Five Sermons 1, Sermon 4 – Title page 4

Five Sermons 1 · Sermon 4 – Title page 4

p. 1PSALME. 11.3.

If the Foundations be deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe?

WEe are ſtill in the ſeaſon of Mortification; in Lent: But wee ſearch no longer for Texts of Mortification; The Almightie hand of God hath ſhed and ſpred a Text of Mortification ouer all the land. The laſt Sabboth day, was his Sabboth who entred then into his euerlaſting Reſt; Be this our Sabboth, to enter into a holy and thankfull acknowledgement of that Rest, which God affords vsus, in continuing to vsus our Foundations; for, If foundations be deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe?

p. 2I ſcarſe know any word in the Word of God, in which the Originall is more ambiguous, and conſequently the Tranſlations more various, and therfore, neceſſarily alſo, the Expoſitions more diuers, then in theſe words. There is one thing, in which all agree, that is, the Argument, and purpoſe, and ſcope of the Pſalme; And then, in what ſenſe, the words of the Text may conduce to the ſcope of the Pſalme, wee reſt in this Tranſlation, which our Church hath accepted and authorized, and which agrees with the firſt Tranſlation knowen to vsus, by way of Expoſition, that is the Chalde Paraphraſe, If Foundations bee deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe?

The Church of God euer delighted herſelfe in a holy officiouſneſſe in the Commemoration of Martyrs: Almoſt all their ſolemne, and extraordinarie Meetings, and Congregations, in the Primitiue Church, were … p. 3that, for the honourable Commemoration of Martyrs: And for that, they came ſoone to inſtitute and appoynt certaine Liturgies, certaine Offices (as they called them) certaine Seruices in the Church, which ſhould hauehave reference to that, to the Commemoration of Martyrs; as wee hauehave in our Booke of Common Prayer, certaine Seruices for Marriage, for Buriall, and for ſuch other holy Celebrations; And in the Office and Seruice of a Martyr, the Church did vſe this Pſalme; This Pſalme, which is in generall, a Proteſtation of Dauid, That though hee were ſo vehemently purſued by Saul, as that all that wiſhed him well, ſayd to his Soule, Flie as a Bird to the Mountaine, as it is in the firſt verſe; Though hee ſaw, That the wicked had bent their Bowes, and made ready their Arrowes, vponupon the ſtring, that they might priuily ſhoot at the vpright in heart, as it is in the ſecond verſe: Though he take p. 4it almoſt as granted, that Foundations are deſtroyed, (And then, what can the righteous doe?) as it is in the third verſe which is our Text, yet in this diſtreſſe he findes what to doe. For as hee begunne in the firſt verſe, In thee Lord, put I my truſt: So after he had paſſed the enumeration of his dangers, in the ſecond and third verſes, in the fourth he purſues it as he begun, The Lord is in his holy Temple, the Lords Throane is in Heauen. And in the fifth hee fixes it thus, The Lord tryeth the Righteous, (he may ſuffer much to be done for their triall) but the wicked, and him that loueth violence, his ſoule hateth. This then is the Syllogiſme, this is the Argumentation of the righteous Man; In Collaterall things, in Circumſtantiall things, in things that are not fundamentall, a righteous Man, a conſtant Man ſhould not bee ſhaked at all, not at all Scandalized; Thats true; But then, (in a ſecond place) ſometimes it comes to p. 5that, That Foundations are deſtroyd, and what can the Righteous doe then? Why euen then, this is a queſtion, not of deſperation, that nothing can bee done, but of Conſultation with God, what ſhould be done. I know, ſayes Dauid, I ſhould not be, and thou knoweſt, O God, I hauehave not beene mou'd with ordinary trialls; not though my Friends hauehave diſ-auowed mee, and bid mee flye to the Mountaine as a Bird, not though mine enemies prepare, and prepare Arrowes, and ſhoote, and ſhoote priuily, (beſtowe their labour, and their coſt, and their witts, to ruine mee) yet theſe hauehave not moou'd mee, becauſe I had fixed my ſelfe vponupon certaine Foundations, Confidences, and Aſſurances of Deliuerance from thee. But if, O Lord, I ſee theſe foundations deſtroyed, if thou put mee into mine Enemies hand, if thou make them thy Sword, if their furie draw that Sword, and then, thy Almightie p. 6Arme, ſinewed euen with thine owne indignation, ſtrike with that ſword, what can I, how righteous ſoeuer I were, doe? So then, for the Explication, and Application of theſe words, there will need no more, but to ſpread them by way of Paraphraſe vponupon theſe three conſiderations:Diuiſio. Firſt, That the righteous is bolde as a Lyon, not eaſily ſhaked; But then, Foundations themſelues may bee deſtroyed, and ſo hee may bee ſhaked; If hee bee, yet hee knowes what to doe, or where to aske Counſell, for theſe are not wordes of Desperation, but of Conſultation, If Foundations bee deſtroyed, &c.

1. Part.Firſt then, wee fixe our ſelues vponupon this conſideration, that the Prophet in propoſing this thus, If Foundations bee destroyed, intimates pregnantly, that except there bee danger of deſtroying Foundations, it is the part of the righteous Man, the godly p. 7man to bee quiet. Studie to bee quiet, ſayes the Apoſtle; Studie, 1 Theſſ. 4.11.1 Thess 4:11that is an action of the Minde; and then, Operam detis, ſay the Ʋulgate Edition, Labour to bee quiet, and Labour is an action of the bodie: Indeed it is the proper buſineſſe of the Minde and Bodie too, of Thoughts and Actions too, to bee quiet: And yet, alas, how many breake their ſleepe in the night, about things that diſquiet them in the day too, and trouble themſelues in the day, about things that diſquiet them all night too? Wee diſquiet our ſelues too much, in beeing ouer tender, ouer ſenſible of imaginarie iniuries. Tranſeunt iniuriae, ſayes the Morall man; Let many iniuries paſſe ouer; for,Seneca. Plaerasque non accipit, qui neſcit; Hee that knowes not of an iniurie, or takes no knowledge of it, for the moſt part, hath no iniurie. Qui inquirunt, quid in ſe dictum eſt, ſayes hee, They that are too inquiſitiue, what other men p. 8ſay of them, they diſquiet themſelues; for that which others would but whisper, they publiſh. And therefore that which hee addes there, for Morall, and Ciuill matters, holds in a good proportion, in things of a more Diuine Nature, in ſuch parts of the religious worſhip and ſeruice of God, as concerne not Foundations, Non expedit omnia videre, non omnia audire; we muſt not too iealouſly ſuſpect, not too bitterly condemne, not too peremptorily conclude, that what ſoeuer is not done, as wee would hauehave it done, or as wee hauehave ſeene it done in former times, is not well done: for there is a large Latitude, and, by neceſsitie of Circumſtances, much may bee admitted, and yet no Foundations deſtroyed; and till Foundations bee deſtroyed, the righteous ſhould bee quiet.

Now this ſhould not prepare, this ſhould not incline any man, to ſuch p. 9an indifferencie, as that it ſhould bee all one to him, what became of all things; all one, whether wee had one, or two, or tenne, or no Religion; or that hee ſhould not bee awake, and actiue, and diligent, in aſsiſting trueth, and reſiſting all approaches of Errour. For, God hath ſayd of all, into whoſe hand hee hath committed power, You are Gods. Now, they are not Gods, but Idoles, if, as the Prophet ſayes,Pſal. 115.6.Ps 115:6 They hauehave Eyes and ſee not, Eares and heare not, Hands and ſtrike not; nay, (as hee addes there) if they hauehave Noſes and ſmell not, if they ſmell not out a miſchieuous practiſe, before it come to execution. For, Gods eyes are vponupon the wayes of man, Iob. 33.21.Job 33:21and hee ſees all his goings: Thoſe, who are in the number of them, of whome God hath ſaid, they are Gods, muſt hauehave their eyes vponupon the wayes of men, and not vponupon their Ends onelyonly; vponupon the pathes of miſchiefe, and not p. 10vponupon the bed of miſchiefe onelyonly; vponupon the Actors of miſchiefe, and not vponupon the Act onelyonly. Gods eye ſees our wayes, ſayes Dauid too; that is, hee can ſee them, when hee will; but there is more in the other Prophet, Gods eyes are open vponupon all our wayes; Iere. 32.19.Jer 32:19alwayes open, and hee cannot chuſe but ſee: So that, a wilfull ſhutting of the eye, a winking, a conniuencie, is not an aſsimilation to God. And then,Abac. 1.13.Hab 1:13 Gods eyes are purer, then to beholde euill, and they cannot looke vponupon iniquitie: So that in an indifferencie, whether Times, or Perſons bee good or badd, there is not this aſsimulation to God. Hebr. 4.13.Heb 4:13Againe, All things are naked and open to the eyes of God: So that in the diſguiſing, and palliating, and extenuating the faults of men, there is not this aſsimilation to God. Thus farre they falſifie Gods Word, who hath ſayd, They are Gods; for they are Idoles, and not Gods, if they p. 11hauehave eyes, and ſee not. So is it alſo in the conſideration of the Eare too: for, as Dauid ſayes,Pſal. 94.9.Ps 94:9 Shall not hee that planted the Eare, heare? So wee may ſay, Shall hee vponupon whom God hath planted an Eare, bee deafe? Gods eares are ſo open, ſo tender, ſo ſenſible of any motion,Pſal. 39.12Ps 39:12 as that Dauid formes one Prayer thus, Auribus percipe lachrimas meas, O Lord, heare my teares, hee puts the office of the Eye too, vponupon the Eare. And then, if the Magiſtrate ſtop his Eares with Wooll, (with ſtaple bribes, profitable bribes) and with Cyuet in his wooll, (perfumes of pleaſure and preferment in his bribes) hee falſifies Gods Word, who hath ſaid, they are Gods, for they are Idoles, and not Gods, if they hauehave eares, and heare not. And ſo it is alſo of the hand too; In all that Iob ſuffered, he ſayes no more, but that the Hand of God had touched him; but touched him, in reſpect of that hee could hauehave p. 12done: for, when Iob ſayes to men, Why perſecute you mee, Iob 19.22Job 19:22as God? hee meanes, as God could doe, ſo vehemently, ſo ruinouſly, ſo deſtructiuely, ſo irreparably. There is no phraſe oftner in the Scriptures, then that God deliuered his people, i… the hand of Moſes, and the hand of Dauid, and the hand of the Prophets: all their Miniſteriall office is called the Hand: and therfore, as Dauid prayes to God, That hee would pull his hand out of his boſome, and ſtrike: ſo muſt wee euer exhort the Magiſtrate, That hee would plucke his hand out of his pocket, and forget what is there, and execute the Cauſe committed to him. For, as wee, at laſt, ſhall commend our Spirits, into the hands of God, God hath commended our Spirits, not onelyonly our ciuill peace, but our Religion too, into the hand of the Magiſtrate. And therefore, when the Apoſtle ſayes, Studie to bee quiet, it is not quiet in the blindneſſe p. 13of the Eye, nor quiet in the Deafeneſſe of the Eare, nor quiet in the Lameneſſe of the Hand; the iuſt diſcharge of the dueties of our ſeuerall places, is no diſquieting to any man. But when priuate men will ſpend all their thoughts vponupon their Superiours actions, this muſt neceſſarily diſquiet them; for they are off of their owne Center, and they are extra Sphaeram Actiuitatis, out of their owne Diſtance, and Compaſſe, and they cannot poſsibly diſcerne the Ende, to which their Superiours goe. And to ſuch a iealous man, when his iealouſie is not a tenderneſſe towards his owne actions, which is a holy and a wholeſome iealouſie, but a ſuſpition of his Superiours actions, to this Man, eueryevery Wheele is a Drumme, and eueryevery Drumme a Thunder, and eueryevery Thunder-clapp a diſſolution of the whole frame of the VVorld: If there fall a broken tyle from the p. 14houſe, hee thinkes Foundations are deſtroyed; if a crazie woman, or a diſobedient childe, or a needie ſeruant fall from our Religion, from our Church, hee thinkes the whole Church muſt neceſſarily fall, when all this while there are no Foundations deſtroyed; and till foundations bee deſtroyed, the righteous ſhould be quiet.

Hence hauehave wee iuſt occaſion, firſt to condole amongſt our ſelues, who, for matters of Foundations profeſſe one and the ſame Religion, and then to complaine of our Aduerſaries, who are of another. Firſt, that amongſt our ſelues, for matters not Doctrinall, or if Doctrinall, yet not Fundamentall, onelyonly becauſe wee are ſub-diuided in diuers Names, there ſhould bee ſuch Exaſperations, ſuch Exacerbations, ſuch Vociferations, ſuch Eiulations, ſuch Defamations of one another, as if all Foundations were deſtroyed. VVho would not tremble, to heare thoſe Infernall p. 15words, ſpoken by men, to men, of one and the ſame Religion fundamentally, as Indiabolificata, Perdiabolificata, and Superdiabolificata, that the Deuill, and all the Deuills in Hell, and worſe then the Deuill is in their Doctrine, and in their Diuinitie, when, God in heauen knowes, if their owne vncharitableneſſe did not exclude him, there were roome enough for the Holy Ghoſt, on both, and on either ſide, in thoſe Fundamentall things, which are vnanimely profeſſed by both: And yet eueryevery Mart, wee ſee more Bookes written by theſe men againſt one another, then by them both, for Chriſt.

But yet though this Torrent of vncharitableneſſe amongſt them, bee too violent, yet it is within ſome bankes; though it bee a Sea, and too tempeſtuous, it is limitted within ſome bounds; The poynts are certaine, knowen, limitted, and doe not grow p. 16vponupon vsus eueryevery yeare, and day. But the vncharitableneſſe of the Church of Rome towards vsus all, is not a Torrent, nor it is not a Sea, but a generall Flood, an vniuerſall Deluge, that ſwallowes all the world, but that Church, and Church-yard, that Towne, and Suburbes, themſelues, and thoſe that depend vponupon them; and will not allowe poſsibilitie of Saluation to the whole Arke, the whole Chriſtian Church, but to one Cabin in that Arke, the Church of Rome; and then denie vsus this Saluation, not for any Poſitiue Errour, that euer they charged vsus to affirme; not becauſe wee affirme any thing, that they denie, but becauſe wee denie ſome things, which they in their afternoone are come to affirme.

If they were Iuſti, Righteous, right and iuſt dealing men, they would not raiſe ſuch duſtes, and then blind… mens eyes with this duſt of their own p. 17rayſing, in things that concerne no Foundations. It is true, that all Hereſie does concerne Foundations: there is no Hereſie to bee called little: Great Hereſies proceeded from things, in apparance, ſmall at firſt, and ſeem'd to looke but towards ſmall matters. There were great Hereſies, that were but Verball, Hereſies in ſome Word. That great Storme, that ſhaked the State, and the Church, in the Councell of Epheſus, and came to Factions, and Commotions in the Secular part, and to Exautorations, and Excommunications amongſt the Biſhops, ſo farre, as that the Emperour came to declare both ſides to bee Heretiques; All this was for an Errour in a Word, in the word Deipara, whether the Bleſſed Virgine Marie were to bee called the Mother of God, or no. There hauehave beene Verball Hereſies, and Hereſies that were but Syllabicall; little Praepoſitions made Hereſies; not onelyonly p. 18State-praepoſitions, Precedencies, and Prerogatiues of Church aboue Church, occaſioned great Schiſmes, but Literall Praepoſitions, Praepoſitions in Grammar, occaſioned great Hereſies. That great Hereſie of the Acepbali, againſt which Damaſcene bendes himſelfe in his Booke, De Natura Compoſita, was grounded in the Praepoſition, In; They would confeſſe Ex, but not In, That Chriſt was made of two Natures, but that hee did not conſiſt in two Natures. And wee all know, what differences hauehave beene rayſed in the Church, in that one poynt of the Sacrament, by theſe three Prepoſitions, Trans, Con, and Sub. There hauehave beene great Hereſies, but Verhall, but Syllabicall; and as great, but Litterall; The greateſt Hereſie that euer was, that of the Arrians, was but in one Letter. So then, in Hereſie, there is nothing to bee called little, nothing to bee ſuffered. It p. 19was excellently ſayde of Heretiques, (though by one, who, though not then declared,Neſtorius. was then an Heretique in his heart,) Condolere Hereticis crimen est; It is a fault, not onelyonly to bee too indulgent to an Heretique, but to bee too compaſsionate of an Heretique, too ſorrie for an Heretique. It is a fault to ſay, Alas, let him alone, hee is but an Heretique; but, to ſay, Alas, hope well of him, till you bee better ſure, that hee is an Heretique, is charitably ſpoken. God knowes, the ſharpe and ſowre Name of Heretique, was too ſoone let looſe, and too faſt ſpread in many places of the world. VVee ſee, that in ſome of the firſt Catalogues, that were made of Heretiques, men were Regiſtred for Heretiques, that had but expounded a place of Scripture, otherwiſe then that place had beene formerly expounded, though there were no harme, in that newe p. 20Expoſition. And then, when once that infamous Name of Heretique was faſtened vponupon a man, nothing was too heauie for, any thing was beleeued of that man: And from thence it is, without queſtion; that wee finde ſo many ſo abſurd, ſo ſenſeleſſe Opinions imputed to thoſe men, who were then called Heretiques, as could not, in trueth, with any poſsibilitie, fall into the imagination or fancie of any man, much leſſe bee Doctrinally, or Dogmatically deliuered. And then, vponupon this there iſſued Lawes, from particular States, againſt particular Hereſies, that troubled thoſe States then, as namely, againſt the Arrians, or Macedonians, and ſuch; and in a ſhort time, theſe Lawes came to bee extended, to all ſuch Opinions, as the paſsion of ſucceeding times, called Hereſie. And at laſt, the Romane Church hauing conſtituted that Monopolie, p. 21That Shee onelyonly ſhould declare what ſhould bee Hereſie, and hauing declared that to bee Hereſie, which oppoſed, or retarded the dignitie of that Church, now they call in Brachium Spirituale, All thoſe Sentences of Fathers, or Councells that mention Hereſie, and they call in Brachium Saeculare, all thoſe Lawes which puniſh Hereſie, and wherea… theſe Fathers, and Councells, and States, intended by Hereſie, Opinions that deſtroyed Foundations, they bend all theſe againſt eueryevery poynt, which may endammage, not the Church of God, but the Church of Rome; nor the Church of Rome, but the Court of Rome; nor the Court of Rome, but the Kitchin of Rome; not for the Heart, but for the Bellie; not the Religion, but the Policie; not the Altar, but the Exchequer of Rome.

But the Righteous lookes to Foundations, before hee will bee ſcandalized p. 22himſelfe, or condemne another. When they call Saint Peter their firſt Pope, and being remembred, how hee denied his Maſter, ſay then, that was but an Acte of Infirmitie, not of Infidelitie, and there were no Foundations deſtroyed in that; wee preſſe not that euidence againſt Saint Peter, wee forbeare, and wee are quiet. When wee charge ſome of Saint Peters imaginary Succeſſors, ſome of their Popes, with actuall, and perſonall Sacrificing to Idoles, ſome with ſubſcribing to formall Hereſies, with their owne hand, many with ſo enormous an ill life, as that their owne Authors will ſay, that for many yeares together, there liued not one Pope, of whoſe Saluation, any hope could bee conceiued; and they anſwere to all this, that all theſe were but Perſonall faults, and deſtroyed no Foundations; wee can bee content to bury their faultes with their perſons, and wee are quiet. When wee p. 23remember them, how many of the Fathers excuſed officious Lyes, and thought ſome kinde of Lying to bee no Sinne, how very many of them hearded in the hereſie of the Millenarians, That the Saints of God ſhould enioy a thouſand yeares of temporall felicity in this world, after their Reſurrection, before they aſcended into Heauen; And that they ſay to all this, The Fathers ſaid theſe things before the Church had decreed any thing to the contrary, and till that, it was lawfull for any man to ſay, or thinke what hee would, wee do not load the memory of thoſe bleſſed Fathers with any heauier preſsings, but wee are quiet. Yet wee cannot chuſe but tell them, that tell vsus this, that they hauehave taken a hard way, to make that ſaying true, that all things are growen deare in our times; for they hauehave made Saluation deare; Threeſcore yeares agoe, a man might hauehave beene ſau'd at halfe the price hee can now: p. 24Threeſcore yeares agoe, he might hauehave beene ſaued for beleeuing the Apoſtles Creed; now it will coſt him the Trent Creed too. Euermore they will preſſe for all, and yeeld nothing; and there is indeed their Specification, there's their Character, that's their Catholique, their Vniuerſall; To hauehave all; As, in Athanaſius his time, when the Emperour preſſed him to affoord the Arrians one Church in Alexandria, where hee was Biſhop, and hee asked but one Church in Antioch, where the Arrians preuayled, not doubting but hee ſhould draw more …o the true Church in Antioch, then they ſhould corrupt in Alexandria, yet this would not bee granted; It would not be granted at Rome, if we ſhould aske a Church for a Church. In a word, wee charge them with vncharitableneſſe, (and Charitie is without all Controuerſie, a Foundation of Religion) that they will ſo peremptorily exclude vsus from Heauen, for matters p. 25that doe not appertaine to Foundations. For, if they will call all Foundations, that that Church hath, or doth, or ſhall decree, wee muſt learne our Catechiſme vponupon our Death-bedd, and inquire for the Articles of our Faith, when wee are going out of the world, for they may hauehave decreed ſomething that Morning. No one Author of theirs denied Pope Ioane, till they diſcerned the Conſequence, That by confeſsing a Woman Pope, they ſhould diſparage that Succeſsion of Biſhops, which they pretend, And this Succeſsion muſt bee Foundation. No Author of our ſide denied Saint Peters beeing at Rome, till wee diſcerned the Conſequence, That vponupon his perſonall being there, they grounded a Primacie in that Sea, And this Primacie muſt bee Foundation. Much might bee admitted in caſes of Indifferencie, euen in the Nature of the things, Much in caſes of Neceſsitie, for p. 26the importance of Circumſtances, much in caſes of Conueniency, for the ſuppling of boyſterous, and for the becalming of tempeſtuous humours; but when eueryevery thing muſt be called Foundation, we ſhall neuer knowe where to ſtop, where to conſiſt. If wee ſhould beleeue their Sacrificium incruentum, their vnbloody Sacrifice in the Maſſe, if wee did not beleeue their Sacrificium Cruentum too, that there was a power in that Church, to ſacrifice the Blood of Kings, wee ſhould bee ſayde to bee defectiue in a fundamentall Article. If wee ſhould admitt their Metaphyſiques, their tranſcendent Tranſubſtantiation, and admitt their Chimiques, their Purgatorie Fires, and their Mythologie, and Poetrie, their apparitions of Soules and Spirits, they would binde vsus to their Mathematiques too, and they would not let vsus bee ſaued, except wee would reforme our Almanackes p. 27to their tenne dayes, and reforme our Clockes to their foure and twentie: for who can tell when there is an ende of Articles of Faith, in an Arbitrarie, and in an Occaſionall Religion? When then this Prophet ſayes, If Foundations bee deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe, hee meanes, that till that, the righteous ſhould bee quiet: Except it were in fundamentall Articles of Faith, our ſelues ſhould not bee ſo bitter towards one another, our Aduerſarie ſhould not bee ſo vncharitable againſt vsus all. And farther wee need not extend this firſt Conſideration.

The ſecond is,2. Part. to Suruay ſome ſuch Foundations, as fall within the frayltie, and ſuſpition, and poſsibilitie of this Text, that they may bee deſtroyed: for when the Prophet ſayes, If they bee, they may bee. Now Fundamentum proprie de aedificijs dicitur, ſayes the Lawe: when wee p. 28ſpeake of Foundations, wee intend a houſe: and heere, wee extend this Houſe to foure Conſiderations; for in foure Houſes hauehave eueryevery one of vsus a dwelling. For, firſt, Eccleſia Domus, the Church is a Houſe, it is Gods houſe; and in that Houſe, wee are of the houſeholde of the faithfull, if (as it is teſtified of Moſes) wee bee faithfull in all his Houſe, Hebr. 3.5.Heb 3:5as Seruants. You ſee there is a faithfulneſſe required in eueryevery man, in all the houſe of God, not in any one roome; a diſpoſition required to doe good to the whole Church of God eueryevery where, and not onelyonly at home. Secondly, Respublica Domus, The Commonwealth, the State, the Kingdome is a Houſe; and this is that which is called ſo often, Domus Iſrael, The houſe of Iſrael, the State, the Gouernment of the Iewes: And in this Houſe, God dwells, as well as in the other; In the State, as well as in the Church: For, theſe words, The p. 29Lord hath choſen Sion, Pſa. 132.13Ps 132:13hee hath deſired it for a habitation, are ſpoken of the whole Bodie, Church, and State. Thirdly, there is Domus Habitationis, Domus quae Domicilium, a Houſe to dwell in, and to dwell with, a Family: and in this Houſe God dwells too; for, as Dauid ſayes of the Building, wee may ſay of the Dwelling, Except the Lord build the Houſe, Pſal. 127.1.Ps 127:1they labour in vaine: So except the Lord dwell in the Houſe, it is a deſolate Habitation. And then laſtly, there is Domus quae Dominus, a houſe which is the Master of the Houſe; for as eueryevery Man is a little World, ſo eueryevery man is his owne Houſe, and dwels in himſelfe: And in this Houſe God dwells too; for the Apoſtle ſeemes ſo much to delight himſelfe in that Metaphore, as that hee repeats it almoſt in all his Epiſtles, Habitat in nobis, That the Holy Ghoſt dwells in vsus. Now, of all theſe foure Houſes, that p. 30houſe which hath no walles, but is ſpread ouer the face of the whole Earth, the Church, And that Houſe, which with vsus, hath no other walls, but the Sea, the State, the Kingdome, And that houſe which is walled with drie Earth, our dwelling houſe, our family, and this houſe which is wall'd with wet Earth, this loame of fleſh, our ſelfe, Of all theſe foure houſes, thoſe three, of which, and in which we are, and this fourth, which wee our ſelfe are, God is the Foundation, and ſo foundations cannot bee deſtroyed; But, as, though the common foundation of all buildings bee the Earth, yet wee make particular foundations for particular Buildings, of Stone, or Brick, or Piles, as the Soyle requires; ſo ſhall wee alſo heere conſider ſuch particular Foundations of theſe foure houſes, as may fall within the frailtie, and ſuſpition, within the poſsibilitie, and danger of the Text, of being deſtroyed.

p. 31Of the firſt Houſe then,Eccleſia Domus. which is the Church, the foundation is Chriſt, Other foundation can no man lay, 1 Cor. 3.11.1 Cor 3:11then that which is layd, which is Ieſus Chriſt. Non propterea dicimus, ſayes Saint Augustine. De vnita. Eccleſ. C. 16.Wee doe not ſay that our Church is Catholique therefore, becauſe Optatus ſayes ſo, and becauſe Ambroſe ſayes ſo, (and yet Optatus, and Ambroſe, the Fathers, are good Witneſſes) neither do we ſay it, (ſayes he) Quia Collegarum noſtrorum Conciliis praedicata eſt, Becauſe ſome Synodes and Councells of men of our owne Religion hauehave ſaid it is Catholique (And yet a Harmony of Confeſsions is good Euidence,) Nec quia tanta fiunt in ea mirabilia, ſayes hee, wee call it not Catholique, becauſe ſo many Myracles are wrought in it, (for wee oppoſe Gods many miraculous Deliuerances of this State and Church, to all their imaginary miracles of Rome) Non ideo manifeſtatur Catholica, ſayes ſtill that Father, All p. 32this does not make our Church Catholique, nay, non manifeſtatur, all this does not declare it to bee Catholique, all theſe are no infallible marks thereof, but onelyonly this one, ſayes hee, Quia ipſe Dominus Ieſus, &c. becauſe the Lord Ieſus himſelfe is the Foundation of this Church. But may not this be ſubiect to reaſoning, to various Diſputation, Whether wee hauehave that foundation, or no? It may; but that will goe farre in the clearing thereof, which the ſame Father ſayes in another Booke,De Moribus Eccleſ. Cat. C. 25. Nihil in Eccleſia catholica ſalubrius fit, quam vt Rationem praecedat Autoritas: Nothing is ſafer for the finding of the Catholique Church, then to preferre Authoritie before my Reaſon, to ſubmit and captiuate my Reaſon to Authoritie. This the Romane Church pretends to embrace; but Apiſhly; like an Ape, it kills with embracing; for it euacuates the right Authoritie; The Authority that they obtrude, p. 33is the Decretals of their owne Biſhops, The authoritie, which Saint Auguſtine literally and expreſſely declares himſelfe to meane, is the authoritie of the Scriptures.

Chriſt then, that is, the Doctrine of Chriſt, is the foundation of this firſt Houſe, the Church. 2 Chro. 3.3.2 Chr 3:3Haec ſunt fundamenta quae iecit Salomon, ſayes the vulgate Edition, Theſe are the foundations that Salomon layde; and then our Tranſlation hath it, Theſe are the things in which Salomon was instructed; One calls it Foundations, the other Inſtructions; All's one; The Inſtructions of Chriſt, the Doctrine of Chriſt, the Word, the Scriptures of Chriſt, are the Foundation of this Houſe. For, when the Apoſtle ſayes,Epheſ. 2.20Eph 2:20 Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe is the chiefe corner Stone, yet hee addes there, Yee are built vponupon the Prophets and Apoſtles: for the Prophets and Apoſtles, had their part in the foundation; in the laying, though p. 34not in the beeing of the Foundation. The wall of the citie, Apoc. 21.14Rev 21:14ſayes Saint Iohn, had twelue Foundations, and in them, the Names of the twelue Apoſtles: But ſtill, in that place, they are Apoſtles of the Lambe, ſtill they hauehave relation to Chriſt: For, they, who by inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt, writt of Chriſt, and ſo made vp the Bodie of the Scriptures, hauehave their parts too, in this Foundation. Beſides theſe, it is ſayd, in the building of the Materiall Temple, 2 Reg. 5.17.2 Kgs 5:17The King commaunded, and they brought, great Stones, and coſtly Stones, and hewed Stones, to lay the foundations of the Houſe: The care of the King, the labours of men conduce to the foundation. And beſides this, in that place of the Reuelation, The foundation of the Wall, is ſayde to bee garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones; Garniſhed, but not made of that kinde of precious ſtones. So then Salomons hewed Stones, and coſtly p. 35ſtones, may, in a faire accommodation, bee vnderſtood to bee the Determinations, and Reſolutions, Canons, and Decrees of generall Councels: And Saint Iohns garniſhment of precious ſtones, may, in a faire accommodation, bee vnderſtood to bee the Learned and Laborious, the zealous and the pious Commentaries and Expoſitions of the Fathers; For Councells and Fathers aſsiſt the Foundation; But the foundation it ſelfe is Chriſt himſelfe in his Word; his Scriptures. And then, certainely they louelove the Houſe beſt, that louelove the foundation beſt: not they, that impute to the Scriptures ſuch an Obſcuritie, as ſhould make them in-intelligible to vsus, or ſuch a defect as ſhould make them inſufficient in themſelues. To denie vsus the vſe of Scriptures in our vulgar Tranſlations, and yet to denie vsus the vſe of them, in the Originall Tongues too, To tell vsus we muſt not trie Controuerſies by our p. 36Engliſh, or our Latine Bibles, nor by the Hebrew Bibles neither, To put ſuch a Maieſtie vponupon the Scriptures, as that a Lay man may not touch them, and yet to put ſuch a diminution vponupon them, as that the writings of men ſhall bee equall to them; this is a wrinching, a ſhrinking, a ſinking, an vndermining, a deſtroying of Foundations, of the foundation of this firſt Houſe, which is the Church, the Scriptures.

Reſpub. Domus.Enter wee now into a Suruay of the ſecond Houſe, The State, the Kingdome, the Common-wealth; and of this Houſe, the foundation is the Law. And therefore Saint Hierome referres this Text, in a litterall and primary ſignification to that, to the Law: for ſo, in his Commentaries vponupon the Pſalmes, he tranſlates this Text, Si diſsipatae Leges, Hee makes the euacuating of the Law, this deſtroying of foundations. Lex communis Reipub. ſponſio, ſayes the p. 37Law it ſelfe: The Law is the mutuall, the reciprocall Suretie betweene the State and the Subiect. The Lawe is my Suretie to the State, that I ſhall pay my Obedience, And the Lawe is the States Suretie to mee, that I ſhall enioy my Protection. And therefore, therein did the Iewes iuſtly exalt themſelues aboue all other Nations, That God was come ſo much nearer to them then to other Nations, by how much they had Lawes and Ordinances more righteous then other Nations had. Now, as it is ſayd of the Foundations of the other Houſe, the Temple, The King commaunded in the laying thereof, the King had his hand in the Church, ſo is it alſo in this Houſe, the State, the Common-wealth, the King hath his hand in, and vponupon the foundation here alſo, which is the Lawe: ſo farre, as that eueryevery forbearing of a Lawe, is not an Euacuating of the Law; eueryevery Pardon, whether a Poſt-pardon, by way p. 38of mercy, after a Lawe is broken, or a Prae-pardon, by way of Dispenſation, in wiſedome before a Lawe bee broken, is not a Deſtroying of this foundation. For, when ſuch things as theſe are done,Iuo. Non aſtu Mentientis, ſed affectu compatientis, not vponupon colourable diſguiſes, nor priuate reſpects, but truely for the Generall good, all theſe Pardons, and Dispenſations conduce and concurre to the Office, and contract the Nature of the Foundation it ſelfe, which is, that the whole Bodie may bee the better ſupported. But where there is an inducing of a ſuper-Soueraigne, and a ſuper-Supremacie, and a Sea aboue our foure Seas, and a Horne aboue our Head, and a forraine Power aboue our Natiue and naturall Power, where there are dogmaticall, Poſitiue Aſſertions, that men borne of vsus, and liuing with vsus, and by vsus, are yet none of vsus, no Subiects, owe no Allegeance, this p. 39is a wrinching, a ſhrinking, a ſinking, an vndermining, a deſtroying of Foundations, the Foundation of this ſecond Houſe, which is the State, the Law.

The third Houſe that falles into our preſent Suruay,Domus Domicilium. is Domus quae Domicilium, Domus habitationis, our Dwelling houſe, or Family, and of this houſe, the foundation is Peace: for Peace compacts all the peeces of a family together; Husband and Wife, in LoueLove and in Obedience, Father and Sonne, in Care and in Obedience, Maſter and Seruant, in Diſcipline and in Obedience: Still Obedience is one Ingredient in all Peace; there is no Peace, where there is no Obedience. Now eueryevery ſmoke does not argue the houſe to bee on fire; EueryEvery domeſtique offence taken or giuen, does not deſtroy this Foundation, this Peace, within doores. There may bee a Thunder from aboue, and there may bee an p. 40Earth-quake from below, and yet the foundation of the Houſe ſafe: From aboue there may bee a defect in the Superiour, in the Husband, the Father, the Maſter; and from below, in the Wife, the Sonne, the Seruant; There may bee a Iealouſie in the Husband, a Moroſitie in the Father, an Imperiouſneſſe in the Maſter; And there may bee an inobſequiouſneſſe and an indiligence in the Wife, there may bee leuitie and inconſideration in the Sonne, and there may bee vnreadineſſe, vnſeaſonableneſſe in a Seruant, and yet Foundations ſtand, and Peace, maintayned, though not by an exquiſite performing of all duties, yet by a mutuall, ſupport of one anothers infirmities. This deſtroyes no Foundation; But if there bee a windowe opened in the houſe, to let in a Ieſuiticall firebrand, that ſhall whiſper, though not proclaime, deliuer with a non Dominus ſed Ego, that though it bee not a declared p. 41Tenet of the Church, yet hee thinkes, that in caſe of Hereſie, Ciuill and Naturall, and Matrimoniall duties ceaſe, no Ciuill, no Naturall, no Matrimoniall Tribute due to an Heretique; Or if there bee ſuch a fire kindled within doores, that the Huſbands iealouſie come to a Subſtraction of neceſſary meanes at home, or to Defamation abroad, or the Wiues leuitie induce iuſt Imputation at home, or ſcandall abroad, If the Fathers waſtfulneſſe amount to a Diſinheriting, becauſe hee leaues nothing to bee inherited, Or the Sonnes incorrigibleneſſe occaſion a iuſt diſinheriting, though there bee enough, If the Maſter make Slaues of Seruants, and macerate them, or the Seruants make prize of the Maſter, and prey vponupon him, in theſe caſes, and ſuch as theſe, there is a wrinching, a ſhrinking, a ſinking, an vnderming, a deſtroying of Foundations, the Foundation of p. 42this third Houſe, which is the family, Peace.

Domus Dominus.There remaines yet another Houſe, a fourth Houſe, a poore and wretched Cottage; worſe then our Statute Cottages; for to them the Statute layes out certaine Acres; but for theſe Cotages, wee meaſure not by Acres, but by Feete; and fiue or ſixe foote ſerues any Cottager: ſo much as makes a Graue, makes vp the beſt of our Globe, that are of the Inferiour, and the beſt of their Temporalties, that are of the Superiour Cleargie, and the beſt of their Demeanes that are in the greateſt Soueraigntie in this world: for this houſe is but our ſelfe, and the foundation of this Houſe is Conſcience. For, this proceeding with a good Conſcience in eueryevery particular action, is that, which the Apoſtle calles,1 Tim. 6.191 Tim 6:19 The laying vp in ſtore for our ſelues, a good foundation, againſt the time to come. The Houſe comes not till the time to come, but p. 43the Foundation muſt bee layde heere. Abraham looked for a Citie; Heb. 11.10Heb 11:10that was a future expectation; but, ſayes that Text, it was a Citie that hath a foundation; the foundation was layd alreadie, euen in this life, in a good Conſcience: For no intereſt, no manſion ſhall that Man hauehave in the vpper-roomes of that Ieruſalem, that hath not layd the foundation in a good Conſcience heere. But what is Conſcience? Conſcience hath but theſe two Elements, Knowledge, and Practiſe; for Conſcientia preſumit Scientiam; Hee that does any thing with a good Conſcience, knowes that hee ſhould doe it, and why hee does it: Hee that does good ignorantly, ſtupidly, inconſiderately, implicitely, does good, but hee does that good ill. Conſcience is, Syllagiſmus practicus; vponupon certaine premiſſes, well debated, I conclude, that I ſhould doe it, and then I doe it. Now for the deſtroying of this foundation, there are p. 44ſinnes, which by Gods ordinary grace exhibited in his Church, prooue but Alarums, but Sentinells to the Conſcience: The very ſinne, or ſomething that does naturally accompany that ſinne, Pouertie, or Sickeneſſe, or Infamie, calls vponupon a man, and awakens him to a remorſe of the ſinne. Which made Saint Auguſtine ſay, That a man got by ſome ſinnes; ſome ſinnes helpe him in the way of repentance for ſinne; and theſe ſinnes doe not deſtroy the foundation. But there are ſinnes, which in their nature preclude repentance, & batter the Conſcience, deuaſtate, depopulate, exterminate, annihilate the Conſcience, and leaue no ſenſe at all, or but a ſenſe of Deſperation. And then, the caſe being reduc'd to that,Sap. 17.11. That wickednes condemned by her owne wickednes, becomes very timerous, (ſo as the Conſcience growes afrayd, that the promiſes of the Gospell belong not to her) And (as it is added there) beeing preſſed with p. 45Conſcience, alwayes forecaſteth grieuous things) that whatſoeuer God layes vponupon him heere, all that is but his earneſt of future worſe torments, when it comes to ſuch a Feare, as (as it is added in the next verſe) Betrayes the ſuccours that Reaſon offers him, ver. 12.That whereas in reaſon a man might argue, God hath pardoned greater ſinnes, and greater ſinners, yet hee can finde no hope for himſelfe; this is a ſhrinking, a ſinking, an vndermining, a deſtroying of this Foundation of this fourth Houſe, the Conſcience: And farther wee proceed not in this Suruay.

Wee are now vponupon that which we propoſed for our laſt Conſideration;3. Part. Till foundations are ſhaked, the righteous ſtirres not; In ſome caſes ſome foundations may be ſhaked; if they be, what can the righteous doe? The holy Ghoſt neuer askes the queſtion, what the vnrighteous, the wicked can doe: They doe well enough, beſt of all, in ſuch p. 46caſes: Demolitions and Ruines are their raiſings; Troubles are their peace, Tempeſts are their calmes, Fires and combuſtions are their refreſhings, Maſſacres are their harueſt, and Deſtruction is their Vintage; All their Riuers runne in Eddies, and all their Centers are in wheeles, and in perpetuall motions; the wicked do well enough, beſt of all then; but what ſhall the righteous do? The firſt entrance of the Pſalme in the firſt verſe, ſeemes to giuegive an anſwere; The righteous may flie to the Mountaine as a Bird; he may retire, withdraw himſelfe. But then the generall ſcope of the Pſalme, giues a Reply to the Anſwere; for all Expoſitors take the whole Pſalme to bee an anſwere from Dauid, and giuen with ſome indignation againſt them, who perſwaded him to flie, or retire himſelfe. Not that Dauid would conſtitute a Rule in his Example, that it was vnlawfull to flie in a time of danger or perſecution, (for p. 47it would not bee hard to obſerue at leaſt nine or ten ſeuerall flights of Dauid) but that in ſome caſes ſuch circumſtances of Time, and Place, and Perſon, may accompany and inueſt the action, as that it may bee inconuenient for that Man, at that Time, to retire himſelfe. As oft, as the retyring amounts to the forſaking of a Calling, it will become a very diſputable thing, how farre a retyring may bee lawfull. Saint Peters vehement zeale in diſſwading Chriſt from going vp to Ieruſalem, Mat. 16.21.Matt 16:21in a time of danger, was ſo farre from retarding Chriſt in that purpoſe, as that it drew a more bitter increpation from Chriſt vponupon Peter, then at any other time.

So then, in the Text, we hauehave a Rule implyed, Something is left to the righteous to doe, though ſome Foundations bee deſtroyed; for the words are words of Conſultation, and conſultation with God; when Man can afford no Counſayle, p. 48God can, and will direct thoſe that are his, the righteous, what to doe. The words giuegive vsus the Rule, and Christ giues vsus the Example in himſelfe. Firſt, hee continues his Innocencie, and auowes that; the deſtroying of Foundations, does not deſtroy his Foundation, Innocence: ſtill hee is able to confound his aduerſaries,Ioh. 8.46.John 8:46 with that, Which of you can conuince mee of ſinne? And then, hee prayes for the remoouing of the perſecution, Tranſeat Calix, let this Cup paſſe. When that might not bee, hee prayes euen for them, who inflicted this perſecution, Pater ignoſce, Father forgiue them; And when all is done, hee ſuffers all that can bee done vntounto him: And hee calls his whole Paſſion, Horam ſuam, it ſpent nights and dayes; his whole life was a continuall Paſsion; yet how long ſoeuer, he calls it but an Houre, and how much ſoeuer it were their act, the act of their malignitie that did it, yet hee calls it p. 49his, becauſe it was the act of his owne Predestination as God, vponupon himſelfe as Man; And hee calles it by a more acceptable Name then that, hee calles his Paſsion Calicem ſuum, his Cup, becauſe hee brought not onelyonly a patience to it, but a delight and a ioy in it; for, for the ioy that was ſet before him, Hebr. 12.2.Heb 12:2hee endured the Croſſe. All this then the righteous can doe, though Foundations bee destroyed; Hee can withdrawe himſelfe, if the duties of his place make not his reſidence neceſſarie; If it doe, hee can pray; and then hee can ſuffer; and then hee can reioyce in his ſufferings; and hee can make that proteſtation, Our God is able to deliuer vsus, Dan. 3.17.Dan 3:17and hee will deliuer vsus; but if not, wee will ſerue no other Gods. For, the righteous hath euermore this refuge, this aſſurance, that though ſome Foundations bee deſtroyed, all cannot bee: for firſt, The foundation of God ſtands ſure, 2 Tim. 2.192 Tim 2:19and hee knowes who are his; Hee is ſafe p. 50in God; and then he is ſafe in his owne Conſcience, Pro. 10.25.Prov 10:25for, The Righteous is an euerlaſting foundation; not onelyonly that he hath one, but is one; and not a temporary, but an euerlaſting Foundation: So that foundations can neuer bee ſo deſtroyed, but that hee is ſafe in God, and ſafe in himſelfe.

Domus Eccleſia.For ſuch things then, as concerne the foundation of the firſt Houſe, the Church, Bee not apt to call Super-Edifications, Foundations; Collaterall Diuinitie, Fundamentall Diuinitie; Problematicall, Diſputable, Controuertible poynts, poynts Eſſentiall, and Articles of Faith. Call not Super-Edifications, Foundations, nor call not the furniture of the Houſe, Foundations; Call not Ceremoniall, and Rituall things, Eſſentiall parts of Religion, and of the worſhip of God, otherwiſe then as they imply Diſobedience; for Obedience to lawfull Authoritie, is alwayes an Eſſentiall part of Religion. Doe not p. 51Anti-date Miſerie; doe not Propheſie Ruine; doe not Concurre with Miſchiefe, nor Contribute to Miſchiefe ſo farre, as to ouer-feare it before, nor to miſ-interprete their wayes, whoſe Ends you cannot knowe; And doe not call the cracking of a pane of glaſſe, a Deſtroying of foundations. But eueryevery man doing the particular duties of his diſtinct Calling, for the preſeruation of Foundations, Praying, and Preaching, and Doing, and Counſailing, and Contributing too, Foundations beeing neuer deſtroyed, the Righteous ſhall doe ſtill, as they hauehave done, enioy God manifeſted in Chriſt, and Christ applyed in the Scriptures, which is the foundation of the firſt Houſe, the Church.

For things concerning the Foundation of the ſecond Houſe, Reſpub. Domus.the Common-wealth, which is the Lawe, Diſpute not Lawes, but obey them when they are made; In thoſe Councells, where p. 52Lawes are made, or reformed, diſpute; but there alſo, without particular intereſt, without priuate affection, without perſonall relations. Call not eueryevery entrance of ſuch a Iudge, as thou thinkeſt inſufficient, a corrupt entrance; nor eueryevery Iudgement, which hee enters, and thou vnderſtandeſt not, or likeſt not, a corrupt Iudgement. As in Naturall things, it is a weakeneſſe to thinke, that eueryevery thing that I knowe not how it is done, is done by Witch-craft, So is it alſo in Ciuill things, if I know not why it is done, to thinke it is done for Money. Let the Law bee ſacred to thee, and the Diſpenſers of the Law, reuerend; Keepe the Lawe, and the Lawe ſhall keepe thee; And ſo Foundations being neuer deſtroyed, the Righteous ſhall doe ſtill, as they hauehave done, enioy their Poſſeſsions, and Honours, and themſelues, by the ouerſhadowing of the Lawe, which p. 53is the Foundation of the ſecond Houſe, the State.

For thoſe things which concerne the Foundations of the third Houſe, Domus Domicilium.the Family, Call not light faults by heauie Names; Call not all ſociableneſſe, and Conuerſation, Diſloyaltie in thy Wife; Nor all leuitie, or pleaſurableneſſe, Incorrigibleneſſe in thy Sonne; nor all negligence, or forgetfulneſſe, Perfidiouſneſſe in thy Seruant; Nor let eueryevery light diſorder within doores, ſhut thee out of doores, or make thee a ſtranger in thine owne Houſe. In a ſmoakie roome, it may bee enough to open a Windowe, without leauing the place; In Domeſtique vnkindneſſes, and diſcontents, it may bee wholeſomer to giuegive them a Concoction at home in a diſcreete patience, or to giuegive them a vent at home, in a moderate rebuke, then to thinke to eaſe them, or put them off, with falſe p. 54diuertions abroad. As States ſubſiſt in part, by keeping their weakeneſſes from being knowen, ſo is it the quiet of Families, to hauehave their Chauncerie, and their Parliament within doores, and to compoſe and determine all emergent differences there: for ſo alſo, Foundations beeing kept vndeſtroyed, the righteous ſhall doe, as they ſhould doe, enioy a Religious Vnitie, and a Ciuill Vnitie, the ſame Soule towards God, the ſame heart towards one another, in a holy, and in a happy Peace, and Peace is the foundation of this third Houſe, The Family.

Domus Dominus.Laſtly, for thoſe things which concerne the Foundations of the fourth Houſe, Our ſelues, Miſ-interprete not Gods former Corrections vponupon thee, how long, how ſharpe ſoeuer: Call not his Phiſicke, poyſon, nor his Fiſh, Scorpions, nor his Bread, Stone: Accuſe not God, for that hee p. 55hath done, nor ſuſpect not God, for that hee may doe, as though God had made thee, onelyonly becauſe hee lacked a man, to damne. In all ſcruples of Conſcience, ſay with Saint Peter, Domine quo vadam, Lord, whither ſhall I goe, thou haſt the Word of eternall life, And God will not leaue thee in the darke: In all oppreſsion from potent Aduerſaries, ſay with Dauid, Tibi ſoli peccaui: Againſt thee, O Lord, onelyonly hauehave I ſinned, And God will not make the malice of another man his Executioner vponupon thee. Crie to him; and if hee hauehave not heard thee, crie lowder, and crie oftner; The firſt way that God admitted thee to him, was by VVater, the water of Baptiſme; Goe ſtill the ſame way to him, by Water, by repentant Teares: And remember ſtill, that when Ezechias wept, Vidit lachrymam, God ſaw his Teare, His Teare in the Singular; God ſawe his firſt teare, eueryevery ſeuerall p. 56teare: If thou thinke God hauehave not done ſo by thee, Continue thy teares, till thou finde hee doe. The firſt way that Chriſt came to thee, was in Blood; when hee ſubmitted himſelfe to the Lawe, in Circumciſion; And the laſt thing that hee bequeathed to thee, was his Blood, in the Inſtitution of the Bleſſed Sacrament; Refuſe not to goe to him, the ſame way too, if his glorie require that Sacrifice. If thou pray, and haſt an apprehenſion that thou heareſt God ſay, hee will not heare thy prayers, doe not beleeue that it is hee that ſpeakes; If thou canſt not chuſe but beleeue that it is hee, let mee ſay, in a pious ſenſe, doe not beleeue him: God would not bee beleeued, in denouncing of Iudgements, ſo abſolutely, ſo peremptorily, as to bee thought to ſpeake vnconditionally, illimitedly: God tooke it well at Dauids hands, that when the Prophet p. 57had tolde him, The childe ſhall ſurely die, yet hee beleeued not the Prophet ſo peremptorily, but that hee proceeded in Prayer to God, for the life of the childe. Say with Dauid, Thou haſt beene a ſtrong Tower to mee; Pſal. 61.4.Ps 61:4I will abide in thy Tabernacle, 62.7.Et non Emigrabo, I will neuer goe out, I know thou haſt a Church, I know I am in it, and I will neuer depart from it; and ſo Foundations beeing neuer deſtroyed, the righteous ſhall doe, as the righteous hauehave alwayes done, enioy the Euidence, and the Verdict, and the Iudgement, and the Poſſeſsion of a good Conſcience, which is the Foundation of this fourth Houſe. Firſt, gouerne this firſt Houſe, Thy ſelfe, well; and as Chriſt ſayde, hee ſhall ſay againe, Thou haſt beene faithfull in a little, take more; Hee ſhall enlarge thee in the next Houſe, Thy Family, and the next, The State, and the other, The Church, till hee ſay to thee, as p. 58hee did to Ieruſalem, after all his other Bleſsings, Et prosperata es in Regnum, Now I hauehave brought thee vp to a Kingdome, A Kingdome, where not onelyonly no Foundations can bee deſtroyed, but no ſtone ſhaked; and where the Righteous know alwayes what to doe, to glorifie God, in that inceſſant Acclamation, Saluation to our God, who ſits vponupon the Throne, and to the Lambe; And to this Lambe of God, who hath taken away the ſinnes of the world, and but changed the Sunnes of the world, who hath complicated two wondrous workes in one, To make our Sunne to ſet at Noone, and to make our Sunne to riſe at Noone too, That hath giuen him Glorie, and not taken away our Peace, That hath exalted him to Vpper-roomes, and not ſhaked any Foundations of ours, To this Lambe of God, the glorious Sonne of God, and the moſt Almightie Father, and the Bleſſed p. 59Spirit of Comfort, three Perſons, and one God, bee aſcribed by vsus, and the whole Church, the Triumphant Church, where the Father of bleſſed Memorie raignes with God, and the Militant Church, where the Sonne of bleſſed Aſſurance raignes for God, All Power, Praiſe, Might, Maieſtie, Glory, and Dominion, now, and for euer. Amen.

FINIS.

Errat. Pag. 12. l. 17. for Cauſe, read Lawes. pa 43. l. 20. for Syllagiſmus, r. Syllogiſmus.

A SERMON, PREACHED TO THE KINGS M^tie. AT WHITEHALL, 24. Febr. 1625.

By IOHN DONNE Deane of Saint Pauls, London.

And now by his Maieſtes commandment Publiſhed.

LONDON, Printed for THOMAS IONES, dwelling at the Blacke Rauen in the Strand. 1626.