THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION SET FORTH In a SERMON preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS at the Publique Fast Iune 26. 1644. BY GASPAR HICKES Pastour of Lanracke in Cornwall a Member of the Assembly of DIVINES LONDON Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1644. Die Mercurii 26º Iunii 1644. IT is this day ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Master Rous Master Salwey and Master Nicoll doe from this House give thanks unto Master Hardwick and Master Hickes for the great paines they tooke in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreatie of this House at St Margarets Westminster it being the day of publike Humiliation and to desire them to print their Sermons And it is ordered that none shall presume to print their Sermons but whom they shall licence under their hands writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Christopher Meredith to print my Sermon Gasp Hickes TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now assembled in Parliament IT is the commendation and glory of great works to be carried through difficulties to be borne up and brought to passe in despight of oppositions The street wall of Ierusalem were built in troublous times The Church comonly passeth thorough fire and water to her highest advancements inlargements So it comes to passe partly thorough the malice of adversaries who straine their rage higher according to the Churches risings if we could empty hell and the world of enmity we might perhaps steale quietly to Heaven and injoy spirituall priviledges with outward ease principally thorough the wisdome of God in the dispensation of mercies he raises the value of them by putting them off upon hard termes We should be apt to surfet of priviledges to kick against him that feeds us and lightly to esteeme the rock of our Salvation if the Lord did not diet and physick us if he did not acute our appetites by some sharp mixtures some bitter ingredients in our sweetest and fullest cup if he did not keep our souls in a longing temper by holding forth blessings to us after which we must reach and straine and presse even thorow a piece of hell through a world of dangers and hardships before we attain them And if good things dearly come by are to be highly prized I do not see how we can over-rate those we are now pursuing All our gold in full weight cannot satisfie our enemies their sword is cast into the ballance they hunt after our pretious souls Yea the Lord cals upon us to expend not only teares and cries but bloud and life and all Rich mercies they are which he holds at such a rate indeed more worth then our all The insuing discourse shewes forth a little glimpse of their excellency which in all humility I present to your view It is your high preferment in Gods favour Honourable Patriots that he conveyes our blessings to us through your hands that you are made the chieftaines the leaders among and above your brethren And although the heat the brunt lie mainly upon you yet are your protections strong your reward sure I need not tell you that the eyes of men and Angels are upon you that the Christian world is at agaze filled with expectation of the glorious results of your high and difficult indeavours We all rise or fall in all probability as you stand faithfull united in the work you have in hand Your imployments are eminent your interesses deep the concernment is publike reaching all that have a share in Zions prosperity The Lord fasten you as nailes in a sure place that we may be an habitation of justice and a mountain of holinesse and the blessings of the Lord may be upon us So prayeth Your humble Servant in Soul-affaires GASPAR HICKES THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION ISAI 28.5 6. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty unto the residue of his people And for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgement and for strength to them that turne the battell in the gate THere is an evill among all things that are done under the Sunne saith Salomon that in respect of outward occurrences Eccles 9.2 3. there is one event to all to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and to the uncleane to the pious and to the prophane whence the hearts of the sonnes of men are filled with evill and madnesse possesses their mindes till it bring them to destruction That which makes desperate ones runne mad in sinning is their presumption of Gods connivence at their courses their damned inference of his approbation of their evils from their present impunity and prospering in them because they have no changes Psal 55.19 therefore they feare not God And that which drives the sager and better tempered sort of Naturalists out of their wits is their conceit of carelesnesse or confusion in the dispensations of providence or of unequall compensations of meedes or punishments to men according to deservings Hence Brutus that wonder of magnanimity and constancie that stour stickler for the libertie of his countrey a great admirer and practitioner of vertue and an able assertour of the divine providence such as he knew when he was finally vanquished by Antonius and saw such bad successe in his cause which he tooke to be so good he disclaimes all his vertues as trifles and derides endeavours to live well as vain and bootlesse But though reason be puzled yea confounded at that which is above its reach yet faith can fathome these depths and so farre satisfie its selfe in them as to see the Lords hand and to justifie his proceedings And that which beares up the beleeving heart from faintings or fluctuations amidst the various and strange vicissitudes of things below is the consideration and assurance of an over-ruling and unerring concurrence discerning directing disposing all in a most free wise and equall course even in those passages and exigents which seeme to be most disordered or uncertaine Then when bad men are crown'd with pride fatted with luxury mounted on horse backe in unworthy advancements whence they over-look with disdaine and trample upon with insolencie Gods humble holy innocent ones or then when the Lord ariseth to shake the earth terribly and to worke dreadfull desolations in the middest thereof he hath alwayes a selected parcell which is his deare charge to whose safety and honour he beares tender and unalterable respects in the most doubtfull or dangerous times In that day whether it be the short day of the wickeds prosperitie or the determined day of vengeance upon them shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty for truest advancement and ornament to the residue of his people to that pretious portion which is his owne according to the election of grace He shall be for a
that cloud of bloud which fell in our Marian dayes had besmeared our land when whosoever would keep conscience and get Heaven at last must looke to be transported thither in a fiery convoy Why then run thorough all ages inquire of the former and latter dayes and you will find that in the saddest and most sinfull times the Lord provides most certainly and gloriously for the security and honour of his people And indeed what fitter opportunities can be found out Reas or thought upon wherein the Lord should magnifie himselfe in doing great things for his servants For when is his hand so visible and his helpe so glorious as in extremities It is time for thee Lord to work saith David for they have made voide thy law Psal 119.126 when men have violated all bonds both sacred and civill cut in two the sinewes of the lawes authoritie and let themselves loose to all exorbitancies high time then for the Lord to take the matter into his owne hand to stirre up himselfe for the vindication of his honour A remedie applyed rebus confuses perditis Calvin in loc when things seeme desperate and past cure how wonderfull and welcome must it needs be Then doth the glory of a deliverance appeare when the Almighty hand hath broken those knots and difficulties laid open those streights which otherwise were altogether inextricable and then doth the beauty of a Church shine most conspicuously when she hath recovered her purity and escaped pestilentiall contagion in bad times when she is quitted from those blemishes that threatned to over-spread her by a seasonable and thorough Reformation But I have promised brevity in this point Let us see a little only how the truth will sute with our times That perillous dayes were upon us before the flames of publique wrath and misery brake forth none will deny except such as are stupid under any mischiefes or are actours or abettours of ours I will not so much as mention in what case our Lawes and Liberties Lives and Liberties stood I desire to limit my selfe within mine own verge and I beleeve men are sensible and querulous enough of the evils that touch their skins James 2.19 Devils tremble at the sense of misery Christians should search out the cause and take that to heart And if the sins of men corrupt the times and make them dangerous and troublesome think sadly then upon what a generation we are fallen oh that I might say what dismall dayes we have escaped For Religion which is the main how hath the power of it been denied and cryed down in a despightfull and furious way of opposition the purity sophisticated and defaced by base mixtures rotten formalities Oh 't was enough to cause any tender and truly affected soul to feel pangs of spirit to hold his loynes to fall into travell and bring forth an Ichabod an issue of consternation or doubtfull astonishment to see those uncircumcised Philistines Popery and prophaneness irreligion and will-worship seizing on the Arke and driving away the glory of the Lord. For truth how hath it been silenced perverted mangled the day would faile me almost to reckon up the exploded monstrous licentious errours that have been raked up out of hell published and patronized among us For manners I thinke the Sunne never looked upon a people nor measured an age more conspurcate or corrupt then ours 't were easier and fitter to bewaile with teares then expresse in words the excessive height of our pride and oppression injustice and bloud luxury and sensuality And as sinne hold possession so did judgement lie at the doore which hath since fallen upon us as a devouring beast how could it be but that so much filth must send up vapours to darken the face of Heaven with indignation against us Oh the dreadfull cloud that still hangs over us showring downe an horrible tempest of wrath a viall is poured out that turnes all into bloud Now if at this point the Lord be pleased to turne againe the captivitie of our Zion to cleare up all and shine upon us with favour what will this be lesse then a Resurrection from death how will our glory and beauty as that rare bird revive from the very ashes of a ruinous decay But if as yet we are not brought low enough for such an exaltation if the times are not yet at the worst if sharper seasons must be expected if our present hopes should be strangled in the birth or nipped in the bud which the Lord avert here 's the comfort that in such a day when the wickednesse of the enemies is fully ripe and Christs Spouse hath sate long enough in the dust when things are brought to such a passe that the Lord may be most magnified in the confusion of insolent adversaries and the advancement of his dejected depressed people even then will he certainly be for a crown of glory and for a diademe of beauty unto them which is the second particular the high and honourable advantages here promised to the Church Glory is the lustre or splendour that results from dignity and a crown is the highest ensigne of honour the principall token of Majesty Beauty is the impression of sweetnesse or lovelinesse and a diademe is the most stately ornament to set forth beauty and make it more amiable And a composure of glory and beauty makes up a piece of most absolute and exact symmetry consisting of all the parts and lineaments of perfection To such compleat excellencie doth the Lord raise his covenant people In the verses preceding my Text we find mention of a crown but 't is the crowne of pride of glorious beauty but 't is fading like a flower by which the Prophet expresses the usurped domineering of the wicked which shall be troden in the dirt or as some think he alludes to their festivall garlands the impudent badges of luxurie and lasciviousnesse to which he threatens a terrible blast a shamefull withering And continuing the Allegorie by the same termes used in a different sense he sets forth the true honour and excellencie of the Godly The Lord of hosts himselfe undertakes to be their glory by interessing them in all sublime and saving Priviledges He is their beauty by impressing on them the sweet and comely Properties of grace and in both crownes and diadems are gifts well befitting the bounty of the highest Majestie to his beloved Ones Indeed The presence or the favour of God is the only glorious advancement and ornament of a people or person Doct. What is it else that makes the Church an eternall excellencie Isai 60 15-19 a joy of generations Isai 60.15 then doth she sucke the milke of nations and the brests of Kings when found and eminent members are added to her her brasse becomes gold her iron silver when she is stored with pretious graces edified with pure ordinances her wals are salvation and her gates praise when she is guarded externally by good Government internally by the
of Christ are cast off as disgracefull burdens and new fashioned ornaments forged and worne with much bravery high titles rich revenues popular adoration after these they gape greedily stretch largely climbe ambitiously let soules sinke or swimme they care not so they may lift up their heads and build their nests on high and he concludes that herein the spirit of Antichrist was discovered even as a noon-day-devill Serm. 33. For those amongst us that will not follow the sonne of lesse except they may be sure of Vineyards and olive-yards and may be made captaines of thousands and captaines of hundreds that can shape their designes to no lower a pitch then a lordly dignity or a fat plurality that mind the University and the Ministery onely as a stirrop to ambition or a stale to covetousnesse 't were well if their aimes were frustrated by plucking the prey out of their teeth that they were discouraged yea rated off from the holy function wherein there is no hope they should demeane themselves conscionably seeing they enter upon it with such impure intentions And doubt not but when these offae Cerberi these bewitching baites be removed the Lord will stirre up and qualifie better spirits for his owne worke See this in one instance only Those blessed Reformers of Germany did not only drive the Popes doctrine out of their countrey but his tyrannicall Prelacie his whole rabble of full bellied Clergy whose large incomes were all put into the hands of Princes and States whom I cannot commend for dispensing them to right uses perhaps their unfaithfulnesse therein hath been one provocation to plucke downe the judgements which have since ruined them yet then were their Schooles and Academies most frequent and flourishing and I dare challenge any age within the like compasse of time and ground reserving alwayes due honour to Christs Worthies that have since abounded to paralell that in number and eminency of learned men who did not only vindicate the truth from Antichristianisme but all humane literature from blind barbarisme wherein it had long lien buried Let me not be mistaken here as if I thought there were too much dignity and maintenance for Ministers amongst us if it were duly conferred and distributed We need not imploy our own help so to betray our honour there are two sorts of engineeres that are now plotting against us Some in a prophane policy would keep us in a slavish inferiority to themselves and therefore they like Ieroboams way best they would choose Priests of the lowest of the people or make them so these hold a base condition a poore pittance fittest for us Others againe are for an eleemâ—sunary salary that Ministers being ingaged to their benevolence they may by the same bond be tied to their conceits and errours But I speake to wise Physitians who know how to purge peccant-luxuriant humours without impairing those that are vitall and benigne And I beseech you the searcher of hearts knowes I plead not for my owne belly but for your honour yea the honour of Christ whose work you have in hand I beseech you let it appeare by some speedy and cleare course that you intend not the diminution or unsettlement of the double honour of Christs servants but the establishment and enlargement thereof Isai 46.6 Idolaters lavish gold out of the bag superstition casts excesse upon its instruments let not Religion starve nor pinch them that wait upon her let exorbitancies be pared away but let Christs due be preserved and then I will not doubt to resume what I had in hand that his royalty is not advanced by the worldly height and state of his nearest attendants his throne is not supported by such painted props his Kingdome is spirituall and his Government most full of glory 2 Cor. 10.4 5. when thoughts are captivated and consciences awed by the mighty weapons of his own Ordinances and Discipline when they have free course 2 Thes 3.1 due honour and kindly workings in the hearts of men 2. Truth Worship Ordinances are glorious and beautifull when they hold their simplicity and purity Mixtures to these are not only superfluous but poysonous histrionicall and gaudy dresses of mens putting on are to these as a whorish paint to a good complexion or like that unnaturall burden of haire worne in pretence of ornament wheras there is nothing to sober judgements that can render men more uncomely or ugly Yet how doe men dote upon mixtures how have we seene the pure streames of truth mudded with humane placites and traditions Mat. 15.9 Gal. 1.8 the Commandements of men cryed up and obtruded upon the conscience for doctrines another Gospel preached and entertained though vented by persons of lesse credit beyond comparison then an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven accursed persons for their labour Wanton wits have been lavish in broaching and silly soules have been greedy in snatching up any errours Well the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the furnace purified seven times Psal 12.6 as t is hellish chymestry for sublimated wits to extractor cast out the least scruple hereof as refuse so 't is damnable imposture for any cheating compounders to put tinne among this silver drosse among this pure mettall The compleat body of faith was once delivered to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simul semel Jude 3. fully and wholly intrusted with them they that wilfully or remissely loose the least minute thereof hazzard thereby the eternall losse of their pretious foules and they that make or admit the least addition to it shall have added to them all the plagues written in Gods Book Rev. 22.18 19. no lesse dangerous are mixtures in point of worship yet doe multitudes run a madding after them That good old fashion of worship in Spirit and in truth is censured and hissed at as a jejune raw humour or as a fanaticall rash undertaking nothing pleaseth without a pompous outside a visible bravery though never so fond and new-fangled Yea have we not some who think themselves as much injured by paring their nailes and polling their haire as if their hands and heads were cut off that hold themselves spoiled of the very heart and braine of Religion if any of their burdensome and excrementitious superfluities the blemish and bane of Religion be purged out or lopped off And no wonder that men are in love with such trifles they affect a way of worship which pleases the eye fils the belly arrides the sensuality Those Adiaphorists or middle-men of Germany appointed by Charles the fifth to compose the Interim that monstrous miscellany wherewith he thought to please all parties did together with some shreds of truth some patches of Reformation mingle almost the whole lumber or garbage of popish rites and superstitions amongst the rest they would retaine extreme Vnction and it was wittily objected to them that they did it that they might sleeke their owne skinne Vt ipsi procederâ—nt
unctiores and provide for their owne panch Questionlesse such a worship as breakes no bones extracts no sweat from the people that costs little paines and brings in much profit and secular advancement to the chiefe actours and upholders of it shall have stiffe fautours and abettours every where But heare what the Lord saith of such mixtures to the Prophet Ezek. 43.7 8 9. Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of my people shall not be defiled by their whoredomes and their carcasses in their setting their threshold by my threshold and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them 'T is as the filthinesse of whoredome as the stink of a carcasse to the Lord to have humane inventions erected or interposed as parts or props of his worship Pompey once in an audacious humour would would needs enter into the most holy place and seeing nothing but a cloud there in derision he termed the Jewes Nubicolas cloud-worshippers before the Romans thought that Apis or Iupiter Hamon or some such soule idoll had been inclosed there how doe men seek after and rest upon the garnished outside the specious paint of worship without which they contemne its spirituall simplicitie as a vaporous or crude conceit whereas the excellencie the vigour the soule of it lies in its internall truth its primitive and native purity 3. The Lord puts glory and beauty upon a people by setting up godlinesse and godly men amongst them by increasing the number inlarging the graces advancing the persons of his Saints and Servants When the vilest men are exalted the wicked ruffle and riot at pleasure all things are tumultuous and squalid Psal 12.8 but when the righteous are up there 's change of cheere things are in a joyous and faire state Prov. 29.2 Godly men are the choisest things upon earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CleÌ„ Alex. the honour the beauty the blessing of the places that hold them such ornaments yea and more glorious are they to the earth then the Luminaries are to the Heavens and when they are fitly placed in the Horoscope of a Church or State in Houses of Dominion oh what an happy aspect what a flourishing influence doe they afford Why then should men of parts and place perhaps well affected to the publike good stand aloofe from Religion for feare of contracting disgrace from it Euseb Eccles Hist li. 6. c. 18. Perhaps the devill tels them as Perphâ—cy did Origen that it will turne their learning into barbarisme their acutenesse into sottishnesse that it will spoile all their gifts and sufficiencies Or else he frights them as Cajetan did the Electour of Saxony wishing him to beware that he did not blemish his noble house by giving credit and countenance to Luther Caveret nemaculam illusâ—â—is 〈…〉 aspergat Mâ—len Adam in vitâ Luther Profectò indeâ—â—ta venit praepropere afâ—ectatur periculosè captatur Bâ—za 2 Chro. 9.21 Satan buzzes it into their eares that if they favour those frantique fellowes adhere to those strict truths and wayes they will staine their bloud emasculate their spirits and lose the garbe and repute of gallants But harken rather to the Counsels of God to the Words of truth and sobernesse To you great ones I speake Think sadly how poore vain false the glory is that is without God and godlinesse truly if you have it t is more then is doe to you you seek it sinfully and buy it dearely Summe up all your sumptuous store your birth breeding bravery possessions titles and best t is but like Salomons freight gold and silver and Ivory and apes and peacocks strong mixtures of pride and vanity enough to poyson your excellencies to sinke your ship to damne your souls Whereas if you sincerely affect and honour Religion it will honour you yea it will make you the glory of your God the dignity and beauty of your country otherwise the greater you are the more unworthy burdens and blemishes you prove to the earth that bears you To bring that which hath been said home to our selves Vse I will lay before you only two things by way of information 1. The necessitie 2. The blessing of a present Reformation The necessitie grounded on the dishonourable and odious degenerations whereinto we were fallen the blessing commended and amplified from the glorious and beautifull excellencies to which it would advance us 1. The former the foulnesse of our decayes and distempers I have already touched and so generall they were that they might take up an age of complaining yea and so apparant that you that have your senses about you cannot but see and feele them though I should say nothing of them Methinks we were even come to that passe wherein the ten Tribes lay after their defection For a long season they were without the true God without teaching Priests and without Law 2 Chro. 15.3 Popery atheisme prophanenesse were shouldering out our God our faithfull teachers were crushed silenced or discouraged and Idoll sheepheards promoted that starved soules or edified them to damnation the justice and power of our Lawes nullified force and will carrying all before them We may gather what should generally have been done by considering what is done where the mischiefe prevailes Many dark places of the Land are still the habitations of such cruelties I speake it in the griefe of my soule the parts to which I stand most neerely related are overwhelmed with all the branches and extremities of the misery and I mention it not to informe you of what you know not but now in the day of your humiliation seeing the Lord hath made me your remembrancer to inkindle pitty in you and move you to speedy and thorough helpefullnesse to them If any misinformed or partiall or angry fellowes aske us what ailes us when we lift up our eyes and put forth our endeavours for remedy Let 's answer them thus they would take away our God and what have we more they would bereave us of our teaching Ministers and it would be worse to want them then to feede upon the bread of adversitie and the water of affliction Isa 30.20 they would spoile us of our Lawes divine and civill and t were better the Sun should droppe out of Heaven Act. 11.28 that our hearts should be torne out of our bodies then we loose them Honourable and beloved The Iewes when they conceived their Law and place and Temple indangered by Pauls preaching with a joynt and vehement vociferation they cryed out Men of Israel helpe Let me with a better spirit and upon better grounds bespeake you in the name of the Lord Men of Israel ye that are Israel Israelites indeed helpe helpe every one of you you by your advise and authority you that can doe nothing else by your supplications humiliations reformations we by our instructions intercessions actions passions others by their estates and lives every one
free and eternall purpose Mal. 3.17 makes up for his jewels by actuall and effectuall calling hypocrites and formalists may partake of generall and externall priviledges the men of the world have large shares of common mercies Psa 17.14 even their bellies full of Gods hid treasures but all saving favours yea all favours in a saving manner are conferred only on the remnant A man may be hospitable and beneficent to his eighbours gentle to his servants mercifull to his enemies but his affection and usage of another straine which he beares and expresses to his towardly children his faithfull spouse 't is not for a stranger to intermeddle here Let gracelesse men prattle of I know not what figment of universall grace let the bond-slaves of Satan pride themselves in the imaginary faculty of their free-will Our God is infinitely bountifull but not so lavish as some would make him to cast away his high honours his deare delights promiscuously these are the propriety of the elect the portion of sons and daughters these are peculiarized to Gods residue Quest. But who are this residue Resp I cannot stay upon a discovery of them Briefly take notice of them thus 1. Negative by their distinction They are not men of the multitude nor of the world nor of the times they dare not sinne of the fashion not goe to hell for company their care is to be at a reall and wide difference from all ungodly and unsound ones to be saved from the untoward generation Act. 2. â—0 2. Positive by their qualification Jer. 2.3 They are holinesse to the Lord the first fruits of his increase prime parcels intirely dedicated and vowed to his service consecrated vessels of the best mettall and making new framed by Gods blessed workmanship in the most delicate artifice of grace Eph. 2.10 created in Christ Iosus cast into his mould and so prepared for honourable designes 2 Tim. 2. â—1 made meet for the masters use Their holinesse is hearty their maine drift the honour and service of their God 3. Collectivè by their consociation They all live by the same Spirit walk by the same rule mind the same Heaven and therefore they are of one heart and of one soule Act. 4.32 Pearles are accounted more pretious and fitter for ornament when they are of equall bignesse or sorted into Vnions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Gold and Diamonds said the Naturalist are nothing in price or luster to the consent of good minds And although there may be some petty difference between them in judgement some small and temporary distance or interruption in affection yet they accord in the maine they are shaken together in times of triall and separation and as Christs cause and their owne greatest good requires they strengthen their union by all warrantable and worthy wayes of mutuall ingagement and helpfulnesse Vse 1. This may shew us then that when the Lord doth great works and conferreth great blessings he distinguisheth and selecteth both instruments and objects Times of the Churches exaltation are times of widest and most thorough distinction Multitudes would presse in for a share of her priviledges when she is rising that must be shaken off as burdens and blemishes before she can recover her honour When favourable edicts were published for the Jewes their adversaries claime acquaintance with them and offer them assistance they would needs have a finger in the temple-work but their help is refused and their officiousnesse suspected as more dangerous then their professed opposition Ezra 4.1 2 3. If there be a Iudas among the twelve he must be uncased before Christ have finished his work and what have devils to doe to fit in the assembly of the Gods devils in treachery in malice in impuritie The mixed multitude the mungrell crew that came up with the Israelites out of Egypt were touched with a stupid admiration of the wonders which God wrought for his people and promised themselves much happinesse in their company but when they met with streights and wants and found not things answerable to their sensuall humour then they fell a murmuring and a lusting and the Lord swept them away in his displeasure so that none of them reached Canaan Numb 11.4 One great cause of the streights and miseries that have befallen us in our passage from Egypt to Canaan hath been the discovery and distinction of those loose rotten adherents to Gods cause and people And oh that they were all shaken off while they are unsound at heart we may take more comfort in their falling away then in their accesse If yet a sword pierce deeper into Christs soule if heavier things befall his members it is that the thoughts of many more hearts may be revealed Luk. 2.35 that a clearer and more thorough difference may be put betweene the pretious and the vile 2. Hath the Lord a speciall pretious portion such as we have heard decyphered upon which he heapes such honour fastens such favour impresses such beauty Fearfull it is then that it should be the butt of mens opposition Act. 28.22 the sect-every where spoken against in common account the vile refuse rather then the glorious residue Histor of France The Marshall Biron of France was a man impudently and insatiably ambitious yet above all his titles of honour he affected to be stiled the scourge of the Huguenots And how have men of power and policy thought no foundation sure enough for their security their glory their contentment but that which is laid on the ruines of the estates or consciences of Gods pretious ones Oh the deepe and cursed machinations or contrivances that have been plotted and urged to cast them downe from their excellency Psal 62.4 to root them out from having a name under Heaven to embitter their beings to them to make them crouch under unreasonable and impious burdens When the Arrian Bishops swayed in the Church under Valens an Emperour of their heresie Liberty was given to Iewes heathens hereticall Christians of all sorts to exercise their Idolatry false worship mad festivals what not only the Orthodox were expelled their Churches and in one place being assembled for holy performances at the foot of a mountaine under the injury of all weathers they were thence driven by force of souldiers Theod. lib. 4. ca. 24. Is it not lamentable that in the repute of many amongst us Papists Atheists Monopolists sensualists drunkards any the basest society or sort of men should be held more tolerable then the holy brotherhood the members of Christ the Saints of the most High who alone are deare to God and linked together in the only gracious and blessed Communion How many for conscience and quietnesse sake in the raigne of our Prelates did leave their deare countrey their rightfull possessions yet there are not wanting some that maligne a wildernesse to them 'T is a common wish Oh that we were ridde of them all and why are you greedy of