The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 20

The Happiness of the Church · Biblical commentary 20

p. 208THE WAY HOME.

MATTH. 2. 12.

And being warned of God in a dreame, that they should not returne to Herod, they departed into their owne Countrey another way.

WHen these Wise men had presented to Christ their gifts; (which indeed he first gaue them; for the earth is his, and the fulnesse thereof: yet) he rewardes them. They emptied their Treasures of Gold, Myrrhe, and Frankincense. and he filled the treasure of their hearts with heauenly graces.

p. 209For their Gold, he returnes them pure wisedome. They were called Wise men before; but their wisedome was infernall, downewards to hell, perhaps consulting with Deuils. Now he giues them aaIam. 3. 17Jas 3:17Wisedome from aboue, pure and refined as gold.

For their Frankincense, he purgeth them of their former superstitious Idolatries, from sacrificings to Satan: and instructs them to whom frankincense is due, and all other offerings of pietie; to their Creator and Sauiour.

For their Myrrhe, he giues them Charitie, a true louelove to him, that so truely loued them; and for his sake a louelove to others. They made then a blessed exchange with Christ; when for Gold, Frankincense, Myrrhe, they receiued Wisedome, Devotion, Charitie.

Now to testifie how highly the Lord fauoured them, he speakes to them in a dreame, and reveales his mind for the safety of his Sonne; that they should not returne to Herode. And to witnesse how truely they serued the Lord, they gaue obedience. They departed into their owne countrey another way.

The whole may be distinguished into

God giues the word, the Magi doe the worke. God doth informe, and they performe. Hee instructeth, and they execute. He giues direction, they obedience. His word, informance, instruction, direction is. He warned them in a dreame, that they should not returne to Herod. Their worke, performance, pliable obedience.

They departed into their countrey another way.

In the direction or monition Informing are considerable these three circumstances:

The

Men, Wise men, Magicians.

Maner, In a dreame.

Matter, That they should not returne to Herod.

p. 210The Persons to whom God gaue this admonition, are expressely called Wise men. Some say, they were also Great men. If so, then was this reuelation

made

Potentibus.

Petentibus.

1. To great men. It is the opinion of some, that these magi were kings: & that the Euangelist in calling them wise men, gaue them a more honourable title, then if hee had called them kings. So Ludolphus sayes, that Magus was in those dayes more noble then Magnus. But wee must know, who they are that thus stile them: Fryers & Iesuites, such as can by no meanes endure the superiority of Princes. That are Derisores hominum maxime potentū. Hereon some of them hauehave mooted strange problemes able to fill whole volumes. An Sacerdotes Regibus praeferendi. Whether Priests be not aboue kings. But still the conclusion is against Princes. Some more moderate on that side hauehave confessed them not Reges, but Regulos, litle kings, petit Princes. Like those one & thirtie kings, that conspired against bbIosu. 12. 24.Josh 12:24Iosuah. Or those fifty that met at Troy. There is a kind of king in France, whom the common people call, Le Roy Dlynetot. But that these were but three in number, and kings in power, it may be painted in a popish window, is not in Catholickes bible, therefore needs not be in a Christians creed.

2. Howsoeuer these Magi were Potentes, or no, they were Petentes. Though they were great men, yet they humbly seeke the greatest of men, yea the great God, Iesus. And behold, gratiously the Lord offers himselfe to their search: according to his infallible promise, that he will be found out of al that seeke him ccLeo. in Loc.Dedit aspicientibus intellectum, qui praestitit signum: & quod fecit intelligi, fecit inquiri. So he offers himselfe to all faithful searchers. But we cannot find him we seeke, vnles he find vsus first: ddLuk. 19. 10.Luke 19:10that came to seeke & to saue that which was lost. We seeke in vaine, vnles we seeke him: & wee seeke him in vaine, p. 211vnles he find vsus. eeFulgent.Nos ad se quarendum suscitat-se ad inveniendum porrigit. He stirres vp our hearts to seeke him, & offers himselfe to be found. There was neuer faithfull hart sought the Lord Iesus, but he found him whom his ffCant. 3. 1.Song 3:1soule loued. His patience might be excercised, his fidelity tried, his desires extended, by Gods hiding himselfe for a season. In the night of obscurity, security, ignorance, he may misse him. ver. 1. Though hee enquire among the deepest Philosophers, & honestest worldlings. ver. 2. he may not find him. But. ver. 3. the watchmen wil bring him to him: yea ver. 4. Christ himselfe wil appeare in gratious mercy. He may say for a while, as the Poet of Anchises.

Quaregio Christum? quis habet locus? Illius ergo Venimus. Aenead. 6.Where is Christ! in what countrey may I find him? But the Lord Iesus will reueale himselfe: yea meete Luk. 15.Luke 15him halfe way, as the mercifull father mette his vnthrifty Sonne when he returned. Wee shall conclude with ioy: ggIoh. 1. 41. 45.John 1:41John 1:45We hauehave found the Messias: euen him of whom Moses in the Law, and the prophets did write, Iesus of Nazareth.

You heare the Persons to whom this admonition was giuen: the next Circumstance is

The Maner. In a dreame.

I might here enter into a cloudy and confused discourse of Dreames, till I brought you all asleepe. But I louelove not to fetch any bowtes, when there is a neerer way. Herein I may say with Augustine. hhAd Evodium. ep. 100. & de Ciuit. Dei. cap. 20.I would to God I could discerne betweene dreames.

Some are

Naturall.

Preternaturall.

Supernaturall.

1. Naturall: and such arise either from

Complexion

Affection

1. From complexion or constitution. The Sanguine hath merry dreames: the melācholy sorrowful dreames p. 212the Cholericke dreames of fire, and such turbulent thoughts: the Phlegmaticke, of raine, of flouds; and such warry obiects. And as these elementall humours do abound in a man, the dreames hauehave a stronger force, and more violent perturbation.

2. From Affection: what a man most desires, hee soonest dreames of.

Omnia quae sensu voluuntur vota diurno,Claudian. in Praef. Lib. 3.

Tempore nocturno reddit amica quies.

Venator defessa toro dum membra reponit.

Mens tamen ad siluas & sua lustra redit.

Gaudet amans furto: permutat nauit a merces:

Et vigil elapsas quarit a…arus opes.

So Augustine. iiLib. de spiritu & anima. cap. 25.S… nascitur ex studi…s praeteritis. what man desires in the day, he dreames in the night. The hunters mind is in the forrest, whiles his wearied bones are reposed on a soft bed. The souldiour dreames of batteries, assault…, encounters: the Lawyer of quirkes and demurres: the citizen of trickes and frauds: the musician of crotchers, the Seminary of equivocations. The glutted Epicure dreames of dainty dishes and fat morsells. The thirsty drunkard dreames of his licour, kkEsa. 29. 8.Isa 29:8and behold he drinketh; but awake, his thirst is not satisfied. The vsurer dreames of his trunckes, & that he is telling his gold: and starts, as if eueryevery rat were a thiefe breaking in vponupon him. The timorous dreame that they are flying before ouertaking danger. The Lustfull imagines his desired embracings. The angry that he is fighting killing, spoyling. The secure, that they are wilstling, singing, dancing. The ielous man dreames of his wiues errors, when she lyes chastly by his side. The ambitious, that he is kissing the kings hand, and mounted into the saddle of honour. The ouercharged mind dreames of his employment. kkEccl. 5. 3.Eccl 5:3For a dreame commeth through the multitude of businesse.

p. 2132. Preternaturall: and these are either Ad

Errorem

Terrorem

Whereof the first is wrought by Satan Permittente Deo God suffering it. The second by God mediante Diabolo, Satan being a mediate instrument.

1. There are Dreames for Error, wrought by the meere illusion of Satan: whom God once suffered to be a lying Spirit in the mouth of 400. Prophets. Hee working vponupon mans affections, inclinations, and humours, causeth in them such dreames, as seduce them to wickednes, and induce them to wrechednes. They write of one Amphiaraus, an Argiue Soothsayer, that by a dreame hee was brought to the Theban voyage; where Hiatu terrae absorbetur; he was swallowed vp of the earth. llGen. 40. 16.Gen 40:16So Pharaohs Baker was encouraged to hopefull error by a dreame. So was that monstrous hoste of Midian ouerthrowne by a Dreame of a mmIudg. 7. 13.Judg 7:13Barley cake, that hit a Tent, and ouerwhelmed it: which was interpreted the Sword of Gideon.

2. For Terror. Iob sayes, that Deus terret per somnia, & per visiones horrorem incuiit. God strikes terror into the hearts of the wicked by Dreames. As a Malus genius is said to appeare to Brutus the night before his death: or as the face of Hector was presented to Andromache. Polydore virgil records the dreame of that bloudy tyrāt, Richard 3. that in a dreame the night before the battaile of Bosworth field, he thought all the deuils in hell were haling and tugging him in pieces: and all those whom he had murdered, crying & shricking out vengeance against him. Though hee thinkes this was more then a dreame. Id credo non fuisse somnium, sed conscientiam seelerū He iudged it not so much a dreame, as the guiltie conscience of his own wickednes. So to Robert Winter, one of the powder-traytors, in a dreame appeared the gastly figures and distracted visages of his cheefe friends and confederates in that treason; not vnlike the very same p. 214maner, wherin they after stood on the pinnacles of the Parliament house.

3. Supernaturall; such as are sent by diuine inspiration, and must hauehave a diuine interpretation, Such were the dreames of Pharaoh expounded by Ioseph: the dreames of Nebuchadnezzar declared by Daniel. Of these were two sortes.

1. Some were mysticall: such as those two kings dreames; and Pharaohs two officers: whose exposition is onelyonly of God. So nnGen. 40. 8.Gen 40:8Ioseph answers; Are not interpretations of the Lord? So Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel. ooDan. 4. 18.Dan 4:18Thou art able, for the spirit of the holy God is in thee. The Sorcerers and Astrologers dearly acknowledged their ignorance ppDan. 2. 13.Dan 2:13with their liues. Thus Pharaoh may dreame, but it is a Ioseph that must expound it. It is one thing to hauehave a representation obiected to the fantasie: another thing to hauehave an intellectuall light giuen to vnderstand it.

2. Others are demonstratiue: when the Lord not onelyonly giues the dreame, but also withall the vnderstanding of it. Such were Daniels dreames, & these Wisemens, & Iosephs in this chapter. Wherein was a Vision & Pro uision: a vision what to doe: a prouision that no harme might come to Iesus. These dreames were most specially incident to the new Testament: when God at the very rising of the Sunne, began to expell the shadowes of darke my steries. qqAct. 2. 17.Acts 2:17And it shall come to passe in the last dayes (saith God) I will powre out of my Spirit vponupon all flesh: and your sons & your daughters shall prophecie, & your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dreame dreames. Now the Sunne is gotten vp into the midst of heauen the Gospel into the ful strength, these shadowes vanish: the more light, the lesse shadow.

So that now to expect reuelation of things by dreames were to intreat God to lend vsus a candle whiles wee hauehave the bright Sun. The superstitious Papists are s…ill full of these dreames: and find out more mysteries p. 215in their sleepe, then they can well expound waking. The Abbot of Glastenbury, when Ethelwold was Monke there, dreamt of a tree, whose branches were al couered with Monks cowles: & on the highest bough one cowle that ouertop'd all the rest: which must needs be expoūded the future greatnes of this Ethelwold. But it is most admirable, how the Dominicke Friers make shift to expoūd the dreame of Dominickes mother; which she had when she was with child of him: that she had in her wombe a wolfe with a burning torch in his mouth. Say what they will, a wolfe is a wolfe still: & that order hath euer carried a burning torch to scorch their mother, the Church. But there is no dreame of theirs with out an interpretation, without a prediction. And if the euent answere not their foretelling, they expound it after the euent. If one of them chance to dreame of a greene garden, he goes presently and makes his will. Or if another dreame that he shakes a dead friend by the hand, he is ready to call to the Sexton for a graue; takes solemne leaue of the world, and sayes hee cannot liue.

Beloued, God hath not grounded our fayth vponupon dreames nor rr2. Pet. 1. 16.2 Pet 1:16cunningly deuised fables; but on the holy Gospell, written by his seruants in bookes, and by his spirit in the tables of our hearts. They that will beleeue dreames and Traditions aboue Gods sacred word, let them heare and feare their iudgement. ss2. Thes. 2. 11.2 Thess 2:11For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should beleeue a lye. That they all might be dāned who beleeue not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes. Banish from your hearts; this superstitious follie, to repose any confidence expectant on dreames.

But if you desire to make any vse of dreames, let it be this. Consider thy selfe in thy dreaming, to what inclination▪ thou art mostly carried: and so by thy thoughts in the night, thou shalt learne to know thy self p. 216in the day. Be thy dreames lustfull? examine whether the addictions of thy heart run not after the byas of concupiscence. Be they turbulent, consider thy owne contentious disposition. Be they reuengefull, they point to thy malice. Runne they vponupon gold and riches, they argue thy couetousnesse.

Thus God may be said to teach a man by his dreames still; non quid erit, sed qualis est: not what shall be, but what he is. Not future euents, but present condition may be thus learned. Neither day nor night scapes a good man without some profite: the night teacheth him what he is, as the day what he should be. Therefore said a Philosopher, that all waking men are in one common world: but in sleepe eueryevery man goes into a world by himselfe. For his dreames doe signifie to him those secret inclinations, to which hee thought himselfe a stranger, though they were home-dwellers in his heart. Euen those fancies are speaking images of a mans disposition. And as I hauehave heard of some that talke in their dreames, and then reueale those secrets, which awake they would not hauehave disclosed. So may thy dreames tell thee when thou wakest, what kind of man thou art. The hypocrite dreames of dissimulation: the proud woman of paint and colours: the theefe of robberie and booties▪ the Iesuite of treasons. Let them aske their very sleepe, quale… sint; what manner of men they ar…. For so lightly they answere temptations actually waking, as their thoughts doe sleeping. Thus onelyonly a man may make good vse of his dreames.

Here let vsus obserue, that God doth sometimes draw men to him suis ipsorum …; by their owne delights and studies. No doubt these Magi were well acquainted with dreames: it being amongst Ethnickes and Peripatetickes a speciall obiect of diuination. Therefore there is a booke bearing the name of Aristotle; De diui…ne p…r somnium. Many …ors these men had swallowed p. 217by dreames; now behold, in a dreame they shall receiue the truth. So God called them by a Starre, whose profession was to relie too much on the Starres. ttChrysolog. hom. 6. in Math.Quare per Stellam? vt per Christum ipsa materia erroris, fieret salutis occasio. Why by a Starre? that through Iesus Christ the very matter of their error might be made a meanes of their saluation. Per … ill…s vocat, qu… famil…ria illis cons…tudo fecit. God cals them by those things, which custome had made familiar to them. They that are stung with Scorpions, must be cured by the oyle of Scorpions. Thus God allures men to him, as Fishermen …, with such baites as may bee somewhat ag…ble to them. Paul is occasioned by the uuAct. 17. 23.Acts 17:23Al… … the vnknow… God, to make knowne the true God, the … Iesus. Doth Dauid louelove the Sheepe-folds? he shall be a Shepheard still. xxPs…. 78. 71.From following the e…s great with yong, he brought him to feed Iacob his people, and Isr…ll his … ritance. Doth Peter louelove fishing? he shall goe a fishing still, though for more noble creatures; to catch soule…. Doe these Magicians louelove Starres and Dreames, behold a Starre and a Dreame shall instruct them in the truth of God. Old Is… takes occasion by the smell of his Sons garments, sauouring of the field, to pronounce a spirituall blessing. yyGen. 27. 27.Gen 27:27The smell of my Sonne is as the smell of a field, which the Lord hath blessed. Ierome notes of Amos, that he begins his Prophecie with roaring. zzAm. 1. 2.Amos 1:2The Lord shall roare from Sion. Because he being a field-man, kept the woods, where hee was wonted to the roaring of Lyons. Iudaei signa quaerunt? Doe the Iewes seeke a signe.? Why Christ will there euen among them worke his Myracles. Doth Augustine louelove eloquence? Ambrose shall catch him at a Sermon. uuRom. 8. 28.Rom 8:28All things shall worke to their good, that are good: Omnia, etiam peccata. All things, euen their very sinnes, sayth Augustin…. … in his Essayes writes, that a libidinous gentleman sporting with a Courtezan in a house of sinne, chanced to aske p. 218her name; which she sayd was Mary. Whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reuerence, that he instantly not onelyonly cast off the Harlot, but amended his whole future life.

Well-beloued, since this is Gods merciemercy, to allure vsus to him by our owne delights, let vsus yeeld our selues to be caught. What scope doth thy addiction leuell at, that is not sinfull, which Gods word doth not promise and afford? What delight can you aske, which the Sanctuarie giues not? LoueLove you hunting? learne here to hunt. aaCant. 2. 15.Song 2:15the Foxes, the little Cubbes, those craftie sins sculking in your bosomes. Would you dance? let your hearts keepe the measures of Christian ioy; and leape, like Iohn the Baptist in Elizabeths wombe, at the saluation of Iesus. Delight you in running? Paul sets you a race. bb1. Cor. 9. 24.1 Cor 9:24So runne that ye may obtaine. You shall hauehave good company. D…id promiseth, that he ccPsal. 119. 32.Ps 119:32will run the way of Gods commandements. Peter and Iohn will runne with you to Iesus. LoueLove you Musicke? Here are the Bels of Aaron still ringing; the treble of ddPsal. 101. 1.Ps 101:1MercieMercy, and the tenor of Iudgement; Leui's Lute, and Dauids Harpe. There are no such songs as the songs of Sion. Would you be merry? eePhil. 4. 4.Phil 4:4Reioyce in the Lord alwayes; and againe I say reioyce. If euer you found ioy like this ioy; ffRom. 14. 17.Rom 14:17the peace of conscience, and ioy of the holy Ghost; backe againe to the world. Louest thou daintie cheare? here be the best cates, the body and bloud of thy Sauiour, the bread of life: no hunger after it. Wilt thou drinke much. ggCant. 5. 1.Song 5:1Drinke my wine and my milke: drinke, yea drinke abundantly, O Beloued. Bib…e & …: as the originall imports; drinke, and bee drunken with loues: pledge the health that Christ begun; euen asauing health to all nations. Are you ambitious? there is no preferment like that to be had here, in the Court of the King of Kings. Dauid iudged it no little thing to bee Sonne in law to a King: but what is it then to bee a King? Desire you p. 219stately buildings? Alas, the whole world is but a Cottage, a poore transient Tabernacle, to the hhIoh. 14. 2.John 14:2Mansions promised by Christ. Lastly, are you couetous? Yet I need not aske that question, but take it as granted. Why then here is gold; more precious then that of Arabia, or of Hauilah: rust or theefe may distresse that; this is a treasure can neuer be lost. What should I say more? What can winne you? Which way soeuer your desires stands, God doth allure you. The best thinges in earth or in heauen are your baite. With these doth the Lord seeke you; not for any need that he hath of you, but for your owne saluation. When the fairest of all Beloueds doth thus wooe vsus, let him winne vsus: and espouse vsus to himselfe in grace, that wee hauehave the plenary marriage in glory. You see the Manner of their Warning.

The Matter.

That they should not returne to Herod. Why not to Herod? Because the Lord now lets them see his hypocrisie. For howsoeuer he pretended. Ver. 8. to come and worship him; yet he intended not seruire, but s…uire: not to honour him, but to murder him. He cals the Wisemen priuily, as if hee quaked at the propagation of this newes, for it came vponupon him like the pangs of death. He commands them to inquire de infante, not de rege; of the babe, not of the King; for that title galled him to the heart. That I may worship him. Dirum facinus tingit colore pietatis. It is a monstrous wickednesse, which he would die in the colours of godlinesse.

The Lord doth disappoint the purposes of Tyrants: though their Bowes bee bent, and their swords whet…ed, yet the marke shall be remoued: and they shall rather wound themselues, then their hated obiect. Though they be iiPsal. 7. 14.Ps 7:14great with child of iniquitie, and conceiue mischiefe, yet they shall bring forth but falshood. Though those Iewes p. 220had bound themselues kkAct. 23. 12.Acts 23:12vnderunder a curse, neither to eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul. Yet if they had kept their vow, they had fasted to death. Though Sennacherib purposed to swallow vp Ierusalem at a morsell; yet the Lord mocked his menaces. llEsa. 37. 33.Isa 37:33Hee shall not come into this citie, nor shoot an arrow there, nor cast a banke against it.

Herod made himselfe sure of Christ, but the Lord deceiued him againe and againe. First he stroke him with extreme sottishnes: that learning by the Wise men the birth of Christ, yet (though the matter in his thought touched his Crowne) hee sends none of his Courtiers with them vnderunder pretence of gratifying them: which might so hauehave seised on that innocent Lambe; and not worshipped, but worrey'd him. But the Lord so confounded his wits with the spirit of giddines, that the Magi goe alone. Next, now that his bloudie hopes depend vponupon their returne, behold they are sent home another way. So that mmVer. 16.he saw that he was mocked. Herod mocked the Wisemen, and God shall direct the Wisemen to mocke Herod. He pretended to adore, whom he did abhorre: and they doe eum vulp… vulpinara; beguile the Foxe: yea rather …vicula lupum fallit: the Lambe deceiues the Wolfe. Simplicitie goes beyond subtletie. A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper. Here was Herods follie, that he would not suffer the King of the whole world, to be King in Iury: that in feare of a Successor, he would kill his Sauiour. Nay further: for feare of a strange heire, he killes his owne heire. Which occasioned Augustus to say, that it was better being Herods Hogge then his heire. Here then see his crueltie: if his strength cannot take Iesus, hee will trie his cunning: and last when his cunning failes, he fals to open violence againe: sending forth men of warre. Thus when Tyrants faile in their Politicians Rhetoricke, they fall to the Carters Logicke.

You see the Informance, let vsus looke vponupon their Performance. p. 221They departed into their owne Countrey another way. All which (wanting time to prosecute the hystorie) I will applie to our selues. Their course home, shall teach vsus a course to our home: euen to heauen and glory. Wherein I desire to obserue these

Circumstances

Our selues naturally lost:

Our finding of Christ.

Our charge not to returne to Herod: But to goe to our owne Countrey; And that by another way.

1. Let it be granted, that we hauehave all wandred from the way of life. nnEsa. 53. 6.Isa 53:6All we like sheepe hauehave gone astray, wee hauehave turned eueryevery one to his owne way. I would to God, eueryevery one would sentire, feele this in particular; and not onelyonly consentire, consent to it in generall. ooMath. 9. 13.Matt 9:13I am not come to call the righteous, sayth Christ, but sinners to repentance. And Luke 15. he leaues the hypocriticall … to their owne high-conceited puritie, and seekes the lost sheepe. We may here pawse, and wonder, at our misery, at his merciemercy. Wee were so lost, that wee could neuer find him: …e is so good, that he sought and found vsus Inuenit non quaerentes, non p…rdet inue…s. He found v… not seeking him, being found he will not loose vsus. ppMath. 11. 28.Matt 11:28Come to me all that labour, and are heauie laden, and I will giuegive you rest. The proud sinner who doth not find his sinne; the careles, who doth not feele his sinne; is not called. OnelyOnly sentsentibus morbum promittitur medicina. Health is promised to those that feele their sicknes.

2. Christ cals vsus, but how shall we come? Behold he sends vsus a Starre for direction, his holy Word. qqIoh. 6. 68.John 6:68Lord to whom shall we goe? Thou hast the words of eternall life. Would you come to him that is vita, the life? You must come by him that is via, the Way. It is he Quò eundem, whether we would goe: it is he Qua eundem, by which we must goe. To his word then let vsus come with an honest heart: not to sleepe, not to carpe, not to gaze: p. 222but to obserue attentiuely, to remember faithfully, and to practise obediently, what is there taught vsus. Neither must God onelyonly for his part afford vsus a Starre for guidance; but we must also for our part bring feete to walke to him. These are three.

1. Contrition▪ a heart truely sorrowfull for our former iniquities. He that is cast downe by repentance, shall be raised vp with ioy. It is not possible to walke to God without this foote. Hee that goes to heauen, must wash his steps with teares. And hee that hath this foote, shall make large paces to glory. Though he hath long lingred, he will now hast: as the malefactor stept by this foote from the Crosse to Paradise.

2. Faith. Sorrow may cast downe too fast, too far. Though the head hauehave leaue to ake, yet let not the hand of faith be wanting to hold it. Though the eye be blubbred with teares, yet must it looke through all that water to the cleare Sunne, Iesus Christ. When the Law hath done the office in making thy sinne manifest; thanke it, and take thy leaue of it: as thou wouldest doe of a friend that hath done thee a good turne, but now growes troublesome. Put Moses behind thee, sayth Luther: and fixe thine eyes vponupon Christ; that rrIoh. 1. 29.John 1:29Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world. Without this foot thou shalt step short of comfort. Faith must bring thee to the fountaine of that ss1. Ioh. 1. 7.1 John 1:7Bloud, which shall wash away all thy sinnes.

3. Obedience: this foote must be continually vsed: all the dayes of thy life must thou trauell in the wayes of God with this foote. It knowes and keeps Celeritie, Integritie, Constancie.

Celeritie. ttPsal. 119. 32.Ps 119:32I will runne the way of thy commandements. It makes hast, knowing that God will not bee pleased with halting obedience: or with that zeale, that onelyonly goes a Parliament-pace. The Creeple was carried to the Temple: God loues not such limping zeale, that is p. 223Act. 3.Acts 3carried to Church on two Crutches, Law & Custome: but that which with Peter and Iohn, runs to the place where Christ is. But it is God, that aaPsal. 18. 33.Ps 18:33maketh our feete like the feete of hindes.

Integritie: it turnes not to the right hand, nor to the left, but goes straight on: bbHeb. 12. 18.Heb 12:18running with patience the race that is set before it. Therefore sayth the Apostle. ccver. 13.Make straight paths for your feete, least that which is lame be turned out of the way: for all false wayes the Lord doth vtterly abhorre. ddPsal. 12. ….Ps 12The wicked walke on eueryevery side: they hauehave circular goings, on eueryevery side of the truth, but the true way they cannot find. But Integritie is not so light heeld, to skip out of the way of righteousnes, at eueryevery dog that reproachfully barkes at it, nor at eueryevery Siren that temptingly would call it aside. The Deuill, with all his force of terror or error cannot seduce it.

Constancie: it is euer trauelling, though through many hindrances. It hath a heauy load of flesh to burden it, and make eueryevery step tedious, yet it goes. Cares for family, troubles of contentious neighbours, frowning of great aduersaries, malicious turbulencie of the world; all offer to stay it, but it goes on. As if it had receiued the Apostles Commission, Salute none of these Remora's by the way; it resteth not till it see the saluation of God. The Lord eePsal. 56. 13.Ps 56:13deliuers the feete from falling, that it may walke before God in the light of the living.

3 We must not returne backe to Herod. Why not to Herod? He was a fit type of the Deuill: and they that are recouered and escaped from him, should not fall backe into his clutches. The Deuill is like Herod, both for his subtletie and crueltie. The Herods were all dissemblers, all cruell. There was Herod Ascalonita, Herod Antipas, and Herod Agrippa: all cruell in the butchering of Gods Saints.

Ascalonita necat pueros, Antipa Iohannem,

Agrippa Iacobum, mittit que in carcere Petrum.

p. 224Ascalonite makes an earnest shew of zeale to Christ: but he desired not subijcerese Christ…, sedsib… Christum: not to become subiect to Christ, but to make Christ the sub iect of his furie. Antipas seemed to louelove Iohn the Baptist, but he suffers a dancing foote to kicke off his head. The crueltie of the other Herod was monstrous. He slew all those whom hee could suspect to issue from the line of Dauid: all the Infants of Bethlem vnderunder two yeares old, at one slaughter. Hee slew his kinred, his sister, his wife, his sonne. Hee cut the throates of Ioseph. Antiq. Lib. 17. cap. 8.many noble Iewes, whiles he lay on his death bed. Yea made it in his will, that so soone as euer the breath was out of his body, all the sonnes of the nobler Iewes shut vp into a safe place, should be instantly slaine to beare him company. By this meanes hee resolued, that some should lament his death, which otherwise would hauehave bin the cause of great ioy. A wretched Testament, and fit for such a deuill to make.

That Deuill wee are charged not to returne to, exceeds this both in subtletie and crueltie: euen as much as a father may his Sonne. Herod was not so perfect a Master of his art. The wise men deceiued Herod; hee must be a wise man indeed that ouer-reaches Satan. Herod was a bungler to him: he trusted to instruments to destroy Christ; the Deuill lookes to that busines himselfe. Hee can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light: and rather then not draw men to hell, hee will dissemble a louelove to heauen. He will speake good, that he may worke euill: and confesse the truth, that therby hee may procure credit to greater falshood. He can stoope to the reprobate, like a tame horse till they get vp and ride him: but when he hath them on his backe, he runs post with them to hell.

When he hath thus excercised his policie, wil he spare his power? when his Foxes part is done, hee begins his Lyons. Bloud, massacre, destruction are his softest p. 225embraces: horror and amazement are the pleasures of his Court: kill, kill, burne, burne, is the language of his tongue; to those miserable wretches, which must euer be burning, neuer consumed; euer killing, and neuer die. Oh then let vsus neuer returne to Herod, nor venture on his merciemercy. The poore bird, that hath escaped the hawkes talons, is carefull to auoyd his walke. The strayed Lambe, falne into the wolfes caue and deliuered by the Shephard, will no more straggle out of the flocke. If the Lord Iesus hath sought and brought vsus to himselfe by the Starre of his Gospell, let vsus no more goe backe to Herod: flying the workes of darknes, and seruing the liuing God with an vpright heart. Indeed they that are truely freed from his seruitude, will neuer more become his vassalls. Many seeme escaped, that are not. If the adulterer returne like the aa2. Pet. 2. 22.2 Pet 2:22Hogge to the mire, and the drunkard like the Dog to his vomit; it is likely that they louelove Herod well, for they goe backe to him. The minister may desire to bbRom. 15. 16.Rom 15:16offer them vp a liuing sacrifice to the Lord; but like wild beasts, they breake the rope, and will not bee sacrificed. But wee ccLuk. 1. 74.Luke 1:74being deliuered by Christ out of the hands of our enemies, must serue him without feare, in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life.

4. Wee must goe to our owne Countrey. In this world wee are but strangers: though perhaps we thinke too well of these vanities, yet they are but forraine things, wee hauehave another home. We may be rauished with this earth, as Peter with Tabor, Bonum hic; it is good being here: but if wee looke vp to that heauen which is our Countrey, Mundi calcamus inutile pondus. Behold, the very outside is faire: the outmost walls are beautified with glorious lights euerie one as a world for greatnes, so a heauen for goodlinesse. All those spangles bee as radiant stones, full of Lustre; pure gold to the drosse of p. 226earthly things. What may wee then thinke there is within?

Yea whatsoeuer the wicked thinke, yet this world is but the through-fare: and it is not their home neither, though indeede they hauehave their portion in this life. It is sayd of Iudas going to hell, that ddAct. 1 25.Acts 1:25he went to his owne place: therefore that, and not this, is their owne countrey; as sure as they thinke themselues of this world. In heauen there is all life, no death: in hell all death, no life: on earth men both liue and die; passing through it as the wildernes, either to Egipt or Canaan. This earth as it is betweene both, so it prepares vsus for both: and sends eueryevery one to their owne countrey; eternall ioy, or euerlasting sorrow.

Hee that here dies to sinne, shall hereafter liue in heauen: he that liues in sinne, shall hereafter die in hell. All soiourne, either with GOD, feeding on his graces, or with Satan surfe…ing on his iniquities. They that will hauehave Sathan for their host in transgression, shall afterwards be his guests in perdition. But they that obey God as theyr master, shall also hauehave him their father, and that for euer.

Contemne we then this world: what though we hauehave many sorrows here, & a still succession of miseries: we are not at home. What stranger looks for kind vsage amongst his enemies? As well might the captiue Iewes expect quiet among the Babilonians. Thou art sure of a countrey wherein is peace. In that heauen the wicked hauehave no part, though here much pleasure. When thou considerest this truely, thou wouldst not change portions with them. Let it be cōfort sufficient, since we cannot hauehave both, that we hauehave by many degrees the better

Their owne countrey. Heauen is our owne countrey. 1. Ours, ordained for vsus by God the Father. eeMat. 25. 34.Matt 25:34Come ye blessed of my Father, inherite ye the kingdome. 2. Ours, purchased for vsus by God the Son. ffHeb. 10. 19.Heb 10:19We hauehave boldnes to enter p. 127into the Holyest by the bloud of Iesus. 3. Ours sealed to vsus by God the holy Ghost. ggEph. 4. 30.Eph 4:30The Spirit of God seales vsus vp to the day of redemption. hhRom. 8. 16.Rom 8:16The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

Ours thus, though we are not yet fully entred into it. Habemus ius ad rem, nondum in re. Wee are iiver. 17.heires to it, though now we be but wards. Our minoritie bids & binds vsus to be as seruants. The heire as long as he ^k Gal. 4. 1.Gal 4:1is a child differs nothing from a seruant, though he be Lord of all. When we come to full yeares, a perfect growth in godlynes, in mensuram staturae adulti Christs, llEph. 4. 13.Eph 4:13to the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of Christ, we shall hauehave a plenary possession.

It is ours already, not in re, but in spe; as Aug. Our common Law distinguisheth betweene two maner of freeholds. A freehold in deede when a man hath made his entry vponupon lands, and is thereof really seised. A freehold in law, when a man hath right to possessions, but hath not made his actuall entry. So is this Countrey ours: ours Tenore iuris, though not yet iure tenoris: ours in the inheritance of the possession, though not in the possession of the inheritance. To this countrey, our countrey, let vsus trauell: and that we may do it the better,

5. The last circumstance shewes vsus how; Another way, we must change the whole course of our inordinate conuersation, and walke another way: euen the Kings high-way to Paradise. mmEuseb. Emissen. Hom. 1. de Epiph.Immutatio vi…, emendatio vitae. The changing of the way, is the amending of our life. Repentance must teach vsus to tread a new path. To man truely penitent, Optimus portus est mutatio consi…y: The best hauen is the change of his life: nn1. King. 13. 9.1 Kgs 13:9not to turne Tertull.againe by the same way that he came. Thus must we renounce our owne wils, & old wayes: and being made new creatures, take new paths. So Gregory. ^o We departed from our countrey by pride, disobedience, doting on visible p. 228delights, and pleasing the lusts of the flesh: we must therefore returne by humilu…e, obedience, contemning the world, and condemning the flesh. Quia Paradisi gaudijs per delectationem recessimus, ad h…c per poenitentiam, tanquàm per nouam viam, reuoca…ur. We that departed from Paradise by sinne, must returne thether, by a new way, Repentance. Hast thou walked in lust? take another way; by puritie and chastitie. Didst thou trauell with pride? there is another way to heauen, humilitie. ppMat…. 5. 3.Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. Wert thou giuen to auarice? there is a new way to heauen; by charitie. Ye hauehave fed me hungry &c. Math. 25.Matt 25therefore come ye blessed. Didst thou trudge with contention, and molesting thy neighbours with sutes? this is the way to Westminster hall, there is another way to heauen. qqMath. 5. 9.Matt 5:9Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the children of God. Didst thou trade in vsurie? this is the way to the Exchange: thou must exchange this way if thou wilt come to glory. Hast thou forredged with oppression? Thou must with Zaccheus seeke out another way. rrLuk. 19. 8.Luke 19:8If I hauehave taken any thing from any man by false dealing, I restore him fourefold. Let the drunken epicure, malicious repiner, seditious incendiary, dissembling hypocrite, vniust oppressor, leaue their wretched pathes: & seeke another way to happines. God giuegive vsus all grace to find this way of Repentance, that wee may come at last to our owne Countrey, peace and rest with Iesus Christ.

Amen.