Works of Joseph Hall, Part 2 – Title page 27
THE IMPRESE OF GOD. THE SECOND PART. ZACH. vlt. 20.
IT is well-neere a yeere agoe, ſince in this Gracious Preſence, we entred vponupon this myſticall, yet pertinent Text. You then heard what This day is; what theſe Bells or Bridles; what this inſcription, what theſe Pots and Bowles: And out of That day you heard the proficiencie of the Church; out of Holineſſe written on the Bells, the ſanctification of the Church: You ſhall now heare, out of theſe bells, or bridles of warlike horſes, thus inſcribed, the change of the holy warre, and peace of the Church; out of theſe pots, aduanced to the likeneſſe of the bowles of the Altar, the degrees of the Churches perfection, and acceptation; All which craue your gratious and honourable attention. That conceit (which yet is graced with the name of ſome Fathers) that takes this in the literall ſenſe of Conſtantines bridle, wee paſſe, as more worthy of ſmiles than confutation: Queſtionleſſe, the ſenſe is ſpirituall; and it is a ſure rule, that as the hiſtoricall ſenſe is fetcht from ſignification of words, ſo the ſpirituall from the ſignification of thoſe things, which are ſignified by the words.
For this inſcription then, it ſhall not be vponupon the bells, for their owne ſakes, but for the horſes: not as bells, but as bells of the horſes; And on the horſes, not for their owne ſakes, but as they ſerue for their Riders. The horſe, a military creature; there is no other mention of him in Scripture, no other vſe of him of old: when the eyes of Eliſhaes ſeruant were open, he ſaw the hill full of horſes, 2. King. 6. Euen the celeſtiall warfare is not expreſſed without them: Hence you ſhall euer finde them matcht with Chariots in the Scripture: And the Poet, Nunc tempus equos, nunc poſcere currus: hee ruſheth into the battell, ſaith Ieremy; and he is made for it; for he hath both ſtrength and nimbleneſſe. He is ſtrong: there is fortitudo equi, Pſalm. 47. and God himſelfe acknowledges it. Haſt thou giuen the horſe his ſtrength, Iob 39. He is ſwift, ſaith Ieremy, 4.13. yea as Eagles or Leopards, ſaith Abacuc. We muſt take theſe horſes then, either as continuing themſelues, or as altered. If the firſt; The very warres vnderunder the Goſpell ſhall be holy; and God ſhall much glorifie himſelfe by them: He ſaith not, There ſhall be no horſes, or thoſe horſes ſhall hauehave no bells, or thoſe bells no inſcription; but thoſe horſes, and their vſe, which is warre, and their ornaments, which are bells, ſhall hauehave a title of Holineſſe. While Cornelius Agryppa writes of the vanity of Sciences, wee may well wonder at the vanity of his opinion, that all warre was forbidden vnderunder the Gopell. But let Agrippa bee vaine in this, as a meere Humaniſt, and the Anabaptiſts groſly falſe as being franticke heretiques: it is maruell how Eraſmus ſo great a Scholler, and Ferus ſo great a Text-man, could miſcarry in this Manichean conceit. Alphonſus a Caſtro would faine hauehave our Oecolompadius to keepe them company, but Bellarmine himſelfe can hardly beleeue him: No maruell, when he ſees Zuinglius die in the field, tho as a Paſtor, not as a Souldier: and when our ſwords hauehave ſo well taught them, beſides our tongues, that the hereticks are as good friends to warre, as enemies to them. It is Gods euerlaſting title, Dominus exercituum. To ſpeake nothing of the old Teſtament; What can Cornelius Agrippa ſay to Cornelius the Centurion? I feare no man would giuegive that title to him that oppoſed warre, which Gods ſpirit giues to this agent in warre; A iuſt man, and fearing God: His warfare ſaith Chryſoſtme, hurt him not. Did not Chriſt himſelfe bid (euen hee that ſaid, who ſo ſmites with the ſword ſhall periſh with the ſword, in caſe of priuate reuenge) Qui non habet gladium, vendat tunicam, emat gladium? The Angels themſelues are heauenly ſouldiers; EueryEvery Chriſtian is a ſouldier; As he is a Chriſtian, he fights not againſt fleſh and bloud, but principalities and powers; as he is a Chriſtian ſouldier, he fights both againſt fleſh and bloud, and principalities; All the warres of God: So that contrary to S. Martin, who ſaid, I am a Chriſtian, I may not fight; he muſt ſay, I am a Chriſtian, I muſt fight. And why may he not? God when he makes vsus Chriſtians, leaues vsus the ſame wit to deuiſe ſtratagems, the ſame hands to execute them. All things (as Eraſmus wittily) hauehave in them naturally a meanes of defence; the Horſe heeles, Dog teeth, Oxe hornes, Porcupine quills, Bee ſting, Serpent poyſon; thoſe weaker creatures that cannot reſiſt, hauehave either nimble feet to out-runne vsus, or wings to out-flie vsus: OnelyOnly man is left naked: Yet ſo, as his furniture within can ſoone furniſh him for without: Yet all horſes, all warres, are not written holy; As there is a ſpirituall euill warre, of the fleſh againſt the ſpirit: ſo there is a temporall of fleſh, againſt fleſh. Vnde bella? ſaith Saint Iames. Militare propter praedam, to fight for a booty (ſaith Ambroſe) is ſinne. That witty Alphonſus King of Artagon (to whom wee are beholden for ſo many Apothegmes) had for his Impreſe a Pellican ſtriking herſelfe in the breſt, and feeding her young with the bloud; with a word, Pro lege & grege. All warre drawes bloud: oft of the innocent part, foreign is foreign, and therefore muſt neuer be but pro lege, for Religion; or pro grege, for the Common-wealth. And as it hath theſe two grounds; ſo alſo two directors; Iuſtice and Charity. Iuſtice, that requires both authority in the menager, and innocence in menaging; Authority; A ſub-ordinate power is not capable of holy warre: He onelyonly may ſay pro lege, that is, cuſtos vtriuſque tabulae; he onelyonly pro grege, that is foreign: If priuate men ſhall ſay, pro lege, or pro grege, they are traytors and not ſouldiers; In them, as he ſaid to Alexander, war is but theft and murder. Only Kings are the publike iuſticers of the world: which can command peace with their owne, and puniſh the breach of peace in others Innocence. Wrong no man ſaith Ioh. Bapt. That non ex iure, is more than vnchriſtian, brutiſh.
Charity; whether in the intention; Peace muſt be the end of warre. Bellarmine ſaid this one thing well, That warre to the Common-wealth is as vulnera Chirurgi: or, in the action; both of vndertaking and ceſſation: vndertaking; according to the Iewiſh prouerbe, Firſt, we muſt enquire of Abel; and the heathen Poet could ſay, extrema nemo primo tentauit loco: no iuſt warre is foreign: Ceſſation, vponupon iuſt ſatisfaction; as Shebaes head raiſes the ſiege of Abel: This is bellum Domini; and Holineſſe is written vponupon the bells of theſe horſes of warre. Such were the warres of that bleſſed Conſtantine, both Theodoſij, Honorius, and all whom God wrote Holy and made happy. Such were many gallant Princes of old perſwaded that thoſe warres of Paleſtine were; who in a cunning wile were ſent to get the Holy Land, that in the meane time they might leeſe their owne: How many Councels were ſummon'd, how many Armies leuied, one of 300000. at once, by Pope Vrbans procurement? how many ſtreames of Chriſtian bloud ſpilt to recouer the land of them that murdred Chriſt, which God had curſed to confuſion, terram ſacerrimam, in the Plautine ſenſe? Such are thoſe that are vndertaken againſt the ſcourge of Chriſtendome, the creature of Mahomet, that Turkiſh Magog. Such are thoſe that the Defender of the Chriſtian Faith hath been iuſtly prouoked to vndertake againſt that Romiſh Vſurper, PETERS ſucceſſor in nothing, but in denying his Maſter. The inclemency of the late Pope labouring to foreſtall him in his iuſt throne, and the abſurd pragmaticall impudency of the preſent, in that groſſe prohibition of a fauourable & naturall oath, for his Maieſties ſecurity, in a ſort countenancing rebellion againſt his Perſon; beſide thoſe ſhameleſſe libels of his factors, to the ſcorne of Gods Anointed, hauehave ſeemed to vſurpe Samuels meſſage, Vade, percute, demolire. To omit priuate motiues; Pope Vrbane in that his zealous Oration to the Councell of Cleremont vſed no one reaſon to perſwade the world to draw their ſword againſt the Turkes, which might not iuſtly be vrged to Chriſtian Princes, to ſcale the walls of Rome. Doth he ſpeake of the Saracens prophaning of Ieruſalem? we parallel the ſhamefull profanations of the ſpirituall Ieruſalem; their heatheniſme was neuer ſo idolatrous. Doth he he ſpeake of abuſing the ſepulchre of Chriſt? we parallel them with the abuſing of his ſacred body. Doth he ſpeake of the cruelty of thoſe ſauages? we alſo may ſay of them, Effunditur ſanguis Chriſtianus, Chriſti ſanguine redemptus, &c. neither need I feare to ſay with Iunius, that in this they are Trucis Truciores. But I know what difference there is betwixt a Preacher, and an Herald: our title is Euangelizantes pacem; And tho the ſword of the hand doth well, yet it is the ſword of the mouth, that muſt ſlay that Man of ſinne: Yet this I dare ſay, that if in the cauſe of God and his Church, this warre ſhould be vndertaken, Holineſſe ſhould be written vponupon our Horſes bridles; and, as we ſhall enter with fewer croſſes vponupon our breſts, than thoſe honeſt ſouldiers into their holy warre: ſo both our cauſe ſhould bee more holy, and wee ſhould returne with fewer croſſes on our backes; But I meddle not with this. There is a warre that wee cannot ſhake off: Not with the perſon, but the corruptions of that foule Church, wee hauehave long waged it. God had neuer any quarrell vponupon earth, if this be not his. Our bleſſed forefathers hauehave ſhed their bloud in this field, & are glorious: let vsus ſtir vp our chriſtian courage to this ſeruice, vponupon our horſes heads ſhall be written holines; vponupon ours, glory and immortality. But take theſe horſes & bels altered (as fits better) by this writing from themſelues; what God writes is done: Write this man childleſſe; therefore he muſt be ſo. Ioel doth not ſo well comment vponupon this place, Breake your plow-ſhares into ſwords, and your ſithes into ſpeares, Ioel 3.10. as Mich. 4.3. They ſhall breake their ſwords into mattocks, and their ſpeares into ſithes; Mattocks and ſithes the inſtruments of profit, one for the commodities aboue the earth, the other for thoſe vnderunder it: which as I take it, would not be ſo ſtrictly reſtrained to the very time of Chriſts comming, when there was an vniuerſall peace on earth, and the Temple of Ianus was ſhut: as Cyril, Chriſoſtome, Euſebius, Hierome, vnderſtand it: rather it is a propheſie of that outward and during peace vnderunder the Goſpell, which all the true profeſſors of it ſhould maintaine with themſelues. All nations, though fierce & ſterne of diſpoſition,Bellicoſa pectora vertuutur in manſuetudinem Chriſtianam. Hier. Suniae & Fritellae. yet if they once ſtoop ſincerely to the Goſpel, ſhall compoſe themſelues to a ſweet accordance, and imploy their vnited ſtrength to the ſeruice of God: But how is this fulfilled? Some in all ages hauehave run forth into fury, & troubled the cōmon peace: It is true; but theſe are blanks, ſuch as vponupon whom God hath not written holines. It is no hoping that all horſes ſhall be bridled, or all bridles written on. As grace, ſo peace is not in ſuch ſort vniuerſall, that all ſhould incline to it, on all conditions: There are ſome foreign Peace-haters; it is as poſſible to tame a waſpe, as to incline them to peace: Such are the wilful Romaniſts of our time (to omit Schiſmes) which will rather mingle heauen & earth together, than remit one gainefull error. But what euer become of theſe Manizers, which doe thus exclude themſelues from the cōgregation of God, it were happy, if all the true & acknowledged ſonnes of the Church would admit the inſcription of an holy peace. Alas, why doe wee that are brethren fall out for our change of ſuits by the way? and make thoſe quarrels deadly, which deſerue not to be quarrels? Oh that ſome bleſſed Doue would bring an Oliue of peace into this Arke of God! Who is ſo fit for this glorious ſeruice as our gratious Peace-maker? Nemo me impune laceſſet, is a good Poſie; but Beati pacifici, is a better. Let the Vice-gerent of him which is the Prince of peace, as he was made for the peace of the walls, and proſperity of the gates of Sion, be that Angelus pacis, Eſ. 33.7. Let his wiſdome and ſweet moderation proceed to allay all theſe vnkindly ſtormes of the Church, that we may liue to ſee that happy greeting of the Pſalmiſt, Righteouſneſſe and Peace hauehave kiſſed each other. And as this holds in matter of iudgement, ſo of practiſe too. Do you ſee a looſe & lawleſſe man, wilful in his deſires, vnbridled in his affections, inordinate in his life, imploying his wit to ſcoffe at his Creator, caring for nothing but the worſe part of himſelfe? There is one of Zacharies horſes; when Gods Spirit breathes vponupon the ſoule of this man, he is now another from himſelfe: Holineſſe to the Lord is written vponupon his Bels. This was done ſometimes of old: Saul was among the Prophets; Salomon and Manaſſes, great patternes of conuerſion; but rarely in reſpect of the daies of the Goſpell. What ſhould I ſpeake of S. Paul? No ground would hold him, he runs chafing and foaming from Hieruſalem to Damaſcus; of his Iaylor? of Mary Magdalen? Behold whole troupes of wilde natures reclaimed, Eph. 4. Col. 3. Act. 2. Who can deſpaire where God vndertakes? Shew me neuer ſo violent and deſperate a ſinner, let him be as Iobs wild aſſe in the deſert, or as Amos his horſe that will run vponupon the rocks, Amos 6.12. if God once take him in hand, thou ſhalt ſoone ſee that his horſe is fleſh, and not ſpirit; and ſhalt ſing Deborahs, Vngulae ceciderunt, Iudg. 5.22. or Ioſhuahs, Subneruabis, Ioſ. 11.6. Now ſhalt thou ſee him ſtand quaking vnderunder the almighty hand of God, ſo that he may write what he will in his bridle, yea in his skin. And if there be any ſuch headſtrong and reſtie ſtead here among vsus, let him know, that God wil either breake his ſtomacke or his heart: Flagellum equo, ſaith Salomon; and if that will not ſerue, Collidā in te equum & equitē, Ier. 51.21. But alas, how rare are theſe examples of reclamation? Where is this power of the Goſpell? Men continue beaſts ſtill, and with that filthy Gryllus plead for the priuilege of their beſtiality. The ſins of men ſtriue to outface the glory of the Goſpell. What ſhall I ſay to this? If after all theſe meanes thou hauehave no bridle, or thy bridle no inſcription, it is a fearefull doome of the Apoſtle; If our Goſpell be hid, it is hid to them that periſh. Thus much of the horſes & bels. Now from the pots and bowles, you ſhall ſee the degrees of the Churches perfection: and ſee it, I beſeech you, without wearineſſe, with intention. The pots of the Temple were ſeething veſſels for the vſe of ſacrifice: Theſe are the Prieſts themſelues here, for that there is a diſtinction made betwixt the Pots of the Lords houſe, and eueryevery pot in Ieruſalem. The ordinary Iew was eueryevery pot: therefore the Pots of the Lords houſe muſt be his Miniſters. Theſe vnderunder the Goſpell ſhall be of more honourable vſe; (as the bowles before the Altar) like as the Altar of perfumes was more inward, and of higher reſpect. The pots were of ſhining braſſe; bowles of gold, 1 King. 7.50. It is no brag to ſay, that the Miniſtery of the Goſpell is more glorious than that of the Law: The leaſt in the kingdome of Heauen (ſaith CHRIST) is greater than Iohn Baptiſt, Matth. 11.11. The Kingdome of Heauen, that is, the Church, not as Auſten, Ierome, Bede expound it, of the third heauen; for Chriſt would make an oppoſition betwixt the old and new Teſtament. The not vnlearned Ieſuite Maldonat, while he taxeth vsus for preferring eueryevery Miniſter of the Goſpell to Iohn Baptiſt, mends the matter ſo well, that he verifies it of eueryevery perſon; Minimus quiſque in Euangelio, that is, qui Euangelium recipit, maior eſt illo; not feeling how hee buffets himſelfe: for if the leaſt of thoſe that receiue the Goſpell, how much more the leaſt of thoſe that preach it? This is no arrogance. God would hauehave eueryevery thing in the laſt Temple more glorious than in the firſt, which was figured by the outward frame, more glorious in CHRISTS time, than that of SALOMON; as that was beyond the Tabernacle. This is a better Teſtament, Hebr. 7.22. That had the ſhadow, this the ſubſtance, Heb. 10. VnderUnder this, is greater illumination; Effundam ſpiritum meum, ſaith the Prophet: before, ſome few drops diſtilled; now a whole current of graces; Effundam. If therefore Iohn Baptiſt were greater than the ſonnes of men, becauſe they ſaw Chriſt to come, hee pointed at him comming; ours muſt needs be more glorious, becauſe wee ſee and point at him now come, and fully exhibited. Wee will not conteſt with the Leuiticall Prieſthood, for coſt of clothes, for price of veſſels; let the Church of Rome emulate this pompe, (which cares not if ſhee hauehave golden veſſels, though ſhee hauehave leaden Prieſts) wee enuie it not; but for inward graces, for learning, knowledge, power of teaching, there is no leſſe difference, than betwixt the pots of the Temple, and bowles of the Altar: God ſayes of them in way of reiection, Non eſt mihi voluntas in vobis, Mal. 1. Hence the Prieſthood of the new Law is Leui refined, Mal. 3.3. Et purgabit filios Leui; which Hierome not vnlikely, interprets of the Miniſterie of the Goſpell: They are the ſonnes of Leui, which ſignifies Copulation; quia homines cum Deo copulant; but of Leui purged, and purged as gold: As much difference betweene them, as betwixt gold in the Ore, and in the wedge. Hence is double honour challenged to the Euangelicall Miniſterie, yea, and giuen: Yee receiued me, ſaith S. Paul, as an Angell of God, yea as Chriſt Ieſus, Gal. 4.14. Hence the Angell, of himſelfe to IOHN, I am thy fellow-ſeruant. Woe bee to them therefore which ſpet in the faces of thoſe whom God hath honoured: It is Gods ſecond charge, this of his Prophets: His firſt is, Touch not mine Anointed; his ſecond, Hurt not my Prophets. And if one diſgracefull word ſpoken but by rude children to a Prophet of the old Teſtament, coſt ſo many throats, God be mercifull to thoſe dangerous and deadly affronts that hauehave beene, and are daily offered to the Prophets of the new: What can wee ſay, but with the women of Tekoah, Serua-ô-rex. Wee bleſſe God that wee may bemoane our ſelues to the tender and indulgent eares of a gracious Soueraigne, ſenſible of theſe ſpirituall wrongs; who yet (we know) may well anſwer vsus with Iacobs queſtion, An loco Dei ego ſum? It grieues mee to thinke and ſay of our ſelues, that for a great part of this, Perditio tua ex te. Woe to thoſe corrupted ſonnes of Heli, which through their inſufficiencie and vnconſcionableneſſe, hauehave powred contempt on their owne faces. That proud fugitiue Campian could ſay, Miniſtris illorum nihil vilius, &c. As falſly as ſpightfully. Let heauen and earth witneſſe, whether any Nation in the world can afford ſo learned, ſo glorious a Clergie. But yet, among ſo many pots of the Temple, it is no maruell if ſome bee drie for want of liquor, others ruſtie for want of vſe, others full of liquor without meat, others ſo full of meat that they want liquor. Let the Lords anointed, whoſe example and incouragements hauehave raiſed euen this diuine learning to this excellent perfection, by his gracious countenance, diſpell contempt from the profeſſours of it, and by his effectuall endeuours remoue the cauſes of this contempt.
But as euerie Chriſtian vnderunder the Goſpell is a Prieſt and Prophet, let the people bee theſe pots, or the offerings of the people. That ſhall bee in reſpect of the frequence, or fragrance, according to the double acception of that particle of compariſon (Camiſrachim) as the bowles; for number, or qualitie. For the frequence. A few ſeething pots ſerued the ſacrifice; but bowles they vſed many; what for the vſe of the Altar of incenſe, what for the receiuing of the bloud of the ſacrifice, Salomon made too of gold. Now then ſaith God, in the dayes of the Goſpell, there ſhall be ſuch ſtore of oblations to God, that the number of the pots ſhall equalize the number of the bowles of the Altar: not vnlike, becauſe of the following words; Euerie pot in Ieruſalem ſhall be faine to be imployed to the ſacrifices. This frequence then, is either of the officers, or offerings; perſons, or acts. For the perſons; they were few in compariſon, vnderunder the Law. All Paleſtine, which comprehends all their officers, except ſome few Proſelytes, was but (as Ierome, which was a Lieger there, reckons it) an 160. miles long from Dan to Beerſheba, and 46. miles broad from Ioppa to Bethleem. Now the partition wall is broken downe, all Nations vnderunder heauen: yeeld franke offerers to the Altar of God. There was no offering then but at Ieruſalem: now Ieruſalem is euerie where. So much therefore as the world is wider than Iudea, ſo much as Chriſtendome is larger than the walls of the Temple; ſo many more officers hath the Goſpell than the Law. And it were well, if there were as many, as they ſeeme. If but as many as all the world ouer offer their preſence to Gods ſeruice on Gods day (leaue thoſe that ſpend it in the ſtew…s and Tauernes, to him whom they ſerue) were true offerers, how rich would the Altar be, and the Temple how glorious? But alas, if God will be ſerued with mouthes full of oathes, curſes, bitterneſſe, with heads full of wine, with eyes full of luſt, with hands full of bloud, with backs full of pride, with panches full of gluttonie, with ſoules and liues full of horrible ſinnes, he may hauehave offerers as many as men: elſe, as Eſay, relicta eſt in vrbe ſolituda; a few pots will hold our ſacrifices: and what is this, but through our wilfull diſobedience, to croſſe him which hath ſaid, that in this day the pots of the Temple ſhall be as the bowles of the Altar? The act or commoditie is offerings; whether outward, or inward. The outward fulfilled in thoſe large endowments of the Church, by our deuout and bountifull predeceſſors. What liberall reuenues, rich maintenances were then put into (mort-maine) the dead hand of the Church? Lawes were faine to reſtraine the bountie of thoſe contributions (the grounds whereof I examine not) in ſtead of MOSES his proclamation, Nequis facito deinceps opus ad oblationem Sanctuarij, ſatis enim eſt, adeo que ſupereſt, Exod. 26.6. Then mons Domini, mons pinguis: but now the Church may crie with the Prophet, My leanneſſe, my leanneſſe. For ſhame, why ſhould ſacrilege croud in with religion? why ſhould our better knowledge finde vsus leſſe conſcionable? O iniurious zeale of thoſe men, which thinke the Church cannot bee holy enough, vnleſſe ſhee begge. It hath beene ſaid of old, That Religion bred wealth, and the daughter eat vp the mother: I know not, if the daughter deuoured the mother; I am ſure theſe men would deuoure both daughter and mother: Men of vaſt gor…es, and inſatiable. Our Sauiour cried out againſt the Scribes and Phariſies, yet the deuoured but widowes houſes, poore low cottages: but theſe gulfes of men, whole Churches; and yet the ſepulchers of their throats are open for more. I can tell them of a mouth that is wider than theirs, and that is the Prophets, Os inferni: Therefore Hell hath inlarged it ſelfe, and hath opened his mouth, without meaſure: and their glorie, and their pompe, and he that reioyceth in it, ſhall deſcend into it, Eſa. 5.14. In the meane time, Oh that our SAMSON would pull this honie of the Church out of the iawes of theſe Lions; or if the cunning conueyances of ſacrilege hauehave made that impoſſible, ſince it lies not now intire in the combes, but is let downe and digeſted by theſe raueners, let him whoſe glorie it is not to be Pater patriae onelyonly, but Pater Eccleſiae, prouide that thoſe few pots we hauehave, may ſtill ſeethe, and that if nothing will be added, nothing can be recouered, yet nothing may be purloyned from the Altars of God. But theſe outward offerings were but the types of the inward: what cares God for the bloud or fleſh of bullocks, rams, goats? Non delectaris ſacrificio vt dem, holocauſtum non vis, ſaith Dauid: what then? The ſacrifice of God is a contrite ſpirit, a broken heart. Our humiliation is ſacrificium poenitentiae, our new obedience is ſacrificium iuſtitiae, our thankfull commemorations are ſacrificium laudis. Theſe are the oblations, which as they ſhall bee frequent vnderunder the Goſpell, ſo moſt fragrant vntounto God: and this is that laſt, and perhaps moſt proper ſenſe, wherein the fleſh-pots of the ſacrifices erunt ſicut aromata, ſhall bee as perfumes in the bowles of incenſe. A liuely ſacrifice is well matcht with holy and acceptable. When Noah ſacrificed to God after the Deluge, it is ſaid God ſmelt a ſauour of reſt, alluding to his name: but now the ſacrifices wee offer are foreign, a ſauour of ſweetneſſe: ſo that the ſame ſauour that Chriſts oblation had, Epheſ. 5.2. the ſame hauehave our offerings, Philip. 4.18. Gods children, out of the conſcience of their owne weakneſſes, are eaſily diſcouraged in the valuation of their owne obedience. As therefore they can ſay of their perſons, with Mephiboſheth, What is thy ſeruant? ſo of their ſeruices, as Philip ſaid of the fiue loaues & two fiſhes, foreign, Alas, what are theſe? But they and their offerings cannot be ſo baſe to themſelues, as they are pretious to God. There is no ſenſe that giues ſo liuely a refreſhing to the ſpirits, as that of ſmelling: no ſmell can yeeld ſo true and feeling delight to the ſenſe, as the offerings of our penitence, obedience, praiſe, ſend vp into the noſtrils of the Almightie. Hence as the Church can ſay of Chriſt, He is as a bundle of myrrh lying betweene her breaſts; ſo he againe of her in that heauenly Epithalamion, Thy plants are as an Orchard of Pomegranates, with ſweet fruits, as cypres, ſpicknard, ſaffron, calamus, and cinamon, with all the trees of incenſe, myrrh, and aloes, with all the chiefe ſpices, Cant. 4.13. Let this therefore comfort vsus, againſt our imperfections; If we be pots of the Lords houſe, thoſe faint ſtreames that we ſend vp, ſhall be as ſweet, as the beſt incenſe of the bowles of the Altar, and God ſaies to vsus, as to Cornelius, Thy praiers and thine almes are come vp, Act. 10. And how are they come vp? Like pillars of ſmoke perfumed with myrrh and incenſe, and with all the chiefe ſpices, Cant. 3.6. I ſay if we bee pots of the Lords houſe; for if we be Aegyptian fleſh-pots, that reeke of the ſtrong-ſmelling onions and garlike of our owne corruptions; If we be Ezechiels bloudy pots, whoſe ſcumme or (as the vulgar) whoſe ruſt is in them, Ezec. 24. If we boile with luſt, if with reuenge, if with ambition; I can ſay no other of vsus, than the ſonnes of the Prophets ſaid of theirs, Mors in olla, Death is in the pot: a double death, of body, and ſoule. It is a true ſpeech of Origen, Peccatum eſt putidi odoris: No carion is ſo noiſome. Alas, what ſauours are ſent vp to God from thoſe, that would ſeeme not onelyonly pots of the Temple, but bowles of the Altar; How vnſauourie is the pride, prophaneneſſe, riotouſneſſe, oppreſſion, beaſtlineſſe of our times? It were happy if the Court were free: and as it receiues more ſweet influences of fauour, than all other places; ſo, that it returned backe more fragrant obedience: that as it is ſaid of Maries ſpicknard, wherewith ſhe anointed Chriſt, that the whole houſe was filled with the ſauour of the ointment, Ioh. 12.3. ſo the whole world might be full of the pleaſant perfumes of vertuous example, that might ariſe from hence. But alas, the painted faces, and manniſhneſſe, and monſtrous diſguiſedneſſe of the one ſex, the factious hollowneſſe, prodigall gariſhneſſe, wanton pampering, exceſſe in our reſpect to our ſelues, defects in our reſpects to God in the other, argue too well, that too many of vsus ſauour more like the golden ſockets of the holy lights, than the bowles of the Altar; God cannot abide theſe ill ſents. The fiue Cities of the Plaines ſent vp ſuch poiſonous vapours to God, that he ſent them downe brimſtone againe with their fire. That which hell is deſcribed by, is ſent downe from Heauen, becauſe that ſuch helliſh exhalations aſcend from them, to heauen. How ſhould the ſinnes of Sodome not expect the iudgements of Sodome? Well might the Iewes feare, becauſe they would not be ſeruiceable caldrons vntounto God, that therefore they ſhould be the fleſh, and their Citie the caldron, Ezec. 11.3. Well may we feare it, who hauehave had ſo ſenſible proofes, as of the fauours, ſo of the iudgements of God: and happy ſhall it be for vsus, if we can ſo feare, that our feare may preuent euils. Let theſe pots of ours therefore ſend vp ſweet fumes of contrition, righteouſneſſe, thankſgiuing, into the noſtrils of God; and the ſmoke of his diſpleaſure, wherewith coales of eternall fire are kindled againſt his enemies, ſhall not come forth of his noſtrils againſt vsus: He ſhall ſmell a ſauour of reſt from vsus; we a ſauour of peace and life from him: which God for his mercy ſake, and for his Sonne Chriſts ſake, vouchſafe to grant vsus. To whom with the Father, and the holy Ghoſt, one glorious God, be giuen all praiſe, honour, and glory, now and for euer. AMEN.
FJNJS.
A FARE WELL SERMON, PREACHT TO THE FAMILIE OF PRINCE HENRY, VPONUPON THE DAY OF THEIR DISSOLVTION AT S. IAMES.
By IOS. HALL.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.