HALLELU-JAH: OR, KING DAVID'S SHRILL TRUMPET, sounding a loud Summons to the whole World, to Praise GOD.  
Delivered by way of Commentary and plain Exposition upon the CXVII. PSALM.  
By RICHARD CHAPMAN, Minister of the Word of God at Hunmanbie in Yorkshire.  
Laus in nobis referatur ad ipsum laudabilium universorum authorem & largitorem. Bern. sup. Cant.  PSAL. 92. 1. It it a good thing to give Thanks unto the Lord, and to sing Praises unto thy Name, O most High. 
LONDON. Printed by B. Alsop and T. Faucet, for ROBERT ALLOT dwelling at the sign of the black Bear in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1635.   

TO THE RIGHT WOR pfull, and his much honoured Friend, RICHARD OSBALDESTON Esq all Happiness, etc.  
Worthy Sir,  
THE many and manifold kindnesses which I have received from you (as real additaments to my welfare) like the officious Servant in the Comedy, or like another Cynthius, aurum vellet, stand up as so many Monitors, bidding me take heed of that detestable monster Ingratitude, which so venomously hath stupefied the senses of most, so generally lessoned and taught in the Academy of the unthankful World; Therefore to shun those detested shelves, I have made bold out of a truly (though not sufficiently) thankful heart, to Dedicate this weak Embryo of my newly teeming brain unto yourself: I might indeed take notice, that there are Scyllean Critics, but Scylleos Canes obturata aure transibo, jerom. That there are left-handed Benjamites casting stones at an haire-bredth, judg. 20. 6. Demea solus sapit: that a Paper vessel may easily miscarry, as the Traveller betwixt jerusalem and jericho; Yet will I venture under your Worship's patronage, (as little Teucer under the Buckler of Ajax) to pass into the glassy Sea of the world, having still more encouragement from Plinius secundus, beati quibus Deorum munere datum est, aut facere scribenda aut scribere facienda. And it is given to Adamantius Origen. Ne erubescas primum recte facere, quae non potes bene, melius erubescas male facere quae potes bene, Euseb. eccles. Hist. lib. 6. And though the manner of the handling of the Divine matter be weak and imperfect, the very Image of the Author as you know, yet the Subject of it is the Psalmodicall Hallelu-jah of Princely DAVID, rowzing up and goading the unthankful mass of Mankind to Praise-giving, teaching them the Hosanna of Obedience here, and their Hallelu-jah here, and hereafter, that they are ABRAHAM'S sons who do Abraham's works. Etiam fertus fecit mihi jesum fratrem Abrahamum patrem. Orig. hom 8. supper Ezech. & in Rom. c●●. 4. And that there is Spuria pietas as well as Spuria febris, a piety which goes with jucobs' voice, but Esau's hands, masked in the colours and showing forth the Symptoms of true holiness, which I desire to pass thus under your tutelary Name, and leave you and yours, your actions and occasions, to the All-guiding hand of Heaven's protection and providence, and rest  
Yours ever devoted to do you service, RICHARD CHAPMAN.   

Ad Lectorem.  
SI mihi, (viri Anglicani) in presentia concedatis vitam, hac conditione ut ne posthac in sapientiae inquisitione verse●; diligo quidem vos, sed Deo certum est parere potuis quam vobis ac quamdiu vivam & valebo Philosophari atque unumquemque vestru●● exhortari ad virtutem non desistam.  SOCRATES oratio quae est apud Platonem in ejus Apologia.  

HALLELUJAH, OR, King DAVID'S shrill Trumpet, founding a loud Summons to the whole World to Praise GOD.  PSAL. 117. 1. O Praise the Lord all ye Nations, praise him all ye People. 
THis book of Psalms, containing the Sacred songs in the Scriptures, was penned by the direction and inspiration of that all-guiding Spirit of Truth, as a brief Compendium of the holy History, 
Quid est quod non in Psalmis?  as Augustine saith. Matchless DAVID in composing of them, sometimes speaks as a King, Psal. 101. 2. I will walk in my house with a perfect heart; noting his Princely and Religious government both of his Kingdom and Family: 
Prophetical.  Sometime as a Prophet, speaking of the Messiah, his Incarnation, Sufferings, Resurrection, Exaltation, etc. himself the type, 
Didascalicall.  CHRIST the antitype. Some of them further comprehend matter of Inseruction concerning Faith and Manners, as Psal. 1. 15. 37. Other some contain matter of Prayer and Confession of sins, 
E●cticall.  as Psal. 25. 51 etc. Some prayers against the Enemies of the Church, as Psal. 79. 83. etc. 
Historical.  Some Historical, as Psal. 78. 105. 106, etc. Some comm●nding Gods laws, as Psal. 19 119. Some describing Gods wonderful Power, as Psal. 18. Some Thankesgiving for several deliverances, as Psal. 
Epaineticall.  144. Some are for the stirring up of men to praise God for his Mercies, as here; Wherein the Prophet summons all God's people comprised in these great Seeds of japhet and Sem, to praise God, to acknowledge the Sceptre and Kingdom of CHRIST JESUS the true Messiah; Not only his general regiment, in which even the Devils are his vassals to exercise unregenerate Men and Women in their lusts, till he bring them to destruction, from the poisonous soporiferous cup of sin, to the scalding cup of God's eternal Wrath: but obediently to submit themselves to that mighty Sceptre by which in particular he guides and governs his Church: And so this Epaineticall, or Praise-giving Psalm, brancheth itself into two parts:  
First, a Proposition or general exhortation, verse, 1. O praise the Lord all ye Nations, praise him all ye People.  
Secondly, a double reason, 

1. In regard of his Mercy in making Promises.  
2. His Truth in the performing of them, verse, 2. To leave this for a while, come we to the first, which is the Exhortation: In which consider;    
1. The Duty enjoined in the Exhortation, [Praise] which is urged by the interjection [O] which is not supernumerall, but necessary:  
2. The Object [the Lord]  
3. The parties enjoined, 1. [Nations,] 2. [People,] which are taken of some generally for all the people of God: but others and the more general current of Interpreters, do by these note the two great Seeds; The Gentiles, which are accounted before their calling, 
Lo-ruhamah,  Hos. 1. 6. Not beloved, 
Lo-ammi.  and vers. 9 Not my People; but here Prophetically called to praise God: And the jews which by a certain special prerogative, are called God's people, his darlings, and dear Beloved ones, which he carried upon his wings as an Eagle her young ones, and led them in the Wilderness like a flock of Sheep, which had his special protection and favour, the kisses of his mouth, He gave his Laws unto jacob, his Statutes and Ordinances to Israel, He hath not dealt so with any Nation, Psal. 147. 19 As it were confining his Graces within the skirts and straight borders of Palestina, at Salem is his Tabernacle. Psal. 76. 2.  
The duty is called here Hallelu-jah, 
Duty.  which is doubled in this Verse, and repeated in the next; To show how necessary the sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving is; and also, how backward we are in the performance thereof, that must so often be called upon. Now to gather all these into an handful as a well composed Posy, pleasant to the smell; 
[O]  Consider that this which stands in the porch of this Psalm, is not superfluous, but notes the fervent ardency, which is required in this Duty, which must be performed not superficially, orally, but zealously, heartily; which must or aught to be the salt and season of all our Duties and Devotions: 
Nullum omnipotenti Deo tale est sacrificium, quale est zelus animorum.  Our prayers and our praises must not freeze betwixt our teeth, but (even with Eliah) must be transported to Heaven in a fiery Chariot, winged with the heat of our zeal; 
Gregor. in Ezech Home 12.  and there is no Sacrifice so incomparably pleasing to Almighty God.  
Next, 
[Praise]  the thing enjoined, is to [Praise] which is nothing else (as Aristotle saith) but to elucidare, 
Lib. 1. & 3. Rhet.  make manifest and known (as it were a cunning Herald) the greatness of virtue; as to praise Alexander for his Liberality, julius Caesar for his Patience, etc. To praise Mercy, Power, justice, Wisdom, what is it, but to magnify those eminent backe-parts and attributes of I●HOVA the mighty GOD, in and by which he hath revealed himself unto his Creatures, Men, and Angels? Exod. 34. 6, And so this leads us to the true object of our Duty.  
[The Lord,] 
[The Lord]  as he is called God in respect of his goodness, so is he Lord in regard of his Majestic greatness. 
Dominus Deus noster Papa.  This title is given to a great man upon earth, 
Dij titulares, non tutelares.  and more, is Sycophantically given to the Pope, to be called, besides Lord, a God; which are but only so in title. How great then is he, 
Quantus est Dominus qui Dominos fecit?  which makes and unmakes these Lords at his pleasure? There be many Gods and many Lords, 
August.  1 Cor. 8. 5. but this is he which controls and commands them all. Others by Authority of usurpation, Psal. 82. 1. But he is judge among the Gods, able to do more by his absolute power, than he will by his actual, able in potent not impotent works: He is called Omnipotent, 
Dicitur omnipotens faciendo quod vult, non patiendo quod non vult. August de Civit.  saith Augustine, in doing what he pleaseth, not in suffering what he pleaseth not; Which makes him, and none but him, the true object of our praise and service; not the World, Flesh, or Devil, but the Lord; not the Saints in heaven, 
Dei. lib. 5. cap. 10.  job. 5. 1. To which of the Saints wilt thou turn? not to Baal-zebub the God of Ekron, nor Belz●bub the Prince of Devils, but with David, Psal. 73. 28. It is good for me to draw near unto the Lord. Our prayers and praises, confidence and hope, do here level at him, as the surest mark. Make him the beginning and end, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the first and last of all thy labours and endeavours, 
A love principium, etc.  saith Gregory Nazianzen; the very Heathen could both acknowledge and practise this. So then this stands as one of the Priests upon a turret of the Temple, or as a monitor to tell us what praise belongs not to ourselves. Prov. 27. 2. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips; This is Pharisee-like, Luke 18. Because he had slow neighbours, he becomes his own trumpet, and sounds an Alarm to his own folly: this is but a cold praise, 
Friget laus quam sibi quisque assumit, nulla necessita. te coactus. Pineda super job, cap. 29. ver. 12. n. 5.  to blow the coals with thine own breath. This fault was sometimes in the Church of C●●inth, 1 Cor. 4. 7. which the Apostle reproveth, Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou hast not received? (gifts of mind, as learning, wisdom; gifts of body, strength, agility, beauty) if thou hast received them, why boastest thou as if thou hadst not received them? 
P●ter Martyr.  Which is a Metaphor taken from swollen vessels, 
super locum.  which have in them nothing but air: Or from some member in the body swelled with rotten putrefaction, and corrupt humours; Know then, that every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights, jam. 1. 17. This is the groundwork of all Christian modesty. Hast thou Faith? It is from thy calling: hast thou Remission of sins, and justification? It is from Christ: The gift of Prayer, Prophecy, Preaching, or of the Tongues? it is from the Spirit: all which or whatsoever else thou hast, 
Marlorat. sup. locum.  do offer thee occasions of humility and modesty, more than of pride or haughtiness, because thou hast received them. Yet consider this, that a man may speak in his own praise, in the case of necessity, when a man's person or cause is calumniated; or whereby the glory of God may be advanced, to the credit of his calling, and the profit of the Church; as Paul the most modest of the Apostles, as appeareth, 1 Cor. 15. 9, I am the least of the Apostles, which am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God; ashamed, and yet not ashamed to confess, 1 Tim. 1. 15. A blasphemer, a persecuter, and injurious, the chief of all sinners. 
As B. jewel defended his learning against the railing Papists.  Yet when the credit of his calling came into question, and the wondrous work of God in him seemed to be disparaged by false Apostles, he was then a chief Apostle, one that spoke more languages than they all, 
Vide Plutarch. in Comentario, Qua ratione quis citra invidiam laudare seipsum potest.  had more revelations, and was more extraordinarily called, and if any one may boast, this holy elect vessel of salvation, the learned Doctor of the Gentiles may boast, and will praise himself, and so may you.  
Neither must we hunt after others, to praise us: where there is good Wine, there needs no Ivy-bush, and where there is true worth, there needs no flatterer. It is but a poor reputation, that is pinned upon another man's Tongue, and hangs upon the sound of his clapper: This man must be left as a prey for his Parmeno, and carry with him the badge of Pride, 
Qui laudare se appetit, superbus esse convincitur. Super Psal. 5.  as Augustine saith; He that desires to be praised, needs no other witness of his ambitious heart, and the apparent danger of a swelling Impostume.  
Neither must we settle our admiration and praise upon any particular Person or Sect, to pin our salvation only upon them, as if they were the only Oracles of GOD, to account of them as the people voiced of Herod, Act. 12. 22. The voice of God and not of Man. And thus to despise others, as not sufficiently guifted for their calling and embassage: what is this, but to have men's persons in admiration? The Apostle accounts such to be but Carnal, 1. Corinth. 3. 3. For ye are yet Carnal, there being among you envying, strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? While one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollo's, are ye not carnal? For what is Paul, or Apollo's, but the Ministers by whom ye believe? 
Peter Martyr.  Nihil aliud molitur Apostolus, nisi quòd personarum ratio non habeatur in Ecclesia: In this, the Apostle aims at nothing else, 
Aquinas, super locum.  but that there should be no Prosopolepsie, or acception of persons in the Church. He reproves their judgement in this, because they gave to their Ministers more than was requisite and expedient; as if the Spirit of God were too sparing in some, and too lavish and prodigail in others.  
Object. 
Object.  But it may be objected, Valentinian the godly Emperor, would be Baptised by none but Ambrose.  
Answ. 
Answ.  The reason is apparent, not to be respect of persons which caused him to travail for Baptism to Ambrose: but because the Bishops of that time were generally possessed with Arianisme, and scarce one so sound as Ambrose was, the cause why he repaired thither. But where Idolatry is banished, Heresy demolished, the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments established, and sincerely delivered and administered, Christ himself being the head and Precedent over his Church, giving gifts unto all that he sends, though to some more, to some less, yet to all sufficient for their Calling, Ephes. 4. 11: We must not, we ought not, (if we will escape the brand and mark of carnal men) have men's persons in admiration, in setting one so far before another, to make them more than Christ himself ever made them, which is, to be instruments for the gathering of his Church. It was his own admonition, Mat. 23. 8. Be ye not called R●●bi, for one is your Master, which is Christ: and he must be heard if he come in stammering Moses, as well as in eloquent Paul, or courtly Esay, in the weakest and poorest of them, Mat. 3. 17. and Math. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him.  
Neither must we idolatrously magnify the creature, to shrink in, and pinch, and pin up too straight, the large glory of the Creator. The wise man, Wisd. 14. 15. laying down the groundwork of all Idolatry, and spiritual fornication, saith thus; A Father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he had made an Image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a God, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him, ceremonies and Sacrifices. Thus we see, out of the heat of a too ardent and earnest love, transported in a preposterous current, that is soon taken from the Creator, and given to the creature; and where that true-loving affection of man is placed, there is way made for Idolatry, if not rightly and strongly guided by the Spirit of Grace and thus we may offend even in things that are most dear, most near unto us, in our wives, children, self love etc. as 1 Sam. 2. 29. Eli honoured his children more than God. Ambition in the disobedience of our first Parents, in a self love to themselves, is made the way to that fearful Apostasy; hence covetous men are called Idolaters, Eph. 5. 5. Col. 3. 5. Mammon is the Idol, and the worldling the Priest that sacrificeth to their imprisoned god, as the Giants Aloydae did to their captived Mars: And upon this he bestows a double worship; an inward, for he loves, desires, delights, and trusts in his wealth: and an outward, for he spends most of his time upon his Idol, in gathering carefully, keeping watchfully, increasing painfully, and honouring dutifully his carved and painted God; and yet the dust of earthly profits hath put out both his eyes, that he sees not his horrible Idolatry. The like we see, Wisd. 13. 1. etc. The madness of man! first to ascribe the praise due to the Creator, to stocks and stones, creatures insensible; Secondly to men, which are but dust and ashes, vers. 18. for health he calleth to that which is weak: Thirdly to wicked men, the worst of reasonable creatures; and then even to Devils the enemies of God and man, they gave that incommunicable name of God; Thus by little and little, the Devil brought on the highest pitch of Idolatry, making the ways of men and their Religion as uncertain, as Hanniballs crooked passages upon the Alps; That fools make a mock at sin, Pro. 14. 9 and they err in their hearts, not knowing the ways of God, Psal. 95. 10. Thus when we will set our hearts upon these sublunary and terrestrial vanities, it is just with God, 
Supplicij causa est suppliciumque sui.  to make our ignorance both our sin, and our punishment, that the ignorant Idolater may complain with the wicked, Wisd. 5. 6. Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined upon us, and the Sun of righteousness rose not upon us; we wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction, yea we have walked through deserts, where there lay no way, but for the way of the Lord, we have not known it.  
Neither must we, with these bezling Bacchanalians of Belshazzar (swallowing his last draught in the sacred bowls, which his father had sacrilegiously taken from the Temple) drink wine, and praise the Gods of gold, Silver, Iron, brass wood, Dan. 5. 4. neglecting to praise and glorify the God, in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways; sacrificing to our cups and our cans, our nets and our navigations. Thus as though we had made an atonement with death, and an agreement with hell, Esay 28. 15. Though we be poisoned with the drowsy venom of the Asp, securely snorting in the fool's Paradise, and enchanted castle of this ebriety, swimming in the charmed cups of Calypso, and the dangerous drugs of Circe's, we are for all this, in no more safety than ● man sleeping in the midst of the Sea, or upon the top of the tottering mast of a ship, Pro. 23 34. and though it have the face of beauty, yet in the end it bites like a Serpent, armed in the tail with the sting of a Cockatrice; 
How Odies.  and though we miss the heavy doom of Elpenor who in this madness was sent to the grave, if not to the horrible pit with a broken neck: Yet let every intemperate Helluo, and grape-devouring panther (the ancient Hierogly physic of this vice) know that without his speedy amendment, his belly is his God, and he glories in his shame, & a fearful destruction waits his cursed end, Phil. 3. 18. For he is a lover of pleasure more than of God, 2 Tim. 3. 4.  
Neither must we place in this our Hallelu-jah an admiration of any superstition, be it as ancient as the Embryos world, in its nonage, like those Ephesians, Acts 19 28. for their she god Diana; erring in the knowledge of the true God, which is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and truth, Io. 4 24. or like those famosed Idolaters, jer. 44. 17. We will burn incense to the Queen of heaven, and pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done and our Fathers, our Kings and Princes have done in the Cities of judah, and in the Streets of jerusalem; for than had we plenty of all things, we were then well, and saw no evil.  
See we not this foolish generation to continue? 
Vide Moresinum de origine & incremento Papatus.  praising the superstitious times of heathenderived Popery, even wholly sprung out of superstitious Gentilism, as hath been proved; their outward shows, and their antique fashions in crossing, creeping, washing, elevating their new-made god, etc. that we might wonder at them, as sometime M. Cato did, 
Cic. lib. 2. de Divinat.  to see their charmers, because one of them laughed not to see another in their antique and apish Idolatries, which are more fit to please babes, than any way to satisfy the conscience of man: all in the shadow, nothing in the substance. If these then, or any such have forestalled the market of our affections, and have taken a lodging in our hearts, let us deal with them as jacob did with his false Gods, or as Ephraim with his Idols, cast them out: And let the current of our affections run in the right stream, and be fixed on the right object, Praise ye the Lord.  
Whence and from what hath been spoken, and the natural genuine sense of the words themselves, let us erect for our supportance in this duty, the doctrine following, viz.  
It is a chief duty necessarily enjoined to all creatures and especially to man, 
Doct. 1.  to become instruments of the glorious praise of their omnipotent Creator. This was the gracious practice of old Zacharie, Luke 1. 68 for receiving his graceful son john, supposed to be the Messiah, joh. 1. 21. a blessing from God no sooner given but a blessing from man returned, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, etc. rightly called in the language of Canaan, a blessing; ingratitude being the devil's text, wicked men the Glossers and Expositors, both which must end in a cursed destruction. Blessed Marie in her song calls it a magnifying, Luke 1. 46. My soul doth magnify the Lord. 
Deus Optimus Maximus.  To magnify, is to make great: Now God is the best, the greatest, and cannot in himself be made lesser or greater by us; all that we can do, either in the magnifying or vilifying of him, is in regard of others, when we swear falsely, protest rashly, blaspheme like an Atheist or Turk; we do to our power, 
Magnificare nihil aliud est quam magnum facere. Lexicon Theologicum.  lessen his greatness, when we unthankefully return not his due praise for his mercies, we vilipend & debase as much as we can his gracious goodness, and when we magnify him, we make him great, we proclaim him good.  
To make this more plain, and to drive this duty deeper into our souls; it is in regard of us, the end of our election, foreseen in the mercy and love of God before the foundation of the World, as overlooking our estate in Adam, as changeably good, to that in Christ, immutably glorious, Ephes' 1. 6 To the praise of his glorious Grace. It is the end of our creation, even enjoined to insensible animals, the visible and legible book of our instruction and lessoning in this duty, the sun, 
Psal. 150. last verse.  moon, day, night, Psal. 19 1. and every thing that hath breath are summoned by David's Trumpet, to become the well uned Cymbal of their Creator's praise. But Man, the rare Epitome of all these, hath an instrument of speech, to tune it to a higher key, Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honour and praise, for thou hast created all things for thy wills sake, and for thy pleasure's sake were they created. It is the end of our redemption, Rev. 5. 9 Thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. And thus I must instance in the rest, even to the lowest particular deliverance, from the hellish; and the highest, to the least and lowest danger, as Exod. 15. judg. 5. etc. no sooner a deliverance, but a song of thanks giving to the deliverer: And it is the sum of what thy God for this requires of thee, Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt praise me.  
Reas. 
Reas. 1.  1. Because as all rivers come from the sea, and return thither again, returning as it were a thankful tribute to their Lord: Even so all things come from the Father of lights, jam. 1 17. which are for our good, as from the fountain of goodness, and must, or at least ought in thankfulness to return to him again: All the gifts of fortune, falsely so called, as riches and possessions; the graceful endowments of the body, as agility, beauty, strength; all the goods of the mind, as wit, learning: No silver in Benjamins' sack, till joseph put it in; and no good in man except God bestow it: Even that noble skill in physic, standing upon two legs, Reason and Experience, 
Galenus.  is an excellent means to preserve our health; and yet for all this, it is the great Doctor, which hath Heaven for his chair, that keepeth us alive; for so soon as he is angry, we are gone, we bring our years to an end, as a tale that is told, Psal. 90. 9 If the keepers of our house do not tremble, 
Eccles. 12. 1. 2. 3. etc.  and the grinders cease not, and the golden ewer be not broken, and our eyes the windows of our bodies, be not dark, it is from the Father of lights.  
Hence renowned Solomon, and all the learned Clerks have their wisdom; and the same it was, which took away that great knowledge from the learned Trapezuntius, 
Volateran: lib. 21. Comment. Funcius et Bucholcerus in Chronic. lib. 7.  who was not only infatuated in his learning, 
cap. 13.  but forgot his own name: Hence are all students counselled by Sarisburiensis in Policratico, to knock at heaven gate to God for their good speed, that the key of knowledge may open a door of utterance. So there are diversities of gifts, diversities of administrations, and diversities of operations, but all from the same Spirit, & from the same Lord, who worketh all in all, 1 Cor. 12. Among the Apostles, Paul was good at planting, Apollo's at watering. Among the Fathers, some construed the Scriptures all egorically, as Origen who excelled others either in effect or defect; 
Vbi benè, nemo melius, ubi malè, nemo pejus.  Augustine dogmatically; Hierome more literally; Gregory the great Morrally; 
Sixtus Senen: hibl lib. 3. pag. 1● 7.  and chrysostom pathetically. And also among our modern writers, Erasmus was full of matter and words, 
In Celloquio de Erasmo.  Luther had store of matter without many words, Carolostadius neither etc. as Luther himself wrote upon the walls of his Chamber: So also among our ordinary Preachers, some have good utterance, but a bad conceit; some an excellent utterance, but a mean wit; some both, some neither. As for the gifts appertaining to the will, 2 Cor. 3. 5. All our sufficiency is of God. For faith, which (as some think) belongeth both to the will and understanding, it is also the gift of God, 10. 6. 29. This is the gift of God, that ye believe on him, whom he hath sent. God worketh in man, the first desire to believe, 
De spiritu & litera, cap. 34.  ipsumvelle credere, saith Augustine; The staying of the bloody flux of thy corruption comes from some virtue in Christ, Mar. 5. 30 The purging of thy lips from lying, swearing, blaspheming &c. is by a coal from the Altar, Esay 6. 6. The gift of Prayer powerfully soliciting the throne of mercy, 
Quisquis tibi enuxerat vera merita sua, quid tibi enumerita nisi munera tua? August. Conf. lib. 9 cap. 13.  and filling heaven and earth with Abba father, proceeds from none but the Spirit which makes intercession for us with groans, which cannot be expressed, Rom. 8. 26. The tongue of the learned, it is from the Lord, Esay, 
Bonamea, dona tua.  50. 4. If thou hadst the zeal, love, constancy, knowledge of those noble patriarchs, 
Aug. Confess.  and those constant Martyrs, 
lib. 10. cap. 4.  in the Primitive times, every drop of whose blood bred and sprung up a new Saint; if thou wert glorious as an Angel, thy meat as Manna, thy garments as Aaron's Ephod, thy breath as sweet, as the perfume of the Tabernacle, from the life of Nature, to the life of Grace, and so to the life of Glory, all is from this Fountain which is God.  
Nay, even that thou art not wicked, as the most debauched creature in the world, it is from the supporting and restraining grace of God, upon whom thou leanest, in the wilderness of this world, as the Spouse upon her beloved, Cant. 8. Or as Moses hands were supported by Aaron and Hur, Exod. 17. 12. Or as the Altar of the Sanctuary at the base thereof had Lions for supporters; so thou, the Lion of the Tribe of judah; else how is it in man to direct his ways aright without this? 
Cephas in the Syriack tongue a Stone.  Though Peter, à Petra, a Rock, surnamed Cephas, for his steadfastness, yet fell into a fearful Apostasy: Godly David, moulded in the mint of Regeneration, into Adultery and Murder; these, and much more hadst thou committed, if God had not prevented. Martial then all thy gifts and graces together, let them face one another, as the Cherubins upon the Mercy-seat, and all look upon God; For of him, and through him, and for him are all things, Rom. 11. 36.  
Because it is a great part of God's worship, 
Reas. 2.  and even the most of that service, which he requires at the hands of silly Men, David in his Quaere makes it the sum of all, Psal. 116. 12. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? 
Poculum Eucharistiae.  but only this, I will take the cup of thanksgiving, 
Gratiarum actio, est actus la●●ig. ●quinas.  and call upon the name of the Lord. For this purpose it is called a sacrifice of praise, Heb. 13. 15. The calves of our lips, and the first fruit of faith, Acts 2. 46. It is his honour, and that he will not give to another; Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth etc. Esay 42. 10.  
To teach us, 
Use. 1.  not only to condemn in ourpractise, that ingratitude, which is a monster in nature: As we call the grateful man, a kind man; so the ingrateful an unnatural, an absurd solecism in manners, consisting of two foul vices, falsehood in not acknowledging, injustice in not requiting a benefit. Alexander the Great, and julius Caesar, both renowned, the one for liberality, the other for patience; the one would not give, nor the other forgive an ingrateful person. Not only this; but forasmuch as every one arrogates a due performance of this duty, 
Aug Euthim●us super Psal. ult.  To teach us how to tread right in the steps of his service; And to this purpose consider, that God is praised 1. vocally, as sing to the Lord, 2. Chordally, praise him upon the Harp, 3. Pneumatically, with Trumpets, Shawms, Cymbals, etc. when our breath is the bellowes, 
Clemens Alexandrinus.  4. Allegorically, in our actions, contemplations, words, works, life, death, being not only temples, 1 Cor. 3. 16. but also timbrels of the Holy Ghost. Know then that thy right praising & magnifying of God is thy obedience to his voice, his law, 
Noli gloriari quod lingua benè dicis, si vita malè dicis. Super Psal. 133.  his Gospel, etc. Never boast, saith Augustine, that thou blessest with thy mouth, when thou cursest with thy life and conversation: It is not only thy breath, but thy breast, thy song, but thy soul; thy voice, but thy life, that must be this Davidicall trump of praise & thanksgiving. 1 Pet. 2. 12. Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles, and by this means they which are yet without, and strangers from God, shall have occasion to glorify God in the day of their visitation. Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Our praise is our obedience; and our obedience is nothing else, 
Damascen lib. 3. cap. 4.  but a subiecting of our will to God. So that it is with every disobedient person (though he can marshal his words, & adorn his phrase, that they be like apples of gold with pictures of Silver, Prov. 25, 11.) as with a secretly disloyal traitor, who in the chamber of Presence is highly extolling and commending the King, the State, & Government; but being without the Court gate, is opening his poisonous jaws, and casting whole Seas of contumelious reproaches, and outrageous slanders against the same; who will take this for a true subject? and who will account a wicked man the servant of God, though with his tongue he praise God, when he speaks nothing but contradiction in his life and conversation? This false and pseudo-christianity makes the Gospel and sincere professors thereof, and even God himself to be traduced; and as jacob was accounted with the Sichemites; Ye have troubled me (speaking to his cruel sons) to make me stink among the inhabitants of the land, Gen. 34. 30. For this cause, Rom. 2. 24. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, professing to know God, but in works denying him, being abominable, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate, Tit. 1: 16.  
And hence we see plainly the reason and groundwork of those foul aspersions, daily slanders, and Ismaelitish songs of Turks, jews, Infidels, and Papists, which are daily cast as dirt into the face of Christianity, to be only our dissolute lives, disobedient carriages, and disordered conversation, 
Salvianus de guhernatione Dei, lib. 4.  Christiani hoc ipso deteriores, quo meliores esse deberent, Christians are so much the worse, as they ought to be better; Either than be as thou seemest, or seem as thou art, else thou art but like the little bird with the great voice, which the Fowler only hearing, and thinking her to be some great fowl, took pains to take her; and seeing her little body ill able to countervail his pains, 
Tues vox & nihil praeterea.  he said, Thou art a voice, an Echo, an empty outward sound, and nothing else. Know then that all thine oral profession, superficial adoration, and Pharisaical sepulcher-like guilded outside, is in God's account without the inward subjection of the heart to his holy laws, no better than to cut off a dog's neck, to offer swine's flesh or to bless an Idol, Esay 66. 3. so long as thy heart is unsanctified, wanting the salt of Grace, 
2 Kings 2.  and remaining unwholesome as the poisonous waters of Bethel, Christ rejecteth thy lip-praises, and outward service as the sacrifice of fools. Psal. 50. 16. Unto the wicked saith God, Why dost thou preach my laws, and takest my covenant into thy mouth? whereas thou hatest to be reform, and hast cast my words behind thee. Christ will not suffer the Devil, the father of lies, to bear witness of his truth, Mar. 1. 24. and Paul will not suffer the Pythonesse to proclaim the truth, 
O tempora, O mores!  Acts, 16. 18. O than the rottenness of our times! how is our obedience (if we have any) cut short, and we are become like that speech of Phavorinus, 
A. Gellius Nost. Attic.  who seeing a mother communicating her motherly duty to the nurse of her child, cried out, Quodnam est hoc imperfectum & dividiatum matrum genus? What a company of halfe-faced, and halfe-faithed imperfect Christian Herod's, Agrippa's, naaman's, whose obedience and religion is pinned upon their profits, pleasures? like those Libertines, Mal. 3. 14. What profit is it, that we have walked humbly before him? These be but left-handed ehud's, or as children which say their prayers to have their breakfasts; or as the Sichemites, which took upon them the Seal of the Covenant for gain, Gen. 34. Or as those that followed Christ, more for the loaves, than for the love, Io. 6. That come to Church, as most do to a Funeral, more to fill their bellies, than to lament the dead, or to comfort the widow, or the Orphans. But remember Christian, that God requirs the whole man, to fulfil his whole law, and that the whole time of his life, 
Totum hominem, totam legem, totum tempus.  Totus, tota, totum, are required; but further God requires, Phillip 2. 10. That at the name of jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every mouth must confess him. And yet I see a rank of worse Locusts issuing as it were out of the pit, even openly by their open profaneness, and horrible blasphemies, proclaiming themselves to be men of stubborn knees, stiff necks, and uncircumcised hearts, openly with Bebemoth, Leviathan, or Satan himself, or at least with those Giantlike sons of the earth proclaiming rebellion and disobedience against the most High: These shame at nothing but virtue, and blush at nothing but honesty: Of whom it may be said, as Maecenas spoke of the saucy fellow, that would not bow to Caesar, 
Hic homo crubescit timere Caesarem.  This man is ashamed to fear or reverence Caesar: so these men are ashamed to fear God, and blush at nothing, but against their wills to wear the livery of Christianity; Surely these men go down to the Chambers of death, if not to the pit of destruction. Let us then prove God to be our Father by our obedience, and our Master by our fear, Mal. 1. 6. Let it not be in word only, but in deed, as john spoke of Love, 1 john 3. 18. or as Socrates when the people admiringly praised his oration, 
Lauda ut videam.  said, Praise it, that I may see it. Obedience is better than all our sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15. 22. preferred by God himself, Hos. 6. 6. whereas rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, this is a favour of rest unto God, therefore, Let every one that nameth the Lord, depart from iniquity, 2 Tim, 2. 19  
We praise God, 
Use 2.  when we acknowledge his Kingdom, power, and glory, and ascribe them unto him as his due. This our Saviour CHRIST teacheth, Math. 6. 13. after he had taught us how to pray for things inward, outward, spiritual, temporal, all things needfully requisite for soul and body; in the conclusion he teacheth us to give thanks, and that in the acknowledging his Kingdom, power, and glory.  
Now forasmuch as the infinite and ineffable essence of God, cannot be fully comprehended of the weak vessel of mortality, Man; he being eternal, and which inhabiteth eternity, Esay 57 15. the Ancient of days, King of ages, 1 Tim. 1. 17. he made the times the word eternal in Heber's language being taken from a root; which signifieth to lie hid, teaching us, that our knowledge is not able to find out the hidden being of the Almighty, being but weak, and in part, 1 Cor. 13. 12. only seeing as it were, a glimpse of one suddenly passing by, the more full knowledge of him is reserved till we be made like him, and see him as he is, 
Deus est circulus.  1 john 3. 2. even face to face, 1 Cor. 13. 12. To desire any full knowledge of his inscrutable essence, 
Cic. de natura Deorum.  is to lose ourselves in a maze, or labyrinth, and with Simonides to add unto one days labour in the search thereof, three days more, and be further off then when we began; 
Socrat. lib. 6. Tripart. Eust.  and with the Child, we may as soon bring the whole Ocean into a little pit, as with the old man paint the Trinity on a table: 
cap. 21.  And therefore when Evagnius had heard a long disputation of the Trinity, he wisely concluded, that it was without the compass of any logical definition. So because our weak vessel cannot sail with safety over this innavigable Ocean, he hath revealed himself by his backparts, Exod. 34. 6, His Power, mercy, Longanimity, justice, etc. Rom. 1. 20. The invisible things of him from the creation of the World, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; even his eternal power, and Godhead; and so by acknowledging these, by humbling ourselves under his mighty hand, 1 Pet. 5. 6. and by fearing him, that cannot only kill the body, but also cast the soul into hell fire, Math. 10. 28: We praise his power, acknowledging what he can do, the whole army of his creatures, 
N Olans de Attila.  and hell being at his command: The strongest tyrant in the world (as Attila confessed of himself) is but his scourge, which when he hath used to the sufficient chastising of his Church, he will cast into the fire, as the Father doth the rod, which he used in whipping his child. 
Pilatus sibiipsi intulit manus Niceph.  Look upon Pharaoh, Herod, Pilate, Heliodorus, which are spectacles of God's power, sometimes their own hands their own executioners; 
lib. 2. cap. 10.  even Tophet is their portion, 
& cap. 13. de morte Herodis: suiipsius interemptor divina ultione factus.  Esay 30. He is a consuming fire, Hebr. 12. last verse, to burn up his enemies: and as weak stubble is not able to withstand that furious element; 
Euseh lib. 2. ca 7. Eccl hist.  no more can a weak man the omnipotent Creator. Take heed then how thou offendest him, 
josephus' lib. 28 Act. cap. 5.  but acknowledge him in his wisdom, 
Eutropius lib. 7.  power, etc. and seek him while he may be found.  
Then hear this all ye abusers of the glory of God, 
Glory, put for all that may be known of God as Exod. 33. 18  Rom. 23. Which change the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image of corruptible man and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things, contemners of him in his Kingdom, power, and glory; that say with those drunken Atheists, Esay 28 15. The overflowing scourge shall pass through, and not come nigh us, for we have made lies our refuge. Ye that put far away the evil day, and suffer the seat of violence to enter, Amos 6. 3. that say, The vision is yet for many days to come, and he prophesieth of times a far off, Ezec. 12. 27. That hearest the thunder claps of judgement against thy bribery, usury, oppression, etc. and yet with the deaf adder stoppest thine ears charm the charmer never so wisely; what is this, 
Aelian. varia Historia Lib. 4.  but even to mock God in his power, and glory, and to say with Pherecides, We are as safe, that offer no sacrifice, as they that offer whole Hecatombs? What is this but to play with God's sacred book, and his truth therein, as Daphias with the Diabolical Delphic Oracle? who enquiring, where he might find his lost horse, 
Inventurum se quidem, sed ut eo turbatus perierat, Cic. de Fato.  when he had none; the Oracle answered, he should find one indeed, but his death with it: Homeward he comes joyfully, that he had deluded the Oracle, but by the way was commanded by King Attalus to be thrown down a rock called a Horse.  
Though this be fabulous, yet the moral will surely fall heavy upon all the despisers of God in his power and glory, and the enemies of his kingdom, even to crush them to destruction in the furnace of God's implacable wrath. Consider this ye that forget God, Psal. 50. 22.  
We must learn hence to praise God in his creatures, 
Use. 3.  in acknowledging his uncontroleable sovereignty and Lordship over them, that he is only that which the flattering Parasites would have given to Canutus one of the Kings of England, 
English Chronicle.  who styled him Ruler and Lord of Sea and Land; 
Polyd Virgil. lib. 7. Anglicae Historiae.  which he modestly confuted, when going to the sea side, and sitting in his chair of State, he would but could not command the waves of the watery regiment, no more than Pharaoh could the red Sea. Esay 44. 24. I am jehova that made all things, therefore his by right of Creation, and thence requires his honour and praise in the moderate use of them: He is the Landlord, thou the tenant, and that at will; he may put thee out of thy earthen tabernacle when he will, though thou be a freeholder, yet (as the lawyer speaks) not without impeachment of Waste; a lease thou hast indeed with a large scope, but yet with this proviso, john 6. 12. Let nothing be lost. The Almighty as the head of this great house, the World, as he hath created all things and given them their being, 
Luk. 16. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; sic Scorpius à vastando violas. Arist. Plin. Dioscor.  so he will surely take a strict account of their waste, Luke 16. 2. How do I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: He is arraigned for a matter of waste in the first verse; which word there used, seems to be taken from the Scorpion, which wilfully wasteth the sweet smelling Violets. How hast thou increased thy talents, and not bezeled and embezzled them away, to the dishonour of thine and their Creator? The creatures abused to the dishonour of their Chiefe-Lord even groan under thee; the Sun blushes to be made a God, 2 King. 23. 5. The high places are ashamed of their idolatrous Chamarims burning incense there; the Fire of the Persian, the Crocodile of the Egyptian, the Gold and Silver of the jew, which made Baal thereof: Only the shameless Devil is not ashamed of his worshippers in Calecute, &c: If we considered this, and God's Lordship over them, we would not be thus impudently bold in the abuse of them. And first in this matter let us arraign the proud man: To what end is this waste? to lay lands and livings upon his back, to make it glister. God indeed hath not only allowed garments for necessity; Gen. 3 21. a leathern coat for Adam; but also ornaments for comeliness, Esther 6. 11. royal robes for Mordecai: They that are in King's houses wear and are allowed to wear soft raiment. But those antique fashions both God and nature, and the laws of all Countries have always condemned as irreligious and wicked, those being marred in the making, 
Propter venustatem invenustae. Chrysost. Ornamentum est quod ornat, ornat quod honestiorem facit.  as one spoke of fantastic women, spoiling and defacing those genuine graces, and natural beauty, which nature from a liberal hand hath bestowed upon them. That doth beautify, which doth beatify, making our graces more gracious, and our souls more happy. The ridiculous chain of pride, Psal. 73. 6, and the foolish fashions of the jews, Esay 3. 16. that now puffs up thy soul like a tympany, making thy body bright, as Herod's drawing the eyes of admiration after it; will one day without repentance accuse thee for a waster to the great God and Lord of the Creatures.  
Next comes to the bar, as guilty of Waste, 
De grege porcorum. Horat.  the fat bellied swollen guts, the Epicure, a dishonourer of the Creator in the abuse of the creature, meat and drink. 
Hebraicè.  Agur, Prov. 30. 8. preys for food convenient, or the food of allowance: But must feed of all dishes, 
Jerome.  and knows no mean but surfeit, 
Apicius had 1000 Cooks.  makes his morsel his god, in mea patria Deus venture, his belly, his Bell, his idol, like Aesop's hen, too fat to lay, to produce any fruits of goodness; Dives-like faring deliciously every day: Sense his purveyor, Appetite his Steward, his throat his heaven, like sensual Philoxenus, that wished his throat like a Cranes, more fully to delight his bestial part. Solomon, Prov. 23. 25. joins a twin of the same womb, The drunkard, and the glutton shall come unto poverty; He likewise dishonours God in his creatures, Esay 5. 22. There is a woe hangs over him, like Damocles sword at his delicates, tied by a slender hair, while he carouses his condemnation, and fears not: 
Dr. Boys. Non dispensat, sed dissipat bona Domini.  Either of these are a morbus hydropicus, a Baltazzars sin, while he doth not wisely dispense as a steward, but blindly scatter as a waster of his Mastersgoods, and so must pass as a prodigal unthrift.  
Again, we dishonour God in his creatures, when they are made instruments against the godly, whom the whole host of Heaven and earth desire to serve and comfort, from the highest Angel to the poorest worm. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for their sakes, which shall be heirs of salvation. Psal. 
Angelo Dei, qui custos es mei, etc.  91. 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. Math. 4. 11. Christ in the heat of his temptation, hath Angels to comfort him. Math. 18. 10. The elect, even the little ones have Angels: Distressed Hagar is comforted by an heavenly messenger, Gen. 16. 7. jacob by a vision of celestial spirits, Gen. 32. 2. Thus were the Israelites conducted, Exod. 14. 19 What need I speak of joshua, 
Ios. 5. 13.  Gideon, Elija, etc. nay even Sun and Moon, 
judg. 6. 11.  with every star in the glorious firmament, 
1 Kings 19  all fight for the Church. jud. 
Miitat ●ther Lucan.  5. 2. They fought in their order from heaven, even the stars in their courses, the river Kishon, stood not idle, but swept them away as a bosom doth the filth in the house: The sea gives way to the passage of God's people, and heapeth together his fluctuant fluid moisture, to make them a dried pavement, Exod. 14. 22. Ios. 10. 12, had experience of this from the help of heaven in their defence against the Amorites; so that sea, land, heaven, and the whole host of the creatures would do service to the Godly. Hence the creature groans to be made an instrument of torture by a Tyrant, to whom he is apppointed a minister of comfort by his maker, as the fire to burn, the water to drown God's servants, abused to this end by the earth, or rather hell-sprung Giants of the world. And as the creature groans to be an engine to hurt the godly, so is it weary of those that dishonour him, an enemy to God's enemies, Atheists, Idolaters, Swearers, etc. the Sun would cloud, and obnubilate his glorious face, the Moon her light, the Cressets of heaven their twinkling lustre, from the rebellious, idolatrous, disobedient sinner, that hath so long viewed and enjoyed their excellent comfort continually cast from those crystal eyes of heaven, and is not lessoned by them to praise his God; 
Vesta, a vistando.  the Vestall-earth mourns under the burden of a rebellious Nation, every furrow thereof cries against the depopulating Encloser, 
Weep against him. Hebraicè.  job 31. 38. The stones and timber where the wicked man dwelleth, Hab. 2. 11. All he possesseth is his enemy, because he is an enemy to God; witness these ten Plagues poured upon Egypt both from heaven and earth, 
Tota creatura est armatura Dei.  all the creatures are God's army to fight against them that fight against him. So then, if thou be a blasphemer, Persecuter, etc. wert thou in a City, whose walls were as strong turretted, and inexpugnable, as the wall that Phocas built about his Palace, 
Civitatis eversio est morum non muror●m casus.  yet shall it be really performed on thee, as it was voiced to him in the night, Did they teach the heavens, they may be scaled, the sin in the soul spoils all: 
Graviores inimici sunt mores pravi quam hostes infesti.  A city's overthrow is sooner wrought by wicked lives, than weak walls, saith Augustine; they worst enemy are thy fins, saith Ambrose; so the host of creatures are thine enemies, while thou hast no peace with God; peace and wickedness cannot dwell together: 
Mars ultor galeam perdidit, & res non potuit servare suas.  The heathen gods indeed, could not revenge their own quarrels, as the Poet speaks of Mars; but our God hath heaven, earth, and hell to fight his battles, a thousand ways to revenge, mille nocendi arts. Wicked man! why dost thou continue in thy sins, and say with stupid pharaoh, Who is the Lord? When thou canst not breathe, move, or live without him.  
Learn then like the Bee to gather honey from every flower, 
In caula de aula, in hara de ara loquitur.  to give praise from every creature; all objects to a meditating Solomon are wings to mount his thoughts to heaven; as the old Romans seeing the blue stones, were put in mind of Olympus; so from every creature to elevate our thoughts to Zion, and so we may honour God in honouring him in his creatures. Whether ye eat or drink, Do all to the glory of God, in all things give thanks, 1 Thes. 5. 18. Every creature is good, and ought not to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, 
Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris Plaut.  1 Tim. 4. 4. Be not then an unthankful Esau, to sit down, eat, drink, enjoy the creatures, 
Ingratitudo obstring it manus Dei. Marlorat.  and irreverently rise up, and go thy way. Gratitude opens, ingratitude pens up and closes the wine cellars, the heavens; the buckets and cisterns of the sky are ready to shower upon the thankful. Praise the Lord, makes the heavens as Nilus Egypt, fertile.  
Lastly, to drive this Hallelu-jah deeper into thy Soul, consider that thou not only hast the creature from God, but also he must give it power to comfort, nourish, and sustain thee. There is indeed bread that nourisheth not, Esay 55. 2. Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and labour for that which satisfieth not; it seems, but is not bread, and if it be, it satisfies not; Such is that bread of secrecies, and waters of stealth, Prov. 
Pabula peccati, pocula lethi.  9 17. The delicates and cates that sin sets before us, deadly cups, and Acheronticke potions, Z●uxes painted grapes to feed the devils black birds to meager leanness: But God gives the creature power and strength; 
Exod. 23. 25.  It is not thy meat, drink, sleep, clothes, that of themselves do nourish and warm thee more than the hard and cold stone, but God's blessing upon them, Math. 4: 4. Man lives not by bread only, but by the word and blessing of God; Else might thou starve in the midst of thy plenty: 
Dan. 1. 15. see Psalm. 104. 13. 14. 15.  The poor man with Daniel may be as well liking with pulse and pure water, as they that eat of the portion of the King's meat; may go as warm in his rags, as they in King's houses, that are clothed in soft raiment, if God bless his bread and water, Exod. 23 25. Thus when God threatens a famine and dearth, he takes not away the bread itself, but the staff, viz. the strength & nutritive power of it, Levit. 26. 26. When I shall break the staff of your bread, 
Hag. 1. 6.  Ezech. 4. 16. & 5. 16 I will break the staff of bread, called Esay 3. 1. the stay of bread and the stay of water. It is but a poor elemental creature, to which Gods blessing hath not added strength, if God did not hear the heavens for virtue, the heavens, the earth for influence, and the corn & the wine for vegetative power, Hos. 2. 21. All simples were but simple things, and all componds idle, when they want the best ingredient, God's blessing. Goutish Asa wants this powerful ingredient in his physic, when 2 Chron. 16. 12. He sought not the Lord in his disease, but to Physicians; He was not so lame in his feet, as in his faith. We must not stick so fast in the secrets of Philosophy, but also look upon the mysteries of Divinity; God is the chief Physician, let Plato hold the candle to Moses, and Physicians learn from the sons of the Prophets.  
In all thy labours and endeavours, Psal. 127. 2 it is in vain for thee to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; For except the Lord give a blessing to our works, it is but to plough the sand, and to lodge at the Labour in vain. 1 Cor. 3. 6. Paul plants, Apollo's waters, but God gives the increase; So the vintage of works depends upon the showers of God's blessing. 
Parturiunt montes, Hor.  The works of the world may have likely and proud entrances, but yet halt in the conclusion, if not attended from a superior influence: But God from a slender beginning brings a plentiful issue, 
Carpo-balsamum. Isidor.  as in that Balm immortal, incorruptible seed of the Word, 
Inest in viva voce nescio quid latentis energiae. lerom.  which in itself is dead, by God's Spirit assisting, concurres to the begetting of a new man, powerfully mortifying the rotten flesh, and quickening the spirit. That little mustardseed, which spreads up into branches, able to give the fowls of heaven harbour, able thus armed to bind the strong man, disarm him and cast him out of his usurped possession of thy soul, 2 Cor. 10. 5. Casting down the highest things, that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, and captivating every thought to the obedience of Christ: jer. 23. 29. A hammer to break the stone, not in the reynes, but in the heart. 
Simile.  As a tree hath manifest to the eye, leaves, flowers, and fruit, but the root lies hid: And as in man, the body is seen, but the better and purer part is vailed under the curtain of his flesh. And as in all things we see the Accidents, not the form and substance: So the Word we hear, but the life of it is the power of God. So then if thou seest a blessing upon thy labours, wicked men called, and that come to pass, prophesied by Esay 11. 6. Ravenous Wolves, Cruel Leopards, etc. swearers, liars, drunkards, forsaking their wicked, loathed, slavish drudgery to the world, flesh, and devil; and submit their sinewy necks, uncircumcised hearts, and profane lives in obedience to the sceptre of Christ, and out of a sincere profession, and unfeigned confession, 
Post mortem Iuliani Aposta●ae. Euse●.  cry with the Soldiers under jovinian, We are Christians, and will be true to the colours of the Cross, according to our Sacramental Oath under the banner of our Michaël, we will wage war with the red Dragon, and all the spiritual enemies of our salvation.  
God by his Word hath persuaded us, 
2 Cor. 5●. 21.  called, and called us out of our enchanted fool's Paradise, wherein we lay in the prison and dungeon of spiritual darkensse, into his marvelous light, hath opened our eyes, freed our feet, and as a bird we are escaped out of the cords and manacles of our hellish sins; 
Pro 5. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 26  And whereas we lived to our own corruptions, emancipated to our lusts, even the devil the Prince of the air, Eph. 
Gal. 2. 20.  2. 3. tutor our disobedience; now we live to God, 
Esay 32. 15.  the life of God, the life of Grace; our scorching lusts, and rebellious natures (which heavenly influence should have wasted) the scalding cup of God's wrath, are washed & cleansed in the blood of the immaculate lamb, made ours in our justification, 
Acts 4. 10.  and sealed to us in the laver of our new baptising renovation. 
It lies not in man's power to beget faith in his own soul.  He that is the ministerial instrument of this wondrous work, which causeth admiration and joy in men and Angels, Luke 15. 7. Though his tongue were the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 45. 2. and spoke as the Oracle of God, had the mouth of golden chrysostom, the gravity of Tertullian, the spirit of heavenly Augustine, could make Felix tremble with Paul, conjure the cursed works of darkness; Yet if he sacrificed to his own nets and yarn, 
Hab. 1. 16.  he robs God of his praise and glory. It is not thy word nor thy eloquence, or learning, but God's power that brings these mighty things to pass, 
Menecrates called himself in pride before King Philip, Rex salut is; Ego Rex Medicinae, tu Macedoniae.  and so all other things. If the mercy of God be not in our sustenance, we may dye with meat in our mouths, as did the Israelites: if his providential goodness restrain her influence, and withhold her virtue, were our garments as rich as Aaron's Ephod, there were no heat or benefit in them: Nature declines her ordinary working, when God's revocation hath chidden it. Though thou labourest and sweatest with diligence till the taper of thy life were burnt out, if the Lord prosper not thy handy work, thou makest but ropes of sand to bind Samson. Then sing with the Psalmist, 
Psal. 115. 1.  Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory. The principal end of God's actions, must be the end of ours, and his is his praise, Prove. 16. 4. The Lord made all things for himself, viz for his own praise, even the wicked for the day of evil; Even out of the unhallowed heap of sin, will he mould the silver trumpet of his own praise.  
To teach us, 
Use. 4.  That God is praised, magnified, and made great by us, when his Image is repaired in us, Gen. 1. 26. Let us make Man after our own Image: 
Ambr. & Origen super. Lucam.  Now this image, which is his righteousness and holiness, the new man, Ephes 4. 24. newly coming out of the mint of Regeneration (as furnace-smoaked Israel out of Egypt) is a glorifying of God, and this, (as a curious work graces the artificer) magnifies the maker.  
Man, the little Epitome or Compendium of the world, hath been admired for his wonderful structure, 
Herm. Trismegistu●.  and frame, called by that almost miracle of Antiquity, a great Miracle. Nothing more admirable than Man. Man, a certain divine thing, Memento quòd homo sit quoddam Omne, what shines not in him? Our Saviour CHRIST honours him with a large title, Mark. 16. 15. Go Preach the Gospel to every creature; 
Quasi homo esset illa omnis creatura 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatio Rom. 1. Gal. 6.  and who but Man must have the benefit of this Gospel. But, if we look upon him as the image of God repaired, a new creature; nay a new creation, 2. Cor. 5. 17: As joseph coming from Prison; as Mordecai, 
Que potest ●egere me & te Bern.  whom the King of honour will honour; as Queen Hester perfumed with the aromatical graces of the Spirit, having the royal robe of Christ's righteousness; Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my Love, and there is no spot in thee, comely as the Curtains, and pomp of Solomon, having cast off the black scorchings of Kedar, Cant. 1. 5. and the Gibeonitish rags of sin; now remember old things no more, Esay 7. he is now a glorious creature, and here is God magnified; the greater measure of grace affords a greater measure of praise. Strive then, beloved, to have thy unhallowed soul sanctified, thy life reform, thy crooked paths of vanity straighted, every thought brought into subjection, that God may be made greater in thee, and thou the trumpet of his praise.  
And the further to stir us up to holiness, consider that the magnifying of God is the magnifying of ourselves. Luke 1. 46. Mary sings, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and verse 49. He that is mighty hath magnified me: He that blesseth the Lord, 
Qui benedicit deo, augetur; qui maledicit, minuitur.  is increased; he that blaspheameth, decreased. Our exultation is the first stair of our exaltation: Wouldst thou be exalted, made great, and honoured of God, of men and Angels? then season thy soul with grace, honour God, For they that Honour him, he will honour, and they that despise him, 
A● in Rome.  shall be despised, 1 Sam 2. 30. He that goes to the Court of Honour must pass by the temple of virtue, from the Palace of Grace to the Place of Glory. Learn then to have the praise of God in thy mouth: Let Hallelu-jah be the Cadence in all our Music, and our Music in all our actions, that being our practice on earth, we may one day be Angelical Choristers in Heaven. 
Psal. 103.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name; 
Aug. lib. 1. de D. Chianna cap. 31.  for Omne bonum nostrum velipse vel ab ipso, All our good is either God, or from God.  
Parties; Gentile, jew, enjoined to this duty. 1. The Gentile, the stock of japheth, one of the sons of Noah, 
Sem first named in regard of his prerogative; as Izaac before Ishmael, and jacob before Esau. Gen. 9  Gen. 9 18. the eldest by birth, but reckoned by way of Anticipation in the last place: And though a long time they stood, as it were, excommunicate, and cut off from the Covenant of grace, yet in God's appointed time, this rejected seed is persuaded to dwell in the tents of their brother Sem the jew, 
Psal. 18. 49. 2 Sam. 22. 50.  as Noah prophesied: And the never erring Spirit makes this place a prophetical prediction of Gods never failing purpose of their calling, 
D●ut. 32. 43.  Rom. 15. 11. with many other scriptures pregnant to prove it; 
Esay 11. 10.  the word [Nations] in the old testament in Heber's tongue, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  being rendered by Paul (Gentiles) a most fit prophecy for this purpose, 
Appositissimum vaticinium ad comprobandam Gentium vocationem. Marlorat.  saith Marlorat and others upon the place. Thus though a great while the forlorn Prodigal sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and God vouchsafed his loves and favours to the jews, At Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling in Zion, and gives this land a peculiar appropriation to himself, Psal. 
Pars pro toto per Synecdochen.  108. 8. Gilead is mine, Manasses is mine, being as the signet upon his right hand; yet the Floods of his favour is shoured down at last plentifully upon the heads of his long neglected Nation, and now he decks them as Isaac his lovely Rebecca, and marries them to himself in righteousness, judgement, mercy, compassion, and faithfulness, Hos. 2. 19 hence this Doctrine.  
God hath according to his word revealed Christ jesus to be a Saviour to the Gentiles, 
Doct.  called them out of the night of their superstitious blindness, into the liberty of the sons of light, and hath made them Choristers in the choir of his Saints, and partakers of his grace unto salvation.  
This was shadowed, prophesied, and testified long before. Shadowed in the calling of Abraham out of his own country, Gen. 12. 1. into Canaan, where the Canaanite the 
* Maldonat ex Chrysost. in locum.  worst of the Gentiles dwelled. 
Ex vocatione Abrahae praefigurata est vocatio Gentium & judaeorum, quia pater est fidelium. Cyril.  This doth notably prefigure the calling both of jew and Gentile, because he is called the Father of the Faithful. Also in the Candlestick, Exod. 25. 31, which is commanded to be made of one entire piece, but having six branches, to signify the multitude of the Churches of jews and Gentiles, whose Original is from the same shank called a little sister, Cant. 8. 8. We have a little sister, 
Hall super Cant.  and she hath no breasts, viz. small as yet through the rareness of her Converts, and destitute of the help of any outward Ministry, whereby she might either bear or nourish children unto God; she hath no paps, that is, knowledge in the Doctrine of Salvation; contained in the dugs of the two Testaments, 
jacobus de Valentia super Cant.  whereby she can as a mother suckle her newborn babes, being but newly come out of the wilderness of damnable superstition, & the curiosity of Philosophy, 
Acts 19 19  as the students in Ephesus.  
God's two Testaments, in which only is eternal life, as testifying of Christ, which is the truth, the way, and the life, joh. 14. 6. are called the Tower of David, built for defence, a thousand shields hang therein, furnished with rich Armoury, which affords infinite ways of protection, and monuments of victory, Cant. 4. 4. and These are twins, verse 5. like those of Hypocrates, or those Socia's in Plautus, one so like the other in resemblances, that as our Saviour Christ said of the knowledge of his Father, If ye have known me, ye have known my Father: And these the Gentiles Church knew not as yet, which after was supplied in the time of Constantine, 
Idem ibidem.  and after by those famous Luminaries of the world, chrysostom, 
Portae Ecclesiae dicuntur in quantum iutroducunt bonos in Ecclesiam. Ibid. Hieron. in Hoseam.  Eusebius, Augustine, etc. called therefore the gates of the Church, having the keys of knowledge to let in the Godly. Shadowed also, Hos. 1. 2. Go take unto thee a wife of fornications: Where it is observed, that Hoseas signifying a Saviour, 
Iren. lib. 4. cap. 37.  intimates that Christ took unto himself for his spouse, the polluted Church of the Gentiles, 
Aug. contra Faustum lib. 22. cap 89.  a wife of fornications in worshipping Idols and Devils in stead of the living God, 
●●●pertus lib. 14. Com. in johan.  that He might make it unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle. Eph 5. 27. or any such thing, 
Math. 8. 10.  but to make it holy, and without blame; and so The not believing wife is sanctified by the believing husband, 1 Cor. 7. 14. Shadowed also in Ruth the Moabitesse, gleaning in the field of Boaz the jew, and their providential marriage, the poor ruthful Gentile, with the rich jew, Ruth. 2. 3. and 4. 13: And shadowed also in Peter●nd ●nd john, running to the sepulchre; john the jews, they came first to Christ; Peter the Gentiles, overtaking them, though not the sooner, yet the sounder. 
Bifeild super Col. 2. 1.  It was also shadowed in Christ's burial in jerusalem, where the dying sacrifices had given warning of his death, but it was without the city, to answer the type, Levit. 16. 25, of the Escape goat sent into the wilderness, and to signify his sufferings belonged to Gentiles as well as to jews: 
Tertull. contra Marci. lib. 5  In his birth, borne in the night, to signify that he should lighten the Gentiles, that sat in the darkness of superstition and ignorance, Acts 10. 23. And thus was it shadowed in Peter's vessel, Act. 17. 11. descending like a Sheet, in which the Doctor of the jews is taught to call the long rejected Gentiles, called by the free mercy of God, clean: Shadowed also in jacob, who served for Rachel and Leah, Gen. 30. 31. And in the land of Egypt, Gen. 41: And likewise in the marriage of Samson, Moses, gideon's fleece, and David's building in Araunahs' floor.  
It was also fore-prophecyed, 
Fore-prophecied.  Gen. 9 27. God shall enlarge japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Sem, which signifieth, not the enlarging only of his borders and dominions, and his surprising, enchroaching, and being in league with Sem; for this was also in cursed Cham the Egyptian, and others of that spewed-out seed, were in league with the jew, and sometime enlarged their boarders upon them; 
Blandè reducat. Vatablus.  but gently to persuade them home to their Father's house, Luke. 15. to become a chosen people, partakers of the means of salvation, 
Rupertus super Genesim.  and heirs of life. The greeks and Latins by these two languages did open the tents of Sem, that is, the Hebrew Scriptures laid up in Heber's sacred tongue, and made them known to the Gentiles, and so they were received into the Covenant: The Church a long time stood pailed, and imparked, as a garden enclosed, or a spring shut up, Cant. 4. 12. Or as Israel in the land of Goshen, within the skirts of honoured Palestina, but now Christ hath broken down the partition wall, Eph. 2. 14. and hath made all one; there is neither jew nor Gentile, the two walls of Nations; bond nor free, the two walls of Conditions; male or female, the two walls of sex; the great two quick and dead, and the greatest two heaven and earth: but all are one in Christ jesus, Gal. 3. 28. all these so many combinations; all meet in him as in a Centre, he in the midst of all draws all, and knitts up all in one faith, one blessed hope of his coming, he is a Cornerstone, or coin to join these two walls together, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  Zac. 10. 4. Out of him came forth the corner, 
Luke 16. 26  Zach. 3. 9 Esay 28. 16. etc. and so that great gulf that made a partition against us the Gentiles, is taken away, and all made one. Esay 52. 10. All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God: And again, this Evangelicall Prophet, or prophetical Evangelist, Cap. 11. 10. In that day there shall be a root of jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people, to it shall the Gentiles seek: and Cap. ult. 19 They shall declare my glory among the Gentiles: So though their eyes were as yet dim as Elie's, 1 Sam. 4. 15. and they could not see the light of saving truth, yet there should come out of jesse, a light to lighten the Gentiles, Luke 2. 32. being set in the sight of all upon the Candlestick of the Cross, the Gospel preached in an open field, and he borne in a common Inn, Luke 2. 7. The desire of all nations shall come, Hag. 2. 7. From the rising of the Sun unto the going down thereof, my name is great among the Gentiles, Mal. 1. 11. If ye be Christ's, ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise: For though Abraham's person be but one, 
Abraham gignens, Abraham credens.  yet his conditions are divers, as he is a begetting Abraham; so the Gentiles are not his children according to the flesh; as he is a believing Abraham, so we are his children according to the faith, and according to promise: Esay 9 2. The people which walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined: And thus in a matter so copious, I refer you to the fountain of divine prophecies, the rich Cabinet (much more worth than the Cabinet of Darius, so curiously kept by Alexander) the book of God.  
Thirdly, 
Testified in time.  it was manifestly testified in time, whose appointed revolution being finished, these forlorn, forsaken Nations were gathered, with as much love and tenderness, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, fed as kindly at the breasts of him, whose paps are girt about with a golden girdle, Rev. 1. 13. as the young ones at the breasts of the more than natural Pelican; And though in the time of Solomon they had no breasts, and of Esay, they sat in darkness, and of Hosea they made Lo-ammi not my people, Lorucha may not beloved, few in number, scarce one among a thousand, as yet they did not cry unto God, jer. 3. 4. My Father thou art the guide of my youth; They were scarce one of a city, two of a family, verse 14. the Apostles with a large mandate & commission must go teach all nations, Math. 28. 19 then was the wild Olive engrafted in and made partaker of the fatness of the Olive, Rom. 11. 17. the branches were plucked off, as the signet of ones finger, and she grafted in; the jews decreased, and near in a falling sickness and consumption; the Gentiles increased & multiplied, and came forth of their darkness, as the twin kling Cressets of heaven at the setting of the World's great Luminary, the Sun, like to that, Ezech 16. 17 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou hast gotten excellent ornaments, thy breasts are fashioned, thine hair grown, whereas thou wast naked, and bare, but a few Proselytes; But after the ascension of our Saviour Christ, the very seed and first bud begun to flourish, take root and grow like a Cedar in Lebanon.  
Now consider in this, 
Conversion is twofold.  that conversion or calling is twofold: First, it signifieth repentance of them which have fallen away from the truth of religion to heresy, from virtue to sin etc. and afterward return again to God: joel 2. 11. Therefore now saith the Lord, turn unto me again, and such was Salomon's conversion: Secondly it signifies Regeneration, when a man is effectually called, and converted to the faith, which before stood in the way to perdition: such, Eph. 2. 1. And you hath he quickened, which were dead in sins and trespasses, wherein in time past ye walked; Tit. 3. 3. For we ourselves were sometime foolish disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy etc. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, etc. Such is the conversion of the Gentiles, Paul & Barnabas being sent by the Church through Pha●nicia & Samaria, their Countries, to make them Christians, Acts 15. 3. The good success which God gave to their planting and waterings may easily appear, when the burning Lamp of the Gospel like a flaming fire went over the whole earth by a divine disposing thereof: 
Vide Niceph.  It light upon Candaces Aehiopian Noble: 
Eccles Hist. lib. cap. 6.  Acts 8. by the Ministry of Philip, 
Hic primo ex gentibus a Philippo per apparitionem verbi divini sacra consceutus est.  which was made the first fruits of the believing Gentiles, making good the Oracle of the Prophet, Psal. 68 31. Ethiopia shall soon stretch forth her hands unto God, this Noble man being the first Preacher of these glad ydings to the Moors. 
Euseb. lib. 〈…〉  This is also manifest in the woman of Chanaan, 
1. Eccl. hist.  or a Syrophoenician, Math. 15, her discreet, humble, fervent and constant prayer to Christ, which goes away with that great commendation, O woman great is thy faith; as at the faith of the Centurion, 
Maldonat. super Math. cap. 15.  Math. 8. 10. I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel; Where we see Christ never wondering at the faith of any jew, but of the Gentiles; because in old time They were strangers from the covenant of Promise, without hope, without God in the world, Ephes. 2. 12. And so this is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes, that we the dogs of the Gentiles should become God's people, to magnify his mercy in our conversion; she is called no more Dog, but Woman, no more an Infidel but a believer; and now like a Spaniel, she will not away from her Master's heels, till she get (though not a whole loaf, yet) crumbs from his table. Testified also in the Eastern Magis, Math. 2. 9 which brought offerings to the new incarnate Saviour; 
Arte Mathematica vim, et discursum noverant Planetarum, & Elementorum naturam, Cyprian.  whether they were Astrologers, which by art Mathematical knew the power and motion of the Planets, and nature of the Elements; or whether they were Magically learned, and professors of those devilish mystical Arts, as justin: contra Triphon: Origen lib. 1. contr● Celsum; Or they were Kings according to that of David, 
Psal. 72. 14.  Psal. 68 29. 
Chrysost in Math. Tertul. lib. 3. contra Iud●●s.  King's shall bring presents unto thee, as of Tharsis, and the Isles of Arabia and Saba, the Queen whereof presented Solomon Christ's type, odoriferous perfumes, 
Theophylact. in 2 cap. Math.  etc. 1 King. 12. which are foretold of these wise men; Or whether they came from Persia, as Cyril lib. 2. in Esa 2. 49. Basil. Hom. 25. de Nativitate Christi, Theophylact, which calls them Persian Kings, Invencus Poeta; which is probable from the situation of the Kingdom, the names of the wise men, their manner of adoration, their gifts etc. or from Chaldaea, as Hieron. super Esa. cap. 19 Chalcidicus in Platonis Timaeo, calls them the perfectly wise men of the Chaldees, 
Chaldaeorum perfectè sapientes viri.  Anselmus in 2. Math. joachimus' Abbess saith, This day hath he (speaking of Christ) revealed himself to the Chaldaeans by the leading of a new star, 
Hodiè revelavit se Chaldaeis novi cider is indicio.  and this also is confirmed by many reasons: Or from Arabia Faelix, 
Sabaei Arabum propter thura clarissimi. Plinius lib. 12. cap. 14.  they shall bring gold and incense from Saba, Esay 60. 6. which is the Metropolis or mother-city in Arabia the happy, Cyprian ser● de stella & Magis, Epiphanius, Hilar. lib. 4 de Trinit. Tacitus lib. 5 hist. and these were the first converted of the Gentiles; 
Diod. Siculus.  Or from Mesopotamia, or Egypt; all with one consentand one voice, make their coming a plain testification of their calling, which afterward increased as the sand of the Sea, the daughter of Egypt forgot her father's house, and the profane barren Gentile bore children unto God. The wise men come here among the jews as Apostles, 
Sus Minervam.  and teachers of their rabbinical Doctors, 
Olitor Eremite Thaulerum, Asina Balaam docet.  that so long had held the chair of Moses, blind fat-bellyes, that could not see so far as the ancient Sibyls, or those strangers, that so oft had tossed over those divine Oracles of this star of jacob, and the mighty volumes of their Master Moses; 
Dij laborantes adjuvant.  but Thou, O God, hidest those things from the wise and prudent of the world and revealest them to babes and sucklings, even so it is thy will: Thou pullest down the mighty from their seat, and exaltest the humble and meek, Luke 2. revealing that mystery, that was hid from ages and generations. 
Col. 1. 26. 27.  Testified likewise, john 4. 27. he is found talking with a Gentlewoman, showing himself to be a jesus, a Saviour to her, vers. 10. If thou knewest the gift of God, that is, me, which am given of my Father: 2 Cor. 9 15. so called by the Apostle, Thanks be unto God, for his unspeakable gift; And if thou knewest me, which am the true immortal Ambrosia, Nectar, and aqua vitae of the Soul-sick sinners, The fountain of living waters, jer. 2. 13. The fountain of Israel, Psal. 68 26. all this he is, even to the Gentile, john 4. 26. I that speak unto thee am he, I am the expectation of you Gentiles.  
The sides of the North, 
Populus Gentium erant later● Diaboli propter conjunct●m amicitiam. Stella super Luc.  which Satan challenged for his own seat and Pontificial throne, Esay 14. 13, are become the City of the great King jesus Christ, Psa 48. 3. so that even as a stone though malleable, is hardly brought to frame and square to his fit place in a building, yet being laboriously hammered is durable, and of long continuance; so the Gentiles were a most crabbed, wild stock to plant in; 
Chrys in cap. 3. Math.  a most crooked timber to hew for God's building: yet being planted and brought to the faith, they are most permanent, gathered into the enclosed garden of God's Church.  
Reason 1. 
Reas. 1.  That they might show forth the wonderful riches of God's mercy: the greater the sinner the richer the mercy that saves him, as God's mercy appeared more in calling one covetous Publican, one incontinent Magdalene, one Saul as bloody as Nero or julian, one lost sheep to be brought home, Luk. 15. one profane Gentile, than in a multitude that needed no repentance. It is a greater work of God's divine majesty to change a wicked man to a godly, 
Majus opus est divinae majestatis, ex impin pi●m sacere quam universum mundum condidisse.  than of nothing to erect the glorious arches of thewhole world, as Paul said of himself, Where sin abounded, there grace more abounded; & 1 Tim. 1. 16. For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Christ jesus might show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them, 
Aug.  which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 
Qui adversarium extoll●t ja●e●tem, & amplificat pristinam dignitatem, &c Cic Orat. pro M.  As the Orator spoke: He that exalts his dejected adversary to his ancient place and dignities, and not only thus, but amplifies his honours, I not only comparatively equal him with the best of men, but judge him most like to God himself. 
Marcello.  It is the glory of a King to pass by offences, saith Eccles. so is God's mercy made great in pardoning the innumerable sins of the East, the abominations of the Gentiles. In the East was the fall of our first Parents, the unbelief of Eva, the disobedience of Adam, Gen. 3. 
Boskhierus in ara Coeli, co. 10  the fratricide of Cain, Gen. 4. Nimrods' rebellion, first Idolatry, Magic delivered, and taught by those Fantastic devil's Incubus and Succubus, with many more; so that here is the magnifying of his mercy & also of his glory: 
Simile.  As it is a great glory to a King to have strangers from remote parts of the world to bring presents and submit themselves to his sceptre and government; So is it to have the raging Gentiles, that so long had bandied themselves against the Lord and his anointed, to yield their necks under his yoke: and those lands which like ezechiel's bloody pots had nought but their scum in them, 
Exhalat opaca M●phytim.  full of Mephyticall stinks like the five Cities, 
Virgil.  or like the pot among the children of the Prophets, in which was nought but death, and the entoxicating poison of abominable villains, should at the last like Noah's sacrifice be a favour of rest in the nostrils of Almighty God, pots of holiness, like those in Zach. 13. last: And so here is the mercy, love, and glory of God, manifested in the calling of those long-loathed Gentiles. Thus we see Christ's Kingdom according to his promises, and prophecies, reaching from sea to sea, and from the great river to the ends of the World, 
Boskhierius ubi supra.  as the Angel said, Of his Kingdom shall be no end; 
Imperium Oceano, famam non terminat astris.  not only in regard of the stability, and durance; but also of the boundless interminable amplitude thereof; 
The Ocean shall not bound his regiment,  
His fame shall fly above the firmament.   
Else, where had been those huge Nations, which have been converted to the faith, some by Apostles &c. to omit the rest, ourselves which long lay in the darkness of superstitious Gentilism: and of late times by those famous Colonies in Virginia, brought from worshipping of Devil's (mirabile dictu) to worship the true God in spirit and truth, the instruments of whose happy calling were our famous English. If the mercy of God had not appeared, how had we and the most part of the world still remained in horrible blindness, slaves to Satan, and heirs of eternal perdition. Come unto us then, miserably blinded Turks, Infidels, and Pagans, and we will tell you what God hath done for our souls; we have tasted how true, how gracious the Lord is: the Sea of knowledge which Esay spoke of, is accomplished among the Churches of the Gentiles. 
jer. 16. 19  jeremy said, They should come unto God, from the ends of the earth, and it is fulfiled; the concourse to the preaching of the Word, foretold by Micah and Zacharie, is verified, Mic. 4. 1. Zach. 8. 20. This day are these Scriptures fulfilled in our ears. Thus much for confirmation of the Doctrine, the uses follow.  
First to teach us to magnify the glorious name of God, 
Use 1.  who hath called us out of darkness into the marvellous light of the saving knowledge of Christ. If we should make a quare with David, concerning the general estate of man, What is man that thou art so mindful of him? or of himself, What am I, and what is my Father's house? Why, we were even a refused people, in whom there was neither favour nor beauty, without hope, without God in the World, children even whose profession was disobedience, drowned in the sink of abominations: Our religion (if we had any) was mere idolatry; 

Quicquid humus, pelagus, coelum, mirabile gignit,  
Id dixere Deos, colles, freta, flumina, flammas.   

whatever the God of nature hath made strange,  
In Sea, in earth, in hill, flood, fire, or sky,  
The Gentiles from their lawful use did change  
And made them gods in their Idolatry.    
Nay even the dropping clouds, 
Otho Frisingensis ex Philone.  and fire was the god of the Chaldees, who having devoured all the other wooden deities, 
Ruffinus Eccl. Hist lib 2 cap. 26. Puras nubes & coeli unmen adornant. juven. Sat. 14  was confuted by Canopis, with a cauldron of water, which quenched that furious Idol. Nothing so base, but they gave God's honour unto it, Rom. 1. 23. Changing the glory of the incorruptible God, into an image made like unto corruptible man, 
Citius apud vos per omnes Deos, quam per unum genium Caesaris pejeratur. In Apelcon. Gentes.  etc. Caesar (as Tertullian upbraids them) was so sacred, that it was more tolerable to swear & forswear by all the Gods, than by him: Nay in all the whole course of their lives, they were so abominable, and debauched, that when the Scripture would aggravate and make a sin seem Hyperbolically great, & paint it in the true colours, he sends us to the Gentiles for patterns, being as truly Doctored in the acting of sins, as the Jesuits in the art of poisoning: As against distrust, Math. 6. 32. For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  They sought with all their might, arising from a distrust of God's providence For incontinent incest, 1 Cor. 5. 1. It is reported, that there is such fornication among you, as is not named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's Wife; which is spoken as negative of the Gentiles, to aggravate the heinousness of it; for we read their common practice thereof in the Iliad of their abominations, 
Antiocho filiò cessit. Plutar.  as the wife of Seleucus a Gentile, became after the wife of Antiochus his son. Then were Nicholaitans in Ephesus, 
Amos 2. 7.  Reu. 2. 6. a Church of the Gentiles, in their common conversation, not only being dishonest, but hating honesty in others, in somuch as one Hermodorus was banished from Ephesus, because he was an honest man; ●s was Aristides out of Athens, 
justus quia iustus.  for no other cause, but for his justice. And so it was their opinion of honesty, 
Te colui virtus ut res, hast tu nomen iaanc es. Livy.  as Brutus opinioned virtue, I honour thee virtue, as something, but thou art indeed nothing but an empty name. No sin so sensual, so senseless, so unnatural, unreasonable, but they have been actors thereof, 
Greg. Mag. hom. 10. in Evang.  And as the knowledge of CHRIST was preached to the jews by an Angel, as to a people endued with reason; so was it to the Gentiles by signs, nor by voice, as to a foolish people, with the Prodigal, feeding themselves with the husks of their base affections. 
Simile Chrys. in cap. 19 Master  And as a burden is easily stayed upon the back of a Camel, by reason of his bunch; so the diveli kept those Gentiles easily in their blindness, 
Ne noceat.  causing them for fear to worship him, and offer him sacrifice, as those so●tish Indians, the Pigusians etc.  
Then learn we to magnify the name of our God; It is an honourable thing to speak of the works of God, Tob. 12. that was so mindful of us, when we were not mindful of ourselves; when our hearts like Ephraim's, Hos. 7. 11. as a silly Dove deceived, 
Cucurrit.  even than he ran to meet us, fell on our necks, and kissed us, with the kisses of his mouth, Cant. 1. 1. fearing to be too late in showing mercy; whereas in the execution of his justice and wrath, 
Ambulavi●.  Gen. 3. 8. he walked slowly. Us that were Captains in mischief hath he called out of the fool's Paradise, and enchanted castle of Satan's baits, and set us upon the Rock that was higher than us, the rock of Salvation CHRIST JESUS: So that we may say with the Governor of the feast, joh. 2. 10. The good wine was kept till now; the firkins of the jews were but water to these, beggarly rudiments. See then and admire the infinite mercy of Almighty God, to call thee beloved, which wast not beloved; to remove thee from under the regiment of Satan, to draw thee out of his power, as David did the Lambs from the Lion and the Bear: broken the shackles and manacles of that more than Egyptian, Babylonish, or Turkish slavery; taken thee as Abraham out of idolatrous Chaldea, Let out of Sodom, or a firebrand out of the fire, and set thee in the glorious liberty of the new jerusalem, confirmed thy Charter to the Kingdom of Heaven.  
Leap upon thy feet then with the Cripple at the beautiful gate of the Temple, and praise thy God, Acts 3. 8. Let him be praised, that hath brought thee home like the lost sheep upon the shoulders of his Mercy, sought thee out with the light and lantern of his Word, persuaded thee by his Spirit, called thee from thy banishment, enfranchised thee. 
Tristatur non de sua inturia, sed de nostra miseria. Chrys.  He that was incarnate and made Man for thee, grieved and wept for thee, sweat water and blood for thee, hung on the Cross for the malice of Men and Devils; for thee, &c. give then the glory unto him. Here is a behold of stupefying wonder, Psal. 
Ecce.  18. 43. A people whom I have not known, shall serve me; As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: The Ox hath known his owner, and the Ass his Master's crib, Esay 1. 3. I am found of them that seek me not. An admirable and surpassing miracle, that those which did bandy themselves against the Lord, and his Anointed, should willingly put their necks under his yoke. 
Velut jugum ipsum ambirè Besthier.  O work above all expectation! Christ to ride upon the Asse-colt unused to the yoke; Belial to be turned to CHRIST, Zoroastres into Moses, 
Surgunt indccti & coelum rapiunt. Aug Conf.  Superstition into Religion, Orgies into mysteries, sacrilege into Sacrifice, dogs into Saints, 
Quaenam est ista permutatio apud judaeos, propheta loquitur, & non auditur; apud Gentiles stella tacet & suadet. B. Max. in Esa.  publicans and harlots to teach the way to heaven, the scholar reading a lecture to the Master, the one reading the most secret mystery of man's salvation wrapped in the sacred leaves of God's eternal Counsel, and that by a dumb star; the other standing amazedly sottish at the lively voice of God's learned interpreters; the one as it were striving whether faith, 
Proximus Ecclesie semper vult ultimus esse.  the other whether unbelief should prevail: the nearer the Church the farther from God; the poor receive the Gospel. See then the unmeasurable riches of Gods free mercies, he will have mercy Upon whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens, Ro. 9 It is not of him that runneth, nor of him that willeth, but of God that showeth mercy.  
Consider further, that mankind may be divided into a tripartite rank; First, are those most remote, and far off from the covenant, upon whom God in his unfearchable judgements hath not vouchsafed so much as an outward calling: Gen. 9 25. Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren; as Pagans, Infidels, etc. which stand in the outmost Circle, 
Tanquam vultures ad male olentia feruntur. Basil.  which delight in Atheism, as Vultures pass over sweet meadows, and fragrant groves, to pass to loathe some carrion; these like Noah do not awake from their drunkenness, hardness of heart, etc.  
Secondly, are those which stand in the next Court within the visible Church, and are as tares with wheat, bad fish with good, corrupted humours in a sound body, Cain with Abel, dross with gold, Vessels of dishonour with Vessels of honour, 2 Tim. 2. Which may have the ordinary gifts of the Spirit; they may prophesy with Saul and Cajaphas, preach and do miracles with judas, speak like the Oracle of God with Achilles tophel, cry Lord, Lord, Math. 7. 22; challenge an interest in the free demesnes of heaven, Math. 25. 11. Open to us; and yet are sent packing to their hell home with a nescio vos, I know ye not. If ye ask the reason and cause of it, Our Saviour CHRIST orally, and oraculously returns it, Math. 11. 25. This mystery of Salvation is hid from some, and revealed to others, even So Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight; as in a Prince's Proclamation, It is our pleasure. All the works of these men failing in their end, not done in faith to the glory of God, and if God rewarded them, it was temporally, for temporal respects, the good of mankind, civil order and society; not showing any approbation thereof in respect of himself: their mercy, justice, continency etc. 
Infideliter misereri vitium est, peccatum est.  being without faith was sin, as Augustin● saith; which indeed ariseth not from the act of compassion; 
Aug. lib. 4. cap. 3. contra julian  but from the privation of faith; they may have these and many more honest civil moralities, but they never have the inward calling, the donation of faith, the true knowledge of God. I know my sheep, and am known of mine; john 10. 14. which knowledge is like the Sun casting his beams upon us, by whose reflection we look upon and view the Sun. Gal. 4. 9 Seeing ye know God, or rather are known of God: If they have any, it is a literal, no saving or spiritual knowledge, no true love of God, for he never knew or loved them. 1 john 4. 19 We love God, because he loved us first. If these carnal Capernaites follow CHRIST, doing his will in any thing, it is more for his loaves than his love, joh. 6. 26. all proceeding from some s●nister respect, their praise or profit; they never have the inward beautifying of the Church, To be all glorious within, Psal. 45. 13. the rich habiliments and garments, wherewith (as Isaac decked his beloved Rebecca, and the King of Persia religious Mordecai) CHRIST I●SVS bespangleth his spouse.  
These be the foolish Virgins, 
Anima aut Christi sponsa, aut diaboli adultera. Aug.  which a long time had their lives blossoming, as if their souls had been the maidenly bride of CHRIST, when in the end they were unvailed, and found the speckled adulteresses, and unclean concubines of Satan, Math. 25. This is the man boldly intruding himself into the marriage supper, not having on a wedding garment, his faith; but fig leaves notable to cover his nakedness, Math. 22. These walk like friends in the Church of God together, But many are called, and few are chosen.  
In the third rank are they, which out of the brazen mountains of God's election, flowing out of the rivers of his endless mercy, which are not only within the skirts and territories of his regiment, as the former; but they are inwardly sanctified, called, and culled out of the whole heap and mass of Mankind by a lively Faith, engrafted and planted into the mystical body, and have as near an union and communion with their head CHRIST, as the branch hath with the vine, the members with the head, or the husband with the wife; Ephes. 5. 30. We are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones: these are built upon the sure foundation, the rock of safety, and horn of salvation, Luke 1: 69. He is the corner stone, upon which their whole building is coupled, Eph. 2. 20 No other foundation can any man lay, than that which is already laid, which is JESUS CHRIST; 1 Cor. 3. 11. and, These are living stones built upon him, 1 Per, 2. 5. Othoniel delivered the Israelites from Chushan, and is therefore called their Saviour, judg. 3. 9 but they fell again into the hand of Moab, Ehud rescued them from the Moabites, and they became servants to the Canaanites, judg. 4. 2. A Physician may cure a man of one disease, and he may after fall into another, or the same, and dye of it: But CHRIST hath them sure, john 10. 28. I give my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish; he hath washed away the●r sins, and made a passage to heaven, a perfect and sure rock of safety, upon which these are placed.  

Antiquam generis labem mortalibus agris  
Abluit, 
Sannazarius de Parta virgins. lib. 1.  obstructique viam patefecit Olympi.   

Poor mortals sick, he washed hath  
from ancient stain Original,  
And opened wide Olympus' path  
that barred was and shut to all.   
So that here, the gates of Hell, and Luciferiall powers of darkness may shoot their darts of poisoned malice, as against CHRIST the head, Math. 4. so against these the members, to be retorted upon themselves, as from a tower of brass; for ●hee that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep; and though the two first parts be cut off and dye, the third will the Lord fine as Silver and Gold, Zach. 13. 9  
And from this consideration ariseth a Cordial, 
Cordial.  a Caveat, and a doleful Madrigal. First, it affords a comfortable cordial to the Christian, that he is one of those secret ones, inwardly called, separated from the world, and endued with power from above: This is the summum bonum and chief dignity and blessedness of all other; So that it may be said of him, as a certain heathen, of a wise man, 
Sapiens unominor est jove.  of a wise man, He is only less than God: And as another spoke of the virtuous, 
Horat.  He that hath virtue, 
Omnia ei assunt bona, quem penes est virtus. Plaut. in Amphit.  hath with her (as a dowry) all good things. As the Lord of hosts, and of the whole earth, and all that therein is, Psal. 24. 1. accounteth it his greatest dignity, and title of honour to be styled The Lord God of Israel, of his Church, Luk. 1. 67. as thence receiving his greatest honour: So is it the chiefest honour of a man to be an Israelite, a limb and member of that Society, of the Communion of Saints. It is indeed the world's felicity to build pillars with Absalon, towers with Nimrod, to call our lands after our own names, to engross rich revenues, Parsonages, and patrimonies for our posterity, to build our nests on high, and to covet an evil covetousness to our houses, while The stones cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber answer it, Hab. 2. 9 worse than the King of Sodom, Gen. 14. 21. Give me the souls, and take the goods to thyself: But we say to the spiritual king of Sodom the devil, give us the goods, and take our souls to thyself. This is our hope, and our posterity praise our doing, selling our Saviour for thirty pence, our heaven for a mess of pottage, and our souls laid in the bank for a quid dabitis? What will ye give me? Ps. 4. 6. Who will show us any good? O miserable mucke-worme, that sellest thy soul and thy solace, 
Non dom●● aut fundus, ●on aeris acervus & auri, Aegroto domino deducunt corpore febres.  thy heaven and thy happiness for these faile-friends, which in the time of need cannot so much as cure the aching of thy finger, much less give ease to a sinne-loaden, sin-sicke soul: 
Horat.  All they can do, is to attend thy loathsome corpse, like a rick of hay to thy cursed burial. But the Godly with David place their felicity in the remission of sins, Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin: In God's favourable countenance, Psal. 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; and this exceeds all things else as far as the Sun excelleth the least light-borrowing star, as the purest gold, the foulest dross; the poorest officer in this fraternity, is preferred before a scepter-swaying Monarch, Psal. 84. 10. I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Here is keys before crowns, caitiffs before Kings, Lazarus before Lords: What then will it profit a man to win the whole world, and to lose his own soul? Mat. 16. 26. 
Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus.  Remove thyself then from all societies, and join thyself unto this, as Moses left the idolatrous profane court of Pharaoh; and refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, and joined himself to God's people, Heb. 11. 24. So do thou shun the tents of wickedness, & when all the wicked societies in the world shall be deplumed and cast into hell, thou shalt be received into everlasting habitations. Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice, Phil. 4. 4.  
Next is the Caveat; 
Caveat.  and this like a watchman standing upon a turret of the Temple, gives warning to take heed to the calling, whereunto God hath called us, and to walk worthy of it. As it was with the Egyptians and Israel, wheresoever the one was, there was darkness, but the other had light: So must God's people be discerned from others by the light of their conversation, shining as a candle upon a candlestick, in the sight of all, 
1 Pet. 2. 11.  as a city, or beacon upon a hill. Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that they seeing your good works, may glorify God in the day of their visitation. A Christian must take heed how he walks; hence the Apostles Caveat for thy feet, Ephes. 5. Walk circumspectly: For thy tongue, let no filthy communication proceed out of thy mouth; it must not be like Shallecheth, but the beautiful gate of the Temple: Full of grace are thy lips, Psal. 45. For thy loins, they must not be loose and lascivious, but girt; For thy eyes, job. 31. 1. I have made a covenant with mint eyes, and so for the rest, all must be like the strings of a Davidicall Harp in tune: All thy ways are marked, and by thy weakness, and upon thine infirmities the profane wretch lays the lawfulness of his impieties. If the Abbot pipes, 
Citharizante Abbate, tripudiant Monachi.  the Monks dance; As Popish pictures and images are laymen's books; so examples are the bests patterns, 
Longum iter per verba, breve & compendio sum per exempla. Seneca.  and most followed. One vivall is better than ten vocal instruments. A Christian is the salt of the earth, if he lose his savour, wherewith must he be seasoned? Take heed then of staining thy profession, 
Si doctcr erraverit, quo alio doctore emendadabitur? Hierony.  whether general or particular; In thee every mote is a mountain, every cicatrice a Cockatrice, and every fall is a full sea of iniquity. As it is unseemly for Achilles to have the base behaviour, and be a drudge to the servile offices of Thersites: So is it for a Christian nobly sprung of the blood royal of heaven, to bow himself to the base druggery of the most base of creatures, Satan. Agnosce O Christiane, 
Leo Serm. 1 de Nativ. Christi.  dignitatem tuam, & divine consors factus naturae, noli in veterem vilitatem degeneri conversatione redire: memento cujus capitis, & cuius corporis sis membrum, reminiscere quòd erutus de potestate tenebrarum, translatus es in Dei lumen & regnum: Acknowledge, O Christian, thy dignity, and that thou art made partaker by the divine nature: return not into thy old vileness of thy degenerate conversation; remember of whose head, and of whose body thou art a member remember that thou art taken out of the power of darkness, and translated into the light and kingdom of God. Use then thy graces to God's glory; If thou hast been a dog, a Gentile, return not to thy vomit; If thou hast been at the custom house, return not with Demas, but keep thy profession unstained with Matthew. How grievous is it unto almighty God, to give give graces to dishonour himself withal. As C●r●●● shreatned to the river Gindes, 
Herodotus in Clio.  that had drowned one of his white horses, to cut it into so many channels, till it should lose both depth, name and glory; So will God deal with our virtues and graces, pluck them from us if we abuse them, and leave us to a multitude of enormous impieties, suffer the devil to re-enter us with seven worse than himself, 
Math. 12. 26.  fill us so full of the tares of iniquity, that not the glory, nay scarce, the name of Christian shall be left written upon us: as may be seen in Saul, 1 Sam. 10. 24. See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like unto him among the people, endued with excellent gifts of government, and fought many excellent battles of the Lord; but when he began to rebel, and go against the commandment of God, as in the matter of Agag, Chap. 15. then Chap. 16. 14. The spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him, deprived and deplumed of all those graces of excellent government.  
The like we see in julian, 
Vide Hist. Ecclesiast. Tripartit. lib. 6. cap. 1.  who being borne of Christian parents, from the line of religious Constantine, so carefully lettered and educated in Christianity, and that under Christian teachers, that he was forbidden to hear Libanius the Syrian, because he was a Pagan: Yet afterwards harkening to the Pagans, he was deprived of the profession of the Cross, and became a fearful Apostats, both an Ishmael with his tongue and pen, and an Esau with his sword, persecuting his former profession, blasphemously continuing therein to his last gasp, which was breathed out full of blasphemy; when the fatal dart had given him his deadly wound, whether by the ministry of men or Angel, he filled his hand with his blood and cast it into the air, saying thus reproachfully of CHRIST, 
Vicisti Galil●●e. Theod●rit. Hist. tripart. lib. 6. cap. 46.  Thou hast overco●e, O thou Galelian.  
The like of Nero, whose first five years were peaceable and gracious, that we might say of him as Suetonius of T●tus, He was the love and delight of mankind: But after falling to st●ddy Magic, and sold himself to a Lern● and multitude of vices, 
Corpore fuit maceluso & faedo. Sueton. in Net. Plin. lib. 30. cap.  that he made his mind as filthy as his body, he lost all virtue, and became the vilest Monster that ever the earth bred, 
Niceph. lib. 2. Eccles. Hist. cap. 37.  or bore: he delighted as much in villainies and strange murders, as ever he did in his Music; 
Notu● feritate Lycaon. Ovid. lib. 1. Metam.  the first persecuter of the Church among the Roman Emperors in the Martyrdom of Paul and Peter, a Saul-like blood sucker in fratricide, marricide, and what not: a monster of men, notable in nothing but cruelty, and villainy, a strange Lycanthropicisme, inward, outward, all wolvish; that it is truly verified of him, which was proved upon Pope Alexander the 6, his parallel in most things, 
Spongin sanguinis.  That he was a sponge of blood: And the like may we see in the Church of Rome, degenerate from her primitive purity, to that height of abominations. Therefore let us (as it is counselled to the Church of Thyatira, R●●. 2. 25) Hold fast, let no man take away the crown of our profession, let us be known by our works; Let thy light shine when the cloudy children of darkness grope at noon day as the blinded Sodomites: Be thou that one among a thousand, of whom the Heathen;  

— Vix repperit unum, 
In calce Opus●. Virgilij.   
Millibm è multis hominem consultus Apollo.   

The Or●cle● Apollo being asked,  
Scarce of a thousand finds a man but masked.   
Let then thy love to God, to his word, be without dissimulation, thy profession without hypocrisy, thy calling and conversation without stain, that thou mayest be found blameless in the great day of the Lord.  
Last, from these considerations ariseth an elegiacal or doleful Madrigal, 
Madrigal Ezek. 2. 19  which (like Ezeki●ls book) is written within and without, the contents whereof is nothing but lamentations, and mourning and woe: Or Zacharies flying book of judgements, 
Zach. 5.  which shall light upon the head of every hypocritical and impenitent person, though he stand within the Circle of the visible Church, even wrapped up with cursed Cham, in the compass of the Ark of safety; standing in the way while CHRIST passeth by, and not so much as touching the hem of his garment; abiding in the garden while it is watered and planted, and yet remaining withered and rootelesse; lying by the all-curing pool of Bethes●● while the Angel moveth the waters, job. 5. and not moving a foot to be washed, having the prophet directing thee to jordan, and never bathing for thy leprosy, 2 Kings, ●5. living in the fruitful Gilead, and never tasting the sweetness of the balm; jer. 8. last verse.  
Hear this all ye that stand as yet strangers from grace, that have not yet broken the strong cords of your sins, have made no divorce and separation betwixt you and your iniquities; what grief of heart should this be to consider, how many have been clothed in white robes, and you still remain in your Gibeonitish rags; to see the grace of God in abundance (as the holy Ghost at Pentecost) Acts 2. lighting on every side of you, in the country, town, family and society wherein we live, and you remain the barren fig tree, 
Telluris in utile pondus.  troubling the ground. To see the rain (as in Ahabi time) watering and fructifying every soil, but your own: To see the shower wetting every stone in the street, and you still abiding under the penthouse; to see every one receiving a penny, and you remain idle in the market place; to see lamps full of oil, and yours empty. Should not this cause thee to breathe out thy doleful Madrigal, Wretched man that I am, Rom. 7. how miserable and lamentable is thy estate? Pray then beloved for the dew of grace, supplicate with the spouse: Awake O north wind, 
Can. 4. 16.  & come thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out; that the spirit of Grace may season thee; that the Lord would open unto thee, 
Zach. 12. 10.  the fountain promised to the house of David and the inhabitants of jerusalem; for sin and uncleanness, Zach. 13. ●. Till than thou standest a stranger from God, from Christ, and hast no pa●t or portion in salvation. Suffer not thine eyes to sleep, nor thine eye lids to slumber until thou find out a place for the Lord, even thy soul to be an habitation for the mighty God of jacob, Psal. 132.  
4. Let the want of Christ ●ent thy heart, and distil as in a limbeck thy pumice eyes, and flinty heart into tears; and let the heads of the dragons, thy sins Be broken in these waters. In the mean time I dare not send thee to despair, I have no such commission, so long as God vouchsafeth in the out ward calling, to let thee stand in the way of grace, waiting for thy year of jubilee and deliverance; but if it still pass by thee, thou had better never have been borne, or strangled in the birth.  
To teach us, 
Use. 2.  never to despair of any man's salvation, but to judge charitably of all men; The first may be last, and the last may be first, and they that are not now under mercy, may go to heaven before us: We must not be rash in this, as those that have affirmed Salomon's damnation. No man must presume to understand above that which is meet to understand, 
Rom. 12. 3.  but he must understand according to sobriety; and what it is to understand according to sobriety he expresseth, 1 Cor. 4. 6. No man must presume to understand above that which is written. Revelation or Euthusiasmes we have none, as the familists & others have thought; and without word or Revelation we cannot know, Who knoweth the mind● of the Lord, 1 Cor. ●. 16. He only knows who are his, 2 Tim. 2. 19 He imparteth not this mystery unto us, except upon the matter of malicious Apostasy, and ●inne against the Holy Ghost, as in Iulia●, L●ria●, porphyry, Heliodorus, etc. 1 john 5. 16. A sin unto death, which God will not forgive either in this world or in the world to come; a final revolting and backsliding from God, a total separation of the soul from the life of grace, without return; and so we must understand that, ●eb. 6. 4. It is impossible that they which were once lightened, and have tasted of the good word of God, and of the power of the world to come, if they fall away (viz. finally, 
Novatiani negabant lapsis penitential. vide Niceph. Eccles. hist. lib. 11 cap. 14.  totally, maliciously) should be renewed by repentance etc. Orelse we fall into that Heresy, That a man fallen into sin cannot be restored by repentance; and so we understand that place. Heb. 10. 26. If we ●inne willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for of judgement, 
Theodorit. lib. 3. cap. 16.  etc. of a general revolt from CHRIST, malice against his, as in Arius and julian, waging war against God; not in Abraham twice dissembling, David adulterizing, joseph swearing by the life of Pharaoh, though they fell fearfully, insomuch as David, Psal. 73. 22. confesseth himself to be a beast in God's sight; yet he fell not finally, but still as a man in danger of drowning, he started not from the anchor of God's mercy.  
Therefore let the rule of charity lead us to a charitable judging of men which perhaps are not yet under mercy, and say of them as David of the child, 2 Sam. 12. 22. Who can tell whether God will be gracious or no? Never things more unlikely to be performed, than the promise concerning the calling of the Gentiles. CHRIST may be found even upon the Cross to the condemned thief, 
Stella super Luc.  Luke 23. 40. all his disciples were stead, yet his new disciple boldly confesseth him before his enemies. Here is a marvellous Faith; others believed on him when he raised the dead, thou believest on him when he is dying. Abraham believed God speaking from heaven, Gen. 12. Esay from his throne, Esay 6. Moses from the bush; but thou believest him hanging on the Cross, more like a malefactor than a Messias, a sinner than a Saviour. Surely many have been glorious believers, but thou surpassest them all, 
Per unum verbum factus est haeres Paradisi. Stella Ibid.  by one word speaking is he made heir of Paradise; this thief that came the last to his work, receives his first payment, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, Luke 23. The like may we see, Math. 20. some were called early in the morning, some at the third hour, some at the sixth and ninth hour, some at the eleventh hour; So some are called in their youth as josiah, some at one time, some at another, some one way, some another. We must neither prescribe time nor means to almighty God, the supreme Lord and maker of time and means; The wind bloweth where it listeth, john 3. 8. where the spirit is compared to wind for the free liberty of its blowing, and for the power of it: As no man can resist the wind, so no man can resist the working of the Spirit, when God will; as we may see in the conversion of that rare Luminary of the Church St. Augustine; 
Vide Aug lib. de Confess.  little did he dream of it, when he went rather for carping than profiting, to hear Saint Ambrose: Thus Acts 2. 41. Three thousand were called at one sermon of Peter's, which even now were mocking the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles: so that God can give grace and show mercy inter pont 'em & fontem, betwixt the brook and the bridge. His voy●e that causeth the Thunder, and maketh the Hinds to calve, and that mighty voice of CHRIST, john 11. 17. which shall raise the dead, shall raise thee from the death of sin, as he did Lazarus that stunk in the grave.  
Comfort thyself then, he that receiveth the Gentiles casteth away none that come unto him, john 6. 37. He that breaketh not the bruised reed, nor quencheth the smoking flax, will not reject thee. Here is comfort for Parents if they have wicked Children, Masters if they have wicked servants, and especially for Ministers if they have profane Parishioners, and that as yet they have laboured in vain, 
Note.  and brought forth to the wind; Yet they must expect with patience. Some are called sooner, some later, the vision is yet for an appointed time, but in the end it shall speak, and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, and will not tarry, Hab. 2. 3. The Mariner leaves not the sea, though his voyage be not profitable at the first: the Husbandman leaves not ploughing, though as yet he have an ill Harvest: so must not you Pastors, and Parents be discouraged, 
job 1. 5.  but (with job for your children, with Paul and Samuel for the people) offer the incense of your prayers for them: Instruct them, correct them, persuade them, go as patterns of good lives wisely in and out before them; and who can tell if the Lord willbe merciful unto them?  
But I would not have any emboldened by this, to climb as high as the sin of Presumption, Psal. 
Privilegia paucorum non faciunt legem communem. Stella ubi supra.  19 13. For as one Swallow makes not a Summer; so the privileges of a few, make not a general rule: He saved (saith Saint Augustine) one at the last gasp, that we should not despair, and but one, that we should not presume. We know a wound, the longer it is festered, the harder it is to be cured: a bird newly taken, struggles in the Cage, but being accustomed, is content with her bondage; enemies being entered, are hardly expelled: 
Qui non est body cras minus aptus eri●. Ovid.  so with the sinner in his repentance, the longer deferred, the more unfit is a man to perform it: Therefore beloved, rise from the bed of thine iniquities, the stinking grave of thy sins, and though thou wert as black as the tents of Kedar, hadst seven devils with Magdalene; nay, as many as he, whose name was Legion, as profane as a Gentile, as spotted as a Leopard, as filthy as a Swine, or a Dog; upon thy true repentance, the blood of CHRIST shall purge thee, and perfume thee, and make thee white as snow in Salmon.  
To teach us, 
Use. 3.  that seeing none are so miserable, but the Gospel can make them happy, none so far gone in sin, but the mighty voice of CHRIST can raise them: then to bewail the hardness of our hearts, that have the same powerful means of salvation in a greater abundance and plenty than they had, and yet remain obdurate. CHRIST JESUS is not the flower of the garden enclosed, but of the field; not private to a few, but may be gathered of all; first indeed, judg. 6. 37. The fleece of Gideon was wet, and the barne-floore dry, than the barne-floore was wet, and the fleece dry: So first God gave his Law to the seed of Abraham, but afterwards we which were the wild Olives were ingraffed, and the natural Olives rejected, Rom. 11. 17. God is now rich unto all that call upon him faithfully; 
Crux Christi non est ara templi, sed etiam ara mundi. Leo.  the Cross is not the altar of the Temple, but the altar of the world; CHRIST'S death is sufficient, not only for part, 2. Cor. 12. 9 but for the whole world of believers, though never so weak, My strength is made perfect in weakness. If thou wilt not then gather this flower of saving grace, it is thine own negligence; it's not enclosed in the garden, but groweth in the common field, Cant. 2. 1. Can the Gospel, the inexhausted treasury of grace, so mightily and powerfully conquer these worlds of people, to the obedience of faith, striking them down to the ground with Saul, Acts 9 4. bringing them to such a tender sense of the glorious riches thereof; and are not our hearts melted and stirred within us? Though the Lord cry and roar, and rouse up himself in jealousy as a man of war; and are not we still deaf and hear not, blind and see not? still putting off our repentance, the forsaking of our vanities, the breaking of our Sampson-like cords of sin, our removing from our Sodom, our love to the Garlic and Onions of Egypt, the stinking sulphurous lakes of lusts and profaneness; our-returning with Noah's dove to the ark of safety, and with the profuse prodigal Gentile to our own father's house. 
Multi aeternaliter damnantur, & finaliter in peccatis detinentur, quia ad vocem domini se non corrigunt. Dionies Cajet. in speculo amat. mundi.  Many are eternally damned, and finally detained in their sins, because they return not, when the Lord calleth, but say to morrow we will repent, while the gate of mercy be shut. To morrow is the voice of the Raven which returned not to the Ark, Gen. 8. 7. but the dove comes home with her Olive of peace. Why will ye dye, O house of Israel's standing in the desperate estate of the young man, 
Mortuus Christo & Deo. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 20.  which was dead unto CHRIST and unto God: Or like Paul's wanton widows, which are dead whilst they live, 1. Tim. 5. 6. Was the Word able to raise the Gentiles? suffer it then to conquer thy lusts, to mollify thy hard heart, to wash thee, to supple thee in the fountain of Israel, the Spring of living waters, to be a lantern unto thy feet, and a light unto thy paths, Psal. 119.  
It is worthy the consideration of the most considerate, that CHRIST is come unto thee. joh. 1. 14. The Word became flesh, and dwelled among us: And if thou continue a wicked Cham, a cursed Canaan, a profane Esau, a flouting Ishmael, and comest not unto him by prayer and obedience, 
Christus venit ad homines, in homines, & contrahomines.  and he into thee by his Spirit, john, 14. 17. be sure he will come to thee, and against thee in his judgements to thy most fearful ruin and destruction, 
Appion.  as he came to Herod, julian, Antiochus, like a Lioness bereft of her whelps, and to the rest of his enemies, Luke 19 27. Those mine enemies, That would not, that I should reign over them, bring hither and stay them before me. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry; and ye perish in the way, Psal. 
Da mihi domine te defiderare, defiderando quaerere, & quarendo invenire.  2. Inflame my heart, O Lord, with zeal to desire thee, desiring thee, to seek thee, and give me grace by seeking to find thee, in the word, Sacraments, etc.  
To teach us, 
Use. 4.  that until a man's eyes be opened, his heart touched, and his soul enlightened, and he by the Gospel endued with the power of grace from above, he seeth no glory nor excellency in religion and Christianity; like those Gentiles, so long as they wallowed in their sins, and superstitious vanities, the precious word of reconciliation was to them, but as pearls cast before Swine, Math. 7. 6. Or the children's bread unto dogs, Math. 15. 26. But when the unsearchable riches of CHRIST was preached unto them, a mystery which from the beginning of the world was hid in God, and not opened to the sons of men, nor to very Angels, principalities and powers, Eph. 3. 5. 8. 9 the accomplishment of which riches, is the glory and joy of heaven, 1 Pet. 1. 12. the Angels desire, and delight to look into it; we see how inwardly they are affected with it, and they see no glory in any thing else, as the wife of Phineas, 1 Sam 4. 21. calling the ark, 
Acts 9 1.  the glory of Israel: As Saul, before an Herod, a julian, persecuting CHRIST with as much fury, as any tyrant, breathing out nothing but fire and faggot; yet when he was smitten down to the ground by the powerful voice of CHRIST, he became a most zealous Preacher of the truth, in which formerly he saw no glory; and a pillar of that Church, which even now he would have pulled down, and desires to know nothing but CHRIST and him crucified, Gal. 6. 14. he joys in nothing else. Those also, Acts 2. 13. that were mocking the gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles, affirming the heat of too much wine to cause that volubility of strange languages among them: Yet when Peter had taught them, that it was the accomplishment of God's faithful promise prophesied by joel, chap. 2. 28. of the pouring out the bottomless Ocean of God's Spirit in the gifts and graces thereof upon all flesh; and had applied a corrasive of redargution and reproof unto them for crucifying CHRIST, they are changed and pricked in their hearts, longing after the way of salvetion, vers. 37. Men and brethren, what shall we do? The like we see, Acts 16, in the jailer, when he heard Paul and Silas praying and singing Psalms in the Prison, he is presently like King Saul, 1 Sam: 10. 9 when the Spirit of God came upon him, changed into another man: So in him was a strange alteration, being cast down by the miraculous earthquake, and the cohibition of Paul, verse 29. his backwardness into forwardness, he called for a light and sprang in; his pride into humility, he came trembling and fell down; his cruelty in his former insulting over them, into compassionate mercy, he brought them forth; his desire (which was formerly to persecute them) to be saved by them, What shall I do to be saved? So the sinne-sunke citizen woman, that had a long time almost rotten in the Dead Sea, and sulphureous Asphaltites of loathsome lust, hearing of a JESUS a Saviour, though in a proud pharisees house, Luke 7. 37. sticks neither for costly ointment to anoint him, nor s●a●e to stand behind him, nor plenty of tears to wash his feet, who was watering her soul with the dew of Grace; nor her hair, which sometime (like Nauplius his lights to bring the Grecian fleet to destruction, 
Nauplius ulturus necem filij sui Palamedis, falso indicio Graecis Troja victa, redeuntibus facem è scopulis tanquam è portu ostentavit etc.  in revenge of his son Palamedes) was as a bait to ensnare the hurtless passenger, to wipe his feet, which was to wipe her soul with the immaculate sacrifice of his own blood, john, 1. 29.  
Thus we see Publicans and sinners, when once they are touched in remorse for fin, 
Dictus Cretensis de reditu Graecorum.  how deeply they are affected, and inwardly touched, Rom. 7. 24. Wretched man that I am, 
Dares hr Pygius.  who shall deliver me from the body of this death? even with Ezekiah, Esay 38. 14. To chatter like a Crane, or a swallow, and mourn like a dove with David, job, and the children of God; with prayers, tears, watchings, mournings, to fill heaven and earth for the pardon of their sins, their reconciliation with God, the peace of conscience, the comfort of the Spirit of comfort, and the Salvation of their souls. When the civil honest man is scarcely moved with any sense or feeling of the need of his conversion, he feels no sweetness in the word, which is sweeter than honey, or the honey comb, Psal. 19 10. He feels no need of it, 
Recta & sana doctrina est suavissimus pastus animorum.  and yet job esteems it above his ordinary food: we have our spiritual life by it, 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew, not of mortal, but of immortal seed by the word of God, which liveth and endureth for ever. We have Gods benefits for his words sake, 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy words sake, and according to thy promise, hast thou done all these great things: The preaching there of makes Sa●an fall down as lightning, Luke 10. 18. Witness those new found Indi●●, lamaica, jappo, Virginia, which have formerly had a strange familiar commerce with Satan, and have sacrificed unto him, though not for love, yet for fear of heart; 
Ex histor. universali utriusque Indiae.  as the Pigusians every morning run with baskets full of rice to pacific him in the shape of a black dog, with many more brutish benevolences to him. So soon as Christopher Columbus and others had discovered them, and planted the Gospel in some parts of them, how deeply have these poor Pagans been affected, & the kingdom of Satan demolished, that now seldom or never he appears among them: He sees no power in it, he accounts of the threatenings denounced out of the Word, but as Morbasan the Turk did of the Excommunication of Pius 2. when he sent him word to call in his Epigrams:  
Thus do wicked men and civil honest men, when God threatens the confiscation of their consciences, their banishment from heaven, and hanging in hell: Like those, Esay 28. 15. which have made a covenant with death, and are at an agreement with hell, when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come nigh us, when as heaven and earth shall pass, and be melted like wax at the presence of God in the day of conflagration, before one title either of the threatenings, or promises of God in the Word shall be dissolved, but fulfilled. He sees no comfort in the Sacrament, which is offered, the true and living bread which came down from heaven, joh 6. 32. the bread of life, verse 48. My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed; and so of the rest of God's holy ordinances, in which the sons of the earth find no favour, no sweetness, or comfort, but like the Cock on the dunghill, esteem a barley corn above a pearl. Whereas the man whose eyes are opened, makes them his comfort in the house of his pilgrimage: he sees nothing in those mundane and sublunary vanities, but grief and vexation of spirit; only in Religion, and the ways of godliness is his repose and rest, he saith with Paul, 
1 Tim. 6. 6.  Without controversy great is the gain of godliness, his soul is filled with marrow and fatness; be esteems it as Balaam prophesied of the glory of the Church, Numb. 24. 5. How goodly are thy tents O jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! O let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his, Num. 23. 10.  
To teach us, to acknowledge the wonderful power of God in the salvation of man, when our estates in Gentilism were most desperate and miserable, 1 john 5. 9 The whole world lying in wickedness. Or as Esay, Chap. 35. 1. calls the Gentiles a wilderness, a desert, unfruitful, barren, rough, and good for nought, but to be dens for wild Beasts, Dragons, and Serpents: Even so we were a habitation (not for the mighty God of jacob) but for the infernal Dragon the Devil; yet by God's powerful grace, this wilderness exceeds Lebanon, and Carmel for fruitfulness, he hath made this desert to flourish as a rose, he hath made this wild Olive to be grafted in, and be made partaker of the root and fatness of the Olive tree, Rom. 11. 17. hath made us unto God the sweet savour of Christ, 2 Cor. 2. 15. From rejected, refuse, and castaway stones which the builders refused, hath powerfully raised us up children to Abraham, Mat. 3. 9 hath made us of strangers from the true God, sacrificing with the Athenians, Act. 17. 23. to the unknown God, 
Elobim gentium sunt Elilim.  Psal. 96, 5. The gods of the Nations, are vanities, to be partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. hath given us the Spirit of wisdom, Eph. 1. 17. He hath opened the barren womb of Sara, and made it fruitful in the Child of promise, hath opened the uncircumcised hearts of the uncircumcision of the Gentiles; hath turned the dry rocks into pools of water, so that these things which are impossible with men, 
Luke 18. 27.  are possible with God.  
Learn then to acknowledge it the mighty power of God, to call a sinner from jezabels' loathed bed, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Say then with David, The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. And let us which are abjects of the Gentiles, which have no true honour but in God's covenant, draw water with comfort out of these wells of Salvation, Esay 12. 
Act 10. 34.  3. because God is no accepter of persons. The promises of the Gospel are universal, 
john 3. 16.  he respects not thy outward respects, 
Rom. 10. 12.  thy learning, riches, 
Mat. 11. 28.  circumcision, or uncircumcision, but his own determinate will in electing thee. 
john 1. 13.  What could he see in us Gentiles but a mass of Idolatries, 
Rom. 9 7.  and stained pollutions? yet he hath purified us by faith in the blood of Christ, 1 john 1. 7. Politicians and Statists can see no honour, but in earthly Kingdoms, profaning their lives, in making it their scope and drift to get riches and honours: But this is that which makes us truly honourable, to be translated out of death into life, to be taken as Abraham, a brand out of Chaldea, from Gentilism to true religion. Let this then be thy comfort, that when all the Machiavils, Statists, and Politicians in the world, that have died without CHRIST, and never could see any glory but in vainglory, shall be tumbled headlong into ruin and perdition, Esay 30. last verse, thou shalt be received into everlasting habitations. O taste and see, that the Lord is good, blessed is the man that trusteth in him, Psal. 34. 8. All the Kings of the earth could not have done this; Cyrus, Alexander, and all the rest, who in the power of their armies, and pride of their hearts have wept, because there were no more worlds to conquer, with all their authorities, commands and threatenings could never heal a dog of his lameness; as we see in those two greatest kings of Syria and Israel, both which could not cure Naaman's leprosy, as the King of Israel answered, 2 Kings 5. 7. Am I a God to kill and give life, that he doth send to me to cure a man of his leprosy? much less can they cure a spiritual leprosy of sin; 
Esay 32. 3.  he can open our lips, Psal. 51. 17. open our eyes to know the hope of our calling, Eph. 1. 18. open our ears, job 33. 16. by corrections which he had sealed: he can raise us from death, for he is our resurrection, John 11. 25. which all the power of man, the pool of Bethesda, the water of Siloam cannot do, 
Ezeh. 47. 8.  but only that Fountain opened to the house of David, 
Zach. 9 11.  and the Inhabitants of jerusalem for sin and uncleanness, which is CHRIST, Zach. 13. 1. it springs up in thee to eternal life, and thou shalt never thirst after, 
Aquatantum ascindit quantum descendit.  john 4. 14. As other waters flow as high as they descend: So this having its Spring and Fountain from life, being the chiefest aqua vitae, stays not till it bring a man to life through the Channels and conduits of the Word and Sacraments: so the Word is said to drop and distil, job 29. 
Deut. 32. 2  22. This is then the comfort, Esay 55. 7. He that thirsteth come then to the waters and drink, 
Ezech. 21. 2  ye that have no silver, come buy and eat, come buy wine and milk without silver and money. Draw then with joy, thou abject of the Gentiles, at this common Fountain, least being unquenched and as yet scorching in thy transgressions, 
Apicius had 1000 Cooks.  thou be forced with the luxurious Apicius and pampered Epulone, to thirst without mercy or pity in the place of torments for evermore, Luke 16. 24.  
To teach us, 
Use. 6.  that are Gentiles by nature, and yet called by the inmeasurable mercy of God, and that freely by the righteousness of God made manifest without the Law, Rom. 3. 21. and made the true Israel of God, not outwardly in the flesh, but inwardly by faith and the promise, Rom. 9 8. The children of the promise are counted for the seed; we which were a far off, Zach. 6. 15. must come to build in the temple of the Lord, the last house, whose glory shall exceed the first, Hag. 
josephus de bello judaico.  2. 10: that is, the spiritual Temple, not that which was re-edified by Cyrus, for to this came the liberality of Alexander, and the kings of Egypt, with many other; nor the magnificence of Seleucus, 2 Machab. 3. 3. a king of Asia, who of his own rents was liberal toward the material temple: But we are called to build the spiritual Temple, as it came to pass at the calling of the Gentiles how many Master builders, more cunning than Vitruvius, came in to lay the lively stones of this spiritual structure, as Luke the Evangelist from Antioch, Barnabas from Cyprus, Timothy and Titus from Greece, Aristarchus, Aquila, Dionysius Areopagita, Onesiphorus, Hermes, with infinite more; and in ages following, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Hierom, Basill, Ambrose, Augustine, etc. To come nearer to our own times, what famous Luminaries and lights have shined from Belgia and other parts, 
3 Noble men from France, Sadeel, Morney, and junius.  as Luther, Calvin, Oecolampadius, Marlorat, Bucer, Bullinger. In our own times, out of our own nation, our own tribes, and families; reverend Fulke, Whitaker, Raynolds, Field, Willet, Perkins, Andrew's, the late Bishop of Winchester, and the present famous Doctor Hall, now Bishop of Exeter, all which have issued out of the dark celles of gentilism, which have brought their gold, theit silver, and some their lives, to the building of this spiritual Temple. What should this, I say, teach us, but (in tender compassion to the jewish nation) to pray heartily for their restoring, since they were cut off, that we might be grafted on, Rom. 11. 19 they were the holy seed, the first borne the first and natural heirs to the Gospel, 
judaei primi & naturales heredes Evangelij.  Mat. 15. 22. I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; 
Calvin lib. 4. cap 16. §. 14. Institut.  God chose them above all nations, Deut. 7 6. he loved them, Deut. 10. 15. jacob was his portion, Deut. 32. 8. and he hath promised (though for their ingratitude he hath for a while rejected them, and suffers them as Caines and vagabonds to wander without any abiding place, yet) in the end to call them home, Zach. 12. 10. He will pour upon the house of jacob, and the inhabitants of jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication, that is, the Holy Ghost with the graces thereof, and which restoring, Paul proves Rom. 9 and 11. that they shall be called and acknowledge CHRIST, and wisheth to be separated from CHRIST in the ardency of his love toward them, so that they might be restored. O pray then for the peace of jerusalem, that thy God would perform his promise in their conversion, with David, Psal. 51. 18. Be favourable unto Zion, and build the walls of jerusalem; and Paul, my hearty desire for Israel is, that they may be saved. Let thy heart be grieved then to see the horrid desolation of them, as Nehemiah 1. nothing could be so pleasant unto him, as the desolation of jerusalem was grievous; He is but a merciless Samaritan, that neglects his duty, and woe to him that is an enemy to Israel's common wealth; but let us pray for jerusalem, that prosperity may be within her walls, and peace within her palaces.  
[People] that is, 
The second subject of this duty.  as we formerly noted, the jew of the stock of Sem, which God knew before all nations; Amos 3 2. and thus beloved were they not in regard of themselves, but of God's free election: So the difference betwixt these two seeds is not because the one embraced CHRIST, and the other refused him; for how can there be a refusal, where the Messias was not known? but among the Gentiles he was not so much as named, Rom. 15. 20. as their own Doctor witnesseth. These jews were gideon's fleece, which was watered, when all the world beside was a barren desert; the name of God, the Gospel of CHRIST, his love and favours were appropriated only to the land of jury, Mat. 10. 5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: They thought his providential care reached no farther, but was limited within the narrow skirts of Palestina, 
judaei suspicabant soli Palestinae ipsum dominari, & ipsorum tantummodo curam agere.  and only to have a care over them, as Theodorit speaks of them; they were as the signet upon his right hand, as the apple of his eye, he that cursed them was cursed, and they that blessed them were blessed; nay there is no enchantment against jacob, nor divination against Israel, Num. 22. 23. he set a beautiful crown upon their heads, Ezech. 16. 12. that is, established the Kingdom of his grace among them. Yet when they yielded not correspondence to his word in dutiful obedience and thanksgiving, it came to pass as truth itself had denounced against them Math. 21. 43. The kingdom of God (which was their crown and honour) should be taken from them and given to a nation, that should bring forth the fruits thereof. jerusalem was the city which the Lord did choose to place his name there, 2 Chron. 6. 6. She was a faithful city, Esay 1. 21. How is the faithful city become an Harlot? But departing from her former steps, 
josephus de bello judaico lib. 7 cap 12. Migremus hinc. Eus. Eccles Hist.  crucifying the Son of God, and killing his Saints, she was rejected and cast off, a voice from heaven giving warning of her imminent rejection, 
lib. 3. cap.  saying, Let us depart hence. And Almighty God, like old jacob, lays his right hand upon the head of Ephraim the younger, and his left hand upon Manasses the elder, Gen. 48. 14. Now one cluster of the grapes of Ephraim are better than a whole Vintage of Abiezer, judg. 8. 2. So now the right hand of honour is laid upon the Gentile, and the jews degraded, as the birthright was conveyed from Esau to jacob, the Priesthood translated from Abiathar to Zadock, and the regal dignity from Saul to David; the prodigal Gentile must have the fat calf killed, and be brought into the King's Cellar, when the Elder hath not wherewith to make merry with his friends, Luke 15. 23, etc. Hence this doctrine.  
God is not tied to any place or people. 
Doct. 1.  If the chosen jews will not bring forth fruits worthy of the Gospel, but despise it; he will provoke them to envy, even by a people which sought him not, and for sin will remove his love and favour, his word, and worship, and make it a free passage for the floodgates of his wrath, to their inevitable destruction, and unavoidable ruin.  
For confirmation of this truth, we need go no further than our proposed pattern and example of this people, which was a chosen Cedar among all the trees of the Forest, so long as holiness kept residence there, the Cistern into which the Fountain of all grace poured his blessings by many Conduit-pipes and means, but they left their first love, Rev. 2. 4. cried loud for Christ's blood to fall upon them and their children, Math. 27. 25. and so it did: and now their gold is become dross, which makes the Prophets complain that Bethel is become Bethaven, the house of God, the house of vanity, the valley of vision into the valley of the shadow of death, Esay 22. 1. Their house is left unto them desolate, Mat. 23. 38. Look upon that famous City, which was the glory of the world, whose turretted Bulwarks, and huge heaps of well-compacted Fabrics, made the Disciples to wonder, Mat. 24. 1. Mar. 13. 1. and the Kings of the earth to stand amazed; yet now verified that was spoken, jer. 19 11. I will break this people and this City, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again, and make their city as Tophet: and Mic. 3. 12. Zion shall be ploughed as a field, jerusalem shall become heaps, and the house of the Lord, as the high places of the Forest: The ruins thereof, 
Civitas eorum in aeternos cineres collapsa est lib 4. cap. 19 in jerem. in Dan. c. 9  saith Jerome, shall continue to the world's end, the consummation of her desolation shall continue without any change, saith Theodoret: Indeed Aelius Adrianus the Emperor built a city near to it, 
Arias Montanus in Mic. cap. 3.  which he called after his own name Aelia, which since goes under the name of jerusalem, 
josep. de bello jud. cap 18. & 28.  but hath neither the fashion, nor situation of it; but of it, saith josephus, the very foundations are laid so flat, as men would think there never had been habitation there. The first captivity of the jews after the Law, was that prophesied, jer. 51. 7. Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunk with vengeance, which came upon them. Psal. 137. 1. By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, etc. But they were surprised again after the death of Christ, as being willing neither to bear the hard yoke of the Law, nor that of the Gospel which is easy, 
The Romans bore the Eagle in their Ensign.  Mat. 11. and a law of liberty, jam. 2. 12. The Eagle in the Roman Ensign towered so high with incredible majesty, that it couched all the world under it, like lesser birds; and made them tributary to Caesar, to which this, whilom holy land of jury, now stinking in her abominations, became a prey; and after many apparitions and voices from heaven, 
josephus de bello judai: lib. 4. 6. 3. etc. 7.  from the East and West, and diverse civil broils within the walls, as if their own hands had been made to be excoutioners of their rebellious souls; famine making mothers eat their own children, and these wombs that first gave them harbour, were made the places of their burial: then came the Pestilence, and laid them grovelling by heaps gasping and gazing upon the Temple, so lamentably and miserably, that Titus lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, called God to witness, it was not his cruelty, but their impiety that had awaked God in vengeance, to bring the man upon the red horse, Rev. 5. 4. blood and war, and winged sword to fly in triumph among them; so many slain, and so many taken prisoners, 
Euseh. Eccles. hist. lib. 4. c. 6.  that thirty jews were sold for one penny, because among them, their Master was sold for thirty pence: Aelius Adrianus which built another City, would have re-edified this, but could not; 
Sozom. lib. 5. c. 1.  and julian, the Apostata thought in his blasphemous imagination to have built it, 
Ammi. Marcel lib. 23. c. 1.  as glorious as it was, to disprove CHRIST who had prophesied before of the utter dissipation of it; 
Socrat. lib. 3. c. 17.  but he that sits in heaven laughed him to scorn, his workmen and work were hindered by the falling of lime and sand, by the flashing of fire, and earthquakes, as if God had laid the curse of jerico upon it, Iosh. 6. 26. Cursed be the man before the Lord that raiseth up and buildeth this City. So jerusalem is like Reuben, Gen. 49. 2. The beginning of God's manly strength, but in the end was unstable as water, to forsake God, and so to be forsaken of him, and her dignity is gone.  
So this matchless, 
Nine special privileges of the jews.  people, who had these nine most excellent privileges, which all the world wanted, Rom. 9 4. First, to be Israelites, Secondly, to whom pertained the Adoption; Thirdly, and the Glory; fourthly, and the Covenants; five, and the giving of the Law; sixthly, and the service of God; seventhly and the Promises; eightly, whose are the Fathers; ninthly, of whom came CHRIST according to the flesh; and which addeth to their dignity, the miracles of CHRIST, the immediate work of his Godhead were wrought among them. Acts 10. 38. He went about, doing good, and healing all that were oppressed with the devil, for God was with him: yet all these are not able to sway with God, nor to keep back the point of his flaming sword, that was brandished over them for sin, till it was sheathed in their destruction, and their foreheads branded with Cain's mark, to wander dispersed upon the face of the earth, without King, without Prince, without Priest, without Image, without Ephod, and without Teraphim, as Israel aforetime was threatened, Hos. 3. 4. and they now have felt, almost as long, as the first Age was before the Flood, 
Morn. du. Pless. de veritate Christ. relig. cap. 29.  so scattered, and have so corrupted their own Pedigrees, that at this day there is not a jew in the world; which can say he hath his genealogy certain, but are a scattered and contemptible Nation, throughout the whole earth.  
And not alone to instance in that now forsaken nation; such is the weight and power of sin, that after the plantation of the Gentiles, the Church of Rome a virgin, and the chaste, and faithful spouse of CHRIST, their faith was renownedly spoken of through the whole world, 
Apud vos solos incorrupta servatur patrum bereditas. Hier. add Damas'. Rom. Episcop.  Rom. 1. 8. continuing steadfast in that doctrine by which she became the Church of CHRIST; but since when she became an unclean filth; prostituted to all manner of fornications, embrued and drunken with the blood, which she hath spilt, usurping upon the landmarks of Supremacy, exalting herself above all that is called God, and is worshipped, 2 Thes. 2. 4. like the proud Lucifer, Esay 14. 14. above the height of the clouds; her hateful ambition, cruelty, and abominations hath caused God, even to spew her out of his mouth, to give her up to strong delusions, to believe lies; and hath warned us, by an admonition of his own Spirit, Reu. 18. 4. Come out of her my people.  
The old world so long as it continued in God's service, and the sons of God had no commixture with the lascivious daughters of men, issuing from the murderous loins of runagate Cain, they stood sure as mount Zion, resting upon the brazen pillars of God's love and favour,; but when once they mixed with the wicked, and inordinately doted upon the face of skin-deepe beauty (see a miserable spectacle of God's wrath) the cataracts and windows of heaven were opened, 
Niceph. lib. 1. c. 3. vide peccati horrendam paenam.  Gen. 7. the flood of God's anger prevailed against the multiplied world, dispeopled it, and brought those great multitudes to eight persons: where we see what it is to offend God; A fruitful land maketh the barren for the sin of them that dwell therein, Psal. 107. 37. See the Church of Ephesus, Reu. 2. 2. a glorious Church; God with liking makes a remembrance of her graces, I know thy works and thy labour and patience, and how thou canst not forbear them that are evil etc. yet vers. 4. I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love, thy pristine, original purity; thy zeal hath lost his ardour, and become chilly and cold as Caucasus: and for this relapse he threatens the confiscation of her Candlestick, the removing of his favours, as they have sufficiently proved in experience, remaining under the most inhuman tyrant in the world, the Turk, in the most irreligious religion, the licentious inventions of the Arabian Mahomet.  
Thus will the Lord deal with us for sin, Amos 4. 12. and this is the bitter fruit that springs and sprouts from the cursed root of this black and poisonous Hellebore: It cast the Angels from heaven, 
Omnium meorum malorum causa peccatum est. Aug. de tempore.  Adam out of Paradise, destroyed the old world, burned Sodom and Gomorrha, and turned them to a sulphureous lake of stinking brimstone; cursed the earth, defileth the land, making Lebanon a Forest, Sharon a wilderness, Carmel a desert: For sin (mirabile dictu) God disclaims and disavows his own creature, the work of his own hands, the frame of his own wisdom, the care of his own providence, whom he visits every morning. Math. 25 12. Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Miserably wretched than is every wicked man, that hath by sin so distamped the Image of God, and moulded himself into the similitude of Satan, that God will never take notice of such a metamorphosed changeling. And for sin the creature groans, desiring to be delivered and renewed, which shall shortly come to pass in the conflagration of this goodly and glorious architecture of the vaulted heavens, the spangled skies, and this strong pillared earth. And if we demand a reason, why God so hateth sin? it is, 
Deut. 32. 4.  Reason 1. because of his own purity, he is of pure eyes, 
Hab. 1. 13.  and if he look upon sin, it is but as the pure eyed Sun shines upon the nasty dunghill, and yet remains pure; if he takes notice of it, he puts upon himself the person of a revengeing judge, Heb. 13. last verse, a consuming-fire: clothes himself with majesty and honour, puts off his robes of Mercy, and puts on the bloody garments of fury and anger, and glorifies himself in his justice.  
So odious is sin, that God will not spare it in his most dearly beloved. The devil from a bright Angel of light, 
Non ob defectum creaturae, quia ipsa bona est, sed propter peccatum. Stella super Luc. c. 11 Hypothesis facta per impossibile.  is thrust down to hell, not for any defect in the creature, for that is good, but for sin. The privilege of being mother to the world's Saviour, would not have pleaded salvation for the blessed Virgin, if she had been found in the power of sin without faith and repentance. Nay, if it had been found in the spotless humanity of our Saviour CHRIST himself, though the very Son and substance of his love; it had been sufficient in the purity of his justice to have bound him for ever under the chains of perpetual darkness. The venomous poison of the aspe, 
Plinius lib. nat. Hist. cap. 23.  viper, basilisk, Amphisbena, having two heads, as if she were not hurtful enough to cast her poison at one mouth only, yet they are never hurtful to themselves: But sin (as the Ivy embracing the Oak, till it have sucked up his sap, leaving him marrowlesse and dead, and which is an enemy to all plants, as Pliny saith) destroyeth the subject in which it is nourished, 
Lib. 16, cap. 34.  and viperlike devoureth the womb wherein it was conceived. jam. 1. 13. When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death, the wages and guerdon thereof, Rom. 6. last verse.  
Reason 2. 
Reas. 2.  because it is most repugnant, opposite, contrary, 
As ens & non ens; summum bonum, & summum malum.  and contradictory to the essence of God, and seeks to its utmost power, not only to hurt, but even to destroy God, extolling and exalting itself against him, 2 Cor. 10. 5. of which job 15. 26. speaking of the wicked man warring with God, 
Vide Thom. Aquin. quest. 12. art. 21. & Caietan. super Thom.  he runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers, as it were to push him with the horns of his pride, 
Peltanus de satisfactione  and profaneness; like the Iron horns of Zedekiah, 1 King. 22. 11. and to pull him down from the throne of his eternal happiness; 
Christi. cap. 11. citante Pineda super cap. 35.  this is Giantlike, 
job.  to wage battle with heaven. And yet with Nimrod, Gen. 11. thou buildest but the Babel of thine own confusion: for who hath ever been proud against God, and prospered? It is Elihu's Axiom in divinity, job. 35. 6. If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him? What canst thou do to the impassable God? but even as Caligula, 
Sueton in vita Caligulae.  thunder against the true jehovah, as he against the feigned jove, till thou be destroyed with the loud and cloud-rending claps of true Thunder, jer. 14. 26. I will pour their wickedness upon them.  
So we see how hateful sin is to God, and that for it he will pluck off, even the branches, whom he loves so dear. Though we stood in his favour, as zorobabel, the signet upon his finger, as jedidia, his beloved; yet if we sin, he will chasten us; and if we continue in it, he will damn us, he will deprive us of his word, his worship, and then bring on the main Ocean of his anger, 
la sephus.  as he did to the jews, when the Christians were removed from them to Pella; and make us feel and know that he is not bound to any people or place, but sin breaks the leagues were it as ●rong as the three fold cord of Solomon, as unlooseable as the Gordian knot. And so much for the Doctrine, the Uses follow.  
Seeing then, 
Use, 1●  that when the jews fell away from God, he had the Centiles in store to graft in their stead, and the arm of the Lord is not shortened; When any one people will not bring forth the fruit of the Gospel, but abuse it, he will take it away, and bestow it elsewhere, it serves to caveat: First, the Minister: Secondly, the whole body of the people: Thirdly, every particular person.  
First then, 
For the Minister.  to thee that ministrest at the Altar and waitest upon the holy things of God, 1 Cor. 9 5. that art set in the place of that good and faithful steward, which should distribute to every one his portion in due season; that messenger interpreter, one of a thousand, that must declare unto man his righteousness, and deliver him that he go not down into the pit, job. 33. 23. If thou decay in love to God, to his word, to thy brethren, if thou lie in any known sin, and gross impiety, it is a means to deprive thee either of thy gifts, or of thy calling, as was done to judas, when he was found a traitor in his Apostleship, he was removed, and the price of blood required at his hands, and Mathias apppointed in his place, 
jer. 15. 19  Acts 1. 26. When jeremy failed in delivering the Lords message to the people, either for fear or impetience, the Lord himself becomes a Prophet unto him. If thou return, I will bring thee again, and thou such stand before me; and if thou take the previous from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: Where he is given to understand, that if he continued in negligence, he should cease to be a Prophet unto God, which will be sanctified of all, but especially of such as carry the vessels of the Sanctuary, and go before the ask. The Kingdom of Assyria, Esay 13. 3. is said to be sanctified for God's anger, in the destruction of his enemies. If then there be a kind of sanctification for the work of destruction, then much more for that great and glorious work of edification in God's Church. 
Levit. 10. 3  When Nadab and Abihu had broken the commandment of God in offering strange fire, Moses to satisfy Aaron, tells him that the Lord will be sanctified of all them that come before him. God hath given man two hands, not to build with the one, and pull down with the other, but to buld with both. Take heed then of falling away with Demias, least by thy decay in love to religion, thou pull down the Church of God; and 1 Cor. 3. 17. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. If then he spared not the sacrilegious prophaners of his earthly temple, as in Balthasar, Dan. 5. 1. Helidorous, 2 Mac. 3. 15. and that notorious rob-Church Dionysins; but brought them to fearful ends: Much less will be spare the prophaners of his spiritual Temple; but for thy wickedness will in fatuate thy gifts, remove thy calling from thee, or thee from it, as he did the king doom from Saul, and gave it to another, or as he dealt with those ingrateful jowee.  
The world is a Spiritual spittle, and in the Church are some languishing in a consumption, some sick unto death in a spiritual leprosy; some slumbering in a deep security, in imminent danger, yet not perceiving it, as the drunkard, Prov. 
Plin. lib. 21. cap. 31. & lib. 29. cap. 4.  23. 34. sleeping upon the top of a mast; or poisoned with Asps, which causeth death sleeping, or with the root Halicacobus: Some wanting a Cordial, and others a Corrosive; some Moses to lance them, and others CHRIST to heal them; some a sound from Sinai, others a song from Sio●; some the r●d of Moses, others the pot of Mauna. Now the Minister here is sent to play the part of a Physician or Chirurgeon, as CHRIST himself Esay 61. 1. To heal the broken hearted. Ezech. 34. 16. the office of a Pastor, to seek that which was lost, to bring again that which was driven away, to bind up that which was broken, and to strengthen that which was weak; or as Eliphea, testifies of job. chap. 40 3. He strengthened the weak hands and fee ble knees. CHRIST commends the half. dead traveller to the Minister, as to an host, to cure his wounds, and to care for his promise provision, Luke 10. 34. Now if the Physician himself be sick, how can he cure the disease? How can he heal the plague-soares of firm, that hath the boil of the same pestilence raging in himself? First then cure and: heal thyself, cast the beams out of thine own eyes, lest God deal with thee, as he did to the Minister of Ephesus, Revel. 2. 5. confiscate thy Candlestick, and take away thy graces, and leave thee bare and barren. Therefore be careful to admonish them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men, 1 Thess. 5. 14.  
The second is concerning the whole body politic and Ecclesiastical, 
For the whole body of a Church or Commonwealth.  both for the Church and common wealth. If the people decay in love to the Word, to Religion, to holiness and godliness, as sometime backsliding Israel did; Esay 1. 6. From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, there is no soundness, but soars, wound, and putrifying bruises: and live in drunkenness, profaneness, atheism, infidelity, and contempt of God; this will procure the removeall of the Gospel, and of all Religion, Hos. 9 7. The prophet is a fool, and the man of the spirit is mad; This is a fearful judgement; and if, we ask the cause, it is for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred; for the sin of the whole Church God doth send unsanctified, foolish, ignorant, and wicked Ministers, jerem. 5. 13. For the backesliding Apostasy of Israel, the Prophets shall become wind, and the Word is not in them, jerem. 14. 14. They prophesy lies in God's Name. Thus doth God give up men to strong delusions to believe lies, because they love not the truth, 2 Thess. 2. 13. Thy sins, and the sins of the Church withhold good things from thee, jer. 5. 25. even to take away from thee his Word, as he did the Ark which was the glory of Israel, 1 Sam. 4. 22. Hear this than ye prophaners of God's Name, contemners of his Word, and ye backesliding Apostates that have turned your Religion into policy, your zeal into luke-warnenesse, like Ephraim, a cake not turned, Hos. 7. 8. that have a knee for God, and a knee for Rimmon, 2 King. 5. 18. halting betwixt two opinions, 1 Kings 18. 21. that can hold the Religion stamped with the Image of the most High, and yet mix it with the paintings and false complexions of the purple Harlot the Whore of Babylon. 
Philip. Camerac. in operibus successivis.  It is recorded of a certain Sultan, which died at the Siege of Zigetum, who being persuaded by the Muphti a Bishop or Patriarch among the Mahometan Turks, not to suffer so many Religions, as were in his Dominions: He answered, that a Nosegay made of diverse flowers was the sweeter; which may be true in a Posy, because they may be all flowers; but in Religion they must be all weeds, and heresies, tares, and the conceits of men, except only the flower, 
Euseb. Eccles.  which is the truth But there is no communion with CHRIST and belial, 
Hist. lib. 3. cap. 22.  with the truth and falsehood, with God and Baal, with the Gospel and Popery. Saint John could not endure to be in the bathe with Cerinthus; jeromes' pen was like a lance charged against Vigilantius, jovinian, and others; and Augustine spoke in his disputations against the Donatists, and Manichces, Arians, and Pelagians, hot coals of juniper, words armed with aequa fortis, steeped in vinegar, and could not endure Idolatry while he reigned.  
If we rend then the seamelesse coat of CHRIST, and become lukewarm Laodiceans, Reu. 3. 17. God will spe●e us out of his mouth, abhor us as a thing that is raw. What ought we to do then, that have by our continual rebellions, und wicked backslidings even moved to anger the Holy one of Israel? but humble ourselves in repentance, that God in tender compassion may remove our judgements, and continue his Gospel, the lantern and light of his word, the mark and character of his love among us, as he hath promised, jer. 18. 8. If that nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil which I thought to do unto them.  
Thirdly, 
For every particular person.  concerning every particular and private person: If any man or woman decay in love, or want love to God or their brethren, and the practising of holy duties, grow sick of a lazy lethargy, or lie in any gross sin, in the knowledge of his own conscience; it is a means to remove the Candlestick from him in a fearful deprivation of his knowledge, and the other graces of God in him.  
The affection of love in the heart is like the watch of a clock; if it stand, the wheels stand, and as it goeth fast or slowly, the wheels go answerably: Even so it is in man, if his love to God and to his Gospel's increase, so doth his knowledge, and other gifts multiply; but if love be gone, then with Demas he gives a valediction and farewell to all Religion and piety, his virtues are in the, wain, if not in a full Eclipse; And so we see a reason of the palpable ignorance in so many of our people, that have had both Paul to plant and Apolios to water; that have had the North and the South to blow upon their gardens, have heard the Gospel plainly and powerfully preached, the year of jubilee proclaimed by the sons of thunder; and yet are like the deaf Adder, that stoppeth her ears, some with the foot of their pride, some of covetousness, etc. which is nothing but the want of love. Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, but exhort one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you he heardned through the deceitfulness of sin. Wherein is showed the way and the degrees by which a man falls from God. 
Suggestio  First, sin deceives him by drawing him to commit it; 
Actio  then follows an accustomed continuance in it, 
Habitus  and finally unbelief, in many points of religion; 
Impenitentia.  impenitency, and apostatical falling away and opposing the truth, as Hierom, Hugo Cardinalis, and diverse others, have marshaled sin in its several ranks, and degrees.  
Seeing then we are fallen into the last and worst times, in which the love of most men waxeth cold, and are cast into the declining age of the decrepit world, wherein the Practice of Piety, which was printed in the days of the patriarchs, and Primitive times in a largs' Folly, is now contracted into a volume less than a Tricesim● quarto, O tempora, O mores! And among whom (besides the fruitful spawn of innumerable enormities, which are of a late Edition, moulded and framed in the corrupt heart of man, assisted by the politic malice of Satan) as many sin's rule and reign, as ever did in the times of those despised jews: Have we not those cardinal and crying sins, which cry as loud as thunder for vengeance, which are comprised in this brief Distich,  

Clamitat in coelum vox sanguinis & Sodomorum, 
Gen. 4. 10.   
Vox oppressorum-merces retenta laborum. 
Gen. 18. 21.    

Wages detained, 
Exod. 3. 9  doth for vengeance cry,  
Murder, 
jam. 5. 4.  oppression, lustful Sodomy.   
And beside, 
Bellua multorum capitum.  have we not sprung and sprouted up among us those several heads of that cursed Hydra, those foul birds of that unclean Covey, contempt of the Ministry, Irreligion, Profaneness, Pride, Sabboth-breaking, Ignorance, Superstition, Covetousness, etc. all which are daily mustered in arms against us: And were it not the longanimity, and long suffering of that jehova, which in judgement remembreth mercy, had long ere this time removed our Candlestick and crown from among us. Let us then follow the counsel of the Prophet Amos, Chap. 4. 12. Because I will do thus and thus unto thee, O Israel, prepare to meet thy God. Every man and woman prepare with the Ninivites to meet your God by repentance, and sorrow for sin: As every one hath had an high hand in sinning; so let us have a heavy heart in repenting, that we may prevent his judgements, answer his Word, and agree with God (which by reason of our sins is become our adversary) quickly while we are in the way to the judge's house, lest he deliver us to the jailor, and so we be cast into prison to pay the uttermost farthing of our debt.  
Seeing Israel which was the root, 
Use. 2.  nay rather as a natural branch sprung from the fatness of the true Olive; yet for her relapse from her goodness (as it was threatened to the Church of Philadelphia, Revel. 3. 11.) another receives their crown and dignity: Learn hence then Gentile which art grafted in, not to be highminded, but fear: for if God in the purity of his justice, spared not the natural branches, but plucked them off, take heed lest he spare not thee, Rom. 11. 21. If thou now enjoyest the Gospel, the Word, and Sacraments, plenty and peace, and growest secure and wanton, like an untamed Calf, jerem. 19 31. and castest off the yoke of obedience, behaving thyself unthankfully and wickedly; the woeful curse of Corazin and Bethsaida hangs over thy head, and it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement than for thee, Matth. 11. 21. etc. Let these rebellious jews be a warning for thee, as Moses, Deut. 24. 9 warns the people in calling to remembrance the example of Miriam, struck with a leprosy, Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam by the way; or as the mention made of the theft of Achan, jos 22. 20. or as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha is brought upon the stage for a token of God's wrath, Deut. 29. 33. or as the example of Egypt and Pharaoh to the Philistines, 1 Sam. 6. 6. or as the Apostle uses the example of the idolatrous fathers by way of exhortation to his backsliding Corinthians, 1 Cor. 10. 11. shutting it up in this admonition, All these things happened unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come: and by the example of Eva seduced by the Serpent, 2 Cor. 11. 3. Let him therefore that standeth, 
Phil. 2. 12.  take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor. 10. 12. whereby is given us to understand, 
Cum timore & tremore, ne sibi tribuendo, quòd benè operantur, de bonis suis gloriantur operibus. Aug. de gratia.  that outward standing and professing of the faith without inward grace, and the fear of God, issuing out of a godly conversation, is not standing indeed, but seeming to stand. Take heed then to make thine election sure, for though salvation belong to all, yet all pertain not to it. Esay 60. 2. Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee. joh. 1. 9 Christ is the light of the world, and came to lighten every one that cometh into the world, but every one comes not to him to be illuminated. Micha, chapter 7. verses 1, 2. complains, that he (speaking in the name of the whole people) was as the Summer gatherings, and as the grapes of the Vintage; there is no cluster to eat, like the gleaning of an Harvest, here an ear and there an ear. So then, Christian, if thou wilt not be cut off, be willing to be drawn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that thou mayest receive forgiveness of sins, ●nd inheritance among them which are sanctified, Acts 26. 18. True faith is afraid to fall, and therefore striveth by all means to shun the rocks and shelves of security, and is far from rejoicing in any outward estate, without the correspondence of obedience. As a man upon a high Tower, is afraid to fall, though he be safely environed with battlements; So thou Gentile, though now thou be in grace, and under the protection of the most High, take heed to thy standing, lest in the midst of thy peace, the evil one come and sow tares in thy harvest, steal away thy graces, and leave thee to be cast off with the jew; the certainty of thy standing is in the performance of thy obedience. If ye will hearken and obey, ye shall eat the good things of the land.  
But for our further instruction, 
Use. 3.  let us make a Quaere with the Apostle, Rom. 11. 1. Hath God cast away his people? God forbid, for salvation is of the jews, joh. 4. 22. The royal stock of Sem are but like philemon's unprofitable servant, departed for a season, that they may be received for ever: If the casting them off be the reeonciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead? Rom. 11. 15. Though they be now in the depth of Infidelity and obstinacy, yet before the consummation of the world they shall believe the Messiah, as the Prophets have prophesied, and the Penmen and Notaries of the holy Ghost have testified, they shall be Choristers of God's praise.  
Gregory the Great, 
Super Cant. 6. 13.  is also of opinion, that in the often and earnest calling of the Shulamite, Cant. 6. 13. which signified the people of jerusalem, so called of Shalem, peace; is clearly intimated a prophecy of the final vocation of the jews, which have been so long forsaken: as also it is evident by eight Reasons alleged by the Apostle to this purpose.  
The first being drawn from the end of their rejection, 
Rom. 11.  which was not to their utter perishing in unbelief, but seeing the calling of the Gentiles they might be provoked to emulation, God appointing their fall and rejection not simply, but for the end which is good; else it were against the divine goodness of God, which never suffers, as Augustine saith, 
August. in Enchirid.  any evil to be done, but to bring good out of it.  
Second, argument is drawn from the lesser to the greater, If their fall be riches to the world, much more shall their reconciliation be life from the dead:  
Thirdly, from the condition of the Patriarch Abraham, If the first fruits be holy, so it the lump, if the root be holy, so are the branches; but they are, 1 Pet. 2. 9 A chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; which is not meant of an actual holiness, 
Aquin super Rom. 11.  which was in them, but that they shall be restored to the holiness of their Fathers.  
Fourthly, from God's omnipotency, who is able to restore them again, as a man to awake out of his sleep; if he be able to raise the dead, and give sight to the blind, which are miraculous works above the course of nature; then much more to restore them, which is but a replantation and grafting in, a work of nature.  
So that five, according to likelihood, If God engrafted the wild olive contrary to nature, how much more shall the natural branches be regrafted into their own place?  
Sixtly, from the prophecies of Esay chap. 59 There shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from jacob: & the testimony of jeremy, which are the Prophets of God, and have prophesied of their Conversion.  
Seventhly, from a distinction concerning the Gospel, They are enemies for their sakes, but as touching election, they are beloved for their father's sake.  
Eightly, from a proportion; As you Gentiles were sometimes in unbelief, without God in the world, Eph. 2. and by mercy are now called; so shall they obtain mercy to come out of their Cimmerian blindness of unbelief; so shall ye both be joined in the unity of faith, building up the temple of God, perfecting his house, jointly singing unto God your Hallelujahs 〈◊〉 praise and thanksgiving.  
It must teach us then the precept and the practice of the Apostle of the Gentiles, Rom. 11. 14. By all means to provoke them to emulation, that they may be saved; as that speech of Moses, Deut. 32. 21. is applied to us Gentiles, Who have found him whom we sought not after, Esay 65. 1. That they are beloved for their father's sake, honoured with the humanity of CHRIST, Rom. 9 5. for whose salvation their Paul was so zealous, as for their good, he wished himself separated from CHRIST. Ought not we then, which are by grace made partakers of the same root, to feed their dead branches with our living sap, by opening unto them that JESUS, and world's Saviour, whose sides they pierced, Zach. 12. 10. and which was the substance of all their sacrifices? Was he not showed in the old Testament in the Angel, Exod. 23. 20. in Aaron, Exod. 28. 4. in the sceptre, Gen. 49. 10. in the brazen serpent, Num. 21. 9 in the scape-goate, Levit. 16. 21. in Balaams' star, Num. 24. 17. etc.  
Was he not seen in the new Testament in his humanity, doctrine, miracles, and death, all of them (like the finger in a Dial) pointing with john Baptists Ecce, john 1. 29, at the Messiah, agreeing in his parentage, person, and place of his birth? as the wings of the Cherubins, which touched each other upon the Mercy-seat, 1 Kings 6. 27. the one confirming the others affirmation, his infancy answering the Types; he was seen a Star by the Gentile Prophet, and found by a star of the Gentiles, Matth. 2. 10. in Rama was weeping, as jeremy had heard, jer. 31. 15. out of Egypt he was called, Hos. 11. 1. and was brought up in Nazareth, as was prophesied. His Life was unreprovable, the Prince of this world could find nothing amiss, joh. 14. 30. his Miracles sufficiently testifying his Godhead, that even his adversaries confessed it; his Death as effectually acted, as it was foretold, Zach. 13. 7. I saw the Shepherd the Lord's fellow smitten, and the sheep scattered, his being prized and sold for thirty pieces of silver, Zach. 11. 12. The purchase of the Potter's field, the piercing his hands and feet, the dividing of his garments, etc. Two and thirty of which we may see in Matthew, and all fulfilled: and we may even briefly gather all into one, and let it be him, against whom they cannot, they dare not except, their own Prophet Esay of their blood-royal, Chap. 53. wherein the jew may plainly see that our Evangelists have recorded nothing but what was foretold, and to whom can this be applied but to JESUS whom ye crucified? even his death was acted without the gate as the Bullock was burnt without the Camp, Levit. 6. 12.  
And further, the removing the Sceptre from judah, 
joseph. antiq. judaic. li. 14. cap. 26.  which came to pass at the Idumean Herod, entering to the Kingdom by the favour and furtherance of Antonius, and afterward more strongly seated and settled by Augustus, when he cruelly slaughtered their Sanhedrim, 
Cap. Sanhedrim.  as Philo their ow●● Countryman doth witness; and their ow●● Rabbins in their Talmud cry out, We unto us, for the Sceptre is now taken away from judah, and the Lawgiver from between his feet. This might also be showed by the general ceasing of the jewish Sacrifices, the multitudes of Hecatombs among the Gentiles, which all gave place and died with the great Heathenish Pan, when this immaculate Lamb was slain; Also by the ending of the year of jubilee, with Christ himself upon the Cross proclaimed to be ended, joh. 19 30. It is finished: the ending of the Monarchies prophesied by Daniel, which should have their full Period when the Stone should be cut out of the mountain without hands; which ended in that lascivious Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra, all being brought under the yoke and subjection of the Roman: their own Simeon, in whom they say the spirit of the great Synagogue did cease; he testifieth, Luke 2. 26, 27, etc. Also, their own Prophetess, Anna of the tribe of Asher, Luke 2. 
De Civitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 23.  38. Also, the ancient Sibyls as that Erithraea, which spoke so excellently of CHRIST, that she seems to Saint Augustine to have been a Citizen of the City of God, 
Corn. Tacitus Annal. lib. 6. cap. 3.  which books were had in that reverend esteem, that when Augustus Caesar, searching up their ancient Prophecies throughout Africa, Sicilia, and the Colonies of Italy to be brought to Rome, to examine the true from the false: 
Suet. in vita Augustis cap. 31.  He caused 2000 to be devoured by fire, yet he preserved the Zibillian Oracles and caused them to be locked up into golden chests at the foot of the Image of Apollo in mount Palatine in Rome; but these are copiously handled by that Hammer of the jews and mahumetans, 
De veritate Christianae Religionis.  Philip Morney, Lord of Plesse and others. Thus must we provoke the seed of holy Sem to embrace the Gospel, by showing them; that it is in vain to expect any other to come in great power, but that great mystery is already made known, which is, God manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, etc. according to the Scriptures. 1 Tim. 2. 16. That they may acknowledge David's son, and David's Lord, whom they must kiss in obedience, or perish everlastingly.  
Hear than ye sons of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made unto our Fathers, Acts 3. 25. Hear I say, the kingly David, sweet singer of Israel, calling you forth of your blindness, to join with the Gentile to praise God in this Hallelu-jah, you must be one in the bond of the Spirit, and the unity of peace; be no more the deaf Adder that stoppeth their ears though the Charmer charm never so wisely, Psal. 58. 4. This is the CHRIST whose blood hath been so long required at your hands, Matth. 27. 25. Answer not with your elders, Mar. 11. 33. We cannot tell, you have had both your Patriarches, and your Prophets pointing at him, the Vale of the Temple is rend and now you have us Gentiles to preach him unto you, Luke 23. Heb. 9  
The Lord therefore, for his CHRIST'S sake, the son of his love, and the engraven Image of his Person, remove the veil from your hearts that with us you may have your eyes opened to see the way into the holy or holies, made open by the great High Priest of our Calling, that you may come at the found of this silver Trumpet of your own David; that as your diminishing hath been the riches of the world, so your restoring may be life from the dead, and that it may be in due time accomplished and performed, we shall daily pour out our prayers in the name of JESUS CHRIST, to the Father by the blessed Spirit, to which three glorious Persons, and but one only wise God, be all honour and glory for evermore.  
Amen.  
Here endeth the first part, being verse 1.   

VERSE, II.  PSAL. 117. 2. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord. 
THe tres-noble branch of jesse king David, having by a prophetical spirit, not only summoned but enjoined both jews and Gentiles to the joyntpraising of God, declaring the boundless compass, and unlimited circuit of the kingdom of CHRIST, not only King of the jews as Pilate styled him, john 19 19 but even the heathen are his inheritance, linked into the society of faithful Abraham, by the bond of faith and obedience, elsewhere, as Psal. 19 1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work, etc. 
Omnes Creaturae Deum suum esse clamant opificem. Calv. super locum.  Even insensible creatures, as Sun, Moon, Stars, Meteors, Thunder, Hail, Snow; &c, Psal. 148. are called upon for the performance of this duty, every creature be it never so base in the sight of Man, bearing upon it the workmanship of his hands, even by silence loudly proclaims its Maker; but he is praised of Man in a more lively and louder strain, a shriller and sweeter Diapason, sounding from an heaven-sprung soul, which in the internal, external, superior, and inferior powers and faculties thereof, doth manifestly bear the Image of God, and the characteristical badge and stamp of the Divinity, as Calvin saith, is invested and enriched with such a measure and furnishment of Graces as it pleaseth the Olympian love to distribute to every one, 
Certa infignia divinitatis in homine. Calv.  as Homer in the twilight of nature could say, the ditty of whose duty, in this vers. 2. is composed of God's mercy and truth: 
li. 1. instit. cap. 5. § 5.  and so this brings us to the reason, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hom. Odyss. 6.  for his merciful kindness, etc.  

In which are considerable  
1. His Mercy.  
2. His Truth in performing his promises.  
3. The certainty of both confirmed in the object toward us.  
4. The Epiphonema and conclusion of this Psalm, which is accounted the last of the jews Hallelu-jahs, which were appointed to be sung at their Passeover, ending in the same cadence in which it begun: Praise ye the Lord.   
Merciful kindness, 
First Motive.  the first motive enjoining the duty, is a common place, in which, as in a Maze or Labyrinth, we may lose ourselves and make an easy entrance but no end, for all the ways of God are mercy and truth, Psal. 25. 9 The Almighty hath stepped no where beneath or above the circle of the Moon, but he hath left plain prints and characters of his mercies, that he that runs may read them, and that we may take notice of the tenderness of them; sometime they are expressed in the love of Parents to Children, Psal 103. 13. As a father pitieth his children, so doth the Lord pity them that fear him; sometime in the love of Eagles to their young, Is. 49. even exceeding the love of a woman to her sucking child, verse 15. he hath engraven us upon the palms of his hands, verse 16. sometime in the tenderness of hens to their Chickens, Mat. 23. 37. which how tender it is, we see in the continual care that she hath in hatching, feeding, and (to her power) in defending her young; and yet all these are but shadows, 
God is not subject to any attending properties.  in regard of substantial and everlasting love, which CHRIST JESUS the heavenly Hen hath over his beloved ones: 
Quicquid in Deo est, Deus est, cum fis misericors, quid es nisi ipsa misericordia.  his love is as himself infinite, for whatsoever is in God, is God, his mercy, his justice, etc. and all those backe-parts of the mighty JEHOVAH, Exod. 34. 6. When he is called merciful what is he, but mercy itself in the abstract, saith Savanorola, if they were all gathered together that are in heaven and earth, and it be demanded of them how they have been saved, they all stand as a cloud of witnesses to testify Gods free mercies, 
Quot iusti, tot sunt miserationes.  and to say with the Church, Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us, O Lord not unto us, but unto thy Name give the praise. 
Mercies twofold.   
Now consider further that the merciful kindness of God is 

1. General.  
2. Special.    
The general, is his providential care over all his creatures, in creating, preserving, sustaining, and maintaining of them, Psal. 36. 6. Thou, O Lord, wilt save both man and beast, Mat. 5. 45. He maketh the Sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain upon the just and unjust, john 5. 17. My Father yet worketh, and I work with him, meaning in his general care in the supporting of the creature, this is called, Psalm 51. 1. Loving kindness or benignity extending itself to the very Ravens, Psal. 147. 9 Luke 12. 24.  
The special mercy is that, by which he loves his own in CHRIST, redeems, sanctifies, and saves them by his free grace, 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe, this he exerciseth toward us, both in giving and forgiving, both which Moses describes at large, Exod. 34. 6. Merciful, in which he doth as it were cloth himself in the affections of man. jer. 31. 10. His bowels are troubled for Ephraim, Matth. 9 36. His bowels even earned in compassion, to see the multitude wand'ring as sheep without a shepherd, how pathetically he persuades the reformation of his Church, Cant. 6. 7. Return, return, O Shu●●mite return, how passionately he deplores jerusalem, Luke 19 42. If thou hadst known even thou in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace, in a word he rejoiceth in his own mercy, 
Gaudet in misericordia sua, dolet de miseria nostra.  but sorrows for our misery. Gracious, which intimates a forwardness to do us good, he is never weary in doing it, jam. 1. 5. he gives liberally to all. Slow to anger, full of patience, Gen. 6. 3. How long did he wait the repentance of the old world, in his mercy stopping the course of his deserved vengeance, Psal. 95. 10. Forty years long did he suffer the murmuring Idolators, and Adulterers in the wilderness, Psal. 106. 43. Many a time did they provoke him to anger by their Counsels, & yet, Is. 30. 18. he waits that he may have mercy. Abundant in goodness and truth, noting his disposition by kindness to win men, & the immutable constancy of his promises, & which is the inexhaustible fountain of his mercies, he reserves them for thousands, his goodness is not like the morning dew dispersed and exhaled by the Sun, nor like the Coffers of the greatest Potentate, which may be drawn dry, but a Lamp which is fed by the oil of Immortality, and which makes up the measure, he forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin, no marvel than, if David call them (in his experience) the multitude of his tender compassions; in which, he tenderly embowelleth his chosen, as the womb enfoldeth & nourisheth the new conceived Embryo, where he shows mercies he shows them by multitudes; & if the royal heart of Alexander thought it not honourable to give small things; how much more than, shall the all-sufficient God give; that exceeds him as much as the main Ocean the least riveret, he is ready to forgive, Isa. 55. 7. Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1. 3. Very pitiful and full of mercy, jam. 5. 11. The height, length, breadth, and depth thereof, passeth all understanding, Eph. 3. 18.  
All these compassions and merciful kindnesses may be reduced to a sixe-fold rank. 
Six ranks of Mercies.   
First, preventing Mercies whereby he did us good when we knew not, keeping us from many sins which otherwise we had committed many and many have we committed against him, but far more should we have done, 
Agnosce gratiam ejus, cui debes etiam quod non admisisti. Aug.  if his mercy had not prevented us; acknowledge than God's mercy toward thee, even in those sins which thou hast not committed. If thou seest one which is debtor to me for a sin, and I forgave him, know also that thou art a debtor to me, because I prevented thee from the like; because there is in every man's corrupted breast, since the fall of Adam, the Seminary and seed-plot of all iniquity, springing from the bitter root of that original Corruption, the match and tinder, the fuel and fountain of every actual transgreson, 
O quanta dignatio pietatis, sic ingratum gratia conservare. In Evang. 7. panum ser. 1.  so that there is no enormity which the most debauched wretch hath committed, but thou hadst acted the like if grace had not prevented, boast not thyself then in this, but with devoute Bernard extol the mercy of the Almighty.  
Secondly, are his sparing mercies, experienced in his longanimity and patience, in which thou mayest say, I have sinned, and thou heldest thy tongue, I have transgressed, and thou hast spared me; when thou lookedst upon Zimri and Cosbi slain in the act of uncleanness, Ananias and Saphira, the old world, Sodom and Gomorrha, julian, Herod, with thousands more, the direful spectacles of Gods powerful justice; hast thou not sufficient cause to glorify that God, that hath so long suffered thee to wallow in the puddles of thine iniquity, and hath not sunk thee down to the pit of perdition, but still waits that he may have mercy.  
Thirdly, his pardoning mercies, else what benefit were it to be long spared, 
Quo diutius expectat eo discrictius judicabit.  and at last paid home as it shall be with every impenitent, though he enjoy the sunshine of God's patience, yet in the end the wrath of God shall burn as an Oven, as Tophet against him; though now he see the hand of God's justice behind his back, clouded and vailed in his daily continued mercies; 
Quod defertur non aufertur.  yet the conclusion will prove a tragical Catastrophe, though he pass with a slow pace, yet he goes in order, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Basil.  though with leaden feet, yet with Iron hands, but this fear is taken away by these pardoning mercies, by which in the blood of Christ he makes us as clean as if he never had been polluted, Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin.  
Fourthly, are his renewing mercies, by which he gives not only remission of sins, but also the grace of renovation, by which they become new creatures, trees of righteousness bearing and abounding in the fruits of faith and repentance, sanctified in their souls; bodies and spirits, not like the black Apostata, who after his cleansing is repossessed with seven spirits worse than the former, or the Dog returning to his vomit, or the Sow to wallow in her mire, and which is more fully made plain in the fifth, 
Adam potuit non mori, nos non possumus mori. Aug.  which are his corroborating mercies; whereby he continues in the state of grace, not falling and backsliding with Adam in the state of mutability, but as mercy brought him to it, so it continueth and keepeth him in it.  
Sixtly and lastly, are his crowning mercies whereby he shall perfect his work begun in us, and perform his Kingdom promised to us, where there shall be no hurtful thing, but we estated in the paradise of eternal happiness, shall have our Union and Communion with Christ and the heavenly Hierarchy of the high and holy Saints for ever, such a measure of Beatitude, Isa. 64 4. As eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, 1 Cor. 2. 9 
Use. 1.   
This unmeasurable extent of God's mercies serves first to urge upon us the drift of the Prophet in this place, viz. To praise God for his mercy, the whole work of our salvation goes under this Title, 1 Pet. 2. 10. Which in time past were not the people of God, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy; to what part soever we look, the whole frame of it is made of mercy, if we begin at God's election, the foundation and groundwork of all, and pass down to the last period of all, which is glorification, and ask from what root each part sprung, this only Mercy must answer all; Mercy in choosing mercy, in sending CHRIST, in calling, justifying, sanctifying, strengthening, preventing, preserving, and the admitting of us to an Inheritance immortal and undefiled, 1 Pet. 1. 4. all from mercy, so that the burden of our song must still be with David, Psal. 132. 1. For his mercy endureth for ever. In the parable of the profuse prodigals return, the whole stream of his Father's carriage toward him, is nothing but mercy, when he was yet a far off, his father saw him, had compassion on him, ran to meet him, fell on his neck, kissed him, etc. In the whole work, there is nothing but mercy, Luke 15. 20. etc. So that light and darkness, God and the Devil, hot and cold, and not in a line of greater opposition than mercy and merit in the work of man's salvation, which Antichristian Doctrine is like a Centaur half man, half horse, or like that brood of Nilus, half frog, half earth, or the minotaur, half bull, half man, contraries in a remiss degree may admit intention and remission, 
opera requiruntur necessitate presentiae non efficientiae.  as heat and cold in tepid lukewarmeness, but in the highest degree they cannot. So (though we grant with Saint Augustine, 
Aug.  good works to be necessary in regard of their presence, 
Fides apprehensive, opera declarative, Christ uc effectivae justificant.  not of their efficiency, and with Bernard, that they are the way to the Kingdom) Yet in the case of justification, Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4. 6. and Rom. 6. 23. Considered in their highest degree, 
Works the cause of life everlasting.  even to the very sufferings of Martyrs, Rom. 8. 18. they can no more stand with mercy than Dagon of the Philistines is able to confront the holy Ark of JEHOVA, 
Rhem. annot. super  1 Sam. 5. 3. By which we see the Papist, 
2. Tim. 4. 8.  like an unskilful Empiricke in Physic make a Potion for a sick soul, 
Ruard. Tapperus in explic. artic. Lovan.  as he that went into the field to gather herbs, but found a wild Gourd, and put it into the pottage, while the eaters cried out, Death in the pot, 2 Kings 4. 39 So do they temper the soules-salving herb of grace, with the poisoning Gourd of humane merit, dealing with the Church of God, as unkindly, as unnatural Parents, or Nurses giving their children a stone for bread, and a Scopion for a fish, as the Philistines with isaack's wells, stopping them with earth, 
Reward of Favour. Debt. Vis excidere gratiam tunc jacta merita tua. Aug. in Psal. 31.  Gen. 26. 15. Choking and damning up the fountain of Grace, which ought to be open to the house of jacob, Zach. 13. 1. Changing the reward of favour and promise, Col. 3. 24. into their own, of debt. Nay, further, it is the corrupt and dangerous conceit of many who would not be accounted popish, but seem to magnify the free mercies of God, which yet will be saved by well-doing, good meanings, and good prayers, like the children of the jews, who marrying with the Ashàodites, spoke half in their language, Neh. 13. 24. which is an impeachment to their sufferings, which trod the winepress clean, Isa. 63. which will not give to others, nor communicate this his glory with others, Isa. 42. 8.  
It is only mercy without merit, that must lift a man from the gates of despair, when the angry brow of the Almighty is bended against him for sin, 
Non dìaphorecus sed grumosus sudor. Christi.  as we see in David, Psal. 51. etc. and our Saviour Christ standing in the gap of God's wrath (being but our surety and pledge) yet his soul was heavy unto death, trickling down those thick drops of blood, in his miraculous sweat in the Garden; thou mayest for a while with David cast the dark cloud of security over thy sins to hide them, as the fish Sepia casts up a black liquor to hide herself, but woe be to them that seek in deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, their works are in secret, and they say, who sees it? Isa. 
Ita gravis est culpa conscientiae ut sine, judice ipsa se pumat. Ambr. l. 2. de penit.  29. 15. Eccles. 23. 18. He that searcheth jerusalem with a lantern, will find thee out, and rouse up thy slumbering Conscience, and then so heavy is the sin of conscience that without any more evidence it passeth judgement upon itself, Pro. 18. 14. A wounded spirit, who can bear? even none but God. In all other troubles, miseries, and molestations we wrestle with men or devils, but here (impar congressus) weak man with his Maker, brittle clay with its Potter, sinful man with holy God, which is of purer eyes then to look upon evil, Hab. 1. 13. and a consuming fire, Heb. 12. 29. In other things, man is a friend and favourite to himself, as Peter persuades CHRIST to pity himself, but here he is his own enemy, and often in the rage of his conscience, his own executioner, as in judas and Pilate, jere. 20. 4. Rehold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, thy memory, reason, every sense and faculty of thy soul, is a Gorgonian-hell-●urie, to torment thee. Now in this case when a man's bones is full of the sins of his youth, job 20. 11. His heart broken with one breaking upon another, job 16. 14. His conscience upon the rack, his God writing bitter things against him, 
Cor meum a te, inquietum est donec redeat ad te. Aug. li. 1. Confess.  job 23. 26. Then comes the mercy of God to comfort him, all other comforts of works, merits, satisfactions, etc. are miserable comforters, job 16. 2. And will consume as a rotten thing, and as a garment that is moth-eaten; the soul of a Christian is like Noah's Dove, which finds no safety, till returning to the Ark of God's mercy.  
Comfort thyself then in God's mercy, which will not suffer thee to be over-yoaked with thy sins, plead with him in the receiving of Adam, Manasses, and the whole troop of reconciled sinners, and though thine adversary Satan write a book against thee, answer cursed Cain disabling God's mercy, 
Mentiris Cain. Aug.  Gen. 4. 13. with Augustine, Thou liest Cain; for greater is God's mercy, than man's iniquity, and say to thy disconsolate spirit, Why art thou so sad my soul, Psalm. 11.  
And as we ought, 
Use. 2.  and in duty are enjoined to give thanks for all things, so are we chiefly to sing our Ha●●elu-jahs unto God, for the performance of the promised Messiah, and that in the practice and phrase of the Priest Zacharie, Lu. 1. 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people, etc. And with old Simeon in his Cygnean dying Hymn, Blessed be thou, O Lord, for our eyes have seen thy salvation, L●ke 2. 30. That fountain of living waters, jere. 2. 12. In regard of whom all other things are but the broken Cysternes of vain and disconsolate hope. The refreshing waters of Gods free mercies,, the purchase whereof is without money or prize, 
Ecce quam antea vocaveat a quam nunc appellat vinam & lac, quae sunt res pretiofissimae. Tertull.  Esa 55. 2. lest you think it too dear, and because water, if you think it not worth the labour, it's wine and milk, whose worth and necessity you well know, that true Aqua vitae, which whoso drinketh shall never thirst, but it shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life, john 4. 14. He is our Bethlehem and house of bread, the living bread that came down from heaven, joh. 6. 35. He is a ship of safety which bears us by the comfortable goal of his love, 
Socrat. l. 4 c. 16 Theodor. li. 4. cap. 18.  and the gentle Zephyrus of his mercy, from the shelves and rocks of black despair, so that though immodest. 
Sozom. li. 6. ca 18.  Modest as General to the Emperor Valens the Arrian, burn the ship wherein the Christian Legates were embarked, seeking to destroy the Confessors and professors of Christianity, which though they perished in their wooden bark, were sure enough in the heavenly Ark by CHRIST. He is that unspeakable gift of God, for which we must give thanks, 2 Cor. 9 ult. And if thou knowest the gift of God, john 4. 10. Which is the gift of all gifts, which is given to us, Esa. 9 6. In comparison of whom all other are but as the drop of a Bucket to the whole Ocean, in whom, appear the bowels of God's love, and the inscrutable depths of his mercy in him, through him, and by him (while we were sinners and enemies) to bring to pass that wonderful work of our Redemption, joh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. In him by this we see the fullness of it, 1 john 4. 9 And as Bethlem to jury, and Scicilia to Italy, were accounted their granary for their fruitfulness, the Poets feigning Ceres to keep residence there; so may our Saviour CHRIST be accounted as the store-house and Cornucopia of all good things to his Church, Col. 2. 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, the fullness of the Godhead bodily, ver. 9 In him we are complete, ver. 10. Knowledge and wisdom are in men by revelation, in Angels by vision, but in him by union; of whose fullness we all receive, john 1. 16. Thy being, well-being, and eternal being, have their dependence on him: this consolation of Israel, 
Euseb. li. 1. devita Constantini in hoc vince.  this expectation of the Gentiles, this Noah to comfort thee, Gen. 5. 29. This crucified Lord, showed to Constantine to comfort him in his expedition, against the Tyrant Maxentius, with a promise of victory, is opposed against all thy fears and discontents; if fin press and oppress thee, he is thy righteousness, 1 Cor. 1. 30. If the curse vex thee, he is thy blessing, Gen. 12. 2. Galath. 3. 8. If weakness pinch thee, he is thy strength, Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 9 If the great debt of thy sins lay hold on thee, charging to pay that thou owest, he is thy payment, Matth. 17. 27. If damnation make thee afraid, he is thy salvation, Acts 4. 10. If death, he is thy life, john 14. 6. If Satan, he hathover come him, Heb. 2. 14. If hell shall open her mouth upon thee, he hath victoriously Sampson-like borne away the gates, quelled and quashed the power of it, Hos. 13. 14. So that in and through him only, thou art more than a Conqueror. Be not like the Horse or Mule that have no understanding, nor like the sons of the earth, the cockered Darlings of unstable Fortune, who gaping after the transitory things of the world, can only now and then, in a carnal humour send forth a short ejaculatory Thanksgiving for their temporals which they possess, but seldom or never for CHRIST JESUS, which they possess not, without whom, they must be content to perish for ever. This is that rich pearl bestowed upon the Merchant, resolving above all things to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, setting sail for the Cape De bona Speransa, fraught and bound for the New Ierusale●; than let thy mouth from thy heart) the fountain of all true praise, be as this silver Trumpet filled with Hallalu-jahs for this heavenly and unspeakable gift.  
Thirdly, 
Use. 3.  this Doctrine just in the phrase of another Baptist preaching in the wilderness of judea, cries unto us in a more than necessary exhortation, especially in these last and worst days, Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand, Matth. 3. 2. The selfsame holy use which the Spirit of holiness draws from the Doctrine, Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 2 Peter, Chapter 3. verse 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness, but he is long suffering toward us, not willing that any, should perish, but that all should come to repentance; Turn ye then unto the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil, joel 2. 13. and that you may rightly turn, find ease and refreshing for your souls; Consider, that as in Jacob's ladder, which reached from earth to heaven, there were certain steps for ascending and descending, so are there certain degrees in descending to this all-curing Bethesda of repentance.  
First, is an inward perplexity, sitting like Hagar, Gen. 21. 15. when her bottle was emptied, or like the Prodigal, Luke 15. which by his want is forced to a consideration of his estate, retorting his thoughts into himself, is deeply affected, with the solid apprehension of his own misery, 
In se revertebat. jerom.  verse 17. and in this perplexed case concludes against himself; that if he remains as he was, his case was desperately hopeless, and he must perish for ever; upon which, he resolves with himself, to go home to his father's house, by repentance, seeing the gate of Mercy opened to all true penitents; wicked men have but one spiritual eye, by which they see the horrid pitfall of their misery, 
A penitent person hath two eyes.  as Cain, judas, etc. but the penitent hath two, with the one he sees his misery by sin; with the other, his hopeful comfort by God's mercy, and thus his fear becomes filial, Psal. 130. 4. Thou art merciful, and worthy to be feared, drawing the Argument of his son-like obedience from that mercy, which he fears to miss; the wicked man's service (if ever he have any) springs from a terror of judgement and wrath, which is only servile, the penitent bears not the image and superscription of a Pharisaical justiciary, Luke 18. who begins with gloria patri, instead of miserere mei, his motto, I thank thee, O God, that I am not like other men, but the portraiture of the poor Publican, perplexed, and knocking upon his breast; Crying, Lord be merciful unto me a sinner.  
The second degree, is Sorrow, which ariseth from the former apprehension of God's anger, and man's perplexed guilt standing before him, arraigned and convicted in his own Conscience, for so many and so manifold rebellions and transgressions.  
And here we must distinguish Sorrow which is twofold; 
Sorrow twofold.  first, a worldly sorrow, which is a dissembled, hypocritical repentance, as in Ahab, judas, Esau, etc. Secondly, the other is a godly sorrow for sin, proper only to the godly man, and the true badge of the penitent, both which we see, 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh salvation by repentance, not to be repent of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death; the former arising from the mercy of God, as being sorrowful that he hath offended him, as David, Psal. 51. 4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight; the gracious favours which were bestowed upon him, as his exaltation from a poor ruddy-faced Shepherd, to sit upon a Princely throne; his several deliverances from the Bear, the Lion, the Champion of the Phlistines, and the sundry treacheries practised against him by his Master Saul, hunting him as a Partridge upon the mountains, establishing his kingdom, etc. with infinite more, being called into David's remembrance and made the matter of his retired meditations, with his own ungrateful ungracious rebellions, do cause his eyes to distil like a Limbeck, and his rocky-stony-pumise-dry heart, to overflowwith the Tears of a truely-sorrowfullpenitent, and now his heart being hot within him, as at other times upon other considerations Psal. 39 3. He breaks silence, and in the grief of his soul complains of the ill requital with which he had recompensed the Lord of his merciful kindness. The like we may see in that pattern of penitents, the profuse Prodigal, Luk. 15. The sinne-loden-citizen woman, Luke 7. 47. Coming attended with shame and sorrow, lavishly washing the feet of her Saviour with tears from her soul's stillatory, that must wash not only her feet, as was said to Peter, john 23. 9 but also her hands and her head; this hath been, is, and must be, the course of every saved sinner to retire, and return by weeping cross; thus breaking the heads of Dragons in the water, washing away great sins by great sorrow: What shall then be said of the preposterous course of the world, doing all by contraries; like that Nation, who in a cross emulation of their neighbours, whose custom in curtese is to put off their Hats in saluting one another; these (because they will be contrary) put off their shoes at their meetings; 
Hysteron-proteron, in repentance.  so in this main matter you shall see the wicked man play cart before horse, and in stead of sorrow for his sins, brag and boast of them, as if the Peacock's pride lay in his black feet, or the Thief's glory in their halters, to boast of strength, to quarrel, and drink wine, Hab. 2. 15. To boast of lying, stealing, cozening, policy, etc. with the bloody Poligamist, Gen. 4. 23. I have slain a man in my wounding, and a young man in my hurt; which Scripture, although Catharinus, think inexplicable, 
Hi●ron. Epist. 125 ●●d Da●●● vide Willet super locu●.  and upon which Origen writ two whole books, and with diverse have diversely interpreted; yet with Calvin, it is most likely to be a brag, and an insolent boast of his bloody strength. What is this else, but even to be proud of that which should be (and at length will be) the matter of our shame, and the confusion of our faces, Phil. 3. 19 They glory in their shame.  
The third degree in repentance after our humiliation, is the earnest craving and begging of pardon, grounded likewise upon God's merciful kindness, a glimpse of which the penitent sees, though dimmely (as the newly-cured blindman, saw men walk like trees, or as Zebul, judg. 9 39 took men to be but the shadows of the mountains) yet truly, Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him turn to the Lord; the reason follows, and he will have mercy upon him, and will abundantly pardon; the like. Hos. 6. 1. Come let us return unto the Lord, the reason moving; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up: and this assurance of mercy and willingness to forgive, arms the sinner with boldness, to solicit the throne of Grace; so that he which unfeignedly reputes, believes, and prays for pardon, Repentance and prayer being inseparable Companions, Eccle. 3. 12. Examine thyself than with what boldness thou prayest, filling heaven and earth with the Abba, Father, how thou comest to God as thy father, in the name of CHRIST as they Redeemer, by the power of the Spirit of Adoption: as by God's mercy in the assurance of thy faith interessed in all the promises, being drawn hereto by the cords of love, and the bands of mercy; and this hath been the pathway, in which all the high Saints and servants of God have traced and trodden to their Celestial home, it being Gods own precept, Psal. 30. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble, etc.  
The fourth degree ushered by the former, is newness of life, springing. Likewise out of the brazen mountains of Gods constant mercies, as continent joseph makes his advancement, the argument of his chastity, Gen. 39 8. He answered his Mistress, behold my Master woteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand, there is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept any thing from me, but thee, because thou art his wife, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Three things stay joseph from committing this sin; first, the fear of God; secondly, the love of his Master, in regard of his liberality; thirdty, the duty of the wife toward her husband, as learned Mercerus hath well observed. 
Mercerus super cap. 39 Genes. Peterius in genesin.  Or first, the reverence of God's Majesty, seeing and beholding all things; secondly, the consideration of his mercy and benefits received; thirdly, the fear of judgement, as Pererius, he knew all the honours of Egypt could not buy of the guilt of one sin; a good heart will rather lie in the dust, then rise by wickedness in offending a merciful God, and thus it is grounded, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Upon God's merciful promises, Having therefore these promises, dear beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God; The same Apostle, by the same Apostolical spirit, exhorts to renovation of life by the same reason, Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Then beloved, let the merciful kindness of God, which every hour thou triest upon thee and thine, even in thy food, raiment, liberty, friends, breathing, etc. besides those inestimable treasures of his love in thy daily preservation, etc. draw thee to repentance in newness of life, to stamp upon thee a new creature, Turn not the grace of God into wantonness, jude 4. but know, that the grace of God hath appeared to teach us, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to walk honestly, soberly and righteously in this present world, Tit. 2. 12. We are delivered from the fear of our enemies, to make our obedience without fear, Luke 1. 74. being under grace then, let us give up our members weapons of righteousness, Rom. 6. 19 Seeing all the mercies of God like so many remembrancers, cry unto us for this duty; let us not despise (undervaluing and vilipending) the mercies of God, 
Simon Magus Basilides, Eunomius, and the Gnostics.  in living after our own hearts, and following our own crooked ways, as those Heretics of old, which sprung up from the malicious seed of the Serpent, immediately after the Apostles, have wickedly taught; else ye heap up wrath against the day of wrath, and make the holy Gospel of CHRIST JESUS, no better, than the Turks licentious Alcoran, which is fraught with nothing but the merchandise of the corrupted flesh, large promises of Epicurism in Paradise.  
But Christians must not so learn CHRIST back again by repentance is the better way, losing the Herculean gordian knot, and unweaving with Penelope the web of thy sins, else can we not hope for peace; For there is no peace to the wicked, Isa. 48. 22. Our iniquities have made a division betwixt God and us, Isa. 59 2. which must be broken down by repentance; if thou ask, being in the Gibeonitish rags of thy sins, as jehoram asked jehu, Is it peace? is it peace. 2 Kings 9 
Grace and peace inseparable Companions.  18. Shall there be peace betwixt God and thy soul; the answer retorts itself upon thee, What hast thou to do with peace? so long as thou wantest Grace, and liest polluted; prostituting thy Soul and Body to all profaneness. What wicked man ever had peace? Let Cain, Achitophel, Antiochus, Epiphanes, Nero, etc. With the whole garrison of Scorners be brought upon the stage, and they will answer, they never had peace; because they never had renovation by Repentance. Come then while the Lord is near, and seek him while he may be found. Isa. 55. 6.  
Seeing the merciful kindness of God is so largely extended to all Creatures, 
Use. 4.  but more and most especially to Man, it teacheth us to be his followers and imitators in this, and as he hath propounded himself an exampler and pattern in other things to be followed, 
Omnis actio Christi est nostra instructio.  as in his Holiness, Levit. 9 2. Cap. 20. 7. Be holy for I am holy. Every of his moral actions being our instructors, so he would be imitated in this act of Mercy, Mat. 5. 45. Do good to them that hate you, that you may be the Children of your Father which is in heaven, who causeth his Sun to shine both upon the bad, and the good, and this our duty of mercy consists in two things. 
Act of Mercy wofolde.  1. In giving, 2. In forgiving.  
First, in Giving, that is compassionately and pitying, administering to the necessity of our brethren, taught unto us in the Communion of Saints: As citizens of one Corporation, branches of one Vine, members of one body, all under one Head, the body of CHRIST. Colos. 2. 17. so to sympathize in affections, as to have a sensible feeling of our mutual wants, like Peter's new converts, Acts, 2. 44. which is not anabaptistical, denying all propriety of Goods or Lands to any Man, nor all to be meum, tuum, Common, but as a Christian tendering one another's good, and a supportation of their wants, as Act. 11. 28. when Agabus signified by the spirit, that their should be Dearth throughout the World, the Disciples every man according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren which dwelled in judea. Heb. 13. 3. Remember them which are in prison, as bound with them, and them that suffer adversity as yourselves being in the body, for if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. 1. Cor. 12. 
Aelian. lib. 13. de varia, hist.  26. And a Righteous man even pittyeth inferior creatures, he regardeth the life of his Beast. Prov. 12. 10. Like Xenocrates, an Heathen Philosopher, whose pitiful heart succoured in his bosom, the poor Sparrow, eagerly pursued of her Enemy the Hawk.  
Be then exhorted to this duty, there are great numbers of poor Lazarusses which lie at thy Gates, bearing the image of CHRIST in their naked bodies, give unto them not sparingly, that thou mayest reap liberally, for thy harvest must answer thy Seede-time, an Almoner is like an Archer, 
Simile.  which aimeth at the mark in the midst of the white, the White he seeth, the Mark he seeth not; the mark he cannot hit which he seeth not, unless he hit the white which he seeth, so we cannot hit God the mark which we aim at, unless we hit the white which is Man. 1. john 4. 20. If we love not our Brother whom we have seen, how can we love God, whom we have not seen, those that abound with God's blessings, must be like the full end of an houre-glasse-emptying themselves into the needy? 
Greg. Nazianzen monodia in Basill. mag.  Gregory Nazianzen regestring the life of great Basill, commends a Zenodochium, or house of Harbour, which he built for strangers above the Egyptian Pyramids, the famous Sepulchre of Mansolus, or the famous Colossus of Rhodes, or any other wonder in the world; so thy mercy showed to the poor, shall make thy name like an odoriserous perfume made by the art of the Apothecary, smell after thee to bless thine increase in all things, the ploughman shall touch the Mower, 
Ecce misericordiam activam, praesta mihi passivam.  and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed, Amos 9 13. Thy mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all thy hills shall melt, cast then thy bread upon the waters. Eccles. 11. 1. And when thou makest a Feast call in the lame and the blind, Luke 14. 13. and like Elisha, 
Semen Eleemosynae magis multiplicatur in sterili, quam pingui terra  pour thy oil into empty, not full vessels. 2. King 4. 4. The seed of alms grows better, thrives and multiplies more abundantly in a poor then fat Earth, let the feeble hearts of the Saints b●e comforted by thee, Philemon 7.  
The second, is showed in forgiving, the precept of which is laid down Eph. 4. 32. Forgive 
Stella sup. luc●  one another as God for CHRIST'S sake forgave you; when our Saviour CHRIST had laid it down in that methodical Prayer commended and commanded to his Church, Mat. 6. 12. And that under pain of excommunication from God retaliating upon us the same measure we offer to others, knowing our backward perverseness in performing those duties of love, especially this, of forgiving, he begins a fresh Sermon, Verse 14. Drawn from the law of equity, by which we shallbe measured, If you will not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses. In the parable of the unmerciful servant Mat. 18. 34. How sharply doth our Saviour reprehend him? O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me, shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow, as I had pity on thee; and his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors, etc. Pro. 19 11. It is the glory of a man to pass by offences. Yet not in a foolish pity, as Ahab with Benhadad. 1. King. 21. letting him escape whom the Lord had commanded to be slain; or to take away the sword from the secular Magistrate, the Kings own Son borne of his Grace and sovereignty; for he is appointed to punish offenders, 
In the law as well Peace offerings as meato offerings.  whose ordinance is from God. Rom. 13. 4. of such, Deut. 19 13. Their eyes must not spare the offenders, whose escapements by their negligence shallbe required at their hands, but of revenge for private wrongs to take the sword of justice into our own hands how dare we when God hath threatthreatned (by the mouth of truth itself) that their shallbe judgement without mercy, to him that showeth no mercy, 
Iniurias illata● raró iure sed feraro vindicant, Munster.  and he that forgiveth not, must never be forgiven; how many woes than lie upon this Iron age, wherein we live, how many of those barbarous Scythians which seek no justice but by bloody cruelty, sword and revenge to right themselves, say not then, I will recompense evil, but wait upon the Lord and he shall save thee, 
joseph and David both honourable the one in pardoning his Brethren Gen. 50. 21. the other his enemy.  Prov. 20. 22. How many are there whose hearts are as hard as the neither millstone, and whose hands are withered like the hand of jeroboam, which they cannot stretch forth to give any thing. If they give, it is for their own ends and not for the affliction of josoph, Amos 6. 6. 
2. Sam. 19 23.  Which with many more, shows that we are but empty barrels, sounding, but holding no liquor, our professions like the bird with the great voice, but almost no body, and as we know not how to give, no more do we how to forgive; our private grudges, heartburning, and continual suits (which makes one cluster of humane Law more esteemed, than the whole Vintage of divine Law) proclaim that our profession is nought but policy, our cases in Law, more worth than the cases of Conscience.  
Lastly, 
Use. 5.  this doctrine serveth as a Counterplea to a false Challenge, made by the wicked and unregenerate Man, daring in his presumptuous security to challenge those mercies of God, as his own by free Charter, like the Devils lay claim to the whole World, Mat. 4. 9 All these things will I give thee, pretending them all to be his own free Lordship, but Dan. 4. 21. It is jehovah the most high God that beareth rule over all the Kingdoms of Men, & giveth them unto whom he will. 
Athenaeus in dipnosoph. li. 12.  Or like the deep Lunatic, who dreams of Kingdoms, and greatness, being poor; or like the Fool in Athens, who challenged all the Ships in the port, and all the riches that came to the City to he his, when in the mean time he had scarce a rag to cover himself withal; or like Isaiahs' Dreamer, 
Isa. 29. ver. 8.  dreaming of eating & drinking, but waking, his soul is empty, hungry and thirsty; Or like Charles the 7. king of France, being by our victorious English and that warlike Edward named the Black-prince, almost expelled, and expulsed his whole Kingdom, was called King of the poor Biturgians, 
Rex Biturigum.  a King without a Kingdom. So do the wicked claim an interest in God's mercies: CHRIST indeed is sufficient for all, but not efficient to all, joh. 1. 12. To as many as received him he gave power to be called the sons of God. He came to all, but all receives him not; The mercies of God Psal. 120. Are from ever lasting to everlasting. Great are thy tender mercies, Psal 119. 156. but it is upon them that fear him. 
Simile.  Mal. 4. 2. Upon such the Sun of Righteousness shall shine with healing in his wings, as the Sun is cheerfully pleasant to eyes that be found, so it is troublesome to the sore; so is CHRIST JESUS in his rising: and even as a half blind man passing over a narrow bridgeusing spectacles, 
Stell● super Luc.  which make the bridge seem broader than it is, the blind man being thus deceived falls headlong into the water; So by the spectacles of corrupt natural reason and presumption which the wicked man looks through, 
Scias oportet quod quem ad. modum misericors est it a iustus et rectus.  the mercy of God which is the bridge is made too broad & his justice shruck too narrow, leaning upon the one & forgetting the other till he tumble down into the brimstone Gulf of perdition, so that thou must know, saith Stella, that as he is merciful so is he just, and of most exact integrity. Zeph, 3. 5. The just Lord is jam the midst of his Temple, he will do no iniquity, every morning doth he bring his judgement to light; 
Gravissime.  Therefore doth he punish most heavily in regard of the weight and greatness of sin, 
justissime.  most justly because of the holiness of his Law, 
Certissime.  and most certainly because of his integrity & truth: In this regard Nehemiah Chap. 9 33. acknowledgeth, Thou O lord art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly; Mercy and justice walking in a just Parallel with God, 
Misericordia ct justicia parigradum in deo currunt.  humble thy heart then and examine thyself, if thou lie with Moab corrupted upon the lees and dregs of Swearing, Lying, Stealing, etc. Thy claim to God's mercies is nought, thou art in the gall of bitterness, having neither part nor portion in this business Act. 8. 21. Be ye not deceived. 1. Cor. 6. 9 The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. No unclean thing is written in the Book of the Lamb. Reu. 21. 27. Be thou then obedient to the Heavenly vocation, and the mercy of God shall embrace thee on every side.  
The second motive, 
The second motive,  enjoining us to the duty of praise, is drawn from the truth of the Lord, that is, the steadfast mutability, and the unchangeable constancy of his promises, the most certain and continual testimonies of his Grace in sending CHRIST, and in him performing all those Covenants betwixt him and his people. 
The several acceptions of the word truth.   
Sometime truth is taken as opposed to all the outward levitical ceremonies, only shadowing the Messiah to come. joh. 4. 23. The time shall come when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, sometime for sincerity in our conversation, joh. 3. 21. he that doth truth cometh to the light, an Israelite in whom is no guile. joh. 1. 47. Sometime for the rule of God's law, Rom. 2. 8. Disobeying the truth, and obeying unrighteousness; and 1. Pet. 1. 22. Yourselves are purified by obeying the truth.  
Sometime for the sincere doctrine of the Gospel, Gal. 2. 5. that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you.  
Sometime for justice Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and truth preserves the King.  
Sometime for such a truth as depends not upon Opinion which may err, but for that Metaphysical truth, which is affectio Entis, and such I take it to be here, and so in God it cannot fail, so taken, Rom. 3. 7. If the verity or truth of God, hath more abounded through my lie, and so upon the premises this doctrine builds itself. There is nothing more certain to come to pass in a due and true performance, 
Doctrine.  than the truth of all God's promises.  
We need not stand to prop the truth, of this truth, upon any weak foundation of man's building, 
Reas. 1.  for his truth is himself, Exod. 34. 6. abundant in goodness and truth. Man may be said to be true, merciful, just, but God is truth mercy and justice itself in the abstract; so the Prophet here brings his truth in the second place as the sure performer of his merciful kindness, whatsoever, saith Calvyn, He doth promise by his mercy, 
Lib 3. Instit. cap. 4. quunque misericorditer pollicetur etc.  he doth faithfully perform, because his mercy and truth are undissolubly knit together, they go hand in hand, and cannot be separated; and as he cannot lie nor deny himself, Tit. 1. 2. No more can his truth fail, Num. 23. 19 God is not as man, that he should lie, or the son of man to repent, his truth is confirmed, strengthened, verified, and so corroborated toward us (for so the word translated great, 
Signifieat, aucta, confirmata corroberata verificata.  in the Original signifieth) that if we would we cannot put it from us, but it will overcome us to acknowledge it, if the Lord speak it even to the miraculous continuing of the Meal in the barrel, and the Oil in the Cruse, 1. King. 17. 14. Even in the preservation and maintenance of the Patriarch jacob, Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy the least of thy mercies, 
Hessus super Psal. 117.  and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant, here is finem non habitura fides, his truth is even decked and clothed with constancy and firmness, we cannot object against him as the Poet against jason, 
Ovid Epist.  and in him against unstable Man.  

Mobilis AEsonide vernaque incertior aura,  
Cur tua polliciti pondere verba earent?   

Inconstant son of AEson, fickle wight  
and more unconstant than the wind in spring,  
How is it that thy words are grown so light,  
to want that weight should be in promising.   
He deserves not with Antigonus, to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  who promised much and performed little, neither with Thaeaginus, to be called smoke who promised much being very poor, neither with Hermodorus will he sell his words, he doth not, 
Deus fecit cbirographum, promissorum non debendo sed promittendo in verbis dum sedit. Luc. ser. 31.  will not, cannot, equivocate with man in the truth of his promises as he that promised centum oves, and performed centum ova, he hath given us an hand-writing and obligation of promises, made himself our debtor, not by owing but promising, saith the great Bishop of little Hippo the heavenly Augustine, that we cannot say unto him, give that thou owest, but we must pray unto him, for what he promiseth; his promises are not like the golden shows, nor showers of the World, who like Satan, Mat. 4. 9 promise what they cannot perform, inverting the words of the wise Photion, 
Magna non, promittenda sed facienda hominibus. ser. de prud.  who would have great matters performed not promised, as Stobaeus witnesseth, but they promise golden mountains, the opulency of Lydian Croesus, which in performance prove but moale-hills. Among the sons of the earth, some indeed perform that which after ward they repent, as joshua did to the Gibeonites, jos 9 23. some promise what they can do but mean it not, as Jacob's sons to the Sichemits, Gen 34. 26. Some promise willingly but give unwillingly, as Herod john Baptists head to Herodias, Mar. 6. 16. Some promise but after deny it, as Laban dealt with jacob. Gen. 29. 23. as is complained Cap. 31. 41. Thou hast changed my wages ten times, but the promises of God are to the faithful in hope, without hope, above hope, and against hope, 
In spe, extra spem, supra spem contra spem.  the father of the faithful proved all this to be true, Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might be the Father of many Nations, the ground of whose Faith, was the promise according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be, Gen. 15. 5.  
This was accounted unto Abraham for righteousness, 
Lib. 5. de Abraham cap. 3.  saith Ambrese, because he believed and required no reason, so the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.  
Because he hath made his truth as strong as the brazen pillars of eternity, 
Reas. 2.  to encourage his servants wholly to rely upon him, expecting the performance of his promises, he made them before the foundation of the World, enact them in the great Parliament of Heaven before all time, Ephe. 1. 5. they were and are, firm, stable, great and precious, to make us partakers of the divine nature, 2. Pet. 1, 4. performed in time when the time of promise came, which God had sworn to Abraham, 
2. Things required in faithfulness both in God 1. Ability,  given a word of prmoise. Rom. 9 7 in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed, purposed salvation for us before the world began, 2. Tim. 1. 9 Purchased inheritance of promise, 
Rom. 4. 21.  Heb. 6. 12. be not slothful, 
1. Thes. 5. 24. Willingness,  but followers of them, which through Faith and patience inherit the promises adopted, 
Deu 32. Isa. 49. 7. 8.  as children of promise, Gal. 4. 28. Now we brethren as Isaac, 
Heb. 10.  are the children of promise, drawn Covenants of promise, 
Heb. 11.  Ephes. 2. 12. The spirit of truth the Scrivener of them. 
2. Tim. 2. 13.  Ephes. 1. 
1. Pet. 5, 7.  13. And sealed with the spirit of promise, having set not only his hand, 
1 joh. 3. 1.  but the signet of his right hand, 
Isa. 45. 15.  the character & engraven image of his own person, Amen. The truth of the father, 2. Cor, 10. 10. All the promises of God are yea, & Amen in CHRIST, which is the truth itself. Reu. 3. 14. These things, saith the Amen the true and faithful witness, the new convenant drawn, jer. 31. 31. And the counterpane thereof. Heb. 8. 8. Are of more force and virtue than all the bills, bonds, and obligations be they never so curiously and cunningly framed in the winding M●ander of a Ploydons brain, Heaven and Earth shall pass ereone jot, or title of these can perish; nay if there were neither book, record, ink or paper in the world, they are written more surely then with a pen of Iron, engraven more firmly then with the point of a Diamond by the spirit of God's grace, and adoption in the heart of every believer; and further, we have not only his bond and counterpane thereof, but for our better assurance we have his oath, Gen. 22. 16. I have sworn by myself, as much as if he had said, let me be no more God, if these things be not performed, thus Isa. 45. 23. sometime for this purpose, he sweareth by his Soul, jer. 51. 14. Amos 6. 8. by his Name, jer. 44. 26. by his Holiness, Amos 4. 2. by his right hand, Isa 62. 8. so to swear by himself his Name, Holiness, etc. are all one (contrary to Philo the jew, 
Lib. 2. de Allegoris legiss.  who would have God to swear by himself, and man by his attributes) thus God for our assurance deals with us like a debtor, who for the certainty of payment pawns his Faith, Truth, Soul, and sometime his God, and this promise was so Sacred even in the light of Nature, that Adesilaus' King of the Lacedæmonians, 
Que promisse non servate Deos sibi hosts reddidisses.  thanked Tissiphernes for breaking his promised truce, because by this breach he had incurred the anger of the Gods; if thus inviolable in Man, 
Plutarch.  how much more in God, who will not falsify his truth, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth, Psal. 89. 33. and whose truth of promise is so confirmed in his CHRIST, Rom. 15. 8. It was the worthy resolution of the Prophets long before the actual incarnation of CHRIST, and the real performance of that great mystery, 1 Tim. 3. 16. that he would perform his truth to jacob, Mic. 7. 20 that he is the Lord jehova and changeth not, Mal. 3. 6. and that he is faithful, 2 Tim. 2. 13, so that his truth endureth for ever.  
And that we may be the more assured of this turth for our third Reason, 
Reason 3  let us look a little into the all-sufficiency of his power, and launch ourselves into the main Ocean of his omnipotency, 
Psala. 1 35. 6 Rom. 9 19 Prov. 21. 30  David tells us, Psal, 115. 3, he hath done whatsoever pleased him, he hath potential power, by which he is able to do more than he will. As of stones to raise up children to Abraham, 
Aposse ad esse non valet, consequentia in Deo.  Math. 3. 9 to send 12 legions of Angels to rescue our Saviour CHRIST from the Cross, Math. 26. 53. to built a thousand worlds, etc. But his will is the limit of his power, In his actual power by which he mightily works in the daily preservation and gubernation of his creatures, he works not with weariness, irksomeness or tediousness, but without all impediment, not as Man in the sweat of his face, but in the whole Hexameron and work of Creation, he only spoke the Word and they were made successively in order, by his word only he causeth the thunder, which is his glorious voice, the Hinds to calve, and the whole course of nature to be continued in her several species without controlment, so that whether we respect his principal promise in sending CHRIST. the desire of all nations, or his inferior less principal, all are surely sealed duly to be performed unto us, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.  
But it may be objected against the faithfulness of God's truth, 
Object.  Gen. 12. 7, he promiseth to give Abraham the land of Canaan, but he inherited it not as the protomartyr witnesseth, Acts 7. 4. God brought him in but gave him no inheritance in it, no not the breadth of one foot.  
Resp. 
Answer  Though Abraham did not personally possess it, yet he may be said to inherit it two ways. First, mystically as it was not only a fertile fruitful and country in Asia (as Scicilia to Italy) but likewise it did Typically shadow the Kingdom of Heaven, the celestial Canaan, the Church Triumphant, and this did Abraham inherit in his own person, 
Sinus dicuntur loca maris a procellis & turbine ventorum Liberima Stella. super Luc. 16.  called his own bosom, Luke 16. 23. into which all the faithful are gathered as into a sure haven, out of the raging storms of the glassy Sea, the brickle world, Rev. 4. 6. So that God in the performance of his promises, though he give not the something, yet he give something equibalent, as to josia, 2 Kings 22. 10. Though he gave him not long life, the promised portion to obedient children Exo. 20. 12. yet he gave him a more excellent thing, taking him from the evil which presently upon his death fell heavily upon his people, and giving him a better life in Heaven.  
Secondly, 
2.  he may be said to inherit it, though not in his own person, or his immediate seed, yet in his posterity, 430 years after the promise was made, as the Apostle proveth, Gal. 3. 17. so though not to the same parties, yet to their successors the truth of God is surely performed, the godly man's patience is expected, for Hab. 2. 3. the vision is for an appointed time though it tarty, wait for it, which shall surely come and not stay, thus Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the the righteous, not in the harvest, but in the seed time, thy harvest is but in hope, as the husbandman casteth his seed into the ground, and is content to stay the time of the reaping, so must we wait for the promises. And though yet he hath not gathered the dispiered of jacob his ancient people, yet the time shall come when the Shulamites shall return and the spirit of grace shall be poured upon the Inhabitants of jerusalem, Zach. 12. 10. CHRIST himself the coin or corner stone and to join together those two great seeds, 
A Corner is an inclination or bowing of 2 lines, the one to the other and the one touching the other, not being directly joined together.  the jews and Gentiles, as by a corner two walls, (which otherwise were broken a sunder) are joined and made one and the building perfected, Ephes. 2, 20. and thus of the truth of all his promises revealed to his Church from time to time, sealed by the infallible witness of the Spirit of truth, even to Peter's vision, Acts 10. 19 are and shall surely be performed: 
Euclid. lib. 1. Element.  so the Doctrine is confirmed against all Atheists that doubt of any of the particulars and say, 
Mat. 21. 42.  2 Pet, 3. 5. Where is the promise of his coming? 
Psal. 118 22 1 Pet. 2. 7  and against all those by whom the way of truth is blasphmed and evil spoken of, let God be true, and every Man a liar, Rom. 3. 4.  
To teach us to make the truth of God in his promises, 
Use. 1.  the ground work of our comfort, steadfastly settling our faith and full assurance thereon, 
Charitas adoptionis veritas promissionis, potest as redditlenis.  devote Barnard in the consideration of this truth was even ravished in an holy ecstasy, saying O the wonderful love of God, in our adoption, the truth of his promises and his power in their performance, we must believe with Abraham, (believing above hope) though in man's reason they seemed to be frustrate, as those millions of Nations to issue out of half sacrificed Isaac, and with faithful Paul, who in his dangerous voyage to Rome (a great tempest arising, neither Sun nor Stars appearing for many days, and being hopeless of all safety) Acts 27. 20. saw by the vision of his faith, and comforts the Mariners, that there should be no loss of any man's life, but only of the Ship, and with David, Psal. 77. 2 ●n the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, etc. when his Soul was full of anguish, refusing comfort, ready to enter the Port of black despair, verse 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever, and will he be favourable no more, hath he forgotten to be gracious, etc. yet he checks himself, Verse 9 This is mine infirmity and weakness. So must we● in the midst of our fiery trials, when the old Serpent, lays the strongest siege at the Castle of our faith, seeking by the roaring Cannons and murdering Bassaliscoes' of diffidence and distrust, to weaken our hope in the truth of God's promises. And to shake our faith (the anchor of our Soul, only able to stay it in the swelling surges, and boisterous waves of all temptations and crosses) Heb 6. 19 But let thy faith, which is the ground of things hoped for, & the subsisting of things which are not seen Heb. 11. 1. grounded upon the truth of God, which purposed, framed, confirmed and enacted, thy happiness in the starry coast of Heaven before the foundation of the world, counter-guard thy heart against all the deepness, strength, power and policy of Satan, build thyself upon the rock, Mat. 7. 24. Which is CHRIST, 1 Cor. 3. 11. and We are stones built upon him, 1 Pet. 2. 5. say of this truth as Gamaliel in such a case, Acts 5. 39 This is of God, it cannot be destroyed or frustrated, be not faithless, but believing, sink not with Cephas in the pit of diffidency, Mat. 14 31. but let his truth be thy supporter in all thine adversities, let thine help stand (not upon the sandy foundation of thine own weakness) but in the name of the Lord, Psal. 121. 2. Rouse up th● self with the cripple at the beautiful gate of the Temple, Act; 3. 8. for He that trusts in the Lord is as Mount Zion which cannot be removed, Ps. 125. 1.  
Secondly, 
Use. 2.  out of the steadfastness of this truth learn further, that in it are considerable, 2 things Hos. 2. 23. First, on God's part, Thou art my people, Secondly, on our part, Thou art my God, he promiseth, confirmeth and performeth happiness, we holiness, he glory, we duty, he heaven, we obedience, he to be a father, we to become children, he is tied to us by oath, and we are bound to him in the straight irrepealable condition of vow; if we want not in obedience, he cannot in performance, and if we expect his performance, let us look unto our own part which is obedience, which if we should do with the reflecting optic and perspicil of true judgement, and consider the crookedness of our paths, he backwardness of our obsequence, and the perverse carriage of our lives, we may with our tongues say with Saul, to Samuel, 1. Sam. 15. 13. Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord, but it might justly be retorted against us, and sheathed in the inmost closet of our consciences in samuel's reply? What meaneth then the bleating of the Sheep in mine ear? and the lowing of oxen which I hear? Thus might it be replied to our pretended holiness and obedience, what mean those troops of Blasphemers, Atheists, Drunkards, Liars, etc. which like the frogs of Egypt, cover the whole land, and yet presumptuously daring, claim the promises of God, and scarce bearing the outward face of Christians, yet are impudently bold with the gainsaying jews, to clear themselves, and say, Mal. 3. 8. Wherein have we trespassed? When in the mean time our consciences testify, that we have wearied the Almighty, pressed and oppressed him as a Cart with sheaves, Amos, 2. 13. with our enormous transgressions, and rebellions committed with an high hand, Num. 15. 13. seated in the chair of the scornful, Masked with brazen-faced impudency that we blush not, jer. 8. 12 with a blockish benumbedness, a calumne and brawny dulness of heart, that we cannot enter into the chambers of our heart in the consideration of our ways, not once crying in the remorse of soul, Alas, what have I done? jer. 8. 6 the very trial of our countenances testifying against us, Esay 3 9 that we can lay no sure ti●l to the Covenant and promise of Mercy, because we wilfully tre●● under foot the vow of obedience but even that God in the rigour of his justice, 1 Sam. 3. 11. should make our two ears to tingle, and our bellies to tremble, Hab. 3. 16. and not to be merciful to such an one, Deut. 29. 19 that addeth drunkenness to thirst, blood to touch blood, Hos. 4. 3. heaping one sin upon another; as one wave of the Sea followeth in the neck of another, where is now the correspondence of this obedience, when thou hast dealt thus falsely in God's covenant. Psal. 44. 67. When thine ears and thine heart are uncircumcised, thy neck not used to the yoke, thy rebellions grown so sinewy and strong, that they cannot bow, and the promises of mercy for all this being made the Argument of thy security, like the Sycamoore, the more wet it receives, the drier it is, so thou, the more mercy the less obedience, what part of God's truth canst thou claim, but that of his justice, even to be brayed and brained with the fool in the mortar of his wrath, though thou be in no damage like other men, but flow wrish like a green bay tree, as David, and that thy breasts be full of milk, and the collops of prosperity appear in thy flank as job, and though thou lie upon beds of Ivory, and stretch thyself upon thy couches, eating Lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall, chanting to the sound of the vial, and inventing to thyself instruments of Music, like David, as Amos saith, Chap 6. 4. Yet it shall not go well with the wicked, he that sow's iniquity must reap affliction. 
Qui mali sunt habent mala, qui boni bona, Plaut. in Pseudol. in prolog.  Prov. 11. and he that soweth righteousness shall reap a sure reward; it is thy goodness not greatness, thy obsequious obedience only holds plea in this case, 
Bonis, bene, malis, male. Plato.  though thou post thy wickedness upon the wings of the silent night, and hide thy sins in the secret caverns and subteraneous cloisters and vaults of the earth, yet the Lord will search jerusalem with a lantherne, The eyes of the Lord are upon thee, 
Apertio & opertio occulorum in deo Aug in Psal. 11  Hab. 2. 20. and his eye lids consider thy ways, Psal. 11. 4. though he now wink and seem to sleep, considering with his eye lids, the crookedness of thy ways taking leisure and respite ere he bring them to light, yet he goes with thee all this while (as he did with the old world 120 years, and a long time with Sodom and Gomorrha) as a public notary, marking thy courses, till thou run thyself to perdition, then opening his eyes which seemed shut, seizing upon thee with this direful redargution, Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done, I held my tongue, thou thoughtest wickedly, that I was even such a one as thyself, but I will reproove thee, 
Scelerum patronus & approbator, Moller super Psal.  and set before thee, the things which thou hast done; all the time of God's patience, wicked man dreams of nothing but peace, making God the approving Parron of his villainies, and if he were not acknowledged, Heb. 11. 6. To be a rewarder, both of the righteous and of the wicked, rendering to the one honour, glory and immortal life, and to the other indignation, wrath, tribulation and anguish, Rom. 2. 7. he might justly be reputed as the wicked themselves, 
Si deus impunitos dimitteretmalos fimilis injustorum inveniretur. Haimo sup. Psal. 50  but it is as possible to change and alter the nature and essence of God, as for the obstinate unjust person to escape the instruments of death prepared for him, Psal. 7. 12. Even the just shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance, Psal. 58. in the performance of this truth. Consider then, what danger it is to wear the livery of disobedience, to tread upon the eggs of a Cockatrice, to hatch their poisonous eggs which who so eateth, dyeth, and that which is crushed, breaketh into a viper, to wove the Spider's web, Isa. 59 5. to have any thing to do with the unfruifull works of darkness, but to inherit shame and confusion. Be ye then like the kine of Beth-sheemosh, drawing the Ark, 1 Sam. 6. 12. though their calves lowed to them and they to their calves, yet being yoked to the Ark they could not turn back; so resolve with thyself, that though thy calves, thy brutish affections cry after thee, and thy darling sins like so many swarms of Bees, troops of beloved friends, 
Aug. lib confession.  or dearest children, (as Augustine confesseth of himself upon his conversion from a dissolute Manichey) encompass thee on every side for reentertainement, yet being tied to the A●ke by thy covenant of obedience, refuse, renounce, shake them off, and cast them away as Ephraim his Idols. If thou wilt needs follow thine imaginations which are evil, Gen. 6. 5. and suffer thyself to lie sottishly chained in the enchanted Castle and fool's Paradise of sin, Pitching thy tents in the Bethaven and house of vanity, drowned in the Soporiferous Nepenthick dregs of the cyrce and bewitching corruption of thine own heart, silencing the thoughts, and vailing the eyes both of sin and punishment, the very visions of thy head will one day make the afraid, Dan. 4. 2 an evil conscience will be unto thee as jobs messenger, joh 1. 19 a disastrous nuncio to torment thee, Prov. 28. 1. cause thee to fly when no man pursueth thee, smite thee with astonishment of heart, Deu. 28. 28. Lev 26. 17 give thee the oil of sadness in stead of gladness, cause thee to say of laughter thou art mad, when the best of thy comforts is bu● from the teeth forward, 
Riusus. sardonicus Adag.  with Nero thou may est change thy chamber, but not thy chamber fellow, for the eyes which sin hath shut, punishment doth open, the whole world of the damned sufficiently testifying, 
Occulos quos culpa clausit, paena aperget. Aug.  as we see in Bal tazar, Dan. 5. in the time of God's silence, what a jolly fellow he was, God gave him a Kingdom, Majesty and honour, all Nations tremble before him, he put down and exalted whom he would, securely carrowfing with high Queens and his Concubines, his Princes, and proceres, in the sacred bowls of the Temple, praising the Gods of gold and silver, but the God in whose hands his breath was, he regarded not, his counsels and hests he obeved not, tell me now when his countenance changes, and his knees knock one against another, what an unquiet house is here when his judge is but writing against him with a little finger, thus it is with wicked men in the time of their disobedience and God's patience, 
Simile.  as cold congealeth together things of quite contrary natures, as wood, stones, Iron, etc. till the fire come to dissolve them, so the soul of man hath frozen together sins of all sorts, and because man is Sathanically blinded, God hath apppointed the fire of his judgement to dissolve them, letting them see what a horrid confusion, they have brought upon their own heads, and what a confused Babel and disordered heap of enormities, they have piled and compiled together, against the day of wrath, the just Judge of the world is not like Philip of Macedon, 
Plutarch in Apophtheg.  who heard the poor woman's cause while he slept, and so gave sentence against her, but true and just in all his sayings, whether they be Menaces or Mercies, even the word which I have spoken unto you shall judge you at the last day, 
Calvin super Psal. 117  john 12 48. Eodem constanciae & firmitatis elogio, ornabitur clementia & veritas, The mercy and truth of God are commended in the same title of constancy and stability, both grounded upon himself; if he be thy Master, then where is thy dutiful fear, and if thy father, then where is thy filial obedience, Mal. 1. 6. If thou expect his promises look to thine own vow, squaring thy obedience by the rule of his law, which must be thy compass, Cynosure, and lodestar to guide thee, to the inherritance which is sealed by his promises in Heaven, to be the happy portion & guerdon of all obedience, respected more than sacrifice. 1 Sam. 15, 22. Eccles. 4. 17. Hos. 6. 6. jer. 7 22.  
This unmeasurable truth of God teacheth us, 
Use. 3.  as dutiful children in this matter to imitate the father of truth in our awful and lawful oaths, our promises and simple asseverations, let truth be the character and image of the inward affection of our hearts, 
Sermosit viva latentis affectio effigies. Calv.  and our tongues the true ambassadors of our Souls, the mouth and the mind are coupled together in an holy Marriage, Math. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; and doth a fountain send forth at one conduit, bitter water and sweet water, jam. 3. 11. so when the tongue speaketh that which the heart never thought, it is conceived in Adultery, and he that bringeth forth such bastards, offends not only the rule of charity, but infringes the inviolable bond of chastity, 
Incomparabiliter, pulchrior est veritas Christianorum, quam Helena Graecorum.  makes a dangerous breach in that moral verity, which is incomparably more beautiful among Christians, than the farre-admired Helena, was accounted among the Grecians, for she crownes all those that die her Martyrs: 
Martyrs qui pro ea viriliter ad mortem pugnaverunt, coronavit. Aug.  The King is strong, women is strong, wine is strong, but the truth is above all, it liveth and conquereth for evermore, 1 Esd. 4. 38.  
Fidelity in keeping promises, is a fruit of the Spirit, and called Faith, Gal. 5. 22. a property of him that is qualified, to dwell in God's Tabernacle, and rest upon his holy Mountain, Psal. 15. 4. It is Gods own precept, Ephes' 4. 15. Put away lying and speak truth every man to his neighbour, it is our armour of proof, able to abide the fiery trial, to make truth our proposition, honesty our assumption, and conscience our conclusion. In this, we are like to God himself, whose ways are mercy and truth, he whose soul is fraught with this, may safely with undaunted boldness, launch forth into the depth of his enemies, set sail and direct his course to the haven of Heaven, to the father, the God of truth, Psal. 30. To the Son, which is truth itself, john 14. 6. and to the Spirit, which is the spirit of truth, 1 john 5. 6.  
What shall we say then of these spurious brats of Satan, which bear his image and superscription, in their lying, dissembling, false swearing, undermining, ledgier-dumaine, etc. which have the deepness of craft in the centre of their hearts, whose sin of lying goes not alone like the Rail, 
Da mihi mendaren & ego ostendam tibi surem. Erasm.  but like the Partridge in covies, coupled and yoked with the Thief, as his fittest copesmate. Zach. 5. 4. Let our Saviour CHRIST be the Herald, to derive their base pedigree, and lineal descent, john 8. 44. You are of your father the Devil, he was a liar from the beginning, so are ye, as like as one apple to another, and how many of these Cratians, Tit. 1. 12. which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 always liars, Irijahs and false accusers, jere. 37. 13. bearing in his tongue the image of his patron, which is called, an Accuser, Rev. 12. 20. How many covetous lying Gehezies, which bear the mark of their infamous leprosies to their graves, 2 Kings 5. 25. how many dissembling Ziba's, 2 Sam. 16. 2. undermining the honest hearted Mephibosheth, how many like the false and perjured Elders against the innocent Susanna, in whose grey beards, and grave heads should have shined the lustre and splendour of truth and honesty, yet filled with in continency and perjury. How many of such false witnesses (as were suborned against our Saviour CHRIST, Math. 26.) And those perjured wretches, which out of their venomous hearts and mouths, belched out those false accusations, and foul aspersions upon the sincere Narcissus sometime Bishop of jerusalem, 
Niceph. Eccl: Hist. lib. 5. cap. 19  All which three were shortly after rewarded with the due desert of perjury; how many of those monsters of men, who in the days of that Virag, the mirror of Fame of more than famous memory, 
Queen Elizabeth.  have not only multiplied, and variated, strange and hellbred plots, and jesuitical more than Italianated complots, against her Sacred person, crown and Kingdom, like those monsters in Africa, every day a new conspiracy, but even after her death to cast the venom of their more than malicious spite upon her immaculate Virgin soul, that rests with her God.  

— Nec mors mihi finiet iras,  
Saeva sed in manes manibus arma dabo,   

It is not death can end my endless wrath,  
But Spite shall rake her ashes, Envy saith.   
Hence than thou sublimated malice, among the infernal Spirits, her incorruptible part is gone to God that gave it, how many of those dogged Doegs, 1 Sam. 22. How many Ananiasses and Saphyraes', Acts 5. with thousands more, which like locusts, cover the surface of the Earth; is not the Star Wormwood, fallen into the glassy Sea of this world, and hath poisoned it, the whole world lies in wickedness, 1 john 5. 19 There is none that doth good, 
Apud Hypocritarum sensum omnis simplicitas in crimine est Gregor.  no not one, Psal. 14. 3. Truth is parted from the Sons of Men, Psal. 12. 1. Every man is a liar, Rom. 3. 4. the abstruse Hypocrite thinks all simplicity faulty, and truth scarce warrantable.  
Learn then beloved from aged Eleazar, 2 Macchab. 6 24. who going to his death because he would not eat Swine's flesh, unlawful to the jews profession, was counselled, for the saving of his life to dissemble & feign the eating thereof; but he considering his age, his grey hairs, his Godly education, etc. answered, It becometh not our age in any wise to dissemble; So a Christian bearing in his crest, the Arms of Heaven, being a Knight of the conquering order of Saint Vincent, and of the red Cross, must not defraud his brother in any matter; for God is the avenger of all such things, 
Three things concur in a lie, 1 Untruth in the matter, 2 A purpose to deceive, 3 Taking pleasure in it. Pet. Martyr.  1 Thes. 4. 6. neither dissembling in matters of Religion, which is a capital lie, nor in civil affairs, as being pernicious; nor in the least kind, which may be officious; for none of these are justifiable, being laid in the balance of God's truth, Quisquis esse aliquid genus mendatij quod peccatum non sit, putarit seipsum decipit, He that thinks any the least kind of lie, to be no sin, deceives himself, for No lie is of the truth, 1 john 2. 21. for the several kinds of lying and dissembling, 
Vide August. in Enchirid. ad laurent.  read at large, Augustine de mendacio ad consentium.  
Further, that we may be drawn to love the Truth, let us consider the judgements of the true God against the enemies of his truth, Psal. 5. 6. He will destroy them that speak lies, 
Vnum sinum cordis, habet in quo videt mendatium alterum in quo concepit verit●tem. August.  him that in the one closet of his heart, sees a dissembling lie; and in the other Cabinet conceives the Embryo of truth, Psal. 55 23 Bloody and deceitful Men shall not live out half their days. Wisd. 1. 11. The mouth that belieth, slayeth the Soul. john makes it a mark of Reprobation, Revel. 21. last, Whose portion is the flying Book of judgements. Zach. 5 4. and Revel. 22. 15. Liars are the black guests entertained in the same rank with Murderers, Adulterers, Witches, Dogs and the Devils Machivistians, which must be without, and have their portion in utter darkness. 
August. de conflict. vitij & virtutis.  Nec artificioso mendatio nec simplici verbo opertet quenquam decipere, quia quomodo libet mentitur quis occidet animam suam, We must not deceive either by artificial Lying, or by pretended Simplicity, for by what means soever a Man doth lie, he destroys his own soul. 
Ambrose.  Turpis est omnis fraus etiam in rebus vilibus, Dissimulation in the least things is abominable. See the all-just God, justly punishing Vladislaus a Christian King of Poland and Hungary, 
Knolles in his History of Turkey.  because he broke a Truce, dissembling with Amurath the 6. an irreligious Turk, with a great overthrow of 30000. at Berna; a just revenge for perfidious dissembling: The like may be seen upon equivocating Arrius, 
Hist. Tripartit. lib. 3. cap. 10.  who being called to the Council of Constantinople, that there he might renounce his Heresy, 
Terror eum subito ex quodam conscientiae secreto constri●xit, & cum formidine secuta est ventris effusio.  deceives those Fathers by a paper in his bosom, in which he had written his Heresy, swearing he believed as he had written, meaning (in a devilish mental reservation) his heretical position which he kept in secret; but see the justice of God following him at the heels, for presently after by the looseness of his Belly in the sudden terror of his Conscience, 
Vide Niceph.  sin lying now at the door, he empties his very bowels into the draught, 
do dogmatibus Arianorum. lib. 8 c. 7. Eccles. Hist.  so taking his last farewell of the world; a just judgement upon perfidious Equivocators and enemies of the Truth. And I would to God, that the maintainers of mental reservation cunningly contriving their mixed propositions, partly mental partly vocal, seeking hereby to delude the truth, would look upon and consider these Examples, upholding that Monster, which no doubt was first bred and brought to light, from the dark Cells of the State-undermining jesuits these Assassionates', as they have several and sundry, many and manifold policies; especially in the Elders and Fathers of that Order, 
See a Book de abstrufioribus jesuitarum studijs.  as hath been discovered in their subterranious vaults in their several Colleges; so have they likewise several Names in every new Christened Country, 
Pap. Masson. in Paulo, 410.  they are Christened by a new name, called Ignatiani in Spain, Theatin● in Italy, jesuini Campania, Scosiotti in Ferrara, Presbyteri, in St. Luciae in Bononia, reformati Sacerdotis in Mutina, with many more. And as in their names so in their natures, ambiguous; for being asked what a jesuit is, they answer? 
Lib. 2. cap 17.  Every Man; they have two Souls in one body, 
Lib. 3. cap. 26.  as is confessed in their Catechism; besides all these, and their several projects, in themselves, 
— Centum adde catenas effugiet tamen hac sceleratum vincula Proteus. Horat.  and their dark Disciples, what tortuous Leviathans are they in their amphibolous, amphibious, enigmatical, ennuciations, and mungerill propositions, like so many Colour-changing Chameleons, as doubtful as Proteus or Vertumnus:  

Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo?   

In what strong Chain, can any tie,  
this Changelings face to know him by?   
We may well say of their Labyrinth-like windings, and crooked Heterogenials, as Jerome sometime spoke of the dark abstruse riddles of jovinian, 
Has literas nemo p●eter Sybillam legate.  No man can read these Letters except the Prophetess Sibyl, or as Martial in the like case, None but some learned Apollo can unfold these Mysteries, these Maeanders; 
Non lectore tuis opus est sed Apolline scriptis in Pseudole.  or as Plautus in the like case, Has equidem pol credo nisi Sybilla legerit, interpretari alium possi neminem, 
Act 1.  which hollow equivocating hath translated upon them, the ancient infamy of the Spartans, called by Andromache, Kings of Liars; and that which Apuleius lays upon the Scicilians triple-tongued: 
Siculi trilinge●  these be the Gibeonites, the jebusites, the Jesuits, only in Hypocrisy, bearing the name of JESUS, (though often shadowed under the wings, and shrouded as poisonous Vipers in the bosom of Kings) have showed themselves, 
Henry, the 4. of France, slain by the Jesuits plots, etc.  to be the only underminers of States and Kingdoms, advancing themselves by perverting the Truth against the God of truth, who will smite them for whited Walls, and painted Sepulchers; but leaving them to themselves, let us which are the children of Light, love the Truth, and when all Liars and dissemblers shall have their portion with the Father of lies, the Truth which maketh not ashamed shall translate us, and carry us upon his unconquered wings, from these dirty and dusty Cottages of clay into everlasting habitations, to the innumerable company of holy Angels and high Saints for ever.  
Now follows the object of God's unutterable Mercy and uncontroleable Truth, 
The Object.  Toward us; which though David seem to speak in the person of the jewish Church and Nation, the patriarchs and Fathers of that time, who had already, and did continually taste of his favours, though not so fully as we do, they having in promise, we in full performance that great mystery God manifested in the Flesh, 
Calcata majestas, incarnata divinitas. Bernard.  the matriculation and incarnation, of our blessed Saviour JESUS CHRSIT; yet no doubt, he had an eye unto all succeeding Generations both of jew and Gentile, which were Gods elect and chosen, and in time to be brought into his Chambers, Cant. 1. 4. To be made partakers of his Mercy and Truth; as when he stood arraigned, he stood not in his own place but in ours, making his personal appearance on our behalf; so in his resurrection, the whole Church arose in him, Ephes. 2. 6. he hath raised us up together, and made us fit together, in the heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS, where we plainly see the Mercies and promises of God, 
Christus est veritas p●tris, jacob. de valent. super locum.  especially this concerning the promised seed, called The truth of the Father, were performed to the fathers, before and after the flood, in the work of redemption and salvation, and now confirmed in the same title unto us, who live after the incarnating of that immortal word from which we gather this truth.  
There is but one way of Salvation and Happiness to the Fathers, 
Doctrine.  and also to us, and that by the same JESUS CHRIST.  
For confirmation of this, we see the unchangeable purpose of almighty God, in gathering his Church, Hebr. 13. 8. JESUS CHRIST, yesterday to day, and the same forever, Rom. 15. 8. Now I say that JESUS CHRIST, was a Minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers, 
Ephes. 2. 14  etc. Rev. 13, 8. The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, 
1 john 2. 7  which though manifested in the latter times, 
1 Cor. 10. 3  and afternoon of the world, like a Roe or young Hart; coming skipping over the Mountains of Bether, Cant. 2 ult. yet all the holy Men and women from Adam, inclusively, were saved by his blood, many of which, as Noah, Isaac, joseph, etc. were tips and shadows of him, the Ceremonies and levitical sacrifices, tending to little other purpose, but to nourish them, in hope of the Messiah, the slaughter and death of which beasts, was to acquaint them, with the mystery of redemption, which stood as under a veil shadowed in the ancient compliment of the Law, john 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and rejoiced, 
Prosuit antequam fuit.  Luke 1. 47. that he might show mercy towards our Fathers, 
They and we are saved by one and the same Grace, by one and the same Faith, in one and the same Christ.  Acts 26. 6. the Apostle Paul's religion, was concerning the hope of the promise made unto the Fathers, Cephas the Pillar of truth, Acts 15. 10. joineth the Father's faith with ours, we believe even as they, so to them that lived before his Incarnation, he was crucified in the sacrifices, and to us he was likewise crucified in the word and Sacraments, 
Anglican. Confess. art 7.  Galath. 3. 1. CHRIST JESUS, evidently set forth and crucified among you, not in Roods, Masses, and Crucifixes, but in his Holy and Sacred Ordinances.  
To confirm and teach us, in the first place, that no length of time is able to disannul, 
Use, 10  abrogate, or make void, the counsels of the Ancient of days, or extenuate and make less, the worth, efficiacie, and powerful energy of CHRIST'S sacrifice, the same which was Preached to Adam in Paradise, Gen. 3. 15. promised to Abraham and David, and the Church of the jews, foretold by all the prophets concerning CHRIST belongs to us; by faith they looked upon CHRIST as up to the Serpent in the wilderness, john the 3. 14 as he was to be crucified, by faith we look upon him as he is crucified, like the two Cherubins, at the two ends of the Mercy-seat. having their faces one toward another, and both upon the Ark, Exod. 25. 18. So the age primitive which is past, and all our after-gatherings of all-measuring Time, look either on either, and both upon CHRIST, there is no other way, nor hath or can be Salvation in any other, Acts 4. 12.  
Secondly, 
Use, 2.  it serves to comfort every true believer though never so base, dejected, rejected, despised, and despited, though he lie among the pots, Psal. 68 13. or behind the Ewes with young, Psal 78. 72. though he be Lord and Master of few or none of these outward things, as Lazarus, Luke 16 yet is he by CHRIST, called to the same Salvation, admitted into the same fellowship, made partaker of the same Heaven, with those ancient worthies, Mat 8 11. sitting down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, in the Kingdom of happiness.  
The contrary whereof, viz. a deprivation and loss of that Heavenly Vision, called by the Schoolmen Pena damni, 
Damnati scient gloriam beatorum, sed solum in confuso.  is an aggravation of the misery, and material point of the torments of the damned, Luke 13. 28. Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, 
S●ella sup Luc. cap. 13.  and jacob, and all the Prophets, in the Kingdom of God, thou mayest justly here, say with David (being the man whom the King will honour) 1 Sam. 18. 18. in the acknowledgement of God's free mercy and truth toward thee? Who am I? and what is my life? or my father's family in Israel? that I should be not only son in law, but even lawful heir to the King of Kings, to enjoy the same glory with those famous Patriarches and Worthies; what shall then become of all those, that neglect so great Salvation, who being invited to this heavenly banquet, of mortal Ambrosicall junkets, do still lie grovelling in the myeric and nasty sinks of Iniquity, eating the filthy dust of the earth with the Serpent, Gen. 3. 14. selling themselves with Ieroboa●●, to do wickedly, souls and bodies with Esau to hell, for a mess of Pottage, or with Demas for a few of the transitory temporals of the world; but if we expect the same happiness with the Fathers, we must go the same way, and tread in the same steps, not expecting to enjoy the poisonous pleasures of sin, and the felicity of Gods chosen, with Moses, Heb. 11. 25. refusing to be called the son of Pharaoes' daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction, with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season, esteeming the rebuke of CHRIST, greater riches than the pleasures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of reward, knowing if he had the one he must miss the other; thus our Saviour CHRIST endured the Cross, despised the shame for the joy that was set before him, Heb. 12. 2. Thus the Christian Hebrews, in the Primitive Church suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods, the reason is rendered, they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance, Heb. 10. 37. or as David, Psal. 106 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen and rejoice with thine inheritance.  
here is propounded unto thee, that double pathway of Hercules, 
Hercules hivium.  the one the strait footpath of Virtue, which ascending may seem hard and difficult:  

Non est a terris mollis ad astra via:   

Fair virtue's war, hard and uneasy is,  
that leads from Earth to endless happiness.   
The other is broad, easy, and even, which is the enchanted way of sinful pleasure:  

Facilis discensus Averni: 
Virgil. Aeneid. 6.    

The often-troden path of filled hy Vice,  
is easy, plain, and leads from Paradise.   
Thus tracing the patriarchs in the footing of holy Duties, Religion and Piety, there is laid up for thee, a Crown of immortality; but traversing thy steps, in the pleasing ways of voluptuousness, thou shalt be sure to find nothing, but horrid pains, tumultuous horror, fiery chains, scorching darkness, tormenting Devils, and a full draught of the scalding Cup of the unmeasurable wrath of an angry incensed and revenging God, who is a consuming Fire. Heb. 12. 29.  
Seeing the Fathers received the Promises assuredly having the mercies of God, 
Use 3  confirmed and performed unto them by their Faith, Heb. 11. 33. even to their several deliverances, even that from Babel's Captivity, which long expected enlargement, was unto them as a dream, Psal. 126. 1. and preventing his servants, believing on him, as David, with blessings abundantly, Psal. 21. 3. So will he deal with us, if we have Faith, Ephes. 3. 20. For he is able to do for us exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, promising to hear our Prayers, even while we ask or speak; as he did with Cornelius, Act. 10. 4. or Daniel, chap. 9 23. While they are yet speaking I will hear, Isa. 65. 24. So by Faith we must receive the Promises.  
Hence we see the apparent reason and cause, why so many, after so long Preaching of the Word, receiving the Sacraments, and frequenting Gods holy ordinances (which he hath made as the instruments, to work and nourish Faith in us, and the Conduit-pipes to convey his Graces unto us,) do still receive so little profit, remaining obdurate, and hardened in profaneness, Idolatry, ignorance, etc. and are not healed of the sinne-wounds of their Souls, nor obedient to the heavenly vocation, that the Minister may justly take up his complaint with the Prophet, I have laboured in vain, and spent my strength in vain. Isa. 49. 4.  
When men go from the word of Exhortation, as Cain from Gods own admonition, Gen. 4. 7. Worse than he came; or, as judas from CHRIST, fuller of Satan than before, joh. 13. 27. Our hearts are not opened, Act. 16. 14. Our ears not boared, our eyes not illuminated; but like the deaf Adder, or like the poor Beggar, wanting his hands, 
Simile.  that he can receive no alms; or like an empty vessel cast into the Sea, which can receive no liquor, because the orifice is shut. Even so unbelief, frustrates the promises of God, we may ask, pray, and receive nothing; because we want Faith, jam. 1. 6. the Word is unprofitable unto us: For, because of the unbelief CHRIST did but few Miracles in Galilee, the two Olive branches cannot empty the Goldenoyle out of themselves, through the two golden pipes, because they are stopped, Zach. 4. 12. And this is that which Satan once strove to bring our Saviour CHRIST unto, to distrust the providence of God, Math. 4. 3. causing the stones to be made bread; and this is that, by which he works upon the weakness of man, to distrust God's care over him, bringing him by this means, to the shame of stealing, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and from this distrust, even to the height of Apostasy, 
Heb. 3. 12.  for this God will destroy us, 
unbelievers placed in the vanguard of the cursed.  judeth, 5. Let us then, 2 Cor. 7. 1. seeing we have such promises, not lose the performance of them through unbelief, taking heed lest at any time, 
Revel. 22. 8.  there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief, Heb. 3. 12. but learn to say with the man in the Gospel, Mark 9 24. I believe, Lord help my unbelief, and with the Disciples, Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith, and if oppressed with deadness of heart, stir up our faith with David, Psal. 42. 11. Why art thou cast down my soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me, for he that believeth shall not make haste. Isa. 28. 16. saith maketh not ashamed, 
Sub Clypeo fidei & subfidio virtutis.  Isa 26. The just man shall live by his faith, Hab. 2. 4. All things are possible to the believer, he may remove mountains, he is an omnipotent creature, as Barnard saith, Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things, by faith thou receivest the pro. mises, thine eternal life and happiness, have their dependence thereon, john 3. 16. he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, but if ye will not believe, ye shall not be established, Isa. 7. 9  
Seeing this Mercy and truth of God is confirmed, and upon our faith so assured toward us, 
Use 4.  that it cannot be frustrate, as it hath served to comfort us, so now it serves to confute and confound that uncomfortable Antichristian principle, bred in Popery, strongly affirmed, confirmed cannonized, 
Concil. Trident Sess. 6. cap. 9 Canon, 13. 16.  and ratified by the counsel of Trent, prop and pillar of that cursed Idolatry of the Beast, agreed upon by those Italianated Machiavels, viz. that A man must doubt of his Salvation so long as he lives, as much as if one should say, we must doubt, of what God hath promised in his mercy or ratified in his truth, confirmed by oath, and sealed unto us in the blood of his Son, by the witness of the Spirit, Rome 8. 16. 1 john 5 10. Eph. 4. 30. making them all of none effect? what is this, but to believe the father of lies, before the three witnesses in Heaven, and the three in earth, 1 john 5. 7. What is this, but to teach the sin of Infidelity, which above the rest, is like the fourth beast, Dan. 7. 7. dreadful, terrible, excedding strong, and had great Iron teeth, this even pushed against the truth of God, with the horns of blasphemy? What is this, but to set a man's conscience upon the rack? and to give into the hands of a desperate man, swords, Pistols, halters, the engines of his own destruction, and even to cause the hands in this distraction of mind, in this deep point of Salvation, to imbrue themselves in their own blood, as never being sure of God's mercy and truth towards him, in the pardoning and forgiving his sins, when he can never by the doctrine of his Religion, say with David, I put my trust in the Lord's mercy, nor with Thomas, my Lord, and my God, nor with the faithful, Isa. 25. 9 Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, but his soul perplexedly hangeth tottering betwixt hope and despair.  
Consider with Augustine, 
Nomen sub quo nemini desperandum est.  that the name of JESUS, is a name under which we must not despair, 
Augustin. Moritur Christus pro indigenis pro indignis.  he spreads his arms on the Cross to embrace both jew and Gentile; Deus tibi de hoc mundo recedenti promisit immortalitem, & tu dubitas? hoc est Deum omnino non nosse, 
Augustin.  Christum credentium Magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere, God hath promised thee immortality, when thou goest out of the world, and dost thou doubt? What is this but not to know God, and to offend CHRIST, 
Ciprianus de mortalitate.  the Master of the faithful, with the sin of Infidelity, the merciful God hath shed abroad his love in our hearts, that he might beget and bring forth our love to him again, from the reflection of his own, 
Amor Dei amorem Deo parit. Bernard.  non credit in deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius suae foelicitatis fiduciam, he believes not in God, who puts not the trust of his whole felicity (for this life and a better) only in him.  
What a comfortless doctrine is this, which strives to blind the eyes of faith, 
Cyprian. de dupl. martyrio.  CHRIST came to preach no such, he was preached by the Angels, to be a Gospel, and glad tidings of great joy to all people, Luke 2. 10. and Zach. 6. 12, Rejoice O daughter Zion, for thy King cometh unto thee, etc. we must rejoice in him as men do in harvest. Isa. 7. which we cannot do, so long as the doctrine of our religion, teacheth us to doubt of God's mercy and truth, cheer up thyself then, performing thine obedience, not from the spirit of mere bondage, but with David, Psal. 119 cheerfully run the ways of God's commandments, make thine election, peace, and reconciliation, sure in CHRIST, and being justified thou hast peace with God, by faith; Rom. 5. 1.  
The fourth and last thing considerable in the reason, 
Conclusion.  is the conclusion of the Psalm, the first & last string of this well tuned Harp, beginning and ending in the same cadence of an holy and heavenly duty, Praise ye the Lord.  
Which are considered two ways,— 

1 As they are repeated,  
2 As a duty enjoined.    
First, 
Repetitions used diversely.  we see here not an idle Crambe bis cocta, but a necessary repetition, warranted by the Spirit which indicted it, and David that writ it; where observe, that repetitions are used in the Scriptures in diverse respects. Sometime in prayer, for the better stirring up of our zeal and fervency thus used by CHRIST himself, Math 26 39 42. and chap. 27. 46. My God, my God, and Psal. 143. 1. Sometime in matters of Prophesy, and that most usually in the Coetaneall and Prophets of the same time, as in Amos, Isa, and Hosea, the same vices, the same false Prophets, and the same Idolatry is taxed, Mich 1. 3. the same vices in the same words with Isa 26. 21. and the same concerning the mountain of the Lord, Isa. 2. 2. hath Mich 4. 1. And not only among them of the same time, but also of many ages and generations distant, 
Post captivitatem Babilonicam.  as Jacob's Prophecy, Gen. 49. 10. repeated many hundred years after, Hag. 2. 8. Zach. 2. 8. borrows that from Psal. 17. 8. and the like, Zach 9 9 from Isa 62 11. so Zach 9 10. from Psal. 72. 8 and Zach. 11. 9 from jerem. 15. 2. The promise concerning the pouring out of the Spirit of grace, Zach. 12. 10. from joel. 2. 28, the destruction of the Idols which is threatened, Zach. 13. 2. from Ezech, 30. 13. All these to settle our faith in the certainty of the Scriptures in this united concordance and harmony of the writers thereof, all agreeing in the Analogy of faith, like Pharaohs dream repeated, 
Mercer super Gen.  Gen 41, 32. to make him know it was established with God, and he will surely bring it to pass. Sometime they are used in simple narrations, to assure the believer of the certainty of them, as 1 john 〈…〉 that which we have heard from the beginning which we have seen and handled etc. To this end the God of nature, hath given unto man two hands, two ears, two eyes, that if the one fail in the object, the other should not, or to put us in mind, with an earnest desire to perform our duties, which brings us to the doctrine, 
Doctrine.  viz.  
Repititions are not always vain Battalogies and superfluous Tantologies, 
Verba totius inculcata, vera sunt, vita sunt, sana sunt, plana sunt. Aug. de adulterijs conjugijs ad Pol. lib. 2 cap. 4.  but often times lawful and warrantable, for the better stirring men up to their duties.  
The Prophet Isa desires for the teaching of knowledge to them that are waned from the milk and drawn from the breasts, Chap. 28. 10. Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little, Phillip 3. 1. It greiveth not the Apostle to write the same things unto them, and jude, 5. I will put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, etc. There is no new thing under the Sun, 
Nibil dictum quod non dictum prius. Terent.  saith the Preacher, nothing spoken which hath not formerly been upon the Stage, what are the Prophets, but Expositors of Moses the great Prophet, the new Testament of the old, and our Sermons Comments upon both. Men under the Gospel must be like the clean beasts under the law of Ceremonies, to chew the cud in in an holy meditating and repeating of things taught and delivered for their good.  
Reason, 
Reas. 1.  1. because of the dulness of Man's apprehension, and his memory's weakness in retension, 
Numquam satis dicitur, quod non satis dicitur, D. Humphrey in prefatione partis. 1 jesuitismi.  those lively powers and faculties of the Soul, superior and inferior, being so craysed and broken by the fall, Ephes. 4. 38. our cogitatitions darkened and estranged from the life of God, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man understandeth not the things of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. He thinks, nor can think of himself a good thought, Rom. 8. 7. he submits not, nor can submit to the law of God, Phil. 2. 13. he wills not, nor can will things pleasing to God, Luke 13. 11. He hath a Spirit of infirmity, etc. so that view him in his naturals, and they are mere privations, a mixture and composition, whose ingredients are weakness and frailty, which causeth us to stand in need, to have things often repeated, that they may leave the better impression behind them. The learned Doctor of the Gentiles, dealt so plainly, that he dares affirm both to the learned and ignorant, 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that perish; to this end the Minister is called a Nurse, 1 Thes. 2. 7. which half cheweth meat, ere she give it to her child, and in teaching it to speak, to the right framing of its vocal Arteries, doth of ten (Parrat-like) repeat the same words; so must we as Babes, chew, eat and digest, the root of our instruction. jonas Sermon was the same for three days together, Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed, jona. 3. 4.  
As mea●e from the mouth is commended to the Liver and Stomach, 
Simile.  then to the more tender and slender inwards in the first Concoction, next the nutritive, 
Kecker lib 3 Phyfi. cap. 12  being segregated from the excrementitious parts; in the second concoction, it is committed to the Mesaraicke veins, and thence in the third concoction, dispersed secretly thorough the conduits of the outward veins to every part of the body, nourishing the blood, arteries, sinews, flesh, etc. Even so the Word of God must be committed to the outward ear, then to the intellectual parts, thence to the heart and so to work upon the will and the affections, as to pull down every imagination and high thing, that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, by little and little to bring them into subjection, to the obedience of CHRSIT; which is not done all at once, but by working the Ear to like, the Memory to retain, and the Heart to digest.  
here are instructions; 
Use ●.  first, for the Minister, than for the People; 
For the Minister.  the Minister who is God's mouth, and Messenger unto the people, must not only teach new things and unknown, but also repeat and bring to remembrance, things old and known, 
Plain Preaching the b●st.  beating upon the same nail, to drive it the deeper, and make it the faster; and for this let the Apostle Peter be our warrantable pattern, 
jude, a brief of the second Epistle of Pet. and Mark, a compendium of Math. etc.  2. Pet 1. 12. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and verse 13. I think it meet so long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 
Divines had in all ages their introductions to Religion, as Clemens Alex●no●inus his Paed●gogus, Lactantius his Institutions, Civil his Ca●ichismes, August: his Enchiridion etc.  and for this end, he writes this second Epistle, Chap. 3. 1. So Timothy must stir up the gui●t of God in him, 2 Tim. 1. 6. Lest those gifts should lie dead in him, and give no light, as fire under many afhes; So though thy repetitions be thought penurious and poor, yet will they stir up the dulness of the memory and understanding, and this thy plainness (if in the evidence of the Spirit) is the way to save them that believe, 1 Cor. 1. 18. called, The Preaching of the Cross, openly and plainly crucifying CHRIST before your eyes, Gal. 3. 1. describing him in your sight, as it were painted upon your walls. This is that two edged sword dividing betwixt the marrow and the bones, Heb. 4. 12. That true prophesying, which judgeth men, discovering the thing of the heart, causing them to say, The Lord is within you, 1 Cor. 14. 25. This is the mighty Sceptre in CHRIST'S mouth, by which he smites the Nations, conquers the prophanehearted Gentiles, Isa. 11. 4. That which shaketh heaven and earth, Hag. 2. 5. all other are unsavoury, humane, and small more of the pride of the flesh, than of the Grace of the Spirit.  
Which serves to show what mettle we are of, which like the Pharisees out of Moses chair, hunting after the vain breath of Man's praise, more than the true rewarding praise of God, 
Obs●urum per aeque obscurum.  john 12. 41, soar in such an Eagles pitch upon the wings of humane Rhetoric, and the dark abstruse mysteries of Schoole-invention, that we wrap up CHRIST, and the way of Salvation in such swaddling bands, Herculean knots, inextricable nice distinctions and Sphinxicall riddles, that Oedipus himself, might stand amazed, and the Disciples in astonishment might say, What mean these things?  
Like many of those 38 Expositors upon Aquinus, leaving him as dark as they found him, where we see little else but Tomes upon Tomes; what is this, but the policy of Satan, working in the swelling wisdom of the flesh, to obscure the way to Heaven, this was not the precept of God, jer. 15 19 Thou must not turn to the people, 
Ap●anon alta.  but they to thee, nor approved of our Saviour CHRIST, 
Bernard.  john, 5. 44. Ye believe not, because ye seek glory one of another, nor Paul's practice, Gal. 1. 10. Do I preach God or man? or seek 1 to please men? etc. and 1 Cor. 14. 19 I had rather speak five words in the Church by my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue; empty thyself then of this thy Delphic obscurity, let thy Trumpet give a certain sound, lest thou shut up the Kingdom of Heaven with the Pharisees, and neither enter thyself, nor suffer them that would enter. 
Use. 2.   
To teach the people to be content to hear the same things repeated, 
For the People.  and to be fed more than once with the same kind of meat, while thou art a Babe in the old, thou must not desire new, and as the Minister must not gild and blanche over, the word of God to please thy humour, 
Hottaman in his treatise of the Ambassador.  and as a good Ambassador, of whom a Lawyer speaketh, must not be like a Stage Player, to change his person, but constantly stand to the will and pleasure of his King and Master, and must not say with Issachar, Gen 49. 14 Ease is good but must feed the flock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer, Act. 20. 28. and feed the lambs if he love Christ, john 20. 17. Giving to every one his portion in due season, and that in that evidence and plain demonstration of the Spirit; so thou art to hear, 
Est natura hominum novitatis avida. Plin.  not as in the exchange, only strangenewes from foreign Nations, or as those newg fangled Athenians, but putting off this itchinrhumor, here to have thy understanding informed, thy will reform, and thy life conformed to the laws of God, and thine obedience performed unto CHRIST, that the word may work alteration to purify thee, mollify and open thy heart, convert thy soul, season thee with grace, dissolve the works of darkness, heal thy wounds of sin, make thee fit for Heaven.  
And here come justly to be taxed, besides those convicted Recusants, who have shaken off the yoke of obedience, and (given their names to the Beast) all those that negligently frequent the congregation, accounting more of loss and dung, of ease, pleasure and profit, then of the Word, which is able to turn Wolves into Lambs, Sinners into Saints, Isa. 11. 6. A congregation gathered together in the Church, 
Tertullian in Apolog.  saith the father, Are like an army of fight men, armed by prayer and praises against the spiritual enemies of their souls, where the word offers itself to be thy lodestar, to CHRIST, thy Jacob's staff to scale Heaven, thy lanthernes to light, and the heavenly Manna, to feed thy soul, in which place, and upon which ordinance, CHRIST promiseth a blessing, My house shall be called the house of Prayer, and where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them; take a pattern of the servants of God, the primitive Church, Acts 2. 46. the Prophetess Anna, Luke 2. 37. and the Church in St. Augustins' time, which he compares to Ants, because they were always about the Church, as the Ant is about her hole or home; and let not God for this negligence, deprive thee of his Grace, and bring upon thee that fearful curse, 
I●desinenter maledicite. lunius. Trewel.  which is due to those which do his work either negligently or not at all, judge 5. 23. Curse ye Meroh, said the Angel of the Lord, Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty.  
The second sort, 
2 In Moral.  are not negligent comers, but heedless hearers, hearing line upon line, but returning without profit, the Scripture, saith Gregory the great, is like a River, in which the Lamb may wade, and the Elephant swim; or like an Apothecary's shop, in which are Potions, and Pills, Corrasives and Cordials, fit for every occasion, 
Homil. 24. in Act.  for every disease; but as Chrisostome saith, when the Minister prayeth or preacheth, one walketh, another talketh, another sleepeth, while the Devil rocketh him in his cradle, like jonah securely in the sides of the Ship, in the midst of the tempest, without profit or desire to be instructed, returning as a door upon the hinges, at night in the morning station; whereas the word should be as the laver of Brass, to Aar●n and his Sons, to wash thee withal, Exod. 30. 18. and thou shouldest be with the servant in the law, boared in thine ear, Exod. 21. 6. Thy flesh circumcised, thy heart instructed, the fallow ground ploughed and broken up, jerem. 4. 4. The soul hammered, jer. 23. 29 and thou wholly framed, as a signet fitted for a man's right hand, jer. 22. 24. When this axe is laid to the root of the tree, Math. 3. 10. take heed then to thy feet when thou interest into the house of God, Eccles. 5. 1. lest in the end, thou be taken for an unprofitable servant, and in the fearful case of jerusalem's negligence, and heedlessness, How often would I have gathered thee, as a hen her chickens, and ye would not, Math. 23. 37.  
A third sort are such, as are displeased with what they hear; like the Mule, kicking the dam, that feeds them; or like undutiful children at every angry word, casting dirt and mire in the face of their Parents; or like these Apes, which break every looking glass, because it shows their deformities, whose galled backs, or rather unsound consciences, no sooner feel the Aqua-Fortis of reproof, but presently as Ahab with Elija, they account their Minister their enemy, 1 Kings 21. 20. or as the same Ahab spoke of Michajah, He never Prophecies good unto me, 1 Kings 12. 8. And for all this, what hath the righteous done? How hath the Minister offended thee, when he wounds thy selfe-love, and the pride of thine heart, and when with the axe of the word, he is hewing and fitting thee as a lively stone for God's building; we see in the Law, Deut. 19 5. If a man hewing timber in the wood, should by chance let his axe fall from the helue and hurt a man, he was to go to a City of refuge for his safety? Why should it not then plead the pardon of thy Pastor, when by chance, by the sword of the Spirit he rubs thy galled sores, touches thy Dalilah, thy Herodias, thy most beloved sins, and tells thee plainly, Thou must not have thy brother's wife, thou must leave her, or leave thy Heaven and happiness.  
Consider further that every man being as a brand taken forth of the fire, all the Placentia pleasing words, comforts, and cordials, cannot cure him, till he be lashed with Moses, and driven out of himself into CHRIST, let not then the poisonous love of sin, stop thine ears, causing thee to say of it, as Abraham of Ishmael, Gen. 17. 18. O that Ishmael, my carnal pride & profaneness might live in thy sight; or conceit of it, as Lot of Zoar, Gen. 19 20. Is it not a little one? Such a sin is but a peccadillo, a little one, a small oath, an officious lie, a sleight excuse, these are with thee, but small matters, whereas thou must give an account of every idle word, the Devil, like a cunning Nimrod and hunter, spreads his nets of pleasure, profit, self-love, etc. To drive thee out of love with the word, to esteem it base, or needless, and so to banish it as the Gargasites did CHRIST, or troublesome, and contrary to thy peace, as Amazia, Amos, 7 12. Go thou Seer and fly into the Land of juda, 
So moralised by Gregory, l. 1 cap. 5. pastor. curae.  and there eat bread and prophecy; but know beloved, as in the Law of Moses, Deut. 25. The elder brother dying, the younger was to marry his widow, so to raise up seed unto his deceased brother, so by preaching, and teaching, reproving, and exhorting, must the Minister (as a younger brother) unto CHRIST; he is the Ambassador in CHRIST'S stead, to woo and win men to be reconciled with God, 2 Cor. 5. 18. Suffer then the words of exhortation and reproof, rejoice with Zacheus Luke 19 9 Because Salvation is come to thine house, let the word win thee, that thy Minister by thy profiting, in the careful discharge of his office, may answer unto God, having brought Benjamin back, john 17. 12. Of all those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one.  
Secondly, 
The second consideration.  consider these repeated words, as they contain and enjoin a duty to be performed, Hallelu jah, we saw it in the portal of the text, and find it again in the end (as it were reviving a duty, which is and hath been, forgotten of so many, in praising God for his manifold mercies and truth, continued from him the Creator to the creature, in creating, preserving, maintaining, spiritual and temporal protection, with the sending of CHRIST for our redemption, where we see, two things, 1 The matter of the duty. 2 The manner.  
The matter to be performed, 
The matter.  is Thanksgiving, commanded Psal. 50. 15. 1 Thes. 5. 18. Confirmed unto us, in the practice of God's children, Exod. 15. 1. 2. judg. 5. 1. Luke 1. 68 And as it becometh Saints to be obedient, so to be thankful, Psal. 33. 1. The Israelites are upbraided with the contrary, 2 Chron. 32. 25. and Hezechia rendered not again, according to the benefit done unto him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore the wrath of God, was upon him, upon juda, and jerusalem.  
The unthankful person is not worthy of the bread which he eats, 
Non est dignus dandis qui non agit gratis pro datis. Greg.  he is unworthy to be rewarded, which returns not thanks for the reward, 
In vitat ad magna, qui gratanter suscipit modica. cass.  this causeth God, to shut up heaven against us, making it Brass above us, and the earth Iron under us, 
Epist. 4  whose hardness and unseasonable fructifying, may sufficiently convince us of unthankfulness, he stops up the channels of his love, and the boundless streams of his favours; because our hearts are dammed up with Ingratitude; 
Cessat cursus gratiarum ubi cessit recur sus.  he would have open thanks for secret mercies, 
Bern. ser. 35 on Cant.  as Rivers come from the Sea, closely through the crannies and silent passages of the earth, but return openly, giving manifest notice of their thankfulness to the God of the Sea, all being his own. 
Gratian gratia parit. Sophocl. in Oedip.  Hag. 2. 9 No benefit but should be the mother of thanks, Colos. 3. 15. What can we either think, or speak, or write, which may be more acceptable to God, than Thanksgiving, s●●th divine Augustine? What can be spoken more briefly, 
In Epistola ad Marcellinum.  heard more cheerfully, understood more joyfully, or done more fruitfully, it is the Music which Saints and Angels make in heaven, Rev, 5. 9 and 19 1. 3. and should be the burden of all our mirth; it is salt to season all our sacrifices, the want whereof, God will not dispense withal, 
Ingratum si dixe. ris omni● dixeris Ingratum fi amas, nihil amas. Plaut. in Psa.  Ephes. 5. 20. Giving thanks in all things, at all times, and by all means; the contrary hath been condemned, as the poisoning of a vipor, not only in the School of Grace, but even in the Academy of Nature; an ingrateful person, to be a short Epitome of all audible, and avoy dabble things, Rom. 1. 18. Collos. 2. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 2. as one unworthy to participate of any man's love. Then praise the Lord O my Soul, and be not unmindful of any of his benefits etc. Psal. 102.  
To stir up our hearts to a conscionable performance of this duty, 
Use, 1.  he that Gulon-like, devours Gods blessings, even to the eating of his daily food without giving thanks, 
Gen. 31. 1  eats not to God▪ Rom. 14. 6, lives not to God but to his belly, 
Gen. 40. 23 Exod. ●. 8 Exod. 17. 3  is like Pharaohs butler to joseph, Laban to jacob, judas to CHRIST, the new Pharaoh to the Israelites, and the Israelites to God: how can we be thus unmindful of him, that hourly is so mindful of us? let our tongues cleave to the roof of our mouths, and with the father of john Baptist, be dumb, let us be beasts with Nabuchadnezar, till we learn in a thankful remembrance to acknowledge the most high; let us perish with ingrateful jerusalem, Chorazin and Bethsaida, Sodom and Gomorrha; If it were so punished in the poor Gentiles, having only the purblind light of Nature to guide them, only reading their lessons in the dark volume of the Creatures, to be given up to strange sins and strange judgements, Rom. 1. 21. for their Ingratitude? what shall then become of us, which have not only that, but the daylight of the Scripture, and of the Spirit? Do we so requite the Lord, O stubborn and unthankful generation that we are, CHRIST condemns it with admiration, in the ten Lepers, 
Interrogatio sit in detestationem vitij ingratitudinis Stella super cap. 17. Luc.  Luke 17. 17. Are there not ten cleansed? We do not wonder at ordinary things, because every day obvious, but we are amazed at a Centaur or Monster, at any thing deficient or superfluous in Nature, because extraordinary; So we do not admire the ordinary sins of men, 
Ignotum invisum & vitium maxime repugua●s naturae.  because we see them daily; but we gaze at an ingrateful person, because he is hateful, and almost unknown to Nature itself. 
Stella ibidem.   
It was a Custom among the romans, That if a Servant made free, became unthankful, to be adjudged to his pristine bondage. GOD from time to time, to move us to this Duty, hath caused his Mercies to be kept in remembrance, as a pot of Manna in the Ark, and also the fragments of his miraculous banquet, jobn 6. etc. Be not then like churlish Nabal, like Horse or Mule, that have no understanding, but let thy tongue, that so long hath been mute and silent, become the well-tuned Cymbal of praise, and the silver trumpet of Thanksgiving; this is thy Heaven upon earth, and when the Word, Prayer, Faith, and Hope, shall cease, it shall remain, Blessing and Honour, might and Thanksgiving, be unto our God for evermore. Revel. 7. 12.  
Having finished the matter, 
The m●ner of praising God.  which is both the prescript and postscript, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of this Psalm; let us see in the last place, the manner how this duty must be performed, and laid down, Collos. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual songs, singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where note:  
First, that the service of God, among Christians, is not a sad, dull, melancholic, and solitary kind of life, but full of joy and mirth.  
Secondly, a Monastical and Heremitical life, condemned.  
Thirdly, that there is an excellent use of singing Psalms.  
And lastly, to what end, with the uses.  
First, against which it hath been long objected, by the whole College of the professors of profaneness, that in Religion, there is no mirth but only deep lumpish melancholy to be found; here we see the contrary, and that even under the law, 
Spiritus Calvinianus est spiritus melancho●cus.  which might seem the saddest time of God's service, yet was it performed in the Temple with Organs and Instruments of most ravishing m●sicke, which as yet did but shadow to us, and give a taste of that great joy, which afterwards should follow under the Gospel, Which is glad tidings of great joy, Luke 2. 11. first chanted and tuned, by those heavenly Choristers, the Angels, the like in every service, Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, Psal. 95. 1. O come let us sing unto the Lord, let us rejoice to the rock of our Salvation; cheerfulness and thanksgiving, is required in all things. Go thy way then, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God accepteth thy cheerfulness in thy works, let thy garments be always white, and let thy head want no ointment, Eccles. 9 7.  
We see indeed, the man that looks through the spectacles of Nature, soaring upon the laging wings of earth, sees no further or higher than earth's happiness, cannot rejoice in God's mercy, in electing, adopting▪ etc. or any other things spiritual (which are and aught to be, the ditty of all our music) because they are to him, no more than parables, or paradoxes, but he joyeth rather in carnal things, which though they content the flesh, they crucify CHRIST, and grieve the Spirit, like foole-drunken Nabal in his feasts, 1 Sam. 25. 26. or Belshazzar, Idolatrously carousing, Dan. 5. 2. making himself merry with Sacrilege, or like effeminate Heliogabalus, the helluo who in his feasts to make himself merry withal, had eight bald-pated guests, as many lame, as many blind, as many bleer-eyed, as many gouty, as many deaf, etc. which he called his make-sports, and mirth movers. Or to rejoice in Scurrilous jesting; bawdy songs, which are not urbane and civil, but beastly and irreligious, setting us in as great danger as jobs children, dishonouring both God and our festival merriments; or as the covetous money-monger, who locks up his God, his joy, in his chest, and in the comfort of his heart, worships it every morning, with his orisons, as the Persians the Sun, or the inhabitants of Calcutta, the Div●ll; or rejoicing with the Adulterer, to see the darkness, Prov. 7. 7. jer. 5. 8. These rejoice and delight themselves, as it were with the poisonous excrements of Satan, which is sin, 
Ge●ner. de volatile.  as the Scarrabee in the filthy ordure of beasts, feeding and fatting themselves for the time, like le●●e Witches, with the Devil's leaner banquet, 
Plin. lib. 21. c. 13. Natural. hist.  or as the Pselli and Marfi in Ital●e, feeding on poison.  
All these merry hearts shall be turned from their forbidden commons, as lean as Pharaohs kine, for with Ephraim, Hos. 7. They are as a Dove deceived, without heart, forced with Solomon to confess, their mirth is mad, Eccles. 2. 2. I said of laughter its mad, and of mirth what doth it? But ask the godly man, who hath tasted the first fruits of the Spirit, and how gracious the Lord is, and hath drunk a full draught at the fountain of mercy, he rejoiceth in nothing but CHRIST and him crucified, overjoyed and as it were rapt in an ecstasy, in the fight of heavenly things, as Stephen, Acts 7. 56. and Paul, 2 Cor. 12. And David dances before the Ark, rejoicing to see the people's forwardness in God's service, Psal. 122. 1. And the Martyrs have joyfully gone singing, to be devoured of that furious Idol of the Persians; the godly man's delight is to exercise himself with David in the law of God, Psal. 1. 3. and with King Alphonsus, reading over the Bible, 14. times every year. These and such, are joy to the Sain●s of God; for even as wicked men do often feel in their conscience● & souls, the very fleshing of hell fire, out of which, they often make a desperate leap, as the Fish out of the pan into the fire; so the Godly man contrarily, feels the sparks and reflections of God's love towards him, dropping from the fountain of life, The Sun of righteousness, which brings healing in his wings, Mal. 4. 2. he only enjoying the comfortable presence of God, which is the matter of all joy, Psal. 16. ult. Zeph, 3. 5. These and such fill our bellies with mirth, and our mouths with laughter, more comfort in this fasting, than others feasting; in this weeping, than others singing; more comfort in God's countenance, than in all the corn and wine, Psal. 4. 6. the lusts and licentious liberties of wicked men, which have madness a spiritual bedlam in their hearts, while they live, and in the end go down to the dead, Eccles. 9  
Secondly, seeing this Duty is re-urged, and that not only in particular but to be performed of all Nations, of all People; as ver 1. and Praise the Lord in the great congregation, and in the congation of Saints, etc. It stands to condemn the solitary and sequestered life of Anchorites, Heremit●s, and Monastical votaries, whose life hath been so much admired, and commended, by lerome and others of the Fathers, and is in such esteem with the Papists at this day, as accounted meritorious, and a state of perfection; like the dream of the Esseni among the jews, where we see how they have forgotten that of God himself, Gen. 2. 18. It is not good for man to be alone, and as the God of Nature, hath apppointed in the body natural, one member to be an helper unto another; so wisely disposing their offices, that one of them cannot say unto another, I have no need of thee. 1 Cor. 12. 10. So in the body politic and Ecclesiastic, one to be unto another; As the healthful blind man to the weak lame man, 
Simi●●.  the one employing his strength, the other his sight in their journey. Man is not made for himself, in his kind of life, a man may in some sort be hindered from doing evil, but he is likewise kept from doing good, He cannot rejoice with them that rejoice, Rom. 12. nor praise the Lord among his Saints; or be an instrument for a public good, or as a candle upon a candlestick to shine to others, his life is hid under a bushel, and Cloistered in a desert, sequestered from the society of men; as if the law of Nature had enjoined us, to have our conversation with Birds and Beasts, damning in a preposterous stopage, that light which should have done good to the world, and which by it, may be rightly challenged of thee, as it was with Saint Francis, 
Bucchius de conformitate Franciscu● & Christi.  Paulus Thebanus, and Simeon Stiliotes, those famous, or rather infamous Anchorites, which as the Papists are bold, or rather impudent, 
Vide Perkins his demonstration of the problem, title Monks.  to say of some of them, They transgressed no one jot of the Law; some of them compared with CHRIST, and in many things (according to their blasphemy) exceeding him: What is this, but flat impiety, gross superstition, not warrantable by the word of God, where one day it shall be said to these will-worshippers, Who hath required this at your hands? Isa. 1. 12.  
The third, shows the lawful and laudable use in praising God, by singing Psalms, which are certain songs composed by holy men, upon several purposes out of the word of God, commended unto us by precept, james 5. 13. Is any merry, let him sing Psalms, it is God's ordinance, binding all sorts of men to the practice thereof, Make a toyfull noise unto God all ye lands, Psal. 66. 1. and 92. 1. and 135. 3. God allowing us, no other recreation to shoulder out this, as most do, and this we ought to do, as our daily exercise, in our families, Psal 101 1. 2 I will walk in my house with a perfect heart, in our Churches and congregations, where and when Christians meet together, 1 Cor. 14. 26. Ephes' 5 19 Singing and making melody in your hearts with Psalms, etc. Now consider further, that we may tune up a pleasant harmony, as a sacrifice of rest and acceptance, to the God of jacob.  
Four things are required in our spiritual singing.  
First, we must not babble them over Parrot-like or as the ignorant Papist, 
Psal 47. 7 1 Cor. 14  gallops over his Ave mary's, and Pater Nosters, but with understanding, that we may teach and admonish either ourselves or others with profit.  
Secondly, we must sing with grace in our hearts, that is in exercising and stirring up the graces of God in our hearts, as our loy, Faith, Love, confidence, and commemoration of God's benefits, either in giving or forgiving, kindleing our dead zeal, as a fire with bellowes, 2 Tim 1. 6.  
Thirdly, we must sing with our hearts, not only tongues and voices, but with a zealous desire, by our singing to glorify God, Psal. 47. 7. Sing ye praises with understanding, Psal. 118. 27, Bind the Sacrifice with cords to the horns of the Altar; hence we are said to prepare our hearts, 1 Cor. 14. 14 Thus David bids his Lute, 
Grinaeu● super col. 3. 16.  his Harp, his glory, his tongue, to awake, Ps. 57 8. he would not have his heart sleeping, while his tongue is walking and waking, for—  
Non v●x sed votum, non musica chordula, sed cor,  
non cantans sed amans cantat in aure Dei.  
'tis not thy voice but vow,  
not well tuned harp● but heart,  
Not sound but solid love,  
mirths in Gods hearing part.  
The fourth is, to sing to God's glory, with an holy remembrance of his awful and Majestic presence; and this is that, which is observed by Cramerus, 
In tertia classe scholae Propheticae, & vaticinio sexto, ex Psal. 22  that if our doxologies and thanksgivings be acceptable, they must begin from God, as the first mover and primus moter of his own praise, they must be of God as the matter and argument of all our songs, they must be with him, as the end and scope of all our Hosannaes' of mercy, and Hallelu-jahs of praise; thus making him the efficient, material, formal, and final cause of all our service, joined together by the Prophet, Ps. 86. 
The Spirit of God makes ou● pipes to g●●●. Macarius ho. 47.  4. Rejoice the Soul of thy servant, etc. First, in that he would his soul to be made joyful, he desires God to move it to that duty. 2. Where he calls God, he shows the matter of his Psalmodicall melody. 
God is the bellowes, we the Organs. Athenagoras, orat. pro Christ.  3. The listing up of his heart unto God, he intimates his end and mark. And lastly, to whom he dedicates his Music.  
To teach all Christians a conscionable diligence in this duty, 
Use 1.  all creatures in their kind, bless their Creator, even they that want tongues, as Sun, Moon, Stars, etc. Psal. 148. The unreasonable creatures give with their tongues obedient testimonies thereof; the Birds of the air sing, beasts of the field make a noise, even the hissi●gs of Dragons in the deep, are Psalms of praise unto God. Praise thou the Lord the● with the best member thou hast, which is thy Torgue, the Eye is to see for all, the Ear to hear for all, the Hand to work for all, the Nose to smell for all, and the palate to taste for all, but the Tongue in the highest office is to sing praises to God for all, it's every man's duty, as a I must pray unto God, so all must praise God, and as CHRIST JESUS carries up thy prayers, being perfumed upon him, the true Altar on which they are offered, so will he do thy Psalms of praise, being winged with holy devotion, this is thy heavenly melody, the mirth of thy family, aromatical perfume of thy chamber, an holy homage to God, the sacrificed calves of thy lips. If thou hast then been a Mute and tongue-tied in this duty, (though thou be opposed therein, by th' profane world, and Sathanstand at thy right hand, as he did against Sacrificing jehoshua, Zach. 3. 2.) be now as a speaking vowel, or at least a consonant, to Stentorize the praises of thy God, even with a loud voice, Psal. 34. Continually while thou livest, Psal. 104. 33. Before the morning watch, Ps. 119. 147. At midnight and seven times a day, ver. 164. Thy mouth daily rehearsing his righteousness and Satvation, Psal. 7. 15. Let his Statutes be thy Songs in the house of thy Pilgrimage, Psal. 119. 54.  
Learn to tune thy voice here on earth, that thou mayst have a place among the Psalmodicall quire of Heaven, acquaint thy heart with spiritual mirth, sing David's Psalms, that thou mayest have David's spirit, it thou wilt not sing unto God, 
Qui fecit linguam ut necessariam, postulet ut creat●m.  take heed least in his justice, he deprive thee of thy blessing of peace, mirth, and liberty; either taking away thy tongue, which he made for the same purpose, and the service of which, he requires; or cause thee to sing his songs in a strang● land, as he dealt with the jews, Psal. 137. for their unthankfulness.  
Lastly, 
Use, 2.  this reproveth the usual vanity of flesh and blood. First, in vain lays, which are sung to the world. Secondly, lascivious Ballads, which are tuned to the flesh. Thirdly, Satirical libels to the Devil. All which, are to ex●lt and strengthen, the three Goliha's, and great enemies of man's Salvation, even to sing praises to the cur●●d Trinity of H●ll; 
Fumus & sums luxuriae & cibus Diaboli:  these are the fuming and fomenting nourishment to Luxury, the Bellowes to blow the embers of lust, the Palate-pleasing meat of the Serpent, their original from sodom, not S●on; from Bedlam not bethlehem; from Bethaven not Bethel; from jericho not jerusalem; from the Taphouse not the Temple, the well-befitting accoutrements and vain garb of the children of vanity. And yet we see the world admiring, flesh and blood inventing, the Devil brewing and broaching, the Sons of the earth ex●lting, & defending these hellbred Sonnets, having the packet of their brains so full fraught with them, that they have left no room for the Lords Psalms? What is this bu● to b●il● up the Kingdom of darkness, and to make ungodly Proselytes, for the grea● Cham and Prince thereof. These be Satan's watchful Vaites, 
Viv●hant ut latrones; said honorab●antur ut Martyrs Epist. 63.  which though they be esteemed, as Augustine spoke of the Donatists (who in his time lived as Thiefs, but were honoured as Martyrs) yet here they are condemned, as the spurious off-scowring of men, not praisers of God, but Organs and Organous provokers and movers to all uncleanness.  
And this is a Loidoramastick to libelers, whose malicious tongues and pens, writing in blood, (as Draco writ his laws) are set on fire by Hell, whose mouths are like the gate of the Temple called Shallecheth, out of which they cast the filth of the Temple; So they the foul aspersions of shame upon the persons of the Innocent. 
Pie debes D●●mino ex ultars, si vis mundo insultare.  But consider beloved, and learn by insulting over these, rightly and holily to praise God, let ●o filthy communication proceed out of your mouths, lest the Mouth, the Messenger of the heart, bewray an ancleane fountain, Evil words corrupt good manners. 
Rolloc. super Coll. 3. 16.  1 Cor. 15. Ratio habenda est Sermonis cum non sit in eo parum momenti ad animum afficiendum aliquo modo vel ad mores corrigendos vel corrumpendos. Thy words work not in vain upon the affections of the hearers, but either correct or corrupt their man●e●s It is only the Word of God, which is eternal life, john 6 68 which ministereth grace to the hearers. Learn then to speak the language of Cannon, Isa. 19 18. for a word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver, Prov. 25. 11.  
Then to conclude this Treatise of praising the Lord, 
Hugo Card.  with Hugo, because he is,  
Creator ad esse,  
which gave us our being,  
Conservator in esse,  
preserving us in that being,  
Recreator in bene esse,  
restores us being fallen, into a better,  
Glorificatur in optimo esse,  
will glorify us with the best being of all, at  
the day of the Lord JESUS.  
To whom with the Father of mercies, and the Spirit of comfort and consolation, be ascribed and given, all Praise and Thanksgiving, both of Nation and People, jew and Gentile, now and for evermore, Amen.  
FINIS.