A CABINET OF Spiritual jewels.  
WHEREIN Man's Misery, God's Mercy, Christ's Treasury, Truth's Prevalency, error's Ignominy, Grace's Excellency, a Christian's Duty, the Saints Glory, is set forth, In eight Sermons.  
With a brief Appendix, of the Nature, Equity, and Obligation, of TITHES under the Gospel.  
And Expediency of MARRIAGE, to be lemnized only by a lawful Minister, so in the Church, or public Assembly.  
By JOHN CRAGGE, M. A. and Minister of the Gospel, at Lantilio Pertholy in Monmouth-shire  2 Tim. 4. 2, 3. 
Preach the word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine.  
For the time will come, that they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.  
LONDON, Printed by W. W. for H. Twyford, N. Brooks, T. Dring, J. Place, and are to be sold at their Shops, 1657.   

To the right Worshipful, Thomas Morgan, of Machen Esq; and his truly vertutuous Consort, Mrs Elizabeth Morgan.  
Much honoured Worthies,  
GIve me leave to prefix your names to this Manuel, and conjoin you in this Dedication, whom Providence hath linked in that sacred Tie, which so mysteriously emblems Christ and his Church; and that, with that lustre in your Family, as Rubies and Diamonds, Carbuncles and Saphires, are matched in Imperial Crowns; with that happy success in your Issue (those Olive branches about your Table) as Rachel and Leah, which builded up the house of Israel; with that harmonious Diapason in Religion, as Jachim and Boaz in the Temple; with that beautiful and sweet aspect to your Neighbourhood, as the Rose and Flower-de-luce in Garlands; with that Halcyon calmness in the troublesome Sea of this World, as Castor and Pollux to the Mariners. When Duty told me, in something I was bound, in much I was not able, to express my grateful affections towards you; I resolved (with that poor Persian, who had nothing to entertain Artaxerxes with, but water fetched out of the next spring) to present you with these Waters, drawn out of the Wells of Salvation, with this unpolished Cabinet, not like that of Alexander's, embroidered with gold and pearls, wherein he kept Homer's Iliads; but rather resembling that precious stone in Dioscorides, black on the outside, chequered with golden spangles within; or the Tree in Pliny, withered in the outward rind, fruitful in the inner core: For indeed, the frame and structure of it (as mine) is homely, but the truth enshrined in it (as Gods) is precious: for it comprises an Elixir of that glorious Gospel, for which the British Nation hath been so renowned, and outshined all others in these Western parts, velut inter ignes Luna minores. Transcendently renowned in a threefold respect: First, in regard of their nursing Fathers of the Church. Secondly, of their primitive receiving of the Gospel, as soon as any others. Thirdly, of retaining the purity of it after others. For,  
The first Christian Emperor was Constantine, inaugurated to the Diadem at York, by acclamation of the Soldiers, Son of Helena, King Coil's Daughter, a British Lady. The first Christian King the Sun beheld, was Lucius, Monarch of Britain. The first King that appeared for reformation of Religion, (which for many Centuries, with the River Alpheus, had coursed through the saltish brine of corruption) was in part Henry the Eighth, more completely his Son Edward the Sixth. The first Prince, that by his learned Pen laid Siege to the Hierarchy of Rome, was King James; all of them of the British Race. What can be added more, unless a proto-Matyr, to seal it with his blood?  
Secondly, Britain, for primitive receiving of the Gospel, may challenge equiqage, if not precedency, with other Nations, which Gildas, the wise, emblazons; for, relating the tempestuous storms, and billows of calamity, his Countrymen were tossed withal, under Claudius his bloody War, with the same breath he mentions a sudden miraculous calm. In the mean time (says he) 
Interea glaciali fr●igore rigente Insulâ, etc. Gild. de excidio Britan. cap. 6. Niceph. l●b. 3. hist. cap. 1. Theod. lib. 9 de curand Graec affect.  while Bellona was raging, there appeared and imparted itself to this cold Island, (removed off from the visible Sun further than other Countries) that true and invisible Sun, which in the time of Tiberius Caesar had shown himself to the whole World. 
B●itannorum l●ca Ro●anis inac●●lla Christo sub ta sunt. Tertul. advers. Judaeos', cap. 7. 8.  Tertullian, who lived less than two hundred years after Christ, tells us, that the British Territories, (not only the Southern, but) those unaccessable to the Romans, were subject unto Christ. 
Britamniam in Christianam consentire religionem. Orig. Homil. 4. in Ezek.  Origen, who lived in the year of Christ, 260. says, that the Britaines had consented to the Christian Religion. And St. 
Gallia, Britannia, Africa, Persis, oriens India, & omnes barbarae Nationes unum Christum adorant, unam observant regulam veritatis. Jerom. ad Evagrium  Jerom proclaims, that Gaul, Britain, afric, Persia, East India, and all barbarous Nations, adore one Christ, and observe one rule of truth. And this Evangelicall light was brought hither both by Apostles, and Apostolic men: Apostles, first St. Peter, if credit may be given to 
Simeon Metaph. apud Surium, die 23 Jun. pag. 862.  Simeon Metaphrastes and Surius, which seems to be confirmed by 
Innocent 1. in Epist. ad Decent.  Innocentius, almost one thousand three hundred years ago, saying, The first Churches of Italy, France, Spain, and the Lands that lie betwixt them, (whereof, Eusengrenius saith, Britain was one) were founded by St. Peter; which may rationally be conjectured to be the cause, why 
Gild. pag. 2. Epist. de excid. Brit.  Gildas amongst other things, objecteth to the British Priests, Quod sedem Petri Apostoli inverecundis pedibus usurpâssent, That they had usurped the Apostle Peter's seat with unreverent feet. Secondly, St. Paul, whom Theodoret, Sophronius, and 
Arnoldus Mirmannus in Theatro, quarto Neronis An. Dom. 59  Arnoldus Mirmannus, affirm, to have passed to Britain the fourth year of Nero, and there having sown the seed of life, to return to Italy. This Venantius Fortunatus, eleven hundred years ago, witnesses of Paul's Peregrination.  

Transiit Oceanum, vel quà facit Insula portum,  
Quasque Britannus habet terras, atque ultima Thule.   

He passed the Ocean's curled wave,  
As far as Island harbours have:  
As far as Briton yields a Bay.  
Or Iselands' frozen shore a stay.   
Thirdly, Simon the Canaanite, surnamed Zelotes, of his zeal, in the second year of Claudius, eleven years after our Saviour's passion, arrived at Britain, and preached the Gospel, as witnesseth Dorotheus: 
Simon Zelotes peragratâ Mauritaniâ & Afrorum regione, Christum praedicavit tamdem in Britanniâ, ubi crucifixus, occisus, & sepultus est. Doroth. in Synopsi.  Simon Zelotes having passed through Mauritania, and the Regions of afric, at last preached Christ in Britain, where he was crucified, slain, and buried. Nicephorus 
Evangeliis doctrinam ad occidentalem Oceanum, insulasque Britannicas persert. Niceph. lib: 2. cap. 40. Baron. ad diem 28 Octob. Magdeb. cent. 1. l. 2. cap. 2.  avouches, that he having preached to many Countries, conveyed at the last the Doctrine of the Gospel to the Western Ocean, and British Lands. With these, Baronius, and the Magdeburgenses agree.  
To these three Apostles, Antiquaries join some Apostolic men, or Evangelists, as Aristobulus, whom St. Paul nameth in his Epistle to the Romans, recorded by 
Mirmannus i● theatro de conversione gentium. pag. 43.  Mirmannus, 
Dorotheus in Synop.  Dorotheus, and 
Baron. out of the Greek Martyrol. ad diem. 25. Martii. Johannes Capgravius in Britanniae catalago. Polydore Virgil. hist. Anglic. lib. 1. Camde● in descript. Prov. Belg. Brit. Harpsfield in histor. Ecclesiast. fol. 3. Baleus, Fl●mingus, Scropus.  Baronius, to have propagated the Gospel in Britain; as also, Joseph of Arimathea, a Nobleman of Jury, who buried our Saviour, is said to have traveled through Gaul, and from thence to be sent by St. Philip, (as some say) or by St. Peter himself, as he passed that way too and from Britain, (as others) into this our Nation, wherein he obtained a place to exercise an eremetical life for him and his ten Companions, in the Island called Avallonia, where Glastenbury after was builded. For this, there is a cloud of modern * Witnesses.  
Thirdly, Britain was renowned for retaining the Gospel in the primitive purity, longer than other Churches, yea, then that of Rome, commended so much by the Apostle, and afterwards by Cyprian, as will appear by two circumstances, whereof the former is this: When there was a Schism in the Eastern and Western Churches, about the celebration of Easter, Polycrates, with the Oriental Bishops, alleged the authority of John, Philip, Polycarp; yea, the prescript of the Gospel for their warrant. Victor Bishop of Rome alleged for their warrants St. Peter and St. Paul. Such as were more moderate, (which principally were the Britain's) 
Ostendit nec Victorem, nec Polycratem justam habuisse causam de festo Paschatis tam odiose digladiandi, nam nec Salvator inquit, nec Apostoli, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Socrat.  misliked to see a schism in the Church for so small a matter, judging with Irenaeus, Observationes illas esse liberas, That those rites were things adiaphorous or indifferent; concluding (as Socrates hath it) that neither Victor nor Polycrate had any just cause so bitterly to contest about such trivials, seeing neither Christ nor his Apostles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by any Law had commanded the observation of it.  
Secondly, when Augustine the Monk 
Galfrid. Monumothensis histor. Britannica. l. 8. c. 4.  imposed upon the British Church the Romish superstitions, they renounced them; the occasion was this. Gregory, afterwards Pope, surnamed the Great, seeing-beautifull children sold in Rome, enquired Cujates, of what Country they were? It was answered, Angli, English. Potius Angeli, (says he) Rather Angels. He further enquired, Of what Province? They replied, of Dira. Nay, (says he, knowing they were Pagans) Dei ira, the wrath of God. He thirdly demanded, Under what King? It was answered, Alla. Efficiam (says he) ut canant hallelujah, I will make, that they shall sing Hallelujah. Whereupon he shortly after sent his Legate Augustine, 
Cent. 2. cap. 2.  to convert the Saxons; which being effected, he endeavoured to persuade the British Church to accept the Pope's Supremacy, and the Romish Ceremonies, which to that day they had not known, as Altars, Images, Vestments, Crosses; but were strongly opposed by Dinotus, Daganus, and Columbanus, Qui nullam in ritibus mutationem admittere volebant, which would admit of no change in Religion.  
But by degrees this Serpent insinuated, 
Centur. 6. lib. 5. cap. 17.  and got focting, in that King Osuvius inclined thereto; and the matter was debated with so hot contention, that from words it came to weapons, and twelve hundred Churchmen were slain, that refused subjection to the Sea of Rome: Yet, the red Dragon wholly prevailed not, till almost two hundred years after this, the whole Island was seduced by the blandishments of one Ecbertus, to submit their necks to the Roman slavery.  
Sed quorsum haec? Whither tends all this? To encourage us to stand fast to our tackle, and vindicate that Truth, thus famously in the days of yore, glorified in this Nation, but now like Hippolytus his body torn piece-meales, that scarce a wise Aesculapius knows how to join it; wherein I will adventure, first a word of the disease, then of the cure.  
The disease arises from the hedge of Discipline pulled down, when proud slime will acknowledge no Superintendency over it. This Enclosure lay common; Satan first persuades to deny Infant Baptism, than all Baptism, than all Ordinances; whence, one turns Leveller, another a Ranter, a third a Quaker, a fourth a spiritual Monarchist. One impugns Christ's Divinity, and becomes an Arrian; another his Satisfaction, and proves a Socinian; a third his Incarnation, and turns Jew; a fourth a Sceptic, of all Religions, till truly of none, The cure consists of two ingredients, first, soundness of judgement in profession; secondly, sincerity of heart in practice. Soundness of judgement in profession, respects either Doctrine or Discipline: Doctrine, which must be regulated by those Oracles, delivered by our Saviour and his Apostles, as interpreted by the current of primitive Fathers, while (as Egisippus said) the Church was a pure Virgin, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, keeping 
Clemens Alexandria.  the good old way, as is expressed in the joint harmony of Confessions of all reformed Churches. Discipline, that those grand Ecclesiastical Canons, [Let all things be done decently and in order, in peace, without schism, without scandal] may be precisely observed, and put in execution, by some Scripture-grounded authority.  
Besides these, the last, and not the least, is sincerity of heart in practice; for, howsoever the World, doting upon guilded miseries, stinking vanities, golden fetters, judges purity of the Spirit but 
Ecquid divitiae pereuntes, & transitoriae facultates, nis● stercora aeterna diligentibus sunt. Greg. in 2 Reg. c. 2. Non debet pro magno haberi honor humanus, quia nullius est ponderis fumus. August de Civit. dei. lib. 5. c. 17.  folly, I can assure you, in the word of life and truth, the richest and rarest confluence of all human happinesses, the most exquisite excellency and variety of the greatest worldly pomp and splendour that ever the Sun saw, since the first moment of its creation, is but dust in the balance; it is but dung, to a humble mind, savingly enlightened with the foretaste but of the least glimpse of that incomprehensible endless glory, which shall shortly be revealed to the upright in heart.  
To this end, the thirsty longing of my soul, and heartiest prayer shall ever be, that ye may shine every day more and more gloriously, in all personal sanctity, plantation of godliness in your own family, a holy zeal in advancing the affairs of God, where you have any power or calling; that when the last period of your mortal abode in this vale of tears, which draws on apace, shall present itself, you may look Death in the face without dread, the Grave without fear, the Lord Jesus with comfort. Thus let all the saving blessings of Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, be gloriously shining upon yourselves, your children, and posterity, which is the daily vote of him, who is,  
Your Worship's most humble and devoted Servant in the Lord Jesus, JOHN CRAGGE. Octob. 10. 1656.   

A SERMON, Preached formerly in the University of CAMBRIDGE.  The Text, Psalm 144. 4. Lord, what is Man! 
A Time there was before all Times, when there was no Day, but the Ancient of Days, no Good but God, no Light but the Father of Lights: Arts were but Ideas; the World, a Map of Providence; Heavens, the Book in Folio; Earth, Water, Aire, and Fire, in Quarto; Hell, the Doomsday pageant; Men and Angels but Capital Letters, in the Margin of God's Thoughts. Elohim Bara. But lo, the World and Time begun, the Heavens were spread as a Curtain, the Spheres encircled round, Comets and blazing Stars, Lightnings and Tempests; Birds and feathered Fowls, seated in the Air; Leviathans and Fishes, in the Sea: The Earth enfolded within the arms of the Ocean embraces the Centre, beset with Plants and Herbs, and Garlands of all Flowers, gives nourishment to Beasts and Creeping things. Sanctius his Animal, Lastly Man was made, Lord Paramount of all; he calls Earth, Heaven, and Elements, Birds, Plants, and Beasts, according to their Nature, each by their names: clear light of Reason, makes him a Logician; Stars, an Astronomer; Nature of all Creatures, a Philosopher; Earth and Paradise, a Geographer: Thus nothing is hid from him, while he is unknown to all. The Stars shine, Heavens smile upon him, the Air cherishes him, Fruits nourish him, Lions and all Beasts couch before him; all at once, as with a sudden rapture, admire, and know not what to call him. It's thou, O Lord, alone that madest him, that pouredst him out as Milk, that curdedst him as Cheese, that writ'st all his members in the volume of thy Book, that knows him: Lord, what is Man!  
Man, that was here David's mirror of admiration, must be our glass of speculation. Ignorance, in not knowing the true cause of things, is the true cause of Admiration in things. David, a man after Gods own heart, knows Man, and yet he knows not Man; he knows him, in respect of the efficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the offspring of God, as Aratus said; he knows him in respect of the matter, Adam quasi Adamah, composed of red earth; he knows him in respect of the form, his soul is spiraculum vitarum, breath of lives; life vegetative, common with the Plants; life sensitive, common with the Beasts; life reasonable, peculiar to himself, temporal and eternal. He knows him in respect of the end, all his thoughts, words, works, are so many motions, God is the Centre; his speculations, imaginations, meditations, are so many Lines, God is the Circumference; in God, from God, and for God, is all his good, in whom we live, move, and have our being. But in this he knows not man, Reason is at a stand, why God, that stood in need of no Creature, should create Man, to delight in him so vile a creature; that Angels, more glorious Creatures than he, should minister unto man; that Heaven, with all her Hosts and Armies, should serve man; that Christ, that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, both God and Man, should be accursed and dishonoured for Man, that Man might be blessed and honoured with God, should leave Heaven and his Father's Throne, that Man might live for ever in Heaven, and before the Throne. All Creatures! confess your ignorance in this; confessing it, admire; admiring, give God the glory. Fountains, clap your hands; Mountains, bend your heads, skip you little Hills like Lambs; old men and Babes, young Men and Maids, Angels and Choristers of Heaven, join in this hymn, Glory be to God on high, peace on earth, and towards men goodwill. But why peace on earth, and towards men goodwill? cease to scan, and leave it to him that is the Lord of Man: Lord, what is Man!  
Which words are an Epiphonema, or, conclusion, following an Eucharistia, or spiritual gratulation, enforced from a soul, deeply solaced with the meditation of mercy, in the depth of misery. The parts are two: First, an Apostrophe or Appellation, Lord! Secondly, an Erotema or Interrogation, What is Man? There is a what of objurgation, a what of interrogation, a what of admiration, a what of meditation▪ David meditates of Man; the more he meditates, the more he admires; the more he admires, the more he asks; the more he asks, the more is his task, till mirror is changed into terror, and every glance into a trance. Earth that sustains him, tell me; Fruits that nourish him, tell me; Air that cherishes him, tell me; Creatures that serve him, tell me; Stars that shined at his Nativity, tell me; Astronomers, calculate; Gymnosophists, unfold this Riddle; Angels, unveil your faces, and tell me: Man, unmask thyself, and tell me, What is man? Mount up my Meditations higher, pierce through the clouds towards Heavens; Glorified Saints, Principalities and Powers, tell me. If all these be silent, let wretched Man be bold to ask of Him, that sits upon the Throne, concerning man, Lord, what is man?  
Man before the Fall created, Man after the Fall degenerated, Man by grace regenerated, Man after death glorified. What, in his creation? What, in his degeneration? What, in his regeneration? What, in his glorification? Man by creation, wholly pure, an Angel; by degeneration, wholly impure, a Devil; by regeneration, partly sanctified, a Saint; by glorification, entirely crowned, a King. An Angel in Eden, a Devil in the World, a Saint in the Church, a King in Heaven; and all this but silly Man: Lord, what is Man?  
First, Man created before the Fall: what Man was in God's decree and intention, before the Creation; what in his union and composition in the Creation; what in his rule and dominion, after the Creation. Man, in God's decree and intention, a creature next to the Creator; that Hell envied, Earth admired, Heaven desired; a Gem of beauty, a Pearl of virtue, a Star of glory; Heir to a Crown, if he had not crossed himself. What in his union and composition in the Creation? The Son of God, moulded by God, and yet not (as the Manichees dream) of the Substance of God; the Image of God, and yet not that Image which was God; a Spirit from Heaven, breathed into a Body of Earth, and yet not all earth. Fire gave him natural heat, Aire gave him vital breath; Water, humours: the Fire was purified, the Air cleansed, the Water purged, the Earth refined to make up this fine complexion of Man; and yet materiam superabat opus, the workmanship surpassed the matter, as far as Heaven surpasses its matter; At the contemplation whereof, Dav●d bursts out into admiration, Psal. 139. 14. I was fearfully and wonderfully made. And Ga●en, before an Atheist, composes an Hymn, in the praise of him that made him, styling the fabric of man's body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the handiwork of God; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, preserved by God. For, the Body is the Soul's Castle, the mouth, the entrance; the Lips, a double leaved door; the Teeth, a portcullis, and Ivory gate; the Tongue, the porter, trenchman, and Soul's Orator; the Head, an eminent Tower, where four senses external, Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, Tasting; three senses internal, Common sense, Fantasy, Memory, keep so many scout-watches. The Brain, the Armoury and Treasury, fenced about with hair, skin, bone, the pia Mater, or golden Eure: the Neck, a Wheel to turn this Turret, to every point in the Compass: The Tongue, Teeth, and Palate, musical Instruments, for modulation of the voice; the Chordae, or silver cords, stretched through the body; the Liver is the Well, the Pores, the Conduits; the Veins, the Pitchers of blood; the Heart is the Cistern, and Fountain of Life; the Systole and Diastole moves gales of wind, to free from putrefaction. For this cause, Man is called a Microcosm, or little World, in that he resembles the greater World: The Liver resembles the Ocean, the Veins, the lesser Rivers; the Breath, the Air; the natural Heat, the warmth of the Air; the radical Moisture, the fatness of the Earth; the Hairs of our head, the Grass of the earth; Knowledge, Light; our Eyes, the Sun and Moon; our Beauty of Youth, the Flowers of the Spring; the Thoughts of our Minds, Motions of Angels; our four Complexions, resemble the four Elements; seven Ages, seven Planets. Thus was Man created a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, containing All, till that by usurping All, he lost All.  
Neither was this Beauty solely the Bodies, but the Soul in beauty far surpassed the Body, as far as the Soul is more active than the Body. The Understanding clear, without ignorance; the Will holy, without disobedience; the Affections calm, without distemperance; Thoughts undistracted, Heart untempted, Conscience unwounded: The wonderful union of them both, more wonderful than both. Earth and Heaven were espoused, a Body from Earth, a Soul from Heaven, were united, that nothing but Death could part; nor Death neither, if bodily concupiscence, with Martha, had not made choice of the worse part. Knowledge of sickness and sorrows was unknown: No Paracelsus distracted about Extractions. It would have been the Physician's Disease, that there was no Disease; the Grave's Death, that there was no Death; envy's Grief, that there was no Envy.  
What Man was, in Rule and Dominion after the Creation? Emperor of the whole Earth, Admiral of the whole Sea, Heir of Eden, peerless Peer of Paradise; that with the Grand Sultan, he might have insulted, styling himself, Ruler of the World, and Shadow of God: With the Pope, have worn a triple Crown, trampling upon Hell, triumphing upon Earth, trusting For Heaven. All Creatures seeing the splendour of Majesty, and God's Image resplendent in this new created Magistrate, with reverence pointed at him, with an Ecce Adam, lo Adam! The Stars that, lately created, were gazed upon as the world's wonder, wonder at this new created Star, with an Ecce Adam! The Angels, those ministering Spirits, Heb. 1. 14. behold him, to whom they must minister, with an Ecce Adam! God, who after the Fall, came with an Ecce exprobrandi, or upbraiding, comes now with an Ecce demonstrandi, or declaring to all Creatures, Ecce Adam, lo this is Adam, whom ye must all serve; this Adam, Lord of all, was Man, Lord, what is Man?  
Thus we have done with the first what, what Man was in his Creation: We come to the second what, what man is in his Degeneration, where we must distinguish of a threefold what; what degenerate Man is in his life, what in his death, what after death. The Degenerate in life, what in his Body, what in his Soul: In his Body, the length of his time, the strength of his time: What Man is in the length of his time; His life is a Mask, his Prologue is acted in secret, within the Curtains of the Womb; the Protasis in his Birth and Cradle; the Epitasis, in his chequered mirth and sorrow; Death is the Catastrophe; the Grave his Wardrobe. His time is a gliding Shuttle, a riding Post, a flying Cloud, a spying Eagle, a floating Ship, a fading Flower. The Shuttle is through, the Post is gone, the Cloud dissolves, the Eagle vanishes, the Ship is out of ken, the Flower fades. His length is but a Span, his strength Grass, his beauty but a Venice-glass, a China's Dish; his thoughts Dreams, his body a Shadow, his flesh but a Vapour, his glory but a Taper, which gins as a Bubble, continues as a Blaze, ends with a Blast. Lord, what is man?  
Thus what Man his Body is, in length of time: the second what, in strength of time, what in his Infancy, what in his Youth, what in his Manage, what in his Old age; in all these Natures, riddle unfolding Sphinx his riddle. In his Infancy an Image, hath hands, and cannot handle right; tongue, and cannot speak; feet, and cannot go; a soul, and cannot understand; an unreasonable Brute, in the shape of reasonable Man, conceived in lust, imbrued in blood, brought forth in sorrow with throbs and throws.  
His Youth an untamed Tiger, unsettled Quicksilver, a Chameleon of every colour, a Polypus of every shape, an Ape in all imitations, beginning to swell with Pride, boil with Revenge, burn with Lust, gasp for Honour, gape for Riches. Manhood is a Monster, composed of many miseries, a Sea of sorrows, a World of wars, where all fears affright him: The Sea is full of Pirates, the Land of Robbers; Wealth is envied, Poverty is contemned, Wit disinherited, Simplicity derided, Religion suspected, Vice advanced, and Virtue disgraced. Old age is a cripple, blind as Appius, blear-eyed as Leah, lame as Mephibosheth, bald in the head, wrinkled in the face, rotten in the teeth, stinking in the breath, tasty with choler, withered with dryness, overwhelmed with sickness, bowed together with weakness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, looking upon the earth, which must be his grave, till he lie down in the grave, gasping for breath; gins with crying, continueth with sighing, and ends with a groan, Lord, what is man?  
Thus is every Age of life, a Stage of strife, that well may we sing with Ausonius a Turtle-like Song, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, every Time is a troublesome Tide, no place or condition is secure in the world: Fear of Enemies affright, Suits in Law vex, wrongs of Neighbours oppress, care for Wife and Children consume: The house is full of cares, the Field is full of toil, the Country of rudeness, the City of factions, the Court of envy, the Church of Sects, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; What course of life than shall a man take, when every life is a curse? What Art shall he study, when he is the doleful subject of every Art, and studying it, studies his own misery? What does Grammar teach him, but to speak the language of his own confusion? The first part whereof contains the true Orthography, and charactering of his cares, the Commas, Colons, and Periods, (if any there be) of his passions. The second unfolds his Casuum discrimina, a thousand diversities of dangers, accidents, varied with divers Cases, with Genders of sorrow, engendering numberless, declining that which is good, and inclining to that which is evil. The third displays his misconstruction of Charity, in not Concording and agreeing with equals, in not Governing his Inferiors, in not submitting to the government of Superiors. And what is the last, but an Accenting of his griefs, by several pricks in the flesh, and Scanning of things upon the fingers of human reason, to tickle the ear of fancy and affection?  
What is his Rhetoric, but a Poison cooked in a painted dish? each Trope a translation from Purity to Corruption; each Climax climbs up by degrees of renewed grief; each Auxesis augments, and each Hyperbole makes up the height of his hardship. What is his Logic, but an art of Reasoning, to inform Reason of the loss of Reason? each Predicament a Ladder of human frailty, declaring the Substance of his body of death, the Quantity and Quality of his sin, in what Relation he stands to the Devil, Hell, and the Grave; the guilt of every Action, the sting of every Passion, ubi, quando, Where, When, in what manner and Habit every sin was committed; Demonstrating by causes, and proving by Induction, his destruction. His Music is a Modulation, made up of diversity of maladies, in place of melodies; his birth by Original sin sounds Base, by Actual, Triple worse; unconstant, never keeps Tenor; his life is a Cliff, his might a Minim, his wit but a Crotchet, his wisdom a Quillet, his glory but a Quaver. Lord, what is Man?  
His Arithmetic deciphers the numberless number of his necessities, adding, subtracting, dividing, multiplying, measuring all things by the rule of Golden number, rolls in a Circle, and ends in a cipher. His Physic serves to seek out the symptoms of his sickness; the brain conceives frenzies, madness, vertigoes in the brain; the Eye sees three hundred diseases in the sight of the eye; the Ear can hear of a Parotis, or impostumated inflammation in the ear; the tongue can tell of an Angina, or Argurangina, a Quincie, or silver-Quincie in the throat, which ties the tongue-strings: The Hand can feel a Chiragra, or Gout of bribery in the hand, the Sinews are sensible of convulsions of worldly cares; the Bowels of Tympanies, or swell of pride; the Heart of a Cardialgia, or carnal fear; the whole Man of a noli me tangere, impatience of admonition. Thus Man is become the Anatomy of Misery, and the Misery of Anatomy; and yet his greatest misery is, that he cannot help his misery; making the whole World a Pesthouse, the Earth an Aceldama, or field of blood, and the Sea a Golgotha, or place of Skulls.  
Thus what Man is in his body. The next, what in his Soul: First, What in regard of misery of losses. Secondly, What in regard of misery of crosses. In regard of misery of losses, the soul of Man hath lost blessings internal, external, eternal. Internal, the perfect Image of the Creator, the perfect knowledge of the Creature; God, Christ, holiness in heart, uprightness in life, union betwixt God and the soul, which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the very soul of the soul. Lost blessings external; not Rivers of Milk, Wine, Oil, Mountains of Gold, Silver, Diamonds, not a world of Crowns, Sceptres, Diadems, these were but Blanks; but, the Prize in this Lottery lost, was his lot of inheritance in Heaven, communion with Saints and Angels, in that inheritance that never fails. Lost blessings eternal, the glory of a Crown, and a Crown of glory; the blessed Vision, and the vision of Bliss, of the Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity,  
Secondly, what the Soul of Man is, in regard of the misery of Crosses, crossed with the stain of sin, crossed with the pain of sin; the stain of sin, the Mind is stuffed with vanity, the Understanding is darkened with ignorance, the Will stiffened with stubborness; hence the Soul is defiled with lust, polluted with filthiness, outraged with passions, over carried with affections, pined with envy, overcharged with gluttony, surfeited with drunkenness, boiled with revenge, transported with rage.  
The pain of sin consists in consciousness, of horror of Conscience, and sense of a reprobate sense. This horror meets a man in the dark, and makes him leap in the night, and makes him quake in his sleeps, and makes him start in every corner, and makes him think every Bush a Man, every Man a Devil, every Devil a messenger to fetch him quick to Hell. By this, Theodorick saw the face of a Man in the mouth of a Fish; Nessus heard the noise of Murder, in the voice of Birds; Saunders run distracted over the Irish Mountains: This made Cain wander, Saul stab himself, Judas hang himself, Arius empty his bowels at the Stool, Latomus cry desperately, he was damned, Julian confess, that he was conquered; makes Man, the Lord of all, slave to all: Lord, what is Man?  
Thus this General, what degenerate Man is in this life; the next, what degenerate Man unregenerate, is in his death: Come to his Bedside, and see how darts of calamity dart him.  
Stiches, aches, cramps, fevers, obstructions, rheum, phlegm, colic, stone, wind, as so many tempests and whirlwinds, attempt him: View his body sweeting, his members trembling, the head shooting, the face waxing pale, the nose black, the nether jawbone hanging down, the eyestrings breaking, the tongue faltering, the breath shortening, the throat rattling, at every gasp, the heartstrings cracking. Thus struggling, in comes Death, Hell's Purveyor, to summon the Soul to Hell; Reason accuses, the Devil endites, Memory gives evidence, Conscience condemns, damned Spirits flutter like flies, to catch this Spirit flying. O then, with what stentorious cries would it pierce the Clouds, if it had a voice to cry: Help Eyes, that were as quicksighted in vanities, as Lynceus, and see for some comfort; help Ears, late organs of melody, and hearken for some comfort; help tongue, that was my Suada-Orator, or Demostenes, persuade Satan, affright Death, flatter Hell, and tell my soul some comfort: Help Feet, that were my wings of swiftness, and quickly fetch some comfort; help hands, that were my Sword and Buckler, quiet my conscience, stop hell's mouth, banish Satan, and minister me some comfort. Alas, the Eyes are closed up, the Ears deaf, the Tongue speechless, the Feet lame, the Hands dead, not able to remove the slime that stops the breath: and Man, that was even now a Body and Soul, is a stinking Carcase without Soul: Lord, what is Man?  
Thus Death is displayed. Next, what degenerate Man is after death: A man of Death, fuel of Hell fire, lashed with Satyrs, wounded with Scorpions, scourged with Furies, stinged with Dragons, gnawn with Vipers, still rolling the Stone of sorrow with Sisyphus, turning the restless Wheel with Ixion; hungering and thirsting, freezing and burning with Tantalus, burning with heat, freezing with cold. Romish crucifying, Turkish ganging, Jewish stoning, Christian racking, burning, firing, fagotting, are nothing to this. And besides this infiniteness, it is everlasting infinite; the Grass of the Field, Sands in the Haven, Stars in the Heaven, may be numbered; but the Days, and Months, and Years, and Ages, of the torments of Tophet, are numberless, which makes the frying Soul cry out, Fountains cool me, Mountains cover me, Rocks hid me, Sea swallow me up, that I may be freed from this bottomless Sea of misery. What Adamant can endure this knocking? what Steel this beating? what Brass this burning? Lord, what is Man?  
We pass from man Degenerate, and come to man Regenerate, the third what; what Man is by Regeneration, what in his Redemption, what in his Justification, what in his Sanctification? In his Redemption, a Slave bought with a precious Price, a Prisoner rescued, an Enemy reconciled, a Malefactor pardoned. Wretched Man was the Prisoner, the Enemy, the Malefactor. Christ is the Price, the Rescuer, the Reconciler, the Pardoner. Woods of frankincense, Floods of Nectar, Ophir, India, and Havilah, though replenished with Gold and Pearls, could not pay this Price: Angels would have sunk under the burden, Man could not satisfy, God could not suffer; therefore Christ became both God and Man; God, to satisfy, Man to suffer: He left his Father's Throne, for the Virgin's Womb, a heavenly Mansion, for a Manger; a Crown, for a Cross, where he was crowned with Thorns, crucified between two Theeyes, as a Rose amongst Thorns; scourged with Whips, fastened with Nails, pierced with a Spear: where, with Saint Augustine, view his body sacrificed for man, his wounds bleeding for man, his price paid for man, his head bending to kiss man, his hands stretched out to embrace man; and then say, Lord, what is Man?  
Secondly, what Regenerate man is by Justification, disrobed of unrighteousness, arrayed with Christ's robes of Righteousness, clothed with the Wedding garment, anointed with new Oil, furnished with the oil of Grace, burning in his Lamp. The firstborn of Saints are his associates, God his Father, Christ his elder Brother. Crete strove for Jupiter, Thebes for Pindar, the seven Cities for the birth of Homer; shall not we for the Birth and Brotherhood of Christ, which begets in us a new birth. This new birth frees Man from the second Death; the strongest, the richest, the learned'st, must taste of Death's cup; Pompey have no grave, Bajaset be brained in an iron Cage, proud Saladine leave nothing but a shirt, Crassus be cashiered at Carrae, Aeschilus was slain with a Torteis shell, Euripides torn by Dogs, Mahomet the false Prophet by Hogs, Terrence was drowned: But Man, that is born anew, Elected, Justified in Christ, shall not die eternally, but live for ever with Christ.  
Thirdly, what Regenerate Man is by Sanctification, changed from a vassal of wrath, to a vessel of honour, a spiritual creature, purified with the Spirit, not with Pelagian purity of conception, Romish holy-water sprinkling, Popes pardoning, extreme unction, purgatory scorching; not with the Libertines law of Liberty, that hath no Law; but by Grace in the soul, that graciously cleanses both body and soul. The Understanding is lightened, because Christ is his light; the Will obedient to God, because he is born of the will of God; the Heart, by spiritual comfort, is heartened, and gives over burning; the Conscience barking; the Pulse of horror beating; all his Host of Body and Soul, is set to serve the Lord of Hosts: Knees bend to pray, Tongue sounds to praise, Feet run, Hands fight the Lords Battle. Nor is this all, but Man enjoys him that is all in all, and all in him: For in Christ, 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. all are ours, we Christ's, and Christ Gods. Satan cease to tempt him, Flesh to allure him World to beguile him, all is in vain; the Word feeds him, the Spirit guides him, the Creatures serve him, the Angels guard him; what joy of the Spirit within, what without, none knows, no not the Spirit of Man, but the Spirit of him that made Man: Lord, what is Man?  
Thus what Man regenerate is in Redemption, Justification, Sanctification; we come to the last what, what Man is in his Glorification; what glorified in soul till the Resurrection, what in both body and soul to eternity, after the Resurrection. What Man is glorified in soul till the Resurrection, a glorified soul by Christ's Resurrection, winged swiftly upon the wings of Cherubims to Heaven, where for every Cross she receives a Crown; in either Palm, a Palm of Victory; Angels come at her entrance, and salute her with an Euge; thousands of Seraphims, Thrones, Principalities and Powers, salute her with an Euge; Patriarches, Priests, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, salute her with an Euge; Souls of Friends, Parents, Husband, Wife, Children, and all Saints deceased before her, salute her with an Euge; nay, Christ himself salutes her with an Euge, Well done, good and faithful servant! To whom that Soul, with all the Souls, returns Hallelujah; honour and praise to the Ancient of days, that sits upon the Throne. Now glorified Soul! that wouldst have wondered with the Queen of Sheba, at Solomon in his royalty, at the Grand Sultan going to his Seraglio, at the Pope in his Procession; tell me how thou wilt wonder, and glory to see that Wonderful, that neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man. Lord, what is Man?  
Thus what glorified Man is in Soul, till the Resurrection; the last, and not the least, what glorified both in Body and Soul for ever, after the Resurrection. Glorified, in regard of the place of Glory, the object of Glory, the prerogatives of Glory. In regard of the place, which is Paradise, the third Heaven, the Heaven of Heavens, the heavenly Jerusalem, built of pure Gold, walled with Jasper, founded on precious stones; the Gates, twelve Pearls, watered with the Water of life, planted with the Tree of life, bringing forth twelve kinds of Fruits, to feed the twelve Tribes of Israel: Pallas Temple at Troy, Diana's Temple at Ephesus, Jerusalem's Temple in Zion, must give place to this Temple of the new Jerusalem, which is the place of glory.  
And as glorified in place, so glorious by the Object of glory in that place: The Object is, the vision of the Unity in the Trinity, where Man shall see all Felicity in the Glass of the Trinity. Moses his face shined, with the shining brightness of Gods hinder parts; Paul was senseless of all joys but Heaven, when he was rapt into the third Heaven; Peter was transported in Soul, when Christ was transfigured in Body: How glorious then will thy face shine, when thou shalt see God, face to face? enjoy the immediate communion with the Trinity? which will be joy to man's soul, health to his body, beauty to his eyes, music to his ears, honey to his mouth, perfumes to his nostrils, meat to his belly, light to his understanding, content to his will, delight to his heart, whole happiness to every part.  
Glorious in the Prerogatives of glory; the body of a Mortal, made an Immortal body; of a Corruptible, an Incorruptible; of a Natural, a Spiritual of a Weak, a Powerful; of a Deformed, a Beautiful: A Body shining as the Stars, the Soul in glory exceeding the Body, as far as the Moon exceeds the Stars; Christ in brightness exceeding all, as far as the Sun the Moon. Thus it shall be done to the Man, whom the King of Glory will honour. At the last doom, will Mountains burn, Devil's mourn, Man shall be mounted up with Angels, and Christ the Archangel, towards Heaven: Open ye Gates, be ye opened, ye everlasting Gates, and let the King of Glory come in, with all his troops of Glory. Say all Creatures, what is any Creature? What is Man, Lord, what is Man, that thou conferrest this glory upon him? Sing all Creatures, Men, Angels, with Hymns, Anthems, Hallilujahs; keep an everlasting Sabbath of Thanksgiving, with, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbaths, heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory: To thee we give all Honour and Glory both now and for evermore.   

A SERMON, Preached before the General of all the Forces of South-Wales, and the West of England.  The Text, Matth. Cap. 13. v. 45, 46. 
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man, seeking goodly Pearls:  
Who when he had found one Pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.  
HEAVEN is not feisable for money; then shall an earthly price run in equipage with it? Well might this seem a Paradox, if it were not a Parable. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 2 Cor. 4. 17. excessive weight above, transcends our Scales below. Earth is but an Atom, and what we see, is scarce worth to make an Emblem of what we hope to see. Well said Emped●cles, Terra terram inspicimus, aeihere aetherem; In an earthen Globe, we see the earth's Diameter; and in a paper-Sphear, the Circle of the Spheres. A Map, displays the World; Counters, the revenues of a Crown; and, if we look up higher, a Pearl, a Palm of Victory: For, The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Merchantman, seeking goodly Pearls.  
Seek, says our Saviour, and you shall find; and, if aught, this Pearl is worth the scrutiny▪ Earth hath her precious Stones, the Sea her Pearls; then what hath Heaven? The World is a Sea, the Church a Ship sailing for Pearls, and bound for Heaven the Haven. The Pixis of our Saviour's speech, through this whole Chapter, points at this Pole. In the first verse, we find Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by the Sea. In the second, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, entering into a Ship, and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, on the Sea. And here resembling Heaven, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to a Merchantman, trafficking by Sea. Scripture hath her rich Mines o● Rhetoric, and in every Mine a Mystery. This sweet conflux of the History with the Allegory, was not for nothing. Well then, make on for this Kingdom. Christ is the Gate; the Word, the Way, the Key: This Key hath many Wards. In the third Verse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Parable of the Sour: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the 24. another Parable of the Tares: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the 33. another Parable of the Leaven: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 44. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a h●dden Treasure. And in the Text, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchantman. A Parable, a Parable, and then another Parable; Again, and again: and all these Parables and Against, but Parallelisms to Heaven; Line upon Line, and Precept upon precept. Lord, how blind are our eyes, that need so many Lamps to enlighten them. The three first pointed at the power of the Gospel; the fourth, at the price; this fifth, at the superlative transcendency of the price. Gold is the best of Metals, Pearls better than Gold; Heaven is like Pearls, nay, the best of Pearls, The Kingdom of Heaven, etc.  
Parables had their birth in Paradise, He shall bruise thy heel, and thou shalt break his head, Gen, 3. 15. Plato commends them in his Dialogues, and does not Christ? They are fit similitudes, or, if you will, comparisons. That which no mortal eye hath seen, (and such is Heaven) must be made known by that which hath been seen. Princes send Pictures, to inform their Paramours. Some things sublimed above a mortal reach, must be read below in Characters proportioned; as the Sun's splendour in a Pail, or as Medusa's head, is feigned in Perseus' glittering Shield: Moses his face must have a Veil, before he can be spoke with. These are threefold; Typical, as foretelling; Apologicall, as illustrating; Methologicall, as instructing. This Parable is all; by Faith, giving forefight; by Knowledge, sight; by Sanctification, insight into Heaven. Then take up this Optick-glasse, The Kingdom of Heaven is like, etc.  
The parts in general, of this Apologue, are two: First, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the thing that is compared or like. Secondly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to what it is compared or like. The thing that is likened, is the Kingdom of Heaven; the thing to which it is likened, is a Merchantman, seeking goodly Pearls. The Antapodosis, or reddition to the former part, is not expressed, but by collection to be gathered from the latter. As Synchronisms, so Parallelisms, that begin together, must needs end together. Thus then take the Diagramma. First, a man under sin, is compared to a Merchantman. Secondly, his seeking of some good things, (as omnia appetunt bonum) to seeking of goodly Pearls. Thirdly, the price of glory in Heaven being found, is compared to that one Pearl of great Price, the Merchant found. Fourthly, as the Merchant sold all that he had to buy that Pearl, so must we forsake all Earthly things, for this Heavenly Pearl. A Christian then is as a Merchant; probable good things, as Pearls; Heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that most precious of Pearls; thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by inversion, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by alternation. These are the two passions the Philosopher makes of a Parable, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one thing alike irradiates another: For, as face answers to face in a Glass, so the Kingdom of Heaven to this Pearl: For the Kingdom of Heaven is like, etc.  
Of these Parts, by Divine assistance, and your Christian patience, in order; so using the Similitude, as Painters their Shadows, to illustrate the Portraiture of the Text; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, says St. Chrysostom: In Apologues, we must have an eye at the Author's purpose, lest by too curious inquisition, we wring out blood. Thus then take the Paraphrase, as a Chart, to direct our Compass in the future discourse. St. Jerom, by goodly Pearls, understands the godly Precepts of the Law and the Prophets; by that one Pearl of great price, the precious blood of our Saviour, by which we were bought with a price. The Merchant sold all to purchase this Pearl; so, with St. Paul, we must forsake the rites of the Law, ut Christum lucrifaciamus, that we may gain Christ. This one Pearl being found, condemns not the rest, nor the Sunshine of the Gospel, those lesser Stars of the Law; that was Marcion's Heresy, and the Manichees: Sed quia omnis alia gemma sit vilior, says Aquinas, The lustre of the Gospel is more translucent than the Law; otherwise, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Law is a Doctor to drive us unto Christ.  
Again, Goodly Pearls, (says the Gloss) is the glory of this World, deform conspicitur, all is but dung: That one precious Pearl is that unum necessarium, the vision of the Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, of Grace here by Faith, of Heaven hereafter by Fruition. Omnia vendit negotiator, the Merchant sells all for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, love surpassing all knowledge.  
These goodly Pearls, (says St. Augustine) are unspotted and godly Men, which the Merchant sought, (as Diogenes with his Lantern in the Market) and found none; this one precious Pearl is Christ Jesus, both God and Man. Or, these goodly Pearls are the observation of God's Precepts: the precious Pearl is, Charitas proximi, Charity, in which all virtues are contained. Or, these goodly Pearls are the Mines of Knowledge; this one Pearl, is that one Truth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Word made Flesh, Joh. 1. 14. This is the third Gloss, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, these three ●re all that I find, all of them in several, answerable to the analogy of Faith, diversity without contrariety, and all of them jointly perhaps to our Saviour's meaning, whether the Gospel, or Grace, or Christ, or Charity, or Evangelicall Knowledge; the Kingdom of Heaven, in the language of Scripture, comprises all, why then should not this Pearl, all? For, The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchantman, seeking goodly Pearls.  
Thus the Paraphrase, now to the Parts: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Every Man is a Merchant, that is the first Parallel; a Merchant, that Marts by Sea, not Land: For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which Vitruvius expresses by Mercatorem, and Lampridius by Negotiatorem Maritimum, a Merchant by Sea: At this points Porphyry, upon the second of Homer's Odysseys, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one that trafficks by transporting: of which, Plato says, in his Republica, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, these are the Merchants. This appears by the root, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a journey, and such a journey (as Budaeus says) as mari conficitur, is made by Sea. Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to pierce, as water doth pores. Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Sea itself, and so Apollonius uses it. Well then, we are all Merchants; this floating World, is the fickle Sea; these frail Bodies, our Barks; our Wishes, our Oars; our Zeal, our Sails; inbred desire of Good, our point in the Compass; Knowledge, our Pilot; Discretion, our Rudder; Contemplation, our mainmast; Providence, our Cables; and Hope, our Anchor; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Take heed therefore to your tackle. O navis, referent in mare te novi fluctus, fortiter occupa portum. Horat. Make for the Haven, one wave treads upon the neck of another, and where the old broke off, new scenes of surges have taken up their cues. Poor Soul, thou art the Palinurus, which ventures more, than all the West- Indian's Company is worth, while with the Argonauts, thou floats for the golden Fleece, embarked in a Barge of Clay, (for what is thy Body else?) all the world in sight is an Asphaltite, or dead Sea; each sound, almost a Siren; each sin, a sink; each temptation, a tempest. Una Eurusque, notusq, ruunt, creberque procellis Africus, (V●rgil Aeneid. 1.) Whirlwinds wheel about on every side, and drives our shipwracked weather beaten souls in brevia & syrtes, into desperate quicksands and shallows, and tosses our Sea-sick Consciences, with blustering Billows, angrier than Adria. On this side, Scylla's sin-sinking Gulf devours us in despair; on that side, Charybd●s splits us on Rocks of presumption; here Satan, as a Pirate, assaults us without; there, through infirmity, our Vessels leak within; and what can we remember, that is not a Remora? Yet, we sing in security, as if the Halcyons had builded their nests about us, and promise ourselves as fair, as if Castor and Pollux sat upon our Prora's or Poups. A wake, O thou keeper of Israel, that rebukedst the winds, and they obeyed, rebuke these winds and they shall obey. Thou that strechedst forth thy hand to Peter, when he was sinking, strecth forth thy hand of mercy, and save our souls from sinking, that optatâ potiamur arenâ, we may come to the wished for sand, where these goodly Pearls are shrined. Thus, I perceive, you imagine, how unexpectedly my speech is glided, from Merchant, our State or Vocation, to seeking goodly Pearls, our Merchandise or Negotiation: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchantman, seeking goodly Pearls.  
Seek, the Action; goodly Pearls, the Object. We must seek, which implies Paines, the best of Actions; Pearls, the best of Merchandise; goodly Pearls, the best of Pearls: Yet, Gold is but glittering clay, Pearls, but purer slime congealed; why should we seek them? Erasmus commends his Moria; Phavorinus, his quartane ; Politianus, his Thersites; our Saviour, the unjust Steward; not their evil, but their good; not the Poison in the Toad, but the Pearl. He that can bring light out of darkness, by his omnipotent Chemistry, can extract a Pearl out of a Dunghill, the Kingdom of Heaven out of a Pearl: Seeking goodly Pearls.  
After Man had lost Paradise, by losing himself in Paradise, the first Potion that was prescribed him for recovery, was [Seek.] A Mineral is found by digging, a Race won by running, a Pearl got by seeking. So let us seek, that we may find; so run, that we may obtain. Atalanta, by Hippomenes his golden Apples, in the Poet, lost the Goal; by charms of pleasure, so shall we. Let us have therefore always written before our eyes, (as the Pharisees the Commandments on their Phylacteries) that saying of Piny, Vita vigilia est, This life is a watch. And learn that lesson, that Socrates, in Aristophanes, gives Streps●des, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Let enchanting sleep be banished from our eyes. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, says Aristotle, No felicity is in slumbering security; but, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the virtuous search of an active Soul. This those Emblems teach us, of Providence on a watchtower, painted like Janus looking both ways; and Hercules his two ways in the Wilderness, una voluptatis, the one of Pleasure, (as Tully says) but the other of Paines. Let us with Alexander, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nothing delaying, by seeking insist in this painful way, lest, while with the Ravens, by sloth, we gape against the Sun, Satan watch us, as the Crab does the Oyster, in St. Ambrose, sorupulps injiciens, throwing in Peebles in stead of Pearls, Seeking goodly Pearls.  
So we are come to the Object of this search, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Pearls.] The word for Pearl in this place, hath its name from Mare, the Sea, or at least is Gemma Marina, a Pearl proper to the Sea; and this (which Quintilian commends) continues the Allegory. Gemmarum multa sunt genera, (says Pliny) Pearls are of many kinds; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this Sea-kind is the best, and of them, those in profundo maris are best, that are in the depth of the Sea. No wonder then, if this Merchant does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, seek these Pearls.  
They have many names to be sought by: That which Christ here, and Theophrastus elsewhere, calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Pearl, Arrianus calls Cynaedum; Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Statius, Propertius, and Claudian, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Cicero, Gemmam; Pliny, Unionem; Virgil, Baccham Concheam; and St. Jerom, rubri maris granum, a grain of the Red Sea. Thus the Names; a word of the Nature: They are Conchae, precious Shells, conceived in Conchyliis, in Sea-fish, which at the time of their conception, drinking the dew from Heaven, gravidae in partu enituntur Margaritas, are delivered of Pearls, together with their Spawns. These goodly Pearls, the Merchant seeks, and emblemed in these, every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, seeks some Good, and to his knowledge, (as the Philosopher says) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Chiefest good. Our souls at first, like Needles of a Dial, were touched with the Magnetical tincture of God's Image, pointing at Him, the Pole; till sin, like the Onions of Egypt, and the presence of the Adamant in our hearts, bends our thoughts another way; like Children newborn, we still seek some Breast to suck, and with the confounded Linguists at Babel, lisp out some language: with Ixion, taking the Cloud for Juno, a Glass for a Pearl, Jacob for Esau. Man's Soul is a seeking-Creature, and for lack of the chiefest, must have some, though but apparent Good. Hence it comes to pass, that this brittle glassy sea of the World, that should be the Channel to convey us, and our perspective Glass, to look up to Heaven, proves our Harbour, and our Looking-glass. This gavefewell to that faction, betwixt the Academics, and the Peripatetics, both of them confessing, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the object of the Will, was that which is good: The one said, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but apparent good; the other, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, true good. Aristotle joined both, or quicquid sub specie boni, whatsoever seems good: And that is meant by goodly Pearls, so called, not because they are all so, but because they all seem to be so. True Good, is a conformity with the will of God, archetypa, not with the will of man. Some are simply evil, as sensuality, sinful pleasure: Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, neither Good nor Evil, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as they are used; these are the Goods of Fortune, (as they call them) Honour, Riches. Some truly Good, yet not the chief Good, because referred to a chiefer, or architectonical end, as Prudence, and Moral virtues, though Austin in Heathens, calls them, splendida peccata, glittering sins.  
Well then, no wonder, if (as Varro saith, and the Father of Hippo secondeth him, in his Civitate Dei) there were three hundred opinions in the language of my Text, concerning these Pearls. As truth is is one, so Error is infinite; and yet they were ignorant of the Law, the Jewish Targum Cabala, and Sanhedrim, which Interpreters comprise within these Pearls. O the endless search of these inferior things! we may seek them, but not rest in them. Seeking is a motion, motion argues imperfection, so does Pearls in the plural number: Martha carked for many things, there was but one thing needful. It is wittily at least observed by Origen, that God put no lo, it was good upon that day, when the light was divided from the darkness; nor must we put any rest in these Pearls. For to instance in a few: What is Pleasure, but a pill in Sugar? Beauty, but a painted Snake? Honour, but a blast of idle Wind? Riches, but a smile of Fortune? and all the Wealth the World hath piled together, but Obelisks of vanity? Let some Gallants condemn this, as the voice of a melancholic Scholar; yet, I know a day will come, when, Eccles. 12. 3. the keepers of their house of clay shall tremble, those that look out of the windows shall be darkened, and Death shall gnaw upon them like sheep: then they shall confess, that none, nor all these, can give their souls content. There is one precious Pearl, that neither Prince nor People, Men, nor Angels, have in their keeping; Height nor Depth, Principalities nor Powers, Life nor Death, can take away; and that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this one precious Pearl.  
So we are passed to the third part or parallel, where observe this method: first, seek; then find. God answers every man to, nay, above his expectation: Saul sought Asses, and found a Crown; the Milesian fishers, Fishes, and found a golden Trivet; the Merchant sought Pearls of less price, and found one of greater price. This Pearl is but one, and yet instar omnia, it comprises all. Pliny calls it an Union, and what is it else, but an union of God and Man into one person? of God and Mankind into one Covenant? One, because Truth (as the Schoolman saith upon this place) is in divisa, undivided, as the Trinity in Athanasius his Creed. This Pearl was sought, because promised in the Law, but found in the Gospel. Abraham made his Servant put his hand under his thigh, and swear, (as Isiodore Pelusiota says) by Christ, that was to come out of those loins. The Massorites sought this Pearl out of the profound Sea of Curiosities; Rabbins and Jews, amongst Thrones, Palaces, and Principalities; and it is more than probable, that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or Popular sort, sought but an earthly Prince. But, as Mercury in the Fable, sent the Husbandman a Golden Hatchet, who petitioned but for an Iron one; so the carnal Jews seeking but an earthly Messiah, found an Emanuel: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I have found, says the Mathematician, and what? but the Rule of Algebra. Italiam! cried, Aeneas, and novum orbem! Columbus, but at the ken of an earthen shore: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, We have seen his Star, (says the Wisemen); but when they had seen the Babe, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they rejoiced exceedingly. And so this Merchant, when he had found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this one Pearl of great price.  
Many things have been esteemed precious: Gyges his Ring, by which he went invisible; Vulcan's panoply, that was falsely reported to secure from all Weapons; Aesculapius his Herb Panace, to cure all Diseases; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to contain all curiosities: the Palm in Pliny, to minister all things necessary for Meat, Drink, Clothing, and Building: the precious Stone Opalum, to have the virtue of all Stones▪ the brightness of the Carbuncle, purple colour of the Amethyst, the amiable greenness of the Emerald; all these were nothing to this one precious Pearl. There is a Pearl Gemites, wherein appears a hand in hand; that is this Pearl, Christ Jesus, and his Kingdom, wherein God and Man are joined hand in hand, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God with us.  
Well then, get this Philosopher's Stone, and thou needs want no Gold of the Sanctuary; this most precious Pearl, so precious, that it is beyond all conceptions transcendent: Reason cannot fathom it, but is at a stand; Scripture expresses, that it is unexpressible, Phil. 4. 7. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man. The Saints at the sense of it, are rapt into an Ecstasy; Cherubims veil their faces: Sanctifying grace in man comes somewhat near it, which causeth joy in the heart unspeakable: and yet there is as great a disproportion, as for a Star that is enlightened by the Sun, to express the whole glory of the Sun. The World is but a painted Map, the real Vision is in Heaven: all Creatures are but Rays and Spangles, from this Pearl that sits upon the Throne; and keeps the Keys of Life. Tell me then, poor soul, what if this World were as the Gardens of Alcinous, Elysian fields, or Paradise; the Rivers run with Nectar, the Fields brought forth Ambrosia, Hyacinth, and Moly; thy Ways were strowen with Carpets, thy Head crowned with Rosebuds, each Tree were as the Tree of Life, or Apples of the Hesperides; the Heavens were a Globe of Gold, the Earth a Centre of Diamond, the Clouds shoured down precious Pearls, like Gold in Diana's lap; each Man were an Orpheus or Amphion, with Music's harmonious charm, to set Devotion on the Wing: Tell me, whether this one precious Pearl being found, thou wilt not sell all that thou hast, and buy it?  
So we are come to the last Parallel, or fourth River of our Paradise, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He went, and sold. Grace is nimble heeled, will not stand still, when it is transported with an Object, but moves unto it, as grave things to the Centre. The Merchant sought this Pearl before he found it, and when he had found it, he still went on. A Christian moves in a Circle, that point that ends one motion, like a Terminus communis, gins another. Standing water corrupts. Go we must for this Pearl, and yet we need not far; Pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and to the Tombs of Saints, are now out of date; Heaven, in this Sunshine of the Gospel, is to be found every where. Go, but not from thine own Pastor, in every Church. Revel. 22. 17. The Spirit, and the Bride says, Come: Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. And yet he went, and sold. That which cost our Saviour his Blood, must cost us something. Though we have nothing but what we have received, yet, God must receive of that which we have: Or if we have any thing, it is but sin. Let us cut off our Hand of revenge, pluck out our Eye of lust, belch out our Heart of pride, and sell ourselves, that we may buy our Saviour. This is to sell all that we have, not for a new Inheritance in a New England, under a new Discipline; this is with Demosthenes, to buy repentance to be repent of, which some of them confesses: Others, like the mured Anchorit at Brussels, bites-in the lip, and dissembles, and sees their exchange to be like his, that gave golden Armour for Brazen, but too late.  
We must sell all to buy Heaven: Shall Creates of Thebes throw his Gold into the Sea, for purchase of Philosophy, and shall not we for Christ? Many in Hadrians time, lost their goods, their lives, in following that false Messiah, that styled himself Benchochab, the son of a Star; but proved Bencozba, the son of a Lie. But he that follows Christ, shall gain his life, and fight under that Banner that Constantine saw, with this inscription, and the apparition of the Cross, or rather crucified Saviour, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, In this, overcome. What then, if we had the whole World to cast in counterpoise with this Pearl, it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not worthy of it, but as the dust of the Balance in comparison. We are like Sun-Dialls, unless It shine; blaze Torches, Tapers, Candles, all Stars at once are of no use; flow Riches, Honour, Strength, Wives, Friends, Children, to our contentment, without this Sun of Righteousness, it is still night. Lesser Pearls may be Copies of God's Grace; but without Seal, Ciphers of no value, unless the Unity in the Trinity be joined with them. We cannot conceive so great a number of earthly things, but still more may be added, more desired: but, he that hath this Pearl, is ravished in spirit, cannot conceive more, hath contentment in mind, cannot desire more, his Cup doth overflow: To the fruition, and beatifical vision whereof, God of his mercy bring us.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

A SERMON, Preached at the Ordination of MINISTERS.  The Text, Revel. 3. 19 Be Zealous. 
THIS word is one of the last, uttered by Him, who is Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, to the Church of Laodicea, the last of the seven Churches of Afia: A golden Lesson delivered by Him, that stands in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks, girded about his Paps with a golden Girdle, counselling us to buy Gold tried with the fire. A light shining from Him, that holds the light of the seven Stars in his right hand, whose countenance shines as the lightning. A burning Coal of Affection sent from his Altar, the feet of whose affections burns as fine Brass in a Furnace, to in flame the key-cold affections of the lukewarm Laodiceans. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Be zealous.  
The Angels of these seven Planet-moving Churches, are compared here to seven Stars; yet, all of them borrowing their light from that Son of Man, Christ Jesus, that shines in the midst of them. The Angel of the Church of Laodicea, is ranked here like the Moon, the last in the Sphere of this heavenly Vision: As the Moon waning from grace, she hath left her first love; as the Moon eclipsed, she is poor, and blind, and naked; as the Moon seeming the greatest in her own eyes, I am rich, increased in goods, and stand in need of nothing, when she is the least of the Stars, wretched and miserable; as the Moon, bemoystening all things with watery humours, not with dew-dropping tears of repentance, but with carnal humours to be repent of; Repent, and do thy first works. As the Moon, neither hot nor cold in itself, they are lukewarm; so hot, as still Professors; so cold, as but hypocritical disguisers: As the Moon, the Fountain of coldness to others, befreezing the well-springs of Grace, and sluices of Charity; thus this poor Church is sick, quid faciet? what shall she do? To what Gilead shall she resort for Balm? Come all you that are sick, and here is one salve for every soar, made up by the Physician of the Soul, in this one Electuary, Zeal. If thy Grace be waning, Zeal will increase it; if thou be poor, Zeal will present thee Gold tried in the fire; if thou be blind, Zeal is a Collyrium or Eyesalve, to anoint thine Eyes withal: if thou be'st naked, Zeal is a Garment to cover thy nakedness withal; if thy Soul be drowned with a deluge of carnal humours, Zeal is a flame to dry it; if thou be lukewarm, Zeal is a fire to kindle thee; if thy Heart be frozen, Zeal is a heat to thaw it: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Be zealous.  
It contains an Exhortation, brought in by way of illation, with this Illative, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Be zealous therefore: God loves us, therefore we must be zealous, for zeal is more than an ordinary heat of love. God, who is infinite, loved his Church infinitely; the Church, which is his Darling, must love him fervently, this fervency of love is zeal. Because he rebukes us, we must be zealous, enkindled with zeal of anger at those sins, that he rebukes us for, moved with a zeal of love towards God, for rebuking us with Words, when he might afflict us with Swords. Zealous, because he chastens us with Rods, and not with Scorpions, sparkling with the fire of zeal at sin that chastises us, but zealous of those sparks of God's love and mercy, that chastises, and subdues sin in us: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Be zealous.  
The word hath its name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to seethe, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Greek Letter Z, the sound that liquor makes in seething: Seething presupposes boiling, boiling heating, heating fire: This fire is affection, the seething pot the soul, Knowledge the fuel, prayer and meditation the bellows; these inflame the heart, and soul, and conscience, and every faculty of the inward Man; neither stays it there, but sparkles out into the outward Man, the tongue is tipped with zeal, the eye sparkles with zeal, the hand brandishes the sword of zeal, the feet are shod with zeal, all are zealous at once for the Lord of Hosts. This heat of zeal, if it be right tempered, in a fit quantity, as heat in the third Degree, is an Antidote against vice, a Cordial in afflictions, a purger of corruptions: But if it be too hot, as in the fourth of fifth Degree, it becomes a poison, a wildfire, that no waters, scarce many waters, scarce the milk of the Gospel, will queneh: It is a fire that burns without knowledge, as Ch●ysogonus his pot at Rome, seethes without any fire of knowledge at all; it is an ignis fatuus, a blind fire, leading us in a blind way; this blind way is the broad way, that leads to destruction.  
In brief, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, [Zeal] generally taken, is an earnest affection to any thing; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a thing indifferent, neither good nor bad; and yet, either good or bad, as the thing to which it is referred differences it: When it soars aloft at Heaven, and the Sun of righteousness, than it is a Phoenix of virtues; for this, Phineas his Sword, imitating the flaming Sword of the Cherubin; and blind Samuel his zeal, though not blind zeal, is commended. By this, one of the Apostles conquered more, than he that was the greatest Conqueror. Scipio, by conquering afric, was called Africanus; but Simon, by conquest of Zeal, was called Zelotes; this Conquest was Heaven, a greater than can be imagined in somnio Sc●pionis. This Simon was not Simon Peter, for his Motto was not Zeal, but Love; Simon, lovest thou me? But it was Simon the Canaanite, not of the land of Canaan, with Caph, that comes from a Root that signifies, he was made vile; but written with Kuph, coming from a Root in Pihel Kinne, and signifies, He was moved with zeal. But Zeal, when it looks asquint, and is not fixed upon the right object, when, Icarus-like, it towers aloft, without the wings of Knowledge; when, like an unruly flame, bursting out of the Furnace, it sets our neighbour's house on fire, it's vicious, bitter as Colliquintida; for which, St. James calls it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, bitter zeal. The zeal here meant is in Nature, true zeal, in regard of the object, zeal according to knowledge, in degree, moderate zeal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Be zealous.  
The party exhorting was Zelotypus, a zealous God, out of whose mouth went a sharp two-edged Sword. The parties exhorted, the lukewarm Laodiceans, whom neither sincerity had made hot, nor hypocrisy would suffer to be cold. The thing exhorted to, is Zeal; Zeal, which when it is true, drives out the distempered feavourish heat of opinion, that brainsick frenzy heat of obstinacy, and cures the senseless security of that Lethargy of sin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Be Zealous.  
It cannot be divided into many Propositions, for it is but one, and that implicit; nor into many words, for it is but one, though explicit; yet, consisting of many Letters, and that without superstition, a sacred septenary, which like the seven heads of Nilus, meets all in one Channel: but here is the difference, the heads of Nilus are scarce known; the Head of zeal, well grounded knowledge, must be known: Those that dwell near the heads of Nilus, with the found thereof are made deaf, and cannot hear; but those, in whose heads, or rather hearts, Zeal dwells, are made more judicious, and more quick to hear. The word is one, the Proposition one, the Exhortation one, the point of Doctrine it yields is also one, Christians must be zealous. Be zealous; is as much as if he had said, You Pastors, you People must be zealous. Though the Laodiceans (Angel and Church) be Christians in profession, yet not spoke to them alone, but to all Christians, as the Ointment poured on Aaron's head, runs down to the skirts; All Christians must be zealous. All Scriptures, Prophets, Apostles, Saints, Evangelists, as so many Virgins with Oil in their Lamps, yield fuel to this Torch of Zeal, by precept, by practice. Noah's zeal dried the waters of the Flood, which overtopped the Mountains, and drowned the World. Lot's zeal, by a more holy fire, quenched the fire of Sodom, and preserved his life in Zoar. The brightness of Moses his zeal was admirable, outshining the brightness of his face, Exod, 32. 32. If thou wilt not forgive their sins, blot me out of the book which thou hast written. Blot me. Does Moses his zeal, as Eagles at the Sun, fly at things impossible? or does he wing his speech with Seraphic raptures, to elevate his Rhetoric to Him, that thunders in the Clouds? Or, is he rapt with St. Paul into the third Heaven, where he conceives things unutterable, and utters things unconceivable? Or, does he dart this by way of supposition, that he would be contented with damnation, upon condition of their salvation? it is uncertain: Yet, this is most certain, though he shot at rovers, Zeal bended the Bow, and drew the Arrow to the head. Phinehas his heat of zeal, contrary to the nature of heat, stayed the Plague, and cleansed the air, and by the fall of two, prevented the fall of thousands on his right hand, and ten thousands on his left. David his zeal went through his bones, like the fury of a hectic , and brought him into a consumption, Psal. 119. 139. My zeal hath even consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy word. [Mine enemies have forgotten thy word.] What would he have done, if his friends, if himself had forgot it? Psal. 69. 9 The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up: that is, wasted me, consumed me, made me a Skeleton or Anatomy. Come on, and see Jehu's zeal against Jezabel for the Lord of Hosts; whose zeal, though not true, if it be commended, consider what true zeal would be. Esay's terrible Trumpet was tipped with zeal, sounding a retreat to Idolatrous Judah and Jerusalem, Jeremiah's zeal did boil more fervently, than the seething pot he spied in the North, against the sins of the people. Our Saviour, the perfect pattern of zeal, though as meek as a Lamb in his own quarrel, yet zeal made him as fierce as a Lion in Gods, and that sparkling in words, Woe to thee Bethsaida; in deeds, to Peter in private, Get thee behind me Satan; to the prophaners of the Temple in public, You have made my Temple a den of thiefs. Zeal metamorphosed Paul, from a Persecutor to a Professor, a Preacher, a labourer in Christ's Vineyard, one that laboured more than them all, a Martyr indeed, sacrificing his body for the truth; and, if wishes would have prevailed, Anathema pro populo, his soul also: Neither could this heat of zeal be kept within him, but like the fire of Aetna, it burst out to others. Tit. 2. 14. Be zealous of good works. Rom. 12. 11. Be fervent in spirit; fervency of spirit is but zeal, dressed in other attire. All those emblems in St. John's vision, of a zeal-commanding Saviour, are but so many motives to zeal; seven golden Candlesticks, burning with Lamps of zeal, a golden Girdle about his Paps, this Girdle (as that Ephes. 6.) is Zeal, Truth and Zeal must go together: These Paps are the two Testaments, from whence all truth flows, upon which altar all zeal must be kindled. His eyes are a flame of fire: these eyes are Knowledge, this flame of fire is Zeal; knowledge and zeal must go together. His feet like fine brass, burning in a furnace: This brass is stability and constancy, this burning brass is zeal; zeal and constancy must kiss each other. In his right hand seven stars: These Stars are so many Lamps, giving light to others; for, they that have given up their names to Christ in Baptism, must be like John Baptist, lucernae ardentes, burning lights; lights burning inwardly within themselves, shining outwardly to others. Christian's must be zealous.  
And that this our Christian zeal may be distinguished from an ignis erra●icus, or wand'ring fire of opinion; an ignis fulminaris, or frensive fire of rebellion, let us examine the ground of this truth; for all zeal is grounded upon truth, and all truth upon Christ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Truth. Hence it is, that Christians should be zealous, because for this cause, Tit. 2. 14. Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem unto himself a peculiar reople, zealous of good works. That Angel that appeared unto Moses in the burning bush, to the Prophets in a pillar of fire, as speaking from God to Man, became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, both God and Man, that Man for the glory of God might be zealous. He bought our salvation with pangs, and blood, and sweat, that we, zealous of piety and purity, might work out our salvation with fear and trembling. He sweat blood in the Garden, he was beat with cords and whips, fainted under the Cross in the way, was fastened to it with nails, pierced with a spear, assaulted by Satan, Hell, and all our sins at once, that we might be covered with righteousness as with a robe, and clothed with zeal as a garment. The Turks are zealous of their Mahomet, the Sidonians of Bell and Dragon, the Priests of Baal of their Idol, the Papists for their Relics, Crucifixes, Images; the Jesuits of their Ignatius Loyola, each Sect of their own superstitions: Then, shall not Christians be zealous for Christ, who, zealous of our salvation, gave himself for us, that we might be zealous of good works?  
Secondly, Christians must be zealous, because zeal is the life and soul of Christianity; that which the bellows are to the forge, zeal is to the Soul, an inkindler of grace; that which natural heat is to the body, zeal is to the spirit, a preserver of Grace; that which Heroical virtue is to Moral virtues, the same is zeal to all divine and heavenly virtues, the perfection of grace. Zeal is the quintessence of Graces distilled, the marrow and life of Religion, the height and hyperbole of Holiness. Faith without zeal, is but historical, Charity without zeal is but hypocritical, Profession without zeal is but carnal, Patience without zeal is but Stoical Apathy; Mercy without zeal is foolish sympathy, Hope without zeal is but impudence, Love without zeal but lechery, Wisdom without zeal but folly, Martyrdom without zeal but murder. These two reasons of the Point we have but pointed at, because zeal is a Grace that is grounded upon reason, yet in the heart, practical; therefore we omit any further reason, and come to Application. First, enquiring what true zeal is: Secondly, the several kinds of zeal.  
Zeal is defined by the Philosopher, to be a mixture of anger and love, when we are angry at the party or thing, that injures that which we love. These two affections, as fire and oil, met together in Moses; he loved God, hated Idolatry, therefore he was angry at that Idol, that was enmity against God. Ancient Divines have described it, to be a mixed affection of grief and anger flowing from love. Grief is an affection of the heart, that wounds the soul for some present evil; thus Jeremy mourns, for the misery of the daughter of Zion. Anger is mixed of sadness and a desire of revenge: Esau was sad for the loss of his Birthright, his heart boiled with revenge against his supplanting Brother. These were the territories the Ancients tied zeal to, who all shot near, yet miss the mark; for true zeal neither consists in hatred, nor love, nor sorrow, nor a desire of revenge alone, a channel too narrow for zeal to run in, which (like) Nilus overflows the whole soul; the higher, the fruitfuller. But true zeal, either consists in a mixture of all the affections, or is a high and heroical pitch of any affection, that makes Heaven suffer violence. A high rapture of spiritual joy is zeal, that, like St. Paul, rapes us up into the third Heaven. The Scheme in Paul's Rhetoric was zeal, when he said, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice. By this zeal, John Baptist leapt in his Mother's womb, at the presence of Mary conceiving. By this zeal, Simeon's trembling arms received heat, to embrace our Saviour. By this zeal, the Angels rejoice in heaven at a sinner's conversion. Surely, it was a high pitch of affection, and no affection but zeal, that lift the soul of Diagoras, of Chylon the Lacedaemonian, of the Roman Widow, off the hinges; this affection was joy. And, as a high pitch of joy, so, strain the pegg of sorrow, and it will prove zeal. Joy, a rapture for the present good; sorrow a pressure for the present evil. Rachell's sorrow for her Children, Mourning and weeping, and great lamentation. Jeremiah's mourning for the captivity of the people, Come and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, may make up the tale of zeal. David's mourning all the day long, watering of his couch. Ezekiah's chattering as a swallow, or crane in the desert, is the fruit of zeal. Hope, when it is wafted with full sails towards the Haven, and like the Heliotrophium spreads itself towards the Sun of righteousness, is zeal. It was this zeal of strerched forth Hope, that put this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or full assurance, in Paul's mouth, I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, etc. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Rom. 8. 38. And as hope, so fear, when it is a Graduate in the University of the Soul, puts on the habit of zeal; this fear must be filial: Such zeal as this was the fear of Martyrs, which feared God more than thousand deaths and burn. This zealous fear of God wrought in Ignatius this heavenly resolution, Fire, gallows, wild beasts, breaking of my bones, quartering of my members, crushing of my body, and all the tortures of hell come upon me, so that I may enjoy my Lord Jesus and his kingdom. Anger, when in the forge of the affections, it receives a heat more than ordinary, becomes zeal. In this zeal, Moses broke the Tables, when he saw the golden Calf set up. Phinehas in this zeal, thrust through the Adulterers. Samuel slew Agag. Hatred, when it grows inveterate and heady, Aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus, is zeal. This is the zeal that all Saints have towards sin, Satan, corruption.  
Love, when it is elevated to the height, is zeal; such love, such zeal, was that of Jonathan's love, stronger than death, stronger than the love of a woman. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rejoicing at another's hurt, when it is fixed upon the right object, in a high measure, is zeal; that object must be malum poenae, the evil of punishment, not malum culpae, the evil of sin. In this zeal, Moses and the Israelites sung a song of deliverance, for the overthrow of Pharaoh. Barak and Deborah for the death of Sisera. This zeal wings David's Apostrophe to God, Wash thy footsteps, O Lord, in the blood of thine enemies, and laugh at their destruction. Thus you see zeal consists not in anger, love, or sorrow alone, but in a high pitch of all the affections, or any of them.  
In the second place, we come to distinguish the several kinds of zeal, or by the touchstone of trial, to difference true from false. All zeal is a fire, and then true, when like Eliah's fire, it is from Heaven; then false, when like Nadab's and Abihu's, it is strange fire, such as God commands not. False zeal may be fixed, either upon the true or false object, true zeal only upon the right object. When zeal is set upon the false object, it may be great, setting Churches and Commonweals in combustion, but can never be good. This wildfire is either Doctrinal in opinion, or Practical in conversation; Doctrinal, so the Turks are zealous for their Mahometan superstition, and Koran, the Ephesians for their Temple of Diana, and silver Shrines; the Church of Rome for their Pope's Supremacy, Images, Indulgences; the Brownists against the buildings of our Churches, which they call Antichristian Synagogues. Practical in conversation, when our zeal towards riches, makes Mammom our God, and things below, that should be our Perspective-glasse, to look towards Heaven, proves our Looking-glass; when such is our zeal in Prayer, that though we seem to petition first for spiritual things, after for temporal, our affections reads them backwards, like figures, valuing the latter ten times more than the former. Again, zeal may be false, when it is fixed even upon the right object, and that either in regard of the measure, or means. In regard of the measure, either too cold, which is remission, or too hot, which is superstition; too cold, and this is the temperature of carnal worldlings, time-serving politicians, formal professors, that will seem to be Christians, and yet will give no sheaf of their corn, no penny of their talon, no oil of their cruse, to the poor members of Christ; Christians in name, yet Devils incarnate indeed, zealous for the smoke of their chimney's, the watercourse of their channels, the dust of their ways, the bubble of their fame; yet, without any touch of conscience, hear the name of God blasphemed, see his Church profaned, ruinated; see the Fatherless wronged, the Widow oppressed; see the bleeding wounds of both Church and Commonwealth gaping.  
Zeal upon the right object too hot, which is superstition; this zeal is either of them, which are too hot for Ceremonies, that they advance them into the chair of Substance, punish the neglect of them as severely, as blasphemy, as murder, as theft: Too hot against Ceremonies, that while they brand others with superstition, surmount the highest Tower of superstition, forsaking holy solemnities for a Ceremony, the Sacrament for a gesture, the Ministry for things of the least moment; pay Tithe of anise, Mint, and Cummine, let pass the wonderful things of God; strain at a Gnat, and swallow a Camel. False zeal, yet fixed upon the right object, in regard of the means and ground upon which it is builded; builded either upon ignorance, our own ends, or other men: Ignorance of them, that are hot in themselves, a spur to others, a censurer of all men, that are slacker than they in duties that ought to be done; yet, they know no ground in Scripture, no reason in Nature why. This is false zeal, the zeal of ignorant Romists, to believe as the Church believes. Zeal upon the right object, for our own ends; thus Judas was zealous for the bag, the People in the Wilderness for the Bread, the Priests of Bell for the Wheat and Oil, those in Tertullian's time, that went with the Christians to the Assembly of Prayer, because they were commonly attended with Lovefeasts. This is false zeal, because it is not a heat of the heart, but of the stomach, and may be so sincere, as to arise out of the bowels, yet it ends in the belly. False zeal upon the right object, when it is builded upon men; zealous of the Word, when it is preached by such a man; key-cold, when more learnedly, more powerfully, more sincerely by another: They pray after such a manner, because such an one, who is their Paul, their Apollo's, their Cephas,, their Demigod, does so: Run so many miles to hear a Sermon, leaving a better at home behind them, because such an one makes conscience of such things, conscience to disobey the Ordinance of God, conscience to be singular, conscience at the best, to be zealous not according unto knowledge, which is as good a conscience, as a painted man is a man. Now we come to true zeal, true in regard of the Object, God's glory, Righteousness, Heaven, and spiritual things; true in regard of the measure and degree, neither too cold by remission, nor too hot by superstition. True in regard of the means and grounds, not builded upon ignorance, which is blind zeal; nor upon profit or pleasure, which is counterfeit zeal; nor upon men, our Idoll-gods, which is idolatrous zeal. Of this here more briefly, because we stood more largely upon false zeal. For, as rectum curvi, so curvum & sui, & recti index; in the glass of false zeal, we may judge of true zeal.  
But, that we may distinguish this true fire of zeal, from many wildfires; true heat, from feavourish heat; Amphitryo from Jupiter, Juno from the Cloud, Salam ●nder-like, let us abide a while in these flames. For, what is true of conscience, may be said of zeal; each man, each Heretic, pretends a zeal; the Turks die for their Mahomet, it is their zeal; the Jesuits stab Kings, dethrone Princes, it's their zeal; the Arrians go to the Stake, for denying the Divinity of Christ, it's their zeal; the Israelites offer their Children to Molah, it's their zeal; thou leaves divine Ordinances, the Sacraments, perhaps thy weighty Calling, it's thy zeal. Well, but all that say they are Israelites, are not of Israel: Therefore if thou wouldst have the touchstone of trial, observe these marks well, and thou mayst discern true zeal by them.  
First, the matter and subject of thy zeal must be good, Gal. 4. 18. It is good to be zealously affected in a good matter. This is a fire that burns in no Lamp, but the Lamp of the Sanctuary; a fire that feeds upon no oil, but the oil of the Sanctuary; that is kindled upon no Altar, but Gods, devours no Sacrifice but Gods. If the matter and subject of thy zeal be evil, thy zeal is evil. No fire but ignis erraticus, will feed upon stinking ditches; no fire but ignis lambens, will feed upon thine own carnal humours. If thou be zealous with Saul against Christianity, it is blasphemy; if thou be zealous with the Pharisees, to compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte of thy groundless opinions, it is diabolical Heresy. Thy zeal is a fruit, that must not grow upon the forbidden tree. Though thine eyes be now blinded, yet hereafter they may be opened, that thou mayst see the blindness of thy zeal.  
Secondly, true zeal, is zeal according to knowledge, Rom. 10. 2. this knowledge must be the Scriptures truly understood, guiding us as a pillar of fire by night, a pillar of cloud by day. No fire might kindle the Vestals Lamps, but from the Sun; no fire will kindle this Lamp of zeal, but the Sun of Righteousness, Christ; who (as Ignatius says) as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the essential Word, by which all knowledge was created, so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Word of life, which is a light unto our feet, and a lantern unto our steps. For this cause, Bernard compared knowledge and zeal to two wings; knowledge without zeal, cannot fly so high as to pierce the clouds; zeal without knowledge, is beatt back again like a whirlwind: Take with thee both wings, Zeal and Knowledge, if thou wouldst fly to Heaven. As is fire to a Child that walks among barrels of Gunpowder, so is zeal without knowledge, a cause of incendiaries and combustions in Commonweals. This zeal without knowledge, slashed and gashed the Priests of Baal; this zeal without knowledge, arms the ignorant Papists, to maintain that with sword and blood, and persecution, which they cannot defend with the Word: This zeal without knowledge, makes many ignorant people in our nation, (as preposterously, as if one should ring the Bells backward at the sparkling of a Smith's Forge, or fire the Beacons at the discovery of a poor Dunkirkers Vessel) to be up in arms against every thing, that crosses their humours.  
This blind zeal works three dangerous effects in the soul; 1. Pride. 2. Uncharitableness. 3. Impatience of admonition. First, Pride, that like Lucifer the morning Star, they are bright in their own conceit, like the Element of fire over all Elements; nay, as good as in Heaven in their own conceit, cast in the same mould with Nebuchadnezar's Image, their head is of Gold, but their feet of Clay. Secondly, this zeal without knowledge is Uncharitable, censuring, nay, condemning all, like the fire of Eliah, not sparing the Elders. This made the Jews crucify Christ, for reproving their traditions; the Arrians persecute the Orthodox Christians, more than did the Heathen Emperors; the Papists more zealous for their Canons of the Council of Trent, than for the Articles of their Creed. Thirdly, zeal without knowledge is impatient of admonition; it is as deaf as an Adder, though you charm it never so wisely; be earnest, and it flies with the sting in your face. This zeal made the Pharisees impatient, when our Saviour rebuked them for their blindness; made Zedekiah impatient of Michaiah's admonition. And for these causes, a worthy Divine says, Zeal without knowledge is more dangerous in Church or Commonwealth, than knowledge without zeal.  
The third mark of true zeal is, that it burns fervently within the Furnace of the Heart, before the flame burst out at the crevices of the body; thy Soul and Conscience must be truly zealous within, before thine eyes sparkle with zeal to affright others, thy tongue be tipped with zeal, to censure and rebuke others, thy feet be shod with zeal to pursue others, thy hands be armed with zeal to wound others. Many Zealists now adays, are like the Heathen God Momus, carp at all, do nothing themselves; like the Flies engendered from the wild Figtree, provoke others to ripen, but are barren themselves; find fault with every corner in the streets, never sweep before their own doors; are informers, controulers in every Calling, practices none themselves; and, as if they were Metropolitans of the whole World, they keep continual visitations and corrections of all men's manners, especially the Churches, who (if judged by true zeal) scarce belong to the Church. Zeal hath many more marks, which if I should prosecute, my zeal of the Subject would seem to outrun my discretion of the Time. I'll only name them.  
The fourth Mark is, that we must be zealous in weighty matters. The fifth, that we must look as well to our purity within, as our holiness without. The sixth, that we must be as strict to ourselves, as to others. The seventh, that we condemn sin as well in friends, as foes. The eighth, that it oppose itself against the sins of the Mighty. The ninth, that it be joined with compassion. The tenth, that it be desirous of admonition. The eleventh, that it be fervent in God's Cause. The twelfth, that it be constant in all estates. These are the twelve Signs of zeal, through which Christ Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, moves in the Zodiac of our souls.  
I'll say no more, but seal up my discourse with that which our Saviour does, to the Church of Laod●cea, [Be zealous.] And if thou wilt but observe the Lesson given this Church, thou shalt have the reward of all Churches: Be zealous, and thou shalt eat of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, with the Church of Ephesus: Be zealous, and thou shalt not be hurt of the second death, with the Church of Smyrna: Be zealous, and thou shalt eat of the hidden Manna, with the Church of Pergamus: Be zealous, and thou shalt have power over many Nations, and be as a morning Star, with the Church of Thyatira, Be zealous, and thou shalt be clothed in white raiment, and have thy name writ in the book of life, with the Church of Sardis: Be zealous, and thou shalt be made a pillar in the temple of God, and have the name of God written on thee, with the Church of Philadelphia. Be zealous, and thou shalt sup with Christ, and sit with him upon his throne, with the Church of Laodicca: And thither by prayer I recommend you.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

A SERMON, Preached at a General Assizes, in the Passion-Week.  The Text, 1 Cor. 6. 20. For ye are bought with a Price, therefore glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are Gods. 
THE words are an Enthymema, containing two parts, an Antecedent and a Consequent: The Antecedent, Ye are bought with a price, ye are Gods. The Consequent, Glorify God in your body and in your spirit. The Arguments unfolded, discover themselves to be threefold: The first is drawn from the worth of our Redemption, Empti pretio, ye are bought with a price. The second from the Relation, Jus patronatûs, Ye are Gods. The third from Induction of, particulars, In body, in spirit. In the Consequent is first a Duty, Glorify God. Secondly, the manner, In body, in spirit. Because ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God. Because ye are bought both in body and spirit, therefore glorify him both in body and spirit: For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God, etc.  
The main and cardinal Propositions, to which every word may be reduced, are three: The first gathered from the Connexion, and but employed, That we were lost, and stood in need of a Redeemer or being bought. The second, that we are Redeemed or bought with a price, Christ's blood. The third, Because we are bought with a price, therefore we must glorify God in Body, in Spirit. These three shall limit our discourse at this time, only let them leave and find you attentive.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, For ye are bought. This [For] i● like Janus, double faced, and looks back at the former, Ye are not your own: Here is the reason, For ye are bought with a price. Not our own, therefore non ingenui, sed servi; not freemen, but slaves, servants, bought of God, and therefore not Gods before. And is not this a wonder, that Man, who by Creation was Emperor of the whole Earth, Admiral of the whole Sea, Heir of Eden, peerless Peer of Paradise, should be owner of all, and yet not his own? He sold himself for sin, (as the Prophet says) and lost his freedom. Amongst the Roman freeborn, (as Justinian decreed) si quis solvendo non esset, if any man was indebted beyond the pitch of his estate, he might sell himself as a slave to pay the debt. Man, when he was free, and aught nothing, but service to his Sovereign, sold himself for nothing (and was not this a misery?) but for an Apple. Even small things, when they are commanded, require no small obedience, which aggravates the sin. But if he was not his own, was he not Gods own, own by Creation? own by preservation? A Subject that by treason enslaves himself, is still a Subject; and what if not? Princes are like Categories, each chief in their own Predicament. An exile may live in another Orb, and lose his first Alliegance. But God is supreme Moderator of all, Angels and Men his Servants, Devils his vassals, can lose nothing, whose are all things: Yet, he is bought of God, bought as a Son, redeemed as a Saint, of him, to whom he belonged before as a Creature, by whom he was condemned as a Judge. For in this sense, if he had not sold himself from God, what need he have been bought? We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, delivered with a strong hand, (says the Evangelist) and if delivered, the strong and armed man Satan, is conquered by Christ, a stronger than he. And if, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he hath redeemed us, bought us with a price, therefore we were in bondage before. Nature does nothing in vain, much less the God of Nature. It was no small ransom that was but paid with the death of him, that was the Lord of life. I appeal to Man himself, who was the Delinquent: Who can be so partial in his own cause, as not to confess, that in breaking the Covenant with an infinite Majesty, we justly provoked against ourselves an infinite Enemy, in that we sinned against infinite Justice, we were to be punished with infinite Judgement; in that we abused infinite mercy, we were not to be redeemed but with infinite Satisfaction. Thus we lost ourselves in sin, Rom. 7. 14. were carnal, and sold under sin. O fond man▪ for Esau's pottage, Jonathan's honeycomb, for Judas his sop, to sell a Paradise here, a Palm of Victory hereafter! We count that Prince unwise, that exchanged his golden Armour for brazen; an Indian, that will give a Pearl for a Glass, a precious Jewel for a Chiua's dish: Yet, we sold Earth, Heaven, ourselves, God, Grace, and Glory, for the price of Vanity, and stood in need to be bought with a price ourselves, for we were not our own. Not our own, for God had forsaken us, the Flesh had inveigled us, Satan supplanted us, the World imprisoned us, Hell threatened us, Death tyrannised over us. Thus were we lost, and stood in need of a price. Lost in Adam, his first sin was ours by imputation; lost by inborn corruption, traduced by propagation; lost again daily by actual contamination. Eve had but one Tempter in Paradise, we three here, (as the three goddesses did Paris) each promises fair; the Flesh Beauty, but pays with inficiam vos, I will infect you: The World Riches, but pays with deficiam vos, I will fail you: Satan Honour, but pays with interficiam vos, I will slay you. Lord free us from these three Assassinate's, that lie in wait for our Souls, and say, reficiam vos, I will refresh you: For we were lost, and stood in need of a price.  
And because lost, let us therefore find our hearts, and be humbled for our loss, if we desire to find again. The Prodigal at first lost his Estate, and at once found his Father and himself: If he had not lost himself on Earth, he had scarce found Heaven; when he went astray he was humbled, and no sooner humbled but he was advanced. This humility must be true, and our sorrow as deep as our sins; not hypocritical like the Pharisees, who, with the Roman Brutus, will kiss the Earth, when their thoughts of vainglory are builded as high as Babel; by lessening themselves, hid their hypocrisy, (as the Snake does her length, by folding herself into many gires and doubles). It hath still been, and will be, the garb of those formal Penitentiaries, who make Heaven a footstool for Earth, and Religion a Pandour to worldly Policy, like a Falcon, by voluntary humiliation, to stoop the lowest, when they mean to soar highest; and like a Bullet, spit out of the mouth of a Canon, first graze and then mount. But we must remember, that we were lost, and not our own.  
This is somewhat harsh. As we are generally forgetful, so in nothing more, than in things belonging to our woes. Either we dare not, or cannot lay to heart, our former adversity, and our present cause of sorrow. The Mariners love not to hear of Storms, nor States rocked in security of Wars; neither can wanton Youth endure the tidings of sickness and old age; nor our souls, that they were slaves to sin, Satan, not our own. If any one be dismayed hereat, thinking with the Disciples, that it is durus sermo, a hard speech; or judge of this humiliation, as Paphnutius did at the Council of Nice, of the Inhibition of Priest's Marriage, that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a heavy yoke. Lo here, after this harsh sentence, a pardon presents itself, in the first words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ye are bought with a price.  
This is the second Proposition, which as the Dayspring from on high, visits us with comfort; and (as the Angel, that sat upon the Wheel with the Martyr, under Julian's persecution, wiping away the blood with his handkerchief) sweetens the malignity of the former, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ye were bought. The word signifies to Buy, as one does in a Market, coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a fair or Market. This Fair was proclaimed in Paradise, rung to by Aaron's golden Bells, sounded by Esay's Trumpet, Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, buy milk and wine without money and without price. But, Fountains of Milk, Wine, Oil; Mountains of Gold, Silver, Diamonds; Worlds of Crowns, Sceptres, Diadems, were not of worth to redeem Man lost: What then must he be bought withal? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with a price. The word sometimes signifies Honour, sometimes the reward of Honour, sometimes Magistracy, Dignity, and Authority; sometimes Victory, sometimes a Trophy or reward of Victory, sometimes a Price that is paid for ransoming or recovering a thing lost; and so here. And surely, if ever any was, this may be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by way of eminence, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the honourable price. The young Pelican's being dead, are not restored to life, but by the blood of the old one: Nor we, dead in trespasses and sins, without the precious blood of our Saviour. Heaven is a Lottery, each Man draws for, and aims at a summum bonum, or chiefest good; some lights in friends, some in Honour, some in Riches, some in Moral Virtues, above three hundred opinions, (as Varre hath observed): All these were but Blanks, here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the price.  
This price was Christ, the seller Judas, the buyer the Jews, God the permitter, who appointed his Son a price, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, By his determinate counsel and foreknowledge, Act. 2. 23.  
The Son gave himself a price, Ephes. 5. 2. Judas was stigmatised with this everlasting brand, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the deliverer; all of them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, joint Agents in this sale, yet not alike. God gave this price out of mercy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he so loved the world; such a sic, as can never be paralleled with a sicut. The Son gave himself a price in submission to the Father; Father, not my will, but thine be done. Judas sinned against the Father, in selling the Son: God neither commanded nor compelled Judas, Judas neither obeyed, nor aimed at God's command; therefore was neither God guilty of Judas his fault, nor Judas free from guilt, by co-operating with God. Thus God brought light out of darkness, Judas darkness out of light. Lord, turn our darkness into light, that we may see the value of this price, a price unvaluable.  
The Vestals fire put out, might not be kindled, but by the beams of the Sun; neither the fire of God's Grace rekindled, but by the obedience of his own Son; Men, Angels, blood of Martyrs, Incense of Saints, a thousand Worlds, ten thousand Rivers of Oil, could not, nor any thing, but the death of him, that was the Lord of Life. We were captives, bondslaves, and he (to use the Civilians words) ad pretium participandum sese venundari passus est, suffered himself to be sold, to purchase the price of our Redemption. A price delivered from Satan to Judas, from Judas to the Soldiers, from the Soldiers to the High Priests, from the High Priests to Pilate, from Pilate to the Jews to be crucified. Thus mare repellit ad barbaros, barbari ad mare; tossed between the Sea of our sins, and the Pikes of Satan, could find no resting place, till he was nailed to the Cross in Calvary. Look up all ye beholders, look upon this precious Body, and see what part ye can find free: That Head that was adored, and trembled at by the Angelical Spirits, is all raked and harrowed with thorns; that Face, of whom it was said, Thou art fairer than the children of men, is all besmeared with the filthy spittle of the Jews, and furrowed with his tears; those Eyes, clearer than the Sun, are darkened with the shadow of death; those Ears, that hear the heavenly consorts of Angels, are now filled with the cursed speakings and scoffs of wretched men; those lips, that spoke as never man spoke, that commanded the Spirits both of light and darkness, are scornfully wet with Vinegar and Gall; those Feet, that trample on all the powers of Hell, (His enemies are made his footstool) are now nailed to the footstool of the Cross; those hands that freely sway the Sceptre of Heaven, now carry the Reed of reproach, and are nailed to the Tree of reproach; that whole Body, that was conceived by the Holy Ghost, was all scourged, wounded, mangled.  
This is the outside of his sufferings, and was he free within? these were but love-tricks to what his Soul endured. O all ye that pass by the way, behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow. Alas! what can we see of thy sorrows? we can no more see thy pain, than endure it; only this we see, that what the infinite sins almost of infinite men, committed against an infinite Majesty, deserved in infinite continuance of time; all this Thou, in the short time of thy Passion, hast paid for to the full, and we are bought with a price.  
O dear Christians, how ought these Earthy, Rocky, Adamantine hearts of ours, rend in pieces at this Meditation? What, all these tears, and pangs, and groans are for us, yea, from us. Shall the Son of God thus smart for our sins? yea, with our sins, and shall not we grieve for our own? How far were our souls gone, that could not be ransomed with an easier price? If thy Soul had been in His Soul's stead, what had become of it? it shall be, if His were not in stead of thine. Go too now, thou lewd Man, that makes thyself merry with uncleanness, thou little knows the price of one sin, which made thy blessed Saviour cry out, to the amazement of Angels, and horror of men, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But now, we are bought with a price.  
And if we be bought with a price, than away with those Jubilee Proclamations of Rome, I mean the Supererogatory sufferings of Saints, to pay forth this price; a blasphemous and beggarly Principle, (as learned Fulk calls it). Some modest Doctors of Louvain would have minced it, affirming, that the suffering of Saints are not truly satisfactory, but only motives to move God, to apply unto us Christ's sufferingsses: but they were soon charmed by four several Popes, (as their own Cardinal confesses) and commanded to speak home with Bellarmine, Passionibus Sanctorum expiari delicta, that by the sufferings of Saints, our sins are expiated, and that by them applied, we are redeemed from those punishments, we yet own to God. Blasphemy worthy of tearing of garments!  
How hath Christ paid the price, if we must supply the defect? But, we are bought with a price.  
Take up then a Song of deliverance, far more glorious than that of Moses, Deborah, or Gideon. Art thou afraid of Satan? Christ hath spoilt Principalities and Powers. Art thou afraid of sin? Christ was made sin, that is, a price for sin for thee. Death, Hell, and the Grave are conquered, that thou mayst triumph: Hell, where is thy sting? Death, where is thy victory. Nay this price hath paid for the abolishment of the Ceremonies of the Law. Away then with New Moons, Sacrifices, and the rites of Judaisme, the vail of the Temple is rend. That conceit of Theophylact is witty at least, That as the Jews were wont to rend their garments, when they heard blasphemy; so the Temple not enduring those execrable blasphemies against the Son of God, tore her Veil apieces. But that is not all. The vail rend, is, the observation of the Ritual Law canceled. I say not, that all ceremonies are canceled by this price, but the Law of Ceremonies and Jewish. It is a sound distinction of the Ancients, that some are Typical, foresignifying Christ; some of order and decency; those are abrogated, not these. The Spouse of Christ cannot be without her laces, and chains, and borders. But thou, O Lord, how long shall thy poor Church, through contentious spirits, find her ornaments her sorrows? How much better were it, to revive the sweet spirit of divine Saint Austin, turning this contention into grar●dation, glorifying God for these mercies; which is the next Proposition, and the last of the three; Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God.  
All things ought to begin for, to terminate in, God's glory, which is the end of all our actions, the centre of all our motions. The Angels sounded this Trumpet at his Birth, when the price was but offered; shall not we, for his precious Death and Passion, when it was paid? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Glory be to God on high. This glory is Gods: First, a debito, for we are his, and that triplici jure, by a threefold right: of Creation, as Men; of Redemption, as Sons; of Sanctification, as Saints. Secondly, ab integro, from the whole; we are composed of two parts, Body, and Spirit; are Gods, both in body and spirit, therefore must glorify him both in body and spirit. Thirdly, a lytro, from the Ransom. Empti sumus, We are bought, by a Synecdoche, quasi redempti, redeemed, and re-bought, and that by an Emphatical Pleonasme, pretio, with a price. And thus, what one ought to have done, a threefold cord must move us to do, to glorify God. We are Gods, both in body and spirit; Gods, because we are redeemed both in body and spirit by the Son of God. This is the main and cardinal reason, let us prosecute it.  
What mercy was ever like this? for a God to sell his own Son, that he might redeem his Enemies? What more dear than a Son, what more hateful than an Enemy? Yet, oftentimes we see, that the hate of an Enemy, is drunk up of the love of a Son. O my son Absalon, would God I had died for thee. Fulvius, a Roman Senator, slew his Son, for conspiring with Catiline; but, in Christ was no guile found. Manlius' adjudged his Son to die, for violating the Law of Arms; Christ kept the whole Law. Aegeus sent his son Theseus, to conflict with a Minotaur, to free himself and his Country from deserved bondage; God sent his Son to conflict with Satan, Death, and Hell, who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, free from all bondage. The Israelites sacrificed their Children to Moloch. Agamemnon his daughter Iphigenia to Neptune; but they had more: But God, when he had no more, gave his only Son for a price. Besides the infinite disproportion betwixt God and Man. An act of mercy, in Scripture, in History, not to be found the like unparallelled, unless a Type in Abraham, and but a Type: I know (says God to Abraham) thou lovest me, because thou hast not spared thine only son Isaac. And then shall not we, O holy Father, know thou lovest us, that hast not spared, but given thine only Son Jesus? God's love to Christ was infinite, Abraham's to Isaac but finite. God gave his Son willingly, Abraham as it were constrainedly. God gave his Son to an ignominious death, Abraham to a holy Sacrifice. Isaac was in the hands of a tender Father, Christ of barbarous enemies. Isaac was but offered in show, Christ paid the price indeed. O the infinite disproportion! St. chrysostom is rapt hereat, and calls it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an excess of love; that is a pin to low. Pareus calls it, por●entum amoris, a miracle of love; that is yet too short. St. Paul, waft upon Seraphic wings, styles it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, love surpassing knowledge; that, that's it.  
What can we do in lieu? but to the point in hand, glorify God; like Pigeons, having drunk of this River of life, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, jointly together hold up our Bills towards Heaven in token of thankfulness; thank him, who is the God of glory, for divesting himself of glory, that he might restore us to hope of glory. We reverence men on Earth, Rome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship to Saints in Heaven, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, more worship to the Mother of our Saviour, Queen of Heaven, (as they style her). But, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, glory only to the God of glory. My glory (says God) I will not give to another, but my peace I will give: Which was sung by the Angels at the Nativity, Glory be to God on high, peace on earth. It is Aristotle's saying in his Ethics, We give praise to men, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a better thing than praise to God: And what is that, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Glory? Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Glorify God in your body and your spirits, which are Gods. It is Plato's phrase in his Respublica, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Glorify God. Aratus his, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ye are God's offspring. Join them both together, and we have the point, Glorify God, because ye are Gods.  
But as Honour, so Glory, is, in dante, in the Giver; we have no glory to give, all glory is Gods, to whom we ought to give; and when it is given, it is but his own, but a part of his own: And if all tongues should glorify him at once, it adds no more to his glory, than a drop of a bucket returned to the Ocean, whence it issued. As Rivers return to refresh the Sea, whence they came, Sunbeams by reflection are inflamed; so our hearts by glorifying God, must be inflamed, that he may glorify us, In storms, in calms, blow what wind will, the Mariner's Needle still points at the Pole; in prosperity, in adversity, we ought to aim at God's glory: Here, I say, we ought; in Heaven I am sure we shall: for there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Angel's Liturgy is singing of Hymns of glory. But what need we look so high? was not our first Reformers so? Observe the blessed method the Spirit dictated them, in the very dawning out of Popish superstition: First, Contrition; then, Confession; then, Absolution; then Petition; then, Gloria Patri, Glory be to God: then, Venite exultemus, Come and rejoice: then, several Psalms, as so many Hallelujahs for the Day, each concluding with Gloria Patri, Glory be to God.  
After the first Lesson, Te Deum laudamus, We praise thee, O God, or the Song of the three Children, Benedicite omnia opera, Let all his works glorify God. After the second Lesson, Jubilate Deo, Be joyful in God: Ending still like Frankincense put out with this sweet odour, Gloria, Patri, Glory be to God. Well then, if this was the heavenly language in the infancy of our Church, let every grown Member of the Church glorify God in Body, 
This was delivered, An. 1640.  in Spirit, for all his mercies, but especially, for this mercy of Redeeming us, with the price of his own precious blood.  
Therefore with Angels, and archangels, and all the company of Heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name, evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory; Glory be to thee O Lord most high: To thee we ascribe all honour and glory, both now and for evermore.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

A SERMON, Expressing the benefits accrueing from our Saviour's Death and Passion, insisting only upon the latter part, by reason of the affinity with the former Subject.  The Text, Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 
THIS Text is an Exchequer, the Treasurer God, the Gift all things; the parties to whom, all men; the key, Christ. God the Father, that spared not to give Christ for us all, will not spare with him to give us all. The Parts in general are two: First, an Hypothesis, or Supposition. Secondly, a Thesis or Position. The Hypothesis or Supposition hath a double reference; looking back at the former, unties a a knot; looking forward at the latter, is an argument to confirm a truth; in matter, drawn a majori, from the greater to the less; in form, an Enthymema, thus unfolded: God spared not, but delivered up his own Son, therefore he will not spare, but deliver up all things for his Saints. It is amplified, first, from the party or person giving, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He, in Grammar the Third, but here the First Person in the Trinity. Secondly, from the double act, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, hath not spared, negatively, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but hath delivered up, affirmatively. Thirdly, from the object or gift, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Son, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his own Son, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his only begotten Son. Fourthly, the subjects, or parties for whom, not Angels, but Men; for, when he ascended above Principalities and Powers, he gave gifts to men: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, us; not restrained to some of us, but with a note of universality, all, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for us all: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.  
The second Branch, is in itself a Position; in reference to the former, a Conclusion: The parts of it (as the Rivers of Paradise) are principally four: First, the Donor, God. Secondly, the Donation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a free gift, or Charter, Thirdly, the parties to whom it is given, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to us. Fourthly, the Donative, or gift, and that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things, amplified with the correlative, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with him: By him, all things were made: in him, all things are given. All of this illustrated by a threefold Emphasis, here expressed; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a note of Interrogation; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of Negation; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of Augmentation; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, How shall he not also? He that spared not his own Son, etc.  
We have already ●ntred into this Exchequer, where we have seen the rich treasury of God's mercy, in delivering up his Son for us all. Now is the second return, this Exchequer is yet open; let us all enter in further by him the Door, and the Way, to see, how that with him, he will freely give us all things: How shall he not with him also, etc.  
The first part is the Donor, He: The word is twice repeated by an Epanadoes, in relation to a double act of mercy: He that gave Christ for the health of our souls, that He will give us all things for the health of our bodies, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is, which was, which is to be. Jam. 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights. He is Omnipotent to make all things, Omniscient to know all things; infinite in Wisdom, to contrive; in Mercy, to dispose; in Bounty, to bestow: He only that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the maker of all things, He only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is the giver of all things. It was the dream of Avicen, that Angels, by the power of God, did make the Heavens, the Heavens the inferior Bodies: But he was a Turk, and his Doctrine in this relishes more the Koran, than the Evangelists. As unsound is that Sentence of the Master of the Sentences, That God could communicate to the Creature, the power of Creation: For, Creation is a production of a thing out of nothing, to make a thing of nothing, an act of Omnipotency, Omnipotency an incommunicable Attribute of God, as incommunicable as that Attribute of giving every good and perfect gift, to be attributed to none but Him, that made all things for Man. Gen. 1. 29. Behold, I have given you every herb, every tree, the fruit of every tree, every beast of the field, foul of the air, fish in the sea, creeping thing upon the earth. O curva in terris animae! O fond souls, like the poor lunatic man at Athens, to presume upon that which is God's prerogative. Vermis crastinò moriturus, a worm, that must die to morrow. Before God had given Man a Being by Creation, he gave every thing for the Well-being of Man, by his everlasting purpose, Predestination, Election: Purpose, to make Man in his own Image, to make so many in number of men, (though not all their souls at once, as Origen said) as there are Angels fallen; so many, as the Angels that remain in purity, say some; so many as the Angels pure and impure, say others; how many, uncertain, and that's the truth most certain. By Predestination, in which gift or chain of God's mercies are three links: First, the decreeing of man to a supernatural end. Secondly, the gift of eternal life, which is the supernatural end. Thirdly, the disposing of all saving means, to this supernatural end, all effected in time, yet ordained before all time. By Election, which is a culling and picking of some out of the mass of sin, leaving others in the mass of corruption: As a Jeweller purifies what Gold, a man sifts what Wheat he pleases; so God purifies the Elect his Gold, sifts the Saints his Wheat for his Granary, passes by the rest for their sin, I will not determine whether Original or actual sin, nor deny them Christ in some sense, whom the Father spared not, but delivered up for all. The reason why Christ was not effectual for all, was their infidelity and sin. It is true, (as the Schoolmen say) Predestinatio nihil ponit in praedestinato: Predestination is an act of mere mercy in God, not of merit in man; neither in regard of the Decree, which was, when he was nothing; of the first infusion of Grace, when he was worse than nothing, in which God was the sole Agent, man the Patient; yet, man is an Agent, and operative in using of grace, which he was a Patient in receiving of. Whether God gives this grace to all indifferently, I will not here question: But to the purpose, to whom he gives this grace in Christ, he will give all. And as God was a giver in intention, before he made any thing, so he was a bountiful giver in execution, after he had made all things: By Creation, by Preservation, to sustain the body; by Vocation, Justification, Sanctification, to adorn the soul here; by Glorification to crown both body and soul hereafter. By Creation, making that of nothing, which was nearest nothing, the first matter of all, (as the Philosophers calls it) Moses, Tohu vebohu; the Septuagints, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; the Poets, a Chaos, or rude mass of unpiled Matter, out of which was made the starry Heavens to give light, the azured Sky, a Throne for the Clouds; the Air, for birds to fly, men and beasts to breath in; the Earth paying her yearly revenue of herbs, Plants, flowers; the Sea, an unsteady Element, for fishes, made rather for use and wonder, than pleasure. All made by God, all gifts given by him: And as given by Creation, so continued by Preservation, guarding of us by his immediate providence, by Angels, by Secondary causes. By immediate Providence; For as omnia fecit, sic omnia fulcit, that hand that made all things, supported all things; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his eye behold all things, Spiritus intùs abit, his Spirit that moved upon the waters, moves every where; in him, all things live, and move, and have their being. And as he guards us with his Providence, so with his Angels; whether with a good Angel to support us, as a bad to tempt us; whether every man have one ordinarily deputed, whether from his Birth, or from his Baptism, (curious speculations, more befitting the Schools than the Pulpit) I'll not dispute. My present Theme is to prove, that it is God that gives; that He, in my Text, that gave his Angels charge over his Son, hath given his Angels charge over all, for whom he hath given his Son, and he hath given his Son for us all, that they should take us up in their arms, lest we dash our feet against stones. And shall not He, that gave his Angels as ministers, his Cherubims as flames of fire, give us an inheritance with the Angels, and free us from eternal fire. To his immediate Providence, as he hath substituted the Angels, so all Secondary causes; the Heavens with motion, light, influence; the Fire to refresh, the Air to cherish, the Earth and Sea to nourish, Food to feed, Physic to cure,  to cover these our bodies: All these he gives us, (as Aquinas says) non propter defectum suae virtutis, sed propter abundantiam suae bonitatis; not that his power fails, but that his mercy overflows. For, he could feed us without food, cure us without physic, save us from cold without covering. Neither is he only the giver of temporal things for the body, but spiritual for the soul; by Vocation, either external, the Word preached, Aaron's golden Bells ringing, the Sacraments, as nails of the Sanctuary; or internal, the Law by the Spirit hammering, the Gospel's softening, Grace seasoning our Souls. By Justification, in forgiving our sins, and imputing to us the merits of his Son. By Sanctification, as the Gold by filing, so our Souls by purifying, are made clean. The Sun enlightens the dark Moon, the Sun of Righteousness enlightens by his Spirit our dead members. By Glorification, non nostra merita, sed sua dona coronans, crowning not our merits, but his own mercies. These we touch briefly, because in giving his Son, he gave these, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who is the giver of all. And if God be the giver of all, (as Rivers receiving their Springs from the Sea, return them to the Sea) let all things give praise to the God of gods, to the Lord of lords, for his mercy endureth for ever. Mountains and Hills, Fountains and Springs, all Tongues, and Tribes and Kindred's, praise the God of mercies, as long as his mercy endureth, and his mercy endureth for ever. The Stork pays tribute of her young, the Trees of their fruits, the Earth of her flowers, for tillage: Shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without natural affection? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without God in the world? not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, return blessing and praising to him for his infinite blessings? And those that turn this blessing into a curse, will be cursed as an Anathema Maranatha, a bitter curse. Democritas and Epicurus denied God the gift of Creation of the World, while they lived; yet questionless ere this confess, that fabricavit infernum, he made Hell for them when they were dead. Some give God special providence of celestial things in heaven, but not of terrestrial upon Earth; this Atheism Eliphaz imputes to Job, Job. 22. 13. Thou sayest, how doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seethe not. Rabbi Moses expunged all corruptible things, except man, out of the Calendar of God's care. The Stoics tie the god of Fate, to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or inevitable necessity of Fate. Aristotle at the first maintained the World to be eternal, without Creation; yet, at the last, ascribes the glory of the World to God, and that in his Book, de Mundo, which Justine Martyr calls, the Module of all his true Philosophy, where he confesses, that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the handi-work of God; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, preserved by God. Galen, the great Physician, ascribed the fabric of man's body to Nature, not the God of Nature; but, astonished at the workmanship of it, burst forth into an Hymn, concerning him that made it, and that in his third Book, de usu partium, ●ompono canticum in creatoris nostri landem: I will make a Song (says he) in the praise of him that made me. Less divine is that opinion, Gregory Nyssen reproves in divine Plato, making God the Guardian of spiritual, the Angels of Temporal, the Devils of human things. These were Vipers, not Men, that wounded those bowels of compassion, that made all things for the use of men. But in God is a threefold Providence, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, universal preservation; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, motion to all good; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, permission of all evil, that his infinite goodness may appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who is the giver.  
This is the second Branch, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a free gift or charter: There is a commutative giving by way of exchange, when we exchange one thing for another; as gold for Garments: Thus God gives all, receives nothing. A distributive giving to every man according to his desert; but to us is no gift of merit, but of God's free mercy. A ministerial giving, not of his own, but of his Masters; thus Men and Angels are Gods Almners, he the rich Owner and Donor of all. There is a pernicious giving, to the receivers destruction, like the Grecian Horse to the Trojans, Deianira's shirt to Hercules, Eutrapelus his treasury to his Favourites. But every gift of God is good, if it be received with thanksgiving. If the Son ask bread, will the Father give him a stone? if a fish, will he give him a serpent? That we as Toads turn the pure potions of God's mercies into poison, the grace of God into wantonness, is from us the ungrateful receivers, not from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the free giver.  
The word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, grace, which is a free gift of God; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, joy, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to rejoice, because (as Plutarch says) there is nothing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fruitful of joy as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace; so that by the name we find, that grace is a free gift of God, flowing from his love; God is a free giver, because he is a lover, for all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, free gifts, are beams from the sunshine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his love: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He so loved the world; such a sic, as can not be paralleled with a sicut. It was love, to make us of nothing; his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or bowels of pity, to redeem us when we were worse than nothing. Love linked with pity, with Christ the means, internal, to link all means external, to sugar and sweeten this life. Therefore as the Greek word hath the name of love, so the Hebrew of pity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chen, is grace, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chinam a free gift, both of them coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chanam to have pity. This love, this pity of God will more appear, if we seek out the several Charters of his grace, of his free gifts. There is a grace temporal, common to all; a grace spiritual, special to the Saints; this special grace is either gratis dans, in God accepting, or gratis data, in man receiving: In man receiving, there is a grace preventing, a grace following, a grace working, a grace coworking, a grace exciting, a grace perfecting; these graces are internal, and proper to them that have Christ, and given in the former branch of the Text, with Christ; the grace meant here is common, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that shall be given overplus with Christ, and those are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things for this life, that our heavenly Father knows we stand in need of. He himself the giver will be to us a gift, which is all in all; a Castle to the besieged, liberty to the prisoner, a father to the fatherless, a husband to the widow,  to the naked, bread to the hungry, health to the sick, ointment to the head, oil to the face, wine to the heart, marrow to the bones, strength to the body, comfort to the soul; and all these he gives with Christ, through whom is eternal salvation, both of body and soul. Now if God freely give all, let us in token of gratefulness return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks to him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who is the giver.  
The Stars shine, the Heaven's rain, the Earth fructifies, Cattle multiplies, all by his free gift, who if he should close his hand of bounty, the Stars shine not, the Heavens rain not, the Earth fructifies not, Cattle multiply not. Consider this, and wonder, O Epicure, that rises up to eat, lies down to sleep, with Solomon's sluggard; that hath eyes enclosed with fat, with David's Bulls of Basan; that ascribes all to thy fortune, carriage, cunning, providence. Many while they are in prosperity, feed upon God's blessings, like Swine upon Acorns, and look not up at the Tree whence they fall; when they are in adversity, like Dogs snarl at the Stone that smit them, but minds not the hand that threw it, never considering with Job, The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord. God is a free giver, thou art his Steward; if thou canst give nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely, because what thou possessest is not thine own; yet, give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly. Some will give but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●willingly, (like narrow mouthed bottles) pour out nothing without grumbling. Thou must be unlike to these, if thou wilt be like to God, who giveth freely, so freely, that he does not grudge it thee, after it be given, nor turn it to thy misery, unless thy sins abuse his mercy. King's oftentimes (as Diogenes Laertius says) uses their Favourites like Bottles, whom they first fill, then hang up; or like Sponges, when they are swelled to the full, then squeeze them. But God (as Curtius says of Alexander) endowes his darling Saints with lesser benefits, to make them more capable of greater blessings. And as it was in Trajan's time, the most winning way to petition for a future dignity at God's hand, is to show, we have lately been endowed with one. It is a good method in our prayers, to begin with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, giving of thanks for bounties bypast, then proceed to supplication and intercession for graces following. Stick not, but go boldly to the throne of grace; He that created the world for us, will freely give all things we need, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to us.  
This is the third particular in this pile, the parties to whom this Donative or Charter is given, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to us. Where many have an equal possibility, though but one enjoy a Crown, there is an universal hope; but where all may enjoy, there is a general Jubilee and rejoicing. All in a Race hope, yet only one can win the Goal: In a Lottery, each man expects a Prize, where a hundred for one draws but Blanks. Darius' alone was declared King by neighing of his Horse, while each of the Princes persuaded himself, the Persian Sceptre was his own. Each of the three goddesses did fancy, the golden Ball was hers, yet Venus only got it. The lot of the Apostleship falls in Matthias' lap, while Joseph also expects it. Every Tribe throws down their Rod, yet Aaron's only buds. Many submits themselves to the judgement of Urim and Thummim, while the shining Letters on the High Priests breast can but pleasure one. If these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, free gifts of God, were such rare Phoenixes, like high Offices in a Commonwealth, conferred on one, while thousands were competitors, there were some hope to every drooping soul; but here is our comfort, they are freely given, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to us; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to us, not only collectively, as, to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel was given to the twelve Apostles, than some of us might despair, at least doubt of these free gifts, and say with Judas, Is it I that shall go without; but distributatively, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to each of us; He that gave Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for us all, he will much more give lesser benefits, that come by Christ: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ●o us; and not only so, but with a note of universality, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to us all. It is a rule impregnable, that nature a non deficit necessariis, Nature is not deficient in things necessary; and surely grace is less. God feeds the young Ravens,  the Lilies of the field, and shall not he much more his Saints? Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you. And here is our greatest comfort, that the poorest beggar that hath Christ, hath as good an interest in God, in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts of God, as the richest Monarch. An Emperor, though he have divers Diadems, can not say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he will only give to me. The Pope, (for all his usurped triple Crown) can not say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he will only give to me. A King that sways the Sceptre of many Kingdom's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he will only give to me. A Duke for his Dukedom, an Earl for his Earldom, a Lord for his Baronry, none of them can say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ he will only give to me. But Joseph in the stocks, Lazarus at the gates, Job on the dunghill; nay, all of them severally can say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he will also give to me; all of them jointly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he will give unto us all; and what? not only an Empire, a Popedom, a Kingdom, a Dukedom, an Earldom, a Baronry, for these are but particular things, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he will give us all things.  
This is the fourth thing, the Donative or Gift, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things; that one man should enjoy all things to earthly Heraldry, may seem a Paradox: But that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all should enjoy all things, amounts unto a prodigy, a wonder: Ninus had his stately Palaces, Ptolemie his ample Provinces, Xerxes his numerous Armies, Croesus his unvaluable riches, all of them but something, and none of them all things: Nay, all these items put into one sum, makes up but a parcel or moiety, not All; and yet this moiety was never bequeathed to any one for a Legacy: The Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, each of them had their succeeding Monarchy; yet, he who possessed most, had but a point, in comparison of the Earth's whole Diameter. Cicero brings in Scipio weeping, when he be held, as from Heaven, the narrow straightness of the Roman conquered Territories. Puissant Alexander could not pass Hercules his Pillars: Caesar (unless it were in a Map) could never attain the Orcadeses. Admit that both of them had compassed the whole known World, America, and the greatest part was then undiscovered; grant them all the Earth, Ambition would have wept for more. A Christian that hath conquered the whole World, tramples the Moon under his feet, willscom dull Earth the Centre. To Absolom's beauty, join Samson's strength, to both of them Croesus his wealth, to all these, Solomon's wisdom, all is but vanity, vanity is but emptiness; where there is emptiness, there is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things: Where is it then? It is in God, hid in Christ, given also with Christ; How shall he not with him also give all things? This is the Correlative, by which this universal [all] is amplified, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with him.  
If we look upon Christ lying in the Manger, bleeding in the Garden, naked in his Passion, complaining in the World, that though the Foxes had holes, Birds of the Air nests, yet he had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, where to put his head, our faith might waver, how with him all things were given, that enjoyed nothing. But, if we consider, that it was he that by an omnipotent Chemistry extracted all things out of nothing, it is most plain, Joh. 1. 3. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made. Coloss. 1. 16. All things were created by him, and for him. For him in his Mystical, not in his Personal capacity: As God, ●e had no use of terrestrial things; as Man, now he is impassable, immortal in Heaven; & therefore not in his own Person, but in the person of his Saints, what is done to them, he acknowledges done to himself; all the world, all things in the world, are given for the use of his Saints: All things (to use the Philosopher's distinction) that are bona animi, goods of the mind, bond corporis goods of the body, bona fortunae goods offortune. All things (as Divines say) internal in the soul, external of both body and soul, eternal for the saving welfare of both. All things (as Aquinas says upon this place) quae cedant in nostrum bonum, that may turn to our good; divinae personae ad fruendum, to behold the vision of the Trinity, have communion with Saints and Angels, commerce with Men, comfort with and from all the Creatures. All things (as cur Saviour says) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whereof we have need, Matth. 6. and Him we will follow as the best Interpreter. So then, we may conclude with the Apostle, 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are ours; and God with Christ hath given all things to us all. If every man might be his own Interpreter, how sweet and heavenly would this Doctrine be? the Drunkard would swim in Rivers of Wine, the Whoremonger would have more Dalilahs, than the Turkish Grand Sultan or Solomon had; the Glutton would receive his daily tribute of delicates from Earth, Sea, and Air; the Tyrant would make the Earth an Aceldama, or field of blood, the Sea a Golgotha, or place of skulls; the Covetous man would make the world his Countinghouse, each Island a Closet of his Treasury; the Pope, and each ambitious Roman Prelate, would number their Crowns and Sceptres by their Beads. But look again, before thou feed thy soul with this fools Paradise, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with Christ. If thou hast Christ, thou shalt have all things; if thou hast not Christ, thou hast nothing; but, that which thou possessest, is not thine own, not thine own by a Spiritual right, though thine own by a Civil right. All things were lost by the first Adam, restored by Christ the second Adam, who, Heb. 1. 2. is heir of all; and only they that have Christ, are heirs and joint heirs with Christ of all, Rom. 8. 17. So then, he may be a spiritual usurper, that is a civil lawful possessor, possessor, either jure gentium, by the Law of Nations, and that by Conquest, as the Israelites subdued Canaan; or jure civili, by the Civil Law, so we possess things given by the bounty of others, got with the sweat of our own brows, appropriated unto us by buying, exchanging, falling upon us by descent, death of friends, honours given, as the reward of virtue. Some would have this Civil right to be derived to all by Creation, not to be lost by Degeneration; God that feeds the Storks,  the Lilies, will much more feed and  his nobler Creatures, for whose sake, the Storks and Lilies were created. Some say, they were given in, and by Christ to all; He that delivered up his Son for all, delivered up all things with his Son for all. The Turks, Infidels, Impious, that have not Christ, are not debarred of these lesser benefits that come by Christ. Some give this Civil right only to the visible members of the Church; he that is baptised into Christ, hath only the benefit of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things that come by Christ. Which of these opinions is the truth, I will not determine; that only the Faithful have spiritual claim to this [Alderman] in the Text, it is confessed by all; they only can say and pray, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Give us our daily bread. For what is it to have spiritual right, but to have the Spirit turning all things to their comfort, and increase of glory, Rom. 8. 28. All things work for the good of them that love God, all things to the confusion of them that love not God. But how have spiritual men all things? A right to all things, not a possession of all things: Thus Abraham had a right to Canaan, because God had promised it, though he possessed it not; God, if it were for their good, would give them the fruition of all things. An Orphan trusts his Guardian for his means, a Patiented his Physician for his diet; and dare not thou trust God? While thou art Militant here, thou art under tuition, and shalt not possess all till thou be Triumphant. We restrain a man in a Lethargy of his appetite of sleep, and deny cold drink to one sick of a , though he be owner of all in the house. So does God, the wise Physician of our Souls, give us all things that we need, but not all things that we lust.  
To look back again at the words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He will give us all things with Christ: O happy union! Christ and his benefits are never severed. He that gives Gold, will much more give the Dross; He that gives Pearls, will give Pebbles; He that gave Christ, the Lord of life, will give all things convenient for life. Heat may be separated from fire, as in Nebuchandnezzar's Furnace, light from the Sun, as at our Saviour's Passion; but no good thing can be separated from the Son of God: he that hath the Son, hath life. And here methinks I see the noble Army of Martyrs, that seemed to the World to have nothing, to throw down the Gauntlet of defiance, and triumph, that in Christ they have all things, Armour of proof, a strong Tower, an invincible Fort, a Rock of salvation, that if Men, Devils, Leviathans, Behemoths, losses, diseases, torments, swarm about them like the Flies of Egypt, this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things in Christ, will make them sing, under the whip, at the stake, in the flames, make the patiented laugh, when the Spectator weeps, carry frail flesh singing and rejoicing through a world of bonds, rods, swords, racks, wheels, flames, strappadoes; break through torments, armies, tempests, floods, to Heaven; shake off bonds, fetters, manacles, and lead captivity captive. And if all these things come by Christ, O then, let us get Christ himself, which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the giver of all, Men venture themselves on the angry Seas, dig into the bowels of the Earth for Gold and Silver, expose their bodies in Wars to wounds, scars, skirmages, massacres, death; for honour, riches, wealth, empire, dignity, which, without Christ, are for substance but shadows, vapours, Sodom's apples; for continuance but bubbles, blasts, dreams; and for true solace of the soul, but like the Viper's conception, whose momentary pleasure ends in murdering both body and soul. What pain, damage, and travail do the Alchemists sustain, to gain the Philosopher's Stone, a thing doubtful whether it be possible, more doubtful whether in their time; and if they had it, all is but to make Gold, a little glittering Clay: What then should we do to gain Christ, in gaining whom, we gain Heaven, and all? How often have we heard, and pitied some, whom the world accounts her dearest Minions, beyond an ordinary pitch of Epicurism or Atheism, Midas-like, to cram their soul with wishes to themselves, to their Children, of the fleshpots of Egypt, trash of this world, ballast to fill the guts; not one poor wish, I fear, scarce a thought, for Heaven, for Christ. Methinks I could resolve myself into jeremy's lamentation, and Nehemiah's tears, to see the preposterous course worldlings take, to provide earthly garbage for their Children, advancing them by Marriage, when ignorant of the principles of Religion, they go together like Brutes: They themselves tumbled into the grave like the rich Glutton, leaving their posterity in as pitiful a plight, as he his five brethren. Tell me, I beseech you, what comfort is it to a damned soul in hell, to leave Children upon earth wallowing in abundance, without Christ? they shall be as Felons, apprehended with the Manure in which they glory, and cast into the same Prison. The Rich without Christ are so far from having all things, that they have nothing, like the mad lunatic man at Athens, they may persuade themselves, that every ship that is landed is their own; like the Lam●ae or Witches, think they feed upon delicacies; like Sanguine-dreams, fancy they have Earldoms, Dukedoms, Mountains of Gold; yet all is but a fancy. And admit the meat thou eats, the  thou puts on, the pleasure thou enjoys, the lands thou possesses, be truly thine own; without Christ, they are but as Trees without fruit, Clouds without rain, Combs without honey, have no more proportion to that a Christian enjoys, than a house of Cards hath to a Palace, a Molehill to a Mountain, a King on a Stage to a King on a Throne. And admit thou receive some real comfort here, the more will be thy sorrow hereafter; for every minute of sugared delight, thou shalt have an eternity of horror; the more thy strength, thy beauty, thy riches, thy honour here, the more will be thy feebleness, thy deformity, thy want, the deeper thy disgrace hereafter. Boast now, O Worldling of that thou enjoyest without Christ, glory as a Cripple of his soars, a Prisoner of his Fetters, a Pirate of his robberies at the Gallows, of the things thou usurpest, till, Judas-like, thou throw them away as the cursed price, for which thou hast sold thy soul to Satan, and confess, as thou wilt be once compelled, that only he that hath Christ, hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things. All things in this world, are like Sun-dials, blaze-Torches, Tapers, Candles, all Stars at once, they are of no use; flow Riches, Honour, Strength, Wives, Friends, Children, to our contentment, without this Sun of Righteousness, it is still night: They may be Copies of God's grace, but without Seal; cyphers of no value, till the Unity in the Trinity, by Christ the Meadiatour, be joined with them: When this union is once made, then, as if the whole World were a Globe of Gold, the Earth a Centre of Diamond, the Heavens poured down Balm, the Clouds showered down precious Ointments, all for the solace of that man; God shall replenish his Soul with comforts, and no wonder, seeing he hath given him his Son, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, How shall he not with him give all things?  
This is the threefold Emphasis, by which this Argument is amplified; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a note of Interrogation; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of Negation; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of Augmentation: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, How shall he not also? As if he had said, It is a thing beyond all possible certainty, and more than certain, that he will give us all things, and more than all things, if it be possible; and all of this, because he hath given us his own Son, who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all of all, and all in all, and more than all.  
And the reason of this inference may be either taken from the Cause, Christ that made all things, contains all things; or from the Sign, He that could give Christ, can give all things; He that would give Christ, will give all things. God hath given to Satan power in the world, and therefore he is styled in Scripture, god of this world, the prince that rules in the the air: To the blessed Angels he hath given power in Heaven, therefore they are called, Thrones, dominions, principalities and powers; but to neither of them hath he given his Son. Some Divines make this the occasion of Lucifer's fall, and the Angels; they ambitiously aspired, desired the union with the Unity in Trinity, envied that the seed of Woman should be united with the eternal Word, the second Person in the Trinity. God hath given eternal Crowns to the Angels in Heaven, power to the Devils upon Earth, but Christ to neither of them. But he hath given us Christ, therefore he will with him give us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things in Heaven and Earth. Wherefore art thou then perplexed within me, O my Soul, still trust in God, Ille providebit, He will be thy great reward. Quid dubitas de possessionibus (says St. chrysostom) herum & dominum cum habeas? Why doubtest thou of possessions, when thou possessest the Lord of all, even Christ the Son of God? Now, O Lord, thou that sparedst not, but crucifiedst thy Son for our sins-sake, crucify our sins, and spare us for thy Son's sake: Spare us for thy Son's merits, who wouldst not spare thy Son for our sins demerits: Receive us by the red Sea of his Blood, through the dead Sea of Death, to the Land of Promise; To whom with thee, O holy Father, etc.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

A SERMON, Preached before these times, as prognosticating the storms that were then impendent, whereof part are fallen since.  The Text, Psal. 76. 7. And who may stand in thy sight, when once thou art angry? 
THE time when, the occasion why, and the Author by whom this Psalm was penned, is not generally agreed upon; but that it was (as all Scripture is) from the holy Ghost, in time of spiritual joy and exaltation, after some glorious victory, none makes question. And if Moses and the Israelites sung a Song of deliverance, for the overthrow of Pharaoh, Barak and Deborah for the death of Sisera, why may ●ot we think with the Septuagints, that this is a Song of deliverance, for that miraculous discomfiture of Senacherib's army, in the days of Hezekiah? But we leave that as more then probable, & come to the parts of the Psalm, which are four: The first is a Preface, in the two first verses, laying down the Argument, that God is to be praised, enforced by two reasons; the one drawn from his wonderful works, whereby he hath showed himself to the Jews; the other, from his special presence at Jerusalem, and hiding his face from the Gentiles. The second contains a description, of that great victory God's mighty arm had given them over their enemies. The third, propounds the Doctrines drawn from thence, for the Church's edification, from the seventh to the tenth verse. The fourth and last, is an Epiphonema or conclusion, in the two last verses, exhorting all Tribes, and Tongues, and Kindred's, for the foregoing motives, to praise and glorify God. Thus the Analysis.  
The Text belongs to the third branch, containing points of Doctrine, for the Church's instruction: For having expressed, that God had broke the enemy's bow and arrows, shield and sword, in battle; that he had spoiled the stouthearted; that at his rebuke, the horses and chariots were cast into a dead sleep: The Spirit of God enforces this conclusion, in the beginning of the seventh verse, Thou, even thou art to be feared. The Emphasis in the word [Thou] redoubled, implies as much, as if he had said, Not principalities, not powers, not hell, not death, nor any thing for themselves, but thou O Lord alone art to be feared. Arguments and reasons to confirm it are two, here laid down in the Text: The first is drawn from God's anger, who hath decreed, and accordingly executes, vengeance upon all proud rebels. The second is drawn from his power, not Princes, not Armies, not Men, not Angels, are able to endure the breath of his fury: For, Who may stand in thy sight, when once thou art angry?  
The words at the first view, seem to divide themselves into these two parts: First, an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or question, Who may stand in thy sight? Secondly, an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or supposition, When once thou art angry. But if by more strict examination, we lay them up on the file, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Supposition (as in all necessary truths) may be resolved into an infallible Position; as if he had said, There is a time, when God will be angry. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Question, is equivalent to a negative Proposition, but with more Emphasis and significacie, as if he had said, None can stand in thy sight. Hence these two points of Doctrine, naturally arising, offer themselves to our consideration: First, If men continue in sin, there will be a time when God will be angry. Secondly, When God is angry, none can stand in his sight and abide it. And of these in order. But first, the words are to be unfolded, for the clearer understanding of the matter; in which, if there be any difficulty, it is in these two; first, what it is to stand in God's sight; secondly, in what sense he is said to be angry. Standing is properly a positure of the body, that argues strength, valour, exercise; for while Soldiers stand in their squadrons and ranks, there is hope they make at their Enemies, and reward them; if not, they either turn their backs, and are discouraged, or fall to the ground, and so are utterly discomfited. So here in the Text, Who may stand? As if he should say, O Lord, if thou shouldst bend thy bow, and whet thy glittering sword to come to Battle, what man, what Angel would not fall before thee, and melt as wax before the fire? Thus much for the former. The second is, to inform our judgements, how God can be angry? The truth is, Anger is a speech borrowed from men, in whom anger sometimes signifies displeasure or discontent, Gen. 45. 5. Be not angry at yourselves, that you have sold me hither; that is, be not displeased. Sometimes it signifies a desire of revenge, upon the person of our neighbour, Matth. 5. 22. He that is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of judgement. Sometimes it signifies displeasure, not against the person, but against the sin of our neighbour, or our own sin; this kind of anger, if it be moderate, and joined with compassion, is a holy affection, 2 Cor. 7. 1. In that ye were godlily sorry, what [anger] hath it wrought? that is, holy indignation against sin. Anger, in the first sense, is not a discontent in God, for he is all fullness of joy, and nothing can hinder his Bliss; it cannot be a displeasure at any man's person without a cause, for God is angry at none, but those that first have displeased him. Thirdly, it is not a passion or perturbation in God. But the truth is, he is said to be angry, when he does such things as angry men do, who punish, and take away signs of favour from such, as they be angry withal. This the word [anger] in the original imports, coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aph, that signifies a nostril, because anger shows itself in snuffing and breathing of the nose; therefore David describing God when he is angry, says, Psal. 18. 8. There went a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured, coals were kindled by it. Not that God hath passions, or mouth, or breath, or nostrils; but because that men, when they are an●ry, show it in some, or most of these. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; It is spoke in the dialect of men, but must be understood in an Idiom proper to God. Of this more fully, when we come to the Uses: thus much for opening the words. Now to the first point of Doctrine, which is this, Though the enemies of the Church should link themselves together in bands of Iron, yet a day will come, when God will be angry.  
For the proof of this, see what St. Paul says; he does not say, Because God is merciful, therefore they may take their scope in sinning; because he punishes not presently, therefore he sees not; because he is long-suffering, therefore his justice shall not be executed: But he evinces the contrary, Rom. 2. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God. As though he should say, Do not think to escape, because thou enjoys hearts ease, Halcyon days, and days of peace; for every sin God hoards up, and seals as in a bag; the devil trusses up, as in a bill of indictment; thine own conscience heaps up wound to wound, and plague to plague, which one day, as dammed Rivers, shall burst in upon thee with more violence; as long festered wounds be more incurable, as an Army long a providing, come with greater terror to Battle. Therefore it was not the least point of wisdom in Solomon, to press this point. Eccles. 11. 9 Rejoice O young man in thy youth, let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the delight of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: But know, that for all these things, God will bring thee to judgement. God uses to deal with sinners, as Fishes do with their prey, after they have swallowed the hook, suffers them to play and sport with it to the end of the line, then strikes it through their gills, and brings them back again. Thus much this forequoted speech of Solomon imports, as if he had said, You that solace yourselves with all delights, in the heat of your blood; well, go on in your courses, banish dull and sad thoughts with the purest Wine, shake off your fits of melancholy, with peals of laughter, sleep on in the laps of your Dalilahs, cheer up yourselves with Pipe, and Tabret, and the sweetest Music; yet a little more sleep, a little more slumber, live on, as though there were no Heaven, no Hell, no Wrath, no Judgement: Yet, know this, and know it you must, that God hath his hook in your nostrils, and ere long his wrath and fury shall wax hot against you like fire. Job goes about to inform gluttons, and worldly minded men, (men hardest of belief) in the truth of this Doctrine, Job. 20. 23. When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating. 27. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him; the increase of his house shall departed, and his good shall flow away in the day of his wrath. Even the Church of God itself, that like a wanton Minion, had put far from her the evil day, was glad to confess this, and that with rueful moan to complain, Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger, A day of anger indeed. Lam. 2. 21. The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets, my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword, thou hast slain them in the time of thine anger, thou hast killed, and not pitied. God's anger is such a flame, as cannot be quenched, his day of anger; such a day, as neither wisdom, nor honour, nor riches, nor gold, can ransom us from: Ezek. 7. 19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them, in the day of the wrath of the Lord. It is not Crowns imperial, nor Thrones, nor Diadems, that can escape this day: Ps. 110. 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings, in the day of his wrath. Therefore the holy Ghost, to note the certainty of God's anger, calls it a day of wrath, of fierce wrath; a day of displeasure, hot displeasure, heavy displeasure; a day of God's vengeance, Jer. 46. 10. A day of the Lord, and a cloudy day, Ezek. 30. 3. A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, Joel 2. 2. Arguments and reasons further to confirm it, may be these.  
The first is drawn from the nature of God, who is of purer eyes, than to behold iniquity unpunished; a consuming fire, that the stubble is burned up before him; a God of glory, that Dagon cannot stand in his presence; a light, that cannot dwell with darkness; a jealous God, that burns the chaff with unquenchable fire, wounds Kings, and spews all workers of iniquity out of his mouth. For, in Creatures, wherein (by reason of the antipathy of their nature and humours) there is but a finite distance, there can scarce be any agreement; the Vine will not thrive in the same place with the Colwort, the Elephant is enraged at the sight of a Ram, one Bird and Beast pursues another with eager pursuit: Then how much more shall God, who is infinitely holy, everlastingly good, eternally happy, threaten, punish, be angry at, take revenge upon sin, that abuses his mercy, despises his justice, defaces his image? What man will not take care to break a Cockatrice eggs, and kill a Serpent? And shall not God in the day of his fierce wrath, take revenge upon sin, which that old Serpent Satan brought into the world? The reason why men are not angry at those crimes, that deserve Phinehas his zeal, and Samuel's indignation, is, because our understanding cannot see the heinousness of them, our wills cannot sufficiently desire revenge, our affections with eagerness pursue them. But God understands, and wills, and hates, as things are in themselves, and as they deserve.  
The second Reason may be drawn from God's Will, who justly decreed, to pour down the fierce Vials of his wrath, in the day of his wrath, upon all disobedient persons: See Deuter. 28. the curses and comminations God in his anger threatened to bring upon the people: See if he do not set apart the wicked for fuel of his wrath, against this day, Prov. 16. 5. The Lord made all things for himself, yea even the wicked for the day of evil. Now if God be willing to pour out his heavy displeasure upon those, that displease him, what can hinder his mighty arm for performing? Creatures indeed may be angry, but oftentimes like Drones without stings, cannot hurt; as Canons charged with powder without shot, only makes a roaring; like the Pope's Bulls, threatens many, hurts none but them whose consciences are enslaved. Saul may be angry at David, but cannot find him out; but, from God's all-piercing eye, none can hid himself. Satan may desire to kill Job, Jonah may be angry till death for Ninivehs preservation; yet, God puts a bit in both their mouths, which if he be angry, nothing can be holden out of his reach. Princes (if they take captives) may have the rescued from them again, as Lot was from the King of Sodom; bought with a price, as Joseph of the Ishmaelites: But no power can rescue us from God's anger, no ransom but Christ's blood redeem us. God's Will being set afoot, all his Attributes follow; if his Will say, Be angry, his Eye seeks out the object of his anger, and finds it; his wisdom tempers the cup, his hand whets the sword, his arm strikes the blow. Thus you see, there is a time of God's anger for sin, because he will have it so.  
The third Reason, that there is a time when God is angry, is drawn from the cause, which in general is sin, and in special, the contempt, and contumacious despite we offer unto God, in every sin we commit: The Apostle uses the same reason, Rom. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering? The conclusion he infers, is this, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thou treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God. Nabuchadnezzar was angry at the three Children, for contempt of worshipping of his Image, and threw them into the hot fiery Furnace; Daniel for the like was thrown into the Lion's den. Shall Kings wrath burn thus like fire, for despising of their unlawful decrees? and than shall not God, who is a consuming fire, be angry at us vile worms, for despising of his pure, holy, and wholesome Laws, which the Angels dare not mention without trembling? Esau lost his Birthright, for preferring a mess of Pottage before it; the Jews smarted, for preferring Barrabas before Christ; Judas felt God's wrath, for valuing our blessed Saviour at thirty pieces of silver. In every sin, we prefer the service of Satan before God's service, the pleasure of iniquity before the fruits of righteousness, death before life, our own will before Gods will.  
The fourth Reason may be taken from the effects, and execution of his anger; we see symptoms of God's wrath in some, in their bodies, as Oehazie's leprosy; some, in lack of liberty, as Manasses; some in their children, as Eli; some in the gripes of a yelling conscience, as Cain, Judas, Achi●ophel, and Saul; some in taking away their reason, as Nabuchadnezzar; in some of sudden death, as Belshazzar, while he was quaffing; Herod, while he was boasting; the people of Sodom, while they were wallowing in their uncleanness; Dathan and Ab●ram swallowed quick to Hell, while they murmured against Moses and Aaron, and usurped the Priest's office. Lastly, in all reprobates at the last judgement, which will be a day of anger indeed, where his wrath shall seize upon them for ever. Hitherto the Reasons, the Uses follow: First, of Information. And how God can be angry, in opening of the Text we touched, to make way to that which followed; Let us further inquire wherein it consists. When anger is said to be a desire of revenge, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports, to desire as ravinously as a hungry stomach does meat, an inflaming of the blood about the heart, a sorrow of the heart, for the contempt that is done to us, with an enkindling of indignation against the despiser. Anger, as it is thus described, neither for the material nor formal, can belong to God, because he is a pure Essence, free from passion, all-sufficient in himself, cannot be crossed in his absolute will: Yet, in a sense it is true, that Anger is in God, and that in these three respects.  
First, it argues his will, and most just decree of taking revenge, and punishing the injuries and contempt offered to him, and his Church, as, Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness; that is, God manifests by punishments, what he hath decreed from eternity. Secondly, it signifies the comminations and threaten of punishments against sinners; for, when God threatens to bring plagues and judgements, he is said to be angry: Psal. 6. 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure; that is, do not punish me as thou threatens me, according to my sins. Thirdly, it signifies the effects of his displeasure, and the execution itself of those plagues and judgements, which he had before decreed and threatened. Thus you see, God may be said to be angry, because in his will he decrees, in his word he threatens, in his wisdom punishes. This may serve to confute that Stoical opinion, that God cannot be angry, because anger (say they) is a disease of the soul, that cannot surprise a wise man: Here they may see, that it derogates not, but suits with the wisdom of him, who is wisdom itself. Here the Epicures may see, how blasphemously they dishonour God, when they say, he sits idle in Heaven, takes care for nothing, punishes none. How near unto these are all our carnal Worldlings, that take their ease, eat, drink, and say in their hearts, Tush, God cares not: Let them know, that for all this, though they escape a while unpunished, he will bruise them in pieces with a rod of iron, like a potter's vessel,  
The second enquiry is, Seeing God in a sense may be said to be angry, whether anger be one of those Attributes, that are imitable and warrantable in us, or no? We are commanded to be holy, as he is holy, merciful as he is merciful: But of anger, it may be doubted, because it blinds the understanding, perverts the will, disorders the affections. The truth is, anger is not only warrantable, but sometimes not to be angry is sin. This may be proved by the example of Christ, Joel 2. 7. The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. Zeal is a passion, mixed of anger and love; by his actions, in driving the buyers and sellers out of the Temple; by precept, Ephes. 4. 25. Be ye anry, and sin not; that is, though anger in itself may be good, yet, the inordinateness of it makes it a sin, and that is three ways: First, if we be angry rashly, above measure, for sleight or no causes. Secondly, if we be angry for private injuries, and not for dishonouring of God. Thirdly, if we be angry more for the hatred we bear to our brethren, than for their sins. Otherwise to be angry at sin, (if the action be streaming in Christ's blood) may be a means to assuage God's anger for sin.  
Let the second Use serve to examine ourselves, whether we have provoked the Lord to anger, or no; And if; by what signs we may know the day of his anger is at hand: First, whether we have provoked him to anger, may be known from the cause, which is the contempt, and contumacious despite we offer to God in every sin; I'll only name two or three which the Scripture often mentions, as the greatest incentives of his anger. First, Idolatry, a sin that puts God out of his Throne, sets up Idols in his place; which is not only when we worship other Gods, but when we suffer riches, honour, beauty, pleasure, to take up or soul, which should be the holy Ghosts temple. This is high treason against God; therefore how often shown he his anger to the Israelites, in fiery serpents, plagues, pestilences, dearth, famine, sword, and captivity. To this may be added, tempting of God, rebellion against God, that sin of witchcraft, blasphemy, hypocrisy, and profaning of the Lords Day.  
The second way whereby we may know, whether we have angered God, is, to examine our souls, whether we have been dutiful to Parents, obedient to Rulers, reverend to our Betters: The Scripture styles them Gods; they that despise them, despise God, in as much as they are ranked among the cursed, Deut. 27. 16. Cursed is he that setteth light by his father, or by his mother, and let all the people say, Amen. Nay, so great is God's anger, that he threatens the Ravens shall pull out their eyes.  
Thirdly, Murderers, and those that imbrue their hands in innocent blood, offer injury and despite unto God with a high hand, and therefore highly displease him: He that stabs but at the Grand Sultan's Picture, is guilty of treason; then how shall the blood of his brother cry for vengeance against him, that defaces God's Image in Man? witness Cain's ghastly conscience, David's broken bones, Judas bursten bowels, and the wrath of God against the Jews, who cried, His blood be upon us, and upon our children.  
Fourthly, the wronging of Widows and Orphans, oppressing the poor and strangers, are sins that anger God: He hath promised to be a Husband to the widow, a Father to the fatherless, a succour to the poor, a guide to the stranger: They that offer wrong to these, strive to separate those, whom God hath wedded to himself by holy affections, by promises, by his Son Jesus: Therefore see what God says; Exod. 22. 22. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child; if thou afflict them in any wise, and they cri● at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath shall wax hot; and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children father less.  
Lastly, all filthy, unnatural, and abominable lusts of the flesh, these rebel against the spirit, anger God the Father of spirits; witness the adultery of David, for which, the sword never departed from his house; those thousands of Benjamites that were slain, for abusing the Levit's wife; those Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that were buried in the fiery flakes of brimstone. Thus we have discovered a few of the chiefest of those sins, that provoke God's anger. By these, and all others, let us examine our souls, and sit an audit in our consciences, whether we have any share in kindling of God's anger or no. O that many men's consciences did not tell them without examination, and that we did not see by daily experience, that, Hos. 4. 2. by swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing of adultery, men break out that blood touches blood. Thus much for the Use of Examination.  
The next Use is of Enquiry; if it be so, that we have angered God, how we may foresee, and know the day of his anger. Mariners desire to so see a storm, diggers in Mines a damp, soldiers would be forewarned, that they may be fore-armed against the coming of their enemies. The tru●h is, God for the most part keeps the express day of his anger, in his secret will to himself, yet many times shows, that it is near; and those are either such, as must infallibly come to pass, as the last Judgement; or are revealed to us with a condition, as Niniveh shall be destroyed if they repent not; Jerusalem shall be demolished, if she will not know the day of her visitation; Judas shall smart for it, if he betray his Lord and Master. and these events which are conditionally proposed to us, may be known three ways.  
First, by the threaten and menaces of God's Prophets and Ministers, for they are his mouth, and as long as they speak, his Word cannot lie. If the Prophet tell Zedechiah, that if he go to the Battle he must be slain, tarry at home he must, or die. If Daniel tell Nabuchadnezzar, that God was angry at the great Tree, he must either give over his beastly lusts, or live with the beasts. So when God's Ministers threaten a day of anger against any Nation, City, Family, for their proud transgressions, it must of necessity come to pass, either here or hereafter; be repent of here, or for ever punished hereafter.  
The second sign, whereby we may know, that the day of God's anger is at hand, are lesser plagues, that he sends as forerunners and harbingers of severer wrath; like Tamburlaine, he first hangs out his Ensign of peace, than his red Cross of justice, and musters smaller plagues against us; if then we return not, and strike a League, he hangs out his black Flag of implacable wrath, skirmaging and massacring, till neither Prince nor People, root nor branch be left. He is like a Man of war, discharges a warning-piece at his enemies, if they despise that, quits the Hatches of them with a second, strikes off their mani-Mast with a third, and so sinks them. He sends little flashes, before the great thunder-crack come. Hence it is, that his anger is first compared to a smoke, then to a kindling of fire, then to a flame of fire, then to a consuming fire, then to an unquenchable fire. He sent to the Egyptians Frogs, Lice, Locusts, Murrain, Blood, Darkness, Hail, Death of the Firstborn, and lastly an utter Overthrow. Christ, Matth, 24. having told Jerusalem of wars, rumours of wars, troubles, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, ends his speech with a nondum finis, yet is not the end; these are but the beginnings of trouble. To apply. What shall we think God meant, by the late threatening of dearth and famine, such streams of bloodshed in our neighbour Nations, fevers and pestilences scattered abroad, as though the destroying Angel were shooting at Rovers; I will not conclude, that his day of anger is at hand, and that he will make us the Butt, at which he will discharge his whole Quiver of Arrows; but this I say, that either repentance or destruction must follow.  
Neither is it the least sign, that a day of vengeance is at hand, and that the Lord hath a controversy with his people, when he takes holy and religious men, zealous Ministers, from amongst them. If a Seal be plucked from an Evidence, it argues the whole Writing shall be torn asunder, canceled, thrown in the fire, burned. Godly men are as a Signet on God's hand, Seals and Pledges, that he will not destroy the righteous with the wicked; A royal Priesthood, whom he oftentimes takes away, that they may not see the ensuing misery; as Pearls plucked from Rings, Wheat gathered from the Tares, foretells, the one must to the furnace, to be new moulded, the other to the fire to be burned: As children taken from the breasts of mothers adjudged to die, that they may not see their execution. Thus God sent Lot and his Family out of Sodom, and then reigned down fire and brimstone upon them. After God had taken away the godly King josiah, what miseries and calamities, like waves one in the neck of another, pursued the Jews, till their utter desolation?  
The third sign, whereby to know that a day of God's anger is at hand, is, his suffering of sin long to reign unpunished. Vespasian had for his Ensign, an Anchor, with a Dolphin painted in it; an Anchor, to signify that he was slow in coming; a Dolphin, that he was fierce in taking revenge. It is the Tree that continues unpruned, that must be hewn down; the Oxen that go in fat Pastures, that must to the shambles: So sinners, if God feed them, it is but to fat them for the knife; if he preserve them, it is but for further judgement.  
This is not the least token, that God hath sealed us up (unless we repent) for the day of his anger. What heart, though harder than Adamant, would not bleed, to think of the scourges of other▪ Countries, The streets running with blood, the Cities burning with fire, the children slain in the parent's sight, the old grey heads died in crimson blood, the young led into captivity; while, while we are hedged about on every side with peace, wallow in abundance; and, which is worse, in unthankfulness, in sin. What good could we not yet promise this our Nation? But when the Streets rings with swearing and profaneness, Markets are stained with lying, oppressing, and cozenage; the Taverns and Inns abound with filthy vomitings, wickedness reigns in every state, every condition, every place; shall we still put far from us the evil day?  
Thus you see, we have angered God, and that unless he be appeased, the day of his anger is at hand. The third Use is of Instruction, how to prevent it, and that is by repentance: First, taking a strict examination of ourselves, how often, in what manner, in what measure, we have angered God. A Physician must first know the disease, before he can apply the cure. Then we must be hearty sorry, that we have offended God; this godly sorrow must work like a strong potion, work in the understanding, in the will, in the affections, in the conscience, bruise the bones, twinge the spirit, break the heart. Thirdly, we must aggravate it, by remembering, that we have not only angered Men and Angels, but Christ that died for us. No heat of fire, nor knock of hammers, can break the Adamant; but anoint it with the hot blood of a Goat, it falls in splinters. Not precepts, not threaten, not judgements, can make a stony heart contrite, till God in Christ move it. Fourthly, we must forsake our sins, whereby we have angered God. The Scolapendra when she hath swallowed an hook, vomits out her bowels with it, and so is quit. When we have swallowed iniquity, that the guilt thereof stings us, let us vomit and spew out our darling pleasures, pluck out our eye of lust, cut off our hand of revenge, belch out our heart of pride, and so in the rest. Fiftly, we must appease God's anger with prayer, come to the Altar, bring Incense, stan● before the Mercy-seat, cry unto him that sits between the Cherubims, have some Moses to hold up his hand for us, and with us, some Samuel to make intercession for us: And if all this will not pacify him, let some Magistrate, like Moses, Phinehas, or joshua, execute judgement, that so the plague may be stayed.  
Hitherto the first point, that if we continue in sin, God will be angry. The second follows, That when God is angry, none can stand in his sight, or abide it; or, That the anger of God is a terrible, unspeakable, unsupportable, intolerable burden. Every word in the Text hath a special Emphasis to prove this; Who may stand? Who? shall Angels? they are but like refracted beams or rays, if God should hid his face, they would cease to shine. Shall Man? his glory and pomp, like the colours in the Rainbow, vanishes away, when God puts forth in anger the brightness of his face. Shall Devils? If he speak the word, they are tumbled down from Heaven like lightning. Stand in thy sight. [Stand.] What! a Reed against a Cedar, a Thistle in Lebanon against a Cedar in Lebanon, a Feather against a Flame, a Grasshopper against an Almighty, a head of Glass against a head of Brass. When once thou art angry. [Angry.] By sending out his wrath, that it wounds like arrows; angry, in pouring it out, that it drowns like water; angry, in kindling of it, that it burns like fire; nay, a consuming fire, but that may be quenched; an unquenchable fire, but that may cease to burn, when it lacks matter; an everlasting fire, that never goes out, That, that's it; such anger as is never fully shown, but in punishment of Reprobates; in no punishment, but that in Hell; in none in Hell, but that eternal.  
First, to prove, that God's anger is terrible, we need go no further, but to the godly, to seek it: How have the stouthearted pulled in their horns, and melted like Snails? Snails (as Naturalists observe) put in salt, dissolve into water: How hath it grinded them to dust? Hear David, Psal. 32. complaining, that his bones waxed old, and that his moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Hear him howl and cry, Psal. 102. that his days were consumed like smoke; that his bones burned like hearth, withered like grass; that he was become like a pelican in the wilderness, or a sparrow on the house top. Hear Job complain, Chap. 6. that his grief was heavier than the sand of the sea; that the arrows of the Almighty were within him, the poison had drunk up his spirit; the terrors of God had set themselves in array against him. Secondly, that God's anger is unspeakable, we can all tell, how great, none can tell; it's like God himself, infinite in greatness, and (unless he in mercy put an end to it) it's like eternity, infinite in time, eternal: therefore the Saints have thought no Rhetoric sufficient enough to express it in, but sighs; no tongue, but scrikes and groans; no ink would cast, but tears; no paper, but a wounded heart; no words of force, but exclamations of despair, and such as issue from a bleeding soul. As Lines drawn from the Circumference meet in the Centre, and pierce it through, yet no part of them is comprehended in it; so, many arrows of God's anger may meet in us, pierce us through, but express them we cannot; nay, when we are in the greatest agonies, As burning-glasses by reflection of the beams of the Sun, cause heat and burning, which is not in the Sun, but presents not the least glory of the Sun; So we can better express our passions, than unfold the weight of that mighty arm that smites us. Thirdly, that the anger of God is unsupportable, we need no other instance but of our blessed Saviour: He that makes the Heaven's roll without an axletree, causes the Earth to hang in the Air, as a ball poised without pillars, putteth bounds to the waves of the Sea, staggering over the banks; He sweat and bled, and groaned under this burden: We have heard tell of finite Creatures, that have endured mangling of bodies, ripping of bowels, racking of joints, burning of flesh, boiling in oil; but under this stroke, he that was God and Man, was in a sense compelled to cry out, O God my God, why hast thou forsaken me. Fourthly, that the anger of God is intolerable, Judas, Cain, and Saul could tell before their deaths, and, it is to be feared, better since; and many reprobates in this life are so racked, that it pierces the whole Man; head, heart, side, back, all parts at once ache, and sweat, and tremble; the eye sees no comfort, the tongue tastes no comfort, the ear hears no comfort; and as there is no ease within, so no comfort without, no place, nor bed, nor board, nor house, nor Church; no creature, nor meat, nor drink, nor friend, nor wife, nor child, will afford any comfort: How many have found a weight beyond the weight of mountains, lying upon their souls, and wish, that they had rather been famished or starved, or burned, or strangled long before, and catch and call for death, for hell, leap out of the fire into the flame. And if this be the arraignment of God's anger in this life, what will be the terrible execution hereafter.  
You may have this proved by examples; God was angry at the Angels, and they fell down into the lowest pit; he was angry at Adam, and he was thrown out of Paradise; he was angry at the old World, and they were drowned in the Flood; angry at Sodom and Gomorrah, and they were burned with fire and brimstone; angry at Pharaoh, and he was buried in the waves; angry at Dathan and Abiram, and they were swallowed quick to hell; he was angry at Senacherib, and the Angel slew a hundred fourscore and five thousand of his Army in one night; he was angry at the Jews, and razed their ●●ie to the ground, and scattered them as vagabonds over the face of the whole earth; angry at all reprobates, and will cast them out of his presence for ever. Thus you see we range over the Scriptures, yet not out of the narrow bounds of the Text, as lines from the circumference meet in one centre, and spoaks of a wheel in one axletree, points all at God's anger; for, what Man, what Angel can stand in his sight, when once he is angry?  
All the reason we will give of this Doctrine, shall be the infinite disproportion betwixt God and Man; when there is not a creature to a creature, weakness to weakness; but a finite must encounter with an infinite power, weakness must fight with strength, man with God, how can there be any standing? First, of God's power. Secondly, of man's weakness. He that made all things of nothing, can, if he please, return all things to nothing; the Heavens will pass away at his anger as a smoke, the Hills melt, the Earth tremble, the raging Sea is dried up, and all creatures couch before him like Lambs. Thus God can do without means what he pleases, and when he pleases, command what means to be rods of his wrath he will, he can send upon their bodies, consumptions, fevers, extreme burn, botch of Egypt, scab, itch, and pestilence; make the Heaven over our heads like brass, the Earth like iron, rain down powder and dust, smite the corn with mildew and blasting, send famine and sword, strike our souls with blindness, madness, and astonishment of heart. Now what is man that he should stand against all these? a flower that's cut down, a shadow that continues not, a cloud that's consumed, a dream that vanishes, a shepherd's tent that is removed, a smoke that is scattered with the Sunbeams, and at the best, but the untimely fruit of a woman, that afore we be in life, we are in the midst of death. Thus the Reasons, the Uses follow. First, of Information.  
Ob. The Angel of the Lord met Moses in the way, and would have slain him, yet he escaped. The Angel met Balaam in the way when he was angry, yet he lived.  
Ans. I answer, the Lord dealt with them, as a Nurse that holds the finger of a child to the fire, not that the fire may burn it, but that it may learn to dread the fire: God seemed to be angry with them, not that he might overthrow them, but that they might learn to fly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from the wrath to come.  
Ob. Secondly, the wicked, upon whom God threatens to pour down all the plagues written in the Law, stand highest in view, and strongest upon their guard.  
Ans. I answer, if they stand the highest, it's but as Prisoners at the Bar, hold up their hand, that all may see their arraignment: If strongest upon their guard, but like Malefactors nailed to the Pillory, that they cannot move.  
Ob. But the damned spirits and reprobates in Hell, endure the anger of God, not for a day, but for ever.  
Ans. I answer, they endure it so, as they are still fainting; live so, as they are still dying; stand so, as they are everlastingly falling; like wheels, are carried about in a circle of God's vengeance, as one wave of his wrath beats them down, another raises them up again. God could with one blast of his fury consume them to nothing, but he deals with them, as the Turks with their Galleyslaves, adjudges them to perpetual slavery.  
The second Use may let us see, that no strength, no riches, no wisdom, no nation, no army, no city, can continue long, when once they have angered God; If strength, than Goliath, Sehon, Og the King of Bashan, might have boasted; if riches, the rich Glutton, and the Fool in the Gospel, might have sung on their Requieme; if wisdom, Solomon had been secure; if Kingdoms, the Jews, and the three Monarchies had still flourished; if Armies, Senacherib's had not been defeated; if Cities, Jerusalem, Tyre, Sidon, and Niniveh had still stood. This is it that made Solomon say, Prov. 21. 30. There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel against the Lord. This made Jeremy say. Jer. 9 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches. This made David say, Psal. 2. 12. If his wrath is kindled, tantillum, but a little; quantillum, how little, O blessed Saint? that, he knows not: But after a long ecstasy or trance, breaks off his Aposiopesis with this Epiphonema, Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.  
We may learn also from hence, that all earthly comforts are but crosses, all worldly blessings are but curse, when Gods anger once gins to flame. God was angry at Eli, and his own children burst his heart; angry at David, and his beloved Absolom conspires against him; angry at Senacherib, and his own sons imbrue their hands in his blood; he was angry at Solomon, and his wisdom was but vexation of spirit; all his riches and honour, but vanity of vanities; his Wives, Children, Horses, Chariots, and all his worldly pleasures, like buckets of Oil thrown into the flame, increases the burning; he was angry at Judas, and all things work together for his sorrow; that he had been Christ's Disciple wounds him, that he had preached the Gospel wounds him, that he had wrought miracles wounds and galls his soul. Thirdly, observe, that all other wounds they are but ripples, all other flames they are but sparkles, in comparison of God's anger; diseases of the body, Gout, Stone, Strangury, bloody Flux may be cured; Plague, Pestilence, Dearth, Famine, may be abated: Punishments of the body, Rods, Swords, Racks, Wheels, Flames, Strappadoes, may be endured: I ones Estate, poverty, nakedness, imprisonment: In ones name, slanders, reproaches, defamations, false witnesses: In the Commonwealth, captivity, overthrow, utter desolation, in some sense, may be undergone: But, before God's anger, who can stand? This breaks the legs, loses the joints, consumes the marrow, burns up the spirits, dries the moisture, wounds the heart, deads' the soul, and murders the conscience. In this Epilepsy, all parts fail at once, till God be pacified; in that Apoplexy they lie for ever, whom God in his anger leaves.  
The third Use may serve, to reprove three sorts of men: First, those blasphemous Rabsheca's, whose words, works, lives, show, they defy God's anger, like the Cyclopes in Homer, that despised Jove's thunderbolts; like Darius, that writ a Letter of defiance to the River Xanthus, for drowning his Horse; like the Sicilians, that made war against the mountain Aetna, for spoiling their corn fields, but were buried under the sands thereof, and flakes of fire; this is the lot of all that anger God. But some Machiavelli or State-politician will say, we have Riches, Artillery, strong Towers to defend us. So had Jerusalem, but when she had angered God, she could not stand. But our enemies are weak. O consider, he can without means of man overthrow, as he did Pharaoh in the red Sea, jericho with the sound of Rams horns; with weak means, as a thousand with Samson's jawbone, Goliath with David's sling. But the rich cormorant will say, What need we fear plague, famine hunger? we keep alone from all company, our tables are full of dainties, our granaries are full of corn, and money we have enough to supply. Consider, He that could slay so many of David's, of Senacherib's Army in one night, can send the pestilence in thy meat, in thy drink, in every blast of air thou draws: He that took away holy Iob's substance in one day, may justly confound thee in a moment; that if thou like a fly flutter against this flame, thou will be forced one day to cry out, as did julian the Apostate, when he was wounded with an arrow from heaven, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thou hast conquered, O jesus of Galilee.  
Secondly, this reproves those, that when God is angry, add flame to flame, firebrand to firebrand. Does God threaten scarcity and want, then be sure at this time drunkenness and gluttony will most abound. Does God smite with diseases of the body, as pestilence, burning Fevers, & c? then lasciviousness, wantonness, uncleanness of the flesh, whoredom, adultery, and the like. Does he shut up any in their houses, with the seals of his judgements? then there will be the most stealing, even out of infected houses; when his judgements will not come to them, they will find them out. Is not this to stand in defiance against God's anger?  
Thirdly, this reproves those, that murmur against God, for sending his rod of anger to correct us, when our sins have deserved the sword to kill us. If he should send the enemy amongst us, and you should see your daughters ravished, your sons butchered before your eyes, would not this be bitter? If we should see our Towns and Cities on fire, our streets running with blood, all in a skirmage and uproar at once, would not this be bitter? Should your children fall in the streets for bread, die for thirst, they ready to eat you up, you ready to chop them for the pot, would not this be bitter? All this we have deserved, all this God's anger threatens, all this we shall have, unless we repent. O let's now prevent this, that we may never see nor feel it. The Word of God is against us, the decree is come out, most of those sins that have brought captivity, sword, famine, upon other Nations, are amongst us; we see the Lord hath begun already, and our Brethren have begun to us in this bitter cup. O the bitter lamentations of Germany, Fathers, Mothers, weeping for their Sons that be not. O England, England, look to it, that we drink not of the dregs. O that you would fast and mourn in public; O that you would each in private, pray earnestly, and say, O Lord, spare our Nation, our houses, our sons and daughters; spare them from the sword, from famine, from pestilence, from misery▪ and who knows, but the Lord may yet have mercy, turn away his anger, that we may not fall, but stand in his sight for ever.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

A SERMON, Preached, when the Church seemed in part to be Eclipsed, and some eminent Members thereof to be Clouded.  The Text, Act. 14. 22. And that we must through much affliction enter into the Kingdom of God. 
THE subject is Christian sorrow, the burden of Paul and Barnabas their first Sermon preached at Antioch, where men were first called Christians; a burden but like Christ's, leight; affliction, fit for Paul to begin; the kingdom of God, a theme of comfort more suitable for Barnabas to end. The substance of the Law was, do, and live; but of the Gospel, suffer, and believe. Faith and affliction are linked together, for so says the Text, that they confirmed the souls of the Disciples, and exhorted them to continue in faith, and that we must through much affliction enter into the kingdom of God.  
The Proposition entire is not pure, but modal, consisting (as all of that kind) of two parts: First, the mo●us, or manner of it, oportet, we must. Secondly, the d●ctum, or matter of it, through much affliction enter into the kingdom of God. This life is a Race, Heaven is the Goal, this Text the common Stadium, wherein observe these severals: First, the terminum à quo, whence our afflictions gins, and that is here employed, from the womb, nascimur afflicti. Secondly, the mobile, or parties who, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we Christians. Thirdly, the motum, or passage, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, enter through. Fourthly, the medium, or way through which, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, through much affliction. Fifthly, the terminum ad quem, the end of this race, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to the kingdom of God. Thus divided, it admits of a twofold handling: First, general, in regard of the modus or manner of it. Secondly, special, in regard of the dictum or matter of it, where (as in a Sorites, so many Propositions, so many employed Syllogisms; so here) are so many parts, so many propositions. We'll content ourselves at the present with the general, where the Propositions are two: The first is necessary, and armed with an oportet, that we must suffer affliction, before we can enter upon heaven. This is somewhat sharp and harsh. The next sweetens and sugars it, That through these afflictions and waters of Marah, we shall at the length come to Heaven. We'll begin and end like a Comedy; and so of them in order. Afflictions must be suffered.  
The Cross of Christ must be born, before a Crown of glory be wo●●; we must through the Wilderness and jordan, before we come at Canaan; go through the Winepress, before we drink of the Grape in the Kingdom of Heaven. Some have, and some still must go through a purgatory of rods, swords, racks, wheels, flames, strappadoes, (in this life) before they be carried in a chariot of triumph into glory. We may prosecute this Argument, launching in blood of Martyrs to the knees, whole clouds of tears of afflicted Prophets, Apostles, Saints, who are now noble, and thrice renowned in Heaven, who had no other Arms upon the earth, but the Cross; no Coat but Sable; no Badge, but the marks of Christ; no Crest, but Confidence; no Supporters, but Patience; no Field, but Aceldama, a field of blood. This is the Watchword our Saviour gives his Soldiers, and the Motto in his Banner, Matth. 16. 24. If any man will follow me, let him forsake himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Saint Paul says to Timothy, All that will live godly in Christ jesus, must suffer persecution. We are Christians, and our lives gins, baptismate fluminis, consecrated in the waters of affliction; goes on baptismate flaminis, confirmed in the fire of affliction; and oftentimes ends baptismate sanguinis, waft on Rivers of blood, covers our Hearse with a scarlet die towards Heaven, and that for these causes.  
First, thereby God proves us, whether we be constant and true, and manifests to others our sincerity; they are a touchstone of trial, to examine, whether we be pure or reprobate gold. The Eagle tries her young ones, whether they be bastards, by making them look at the Sun; so God tries us by the heat of tribulation. As Gideon's Soldiers were proved at the water, so we at the waters of affliction. Faith, that before was but feigned, will then vanish into smoke, like Sodom's apples, guilded hypocrisy into vapours: but true Faith set upon the file, will be more resplendent, Hope more certain, Zeal more blazing, Charity more perfect.  
Secondly, afflictions are a means to wean us from the world, and win us unto God, as Myrrh and Aloes, to lay on the paps of worldly pleasures, to make us fly to Christ, a Pharaoh to pursue us out of Egypt unto Canaan: they are a rod of God, to turn our Rivers of delight (when we are bewitched with them) into blood; they are a worm, to make our Manna stink, when we lust after it: This brought the prodigal Son to his Father, the Israelites from Captivity, the diseased unto Christ. Is the Ark taken, and the glory of Israel departed, than the House of Ely will begin to think upon God. Is David banished unto Gath? then happy are they that are but dore-keepers in the house of God, or the sparrows that may build their nests there. Is Israel led into captivity? then will the daughters of Jerusalem hang up their Harps upon the willows, when they remember thee, O Zion. Is any afflicted? then surely they will pray.  
Thirdly, afflictions are medicinal restoratives, by which sinners may be awaked to recover their health by repentance; they are the lancing knife in the Phlebotomy of the soul, to wound us, that neither the Plethora, or rankness of blood, honour, riches, preferment, pleasure, choke and stifle the spirit; nor the Cacochymia or pestilent humours of sin, as covetousness, pride, intemperance, bring us into the Hectic , or incurable disease of hardness of heart, rebellion, or sin against the holy Ghost. They are a rod to scourge us in a Lethargy: As Physicians in a Lethargy use to burn the hair of the patiented, and smoak it into his nostrils; so afflictions burn vanities and darling pleasures, which are but as excrements, and casts them as dung into our nostrils: They are preparative potions to repentance, pills of contrition, purgations of natural corruptions, vomits of sin, tents to search our wounds, scarrifications to draw out ill humours. And though no afflictions be pleasant for the present, yet afterwards they are cordials of comfort, restauratives of grace. Thus God taught Miriam by leprosy, to leave her murmuring; he awakened Jonah out of sleep, by casting him into the Sea; he cured Zacharie of his infidelity, by striking him with dumbness; delivered Saul from his evil course by blindness; David from pride, by the plague; cured him of adultery, by killing the child. Blessed is the man whom the Lord thus correcteth.  
Fourthly, as afflictions are restauratives for maladies bypast, so they are preservatives and antidores to prevent the evil to come. As a man, whose blood is consumed in a lingering , is not so apt to take the pestilence, so neither a man afflicted, to be puffed up with pride, or burn with lust, he need not fear the swelling of that Carbuncle. They are salt to hinder us from putrefaction, a stormy wind to save our standing pools from corruption, a fiery Cherubin, to keep us out of the forbidden paradise of sin: As the golden hair was to Nisus, a safeguard from his enemies, so the cross of affliction arms from the flesh, the world, and the devil. As is said in the Fable of Achilles, so far as he was dipped in the water, so far he was unpiercible by any weapon; so far as we are plunged in the waters of Marah, our spiritual enemies have less power over us. God sent an Angel of Satan to buffet Paul, not so much for any evil he had done, as to prevent sin for the time to come, lest through the abundance of revelations, he should be exalted above measure. If God inflict upon us malum poenae, the evil of punishment, it is to prevent malum culpae, the evil of sin.  
Fiftly, by afflictions we are prepared and polished for Heaven, that as the one scale of tribulation presses us down, the other of grace may mount us up. Our Oil of grace is a quintessence, that must be extracted by fire, our cordial waters of comfort by distillation, our Grapes squeazed in the Winepress of sorrow, our Wheat flayled in the threshing-floor of tribulation, our Flower grinded between the millstones of pressure: We are Gold that must be purified seven times in the Furnace, before we be carried into the Sanctuary; Trees that must be pruned, before they bring forth any fruit; living Stones, that must be polished and hammered, before they be brought into the heavenly jerusalem: So that to a Christian, all his whole life is as it were a threshing, death is the fan to winnow the pure wheat from the chaff, that we may be gathered into the heavenly Granary, where no unclean thing shall enter.  
Well then, if every Christian must feel the sting of these fiery Serpents, before he come at Canaan, learn we to make account of them, not murmur, mutter, wonder at them. In this vale of tears, we must look to be fed with the bread of affliction, to drink the bitter water, gall, wormwood, and eat the sour grape of sorrow. Shall the heavens mourn, the clouds shed their tears, the earth tremble, the fruits be blasted, the sea rage, the creatures groan for our sins, and we not sympathise with them? Shall the Prophets and Apostles go through the fire, the Martyrs have their robes died in scarlet, our Saviour sweat water and blood, conflict with hell, Satan, death, and we go to heaven in a bed of roses, tread on carpets, ride still in triumph upon the wings of pleasure? True it is, in former times, we enjoyed Halcyon days of peace, sitting under our own Vines and Figtrees, singing the song of Zion, and tuning our own harps in a melodious harmony, having no Towns but Salems', no men but friends; if we had gone into the fields, we should have seen no spears but standing corn, have heard no drums but tabrets, no out-cries, but harvest-homes, had no years but of Jubilee, no days but of rejoicing. But now of a long continuance, (by reason of our unthankfulness) all places have become Aceldamaes, houses of blood, fields of blood, ditches of blood, towns of blood, Churches of blood, in this land, that was once Insula pacis, an Island of peace. Lord water our eyes with tears of godly sorrow, like Gideon's fleece, while others are dry, that we may be dry, & saved from those waters of afflictions, wherein others are drowned; beget in us fruits of contrition worthy of repentance, and then repent, that thou hast sent this spirit of division, and destroying Angel amongst us.  
Secondly, this necessity of afflictions, may comfort God's children in all troubles, on this consideration, that afflictions are sent of God, consecrated by his Son Jesus Christ, suffered of all Saints that are now triumphant in Heaven; that he that sows in tears, shall reap in joy; that he that wears a Crown of thorns with Christ here, shall wear a Crown of glory with him in heaven hereafter: Seriously meditating in our hearts, that God afflicts us not in fury, but in mercy, and that for these ends: 1. That he may draw us from the Love of the world. 2. That he may cure our spiritual sicknesses. 3. That he may preserve us from fearful falling into damnable sins. 4. That he may deliver us from the wrath to come, and the torments of hell. 5. To try and examine the sincerity of our faith. 6. To make us run unto God, the fountain of living waters. 7. That God might show his outstretched arm in delivering us. 8. That they may be sanctified to the increase of our glory. Now our afflictions are of two sorts, either internal in soul, or external; these, either in our names, or in our goods, or in our persons; here we have comfort against all: Is any in prison? look upon the Irons entering into Joseph's soul, and yet delivered. Is any in banishment? look upon David, restored from thence to a Kingdom. Is any hungered, starved, naked, full of soars? look upon Lazarus in Abraham's bosom. Is any afflicted with loss of goods, health, children? look upon Job's triumph after misery. Does any suffer for conscience sake? look upon the crowned Martyrs in heaven. Is any a man of sorrows? look upon Christ, before whose Throne, Angels, Saints, and Cherubims, throw down their Crowns and Palms of glory.  
Thirdly, the necessity of afflictions may teach us, not basely to fear them, but rather fear sin, that lays us naked to God's fierce indignation, and the malice of our enemies; fear indiscretion, that creates unto us many needless troubles; fear superstition and ignorance, for that makes a man mistake his cause; fear singularity and presumption, so as to rest upon our own sufficiency. These are worse than affliction, as much as the sin is worse than the punishment.  
Fourthly, the necessity of them, may make us lift up our eyes at Him, that rules the wheel of providence. No affliction springs out of the dust, but comes from God; he hath tempered the cup, and said, Drink this; Christ could not escape it, though he besought it thrice with tears, and then shall we? Our sins deserved afflictions to the full, God turned them to our good. Moses at the first called the Rod his, but when he had wrought miracles with it, it was God's: The rod of affliction is Gods, let us therefore kiss it; Thy rod and thy staff (saith David) hath comforted me. Swine feed upon Acorns, and look not up at the Tree; Dogs snarl at the stone, and mind not the hand that threw it: But David minded Shimei not so much that cursed him, as God that sent that shame upon him. A Christian that makes this right use of afflictions, is the world's wonder, with the bush, in which Jehovah appeared to Moses, he burns, and yet consumes not. Hananiah the false Prophet broke off the timber yoke from jeremy's neck, but had one of iron put upon his own. He that burns God's Rod, shall be beatt with Scorpions.  
Fifthly, if this life be a passage through the wilderness of afflictions, than here we are not perfect as we would be. The word is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, pass through afflictions; Every passage is a motion, every motion (as the Philosopher said) is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an imperfect act, moving for an end, running for a goal; this end, this goal, is the Kingdom of God; for, We must through much affliction enter into the Kingdom of God.  
So the second Proposition offers itself, That through these afflictions, or waters of Marah, we shall at length come to heaven. This is somewhat sweeter, and sugars the former, therefore I beseech you observe it. For a storm here, we shall have a calm; for Christ's cross, an eternal Crown; our nights of mourning shall be turned into Halcyon days; for months of affliction, we shall have years of jubilee; for a rod of correction, we shall have a palm of victory; our mournful Elegies of lamentation, shall be turned into Hallelujahs of consolation. With this, Athanasius comforted the Saints under Iulian's persecution, that affliction was but nubecula citò transitura, a storm that would quickly end in a sunshine or calm: So did our Saviour his disciples, Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven: Nay, as if they were already in the suburbs of glory, v. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Take up the perspective glass of Faith, and look towards Heaven, and there you shall see the noble Army of Martyrs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, set down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob in the Kingdom of God; yet, if you look at their journal towards heaven, you may trace them by their blood. These afflictions are sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, passions, but such passions as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lessons of no less than Christ and his kingdom. Here they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of straightness, elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of narrowness; Matth. 7. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, straight is the gate, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, narrow is the way: But it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, leading unto life, into a heavenly Canaan, that flows with milk and honey. Honey in the Bee is not without the sting, neither the Kingdom of God without affliction; 2 Cor. 4. 17. we have an unparallelled parallelism of these two, This light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding great, and eternal weight of glory. Here they are both cast into the scales, and their weights duly poised, where first consider the difference between the subjects, or things weighed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, worldly affliction is cast into the one scale, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, heavenly glory, into the other. Secondly, their quantities, and that either durationis, of continuance, affliction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, momentary, for a day; glory is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, everlasting, for ever, or molis, of weight; affliction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, light, easy, supportable; but glory is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, heavy, weighty, beyond all possible Epithet, superlatively great; a phrase, able to challenge all the profane Writers in the world, neither Sophocles his high buskin, nor Demosthenes his lofty strain, is able to come near it. Lastly, it's amplified by the act, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it works forth, which is as it were the Trutina or pin to turn the beam of the scales, where affliction hath no more proportion to glory, than the drop of a bucket to the whole Ocean, or the dust of the balance hath to a mountain.  
This than may serve for a ground of comfort to every soul, distressed with the tedious bitterness of this life; for short sorrow here, we shall have eternal joy; for a little hunger, an eternal banquet; for light sickness and affliction, everlasting health and salvation; for a little imprisonment, endless liberty; for disgrace, glory: In stead of the wicked to oppress and afflict them, they shall have the Angels and Saints to comfort and solace them; in stead of Satan to torment and tempt them, they shall have Christ Jesus to ravish and affect them. Joseph's prison shall be turned into a palace, Daniel's Lion's den, into the presence of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; the three Child's hot fiery furnace, into the new jerusalem of pure gold; David's Gath, into the Tabernacle of the living God.  
Obj. But shall every affliction bring the patiented to the Kingdom of God? shall the frenzy of Cain, terror of judas, horour of Achitophel, trembling of Felix, be turned into triumph?  
Ans. No, afflictions to the wicked are like often baiting to some beasts, which grow mad at the stake, and makes them worse, specially if the cause be bad. It was a golden saying of St. Austin, and I hope we are all of his mind, Non ex passione certa justitia, It's not suffering, that makes a cause righteous; sed ex justitia gloriosa passio, but its righteousness that makes sufferings glorious. It was well observed by Saint Cyprian, that the first Martyrs that suffered for Christ, were Innocents'; and as well said, Non supplicium, sed causa facit Martyrem, Not the punishment, but the cause maketh the Martyr.  
Who suffered more than the Cicumcelliones, those Donatists, in this Father's time, and yet no Crown. How many are there, who when they are punished for their misdemeanours, do lift up a hideous noise like Swine, and cry out, They are persecuted? Hujus farinae, of this leaven are our Ranters, Quakers, Levellers; their language you know is persecution altogether, and when they suffer for their opinions, or rather disordered practices, they are persecuted they say for their consciences; as if every conceit were conscience, every groundless opinion religion. We must not measure the cause by the sufferings, but the sufferings by the cause; for, unless a man's cause be good, his conscience good, and his carriage in some measure good too, his sufferings will amount to no more, than a condign punishment, unless the end crown all; which makes St. Cyprian and St. Jero●● say, That the Thiefe's suffering on the Cross, was turned to Martyrdom.  
What if then in a good cause, thus circumstanced, our afflictions (as in the Text) be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, many, no single appellation, but a compound of all cruelty, nomen multitud●nis, like the possessed that lived amongst the Graves, her name is Legion, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because they are many; her Pavilion hung about with trophies of death, fetters and whips, racks and strappadoes, halters and swords, stakes and fire. What if one affliction still treads on the heel of another, and where the old went off, new scenes of miseries have taken up their cues? here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Kingdom that will recompense all.  
It pities me when I read what those Romans, Cocles, Mutii, Curtij, Decii; what those Grecians, the people of Marathonia, Salamina, Plataea, and Thermopol● endured, toget them a fading name upon earth, that we Christians should not do as much, or more, for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Kingdom of God; a Kingdom, in regard of the dignity of it; of God, in regard of the author and giver of it; one Kingdom, but the estates are two, one Militant, another Triumphant, of Grace, of Glory; one in substance, varying in degrees, but not an earthly, not a fading Kingdom, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of God.  
Herod was a King, so was Ahab; Jezabel was daughter, wife, mother, sister, to Kings, and yet still afflicted: Alexander wept, when he had all the Crowns and Sceptres in the world, (piled as it were at his gates) that there were no more to be subdued. Godfrey of Bollene refused to be crowned at Jerusalem with a Crown of Gold, where our Saviour was crowned with Thorns. 'Tis only this Kingdom of God, that can wipe all tears from our eyes. Go then a pilgrimage to this holy Land, Heaven is feisable, and more easy to be attained then an earthly Kingdom; here we cannot all be Kings, there are not Kingdoms enough; but lo, in Heaven, there is none under the degree of a King: And in this Kingdom, Revel. 21. the Metropolis or chief City is of pure gold, the walls of Jasper, having twelve foundations of twelve precious stones, twelve gates made of twelve pearls, every gate of several pearl. The streets of the city paved with gold, interlaid with pearls and diamonds. The light of this city is the splendour of Christ himself in the midst thereof, from whose throne issues a river of water as clear as crystal, to refresh the city; and on both sides of the banks there grows a tree of life, bearing continually twelve kinds of fruit. Into this city no darkness, nor any unclean thing shall enter. Now, afflicted soul, tell me, thou that wouldst upon earth have wondered with the Queen of Sheba, at Solomon in his royalty; at the Grand Sultan going to his Seraglio; at the Pope in his Procession; tell me how thou wilt wonder and glory, to see that wonderful glory, that neither eye hath seen, ear hath heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man. Which glory, God of his mercy bring us all unto.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

A SERMON, Preached the fourth day of June, 1656. at the Funeral Obsequies of James Parry, Gent.  The Text, 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Samuel told him every whit, and hide nothing from him; and he said, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. 
HEre we have a divine Oracle, sent, not from Daphne or Delphos, but from the Tabernacle of God at Shilo, wherein two things specially remarkable are couchant: First, Samuel's Revelation, And Samuel told him every whit, and hide nothing from him. Secondly, Eli's Acceptation, And he said, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. It is the Lord, there is his humble confession. Let him do what seemeth him good, there is his patiented submission. In the former branch is considerable, first, the Persons, which are two, the one young Samuel revealing, who by this occasion received primam tonsuram, his first unction to prophecy; the other is old Eli, who like Sexagenarius de ponte, as his bodily, so his spiritual eyes grew dim; for, 1 Sam. 3. 1. The word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no open vision. Secondly, we have the thing revealed, which is either the sin, or the punishment of sin; sin, either the father Eli's, for not correcting and chastising his sons; or the sin of his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who being Priests of the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 12. were sons of belial, knew not the Lord; by their rapine made men abhor the daily sacrifice. 17. lay with the women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, 22. The punishment of sin either threatened first by a man of God, not otherwise named, 1 Sam. 2. 27. secondly, by Samuel himself, that the Lord would cut off the whole family of Eli from the priesthood, and that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever, 1 Sam. 3. 14. Or executed in the fourth Chapter, for thirty thousand of the Israelites were put to the sword, the whole Camp scattered, Hophni and Phinehas the Priests slain, the Ark of God taken captive by the Philistims: the Wife of Phinehas hearing of it, fell into the pangs of childbirth, and was delivered of a Son, calling his name Ichobod, the glory is departed from Israel, and so expired; and at the relation of the messenger, Eli being ninty eight years old, fell back from his chair, and broke his neck. Thus the whole Family was dysastered, rarò antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede poena claudo. Seneca. Punishment and shame like a bloodhound, always pursues sin at the heels; the Ark was taken, the Army routed, the Priests slain, Phinehas his Wife perished in the after-pangs, Eli broke his neck. Hence observe, that sin is the deserving cause, procuring the ruin and calamity of Church and State, Cities and Families.  
Sin it is, that infects our purest air, that damps our richest mines, that poisons our sweetest dainties, that lays thorns in our softest beds of down, that undermines Palaces, pulls down Crowns, shakes Thrones, and ruinates Kingdoms; that sets all mortal Wights at opposition, heat against cold, cold against heat, winter and summer, light and darkness, moisture and drought, in arms one against another. That the whole world is become a boiling furnace of contradictions, where man is the mettle, the body is the dross, which must first be burned by the refining fire of death, before the soul can become pure gold, fit for the heavenly Sanctuary. For the proof of this, hear jeremy's lamentation, Lam. 3. 39 Wherefore is the living man sorrowful? Heaven and earth answers his Interrogatory, with a soul's sad Echo, Man suffereth for his sins. Come on further; and see all Creatures, Angels, Men, Beasts, Plants, Elements, Heavens, in sorrow's discord, sighing out the sad Epitaphium of man's mortality, 42. We have sinned and rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared, thou hast covered us with wrath, and persecuted us, thou hast slain, and not spared. Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death. As tooth for tooth, eye for eye, hand for hand, one talon for another; so death is a deserved reward for sin, death first seizing upon the body while we live, by the canker of corruption and mortality, bringing at the length death of the body by dissolution; and all this hatched and brooded under the Cockatrice sin. Come on, and travail with St. Paul to Corinth, 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this cause (says he) many are weak amongst you, and sick, and many sleep. For this cause, that is, for the poison of sin, the canker of corruption in general; for spilling of our Saviour's blood, piercing his side, nailing his feet, unworthy receiving of the holy Sacrament in particular. Are sick, that is, fevers boil you, consumptions waste you, plague and pestilence devour you. And many sleep, sleep in an everlasting Lethargy and apoplexy of death, never to be awaked before the last doom. Many, that Buyers are become restless Peripatetics, the Spade and Mattock tired, the Sextons still digging, the Graves still gaping, passing-Bells without any stop or period, confounding the language one of another, the Churchyards more peopled than the theatres; Mista senum, ac juvenum densantur funera, no sex, nor age, nor, young, nor old, are spared, but are made a subject for death to read mortalitie's lecture upon. This made David complain, that his bones waxed old, and that his moisture was turned into the drought of summer, Psal. 32. made him howl and cry, that his days were consumed like smoke, his bones were burned as hearth, withered like grass; he was become like a Pelican in the wilderness, or a sparrow on the house top, Ps. 102. This made Job complain, that his grief was heavier than the sand of the sea, that the arrows of the Almighty were within him, that the poison had drunk up his spirit, the terrors of God had set themselves in array against him, Job 6. This makes all Mankind rot as a pomegranate, shiver as a Potsheard, splinter as a Venice Glass, corrupt as a standing Pool, and vanish into ashes like Sodom's Apples.  
And the reason of all this, is, because the justice of God requires it; sin is daily in the view of his all-piercing eye, sends up cries aloud into his holy ear, piercing through the clouds for revenge, importuning his vindicative hand, to whet his glittering sword, to feather his arrows, to make sharp the point of his spear, to wash his footsteps in blood: And then shall not he, that hath called his footstool the Earth, and his throne the Heavens to witness, and hath sworn by himself the greatest, that sin shall not pass without revenge, shall not he be just? Besides this, consider all Creatures, as daily Orators, that miserably complaining, put up their petitions to him. The higher House the suburbs of Heaven, sits drooping, the Sun is turned into blood, and eclipsed, the Stars unsnuffed burn dim within the socket of their spheres, their natural force abated, their influence impaired, all waxes old as does a garment, and says, that sin is the cause. The air is stifled with the poisoned breath of meteors, and instead of comforting the inhabitants of the earth, is become a stage of prodigies and terrors, flying Dragons amaze, blazing Stars as Beacons of astonishment affright, Thunder with her loud Canon-shot makes roaring, the impetuous fury of the Bolts brings death; the Clouds, in time of need are barren, in time of harvest intoxicate the earth with deluges; no dew sometimes but mildew, no light but lightning, no blast nor gale of wind but blasting, and says, that sin is the cause. The sea rolls, the winds blow unmercifully, the waves rage impetuously, all things are troubled unnaturally, which makes the Leviathans roar, and the fishes die, and says, that sin is the cause. The earth quakes and trembles like a recoiling Cano●, and mourns as with a sympathy, while the heavens weep, the flowers droop, and closes up their heads within the lap of their mother earth; the grass withers, the corn is blasted, the fruits are thunderstroke, and in stead of pagles, daizes, and roses of paradise, briars, brambles, nettles, thistles, spring out of her womb, and says, that sin is the cause. All Nations, all States, all Kingdoms, are troubled, and says, that sin is the cause. The Pagans against Turks, Turks against Christendom, one Province against another, as whirlwinds in a straight, move tumults. Victorious Sweden hath long sit in Sable, as a Matron mourning under the Myrtle trees, deploring the dismal fate of her deceased Worthy, which occasioned so many alterations in government since, and fluctuations in State, and says, that sin is the cause. Poland lies sick, licking the scars of her lately received wounds, and says, that sin is the cause. Denmark bewails her ill access abroad, and feels the smart of her losses, and intestine jars at home, and says, that sin is the cause. Whole Italy is distracted with convulsions, and the State of Venice can scarce find a pillow to sleep securely upon, and says, that sin is the cause. France, before she could recover her bloodshed at the great Massacre, hath begun to bleed afresh with civil jars, and says, that sin is the cause. Whole Germany hath been for many years in a combustion, burning of Cities is no greater wonder, than the sparkling of a Smith's forge; slaying of men of as small account, as of sheep in a slaughter-house; to die in Troops as familiar, as to live in Trenches; such overflowing of blood, that Rivers were died with the crimson tincture; old grey heads mourning, yo●ng infants crying, women like Leah blear-eyed, with weeping, like Rachel, lamenting the death of their children, and cannot be comforted, because they are not; and all conclude, that sin is the cause. We of these Nations, once styled fortunate Lands, guarded like Goshen in the midst of Egypt, with turelar Angels, have for these many years laid under the stroke of the destroying Angel, and the stage of War hath been set up in our Territories, making all places Aceldamas, fields of blood, the Common-weal distracted with factions, the Church rend with schisms; and, as if these intestine broils at home were not sufficient, engagements with the Hollanders abroad, to the loss of life and treasury; with whom, no sooner was a Peace (if lasting) made, but Spain, that had fed us with her blandishments, proclaims herself an enemy, preparing hostility against us, as if the Armado in eighty eight, were but an earnest of what they intended to pay us. Thus this poor Church and State lies bleeding, and is not sin the cause? Well then, to sum up all, shall not the petitions of the Heavens darkened, of the Stars bedimned, of the Air poisoned, of the Sea troubled, of the Earth cursed, of Kingdoms ruinated, of the unreasonable Creatures groaning under the burden, and looking up towards heaven, as if the Stars that fought in order for Sisera, would pity and rescue them; shall not these (I say) awake the Lord out of sleep, as a Giant refreshed with wine, to put on his Brigandine, and to gird on his Sword? If souls for this deserve to die, then how much more the body? And shall not these that were petitioners, become also executioners? Lo the heavens, (as if it were their task to kill and slay) hath for her arms hung up in the Zodiac, man's anatomy; the Planet Mars, as though he were still the god of War, the Dog-star and Saturn, murders their children; the Air poisons with infections, fevers, plagues; the Sea is become a devouring gulf, and, contrary to Nature's intent, is made a Goigotha or place of sculls; the Earth, that with her fruits should have nourished, and with her conserveses cherished, is become an Aceldama, or Theatre of blood; one Nation, one City, one Kingdom, one Family, one Brother rises up against another, as if man were born with those, that arose of the Dragon's teeth in the Poet, mutuis peri●e gladiis, bleed to death on one another's sword. And then shall not Gods just wrath, our just desert, so many executioners in heaven, in earth, by sea, by land, bring ruin and calamity of Church and State, Cities and Families?  
Hence (as the case stands) we are blame-worthy in a  respect: 1. Of Satan. 2. Of security. 3. Of pride. 4. Of intemperance. First, of Satan, who by his subtle sleights, as he hath killed the body, would murder also the soul; and yet we slight it, as though we should die neither body nor soul. Satan is that Panther, that with his sweet odours allures us, till he have gotten us within the reach of his talants, that he may tear us; that Crocodile, that commiserates us, till he have murdered us; that Hyena, that flatters us, till he have killed us; that Siren, that sings till she hath drowned us; that, with Jael, allures in with milk, and murders with a nail; with Joab, embraces with one hand, and stabs with another; that whore of Babylon, that gives poisoned drink in golden cups; that cunning fisher, that baits his hooks with the pleasures of sin; that lies as a Snake in thy greenest grass, as an Enemy to assault thee in thy securest travails, as a Ruffian to cut thy throat in thy sweerest sleep. Art thou banqueting like Job's children with thy friends? take heed, Satan's there. Art thou with Job praying? take heed, Satan's there. Art thou with judas and the Apostles receiving the Communion? take heed, Satan's there. In thy eating, in thy drinking, in thy hearing, in thy praying, in thy meditating, beware, Satan is busy about thee; take heed, he that hath wrought thy bodily death, would also of thy soul. O man of God beware, mors in ollâ, death is in the pot.  
Secondly, this discovers the security of carnal secure men, that mind death no more hanging over their heads, than jerusalem did the blazing Star, and Army in the air; then Damocles did the glittering sword, perpendicular over his head; then jonah did the swelling of the waves over the Ship, while he was under the hatches sleeping: but they lie snorting in a lethargy of sin, till a deluge of death overwhelm them, as the flood did the old World, as fire and brimstone did Sodom and Gomorrah, as the house of Dagon did the Philistims; that then death, and grave, and worms, and hell, and destruction, seizes upon them.  
Thirdly, this discovers the vanity of pride; many while their life is consuming, as a candle burning within the socket, as a coal taken out of the fire growing black, studies only to varnish and paint over that rotten stock the body, robbing all creatures to adorn it, from one takes his wool, from another his skin, from another his fur, from another their excrements, as silk from worms; begs pearls of the fishes, digs into the ground for gold and silver, turns up the sands of the sea for precious stones; and then, Peacock-like, prides themselves in these, which are but liveries of beasts, scum of the earth, badges of sin, earnests of death, and recognisants of hell; thus jetting, till death comes, and sounds his trumpet in his ear, O fool, this night they will require thy soul of thee, etc.  
Fourthly, this discovers the vanity of intemperate and voluptuous men, that with Philoxenus, study only to relish dainties, make their throats tunnells, and their bellies barrels, and shows by their daily sacrifices, their O●gia, D●onysia, and Bacchanalia, that they are of that Epicure Sardinapalus his mind, that was wont to say, ventrem deorum esse max●m●m, that the belly was the greatest of the gods; living thus, till death arrest them, and then they shall be arrayed with nothing but a shroud, or winding-sheet, have no dwelling place but the grave, no house but a stinking coffin, no servants and tenants but crawling worms, have no allowance to give them, but their own flesh, which they shall feed upon, till all be consumed, and they made a fit Sceleton, for death to read Anatomie's Lecture upon.  
Consider again, this was more particularly for the sins of Eli and his Sons: Let those that attend upon God's Ordinances in this present age, reflectupon this. It must be acknowledged sure, that the hand of God hath gone out against us, more than against others of our rank at other times; at least, that God hath not restrained violence against us, so as he did against those of our profession in the days of old. The portion of the Egyptian Priest (that served the Ox, the Ape, and the Onion) escaped sale in the time of the famine. Learned Junius, in his Academia, Cap. 4. says, that the Philistims spared the Schools of the prophets in their wars with Israel; and that the Phoenicians, Chaldeans, and Indians, were tender over such places; the Goths and Vandals (as barbarous as they were) when they entered Italy, scarce laid a sacrilegious hand upon the Church's revenues. Thus then did God restrain the spirit of Princes; yet, that God, who in his own Law, Levit. 25. 22. gave the Levites a special privilege of redeeming lands sold by themselves at any time, when other tribes were limited to a set time, hath not stayed the raging of these waves, but that the Church's Patrimony is sold to others without redemption. We must acknowledge, that God's wrath (whether for our personal sins, or the sins of our Predecessors, or for the sins of the people jointly) hath taken hold of us, Zach. 1. 5. that the Lord hath devised a device against us, hath watched upon the evil, and hath brought it upon us. For under the whole heaven hath not been done, as hath been done unto jerusalem, Dan. 9 14. Let us not flatter ourselves presumptuously; the punishment answers the sin, as the wax the seal, and as the moulds own the figure, and let us own both.  
Yet, let none think now, that this confession will give advantage to the adversary, they may take where none is given: They may say, let the Lord be glorified by their own confession, we offend not, though we devour and dishonour them, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, jer. 50. 7. But they shall find at last, that to forsake the Levite is a sin, that it is a bitter thing to help forward affliction, when God is but a little displeased, that jerusalem will be a cup of trembling, and a burdensome stone to every one that cries, but down with it. woe to thee O Ashur, the rod of God's wrath, the stasse in thine hand is God's indignation for our correction; to purify us the sons of Levi from our dross: For, It is the Lord that does it. So we pass from the Revelation, to the Acceptation, And he said, it is the Lord.  
But how did Eli know that it was the Lord? Partly by the man of God, partly by Samuel's dream or vision, for he knew that the Lord had called the Child. It is a heathenish tradition, that no dreams that relate to public concernment are to be credited, that proceed not from Princes, as Macrobius stories it upon Somnium Scipionis. Hence Nestor in Homer proclaims in the Grecian Council, that credit is to be given to Agamem●on, concerning the marshalling of his Army, because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the General, or ruler of the people, which otherwise should have been sieighted. But Ely was better instructed, who knew in part, though not so fully as was afterwards revealed, joel. 2. 28. that God would pour his spirit upon all flesh, and their sons and daughters should prophesy, their old men should dream dreams, and their young men should see visions. Therefore Ely willingly submitted, saying, It is the Lord. Lord by Creation, all things were made by him, joh. 1. 3. Lord by Donation, All power is given me in heaven and in earth, Matth. 28. 18. Lord by Redemption, for we are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Lord by Conquest, By death he destroyed him that had the power of death, the devil, Heb. 2. 14. Lord by Marriage, I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, Cant. 6. 3. Lord, by way of excellency, depending on no creature, Lord of Lords; Lord, not only of goods, body, life, but of soul and spirit; Lord, not for a season, but for ever, an eternal Lord, a Lord that cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, abuse his authority, but is Jehovah zedeck, Jehovah our righteousness, jer. 23. 6. A Lord that doth what he pleaseth, Let him do what seemeth him good.  
So we pass from his confession, to his submission, Let him do what seemeth him good. Peter Martyr makes a scruple, whether these words proceeded from a penitent soul or no, saying, they might come from an evil and hypocritical mind, though God, who is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a searcher of the heart, knows this, yet he concludes, probabile est illum resipuisse, non tamen necessarium, it is probable that he repent, but not necessary. Gregory is of opinion, that this answer is no true sign of his humiliation, but rather of his hardness of heart and reprobation, and endeavours to confirm it by three reasons: First, (says he) we find not, that after this, he either repent, or corrected his sons. Secondly, because he seems to be willing rather to incur the heavy displeasure of God, then by severe and condign punishment, to offend his children. Thirdly, because he seems rather presumptuously and disorderly, to trust to the mercy of God, than by serious repentance, and self-denial, to go in the way of God. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good: Si Dominus, ubi timor? If it be the Lord (says he) where is his fear? where are his prayers? where his tears? where his groans? we read of none. Haec oratio non culpam agnoscentis, non dei misericordiam implorantis; sed animum despondentis, iram provocantis: This speech is not of one imploring Gods mercy, confessing his faults, but of one despairing, provoking God's wrath. But St. Chrysostom and Theodoret, perhaps upon better grounds, conceive, that they discover Ely's unfeigned and hearty repentance: First, because he earnestly required Samuel to reveal unto him the vision. Secondly, because he adjures him by an oath, not to conceal any part of it. Thirdly, from his humble submission unto God's pleasure, as he interprets the words, let him do what seemeth him goo●. Fourthly, from his magnanimous entertaining the news of his son's death, and other sad dysasters; but, when he heard the Ark of God was taken, maerore confectus, his heart being burst with sorrow, he gave up the ghost: God's cause and his Churches ought to be more dear unto us, than all private interests. And this to be the true meaning of this place, I am confident was the apprehension of our deceased Brother, who frequently, with ingemination, repeated these words, during the time of his visitation and spiritual conflict, and before his departure, recommended them to be the theme and subject of my discourse, and your meditations, at his funeral, Let him do what seemeth him good.  
Which is the same in effect with that we daily pray, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven; with that which our Saviour prayed in his agony, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, yet let not my will, but thine be done. There is a categorical or absolute will of God, as to save only the Elect; there is an hypothetical, or conditional will of God, holden out to all that are willing to lend an ear. There is voluntas signi, Gods revealed will, that Isaac should be sacrificed; beneplaciti, his hidden will, that he should be spared. There is God's Antecedent will, that he would have all men to be saved; his Consequent will, that he would have impenitent sinners to be punished. But the will of God in this place, or, quod bonum est oculis suis, that seemeth him good, is, patiently to submit to his correction, come life, come death; it's vox patientiae, the voice of patience, and sounds like that, ecce paratus sum, lo, I am willing to undergo thy will, O Lord: It's he that hath perfectly learned St. Paul's lesson, Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound, every where, and in all things, I am instructed, both to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound, and to suffer need; I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me: That is, so confirmed and well-grounded a Christian, that with a cheerful countenance, he can look upon all the changes of life. Sapiensque sibi imperiosus, quem neque pauperies, neque mors, neque vincula terrent. Horat. That can, with an unmoved temper, welcome all fortunes; not tempted by felicity to forget God, nor urged by afflictions to murmur at him; that when he hath lost his ventures by sea, or his comforts by land, suffers no tempests, or rebellious perturbations within his own breast, but parts with his wealth, as Bias did with his at the sack of Priene, Ille haec ludibria fortunae, ne sua quidem putavit, (as Tully in his Parad.) considering his riches are hirelings, destinated to change their Masters: And parts with his friends, as the noble Roman did with his son, of whose death, when he had received the notice, he entertained it with this manly reply, Ego cum genui, tum moriturum scivi; I received him upon such a condition, as I reckoned that death might make him not mine. He that thus meets the affronts of sickness, death, and fortune, giving them Jobs thankful, though sad farewell, Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit, The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord, such a man hath well learned Christ, and made a just application of the Apostles Doctrine, 1 Thess. 5. 3. In all things give thanks, for this is the will of God. That lays his hand upon his mouth, and lets that, which was once his Masters, be his Motto, sicut ovis coram tondente, like a sheep dumb before the shearer. For our task is to suffer, not to reply or complain: It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.  
But why does not Eli labour to reverse this sentence of death, by repentance? Vox desperantis, non deprecantis, says Ephraem, It is the language of one despairing, not deprecating. Ezekiah was told, that he should not rise from his bed, and yet for his humiliation, fifteen years were added to his days. Forty days (says Jonah) and Niniveh shall be destroyed; yet, at their repentance, the Lord deferred the judgement above forty years. Novit Dominus (says St. Austin) mutare sententiam, si noverimus mutare delictum; The Lord knows to reverse his sentence, if we know to reform our lives. Doubtless Ely petitioned, and the Lord heard him, as he did David, that (though his sin was pardoned) yet the sword should never departed from his house; as he did Christ, that the cup should not pass from him; as he did Paul, when he was buffered by a messenger of Satan, My grace is sufficient for thee: If not granting that which he requested, yet that which seemed best to the Master of Requests, quod bonum oculis suis, what seemed him good. But was it good for Ely and his family, thus signally to be punished? Yes, it is good for a man that is troubled with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or rankness of blood, to breathe a vein, for an obstructed foul body, to receive a sharp potion: It was good for me (says David) that I was afflicted. Therefore Mauritius Emperor of the Romans, and Sigismond King of the Burgundians, earnestly petitioned God, that by suffering of temporal punishments, they might be freed from eternal, and were therefore slain with their whole Families. This was Ely's choice, let him do what seemeth him good. And motives to patiented submission, to what God shall lay upon us, may be these. First, meditate, that our sins deserves scorpions, and we are but chastised with rods; an eternal curse, is turned to a momentary short correction: and shall we murmur at restraint for a day, who have demerited everlasting imprisonment? Secondly, we are in the hands of a loving Father, who corrects us for our good; it's a file to eat off our rust, a fire to purge away our dross, a corrosive to corrode our dead flesh: We patiently submit to earthly Fathers, and shall not we much more to our heavenly Father, in hope of an eternal Crown? Thirdly, Christ was vir dolorum, a man of sorrows, undergoing his Father's heavy displeasure for us: Shall not we then take up the Cross, and follow him, seeing it is his pleasure, that we must go through this Wilderness, and tread on fiery Serpents, before we come at Canaan? Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps, 1 Pet. 2. 21. which St. Paul presses, Heb. 12. 1, 2. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame. Fourthly, these sharp humours have run in all the veins of the mystical body of Christ hitherto: no afflictions befall us, but such as are accomplished in our brethren that are in the world. Joseph was in prison, Daniel in the Lion's den, the three Children in the fiery furnace, Job on the dunghill, Lazarus prostrate at the rich Man's gates, the blessed Virgin's heart was pierced with a sword, the Apostles in the gaol. And we have a promise, that the God of all grace, after we have suffered a while; will make us perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us: And that God of his fidelity, will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation also, make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it. Fiftly, God hath put bounds to the storms of this troublesome Sea; huc usque thus far the waves shall rage's, and no further. Thirty years were appointed the sick man at Bethesda's pool, twelve years to the woman with the bloody issue, three months to Moses, ten days of tribulation to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna, three day's plague to D●vid: Yea, the number of the godly man's tears are registered in God's book, and the quantity kept in his bottle; they are but a shower that will end in sunshine, a troublesome torrent, that will waft us to the haven of rest. Be faithful unto death, and thou shalt receive a Crown of life. Sixtly, we are called, to give an account of our Stewardship, how we have improved our Talon; to repetitions in Christ's school, to see how much faith, patience, and godliness we have learned all this while; and whether we cannot, like ●ob, receive at the hand of God some evil, as well as we have hitherto received a confluence of good. As therefore we have always prayed, Thy will be done, so let us not be now offended at this which is done by his holy will. Seventhly, meditate, that all things shall work together for the best to them that love God, insomuch that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord: Every pang is a prevention of hellish pains, every sanctified respite, an earnest of heaven's rest. It is but the Cross of Christ, sent before to crucify the love of the world in us; let us therefore with Simon of Cyrene, carry it after him; the pains will shortly pass, the joy will never pass away. Lastly, consider, there is no equality, no proportion, betwixt the hour of temptation here, and the everlasting jubilee hereafter. As is the centre to the circumference, an instant to eternity, a molehill to a mountain, a drop of water to the sea; so are the Saints crosses to their crowns; as is the earth, little or nothing in respect of heaven, so is our earthly sufferings in respect of it; therefore glory is called the kingdom of God, of the Father, of Heaven, Abraham's bosom, Matth. 8. 11. it's called, a Paradise of pleasure, wherein is the Tree of life, the house of our Father, all fullness of joy, the new Jerusalem, an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away, reserved in the highest heavens: It's called the glory of God, our glory, rest, refreshment, such felicity, as neither eye hath seen, ear hath heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man. For it is the habitation of God, of Christ, of the holy Ghost; as great a difference as there is betwixt a Snails house and a Palace, a Tortoise shell, and Solomon's Temple, Jonah's Gourd, and the Towers of Ninivey, so much, and more difference, is betwixt heaven, and any thing that can be upon earth. We see this is the composure of the World, that finest things are situated in the highest places; the earth, as grossest, is put in the lowest room, the Water above the Earth, the Air above the Water; the Fire above the Air, the Spheres of Heaven, purer than any of them, above the rest, which you see beautified with Sun, Moon, and Stars, shining more gloriously, than all the precious Stones in the world; and all this, but the nether side of the pavement of that Palace; then what shall be the glory of the Heaven of Heavens within, able to drink up all afflictions, as the Sea does the River jordan. There are three distinct places, in which every Saint successively, is resident; first, in his mother's womb; secondly, in the world; thirdly, in heaven. As much as the whole Universe is larger than our mother's womb, so much is heaven larger and ampler than it; for, if one star exceed the earth so much in bigness, then what shall the heavens, that contain infinite stars? Secondly, as in largeness, so in time; our time to be in our mother's wombs is but nine months, but on earth it may be an hundred times nine months; but our being in heaven is without period of days, months, or years. Thirdly, as no man can remember, what sorrow he had in his mother's womb, so shall our joys in heaven drink up all our sufferings upon earth. And this glory consists, either essentially, in the beatifical vision, or operatively, in the effects it works in us. Essentially, in the beatifical vision, (though the Familists and Millenaries understand it not, confounding grace and glory) but no man upon earth hath seen God, neither can he be seen, that is, perfectly; it is true, we may see God here in a natural vision in his Creatures, as in a Glass, wherein some splendour of his glory shines; he may be seen in a specular or symbolical vision, by signs and characters of his glory; so Moses is said to have seen Gods hinder parts, Esa. 6. 1. I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, high, and lifted up, his house was full of majesty, and the Seraphims stood about him. We see God here by the vision of faith, when by Doctrine of Christ his Son, and the operation of the Spirit, we know the will of the Father. But the beatifical vision in heaven, is to behold God and Christ Jesus face to face, we shall see him as he is, no veils being put betwixt us. Stay here, and pause a while. What comfort will this be, to see the Lamb sit upon his seat of state? If the wise men of the East came so far, and rejoiced to see him in the manger, what will it be to see him sitting in his glory? If St. john Baptist did leap at his presence in his mother's womb, what shall this his presence do, in his royal and eternal Kingdom? If the Queen of Sheba was astonished at the sight of Solomon, what shall we be at the sight of millions of Saints in his Court, every one greater than Solomon, throwing down their Crowns before him the King of Kings? To this, join the communion of Saints; imagine what a comfort will it be, to meet with the noble Army of Martyrs, the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, the holy society of all the Apostles, Evangelists, Confessors, where we shall see their Crowns of glory set upon their heads, which Christ confers upon them, not for their merits, but for his mercy's sake.  
The effects the beatifical vision works on us, are radiant either in soul or body; in soul, where first the understanding shall be truly enlightened with divine and heavenly knowledge, which God shall immediately reveal unto us, without the ministry of men and Angels. Secondly, in our Will, which shall be filled with righteousness and holiness, perfect love towards God, charity towards our fellow Saints for ever. Thirdly, in our Affections, which shall be composed without at axie or disorder, into eternal harmony, as Be●nard says sweetly, Deus implebit animam rationalem luce sapientiae, concupiscibilem justitiâ, irascibilem perfectâ tranquillitate: God will fill the soul with light of wisdom, the concupiscible faculty with righteousness, the irascible with perfect tranquillity.  
The effects it works on the body consists in these particulars: First, of mortal bodies, they shall be made immortal; of corruptible, incorruptible; our flesh, that is subject to so many mutations, vexed with so many diseases, defiled with so many corruptions, pestered with so many infinite calamities, shall be made most glorious, and most perfect, to endure for ever without change, and to reign with the soul world without end. Secondly, of a natural, it shall become a spiritual body, not in essence and being, but in quality and condition, because it shall be freed from all pains and troubles that belongs to the same, as sin, eating, drinking, sleeping, and the like. Thirdly, of a weak, it shall become a powerful body, by reason of agility and nimbleness, able to mount towards Heaven, and meet our Saviour in the Air. Fourthly, of a deformed and imperfect, it shall be a perfect and beautiful body; jacob shall not halt, Leab shall not be blear-eyed, nor Mephibosheth lame, but all shall be as nimble as Hearts. Fiftly, in our bodies shall appear resplendent glory, beautifulness, and shining brightness; we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, like Angels, glistering like stars, conformable unto Christ's glorious body. Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever. Well then, seeing it is thus, let us say with Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good, so we may enjoy him; with Austin, Hic seca, hic ure, Lance here, sear here, so we may have glorified bodies; with Ignatius, Fire, gallows, wild beasts, breaking of our bones, quartering of our members, crushing of our bodies, so our bodies, so that we may enjoy our Lord Jesus and his Kingdom. Take our earthly possessions, so that we may reign with him.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

A brief APPENDIX, Concerning the nature of TITHES.  
IN these free times, wherein every one takes liberty to expose his thoughts to the world, give me leave also to offer up my Mite into the public Treasury, which shall consist but of a twofold consideration; first, whether dishonouring of the Ministry; secondly, whether robbing of God in Tithes and offerings, and defeating of Christ's Ambassadors of a comperent livelihood, may not portend misery, and calamity, if not ruin, to a Church or State?  
For the former, when God gives up a people to dishonour their Ministers, it argues, Religion is declining: They are his Soldiers, Stewards, Angels; He is their Portion, He hath promised to be with them to the end of the world, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them; that he will recompense a cup of cold water that is given them; he that heareth them heareth Him, he that despiseth them despiseth Him. When the Prophet would discover the Jews to be ready to be swallowed up in the whirlpool of destruction, he gives them this character, that they are like a people that contest with their priest. Corah and Dathan murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the earth swallowed them up, with all their partakers.  
For the latter, (which here I principally intent) the danger of robbing of God in Tithes and Offerings, and defeating Christ's Spouse of her jointure, let three things be seriously weighed: First, whether the tenth part of the fruits of the earth are not as due to God, as the seventh part of our time, and so the morality thereof founded upon the same bottom, that our Christian Sabbath is. Secondly, if not so, whether there is not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, moral equity, if the Priesthood under the Law received the tenth part and more, the Ministry under the Gospel, which is more honourable and laborious, should not receive at least as much, and whether that be not the principal scope of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 9 which he makes good by several arguments. Thirdly, if neither of these Rocks should prove impregnable, whether this be not a wall of brass, able to endure what siege Antichristian forces can lay against it, that being once consecrated, and by special donation appropriated unto God, a Power less than Divine, can not reduce them to any other use, without sacrilege, and taking the Sceptre out of God's hand: And whether that signal judgement inflicted on Ananias and Saphyra, Act. 5. for retaining that which they had devoted unto God, only by their private vows, be not a miraculous confirmation of this truth, and a pillar of salt to be looked upon to the world's end? Israel is a thing hallowed to the Lord, and his first fruits; all they that eat it shalloffend, evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord, Jer. 2. 3. Tithes are God's portion, whereby we acknowledge His royalty and superintendency over us, and therefore being once solemnly bequeathed unto him, may seem to be inviolable by any just Law of man, for these reasons: First, Abraham, and in him Levi, paid Tithes to Melchizedeck, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even of the spoils taken in war, Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 4. and that above four hundred years before the Law was given. Secondly, Jacob vowed as he went to Padan Aram, that if God would bless him, the Lord should be his God, and that surely he would give the tenth unto him, Gen. 28. 22. Now that the Lord should be acknowledged for his God, was a moral duty, and no less the other for substance, especially after his vow, and reducible to the duties of the first Table. Thirdly, God strictly commanded to pay the tithes of all things to the Priests and Levites; nay, the first fruits, first and second tithes, heave-offerings, wave-offerings, which amounted to nineteen in the hundred, or above the sixth part●; which Precept, if it be not purely moral, but judicial in some circumstances, respecting equity betwixt Priest and People; yet it holds proportion to the Ministry of the Gospel, according to their dignity and necessity, and being devoted unto God by our forefathers, famous in their Generations for piety, are as obligatory, as what God himself immediately consecrated. Fourthly, God calls it a robbing of him in tithes and offerings, Mal. 3. 8. and for that, pronounces the whole Nation cursed with a curse, that is, a signal curse, which the Spirit of God does not use to do for violating Laws, that are purely judicial or ceremonial. Fifthly, Christ confirms them under the Gospel, Matth. 23. 23. telling the Pharisees, they pay tithes of anise, Mint, and Cummin, these things ought to be done. And if they could not enter into heaven, unless their righteousness exceeded the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, what shall become of those, that come short of them? The Pharisees paid cheerfully things hallowed unto God, Christians do not. Sixtly, the Apostle of the Gentiles makes sacrilege (which consists in detaining of tithes and holy things) worse than Idolatry, Rom. 2. 32. Thou that abhorrest Idols, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, dost thou commit sacri'edge? To rob God of his due is a greater sin, then, through mistake, to ascribe that to a false God, which is not his due. Seventhly, it seems by the Law of Nature, or a Positive Law of God, to be derived from Noah to all Nations; Plutarch says in Camillus, that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, pay tithes to Jupiter. Herodotus says, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that they offered unto Hercules the tenth part of their wealth; so did the Etrurians, calling it the Herculean part, as Plautus hath it in his Truculentus. Xenophon says, the Grecians did offer their tithes at the Temple of Apollo at Delphos. Aristotle, lib. 2. Economics, says, that the Babylonians paid tithes. Hence it was, that Princes, (when they came like Caligula, to challenge Deity to themselves) usurped the tithes. Appian records, that the Sicilians and other conquered Nations, paid the tenth part to the Roman Emperors; therefore the Publicans (as Cicero hath it) are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, tithe-gatherers. Eighthly, that tithes should be paid, was the judgement of the Ancients, that lived in Primitive times; St. Chrysostom says, that Abraham in paying of tithes was our Instructor, teaching us what we should do; St. Jerom says, Quod qui non fecerit, deum defrandare, & supplantare convincitur, that he that pays not tithes, defraudes and undermines God. St. Austin says, Nolumus partiri cum Deo decimas, mod● autem totum tollitur, We have been unwilling to pay God his tithes, therefore it is just he should take all from us. Ninthly, many Councils have confirmed the paying of tithes; the first, Aurelian, chap. 17. the second of Matiscone, chap. 5. the Forojulium, in the last Chapter; at Ments, in the time of Charles the Great, chap. 38. at Mentz under Rabanus, chap. 10. at Mentz, in the time of the Emperor Arnulph, chap. 17. where it was decreed, that those that neglected to pay tithes, should be excommunicated. At Rheims, chap. 38. in the time of Charles the Great; at Valence in the time of Lotharius, chap. 10. the fourth at Arles, chap. 9 with many more, besides Panormitan, Hostiensis, and the Canonists of all Ages. Tenthly, the Heathens, by the glimmering light of reason, punished those that were sacrilegious: Plato ordained in his Laws, that if a servant or stranger should detain holy things, they should be branded in the hands and forehead; but if a freeman, he should be put to death. This was one of the twelve Tables of the ancient Romans, Sacrum, sacrove commodatum qui rapsit, parricida esto, Let him that steals any holy thing, or dedicated to a holy use, be punished as a parricide; that is, as one that murders his father or mother, and that was, to be sown in a sack of Leather, with a Serpent in it, and thrown into the Sea. Amongst the Aethiopians, if any was convinced of that crime, a potion was given him to drink of divers kinds of poison, which was no sooner taken, but it so wrought upon the fancy, that they conceived themselves to be stung with all kinds of Serpents, and to be rid of that pain, they made away themselves. Eleventhly, Histories tells us, that imbezilling or alienating of tithes, hath been the Prodrome and Harbinger of ruin to several Nations, Churches, and Families: In Hezekiah's reign, tithes began to be neglected, that he appointed Overseers to look to the payment thereof, 2 Chron. 31. 11. for which cause, God suspended the judgement for his time; but his successors growing careless, they were given up to a Babylonish captivity, and their temple destroyed. About one hundred and thirty years before our Saviour's Incarnation, corruption so prevailed, that it began to be questionable, whether tithes were to be paid or no, whence their high Court of Sanhedrim decreed, that instead of the tenth (as Moses Cotsensis hath it) they should pay one part of an hundred; and shortly after, God took from them their Rulers, their Temple, their Land, and all. O what a sad thing is it, when men will be wiser than God. It was one of Julian the Apostata's projects, to supplant Christianity, by taking away the livelihood of the Ministry. The Eastern and African Churches acted their parts in this Scene, before they were delivered up to the doleful Catastrophe of Mahometan blindness and slavery. What success Henry the Eighth had in pillaging of the Church, the dysasters in his Family, and the sad tragedies of Cardinal Wolsey, the Vicar-general, with the rest of his Agents, and many of those Tribes that were enriched by them, can signally witness. Lastly, Sacrilege hath been inevitably attended with remarkable judgements in all ages: Xerxes and Brennus sent their Soldiers to violate the Temple at Delphos, the one was destroyed with all his Army, by lightning; the other lost forty thousand of his Foot by fire from heaven: The Soldiers that Cambyses sent to spoil the Temple of Ammon, were buried quick under heaps of sands, and he slain with his own sword. Pyrrhus having pillaged the Lucresian Proserpina, was wracked with his whole Navy, and left to the mercy of the waves: Alsimus, high Priest of the Jews, attempting the overthrow of the Temple, was struck with a dead Palsy, and died miserably. Heliodorus sent by Seleucus, to ransack the Temple at Jerusalem, felt the revenging hand of God, till Onias the high Priest interceded for him; out of which Temple, when Crassus the Roman General had taken two thousand talents of gold, he was no sooner passed over the River Euphrates, than his whole Army was rooted by the Parthians, and part of the gold he had taken, melted, and poured into his mouth, with these words, Now surfeit on gold after thy death, which thou couldst not be satisfied with, all thy life long. Herod sending his men to dig into the Sepulchers of David and Solomon, where Church-Treasures were laid up for security, there broke out thence a fire, that burned the sacrilegious delvers to ashes. When Leo, surnamed Copronimus, espied a Crown beset with Carbuncles in a Christian Church, he caused it to be fetched, and setting it upon his head, there suddenly arose a Carbuncle in his forehead, which never suffered his temples after to take any rest. Felix, carrying away the rich presents, that Constantine and others had dedicated to God, in the new Temple at Jerusalem, builded by Queen Helena, died of a flux of blood. Julian, uncle to the Apostata, having raked together most precious vessels and sumptuous monuments at Antioch in Syria, uncasing his postern parts, sat down upon them in derision; incontinently his flesh began to rot, and he died desperately of the disease called Miserere. Gaepio, the Roman Consul, robbing the famous Church of Tolossa in France, he, and every man in his Army, that had fingered any of the gold, came to miserable ends within a year. It was observed, that Gustavus the late King of Sweden, prospered not, after he began to rifle Churches. Achan was stoned, for detaining the wedge of gold, and the Babylonish garment. Ananias and Saphyra smit with sudden death, for concealing that which they had devoted unto God. When Belshasar quaffed in the consecrated Bowls, taken from the Temple at Jerusalem, a hand-writing appeared upon the wall, his Kingdom was taken from him, and he gave up the ghost. God is the same God still, his arm is not shortened; though he may seem to have leaden heels, he will be found in revenge to have iron hands.  
Ob. But tithes are heathenish, paid by the Gentiles.  
Ans. So are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, relief exhibited by children to parents; those that deny the one, are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without natural affection; those that deny the other, have been conceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without divine reverence.  
Ob. But they were Jewish, paid to the levitical Priesthood.  
Ans. Not only so, but paid four hundred years before to Melchisedec, who was a type of Christ, and his gospel-ministry.  
Ob. But they are Antichristian.  
Ans. Not, unless that which Christ confirms and approves, be against Christ; these things ought to be done, to the tithing of mint and cummin.  
Ob. But it is against Christian liberty to pay tithes.  
Ans. No more to render unto God the things that are Gods, than to men the things that are men's, honour to whom honour, tribute to whom tribute; the Church hath as good a title to the tenth, as the owner of the rest to the nine parts. Parents can but leave to their posterity nine parts. Men when they purchase, purchase but nine parts, and pay proportionably.  
Ob. But by paying of tithes, men are deprived of that they get with the sweat of their brows.  
Ans. No more than Tenants by paying their Landlord's rent, who will not be content with the tenth, but scarce sometimes will be willing, to allow one part, for their labour of the ten. God is Lord Paramount of all, and gave the land of Canaan to the Israelites, upon condition of paying of tithes; Mal. 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the Starehouse, and I will open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. v. 12. All nations shall call you blessed. There is the same reason under the Gospel, which St. Paul urges, àfortiori, 1 Cor. 9 11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? And, Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked.  
But we hope there is no further need of this dispute. That God that putteth bounds to the raging waves of the Sea, tha● kept Sarah untouched from Abim●●●●●, hath, against all Satan's designs, preserved the Jointure of the Church, Christ's Spouse, a thousand six hundred years, will still maintain her dowry untouched from sacrilegious hands.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

Of the expediency of MARRIAGE, To be solemnised by a lawful, MINISTER In the Church, or public Assembly.  
MARRIAGE, that only positive traduciary Ayrlome we retain of Paradise, as taken in its full extent and latitude, is defined by the Civilians, A conjunction 
Matrimonium est viri, & mulieris conjunctio individuam vitae consuetudinem continens. Justinian Institut. lib. 1. tit. 9  of Man and Woman, containing an individual fellowship of life; and falls under a threefold consideration: First, Economical, as it is the prime Seminary of Families. Secondly, Political, as it is the Embryo of civilised States and Commonwealths. Thirdly, Ecclesiastical, as it is the root and stem, whence that Vine, the Church, spreads itself by numerous branches. These three (as vegetative, sensitive, and rational life, in living creatures) may be actually separated, one from another, yet, so still, as the latter 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. de Anima.  virtually comprehends the former, as the reasonable soul does the inferior faculties; for, there may be a mutual consent betwixt Savages and Indies, who live without subordination to superior Laws; and observation of legal rites, relating to Marriage, amongst Turks and Persians, who acknowledge not Christ: But in Christians, who are as well members of the Church as Commonweal, it is requisite, that to private contracting, and submission to municipal or civil Ordinances, there be superadded an acknowledgement of divine Rules, and a solemn benediction upon that Tie, which ought to be sacred and inviolable.  
This will appear more perspicuous, if we traverse these three in order: First, taking our prospect of Marriage, as it looks no further than private Families, and herein the consent of both parties, and parents, is necessary; of the parties, for the very form, essence, and being of Matrimony; of the parents, for the bene esse, or legitimation of it: The verity of both these, we may see presented to the life in one glass, where, Gen. 24. 58. the parents of Rebecca having given their consent to Abraham's servant, requesting her for a wife to Isaac▪ enquired further of the Damsel, whether she was willing, otherwise, further progress therein had been obstructed; for, where there is not a free consent, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without violence or coaction, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without ignorance or mistaking, the Canonists declare it a nullity. And that the consent of parents is requisite, St. Pau● evidences, Ephes. 6. 1. Children obey your parents in all things: And, lest generals should not conclude, he descends to particulars, 1 Cor. 7. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, declaring, that it is the privilege of parents, to deny or give their children in marriage. Which light was communicated to the heathens, as appears by Euripides, 
Euripid.  who in the Scene, introduces a Virgin, thus answering her suitors: Of my marriage my Father will take care, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is not in my power to 
Ambros. lib. de patriarchis. justinian Institut. de nuptiis. digest. de statu hom. code de nuptiis. Concil. de Toledo caus. 4 quest. 21.  dispose. And this with approbation is quoted by St. Ambrose, and is further confirmed by the civil Laws, Canons of several Oecumeniall Counsels; the pith and marrow whereof, Gratian epitomises, saying, In contracting of Marriage, the consent of parents is always to be required.  
And as the consent of parties and parents is requisite for marriage, as it is the seed-plat of Families, so the compliance of civil, or municipal constitutions and Magistrates (which are patres patriae, fathers of the Country) is to be taken in, for the further consummation of it, as Families are integral parts of Provinces, Nations, or Kingdoms. And this is clear from prescription since Adam. Gen. 6. 2. which was first violated when the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which they chose, and that questionless, maugre the advice of Enoch, Noah, and other godly Patriarches, whom God had set Princes over them. In conformity to this, Gen. 24. 3. Abraham made his servant swear, that he should not take a wife to his son Isaac of the daughters of the Canaanites. Rebecca, Gen. 27. 46. was weary of her life, for the daughters of Heth, lest Jacob should take a wife of them. Gen. 28. 8. Esau saw the daughters of Canaan pleased not his father Isaac. And when the Jews, after their departure out of Egypt, were incorporated into a body politic, God, who is Lord Paramount, as well of judicial, as cerimoniall, and moral Laws, gave a Directory for marriage, Levit. 18. which being slighted by Solomon, he was deserted of God, and lapsed into Idolatry. The Jews were hurried into captivity for taking strange wives, which crime, after their reducement, Shechaniah and Ezra endeavoured to expiate, by a general 
Ezr. cap. 9 &. 10. 〈◊〉 Aristotl. polit. 1. Gellius noct. Attic. lib. 12. cap. 18. Florus, Plutarch, in▪ vitâ Solonis, & Lycurg●▪ Ad Odyss. ●.  divorce, and deposition of their illegitimate buds, Ezr. 9 & 10. The Pagans had a glimmering sight of this, which Minos expressed in his Laws at Crete, Rhadamanthus at Lycia, Aeacus in Aenopia, Draco in blood at Areopagus, Numa Pompilius at Rome, Lycurgus at Sparta, Solon at Athens, rearing his superstructure upon Cecrops his basis, who there first instituted the contract of matrimony, and for that cause was saluted by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Eustathius, as if he were an Hermaphrodite, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, participating of both sexes; or (according to the Scholiast upon Aristophanes) quasi, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Act. 3. Scen. 3.  Because with much ado, the coalition of the two natures of father and mother into one, was his inventory. This the Egyptians received from the Hebrews, the Phoenicians from the Egyptians, the jonians from the Phoenicians, the Romans their 
Justin. Hist. Carion Chron.  duodec●m tabulas, from the jonians or Grecians, which twelve Tables were the root, whence the Arbour of the civil Laws (consisting of the Code, Digests, Constitutions, Pandectes, Extravagants,) hath spread its branches over the western world; and all treats of Marriage.  
This Nation (as far as the Torch of History 
Vxores habent deni, duodenique inter se communes, sed si qui sunt ex his nati, eorum habentur liberi à quibus primum virgines quaeque ductae sunt. Caesar de Bello. Gallic. l. 5 Libro constitutionum Londinensium, pertaining to the Guild hall.  yields us light) had always their Nuptials regulated by Laws, even the ancient Britain's, while uncivilized, (as Caesar their enemy confesses) had their conjugal knot. But when the Sun of Righteousness arose with healing in his wings, Lucius the first Christian Monarch, by Elutherius his direction, gave Scripture-grounded rules for Marriage, as well as other perquisites; how this was inviolably observed, through the Saxon's Heptarchy, till Ina's Monarchy, from thence till Alfrid and Edward the Confessor, from them till Magna Charta, and so successively till our times, I leave it to the recognition of the learned Sages of our Laws; only observing this, That what provisoes, as preparatory to Marriage, were formerly executed by the Officers of civil Constitutions, are now defalked, and the power wholly transmitted to the Magistrate, or Ministers of the common Law, the legality whereof, far be it from me to dispute or question, which obliquely all this while I have been proving. But the scope I aim at is this, to which, I doubt not, every  judgement will subscribe, that as the first step of matrimonial solemnity, takes in the consent of parties and parents; the second, of Magistrates and municipal Laws, and both of these but in a domestic and political capacity, common to us with Turks and Pagans; so there is a further gradual perfection, which requires the consent and benediction of the Church, (as the parties contracting are members thereof) and so pleads for the expediency of the solemnisation thereof by a Lawful Minister, in the public Assembly.  
This I'll endeavour to evidence, founding the structure of my whole fabric upon a threefold bottom; first, the Law of Nations; secondly, praescription of the Church; thirdly, deductions from Scripture. These single may seem weak, but in conjunction, will make a threefold cord, not easily broken.  
First, the Law of Nations, though barbarous (some of them) concenters in this, that Marriage is but rough cast, till polished by the sacred hand of a Priest; and this Tradition doubtless they had hereditary from Noah, Noah from Methusalem, Methusalem from Adam, Adam from God, who consecrated the yoke of our first Parents, not abstractly, as man and woman, but as his servants, and in covenant with him, gave a benediction, not only as they were to replenish the earth, but as their Seed was to bruise the Serpent's head. And that act was managed by the Creator, rather as he was the prototype of Priestly, than Kingly office, leaving a precedent to posterity, which all future ages observed, till Moses, acknowledging the firstborn in this sense, as consecrated to God, which selling Esau heard profane, because the Priesthood, a thing holy, was an appendix of his birthright. And that the nuptials of all their children were to be celebrated by the Patriarcks, or heads of their respective Families, is as transparent from Scripture-light, as if writ with the Sunbeams. This, other Nations, whether civilised, or barbarians, religiously observed. Let the Grecians be mustered in the van, who for the consummation of their marriages, usually repaired to the Temple, where, in the presence of the Priest, they engaged themselves 
Achil. Tat. libr. 5.  mutually by Oath, as appears by the practice of Clitiphon and Leucippe, where the man in the Temple of Isis swore, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to love sincerely, and the woman, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that she would accept him for her Husband, and Lord of all. And as preparative 
Cael. Rhod. lib. 7. cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Eurip. in ●phig. v. 1 112. Eurip. v. 711.  to this, which is said to be the invention of Erato, the Priest did sacrifice to Minerva a Heifer, never married in the yoke. Wherefore Clytaemnestra, speaking of her daughter (whom they pretended to marry to Achilles) demanded of her husband, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whether he had seen the sacrifices performed. They did also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, offer their baskets to Diana, their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the nuptial gifts, and nuptial votes to Juno. And these were not to be interrupted for any civil solemnity, as appears by Agamemnon, who importunately called upon by his wife, to attend the wedding feast, religiously makes answer, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Eurip. Iph. v. 721. Flat delegibus.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, When I have done my wedding sacrifice. Hence their Priests were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, celebraters of marriage; and the solemnities themselves, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, marriage ceremonies, which was performed by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or master of Ceremonies, 
Theognis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 16.  at the nuptials of Cadmus, under the Drama of Muses and Graces, as Theogenis personates it.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
To join in one body with the Grecians, the ancient Romans may next ●ally up their Forces, who usually first contracted the parties to be matched in their espousals, 
Salmuth. in Pancirol. lib. rerum deperd. cap. de nuptiis. This resembles the preparatory acts of our Magistrates and Registers. Juvenal. Satyr. 6.  which were termed sponsialias a spondendo, because each engaged to other to live as man and wife. This preludiatory act might be commenced by the Parents, or civil Officers, who, for their greater security, writ down the form of the Contract upon Tables of Record, as appeareth by Juvenal, Si, tibi legitimis pactam junctamque tabellis, Non es amaturus.  
These tables were sealed with the Signet of competent witnesses there present, who thence were denominated Signatores, not without the Omen of soothsayers, procured by either sex, as the Satirist emblazons it. Veniet cum signatoribus Auspex. 
Juvenal. Satyr. 10.   
This done, certain solemnities were used by a Pontifex, or chief Priest, and the woman made sure to the man, by pronouncing a set form of words, in the presence of ten witnesses at least; then a solemn sacrifice was offered, part whereof the married couple were jointly to eat; especially the consecrated Cake, a fare the breadcorn, or matter of it, the sacrifice was termed confarreatio, and the marriage itself farracia, the dissolution of it diffarreatio. If any of these 
Hieron. ferarius Philippic. orat.  Ceremonies (especially the last) were relinquished, they were judged nuptiae innuptae, marriage unmarried, as we call our enemy's gifts, no gifts, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
The Hebrews shall bring up the rear, whose Patriarches (as is formerly glanced) by virtue of primogeniture, being Priested, did sanctify and bless their children's marriages, as Rebecca's Parents and Brother did hers, Gen. 24. 60. saying, Be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those that hate them. The latter Jews acted their nuptial solemnities under a Tent or Canopy, called in their language 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elias Thisbite.  Chuppa, to which the Psalmist alludes, Psal. 19 4. In them thou hast set a tabernacle for the Sun, which as a bridegrrom coming out of his chamber, rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. And this was done in the assembly of ten men at least, where the Master of the Ceremonies was styled by them, Baal Mischte, which by St. John, Joh. 2. 9 is languaged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, chief of the marriage Chamber. The tabernacle or chamber itself, was called Beth hillula, the house of praise; the marriage Song, Hillulim, praises; they that sung this Epithalamium, or marriage Song, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, children of the 
Scukius de convivio, lib, 2. c. 3.  bride-chamber, Matth. 9 15. Now whether that mazel tob, good luck wished for by all the guests, was not specially implored by one, who was consecrated for that end, I leave it to the scrutiny of others. Their marriage Liturgy, copied out at large by Genebrard, speaks no less, the system whereof epitomised, was this: The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or chief of the marriage chamber, took a cup, and blessed it, saying, Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, which createst the fruit of the Vine: Blessed be the Lord our God, the King of the world, who hath created man after his own Image, according to the Image of his own likeness, and hath thereby prepared unto himself an everlasting building. Blessed be thou, O Lord, who hast created him. Then descending to particular invocation for the Bridegroom and the Bride, closes with a benediction; and in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or poculo charitatis, drinks to them both. Now seeing Uzzah by a sudden syderation was unmanned, for touching the Ark; Saul and Uzziah un-kinged, for approaching the Altar; Corah and his complices sodomized in a new Asphaltic gulf, for counter-censuring Moses and Aaron; shall we think, that any did attempt this sacram palestram, solemn wrestling with God, by public prayers and praises, without holy oil, and sacerdoticall unction? especially, seeing the Jews held 
Targum Hierosolumit: Gen. 30. 21.  a quaternion of blessings, more immediately dependent on God; to wit, the key of Rain, the key of Food, the key of the Grave, and the key of the Womb: These (say they) were neither deposited to Angels, nor Seraphims, and therefore fittest to be worn at the girdle of them, to whom our Saviour entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The whole, informed, thus.  
It is expedient that the Law of Nations Argum. 1 be observed; It is the Law of Nations, [Greek, Latin, Jews, etc.] that marriage be solemnised by a Priest: Therefore it is expedient, that marriage be solemnised by a Priest: Therefore it is expedient, that marriage be solemnised by a Priest or lawful Minister.  
So I have spent my forelorn hope, consisting of ragged Regiments, emprested out of scattered Laws of Nations, which if they seem not to charge home; my auxiliaries shall make amends, which now draw up; consisting of whole Brigads of Ecclesiastical prescriptions, marching with Canons mounted successiuly, since the Apostles times, taken out of the Magazine of general Counsels. For the original of Christian Marriage by Ministers, is like the heads of Nilus, unknown. I'll build upward, ascending the scale of Ecclesiastical practice, beginning with that demi-canon, of our late Assembly of Divines, charged by Ordinance of Parliament, the Report whereof is this: Because 
Solemnization of marriage, Directory. pag. 28. die Jovis. 13. Mart. 1644. Anordinance of Parliament, for establishing and observing this present Directory, throughout the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales. The form of solenmization of Matrimony, confirmed by several Acts of Parliament.  such as marry are to marry in the Lord, and have special need of instruction, direction, and exhortation, from the word of God, at their entrance into such a condition, and of the blessing of God upon them therein; we judge it expedient, that marriage be solemnised by a lawful Minister of the Word, that he may accordingly counsel them, and pray for a blessing upon them. Thence up till the Reformation, our Municipal, Civil, and Eccelesiastical Constitutions required, that Banes being asked, or special Licence indulged, at the day appointed for solemnisation of matrimony, the persons to be married shall come into the body of the Church, with their friends and neighbours, and there the Priest shall say, as in the Rubric of the Liturgy was directed. On this only Basis, our Laws founded the legality of Marriage, legitimation of children, claim to Inheritances; by virtue of which, all our present Nobility, Gentry, and Yeomanry of England, claim their estates and honours, as did their Progenitors; which being violated, the bed was rendered adulterous, children spurious, patrimonies not hereditary. And this was no novel constitution, but involved in the veteres Angliae consuetudines, 
Charta originalis sub sigillo. Daniel life of Henry 3.  ratified in Magna Charta, received from the traditional current under Norman, Danish, and Saxon Monarches, till the Heptarchy, and so loses itself into the original spring of Christianity, as the Britaines 
Beda Histor. Angliae. Gildas de excid. Brit▪ Augustin Epist. 133. Oportet conjuges sub velo sacerdotali benedictionem accipere, quod si diversae religion is fuerint, quo modo in Ecclesiâ Christi sub eodem velo contegerentur? Ambros. Epist. 7. ad Vigilium. Ex illis verb is intelligimus fuisse tunc morem ut matrimonia in templis consecrarentur, & velo conjuges eodem per ministrum fuisse coopertos, ut astantes viderent fuisse conjunctos. Pet. Martyr. Comment. in 1. lib. Reg. p. 25. Illum Ambrosii consilium vehementer probâsse qui censuit, ut si conjuges in matrimonium consenfissent, Minister Ecclesiae accerseretur. Possidon. in vitâ Augustini.  had copied out before them, for several Centuries, as venerable Bede and Gildas stories it.  
Neither was it confined to this Nation, but as diffusive as Christianity, as appears by ancient monuments. St. Augustin being importuned to celebrate a marriage, answers, He would, if the mother of the child were present, whose consent is necessary; which proves, that marriage was a part of the Ministerial office in his days. St. Ambrose contends, that persons of several religions ought not to be matched together, because this could not receive a joint benediction sub velo sacerdotali, under the veil of the Priest. By these words we understand, (says Peter Martyr) that it was then the manner, to have matrimonies solemnised in Temples, and that the husband and the wife covered both with one veil, by the Minister, to the intent, that the spectators might see, that they were joined together; which custom (saith he) is much against clandestine marriage. What is meant by covering under the veil, and whether our wives hence are said to be under Covert Baron, as heterogenial to my purpose, I will not here engage. And that marriages might neither be clandestine, nor contracted betwixt Infidels and Believers, Possidonius avoucheth, that he did very well like the counsel of St. Ambrose, who judged, That if a man and woman did consent together in matrimony, the Minister of the Church should be sent for, by whom the covenants of marriage should be established, and the Matrimony should be confirmed. And that marriage is not completed, without ministerial instruction and benediction, that Canon of the Council of Neocaesaria confirms, wherein Ministers of the Church are prohibited to be present to bless the second marriage of Polygamists, the former wife living. Many such provisoes are scattered in other Councils, relating to circumstantials of marriage, by Presbyters, or them in holy Orders, none to the substance, as being a thing antedated, and riveted into the body of Christianity, in the first Embryo of it, when Counsels had yet no being: Which premises will enforce St. Augustine's 
Augustinus de Baptismo contra Donatistas'. lib. 4. cap. 23.  conclusion: That which the whole Church holds, was never begun by any Council, but always observed, cannot otherwise be believed, but that it came from the Apostles, and such is marriage by Ministers. The whole, abbreviated, thus.  
It is expedient, that that pious custom Argum. 2 which hath been since the Apostles, should be continued still: But it hath been a pious custom since the Apostles, that marriage should be solemnised in the public assembly, by a lawful Minister: Therefore it ought to be continued still.  
The Auxiliaries having thus discharged, the main Battalio draws up, whose Artillery consists of Scripture-deductions: Nunc ad Triarios perventum est, This is the Rearward, which this cause most confides in, and being well ordered, may colophonem addere, put an end to the controversy. The first alarm shall be given from marriage-consecration; which is defined, A sacred 
Est actio sacra quâ sponsus & sponsa in Ecclesiam deducti, coram coetu fidelium, à Pastore docentur de institutione, & finibus conjugii, expressè suum consensum testantur, vel per signum in his qui muti sunt, aut surdi, vel per verba in his qui loqui possunt. Bucan. Institut. Theolog. p. 122.  action, whereby the Bridegroom and Bride, brought into the Church, before the assembling of the faithful, are instructed by a Pastor, concerning the institution and ends of Wedlock, expressly witnessing their consent by signs, in those that are deaf or dumb, by words, in those that can speak. And this will amount to Scripture-proof, if we consider three things; first, the Author; secondly, the Ends and use; thirdly, the Rules prescribed for marriage. The Author was God, whose first act, after Creation, was Church-plantation, laying the groundstone of that fabric in conjugal union; It is not good for man to be alone, I will make him an help meet for him, Gen. 2. 18. Man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh, Gen. 2. 2▪ 4. Mat. 19 5. God blessed them, and said, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the creatures, Gen. 1. 28. That which is ascribed to God, without distinction of Persons, is appropriated to Christ, the second Person, by St. John. Joh. 1. 23. The word was in the beginning with God, all things were made by him, and marriage (for it is an undivided act of the Trinity) consecrated 
Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. Aquinas.  by him, and that not only in his Kingly and Priestly, but prophetical capacity, giving commission to his Ministers in the extent he received it, As the Father sent me, so send I you; which ratiotionally may be conceived, to comprehend matrimonial instruction and benediction, as part of the Ministerial function, which the parties contracting stands more need of now, than they did in Paradise. These Items laid together, makes up this total Sum.  
It is most expedient, that marriage of Church-members be solemnised by those, Argum. 3 who are Christ's Ambassadors, and Deputies in his Prophetical Office, and are best qualified and authorised, to instruct the parties, concerning the institution, use, and ends thereof, and confer a benediction upon them. But Ministers are Christ's Ambassadors and Deputies in his Prophetical Office, and are best qualified and authorised to instruct the parties, concerning the institution, use, and ends thereof, and to confer a benediction upon them: Therefore it is most expedient, that marriage of Church-members be solemnised by a Minister.  
Secondly, the tripartite use and end of marriage (as filled by the Schoolmen) pleads for the same, which is, issue, fidelity, 
Targum Hierosol.  and the sacred mystery thereof: The key of Issue is God's special peculiar, God remembered Rachel, and opened her womb, Gen. 30. 22. Numerous issue is his peculiar, with a more signal benediction, Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house, thy children like olive-plants round about thy table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord, Psal, 128. 3, 4. But numerous issue, sanctified from the womb, and in covenant with God, is a more transcendent superlative peculiar: The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life; yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel, Psal. 128. 5, 6. The result is this.  
That, whose end and use is God's sole peculiar and his signal and transcendent Argum. 4 blessing, aught to be solemnised with Ministerial benediction; But the ends and use of marriage [issue, numerous issue, sanctified issue, with pious education,] is God's sole peculiar, and his signal and transcendent blessing: Therefore marriage of Christians ought to be solemnised with Ministerial benediction.  
Another end and use of marriage, is fidelity, which includes unanimity, chastity, constancy. Yoke-fellowes in wedlock ought to be Turtle-like, unanimous in all estates; 
Cael. Rhod. lib. 28. cap. 21.  Husbands, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be not bitter to your wives, Col. 3. 19 This the Grecians Hieroglyphicked, in flinging the gall of their marriage-victim, with most eager loathing, behind the Altar, during the time of their sacrifice. Wife's should, like Hero, (who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Masaeus, Hero & Leander.  expired with her perishing husband) sympathise in affection with them. As unanimity, so chastity is a flower in this marriage-garland: To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband: Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband; the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud not one another, 1 Cor. 7. 2, 3, 4. Therefore amongst the ancient Romans, the man, in token of this, gave a Ring unto the woman, which she was to wear upon the next finger 
Aulus Gellius, Noct. Attic Ea enim cornicum societas est, ut ex duobus sociis altera ex tincta, vidua altera perpetuò maneat. Plinius  unto the little, of the left hand; because unto that finger alone, proceedeth a certain artery from the heart. Their Soothsayers, in their nuptial. Divinations, accounted the apparition of Crows the most auspicious Omen, because they live chaste, and, one extinct, the other continues single; the Turtle mourns to death, if her fellow miscarry; the same is observed of the Stork. To these, join constancy, which crowns the rest: Whosoever shall put away his wife, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, except it be for fornication, and 
 signarent illam ibi perpetuò mansuram, neque inde ullâ tempestate recesseram. Alex. ab Alex. Sig. de jure Rom. c. 9 Salmuth. in Pancirol. lib. rer. depérd. cap. de nuptiis.  shall marry another, committeth adultery, Mat. 19 9 The Grecians emblem'd this, by carrying the Bride from her chamber to her husband's pavilion in a Caroche, where arriving, they brned the axletree, to signify, that she must make her perpetual abode there, and never to departed; the Romans by a Spear, wherewith some Fencer had been slain, with the point whereof, the Bridegroom divided the hair of his Bride, to intimate, that nothing but death, or such violence, should separate them. The extract is this:  
It is expedient, that that vow which is Argum. 5 made unto God of unanimity, chastity, and constancy, should be solemnised by Ministerial instruction and benediction: But marriage-vow of Christians is made unto God, of unanimity, chastity, and constancy; Therefore it is expedient, that the marriage of Christians be solemnised by Ministerial instruction and benediction.  
The third end and use of marriage, is the sacred mystery thereof, recorded, Eph. 5. 31, 32. A man shall leave his father and mother, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. This is a great mystery, a great Sacrament, says the vulgar translation: A Sacrament, not in a strict sense, as the Romanists canonize it, nor one of the confined number of seven, (though less 
Dr Cosin● devotions.  principal) as some of our own have languaged it; but in a large extent, which takes in with it, the calling of the Gentiles, Eph. 1. 9 Eph. 3. 3. and the incarnation of the Word, 1 Tim. 3. 16. in which acceptation, 
Common places, part. 2. pag. 462. Pet. Martyr. Libr. de bono conjugii cap. 18. cap. 24. libr. de fide, & operibus. cap. 7. Augustin.  the precise number of Sacraments or Mysteries, is a mystery inscrutable. In this latitude, Peter Martyr, (who marched as Primipilus, or a prime frontier, in the vanguard of Reformation) owns Matrimony for a Sacrament, and so before him did St. Augustine, thus descanting; In the marriages of women, the sanctity of the Sacrament is more to be valued, than the fruitfulness of the womb. The good of matrimony, in respect of the people of God, consisteth in the sanctity of the Sacrament; in the Church, not only the band of marriage, but also the Sacrament is commendable. Thus taken, marriage is defined in the Schools, 
Imago conjunctionis inter Deum, & Ecclesiam. Ursinus explicat. Catechet. pag. 696. Typus, & imago fuit verè divini, & spiritualis conjugii▪ quod futurum erat inter Christum, & ipstus Ecclesiam. Bucanus de conjug. pag. 108.  A conjunction of man and woman, representing and signifying, the union of Christ with his Church by Incarnation; of God with the soul, by grace and sanctification. Therefore the Apostle having said, Ephes. 5. 32. this is a great mystery, adds, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I speak concerning Christ and the Church, says ours, in Christ and the Church, says St. Jerom's Tanslation. Now we never find in sacred or profane Histories, that Sacraments and Mysteries, were immediately entrusted to any, but Ministers or Hierodulists; hence Mystery is etymologized, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Suidas, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Eustathius, Because the Priests were to keep the mysteries of Religion 
Augustinus de doctrinâ Christiana. l. 2. c. 1.  (especially visible signs of invisible grace) secret and inviolable, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from dogs and profane; or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; to initiate to holy things, as Budeus. From the same root, Nazianzene calls the Ministerial function, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the solemnity of Mysteries; Ministers themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, dispensers of mysteries. The quintesscence extracted, is this.  
It is expedient, that that mystery (or sacrament) Argum. 6 that represents and signifies, the union of Christ with his Church by Incarnation, of God with the Soul by sanctification, should be solemnised by dispensers of Mysteries, or Ministers; But Marriage is a Mystery (or Sacrament) that represents and signifies, the union of Christ with his Church by Incarnation, of God with the Soul by sanctification; Therefore it is expedient, that Marriage be solemnised by the dispensers of Mysteries, or Ministers.  
The Author, use, and ends of marriage displayed; arguments drawn from the prescribed rules thereof, brings up the Rear. One Scripture-Canon is, that marriage be sanctified by the Word and Prayer. The Apostle of the Gentiles, 1 Tim. 4. 1, 3, 4, 5. having told expressly, that in the latter 
Paulus conjugium, cibos. & similia● ait sanctificari per verbum & oratiorem. B● can. institut. Theol. pag. 111.  times, some should departed from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrine of devils, forbidding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to marry, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving, of them that believe and know the truth, gives his reason, For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. This forbidding to marry cannot rationally be interpreted, to be a prohibition of mutual consent, and carnal copulation, which nature dictates, and continuation of mankind necessitates; but, a forbidding the sanctified solemnisation of marriage, by the word of God and prayer, which, as 
Castitatem esse concubitum cum propriâ uxore. Sozomen. lib. 1. cap. 23. Argum. 7.  Paphnutius avouched in the Council of Nice, renders the marriagebed chaste. The Elixir is this.  
It is expedient, that, that which is to be sanctified by the Word and Prayer, (the contrary whereof is a doctrine of devils) be solemnised by a lawful Minister: But marriage is to be sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer, (the contrary whereof is a doctrine of devils); Therefore it is expedient, that marriage be solemnised by a lawful Minister.  
A second Scripture-rule is, 1 Cor. 7. 
Religiose, & in timore Dei, Bucan. institut. Theolog. p. 119. 1 Thess. 4. 3, 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  39 that marriage be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, only in the Lord, that is, religiously, and in the fear of God: This is the will of God, your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour: Which is best glossed in the antiquated form, of solemnisation of matrimony, where it is said, to be commended of St. Paul, to be honourable amongst all men, and therefore not to be enterprised, nor taken in hand by any unadvisedly, leightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like bruit beasts that have no understanding; but reverendly, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. The rebound, is;  
That which ought to be only in the Argum. 8 Lord, and according to his will, our sanctification, and possessing of our vessels in holiness and honour, is expedient to be solemnised by a lawful Minister: But marriage ought to be only in the Lord, and according to his will, our sanctification, and possessing of our vessels in holiness and honour: Therefore marriage ought to be solemnised by a lawful Minister.  
A third Scripture-rule is, That marriage Argum. 9 be without scandal, and that we may avoid that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, tragic woe, denounced by our Saviour, Matth. 18. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Woe to the world because of scandals: But by marriage-solemnity by a Minister, Greek, Latin, Popish, Reformed Churches abroad, many conscientious Brethren at home, cease to be scandalised.  
A fourth rule is, that it be, 1 Cor. 14. Argum. 10 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, done to edification: But marriage tends most to the edification of the parties contracted, & of the spectators, when it is solemnised by a Minister, who is commissioned from Heaven to endoctrinate them, concerning the institution, nature, use, and ends of marriage; and, after exhortation to mutual duties, is impoured to confer a blessing.  
A fifth, that it be in subordination and Argum. 11 
Facit mos iste ad matrimonii dignitatem, & novos conjuges omni prouâ suspicione liber at, nè scortorum instar cohabitare putentur. Bucan.  obedience unto God, who, 1 Cor. 14. 33. is not the author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of confusion, but peace, as in all Churches of the Saints: But the author of peace, to avoid confusion, hath established matrimonial solemnity by Ministers, in all Churches of the Saints; and if any one seem to be contentious in opposing it, 1 Cor. 11. 16. our British Church may answer them in the Apostles Dialect, (after fifteen hundred years' prescription) We have no such custom, neither the Churches of God.  
A sixth, that it be, 1 Cor. 14. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, decently, and in order: Argum. 12 But it is most decent, that marriage be solemnised in the Assembly of Believers; most orderly, that from consent of parties and parents, as men, they should proceed to approbation of Magistrates, and political Laws, as civilised men; from thence, to the Church's complacency, and Ministerial instruction and benediction, as they are Christian men: And this is the Herculean pillar, beyond which, nè plus ultra, is no further progress; and if we make a halt before, Marriage is abortive, and born before its time.  
Now to sound a retreat, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, gather my Forces to within their Trenches: The Law of Nations, Greek, Roman, Jewish; Prescription of the Church, Eastern, Western; Deductions from Scripture, whether taken from the Author, God, or the end and use of Marriage, Issue, Fidelity, and the sacred Mystery; or the Rules prescribed for Marriage, that it be sanctified by the Word, and by Prayer, that it be in the Lord, that it be without scandal, that it be for edification, that it be in obedience unto God, who is not the Author of confusion, but peace; that it be done decently and in order: All of them single respectively, and all of them joined composedly, conclude, the expediency of Marriage to be solemnised by a lawful Minister, in the Church, or public Assembly.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
FINIS.