Three Sermons Upon Special Occasions, Sermon 2 – Prayer

Three Sermons Upon Special Occasions · Sermon 2 – Prayer

p. 1ACTS 1. 8.

But yee shall receiue power, after that the Holy Ghost is come vponupon you, and yee shall be witnesses vntounto me both in Ierusalem, and in all Iudea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermost part of the Earth.

THere are reckoned in this booke, 22. Sermons of the Apostles; and yet the booke is not called the Preaching, but the Practise, not the VVords, but the Acts of the Apostles: and the Acts of the Apostles were to conuay that name p. 2of Christ Iesus, and to propagate his Gospell, ouer all the world: Beloued you are Actors vponupon the same Stage too: the vttermonst part of the Earth are your Scene: act ouer the acts of the Apostles; bee you a light to the Gentiles, that sit in darkenesse; be you content to carry him ouer these Seas, who dryed vp one red Sea, for his first people, and hath powred out another red Sea, his owne bloud, for them and vsus. When man was fallen, God clothed him; made him a Leather Garment; there God descended to one occupation; when the time of mans redemption was come, then God, as it were, to house him, became a Carpenters Sonne; there God descended to another occupation. Naturally, without doubt, man would hauehave beene his own Taylor, and his owne Carpenter; something in these two kinds man would hauehave done of himselfe, though hee had had no patterne from God: but p. 3in preseruing man who was fallen, to this redemption, by which he was to be raisd, in preseruing man from perishing, in the Flood, God descended to a third occupation, to be his Shipwright to giuegive him the modell of a ship, an Arke, and so to be the author of that, which man himselfe in likelihood, would neuer hauehave thought of, a means to passe from Nation to Nation. Now, as GOD taught vsus to make cloathes, not onelyonly to cloath our selues, but to cloath him in his poore and naked members heere; as God taught vsus to build houses, not to house ourselues, but to house him, in erecting Churches, to his glory: So God taught vsus to make Ships, not to transport ourselues, but to transport him, That when wee hauehave receiued power, after that the Holy Ghost is come vponupon vsus, we might be witnesses vntounto him, both in Ierusalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermost parts of the Earth.

p. 4As I speake now principally to them who are concernd in this Plantation of Virginia, yet there may be diuers in this Congregation, who, though they hauehave no interest in this Plantation, yet they may hauehave benefit and edification, by that which they heare me say, so Christ spoke the words of this Text, principally to the Apostles, who were present and questioned him at his Ascention, but they are in their iust extention, and due accomodation, appliable to our present occation of meeting heere: As Christ himselfe is Alpha, and Omega, so first, as that hee is last too, so these words which he spoke in the East, belong to vsus, who are to glorifie him in the VVest; That we hauing receiued power, after that the Holy Ghost is come vponupon vsus, might be witnesses vntounto him, both in Ierusalem, and in all Iudea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermost parts of the Earth.

The first word of the Text is the p. 5Cardinall word, the word the hinge vponupon which the whole Text turnes; The first word, But, is the But, that all the rest shoots at. First it is an exclusiue word; something the Apostles had required, which might not bee had; not that; And it is an inclusiue word; something Christ was pleasd to affoord to the Apostles, which they thought not of; not that, not that which you beat vponupon, But, but yet, something else, something better then that, you shall hauehave. That which this but, excludes, is that which the Apostles expresse in the Verse immediatly before the Text, a Temporall Kingdome; VVilt thou restore againe the kingdome of Israel? No; not a temporall Kingdome; let not the riches and commodities of this World, be in your contemplation in your aduentures. Or, because they aske more, VVilt thou now restore that? not yet: If I will giuegive you riches, and commodities of this world, yet if I doe it not at p. 6first, if I doe it not yet, be not you discouraged; you shall not hauehave that, that is not Gods first intention; and though that be in Gods intention, to giuegive it you hereafter, you shall not hauehave it yet; thats the exclusiue part; But; there enters the inclusiue, You shall receiue power, after that the Holy Ghost is come vponupon you, and you shall bee witnesses vntounto mee, both in Ierusalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermost parts of the Earth. In which second part, we shall passe by these steps; Superueniet Spiritus, The holy Ghost shall come vponupon you, The Spirit shall witnesse to your Spirit, and rectifie your Conscience; And then, by that, you shall receiue power; A new power besides the power you hauehave from the State, and that power shall enable you, to be witnesses of Christ, that is; to make his doctrine the more credible, by your testimony, when you conforme you selnes to him, and doe as hee did; and this p. 7witnesse you shall beare, this conformity you shall declare, first in Ierusalem, in this Citie; And in Iudaea, in all the parts of the Kingdome; and in Samaria, euen amongst them who are departed from the true worship of God, the Papists; and to the vttermost part of the Earth, to those poore Soules, to whom you are continually sending. Summarily, If from the Holy Ghost you hauehave a good testimony in your owne Conscience, you shall be witnesses for Christ, that is; as he did, you shall giuegive satisfaction to all, to the Citie, to the Countrey, to the Calumniating Aduersary, and the Naturals of the place, to whom you shall present both Spirituall and Temporall benefit to. And so you hauehave the Modell of the whole frame, and of the partitions; we proceede now to the furnishing of the particular roomes.

p. 81. Part.

FIrst then, this first word, But, excludes a temporall Kingdome; the Apostles had filld themselues with an expectation, with an ambition of it; but that was not intended them. It was no wonder, that a woman could conceiue such an expectation, and such an ambition, as to hauehave her two sonnes sit at Christs right hand,Mat. 20. 20Matt 20:20 and at his left, in his Kingdome, when the Apostles expected such a Kingdome, as might affoord them honours and preferment vponupon Earth. More then once they were in that disputation, in which Christ deprehended them, Which of them should bee the greatest in his Kingdome. Mat. 1. 81.Matt 1:81Neither hath the Bishop of Rome, any thing, wherein he may so properly call himselfe Apostolicall, as this error of the Apostles, this their infirmitie, that he is euermore to conuersant vponupon the contemplation p. 9of temporall Kingdomes. They did it all the way, when Christ was with them, and now at his last step, Cum actu ascendisset, Athanaz.when Christ was not Ascending, but in part ascended, when one foot was vponupon the Earth, and the other in the cloud that tooke him vp, they aske him now, wilt thou at this time, restore the Kingdome? so women put their husbands, and men their fathers, and friends, vponupon their torture, at their last gaspe, and make their death-bed a racke to make them stretch and encrease ioyntures, and portions, and legacies, and signe Scedules and Codicils, with their hand, when his hand that presents them, is ready to close his eyes, that should signe them: And when they are vponupon the wing for heauen, men tye lead to their feet, and when they are laying hand-fast vponupon Abrahams bosome, they must pull their hand out of his bosome againe, to obey importunities of men, and signe p. 10their papers: so vnderminable is the louelove of this World, which determines eueryevery minute. GOD, as hee is three persons, hath three Kingdomes; There is Regnum potentiae, The Kingdome of power; and this wee attribute to the Father; it is power and prouidence: There is Regnum gloriae, the Kingdome of glorie; this we attribute to the Sonn and to his purchase; for he is the King that shall say,Mat. 25. 34Matt 25:34 Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you, from the foundation of the VVorld. And then betweene these three is Regnum gratiae, The kingdome of Grace, and this we attribute to the Holy Ghost; he takes them, whom the king of power, Almighty God hath rescued from the Gentiles, and as the king of grace, Hee giues them the knowledge of the misterie of the kingdome of GOD,Mar. 4. 11.Mark 4:11 that is, of future glory, by sactifying them with his grace, in his Church. The two first kingdomes are in this world, but p. 11yet neither of them, are of this world; because both they referre co the kingdome of glory. The kingdome of the Father, which is the prouidence of God, does but preserue vsus; The kingdome of the Holy Ghost which is the grace of God, does but prepare vsus to the kingdome of the Sonne, which is the glory of GOD; and thats in heauen. And therefore, though to good men, this world be the way to that kingdome, yet this kingdome is not of this world, sayes Christ himselfe: Though the Apostles themselues,Ioh 18. 36.John 18:36 as good a Schoole as they were bred in, could neuer take out that lesson, yet that lesson Christ giues, and repeates to all, you seeke a Temporall kingdome, But, sayes the Text, stop there, A kingdome you must not hauehave.

Beloued in him, whose kingdome, and Ghospell you seeke to aduance, in this Plantation, our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus, if you seeke to establish a p. 12temporall kingdome there, you are not rectified, if you seeke to bee Kings in either acceptation of the word; To be a King signifies Libertie and indepency, and Supremacie, to bee vnderunder no man, and to be a King signifies Abundance, and Omnisufficiencie, to neede no man. If those that gouerne there, would establish such a gouernment, as should not depend vponupon this, or if those that goe thither, propose to themselues an exemption from Lawes, to liue at their libertie, this is to be Kings, to deuest Allegeance, to bee vnderunder no man: and if those that aduenture thither, propose to themselues present benefit, and profit, a sodaine way to bee rich, and an aboundance of all desirable commodities from thence, this is to be sufficient of themselues, and to need no man: and to bee vnderunder no man and to need no man, are the two acceptations of being Kings. Whom liberty drawes to goe, or present profit p. 13drawes to aduenture, are not yet in the right way. O, if you could once bring a Catechisme to bee as good ware amongst them as a Bugle, as a knife, as a hatchet: O, if you would be as ready to hearken at the returne of a Ship, how many Indians were conuerted to Christ Iesus, as what Trees, or druggs, or Dyes that Ship had brought, then you were in your right way, and not till then; Libertie and Abundance, are Characters of kingdomes, and a kingdome is excluded in the Text; The Apostles were not to looke for it, in their employment, nor you in this your Plantation.

At least CHRIST expresses himselfe thus farre, in this answer, that if he would giuegive them a kingdome,Non adbuc. hee would not giuegive it them yet. They aske him, VVilt thou at this time, restore the kingdome? and hee answers, It is not for you to know the times: whatsoeuer God will doe, Man must not p. 14appoint him his time. The Apostles thought of a kingdome presently after Christs departure; the comming of the Holy Ghost, who ledd them into all truthes, soone deliuer'd them of that error. Other men in fauour of the Iewes, interpreting all the prophesies, which are of a Spirituall kingdome, the kingdome of the Gospell, (into which, the Iewes shall be admitted) in a literall sense, hauehave thought that the Iewes shall hauehave, not onelyonly a temporall kingdome in the same place, in Ierusalem againe, but because they find that kingdome which is promised, (that is the kingdome of the Gospell) to bee expressed in large phrases, and in an abundant manner, applying all that largenesse to a temporall kingdome, they thinke, that the Iewes shall hauehave such a kingdome, as shall swallowe and annihilate all other kingdomes, and bee the sole Empire and Monarchy of the world. After this, very great men in the Church p. 15vponupon these words, of One thousand yeares after the Resurrection, hauehave immagin'd a Temporall Kingdome of the Saints of God heere vponupon Earth,Apo. 20, before they entred the ioyes of Heauen: and Saint Augustine himselfe,De Ciuitat. Dei 20. 7. had at first some declinations towards that opinion, though he dispute powerfully against it, after: That there should bee Sabatismus in terris; that as the world was to last Sixe thousand yeares in troubles, there should be a Seuenth thousand, in such ioyes as this world could giuegive.

And some others, who hauehave auoided both the Temporall kingdome imagin'd by the Apostles, presently after the Ascention, And the Emperiall kingdome of the Iewes, before the Refurrection, And the Carnall kingdome of the Chiliasts, the Millenarians, after the Refurrection, though they speake of no kingdome, but the true kingdome, the kingdome of glory, yet they erre as p. 16much in assigning a certaine time when that kingdome shall beginne, when the ende of this world, when the Refurrection, when the Iudgement shall be. Non est vestrum nosse tempora, sayes Christ to his Apostles then; and lest it might be thought, that they might know these things, when the Holy Ghost came vponupon them, Christ denies that he himselfe knew that, as Man; and as Man, Christ knew more, then euer the Apostles knew. Whatsoeuer therefore Christ intended to his Apostles heere, hee would not giuegive it presently, non adhuc, hee would not binde himselfe to a certaine time, Non est vestrum nosse tempora, It belongs not to vsus to know Gods times.

Beloued, vse goly meanes, and giuegive God his leisure. You cannot beget a Sonne, and tell the Mother, I will hauehave this Sonne born within fiue Moneths; nor, when he is borne, say, you will hauehave him past daunger of VVardship p. 17within fiue yeares. You cannot sow your Corne to day, and say it shall bee aboue ground to morrow, and in my Barne next weeke. Howe soone the best Husbandman, sow'd the best Seede, in the best ground? GOD cast the promise of a Messias, as the seede of all, in Paradise; In Semine Mulieris; The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head; and yet this Plant was Foure thousand yeares after before it appeared; this Messias Foure thousand yeares before he came. GOD shew'd the ground where that should growe, Two thousand yeares after the Promise; in Abrahams Family; In semine tuo, In thy Seed all Nations shall be blessed. God hedgd in this Ground almost One thousand yeares after that; In Micheas time, Et tu Bethlem, Thou Bethlem shalt bee the place; and God watered that, and weeded that, refreshed that dry expectation, with a Succession of Prophets; and p. 18yet it was so long before this expectation of Nations, this Messias came. So GOD promised the Iewes a Kingdome, in Iacobs Prophecie to Iuda, Gen. 49.Gen 49That the Scepter should not depart from his Tribe. In Two hundred yeares more, he saies no more of it;Deu. 17. 14.Deut 17:14 then he ordaines some institutions for their King, when they should hauehave one. And then it was Foure hundred yeares after that, before they had a King. GOD ment from the first howre, to people the whole earth; and God could hauehave made men of clay, as fast as they made Brickes of Clay in Egypt; but he began vponupon two, and when they had beene mulplying and replenishing the Earth One thousand sixe hundred yeares, the Flood washed all that away, and GOD was almost to begin againe vponupon eight persons; and they hauehave seru'd to people Earth and Heauen too; Bee not you discouraged, if the Promises which you hauehave made to your selues, p. 19or to others, be not so soone discharg'd; though you see not your money, though you see not your men, though a Flood, a Flood of bloud hauehave broken in vponupon them, be not discouraged. Great Creatures ly long in the wombe; Lyons are litterd perfit, but Bearewhelps lick'd vntounto their shape; actions which Kings vndertake, are cast in a mould; they hauehave their perfection quickly; actions of priuate men, and priuate purses, require more hammering, and more filing to their perfection. OnelyOnly let your principall ende, bee the propagation of the glorious Gospell, and though there bee an Exclusiue in the Text, GOD does not promise you a Kingdome, ease, and abundance in all things, and that which he does intend to you, he does not promise presently, yet there is an Inclusiue too; not that, But, but something equiuolent at least, But yee shall receiue power, after that the Holy Ghost is come vponupon you, and yee shall p. 20be witnesses vntounto me, both in Ierusalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermost parts of the Earth.

2. Part.

NOw our Sauiour Christ does not say to these men, since you are so importunate you shall hauehave no Kingdome; now nor neuer; Sed.tis, not yet? But, he does not say, you shall hauehave no kingdome, nor any thing else; tis not that; But; the importunitie of beggers, sometimes drawes vsus to such a froward answer, for this importunitie, I will neuer giuegive you any thing. Our patterne was not so froward;1 Sam. 161 Sam 16 hee gaue them not that, but as good as that. Samuel was sent to superinduct a King vponupon Saul, to annoint a new King. Hee thought his Commission had bene determined in Eliab, Surely this is the Lords Annointed. But the Lord said, not he; p. 21nor the next, Aminadab; nor the next, Shamah; nor none of the next seuen; But; but yet there is one in the field, keeping sheepe, annoint him; Dauid is he. Saint Paul prayed earnestly, and frequently, to be discharged of that Stimulus Carnis: God saies no; not that; but Gratia measufficit, Thou shalt hauehave grace to ouercome the tentation, though the tentation remaine. God sayes to you, No Kingdome, not ease, not abundance; nay nothing at all yet; the Plantation shall not discharge the Charges, not defray it selfe yet; but yet already, now at first, it shall conduce to great vses; It shall redeeme many a wretch from the Iawes of death, from the hands of the Executioner, vponupon whom, perchauuce a small fault, or perchance a first fault, or perchance a fault heartily and sincerely repented, perchance no fault, but malice, had otherwise cast a present, and ignominious death. It shall sweep your streets, and wash your dores, from p. 22idle persons, and the children of idle persons, and imploy them: and truely, if the whole Countrey were but such a Bridewell, to force idle persons to work, it had a good vse. But it is already, not onelyonly a Spleene, to draine the ill humors of the body, but a Liuer, to breed good bloud; already the imployment breeds Marriners; already the place giues essayes, nay Fraytes of Marchantable commodities; already it is a marke for the Enuy, and for the ambition of our Enemies; I speake but of our Doctrinall, not Nationall Enemies; as they are Papists, they are sory we hauehave this Countrey; and surely, twenty Lectures in matter of Controuersie, doe not so much vexe them, as one Ship that goes, & strengthens that Plantation. Neither can I recommend it to you, by any better Retorique then their malice. They would gladly hauehave it, and therefore let vsus bee glad to hold it.

p. 23Thus then this Text proceedes,Spiritus Sanctus. and gathers vponupon you. All that you would hauehave by this Plantation, you shall not hauehave; GOD bindes not himselfe to measures; All that you shall hauehave, you hauehave not yet; GOD bindes not himselfe to times, but something you shall hauehave; nay, you hauehave already, some great things; and of those that in the Text is, The Holy Ghost shall come vponupon you. we find the Holy Ghost to hauehave come vponupon men, foure times in this Booke. First,Acts 2, 1.Acts 2:1 vponupon the Apostles at Pentecost. Then, when the whole Congregation was in prayer for the imprisonment of Peter and Iohn. 4. 31.Againe, when Peter preached in Cornelius his house,10. 44. the Holy Ghost fell vponupon all them that heard him. And fourthly, when Saint Paul laid his hands vponupon them, who had beene formerly baptized at Ephesus. 19. 6.At the three latter times, it is euident that the Holy Ghost fell vponupon whole and promiscuous p. 24Congregations, and not vponupon the Apostles onelyonly: and in the first, at Pentecost, the contrary is not euident; nay, the Fathers, for the most part, that handle that, concurre in that, that the Holy Ghost fell then vponupon the whole Congregation, men and women. The Holy Ghost fell vponupon Peter before hee preach'd, and it fell vponupon the hearers when he preach'd, and it hath fallen vponupon eueryevery one of them, who hauehave found motions in themselnes, to propagate the Gospell of Christ Iesus by this meanes. The Sonne of GOD did not abhorre the Virgins wombe, when hee would be made man; when he was man, he did not disdaine to ride vponupon an Asse into Ierusalem: the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost is as humble as the second, hee refuses Nullum vehiculum, no conueyance, no doore of entrance into you; whether the example and precedent of other good men, or a probable imagination of future p. 25profit, or a willingnes to concurre to the vexation of the Enemie, what collaterall respect soeuer drew thee in, if now thou art in, thy principall respect be the glory of God, that occasion, whatsoeur it was, was vehiculum Spiritus Sancti, that was the Petard, that broke open thy Iron gate, that was the Chariot, by which he entred into thee, and now hee is fallen vponupon thee, if thou do not Depose, (lay aside all consideration of profit for euer, neuer to looke for returne) No not Sepose, (leaue out the consideration of profit for a time) (for that, and Religion may well consist together,) but if thou doe but Post-pose the consideration of temporall gaine, and study first the aduancement of the Gospell of Christ Iesus, the Holy Ghost is fallen vponupon you, for by that, you receiue power, sayes the Text.

There is a Power rooted in Nature, Potestatem.and a Power rooted in Grace; a p. 26power yssuing from the Law of Nacions, and a power growing out of the Gospell. In the Law of Nature and Nations, A Land neuer inhabited, by any, or vtterly derelicted and immemorially abandoned by the former Inhabitants, becomes theirs that wil possesse it. So also is it, if the inhabitants doe not in some measure fill the Land, so as the Land may bring foorth her increase for the vse of men: for as a man does not become proprietary of the Sea, because hee hath two or three Boats, fishing in it, so neither does a a man become Lord of a maine Continent, because hee hath two or three Cottages in the Skirts thereof. That rule which passes through all Municipal lawes in particular States, Interest reipublic & vt quis re sua bene vtatur, The State must take order, that eueryevery man improoue that which he hath, for the best aduantage of that State, passes also through the Law of Nations, which is to all p. 27the world, as the Municipall Law is to a particular State, Interest mundo, The whole world, all Mankinde must take care, that all places be emprou'd, as farre as may be, to the best aduantage of Mankinde in generall. Againe if the Land be peopled, and cultiuated by the people, and that Land produce in abundance such things, for want whereof their neghbours, or others (being not enemies) perish, the Law of Nations may iustifie some force; in seeking, by permutation of other commodities which they neede, to come to some of theirs. Many cases may be put, when not onelyonly Comerce, and Trade, but Plantations in lands, not formerly, our owne, may be lawfull. And for that, Accepistis potestatem, you hauehave your Commission, your Patents, your Charters, your Seales from him, vponupon whose acts, any priuate Subiect, in Ciuill matters, may safely rely. But then, Accipietis potestatem, You shall receiue power, sayes the text; p. 28you shall, when the Holy Ghost is come vponupon you; that is, when the instinct, the influence, the motions of the Holy Ghost enables your Conscience to say, that your principall ende is not gaine, nor glory, but to gaine Soules to the glory of GOD, this Seales the great Seale, this iustifies Iustice it selfe, this authorises Authoritie, and giues power to strength it selfe. Let the Conscience bee vpright, and then Seales, and Patents, and Commissions are wings; they assist him to flye the faster; let the Conscience be lame, and distorted, and he that goes vponupon Seales, and Patents, and Commissions, goes vponupon weake and feeble crouches. When the Holy Ghost is come vponupon you, your Conscience rectified, you shall hauehave Power, a new power out of that; what to doe? that followes, to bee witnesses vntounto Christ.

Infamy is one of the highest punishments that the Law inflicts vponupon man;Testes. p. 29for it lyes vponupon him euen after death: Infamy is the worst punishment, and Intestabilitie, (to be made intestable) is one of the deepest wounds of infamy; and then the worst degree of intestabilitie, is not to bee beleeued, not to bee admitted to be a witnesse of any other: he is Intestable that cannot make a Testament, not giuegive his owne goods; and hee Intestable that can receiue nothing by the Testament of another; hee is Intestable, in whose behalfe no testimony may be accepted; but he is the most miserably Intestable of all, the most detestably intestable, that discredits another man by speaking well of him, and makes him the more suspitious, by his commendations. A Christian in profession, that is not a Christian in life, is so intestable so, hee discredits Christ, and hardens others against him. Iohn Baptist was more then a Prophet, because he was a Witnesse of Christ; and he was a Witnesse, p. 30becaue hee was like him, he did as hee did, he lead a holy and a religious life; so he was a Witnesse. That great and glorious name of Martyr, is but a Witnesse. Saint Stephen was Proto-martyr, Christs first VVitnesse, because hee was the first that did as he did, that put on his colours, that drunke of his Cup, that was baptised with his Baptisme, with his owne bloud: so hee was a VVitnesse. To be Witnesses for Christ, is to be like Christ; to conforme your selues to Christ; and they in the Text, & you, are to be witnesses of Christ in Ierusalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermost parts of the Earth.

Saint Hierome notes that Iohn Baptist was not bid to beare witnesse in Ierusalem, Ierusalem.in the Citie, but in the Wildernesse; he, and none but he: there were but few men to witnes to there; & those few that were, came thither with a good disposition to be wrought vponupon there; and there there were p. 31fewe witnesses to oppose Iohns Testimony, few tentations, few worldly alluremēts, few worldly businesses. One was enough for the Wildernesse; but for Ierusalem, for the Citie, where all the excuses in the Gospell doe alwaies meete, they hauehave bought commodities, and they must vtter them, they hauehave purchased Lands, & they must state them, they hauehave maried Wiues, and they must study them, to the Citie, to Ierusalem, Christ sends all his Apostles, and all little inough. Hee hath sent a great many Apostles, Preachers, to this Citie; more then to any other, that I know. Religious persons as they call them, Cloistered Friars are not sent to the Citie; by their first Canons, they should not preach abroad: but for those who are to doe that seruice, there are more in this Citie, then in others, for there are more Parish Churches heere then in others. Now, beloued, if in this Citie, you hauehave taken away a great part p. 32of the reuenue of the Preacher, to your selues, take thus much of his labour vponupon your selues to, as to preach to one another by a holy and exemplar life, and a religious conuersation. Let those of the Citie, who hauehave interest in the Gouernment of this Plantation, be Witnesses of Christ who is Truth it selfe, to all other Gouernours of Companies, in all true and iust proceedings: that as CHRIST said to them who thought themselues greatest, Except you become as this little Childe, so we may say to the Gouenours of the grearest Companies, Except you proceed with the integrity, with the iustice, with the clearenesse, of your little Sister, this Plantation, you doe not take, you doe not follow a good example. This is to beare witnesse of Christ in Ierusalem, in the Citie, to bee examples of Truth, and Iustice, and Clearenesse, to others, in, and of this Citie.

The Apostles were to do this in Iudaea p. 33Iudaea.too, their seruice lay in the Countrey as well as in the Citie. Birds that are kept in cages may learne some Notes, which they should neuer hauehave sung in the Woods or Fields; but yet they may forget their naturall Notes too. Preachers that binde themselues alwaies to Cities and Courts, and great Auditories, may learne new Notes; they may become occasionall Preachers, and make the emergent affaires of the time, their Text, and the humors of the hearers their Bible; but they may loose their Naturall Notes, both the simplicitie, and the boldnesse that belongs to the Preaching of the Gospell: both their power vponupon lowe vnderstandings to raise them, and vponupon high affection to humble them. They may thinke that their errand is but to knocke at the doore, to delight the eare, and not to search the House, to ransacke the conscience. Christ left the Ninteie and nine for one Sheepe; populous Cities are for the p. 34most part best prouided; remoter parts need our labour more, and we should not make such differences. Yeoman, and Labourer, and Spinster, are distinctions vponupon Earth; in the Earth, in the graue there is no distinction. The Angell that shall call vsus out of that dust, will not stand to suruay, who lyes naked, who in a Coffin, who in Wood, who in Lead, who in a fine, who in a courser Sheet; In that one day of the Resurrection, there is not a forenoone for Lords to rise first, and an afternoone for meaner persons to rise after. Christ was not whip'd to saue Beggars, and crown'd with Thornes to saue Kings: he dyed, he suffered all, for all; and we whose bearing witnesse of him, is to doe, as hee did, must conferre our labours vponupon all, vponupon Ierusalem, and vponupon Iudaea too, vponupon the Citie, and vponupon the Country too. You, who are his witnesses too, must doe so too; preach in your iust actions, as to the p. 35Citie, to the Countrey too. Not to Seale vp the secrets, and the misteries of your businesse within the bosome of Merchants, and exclude all others who nourish an incompatibility betweene Merchants & Gentlemen; that Merchants shall say to them in reproach, you hauehave plaid the Gentlemen, and they in equall reproach, you hauehave playd the Merchant; but as Merchants growe vp into worshipfull Families, and worshipfull Families let fall branches amongst Merchants againe, so for this particular Plantation, you may consider Citie and Countrey to bee one body, and as you giuegive example of a iust gouernment to other companies in the Citie, (thats your bearing witnesse in Ierusalem,) so you may be content to giuegive reasons of your proceedings, and account of moneyes leuied, ouer the Countrey, for thats your bearing witnes in Iudaea.

p. 36But the Apostles Dioces is enlarged,Samaria. farther then Ierusalem, farther the Iudaea, they are carried into Samaria; you must beare witnesse of me in Samaria. Beloued, when I hauehave remembred you, who the Samaritans were, Men that had not renounced GOD, but mingled other Gods with him, Men that had not burnt the Law of GOD, but made Traditions of Men equall to it, you will easily guesse to whom I apply the name of Samaritans now. A Iesuit hath told vsus (an ill Intelligencer I confesse, but euen his Intelligencer, the Deuill himselfe, sayes true sometimes) Maldonate sayes, the Samaritans were odious to the Iewes, vponupon the same grounds as Heretiques and Scismatiques to vsus; and they, we know were odious to them for mingling false Gods, and false worships with the true. And if that be the Caracter of a Samaritan, wee knowe who are the Samaritans, who the Heretiques, who the Scismatiques of our p. 37times. In the highest approach to Christ, the Iewes said, Samaritanus es & Daemonium habes, Thou art a Samaritan & hast a Deuill. In our iust detestation of these Men, we iustly fasten both those vponupon them. For as they delight in lyes and fill the world with weekely rumors, Daemonium habit, they hauehave a Deuill, quia mendax est & pater eius. Iohn 8. 44.John 8:44As they multiply assassinats vponupon Princes, and Massacres vponupon people, Daemonium habent, they hauehave a Deuill, quia … ab initio: as they tosse, and tumble, and dispose kingdomes, Daemonium habent, they hauehave a Deuill, Omina haec dabo was the Deuils complement:Mat. 4. 10.Matt 4:10 but as they mingle truthes and falshoods together in Religion, as they carry the word of GOD, and the Traditions of Men, in an euen balance, Samaritani sunt, they are Samaritanes. At first Christ forbad his Apostles, to goe into any Citie of the Samaritans: 10. 5.after, they did preach in many of them. Beare witnesse first in p. 38Ierusalē; Acts 8. 25.Acts 8:25& in Iudaea; giuegive good satisfaction especially to those of the houshold of the faithfull, in the Citie & Countrey, but yet satisfie euē those Samaritans too.

They would be satisfied, what Miracles you work in Virginia; & what people you hauehave conuerted to the Christian Faith, there. If we could as easily cal naturall effects Miracles, or casuall accidents miracles, or Magical illusions, miracles, as they do, to make a miraculous drawing of a tooth, a miraculous cutting of a corn, or, as Iustus Baronius saies, when he was conuerted to them; that he was miraculously cur'd of the Cholique, by stooping to kisse the Popes foot, If we would pile vp Miracles so fast, as Pope Iohn 22. did in the Canonization of Aquinas, Tot Miracula confecit, quot determinauit questiones, he wrought as many miracles, as he resolu'd questions, we might find Miracles too. In truth, their greatest Miracle to me, is, that they find men to beleeue their miracles. If they p. 39rely vponupon miracles, they imply a confession that they induce new doctrines; that that is old & receiu'd, needs no miracles; If they require miracles, because, though that be ancient Doctrine, it is newlybroght into those parts, we hauehave the confession of their Iesuit, Acosta, that they doe no miracle in those Indies, and he assignes very good reasons, why they are not necessary, nor to bee expected there. But yet, yet beare witnesse to these Samaritans, in the other point; labour to giuegive them satisfaction in the other point of their chardge, What Heathens you hauehave conuerted to the Faith, which is that which is intended in the next, which is the last branch, You are to be witnesses vntounto me both in Ierusalem, & in all Iudaea, & in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermost parts of the Earth.

Litterally,Fines terrae. the Apostles were to bee such witnesses for Christ: were they so? did the Apostles in person, preach the Gospell, ouer all the World? I know p. 40that it is not hard to multiply places of the Fathers, in confirmation of that opinion, that the Apostles did actually, and personally preach the Gospell in all Nations, in their life. Christ saies, the Gospell of the Kingdome shall be preach'd Mat. 24 14Matt 24:14in all the World; and there hee tels the Apostles, that they shall see something done, after that; Therefore they shall liue to it. So he saies to them, You shal be brought before Rulers and Kings for my sake; Mark. 13. 9.Mark 13:9but the Gospell must first be published among all Nations: In one Euangelist there is the Commission; Preach in my name to all Nations. Luk 24. 47Luke 24:47And in another, the Execution of this Commission, And they went and preach'd eueryevery where. Mar. 16. 20Mark 16:20And after the Apostle certifies, and returnes the execution of this Commission, The Gospell is come and bringeth forth fruit to all the world: Col. 1. 5.Col 1:5and vponupon those, and such places, hauehave some of the Fathers beene pleasd, to ground their literall exposition, of an actuall and personall p. 41preaching of the Apostles ouer all the world. But had they dream'd of this world which hath been discouer'd since, into which, wee dispute with perplexitie, and intricacy enough, how any men came at first, or how any beastes, especially such beastes as men were not likely to carry, they would neuer hauehave doubted to hauehave admitted a Figure, in that,Luc. 1. 1.Luke 1:1 The Gospell was preached to all the world; for when Augustus his Decree went out, That all the World should bee taxed, the Decree and the Taxe went not certainly into the West Indies; when Saint Paul sayes,Rom. 1. 8.Rom 1:8 That their Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world, 16. 19.and that their obedience was come abroad vntounto all men, surely the West Indies had not heard of the faith and the obedience of the Romanes. But as in Moses time, they call'd the Mediterranean Sea, the great Sea, because it was the greatest that those men had then seene, so in the Apostles p. 42time, they call'd that all the world, which was knowne and traded in then; and in all that, they preach'd the Gospell. So that as Christ when he said to the Apostles; Mar. vlt. vltI am with you, vntounto the end of the World, could not intend that of them in person, because they did not last to the ende of the world, but in a succession of Apostolike men, so when he sayes, the Apostles should preach him to all the world, it is of the Succession too.

Those of our profession that goe, you, that send them who goe, doe all an Apostolicall function. What action soeuer, hath in the first intention thereof, a purpose to propagate the Gospell of Christ Iesus, that is an Apostolicall action, Before the ende of the world come, before this mortality shall put on immortalitie,Rom. 8.Rom 8 before the Creature shalbe deliuered of the bondage of corruption vnderunder which it groanes, before the Martyrs vnderunder the Altar p. 43shal be silenc'd, before al thing's shal be subdued to Christ, his kingdome perfited, & the last Enemy Death destroied, the Gospell must be preached to those men to whom ye send; to all men; furder aud hasten you this blessed, this ioyfull, this glorious consummation of all, and happie revnion of all bodies to their Soules, by preaching the Gospell to those men. Preach to them Doctrinally, preach to thē Practically; Enamore them with your Iustice, and, (as farre as may consist with your security) your Ciuilitie; but inflame them with your godlinesse, and your Religion. Bring them to louelove and Reuerence the name of that King, that sends men to teach them the wayes of Ciuilitie in this world, but to feare and adore the Name of that King of Kings, that sends men to teach them the waies of Religion, for the next world. Those amongst you, that are old now, shall passe out of this world with this great comfort, that you contributed p. 44to the beginning of that Common Wealth, and of that Church, though they liue not to see the groath thereof to perfection:1 Cor. 3. 6.1 Cor 3:6 Apollos watred, but Paul planted; hee that begun the worke, was the greater man. And you that are young now, may liue to see the Enemy as much empeach'd by that place, and your friends, yea Children, aswell accō modated in that place, as any other. You shall hauehave made this Iland, which is but as the Suburbs of the old world, a Bridge, a Gallery to the new; to ioyne all to that world that shall neuer grow old, the Kingdome of heauen, You shall add persons to this Kingdome, and to the Kingdome of heauen, and adde names to the Bookes of our Chonicles, and to the Booke of Life.

To end all, as the Orators which declaimd in the presence of the Roman Emperors, in their Panegyriques, tooke that way to make those Emperours see, what p. 45they were bound to doe, to say in those publique Orations, that those Emporors had done so, (for that increased the louelove of the Subiect to the Prince, to bee so tolde, that hee had done those great things, and then it conuayd a Counsell into the Prince to doe them after.) As their way was to procure things to bee done, by saying they were done, so beloued I hauehave taken a contrary way: for when I, by way of exhortation, all this while hauehave seem'd to tell you what should be done by you, I hauehave, indeed, but told the Congregation, what hath beene done already: neither do I speake to moue a wheele that stood still, but to keepe the wheele in due motion; nor perswade you to begin, but to continue a good worke, nor propose forreigne, but your own Examples, to do still, as you hauehave done hitherto. For, for that, that which is especially in my contemplation, the conuersion of the people, as I hauehave receiu'd, so I can giuegive p. 46this Testimony, that of those persons, who hauehave sent in moneys, and conceal'd their names, the greatest part, almost all, hauehave limited their deuotion, and contribution vponupon that point, the propagation of Religion, and the conuersion of the people; for the building and beautifying of the house of GOD, and for the instruction and education of their young Children. Christ Iesus himselfe is yesterday, and to day, and the same for euer. In the aduancing of his glory, be you so to, yesterday, and to day, and the same for euer; here; and hereafter, when time shall be no more, no more yesterday, no more to day, yet for euer and euer, you shall enioy that ioy, and that glorie, which no ill accident can attaine to diminish, or Eclipse it.

p. 47Prayer.

VVE returne to thee againe, O GOD, with praise and prayer; as for all thy mercies from before minutes began, to this minute, from our Election to this present beame of Sanctification which thou hast shed vponupon vsus now. And more particularly, that thou hast afforded vsus that great dignity, to be, this way, witnesses of thy Sonne Christ Iesus, and instruments of his glory. Looke gratiously, and looke powerfully vponupon this body, which thou hast bene now some yeares in building and compacting together, this Plantation. Looke gratiously vponupon the Head of this Body, our Soueraigne and blesse him with a good disposion to this work, and blesse him for that disposition: Looke gratiously vponupon them, who are as the braine of this body, those who by his power. p. 48counsell, and aduise, and assist in the Gouernment thereof: blesse them with disposition to vnity and concord, and blesse them for that disposition: Looke gratiously vponupon them who are as Eyes of this Body, those of the Clergy, who hauehave any interest therein: blesse them with a disposition to preach there, to pray heere, to exhort eueryevery where for the aduancement thereof, & bless them for that disposition. Blesse them who are the Feete of this body, who goe thither, and the Hands of this body, who labour there, and them who are the Heart of this bodie, all that are heartily affected, and declare actually that heartinesse to this action, blesse them all with a cheerefull disposition to that, and bless them for that disposition. Bless it so in this calme, that when the tempest comes, it may ride it out safely; blesse it so with friends now, that it may stand against Enemies hereafter; prepare thy selfe a p. 49glorious haruest there, and giuegive vsus leaue to be thy Labourers, That so the number of thy Saints being fulfilled, wee may with better assurance ioyne in that prayer, Come Lord Iesus come quickly, & so meet all in that kingdome which the Sonne of GOD hath purchased for vsus, with the inestimable price of his incorruptible bloud. To which glorious Sonne of GOD, &c.

Amen.

FINIS.

Errata.

Page 10. line 14 for Three, read There,

2 l. 2 for Co read To.

20 l. 7 Dele Interrogat.?

29 l. 20 Dele So.

39 l. 13 Dele Yet.

Other errors there are, in mis-printing, or in transposing letters, or in misplacing Citations in the Margin, which will not (I thinke) hinder any willling Reader.

Encaenia. THE FEAST OF DEDICATION. CELEBRATED AT LINCOLNES INNE, in a Sermon there vponupon Ascension day, 1623.

At the Dedication of a new Chappell there, Consecrated by the Right Reuerend Father in God, the Bishop of LONDON.

Preached by IOHN DONNE, Deane of S^t. PAVLS.

LONDON, Printed by AVG. MAT. for THOMAS IONES, and are to bee sold at his Shop in the Strand, at the blacke Rauen, neere vntounto Saint Clements Church. 1623.

TO THE MASTERS OF THE BENCH, AND the rest of the Honourable Societie of LINCOLNES INNE.

IT pleased you to exercise your interest in me, and to expresse your fauour to mee, in inuiting mee to preach this Sermon: and it hath pleased you to doe both ouer againe, in inuiting me to publish it. To this latter seruice I was the more inclinable, because, though in it I had no occasion to handle any matter of Controuersie betweene vsus, and those of the Romane Perswasion, yet the whole body and frame of the Sermon, is opposed against one pestilent calumny of theirs, that wee hauehave cast off all distinction of places, and of dayes, and all outward meanes of assisting the deuotion of the Congregation. For this vse, I am not sorry that it is made publique, for I shall neuer bee sorry to appeare plainly, and openly, and directly, without disguise or modification, in the vindicating of our Church from the imputations and calumnies of that Aduersary. If it had no publique vse, yet I should satisfie my selfe in this, that it is done in obedience to that, which you may call your Request, but I shall call your Commandement vponupon

Your very humble Seruant in Christ Iesus. IOHN DONNE.

The Prayer before the Sermon.

OEternall, and most gracious God, Father of our Lord Iesus Christ; and in him, of all those that are his, As thou diddest make him so much ours, as that he became like vsus, in all things, sinne onelyonly excepted, make vsus so much his, as that we may be like him, euen without the exception of sinne, that all our sinnes may bee buryed in his wounds, and drowned in his Blood. And as this day wee celebrate his Ascension to thee, bee pleased to accept our endeauour of conforming our selues to his patterne, in raysing this place for our Ascension to him. Leane vponupon these Pinnacles, O Lord, as thou diddist vponupon Iacobs Ladder, and hearken after vsus. Bee this thine Arke, and let thy Doue, thy blessed Spirit, come in and out, at these Windowes: and let a full pot of thy Manna, a good measure of thy Word, and an effectuall preaching thereof, bee euermore preserued, and euermore bee distributed in this place. Let the Leprosie of Superstition neuer enter within these Walles, nor the hand of Sacriledge euer fall vponupon them. And in these walles, to them that louelove Profit and Gaine, manifest thou thy selfe as a Treasure, and fill them so; To them that louelove Pleasure, manifest thy selfe, as Marrow and Fatnesse, and fill them so; And to them that louelove Preferment, manifest thy selfe, as a Kingdome, and fill them so; that so thou mayest bee all vntounto all; giuegive thy selfe wholly to vsus all, and make vsus all wholly thine. Accept our humble thanks for all, &c.