videtur in terris The shew and manifestation of his presence is in the earth but the celebritie and declaration of his glory is in the heauens For if the Psalmist would haue a trumpet blowne in the new moone Blow the trumpet in the new moone There is a trumpet of praise and glorie that must sound and bee lifted vp shall I say in the new Moone or rather in the feast of Tabernacles Whilst the Tabernacle of God is with man and to speake in the phrase of Nyssen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Israel but the Lord of Israel dwelleth in a tent or a booth and is receiued into the darke mansion and earthly Tabernable of humane flesh and mortall corruption Yee haue a president from the Angels though hee were not a Sauiour to them but to vs. For he tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham Yet doe they begin the Antiphone and teach vs how to sing Though we may not compare with their knowledge and vnderstanding yet may wee emulate their pietie and deuotion My prayer shall be that which the Apostle vsed in the behalfe of the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God of patience and consolation make yee like minded that with one mouth yee may praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ saying and singing as it is in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorie to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men That which I haue read vnto you is a sacred Hymne and diuine Embasie where there is discouered a threefold benefit of our Sauiours incarnation The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the loue and good will of him that dwelt in the bush Good will towards men The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace and reconciliation with God the Father On the earth peace The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour and glorie and that from the noblest creatures I meane the Angels that dwell in the height and sublimitie of eternall blessednesse Glorie to God in the highest on the earth peace good will towards men But that which ariseth most clearely from this fountaine is a blessing receiued and a blessing returned A blessing receiued and that is peace On the earth peace A blessing returned and that is Glorie Glorie to God on high In the first wee note the Motiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuine loue and spirituall adoption Good will towards men In the second wee note a circumstance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the highest Either locall and so by the highest we vnderstand the heauens Or personall and so by the highest we vnderstand the Angels Glorie be to God on high on the earth peace c. Glorie bee to God on high For the heauens send downe and the clouds drop righteousnesse On the earth peace For saluation and Iustice are come forth it brings them forth together Good will towards men For we are satisfied with the abundance of his louing kindnesse Grace and Mercy compassion and bounty from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Who so great and eminent that he may not honour God it is the practise of the Angels Glorie to God in the highest Who so powerfull and magnificent that hee should not embrace peace it is the onely blessing on the earth On the earth peace Who so amiable and preualent that hee should not stand by this grace it is the onely stay of life and happinesse Towards men good will O the diuine maiestie of this heauenly Sacrament where hee that is despised of his owne is the attonement for his enemies hee that lyeth among the beasts is the securitie of man hee that cryeth in a stable is magnified in heauen and that by an host of spirituall souldiers saying and singing Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Yee haue now seene the notes of my song I shall resume them in their order though to vse the words of Iohn I am not worthie to vntie the latchet of his shooe Ligatura calceamenti ligatura mysterij saith Gregorie the latchet of his shooe is the mysterie of his birth For the brightnesse of the Godhead lyeth shadowed and shrouded vnder the veile and couer of his manhood diuinitie in humanitie power in infirmitie maiestie in humilitie immortalitie in frailtie life in death and Christ in the flesh O let not that be wanting in you towards me which abounds in God towards all I meane voluntas bona a good will and beneuolous disposition whilst I begin with my first note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorie to God on high It is well the Angels set glorie before peace For there will be no peace with man if there be not glorie to the Lord it is one of those peculiars which he reserueth to himselfe the first is vengeance and therefore saith Moses Vengeance is mine and I will repay the second power and therefore saith the Euangelist The Lord hath giuen all power to his Sonne the last and chiefest is Glorie and therefore saith Esay I will not giue my glorie to another Indeed the Lord made all things for his glorie and if he be not glorified in their actions hee will bee glorified in their punishment by the seueritie of his iustice This made the Apostle to exclude euery creature from the fellowship hereof To the King euerlasting inuisible immortall and onely wise God bee honour and glory And the Psalmist is distinctly negatiue by a perfect abdication from himselfe and others Not vnto vs not vnto vs but to thy name be the glorie That wee may say vnto her as Ioseph vnto his Mistris My Lord hath committed all things vnto my hand and kept nothing from me but onely thee which art his wife How shall I do so great wickednesse and sinne against my Lord The Lord hath committed all things vnto our hands sent vs his Angels giuen his Sonne powred forth his Spirit multiplyed his graces and kept nothing from vs but this glorie which is espoused to him from euerlasting How shall wee do so great wickednesse as to sinne against the Lord and spoile him of his glorie Yet there is an inward glorie wherein wee may reioyce proceeding from a good conscience The holy Ghost bearing witnesse to our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God For glorie and honour and peace shall bee to euery soule that doth good to the Iew first and also the Grecian Yea and an outward glorie too so it bee limited within the bounds of pietie and charitie I meane the honour of God and the benefit of our neighbour In Deo secundum Deum propter Deum as the learned haue distinguisht First in Deo from God as the Author and fountaine then secundum Deum not after the will of man but after the will of God Last of all Propter Deum to the honour of God and the aduancement of his Gospell O gloriam licitam saith Tertulltan such Philotimie is very iustifiable and worthy of man the
in this honour it is thou onely which hast the glorie And that in altissimis and ab altissimis First in the highest for the heauens declare the glory and are the stage and theater of thine euerlasting power and triumphant maiesty secondly of the highest For the Angels praise thee and the Saints giue thankes vnto thee the heauens and all the powers therein continually do cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboth heauen and earth are full of thy glory thy praise is their ioy thy honour their comfort thy celebritie their felicitie by whose power they are made by whose wisedome they are illuminated by whose grace they stand fast and shall neuer bee remooued Whence is that of Dauid Beati qui habitant Blessed are they which dwell in thy house they will euer bee praising thee Though I could assigne many reasons of this glory from the Angels as the excellent dignitie of their wonderfull creation for they beare the signiture of God in their nature the continuall fruition of diuine sweetnesse for they tast and drinke thereof as from a riuer the sure confirmation of their eternall blessednesse for they are setled and established by the incarnation of our Sauiour Yet that which fills their hearts with praise and their tongue with ioy is their instauration of their decay because thou hast built vp the walls of Ierusalem and made vp their breach by the saluation of man and the redemption of our nature The walls of Ierusalem are the companies of Angels which are built vp and made compleat by reducing man to the state of their perfection Therefore do they reioyce and sing therefore do they cry aloud vpon their beds and to vse the words of Cyprian Gratulabundi praedicant they magnifie the riches of Gods mercy with exceeding ioy and wonderfull gratulation O my brethren and yee whom I tender as mine owne bowels in the Lord. What a motiue is this to Christian loue and perfect charitie Shall the Angels praise God for vs and shall not we praise the Lord for our selues Shall an armie of spirituall souldiers triumph in the redemption of man and shall not wee reioyce in our owne saluation and the miraculous deliuerance of our brethren True deuotion is full of compassion and the Saints of God do not onely suffer together but reioyce together with Hymnes and Psalmes of spirituall melody singing to the Lord with grace in their hearts Whence are they termed filiae Iudah daughters of Iudah and filiae confessionis daughters of confession as learned Austin makes the exposition such as praise God and offer the sacrifice of thankfulnesse for his loue to man and his blessings out of Sion Tell mee then what spirit they are of that call to heauen for vengeance and would haue the Lord send downe fire vpon their enemies that delight in the ruine and destruction of their brethren yea machinate the subuersion of States and Kingdomes with the diuellish practises of most hellish inuentions That curse where the Lord doth blesse and cry against the highest powers as the Romane legions against Iouian the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast escaped the edge of the sword and the furie of battell would God thy flesh had beene giuen to the fowles of the aire and the dogs had licked thy bloud as the bloud of Iezabell by the wall of Iezrael well may they resemble Abaddon and Apolluon the Diuell and his angels they are most repugnant to God his Angels For their song is of glory peace yea and of glory for peace and that with man vpon the earth which is the second note of this Hymne and desires continuance of your deuotion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the earth peace Though glory belong to heauen and peace to the earth yet was there a time when neither was to be found Man had prouoked God to anger and taken away our peace translated the worship of God to Idols and depriued him of his glory but now they are both in their naturall seate and the comming of our Sauiour is like the returne of that Doue into the Arke with the gracious branch of peace of mercy When Ionah was cast into the sea the storme ceast and there was a great calme when the Lord brought his first begotten into the world the troubles were abated there was a great peace throughout the whole earth Fluuius pacis as Esay writeth A floud of peace for a sea of misery and that which before was a place of exile and banishment is now the Tabernacle of rest and quiet where the Lord hath extended peace and safetie and righteousnesse and glorie as a flowing streame For that which hee taught as an Oracle in his life and bequeathed as a legacie at his death I meane the sweetnesse of peace and the aboundance of holinesse was now begun in the time of his birth and set as a pearle on the top and crowne of his blessed incarnation whence is hee termed a King of peace our heauenly Salomon yea our very peace that made both one and set at peace through the bloud of his crosse the things on earth and the things in heauen How can wee choose but rest in peace now the Lord is come who is to the whole earth as Apollo was to Delos that hee may settle and stablish it with an euerlasting quietnesse But Luke and Mathew are at variance and there is warre betwixt the words of my Text and that of the Gospell Thinke yee that I am come to send peace into the world I came not to send peace but a sword what a sword and yet peace Fire and yet peace warre and yet peace these things are incompatible and as the Poet notes Frontibus aduersis pugnantia Yet may they bee reconciled and stand together The sword of the spirit with the peace of conscience the fire of loue with the peace of religion war against Satan and his angels with peace towards God and his Angels For as the naturall body is framed of contrary elements so diuerse qualities may perfect the mysticall body of Christ Iesus And though we do not striue against flesh and bloud yet do we against the Prince of this world and against spirituall wickednesses in the highest places whence is that of Bernard Inter Babilonem Hierusalem pax nulla betwixt Babilon Hierusalem there is no peace Satan is the King of Babylon Christ of Hierusalem which he defends with cōtinuall resistances though he be not the God of confusion but of order in all the Churches of the Saints What then is the peace of my Text but sacred and diuine such as Christ wisheth to the Apostles and the Apostles to the elect in their generall salutations Peace with God for we are reconciled to the Father Peace with Angels for they reioyce in our conuersion Peace with men for they shall bee gathered into one flocke Peace with the creature for it shall be in league with vs Peace with our owne selues
it is the faith of Christ must be as the girdle of our loynes it is the iustice of Christ must be as the clothing of our nakednesse his crosse our standard and his bloud our colours What is the glorie and boasting of Christians but in him that died for vs in that name which is aboue euery name in that name in that name whereunto wee are baptized and wherein we are blest O thou Lord of hoasts and King of Israel we adore thy maiestie we honour thy mercie the sacrifice of thy flesh the oblation on the crosse the price of our redemption the riches of thy saluation whereby thou hast paid our debt and reconciled vs to the Father Therefore saith that chosen vessell God forbid I should glorie in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I vnto the world If any man preach other then yee haue receiued let him be accurst If any man receiue other then we haue preacht let him be accurst Saint Bernard giues the reason Alijs rebus non tam ornati quà m onerati sumus Other things are more cumbersome then profitable it is well if they prooue not hurtfull and pernicious like that fatall habit which the Turkish Emperors vsed to cast on those whom they meant to execute famously knowne by the name of deaths mantle in their stories What meaneth that of Christ for himselfe Without me yee can do nothing but in me ye haue life eternall Or that of Paul against himselfe Was Paul crucified for you or were ye baptized into the name of Paul But that wee should be wholly fixt on this obiect and drawne from the loue and the seruice and the foolish admiration of euery creature No man likes his friend should loue his gift better then himselfe and shall the Lord be pleased with such that care more for his blessing then for his goodnesse I will not say but that he is most readie to loose the bands of Orion and to power downe the sweete influence of the Pleiades as so many golden showers in the bosomes of his seruants yet is it his pleasure wee should set more by his person then by his fauours Aurum in arca Deus in conscientia saith that learned Father Austin God in the heart is like gold in the coffer Health to thy nauell marrow to thy bones cheere on thy table musicke in thy feasts sweetnesse in thy pleasures securitie in thy honours store in thy garners plentie in thy vineyards increase and fulnesse of all thy soule doth loue or imagine Yet may we delight in the temporall benefits of our spirituall Isaac the fatnesse of the earth and the dew of heauen so it be with relation to his glorie Non ad corruptionem sed ad consolationem non ad illigandum sed vtendum as Saint Austin hath distinguished it not to corruption but to consolation not to be entangled with their vanitie but to be refresht with the lawfull vse of their supply and vertue It is not said he that loueth father and mother is vnworthy of me But he that loueth father or mother or brother or sister more then me is vnworthy of me Neither is it a positiue vse but a comparatiue that is here restrained Well may the seede of Abraham embrace riches and honour and iurisdiction and power and due obseruance as it were from the sheaues of their brethren together with the sweet encrease of the Sunne and the sweet encrease of the Moone as a reward of pietie or the smell of a field which the Lord hath blest but if it be more then him they are vnworthy of him or if it be not for him they are vnworthy of him and therefore saith Ambrose In omnibus istis fragret odor Christi In all this let the sauour of Christ be fragrant and his loue abound Yea let it be predominant and supereminent as oyle on the top of water that our water may be turned into wine the rainy delights of watry pleasures into the sweet wine of true ioy and spirituall gladnesse It was the pride of Seneca and he boasted much Vbicunque ago Demetrium circumfero that wheresoeuer he went he bare Demetrius with him O that we could say the like of God! Vbicunque ago Deum circumfero Wheresoeuer I go I beare Christ Iesus with me the secret of my bosome is as the house of Zacheus where he was receiued with chearefulnesse and alacritie it is not a materiall crucifixe or a visible picture wrought in gold or framed in siluer but the sweet remembrance of my blessed Sauiour that is euer with me the print of his loue the example of his vertue the image of his goodnesse the record of his mercie all the miracles that he wrought for my conuersion all the precepts that he gaue for my instruction all the miseries and indignities that he endured and sustained for my libertie and saluation the power of his death the triumph of his crosse the glorie of his rising the comfort of his appearing is that which I bind as signes vpon my arme and lay as Camphire betweene my breasts Vbicunque ago Deum circumfero Wheresoeuer I go I beare Christ Iesus with me as the lot of mine inheritance as the crowne of my felicitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Alexandrinus the friend of my bosome the companion of my studie It is the light of thy countenance that was stampt vpon vs and it is the light of thy countenance that must shine within vs if euer wee be as the Moone faire and beautifull Whence shall the image of God deriue her beautie but from God Whence shall the Spouse of Christ take the ornaments of grace and comelinesse but from the treasure of his righteousnesse Adultera anima saith Austin that soule is wicked and adulterous guiltie of spirituall fornication which embraceth the creature and leaueth the Creator There is no helpe for vs but in that fountaine which our Fathers thirsted in the wildernesse It is with the heart of man as with the hand of Moses when he pluckt it out of his bosome it was foule and leprous when he put it in it was faire and comely Christ is our bosome and the cure of our leprosie the refuge of his Sanctuarie without him we are foule and leprous with him honorable and glorious sanctified and purged from the leprosie of sinne and the filth of iniquities We reade in the Stories of the Church that when Antioch was troubled with a lamentable earthquake Euphremion the Bishop receiued an Oracle that euery one should write Christus nohiscum Christ be with vs vpon the doores of their houses which being done the earthquake stayed and the inhabitants were comforted I know not how true that was sure I am if the faith of Christ be written vpon the doores of our hearts it will not onely stay the feares and the earth-quakes of our weake flesh and ruinous habitations but make strong our bars and stablish
pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained I remember God charged the Priest to sanctifie the breast of their shake offering as well as the shoulder of the heaue offering That we might see it is not so much the outward man as the inward wherein he delighteth neither is it enough to beare Christ in the head as Minerua did Iupiter vnlesse we beare him in the heart as Mary did our Sauiour Grauidare potuit grauare non potuit beatam virginem He might well fill her wombe with the glorie of his flesh he could not burden her with trouble of his presence How then will they satisfie this demaund that haue no heart vnto goodnesse The armie Philopoemen is likened vnto a man that hath legs feete but no belly because they wanted money which is the heart of warre so I feare in the Church militant there be diuerse that haue legs and feete but no bellie they haue the legges and the feete of outward conuersation but they want the heart and the belly of inward deuotion Non vitae sed famae negotiatores as Tertul. makes the charachter such as negotiate and trade more for a good name then for a good life for a good report then a good conscience If the Lord will be on the eare who so readie to attend his word and to call for a Sermon If the Lord will be on the tongue who so forward to confesse his name or to speake of Religion till they haue turned Sacramentum in sermonem as Saluianus speakes the sacred vse of his glorious name into vaine babling and the foolish contention of words and trifles But let him call for the heart they are quite blanke either it is losteth the cares of this world or sold to worke deceit and wickednesse Thus haue they a shew of godlinesse but denie the power thereof like fidlers that are more carefull in tuning their instruments then in tuning their liues their tongues are their instruments if they be in tune and the strings thereof well set to faire language and glozing hypocrisie all is well they haue done their parts and dutie I know not whether I may say they haue no heart or a double heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hebricians vse to speake a heart and a heart one for Christ another for Belial one for God another for the Diuell Sure I am they are cardiaci and fall vnder the curse the wise man hath denounced Vae duplici cordi Woe to the double heart for the Lord will not part stakes with any neither hath righteousnesse any communication with vnrighteousnes They are not many hearts but one that he desireth howbeit the conditions thereof be diuerse For it must be a new heart and a cleane heart a sound heart and a broken heart renewed by his word clensed in his bloud sound by the truth of doctrine broken by the contrition of spirit else will he forsake the tabernacle of our body and abhorre both heart and arme which is the second receptacle of our Sauiour Put me vpon thy arme For though Loue precede Faith in order of perfection yet Faith precedes Loue in order of generation did the Prophet begin to speake before the heart waxt hot and the fire was kindled in his breast First beleeue with thy heart then confesse with thy mouth yet so that heart and mouth and hand and arme may go together Good workes ioyned to Faith are as a strong building on a good foundation the building of gold and siluer vpon that ground which is laid of old I meane Christ Iesus Mary had no sooner borne Christ in her wombe and presented him in the Temple but Simeon takes him in his armes and embraceth him ioyfully For we must not be ashamed of our profession but carrie the ensigne of our Sauiour openly before vs that so the vertue and the patience and the meeknesse and the obedience of Christ Iesus may be found in euery part but chiefly in our actions Christ on the heart is like seed on the earth Christ on the arme is like corne on the eare Christ on the heart like a tree planted by the riuers of water Christ on the arme like a tree bringing fruit in time of Autumne and therefore true Religion and vndefiled before God is practicall and operatiue in the workes of mercie To visit the fatherlesse and widowes in aduersitie and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world If our lips drop hony by the preaching of his word and the sweetnesse of his doctrine it is good and commendable but if our hands drop myrh by the crucifying of him and the mortification of our earthly members by the obedience of Christ and the perfect imitation of Christian holinesse it is most comfortable and heauenly There be that follow the paths of Christ and to vse the words of Saluianus Patentiora faciunt Domini vestigia they make the footsteps of our Sauiour more plaine and easie by the example of their vertue and the euidence of their bountie These be they which beare him in their armes and carrie him as a lampe burning in their hands for the benefit of others Do men gather figs of thornes or grapes of thistles Ye shall know them by their fruite And as Christ said of himselfe interrogate opera aske my workes for they speake of me so may we say of them interrogate opera aske their workes for they speake of them looke not on the face regard not the voice they may haue the voice of Iacob but the hands of Esau enquire of their workes they beare witnesse of them and are the surest markes of euery Christian Auditur cum videtur saith Tertullian A good Philosopher is best heard when hee is seene and a true Christian best knowne by the glasse of his life and the president of his actions It is a good resemblance that ancient Father vsed in his Moralls Alis feriunt vbi opera ostendunt The works of the Saints are as the wings of the Cherubins that touch one another for as they smite one another by their wings so we excite one another by our workes and prouoke as it were to godlinesse of liuing remember then I beseech you the end of your vocation that ye are the workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus to good workes That he gaue his life for you to the end you might be a peculiar to himselfe zealous of good workes die vnto sinne liue vnto righteousnesse cast of the workes of darknesse put on the armour of light that ye may be worthy of the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of our Sauiour in all things may be honoured Ye are they of whom the Apostle doth trauell in birth that Christ may be formed in you and you transformed into him as well in arme as in heart as well in body as in spirit O let it neuer be said of these blessed armes the armes of your workes as Milo said of his armes the armes of his flesh Hi
power made vs the power of his God-head his weakenesse saued vs the weakenesse of his manhood Therefore may he iustly set his marke vpon vs yet is it not the rubie or the chrysolite or the saphir or the diamond or any other pretious stone that he would stocke and graft in vs but himselfe the image of himselfe more deare and precious then all the world beside O that we did esteeme him as a rich pearle or iewell of great price and incomparable value and not onely so but in this imitate Cleopatra put him into our draft and traiect him into our bowels with the hunger and thirst of righteousnesse We know the zeale of that Theban Captaine when being brought into the campe halfe dead he asked whether his shield were taken by the enemie as if nothing else were to be regarded and when he found it safe he began to kisse it and reuiue againe Such ought to be our zeale toward Christ the shield of our defence and the seale of our redemption What is the Church but as a garden What are we but as spirituall Bees O let vs sucke the flowers and draw the sweetnesse and neuer rest till we haue made a hiue of our soules and bodies that our hearts may be as waxe softened and mollified for the impression of this seale and nothing but this I meane Christ Iesus and him crucified The place he chuseth for himselfe is the heart by faith and confidence the arme by loue and charitable operations and that as a seale or a signet for esteeme and dignity Let me therefore once more beseech you that you would all be keepers of this seale without which nothing is to bee held but chiefly the house of Aaron and the Tribe of Leuie whether God hath placed vs as the signet of his arme iudge you there is peace within our walls and plenteousnesse within our palaces we sit vnder our vines and our figtrees and there is none to make vs affraid our sonnes grow vp as young plants and our daughters as the polisht corners of the Temple our garners abound and are full of all manner of store our sheepe bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our folds our oxen are strong to labour and there is no decay no leading captiue no complaining in our streets Thus hath he put vs as the seale of his heart and as the signet of his arme by the care of his loue and the tendernesse of his affection Not to do the like with him and to answer loue by loue were great inhumanity wonderfull impietie he doth not so with other Nations he rather maketh them as a marke to shoote at in the fiercenesse of his displeasure but let vs neuer forget his abundant louing kindnesse crying with Saint Bernard Sufficit amor Christi the loue of Christ sufficeth in him alone we are rich and haue enough he is very sweet and delectable the rest of our labour the stay of our pilgrimage the comfort of our heauines the pledge of blessednesse That as now we are as the seale of his left hand by temporall fauours so hereafter we may be as the seale of his right hand by his euerlasting mercies Which the Lord grant for the merits of his Sonne to whom with the Spirit three persons and one God be honour and glorie power and maiestie this day and for euer Amen Triumphus CHRISTI Christs Triumph AVG. Ser. de Temp. Didicit coelum portare hominem sub pedibus Christi famulantia aethera iacuerunt THE SECOND SERMON PSAL. 45. 5. Good lucke haue thou with thine honour ride on for the word of truth and meekenesse and righteousnesse CHrist is the end of the Law saith the Apostle yea and of the figures and of the Ceremonies towards him they all looke from him they receiue their accomplishment and perfection He is the Moses that shewes vs the true God and teacheth vs his Law He is the Ioshua that destroyeth our enemies and brings vs vnto Canaan He the Dauid that smote Goliah He the Solomon that built a temple a temple I say not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Where then shall I go for the meaning of these words but to that vniuersall center of euery line within this sacred volume Non recedamus à lapide angulari saith Austin There is no departing from the corner stone vnlesse we meane to loose our way Christ is the landmark and boundary of this and other prophesies what though Dauid write vnto the King or speake of his sonne It is the beloued Sonne of God that lyeth in the bosome of the Father that is the subiect of his prediction Thus doth one wheele run within another as in the vision of Ezechiel Christ in Solomon and grace in Christ for what the Apostles saw in the flesh the Prophets behold in the spirit and if euer Dauid were the pen of another mooued by the holy Ghost and set a worke by the finger of that eternall Maiestie to write and speake not after the will of man but after the will of God it is now whilst vnder the shadow of termes indefinit he proclaimes honour and felicitie with the flourishing increase of triumphant exaltation to the Lord and to his annointed and that for his words sake that Euangelicall word the word of the Gospell Good lucke haue thou with thine honour ride on for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse Referre my Text to Solomon you haue a bene diction referre it vnto Christ you haue a prediction it wisheth well to Solomon and there it is Oratio it speaketh well of Christ and there it is Oraculum Not shewing what he would haue done but what should be done by the rod of his power and the scepter of his Dominion Good lucke haue thou with thine honour What then do you obserue in the land-scope of these words But the dew of Hermon lying vpon the hill of Sion honour attended with felicitie the promise of felicitie as the dew of Hermon the sublimitie of honour as the hill of Sion Good lucke haue thou with thine honour Or rather if you please a golden branch on the top of Libanus the flower and the leafe thereof is honour the fruite and sweetnesse is felicitie Good lucke haue thou with thine honour The expansion and stretching forth is encrease Ride on with thine honour The roote and body is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of truth Good lucke haue thou with thine honour ride on for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse O the blessed foundation whereon the Apostle builds gold and siluer and precious stones honour and felicitie with the ioyfull succession of victorious power and royall soueraignty It is a word of truth and confirmes his promises it is a word of meekenesse and prayeth for his enemies it is a word of righteousnesse and iustifies his seruants Hee was crowned with honour in the worke of our redemption he was aduanced to ride
candle in a darke place did not Paul so and the holy men of old I could leade you to that noble armie of heauenly Martyrs that wash their garments in the bloud of the Lambe and now stand about the throne of God with crownes on their heads and palmes in their hands Though I know the encounter of my text is not outward and temporall but inward and spirituall Yet let mee call to mind one exploit for the word of truth when these generous Argonauts were transported to the Citie of the great King for the honour of God and the libertie of his seruants France Germanie Denmarke Italie with this our mother Iland sent forth their strength and were mooued with zeale towards the house of God and the place of his Sanctuarie The greatest Princes and most heroicall worthies of this European clime engaged their liues their persons their honors their fortunes to redeeme Sion to recouer Ierusalem from the miserable bondage of Turkish slauerie Beloued the remembrance hereof is as fire within my bones and I must needs recount with exceeding ioy and exultancie of spirit how they rode on for the word of truth as the Knights of Rhodes or of Malta till their right hand shewed them terrible things and neuer left before they had hewne the enemies of God in peeces and crowned themselues with honour and renowne The stars from heauen in their order fought against that man of sinne and euery Christian tooke vp that song of Deborah Thou hast marched valiantly ô my soule thou hast marched valiantly the Lord grant that we may still preuaile against Amalek by the inuiolable faith of Christian Princes that keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and ride on daily for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse For its sake and by its power for it is the onely prop that beares vp the thrones of Princes and makes their crownes flourish Ferrum tuetur Principes melius fides The munition of armes doth well the armes of faith doe better Whereupon said Nestorius the Bishop to Theodosius the Emperour in the seauenth booke of Socrates Tuin profligandis c. Do thou see Gentilisme and impietie do not annoy the Church and wee will see violence and hostilitie do not hurt thee agreeable to that of Solomon mercie and truth preserue the King and his throne is establish by iustice I will not argue the translation yet let me tell you the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for the word of truth and of meekenesse and of righteousnesse but for the word of truth and the meekenes of righteousnesse for the word of truth there is the Law for the meeknesse of righteousnesse there is the Gospell The one as the Court of Iustice the other as the Court of Chancery that qualifies and mittigates the rigor of the former yet what is the word of truth but the word of Christ Hee is truth and in him are the figures verified what is the meeknesse of righteousnesse but the meeknesse of Christ He is righteousnesse and in him we are all iustified though he be true and iust it is not without the spirit of clemencie and of meeknesse that ye know is inseparable from a Lambe and must needs adhere to the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world If hee that walkt in the midst of the golden candlestickes had eyes like fire the head and the haire were as snow or as wooll It was not wine alone nor oyle alone which that good Samaritane poured into the hurt of the wounded neither was God in the fire nor in the earthquake nor in the wind that brake the rocks and tare the mountaines but in the still and soft voyce which is more powerfull then all the force of Periclean lightning and Pannicall execrations I remember in Plutarch a conspiracie betweene the Winde and the Sunne which should take away the trauellers cloake first the winde blowes cold and sharpe and makes him gather it close and hold it faster at length the Sunne pierceth with the subtle heate of his melting beames This makes him cast away both cloake and coate So that is often done by the mild insinuation of loue and gentlenesse which the blustering winds of terrible threats can neuer bring to passe How then do they recede from conformitie with our Sauiour in life and doctrine that speake stones and haue words as sharpe as arrowes that euer stand on the top of mount Horeb and breath nothing but thunder and lightning iudgement without mercie to their afflicted brethren well may they haue the word of truth they haue not the meeknes of righteousnes yet the Prophet ioynes them both Christ rides on for both and with both for we are not come to the mount that might not be toucht nor to the blacknesse and darknesse of a tempest where Moses said I feare I quake but to mount Sion the Citie of the liuing God and to that coelestiall Ierusalem and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men and to Christ the mediator that rideth on for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse I haue done with Christ the substance I come to Solomon the type and yet what Solomon haue wee to mention saue onely the sonne of Dauid and the heire of peace that is gone forth and rides on full of glorie and honour that he may spread the truth of Christ as farre as the name of Christ beyond the pillars of Hercules and heale those waters of Ierico as with the salt of his most gracious spirit and incontaminate holinesse enuying the glorie of Iouinian Qui exercitum paganum fecit Christianum that made such Romans very good Christians as hee found heathenish and giuen to Idols Sure I am it is vpon the word of truth and of meeknesse and of power and of righteousnesse that sacred chariot I will not say of cardinall but heroicall and Princely vertues for they are the wings and the horses that aduance and lift him vp aboue his fellowes how can wee choose but wish him good lucke and send our prayers after him Good lucke haue thou with thine honour ride on for the word of truth and of meeknesse and of righteousnesse there is little Beniamin their Ruler the Princes of Iudah the Princes of Zabulon Good lucke haue ye with your honor c. O ye heauens resolue into showers and melt ye waters aboue the heauens into a dew of coelestiall benedictions crowne him with the blessings of Iacob and let all the gifts of the Patriarches descend on the top of him that was separated from his brethren from the vtmost bounds of these euerlasting mountaines say to him as to Zabulon reioyce in thy way as to Isachar reioyce in thy tents let him sucke the abundance of the sea and giue him the treasures that lie hid in the sands ô thou which sittest aboue the water-floud and treadest on
temporall blessings are for the most part Catholike and Vniuersall bestowed promiscuously without exception yet grace and peace and righteousnesse and adoption are neuer giuen to the reprobate For there is no peace vnto the wicked saith my God but fightings without and frightings within as the Apostle noteth they fly when none doth pursue and are afraid where no feare is Horrendum quatiente animo tortore flagellum well are they compared to a raging sea that neuer rests whose waters cast out mire and dirt their desires as winds that stirre and raise their passions their passions are as waues that turmoile and tosse their soules their soules are as ships that float to and fro and are carried vp and downe with restlesse motion and violent agitation in the midst of their bodies For as Bees are driuen away with smoake forsake their hiues so the coales of wrath and the stifling fumes of choaking enuie do remoue and exterminate the diuine sweetnesse of Christian peace and quietnesse Whence is that of Chysologus Haeretici in ira Christiani in pace Simeon is glad Herod is troubled the sheepe of Christ are quiet Wolues are inraged the Angels reioyce and are exalted the Diuels tremble and are confounded The Arke of Gods Church is safe and lyeth at Anchor the barke of Infidels floates and lies in continuall danger I remember in the reigne of Selymus when a Persian Embassadour came to entreate peace of the Turkes a desperate fellow discharged a shot and would haue slaine him being taken and examined hee neuer changed countenance but replyed hee was an enemie to his Lord and most vnworthy any peace the like answer shall be giuen to the wicked when they seeke for peace and the Lord will sweare they shall not enter into his rest Looke vpon the troubles of their heart and consider their manifold distractions who is able to expresse the stroakes and the scourges the wounds and the torments that make them bleede within the furies that haunt their breast and twine as snakes about them the seuerall pleits of the writhen thoughts and perplexed cogitations They are cursed in the field and cursed in the Citie cursed in the fruit of their land and cursed in the fruit of their bodie their children perish and neuer behold the Sunne their cattell are smote with lightning and their flocks of sheepe with hot thunderbolts their vineyards are destroyed with hailestones and their mulbertie trees with frosts the Caterpiller eates their grasse and the Grashopper their labour the Lord doth smite them with Feuers and Agues and blastings and mildewes and neuer leaue till they be destroyed the Lord doth cast vpon them the furiousnesse of his wrath trouble and displeasure with the immission of diuels and incursion of euill spirits For they are enemies of God and most vnworthy of this peace that peace which is here published and confined to his seruants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To men of good will Not to men of good vnderstanding onely For knowledge puffes vp but to men of good will For charitie buildes vp Not to men of good deeds onely for sometimes they may bee hypocriticall and Pharisaicall but to men of good will for they are perfect and Angelicall Such as embrace Christ willingly and receiue his word ioyfully with true loue and hearty deuotion These are quadrati lapides as Saint Austin square stones that neuer fall howsoeuer they be turned Their life is like the breeding of those Halciones which makes their nest in the sea as long as the one liues the other breeds there is a great calme and wonderfull serennitie Beware then of enuie and the Lord deliuer vs from hatred malice and all vncharitablenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil as God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God so the Diuell is hatred and he that abideth in hatred abideth in the Diuell O yee that feele the arrowes of God sticke fast in you returne into your hearts and examine your consciences see whether your will bee good or bad rectified or depraued If the Lord make way to his indignation and giue your life to the destroyer if your riuers be dryed vp and your waters turned into bloud if the heauens bee as brasse ouer your head and the earth as iron vnder your feete if yee haue dust for raine for dew ashes if your sheepe be giuen to the enemy and your labour to the stranger if your hearts boyle with anguish and the sorrowes of death compasse you round about thinke it is for lacke of this good will because yee haue not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good will towards your maker good will towards your neighbour If yee had good will ye would not be so much disquieted They are men of good will that are the vessels of peace and the subiect of this blessing and the good will that dwelt in the bush will dwell in none but such as haue good will In this God is like that Romane Emperour Odit pallidos macilentos His soule doth abhorre such as are leane with enuie and pale with malicious wickednesse O that diuine charity were shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and the vertue thereof spread as a veine through the body of our Church O that our soules were as the Pallace of Salomon and the midst thereof paued with loue toward the daughters of Hierusalem Then would the Lord couer vs all the day long and we shall dwell in safetie then would hee lie betweene our shoulders and wee should be as Ioseph that was separate from his brethren Beloued I may say of these breasts as Christ doth of the Churches Meliora vino â—bera Thy breasts are more pleasant then wine The breasts of pietie and deuotion the breasts of mercie and compassion the breasts of true loue and Christian affection I would to God I could see them run and flow as spouts and conduicts in the midst of your habitations And me thinks I do to the honour of God and the abundant increase of your rest and quietnes Yet this is not enough vnlesse yee adde bowels vnto breasts breasts will soone dry vp if they bee not fed with the melting of our bowels and therefore saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put yee on the bowels of compassion that as Christ was inuested in our flesh so we might be inurserated with his bowels the tender bowels of mercie louing kindnes If thy heart rise against thy neighbour remember the peace thou hast with God if thy soule delight in honour think of the glory that is giuen to the Lord. Non venit Dominus vt impleret aqua Hydrias sed vt animas spiritus sancti gratia irrigaret saith Ambrosius the Lord is not come to fill our water pots with wine but to water the soules of men with the graces of his spirit that we might haue peace with our selues good will towards others and the sacrifice of praise for him that dwelleth in the highest Neuer was that of the Psalmist more fitly vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the heauens reioyce and the earth be glad Let the earth be glad for there is peace in it Let the heauens reioyce for there is glorie in the highest Let the earth be glad for hee that was heauenly was made earthly Let the heauens reioyce for he that is earthly was and is heauenly and let both take vp that which the Angels sung vnto the sheepheards Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men when the Angels sang Christ was naked on the earth now we sing he is glorious in the heauens Therefore doth our solemnitie exceed theirs and we may better say Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men I reade of one Pope that would haue none reade this verse but onely the Priests but we know that all the elect are Kings and Priests to God A royall Priesthood a holy Nation purchased redeemed with his bloud and therfore let vs ioyne in this dochologie and neuer rest saying Glorie to God on high on earth peace good will towards men I will shut vp all in that closure of the Apostle Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and the Spirit bee in honour and glorie in the earth as it is in heauen till the earth mooue and the heauens forget their motion Amen Amen FINIS