field Which but a sprinkling of good wheat does yield Septuagesima Mat. 20. Away Why stand you idle now 't is day The morning blushes to behold your stay The vines want pruning the young shoots are grown Luxuriant and the hedge is broken down The day grows hot so don't the work Some loyt'rers still i th' street do lurk 'T is noon And all yet are not gone 'T is better doing little work then none The sun declines Yet still he findes Some lazy in the market He has done Most of his work when they have not begun 'T is but an hour to night You that come last work hardest is it righâ— Others should bear the heat o th' day And you expect an equal pay 'T is so the morn third sixth ninth hours all one Gods pay is sure when as his work is done The Baptist had an early call In 's mothers womb before 't was light Samuel a childe Peter a man Gamaliel when 't was growing night All have their wages no abatement made The earnest penny till the whole be paid Coll. Lord we have loyt'red the eleventh hour is run And many have not yet thy work begun But when thou call'st us thou accept'st the worst And pay'stalike the last as well as first Sexagesima Luke 8. VVHat price fond men on empty Nothing set Whilst the true riches they forget The naked Indian following his rich mine Digs down to hell his heav'n to finde The parched Negro dives i th' deep to own The seeds of pearl which there are sown Whilst we more naked and more black then they More precious seeds do cast away Some falls i th' high-way which the birds do eat The Devil steals this heavenly meat Some falls on stones w ch without moysture dies Hard hearts have seldome bubbling eyes Some falls among the thorns which choak it up Cares our religious duties stop Some falls on lusty ground which laughs and sings And fruit an hundred-fold it brings Coll. Lord we have high-way hearts chase thou away As Abraham did the birds of prey We 're rocks like Moses broach us we 're all thorn Stub us and make us lusty corn Quinquagesima Luk. 18. HArk whata shrieking the blind begger keeps The high-ways and the streets do ring The walls of Iericho ecchoing With his shrill cryes As if his eyes Which could not see were onely made to weep Take pity on me David's son Oh son of David hear my moan Open my eyes 't is thou art he That mad'st the eye canst make it see Blinde though I am my faith discovers clear The son of Iesse passeth here Oh! Iesu pity me make it appear Although I want mine eyes thou hast an ear Have mercy on me Davids son Thou hast the eye-salve or there 's none Such shrieks and cries Will pierce the skies And where the eyes be out will stick a star They are not blind whose faith can see so far Coll. Blest fountain of all goodness thou do'st see We are as poor we are as blinde as he Yet can we but cry after Thee Oh then Our faith will help us to our eyes agen St. Andrew Mat. 4. COrd your nets faster stronger tackling get And bigger mashes set The draught which next you 'l make Will be a better And a greater Then any which you formerly did take The Sea in which these nets are to be hurl'd Must be the boystrous foaming raging world Where envious billows dance and skip Sometimes o'reset the fishers ship Who is himself Lost on a shelf 'T is not the scaly legions of the Seas That must be taken in such nets as these 'T is men are they Must be his prey Though all the cords were fetters every bait Wâ—re bitter pills though every hook that 's laid Were two-fork'd crosses yet at such a draught The onely danger is not to be caught Thrice happy fisher-man If by fine art he can Fishing for others this advantage get To catch himself in his own net Coll. Our cares are nets O Lord which daily rend With dragging riches These we daily mend For second draughts But could we follow thee And leave our nets though caught we should be free St. Thomas John 20. CAn sense instruct our faith shall purblind eys Or the dull touch reach heav'ns great mysteries Bold fingers can you hope To feel the way Where faith doth stray And in the dark doth grope Happy for man that God a body took Had he all spirit been Where nothing could be seen Where should poor Thomas for a Saviour look Creatures at first without an ear And yet unmade his voyce did hear And at his call Attended all Both touch and taste and nose and ears and eyes May all be scouts for faiths discoveries What mercy doth in God abound Whose blessed-side pierc'd with a spear Opens a door in every wound For faith to enter there That finger which hath prob'd thy Saviour may Now spread it all abroad And with the Baptist point and say Behold the Lamb of God Thus if quick sense improv'd aright had been Faith might be of things felt although not seen Coll. Our sense is dull O Lord else what the touch Did unto him our taste would do as much Imprint thy wounds upon us make thy blood Rellish t' our souls and that will be as good Conversion of St. Paul Acts 9. RIding o' th' Devils errand in the road To Damasco and to Hell Our new Convert meets with God Whilst his pockets stufft with Letters Speak nothing else but bonds and fetters To proselytes which dare Declare The ways of truth or like it well Glorious rayes about him dart Which the noon-day's sun out-vies Rayes more bright Then ten days light Yet these throw night Upon his eyes Whilst a new day-star's risen in his heart Miraculous mercy such a clap is given As strikes to earth but makes rebound to heav'n 'T is heavenly lightning onely can Destroy the persecutour save the man Such beams above point out that soul a place That 's ravisht thus by th' violence of Grace Now may the pretty lambs Frisk and play about their dams The flocks may feed securely without fear When Wólfs turn shepherds dogs can't worry there Coll. Shine on us Lord with an enlightning ray Make chosen vessels of our lumps of clay We 're riding post to Hell use violence Sweet Iesu to our souls and drag us thence Purification of Mary Luke 2. Open the Temple gates The King of glory shall come in Whose Virgin-mother dedicates Her first-born spotless without sin Holy to God he 's offer'd up who is God too himself Temple and Sacrifice For till his sacred person did appear The Holiest of Holies was not there He 's the first-born of every creature Of 's Fathers brightness an eternal ray Drest up at length in humane feature That what man forfeited a Man might pay The holy Virgin little thought She brought A God to God a Temple to the same Her turtle-doves she might have spar'd Who had Richer oblations an unblemisht lamb This Agnus Dei is in old Simeons arms An Amulet against the worst of harms Good man his course was well nigh run By the first-rising of the Sun He wipes his eyes which ne're saw light before Wishing to see it still or ne're see more Coll. Thou wast presented pure O Lord whilst we Impure and stain'd present our selves to Thee Oh hear our hearts our turtles groan or please To take a lamb thy self in stead of these FINIS
in the next chapter or their idolatrous worshipping of Baalim and Ashtaroth in the former which caused the anger of the Lord to break out upon them insomuch that he for sook the Tabernacle in Shilo Ps. 78. 60. and suffered the Ark to be captivated by the Philistines the husbands are slain and the wives miscarry and the children are named Ichabod for glory is departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4. 21. Yet the Ark even during the captivity of it had power enough to triumph over Dagon and made those of Ashdod Gath and Ekron smart for their sacrilegious usurpation But at Samuels appointment the people assembled at Mizpeh and drew water the tears of Repentance from the royll'd fountains of their hearts and poured them out before the Lord and fasted and confessed their sins And then the Lord looked down in mercy upon them and discomfitted their enemies who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thunder-strook astonished God thunders upon them with a great thunder He sent humanas motur a tonitrua mentes He discharged the Cannon bullets of heaven against them which smote them until they were all destroyed And that their late Ataxy and confusion might be redressed by the happy establishment of a settled government he sets up Samuel over them who judged Israel all his days and went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh and judged Israel in all those places 'T were too disingenuous to mistrust your application Mutato nomine de Te This is Englands story Israel is but our Looking-glass We have served Baalim and Ashtaroth even worshipped our own inventions we have kicked at Gods sacrifices and offerings which he commanded in his habitation 1 Sam. 2. 29. We have prophaned the service of his sanctuary and polluted Gods holy Ordinances Therefore hath our Ark been taken and our Eli's have fallen backward and broke their necks Our maidens have not been given in marriage and our women have miscarried and their children named Ichabod because our glory is departed from us And notwithstanding that the Philistines have gotten but little advantage by seizing upon our Ark for even during the captivity of it the Dagon of the times fell down before it and the sacrilegious Ashdodites and Gathites and Ekronites who thought to have made it their own possession found the hand of God heavy upon them Haemorroide they have voided blood enough propensione intestinorum and well might they want bowels who before shewed no compassion And the prophane Bethshemites who being common persons durst pry into those sacred Mysteries have been smitten with blindness a spiritual blindness for all the pretence of New Lights within them yet hath it been more then seven months more then twice so many years before our Ark could be brought home to Kiriath-jearim the house of God But upon the assembling of the people at Mizpeh and drawing of waters waters either an embleme of their faith for the forgiveness of their sins as some of the Rabbies say the people cryed out here evanescant pecâ—ata mea ut haec aqua dele peccata mea let my sins glide away as this water wash away mine offences or waters a sign of humility as another Certè nos sumus coram Te sicut aqua effusa Lord we are but like water poured out before thee or waters è puteo cordis as the Ghaldee Paraphrase waters drawn from the wells of their hearts in sorrow and repentance before the Lord I say when the people fell down and wept before the Lord God heard the voice of their tears and exhaled them into clouds from whence he thundred upon our enemies Even by a miraculous power from heaven he confounded them that we may call the name of the place Ebenezer and say Hitherto hath the Lord helped us He is lapis adjutorii the rock of our salvation And least the thunder that hath destroyed our enemies might still present black clouds of horrour to us lest the late confusions of war should still obstruct our quiet behold limina bellicosa Jani Justis legibus foro coronat He hath restored us Judges as at the first and Counsellers as at the beginning Isa. 1. 26. Even Samuels which may go in circuit from county to county and judge the land in all those places The words present you with the first pattern of an itinerant Judge and in them consider these three parts 1. The Judge himself which was Samuel whose commission was for life He judged Israel all the days of his life 2. His Circuit He went from year to year to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh 3. The Assizes which he kept there He judged Israel in all those places These are the stages through which we shall drive in this hours discourse which will not allow us time to lodge in them but onely to bait at them 1. The Iudge was Samuel qualified for that dignity after an extraordinary manner His extraction was from Elkanah a Levite of Ramah-Sophim so named says Vatablus because it was the habitation of Prophets and Seers and such as were Doctors of the law His mother was Hannah a woman of a religious and a melting soul who notwithstanding the provocations of her rival Peninnah For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Poet make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a divided bed makes a divided house yet ceas'd she not devoutly and constantly to attend her husband to the solemn feasts at Shilo there to beg of God a son whom she might devote and dedicate to his Service A Nazarite she will make him that no rasor come upon his head I wonder whence the order of our bald-pate Friers came The Chaldee Paraphrase by adding one Aleph interprets it no terrour shall come upon him that is he shall be free from the commands of men to wait upon God whose service is perfect freedom And as she was free in promising she was not slack in performing but as God lent her a son she lent him back unto the Lord 1 Sam. 1. 28. She restored the petition which God had given her says the Targum and whereas other Levites were not admitted to their ministrations before twenty years of age She offers him so soon as he was wean'd to appear before the Lord and to abide there for ever 1 Sam. 2. 18. And he whilst he was yet a childe began to Minister that is says Munster to study the law and the knowledge of God and to sing divine service and to play upon musical instruments For such were made use of in the service of the Sanctuary being girt with a linnen Ephod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a surplice if you please besides a little coat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an embroidered cope which his mother yearly made him to wear upon the solemn Festivals And I hope these garments were not Popish in those early days For thus habited our little Chorister daily attends upon the holy Ministrations in Shiloh And this was Samuel's imployment all
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shew they have drest up themselves like actours There 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are in sheeps clothing But there wants the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they bear no fruit The barren fig-tree had life and sap in it and flourished with leaves luxuriantly or else Christ would not have expected figs upon it yet because it was barren it was cursed cut it down why cumbreth it the ground It is not the pleasing verdure of leaves nor the promising candour of blossoms will serve the turn If there be no fruit nay if there be no good fruit no fruit of righteousness there wants the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are barren and if barren we are no better then dead in Gods esteem Cut it up why cumbreth it the ground As Pythagoras when any of his Scholars had forsaken his School the School of vertue had a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an empty hearse carried about the streets and in a solemn pageantry they mourned for him Dost thou see vice triumphant marching top and top gallant set out with all its trickments and gayetyes and inticing any of the sons of wisdome O! think thou seest an hearse carried before thee such an one is dead he is departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weep for him as for the dead whatever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatever shew he makes he wants the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no principle of life within him And thus am I fallen upon my second part before I am well aware of it that in the School of Christ there are many followers which are no Disciples many pretenders to which are no practisers of Christianity Many which have a form of Godliness which deny the power thereof For indeed holiness is so beautifull that whosoever looks upon it must fall in love with it and the Commandments are so just and good that we should fall from the reason of men if we did not approve of them which makes the worst of men put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shew of goodness if not to please themselves yet thereby to make themselves the more welcome and gracious to others For this reason Satan transforms himself into an Angel of light that he may the more successfully practise his deeds of darkness And the first-born of Satan Simon Magus stiled himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8. 10. the great power of God when he spake of that power by which he practised sorcery and inchantments And I doubt not but Iannes and Iambres which follow here in this chap. pretended to as divine a vertue although they withstood Moses and resisted the truth or else they could never so effectually have hardned Pharaohs heart As for those that dare sin with a witness and stare heaven in the face whilst they boast of their impieties they do more then the works of their father the Devil for that Prince of the air casts a cloud before his black actions his very thunder hath some lightning but these hasten upon themselves the day of judgement and they themselves bring to light their own hidden things of darkness Yet though vertue be so admirable and attractive she is seated on so craggy a rock that it is hard to climb to it 'T is a very narrow gate opens to her palace and we must strip our selves of all our incumbrances how gay or brave soever they are if we would croud in there The Camel must take away the bunch of his back if he would enter the needles eye The young man in the Gospel with many possessions must sell all that he hath and give to the poor if he would follow Lazarus into Abrahams bosome Nay further yet the most indeared affection the most darling lusts must be rooted out the right eye must be pluck'd out and the right hand must be cut off or we shall finde no entertainment there And this makes us unwilling to be at the charges to purchase real goodness if we can but wear her cloth or be of her livery 't is sufficient Let poor distressed and despised creatures the filth and of scouring of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as have lived to be weary of all things and all things weary of them let such begin the work of mortification and crucifie the world unto themselves with the flesh and the affections and lusts Let us injoy the earth and the fulness thereof which God hath given to the sons of men and shall we neglect these gifts of God shall we endanger our selves by a perrillous wading over Iordan in hopes of an inheritance in Canaan when the fruitfull plains of Gilead are before us poteris tutiùs esse Domi. 'T is better to injoy the creature and keep a good house which may beget the repute of hospitality and set the poor on work although thou pay him small wages besides the bread of affliction and keep a Chaplain like Bias's fatted mule whose looks have religion enough for all the family and build Hospitals that men may see thy good works and so perhaps be incited to glorifie thy father which is in heaven This is much a cheaper way to keep our gain and yet make a fair shew too without contending so eagerly and desperately for the power of Godliness Add to all this that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot be obtained without encountring with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powers that will over power us without the Almighty power of God to support and back us Even Principalities and powers and rulers of darkness in this world and spiritual wickednesses in high places And this potent enemy hath scaled our battlements this strong man armed hath got possession of the house he hath seized upon the cinque-ports of our sences and there gives the word of command and orders all our actions Nay he executes and performs them himself he does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit works in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. He sees in our wanton eyes he hears with our itching years he tastes with our curious palates And turpiùs ejicitur he knows its more disgrace to be dispossest and thrown out then never to have gotten possession Therefore when a stronger then he comes even the power of God to set up this power of Godliness he fortifies himself with all his might and loses by inches what he hath gotten Sometimes perhaps he sets up Gods colours on the wall a from of Godliness but it is but to betray others and to make them believe the city is not taken when indeed it hath no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no power at all Besides all this consider how agreeable sin is to our corrupt nature there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Apostle Heb. 12. and the 1. sins which do easily beset us which finde many plausible pretences to ingratiate themselves with us Nay some which are drest up so like unto vertue that we our selves cannot
there That were say our enemies to prophane Gods worship with the Imagery of musick and to introduce Heathenish usages into our Christian Temples I have always thought holy David as great a hater of Superstitious vanities as themselves and yet I have learned that it was his daily practise to worship God this way And if any think that the burden of the Jewish rites was so heavy that they had need of musick to cheat the wearisomeness of their service as we use to hang bells in the ears of our loaden horses let them know that the simplicity of our Evangelical worship admits of singing too if two Apostles be not mistaken And if any should pretend to the Spirit of Revelation to say that this was meant of Hopkins and Sternholds Psalms I would not credit him I have often admired at the Prophetick soul of our learned Hooker who many years since fore-told that if Puritanism should prevail it would bring in Anabaptism with it We have seen his words made good with the advantage of some score of sects besides which like young adders fearing some danger are crept back into the mouth of the old one and hid themselves And may they there finde an everlasting tomb and never come out again to bite venemously or so much as to hiss at those which are farther off from Images then they are from worshipping of Imaginations These odes were prepared for Chamber-musick which was admirably composed by that rare son of Art and Master in his faculty Mr. Jo. Jenkins that when we might not meet to chaunt holy Anthems in the Quire devout Christians might make their houses and their hearts too Temples of the Holy Ghost If any wonder at their Pindarick numbers he is desired to know that they were designed for vocal Musick and best fitted for it by often and uneven cadencies which would loose its Grace in equinumeral lines The Glory of God and Service of the Church is the onely aim of The unworthiest of those that wait at Gods Altars Tho. Stephens 1. Sunday in Advent Mat. 21. HOly procession from Mount Olivet The King of glory rides in state Upon an Asses back he 's set Passing from Bethpage to the Cities gate Ye winde-begotten gennets fly And turkish mules stand by He that bestrides the Cherubims will grace The silly Foal of an oppressed Ass The glad Disciples spread their robes upon her And all the way is straw'd w th clothes of honour They cast thick branches on the ground With which her Temples shall be crown'd And all the train Cry out amain And make one song Hosanna Hosanna Hosanna from the van we hear Hosanna's ecchoed in the rear Hosanna to King Davids son Collect. Lord we are silly heavy-laden asses But let thy holy Spirit rest upon us And cloath us with thy robes of heavenly graces Then nothing but Hosanna Hosanna Hosanna shall be heard among us 2. Sunday in Advent Luk. 21. PRodigious day a day of night Darkness surrounds the Orb of light The Sun his wonted beams forgets And muffled up at noonday sets The trembling Moon though wan and faint Her paler cheeks with blood does paint And all the Stars do sympathise I' th falling sickness of the skies Well may the nations roar and shriek When sea and waters do the like Mens hearts do fail for fear and why Na'ure her self begins to die But stay where thickest darkness crouds What glorie 's that breaks through the clouds Heav'ns eye did well to wink 't was fit For such a beam would dazle it 'T is he 'T is he The son of Man Ten thousand Angels bear his train His Trumpets sound so shrill and clear That quick and dead the noyse do hear When Iudah's Lion roars he 'l make The beasts of all the earth to quake Collect. Blest Saviour mayst thou be thus Lion to them but Lamb to us Lift up our heads now draweth on The time of our redemption Adopt us thine Make us thine own Joint heirs of promise with thy son Lions we know if we be such Will none of the blood royal touch 3. Sunday in Advent Mat. II. VVHat riddle 's this Does Iohn begin to doubt Do prisons shut him in shut faith out Or does Christs Herauld w th his finger point say Behold the Lamb of God and look another way Triumph Herodias He that did reprove Thy softer measures trod to please thy Love Now cannot keep his ground But he himself turns round The people troop to th' wilderness and finde Nought but a reed there shaken with the winde Pardon great Prophet this false theme Thy Sacred ashes does blaspheme Such temporizing in Kings houses dwells Not cloâ—h'd with Camels hair in Hermets cells Thou more then Prophet didst fore-see How thy Disciples faith would die with thee Unless the King of life and glory Would quicken it with a living story The blinde do see the lame do walk Lepers are cleans'd the dumb do talk Deaf hear the dead to life are brought The poor receive the Gospel taught Sense may instruct their faith and make it clear When Nature 's at a loss God does appear Collect. Lord we are leprous blind dumb deaf and lame But thy Almighty power is still the same Come Lord and work another miracle Raise our dead souls to life to heav'n from hell 4. Sunday in Advent John 1. IT dawns the day-star's up and hasts to greet The rising of the sun The Cryer calls the Court will straight be set The Iudge is coming on Strange Cryer this That chose a wilderness Before a populous town Was it because His Lord and master chose A manger for his Throne Oh no! The Ox and Ass have known Their masters crib to be their own But man alone Alas knows none Well suits a wilderness with beasts of prey When man has made himself more beast then they The foolish Iews blind with credulity Mistook this harbinger their King to be A burning and a shining light was John They straightway thought this light to be the sun Thus children bow To th' Heraulds gilded coat And do not know The Prince behinde does ow't John was not the Messias Nor was he that Elias Nor Moses's Prophet which they long expected In power and word though he Elias well might be And more a Prophet then e're Jew rejected Those prophesied upon the earth He prophesied before his birth They things to come did teach He present truths did preach By faith they saw Messias to adore him But none beheld him cloath'd with flesh before him Collect. Lord may his shining make us burn His burning make us shine in turn Let us prepare thy ways by him made known And smooth thy paths by making straight our own Christmass day John 1. THe shortest day has found the longest morn Which dawn'd in Abrahams days but now is born A day so glorious that the backward sun Seeing such lustre thought his work was done And rose so late As out of date The feather'd Quire