompe and pleasure Words Outsides may not satisfie where reall performance is required If you haue an ayme at the highest preferment the way to attaine it is by faithfulnesse in a little No entrance to his Temple of honour but by the Gate of Humility Humble your selues therefore or he will make you stoope vnder his mighty hand or it shall pluck you downe And herein you shall not be your owne factors but hee will exalt you not when or where you affect but as he shall think fit in due time And this I take in generall to bee the meaning of this exhortation The summe is A never fayling Plot for the surest attaining of the best preferment Wherein wee meet with 1. A Rule to bee observed by way of Precept Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God 2. The successe depending vpon an implied promise That hee may exalt you in due time The Rule includeth an Action limited to its right obiest Humble your selues But to whom vnder the mighty hand of God The successe is not doubtfull but restrayned to a certainty He shall exalt you but when in due time It were small mastery vpon so good a ground to runne division but my ayme is playnenesse which I take will be best apprehended in these 4 particulars The 1. Suiters duty or indeavour Humble your selues 2. Patrones ability vnder the mighty hand of God 3. Businesse successe that he may exalt you 4. Fitnesse of oportunity In due time Many haue the hap to apply themselues to such as little respect them or are not of ability to doe them good some are earnest and able but occasion fayles or one rub or other frustrates the indeavour A third sort speed at length and haue that they looke for but it comes so vnseasonably that it scarce quits cost Now all these things here happily concurre beyond expectation to the preventing of all exceptions No straining beyond thy power but restraining thy selfe by Humility No striuing to make friends and please many where the hand of God wil exalt No importunity needfull that others should not prevent thee where hee sets downe the time All for easier recalling may be thus connected As thou shewest thy selfe humble so God will approue himselfe mighty in effecting that for others which surpasseth thy policy though not perchance when thou wilt who art ignorant what is best for thee yet in such due sort and time as shall doe thee most good Of these in their order as the time and your patience shall giue leaue And first of the first which is the suiters taske or Indeavour in these words 3. Humble your selues therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The particle Therefore includeth an Inference vpon somewhat that went before which is thus deduced God is no way to bee resisted but suedvnto for grace This is done by humility Humble your selues therefore As charity makes the breadth patience the length faith the height of our spirituall building So Humility must be vnderlaid all these saith Hugo as the surest foundation De claustris Animae l. 3. whence wee may inferre that There is no admission to Gods favour without humble submission The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall intimates no lesse which is not so rightly rendred passiuely by the vulgar Bee yee humble as well corrected by others and our latter Translation actiuely Humble your selues Any coaction here marres the Action which must bee altogether voluntary Wherevpon Humility is defined by the Schooles to be A voluntary deiection of a mans selfe vpon a view of his owne vnworthinesse and Gods infinite bounty and power Whence the Canonists rightly distinguish betweene Humiles Humiliatos Those that are truely humble those whose stubborne stomacks are violently pluckt downe The Hebrewes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text Ps 9.13 Ps 9.13 which barely signifies poore and needy read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the margine according to the rule of their Keri and Cethib which not onely points out those who are deiected and in misery but such as are gentle modest and truely mortified Those will the Lord guide in iudgement Ps 25. and learne his way To such poore in spirit and meeke in heart our Saviour in his list of Beatitudes assures both heaven and earth Mat. 5. Math. 5. And if both Heaven and Earth be taken vp for the Humble saith Cassiodore in what place think you shall the proud be billetted Further delating in a Common place so beaten can neither be gratefull nor profitable For who hath not obserued that of the wise man How Humility vshers honour Prov. 15.33 Prov. 17.12 Prov. 15. as pride goes before destruction Prov. 17. The Publican therefore
paterfamilias saith Saint Augustine The Lord of the vineyard is not alwaies in the Market to set thee a worke and no maruaile saith Saint Gregory if at the last gaspe he forget himselfe Ser. 1. de sanctis who in all his life neglected to remember God Let vs attend therefore to open when it pleaseth him to knocke And not as Felix did Paul so answer his messengers Goe thy way for this time Act. 24.26 and when I haue convenient time I will call for thee againe but rather with David to be ready when hee saith Come presently to reply Lo I come When he saith Psalm 40.7 Seek my face to eccho immediatly againe Psalm 27.8 Thy face Lord will we seeke Samuels answere must bee ours at the first call Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 1. Sam. 3.10 and that not onely quickly but also when we are in the way which is my fourth and last circumstance before obserued and commeth now briefly in the conclusion to be considered 12. Agree with thine Adversary quickly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which all translate whiles thou art in the way with him Alluding perchance to countrymen saith Illyricus who came some distance for judgement from their houses into the city in which they had fit opportunity betweene themselues to discusse and take vp all matters But citizens in my opinion haue no lesse they dwell neere together and may more conveniently meete and daies of hearing come not so fast but space and place may bee had to compose in good sort such businesse But figuratiuely in Scripture this word Way hath three especiall significations First it is taken for doctrine as Psalm Psalm 23.3 23.3 Shew me thy waies O Lord and teach me thy paths Which Hebraisme the Schoolemen haue taken from the Arabians when they put viam Thomae or viam Scoti for Thomas or Scotus doctrine Secondly it signifieth the manner of liuing counsels behaviour or endeavours of men so Gen. 6.12 Gen. 6.12 All flesh had corrupted his way that is their manners and the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psalm 1.6 Psalm 1.6 that is the counsels actions or endevours of the righteous or wicked Lastly it is taken for a mans life as Ioshua 23.14 This day I enter into the way of all the world Iosh 23.14 and so in this place whiles thou art in the way with him that is in the dayes of this thy pilgrimage whiles thou art aliue Which directeth vs especially to this conclusion that After this life there remaineth no place for repentance or reconciliation 12 For alia est saith Musculus on this place praesentis alia futurae vitae conditio The condition of this life and the next are not both alike Here there may bee had a composition but there the Iudge will proceed according to law as the next words following my text doe sufficiently confirme thou shalt be cast into prison and thou shalt not come out vntill thou hast paid the vtmost farthing Here is no mention at all of pardon but all of payment pay or stay infinite hath beene thy offence and so must be thy punishment not a dogge to licke a sore not the tip of a finger dipt in water to coole a tongue can be there obtained with an Ocean of teares How much lesse Indulgences or pardons or Masses or Pilgrimages or any Intercession of the liuing can alter the estate of the dead But of this hereafter in the reason when we come to speake of the prison which the Papists imagine to bee their Purgatory Now a word or two by the way for applying this doctrine taken from the way mentioned in my Text and so I will commit you to God 13 This may serue Beloued to hasten that speedy conversion which in the point before I so earnestly vrged For if this life bee the appointed place and no other wherein this quicke reconciliation is to be sought and wrought then all excuses are cut off whatsoeuer the Divels sophistry or mans backsliding tergiversations can imagine Otherwise some peeuish conceit might humour it selfe with such an idle contemplation There is a great space betweene Heauen and Earth Gods judgement seat and the place wee goe from and can this bee passed in a moment Besides who can tell whether my judgement shall bee immediate vpon my departing May not others bee first examined May not I bee repriued till the last day of judgement and hauing that respit to bee reconciled so sue out a pardon But our Saviour meeteth with all such humane fancies and earthly cogitations No saith hee this agreement must not only bee quickly in regard of the time but also in this life whiles thou art in the way and thy adversary with thee both together in respect of the place Iust as that noble Romane Popilius dealt in his ambassage with King Antiochus the history is recorded by Liuie hee maketh a circle with his rod Decad. 5. l. 5. and passe wee must not the compasse thereof till we haue fully resolued on an absolute answere Such a circle wee are all in at this present Beloued and behold an vrgent ambassage from the King of Kings Peace or warre life or death hell or heauen are to bee determined on of vs in this instant and place and therefore let vs bethinke vs I beseech you what to doe Wee finde here no certaine habitation But onely as my Text intimateth a way to passe this passage hath all the dangers and more then can bee imagined The Divell as a theefe the world like a bawd the flesh like a false brother to assault entrap vs and leade vs into vtter darknesse every breathing we make is the shortning of our life euery step we goe is the hastning to our graue Sands of the Sea or Gnats in Summer or leaues in Autumne are not more innumerable then the heapes and swarmes mountaines of calamities which are every moment ready to fall vpon vs. And yet we like those outragious Sodomites Gen. 19.9 Gen. 19.9 wil not suffer our brethren to host quietly by vs but will haue them out to quarrell and deale worse with them though fire and brimstone fall on vs the next day after Good Lord that man should so hardly be brought to consider himselfe and remember thee and yet so quickly to joyne with his enemy and maligne his brother to forget whose he is whence he is where he is and which way he tendeth Wee account him an idle-headed fellow that will be building in every Inne where he may not dwell a foolish Pilote that will bee anchoring in every creeke where his businesse lies not and a most desperate and impudent thiefe that will stabbe when hee passeth along from the prison to his triall Our practise is the like but wee will not thinke of it Wee build where wee may not inhabite anchor where wee may not harbour quarrell and fall out in that very way nay in the very
presuming on God the third our securitie for not considering what may follow all our dulnesse coldnesse and benumb'dnesse in matters of the waightiest importance that ever may concerne flesh and bloud Giue mee leaue therefore Right worshipfull and beloued to summon our startling meditations to take some view before-hand of these fearefull Assises where wee know not how quickly wee all are to haue a triall It is Syracides good counsell Chap. 7.36 Eccles 7.36 Remember the end and thou shalt never doe amisse Sometimes Boanerges Mark 3.17 the sons of thunder who preach judgement must as well be heard Mat. 16.17 as Bar-iona or Barnabas the sonne of a Doue or consolation Let vs take therefore a copie of the Declaration Act. 4.36 that our defence may bee the directer and first of the first which is the rigorous proceeding of the Adversary in these words least thy Adversary deliver thee to the Iudge 3 About the first particle in my text which in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some scruple ariseth both for the reading and meaning The vulgar rendreth it by ne fortè which the Rhemists retaine in their least perhaps Preferring such broken cisternes before the Fountaines themselues But this is well corrected by Erasmus saith Beza both here In v. 25. and in divers other places the word signifying properly ne quando least at any time as our last Translatours expresse it and our former vnderstood it without any forte's or peradventures Lib. 1. cap. 1. for which Saint Augustine first censureth himselfe in his Retractations Howsoeuer this difference may seeme exceeding nice yet vpon it are grounded two severall interpretations Sic temperavit saith the ordinary glosse which Hugo and Lyra follow such a moderation is intimated by this particle fortè In hunc locū that the penitent may hope for an after remission ideo dicit fortè saith Gorram quia potest sieri quod non Auendano wheeles on the same bias with Thomas and the rest of that side except the learned Abulensis In textum who mainely stops it This fortè saith he is not put by way of doubting but as that in the third of Genesis Vers 3. ne fortè moriamur or the like in the seuenth of Matthew Vers 6. Cast not pearles before swine ne forte conculcent eas where there could be no doubt of consequence but that man should dye and swine would trample such treasures I should bee loath by playing too much the Critick on these particles to be thought to read Grammar Lecture The reconciling in my vnderstanding is very evident if wee take the exposition of the first with Chrysostome Theophilact and Euthymius in the literall sense and of the latter with Cyprian Hilary Ambrose Hierome and Augustine with the rest of the Fathers and Schoolemen in the parabolicall For in the processes of this life friends may interpose or mony prevaile or pitie sometimes hinder a just prosecution and therefore in regard of men a perhaps may haue his place but in reference to that greatest and last account Ne fortè is as much as alias which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Syriack translation may very well also beare as though the whole had beene thus connected Agree with thine Adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way with him otherwise or if thou neglect to doe it Vid. Buccasen Beauxam thy Adversary will deliuer thee to the Iudge c. Secondly by Adversary I vnderstand not the divel with Tertullian a Hom. 35. in Lucam Origen and b In cap. 12. Luc Theophylact nor the flesh with others mentioned by Saint c Lib. de serm Dom. in monte Bellar. l. 1. de purgat cap. 7. Augustine nor conscience with Athanasius nor Sinne with Saint Ambrose nor the Holy Ghost with Chromatius nor God or his Law with Gregorie Augustine and Beda although all these as Buccasenus at large declares may haue a good meaning But as I tooke it in the precept with Hilary Vbi supra Anseme and Saint Hierome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominum litis either party contending plaintiffe or defendant But here Saint Augustine obiecteth I see not by what meanes one man should deliver another to that Iudge before whom all are culpable besides put question I kill my Adversary can I then agree with him whiles wee are in the way whom by such meanes I haue made out of the way In hunc locuro The answeere of Abulensis and Maldonate sufficiently cleareth the first Lest thine adversary deliuer thee that is lest hee bee the occasion thou be deliuered Non repraesentativè saith Buccasenus as though hee personally there should present thee with a Corpus capias sed occasionaliter which is Hugoe's word Jbid. bee the occasion why Christ should passe sentence vpon thee For doe not the teares oft run down the widdowes cheeks Ecclus. 35.15 Ecclesiasticus 35.15 and from thence goe vp into heauen So Iohn 5.45 Moses is said to accuse and Saint Hilarie on this place Hilar. Manens in ea simultatis ira arguet The hatred shall accuse that remaines vnpacified Which if the case so stand that thou canst not personally appease by reason of his death with whom thou shouldest agree true repentance saith Abulensis may obtaine so much of God who accepteth in such necessities the will for the performance Which answereth fully Saint Augustines latter objection and giueth cleere passage to this doctrinall proposition that The breaking of Gods Law by any sinne whatsoeuer maketh vs liable to eternall damnation 4 For if the last jarre with our Adversary will beare such an action what breach of Gods Commandement can bee exempted Marke but the nature of the most petty fault that ever was committed and wee shall finde it high treason against an infinite Majestie For whether sinne bee a word or deed or thought against the eternall Law Vid. Aquin. 1.2 q. 71. ar 6. as Saint Augustine or a revolting from our alleagiance to Gods edict as Saint Ambrose or a straggling from a prescribed course to a due end against nature reason or Gods Word as Thomas and the Schooles define it it ever it includeth a rebellious contempt which by breaking the least commandement setteth vp as it were a Flagge of defiance against the Commander himselfe Faile but in one point of the Law Iam. 2.10 and thou art guilty of all Iam. 2.10 Aquin. 1.2 q. 73. art ad 1 um De operib Redempt lib. 1. cap. 8. ad Thes 2. Though non quoad conversionem ad creaturas as the Schoolemen restraine it yet quoad aversionem à Deo as Zanchius helpes them out qui tam contemnitur in vno praecepto quam in caeteris omnibus Wherefore the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all vngodlinesse Rom. 1.18 because such a one hath stretched out his hand against God and
made himselfe strong against the Almightie Iob. 15.25 This will further appeare by conferring but the backe parts of Gods Maiestie with mans vnworthinesse and the severitie of the Iudge with the respectlesse presumption of the offender For seeing that every sinne is to bee esteemed according to the worth of the partie against whom it is committed as the same injurie offered to a pesant and a Prince standeth not in the same degree hence it followeth that the disobeying of an infinite Commander is an infinite offence and consequently deserueth a correspondent punishment And howsoeuer an vnwise man doth not well consider this Psal 92.6 and a foole doth not vnderstand it yet certainely that is most true which is obserued by one out of Saint Augustine that in every sinne wee commit as also in all other elections there is ballanced as it were in the scales of our reason here an Omnipotent Lord commanding for our eternall good and there a deadly enemie alluring to our vtter destruction Where notwithstanding such is our damnable ingratitude and malicious stupidity wee will fully reject the Lord of life and preferre a murderer Act. 3.14 Lam. 1.12 Haue yee no regard all yee that passe this way behold and see whom yee dayly pierce and then tell mee what disgrace may bee viler then this or punishment too heavy for such a contempt The incomprehensible Ancient of daies Almighty Iehovah who made all things of nothing by his Word and by the same can reduce them to worse then nothing againe whose looke drieth vp the Deepes and whose wrath maketh the Mountaines to melt the Earth to tremble the Rocks to rent the Heavens to shiuer Divels and Angels to quake before him Before whom all Kings are as Grashoppers all Monarchs as Molehils all beauty base all strength feeble all knowledge vaine all light dimme all goodnesse imperfect in such a case with such an opposite by such a creature as man is so extraordinarily graced by him to bee weighed as Belshazzar Dan. 5.27 in the ballance and found too light This is that which vrgeth his mercy and kindleth his Royall indignation Sometimes as it were passionately to expostulate Ier. 2.32 What iniquitie haue your Fathers found in me Or haue I beene a wildernesse vnto Israel or a land of darknesse Then to exclaime Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lord hath said I haue brought vp children Esay 1.2 and they haue rebelled against me And goe to the Iles of Chittim and behold and send to Kedar Ier. 2.10.11 hath any nation changed their gods which yet are no Gods But my people hath changed their glory for that which hath no profit Last of all if a man will not turne hee will whet his sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ezehiel ingeminateth A sword a sword both sharp four bished Chap. 21.9 and the strings of his Bow make ready against the face of the rebellious Psal 21.12 Thus saith the Lord God of Hosts the mighty one of Israel Ah Esaiah 1.24 I will ease me of mine adversaries avenge me of mine enemies All which doth iustifie God in his saying and cleare him when he is iudged Psal 51.4 Mat. 10.30 For as his Providence numbreth our haires so doth his Iustice our sinnes whereof as none is so waighty without finall impenitency that may not be forgiuen So none so slight if hee once enter into judgement that waigheth not downe to hell 5 This may be a caveat for vs Beloued first to beware of the leauen of the Romish Synagogue who frame indulgences for Gods law come with peace peace when death is in the pot Which that we may the more vnderstandingly deeme of it shall not be amisse to touch a little on the positions of their chiefest patrons In which I intend to bee exceeding breefe as ayming rather at our owne reconciling with God then quarrelling with such obstinate adversaries Lib. 1. c. 2. Laethalia quae ho minem planè avertâ—nt à Deo Venialia quae nonnihil impediunt cursum ad Deum non tâ—men ab eo avertunt facili negotio expiantuâ— c. Lib. 1. de Amission grat statu peccat cap. 14. Bellarmine de amissione gratiae statu peccati besides other foure divisions of sin which hee there relateth hath this for the fifth which hee onely standeth vpon throughout that whole booke Of sinne saith hee some are deadly and divert a man wholy from God others veniall which hinder him onely a little and those hee tearmeth not so ab eventu with Saint Ambrose and Augustine because it pleaseth God in mercy vpon repentance through Christ to pardon them as Wickliffe Luther Calvin most strongly ever maintained against the Schoolemen but ex natura sua ratione peccati being such as crosse not charity so in their nature vt si vellet Deus non condonare it is the very vpshot of the booke before cited that if God would not pardon them but as it were in iustice doe his worst Poenom temporalem tantùm non autem sempiternamexigere possit hee could punish them no further then with temporall afflictions They stand with perfect charity saith a In 4 sent dist 17. Scotus Remitted they may be without any infusion of grace as Gregorius de Valentia the Iesuite peremptorily defineth they make vs not spotty or odious b Tom. 4. disp 7. in the sight of God according to the gentle c Censura Colomienfis censure of the Divines of Collaine therefore deserue not hel but Purgatory if d In quartum sent d. 21. q 1. Aquinas may be beleeued And to make it yet more plaine how bold they can bee with Gods Iustice Wee need not repent for them saith Andradius with Bonaventure in his fift book of the defence of the Councel of Trent neither say to God Forgiue vs our trespasses as the Rhemists would father on Saint Augustine at the 8. verse of the 7. chapter of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans When God had giuen a Command to Adam Gen. 2.17 Of the Tree of knowledge of good evill thou shalt not eate for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Cap. 3.4 the Serpent comes with a couÌ„termand Yee shall not dye at all as though Gods meaning and his words had beene cleane contradictory And is not this the dealing of our Adversaries in this present controversie For if every one be accursed that fulfilleth not all the Commandements Levit. 26.14 all his ordinances Deut. 28.15 whatsoeuer is written Gal. 3.10 if hee violate the first and greatest Commandement Mat. 22.37 who loueth not God with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his minde And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Ioh. 3.4 every the most insensible staggering as Calvine soundly vrgeth commeth within the compasse of one of these circumstances what presumption is it then in any
were drawne to this indifferency It is not for nothing then that Esay and Ieremy were so earnest with Israel Esai 52. Ierem. 51. 2. Cor. 6.14 to seuer themselues from Babylon Saint Paul with the Corinthians not to beare the yoke with vnbeleevers Saint Iohn with all not to afford as much as an Ave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Ioh. 10. good day or good night to an obstinate Heretike And not to tire your patience with examples in this kinde Bellar. in Praef. ad primam controv Theol. lib. 4. hist cap. 14. the very Boyes of Samosatene solemnly cast into the fire a Tennis-ball in the midst of their Market place as Bellarmine himselfe relates out of Theodoret because it had but touched the foot of the Asse whereon Lucius rode their hereticall Bishop But what need I instance in Christians The Heathens themselues haue beene ever scrupulous not rashly to allow of such a blending or mixture of Religions It is the ancient Latine of the old Law in Tully Lib. 2. de legib Nemo habessit Deos nouos advenas nisi publicè ascitos private men must submit themselues to publike conformity new gods and strange gods must come in vpon examination In regard whereof Atilius Regulus by decree of the Senate as Livie testifieth was to gather all bookes of Ceremonies Lib. 25. at a certaine day to stop variety of Religions So Herodotus reports that the King of Scythia flew Anacharsis the Philosopher Lib. 4. for worshipping the mother of the gods after the Athenian manner Heliogabalus indeed with Adrian In Heliog Adrian Iovinian Socrat lib. 3. cap. 21. Valens Arianus Theod. l. 4. c. 22. Nicephor lib. 10. cap. 32. and some other Romane Emperours as Lampridius records it commended all manner of worship in one Temple but it tended to no other purpose then the like stratagem of Iulian the Apostata who gaue heretikes freedome amongst right beleeuers not that hee cared for either but that by their mutuall distractions hee might destroy both Tumenim reddidit Easilicas haereticis saith Saint Augustine quando templa Daemoniis Epist 166. Such a good commodity came by the toleration of heretikes that they that could endure it should take Divell and all for company Excellent therefore is Saint Basils resolution to the President of Valens the Emperour Theodoret. lib. 4. cap. 17. Those that are throughly seasoned with true religion will rather suffer all kindes of death then giue way for the altering of one syllable A man would thinke that there were but small difference it is but a little Iota betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 2. cap. 18. 19. Hist Tripart lib. 5. cap. 21.33 Vid Bellar. de laicis l. 3. c. 19. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet the right beleeuers could never bee brought as Theodoret witnesseth either to omit the one or admit the other Sylvanus and Eustathius boldly told the Emperour himselfe it is recorded in the 5. Booke and 24. Chapter of the Tripartite History Power thou hast O Emperour to punish vs but never to driue vs frō the tenents of our fore-fathers To adde politike considerations I list not The world seeth how little Polonia and our neerer neighbours haue gotten by practising this Alcoran Divinity of tolerating divers Religions Alcor 2. 119. which howsoever Parsons with others of our homebred vipers in their divers supplications to His Maiestie Lib. 3. de Trifiplic homin of haue presumed most Impudently to plead for yet Weston their owne man most earnestly detests it a c. cap. 14. Promp Cath. ser 6. post Pasc Stapleton railes at b Lib. 3. Polit. cap. 7. Vers 5. Bodin for but mentioning such a liberty the Rhemists conclude out of Cyprian and Hilary vpon the fourth to the Ephesians that it is not to bee endured And marke but BELLARMINES owne words who is of the same opinion in the nineteenth Chapter of his booke de Laicis Catholici non patiuntur in suo grege vllos qui ostendunt vllo signo externo se favere Lutheranis The Catholikes saith hee doe not suffer any in their flocke that shew by any outward signe that they doe but as much as favour the Lutheranes And would they expect that of vs which they themselues professe to bee impious to aske and irreligious to grant or should wee endure such impudency that offereth to propose that which supposeth vs to be Atheists What doe they then but betray Religion and expose themselues to all sides hatred who in such a case but stagger or expresse not themselues If therefore thou bee on our side tumble out the Romane Iezabel at the window howsoever she bee painted Babylons Brats must not be dādled but dasht against the stones Psal 137.9 Phynea's zeale Iehu's march Iosiah's resolution Luther's heroicall spirit haue ever best prevailed against the mystery of iniquity For who findes not that Rome is as a nettle it stings where it is gently handled and provideth powder and poysoned kniues where shee is not manacled The voyce of more then man and lowder then a Trumpet is therefore necessary for you fathers and brethren in these dangerous times to bee inquisitiue for the truth and to speake home and resolutely that somewhat bee not defectiue through our default Hath God enioyned vs to be watchfull Pastors and shall wee sleepe or fly or take no notice when the Wolfe commeth Are wee seers and shall wee winke at any thing Especially seeing that a cloud rising from the Sea 1. King 18.44 but as bigge as a mans hand may soone overcast the heauen and procure a storme and a few runnagates comming from beyond the Seas may quickly infect a whole Country of weaklings never fore-stalled by true grounds but naturally carried to sensuality and superstition Who if they dare set foot sometimes in such places as this is for where will not the Divell intrude and his Impes follow to the intangling of some vntatechiz'd giddy-braines with shewes of learning and counterfeit antiquity let vs haue somewhat against them to nip them in the bud Psal 58. that ere ever their Pots bee made hot with thornes so indignation may vexe them as a thing that is raw 12. Last of all for the rest of you my brethren If somewhat may not bee amisse but all meanes must bee vsed for the redresse thereof suffer your selues to be led with all alacrity and meekenesse either by the gentle or rough hand of those that are your Teachers You must not thinke with Ahab that we trouble Israel 1 King 10.17 when we permit you not to settle on the least dregs of your sinnes or to cry out with him when wee speake plaine vnto you 1 King 21.20 Hast thou found mee O mine enemy Frantike man because I tell thee the truth am I become thine enemy Art thou so possest that whē thy Saviour comes to free thee from legions wilt thou exclaime
natures against Eutyches confusion vnited notwithstanding in one and the same person against Nestorius distraction Alex. ab Hales Sum. Theol part 3. q. 7. m. 1. art 1. This person the Schoolemen more nicely pronounce to bee one not by that incomprehensible vnitie which excludeth all multitude or multiplicitie for that belongeth onely to the persons in the Deity but by an vnion which requires a composition In 3. Sent. d. 6. q. 3. not huius ex his as Durand speaketh but huius ad hoc not a framing of a third thing out of divers parts vnited for so the Godhead and the manhood must not bee said to concurre as parts for the making vp of this person but such an adjoyning of the things vnited the one vnto the other that the natures remayning distinct as a Lib. 3. ca. 10. Agatho rightly teacheth and all their properties and operations the subsistence notwithstanding is but one and in this case according to Athanasius one not by the conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking the manhood into God The Fathers haue much laboured to expresse this popularly b Lib. de recta fidei Confess Iustine Martyr and c In Symbol Athanasius bring the similitude of the Soule and body Saint d Ep. 99. Augustine and e In 3. sen d. 1. Scotus of two accidentall formes in one subiect as of the sameman who is both a Lawyer and Physitian f Peri Archon lib. 2. cap. 6. Origen g Orat. in Nativit Basil and h Ortho. fid lib. 3. cap. 11. Damascene of a piece of glowing Iron to which the fire is incorporated and this is best approued by Brentius and Kemnitius i Ibid. l. 3. c. 5. Damascene againe and k In vigil Natal serm 3. Bernard compare the mystery of the Incarnation with that of the Trinitie that as there we beleeue three persons in one nature so here we should acknowledge three natures of flesh Soule and Dcitie as Saint l De Trinitat l. 13. cap. 17. Augustine speaketh in one person But the most expressiue is that of a tree and a Siens ingraffed to it which becommeth one with the stocke yet retaineth it's owne nature and fruite Thus m In 3. sent dist 1. Lib. 3. de Incarnat cap. 8. Aquinas Bonaventure and with them most of our orthodoxe writers all which notwithstanding as Bellarmine in this point truly sheweth come short of the thing Wherein our Lutherans are farthest out by grounding the hypostaticall Vnion on the transfusion of the proprieties from one nature into another and not as they ought to doe on the communication of the subsistence from the Deity to the Manhood This only is sufficient to make good these harder speeches in appearance God hath purchased the Church with his owne blood Acts 20.21 And where the Sonne of man being vpon earth is affirmed to be in Heaven Ioh. 3.13 for subiects of a looser composition afford in a manner the like Synechdochicall praedications in the concrete to speake with Logicians not the abstract So a Philosopher dyeth saith Saint Augustine but not Philosophy in his 89. Epistle The Man Christ is every where but not the manhood and with these generalities wee rest informed of the manner of this conception The efficient succeedeth which is the Holy Ghost Matthew 1.20 Much remaineth to be spoken and the time weareth I can but touch therefore at matters and so away The action of the Incarnation being opus ad extra or externall Vid. Turrecrem in vigil Nat. Dom. q. 4. belongeth as you know by a receiued rule in Divinity to all the three persons in the Trinity though it bee terminatiuely in the Sonne as the Schooles speake and appropriated here to the Holy Ghost To the Holy Ghost saith Saint Augustine by reason he is the conveier and distributer of all the boundlesse graces and mercies that flow to vs from the Deity among which a greater then this of the Incarnation cannot be conceiued Some haue laboured to open this more plainely by this obvious comparison Three sisters say they concurre to the weauing of one seamlesse coat which the Second onely weareth and the third immediatly setteth on So mans nature was assumed onely by the Sonne vnited by the Holy Ghost though wrought by all three But in such profundities it is dangerous ventring farther then the text inlightens vs. This we haue expressed by an Angell concerning the secret of this conception Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee as for a worke that goeth beyond all substitution of any created Excellency And the power of the most high shall overshadow thee either as a shelter to free the sacred Embrio from originall infection to which Adam's flesh was liable and actuate it in the wombe by an vnconceiveable operation or as a cloud to overshadow it from our ambitious prying as Calvin and Stella take it who neglecting and loathing that wee are bound to learne 1 Sam. 6. will endanger our selues with the Bethshemites to looke too farre into the Arke 5. Thus farre of the Conception of our Saviour being the dawning as it were of the day of his power which hath brought vs to the Nativity wherein this Sunne of Righteousnesse appeares aboue the Horrizon Here the natiuity must bee said to be with Damascene and Aquinas of the person Lib. 3. part 3. q. 35. art 1. Actiones sunt suppofitorum non naturarum and not of the humane nature as some will speake vnadvisedly For the humane nature is onely the terme of this action the Person the subiect who was borne of a Virgin that yet ever remained a Virgin Maria virgo ante partum in partu post partum erat porta clausa Augu. ex Ezech 44. vid. Turrecrem in vigil nat Dom. q. 3. howsoever Helvidius dream't the contrary and that by opening the wombe not vtero clauso as the Papists imagine to make way for their poeticall transubstantiation for not the bearing of a childe but the knowing before of a man is opposite onely to virginity as true philosophy and sence might teach them Now in this blessed Nativity of this Virgins sonne wee are briefly to take notice of these foure circumstances the time the place the manner the manifestation For the time we need not trouble our selues with the differences of Chronologers Hebrew and Greek Vid. Sleidan de 4. Imper. lib. 1. Genebrard l. 1. Chronolog Greeke and Latine old and new wherein two scarce meet in one reckoning either for the yeere or moneth much lesse for the day as divers haue laboriously shewed but rest our selues on the generall certainties which the Scripture affords vs. When the Scepter therefore was departed from Iudah according to Iacobs prophecie Gen. 49. when the first Temple was destroyed and the second was yet standing foretold by zacharie and Aggai Hâ—g 2.7 vnder the last Monarch in the last of Daniel's weekes which
strengthning him against his martyrdome being the first of the Apostles that was to suffer Acts 12. To the eleven Disciples vpon a mountaine in Galilee to make good that he had promised by the women Matt. 28. To more then fiue hundred brethren at once mentioned here by our Apostle And to all those last of all that were present at his ascention from the mount of Oliues Actes 1. To which eleuen Apparitions before his Ascension if wee ad that to Saint Paul Actes 9. it will make vp the full dozen or Iury to quit our cause and cast opposers But if apparitions should seeme to any too subiect to counterfeiting we haue a cloud of witnesses besides to confirme it From heauen of Angels Hee is risen hee is not here satisfie your owne eyes come see the place where the Lord lay Matth. 28. From women in earth who were vnlike in such a case to vent a gull because they scarce beleeued it themselues They haue taken away saith Mary Magdalen who little thought of his rising the Lord out of the sepulchre and I know not where they haue laid him Iohn 20. From the Disciples who had eyes enow vpon them to trippe them for fayling in the least circumstance whereupon they esteemed the first relation of the women Luke 24.11 as idle tales before experience had taught them that the Lord was risen indeed and had appeared to Simon Luk. 24.34 These things were so sifted so evident so manifest on all hands beyond exception that impudency it selfe might stand amazed not daring in any sort to disavow it It was made apparant to Iewes and Gentiles of both professions to Disciples and Souldiers Clergy and Laity to men and women both sexes were satisfied in the Evening and Morning no time excluded In the garden vpon the way in the Citty at the sea vpon a mountaine in Galiley vpon another overlooking Ierusalem within doore without no place ever shunned They could not bee deluded by heare-say for their eyes saw him a mist was not cast before their eyes for their eares heard him As neere as might be he came to their smelling Luke 20.22 if such a sence were fit to discerne in such a case for hee breathed vpon them they beheld him eate and drinke with them of such meate as was by miracle provided for them wherein tast might haue his portion in the discouery But more then all the rest he shewed them his hands and his side Luke 24.29 told them that a spirit could not haue flesh and bones as he had wished them to handle him caused Thomas to thrust his hand into the wound in his side for his owne and the fuller satisfaction of them all It were strange therefore that touching and handling the sense of seeling so often so freely by so many admitted to make experiment about it's proper obiect should in so maine a point bee deluded Out of all which promises you see the Apostles conclusion and the ground of our faith inferred in the very words as my text hath it Now is Christ risen from the dead which I haue laboured so fully to declare not so much to convince apposers as to confirme the weake beleeuers 7 For here I make no doubt B. but all good Christians will bee forward for application to themselues Some vpon the consideration of Satans absolute overthrow hells harrowing deaths swallowing vp in victory will follow the conquerours triumphs with their heartyest acclamations Others in a sort deiected with the meditation of his former passion will now cheere vp their thoughts in this glorious amends As the Israelites for their escape from Pharoah Deborah for the defeating of Sisera the Israelitish women for the overthrow of Golias expressed their exceeding joy in set songs and thankes-giuings Much more every one in this case should turne sacred Poets and make holy Anthems to their owne soules and consciences to celebrate the solemnity of this Festivity O what joy must it needs be to a good heart to recount that when the Devill and his complites had spit all their venome against the only meanes of our Redemption when they had as they supposed taken the Lion in a trappe deliuered him to the Iaylour Death if I may so speake without bayle and mainprise shackled him sure with bolts and seale for ever stirring to disturbe them againe That then the Lord awaked as one out of sleepe and like as a Giant refreshed with wine Psalme 7.5 He smote his enemies in the hinder parts put them to a perpetuall shame Then the huge Stone was rolled away the Seales broken the Guard frighted the whole plot spoyled What ayled thee O thou Earth that thou so trembledst and thou Stone that thou wast so driven backe yee Souldiers that yee fled like cowards and yee graues of the Saints that yee could not keepe in your dead It was the Lord that returned from the slaughter leading captivity captiue and now hauing drunke of the brooke in the way lifted vp his head to be Ruler in the midst of his enemies Long was it before his dearest Followers could bee possessed with this truth but hauing once the hynt how their hearts burned within them to impart it to others Mat. 28.8 Mary ranne to bring the Disciples word Peter and Iohn ranne to see whether it were truth or no. Ioh. 20.3 Luk. 24.33 The two Disciples could not rest in Emmaus howsoever like to be benighted but backe they must the same houre to Ierusalem to acquaint their fellowes what had befalne them in their walke Luk. 24.34 Their fellowes prevented them with the same newes before they could haue time to speake Amongst all which congregations no doubt but the blessed Virgin his mother bare the most affectionate part which notwithstanding is no where here mentioned to shew that this spirituall Iubile was beyond the taking notice of the neerest earthly relation No B. we need not faine the Suns dancing or Hermes vision or Paschasinus holy well that was filled of his owne accord every Easter day or the annuall rising as vpon this day of certaine bodies of Martyrs in the sands of Aegypt which some frivolously maintained to amplifie the glory of this Resurrection p. 3. q. 53. art X. Aquinas giueth fiue reasons of it The commendations of Gods Iustice which was to recompence so great humiliation with the like exaltation the strengthening of our faith the assurance of our hope the reforming of our liues the complement of our Salvation Hee might haue added for a sixt out of the blessed Apostle Hi mightily declaring himselfe to bee the Sonne of God Rom. 1. But all these are in a manner comprised in the part of my text that followeth being the effect and fruit of Christs Resurrection surrection which succeedeth now in this place to be likewise discussed 8. And become the first fruits of them that slept I cannot more fitly enter vpon this second part of my text then with the words of
in the variable ficklenesse of a wauering multitude and teach him to depend wholly on him and none other As on the other side who seeth not that Sheba's inveterate malice was ordred to be dis-vizord and punished by such a publike attempt and shame Howsoeuer this we may build vpon by the connection of these words with the latter end of the former Chapter that the heate betweene Israel and Iuda who should seeme most officious to their King gaue the hint to a false-hearted traytour to rayse a new rebellion Whence I inferre That hypocriticall traytours watch their times and are readie to vent their villanie vpon the least advantage 4. So Cain sets vpon his brother Abel when hee had seuered him from his parents and they two were alone in the field together Genesis 4.8 Simeon and Levi brethren in iniquitie take their time to murder the Sichemites when they were sore of their Circumcision Gen. 34. Dalilah knewe well enough that there was no shauing of Sampson till he was througly lulled asleepe Iudg. 24. But the most vnnaturall treason that a man in this kinde shall ever light on was that of Adramelech and Sharezar Senachribs sonnes who tooke the vantage of their father at his Devotions in the house of Nisroch his God the story is set downe 2. Kings 19.37 Where in stead of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his sonnes in the originall we finde the vowels set in the Text which is somewhat strange in that tongue without their consonants Perchance to intimate closely that so many circumstances concurring otherwise for the aggravating of the offence as subiects to lay violent hands on a King and that in the Temple and that at his devotions to adde further that it was done by his owne sonnes howsoeuer it bee more vocall then the bloud of Abel yet the manner of setting it downe should shew it also to bee scelus infandum a wickednesse too monstrous to be fully exprest And yet wee neede not goe farre to find the like among the people of God so farre doth Satan prevaile with the ambitious humours of irreligious miscreants Two sonnes there were that Dauid had whom hee especially as it were doted vpon aboue the rest of his children beautifull Absalom and gallant Adoniah and both of these take their vantages as farre as in them lay to tumble their aged Father downe from his throne and bury him aliue to make way for their prodigious and preposterous purposes The former by the peoples favour which he had gotten by his hypocritical popularitie the latter by his fathers feeblenesse backing himselfe by the countenance of violent Ioab and disloyall Abiathar This hard measure receaued good King David at the hands of those of whom he best deserued He saw the law of nature violated conscience of so hainous a fact contemned his indulgence repaid with monstrous ingratitude his tryed valour outbraued by his owne subject who could not bee ignorant of it But that which touched him neerest was that in his person and through his sides Religion and the name of God was blasp hemed among the heathen in comparison of which he held the virulent raylings of damned Shimei too slight to bee take any notice of Behold Chap. 16.11 saith hee to Abishai and the rest of his servants my sonne which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life how much more now may this Beniamite doe it Let him alone let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him Thus a broken and contrite heart standing at the barre of Gods Iustice and daunted at the multitude of it's owne inditements is willing to put vp any thing in lieu of his owne satisfaction Hee will speake for the diuellish traytour persisting in the height of his villany Intreat the young man Absalom gently for my sake He will lament his death as vntimely and vndeserued O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne But the Iudge of all the World is not subject to such passions nor satisfyed most commonly in such a sort without exemplary punishment none shall touch his Anointed for evill but evill shall hunt those wicked persons to destroy them The traytour here in my Text could not be ignorant of this For if hee had never taken notice of Corah's conspiracy and the punishment thereof Chap. 4. Baanah's and Rechab's betraying of Ishbosheth and the end of it Yet Absalom's fact and judgement could not bee vnknowne vnto him Every one of the people could haue told him how miraculously his huge army was defeated by a small number with the losse of twenty thousand how strangely the Wood devoured more people that day then the sword It must needs then be in the mouth of every one that a senselesse thicke bough'd Oake performed the part of a good subiect to apprehend the traytour that his Mule left him to the gallowes who had renounced his allegiance to his King and Father that the earth refused to reccaue him Heauen was shut against him none of all his troupe left to guard him who had in so high a nature wronged the Creatour of all in his Anointed Vicegerent Last of all I make no doubt but divers also obserued and spake of the extraordinary hand of God expressed in Ioab's violence in the speedy dispatching him notwithstanding the Kings expresse charge to the contrary accompanied with his infamous buriall in a great ditch or pit like a carrion vnder a heape of stones whereas formerly hee had ambitiously provided a stately monument for that purpose to wit a Piramis or pillar in the Kings dale Some of which expresse tokens of Gods vengeance against such Rebels at the least all joyned together so lately acted so freshly bleeding so notoriously spread abroad and knowne might haue amated this traytour in my text from ventring againe so soone if hee had had the least sparke of grace or common humanity or policie in him But malice is blind desperatnesse admits not of discourse he must needs on whom the divell violently pusheth an opportunity was giuē Sheba's false heart was tender and must needs take fire Seing he hapned to be there when such an oceasion hapned to fall out he would take advantage to vent his malice whatsoeuer became of it 5. A lesson first for Kings and Magistrats not to rely too much vpon those that are of none or a suspected religion For howsoeuer they kisse cry Master with Iudas or professe they haue somewhat to say from God as Ehud told Eglon yet they carry a two-edged dagger vnder their rayment Iudg. 3. as there he did which is too loose in the scabberd as Ioabs was and will bee the readier to strike you vpon any advantage giuen them Gedaliah was too confident on his owne innocencie and the loyalty of those that spake him fayre wherevpon when hee was truely informed by Iohanan and others that Ismael the sonne of Nethaniah was suborned by Baalis
King of Ammon to slay him hee beleeued them not but answered Iohanan in anger Thou speakest falsely of Ismael Ier. 40. and the last verse But the event prooued it too true for his security gaue the advantage which the traytour taking performed that most wicked designe which made all the miserable remnant of Israel to smart for it In consideration whereof no doubt Zerubbabel and the chiefe of the Fathers returned from the captivity tooke afterward a better course Ezra 4. For when the treacherous enemies of the Church made a proffer to joyne with them in the reedifying of the Temple No say they you haue nothing to doe with vs to build a house vnto our God but wee our selues together wil build it to the Lord God of Israel So suspicious were they that they who remayne false-hearted to God would neuer proue trusty to his faithfull servants David himselfe in divers places complaines of such kinde of people in the fiue and thirtieth Psal When they were sicke saith he I put on sackcloth and humbled my selfe with fasting I behaued my selfe as though it had beene my frend or my brother I went heavily as one that mourneth for his mother But in mine adversitie they reioyced gathered themselues together yea the very abiects came together against mee and that vnawares making mowes at me ceased not In the 41. Psal he taketh vp the same theame againe and displayeth their hypocrisie If he come to see me he speaketh vanity and his heart conceiueth falshood against himselfe and when he commeth forth he telleth it And this he takes most vnkindely of all in the 55. Psalme For if an open enemy or adversary had dishonoured or magnified himselfe against me I could perchance haue borne it at least hid my selfe frō him but when they that professe religion and fidelity shall proue the vilest miscreants this is that the earth will groane to beare and heauen will not suffer vnrevenged Now if ever there were a generation of vipers that vnnaturally make their passage to light thorow their mothers bowels our treacherous fugitiues and home-bred Papists may most justly be esteemed such whom no benefits can winne no allegeance binde no hazzard deterre from attempting on the least advantage the vtter overthrow of their Prince and Countrey I need not to goe beyond sea for instances Were they ever quiet in Queene Elizabeths daies or hath the mercy of our gracious Soveraigne whom God so miraculously hath so often freed from their villany wrought in them any remorse of conscience No surely Beloued for seeing the Pope himselfe hath mounted to this height onely by such treasonable practices against his owne Prince and others when they hold such grounds in their Schooles that the Pope may loose make voide the oath of allegiance that subiects haue taken to their lawfull Princes that vpon a pretence they are falne from the Church and are turned heretiques hee may depose them from their Thrones and dispose their kingdomes to others that the excommunicated or deposed in such a case may be lawfully murdred by their subiects and the children for ever disinherited though no way involved in the Fathers fault that such powder-plots vndergone for the sea of Rome are so farre from treasons that they are justly termed martyrdome and often are rewarded with canonization or the like What hope I say may remaine that such so bred so taught so beleeuing will ever proue Loyall When they confesse their poore conformity they yeeld for the time to be for want of strength which should soone appeare in other colours if Sheba's advantage were once giuen The more it stands good subiects vpon to bee solicitous and watchfull for their Princes safety Nets and snares and ginnes and pits and traps were not only laid for David but are renewed daily against such religious Princes as make conscience to tread in Davids footsteps And to what shall we attribute the miraculous escapes of our Religious Soveraigne with the confusion of their enginers hath there beene any circumspection vsed extraordinary or retyrednesse for prevention or a guard to keepe off or new law to cut off all such fals-hearted Sheba's who may happē to be amongst vs to doe a mischiefe The world seeth that with vs it is farre otherwise It is therefore only Gods extraordinary protection that hath hitherto freed him from such apparant and remedilesse dangers The Gowries had dispatched him Watson and his complices had surprised him the Powderplot had blowne vp him and all his if this mercy of God onely had not prevented the divels malice and our security O then how should this stirre vs vp to commence our suits to the same Protectour for the continuance of his favours in this behalfe For let vs depend vpon it Beloued as long as there is a Pope and devill Princes professing the Gospell shall never bee secured from Gowries and Garnets Some malecontents will lurke in the throng among better-affected subiects who haue swallowed a morsell either of Ambition with Absalom or of revenge with Bigthan and Teresh or of couetousnesse with Iudas or out of an old grudge with Sheba will bee houering for their advantage who cometh now in the next place to bee personally indited and arraigned by name for a traytour 6 A man of Belial whose name was Sheba the sonne of Bichri a Beniamite The traytour here is deciphered by foure notable circumstances First by the character or badge of his profession he was a man of Belial Secondly by his proper name whose name was Sheba Thirdly his parētage comes in question the sonne of Bichri and lastly Iemini Beniamin idē sunt vel saltem Jemini erat magnus Princeps inter Beniamitas Abulen is mentioned his Tribe a Beniamite or as the originall hath it in the same sense as Abulensis sheweth a man of Iemini That which wee translate to the word out of the originall A man of Belial Iunius renders Nequam Castalio improbus others with Saint Ierome Vir sine iugo disciplinae an Apostata that would not conforme himselfe to any good order With which accord the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say others all which joyned together scarce expresse the thing hee being a lewd vngodly dissolute pestilent sonne of the Deuill which could endure no law or to liue within any compasse brother to Elie's sonnes 1. Sam. 2. which are thus described in the text Now the sonnes of Eli were sonnes of Belial and they knew not the Lord that is as Abulensis glosseth on it Howsoever they professed him for a fashion yet in heart and other actions they flatly denyed him This name Sheba in the Hebrew fignifieth seven or the seventh perchance because hee was the seventh brother and therefore presumed farther vpon the strength of his family But the same word signifying also an oath might as well haue minded him of his oath which he had taken to obey his King and was vpon
world amazed at the Prodigie would in those dayes haue yeelded some forraine Mathematicians to haue recorded it Besides the text every where insisteth vpon the shadow and but once mentioneth the Sunne and then not going back in the heauen but brought back in Ahaz his Dyall To that which is objected out of the 31. verse that notice was taken of this in other Countries seeing some were sent from Babylon to inquire of the wonder they answer out of the same place They came to see the wonder that was done in the Land whereof they might heare not of the going backe of the Sunne the dayes miraculous length which at home they had seene I am not ignorant how Mathew Toring replies on this of Burgensis If saith he the shadow should yeeld vs this miracle without the Sunne then God should be put to creare a new light which should haue a motion without a subject and bee brighter then the Sunne to obscure his shadow and make his owne apparent But to this Burgensis might answere that God might so inflect and dispose the Sunne-beames which naturally are darted out at a right line to cast a shadow forth or back from any grosse body as His wisedome should hold most convenient Howsoever a great miracle it must needs bee and no lesse perchance to finde the shadow goe backe when the Sunne keepes his course as the Sunne to change his course and the shadow to attend on it In this difference being out of my profession I take not vpon me to be vmpire Wee may make vse of both Jn the first a good King resembles that Sun that giueth life and influence to all the rest of the starres cannot haue his course stayed but by an almighty hand and leaueth darknesse and horrour whensoeuer he departeth In the second our life is a shadow euery minute mouing forward in the Dyall of our time which none can stop or set backe but he that gaue Hezekiah a signe And signes hee giueth also to vs Beloued of his extraordinary mercies and favour in another kinde if our vnthankfulnesse would but take notice of what wee fully enioy A most gracious Soueraigne a flourishing Church a peaceable Common-wealth reward for vertue punishment for vice Infinite such signes may be reckned but what reformation they worke in vs our own conscience can best informe vs. Theodoricus Archbishop of Colen mentioned by Aeneas Sylvius in the second booke of his Commentaries of the deeds of King Alphonsus when the Emperour Sigismund demanded him of the directest course to happinesse Performe saith he when thou art well what thou promisedst when thou wert sick And blessed are they that so are visited by Gods hand that they pray with Hezekiah and so pray that God may speake vnto them and so speake that signes accompany it of his mercifull favour The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost bee with vs all evermore AMEN PEREZ-VZZAH OR The Breach of VZZAH As it was deliuered in a Sermon before His MAIESTY at Woodstocke August the 24. Anno 1624. By IOHN PRIDEAVX Rector of Exeter Colledge His MAIESTIE'S Professor in Divinity at that time Vice-Chancellour of the Vniversity of OXFORD 1. COR. 7.17 As God hath called every man so let him walke AC OX OXFORD Imprinted by LEONARD LICHFIELD Anno Salutis 1636. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IAMES EARLE OF ARREN LORD OF EVENNA ANDINNERDALE c. all the blessings of this life and that hereafter Right Honorable GIue mee leaue to present only to your View that which you heard not long since distractedly vttered I haue ever obserued your extraordinary favours toward me which I wish I could as well deserue as thankefully acknowledge When importunity therefore had extorted from me the publishing of these troubled Meditations I could not bee to seeke of a Patron Your Heroicall disposition in generall and particular respect to mee being so fresh in memory Weake frames need the stronger supporters and often times a poore Pamphlet becommeth passable by a rich frontispice I desire this may be admitted not as an acquittance for former debts but an obligation for future payment which were I as able as ready should not bee long behind But where true Noblenesse is radicall harmelesse presumption and vngarded plainnesse for want of Court complement seldome meets with a checke This emboldens mee to depend on your tryed acceptance who am Oxford Exeter Colledge Octob. 22. 1624. Your Honours most bounden to be commanded IOHN PRIDEAVX 2. SAM 6. 6 And when they came to Nachons threshing floore Vzzah put forth his hand to take the Arke of God and tooke hold of it for the Oxen shooke it 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his errour and there he died by the Arke of God 1 MY Text intimates a kind of progresse vndertaken by King David with his Peeres and People to remoue the Arke of God from Gibeah of Kiriath-iearim 1. Chro. 16.1 where it sometimes soiourned and rest it at Ierusalem in the Tabernacle he had erected for it The least reflection on the argument of the former chapter will cleare the Connection and shew the dependence of this passage vpon that which went before After the death of Saul's sonne Ishbosheth the vnion of Israel and Iudah 2. Sam. 4.7 Ib. c. 5.1.3 Ver. 6. Ver. 17. 22. and their ioynt homage performed to David in Hebron the besieging of Jerusalem and winning it from the Iebusites with two other notable victories against their bad neighbours the Philistins The first thing this good King thinks vpon is the setling of Gods service He held it a neglect no longer to be indured that the Arke of God should want a Tabernacle or the Tabernacle bee so farre from Ierusalem his chiefe abode that he might not daily resort vnto it He considered that Abinadabs private house could not be fit for such publike worship and all the time of King Saul little harkening was there after such matters But now peace being established by the devoluing of the Scepter to him Religion began to looke out as the Sunne after a storme Esth 2. The Persians perhaps with Assuerus would haue revelled vpon such successe more then an hundred and fourescore daies together and the Romanes haue pageanted our lesse victories in many an ambitious triumph But Gods children seeke not their owne but the glory of him that protects them Impediments may sometimes hinder or distractions divert or crosses disable their best designes but their hearts are alwaies fixed on the right as here King Davids was to expresse it selfe vpon the first opportunity afforded A Parliament therefore is proclaimed and consultation had with the thousands and hundreds of the choisest Priests and People of all Israel It would doe a man good to consider the gratious speech of this religious King then had in this Parliament though here omitted yet registred in 1.
defect then all this was of a fit House for Gods Service that which wee had being too scant for the Company and otherwise very incommodious This God put into your heart to supply before wee complained or others saw cause which resolution could scarce be so naturall to any other as to Great Sir Thomas Bodley'es Kinsman and worthy Mr Periam's Nephew They that view and consider the Worke will hardly be perswaded that it was erected at the sole cost of one Fellow of Exceter Colledge not preferred as many are and hauing two Sonnes of his owne to provide for otherwise Iohn and George Hak will But where God inlargeth the heart such difficulties restraine not the hands Promise performance founding finishing came freely on together which Wee trust in time some other of our Worthies will hereafter imitate as all are ready to commend All succeeded the better through your owne carefull presence and directions and will proue I am perswaded more auspicious in that it was contriued by you to be consecrated vpon that very Day which made England most happy and triumphant by your Noble Master Prince Charles his Returne from beyond the Seas This Sermon was over-hasty to beare any correspondency with the solemnity of a Consecration But such as it is you may claime it as your owne over-valued purchese together with the Author Whom long sithence you haue obliged vnto you by many real kindnesses Which here he thankfully acknowledgeth who desires ever to continue Exceter Colledge Novemb. 15. Your ready friend for requitall as God shall ever inable IOHN PRIDEAVX LVKE 19.46 My house is the house of prayer FEw passages in Scripture are more often pressed or precisely recorded the the words I haue read vnto you Beloued Our Saviour cites them out of the Prophet Isaiah chap. 56.7 and three Evangelists distinctly set them downe and the fourth intimates the matter of them Which harmony of both Testaments and foure Evangelists though it make not this text more authenticall then other as being of equall authority from the same Author yet well may it invite vs to a more serious consideration of them in regard that is not likely to be of ordinary consequence which it pleaseth the Holy Ghost so often to repeat and register It is obserued by most interpreters that twice our Saviour entred into Ierusalem and purged the Temple first a little after his Baptisme Joh. 2. and next not long before his passion recorded by the three other Evangelists Math. 21. Marke 11. Luke 19. Caietane thinks that this last time this purging was twice performed first as S. Mathew relates it vpon the first triumphant entrance and secondly which S. Marke mentioneth the very next day after But by conference of both Evangelists I find no ground for this assertion other Interpreters note it not we may passe it therefore as an vncertaine coniecture and observed by the way vpon better evidence first how soone corruptions grow vpon persons places manners never carefully reformed and next what zeale and resolution is to be vsed of those whom it truly concernes when Religion is prophaned Temples polluted holy things perverted by doggs and crafty Merchants to private gaine Luâ—e 2.7 with publike scandall He whose birth was the patterne of patience life the Legend of lowlinesse Math. 11.29 Philip. 2.8 Isaiah 53.7 death the most submissiue degree of humiliation and true obedience who as a Lambe was brought to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the shearer 1 Pet. 2.23 opened not his mouth who when hee was reviled Isaiah 42.3 Math. 12.18 reviled not againe when be suffered threatned not never trod so heauy as to breake a bruised reed or quench through impatience the flax that smoaketh in sacrilegious abuses Religious quarrels Churches rites and rights behold how hee looseth the raynes to an holy indignation The multitude of the offenders the might and malice of the observers the danger of the action the perill of the consequence among such a rabble and outcry of exasperated miscreants stay not his hands at all but a scourge is made of small cords to lash them Iohn 2.15 Out must the sheepe and Oxen downe must the Tables of Doue-hucksters and mony-changers where no doubt but as S. Hierome hath it on the 21. chap. of Mathew the rayes of his Divinity miraculously darting from his sacred countenance Math. 21.12 Mar. 11.15 stayed all opposition in the guilty and part-taking in the astonished beholders Notwithstanding that all might be sensible of the fault and take notice of the reason that moued him so vnexpectedly to such extraordinary severity he vpbraides them with that of Ieremy Is this House which is called by my name Cap. 7.11 become a denne of robbers in your eyes haue you no other Exchanges but Churches or Faires for your sheepe and Oxen or markets for pedling-wares and mony but such places as are consecrated to religious vses Thinke not that my earnestnesse is without ground or Zeale without knowledge you might learne of the Prophet Isaiah that I speake not without booke For there you haue it written My house not yours is and so must ever continue the house of prayer not a denne of theeues and shop for merchandice as you haue impiously made it And this I take to be the scope and meaning in generall of the few words my text consisteth of 2 In which may it please you to obserue with mee these Three circumstances 1. What God reserues to himselfe in the generall grant of all things to man A house 2. A distinctiue propriety whereby it is set apart from common vse intimated in the possessiue My. 3. The principall end of this separatioÌ„ by a Synecdoche including all other religious duties in that it is termed by an excelleÌ„cy the house of prayer The first includeth a ground for Churches and Chappell 's the second a warrant for Consecration the third a direction for the chiefest vse of both GOD will haue a House this House must appeare to bee his peculiar this peculiar must not be made common 07 as an I ld hall for playes or pleadings or a shop for merchandice or a cloyster for idle-walkers or a gallery for pleasure or a banqueting house for riot much lesse a brothell for wantonnesse or a cage for idolatrous superstitions but reserved as a sacred Congregation-house where penitent submissiue supplicaÌ„ts may learn their duty by Preaching assure their good proceedings by SacrameÌ„ts obtaine their graces by Prayer Though HeaveÌ„ be Gods Throne the Earth his footstoole his Essence infinitely aboue all through all in all beyond all yet his delight is such to be among the children of men that it liketh him to haue a place of assembling them together for his publike worship Math. 18.23 where he vouchsafeth to be in the midst of theÌ„ And this must be not a mountain a caue a groue or obscure hovel but as my text hath it a convenient house the first
sheepe and cattle on this side the River but are loath to venture before our brethren to conduct them ouer to the land of Promise Wee thinke by our Policy to escape better then our forefathers and make bridges or hyre vs boats or skiffes or wherries though thousands before our eyes that haue ventured in them haue miscarried But thou that resoluest to tread in thy Masters steps howsoeuer the way be crossed thou that art content and confident to venture by his example fare as he fared drinke as he began the health endure as he prescribeth as farre as by his grace and ready assistance thou shalt bee put to and enabled Take this comfort by the way which S. Hierome affordeth on this passage concerning this way It is but a brooke that crosseth thee not a spring of water for perpetuity it is collected by a sudden storme without any other head and therefore cannot be of any long continuance it alwaies rowleth and roareth along the valley and in reason cannot harme thee as soone as thou hast recouered any footing on the higher ground Let not then a momentary distast for the present divert thee from the pursuit of an everlasting content Thy Pilot hath swamme before thee thou must keepe stroke to follow Hee standeth to lift vp thy head neuer to bee indangered againe on the farther shore Which is the hauen and heaven in the second place wee haue struggled all this while to attaine vnto 7. Therefore shall he lift vp the head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heavinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning and to him that overcommeth saith hee Psal 30. that walketh among the Candlesticks will I giue to sit with me in my Throne Revel 3.21 even as I also overcame and am set with my Father in his throne All Antiquity generally paralleleth this place with that of the second to the Philippians He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death even the death of the Crosse wherefore God also hath highly exalted him This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostome the fruit and gaine of humility and a strict conversation Wee haue here then Beloued not only Christ's Exaltation in generall which was first manifested in the Resurrection but also the cause of it in the word Therefore and Manner expressed in the lifting vp the head The originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore rendred in Greeke by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and amongst all the Latines by proptereà is a note either of necessary connection or causality and therefore justly casteth vs vpon the consideration of that controverted difficulty Whether the glory or lifting vp of the head here attained by our Saviour vpon his precedent sufferings or drinking of the brooke were conferred on him only as a right belonging to the person or as wages by way of merit proportionable to the sufferings of the humane nature The Schoolemen make a great pudder herein on the third of the Sentences and 18th distinction As also on the third part of Aquinas the 9. quest 4. Art whose exorbitances because Calvin hath somwhat freely displaied in the seuenteenth of the second of his Institutions Bellarmine takes their part and flyes vpon him in his 5. booke and 9. Chapter de Christo Mediatore And Gretser his second him againe to fetch off the Cardinall from the judicious replies of Daneus and Iunius Valentia also and Suarez come in with their supplies in their Comments vpon their Master Aquinas but with much confusion and perplexed prolixities and obscurity The truth is the difference vpon the maine seemes not to be of that consequence to keepe men at ods who otherwise are willing to agree as Iunius and the most of our side ingeniously acknowledge In regard whereof Zanchius herein takes liberty to vary from our common tenent and being thereof admonished to defend it in the preface afterward prefixed to his confession of faith and in a private Epistle to William Stuckius of Zurick wherein he affirmes that Christ not only merited for vs but also for himselfe as the Schoolemen would inferre out of the Fathers For the taking vp of this difference not to trouble you with more then may concerne the point or beseeme this place It is first agreed on on all hands that in the question of Christs merit the Divine nature being priviledged from the least touch of disparagement the taske will wholy lye on the shoulders of the man-hood Now that this in the second place should be of that worth to merit the hypostaticall vnion or the graces following therefrom none of the Adversaries for ought I finde euer affirmed or whatsoeuer he did or suffered in the humane nature became not meritorious for vs through the infinite dignity of that vnion none of our men on the other side ever denyed Palud in 3. sent d. 18. The Ieswits therefore wrong Calvin when they misconstrue that he spake aright yet themselues cleere not the point like Schoolemen as in their voluminous disputes they vndertake 8. That Christ merited for vs by satisfying at full his Fathers iustice how earnestly doth Calvin maintaine in the 17. Chap. of the 2d of his Institutions aboue cited He termes them perperam arguti perverse and wayward wranglers that in this case make scruple to admit of the word merit But that the Manhood should be assumed and imployed to merit that for it selfe which was due as a consequent to the personall vnion this he reiects as a subtility which the scripture no where countenanceth Vega saith the same by Zuarez own confession Hugo de S. Victore was maine in the point long before Scotus with Biell and their followers who vrge so precisely Gods acceptance and the duty of the vndertcker to make satisfaction meritorious that Zuarez perceaues intimates it may marre their mart of merits if it be not seene too the better and by him and his fellowes fitted to their present negotiations Hale's accelaratiue and interpretatiue will as little steed them who exact the hyre they wrought for as merited due-debt and will be loath to stand to Gods curtesie either for acceptance or dispatch For in strict termes Beloued how can any Creature merit of his Creator seeing the vtmost of endeavours comes vnder the title of duty For to a merit we all knowe there belong these foure conditions 1. That the worke bee entirely the vndertakers 2. That it be altogether free not of due-debt 3. That it be a benefit or kindnesse to him of whom the Worker contends to meritt 4. And last of all that it be proportionable to the reward in cōmutatiue Iustice. In all which the humane nature in the abstract wil fall short of infinite reward And therefore our men rightly ascribe all the merit to the person consisting of both natures where the humane is advanced to that pitch of dignity by vnion with the God-head which makes the merit infinite This Propterea therefore in this place and
promise his flesh hereafter that all his life hath abused it to all vncleanesse and iniquity This priviledge of the fleshes rest and Resurrection Tertullian earnestly pleadeth against the ancient Heretiques Lib. de Carnis resurrectione They haue scriptures saith he by heart by which the flesh is vilified but little consider other passages where its dignity is expressed They read that all flesh is grasse and quote the place in Isaiah but the same Prophet could haue told them that all flesh shall see the Salvation of the Lord. Out of Genesis they will vrge the Lord speaking that his spirit shall not alwaies striue with men because he is but flesh but Ioel relateth a promise to salue all this Cap. 6. C. 2. I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh How are these things reconciled Non Carnis substantia sed actus inhonoratur saith the same Father doubtlesse it shall goe the better with the substance of the flesh the sharper its rebellions are reprooued and subdued But the maine vse of this Doctrine is against the terrours of death where there is most need of encouragement What was that which made the martyrs so resolute to confront all torments but the perswasion of the soules better estate and the securing of the body for a happier condition Say they were to be sawen a sunder with Isaiah or stoned with S. Steven or to be dismembred into a thousand peeces with popish powder plots could they be better armed then with this meditation that their flesh should rest and rise to the confusion of their deadliest enemies Art thou vexed with continuall diseases or pined with penury or oppressed by tyrants or stabd as it were at the heart with remedilesse crosses and calamities Haue the paines of Hell beset thee and the snares of death incompassed thee round about O thou of little faith wherefore doest thou doubt and sinke Can thy soule doe amisse when thy body shall rest in hope And shall a momentary brunt dismay thee that shalt be recompenced with the fulnesse of ioy in the Lords chamber of Presence S. Augustine obserueth in his 22. booke de Civitate Dei and 5. chapter three incredible things which the Heathen at the first spreading of Christianity could no way gainesay yet were loath to acknowledge First it could not sinke into their conceits that Christ was raised in the flesh and so ascended into Heaven Secondly they stormed that the World belieued a thing so incredible But that which perplexed thē most was that a few ignoble and vnlearned fishermen should haue that power to bring divers of their best schollers to thinke so and perswade others But these were not acquainted with our Prophets ground For why thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell which had his warrant from Heaven that all Christians must stand vpon and succeedeth in the next place to be examined 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell About these few words wee haue a world of wrangling what they properly signify and how they are here to bee taken vpon the Ambiguity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which primarily imports a breath of life sometimes the whole living man other times the soule and its facultyes In a passage or two a dead Carcasse may be vnderstood Some new writers haue taken the vantage to clap vp those two Periods together and burye them in one Sepulcher For with these men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not signifie in this place Hell the place of the damned but the Grave only wherein the Carcasse corrupteth or at least the state of the dead which consisteth in the soule and bodyes actuall separation So that the latter member here should be but an explication of the former and the whole summe according to this sense Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell that is my selfe to remaine in the sepulcher but free me therein from Rottennesse and Corruption Thus Caluin and a great number of our Reformed writers who deseruedly are highly esteemed of vs. But that which S. Augustine answereth S. Hierome Ep. 19. alleadging many Authors to proue that S. Pauls Reprouing S. Peter to his face Gal. 2. was but a kinde of dispensable vntruth in regard it was not like that S. Peter would so dissemble as it was obiected Ipse mihi saith he pro omnibus immò supra hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit dent veniam quidlibet aliud opinantes Ego magis credo tanto Apostolo may be my Apologie for not admitting this interpretation howsoeuer plausible and learnedly defended S. Peter in the 2. of the Act. v. 31. purposely repeateth these words and expoundeth them severally in this manner Hee that is David seeing this before spake of the Resurrection of Christ But what spake he that his soul was not left in hel neither his flesh did see corruption where for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words seldome vsed in the greek but to expresse the soul of a man and Prison of the damned where to prevent as it were such blending of words and things together to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or soule in the first place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or flesh is opposed And in the second their Attributes are as clearly distinguished the soule was not left in Hell the flesh was not to see corruption Serm. 74. ep 99. 57. q. 1. p. 15. Beda Fulgent c. In which interpretation S. Ambrose Augustine Hierome with the rest of the Fathers and Schoolmen generally agree And what needs other figure flinging to finde out Novelties where the natiue sense brings with it no absurdity I must craue pardon therefore in this cause if I forsake the Sonnes to follow the Fathers and preferre that I take to be our Apostles interpretation before all latter Comments whatsoeuer The soule then vnderstood for the immortall part of man and Hell for the place of the damned we haue the first maine ground of our Prophets triumph to wit an vndoubted assurance for the freeing of his soule from Hell by the victory of the blessed seed which was to descend thither as a Conquerour to bruise the Serpents Head and returne to tread out the path of life to all beleeuers Against this some suppose they haue vnanswerable arguments in the word leaue which thus they prosecute If Davids soule were not left in Hell then it was there and Christ came not thither for that is denied by the Apostle to haue befallen Christ which happened to David But S. Augustine long since hath fitted vs with a solution in his 99. Epistle to Evodius concerning this argument Solvipossunt laquei venantium ne teneant non quiatenuerunt We may breake through saith that good Father the hunters snare not because they haue caught vs but that they caught vs not at all In like manner Davids soule may be denied to
before my text But the Pharisees and Lawyers reiected the counsell of God against themselues being not baptized of Iohn For that counsell of God there reiected is the wisdome that is here iustified There it finds Pharisees and Lawyers Separatists and Canonists States-men in their owne conceipts beyond all Subordination to withstand it here it is not destitute of dutyfull and intelligent children that will make good her proceedings Herod may consult with the wisemen and pretend as much devotion to Christ as they Pilate wash his hands when hee frees a murtherer condemnes an Innocent the Kings of the earth stand vp and the rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his anoynted yet hee that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision For there is no wisdome nor vnderstanding nor counsell against the most high Hester 6. Prov. 21.30 Zeresh his wife could tell Haman her husband that no policy could beare out a man that once began to fall before the seed of the Iewes who were then Gods vndoubted people And Gamaliels counsell was taken for good by the same Nation at the worst that howsoeuer mans proiects come to nought of themselues the designes of Gods wisdome shall neuer bee overthrowne Act. 5.38 but be accomplished in their due time 1. Pet. 5.6 5 Now those that be wise will ponder these things and they shall vnderstand the loving kindnes of the Lord Psal 107. Least they perish frō the right way Psal 2. through their owne imaginations Psal 5. O Lord our God great are thy wonderous workes Psal 40. which thou hast done like as be also thy thoughts which are to vs-ward and yet there is no man that ordereth them to thee Thy wisdome cryeth in the chiefe places of concurse and vttereth her voyce in the streets Prov. 1. but who hearkens after her she builds her a house Ib. 8. with stately pillars but who sues to be her tenant she provides her wine and victualls and furnisheth her table but who comes vpon her invitation Nay Sophistry goes so farre now adayes beyond this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of my text and wilynes beyond wisdome that for one disciple of true wisdome it may number a thousand St Paul after hee had in all wisdome brought his Colossians to Christ in whom are hidde the treasures of all wisdome and knowledge Coll. 2. Immediately therevpon schooles them to beware especially of 3. things which vnder a shew of wisdome might mislead them into all absurdityes the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so highly esteemed in these our trifling times consisting in inticing and winning words without the least purpose of sincerity or performance And this I say sayth the blessed Apostle least any man should beguile you by inticing words v. 4. The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passed now vnder the habit of a reaching vnderstanding and deepe iudgment concerning which followeth in the 8. vers Beware least any man spoyle you through Philosophy and vayne deceits after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Men may vaunt themselues how they list of their abstruse speculations in concurring atom's and exemplary Idea's and pretty notions in the imaginary spaces without the Primum Mobile as some Iesuites yet continue to vent but wisdome will manifest in the end the emptines of such foperyes and how much better it is to be a good Christian then a great Philosopher though both may well stand together if they bee rightly ranked The 3. and most dangerous Abduction followes in the 18. vers in a voluntary humility afterward called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will worship verse the last The Heathen haue yeelded Cyniques and the Mahumetans at this day want them not that put a great deale of wisdome in a Bedlem kind of garbe and fantasticke devotion But our Apostle tells vs in the words of truth and sobernesse Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seene For doth foolish man know how to please God better then God himselfe or doe Gods commandements want the patching or peecing out of the worlds Rudiments what a stirre and implacable siding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath continued these many ages in Christianity about touch not tast not handle not and such like vnnecessary catches which are all to perish with the vsing as our Apostles tells vs And haue indeed a shew in will-worship and humility and neglecting the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh but are farre wide from that true wisdome which here we are in pursuit of 6 It was a wise obseruation of ancient Tertullian That where any thing is intended where it ought not to be Ita plerunque evenit vt cum aliquid vbi non oportet adhibetur illic vbi oportet negligitur De paenit it is neglected most commonly where it should be And it is a manifest signe of the nights approaching when the shadowes grow longer then the substance God ought to be worshipped of vs saith S. Augustine not as we hold fittest but as he commandeth Thou shalt doe not that which is right in thine owne eyes Deconsens Evangelist l. 1. c. 18. Deut. 12. but without addition or diminishing only addes the vulgar edition which I giue thee in charge For this is our wisdome and vnderstanding that shall extort from all at length this satisfying Approbation surely this is a wise and vnderstanding people But this wisdome hath beene ever held too triviall with the great witts of all ages Pharaoh will be pursuing the Israelites though he sinck himselfe and all his in the prosecution That Traytor Achitophel will vnking a man after Gods owne heart David though it cost him the making of himselfe a long letter in a halter Witty Lucian will jeere at Christians till doggs serue him as they did Iezabel And what shall weethinke of the Pagans violence in primitiue times and Iulian the Apostata's sly conveyances The Popes ioyning these both together in a most mysterious politique and plausible way haue they not all beene defeated by Luther and Calvin Iewell and such downe-right men and contemptible silly soules who were learned in nothing lesse then the Circumuenting wisdome of this world These men as 't is well knowne had no pompe to beare them out or inquisitions to back them or powder-plots to make way for them but the Apostles simple resolution Consider what we say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things It was somewhat that made S. Paul to mind posterity 1. Cor. 1. That not many wisemen after the flesh nor many mighty nor many nobles yet some there are that are called to this businesse But God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and weake to take downe the mighty and things that are not V. 17. to
more famous then that for goodnes and Integrity And in what haue wee read in succeeding age of the like abominations Who more proud then some of their Popes and Cardinalls and who more stupidly deboisht then some of their Friers Anachorites Few haue generally more learning then the Iesuits and commonly few more Ignorance then their common Masse Priests Their Cleargy and Monkes must not marry to avoid pollution yet concubines and somewhat worse shall finde Advocates to plead for them and Indulgences to allow them A Nunnery and a stewes the silent Carthusian with the Capuchine an frollick Iacobine the Neat Iesuit and the nasty Franciscan shall finde a ioynt entertainement in the large lappe of Mother Church The Souldier shall haue his sword the Melancholy his Cell the Superstitious his Beades and bayre cloath the dissolute his pardon and absolutions the incestuous his dispensation the Scholler his Library and the Ambitious his preferment Every humour shall be pleased to giue all content that all may speake for them So that I may well conclude as the Oratour did of Catiline Cic. pro Coelio There had never beene that advantage gotten vpon the Common-wealth of Rome as it then stood Nisi tot vitiorum tanta immunitas quibusdam facilitatis patientiae radicibus niteretur And so it was impossible that the Pride incroaching and Tyranny of the Pope and his Complices should haue put the Church of God to such a plunge but that they masked all their villanies with a varnish of devotion and humility 6 But this is not that humility which the Apostle makes the groundworke for true exaltation The Prophet David advanced from a sheephooke to a scepter hits right vpon it Lord I am not high minded Psal 131. I haue no proud lookes I doe not exercise my selfe in great matters which are too high for me but I refraine my soule aad keepe it low as a child that is weaned from his mother yea my soule is even as a weaned child Such a child our Saviour set in the midst of his disciples Math. 18. that contended for superiority and lesson'd them vpon it Mat. 18. Verily I say vnto you except ye be converted and become as litle children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven S. Augustine discussing the poynt why simple people in primitiue times were more forward to receiue Christianity then the learned Phylosophers renders this for the apparant reason Quia Christus humilis Illi autem superbi Because Christ was humble and meek but they supercilious and presumptuous This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Basil termes it haughty and contemptuous carriage in Augustine the Monke Epist 10. when he came to treat with our playner Brittish Bishops Bed Eccles Hist l. 2. c. 2. breakes off all Christian communication betweene them to the great distraction and almost destruction of the poore Church in this I le And I pray God the like causelesse strangenesse and statelinesse of some so different from Apostolicall humility to their meaner and weaker brethren haue not made more Schismatiques and as we call them Puritans then all the vantages that could bee evertaken against gainst the sacred order of our Reverend Bishops or any part of our Church-discipline or ceremonies Tell yee the daughter of Sion Behold thy King commeth vnto thee meeke and sitting vpon an Asse Zach. 9.9 but now most of this meeke Kings followers will stomacke to be so meanly mounted Pride makes vs ashamed of our humble Masters lowlinesse we like well of the promised Crowne but shunne the burden and yoke that leads vnto it Enter wee would willingly into the heavenly mansions but had loth striue and stoope to contract our selues and bow at the streight gate But alas Beloued what finde we in our selves to make vs proud or obserue in others that we should much envy or despise them Our roote taynted our birth lamentable all the dayes of our Pilgrimage few and evill not assured so much of any thing as of infinite vncertaintyes Those that haue most may quickly part with it and those that know most vnderstand not their own ignorance we forget that which is past stagger at the present and ambiguously expect that which is to come What a presumption therefore is it to talke of merits supererrogation naturall abilityes to doe all or more then is required or the like No Beloued our approches to Gods tribunall must be by humble Petition with feare and trembling in regard of our owne vnworthinesse Abraham hath taught the way Gen. 18. Behold now I haue taken vpon me to speake vnto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Come let vs worship and fall downe kneele before the Lord our maker Iacob treads the same path O God of my father Abraham God of my father Isaac I am not worthy of all thy mercyes and all the truth Gen. 32. which thou hast shewen vnto thy servant Deut. 26. Moses hath a forme for it A Syrian ready to perish was my father and he went downe into Egypt and soiourning there with a few there was evill intreated thence was with a mighty hand deliuered now brings vnto thee O Lord the first fruits 2 Sam. 15. which thou hast given me David most Pathetically practised it in his flight from Absolon If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord thus and thus will he doe as it there followes But if hee say thus I haue no delight in David behold here I am fiat voluntas tua let him doe to me as it seemeth good vnto him Such bruised reedes such smoaking flaxe such broken and contrite hearts Humbling and prostrating and begging and by such meanes offring violence to the kingdome of Heaven the bowells of the tender compassion of the most highest will not breake quench or despise But shew his strength in their weaknesse by extending his mighty hand which assureth the Patrones ability in the next place to be considered 7 Humble your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it abateth our presumption to finde our selues vnderlings so the mighty hand of God must needes make vs confident This Might appeareth in a twofold manner first in plucking downe those who proudly exalt themselues next in exalting the humble against all oppositions Whence God is said by some to haue two hands the one to depresse the other to lift vp Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezar felt the first and the Church distressed by them the second The Bush may bee on fire but consumeth not the heat of the furnace seaven fold augmented yet sindgeth not the vpper garments of the children cast into it whom the mighty hand of God protecteth Whence we may safely gather that God hath inough in store to guard and supply all suiters to their full content To make this good vnto vs who are too much bent by nature to dote vpon our owne plots and to distrust any
mystery and wisdome of God in mans redemption was imparted to principallities and powers V. 10. by the preaching of the Gospel Ephes 3. which things the Angels desired to looke into 1. Pet. 1. So how these Angels should bee in heaven and yet minister here on earth V. 12. behold alwaies there the fathers face yet atteÌ„d hereon litle ones was more then in reason could haue soone beene belieued except wee had his word for it whose bare affirmation is as the surest confirmation This the people acknowledged at the hearing of his Sermon on the mount He taught as one hauing authority and not as the Scribes Math. 7. The officers sent to take him professed that never man spake like this man There is a foolish conceipt set a foote of late by the Socinians That as Moses was taken vp into the mount and S. Paul into the third heaven to gaine countenance to their doctrine So our Saviour immediately vpoÌ„ his Baptisme was had vp into heaven corporally there remained a whole Lent to receiue instructions from his father No marvaile therefore that at his returne also his word stands for a law But these are wild presumptions of wantons that play with the text rather then make vse of it What need this Lent ascending when the Holy Ghost descended vpon him visibly at his comming out of Iordan And the Fathers voice was audible This is my beloued Sonne in whom alone I am well pleased And if this had not gone before yet the complement of Prophecyes Math. 3. in his birth and course of life his Doctrine conformable to the law and Prophets his stupendious miracles for confirmation of his Doctrine was a commission beyond exception For this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say vnto you this directs vs what we should haue recourse vnto in the controuersies of these times Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae non audiamus haec dico haec dicis nec ego Nicoenum nec tu Ariminense These are the knowne words of S. Augustine in divers places In Psal 57. de vnitat c. 3. Cont. Maxim l. 3. c. 14. Away with our papers those termes I say Thou sayest I rely not on the counsel of Nice neither shouldest thou on that of Ariminum heare what Christ sayeth heare what the truth speaketh For it is the property of a right Belieuer sayth S. Basil to dare to goe no further Bellarmine to settle a Monarchy here in the Church Militant which the Pope must needs haue by succession he would fetch it about by the plat-forme of the Church triumphant De Pontif. Rom. l. 1. c. 9. For then sayth hee vpon the fall of Lucifer Michael presently steps into his place and is advanced to bee the Prince of Angels But who told the Cardinal this that hee was certainly assured of it S. Paul comming to himselfe form the third heaven acquaints vs with no such matter Secrets concerning the Angels and affayres of an other world are sparingly imparted vnto vs as not so requisite to our calling but reserued to bee communicated when we shall come to be of that vpper house This preface of our Saviour therefore I say vnto you was necessary in this behalfe For who would otherwise haue found out in any record for these litle ones that 9 In heaven their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maine of the reason for not despising them and remainder of my text that leades on to bee discussed And here the difficulties that present themselues at the entrance concerning the Angels might plead for a greater scantling of time then I perceiue will bee alotted me for the vnfolding of them I shall but touch therefore at some specialls and winde vp the rest in references Those that are curious in this behalfe to see much and finde litle haue the Sententiaries and Summists with Tostatus on my text together with our new Systematicall writers with their Angelographies Pneumatologies to fit them All that is amongst them diffused is commonly reduced to these 4 heads 1. the nature of Angels 2. their Properties 3. their Orders 4. their Ministry Their nature is here supposed that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 existent substances or rather subsistent Not meere imaginations or abstractions against the Saduces and Plat onicks That they are 2ly spirits not subtill or aeriall Bodyes as most of the Fathers and some others held That there is 3ly a certaine number of them indefinite to vs though finite in it selfe more curiously sought then found of the Schoole-men Some of the names of them we haue in Scripture and others inverted to wicked vses by vaine men all which we may well passe over Their properties concerning their Locality their motions their knowledge their will and affections their language whereby they expresse their intentions one to another their Persons their manner of apparition and the like would also aske more labour in discussing then bring profit in the determining So for their orders and Hierarchies more is sayd then any wayes can be proued Amongst the Ancients Theodoret hath somewhat more then the rest in his 3. Booke de curandis Graecorum affectibus Others touch at it in some passages on every text of Scripture Gregory de valentia professeth that the Shoolemen lâ—â—â—e omnia propemodum all almost that Hales and Aquinas haue spunne out through so many members questions and Articles from Dionysius Areopagita whom when he is freed from being a counterfaite wee shall more willingly giue eare vnto In the meane season wee may leaue these men fishing all night and taking nothing whiles wee stick to our Saviours words I say vnto you as the text hath it wherein wee may obserue first concerning the Angels these 3. particulars as they lye 1. How these Angels may bee conceiued to be in heaven 2. Why they are termed their Angels 3. In what manner they alwayes behold the face of God the Father And secondly concerning God 1. why our Saviour calls him here my Father 2. and last of all in what sense hee is so called 10 It is a receiued ground amongst Divines that as divers Angels cannot bee together in one proper definitiue place So one cannot-at due time bee in divers places and therefore they approue that saying of Damascene when they are in heaven they are not on earth and being imployed by God vpon earth they remaine not then in Heaven His reason for all this is in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are of a confin'd nature as all creatures of necessity must bee and therefore cannot be as the Creatour every where If then these Angels bee every very where in Heaven how guard they Gods litle ones vpon earth doe they extend their power from thence as the Sunne his Beames Or is their celerity such that they may bee sayed to bee at one instant both in earth and in heaven Or shall
wee take vp that miserable shift of the Vbiquitaries that Gods heaven is every where so that the Divels after their manner are contained in it This were to make the solution more questionable then the doubt The meaning is plaine that such keepers are deputed to Gods litle ones here on earth who haue perpetuall accesse to his glorious presence in heaven that stand before him to receiue his commands and haue his commission and beatificall aspect wheresoeuer they are imployed But why are they then termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their rather then his Angels quia assignati sunt ijs sayth Lira because they are assigned to these litle ones not exempted from his service that assignes them Vpon this place and some other sayth Maldonate are grounded those controuerted assertions de Angelis custodibus of those Angels appointed to bee our Guardians either as Presidents of severall Provinces or of particular Persons Whether every one haue not only his good Angel but his bad about him as his superiour guids not inferiour attendāts And therefore they are termed Elohim mighty ones Gods nearer servants The Romanists dare say any thing that may backe their worshipping of Angels and make way for their Invocation of Saints whereby they suck no litle advantage Hence they haue a peculiar order called the Angellicall sodality for whom Paul the 5. not long since appointed a distinct office and Masse to bee celebrated every Calends of October in honour of the protecting Angel Albertinus the Iesuite writes a Booke to make it good whereto this office is annexed But the proofes brought for all these things are exceeding wavering Wherevpon some of our later writers reiect the particular deputations of severall Angels to distinct Provinces or Persons and content themselues with that which is certaine that the Angels indefinitely haue a charge over Gods people Psal 91. That they are all Ministring spirits sent forth to Minister for them which shall be heires of Salvation Heb. 1. That they pitch their tents about them that feare him Psal 34. Howbeit seeing the streame of all the Fathers and Schoolemen that I haue met withall runne for their distinct imployment and gather it especially from the words of my text I think the moderation of Zanchius cannot bee disliked that it is very probable De operibus l. 3. c. 15. and agreeable to Scripture that both particular men and Persons ordinarily haue their particular protecting Angels but extraordinarily more as need shall require and as it shall please God to dispose But whether the same Angels keepe allwaies to the same charge or partyes or else as leiger Embassadours bee remoued from one negotiation to another others succeeding in their places is a scruple that hath beene lesse thought vpon Perchance Damascen's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee that created them Orthod sidei l. 2. c 3. only knowes these things and Calvins pro certo asserere non ausim I dare affirme nothing for certainty will commend their Iudgement more that determine nothing then their wits that are too busie 11 The third point followes what it is to behold the face of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in what manner these Angels are said to doe it allwaies It seemes to be a Metaphore taken from the Courts of earthly Princes who haue their attendants allwaies about them to execute their commands as Solomon had 1. Kings 10. of which the Queene of Sheba gaue this approbation Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee where the Phrase of standing continually is not to bee so rackt as though they were fixt there to go no other way but only shewes that they were allwaies ready at his pleasure to bee imployed No more doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. 69. allwaies signifie Here Abulensis proposeth the question whether those imployed in the guarding of litle ones bee hindred thereby from the Divine vision and determines it negatiuely out of this place that they allwaies behold the face of the Father Moral l. 2. Aq. 1. part q. 112. art 1. And by that of Gregory Sic ad exteriora prodeunt vt ab intimis nunquam recedant so they performe this that they loose not that Pareus distinguisheth Gods glorious face In locum from his essentiall and thinks they behold his essentiall only vpon earth but not his glorious To me it seemes hard to conceiue that those Angels should loose any thing by their attendance S. Stephen here on earth saw the glory of God and the Sonne of man standing at his right hand Acts 7. And why may not Angels doe the like Their sight out of doubt is of another kind and better then ours where wee see nothing at all or very obscurely they clearely may behold their Masters glory Aq. part 1. q. 112. This iustifieth not that Schoole-distinction of assisting and Ministring Angels as though some stood allwaies before Gods throne as privy Counsellours others were sent abroad as Inferiour Agents and that these Ministring Angels never assist and those Assistants never Minister to men as being an imployment for Angels of a lower Hierarchie For all these are no lesse vnwarrantable then curious speculations depending vpon the Dreames of that Areopagita's poeticall Hierarchie whom Erasmus Valla and their owne Cajetan haue branded long sithence for a Counterfeit How much sounder is that of S. Augustine Quid inter se distant quatuor ista vocabula what difference may be pickt betweene these 4 words Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers say they that can if they can proue what they say ego me ista ignorare fateor For mine owne part I confesse I am ignorant of it The Papists haue nine orders in their Hierarchies the Rabbins ten orders downe-right without Hierarchies in subordination one to another and their reasons are pretty for it There were 4 and 5 Kings fought together say they Gen. 14. which make nine and Abraham comes vpon them for the 10th t herfore there must be ten orders of Angels as also for that our five senses foure affections with reason cast into the reckoning make another tenne therefore there are tenne orders of Angels therefore tenthes are to be payed and tenne Predicaments in Aristotle The Papists reasons for their Hierarchies are not altogether so foolish yet nothing more conclusiue Wee make no question but he that created all things in number weight and measure neglected not amongst his best Creatures the best order but whom hath he made of counsel with him in that behalfe What Paul returning from the 3. heaven hath discouered these secrets or where haue wee an I say vnto you as here that we may safely depend vpon Let it suffice vs therefore that those mighty ones haue a charge of vs who haue alwaies accesse to the Almighty and behold his face and receiue his commands to helpe vs in our necessities shield vs in our dangers cōfort vs in our sorrowes backe vs in