this famous Auditorie God did looke vpon you with an angrie countenance whipping you with a rod of correction for your sinnes when of late dayes there died in one yeare aboue thirtie thousand amongst you in that great and generall plague But now he looketh vpon you with a fauourable eye and hath freed you from that fearefull iudgement which freedome God of his infinite mercie long preserue amongst you And I may say of all these mercies to the whole world The grace of God the cause of all graces toward vs. to this land and to this citie that Gratia Dei est causa author â—ffector omnis gratiae the grace of God figured in this gracious colour of the Bowe is the cause authour and effect of all grace fauour and mercy towards vs. For if we demaund the question what is the cause that God did create all things for our good before hee created vs The Answere must bee Gratia Dei the free grace and mercie of God What is the cause that hee hath not spared his owne Sonne but giuen him to the death for our redemption Gratia Dei the free grace and mercy of God What is the cause that hee hath giuen vs a gracious King vnder whom we enioy the peace of the Gospell the meanes of our saluation Gratia Dei the free grace and mercie of God In a word goe throughout all the graces that God hath bestowed vpon vs and demaund the question of euery one why hath God done thus And the answere must bee Quia bonus Thankfulnes that which God requires for hâ—s blessings Because he is good and gracious and because his mercie endureth for euer Quid retribuemus Domino What then shal we render vnto the Lord for his this vnspeakeable mercie and most infinite grace Wherewith shall wee come before the Lord and bow our selues before the most high God Shall wee come before him with thousands of rammes or with tenne thousand riuers of oyle Shall wee giue our first borne for our transgressions the fruite of our bodies for the sinnes of our soules to pay for our ingratitude and to recompence that loue which God in his mercy hath shewed vnto vs No no Beloued this is not that which God requireth at our handes it is Thankefulnesse to loue mercie to doe iustly and to humble our selues to walke with our God Micah 6.6 7.8 we should take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord wee should pay our vowes now in the presence of all his people wee should offer vnto him the sacrifice of thanksgiuing and tell out his workes with gladnesse Diuinely saith S. Bernard Happie is that man S. Bern. Serm. contra ingratitudinem Foelix quid ad singula dona gratiae redit ad ad eum in quo est plentitudo omnium gratiarum who for euery gift of grace returneth vnto God in whom is the fulnesse of all graces whatsoeuer O then let vs giue thankes vnto the Lord because hee is gracious and his mercie endureth for euer Let Israel now confesse that hee is gracious and that his mercie endureth for euer Let the house of Aaron now confesse that his mercie endureth for euer Let the people of England now confesse that his mercie endureth for euer And last of all let all they that feare the Lord continually confesse that his mercie endureth for euer This thankfulnesse God requireth at our hands and this we are bound to render vnto him But doe we thus Surely the vineyard of the Lord of hostes Isaiah 5.1 2 3 c. is the house of England and the men of England are his pleasant plant he hath manifested his loue vnto them hee hath taken care for them he hath fenced them with a wall of peace he hath gathered the stones from them so that nothing might hinder their fruitfulnesse he hath planted them with the choicest vine the vine of his word hee hath built a tower in the middest of them the tower of his graces hee hath made a winepresse therein prepared all things for their good what could he haue done more vnto his vineyard that he hath not done vnto it now he looked that we should bring forth grapes but haue we not brought forth wilde grapes he looked for thankfulnesse may I not say behold ingratitude he looked for iudgement may I not say behold oppression he looked for righteousnesse may I not say behold a crye If I should say it of all I should condemne the innocent but I may say it soone of too many and iustly reprooue the nocent There is a crie that is heard in our land but it is not a crye of those that shout for the mastery nor of those that lament for being ouercome nor of those that sing and make melody these might bee passed ouer but it is a crye of sinne a cry of iniquity that ascendeth vp into the eares of the Lord from the seuerall and secret corners of the land The crying tinnes of our sime Should I bring you a Catalogue of these sinnes it would weary mee to speake them and weary you to heare them or at least to heare of them I will therefore but touch some of the principall I know not where to begin but Pride steps forth and challengeth the first place 1. Pride There is a crye of Pride of horrible Pride men are transformed into women and women into men such is their strange Metamorphosis and preposterous order that one striueth to goe before the other in Pride It seemeth some of them haue searched the Scripture be it but to search out sinnes that they may immitate them for whereas the Lord by the Prophet reprooueth the abhominable pride of the daughters of Sion Isaiah 3. their haughtinesse their stretched out neckes Esay 3.16 their wanton eyes their walking and mincing as they goe making a tinckling with their feete their tinckling ornaments their caules the round tyres like the Moone and the like the sonnes and daughters of our Sion haue learned to goe beyond them and to outstrip them in pride painting their faces and painting their cloaths in such a deformed manner defacing their naturall formes that at the day of iudgement God will not know them to be his But against these the Lord threatneth a fearefull punishment Isaiah 3.24 It shall come to passe that in stead of sweet smell there shall be stinke in stead of a girdle a rent in stead of well set hayre baldnesse and burning in stead of beauty And I would to God this City were free from this sinne that it might be free from this punishment After this a second iniquitie rideth post and now whoredome walketh hand in hand with pride and sometimes iustles for the wall there is a crye of whoredome 2. Whordome yea it is growne to such a height that now many of our gallants account it but recreation 3. Drunkennesse Isaiah â—8 1 3. Mothers 3. Daughters 4 Oppression
Gods iudgements yea vpon this land within this few yeares and yet notwithstanding the hearts of men remaine hardened and they continue still in their sinnes It is true indeede God hath promised that he wil neuer againe destroy the whole world with water yet he did neuer promise that he would not destroy this or that particular kingdome country citie for then we might haue some shewes to presume of safety But how many warnings haue we had either to put vs in minde of that generall iudgement past in which the whole world except Noah and his family were drowned to mooue vs to repentance or to put vs in minde of some fearefull iudgement to come because of our impenitency In Deuonshire by breach of the sea and other places what inundations what flowings and ouerflowings of waters within this few yeares in diuers parts of this kingdome to the destroying of townes and fields of men women and children of beasts cattle and creeping things and yet notwithstanding the hearts of men remaine hardened and they continue still in their sinnes Againe God hath threatned we know it all to bring one generall iudgement more and to destroy the world with fire as I shall shew you fully in the next circumstance And what alarums and dreadfull warning peeces haue we had of this terrible iudgement what lamentations Harbingers of that terrible fire and dolefull cryings haue we daily heard in our streetes of fire fire and desolation by fire al most from euery part of the kingdome to put vs in mind of that dreadful fire which shal destroy the whole world we know not how soone besides many other particular iudgements the sword the famine the fearefull pestilence so oftentimes threatned against vs and yet notwithstanding the hearts of men remaine hardened and they continue still in their sins And therefore I may iustly say with our Sauiour except they repent they shall all likewise perish Lastly the sinne of the old world was exceeding great 6. Paralel for they were possessed with contempt of religion with contempt of Noah the preacher of righteousnesse and with contempt and despising of God himselfe And is it not so in this age of the world was there euermore contempt of religion then in these daies was there euer more contempt of the preachers of righteousnesse then in these times Nay was there euer more contempt despising of God himselfe then is extant in the world at this very houre Certainly no for mens wicked liues will plainly testifie that the contempt of these daies is as great if not greater then euer was the contempt of the old world In the old world they had but one Noah whom especially they contemned and for the contempt of whom they are especially branded but in this age of the world how many hundreds of Noahs are there preachers of righteousnesse whose exhortations and threatnings are daily contemned to the dishonour of God and griefe of good men How many churlish Nabals that are readie rather to rob them of their necessarie maintenance then to reward them for their paines and care in watching Ioel 2.12 Matth. 5.4 S. Bern. in Cant. The teares of the penitent are the wine of Angels c. and defending not their sheepe but their soules from those spirituall wilde beasts that seeke their destruction But O beloued let vs all turne vnto the Lord with fasting with weeping and with mourning that the Lord may turne in mercy vnto vs and keepe away his fierce wrath from vs euen for the merits of Christ our Sauiour and let euery faithfull Christian say Amen S. August infest Natiuit the teares of the penitent fall in the sight of the Lord. The fiery colour noting the iudgement of fire That so making a true vse of this first generall iudgement noted in the first colour of the Rainebowe the colour of water wee may be sure to escape with ioy and reioycing from that second generall but more terrible iudgement noted in the second colour the colour of fire which commeth in the next place to be spoken of I haue set my Bowe in the Cloud and it shall be as a couenant betweene mee and the earth In this I will passe through three passages and handle three particulars Subdiuision Mat. 25.34 First the time Secondly the manner and Thirdly the end and vse to vs of this fiery iudgement or iudgement by fire The time is the first in order and for the time of the sentence our Sauiour sets it downe Math. 25.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then shall the King say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father receiue the kingdome prepared for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the foundation of the world this must be after the Sonne of man is come with his glorious Angels and hath made a separation betweene the sheepe and the goatet the wheate and the tares the idle loyterers and the painefull labourers in the vineyard of Christ But for the time when this seperation shall bee or when this Sonne of man shall come nihil certi ex sacris literis habetur Nazianzen orat 36. Horam cognitam habet vt Deus ignorat vt homo Ambrose in Luk. 17. Christus horaÌ„ nouit sed nouit sibi mihi nescit S. August lib. 1 de Trinit c. 12. Greg. epist 42. Hilar. de Trin. Greg lib 8. epist 42. ad eulog there is no certainty to be found in holy Scripture for of that day and hower knoweth no man no not the Angels in heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Father only Math. 24.36 no not the Sonne himselfe Mark 13.32 The Sonne knoweth not the day of iudgement that is not as he is man although he knoweth it as he is God or hee knoweth not the day of iudgement that is as S. Ambrose noteth he knoweth for himselfe although hee will not reueale it vnto vs to whom S. Augustine Gregory and Hilary accord And therefore S. Chrisostome well obserueth in that Christ Iesus said neque Angeli neither the Angels know this day he repressed his disciples that they should not desire to know that which the Angels themselues were ignorant of but in that hee saith neither the Sonne himselfe hee doth forbid them not onely from learning but also from desiring to learne so secret a mysterie Christus nouit diem iudicij in natura humanitatis non ex natura humaenitatis And for this cause hee tells his disciples plainely Actes 1.7 Non est vestrum nosce tempora it is not for you to know the times and the seasons which God the Father hath put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his owne hand But contrarie to this hath been the practise of those S. Aug. li. 8. de ciuit Dei ca. 53 Frustra annos qui huic seculo râ—manent coÌ„putare ac destaire conamur cunt hoc scire non esse nostrum ex ore veritatis audiamus Gene. 19.26 The day of
shall inioy pleasures without end treasures without measure and vnspeakable glory for euermore Better is pouertie with a good conscience then all the pompe and pelfe of the world without S. August in Psal 110. The day of iudgement a ioy to the godly but terrour to the wicked O terque quaterque beati O thrice and foure times nay thousand times ten thousand times happie shall they be whom this blessed sentence shall embrace who would not for a little space in this life indure any misery and vndergoe any torments to keepe faith and a good conscience that hee may inioy this blessed sentence with what ioy and comfort may the godly expect this ioyfull time although the wicked cannot thinke of it but with terrour For as S. Augustine speaketh Iudicum formidandum malis propter paenam amandum bonis propter coronam This diuine iudgement it is to be feared of the wicked because of their punishment but to bee loued of the godly because of that blessed crowne they shall then inioy it should therefore be ioy vnto Gods children as it is terrour vnto the wicked Terrour vnto them because of that fearefull sentence which shall bee pronounced against them in that second iudgement when Christ Iesus shall speake vnto them not with a veni come thou blessed but with an Abi A fearefull separation goe thou cursed not with an euge well done thou good and faithfull seruant but with an apage away thou wicked and sloathfull seruant depart into euerlasting torments prepared for the diuell and his angels O most horrible sounding thunderclap O fearefull lightening woe vnto them A horrible thunderclap for the wicked whose heads and hearts shall be smitten with thy terrour thou sendest the wicked into tormenting flames but how many houres or daies or monethes or yeares shall they remaine in that scorching fire their houres cannot bee numbred their monethes measured nor their yeares determined their houres are eternall their yeares eternall and their fire eternall for that fire hath no end into fire they are sent and in fire they shall bee tormented for euermore For as the shippe beeing oppressed with bellowing waues The soule of man like a shippe sinketh downe to the bottome of the sea so the damned beeing loaden with the fearefull billowes of Gods anger sinke downe to the bottome of hell from whence they shall neuer arise The Marriners that carried Ionah Ionah 1.5 fearing the danger of the sea call forth their goods and lightened their shippe now the soule of man is as it were a little shippe tossed too and fro in the troublesome sea of this world and beeing heauie loaden with the grieuous weight of sinne is almost euery moment readie to suffer shipwracke Beware of shipwracke O beloued seeing then the euerlasting flouds of Gods anger which shall ouerflow the damned in hell are so horrible and vnsufferable how willingly should wee cast out all things that may endanger this weake crasie and leaking shippe of our soules be they neuer so deare vnto vs rather then incurre this eternall and most fearefull shipwracke how willingly should we cast out the inâ—â—llerable burden of our sinnes and drowne them in the sea of repentance that our shippe may bee lightened and made free from this terrible danger Thus we should doe and thus if we doe happy and blessed shall wee be we shall be safe from the floods of Gods anger flames of his vengeance and be imbraced in the armes of his mercies Which mercies hauing now passed these two great and terrible iudgements of water and of fire noted in the two first colours of the Rainebowe the colour of water and the colour of fire commeth in the next place to bee spoken of The grace and mercie of God by which hee preserueth the world from that future destruction noted in the greene and gracious colour signifying the spring of Gods fauours and the summer of his mercies I haue set my Bow in the cloud and it shall bee for a signe of the Couenant betweene mee and the earth The greene colour noting the mercy of God by which he preserueth the world from destruction Ferus in Gen. cap. 9. Paraeus in Gen. cap. 9. Iustitiae quideÌ„ quod olim muÌ„dus propter impietatem aquarum diluuio iuste deletus sit vt Deum simili profanitate offendere metuamus misericordiae vero quod c vt ad amorem gratitudinem erga Deum excitemur Lament 3.22 Discamus ex Iride non iustitiae nostrae esse quod mundus non iterum deletus fuit aut deleatur sed diuinae misericordiae saith a good Interpreter We may learne from the Rainebow that it is not of our righteousnesse that the world hath not been destroyed or is not now brought to destruction but of the grace and mercy of God figured in the greene and gracious colour of the Bowe and a later writer agreeing with the former obserueth the same point after this manner Ex signo foederis diuinitus nobis proposito iustitiae pariter misericordiae recordemur from the signe of the Couenant proposed vnto vs from God wee are put in minde both of his iustice and mercie of his iustice in that hee destroyed the world with a deluge of waters to teach vs that we should feare to offend him with the like prophanenesse But of his mercy in that hee doth not destroy the world againe to mooue vs to shew our loue and thankefulnesse towards him for the same It is of the Lords mercy that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not Lamen 3.22 For the mercy of the Lord is like a riuer of water flowing throughout all nations watering all generations and abounding throughout all ages the mercy of the Lord is like the sea compassing the earth on euery part the mercy of the Lord is like the Sunne shinning both vpon the good and bad vpon the iust and vniust it hideth it selfe from none but giueth preseruation vnto all it lifteth the wicked from the mire of iniquity and directeth the godly in the waies of piety it giueth all good things both temporall and eternall health beauty honours riches and strength and therfore I may conclude with the Prophet Dauid Psal 103. The mercy of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting Psal 103.17.19 vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vnto childrens children the Lord hath prepared his seate in heauen and his kingdoms ruleth ouer all gouerning all things by his mighty power and conseruing them by his continual presence And therefore for this end according to that olde rule in diuinity Enter praesenter Polan syntag Deus hic vbique potenter God is here and God is euery where by his essence by his presence and by his power and S. Augustine pithily vpon the 6. of Matthew God is in himselfe S. August super illua Mat. 6 pater noster c Deus est in seipso sicut α
eternity I who am EL-SCHADDAI the strong powerfull omnipotent and all-sufficient God I who haue created the heauens and the earth and established them by the word of my power who haue made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters Iam. 1.17 Psallam nomini tuo Excelse who haue spread out the firmament like a curtaine and giuen the Sea her bounds and Starres and Planets their seuerall influences who am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse Psal 9.2 neither shadow of turning who am HELION the highest ouer all the earth the onely Lord and gratious deliuerer besides whom there is no Sauiour in a word I who haue destroyed the old world with aboundance of waters and haue saued thee my seruant Noah Gen. 7.23 and thy family in the multitude of my mercies I euen I haue set my Bowe in the cloud and appointed it for a signe of the Couenant betweene me and the earth Here then it is euident that Doctrin God the fountaine of all grace Non â nobis sed â Deo est principium soederis omnis gratiae Not of our selues but of God is the beginning of the couenant of the signe of the couenant and of all grace fauour and mercy for fons gratiae in Deo est hee it is that is the fountaine of all grace and the well spring of mercy from the happy smile of whose fauourable countenance all true ioy Rom. 9.16 Eph. 2.4 5 6. 1. Pet. 1.3 and happinesse doth proceed whether we respect the grace of Election or the grace of effectuall vocation the grace of iustification or the grace of Sanctification whether we respect temporall deliuerance Gen. 7.13 16. as of Noah from the destruction of the old world of Lot from the desolation of Sodome Gen. 19.16 Exod. 15.30 Numb 16. 32 33 34. Eph. 2.8 and of the children of Israel from the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and deuouring of Corah or the eternall deliuerance of Gods elect from the paines and torments of hell fire all proceedeth and floweth from this well-spring of liuing water from this euerlasting fountaine of the free grace mercy bounty and goodnesse of God all these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gifts of grace Rom. 5.8 1. Iohn 4.10.19 and loue tokens of a fauourable God and therefore St. Iohn tells vs in this is loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins and we loue him because he loued vs first S. August Tom. 7. lib. de bono perseuerantiae cap. 21. of this loue S. August speaketh excellently Deum non diligeremus nisi prius dilexisset nos fecisset dilectores suos we should not haue loued God except he had loued vs first made vs to be louers of him and he giueth the reason quoniam charitas ex ipso est because the fluent streames of loue and charitie doe flow from him and not from vs. S. Bernard lib. de amore c. 4. QueÌ„ admodum Nilus fluuius Egyptum inundam vbertate complâ—t ita diuinae misericâ—rdia flamâ—n orbem veluâ—i inâ—â—dâ—tus Câ—â—stibus lâ—nis impleuit Barradius Tom 1. lib. 8. cap. 18 Plutins lib. 5. cap. 9. No merit in man And S. Bernard sweetly Cùm nos amas non nisi propter te nos amâ—s When thou louest vs O God thou louest vs not but for thy selfe the abounding Sea of diuine loue it is in thee and not in vs from whence the riuers of heauenly graces doe flowe foorth most plentifully and water all creatures vpon the face of the earth but his elect and chosen Angels and men after a speciall manner making them fruitfull with his blessings like the land of Egypt with the ouerflowing of Nilus or the pleasant Paradises of the earth with the first and latter raine of his fauours 1. From this therefore it must necessarily follow that whatsoeuer grace is granted vnto vs and much lesse that especiall grace of eternall happinesse it is not giuen vs as the papists affirme and teach for any merit or desert of ours but for the free grace and mercy and bounty of God in Christ For if as our Sauiour commandeth Luk 17.10 Luk. 17.10 when we haue done all that we can Ephes 2.8.9 we must say we are vnprofitable seruants how then can we attribute any thing to our owne merits if as the Apostle witnesseth Ephes 2.9 we are saued by grace not of workes S. August lib. Hom. Hom. 14. et in Psal 144. Merita tua nusquam iactes quia et ipsa merita tua dei dona sunt Psal 103.4 S Aust de predect Sanct. Humana merita hic conticescant que Periere per Adam regnet Dei gratia per Iesum Christum S August Epist 105. least any man should boast how then can we rightly boast of our merits Lastly if that good Centurion whose fayth was so much commended that there was not the like to be found in all Israel Matth. 8.10 Mat. 8.10 answered our Sauiour so humbly with a Domine non sum dignus Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe with what pride thinke you are those possessed who dare so audaciously answer God with a Domine dignus sum Lord I am worthy that thou shouldest giue vnto me eternal life S. Augustine he was of this good Centurions mind and therefore he often in his workes repeateth this one golden sentence Deus coronat dona sua non merita nostra God crowneth his owne giftes and not our deseruings like vnto that of the Prophet Dauid he crowneth vs with compassion and louing kindnesse and the same Father speaking concerning the predestination of the Saints let humane merits saith he here be silent which haue perished by Adam and let the grace of God reigne through Iesus Christ Stella in Luc. c. 7. Non me aspicias sed vnigenitum tuum prius intuere colloca Deus meus inter me te tuum vnigenitum filium crucem eius sanguinem passionâ—m merita ita vt cum tua iustitia per sanguinem merita tui filii pertranseat cum tandem ad me perueniat iam mansâ—ueta misericordia plena sit Ansel in mâ—dit Lyran. in Expos Epist ad Rom c. 6. 23. Bell. l. 5 de Iust c. 7 propter incertitudolâ—m propriae iustitiae periculum manis gloriae tutissimuÌ„ est fiduciam totaÌ„ in sola Dei misâ—recordia benignitate reponere S. Bern. Seâ— 68. Hoc totuÌ„ est hominis meritum si totamâ—hâ—m suam pinat in eo qui totum saluum fecit And in his 105. Epistle he concludeth Haec est gratia gratis data non meritis operantis sed miseratione donantis This is a grace fauour which is freely giuen not for the merit of the worker but for the mercy of the giuer To which accordeth that
ω in mundo sicut rector author Angelis sicut sapor decor in ecclesiae sicut pater familias in domo in animo sicut sponsus in thaelamo in iustis sicut adiutor protector in râ—probis sicut pauor et terror as the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending he is in the world as the rector and author he is in the angels as the sweete sauour and splendour hee is in the Church as the Father of the Family in the house he is in the soule as the bridegroome in the bride-chamber hee is in the godly as their helper and protector and in the wicked as their feare and terrour But by his mercifull prouidence hee is gratious vnto all hee layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters and maketh the clouds his charriots and walketh vpon the wings of the winde hee watereth the hills from his chambers and the earth is filled with the fruite of his workes he causeth the grasse to grow for the cattell and greene hearbs for the seruice of men hee hath appointed the Moone for certaine seasons and the Sunne knoweth his going downe O Lord our God how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches thus doth God daily manifest his fauours to the whole world in keeping it from destruction and giuing all good things for the preseruation of the same But the cause of this loue is the free grace and mercy of God gratia dei dat homini vitam motum saith a learned writer the grace of God doth giue to man both life and motion Barrardius Tom. 2. lib. 6. cap. 13. and what is this world without the water of grace truely nothing but a dead sea or sodomicall lake in which nothing can liue Christ the Arke of grace Iohn 1.14 Coloss 2.3 Of this grace Christ Iesus is the Arke wherein it is kept for vs who was figured by the Arke of the testament who is full of grace and truth and in whom are hidden all the treasures of the wisedome and knowledge of God This grace is aqua Christi the water of Christ with which is his loue he doth sprinkle the soules of his seruants it is aqua Aâ—â—elorum the water of Angels with the taste of which they are refreshed as with the riuers of the waters of life it is aqua Hominum the water of men by which they are cherished as with the liuing fountaine of Gods fauours it is â—qua omnium the water of all things by which they are preserued in the loue and fauour of their gratious Creator to be short this water of grace floweth from God floweth vnto God and ascendeth towards heauen yea it bringeth men vnto God and into heauen Thus haue I shewed you the grace of God in generall let me speake somewhat of it in particular hee hath beene gratious vnto the whole world in preseruing it A description of the grace of God toward England and hath beene gratious vnto this land in preseruing vs. O England thou hast tasted in abundance of the riuers of Gods gratious fauours thou hast beene made rich with his loue tokens thou hast beene deckt with the ornaments of his graces he hath put a chaine about thy necke bracelets on thy hands and frontlets on thy browes he hath clothed thee with broydered worke and shed thee with Badgers skinnes he hath girded thee about with fine linnen and couered thee with â—ilke he hath made thee glorious with siluer and gold thou dost eate fine flower hony and oyle thou art exceeding beautifull and art prospered into a kingdome thy renowne is gone forth amongst the nations for thy beauty for thou art made perfect through the comlinesse which thy God hath put vpon thee his mercies are great vnto thee for hee deliuered thee from thy enemies on euery side both at home and abroad both ciuill and forraigne from the terrible Armado of the Spaniard in eighty eight from that horrible powder plot of the Papists with many other villanous treasons in latter daies of which thou mayest say with the land of Israel if the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side Psal 134.2 3 4. may England now say when men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quicke when they were so wrathfully displeased at vs the waters had drowned vs and the streame had gone ouer our soules but blessed be the Lord who hath not giuen vs ouer as a prey vnto their teeth the Lord hath deliuered thee from the sword from the famine and from the pestilence peace is within thy walles and plenteousnesse within thy palaces he hath filled thee with the flower of wheate and embraced thee with mercy and louing kindnesse O beloued vnspeakeable are the blessings The blessings of God towards England are vnspeakable and infinite are the graces which he hath manifested vnto vs hee hath giuen vs a gratious King a wise learned and vnderstanding Salomon whom God of his mercy long preserue amongst vs he hath giuen vs a royall Queene and a hopefull progenie for the continuance of his fauours whom God of his mercy long preserue amongst vs hee hath giuen vs a worthy carefull and vigilant Counsell with a wise Nobility a reuerend Clergie learned and religious Arch-bishops and Bishops conscionable graue and worthy Iudges all which God of his mercy long preserue amongst vs to be short he hath giuen vs famous vniuersities for the supply of our wants either in Church or common-wealth and for the encrease of learning and religion which God to the encrease of his glory long preserue amongst vs. And last of all which paralels all the rest for had we not that we had nothing he hath giuen vs the rich treasures of his glorious Gospell for the saluation of our soules which God of his vnspeakeable mercy long continue amongst vs and let euery true hearted Christian say Amen Thus hath God manifested his mercy to our whole land But once againe let mee turne vnto you yee religious and worthy Citizens and tell you what God hath done for your soules Infinite are the graces that God in his mercy hath bestowed vpon you I cannot number them he hath giuen you religious zealous and worthy Senatours discreet and wise Magistrates vnder our Royall Moses to carry the sword and to goe in and out before you with comfort and this grace be continueth vnto you still The Preachers appointed from all pâ—â—ts of the kingdome their incouragemeÌ„t prepâ—red by woâ—thy Benefactoâ—s Anno 1603. there died within with out Loâ—don of all diseases 38244. of the plague 30578 hee hath giuen you riches and treasures in great abundance he hath giuen you that most precious iewell of his blessed word after an excellent manner what countrey what nation what citie in the world doth inioy a more ioyfull supply of learned zealous and worthy Preachers continued vnto them after a more worthy order then
effect of these causes the Rainebow was before the floud also except it can bee shewed that the generation of the Bowe was hindred by some other impediment which cannot be for it is a rule in Philosophie Posita causa ponitur effectus the cause being placed perfected the effect must of necessity follow as when the Sunne draweth towards our Horison the light and day begins to appeare when the fire is kindled the heate doth suddenly increase or when as a man beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse his image is presently represented to his sight so likewise a soone as the sunne did cast his bright beames vpon the glasse of the waterie cloudes the effect thereof did presently manifest it selfe vnto the world but this was before the floud and therefore the Rainebowe before the floud also Yet against this those of the contrarie opinion obiect the words of my Text that God speaketh here vnto Noah in the future tense I will set my Bow in the cloude therfore it should seeme rather Cornelius cornelii a lapide in Comment in Genes that the Rainebow was created after the floud then before To which I answer that howsoeuer in the Septuagint translation it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pono I do put and in the common Latine ponam I will put yet as a learned interpreter well obserueth in the Hebrew text it is in the preterperfect tense NATATTI dedi posui I haue giuen I haue set and God might well haue said I doe giue I doe set or I will set but not that it was not there before but that it should now bee for a signe of that couenant betweene me and the earth for after the same manner the water in Baptisme was instituted by Christ our Sauiour to be a signe in the sacrament and yet water was an element created at the beginning as the Rainbow was created before the floud so that I may thus answer the 1. Obiection Almightie God not naturally but by his diuine institution hath appointed the Rainebow for a signe that there should not any more come a generall floud to destroy the world Againe if the Rainebowe be not a naturall signe of a following floud of what then is it a naturall signe of Raine or of faire weather of windes or of the tranquilitie of the heauens Plinie in his second booke of naturall historie seemeth to be of opinion Plinius lib 2. natural hist cap. 59. Plin lib. 18. cap. 59. that it is no certaine signe of of any of these yet in his eighteenth booke he affirmeth that when two Rainebowes appeare it is a signe of Raine and if a Rainbowe appeare after showers it is a signe of faire whether although not alwaies certaine But Seneca teacheth that as the Rainbow doth appeare Seneca lib. 1. naturel quest cap. 6. in a diuerse region of the aire or in a diuerse time of the day so it doth portend diuers things If in the morning it sheweth Raine that is past and some small showers to come If at noone or there abouts it is a signe of greater showers Scaliger contra cardanum exercitat but if it appeare at night it signifieth faire weather to whom Scaliger others accord And the reason of this is giuen by Philsophers because a morning Bow being ful of the moyst vapours of the night is as it were a vessell of some following showers by reason of the thicke mistes that remaine A meridian Bowe doth carry greater store of waters and portendeth more Raine because the waters gathered cannot be dried vp with the most vehement heate of the Sunne such is the greatnesse of their force And an euening Bow hauing the greatest part of the moyst vapoury miste dried vp in the former part of the day promiseth faire weather and therfore seldome or neuer doth any store of Raine follow imâ—ediately after But I proceede forwards God hath appointed it for a signe And a signe as S. Augustine describeth it S. August l. 2. de Doct. Christ cap. 1. Signum vero est res praeter speciem quam ingerit sensibus aliud aliquid ex sefaciens in cogitationem venire 2. King 20.11 Ioel. 2.31 Gen. 2.9 Iudges 6.37 38 39. Isaiah 7.14 Gen. 17.10 Exod. 12.3 Math. 28.19 Luk. 22.19 is a thing which doth cause another matter to be remembred besides that externall figure which it doth shew to the outward senses And signes are commonly of 3. sorts the first signastuporis signes of wonder and amazement as the Sun when it went ten degrees backe at the praier of Ezechia The second signaterroris signes of terrour and affrightment as those signes which shall be before the day of iudgement when the Sun shall be turned into darknesse the moone into bloud The third are signa amoris signes of loue and contentment As the particular signes of Gods loue to his elect and these either to certaine persons as the tree of life to our first parents in Paradise Gene. 2. The wet dry fleece to Gidion or the conception of the virgin to king Achas or to the whole Church either before Christ as Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices or since Christ as Baptisme the Supper or last of all that vniuersall signe of Gods loue to the whole world the admirable Rainebowe which he hath appointed for a signe of the couenant betweene him and the earth Ecce post policitationem verbo factam hoc signum addo saith S. Chrysost as speaking of God Behold after my promise 1. S. Chrysostom Hom. 28. in Genes I doe giue you a seale of my promise to confirme the same So that God doth not only manifest his loue by Oracles and binde himselfe by promise and couenant but he proceedeth further and addes sacraments seales to his couenant Gods omits nothing that may confirme the faith of his chosen that he might seeme to omit nothing which might serue to confirme the faith of his chosen Thus did he in the Spirituall couenant hee gaue to our first parents in paradise the sacrament of the tree of life and of the tree of knowledge of good and euill he gaue to the Patriarches the sacrament of circumcision the passeouer he hath giuen to his church since the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Supper and thus he doth in the corporall couenant he giueth vnto Noah the admirable Rainebow for the confirmation of his faith and to be a seale of the couenant betweene him and the earth to teach vs to banish incredulity Incredulitie must be banished to beleeue his promises For as the vse of the Rainebow on the part of God is to testifie his grace and mercy vnto men so the vse of the Rainebow one the part men is to confirme their faith Mercelus in Genes and loue towards God the Iewes are exceeding religious in this matter for when they see the Rainbow they go forth fall downe and confesse their sins acknowledging themselues
and thou shalt liue The couenant of grace Couenant of grace was that which God made with our first parents after their fall promising them eternall life and freedome from wrath in Christ Iesus the seede of the woman shall breake the head of the serpents Genes 3. Genes 3.15 The current of this is hoc crede viues Beleeue this and thou shalt liue The corporall couenant Corporall couenant concerneth temporall benefits and this is that which God made with Noah and his sonnes and their posterity for euer and with euery liuing creature vpon the face of the earth especially aymed at by Moses in the wordes of my text It shall bee for a signe of the Couenant betweene me and the earth 1. This couenant was made betweene God and the earth that is the inhabitants of the earth with Noah and with his seede after him God then was mindfull of vs before we were borne God mindfull of vs before wee were borne mindefull of vs not in anger but in grace much more will be not be forgetfull now while we walke in the path of faith and waies of righteousnesse 2. The mercie of God farre exceeds his iustice Againe this couenant was an euerlasting couenant not to continue for a short time but to the end of the world to shew that the mercy of God doth farre exceed his iustice for the rigour of his iustice was but for a little space in once destroying the world by water but his mercy is perpetuall in the continuall preseruation thereof For a moment in mine anger haue I hid my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord of hoasts Isaiah 54 8. Isaiah 4.8 To mooue vs to relye on Gods mercy in the depth of misery and to sing with the Prophet Dauid Sorrow may indure for a night Psal 30.5 but ioy commeth in the morning To conclude The spirituall couenant the fountaine of the corporall it shall be for a signe of the couenant betweene mee and the earth Of this couenant the Rainbow was a seale and as it sealeth this couenant so it signes in this that eternall couenant of God with his Church Ferus in Genes which is the fountaine and foundation of this Pactum hoc cum Noe praefigurauit faedus Christi cum Ecclesia saith one This couenant with Noah did prefigure that couenant of Christ with his Church spoken of Isaiah 54.10 Isaiah 54.10 Iris designat Christum qui est signum reconciliationis perfectae The Rainbow doeth figure Christ who is a figure of our perfect reconciliation a signe of our eternall friendship with God the Father and an euerlasting memoriall of our peace Christ the mysticall rainbow an euerlasting memoriall of our peace For although the Rainebowe the outward signe shall passe away with clouds yet notwithstanding the couenant of which it is a signe the memorial of our redemption that shall remaine for euer in the sight of God the Father and be visible in the flesh of his Sonne in the charactars of the wounds of his hands of his feete and of his side by which hee procured our most happie and endlesse peace Rom. 5.1 Actes 10.36 Ephes 1.6 Hebr. 1.14 Isaiah 11.6 Acts 4.32 Luke 2.29 Phil. 4.7 Ecclus. 2.14 peace with God the Father yea with the blessed Trinitie peace with the blessed and glorious Angels blessed and happy peace one Christian with another And last of all but not least of all peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding Which happy and endlesse peace with God the Father with the blessed Trinitie the glorious Angels the blessed Saints and our owne consciences with euerlasting blessednesse for euer God of thy endlesse mercie and most infinite grace graunt vnto vs to thy whole Church to euery one of thy faithfull seruants for the vnspeakeable loue and inestimable merits of thy deare Sonne our blessed Sauiour To whom with thee and the holy and most blessed Spirit one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie be ascribed all honour glorie and power all might maiestie and dominion this day and for euermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉