consider ad Eugen. I do not desire thee to do it often but onely sometime And that which hee speakes of Eugenius his retyring himselfe to consideration I may apply to the sequestring of our selues to the actions of humiliation as fasting prayer repentance I do not exhort you to do it alwaies nay I do not now presse you to doe it often Yet in all reason some times are to bee set apart to these duties for shall we haue times of feasting and not of fasting of mirth not of mourning of sinning and not of repenting And if there be any behold the present time doth especially inuite vs hereunto For the Church hath anciently sequestred this time of Lent for these holy duties in especiall manner In regard of our Sauiours Passion in respect of his Resurrection Which are at this time celebrated and for the celebration of the blessed Sacrament In regard of his Passion and that fitly for by our humiliation we do in some sort partake with Christ in his Passion according to that in the 8. Rom. 17. If we suffer with him wee shall also bee glorified with him For albeit we are not called to follow him to mount Caluary that our hands feet may bee pierced with the nayles our sides with the speare and our heads with the Crowne of thorns yet whosoeuer will haue comfort by Christ must haue his heart pierced with remorse for his sinnes that he may bee partaker of that benediction Blessed are those that mourne Mat. 5. for they shall bee comforted Againe in respect of his resurrection Easter as Leo saith is the greatest of all Christian solemnities The Natiuitie of Christ is indeed a high Festiuall but his Resurrection surpasseth it For when Christ came into the world hee went downe like Dauid into the valley to encounter Goliah in the opinion of men like Dauid 1. Sam. 17. a weake champion for such a combate but when hee arose from the graue he came vp like Dauid out of the valley a glorious Conqueror Now Lent is Leo de Quadrages serm 3. ad Paschale festum praeparatio a preparatiō to the great solemnity of Easter that wee may keepe that feast with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth 1. Cor. 5. and bee worthy partakers of the blessed Sacrament S. Chrysostome more then once cals it sanctam Quadragesimam the holy time of Lent not because the time is in it selfe more holy then others but because that this time should be dedicated and wee at this time deuoted to holinesse in especiall manner Yea Leo doubted not to say Parùm religiosus c. Leo de Quadrages serm 1. If a man be not religious at this time there is little hope that he will be at any time To conclude therefore Seeing wee haue the time inuiting vs and our Sauiours cōfortable speech exciting vs Let vs search try our wayes Lam. 3.40 and turne vnto the Lord Let vs meet him with broken and contrite hearts let vs seeke mercy from him with prayers teares of true repentance that heauen may reioyce for vs. In a word if there be any one which hath heard mee this day whose heart hath smittē him for his sins his soule is touched with remorse with a purpose of reformation as I hope there are many then may I say in our Sauiours words Luke 19. This day is saluation come to this house You haue made heauen glad The holy Angels and the blessed Trinity do this day reioyce for you you shall one day reioyce in heauen in the presence of those holy Angels and that blessed Trinity and that ioy shall neuer be taken from you which the Lord for his mercies sake and for the merits of our blessed Sauiour grant vs To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory Maiesty and dominion now and for euer Amen FINIS A SVB-POENA FROM THE STAR-CHAMBER OF HEAVEN A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the 4. of August 1622. With some particular Enlargements which the limited time would not then allow By DAN DONNE Master of Arts and Minister of the Word August Confess lib. 8. cap. 12. Tolle Lege Tolle Lege LONDON Printed by Augustine Mathewes for John Grismand and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Alley at the Signe of the Gunne 1623. Honoratiss Dominis IOHANNI COM. DE HOLDERNESSE VICECOM HADDINGTON ET BARON DE KINGSTON AD THAMESIN c. ET DOMINO HENRICO HOBART MIL. ET BARONET CAPIT IVST DOMINI REGIS DE BANCO NEC NON VIRO VERE REVERENDO MVLTIS QVE NOMINIBVS COLENDO IOHANNI DONNE DOCTORI IN SACRA THEOLOG ET DECANO ECCLESIAE DIVI PAVLI LONDON DANIEL DONNE HAS SVAS QVALES CVNQVE MEDITATIONES HVMILLIME D. D. D. To the Reader COurteous Reader I haue in the Title-page of this Booke rendered a sufficient reason of the Excrescencie of this Sermon Yet for thy more particular satisfaction vnderstand that from the Beginning of it to the 52. Page I preached it word for word as it is Printed Now because many at the Crosse had runne into Desperate Debts Borrowed so much Time of the Auditory as they neuer meant to repay therefore I resolued to content my selfe with a briefe Paraphrasticall Explication of the Particulars that remained and so to keepe my selfe out of Debt rather then Borrow what I thought I should neuer repay Since being solicited to Publish what I then Preached that each Part might enioy its iust Proportion for the Exact Composition of the whole I haue enlarged my selfe in Those last Particulars and Commend my Paines therein to thy Candid Interpretation If thou meete with any Faults in the Print they are I dare promise but Literall and such as will scarce puzzle the most Illiterate Correct them if thou please with thy Pen. If there be any thing amisse either in the Method or Matter thy Friendly Information shall be Thrice acceptable In the meane time I aduise Thee to Read with vnderstanding to Remember what thou doest Read And the Lord giue thee grace to practise what thou doest remember Farewell Thine in Christ DAN DONNE A SVBPOENA from the Star-chamber of Heauen LVKE 3.9 Now is the Axe layd vnto the root of the the trees euery tree therefore not bringing foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire THis Text at the first blush appeareth like it selfe bearing a face of vtter ruine and destruction paralell vnto that of the Edomites Psa 137.7 Downe with it down with it euen to the ground It beginneth with the Axe and endeth with Fire two mercilesse instruments of ruine destruction The former makes worke for the latter the Axe for the Fire for the Axe is laid vnto the root of the tree that the tree being cut downe may be cast into the fire The entrance into this Text doth something resemble that into Paradise there was a flaming sword Genes 3.24 Gen. 3.24 heere a fearefull
6. hee doth so confect and compose his heauenly medicines that they may minister grace to euery penitent patient This was Salomons course beeing King and Preacher of Ierusalem as it is in the twelfth of Ecclesiastes He prepared many Parables Eccles 12.9 and it followeth there immediately The words of the wise are like goads and nayles fastened by the Master of the assemblies And surely Parables and similitudes haue much life in them they haue a maruailous piercing and fastening property a piercing of the intellectuall faculty like goads and a fastening in the memory like nayles They pierce the vnderstanding forasmuch as ordinarily nihil in intellectu quod non prius fuerat in sensu the senses are the soules windowes to conuey in the light of knowledge Therefore it pleaseth God to teach vs heauenly things by earthly Chrysost quo supra And as nurses speake to the Infant in the Infants language so hath the Lord guided the tongues and pennes of his sacred Orators and Secretaries that they should speake to vs not so as he could inable them but so as we might he able to vnderstand them Againe Parables are very powerfull to worke vpon the Conscience They set before a man as it were in a glasse his vertues commended or his vices condemned in another and cause him before he is aware to giue sentence against himselfe Thus our Sauiour by the Parable of the housholder and the husbandman Mat. 21.41 extorted from the chiefe Priests and Pharises that fearfull doome vpon themselues Luke 19.22 Hee will cruelly destroy those wicked men That by the confession of their own mouthes they might be condemned Thus Nathan by a Parable drew from Dauid that sharp sentence vpon himselfe 2. Sam. 12.5 The man that hath done this thing is the sonne of death Yea such a strong impression it wrought in him that it made him retire himselfe with deep sorrow to bewaile his sin Psal 51. as his mournefull penitentiall Psalme doth manifest When Moses saw the burning bush which I may call a visible Parable as representing the state of the Church which may be opprest but can neuer be supprest he sayd I will turne aside Exod. 3.3 and see this great sight so should we sequester our meditations to the due consideration of this our Sauiours cloze and application of an excellent Parable The 3. generall point Especially if we consider the Quid. what it is that hee saith for behold it is matter of Ioy and ioy is that which euery one desires to haue and heare of because a ioyfull heart causeth good health Prouerb 17.22 whereas a sorrowfull minde dryeth the bones Neither is this earthly but heauenly ioy Earthly ioy is rather desolation August Epist 121. then consolation as S. Augustine saith It is like the siluer streames of a swift riuer Chrysost in Psal 5 which glides away smoothly and fals suddenly into the brackish Sea but the celestiall ioy is constant and permanent There is ioy in heauen And no maruell for no sorrow can haue accesse thither Reuel 21.10 The place yeelds ioy it is a goodly City a glorious Kingdome Mat. 25.34 There as the Psalmist saith there is ioy and gladnesse in the Tabernacles of the righteous where the Angels sing Halleluiaes to the blessed Trinity And as the place so the presence yeelds ioy there are not onely The spirits of iust and holy men and innumerable company of Angels Heb. 12.22 and Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant but there is also the presence of God Psal 16.11 in whose presence is the fulnes of ioy and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore Bern serm 1. in Rom. 14.17 Here Gods seruants gaudent in spiritu there de spiritu Their ioy here ariseth from the sence there from the presence of Gods blessed Spirit But who are they that reioyce thus in heauen Before I answere that I must remoue some Romish Rubbish The Rhemists in their Annotations on this place write thus The Angels and other celestiall spirits reioyce at euery sinners conuersion therefore our inward repentance is knowne to them and betwixt the Angels and the blessed soules of Saints there is no difference in this case the one being as highly exalted as the other and as neere God in whom they see and know all things Lord what a number of falshoods are wrapt vp here in a few words First the Romish doctrine controwles this Remish note for if the soules of the Patriarches were as they teach then in Limbus Patrum how could they bee sayd to bee as neere God as the Angels Secondly those that haue taken vpon them to marshall the host of heauen haue denyed to the Saints this propinquity of place Thirdly to affirme that the Saints doe know our inward repentance is both false and impious as being an incroachment vpon Gods Royall prerogatiue 1. King 8.39 who only knows the hearts of all men Fourthly Whereas they say that betweene the Saints and Angels there is no difference in this case Euen in this case there is a maine difference For the Angels Heb. 1.14 being ministring Spirits may by conuersing with men iudge probably of their conuersion by their conuersation but how can the Saints hauing no such office designed them Fiftly That place in the two and twentieth of Mathew Mat. 22.30 assumed by the Rhemists for proofe of their Paradox is by them grossely peruerted They shall be as the Angels of God in heauen For albeit the Saints are like to the Angels in this that they are freed from infirmity iniquity and mortality Fulgent de Passion Dom. lib. 3. It followeth not as Fulgent saith yet that they are therefore like to them in all things is a non sequitur And this is the Rhemists fallacy They take that simpliciter which is spoken secundum quid as they might haue learned of their owne Iansenius yea of themselues if they had but reuiewed their owne Annotation vpon that place Lastly whereas they say that the Saints and Angels see all things in God it is a vaine and idle conceit For the Angels who are as neer God as the Saints are and do see as much in him as the Saints doe were ignorant of the Gentiles infranchisment Ephes 3.10 till it was made knowne to them in the Churches by the Apostles preaching And our Sauiour saith they know not the day of Iudgement Mat. 24.36 Neither doth this conceit make the Saints equall to the Angels onely but both Saints and Angels to Almighty God in respect of that incommunicable Attribute his Omniscience whereof no creature is capable So that this Romish speculum Trinitatis is but speculum vanitatis Their glasse as they call it of the Trinity is indeed a glasse of vanity Leauing therefore those celestiall spirits Who they are that reioyc for the repentāce of a sinner the Saints to such celestiall ioyes as
ordained you a Magistrate vnder his Maiestie and hath put the Sword of Iustice into your hand I would desire you to take notice that he hath also an Axe in his hand therefore like a good tree bring forth good fruit in that place wherein he hath set you be the Orphans father and the Widowes husband be of a good courage and bee zealous for your great Lord and Master your Maker the Lord of hosts protect and countenance the good correct and cut down the bad lest the Lord hewe you downe and cast you into Hell fire 4 Iudges and Lawyers Ye Reuerend Iudges of the Land and all ye that trauell in the Study and Practise of the Law remember there is a dreadfull Judge aboue you euen the Lord of Heauen and Earth who will one day call all of you to a strict account for all your courses Therefore like good trees bring forth good fruite in your seuerall places as you will answer it at the Barre of his Tribunal Let neither the feare of greatnes nor vnrighteous Mammon let neither priuate spleene nor particular affection so preuaile with you as to interturbe and ouerturne the course of Iustice but walk vprightly and conscionably as hauing the feare of God before your eyes lest he hew you downe and cast you into hell fire 5 Tradesmen All ye that exercise your selues in Ciuill commerce come hither and consider what I shall say vnto you What will it aduantage you to bee Lords ouer the whole world to loose your owne soules Luke 9.25 Therefore so Sell and Buy and Barter that ye make not shipwracke of a Good Conscience loose the kingdom of heauen into your Bargaines that is deale honestly and sincerely with al men as it becommeth the Seruants of Christ and doe not go about cunningly to intrap any with termes of Equiuocation and to cheat them with false Wares Measures and Weights for these things are an abomination vnto the Lord. But aboue all things take heed of that most frequent and most fearefull custome of swearing worth and credit into your Commodities lest while ye labour to make them marchantable and good penny-worths with man yee loose your credit and your penny that is your Crowne of Glory with God Thinke vpon it for beleeue it the time will come when the Lord shall weigh you in his Ballance as he did Belshazzar and shall Daâ— 9 25. if he find you too light seperate you from the Kingdome of Heauen as farre as the East is from the West and the North from the South for euery Tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall bee hewen downe and cast into the Fre. In the next place take notice of this all ye 6 Maried folke whom the Lord hath linked together in Holy and Honourable Matrimony that so yee may bring forth fruit beseeming so holy and so honourable an estate Make conscience of performing those seuerall Offices and respects God in his Sacred Word requireth of you one towards another Bee Carefull Religiously and Constantly to obserue and pay those Solemne vowes yee made before God and Men at the Solemnization of your Nuptialls More particularly and principaâ—ly seeing God hath made you One of Two Gen. 2.24 suffer not the Diuel to make you Two of One but liue peaceably discreetly and loyally together nourish mutuall affection 1. Thess 4.4 and possesse your vessels that is your bodies in holinesse and honour and keepe your selues one to another as vndefiled members of Christs Body Hâ—b 13.4 free from lusting after strange flesh least yee bee hewen downe and cast into the Fire Againe shall euery Tree not bringing forth good fruit be hewen downe and cast into the fire Consider this all yee whom the Lord hath blessed with the fruite of the Wombe 7 Parents least this temporall blessing proue your eternall bane Thinke it not enough that yee bring forth children into the world and prouide for them an earthly inheritance vnlesse yee also bring them vp vnto the Lord and so fit them for the Kingdome of Heauen Alasse what is their first generation more then their Corruption Psal 51 5. for they are shaped in wickednesse and conceiued in sinne and so poore Infants Damnati antequam nati they are damned before their mothers are deliuered and being so what is your Temporall prouision vnto them though neuer so plentifull if after their ioy in this World if they know any they be so farre from knowing any in the next that on the contrary they lye howling in Hell flames for euer If therefore you truely loue your Children for their sakes vndertake a second labour and bring forth this good fruite of your Fatherly loue towards them once more trauell in paine of them but as Paul did of the Galathians till Christ be formed in them Gal. 4.19 labour that they may be begotten a new in Christ by the immortall seede of the Word 1. Pet. 1.23 and bee made heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen Let it be your care whatsoeuer it cost to haue them brought vp euen from their Child-hood in the feare of God That when they leaue this world they may attaine vnto the Land of euerlasting life there to raigne with Christ world without end And if you will not doe thus much for their sakes at least doe it for your owne sakes For know to bring forth this good fruit of true fatherly affection to bee carefull for the Spirituall well-fare of your Children and to promote and further it to the vtmost of your power is a dutie God strictly inioyneth And if through neglect hereof your Children rebell against God Ephes 6.4 he will require their blood at your hands For as God doth visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the Children So he doth visite the sinns of the Children vpon the Fathers For an instance remember Old Eli 1. Sam. 2. when his Sonnes trespassed against God He did not sharpely reprooue and correct them but suffered theÌ„ to run on in their Sins this was his ruine In a word remeÌ„ber the IudgmeÌ„t here threatned in my Text be moued thereby to bring forth the good fruite of true Fatherly affectioÌ„ instruct your Children in the feare of the Lord reproue correct theÌ„ wheÌ„ they offend the Lord least the Lord hew you downe and cast you into the fire 8 Children In like manner yee Children remember the Rocke out of which yee were hewen the Stocke whereof yee are stemmes your Parents from whom next vnder God yee haue receiued your naturall beeing Oh wound not their tender hearts with your vntoward carriage and rebellious courses the only course to accelerate and hasten their heads to the graue but like good Children bring forth the good fruit of filiall feare and affection that yee may exhilarate reioyce their Soules to the prolonging of their dayes Reuerence them inwardly in your hearts outwardly in your Behauiour yeeld vnto