praise of him that made him styling the fabrick of mans body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the handy-work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved by God For the Body is the Soul's Castle the mouth the entrance the Lipps a double leav'd door the Teeth a portcullis and Ivory gate the Tongue the porter trenchman and Soul's Oratour the Head an eminent Tower where four senses externall Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting three senses internall Common sense Fantasie Memory keep so many scout-watches The Brain the Armorie and Treasury fenced about with hair skin bone the pia Mater or golden Eure the Neck a Wheel to turn this Turret to every point in the Compasse The Tongue Teeth and Palate musicall Instruments for modulation of the voice the Chordae or silver cords stretched through the body the Liver is the Well the Pores the Conduits the Veines the Pitchers of blood the Heart is the Cistern and Fountain of Life the Systole and Diastole moves gales of winde to free from putrefaction For this cause Man is called a Microcosme or little World in that he resembles the greater World The Liver resembles the Ocean the Veines the lesser Rivers the Breath the Aire the naturall Heat the warmth of the Aire the radicall Moysture the fatnesse of the Earth the Hairs of our head the Grasse of the earth Knowledge Light our Eyes the Sun and Moon our Beauty of Youth the Flowers of the Spring the Thoughts of our Minds Motions of Angells our four Complexions resemble the four Elements seven Ages seven Planets Thus was Man created a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containing All till that by usurping All he lost All. Neither was this Beauty solely the Bodies but the Soul in beauty far surpassed the Body as far as the Soul is more active than the Body The Understanding clear without ignorance the Will holy without disobedience the Affections calme without distemperance Thoughts undistracted Heart untempted Conscience unwounded The wonderfull union of them both more wonderfull than both Earth and Heaven were espoused a Body from Earth a Soul from Heaven were united that nothing but Death could part nor Death neither if bodily concupiscence with Martha had not made choise of the worser part Knowledge of sicknesse and sorrowes was unknown No Paracelsus distracted about Extractions It would have been the Physitians Disease that there was no Disease the Grave's Death that there was no Death Envie 's Griefe that there was no Envy What Man was in Rule and Dominion after the Creation Emperour of the whole Earth Admirall of the whole Sea Heir of Eden peerlesse Peer of Paradise that with the Grand Sultan he might have insulted styling himselfe Ruler of the World and Shadow of God With the Pope have worn a triple Crown trampling upon Hell triumphing upon Earth trusting For Heaven All Creatures seeing the splendour of Majesty and God's Image resplendent in this new created Magistrate with reverence pointed at him with an Ecce Adam lo Adam The Stars that lately created were gazed upon as the world's wonder wonder at this new created Star with an Ecce Adam The Angells those ministring Spirits Heb. 1. 14. behold him to whom they must minister with an Ecce Adam God who after the Fall came with an Ecce exprobrandi or upbraiding comes now with an Ecce demonstrandi or declaring to all Creatures Ecce Adam lo this is Adam whom ye must all serve this Adam Lord of all was Man Lord what is Man Thus we have done with the first what what Man was in his Creation We come to the second what what man is in his Degeneration where we must distinguish of a three-fold what what degenerate Man is in his life what in his death what after death The Degenerate in life what in his Body what in his Soul In his Body the length of his time the strength of his time What Man is in the length of his time His life is a Mask his Prologue is acted in secret within the Curtains of the Womb the Protasis in his Birth and Cradle the Epitasis in his checker'd mirth and sorrow Death is the Catastrophe the Grave his Wardrobe His time is a gliding Shuttle a riding Post a flying Cloud a spying Eagle a floating Ship a fading Flower The Shuttle is through the Post is gone the Cloud dissolves the Eagle vanishes the Ship is out of ken the Flower fades His length is but a Span his strength Grasse his beauty but a Venice-Glasse a China's Dish his thoughts Dreams his body a Shadow his flesh but a Vapour his glory but a Taper which begins as a Bubble continues as a Blaze ends with a Blast Lord what is man Thus what Man his Body is in length of time the second what in strength of time what in his Infancy what in his Youth what in his Manage what in his Old age in all these Natures ridle unfolding Sphinx his ridle In his Infancy an Image hath hands and cannot handle right tongue and cannot speak feet and cannot go a soul and cannot understand an unreasonable Brute in the shape of reasonable Man conceived in lust imbrued in blood brought forth in sorrow with throbs and throws His Youth an untamed Tiger unsetled Quicksilver a Camelion of every colour a Polypus of every shape an Ape in all imitations beginning to swell with Pride boyl with Revenge burn with Lust gaspe for Honour gape for Riches Manhood is a Monster composed of many miseries a Sea of sorrowes a World of warrs where all fears affright him The Sea is full of Pirats the Land of Robbers Wealth is envied Poverty is contemned Wit distrusted Simplicity derided Religion suspected Vice advanced and Virtue disgraced Old age is a Creple blinde as Appius blear-eyed as Leah lame as Mephibosheth bald in the head wrinkled in the face rotten in the teeth stinking in the breath teasty with choller withered with drinesse overwhelmed with sicknesse bowed together with weaknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking upon the earth which must be his grave till he lie down in the grave gasping for breath begins with crying continues with sighing and ends with a groan Lord what is man Thus is every Age of life a Stage of strife that well may we sing with Ausonius a Turtle-like Song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Time is a troublesome Tide no place or condition is secure in the world Fear of Enemies affright Suits in Law vex wrongs of Neighbours oppresse care for Wife and Children consume The house is full of cares the Field is full of toyl the Country of rudenesse the City of factions the Court of envy the Church of Sects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What course of life then shall a man take when every life is a curse What Art shall he study when he is the dolefull subject of every Art and studying it studies his own misery What does Grammer teach him but to speak the language of his owne confusion The first part whereof containes the
true Orthographie and charactering of his cares the Comma's Colons and Periods if any there be of his passions The second unfolds his Casuum discrimina a thousand diversities of dangers accidents varied with divers Cases with Genders of sorrow ingendring numberlesse declining that which is good and inclining to that which is evill The third displaies his misconstruction of Charity in not Concording and agreeing with equalls in not Governing his Inferiours in not submitting to the government of Superiours And what is the last but an Accenting of his griefes by severall pricks in the flesh and Scanning of things upon the fingers of human reason to tickle the ear of fancy and affection What is his Rhetorick but a Poyson cooked in a painted dish each Trope a translation from Purity to Corruption each Climax climbes up by degrees of renued griefe each Auxesis augments and each Hyperbole makes up the height of his hardship What is his Logick but an art of Reasoning to inform Reason of the losse of Reason each Predicament a Ladder of human frailty declaring the Substance of his body of death the Quantity and Quality of his sin in what Relation he stands to the Devill Hell and the Grave the guilt of every Action the sting of every Passion ubi quando Where When in what manner and Habit every sin was committed Demonstrating by causes and proving by Induction his destruction His Musick is a Modulation made up of diversity of maladies in place of melodies his birth by Originall sin sounds Base by Actuall Treble worse unconstant never keepes Tenour his life is a Cliffe his might a Minim his wit but a Crochet his wisdome a Quillet his glory but a Quaver Lord what is Man His Arithmetick deciphers the numberlesse number of his necessities adding subtracting dividing multiplying measuring all things by the rule of Golden number roules in a Circle and ends in a Cypher His Physick serves to seek out the symptomes of his sicknesse the brain conceives frenzies madnesse vertigoes in the brain the Eye sees three hundred diseases in the sight of the eye the Ear can hear of a Parotis or impostumated inflammation in the ear the tongue can tell of an Angina or Argurangina a Quincie or silver-Quincie in the throat which ties the tongue-strings The Hand can feel a Chiragra or Gout of bribery in the hand the Sinews are sensible of convulsions of worldly cares the Bowells of Tympanies or swellings of pride the Heart of a Cardialgia or carnall fear the whole Man of a noli me tangere impatience of admonition Thus Man is become the Anatomie of Misery and the Misery of Anatomy and yet his greatest misery is that he cannot help his misery making the whole World a Pesthouse the Earth an Aceldama or field of blood and the Sea a Golgotha or place of Sculs Thus what Man is in his body The next what in his Soul First What in regard of misery of losses Secondly What in regard of misery of crosses In regard of misery of losses the soul of Man hath lost blessings internall externall eternall Internall the perfect Image of the Creator the perfect knowledge of the Creature God Christ holinesse in heart uprightnesse in life union betwixt God and the soul which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very soul of the soul Lost blessings externall not Rivers of Milk Wine Oyle Mountaines of Gold Silver Diamonds not a world of Crownes Scepters Diadems these were but Blanks but the Prize in this Lottery lost was his lot of inheritance in Heaven communion with Saints and Angells in that inheritance that never fails Lost blessings eternall the glory of a Crown and a Crown of glory the blessed Vision and the vision of Blisse of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Secondly what the Soul of Man is in regard of the misery of Crosses crossed with the stain of sin crossed with the pain of sin the stain of sin the Mind is stuffed with vanity the Understanding is darkened with ignorance the Will stiffned with stubbornesse hence the Soul is defiled with lust polluted with filthinesse outraged with passions over carried with affections pined with envy overcharged with gluttony surfetted with drunkennesse boyled with revenge transported with rage The pain of sin consists in consciousnesse of horrour of Conscience and sense of a reprobate sense This horrour meets a man in the dark and makes him leap in the night and makes him quake in his sleeps and makes him start in every corner and makes him think every Bush a Man every Man a Devill every Devill a messenger to fetch him quick to Hell By this Theodorick saw the face of a Man in the mouth of a Fish Nessus heard the noise of Murder in the voice of Birds Saunders run distracted over the Irish Mountains This made Cain wander Saul stab himselfe Judas hang himselfe Arius empty his bowells at the Stool Latomus cry desperately he was damned Julian confesse that he was conquered makes Man the Lord of all slave to all Lord what is Man Thus this Generall what degenerate Man is in this life the next what degenerate Man unregenerate is in his death Come to his Bed-side and see how darts of calamity dart him Stiches aches cramps feavours obstructions rheume flegme chollick stone winde as so many tempests and whirlwindes attempt him View his body sweating his members trembling the head shooting the face waxing pale the nose black the neather jaw-bone hanging down the eye-strings breaking the tongue faultring the breath shortning the throat ratling at every gasp the heart-strings cracking Thus strugling in comes Death Hells Purveyor to summon the Soul to Hell Reason accuses the Devill endites Memory gives evidence Conscience condemnes damned Spirits flutter like flies to catch this Spirit flying O then with what stentorious cries would it pierce the Clouds if it had a voyce to cry Help Eyes that were as quick-sighted in vanities as Lynceus and see for some comfort help Ears late organs of melody and hearken for some comfort help tongue that was my Suada-Orator or Demostenes perswade Satan affright Death flatter Hell and tell my soul some comfort Help Feet that were my wings of swiftnesse and quickly fetch some comfort help hands that were my Sword and Buckler quiet my conscience stop hells mouth banish Satan and minister me some comfort Alas the Eyes are closed up the Ears deaf the Tongue speechlesse the Feet lame the Hands dead not able to remove the slime that stops the breath and Man that was even now a Body and Soul is a stinking Carcase without Soul Lord what is Man Thus Death is displayed Next what degenerate Man is after death A man of Death fewell of Hell fire lashed with Satyrs wounded with Scorpions scourged with Furies sting'd with Dragons gnawen with Vipers still rowling the Stone of sorrow with Sisyphus turning the restlesse Wheel with Ixion hungring and thirsting freezing and burning with Tantalus burning with heat freezing with cold
God was angry at the Angells and they fell down into the lowest pit he was angry at Adam and he was throwne out of Paradise he was angry at the old World and they were drowned in the Flood angry at Sodome and Gomorrah and they were burned with fire and brimstone angry at Pharaoh and he was buried in the waves angry at Dathan and Abiram and they were swallowed quick to hell he was angry at Senacherib and the Angell slew a hundred fourscore and five thousand of his Army in one night he was angry at the Jewes and rased their â—â—ie to the ground and scattered them as vagabonds over the face of the whole earth angry at all reprobates and will cast them out of his presence for ever Thus you see we range over the Scriptures yet not out of the narrow bounds of the Text as lines from the circumference meet in one centre and spoaks of a wheel in one axeltree poynts all at Gods anger for what Man what Angell can stand in his sight when once he is angry All the reason we will give of this Doctrine shall be the infinite disproportion betwixt God and Man when there is not a creature to a creature weakness to weaknesse but a finite must encounter with an infinite power weaknesse must fight with strength man with God how can there be any standing First of Gods power Secondly of mans weaknesse He that made all things of nothing can if he please return all things to nothing the Heavens will passe away at his anger as a smoak the Hills melt the Earth tremble the raging Sea is dryed up and all creatures couch before him like Lambs Thus God can do without means what he pleases and when he pleases command what means to be rods of his wrath he will he can send upon their bodies consumptions feavours extream burnings botch of Aegypt scab itch and pestilence make the Heaven over our heads like brasse the Earth like iron rain down powder and dust smite the corn with mildew and blasting send famine and sword strike our soules with blindnesse madnesse and astonishment of heart Now what is man that he should stand against all these a flower that 's cut down a shadow that continues not a cloud that 's consumed a dream that vanishes a shepheard 's tent that is removed a smoak that is scattered with the Sun-beams and at the best but the untimely fruit of a woman that afore we be in life we are in the midst of death Thus the Reasons the Uses follow First of Information Ob. The Angell of the Lord met Moses in the way and would have slain him yet he escaped The Angell met Balaam in the way when he was angry yet he lived Ans I answer the Lord dealt with them as a Nurse that holds the finger of a child to the fire not that the fire may burn it but that it may learn to dread the fire God seemed to be angry with them not that he might overthrow them but that they might learn to flie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the wrath to come Ob. Secondly the wicked upon whom God threatens to poure down all the plagues written in the Law stand highest in view and strongest upon their guard Ans I answer if they stand the highest it 's but as Prisoners at the Bar hold up their hand that all may see their arraignment If strongest upon their guard but like Malefactours nailed to the Pillory that they cannot move Ob. But the damned spirits and reprobates in Hell endure the anger of God not for a day but for ever Ans I answer they endure it so as they are still fainting live so as they are still dying stand so as they are everlastingly falling like wheeles are carried about in a circle of Gods vengeance as one wave of his wrath beats them down another raises them up again God could with one blast of his fury consume them to nothing but he deales with them as the Turks with their Gally-slaves adjudges them to perpetuall slavery The second Use may let us see that no strength no riches no wisdome no nation no army no city can continue long when once they have angered God If strength then Goliah Sehon Og the King of Bashan might have boasted if riches the rich Glutton and the Fool in the Gospell might have sung on their Requieme if wisdome Solomon had been secure if Kingdoms the Jewes and the three Monarchies had still flourished if Armies Senacherib's had not been defeated if Cities Jerusalem Tyre Sidon and Niniveh had still stood This is it that made Solomon say Prov. 21. 30. There is no wisdome no understanding no counsell against the Lord. This made Jeremie say Jer. 9. 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches This made David say Psal 2. 12. If his wrath is kindled tantillum but a little quantillum how little O blessed Saint that he knows not But after a long extasie or trance breaks off his Aposiopesis with this Epiphonema Blessed are all they that put their trust in him We may learn also from hence that all earthly comforts are but crosses all worldly blessings are but cursings when Gods anger once begins to flame God was angry at Eli and his own children burst his heart angry at David and his beloved Absolom conspires against him angry at Senacherib and his own sons imbrue their hands in his blood he was angry at Solomon and his wisdome was but vexation of spirit all his riches and honour but vanity of vanities his Wives Children Horses Chariots and all his worldly pleasures like buckets of Oyle thrown into the flame increases the burning he was angry at Judas and all things work together for his sorrow that he had been Christs Disciple wounds him that he had preached the Gospell wounds him that he had wrought miracles wounds and galls his soul Thirdly observe that all other wounds they are but ripples all other flames they are but sparkles in comparison of Gods anger diseases of the body Gout Stone Strangury bloody Flux may be cured Plague Pestilence Dearth Famine may be abated Punishments of the body Rods Swords Racks Wheeles Flames Strapadoes may be endured I ones Estate poverty nakednesse imprisonment In ones name slanders reproaches defamations false witnesses In the Common-wealth captivity overthrow utter desolation in some sense may be undergone But before Gods anger who can stand This breaks the leggs looses the joynts consumes the marrow burns up the spirits dries the moysture wounds the heart deads the soul and murders the conscience In this Epilepsie all parts fail at once till God be pacified in that Apoplexie they lie for ever whom God in his anger leaves The third Use may serve to reprove three sorts of men First those blasphemous Rabsheca's whose words works lives shew they defie Gods anger like the Cyclopes in Homer
him was nothing made Coloss 1. 16. All things were created by him and for him For him in his Mysticall not in his Personall capacity As God â—e had no use of terrestriall things as Man now he is impassible immortall in Heaven therefore not in his own Person but in the person of his Saints what is done to them he acknowledges don to himself all the world all things in the world are given for the use of his Saints All things to use the Philosophers distinction that are bona animi goods of the mind bond corporis goods of the body bona fortunae goods offortune All things as Divines say internall in the soul externall of both body and soul eternall for the saving welfare of both All things as Aquinas saies upon this place quae cedant in nostrum bonum that may turn to our good divinae personae ad fruendum to behold the vision of the Trinity have communion with Saints and Angells commerce with Men comfort with and from all the Creatures All things as cur Saviour saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we have need Matth. 6. and Him we will follow as the best Interpreter So then we may conclude with the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are ours and God with Christ hath given all things to us all If every man might be his own Interpreter how sweet and heavenly would this Doctrine be the Drunkard would swim in Rivers of Wine the Whoremonger would have more Dalilah's than the Turkish Grand Sultan or Solomon had the Glutton would receive his daily tribute of delicates from Earth Sea and Aire the Tyrant would make the Earth an Aceldama or field of blood the Sea a Golgotha or place of sculs the Covetous man would make the world his Counting-house each Iland a Closet of his Treasury the Pope and each ambitious Roman Prelate would number their Crowns and Scepters by their Beads But look again before thou feed thy soul with this fools Paradise it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ If thou hast Christ thou shalt have all things if thou hast not Christ thou hast nothing but that which thou possessest is not thine own not thine own by a Spirituall right though thine own by a Civill right All things were lost by the first Adam restored by Christ the second Adam who Heb. 1. 2. is heir of all and only they that have Christ are heirs and joynt heirs with Christ of all Rom. 8. 17. So then he may be a spirituall usurper that is a civill lawfull possessour possessour either jure gentium by the Law of Nations and that by Conquest as the Israelites subdued Canaan or jure civili by the Civill Law so we possesse things given by the bounty of others got with the sweat of our own brows appropriated unto us by buying exchanging falling upon us by descent death of friends honours given as the reward of vertue Some would have this Civill right to be derived to all by Creation not to be lost by Degeneration God that feeds the Storks cloaths the Lillies will much more feed and cloath his nobler Creatures for whose sake the Storks and Lillies were created Some say they were given in and by Christ to all He that delivered up his Son for all delivered up all things with his Son for all The Turks Infidells Impious that have not Christ are not debarred of these lesser benefits that come by Christ Some give this Civill right onely to the visible members of the Church he that is baptized into Christ hath onely the benefit of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things that come by Christ Which of these opinions is the truth I will not determine that onely the Faithfull have spirituall claim to this All in the Text it is confessed by all they onely can say and pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us our daily bread For what is it to have spirituall right but to have the Spirit turning all things to their comfort and increase of glory Rom. 8. 28. All things work for the good of them that love God all things to the confusion of them that love not God But how have spirituall men all things A right to all things not a possession of all things Thus Abraham had a right to Canaan because God had promised it though he possessed it not God if it were for their good would give them the fruition of all things An Orphant trusts his Guardian for his means a Patient his Physitian for his dyet and dare not thou trust God While thou art Militant here thou art under tuition and shalt not possesse all till thou be Triumphant We restrain a man in a Lethargy of his appetite of sleep and deny cold drink to one sick of a Feavour though he be owner of all in the house So does God the wise Physician of our Souls give us all things that we need but not all things that we lust To look back again at the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will give us all things with Christ O happy union Christ and his benefits are never severed He that gives Gold will much more give the Drosse He that gives Pearles will give Pebles He that gave Christ the Lord of life wil give all things convenient for life Heat may be separated from fire as in Nebuchandnezzar's Furnace light from the Sun as at our Saviour's Passion but no good thing can be separated from the Son of God he that hath the Son hath life And here me-thinks I see the noble Army of Martyrs that seemed to the World to have nothing to throw down the Gantlet of defiance and triumph that in Christ they have all things Armour of proof a strong Tower an invincible Fort a Rock of salvation that if Men Devills Leviathans Behemoths losses diseases torments swarm about them like the Flies of Aegypt this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things in Christ will make them sing under the whip at the stake in the flames make the patient laugh when the Spectatour weeps carry frail flesh singing and rejoycing through a world of bonds rods swords racks wheeles flames strapadoes break through torments armies tempests floods to Heaven shake off bonds fetters manacles and lead captivity captive And if all these things come by Christ O then let us get Christ himselfe which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the giver of all Men venture themselves on the angry Seas digg into the bowells of the Earth for Gold and Silver expose their bodies in Warrs to wounds scarrs skirmages massacres death for honour riches wealth empire dignity which without Christ are for substance but shadowes vapours Sodom's apples for continuance but bubbles blasts dreams and for true solace of the soul but like the Vipers conception whose momentary pleasure ends in murdering both body and soul What pain dammage and travail do the Alchymists sustain to gain the Philosophers Stone a thing doubtfull whether it be possible more doubtfull
vale of tears which drawes on apace shall present it selfe you may look Death in the face without dread the Grave without fear the Lord Jesus with comfort Thus let all the saving blessings of Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity be gloriously shining upon your selves your children and posterity which is the daily vote of him who is Your Worships most humble and devoted Servant in the Lord Jesus JOHN CRAGGE Octob. 10. 1656. A SERMON Preached formerly in the University of CAMBRIDGE The Text Psalm 144. 4. Lord what is Man A Time there was before all Times when there was no Day but the Antient of Dayes no Good but God no Light but the Father of Lights Arts were but Idea's the World a Map of Providence Heavens the Book in Folio Earth Water Aire and Fire in Quarto Hell the Doomes-day pageant Men and Angells but Capitall Letters in the Margent of Gods Thoughts Elohim Bara But loe the World and Time begun the Heavens were spread as a Curtain the Sphears incircled round Comets and blazing Stars Lightnings and Tempests Birds and feathered Fowls seated in the Aire Leviathans and Fishes in the Sea The Earth infoulded within the armes of the Ocean embraces the Centre beset with Plants and Herbs and Garlands of all Flowers gives nourishment to Beasts and Creeping things Sanctius his Animal Lastly Man was made Lord Paramount of all he calls Earth Heaven and Elements Birds Plants and Beasts according to their Nature each by their names clear light of Reason makes him a Logician Stars an Astronomer Nature of all Creatures a Philosopher Earth and Paradise a Geographer Thus nothing is hid from him while he is unknown to all The Stars shine Heavens smile upon him the Aire cherishes him Fruits nourish him Lions and all Beasts couch before him all at once as with a sudden rapture admire and know not what to call him It 's thou O Lord alone that madest him that pouredst him out as Milk that curdedst him as Cheese that writst all his members in the volume of thy Book that knowes him Lord what is Man Man that was here David's mirrour of admiration must be our glasse of speculation Ignorance in not knowing the true cause of things is the true cause of Admiration in things David a man after Gods owne heart knowes Man and yet he knowes not Man he knowes him in respect of the efficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ofspring of God as Aratus said he knowes him in respect of the matter Adam quasi Adamah composed of red earth he knowes him in respect of the form his soul is spiraculum vitarum breath of lifes life vegetative common with the Plants life sensitive common with the Beasts life reasonable peculiar to himselfe temporall and eternall He knowes him in respect of the end all his thoughts words works are so many motions God is the Centre his speculations imaginations meditations are so many Lines God is the Circumference in God from God and for God is all his good in whom we live move and have our being But in this he knowes not man Reason is at a stand why God that stood in need of no Creature should create Man to delight in him so vile a creature that Angels more glorious Creatures than he should minister unto man that Heaven with all her Hosts and Armies should serve man that Christ that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both God and Man should be accursed and dishonoured for Man that Man might be blessed and honoured with God should leave Heaven and his Father's Throne that Man might live for ever in Heaven and before the Throne All Creatures confesse your ignorance in this confessing it admire admiring give God the glory Fountains clap your hands Mountaines bend your heads skip you little Hills like Lambs old men and Babes young Men and Maids Angells and Choristers of Heaven joyne in this hymne Glory be to God on high peace on earth and towards men good-will But why peace on earth and towards men good-will cease to scan and leave it to him that is the Lord of Man Lord what is Man Which words are an Epiphonema or conclusion following an Eucharistia or spirituall gratulation inforced from a soul deeply solaced with the meditation of mercy in the depth of misery The parts are two First an Apostrophe or Appellation Lord Secondly an Erotema or Interrogation What is Man There is a what of objurgation a what of interrogation a what of admiration a what of meditation David meditates of Man the more he meditates the more he admires the more he admires the more he asks the more he asks the more is his task till mirrour is changed into terrour and every glance into a trance Earth that sustaines him tell me Fruits that nourish him tell me Aire that cherishes him tell me Creatures that serve him tell me Stars that shined at his Nativity tell me Astronomers calculate Gymnosophists unfold this Riddle Angells unvail your faces and tell me Man unmask thy selfe and tell me What is man Mount up my Meditations higher pierce through the clouds towards Heavens Glorified Saints Principalities and Powers tell me If all these be silent let wretched Man be bold to ask of Him that sits upon the Throne concerning man Lord what is man Man before the Fall created Man after the Fall degenerated Man by grace regenerated Man after death glorified What in his creation What in his degeneration What in his regeneration What in his glorification Man by creation wholly pure an Angell by degeneration wholly impure a Devill by regeneration partly sanctified a Saint by glorification entirely crowned a King An Angell in Eden a Devill in the World a Saint in the Church a King in Heaven and all this but silly Man Lord what is Man First Man created before the Fall what Man was in God's decree and intention before the Creation what in his union and composition in the Creation what in his rule and dominion after the Creation Man in Gods decree and intention a creature next to the Creator that Hell envied Earth admired Heaven desired a Gemme of beauty a Pearl of vertue a Star of glory Heir to a Crown if he had not crossed himselfe What in his union and composition in the Creation The Son of God moulded by God and yet not as the Manichees dream of the Substance of God the Image of God and yet not that Image which was God a Spirit from Heaven breathed into a Body of Earth and yet not all earth Fire gave him naturall heat Aire gave him vitall breath Water humours the Fire was purified the Air clensed the Water purged the Earth refined to make up this fine complexion of Man and yet materiam superabat opus the workmanship surpassed the matter as far as Heaven surpasses its matter At the contemplation whereof Davâ—d bursts out into admiration Psal 139. 14. I was fearfully and wonderfully made And Gaâ—en before an Atheist composes an Hymne in the
Romish crucifying Turkish ganging Jewish stoning Christian racking burning firing fagotting are nothing to this And besides this infinitnesse it is everlasting infinite the Grasse of the Field Sands in the Haven Stars in the Heaven may be numbered but the Dayes and Months and Years and Ages of the torments of Tophet are numberlesse which makes the frying Soul cry out Fountains cool me Mountains cover me Rocks hide me Sea swallow me up that I may be freed from this bottomlesse Sea of misery What Adamant can endure this knocking what Steel this beating what Brasse this burning Lord what is Man We passe from man Degenerate and come to man Regenerate the third what what Man is by Regeneration what in his Redemption what in his Justification what in his Sanctification In his Redemption a Slave bought with a precious Price a Prisoner rescued an Enemy reconciled a Malefactour pardoned Wretched Man was the Prisoner the Enemy the Malefactour Christ is the Price the Rescuer the Reconciler the Pardoner Woods of Franckincense Floods of Nectar Ophir India and Havilah though replenished with Gold and Pearls could not pay this Price Angells would have sunk under the burden Man could not satisfie God could not suffer therefore Christ became both God and Man God to satisfie Man to suffer He left his Fathers Throne for the Virgins Wombe a heavenly Mansion for a Manger a Crown for a Crosse where he was crowned with Thorns crucified between two Theeyes as a Rose amongst Thornes scourged with Whips fastned with Nails pierced with a Spear where with Saint Augustine view his body sacrificed for man his wounds bleeding for man his price payed for man his head bending to kisse man his hands stretched out to embrace man and then say Lord what is Man Secondly what Regenerate man is by Justification disrob'd of unrighteousnesse arrayed with Christs robes of Righteousnesse cloathed with the Wedding garment annointed with new Oyle furnished with the oyle of Grace burning in his Lamp The first-born of Saints are his associates God his Father Christ his elder Brother Crete strove for Jupiter Thebes for Pindar the seven Cities for the birth of Homer shall not we for the Birth and Brotherhood of Christ which begets in us a new birth This new birth frees Man from the second Death the strongest the richest the learned'st must taste of Death's cup Pompey have no grave Bajaset be brained in an iron Cage proud Saladine leave nothing but a shirt Crassus be cashiered at Carrae Aeschilus was slain with a Torteis shell Euripides torn by Doggs Mahomet the false Prophet by Hoggs Terrence was drowned But Man that is born anew Elected Justified in Christ shall not die eternally but live for ever with Christ Thirdly what Regenerate Man is by Sanctification changed from a vassall of wrath to a vessell of honour a spirituall creature purified with the Spirit not with Pelagian purity of conception Romish holy-water sprinkling Popes pardoning extream unction purgatory scorching not with the Libertines law of Liberty that hath no Law but by Grace in the soul that graciously clenses both body and soul The Understanding is lightned because Christ is his light the Will obedient to God because he is born of the will of God the Heart by spirituall comfort is heartned and gives over burning the Conscience barking the Pulse of horrour beating all his Hoste of Body and Soul is set to serve the Lord of Hostes Knees bend to pray Tongue sounds to praise Feet run Hands fight the Lords Battle Nor is this all but Man enjoyes him that is all in all and all in him For in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. all are ours we Christs and Christ Gods Satan cease to tempt him Flesh to allure him World to beguile him all is in vain the Word feeds him the Spirit guides him the Creatures serve him the Angells guard him what joy of the Spirit within what without none knowes no not the Spirit of Man but the Spirit of him that made Man Lord what is Man Thus what Man regenerate is in Redemption Justification Sanctification we come to the last what what Man is in his Glorification what glorified in soul till the Resurrection what in both body and soul to eternity after the Resurrection What Man is glorified in soul till the Resurrection a glorified soul by Christs Resurrection winged swiftly upon the wings of Cherubims to Heaven where for every Crosse she receives a Crown in either Palme a Palme of Victory Angells come at her entrance and salute her with an Euge thousands of Seraphims Thrones Principalities and Powers salute her with an Euge Patriarchs Priests Prophets Apostles Martyrs salute her with an Euge Souls of Friends Parents Husband Wife Children and all Saints deceased before her salute her with an Euge nay Christ himselfe salutes her with an Euge Well done good and faithfull servant To whom that Soul with all the Souls returnes Hallelujah honour and praise to the Antient of daies that sits upon the Throne Now glorified Soul that wouldst have wondred with the Queen of Sheba at Solomon in his royalty at the Grand Sultan going to his Seraglio at the Pope in his Procession tell me how thou wilt wonder and glory to see that Wonderfull that neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man Lord what is Man Thus what glorified Man is in Soul till the Resurrection the last and not the least what glorified both in Body and Soul for ever after the Resurrection Glorified in regard of the place of Glory the object of Glory the prerogatives of Glory In regard of the place which is Paradise the third Heaven the Heaven of Heavens the heavenly Jerusalem built of pure Gold walled with Jasper founded on pretious stones the Gates twelve Pearles watered with the Water of life planted with the Tree of life bringing forth twelve kindes of Fruits to feed the twelve Tribes of Israel Pallas Temple at Troy Diana's Temple at Ephesus Jerusalem's Temple in Sion must give place to this Temple of the new Jerusalem which is the place of glory And as glorified in place so glorious by the Object of glory in that place The Object is the vision of the Unity in the Trinity where Man shall see all Felicity in the Glasse of the Trinity Moses his face shined with the shining brightnesse of Gods hinder parts Paul was senslesse of all joyes but Heaven when he was rapt into the third Heaven Peter was transported in Soul when Christ was transfigured in Body How glorious then will thy face shine when thou shalt see God face to face injoy the immediate communion with the Trinity which will be joy to mans soul health to his body beauty to his eyes musick to his ears hony to his mouth perfumes to his nostrills meat to his belly light to his understanding content to his will delight to his heart whole happinesse to every part Glorious in the Prerogatives of glory
the body of a Mortall made an Immortall body of a Corruptible an Incorruptible of a Naturall a Spirituall of a Weak a Powerfull of a Deformed a Beautifull A Body shining as the Stars the Soul in glory exceeding the Body as far as the Moon exceeds the Stars Christ in brightnesse exceeding all as far as the Sun the Moon Thus it shall be done to the Man whom the King of Glory will honour At the last doom will Mountains burn Devills mourn Man shall be mounted up with Angells and Christ the Archangell towards Heaven Open ye Gates be ye opened ye everlasting Gates and let the King of Glory come in with all his troops of Glory Say all Creatures what is any Creature What is Man Lord what is Man that thou conferrest this glory upon him Sing all Creatures Men Angells with Hymns Anthems Hallilujah's keep an everlasting Sabbath of Thanksgiving with Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaths heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory To thee we give all Honour and Glory both now and for evermore A SERMON Preached before the Generall of all the Forces of South-Wales and the West of England The Text Matth. Cap. 13. v. 45 46. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly Pearls Who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it HEAVEN is not feisable for mony then shall an earthly price run in equipage with it Well might this seem a Paradox if it were not a Parable That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4. 17. excessive weight above transcends our Scales below Earth is but an Atome and what we see is scarce worth to make an Emblem of what we hope to see Well said Empedâ—cles Terra terram inspicimus aeihere aetherem In an earthen Globe we see the earth's Diameter and in a paper-Sphear the Circle of the Sphears A Mapp displaies the World Counters the revenues of a Crown and if we look up higher a Pearl a Palm of Victory For The Kingdome ef Heaven is like a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls Seek saies our Saviour and you shall finde and if ought this Pearl is worth the scrutiny Earth hath her pretious Stones the Sea her Pearls then what hath Heaven The World is a Sea the Church a Ship sailing for Pearles and bound for Heaven the Haven The Pixis of our Saviours speech through this whole Chapter points at this Pole In the first verse we finde Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Sea In the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 entring into a Ship and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sea And here resembling Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Merchant-man trafficking by Sea Scripture hath her rich Mines oâ— Rhetorick and in every Mine a Mystery This sweet conflux of the History with the Allegory was not for nothing Well then make on for this Kingdome Christ is the Gate the Word the Way the Key This Key hath many Wards In the third Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Parable of the Sower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 24. another Parable of the Tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 33. another Parable of the Leaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 44. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a hâ—dden Treasure And in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man A Parable a Parable and then another Parable Again and again and all these Parables and Againes but Parallelisms to Heaven Line upon Line and Precept upon precept Lord how blinde are our eyes that need so many Lamps to enlighten them The three first pointed at the power of the Gospell the fourth at the price this fifth at the superlative transcendency of the price Gold is the best of Mettalls Pearles better than Gold Heaven is like Pearles nay the best of Pearles The Kingdome of Heaven c. Parables had their birth in Paradise He shall bruise thy heel and thou shalt break his head Gen 3. 15. Plato commends them in his Dialogues and does not Christ They are fit similitudes or if you will comparisons That which no mortall eye hath seen and such is Heaven must be made known by that which hath been seen Princes send Pictures to inform their Paramours Some things sublimed above a mortall reach must be read below in Characters proportioned as the Sun's splendour in a Pail or as Medusa's head is fained in Perseus glittering Shield Moses his face must have a Vail before he can be spoke with These are three-fold Typicall as foretelling Apologicall as illustrating Methologicall as instructing This Parable is all by Faith giving forefight by Knowledge sight by Sanctification insight into Heaven Then take up this Optick-glasse The Kingdome of Heaven is like c. The parts in generall of this Apologue are two First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that is compared or like Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to what it is compared or like The thing that is likened is the Kingdome of Heaven the thing to which it is likened is a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearles The Antapodosis or reddition to the former part is not expressed but by collection to be gathered from the latter As Synchronisms so Parallelisms that begin together must needs end together Thus then take the Diagramma First a man under sin is compared to a Merchant-man Secondly his seeking of some good things as omnia appetunt bonum to seeking of goodly Pearls Thirdly the price of glory in Heaven being found is compared to that one Pearl of great Price the Merchant found Fourthly as the Merchant sold all that he had to buy that Pearle so must we forsake all Earthly things for this Heavenly Pearle A Christian then is as a Merchant probable good things as Pearls Heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that most pretious of Pearles thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by inversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by alternation These are the two passions the Philosopher makes of a Parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing alike irradiates another For as face answers to face in a Glasse so the Kingdome of Heaven to this Pearl For the Kingdome of Heaven is like c. Of these Parts by Divine assistance and your Christian patience in order so using the Similitude as Painters their Shadowes to illustrate the Portraicture of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies St. Chrysostom In Apologues we must have an eye at the Authors purpose lest by too curious inquisition we wring out blood Thus then take the Paraphrase as a Chart to direct our Compasse in the future discourse St. Jerom by goodly Pearles understands the godly Precepts of the Law and the Prophets by that one Pearl of great price the precious blood of our Saviour by which we were bought with a price The Merchant sold all to purchase this Pearl so with St. Paul we must forsake
come to the Object of this search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pearls The word for Pearl in this place hath its name from Mare the Sea or at least is Gemma Marina a Pearl proper to the Sea and this which Quintilian commends continues the Allegory Gemmarum multa sunt genera saies Plinie Pearles are of many kinds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Sea-kind is the best and of them those in profundo maris are best that are in the depth of the Sea No wonder then if this Merchant does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek these Pearles They have many names to be sought by That which Christ here and Theophrastus elsewhere calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pearl Arrianus calls Cynaedum Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Statius Propertius and Claudian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cicero Gemmam Pliny Unionem Virgil Baccham Concheam and St. Jerom rubri maris granum a grain of the Red Sea Thus the Names a word of the Nature They are Conchae pretious Shells conceived in Conchyliis in Sea-fishes which at the time of their conception drinking the dew from Heaven gravidae in partu enituntur Margaritas are delivered of Pearles together with their Spawns These goodly Pearles the Merchant seeks and emblemed in these every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeks some Good and to his knowledge as the Philosopher saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chiefest good Our souls at first like Needles of a Diall were touched with the Magneticall tincture of Gods Image poynting at Him the Pole till sin like the Onyons of Egypt and the presence of the Adamant in our hearts bends our thoughts another way like Children new-born we still seek some Breast to suck and with the confounded Linguists at Babell lisp out some language with Ixion taking the Cloud for Juno a Glasse for a Pearle Jacob for Esau Mans Soul is a seeking-Creature and for lack of the chiefest must have some though but apparent Good Hence it comes to passe that this brittle glassie sea of the World that should be the Chanell to convey us and our perspective Glasse to look up to Heaven proves our Harbour and our Looking-glasse This gavefewell to that faction betwixt the Academicks and the Peripateticks both of them confessing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the object of the Will was that which is good The one said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but apparent good the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true good Aristotle joyned both or quicquid sub specie boni whatsoever seemes good And that is meant by goodly Pearles so called not because they are all so but because they all seem to be so True Good is a conformity with the will of God archetypa not with the will of man Some are simply evill as sensuality sinfull pleasure Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither Good nor Evill but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are used these are the Goods of Fortune as they call them Honour Riches Some truly Good yet not the chiefe Good because referred to a chiefer or Architectonicall end as Prudence and Morall vertues though Austin in Heathens calls them splendida peccata glittering sins Well then no wonder if as Varro saith and the Father of Hippo secondeth him in his Civitate Dei there were three hundred opinions in the language of my Text concerning these Pearles As truth is is one so Errour is infinite and yet they were ignorant of the Law the Jewish Targum Cabala and Sanhedrim which Interpreters comprise within these Pearls O the endlesse search of these inferiour things we may seek them but not rest in them Seeking is a motion motion argues imperfection so does Pearles in the plurall number Martha carked for many things there was but one thing needfull It is wittily at least observed by Origen that God put no lo it was good upon that day when the light was divided from the darknesse nor must we put any rest in these Pearls For to instance in a few What is Pleasure but a pill in Sugar Beauty but a painted Snake Honour but a blast of idle Winde Riches but a smile of Fortune and all the Wealth the World hath piled together but Obelisks of vanity Let some Gallants condemn this as the voice of a melancholick Schollar yet I know a day will come when Eccles 12. 3. the keepers of their house of clay shall tremble those that look out of the windowes shall be darkened and Death shall gnaw upon them like sheep then they shall confesse that none nor all these can give their souls content There is one pretious Pearle that neither Prince nor People Men nor Angells have in their keeping Heighth nor Depth Principalities nor Powers Life nor Death can take away and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this one pretious Pearl So we are passed to the third part or parallel where observe this method first seek then finde God answers every man to nay above his expectation Saul sought Asses and found a Crown the Milesian fishers Fishes and found a golden Trivet the Merchant sought Pearls of lesse price and found one of greater price This Pearl is but one and yet instar omnia it comprises all Plinie calls it an Union and what is it else but an union of God and Man into one person of God and Mankinde into one Covenant One because Truth as the Schoolman saith upon this place is in divisa undivided as the Trinity in Athanasius his Creed This Pearle was sought because promised in the Law but found in the Gospell Abraham made his Servant put his hand under his thigh and swear as Isiodore Pelusiota saies by Christ that was to come out of those loyns The Massorites sought this Pearle out of the profound Sea of Curiosities Rabbins and Jewes amongst Thrones Palaces and Principalities and it is more than probable that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Popular sort sought but an earthly Prince But as Mercury in the Fable sent the Husbandman a Golden Hatchet who petitioned but for an Iron one so the carnall Jewes seeking but an earthly Messias found an Emanuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found saies the Mathematician and what but the Rule of Algebra Italiam cryed Aeneas and novum orbem Columbus but at the ken of an earthen shoar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have seen his Star saies the Wise-men but when they had seen the Babe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rejoyced exceedingly And so this Merchant when he had found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this one Pearl of great price Many things have been esteemed pretious Gyges his Ring by which he went invisible Vulcan's Panoplie that was falsly reported to secure from all Weapons Aesculapius his Herbe Panace to cure all Diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contain all curiosities the Palm in Plinie to minister all things necessarie for Meat Drink Cloathing and Building the pretious Stone Opalum to have the vertue of all Stones the brightnesse of the Carbuncle purple colour
of the Amethist the amiable greennesse of the Emerald all these were nothing to this one pretious Pearl There is a Pearle Gemites wherein appears a hand in hand that is this Pearle Christ Jesus and his Kingdome wherein God and Man are joyned hand in hand and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God with us Well then get this Philosophers Stone and thou needs want no Gold of the Sanctuary this most pretious Pearl so pretious that it is beyond all conceptions transcendant Reason cannot fathom it but is at a stand Scripture expresses that it is unexpressible Phil. 4. 7. Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man The Saints at the sense of it are rapt into an Extasie Cherubims vail their faces Sanctifying grace in man comes somewhat near it which causeth joy in the heart unspeakable and yet there is as great a disproportion as for a Star that is enlightned by the Sun to expresse the whole glory of the Sun The World is but a painted Map the reall Vision is in Heaven all Creatures are but Raies and Spangles from this Pearle that sits upon the Throne and keepes the Keyes of Life Tell me then poor soul what if this World were as the Gardens of Alcinous Elysian fields or Paradise the Rivers run with Nectar the Fields brought forth Ambrosie Hyacinth and Moly thy Ways were strowen with Carpets thy Head crowned with Rose-buds each Tree were as the Tree of Life or Apples of the Hesperides the Heavens were a Globe of Gold the Earth a Centre of Diamond the Clouds shoured down pretious Pearles like Gold in Diana's lap each Man were an Orpheus or Amphion with Musicks harmonious charm to set Devotion on the Wing Tell me whether this one pretious Pearl being found thou wilt not sell all that thou hast and buy it So we are come to the last Parallel or fourth River of our Paradise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He went and sold Grace is nimble heel'd will not stand still when it is transported with an Object but moves unto it as grave things to the Centre The Merchant sought this Pearl before he found it and when he had found it he still went on A Christian moves in a Circle that point that ends one motion like a Terminus communis begins another Standing water corrupts Go we must for this Pearl and yet we need not farr Pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to the Tombs of Saints are now out of date Heaven in this Sunshine of the Gospell is to be found every where Go but not from thine own Pastour in every Church Revel 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride saies Come Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely And yet he went and sold That which cost our Saviour his Blood must cost us something Though we have nothing but what we have received yet God must receive of that which we have Or if we have any thing it is but sin Let us cut off our Hand of revenge pluck out our Eye of lust belch out our Heart of pride and sell our selves that we may buy our Saviour This is to sell all that we have not for a new Inheritance in a New England under a new Discipline this is with Demosthenes to buy repentance to be repented of which some of them confesses Others like the mured Anchorit at Bruxells bites-in the lip and dissembles and sees their exchange to be like his that gave golden Armour for Brasen but too late We must sell all to buy Heaven Shall Creates of Thebes throw his Gold into the Sea for purchase of Philosophy and shall not we for Christ Many in Hadrians time lost their goods their lives in following that false Messias that styled himself Benchochab the son of a Star but proved Bencozba the son of a Lie But he that followes Christ shall gain his life and fight under that Banner that Constantine saw with this inscription and the apparition of the Crosse or rather crucified Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this overcome What then if we had the whole World to cast in counterpoise with this Pearl it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not worthy of it but as the dust of the Ballance in comparison We are like Sun-Dialls unlesse It shine blaze Torches Tapers Candles all Stars at once are of no use flow Riches Honour Strength Wives Friends Children to our contentment without this Sun of Righteousnesse it is still night Lesser Pearles may be Copies of Gods Grace but without Seal Cyphers of no value unlesse the Unity in the Trinity be joyned with them We cannot conceive so great a number of earthly things but still more may be added more desired but he that hath this Pearle is ravished in spirit cannot conceive more hath contentment in minde cannot desire more his Cup doth overflow To the fruition and beatificall vision whereof God of his mercy bring us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Preached at the Ordination of MINISTERS The Text Revel 3. 19. Be Zealous THIS word is one of the last uttered by Him who is Alpha and Omega the First and the Last to the Church of Laodicea the last of the seven Churches of Afia A golden Lesson delivered by Him that stands in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks girded about his Papps with a golden Girdle counselling us to buy Gold tryed with the fire A light shining from Him that holds the light of the seven Stars in his right hand whose countenance shines as the lightning A burning Coal of Affection sent from his Altar the feet of whose affections burns as fine Brasse in a Furnace to in flame the key-cold affections of the luke-warm Laodiceans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous The Angels of these seven Planet-moving Churches are compared here to seven Stars yet all of them borrowing their light from that Son of Man Christ Jesus that shines in the midst of them The Angell of the Church of Laodicea is ranked here like the Moon the last in the Sphear of this heavenly Vision As the Moon waining from grace she hath left her first love as the Moon eclipsed she is poor and blinde and naked as the Moon seeming the greatest in her own eyes I am rich increased in goods and stand in need of nothing when she is the least of the Stars wretched and miserable as the Moon bemoystening all things with watry humours not with dew-dropping tears of repentance but with carnall humours to be repented of Repent and do thy first works As the Moon neither hot nor cold in it selfe they are luke-warme so hot as still Professors so cold as but hypocriticall disguisers As the Moon the Fountain of coldnesse to others befreezing the well-springs of Grace and sluces of Charity thus this poor Church is sick quid faciet what shall she do To what Gilead shall she resort for Balm Come all you that are sick and
he shot at rovers Zeal bended the Bow and drew the Arrow to the head Phinehas his heat of zeal contrary to the nature of heat stayed the Plague and cleansed the aire and by the fall of two prevented the fall of thousands on his right hand and ten thousands on his left David his zeal went through his bones like the fury of a hectick Feavour and brought him into a consumption Psal 119. 139. My zeal hath even consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy word Mine enemies have forgotten thy word VVhat would he have done if his friends if himselfe had forgot it Psal 69. 9. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up that is wasted me consumed me made me a Scheleton or Anatomy Come on and see Jehu's zeal against Jezabel for the Lord of Hostes whose zeal though not true if it be commended consider what true zeal would be Esay's terrible Trumpet was tipped with zeal sounding a retreat to Idolatrous Judah and Jerusalem Jeremiah's zeal did boyl more fervently then the seething pot he spyed in the North against the sins of the people Our Saviour the perfect pattern of zeal though as meek as a Lambe in his own quarrell yet zeal made him as fierce as a Lion in Gods and that sparkling in words Woe to thee Bethsaida in deeds to Peter in private Get thee hehinde me Satan to the prophaners of the Temple in publick You have made my Temple a den of theeves Zeal metamorphosed Paul from a Persecutor to a Professor a Preacher a labourer in Christs Vineyard one that laboured more then them all a Martyr indeed sacrificing his body for the truth and if wishes would have prevailed Anathema pro populo his soul also Neither could this heat of zeal be kept within him but like the fire of Aetna it burst out to others Tit. 2. 14. Be zealous of good works Rom. 12. 11. Be fervent in spirit fervency of spirit is but zeal dressed in other attire All those emblems in St. John's vision of a zeal-commanding Saviour are but so many motives to zeal seven golden Candlesticks burning with Lamps of zeal a golden Girdle about his Papps this Girdle as that Ephes 6. is Zeal Truth and Zeal must go together These Papps are the two Testaments from whence all truth flowes upon which altar all zeal must be kindled His eyes are a flame of fire these eyes are Knowledge this flame of fire is Zeal knowledge and zeal must go together His feet like fine brasse burning in a furnace This brasse is stability and constancy this burning brasse is zeal zeal and constancy must kisse each other In his right hand seven stars These Stars are so many Lamps giving light to others for they that have given up their names to Christ in Baptism must be like John Baptist lucernae ardentes burning lights lights burning inwardly within themselves shining outwardly to others Christians must be zealous And that this our Christian zeal may be distinguished from an ignis erraâ—icus or wandring fire of opinion an ignis fulminaris or frensive fire of rebellion let us examine the ground of this truth for all zeal is grounded upon truth and all truth upon Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth Hence it is that Christians should be zealous because for this cause Tit. 2. 14. Christ gave himselfe for us that he might redeem unto himselfe a peculiar reople zealous of good works That Angel that appeared unto Moses in the burning bush to the Prophets in a pillar of fire as speaking from God to Man became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both God and Man that Man for the glory of God might be zealous He bought our salvation with pangs and blood and sweat that we zealous of piety and purity might work out our salvation with fear and trembling He sweat blood in the Garden he was beat with cords and whips fainted under the Crosse in the way was fastned to it with nails pierced with a spear assaulted by Satan Hell and all our sins at once that we might be covered with righteousnesse as with a roab and cloathed with zeal as a garment The Turks are zealous of their Mahomet the Sidonians of Bell and Dragon the Priests of Baal of their Idoll the Papists for their Reliques Crucifixes Images the Jesuits of their Ignatius Loyola each Sect of their own superstitions Then shal not Christians be zealous for Christ who zealous of our salvation gave himselfe for us that we might be zealous of good works Secondly Christians must be zealous because zeal is the life and soul of Christianity that which the Bellowes are to the forge zeal is to the Soul an inkindler of grace that which naturall heat is to the body zeal is to the spirit a preserver of Grace that which Heroicall vertue is to Morall vertues the same is zeal to all divine and heavenly vertues the perfection of grace Zeal is the quintessence of Graces distilled the marrow and life of Religion the height and hyperbole of Holinesse Faith without zeal is but historicall Charity without zeal is but hypocriticall Profession without zeal is but carnall Patience without zeal is but Stoicall Apathie Mercy without zeal is foolish sympathy Hope without zeal is but impudency Love without zeal but lechery VVisdome without zeal but folly Martyrdome without zeal but murder These two reasons of the Poynt we have but poynted at because zeal is a Grace that is grounded upon reason yet in the heart practicall therefore we omit any further reason and come to Application First inquiring what true zeal is Secondly the severall kindes of zeal Zeal is defined by the Philosopher to be a mixture of anger and love when we are angry at the party or thing that injures that which we love These two affections as fire and oyle met together in Moses he loved God hated Idolatry therefore he was angry at that Idoll that was enmity against God Antient Divines have described it to be a mixt affection of griefe and anger flowing from love Griefe is an affection of the heart that wounds the soul for some present evill thus Jeremie mournes for the misery of the daughter of Sion Anger is mixed of sadnesse and a desire of revenge Esau was sad for the losse of his Birthright his heart boyled with revenge against his supplanting Brother These were the territories the Antients tyed zeal to who all shot near yet missed the mark for true zeaâ— neither consists in hatred nor love nor sorrow nor a desire of revenge alone a channell too narrow for zeal to run in which like Nilus overflowes the whole soul the higher the fruitfuller But true zeal either consists in a mixture of all the affections or is a high and heroicall pitch of any affection that makes Heaven suffer violence A high rapture of spirituall joy is zeal that like St. Paul rapes us up into the third Heaven The Scheme in Paul's Rhetorick was zeal when he said Rejoyce in the
preached by such a man key-cold when more learnedly more powerfully more sincerely by another They pray after such a manner because such an one who is their Paul their Apollos their Cephas their Demi-god does so Run so many miles to hear a Sermon leaving a better at home behinde them because such an one makes conscience of such things conscience to disobey the Ordinance of God conscience to be singular conscience at the best to be zealous not according unto knowledge which is as good a conscience as a painted man is a man Now we come to true zeal true in regard of the Object Gods glory Righteousnesse Heaven and spirituall things true in regard of the measure and degree neither too cold by remission nor too hot by superstition True in regard of the means and grounds not builded upon ignorance which is blinde zeal nor upon profit or pleasure which is counterfeit zeal nor upon men our Idoll-gods which is idolatrous zeal Of this here more briefly because we stood more largely upon false zeal For as rectum curvi so curvum sui recti index in the glasse of false zeal we may judge of true zeal But that we may distinguish this true fire of zeal from many wildfires true heat from feavourish heat Amphitryo from Jupiter Juno from the Cloud Salam â—nder-like let us abide a while in these flames For what is true of conscience may be said of zeal each man each Heretick pretends a zeal the Turks die for their Mahomet it is their zeal the Jesuits stab Kings dethrone Princes it 's their zeal the Arrians go to the Stake for denying the Divinity of Christ it 's their zeal the Israelites offer their Children to Molah it 's their zeal thou leaves divine Ordinances the Sacraments perhaps thy weighty Calling it 's thy zeal Well but all that say they are Israelites are not of Israel Therefore if thou wouldest have the touchstone of tryall observe these marks well and thou maist discern true zeal by them First the matter and subject of thy zeal must be good Gal. 4. 18. It is good to be zealously affected in a good matter This is a fire that burnes in no Lamp but the Lamp of the Sanctuary a fire that feeds upon no oyle but the oyle of the Sanctuary that is kindled upon no Altar but Gods devoures no Sacrifice but Gods If the matter and subject of thy zeal be evill thy zeal is evill No fire but ignis erraticus will feed upon stinking ditches no fire but ignis lambens will feed upon thine own carnall humours If thou be zealous with Saul against Christianity it is blasphemy if thou be zealous with the Pharisees to compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte of thy groundlesse opinions it is diabolicall Heresie Thy zeal is a fruit that must not grow upon the forbidden tree Though thine eyes be now blinded yet hereafter they may be opened that thou maist see the blindnesse of thy zeal Secondly true zeal is zeal according to knowledge Rom. 10. 2. this knowledge must be the Scriptures truly understood guiding us as a pillar of fire by night a pillar of cloud by day No fire might kindle the Vestalls Lamps but from the Sun no fire will kindle this Lamp of zeal but the Sun of Righteousnesse Christ who as Ignatius saies as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the essentiall Word by which all knowledge was created so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of life which is a light unto our feet and a lanthorn unto our steps For this cause Bernard compared knowledge and zeal to two wings knowledge without zeal cannot flie so high as to pierce the clouds zeal without knowledge is beatt back again like a whirlewinde Take with thee both wings Zeal and Knowledge if thou wouldest flie to Heaven As is fire to a Child that walks among barrells of Gunpowder so is zeal without knowledge a cause of incendiaries and combustions in Common-weales This zeal without knowledge slashed and gashed the Priests of Baal this zeal without knowledge armes the ignorant Papists to maintain that with sword and blood and persecution which they cannot defend with the Word This zeal without knowledge makes many ignorant people in our nation as preposterously as if one should ring the Bells backward at the sparkling of a Smith's Forge or fire the Beacons at the discovery of a poor Dunkirkers Vessell to be up in armes against every thing that crosses their humours This blinde zeal works three dangerous effects in the soul 1. Pride 2. Uncharitablenesse 3. Impatience of admonition First Pride that like Lucifer the morning Star they are bright in their own conceit like the Element of fire over all Elements nay as good as in Heaven in their own conceit cast in the same mould with Nebuchadnezar's Image their head is of Gold but their feet of Clay Secondly this zeal without knowledge is Uncharitable censuring nay condemning all like the fire of Eliah not sparing the Elders This made the Jewes crucifie Christ for reproving their traditions the Arrians persecute the Orthodox Christians more then did the Heathen Emperours the Papists more zealous for their Canons of the Councill of Trent than for the Articles of their Creed Thirdly zeal without knowledge is impatient of admonition it is as deafe as an Adder though you charm it never so wisely be earnest and it flies with the sting in your face This zeal made the Pharisees impatient when our Saviour rebuked them for their blindnesse made Zedekiah impatient of Michaiah's admonition And for these causes a worthy Divine saies Zeal without knowledge is more dangerous in Church or Commonwealth then knowledge without zeal The third mark of true zeal is that it burnes fervently within the Furnace of the Heart before the flame burst out at the crevises of the body thy Soul and Conscience must be truly zealous within before thine eyes sparkle with zeal to affright others thy tongue be tipped with zeal to censure and rebuke others thy feet be shod with zeal to pursue others thy hands be armed with zeal to wound others Many Zealists now adaies are like the Heathen God Momus carp at all doe nothing themselves like the Flies ingendred from the wild Fig-tree provoke others to ripen but are barren themselves finde fault with every corner in the streets never sweep before their own doors are informers controulers in every Calling practises none themselves and as if they were Metropolitans of the whole VVorld they keep continuall visitations and corrections of all mens manners especially the Churches who if judged by true zeal scarce belong to the Church Zeal hath many more marks which if I should prosecute my zeal of the Subject would seem to outrun my discretion of the Time I 'le onely name them The fourth Mark is that we must be zealous in weighty matters The fifth that we must look as well to our purity within as our holinesse without The sixt
all things Omniscient to know all things infinite in Wisdome to contrive in Mercy to dispose in Bounty to bestow He only that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maker of all things He only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the giver of all things It was the dream of Avicen that Angells by the power of God did make the Heavens the Heavens the inferiour Bodies But he was a Turk and his Doctrine in this relishes more the Alcaron than the Evangelists As unsound is that Sentence of the Master of the Sentences That God could communicate to the Creature the power of Creation For Creation is a production of a thing out of nothing to make a thing of nothing an act of Omnipotency Omnipotency an incommunicable Attribute of God as incommunicable as that Attribute of giving every good and perfect gift to be attributed to none but Him that made all things for Man Gen. 1. 29. Behold I have given you every herb every tree the fruit of every tree every beast of the field foul of the aire fish in the sea creeping thing upon the earth O curva in terris animae O fond souls like the poor lunatick man at Athens to presume upon that which is Gods prerogative Vermis crastinò moriturus a worm that must die to morrow Before God had given Man a Beeing by Creation he gave every thing for the Well-beeing of Man by his everlasting purpose Predestination Election Purpose to make Man in his own Image to make so many in number of men though not all their souls at once as Origen said as there are Angells fallen so many as the Angells that remain in purity say some so many as the Angells pure and impure say others how many uncertain and that 's the truth most certain By Predestination in which gift or chain of Gods mercies are three links First the decreeing of man to a supernaturall end Secondly the gift of eternall life which is the supernaturall end Thirdly the disposing of all saving means to this supernaturall end all effected in time yet ordained before all time By Election which is a culling and picking of some out of the masse of sin leaving others in the masse of corruption As a Jeweller purifies what Gold a man sifts what Wheat he pleases so God purifies the Elect his Gold sifts the Saints his Wheat for his Granarie passes by the rest for their sin I will not determine whether Originall or actuall sin nor deny them Christ in some sense whom the Father spared not but delivered up for all The reason why Christ was not effectuall for all was their infidelity and sin It is true as the School-men say Predestinatio nihil ponit in praedestinato Predestination is an act of meer mercy in God not of merit in man neither in regard of the Decree which was when he was nothing of the first infusion of Grace when he was worse than nothing in which God was the sole Agent man the Patient yet man is an Agent and operative in using of grace which he was a Patient in receiving of Whether God gives this grace to all indifferently I will not here question But to the purpose to whom he gives this grace in Christ he will give all And as God was a giver in intention before he made any thing so he was a bountifull giver in execution after he had made all things By Creation by Preservation to sustain the body by Vocation Justification Sanctification to adorn the soul here by Glorification to crown both body and soul hereafter By Creation making that of nothing which was neerest nothing the first matter of all as the Philosophers calls it Moses Tohu vebohu the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Poets a Chaos or rude masse of unpiled Matter out of which was made the starry Heavens to give light the azured Skye a Throne for the Clouds the Aire for birds to flie men and beasts to breath in the Earth paying her yearly revenue of herbs Plants flowers the Sea an unsteady Element for fishes made rather for use and wonder than pleasure All made by God all gifts given by him And as given by Creation so continued by Preservation garding of us by his immediate providence by Angells by Secondary causes By immediate Providence For as omnia fecit sic omnia fulcit that hand that made all things supported all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his eye behold all things Spiritus intùs abit his Spirit that moved upon the waters moves every where in him all things live and move and have their being And as he gards us with his Providence so with his Angels whether with a good Angel to support us as a bad to tempt us whether every man have one ordinarily deputed whether from his Birth or from his Baptisme curious speculations more befitting the Schooles than the Pulpit I 'le not dispute My present Theme is to prove that it is God that gives that He in my Text that gave his Angells charge over his Son hath given his Angells charge over all for whom he hath given his Son and he hath given his Son for us all that they should take us up in their armes lest we dash our feet against stones And shall not He that gave his Angels as ministers his Cherubims as flames of fire give us an inheritance with the Angells and free us from eternall fire To his immediate Providence as he hath substituted the Angells so all Secondary causes the Heavens with motion light influence the Fire to refresh the Aire to cherish the Earth and Sea to nourish Food to feed Physick to cure Cloaths to cover these our bodies All these he gives us as Aquinas saies non propter defectum suae virtutis sed propter abundantiam suae bonitatis not that his power fails but that his mercy overflowes For he could feed us without food cure us without physick save us from cold without covering Neither is he only the giver of temporall things for the body but spirituall for the soul by Vocation either externall the Word preached Aaron's golden Bells ringing the Sacraments as nails of the Sanctuary or internall the Law by the Spirit hammering the Gospell softning Grace seasoning our Souls By Justification in forgiving our sins and imputing to us the merits of his Son By Sanctification as the Gold by filing so our Souls by purifying are made clean The Sun enlightens the dark Moon the Sun of Righteousnesse enlightens by his Spirit our dead members By Glorification non nostra merita sed sua dona coronans crowning not our merits but his own mercies These we touch briefly because in giving his Son he gave these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver of all And if God be the giver of all as Rivers receiving their Springs from the Sea return them to the Sea let all things give praise to the God of gods to the Lord of lords for his
mercy endureth for ever Mountains and Hills Fountains and Springs all Tongues and Tribes and Kindreds praise the God of mercies as long as his mercy endureth and his mercy endureth for ever The Stork paies tribute of her young the Trees of their fruits the Earth of her flowers for tillage Shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 return blessing and praising to him for his infinite blessings And those that turn this blessing into a curse will be cursed as an Anathema Maranatha a bitter curse Democritas and Epicurus denyed God the gift of Creation of the World while they lived yet questionlesse ere this confesse that fabricavit infernum he made Hell for them when they were dead Some give God speciall providence of celestiall things in heaven but not of terrestriall upon Earth this Atheism Eliphaz imputes to Job Job 22. 13. Thou sayest how doth God know can he judge through the dark cloud thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not Rabbi Moses expunged all corruptible things except man out of the Calender of Gods care The Stoicks tie the god of Fate to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inevitable necessity of Fate Aristotle at the first maintained the World to be eternall without Creation yet at the last ascribes the glory of the World to God and that in his Book de Mundo which Justine Martyr calls the Module of all his true Philosophie where he confesses that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the handi-work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved by God Galen the great Physitian ascribed the fabrick of mans body to Nature not the God of Nature but astonished at the workmanship of it burst forth into an Hymn concerning him that made it and that in his third Book de usu partium â—ompono canticum in creatoris nostri landem I will make a Song saies he in the praise of him that made me Lesse divine is that opinion Gregory Nyssen reproves in divine Plato making God the Guardian of spirituall the Angells of Temporall the Devills of human things These were Vipers not Men that wounded those bowells of compassion that made all things for the use of men But in God is a threefold Providence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universall preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 motion to all good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permission of all evill that his infinite goodnesse may appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver This is the second Branch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift or charter There is a commutative giving by way of exchange when we exchange one thing for another as gold for Garments Thus God gives all receives nothing A distributive giving to every man according to his desert but to us is no gift of merit but of Gods free mercy A ministeriall giving not of his own but of his Masters thus Men and Angells are Gods Almners he the rich Owner and Donor of all There is a pernicious giving to the receivers destruction like the Grecian Horse to the Trojans Deianira's shirt to Hercules Eutrapelus his treasurie to his Favourites But every gift of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving If the Son ask bread will the Father give him a stone if a fish will he give him a serpent That we as Toads turn the pure potions of Gods mercies into poyson the grace of God into wantonnesse is from us the ungratefull receivers not from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free giver The word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace which is a free gift of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoyce because as Plutarch saies there is nothing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fruitfull of joy as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace so that by the name we finde that grace is a free gift of God flowing from his love God is a free giver because he is a lover for all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts are beams from the sunshine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He so loved the world such a sic as can not be parallel'd with a sicut It was love to make us of nothing his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bowells of pitty to redeem us when we were worse then nothing Love linked with pitty with Christ the means internall to link all means externall to sugar and sweeten this life Therefore as the Greek word hath the name of love so the Hebrew of pitty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chen is grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chinam a free gift both of them comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chanam to have pitty This love this pitty of God will more appear if we seek out the several Charters of his grace of his free gifts There is a grace temporall common to all a grace spirituall speciall to the Saints this speciall grace is either gratis dans in God accepting or gratis data in man receiving In man receiving there is a grace preventing a grace following a grace working a grace co-working a grace exciting a grace perfecting these graces are internall and proper to them that have Christ and given in the former branch of the Text with Christ the grace meant here is common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall be given overplus with Christ and those are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things for this life that our heavenly Father knowes we stand in need of He himselfe the giver will be to us a gift which is all in all a Castle to the besieged liberty to the prisoner a father to the fatherlesse a husband to the widow cloaths to the naked bread to the hungry health to the sick oyntment to the head oyle to the face wine to the heart marrow to the bones strength to the body comfort to the soul and all these he gives with Christ through whom is eternall salvation both of body and soul Now if God freely give all let us in token of gratefulnesse return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver The Stars shine the Heavens rain the Earth fructifies Cattle multiplies all by his free gift who if he should close his hand of bounty the Stars shine not the Heavens rain not the Earth fructifies not Cattle multiply not Consider this and wonder O Epicure that rises up to eat lies down to sleep with Solomon's sluggard that hath eyes inclosed with fat with David's Bulls of Basan that ascribes all to thy fortune carriage cunning providence Many while they are in prosperity feed upon Gods blessings like Swine upon Acornes and look not up at the Tree whence they fall when they are in adversity like Dogs snarl at the Stone that smitt them but minds not the hand that threw it never considering with Job
are stained with lying oppressing and cousenage the Taverns and Innes abound with filthy vomitings wickednesse raignes in every state every condition every place shall we still put far from us the evill day Thus you see we have angred God and that unlesse he be appeased the day of his anger is at hand The third Use is of Instruction how to prevent it and that is by repentance First taking a strict examination of our selves how often in what manner in what measure we have angred God A Physician must first know the disease before he can apply the cure Then we must be heartily sorry that we have offended God this godly sorrow must work like a strong potion work in the understanding in the will in the affections in the conscience bruise the bones twinge the spirit break the heart Thirdly we must aggravate it by remembring that we have not onely angered Men and Angells but Christ that dyed for us No heat of fire nor knock of hammers can break the Adamant but annoint it with the hot blood of a Goat it falls in splinters Not precepts not threatnings not judgments can make a stony heart contrite till God in Christ move it Fourthly we must forsake our sins whereby we have angered God The Scolapendra when she hath swallowed an hook vomits out her bowells with it and so is quit When we have swallowed iniquity that the guilt thereof stings us let us vomit and spew out our darling pleasures pluck out our eye of lust cut off our hand of revenge belch out our heart of pride and so in the rest Fiftly we must appease Gods anger with prayer come to the Altar bring Incense stanâ— before the Mercy-seat cry unto him that sits between the Cherubims have some Moses to hold up his hand for us and with us some Samuel to make intercession for us And if all this will not pacifie him let some Magistrate like Moses Phinehas or Ioshua execute judgment that so the plague may be stayed Hitherto the first point that if we continue in sin God will be angry The second followes That when God is angry none can stand in his sight or abide it or That the anger of God is a terrible unspeakable unsupportable intolerable burden Every word in the Text hath a speciall Emphasis to prove this Who may stand Who shall Angells they are but like refracted beams or raies if God should hide his face they would cease to shine Shall Man his glory and pomp like the colours in the Rainbow vanishes away when God puts forth in anger the brightnesse of his face Shall Devills If he speak the word they are tumbled down from Heaven like lightning Stand in thy sight Stand. What! a Reed against a Cedar a Thistle in Lebanon against a Cedar in Lebanon a Feather against a Flame a Grashopper against an Almighty a head of Glasse against a head of Brasse When once thou art angry Angry By sending out his wrath that it wounds like arrowes angry in pouring it out that it drownes like water angry in kindling of it that it burnes like fire nay a consuming fire but that may be quenched an unquenchable fire but that may cease to burn when it lacks matter an everlasting fire that never goes out That that 's it such anger as is never fully shown but in punishment of Reprobates in no punishment but that in Hell in none in Hell but that eternall First to prove that Gods anger is terrible we need go no further but to the godly to seek it How have the stout-hearted pulled in their horns and melted like Snailes Snailes as Naturalists observe put in salt dissolve into water How hath it grinded them to dust Hear David Psal 32. complaining that his bones waxed old and that his moysture was turned into the drought of summer Hear him houl and cry Psal 102. that his daies were consumed like smoak that his bones burned like hearth withered like grasse that he was become like a pelican in the wildernesse or a sparrow on the house top Hear Job complain Chap. 6. that his griefe was heavier then the sand of the sea that the arrowes of the Almighty were within him the poyson had drunk up his spirit the terrours of God had set themselves in array against him Secondly that Gods anger is unspeakable we can all tell how great none can tell it 's like God himselfe infinite in greatnesse and unlesse he in mercy put an end to it it 's like eternity infinite in time eternall therefore the Saints have thought no Rhetorick sufficient enough to expresse it in but sighes no tongue but scrikes and groans no inke would cast but tears no paper but a wounded heart no words of force but exclamations of despair and such as issue from a bleeding soul As Lines drawn from the Circumference meet in the Centre and pierce it through yet no part of them is comprehended in it so many arrowes of Gods anger may meet in us pierce us through but expresse them we cannot nay when we are in the greatest agonies As burning-glasses by reflection of the beams of the Sun cause heat and burning which is not in the Sun but presents not the least glory of the Sun So we can better expresse our passions than unfold the weight of that mighty arme that smites us Thirdly that the anger of God is unsupportable we need no other instance but of our blessed Saviour He that makes the Heavens roul without an axel-tree causes the Earth to hang in the Aire as a ball poysed without pillars puts bounds to the waves of the Sea staggering over the banks He sweat and bled and groaned under this burden We have heard tell of finite Creatures that have endured mangling of bodies ripping of bowells racking of joynts burning of flesh boyling in oyle but under this stroak he that was God and Man was in a sense compelled to cry out O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Fourthly that the anger of God is intolerable Judas Cain and Saul could tell before their deaths and it is to be feared better since and many reprobates in this life are so racked that it pierces the whole Man head heart side back all parts at once ake and sweat and tremble the eye sees no comfort the tongue tastes no comfort the ear hears no comfort and as there is no ease within so no comfort without no place nor bed nor board nor house nor Church no creature nor meat nor drink nor friend nor wife nor child will afford any comfort How many have found a weight beyond the weight of mountains lying upon their soules and wish that they had rather been famished or starved or burned or strangled long before and catch and call for death for hell leap out of the fire into the flame And if this be the arraignment of God's anger in this life what will be the terrible execution hereafter You may have this proved by examples
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light easie supportable but glory is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavie weighty beyond all possible Epithite superlatively great a phrase able to challenge all the profane Writers in the world neither Sophocles his high buskin nor Demosthenes his lofty strain is able to come neer it Lastly it 's amplified by the act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it works forth which is as it were the Trutina or pin to turn the beam of the scales where affliction hath no more proportion to glory than the drop of a bucket to the whole Ocean or the dust of the ballance hath to a mountain This then may serve for a ground of comfort to every soul distressed with the tedious bitternesse of this life for short sorrow here we shall have eternall joy for a little hunger an eternall banquet for light sicknesse and affliction everlasting health and salvation for a little imprisonment endlesse liberty for disgrace glory In stead of the wicked to oppresse and afflict them they shall have the Angells and Saints to comfort and solace them in stead of Satan to torment and tempt them they shall have Christ Jesus to ravish and affect them Joseph's prison shal be turned into a palace Daniel's Lion's den into the presence of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the three Children's hot fiery furnace into the new Ierusalem of pure gold David's Gath into the Tabernacle of the living God Obj. But shall every affliction bring the patient to the Kingdome of God shall the frenzie of Cain terâ—our of Iudas horour of Achitophel trembling of Felix be turned into triumph Ans No afflictions to the wicked are like often baiting to some beasts which grow mad at the stake and makes them worse specially if the cause be bad It was a golden saying of St. Austin and I hope we are all of his minde Non ex passione certa justitia It 's not suffering that makes a cause righteous sed ex justitia gloriosa passio but its righteousnesse that makes sufferings glorious It was well observed by Saint Cyprian that the first Martyrs that suffered for Christ were Innocents and as well said Non supplicium sed causa facit Martyrem Not the punishment but the cause maketh the Martyr Who suffered more then the Cicumcelliones those Donatists in this Father's time and yet no Crown How many are there who when they are punished for their misdemeanours do lift up a hideous noise like Swine and cry out They are persecuted Hujus farinae of this leaven are our Ranters Quakers Levellers their language you know is persecution altogether and when they suffer for their opinions or rather disordered practises they are persecuted they say for their consciences as if every conceit were conscience every groundlesse opinion religion We must not measure the cause by the sufferings but the sufferings by the cause for unlesse a mans cause be good his conscience good and his carriage in some measure good too his sufferings will amount to no more then a condigne punishment unlesse the end crown all which makes St. Cyprian and St. Jeroâ—â— say That the Thiefe's suffering on the Crosse was turned to Martyrdom What if then in a good cause thus circumstanc'd our afflictions as in the Text be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many no single appellation but a compound of all cruelty nomen multitudâ—nis like the possessed that lived amongst the Graves her name is Legion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are many her Pavilion hung about with trophies of death fetters and whips racks and strapadoes halters and swords stakes and fire What if one affliction still treads on the heel of another and where the old went off new scenes of miseries have taken up their cues here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingdome that will recompense all It pitties me when I read what those Romans Cocles Mutii Curtii Decii what those Graecians the people of Marathonia Salamina Plataea and Thermopolâ— endured toget them a fading name upon earth that we Christians should not do as much or more for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kingdome of God a Kingdome in regard of the dignity of it of God in regard of the author and giver of it one Kingdome but the estates are two one Militant another Triumphant of Grace of Glory one in substance varying in degrees but not an earthly not a fading Kingdome but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God Herod was a King so was Ahab Jezabel was daughter wife mother sister to Kings and yet still afflicted Alexander wept when he had all the Crowns and Scepters in the world piled as it were at his gates that there were no more to be subdued Godfrey of Bollene refused to be crowned at Jerusalem with a Crown of Gold where our Saviour was crowned with Thorns 'T is only this Kingdome of God that can wipe all tears from our eyes Go then a pilgrimage to this holy Land Heaven is feisable and more easie to be attained then an earthly Kingdom here we cannot all be Kings there are not Kingdoms enough but lo in Heaven there is none under the degree of a King And in this Kingdome Revel 21. the Metropolis or chiefe City is of pure gold the walls of Jasper having twelve foundations of twelve pretious stones twelve gates made of twelve pearles every gate of severall pearl The streets of the city paved with gold interlaid with pearls and diamonds The light of this city is the splendour of Christ himselfe in the midst thereof from whose throne issues a river of water as clear as crystall to refresh the city and on both sides of the banks there growes a tree of life bearing continually twelve kindes of fruit Into this city no darknesse nor any unclean thing shall enter Now afflicted soul tell me thou that wouldst upon earth have wondered with the Queen of Sheba at Solomon in his royalty at the Grand Sultan going to his Seraglio at the Pope in his Procession tell me how thou wilt wonder and glory to see that wonderfull glory that neither eye hath seen ear hath heard nor hath entered into the heart of man Which glory God of his mercy bring us all unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Preached the fourth day of June 1656. at the Funerall Obsequies of James Parry Gent. The Text 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him and he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good HEre we have a divine Oracle sent not from Daphne or Delphos but from the Tabernacle of God at Shilo wherein two things specially remarkable are couchant First Samuel's Revelation And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him Secondly Eli's Acceptation And he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good It is the Lord there is his humble confession Let him do what seemeth him good there is his patient submission In the former branch is considerable first the Persons
which are two the one young Samuel revealing who by this occasion received primam tonsuram his first unction to prophecy the other is old Eli who like Sexagenarius de ponte as his bodily so his spirituall eyes grew dim for 1 Sam. 3. 1. The word of the Lord was pretious in those daies there was no open vision Secondly we have the thing revealed which is either the sin or the punishment of sin sin either the father Eli's for not correcting and chastising his sons or the sin of his sons Hophni and Phinehas who being Priests of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. were sons of Beliall knew not the Lord by their rapine made men abhor the daily sacrifice 17. lay with the women that assembled at the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 22. The punishment of sin either threatned first by a man of God not otherwise named 1 Sam. 2. 27. secondly by Samuel himselfe that the Lord would cut off the whole family of Eli from the priesthood and that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3. 14. Or executed in the fourth Chapter for thirty thousand of the Israelites were put to the sword the whole Camp scattered Hophni and Phinehas the Priests slain the Ark of God taken captive by the Philistims the Wife of Phinehas hearing of it fell into the pangs of childbirth and was delivered of a Son calling his name Ichobod the glory is departed from Israel and so expired and at the relation of the messenger Eli being ninty eight years old fell back from his chair and brake his neck Thus the whole Family was dysastered rarò antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede poena claudo Seneca Punishment and shame like a blood-hound alwaies pursues sin at the heeles the Ark was taken the Army routed the Priests slain Phinehas his Wife perished in the after-pangs Eli brake his neck Hence observe that sin is the deserving cause procuring the ruine and calamity of Church and State Cities and Families Sin it is that infects our purest aire that damps our richest mines that poysons our sweetest dainties that laies thornes in our softest beds of down that undermines Palaces pulls down Crowns shakes Thrones and ruinates Kingdomes that sets all mortall Wights at opposition heat against cold cold against heat winter and summer light and darknesse moysture and drought in arms one against another That the whole world is become a boyling furnace of contradictions where man is the mettall the body is the drosse which must first be burned by the refining fire of death before the soul can become pure gold fit for the heavenly Sanctuary For the proof of this hear Jeremie's lamentation Lam. 3. 39. Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Heaven and earth answers his Interrogatory with a soul 's sad Eccho Man suffereth for his sins Come on further and see all Creatures Angells Men Beasts Plants Elements Heavens in sorrowes discord sighing out the sad Epitaphium of mans mortality 42. We have sinned and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared thou hast covered us with wrath and persecuted us thou hast slain and not spared Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death As tooth for tooth eye for eye hand for hand one talent for another so death is a deserved reward for sin death first seizing upon the body while we live by the canker of corruption and mortality bringing at the length death of the body by dissolution and all this hatched and brooded under the Cocatrice sin Come on and travail with St. Paul to Corinth 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this cause saies he many are weak amongst you and sick and many sleep For this cause that is for the poyson of sin the canker of corruption in generall for spilling of our Saviour's blood piercing his side nailing his feet unworthy receiving of the holy Sacrament in particular Are sick that is feavours boyle you consumptions waste you plague and pestilence devour you And many sleep sleep in an everlasting Lethargy and apoplexie of death never to be awaked before the last doom Many that Biers are become restlesse Peripateticks the Spade and Mattock tyred the Sextons still digging the Graves still gaping passing-Bells without any stop or period confounding the language one of another the Church-yards more peopled then the Theaters Mista senum ac juvenum densantur funera no sex nor age nor young nor old are spared but are made a subject for death to read mortalitie's lecture upon This made David complain that his bones waxed old and that his moysture was turned into the drought of summer Psal 32. made him houle and cry that his daies were consumed like smoak his bones were burned as hearth withered like grasse he was become like a Pelican in the wildernesse or a sparrow on the house top Ps 102. This made Job complain that his griefe was heavier then the sand of the sea that the arrowes of the Almighty were within him that the poyson had drunk up his spirit the terrours of God had set themselves in array against him Job 6. This makes all Mankinde rot as a Pomgranate shiver as a Potsheard splinter as a Venice Glasse corrupt as a standing Pool and vanish into ashes like Sodom's Apples And the reason of all this is because the justice of God requires it sin is daily in the view of his all-piercing eye sends up cries aloud into his holy ear piercing through the clouds for revenge importuning his vindicative hand to whet his glittering sword to feather his arrowes to make sharp the point of his spear to wash his footsteps in blood And then shall not he that hath called his footstool the Earth and his throne the Heavens to witnesse and hath sworn by himselfe the greatest that sin shall not passe without revenge shall not he be just Besides this consider all Creatures as daily Oratours that miserably complaining put up their petitions to him The higher House the suburbs of Heaven sits drooping the Sun is turned into blood and eclipsed the Stars unsnuffed burn dim within the socket of their sphears their naturall force abated their influence impaired all waxes old as does a garment and saies that sin is the cause The aire is stifled with the poysoned breath of meteors and insteed of comforting the inhabitants of the earth is become a stage of prodigies and terrours flying Dragons amaze blazing Stars as Beacons of astonishment affright Thunder with her loud Canon-shot makes roaring the impetuous fury of the Bolts brings death the Clouds in time of need are barren in time of harvest intoxicate the earth with deluges no dew sometimes but mildew no light but lightning no blast nor gale of winde but blasting and saies that sin is the cause The sea roules the windes blow unmercifully the waves rage impetuously all things are troubled unnaturally which makes the Leviathans roar and the fishes die and saies that sin is the cause The earth quakes
and trembles like a recoyling Canoâ— and mourns as with a sympathie while the heavens weep the flowers droop and closes up their heads within the lap of their mother earth the grasse withers the corn is blasted the fruits are thunderstroke and in stead of pagles daizes and roses of paradise bryars brambles nettles thistles spring out of her wombe and saies that sin is the cause All Nations all States all Kingdomes are troubled and saies that sin is the cause The Pagans against Turks Turks against Christendom one Province against another as whirlewindes in a strait move tumults Victorious Sweden hath long sit in Sable as a Matron mourning under the Myrtle trees deploring the dismall fate of her deceased Worthy which occasion'd so many alterations in government since and fluctuations in State and saies that sin is the cause Poland lies sick licking the scars of her lately received wounds and saies that sin is the cause Denmark bewailes her ill â—ccesse abroad and feeles the smart of her losses and intestine jarrs at home and saies that sin is the cause Whole Italy is distracted with convulsions and the State of Venice can scarce finde a pillow to sleep securely upon and saies that sin is the cause France before she could recover her bloodshed at the great Massacre hath begun to bleed afresh with civill jarrs and saies that sin is the cause Whole Germany hath been for many years in a combustion burning of Cities is no greater wonder then the sparkling of a Smith's forge slaying of men of as small account as of sheep in a slaughter-house to die in Troops as familiar as to live in Trenches such overflowing of blood that Rivers were dyed with the crimson tincture old grey heads mourning yoâ—ng infants crying women like Leah blear-eyed with weeping like Rachel lamenting the death of their children and cannot be comforted because they are not and all conclude that sin is the cause We of these Nations once styled fortunate Ilands garded like Goshen in the midst of Aegypt with turelar Angells have for these many years layne under the stroke of the destroying Angell and the stage of War hath been set up in our Territories making all places Aceldama's fields of blood the Common-weal distracted with factions the Church rent with schisms and as if these intestine broyles at home were not sufficient engagements with the Hollanders abroad to the losse of life and treasury with whom no sooner was a Peace if lasting made but Spain that had fed us with her blandishments proclaimes her selfe an enemy preparing hostility against us as if the Armado in eighty eight were but an earnest of what they intended to pay us Thus this poor Church and State lies bleeding and is not sin the cause Well then to sum up all shall not the petitions of the Heavens darkned of the Stars bedimn'd of the Aire poysoned of the Sea troubled of the Earth cursed of Kingdomes ruinated of the unreasonable Creatures groaning under the burden and looking up towards heaven as if the Stars that fought in order for Sisera would pitty and rescue them shall not these I say awake the Lord out of sleep as a Gyant refreshed with wine to put on his Brigandine and to gird on his Sword If souls for this deserve to die then how much more the body And shall not these that were petitioners become also executioners Lo the heavens as if it were their task to kill and slay hath for her armes hung up in the Zodiack man's anatomy the Planet Mars as though he were still the god of War the Dog-star and Saturn murders their children the Ayer poysons with infections feavours plagues the Sea is become a devouring gulph and contrary to Nature's intent is made a Goigotha or place of sculls the Earth that with her fruites should have nourished and with her conserves cherished is become an Aceldama or Theatre of blood one Nation one City one Kingdome one Family one Brother rises up against another as if man were born with those that arose of the Dragon's teeth in the Poet mutuis periâ—e gladiis bleed to death on one anothers sword And then shall not Gods just wrath our just desert so many executioners in heaven in earth by sea by land bring ruine and calamity of Church and State Cities and Families Hence as the case stands we are blame-worthy in a four-fold respect 1. Of Satan 2. Of security 3. Of pride 4. Of intemperance First of Satan who by his subtle sleights as he hath killed the body would murder also the soul and yet we sleight it as though we should die neither body nor soul Satan is that Panther that with his sweet odours allures us till he have gotten us within the reach of his talants that he may tear us that Crocodile that commiserates us till he have murdered us that Hyena that flatters us till he have killed us that Syren that sings till she hath drowned us that with Jael allures in with milk and murders with a nail with Joab embraces with one hand and stabs with another that whore of Babylon that gives poysoned drink in golden cups that cunning fisher that baits his hooks with the pleasures of sin that lies as a Snake in thy greenest grasse as an Enemy to assault thee in thy securest travails as a Ruffian to cut thy throat in thy sweerest sleep Art thou banquetting like Job's children with thy friends take heed Satan's there Art thou with Job praying take heed Satan's there Art thou with Iudas and the Apostles receiving the Communion take heed Satan's there In thy eating in thy drinking in thy hearing in thy praying in thy meditating beware Satan is busie about thee take heed he that hath wrought thy bodily death would also of thy soul O man of God beware mors in ollâ death is in the pot Secondly this discovers the security of carnall secure men that mind death no more hanging over their heads then Ierusalem did the blazing Star and Army in the aire then Damocles did the glittering sword perpendicular over his head then Ionah did the swelling of the waves over the Ship while he was under the hatches sleeping but they lie snorting in a lethargy of sin till a deluge of death overwhelme them as the flood did the old World as fire and brimstone did Sodom and Gomorrah as the house of Dagon did the Philistims that then death and grave and worms and hell and destruction seazes upon them Thirdly this discovers the vanity of pride many while their life is consuming as a candle burning within the socket as a coal taken out of the fire growing black studies only to varnish and paint over that rotten stock the body robbing all creatures to adorn it from one takes his wool from another his skin from another his fur from another their excrements as silk from worms beggs pearles of the fishes diggs into the ground for gold and silver turnes up the sands of the sea for
pretious stones and then Peacock-like prides themselves in these which are but liveries of beasts scum of the earth badges of sin earnests of death and recognisants of hell thus jetting till death comes and sounds his trumpet in his ear O fool this night they will require thy soul of thee c. Fourthly this discovers the vanity of intemperate and voluptuous men that with Philoxenus studie only to relish dainties make their throats tunnells and their bellies barrells and shewes by their daily sacrifices their Oâ—gia Dâ—onysia and Bacchanalia that they are of that Epicure Sardinapalus his minde that was wont to say ventrem deorum esse maxâ—mâ—m that the belly was the greatest of the gods living thus till death arrest them and then they shall be arrayed with nothing but a shroud or winding-sheet have no dwelling place but the grave no house but a stinking coffin no servants and tenants but crawling worms have no allowance to give them but their own flesh which they shall feed upon till all be consumed and they made a fit Sceleton for death to read Anatomie's Lecture upon Consider again this was more particularly for the sins of Eli and his Sons Let those that attend upon God's Ordinances in this present age reflectupon this It must be acknowledg'd sure that the hand of God hath gone out against us more then against others of our rank at other times at least that God hath not restrained violence against us so as he did against those of our profession in the daies of old The portion of the Egyptian Priest that served the Ox the Ape and the Onyon escaped sale in the time of the famine Learned Junius in his Academia Cap. 4. saies that the Philistims spared the Schooles of the Prophers in their warrs with Israel and that the Phoenicians Chaldeans and Indians were tender over such places the Goths and Vandalls as barbarous as they were when they entered Italy scarce laid a sacriligious hand upon the Churches revenues Thus then did God restrain the spirit of Princes yet that God who in his own Law Levit. 25. 22. gave the Levites a speciall priviledge of redeeming lands sold by themselves at any time when other tribes were limited to a set time hath not stayed the raging of these waves but that the Churches Patrimony is sold to others without redemption We must acknowledge that God's wrath whether for our personall sins or the sins of our Predecessors or for the sins of the people joyntly hath taken hold of us Zach. 1. 5. that the Lord hath devised a device against us hath watched upon the evill and hath brought it upon us For under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done unto Ierusalem Dan. 9. 14. Let us not flatter our selves presumptuously the punishment answers the sin as the wax the seal and as the moulds own the figure and let us own both Yet let none think now that this confession will give advantage to the adversary they may take where none is given They may say let the Lord be glorified by their own confession we offend not though we devoure and dishonour them because they have sinned against the Lord the habitation of justice Ier. 50. 7. But they shall finde at last that to forsake the Levite is a sin that it is a bitter thing to help forward affliction when God is but a little displeased that Ierusalem will be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone to every one that cries but down with it Wo to thee O Ashur the rod of Gods wrath the stasse in thine hand is Gods indignation for our correction to purifie us the sons of Levi from our drosse For It is the Lord that does it So we passe from the Revelation to the Acceptation And he said it is the Lord. But how did Eli know that it was the Lord Partly by the man of God partly by Samuel's dream or vision for he knew that the Lord had called the Child It is a heathenish tradition that no dreams that relate to publick concernment are to be credited that proceed not from Princes as Macrobius stories it upon Somnium Scipionis Hence Nestor in Homer proclaims in the Grecian Councill that credit is to be given to Agamemâ—on concerning the marshalling of his Army because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Generall or ruler of the people which otherwise should have been sieighted But Ely was better instructed who knew in part though not so fully as was afterwards revealed Ioel. 2. 28. that God would poure his spirit upon all flesh and their sons and daughters should prophecy their old men should dream dreams and their young men should see visions Therefore Ely willingly submitted saying It is the Lord. Lord by Creation all things were made by him Ioh. 1. 3. Lord by Donation All power is gâ—ven me in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. 18. Lord by Redemption for we are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. Lord by Conquest By death he destroyed him that had the power of death the devill Heb. 2. 14. Lord by Marriage I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Cant. 6. 3. Lord by way of excellency depending on no creature Lord of Lords Lord not only of goods body life but of soul and spirit Lord not for a season but for ever an eternall Lord a Lord that cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abuse his authority but is Jehovah zedeck Jehovah our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. A Lord that doth what he pleaseth Let him do what seemeth him good So we passe from his confession to his submission Let him do what seemeth him good Peter Martyr makes a scruple whether these words proceeded from a penitent soul or no saying they might come from an evill and hypocriticall minde though God who is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a searcher of the heart knowes this yet he concludes probabile est illum resipuisse non tamen necessarium it is probable that he repented but not necessary Gregory is of opinion that this answer is no true signe of his humiliation but rather of his hardnesse of heart and reprobation and endeavours to confirm it by three reasons First saies he we finde not that after this he either repented or corrected his sons Secondly because he seemes to be willing rather to incur the heavy displeasure of God then by severe and condigne punishment to offend his children Thirdly because he seemes rather presumptuously and disorderly to trust to the mercy of God than by serious repentance and selfe-denyall to go in the way of God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Si Dominus ubi timor If it be the Lord saies he where is his fear where are his prayers where his tears where his groans we read of none Haec oratio non culpam agnoscentis non dei misericordiam implorantis sed animum despondentis iram provocantis This speech is not of one imploring Gods mercy
every one greater than Solomon throwing down their Crowns before him the King of Kings To this joyne the communion of Saints imagine what a comfort will it be to meet with the noble Army of Martyrs the goodly fellowship of the Prophets the holy society of all the Apostles Evangelists Confessors where we shall see their Crowns of glory set upon their heads which Christ confers upon them not for their merits but for his mercies sake The effects the beatificall vision works on us are radiant either in soul or body in soul where first the understanding shall be truly enlightned with divine and heavenly knowledge which God shall immediately reveal unto us without the ministry of men and Angells Secondly in our Will which shall be filled with righteousnesse and holinesse perfect love towards God charity towards our fellow Saints for ever Thirdly in our Affections which shall be composed without at axie or disorder into eternall harmony as Beâ—nard saies sweetly Deus implebit animam rationalem luce sapientiae concupiscibilem justitiâ irascibilem perfectâ tranquillitate God will fill the soul with light of wisdome the concupiscible faculty with righteousnesse the irrascible with perfect tranquillity The effects it works on the body consists in these particulars First of mortall bodies they shall be made immortall of corruptible incorruptible our flesh that is subject to so many mutations vexed with so many diseases defiled with so many corruptions pestered with so many infinite calamities shall be made most glorious and most perfect to endure for ever without change and to raigne with the soul world without end Secondly of a naturall it shall become a spirituall body not in essence and being but in quality and condition because it shall be freed from all paines and troubles that belongs to the same as sin eating drinking sleeping and the like Thirdly of a weak it shall become a powerfull body by reason of agility and nimblenesse able to mount towards Heaven and meet our Saviour in the Aire Fourthly of a deformed and imperfect it shall be a perfect and beautifull body Iacob shall not halt Leab shall not be blear-eyed nor Mephibosheth lame but all shall be as nimble as Harts Fiftly in our bodies shall appear resplendent glory beautifulnesse and shining brightnesse we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angells glistering like stars conformable unto Christs glorious body Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever Well then seeing it is thus let us say with Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good so we may enjoy him with Austin Hic seca hic ure Lance here seare here so we may have glorified bodies with Ignatius Fire gallows wilde beasts breaking of our bones quartering of our members crushing of our bodies so our bodies so that we may enjoy our Lord Jesus and his Kingdome Take our earthly possessions so that we may raigne with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A briefe APPENDIX Concerning the nature of TITHES IN these free times wherein every one takes liberty to expose his thoughts to the world give me leave also to offer up my Mite into the publick Treasury which shall consist but of a twofold consideration first whether dishonouring of the Ministry secondly whether robbing of God in Tithes and offerings and defeating of Christ's Embassadours of a comperent livelyhood may not portend misery and calamity if not ruine to a Church or State For the former when God gives up a people to dishonour their Ministers it argues Religion is declining They are his Souldiers Stewards Angells He is their Portion He hath promised to be with them to the end of the world that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them that he will recompence a cup of cold water that is given them he that heareth them heareth Him he that despiseth them despiseth Him When the Prophet would discover the Jewes to be ready to be swallowed up in the whirle-pool of destruction he gives them this character that they are like a people that contest with their priest Corah and Dathan murmured against Moses and Aaron and the earth swallowed them up with all their partakers For the latter which here I principally intend the danger of robbing of God in Tithes and Offerings and defeating Christs Spouse of her joynture let three things be seriously weighed First whether the tenth part of the fruits of the earth are not as due to God as the seventh part of our time and so the moralitie thereof founded upon the same bottom that our Christian Sabbath is Secondly if not so whether there is not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morall equity if the Priesthood under the Law received the tenth part and more the Ministry under the Gospell which is more honourable and laborious should not receive at least as much and whether that be not the principall scope of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. which he makes good by severall arguments Thirdly if neither of these Rocks should prove impregnable whether this be not a wall of brasse able to endure what siege Antichristian forces can lay against it that being once consecrated and by speciall donation appropriated unto God a Power lesse then Divine can not reduce them to any other use without sacriledge and taking the Scepter out of Gods hand And whether that signall judgment inflicted on Ananias and Saphyra Act. 5. for retaining that which they had devoted unto God onely by their private vowes be not a miraculous confirmation of this truth and a piller of salt to be looked upon to the worlds end Israel is a thing hallowed to the Lord and his first fruits all they that eat it shalloffend evill shall come upon them saith the Lord Jer. 2. 3. Tithes are Gods portion whereby we acknowledge His royalty and superintendency over us and therefore being once solemnly bequeath'd unto him may seem to be inviolable by any just Law of man for these reasons First Abraham and in him Levi payed Tithes to Melchizedeck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even of the spoiles taken in war Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 4. and that above four hundred years before the Law was given Secondly Jacob vowed as he went to Padan Aram that if God would blesse him the Lord should be his God and that surely he would give the tenth unto him Gen. 28. 22. Now that the Lord should be acknowledged for his God was a morall duty and no lesse the other for substance especially after his vow and reducible to the duties of the first Table Thirdly God strictly commanded to pay the tithes of all things to the Priests and Levites nay the first fruits first and second tithes heave-offerings wave-offerings which amounted to nineteen in the hundred or above the sixt partâ— which Precept if it be not purely morall but judiciall in some circumstances respecting equity betwixt Priest and People
these three Assasinates that lie in wait for our Souls and say reficiam vos I will refresh you For we were lost and stood in need of a price And because lost let us therefore finde our hearts and be humbled for our losse if we desire to finde again The Prodigall at first lost his Estate and at once found his Father and himselfe If he had not lost himselfe on Earth he had scarce found Heaven when he went astray he was humbled and no sooner humbled but he was advanced This humility must be true and our sorrow as deep as our sins not hypocriticall like the Pharisees who with the Roman Brutus will kisse the Earth when their thoughts of vain-glory are builded as high as Babel by lessening themselves hide their hypocrisie as the Snake does her length by folding her selfe into many gyres and doubles It hath stil been and wil be the garb of those formall Penitentiaries who make Heaven a foot-stool for Earth and Religion a Pandour to worldly Policy like a Faulcon by voluntary humiliation to stoop the lowest when they mean to soar highest and like a Bullet spit out of the mouth of a Canon first graze and then mount But we must remember that we were lost and not our own This is somewhat harsh As we are generally forgetfull so in nothing more than in things belonging to our woes Either we dare not or cannot lay to heart our former adversity and our present cause of sorrow The Mariners love not to hear of Storms nor States rocked in security of VVars neither can wanton Youth endure the tidings of sicknesse and old age nor our souls that they were slaves to sin Satan not our own If any one be dismayed hereat thinking with the Disciples that it is durus sermo a hard speech or judge of this humiliation as Paphnutius did at the Council of Nice of the Inhibition of Priests Marriage that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a heavy yoke Loe here after this harsh sentence a pardon presents it selfe in the first words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye are bought with a price This is the second Proposition which as the Day-spring from on high visits us with comfort and as the Angell that sat upon the VVheel with the Martyr under Julian's persecution wiping away the blood with his handkerchiefe sweetens the malignity of the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye were bought The word signifies to Buy as one does in a Market comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fair or Market This Fair was proclaimed in Paradise rung to by Aaron's golden Bells sounded by Esay's Trumpet Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters buy milk and wine without mony and without price But Fountains of Milk VVine Oyle Mountaines of Gold Silver Diamonds VVorldes of Crownes Scepters Diadems were not of worth to redeem Man lost VVhat then must he be bought withall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a price The word sometimes signifies Honour sometimes the reward of Honour sometimes Magistracy Dignity and Authority sometimes Victory sometimes a Trophy or reward of Victory sometimes a Price that is paid for ransoming or recovering a thing lost and so here And surely if ever any was this may be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honourable price The young Pellicans being dead are not restored to life but by the blood of the old one Nor we dead in trespasses and sins without the pretious blood of our Saviour Heaven is a Lottery each Man drawes for and aimes at a summum bonum or chiefest good some lights in friends some in Honour some in Riches some in Morall Vertues above three hundred opinions as Varre hath observed All these were but Blanks here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price This price was Christ the seller Judas the buyer the Jewes God the permitter who appointed his Son a price 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By his determinate counsell and foreknowledge Act. 2. 23. The Son gave himselfe a price Ephes 5. 2. Judas was stigmatised with this everlasting brand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deliverer all of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joynt Agents in this sale yet not alike God gave this price out of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he so loved the world such a sic as can never be parallel'd with a sicut The Son gave himselfe a price in submission to the Father Father not my will but thine be done Judas sinned against the Father in selling the Son God neither commanded nor compelled Judas Judas neither obeyed nor aimed at Gods command therefore was neither God guilty of Judas his fault nor Judas free from guilt by co-operating with God Thus God brought light out of darknesse Judas darknesse out of light Lord turn our darknesse into light that we may see the value of this price a price unvaluable The Vestalls fire put out might not be kindled but by the beams of the Sun neither the fire of Gods Grace re-kindled but by the obedience of his own Son Men Angells blood of Martyrs Incense of Saints a thousand Worlds ten thousand Rivers of Oyle could not nor any thing but the death of him that was the Lord of Life We were captives bondslaves and he to use the Civilians words ad pretium participandum sese venundari passus est suffered himselfe to be sold to purchase the price of our Redemption A price delivered from Satan to Judas from Judas to the Souldiers from the Souldiers to the High Priests from the High Priests to Pilate from Pilate to the Jewes to be crucified Thus mare repellit ad barbaros barbari ad mare tossed between the Sea of our sins and the Pikes of Satan could find no resting place till he was naild to the Crosse in Calvary Look up all ye beholders look upon this pretious Body and see what part ye can finde free That Head that was adored and trembled at by the Angelicall Spirits is all raked and harrowed with thorns that Face of whom it was said Thou art fairer then the children of men is all besmeared with the filthy spittle of the Jewes and furrowed with his tears those Eyes clearer then the Sun are darkened with the shadow of death those Ears that hear the heavenly consorts of Angells are now filled with the cursed speakings and scoffs of wretched men those lips that spake as never man spake that commanded the Spirits both of light and darknesse are scornfully wet with Vinegar and Gall those Feet that trample on all the powers of Hell His enemies are made his footstool are now nailed to the footstool of the Crosse those hands that freely sway the Scepter of Heaven now carry the Reed of reproach and are nailed to the Tree of reproach that whole Body that was conceived by the Holy Ghost was all scourged wounded mangled This is the outside of his sufferings and was he free within these were but
love-tricks to what his Soul endured O all ye that passe by the way behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Alasse what can we see of thy sorrowes we can no more see thy pain than endure it only this we see that what the infinite sins almost of infinite men committed against an infinite Majesty deserved in infinite continuance of time all this Thou in the short time of thy Passion hast payed for to the full and we are bought with a price O dear Christians how ought these Earthy Rocky Adamantine hearts of ours rent in pieces at this Meditation What all these tears and pangs and groans are for us yea from us Shall the Son of God thus smart for our sins yea with our sins and shall not we grieve for our own How far were our soules gone that could not be ransomed with an easier price If thy Soul had been in His Souls stead what had become of it it shall be if His were not in stead of thine Go too now thou lewd Man that makes thy selfe merry with uncleannesse thou little knowes the price of one sin which made thy blessed Saviour cry out to the amazement of Angells and horrour of men My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But now we are bought with a price And if we be bought with a price then away with those Jubile Proclamations of Rome I mean the Supererogatory sufferings of Saints to pay forth this price a blasphemous and beggerly Principle as learned Fulk calls it Some modest Doctours of Lovain would have minced it affirming that the suffering of Saints are not truly satisfactory but only motives to move God to apply unto us Christs sufferingss but they were soon charmed by four severall Popes as their own Cardinall confesses and commanded to speak home with Bellarmine Passionibus Sanctorum expiari delicta that by the sufferings of Saints our sins are expiated and that by them applyed we are redeemed from those punishments we yet owe to God Blasphemy worthy of tearing of garments How hath Christ payed the price if we must supply the defect But we are bought with a price Take up then a Song of deliverance far more glorious than that of Moses Deborah or Gideon Art thou afraid of Satan Christ hath spoyled Principalities and Powers Art thou affraid of sin Christ was made sin that is a price for sin for thee Death Hell and the Grave are conquered that thou maist triumph Hell where is thy sting Death where is thy victory Nay this price hath payed for the abolishment of the Ceremonies of the Law Away then with New Moones Sacrifices and the rites of Judaism the vail of the Temple is rent That conceit of Theophylact is witty at least That as the Jewes were wont to rend their garments when they heard blasphemy so the Temple not enduring those execrable blasphemies against the Son of God tore her Vail apieces But that is not all The vail rent is the observation of the Rituall Law cancelled I say not that all ceremonies are cancelled by this price but the Law of Ceremonies and Jewish It is a sound distinction of the Antients that some are Typicall foresignifying Christ some of order and decency those are abrogated not these The Spouse of Christ cannot be without her laces and chains and borders But thou O Lord how long shall thy poor Church through contentious spirits finde her ornaments her sorrowes How much better were it to revive the sweet spirit of divine Saint Austine turning this contention into grarâ—dation glorifying God for these mercies which is the next Proposition and the last of the three Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God All things ought to begin for to terminate in Gods glory which is the end of all our actions the centre of all our motions The Angells sounded this Trumpet at his Birth when the price was but offered shall not we for his pretious Death and Passion when it was payed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory be to God on high This glory is Gods First a debito for we are his and that triplici jure by a threefold right of Creation as Men of Redemption as Sons of Sanctification as Saints Secondly ab integro from the whole we are composed of two parts Body and Spirit are Gods both in body and spirit therefore must glorifie him both in body and spirit Thirdly a lytro from the Ransom Empti sumus We are bought by a Synecdoche quasi redempti redeemed and re-bought and that by an Emphaticall Pleonasme pretio with a price And thus what one ought to have done a three-fold cord must move us to do to glorifie God We are Gods both in body and spirit Gods because we are redeemed both in body and spirit by the Son of God This is the main and cardinall reason let us prosecute it What mercy was ever like this for a God to sell his own Son that he might redeem his Enemies What more dear than a Son what more hatefull than an Enemy Yet oftentimes we see that the hate of an Enemy is drunk up of the love of a Son O my son Absalom would God I had dyed for thee Fulvius a Roman Senatour slew his Son for conspiring with Cateline but in Christ was no guile found Manlius adjudged his Son to die for violating the Law of Armes Christ kept the whole Law Aegeus sent his son Theseus to conflict with a Minotaur to free himselfe and his Country from deserved bondage God sent his Son to conflict with Satan Death and Hell who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free from all bondage The Israelites sacrificed their Children to Moloch Agamemnon his daughter Iphigenia to Neptune but they had more But God when he had no more gave his onely Son for a price Besides the infinite disproportion betwixt God and Man An act of mercy in Scripture in History not to be found the like unparallel'd unlesse a Type in Abraham and but a Type I know saies God to Abraham thou lovest me because thou hast not spared thine onely son Isaac And then shall not we O holy Father know thou lovest us that hast not spared but given thine onely Son Jesus Gods love to Christ was infinite Abraham's to Isaac but finite God gave his Son willingly Abraham as it were constrainedly God gave his Son to an ignominious death Abraham to a holy Sacrifice Isaac was in the hands of a tender Father Christ of barbarous enemies Isaac was but offered in shew Christ payed the price indeed O the infinite disproportion St. Chrysostome is rapt hereat and calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excesse of love that is a pin to low Pareus calls it porâ—entum amoris a miracle of love that is yet too short St. Paul waft upon Seraphick wings styles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love surpassing knowledge that that 's it What can we do in lue but to the point in hand glorifie God like