A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 4 · Sermon 38
THE ARKE UNDER THE CURTAINES. A Sermon preached in Oxford at the Act, July 12. Anno 1613. THE XXXVIII. SERMON.
2 SAM. 7.2.
The King ſaid unto Nathan the Prophet, See now, I dwell in an houſe of Cedar, but the Arke of the Lord dwelleth within curtaines.
Right Worſhipfull, &c.
WEe reade of ſmall or no raine that falls at any time on divers parts of Africa; and the cauſe is ſuppoſed to bee the ſandy nature of the ſoyle, from whence the Sun can draw no vapours or exhalations, which aſcending from other parts in great abundance, reſolve themſelves into kinde ſhowres refreſhing the earth: This, beloved, is the true reaſon why God powreth not down his benefits in ſuch plentifull manner as he was wont upon us, becauſe our hearts, like the dry and barren ſands of Africa, ſend up no vapours of divine meditations, melting into teares, no exhalation or breath of praiſe or thankſgiving backe to heaven. Undoubtedly, if wee were thankfull to God for his benefits, hee would be alwayes beneficiall to us for our thankfulneſſe, and account himſelfe indebted unto us for ſuch acknowledgement of our debt. For there is nothing that obtaineth more of him, or deſerveth better of men, than a thankfull agnition of favours received, and a preſent commemoration of benefits paſt. It is the eaſie taske and impoſition which the ſupreme Lord of all layeth upon all the goods we poſſeſſe, & bleſſings of this life, which we receive from his bountifull hands; and if we be not behind with him in this tribute of our lips, he will ſee that all creatures in heaven and earth ſhall pay their ſeverall tributes unto us: the ſun of his heat, the moon of her light, the ſtarres of their influence, the clouds of their moiſture, the ſea and rivers of their fiſh, the land of her fruits, the mynes of their treaſure, and all things living of their homage and ſervice. But if wee keep backe this duty from him, which the pooreſt may pay as well as the rich out of the treaſuries of their owne heart, no marvell if hee ſometimes make faſt the windowes of heaven, and locke up the treaſures of his bounty, to make us cry to him in our wants and neceſſities, who would not ſing to him in our wealth and proſperity. Upon this or the like conſideration good King David, as ſoone as God had given him reſt from all his enemies, thought preſently of preparing a reſting place for the Arke. Having therefore a holy purpoſe to conſecrate the ſpoyles he tooke from his enemies, to him that gave him victory over them, and to build a ſtately and magnificent Temple to the honour of the God of his ſalvation, and deſirous to receive ſome encouragement from him, to ſet to ſo noble a worke, hee calleth for Nathan the Prophet, and breaketh his minde unto him in the words whereof I have made choice for my Text: which containe in them,
1. A godly reſolution.
2. A forcible motive.
The reſolution is implyed, viz. to build God an houſe; the reaſon is expreſſed, the conſideration of his own royall palace. A reaſon drawn à diſſentaneis, I dwell in a houſe of Cedar, but the Arke of the Lord within curtaines. Is this decent or fitting, that the King ſhould bee better houſed than his maker and advancer to his royall throne? Yee would expect, that hereupon he ſhould have concluded upon building God an houſe; but hee propoſeth only the major, his owne houſe; the minor the Arke, and leaveth the Prophet to inferre the concluſion, becauſe in a matter that ſo neerly concerned the honour and ſervice of God, he would not ſeem to lead the Prophet, but rather be led by him: from whence we may gather three ſpeciall obſervations, not unworthy our moſt ſerious thoughts.
1. That in matters immediately appertaining to the ſervice of God and advancement of religion, the Prophets of God are to be called, and their advice to be asked and taken, even by Kings themſelves.
2. That it is a noble and princely worke to build Temples or Churches.
3. That we are to ſet more by the glory of God, than our own eaſe and ſafety, and rather to deſire the erecting of his houſe, than the raiſing our owne fortunes. After we have gathered theſe, there be other which will fall of themſelves from the branches of the Text as wee lightly paſſe over them.
And it came to paſſe, when the King ſate in his houſe, and the Lord had given him reſt round about from all his enemies, that the King ſaid unto Nathan, Behold now, &c. The circumſtance of time challengeth our due conſideration in the firſt place. It is not uſuall for men ſitting at eaſe and at reſt to entertaine godly motions, and reſolve upon workes of pious bounty: Otium pulvinar Satanae, reſt is oftentimes the Divels cuſhion; but here it was not ſo, but rather a chaire of ſtate for God himſelfe to reſt in. After David had been for a long time purſued by his enemies, and driven from place to place, as it were powred out of veſſell into veſſell, when he now ſtood ſtill, he ſettled not upon his lees with Moab; but breathed out theſe ſweet and heavenly meditations and vowes: Behold now I ſit at reſt, and the Arke of the Lord toſſeth and tumbleth from place to place: I lye ſafely under a ſure roofe, able to beare off wind and weather, and the Arke of God hath no better fence than a few curtaines ſpread over it: the walls of my houſe are hung with rich arraſſe, and the ſides of the Arke are covered but with skins; is it fit that it ſhould be ſo, Nathan? Speak thou on Gods behalfe, who art his Prophet: Is the Kings Cabinet more precious than the Lords Arke? Shall the King have a palace, and God have no houſe? Shall I provide a ſafer place for my records and evidences, than for the records of heaven, and the tables of the teſtimony, and the inſpired Oracles of God? This muſt not be ſo, I proteſt it ſhall not be ſo: IaPſa. 132.3, 4, 5. ſweare unto the Lord, and vow a vow unto the mighty God of Jacob, that I will not henceforth enter into the tabernacle of my houſe, nor come upon my bed: I will not ſuffer my eyes to ſleep, nor my eye-lids to ſlumber, until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Such holy vowes and religious oathes and proteſtations many of Gods children make in the depth of their miſery; but few (as here David doth) in the height of their proſperity, and the midſt of their triumphs. The zeale of moſt men lieth in their heart like fire in a flint, it muſt be ſtrucke out with ſome violence; their prayers and fervent meditations like hot ſpices are then moſt fragrant, when their hearts are bruiſed in Gods mortar, and broken with afflictions and troubles. Some ſuch thing befalleth the ſoule in proſperity, as the husbandmen obſerve in a fat ſoyle and plentifull yeere: LuxuriantbOvid. l. 1. de art. animi rebus plerunque ſecundis. Proſperity breedeth a rankneſſe in the deſires and a dangerous riot of ſinne: whereof Moſes maketh great complaint in his ſong; But cDeut. 32.15.Jeſurun waxed fat and kicked (thou art waxed fat, thou art growne thicke, thou art covered with fatneſſe) then he forſooke God that made him, and lightly eſteemed the rock of his ſalvation: and God by the ProphetdHoſ. 13.6. Hoſea, According to their paſtures ſo were they filled: they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten mee. O how great is our ingratitude? when God moſt remembreth us, we moſt forget him, drinking our fill of the rivers of his pleaſures, and never thinking of the ſpring; devouring greedily the good bleſſings of God, as Swine doe acornes upon the ground, never looking up to the tree from whence they fall. David was farre from this brutiſh vice; for as ſoone as God had deſtroyed his enemies round about him, he thought of building a magnificent Temple. When other Kings after ſo good ſucceſſe and glorious victories obtained in war would have caſt away all care or thought of Religion, at leaſt for the preſent, to give the more ſcope to their licentious deſires and luſts; David confineth himſelfe to his cloſet, there recounteth the innumerable benefits God had heaped upon him, and ſtudieth how to expreſſe his gratefulneſſe to him: in fine, he reſolveth with himſelfe to build a ſtately palace for the King of heaven, and ſendeth for the Prophet Nathan to adviſe with him about it.
The King ſaid to Nathan the Prophet. David a Prophet himſelfe conferreth with the Prophet Nathan. Saint Peter a prime Apoſtle is reproved by the Apoſtle Saint Paul. John the elder is inſtructed by an Elder. Whence we learn, That Prophets need Prophets advice, Apoſtles need Apoſtles admonitions, Elders need Elders inſtructions. As two tooles whet one the other, and two Diamonds point each the other, and two Torches mutually light one the other; ſo it pleaſeth the wiſedome of God to divide the gifts of his Spirit ſeverally among the Paſtours of the Church in different kindes and degrees, that they might be one bettered by the other. In which conſideration, among many others not leſſe important, the Founders and Benefactors of Collegiate Churches and Univerſities have built ſo many houſes for Prophets and Prophets children as you ſee, to live together, and by lectures, conferences and diſputations, to whet and ſharpen one the other. And if one ſtarre, one eminent Doctor in the Church give ſo great a light in the darke of ignorance, what a luſtre, what an ornament muſt a Colledge of ſuch Doctors, an Univerſity of ſuch Colledges, as it were a conjunction of many ſtarres, or rather a heaven of many ſuch conjunctions and conſtellations uniting their light be? If one aromaticall tree ſend forth ſuch a ſavour of life, as we ſmell in every particular congregation, what ſhall we judge of a grove of ſuch trees? ſurely it can be no other than the Paradiſe of God upon earth. But becauſe David is not here ſtiled the Prophet, but the King (The King ſaid to Nathan the Prophet,) I rather gather from theſe words the great honour which Nathan the Prophet received from David the King, than the direction or advice that David the King received from Nathan the Prophet.
The King ſaid. Though Kings areeBilſ ſuprem. p. 1. ſupreme Commanders for the truth, yet they are not the ſupreme or ſole directers unto truth: for in ſcruples of conſcience and perplexed controverſies of Religion, they are to require the law from the mouth of the Prieſt, to aske counſell of the Prophets, and generally in all matters appertaining to God to heare the Miniſters of God declaring to them the will of God out of his Word: Symmachus was bold to tell Anaſtaſius the Emperour, that as Biſhops owe ſubjection to Gods Sword in Princes hands, ſo Princes owe obedience to Gods Word in Biſhops mouthes;fCauſab. de lib. eccleſ. Defer Deo in nobis, nos deferemus Deo in te, O Emperour, heare God ſpeaking by us, and wee will feare God ruling by thee. The ſame God, who hath put a materiall ſword in thy hands, to ſmite malefactors in their body, hath put a ſpirituall ſword in our mouth, to ſlay ſinne in the ſoule. The Magiſtrate is the hand of God, but the Preacher is his mouth. And for this cauſe all wiſe and religious Kings have given them their eares, and taken ſome of them into their boſome, as David doth here Nathan, to receive inſtruction and direction from them how to ſway the royall ſcepter within the walls of the Church.
Let it not ſeeme burthenſome unto you, my deareſt brethren, upon ſo juſt occaſion as is offered mee in my Text, to ſpeake ſomewhat of the honour of that calling which calleth you all to God. From whoſe mouth doe ye heare the glad tidings of ſalvation? From whoſe hands doe ye receive the ſeales of grace? Who have the overſight and charge of your ſoules? Who are the meanes under God to reconcile God unto you by their prayers, and bring you unto God by their powerfull miniſterie, but your faithfull and painfull Paſtours, who in performing theſe holy duties of their calling, are termedgProſp. de vit. contem. l. 1. c 25. Hiſunt Miniſtri verbi, Adjutores Dei, Oracula Sp. S. coadjutores Dei, as it were fellow-labourers with God? Per iſtos Deus placatur populo, per iſtos populus inſtruitur Deo. All other lawfull callings are from God, but this was the calling of God himſelfe: other offices he appointed, this he executed: others he commends, this he diſcharged. When he tooke our fleſh upon him, and lived upon earth, he would not be made a King, nor ſit as a Judge upon a Niſi prius of inheritance; yet performed he the office of a Preacher through his whole life, and of a Prieſt at his death; offering himſelfe by the eternall Spirit upon the high Altar of the Croſſe, where he was bothhConfeſ. l. 10. c. 42. Pro nobis tibi Victor & Victima, & ideo Victor quia Victima: pro nobis tibi Sacerdos & Sacrificium, & ideò Sacerdos quia Sacrificium; faciens tibi nos de ſervis filios. Victor and Victima, & ideo Victor quia Victima, as St. Auſtine playeth ſweetly in a rhetoricall key. May the civill Magiſtrates glorie in this, that God calleth them gods? and may not they that ſerve at Chriſts Altar take as great comfort, in that God himſelfe calleth his Sonne a Prieſt, ſaying,iPſal. 110.4. Thou art a Prieſt for ever? Wherefore, if the glorious titles wherewith God himſelfe graceth the Miniſterie, of Stewards of his houſe, Diſpencers of his myſteries, Lights of the world, Angels of the Church: if the noble preſidents in Scripture of Melchizedek King and Prieſt, David King and Prophet, Solomon King and Preacher, ſuffice not to redeeme the ſacred order from the ſcandall of profane men, and contempt of the world; yet, methinkes, ſith the Son of God, and King of glorie hath taken upon him the office, and executed the function of a Prieſt, all men ſhould entertaine a reverend opinion of the Prieſthood of the Goſpel, and not to uſe the word Prieſt as a reproach to man, which was one of the three dignities of God himſelfe, much leſſe ſeeke to diſgrace their perſons, who are Gods Inſtruments to conveigh grace into their ſoules. What ſhall I ſay more? Nay, what can I ſay leſſe? He that honoureth not the name of Chriſt, which ſignifiethkLuke 4.18. Annointed to preach the Goſpel, is no Chriſtian: he that conceiveth baſely, or ſpeaketh contumeliouſly of the ſacred order of Prieſts, is worſe than an Infidell. For the heathenlCa ſar. Com. de bello Gal. French and Engliſh, in Julius Caeſars time, placed their Prieſts, which they called Druides, above their Gentrie, yea, and moſt of the Nobilitie; appointing the chiefe of them to beare on his breaſt the Image of Truth, engraven in a rich Jewell. ThemBodin. de repub. l. 3. c. 8. Turkes, Moores, and Arabians, have their Prieſts, which they call Mophtae, in higheſt eſtimation, and devolve the moſt important matters of State, and doubts of their law, to their definitive ſentence and order. The Syrians adorne their Prieſts with anPhiloſt. de vit. Apo. T… …n…. 2. Crowne of gold: the Brachmans with a Scepter of gold, and Mitre beſet with precious ſtones. The Romans ſtiled their chiefe Flamen, Regem ſacrorum; adoring that name in their Prieſts which they abhorred in their Princes and Conſuls. Laſtly, the Egyptians, Athenians, oStrab. geog. l. 7. Joſ…ph. l. 14. c. 15 Sub Dion…o Archonte principe Sacerdotum. Apud quos Lycurgus Legiſlator Sacerdos erat Apollonis. Virgil. …n. 3. R…x …dem Anius, Phoebi que Sacerdos. Liv. dec. 1. Numa Sacerdos Nymphae Aegeriae. Suet. in Aug. & Tit. Ovid. …aſt. l. 3. Caeſaris innumeris quos maluit ille merei, Acceſſit titulis Pontificalis honos.Lacedaemonians, and almoſt all the Heathen, who either had Kingly Prieſts, or ſacrificing Kings, ſhall condemne ſuch Chriſtians at the day of Chriſt: then they ſhall ſee of that calling which ſeemed ſo vile, darke, and obſcure in their eyes, ſome gliſtering as Pearles in the gates, others ſparkling as Diamonds in the foundation, and no ſmall number ſhining as Starres in the arch of the heavenly Jeruſalem, and amidſt them the Sunne of righteouſneſſe Chriſt Jeſus, exerciſing his royall Prieſthood, and making interceſſion to his Father for all thoſe, and thoſe onelyonly, who honour his Prieſtly function here upon earth in his Miniſters, by maintaining and countenancing them; and in themſelves, by ſacrificing their deareſt affections to him.
But I liſt not to dwell on this argument, but rather with the Kingly Prophet in his houſe of Cedars.
I dwell in an houſe of Cedars. In theſe words David findeth not fault with the beautifull roofe of his Princely Palace, but the meane and vile covering of the Arke: it troubled him not that he was ſo well provided for, but that the Arke was ſo ill. Princes may dwell in houſes of Cedars, ſtately built, and richly furniſhed with all the rarities which nature or art affoords. Why were Jewels, and precious Stones, and rich metals created, but for mans uſe? And what better uſe can be made of them, than to ſhew forth the glorie of God, and the ſplendour and magnificence of his Vicegerents on earth? Certainely they were never made to maintaine the luxurie of private men, which is now growne to that exceſſe, eſpecially at Court, that the Embaſſadours of forreine Princes ſpeake as loud of it abroad, as the poore cry and wring for it at home. Where ſhall we finde a Paula, deſerving the commendation which St.qIn Epitaph. Paul. Non in marmora, ſed lapides vivos. Jerome giveth her for laying out her money, not upon marble or free-ſtone, but upon thoſe living ſtones which ſhe knew one day ſhould be turned into gemmes, and laid in the foundation of the heavenly Jeruſalem? Doth not the liberality of moſt of the wealthy of this age reſemble their heart, which is hard, cold, and ſtony? The greateſt expence they are at is in building houſes of Cedar for themſelves, by which they are better knowne, than their houſes by them. As the world, ſo the Proverb is turned upſide downe: it ſtood thus, Non domus Dominum, ſed Dominus domum: but now it is thus overturned, Non Dominus domum, ſed domus Dominum: the houſe gets no credit by the owner, but the owner, if he have any, by the houſe. Ye will thinke, when ye come into many of them, that ye are fallen into an Egyptian Temple, moſt glorious without, but within nothing to be ſeen but the picture of a Jack an Ape, or a Cat, or ſome ſuch contemptible creature as that ſuperſtitious Nation worſhipped. I ſharpen my ſtile the more againſt this abuſe of our age, becauſe it is well knowne that the ſuperfluous expence upon the Sepulchres of the dead, and the erecting of houſes of Cedars for the living, farre above, I will not ſay the wealth, but above the ranke and worth of thoſe that dwell in them, is the cauſe why the Arke of the Lord lieth yet in many places under the curtaines; nay, not ſo well, but under the open aire, without cover or roofe to keepe out raine and weather. If that which hath beene luxuriouſly caſt away in building houſes of pleaſure, and ambitiouſly, if not ſuperſtitiouſly, conſumed in erecting Statues, Obeliſques, Tombes, or Monuments for the dead, had beene employed in rearing up houſes for Prophets, and erecting Temples to the living God, the Prophets of God ſhould not need to complaine, as now they are conſtrained, againſt the men of this age, in the words of the Prophet Haggai, c. 1. ver. 4. Yee dwell in ſieled houſes, and the houſe of the Lord lieth waſte: or in the like in my text, Behold, now ye dwell in houſes of Cedars, and
The Arke of the Lord within the Curtaines. Before the Sunne riſe you ſee no light, but through miſts, and vapours, and ſhadowes on the earth: even ſo before the Sunne of righteouſneſſe Chriſt Jeſus aroſe in the Firmament of his Church, there was no light of the Goſpell to be ſeene, but through miſts and obſcure ſhadowes; ſo theſHeb. 8.5. & 10.1. Apoſtle termeth the types and figures of the old Law: among which the Tabernacle, and in it the Arke, and therein eſpecially the Tables, Rod, and Pots of Manna, ſhadowed the ſtate of the Chriſtian Church, and preſented to the eye of faith the principall meanes of ſalvation under the Goſpell, which are three:
1 The preaching of the Word, ſummarily contained in the two Tables.
2 The Sacrament of Chriſts body and bloud, figured by the Manna.
3 The exerciſe of Eccleſiaſticall diſcipline, lively ſet forth by the budding of Aarons rod.
As for Baptiſme, which is the Sacrament of entrance into the Church, the type thereof was ſet at the entrie into the Tabernacle, where ſtood a great Laver, in which thoſe that came to worſhip God, after they had put off their clothes, bathed themſelves, as we Chriſtians put off the old man, and waſh away the corruption of originall ſinne in the Font of Baptiſme, before we are admitted as members into the Chriſtian Church; whereunto three ſorts of men belong:
1 Some that are to be called.
2 Others that are already called into it.
3 Such as are called out of it into Heaven.
1 The firſt are in the ſtate of nature.
2 The ſecond in the ſtate of grace.
3 The third in the ſtate of glorie.
Anſwerable whereunto God commandeth three ſpaces or partitions to be made:
1 Atrium, the outward Court, for the people.
2 Sanctum, the holy place, for the ordinarie Prieſts.
3 Sanctum ſanctorum, the moſt holy place, for the High-Prieſt to enter once a yeere, and ſhew himſelfe to God for the people.
Which are ſimilitudes of true things. For as by the outward Court the Prieſt went into the holy place, and from the holy place into the moſt holy; ſo from the ſtate of nature the children of God are brought into the ſtate of grace, and from the ſtate of grace into the ſtate of glorie. If any queſtion theſe myſticall expoſitions, for the firſt I referre them to St.tApoc. 11.2. John, who ſaith expreſſely, that the Court was given to the Gentiles, and was not therefore to be mete with a golden reed: for the ſecond, to St.u1 Pet. 2.9. Peter, who calleth all Chriſtians Prieſts, for whom the holy place was appointed: for the third to St.*Heb. 9.24. Paul, who openeth the vaile of that figure, and ſheweth how Chriſt our High-Prieſt, after his death, entered into the holy of holies, and there appeared before God for us. To theſe obſervations of the Tabernacle may be added many the like reſemblances betweene the Arke and the Church. In the fore-front of the Tabernacle there was the Altar of burnt-offerings, and a place of refuge for malefactors, who, if they could take hold of the hornes of the Altar, were ſafe. Chriſts Croſſe is this Altar, the hornes whereof whoſoever take hold by faith, be they never ſo great malefactors, eſcape Gods vengeance. In the Sanctuarie was the mercy ſeat, towards which the Cherubims faces looked, to teach us, that the Angels ofx1 Pet. 1.12. heaven deſire to looke into the myſteries of the Goſpell. The dimenſions of the Arke were ſmall, and the limits of the militant Church in compariſon of the malignant are narrow. The outſide of the Arke was covered with skins, but the inſide was overlaid with gold: in like manner, the Church hath for the moſt part no great outward appearance, pompe, or ſplendour; but yet is alwayes moſtyPſal. 45 13. glorious within. The arke when it was taken by the Philiſtims conquered Dagon, and caſt him downe on his face: even ſo the Church of Chriſt, when ſhee is in captivitie and greateſt weakeneſſe in the eye of the world, getteth the better of her enemies; and is ſo farre from being diminiſhed by perſecution, that ſhe is rather encreaſed by it. For the aſhes of Martyrs in this exceed the aſhes of the Phoenix; out of her aſhes riſeth but one Phoenix, but out of the aſhes of one Martyr many hundreds. The Arke at the firſt was carried on the ſhoulders of the Levites, but in later times was put in az2 Sam. 6.6. Cart, and drawne by beaſts, who ſhooke it, and were like quite to have overturned it. I need not make the Antapodoſis, ye ſhall find it in the Writers of the Eccleſiaſticall ſtorie: at the firſt the Church was governed for neere ſixe hundred yeeres by worthy Prelates and Paſtours; but afterwards, eſpecially in ſome parts, by ſuch as deſerved rather the name of beaſts than men, and ſome of them of monſters than beaſts. The arke removed ſtill from place to place,aSee Spec. Pontif. Plat. om…h. & M…gaeburg till Solomon brought it with joy and triumph into the Temple which he had built for it: even ſo the militant Church is tumbled and toſſed from one countrey to another, and ſhall finde no reſting place till the true Solomon Chriſt Jeſus carry her in triumph into the Temple which hee hath built for her in heaven; meane while ſhe ſtill remaineth under the Curtaines.
Under the Curtaines. The Curtaines under which the Arke remained (ſaith an ancient Father) prefigured the Biſhops and Governours of the Church, who are ſet in high and eminent places above their brethren, as the Curtaines made of Camels haire and badgers skins were ſpread over the Arke to cover it, and ſave the precious ſtuffe within it from wet and ſoyling. Which interpretation if we allow, certainely they who live in Colledges and private Cures, under the governement of Biſhops and Prelates, have no cauſe to envie at their eminent dignity, but all reaſon to pray for their ſafety. For if any ſtorme of perſecution ariſe and beat upon the Church, the curtaines that are uppermoſt muſt beare it off: and while they hold out, the inferiour Clergy, who reſemble the inward linings of blew ſilke, are ſafe. There are many fruits that are ſet in ſunny places to ripen them, but as good are ſcorched and dryed up with the heat of the Sunne beames, which would have thrived in the ſhade. As the corall branch is freſh and greene under the water, but as ſoone as it appeareth above it turneth red, according to the motto of the Poets embleme: —nunc rubeo, ante virebam. ſo have wee ſeen many that proſpered under the government of others, and flouriſhed as it were in the ſhade, who after they came into the Sun, that is, into the eye of the world, being advanced to great dignities and preferments, have turned red with the corall, bluſhed with ſhame enough, having too narrow mindes for ſuch ample dignities and eſtates.
Thus I might enlarge and ſpread my meditations to the full length of the curtaines in my Text; but becauſe I ſee the time will out-ſtrip mee, if I make not the more haſte, and becauſe I ſee many compoſing themſelves to their reſt, and ſome faſt already, I will begin to draw the curtaines, and ſhut up all that hath beene delivered with a briefe application to our ſelves.
Behold now I dwell in an houſe of Cedars, and the Arke of the Lord within the curtaines. If ever God affected any King above others, David was he, a man after Gods owne heart. If ever David affected any worke above others, it was the building of Gods Houſe, which he ſolemnlyaPſal. 132.2. vowed, and largely contributed of hisb1 Chron. 29. owne to it, as we may reade in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. Yet David, who dedicated himſelfe wholly to God, was not permitted to dedicate a Temple unto him. David, whoſe heart ſo boyled with the zeale of Gods houſe, that it conſumed away in ſighes and teares, and theſe and the like meditations and exclamations: Whom have I in heaven, but thee, O Lord? and, O how amiable are thy dwellings, thou Lord of hoſts? My ſoule is athirſt for God, even for the living God. When ſhall I come and appeare in the preſence of God? David, whoſe ambition was to be a doore keeper in the houſe of God, and his greateſt envie againſt the birds that built upon Gods Altars, where he deſired to repoſe his ſoule, yet could not obtaine the honour to begin, much leſſe to finiſh the holy worke of building the Temple. What may wee conceive to bee the reaſon hereof? God forbad him. Why did God forbid ſo good a King to undertake ſo good a worke? God himſelfe yeeldeth a reaſon, Becauſe his hand had ſhed much bloud. Yet it may be truly alledged in Davids defence, that his warres were juſt, and that it was his infelicity, not his fault, that his ſword had bin ſo often drawne againſt his enemies. Howſoever, becauſe hee had embrued his hands in bloud, God would not ſuffer him to lay a ſtone in the foundation of the Temple, to teach us, that the foundation of the Church is not to be laid in bloud. Speares and Swords are not fit to build withall, Phyfes and Drummes are no proper inſtruments to ſound out the Goſpel of peace. Religion is ſuch a profeſſed friend to peace, and a ſworne enemy to bloudy warres, that ſhee ſuffereth not willingly a ſword to be drawne in her owne defence: How then doth ſhe make her part good againſt her mortal enemies & cruell perſecuters? not by the Sword, but by the Word; not bycLactan. divin. inſtit. l. 5. c. 20. Non occidendo, ſed moriendo, non ſaevitiâ, ſed patientià, non ſcelere, ſed fide; nam ſi ſanguine, ſi tormentis, ſi malo religionem defendere velis, non defendetur illa, ſed polluetur, violence, but by patience; not by reſiſting, but by ſubmitting; not by killing, but by dying. The beſt armour of a Chriſtian is his proofe of patience, and his only lawfull weapons againſt his lawfull Soveraign are prayers & teares, wherewith S. Ambroſe fought againſt the Arrian Emperor: Rogamus, Auguſte, non pugnamus, we fall down before thee, O Emperor, we riſe not up againſt thee; we beſet thee with petitions, not with armes. And when the Emperor commanded him peremptorily to give up a Church to the Arrians, hee uſeth no other violence in withſtanding the command of the Hereticall Prince, than of paſſionate affection; no troupes, but tropes: I can ſorrow, ſaith he, I can ſigh, I can weep, theſe are my weapons, by other means I neither may nor can make reſiſtance: If you ſeeke for my goods, take them: if you deſire my life, I lay it at your feet, I will not ſtand upon my guard, I will not flye to Sanctuary to ſave my life, I will moſt gladly be ſacrified for the Altars of my God, if it ſo pleaſe you, upon them. This was the ancient carriage of Chriſtian ſubjects towards their Soveraigne, though infected with hereſie, & enraged againſt the true profeſſours, not to take armes againſt them, but to lift up their hands to heaven for them; not to conteſt, but to obteſt; not to attempt any thing againſt them, but cedendo vincere, to conquer them by yeelding. But the Generall of the Romane military forces hath quite altered the ancient diſcipline, by turning prayers into threats, ſupplications into excommunications, cries into alarums, teares into bullets, and words into ſwords: and which is to be bewailed with bloudy teares, the Garland of red Roſes (as Saint Cyprian ſweetly termeth the Crowne of Martyrdome) is put upon their heads, not who dye for the faith, but who kill; not who ſhed their owne bloud, but who draw the bloud not of Infidels, but of Chriſtians; not of private perſons, but publike; not of ſubjects, but of Soveraignes. The deteſtable oration of Pius made in the Conclave upon the news of the murder of the French King, and the damnable Legend of Jaques Clement ſhould not have moved me to have laid ſo fowle an aſperſion upon any Romiſh Prieſts or Jeſuites, if I had not ſeen with my eyes at Paris the names of Old corne & Garnet executed for the Powder Treaſon, inſerted into their Catalogue of Martyrs; and heard alſo of certaine Engliſh Prieſts ſharply cenſured for offering to pray for their ſoules, becauſe thereby they made ſcruple of their crowne of Martyrdome, which (according to their doctrine) diſchargeth all that are called unto it from Purgatory flames, and giveth them preſent entrance into heaven. O bleſſed Jeſu, are theſe of thy company? didſt thou make ſuch a profeſſion before Pontius Pilate? didſt thou teach thy Diſciples to ſave mens ſoules by murdering their bodies, to plant Religion, and found thy Church by blowing up Parliaments? are theſe of thy ſpirit that call not downe fire from heaven, but rather call it up from hell, to conſume a whole Kingdome with a blaze, and offer it up as a Holocauſt to the Molock at Rome? No dBoſquier. in Evang. Domin.fiſh will be caught in a bloudy net: if they ſee but a drop ſpilt upon it, they will ſwimme another way. Therefore let all the fiſhers of men, that caſt the net of the Goſpel into the ſea of the world to take up ſoules, looke henceforward that they bloud not their net with cruell perſecutions and ſlaughter of Gods ſervants. In the building of the materiall Temple there was heard no noiſe of any iron toole, to ſhew, that in ſtirres and broyles there is no building of Gods houſe. As King-fiſhers breed in a calme ſea, ſo the Church exceedingly multiplyeth in the dayes of peace, which long may we enjoy under our Solomon, who deſerveth as well the title of Preſerver of the Peace, as Defender of the Faith of the Church. For what doth he not, to take up quarrels, and compoſe differences in all reformed Churches? wherein God hath ſo bleſſed his zealous endeavours, that as he hath hindred the growth of much cockle ſowne by Vorſtius and Bertius in the Low-countries, ſo hee hath cleane cut off two heads of controverſies lately ariſing one in the place of the other in France, the former concerning the imputation of Chriſts active obedience; the latter concerning his immunity from the Law. As for his love to his Nathans, and infinite deſire of repairing the Temple, I cannot ſpeake more than you all conceive. What then is the cauſe that ſo good a worke goeth on ſo ſlowly? How commeth it to paſſe, that in ſo many places of this Land the Spouſe of Chriſt lieth ſick of a conſumption, crying pitifully, Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples: for I faint, I ſwoune, I dye? Whoſe fault is it, that many hundreds of ſoules, for whom Chriſt ſhed his precious bloud, are like to famiſh & periſh for the want of the bread of life, and there is none to breake it unto them? It ſeemeth ſtrange to mee, that in France and other countries, where the poore flocke of Chriſt Jeſus is miſerably fleeced and fleaed by the Romiſh Clergy, yet they finde meanes to maintaine a Preacher in every congregation, and that in divers places of this Kingdome, where neither the wild Bore of the forreſt digges at the roote of ou… Vine, nor the wild Beaſt of the field browſeth upon the branches thereof, there ſhould not be ſufficient allowance no not for an inſufficient Curate. Elie's zeale was none of the hotteſt, yet he made no reckoning of his private loſſe in compariſon of the publike: when he heard the meſſenger relate the fl…ght of Iſrael, and the death of his two ſonnes, Hophni and Phineas, he was mentis compos, and fate quietly in his chaire: but as ſoone as mention was made of the taking of the Arke, hee preſently fell downe backward, and gave up the Ghoſt. Deare Chriſtians, many living Temples of the Holy Ghoſt have bin lately ſurpriſed by Papiſts, & yet no man taketh it to heart. The Jewes, as Joſephus reporteth in the ſiege of Jeruſalem, though they were conſtrained themſelves to eate Mice, Rats, and worſe Vermine, yet alwaies brought faire and fat beaſts to the Temple for ſacrifices. And Livie teſtifieth, that when the Tribunes complained of want of gold in the treaſury to offer to Apollo, the Mations of Rome plucked off their chaines, bracelets, and rings, and freely offered them to the Prieſts, to ſupply that defect in the ſervice of their gods. I pray God theſe Painims and Infidels be not brought in at the day of Judgement to condemne many of our great profeſſours, who care not how the Temple falls to decay, ſo their houſes ſtand; have no regard how God is ſerved, ſo they bee well attended; take no thought though the Arke be under the curtaines, ſo they be under a rich canopy, or at leaſt a ſure roofe: who are ſo farre from offering to God things before abuſed to pride and luxury, that they abuſe to pride and luxury things by their religious anceſtors offered unto God: who with Zeba and Zalmunna having taken the houſes of God into their poſſeſsion, lay out the price of bloud, the price of ſoules upon riotous feaſting, gorgeous apparrell, vaine ſhewes, Hawkes, Hounds, and worſe. What ſinne may be compared to this, that turneth thoſe things to maintaine ſinne, that ſhould convert many unto righteouſneſſe? How is it poſſible that they ſhould eſcape Gods vengeance, who nouriſh pride with ſacriledge, maintaine luxury with murder, not of bodies, but of ſoules, whom they and their heires ſtarve, by keeping back the Miniſters maintenance, who ſhould feed them with the bread of life? What boldneſſe is it? nay, what preſumption? what contempt of divine majeſty? what abominable profaneneſſe and impiety to breake open the doores of the Tabernacle, and rifle the Arke of the Covenant, and rob God himſelfe? No marvell therefore if hee have ſhewed extraordinary judgements upon ſuch felons, as he did upon Achan, who payed deare for his Babyloniſh raiment: for it coſt him all his goods, and hiseJudg. 7.25. And all Iſrael ſtoned him with ſtones, & burned him with fire after they had ſtoned him with ſtones. life too, and the life of his ſonnes and daughters, and his oxen, and his aſſes, and his ſheep, and his tent, and all that he had. As he did upon Belſhazzar, who as hee held the plate of the Temple in his hand, quaffing andfDan. 5.5, 25. carowſing, ſaw a handwriting on the wall before him; Mene, Tekel, Upharſin: Mene, God hath numbred thy Kingdome, and finiſhed it: Tekel, Thou art weighed in the ballance, and art found wanting: Peres, Thy Kingdome is divided, and given to the Medes and Perſians. As he did upongAct. 5.3, 5, 10. Ananias and Sapphira, who were ſtrucke with ſudden death for ſaving but part of that for themſelves, which they had before conſecrated to God. As he did upon Pyrrhus his ſouldiers,hLact. l. 2. divin. inſtit. c. 8. Praefectus Antonu Turullus, cum apud Coas everſo Aeſculapit luco claſſem feciſſet, eodem loco à militibus Caeſaris interemptus eſt. who after they had robbed the Temple of Proſerpina, and ſailed away joyfully with the rich prize, were driven backe againe with a violent tempeſt, and ſuffered ſhipwracke at the ſhore in ſight of the Temple which they ſpoyled: The Mariners were all caſt away, and nothing was ſaved but the gold and ſilver which they ſtole out of the Temple. As hee did upon Herods ſervants, who entring into the Temple of Jeruſalem, and opening the ſepulchre of David, to filch away the great maſſe of treaſure that was laid up there, were all burnt with a fire that ſuddenly brake out of the cheſt or coffin in which the Kings bones were encloſed. As he did uponiD. Andrewes conc. ad Cler. Laqueos monſtro vel in ipsâ gentium hiſtoriâ Cambyſen, qui ſacrum Hamonis ſibi exitio fuiſſe ſentit Brennum, qui Delphicum, Craſſum, qui Hieroſolomitanum, &c. Leo Copronimus, who entering into a Church endowed by Conſtantine the great with a precious crowne of gold beſet with Carbuncles, had no ſooner taken the crowne out of the place, and put it upon his ſacrilegious head, but there aroſe a Carbuncle in his temples, of which hee dyed, as the Hiſtorians of that age report; verifying the Proverbe of Syracides, Quo quis peccat, eo punietur: a Carbuncle was his ſinne, and a Carbuncle was his end: Capus ſacrilegio pollutum Carbunculo aduritur.
To make towards the ſhore, and leaving this ſalt diſcourſe, to give you a taſte of ſweet water in the haven. As I have made it good unto you by many arguments and inſtances, that nothing is worſe taken than by ſacriledge from God, ſo nothing is better given than by pious bounty unto God. Obed-Edom found it in his houſe, the widow of Sarepta in her cruce, the Samaritane in her childe, David in his race, and Mary Magdalen in her ſoule. And here that obſervation ofkNat. hiſt. l. 1. Multa in pretio habita ſunt, tantummodo quod templis dicata. Pliny taketh place; Many things have been highly eſteemed onelyonly for this reaſon, becauſe they have been dedicated to Gods ſervice. The giving of any thing to God addeth worth to the gift. We offer things to great perſonages, becauſe they are rare and precious; on the contrary, things are precious and ſacred, becauſe they are given to God: not onelyonly the giver, but the gift alſo gaineth by being given unto God. The cruce that miniſtred nouriſhment to the Prophet, became an everlaſting ſpring of oyle: the water that cleanſed the ſacrifices after the Angel troubled it, received a medicinall vertue to cure all diſeaſes: the Manna that was kept in a golden pot in the Arke never corrupted: the boxe of oyntment which Mary brake upon our Saviours head, yeeldeth yet a fragrant ſmell in the Church.lPlin. nat. hiſt l. 12. c. 14. Cum Leonidas diceret Alexandro iſto modo cùm deviceris thuriferas gentes ſupplicato, ille Arabiâ potitus thure onuſtam navem miſit ei, ex hortatus ut largè deos adoraret. Alexander the Great, by burning frankincenſe frankly and liberally in the ſervice of God, gained by conqueſt the Kingdome of Arabia, where all ſweet trees grow. Davids vow of building God an houſe, and deſire to performe it, though he accompliſhed not his deſire, yet ſo endeared him to God, that he and his ſons after him to many generations fared the better for it. How much more ſhall the performance of ſo noble a worke obtaine of God the performance of his gracious promiſe, to build their houſes, and eſtabliſh their private eſtates, who out of love of his ordinance, and zeale of his worſhip contribute liberally to the maintenance of his ſervice, and beautifying of his Sanctuary? Who would not willingly fill his hand to God, who filleth all things living with plenteouſneſſe? Who would not willingly by pious bounty bind the Lord of the whole world in an obligation to him, who is ſo good a pay-maſter, that hee will make allowance for a cup of cold mMat. 10.42.water given to a Prophet, and keep a regiſter of two mites that are caſt into his treaſury?
Howbeit I muſt enforme you from the Apoſtle, that God dwelleth not in nActs 17.24.Temples made with hands, but in the hearts and mindes of the faithfull, who (as living ſtones) being built upon the corner-ſtone Chriſt Jeſus by faith, and coupled faſt together by unity and Chriſtian charity, riſe up by elevated deſires and affections to a holy and ſpirituall temple of the living God; and this ſpirituall and inward temple farre ſurpaſſeth in the beauty of holineſſe the outward or materiall. For that is holy only by denomination and relation, this by inheſion and infuſion of the graces of ſanctification: that is adorned with lights and tapers, this with the Word of God: that with rich veſtments and ornaments, this with heavenly habits and divine vertues: that when it is once built needs only to be repaired, and when it is ſufficiently repaired, needs no more coſt or labour to bee beſtowed upon it for a good ſpace; this needeth continually to be built, repaired, enlarged and adorned: for to build it in the ignorant, to repaire it in the relapſed, to enlarge it in the proficient, and beautifie and adorne it in thoſe that are perfect, is the end of our miſſion, and tenour of our commiſſion, and in a word, the whole duty of the man of God. Wherefore, I beſeech you (beloved brethren) ſuffer your ſelves to be hewne and fitted for this building, and ſet in order by the line of Gods Word. Now, that ſtones orderly ſet may make a ſure building, three things are requiſite:
1. Ut inhaereant fundamento.
2. Cohaereant inter ſe.
3. Adhaereant tecto.
Firſt, that they be built upon a firme foundation.
Secondly, that they ſticke and hold faſt together.
Thirdly, that they joyne unto, and bear up the roofe.
Firſt, you muſt be built and lye upon a ſure foundation: no other ſure o1 Cor. 3.11.foundation can be laid, than that which is already laid, even Chriſt Jeſus; cleave faſt to him, relye only upon him, build upon his Goſpel for your inſtruction, his grace for your converſion, his bloud for your redemption, his prayer for your interceſſion.
Secondly, Cohaerete invicem, ſticke faſt together, bee firmly united in Chriſtian charity, keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Unities ſevered or divided make no number, letters divided make no ſyllable, ſyllables divided make no word, words divided make no ſpeech, members divided make no body, ſtones divided make no wall. The Ark of the Church is like the ſhip in controverſie of law, in which two owners claimed right, of which it was ſaid,pEraſ. Adag. Si dividas, perdis, if you cut it in two parts to ſatisfie both parties, you deſtroy the whole.
Thirdly, Adhaerete tecto, be pinned faſt unto, and ſupport the roofe. What is the roofe, but the higherqRom. 13.1. powers ordained of God? As the roofe muſt beare off ſtormes from the walls, ſo the walls muſt beare up the roofe; if the roofe decay, the walls will ſoone feele it. The Athenians in their greateſt dangers were wontrEraſ. chil. foreign, to caſt out the great ancher, which they called the holy ancher: the chiefeſt Pilots and Stereſmen in our State diſcover ſo great dangers, that they command the holy ancher to be caſt out; and if this ancher faſten not on your golden ſands, the great veſſell, in whoſe bottome lyeth not only the ſafety of the Prince, the honour of the Kingdome, but the ſtate of ſincere Religion throughout the Chriſtian world, is in perill of drowning; and if the great veſſell miſcarry, what will become of the skiphs of every ones private eſtate?
Yee have heard (beloved Chriſtians) of the materiall Temple to be erected and kept in repaire by you that are wealthy; and the ſpirituall to bee built, repaired, and adorned in you all: yee have learned how yee (as living ſtones) are to be drawne to this building, fitted for it, and placed in it; yet when we have done what we can to build you in your moſt holy faith, and yee have helped & furthered the work what yee are able, except the ſPſal. 127.1.Lord build the houſe, their labour is but in vain that go about to build it. Wherefore let us addreſſe our praiers to God the Maſter-builder, and to Jeſus Chriſt the foundation and chiefe corner-ſtone, to build us upon himſelfe by faith, and fit us for this building by obedience, and couple and joyne us faſt by charity, that we may continue as ſolid and firme ſtones here in the earthly, and ſhine hereafter as precious ſtones in the heavenly Jeruſalem. So be it, heavenly Father, for the merits of thy Sonne, by the powerfull operation of the holy Spirit. Cui, &c.