curiously g Pro. 9.1 carued This is the Palace of Salomon the Pillars thereof are filuer the pauement gold the hangings purple and shee is paued with the loue of the Daughters of h Cant. 3.9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ierusalem this is that inheritance which the Apostle calls * Am aâ—â—us nibil igne deperdit venificys omnibus resistit Plin. lib. 36. cap. 19. vndefiled that withereth i 1. Pet. 1.4 not Where he vseth two words The one a name of durable precious stone and the other of a pleasant flower whose colour fadeth not The one shewing quam permanens how that it is an euerlasting inheritance The other quam placens how amiable and delectable it is This is the euerlasting Tabernacle our Sauiour speakes of This is that building giuen vs of God which the Apostle calls a House not made with hands but eternall in the k 2. Cor. 5.1 Heauens and which Saint Peter termes the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus l 2. Pet. 1.11 Christ and as it is eternall so are all things therein eternall The things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are m 2. Cor. 4.18 eternall There wee shall haue lucem aeternam eternall light For there wee shall haue no Sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnesse of the Moone shine vnto vs for the Lord shall be our euerlasting light and our God our n Is 60.19 glorie There shall wee haue vitam aeternam eternall life This is that record saith Saint Iohn to wit that God bath giuen vs life eternal and this Life is in his o 1. Iob. 5.11 Sonne There we shall haue gloriam aternam eternall glorie For God hath called vs vnto euerlasting glorie in Christ p 1. Pet 5.10 lesus and there we shall haue gaudium aternum eternall q Is 35.10 ioy For all that trust in the Lord shall reioyce and triumph for r Psal 5.11 euer The other word ☞ which the Apostle vseth for the setting foorth of this celestiall inheritance Amarantus immareese bilis quod non marces at sed decerptus assernetur Plin. l. 21. cap. 8. is vsed of Plinie for the name of a floure which doth not lightly fade nor decay and which for pleasant colour and louely beautie is called of some Writers Flos amoris in English Floramour or floure Gentle Whereby the Apostle will let vs know that all things in this celestiall Ierusalem are not onely durable and permanent but also delectable pleasant There is nothing that can dislike vs and there wants nothing that may delight vs. Our eares shall bee delighted with the melodious harmonie of that heauenly Å¿ Reuel 5.4 and 19.1 Halleluiah our smel with the odoriferous perfume of the golden Censor The prayers of the t Reuel 8.3 Saints our taste with the pleasant fruit of the Tree of Life which is in the middest of the Paradise of u Reuel 2.7 God and our eyes in beholding him that made x Psal 100.3 vs that saued y Phil 3.20 vs and â—â—at glorifies z Rom. 8.30 vs. The consideration of this strucke Dauid into such an admiration of this blessed Cities perfection that being rauished with the beautie thereof and ouer-come with a longing desire to enioy these pleasures he could not but crie out O Lord of Hosts how amiable are thy Dwellings my soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courts of the a Psal 85.1 2. Lord. Consider wee now with our selues from whence wee come and whither we must returne from seruitude and slaueric thither where we shall be free and at libertie Ierusalem which now is is in bondage but Ierusalem which is aboue is b Gal 4.25 26. free From a place where wee sorrow grieue and c Rom. 8.22 23. grone Thither where the Lord will wipe away all teares from our eyes and where there is no sorrow neither griefe neither d Rouel 21.4 crying From hence where wee can find no rest thither where our eyes shall see Ierusalem a quiet Hahitation and a Tabernacle that cannot be e Is 33.20 remoued From hence where wee haue no peace thither where there shall bee no end of our f Is 9.7 peace From hence where we are in continuall danger and jeopardie thither where we shall be in safetie and securitie For my people shall dwelt in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting g Is 32.18 places From hence where wee are vexed with the societie of the wicked thither where we shall prayse God with our whole heart in the Assembly and Congregation of the h Psal 111.5 iust From hence where wee are in want and aduersitie thither where wee shall haue full facietie and content of all things where God shall be to vs i 1. Cor. 15. all in all Hither it was that old Simeon longed to returne when he sung his Nunc dimittis Lord let thy seruant depart inpeace Hither it was that blessed Steuen longed to come when he said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Hitheriâ— was that the Apostle desired to be when he wisht to be dissolued and to be with Christ Yea and hither it was that Dauid thirsted to come when he chose rather to be a doore-keeper in the House of God then to dwell in Kings Palaces And hither let me exhort you all to returne as the Prophet did the Iewes to come out of this Babel and to flee from the Chaldeans the wicked Inhabitants of this world with a voyce of k Isa 48.20 ioy Goe your way stand not still but remember the Lord afarre off and let Ierusalem come into your l Ier. 51.50 minde Hee shall returne with ioy Hee shall not returne with sorrow or griefe but with great gladnesse and ioy The old Israelites whilst they were in Egypt grieued and groned being oppressed with their grieuous taskes and burdens But when they were freed from thence they marched towards Canaan with the noyse of musicke with the sound of Timbrels dancing and reioycing The Iewes sitting by the Riuers of Babel wept They could not sing the Songs of the Lord in a strange Land their tongue claue vnto their f Psal 137. jawes but when the Lord turned againe their captiuitie they returned with great gladnesse and with the voyce of singing Their mouth was enlarged and their tongue vntyed to prayse the Lord with ioyfull Songs of prayse Euen so whilst we are captiues in this wretched world we are full of sorrow and griefe but when wee returne to Sion wee shall be as full of ioy and gladnesse Verily verily saith our Sauiour yee shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce yee shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into g Iob. 16.20 ioy One contratie doth follow vpon another is an Axiome in Philosophie and here it may bee a true Position in Diuinitie
Psal 106.21 them I might adde hereunto 4. Absolutely necessary that wee haue nothing else to giue vnto God but onely the calues of our o Hos 14. lips prayse and thankes Which Dauid knowing full well doth question himselfe What shall I giue vnto the Lord for all his benefits bestowed p Psal 116.12 vpon mee Is there any thing in me but sinne Haue I any thing but what I haue receiued of him Is not he the portion of mine q Psal 16.5 inheritance Hath not hee prepared my Table anoynted my head with Oyle and made my cup to r Psal 23.5 ouerflow yet will I not be vngratefull for I will take the cup of saluation and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will offer sacrifice of prayse I will thanke him for his benefits in the presence of all his people in the Courts of the Lords House and in the midst of f Psal 116.17 18 19. Ierusalem Againe ingratitude is a thing so hatefull to God 5. It is benesiciall whereas ingratirude is hurtfull that he will not let it goe vnpunished Saul for his vnthankefulnesse is depriued of his Crowne the old Israelites for their forgetfulnesse of Gods goodnesse were not suffered to enter into the Land of promise Nay hee would not spare good Ezekiah for his vnmindfulnesse of his great deliuerie from the King of Ashur but strikes him with a deadly disease Yea and it withdrawes Gods blessings bestowed vpon them Quae Deus dat gratis aufert ingratis Aug. for what God giues to the thankefull he takes from the vngratefull as he did the Crowne from Saul and gaue it vnto Dauid Ingratitude is called a parching wind Ventus vrens desiccans fontem misericordiae Ruenta gratiae Bern. serm 51. in Cant. that dryes up the Fountayne of Gods loue and goodnesse whereas thankfulnesse doth open the Garners of Gods bountie and mooues the Lord to raine downe innumerable blessings vpon vs. For as the Master made his seruant who was faithfull in a little Steward ouer much so such as are thankfull for a little God will blesse with much Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuâ—â—aâ—ie Chrys in Matth. For thankesgiuing is the motiue of blessing To conclude it is a vice so distastfull that Gregorie saith He is not worthy to receiue who is not thankfull for that he hath receiued 6. Vngratefulnesse abhorred of Infidels Nay it was so abhorred of the very Infidels and Pagans that the Athenians would not permit an vngratefull person to beare rule amongst them And the old Romanes thought them worthy to be seuerely punished euen with death it selfe And Lycurgus being askt why amongst all his Lawes he had not made one against this vice answered That he lest it to the gods esteeming it so haynous a crime that it could not be sufficiently punished by man Let this teach vs to follow the aduice of the Apostle in all things t 1. Thess 5. to giue thanks And let vs exercise our selues in Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Songs with thanksgiuing in our hearts to the u Col. 3.16 Lord. Dauid when hee was freed from all troubles and deliuered out of the hands of all his enemies sung a song of prayse vnto the x Psal 18. 2 Sam. 22. Lord. Ezekiah after he recouered out of his deadly disease pennes song and leaues it to posteritie as a monument of his thankfull heart for Gods y Is 38.9 to 21. benefits And when the Saints in the Primitiue Church were let out of prison and set at libertie being before miserably captiuated by Maxentius and Maximinus they publikely through the open Streets and Market places did walke in troopes and assemblies praysing and thanking the Lord in Psalmes and Songs When blind Bartimeus receiued his sight Euseb hist Ecc ' lib. 9. cap. 1. he was so thankfull that hee would not part with our Sauiour but followed praysing and glorifying z Maâ— 10.46 Luke 18.43 God And vvhen Peter restored the lame to his limmes hee vvent into the Temple vvith Peter and Iohn vvalking leaping and praysing a Acts 3.8 God In a word therefore If vve be deliuered from the hands of our enemies as Dauid was If we be brought from the gates of the Graue as Ezekiah was If we be brought out of prison as the Saints were and out of captiuitie as the Iewes were If we haue our sight restored to vs as Bartimeus had our limmes as the cripple had and our health as AEneas b Acts 9.33 had Let vs offer vnto the Lord the sactifice of Prayse and render to him the calues of our c Heb. 13.15 lips with Ionah sacrificing vnto God with the voyce of d Ion. 2.9 thanksgiuing and with Dauid sing vnto him all our life and whilst we liue to prayse e Psal 104.33 him But if wee remember and thinke with our selues how wee are redeemed from the captiuitie wee were in vnder Sinne and Satan how vvee are freed from the power of Death and Hell by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ as vve haue great cause to reioyce so haue wee reason to be thankfull to God for the same At the birth of our Sauiour vvho vvas borne for the saluation of Man the Angels and whole Armies of heauenly Souldiers praysed God saying Glorie be to God in Heauen in Earth peace and good will towards f Luk. 2.13.14 men Elizabeths Salutation Maries Hymne Zacharias Psalme and old Simeons Song are all motiues to stirre vs vp to thankfulnesse for so vnvaluable a blessing Let euery one of vs therefore endeauour to shew our selues thankfull in word * Nec verbo c. and in worke vvith heart and hand Nec verbo tantum vel linguâ— sed opere veritate exhibâ—amus nos gratos quod gratiarum actionem magis quam dictionem à nobis exigit datur grâ—tiarum Bern. ser comâ—â— vitium ingratitudinâ—s awaking our drowsie soules and reciting them vvith Dauid to prayse the Lord saying My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within me prayse his holy Name My soule prayse thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits who forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities who redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and compassion who satisfieth thy mouth with good things and reneweth thy youth like the Eagles my soule prayse thou the g Psal 103.1 2 3 4. The tongue the instrument to set forth Gods prayse Lord. For thus should our mouth bee filled with laughter and our tongue vvith singing The instrument for setting forth and publishing of Gods prayse is the tongue for it is the Interpreter of the Minde and by it vvee expresse vvhat before wee conceiued in minde For vvhat the heart thinkes the mouth speakes Dauids heart is meditating some good matter and his tongue is the pen of a readie h Psa 45.1 Writer For
whole Citie how great things Iesus had done vnto him Here then first is commended to vs our duetie which is with Dauid to speake of all Gods marueilous k Psal 9.1 works With the Shepheards to publish them and with the Apostles to preach them The Souldiers when they saw the earth quake and the Angell rolling away the stone from the doore of the Sepulchre with other miracles at our Sauiours Resurrection they were bribed by the Priests to conceale n Matth. 28. them When Christ prayed to his Father to glorifie his Name there came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe which many of the Rulers hearing did beleeue in him but because of the Pharisies durst not confesse o 10.12 him Yet neither mony nor malice fauour nor feare of men must make vs conceale Gods prayse or be silent from she wing forth his wonderfull works For if once we beleeue in our heart we must confesse with our mouth For with the heart men beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth they confesse vnto saluation Moreouer here is condemned the slothfull dulnesse of men who neuer enter into the consideration of Gods works done vnto them nor at any time acknowledge Gods goodnesse and kindnesse towards them But as the Prophet saith The Harpe and Viol the Timbrel and Pipe are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands And what is the cause of this Is it not because like the men of Iudah who went into the Land of Egypt they attribute all to the Queene of Heauen and to their p Ier. 44.17 18 19. Idols or like Epicures they ascribe all to Chance and Fortune or with the Peripatetikes to Nature and naturall Causes or with the Stoikes to Fate and Destinie if they bee inriched with temporall things as was Nabal if they bee preferred to honour as was Haman if they bee adorned with externall bodily fauour as was Absalom or inwardly endued with worldly wisedome as was Achitophel they thinke that either by Fortune or by Fate such things come vnto them neuer regarding God nor minding Gods prouidence therein Whereas the Apostle saith That euery good thing and euery perfect gift comes from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of q Lam. 1.17 lights But let vs shake off this blindnesse and with Dauid medicate vpon the wonderfull works of God For they are great and ought to be sought out of all that loue r Psal 111.2 him and if with Iacob we be inriched with Ioseph extold to honour with Ezekia deliuered from sicknesse with Israel freed from bondage and slauerie and here with the Iewes brought out of seruitude and wofull captiuitie Let vs giue the glory to God acknowledge his goodnes before the sonnes of men confessing that the Lord hath done great things for vs. The first thing in particular that I promised Gods power implyed in his Name to obserue in these words was Gods power and that first implyed in his Name and set downe in his Worke. His Name Iehoua a name which the Hebrewes called Tetragrammaton because it consists say they of foure letters as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Grecians and Deus with the Latines They held it ineffable not because it could not be pronounced but because the signification of it could neuer fully be conceiued For some of the learned are of opinion that the Omnipotencie Wisedome and Eternitie of God are all implyed in this Name of all the names of God it was held in greatest reuerence so that seldome the Iewes did name it but when the occasion was weightie and of great importance as when the Israelites were deliuered out of Egypt Moses and the people began their song The Lord is a man of warre and Iehouah is his f Exed 15.3 Name And here in this short Psalme it is no lesse then foure times mentioned the more as it seemes to set forth the greatnesse of their deliuerance Before our Sauiour was conceiued for our Redemption he was named of the Angell IESVS in which blessed Name some obserue to bee included the vowels called Tetragrammaton with one S of the Hebrewes wherein was a mysticall or hidden signification of his Diuinitie But not to be too curious let vs still compare their deliuerance with our redemption and see the Analogie betwixt these two names First as the name Iehouah was not knowne to the Israelites the Iewes predecessors before their deliuerance out of Egypt was at hand For before this Name was not reuealed to the t Pro. 6.2 3. Patriarchs and now after their deliuerance from Babylon they acknowledge that onely hee whose Name is Iehouah was their Deliuerer So before our redemption did approch and before Christ was to be conceiued for our saluation his name IESVS was not reuealed but the Prophets named him u Is 7.14 Emmanuel and entituled him wonderfull x Is 9.6 Counsellor the mightie God the Prince of y Ier. 23.6 peace all which did but explaine the true signification of this one Name and now must we not expect saluation in any other For amongst men there is giuen no other Name whereby we must be saued Act. 4.12 Againe as the full signification of the Name Iehoua cannot be conceiued so the full signification of this name IESVS cannot bee expressed For this one Name contaynes all things which were foretold by the Prophets of the Nature and Office of Christ the fiue Letters saith one that are in the Name IESVS signifies as much as that He is Iucunditas moerentium aeternitas viuentium suaâ—itas doâ—entium vbertas egentium sanitas languentium joy and jocunditie to such as mourne eternitie and life to the liuing sweet comfort of the sorrowfull prosperitie and wealth to the needfull soundnesse and health to the diseased and sicke Moreouer as the Name Iehouah was neuer vsed amongst the Hebrewes but with great feare and reuerence euen so with the like reuerence ought Christians to vse the Name of IESVS For at this Name euery knee must bow of things in Heauen and things in Earth and things vnder the z Pbil. 2.10 Earth In a word therefore Let vs with all reuerence take these Names in our mouthes For holy fearefull and reuerent is the Name of * Psal 111.9 God holy and therefore to be sanctified terrible and therefore to be feared The Lord hath done great things for vs. Because the Psalmist was not able to expresse all things Gods power seâ— out in his workes which the Lord did for his people at their deliuerance Magnificauit i. magnifica fecit magnifice fecit magna nos fecit sic ferè omnes comment from their captiuitie he includeth the ouerthrow of their Aduersarie their owne libertie the reparation of the Temple and restauration of Religion and all things else in two words The Lord hath done great things
Mercy and Iudgement Ioy and Griefe are contraries and when the one preceeds the other followes after So if the Lord who is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great h Ioel 2.13 kindnesse doe suffer the wicked in this world to reioyce in their pleasures wayting for their amendment yet in iudgement hereafter their laughter shall bee turned into mourning and their ioy into heauinesse vnlesse they repent betimes Witnesse the rich Clutton who passed ouer his life in ease and prosperitie being clothed costly and dieted daintily yet after wards was tormented with an vnquenchable flame For they that now laugh shall weepe and i Luke 6.25 wayle So on the other part they that now mourne shall bee made glad and ioyfull witness poore Lazarus afflicted and full of soares more pittied of Dogs then dogged Diues who after his afflictions was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosom the place of all happinesse pleasure and comfort For they that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Is not this a great comfort to vs in all our troubles That he that now goeth on his way weeping shall doubtlesse returne with ioy cum gaudio interno with an inward ioy when their conscience is quiet and their soule reioyceth that their sinnes are pardoned they iustified and shall assuredly bee glorified Truely there is no ioy in the World to that of a peaceable conscience witnesse Ezekiah when in his greatest extremitie his conscience told him that hee had walked vprightly before k Is 38. God and the Apostle greatly reioyced when he knew nothing by himselfe He shall returne cum gaudion exteâ—no with an out ward ioy reioycing as one saith in the beautie and glorie of all the Creatures For Christ shall make all things l Isa 65.17 2. Pet. 3.13 Reuel 21.1 new For euen the Heauens shall reioyce and the Earth shall be glad and all Creatures shall be ioyfull when they are deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of m Rom 8.21 Gad. He shall returne cum gaudio eterno with an euerlasting ioy The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with prayse and euerlasting ioy shall hee vpon their heads they shall obtayne ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall sies n Isa 35.10 away This is that ioy which the Apostle calls ineffable and o 1. Pet. 1.8 glorious This is that ioy which the Schoole-men call Intensiuum extensiuum so extended that it can neuer be ended and so intended that is so great and so full of ioy as greater and fuller there cannot be With this ioy Steuen was rauished when he saw the Heauens open and Christ sitâ—ing at the right hand of his heauenly Father It is such a ioy whereunto being compared all pleasure is but payne all gladnesse but griefe all sweet but sure and all fauour but filth Thrice happy are they that are partakers of this ioy For blessed is he that now weepes for he shall laugh And bring his sheaues with him The Iewes after their deliuerance was published and proclaymed by Cyrus their great pouertie and penurie v v as changed into great prosperitie and plentie For they v v ere supplyed with Siluer Gold Cattell vvith precious things and with willing p Exrat offerings In like manner their Progenitors the Israelites after their great wants and scarcitie of all things in Egypt for all their flesh-pots they were brought to a Land that did flow with milke and honie and abounded in all things Both these did but typically point out the great commoditie that the faithfull shall reape by the Crosse Our Sauiour sayth wee shall receiue double in this world and much more in the world to come Abraham after his long pilgrimage was seated in a fruitfull Land and found the Lord an exceeding great reward Dauid after his great persecution and long banishment had his lot fallen into a pleasant ground Iacob after his great seruitude was greatly enriched And Iob receiued double for that hee lost Thus our afflictions are like the hearbe Moly ☞ whose root is blacke and the blossoms white like Aarons Rod which brought foorth buds blossoms and ripe Almonds and like Samsons dead Lion filled with meat and honie But what are all these to that which wee shall receiue heereafter The Euangelist Matthew sayth wee shall receiue an hundred Å¿ Matth. 19.29 fold a number finite for an infinite but Luke sayth much t Luke 18.28 more because they are in number infinite hee sets them downe indefinite And the Apostle sayth that neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor the heart of man can conceiue the things which God hath prepared for them that lone u 1. Cer. 2.9 him Should not this with the Apostle make vs esteeme the afflictions of this present time not worthie of the glorie that shall bee * Rom 5.18 reuealed Our Sauiour wills vs with ioy and gladnesse to suffer persecution for great is our reward in heauen Our reward sayth one is so manifold that it cannot be numbred so great that it cannot be valued so singular that it cannot bee compared and so lasting that it can acuer bee ended 〈…〉 Saint Augustine speaking of the ioyes and pleasures which the godly shall haue in heauen sayth that wee may more easily tell what is not there then what is there There is no discontent no gâ—ese nomourning no miserie no corruption no death no penurie no pouertie But what is there Neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard for the naturall man perceiueth not these things and yet there are pleasures for euermore yea wish what thou wilt Quicquid voles erit quicquid noles non crit August and it shall bee there and abhorre what thou please and it shall not bee there Further the consideration of this heauenly reward these sheaues these ioyes should make vs lightly to esteem this present world and cause vs not to value these corruptible things at so high a rate Shall wee with the Gadarens preferre our swine before our saluation With the Israelites the flesh-pots of Egypt before the heauenly Mannah With Demas the pelfe of this world with the pleasures of the world to come No God forbid This is like Isops cocke to value a barley graine before a precious gemme with Plutarchs Grillus to esteeme of Cyrces her swilling tub better then of Vlisses his dainties And Glaucus-like to change coates of gold for brasen armour or like Dioclesian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preferre a few pot-hearbs before a Crowne and Imperiall Scepter and Esau-like to sell our birth-right for bread and pottage But let vs with the Apostle account all these things but losse and a Heb. 12.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato dung with the Philosopher nothing and nothing worth and with the Saints let vs willingly forgoe them knowing that in heauen wee haue a better and