Works of Joseph Hall, Sermon 2 – Poem
A FAREWELL SERMON.
REVEL. 21.3.
And I heard a great voyce from heauen, ſaying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they ſhall be his people, and God himſelfe ſhall bee their God with them.
And God ſhall wipe away all teares from their eyes, and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow, nor crying, neither ſhall there be any more paine, for the firſt things are paſſed. And he that ſate vponupon the throne ſaid; Behold, I make all things new.
IT is no wonder, if this place, as it is (for the preſent) the Well-head of ſorrow to all Chriſtendome, hauehave ſent forth abundance of waters of teares. And perhaps, you may expect, that as the trumpets of our late heauy funerall ſolemnity, ſounded baſeſt and dolefulleſt at the laſt, ſo my ſpeech being the laſt publike breath of this ſad diſſoluing Family, ſhould bee moſt paſſionately ſorrowfull. And ſurely I could eaſily obtaine of my ſelfe, out of the bitterneſſe of my ſoule, to ſpend my ſelfe in lamentations, and to breake vp this aſſembly, in the violent expreſſions of that griefe; wherewith our hearts are already broken: but, I well conſider, that we ſhall carry ſorrow enough home with vsus, in my ſilence; and that it is both more hard, and more neceſſarie for vsus, to be led forth to the waters of comfort. And becauſe our occaſions of griefe are ſuch, as no earthly tongue can releeue vsus, nor no earthly obiect; A voyce from heauen ſhall doe it, and a voyce leading vsus from earth to heauen. And I heard a voyce from heauen, &c.
This day is a day of note for three famous periods. Firſt, it is the day of the diſſipation of this Royall Family. Then, the laſt day of our publike and ioynt mourning. Laſtly, the day of the alteration and renewing of our ſtate, and courſe of life, with the New-yeere. All theſe meet in this Text with their cordials; and diuine remedies; Our diſſipation and diſſolution in theſe words, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men. Our mourning, God ſhall wipe away all teares, &c. Our change of eſtate, Behold, I will make all things new. I muſt craue leaue to glide thorow all of theſe with much ſpeed, and for (the better conueniency of our diſcourſe) through the firſt, laſt.
My ſpeech therefore ſhall as it were climbe vp theſe ſix ſtaires of doctrine.
1. That here our eyes are full of teares: how elſe ſhould they be wip't away? how all, vnleſſe many?
2. That theſe teares are from ſorrow; and this ſorrow from death, and toyle, out of the connexion of all theſe.
3. That God will once free vsus, both from teares which are the effect of ſorrow, and from toile and death which are the cauſes of it.
4. That this our freedome, muſt bee vponupon a change; for that the firſt things are paſſed.
5. That this change ſhall be in our Renouation. Behold I make all things new.
6. That this renouation and happy change ſhall be in our perpetuall fruition of the inſeparable preſence of God, whoſe Tabernacle ſhall be with men.
Pſal. 84. Iudg. 2.5.As thoſe grounds that lie low are commonly mooriſh, this baſe part of the world wherein we liue, is the vale of teares, That true Bochim, as the Iſraelites called their mourning-place: We begin our life with teares, and therefore our Lawyers define life, by weeping; if a childe were heard cry, It is a lawfull proofe of his liuing: elſe if hee be dead, we ſay he is ſtill-borne; and at our parting God findes teares in our eies, which he ſhall wipe off. So we finde it alwayes, not onelyonly (foreign) a time of weeping, but (foreign) of ſolemne mourning, as Salomon puts them together, Eccl. 3.4. Except we be in that caſe that Dauid and his people were in,1 Sam. 30. Lam. 2.11. (and Ieremie ſayes the ſame in his Lamentations, of the Iewes) that they wept till they could weepe no more: Here are teares at our deuotion; The Altar couered with teares, Mal. 2. Teares in the bed, Dauid watered his couch with teares, Pſal. 6. Teares to waſh with, as Maries. Teares to eat, Pſal. 42.3. Teares to drinke, Pſal. 80. yea drunkenneſſe with teares, Eſay 16.9. This is our deſtiny as we are men, but more as we are Chriſtians, To ſow in Teares; and God loues theſe wet ſeed-times; they are ſeaſonable for vsus here below: Thoſe men therefore are miſtaken, that thinke to goe to heauen with dry eyes, and hope to leape immediately out of the pleaſures of earth, into the Paradiſe of God; inſulting ouer the drouping eſtate of Gods diſtreſſed ones. As Ierome, and Bede, ſay of Peter, that he could not weepe while he was in the High Prieſts wals, ſo theſe men cannot weepe where they hauehave offended. But let them know that they muſt hauehave a time of teares; and if they doe not begin with teares, they ſhall end with them; Woe be to them that laugh, for they ſhall weepe; and if they will not weepe, and ſhake their heads here, they ſhall weepe and waile, and gnaſh their teeth hereafter: Here muſt be teares, and that good ſtore: All teares; as riuers are called the teares of the ſea, (foreign) Iob 38. ſo muſt our teares be the riuers of our eyes, Pſal. 119.136. and our eyes fountaines, Ier. 9.1. Here muſt be teares of penitence, teares of compaſſion, and will bee teares of ſorrow: Well are thoſe two met therefore; teares and ſorrow: for tho ſome ſhed teares for ſpight, others for ioy, as Cyprians Martyrs, Gaudium pectoris lachrymis exprimentes; yet commonly teares are the iuyce of a minde preſſed with griefe;Greg. Niſ. Orat. And as well doe teares, and crying, and ſorrow, accompany death, either in the ſuppoſition, or the deniall; For as worldly ſorrow (euen in this ſenſe) cauſeth death, by drying the bones, and conſuming the body: ſo death euer lightly, is a iuſt cauſe of ſorrow; ſorrow to nature in our ſelues, ſorrow to ours. And as death is the terribleſt thing, ſo it is the ſaddeſt thing, that befals a man. Nature could ſay in the Poet, Quis matrem in funere nati Flere vetat? yea God himſelfe allowed his holy Prieſts, to pollute themſelues in mourning, for their neereſt dead friends,Exod. 21. excepting the High Prieſt; which was forbidden it in figure. And the Apoſtle while he forbids the Theſſalonians to mourne, as without hope; doth in a ſort command their teares, but barre their immoderation. It was not without a ſpeciall reference to a iudgement,Ezech. 24. that God ſayes to Ezechiel, Sonne of man, behold I will take from thee the pleaſure of thy life with a plague, yet ſhalt thou neither mourne nor weepe, neither ſhall my teares runne downe. So fit did the Iewes hold teares for Funerals, that they hired mourners, which with incompoſed geſtures ranne vp and downe the ſtreets, Eccl. 12. who did alſo cut and lance themſelues, that they might mourne in earneſt, Ier. 16. That good natur'd Patriarch Iſaac, mourned three yeeres for his mother, as the Chineſes doe at this day for their friends. Iacob mourned two and twenty yeeres for Ioſeph: and there want not ſome, which hauehave thought Adam and Eue mourned an 100. yeeres for Abel: but, who knowes not the wailings of Abel-…itzraim for Ioſeph; of the valley of Megiddon for Ioſiah? And if euer any corps deſerued to ſwim it teares, if euer any loſſe could command lamentation; then this of ours, yea of this whole ILAND, yea of the whole Church of God, yea of the whole world, iuſtly cals for it, and truly hath it.
O HENRY our ſweet Prince, our ſweet Prince HENRY, the ſecond glory of our Nation, ornament of mankinde, hope of poſterity, and life of our life, how doe all hearts bleed, and all eies worthily guſh out, for thy loſſe! A loſſe, that we had neither grace to feare, nor hauehave capacity to conceiue. Shall I praiſe him to you, who are therefore now miſerable, becauſe you did know him ſo well? I forbeare it, though to my paine; If I did not ſpare you, I could not ſo ſwiftly paſſe ouer the name, and the vertues of that glorious Saint, our deare Maſter, or the aggrauation of that loſſe, whereof you are too ſenſible: my true commiſeration ſhall command me ſilence; yet I could not but touch our ſore (with this light hand) tho yet raw and bleeding: Death (eſpecially ſuch a death) muſt hauehave ſorrow and teares; All Nations, all ſucceſſion of times ſhall beare a part with vsus in this lamentation: And if wee could but as heartily hauehave prayed for him before, as we hauehave heartily wept for him ſince; perhaps we had not had this cauſe of mourning. From ſorrow, let vsus deſcend to paines (which is no ſmall cauſe of crying and teares) as I feare ſome of vsus muſt: the word howſoeuer it is here tranſlated, is (foreign) labour; I muſt confeſſe, labour and paine are neere one another; whence we ſay, that he which labours, takes paines; and contrarily, that a woman is in labour, or trauell, when ſhee is in the paine of child-birth; teares cannot be wip't away whiles toile remaines; That the Iſraelites may leaue crying, they muſt bee deliuered from the brick-kilnes of Aegypt. Indeed, God had in our creation allotted vsus labour, without paine; but when once ſinne came into the ſoule, paine ſeized vponupon the bones, and the minde was poſſeſſed with a wearineſſe, and irkſome loathing of what it muſt do: and euer ſince, ſorrow and labour hauehave beene inſeparable attendants vponupon the life of man: Inſomuch as God, when he would deſcribe to vsus the happy eſtate of the dead, does it in thoſe termes, They ſhall reſt from their labours: Looke into the field, there you ſhall ſee toiling at the plough and ſithe. Looke into the waters, there you ſee tugging at the oares and cabels. Looke into the City, there you ſee plodding in the ſtreets, ſweating in the ſhops. Looke into the ſtudies, there you ſee fixing of eyes, toſſing of bookes, ſcratching the head, paleneſſe, infirmity. Looke into the Court, there you ſee tedious attendance, emulatory officiouſneſſe. All things are full of labour, and labour is full of ſorrow. If we doe nothing, idleneſſe is weariſome; if any thing, worke is weariſome; in one or both of theſe, the beſt of life is conſumed. Who now can bee in louelove with a life that hath nothing in it but crying, and teares, in the entrance; death, in the concluſion; labour and paine in the continuance; and ſorrow in all theſe? What Gally-ſlaue but we would be in louelove with our chaine? what priſoner would delight in his dungeon? How hath our infidelity beſotted vsus, if we doe not long after that happy eſtate of our immortality, wherein all our teares ſhall be wip't away; and we at once freed from labour, ſorrow, and death? Now, as it is vaine to hope for this till then; ſo then not to hope for it, is paganiſh and brutiſh. He that hath tasked vsus with theſe penances, hath vndertaken to releaſe vsus. God ſhall wipe away all teares.
While we ſtay here, he keepes all our teares in a bottle,Pſal. 56. ſo precious is the water that is diſtilled from penitent eies; and becauſe he will be ſure not to faile, he notes how many drops there be, in his regiſter. It was a pretious ointment; wherewith the woman in the Phariſes houſe (it is thought Mary Magdalene) anointed the feet of Chriſt:Luke 7.37. but her teares wherewith ſhee waſht them, were more worth than her ſpil…nard. But that which is here precious, is there vnſeaſonable; then hee ſhall wipe away thoſe which here hee would ſaue. As death, ſo paſſions are the companions of infirmity; whereupon ſome that hauehave beene too nice, hauehave called thoſe which were incident into Chriſt, Propaſſions; not conſidering that he which was capable of death, might be as well of paſſions. Theſe troubleſome affections of griefe, feare, and ſuch like, doe not fall into glorified ſoules. It is true, that they hauehave louelove, deſire, ioy, in their greateſt perfection: yea they could not hauehave perfection without them; but like as God loues, and hates, and reioyces truly, but in a manner of his owne, abſtracted from all infirmity, and paſſion: ſo doe his glorified Saints in imitation of him. There therefore, as we cannot die, ſo wee cannot grieue, we cannot be afflicted. Here one ſaies, My belly, my belly, with the Prophet; another, mine head, mine head, with the Shunamites ſonne; another, my ſonne, my ſonne, as Dauid; another, my father, my father, with Eliſha. One cries out of his ſinnes, with Dauid; another of his hunger, with Eſau; another of an ill wife, with Iob; another of trecherous friends,2 Kings 4. with the Pſalmiſt; One of a ſore in body, with Ezechias; another of a troubled ſoule, with our Sauiour in the garden; eueryevery one hath ſome complaint, or other, to make his cheekes wet, and his heart heauy. Stay but a while, and there ſhall be none of theſe: There ſhall be no crying, no complaining in the ſtreets of the new Ieruſalem: No axe, no hammer ſhall be heard within this heauenly Temple. Why are we not content to weepe here a while, on condition that we may weepe no more? Why are we not ambitious of this bleſſed eaſe? Certainly, we doe not ſmart enough with our euils, that we are not deſirous of reſt; Theſe teares are not yet dry, yet they are ready to be ouertaken by others, for our particular afflictions. Miſeries, as the Pſalmiſt compares them, are like waues, which breake one vponupon another, and toſſe vsus with a perpetuall vexation; and we vaine men, ſhall we not wiſh to be in our hauen? Are we ſicke, and grieue to thinke of remedie? Are we ſtill dying, and are wee loth to thinke of life? Oh this miſerable vnbeleefe, that tho we ſee a glorious heauen aboue vsus, yet we are vnwilling to go to it: we ſee a weariſome world about vsus, and yet are loth to thinke of leauing it: This gracious maſter of ours, whoſe diſſolution is ours, while he was here amongſt vsus, his princely crowne could not keepe his head from paine, his golden rod could not driue away his feuers; now is hee freed from all his aches, agues, ſtitches, convulſions, cold ſweats: now he triumphs in glory, amongſt the Angels and Saints; now he walkes in white robes, and attends on the glorious bridegroome of the Church; and doe we thinke he would be content now, for all the kingdomes of the world, to be as he was? We that profeſſe it was our ioy and honour to follow him, whither ſoeuer he had gone; In his diſports, in his warres, in his trauels; why are we not now ambitious of following him to his better crowne; yea of raigning together with him, (for heauen admits of this equality) in that glory, wherein he raignes with his Sauiour & ours? Why doe we not now heartily, with him that was rauiſhed into the third heauan, ſay, Cupio diſſolui & eſſe cum Chriſto, not barely to be diſſolued; a malecontent may doe ſo; but therefore to be diſſolued, that we may be with Chriſt, poſſeſſed of his euerlaſting glory; where we ſhall not onelyonly not weepe, but reioyce and ſing Halleluiahs for euer; not onelyonly not die, but enioy a bleſſed and heauenly life. Euen ſo Lord Ieſus come quickly. Now if any man ſhall aske the Diſciples queſtion: Maſter, when ſhall theſe things be; the celeſtiall voyce tels him, it muſt bee vponupon a change; For the firſt things are paſſed; It ſhall be, in part, ſo ſoone as euer our firſt things, our life, the condition of our mortalitie are paſſed ouer; It ſhall be fully, when the firſt things of the world are paſſed; Paſſed not by abolition, but by immutation, as that Father ſaid well; Not the frame of the world, but the corruption of that frame muſt paſſe. The Spirit of God is not curious, he cals thoſe things firſt which were onelyonly former; not in reſpect of the ſtate which is, but that which ſhall be; For thoſe things which were firſt of all, were like their Maker, good, not capable of deſtruction: Our ſinnes tainted the whole creation, and brought ſhame vponupon all the frame of heauen, and earth: That which we did, ſhall be diſanulled; that which God did, ſhall ſtand for euer; and this diſſolution ſhall be our glory: other diſſolutions ſtrike teares into our eyes; as this day is witneſſe: it is our ſorrow that the firſt things are paſſed, our offices, our penſions, our hopes, our fauours, and (which we eſteemed moſt) our ſeruices are gone: Let this laſt diſſolution comfort vsus againſt the preſent. Who can grieue to ſee a Familie diſſolued, that conſiders the world muſt bee diſſolued? This little world of ours, firſt, whereof this day giues vsus an image: for as our ſeruice, ſo our life muſt away; and then that great one, whoſe diſſolution is repreſented in theſe. The difference is, that whereas this diſſolution brings teares to ſome eies, that wipes them away from all: For all our teares, and ſorrow, and toile, and crying, and death, are for our ſinnes; take away corruption, and miſery goes away with it, and till then, it will neuer be remoued: No man puts new wine into old veſſels; much leſſe will God put the new wine of glory, into the old veſſels of corruption: They are our ſinnes, which as in particular they hauehave rob'd vsus of our Prince, changed our ſeaſons, ſwept away thouſands with varieties of deaths, ſo in generall, they hauehave deformed the face of heauen and earth, and made all the Creation ſigh and groane, and ſtill make vsus incapable of the perfection of our bleſſednes; for while the firſt things continue, there muſt needs be teares, and ſorrow, and death. Let vsus therefore looke vponupon heauen and earth as goodly creatures; but, as blemiſhed, as tranſitory, as thoſe which we ſhall once ſee more glorious. Let vsus looke vponupon our ſelues with indignation, which hauehave thus diſtained them; and as thoſe which after ſome terme of their cottage expired, are aſſured they ſhall hauehave a marble palace built for them, doe long after the time perfixed them, and thinke the dayes and moneths pace ſlowly away, till then; ſo let vsus earneſtly deſire the day of the diſſolution of this great houſe of the world, that wee may hauehave our conſummation in the new heauen. For ſo ſoone as euer the old is paſt, Behold (ſaith God) I will make all things new. Yea, the paſſage of the one, is the renewing of the other: As the Snake is renewed, not by putting on any new coat, but by leauing his ſlough behind him: the gold is purified, by leauing his droſſe in the fire; Therefore hee addes, not, I will, but, I doe make all new; and becauſe this is a great worke, behold a great Agent; He that ſate vponupon the Throne ſaid, Behold I make all new.
A Throne ſignifies Maieſtie, and ſitting permanence or perpetuity: God ſayes, Heauen is my throne, in the Pſalme: but as Salomons throne of iuory and gold, was the beſt piece of his houſe; So Gods throne is the moſt glorious heauen, the heauen of heauens; for you ſee that tho heauen and earth paſſe away, yet Gods throne remain'd ſtill, and hee ſitting on it; neither ſinne nor diſſolution, may reach to the Empyreall heauen, the ſeat of God.
Here is a ſtate worthy of the King of Kings; All the thrones of earthly Monarchs, are but pieces of his foot-ſtoole. And as his throne is maieſticall and permanent, ſo is his reſidence in it; Hee ſate in the throne. S. Stephen ſaw him ſtanding, as it were ready for his defence and protection: S. Iohn ſees him ſitting (as our Creed alſo runnes) in regard of his inalterable glory. How brittle the thrones of earthly Princes are, and how they doe rather ſtand than ſit in them, and how ſlippery they ſtand too, wee feele this day, and lament. O Lord, eſtabliſh the throne of thy ſeruant our King, and let his ſeed endure for euer. Let his throne be as the Sunne before thee for euermore; and as the Moone a faithfull witneſſe in heauen. But howſoeuer it be with our earthly Gods; of his kingdome there is no end. Here is a maſter for Kings, whoſe glory it is, to riſe vp from their thrones, and throw downe their Crownes at his feet, and to worſhip before his foot-ſtoole.
Be wiſe therefore, O ye Kings; be learned ye Rulers of the earth: ſerue this Lord in feare, and reioyce in him with trembling.
Yea behold here (ſince wee hauehave the honour to ſerue him, whom Kings ſerue) a royall Maſter for vsus; It was one of our ſinnes I feare, that wee made our Maſter, our God; I meane, that we made fleſh our arme; and placed that confidence in him, for our earthly ſtay, which we ſhould hauehave fixed in heauen: Our too much hope hath left vsus comfortleſſe: Oh that we could now make God our Maſter, and truſt him ſo much the more, as we hauehave leſſe in earth to truſt to. There is no ſeruice to the King of heauen; for both his throne is euerlaſting and vnchangeable, and his promotions certaine and honourable: He that ſits on the throne hath ſaid it; To him that ouercomes will I giuegive to ſit with mee in my throne; euen as I ouercame and ſit with my Father in his throne. Behold, yee ambitious ſpirits, how yee may truly riſe to more than euer the ſonnes of Zebedee deſired to aſpire to: ſeruing is the way to raigning; ſerue him that ſits vponupon the Throne, and ye ſhall ſit yourſelues vponupon the Throne with him.
This is the Agent; the act is fit for him, I make all things new. Euen the very Turkes in their Alcoran, can ſubſcribe to that of Tertullian, Qui potuit facere, poteſt & reficere: I feare to wrong the holy Maieſty with my rude compariſon; It is not ſo much to God, to make a world, as for vsus, to ſpeake: He ſpake the word, and it was done: There is no change which is not from him: He makes new Princes, new yeeres, new gouernments, and will make new heauens, new earth, new inhabitants; how eaſie then is it for him, to make new prouiſions for vsus? If wee bee left deſtitute, yet where is our faith? Shall God make vsus new bodies, when they are gone to duſt? ſhall he make new heauens, and new earth, and ſhall not he (whoſe the earth is, and the fulneſſe thereof) prouide ſome new meanes, and courſes of life for vsus, while we are vponupon earth? Is the maintenance of one poore worme more than the renewing of heauen and earth? Shall he be able to raiſe vsus when we are not, and ſhall he not ſuſtaine vsus while we are?
Away with theſe weake diffidences; and if wee bee Chriſtians, truſt God with his owne:Pſal. 37.34. Wait thou on the Lord, and keepe his wayes, and he ſhall exalt thee. He will make all things new: And ſhall all things be made new, and our hearts bee old? Shall nothing but our ſoules be out of the faſhion? Surely beloued, none but new hearts are for the new heauens: Except we be borne anew, we enter not into life. All other things ſhall in the very inſtant receiue their renouation; onelyonly our hearts muſt bee made new before hand, or elſe they ſhall neuer be renewed to their glory. S. Peter, when he had told vsus of looking for new heauens, and new earth; infers this vſe vponupon it; Wherefore (beloued) ſeeing yee looke for ſuch things, 2 Pet. 3.14.be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without ſpot, and blameleſſe. Behold, the new heauens require pure and ſpotleſſe inhabitants. As euer therefore we looke to hauehave our part in this bleſſed renouation, let vsus caſt off all our euill and corrupt affections, put off the old man with his works, and now with the new yeere, put on the new: labour for a new heart, begin a new life. That which S. Iohn ſayes here, that God will ſay and doe in our entrance to glorification; Behold, I make all things new. 2 Cor. 5.17. out of Eſa. 43.Saint Paul ſaith he hath done it already, in our regeneration; Old things are paſſed away, all things are become new. What meanes this, but that our regeneration muſt make way for our glorification, and that our glory muſt but perfect our regeneration? and God ſuppoſes this is done, when there are meanes to doe it. Why doe we then ſtill (in ſpight of the Goſpell) retaine our old corruptions, and thinke to goe to the wedding feaſt in our old clothes? if ſome of vsus do not rather (as the vulgar reads that, Iudg. 10, 6.) Addere nona veteribus, adde new ſinnes to our old; new oathes, new faſhions of pride, new complements of drunkenneſſe, new deuices of filthineſſe, new tricks of Machiaueliſme: theſe are our nouelties, which fetch downe from God new iudgements vponupon vsus, to the tingling of the eares of all hearers, and for which Topheth was prepared of old. If God hauehave no better newes for vsus, we ſhall neuer enioy the new heauen with him. For Gods ſake therefore, and for our ſoules ſake, let vsus be wiſer, and renew our couenant with God; and ſeeing this is a day of gifts, let my New-yeeres-gift to you be this holy aduice from God, which may make you happy for euer: Let your New-yeeres-gift to God be your hearts, the beſt part of your ſelues, the center of your ſelues, to which all our actions are circumferences: and if they bee ſuch a preſent, as we hauehave reaſon to feare God will not accept, becauſe they are ſinfull; yet if they be humbled, if penitent, we know he will receiue them:Pſal. 51. A contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe. And if we cannot giuegive him our hearts, yet giuegive him our deſires, and he will take our vnworthy hearts from vsus; I will take the ſtony hearts out of their bodies, Ezec. 11.19. and he will graciouſly returne an happy New-yeeres-gift to vsus,Ezec. 11.14. I will put a new ſpirit within their bowels, and will giuegive them an heart of fleſh. He will create a cleane heart, and renew a right ſpirit within vsus; ſo, as he will make a new heauen for vsus, he will make vsus new for this heauen; hee will make his Tabernacle in vsus, that hee may make ours with him. Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, &c.
The ſuperſtitious Liſtrians cryed out amazed, that Gods were come downe to them in the likeneſſe of men: but we Chriſtians know, that it is no rare thing for God to come and dwell with men; Yea are the Temples of the liuing God, 2 Cor. 6.16.and I will dwell among them and walke there. The faithfull heart of man is the Tabernacle of God. But becauſe though God bee euer with vsus, wee are not alwaies ſo with him, yea whiles wee are at home in the bodie, we are abſent from the Lord, as S. Paul complaines, therefore will God vouchſafe vsus a neerer cohabitation that ſhall not be capable of any interpoſition, of any abſence. Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men. But beſides this Tabernacle of fleſh, time was when God dwelt in a materiall viſible houſe with men: Hee had his Tabernacle firſt, which was a mouing Temple, and then his Temple,2 Chron. 7.16. which was a fixed Tabernacle: both of them had one meaſure, both one name. But, as one ſaid vponupon that, Eze. 42. Menſus eſt ſimilitudinem domus; foreignthat both the Tabernacle and Temple were ſimilitudes of Gods houſe, rather than the houſe it ſelfe: ſo ſay I, that they were intended for notable reſemblances both of the holy Church of God vponupon earth, and of the glorious Sanctuarie of heauen. This is the true foreign of God,1 Pet. 2.5. which word ſignifieth both a Temple, Ezra 4.1. and a Palace, Dan. 1.4. becauſe he dwels where he is worſhipped, and he is magnificent in both: It is the materiall Tabernacle which is alluded to, the immateriall which is promiſed; A Tabernacle that goes a thouſand times more beyond the glittering Temple of Salomon, than Salomons Temple went beyond the Tabernacle of Moſes: Neither let it trouble any man, that the name of a Tabernacle implies flitting and vncertaintie. For as the Temple, howſoeuer it were called (foreign) a houſe of Ages; yet laſted not (either the firſt, I meane, or ſecond) vntounto 500. yeeres: ſo this houſe, though God call it a Tabernacle,foreign. Luke 16.9. yet he makes it an euerlaſting habitation; for he tels vsus, that both age and death are gone before it come downe to men. But why rather doth the Tabernacle of God deſcend to men, than men aſcend to it? Whether this be in reſpect of Iohns viſion, to whom the new Ieruſalem ſeemed to deſcend from heauen; deſcendit (as one ſaith) innoteſcendo, and therefore it is reſembled by all the riches of this inferiour world, gold, precious ſtones, pearle; or whether heauen is therefore ſaid to deſcend to vsus, becauſe it meets vsus in the aire,1 Theſſ. 4.16. when Chriſt Ieſus attended with innumerable Angels ſhall deſcend to fetch his elect; or, whether this phraſe be vſed for a greater expreſſion of louelove, and mercy, ſince it is more for Prince to come to vsus, than for vsus to goe to his Court. Certainly, God meanes only in this to ſet forth that perpetuall and reciprocall conuerſation, which hee will hauehave with men: They ſhall dwell with God, God ſhall dwell with them. Our glory begins euer in grace: God doth dwell with all thoſe in grace, with whom hee will dwell in glory: EueryEvery Chriſtian carries in his boſome a ſhrine of God;2 Cor. 12. Know yee not that Christ Ieſus is in you, ſaith S. Paul. Whereſoeuer God dwels, there is his Temple: Wilt thou pray in the Temple, pray in thy ſelfe, ſaith Auſten.
Here is the Altar of a cleane heart, from which the ſweet incenſe of our praiers, as a pleaſant perfume, is ſent vp into the noſtrils of God: Here are the pure candles of our faith euer burning before God, night and day; neuer to be extinguiſhed: Here is the ſpirituall Shew-bread, the bread of life ſtanding euer ready vponupon the Table of the ſoule: Here doth the Arke of the heart, in the inwardeſt of the breaſt, keepe the law of God, and that Manna that came downe from heauen: Here God dwels, and here he is worſhipped. Behold, what need wee care whither we goe, while we carry the God of heaven with vsus? He is with vsus, as our companion, as our guide, as our gueſt: No impotency of perſon, no croſſe of eſtate, no diſtance of place, no oppoſition of men, no gates of hell can ſeparate him from vsus: Hee hath ſaid it, I will not leaue, nor forſake thee: We are all now parting one from another: and now is looſing a knot of the moſt louing, and entire fellowſhip, that euer met in the Court of any Prince: our ſweet Maſter (that was compounded of all louelineſſe) infuſed this gracious harmony into our hearts; now we are ſaluting our laſt, and eueryevery one is with ſorrow enough, taking his owne way: how ſafe, how happy ſhall we be, if each of vsus ſhall hauehave God to go with him! Certainly (my deare fellowes) we ſhall neuer complaine of the want of Maſters, of friends, while we finde our ſelues ſure of him; nothing can make vsus miſerable while we are furniſhed with him. Shall wee thinke hee cannot fare ill that hath money in his purſe; and ſhall we thinke he can miſcarry that hath God in his heart? How ſhall not all comfort, all happineſſe accompany that God, whoſe preſence is the cauſe of all bleſſedneſſe? He ſhall counſell vsus in our doubts, direct vsus in our reſolutions, diſpoſe of vsus in our eſtates, cheere vsus in our diſtreſſes, proſper vsus in our liues, and in our deaths crowne vsus. And if ſuch felicity follow vponupon Gods dwelling with vsus in theſe ſmokie cottages of our mortality, where we (through our vnquiet corruptions) will not ſuffer our ſelues to hauehave a full fruition of God; what happineſſe ſhall there be in our dwelling with God, in thoſe eternall Tabernacles of reſt and glory? Beloued, there is no loſſe, no miſerie, which the meditation of heauen cannot digeſt: we hauehave liued in the eye of a Prince, whoſe countenance was able to put life into any beholder: How oft hath that face ſhined vponupon vsus, and we hauehave found our heart warme with thoſe comfortable beames? Behold, we ſhall liue with that God, in whoſe preſence is the fulneſſe of ioy: wee hauehave liued in the ſoeciety of worthy men; yet, but men; ſubiect to all paſſions, infirmities, ſelf-reſpects: which of vsus all can hauehave eſcaped without ſome vnkindneſſes, detractions, emulations? Earthly Courts can be no more without theſe, than theſe can be without corruption: there, we ſhall liue in the company of innumerable Angels, and the ſpirits of iuſt and perfect men;Reuel. 19.3. neither can there be any iar in theſe Halleluiahs, which we ſhall all ſing to God. We hauehave liued to ſee the magnificence of earthly Princes, and to partake of it; in their buildings, furnitures, feaſts, triumphs; in their wealth, pompe, pleaſures: But open your eyes and ſee the new Ieruſalem, the City of the great King of Saints, and all theſe ſublunary vanities ſhall bee contemned. Here you ſhall ſee a foure-ſquare Citie; the wals of Iaſper, the foundations garniſhed with all precious ſtones, Twelue gates of twelue pearles, The houſes and ſtreets of pure gold, like ſhining glaſſe: A Chryſtall riuer runs in the midſt of it; and on the banks of it growes the tree of life; euer greene, euer fruitfull; this is for the eye. The eare ſhall be filled with the melody of Angels, euer ſinging Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. The taſte ſhall be ſatisfied with Manna, the food of Angels, with the fruit of the tree of life, with that new wine which our Sauiour hath promiſed to drinke with vsus in his Kingdome; Theſe are the dimme ſhadowes of our future bleſſedneſſe. At thy right hand ô God are pleaſures for euermore; and ſuch pleaſures, as if they could be expreſſed or conceiued, were not worthy of our longings, nor able to ſatisfie vsus: Oh that wee could ſo much the more long to enioy them, by how much leſſe we are able to comprehend them! When S. Paul made his Farewell-Sermon to the Epheſians, he fetcht teares from the eyes of his auditors (ſo full of holy paſſion was his ſpeech) eſpecially with that one clauſe, And now behold I know,Act. 20.25. that henceforth you all, through whom I hauehave gone preaching the kingdome of God, ſhall ſee my face no more: A ſad clauſe indeed, You ſhall ſee my face no more. The minde of man cannot endure to take a finall leaue of any thing that offends it not; but the face of a friend, of a companion, hath ſo much pleaſure in it, that we cannot without much ſorrow thinke of ſeeing it our laſt: But what if we ſhall meet here no more? what if we ſhall no more ſee one anothers face? Brethren, we ſhall once meet together aboue; we ſhall once ſee the glorious face of God, and neuer looke off againe.
Let it not ouer-grieue vsus to leaue theſe Tabernacles of ſtone, ſince wee muſt ſhortly lay downe theſe Tabernacles of clay, and enter into Tabernacles not made with hands; eternall in the heauens. Till then, farewell my deare brethren, farewell in the Lord: Goe in peace, and liue as thoſe that hauehave loſt ſuch a Maſter, and as thoſe that ſerue a Maſter, whom they cannot loſe: And the God of peace goe with you, and proſper you in all your wayes; and ſo fix this Tabernacle in you vponupon earth, that you may be receiued into thoſe Tabernacles of the new Ieruſalem, and dwell with him for euer, in that glory which he hath prouided for all that louelove him. AMEN.
FINIS.
NOAH'S DOVE, BRINGING AN OLIVE OF PEACE TO THE TOSSED ARKE OF CHRISTS CHVRCH.
A SERMON PREACH'T IN LATINE, IN THE CONVOCATION, HELD IN SAINT PAVLES CHVRCH, TO THE CLERGIE OF ENGLAND, AND ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBVRIE.
By IOS: HALL, Deane of Worceſter.
Done into Engliſh by R. H.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, ¶ Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for HANNA BARRET, 1624.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD, EDVVARD Lord DENNY, Baron of WALTHAM, all health and Happineſſe.
RIGHT HONOVRABLE,
I Might well perceiue by the Author, that this Sermon was neuer intended to be publiſhed, in any other Language than that wherein it was firſt ſpoken: being in reſpect of the matter, in a ſort appropriate to that Auditory wherein it was deliuered; But beſides the common deſire of many, finding the tranſlation attempted by diuers, and performed by ſome in ſuch a manner as did not altogether ſatisfie; It pleaſed my Father herein to improue my leaſure, wherein, howſoeuer I may hauehave ſomewhat failed of the firſt elegancy, yet I hauehave not beene far ſhort of the ſenſe. I hauehave preſumed to dedicate the ſame to your Lordſhip, in reſpect of your many fauours, and my obligations, for which (beſides this officious, though vnequall requitall) I ſhal ſtill vow my prayers for your Lordſhip, and remaine.
Your Lordſhips moſt humbly deuoted, RO: HALL.
TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, GEORGE, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBVRY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND, AND METRAPOLITAN.
TO THE REVEREND LORDS, THE BISHOPS, AND TO THE WHOLE FLOVRISHING CLERGIE OF ENGLAND, ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBVRY, GATHERED TOGETHER IN THE CONVOCATION AT LONDON, BEFORE WHOM THIS MEANE SERMON WAS DELIVERED: J. H.
THE LEAST OF ALL THE SERVANTS OF THE CHVRCH HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS HIS POORE AND VNWORTHY LABOVR.
IN aede Pauli, dé que Pauli oraculis,
Pro concione praeuiâ Synodo Jacrae,
Varias ab vno Spiritu, Domino, Deo
Diſtinctiones eſſe donorum probans,
Oſtendis, Halle, quanta ſpiritalium,
Quàm multiformis dos tibi fluat affatim,
Chariſmatum que multiplex peculium.
Quae nempe tractas, per tui ſpecimen doces.
Theologe nate pulpitis, calami potens,
Cui ſuauitatis conſcius ſemper ſtylus,
Cui pectus almi condus eſt ſacrarij,
Et lingua promus pectoris, cujus latus
Loquentis ambit auribus rapax cohors,
Humeriſ que denſa; non ſat eſt ſemel tua
Hauſiſſe vocis impetu fugacia.
Ni perlegendo te recognoſci ſinas,
Auri inuidebit oculus, & Templo Schola.
Noſti Decane flexanime, quàm terecens
Jam tunc ab ipſo ambone redeuntem, manu
Prenſum, rogator vellicaui feruidus,
Manare fineres haec in abſentum ſinus,
Reliquiſ que noſtri fratribus Cleri dari.
Quid mirum? vbi ipſi poſtmodùm cudi typis
Prouinciales poſtulant Epiſcopi.
Audin' Ioſephe? Nolo iam: te nil peto.
Non eſt, amicus quod roget. Domini regunt.
Parere juſtum eſt: parere te certum eſt: age.
Quàm facilis iſthic obſtetricanti labor?
Poſt tam verenda iuſſa quid reſtat mihi,
Niſi vt adprecantis ſuppleam idiotae locúm,
Amen ſacrato ſuccinens Patrum choro?
Lambethae Febr. 21. 1623. ſic approbauit Tho: Goadus S.T.D.