how could he have expressed it more fully then in the termes which he hath used To the will I give the keyes of the kingdom of heaven whatsoever ye binde on earth it shall be bound in Heaven c. Whose sinnes soever ye retaine they shall be retained c. Thirdly the manner of our Saviours speech when he promised this Power which is with a serious and vehement attestation Verily I say unto you and the ceremonie used at the performance of it which was by breathing on them with these words receive the holy Ghost these circumstances I say do shew that our Saviour intended to give and did actually give a greater power then is that of declaring a thing to be which already is beside the Repentance of men is a thing which pastors cannot perfectly know and therefore they cannot certainly declare a man to be loosed from sinne For these and other reasons I make no doubt that the Power promised here by our Saviour is not barely a declarative but also an effectuall Power which worketh some effect upon men So the holy Fathers have understood this CHRISOST in his 3. book of the priesthood saith that Christ hath given to men that are upon earth a power to dispose of things that are in heaven This Power saieth he he hath not given to the angels or Aâ—changels for to whom of them hath he said to the will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth c. Earthly kings sayth he have power to binde loose also but their power extendeth to the bodies of men only whereas this Power reacheth unto the soul and unto heaven That which the servant doth here beneath the LORD confirmeth above and the LORD in a manner denizeth to follow the servant the binding on earth being prior at least in order of nature to the binding in heaven and the loosing on earth being before the loosing in heaven So writting upon the 20 of S. John on these words Whose sinnes soever ye retaine they are retained he sayeth that our Saviour indued his Apostles with such a Power as a king giveth to governours under him when he giveth them power to cast into prison and to take out of it and writting upon these words To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 16. he saieth that Christ hath given to a mortall man the Power of all things that are in heaven for this cause our Saviour addeth here these words on earth whatsoever ye bind On earth To what purpose is this aded but to signifie the amplitude and greatnes of his Power and that how soever it be done by earthly men yet it shall have an authoritie force of a sentence and law in heaven as if a mighty Emperour would say to one whom he much trusted and to whom he had given a most ample commission Whatsoever thou wilt do in the remotest parts of my dominion I shall alow and ratifie it The farrer that servants are from their Masters they use to take to themselves the greater liberty and it is a token of great trust in the master when he committeth power to them in such a case Thus we see that Pastors have properly a power to binde and loose sinners let us now consider more particularly in what manner they do binde and loose and how their binding and loosing is accompanyed with binding and loosing in heaven The Bond wherewith Pastors by vertue of the keyes do binde sinners is directly and immediatly an ecclesiasticall bond exercised about sinue as it as an offence of the Church So their loosing is directly and immediatly an untying and loosing of that ecclesiasticall bond wherwith they have bound a sinner whence of necessity their binding most go before their loosing in this kinde they can loose nothing this way but that which before they have bound But how then yee will say doeth their binding or loosing reach to a mans sinne as it is an offence of God I Ans This is not but mediatly and indirectly in so farre as they do such a thing upon the doing whereof Christ hath promised to binde or loose the sinnes of a man The like we have in haptisme wherin sinne is taken away if he that is baptised put no impediment all that the minister doth is but a washing of the body and an incalling of the blessed Trinitie yet this Action as an instrument or condition carrieth with it the remission of sinne and purging of the soul So in the matter that we have in hand the pastor bindeth the person guilty with an ecclesiasticall bond directly and againe looseth that same bond by ecclesiasticall absolution or reconciliation yet by vertue of Christs promise set down in these words upon the doing of this GOD in heaven doeth binde or loose the sinnes of such a man Thus we see how God not only principally but also alone immediatly taketh away sin for the minister only performeth an ecclesiasticall action upon the doing whereof GOD by vertue of his own Promise taketh away the sinne of such a man Secondly Yee may ask wherein this ecclesiasticall bond consisteth I answer it standeth in a certaine excoÌ„munication whereby a grievous offender is separated in whole or in part from the Church of Christ and from the society of the faithfull and according the loosing opposed hereunto consisteth in the reconciliation of such an one to the Church or in giving him the peace therof whence our Saviour said in the preceeding words If he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as a heathen or aâ— a Publican This excoÌ„munication is of two sorts the one is called the lesser excoÌ„munication the other is called the greater In that a man is bound for some grievous offence by debarring him from the society of the faithfull in some things especially in the participation of the blessed mysteries of the body blood of out LORD and by imposing of the works of pennance and humiliation this is called a ponetentiall and medeoinall excoÌ„munication because the chief end of it is to cure him that hath sinned from that disease wherein he hath fallen This kinde of binding we use toward grievous sinners who submite themselves to the direction of the Church and in the ancient Church it was used with great vigor and severitie In the first 300 years when the devotion of Christians was fervent and their puritie great men were not ordinarly admitted to this outward repentance till for a long time with many teares and with great tokens of unfeigned forrow they had earnestly intreated to be admitted in the number of publick penitents when that was granted then they were not immediatly received to their publick repentance but were thrust down as it were first to the degree of the catechumeny or those who were yet unbaptised and did but learne the mysteries of the christian religion and in this degree they were called
and weaknes he saith not all spirits or all that are holy just wel-deserving wealthie or noble but all flesh shall come The poore have accesse aswell as the rich to poure out their heart before God the base aswell as the noble the unlearned aswell as the learned the sinfull Publican aswel as the Pharisee even the sinner I say if he have begun to compt his sin a miserie may come to God and bevaile his miserie and implore his mercie All these I say may come and shall be heard If any man come and is not heard it is because he cometh not as he ought nor seeketh aright Here first consider that latlie we came to God offered up our prayers to him as for other benefits so for a seasonable harvest We have found by experience that the Lord hath heard our prayers though having in them many defects and worthie to be cast back as dung in our faces We have found as the PROPHET speaketh in the end of this Psalme that he hath visited the earth and enriched it with the river of God blessed the springing of it hath crowned the year with his goodnes and hath made his paths to drop fatnes Let us no think that this was from chance or nature but let us with thankful hearts acknowledge it to be as indeed it is the visitation and blessing of God Let every heart and every mouth say Blessed be the Lord who-hath not put back our prayers but notwithstanding of our sinnes hath so visited blessed and enriched vs. Secondly if we would be still partakers of this great benefit let vs be carefull to continue our thankfulnes still There are many things that we stand in need of for which we must pray to him to purge away our iniquities as he saieth in the next verse To still the noise of the sea and tumults of the people to blesse the fruits that he hath given us that his wrath come nor upon us while it is betwixt our teeth Let us therefore that it may be well with us for ever resolve to performe not only this day but also all the dayes of our life our vows of obedience and to praise him with our life aswell as with our mouth As for the earthly blessings which he hath given us as on the one part we should esteem highly of them soon the other part Let us remember they are but the pleadges of better things abyding us in our countrey if his riches be so great toward us in our sojourning what may we expect when we shall sit down in his house at his table to be satisfied with the fatnesse of it If the river of God passing through the earth so refresh us here how shall we be delighted with that river of pleasures which maketh glad the citie of God The Lord grant that our hearts may be there and that we may walk in the way that leadeth into it and that for the merits of Christ To Whom c. FIRST SERMON UPON the Lamentations of JEREMIAH Chap. V. Verse 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever Thy throne from generation to generation 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long-time 21. Turne us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old The holy PROPHET having made a pittifull complaint to God of the great desolation that had come upon Sion or the Church of God Ierusalem being taken and burnt the people of God being killed or lead in captivitie he in end shutteth up all and closeth with a fervent prayer Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. In this prayer two things are to be cōsidered First the ground of the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest for ever thy thro◠from generation to generation Secondly the petitions themselves which are espetially two the first is set down by way of expostulation wherefore doest thou forget us forever and forsake us so long time which includeth this petition Lord forsake us not but restore thy favour to us againe and renew our dayes as of old The second is in the next words turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned To returne againe to the first part which is the ground of the PROPHETS supplication and of his hope confidence to be heard it is set down in the first words we have in it three Prerogatives ascrived to God the first that he is UNCHANGEABLE Thou O Lord remainest Sayeth he secondly he ascriveth to him absolute Dominion imported by this that Hee is the Lord and hath a Throne Thirdly Eternity is ascrived both to him and his Kingdome Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. Let us consider these points shortly both in themselves and with a reference to the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest c. Here the PROPHET to strengthen his hope the hope of the Church fixeth the eyes of his faith upon the Vnchangeablnes of God thou sayest he remainest The word in the originall signifieth to dwell to abide or sit still importeth when ascrived to God his constancie immntabilitie For clearing of this we are to consider that this is in God in a most excellent manner He is simple Vnchangeable both in his nature and in his decrees or purposes both which are meaned here In his nature at his perfections he is Vnchangeable If any chāge of this kynde could have place in him it should be either from imperfection to perfection or from perfection to imperfection but neither of these can be no new perfection can haue place in him because as we said before in him is the infinite fulnes of perfectiōn which is not capable of any increase o◠accession Neither can he change to any imperfection for none of his infinite perfections can be lossed They are one the same with his own nature and being Now his being is necessar for he hath it not from another and therefore as it ever was so it can never cease to be and consequently is Vnchangeable for Vnchangeablnes is nothing else but a necessitie of being that which he was before Thus it i◠most evident that God in his nature essentiall perfections is Unchangeable the acquiring of any new perfection being repugnant to the infinite fulnes of being that is in him and the losse of his perfection being contrate to the necessitie or infinit firmnes or stabilitie of his being or Nature Secondly as he is Vnchangeable in his naturall perfections so in his decrees and purposes toward us we often change our resolutions and purposes and the reason is we do not perfectly perceive and consider the good or the evil the conveniencie or inconveniencie of that which we are about therefore when thereafter we find our own errour we change and retraite the will and purpose which we had before This cannot have place in God who from all eternitie hade a most clear sight of all the good
This is his unchangeable Nature to render good to them that do good and evill to them that do evil Say unto the righteous it shal be well with him but wo to the wicked it shall ill with him Tribulation and anguish upon the soule of every one that doth evill c. When thy face was toward God his countenance shyned upon thee now thou hast turned thy back to him and what wonder that thou find not the beames of the light of his countenance since hee is unchangeable If thou would enjoy his face and favour as before turne to him againe and because of thy self thou cannot do it say to him with the PROPHET Turne thou me O Lord and I shall be turned heale thou me and I shall be healed I come now to the second perfection of God which the PROPHET here considereth in him IT is his Dominion or Kingdome implyed in this That he is the Lord and hath a Throne Hee meaneth that hee is the supreame Lord and that his Throne is exalted over all both these belong to him by way of excellencie There are many lords and kings but not as hee The greatest kings depend from him By me kings reigne saieth he Prov. 8. 13. Their power is his ordinance Rom. 13. and that is their chief dignitie that they ar his anointed He setteth the Crown upon their heads ps 21. It is he that hath called theÌ„ gods ps 82. 6. I have said Year gods And he hath their hearts in his hand as the rivers of waters and â—urneth them whither he will Prov. 21. Beside the dominion of other Kings even of the most free Monarchs dependeth in some sort from the subjects They stand in need both of their heart and of their hands and if they want these what can they do This is the defect of all earthly Dominion As the the servant standeth in neede of the Master so the Master standeth in neede of the servant and hath a kinde of dependance from him as August observeth upon the 69 psal Thy servant standeth in neede of thy bread and thou standest in neede of his travels but it is not so with God he dependeth from none for he standeth in neede of none O my soule thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my God my goodnesse extendeth not to thee Secondly This Dominion of God as it is supreame and independent so it is universall Other kings are called so with a limitation as the kings of France or Spayne or of some other particular Countrey but God is absolutlie the LORD and absolutlie the KING If thou ascend to heaven it is his Throne If thou look to the earth it is his Footstoole If thou looke to hell it is his Goale or his Prison All the creatures are his servants even the unreasonable and senslesse creatures the fire the haile the yâ—e the snow the winds and tempests they all obey his Will and do his Commandements and no wonder they are all his the Day is his and the Night is his Hee made the Light and hee made the darknesse hee createth peace and he raiseth warre and in a word Hee made and createth all things by the Word of his Power which none can â—â—sist and therefore the very Angels in heaven adore his Majestie and the wicked spirits in hell tremble at his power His dominion reacheth as to all things so to all that is in them our dominion goeth no further then the superfice as it were of things And we have rather the use of things then the dominion but the dominion of God reacheth to their verie substance which he hath made can preserve or destroy as he will What say I of the things that are even the things that are not are only possible are subject unto him He calleth the things that are not as if they were If he should call and but speak the word they should come forth out of that darknes of nothing wherein they lurke Thus he is the supreame and the true Lord and the King before whom the glorie and Majestie of all earthly kings is but vilenes they depend from him and others as we said he depends from none they haue some subjects and riches he hath all They so rejoice in their crowne the glorie of it that still they haue their own sollicitudes and fears and therefore some haue laid down their crownes but he reigneth in all tranquillitie securitie and peace Thus yee haue shortly his Dominion and Kingdome Now let us see how the consideration of it serveth for the use of the PROPHET may serve for ours First The coÌ„sideration of this most perfect Dominion of God is a most notable comfort against the temptations that are raised in our mindes in the time of trouble and adversity when we think that God hath forsaken us hath left us as a prey to our enemies to be swallowed up by them If thou be tempted by this consider first that thou are the special as it wer the domestick servant of this King albeit all the subjects of a king be his servants and that which they have his in some sort yet he hath some speciall servants that are nearer to him and more particularlie regarded He hath particular houses and possessions and jewels and treasures of his own so it is with God They that feare him are his particular servants they are his House wherein he walketh they are his Vineyard which he hath planted and which he manureth they are his Jewels and his Peculiar Treasure as he calleth them himself so it cannot be but they are deare to him Secondly Consider that he is such a King as is both willing and able to maintaine his own Yee know that it is said in the end of the Lords praier thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie As the kingdome is his so glorie is his whereof he is jealous aboue all things and as the glorie is his so power is his he is able to vindicate his glorie and to maintaine his servants against all that dare injure them Earthly kings somtimes forsake their servants for want of power but the power of this King is omnipotent able to secure all his friends and to subdue al his enemies If God be with us who can be against us saith the holy Apostle Although the kings of the earth would take counsell and princes would gather themselves together yet he that sitteth in heaven but laugheth at them and hath them in derision He can break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel His rod is the rod of strength he rules in the midst of his enemies and stricketh through kings in the day of his wrath Psalm 110. So then if we believe that we have such a Lord and such a king why do we fear for the terrours troubles of this world Hear what DAVID saith Psalm 99. The Lord reigneth let the people
tremble Suppose all the people of the world conspired against thee these three words stedfastly believed the Lord reigneth is enough to give thee comfort and courage Whatsoever injuries are done this Lord seeth and will redresse and revenge in his own time The Lord reigneth saieth that same DAVID Psalm 93. His throne is established the floods haue lifted vp O Lord the floods haue lifted vp their voice the floods haue lifted vp their waves The Lord on high is mightier then the voice of many waters yea then the mightie waves of the sea But it may be thou will say to me how cometh it to passe th◠that the servants of this great King are so many wayes afflicted and troubled Consider I beseech thee that in al thy afflictions he hath a supreame hand Now all that thou hast is his he may do with his own what he will Thy wealth thy promotion thy children yea thy life is his he gave all he may take back againe all when he will These things he hath but committed unto thee reserving stil the dominiō of them to himself therfore may require them back againe at his pleasure Beside I appeale thy own conscience did ever any thing befal thee so grievous in thy life but thy sinnes deserved as much yea a thousād times more lastly consider that as he is a most absolute so he is a most Gracious Lord and most wise who dealeth with us so here as he knoweth is most fitting for our eternall well He looketh not only to that which is present but also to eternitie and afflicteth us here that hereafter it may be well with us for ever We are Iudged by the Lord that wee perish not with the world Secondly the consideration of this great dominion of God it giveth us confidence to put up the second petition of the PROPHET and to say with him turne thou us O Lord and we shal be turned This great Lord and King hath power of the soule spirit aswel as the body can work upon it no lesse then upon the body the power of earthly kings reaches no further then the body they cannot draw the heart effectually and infalliblie but God can subdue the heart unto his scepter and can make them that were averse and unwilling to be a willing people Psalm 110. He can enlighten the minde create a clean heart and renew a right spirit He can take away the hert of stone and give us a heart of flesh he can put his spirit within us and cause us to walk in his statutes and keep his Iudgements Paul was a persecuter but no sooner did the heavenly light of this great Lord shine upon him no sooner did his hand touch his heart but he cryed out Lord what will thou haue me to do Before he was his enemie persecuter now his obedient servant and acknowledgeth him to be the Lord and seeketh no more but to know what he would haue done or what he would have him to suffer professing that he was ready to obey So albeit thou have turned away from this Lord yet dispaire not he is so infinitely good and powerfull that he can and will turne thee back againe to him if thou seek it of him as thou ought Which the Lord grant unto us and that for the merits of Christ Iesus To whom c. SECOND SERMON UPON Lamentations of JERIMIAH Chap. V. Vers 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever and thy throne from generation to generation Vers 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever And forsake us so long time Vers 21. Turne thou us unto thee O Lord And we shall be turned renew our dayes as of Old The holy Prophet in these words as we said before presenteth to God a fervent prayer for his church of whose distresse he had made a most pittifull complaint in the words preceeding He prayeth for two things first that God would restore his favour and the former fruits thereof unto his people This he seeketh first secretly by a loving expostulation wherefore dost thou forget us for ever c. And thereafter expresly and directly renew our dayes as of Old The second thing which he prayeth for without which the first could not be had is their conversion or turning againe to God Turne thou us unto thee O Lord And we shall be turned The ground of these petitions of his confidence to be heard in them is set down in the first verse and it is Gods own nature and the perfections thereof Thou O Lord c. Here three things are ascrived to God First immutabilitie Secondly a dominion and kingdome Thirdly eternitie which belongeth to himself and to his kingdome Thou O Lord saieth he remainest for ever and thy throne c. Of the second and first we haue spoken already let us come now to the third Which we shall handle in this order first we shall show what this eternitie is Secondly that it belongeth both to God and his kingdome Thirdly we shall give you the uses of this doctrine To come to the first yee are to understand that the eternitie of God which is the only and properly so called eternitie is not a thing diverse from his nature or essence There is nothing in God which is not God and one and the same with his divine nature So the eternitie of God is nothing else but this own divine essence or existence considered as it abideth persevereth indeficiently unmeasurably without beginning or end Wee cannot conceive this indurance of God but with a reference to the time of indurance of the creatures as we cannot conceive the immensitie of God but with a reference to a bodily space wherein the creatures are or may be and therefore the eternitio of God as conceived by us includeth a reference to the duratiō continuance of other things whereas in it self it differeth from them infinitelie For the more particular understanding of this point ye are to consider that the eternitie of God hath three notable properties First it is such a duration that hath neither beginning nor end but is altogether unmeasurable time may be measured and is measured by our minds and used as a measure of the continuance of other things It had a beginning and since the beginning of it 6000. years are not a◠yet past But if we should go beyond this time 100000. years yea millions of ages we should come infinitely short of Eternitie which hath no beginning at all So time shall haue an end but if we go beyond that end as many millions of ages as there are stares in heaven pickles of sand on the sea shoar drops of water in the ocean yet are we infinitely short of the length of eternitie which hath no end at all So it is an indurance simplie and altogether unmeasurable The second propertie of it is that it is such an indurance as hath no fluxe in it no
succession of one part to another but is all at once altogether indivisible Time ye know is a fluid passing thing One part of it is gone which we call time by-past another part is yet to come and a moment only is present which hath no abiding but passeth away incontinent Such are our joyes also that are in time they remaine not though we would faine arrest them they are no sooner come but they are gone and no sooner braid as it were but they die IT is farre otherwayes with the eternitie of God and with that which is truly eternall Here nothing is bypast nothing to come but all at once abiding steble and stadfast Iâ— is true we imagine two parts in eternitie one already bypast before all ages that we can conceive another as yet to come behinde all ages that we can imagine but indeed there are no such parts in eternitie which is as it were a standing and permanent moment In like manner when we speak of God we say that he was that he is and is to come but thus we speak in reference to the things that haue beene or shall be with which his being doth exist otherwayes if we will speak of him as he is in himself Words of the present time belong properly to him All that which we conceive in him as extended throughout the tract of infinite time is in him united gathered altogether at once As his immensitie gathers al his greatnes together as it wer in a point so his eternitie gathereth as it were all his duration age and life into a moment without any division or succession Hence no vitall act no knowledge no thought no love no hatred no liking nor disliking no joy nor blesse is in God now which was not in him from all eternitie whereas the thoughts and words and affections of men angels succeed one to another There is nothing that we can conceive which is to be done which is not already done with God Nothing concerneth us which is not there already determined and transacted There we and all our actions are numbred and weighted There our eternall reward or eternall punishment is prepared and in a manner already given There wee reigne in glory with God and his angels or burne in flames of fire for ever with the devill and his angels So Eternitie still standeth and remaineth whereas in Time there is a continuall fluxe I may compare Eternitie and Time to the Banke and the River The Banke yee know standeth still but the River floweth under it continually one part having past already another comeing in the roome of it Eternitie is as it were the Banke standing stedfast Time and the Things temporall are as it were the River running and flowing under Eternitie one part having passed and another succeeding in place thereof And so yee have the second propertie which is very wonderfull The third propertie of it is That of it self it hath these former perfections of it self and without dependence from any other God who is Eternall and Eternitie it self is unmeasurable in his indurance and in all his perfections united and gathered together at once Hee hath this I say of himself and by vertue of the inward perfection of his Nature independently from the will of any other His Indurance leaneth not to any other thing but one the contrare is the ground and foundation of the continuance of all other things that inexhausted Fountaine from which the duration of the creatures and of all the branches thereof flow and that so far forth that the indurance of any other thing cannot be so much as conceived or imagined without dependence from it This is the third propertie Before wee go hence wee may remark that this is the nature of Eternitie to make every thing good or evill infinitely better or infinitly worse This is doth first in respect of the infinite induraÌ„ce of it Ye know that any thing which is good is the better the longer it continue That good which continueth a week is better then that which endureth but a day and that which continueth a yeare is better then that which continueth but a week but if it should continue an hundreth yeares it should bee yet much better if then this good of Ioy or richet or honour continue for ever it must needs be infinitely better then that which endureth but for a time So on the other part The Evill which continueth a week is worse then that which continueth but a day and if it continue a yeare it is yet worse but if it endure for ever it is infinitly worse 2. Eternitie maketh the good or evill upon which it falleth infinitly better or worse by reason it gathereth together at once in some measure all the good or evill which is in such a thing and maketh it in some manner to be apprehended felt at once IT is true The Eternitie of the joy or paine of the creature doth not unite and collect the good or evill as the eternitie of God yet in some sort it doeth it Eternitie of joy in the blessed includeth an assurance of never lossing their joy which maketh all that joy which is in Eternitie to bee in a manner present every moment so eternitie of paine in the damned includeth a certainty that there shall never be any ease or end of it which being alwayes before the eyes of the damned maketh the whole weyght of eternall paine to presse them as it were at once This much of the first point I come to the second to shew that this Eternitie belongeth to God and to his kingdome First that it belongeth to God is most cleare Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Isai 40. 28. so Isai 57. 15. He is called The High and â—oftie One that inhabiteth eternitie What else is the riches and treasure of God but Eternitie saieth TERTULL There is nothing more proper unto God or which is more fit to expresse his divine Nature Neither doth this Eternitie belong only to Himself Thou O Lord remainest for ever saith the Prophet here and thy throne from generation to generation Thy kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations saieth DAVID psal 145. If wee look to the ages bypast before all ages even from eternitie God is King and Lord. There is indeed some difficultie in explaining of this Dominion importeth a reference to subjects now the creatures which are subject to God were not from eternitie but made in time and therefore it would seeme that Dominion agreeth not to God but in time TERTUL moved by this argument granteth that the Tytle of LORD belongeth not to God but in time The Name of GOD saieth he is a Name of nature and substance and therefore belongeth to GOD from eternitie but the Name of LORD is
a Name of dignitie and authoritie which God hath over the creatures therefore as they were not eternall so this name agreeth not to him from eternitie S. August in his 12. book of the City God and 15. chap. in modestie refuseth to determine this question Vpon the one part he saieth that he dare not deny but God was LORD from all eternitie and one the other part he saieth it is hard to conceive this since Dominion importeth a respect to the creatures which begane in time But if we consider well we will find that the question is rather verball then reall For clearing whereof ye are to understand that there are two things imported by the Dominion of God The first which is the chief and principall is his power over all things that actually are or are possible The second is a reference unto the creatures subject unto God This belongeth unto God but in time but it is nothing else then an outward secondarie respect that which is inward and principall in the Dominion of God to wit his Power was from eternitie and therfore he is truly from eternitie LORD His Dominion is grounded on his Power which is one with his essence and that is eternall Neither is it the creatures that actually are who alone are subject to him Even the things that are not at under his Dominiō he calleth the things that are not as if they were They obey his commandement and commandement presupposeth Dominion by vertue whereof it hath power Thus the Dominion of God was from all eternitie Secondly It we look to following ages this Dominion and Kingdome endureth after them to all eternitie This is true both of Gods Kingdome generally and particularly considered That is the Kingdome of his Power as it is called by which he commandeth and ruleth all things It is certaine this Kingdome shall never end for God shal ever have supreame power over things that are or are possible His particular Kingdome is that whereby he reigneth in his church and this also shall have no end Hence the Angell speaking of our Saviour LUKE 1. saieth Hee shall reigne in the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall be no end Wee must not think that this Kingdome of God and Christ shall end when this World endeth no it shall be most perfected and established when all other Rule Authority and Power shall be put down Here it is the kingdome of grace God ruling in the hearts of his servants by his Spirit grace hereafter it shall be the kingdome of Glory wherein the glory of Gods Wisdome Mercie and Power shall be manifested in the eternall salvation of his own and the glory of his Power and justice shall appeare in the eternall confusion of his enemies Now the Kingdome of God is but not peaceable now his enemies are overcome but not wholly rooted out and trampled under foot Sathan remaineth yet and goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may devoure Sinne and Death remain As yet there are many that rebell against the Law of God and despise his Commandements but all these enemies shall be hereafter rooted out Sathan with his angels shall be chained in hel and shall have no more leave to tempt Sin shall be banished also in the godly it shall not be Their flesh shall no more resist the spirit and the spirit God and the wicked shall have no more liberty to commit any new sin Death shall be rooted out by the resurrection so that we may then sing Death is swallowed up in victorie O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victorie Lastly wicked men the rebels of this great KING and disobedient to his Will shall be subjected to eternal pains against their will whereas the servants of God shall be advanced to the participation of his eternall glory Thus this his Kingdome shall be Eternal and not only so in respect of himself but also in respect of his servants Feare not little flock saith our Saviour it is your Father will to give you a kingdom To him that overcometh will I give saith he Rev. 3. to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne Come yee blessed of my Father shall he say at the last day and receive the kingdome prepared for you c. This much of the Eternitie of the Kingdome of God I come now to the uses of the Doctrine First The consideration of this Eternitie of God his Kingdome should teach us to disesteeme the things of this World which are but fraile and momentanie suppose they endured never so long yet at last they have an end and when that end is come they are as though they had never been Put the case thou had all the riches and pleasures and honours and dominions of the World yet these should end and being ended leave thee nothing but a sad and sorrowfull remembrance of them and the more sad and bitter the more sweet and deare they were to thee when thou had them I will yet say more these things not only have an end but also end suddenly to us Their continuance is most uncertaine and short All our enjoying of them is grounded upon this mortall life and how fraile that is wee know by experience and S. Jam. teacheth us Chap. 4. Go to now saeth he yee that say to morrow wee will go to such a City and continue a year and buy and sell and get gain And yee know not what shall be to morrow for what is your life but a vapour that appeareth for a little whyle and then vanisheth away Now the life being ended all this World endeth to us That which our Saviour saieth of the soule I may say of the body also What profite is it to a man to gaine the whole World if he losse his bodily life More our health is more uncertaine then life and without it we can enjoy no worldly thing Take health from a man what availe all the treasures of the earth Set the most daintie dishes before him they are loathsome Bring his Wife children friends unto him their sight is often grievous Let him remember his former pleasures it breedeth nothing but bitternesse In a word What is the whole man but as it were an earthen vessel which God in whose hand is a rod of Iron is able to dash in pieces when he will Albeit an earthen vessel were never so pleasant painted perfumed adorned with flowers a crown set upon it yet if it be stricken with a rod of Iron it goeth in pieces so it fareth with these earthen vessels of our bodies Though we had the vigour and strength of youth the prudence of the aged the knowledge and eloquence of the learned the treasures of the rich if God but touch us with his rod it is enough to beat us to powder Why then should we set our hearts upon these things that
also hurtfull whereas imploying our time aright we might treasure up to our selves a good fundatiō against the time to come to lay hold upon eternall life Secondly This should teach us not only to abstain from vain things but also earnestly to apply our hearts to the doing of these things which may further us to the obtaining of this eternall Kingdom Wee cannot come to this glorious Kingdome unlesse GOD reigne here in our hearts by his Grace and Spirit moving us to subject our selves to his Will and Commandements Who had better right to the Kingdom of God thē his own chosen and peculiar people the Jews They are called the children of the Kingdom Math. 8. 11. The promise of it was made to them The means of attaining it were so liberally offered unto them that they were in a manner already in possession of it and yet our Saviour sayeth That many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Whereas the children of the Kingdome shall be cast out To wit for disobedience to the will of God When they ceased to hallow the Name of God saieth S. CYPRIAN God continued his Kingdome no longer with them Let us not therfore flatter our selves with a vain hope of this Kingdom if wee walk not in the high way of wel-doing which leadeth unto it If God reign not in our hearts by his Grace here we shal never reign hereafter in Glory with him Good reason it should be so If we do otherwayes we but advance the Kingdome of Sathan his enemie what is drunknesse whordom malice pride oppression c. But the pillars of the devils kingdom when we follow after these things we set up his thron in our hearts howsoever we professe our selves to belong to the Kingdome of God say daylie with our mouths Let thy Kingdome come No wonder therefore that he deprive such of his Kingdome and give them their portion with him whose subjects or rather slaves they have been The Lord make us mindfull of these thing that for the merits of Christ Iesus to whom c. A SERMON UPON the XXVI Chap. of ISAIAH Vers 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Vers 4. Trust yee in the Lord for ever for in the Lord IEHOVAH is everlasting strength THese words are a part of a song endyted by Gods Spirit to ISAIAH and delivered by him to the people of God not only for the comfort of them who were then but also for the comfort of all them who in following ages should bee in like manner distressed The PROPHET had foreseen and had foretold also that great calamities were to come upon the people of the Jews then Gods Church Namly that they should be lead in captivitie to Babylon there should be forced to endure what the furie of a cruel enemie pleased to inflict The consideration of this before it came to pass much more the feeling of it afterwards might have swallowed up that people with griefe dispair Therfore the holy PROPHET endyts to thē this song of thanksgiving not only that they might praise God after this māner when they should be delivered but also that in the time of their distresse their hearts might bee comforted and strengthned by the gracious Promises set down here their childrē might be brought up in this hope both the one the other though banished and as it were dead men might espy as it were Light in Darknes and Life in Death that their comfort might be the more full He praiseth God he she weth Gods gracious Purpose towards his people instructeth them what to do and exhorteth them to the performance of these duties which were required upon their part to make them partakers of the Promises All this he setteth down be way of a song that it might be the more easily learned the more firmly retained the better remarked by all posteritie There is nothing in holy scripture which is not excellent both for matter and words But the songs of it especially excell and of this kind there is none in all ISAIAH but this and that of HEZEKIAH in the 38. chap. for that which is called a song in the 5. chap. though it have the matter yet hath it not the forme and style of a song as this and that other before mentioned This much shortly for the generall I am come now to the words Thou will keep him c. In these words first is set down a gracious promise with an eye to the calamitees of the Jews that wer shortly to ensue as was said Thou wilt keep him c. 2. we have an exhortation to them and to all the godly to put their confidence alwayes in God Trust ye in the Lord Jehovah for ever c. To returne to the first we have in it first the benefit promised to wit That God will keep in perfect peace secondly the description of them whom he will so preserve even them whose mind is stayed on him that trust in him For thou wilt keep him c. First a little of the words then of the matter The words are pregnant peace is doubled in the originall Thou wilt keep him in peace peace c. In the hebrew language Peace is used to signifie not only that which we call so but also the aboundance and affluence of all the good which we can wish the word is redoubled in this place to signifie the Greatnes or Perfection the Continuance and Perpetuetie of this Peace Secondly it is not said only that God will give this peace but that he will keep a man in it and the word is pregnant signifying to preserve to defend to confirme that every way the joy of the godly may be full But let us now come to the matter First Peace is promised Peace is all that which a man desireth All the endevours all the actions of men bend to this even of them who are most turbulent by fire sword they seek for that Peace which is pleasant in their eyes Everie one that followeth his own will doeth or undoeth what seemeth good to him persueth after preferment riches pleasurs but seeking Peace and Rest which he imagines he will obtain when he gets that which he desireth Wherefore doth the greedie man toile and tormoile day and night but that he may say in end with the Rich man in the gospell Soul take thy rest thou hast much laid up c In a word the desires of our souls ar as it wer their motions and their Love their weight whereby they are still poused and moved in the persure and seeking of that which will give them Rest and Peace which if they could obtaine they should be happie for let the heart of man have once true Peace and Rest and it needs no more But what