worthy consideration like the inhabitants of Nilus wee will draw water in running We say then that this word heart is diversly taken in the Scripture First is taken for faith as Rom. 10. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation 2. It is taken for the thoughts and for the gift of regeneration as 1. Epist of Saint Peter Chap. 3. ver 4. The hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price and estimation 3. For the understanding as Rom. 2. They shew the worke of the law written in their hearts 4. It is taken for the conscience as in the 1. of Sam. the 24. chap. 5. ver Davids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls skirt And in the 1. to the Thessal chap. 3. To establish your hearts unblameable in holinesse before God Here is yet another very cleare passage in the 1. Epist of Saint Iohn chap. 3 ver 20. If our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things and if our heart condemne us not wee have confidence towards God And in this last signification it is taken in our Text to wit for the Conscience as if Christ had said Blessed are those that possesse a holy pure and just soule a good cleane and spotlesse conscience David desirous to raise himselfe from his fall and to restore the temple of his body polluted by wicked adultery desired of God a new Altar praying him to create in him a cleane heart and to renew a right spirit within him Psal 51.12 Iudas Maccabeus having seene the Temple of Ierusalem prophaned by Antiochus his sacrilegious hands he purifieth it destroyes all the Altars where that Pagan had sacrificed to his Idols and called that the renewing of the Temple Our bodies are the living temples of the holy Ghost our hearts the Altars on the which having wickedly sacrificed to the Idols of our passions we must breake them and destroy them by our true repentance and conversion to God who despiseth not a broken and a contrite heart And afterward we must build new ones pure and clean on the which wee must offer to God Hecatombes of Iustice and solemne burnt offerings and sacrifices wherein hee delighteth The Etymologists hold that this word Cor is derived of Cura that is care because that part communicateth sendeth and doth distribute blood and life to the rest of the body Even so all our study all our exercise and occupation should be to seeke the meanes fit for the conservation of our soules for what will it profit a man if hee gaine the whole world and loose his soule Math. 16.26 As soone as the Embrion is conceived the first part which is formed is the heart being as it were the center whence the severall lines are drawne to the circumference of our bodies it is also the first member living and when the paines of death have compassed a man the blood from all parts retires to the heart as to a citadell so that it is also the last part that dieth in us according to that common saying Cor est primum vivens ultimum moriens So when the faithfull of the Lord resolveth to live piously he must cast for a sure and unmoveable foundation the righteousnesse of a pure and cleane conscience which must be the Ocean where all the rivers of his affections must runne and tend the corner and fundamentall stone on the which must be edified this his Pilgrimage All the building of this mortall and transitorie life must begin with the just mans beginning and never end till his death when it shall bee augmented and perfected in heaven It was Gods commandement under the law that all Israelites all the seed of Abraham should offer and consecrate to him the first borne both of man and beast now if wee unvayle the letter and consider what it therein figured unto us we may note among other things that God desired by this Decree whose letter and figure is abrogated though the truth and sence of it be eternall that wee should offer and consecrate unto him our hearts which are the first borne of our selues The greatest part of Physitians hold that the soule being generally all over the body hath her principall seat in the heart as the King hath in his Court although his power reach thorow all his Kingdome so that the soule being that very man which God requireth it is then not without reason that God demandeth our heart which is her throne My sonne give me thy heart The heart is knowne to bee the originall of naturall heat now God being a burning fire of love and affection towards his children wee ought to consecrate that part to him for his Tabernacle The heart is red and bloody to shew us the fervencie and zeale that should be in us to Gods service and glory and that our thoughts should alwayes burne with love to him and with charity to our neighbours It is little whence wee may learne not to puffe or swell it with pride but to keepe it alwayes humble and modest Vertues that seeke not after large and spacious Pallaces but are contented in the narrowest and remotest places His beating and panting is upwards so all our desires and thoughts should tend towards the end of our supernaturall vocation according to the Apostles advice Seeke the things that are above The heart is agitated by a continuall motion by reason of his vitall spirits that animate and nourish it So our thoughts should beare and conduct us to the actions of Iustice innocencie and godlinesse and to follow the steps of the Scripture Charity alwayes worketh and is never idle by reason of the spirit of grace dwelling in our soules who inspires continually in us holy and religious thoughts There is but one heart in man and yet his shape and forme is triangular a figure bearing proportion to his object that is God one in Essence and three in persons So our soules should bee adorned with these three beautifull vertues Faith hope and Charity He is open at the top and that way he receiveth his nourishment Which teacheth us that our soules should alwayes be open to proclaime the praises of our Creator and Redeemer that nourisheth them with the holy and wholsome meat of his sacred word sent downe from heaven The least angle or corner is turned downewards to shew us that our least care should bee for earthly things It is againe not hayrie to teach us that our soule which is his hostesse must be voyd of the foolish and light imaginations of the weake and unconstant considerations of this world that so she may hope and ayme at nothing but heaven her blessed Countrey wherein it is impossible to enter before our heart after Moses his example have pulled off the Shooes of our corruption and worldly
that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure And in the 22. chap. of the Revel His servants shall serue him and they shall see his face The infinite greatnesse of this divine promise whose performance is infallible makes us skip and leape for joy charmeth our senses and ravisheth our mindes for it seemeth altogether impossible that living tombes mortall carcasses the prey of death and the foode of wormes should ever aspire so high as to pretend to see and view that felicity which is better described by silence and admiration then by any other description for they are things which eye hath not seene eare hath not heard and that are not entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that love him 1. Cor. 2.9 But the children of Israel did not pitch the Tabernacle in Ierusalem before they had cleansed the mountaine of Sion of those enemies that were opposite to their rest So wee must not settle our selues in the contemplation of the divine Tabernacle before we have cleared some places of Scripture that seeme to forbid us entrance In the 33. Chap. of Exod. ver 20. God saith to Moses Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live And in the 1. chap. of Saint Iohn No man hath seene God at any time And in the 1. Epist of the Cor. chap. 13. ver 12. Now we see through a glasse darkely And in the 28. chap. of Iob God is hidden from all living eyes In a word there are many other places to confirme this which will be too long to rehearse Wee with one consent said That God is invisible which seemeth to be opposite and contrary to the promise made unto us in our Text Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Neverthelesse to reconcile them together for the holy Ghost is never contrary to himselfe wee say that the places before alledged are so to bee understood that whilest man is in this mortall prison in this valley of teares so obscure and darke whilest like an Owle he delighteth in the night of sinne his eyes can no way endure the least beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse for God being an infinite Spirit cannot be seene by a finite body but when we shall leave off this mortall prison of our bodies our soules then perfectly enlightened by the heavenly grace shall be endued with that knowledge and faculty that they shall openly contemplate their Creator and their God as Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 13. Chap. Now wee see through a glasse darkely but then wee shall see him face to face This word See God is much controverted among Divines which be of two severall opinions whereof the one holdeth That soules delivered of this corporall vayle cannot see Gods face for two reasons the first is that God being a spirituall Essence infinite incomprehensible cannot bee seene by a finite creature without implying contradiction for then the containing to wit the blessed soule should bee greater then the contained that is God which is absurd by this axiome that the object is contained by the visuall faculty As if a man placed in the midst of the earth or of the sea looking round about a great distance off as farre as his sight could reach could not for all that say That hee saw all the earth or all the sea Those of the second opinion answere to this first reason saying That the Creator may not be compared with the creatures that God is all in all and all and whole in every part that hee is one and consequently indivisible that all things in him are Essentiall and is not subject to division that whosoever seeth him seeth him totally The second reason of the first is that wee measure our soules by our bodies imagining that they shall have eyes with the which they shall be able to discerne and distinguish the present objects To which the others answere that indeede the soules in heaven shall have no corporall eyes like ours but that notwithstanding God will give them a seeing faculty by the which they shall perceive the present objects 2. When these soules shall be rejoyned and revnited to their bodies God having purified them from all vncleanenesse will make them like unto the glorious body of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord who saith Math. 22. That our bodies shall be as the Angels of God in heaven who alwayes behold the face of God Math. 18. that is that are alwayes in his presence and that see him perfectly in respect of themselues as much as it pleased God to permit but not perfectly in respect of God as he that seeth the Sunne may say that hee seeth it perfectly in respect of himselfe if his faculty be good and notwithstanding he cannot see him as he is because of the weakenesse of his eyes The second opinion which is more generally received holdeth that this word See is taken simply and absolutely for to Know and those that hold it say That Iesus Christ in our Text promiseth to the pure in heart a perfect knowledge of the divine goodnesse wherein consisteth the fulnesse of our felicity of our delights and content which they doe well proove by the 14. Chap. of Saint Iohn ver 7. If ye had knowne me ye should have knowne my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seene him where Christ sheweth to his Disciples that they have seene his Father because they have knowne him by so many miracles done before their eyes And in the 17. Chap. of the same Gospell This is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent where it plainely appeareth that this word to know God is as much as to possesse life eternall And so from those two places joyned to our Text this conclusion followeth that To see God know God and have eternall life are the same thing As the Angels then see the face of God even so shall we also see it for that blessed sight is reserved for a recompence of our faith as Saint Iohn in his 1. Epist 3. Chap. When he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him face to face Not that we must imagine that God hath any members although it be said that man is made in the image of God for that is thus to be understood that man hath beene created in perfect justice and innocencie after the example of God But by this face of God we must vnderstand with the Scripture the Church and the Fathers and namely Saint Augustine in his booke Decivit Dei the manifestation of his glory and a perfect knowledge of his wonderfull mercie which he will communicate unto vs. It is a hard question and difficult to handle Whether the Saints after the Resurrection shall see God with their corporall eyes after they be glorified so Iob saith In my flesh I see God there Iob prophesieth the
honourable charge of deliverer Prince and lawgiver of his people The King and Prophet David had this vertue in great measure in him for which cause God changing his Sheepheards crooke into a Roy all Scepter gave him victory over a world of enemies that rose up continually against him which maketh him to cry out in one of his Psalmes Lord remember David and his mansuetude or clemencie In the booke of Leviticus God commandeth the Priests to offer him a Lambe without blemish for a peace offering a Lambe is the symbole of mildnesse then according to that command hee that will receive the peace-makers recompense from God must offer him his soule full of gentlenesse and mildnesse The Lambe in the Revelation of all living creatures was onely found worthy to open the booke sealed with seaven seales so among all men the faithfull onely and among the faithfull the meeke shall bee able to open the booke of life there to behold his name written before the foundation of the world The Bridegroome in the Canticles calleth thus his beloved Come my Dove that art in the clefts of the rocke thy eyes are like Doves eyes and thy checkes like Turtles my Dove is alone and perfect Now it is familiar and common enough that of all creatures Doves are the symbols of mildnesse and meekenesse for it is noted that they have no gall And here to apply these places to our designe let us know that the Bridegroome in this epithalamium or marriage song is Iesus Christ himselfe speaking to his Church setting her forth by her lively colours by the pensill of his love shewing us in this comparison of the Dove the perfections wherewith shee is adorned where if wee waigh and consider diligently the force of every word wee shall finde them all emphaticall and deseruing a more particular search and obseruation He saith first Veni Columba mea come my Dove hee doth not call her my Eagle or my Hawke for those are creatures too cruell loving nothing but blood and slaughter and their humour is incompatible with the Bridegroomes bounty who desireth that the Church his well beloved Spouse bee altogether like him and therefore he calleth her my Dove as having no gall nor bitternesse in her soule When that sweet IESVS was baptized by Iohn in Iordane the three divine persons of the glorious Trinity were clearely manifested for the majestuous voyce of the Father was heard speaking from heaven thus This is my well beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Mathew 3.17 Iesus Christ was in Iordane and the holy Ghost descended from heaven like a Dove and lighted upon him from which place wee may draw this instruction that if wee desire to bee called the children of God if we wish to heare from heaven that gracious voyce speaking to our soules Thou art my well beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased If wee aspire to that great happinesse to receive the spirit of grace mildnesse and meekenesse in our consciences Let us remember that wee must be like unto sweet IESVS our example hee was naked so must we put off cruelty malice and hatred he was in the water even so to enjoy so great a favour we must plunge our selues in the rivers of our teares in the Iordane of a holy and true repentance which may open our hearts and continually touch them with griefe for our fore-past offences It was Gods ordinance under the law of Moses that when a man was uncleane hee should for his purification resort to the Temple and there offer two Turtle Doves That we may light the torch of truth within the shadow of Moses law let us say that there is nothing that more infecteth and soyleth the soule then cruelty debates and hatred It is a Gangrene that gnaweth and undermineth her untill it seeth her absolutely possessed by wicked spirits but the onely remedy to this obstinate disease is to runne to the sacred Temple of Gods divine mercy there to offer him the gift of a mild meeke and peaceable conscience When Noah would know if the waters were withdrawne from upon the face of the earth he sent forth a Dove which came to him in the evening with an Olive branch in her mouth also he sent forth a Raven which returned not because hee stayd on the dead bodies and stinking carcasses of those which died in this inundation God in this example is represented unto us by Noah our soule by the Dove peace by the Olive branch it is God that staying in the Arke of heaven sendeth our soules to visite the inundations of this world which message faithfully to performe they do not sit on the highest and loftiest tops of Cedars arid Pine trees for they love not vanity nor the glory of this world they doe not pearch upon the Iuniper nor thornes of quarrels and contentions but upon the Olive tree of mildnesse and meekenesse wherewith they adorne themselues and so prepare themselues to returne into their heavenly Country there to give a true account of their journey But the Ravens that stayed upon the carcasses drowned by the flood are those blacke and infected soules that delight in nothing but quarrels and contentions and who so excessively love the corruptions of this world that they never returne to heaven from whence they tooke their first flight The excellencie of this particular peace cannot be sufficiently knowne without we consider the privation of it that is contemplate her contrary let us judge it by our selues for there is no man that sinneth not there is nothing more extrauagant in the world then a seared conscience nothing more tossed up and downe then a soule troubled and vexed by the unquietnesse of sinne for example doe wee seeke the meanes to revenge some injurie presently our minde runneth and rangeth all about to obtaine a sufficient satisfaction Our eyes dart and cast forth burning flames of wrath and rage our mouth proffereth nothing but injuries and blasphemies our feete cannot stand still our hands itch our hearts vomit revenge and our braines are so preoccupated by this damnable passion that there is nothing but confusion to be seene as in a clocke out of order whose wheeles are dismounted these be the effects of sinne that never gives rest to soule never so little touched by the venome of his passion Consider I pray a malefactor how bold and secret soever his crime be hee thinks neverthelesse that all know it the least looke altereth his face and for his contenance If hee thinke that to keepe off be good for him when he is in the fields he thinketh every bush a Sergeant to lay hold on him every tree a Hangman that stayes for him and every leafe that stirreth a witnesse to testifie his wickednesse Now contrariwise let us see the sweet rest and tranquillity of a soule that hath made her peace with her God whom shee loves with all her strength and that cherisheth her neighbour as much as her selfe who is not
the mercifull yea in this life with blessings favours and graces spirituall and temporall giving unto them a hundred times more then they have given to the poore and giving them consolation in their distresse as they also have suffered with their neighbour in his affliction But let us consider the third fruit of charitable workes which is the highest degree of honour unto which the mercifull shall ascend to wit eternall blessednesse and withall we will also examine the cause wherefore the faithfull receive graces spirituall temporall and eternall which doeth clearely enough appeare in our Text Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie The onely and perfect felicity of man both in this life and in that to come consisteth simply and soly in the possession of the favour of God which the wicked cruell and impious shall never be partakers of but only the Saints the bountifull and mercifull shall pitch their tents there the reason why the one are put backe from this infinite good and that the others shall bee received and cherished therein for ever is because the first have lived in crueltie rigour and tyrannie and shall therefore be thus punished but the second having beene gracious bountifuâ—l and meeke they shall obtaine mercy according to that saying of Christ With what measure you mete it shall be measured unto you againe In these words to obtaine mercie wee have many very remarkable circumstances for God will shew himselfe such unto us as wee shall shew our selues to our neighbours if wee give a crumme of bread to the poore languishing at our doores hee will call us into his royall Pallace hee will make us sit downe at his Table he will fill us with the dainties of his house and will make us drinke abundantly in the river of his delights if wee beare with griefe our neighbours affliction if wee dresse his wounds and powre oyle on them hee will comfort us in our sorrowes hee will wipe off the teares from our eyes and will fill our hearts with joy and gladnesse if wee forgive our brethren their offences when either maliciously or through infirmity they have offended us hee promiseth and assureth us to be so bountifull and mercifull to us that hee will drive our sinnes away from before his face hee will scatter our misdeedes like a cloud dispersed by the parching beames of the Sunne and in this part shall wee finde the center where the fulnesse of our felicitie resteth and resideth This forgivenesse of our sinnes is that which covereth us from the divine justice that giveth into our hands the shield of assurance which is impenetrable by the revenging shot of his just judgements that maketh us walke voyd of feare towards the throne of grace and that without the least doubting for since God is with us who shall be against us shall the world why it is vanquished shall hell why it is fettered and shackled Shall death why it is dead shall sinne why it is prevented and pardoned Finally shall the flesh why it is crucified Wee may therefore say and conclude with the Apostle Saint Paul O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory now thanks be to God that hath given us victory through his Sonne Iesus Christ From this word obtaine wee will also derive and draw this remarkable doctrine for he presupposeth asking seeing wee cannot obtaine a thing before wee have demaunded it which teacheth us our duties towards God acknowledging our selues poore weake and miserable both in body and soule subject in body to thousands of sicknesses weaknesses and necessities troubled in minde with a world of businesse crosses and afflictions and so laden in soule with sinnes misdeedes and iniquities that they are more in number then the sand that is on the Sea shore But the onely remedy to these sicknesses is to have our recourse to Gods mercie which is the sacred anchor of our hopes the haven of our salvation and the eternall residence of our incomparable and incomprehensible felicities Arid let us hold for certaine and infallible that wee shall never bee refused by his sacred goodnesse which calleth out aloud unto us Math. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are troubled and heavie laden and I will ease you take my yoake upon you for it is light and ye shall finde rest to your soules his yoake is nothing else but the affliction weakenesse and necessity of the poore that is the yoake he commandeth us to beare that is to say we must take off the loade of misery and calamity from the poore to lade it upon our owne shoulders and wee shall finde that his yoake is easie and his burthen light because he will then augment our strength and will make us so able to beare it that we should be sorrowfull ever to cast it off againe As a King findeth the waight of a crowne but small when it is upon his head by reason of the wealth honour and power that follow the heavinesse of this burthen as hee would never leave his Kingdome his power and his Empire for the waight of a Scepter seeing they make him honourable to his Subjects and feared of Strangers so that faithfull man which hath compassed and environed his forehead with the crowne of love to his neighbour that hath adorned his hand with the Scepter of charity to the needy and miserable hee without doubt shall finde rest in his soule which is the fulnesse of all felicity Now since such great and admirable effects since so excellent profits and advantages proceede from our mercie charity and bounty to our neighbour since in the practise of it wee finde our felicity which consisteth in the love which God beareth unto us in the confirmation of the pardon for our offences since againe God assureth us that the charity which we give and exercise to our neighbours hee will accept as done to himselfe alas who would be so savage and hardened with rigour who would be so defiled with ingratitude that having received favours from a King would yet refuse to obey him and to serue him with all his power should not hee be worthy of the greatest torments of the most cruell punishments that have ever beene imagined would not the heaven the elements and all the creatures together rise up to judgement to aske punishment for so grievous a crime since it is most true that ingratitude is the basest and damnablest vice that can infect the soule of man Let us remember that we have nothing but what we haue received of our heavenly Father and if wee have received it from his favourable and fatherly hand why should wee be so ungratefull as to refuse him a small portion of it when hee asketh for it Now and at all times when we heare and see the poore praying and crying unto us in the streetes or at our doores it is the voyce of God himselfe that calleth us to acknowledge his benefits as often as wee see one afflicted
that asketh us helpe and consolation let us runne to him and give him occasion of joy and gladnesse for it is Christ himselfe which was comforted by an Angell in the Garden when praying to God his Father hee sweated drops of blood which made him pronounce these lamentable words so full of griefe My soule is full of sorrow even unto death When we have bin offended by our neighbour and that he will cast himselfe at our feete to aske us forgivenesse let us not be such tygers and so unnaturall as to refuse him his request remembring that it is a condition needfull to obtaine the pardon for our owne sinnes which wee shall never obtaine untill wee have first forgiven our brethren their offences but let us follow the example of our heavenly Father who saith That at what time so ever a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes he will put away his wickednesse out of his remembrance And when wee must appeare before the terrible and dreadfull Throne of the Soveraigne Iudge when wee shall be called to a strict account for the talents and administration which hath beene committed to our charge by our heavenly Master let us then I say follow the example of that wise Steward let us make our selues friends with the riches of iniquity let us fill the hand of the poore which is the Altar of God upon the which hee affectionatly receiveth the Incense of our prayers as a delightfull and pleasing Sacrifice to the glory of his holy name Then I say shall wee heare that sweet and heavenly voyce of the Saviour of our soules speaking graciously to us after this manner Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world Amen Amen The Prayer O Lord God full of mercy and compassion O favourable Father that art the fountaine of pardon and remission and the refuge of them that truely repent who desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that hee may turne from his wickednesse and live wee thy poore and miserable creatures who by the weaknes of our flesh by the malice of our mindes by our owne vitious inclination to follow ill examples have provoked thee to make thy wrath and indignation fall upon our sinfull heads we have many wayes and times by our transgressions incited thee to cast upon our sinfull soules the thunderbolts of thy judgements we have made sinne our delight and iniquity the height of our happinesse Thy justice did cry and runne after us like a roaring and ravening Lyon seeking to devoure us thy judgements were ready to cast our bodies and soules into hell but that the excellent greatnesse of thy mercie O bountifull and gracious Father hath interposed her selfe and hath not permitted that we should be cast downe into the depth of eternall death and condemnation thy hand O sweet Saviour hath upheld us and thy clemencie O our Redeemer hath perfectly delivered us therefore O gracious Father seeing thou hast preserued us from evill conserue us still in good things receive if such be thy good pleasure the incense of our prayers our sacrifice of thankesgiving which wee most humbly offer upon the sacred Altar of thy divine compassions Put up our teares into thy bottels accept our contrite hearts broken with griefe to have offended thee for a pleasing Sacrifice receive our griefes and displeasures for thy satisfaction and behold thy Sonne thy onely thy welbeloved Sonne his head pricked with thornes for our sinnes his hands his sides and his feete pierced with Lances and nayles for our iniquities for his torments sake for his paines and for his deaths sake restore us unto life forgive us our sinnes O great God blot out our iniquities that so following thy example wee may doe the like to them that have offended us change in us our hard hearts and make them gentle and easie to pardon and forgive and suffer not our soules to be defiled and infected with the venome of revenge but that leaving it unto thee we may thinke of nothing else but to be obedient unto thee blessing those that curse us speaking well of those that slaunder us and praying for those that persecute us O good God kindle in our soules an holy love towards our afflicted brethren that wee may partake with them in their afflictions and so ease them that they may the better beare that burthen which thou hast imposed upon them We most humbly beseech thee also O good Saviour to give us charitable hearts and full of compassion to helpe the poore in their neede remembring that they are our brethren that thou art the Father of us all and that we are the children of the same mother that a glasse of cold water onely given unto them is of an inestimable price before thee because thou acceptest of it as willingly and recompensest it as largely as if it had beene given to thy selfe make us understand and know that thou art the King and great Master of the world that all that is therein justly belongeth unto thee that wee are but thy Stewards to dispose of thy goods to them of thy houshold to wit the poore who as well as we have that honour to belong to thy house to be thy servants yea to beare the name of thy children that when it shall please thee to call us to account wee may bee found to have used with profit the talent committed unto us and that it may please thine infinite goodnesse not for our sakes but through thy mercy for thy welbeloved Sonnes sake to call us good and faithfull servants and to make us enter into our Masters joy which is the heavenly Ierusalem Amen The second Way to Sion THE PRAISE OF PVRITIE MATH 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God IN the holy and sacred Temple of wise King Salomon there were three things chiefely considerable that is 1. The body of the temple whereto the people came 2. The holy place appointed for the Levites and those that ministred at the Sacrifices And 3. the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place consecrated for the Arke of the Lord who had appointed it for his ordinarie dwelling and residence wherein he commonly appeared in the forme of a darke clowd out of which were heard the divine Oracles and the irrevocable sentences of his sacred judgements It was a place whereinto none upon paine of death could come except the high Priest and that but onely once every yeare and yet with many precautions and circumstances for hee was first to purifie himselfe to wash his body and to change his cloathes before he appeared in the terrible and fearefull presence of the living God By this faire and meruailous Temple of King Salomon is lively represented unto us the world adorned and diversified with so many faire and admirable creatures By the Body of the Temple where the children of Israel heard the reading of the law of God his Spouse the
Church is naturally denoted and figured unto us By the holy place whereunto came onely the Levites and those which ministred at the Sacrifices are signified unto us the Ministers of the word of God who are chosen and put a part in his Church to be Heraulds and Embassadours of his holy will offering the ordinary Sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving which are his delectable and well accepted service By the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place is truly figured unto us Heaven for as the high Priest entred not into that place before he had first purified washed himselfe according to the Divine ordinance so the faithfull cannot enter into heaven untill hee hath first divested sinne and be covered with the cloake of Iustice holinesse and innocencie therfore Iesus Christ himselfe declareth the same thing unto us with his owne sacred mouth saying Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. The Prophet David expresseth exceeding well the same words in the 15. Psalme saying Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart And in the 24. Psalme Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place hee that hath cleane hands and a pure heart who hath not lifted up his soule unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully Hee shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation And in the 33. Chap. of Isaiah ver 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions that shaketh his hands from receiving of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evill He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rockes bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure His eyes shall see the King in his beauty they shall behold the land that is very farre off O what admirable places how many faire and rare promises doe all these Prophets make to the faithfull who shall keepe his heart from sinne and his hands from iniquity and Iesus Christ himselfe commeth after to confirme their testimonie and to ratifie their words saying in this place Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Words very energetically and significant as if hee had said Dearely beloved the onely and perfect way to possesse all happinesse all pleasures and all the advantages that you can wish and in a word to enjoy eternall felicity to contemplate face to face Gods divine Majestie wherein consisteth the fulnesse of happinesse and all contentment following the serpents example to cast off the olde skinne that is to pull off the olde coate of sinne infected with the leprosie of iniquity to fly and eschew evill to embrace good to hate vice and perfectly to love vertue which is the true way to heaven to the possession of heavenly graces and in a word to the fulnesse and perfection of all true happinesse Blessed are then the pure in heart for they shall see God Now to enter into a more particular explication of these words we will divide them into two principall parts and will consider 1. who are the pure in heart And secondly the cause why they are blessed The royall Prophet David in the 15. Psalme describeth perfectly unto us those that are pure in heart They are those saith hee that lye not and who live uprightly they who backbite not with their tongues nor doe evill to their neighbours and in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but they honour them that feare the Lord they that sweare to their owne hurt and change not they that put not out their money to usurie nor take bribes or reward against the innocent This is a very faire true and ample description of the Righteous man who hath a pure heart that is who hath his conscience pure and just and who lives in integrity justice and innocencie For this word heart is not here to be understood or taken for the materiall carnall heart placed in our breasts which is the fountaine and beginning of life the first living the last dying in man but for the soule that keepeth there her ordinary Sessions as we commonly say that is corne by showing onely the sacks that hold it there is the Kings Treasure by shewing onely the Exchequer Chamber where it is kept the place containing being called and taken by the name of the thing contained so must we understand a pure heart to bee taken for the conscience which therein makes her residence Where at the first sight we finde a thing very remarkable and worthy our consideration that to wit that sinne being as it were a black and venomous Inke or an infect d and corrupted poyson as soone as it comes neare our hearts the seate of our soules it defileth infecteth and makes them so stinking that God cannot endure them before his face so much abhorreth he the very sent and smell of sin and so much the very object of iniquity is noysome and troublesome to him Now Iesus Christ knowing that man brought into the world from his mothers wombe with life the cause of death that is originall sinne cursed sinne a disastrous blade or stalke which like the wilde and evill plants casteth continually forth so many young sprigges which doth so people and store the field of our soules that in the end in stead of a Garden of Eden where God tooke pleasure to walke in stead of a delightfull River where the Angels bathed it be comes a hideous and dreadfull wildernesse where the devils and wicked spirits keepe their Sabaths and criminall Assises and Sessions a filthy sinke where wicked and impious men like Hogges continually wallowe And therefore Iesus Christ I say to bring his Apostles to perfection and to put them and all the faithfull in the way to heaven he exhorts them to keepe their hearts pure cleane and naked from all sinne filthinesse and iniquity to extirpate the thistles bryers from the fields of their soules to plow and till it carefully with the share and harrow of contrition and repentance for their sinnes In a word to make it aground fit and fruitfull to receive the holy seed of the word of life and to make it beare fruites to immortality and eternall life As men would bee curious to sweepe and cleanse a house wherein a King resolues for a while to be resident and may justly accuse him of imprudence and impudence who having advice and notice of his comming would not make hast to perfume it to adorne and enrich it with the fairest furniture to embellish it with all the rarities and most pretious jewels they could recover So alas the hearts of the faithfull are nothing else but the house of God
the glorious throne of his beloved Sonne and the tabernacle which the holy Ghost hath chosen for his habitation where is then that heart of stone that soule so base and obstinately resolved to bee lost that knowing the happy and most honourable arrivall of the great King of Kings of the three divine persons of the ineffable and incomprehensible Trinity and trine-unity doth not sweepe and cleanse the house of his heart and doth not purifie it from all dirt and filthinesse who I say will not adorne it with the richest treasures and with the rich ornaments that holinesse justice and innocencie abundantly affords purposely to receive with honour and reverence so magnificent a King who promiseth us to come unto us when hee saith in the 14. Chap. of Saint Iohn If a man love me he will keepe my words and my Father will love him and we will come in unto him and make our abode with him Our good Master Jesus Christ the Saviour of our soules teacheth us in the 22. Chap. of Sai t Mathew how much and how dearely purenesse is acceptaâ—le before him saying That the Kingdome of heaven is like a certaine King which made a marriage for his sonne and having invited many the banquetting roome was filled and the King himselfe being come in to see the guests hee there sawe a man which had not a wedding garment and said unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment And hee was speechlesse Then said the King to the servants bind him hand and foote and cast him into utter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for many are called but fewe are chosen Can we desire a more lively representation or an example more formall to shew us that God delighteth in the sincerity and purenesse of our soules and contrariwise that he abhorreth and detesteth the filthinesse of sinne the inke and coales of iniquiry which blacks and defiles our consciences for it is impossible ever to tast of the dainty and delicious Viands served at the Lambs wedding at the sumptuous and magnificent feast of the onely Sonne of the great King of Kings before we have left off our working dayes cloathes the infected and stinking coate or our naturall corruption to put on the white roabe of holinesse purity and amendment of life and to use the very words of Scripture Colos 3. Wee must cast off the old man with his deedes and put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him And Ephes 4. concerning the former conversation Cast off the old man which is corrupted according to the deceitfull lusts of his heart and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which like unto God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse And in Rom. 6.6 Our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should serue sinne no more but walke before him in renovation and newnesse of life The clearest waters are alwayes the best and therefore commonly see that the excellentest springs are derived from the rockes and fetch'd from the highest hills because that the water distilling through many narrow passages and strait places the farther it goes the more it is purified the most subtill and clearest springs seeke the highest places as approaching nearer to the nature of the ayre whose nature and propriety is still to ascend And contrariwise you may observe and marke that the thick and heavie waters are alwayes filthy and stinking and are conserved in pitts and deepe sinkes as participating of the nature of the earth and therefore are fit for nothing but to breed serpents and Frogges whereof some kill us by their mortall venome and the other trouble us with their unsufferable croaking These cleare and pure waters doe lively prefigure and set forth unto us the faithfull servant of the Lord who hath purified and as it were distilled himselfe at the fire of the love of God thereby to leave off what was earthly ponderous and troublesome in him as hatred ambition sensuality and vaine glory purposely to soare aloft and to elevate himselfe to the holy mountaine of Syon towards heaven which is the center whither the circumference of his desires designes and thoughts tendeth These black and muddy waters may expresse and set forth hell unto us where there is nothing but horrible darknesse and fearefull obscurity where that old serpent is iustly banished for his deserts and where the damned gastly and frightfull soules doe nothing else but vexe themselves and curse But to apply it to the subject of our text these stinking and corrupted waters may very fitly be compared to the wicked and to the men of this world who have Woolfes or Lyons hearts under the shape and forme of men who wallowe like Hogges in the mire and dirt of carnall security who runne not after pietie and vertue but remaine fast chained and bound to sensualitie and vice casting all their affections on the earth whereof their body is made and composed never ayming nor levelling their thoughts at heaven whence their soule had their originall True serpents in malice hatred and envie that with mortall venome infect the Lillies and Roses of the best consciences Frogges in prating and slandering that never open their mouthes but to utter unsufferable blasphemies oathes lyes and detractions Take yet this farther conceit upon the purity of the heart to wit that as the eyes ore-vayled with clowds or with cataracts and webbs cannot clearely discerne the objects or colours which are exposed before them because their faculty is prevented and hindered by the interposition of these obstacles which are placed betweene the object and the sight whereas contrariwise good sound and well disposed eyes as are these of Eagles who though soaring in the highest clowds doe neverthelesse see very plainely in the thickest bushes in the remotest furrowes of the farre distant fields and which is most admirable is that her sight is so strong and powerfull that contrary to the nature and practise of other living creatures she can steddily behold and contemplate the Sunne without winking at all yea when shee is nearest him and standing on the highest branch of a tree planted on the top of the loftiest mountaine Now to appropriate this to our matter wee say That hee whose heart is incombred with the things of this world whose soule is ore-vayled with ambition with the clowds of vanity and vaine glory whose conscience is obscured and darkned with hatred envie and malice can never contemplate God nor see his face which is all the consolation all the joy and in a word the true center of our happinesse the fulnesse of all our felicity and the greatest delights which the faithfull can wish or desire But those that shall be carefull and diligent to keepe their soules pure and cleane from the filthinesse of sinne those like Eagles indeede alwaves soaring
thither yet let our hearts ascend up if our soule be as yet bound and fastned within this mortall prison at the least let our faith flie up to those delicious places and there rest and stay untill our soules be perfectly pure cleane and white that one day both in body and soule wee may contemplate Gods divine Majestie and sing eternally with the holy Angels Holy holy is the Lord God of hosts for evermore AMEN O Most bountifull God and most mercifull King wee thy servants and children here prostrate and humbled before the high and holy tribunall of thy sacred and soveraigne Majestie doe ingenuously confesse that we are not worthy to lift up our eyes or our hands towards heaven to call upon thee in our necessities for our sinnes are raised over our heads like terrible mountaines which seeme to threaten and defie thy judgements from the top of their presumptuous impudencie Iniquity hath made our soules as black as firebrands and the transgression of thy divine commaundements hath made our consciences more red then scarlet in a word forgetting thee we haue forgotten our selues and remember but as a dreame our beginning derived from heaven Wherefore O good Iesus O sweet Saviour of our bodies and soules kindle in our hearts the fire of thy divine love and let it be a candle to our feete and a light unto our pathes that wee may safely escape out of these terrible downefalls which threaten unto us death and condemnation wash our soules in the precious blood issuing from thy wounds make them by thy favour whiter then snow and then washed wooll we cannot enter into thy Tabernacle before wee be cleansed of our faults graunt then unto us by thy mercy one onely drop of this large and vast ocean of thy great compassions wash our roabes in the blood of the Lambe that wee may be made worthy to follow him whither soever he goeth Change our eyes into two lively fountaines of penitent teares which may become a Iordane of griefe and displeasure for having beene so wicked before thy face within the which wee may dip our selues seaven times yea seaventy times seaven times that we may be delivered of the spirituall leprosie of sinne which makes us so foule and ugly in thy sight and presence And after thou hast pulled off from us the old man and cloathed us with the new which is with justice and holinesse when thou hast given us the wedding garment then we shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob at the delicate feast which thou hast prepared for us and the which must be kept upon the mountaine of the heavenly Sion where wee shall see thee face to face where we shall be ravished in this contemplation and shall bee quite exchanged and transformed into the extasie of this ravishment Amen The third way to Sion THE CROVVNE OF PEACE AND CONCORD MATH 5.9 Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God WHen two Kings to decide some quarrell are ready to take Armes they first of all enkindle the fire of warre in their subjects hearts through all their Dominions then all is in trouble combustion and disorder and all newes are sorrowfull and lamentable on the one side you may see desolate Parents poore olde men leaning on the brim of their graves considering with eyes overflowing with teares their deare children whom for the greatnes and multiplicity of their cruell wounds they can scarcely know On the other side you are frighted by the lamentable complaints by the loude cries and pitifull lamentations of the bewayling widowes over the dead bodies of their dearely beloved husbands In a word there is nothing but fire blood and slaughter to be seene so that one may properly say That Warre the mother of all mischiefe is as it were a feast celebrated to the honour of death to whom are continually offered up many pitifull and bloody sacrifices which she exactly keepes in the grave But when some great Prince of earthly Monarch undertaketh to agree them his Embassadors are every where received with open armes bone fires and triumphall arches erected in token of that joy and contentment which they receive by their mediation for peace according to that saying of the Lord Blessed are the feete of those that bring tidings of peace Rom. 10.16 Iesus Christ here continueth his Sermon to his Disciples where in a continued order hee sheweth them the perfection of blessednesse he maketh them scale the heavens by eight degrees which they must ascend here on earth And having spoken formerly of six hee commeth now to the seaventh saying Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God Which words by Gods assistance wee will divide into two principall parts 1. the proposition 2. the reason of it the proposition concerneth the Peacemakers and their felicity the reason of this beatitude is to be called the children of God Now for our better understanding of these words let us handle them all severally and let us for a while leave this concrete word Peace-maker and so come to his abstract to wit peace the which is diversly defined according to the severall sorts and degrees of it For there is the peace of the body which is a just temperature of the parts There is a peace of the irreasonable soule which is an inordinate rest of the appetite The is a peace of the reasonable soule which is a moderated consent of the action and understanding There is a peace of the soule and body which is a well governed life and the health of the living creature There is a peace of mortall man which is a well ordered obedience in faith under the government of the eternall and divine law There is a peace of the house which consisteth in a just concord of the domesticall both in commanding and obeying There is a peace of the Cite which is a concord among the Citizens There is a peace of the heavenly Citie which is a well governed Societie wholly and eternally to enjoy God There is a peace of men which is a mutuall concord And againe there is a peace of all things which is a perfect tranquillity of order now order is nothing else but a true disposition giving to every thing his true ranke and place The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalom representeth unto us exceeding well her Essence for it signifieth a happy successe of all things in God Where we may note that every word hath his weight and inestimable value For first it is a successe and not a hazard which is happy and not unlucky of all and not of something onely in God and not in the world The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quiet sweet gracious as deserving that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by excellencie because there is nothing in the world to bee compared to the excellencie of a publick and particular rest and tranquillity The Latines call it Pax quasi pacata because
it is peaceable and no way mooved by the windes of seditions nor of desperate passions Shee is like the Sea when it is calme and quiet there is nothing fairer to behold then the humid and serene plaines of it all seeming to be an entire piece of Christall And to prove that peace is nothing else but gentlenesse and courtesie let us heare the Apostle St. Paul Heb. 11.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that beleeved not when she had received the spies with peace which is gently and courteously so that she did them no harme nor suffered any to be done unto them any way at all So we read that Christ after his resurrection came among his Disciples saying unto them Peace be unto you We reade also in the 2. Chap. of Saint Luke ver 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word that is thou sufferest him to depart with happinesse and felicity since he hath seene thy face And in the 10. Chap. of Saint Math. ver 13. If the house be worthy to receive you let your peace come upon it but if the house be not worthy let your peace returne to you Where all interpreters agree that by this word peace Christ understandeth all things good and favourable all blessings and all graces Now that wee may the more delight in the description of this garden of peace let us therein imitate these Painters who intending to represent unto us some very excellent beauty use to draw and place close by it some black and ghastly picture that by the opposition of that deformity our eyes may take the more pleasure and delight in beholding that faire and beautifull face opposite to it according to the truth of the Latine Proverb Contraria contrarijs opposita mag is elucescunt One contrary appeareth better by the opposition of his contrary so the darknesse of the night makes us find the Sunnes light more pleasant the thornes embellish the Roses and the roughnesse of the black briers seeme to adde excellencie to the soft whitenesse of the Lillies Even so if wee speake a little of the mischiefes of warre we shall find the sweetnesse of peace farre the more excellent and without staying let us here say with Plutarch in the life of Fabius Maximus That warre is a time when neither right nor reason can finde place Caesar said that the time of warre and that of lawes were two It is a time when Iustice is trodden under feete when the time of ill doing is in season when unfaithfulnesse is taken for vertue O time pitifully miserable since force trampleth Iustice under foote when nothing is to be seene but fire slaughters treasons robberies cruelties tortures in a word all that fearefulnesse which hell can afford there you may see virgins ravished children hanging on their mothers breast slaine honest women mocked and abused by the insolent souldier Churches robbed houses pillaged there is nothing to be seene but burning but slaughtered bodies but blood nothing is to be heard but lamentable sighes cries and groanes in a word all humanity is banished from thence so that wee say that warre est bonorum mors omnium vero malorum fons scaturigo Warre is the death of goodnesse and the life and beginning of all evill Now is not this face at the first sight capable to make us abhorre it even before we perceive the least lineament or the least draught or shadow of beauty which appeares in the face of his contrary that is of peace But let us see the effects of warre in the hearts where it is praedominant certainly ex malo coruo malum ovum ex malo ovo malum omen Of an ill Raven an ill egge of an ill egge and ill presage for as the Philosophers say Qualis causa talis effectus as is the cause so is the effect Eagles doe not bring forth Doves nor warre this horrible and fearefull monster any thing else but cruelty rigour and fiercenesse When man is possessed by any of these foolish passions daughters of disaster and mothers of misfortune then his reason is all disfigured by it the use of it is lost Denigrata est super carbones facies ejus The functions of his minde are turned upside downe they are like a broken clock wherein all is in disorder and to which there is no trusting The royall Prophet David sheweth us the effects of it in few words In mine anger saith he mine eye was troubled my soule and my belly were moved And indeed in that case man is quite perverted his functions depraved hee foames at the mouth his eyes glister he shaketh and sweateth all over his body Ora tument ira nigrescunt sanguine venae Lumina gorgoneo savius igne micant As in the clowds are formed all the meteors all the stormes thunders hayles mists raines fogges that trouble the ayre make the earth dirty and cause a thousand incommodities to the world even so in the microcosme or little world wrath confoundeth all and overthroweth all order But when that powerfull planet the sunne of reason hath dispell'd and scattered the mists of those confusions the clowds of so many disorders then his light pierceth and passeth through all those obscure darknesses to shine on the actions and to put the minde in her first station and temper A cholerick man maketh me remember the Bee that being troubled stingeth him that angereth her but in stinging leaveth her sting in the wound and with it her life Animasque in vulnere ponunt So the cholerick man thinking to wound others killeth his owne soule and murthereth it with his owne weapons patitur tâ—lis vulnera facta suis Salomon that wise King saith That the Kings wrath is like the roaring of a Lyon and against which who can subsist and that his mildnesse is like the morning dewe When the Sunne passeth through the Zodiack and is entered into the signe of Leo we endure unsufferable heat so when wrath is joyned with power and some likelihood of reason it produceth strange effects The Lyon is a beast of an exceeding hot complexion which causeth in his mouth so strong an infection and stinke that when hee hath devoured the halfe of his prey that which he leaveth is suddenly putrified and corrupted this eternall fire is so violent in this beast that it is commonly the cause of his death happening by the corruption of his bowels Is not this a lively Embleme and representation of the cholerick man whose slandering tongue is so venomous and stinking that it corrupteth and infecteth his neighbours good name if he touch it never so little in a word wrath is a black and burned humour that not onely corrupteth the body but also killeth the soule In the law of Moses those birds that had crooked clawes and lived by prey were not to be eaten nor sacrificed under the shadow of this figure let
and peace shall be with you It was needfull I say that these good Disciples should bee like their Master whose duty and charge it was to reconcile men unto God as we read Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life And 2. Cor. 5.18.20 God hath reconciled us to himselfe by Iesus Christ and hath given us the ministery of reconciliation For God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and not imputing their trespasses unto them And Coloss 1.20 It pleased the Father to reconcile all things to himselfe through the blood of his crosse O what praise deserue those soules that seeing so many dissentions and quarrells kindled runne presently and make haft to bring the wholesome water of peace and quietnesse least the continuation should cause a total ruine or some irreparable hurt those I say are doubtlesse and without comparison to be preferred to the valiantest Champions that come into the field for those overcome the bodies these vanquish and tame the mindes those fight for a crowne that will wither these eternally carrie away a greene crowne of benedictions and blessings those teare and breake their bodies these beautifie and strengthen their soules In a word the issue of the combat of those is recompensed but by a little weake renowne in the unconstant different minds of men but the end of these is an exceeding excellent glory an eternall triumph and trophees that never die in the blessed remembrance of God and the Angels God commanded Noah to build an Arke of polished wood covered with pitch so must all faithfull Christians bee inseparably united the one to the other by chaines of love and bonds of concord and amity that so they may escape from the deluge of unreconcileable hatred and quarrells A ship split and that takes in water every where giveth feare of an infallible shipwrack for every Kingdome divided shall fall into desolation saith Iesus Christ right so rough and unsociable spirits that will never consent to an agreement are thereby nearer their grave In the Arke of Noah the Lyon was with the Hart the Woolfe with the Lamb the Eagle with the Pigeon the Hawk with the Partridge so the peacemaker must procure peace not onely among his neighbours when they are fallen out but he must also receive into the Arke of his heart friends and foes without distinction or difference of persons Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe saith the law of Moses but the law of grace goes farther and sayeth Love your enemies pray for them that persecute you Mathew 5. It hath beene noted that Bees never stay their swarmes nor build their Hives where Ecchoes resound by the repercussion of the ayre so the Spirit of grace dwelleth not in soules full of dissentions and wrath Whilest the Temple of Salomon was building there was heard neither Hammer nor Sawe which teacheth us that for the building of a good conscience there must bee heard neither the hammers of debate nor the saw of quarrels to the end that God who dwelleth in the temple of our hearts may receive graciously the incense of our prayers and accept freely of our peace offerings It is also noted that the gates were made of Olive tree which is the true symbole of peace to shew us that the gates of our soule to wit our senses must bee nothing but peace and gentlenesse When Abraham came from the overthrow of the five Kings that had pillaged Sodome Melchisedeck King of Salem that is King of peace went to meet him gave his souldiers bread and wine and after blessed them A rare picture for our designe is Abraham the Father of the faithfull who with all his souldiers represent unto us the faithfull who under the standard of Faith goe fight against the enemies of their saluation which are laden with the spoyles of spirituall Sodome and returning from their happy victory shall meete the true Melchisedeck that King of peace Iesus Christ our Saviour of which the other was but lively a type and figure who shall fill them with the bread of peace and with wine of joy and who will blesse them in the rest of their way which they have to make in this life untill with Abraham they are come to their desired rest to that heavenly Cannan for the which they sigh and respire We read in the 1. of Kings chap. 19. ver 11. that God said to Elijah Goe forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord and behold the Lord passed by and a great and strong winde rent the mountaines and brake in pieces the rockes before the Lord but the Lord was not in the winde and after the winde an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake And after the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire a still small noise and God was there Which teacheth vs that God dwelleth not in the windes of wrath in the earthquakes of passions in the fire of malice and envie but in the tranquillity of rest and peace When the great Messias the Redeemer of our soules the true Salomon the King of peace came to guild and decorate the world with the brightnesse of his graces and blessings the earth was quiet the nations lived in a profound peace the Angels denouncing to the Sheepheards his arrivall tuned those melodious Ditties in their sacred Hymnes Glory bee to God on high and on earth peace good will towards men Luk. 2.14 When hee entred into any house the salutation and blessing which he gave was Peace be to this house shewing unto us by that that the greatest good and blessing that can happen to man consist in peace When hee was ready to depart out of this world hee said to his Apostles I give you my peace I leave you my peace as being the rarest gift after saluation which he could give unto them Gen. 14.27 Saint Augustine is very witty in these points Sicut spiritus humanus nunquam vivisicat membra nisi fuerint unita sic spiritus sanctus nunquam nos vivificat nisi pace unitos As saith hee the soule of man doth not quicken or vivifie our members unlesse they be joyned together so the holy Ghost doth never vivifie or quicken us but when we are united by the bond of peace Ignatius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is nothing better then peace And Saint Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is nothing more proper and naturall to a Christian then to reconcile and pacifie Let us say with an ancient Author that peace is the salt of this life without which it is unsavorie and without relish When salt is put into the water it melteth and insensibly becomes liquid but when it is throwne into the fire it cracketh untill it bee quite consumed Even so is the peacemaker for he conformeth and fashioneth himselfe so quietly to
And after we have quenched and put out the trouble of our hearts vexation of our soules caused by the fire of sinne when wee shall have scattered those flames that destroy and devoure that union and concord which God hath so strictly commanded us to keepe then shall wee be called to that heavenly Ierusalem which is the Citie of peace and there shall wee enter into the possession of the inheritance promised to adopted children in Iesus Christ our Lord wee shall partake with him eternall blessednesse hee shall be our head in those divine sessions and we shall be his members wee shall shine as the Sun the holy Ghost shall enlighten us and the God of peace shall be for ever with us Amen O Soveraigne Monarch of heaven and earth that governest all things by thy providence which to us is altogether incomprehensible we thy most humble Subjects calling unto thee from the bottome of our soules beseech thee by the greatnesse of thy compassions that it may please thee to plant in our hearts a holy and perfect justice which taking deepe rootes therein may bring forth fruites of peace and concord which thou straightly recommendest unto us in thy holy word Make us perfectly just that we may love peace perfectly as being the daughter of justice enkindle O good God the fire of thy love in our hearts and soules that we may love our brethren even as thou hast loved us give us a spirit of gentlenes meekenes that we may fly eschew quarrels contentions not only in our selues but also when we shal see them kindled among our brethren make us knowe O good Saviour that those enmities and dissentions are the devils daughters who loves nothing but noyse and disorder and that peace and mildnesse are the daughters of divine justice which thou lovest dearely which wee must embrace and practise if we will be honoured with the title of thy children and not onely be called so but also to be indeed children of God and heires of eternall and blessed life to the which the Father Sonne and holy Ghost bring us Amen The fourth way to Sion 1. PETER 2. 17. Feare God and honour the King AS rayes or Sunne-beames follow and beare observance to the Sunne As all rivers runne to the Sea and as many lines end and terminate in their center so there are many wayes to bring us to the Paradise of God to Ierusalem above which is our heavenly and happy Country Neverthelesse wee must herein use the Maxime of the Mathematicians who hold that the shortest line â—s still the rightest also in all these different wayes of new Sion the shortest is the best and surest When God gave his Law to Moses upon the Mountaine of Sinay he divided it into ten commandements which are so many perfect wayes to conduct and bring us to heaven for IESVS CHRIST the sweet Saviour of our soules being himselfe descended from Heaven to shew and point us out this way hee drew a short Compendium and Abridgement of all these Ten Commandements of the Law and reduced them to two as wee shall finde it written in the 22. Chapter of St. Mathew where wee see him disputing against a Doctor of the Law who demanded of him which was the first and greatest Commaundement and Iesus answered him Thou shalt love God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde which is the first and greatest commandement and the second is like unto it which is Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe and of these two Commaundements depend the whole Law and the Prophets as our Apostle Saint Peter in the imitation of his blessed Master Christ after hee had instructed and admonished his faithfull flocke in all their duties in the precedent verses of our Text hee drawes an abridgement of all which concerned their saluation when he said Feare God and honour the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these words we have all the instructions which we must practise in our soules and bodies concerning those divine and humane duties which wee must convert and reduce into practise which wordes naturally divide themselues into two severall branches or heads to wit 1. the feare which wee ought to beare unto God and 2. The honour which wee must obserue and give to the King The sweetest and most pleasingst sacrifice which we can offer up unto the Lord Almighty is a heart replenished and fraughted with the feare of his holy name a minde trembling before his sacred Majestie and a soule terrified with the sublimity and greatnesse of his fearefull judgements as the royall Prophet affirmeth in Psal 2.11 Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling And againe Psal 2.7 I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy feare will I worship towards thy holy Temple We can offer up no sacrifice so pleasing nor performe no action or duty so acceptable to God as when wee adore him in all feare and reverence him in all astonishment trembling which lively depaynteth and prefigureth his Greatnesse and Magnificence perfectly demonstrateth us our Duties and witnesseth our humility and obedience which is exceeding delightfull and pleasing to him That Romane Emperour perspicuously expressed and deciphered the excellent power and effects of this feare when he caried for his Motto and Devise Oderint dum metuant Let those hate me that will so they feare me shewing thereby what small account and esteeme hee made of the hatred and how dearely he prised and respected the feare which hee would have given and borne to him Morall Philosophers affirme and say That Love and feare are two fister germanes because the one is conjoyned to the other and both linked together produce one the same effects for still the Lover is in care and feare of the thing beloved whereas wee never feare to lose that which wee hate but that Which wee love dearely and cherish tenderly and both of these together produce the conseruation of their object But this distinction takes no place but here on earth among creatures and doth neither regard nor looke up towards Heaven to God the Creator For God is all Love but he can never be capable of alteration or defect as is that feare which he hath left and given unto man for his portion and inheritance So he which is possessed with a perfect feare to offend his God or to lose his favour he is linked and joyned to God with the Gordian knots of his love which are then wholly made indivisible and inseparable and the Love of God conjoyned with the feare of man cause the conservation of the soule and this it is where the Apostle Saint Peter tells us in our text Feare God By which word feare wee must not understand a cowardize a pusillanimity or any irregular passion which freezeth our blood in our veines which causeth our hearts to pant and beat with an incessant motion which calls and attracts
our blood from all parts of our bodies to come to assist and succour our heart which shutts and hoodwinkes our eyes against reason and imagineth that all objects whatsoever presented to us have all together conjured and conspired our ruine as those who fly from a battaile feare every bush which they see or meete with to be their enemies who purposely pursue them and runne every where to kill them Or else as those who are led to their executions and deathes whom feare doth so powerfully seize and surprise that by these passions and effects it in a manner deprives them of life before they think thereof the which wee can testifie and approve by many irrevocable precedents and examples No no It is not of this defect of judgement or of this cowardly apprehension and feare which our Apostle tells us of but it a holy just and commendable feare which we ought to have and retaine in bearing an admirable respect and honour to the Creator and conseruer of our bodies and soules As to feare and tremble before the terrible throne of his divine Iustice and by not rashly abusing of his favours and mercies so liberally so bountifully extended to us because his presence is a consuming fire which devoures and consumes to ashes all those who unreverently approach his sacred Throne his most holy hill as heretofore hee forbad the children of Israel not to approach mount Sinay because hee was there purposely to speake with his servant Moses But not to stay any longer on this point let us say with the Philosophers and Theologians that there is generally two sorts of feare that is to say Divine and Humane which againe subdivide themselues every one into three severall parts and branches The Humane feare compriseth and comprehendeth 1. The Naturall which hath wholly buried in her the senses all Philosophy and the strongest and most assured courage cannot hinder him from shutting his eyes at the suddaine surprise of a flash of lightning or at the feignednesse of a hand which unexpectedly approacheth our face or that we withdraw not or turne not our head from the sight of a fearefull precipice or that a suddaine crack or noyse doe not at first hearing terrifie or astonish us Primi illi motus non sunt hominis The first motions or terrours are not in our power 2. Corporall whereby wee naturally abhorre Death and feare to expose and cast our selues into danger 3. Mundane or worldly whereby we feare to lose our wealth honours and dignities but it is of neither of these sorts of feares which our Apostle speakes unto us but ondy of Divine feare which likewise streames foorth in three rivolets 1. Servile whereby we feare God for the apprehension we have of the infernall tortures and torments of Hell and this degree and sort of feare is not good of it selfe because it hath no good object nor is made or formed to a good end neverthelesse it is held and termed good because it conduceth to good 2. Initiant which lookes two wayes 1. towards the torments wee feare 2. towards the glory we desire and it is also termed enterwoven or mixt because it is composed both of a good and bad feare 3. Filiall which is the last and best sort of divine feare whereby we love God not only for our owne glory or for the apprehension of torments but for his goodnes excellency perfection and in a word for and in regard of himselfe Saint Bernard lively describes and pertinently represents those three sorts of feare 1. Ne cruciemur à gehenna 2. Ne exclusi à visione tam inestimabili gloria privemur 3. Replet animum sollicitudine ne deseratur à gratia Which is to say The first feare apprehends torments The second the privation of glory and the third wholly possesseth our hearts and mindes with care and anxiety as fearing not to lose Gods grace and favour The servile feare is attributed to the wicked The filiall to the good I meane to those who are the children of God The Initiant or intermixed is proper as well to the good as the bad and also it is the most frequent and generall Those three sorts of feare are so many wings which conduct elevate soare us up to heaven The Servile begins first which denounceth to sinners eternall death and damnation and that sharpe and sensible apprehension to be devoured with the flames of hell fire It opens him the gate to be sorrowfull for his offences which threaten to precipitate him in that unquenchable fire and afterwards entering into a firme and lively repentance for his former sinnes hee begins to conceive the future felicity and glory of Heaven for the love whereof hee partly resolues to forsake and abandon sinne as Salomon saith By the feare of the Lord men depart from evill Prov 16.6 Although neverthelesse that he doe it partly for feare of punishment which will infallibly follow him and afâ—er that it againe leades him into this perfect filiall feare whereby he so infinitely loves God that hee had rather dye then offend him in the least thing of the world so neerely he loves him so deerely he honoureth and adores him St. Augustine makes onely two sorts of feare to wit Filiall and Servile and makes them different in this That the Servile hath for object malum poenae the evill of punishment and the filiall malum culpae the evill of guiltinesse Illo timetur ne incidatur in tormentum supplicij isto ne amittatur gratia beneficij By the first wee feare the torments of hell fire By the second wee feare to lose the grace and favour of God It is this faire this sweet spirituall vertue which gives us admittance and entrance into the closet of God which openeth unto us the treasures of his favour and mercy and which makes us enter into the possession of life eternall For those who feare the Lord shall behold his face shall have prosperity and see good dayes saith the royall Prophet King David Psalm 34.11 It is this feare of the Lord which makes men prosper on earth as saith Salomon the Prince of wise men and the wisest of Princes The feare of the Lord prolongeth dayes but the yeares of the wicked shall be shortned Prov. 10.27 This wise King in all his afflictions and troubles had still his recourse to the feare of the Lord which was his fortresse his Sanctuary his comfort and consolation as wee shall read in the 14. Chap. of Proverbs In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge The feare of the Lord is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death He againe teacheth us that wealth is unprofitable yea prejudiciall to us without this salubrious this sacred feare of God that poverty is to be preferred before fading and perishable riches Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith This feare of the Lord
and docible and so to instruct and civilise him to the service of God It still shewes him the eminent dangers wherein shee will ingulph precipitate him in offending his God but still with an indulgent intent to prevent and hinder him from it Pondus timor is est anchora cordis The burthen which feare caries with it is the hearts anchor to prevent that it bee not reversed and overblowne by the waves nor of all sides split and shipwrack'd by the violence and impetuosity of tempestuous passions which without intermission assayle and beat upon it But the mercy of the Lord saith David is from generation to generation upon all those who feare him In a word and so to draw to the conclusion of this part of the Text the two principall pillars of Christian Doctrine and the two firme and vnremoveable foundations thereof is Feare and Love which are the two proper meanes to containe the godly and to retaine the wicked in the observation of Gods Commandements The wicked by Feare the godly by Love as the Poet speakes but morally in a Christian sense and language Oderunt peccare mali formidine Poenae Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore The wicked abhorre to offend for feare of punishment and the Godly will not be drawne to sinne because of their love of vertue But here fearing least I should runne astray and so lose and ingulph my selfe in this great and vast Ocean of the feare of God it makes mee rowe abord thereby to gaine the desired shore and so to treat and discourse of the second part of the Text which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour the King The two noblest and most excellent offices which the Angels and blessed soules enjoy above in the triumphant Church are the vision of God and the ordinary action of glorifying and honouring God about the which they are eternally imployed and therefore the holy Ghost to fashion and dispose us here belowe in the militant Church to glorifie in time his sacred Majestie in heaven commandeth us in our text likewise to Honour the King as being the true Image and lively representation of that great King of glory of the Father of Eternitie of the mighty God of Hoasts Feare God saith hee and Honour the King Divine and altogether admirable words as being the summe and abridgement of all the duties which we ought to practise in this world both in body and soule both for the morall and spirituall life the performance whereof brings us to absolute perfection for if we feare God wee serve him and never offend him and in honouring the King besides the performance of our duty wee obey the Commaundement of God So these 2. commandements are so straightly link'd and joyned together that the breach of the one is the violation of the other for we cannot displease the King without offending God nor offend God without violating the Kings lawes Let us see what that chosen vessell saith in very earnest and pressing words Rom. 13.1 Let every soule be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but from God and all authority is given from the Lord which is the reason of the commandement followed presently with a threatning wherefore who so resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and therefore incurres condemnation for the Prince beares not the sword in vaine seeing he is the servant and minister of God to punish evill doers therfore must ye be subject not onely for feare but also for conscience sake and therefore pay ye tribute because they are the ministers of God ordained to that end Give then unto every one his due tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare and honour to whom honour Before we enter into an exact and particular exposition of the words of our Text wee will examine the consequence of this commaundement and as those who desire to know the sweetnesse and goodnesse of water ascend to fetch it from the spring that wee may esteeme the more the excellencie and greatnesse of this commandement we must observe that this ordinance is not made by men either to flatter Kings for feare of their soveraigne authority but that it is Gods owne ordinance dictated unto our Apostle by the holy Ghost Which brings great matter of consolation to those who with zeale undertake the execution of it knowing that God loves those that feare him and blesseth those that are obedient to him And contrarily it must greatly terrifie the disobedient when they remember the infallible threatnings and the irrevocable sentence pronounced by Gods owne sacred mouth saying Cursed is hee that breakes the least of these commandements Math. 5.19 Cursed is hee that shall not be permanent in all the things written in the book of the law to doe them Deut. 27.26 We must againe note that the Commandements of God are like the Sciences which are more or lesse esteemed according to the nobility and excellencie of their object for as that affection and charity which we owe to our neighbour without comparison gives place to that extreame and infinite love which wee owe to our God and heavenly Father so the honour we are to beare to all men in generall is so much inferiour to that we owe the King as his dignity is elevated above that of other men and therefore you see that as soone as our Apostle commandeth us to feare God hee addeth presently Honour the King Shewing by that order that the honour and service due to the King immediatly followes that which wee owe to God and therefore a great servant of God of our times expounding these words saith after Tertullian That in the performance of these two precepts the Christian makes himselfe perfect both for the religious and morall life for in fearing God hee walkes through the pathes of justice holinesse and innocencie which leades in the end to eternall felicity And in honouring the King he observes his lawes and by those meanes buildeth up for himselfe a delightfull rest and an incomparable felicity But because it is to undertake to sayle over a boundlesse and bottomlesse Ocean if we should goe about to alledge here all the places which we might cite out of the Fathers and many others let us hearken to the holy Ghost in the most common places of Scripturel and imitating the Israelites we will onely take some few drops of water out of the land of Edow and shew onely the springs afarre off we will passe over quickly like the dogge of the river Nilus least some Crocodile thirsting after our innocencie should open his stinking mouth to accuse us as though our intention were other then tending to the service and glory of God which is the onely centre unto the which all the lines of our intentions immediatly tend and ayme Wee very easily learne the definition or description of this word to Honour in the 6. Chap of Esther when Ahashuerâ—sh asked Haman what should be done unto the
to this commandement are common both to the rebellious to their Prince and to the disobedient to their Father as on the contrary those that are obedient to both shall bee equally rewarded with the same blessing and the promise made to them by God who doe honour their parents is also to be extended to those who honour their Kings and Princes which promise is happinesse and length of dayes upon the land Which promise though it often seeme otherwise is alwayes fulfilled for when an obedient sonne to his father or a faithfull subject to his Prince dieth young and in the flower of his age God neverthelesse accomplisheth his word and fulfilleth truely his promise for if it bee good for the faithfull to remaine in the land GOD will make him abundantly to prosper therein but if his admirable and incomprehensible providence see that hee should be sundry wayes grievously afflicted he often times putteth him in safety and calleth him unto him in his mercy and yet hee is still as good as his word as if a man pomised mee a hundred pounds and should give me three hundred hee thereby breakes not his promise so God having promised us here belowe the possession of this world and seeing that our dwelling in it is not for our profit bereaving us of this hee admitteth us into the incorruptible Kingdome of glory more excellent without comparison then the first and so whether hee let us dwell here belowe or whether hee call us above to himselfe we shall alwayes be in a most happy condition if we obey his commandement in Honouring the King This word and dignity of a King is so knowne and familiar to all kinde of nations that we should seeme to light a candle at noone day to see the light of the Sunne if wee should exactly seeke out the definitions and Etymologies of it We will onely say with Saint Augustine in the Citie of God that the name of King is the auncientest title given to the Governours and Rulers of peoples yea when the earth devoyd of all ambition enjoyed the sweetnesse and felicity of an inestimable peace For as Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tucri There is no lesse vertue in conserving then in purchasing so you see that the peaceablest of the Auncients have provided for their conservation in chusing Kings and Princes under whose shadowe they enjoyed quiet rest for the Kingdome being as a body the King must alwayes be the head which being seated on the top and elevated over the rest of the members hee fore-seeth the dangers to avoyd them and considereth the advantages to embrace them Now as in the head is seene the glory and beauty of man according to these auncient verses Pronaque cum spectent animalia caetera terram Os homini sublime dedit coelumque tueri Iussit erectos ad sydera tollere vultus All living creatures alwayes behold the earth but God hath made and erected mans face that he might behold the heaven and the starres even so must we consider the beauty of the subjects in the Kings face and Majestie as being the head thereof As you see that all the senses both internall and externall are seated and take their beginning from the head so all the counsells all the resolutions justice the lawes in a word all that is necessary for the Kingdomes conservation is all to be found in the King as in his center and in the place whence they take their beginning Let us then examine particularly since wee have a Royall subject in hand all the circumstances by which the King in comparison of his subjects is just as the head is over the rest of the members wherein reason holdeth her Assizes and Sessions the better to governe this Microcosme or little world The two chiefest and noblest faculties of the soule are the Vnderstanding and the Will the same which we note in the soule wee may also marke to be in the King which is as it were the soule of the people for as from the understanding proceede the counsels resolutions and enterprises needfull for the conservation of mans body even so from the King proceedes the meanes and inventions for the right and just government of his Realme As by the Will wee see that man accepteth those things which are good and rejecteth those that are hurtfull even so the King by his wonderfull prudence and wisedome seeketh what is good profitable to his subjects contrarily rejecteth and preventeth whatsoever is hurtfull and dangerous to them In a word as all the parts of the body and all the appetites of the soule stirre according to the motion of the will so the people should never have any other desire thought or intention but the desire thought and designe of their King who is the Lords anointed sent by God to administer Iustice and to governe his people in Equity as the Psalmist speaketh Psalm 46.10 The hands of Kings are like that divine river which compassed about the Garden of Eden and being divided into foure branches communicated to the hearbs and plants of that inclosure a continuall moysture and which was altogether most wonderfull and miraculous in that those foure brookes besides the excellent sweetnesse of their water were well stored some with fine gold and others with precious stones With infinite right and reason may we therefore compare the hands and actions of Kings to this undraynable spring and river of the earthly Paradise since they are imployed about nothing else but lovingly to cherish and tender their Subjects by liberally distributing and communicating to them the meanes of their subsistance and prosperity But least wee should be carried away by the swift streame of the many severall cogitations which arise from so royall a subject let us returne to our former discourse to wit that the King being to his people as the head is to the rest of the body all the rare and admirable parts contayned therein as the internall and externall senses ought justly to bee compared to him And first that Sense by precedencie and excellencie which the Philosophers call Common that is that which receives all the objects of the externall senses to bring the species of them to the phantasie and what is the King else but this common sense since he is profitable to all he receiveth the objects that is the wishes and petitions of all to convay them to the phantasie that is to his imaginative and mature deliberation there to consult and resolve what is good usefull honest needfull and profitable for his suppliants and people Let us now behold that golden head as Daniel expounding Nebuchadnezzars dream calleth him Let us I say see how all the fiue externall senses are very fitly and properly appliable to him First the King the head of the people hath in himselfe the Prince of the senses the sight he possesseth it in the highest degree of perfection he is like the Lyon that never shutteth his eye
Resurrection of his body but hee doth not say I will see him by my flesh and if he had it might have beene understood of Christ that shall come at the last judgement in the sight of all but his meaning was that when hee should see God hee should be in his flesh though the wormes and corruption had devoured it Saint Augustine is excellent upon this subject saying We shall see God with our corporall glorified eyes as we see the life of a man by his living actions not seeing life it selfe so is it likely that being enlightened by a heavenly and divine light we shall be able to see the Creator of all things both in them and himselfe so doubtfully the learnedst speake of it In the 5 Chap. of the 2. booke of Kings we reade that Elisha after that he had healed Naaman the Syrian saw Gehazi his servant take Presents from him although hee were beyond the common reach of the sight and when Gehazi was returned hee said unto him Went not my heart with thee when the man turned againe from his Charet to meet thee Now if this Prophet hath bin able to see the actions of his servant although absent from him how much more shall our glorified bodies see all when God shal be all in all Now Elisha saw this action of his servant either by a speciall revelation from God or by the sight of a spirituall imagination of the Prophet that shewed him the thing after which manner he knew the most secret counsells of the King of Syria We speake of these things as blind men doe or colours wee finde no certainty of them any where the Fathers themselues speake so obscurely of them they goe as softly on in the handling of this question as if they trod on thornes they grope along as if they went in the obscure darknes of the blackest night hardly can you finde two agreeing together and which is more strange not one that is agreed with himselfe and indeed how should a worme of the earth the dwelling of errours the subject of ignorance know or comprehend that great God which is the fountaine of all knowledge and the bottomlesse and shorelesse Ocean of wisedome and prudence It is true that when our soules shall be blessed with that eternall happines that they shal enjoy the divine vision in which consisteth our chiefest felicity we shall then see God as he is but to conceive and comprehend the infinity of his being it will be altogether impossible to us Those that sayle in the maine Sea which way soever they looke finde no other object but the heaven or the waves their sight being too weake to penetrate to the bottome or to view the shores Even so shall we see God and know him as farre as it shall please him to enable us but so farre shall wee be from compreheading him that he doth comprehend us and wee should then be no more seene there then a drop of wine in the Ocean Saint Basile handling this question in the Epistle to Eumonius hath an excellent comparison from the least to the greatest If we cannot comprehend the composition of a Pismire for the smalnesse of it how shall wee comprehend the infinite greatnesse of God We shall comprehend it indeede but it shall be as a spunge cast into the Ocean which is filled quite with water but is overcome and compassed round about by it I should want time rather then matter to speake on a subject so high and excellent wee should never have done if we should propound and resolue the infinite number of arguments and opinions moved upon this question of our sight of God But for us let us hold as the Mathematicians doe linea recta est brevissima that the straitest line is the shortest and in this the shortest way is the surest let us turne neither to the right hand nor to the left from the certaine way of truth taught unto us by the truth it selfe to wit by Iesus Christ in our Text saying Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Let us then purifie our hearts and cleanse our soules from the filthinesse of sinne and from the spots of iniquity let our consciences bee white as snow and cleane as washed wooll let us take the firme and inviolable oath of Alleageance to our God and let us not suffer Satan our mortall enemie to take possession of the fort of our soules of the hill of Syon that is of our consciences let us not suffer him to make a breach in that vow that we vowed to his obedience at our first reception into the Church by Baptisme and so wee shall be washed seaven times in the Iordan of repentance and of contrition for our faults when we have put on the white roabes of holinesse justice and innocencie we shall be invited to the Lambs wedding we shall sit downe at table with the Kings sonne wee shall be abundantly filled with the dainties of his house and shall drinke in the river of his delights In a word when like the high Priest we have left off the habits of our naturall corruption and put on the white and cleane garment of sanctification for our selues of love for our God of charity for our neighbour then even then the gate of the most holy place which is heaven shall be opened unto us wee shall see Gods Majestie not darkly and as in a clowd as it hath long appeared to our fore fathers but rather as a bright shining Sunne whose vertue shall enlighten us whose love shall warme us and whose compassions shall animate us at whose sight wee shall be vivified consolated and glorified For hee will enrowle us among his Angels will make us Citizens of heaven and impatriate us to be absolute possessors of the rich treasures of eternall life where it is farre easier to know what is not there then to discourse what is There there is no death no wearinesse no infirmity no hunger no thirst no heat no cold no corruption no want no mourning nor sorrow Wee have told you what there is not there but what there is there eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither is it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love him now because these joyes and felicities have not entred into the heart of man therefore man must strive to enter into them God speakes thus by his Prophet Isaiah chap. 32. My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitatoin and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places In this blessed life there is a certaine assurance a sure tranquillity a happy eternity an eternall happinesse a perfect charity a perpetuall day a quick motion in a word all shall be there led and governed by the same Spirit Here let us burne with zeale to ascend to those faire places let us be enflamed with extreame desire of possessing so goodly an inheritance and if our bodies cannot as yet goe