fish of the sea was tributary to him How should this incourage our dependance upon that Omnipotent hand of thine which hath Heaven earth sea at thy disposing Still thou art the same for thy members which thou wert for thy self the Head Rather then offence shall be given to the world by a seeming neglect of thy dear Children thou wilt cause the very fowls of Heaven to bring them meat and the fish of the sea to bring them money O let us look up ever to thee by the eye of our Faith and not be wanting in our dependance upon thee who canst not be wanting in thy Providence over us LAZARUS Dead OH the Wisdome of God in penning his own Story The Disciple whom Jesus loved comes after his fellow-Evangelists that he might glean up those rich ears of History which the rest had passed over That Eagle soars high and towrs up by degrees It was much to turn water into wine but it was more to seed five thousand with five loaves It was much to restore the Rulers son it was more to cure him that had been thirty eight years a Cripple It was much to cure him that was born blind it was more to raise up Lazarus that had been so long dead As a stream runs still the stronger and wider the nearer it comes to the Ocean whence it was derived so didst thou O Saviour work the more powerfully the nearer thou drewest to thy Glory This was as one of thy last so of thy greatest Miracles when thou wert ready to die thy self thou raisedst him to life who smelt strong of the grave None of all the Sacred Histories is so full and punctual as this in the report of all circumstances Other Miracles do not more transcend Nature then this transcends other Miracles This alone was a sufficient eviction of thy Godhead O blessed Saviour none but an infinite power could so farre go beyond Nature as to recal a man four daies dead from not a mere privation but a setled corruption Earth must needs be thine from which thou raisest his body Heaven must needs be thine from whence thou fetchest his Spirit None but he that created man could thus make him new Sickness is the common preface to death no mortal nature is exempted from this complains even Lazarus whom Jesus loved is sick What can strength of Grace or dearness of respect prevail against disease against dissolution It was a stirring message that Mary sent to Jesus He whom thou lovest is sick as if she would imply that his part was no-less deep in Lazarus then hers Neither doth she say He that loves thee is sick but he whom thou lovest not pleading the merit of Lazarus his affection to Christ but the mercy and favour of Christ to him Even that other reflexion of love had been no weak motive for O Lord thou hast said Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him Thy goodness will not be behinde us for love who professest to love them that love thee But yet the argument is more forcible from thy love to us since thou hast just reason to respect every thing of thine own more then ought that can proceed from us Even we weak men what can we stick at where we love Thou O infinite God art Love it self Whatever thou hast done for us is out of thy love the ground and motive of all thy mercies is within thy self not in us and if there be ought in us worthy of thy love it is thine own not ours thou givest what thou acceptest Jesus well heard the first groan of his dear Lazarus every short breath that he drew every sigh that he gave was upon account yet this Lord of Life lets his Lazarus sicken and languish and die not out of neglect or impotence but out of power and resolution This sickness is not to death He to whom the issues of death belong knows the way both into it and out of it He meant that sickness should be to death in respect of the present condition not to death in respect of the event to death in the process of Nature not to death in the success of his Divine power that the Son of God might be glorified thereby O Saviour thy usual style is the Son of man thou that wouldst take up our infirmities wert willing thus to hide thy Godhead under the course weeds of our Humanity but here thou saist That the Son of God might be glorified Though thou wouldst hide thy Divine glory yet thou wouldst not smother it Sometimes thou wouldst have thy Sun break forth in bright gleams to shew that it hath no less light even whiles it seems kept in by the clouds Thou wert now near thy Passion it was most seasonable for thee at this time to set forth thy just title Neither wâ—s this an act that thy Humanity could challenge to it self but farre transcending all finite powers To die was an act of the Son of man to raise from death was an act of the Son of God Neither didst thou say merely that God but that the Son of God might be glorified God cannot be glorified unless the Son be so In very natural Relations the wrong or disrespect offered to the child reflects upon the father as contrarily the parents upon the child how much more where the love and respect is infinite where the whole effence is communicated with the intireness of relation O God in vain shall we tender our Devotions to thee indefinitely as to a glorious and incomprehensible Majesty if we kiss not the Son who hath most justly said Ye believe in the Father believe also in me What an happy family was this I finde none upon earth so much honoured Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus It is no standing upon terms of precedency the Spirit of God is not curious in marshalling of places Time was when Mary was confessed to have chosen the better part here Martha is named first as most interessed in Christs love for ought appears all of them were equally dear Christ had familiarly lodged under their roof How fit was that to receive him whose in-dwellers were hospital pious unanimous Hospital in the glad entertainment of Jesus and his train Pious in their Devotions Unanimous in their mutual Concord As contrarily he balâ—s and hates that house which is taken up with uncharitableness profaneness contention But O Saviour how doth this agree thou lovedst this Family yet hearing of their distress thou heldest off two daies more from them Canst thou love those thou regardest not canst thou regard them from whom thou willingly absentest thy self in their necessity Behold thy love as it is above ours so it is oft against ours Even out of very affection art thou not seldome absent None of thine but have sometimes cryed How long Lord What need we instance when thine eternal Father did purposely estrange his face from thee so as thou cryedst out of
heart He could not change his blood he could over-rule his affections He loved that Nation which was chosen of God and if he were not of the Synagogue yet he built a Synagogue where he might not be a partie he would be a Benefactor Next to being good is a favouring of goodnesse We could not love Religion if we utterly want it How many true Jews were not so zealous Either will or ability lacked in them whom duty more obliged Good affections do many times more then supply Nature Neither doth God regard whence but what we are I do not see this Centurion come to Christ as the Israelitish Captain came to Elias in Carmel but with his Cap in his hand with much suit much submission by others by himself he sends first the Elders of the Jews whom he might hope that their Nation and place might make gracious then left the imployment of others might argue neglect he seconds them in person Cold and fruitlesse are the motions of friends where we do wilfully shut up our own lips Importunity cannot but speed well in both Could we but speak for our selves as this Captain did for his servant what could we possibly want What marvel is it if God be not forward to give where we care not to ask or ask as if we cared not to receive Shall we yet call this a suit or a complaint I hear no one word of entreaty The lesse is said the more is concealed it is enough to lay open his want He knew well that he had to deal with so wise and merciful a Physician as that the opening of the malady was a craving of cure If our spiritual miseries be but confessed they cannot fail of redress Great variety of Suitors resorted to Christ one comes to him for a Son another for a Daughter a third for himself I see none come for his Servant but this one Centurion Neither was he a better man then a Master His Servant is sick he doth not drive him out of doors but laies him at home neither doth he stand gazing by his beds-side but seeks forth He seeks forth not to Witches or Charmers but to Christ he seeks to Christ not with a fashionable relation but with a vehement aggravation of the disease Had the Master been sick the faithfullest Servant could have done no more He is unworthy to be well served that will not sometimes wait upon his followers Conceits of inferiority may not breed in us a neglect of charitable offices So must we look down upon our Servants here on earth as that we must still look up to our Master which is in Heaven But why didst thou not O Centurion rather bring thy Servant to Christ for cure then sue for him absent There was a Paralytick whom Faith and Charity brought to our Saviour let down through the uncovered roof in his Bed why was not thine so carried so presented Was it out of the strength of thy faith which assured thee thou neededst not shew thy Servant to him that saw all things One and the same grace may yield contrary effects They because they believed brought the Patient to Christ thou broughtest not thine to him because thou believedst Their act argued no lesse desire thine more confidence Thy labour was lesse because thy Faith was more Oh that I could come thus to my Saviour and make such mone to him for my self Lord my soul is sick of unbelief sick of self-self-love sick of inordinate desires I should not need to say more Thy mercy O Saviour would not then stay by for my suit but would prevent me as here with a gracious ingagement I will come and heal thee I did not hear the Centurion say either Come or Heal him The one he meant though he said not the other he neither said nor meant Christ over-gives both his words intentions It is the manner of that Divine munificence where he meets with a faithful Suitor to give more then is requested to give when he is not requested The very insinuations of our necessities are no lesse violent then successefull We think the measure of humane bountie runs over when we obtain but what we ask with importunity that infinite Goodnesse keeps within bounds when it overflows the desires of our hearts As he said so he did The Word of Christ either is his act or concurs with it He did not stand still when he said I will come but he went as he spake When the Ruler intreated him for his son Come down ere he dye our Saviour stir'd not a foot the Centurion did but complain of the sicknesse of his servant and Christ unasked sayes I will come and heal him That he might be farre from so much as seeming to honour wealth and despise meannesse he that came in the shape of a Servant would goe down to the sick Servants pallet would not goe to the Bed of the rich Rulers Son It is the basest motive of respect that ariseth merely from outward Greatnesse Either more Grace or more Need may justly challenge our favourable regards no lesse then private Obligations Even so O Saviour that which thou offeredst to doe for the Centurion's Servant hast thou done for us We were sick unto death so farre had the dead palsie of sin overtaken us that there was no life of Grace left in us when thou wert not content to sit still in Heaven and say I will cure them but addedst also I will come and cure them Thy self camest down accordingly to this miserable World and hast personally healed us so as now we shall not die but live and declare thy works O Lord. And oh that we could enough praise that love and mercy which hath so graciously abased thee and could be but so low dejected before thee as thou hast stooped low unto us that we could be but as lowly subjects of thy goodnesse as we are unworthy O admirable return of Humility Christ will goe down to visit the sick Servant The Master of that Servant saies Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof the Jewish Elders that went before to mediate for him could say He is worthy that thou shouldest doe this for him but the Centurion when he comes to speak for himself I am not worthy They said He was worthy of Christ's Miracle he sayes he is unworthy of Christ's presence There is great difference betwixt others valuations and our own Sometimes the world under-rates him that findes reason to set an high price upon himself Sometimes again it overvalues a man that knows just cause of his own humiliation If others mistake us this can be no warrant for our errour We cannot be wise unlesse we receive the knowledge of our selves by direct beams not by reflection unlesse we have learned to contemn unjust applauses and scorning the flattery of the World to frown upon our own vilenesse Lord I am not worthy Many a one if he had been in the Centurion's
Abraham answers they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Behold here is both Moses and the Prophets and these too come from the dead how can we now but be perswaded of the happy state of another world unless we will make our selves worse then the damned See and consider that the Saints of God are not lost but departed gone into a far countrey with their Master to return again richer and better then they went Lest we should think this the condition of Elias onely that was rapt into Heaven see here Moses matched with him that died and was buried And is this the state of these two Saints alone Shall none be seen with him in the Tabor of Heaven but those which have seen him in Horeb and Carmel O thou weak Christian was onely one or two lims of Christs body glorious in the Transfiguration or the whole He is the Head we are the Members If Moses and Elias were more excellent parts Tongue or Hand let us be but Heels or Toes his body is not perfect in glory without ours When Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Colos 3. 4. How truely may we say to death Rejoyce not mine enemy though I fall yet shall I rise yea I shall rise in falling We shall not all sleep we shall be changed saith Saint Paul to his Thessalonians Elias was changed Moses slept both appeared to teach us that neither our sleep nor change can keep us from appearing with him When therefore thou shalt receive the sentence of death on Mount Nebo or when the fiery Chariot shall come and sweep thee from this vale of mortality remember thy glorious re-apparition with thy Saviour and thou canst not but be comforted and chearfully triumph over that last Enemie out-facing those terrors with the assurance of a blessed Resurrection to Glory To the which c. The second Part of the Meditations upon the Transfiguration of Christ In a Sermon preacht at White-Hall before K. James of Blessed memory IT fals out with this Discourse as with Mount Tabor it self that it is more easily climbed with the eye then with the foot If we may not rather say of it as Josephus did of Sinai that it doth not onely ascensus hominum but aspectus fatigare wearie not onely the steps but the very sight of men We had thought not to spend many breaths in the skirts of the hill the Circumstances and it hath cost us one hours journey already and we were glad to rest us ere we can have left them below us One pause more I hope will overcome them and set us on the top No Circumstance remains undiscussed but this one What Moses and Elias did with Christ in their apparition For they were not as some sleepie attendants like the three Disciples in the beginning to be there and see nothing nor as some silent spectators mute witnesses to see and say nothing but as if their Glory had no whit changed their profession they are Prophets still and foretold his departure as S. Luke tels us Foretold not to him which knew it before yea which told it them they could not have known it but from him he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of his Father they told but that which he before had told his Disciples and now these Heavenly witnesses tell it over again for confirmation Like as John Baptist knew Christ before he was Vox clamantis the voice of a cryer the other Verbum Patris the Word of his Father there is great affinity betwixt vox and verbum yea this voice had uttered it self clearly Ecce agnus Dei Behold the Lamb of God yet he sends his Disciples with an Art thou he that he might confirm to them by him that which he both knew and had said of him So our Saviour follows his Fore-runner in this that what he knew and had told his Disciples the other Elias the typical John Baptist and Moses must make good to their belief This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 departure of Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word both hard and harsh hard to believe and harsh in believing The Disciples thought of nothing but a Kingdom a Kingdom restored magnificently interminably and two of these three witnesses had so swallowed this hope that they had put in for places in the State to be his chief Peers How could they think of a parting The throne of David did so fill their eyes that they could not see his Cross and if they must let down this Pill how bitter must it needs be His presence was their joy and life it was their death to think of his loss Now therefore that they might see that his Sufferings and Death were not of any sudden impotence but predetermined in Heaven and revealed to the Saints two of the most noted Saints in Heaven shall second the news of his departure and that in the midst of his Transfiguration that they could not chuse but think He that can be thus happy needs not be miserable that Passion which he will undergo is not out of weakness but out of Love It is wittily noted by that sweet Chrysostom◠that Christ never lightly spake of his Passion but immediately before and after he did some great Miracle And here answerably in the midst of his miraculous Transfiguration the two Saints speak of his Passion A strange opportunity In his highest Exaltation to speak of his Sufferings to talk of Calvary in Tabor when his Head shone with glory to tell him how it must bleed with thorns when his Face shone like the Sun to tell him it must be blubbered and spat upon when his Garments glistered with that celestial brightness to tell him they must be stripped and divided when he was adored by the Saints of Heaven to tell him how he must be scorned by the basest of men when he was seen between two Saints to tell him how he must be seen between two Malefactors in a word in the midst of his Divine Majesty to tell him of his shame and whilst he was Transfigured in the Mount to tell him how he must be disfigured upon the Cross Yet these two Heavenly Prophets found this the fittest time for this discourse rather chusing to speak of his Sufferings in the height of his Glory then of his Glory after his Sufferings It is most seasonable in our best to think of our worst estate for both that thought will be best digested when we are well and that change will be best prepared for when we are the furthest from it You would perhaps think it unseasonable for me in the midst of all your Court-jollity to tell you of the days of mourning and with that great King to serve in a Death's head amongst your Royal dishes to shew your Coffins in the midst of your Triumphs yet these precedents above exception shew me that no time is so fit as this Let me
forsaking Here thou wouldst knowingly delay whether for the greatning of the Miracle or for the strengthning of thy Disciples Faith Hadst thou gone sooner and prevented the death who had known whether strength of Nature and not thy miraculous power had done it Hadst thou overtaken his death by this quickning visitation who had known whether this had been only some â—ualm or extasy and not a perfect dissolution Now this large gap of time makes thy work both certain and glorious And what a clear proof was this beforehand to thy Disciples that thou wert able to accomplish thine own Resurrection on the third day who wert able to raise up Lazarus on the fourth The more difficult the work should be the more need it had of an omnipotent confirmation He that was Lord of our times and his own can now when he found it seasonable say Let us goe into Judaea again Why left he it before was it not upon the heady violence of his enemies Lo the stones of the Jews drove him thence the love of Lazarus and the care of his Divine glory drew him back thither We may we must be wise as serpents for our own preservation we must be careless of danger when God cals us to the hazard It is far from God's purpose to give us leave so farre to respect our selves as that we should neglect him Let Judaea be all snares all crosses O Saviour when thou callest us we must put our lives into our hands and follow thee thither This journey thou hast purposed and contrived but what needest thou to acquaint thy Disciples with thine intent Where didst thou ever besides here make them of counsel with thy voyages Neither didst thou say How think you if I goe but Let us goe Was it for that thou who knewest thine own strength knewest also their weakness Thou wert resolute they were timorous they were sensible enough of their late peril and fearful of more there was need to fore-arm them with an exspectation of the worst and preparation for it Surprisal with evils may indanger the best constancy The heart is apt to fail when it findes it self intrapped in a suddain mischief The Disciples were dearly affected to Lazarus they had learned to love where their Master loved yet now when our Saviour speaks of returning to that region of peril they pull him by the sleeve and put him in minde of the violence offered unto him Master the Jews of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again No less then thrice in the fore going Chapter did the Jews lift up their hands to murder him by a cruel lapidation Whence was this rage and bloody attempt of theirs Onely for that he taught them the truth concerning his Divine nature and gave himself the just style of the Son of God How subject carnal hearts are to be impatient of Heavenly verityes Nothing can so much fret that malignant spirit which rules in those breasts as that Christ should have his own If we be persecuted for his Truth we do but suffer with him with whom we shall once reign However the Disciples pleaded for their Masters safety yet they aimed at their own they well knew their danger was inwrapped in his It is but a cleanly colour that they put upon their own fear This is held but a weak and base Passion each one would be glad to put off the opinion of it from himself and to set the best face upon his own impotency Thus white-livered men that shrink and shift from the Cross will not want fair pretences to evade it One pleads the peril of many dependants another the disfurnishing the Church of succeeding abettors each will have some plausible excuse for his sound skin What errour did not our Saviour rectifie in his followers Even that fear which they would have dissembled is graciously dispelled by the just consideration of a sure and inevitable Providence Are there not twelve hours in the day which are duely set and proceed regularly for the direction of all the motions and actions of men So in this course of mine which I must run on earth there is a set and determined time wherein I must work and doe my Fathers will The Sun that guides these houres is the determinate counsel of my Father and his calling to the execution of my charge whiles I follow that I cannot miscarry no more then a man can miss his known way at high noon this while in vain are either your disswasions or the attempts of enemies they cannot hurt ye cannot divert me The journey then holds to Judaea his attendants shall be made acquainted with the occasion He that had formerly denied the deadliness of Lazarus his sickness would not suddenly confess his death neither yet would he altogether conceal it so will he therefore confess it as that he will shadow it out in a borrowed expression Lazarus our friend sleepeth What a sweet title is here both of death and of Lazarus Death is a sleep Lazarus is our friend Lo he saies not my friend but ours to draw them first into a gracious familiarity and communion of friendship with himself for what doth this import but Ye are my friends and Lazarus is both my friend and yours Our friend Oh meek and merciful Saviour that disdainest not to stoop so low as that whiles thou thoughtest it no robbery to be equall unto God thou thoughtest it no disparagement to match thy self with weak and wretched men Our friend Lazarus There is a kinde of parity in Friendship There may be Love where is the most inequality but friendship supposes pairs yet the Son of God saies of the sons of men Our friend Lazarus Oh what an high and happy condition is this for mortal men to aspire unto that the God of Heaven should not be ashamed to own them for friends Neither saith he now abruptly Lazarus our friend is dead but Lazarus our friend sleepeth O Saviour none can know the estate of life or death so well as thou that art the Lord of both It is enough that thou tellest us death is no other then sleep that which was wont to pass for the cozen of death is now it self All this while we have mistaken the case of our dissolution we took it for an enemy it proves a friend there is pleasure in that wherein we supposed horror Who is affraid after the weary toiles of the day to take his rest by night or what is more refreshing to the spent traveller then a sweet sleep It is our infidelity our impreparation that makes death any other then advantage Even so Lord when thou seest I have toiled enough let me sleep in peace and when thou seest I have slept enough awake me as thou didst thy Lazarus But I goe to awake him Thou saidst not Let us goe to awake him those whom thou wilt allow companions of thy way thou wilt not allow partners of thy work they may be witnesses they cannot
for thanks who would be a debter With the God of Mercy this cheap payment is current If he then will honour us so far as to be blessed of us Oh let us honour him so far as to blesse him Quare verbis parcam gratuita sunt Why do we spare thanks that cost us nothing as that wise heathen O give unto the Lord ye mighty give unto the Lord the praises due to his name offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving and still let the foot of our song be Blessed be the Lord. This for the Descant of gratulation the Ground follows His own sake hath reason to be first God will be blessed both as Jah and Adonai the one the style of his Essence the other of his Soveraignty Even the most accursed Deist would confesse that as a pure simple infinite absolute being God is to be blessed for if Being be good and these two be convertible Nature must needs teach him that an absolute and infinite Being must needs be absolutely and infinitely good But what do I blur the Glory of this Day with mention of those Monsters whose Idol is Nature whose Religion is secondary Atheism whose true region is the lowest Hell Those damned Ethnicks cannot will not conceive of God as he is because they impiously sever his Essence from his inward Relations We Christians can never be so heavenly affected to God as we ought till we can rise to this pitch of Piety to blesse God for what he is in himself without the external beneficial relations to the creature Else our respects reflect too much homeward and we do but look through God at our selves Neither is it for us only to blesse him as an absolute God but as a Soveraign Lord too whose Power hath no more limit then his Essence the great Moderator of Heaven and earth giving laws to his creature overruling all things marshalling all events crushing his enemies maintaining his Church adored by Angels trembled at by Devils Behold here a Lord worthy to be blessed We honour as we ought your conspicuous Greatness O ye eminent Potentates of the earth but alas what is this to the great Lord of Heaven when we look up thither we must crave leave to pity the breath of your nostrils the rust of your Coronets the dust of your graves the sting of your felicities and if ye take not good heed the blots of your memories As ye hold all in â—ee from this great Lord so let it be no disparagement to you to doe your lowliest homage to his footstool homage I mean in Action give me the reall benediction I am sure that is the best They blesse God that praise him they blesse him more and praise him best that obey him There are that crouch to you Great ones who yet hate you Oh let us take heed of offering these hollow observances to the searcher of hearts if we love not our own confusion They that proclaimed Christ at Jerusalem had not only Hosanna in their mouths but palms in their hands too so must we have Let me say then If the Hand bless not the Lord the Tongue is an Hypocrite Away with the wast complements of our vain Formalities Let our loud actions drown the language of our words in blessing the name of the Lord. Neither must we bless God as a Soveraign Lord only but which is yet a more feeling relation as a munificent Benefactor Who loadeth us daily with benefits Such is man's self-self-love that no inward worth can so attract his praises as outward beneficence Whiles thou makest much of thy self every one shall speak well of thee how much more whiles thou makest much of them Here God hath met with us also Not to perplex you with scanning the variety of senses wherewith I have observed this Psalm above all other of David's to abound see here I beseech you a four-fold gradation of Divine Bounty First here are Benefits The word is not expressed in the Original but necessarily implied in the sense for there are but three loads whereof man is capable from God Favours Precepts Punishments the other two are out of the road of Gratulation When we might therefore have exspected Judgments behold hold Benefits And those secondly not sparingly handfulled out to us but dealt to us by the whole load loadeth with benefits Whom thirdly doth he load but us Not worthy and well-deserving subjects but us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebels And lastly this he doth not at one doal and no more as even churls rare Feasts use to be plentifull but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 successively unweariedly perpetually One favour were too much here are Benefits a sprinkling were too much here is a load once were too oft here is daily largition Cast your eyes therefore a little upon this threefold exaggeration of Beneficence the measure a load of benefits the subject unworthy us the time daily Who daily loadeth us with benefits Where shall we begin to survey this vast load of Mercies Were it no more but that he hath given us a world to live in a life to injoy aire to breath in earth to tread on fire to warm us water to cool and cleanse us cloaths to cover us food to nourish us sleep to refresh us houses to shelter us variety of creatures to serve and delight us here were a just load But now if we yet adde to these civility of breeding dearnesse of friends competency of Estate degrees of Honour honesty or dignity of vocation favour of Princes successe in imployments domestick comforts outward peace good reputation preservation from dangers rescue from evils the load is well mended If yet ye shall come closer and adde due proportion of Body integrity of parts perfection of senses strength of nature mediocrity of health sufficiency of appetite vigour of digestion wholsome temper of seasons freedome from cares this course must needs heighten it yet more If still ye shall adde to these the order and power and exercise of our inward Faculties inriched with Wisdome Art Learning Experience expressed by a not-unhandsome Elocution and shall now lay all these together that concern Estate Body Minde how can the axel-tree of the Soul but crack under the load of these Favours But if from what God hath done for us as men we look to what he hath done for us as Christians that he hath imbraced us with an everlasting Love that he hath molded us anew enlivened us by his Spirit fed us by his Word Sacraments clothed us with his Merits bought us with his Blood becoming vile to make us glorious a Curse to invest us with Blessedness in a word that he hath given himself to us his Son for us Oh the height and depth and breadth of the rich mercies of our God! Oh the boundlesse toplesse bottomlesse load of Divine benefits whose immensity reaches from the center of this earth to the unlimited extent of the very Empyreal Heavens Oh that men would praise the
the advantages of Greatness what unequal levies of Legal payments what spightfull Sutes what Depopulations what Usuries what Violences abound every where The sighs the tears the blood of the poor pierce the Heavens and call for a fearfull retribution This is a sour Grape indeed and that makes God to wring his face in an angry detestation Drunkennesse is the next not so odious in the weaknesse of it as in the strength Oh wofull glory strong to drink Woe is me how is the World turned Beast What bouzing and quaffing and whiffing and healthing is there on every bench and what reeling and staggering in our streets What drinking by the Yard the Die the Douzen what forcing of pledges what quarrels for measure and form How is that become an excuse of villany which any villany might rather excuse I was drunk How hath this torrent yea this deluge of excesse in meats and drinks drowned the face of the Earth and risen many cubits above the highest Mountains of Religion and good Laws Yea would God I might not say that which I fear and shame and grieve to say that even some of them which square the Ark for others have been inwardly drowned and discovered their nakednesse That other inundation scoured the World this impures it and what but a Deluge of Fire can wash it from so abominable silthinesse Let no Popish Eaves-dropper now smile to think what advantage I give by so deep a censure of our own Profession Alas these sins know no difference of Religions Would God they themselves were not rather more deep in these foul enormities We extenuate not our guilt whatever we sin we condemn it as mortal they palliate wickednesse with the fair pretence of Veniality Shortly They accuse us we them God both But where am I How easie is it for a man to lose himself in the sins of the time It is not for me to have my habitation in these black Tents let me passe through them running Where can a man cast his eye not to see that which may vex his Soul Here Bribery and Corruption in the seats of Judicature there Perjuries at the Bar here Partiality and unjust Connivency in Magistrates there disorder in those that should be Teachers here Sacriledge in Patrons there Simoniacal contracts in unconscionable Levites here bloody Oaths and Execrations there scurril Prophanenesse here Cozening in bargains there breaking of Promises here perfidious Underminings there flattering Supparasitations here Pride in both Sexes but especially the weaker there Luxury and Wantonnesse here contempt of Gods Messengers there neglect of his Ordinances and violation of his Daies The time and my breath would sooner fail me then this wofull Bed-roll of wickednesse Yet alas were these the sins of Ignorance of Infirmity they might be more worthy of pity then hatred But oh the high hand of our presumptuous offences We draw iniquity with the strings of vanity up to the head up to the eare and shoot up these hatefull shafts against Heaven Did we sit in darknesse and the shadow of death as too many Pagan and Popish Regions do these works of darknesse would be lesse intolerable but now that the beams of the glorious Gospel have shined thus long thus bright in our faces Oh me what can we plead against our own confusion O Lord where shall we appear when thy very Mercies aggravate our Sins and thy Judgments How shouldst thou expect fruit from a Vineyard so chosen so husbanded and woe worth our wretchednesse that have thus repai'd thee Be confounded in thy self O my Soul be confounded to see these deplored retributions Are these grapes for a God Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unjust Hath he for this made us the mirrour of his Mercies to all the World that we should so shamefully turn his graces into wantonnesse Are these the fruits of his Choice his Fencing his Reforming his Planting his Watch-tower his Winepresse O Lord the great and dreadfull God keeping the covenants and mercies to them that love thee we have sinned and committed iniquity and have rebelled by departing from thy precepts and from thy Judgments O Lord righteousnesse belongeth to thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day We know we acknowledge how just it may be with thee to pull up our Hedges to break down our Wall to root up our Vine to destroy and depopulate our Nation to make us the scorn and Proverb of all Generations But O our God Let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy Jerusalem thy holy mountain O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and doe Defer not for thine own sake O our God for thy City and thy people are called by thy Name But alas what speak I of not deferring to a God of mercy who is more forward to give then we to crave and more loath to strike then we to smart and when he must strike complains Why will ye die O house of Israel Let me rather turn this speech to our selves the delay is ours Yet it is not too late either for our return or his mercies The Decree is not to us gone forth till it be executed As yet our Hedge stands our Wall is firm our Vine grows These sharp monitions these touches of Judgment have been for our warning not for our ruine Who knows if he will not return and yet leave a Blessing behinde him Oh that we could turn unto him with all our heart with Fasting and with weeping and with mourning Oh that we could truly and effectually abandon all those abominable Sins that have stirred up the Anger of our God against us and in this our day this day of our solemn Humiliation renew the Vows of our holy and conscionable obedience Lord God it must be thou onely that must doe it Oh strike thou our flinty hearts with a sound remorse and melt them into tears of penitence for all our sins Convert us unto thee and we shall be converted Lord hear our Prayers and regard our tears and reform our Lives and remove thy Plagues and renew thy loving countenance and continue and adde to thine old mercies Lord affect us with thy favours humble us for our sins terrifie us with thy Judgments that so thou maist hold on thy favours and forgive our sins and remove thy Judgments even for the Son of thy Love Jesus Christ the righteous To whom c. Postscript SInce it seemed good to that Great Court to call this poor Sermon amongst others of greater worth into the publick light I have thus submitted to their pleasure And now for that they pleased to bid so high a rate as their Command for that mean piece I do willingly give this my other Statue into the bargain This work preceded some little in time that which it now follows in place not without good reason Authority sends forth that this Will and my Will hath learned ever to give place to Authoritie Besides my
heart of flesh Ezec. 11. 19. Are there any of us weary of carrying our old Adam about us a grievous burden I confess and that which is able to weigh us down to Hell do we groan under the load and long to be eased none but the Almighty hand can doe it by the power of Godliness creating us anew to the likeness of that second Adam which is from heaven heavenly without which there is no possibility of Salvation for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God In a word would we have this earth of ours translated to Heaven it is only the power of godliness can doe it And as this power of Godliness is great so no less beneficial beneficial every way both here and hereafter Here it frees us from evil it feoffes us in good Godliness is an Antidote against all mischief and misery yea such is the power of it that it not onely keeps us from evil but turns that evil to good All things work together to the best to them that love and fear God saith the Apostle Lo all things Crosses Sins Crosses are blessings Sins are advantages Saint Paul's Viper befriended him Saint Martin's Ellebore nourished him Saluti fuere pestifera as Seneca speaks And what can hurt him that is blessed by Crosses and is bettered by Sins It feoffes us in good Wealth Honour Contentment The Apostle puts two of them together Godliness is great gain with contentment 1 Tim. 6. 6. Here are no ifs or ands but gain great gain and gain with self-sufficiencie or contentment Wickedness may yield a gain such as it is for a time but it will be gravel in the throat gain farre from contentment Length of dayes are in the right hand of true wisedome and in her left hand riches and honour Prov. 3. 16. Lo honour and wealth are but gifts of the left hand common and mean favours length yea eternity of dayes is for the right that is the height of bounty Godliness hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come saith the Apostle the promise that is enough Gods promises are his performances with men to promise and to pay are two things they are one with God To them that by patient continuing in well-doing seek glory and honour and immortality eternal life Rom. 2. 7. Briefly for I could dwell here alwaies it is Godliness that onely can give us the beatifical sight of God The sight yea the fruition of him yea the union with him not by apposition not by adhesion but by a blessed participation of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. I can goe no higher no the Angels and Arch-angels cannot look higher then this To summe up all then Godliness can give wisedome to the fool eyes to the blind life to the dead it can eject Devils change the course of Nature create us anew free us from evil feoffe us in good honour wealth contentment everlasting happiness O the wonderful O the beneficial power of Godliness And now what is the desire of my Soul but that all this could make you in love with Godliness that in stead of the ambitions of Honour the tradings for Wealth the pursuit of Pleasure your hearts could be set on fire with the zealous affectation of true Godliness Alas the least overture of any of these makes us mad of the world if but the shadow of a little Honour Wealth Promotion Pleasure be cast before us how eagerly do we prosecute it to the eternal hazard of our Souls Behold the substance of them all put together offers it self in Godliness How zealously should we embrace them and never give rest to our Souls till we have laid up those true grounds of Happiness which shall continue with us when all our Riches and earthly Glory shall lye down with us in the dust Alas Noble and Christian hearers ye may be outwardly great and inwardly miserable it was a great Caesar that said I have been all things and am never the better It is not your Bags ye wealthy Citizens that can keep the Gout from your joints or Care from your hearts It is not a Coronet ye great Peers that can keep your heads from aching all this earthly pomp and magnificence cannot keep out either death or conscience Our Prosperity presents us as goodly Lilies which whiles they are whole look fair and smell sweet but if once bruised a little as nasty both in sight and sent It is only Godliness that can hold up our heads in the evil day that can bid us make a mock at all the blustering storms of the world that can protect us from all miseries which if they kill yet they cannot hurt us that can improve our sufferings and invest us with true and eternal Glory O then be covetous be ambitious of this blessed estate of the Soul and as Simon Macchabaeus with three yeares labour took down the top of mount Acra in Jerusalem that no hill might stand in competition of height with the Temple of God so let us humble and prostrate all other desires to this one that true Godliness may have the sway in us Neither is this consideration more fit to be a whetstone to our zeal then a touchstone to our condition Godliness why it is an herb that grows in every soil As Platina observes that for 900 yeares and upwards none of those Popes to whom Sanctity is ascribed in the abstract were yet held Saints after their death except Celestine the 5 which gave up the Pontifical Chair after six Moneths weary sitting in it so on the contrary we may live Ages ere we heare a man profess himself God-less whiles he is abominably such He is too bad that will not be thought Godly as it is a brazen-fac'd Curtezan that would not be held honest That which Lactantius said of the Heathen Philosophers that they had many Scholars few followers I cannot say of the Divine we have enough to learn enough to imitate but few to act Be not deceived Godliness is not impotent whereever Godliness is there is power Hath it then prevailed to open our eyes to see the great things of our peace hath it raised us up from the grave of our sins ejected our hellish corruptions changed our wicked natures new created our hearts well may we applaud our selves in the confidence of our Godliness But if we be still old still corrupt still blind still dead still devilish away vain Hypocrites ye have nothing to doe with Godliness because Godliness hath had no power on you Are ye godly that care to know any thing rather then God and spiritual things Are ye godly that have neither ability nor will to serve that God whom ye fashionably pretend to know Are ye godly which have no inward awe of that God whom ye pretend to serve no government of your Passions no Conscience of your Actions no care of your Lives False Hypocrites ye do but abuse and profane that name which ye unjustly
of these Birds every where at home I appeal your eyes your ears would to God they would convince me of a slander But what of all this now The power of Godlinesse is denied by wicked men How then what is their case Surely inexplicably unconceivably fearfull The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlinesse saith the Apostle How revealed say you wherein differ they from their neighbours unlesse it be perhaps in better fare no gripes in their Conscience no afflictions in their life no bands in their death Impunitas ausum ausus excessum parit as Bernard Their impunity makes them bold their boldness outragious Alas wretched Souls The world hath nothing more wofull then a Sinners welfare It is for slaughter that this Ox is fatned Ease slayeth the simple and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them Prov. 1. 32. This bracteata felicitas which they injoy here is but as Carpets spread over the mouth of Hell For if they deny the power of Godliness the God of power shall be sure to deny them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not There cannot be a worse doom then Depart from me that is depart from peace from blessedness from life from hope from possibility of being any other then eternally exquisitely miserable Qui te non habet Domine Deus totum perdidit He who hath not thee O Lord God hath lost all as Bernard truly Dying is but departing but this departing is the worst dying dying in Soul ever dying so as if there be an Ite depart there must needs be a maledicti depart ye cursed cursed that ever they were born who live to die everlastingly For this departure this curse ends in that fire which can never never end Oh the deplorable condition of those damned Souls that have slighted the power of Godliness what tears can be enough to bewail their everlasting burnings what heart can bleed enough at the thought of those tortures which they can neither suffer nor avoid Hold but your finger for one minute in the weak flame of a farthing Candle can flesh and blood indure it With what horror then must we needs think of Body and Soul frying endlesly in that infernal Tophet Oh think of this ye that forget God and contemn Godlinesse with what confusion shall ye look upon the frowns of an angry God rejecting you the ugly and mercilesse Fiends snatching you to your torments the flames of Hell flashing up to meet you with what horror shall ye feel the gnawing of your guilty Consciences and hear that hellish shreeking and weeping and wailing and gnashing It is a pain to mention these woes it is more then death to feel them Perhorrescite minas formidate supplicia as Chrysostome Certainly my beloved if wicked sinners did truly apprehend an Hell there would be more danger of their despair and distraction then of their security It is the Devil's policy like a Raven first to pull out the eyes of those that are dead in their sins that they may not see their imminent damnation But for us tell me ye that hear me this day are ye Christians in earnest or are ye not If ye be not what doe ye here If ye be there is an hell in your Creed Ye do not lesse believe there is an Hell for the godlesse then an Earth for men a Firmament for Stars an Heaven for Saints a God in Heaven and if ye do thus firmly believe it cast but your eyes aside upon that fiery gulf and sin if ye dare Ye love your selves well enough to avoid a known pain we know there are Stocks and Bride-wells and Gaols and Dungeons and Racks and Gibbets for malefactors and our very feare keeps us innocent were your hearts equally assured of those Hellish torments ye could not ye durst not continue in those sins for which they are prepared But what an unpleasing and unseasonable subject am I fallen upon to speak of Hell in a Christian Court the embleme of Heaven Let me answer for my self with devout Bernard Sic mihi contingat semper be are amicos terrendo salubriter non adulando fallaciter Let me thus ever blesse my friends with wholesome frights rather then with plausible soothings Sumenda sunt amara salubria saith Saint Austin Bitter wholsome is a safe receipt for a Christian and what is more bitter or more wholsome then this thought The way not to feel an Hell is to see it to fear it I fear we are all generally defective this way we do not retire our selves enough into the Chamber of Meditation and think sadly of the things of another world Our self-Self-love puts off this torment notwithstanding our willing sins with David's plague non appropinquabit It shall not come nigh thee If we do not make a league with Hell and Death yet with our selves against them Fallit peccatum falsâ dulcedine as Saint Austin Sin deceives us with a false pleasure The pleasure of the world is like rhat Colchian honey whereof Xenophon's souldiers no sooner tasted then they were miserably distempered those that took little were drunk those that took more were mad those that took most were dead thus are we either intoxicated or infatuated or kil'd out-right with this deceitfull world that we are not sensible of our just fears at the best we are besotted with our stupid security that we are not affected with our danger Woe is me the impenitent resolved sinner is already faln into the mouth of Hell and hangs there but by a slender twig of his momentany life when that hold fails he falls down headlong into that pit of horrour and desolation Oh ye my dear brethren so many as love your Souls have mercy upon your selves Call aloud out of the deeps of your sins to that compassionate Saviour that he will give you the hand of Faith to lay hold upon the hand of his mercy and plenteous redemption and pull you out of that otherwise-irrecoverable destruction else ye are gone ye are gone for ever Two things as Bernard borrows of Saint Gregory make a man both good and safe To repent of evil To abstain from evil Would ye escape the wrath of God the fire of Hell Oh wash you clean and keep you so There is no Laver for you but your own teares and the blood of your Saviour Bathe your Souls in both of these and be secure Consider how many are dying now which would give a world for one hour to repent in Oh be ye carefull then to improve your free and quiet hours in a serious and hearty contrition for your sins say to God with the Psalmist Deliver me from the evilman that is from my self as that Father construes it And for the sequel in stead of the denying the power of Godlinesse resolve to deny your selves to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world that having felt and approved the power
Justice is Peace Fore-prophesied to be the Prince of Peace Esay 9. 6. the government is upon his shoulder saith that Evangelical Seer yea which of the Prophets is silent of this Style Constituted Behold I have set my King upon Sion Psal 2. 6. Acknowledged by the Sages Where is be that is born King of the Jews We have seen his star Mat. 2. 2. Usher'd in by the Angel Gabriel The Lord shall give him the throne of his Father David Luke 1. 32. Anointed he is Christus Domini and Christus Dominus anointed with the oyle of gladness above his fellows Proclaimed Behold thy King cometh to thee saith Zachary Hosanna Blessed be the Kingdome that comes in the name of the Lord said the Children in the streets Enthronized Thy throne O God is for ever and the scepter of thy Kingdome is a right scepter Honoured with due homage The Kings of the earth shall bring presents to thee saith the Psalmist And yet this King thus Presigured Fore-prophesied Constituted Acknowledged Usher'd in Anointed Proclaimed Enthronized Adored is cast off with a Nolumus hunc No King but Caesar And were they not well served think we Did or could ever any eye pity them Because they say Christ is not our King but Caesar therefore Christ shall plague them by Caesar that very Roman Government which they honoured in a corrivality and opposition to Christ shall revenge the quarrel of Christ in the utter subversion of these unthankful Rebels Oh foolish people and unjust do ye thus requite the Lord Did he empty himself of his Celestial Glory and put on weak Manhood and all the symptoms of wretched Mortality and do ye despise him for this Mercy Is he so vile to you because he was so vile for you Did his Love make him humble that his Humility should make him contemptible Did he chuse you out of all the kingdomes of the earth and do ye wilfully reject him Hear therefore ye despisers and tremble hear the just doom of him who will be your Judge if he shall not be your Saviour Those mine enemies that would not I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luk. 19. 27. Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and yet there is room Do we think that Christ hath no Rebels but Jews Would to God we sinners of the Gentiles had not said Disrumpamus vincula Let us break his bonds and cast his cords from us What are his bonds but his Laws his cords but Religious institutions These flie about mens ears like rotten tow binding none but the impotent The bounds of his Kingdome are the ends of the earth It is an hard word yet I must say it Oh that there were not more Traitors in the world then Subjects Tell not me what mens Tongues say their Lives say loud enough Nolumus hunc Christ is no King for us Obedience is the true touch-stone of Loyalty not Protestations not outward Cringes not disbursement of Tribute We have all solemnly sworn allegeance to the God of Heaven we are ready to bow at the dear name of Jesus we stick not perhaps to give obedientiam bursalem as Gerson cals it to God but when it comes once to the deniall of our selves to the mortifying of our corruptions to the strangling of the children of our own accursed wombs to the offering up our bodies and Souls as a reasonable and lively sacrifice hîc Rhodus hîc saltus Kings rule by their Laws Be not deceived if slips of weakness marre not our Fealty certainly continuance in wilful sins cannot stand with our Subjection Quomodo legis How readest thou then as our Saviour asks What saies thy Law-giver in Sinai Thou shalt have no other Gods but me If now thou rear up in thy bosome altars to the Astaroth of Honour to the Tammuz of Lust to the Mammon of Wealth thou hast defied Christ for thy King God saies Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain If now thine unhallowed tongue will not be beaten out of the hellish track of Oaths Blasphemies prophane Scoffs thou hast defied Christ God sayes Thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath day If now thou shalt spend it altogether upon thy self or else thinkest with that wise Heathen thou dost septimam oetatis partem perdere thou defiest Christ God saies Thou shalt not commit adultery If now like an enraged stallion thou neighest after every object of impure Lust thou hast defied Christ God saies Non in comessationibus ebrietate Not in surfeiting and drunkenness If now we shall pour our health and our reason down our throats and shall sacrifice our Souls to our bellies what do we say but Nolumus hunc But O foolish Rebels that we are do we think thus to shake off the yoak of Christ In spight of men and devils he will be their King who do most grin and gnash at his Soveraignty Feel O ye wilful sinners if ye will not learn that as he hath a golden Scepter Virgam directionis Psal 45. 6. so he hath also an iron Scepter Psal 2. 9. Virgam furoris Esay 10. 5. Beauty and Bands Zach. 11. 10 14. If ye will not bow under the first yea must break under the second He shall break you in pieces like a Potters vessel to mammocks to dust Ye shall find that the Prince of darkness can no more avoid his own torment then he can cease from yours and every knee not onely in Heaven and in earth but under the earth too shall mal-grè bow to the name of that Jesus whom they have scornfully rejected with Nolumus hunc Christ is no King to us But I perswade my self better things of you all that hear me this day There is none of you I hope but would be glad to strew his garments his olive-boughs yea his myrtles and lawrels yea crown and scepter under the feet of Christ and cry Hosanna altissimo Oh then if you be in earnest take the Psalmists counsel Osculamini filium Give him the kiss of Homage of Obedience Let me have leave to say that this charge is there given to the great Princes and Rulers of the earth they who honour others with a kiss of their hand must honour themselves with the humble kiss of his No Power can exempt from this sweet Subjection Ecce servus tuns Behold I am thy servant faith David yea and vilior ero I will be yet more vile for the Lord. Tremble before his footstool O ye Great ones that bindeth Kings with chains and Nobles with fetters of iron Psal 149. 8. Your very Height inforces your Obedience the detrectation where of hath no other but Potentes potenter punientur Mighty ones shall be mightily tormented As an Angel of God so is my Lord the king as that wise Tekoan said Do ye not see how awful how submiss the Angels of Heaven are Before his throne they hide their faces with their wings and from his throne at his command
known or considered that of old a souldier was a sacred thing and it is worth your notice what in former times was the manner of our Ancestors in consecrating a Souldier or a Knight to the wars Some six hundred years agoe and upward as I find in the history of Ingulphus the manner was this Anglorum erat consuetudo quod qui militiae legitimae consecrandus esset c. He that should be devoted to the trade of war the evening before his consecration came to the Bishop or Priest of the place and in much contrition and compunction of heart made a confession of all his sins and after his absolution spent that night in the Church in watching in prayers in afflictive devotions on the morrow being to hear Divine Service he was to offer up his Sword upon the Altar and after the Gospel the Priest was with a solemn benediction to put it about his neck and then after his communicating of those sacred mysteries he was to remain miles legitimus Thus he who tels us how that valiant and successful Knight Heward came thus to his uncle one Brandus the devout Abbot of Peterborough for his consecration and that this Custome continued here in England till the irreligious Normans by their scorns put it out of countenance accounting such a one non legitimum militem sed equitem socordem Quiritem degenerem This was their ancient and laudable manner some shadow whereof we retain whiles we hold some Orders of Knighthood Religious And can we wonder to hear of noble victories atchieved by them of Giants and Monsters slain by those hands that had so pious an initiation These men professed to come to their combats as David did to Goliah in the name of the Lord no marvel if they prospered Alas now Nulla fides pietásque c. ye know the rest the name of a souldier is misconstrued by our Gallants as a sufficient warrant of debauchedness as if a Buff-Jerkin were a lawful cover for a profane heart Wo is me for this sinful degeneration How can we hope that bloody hands of lawless Ruffians should be blessed with palms of triumph that adulterous eyes should be shaded with garlands of victory that profane and atheous instruments if any such be imployed in our wars should return home loaded with success and honour How should they prosper whose sins fight against them more then all the swords of enemies whose main adversary is in their own bosome and in Heaven If the God of Heaven be the Lord of hosts do we think him so lavish that he will grace impiety Can we think him so in love with our persons that he will overlook or digest our crimes Be innocent O ye warriours if ye would be speedful be devout if ye would be victorious Even upon the Bridles of the horses in Zachary must be written Holiness to the Lord how much more upon the fore-heads of his Priests the Leaders of his spiritual war With what face with what heart can he fight against beasts that is a beast himself It is not Holiness yet that can secure us from blows Job's Behemoth as he is construed durst set upon the holy Son of God himself To our Holiness therefore must be added Skill skill to guard and skill to hit skill in choice of weapons places times ways of assault or defence else we cannot but be wounded and tossed at pleasure Hence the Psalmist Thou teachest my hands to war and my fingers to fight The title that is given to David's Champions was not dispositi ad clypeum as Montanus hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but disponentes such as could handle the shield and the buckler 1 Chron. 12. 8. Alas what is to be look'd for of raw untaught untrained men if such should be called forth of their shops on the sudden that know not so much as their files or motions or postures but either slight or filling of ditches He that will be a Petus in Jovius his history or a Servilius in Plutarch to come off an untouch'd victor from frequent challenges had need to pass many a guard and Veny in the fence-school So skilful must the man of God be that he must know as S. Paul even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very plots and devices of that great challenger of hell We live in a knowing age and yet how many teachers are very novices in the practick part of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore are either born down or tossed up with the vices of the Time whose miscarriages would God it were as easie to remedy as to lament Lastly what is Skill in our weapon without an heart and hand to use it Rabshakeh could say Counsel and strength are for the warre 2 Kings 18. 20. Strength without Counsel is like a blind Giant and Counsel without Strength is like a quick-sighted Criple If heart and eyes and lims meet not there can be no fight but tu pulsas ego vapulo What are men in this case but lepores galeati or as Sword-fishes that have a weapon but no heart Hear the spirit of a right Champion of Heaven I am ready not to be bound onely but to die for the name of the Lord Jesus Here was a man fit to grapple with beasts It is the word of the sluggish Coward There is a Lion or a Bear in the way What if there be If thou wilt be a Sampson a David incounter them There is no great glory to be look'd for but with hazard and difficulty When the Souldier said The enemy is strong it was bravely answered of the Captain The victory shall be so much more glorious I have shew'd you the man Qualified I should stay to shew you him Armed armed with Authority without with Resolution within but I long to shew you the Fight A Fight it must be which I beseech you observe in the first place Neither doth he say I plai'd with beasts except you would have it in Joab's phrase as neither did the beasts play with him except as Erasmus speaks Ludus exiit in rabiem He saies not I humor'd their bestiality I struck up a league or a truce with the vices of men No S. Paul was far from this he was at a perpetual defiance with the wickedness of the times and as that valiant Commander said would die fighting The world wanted not of old plausible spirits that if an Ahab had a mind to go up against Ramoth would say Go up and prosper and would have horns of iron to push him forward S. Paul was none of them neither may we He hath indeed bidden us if it be possible to have peace with all men not with beasts If wickedness shall go about to glaver with us Is it peace Jehu we must return a short answer and speak blows Far far be it from us to fawn upon vicious Greatness to favour even Court-sins If here we meet with bloody Oaths with scornful Profaneness with Pride with