DEMEGORIAI Certain Lectures upon sundry portions of Scripture, in one Volume.  
By Lewis Thomas:  

1. Christ travailing to jerusalem.  
2. Christ purging the Temple.  
3. The history of our Lord's birth.  
4. The True-lovers Canticle.  
5. The Prophetical King's Triumph.  
6. The Anatomy of talebearers.  
7. Peter's persecution and his deliverance.  
8. heavens Highway.   PHILIP. 3. 13. 14. 
Brethren, I count not myself to have attained unto it, but one thing I do; I forget that which is behind, and endeavour myself to that, which is before, and follow hard towards the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ jesus.  
AT LONDON, Printed by I. R. for Edw. White, and are to be sold at the little North-door of Paul's, at the sign of the Gun. 1600.   

To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Egerton, Knight, Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England, and one of her majesties most honourable Privy Counsel. Lewis Thomas wisheth continuance of health, and perfect happiness.  
RIght Honourable and my very good Lord, the rich taste of your honour's kindness and special affection towards me the most unworthy of a thousand, but principally your godly and zealous care in planting a learned ministery throughout this Land, have specially called upon me for this duty, by presenting to your Honour's self these few labours, the late fruits of my second birth, which long ago had been strangled in ipso partu as it were, bade not the careful respect of your Honour's acceptance revived them, being almost lifeless. I recommend them to your Lordship's safe protection: protesting that with them, I will be always priest to perform all such duties to your Honour as God shall enable me unto, both in praying for your health, and increase of zeal, to the comfort and maintenance of his poor flock, which I resolve is the end and only aim of all your honourable purposes. Thus being over-bold, but in an honest cause, I take my leave, commending you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up further, and to give you an inheritance 
Acts. 20, 32,  among them that are sanctified.  
Your Lordships to command, L. Thomas.   

These Texts of Scripture are handled in this Book.  

¶ Christ riding to jerusalem.  
1 And when he was come near the City, he beheld it, and wept for it: saying: o, if thou hadst known even in this thy day, the thingsthat belong to thy peace. Luke. 19 41.  
¶ Christ purging the Temple.  
2 jesus went into the Temple of God, & cast out them that bought, and sold in the Temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves: saying: It is written, My house is the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. Math. 21. 12.  
¶ The history of our Lord's birth.  
3 When jesus then was borne in Bethleem in the days of Herod the king, wise men came from the East to jerusalem, saying: where is he that is borne king of the jews: for we have seen his star in the East, & are come to worship him. Math. 2. 1. 2.  
¶ The True-lovers Canticle.  
4 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but God loved us, and sent his Son to be areconciliation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1. john. 4. 10. 11.  
¶ The prophetical King's triumph.  
5 This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice & be glad in it. Psal. 118. 24.  
¶ The Anatomy of talebearers.  
6 Thou shalt not walk about with tales among my people. Levit. 19 16.  
¶ Peter persecution and his deliverance.  
7 And when he saw it pleased the people, he proceeded further, & took Peter also. etc. Acts. 12. 3. 4.  
¶ heavens highway.  
8 Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said: Believe in the Lord jesus, and thou shalt be saved, & thine household. Acts. 16. 30.    

Christ's travailing to jerusalem.  Luke. 19 41. etc. And when he was come near the City, he beheld it, and wept for it, saying: oh, if thou hadst known even at the least, in this thy day, those things that belong unto thy peace: but now are they hid from thine eyes. etc. 
IN the seventh of Eccles: and 4. verse, it is written, That it is better to go into the house of mourning, than into the house of feasting; and therefore I have chosen a tragical Text, sounding forth nothing but passions and mournful notes: like the tunes of those banished Israelites 
Psal. 137.  upon Babylon's banks.  
The first voice that ever proceeded from Adam our progenitor after his fall, was a voice compounded of sorrow and fear, 
Gen. 3. 10.  when God called upon him, while he hide himself among the trees of the garden: & all Adam's children ought to be like Adam, passionate and sorrowful, making their whole life suitable to their infancy, as we all come to the world by a sorrowful conception.  
In the 33. of Genesis, jacob could not meet his brother, but their eyes must stream forth tears.  
And in the 23. chap. we find Abraham the Patriarch an old man in years, a very child in tears, mourning & weeping.  
In josiah his time, whole multitudes are recorded to go out, and weep before the Lord.  
Not to stand upon particulars, which are not necessary in so clear a truth, Christ jesus the very mirror of sorrow, is in this place presented unto us weeping pitifully upon jerusalem.  
Wherein we are by the way to note the differences between the godly & the wicked, between the children of God, & the children of this world.  
The godly are ever noted rather sorrowing then rejoicing, rather bewailing & lamenting their sinful condition, than solacing themselves with the vain pleasures of this transitory life.  
We find not them at any time either 
Gen, 9, 22. Mar, 6, 22. Dan, 5. 2.  sporting it like Cham, or dancing like Herodias, or carousing like Belshazar.  
Search the volume of holy Writ, from Moses, unto john that saw so many miseries in Pathmos, and we shall find a contrary humour, and another kind of affection reigning in the righteous.  
Moses, as he was drawn up from the waters, so he showed himself in the course of his life, to be (as it were) quite swallowed up with the overflowing waters of affliction: and he prayed God to raze him out of his book that he had written, in the 32. of 
Exod, 32.  Exodus.  
David watered his couch with continual tears.  
Paul wept for the Corinthians. 
2, Cor, 2. Luke. 22. 62   
Peter went out to weep bitterly for denying his Lord.  
And to come to our example in this place, Christ jesus, though he were the Son of GOD, shows himself in this to be also the son of man, he shed many a salt tear over jerusalem.  
Who among us can be so devoted, and so sold over (as it were) to sinful vanity, now to be sporting, seeing Christ our Lord so heavy and passionate?  
The general proposition which Saint Luke urgeth in this historical discourse of Christ his travailing to jerusalem, is this: He proveth that in this place, which indeed is the scope and drift of the whole Book: viz. to clear to the world, but especially to the unbelieving jews, that Christ is the only Messias or Saviour, proved so by his birth, his life & death, living, dying, rising, and ascending.  
As john the Baptist pointed at Christ the Lamb of GOD, purging the sins of the world; so here Saint Luke points at Christ, weeping for the sins of the world.  
When the people of jerusalem laughed, Christ wept, as when the Minstrel played, Elisha prophesied: and therefore this City, otherwise famous, but in this infamous, 
2. Reg 3. 15  worthily ran to ruin, and so received a true and due recompense for her security.  And when he drew near the Cutie, he beheld it, and wept for it. 
The Schoolmen do note many things in Christ appertaining to salvation.  
Prudentiam in eius doctrina,  
Wisdom in his doctrine.  
Temperantiam in eius vita,  
Temperance in his life.  
Fortitudinem in eius tortura,  
Fortitude in sustaining torments.  
Divinum numen in miraculis,  
Divine power in his works.  
Consolationem in dictis,  
Consolation in his words.  
and in this place, Compassionem in eius tristitia, compassion in his sorrowfulness: for he wept upon jerusalem.  He wept. 
To teach us to weep, and to have compassion in beholding the lamentable state and condition of our neighbours.  
We must weep for them, as Christ wept for the jews: and withal, he teacheth us to weep for ourselves; as he bade the daughters of jerusalem to weep for themselves.  
To draw yet a little nearer to the emboweling of these words, for a clearer narration observe with me these four things.  

1. The person who came, that was Christ.  
2. The place whether he came, to jerusalem.  
3. The action: or rather you may term it a passion, he wept.  
4. His admonition in reprehending their ignorance, and foretelling their fall.   
Now than that we have found out the Mine, let us dig for the treasure.  
The person,] who came to jerusalem, was Christ. And the Scripture doth manifestly declare how great he was: for he was God. The Father and I are one. joh. 10.  
How humble he was: for he was the Saviour of the world. His humility appeared in taking our nature upon him. Being God, it pleased him to become man, and to dwell with men: he withdrew himself from none, no not from the Publicans and sinners.  
That jesus, who was Contempt Mundi, a hater of this world, one that nothing esteemed the pomp and glory thereof: for when the Tempter presented before him at one view all the kingdoms of the earth, 
Math. 4.  Tempter and temptation were both driven to retire. One powerful word of Christ quite vanquished him, as David overcame Goliath with one stone, when it pierced into his temples.  
That jesus who refused all worldly superiority and power: for when in the sixth of john they would have made him their King, he conveyed himself out of the way. Who was merciful, for he forgave the woman taken in adultery.  
Who was powerful: for his words made the soldiers give back when they came to take him. As in the 4. of Mathewe, his word made the prince of darkness give back when he came to tempt him.  
Who was pitiful, this place proveth it. He wept.  
That Christ who is called Vera lux, the true light for the saved to walk in. The 
john, 1, 5, Reu, 22, 16,  bright Morning star. The flower of less. The mighty Lion of the tribe of judah. The Author, and finisher of our faith.  
That Christ to whom that excellent voice of glory once sounded from the heavens: This is my well beloved son in whom I am 
Luke, 3, 22,  well pleased.  
He who was promised by the Father, figured in the Law, spoken of by the Prophets, pointed at by john Baptist, manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, 
1. Tim. 3. 16.  believed on in the world, and received up in glory. This Christ came to jerusalem. So much briefly is spoken for the person, now for the place.  
The place whether Christ came, was jerusalem, the Metropolis or chief City in all Asia, by interpretation, A vision of peace. Yet this people knew not their peace.  
God had stamped a remembrance of his blessings in the very name of jerusalem, yet could not this people consider of it, they made no use of this peace which God had given them.  
This City had in it many faults in Christ's time. For first they knew not their peace.  
Secondly, they profaned the Temple of God, making it a den of thieves, and a shop of Merchants, where it should have been the house of prayer.  
Thirdly, in it were the Prophets slain.  
Fourthly, it fostered within it the greatest enemies of the Cross of Christ.  
Fiftly, being the City of the great King, it was allotted to destroy the great King Christ jesus, the King of glory.  
This City so polluted Christ comes to visit.  
As once God the Father said, Come let us go down and visit Babel: so here Christ 
Gone, 11, 7,  the Son saith to his Apostles, Come let us go visit jerusalem.  
In which his coming to jerusalem, we see it first noted by the Evangelist he drew near the City: for being a Prophet, he would do as did the Prophets. Samuel came near to Israel, jonas came to visit Niniveh, and Christ came here to visit jerusalem.  He drew near to it. 
Having first travailed to jericho, and after to Bethphage, and then to Bethany, at last he comes to jerusalem.  
Wherein we are to note the great diligence of Christ, to verify his former words, I came to seek and to save that which was lost. He never ceased to do the will of his Father.  
Being but twelve years old, he taught in the Temple, and disputed with the Doctors, hearing them, & apposing them. 
Luke, 2, 46,  We should be armed with like industrious diligence.  
The children of God are ever noted to be either going, or walking, or running.  
Peter, during the time of his fall, is noted sitting, to show his carefulness: but so soon as he felt the soule-stirring motions of God's Spirit calling him to repentance, he 
Luk. 22. 62.  sits no longer, but goeth out.  
The Israelites are recorded to be always 
Num. 33.  travailing, and removing, till they came to Canaan.  
Moses, so soon as he was borne, was 
Exod. 2. 3.  cast out among the flags, from thence he was brought to the King's Court in Egypt. After that, he was driven to she to Midian, and from Mydian back again to Egypt. And after all this, what long and tedious travels did he undergo in that long journey to Canaan.  
Wherein is rightly typed the state of every religious Christian man's life.  
Our life here is but a pilgrimage, a vanishing vapour that suddenly is lost, while a man looks upon it: and therefore holy men must learn of Moses, and of Christ, to redeem the time, by walking towards God, and by travailing about our Father's business, as Christ travailed about his Father's business, when he went to jerusalem.  
This is the pilgrimage that best pleaseth God, and not that of the Idolatrous Antichristians of this age, the jesuits I mean, and Seminaries, which take great pains to compass sea and land, to make one proselyte like themselves, and when they have made him, he proves duplo plus filues Gehennae, quam erat prius, two fold more the son of perdition than he was before.  
Much better were it for such, if they sat still, than so to seal up iniquity to their greater condemnation.  
Christ his travel, and the travel of the godly tendeth to a contrary purpose: viz. to draw men to the knowledge of the truth, and the gaining of souls to Christ. Such shall not lose their labour. He that 
Dan, 12, 4,  converteth souls. (saith Daniel) shall shine like the stars for ever.  
The Prophet David desireth GOD to make him go the path of his commandments, and having learned to go, he striveth to run, I will run the way of thy 
Psal, 119, 32  commandments when thou hast set my heart at liberty.  
In the tenth of Mark, one comes running to Christ.  
Zacheus beholding Christ out of the wild Figtree, made haste to get down, and runs to meet him.  
Bartymeus threw away his cloak to run to Christ.  
In the fourth of Micheas, the cry of religious jews is noted: Come, (say they) let us go up to the Mountain, and to the house 
Mica, 4, 2,  of the God of jacob.  
So the godly are still in motion: as Christ himself is ever noted travailing for the most part.  
We read never of his sitting, but once, and then he disputed, teaching us to shun idleness.  He drew near the City. 
The Bride cannot be drawn from the Bridegroom, nor Christ from the city.  
In the first of Canticles, we find the Church the spousess of Christ, running after Christ: I will run after thee.  
And in the 3. chapter, we find her seeking and diligently enquiring after Christ: Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth? And in this place we find Christ the Spouse, seeking out his spousess the Church; with like correspondent affection he travaileth to visit jerusalem.  
Wherein, besides his diligence, his love and tender affection towards the children of God is manifested. He cherisheth them as his own bowels, and therefore he draweth near to jerusalem, as one desirous to know their state.  
Christ being borne in the City, covets to live in the city. He came for man's sake into the world, and so he lived in the presence of men 33. years together. He came to call sinners, and therefore he lived in the City, because there were the greatest sinners.  
We read of john Baptist, that he lived in Deserto, in the Wilderness: he shrunk the city, for that the city was full of pollution, which Christ needed not to fear.  
He would live in the city to win the city: like an immaculate Lamb, he took away all spots from his elect.  
He would live in Oculis Aduersariorum, in the eyes of his adversaries, to the end he might truly justify himself. Quis exvobis arguat me de peccato, who of you can reprove me of sin?  
Every thing covets to live at home, the birds in the air, the fishes in the water, the beasts in the mountains: and Christ bred in the City, loveth the city, & delights to visit it.  He drew near to the city. 
More than this, it is added, he beheld it. In 104. psalm it is said; A vertente faciem tuam, omnia turbabuntur, when thou turnest away thy face, all things are troubled. To show that they are blessed upon whom Christ looketh.  
Happy had these people been, if they had as carefully looked upon Christ, as Christ did upon them: for than they had been healed, as they that looked upon the brazen Serpent recovered.  He beheld. 
That is, in a careful contemplation he considered the great corruptions wherewith this city was stained: and withal, he looked with a prophetical eye upon the severe judgements which God already had determined to throw upon the city, for the sins therein committed.  
In this example two sorts of men are called upon, that is, Ministers & Magistrates.  
Ministers ought to visit the places most sinful. They must cry out against the sins of the people. Es. 5.  
They must be known by their teaching and preaching, as Aaron's entering into the Sanctuary was known by the sound of 
Exo. 28. 35.  the bells which he wore in the skirts of his clothing.  
Magistrates are likewise called upon, for Christ was both Rex et Propheta, a King & a Prophet. They may not slumber when iniquity is increased, but they also must come and visit jerusalem: that is, they must see the disorders of cities and towns, and labour to reform them.  
Christ hath in his own person chaulked the way before us, and other godly Magistrates in all ages have succeeded him with like holy practise.  
Moses, the perfect mirror of sincere magistracy, did look into the abuses of sinners in his time, and laboured carefully to reform the same. And for that he could not alone undergo so weighty a province, by the advice of jethro his Father in law, God's counsel also concurring, he chose unto himself other inferior Magistrates 
Exod, 18. 21.  to be Rulers and judges, and there he describeth what manner of men they ought to be. viz.  
Men of courage, fearing God, dealing 
What manner of men Magistrates ought to be.  truly, hating covetousness. But I am not to speak of this, but in a generality.  
Magistrates must learn of Christ to behold those places over which GOD hath made them overseers. They must not only in their circuits come to Cities, and towns, but they must circumspectly look into the disorders there.  
When Christ came within a sight of jerusalem, he makes there his rest, his station: and there deliberately in this his prospect, he summoneth & arraigneth at the bar of his justice, all the sins of the people of jerusalem.  
To behold then in this place, importeth not a slender looking into matters of corruption, as the fashion is of many Magistrates that carry no conscience of their places, such as was Corah & his complices, that could smooth up the matter to Moses with this warm conceit: All is well, and the people are holy enough.  
But this intimateth a diligent and a careful speculation, a due examination of all matters, both of smaller crimes and greater offences; and when they have found out the sinner, as josuah found out Achan the thief, & his theft also, then to punish according to the weight of the offence.  
The Magistrates judicial censures must not be like Spiders webs, which entangle only the small flies.  
As Christ passed first from Bethphage to Bethany, and from Bethany to jerusalem, so should Magistrates pass from smaller sins to greater enormities, till all wickedness be abandoned: without which due speculative courses, nothing can be reform in any well ordered Commonwealth.  
The Magistrates ought to have Lynceos oculos, to be Eagle-sighted, the better to look into abuses.  
They must be able to judge of sin, Intus et in cute, to make a scruting into every corner of corruption, that no sin may escape without his censure.  
They must rather show themselves severe and strait, like unto Moses and josuah in the punishing of sin, than too slack and remiss in their places, like Ely, who spared to correct the disobedience of his sons: and so God took the judgement 
1. Sam. 4.  into his own hands, and spared not to cut off both him and them in the severity of his justice.  
Magistrates must remember that they are the Lords Vizegerents, in God's sled appointed for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.  
The Philosophers lay down three properties of a good eye: that is, To see quick. To see long. To see far.  
Like Balaam, to see the utmost coasts of Israel, even from Dan to Beershebath.  
They are not sound Politicians nor profoundly learned in the Art Speculative, that do not in this sort behold abuses.  
They carry not in them the substance of magistracy, till they have learned to execute the edge of their authority in punishing offences.  
As the Spiritual sword hath two edges, so the temporal or civil sword should have two edges, to cut two ways.  
In the fourscore and second psalm, I have said ye are Gods, saith David, speaking in the person of God. As if he should have said, During the time of your magistracy, while you sit in God's chair, you must forget that you are men, lest so base a conceit do make you yield to weakness, and corruption, but you are for that time more than men. You are Gods, and therefore consider of your places, Behold and punish. Look into the nature of the sin, and let the punishment be answerable.  
Otherwise, you are not like Gods, more than in your names and titles, as Laban's Idols were called gods, and yet were but blocks.  
If Magistrates, when they shall ascend their judicial seats did but consider of this, their very names would teach them how to carry themselves, and then would not sin so violently break out, nor walk in the open streets so uncontrolled as at this day it doth.  
As no halt, nor lame, nor blind, might be admitted into the Ministry, so unto the Magistracy should no weak, or corrupt, or blind Magistrate be preferred: but the wisest and best approved.  It followeth, He wept for it. 
When Christ beheld the monstrous impiety, and horrible sins in this city committed, without any hope of speedy reformation, or amendment, it grieved him to the very heart, as once it grieved God his Father, when looking upon the sins of the old world, he repent that he had made man. And when he had once entered into this grief, he could not choose but express the same by tears that flowed amain from his eyes in great abundance, like the waters of Hesbon. 
Cant. 7. 4.   
He wept partly for their sins, partly for the judgements of God, which now already were begun to be poured out.  
Saint Bernard principally noteth three things in Christ our Saviour: Dicta consolationis, words of consolation. Opera propitiationis, works of propitiation. Facta commiserationis, deeds of commiseration or pity, as in this place, and elsewhere.  
We read that he wept thrice, once when he raised Lazarus: in this place upon jerusalem: and upon the cross. Yet, we are not to think but that he wept more often. For he did always with tears no doubt lament the wickedness of men, to teach us not to glory in our neighbours fall, but to weep & bewail their frail condition.  
Cyprian hath a sweet saying: Vere patitur, qui compatitur: He is most patiented, that is most passionate. Or rather, he hath passion enough in him, that hath in him compassion. And it argueth a most Christianlike, and charitable affection, when we are in a pitiful remorse touched with our brethren's infirmities.  
Such was Moses his compassion in the 25. of Numbers. And Paul, when he wept 3. years for the Corinthians. And Esdras for the afflicted jews.  
Hear by Christ's tears we are to learn three things. First, that he was a man like others, sin only excepted: which confuteth the heresy of the Manichees, which do deny his humanity. For they hold that Christ was not verus homo, but quasi homo, not very man, but in the similitude of a man; and that he had not corpus, but quasi corpus. viz. corpus assumptinum, not a natural body, but an assumptive body.  
In maintaining whereof they cross that Scripture: He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. Rom. 1. 3. The word was made flesh. john. 1. 14. And again, We have but one Mediator, even the man jesus Christ.  
Let them but ask the devil in this case, and he (although the father of lies) will speak truth herein, to convince them the rather of heresy. Cast thyself down headlong, Mute te deorsum saith he to Christ. The devil is better than the Anabaptists, for he acknowledgeth that Christ had a body, which they deny.  
The second thing that we learn by his Tears, is, he was unwilling that the people of Israel should commit sin, against them that most blasphemously affirm that God is the Author of sin. Volens, Efficiens, Suggerens. Crossing these Scriptures.  
A profane Writer, that never saw the light of Divititie, could confute such heretical opinions.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Theopompus.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Neither must we imagine that God is the Author of evil, neither yet without God can any evil be done. For the spirit of God hath spoken it, Non est malum in Civitate, quod non facit Dominus.  
Thirdly, by Christ's weeping we learn the sympathy and holy union that is betwixt Christ and us. He feeleth our sorrows, and is touched with our infirmities.  
We read of his sighing in Marks gospel, 
Mark. 7. 34.  when he cured one that was deaf, & here we read of his weeping over jerusalem, that had in it many deaf ears, and regarded not the voice of the Charmer.  
Of the necessity of weeping, and how far tears may prevail with God, being powered out from the eyes of the godly, I have plentifully spoken elsewhere.  
Thus much then shall briefly suffice, concerning Christ's weeping upon jerusalem. Now let us proceed by order of the Text to the cause of his weeping.  O, if thou hadst known. etc. 
jerusalems' sins provoked Christ's tears, and of their many sins one is here discovered: They knew not their peace.  
The learned do expound peace three ways: either it may signify external or outward peace: or peace of conscience: or Christ, the Author of peace.  
Ye may admit any of these significations in this place, but in my judgement the last is fittest, and most specially meant by our Saviour in this check, when he told them, They knew not that which belonged to their peace. Which had they known, it had brought them to the knowledge of all the rest. They knew not Christ by the preaching of the word, they received not the Gospel of peace. They yielded no obedience to the word of truth, nor did show any careful practice in reforming their lives accordingly.  
These people of jerusalem lived in security, and at ease, they lived in peace, every man under his own Vine, and under his own figtree. And they soothed up themselves in this their security: assuring themselves that this great city, being the Lady of so many Provinces, the light and beauty of all Asia, and all king's glory, so strongly sortifyed, so richly furnished, and with so many people replenished, should never be brought to utter desolation.  
Such is the natural corruption of men, generally to be careless, and not once to think or advise themselves of future calamities, so long as it goeth well with them: so long as they are fatted with the abundance of God's blessings.  
These inhabitants of jerusalem were not so provident, nor so wise as the profane Philosophers, notwithstanding, they lived then when wisdom cried in their streets.  
Sapientis est in otio de negotio cogitare, a wise man ought in time of peace to think upon war.  
So is it verified which was spoken by our Saviour: The children of this world are 
Luke, 16, 8.  wiser in their generation then the children of light.  
These careless jews abused their peace, because they sought no means to contitive it: For they killed the Prophets, and stoned them that were sent unto them: Yea, when Christ himself came among them, they crucified him, to seal up their security to their greater overthrow.  
And how then could this people know their peace, when they contemned and evil entreated him that was the only author and maintainer of their peace?  
This Peace, containeth in it all other blessings. And therefore Christ only nameth it in this place, as the very continent of all the rest.  
The excellency whereof may appear in those special commendations of it. Before his departure he commended unto them Peace. My peace I leave unto you. 
Luk, 24, 36   
When he was risen again he commended peace: & upon his birthday the Angels proclaimed peace: and the Gospel is 
Luke, 2, 14  called the Gospel of peace. Therefore have peace, and thou hast all the blessings that God hath: and want only this peace, and thou art worse spoiled of God's graces, than ever was job of his children and goods.  Oh, if thou hadst known, etc. 
Here it may be proclaimed again, which once was uttered by that voice of majesty proceeding from God himself in the 34. of Exodus, The Lord, the Lord, strong, merciful, and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy and truth.  
See how Christ our Saviour travaileth with mercy in this place, and laboureth to be delivered. Oh, if thou hadst known. Yet, he offereth mercy to jerusalem, if jerusalem would have repent.  
Oh that yet they would turn, and be saved. Shall I say, since they will perish, let them perished nay surely, saith Christ, I will yet wash Naaman seven times more, to cleanse him of his leprosy, if he will be cleansed.  
In the 51. of jeremy & ninth verse, saith the Lord, I would have cured Babel: So Christ in this place saith: I would have cured jerusalem, but alas, she will not be cured. All the precious balm in Gylead will not suffice to recover jerusalem, the praise of the world.  In this thy day. 
He calls it jerusalems' day: to show that God giveth all men a time; and now is our day, and our time: therefore use the time, and abuse not God's lenity. For the night will come, when no man can work. And therefore it is said, To day, if you will hear his voice. But if you will not to day, I will not to morrow. Behold, as when I called, you would not hear, so when you call, I will not hear, saith the Lord.  
A day consists but of a morning, an evening, and a noon: and he that hath the longest time permitted him, hath but a day. Defer it not then in any case, since thy time in which thou mayst turn to God is so narrowly scantled.  
If thou lose the morning of thy life, lose not the noon: and if thou be so careless a sinner, as that thou puttest off thy conversion till the evening of thy life, yet even then reclaim thyself, before the sun of Righteousness do set, when it can shine no more unto thee.  
But thou shalt have a happier success in my judgement, if thou begin betimes, like Abraham, in the morning of thy life, to sacrifice thyself to God. For we have an old saying, & it is a true saying: A good beginning makes a good ending. And qualis ●ua. s●ns ita. As a man lives, so commonly he dies.  
Every man would be glad to die well, as Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous, but he had no care to live the life of the righteous. And therefore, though he could prophecy to others, yet he could not prophecy to himself, nor sore-see his own end.  
far otherwise did David that prophetical King carry himself, and may stand as a rare precedent, not for Kings only, but for private men also: he began his day betimes, and so continued it to the end. At evening, morning, and at noon will I praise 
Psal. 55. 17.  thee.  
This forslowing the time, and continual running on in sin, making up the score of iniquity, is here embraided unto these jews.  
The time of grace was offered them, the time of visitation, when the Lord called upon them for repentance, but they repent not. The Turtle, the Crane, and the Swallow, know their appointed times, yet Israel knoweth not his time.  
God sent his word, they neglected it, his Prophets, them they slew, his own Son, and him they crucified. Still they were careless, like the old world before the flood. And so GOD shut them out of Time, for that when they had Time, they abused the commodity thereof in the world.  
If these people had considered of their peace, they had not provoked Christ's eyes to distill into tears: But as fast as Christ drew them forwards, sin and sathan drew them backwards: evermore sounding in their ears this so pleasing and so plausible a lesson, It is not yet time, time is not yet.  
See how continuance of sin breeds custom, & when custom entereth, God's grace avoideth, and so the Temple of God becomes a den of thieves.  
For, Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati: Custom in sin, takes away all sense and feeling of sin: and so being once past sense and feeling, the body becomes dead, without motion, life or soul in it.  
Note the degrees of sin in sinful men, first they grow wicked, then obstinate, then desperate, like Cain, posting it from one sin to another, at last a griping worm of conscience seizeth upon their souls, as the devils entered into the heard of Swine. And then they cry out in a desperate rage: Whosoever finds me, shall slay me. 
Genc. 4. 14,   
Not much different from this, is that distinction of the learned, wherein they make four degrees of a sinner. The first, in voluntary delectation. The second, in consent. The third, in fulfilling it by work. The fourth, in continuance. Wherein whosoever is once buried, is hardly raised to life again without earnest prayer unto God, & many tears on his own behalf.  
And therefore it is said, Languor prolixior gravat medicum: but languorem brevem praecidit medicus: A long ulcerat sore troubles the Physician, but a green wound is easily lanced.  
It followeth, Tut now they are hid from thine eyes.  
This call of Christ in this place, was as it were the third Cock to warn these people to repent.  
The sinner cannot say, but he hath been called. Herod had a call, when john preached unto him. That other Herode had a call, when he felt a desire to see Christ.  
What a call had Pilate, when he was made to understand the innocency of Christ. And so jerusalem had a call, & that a loud call by Christ himself, preaching unto them every day in their Temple, and working so many miracles before them, which made Christ utter with weeping eyes, this sentence so full of sweet compassion, Oh, if thou hadst known, at least in this thy day, those things that belong unto thy peace.  
Now I come to particular application, & so conclude.  
When we come to our cities & towns, as Christ came to jerusalem: & do clearly behold (as we cannot choose but see) the manifold pollutions, and sins in them committed, have not we cause to take up a lamentation, and to weep for our jerusalem of England, together with our other Cities and Towns: and may not we as justly proclaim with Christ in this place: Oh, if you had known, at least now in this your day, the things that belong to your peace.  
We are as sinful as ever the men of jerusalem were. Nay, our sins exceed theirs, both in quantity, quality, number, and nature, every way beyond comparison; And may not our eyes then stream forth tears, for that we are they that do not know nor regard the day of our visitation.  
These dissolute jews lived securely, too too much presuming upon God's long tolerance and lenity. Besides, for that they had the Temple of God amongst them, & the Ark of his covenant, which promised blessing and life for evermore, they waxed the more careless, & mistrusted nothing. Yet more than all this, they trusted in the strength of their city, & in the wise government of their sage Senators, and in the multitude of their horses & Chariots. But all deceived them, to justify the truth of that Scripture, Cursed is he that maketh flesh his arm.  
Yea, the Emperor Titus himself confessed, it had been a thing in humane reason impossible to overcome it. The Prophet jeremy confirming the same. The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy, should have entered into the gates of jerusalem.  
But their false confidence deceived them, GOD had so disposed, that even at Easter, when there came infinite multitudes from all places to jerusalem to worship the City should then be besieged. And there were gathered together at one time, about thirty hundred thousand, as josephus testifieth.  
In that bloody stratagem so many thousands left their lives, that it grieved the very enemies that came to take it: And it was commanded by the Emperor upon view of the dead bodies, that so many as remained alive, should not be slain, but be sold. And the residue of the jews were had in so vile a reckoning, that thirty of them were valued but at one penny: as they valued Christ our Lord but at thirty silverlings, so God in his just judgement, prized thirty of them to be worth but one silverling, and that to be a coin of the smallest value. Most Writers hold it to be but a farthing.  
And at this day they are accounted the most contemptible nation in the world Yea, the very name of a jew is odious, and it is not so much as once mentioned without disdain.  
And thus was jerusalem defaced: thus were the peculiar people of God become no people, & the city that once was Shem, the glory of the world, now become the shame of the world, wherein may not be found one stone upon a stone, because they regarded not to know the day of their visitation.  
So it pleased the most just jehovah to revenge that place, where our Lord was crucified, and where the blood of God's saints was spilled upon the ground like water.  
Hence let us grow wise, and learn by jerusalems' fall to stand. Let the shrubs tremble when the tall Cedar trees are thrown down.  
Si hoc fit in viridi, quid fiet de arid●? if this were done in the green tree what shall become of the dry? If God spared not jerusalem, because the people thereof knew not their peace, shall he spare us, that know not our peace?  
Never did so many Prophets cry at once in our streets, as at this day they do throughout the whole Land, from Dan to Beerseba, from Dover to Saint davis, from Berwick to the Mount, Court, City, and Country: but who doth listen to the voice of the Crier?  
Never was the word more plentifully taught, never more contemptuously reckoned, never more talking of it, but never less walking after it: many that can speak well, too too few that can do well. And so we defer our conversion. till our confusion overtake us, like the jews in this place, who would not believe, till they smarted for it.  
Well, if we persever and run on the score with him as we do, certainly a jubilee of years cannot pass over us, till our judgement come. For the word is the same now it was then, and GOD is the same to day, and yesterday, and the same for ever.  
Therefore, while the kingdom of grace is with us, let us hold it, least in despising it, we lose a better Paradise than Adam did.  
We live in that age wherein we may behold the starbright clearness of that glory, and the fullness of that peace which the Kings of the earth, & the mighty men before us have desired to see, but might not attain unto it: all which doth agravat our sins the more: for by how much more plentifully GOD shines among us in his graces, by so much the sorer-will our punishment be.  
For if the word, when it was spoken by Angels, was steadfast: and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward: how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which was first preached by the Lord him 
Hebr. 2.  self, and after was confirmed of them that heard him.  
Pyndarus writeth, that it was counted a happy City on the which it was thought that gold did rain. If any City be so, then hath God poured this blessing upon us and our Cities of England, in an extraordinary measure.  
It is seen in the wealth, the peace, and godly security that we have now a long time enjoyed. Every man now lives under his own Vine, and under his own figtree: so that our houses may seem unto us so many Tabernacles of rest. It is seen in the peaceable government, & in the whole frame of our Christian policy.  
Every good man weigh with himself the long tranquillity, great plenty, peaceable liberty which God hath given us, during the reign of our most gracious Sovereign, making our days like the days of Solomon, in whose time silver was as plentiful as 
2. Chr. 9 27,  stones, and Cedar trees like the wild fig-trees that are abundant in the plain. These so great blessings from her derived unto us, aught in no wise to be forgotten, for they are indeed for number so many, & for value so great, as the like have not been seen almost in any age. First, in having the true light of the Gospel so shining among us: so publicly received; so universally professed; so freely preached. Again, in giving us a Prince so virtuous borne among us, with such peace defending us, against them that would devour us: what could God do more for his Vineyard then he hath done? so that we may sing with David, Peace is within our gates, and plenteousness within our Palaces. And again, Mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. And again, Non est auditus Armorum sonitus in urbe.  
That may be truly spoken of us, which Zephany could not justify of the people in his time. Our Princes are not as roaring Lions, our judges are not like ravening Wolves, that leave not the bones till the morrow. Our Prophets are not light and wicked persons, polluting the Sanctuary, and wresting the law. The just GOD is in the midst of us, he will do no iniquity.  
So many England seem (these infinite blessings that I have spoken of duly considered) like Eden the pleasant garden planted by the Lord.  
Since God hath performed these great things for us, which no tongue of man or Angel is sufficiently able to eternize, let us be thankful, and let our gratitude be testified by our obedience, lest it be said of us that jerusalem is no better than Samaria.  
When jacob in the 28. of Genesis awaked out of his sleep at Bethel, he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware.  
So if, when God shall testify his presence among us, in his manifold blessings, and we take no notice of it in acknowledging neither him nor them: we may well say as Jacob did: Of a surety God was in this place, & we were not aware.  
Let us acknowledge them now we have them, for it will be too late when they shall be taken from us.  
Bring forth fruits (saith john) worthy of repentance. So bring forth good works worthy of these blessings. We would all seem to be hanged with leaves. let us rather show that we are hanged with fruits, lest we be like the fruitless Figtree; lest we be like Chorazin & Bethsaida where Christ wrought many miracles, yet they remained faithless.  
I beseech you brethren in the bowels of jesus Christ, make much of the word which is preached among you: for it is even your life. So termed by Moses in the 32. of Deut.  
If you will have a care of your peace, if you will have Christ's eyes to distill with no tears: if you will not grieve the Spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed to the day of redemption. let jerusalems' ruin be to you a cause of rising. This profit should be made of others harms, like the honey that Samson found in the dead Lyon.  
Oh that this here threatened to jerusalem, were written upon the tables of our hearts with an iron pen, or the point of a Dyamant, that it might never be forgotten Oh that we would yet learn to know our peace, and the time of our visitation.  
Yet there is time to consider ourselves, yet is the acceptable time, yet is the day of salvation, yet the Sun of righteousness shineth, & God calleth to the waters of life. Yet he crieth in our ears. Be lifted up ye gates, and I will enter in, saith the Lord, and be open unto me ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. The same Christ our Lord in the 3. of Revelation and 20. verse saith, I stand at the door and knock, & if any will hear my voice, and open to me, I will come in, and sup with him.  
I end in a word with this short exhortation. As when God made the light, and had it from the darkness, he said, Bonum est, it is good. When he had made the firmament, the earth and the seas, he said: bonum est, it is good. When he had made the trees, herbs, and plants, and all creatures, he said still bonum est, it is good. But having finished his work of creation, & taking a perfect view of all that he had made, finding that all things did agree & suit together, after a kind of heavenly harmony, and more than Geometrical proportion, than he pronounced, Valde bonum est, it was exceeding good. So when good & profitable laws shall be established among us, it may be said, bonum est. When Magistrates minister righteous judgements, dealing truly & uprightly in their offices, it may be said: bonum est, it is good.  
When the Minister preacheth the word of truth in season, and out of season, and the people do diligently hear, and reform their lives accordingly, it may be said, bonum est. But when there shall be a musical consent as it were, and a mutual harmony of all ●hese together, where such matters are duly performed & practised in a Christian policy, it may be said, Valde bonum est, it is exceeding good. And all this will be easily brought to pass, if we do but consider of our peace.  
Now the very God of peace sanctify us throughout: & I pray God that our souls and bodies may be kept blameless to the coming of our Lord jesus.   

Christ purging the Temple.  MATH. 21. 12. And jesus went into the Temple of God, and cast out them that bought and sold in the Temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, & the seats of them that sold Doves: saying, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. 
IN every action of Christ we may learn to save our souls, and to shun those things that are enemies to the Spirit of God.  
By his heavenly doctrine, we learn heavenly wisdom, by his practise of holy life, example of well living, by his miracles, our faiths confirmation, and here in this place, by his entrance into the Temple we learn devotion.  He entered into the Temple. 
Within this Temple were his professed enemies, the Scribes and Pharisees, yet hither he would enter to express his zeal, and kingly authority.  
He entered once into the Desert, signifying the temptations, whereunto the children of God are subject. Another time he entered into a ship, showing the peril of Christians. He entered into Zacheus his house, showing the humility that must be in Christians.  
He entered into judgement when he was condemned, showing the persecution of Christians. He entered up upon his Cross, showing the patience of Christians: and in this place he entered into the Temple showing the devotion that must be in Christians. Christ loved the Temple, and therefore he would enter into the Temple, and holy men that have their names from Christ, must also carry the like affection that was in Christ. They must love the temple & they must learn to say with David, The zeal of thine house hath even eaten me up.  
And again, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.  
Many there be that enter into the Temple of God, but few there be that enter in like Christ in this place, for devotion and zeal.  
We read of Antiochus, in the first of Mac. verse 23. and in the 2. of Mac. 5. that he entered into the Temple, but he entered in like a thief: for he rob the Temple of God, and took out of it the golden Altar, the Candlesticks, the pouring vessels, the golden vestments, & the precious jewels, and treasure of infinite value.  
The like do we read of that not so old as wicked Athenyan, whose name is there omitted, because the Author of the book reckoned him as a vile person, not worthy to be mentioned in holy writ. He also enured into the Temple, but he entered in to profane it, and to fill it full with dissolution, and gluttony.  
Nichanor another instrument suborned ●y sathan to rise up against God, and to de●ace religion, purposed to enter into God's ●ouse, but himself uttered his wicked in●ention, When I come again (saith he) I will turn up this house. And so Belshazar in ●he 5. of Daniel, caused his Lords to go in●o the Temple, & thence to bring him the ●olden vessels, that himself, his wives, and concubines might drink in them.  
And these buyers and sellers here, cast out by our Saviour Christ, entered the temple, but not for any holy practice to pray, or praise God in it, but to pollute it and to abuse it, in making the house of God a shop of merchandise.  
In all these wicked men there was not found devotion, but pollution, uncleanness of heart. Sinfulness had so possessed them, that they seemed to have sold themselves to work impiety, like Ahab. But this their monstrous sacrilege & horrible profanation of God's Temple, escaped not unpunished. For in the same place where their faults are mentioned, their judgements are likewise recorded.  
Antiochus was stricken with a remediless pain in his bowels, and he died most loathsomely: the worms issuing out of his body in great abundance.  
Nicanor was the first man that was slain in the battle, after the Armies had met. His head and right hand were smitten off, and hanged upon the gates of jerusalem.  
Belshazar in the prime of his pride, and when he was most merry, carousing wine in his golden vessels, was stricken to a dump when he saw the hideous hand upon the wall, penning his tragical end, and ruin of his kingdom. That night was Belshazer slain, and forced to resign at once both life and kingdom.  
So as the wicked plough upon Gods back large & long furrows, the furrows of iniquity: so God also ploweth upon their backs, he trampleth upon them at his pleasure: and this will he do to all them that seek to dishonour GOD, by stablishing their own honour. To justify that which the prophetical King hath published long ago: Surely God will arise, and his enemies shall be scattered, they also that hate him, shall flee before him. As the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away, and as the wax melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God.  
Let us then betimes advise ourselves: by these men's falls to learn to stand, and by their punishments to hate their sins, lest we be overtaken with the same condemnation. This lesson ought we to learn even in the sinner's school: and thus should we from other men's sins derive instruction to ourselves, as Solomon did to himself in the 24. of the Proverbs, when he passed by the fields of the slothful, & saw it all covered with weeds.  
Let us know then, that if devotion call us not hither, our entrance is in vain. If the Pharisee when he entered into the Temple had carried with him devotion, as he carried pride with him when he justified himself, he had not lost that which the publican found, to teach us to come as the publican, that is in humility, if we will find mercy.  
Many come to the Temple, but few come as they should: as a number in Christ's time came to the Sinagoves to see him, and to hear him, but yet few there were that drew faith and devotion from him, as the woman drew virtue from him by touching but his hem. Herod desired to see Christ, but it was for that he looked that Christ should work some miracle before him. In another place we read of whole companies following him, but not for the doctrine he taught them, but rather for the bellies sake, as they that said, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? The Scribes & Pharisees slocked to the temple to hear Christ preach, but it was to entangle him in his words.  
So is it now with us, all will come to the Temple, all will present themselves, some for fear of law, some in hypocrisy will come, because they will pretend a show of religion, and so be reputed as honest men as any within their neighbourhood; other for fashion sake, few or none for conscience will present themselves to the Lord in pure devotion, as Christ did here.  
The note of instruction then to be raised from this example of Christ is this. We must learn how to enter into God's Temple, that our service and ministry there, when we come may be accepted.  
For as Paul said to the Philippians, Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ.  
So may it be said, That many enter into the Temple of GOD, as if they were the enemies of the cross of Christ. Like the buyers and sellers in this place, that entered in, both to corrupt themselves, & the Temple.  
He that will enter then as he ought, must first consider of the place whether he presseth. It is the Temple: more than that, it is God's Temple; nay yet more, it is God's house, the place where God dwelleth, and it is the very Ark of his presence: and unto it hath he appointed blessing and life for evermore.  
We seek men commonly at their houses, for there is their continual dwelling: So if we will find God, we must seek him at his house, as joseph and Mary did: his house is the Temple.  
So then, both in regard of the place whether we come, and of the person to whom we come, we are to be armed with reverence.  
jacob found the Angel in bethel, and we must come to bethel before we can find the Angel, that is, Christ.  
We must free ourselves from corruption, before we enter in hither, & the means to effect that, is by advising ourselves of the place and person.  
In the fift of Exodus, when God appeared to Moses, he called the place Terram sanctam, a holy place, and he might not tread upon it, till first he had put off his shoes: and so we must put off our shoes of carnality before we enter into this holy place. In the 28. of Genesis, when God appeared to jacob, he called the place Terram terribilem, a fearful place: so the Temple of God is also a fearful place: it is both fearful and holy. It is a terrible place to them that make no conscience how they enter in, with uncircumcised hearts and hands. For to such God is a consuming fire, as he consumed Nadab and Abihu, even in the Temple, making of a place of refuge a place of terror: for that they regarded not with what fire their sacrifice was kindled.  
But it is a holy place to them that come in holiness, and devotion; to them that before hand prepare themselves, as Moses prepared himself before he adventured to come near the flaming bush.  
In the 40. of Exodus, Aaron & his sons might not enter into the Sanctuary with unwashen hands, neuther might they minister in the priests office, but in their holy garments. Why then we must know that somewhat is to be done, before we enter into God's Sanctuary, before we presume to press into the presence of GOD, we must prepare ourselves, & we must cleuse our souls from all corruption, we must purify first our own temples, our bodies, and souls: for it is said, Estis vos templum Dei: your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost, therefore glorify God in your bodies, & in your souls, for they are Gods.  
Otherwise, if this reverent preparation be not made, well we may thrust in ourselves among others into God's Temple, like as these buyers and sellers intruded themselves, but we have no comfort in so coming, and we must look to be thrown out, as they were, and as the unworthy comer to the marriage of the King's son was cast out, because he brought not with him vestem nuptialem, a wedding-garment.  
This is to come unreverently & unworthily: and such shall not be accepted, because they offer up the sacrifice of fools, as Solomon noteth. In the 22. of the Revel. no unclean thing might enter into the new jerusalem: so no unclean thing should enter our bodies, our earthly jerusalem.  
It is written of Abraham, that when he went to sacrifice his son, he left his Asses at the foot of the hill: So when we have a purpose to sacrifice ourselves unto God, we must leave our sins and corruptions behind us, as he did his asses.  
Our cares, and our corruptions may not enter in with us, but we must leave them without, as a man leaves his shadow at the door when he enters into the house.  
Consider when we are going out from our houses, we are going out from ourselves, and from our vanities, and when we are come to the Temple, we are come to God: God & our souls are here met together, like Abraham & Lazarus in the heavens.  
As the Israelites durst not come to the Mount where God spoke, till they had washed their clothes, & sanctified themselves, so may not we presume to enter into God's Temple, till we have washed our clothes, our menstruous rags of sinfulness; like the spousess in the Canticles, who had washed her feet, and changed her raiments, when she went to meet her Spouse.  
And to this purpose it is said; Keep my Sabbath, & reverence my Sanctuary. And to this purpose we have our preparations before the Sabbath, which we call the Sabbath eve: and on the Sabbath, our morning sacrifice, and our evening incense. Yea, and the bells that sound in our ears do give us summons for this reverence, as Aaron gave notice of his entrance into the Sanctuary by the sound of those golden bells, which were fastened to the skirts of his rob.  
In a word, not to make a long amplification in so clear a matter: by this entrance of Christ we learn two things, first his godly care: secondly, the effect of his carefulness.  
In this chapter 'tis especially noted, that as soon as he came into the City, he made haste to go visit the Temple. We do not read that he first entered into any house, to refresh himself, or to ease his body, being by all likelihood overwearied with long travel: for he had come from jericho, to Bethphage, and to Bethany, and so to jerusalem.  
But all this notwithstanding, to the Temple he goes, to teach us principally to be careful in the service of God, before we minister to ourselves or other, in the businesses of this world. We must first serve God, and then ourselves, as Eliah said to the woman of Sarepsah: Bake me a Cake first, and then after prepare for thee & thy family. So unto us God saith; First offer me a sacrifice of holiness, and than minister to thyself and thine.  
First seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof: but we seek our own things first. First we serve the world and our lusts, and our vanities, and God is served either not at all, or after all. After sin, and after the word, and after the devil.  He entered into the Temple. 
In the Temple give to GOD all holy worship: there is the place where our Lamps ought to be continually burning, kindled with the fire of zeal & devotion. There ought we to hold up pure hands & hearts unto God, praising him continually without ceasing: and in pouring out infinite Hallelujahs, like those Saints in the Revelation, unto him that was, and is, and is to come.  
This is called by our Saviour. unum necessarium, that one necessary thing, and the Better part, which cannot be taken from us. Christ was careful, and he was willing to visit the Temple, for it was the first thing he did after he had se●te foot within the streets of jerusalem.  
He that will serve God, must serve him willingly, we must come to the Church in a voluntary affection, not by constraint, as do the Church-papists in our age: For they enter in by compulsion, for fear of Law, and the Prince's displeasure, not for conscience. Or if it be love that draws them thither: it is the love they bear to their houses and lands, not for the love they have to Christ, or his Gospel, whom they have denied, in denying his truth. Such men's room is better than their company: and they go forth as they came in: only a little water is sprinkled, which presently falls of, faster than it lighted on.  
These are they that like temporary men-pleasers do only serve the time to serve their turn, hoping when time will turn, that they may turn with time. These serve God, as Nabucadnezars' chaplains served their idol god, God Bell, they served Bell because Bell served their bellies; & they seem now to serve God, not the true God, whom we worship, but a God whom their own idolatrous conceits have erected, another Adoni●am, another Bell, and all for the belly.  
But we (beloved) have not so learned Christ: let us rather stick to him, and say with the Apostles, Whether shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life.  
Let us learn to serve him willingly with alacrity and cheerfulness, for as it is said God loveth a cheerful giver, so it may be said, God loveth a cheerful worshipper.  
S. Paul in the 12. of Rom. 1. exhorteth us to give our bodies: in that he calls it a gift, he showeth a voluntary obedience. And where in the following words, he saith; And fashion not yourselves like unto the world: he justifieth thereby, that indeed it is far from the fashion of this world to give our bodies unto God: for the men of this world are carnally minded, and do take their bodies from God, and do give them to their lusts as the Isralites gave their children to Moloch. In the time of the Levitical Law we read, that among those many offerings, some were called Free-will offerings, & these were in greatest request with God. Look the 35. of Exod, how bountifully the people gave, & how gladly the lord accepted it: look the 29. of the 1. book of chro▪ what a liberal offering is there recorded.  
The Princes, and Captains, and Rulers, gave for the service of the house of God, five thousand talents of gold, and ten thousand of silver, and of brass and y●on beyond measure. Yea, and they with whom precious stones were found, gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord: and all this was done willingly. For it is added in the ninth verse, The people rejoiced when they offered willingly, and with a perfect heart.  
Lo how chargeable was the service of the Temple then, and none of these things doth God require of us: Only (saith he) give me thy heart; and yet we cannot afford to give him but so much.  
Surely, we ought not to withhold it from him, for he hath dearly bought it, & paid for it. And Paul witnesseth the same: Ye● are bought with a price. It was a price indeed of greatest value, more worth than all the Talents of gold before mentioned. Even the hartblood of the most glorious person in the world.  
And thus much shall briefly suffice for clearing the matter of substance contained in these words of Christ's entrance into the Temple.  
You have heard of Christ's devotion, now shall you hear of his zeal. Where these two are met together, there is a perfect Christian.  
As a Lamp cannot burn without oil, so devotion cannot be kindled without zeal.  
He threw out them that bought. etc.  
Hear is showed Christ's action, what he did upon his entrance into the Church, he throws out them that bought and sold: wherein he shows his regal authority.  
Christ entering into the Temple, finds the people there neither praying nor prophesying, but chopping and changing, as if it were Forum, not Templum.  
As it is not convenient to make of the house of God a den of thieves: so is it not fit to make it a shop of merchandise.  
It was once said, Where God hath his Church, the devil hath his chapel: but now it may be said, Where God hath his chapel, the devil hath his church. Nay, God hath scarce a chapel.  
These Merchants, these buyers and sellers in this place, possess both church, chapel, chancel and all. Even from the porch to the Altar, and to the Sanctum Sanctorum, all is divided between these buyers & sellers: & for the throng Christ is scarce able to have room to enter into the Temple.  
Of old time it was established, that it should not be lawful to carry so much as a vessel through the Temple. Yet in this place, chapmen, buyers and sellers most profanely durst intrude themselves into God's Church.  
Solomon had so great a care in the building of that magnificent Temple in jerusalem, that he suffered nor, either hammer or axe, or any iron tool to be heard in the house, while it was in building.  
But this ungodly generation of buyers & sellers, feared not to pollute & defile God's Temple, with blasphemous clamours, loud cry, idle talk, and walkings, swearing, and forswearing: all which horrible and gross corruptions are wont to be among them that buy and sell. Yea, & this to be done in God's house, and in Christ's presence.  
Needs must Christ be grieved at this sight. This spectacle must needs make him look about for his zeal, as job looked about for his patience after so many heavy messages.  
No doubt as Noah was grieved with the sins of the old world, and Lot at the unrighteousness of the Sodomites: so it grieved Christ our Lord to find in the Temple this rout of wicked ones, abusing the Temple of God with their most ungodly demeanour.  But what doth Christ? 
Doth he show himself only a looker on? and doth he make no speed to reform this intolerable outrage: yes he bestirs himself like a mighty Giant newly wakened out of a dream: and he clothes himself with zeal as with a garment, and presently proceedeth to purge the Temple of this wicked assembly. He throws them out.  
In the third of Genesis we read, that assoon as Adam had sinned. God sent his Angel to thrust him out of Paradise: Hear was zeal.  
The Sodomites & people of Gomorrha sinned, presently God reigned fire & brimstone from heaven to consume them at once: and here was zeal.  
David sinned in numbering the people, for which 70. thousand lost their lives: here was zeal. Phineas in his zeal slew Zymrie and Cosby. And in this place GOD sent his Son to punish the profaners of his Temple.  He cast them out. 
After sin comes revenge, the heaviest companion of wickedness. The sins of jerusalem did once make Christ's eyes to distill into tears. There he exercised his eyes expressing his great grief, and here their sins made him exercise his hands, by throwing them out of the Temple, expressing his zeal.  
It is worth the noting to consider with what speed Christ laboureth to reform the abuses that had crept into his church.  
Presently upon his entrance into the Temple, he gins to purge it. Sin must be strangled in the birth, before it get strength: for if it may once have his full growth, it will be sure to have the upper hand of thee, and thou canst not overmaister it.  
I showed you before of Christ's carefulness, and in this place again you may learn his speediness in resisting sin: to teach us to be speedy and quick in beating down corruptions whatsoever.  
Doctor Speed is the best Physician for Mistress Vanity. Sinfulness is soon resisted upon her first entrance: but if it rankle through continuance, and grow to a running fore, it must speedily either be lanced, or quite cut off like a putrefied member. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of men are fully bend in them to do evil. Eccles. 8. 11.  
The use of this example to ourselves is this: When we purpose to do any good thing, we must testify our carefulness in doing it presently. If this were carefully observed, much evil would soon be stopped even in the fountain, before it might stream forth to the universal harm of country, city, and commonwealth.  
For many times when we mind to do good, and do it not presently, our endeavours do fail between the purpose and the practise: and so the good to be done, is not done at all, but it dieth with us, like a bird in a man's hand, while the head is devising whether it were best to hold it still, or let it go.  
As this concerns all men generally: so in a more special manner it concerns them that are advanced to high place of authority in the Common wealth.  
Officers are chosen for the punishment of evil doers, & the praise of them that do well. They must be zealous-in God's cause, by throwing out such as transgress.  
They must consider that they are appointed as in God's stead to punish malefactors: and therefore they must not suffer the sword of justice to rust in the scabbard of long sufferance.  
And zeal it is that will soon advise you, when and how this may be done: zeal will tell you by the quality of the offence how it may be best corrected. For greater sins, must of necessity have greater punishments, as old and festered sores, require sharp and bitter medicaments.  
Only be courageous, saith the Lord to josuah, and I will be with thee: so to the Magistrate God speaketh, Only be zealous, and I will be with thee.  
Zeal best graceth an Officer, & it is first named among those 4. in Exod. 18. 21. Such as must be ready with Phineas, to kill sin in the act. They must when occasion requireth, learn to protest with Nehemiah, If you do it once more, I will lay hands upon you.  
This want of zeal in Officers, suffering sins to pass with immunity, is the cause that corruption now carrieth such a sway, and doth spread itself like a cankerworm over the world.  
What a discontentment & mutinous outrage did Corah and his rebellious confederates cause the Israelites to grow unto, when being prepossessed with a key-cold conceitedness, and an overweening opinion, they would have persuaded Moses that all was well, and the people holy enough?  
Surely the best works we can do, yea, our religion itself, is stark dead afore us, until zeal come. Religion without zeal, is like the Sunamites dead child, without breath, life, or soul in it.  
All our knowledge, our wisdom, and other virtues can little avail us, little can they do, if only zeal be absent.  
They can profit us no more than the prophet's staff could recover the dead child, till Elisha came himself.  
Let faith come, and yet thou art unperfect, let patience come, and thou art yet unperfect, let temperance come, and thou art yet unperfect, let charity and chastity and all come that may come, and thou art still unperfect. Thou art but a maimed Christian, like Agrippa till zeal come, & then as David said, The rivers of God are full, so mayst thou say, The graces of God are full. Thou art as well furnished as Zacheus was, when Christ told him, This day is salvation come to thine house.  
But this is satans policy, when he cannot draw us from religion, nor from our procession, yet even then will he seek to hinder us in our good course: he will stand like a Lion in the passages, that we be not too forward, either to stop us in our running by one rub of iniquity or other, or by laying some pleasant bait before us, to tum us aside out of the way: as he cozened Adam out of Paradise.  
If needs thou wilt be religious, saith he, ye● thou shalt not be zealous. As jacob said of Reuben, Thou art my might, & the beginning of my strength, but yet thou shalt not be excellent: so though we be of power and might, and have made a good growth in God's graces, and do carry about us excellency of dignity, as Reuben did, yet saith sathan I'll prevent thee, thou shalt not be fervent.  
The Minister of Laodicia had many good qualities that graced him: but one vice mars many good virtues, as one dead fly putrefieth the swee●e ointments of the Apothecary. He was not zealous, he was neither hot nor cold.  
And therefore God said, I will spew thee out of my mouth: and so undoubtedly God will also spew out of his mouth the lukewarm Protestants, and the temporary gospelers of this age, that are neither hot nor cold. Oh then let us labour to have zeal, or our religion profits us nothing.  
Knowledge & zeal must be united together, like the Vrym and Thummym to the consecrating of those holy ones.  
One brief note yet remaineth, & so we will descend to particular application, and so conclude.  
If buyers and sellers of small things were thrown out of the church, what and how great shall their punishment be, that buy & sell the patrimony of the Church.  
How shall they be thrown out from the presence of GOD and good men for ever, that so sacriligeously dare intrude unto god's possession, as if it did descend unto them by inheritance.  
It is a matter of horror to consider into what injury, or rather into what iniquity of times we are fallen. Nothing is now so common, and so familiar a matter, as to see Scholars spending their times in kings Courts, making their Courts their cloisters. Merchants by their bills entering into gentlemen's patrimonies, and Gentlemen themselves intruding into Church livings, as if the whole frame & course of the world were quite dissolved into the old Chaos: like Lot's wife molten into a saltpyllar; so that the godly, zealously looking into these intolerable abuses, have cause to cry out:  Tempora, tempora, quale Monstrum aluistis: O injurious times, what a prodigious monster have you traveled withal. 
Did these men but sound their consciences in this behalf, Quocunque sint ●●sts cauterio, yet they must needs cry with them, and sound forth this ill-sorting harmony: that they have no more right norinterest in Church-livings, than Herod had to Philip's wife, or Achab unto Naboths' vineyard.  
But this is a sore that may not be ripped up, the contagion thereof is so great and so universal.  
Only we are to pray that God may open the eyes of them that are the transgressors in this behalf. And that it would please him to work a speedy reformation in restoring to his Church, that which of right belongs unto it.  
Give it beauty, o Lord, in stead of ashes, & rich apparel in stead of Sackcloth: that yet it may be pronounced which was once proclaimed by the Prophet Aggei: The glory of the last house, is greater than the glory of the first house.  He cast out them that bought & sold. 
You have seen Christ reforming the abuses that had crept into this Temple, now let us make a true use of this to ourselves.  
As these gross corruptions crept into the material Temple, so the like to these, or rather worse than these do creep into our spiritual Temples, our bodies.  
When we convert our bodies to any profane use, and do not glorify God in them, than it may be said that we pollute our Temple.  
When the Magistrate shall be found not to deal truly, when he shall not carry clean hands, free from corruptions, when he shall pervert judgement, and turn aside out of the right way, than it may be said he polluteth the temple of God.  
When the Lawyer or Counsellor carrieth not himself to his client as he ought, if he encourage him to proceed in law with his adversary when he might work a peace between both, & all for his private gains, thinking to become a purchazer with poo●● men's purses, as Gehazy thought to intich himself with Naamans' gold: then doth ●● pollute the temple of God.  
When the Recorder or Prymitorie doth falsify the record, most of all it concerns him to be circumspect, for the record being falsified, it may do harm an 100 years after: then he doth corrupt his conscience, and defileth his temple.  
If the Sheriff shall make a partial return of such as must determine matters between party and party, he profaneth the temple.  
If the jurors that are impaneled, shall through friendship, favour or fear, or being blinded with rewards shall deliver an inust verdict, they pollute the Temple.  
In a word, this pollution is universal wheresoever any kind of ungodliness shall take place. And the sovereign help for all this is that which our Saviour in his own example hath here taught us. When & so often as these corruptions shall break out, we must cast them out betimes, as Christ did the buyers and sellers. This speedy purging must be effected by the word in the godly Minister, and by the sword of authority in the civil Magistrate.  
Every man can best sound his own conscience, by sending down the bucket of God's spirit into his heart. Every man can best satisfy himself, whether he hath cleansed his body, by casting out all sin and vanity, and so consecrating it as a holy Temple unto the Lord, or whether he hath abused it, by giving it over to all sensuality with greediness, suffering sin and sathan to have ingress, and egrelle and regress at their pleasures, till the grave be possessed of his body, the worms of his flesh, and the world of his goods. And so he return more rotten out of the world, than the matter he was first made of when he first came into the world.  
Thus you see how the temple of GOD may be polluted, and so in time a general rent be made from the top to the bottom, till it be quite destroyed and defaced as that famous Temple of jerusalem is now defaced and lieth in the dust.  
But let us beware how we run to the like ruin: how we destroy this Temple of God, not made with hands, but by the mighty power of God: for fearful is that saying; He that deste cyath the temple of God, him shall God destroy.  
Corruption and sinfulness are the pullers down, but holiness and righteousness, holiness I mean towards God, and righteousness I say towards man, are the raysers up of this temple.  
These two are better builders than Noa●s workmaisters that joined with him in the building of the Ark, for they built not for themselves, but for others: but these do build for God and us.  
Yea, and Christ himself worketh in this frame of this spiritual building: nay, himself becomes the head-corner-stone, in whom all the building being coupled together, groweth to a holy temple in the Lord.  
It followeth; For it is written: My house is the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.  
Christ in these words yields them a reason why he threw them out: he makes them acquainted with their sin, it was for defiling the Temple, My house is the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.  
Sin till it be known cannot be shunned. We shall the sooner be drawn from doing evil, when we shall look into the nature of it, and the danger that shall ensue of it.  
Christ proveth to their faces the greatness of their sin, which they could not deny: nay, they must needs condemn themselves in it upon this so manifest a proof produced by our Saviour. It is written. Either implying a notable ignorance in not knowing the Scriptures, or an obstinate wilfulness in them, for not performing obedience to the Word. By these two, as by special instruments of wrath, sathan worketh mightily in the children of disobedience, & by them millions of souls are chained up, & brought under satans servitude.  
It is written.] As if he should have said: Have you never read that Scripture that speaketh thus. etc.  
The Lawyer who would needs know what he must do to inherit life, had this answer, How readest thou? Christ sends him to the Word to find out the life that he looked sor: and so to these buyers and sellers that polluted the Temple, Christ speaketh in like manner. How read you. It it not written, A●y house is the house of prayer: why go ye about then to make it a den of thieves?  
You err (saith our Saviour in the twelfth of Mark) not knowing the Scriptures: and here he telleth these profaners, that they 
Mark, 12. & Math. 22.  erred in polluting the temple, for that they knew not the Scriptures.  
In the fourth of Matthew, he drove away the devil with one word, Scriptum est: and here with the same word, he drives before him these buyers & sellers out of the Temple.  
I would the Papists did learn but this one thing from Christ, only to plead Scriptumest, in all their Counsels, writings, and conferences: for then all controversies in religion would quickly be decided.  
●inde up the testimony, saith Esay, seal up 
Esay, 8, 16.  the law among my disciples. If they teach not according to this law, it is because there is no light in them. If any man bringeth not with him this learning, receive him not to house, nor bid him so much as God speed. 2. john. 1.  
Christ brings his warrant out of Scripture to teach us to do the same: other authorities cannot build up our holy faith.  
As the sun is not discerned but by his own light, so no spirit can interpret Scripture, but by the same spirit that wrote it.  
Go not out of this field to glean, said Boas to Ruth: so go not out of the plentiful field of God's book to gather. Whatsoever is gathered elsewhere, proves no corn but chaff, which every gale of wind soon scattereth. We must keep ourselves within our compass, that is, within the Canon of the word, as Shimey was charged not to go beyond the River. Most certain it is & a matter of undoubted evidence, that no doctrine ought to be delivered concerning faith and religion, but Scripture. The religion of God must stand simple, as GOD himself left it. Man's additions in God's matters are but fantasies. In other matters add what they list: but in matter & cause of salvation, Christ left nothing behind him to be added any more, either by Apostles, or Martyrs, or whomsoever: because the perfection thereof is absolute, nothing being lest unperfect. Whereunto who so addeth, blasphemeth, & doth no less then infringe the testament of the Lord.  
Let the Papists then beware how they maintain unwritten verities: for in so doing, what do they else but infringe the testament 
Ambr. in ●uk lib 3. cap. 3.  of the Lord. And they seek to eclipse the glory of Christ like Herod, who caused all the genealogies of the Kings of Israel to be burnt, because he would not have his pedigree abased, or obscured.  
What certain●e of truth can unwritten verities carry: since they resemble a tale that is told, which passing from mouth to mouth, is told so many ways as the●e be men to tell it. Beware of the leaven of the Phartsees, saith our Saviour: So I say, Beware of the leaven of unwritten traditions, for it is a Pharisaical leaven, & it will sour the whole lump. The doctrines of men may not pass for the precepts of God.  
These things are written that ye should believe that jesus Christ is the son of God, & in so believing, you might have life everlasting. Where it is showed that the Scripture is all sufficient, & hath nothing it it unperfect. It includeth all things that are necessarily to be known in matters of salvation. Let us draw then from this most holy fountain, & for go the puddles of man's invention.  
But to end this note let us have recourse to Christ alone, both in this place and elsewhere, let us make him our Pilot, & we shall be sure to be sound directed in our compass that we cannot err.  
Consider but of his practise, hy● proofs are Scriptum est. His demands are Quomodo legis? His apologies, Scrutam●●● s●r●pturas. And the Apostles, as they were taught by him, so they learned to speak as he did: I delivered to you that which I received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures: and that he was buried and rose the third day, according to the Scriptures. So Christ, himself, his Apostles, & all the holy men of God, still point us to the Scriptures, as the only Touchstone of Salvation, whereby we try the difference between light and darkness, God, and Beliall, truth and heresy.  It is written: My house. etc. 
In this place▪ God appropriateth to himself the Church to be his house: if it be God's house, than are we to have a greater regard of this than of our own houses.  
David had a special care of this house, when he said: One day is better in thy Courts then a thousand elsewhere. He had rather accept of the meanest office in God's house, than to be a princely commander in his own house. Yea, were it but a Porter's room, he valued the same so greatly, that it made him register his love to the world, & to all ensuing posterities. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God, than to dwell in Tabernacles of Cedar. And again, he saith to express further the care he had of God's house: Shall the King dwell in his sieled house, and the Ark of God remain between the Curtains?  
This showeth David's love and care, and it should draw from us the like love & care to God's house: yea, he calls upon us for this carefulness in the hundred psalm and in many other places: O enter ye into his gates with praise, & into his Courts with rejoicing. etc.  
The very name of the place, as I have said before, should force from us a religious worship. It is God's house, the place that he hath sanctified and chosen to himself, to place his Name there. In that it is called an house, it doth signify the unity that must be between Christians. They that are of this household may not be divided. The minister that serveth in the Sanctuary, and the people that come together in the holy assembly, to hear, or pray, or to praise God, must be all of one mind, of one affection. The coat of Christ was Inconsutilis, without division: showing that if we will wear Christ's coat, we must shun division. As there is but one truth, one faith, one Baptisine, one Christ, one Lord over all, and in us all: so there should be but one Shepherd, one flock, one Pastor, and one pasture. So all is Unity, to show that he was false that maintained ●nplicitie.  
One lately writ a book, the title whereof was Tria sunt omnia. But it had come nearer to the truth of Druinitie, if he had altered his poesy thus, unum sunt omnia. For Trinity must be reduced to Unity, before our faith can be perfected.  
It pitieth me to see, and it is a matter of such grief that it ma● express and wring tears from trees and stones where men are senseless: in beholding the lamentable condition that cities, towns, & almost every particular congregation is fallen into: and all for want of this unity. The Minister one way, the Magistrate another way, and the people a third way, divided from them both. Manasses against Ephraim, & Ephraim against Manasses, & both against juda. Alas, what is this else but in time to eat up and devour one another, and to bring in civil hostility, the most mortal and capital enemy to mankind, and the very moth that fretteth and tears in sunder by little & little, the peace that maintaineth all Christian societies. The Minister beats down vanity, the Magistrate raiseth it on foot again like Dagon, and the people like men amazed, wots not what to do, nor whom they should cleave unto, whither to God or Baal.  
When Aaron & Myriam were divided from Moses, what came of it? God departed from them, & the cloud a testimony of his presence, likewise departed from among them. And we must not think the contrary but that God also departeth from us, when we cease to be at one. When we divide ourselves, God will also divide himself, he will go out from us, as Lot went out from Sodom to dwell in Zoar. Nay, he will not so much as leave behind him the cloud, the testimony of his presence: that is, his blessings & graces all shallbe taken from us, our peace, our liberty, our wealth, & whatsoever we had comfort in, ●l we be left as naked as Adam, when he ran to the sigtrees, or as job, upon the dunghill, without his children, his wife, his friends, his wealth, his health. He had nothing now, who before had all things: only his scabs & sores did beat him company.  
In the 133. psalm, the Prophet considering the great treasure of peace and unity, falls into a kind of admiration, saying: O how good and joyful a thing it is brethren to dwell together in unity? It is like the precious ointment upon Aaron's head, which ran down unto his beard, and went down to the borders of his garment. It is like the dew of Harmon, that falls upon the mountains of Zion.  
In the former verse he calls all the children of God brethren, and aught brethrens to be divided?  
Abraham, when he devised how to bring his servants and Lots servants to unity, useth this argument, O let not us fall out, f●● we are brethren.  
The like speech is used by the Patriarch in the 42. of Gen. They told joseph, W●● are all one man's sons. And in the 13. verse, We thy servants are all brethren. So should we say, We are all one man's sons: for God is our Father, and we his sons: yea, we are all brethren; and therefore why should not we agree, and be at one?  
A kingdom that is not at peace in itself, cannot flourish, and a house that is divided, cannot stand.  
What breeds so many Schisms & sects, and variety in opinions, but division?  
Labour then for unity: for that is the only watchman that peserueth the City.  
My house.] A house consists of a foundation, the sellers, the side-poasts, and the roof: and every of these must be agreeable, and fitting one to another. This showeth what unity is. And a City consists but of many houses joined together in due proportion: & the very name showeth the workmaster who first built the City. It was unity: for it is called Civitas, quasi civium unitas.  
Many seeds are sown in one field, and being grown up they fill but one ear, & are bound up in one sheaf, and are leapt up in one loaf. This showeth unity.  
The body of man hath many members, many parts: the head, the arin●●, the shoulders, the feet, etc. Yet all make but one body.  
The head alone commands, and all the other parts are pliable and serviceable to him. Let us also learn to serve our head, fo● we being many members of one body, have also but one head: even Christ. Let us not then be divided from our head, for than we shall be censured to make a worse rent than the jews did, who divided his garments: but we divide his flesh and his body, so long as we are not at unity.  A house of prayer. 
The Temple is called not the house of cruelty, nor the house of maliciousness, nor the house of pride, nor the house of covetousness, as these Merchants thought to make it, but the house of prayer. The jews had Cities of refuge to she unto: but the place of refuge for Christians now to sly unto, is Templum Dei, the house of prayer. Here is the place where the Priests & the people ought to pray before the lord, even between Vestibulum et Altar, the porch and the Altar, as joel speaketh.  
In the 7. of Math it is said, Seek and you shall find. If we will sinned Christ, here is the place where we must seek him: not as they that sought after Eliah when he was translated, but as joseph and Mary sought for their son, in the temple they sought him, and there they found him: and there shall we be sure to find him, if we seek after him with the like affection that they did.  
And having found him: if you will know how you may both speak with him, and speed with him in your godly requests, this place resolves you, Prayer must be the harbinger, to pass from you to him, & it will in no wise return again to you, till it hath prevailed, like the Dove that returned with the Olive leaf in her bill. Prayer poured out with devotion, & uttered with zeal, is for power so forcible, and for motion so swift, that it pierceth like a Thunderbolt clouds & skies, and having come to God, it departs not away, till it hath prevailed by strong wrestle, like jacob for a blessing.  
In the 2. chro. 6. we find Solomon praying in the temple: he desired God that his eyes should ever be open, & his ears always attentive to the prayers that should be offered up in that place: and his prayer then, is effectual for us now that pray before the lord in the temple, being the place whereof he hath spoken, he would put his name there. This house of prayer hath been frequented by the godly in all ages, since there began to be a Temple. And when there was 〈◊〉 Temple, yet there were solemn assemblies and holy meetings from the beginning.  
In the 4. of Gen. upon the restoring and re-establishing of religion, presently after the birth of Sheth, we read that men assembled together, & called upon the name of the Lord. After the flood, Noah & his family sacrificed unto the Lord. Gen. 8. 20. And after him, Abraham built an Altar at bethel, and called upon the Name of the Lord. jacob did the like, and Moses & all ages to Christ. The Tabernacle made by Moses, was in stead of a Temple.  
Reverence my Sanctuary. Levit. Peter & john went up to the Temple to pray. simeon went to the Temple. Anna prayed in the Temple.  
Here is the place where the afflicted may find consolation: the poor may find plenty: the wealthy shall find thankfulness: and the thankful shall have more gifts: the desperate shall find comfort: the sick a Physician: the sinner in a word, shall find his Saviour, where he may embrace him in his arms, if he will, as simeon did.  
Of prayer,] that is, of public prayer, & not of private. If we will pray privately, we have houses to pray in at home. Enter into thy chamber, and there pour out thy heart unto God, and he that heareth thee in secret, shall reward thee openly.  
If thou pray when thou shouldest hear, thou profanest the place, and thy prayer shall return as a curse into thy bosom. For 
Math. 6.  the word of truth hath spoken it; He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, his prayer shall be abominable.  
It is not a private place, and therefore it will entertain no private action. If thy heart call upon thee to present any private prayer to the Lord, follow the use of holy men in all ages. Isaac went out into the fields to pray and meditate. jacob being alone in Bethel, fell to prayer. Gen. 28. David watered his couch with tears which fell from him while he prayed. Daniel in his chamber fell to prayer. Dan. 6. Peter in the 9 of the Acts went up to the top of the house to pray. Christ went aside into the mountain to pray.  
If I pray, being in the Temple, and all the congregation there present, & another preacheth, & a third man standing by readeth, here is no order, but confusion, and God is not the God of confusion.  
Let all things in the Church be done decently, and in order.  
Thus have you seen Christ our Lord entering into the Temple in devotion, and in zeal correcting the abuses that he found there. Teaching them withal, the right use of the Temple, and what exercises of holiness the place requireth, that so they might not come together to condemnation. Let it be considered what is said, and the Lord give us understanding in all things, that having attained in some measure to the fullness of knowledge that is in Christ jesus, and being established in every good work and word, our fruit may be holiness, and our end everlasting life. Let us pray the spirit of Grace to enter into the temples of our hearts, and thence to purge and cast out all corruptions whatsoever.  
To God only wise, our Saviour, be rendered all honour, glory, & praise, with thanksgiving, now and ever. Amen.   

❧ The history of our Lord's Birth. ¶ A Sermon preached by the Author at Shrewsburie upon Christ his day.  MATH. 2. 1. 2. When jesus then was borne in Bethleem in judea, in the days of Herod the King, behold there came Wise men from the East to jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is borne King of the jews? For we have seen his star in the East, & are come to worship him. 
TWo principal motives or reasons, beloved in our Lord, induced me to make choice of this Text. One was the occasion of our meeting at this time, which is, to solemnize & keep in memory the Nativity of our Lord & Saviour Christ jesus. The other, the great necessity of the doctrine in these words contained. For they deliver unto us the history & full discourse of Christ's Incarnation, being one principal branch in the mystery of our Redemption. So you see how both text, & time our meeting & matter, or cause of our meeting, all conspire together, and are alike suitable.  
There should be no matter of greater force to draw men together, than this we have now in hand: for it is able to furnish us with all necessary knowledge, like the roll that Ezechiell took from the Angel, which when he had eaten, it filled both 
Ezch, 3,  belly and bowels: & he straightways began to prophecy.  
We live not in those times wherein we may offer rich presents unto Christ, like the Wisemen, nor can we now point at the bodily presence of Christ, as john did: not can we feast him in our houses, as Zacheus did, nor can we embrace him in our arms, as once simeon did, when he came by inspiration into the Temple.  
Christ now looketh not for these courtesies, nor can we perform them if we would But this, and all this we do, when we come to hear Christ preached unto us, when we open our hearts to entertain the word, as Lydia did, and when we embrace with alacrity and cheerfulness the doctrine of Christ. And as I have told you, one capital branch of this doctrine, is this concerning his nativity.  
Men are careful, & very diligent in calculating their own byrthdayes, and their children's nativities: for a more certain account they calendar them up, to the end they may not be forgotten: and this they ●may do, for reason requireth it, law alloweth it, and civility commends the same.  
But a thousand times more careful aught we to be, both Prince, prophet, & people, to calendar and keep in memory the nativity of our Lord & Saviour: conscience ●inforceth it, custom calls for it and which is most of all. Christ●●●●●e commands it. For unto this name, and to no other under heaven are we baptised. Of Christ we are called Christians.  
We are his scholars his servants, his disciples, and therefore very careful should we be to honour our Lord & Master in keeping holy his day. For as Christ in earth sought nothing but the glory only of his Father, so his father now in heaven, seeks nothing but the glory of his son. And as the same son, being here on earth humbly debased himself as a servant under all men, to obey his Father's will: so hath it pleased God his Father again to exalt him, not only to surmount the glory of all Princes and Potentates whatsoever, but also with such power & majesty hath he advanced him, that even the very knowledge and belief of his glorious Name, is able to give everlasting life to all sinners be they never so grievously burdened or laden, whosoever will come unto him, to seek any refreshing. So proved by his o●n testimony in the 6. of john, verse 40. Thy is the will of him that sent me, that every ma● that believeth in him, should have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  
Have not we great reason then to remember this day of Christ? a day (as Saint Augustine calls it) of all days; the beginning of all days; the beginning of eternity to the believers.  
He was borne to make us rich, he was laid in a stall even among beasts, to exalt us to the company of Angels.  
He was borne an exile, a banished person, from the cradle driven to fly into Egypt, as Moses did to Mydian, to the end he might make us free. 
 Moses in uluas.   
He came from heaven to the earth, to the end he might draw us from earth to heaven. He took upon him a natural ●ody, to make us heavenly bodies.  
He was made flesh, to make us spirits, he was made the son of man, to make us the ●onnes of God. To as many as received him, ●o them gave he power that they might be the ●onnes of God. Great reason have we then ●o remember him that did all this for us.  
And this much shall briefly suffice to stir up your minds to a careful contemplation of Christ and his glory. Now let us ●eare S. Matthew speaking.  
When jesus then was borne at Bethleem. etc. For the increase of our faith, and for an ●ndoubted certainty, here is laid down ●he true story of Christ's birth, with circumstances thereunto belonging.  
The manner of our Lord's birth is at large delivered by this our Evangelist, in the former chap afore my Text, beginning at the 8. verse. The other circumstances run ●eere in these words: as first; The place ●here he was born: In Bethleem. 2. When: ●n the days of Herod. 3. Who came first to ●im: The wise men. 4. How did they know ●ee was borne, or how were they directed ●● find him? They were guided by a star.  
5. To what end came they to him? I● worship him.  
This day and time, was foretold by the Prophets, commended to men by Angels and celebrated by the godly Fathers of the Church.  
Esay, long before the coming of Chr●●● prophesied, saying; Lo, a virgin shall ●●●ceaue, 
Esay, 7,  and bear a son, and they shall 〈◊〉 name Emanuel. And again, Unto us a ●●● 
Esay, 9,  is borne, and unto us a child is given.  
And in the ninth of Damel, the very moment of time wherein Christ should come is signified by Ga●riell, Seventy weeks sa●● 
Dan 9, 2●.  he, are determined upon the people, and 〈◊〉 the ●oly C●●ty, to finish the wickedness, 〈◊〉 seal up the sins, and to recon●ile iniqui●●●● to brin● in everlasting righteousness, & to s●● up vision and prophe●ie, & to anoint the●●holie.  
To make up the harmony, Micah po●teth to the very place where our Lo●● should be borne: And thou Bethleem, 
Mica, 5, 2.  little to be among the thou●andes of Iu●●● yet out of thee shall ●ee come that must rule israel.  
To produce proofs in so clear a ●●●●er, were to point to the sun, being already mounted to Zenith, where it is perfect day.  
The legal, the ceremonial, historical, & prophetical Scriptures, all prefigured Christ to come.  
Christ's own testimony agreeing to this: ●earch the Scriptures, for they testify of me. 
Ioh, 5, 39,  And again, Had ye believed Moses ye would also have believed me: for Moses wrote of me.  
Semen mulieris contret caput serp●ntis. And ●●●thy seed shall all the nations of the ●arth be ●lessed.  
Of this day and time jacob prophesied, almost two thousand years a●ore Christ: ●hat he should come in the fullness of time; The sceptre shall not departed from judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shi●oh come, and the people shall be gathered unto ●im.  
He shall bind his Ass●-fo●le unto the vine, ●nd his A●●es colt unto the b●st ●●●e.  
The Lord Go● will rai●e up a Prophet from 
Deut, 18.  ●mong you, out of your brethren: unto ●●● ye ●hall barken.  
But all this is but to light a candle at ●oone day. For we all, from the ●●●● to the suckling, from the grey head to the ten●●● babe, all are trained up in this doctrine, & we receive it from an authentic truth. We all profess it and believe it, that Christ ● at this time took our nature upon him, & became flesh for our sakes; and therefore ● will be the more sparing in amplifying th●● point.  
Were it so that I were to speak before Infidels, or before an unbelieving sort ●● Jews, which are not yet resolved th●● Christ is come: because the vail is not ●● taken from them, and their hearts are hardened that they cannot believe the Scriptures: then had I need to produce all the testimonies that might be found for confirmation of this doctrine, and gaining ●● them to the saith.  
And yet all this notwithstanding wo●●● hardly prevail, since it appears by Christ's own testimony of them, that they ●●●● given over to a reprobate sense. Seeing ●●● shall see, and not perceive, and hearing you 〈◊〉 hear, and not understand.  
For had they not been altogether hardened, and sold to infidelity, so many scriptures and prophecies of Christ, (all which ●hey daily read in their Synagogues,) would have forced them to acknowledge Christ, whom yet they deny.  
We would have thought, that if we had been then living in that age of theirs, when Christ was borne among them, conversed with them, wrought so many miracles before them, we could not have been so faithless.  
All the chiefest jews both Priests and Scribes, being asked where Christ should be borne, answered thus: At Bethlehem in Iud●a. Yea, and they allege this pregnant place out of the Prophets: For it is written, Thou Bethlem. etc.  
And again, which condemneth them further, in the 7. of john, 42. Saith not the Scripture that Christ shall come of the seed of David, & out of the Town of Bethleem?  
Yet though they knew all this, when Christ came among them, they denied him: so do they gore themselves in their own sides, ●ike the Baalites.  
The reason why the Evangelist so precisely layeth down these circumstances of the manner, time and place, with other occurrences of our Saviour Christ his birth, is for that he would take away all distrustfulness, and also to verify the former prophecies of Christ: that when it came to pass, we might acknowledge the truth thereof, since it fell out in the same sort, time, and place, as was so long before foretold.  
Well, let us especially remember to give God thanks for this grace given us, that we are not faithless like the jews, who to this hour resist the truth in ungodliness.  
Or like Thomas the Apostle, that would in no wise believe, till he had put his fingers into the print of the nails.  
But we not seeing, do believe, and can say with an undoubted testimony, Thou art our Lord, & our God. And a special blessing followeth this our faith, for our Saviour justifies it, Thou hast seen, and believest, 〈◊〉 
john, 20.  say, blessed are they that have not seen, & ●● have believed.  When jesus then was borne. 
Here we are to learn the mercy of God, in sending his son to the world for ou● good only: which mercy of GOD, made S. john exclaim with a ravishing kind of admiration; So God loved the world, that he sent his only begotten son into the world, 〈◊〉 ●re might live through him.  
And in the tenth verse, Herein is love, in that God loved us first, and sent his son to be ●a reconciliation. etc.  
And in the 17. verse, he makes the same repetition in substance, still expressing the mercy and love of God.  
This was so melodious a note in his ears, when he struck upon love▪ that as a bird being taught to record, doth double and triple one and the same thing often, so doth john upon this love of God, as if he could never part from it: So God 〈◊〉 the word. And herein appeared the 〈◊〉 of God. And God loved us first. etc.  
john could no more part with this love, than Elisha could with Ehah, ●● the whirlwind divided them.  
A Father of the Church 〈◊〉 upon this love of God, saith that the 〈◊〉 ●n of the world, and after that the creation of man, did not argue a greater 〈◊〉 in God that this: In giving us his Son to be borne for us.  
All the other works of God, as the making of the heavens, the 〈◊〉 and the creatures, have in them matter enough of admiration, but this one surmounteth all the rest, being as Nazianzen speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a work that passeth all admiration: & they may wonder at this; that wonder at nothing beside: at this love of God in sending his son to be borne for us, after such a supernatural manner to be borne of a virgin, to translate him from the heavens to the earth; God, and the Son of God, whom the heavens, nor the heaven of heavens could contain, now to be included in so narrow a room as the womb of a Virgin. They that passed by Hazaels corpses, stood still and wondered, here may we rather wonder at a living body.  
Let the foolish Philosophers henceforth burn their books, as the Ephesians did their vain books: they build all upon reason, 
Acts, 19  & upon the causes of things: but this is a reason beyond reason, by no humane reason to be comprised.  
The haughty Astronomers that walk among the stars, that send up their typtoeconceits beyond the clouds as if they were the only commanders of the world, and could measure the heavens with a span, as they seem to shut up all in one globe, let them trace it no more upon the pinnacles of planetary influences.  
If they can be so humble, as to walk with us here beneath upon this earth: the silly Cratch in Bethleem where our Lord lay, and the womb of a virgin travailing with the most glorious person of the world, Christ jesus, at whose feet Kings & Emperors must cast down their crowns, as before the chief and supreme King, King of Kings, and all King's glory; here may they find (I say) matter enough to occupy their wits and senses withal: and here they may rather contemplate this Comet, this blazing star, as in whose presence, the greatest star, Sun, Moon, and all do lose their light. Here they may rather wonder at his so strange coming into the world: as his Disciples wondered at his going out of the world upon his ascending.  
We all acknowledge this love of God, in that he gave us his son to be borne for us, but where is that serious consideration, where is that Isaac a●ong us, that will go out into the fields to meditate of this so excellent a benefit?  
S. Paul counted this world but dung in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ: yet with many now adays dung itself, the basest thing, is preferred before the dearest thing. For what is silver and gold, & the mammon of this world, which the wicked do so highly magnify, but very earth, and vile dung?  
This time wherein we celebrate our lords nativity, we make it a time of feasting, and a time of merrie-making, and time of rejoicing: but I fear too too few there are, that rejoice that Christ was as at this time borne for them.  
If this true rejoicing were planted in us, it would cut off much vanity and much rejoicing in evil. It would make us fall into this holy parley, and angelical conference: Hath God performed this great work for me, and shall I be unthankful? Shall I forget him that testified so great & so unspeakable kindness for me, in not disdaining to take my flesh and nature upon him, to be borne for me, to die for me, to shed his heart blood for me, and to sustain intolerable torments for me, which I should have undergone. And all to the end I should live, and not die.  
If one man should die for another, here were demonstration of great love: but in that Christ our Lord would die for us, being the son, the only son of God, the brightness of glory, & far superior to the Angels, this is yet greater love, such love as no tongue nor pen can amplify. Express it we cannot, rather we may wonder at it, and exclaim like Paul, O the riches of God's grace.  Was borne. 
Hear we must also learn the obedience of Christ our Lord, and his humility. As it was love in God the Father, that sent forth Christ into the world: so it was obedience in Christ the Son of God, that brought him and presented him unto the world.  
God would have him come, and it was his will to come: for so testifieth he of himself. Lo, I come to do thy will ò God. 
Hebr. 10.   
O that we could possibly practise the like holy obedience: that when by the motion of God's Spirit working in us, and calling upon us to do any good thing, we might be ready to answer, We are come to do thy will. This was ever in Christ, but it is seldom or never in us: As the Father hath 
Ioh, 9, 29.  sent me, so I do always the things that please him. His humility is likewise testified in ●aking our flesh upon him: in being borne for us: and in de●ecting himself to sustain in his glorious body our infirmities. For it pleased him to become in all things like unto us, sin only excepted.  
Great was this humility, & it must bear down our pride: it must teach us to be humble and meek, if we will pass from earth to heaven, whether he is now ascended.  
Abraham bowed himself to the Angels, to show that there is no way to come near unto God, or to the resemblance of Christ, but by humility.  
All do gape after honour, as Eve thought to be equal with GOD her Maker: she would be higher than she was, and she would needs from Paradise mount up to heaven before her time.  
But because she sought it by pride, therefore by pride she lost both the one and the other, heaven and Eden, till Christ regained them by his humility.  
Humility is the first step to honour, as pride is to baseness: and therefore saith Sa●omon, Pride goeth before destruction, and an ●igh mind before the fall.  
Pride before, and shame behind, as ●ewys the French-King spoke both pithily and pleasantly; When pride is on the horseback, then is shame on the crupper.  
Our Saviour in the eighteen of Mark chaulking the way that leads unto honour, saith, He that humbleth himself, shall be exalted: but the proud he checketh, when he saith thus, He that exalts himself, shall be brought low.  
As here we find humility in Christ, so may we find it in all the holy men before & since Christ.  
joseph, though he were the greatest Potentate in Egypt, yet confessed he was but a shepherds son, and this he uttered being 
Gen, 46.  in the ruff and prime of his honour. Yet joseph knew right well that the name of a sheep-keeper was odious to the Egyptians. Moses is registered to be the meekest man upon the earth.  
David being installed into the kingdom, humbly acknowledgeth his beginning: Thou tookest David, when he followed the Ewes great with young. His honour made him not forget his pe●gree.  
That Prince who spoke mildly & humbly to Eliah, was not consumed: so if 〈◊〉 will not be consumed with the fire of Go● wrath, we must be humble.  
Saint Basill speaking of the creation 〈◊〉 man, saith, Cur accepit Deus 〈◊〉 Why did God take the dust of the ear●● C●m 〈◊〉 audis cur el●uaris, Why should dust and ashes be proud then?  
Surely, neither honour no● riches, n●● friends, nor apparel▪ nor ought else, if ● the glory of the world were heaped uppe us, it should not make us proud. If the● mightest wear ●oth of gold, remember covers but a ●oule ●●rka●●e, dust & ashes.  
Of all sorts of proud men, they are ●o be most condemned that are proud of the● apparel, as if they should glory in th●● shame: for apparel was made to cover our shame. When Ad●● had sinned, and so knew th●● he was naked, presently he made himself breeches of ●●g-leaues.  
So sin and shame were the first Tailors that shaped Adam's garments.  
The humble and proud, are both noted ●● Scripture by their diversity of apparel.  
john is noted to have vestimentum é pilis Camelorum, et zonum pelliceam, his apparel of Camel's hair, and a girdle of a skin about his loins. Here was an humble man. But the rich man in Luke 16. is otherwise pictured. It is not omitted as a matter of special note, that he was appareled in purple, and fared deliciously every day. Hear was a proud man.  
How doth the Lord by Esay rip up the ●ryde of our rioting age: expressing by ●ame all the handmaids of pride. Slippers, calls, and round tires, sweet balls, bracelets, and bonnets, the tires of the head, the tablets, earrings, rings, and mufflers: costly apparel, the veils & crisping pins, the glasses, fine linen, hoods and lawns, etc. Had the Prophet lived in these times, how might he have inveighed against the gaudines of apparel, long staring rubies, periwigs, farthingales, masks, fans, painted faces, partlets, bracelets, frontlets, fillets, all lets to let and hinder us from humility.  
When God began to make apparel for man, he made it but of the skins of beasts. And all the former Saints were covered only with Goates-skinnes, and the ha●● of Camels. But now this fashion is qu●● out of fashion, for we rob all the creature of the world to  our backs, by taking from some their wool, from some their sk●● from some their fur, and from some th●● very excrements, not sparing so much a the silly poor worm: for the silk is b● the excrement of worms.  
Nay, rather than we will be unfurnished of any thing that may adorn or beaut●●● us, we will not stick to dive as it were 〈◊〉 to the bottom of the sea, and turn up 〈◊〉 sands of the sea for precious stones.  
When the glistering silks ●uffle on 〈◊〉 backs, and the precious Indian rings 〈◊〉 upon our fingers, when our necks are ●●●ged with goodly and costly chains, 〈◊〉 the wrists of our hands with bracelets, 〈◊〉 think all the world doth admire us: and we seem in our own eyes like the 〈◊〉 kyms: or like the builders of Babel, 〈◊〉 thought to hide their heads among 〈◊〉 clouds.  
A godly devout man, who now is w●●● the Lord, marveleth much at the vani●● of proud men: I wonder (saith he) th● men should in seeking to exalt themselves, ●o far debase themselves: for in clothing themselves so richly, they make their apparel better than themselves: their bodies are not so much worth as their apparel: ●hey would be better than all men, and yet cannot make themselves equal to the clothes ●hey wear upon their backs.  
Solomon, when he was most royally roa●ed, was not half so glorious as the L●lly in ●he field.  
If the Lily did exceed S●lomon, and ●ee a King, why should private men, or great men in high place, or in low place howsoever, strive to be proud, since they cannot make themselves like one of the flowers of the field, which flourisheth before ●he Sith, and is cut down in a moment.  
O let us not so pass away our days in vanity: let us rather learn this lesson of Christ here taught us, which is humility.  
Even from the beginning of his life, the ●ime of his birth in Bethleem, to the time of his death in Calvary, always he practised humility.  
He sought no rich apparel, but was con●ent to be leapt up in a few clow●es.  
When he came to the world, he sought no stately building to dwell in. The Foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, but the Son of man had not whereon to lay his head.  
In stead of a cradle he had but a Cratch, and a stable in stead of a chamber, for there was no room in the Inn, other guests had taken up the lodgings.  
See what poor entertainment was made here for him, who was the King of glory, a palace was not good enough for him: yet in Bethleem, a Town that had ma●●● houses in it, and many rooms, he alone could get neither house nor house-room.  
joseph his supposed Father, & Mary the blessedst among women, though she were even now travailing to be delivered, were glad of a stable, like as jacob was glad of stones to put under his head in stead of a pillow, when he slept at bethel.  
The Innkeeper had made it to entertain his guests horses, yet it is dignified here, and of a base place it is made an honourable place, of better reckoning then any emperors Chamber or Prince in the world: for it was our Saviour Christ his ●odging. The person took away the vile●●es of the place, and made it honourable.  
Micah, when he wrote of Bethleem, Thou Bethleem art little among the cities of judah, might also have said, Thou Inn in Beth●eem, or rather, thou stable of that Inn in Bethleem, art little among the houses in Bethleem, yet in thee shall he be borne that must rule Israel.  
Zachary prophesying of Christ his coming, saith thus; Rejoice o Zion, shout for ●oy o daughter jerusalem: for behold thy King 
Zach, 9, 9,  cometh unto thee, he cometh poor, and riding upon an Ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an Ass.  
He was poor indeed when he might not command an house: but he did it to show his humility. The Lord of all, had least of all, he had not so much as a house to be borne in, and yet his father was a carpenter: he made many a house for others, but none for himself, no● his son.  
Humility never founded gay houses, & this hath sprung up but of late years: for our ancestors contented themselves with simple lodgings. Here-hence comes it, which is not so commonly as truly spoken: Gay-clothing & sumptuous building, hath undone England.  
Good-house-keeping, and hospitality,  
Are lost through pride & prodigality.  
Before time, honest men contented themselves with an homely hall, and a lover, no 
Now stately buildings, cold kitchens.  chimney nor parlour, nor upper chamber, and in such houses the poor found good relief. But now our houses have so enlarged themselves, as if they were so many cities, for height and stateliness like Nabucadnezers palace in Babel: and the many rooms in them like the streets of Niniveh, one wrought within another like Dedalus Labyrinth, or the Pyramids in Memphis, and Egypt, that a man being once in them, can hardly find the way out of them: many halls, and many parlours, & many chimneys, or shows of chimneys: and of many, scarce one or none smoking. Goodly mock-beggars.  
And all this came in with pride: it was never so in his ruff as now it is, and therefore no better time to press this example of humility then now. He teacheth us this lesson that teacheth us all things; Learn of me, for I am humble and meek, & ye shall find rest for your souls.  
Christ that was borne for us, so govern us by his Spirit of grace, that this sin of pride, and all other enormities being suppressed in us, we may practise that humility, which at last will exalt us to immortality, and infinite happiness.  
It followeth: In the days of Herod the King.  
Hear is delivered the time when Christ was borne. When Herod reigned in jedea. It is worth the noting to consider of the time of Christ's birth.  
It was a time of cruelty, a time of trouble, a time of tyranny, & persecution. The troubles that fell upon him in his infancy, did presage continuance of like ensuing calamities through the whole course of his life. He found no ease, no peace, no place almost in the world, but was ever afflicted, persecuted, betrayed, arraigned, condemned, and at last crucified.  In the reign of Herod. 
Herod was the first that stepped upon the stage, and other tyrants after, succeeded him to act Christ's tragedy.  
The murdered innocents in that merciless massacre, can witness the bloody cruelty of that time.  
Christ new borne, is compelled to fly from Bethleem to Egypt, like Moses to Mydian, 
The mother & tender babe, were driven to fly, like as the woman in the revel.  & there remained till they were dead, who sought his life.  
In the days of Herod,] that is, in the days of him, whose power was of God: but he abused his power, & with the same sought to destroy the sons of God.  
This Herod was the son of Hyrcanus, as josephus noteth, in lib. 14. Antiq. ca 18. Three circumstances are to be noted, concerning this cruel Herod. First, he was troubled when he heard of Christ's birth: and the rather, for that he was termed a King. Wherein we may see the eare-marke of the wicked and reprobates: they be sad when others are merry: when the Shepherds and Wise men triumphed & rejoiced, then was Herod and his people discomforted.  
There could not come to the world greater tidings of joy, than the news of Christ's birth, so proclaimed by the Angel that appeared to the Shepherds: in testimony whereof, the multitudes of heavenly soldiers praised God, and sung melodiously unto the Lord. Yea, and with them, the whole frame of nature seemed to rejoice.  
Yet now was Herod in the midst of his dumps, not knowing which way to turn him: terrors within, and troubles without so affrighted him, as pangs do a woman that travaileth with child, and is plained to be delivered. It drove him to a maze when he heard of Christ, as the hand-writing drove Baithazer to a stackering.  
Herod's conscience (it seems) could tell him that he had no interest in Christ, and therefore no marvel if he were troubled. He feared also that he should now lose his kingly titles and honours, and that Christ would deprive him of his kingdom: and so seeking an earthly kingdom, he lost an heavenly kingdom; and though he lived for a short time like a king, yet he died far unlike a king, for he was eaten up of life in the midst of his glory.  
The second circumstance. All jerusalem was troubled with him. Hear is that proverb verified, Regis ad exemplar totus componitur orbis. The City was moved to see the King moved, the whole people frame themselves to the passions of the Prince.  
Moses counsel was this, Non sequere multitudinem. etc. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. But in this place 'tis noted, that the multitude follow, and many are drawn by the example of one to do evil. King and people & all, oppose themselves against Christ.  
This is it which David so long before prophesied of Christ: The kings of the earth & the mighty men, have assembled themselves together: they banded themselves against the Lord, and against his anointed.  
Thirdly; this fear proceeded to spill the blood of Saints thereby to destroy Christ. This was not Timor, but Tremor: such a terror and fearfulness, as is wont to assault the reprobate.  
There is fear in the children of God, but it is a fihall fear, a sonlike fear: but this is a servile fear that was in Herod; such a fear as expels all good graces out of us.  
Of that fear Saint john speaketh, when he saith; Fear hath painfulness, & in Herod here it had painfulness: for it disquieted him and his people.  
It hath in it painfulness, and hatefulness, for so soon as this fear entered, he began to hate Christ.  
By this Herod, the wicked mighty men of this world are noted, which endeavour by all means to oppress the Gospel of Christ. The Tyrants of the earth could not abide that the glory of Christ should stand, but they are like the 4. Angels in the Revel. withholding the 4. winds of the earth, that they should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor upon any green tree.  
Examples of persecuting Tyrants, are plentiful in Scripture.  
The tyranny of Pharaoh against Israel. The tyranny of Saul against David. The tyranny of Achab persecuting Michaeas.  
So the devil still hath his instruments to exercise cruelty, and to insult over God's people, as here he proucked Herod to persecute Christ.  
This note among the rest must not be forgotten, concerning the time of Christ's birth: when most tyranny was used, & religion most defaced, then was Christ borne. And therefore in john he is called Lux lucens in tenebris, a light shining in darkness.  
As our Saviour was borne under tyranny: so have his members ever since been borne under tyranny & affliction: to teach us that persecution is ever a mark of the true Church.  
To draw this doctrine to particular application. We see in this place the cruelty and maliciousness of Herod against Christ, let us learn to hate cruelty, & rather strive to be meek and gentle.  
God hateth nothing more than cruelty, and the bloodthirsty man never cometh to the grave in peace.  
Cruelty, rather than it shall scape without punishment, will be it own executioner; like Cain, whose own conscience did persecute him for his brother's blood, crying within him: Whosoever finds me, shall slay me.  
Let this bloody tyrant Herod, be a precedent of terror to all that carry like bloody minds. As Herod slew the poor innocents in Bethleem, so the Lord slew him, the blood of those innocents cried to the Lord for revenge, and their cry prevailed: for he died most shamefully. As he sent an army of men, even men of war to destroy all those males: so God sent another kind of warriors to fight against him, even an army of louse. These came about him in troops, thicker than the flies of Egypt, & did eat him up alive, as you may read more at large in the 12. of the Acts.  
And as Eusebius reporteth it: he seeing the judgements of God upon him, uttered these words; Qui vobis Deus videor vitam turpiter finire cogor. I that am reputed in your eyes as a God, am constrained to die most filthily.  
It followeth: Wise men came from the East to jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is borne King of the jews?  
Since neither Herod, nor his people the inhabitants of jerusalem, did labour to seek out Christ, lo God stirreth up others, even mere strangers to come from far, from the East to jerusalem to worship his son.  
A Prophet is not without honour save in his own Country, and amongst his own. Christ being in Bethleem among his own, is not received, and therefore, as our Saviour told the jews when they bragged they had Abraham to their Father, God is able even of stones, to raise up sons to Abraham. So here, rather than Christ shall want honour, God raiseth men from far, that never knew jury, nor jerusalem, to come unto him, and to present him with rich gifts, undoubted testimonies of a true worship.  
They were Wise men: yet but worldly wise, till they came to Christ, and then they learned of him true wisdom, even the Word of life, which was able to save their souls.  
In the example of these Wise men, travailing so far to seek Christ, we must learn, that if we will come to Christ, as we ought, we must forsake our parents, our Country, and friends. We must leave all behind us, the world & the cares thereof, to the end we may be the lighter in our journey towards Christ.  
We shall be sure to find no rubs in the way able to stay us, if we do but consider that we are running unto Christ.  
To Christ must we run, not to Idols, nor to the power of men; but we must travail to him alone, to hi● only must we offer, and to no other.  
For he is Agnus Dei: he is the Lamb of GOD, that taketh away the sins of the world.  
It is neither Angel nor Saint that can hear us, or entreat for us, or can grant the thing we ask for. Christ alone can do it, for he alone hath borne our infirmities.  
He is the only Physician that healeth us, he is the brazen Serpent upon whom, whosoever looketh, recovereth. He is the Samaritane that poureth wine and oil into our wounds.  
These men thus travailing to Christ, are not recorded who they were, and it is curiosity for us to pry unto that, which the spirit of God hath kept secret.  
But Wise men they were, and religiously wise it seems they were, for they were inflamed with a fervent desire to see Christ.  
Some are of opinion that they were Magicians, such as had skill in divining, and interpreting difficult matters, and in foretelling things to come. And the original word would seem to carry this sense, Magois.  
Such knowledge was extraordinary: & it is forbidden and accursed in many places of Scripture. Let none be found among you that hath a spirit of divination: or that is a sorcerer, or a charmer. Deut. 18. 10.  
And if any turn after such, Ego excidam. Levit. 20.  
And such it may be were these Wise men before they knew Christ: but this profane wisdom went from them, when the true knowledge of Christ was implanted in them.  
These Magis were Wisemen and Gentiles, they first came to see Christ, and therefore they are called the first fruits of the Gentiles: they had neither the law nor the Prophets read unto them, yet they first labour to find out Christ.  
Signifying, that it is God only who formeth every Christian man's heart, he can soon turn David from adultery, Adam to confess his sin: Paul of a persecutor to become a professor. He can make of stones, sons to Abraham, and of Gentiles sound Christians. As here he caused these Wise men to come from far, even from the East to jerusalem to worship Christ: So is there no respect of persons with God, but in all places, who so feareth him, and worketh righteousness, shallbe accepted.  From the East to jerusalem. 
As Christ our Lord came from the bosom of his Father to be incarnate, and to dwell among us: so these Wise men came from their country from the East, to find out Christ their Redeemer.  
This showeth their great desire. jeroboam said it was too far to go to jerusalem, but these Wse men did not think it too far to come from the Fast to jerusalem to worship Christ, & ●inding him not at jerusalem, they traveled yet further, to Bethleem in judea: they never rested till they found out him that saved them.  
By grace they sought him, and by faith they found him, whom they would not lose again for the gaining of the world.  
But leave we these Wise men thus traveling, & return we to ourselves awhile, and I doubt not before we have done, by the guide of that star in this story mentioned, to place them in the Inn at Bethleem, together with that princely babe, though poorly lodged, whom they with such a longing desire expected to behold.  
The use of the doctrine to ourselves is this, we must ca●y the like desire, and the same holy affection that they did. We must labour to come to the knowledge of Christ, we must seek after where it is to be had by traveling for it, though it were as far as jerusalem: knowing that the sufferings of this world are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed.  
We may not look that Christ should come to us, we must rather go to him, and never cease going, till we come where our souls & he ma● belodged together.  
We read of the earnest care of the church in the ● of 〈◊〉 in the first, second and .  
She never gave over to seek him, 〈◊〉 she ●ound him.  
And so should we be like diligent and careful. We should no●●u●●er our eyes to sleep, nor our eyelids to ●●●mber, nor the temples of our ●ead to take any 〈◊〉 ●● should not cease 〈◊〉 and day seeking, & still seeking and enquiring after him whom our soule● long for, till we have ●ound him. Like these Wise men, whom their ●edious journey 〈◊〉 inquired, even in the 〈◊〉 of jerusalem, and in the open places thereof, whether all the people of the wo●ld h●d recourse: there they demanded for the new borne King of the ●ewes & at length in Bethleem they find him.  
This may 〈◊〉 the lazy 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 men, ●ho 〈◊〉 they know the comfort and 〈◊〉 they have in Christ, yet will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miles to hear the Word which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Christ is now no 〈◊〉 to be found in his bodily presence among us: only 〈◊〉 is present in the Word, and there alone he will be sought for.  
As Christ showed himself to the Wisemen at Bethleem, and after showed himself to the Doctors in the Temple: So in our Bethleems, in our cities, and Towns, and in our Temples doth he still show himself in his word and in his Gospel, daily taught and preached.  
It is not now that jerusalem in judea, no● 
N●● 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●m.  that Bethleem, where these wise men once were, that Christ will be found in now.  
Our travel is easier, and our journey ●a● shorter, he is come home to our own country from 〈◊〉 to England, and from jerusalem to London, and to all the Cities and towns wi● in our Land, teaching and expounding in our S●agogues every Sabbaoth. Yet ●ewe labour to hear him: the Wise men shall rise up at the last day to condemn such.  
Yet more, it controls the lose and dissolute carelessness of those licentious libertines. I cannot call them men, but rather 〈◊〉 of men, who having Christ preached unto them at their doors, within the walls of their Cities and towns, will not 〈◊〉 to it, dishonouring in a graceless in 〈◊〉 the Sp●●it of grace, and despising, as much as in them lieth, both Christ, and the Ministers of his Gospel.  
Such are worse than the unbelieving jews, for they heard Christ every Sabbath: nay they are worse than Herod: for he desired to see Christ, and to hear him.  
But leave we them to their dissolute resolutions: let them remain while they list, in the darkness of Egypt. But let us hold Goshen, the comfortable light whereof will direct us in our passage, as the cloudy pillar did the Israelites through the wilderness, or as the star did these Wise men. When this stiff-necked generation shall stumble at the truth, and err from it, like the Sodomites, groping for the door of Lot's house 
Gone, 19  when they were stricken with blindness.  
Where the Spirit of GOD is, there is a longing and a thirsting, and a burning desire of the word. But sure there can be no grace where there is no liking of godliness. I exhort you then, and beseech you beloved in the Lord, even in the bowels of jesus Christ, who will one day call you to a reckoning for your single-soale service of him labour to hear the word, travel to it, desire it in a burning affection.  
If you have any grace of God's Spirit, any measure of santi●ycation, proceed and grow more and more in the lively faith of Christ jesus. Cast away all your cares of this world: and labour only to have that saving knowledge which God hath revealed in his w●●d. This one thing is necessary▪ and it will supply all your wants.  
You are not yet the servants of Christ, till this desire of the Word be planted in you.  
They that carry not an hungry appetite to the Word●, let them be for honour and dignity how excellent so ever, for wealth and riches how potent soever, for friends and followers how mighty soever, yet are they but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉, that are full of 〈◊〉 and putrified ●ones. Because the comfort of the word is sequestered from their souls which alone can magnify them. Without the Word nothing can make us happy, and having it, nothing can make us miserable.  
It is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ●eedes us to 〈◊〉 life: ●● is the pearl for which the wi●e Merchant would give all that ever ●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 of David, which openeth and no man 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉, & no man openeth: it is the only eyesalve, wherewith our eyes being anointed, can not choose but clearly behold Christ.  
Name the Word, and thou hast named all things, it is all ●● all, and containeth all the blessings of God's whore-house, which are for number so many, and for value so great, that no man can know them but he that hath them: like the stone in the Revelation, that white stone with a new Name graven in it, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.  
These wise men c●me 〈◊〉 from the East, to jerusalem. Things of high prize, and of necessary use, if they be not near us, must be sought far of, where they are to be had. And we must spare no pains nor cost in procuring them.  
Co●elius sent to loppa for Peter, to inform him in the way of righteousness. David longing for the return of the Ark, went & brought it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
The 〈◊〉 longing to see his prodigal son, ran to meet him a great way of, and kissed him.  
〈◊〉 sent to 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and here these Wisemen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 East to Beth-leem to seek out Christ, David's Lord.  
Another note worthy the observation, comes to be considered in these Wise men. These wise men did not cast the peril and lets that might happen in their journey.  
The Gentiles might not converse with the jews, ●or they were enemies one to the other. Yet these enemies through whose country they were to pass, did not ass●ight them, the dangers subject to their journey did not disquiet them, the tediousness of the way did not terrify them: nothing could stay them from their intended enterprise.  
Their joyfulness to see Christ, took away all worldly carefulness: Our practice should be like theirs. No business of this li●e should withdraw us from Christ.  
When they came to jerusalem, they found Herod snaring them, all the City in an uproar, King and people, and all were moved. So when we come to Christ, ●e sh●l ●ind an Herod without us, and an idolatrical jerusalem within us: Tyrants with ou● and 〈◊〉 within: many lets & nets, and ●●ny snates to ●●●●p us. Put we must respect neither Herod nor Ier●salem, but still hold on our voyage to Bethleem, the place where Christ lodgeth.  
In all ages there will be satins instruments, like so many Lions in the passages, to stop the children of God in their good courses. And now with us there are many Herod's, many like Herod and Archelaus to cut the throat of Religion, as he sought the life of Christ in the blood of the innocents.  
But yet must we go forwards like these Wise men, we must not fear them that kill the body, rather ●eare him that can cast both body and soul into hell fi●e.  
Stronger is he that is with us, than whole legions of enemies, that band themselves with them against God. Let them ●aile and persecute never so much, like Ze●● che●●b, and Rabshakeh: yet GOD will put an hook in their nostrils, and they shall not prevail. No more than the stood prevailed, which was cast out of the mouth of the Dragon in the Revelation, against the woman t●●t fled to the wilderness.  We have seen his star. 
Hear comes to be considered how they knew he was borne. The sta●●e gave them knowledge, and was their guide in 〈◊〉 journey, never leaving them till they came to Beth-leem.  
S. Austin saith, that at the birth of Christ a new star appeared. A blazing Comet that never showed itself before: and at his death, the Sun, greater than the greatest star, was obscured.  
At this burth, infants were murdered, and at his death they were crowned.  
At his birth, hell was more conquered, and his enemies more troubled.  
Eusebius saith, that at the b●●th of Christ, there happened to break up on a sudden a goodly Spring, that ran with oil the space of one day.  
And at the same time in Romea circle was seen about the Sun, no less clear than the Sun.  
And that when the imperial Crown was brought by the Senate to Oct●uius Augustus, he refused it: saving that a greater Prince than himself was now borne: to whom all the crowns and kingdoms in the world did belong.  
A famous Temple at the same time rend in s●nder: in the dedication whereof when the Oracle was demanded how long the same should continue: answer was given it should remain, till a Virgin should bring forth a son.  
These, & many such wonders then happened, all being evident signs, and perfect demonstrations of the new borne King: the rather to work in men's ha●ts, and to stamp in them a never dying knowledge of this wonderful birth of Christ our Lord.  
By the Star they knew him: and by the starie they sound him. And so if we will know Christ and find him as they did, we must examine ourselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this star hath appeared unto us or not.  
There is Duplex st●lia. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of two sorts: There is a spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in us, and another with ●● us.  
The star without is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Word. The star within, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith and charity, without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not see Christ.  
In the first of the Revel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called a star in the hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
And Christ himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morning star.  
The Minister must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a star, which is to be always bright and shining, and to be ever in motu, to shine in doctrine, and to shine in his manner of living: to go before his people in example of good life and doctrine, to be a guide unto them, as this star was a guide to the wise men to direct them to Christ.  
To be ever in motu: that is, to exercise his gifts of teaching and preaching & godly conference continually without cealing, without intermission. Like a star that s●●● traveleth and keepeth his course night and day.  
The star of faith which is within us, containeth five circumstances, noted in the 〈◊〉 of john. The multitude of believing le●s, when they heard that Christ should come to jerusalem, in testimony of their faith, took branches of palm-trees, showing their gratitude: so our faith must receive Christ, 〈◊〉 Palmis, with palm branches, that is, with praise and thankfulness.  
They were green branches, ●ircntes rami, so must our faith be green, it must never whither, it must always operari, it must branch forth into good works like to fructifying greene-boughes.  
They confessed him Hosanna, blessed is the King of Israel, that cometh in the Name of the Lord. So sides, faith, cannot be without confession. They also called upon him Hosanna, to show the necessity of ●●●●cation.  
Lastly they followed him: so faith always followeth Christ, and is ever with christ, like the beloved disciple that leaned upon his bosom.  We have seen his star, and are come to worship him. 
Hear is set down the end why they came. They came to worship him. For they opened their treasures, and presented unto him Gold, Frankincense, & Mygth. By their rich presents, you may guess at the rich affection and love they bore to Christ. They came to give all holy worship to him that was the King of glory.  
And therefore, in testimony of their loyalty & obedience: they bring unto him gystes worthy such a King, as it were to defray the t●bute of an undivided love gold, Frankincense and Mirth.  
Behold a free-will-offering, which faith drew forth, and pure devotion presented an offering better accepted then all the f●● of Ra●s. What gifts might be of great●● value then these? So is it shll with the godly, they count count nothing too dear which they bring to Christ.  
Look the 〈◊〉 of Exod. Pure Mirth & Frankincense were appointed by a spec●commaund, for the oil o● holy ointment, and for the presume, among other things of price there noted.  
In the 36. of Exod. the people brought so liberal and so 〈…〉 towards the building of the Sanc●●●●: that M●●s was 〈◊〉 to prodrome they 〈◊〉 give over. Such and so free is the hurt of the righteous, when faith doth 〈◊〉 it, and the grace of God's sp●●●t inflames it, & such was the gift of these Wise men.  
This read●nes in them must encourage us to present and give out of the ●●easures of hearts, 〈…〉 to the ●ord.  
And this we may 〈◊〉 do, since God requireth of us, not gold olliver, or the like: but he requireth us to offer but ourselves, a 〈…〉 even our souls & bodies to serve the Lord.  
Offer not to me thy goods, or thy wealth, or thy gold: but (saith God) if thou wilt give me any thing, give me thy heart.  
Sliver it mine, and gold is mine: saith the Lord Aggei.  
We cannot enrich him, if we give him all that we have, if we give him all the world and the kingdoms thereof, we give him but his own. For, Terra est Do●ani, ●t pl●ntiu●● e●●s: The earth ●s the Lords, and the fullness thereof.  
GOD required in former ages large sacrifices. Oxen, Sheep, and Calves: but these sacrifices have now an end, and are long agone determined: but the offering that best pleaseth GOD now, is that proclaimed by Solomon, 〈…〉, give 〈◊〉 thy heart. And that spoken by Micah in his sixth chapter.  
Wherewithal shall I come 〈◊〉 the Lord, or how myself before the 〈…〉 GOD? shall I come before him with  ●●●rings, or with Calves of a 〈◊〉 old?  
Will the Lord be 〈…〉 of Ra●●es, or with t●nne 〈…〉 of o●le, or shall I give my first 〈◊〉 for my transgression, even the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul.  
He hath showed thee o man what is good, & what the Lord requireth, surely to do justice, to love mercy, and to humble thyself, and to walk with thy God.  
So than ye honour Christ aright, and ye then worship him in spirit & truth, in presenting these treasures of the heart. This will be better accepted then the sacrificing of a Bullock that hath horns and hooves.  
If you thus glorify Christ, he will also glorify you: and when he cometh in glory, he will take us to himself, and give us better habitations than his own Son found with us when he dwelled among us, even glorious mansions in his Kingdom of glory.  
To him be glory for ever.   

❧ The true lovers Canticle.  1. JOHN. 4. 10. 11. Herein is love, not, that that we loved God, but that God loveth us, and sent his son to be areconciliation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 
THis love holds me to it like an adamant, & I cannot be divided from it: for that it is such a matter as carrieth with it doctrine of greatest substance, and of greatest necessity.  
Somewhat already hath been spoken in the former Treatise concerning this love: & now comes more to be spoken thereof in this place by course of the text. Not doubting, but that this argument of love, being presented again before ●our eyes, as at a second view, it will the rather be planted in you.  
Either the one or the other, that former, or this latter discourse, must needs stamp so deep an impression in the tables of your hearts, as no perpetuity of time shall be able to outwear.  
Saint Matthew first in his Gospel commended unto us the love of God, in sending his son into the world to be borne for us: and here Saint john in his Epistle, commends unto us the like love of God, in sending his son into the world to die for us.  
john was he of the Apostles, who alone with a special appellation is termed the disciple of the Lord: and the disciple whom jesus loved: whom our Lord also seemed to carry (as it were) in his own bosom.  
Christ his Lord for loving him, must needs draw like love and like affection from him towards Christ.  
And to express this love, as if he were wholly compounded of love, this beloved Disciple soundeth nothing else almost throughout his Epistle, but this love we speak of.  
The love of GOD towards us, our love again towards God. God's love first, and ours after: all is love.  
And therefore this Text may well be called, The lovers Canticle. For the Apostle gins the Text with love, and continues and ends the same with love: making love (as it were) the burden of his song. Herein is love, in that GOD loved us, and sent his son to reconcile us: Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one an●ther.  
All you that have been foolishly devoted to fond love, that have ill spent many good hours in pouring out your passionate complaints, & in a vain vain of humorous conceytednesse, have taken great pains to pen loves Poems, idle toys of adle-heads: henceforth suspend both pen and poem: cast them from you, as the Israelites hanged their haps upon the willows.  
Time that trieth all things, and is the mother of Truth, can well assu●e you with infallible demonstrations, that such lascivious love, or rather such lawless lust, will but lead you to vanity, and vanity will seal up iniquity.  
And so being bereaved of all grace and godliness, you become in a moment utterly irreligious.  
If you must and will needs love: if you have made it your profession to be amorous, here is love, even that true love, (that other to this, is but an Idol, like Dagon to the Ark) this love, how simply tired s●euer, is able to draw all ha●ts-con-ceits.  
In eternising her praises, if so be you make her the Mistress of your affections, you shall find matter enough to work upon.  
This love calls upon you, as the chief commander of all your actions, and the only supreme Sovereign, unto which your tongues and pens should sacrifice their well-bestowed labours.  Herein is love. etc. 
Whereunto shall I liken this love of GOD? This holy love is like a golden chain that by an inseparable union linketh together God and us, like David and jonathan, yoked together by an inviolable leagne of amity.  
Whereunto again may I liken this love? It is like to jacobs' ladder, which reached from the earth to the heavens: on the 
Gone, 28.  which were Angels descending and ascending, & God himself slanding above upon the top of it.  
Yet once more, to what shall I liken this love, or whereunto may it be compared? It is like to the golden Censer in the hand of the Angel before the Altar, which Censer was full of sweet odours, the smoke whereof did ascend up before God out of the Angel's hand.  
And it was a sweet savour in God's nostril's, for God accepted it: so we read in the 8. of the Renel. Now i● we will be accepted with God, we must use this incense. Love must be the golden Censer of wellsmelling odours to be carried up to the Lord, and to be presented be●ore the Altar, and before the throne, by the ministry of the Angel, that is Christ, the holiest of all holies, who alone shall be accepted for us, for that he alone hath reconciled us.  
jacobs' ladder reached up to heaven, and this must be our ladder, if we will learn like the Angels to ascend up where God is.  
A chain consists of many links, and all are fastened in so sure one in another, that they cannot be sundered or divided, and he that draws but the one link, draws unto him all the whole chain. This chaune is love, and we must of necessity be possessed of this chain, if we will have to do with god. For God is not but where is unity, & this chain is unity: for what is a chain but many links in one. First one link, than another, than a third to that, and after that another, and so the chain is perfected.  
Nay, there is such a mutual relation between GOD and us, if this love be in us whereof we speak, that we can in no sort separate the one from the other, no not in intellectu, not so much as in conceit, as the Schoolmen term it.  
The Apostle Saint john proving the same, where he saith, GOD is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, & God in him. etc.  
This love is twosold, consisting of two parts: The love of God towards us, and our love to one another.  
We ought first to consider of God's love, and then to descend to ourselves, making a pattern first of his love towards us, and out of it to frame a like love in ourselves one to another.  
God goeth before us in the example of this love and we must follow after as near as we can, in practising the like love among ourselves.  Herein is love. 
The principal proposition handled by the Apostle in this place, is the general doctrine of Christ, who was sent forth from the bosom of his Father unto the world, to reconcile us by the virtue of his death: which doctrine is grounded upon these arguments, for strength like a brazen brickwall, against which, sathan and the power of hell cannot prevail.  
The first argument is drawn from the mercy or love of God: in these words: Herein is love.  
The second from his will, being a special effect of his love, in these words: And sent his son. etc.  
Many properties and attributes are in GOD, which it behoveth us especially to take notice of.  
First, he is omnipotent, proved by his Creation. Wise, by his daily gubernation. Just in his promises. Merciful, for he spareth sinners. Loving to all, for he calleth all, and is careful for all.  
But specially for the elect: who do hear when he calleth.  
His loan is here justified: for that he sent his son to the world, that so many as believed, might have life everlasting.  
The fountain of all graces is love, which drew from him a greater work than the Creation of the world: even the work of our Redemption, a matter of so great mystery, that it caused all the Prophets, from Adam the son of God, to john Baptist the son of Zacharie, in all times and ages to speak and write of this superabundant grace and rich good will long before the foundations of the world determined, but in the fullness of time revealed unto us by the coming of his Son, by whom we 
●●he. 1. 7.  have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins according to his rich grace.  
This exceeding love of GOD, being deeply wa●ed in a careful consideration, m●●● needs work mightily in the children of God▪ and drive them to acknowledge with S. john in this place: That ●eere●●●● 〈◊〉 indeed.  
These first words in the Text, how bare and naked so ever they may seem at the first front or blush, do carry in them matter of moment: they must run in our mouths if we sound them rightly and significantly with a kind of Emphasis. Thus if you require to know the love of God, why here you may learn it: Saint john tells you that hee●e-in was the love of God made manifest, in that he sent his son. etc.  
You are bought with a price, saith the Apostle: the words make but a bare show, but they are very significant: as if he should have said: A price with a witness.  
So herein is love: that is, a love with a witness. For God so loved us, that he spared not his only Son, but gave him for us all to death.  
Him that knew no sin. God made to be sin for us, that we should be made the righteousness of God by him.  
It is not possible for us to express the greatness of this love of God in this behalf, for it is infinite, it is as great as God is great, whose glory filleth the world, the heavens, the earth, and the creatures.  
No man can understand this love, but they that have the bene●●●e of it, I mean the redeemed of the lord: as no man could learn the Elders new song, ●u● the 〈◊〉 forty four thousand which were brought from the earth. Revel. 14.  
This love of God we all do behold, like the brightness of the Sun, whose fiery beams and crystal rays, proceeding as from the Father of all lights, pass forth to the ends of the world.  
But where be they that in beholding this love of God, this sunne-bright clearness of God's rich grace, will be ready with the Wisemen to present unto God all holy worship.  
Where is the rich thankfulness answerable to this rich grace?  
We read of ●enne Lepers that were cleansed: and of the ten but one returned to give thanks. So we are all cleansed by the blood of Christ, but scarce one of ten returns to give thanks to him that cleansed him, thereby to testify our dutiful affection to Christ, as Christ testified his to us, in laying down his life for the many: sealing up remission of sins by his blood.  
The sick is cured, but he hath forgotten the Physician that cured him. The diseased is delivered, and the mortal wound is salved: but the Patient now become a whole man, remembers neither his sore, nor yet the Physician.  Herein is love, not that we loved God. 
Saint john in speaking of this love, doth not presently acquaint us with the particularity of this love; but he first suspendeth the matter, the rather to draw from us attention and carefulness.  
Before I proceed to tell you what this love is, I will first tell you what it is not.  
A thing that is sought for being presently found, is no longer thought on, and so if the Apostle should upon the sudden discover to us this so great a mystery of God's love, it would be but lightly regarded.  
Therefore he offers it, and yet draws it back again, and then presents it again: still offering, and yet withholding, to make us the rather long after it with a more eager and fervent affection.  
Like children in this respect, who the more they be denied of that they would have, the more they cry, & do never leave crying till it be given them.  Not that we loved God. 
The love I mean, saith Saint john▪ is not the love that you mean. It is not vain love, nor self-love, nor carnal love, nor the love of the world, nor the love of honours, nor the love of pleasures, nor the love of riches, it is none of all these, for this is our love: but I am to tell you of God's love.  
It was not love in us, but in God was this love that caused Christ to come unto the world Nay there was in us no love at all, the contrary was in us, even hatred and enmity: & therefore it is said, cum hostes essemus.  
And therefore well might the Apostle make this conclusion against us, not that we loved God. And we ourselves do justify the truth thereof in ourselves, for we know that we love our lusts, and our vanities, and the world, more than God.  
Adam's corruption hath trans-fused itself into Adam's children, even all his posterity. God had given him all the kingdoms of the earth, and placed him in Paradise, this world's heaven, here God exhibited plentiful testimony of his love, but Adam could show forth no love to God for this: so proved by his wilful disobedience. The taste of one Apple made him forget both himself and God his Maker. And have not our pleasures the same sovereignty over us.  
judas sold his Master for thirty pence, he loved his money better than his Master, and many Mammonites now, whose cares are upon their coffers, and whose minds are upon the bag as judas was, if they would not be corrupted with money to betray Christ, yet they could be contented to betray the members of Christ, their brethren and neighbours, for fewer shekels of silver then Delilah took from the Princes of the Philistims.  
No man would willingly be leprous, yet many worldlings that are carried away with the love of riches, could be contented to buy a leprosy with less than two bags of silver, 
2. Reg. 5.  as Gehazie did.  
Esau, as he had an earthly name, so was he earthly minded: his profaneness is laid open to all eyes, where it is registered of him that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. And he is no less infamous for so doing, than he that burned Diana's Temple at Ephesus, or that Tyrant, who harped 
N●●o.  at Rome's flames.  
That Esau is long ago dissolved into earth and dust, but out of his ashes others like him are risen up (like Cadmus' brood) and the same prophannes that was in Esau, is grown up with them. Many Edomites live now, that can be content to sell a better patrimony than he did, even their spiritual inheritance which they should have in Christ, and all for the transitory pleasures of this life.  
To be short, we should love God only & principally, before all things. We should love God more than our parents, our country, our friends, ourselves. etc.  
He that loveth Father or mother, or sister or brother, or wife or children, or kinsfolks, more than me, saith our Saviour Christ, is not worthy to be my disciple. This aught to be: but we cannot yet apply ourselves to this love which Christ doth here so necessarily require. We are all like Demas loath to part with the world, & like the young rich man in the gospel, who was unwilling to leave his possessions: he loved his wealth better than Christ. And therefore, when Christ bade him follow him, he chose rather to follow the world. And all the peacemakers in the earth, are not able to set these two at one, the love of God, & the love of the world. For Christ hath spoken it, If you love the world, the love of God cannot be in you. You see the truth then of this conclusion, not that we loved God, but that God loved us: and sent his Son.  
Hear the Apostle showeth the particularity of the love, which all this while he suspended. Herein is that love manifested, in sending his son. etc.  
There was no good thing in us at all, no mirit or desert that might move GOD to give us his Son. It was his love only, and the good pleasure of his will, as the Apostle speaketh to the Ephesians, in the first chapter.  
Our adversaries ought to blush, if Christian modesty did rest upon them, when they read this text in john's Epistle, & that other in his gospel: since they deny that truth which is is both places & elsewhere so strongly maintained.  
They would persuade men by their doctrine of merit, that this love of God is but a matter of course: as if God were bound to love us, and that we can deserve at gods hands to be so loved.  
Yea, they say we may do good works of Supererogation, more than God requireth. We need not far fet Scriptures to answer such. One Text of many shall suffice, this now in handling. God loved us first, and not we him.  
Nay, he loved us when we hated him, and fell from him by wilful transgression.  
As soon as Adam had sinned, GOD in this his love salved him with the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman breaking the Serpent's head.  
This love of God was universal, it extended to all men, of all sorts, jews and Gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised, bond and free, believers and unbelievers.  
In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed. All might have taken hold of this blessing, as freely as Adam might stretch his hand to all the trees of the garden, save the tree of knowledge. God would have all men to be saved, and therefore Christ was offered to all: but in that all be not saved, the fault is theirs that will not partake of this blessing.  
The death of Christ was sufficient for all, but it was not effectual for all: it was effectual only for the believers.  
And therefore saith this same john in the 3. Chap. of his Gospel: That, so many as believed on him, should not perish.  
All were bidden to the marriage of the King's Son, yet all did not come: nay, they who were first bidden came not at all. So the fault was theirs, that refused, being so solemnly invited.  
In like manner, all are not saved that are called to partake of this love of God, universally made known to the whole world in Christ, who would have all men to be saved.  
Only the believers have this prerogative: For many are called, but few are chosen.  
And sent his son to be a reconciliation.  
Infinite are the testimonies of God's love towards us, as Paul said, O how unsearchable are thy judgements (O Lord) and thy ways past finding out: So may we say; o how deep is thy love (o Lord) towards us, how unsearchable & past finding out? no bucket of man's understanding is able to sound the bottom of this bottomless fountain.  
Thy love was manifested first, in giving us a Being, when before we were not, in committing to us the government of this mossy world, and the creatures therein; making us for dignity but a little inferior to the Angels, pouring upon us all temporal blessings. For all things that ever were or are, for our sakes they were, and are created, all for the ministery of man● all to serve man, and man to serve God.  
This tes●●s●●th the abundant love of our Creatoar: but more than can be most, is this exceeding testimony of his love, in sending his Son, his only begotten Son, Christ jesus, into the world for our redemption. The work of the six days Creating of the world, is nothing to the work of the redemption of the world.  
Which made Saint john exclaine with a special kind of admiration: So God loved the world, that he gave. etc.  
And again in this place, Herein is love, in that God ●ent his s●nne to be a reconciliation. He spared not his only son, but gave him for us all to death.  
Never was there a time since man began to be upon the earth, sitter for the learning and practising of this heavenly lesson, than now, for these are the worst and last times, wherein the sins of men are grown ripe, for the sickle of God's wrath: and men drink up iniquity like water. Men are so frozen in their dregs, and the world with the lusts thereof, ●ath so captived them, that they can find no leisure at all to enter into this careful consideration of God's love.  
You know the parable of the excusers, in the gospel: One had bought a Farm, another had bought a yoke o● Oxen, the third had married a wi●e So is it in this declining age of the world: some are so entangled and wholly prepossessed with t●e cares of this life: others again so sold to carnality and lycensiousnes, as if they had bound themselves appren●zes to the devil, to serve in the stavery of sin.  
And a third sort so irreligiously careless, and void of all ceiling, that they can find no sweetness, no comfort, no taste in GOD'S word, fairy wide of David's affection: it was in his mouth sweeter than the honeycomb; but to these men, it is more bitter than wormwood.  
They think every moment of time too long, which is bestowed in God's service. Only, they come to the Temple of God for fashion's sake, and as it were by compulsion, like a Bear to a stake, drawn by violence, & as soon as they are in the church, they covet to be out of the Church, far unlike those Lamps in the Sanctuary, which were always burning.  
And so by one means or other, few or none can think upon the love of God.  
All such are here pinched by the elbow, and are wakened with the alarm that S. john here soundeth. Herein is love. etc.  And sent his Son. 
In the 3. Chap. of his Gospel (he saith) He gave his Son: all is one.  
God gives and sends his Son Christ unto us, and yet the Papists will keep him from us, unless we will buy him at their hands.  
God doth give his Son freely, and the Son offers himself freely, and yet the Pope will sell him.  
Ho, every one that is thirsty, come to the 
Esa. 50.  waters, and you that have no money, come?  
The Pope's proclamation runs in another tenor. Ho (saith he) you that have money, come and buy out your sins, you shall have Bulls, and pardons, and indulgences, and dispensations, and privileges to sin while you live. These are strong delusions, sweet allurements, and able to enti●e all the Merchants of the earth to this so great a Mart.  
But he kills all dead in the lewse: this is it that mars the market; you shall be sure to pay well for it.  
S. john says, here was love in God to give his son for us: but we may say, here is no love in the Pope, save the love of lucre, the love of money.  
So doth he throughout show himself a plain Antichrist, and a Vi●ar, not to God, but to the devil, even his chief sovereign.  
God looks for no retribution: his love freely presents him: he hath given us him, and all things with him.  
In this gift are all things contained, For in him dwelleth all fullness.  
He is omnia in omnibus, all in all things, and had we all the world, without him it were nothing. In him we live, and move, and have our Being; in him we are at peace with God and men; in him we obtain remission of our sins: it is he, who was wounded for our sins, & smitten for our iniquities. He was borne for us that we might be borne again in him; & so by that our new birth might have an entrance into that holy place whether ●e is now ascended.  
It is he that suffered for us, to the end we should not suffer those indurable torments which by our sins we had incurred. He was 〈◊〉 for us, that we should learn to cru 〈◊〉 our old man with our crooked affections. In a word: He is become our redemption, sanctification, salvation, & daily preservation: he is our health, our wealth, our liberty; name but Christ, & thou hast named heaven & earth, & all the rich treasures & blessings in them both. For in that God hath given unto us his son, he hath likewise with him given us all things.  〈◊〉 for our sins. 
Reconciliation importeth a regaining of God's favour once lost.  
Why then we cannot perfectly consider of the greatness of this benefit of reconciliation, unless we look back into our condition and state, before this atonement and reconciliation wrought in Christ.  
We were before in a most wretched and miserable estate, subject to sin, & ●athan, under the curse and malediction of the law and the wrath of God, quite aliens from God, and from the covenant.  
This was the state wherein Adam left us: a state that had in it nothing but wretchedness, sinfulness, and corruption; but now since the exceeding love of God hath appeared, in sending his son to be our reconciliation, & to set us at peace with God by the virtue of his death: Since this true sun of righteousness showed itself, all is salved: sin, death, and the devil, have no more power over us: for Christ hath enlarged us, and set us at liberty, like prisoners at a laile-delivery.  
All this duly considered, we may sing with Paul, Nulla ●st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: new there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus  
And henceforth we may be ready with our Apostle, in th●● place, to 〈◊〉 up our hearts in the midst of all our cros●es, with this song of deliverance, which 〈◊〉 a better harmony than all the Instruments of music in the world.  
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that God loved us, and sent his Son to be a reconciliation for our sins.  
It followeth.] Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  
We are not capable of this love of God, except we also love one another.  
God's love going first, should beget and form in us a like love one towards another.  
Hear than we are to learn a lesson of charity.  
It is said, that love covereth a multitude of sins. If we will have many sins covered, we must labour for this charity.  
We ought to love even our enemies, as God loved us being his enemies: but much rather our brethren and neighbours.  
This is not a common love, but a brotherly love that is here meant, such a love as Peter commended to the Church, in his 1. Epistle. 1. 22. Love one another with a pure heart, fervently. Where we may observe the properties of true love, which is, It must be brotherly, pure, and fervent.  
Brotherly: not after a common affection; for brotherhood is the bond that knitteth together Christians among themselves even as brothers, without any respect, or difference: for we have all but one Christ, one baptism, and one faith; so we should have all one love.  
Pure it must be: without feigning, without glozing, without hypocrisy.  
For many call their neighbours, brethren, and friends: and yet will not stick privily and secretly to undermine them.  
It must be fervent: there is heat in true love, as there is fire in jealousy.  
Where this heat is, it will make thee tender thy friend so dearly, as that thou wilt not stick to lay down thy life for him, as Christ laid down his life for the brethren.  
If you will known the excellency of this love, peruse at your leisure the 13. of the first to the Corinthians, there you may see the wonderful effects of it. No virtue in the world brancheth itself into so many strange operations of godliness: it will be a spectacle worth the looking on, to behold upon one stalk so many fruits growing of infinite varieties.  
It suffereth long, it is bountiful: it envieth not, it boasts not itself, it is not puffed up, it disdaineth not: it is not provoked to anger, it reioyeeth not in iniquity: it suffereth all things, it believeth all things, it never falls away. etc.  
I end with this one note: if you will be resolved, that this love is in you, whereof we speak, you shall principally know it by this one fruit among many.  
You will so love one another, that you will wholly employ your endeavours to do good one to another, and not evil all the days of our lives.  
You will forget and forgive all injuries, and trespasses committed, for his sake, who forgiveth you your great trespasses, your sins: a greater debt than was forgiven to the merciless debtor.  
We cannot come nearer to God, than in the resemblance of this love. S. john proves it, If thou love not thy brother whom thou hast seen, how shouldst thou love God whom thou hast not seen.  
Thou sinnest ten thousand times more against God, than thy neighbour can trespass against thee, yet he forgives thee all: and canst not thou forgive thy brother?  
Some can soon shift of the matter, by answering it thus. I will forgive him, but I'll never forget him.  
He shall come to my pater noster, but never to my Creed.  
God will reanswer such in the same measure. Thou shalt come to my presence, where thou shalt see me and my holy Angels, and all the holy company of heaven in that honourable consistory, when quick and 
Omnis caro.  dead shall be judged: but thou shalt be debarred from that holy society: Thou shalt not rest upon my holy mountain.  
Thus you have seen God loving us, and manifesting the same, his love, in sending us his son to reconcile us.  
You have seen, how tender he is over us, & how gracious in loving us; more than that, how careful to manifest his love, in sending us his only son to reconcile us: and lastly, what he requireth of us in lieu of this his carefulness: which is, that he loving us, we should also love one another.  
God is the first that inviteth, and the last that forsaketh, never leaving, but first left, and ever offering till he be refused.  
He still spreadeth his arms, like as the Cherubins do their wings.  
O let us yield to his embracings, lest when we would, he will not: and so we seek the blessing with Esau, too late, and cannot prevail though we shed many tears.  
And so I end this Lovesong as I began, to the end, that if you be so dull of hearing, as that you have forgotten the sum of all that hath been delivered; yet at least you may remember the burden of the song. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that God loved us, and sent his Son to be a reconciliation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  
Soli Deo gloria.   

The Prophetical King's triumph.  PSALM. 118. 24. This is the day that the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 
The whole Argument of the Psalm, is in substance thus much.  
David being the last, and least of all his Father house, being despised of his own brethren, persecuted by Saul, and utterly rejected of the jews, doth notwithstanding obtain the Kingdom, to justify the truth of that Scripture. There is no regard of persons with 
Acts. 10. 35.  God, but in all places, and among all Nations, who so feareth him and worketh righteousness, shall be accepted.  
And again, God hath chosen the vile things of the world to confound the honourable.  
And the virgin's song was this. God hath 
Luk. 1, 52.  put down the mighty from their seats, and hath exalted the humble and meek.  
David being the youngest son of Ishay, and of smallest reckoning, is taken from the sheepfold, and crowned a King, from guiding sheep in Bethleem, to govern a 
1. Sam. 16.  mighty Nation in Israel.  
So God alone numbereth, weigheth, & divideth. He measureth seasons, times, and years: he setteth up Kings, and putteth down Kings at his pleasure: as we read in the 2. of Dan. 21.  
The very consideration of which kindness and exceeding favour of the Lord, caused David to pen this Psalm, to testify thereby his thankfulness. And this is briefly the substance of this Psalm.  
And yet is this but a literal construction: you must know, that another mystical matter, and of greater import, is here delivered.  
In the person of David, Christ our Lord is most lively set forth. Who being the king of glory, the very son of God, heir and Lord of all things, was notwithstanding rejected of the jews, among whom he was borne; he came among his own, and his own received him not.  
But maugre the malice of the devil, and his instruments: flesh and blood could not prevail. Herod, and all the waiting for of the people of the jews, could not overthrow Christ, and his Kingdom: Nay, they rather overthrow themselves. He is nevertheless exalted, & his enemies quite confounded: yea, he hath crushed them with a Sceptre of iron, and broken them in pieces like a potter's vessel. To make the Tyrants of the world to know how vain a thing it is to band themselves against the Lord, and against his anointed.  
The careful consideration here of gladded the heart of David, more than the establishment of his own throne. Yea, it filled him with such unspeakable joy, when once the spirit of GOD had taught him that Christ should come from his loins to be a Prince to his people, and to govern them with righteous judgements for ever: and how he alone must make his enemies his footstool: I say it so rejoiced him, that he could not choose but sing triumphantly to the lord The right hand of the Lord is exalted: The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. The stone which the builders refused, is become the headstone in the corner. And so in a heavenly kind of meditation, he continueth the same note to the words of my text, proclaiming as it were a new holiday to the Lord, which should religiously be observed throughout a●l ensuing posterities, even to a thousand generations.  
This is the day, which the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  
This Text needs no curious division, for the words divide themselves.  
This is the day: There is the Prophet's proclamation.  
Which the Lord hath made: There is the Author from whom it is sent.  
Let us rejoice, etc. There is the celebration of it.  This is the day. 
David being endued with the spirit of prophecy, could tell that Christ should come in the flesh: as could the Patriarches and all the holy men before him.  
And lest a matter of so great tidings should by the malice of sathan, or by the practice of bloody tyrants, be leapt up in obscurity, both our Prophet here and all the rest did in all ages record the same in sundry places of Scripture: as well to challenge it from forgetfulness and oblivion, as also to take away all excuse from the unbelieving jews: who if they had not been altogether given over to a reprobate sense, they must of necessity have acknowledged Christ, since he was so lively pointed at by so many prophecies throughout the whole Scripture.  
Moses in the 3. of Genesis told it plainly, or rather God himself by Moses speaketh, that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head.  
Zachary telleth Zion and jerusalem, that her King was coming, He cometh poor, 
Zach, 9 9  riding upon an ass. etc.  
Christ himself, speaking of Abraham's testimony, saith, Abraham saw my days and rejoiced. As a lamb before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth. And divers other testimonies, whereof the Scriptures are plentiful.  
David, as if he had seen all prophecies sealed up, speaketh in this place of Christ's day as it were, as if he had been already in the world. This is the day. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.  
For Zion's sake I will not hold my tongue, & 
Esiy, 62.  for jerusalems' sake I will not rest, till the righteousness thereof break forth as the light.  
What was that lamp & light but Christ, all the law and the Prophets, did presignify to the world that Christ should come, even to the time that the Angel appeared to the Shepherds, and bade them go see him, whom all the world desired to behold. So that we may preach to ourselves, as Christ did to the jews. In our ears this day are all these Scriptures fulfilled.  This is the day. 
This proclamation is very suitable to that in the second of Luke, Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all flesh: that unto you this day is borne a Saviour.  
It was indeed tidings of the greatest joy that might come into the world: for than was the world redeemed from her old silence. Then began the true son of righteousness to appear, who alone was able to expel all the cloudy mists of ignorance.  
What greater joy can be then for the prisoner to hear of liberty, the sick of his health, the sinner of his salvation.  
In the coming of Christ, it is to be observed, that God sent his Angel, he did not use the ministery of man to publish this mes●age, which shows the dignity thereof. This Angel was accompanied with heavenly soldiers, who so soon as these tidings were published, began to sing, Glory to God on high. Peace on earth. Good will towards men.  
Three notable wonders wrought in one day. The first part of this heavenly song noteth, that the benefit of Christ's Incarnation was not in earth only, but in heaven also, and therefore, as there was peace on earth, so there was glory in heaven among the Angels.  
2. Peace on earth: This showeth that ●e came as a Medratour to make peace between God and us.  
3. Good will towards men: To show that as he was Fons Charitatis, the fountain of charity, so he would work love and charity among men.  
What day could bring forth greater matters, and therefore we have re●son to sing with David; This is the ●ay.  
The day of our Creation, is in no sort to be compared to this day of our Redemption. God's mercy appeared in making us, but his greater mercy in saving us.  
Before this day we were in a state most miserable, under the curse wherein Adam left us, under wretchedness, under sin, the curse of the law, and dominion of the devil. But now that Christ hath appeared, hell is conquered, sathan confounded, sin put to flight, and heaven set open to all believers.  
So is it verified: Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning: our coming in hath been with tears, but our return to Zion, is with everlasting joy upon our heads.  
The first Adam brought into the world darkness, fearfulness and sorrow, but the last Adam brought comfort, light 〈◊〉 fullness.  
All is changed in our second Adam, mortality to immortality, mourning to mirth, misery to felicity, sadness to solace: now is the sinner justified, the law discharged, the dead revived, and the devil vanquished, according to his mighty power who hath subdued all things unto himself.  
The jubilee year to the Israelites was not half so welcome, as this day ought to be to us: when that year came, it brought with it freedom and releasing of debts: & this day and time, this acceptable year of Christ, hath brought unto us a greater freedom, even our soul's freedom, & a greater releasing of debts, our sins: for we own unto God more than the cruel debtor, not ten thousand talents, but ten thousand times ten thousand talents.  
Neither was the day of their deliverance from Pharaoh half so acceptable unto them, as this day of our deliverance is to us. For we are set free from our spiritual Pharaoh the devil.  
As Moses said to the Israelites, Remember this day: so I say, Remember this day: for it is the day of our deliverance: the day of our redemption: the acceptable day of the Lord.  
This is a day wherein light first appeared to the Gentiles, even to us that were aliens from God, yet to us hath the light appeared, according to symeon's saying: A light to lighten the gentiles.  
We that once were not a people, are now become a people: we are made through Christ to be the sons of the living God. For to the Israelites pertained the adoption and the glory, and the covenant, & giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, of whom are the Fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh, Christ came. Rom. 9 4.  
A whole Sea of matter is here laid open to me, if I would at large discourse of the inestimable good derived unto us by Christ's birth: but the time will not permit: & this little that hath been spoken may carry you to the consideration of all the rest.  
As a certain Geometrician, finding Hercules' foot upon Olympus, by that one foot drew the proportion of the whole body: so by this little, being but as it were a foot, in respect of the body of the matter included, you may conceive what might further be amplified in this point: the absolute fullness whereof, we cannot possibly be able to comprehend.  
Only let us consider that as at this time God sent his son to be our Saviour. He hath given us him, and all things with him, so that we may now say with the Apostle Saint Paul, All is ours, the world and the Creatures, things present and things to come, all is ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God.  It followeth: Let us rejoice. 
Abraham seeing Christ's days a far of rejoiced: and yet he was before Christ thrice fourteen generations: How may we rejoice, that live to those days already determined?  
Neither Abraham, nor the Patriarches, nor all the Prophets could say as we can: They could say no more but Christ shall come, we can say he is come.  
Blessed are the eyes that see the things that you see, and the ears that hear the things that you hear.  
Where it appeareth, we are rather blessed than all that were before Christ. The Kings of the earth have desired to see that which you see. etc.  
All that were before Christ, saw but a glimpse of that light, the fullness whereof we now behold, like the Sun in his strength.  
We have seen the righteousness of Zion break out like the light, and the salvation thereof as a burning lamp.  
Thus have we a greater privilege than the Keysars and mighty Monarches might be suffered to enjoy. For us were these better things reserved, even we that now live in the time of the glorious Kingdom of Christ, have obtained this so rich prerogative: all to show forth the greatness of our felicity.  
Great cause have we then to rejoice. As the babe sprang in Elizabeth's womb: so should our heart's spring within our bodies for joy of the presence of Christ.  
If Annah rejoiced for that GOD gave her a son, and so took away the rebuke of her barrenness, much more cause have we to rejoice, that God hath given us his son to be borne for us, whereby our barrenness of faith is taken away, and we are made fruitful in the works of righteousness.  
If jephtah his daughter went out with Timbrels to welcome home her Father, how may we prepare to welcome a greater than jephtah, nay a greater than Solomon. How should we prepare our minslrelsie to welcome home this victorious Lion of the Tribe of juda, since by him we do return in victory? and may triumph as jephtha did, not over a sew faint-hearted Gybeonits, but over many millions of spiritual adversaries; Sin, death and hell, this world, and the lusts thereof.  
We have then cause to rejoice and to prepare our musical instruments. We should say with David: Awake up Lute and Harp, awake up my glory, I myself will awake right early.  
If David danced before the Ark, which was but a testimony & a sign of god's presence, how would David have danced & skypt, and trypt it, if he had lived to see his Lord walking upon the earth, as his Apostles did?  
What should I more say: surely this is all I can say: if this love of Christ, & this true rejoicing were planted in you, you would carry less love to the world than you do.  
Neither the love of riches, nor the love of honour, nor the love of long life, no wealth, no friends, no treasure, should wear it: the gaining of ten thousand worlds should not be able to draw us from Christ.  
simeon was weary of the world when once he had found Christ: Now let me die, saith he: As if he should say, Now have I had the fruition of the greatest blessing, a greater treasure than this, the world cannot afford me: For mine eyes have seen my salvation. And so have our eyes seen the same salvation: we should therefore love the world no more than Simeon did.  
I count all things but loss, saith Paul, in respect 
Philip. 3.  of the excellent knowledge of my Lord: yea, very d●ng, etc.  
And in the eight to the Romans', he concludeth with a sweet protestation, saying: Neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor height, nor depth, nor things 
Rom. 8.  Present, nor things to come, nor any creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ jesus our Lord.  
Oh, that now among us, might be found some such like Simeon, or like Paul, or like David in his Psalms, and elsewhere, ever sending forth plentiful testimonies of his rejoicing in Christ.  Let us rejoice. 
This rejoicing is not a matter so soon practised as many conceive it to be.  
Every man will be ready to say we do rejoice, and we are right glad of this day of the Lord. And as a sign of our rejoicing, we are willing to celebrate not this day only, but even this whole feast in remembrance of our Lord.  
And to this purpose we deck our houses, and our streets, & our Temples with boughs, like them that strewed branches in the way where Christ should come, and crying Hosanna before him as he rid to lerusalem.  
And we with mouth and heart, are ready to cry Hosanna in like sort: Blessed is he that cometh is the name of the Lord.  
All this beloved we may do, and yet come short of the true rejoicing.  
It is not in every man power to rejoice, and therefore David saith: Blessed are the people that can 〈…〉  
And to show who they are that can so rejoice, it is added: They 〈…〉 the light of thy cou●●● 〈…〉 
Psalm. 88  continually in thy N●●●, 〈…〉nesse shall they exalt themselves. Their hearts are ever inditing good matters: and their tongues are as the pens of ready Writers, freely and cheerfully to tell out the goodness of the Lord.  
They will not hide the mercies of the lord from their children, yea, to the generation to come will they show the praises of the Lord, and the wonderful acts that he hath done.  
Hence we may learn the manner of true rejoicing. We should be ever meditating upon the Lords mercies: and we should publish them to our children. If it were possible, we should make it known to the whole world, what God hath done for our souls. This should be our continual exercise, not for a day, or a month, or a year, but for ever. Infinitely happy were we, if we could thus rejoice.  
But alas, our rejoicing is in evil, we rejoice not in Christ: or if we do rejoice, it is but an interim, a starting joy, a temporary and a ●leeting joy, of no continuance, like a bubble on the water, which dies while it swells.  
As long as my Text runs, or while you are in the Church and do hear Christ spoken of, you remember him, and ●ou can breath out a short thanksgiving, like a scholars grace: but no sooner shall you get home to your houses, and a fair pair of cards or tables thrown upon the table, but all is forgotten; the price of our Redemption forgotten, yea, Christ himself forgotten: so doth a little vanity like a damp soon extinguish all the lights of godliness.  
I know you would be loath to be thus censured: do but ask yourselves & your consciences and they shall tell you whether I misdeem or not.  
Your coming hither now, I commend: & the simplest that sits among us in God's house, will seem to present himself before the Lord as a sacrifice of thanksgiving, for this great benefit in Christ, begun to be wrought as upon this day, the joyful day of Christ's incarnation.  
But thou must know, that God requireth no temporary, but a continual sacrificing of thyself, a daily presenting of thy Christian duties. What is become of you, or where are you bestowed all the year after? The Church is now full, but a few Sabbaths hence, scarce the fourth person willbe found in this place. Hear one, and there one, like the after-gleaning in the vintage.  
What doth this argue, but that we celebrate this feast rather for custom than for conscience.  
This is called a time of feasting, and a time of rejoicing, and a time of merrie-making: and so it ought to be, so it be done in the Lord.  
But we greatly profane the same, in bestowing it wholly upon our lusts: in rioting, reveling, and roisting, in dicing and carding and in pampering up our bodies too much with the supers●uities of God's creatures. All such rejoicing is evil.  
You seemed once this day as Lamps burning in the Sanctuary: and now you seem to have neither oil nor light at all. Now no Lamps, but lumps of sinfulness, and the senseless earth groaneth under the massy weight of such a burden.  
If the profane jews should come into your houses, and to your Taverns, and there look upon your disorders. Finding you not traversing the Scriptures, nor reading the law and the prophets: nay all of you otherwise exercised, wholly devoted to sinsul vanity, some at cards, some at dice, swearing, and forswearing. etc.  
Others, carousing and qu●●●ing, pouring in wine & strong drink without measure, as if their bodies were given them to no other purpose.  
And he is the iolliest fellow that can drink his companion under the board. As if they meant to make themselves famous in this, as the Scythians thought to make themselves famous in another respect.  
Among them, he was reputed the bravest Gentleman that had committed the bloodiest slaughter.  
Such forget Esayes woe in the third of his prophecy. 11. 12. 14. verses.  
Therefore hath hell enlarged itself, and hath opened his mouth without measure.  
O that this one sentence of terror were engraven in the tables of our hearts, or enrolled in lead, or in stone, for ever.  
This one sentence of the severity of god's justice against such, would make us beware to transgress: and how to carry ourselves in a greater measure of sobriety.  
Surely great, and bejoind measure intolerable is the vanity of sinful men in this behalf: for we dishonour God in our bodies where we should glorify him. GOD hath made us Christian men, but we show ourselves no men, but beasts among men.  
He that loveth father or mother more than me, saith Christ, is not worthy of me. We do worse, we love our follies, our vanities, and our pastimes more than God.  
Some are given to one vanity, some to another: as all sins are not found in one, and yet in one are many found, and no●e without some, and all are in us, and among us all.  
Our true rejoicing were rather this, to bestow the time in meditation, still to praise God for this rich treasure, to pen godly songs and psalms of thankfulness like David: to be devising with Micah what we should give unto the Lord, for that which he hath given us.  
We hang our houses with Holies and green boughs: but we ourselves should rather be holy boughs, even trees of righteousness, as we are called by Esay. 61.  
If we will needs feast, let us yet beware of the abuses in feasting. job can best counsel us herein. We read in the 1. chapter of his book, That when his sons and daughters had made an end of banqueting in their houses, every one his day, he like a careful Father sent for them, and sanctified them, and sacrificed for them. And this did job every day: for he feared his sons had blasphemed God in their hearts.  
job doubted that his children had committed many slips, and that they carried not themselves in such a Christianlike sobriety, as was required in those holy feasts, and therefore he did both send for them, and sacrificed for them.  
Parents over their children, and masters over their households, should be armed with like godly jealousy. For if this religious care were had both of ourselves and ours, fewer offences would be committed; or at least being committed, they would be soon salved by prayer and sanctification, as job did.  
For this example is penned and registered for our good, and for our imitation, that in all our feastings, and meetings, and merry-making, we should remember our selves, & pray that God would pardon our corruptions and profane carriage of ourselves, in time of our feasting.  
For it is an hard and difficult matter, at such times to keep ourselves so clear, but some corruption or other will cling unto us.  
sins then are soon swallowed, like the dainty morsels that pass down our throats: and so sin goes down as fast, and is devoured with pleasure, like the Apple that Eve tasted. The pleasantness of it to the eye, and the toothsomnes of it to the mouth, pricked forward her desire, and so in eating she fell, and so in eating we fall.  
And therefore it is said, Woe to the full, for the full are apt to forget God.  
The devil never fell to tempting, till the hour of eating came. And when hunger called for meat, he also called for his temptations, and presented before them the most delicious meat, such as he well knew was fitting to their swnet-mouthd humours.  
It behoveth us therefore especially, to beware how we feast, not for that feasting in itself is evil: nay, it is a thing commended and commanded in Scripture, as the feasts of Tabernacles, and the feasts of Sabbaths, and jubilees, and new moons, etc.  
And Christ wrought his first miracle at a feast.  
The abuse it is that we speak of, which often is committed in our feastings. For in our pleasures the devil hath hid his snares: and therefore a godly man gives this proviso or caveat.  
Handle your pleasures (sayeth he) as you handle Bees, that is, first take out the sting, and after, you may play with them without harm.  
It may be that my Sons have sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts.  
So let us say of ourselves, as job spoke of his Sons: It may be, in this time of our banqueting, we have sinned and blasphemed.  
It may be, our good cheer, and delicious fare, and our carde-playing, and our dancing, and our reveling, and our other vanities, have made us forget GOD, and ourselves, and forget Christ, who is the feast-maker, the cause and Author of our meeting at this time.  
Now than that I have showed you the difference between the true rejoicing and the false: advise yourselves which you will follow.  
As josuah said at his farewell, when he was to be gathered to his people, & to go the way of all the world. Now (saith he) choose you, whether you will serve the Gods of the heathen, or serve the Lord.  
So I say, whether you will henceforth serve your lusts, or serve God. If God be God, serve him: If Baal be God, serve him. Either stick to vanity, or stick to God. God hath not redeemed you to sin any more; but that you should subdue, and utterly kill the whole body of sin: for it is said, Be ye holy, as I am holy.  
But know, that if you run on in your vanities, you run from God, who hath created you, and from Christ who hath redeemed you; and from the spirit of God, by whom you are sealed.  
If we sin wilfully now after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin: but a fearful looking for of judgement, and 
Heb. 10, 26,  violent fire, which shall devour the adversary.  
Full of dreadfulness is that, in the 6. of the same Author to the Heb. It is impossible that they which were once lightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, & have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come: if they fall 
Heb. 6, 4.  away, should be renewed again by repentance, seeing they crucify the son of god, and make a mock of him.  
But beloved, we have persuaded ourselves better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.  
God forbidden that I should think, that all the good seed of the word, so plentifully sowed in your hearts now, the space of forty years, should fall to the ground in vain.  
Paul hath not so planted you: no● Apollo watered you in vain; that you should still prove faithless and barren: but there must needs be in you, some increasing in knowledge, some growing in religion, some prositing in understanding.  
The thorns choke not all; nor do the birds devour up all; nor is all fallen upon stony ground to hinder the growth of the word.  
And yet if all this should be so, there is hope nevertheless in the fourth part: it being the better part, and the fructifying part, will make amends for all the rest: yielding increase an hundred fold, like the seed of Isaac.  
Licet pars minima sit.  
Triplun in duplo.   

The Anatomy of Tale bearers.  LEVIT. 19 16. Thou shalt not walk about with tales among my people. 
GOD hath made us principally, and before all things, to glorify him, and serve him in holiness all the days of our sinful pilgrimage; he hath also for a secondary purpose created us, even to be helpful and serviceable one to another.  
As we must be especially careful how we run into those sins that are offensive to the majesty of God, and do provoke his displeasure: so must we be careful in like manner how we commit such offences and trespasses against our brethren or neighbour's, whereby we may incur their hatred and displeasure. God doth look into our carriage & behaviour among ourselves, that we offend not one another: that so being created after the similitude of God, in holiness, we might also be profited in holding on our course in the same holiness, by performing all Christian duties both towards God and man.  
The whole duty of a Christian man, consists but in two points: viz. in holiness towards God, and in righteousness towards man: answerable to that short division made by our Saviour. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, etc. And thy neighbour as thyself.  
The one doth necessarily imply the other, and they cannot be separated: for S. john proves it. If thou love not thy brother whom thou hast seen, how canst thou love God whom thou hast not seen?  
Of the latter only I am to speak in this place: and of that, but in a particularity neither, as my Text doth lead me.  
This portion of Scripture now to be handled is one of the branches of the commandments, in the second table, enforcing righteousness towards man.  
It is one of the edges of that more than one edged sword, to cut in sunder the very heartstrings of false witnes-bearing. For a false tale is a false testimony: and the secret accusing of our neighbours by bad reports, whereby their name and fame may be impeached, is a species or kind of false witness bearing: and it is such a trespass, as doth quite overthrow the peaceable state of all Christian societies.  Thou shalt not walk about with tales among my people. 
God in this place, useth two principal arguments, to enforce this commandment. The one taken from the person of ourselves, in the word thou: and the other from the person of God, in the word shalt.  
Thou, being as thou art, my creature, the workmanship of my hands, whom I have form and fashioned out of the clay, and so by breathing into thee breath of life, did make thee a living soul.  
Thou, who art but vile earth, very corruption, and rottenness: Thou shalt not. etc.  
The careful remembrance of ourselves in a dutiful remorse, is a matter of such force, that it is able to batter, or at least, to mollify the most obdurate heart of any Christian, and to stir him up to a sincere obedience toward God his Creator.  
Nature itself hath stamped a reverent impression, even in the unreasonable creatures, working a dutifulness in them towards their benefactors. Esay proves it to reprove men, that sometimes show themselves worse than beasts. The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his masters crib, yet Israel knoweth not me. My people hau● forgotten him that made them.  
Though it were practised by a profane man, yet was it a practice of Christianity, that which we read of Philip King of Macedon: He caused this lesson of mortality, to be every morning sounded at his door: Memento Philippe te esse hominem.  
This lesson did he learn, even in the morning, in the beginning of the day, lest his kingly titles, and honours, and magnificence, might make him forget himself, as corvinus forgot his name.  
Lest he might wax insolent, and proud against GOD, like Nabuchadnezer, when he jetted it in his royal Palace at Babel.  
Or like Alexander, Son to this King Phillippe, who after this, far unlike his Father, being rapt away with the high conceit of honour, termed himself a God. To verify that, which hath been long ago foretold by the prophetical King: Man being in honour, may be compared to the beasts that perish.  
This consideration of a man's self, it is the very eye of the soul, whereby she looketh and prieth into her whole estate.  
It is the very door of humility: and where it is sound planted in any religious Christian, it so beauti●ieth and investeth him, that he shall seem no other than a very lively resemblance of Christ our Lord, swaddled up in clouts, and laid in a manger.  
This consideration was in David, when looking first upon himself: he after looked up to GOD, and exclaimed with a ravishing kind of admiration. (O Lord) what is man, that thou shouldst be so mindful of him: or what is this mortal generation, that thou shouldst so graciously visit it.  
And again, in a greater measure of humility, in the two and twentieth Psalm: he calls himself a worm, and no man.  
I have said to corruption, thou art my Father, and to rottenness, thou art my mother.  
Moses the servant of God, and the meekest man upon the earth, thought there could be no greater argument of persuasion to draw the Israelites to the true service of God, than this we now speak of, being taken from the person of man. I have chosen thee from among all Nations under heaven, to be a peculiar people to myself: therefore thou shalt observe all my ordinances to do them: And again, in the 40. of Exodus, Thou art my first borne, etc. Therefore I look that thou observe my commandments.  
A certain devout man was wont to thank God for three things  
First, for that God had made him a reasonable creature, not a beast.  
2. For making him a man, and not a woman.  
3. For making him a Christian man.  
Where this or the like consideration goeth before, there sin and sathan following after, can no more prevail against thee, than the Philistines could against Samson, when he broke the cords.  
I say, if we do but consider, what we are, how weak and corruptible we are, and what great things notwithstanding God hath done for us, in making us of nothing, giving us the whole world to command, and the creatures in it; the sun to shine to us, the fire to warm us, the earth to bear us, beasts, fowls, and fishes to feed us. These, and a thousand times greater things than these, being duly considered, must needs produce in us an effectual operation, for performance of this righteousness we speak of.  
God being so mindful of us, should force us to be mindful of him, in the careful practice of his commandments. And thus much for the first argument, drawn from the person of ourselves.  
The second argument is taken from the person of God: noted in the word shalt not.  
Before God had published the commandments, he pressed them with this special charge. I am Lord that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, etc. Wherein thou wast a staanger 400. years. Therefore be careful to do my commandments.  
And the same again is repeated, in the second of Leuit. I am the Lord who brought thee, etc.  
Twice seven times these words are repeated in the nineteenth of Levitticus: I am the Lord. Ye shall not turn to Idols: I am the Lord. Ye shall not steal, nor do wrong to your neighbours: I am the Lord, etc. Thou shalt not walk about with tales among my people, I am the Lord.  
The original word is jehovah: which signifieth the very essence of God. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quam colunt Angeli, observant unpin, osculatur universitatis natura.  
This word is left untranslated in Scripture, in respect of the majesty thereof.  
Saint Augustine saith: That certain words are not always to be translated, either propter maiorem sanctuatem, as the word H●leilutah, and Amen. Or because they cannot significantly be translated into another tongue: as Osanna, Racha.  
The majestical name of God being examined in the weights of the Sanctuary, it is able to strike a terror in the hearts of them, who shall violate this law.  
When Moses came to Pharaoh, he came unto him in the person of God, and said, Thus saith the Lord. Exod. ●.  
And the book of GOD in many places useth the name of God, as a special motive to draw men to obedience: Deus exercituum: He that sitteth between the Cherubins: He that turneth the floods into a Wilderness, and drieth up the water-springs: He that sits amidst the golden candlesticks, arrayed in a golden garment, down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. Whose head and hair were white as wool, and his eyes a flaming fire. Revel. 1.  
And again, He that hath the sword with two edges.  
I am he that hath 

Celsitudinem dignitatis.  
Rectitudinem v●ritatis.  
Magnitudinem potestatis  
Fortitudinem firmitatis.    
Unconquerable truth itself, power itself immutable.  
I am he who have 

Condicionem liberiorem.  
Dilectionem uberiorem.  
Praelationem superiorem.    
And therefore you are to respect my laws; as if he should have said: All these circumstances of majesty, do evidently declare, and clearly prove to the eyes and ears of all the world, that I am the Lord jehovah. I am God alone, and there is no other besides me. Therefore thou shalt not violate any of my laws, nor shalt thou transgress in the least of my commandments. Thou shalt not walk about with tales among my people.  
And thus much briefly for the second argument, taken from the person of God. Having thus proceeded by these two motives, to the charge of this commandment, he comes in order to the substance or matter of the same.  Thou shalt not go about with tales. etc. 
The principal matter here forbidden by express words in this commandment, is, the carrying of tales.  
There are many sorts of passengers, that do intercourse between man & man.  
Princes have their Ambassadors, that either do denounce open war and hostility, or else do entreat for peace.  
Noble men have their attedants and followers, that post it upon their masters affairs, in executing their commandments.  
Ministers, are God's messengers, to preach good tidings, the glad tidings of the gospel: thereby to reconcile sinners unto God, through the word of reconciliation.  
Merchants have their factors on this side and beyond the Seas, which transport news and other matter concerning their traffic. etc.  
Private men have some or other their friends, to carry their mind in their desires whatsoever, whether it be by mouth or by letter, to such as they would acquaint with their business, being separated by distance of place.  
None of these are charged in this commandment, it concerns them not: and yet they are such as carry and reca●y. They are a kind of people that pass & repass, still going, and returning, and walking about from man to man, and from house to house, and from city to city, even through the world.  
No post, no passenger, no travailer, nor no Ambassador in the world, ever carried about him a larger commission or passport, than these we speak of; nay, whom God especially noteth by express name: those that walk about with tales among the people.  
Prince's Ambassadors are necessary instruments, and without such exercising their places and offices in all dutiful diligence & fidelity, the state of kingdoms can not be maintained. Noble men, Merchants, Ministers, & private men, are special members of the body politic, & they may lawfully use others their followers to walk about for the executing & effecting of their honest desires: but these talebearers are utterly to be condemned, for that they run before they be sent, and do devise all the means they can to breed dislention, and hatred between men.  
Where the Bee draws forth honey, these like Spiders suck out poison, and with the same as by a general contagion, do seek to infect the whole world.  
Their names disery their natures. They are called in this place walkers about: being busy-bodies, they trouble themselves and others with unnecessary business. No body bids them walk, and yet they walk.  
Satan's instruments are like sathan: for in the second of job, when God asked him where he had been, his answer was. I come from compassing the world to and fro, & walking in it.  
And so here the talebearer suborned by sathan, he comes from compassing the world to and fro, and f●om walking in it.  
The devil is the Muster-m●●ster, and these be his soldiers. ●●ee walks in his 
Marches.  greater circuit, and these in the lesser circuit, they run to and fro, heese and there, and every where, filling the Court, c●●●e, and country.  
They walk from door to do●e▪ and from house to house, begging for ●ales, 〈◊〉 them the slarued beg for bread.  
There is no name in Scripture given to the devil, but it may be as s●●ly given to these. He is called a Liar, so are they, he is called an Accuser▪ so are they: he is called an Adversary, so are they, for they are like Ishmael, who was against all.  
He in Saint Peter's Epistle is called a Devourer, and so are they.  
Note well Saint Peter his description of sathan, and see if they be not satans.  
Saint Peter saith, he goeth about: As the Keeper rails in his Deer, so the devil makes his rail about us, to the end we may not escape him. And even so do talebearers go about, as Saint Paul hath testified of them, being busy-bodies, they learn to go about from house to house, yea, they are not only idle, but also prattlers, & speaking things that are not comely. 1. Tim. 5. 13.  
The second property of sathan is to roar in his walk: he goeth about like a roaring Lion, and so doth the Tale-teller roar as he walks like a Lion: but indeed the most part of them are Lionesses. They spare no words that may furnish the matter, before they will go away unheard, they will make a double and triple repetition of that they speak.  
Thirdly, S. Peter saith the devil seeks as he goeth, & so do they: they are as glad of a tale by the end, as a friar of a pudding.  
At last comes in, to devour: seeking whom he may devour: & there he ends: showing that to devour is his purpose, and so to devour is their purpose.  
The devil hath a deep swallow, and therefore he is called Diabolos, quasi duo bols: he makes but two morsels of a man: & in that respect he may well be called a devourer. No less devourer is the tale-guest. For Solomon, the only experimented man of the world, he that considered of all things, considered this also among rest.  
There is a generation (saith he) of people, 
Prou, 30. 14  whose teeth are as sword, and their chaws as knives, to eat up the afflicted out of the earth, and the poor from among men.  
Other men carry their sword by their sides, but these carry them in their mouths, because they may draw them forth at their pleasure.  
These people are worse than Crows: for they feed but upon dead carcases but these carriers of tales feed upon them that are alive. Like those Anthropophagis, whom the Cospographers speak of, such as eat man's flesh.  
To cut up the Anatomy, & to embowel it thoroughly for a clearer view: to what shall I liken this generation? They are like a moth: as a moth eats a hole in cloth, so these eat holes in every man's coat.  
To what shall I liken this generation they are like to the Chameleon, which feeds only upon the air: and so these tale guests f●●●e upon the air, that is, the breath of men, and yet sometimes they draw forth ●roth from the k●●chm.  
To what again may I liken this generation: The talebearer is like an Archer, men are his marks and evil reports are his arrows: and therefore saith the prophet, They bend their tongues like bows to shoot 
Ier●n●9.  out lies.  
David saith, the Angels pitch their camps about them that serve God, & delivereth them. But we may say talebearers pitch their campe● of lies, & rumours, and slanders, about them that fear God, and devoureth them.  
These wicked Ismaelites, who oppose themselves against all the world, are by so much the more odious, for that their chattering tongues offending all men's ears with a more than rioting talkeativenes, can never come to a period, till they have run themselves clean out of breath, as they have run out of credit.  
When there shall be no men upon the earth, then shall the slanderer cease from slandering.  
Hell, and the talebearer are much alike: 
Like the Hors● leeches daughter, still crying, give, give.  the one is never satisfied with sinners, the other with slanders.  
There is no way to be rid of a slanderer, but either by cutting out his tongue: that though he can devise and hear, yet he cannot utter what he hath heard or devised. Or else, by shutting him out of all company, that he might neither hear nor see.  
For as it was permitted to Abraham to see the smoke of Sodom, but Lot might not be pri●iledged to see it: so he that can make a use of what is done, may be permitted to hear and see, and to pry into the actions of men, but others may not: for that they are like Spiders, which suck up nothing but poison, even out of the most wholesome herbs that are.  
As the charitable peacemakers labour to breed peace, and good will among men: so these makebates strain their endeavours to set men together by the ears.  
They are always sowing the seed of division betwixt one & another, as the envious man sowed tanres in the husbandman's field while he slept.  
When men are sleeping, then be these waking, and walking about like Night-crows, being ashamed the day should discover them, because their deeds are evil.  
These messengers of sathan, as they show themselves vigilant and diligent, so are they politic withal, and full of craft, like their craftsmaster the devil.  
For when they deliver any matter of obloquy and manifest untruth, they indent & covenant with the party to whom they discover it, that he shall not bewray them, or make them the Authors of the report. And all to blind the truth, and to stop all the means whereby it may be found out.  
If men would be advised to take heed how they entertain such idle circumcelians, or if they did but publish their names to the world, much contention and hatred would be slopped.  
The Tale-hearer is as much in some respects to be condemned as the talebearer. For many are light of hearing, and are apt to receive with open ears whatsoever is told them by whisperers, and flatterers, and the like. As the Athenians gave themselves to hear news, so do these to hear tales.  
Micah was not half so willing to entertain a Levit, as a number be now to entertain tale-guests.  
Others be so light of credit, that whatsoever they hear told, that they believe, and do so believe the first tale, that they will not believe the second: and these are homines altera tantum part auriti. And they deserve to have but one ear, that will not hear with both.  
A third sort there is which is worst of all, some are so wayward and so froward, that they will never or very hardly be reconciled after they have been once prepossessed with sinister reports.  
And this variety of ill-affected humours in men, spring all from the talebearer, or from the backbiter, who cannot in any wise brook that peace should rest among men.  
When the Lord had determined Achabs' fall, a spirit came forth and stood before the Lord, and said, I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.  
So the Tale-teller, he also stands up like a speedy messenger, & he like a lying spirit, possesseth both the mouths and hearts of all men, to make them fall.  
If God should make us see our country dispeopled, our cities ransacked, and our houses spoiled, as GOD grant our eyes may never see such ruins, we might say, The enemy hath been here. So when we see our peace become confusion, our unity turned to envy, our good liking turned to froward grudging: When friends become foes, and neighbours adversaries one to another, we may well say, The talebearer, or the slanderer, or the backbiter hath been here.  
Thus are weeds sprung up where grapes should have been planted.  
But why go I about to wash a Negro: who will still be black, though he were washed with all the soap of the gospel.  
I do but like him that purgeth and scours a stinking channel, which the more it is stirred, the worse it savours. He is yet as read●e to backbite as before, and to return me aslaunder for this his Anatomy.  
H●● scto pro certo, quod si cum stercore certo:  
Vinco seu vincor, semper eg● maculor.  
Well, though he be in this place but controlled the slying book which Zachane speaks of in his fift chapter, the length whereof was twenty cubits, & the breadth ten cubits, even the book that contains the curses of the wicked, shall more largely decipher him hereafter, in his full proportion.  
For every one that slandereth, shall be cut off, as well on this side as on that.  
And every one that telleth tales, shall be cut off, as well on this side as on that.  
And it shall be brought forth, and it shall enter into the house of the slanderer, and him that telleth tales, and him that delighteth to hatch lies.  
And it shall remain in the midst thereof, and it shall consume it with the Timber thereof, and the stones thereof.  
Thus as the talebearer accuseth others, so have I accused him: and blazed him to the world, that ye may the rather beware of him, and shun him now you know him. And when he shall intrude into your company, or presume to tread within your houses, ye may shut the door against him, and be ready to give him the like entertainment as Christ did to the devil, when he said, Avoid sathan: & so you may say to this messenger of sathan, Avoid Tale-teller, come not at me. Thou art the breeder of my trouble, and the Author of my confusion.  
Thou comest as a friend, full of ●ayning ●lattery, but I know thee to be a fiend, and a mortal foe to me and mine. Therefore I defy thee, and do debar thee from my society for ever.  
Now then in time be warned: all ye that have lent diligent ears to such, beware how you partake with their sins.  
As no thief would presume to steal without a receiver: so no talebearer will presume to bring a tale, without a receiver. Therefore as Christ warned his disciples: Beware how ye hear: So I say unto you, Beware how you hear.  
Be not carried away with every wind, be swift to hear good things.  
If thou hast heard a slander against any, let it die with thee, and be sure it shall not burst thee.  
Blessed is the man that hath not offended 
Ecclus, 14.  in his tongue, nor hath fallen by the word of his mouth.   

Peter's persecution, and his deliverance.  ACTS. 12. 3. 4. 5. And when he saw it pleased the jews, he proceeded further, he took Peter also. etc. From the ●. verse to the 11. 
SAthan the Accuser of our brethren, will ever stir up one or other to persecute the poor Church of Christ. He began with Adam our grandfather, even in Paradise, provoking him to eat of the forbidden sivite: whereas it had been told him before, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.  
He proceeded further, and procured Cain to slay Abel: he incensed ●sau against jacob, made Saul to persecute David, set Nabucadnezar against Daniel: jesabel against Eliah: Not to ●unne upon particulars, the Scribes & pharisces against Christ, Herod the Father against the Innocents', Herod the Son against john Baptist, and this Herod against james and Pete●  
Behold the Serpent's policy, note in what sort he bestirs himself, even by seating himself in the hearts and consciences of great men, by making Kings and Princes & Rulers his instruments, for the practising of cruelty against God's Church.  
The mighty men of the earth, which ought with their authority that they have from God, to maintain and 'stablish true religion, and to uphold the Church when storms of persecution do arise; Their hands and their endeavours are most forward in labouring to suppress Religion, and the professors thereof: they first life themselves up against the Lord, & against his anointed.  
The second ●ormer Herod raged most violently against john Baptist, and against Christ, and this Herod here mentioned, exerciseth like tyranny against the Apostles of Christ.  
james was already slain, and so had Peter been but for the holy time of Passeover, as now cometh to be considered.  
The Text offereth these three things worthy our observation.  
First, the captivity of Peter.  
Secondly, his deliverance. thirdly, his thankfulness.  
And when he saw it pleased the people.  
This bloody persecuting Tyrant, did vex the Church of God by killing james with the sword, & by imprisoning Peter, thinking to dispatch him in like manner, having no cause at all.  
Sometimes men persecute of malice, as Cain did Abel: sometimes of envy, as Esau did jacob: sometimes through Idolatry, and for religion, as Nabucadnezer did the three children: sometimes of covetousness, as judas did his master: sometimes of ignorance, as the jews in putting Christ to death: Father forgive them, they know not what they do.  
But this Tyrant could yield no cause or reason for his imprisoning of Peter, but this, the slenderest and weakest reason of a thousand, For that he saw it pleased the people. He did it to win the people's favour, not caring for God's favour.  
Thus did Herod, and the same do the wicked Tyrants continually, buy the favour & good liking of their subjects, with the blood of God's servants.  
Saul, when he persecuted David, had some pretence, for he feared his kingdom.  
The Philippians in like manner had some pretence, when they beat Paul and Sylas with rods, and after cast them into prison. They trouble our City (quoth they) & preach ordinances that are not lawful.  
Demetrius had somewhat to colour the sedition and tumult raised in their City against Paul: he feared his craft would little avail him, if Paul's doctrine had taken place, for being a silver Smith, he made shrines for Diana.  
The king of Babylon had some pretence, when he put the three children into the fiery furnace: he feared that the Gods whom he worshipped should be despised.  
The Princes of Zedechiah had some pretence, when they put jeremy into the dungeon: He weakened, say they, the hands of the men of war, in prophesying, that their City should be given over, into the hands of the King of Babel.  
These pretences how colourable so ever, could not excuse them in their actions; they were but base subterfuges, no better than coats of nets, or like fig-leaves, to cover the nakedness of their cause, of little moment, and less substance. Yet they carried some show of reason, and with men made of the same grist, might seem to be of force in defence of that they did.  
But this reason of Herod, for imprisoning Peter, is too too vain, and ridiculous, only he did it, because he saw it pleased the people.  
The like we read of Pestus, in the Acts, willing to do the jews a pleasure, he delivered 
Acts, 25.  Paul into their hands.  
And so Pilate, for fear of the jews, delivered Christ to be crucified.  
It skilleth much how the people are affected: if the multitude be religious, & do love the word tyrants shall not dare to rage's so much; their tyrannous purposes how wicked so ever shall not break out no more than the practices of the Scribes & pharisees could prevail against john, to put him openly to death, because of the multitude; for all the people counted john as a prophet. King, and people, & all in this place joined together, in a wicked conspiracy against Peter. The people encouraged the King, and the King prepares himself to satisfy their desires, in committing Peter to close prison.  
A King hath a name of sovereignty, he is called, Rex a Regendo, he must govern, and not be governed.  
But he that should rule, is here overruled. The subject commands the King, Herod plies himself to the humour o● his people. Crossing that Scripture, Non sequel multitudinem ad fa●iendum malum. Wicked tyrants, if they shall perceive the people like affected to themselves, will be the more emboldened in their cruelty.  
This Herod, could not abide that Peter should ●eprooue him in his sins, no more than the other He●od could john Baptist. And finding the applause of the people to concur with his practice, he is the rather whetted on to do wickedly.  
Since therefore the success and growth of religion depends so much upon the people's liking or disliking: the Minister of the word ought especially to labour in this, that the people bewel informed in the true way, & be sound taught to know God, if they shall show themselves zealous professors. Though a wicked tyrant did reign over them, yet should he not prevail to do hurt to the children of God.  It pleased the people. 
Hear is great odds, & a manifest inequality: one against many, and many against one. The whole people oppose themselves against Peter, to destroy him, like so many Philistims against Samson: but as Samson broke the cords, so Peter broke the prison. or rather God for Peter opened the prison, and so he escaped, and so Herod's expectation was frustied, the multitude of their purpose disappointed, & the glory of God mightily magnisied: as shall appear in the sequel of the story.  
You have heard the reason why Herod took Peter: Hear it follows, how he used him, where we are first to note in a word, the degrees of Herod's cruelty.  
First, he took him, or caught him, which argues, that he lay in wait for him before: then he committed him to prison, & caused him to be kept with a strait guard, no less than four quaternions of Soldiers. Lastly, he purposed after the feast, to put him to death: that was the mark he aimed at, and the drift of his endeavours. His apprehending of him, his committing him to prison, his diligence in close and sure keeping him, all was to murder him at last.  
The devils purposes, and tyrant's practices, are both one: he is an adversary, he goeth about, he seeketh, he roareth, he devoureth: So do tyrants, they never rest going about, seeking, watching, threating, till at length they have devoured us.  
Mark the care that Herod took to keep Peter, that he should by no means start from him: he would never have used the like carefulness in any good matter. A quaternion contained four Soldiers, so the whole make sixteen. There was a keeper before the door of the prison, and two with him, betwixt whom he lay, and the rest round about him, in their several wards or stations: this was notable diligence, they meant to make sure work.  
This their over wary circumspection, was no doubt a testimony of a guilty and distrustful conscience. In this tyrant so many circumstances in this Scripture delivered, concerning the apprehension of Peter, may stand in steed of so many witnesses accusing him within of wrongful imprisonment. He saw in himself that he had no just cause to do it, and therefore he feared that this prisoner would by some means get from him, notwithstanding this so sure a watch.  
Such was Herod's watchfulness; and such was Peter's weakness, that no resistance might be made. But least this Tyrant should grow too insolent, GOD himself sendeth his Angel to take part with Peter, and to rescue him from Herod's tyranny.  
Dalilah did think she had made Samson fast enough with ropes and cords; but through his strength he broke them.  
Saul thought he had David sure enough when he was in his bed; but he escaped out of his hands, his wife Micholl letting him down at a window.  
Paul was by an earthquake delivered out of prison: and at another time the jews took counsel to kill him; they laid wait day and night at the gates to take him: but the other Apostles put him out at a wall and l●t him down in a basket, and so he escaped.  
And in this place, the Angel delivereth Peter in like sort, from the hands of them who sought to slay him.  
Rather than the enemy shall insult over the children of God: he will work a miracle, the rather to procure their safety even beyond all expectation.  
As Elias was fed by a Raven, at the rivers side: and Daniel refreshed with the pottage that Abacuch brought unto him, when he lay in the lions den.  
And as Ehsha compassed his adversaries, while they compassed him.  
So in the midst of all our afflictions, God will make a way for us escape, if it be good for us, and stand with his will.  
As the hills stand about jerusalem, so the Lord causeth a whole Army of Angels to stand about us.  
It followeth:] That night Peter slept between two Soldiers.  
Peter is all this while in prison: & what doth he in the midst of these so great extremities?  
Our text tells us what he did.  He slept. 
What means Peter to sleep in so great a danger: as if he were altogether careless, as if he had been possessed with a stoical stupidity, without all sense and feeling: and this security or carelessness to rest upon him then, when he was ready to resign up his life; even the very night before he should be brought forth to be executed.  
Indeed, by reason of long watching before, all the former time of his endurance, nature might have forced him to slumber a little: but the words are (he slept) it was a sound sleep that he slept.  
His danger so imminent, & his sorrows full of terror and fearfulness, being the post▪ masters of death, should have been able to keep him waking, and not to suffer the temples of his head to rest.  
Some there are that expound this sleep of Peter, to signify not a dissolute carelessness, but a godly security, & confident trustfulnes in him.  
God commands us to cast our care upon him, for he careth for us: and so Peter knowing that God did care for him, did cast his care upon the Lord. And therefore he mistrusting no evil, suffered his body to take his repose: he knew that God, the watchman of Israel, was also his watchman; and so the rather might he sleep in safety.  
Peter had commended himself to his providence and protection: he knew his quarrel to be good, if he were to die, it was in the Lord's cause; and these reasons made him sleep so sound.  
Others interpret this place otherwise; they hold this sleeping in Peter to be an infirmity of nature, and a great weakness in him: for which, he was worthy reprehension; then to be sleeping when he should have been most watchful, in attending the Lords leisure, and in laying hold upon the Lords mercies, in working his deliverance. God would have him to be a spectacle of infirmity, to the end we looking into ourselves, should acknowledge our own frailty.  
Say, he had cast all his care upon the Lord, and was assured that nothing should befall him contrary to God's appointment, yet should he have been watchful, as the Angel was watchful over him.  
The Lord indeed hath promised never to fail us, nor forsake us in our troubles: yet he will not have us to do nothing ourselves: but as God worketh, so must we work with him, & call upon our endeavours to further that which God will have effected.  
Who so falleth into a ditch, & prayeth to the Lord to be delivered thence, & yet will not seek to raise himself with one of his fingers, shall be sure never to get forth.  
God helpeth by means, & he that contemneth those means, must not look for help. Let us put to our endeavours, & if they come short, Gods helping hand will be ready to yield a present supply.  
Though he had slept all the time of his imprisonment, yet now being the last night before his determined execution, he should have been watchful: he should have beslowed this time in prayer & meditation.  
Christ rebuked the Disciples, for that they slept the very night before he was betrayed. Peter, sleepest thou, couldst thou not watch one hour: Watch, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. He came again the 2. and third time, and found them sleeping.  
Peter was careless then for his Master: and in this place, he is as careless for himself; like jonas, sleeping under the Hatches, when he was in jeopardy of drowning.  
He was so heavy, and in such a dead sleep, as we say, that the Angel was feign to strike him on the side, before he would awake.  
Though Peter slept, the rest of God's Church slept not: The other Apostles grieving at his troubles, and vexed in spirit at Herod's cruelty, and his imprisonment, made earnest prayer unto God for him.  
Where we are to note the sympathy and mutual feeling that one member hath with another. Peter's passions wrought compassion in the brethren, and therefore they both sorrowed for him, & prayed for him. It grieved them to see so notable an instrument of God's glory lie in bonds.  
To teach us to have a feeling each of others calamity, to be touched with compunction, in beholding our brethren's distresses and miseries.  
They could not help him out of prison, nor set him free: they saw that there was no way possible for him to escape in the judgement of man: therefore they commend him unto God, praying him not to leave him comfortless: nor to suffer him to be swallowed up by the malicious cruelty of his adversaries.  
They were persuaded that these sufferings of Peter were inflicted upon him, by the special appointment of God, for the trial of his faith and patience: and therefore they committed him unto God in their prayers, as unto a faithful Creator.  Prayer was made. 
God hath given unto every living creature, his weapon to defend himself against the enemy.  
To the Lion his tail, to the Elephant his nose, to the Bee his sting, to the Bore his tusk, to the Bull his horns, to the Cock his spurs, to the Eagle his talents, to the Hedgehog his prickles, to the Horse his heels▪ to the Bear his paws, to the fish his sins: but to man, to us that are his reasonable creatures, he hath given one weapon more forcible than all the weapons of war, that is to say, Prayer, issuing from faith out of a pure heart.  
This hath been the course of the godly, in all ages, when the church of God, or any one member thereof hath been afflicted.  
There was comfort in Peter, though he were even in bonds: for it is said, He slept that night, etc. And there was also confidence in the congregation; for they prayed for Peter, hoping that GOD would deliver him.  
We can look for nothing so long as we remain distrustful: for faith alone must support us.  
In all troubles that shall assail us, faith alone must be sent forth to gain the conquest: and until we be arined with this faith, we are not fit to march with Christ, as none might go to battle with Gedeon, which were timorous and fearful.  
Though we seem never so weak, and our adversaries never so strong let them be mighty and tall, like the Enakyms. Yet if we have faith, and do trust in God, we shall be strong enough to save ourselves, and to foil our foes like Gedeon, with his empty pitchers.  
David having courage and confidence, when he took with him but a sling and stone, feared not to encounter with Goliath of Gath: notwithstanding, that he came against him with a shield of brass, and his spear like a weavers beam.  
Earnest Prayer was made.] This argueth their fervency; and that they prayed in a feeling. Be fervent in spirit, saith the Apostle: and it is here practised by the 
Rom. 12, 12  Apostles, they were fervent in spirit when they prayed for Peter.  
The prayer that GOD accepteth, must be fervent: and it must be with watchfulness & perseverance, as Paul w●iteth to the 
Ephe. 6. 18.  Ephesians.  
Every prayer is not accepted, as every fire might not be allowed to kindle the sacrifice; only that prayer is available, which faith poureth out, and is presented unto God by zeal and fervency.  
The Lord accepts not a cold prayer, a lip-prayer, from the teeth outward: such praying, or such babbling rather is thus cheeked by our Saviour. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth 
Math, 5. 18.  me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  
As Moses said unto the people, When ye offer unto the Lord, ye shall offer freely: So I say, when ye pray unto the Lord, pray zealously. Let your prayers be earnest, like the Apostles, in this place.  
Earnest Prayer was made by the Church.] Hear is discoursed not only the manner of prayer, but the persons also by whom it was offered: it was a prayer made by the Church.  
The prayer of the just prevaileth much, if 
jam. 5, 16.  it be fervent. And of Helias prayer it is noted: When he prayed for rain, he prayed earnestly.  
The wicked man's prayer is abominable. cain and Habell did both sacrifice unto the Lord: but Habels was only accepted.  
To wicked Sacrifices mark what the Lord speaketh, in Esa 1. What have I to do with the multitudes of your Sacrifices: I am full of the  efferings of Rams, and of the fat of said beasts. I desire not the blood of Bullocks, nor of Lambs, nor of Goats. When ye come to appear before me, who required this at your hands, to tread in my Courts. etc.  Prayer was made unto God. 
This showeth to whom we are to pray, only to God. We may not with our adversaries the Papists run to Saints, to seek succour of them. God alone must be prayed unto; for that he alone is able to help us: in him dwelleth all fullness.  
Abraham hath forgotttn us, and Israelknoweth us not. Es. 63.  
The prayer thus offered of holy men, in a feeling zeal, and fervency of spirit unto God. is a sanctified prayer, an acceptable prayer; a prayer that pierceth the clouds, presseth unto the presence of God, and returneth not empty unto them that pour it forth.  
Such was the prayer of meek Moses, for the Israehtes, against Pharaoh, and prevailed.  
Such was the prayer of jehosaphat against Ammon and Moab, and prevailed.  
Such was the praver of the godly for Paul, in the Acts, against his persecutors, and prevailed.  
And such was the prayer of the congregation here for Peter, and it likewise prevailed.  
Such a prayer doth the Lord look for, for such a prayer doth he call upon David, and us, in David in the 149. psalm. Call upon me in the day of tribulation: and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.  
It was not the sling, but the prayer of David, that caused the stone to sink into the forehead of the uncircumcised Philis●●an.  And behold, the Angel of the Lord came. etc. 
See here the powerful effect of prayer. As the Church sent forth their prayers, so here God sends forth his Angel to execute that which they prayed for.  
Rather than the prayer of the just should fast, God ceased not to work Peter's deliverance by a miracle.  
The Angel smote Peter on the side, & raised him up, saying? Up quickly, and the chains fell off from his hands.  
Their prayer found a speedy success, in a most strange and extraordinary manner.  
Peter, beyond all expectation, is delivered for a greater comfort to God's church: and the greater terror to the persecuting Tyrant.  
So hath God his enemies in derision, & laughs them to scorn in their own imaginatious. When they thought themselves most sure of Peter, even than they find themselves most deceived.  
Herod did purpose on the next morrow to put Peter to death, but he failed of his purpose: as the Philistims failed of Samson, though he lay bound with great cords in the midst of them.  
So man doth purpose, but God doth dispose: man imagineth, but God determineth all to the best for them that love him.  
Hence we are to learn, that whatsoever troubles shall happen unto us, they be known before hand, & are especially appointed upon whom they shall fall: so that they cannot come sooner or later unto us, nor can prevail further against us, than GOD shall permit: as God gave Herod power to take Peter, but he had no power to kill him.  
The Lord cutteth short the arm of Tyrants at his pleasure, he can put a bridle in their mouths, and an hook in their nostrils, as he did Zenacharib, when he came up against Ezechiah.  The Angel set Peter at liberty. 
Many such examples of the lords providence over his elect we find in the Scripture, as in the sixth of the second of Kings, when the servant of Eliseus rose up early in the morning to go out, an host of men sent thither from the King of Aram compassed the City round about with horses and chariots; and he cried to his Master, Alas we perish. But he answered, Fear not, they that are with us, are more than they that are with them.  
Then Elisha prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of his servant, that he might see, and he looked, and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. There we find Gods gracious providence guarding the prophet: and here we find another precedent of the like providence of God in rescuing Peter by the ministry of an Angel, from the violent rage of Herod.  
An Angel appeared to Paul in that 
Acts, 27.  dangerous voyage, and told him that none in the ship should perish.  
And here an Angel tells Peter that he shall not miscarry nor perish, though he were even now shut up in the lowest dungeon, and kept with four quaternions of soldiers.  
Lot by Angels was delivered from the flames of Sodom.  
Rather than the three children should be consumed in the fiery Oven, God sent his Angel to protect them, causing the fire against nature to lose his heat, & as it were to quench itself in his own flame.  
The fire lost his heat, as the iron chains lost their strength when they fell from Peter's hands.  
What should I stand upon particulars, when as the prophet David saith; The Angels of the Lord pitch their camps round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.  So Peter came and followed him, and knew not that it was true. 
This deliverance came to Peter unlooked for, as appeareth by these words. Had he known of this happy news, he would surely have watched for the Angels coming: and not have suffered his eyes to sleep, being a time so full of peril, when nothing but death was presented before him. And upon the next morrow, he was to be led to the place of execution.  
Well, coming unlooked for, it was by so much the better welcome: and it was a motive of forcible efficacy, to cause Peter enter into a deeper consideration of God's goodness, in so strange a sort working his deliverance.  
This circumstance in Peter's deliverance is worth the nothing, viz. The time of the Angels coming, when now there was almost no hope of any evasion or escape out of their hands: for upon the day following Herod thought to dispatch him. Even then in the moment as it were of his greatest extremity, comes the Angel & openeth the prison doors, and causeth the chains to fall from his hands: and so Peter escapeth almost before he awaketh, or before he can have any leisure to consider of his deliverance.  
The history speaketh, that he thought he had seen a vision.  
So was David delivered from the hands of Saul, and jerusalem from the tyranny of the King of Ashur, and Samaria from the Aramites; and this happened unto them upon a sudden, when no help was expected.  
In that it pleased God not to deliver him sooner, it proveth that the Lord will have the measure of affliction left to himself.  
He will sift us to the uttermost to try our patience.  
Our Saviour had told Peter before, that sathan should winnow both him and the other Apostles, as one winoweth Wheat. And here he finds it true, that sathan indeed had winnowed him by his instruments of cruelty, Herod and the rest, & he was even now at the next door to death. But the providence of God became unto him a present help in time of trouble: he rescued him from the violence of his mighty adversaries, and stayed their fury in the very instant. As the Angel stayed Abraham's hand, when the fatal blow was coming.  
The very night before Herod purposed to bring him out to the people, came this unexpected deliverance.  
Christ suffered the ship to be almost under the waves before he would awake. God went far with Heliah, when he was forced to fly from jesabel: and to cry out, They have killed the prophets: & I alone 
1, Reg, 19  am left, and they seek my soul.  
And David the friend of God, was put to his shy●ts, when he cried out in grief & anguish of his soul, Why dost thou turn away thy face, and why forgettest thou my 
Psalms, 30.  tribulation.  
And in another place, Christ suffered Peter to sink, & to be in danger of drowning, before he would stretch out his hand to support him.  
As here, he sent not his Angel to deliver him forth of prison, till the very night before his execution.  And when they were past the first and second watch: they came to the iron gate, which opened unto them of it own accord. 
This is a further circumstance of his miraculous deliverance. They passed through all the watches, and the watchmen never perceived it. They came to the iron gate, and it opened voluntarily.  
Senseless things made show of pity, when neither King nor people could yield compassion.  
The chains & links fell from him before, and here the iron gate gives way to Peter, both working out together his deliverance.  
These things must admonish us of the forcible effect of prayer.  Haec effrin●at carceres: soluit catenas: ferreas aperit portas: impetrat liberatores angelos. 
Prayer it is that breaketh the strongest prisons, looseth the iron bands, openeth the well-barred gates, & draweth the Angels out of heaven to come to the earth to work our deliverance.  Now I know of a truth that the Lord hath sent his Angel, and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the waiting for of the people of the jews. 
Hear is laid down Peter's thankfulness after his deliverance. He acknowledgeth the loving kindness of the Lord, who had so graciously set him free from the tyranny of his enemies, that thirsted after his blood.  
We must learn by this example to give thanks for whatsoever benefits God shall power upon us.  
For to receive God's benefits, and not to be thankful for them, is to contemn God in them.  
The Lord expecteth no retribution at our hands, Quis enim dedit ei, Who hath given unto him, as the Apostle speaketh. Yet he will have us to he thankful, that is the special duty that he requireth of us.  
Who so offereth me thanks, he honoureth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God.  
If one man do pleasure or gratify another, there will be an expectance of thanks at least: and shall not the Lord much rather require the same of us, from whom we receive ourselves, our lives, and all that we are worth: the bread we feed upon, the ground we tread upon, the light we look upon, all comes from God, and whatsoever is within us, or without us, all temporal and spiritual graces, whereof each one is more worth than a thousand worlds.  
The consideration whereof, caused the prophet David to call upon himself & others for this thankfulness in his Book of psalms, saying; O that m●n would praise the goodness of the Lord, and that they would tell out the wonders that be doth for the children of men.  
He calleth all the blessings of GOD Mirabilia, Wonders: all have in them matter of admiration, the rather to stamp in us an impression of gratitude.  
We have well waded unto this thankfulness, when we have learned to say with David, and with the like spirit that he did: I will make it known to the world, what God hath done for my soul. 
Psalms, 84.   
All the day long will I be telling of his wonderful works.  
Thus have you briefly heard the sum of this history of Peter's imprisonment, & his deliverance.  
You have seen on the one side the people soliciting, & Herod consenting to the death of Peter.  
They in their wicked purposes, and the King in his cruel practices, conspired his overthrow.  
But on the other side, the congregation of the faithful powered forth their important petitions for Peter: and these more strong than the iron bands, prevailed for his deliverance.  
Prayer went up from them, and the Angel came down to him: and so was Peter delivered, Herode of his purpose disappointed, the Church comforted, & Gods Name highly magnified.   

heavens Highway.  ACTS. 16. 30. 31. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe in the Lord jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thine household. 
THese words consist of question & an answer. The occasion of the question grew thus, noted in the precedent verses: When Paul and Sylas had been imprisoned in the City of Philippi for the testimony of God's truth, and being now in the lowest dungeon, it pleased the Lord to work their deliverance in a miraculous manner, as appeareth in the 26. verse. For suddenly there came an Earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken, and anon all the doors opened, & every man's bands were loosed: and the jailer being stricken with a great terror, would straightways have slain himself, had not Paul stayed his fury.  
Whereupon, after a more sober consideration, finding all the prisoners to be there, every man sure and forthcoming, and withal, acknowledging the mighty power of God, he comes in great humility before Paul and Silas, & he brought them forth and said; Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Where we are to note the sudden and strange, & yet not so strange as powerful and mighty operation of God's Spirit in this jailor.  
He who even now would have spoiled himself, seeks to save himself & he that but now was most desperate, is become devout, and most desirous to be informed in the way of his salvation.  
So in a moment, he becomes of an heathen man a Christian man, as if he had been made anew, his affections clean changed, his wicked resolution altered, his cruelty turned to Christianity. All this came upon him in a moment, as wisdom came upon Saul, when a kingly spirit was given him.  Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 
Hear it is verified, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And again, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  
Behold the power of God in his effectual calling of sinners: Saul in his greatest rage, when he tyrannised most against God's Saints, was upon a sudden made of Saul a persecuter, Paul a professor. The same powerful Spirit wrought in the conversion of Zacheus, making him of a publican a zealous Christian. So of stones, God can and still doth raise up children to Abraham, as in this place he wrought in this wicked and cruel sailor now to seek the means of his salvation.  
He who ere-whiles had chained others, is now chained up himself, and by the mighty power of God driven to seek relief at his hands whom before he despised, and shut up in the basest place of his house.  
Fear made him run to the Apostles: as shame drove Adam to the figtrees. And he who before was lofty and proud, & disdainful, now stoops down and humbles himself, and discovers his ignorance, as Adam did his nakedness.  
Sirs, what must I do to be saved.  
It is a voice of passionate fearfulness, such as is wont to proceed from them that are distracted, and as it were at their wit's end. What shall I do.  
This jailor was not careful how to answer the Rulers, that had committed them: nor doth he devise what excuse he might make to the officers & Magistrates, who in all likelihood would exact them at his hands, who had the custody of them. But all these matters laid apart, he is now possessed with a deeper meditation, which is, how he may be saved.  
Sirs,] The first word noteth his humility and reverence. Sirs, or Lords, to signify that there is a reverence and an honour stamped in the very name and office of Ministers: and therefore it is said: Fear God, and honour his Priests. And they that minister well, are worthy of double honour.  
O how beautiful upon the Mountains, (saith Esay) are the feet of them that preach peace, that publish good tydins, saying to Zion, thy King reigneth.  
They are called the eyes of the body, operatores messis, the workmen in the harvest.  
The messengers inviting to the marriage of the King's son. The horsemen and chariots of Israel: Spiritual Fathers, Angels, stars, etc.  
If men did but consider of these honourable titles which the word of God doth attribute to the Ministers of his Word, this calling would not receive that contempt as at this day it doth: Gods sacred word would be more reverently entertained, and the ministery itself better reckoned.  
Surely, great is, and beyond measure intolerable, the mystery of iniquity in this respect, which worketh strongly i● the children of disobedience.  
Sin & sathan have both conspired together to broach in men's hearts this contempt of the Ministers of the Gospel, to the end that in the Minister, the ministery itself in time might utterly be contemned.  
The Author to the Hebrues, denounceth an heaume judgement against them that do but neglect the means of their salvation. Much rather then must they expect the severity of God's judgements, that shall despise and contemn with and high hand the ministry of the word.  
He that despised Moses law, died under two or three witnesses: but how shall he be sentenced that treadeth under foot the son of God, and counteth the blood of the Testament wherewith he was sanctified, as an unholy thing, and so despites the spirit of grace.  
Certainly, if Princes take the contempt as done to them, which is done to their Ambassadors.  
If Hanun and Ammon stink in the nostrils of Israel, for their villainy ossered to David's messengers.  
If judas took penniworths of himself, and became his own executioner, for betraying his Lord and Master.  
If jerusalem, fai●e and famous jerusalem, became an heap of stones, and the shame of the world, for despising, and evil entreating of so many prophets that were sent unto them: how shall God suffer these mocking Micholls, these oppressing Pharaoes', and railing Rabshakehs'? Whether they be Libertines, or Neutrals, Atheists, or Papists, of any Religion, or of no Religion, in City, or in Country, or wheresoever they be, how shall God suffer them at last, though he suffer them long to escape his wrath.  
And know you, that hear the Preacher for fashion sake, that go home and jest at him your bellies full: that censure him at your pleasures, that eat him at your feasts, that buy and sell him at your shops, that recreate yourselves with his faults.  
The day will come when ye shall know, and be driven to confess, that Prophets have been among you: and then you will wish you had learned that which the jailor now teacheth you: which is, to humble yourselves in all reverence, even at the feet of God's messengers, and so to seek the means of your salvation.  
Sirs.  
So then the first door that openeth to God's graces and treasures, is humility.  
Many a fair and large house hath but a narrow entry, and a low door.  
And so the low gate of humility is the door of God's house, narrow without, but within are many Mansions. And we must first pass by the narrow, before we come to the broad.  
Having made this reverent preparative, he comes to the matter. What must I do to be saved?  
This one question is worth all questions that may be made: for in other demands whatsoever, a perfect answer cannot be so given at once: but we must demand again, and again, & never give over questroning, till we have a full answer that pleaseth us.  
But this demand, this one question but once made, cuts off all others; and being but once answered, we rest satisfied like this laylour, for it ministereth a full contentment to our desires.  
O that all men were like this jailor, to make like questions.  
This should be our first demand, but we make it our last: after all the lessons that we have learned, yet we have been schooled in this: we have not learned how to be saved.  
We have no leisure to think on this, for our other businesses of the world call us from it.  
Like those lingerers in the Gospel. He that should have followed Christ, said, Nay, suffer me first to go bury my Father.  
Still there will be one let or other to hinder us from salvation, like the fowls that cumbered Abraham in his sacrifice.  
Either we have bought a yoke of Oxen, and must of necessity go prove them: or we have taken a Farm, & we must go see it: or we have married a wife, and cannot come.  
So we have no time yet, and less leisure to learn how to be saved.  
We will learn this lesson last of all, and after all, when we are most unfit to learn, and have almost quite lost our wits & our senses then we will go to school.  
This jailor did not so: so soon as he felt the motion of God's spirit within him, calling him to the knowledge of this holy lesson, he lingers not, nor defers the time; but he suffers the spirit of God to work him and to frame him now he is pliable, as the Smith doth his i●on while it is hot.  
He did not suffer this golden opportunity to slip, which in no case (specially in heavenly matters) ought to be neglected: but he runs to the Apostles, as the Apostles themselves a little before ran to Christ, when they prayed in the prison, and saith, What must I do to be saved.  
Of all intergatories, this is the sweetest, yet least thought upon or practised, few that have learned to minister it to themselves, or others.  
All generally settle their minds upon other matters, merely contrary to this.  
The most part study how they may be rich? how they may be honourable? how they may advance themselves, and so be magnified in this world.  
How they may be possessed of house & lands? how in a word they may reap the crop of all the pleasures that this transitory life can afford them.  
Few or none care how to be saved: so this that should be the Alpha of our desires, it is the Omega of our endeavours.  
Christ saith, Seek first the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof: but the carnal man saith, Nay, I will first seek afvanity, and after my lusts & after my pleasures. The greatest number are like Haman, or Belshazzar, or like the ●●●ple ●i●h man in the Gospel. Ve●y sew ●●● David, or Solomon, or joliah, tha●●●b●●●●or wisdom, that seek after the saving knowledge. Few like this jailor that will run to Christ, or his Ministers, as he did to the Apostles, to demand how they may be saved.  
Well, where the graces of God are implanted, and where the sweet motions of his holy spirit sinned entrance, there hath vanity no place: but all the whole man, the soul, and spirit, and body, all is carried away with heavenly desires; as Paul was ravished with new visions, when he was rapt up into the third heaven.  
But this cannot be, till we have bidden the world farewell, with the deceivable glory thereof, until the old man be utterly abolished, and the whole body of sin be destroyed. And until we be moulded as it were a new like Adam in Paradise before his fall.  
The course of this wo●lde is such, that whatsoever in face we profess, yet our manner of living bewrays our contrary desire. We all would seem to have the smooth voice of jacob; but we can be content to carry within us Esau's heart and hands.  
Where the jailor questioneth how he may be saved, the greater part of men of this age demand how they may be damned. No man asketh how he may be made more holy, but how be more wicked, not how he may become more humble, but how he may wax more proud; not how he may go like john in camels hair, and girt about after the homeliest fashion, with the girdle of a skin: but how he may jet it, and ruffle it in silks and velvets, like them that are 
Velut He●od in reguli v●stiru splendidus.  in King's Courts.  
This jailor had been a wicked & profane cruel man; but now he lamenteth his former carriage of himself, and he now careth to know nothing now, but how to be saved.  
As if he should say, I have taken great pains to be wicked, & I have devised by all means how to exercise cruelty against the children of God; but if I knew now how to recover God's favour, how to become a Christian, I would refuse to undergo no pains in the world. Nothing should stand in my way, no peril were it ever so hurtful no persecution, were it ever so hot and raging, should withhold me from the recovery of God's rich mercies, the happy man's only prerogative.  
Hear we may see the growth of God's graces in his children: first, God planteth and soweth in our hearts a desire of well doing, a desire to know God's will: secondly, a holy knowledge: and thirdly, a practic obedience of the same will of God, according to the measure of our knowledge. A desire, a knowledge, and a practice, like 
Herba culmus spica.  the seed that is sown, comes up by degrees; first it is grass. than the blade, and then the ear. So first we must labour to have knowledge, and that will soon appear, if we have in us a desire to learn, as this laylour had. And last of all, to work accordingly, and so the Christian man is fully perfected: and so groweth up in holiness and righteousness, after the similitude of him that made him.  What must do. 
Must, importeth the present opportunity, which in no case ought to be neglected, specielly in matters of salvation.  
Men are least careful in this behalf: they defer their conversion till their last and latest time; Being loath to part with sin, as Lot was to go out of Sodom: they would not leave sin till sin leave them. This jailor teacheth you otherwise, if you ask him, when it is best to enter into this holy resolution, when it is time to turn to God and so be saved: He tells you now you must do it, now is the time. Ask Solomon, He tells thee in the days of thy youth remember thy Creator.  
Ask God himself, he tells thee, To day, hear my voice. If thou wilt know the time of the day, ask Abraham, He tells thee it must be in the morning: as he in the morning of the day rose up to sacrifice his son, so thou In mane vitae tuae. In the morning of thy life.  
If thou let the day slip till the morrow, to thee belongs that curse. Vae qui dicitis cras: cras, cras, non Christianorum, sed Coruorum vox est miserè crocitantium. Woe be to you that say to morrow: to morrow, to morrow, is not the voice of Christians, but the unlucky croaking of Ravens and Crows.  
Praesens tempus tantum nostrum est. The present time is only ours.  
Dum dicitur hody. Whilst to day we live.  
Qui non est hody, ●ras minus aptus erit. He that endeavoureth not to day, will be less apt for any good to morrow.  
All men would gladly go to heaven, but they cannot resolve to go yet: they would a while live upon the earth; they are not of this laylours' mind, nor of Paul's mind. I desire, saith he, to be dissolved: And what must I do? He doth not so much as give the Apostles leave and respite to refresh and feed themselves he was so earnest.  
As Abraham's servant did not eat meat till he had first told his message: so the laylour would not suffer the Apostles nor himself to eat meat, till he had told them his message.  
He cared like Mary, rather to feed the soul than the body; not respecting the perishing food, but rather that which should feed him up to eternal life.  
This showeth a careful desire in the laylour: but we must proceed further than to a naked desire. He that only desireth to do well, and either goes no further, or retires back again where he began: is like to the smoke which goeth up towards heaven, but never comes there. Or like a cloud that mounts aloft, as long as the suns heat lasteth; but the sun once set, it falleth down to the earth faster than it mounted up.  
This laylour went further than so, for as we find him in this place desiring to know the means of his salvation: so in the next verse to my Text, we find him using the means of his salvation.  
The Apostles were diligent to preach unto him, & he as diligent to hear them.  
As our bodies grow, so must our souls: first we creep, and then we grow, and then we run: so we must grow in the spirit, & increase in knowledge, and profit in Religion, till the man of God be perfect.  
As this laylour said, What shall I do to be saved: so let every man say, What shall I do to have knowledge? what shall I do to have faith? what shall I do to have charity? what shall I do to have zeal?  
All these are so many means of thy salvation, and shall carry thee to heaven, faster than the fiery chariot carried Elias thither, when he was translated.  
And thus much is spoken briefly for the question of the laylour.  
Now let us consider of the Apostles answer. Believe in the Lord jesus, and thou shalt be saved and thy household.  
This is their answer: he was not so ready to ask, but they are as ready to satisfy his demand.  
Christ's Disciples are like Christ; he in the 10. of Mark, answered thus to him that demanded what he might do to inherit eternal life: Hoc fac et vives: This do and thou shalt live.  
And here the Apostles gave like answer to this jailor: Do this and thou shalt be saved.  Believe in the Lord jesus. 
Hear we are to learn by this example of the Apostles, to be helpful to our neighbours, or whom so ever we find fit for the Kingdom of God: we ought to furnish them with all spiritual knowledge: we must like Peter, strengthen them that are weak, when we ourselves are strong.  
But we see the contrary practised; for the greatest part are apt to draw men from God, and from his truth; as the Atheists & Papists of these times who strain their endeavours to make others like themselves.  
Boni malos volunt esse bonos,  
ut sint sut similes:  
Mali contra bonos volunt esse malos,  
ut sint sui similes.  
More than a good many can be apt to say with Chora: The people are all holy, and whereto serves this preciseness.  
They would persuade men that they are too good, when they are stark nought.  
They will be straightways in the extremity, before they have attained the mediocrity: Like the lazy travailer, that sits down in the midst of his journey: or like him, that running in a race, gives over in the midst of his course, and suffers others to get the goal before him.  
This is the reluctation between the holy and unholy, the children of light, and the children of the darkness.  
Good men strive to be holy themselves, and to beget holiness in others: but the wicked strive to be nought, and to make others worse than themselves.  
And the devil comes in to act up the tragedy, and so he rageth, and so sin suggesteth, & so the weakness of man yieldeth, because he hath not faith, in which only we can overthrow the world.  
The Apostles finding this jailor in the way of his salvation, do help him forwards, and do support his weakness: as Christ carried the lost sheep upon his shoulders, & as the merciful Samaritane did lay the man that lay by the way side robbed & wounded, upon his own beast.  
Believe say they in the Lord.  
This may seem to be a lesson soon learned, and the gaining of heaven a matter of short and easy surprise, if it may be obtained only by believing in the Lord jesus.  
Indeed the answer is short, but the matter of substance included therein is great: for as one tree hath many branches, and one branch many blossoms: so this one answer hath many circumstances. All which being duly considered, we shall be forced to acknowledge it a matter of greatest difficulty; and that we have need to call upon God's spirit, for his special furtherance in this great frame of our spiritual building.  
For it is not given to all, to believe in the Lord jesus, nay, it is given but to a few, to those only whom the Father hath sealed for that purpose.  
Yea, even the best of us, to whom the Lord hath given most talents of his rich graces, may say notwithstanding, looking upon our imperfections.  
Lord we believe, help our unbelief, and the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  
Faith in the strongest, will be found to be but a deficient faith, as Peter was, when he began to sink.  
God will have it to be so, to the end we should have recourse to the fullness that is in Christ. That when we see our faith weakened or wounded, we should do, as they did, who were bitten by Scorpions: cast up our eyes to Christ, the brazen serpent, who will not cease, since now he is lifred up, to draw us up also unto himself.  Believe in the Lord jesus. 
Asour Saviour told Martha, one thing is necessary; so the Apostles tell this jailor, one thing is necessary to furnish him for the Kingdom of heaven, even faith: Belecu● only and thou shalt be saved.  
To believe, is to give consent in thy heart to the word of truth: to subscribe thereunto by an unfeigned profession, & to yield all Christian obedience answerable to the measure of grace given unto us.  
This faith is begotten in us, by the immediate gift of God, and increased in us by the word of God read and preached.  
God gives the word, and the word gives faith, and faith gives salvation.  
The jews read the Scriptures, and they heard Christ preaching unto them every Sabaoth in their Synagogues: yet they believed not, because the vail was not taken from them: and they were still in their sins, to show that faith is the special gift of God, and all cannot receive it, which makes so many to withstand the truth in ungodliness.  
Where it is said here, Believe only, and thou shalt be saved: We learn that faith is the only principal instrument, whereby we apprehend Christ, and so consequently our salvation.  
For without faith it is impossible to please God; and so without faith it is impossible to be saved.  
Hear may the Papists lay their hands upon their mouths; for they are no longer 
In architectura totum artificium attribuitur architecto, non arti, non instrumentis. Ol●um et ignis duo sunt, sed coharent in uno lam●ad●o. Make your 〈◊〉 sure by good works. In facto, non pto facto.  able to maintain their doctrine of Good-workes in the act of justification.  
They would have us acknowledge with them, that faith without works is not sufficient to justify: but with our saith (say they) our works must be concurrent. Which is a manifest error, and this place convinceth it.  
True it is that faith never goeth alone, but is always accompanied with goodworks: as the heat is never separated from the fire: but in the act of justification faith alone must be considered: otherwise Christ died in vain.  
Homines meritum quid esse potest 〈◊〉 ut ait vaus, hommis desperatio, aut ut a● alter, Dei miseratio.  
For what is man's merit? but as one author saith, man's desperation. Or as another saith; the mercy of God.  
Who can say, My heart is clean? Can the infant or the tender babe newly drawn from the womb? In no wise they cannot. For quis dabit mundum, ex immundo semme? Of unclean seed, what cleanness can come?  
Num adult us? ut sunt annorum, sic vitiorum incrementa. In youth; as years multiply, so vices increase.  
Cum omnia feceritis dicite vos esse servos in utiles. When ye have done all you can, say ye are unprofitable servants.  
Si dixerimus nos volumus, respondet Apostolus, Deus dat velle: si dixerimus nos facimus, at ut facimus Deus facit, qui dat et velle, et perficere. If we say we will, the Apostle answereth, God giveth the will: If we say we do endeavour, God giveth that endeavour; for in him is both the will and the work.  
Most excellent is that place of Paul, in the 5. to the Ephe. A voice for strength so forcible as Sampsons' hairy locks, even to foil whole Armies of adversaries. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratia estis seruati. By grace ye are saved through faith; not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Vita, ●ternum Dei donum est. Shall we so unkindly entertain this bountifulness of God's free mercy, as not to accept hereof.  
Yet saith the Papist, I'll not have it, like a disdainful proud Merchant, unless I may pay for it: either I'll merit heaven by my works, or I'll not come there.  
If the Papist had said, he would never come there, I had the rather believed him. Certainly, if he stay till merit carry him thither, unless by merit he understand the merit of Christ, he is never like to come there.  
In the Lord jesus Christ.  
Believe in the Lord: he doth not say, believe the Lord. This showeth the manner how we ought to believe; it is one thing credere Deum, another thing credere in De●.  
The one is a general faith, such as the devil hath, and his instruments, the Atheists, 
Daemons credent & contremiscunt.  and Heretics, and all the Reprobates.  
They have a general knowledge: they 
Simon Magus credidit ve●am esse docuinam Apostolorum. non h●buit tam●n veram siden. 1, 10. 4.  believe, and they will acknowledge, that there is a God that made the world, & that governeth the world. And we find this confession of God and of Christ, in many places of the Gospel. Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.  
We never find that he confessed him to be filium homines. 
Daemon agnoscit Christam ut Deum, sed non ut hominem simul.   
jesus I know, and Paul I know: but who are ye? But we are taught another special kind of faith, which is to believe in God, and in Christ.  
That is, to apply by faith unto ourselves, all that GOD hath wrought for us in his Son Christ: as that he hath created us: redeemed us, preserved us: sanctified us: and in time will glorify us: & all in Christ nothing of ourselves, not for us: but all in Christ, and for Christ: for without him, we can do nothing.  
Yea, this our faith, as it comes from us, as of itself cannot justify, nor please God: only it is his will to accept it, and us in it, how imperfect soever it be: because Christ our Lord presenteth it, and doth perfect it. Nam i●●llo habitat omms plenitudo, for in him dwelleth all fullness.  
This is briefly the substance of that saith which being planted in us by the spirit of GOD, will bring with it all saving knowledge.  
This true belief is in us, when we bel●●ue the wholesome word of truth: All that the Prophets have written concerning Christ, how that he was borne for us, and died for us, and so entered into his glory.  
To believe this, and to do thereafter, so making our election sure, as the Apostle warneth us, this is to have eternal life: this is to find out that salvation which the jailor so diligently sought for.  
I shut up all with this one note, the true justifying faith hath these properties.  
Acquiescit in Christo, omnes cius promissiones, et merita apprehendus. It doth repose itself in Christ, laying hold on all his promises and merits.  
Non est temporaria, semper cons●ntit doctrinae caelesti: per Prophetas et Apostolos traditae: 
Math, 13. 20  eum profitetur, de ea gloriatur, eius cognitione laetatur: non ad tempus, sed perpetuo: It is not for a time: but always agreeable with the heavenly doctrine delivered by the Prophets & Apostles: the same it professeth, of it she glorieth, in the knowledge thereof she rejoiceth, not for a time, but for ever.  
Semper est fructuosa, & operans per charitem: It is always fruitful, and worketh by love.  
The Scripture mentioneth but two kinds of ●ayth.  
The one a dead faith without good works, which believeth all you say of Christ, but observeth not his commandments.  
The other, a lively, a justifying faith, which doth not only believe, but work also in charity.  
And thus much may be spoken of faith, which as Chrisostome saith, No man knoweth, or understandeth aright, but he that receiveth it: as no man knoweth the savour of honey but he that hath seen it, and tasted it.  
This faith, as the same holy man also writeth, is, Lumen animae, ostium vitae, fundamentum salutis ●ternae.  
He that hath this faith, hath already the kingdom of God within him: and he may say as jacob, did when he rested him in Bethel: and this is no other but the house of God, & this is the gate of heaven.  
Lord.  
Lord, importeth his sovereignty, and power, in that he is a Lord: he is able to save us, and to protect us, if we submit ourselves to his government.  
In that he is called a Lord, we must be directed only by him: he must reign in us, and over us.  
The homage we must pay to this our Lord and King, is ourselves, our souls and bodies. A living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service of God.  
If I be a Lord, where is mine honour, saith the Lord by Malachy.  
God will not be our Lord, unless we will become his servants: but if we serve the world, or our lusts, or our vanities, than we cast his yoke from us.  
jesus.  
Signifieth a Saviour: I came not to destroy, but that the world in me might have life. And this is eternal life: to believe that God hath sent his son. They shall call his name jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.  
There is no other name given under heaven, whereby we must be saved, neither is salvation in any other.  
Christ.  
unctus: The Lord hath anointed him with the oil of gladness above his fellows. 
Heb. 1.  Kings, Priests, and Prophets, were first anointed, before they executed their offices.  
And Christ our Lord being a King, a Priest, and a Prophet, is likewise anointed to execute his threefold office for us, in governing, sacrificing, and praying for us.  
He was a Prophet & the last of the prophets, who now hath sealed up both vision and prophecy, and the whole mystery of godliness: which is. God is manifested in the 
1. Tim, 3. 16  flesh, justified in the spirit▪ s●●ne of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and receu●ed up in glory.  And thou shalt be saved and thine household. 
Behold here the wondersull comfort presented upon a sudden to this laylour. Salvation is freely in this place offered unto him by faith in Christ, whom Paul & Sylas preached.  
Never was the cool shadow so comfortable to the weary traveller in the extremity of summers drought, as this glad tidings of salvation was to this distressed jailor.  
Sin and s●than seized upon him before, as the legion of fiends upon the heard of Swine: but now he hath separated from him his sins, and quite expulsed all the inty●ing vanities of this deceitful world, & he runneth to Christ, faster than Zacheus out of the wild figtree. Before he was under the wrath of God, but now he is under grace, and is upon a sudden become an elect vessel of mercy.  And thine household. 
See how full the rivers of God are, and how universally they stream forth to water the hearts of all Christians that are apt to receive them. Not the jailor alone hath the benefit of this wholesome Emplaster, but his whole household are salved as well as himself: they for his sake have a promise of the like grace.  
Servants may be glad that are in service under a religious Master, for that the blessings of God in the Master are derived unto them. Here we may cry out with Paul▪ O the riches of God's mercisulnes. And with Moses, Dominus domtnus potens et misericors, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy and truth: reserving mercy for thousands. The householder himself, and his family, children, servants, and all are saved.  
The unbelceving wife shall be accepted for the believing husband: & in this place the household is accepted for the householder.  
And this that hath been spoken, shall suffice, for the clearing of this story of the jailor.  
In whose example we are called upon, to make strait steps unto our paths, and to be always devising what we may do to be saved: He ranue to the Apostles, to learn how he might be saved: we must also run to the Apostles, that is, to the word and we shall be sure to be informed as he was in the way of our salvation.  
We must apply to our sick souls the benefit of the same emplaster: and we must believe in the Lord jesus, as he did, that is, Let us acknowledge him alone to be our Messias, our Redeemer, & Advocate; and according to this faith let us work and fructify, by testifying the same both to the world, and our own consciences: and then shall this undoubtedly follow. We shall be saved and our households.  
Soli Deo gloria.