A Crucifixe Ephe. 5. 2. He hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering The good Politician directed Math. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents The way home Math. 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dreame Semper Idem Hebr. 13. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday Gods bounty Prou. 3. 16. Length of dayes is in her right hand The lost are found Luke 19. 10. For the Sonne of man is come to seeke A Generation of Serpents Psal. 58. 4. Their poyson is like the poyson of Serpents Heauen made sure Psal. 35. 3. Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation The Soules refuge 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according The end of the Contents THE HAPPINES OF THE CHVRCH HEBR. 12. Ver. 22. But ye are come vnto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing GOD the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels 23. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust men made perfect 24. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel THEY that make comparisons alteram partem deprimunt vt res alterius emineant debase the one part that they may aduance the honour of the other Our Apostle abates the glory of the Law that he may giue more glory where it is more deserued to the Gospell For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glory The summe of the comparison is spent in these three generalls 1. There were Omnia terrena et externa all things outward and sauouring of earth ver 18. A Mount that might still be touched c. Here all Interna et coelestia spirituall and heauenly 2. There are all Obscura et caliginosa darke and difficult Blacknesse darknes c. Here all Clara et illustria cleare and conspicuous therfore the Prophet called Christ Solem Iustitiae The Sun of Righteousnesse and Iohn Baptist stiled him That light which lightens euery one comming into the world 3. There all were Terribilia fearefull and amazing not onely to the people ver 19. who intreated that the Word should not bee spoken to them any more But euen to Moses ver 21. So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Here all Amabilia et laeta louely as Rachel delightfull as Musike the Gospel is called the Message of peace Our Apostle therefore preacheth a double quantity in the Gospell Magnitudinem Gloriae multitudinem gratiae the greatnes of Glory to worke in vs reuerence the multitude of Grace to worke in vs loue obedience The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Christ Iesus The excellency of Christ aboue Moses is exemplified in the third Chapter of this Epistle Moses verily was faithfull in all Gods house as a seruant But Christ as a Sonne ouer his owne house c. To the words the parts are generally two the Accesse and the Obiect First for the Accesse Yee are come What on your own feet without a Guide No Accessistis hoc est fide Euangelica perducti estis Yee are come that is yee are brought by the faith of the Gospel There is one that brings you God euery person in the blessed Trinity It is Opus Patris No man can come except the Father draw him Opus Filij Draw me we will runne after thee Opus spiritus sancti Let thy good spirit lead me into the Land of righteousnes Man is by nature in Zedechias case blind and lame Blind Non inuenisset viam nisi via inuenisset eum vnlesse the vvay had found him he could neuer haue found the way Lame he may know that the Temple of heauen hath a beautiful gate Grace but cannot come thither till God brings him loo sen his stupified ioynts and put into his hand the Almes of mercy This done he may enter into the Temple walking and leaping and praising GOD. Thus first he giues the Soule eyes vnderstanding then feet gracious affections and now expects that he should come God hath not so done all for thee that thou shouldest doe nothing for thy selfe A Deo sine te factus à te fine Deo infectus A Christo sine te refectus non à te fine Christo nec à Christo sine te perfectus God did create thee without thy selfe thou didst lose thy selfe without God without thy selfe Christ did redeeme thee but neither thy selfe without Christ nor Christ without thy selfe shall perfect thee Potest Dominus inueniri adueniri non praeueniri There may be a finding of God a comming to God but no preuenting of God Haue faith Hee that commeth to God must belieue and that of thine owne for there is no comming on anothers foote Thus that we might come to Christ Christ came to vs. Non de coelo merita nostra sed peccata traxerunt Not our merits but our maladies drew that great Physician from heauen to vs. Yee are not comming but come it is rather a time perfectly past then expectantly future Which plainely demonstrates that this is a description of the Church in her militant estate so well as triumphant Indeed either hath a relation to other a communion to other and the inestimable priuiledges of them both are wrapped vp together The connexion of Glory to Grace is so infallible that they often change names Heauen is called the kingdome of Holinesse and Holinesse is called the kingdome of Heauen Yee are saued by hope and Hee that belieueth hath euerlasting life and is passed from death to life So sure as if they were already in Heauen So Paul Our conuersation is in heauen from vvhence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. The obiect or place of our arriual is described by many excellent and honourable titles First it is called a Mount but is there so much happinesse in that Feriunt summos fulgura montes the highest Mountaines are most danger'd to the violences of Heauen ver 18. There was a Mount burning with fire This is no Mountaine of danger or terror but Sion safe pleasant delightfull Sion the ioy of the whole earth the beloued of GOD the Iohn that leaned on the bosome of Christ. The Lord loues the gates of Sion better then all the dwellings of Iacob But though a Mount though Mount Sion yet it might be a solitary and vnfrecuented Hill like that whereunto the Diuell tooke Christ and shewed him the kingdomes of the world vvhere a man can onely see glory not enioy it Or like that mount Nebo or top of Pisgah whereon Moses might onely stand and behold the Land of Canaan Not so but on this Mount there stands a City a populous Citie and full of buildings like that wherein Christ
shall manumit and set free our soules from the prison of the body there shal be a second meeting Many haue come from east from west farre remote in place and haue met with Abraham and Isaac and the holy Patriarches which liued long before them in this world in the kingdome of heauen So already in Mount Sion are the Spirits of iust men made perfect The purer part is then glorified and meets with the triumphant Church in blisse This meeting exceeds the former in comfort 1. In respect that our miseries are past our conflict is ended teares are wiped from our eyes The very release from calamitie is not a litle felicitie So Austin meditates of this place negatiuely Non est ibi mors non luctus c. There is no death nor dearth no pining nor repining no sorrow nor sadnes neither teares nor feares defect nor lothing No glory is had on earth without grudging emulation in this place there is no enuie Non erit aliqua inuidia disparis claritatis quum regnabit in omnibus vnitas charitatis None sâ—…all malice anothers glorious clearnesse when in all shall be one gratious dearenesse God shall then giue rest to our desires In our first meeting we haue Desiderium quietis in this second Quietem desiderij Here we haue a desire of rest there we shall haue rest of desire 2. In regard that we shall see God behold him whose glory filleth all in all This is great happinesse for in his presence is the fullnesse of ioy at his right hand are pleasures for euer We shall not only meete with the spirits of iust men made perfect but also with him that made them iust and perfect Iesus the mediatour of the new couenant euen God himselfe 3 Our last meeting which is called the Generall assembly and Church of the first borne written in heauen is the great meeting at the end of the world When our re-vnited bodies soules shall possesse perfect glory and raigne with our Sauiour for euer When as no mountayne or rocke shall shelter the wicked from doome terrour so no corruption detayne one bone or dust of vs from glory We shal be caught vp together in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall we be euer with the Lord. Who We. There is a time when the elect shall meete in one vniuersalitie Though now weare scattered all ouer the broad face of the earth dispersed and distressed yet we shall meet There is now a Communion of Saints 1. As of all the members with the Head all haue interest in Christ. For he is not a garden flower priuate to few but the Rose of Sharon and the Lillie of the valleys common to the reach of all faythfull hands So Iude calls this our common saluation 2. So of one member with another euen of the Church triumphant with this militant They sing Hosanna's for vs we Halleluia's for them they pray to God for vs we prayse God for them For the excellent graces they had on earth and for their present glory in heauen We meete now in our affections to solace one another and serue our God there is a mutuall sympathie betweene the parts If one member suffer all suffer with it But this meeting shal be voyd of passion and therfore needlesse of compassion though loue shall remaine for euer This Instruction is full of comfort We part here with our parents children kinred friends death breakes off our societie yet there shall be a day of meeting Comfort one another with these wordes Hast thou lost a wife brother child you shall one day meete though not with a carnall distinction of sexe or corrupt relation which earth afforded No man carries earth to heauen with him the same body but transfigured purified glorified There shall be loue hereafter not the offals of it A wife shall be knowne not as a wife there is no marriage but the Lambes Thou shalt reioyce in thy glorified brother not as thy brother according to the flesh but as glorified It is enough that this meeting shall affoord more ioy then we haue knowledge to expresse This giues thee consolation dying with griefe thou leauest those thou dearely louest Yet first thou art going to one whose loue is greater then Ionathans that gaue his life to redeeme thee And well pondering the matter thou art content to forsake all to desire a dissolution that thou mayest be with Christ. Yet this is not all thou shalt againe meet those whom thou now departest from and that with greater ioy then thou hast left in present sorow This comforts vs all if it be a pleasure for friends to meet on earth where Satan is still scattering his troubles of dissention what is it to meete in heauen where our peace is free from distraction from destruction where if there be any memorie of past things meminisse iunabit it shall rather delight vs to thinke of the miseries gone and without feare of returning It is some delight to the merchant to sitte by a quiet fire and discourse the escaped perills of wrackes and stormes Remoue then your eyes from this earth whether you be rich for whom it is more hard or poore for whom it is easier and know it is better liuing in heauen together then on earth together So then run your race that in the end you may meet with this blessed societie the Congregation of Saints in glory We yea All we In this world we must neuer looke to see an vniuersall Church but at that generall day we shall All meete In heauen there are none but good in hell none but bad on earth both good and bad mingled together I confesse that the Church militant is the Suburbes of heauen yea called the Kingdome of heauen because the King of heauen gouernes it by his celestiall lawes but still it is but heauen vpon earth In Gods floore there is chaffe mixed with the wheat in his field cockle with corne in his net rubbish with fish in his house vessells of wrath with those of honour The Church is like the moone somtimes increasing somtimes decreasing but when it is at the full not without some spottes Now this mixture of the vngodly is suffred for two causes either that themselues may be conuerted or that others by them may be excercised Omnis malus aut ideo viuit vt corrigatur aut ideo vt per illum bonus excerceatur 1. For their owne emendation that they may be conuerted to embrace that good which they haue hated So Saul a persecutor becomes Paul a professor Mary Magdalen turpissima meretrix fit sanctissima mulier a putrified sinner a purified Saint Zacheus that had made many rich men poore will now make many poore men rich when he had payed euery man his owne and that now he iudged their owne which he had fraudulently got from them Behold halfe my goods
prescribes his iourney From Faith to vertue from vertue to knowledge from knowledge to temperance from temperance to patience c. till hee comes to enter into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ. Hence we see there is somwhat more hope of a vicious person that hath a good vnderstanding then of an vtterly darke and blind soule though he walkes vpon zealous feete Let them knovv that they will come to heauen without eyes when the wicked come out of hell without feet Which lets vs see the kind loue of the Popish Clergie to their people and how vnfainedly they desire their going to Heauen when they pluck out their eyes send them thither So they may grope for it as the Sodomites did for the dore of Lots house That which they call the Mother of Deuotion Ignorance Augustine calls Pessimā matrem the worst Mother Pessimae matris Ignorantiae pessimae itidem duae filiae sunt scilicet falfitas et Dubietas illa miserior ista miser abilior illa perniciosior ista molestior There are two euill daughters of the most euill Mother Ignorance Falshood and Doubting the former is more miserable the latter more pityable that more pernicious this more troublesome Let them that plead so impetuously their Religion authenticall from the Fathers not cum Patribus reijci◅r read the opinion of a great Father concerning a maine point of their doctrine Ignorance Chrysostome saies Praecedit scientiae virtutis c◅ltum knowledge of vertue must euer goe before deuotion For no man can earnestly affect the good he knowes not and the euill whereof he is ignorant hee feares not So that true loue to good and hatred to euill cannot occurre to a heart nescient of them both For Scientia conscientiam dirigit conscientia scientiam perficit Knowledge rectifies conscience so well as conscience perfits knowledge Con must euer be in composition and so kindly vniting knowledge to deuotion there ariseth Conscience If they allow not then their people eyes they may as well lame their feet and so send them like the Syrian band in stead of Dothan to Samaria They say This is not the way to heauen nor is this the Citie of life follow me I will bring you to the man Iesus Christ whom yee seeke But he led them to Samaria 2. This reprehends a common fashion of many Auditors When the Preacher beginnes to analyse his Text and to open the points of doctrine to informe the vnderstanding they lend him very cold attention That part of the Sermon is spent in slumber as if it concern'd vs not But when he comes to apply his conclusions and to driue home the vse of his inferences by application then they beginne to rouse vp themselues and lend an eare of diligence As if they had onely need to haue their hearts warmed and not to haue their minds warned enlightned with knowledge But alas no eyes no saluation Your affections are stirred in vaine without a precedent illumination of your soules You must know to doe before you can doe what you know And indeed hee that attends onely to exhortation and not to instruction seemes to build more vpon mans zeale then Gods Word Both doe well together attend to the Doctrine and suffer also the Word of exhortation that you may haue both cleare eyes and sound feete those which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder I come from the Situation to the Qualification Of this spirituall eye enlightned For this blessing the Apostle prayes to the Father of lights from whom comes euery good and perfect gift from him and from him onely comes this grace of Illumination Mans mind is not onely darke but darknesse till the Spirit of knowledge light on him and lighten him Though Zedekiah was in Nebuchadnezzars Court that great Monarch newly deliuerd of his monstrous ambition to whom all the glories and pleasures of the world came a gossiping yet hee saw none of this pompe and magnificence his eyes vvere wanting So blind Samson among the merry Philistins saw none of their rich apparrell costly cheere and glorious triumphs When the naturall man comes into the Temple among the Cōgregation of Gods Saints his soule is not delighted with their prayers praises psalmes and seruice he sees no comfort no pleasure no content in their actions True he doth not hee cannot for his vnderstanding is not inlightned to see the hope of their calling and the glorious riches which the Spirit of grace and consolation sheds into them Hee sees no whit into the awfull Maiestie of God filling all with his glorious presence and ruling all euents with his prouidence euen disposing euill to his glory Nothing of the beautie mercy pitie of his Sauiour sitting at the right hand of his Father not his Highnesse being in heauen nor yet his Nighnesse to his brethren on earth Nothing of Mount Sion the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem not of the company of innumerable Angels nor of the generall assembly and company of the first borne which are written in Heauen not of God the Iudge of all nor of the spirits of iust men made perfect nor of Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament nor the bloud of sprinkling that speaks better things then that of Abel What more then a world of happinesse doth this mans eye not see Hereupon wee call a meere foole a naturall The worldlings haue esteemed and misnamed Christians Gods fooles but wee know them the fooles of the world The greatest Philosopher is but a sot to the weakest Christian therefore Philosophy vnbaptized vvith grace is said to be monoculate to haue but one eye and that is of naturall Reason a left eye of the soule But the Christian hath two eyes the left eye of Reason whereby he may see into the secrets of nature as farre as the Philosopher and the right eye of faith which the other wanting cannot conceiue the mystery of godlinesse This mysterie to him is but like a high candle to a blind man God onely then must giue Salomon wisedome and to his Father a knowledge aboue his Teachers If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God The first Character our forefathers taught vs was Christs Crosse. Our first spelling lesson In the Name of the Father c. To teach vs that euen all humane knowledge much more diuine is deriued from Gods fountaine There are two reasons why we must all begge of God for our selues as Paul did for his Ephesians this grace of Illumination 1. Our spirituall blindnesse came vpon vs by Gods iust curse for our sinnes As the Philistins put out Samsons eyes for his many mischiefes done them so GOD on farre greater cause blinded Adam and his perpetuall issue He had pure and good knowledge but because his ambition was appetere prohibitum to desire that was forbidden his punishment was perdere concessum to lose that hee had
that herafter we may meete in glory I am a companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts Death may breake off for a while this gratious meeting but our glorious second meeting shall triumph ouer death it shall be Generall it shall be eternall Wherin In the vnitie A perfect vnitie is not to be expected in this life it is enough to enioy it in heauen Indeed the Church is euer but one There are threescore Queenes and fourescore concubines and virgins without number My doue my vndefiled is but one shee is the onely one of her mother Though a kingdome haue in it many shires more Citties and innumerable Townes yet is it selfe but one because one King gouernes it by one law So the Church though vniuersally dispersed is one kingdome because it is ruled by one Christ and professeth one faith There is one bodie one spirit one Lord one faith So much Vnitie now But that vnitie which is on earth may be offended in regard of the partes subiectuall to it What familie hath not complained of distraction What fraternitie not of dissention What man hath euer beene at one with himselfe There must be diuisions sayth Paul are and must be by a kind of necessitie But there is a twofolde necessitie One absolute and simple God must be iust a necessitie of infallibilitie The other exhypothesi or of consequence as this there must be heresies Satan will be an aduersarie man will be proued a necessitie vpon presupposition of Satans malice mans wickednesse But woe vnto them by whom offences come we know not the hurt we bring by our diuisions Thus sayth the Lord of Hostes. Zach. 8. Loue the truth and peace Some loue peace well but they care not for truth These are secure worldlings let them alone in their sinnes and you would not wish quieter men Pacem quaerunt Pietatem fugiunt they seeke peace but they flie righteousnesse as if they would disvnite those things which God hath ioyned together righteousnesse and peace Righteousnesse and peace shall kisse each other Others loue truth well but not peace Let them fabricke a Church out of their own braines or rather a discipline to manage it and they will keepe within verges of the maine truth They cannot be content to haue good milke but they must chuse their spoone to eate it with They are wanton children and worthy the rod of correction let them be whipt onely discipline may mend them I would our eyes could see what hurt the breach of vnitie doth vs. Scilurus his arrowes taken singly out of the sheafe are broken with the least finger the whole vnseuered bundle feares no stresse We haue made our selues weaker by dispersing our forces Euen the encouraged Atheist walkes to Church in the lane of our diuisions and is still no lesse an Atheist then the deuill was a deuill when he stood among the sonnes of God It is the nature of our controuersies to fight peremptorily at both ends whiles truth and pietie is left in the middle and neglected Whiles men haue contended about the body of Religion some haue thought it quite dead as no doubt Moses body was when the Archangell disputed with the Deuill about it As one sayd of his Donatists Betwixt our Licet and your Non licet many soules stagger and excuse their irresolution by our want of peace Indeed this is euentually one good effect of many controuerted poynts the way is cleansed for others though not for themselues Theeues falling out true men come by their goods Two flints beaten together sparkles out fire and by the wrastling of two poisons the health is preserued So are some vnited to the truth by these diuisions of peace But others are more vnsetled they condemne all for the dissension of some our comfort is God doth not so The diuisions of a few and that about the huske of Religion Ceremonie cannot redound to the condemnation of a whole Church In Gods iudgement it shall not we must care little if in theirs Doe not we know that Satan by his good will would allowe vs neither Truth nor Peace but if we must haue one will he not labour to detaine the other If he can keepe vs from Truth he cares not much to allow vs peace The wicked haue securitie the deuill lets them alone What fowler sets his ginnes for tame birds that will come gently to his hand But if we embrace the truth then haue at our peace Shall the Prince of darknesse bee quiet when his Captiues breake loose from him The good are soonest tempted Inuidia fertur in magnos It was the king of Syria his command to his 32. captaines Fight neither with small nor great saue only with the King of Israell It is the Deuils charge to his souldiers fight against none but the godly that fight against mee Dauid was safe among his sheepe and Moses leading a priuate life No man layes snares for his owne birds nor the Deuil for such as are taken captiue by him at his will But pax conscientiae is bellum Satanae and this iust warre is better then an vniust peace Let all this giue condemnation to peace-haters and commendation to peace-louers There are some quite gone not diuerse but aduerse to vs with these warre and no peace for they haue no peace with Christ. Sinewes cut in sunder can neuer be knitte nor can there be Integralis vnitas in solutione continui They will be gone let them goe I would we were as well ridde of all those whose soules hate vnitie The Christians of of the first age were nether Albinians nor Nigrians the report of faction was scarce heard Athanasius on whose shoulder our mother the Church leaned in her sharpest persecution to take her rest reioyced that though the aduersary hate was violent the loue of brethren was sound Peter was commanded to put vp his sword euen when Christ was at his elbow to heale the greatest wound he could make why doe we smite and hurt that haue not such meanes of cure King Richard the holy warriour hauing taken a Bishop in coate-armour in the field was requested by the Pope calling him his Sonne to release him The King sent not him but his coate to the Pope and asked him An haec esset Filij sui tunica whether this was his sonnes coate alluding to the coate of Ioseph which his brethren brought to their Father The ashamed Pope answers Nec his Sonnes vndertakes wit conscience prepares scrupâ—… and Peace suffers And now 〈◊〉 â—…hey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnum but 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ake their malice on but to dissolue and vndoe the vnited strength of all â—…her the sceâ—…r must stoope to the miter or no peace Betweene the rootes of Iudah and Leui by Moses law the separations and distances were 〈◊〉 â—…de that neither need to crosse anothers walke nor 〈◊〉 â—…clipse anothers dignitie The rod of Moseâ—… was
sayth Christ my workes beare witnesse of me We may thus vnderstand God ex operibus his actions preach his will 3. God speakes by his Sonne Hebr. 1. God who at sundry times and in diuers manners spake in tâ—…me past vnto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daves spoken vnto vs by his Sonne Hee is therefore called the Word Ioh. 1 The sacred Scriptures and sayings of the Prophets giuen by the inspiration of God for no prophecie is of private interpretation it came not by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost are called Verbum Domini the word of the Lord. But to distinguish God the Sonne from those words he is after an eminent sort called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word or That excellent word As also hee is called not a light but That light not a lambe but â—…hat lambe Not a vocall word formed by the tongue beating the aire for hee was before eyther sound or aire But the mentall and substantiall word of his Father but Ipse Paterâ—… 〈◊〉 effigies lumenque a lumine vero According to that of Paul The brightnesse of his glory and expresse image of his person 4. GOD speakes by his Scriptures Whatsoever things were writen aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Scripta sunt they are written Things that go onely by take or tradition meete with such variations augmentations abbreuiations corruptions false glosses that as in a Lawyers pleading Truth is lost in the Quaere for her Related thinges wee are long in getting quicke in forgetting Therefore God commanded his law should be written Litera scripta manet Thus God doth effectually speake to vs. Many good wholesome instructions haue drop'd from humane pennes to lesson and direct man in goodnesse But there is no promise giuen to any word to conuert the soule but to Gods word Without this Antiquitie is noueltie Noueltie subtletie Subtletie death Theologia Scholastica multis modis sophistica Schoole Diuinitie is little better then meere Sophistrie Plus argutiarum quam doctrine plus doctrina quà m vsus It hath more quicknesse then soundnesse more fauce then meate more difficultie then doctrine more doctrine then vse This Scripture is the Perfect and Absolute rule Bellarmine acknowledgeth two thinges requireable in a Perfect Rule Certaintie and Evidence If it bee not certaine it is no Rule if it bee not euident it is no rule to vs. Onely the Scripture is both in truth and euidence a perfect rule Other writings may haue canonicall veritie the Scripture onely hath canonicall authoritie Others like oile may make cheerefull mans countenance but this like Bread strengthens his heart This is the absolute Rule And as many as walke according to this Rule peace be on them and mercie and vppon the Israel of God O that wee had hearts to blesse GOD for this mercie that the Scriptures are among vs and that not sealed vp vnder an vnknowne tongue The time was when a deuout Father was glad of a piece of the new Testament in English when he tooke his little Sonne into a corner and with ioy of soule heard him reade a chapter so that euen Children became Fathers to their Fathers and begate them to CHRIST Now as if the commonnesse had abated the worth our Bibles lie dusty in the windowes it is all if a Sunday-handling quite them from perpetuall obliuion Few can read fewer do reade fewest of all read as they should God of his infinite mercie lay not to our charge this neglect 5. GOD speakes by his Ministers expounding and opening to vs those Scriptures These are Legati a latere dispencers of the mysteries of heauen Ambassadors for CHRIST as if God did beseech you through vs so wee pray you in Christs stead that you would be reconciled to God This voice is continually sounding in our Churches beating vpon our eares I would it could pierce our consciences and that our liues would eccho to it in an answerable obedience How great should be our thankfullnesse God hath delt with vs as hee did with Eliah The Lord passed by and a great strong wind rent the mountaines and brake in pieces the rockes before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind After the wind came an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake After the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire And after the fire a still voyce and the Lord came with that voyce After the same manner hath God done to this Land In the time of K. Henry 8. there came a great and mightie Wind that rent downe Churches ouerthrew Altarages impropriated from Ministers their liuings that made Lay-men substantiall Parsons and Clergie men their vicar-shadowes It blew away the rights of Leui into the lappe of Issachar a violent wind but God was not in that wind In the dayes of King Edward the sixt there came a terrible Earthquake hideous vapours of Treasons and conspiracies rumbling from Rome to shake the foundations of that Church which had now left off louing the Whore and turned Antichrist quite out of his saddle Excommunications of Prince and people execrations and curses in their tetricall formes with Bell Booke and Candle Indulgences Bulls Pardons promises of heauen to all traytors that would extâ—…rpate such a King and kingdome a Monstrous earthquake but GOD was not in the Earthquake In the dayes of Queene Mary came the Fire an vnmercifull fire such a one as was neuer before kindled in England and wee trust in Iesus Christ neuer shall be againe It raged against all that professed the Gospell of Christ made bonefires of silly women for not vnderstanding that their ineffable mysterie of Transubstantiation burnt the mother with the child Boner and Gardiner those hellish bellowes that set it on flaming A raging and insatiable fire but God was not in that fire In the dayes of Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie came the still voyce saluting vs with the songs of Sion and speaking the comfortable things of Iesus Christ and GOD came with his voyce This sweete and blessed voyce is still continued by our Gracious Soueraigne GOD long preserued him with it and it with him and vs all with them both Let vs not say of this blessing as Lot of Zoar Is it not a litle one nor bee weary of Manna with Israel lest GODS voyce grow dumbe vnto vs and to our woe wee heare it speake no more No rather let our hearts answere with Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruants heare If wee will not heare him say to our soules I am your saluation wee shall heare him say Depart from mee I know you not So sayth wisedome Because I haue called and yee refused I will therefore laugh at your calamitie and mocke when your feare commeth The gallant promiseth himselfe many yeares and in them all to reioyce
that is called by my Name as I haue done to Shiloh It lies in the power of sinne to make the most blessed places accursed God turnes a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabitants that dwell therein Ciuitatis euersio morum non murorum casus The ruine of a Citie is not the breach of the walls but the apostacie of manners Were our Fences stronger then the seuen-folde walls of Babylon the sinnes within would hurle downe the Bulwarkes without If there be Prauilegium among vs there is no Priuilegium for vs. This Sion then stands not on earthly foundations for at the generall dissolution the earth with all the workes in it Cities Castles Townes Towres shall be burnt vp If it were built on a saâ—…dy foundation when the raine the flouds and windes shall conspire against it it would fall and the fall of it would be great But Sion is built on Christ Behold I say in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious he that beleeueth on him shall not be confounded This is conspicuous by the Antithesis of Mount Sion with the Gospell to Mount Sinai with the Law The Apostlecals that montem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mount that might be touched if this had beene vpon earth it had also beene contrectabilis touchable but it is onely spirituall Hee alludes to Gods Prophesies and Promises Euangelium proditurum de monte Sion that the Gospel should come out of Mount Sion This is manifest to those that will consider and conferre these places Obad. vers 21. Esa. 2. 3. Mie 4. 2. Come let vs goe vp to the Mount of the Lord for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of God from Ierusalem Esa. 59. 20. with Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Sion the Deliuerer and shall turne away vngodlinesse from Iacob Sinai gaue thraldome by Moses Sion giues freedome and saluation by Iesus These two words giue vs two comforts of grace Fortitudinem quia mons Beatitudinem quia mons Sion Securitie because it is a mountaine Felicity because it is Mount Sion 1. Heere is considerable the validity and strength of grace that comes by Christ we are not built in a valley but on a mount A mountaine hath euer beene held the place of safety I said in my prosperity I shall neuer be moued What is his reason Lord thou of thy fauour hast made my mountaine so strong But alas what are all the mountaines of the earth to mount Sion Woe to them that trust in the mountaines of Samaria The prophane Edomite stands on his mountain and derides the iudgement of God The Syrians thought God only Deum montium a God of the mountaines It was vpon the high mountaine that Israel played the harlot Many sit on their mountains and giue defiance to heauen The couetous mans mountaine is his riches there he thinkes himselfe safe Soule rest thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeares The ambitious mans mountaine is his honour and who dares finde fault with so promontorious a celsitude yes Euery mountaine shall be brought low Sensualitie is the voluptuous mans mountaine there he refugeth himselfe against all reproofes But when the iudgements of God shall come vpon the earth in vaine they shal cry to the mountaines Fallon vs and to the hills Couer vs. As neyther against the waters in the former Deluge so nor against the fire in the latter dissolution shall the mountaines defend onely this Mount Sion shall saue vs. The mountaine of worldly confidence hath not more strength of defending against the assaults of men then danger of exposing to the violences of heauen Heere is the difference betwixt the worldlings building and the Christians 1. They thinke themselues onely to build high aspiring to an equality with mountaines and as low builders poore deiected and reiected creatures But indeed they build low for all sublunary things are low buildings onely he that builds on this Mount Sion builds high and sure when all oppositions and aduersary forces haue done their worst he stands firme like Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth fast for euer The Wise mans mind is euer aboue the Moone yea aboue the Sun What turbulencies soeuer be in the world all is peace there In my Fathers house there are many mansions In domo it is a house not a Tabernacle Of my Father for if he hath afforded such a house for his enemies how glorious is that he hath reserued for himselfe and his friends Patris mei saith Christ My Father your Father is able to giue you a cottage for your short life My Father giues a house for euer There are Mansions à manendo not moueable tents but mansions Many enow for all none shall be troubled for want of elbow-roome Therefore let all Mountaines stoope to this The mountaine of the Lord shall be established in the top of mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hills and all Nations shal flowe vnto it This is Gods Mountaine who hath chosen of all Nations Israel of all Tribes Iuda of all Cities Ierusalem of all Temples that of Salomon of all Mountaines Mount Sion 2. The worldlings thinke this Mountaine is but a dreame because they cannot see it nor touch it But our Apostle sayes it is intrectabilis it cannot be touched with earthly fingers no profane feet must tread in those holy Courts Naturall mens vnderstandings are led by their senses Plus oculo quà m oraculo they will belieue no further then they see Giue mee good cheare sayes the Epicure this I can see and taste and tell not me of your spirituall banket in heauen Giue me good liquour sayes the Drunkard the bloud of the grape this giues colorem saporem odorem colour to the eye sauour to the palate odour to the sent heauen hath no Nectar like this Giue me honour saith the Ambitious which may aduaunce me that from this Mountaine of preferment I may ouerlooke the inferiour world and behold vassals prostrate to my Celsitude this I can feele and see tel not me of your inuisible kingdome and Such honour haue all his Saints Giue mee gorgeous apparell sayes the proud this vvill make me admir'd giue me admission among the great ones tell not me of our Robe of Glory Giue me gold saies the Couetous this I can see it is my Sunne by day and my Moone by night I can spend my time delightfully in telling feeling treasuring this neuer tell me of your treasure in heauen Well if there be no remedy but Sense must be your Religion and this world your God take your choise these grosse palpable things trust you in these Mountaines but Lord giue vs this Mount Sion which our Lord Iesus Christ hath established for vs. Now sith we are built vpon a Mountaine let vs know that we are conspicuous all the world takes notice of vs. The faithfull
that hee hath in all things But to shew that the Almighty God being tied to no meanes doth yet worke by meanes to vphold the weakenesse of our natures A Prince sees his little children besieged and sends his stronger sonnes able souldiers to relieue them Their helpe to vs is certaine though not visible we cannot describe it nor prescribe it but vvee feele it in the successe they preserue vs. Against the Syrian band the mountaine was full of horses and charets of fire to defend Elisha Neither is this all but to manifest his abundant goodnesse to mankind What is man O Lord or the sonne of man that thou so gardest and regardest him They are dust and vanity and rottennesse yet the Lord sends his glorious Angels his Pages of honour and Princes of his Court for their messengers and ministers As if a King should not onely giue his subiect a charter and Patent of safe conduct but also sends his own gard to attend him So the Lord honors vs with his own gard royall through Iesus Christ. 3. To enemies not for their safety but for the execution of Gods iudgements on them The huge Armie of Senacherib was ouerthrowne by an Angel Indeed they will not the destruction of any man further then the Iustice of God ordaines it But sometimes they are sent out for the protection of the very wicked so Daniel speakes of the Grecians Angel and of the Persians Angel The Romists allot a particular tutelar Angel to euery Colledge and Corporation yea to the generation of flies fleas and ants yea to euery Infidell kingdome such an Angel yea to Antichrist lastly euen to hell it selfe Sure then they vvill not pinch themselues they appoynt to the Pope two principall Seraphims Michael and Gabriel euer attending his Person For that Michael is the chiefest Victorellus produceth two very equall witnesses the Roman Liturgie and Tasso's Ierusalem as a worthy Diuine obserued To the Conclaue they assigne one speciall assistant Angel But mee thinks as they Ideate their Hierarchy this Angel should desire the roome and become a suter to the holy Ghost to name him Pope in the next Conclaue For by this meanes hee doth wonderfully enlarge his Diocesse hauing all the lower world vnder him all particular Angels of speciall Societies subiect to him yea all the Archangels and Principalities officed to seueral Estates must concurre to his gard and assistance The truth is God sometimes allowes the help of Angels to the very reprobates but to this scope purpose Populs sui promouere salutem to further the welfare of his owne people For all the atchieuements and victories which come to the heathen by helpe of Angels are intended not for their good but the good of the Saints It is for the Sonne of Gods sake they minister to vs and to none do they performe these comfortable seruices but to the Elect in Iesus Christ. Thus you see what these Angels are now let vs consider how many An innumerable company The originall is Myriades Myrias is tenne thousand innumerable a finite number is put for an indefinite Thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand times ten thousand stoode before him I heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throue and the number of them vvas tenne thousand times tenne thousand and thousands of thousands Gregory thinks there are so many Angels as there are Elect. Superâ—…a illa ciuitas ex Angelis et hominibus constat ad quam tantum credimus humanum genus ascendere quantos illiâ—… contigit electos Angelos remansisse Vt scriptum est statuit terminos Gentium iuxta numerum Angelorum Dei So many Angels saith hee as fell from heauen so many soules shall goe vp to heauen It is a question much disputed whether besides the protection of Angels in common euery particular man haue one particular Angel for his Guardian I find many of the Fathers allotting euery one a particular Angel Isidor Singulae Gentes praepositos Angelos habere creduntur imo omnes homines Angelos suos Origen Basil Hierome Chrysostome Theophylact Gregory Nyssen Primasius Iustin Martyr Augustin most of the Schoolemen and some Protestant Diuines all conclude that euery man from his birth or especially from his Baptisme hath a particular Angel I will not dispute it yet I must doubt it because I see no cleare ground in the Scriptures to proue it The two chiefe places cited are these Math. 18. 10. Despise not these little ones for their Angels behold the face of my Father in heauen This place Caietan and others expound not that euery little one hath a peculiar guardant Angel but Omnes omnibus that all the Angels take care of all Gods little ones As the Scriptures construe it selfe All the Angels reioyce at the conuersion of one sinner The other place is Acts 12. 15. Peter being vnexpectedly deliuered out of prison came to Maries house where the Saints were gathered together Rhoda hearing his voice ranne in and told them how Peter stood at the gate They said to her Thou art mad but when shee constantly affirmed it they said It is his Angel I answere that the Disciples amazed at the strange report spake they knew not vvhat On the like reason because Peter transported in beholding Christ transfigured said Let vs build here three Tabernacles some might inferre that Saints departed dwell in Tabernacles Because the two sonnes of Zebede desired to sit one at Christs right hand the other on his left in his kingdome they might haue concluded that Christ was to be a temporall King Or because the Disciples seeing Iesus walking on the Sea in their troubled minds said It was a spirit others might proue that spirits walke Omne dictum sancti non est dictum sanctum All are not Christian truths that true Christians haue spoken Dicunt errores non Christiani sed homines they erre not as they are Christians but as they are men But it is obiected that they spake after the common opinion of men in that age Wee reply that in that age it was a common opinion that dead men walked so it appeares by Herod hearing the fame of Iesus This is Iohn the Baptist he is risen from the dead Uox populi is not euer vox Dei common errors are no rules of truth And if the place were so manifest as they could wish it why might it not rather be vnderstood thus It is his Angel that is some Angel that God hath sent for his deliuerance Sometimes many men haue but one Angel other times one man hath many Angels Exod. 14. 10. There was but one Angel for many people 2. King 6. 17. There were many Angels for one man Let vs now make some vses concerning this discourse of Angels These may be two-fold some for imitation others for application First for imitation there are three things specially to be obserued in Angels Purenesse of substance Readines of obedience
This is not to be vnderstood of offence onely giuen to the Ministers of the Church but to signifie that a woman throwing off the vaile of modestie and token of subiection to her husband doth make euen the Angels of heauen witnesses of her dissolute contumacie The Angels are present with thee when all men on the earth are absent from thee I aske thee when thou pollutest the marriage bed attemptest an homicide plottest a treason forgest a vvriting wouldest thou then haue the Angels present with thee or absent from thee If thou desirest them present why dost thou offend them by thy turpitudes If absent thy protectors are gone and the diuels would easily confound thee Nonfacias coram Angelis Dei yea coram Deo Angelorum Do not that thing before the Angels of God yea before the GOD of Angels vvhich thou wouldest shame to doe in the sight and presence of an earthly man Yet let vs marke here by the way that albeit the Angels deserue our reuerence yet they desire not our adoration Indeed the euill Angels request it it was a speciall boone which the Diuell begd of Christ to fall downe worship him But the good refuse it See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant saith the Angell to kneeling Iohn As we vsually come too short in our due reuerence to the Angels so the Papists goe too farre in vndue adoration They haue a set prayer for it Angele Dei Custos mei me tibi commissum lege superâ—…a semper rege custodi guberna This sacrilegious honour those holy spirits refuse they take no charge of such superstitious soules Accipiunt commissum non arripiâ—…nt inconcessum Honorandi non adorandi sunt Angeli Let them be honored but not adored Loue and reuerence the Angels onely worship God and Iesus Christ. 3. This declares to vs the excellent company that is in heauen Were the place lesse noble and maiesticall yet the company it affords is able to make the soule right blessed We are loth to leaue this earth for the societie of some friends in whom we delight yet wee are all subiect to mutuall dislikes Besides the meeting of those good friends againe in heauen there be also glorious Angels There is nothing in them but is amiable admirable nothing in possibilitie of changing our pleasures There thou shalt see and conuerse with those ancient Worthies Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Fathers of the Primitiue times all of them out-shining the starres where our loue shall be as eternall as is our glory There wee shall liue familiarly in the sight of those Angels whom now we receiue good from and see not Yea there is the fountaine of all felicity that Sauiour of ours whose grace onely brings vs to the blessed vision of the whole Trinitie Neither can there be a higher happinesse then the eternall fruition of Iesus Christ. Let this teach vs all to blesse our God that hath thus aduanced vs. Man is corporeall dust O that this clay of ours should come to dwel with those incorporeal spirits We shal be as the Angels of God in heauen Sicut non ipsi like Angels though not Angels in nature Communicatione spei non speciei we haue now a communion of hope with them hereafter of glory To this place O thou Creator of men Angels bring vs through Iesus Christ. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heauen Our Apostle hath spoken of the Churches glory typically and topically now he describes it materially First the Essence of it what it is The Church Secondly the Propertie of it what kind of Church it is Generall or Catholike Thirdly what are the parts of it of whom it consists Of the first borne written in Heauen The Church This word is taken in diuerse significations For the materiall Temple 1. Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church I heare there are diuisions among you For the faithfull domestikes of one Familie 1. Cor. 16. 19. Aquila and Priscilla salute you vvith the Church that is in their house For the professors of one Prouince The Church of Corinth of Ephesus c. For some famous company of Beleeuers gathered together in one place 1. Cor. 14. 4. He that prophecieth edifies the Church For an Ecclesiasticall Senate or Synode Mat. 18. 17. If he shall neglect to heare them Dic Ecclesiae tell it vnto the Church For the whole number of the Elect. Mat. 16. 18. Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church Acts 5. 11. Great feare came vpon all the Church 1. Tim. 3. 15. Which is the Church of the liuing GOD the pillar and ground of truth Here first let me premise three circumstances concerning the Church 1. Though it be a Generall Assembly yet it is but one There be threescore Queenes and fourescore Concubines and Virgins without number but my Doue my vndefiled is but one shee is the onely one of her Mother Indeed there be two parts of this One Church Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on Earth The Triumphant part is a company of Iustified spirits triumphing ouer the flesh vvorld and diuell spirits I say for bodies are not yet ascended They haue two happy priuiledges 1. To reioyce in the conquest ouer sinne and death the most righteous man liuing is in praelio in a continuall warfare But so are the other for Saint Iohn saith There was warre in Heauen This must be vnderstood of heauen on earth vvhere there is no truce with Satan Pax cum Deo bellum cum diabolo We haue peace with God but on this condition that warre with the diuell Therefore so runne the promises Uincenti dabitur To him that ouercomes shall be giuen Palmes to shew that they had been warriours are now conquerours 1. To praise God continually and to sing Amen Blessing and glory thankesgiuing and honour be vnto God for euer and euer The militant part is a company of men liuing vnder the crosse and desiring to be with Christ. They suffer and this is their way to glory through much tribulation entring into the kingdome of God They desire dissolution being willing rather to be absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord not simply and absolutely desiring death but first that they might leaue sinning and so cease to displease God and then to come neerer to their blessed Sauiour whose loue hath rauished their hearts Now this militant Church may haue many parts as the Ocean sea is but one yet distinguished according to the Regions vpon which it lies So there is the Spanish Ocean the English Ocean the German Ocean There is a Church in England a Church in France a Church in Germany yet there is but one militant Church Multa Ecclesiae vna Ecclesia saith S. Augustine One Sunne many beames one Kingdome many shires one tree many branches 2. We must note that Christ is the alone head of his
errors I beleeue saued for others Nescio quid dicere I know not what to say They haue damnable heresies as that of Free will of Merites c. yet the persons that of weakenesse defend them may be saued God pardons euen wilfull errors if they be truly repented Therefore I belieue that many of our forefathers went to Heauen though through blindnesse Now indeede they are more inexcusable because our sound is gone out among them There are Seducentes and Seducti the wilfull blind lead the wofull blind vntill both fall into the ditch If they will not see there is no helpe no hope If simple ignorance mislead there is hope of return but if affected it is most wretched Our office is to helpe them with our prayers and let vs pray for them as Paul for his Ephesians That the eyes of our vnderstanding beeing enlightened they may know what is the hope of Gods calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints Many of them haue ready hearts but they want eyes wee haue open eyes God grant vs ready hearts The first borne which are written in heauen This is a description of the persons of whom the Church consists The Church it selfe is a number of men which God hath set apart by an eternall decree and in time sanctified to become reall members of it They are written in heauen there 's their eternall election and they are the first borne that is 〈◊〉 borne there 's their Sanctification For the two parts of the description Their Primogeniture and Registring in Gods booke are but borrowed speeches whereby God would ratifie the euerlasting Predestination and saluation of his Church That as the First borne is not to bee defeated of his inheritance and the Enrolled names are neuer to be obliterated so certainly shall they inherite eternall life The first borne Some vnderstand by the first borne not all the Elect but onely the Patriarchs and such ancient Saints the noble primitiue parts of the Church Caluin Then this should haue beene referred onely to the Church triumphant in heauen but the Catholike Church is here expresly meant which coÌ„prehends also the Saints vpon earth therefore they also are first borne Besides they are said to be written in heauen which had beene a superfluous speech of those who are already in heauen they that are there need no writing Unusquisque Electâ—…est Pimogenitus But this seemes to infringe the Primogeniture of Christ to whom that Name is by speciall title and right giuen Primogenitus inter multos fratres saith Paul he is the First begotten among many brethren Primogenitus vniuersae creaturae the first borne of euery creature Primogenitus mortuorum the first borne from the dead He is the first borne as he is the Sonne of God and as hee is man As he is the Sonne of God in respect of time before all things the beginning of all in respect of dignity because hee is the foundation of all good to his Church Of his fulnesse haue we all receiued and grace for grace As he is man he is the first borne not in respect of time but of excellency and vertue In respect of his miraculous conception the first that euer was conceiued without sinne and by the ouershadowing of the holy Ghost In respect of his birth he was the first borue of Mary Shee brought forth her first borne Sonne and called his name Iesus In respect of his resurrection when GOD raised him out of the graue he is said to beget his Sonne Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee And lest the interpretation of birth onely should be deduced from that place Saint Paul expressely applies it to his resurrection Acts 13. 33. God raised vp Iesus againe as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Lastly in respect of his preeminence hee is the first borne from the dead that in all things he might haue the preeminence So the priuiledge of primogeniture is singularly and indiuidually his How then are the faithfull heere called the first borne To answer this we must know that God hath sonnes by nature and by grace Christ by nature onely all the elect by grace Christ is a Sonne begotten not made we are sonnes made not begotten in respect of nature Christ as God is begotten not borne as man he is borne not begotten We see the priuiledge of Christs primogeniture from his let vs looke to ours for from him wee haue it The elect are called First-borne in three respects 1. Because they are vnited to the first borne For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Hee that is made vnus cum primogenito may be well called primogenitus one with the first borne is a first borne 2. Because they are culled and called out of the world Many wicked are created before them but they are elected in Gods decree to life before the other for the wicked are not chosen at all Esau was Isaaks first borne but Iacob was Gods first borne Many of the worlds first-borne haue beene reiected Israel laid his right hand vpon Ephraim the younger and his left vpon Manasseh the elder Reuben thou art my first borne but thou shalt not be excellent Cain Adams first borne Ismael Abrahams first borne were cast off Thus saith the Lord Israel is my sonne euen my first borne The Lord had first chosen that nation to be his people yet afterward reiected them and accepted the Gentiles so that the elder serue the younger But Gods first borne are neuer refused whom hee hath predestinated to be sonnes hee hath also called to bee heyres So that this primogeniture is not in respect of generation but of regeneration Though they be not primò conditi they are primò reconditi Flesh and bloud hath no worke in this birth nor the will of man but the will of God Of his owne will begate he vs with the word of trueth that wee should be a kinde of first fruits of his creatures The Spirit begets of immortall seed grace in the wombe of the Church the meanes of this Birth being the Word Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God Out of that vniuersall apostacie God sent his Sonne to beget some first borne to himselfe 3. Because the priuiledges of the first borne are theirs These were many as we may find in allusion to the Law 1. The excellency of strength Reuben my first borne my might and the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignitie and the excellencie of power Man decayes and the children of age are not so strong as the children of youth therefore the first borne are called the beginning of power and the excellency of strength True it is that there 's no
I haue belieued when the life shall witnesse the contrary thy lips affirme but thy works deny As our Sauiour said Opera testantur de me my workes beare witnesse of me that I am Christ so thou must say Opera testantur de me my works beare witnesse of me that I am a Christian. Thou shalt be saued for thy faith not for thy works but for such a faith as is without works thou shalt neuer be saued Works are disioyned A iustificando non a iustificato from the act of iustifying not from the person iustified If this Iudge for his owne merits giue vs saluation wee must shew him the faire copy of our conuersation Quicquid Christus operatur pro nobis operatur in nobis Whatsoeuer Christ vvorkes for vs he also workes in vs. If he hath freed vs from the damnation of sinne he hath also freed vs from the dominion of sinne Albeit in our iustification Fiet nobis secundum fidem nostram Be it vnto vs according to our Faith yet in saluation Reddetur vnicuique secundum operasua Euery man shall bee rewarded according to his workes Let not that which is a word of comfort to vs be a bill of inditement against vs. 4. The Sentence As there be two sorts of men to be sentenced so there is a double sentence one of Absolution the other of Damnation With Absolution our Sauiour begins in action with that let vs begin in meditation He begins with fauour O he is ready to shew mercy and comes slowly to wrath and iudgement In the Absolution are considerable foure circumstances A Calling a Commending a Reply and an Answere First the calling is set downe Math. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world In which gracious speech wee may perceiue sixe gradations 1. Amabilis vocatio Come This was the voyce of Christ generally to all in the day of Grace is particularly to the Elect in the day of Glory Now he calls more then vvill come then he will not call all that would come Now he giues many Venite's Come to me all that labour If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke The Spirit and Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come Send not others but come your selues Come to no others eyther Saints or Angels but come to me Let vs take heed of that Discedite quia nolâ—…stis venire Depart from me good reason for you would not come vnto mee You declined my call when I was humbled Is not this the Carpenters Sonne I vvill decline you now I am exalted None of those men that were called shall tast of my supper But such as haue obediently heard his Come in holines shall also graciously heare his second Come in happinesse 2. Suâ—…is Benedictio Ye Blessed Neuer man was is or shall be but desires secundum sensum suum after his own sense to be blessed saith Aristotle though the most haue sought it out of the right vbi vvhere it vvas not to bee found In Christ onely it is found vvho is indeed the Father of blessednesse Mat. 3. 3. Blessed are the poore in spirit The first vvord of the first lesson of Christs first Sermon is Blessed So he beginnes so there he continues so here he concludes Come ye blessed a vvord able to make a man blessed 3. Patris dilectio Of my Father to be blessed of God is to be surely blessed Parents doe vvell in blessing their children Princes in blessing their people here 's the difference Benedicunt but not Beatificant they may wish them blessed but not make them blessed But saith God to Abraham In blessing I will blesse thee I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed All blessednes springs from that fountaine the Lord hath blessed vs and requires vs to blesse him who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen This the vniuersall song of all creatures giues him Blessing honour c. 4. Foelicitatis Possessio Inherite Inheritance is of Birth not industry the younger brother is often of more desert then the elder yet cannot this make him his Fathers Heyre This is of Inheritance therefore not of merit It differs from an earthly Inheritance in three things 1. In that the Testator must be dead and the successor liuing in this God the Testator is euer liuing and his heyres before they can fully possesse it must bee dead Ambr. A temporall inheritance diuided is diminished one is of so much land shortned as is to another shared The heires heere are without number of all nations kinred and languages yet though the inheritance be imparted it is not empaired Tanta singulis quanta omnibus Euery one hath as â—…ch as any one Ardens 3. The partition of an earthly inheritance breeds among the coheyres enuy grudging but in this the ioy of one is the ioy of all Dispar gloria singulorum tamen communis laetitia omnium Aug. One starre may excell another starre in glory but none shall enuy another in glory There shall be no repining at anothers more glorious clearenesse where remaines in all one gracious dearenesse Inherite 5. Haereditatis Perfectio a kingdom The top of mans desires is a kingdom nil nisi Regna placent Yet if they be earthly kingdoms they will not satisfie Alexander is not content with his vniuersall Monarchy But here is a kingdom will satisfie you will say there are many Kings but one kingdome therfore not roome enough yes for the bounds of the least are not narrower then heauen it selfe 6. Regni Paratio Prepared for you Not merited in your times but prepared before all times It had no beginning in respect of Gods intention it shall haue no end in respect of your possession Gods decree to giue it vs had no beginning but shall haue an end our fruition of it shal haue a beginning but no end Gods mercy in both hath neither beginning nor end but is from euerlasting to euerlasting Had the Lord such care to prouide a kingdom for his children before they were then sure hee will giue it them at the appointed time So certaine are they of blessednesse that it is prepared for them from the foundation of the world For you not for all there is no vniuersall election God decrees not all to bee saued Then Christ should haue said thus Inherit the kingdome Paratum omnibus Datum vobis prepared for all and giuen to you but he saith Prepared for you therefore not purposed to all Seeing there is so good cheare prepared for vs let vs prepared for vs let vs prepare our selues for that like some dainty guest who knowing there is such delicate fare behinde keepes his stomacke for it Let vs disdaine the course diet of this world that dangers vs to the dropsie of couetice or the surfets of ryot We vse to fast on
putting oyle into it but this makes it burne more And as it is with some that thirstily drink harish and ill-brewed drinks haue not their heate hereby allayed but inflamed So this vvorldlings hote eagernesse of riches is not cooled but fired by his abundance 4. That which makes a man easie to hit makes also his wound greeuous The Poet tells vs that when Codrus his house burnes a little cottage in the Forrest he stands by and warmes himselfe at the flame hee knowes that a fewe sticks straw and clay with a little labour can rebuild him as good a Tabernacle But if this accident light vpon the Vsurers house distraction seizeth him withall he cryes out of this Chamber and that chest of his Closet and Cabinet of his bonds morgages money and plate and is so much the more impatient as hee had more to lose In a vvord here is all the difference betwixt the rich and poore the poore man would be rich while he liues and the rich would be poore when he dies For it is small greefe to leaue hunger cold distresse bondage hard lodging and harder fare but to forsake full Barnes full purses musike wine iunkets soft beds beautious vvomen and these lust-tickling delights and to goe vvith death to the Land of forgetfulnesse this is the terrour I end then as Paul concludes his counsell to rich men Lay vp for your selues a good foundation against the time to come that you may lay hold on eternall Life THE BAD LEAVEN OR THE CONTAGION OF SINNE GALAT. 5. 9. A little Leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe THIS Epistle was written with St. Pauls owne hand chap. 6. 11. Ye see how large a letter I haue written vnto you with my owne hand It is for quality excellent for quantitie large Hee wrote not so long an Epistle to any other Church with his owne hand Indeed he wrote a letter to Philemon with his owne hand vers 19. I Paul haue written it with mine own hand but it was short He wrote longer Epistles to the Romanes and Corinthians but not with his owne hand but by Scribes Wee haue cause therefore to regard it more as his pains were greater in writing so let our diligence bee greater in obseruing The maine purpose of it is to discouer 1. That ill coniunction of Moses and Christ the ceremonies of the Law with the sanctimony of the Gospell 2. The free Grace and Iustification by the bloud of Christ without the workes of the Law In this the Galatians had receiued a beginning but now had admitted a recidiuation For this cause the Apostle chides vers 7. Yee did runne well who did hinder you that you should not obey the Trueth Where there is a Concession and a Conuiction a step and a stop The Concession or Step ye did runne well The Conuiction or Stop Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth In the former he compares Christianity to a race all men must first be viatores in this valley of teares before they can be Assessâ—…res and sit with Christ in his kingdome of glory Onely as it agrees with a Race in many things as labor it 's no idle thing to be a Christian shortnesse it is a Race the perplexity is recompenced vvith the breuity continuance the runner must hold out the last steppe if he will obtaine the prize So there are some differences 1. In other races many runne onely one winnes the goale but in this all that runne faithfully shal raigne triumphantly Though they cannot runne so fast as others nor so farre as others yet euen they that came at the eleuenth houre into the Vineyard receiued they penny so well as they that came at the third For the Lord regards not Quantum but ex quanto not how much but how well What euer houre they are called let them spend the aftertime in a zealous diligence 2. In other races one hinders another but in this iourney one helpes another The more the merrier no enuy or grudging eyther in the way or the goale Dispar gloria singulorum sed communis latitia omnium There may bee different glory of some yet there is a common ioy of all Euery good man is a spurre to his brother Peter and Iohn ranne to Christs Sepulcher Iohn out-ran Peter vnto the graue Peter out-went Iohn into the graue But we run together vnto Christs Throne some come before some after all meet in the Communion of Saints 3. In other races the runner obtaines a prize that shall perish all the runners heere get an incorruptible crowne They runne for a little prize a little praise we for eternall glory Runne wee then cheerefully behold a kingdome lyes at the stake God giue vs all eyes of faith to see it and hearts of obedience to runne to it through the power of Iesus Christ. In the latter the Apostle may seeme to put a superfluous question Who did hinder you For there are many aduersaries As first Satan the General of that damned crue that hinder our passage to heauen Paul excuseth himselfe to the Thessalonians Wee would haue come vnto you once and againe but Satan hindered vs. Zach. 3. Ioshua the high Priest stood before the Angell of the Lord and Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Where God hath his Church Satan hath his chappell So also wicked men such as haue taken the Deuils oath of Allegiance What the Deuill cannot doe immediately by himselfe hee does mediately by his Instruments To erre Humanum is the weakenes of a man but to seduce diabolicum is the part of a Deuill It is ill to play the woman worse to play the beast worst of all to play the Deuill But what speciall hinderers the Apostle meanes wee shall haue precise occasion in some future passages to demonstrate Onely I must not omit that the Apostle giues a direct resolution by way of negation vers 8. This perswasion comâ—…eth not of him that calleth you God is no wayes the Author of error and sin He that wils the death of no sinner will not lead him into the wayes of destruction Indeed he suffes Satan to temptal but to a diuerse purpose the good to try them the reprobate to destroy them The temptations of the godly are for their instruction of the wicked for their destruction Iames tells vs that euery good gift comes downe from the Father of lights is it euill it commeth not from God The Apostle telling the Ephesians of lusts blindnesse wantonnesse obstinacy concludes piercingly Non sic didicistis Christum Yee haue not so learned Iesus Christ. Art thou peruerted thou neuer learnedst this of Christ. Let no man say when hee is tempted I am tempted of God for God tempteth no man In him we liue moue and haue our being A Gentile Poet sung it a Christian Apostle sanctified it all the creatures in heauen and earth cry Amen vnto it Life is his whether we liue well
that can helpe thee No measure of earthly things can giue thee ease but this measure of grace that shall bring thee to the full measure of glory Grow thou as high in this world as Ionas gourd a worme shall smite thee and thou shalt wither Grow vp to this stature of Christ so fast as thou mayest and so farre as thou canst and what is here wanting to thy holy endeuours God shall make vp with his happy mercies Of the fullnes of Christ. Adulti Christi It is not meant the full growth of Christ in the flesh which was as other children Luk. 2. The child grew and waxed stronger We reade him a babe sucking at 12. yeares old disputing at 30. preaching and about 33. dying His encreasing was not habitualiter sed effectualiter But here we must consider Christ as Head of his Body the Church and so said to haue mensuram staturae adultae the measure of full stature when his body is Perfected now some predestinated members of this Body are yet vnborne which must concurre to the perfection and making vp of this stature of the fullnesse of Christ. Whence we haue a sweet and comfortable obseruation offred vs. Till the church be fully gathered together there is in some sort a want to the perfection of Christ. But we must consider Christ two wayes Personally and mistically Personall or abstractiuely in himselfe he is not onely perfect but perfection it selfe Colos. 1. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell And. chap. 2. In him dwelleth not passeth by the fullnesse not a good reasonable measure and this not onely a sufficient fullnes but all the fullnesse not of any created nature but of the Godhead and that not fantastically but bodily Mistically or in relation to his Bodie the Church now ye are the bodie of Christ and members in perticular And Christs will is that where he is his members may be there also So that till the whole Bodie be gathered to the Head the head is in some sort not perfect And in this sence may that Cant. 3. be vnderstood Behold King Solomon with the Crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousalls where the Church is sayed to set a Crowne on Christs head as if his full and perfect coronation were not come till the day of his espousalls and marriage in heauen when his whole Church shall be crowned together with him Time was that the other Disciple out ranne Peter to the Sepulcher and Peter out went that other Disciple into the sepulcher but at this day they that are aliue shall not preuent them that sleepe For God hath prouided better for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect We shall all goe together to glory What a treasure of ioy and comfort is heere opened vs Our Sauiour so loues vs that he thinkes not himselfe perfect without vs. What is man O Lord or the sonne of man that thou soreckonest of him Thou hast Saints the spirits of iust blessed and obedient Angells thy owne infinite selfe to delight thee Quid opus vermiculo What need hast thou of a worme What am I O Sauiour that thou shouldest not thinke thy selfe perfect without me Well may this sweeten all our pouertie miserie disgrace and ignominie that the world casts vpon vs. A great Gallant blusheth to see thee take acquaintance of him lookes vpon thee betwixt scorne and anger thinkes himselfe disparaged by thy companie be content the God of heauen and earth thinkes himselfe not perfect without thee He that can breake thy contemners to pieces respecteth thee Thou art vnworthy of the fauour of Iesus Christ if thou canst not content thy selfe with it without the worlds What a terrour shal this be to the wicked to see those men crowned Kings with Christ to whom they disdained to giue notice in the world Diues lookes with pitifull eyes on glorified Lazarus who once lay at his gates without the releese of crummes It shall be no small aggravation to the vngodly's torments to say of the Saint This was he whom we had some times in derision and a proverbe of reproch We fooles accounted his life madnesse and his end without honour Now he is numbred a mong the children of God and his lot is among the Saints I conclude Euery Saint shall enioy this full measure of glorie there shall be no scanting no limitation None shall complaine of lacke there is the fountaine drinke thy fill there is the heape take as much as thou wilt There shall be in all an equalitie though not of quantitie yet of proportion which ariseth not from the obiect wherein is plenitude but from the subiect which is not alike capable A vessell throwne into the sea can be but full another is but full though it containe a greater measure Euery one shall possesse this fulnesse and being full there is no want therefore no enuie But let vs take no thought who shall sit highest in this kingdome with the sonnes of Zebedee it is enough that we shall be crowned kings Trouble not thy selfe for order onely striue for admission We cannot desire to be more then blessed Let vs get into the Citie of glory and let God appoint vs a roome Here we see the great difference betwixt this life and the next In this life we grow vp to our full Stature and then we decrease till we decease we decline and die In the other we come at first to a perfect stature and so continue for euer We are here subiect to sorrowes and sinnes the first grieuous to vs as we are men the other as we are good men loe we shall one day be freed bee perfect It is a sweete meditation that fell from a reuerend Diuine that many vegetable brute creatures doe exceede men in length of dayes and in happinesse in their kind as not wanting the thing they desire The Oake the Rauen the Storke the Stagge fill vp many yeares in regard of whom man dies in the minoritie of child-hood This made the Philosophers call Nature a Stepdame to man to the rest a true mother For shee giues him least time that could make best vse of his time and least pleasure that could best apprehend it and take comfort in it But here diuinitie teacheth reacheth a large recompence from our God Other creatures liue long and then perish to nothing man dies soone here that hereafter he may liue for euer This shortnesse is recompenced with eternitie Dost thou blame Nature O Philosopher for cutting thee so short that thou canst not get knowledge Open thine eyes perfect knowledge is not to be had here though thy dayes were double to Methushalems Aboue it is Blesse God then rather for thy liues shortnes for the sooner thou diest the sooner thou shalt come to thy desired knowledge The best here is short of the least there Let no man blame God for
not see corruption How much lesse when he is dead recouer him to life againe Here was the finger of God Now to proceede in order with the myracles 1. Myracle The Vaile of the Temple c. This Vaile was the partition betwixt the Sanctum Sanctorum the Sanctum as it might be the vpper part of the Quire Into this went the high Priest alone once euerie yeare not without bloud which he offred for himselfe and for the errours of the people By the renting this Vaile were many things presignified 1. This serues for a confirmation of that Christ spoke on the Crosse It is finished The renting of the Vaile doth actually eccho to his wordes and indeede fulfils them Here is an end put to all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the law In the new Testament one onely reall and royall Sacrifice Christ crucified This was that obiect whereto all those legall rites looked to them all there is now giuen a Consuâ—…tum est So that now Coremonia mortua Lex mortifera Ceremonies are dead and the typicall law deadly Nouum Testamentum latet in veteri Vetus patet in nouo The Gospell lay hidden vnder the law the law is compleat in the Gospell Now after that you haue knowne God in his Gospell how turne you againe to the weake and beggarly Elements whereunto you desire againe to be in bondage Gods seruice is now simple and plaine in spirit and truth Christ is sayd to be the end of the law the morrall law he kept himselfe syncerely and satisfied for vs soundly The Ceremoniall was referred to him performed of him fulfilled in him extinguished by him They had all Vigâ—… a Christo relationem ad Christum consummationem in Christo. Hee gaue them their beginning hee hath also giuen them their end The Vaile rent to witnesse the cancelling of that rituall obligation Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs nailing it to his Crosse. That moment was their last gaspe they expired with Christ. But dâ—…d all Ceremonies then vtterly die No some were typicall prefiguring Christ those are dead Some are for decencie and order adminicula deuotionis these are not dead The law of Iewish ceremonies is abolished but some must be retained Christ came not to dissolue order Men consist of bodies as well as soules and God must bee serued with both now bodies cannot serue God without externall rites the Spouse of Christ cannot bee without her borders and laces On necessitie there must be some outward obseruances but thus qualified That they be for number few for signification plaine for obseruation simple farre from ostentation farther from superstition Christ his Spouse must not flaunt it like an harlot but be soberly attired like a graue matron Ceremoniae quasi care moniae wants a carendo as it were ordained to supply the defects of our nature Because we could not serue God in that simplicitie we ought therefore wee haue these helpes Hence it is that the nearer to perfection the fewer ceremonies as it were the more light the lesse shadow In the law were abundant ceremonies in the Gospell far fewer in heauen none at all This condemnes the Church of Rome for a glorious Harlot because shee loads her selfe with such a heape of gawdy ceremonies and their masse for meere Idolatry which they beleeue to bee a reall propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ made by the Priestes for the sinnes of quicke and dead This is to build vp the vaile here rent in pieces and to accuse Christ of falshood in his Consummatum est Is an end put to them and shall they still retaine them yea obtrude them as principall partes of Gods seruice yea worship them yea bind mens consciences to them on paine of damnation Therefore they are liable to Augustines censure who cals such Impios sepulturae violâ—…tores Diggers into the graues of the dead for putrified and rotten reliques Yea to the Iudgement of God who sayth If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though liuing in the world are ye subiect to Ordinances after the commaundements and doctrines of men They will say Dicit Papa sanxit Concilium thus sayth the Pope thus decrees the Councell but wee Dixit Dominus non Donatus wee heare what the Lord sayes in his Scripture concerning the law of ceremonies 2. The second thing signified by the renting the vaile is this The holy of holyes figured the third heauen where GOD sheweth himselfe in glory and maiestie to his Saints Salomons Temple hadde in it three Courts an vtter court whereinto the people were admitted an inner Court wherein onely the Priests and Leuites entred an inmost of all whereinto the high Priest alone and that but once a yeare and this was called Sanctum Sanctorum So there is a threefolde Heauen Coelum elementarium Stellatum Gloriosum First the Elementarie heauen wherein are cloudes windes raine dew and the birds are called the birds of heauen that is of this elementarie heauen The second is the Starrey heauen So the Sunne is sayd to goe from the end of the heauen and his circuite vnto the ends of it The last is the Glorious heauen the habitation of God himselfe and this was signified by the Holy of holyes The vaile signified the flesh of Christ the renting of the vaile the crucifying of Christ by this is made an entrance into that Sanctum Sanctorum the heauen of glory So expressely Heb. 10. Hauing therefore boldnesse to enter into the Holyest by the bloud of Iesus By a new and liuing way which he hath consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say His Flesh. Heauen gate was shut vp by our sinnes none but our highest and holyest Priest had passage there but hee rent the vaile suffred his bodie to be torne by death that he might giue vs an entrance Paul speaking of the legall vse of that Holyest place in the Temple sayth thus Heb. 9. The holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing But now by Christ his renting the vaile Patet alti ianua Coeli the way of saluation is opened Let this reach forth to vs two comforts 1. There is no feare to be shut out of heauen if thou haue faith in Christ for to thee is the vaile rent the separation is abolished Christ is crucified For So sayth Saint Peter an entrance shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Indeede to vnbeleeuers and hypocrites to worldly wolues and luxurious goates the vaile is vp still How should they enter the Sanctum sanctorum that neuer approched the Sanctum How shall they see the glory of God who would neuer entertaine the grace of God No to these there are inaccessible barres and Cherubims with flaming swords to forbidde their entrance But to
Numb 21. A fire is gone out of Heshbon and a flame from the citie of Sihon it hath consumed Ar of Moab and the Lords of the high places of Arnon But contention runs like wild-fire so furious a pace that nothing but bloud can extinguish it 4. As fire is prouerbially sayd to be an ill master but a good seruant so Anger where it is a Lord of rule is a Lord of mis-rule but where it is subdued to reason or rather sanctified to grace it is a good seruant That anger is holy that is zealous for the glory of God This is Diuision a raging fire and able whether it take hold of ciuilitie or religion of Burse or Church to ouerthrow the common good of both For ciuilitie the breaking of relatiues is the ruine of substantiues We stand not of our selues but vpon reference Want of iustice in magistrates of instruction in gouernours of obedience in subiects of charitie in neighbours destroyes the common wealth Some gather thus much from the fift Commandement by good consequence Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee For if Princes rule well and subiects obey well if masters command right and seruants doe right if Parents instruct children in the feare of God and children obey parents in that feare this happy harmonie shall preserue the land If this relation and reciprocall dutie be neglected all runs to ruine and the blessing of long life shall be with-drawne For it is not fit they should haue long life that rebell against those from whom they had and by whom they hold their life Begin with the least ascendently The ouerthrow of a house is Diuision When the husband and wife draw not euenly in the yoke when the one brings fire the other hath no water to-quench it when the children are refractarie the seruants wasters there must needes be a decay of this familie Whereof consists a Citie but of many housholds If the particulars be ruinated what will become of the generall When the members are gone where is the Bodie If the Magistrates are vniust the people disobedient if one profession quarrell with another and denie mutualitie the head refusing to giue guidance the eyes their sight the feete to walke the hands to worke the body of that Citie dissolues The dissolution of cities and townes must needs ruin the Kingdome When the members fell out with the stomach that it deuoured all and tooke noe paines hereon the eye would not see for it nor the hand worke for it nor the foote walke for it c. so the stomach wanting meate the eyes hands feet and all members faint and languish Tributes subsidies are but the dues and duties of the members to the Prince who as the stomach returnes all to their welfare and benefite Dissention in religion doth no lesse hurt doth more It diuides a house Here. Ver. 52. Fiue in one house shall be diuided two against three and three against two And Math. 10. A mans foes shall be they of his owne household It diuidesa citie How many cities haue beene destroyed by their owne mutinous distractions whome forraigne inuasions could not subdue It diuides a Kingdome whereof Fraunce hath long beene a bleeding witnesse neither hath England beene insensible Ac velut in magno populo cùm saepe coorta est Seditio saeuitque animis ignobile vulgus Iámque faces saxa volant furor arma ministrat It ouerthrowes propinquitie the mutuall succour of lending borrowing giuing relieuing is lost Yea it ouerturnes Nature it selfe setting children at variance against their owne parents There are three very neare Superiour equall inferiour Parent wife children yet we must separate from them rather then from Iesus Christ. Yea it is enough to extirpate all Regem legem grâ—…gem Prince law and people No wonder then if the busie deuill seekes so studiously to kindle this fire So Eusebius obserues The subtle Serpent when persecutions gaue the Church breathing space began to vexe her with her owne diuisions The Fewell Whereon this fire workes is the good Profession of the godly So the rulers against Daniell in causa Dei sui because of his Religion Psal. 59. The mightie are gathered against me not for my transgression nor for my sin O Lord. They persecuted vs not because they find euill in vs but because they cannot find euill in vs. They runne and prepare themselues against me without my fault Without fault it is fault enough in their iudgement because we serue the Lord. They speake euill of vs because we runne not with them to the same excesse of riot If we will not communicate with their vicious customes we shall participate of their raging cruelties Against Israel yea because it is Israel doe they consult Come let vs cut off them from being a Nation that the name of Israell may bee no more in remembrance For this cause was the Babilonian fire kindled against those three seruants of God and the same cause moued mysticall Babylon to burne our Martyrs in England If they would haue turned to Idols and Images the fire hadde beene put out We would not could not yeeld to their superstitions therefore the Fire burned But that which is the occasion of euill cannot be perfectly good Indeed that simplie and of it selfe causeth euill is euill it selfe But that may be good which indirectly and by consequence in mans corrupt nature occasioneth it The Gospell and integritie of professing it is not the efficient but accidentall cause or rather properly no cause but an occasion of this feud The bright Sun shining on mudde and filth is said to cause stench yet is not the Sun the true cause but the former putrefaction of the subiect reflected on when a corrupt vapour comes into the firie region it is soone enflamed Their rancorous filth had lyne quiet as mucke in a dunghill had not the Sun of the Gospell shone on it and stirred it now howsoeuer the Gospell is not the direct cause of this yet surely the occasion For Athens is quiet enough till Paul comes and till Christ is borne Ierusalem is husht in peace Many parishes sticke not to say we had rest and securitie enough before but now since preaching came in and the Pulpets haue beene warmed there is nothing but disturbation and vnquietnes How else could this Text be true that Christ came to send fire on the earth The deluge of sinne was vniuersall and the waters of iniquitie stood vntroubled and all was a Mare mortuum but when Christ puts fire to this water no maruell if they wrastle The deuill stirres not till God rowse him as the wild boare sleepes till he bee hunted Let darknesse couer mens impieties and their slumber is vnmolested produce them to the light and they cannot endure it The vlcerous side full of dead flesh feeles not till you touch the quicke But let
his arrand is to the Court He is the maggot of pride begot out of corruption and lookes in an office as the Ape did when hee had got on the robes of a Senator 2. Their flatterie or trecherie they embrace whiles they sting They lie in 〈◊〉 greene grasse and vnder sweet flowers that they may wound the suspectlesse passenger Here I will couple the Serpent with the Flatterer a humane beast and of the two the more dangerous And that fitly for they write of a Serpent whose sting hath such force that it makes a man die laughing So the flaâ—…erer tickles a man to death Therefore his teares are called Crocodile lacrimae the Crocodiles teares When hâ—… weeps he wounds Euery frowne he makes giues his Patron a vomite and euery candle of commendation a purge His Church is the Kitchin his tongue is his Cater his yong Lord his God whom at once he worships and worreys When he hath gotten a lease he doth no longer feare his master nay more he feares not God 3. Their ingratitude they kill those that nourished them And here I ranke with Serpents those prodigies of nature vnthankfull persons Seneca sayes they are worse Venenum quâ—…d serpentes in alienam perniciâ—…m proferunt fine sâ—… continent Noâ—… ita vitium ingrâ—…itudinis continetur The poyson which a Serpent casts out to the danger of another he retaines without his owne But the vice of ingratitude cannot be so smoothered Let vs hate this sinne not onely for others sake but most for our owne 4. Their voracitie they kill more then they can eate And here they would be commended to the Ingrossers who hoord more then they can spend that the poore might stâ—…ue for lacke of bread Such a man if he be not 〈◊〉 a Serpent a Deuill then man makes his Almanacke his Bible if it prognosticate raine on Swithiâ—…s day he loues and beleeues it beyond the Scripture Nothing in the whole Bible pleaseth him but the storie of Pharaohs dreame where the seauen leane Kine did eate vp the seauen fat ones Hee could wish that dreame to be true euery yeare so hee might haue graine enough to sell. He cryes out in his heart for a deare yeare and yet he is neuer without a deare yeare in his belly Salomon sayes the people shall curse him and I am sure God will not blesse him but hee feares neither of these so much as a cheape yeare 5. Their hostilitie and murderous minds they destroy all to multiplie their owne kind And for this I wil bring the depopulator to shake hands with serpents For he cannot abide neighbours If any man dwels in the Towne besides himselfe how should he doe for elbow roome There are too many of these Serpents in England I would they were all exild to the wildernes where they might haue roome enough and none to trouble them except of their owne generation Serpents They complaine eagerly against our negligence in discouering new parts of the world but their meaning is to rid this land of Inhabitants They haue done their best or rather their worst when as in my memorie from one towne in one day were driuen out aboue threescore soules harbourlesse succourlesse exposd to the bleake ayre and vnmercifull world besides those that could prouide for themselues But the Lord of heauen sees this the clamours of many poore debters in the Dungeon of many poore labourers in the field of many poore neighbours crying and dying in the streetes haue entred the â—…ares of the Lord of hoasts he will iudge it Thou hast seene it for thou beholdest mischiefe and spite to requite it the poore committeth himselfe vnto thee thou art the helper of the fâ—…herlesse 6. Lastly their enâ—…itie against Man whom they should reuerence which we sorely found and cannot but thinke of quotiâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…picati pâ—…i as often as we remember that â—…ieapple Aeliaâ—…s and Plâ—…e report that when a serpent hath killed a man he can neuer more couer himselfe in the earth but wanders vp and downe like a forlorne thing the earth disdaining to receiue into her bowels a man murtherer The male doth not acknowledge the â—…ale nor the female the male that hath done such a deed Since therefore they rebell against Man whom they should honour let me yoke with them Traytours Seminaries and Renegates that refuse allegiance to their Lieges Soâ—…algnes Will they say 〈◊〉 Prince may loose Ius regni the right of his kingdome per 〈◊〉 regnandi by raigning with iniustice 〈◊〉 and so they are absolued of their obedience But how haps it that the Scripture neuer knew this distinction Saul though guiltie of all sinnes against the first Table yet exsolo 〈◊〉 â—…is châ—…ctere might not bee deposed but Dauid cals him Christum Doâ—… the Lords Annointed If the Prince be an offender must they punish Who gaue them that authoritie No â—…cit 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 quòd Deum expectâ—… 〈◊〉 It is enoâ—…gh for him that he looke for God to bee his Iudge O but when the Popes excommunication thundâ—…rs it is no sinne to decrowne Kings So super stâ—…tiously they follow the Pope that they forsake Christ and will not giue Câ—…sar his due They are the fire brands and bustuaries of Kingdomes Serpents hidden in Ladies and Gentlewomens chambers in a word long spoones for traytors to feed with the Deuill You see also now Quid 〈◊〉 There is poyson in Serpents now told you leaue that there is Wisedome to be learned from Serpents before shewed you studie that Euery vice you nourish is a venemous stinging serpent in your owne bosomes If you will haue hope of heauen expell those Serpents I haue read of a contention betweene Scotland and Ireland about a little Iland either chalenging it theirs It was put to the decision of a French-man who caused to be put into the Iland liuing Serpents Arbitrating it thus that if those Serpents liued and prospered there the ground was Scotlands if they died Irelands If those serpentine sinnes lusts and lewdnes liue â—…d thriue in your hearts Satan will chalenge you for his dominion If they perish and die through mortification and by reason of the pure aire of Gods holy Spirit in you the Lord seales you vp for his owne inheritance I haue giuen you the Raines at large let me giue but one pull at the Curbe and you shall goe The Cohibition is Be harmelesse as Doues In Doues there be some things to be eschewed many things to be commeÌ„ded one thing to be followed The Doue is a timorous and faint hearted creature Ephrâ—… is like a silly Doue without heart Be not ye so In Doues there are many things commendable but I will but name them regarding the limits of both my Text and Time 1. Beautie By that name Christ prayseth the beauty of his Spouse Thou art fayre my Lâ—…e my Doue c. Thou â—…ast Doues 〈◊〉 within thy lâ—…kes And the Church prayseth her Sauiour His eyes are as