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Chrift, Matthew the fecond chapter; but Grecians from the West to fee Chrift, John the twelfth chapter.

The fecond thing in the Prophecy is, that not only the People fhould be gathered to be of the Church, but the Kings and Princes: for when Peter saw the sheet let down from heaven, As the teath chapter and the eleventh verfe, he was taught, that Nations fhould come immediatly to the Church, for then Cornelius, and others were converted to the faith, but Princes came not till three hundred yeeres after that was performed; when the Prophet foretelleth the poore shall eate and be fatisfied, Pfalme the two and twentith and the twenty fixth but for Rulers it was not fo performed, therefore the Pharifces ob ject, Doe any of the Rulers beleeve, but this fimple People that know not the Law John the feventh Chapter, therefore the Apostle faith, you knew your calling, that not many noble, not many mightie, but the base and weake things hath God chofen, as it is in the firft of the Corinthians, a great number of the poore people were at the firft joyned to the Church of Chrift; and not only they, but as it was foretold, the rich upon earth fhall eate and worship, Pfalme the two and twentith and the twenty ninth verfe, fo Sergius Paulus, Acts the thirteenth, the noble man of Berea, Acts the feventeenth the Eunuch, chief governor for the Queene of Ethiopia, Acts the eighth chapter; her Lord Treafurer and the ele&t Lady, the fecond Epiftle of Saint John and the fecond chapter. So both Lords and Ladies were brought to the Church, but as yet no Princes, for they stood up against Christ, 4ts the fourth chapter; both Herod and Paul gathered themselves against Chrift, the holy fonne of God; Paul had almoft got one King to the Church, that is, Agrippa, Acts the twenty fixt chapter and the twenty eighth verfe; Thou almost perfwadeft mee, &c. but there must bee a time when the kings of Arabia fhall bring prefents, Pfalme the feventy fecond; a time when Kings should bee fufter fathers, and Queenes nurfing mothers to the Churen, Ifa. the fourty ninth chapter, therefore under the Law he confirmed the hope of Kings, by fhewing grace to the King of Ninevey, who repented at the preaching of Jonas, and to the Queen of the South, who came to honour Salomon, Matthew the twelfth chapter, no less than he confirmed the hope of the poor, by calling the poor Widdow of Zarepta, and of the humble, by the example of Naaman, Luke the fourth chapter; by whofe example all forts of people, both poor and rich, both Prince and Subject have hope to be gathered into the Church, wherein the people of this Englifh Nation have speciall caufe to magnifie God; for the first prince that profeffed the Gofpel, was Conftantine the great, born in Englands and ever fince Chrift hath had a Church of the Gentils, not only dif perfed Gentils, John the feventh chapter, a few only of them to wor hip him, but the fulness of the Gentils, Romans the eleventh chapter! Now not only the fimple and unlearned people, but the Rulers themfelves doe follow Chrift, John the feventh chapter, wherein we are to exalt & magnifie the power of Chrift, that he contents not himself with the inferiour people, to be worshipped of them: he will not

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only bethe God of the Mattocks and Staves, but of the Shields; To teach us, that he can turne the hearts of Captains and Princes whither he will. Secondly, That when this was performed, the Princes were not Togati,fuch as delighted in peace, but Armati,men of warre, and hard to be brought under, to the obedience of the Gofpel, füch perfons as at their pleasure will not hear when they think good, but take away their life, Efther the 6. chap. Thefe men were the harder to be fubdued to Chrift, being without Religion for the most part, Nulla fides pietafque viris qui Caftra fequuntur, The Rulers of the people fhall come to thee, as it is in the Pfalms. God would not have David build him an Altar, because he was a man of warre, and had shed blood, the first book of the Chronicles the twenty eighth chapter and the third verfe: But to gather a Church and Temple of the Gentils, he hath no refpect of that, but fheweth his power in bringing them to his Church, which were moft cruel. The Pfalmift faith, God is highly to be exalted among the Princes of the People: At this ime the peo ple of Abraham were at a poor ftay, like sheep appointed to the flaughter, Romans the tenth verfe: In which regard it was not like it would come to paffe, that the Princes and mighty men would fubject themfelves to them. Paul confeffeth that the Se&t which he followed, was every where evil spoken of, As the twenty fixt chapter; That he and the reft of the Apoftles, were as the filth of the world, and the offfcouring of all things, the firft epiftle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter & the thirteenth verfe; therefore unlikely that the great men of the world fhould yeeld to them. Again, that they should doe this of themselves voluntarily without constraint; that where they had occupied their fhields upon Gods People, now they should ufe them for their defenfe; that they should bring bountifull gifts to the Church: whereof we fee examples in the new Teftament, Matthew the fecond chapter.

The Reifon is to be taken four wayès.

First, When God fhall be exalted, then fhall the Princes of the people be gathered to the people of the God of Abraham. This is true, for this Pfalme is of Chrifts afcention, of which Chrift faith, When he is exalted, omnes traham ad me, Fohn the twelfth chapter: So that it is as much as if the Prophet fhould fay, When Chrift is exalted, then the Nations fhall come to him.

Secondly, When the Princes of the people be gathered to the People of Abraham, then fhall Chrift be exalted; that is, when the Kings of the earth doe imbrace the Chriftian Religion, God fhall be exalted and Have more glory, for every King is worth ten thousand; and when one King followeth Chrift, it is a greater glory to Chrift, than if many people, the fecond book of Samuel and the eighteenth chapter, The King is to get out and in before the People, the first book of Samuel and the eighth chapter; So the people will follow the King, if he be good they will tread in his fteps. When Jothan reigned the people were good; But when Achan came,they turned with him to Idolatrie. So it fell out with Ezechiab and the people, with Manasse and his

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people, with Amon and his people, Joshuah and his people, Nobile mutatur femper cum principe vulgus: So that God is more exalted when he inclines the hearts of Kings to follow Chrift, and to cleave to the Church. When the Kings offer bountifully to the Church, as David did, then will his people; but if he withdraw his liberality, they will draw away too. Hereupon Chrift, when the Greeks de fired to fee him, faid The hour is come that the fonne of man must be glorified, John the twelfth chapter.

The other two wayes are as a reafon, Becaufe the fhields of the earth are the Lords, his name is exalted. This was the reafon that moved Confantine, he faw God had a power to protect and give victory, and therefore imbraced the Chriftian Religion. God faith to Abraham, I am thy fhield, Genefis the fifteenth chapter: And of him David laith, He is a fheild to them that trust in him, Pfalm the thirty third. Conftantine law in Heaven the fignes of the Croffe, on which was written, iv rớtų vinhous, in this thou shalt overcome; wherein God fhews them that he hath power to defend and give victory; therein is his name exalted. When they fee that they will take hold with the Jews and fay, God is with them, Zachery the eight chapter. The other way is, because God is exalted, therefore he will defend the earth as with a Shield. This is a motive to make men become religious; and when they are fo, then followeth defenfe and fafetie, which is the effect of magnifying Gods name. When we take the field of faith, and beleeve in God, Ephefians the fift chapter, Then he will compaffe us with his faith, with a fhield, Pfalm the fift chapter, His faithfulnese and truth Thall be with us, and in his name fhall his horne be exalted, Pfalm the eighty niath. Therefore Mofes, having exalted the name of God in Horeb because they were delivered, and built an Altar called, The Lord is my banner, Exodus the feventeenth chapter and the fifteenth verfe: The name of the Lord is a strong Tower, Proverbs the eighteenth chapter. The Church is like the Tower of David, which had many Shields, Canticles the fourth chapter; To fignifie that becaule the Church doth exalt and magnifie the name of God, therefore he doth defend it by a thousand means: And therefore the Apostle faith, That godlineffe bath the promise of this life,as well as of the life to come, the first epiftle to Timothy the fourth chapter, So that whether way foever wetake it, it teacheth us, That love is the end of the Commandement, out of a pure heart and good confcience and faith unfeigned, the firit epi ftle to Timothie the first chapter. It doth teach us to walk in the fimpleneffe of the faith ofour Father Abraham, and to doe his works, John the eighth chapter. It teacheth us to exalt and magnifie Gods name; for exaltatio nominis Domini fcutum populorum.

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Et inutilem fervum ejicite in tenebras illas extimas : illic erit mau, 25, 30% fletus& Stridor dentium.

HE fentence which paffed upon the unprofitable fer. Jan. 16. 1598,
vant had two branches: Firft, A fentence of depri
vation, Taking the talent from him. Secondly, Afen-
tence of tranflation, and giving it to him that hath ten
talents; Now the talent being taken away, The fer-
vant himself is caft into wtter darknesse.

These two parts of his punishment are by good order joyned together; not only that the talent fhould be taken away, but that punishment should be laid upon his perfon; that not only the tree fhould be tut down, and be deprived of all power to fructific, but to be cast into the fire, Luke the thirteenth chapter; the waftfull fervant must not only lose his office, but must give an account of his Stewardship, Luke the fixteenth chapter: It were well if he might only lose his talent, and himself escape,utinamperirèt pecunia modo ne fuo periret: but it agreeth with Gods Juftice, that as the talent was loft through the negligence of the unprofitable fervant; fo now the fervant fhould perish for the honor of the talent. And it ftands with Gods wifdome fo to punish the unprofitable servant; for if the falt be unsavory it is good for nothing but to be caft out, Matthew the fift chapter: And when the tree brings no. fruit & troubles the ground, it is fitteß to be cut up, Luke the thirteenth chapter, that others may be planted in the room of it, that will bear fruit. Wherefore as when Saul had loft his fpirit,the Kingdom tarried not long with him after; so if our talents be once taken away, we may look that God will lay a punishment upon our perfons. If we fall from our first love, Apocalipsthe fecond chapter, and use not our talents to Gods glory, we may justly fear our perfons. But as God did firft command Lot to goc out of Sodom, before he deftroyed the Citie it felf; so he will first take away the talent, that it perish not ; and after the perfon fhall be punished.

The punishments inflicted upon his perfon,are reduced to two. Being first, infa. Secondly, Dr.

Touching the firft, he faith, Cast out the unprofitable fervant that hath done nothing to my glorie, not fervum peccaffor, Luke the twelfth chapter, nor the riotous fervant that wafts his Mafters goods, but Jonor agor, him that doth no good with the talents committed to him, fic fic invirido, Luke the twenty third chapter. If he fhew fuch cru elty towards him that was only unprofitable, and did no good; how feverely will he punish thofe that doe hurt with their talents, that are riotous and mispend their whole talents. Three things make his punishment grievous: Fifft, That he is punished with a feparation. Secondly, It is with a violent feparation. Thirdly, This feparation is with difgrace and shame: For the place from which he is feparated, as the Apoftle faith, it doth not appear what we fball be, the firft epiftle Bbbb

of

of John and the third chapter. So it appears not to us what the place is whither we shall be gathered, if we ule Gods gifts as we ought. But as he fpeaks of the perfon, fo of the place: We know that it is an excellent place, a place of fuch glory as the eye hath not seen, the first epiftle to the Corinthians the fecond chapter: Such glory as all the affliEtions of this life are not to be compared with it, Romans the eighth chapter; and therefore to be caft out from this place, will be a heavy fen

tence,

The feparation from the Temple, which was but a type of that place, was lo grievous to Davids foul, as he had no reft in his fpirit, and thought himself in worse ftate than the Sparrow, till he had acceffe to the Citie of God, Pfalm the eighty fourth. Much more grievous is it to be feparated from heaven. Ifof the Church on earth it is said, there are gloriofa dicta de te, Pfalm the eighty leventh. Much more glorious things are fpoken of Heaven, whereof to be deprived will be agreat grief; for this place hath all things which may commendany place Of light it is said, Lumen dilexit oculuss but this place hath no night, but continual light from the Lord himself, Apocalyps the twenty first chapter. If fociety doe commend a place, then this place is com mendable, quia janya ibi aperta, If immunity from pain, there is nei ther hunger, nor thirst, nor cold. If joy, then there the elders fing con tinually the praises of God, Apocalyps the twenty firft chapter. Therefore to be excluded from this place, which is fo to be defired, is a great puniment.

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Again, Tobe feparated not only from fo good a place, but from fuch company; not only of holy Angels, where if it were a great bleffing to lodge, while they were clothed with mortality, Hebrews the thirteenth chapter, then it is a greater bleffing to dwell with them in this ted glory, None of the faints, mbo albeit on earth they be despised and called fools, Wifdeme the fifcchapter, yet fhall be glorious in heaven, and not only their fauls, but their bodies made like the glorious body of Ghrift, Philippians the third chapter and the twenty first verses of whofe company to be deprived, will be a grief; but to be caft out of the company of Jefus Chrift, who when he did give but a taste of bis glory, it was fo glorious it ravished his Difciples, Matthew the foventeenth chapter, fo as they faid, Bonum eft nobis hic offici, will be a great grief for these he shall be in perfect glory at the right hand of God, where he now fitteth, which thall much more rejoyce us than these drops. Laftly, If the comfort of Gods countenance in earth, where the light of it is greatly eclipsed and darkned, doe afford more comfort than aboundance of corne and oyle, Pfalm the fourth, then what a dif comfort will it be to be feparated from the light of it, when God fhall fhow the brightneffe of it but even then fhall the unprofitable for vant be caft out from beholding the fame. Secondly, That which doth aggravate his punishment is, that this feparation fhall be done with violence, caft him out, not bid him goe our, or lead him out, The feparations that are made from the Church militant, are not done without great difficulty; no man would willingly be excommu

nicated:

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