GOD is a God of Order, againſt the Anabaptiſticall doctrine of Anarchie; and cōfuſion: he hath made men on earth, as hee hath diſtinguiſhed the ſtarres in the firmament, one ſtarre differing from another in glorie: hee hath taken the aduauncement of men into his owne hands: his wiſedome ſaith, By me Princes reigne, Pro. 8. 15. and Dauid ſaith, Preferment commeth not from the Eſt, &c. he confeſſeth that Gods hand is in that work, as Paul in this chap. ſaith, the powers that be, are ordained of God. The Relatiue to theſe Powers, is Submiſsion; the Extent of this Submiſsion, omnis anima, euery Soule. I thinke Saint Paul preuentingly, and by propheticall ſpirit, prouided in this caution againſt all Aequiuocators and Mentaliſts, who are ready to tender their Soueraignes ſome outward and formall Submiſſion, without the Soule, and inward affection, therefore hee ſaith, Let euery ſoule ſubmit.

The foundation of this Law of Loyaltie, is laid in the conſcience of a Chriſtian man, not becauſe of wrath onely, but for conſcience ſake. The illation following on the premiſes, is my Text. The propoſition wherof is indefinite, & equiualent to an vniuerſal; They that reſiſt, all they ſhall receiue iudgement. If any aske, what is the Extent of this power, which God giueth to his annointed ſeruants the Kings & Princes of the earth; let them learne of Iſrael, who tendred this Allegeance to Ioſhua: All that thou haſt commaunded vs, we will do, and whither-ſoeuer thou ſendeſt vs, wee will goe: as wee obeyed Moſes in all things, ſo will we obey thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moſes, Ioſh. 1. 16. 17. So farre then, as GOD is with our Princes, and that their commaunds, bee no preiudice to the ſuperior ordinances of God: euery ſoule doth owe them ſubmiſſion, and muſt ſweare them their obedience: for whatſoeuer the perſon of the Prince is, the power is of God: euen Pilates power is of God, though hee armed it againſt Chriſt, by our Sauiours owne teſtimonie, Iohn 19. 11. ſaying, Thou couldſt haue no power againſt mee, except it were giuen thee from aboue: therefore Chriſt ſubmitted himſelfe to that power▪ euen hee that could ſay, To mee is giuen all power in heauen and in earth, Matt. 28. 18.

Our gratious ſoueraigne King, reading in the bloudy practiſes of his rebel-Popiſh-ſubiects, the danger of his owne royall perſon, & of his hopefull poſteritie, hath with the moſt honourable Parliament deuiſed a Shiboleth, euen this oath of Allegeance (which is now tendered to vs of his Cleargie of this Dioceſſe) to diſtinguiſh betwixt his Iſraelites and his Ephraimites, betweene his faithfull, louing, and peaceable Proteſtants, and the tumultuous, factious, and Popiſh Incendiaries, who deſire to ſee our Ieruſalem turned to duſt and aſhes. This Oath wil ſhew him who hath moſt diſciples in his kingdome: this Paul our Apoſtle that taught the Romans, omnis anima, let euery ſoule ſubmit; or Paul the fift that now teacheth the Romans, and all his Romiſh Catholiques, the Contradictorie to his doctrine. Non omnis anima, let not euery ſoule be ſo obliged. I wonder at Burgeſe of Rome, that being ſo oppoſite to Saint Paul, he would vſurpe his name, at his inveſtiture in the Papacie, except hee meant to ſet Paul againſt Palu, Romans againſt Romans, his Breues againſt Saint Paules Epiſtles; our Apoſtle caſt off a name vpon his conuerſion, that would become his Holineſſe of Rome much better.

But concerning the power of Secular Princes, by this Paul the fift, and his vſurping Predeceſſors ſtrangely reſtrained to make their peace with S. Paul, they doe thus vnderſtand my Text; They that reſiſt; that is, They of the Laity that reſiſt: for ſaith their Gloſſe, Eccleſiaſticall perſons, and Eccleſiaſticall cauſes are exempt.

The quarrell is wel knowne between the Pope, and the State of Venice, for their iudiciall proceſſe purſued to the execution, and death of a fowle malefactor of their Cleargie, and the Pope (if he had been ſtrong enough to reuenge ſuch a quarrell) would haue made it knowne much better. Therefore it concerneth his moſt excellent Maieſty, to vnderſtand how his Cleargie affect his gouernement, and what ſubiection and Allegeance they will performe to him: which ſhall diſcouer, whether we follow the example of the old Romans, who in their purer, and Primitiue times gaue vnto Caeſar that which was Caeſars, or whether we reſiſt with the late Roman Catholiques, turning Caeſar all into Name, and diueſting him of all his Roialties.

Saint Bernard epiſt. 42. to the Archbiſhop of Senona vrgeth that place of Saint Paul, omnis anima, Let euery ſoule be ſubiect: thus, Si omnis, & veſtra, quis vos excipit ab vniuerſitate? Si quis tent at excipere, conatur decipere. If euery ſoule muſt bee ſubiect, then yours, that is, thoſe perſons who are Eccleſiaſticall: who excepteth you when hee nameth All? hee that aſſayes to except you (of the Church) goeth about to deceiue you.

Therefore to ſort this Preface to the occaſion, and to the preſent hearing more properly, I learne of S. Bernard thus to limit to my ſelfe; they of the Cleargie, Eccleſiaſticall perſons, that reſiſt, ſhal receiue to themſelues damnation. And heerein wee haue our high Prieſt for an example, of whom S. Bernard ſaith, Conditor Caeſaris non cunctatus eſt reddere cenſum Caeſari, exemplum enim dedit vobis, vt & vos ita faciatis. He that made Caeſar, payed tribute to Caeſar, for therein he gaue enſample to you, (to you of the Cleargie) that you ſhould alſo doe the like: thus did Saint Bernard teach, who flouriſhed eleauen hundred yeares after Chriſt.

Origen interpreting this Epiſtle of Saint Paul to the Romans, vpon this Chapter lib. 9. giueth a reaſon, why the Apoſtle in an Epiſtle to the Brethren in Antiochia, Syria, and Cilicia, Acts 15. 29. doth only admoniſh them to abſtaine from things ſacrificed to Idoles, from the ſtrangled, and from bloud, not adding any prohibition of adulterie, murther, theft, &c. Superfluum videbatur, ea diuina lege prohibere, quae ſufficienter humana lege plectuntur: It ſeemed to him more then needed by diuine decrees to inhibite thoſe things which humane lawes did ſufficiently puniſh. His collection from hence is very notable, and ſorteth with my preſent Argument: Ex quo apparet, iudices mundi partē maximā Dei legis implere, omnia enim crimina quae vindicari vult Deus, non per antiſtites, & principes Eccleſiarum, ſed per mundi iudices voluit vindicari. Hence it appeareth, that the Secular Iudges doe fulfill the greateſt part of the Lawe of GOD; for all crimes which GOD will haue puniſhed, hee referreth to the vindication of theſe, and not of the Prelates, and chiefe Prieſts in his Church. And heerein he hath met with the Church of Rome, in an euaſion learnd of the Donatiſts, and detected, and deſpiſed by Saint Auguſtine, contra Parmenianum Donatiſtam Epiſcopum. libr. 1. ſaying; Niſi forte (quemadmodum nonnulli eorum ſane imperitiſsimi intelligere ſolent) de honoribus Eccleſiaſticis dictum eſſe velint, vt gladius intelligatur vindicta ſpiritualis: cùm prouidentiſsimus Apoſtolus ſatis aperiat, quid loquatur, dicens, propter hoc tributa praeſtatis. Vnleſſe perchance (as ſome moſt fooliſhly are wont to interprete theſe words) they would vnderſtand Saint Paul, as ſpeaking of Eccleſiaſticall powers, that by the Sword is meant Excommunication: whereas the Apoſtle wiſely prouided, to preuent any ſuch interpretation, and expreſſeth himſelfe plainely, when hee ſayth, For this cauſe pay you tribute, and Tribute is not due but to Secular powers.

And Saint Ambroſe maketh good this interpretation Tom. 5. vpon this place, ſaying; Principes hos reges dicit, qui propter corrigendam vitam, & prohibenda aduerſa creantur, Dei habentes imaginem, vt ſub vno ſint caeteri. The Apoſtle Paul in this place meaneth Kings, who are created for the correction of mens liues, and the defending of them from aduerſitie, bearing the Image of God, that one ſhould ſit aboue the reſt.

And Theophilact (as for the moſt part he doth) followeth Saint Chryſoſtome, in the interpretation of this Text, ſaying; Vniuerſos erudit, ſiue Sacerdos ſit ille, ſine Monachus, ſiue Apoſtolus, vt ſe principibus ſubdant.

Hee teacheth all ſorts of men, whether he be Prieſt, Monke, or Apoſtle, hee muſt ſubmitte himſelfe to his Soueraigne Prince. And the holie Apoſtle Saint Peter whom the Roman Vſurpers boaſt to ſucceede, taught the ſame generall doctrine, 1. Pet. 2. 13. &c. Submit yourſelues to all maner ordinance of man, for the Lords ſake, whether to the King as ſuperiour, or vnto gouernours as ſent of him, &c. for ſo is the will of God.

Saint Gregory the great who ſate Biſhop of Rome ſixe hundred yeares after our Lord and Sauiour Chriſt, knew no other, nor taught none other doctrine: for hereof, his Epiſtles giue good witneſſe.

Mauritius the Emperour had made a Decree, That no olde Souldiers ſhould be admitted or receiued into anie of the Monaſteries, becauſe hee perceiued that many of them vſed this as a ſhift to ſhunne and eſcape from going to the warres, and hee was thereby likely to bee the worſe ſerued: ſuch power had that Chriſtian Emperour to decree in matters concerning the Church, and Gregorie then Biſhoppe of Rome, grieued at this conſtitution of the Emperor, did not conuent the Emperour to his Conſiſtorie, drew not out againſt him the ſword of Excommunication, did not menace him with interdiction, depriuation, or any other ſhew of Papall iuriſdiction, but as an humble and duetifull▪ ſubiect, addreſſed to him his earneſt petition, by an Epiſtle, wherein he pleadeth for the Church, and as if it became him ill to conteſt with his Soueraigne, hee bringeth in Chriſt Ieſus, thus expoſtulating with him. Ego te de notario comitem excubitorum, de comite Caeſarem de Caeſare imperatorem, & patrem imperatorum feci: In a word, I haue aduaunced thee from lowe to high degree; Sacerdotes meos tuae manui commiſi. I haue giuen thee charge and gouernement of my Prieſts, Regiſtr. lib. 3. epiſt. 61.

And to make his ſuite more poſſible, he wrote an earneſt Letter to Theodorus the Emperours Phyſician, to intreate him, who might beſt chuſe an opportune time, to ſollicite this requeſt, in which he complayneth, ſaying; Epist. 64. Valde mihi durum videtur, vt ab eius ſeruitio milites prohibeat, qui dominari illum, non ſolum militibus, ſed etiam Sacerdotibus conceſsit. It ſeemeth hard to mee, that hee whom God hath made to rule, not only Souldiers, but Prieſts alſo, ſhould reſtraine Souldiers from doing ſeruice to that GOD: So making Theodorus his competitor to the Emperour, for repeale of that Law.

But this Gregorie the firſt of that name, was ſo farre from the preſent Antichriſtian pride of his ſucceſſor, as that he would not ſuffer the Title of Oecumenicall Biſhop to be put vpon him; herein following Pelagius his moſt worthy predeceſſour. He writ an angry reprehenſion to Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria, for ſtiling him Vniuerſall Biſhop, in an Epiſtle ſent to him: And when Iohn Patriarch of Conſtantinople, had vſurped that title, he wrot to him to rebuke him for it. And to Mauritius the Emperour, whoſe loue to him and the Church could haue affoorded him ſo honorable a title, he ſaid, whoſoeuer aſſumeth to himſelfe, or admitteth of any ſuch title, Elatione ſua Antichriſtum praecurrit, he doth fore-runne Antichriſt in his pride. He calleth that title, Nefandum, ſtultum, ſuperbum vocabulum, a wicked, fooliſh, and proud title. He ſaith that the counſell of Calcedon offered it to his predeceſſors, to bee ſo ſtiled, ſed tamen nullus ſibi hoc temerarium nomen arripuit: none of them took this raſh and in conſiderate name vpon him.

He would haue ſtaid the pride of that Roman See at the firſt: for when in reſpect of the Empire ſeated at Rome, the chamber of that great Monarchie, there was giuen the firſt place in Councels to the Biſhop of Rome: the next ambition was to be chiefe Biſhop: and then to be vniuerſall ouer all the Church, as Hart ſaith, the Pope cannot be non reſident, for all the world is his Dioceſſe▪ and what was then left, but to intrude vpon the rights of temporall Princes, as in ſucceeding times they did, and at this day doe? But we heare God promiſing, Kings ſhall be thy nurſing fathers, and Queenes thy nurces; not Biſhops, not Popes, and Prelates, Eſay 49. 23. Two proofes let mee but name, becauſe we haue them fully preſſed by moſt learned and iudicious Diuines, which expreſſe the power of Princes ouer the Church.

Firſt, their inuention of generall Counſells, ſo Pighius himſelfe confeſſeth, Conſtantinus primus auth • r fuit conuocandi generalia conſilia: Conſtantine was the firſt who deuiſed to aſſemble generall Counſells, but the power heereof was by GOD himſelfe giuen to Moſes, to whom hee committed the making and vſing of the two ſiluer Trumpets, and from him deriued to all Princes and States imperiall. And the Church ſtorie ſince Chriſt maketh it plaine, how Emperours and Kings in their ſeuerall dominions, haue both called Counſells, and ſate Preſidents, to order the meeting, to cenſure and puniſh offendours, to keepe them to the point that would digreſſe, and in their abſence to depute ſecular Iudges in their places, and at laſt to diſſolue their meeting at their pleaſure. Yea ſometimes the great Biſhop of Rome hath made requeſt to the Emperour, as Leo for example, for the calling a Counſell in Italie, and preuailed not. And laſtly, the Canons of Counſells were by the imperiall power ratified, and without that ſoueraigne approbation had no ſtrength.

Secondly, for Appeales, the Princes haue bin in the Church, the end of them all, euen in cauſes Eccleſiaſticall. More, Socrates reporteth libr. 5. cap. 10. That many Biſhops differing in iudgement, concerning the Doctrine of the Trinitie, Theodoſius the Emperour conuented them before himſelfe, hee tooke the ſeuerall Coppies of their Doctrines; and praying firſt to God to aſſiſt him, in that holy buſineſſe, that he might chooſe and maintaine his truth againſt all heretical opinions: after mature aduice, hee reſolued vpon the truth of Doctrine, and in the preſence of all the Aſſembly, hee tore in peeces all the reſt: and this truth he did not meaſure by the depth of his own iudgement, but by compariſon with that Canon of Faith, which both holy Scriptures, and former Counſells had ſufficiently maintained. And this was in a matter meerely Eccleſiaſticall. And for Eccleſiaſticall perſons; the law of Appeales in our Land, when Popery paſſed for true religion, in the reigne of King Henry the ſecond, had this Proceſſe, from the Archdeacon, to the Biſhop of the Dioceſſe, from the Biſhop of the Dioceſſe to the Archbiſhoppe of the Prouince, and from him to the King, which was the finall hearing and determination, beyond which there was no further prouocation, but to leaue all to God. Therefore we determine, that our Cauſes and our Perſons are all vaſſalles, and ſubiect to our Soueraignes; and the immunities and liberties which wee poſſeſſe, wee holde them of the indulgence, and gracious fauour of our moſt worthie, and louing Princes, and our Salomon, our Eccleſiaſtes requireth of his Cleargie, no vndue obedience, that the iudgement remaineth moſt iuſt. They that reſiſt (euen of the Cleargie) ſhall receiue vnto themſelues damnation.

They reſiſt this power, who refuſe this Oath of Loyaltie to his moſt excellent Maieſtie, as all Popiſh Recuſants do, who ſet vp a demy-god, as Bellarmine his Paraſite fawneth, and faineth, De Pontif. 5. 6. qui poteſt mutare, conferre, & auferre principibus regna: who hath power to change, to giue, and take away Kingdomes from Princes.

Our Soueraigne doth not ſet vp an Inquiſition, to finde out Papiſts, as Rome doth to diſcouer Proteſtants: hee doth not make bare ſuſpition quarrell enough to apprehend, conuent, impriſon, racke, and torture men, to force them to ſelfeaccuſation: hee onely deuiſeth to know ſheepe from goates, loyall ſubiects from hereticall rebells; he is the Image of that King of whom wee reade, Matt. 21. 5. Ecce, rex tuus venit tibi manſuetus: Thy King commeth to thee meeke, and gracious. It is the glorie of a King to paſſe by an offence. How many Princes of the earth would haue put vp ſuch an attempt as the Gun-powder treaſon was, with ſuch patience? Might not Chriſtian Princes haue thought his anger iuſt, if it had drawne his Sword againſt all of that Religion, till none of them had beene left, and it had beene no more then the equitie of my Text, for they that reſiſt muſt receiue iudgement heere, by iuſt Magiſtrates, who beare not the Sword in vaine, and heereafter damnation, by the Sentence of the great Iudge of Quicke and Dead. The Iſraelites thought this Sentence iuſt; for thus they ſay to Ioſhua; Whoſoeuer will rebell againſt thy Commaundements, Ioſhua 1. 18. let him be put to death: And God gaue a fearefull example hereof in the rebellion of Corah. The reaſon is giuen by the Almightie himſelfe in this caſe of oppoſition to ſoueraigne dominion, why he taketh it ſo to heart: For hee ſaid to Samuel, They haue not caſt thee away, but they 1. Sam. 8. 7. haue caſt me away, that I ſhould not raigne ouer them.

In theſe caſes of reſiſting, GOD is moſt ſenſible, for his owne Scepter of Rule is touched in them: For by mee Princes raigne, ſaith his Wiſedome. Therefore the vſurping pride of Rome, ſtruggling and wraſtling with the Holy one of Iſrael for the Scepter of Regiment, may now looke, that the cenſure of Saint Gregorie the Great then Biſhop, giuen vpon the Patriarch of Conſtantinoples ambition of the name of Oecumenicall, may turne into a propheſie of theſe times, and then Elatio tanto citius rumpitur, quanto magis inflatur. And we may all expect the breaking of the head of Leuiathan in the great waters. Dauid ſaid, they that hate thee haue lifted vp the head. Saint Auguſtine vpon that place ſaith, Nec capita, ſed caput quando eo peruenturi ſunt, vt etiam illud caput habeant, quod extollitur ſuper omne quod dicitur Deus, & quod colitur, quod Deus interficiet ſpirituoris ſui: that is, he ſaith not their heads, but they ſhall lift vp the 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 head, ſeeing they ſhall come to that paſſe, that they ſhall haue that head which is lifted vp aboue all that is called God, or is worſhipped, which GOD ſhall deſtroy with the breath of his mouth.

The time of my warning to this place, and the time limited to this ſhort Preface to a long buſineſſe, are both impatient of prolixitie. Let mee therfore addreſſe my ſpeech to you my reuerend Brethren, in the holy Miniſtery of the word of God, to ſtirre you vp, not onely to expreſſe and approoue your owne vndoubted loyalty to your Soueraigne, by your oath publiquely giuen for the ſame, but further, to employ the vttermoſt of your wittes, and tongues, and pennes, to recouer ſo many of our recuſant brethren, as are not frozen in their dregges of ſuperſtition, but led in blindeneſſe, for want of light, to the vnitie of our Church, and the obedience of our Soueraigne: and withall, to ſtirre vp the Magiſtrate to zeale and feruour in the cauſe of God, to detect, and purſue recuſant Papiſts, and to lay them at the foote of our gracious Lord the King: For Salomon ſaith right well; A King that ſitteth in the throne of Iudgement, chaſeth away all euill with his eye, Prou. 20. 8. or if they be ſo grounded in their diſloyalty, that they dread not the power of that Sword which hee beareth, and not in vaine: if they be ſo blinded with ſuperſtition, that they cannot ſee in the Maieſtie of Soueraigne gouernment, the ordinance, and Vicegerencie of God. A wiſe King (as a wiſe King ſaith) ſcattereth the wicked, and maketh the wheele to turne ouer them: verſe 26. Our King hath Wiſedome like an Angell of God, to diſpute with them, and confute them: Euen a diuine Sentence is in the mouth of our King, Prouer. 16. 19. He hath Iuſtice like the Deputy of of the moſt High, to puniſh them that are obſtinate, hee hath mercy like the Sonne of God, to manage Iuſtice, with moderation, and to pardon thoſe that offend, not of malitious and precipitate rebellion, but of ignorant and miſ-led ouerſight. And his ſearch tending to the detection of Gods enemies, I wiſh my Text written by the finger of Gods ſpirit, in the royall heart and hand of our moſt gracious Lord the King, that all his faithfull ſubiects may reade it in his practiſe; They which reſiſt, ſhall receiue to themſelues iudgement.

For, what greater diſcouragement to our Miniſtery, then this, to ſee the bold freedome of recuſant Papiſts, daring to affront our Church, to impugne our doctrine, to deſpiſe our Biſhops, to ſcorne our Miniſtery, and to pronounce vs all damned to the ſecond death without hope of redemption; and all this with ſuch aſſurance, as if they had no law to contradict them, or no Magiſtrate to ſee the lawe executed vpon them. God himſelfe hath written a law againſt ſuch, in their bloud, and let Gods ſubordinate Deputies on earth from the King that ſitteth vpon the throne, to the loweſt Magiſtrate truſted with the Sword of Iuſtice, lay to heart the ſpeech of God by his Prophet to Ahab, 1. Reg. 20. 42. Becauſe thou haſt let goe out of thy hand, a man whom I appointed to die, thy life ſhall goe for his life. Let this ſentence fall vpon the Kings enemies, and rather then one haire ſhould fall from the head of the Lords annoynted for his remiſſenes herein to thoſe whom God hath appoynted to die: let his milke-white mercy be dyed into a crimoſin tincture of iudgement. Exurgat Deus, diſsipentur inimici. Let God ariſe, let his enemies be ſcattered. VVhat their mercy is, the day ſhall declare it, the fift of Nouember ſhall declare it to poſteritie, their vault, their powder, their barres of yron, their logges, and billets of wood, euen all their inſtruments of ſodaine and cruell death, which if men ſhould forget, God would remember, for though men winke and ſleepe, the holy one of Iſrael ſeeth, and God the auenger will ariſe, and They that reſiſt ſhal receiue to themſelues condemnation. The Pope that abſolueth others, herein cannot be abſolued. Saint Paul hath ſealed Paul the fift, now liuing & dying in his preſent Religion, to condemnation: and my Text is ſufficient proofe, that no Romiſh Catholique, liuing and dying in the obedience of the Biſhop of Rome, and in difloyal rebellion, and reſiſtance to their lawfull Soueraignes, can hope by the reuealed will of God to bee ſaued: for his ſinne is reſiſtance to Gods ordinance, which is flatte Th • omachie.

Let vs all therefore be inſtant and earneſt in the maintenance of this truth: our tepidity and luke-warmeneſſe in religion maketh vs iuſtly tataxed to reſemble the church of Laodicea, which is threatned to be caſt out of Gods mouth. It is the cauſe of God, it is the cauſe of Ieſus Chriſt, the cauſe of the Church, the cauſe of the Commonwealth. It is the cauſe of the ſupreame head of the Church and Common-wealth next vnder Ieſus Chriſt, our wiſe, learned, gracious, and peaceable Salomon. He is neither good Chriſtian, nor good ſubiect, that is not ſtowe, and confident, in ſo religious, and loyall a quarrell.

I preſume I haue but ſpoken the thoughts and affections of all my reuerend and learned brethren in the holie Miniſterie; and I ſay no more but Amen. Let God ratifie and confirme it: euen ſo be it for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake: to whom with the Father and the holie Spirit, be giuen all glorie, and power, and dominion, now and euermore.

In the beginning of this chapter, Wiſedome buildth her an houſe, that is, Chriſt, a church, and it is not like to our great houſes, without hoſpitalitie: here are three rooms expreſſed in it: a Slaughter-houſe: For ſhe hath killed her beaſts: Matth. 22. 4. the Oxen and Fatlings in the Parable: heere is her Wine-preſſe: for ſhee hath mingled her VVine, ſaith the new tranſlation, it is the phraſe of Scripture, to expreſſe the making of wine of the iuice of many grapes commixed: or it is her cellar, for the olde reading was, that ſhee hath drawne the wine. Heere is alſo her dining roome, or place to eate in, which is not ſome cloſe, thriftie parlour neere the kitchin, but a very ſpacious roome, where the table is prouided: the largeneſſe of the roome is eaſily gathered, and gueſſed by the inuitation.

Wiſedome ſendeth ſorth her Maidens: that is, Ieſus Chriſt his Miniſters: ſo called, not in reſpect of the virginity of Prieſts, ſo much vrged in the Church of Rome, ſo little practiſed; for Dauid doth not alwayes eſteeme that happy: the fire conſumed their yong men, and their maydens were Pſal. 78. 63. not giuen in marriage: but in reſpect of their modeſty, and curteous affabilitie, louingly bearing themſelues in the buſineſſe of this inuitation.

The Commiſſion is large: for all that are ſimple and want vnderſtanding, are inuited, ſo the houſe had neede to bee of good receipt, and the Table both large and well furniſhed, to entertaine ſo many gueſts.

All ſinne is folly, and all ſinners are fooles, theſe doth Chriſt our Wiſedome inuite: For hee came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance: but they muſt be ſuch, as will forſake their folly, and embrace vnderſtanding, that is, penitents.

VVee will examine the Inuitation to a word, there muſt not a crumme of this bread fall beſide the Table; and the beſt Methode, to handle theſe words in, is, to imitate and follow the order, in which they are ſet downe to vs, by Wiſedome.

The parts of this Text be as many (almoſt) as the wordes thereof.

1 Come. VVee muſt come to Wiſedomes houſe, that is, to the Church of God. He that bids vs, ſeemes not to come home to our houſes. Behold, I Reuelat. 3. 20. ſtand at the doore and knock, and if any man open vnto mee, I will come in to him, and ſuppe with him. Hee now deſireth the like good fellowſhip from vs, that wee would come to his houſe: he will be our gueſt vnbidden: let vs be his. Dauid was glad when they ſaid vnto him; Come let vs goe vp to the houſe of the Lord, Pſalme 122. 1. And when he was hindered in that liberty, his ſoule longed yea and fainted for the Courts of the Lords houſe. Pſalme 84. 2.

It is a pleaſing reſort to Gods houſe, for there the Lord ſitteth betweene the Cherubins: Pſal. 99. 1. 77. 13. 96. 6. Gods way is in his Sanctuarie: yea,

Gods power and beauty are in his Sanctuarie, That was one of the great inducements to mooue Dauid, ſo earneſtly to deſire that houſe, to beholde the Pſalme 27. 4. beauty of the Lord. This is no where more clearly, and cheerefully diſcerned then in the houſe of God. Bleſſed are they that awell in thy houſe, they Pſalme 84. 4. will euer praiſe thee. And, in his temple euerie one Pſalme 29. 9. doth ſpeake of his glory. The new Tranſlation readeth in the margent, Euery whit of it vttereth his glorie: So full of maieſty is the place it ſelfe, where God hath put his name: and, where his honour dwelleth. Therefore no place like vnto the Church of God, to beholde the beautie of the Lord.

Auguſtine vpon the words of Salomon; Goe to Prouer. 6. 6. the Ant thou ſluggard, beholde her waies, and bee wiſe ſaith; Vide formicam Dei, ſurgit quotidie, currit In pſal. 6. 6. ad Eccleſiam, audit lectionem, recondit intus grana electa de horreo. Behold the Ant of our Lord, hee riſeth day by day, hee ſpeedeth to the church, there he heareth the reading of holy Scriptures, and he maketh his prouiſion of choice grains out of that barne, which he laieth vp in ſtore. The vſe is this. In time of winter and tribulation. Comedit intus labores aeſtatis, hee feedeth in fowle weather vpon his ſummer labours.

Beloued, this is abſolutely the richeſt bleſſing of our Church, and Kingdome, vnder the religious gouernement of our gracious Soueraigne, the libertie of the Church, and our free and open acceſſe to the houſe of Wiſedome.

It is made a lawe and ordinance to Iſrael, that the Tribes ſhall all go vp thither, euen a Statute lawe enacted in the high Court of Parliament, That all of all ſorts ſhall diligently reſort to their Pariſh Churches, and a paine is ſet vppon the heades of them that doe refuſe to Come. Therefore, they that Come not, doe not onely offend the lawe of God, but they alſo violate the ordinance of the Kingdome and State, and ſo ſhew themſelues, both in Religion, and in ciuill Obedience irregular. In this ranke are all recuſant Papiſts, who directly refuſe our Church, and all negligent Profeſſours, that care not for the publique ſeruice of Almightie GOD, and all prophane worldlings, to whom the Sabbaoth day is as a common day, and the houſe of God is deſpiſed; and all Seperatiſts, that will goe to their owne Synagogues, and Parlour-Conuenticles, but will not once come at the houſe of the Lord.

The Parable in the Goſpel concludeth againſt all theſe: Firſt, they are giuen ouer, and no more inuited: Secondly, the Maiſter of the Feaſt pronounceth againſt them, ſaying; Verily I ſay vnto Matth. 24. 8. Luke 14. 24. you, they are not woorthy, they ſhall not taſte of my Supper.

Theſe be the daies of the ſonne of man, wherein hee ſheweth himſelfe in the word of his holie Goſpel, and is euen Crucified in our ſight. LetGalat. 3. 1. vs feare leſt CHRIST IESVS beholding our negligence doe ſay vnto vs: The daies come, in which you ſhall deſire to ſee one of the dayes of the Luke 17. 22. Sonne of man, and ſhall not ſee it. Luke 17. 22. Come then whileſt you may, and thanke God that you may come and goe ſafely.