Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

THE ARKE UNDER THE CURTAINES. A Sermon preached in Oxford at the Act, July 12. Anno 1613. THE XXXVIII. SERMON.

2 SAM. 7.2.

The King said unto Nathan the Prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of Ce∣dar, but the Arke of the Lord dwelleth within curtaines.

Right Worshipfull, &c.

WEe reade of small or no raine that falls at any time on di∣vers parts of Africa; and the cause is supposed to bee the sandy nature of the soyle, from whence the Sun can draw no vapours or exhalations, which ascending from other parts in great abundance, resolve themselves into kinde showres refreshing the earth: This, beloved, is the true reason why God powreth not down his benefits in such plentifull manner as he was wont upon us, because our hearts, like the dry and barren sands of Africa, send up no vapours of divine meditations, mel∣ting into teares, no exhalation or breath of praise or thanksgiving backe to heaven. Undoubtedly, if wee were thankfull to God for his benefits, hee would be alwayes beneficiall to us for our thankfulnesse, and account him∣selfe indebted unto us for such acknowledgement of our debt. For there is nothing that obtaineth more of him, or deserveth better of men, than a thankfull agnition of favours received, and a present commemoration of benefits past. It is the easie taske and imposition which the supreme Lord of all layeth upon all the goods we possesse, & blessings of this life, which we

receive from his bountifull hands; and if we be not behind with him in this tribute of our lips, he will see that all creatures in heaven and earth shall pay their severall tributes unto us: the sun of his heat, the moon of her light, the starres of their influence, the clouds of their moisture, the sea and rivers of their fish, the land of her fruits, the mynes of their treasure, and all things living of their homage and service. But if wee keep backe this duty from him, which the poorest may pay as well as the rich out of the treasuries of their owne heart, no marvell if hee sometimes make fast the windowes of heaven, and locke up the treasures of his bounty, to make us cry to him in our wants and necessities, who would not sing to him in our wealth and pro∣sperity. Upon this or the like consideration good King David, as soone as God had given him rest from all his enemies, thought presently of prepa∣ring a resting place for the Arke. Having therefore a holy purpose to conse∣crate the spoyles he tooke from his enemies, to him that gave him victory over them, and to build a stately and magnificent Temple to the honour of the God of his salvation, and desirous to receive some encouragement from him, to set to so noble a worke, hee calleth for Nathan the Prophet, and breaketh his minde unto him in the words whereof I have made choice for my Text: which containe in them,

• 1. A godly resolution.
• 2. A forcible motive.

The resolution is implyed, viz. to build God an house; the reason is ex∣pressed, the consideration of his own royall palace. A reason drawn à dissen∣taneis, I dwell in a house of Cedar, but the Arke of the Lord within curtaines. Is this decent or fitting, that the King should bee better housed than his maker and advancer to his royall throne? Yee would expect, that hereupon he should have concluded upon building God an house; but hee proposeth only the major, his owne house; the minor the Arke, and leaveth the Pro∣phet to inferre the conclusion, because in a matter that so neerly concerned the honour and service of God, he would not seem to lead the Prophet, but rather be led by him: from whence we may gather three speciall observa∣tions, not unworthy our most serious thoughts.

1. That in matters immediately appertaining to the service of God and advancement of religion, the Prophets of God are to be called, and their advice to be asked and taken, even by Kings themselves.

2. That it is a noble and princely worke to build Temples or Churches.

3. That we are to set more by the glory of God, than our own ease and safety, and rather to desire the erecting of his house, than the raising our owne fortunes. After we have gathered these, there be other which will fall of themselves from the branches of the Text as wee lightly passe over them.

And it came to passe, when the King sate in his house, and the Lord had gi∣ven him rest round about from all his enemies, that the King said unto Nathan, Behold now, &c. The circumstance of time challengeth our due considera∣tion in the first place. It is not usuall for men sitting at ease and at rest to entertaine godly motions, and resolve upon workes of pious bounty: Otium

pulvinar Satanae, rest is oftentimes the Divels cushion; but here it was not so, but rather a chaire of state for God himselfe to rest in. After David had been for a long time pursued by his enemies, and driven from place to place, as it were powred out of vessell into vessell, when he now stood still, he settled not upon his lees with Moab; but breathed out these sweet and hea∣venly meditations and vowes:

Behold now I sit at rest, and the Arke of the Lord tosseth and tumbleth from place to place: I lye safely under a sure roofe, able to beare off wind and weather, and the Arke of God hath no better fence than a few curtaines spread over it: the walls of my house are hung with rich arrasse, and the sides of the Arke are covered but with skins; is it fit that it should be so, Nathan? Speak thou on Gods behalfe, who art his Prophet: Is the Kings Cabinet more precious than the Lords Arke? Shall the King have a palace, and God have no house? Shall I pro∣vide a safer place for my records and evidences, than for the records of heaven, and the tables of the testimony, and the inspired Oracles of God? This must not be so, I protest it shall not be so: Ia 1.1 sweare unto the Lord, and vow a vow unto the mighty God of Jacob, that I will not henceforth enter into the tabernacle of my house, nor come upon my bed: I will not suffer my eyes to sleep, nor my eye-lids to slumber, until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

Such holy vowes and religious oathes and protestations many of Gods children make in the depth of their misery; but few (as here David doth) in the height of their prosperity, and the midst of their triumphs. The zeale of most men lieth in their heart like fire in a flint, it must be strucke out with some violence; their prayers and fervent meditations like hot spices are then most fragrant, when their hearts are bruised in Gods mortar, and broken with afflictions and troubles. Some such thing befalleth the soule in prosperity, as the husbandmen observe in a fat soyle and plentifull yeere:

Luxuriantb 1.2 animi rebus plerunque secundis.

Prosperity breedeth a ranknesse in the desires and a dangerous riot of sinne: whereof Moses maketh great complaint in his song; Butc 1.3 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked (thou art waxed fat, thou art growne thicke, thou art covered with fatnesse) then he forsooke God that made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation: and God by the Prophetd 1.4 Hosea, According to their pa∣stures so were they filled: they were filled, and their heart was exalted; there∣fore have they forgotten mee. O how great is our ingratitude? when God most remembreth us, we most forget him, drinking our fill of the rivers of his pleasures, and never thinking of the spring; devouring greedily the good blessings of God, as Swine doe acornes upon the ground, never looking up to the tree from whence they fall. David was farre from this brutish vice; for as soone as God had destroyed his enemies round about him, he thought of building a magnificent Temple. When other Kings after so good suc∣cesse and glorious victories obtained in war would have cast away all care or thought of Religion, at least for the present, to give the more scope to their licentious desires and lusts; David confineth himselfe to his closet, there recounteth the innumerable benefits God had heaped upon him, and

studieth how to expresse his gratefulnesse to him: in fine, he resolveth with himselfe to build a stately palace for the King of heaven, and sendeth for the Prophet Nathan to advise with him about it.

The King said to Nathan the Prophet. David a Prophet himselfe con∣ferreth with the Prophet Nathan. Saint Peter a prime Apostle is repro∣ved by the Apostle Saint Paul. John the elder is instructed by an Elder. Whence we learn, That Prophets need Prophets advice, Apostles need Apo∣stles admonitions, Elders need Elders instructions. As two tooles whet one the other, and two Diamonds point each the other, and two Torches mutually light one the other; so it pleaseth the wisedome of God to divide the gifts of his Spirit severally among the Pastours of the Church in diffe∣rent kindes and degrees, that they might be one bettered by the other. In which consideration, among many others not lesse important, the Founders and Benefactors of Collegiate Churches and Universities have built so many houses for Prophets and Prophets children as you see, to live together, and by lectures, conferences and disputations, to whet and sharpen one the other. And if one starre, one eminent Doctor in the Church give so great a light in the darke of ignorance, what a lustre, what an ornament must a Col∣ledge of such Doctors, an University of such Colledges, as it were a con∣junction of many starres, or rather a heaven of many such conjunctions and constellations uniting their light be? If one aromaticall tree send forth such a savour of life, as we smell in every particular congregation, what shall we judge of a grove of such trees? surely it can be no other than the Paradise of God upon earth. But because David is not here stiled the Prophet, but the King (The King said to Nathan the Prophet,) I rather gather from these words the great honour which Nathan the Prophet received from David the King, than the direction or advice that David the King received from Nathan the Prophet.

The King said. Though Kings aree 1.5 supreme Commanders for the truth, yet they are not the supreme or sole directers unto truth: for in scruples of conscience and perplexed controversies of Religion, they are to require the law from the mouth of the Priest, to aske counsell of the Prophets, and generally in all matters appertaining to God to heare the Ministers of God declaring to them the will of God out of his Word: Symmachus was bold to tell Anastasius the Emperour, that as Bishops owe subjection to Gods Sword in Princes hands, so Princes owe obedience to Gods Word in Bi∣shops mouthes;f 1.6 Defer Deo in nobis, nos deferemus Deo in te, O Emperour, heare God speaking by us, and wee will feare God ruling by thee. The same God, who hath put a materiall sword in thy hands, to smite malefactors in their body, hath put a spirituall sword in our mouth, to slay sinne in the soule. The Magistrate is the hand of God, but the Preacher is his mouth. And for this cause all wise and religious Kings have given them their eares, and taken some of them into their bosome, as David doth here Nathan, to receive instruction and direction from them how to sway the royall scepter within the walls of the Church.

Let it not seeme burthensome unto you, my dearest brethren, upon so just occasion as is offered mee in my Text, to speake somewhat of the ho∣nour of that calling which calleth you all to God. From whose mouth doe

ye heare the glad tidings of salvation? From whose hands doe ye receive the seales of grace? Who have the oversight and charge of your soules? Who are the meanes under God to reconcile God unto you by their pray∣ers, and bring you unto God by their powerfull ministerie, but your faith∣full and painfull Pastours, who in performing these holy duties of their cal∣ling, are termedg 1.7 coadjutores Dei, as it were fellow-labourers with God? Per istos Deus placatur populo, per istos populus instruitur Deo. All other lawfull callings are from God, but this was the calling of God himselfe: other offices he appointed, this he executed: others he commends, this he discharged. When he tooke our flesh upon him, and lived upon earth, he would not be made a King, nor sit as a Judge upon a Nisi prius of inheri∣tance; yet performed he the office of a Preacher through his whole life, and of a Priest at his death; offering himselfe by the eternall Spirit upon the high Altar of the Crosse, where he was bothh 1.8 Victor and Victima, & ideo Victor quia Victima, as St. Austine playeth sweetly in a rhetoricall key. May the civill Magistrates glorie in this, that God calleth them gods? and may not they that serve at Christs Altar take as great comfort, in that God himselfe calleth his Sonne a Priest, saying,i 1.9 Thou art a Priest for ever? Wherefore, if the glorious titles wherewith God himselfe graceth the Mi∣nisterie, of Stewards of his house, Dispencers of his mysteries, Lights of the world, Angels of the Church: if the noble presidents in Scripture of Mel∣chizedek King and Priest, David King and Prophet, Solomon King and Preacher, suffice not to redeeme the sacred order from the scandall of pro∣fane men, and contempt of the world; yet, methinkes, sith the Son of God, and King of glorie hath taken upon him the office, and executed the functi∣on of a Priest, all men should entertaine a reverend opinion of the Priest∣hood of the Gospel, and not to use the word Priest as a reproach to man, which was one of the three dignities of God himselfe, much lesse seeke to dis∣grace their persons, who are Gods Instruments to conveigh grace into their soules. What shall I say more? Nay, what can I say lesse? He that ho∣noureth not the name of Christ, which signifiethk 1.10 Annointed to preach the Gospel, is no Christian: he that conceiveth basely, or speaketh contumeli∣ously of the sacred order of Priests, is worse than an Infidell. For the heathenl 1.11 French and English, in Julius Caesars time, placed their Priests, which they called Druides, above their Gentrie, yea, and most of the Nobi∣litie; appointing the chiefe of them to beare on his breast the Image of Truth, engraven in a rich Jewell. Them 1.12 Turkes, Moores, and Arabians, have their Priests, which they call Mophtae, in highest estimation, and de∣volve the most important matters of State, and doubts of their law, to their definitive sentence and order. The Syrians adorne their Priests with an 1.13 Crowne of gold: the Brachmans with a Scepter of gold, and Mitre beset with precious stones. The Romans stiled their chiefe Flamen, Regem sa∣crorum; adoring that name in their Priests which they abhorred in their Princes and Consuls. Lastly, the Egyptians, Athenians,o 1.14 Lacedaemonians, and almost all the Heathen, who either had Kingly Priests, or sacrificing

Kings, shall condemne such Christians at the day of Christ: then they shall see of that calling which seemed so vile, darke, and obscure in their eyes, some glistering as Pearles in the gates, others sparkling as Diamonds in the foundation, and no small number shining as Starres in the arch of the hea∣venly Jerusalem, and amidst them the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Jesus, exercising his royall Priesthood, and making intercession to his Father for all those, and those onely, who honour his Priestly function here upon earth in his Ministers, by maintaining and countenancing them; and in themselves, by sacrificing their dearest affections to him.

But I list not to dwell on this argument, but rather with the Kingly Pro∣phet in his house of Cedars.

I dwell in an house of Cedars. In these words David findeth not fault with the beautifull roofe of his Princely Palace, but the meane and vile covering of the Arke: it troubled him not that he was so well provi∣ded for, but that the Arke was so ill. Princes may dwell in houses of Ce∣dars, stately built, and richly furnished with all the rarities which nature or art affoords. Why were Jewels, and precious Stones, and rich metals cre∣ated, but for mans use? And what better use can be made of them, than to shew forth the glorie of God, and the splendour and magnificence of his Vicegerents on earth? Certainely they were never made to maintaine the luxurie of private men, which is now growne to that excesse, especially at Court, that the Embassadours of forreine Princes speake as loud of it a∣broad, as the poore cry and wring for it at home. Where shall we finde a Paula, deserving the commendation which St.q 1.15 Jerome giveth her for lay∣ing out her money, not upon marble or free-stone, but upon those living stones which she knew one day should be turned into gemmes, and laid in the founda∣tion of the heavenly Jerusalem? Doth not the liberality of most of the weal∣thy of this age resemble their heart, which is hard, cold, and stony? The greatest expence they are at is in building houses of Cedar for themselves, by which they are better knowne, than their houses by them. As the world, so the Proverb is turned upside downe: it stood thus, Non domus Domi∣num, sed Dominus domum: but now it is thus overturned, Non Dominus domum, sed domus Dominum: the house gets no credit by the owner, but the owner, if he have any, by the house. Ye will thinke, when ye come into many of them, that ye are fallen into an Egyptian Temple, most glorious without, but within nothing to be seen but the picture of a Jack an Ape, or a Cat, or some such contemptible creature as that superstitious Nation wor∣shipped. I sharpen my stile the more against this abuse of our age, because it is well knowne that the superfluous expence upon the Sepulchres of the dead, and the erecting of houses of Cedars for the living, farre above, I will not say the wealth, but above the ranke and worth of those that dwell in them, is the cause why the Arke of the Lord lieth yet in many places under the curtaines; nay, not so well, but under the open aire, without cover or roofe to keepe out raine and weather. If that which hath beene luxuriously cast away in building houses of pleasure, and ambitiously, if not superstiti∣ously, consumed in erecting Statues, Obelisques, Tombes, or Monuments for the dead, had beene employed in rearing up houses for Prophets, and erecting Temples to the living God, the Prophets of God should not need

to complaine, as now they are constrained, against the men of this age, in the words of the Prophet Haggai, c. 1. ver. 4. Yee dwell in sieled houses, and the house of the Lord lieth waste: or in the like in my text, Behold, now ye dwell in houses of Cedars, and

The Arke of the Lord within the Curtaines. Before the Sunne rise you see no light, but through mists, and vapours, and shadowes on the earth: even so before the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Jesus arose in the Firma∣ment of his Church, there was no light of the Gospell to be seene, but through mists and obscure shadowes; so thes 1.16 Apostle termeth the types and figures of the old Law: among which the Tabernacle, and in it the Arke, and therein especially the Tables, Rod, and Pots of Manna, shadowed the state of the Christian Church, and presented to the eye of faith the princi∣pall meanes of salvation under the Gospell, which are three:

• 1 The preaching of the Word, summarily contained in the two Ta∣bles.
• 2 The Sacrament of Christs body and bloud, figured by the Manna.
• 3 The exercise of Ecclesiasticall discipline, lively set forth by the bud∣ding of Aarons rod.

As for Baptisme, which is the Sacrament of entrance into the Church, the type thereof was set at the entrie into the Tabernacle, where stood a great Laver, in which those that came to worship God, after they had put off their clothes, bathed themselves, as we Christians put off the old man, and wash away the corruption of originall sinne in the Font of Baptisme, before we are admitted as members into the Christian Church; whereunto three sorts of men belong:

• 1 Some that are to be called.
• 2 Others that are already called into it.
• 3 Such as are called out of it into Heaven.
  • 1 The first are in the state of nature.
  • 2 The second in the state of grace.
  • 3 The third in the state of glorie.

Answerable whereunto God commandeth three spaces or partitions to be made:

• 1 Atrium, the outward Court, for the people.
• 2 Sanctum, the holy place, for the ordinarie Priests.
• 3 Sanctum sanctorum, the most holy place, for the High-Priest to enter once a yeere, and shew himselfe to God for the people.

Which are similitudes of true things. For as by the outward Court the Priest went into the holy place, and from the holy place into the most holy; so from the state of nature the children of God are brought into the state of grace, and from the state of grace into the state of glorie. If any que∣stion these mysticall expositions, for the first I referre them to St.t 1.17 John, who saith expressely, that the Court was given to the Gentiles, and was not

therefore to be mete with a golden reed: for the second, to St.u 1.18 Peter, who calleth all Christians Priests, for whom the holy place was appointed: for the third to St.* 1.19 Paul, who openeth the vaile of that figure, and sheweth how Christ our High-Priest, after his death, entered into the holy of holies, and there appeared before God for us. To these observations of the Ta∣bernacle may be added many the like resemblances betweene the Arke and the Church. In the fore-front of the Tabernacle there was the Altar of burnt-offerings, and a place of refuge for malefactors, who, if they could take hold of the hornes of the Altar, were safe. Christs Crosse is this Al∣tar, the hornes whereof whosoever take hold by faith, be they never so great malefactors, escape Gods vengeance. In the Sanctuarie was the mer∣cy seat, towards which the Cherubims faces looked, to teach us, that the An∣gels ofx 1.20 heaven desire to looke into the mysteries of the Gospell. The di∣mensions of the Arke were small, and the limits of the militant Church in comparison of the malignant are narrow. The outside of the Arke was co∣vered with skins, but the inside was overlaid with gold: in like manner, the Church hath for the most part no great outward appearance, pompe, or splendour; but yet is alwayes mosty 1.21 glorious within. The arke when it was taken by the Philistims conquered Dagon, and cast him downe on his face: even so the Church of Christ, when shee is in captivitie and grea∣test weakenesse in the eye of the world, getteth the better of her ene∣mies; and is so farre from being diminished by persecution, that she is rather encreased by it. For the ashes of Martyrs in this exceed the ashes of the Phoenix; out of her ashes riseth but one Phoenix, but out of the ashes of one Martyr many hundreds. The Arke at the first was carried on the shoul∣ders of the Levites, but in later times was put in az 1.22 Cart, and drawne by beasts, who shooke it, and were like quite to have overturned it. I need not make the Antapodosis, ye shall find it in the Writers of the Ecclesiasticall storie: at the first the Church was governed for neere sixe hundred yeeres by worthy Prelates and Pastours; but afterwards, especially in some parts, by such as deserved rather the name of beasts than men, and some of them of monsters than beasts. The arke removed still from place to place,a 1.23 till Solomon brought it with joy and triumph into the Temple which he had built for it: even so the militant Church is tumbled and tossed from one countrey to another, and shall finde no resting place till the true Solo∣mon Christ Jesus carry her in triumph into the Temple which hee hath built for her in heaven; meane while she still remaineth under the Cur∣taines.

Under the Curtaines. The Curtaines under which the Arke remained (saith an ancient Father) prefigured the Bishops and Governours of the Church, who are set in high and eminent places above their brethren, as the Cur∣taines made of Camels haire and badgers skins were spread over the Arke to cover it, and save the precious stuffe within it from wet and soyling. Which interpretation if we allow, certainely they who live in Colledges and private Cures, under the governement of Bishops and Prelates, have no cause to envie at their eminent dignity, but all reason to pray for their safety. For if any storme of persecution arise and beat upon the Church, the cur¦taines that are uppermost must beare it off: and while they hold out, the

inferiour Clergy, who resemble the inward linings of blew silke, are safe. There are many fruits that are set in sunny places to ripen them, but as good are scorched and dryed up with the heat of the Sunne beames, which would have thrived in the shade. As the corall branch is fresh and greene under the water, but as soone as it appeareth above it turneth red, ac∣cording to the motto of the Poets embleme:

—nunc rubeo, ante virebam.

so have wee seen many that prospered under the government of others, and flourished as it were in the shade, who after they came into the Sun, that is, into the eye of the world, being advanced to great dignities and preferments, have turned red with the corall, blushed with shame enough, having too narrow mindes for such ample dignities and e∣states.

Thus I might enlarge and spread my meditations to the full length of the curtaines in my Text; but because I see the time will out-strip mee, if I make not the more haste, and because I see many composing themselves to their rest, and some fast already, I will begin to draw the curtaines, and shut up all that hath beene delivered with a briefe application to our selves.

Behold now I dwell in an house of Cedars, and the Arke of the Lord within the curtaines. If ever God affected any King above others, David was he, a man after Gods owne heart. If ever David affected any worke above o∣thers, it was the building of Gods House, which he solemnlya 1.24 vowed, and largely contributed of hisb 1.25 owne to it, as we may reade in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. Yet David, who dedicated himselfe wholly to God, was not permitted to dedicate a Temple unto him. David, whose heart so boyled with the zeale of Gods house, that it consumed away in sighes and teares, and these and the like meditations and exclamations: Whom have I in heaven, but thee, O Lord? and, O how amiable are thy dwellings, thou Lord of hosts? My soule is athirst for God, even for the living God. When shall I come and appeare in the presence of God? David, whose ambition was to be a doore keeper in the house of God, and his greatest envie against the birds that built upon Gods Altars, where he desired to repose his soule, yet could not obtaine the honour to begin, much lesse to finish the holy worke of building the Temple. What may wee conceive to bee the reason hereof? God forbad him. Why did God forbid so good a King to undertake so good a worke? God himselfe yeeldeth a reason, Because his hand had shed much bloud. Yet it may be truly alledged in Davids defence, that his warres were just, and that it was his infelicity, not his fault, that his sword had bin so often drawne against his enemies. Howsoever, because hee had embrued his hands in bloud, God would not suffer him to lay a stone in the foundati∣on of the Temple, to teach us, that the foundation of the Church is not to be laid in bloud. Speares and Swords are not fit to build withall, Phyfes and Drummes are no proper instruments to sound out the Gospel of peace. Religion is such a professed friend to peace, and a sworne enemy to bloudy warres, that shee suffereth not willingly a sword to be drawne in her owne

defence: How then doth she make her part good against her mortal enemies & cruell persecuters? not by the Sword, but by the Word; not byc 1.26 violence, but by patience; not by resisting, but by submitting; not by killing, but by dying. The best armour of a Christian is his proofe of patience, and his only lawfull weapons against his lawfull Soveraign are prayers & teares, where∣with S. Ambrose fought against the Arrian Emperor: Rogamus, Auguste, non pugnamus, we fall down before thee, O Emperor, we rise not up against thee; we beset thee with petitions, not with armes. And when the Emperor com∣manded him peremptorily to give up a Church to the Arrians, hee useth no other violence in withstanding the command of the Hereticall Prince, than of passionate affection; no troupes, but tropes: I can sorrow, saith he, I can sigh, I can weep, these are my weapons, by other means I neither may nor can make resistance: If you seeke for my goods, take them: if you desire my life, I lay it at your feet, I will not stand upon my guard, I will not flye to Sanctuary to save my life, I will most gladly be sacrified for the Altars of my God, if it so please you, upon them. This was the ancient carriage of Christian subjects towards their Soveraigne, though infected with heresie, & enraged against the true professours, not to take armes against them, but to lift up their hands to heaven for them; not to contest, but to obtest; not to attempt any thing a∣gainst them, but cedendo vincere, to conquer them by yeelding. But the Ge∣nerall of the Romane military forces hath quite altered the ancient disci∣pline, by turning prayers into threats, supplications into excommunicati∣ons, cries into alarums, teares into bullets, and words into swords: and which is to be bewailed with bloudy teares, the Garland of red Roses (as Saint Cyprian sweetly termeth the Crowne of Martyrdome) is put upon their heads, not who dye for the faith, but who kill; not who shed their owne bloud, but who draw the bloud not of Infidels, but of Christians; not of private persons, but publike; not of subjects, but of Soveraignes. The de∣testable oration of Pius made in the Conclave upon the news of the murder of the French King, and the damnable Legend of Jaques Clement should not have moved me to have laid so fowle an aspersion upon any Romish Priests or Jesuites, if I had not seen with my eyes at Paris the names of Old corne & Garnet executed for the Powder Treason, inserted into their Catalogue of Martyrs; and heard also of certaine English Priests sharply censured for offering to pray for their soules, because thereby they made scruple of their crowne of Martyrdome, which (according to their doctrine) dischargeth all that are called unto it from Purgatory flames, and giveth them present entrance into heaven.

O blessed Jesu, are these of thy company? didst thou make such a profession before Pontius Pilate? didst thou teach thy Disciples to save mens soules by murdering their bodies, to plant Religi∣on, and found thy Church by blowing up Parliaments? are these of thy spirit that call not downe fire from heaven, but rather call it up from hell, to consume a whole Kingdome with a blaze, and offer it up as a Holo∣caust to the Molock at Rome?

Nod 1.27 fish will be caught in a bloudy net: if they see but a drop spilt upon it, they will swimme another way. Therefore let all the fishers of men, that cast the net of the Gospel into the sea of the world to take up soules, looke henceforward that they bloud not their net with cruell persecutions and slaughter of Gods servants. In the building

of the materiall Temple there was heard no noise of any iron toole, to shew, that in stirres and broyles there is no building of Gods house. As King-fishers breed in a calme sea, so the Church exceedingly multiplyeth in the dayes of peace, which long may we enjoy under our Solomon, who deserveth as well the title of Preserver of the Peace, as Defender of the Faith of the Church. For what doth he not, to take up quarrels, and com∣pose differences in all reformed Churches? wherein God hath so blessed his zealous endeavours, that as he hath hindred the growth of much cockle sowne by Vorstius and Bertius in the Low-countries, so hee hath cleane cut off two heads of controversies lately arising one in the place of the other in France, the former concerning the imputation of Christs active obedi∣ence; the latter concerning his immunity from the Law. As for his love to his Nathans, and infinite desire of repairing the Temple, I cannot speake more than you all conceive. What then is the cause that so good a worke goeth on so slowly? How commeth it to passe, that in so many places of this Land the Spouse of Christ lieth sick of a consumption, crying pitifully, Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples: for I faint, I swoune, I dye? Whose fault is it, that many hundreds of soules, for whom Christ shed his precious bloud, are like to famish & perish for the want of the bread of life, and there is none to breake it unto them? It seemeth strange to mee, that in France and other countries, where the poore flocke of Christ Jesus is mise∣rably fleeced and fleaed by the Romish Clergy, yet they finde meanes to maintaine a Preacher in every congregation, and that in divers places of this Kingdome, where neither the wild Bore of the forrest digges at the roote of ou•• Vine, nor the wild Beast of the field browseth upon the branches thereof, there should not be sufficient allowance no not for an insufficient Curate. Elie's zeale was none of the hottest, yet he made no reckoning of his private losse in comparison of the publike: when he heard the messenger relate the fl••ght of Israel, and the death of his two sonnes, Hophni and Phi∣neas, he was mentis compos, and fate quietly in his chaire: but as soone as mention was made of the taking of the Arke, hee presently fell downe back∣ward, and gave up the Ghost. Deare Christians, many living Temples of the Holy Ghost have bin lately surprised by Papists, & yet no man taketh it to heart. The Jewes, as Josephus reporteth in the siege of Jerusalem, though they were constrained themselves to eate Mice, Rats, and worse Vermine, yet alwaies brought faire and fat beasts to the Temple for sacrifices. And Livie testifieth, that when the Tribunes complained of want of gold in the treasury to offer to Apollo, the Mations of Rome plucked off their chaines, bracelets, and rings, and freely offered them to the Priests, to supply that defect in the service of their gods. I pray God these Painims and Infidels be not brought in at the day of Judgement to condemne many of our great professours, who care not how the Temple falls to decay, so their houses stand; have no regard how God is served, so they bee well attended; take no thought though the Arke be under the curtaines, so they be under a rich canopy, or at least a sure roofe: who are so farre from offering to God things before abused to pride and luxury, that they abuse to pride and luxu∣ry things by their religious ancestors offered unto God: who with Zeba and Zalmunna having taken the houses of God into their possession, lay out the

price of bloud, the price of soules upon riotous feasting, gorgeous apparrell, vaine shewes, Hawkes, Hounds, and worse. What sinne may be compared to this, that turneth those things to maintaine sinne, that should convert many unto righteousnesse? How is it possible that they should escape Gods venge∣ance, who nourish pride with sacriledge, maintaine luxury with murder, not of bodies, but of soules, whom they and their heires starve, by keeping back the Ministers maintenance, who should feed them with the bread of life? What boldnesse is it? nay, what presumption? what contempt of divine majesty? what abominable profanenesse and impiety to breake open the doores of the Tabernacle, and rifle the Arke of the Covenant, and rob God himselfe? No marvell therefore if hee have shewed extraordinary judge∣ments upon such felons, as he did upon Achan, who payed deare for his Ba∣bylonish raiment: for it cost him all his goods, and hise 1.28 life too, and the life of his sonnes and daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had. As he did upon Belshazzar, who as hee held the plate of the Temple in his hand, quaffing andf 1.29 carowsing, saw a hand∣writing on the wall before him; Mene, Tekel, Upharsin: Mene, God hath num∣bred thy Kingdome, and finished it: Tekel, Thou art weighed in the ballance, and art found wanting: Peres, Thy Kingdome is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. As he did upong 1.30 Ananias and Sapphira, who were strucke with sudden death for saving but part of that for themselves, which they had before consecrated to God. As he did upon Pyrrhus his souldiers,h 1.31 who after they had robbed the Temple of Proserpina, and sailed away joy∣fully with the rich prize, were driven backe againe with a violent tempest, and suffered shipwracke at the shore in sight of the Temple which they spoyled: The Mariners were all cast away, and nothing was saved but the gold and silver which they stole out of the Temple. As hee did upon He∣rods servants, who entring into the Temple of Jerusalem, and opening the sepulchre of David, to filch away the great masse of treasure that was laid up there, were all burnt with a fire that suddenly brake out of the chest or coffin in which the Kings bones were enclosed. As he did uponi 1.32 Leo Copro∣nimus, who entering into a Church endowed by Constantine the great with a precious crowne of gold beset with Carbuncles, had no sooner taken the crowne out of the place, and put it upon his sacrilegious head, but there a∣rose a Carbuncle in his temples, of which hee dyed, as the Historians of that age report; verifying the Proverbe of Syracides, Quo quis peccat, eo punietur: a Carbuncle was his sinne, and a Carbuncle was his end: Capus sa∣crilegio pollutum Carbunculo aduritur.

To make towards the shore, and leaving this salt discourse, to give you a taste of sweet water in the haven. As I have made it good unto you by many arguments and instances, that nothing is worse taken than by sacriledge from God, so nothing is better given than by pious bounty unto God. O∣bed-Edom found it in his house, the widow of Sarepta in her cruce, the Sa∣maritane in her childe, David in his race, and Mary Magdalen in her soule. And here that observation ofk 1.33 Pliny taketh place; Many things have been highly esteemed onely for this reason, because they have been dedicated to Gods service. The giving of any thing to God addeth worth to the gift. We of∣fer things to great personages, because they are rare and precious; on the

contrary, things are precious and sacred, because they are given to God: not onely the giver, but the gift also gaineth by being given unto God. The cruce that ministred nourishment to the Prophet, became an everlasting spring of oyle: the water that cleansed the sacrifices after the Angel trou∣bled it, received a medicinall vertue to cure all diseases: the Manna that was kept in a golden pot in the Arke never corrupted: the boxe of oynt∣ment which Mary brake upon our Saviours head, yeeldeth yet a fragrant smell in the Church.l 1.34 Alexander the Great, by burning frankincense frankly and liberally in the service of God, gained by conquest the King∣dome of Arabia, where all sweet trees grow. Davids vow of building God an house, and desire to performe it, though he accomplished not his desire, yet so endeared him to God, that he and his sons after him to many genera∣tions fared the better for it. How much more shall the performance of so noble a worke obtaine of God the performance of his gracious promise, to build their houses, and establish their private estates, who out of love of his ordinance, and zeale of his worship contribute liberally to the maintenance of his service, and beautifying of his Sanctuary? Who would not willingly fill his hand to God, who filleth all things living with plenteousnesse? Who would not willingly by pious bounty bind the Lord of the whole world in an obligation to him, who is so good a pay-master, that hee will make al∣lowance for a cup of coldm 1.35 water given to a Prophet, and keep a register of two mites that are cast into his treasury?

Howbeit I must enforme you from the Apostle, that God dwelleth not inn 1.36 Temples made with hands, but in the hearts and mindes of the faithfull, who (as living stones) being built upon the corner-stone Christ Jesus by faith, and coupled fast together by unity and Christian charity, rise up by elevated desires and affections to a holy and spirituall temple of the living God; and this spirituall and inward temple farre surpasseth in the beauty of holinesse the outward or materiall. For that is holy only by denomination and relation, this by inhesion and infusion of the graces of sanctification: that is adorned with lights and tapers, this with the Word of God: that with rich vestments and ornaments, this with heavenly habits and divine vertues: that when it is once built needs only to be repaired, and when it is suffici∣ently repaired, needs no more cost or labour to bee bestowed upon it for a good space; this needeth continually to be built, repaired, enlarged and a∣dorned: for to build it in the ignorant, to repaire it in the relapsed, to enlarge it in the proficient, and beautifie and adorne it in those that are perfect, is the end of our mission, and tenour of our commission, and in a word, the whole duty of the man of God. Wherefore, I beseech you (beloved brethren) suf∣fer your selves to be hewne and fitted for this building, and set in order by the line of Gods Word. Now, that stones orderly set may make a sure buil∣ding, three things are requisite:

• 1. Ut inhaereant fundamento.
• 2. Cohaereant inter se.
• 3. Adhaereant tecto.
  • First, that they be built upon a firme foundation.
  • Secondly, that they sticke and hold fast together.
  • Thirdly, that they joyne unto, and bear up the roofe.

First, you must be built and lye upon a sure foundation: no other sureo 1.37 foundation can be laid, than that which is already laid, even Christ Jesus; cleave fast to him, relye only upon him, build upon his Gospel for your in∣struction, his grace for your conversion, his bloud for your redemption, his prayer for your intercession.

Secondly, Cohaerete invicem, sticke fast together, bee firmly united in Christian charity, keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Unities severed or divided make no number, letters divided make no syllable, syl∣lables divided make no word, words divided make no speech, members di∣vided make no body, stones divided make no wall. The Ark of the Church is like the ship in controversie of law, in which two owners claimed right, of which it was said,p 1.38 Si dividas, perdis, if you cut it in two parts to satisfie both parties, you destroy the whole.

Thirdly, Adhaerete tecto, be pinned fast unto, and support the roofe. What is the roofe, but the higherq 1.39 powers ordained of God? As the roofe must beare off stormes from the walls, so the walls must beare up the roofe; if the roofe decay, the walls will soone feele it. The Athenians in their greatest dangers were wontr 1.40 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to cast out the great ancher, which they called the holy ancher: the chiefest Pilots and Steresmen in our State discover so great dangers, that they command the holy ancher to be cast out; and if this ancher fasten not on your golden sands, the great vessell, in whose bottome lyeth not only the safety of the Prince, the honour of the King∣dome, but the state of sincere Religion throughout the Christian world, is in perill of drowning; and if the great vessell miscarry, what will become of the skiphs of every ones private estate?

Yee have heard (beloved Christians) of the materiall Temple to be ere∣cted and kept in repaire by you that are wealthy; and the spirituall to bee built, repaired, and adorned in you all: yee have learned how yee (as living stones) are to be drawne to this building, fitted for it, and placed in it; yet when we have done what we can to build you in your most holy faith, and yee have helped & furthered the work what yee are able, except thes 1.41 Lord build the house, their labour is but in vain that go about to build it.

Wherefore let us addresse our praiers to God the Master-builder, and to Jesus Christ the foundation and chiefe corner-stone, to build us upon himselfe by faith, and fit us for this building by obedience, and couple and joyne us fast by charity, that we may continue as solid and firme stones here in the earthly, and shine hereafter as precious stones in the heavenly Jerusalem. So be it, heavenly Father, for the merits of thy Sonne, by the powerfull operation of the holy Spirit. Cui, &c.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Psa. 132.3, 4, 5.
• b 1.2

  Ovid. l. 1. de art.
• c 1.3

  Deut. 32.15.
• d 1.4

  Hos. 13.6.
• e 1.5

  Bils suprem. p. 1.
• f 1.6

  Causab. de lib. eccles.
• g 1.7

  Prosp. de vit. contem. l. 1. c 25. Hisunt Ministri verbi, Adjuto∣res Dei, Ora∣cula Sp. S.
• h 1.8

  Confes. l. 10. c. 42. Pro no∣bis tibi Victor & Victima, & ideo Victor quia Victima: pro nobis tibi Sacerdos & Sa∣crificium, & i∣deò Sacerdos quia Sacrifici∣um; faciens ti∣bi nos de ser∣vis filios.
• i 1.9

  Psal. 110.4.
• k 1.10

  Luke 4.18.
• l 1.11

  Ca sar. Com. de bello Gal.
• m 1.12

  Bodin. de repub. l. 3. c. 8.
• n 1.13

  Philost. de vit. Apo. T•••• ••n••. 2.
• o 1.14

  Strab. geog. l. 7. Jos••ph. l. 14. c. 15 Sub Dion••••o Archonte principe Sacerdotum. Apud quos Lycurgus Legislator Sacerdos erat Apollonis. Virgil. ••••n. 3. R••x ••dem Anius, Phoebi{que} Sacerdos. Liv. dec. 1. Numa Sacerdos Nymphae Aegeriae. Suet. in Aug. & Tit. Ovid. ••ast. l. 3. Caesaris innumeris quos maluit ille merei, Accessit titulis Pontificalis honos.
• q 1.15

  In Epitaph. Paul. Non in marmora, sed lapides vivos.
• s 1.16

  Heb. 8.5. & 10.1.
• t 1.17

  Apoc. 11.2.
• u 1.18

  1 Pet. 2.9.
• * 1.19

  Heb. 9.24.
• x 1.20

  1 Pet. 1.12.
• y 1.21

  Psal. 45 13.
• z 1.22

  2 Sam. 6.6.
• a 1.23

  See Spec. Pon∣tif. Plat. om••h. & M••gaeburg
• a 1.24

  Psal. 132.2.
• b 1.25

  1 Chron. 29.
• c 1.26

  Lactan. divin. instit. l. 5. c. 20. Non occiden∣do, sed mori∣endo, non sae∣vitiâ, sed pati∣entià, non sce∣lere, sed fide; nam si sangui∣ne, si tormen∣tis, si malo re∣ligionem de∣fendere velis, non defende∣tur illa, sed polluetur,
• d 1.27

  Bosquier. in Evang. Domin.
• e 1.28

  Judg. 7.25. And all Israel stoned him with stones, & burned him with fire after they had stoned him with stones.
• f 1.29

  Dan. 5.5, 25.
• g 1.30

  Act. 5.3, 5, 10.
• h 1.31

  Lact. l. 2. di∣vin. instit. c. 8. Praefectus An∣tonu Turul∣lus, cum apud Coas everso Aesculapit lu∣co classem fe∣cisset, eodem loco à militi∣bus Caesaris interemptus est.
• i 1.32

  D. Andrewes conc. ad Cler. Laqueos mon∣stro vel in ipsâ gentium histo∣riâ Cambysen, qui sacrum Hamonis sibi exitio fuisse sentit Bren∣num, qui Del∣phicum, Cras∣sum, qui Hie∣rosolomita∣num, &c.
• k 1.33

  Nat. hist. l. 1. Multa in pre∣tio habita sunt, tantummodo quod templis dicata.
• l 1.34

  Plin. nat. hist l. 12. c. 14. Cum Leonidas di∣ceret Alexan∣dro isto modo cùm deviceris thuriferas gen∣tes supplicato, ille Arabiâ po∣titus thure o∣nustam navem misit ei, ex hor∣tatus ut largè deos adoraret.
• m 1.35

  Mat. 10.42.
• n 1.36

  Acts 17.24.
• o 1.37

  1 Cor. 3.11.
• p 1.38

  Eras. Adag.
• q 1.39

  Rom. 13.1.
• r 1.40

  Eras. chil.
• s 1.41

  Psal. 127.1.