IT is a true saying (Right Ho­nourable, Right Worshipfull, and dearely beloued Men, Bre­thren and Fathers.) That Gods Schoole is more of affection, then vnderstanding; both Les­sons are very needfull, and very profitable, for the Lord Iesus is at hand, in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know him 2. Thess. 1. 8. not: and not farre from my Text, hee threatneth (with detestation) to reiect his Church, because shee loued him Reue. 3. 16. not. Both these therefore as a paire of Turtle Doues ought to bee sacrificed vnto God, for [Page 2] to know and vnderstand much, without zeale and deuotion, is but Painted hypocrisie: and to bee zea­lous and deuoute without knowledge and vnder­standing; is but blind singularitie. But in these dayes the second Lesson is more needfull to be taught and vrged, because as Christ prophesied, the loue of ma­ny is growen cold: yea, if there bee some that haue much zeale and litle knowledge; there are many that haue much knowledge and little or no zeale: long peace and tranquilitie, seconded with wonderfull wealth and dignitie; hauing lulled most men and women into a spirituall slumber, in the Cradle of carnall securitie. Giue me leaue then in your won­ted Sermon at Pauls Crosse on New-yeres day last. Christian patience, hauing not long since in publike and solemne place by Doctrine, informed your minds and vnderstandings, in the knowledge of your dueties; Now, by word of Exhortation, to put heate and life into your affections and deuotion, for the practise of your dueties. For which purpose I haue chosen this excellent portion of Scripture to intreate of, wherein Saint Iohn (by the direction of Gods holy spirit) doth Graphically describe the hea­uenly Summe of the Text. happinesse of a Conuert soule: First, before her conuersion, in that her Sauiour, vouchsafeth (as it were) bare headed, at the doore of her heart to in­treate her Conuersion, and to stand with much pati­ence, waiting when shee will open vnto him: Se­condly, in the meanes which he vseth for her Con­uersion, which are, louingly, to call vnto her, and friendly, to knocke at her doore: Lastly, in the bene­fits of her Conuersion, which are his perpetuall [Page 3] dwelling and feasting with her, Behold, I stand at the doore and knocke.

Iohn, the Disciple whom Iesus loued, and who lea­ned Coherence. on his Lords Iohn 13. 23. brest, being first put into a vessell of scalding Oyle by Fasciculut temporum. Abdias. Traian; and afterwards, For the word of God, and for the witnessing of Iesus Reue. 1. 9. Christ be­ing banished by Domitian into Euseb. Eccle. Hist. li. 3. ca. 18. Patmos, one of the Ilands called Cyclades, or Sporades, lying in the West part of Asia the lesse, neere to the Churches to whom he writ, and by the Egean Sea; as Christ loued him when he was present with him in body, so now, no lesse doeth he loue him being absent, and therefore as he appeared to Abraham in the Gene. 22. 12. mount, to Iacob in the Gene. 28. 11. field, to Moses in Exod. 3. 2. Midian; to Iere­mie in the Iere. 38. 6. Dungeon, to Daniel in Dan. 2. 23. Babylon, and to Peter in the Tanners Act. 10. 11. house: So, in good time, hee doeth appeare to his beloued Iohn in this poore Ile, and comfort him in his exile, with sweete voices, heauenly visions, and most glorious Reuelations.

The Title of the Booke declareth the vse of it. Titulus li­bri frontispicie adscriptus. E [...]casm. lo. Fox pag. 1. It is called (according to the Greeke [...]. Apoca­lyps: and (according to the Latine) Reuelation) that is to say, a Discouerie or Manifestation of thinges which before were hidden and secret, in respect of men, for the common good of the Church. Which very [...] Title doth most notably confute the Argu­ment which the Iesuites vse, whereby to discourage the People of God from reading and searching of this Rhem. annot. in cap. 1. sect. 2. Booke: For what though Saint De [...]iuitat. dei lib. 20. cap. 7. Augustine and others haue spoken of the darkenesse and ob­scure mysteries of this Booke, Tot Sacramenta, quot verba, etiam singulis multiplices latent intelligentiae: One [Page 4] of the ancient Fathers saith Irenaus lib. 4. cap 43. truely, (writing vpon a Sentence of Daniel, viz. that the booke should be sea­led till the end of the time Dan. 12. 4. determined) euery Prophe­sie is darke before it be fulfilled, but then it is cleare; so, many things might seeme very darke Aenigmaes to those godly learned Fathers, who liued before the fulfilling of them, which nowe vnto vs are most cleare, and euident FVLKE. Reuelations.

The Booke containeth (and may fitly bee diuided into) three Visions, as it were into three generall Partes, the first is contayned in the three first Chap­ters: the second, from the fourth to the twelueth: the last, from the twelueth to the end. The first Vision is of seuen golden Candlesticks, and seauen Starres, re­presenting seuen famous Churches and their Bi­shops in Asia minor, to which hee was directed to write so many seuerall Epistles, viz. Ephesus, Smirnah, Pergamus, Thyatire, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, and he chose rather to write to these Gentile Chur­ches in Asia, then to the Churches in Scribit ad A­siaticas non Iu­datca [...] Ecclesias vt sic ostende­ret, regnum Christi [...]am etiam peru [...] ­ [...]i [...]e ad gente [...]. B [...]lling. Conc▪ 3. fol. [...]. [...]ag. 2. Iudea, to signi­fie that now the kingdome of God was come to the Gentiles, and that the partition wall beeing broken [...]he. 2. 14. downe, the Gentiles were admitted & adopted into the fellowship of Gods people: yet so, as vnder the se­uerall estates of these 7. Churches, the state of the whole Church militant is laid open, and the doctrine therin contained, so neerly cōcerneth euery one, that the Conclusion of euery Epistle is, Let him that hath an eare, heare what the Spirit saith vnto the Churches.

The seuenth and last Epistle was written to the Angel or Bishop of the Church of Laodicaa, of which name there were diuers Cities, one in Mace­donia, [Page 5] another in S [...]r [...]bo. lib. 1 16. fol. 365. & 510. Syria, this was doubtlesse a most famous Citie in Vrbi erat ce­leberima in Asia. Ecphras. Pet. Bulleng. Trecons. in Apo­ealips. Asia, scituate in the Countrie of Plin. lib. 5. cap. 29. Caria; builded as Histories witnesse by Antiochus Theos, and honoured with his wiues name Laodicaea, and sometimes called ( Vt refer [...] Bulleng. in Ecph. fol 110. Diospolis.) Some suppose that Saint Paul did Preach the Gospell vnto this His videtur Paul [...]s predi­cauisse Euan­gelium. Hen. Bulleng. in Apoc▪ fol. 27. Church, because hee maketh mention of it in his Epistle to the Colossians, and requireth them to read the Epistle written from Coloss. 4. 16. thence; and the first Epi­stle to Timothie is subscribed to haue beene written from Laodicaea; but others more probably gather that the subscription is erronious, and that hee was neuer M. Cudworth. Comment. on Gall. 6. pag. 657 there; because in that Epistle written to the Colossians (which was written at Rome in his last trou­bles a little before his death) hee saith expresly they had neuer seene his Coloss. 2. 1. person. Howsoeuer, it was a Church that enioyed many worthy Bishops, as Euse­bius Socrates, Eu­sebius, Alexan­drinus, Anato­lius Stepha­nu [...], & The­odore. Euseb. Pamph. lib. 7. cap. 32. reporteth; but was now wonderfully decayed, as this Epistle testifieth, and nothing lesse then their name did import or signifie: viz. a righteous [...]. Populus Iustus. people.

The Partes of this Epistle (as of all the other) are foure, viz. First an Exordium or Preface, in the foureteenth verse, and hath three parts, viz. first, a Commandement, ( Write.) Secondly, the Person from whom, described by three things, viz. first Amen, secondly, Faithfull and true witnesse, thirdly, Beginning of the creatures of God. Thirdly, the per­sons Generall Di­uision. to whom he must write described, first, by his office, an Angel, secondly by the place where, of Laodicaea. The second part of this Epistle contai­neth a generall proposition, in these wordes; I know thy workes: The third generall part is spent in a nar­ration, [Page 6] in the latter part of the 15. and throughout the 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. The fourth and last part, is the conclusion, in the 21. and 22. verses, and hath two partes, Viz. a promise in the 21. verse, and a com­mand in the 22. verse.

This Scripture is a member of the third generall part of this Epistle, which is the narration thereof; and hath three partes, Viz. first a reprehension, se­condly good counsell, thirdly waightie admoniti­ons. First, he very sharpely reproueth them, and that by an elegant metaphor, saying, thou art neither cold nor hote: that is, they knew the truth, but liued in a carelesse mediocrity, and idle security; they did neither vtterly denie the Gospel, nor soundly pro­fesse it; they were neither professed enemies, nor sound Necplane hostes, nec vere amicised neu­trales. friends, but wholy plied their trades & mer­chandise, not greatly caring which end went for­ward in Gods matters, so they might enioy their pleasures and profites; yea, hee telleth them flatly this is their estate, and that they were deceiued, for they thought themselues rich and increased with goods, and had neede of nothing; when as in truth, they were wretched, and miserable, and poore, and blind, and naked; and therefore this will be the end of it, if they continue in this state: hee will spue them but of his mouth. And truely as it is a marueilous ordinary thing, for them that liue in wealth, and a­bound with pleasures, and haue all things which the flesh desireth, to grow secure: so if wee make application hereof to our selues, wee shall find, that most Congregations, men and women in this land, are fearefully growing luke-warm, and thinke them­selues [Page 7] in farre better estate then they be.

Thus hauing laid open their dangerous estate, (that it might appeare vnto them, hee sought their good, and delighted not in their destruction.) In the second place hee giueth them louing and good counsell, and sheweth them how they may become rich, couer their nakednesse, and cure their blind­nesse: Thirdly and lastly, hee doth very grauely ad­monish them, first to make good vse of their cor­rections, by becomming more zealous and amend­ing, in the verse immediatly going before; secondly to make good vse of the present meanes and occasi­on of their good, in the wordes of my text: Beholde, I stand at the doore and knocke.

We are guilty of this Churches sin, I pray God we may make good vse of this admonion, and this day that God speaketh and knocketh, let vs take heede we harden not our hearts; she was reproued, let vs repent; she was well counselled, let vs obey; she was threatned, let vs tremble; she was admonished, let vs take heede; yea, she is now punished, Oh let vs beware.

Thus with Noahs Doue, I haue long houered, but now I haue recouered the Arke: yea, with the Arke I haue long floted▪ but now am arriued on the mountaine of Armeniah, and (I hope not vnprofita­bly) made way to the Scripture that I purpose to in­sist vpon: for the more orderly handling whereof, these partes are to be considered: Viz. first a proposi­tion Particular Diuision. in these words; ( Behold, I stand as the doore and knocke) secondly promises, in these words; ( If any man heare my voyce, and open the doore, I wil come in vn­to [Page 8] him, and will suppe with him and he with me.) The proposition sheweth the great willingnes of Christ to a sinners conuersion: the promises shew the end­lesse happines of the sinner conuerted. In the pro­position, Sub-diuision. two things are to be considered: Viz. First the [...] preamble, or note of regard where­with [...]. it is fronted, ( Behold) Secondly, the proposition it selfe, and therein these two things are remarkable, Viz. first the subiect, which is Christ, expressed by this pronoune ( I) secondly the praedicate, or what is [...]. pronounced of him; and that is threefolde, Viz. first his gesture how he behaueth himselfe; I ( stand) se­condly the place where hee standeth, ( at the doore) thirdly what he doth standing at the doore ( and knocke) In the promises two things are to be consi­dered, viz. first the conditions whereon; and second­ly, the promises themselues, what they are: in the conditions, two things are to be considered, viz. first, the generalitie and largenesse of them, in these [...]. words of Proclamation ( if any man) secondly, the Conditions themselues, which are two, viz. first ( to [...]. heare his voyce) secondly, ( to open the doore.) The pro­mises made vpon these conditions, are two, viz. first, perpetuall abode, (( I will come in vnto him) secondly, perpetuall reioycing together, expressed by the Me­taphor of feasting or banquetting, which is two­fold, viz. first, the Sinners feasting of Christ ( I will suppe with him) and secondly, Christs feasting of the Sinner, ( and he with me) The note of attention set at the doore of my Text, doth knocke at the doores of your hearts, for reuerent and christian attention to [Page 9] the handling of all these Partes. And first, let vs sa­lute the Porter.

( Behold) This word hath principally a double vse; 1. Part. 1. VSE. First, it is as a Demonstration, vsed for the greater certaintie and assurance of a thing, as a man is most certaine of that which he seeth; therefore said the Disciples vnto Thomas; We haue seene the Lord; and he said, Except I see in his hands the print of the nayles, I will not Iohn 20. 25. beleeue. Thus for greater certaintie and as­surance of the Lords neere comming to Iudgement, Saint Iude vseth this phrase of speech, Behold, he com­meth with thousands of his Saints, to giue iudgement a­gainst all Iude 14. men. And Saint Iohn to like purpose, hath the like phrase, Behold, hee commeth with Reue. 1. 7. cloudes, viz. he commeth so certainely, and is so neere, that if you will but looke vp vnto the cloudes, you may see him. So to assure vs, that this is no fable, he saith here, ( Be­hold) I stand &c. yea, if we had but the eyes of Ba­laams Num. 22. 23. Asse, we might see him: but if we had a true faith, we would make no doubt of it, for the assu­rance therof is greater then of sight or Fides anbig­uum non habet. Barn▪ de consid. 5. cap. 3. Maior est fides certi­tudo quam sensus. Aquin. knowledge.

The second vse of this word, is to procure atten­tion 2. VSE. to a thing spoken: and to that purpose, most fa­miliar with the Prophets, Christ, and his Apostles, Yea, sildome doth this worde goe before to pre­pare the way, but there followeth matter of excee­ding weight and importance in the heele, and that specially in a double Case.

First in matters of wonder, the more to prouoke 1. Case. men to maruell, this word is vsed; So the Prophet Isay, intreating of the rare and extraordinary, strange and wonderfull maner of Christs Conception, thus [Page 10] expresseth it, Behold, a Virgine shall conceaue and beare a Isay 7. 14. Sonne.

Secondly, in Case of gladnesse, the more to pro­uoke men to reioycing, this word is vsed; as when 2. Case. Christ, the Prince of peace and eternall glory, should come into the Citie of Ierusalem, to the great ioy of all such as receiued him, the Euangelist cyting the words of the Prophet Zacharie, sayeth, Goe tell the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King commeth vnto thee, meeke and sitting on an Asse, therefore reioyce greatly, yea, showt for Zach. 9. 9. matth. 21. 5. ioy: So here, to assure vs that the matter here deliuered is no trifle, but both cases concurring, the more to prouoke vs both to wonder and reioyce, he thus deliuereth it, ( Behold,) I stand at the doore and knocke. Yea, there is not one word in this sentence, but deserueth the stampe, and impression of this Character vpon it.

( Behold,) not a Seruant or Minister; not a Prophet or an Apostle; not a Saint or an Angell; but Christ Iesus the Lord of life and glory himselfe: If I had not come and spoken, they had had no Ioh. 15. 22. sinne. ( Behold,) he neither sitteth, nor walketh, nor runneth; but ( standeth) as most desirous to enter, and patiently ex­pecteth the sinners Psal. 95. 10. leisure.

Behold, hee standeth not in the Hall, Parlour, or Chamber, places and roomes for friends, and of com­fort, entertainement, and content, but at the ( doore) in the open ayre, a place for strangers and enemies, where the head is filled with dew, and the lockes defi­led with the drops of the Cantic. 5. 2. night.

Behold, he standeth at the doore, not mute, still, and silent; but most friendly and louingly calleth and [Page 11] Prou. 1. 24. knocketh. Yea, behold all these together, (and as the Prophet saith) it will make you euen showt for wonder and Zach. 9. 9. ioy: Oh, behold and consider, what a matter of certaintie and importance, to cause both wonder and ioy! But I will not stand any longer at the doore of my Text.

Entering in, the first thing I meete withall, is the 1. Part in the Proposition, VIZ▪ the sub­iect. subiect of this Proposition; which in English is ex­pressed, and in the Greeke and Latine [...]. Sto. verbs impli­citly included; ( I) stand, viz. ( I) that am all one with my Iohn 10. 30. Father: ( I) that am full of grace and Iohn 1. 14. trueth: ( I) that am the Lord of 1. Cor. 2. 8. glory: ( I) that haue made all Coloss. 1. 16. things: ( I) in whom the fulnesse of the God­head dwelleth Coloss. 2. 9. bodily: ( I) that for thee and thy sal­uation came downe from Ephe. 4. 9. heauen, tooke vpon mee the forme of a seruant, and was obedient to the death of the Phil. 2. 7. Crosse: ( I) that haue all sufficiency in and of my Psal. 45. 7. selfe: and desire to enter, not for mine owne, but thy Deut. 5. 29. good. Oh open vnto me, for ( I) doe stand and knocke: From whence two things are chiefly to be considered, viz.

First, his great and incomprehensible louing kind­nesse 1. Obseruation 1. Consider Christs al­sufficiencie in himselfe. towards vs, who will vouchsafe to come to our doore; but much more to stand and knocke there; which most fully appeareth from these three conside­rations, viz. First his owne al-sufficiency in himselfe, in that he standeth not in need of vs, or any thing that we Psal. 50. 10. haue, being the heire of all Heb. 1. 2. things, equall with his Philip. 2. 6. Father, and infinite with him in glory, from Iohn 17. 5. e­uerlasting. Indeede, wee are said by our praises, to Psal. 34. 3. magnifie or make him Magnum facere. great, which is not in re­gard of himselfe, who is already most Optimus maximus. great, but [Page 12] when by our preaching and praysing his glory and goodnesse, we make that which is infinite in it selfe, to be reputed great of others. For as one well sayth, to magnifie, is nothing else, but to signifie, that it is Magnificare, nihil aliud est, nisimagnum significare Lexic. Theolog. verb. magnif. great.

The second consideration, tending to amplifie his 2. Consider our indignitie kindenesse towards vs, is our owne indignitie; Oh, what kindnesse is this, that the Lord of glory vouch­safeth to stand & knocke at the doore of his Church, which he hath pronounced already, to be wretched, and miserable, poore and blind, and naked? Will you see the loathsome condition of vs all by nature? Then hearken what God saith by his Prophet, In the day of thy Natiuitie when thou wast borne, thy Nauell was not cut, thou wast not washed with water, nor salted with salt, nor swadled in cloutes, no eye pitied thee, but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the contempt of thy Person, and when I passed by thee, I saw thee polluted in thine owne blood, and I said vnto thee, thou shalt Ezekiel 16. 4. &c.▪ liue. Oh herein is loue, not that we loued him, but he lo­ued vs: yea, euen when we deserued to be hated.

Thirdly and lastly, that he doeth not passe by her 3. Consider his importu­nitie. doore finding it shut, but doth stand, call, and knocke, and importune her to open, (as an one we shal heare) Open vnto me, my loue, Sister, Doue, and Cantic. 5. 2. vndefiled.

Secondly, let vs hence (to the shame of the faces 2. Obseruation of vs all) obserue, our great vnthankfulnesse and vn­kindnesse towards Christ, that will not open vnto him, but let him stand at the doore. If a man of any account, but specially if an earthly King should knocke at our doore, Oh what a stirre wee would make to let him in quickly! What a shame then is it, [Page 13] that the King of heauen knocking at the doores of our hearts, we should heare him as aloofe off, stand vpon tearmes and conditions, with if, and, and how, and giue him cold sluggish excuses (as the Church confesseth shee did) I haue put off my coate, and I haue washed my Cantic. 5. 3. feete, and yet this is not all, but to fill vp the measure of our vnkindnesse and vnthankfulnesse (as Christ checked the Iewes, saying, If another come in his owne name, him ye receiue, but ye receiue not Iohn 5. 43. me.) No sooner can the Diuell, World or Flesh, knock, by any temptation or suggestion, but wee presently heare and open vnto them, but suffer Christ with his graces to stand at the doore; Oh, my good brethren and sisters in the Lord, let vs consider and bee asha­med of this Sinne.

Yea (though I am most vnworthie of all) seeing Exhortation. the Lord hath vouchsafed me this houre, this day, to bee his Spokesman and Suitor, to wooe and intreat you, and because I know I shall neuer speake to most of you any more, giue me leaue in my Masters cause to intreat you againe and againe, and to importune you to bee reconciled vnto him; Yea, happie man I, and most happie dayes worke, if I could but winne one Soule, to open vnto him. Oh, yet, that I knew what words of exhortation to vse, that not one, but many; yea (as Saint Paul saith) That all that heare me this Act. 26. 29. day, might bee wonne vnto Christ! that this might be the day of renewing the Couenant, and sealing it with our hearts, and of our vndoubted be­trothing with Christ; yea, what madnesse hath pos­sessed vs, that we should not doe so? for haue him, and haue all things: Art thou a miserable lost crea­ture, [Page 14] he is a ( Matt. 1. 21.) Sauiour, and bringeth Saluation vn­to Luke 19. 9. thee: art thou hungry? hee is the hidden Man­na, and Bread of Iohn 6. 51. Life: art thou thirstie? hee will giue thee Water of Life; whereof, whosoeuer drin­keth, shall neuer thirst any Iohn 4. 14. more: art thou naked? he hath white Robes of righteousnesse to couer thee Reue. 19. 8. withall: art thou poore, and miserable? hee is the heire of all Heb. 1. 2. things; will make thee Reue. 3. 18. rich, and set a Crowne of glory on thine 1. Pet. 5. 4. head: doest thou weepe and mourne? he wil wipe all teares from thine Esay 25. 8. eies, and fill thee with such occasions of gladnesse, that the very broken bones shall Psal. 51. 8. reioyce: doest thou groane, and art tyred with the burthen of sinne? hee will ease and refresh Matth. 11. 28. Clamat Sa­tan, ego decipi­am, mundu [...], ego deficiam▪ caro▪ ego infici­am mor [...] ▪ ego interficiam▪ at Christu [...], ego re­ [...]iciam. Barn. in Cant. thee: art thou vexed with the stormes of Gods wrath? he will be as the shadow of a great Rocke vnto Esay 32. 2. thee: art thou sicke? hee is a Physition to heale Matth. 9. 12. thee: art thou blind? he is a Chi­rurgeon to cure Iohn 9. 39. thee; beeing that Light, which lighteth euery man that commeth into the Iohn 1. 9. world: to conclude, art thou subiect to errour, falshood and death? he is that Way, that Trueth, and that Iohn 14. 6. Life; the Way without Errour, the Trueth without Falshood, the Life without Via sine er­rore, veritas si­ne falsit a [...]e, vi­ta sine morte. August. in loc. Death: euen all in all vnto his 1. Cor. 15. 28. people. Oh, then bee no longer so vn­kind vnto Christ and thine owne Soule, but say, Welcome sweet Sauiour, and open the euerlasting doore of thine heart vnto him, that it may bee well with thee for Deut. 5. 29. 2. Generall part of the Proposition. euer, and hee no longer take vp this Complaint against thee, (l) stand at the doore. And so much for the Subiect of this Proposition.

The Predicate is laid downe in a sweet Allegori­call speech, Nego [...]tum exponit Sermo­ne [...]llegorico & am [...]no. euery man being compared to a house, [Page 15] his heart vnto a doore, and Christ vnto a guest, stand­ing and knocking, to come in, not so much to finde curtesie, as to shew fauour and kindenesse: and the 1. Predicate his gesture, which is (standing.) 3. Things sig­nified by Christs ( stan­ding) first, his willingnesse to enter. Predicate is threefold; the first declareth his gesture, which is ( standing) whereby three things are signified: Viz. first his willingnes to enter, secondly his patience to wait our leisure, thirdly his obseruance of our vn­kindenes in not opening: For the first, in that com­ming to the doore of our hearts, and finding the same shut and barred against him, hee sitteth not, walketh, nor lyeth not aloofe off, as carelesse whether he en­ter or no Non sede [...] qu [...]etus, aut tacet ignauu [...], sed stat operi omnino in [...]en­tus. [...]mb. but ( standeth) at the doore (as it were) har­kening and listening, ready to enter vpon euery occa­sion: It noteth his great desire to enter, which ap­peareth from this threefold consideration; First, wish­ing that they would open vnto him, Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me, and to keepe 1. Conside­ration. all my commaundements alway, that it might goe well with them, and with their children for Deut. 5. 29. euer. Oh that my people had harkened vnto me, and Israel had walked in my wayes, I would soone haue brought downe their enemies, and haue fedde them with the finest wheate Psal. 81. 13. &c. flowre: Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commaundement, then had thy prosperity bin as the floods, and thy righteousnesse as the waues of the Esay 58. 18▪ Sea: Oh Ierusalem, that thou haddest knowne in this thy day, those things which belong to thy Luke 19. 42. peace: Yea, and that none shal open in vaine, hearken what Dauid saith, Lord thou hearest the desire of the poore, thou 2. Conside­ration. preparest their hearts, and thou bendest thine eare vnto Psal. 10. 17. them: Yea, harken what God himselfe saith, While they speake I will heare, yea before they call I will answere, [Page 16] here am I Esay. 58. 9. 65. 24. 3. Considera­tion.. Will you see examples of this? no soo­ner did Dauid open the doore of his heart by repen­tance, and confest, I haue sinned against the Lord, but by and by the Lord entred with remission of sinnes, and absolution, pronounced by Nathan, the Lord hath put away thy sinnes, thou shalt not die. 2. Sam. 12. 13. Yea, hearken what Dauid himselfe confesseth; I thought, I will con­fesse against my selfe, my wickednesse vnto the Lord, and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne: Selah. Psal. 32. 5. Are­markeable * Mor [...] impati­ens. Fer. defilio prodig. Serm. 7. sentence Signum est excitandae voc [...]s & animi max­ime intendend [...]. Vatab. in ps 3. 2 indeede: The prodigall sonne but resoluing in himselfe, I will rise and goe to my fa­ther, and say vnto him, father, I haue sinned against hea­uen and before thee: he was preuented, for his father seeing him a farre off, had compassion, and being im­patient of delayes, ran & fell on his necke, & kissed him Luke 15. 18. &c. Nondum vno verbo audito, squalidum & deformem am­plectitur. Aug. Vide c [...]lerem patris miseri­cordiam Theo.. So willing the Lord is to entertaine a Conuert, that (as Dauid saieth) Hee neuer failed them that seeke him Psal. 9. 10. 2. His pati­ence..

Secondly, this gesture doth signifie the great pati­ence of Christ towards poore sinners, who ( because he would not his death, Ezek. 18. 23. but rather that hee might come to repentance and be saued 2. Pet. 3. 9.:) finding the doore shut, gi­ueth not a call, a rappe, and away, as a Poast that run­neth by; but standeth and tarrieth, long waiting his leasure, when to open vnto Indefessa per­seuerantia pul santis significa­tur. Tittlem in Cantic. him: It was Gods lawe, When thou commest neare vnto a Citie to fight against it, thou shalt offer it peace, and if it offer thee againe peacea­bly, and open vnto thee, then let all the people that is found therein, be tributaries vnto thee & serue thee: but if it wil make no peace with thee, but make war against thee, then shalt thou besieg it Deut. 20. 10. &c.: which law the wise woman of Abel obiected vnto Ioab Mandatum dei [...]oabo, mo deste obiicit. Tremell. They spake in the old time, saying, [Page 17] they should aske of Abel, and so haue they 2. Sam. 20. 18. continued: That is, first they should call a Parle, and open their griefes, before they vsed Hostility against it: the law giuer is the law-keeper, for though his sword bee alwayes drawne and burnished, his bow bent, his arrowes pre­pared, and the instruments of death alwaies ready; yet seldome doth he poure dovvne his plagues, but there goeth a shovver of mercy before them: Peace be vnto this Luke 10. 5. house Pax Domui huie. Debella­turu [...] mundum, offert pacem. Stell. ibid. vvas sounded to euery doore vvhere the Apostles entred: it is Gods manner first to discharge a warning Peece before he batter; and the Lion of Iudahs tribe Reue. 5. 5. wil first roare before he Osea 11. 10. deuoure: Yea, by threatning of plagues, and of hell fire, he tea­cheth vs hovv to auoid both them and Nisi Gehen­na intentata esset, omnes in Gehennam la­beremur. Chris. Homi. 15. in prim. Timoth. it.

Will you see a fevv examples of this vvonderfull patience of God tovvards sinners: vve reade that God gaue the old world an hundred and twenty Gene. 6. 3. Recte expositum est apatribus, de termino pa­tiente [...] de [...]. yeares, to repent in; and so long stood at the doore of their hearts, knocking by Noahs Preaching, 2. Pet. 2. 5. and the Arkes building: whereof Saint Peter speaketh with won­der, when once the long suffering of God 1. Pet. 3. 20. abode in the daies of Noah: great was his patience towards his people Israel, to whom he sent all his Prophets, rising early euery Iere. 7. 25. day; and of whom he complained, say­ing, All the day long haue I spred out mine hands to a re­bellious Esay. 65. 2. people: which thing, was shadowed out by our Sauiour Christ, both in the Parable of the plan­ted Vineyard, let out vnto Husbandmen, to whom the Owner sent his Seruants againe, and againe, and lastly his owne Sonne and Heire, for to receiue the fruit Matth. 21. 34. &c. thereof: and the Fig-tree, keeping for three yeeres the ground barren, and yet at the intercession [Page 18] of the Dresser, spared also another Luk. 13. 6. &c. Synag [...]ga l [...] ­deorum ficus asi [...] latur, tre [...] ann [...], sunt tria tempora, scilicet, Cir­cumcisionis, le­gis, et gratiae. Gorra [...] [...] E­uang. yeere. Great was his patience towards Niniuie, that (as it were) wincking at the losse and profusion of so many hun­dreds of yeeres, yet gaue them fortie dayes to Ionah. 3. 4. re­pent in; but yet herein did his Mercy and Bountie shine much more, in that hee not onely gaue them fortie dayes for repentance, but threatned them with destruction, that so they might bee preserued from destruction; for the Message of their Ouerthrow, was the Ouerthrow of the Message; the Prophecie fell, and the Citie fell not, because her Fall was pro­phecied: Oh new and admirable O [...]m & [...]randum. Chrisost. Hom. 15 ad Pop. Antioch. thing. But what neede wee moe examples for proofe of Gods Pati­ence, seeing the worst Seruant in the house hath confessed it, My Master is gone into a farre Coun­trie, and doth deferre his comming, and will not re­turne in Math. 24: 48. haste: yea, the Atheist calleth it 2. Pet. 3. 9. Slacke­nesse, and abuseth that to Presumption, which should leade him to Rom. 2. 4. repentance.

Thirdly, and lastly, that he saith, I stand, or (as the 3. His obser­uance of our vnkindnesse, to let him stand. Greeke verbe beareth) I haue [...]. stood; it signifieth, that he doth well obserue the time of his standing: So hee told the people of Israel, that fortie yeeres long they had contended with him, and Psal. 95. 10. grieued him; and let vs bee assured, hee that could tell them how many yeeres they had sinned against him; can tell vs how many houres, dayes, moneths and yeeres wee haue sinned, and hee hath stood waiting our re­pentance; yea, and knoweth all the meanes, which he hath vsed for our good, how many Sermons, Re­proofes and Exhortations, wee haue heard, and ac­cording to the greatnesse of his Patience and Mer­cies [Page 19] towards vs, so shall be our Iudgements, if wee repent M. Dearing on the Heb. cap. 3. 9. Lect 15. Application. not.

Now, if wee make Application here of vnto our selues, wee shall find, that God hath not onely ope­ned, but euen exhaust, and spent, and emptied the rich Treasures of his Bountifulnes, Patience, & long Suffering, vpon this Church of England, wherein we liue; he hath giuen vs, not onely fortie dayes, as he did to Ionah. 3. 4. Niniuie; or added 15. yeeres to our liues, when wee were all appointed for the Anno terribili 1588. slaughter, as he did to Esay 38. 5. Ezechiah; nor onely fortie yeeres, as he did to Heb. 3. 9. Israel. But as long as all these times being put together come vnto, hath the Lord stood at our doores, knocking by his word, mercies & iudgments M. Perk. in loc. Exhortation. euery way seeking and waiting our couuersion:: Oh that wee had grace at the last, to consider the Rom. 13. 11. Sea­son, redeeme the Ephe. 5. 16. Oportunitie, and make good vse of the day of our Luke 19. 44. Visitation! And the rather let me exhort you hereunto, for that, neuer was Gods Patience abused, but it was seuerely punished, as all the Examples formerly mentioned, and many others doe witnesse: When the old World would take no warning, but gaue themselues to eating & drinking, buying and selling, building and planting, marrying and giuing in marriage, euen vntill the time, that Noah entered into the Matth. 24. 38. Arke; then came the Flood, and drowned them Gene. 7. 11. all: When Sodome and Go­morhe would not bee reclaimed, but grieued righte­ous Lots soule, from day to day, with their vncleane 2. Pet. 2. 7. conuersation; at the last, fire and brimstone falleth, and consumeth them Gene. 19. 24. all: When Pharaoh and E­gypt would not bee infourmed by all the Myracles [Page 20] and Wonders, to let Gods People Exod. 10. 27. goe; at the last, the redde Sea deuoured them Exod. 14. 27. vp: When the peo­ple of Israel would not bee reformed, but Ierusalem was so abominable, as she did iustifie Ezek. 16. 48. Sodome; hee that bare with them forty Psal. 95. 10. yeeres, and sent all his ser­uants the Prophets vnto Iere. 7. 25. them; at the last, sware they should not enter into his Heb. 3. 11. rest, and was so ob­stinate against them, that if Moses and Samuel had stood before him to craue pardon, yet would he not be Iere. 15. 1. intreated: What shall bee done (saith Christ) to those Husbandmen, that abused Gods Sonne and Seruants sent vnto them? themselues gaue iudge­ment, and themselues endured the execution of the Sentence; He will cruelly destroy them, and let out his Vineyard vnto Matth. 21. 41. [...] Ma­los male p [...]rdet. others: And what shall become of the Figtree, if digged round about and dounged, it still keepe the ground barren? it must bee hewen downe and cast into the Luke 13. 9. Ar [...]ri infru­ctuosae, duo de­bentur, securis & ignis. Barn. fire: What became of this and the rest of these Asian Churches, who did not grow in righteousnesse, as they did in riches? Though now he stood at their doore and knocked, yet in the ende hee left them, and gaue them ouer to Turkish slauerie: Oh, how then shall we escape, if we neglect so great Heb. 2. 3. Conclusion. Saluation? To conclude therefore this point, I beseech you be not too bold with Christ, if he haue stood long at the doore of thine heart, and by his word and motions of his Spirit, shewed thee thy sinnes, and mooued thee to repentance, and thou hast made light thereof; Oh tremble and quake for feare, that these knockings & motions should cease, and thou neuer any more haue any sparke of re­morse or godly sorrow vnto repentance, but thou [Page 21] become hardned in sinne, and thy conscience be­come cauterized or seared as with an hot Iron vnto destruction: Yea, if this day thou hearest the voyce of Christ, and sensibly perceiuest Christs spirit moo­uing thee to repentance, giue eare to that Voyce, entertaine those Motions, and at the last open vnto Christ, and let him ( stand) no longer. And so much concerning the first Praedicate.

The second Praedicate declareth the place where The second predicate, which is, the place ( at the doore.) Christ standeth, Viz. ( at the doore) whereby the heart of man is Ostu nomine cor hominis in­telli git. vnderstood: according to that of the Psal­mist, Lift vp your heads O ye gates, and be ye lift vp ye euer­lasting doores, and the King of glory shal come Psal. 24. 7. in: so then to open the doores of our Cities, and to defend the Gospell: to open the doores of our Temples, and to preach the Gospel: to open the doores of our houses, to entertaine the Bible, and reade the Gospel: Yea, to open the doores of our lippes, and to confesse the Gospel: the opening of all these doores is nothing worth, vnlesse we open the doores of our hearts vnto Christ and the Gospel, to loue and beleeue in him, and therefore the Apostle did bowe his knees vnto God, most earnestly begging of God, that the Ephe­sians might haue grace to open the doores of their hearts, that Christ might dwell in them by Ephe. 3. 17. Legitima se­des Christ [...], cor est. Calu. faith.

Here then we are all of vs taught, if we will haue Doctrine. any benefite from those sweet and comfortable pro­mises following, to open the doores of our hearts vnto Christ. But some man may say, there is no Question. man that hath not learned this lesson, who will not bidde him welcome, and be glad to entertaine him, and seeke for saluation onely by him? Alas, alas, my Answers. [Page 22] brethren, thousands there are that in this waighty case deceiue themselues, for the heart of man is de­ceitfull aboue al Iere. 17. 9. things: there are many that thinke their harts are marueilously affectioned vnto Christ: yea and perswade themselues, they haue Christ sure in their hearts, that they are euen hugged in his armes, and shall bee saued by him aswell as the best: who neuer so much as truely knew Christ, or tasted of him, and are furthest off from being saued by him; one would not thinke there could be such deceitful­nesse in mans heart, that when hee thinketh himselfe most sure, hee should bee most deceiued; but the e­state of this people doeth witnesse no lesse, for they had many good things in them: as they professed Christ, had the knowledge of his will, and were partakers of the Signes and Seales of the Couenant of Grace, and thought themselues rich, and to haue neede of nothing, when as in truth, they were wret­ched and miserable, and blind, and poore, and naked, and the neerest that Christ was vnto them ( he stoode at the doore) and truely if there were a due triall and examination, I feare most mens Conuersion would prooue but Copper, not able to abide the touch­stone, and if they were weighed in the ballance of of the sanctuarie, Balthasars Embleme may bee writ­ten in their foreheads, Thou hast beene weighed in the ballance, and art found too Dan. 5. 25. Mene, mene, Tekell, Vphar­sin, numerauit, appendit, di­uisit. light: Yea, many that thinke they haue opened vnto Christ, haue beene as churlish as Nabal vnto 1. Sam. 25. 9. &c. him, and as vnkind as the Bethlehemites, hauing no roome in the Innes of their hearts for Luke 2. 7. him. Indeede whilest the word is Preaching, and Christ calling, and knocking, they [Page 23] seeme to bee mooued, will receiue the word with Matth. 13. 20 ioy, and with Agrippa bee almost perswaded to Act. 26. 28. open, and with Herod peepe out at the Marke 6. 20. wicket, but no sooner Sermon done, but their ioy vanish­eth, and by one predominant sinne or other, they shut the doore, and bolt it fast against Christ.

It will bee very necessarie to search, how, or by Two meanes, whereby we may know whether we haue opened to Christ or no. 1 what meanes, we may vndoubtedly know whether we haue effectually opened vnto Christ or no. And by these two things we shall know. First, hee com­meth like a strong and mightie man, and therefore if thou hast opened vnto him, he hath bound Sathan, spoyled his house, dispossessed sinne, and abandoned death and Matth. 12. 29. &c. hell: Secondly, hee commeth as a King of glorious estate, and bringeth his traine with him, euen all the graces and fruites of his blessed spirit, whereof Saint Iohn saith, Hereby we know that he abi­deth in vs, euen by that spirit which he hath giuen 1. Iohn 3. vlt. Examination vs. Now then by these things, trie and Examine thy selfe as in the presence of God; How standest thou af­fected? Doest thou hate those euill things which thou hast loued? Dost thou loathe thy former vn­cleane conuersation? And abhorre thine old sinnes? Dost thou euery day striue to be more righteous and lesse sinfull? Defying the garment spotted with the flesh, and auoyding all appearance of euill? Endea­uouring, and praying for strength to walke in all the ordinances and commandements of Secundum istius vitaemo­dum. God: And for all the world, would not be in thy former prophane condition of life? Doeth thy soule abound with spi­rituall ioy, peace, humilitie, patience, brotherly kindnesse, and loue, is thine heart enflamed with the [Page 24] zeale of the glory of God, and hast thou a burning desire, that the name and glorious Gospel of Christ may bee magnified? And doeth it grieue and vexe thee, when Gods glory is troden downe, his holy trueth despised, and his deare Church goes to ruine? If these things bee in thee in trueth, though but in small and weake measure, thou maiest bee of good comfort that thou hast opened vnto Christ, and hee doth raigne and keepe Court in thine heart, &c.

But if on the other-side, thou hast nothing to stand vpon, but thou hast been thus and thus long an Hea­rer of the word, Receiuer of the Sacraments, Pro­fessor of Religion, but thine heart is set vpon the va­nities, pleasures and delights of the flesh; as occasi­on serueth, thou abusest, thy tongue to lying, slaun­dering, swearing, and blaspheming; thine heart is set vpon couetousnesse, whoredome; thy life stayned with pride, drunkennesse; thou hast no true loue nor zeale of God and his trueth; but makest Religi­on so indifferent and light a matter, as thou art ney­ther cold nor hot, or if thou hast reformed some things, yet thou hast some one beloued sinne or o­ther, which thou canst not endure to heare re­prooued.

If this be thine estate, (as vpon due triall I feare it would be found to be of many of vs) thou mayest be well perswaded of thy selfe; but in trueth, the nee­rest that Christ is vnto thee, is, Hee standeth at the ( Doore) &c.

The third and last Praedicate, declareth the Action The third pre­dicate, which is, his action ( knocking.) of Christ at the doore, viz. ( he knocketh) yea, the O­riginall signifieth, to knocke with great power and [Page 25] force, as to strike or knocke with the horne, [...] cor­n [...]bus [...]erto, de­riuatur, a [...] corn [...]. it be­ing a Metaphor taken from the [...] Od. [...]. Oxe, or some strong necked Beast, which giue a great Blow, when they runne against any thing with the Horne.

Where (my good Brethren) as the carkasse of A­masa lying in the way, caused the people that mar­ched after Ioah to stand 2. Sam. 20. 12. still: so me thinketh, this word calleth vpon vs to stand still a while, and march no furder in this text, til we haue thankfully wondred at and considered, the infinite loue and goodnesse of Christ towards his poore Church, and the members Hin [...] admi­rabilis & inef­fabilis patet sponsi nostri dignat [...]o. little. in Cant. [...]. pag. 82 thereof, that finding the doores of their hearts bar­red against him, yet doth not passe by with a soft and still voyce, as he came to 1. King. 19. 12▪ Eliah, but doth beate and bounse at the doore, offering mercy when they re­fuse it, that so he may be found of them, that neuer sought Esay 65. 1. him: No sooner had Adam and Euah sin­ned, but God commeth to seeke them out, and knocketh at the doore, Adam, where art Gene. 3. 9. Vbies. thou? which was rather an Increpation then an Interogation, that Adam might consider, not in what place, but in what state he was Non tam in­terrogatio▪ quam incre­patio. Amb. now. No sooner was Peter fallen a­sleepe, but Christ knocked at his doore, and wakened him with the crowing of the Matth. 26. 74. [...] Statim Gallus misit vocem. Foure wayes principally Christ knock­eth, at the doore of our he arts. 1. By the mi­nisterie of his word. Cocke: Oh what in­finite mercy is this, that he should so earnestly seeke our repentance and saluation, onely for our owne good.

Now I pray you let vs proceede to consider what wayes and meanes Christ vseth, whereby to knocke at the doores of our hearts, and they are principally these foure: The first is, by the ministery of his word, which is a worde of Rom. 1. 16. power, and a word of Heb. 4. 12. life: [Page 26] mighty, through God, to cast downe Holdes, and to bring into Captiuity, euery thought to the obe­dience of 2. Cor. 10. 5. Christ: Peter preached, and he did so migh­tily knocke at the hearts of his Hearers, that they came running to him and the other Apostles, and cried, men and brethren, what shall we Act. 2. 37. V [...]r [...] fra [...] quid faciem [...]t. doe? Paul preached and disputed of righteousnes, temperance, and iudgement, and did so mightily knocke at the Portall of Felix his conscience, that he did tremble to heare Act. 24. 25. him: Yea assuredly, Demosthenes and Cicer [...], with all their eloquence: Plato and Aristotle, with all their learning: Alexander and Pompey, with al their power, could neuer so shake the doore and foundati­on of a sinners heart as the meanest Minister of Christ (being quallified with competent Graces of God, and preaching the word with plaine euidence of the spirit, and of 1. Cor. 2. 4. power,) can doe: yea, therefore is the Ministry of the word to be reputed as the grea­test blessing of God; for that by it he knocketh at the doores of our sinfull hearts, and frameth vs to obe­dience, to open vnto him, that we may be saued.

Secondly, he knocketh by his mercies, blessings, 2. By his mercies. and fauours, whereof the Lord himselfe thus spea­keth, I ledde them with cords of a man, euen with bands of Osea 11. 4. Funiculis hu­manis, funibus amoris traho cos. Trem. Intelligit Be­neficia & mu­nera quibus d [...] ­ [...]iuit cos Iren. loue: what these bands of loue were, Moses de­clareth, where speaking of Israel, he saith, God found him in the land of the wildernesse, in a wast and roaring wildernesse: he carried him vp to the high places of the earth, that he might eate the fruits of the field, and hee caused him to sucke hony out of the stone, and oyle out of the hard rocke: butter of Kine, and milke of Sheepe, with fatte of the Lambes and Ram [...]nes▪ fedde in Bashan, with [Page 27] the fatte of the graines of wheate, and the liquor of the grape hast thou Deut. 32. 10. &c. drunke. And elsewhere, he telleth them, they should find great and goodly Cities, which they builded not; houses stored with all manner of goods, which they filled not; welles which they digged not; vi­neyards and Oliues, which they planted Deut. 6. 10. &c. not, &c. The consideration whereof, made Dauid proclaime, Hee hath not dealt so with euery Psal. 147. 20. Nation.

Thirdly, when neither word, nor mercies can pre­uaile, 3. By his correction. but the one is contemned, the other are abu­sed; then thirdly, he knocketh by his ( corrections) as tempestuous and vnseafonable weather, strange ap­paritions, vnknowne Comets, quaking of earth, o­uerflowing of waters, famine, pestilence, rumours of warres, Diuelish conspiracies, sickenesse, losse of goods, and innumerable such like miseries: which, being sanctified of God, though vnpleasant and dis­tastefull to delicate flesh and blood, yet are most wholsome meanes, and mightie knockings, to awa­ken the drowsie sinner; as we haue examples in Da­uid, who penned his sweetest Psalmes, in his bitter­est afflictions; and in Ionah, who then prayed most heartily, when he came into the Fishes Iona. 2. 1. belly: Oh wondefull thing, that hee should bee awake in the Fish, that snorted in the Shippe: that he should pray vnto God out of the deepe Sea, that fled from God vpon the drie Mira res▪ vi­gilat in Ceto, qui stertebat in Naui. Zeno. Ep. Veron. lib. 2. Serm. 38. land! so good and profitable a thing correction is, therefore Christ telleth his Church, in the verse immediatly going before my Text, So many as I loue, I [...] arguo, ad ver­ba refertur: [...] castigo; [...] fe­rulam par [...] ­rum▪ Aret▪ ibid. rebuke, (which is chiefely to be referred vnto words,) & chasten (which is chiefely to berefer­redvnto the rod, & sharpenes of Discipline: therfore [Page 28] be zealous and amend: and our Sauiour Christ saith, euery branch in the spirituall Vine, that beareth not fruit as it ought, his Father the Husbandman, will purge Iohn 15. 2. it: and what is his pruning knife, wherewith he loppeth and pareth many superfluities, but tribu­lations and Falx domini, afflictiones & tribulationes sunt Cyr. lib. 10 cap. 14. afflictions?

The fourth and last meanes whereby he prepareth 4. By his Spirit. vnto regeneration (regenerateth the prepared▪ and doeth helpe the regenerate vnto the Praeparat ad regenerationem regeneras Prae­paratum & regeneratum adiuuat tu fi­nem. August. end) is the sweete and powerfull working, instinct, inspirations and motions of his good Per internas inspirationes & tacitas oc­cul [...]as (que) cordis motiones. Fran. Tittlem. in Cantic. spirit; without which all other knockings are ineffectuall to cause the sm­ner to open vnto him: for though we be neuer so much called vpon by the ministry of the word, yet without the working of the spirit, whereby the vn­derstanding is inlightned, the heart mollified, and our affections inflamed with the loue of Christ and hea­uenly things, it profiteth not but becommeth the sa­uour of death vnto death vnto 2. Cor. 2. 16. vs: & the more he so knocketh, the more excuseles shall we be at the last day. Again, thogh the Lord take neuer so great a de­light to do vs Iere. 32. 41 good, & euen emptie (as it were) the treasure of his blessings vpon vs, yet without his spi­rite, they doe but puffe vs vp vnto wantonnesse and presumption; as we haue an example in Israel, for whom the Lord doing so much (as we haue heard) Yea, so much as hee could doe, as himselfe Esay. 5. 4. witnes­seth, yet complaineth: he that should haue beene vp­right, when he waxed fatte, spurned with his heele, and forsooke God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his Deut. 32. 15. saluation. Oh, the cause of this Moses elsewhere plainely layeth downe, saying, [Page 29] Ye haue seene all that the Lord did in Egypt vnto Phara­oh, and al his seruants, and al his land, & the great temp­tations, miracles, and wonders, yet the Lord hath not gi­uen you an heart to perceiue, and eyes to see, and eares to heare vnto this Deut. 29. 2. &c. day. Lastly, though the Lord adde strype vnto strype, and one iudgement to follow in the necke of another, as the waues of the Sea, yet without the inward working of his spirit, the more he so knocketh, the more doe we harden our hearts against him, as Pharaoh did▪ Oh Lord, knocke by thy word, and teach vs; knock by thy mercies, and allure vs; knocke by thy iudgements, and feare vs; but a­boue all other, knocke by thy spirit, and perswade vs, that when thou knockest, we may open vnto thee, A­men.

And now to make some generall Application of Application. these things to our selues: First, I demaund with the Apostle; Hath not England heard? No doubt the sound of the Gospell hath gone throughout all our Rom. 10. 18. Land: the Lord hath not sent a few, as seuentie, by paires, two and Luke 10. 1. two; but so many thousands; that as Dauid saith in another sense, Great is the Com­pany of Psal. 68. 11. Preachers: the word of the Lord is not pre­cious amongst vs, as in Elies dayes; neither need we with the Sunamite saddle our Horses or Asses to ride farre to heare it, it is neere vnto vs, and of our plen­tie wee can supply others lacke, and herein the Lord blesse the intended Voyage, and all them that ad­uenture Liues or Goods therein, that it may bee for Gods glory, the enlarging of Christs Kingdome, the Honor of our Nation, and Good of Church, and Common-wealth. Yea, England is as Gods Tem­ple, [Page 30] where euery man speaketh of his Psal. 29. 9. Prayse; and a Sanctuarie, to such as loue the sound of the Gospel; God hauing not yet so farre entered into iudgement with our sinnes, as to remoue our Reue. 2. 5. Candlesticke, take away his Matth. 21. 43. Kingdome, and call our Ionahs to goe preach vnto Ionah. 1. 2. Niniuie.

But hath not London heard? Oh herein hath God exalted her to Heauen with Matth. 11. 23. Capernaum: who (beside her owne Ordinary with store) hath her so­lemne Assemblies furnished with the choise of Vni­uersitie and Countrie, to speake vnto her, so as (if England be the Temple) she is the very Arke of the presence of God, aboue all other places of this Gloria sum­ma hominibus ex dei verbo obtingit. Gual. in Matt [...]. Hem. 1 [...]6. Land.

Secondly, hath not God beene mercifull vnto this Land? Oh London, London! let me speake to thine heart, to whom I am sent with the Message of God this day; How great are Gods mercies, that hath ex­alted thee to become the Princesse of the thousands; the Chamber of our famous Kings and Queenes; the Ioy of our Land; the Empresse of Cities; the re­nowmed Mart of Nations? of whom I may say, as sometimes God sayd of Tyrus, thy Marchants are Princes, & thy Chapmen the Nobles of the Esay 23. 8. world; Oh, so many and great they are, that I cannot sayle in the huge Ocean of them; I will thrust but into an Arme or Creeke: Consider his mercies of Donati­on, 1. Mercies of Donation. how aboundantly hee hath enriched thee with Peace, Plentie, Honor and Prosperitie; yea, taken such a Delight to doe thee good, and euen to empty the Treasure of his Mercies vpon thee, that most doe thinke it a great Happinesse, to shrowde them­selues [Page 31] within thy Nec conting it cuiuis. Borders: It was once sayde of Rome, but may now more truely bee said of thee, that thou art an Epitome of all Gods mercies else­where bestowed vpon all the Churches and Com­mon-wealths in the [...] World. Pindarus reporteth, that there was an opinion of the Citie of Rhodes, that Gold rained vpon [...] Ode. 7 it; but if euer Citie recei­ued golden Showres, it is this of London: And therefore as Athens was called Greece of [...] Athenaeus. lib. 5. Greece, so may London be called, the England of England: The Lord grant, that his Gospell and thine obedi­ence may meet together; his Mercies and thy thank­fulnesse may kisse each other.

Consider his mercies of Preseruation, that where­as 2. Mercies of preserua­tion. other goodly Cities haue beene ransacked and de­stroyed, by Fire, and Sword of cruell Souldier: grasse, brambles and nettles growing in their streetes, hou­ses, and temples, for want of passengers, inhabitants, and worshippers; mens hearts fayling for feare of the continuall thundring of Drums, sounding of Trumpets, neighing of Horses; ratling of Armor, roaring of Cannons, so neere our Borders, that some of our houses haue trembled with the reporte At the loo­sing of Callis. 1. Preseruation from Spani­ards, Anno. 1588. Octogesimus oc­tauus mirabilis annus. thereof &c. He hath alwaies watched ouer thee to preserue thee from the like desolation. Yea, giue me leaue, to Gods glory and our owne comfort, to in­stance in a few particuler examples: First therefore, it is not so ancient and superannate, but rather kept in recent and fresh memorie, how those, who now, we hope, are our friends (and God make them so to vs and the Nemo potest veraciter ami­cus esse homi­nis, nisi ipsius fuerit primitus veritatis. August. Trueth) but then, we know, were our proud and cruell D. Fot [...]erb. Serm. Pauls [...]rosse, Nouem. 5. 1607. Enemies, who came with an vn­quenchable [Page 32] furie, and (as they thought) with an in­uincible Nauie, with Ensignes of victorie, and in­struments of crueltie: but the Lord strong in Battell was our refuge, the God of Iacob was our defence, who armed out all his Creatures in the day of Bat­tell, for our defence & their offence, that we might be deliuered and they destroied: the Windes fought against them and their Ships, as it did against Chro. 20. &c. Aha­zias; the Sea against them and their Hoast, as against Exod. 14. 27. Pharace [...]; yea, the Starres in their courses, as against the horses and chariots of Iudg. 5. 20. [...]militat aether, & coniura [...] ventunt in prae­lia venti. Claud Siserah; that wee and our posterities may confesse with the Israelites, The Lord hath triumphed gloriously ouer his enemies, the Horse and his Rider, [the Ship and his Sailer] hath he ouerthrowen in the midst of the Iudg. 5. 1. 4. Sea.

Secondly, the day is now come and gone, which 2. Preseruation at queene Eli­zabeths death. our enemies so longed for, and wee so feared, would haue beene the Bane of the Gospell, the Shipwrack of our Peace, and Breake-necke of our Prosperitie; a day of mourning and lamentation; yea, when all the Orders and Companies of this Realme, fom the honorable Counsellor to him that draweth water; from the reuerent Iudge that sitteth vpon the Bench, to the abiect Begger that sitteth in the ashes; from the man of gray haires to the sucking child, should haue cryed▪ Alas for the day of the Lord, Alas for the day of the Lord, it is come, it is Zach. 12. 12. come. I meane that dismall day, when that glorious Instrument of Englands happinesse, renowmed ELIZABETH (the Glorie of her Sexe, the Paragon of Princes, the Myracle of the Christian, and wonder of the Infidel World) drew vp her feete vnto her in her bedde of [Page 33] peace, and slept with her fathers: But behold, and wonder at Gods mercie, no sooner did our Sunne set, but in a moment (as it were) passing thorough the other Hemisphere, it rose Occubi [...]it s [...]l, nox nulla se­cuta est. againe, giuing vs greater hope of the continuance of our ioyfull day, giuing vs a Religious, prudent, and fruitfull KING, insteade of a maiden QVEENE; whose very name Proclaimed, did so daunt the crue of idle rogues, and inordinate walkers (who thought at that time like Vultures to haue deuoured the fruits of honest mens labours, and haue committed what mischiefe and villany they would without controlement) that they stood amazed, and rather bethought whither to flie and hide their heads, then to commit any outrage: Oh Lord finish the good worke thou hast begunne, giue vnto the KINGS Maiestie, an increase of Sa­lomons wisedome; Dauids vprightnesse; Iosias zeale, Ioshuahs courage, and Methushalahs long life. AMEN.

Thirdly, and lastly, (our fathers haue not told vs, 3. Preseruation from the Gun­powder trea­son. Nouem. 5. Anno. 1605. but we haue knowen our selues) the yeares are very few that haue passed ouer our heads, since a bloody company of Romish Pyoners, and Antichristian Mole-warpes, had plotted a most prodigious, and neuer pararelled treason, in a subterraneous vault; with one sulphurous mornings blast, to haue brought a generall destruction vpon Moses and Aa­ron, Princes and Peeres, Commanders & Commo­ners; Yea, Church and Common-wealth: neither wanted there any thing to the ripenesse and perfec­tion thereof, but the last hand to acte it, but a sparke from that hellish fire-brand F [...]ux, to make that mor­tall cracke: but see the goodnesse of God (that all the [Page 34] glory may be his, who neither slumbereth nor slee­peth) who at that very time made them bewray Suo iudicio, quasi Soren pe­rire. Terent. Eunuch. Act. 5. See 7. themselues, notwithstanding all their vowed and deiurated secresie; and by a spirit of diuination in the mouth of our Kingly Regius pro­pheta. D. King. Serm. at Oxf. Nou [...]m. 5. [...]607. Prophet, (construing contra­ry to letter and arte, their more then Aenigmaticall and Hieroglyphicall letter) discouered, preuented, and deliuered vs from the danger of so facinorous a plotte: which designe, if it had taken effect, as al Eng­land had beene ouerwhelmed with a bottomlesse Sea of misery and destruction; so honourable Lon­don, greatest had thy share beene therein, thy massie and mountaine-like buildings, and monuments of age and honour; thy holy Temples, Basilickes, Chap­pels and Oratories; thy royall Pallaces and sumptu­ous houses, had beene laid in the dust, and turned in­to rubbish; thine Elisian fields had beene strowed with the discerped members of the massacred; thy Christalline riuer of Thames, running along thy side with her siluer streame, to make glad the Citie of God had bin Dyed red like the riuers of Egipt, with the blood which had run from the streets, as from so many master veines, thine houses set on flaming fire, thy Shoppes and Store-houses rifled, thy wiues and daughters abused, thy children dashed against the stones, and that which is (or ought to be) greatest of all, the Gospel of Christ (which thou so louest) ba­nished: Oh that the remembrance of these things were written in Stone or Lead, with an Iron Penne, that we and our posterity for euer might say, praysed be the Lord, that hath not giuen vs for a prey to their 1 Psal. 124. 6. teeth. Amen.

[Page 35]But seeing his word hath not beene regarded, and 3. By Cor­rection. his mercies forgotten or abused; hath not God also knocked by his corrections? Yes, the Lord hath wonderfully bowed the heauens, and come down a­mongst vs, & giuen vs many tokens of his anger; the last winter so hard and extream, that neither man nor beast was almost able to abide his Psal. 147. 16. frost: he hath cal­led for a Dearth, and destroyed our prouision of Psal. 105. 16. bread: he hath caused the waters to swell, and passe ouer their ful-sea-markes, where they should haue stayed their proude waues, and by fearefull inundati­ons to dispeople whole In Summ [...] ­setshire, Glou­cestershire, Norfolke, and other places. Ianu. 20. 1606. Valleys: he hath made the Windes to blow so tempestuously, as if he would turne the foundations of the earth vp-side downe, and discouer the very channels of the Sea. Our bo­dies haue beene afflicted with consumptions, hot burning feauers, the botch of Egypt, and many grie­uous and loathsome diseases: yea, the arrowes of pestilence haue plentifully flowen abroade, and wounded many thousands vnto death; treasons a­gainst our King and Countrey, haue beene manie and mighty, monstrous to be imagined, from a num­ber of Lions whelpes, lurking in their Dennes, and watching their houre when to vndoe vs; neyther hast thou London gone scot-free, or sate as a Queen and seene no euill, but so deepely tasted of the cuppe of Gods anger, that thy louers and friends haue stood a farre off, beene afraide of thy plague, and lamented thee, Alas, alas, that great Reue. 18. 16. Citie; yea, euen yet the Lords wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stret­ched out against thee Esa. 9. 12. 17. 21. still: Lord in iudgement re­member mercy, and be not angry for euer.

[Page 36]Lastly, hath not the Lord knocked by his spirit? 4. By his Spirit. I doe appeale vnto your owne consciences, what deepe sighes, what godly motions, purposes, desires; yea, and resolutions you haue had in your hearts, from the hearing of the word, consideration of his mercies, and fight of his iudgements; how often you haue said in your selues, truely I will neuer so sinne any more; I will euer hereafter more zealously per­forme and practise such and such a duety; I will now not faile to reforme such and such an infirmity; and whence are these things, but from Gods spirite? Let vs then rather accuse and condemne our selues, for quenching the good motions of his 1. Thess. 5. 19. spirit, and for stubbornely resisting Act. 7. 51.them, and in all things giue glory vnto God, for his goodnesse and patience to­wards vs; for if euer any people, then ought the in­habitants of England and the Citizens of London confesse with their tongues, and subscribe with their soules to the truth of this proposition; Oh Lord, by thy word, by thy mercies, by thy corrections, and by thy spirit thou standest at our doores, and knockest. So much for the first generall part of my Text.

Now although it ought to be sufficient vnto vs The second generall part. all, to moue vs to open vnto him, to heare him say, that ( he standeth at the doore and knocketh) yet our lo­uing Sauiour, knowing the dulnes of flesh & blood, Coherence. vnto that which concerneth mans eternall good; and also considering how apt the nature of man is to be stirred vp by rewardes, the rather to moue and al­lure vs vnto this holy duety of opening vnto him, hee doth in the second place, propose promises of ample reward, ( If any man heare my voice, and open the [Page 37] doore, I will come in vnto him, and will suppe with him, and he with me.) wherein two things are to be consi­dered: Viz. first the conditions, ( If any man heare my voice, and open the doore) secondly the promises, vpon Diuision. the performance of these conditions, which are two, Viz. ( I will come in vnto him) and I will suppe with him and he with me.) In the conditions we are to obserue, first the generality of them, ( If any man) secondly, the conditions themselues, which are two, Viz. first, ( to Sub-diuision. heare his voice) secondly, ( to open the doore.) For the first, it is to be noted, what a generall Proclamation 1 Part. Christ maketh, including all, excluding none, but see­king to winne euery one, ( if any [...] Si quis. man.)

Howsoeuer the Inuisible Church of God (an Ar­ticle and obiect of our Ru [...]in. in Simb. faith) hath bin, is and shall be, Catholicke, that is, generall, extended to all places, all times, and all kinds of August. [...]pist. 170. Chrisost. in 4 ad Eph. persons, yet the visible Church, which is discerned by the Ministry of the word and Sic August. confess. [...]rt. 7. Caluin. lib. 4. Institut. cap. 1. sect. 9. 10. & fere nostri om­nes. Sacraments, was for a long time within the Tents of Gene. 9. 27. Shem, and amongst the posteritie of Gene. 10. 21. Heber: called Hexap. in Gene. 10. 25. Hebrewes; for in Iurie was God well knowen, and his Name was great in Israel, whereas hee dealt not so with other nations. The Iewes onely his inclosure from the Commons of the world, impaled with the Law of commandements, rites and ceremonies, as with a partition Ephe. 2. 15. wall, and therefore a long time God sent all his Prophets vnto them: Christ said, He was not sent, but to the lost sheepe Ierem. 26. 5. of the house of Matth. 15. 24. Israel, and bad his Apostles goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel, and forbad them to goe into the way of the Gentiles, or to enter into [Page 38] the Cities of the Matth. 10. 5. 6▪ Samaritanes, and answered the poore woman of Canaan, It is not good to take the childrens bread and cast it vnto Matth. 15. 26. Canibus▪ gen­tilibus Nicol. de [...]err. ibid. dogges. But now the partition wal being broken Ephes. 2. 15. downe, we poore Gen­tiles that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death haue seene a great Matth. 4. 16. light, we that were farre off are made Ephe. 2 13. neere, we that are Iaphets Rupert. lib. 1. Com. in Gen. 39 posteritie, are al­lured by the sweete sound of the Gospel, to come and dwell in the tents of Gene. 9. 27. Shem: The Apostles haue their Commission enlarged, You shall be my witnesses both in Iudeah and Ierusalem, and in Samaria and to the ends of the Act. 1. 8. world. Yea, Goe yee (saith Christ) into all the world, and Preach the Gospel to all Marke 16. 15. creatures. I per­ceiue (saith Saint Peter) there is no respect of persons with God, but in euery nation, Hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse, is accepted with Act. 10. 34. [...] him. The Iew may not bragge because of his kinred according to the flesh: Nor the Gentile despaire, because of his Pedegree; For whosoeuer beleeueth is the child of faith­full Rom. 4. 11. Abraham, and there is neither Iew nor Gre­cian; bond nor free, male nor female; difference of na­tion, condition or sexe, is not Qualitates circumstantes. Aret. in Act. Apost. regarded, all are one in Christ Gal. 3. 28. Iesus; he maketh his Proclamation gene­rally, without any restriction, limitation, or excep­tion (if any man) whosoeuer is hungrie may come to this Esay. 55. 1. feast, Whosoeuer is thirstie, may come to these waters of life, and drinke Iohn▪ 7. 37. freely; Whosoeuer is sicke may seeke helpe of this Matth. 9. 12. Phisition; Whoso­euer is blind, naked, & poore, may come to this mar­ket, and for nothing, buy, eye-salue, clothing and gold Reue. 3. 18. enough; Whosoeuer is a lost sinner may [Page 39] come to this seeking Luke 19. 10. Sauiour, and whosoeuer com­meth vnto mee (saith Christ himselfe) I cast not Iohn 6. 39. away.

The conditions thus generally propounded are The Conditi­ons are two, first, to heare the word of Christ. two, First, (to heare his voice) Secondly, (to open the doore) for the first, there is no one duetie oftner commanded throughout the whole Booke of God, then this (of hearing his word) a place or twaine shall serue for instance; Moses in sundry places doeth thus admonish and exhort the people, Heare O Israel, the ordinances, lawes, and statutes, which I teach Deut. 4. 1. & 5. 1. & 6. 34. & 23. &c. you. The Prophet Esay biddeth, Incline your eares, heare and your soules shall Esay 55. 3. liue, The Prophet Dauid cal­leth, Heare O my people, incline your eares to the words of my Psal. 78. 1. mouth; God the Father once, yea twise com­manded vs from heauen, to heare his Matth. 3. vlt. 17. 5. Sonne. Our Sauiour Christ, often in the Gospel chargeth them that haue eares to Matth. 11. 15. 13. 9. 43. marke 4. 9. 23. 7. 16. luke 8. 8. 14. 35. heare; Saint Iames biddeth vs bee swift to Iam. 1. 19. heare: And the conclusion of euery Epistle to those seuen Churches, is this, Let him that hath an heare, heare what the spirit saith to the Reue. 2. 17. 27 Churches: And surely, no maruaile that we are thus often & earnest­ly called vpon, for seing hearing is the appointed and sanctified means to beget wisdom, as Salomon Prou. 1. 5. saith, yea, to beget faith (the excellentest point of heauenly wisedome) as Saint Paul Rom. 10. 17. saith, There is nothing in the world that Sathan more laboureth to hinder then Preaching and hearing: As Saint Paul found by experience, saying, I Paul would at least once or twise haue come vnto you, but Sathan hindred 1. Thess. 2. 18. me. Where­fore men and women had neede to strengthen them­selues to the performance of this duetie, which that [Page 40] they may profitably doe. Three things are princi­pally 3. Things re­quisite to the profitable hea­ring of Gods word. requisite, viz. First, Preparation before, Se­condly, Attention during the time; Thirdly, Medi­tation afterwards.

For the first, Hee that will profitably heare, must 1. Prepara­tion▪ prepare himselfe thereunto, by priuate Prayer, rea­ding, conference and meditation; For the Israelites when they were summoned to appeare before the Lord in Sinai, were first commaunded to sanctifie themselues and wash their Exod. 19. 10▪ 11. clothes; and Moses might not come neere the Lord before hee had put off his shooes, because the ground was holy where­on hee Exod. 3. 5. stood: Why did God bid him put off his shooes? (saith one) Euen that hee might make him thereby more religiously Quare [...]ussus est [...]oses cal­ [...]amenta sol­uere? Certe vt religiosio­rem hac ratio­ne: [...]um redde▪ [...]et. Theodoret. affected: which though hee was (no doubt) in great measure▪ yet euen the best haue neede to haue it more and more increased in B. [...]ing. in Exod cap. 19. ver 10 pa. 31 [...]. them; Take heede therefore (saith Salomon) to thy foote, when thou enterest into the house of Eccles God.

Secondly, there is required Attention: often doth 2. Attention. God by his Prophets bidde men, heare and hearken, heare and incline their eares: Yea▪ thus to heareis rather an office of the minde then of the Opus animi, non auris. care, which the Grammarians doe well call Animaduer­tere, qu [...]si ani­m [...]m aduer [...]ere Animaduersion: such [...]earers the Gospel mencioneth, who are said to lay vp all those things which they heard in their Luke 1. 66. hearts: men then must be specially carefull▪ when they come to heare Gods word, that they bring their hearts with them, least the Lord complaine as some­times he did, This people drawet [...] neare vnto me with their lippes and eares, but their hearts are farre from Esay 29. 13. me. God gaue a charge in his law, that none should [Page 41] appeare before him Exod. 23. 15. emptie. But when men and women so soone as they come to their Pewes, fall into drowsinesse vpon their elbowes; or chatting with their neighbours; o [...] their minds wandring a­farre Vbi est aul [...] regis Caelesti [...] vid [...], garri [...], ambula [...], nego­tiari [...]. Chrisost. Hom▪ in Heb. 15 off: as senselesse as the Pictures in the win­dowes, these bring their bodies without their Corpora ex cordia. 3. Medita­tion. harts, and are guiltie of the sinne, and seldome goe away vnpunished, for appearing before the Lord emptie.

The third and last is meditation afterwards; it was one speciall marke, whereby in time of the law, the cleane beasts were knowne from the vncleane, Viz. that they did chew the Leuit. 11. 3. cud; and hereby are Gods cleane Sheepe discerned, that hauing fedde in the greene Pastures of his word and Sacraments, they will chew the cudde, ruminate and meditate vpon that which they haue heard and receiued, which is both a profitable and a sweet Meditatis dei dulcis est. August. thing; yea, the Pro­phet Dauid pronounceth the man blessed, that doth meditate in the law of God night and Psal. 1. 2. day; thus Isaac went into the fieldes in the euening to Gene. 24. 63. Suach ad medi­tandum in [...] ­gro▪ Amb. medi­tate; this is our heauen vpon earth, where we do be­come for the time, euen strangers here, and are ad­mitted into the fruition of inuisible and vnspeakeable companions and Ios. Halls art▪ of Medit. comforts: and Mary did keepe the sayings, and ponder them in her Luke 2. 19. Areprehen­sion. heart. And here before I conclude this point, let me take vp ala­mentable complaint of a great crying sinne in the Countrie; Viz. that the best houres of the best dayes in the weeke, are of many most vngodly spent, in their houses, shoppes, fieldes, streetes; yea (that which is worse) in Tauernes and Alehouses, Carding and Di­cing, Piping and Dauncing; yea (and that which is [Page 42] worser) in whoring and drinking: and are not these the sinnes of the Citie? I would to God they were A commenda­tion of London for her redi­nesse to heare the word. not; and yet as the holy Ghost witnesseth of the Be­raeans, that they were more noble then they that dwelt at Thessalonica, which receiued the word with all Acts 17. 11. [...]. Erant nobiliores readinesse: Let me giue this honourable and due commendation of London, that as God hath in mercie richly stored her with more worthie Preach­ers of the Gospell, then any other part of the land, so is she full of most noble Citizens, that receiue the word with all readinesse: Oh this is the true Nobili­tie Foure sorts of Nobilitie, first naturall, second fortu­nate, third morall, fourth Diuine, which is the ex­cellentest. D. Meriton▪ Ser. of Nobilitie before the King. Feb. 1606 indeede; yea, as there are many things which mi­nister great comfort and content vnto vs, when wee repaire hither; so is this the greatest, and maketh our hearts leape with ioy, to see your goodly assemblies, which (as Salomon saith) are like a flocke of Goates, which looke from the toppe of Mount Cant. 4. 1. Gilead; and so your beautifull Churches, filled from corner to corner; it maketh vs to wonder with Balaam, how goodly are thy Numb. 24. 5. Tents! and as the woman in the Gos­pell, did throng but to touch the hemme of his Matth. 9. 21. Exhortation. gar­ment, so ye throng to get within the doore: Oh let me intreat you, more and more to increase in the zealous performance of this holy duetie, for it is the eare-marke of Gods sheepe: my sheepe will heare my Iohn 10. 27. voice. Make good vse of your eares, it is the excel­lentest member that a man hath; if a man loose his eye, arme, or legge, yet he may haue some comfort in an Hospitall or Spittle, and though he be neuer cu­red, yet it hurteth not the soule, Nay, it may bee good for the soule; but if God take away the vse of hearing, the soule is in danger of famishing, for the [Page 43] soule feedeth at the eare, as the body by the mouth: And therefore the want of hearing is called a Amos 8. 11. fa­mine; yea, as I haue said Sermon at Pauls Crosse. Ianu. 1. 1608. Pag. 14. before, so say I now a­gaine: If euer God lay this famine vpon you, your glory, wealth and dignitie is gone; but I am perswa­ded better things of you, and such as accompanie Heb. 6. 9. saluation; Yea, if your Preparation before, and Me­ditation after, be answerable to your present attenti­on, I assure my selfe God hath a blessed worke in hand: you doe so well performe this first condition, (to heare his voice.)

The second condition required, is ( to open the 2. Conditio [...] (to open.) doore) our Sauiour else-where hath pronounced, Bles. sed are they that heare the word of God and keepe Luke 11. 28. it. And Saint Paul saith, Not the hearers of the Law, but the dooers shall be Rom. 2. 13. iustified; And Saint Iames saith, They that heare the word onely, and doe it not, deceiue Iames 1. 22▪ themselues: That therefore we may not deceiue our selues, but bee iustified in present, and blessed in fu­ture, our Sauiour here ioyneth these two conditi­ons together, and let no man put them asunder, ( if any man heare my voice, and open the doore.) For the full opening of which Scripture, I will briefely an­swere three Questions which by three sorts of per­sons are propounded, and doe naturally arise from the Text to be considered of: The first is made by the Atheist: The second by the Papist; The third by the godly Protestant, The Atheists question tendeth to his contempt of the meanes of saluation; The Pa­pists, to his confirmation in heresie; The Protestants to his godly conformation in the trueth.

The Atheist that maketh a mocke of Religion, 1 Question pro­po [...]ded by the Atheist. and scorneth the exercises thereof, demandeth wh [...] [Page 44] neede I to open? If Christ bee God, and made the heart, he can enter if hee list without any opening, but O vaine man, Know, he that made thee without thee, will not saue thee without August. Serm. 25. de Serb. Apost. thee; God wor­keth not vpon man, as vpon a senselesse blocke or Non sicut la­pidibus▪ aut aliis insensatis, operatur salu­tem. [...]ugust. cont. Pelag. 1. 5. stone, seeing he hath indued him with reason, will, and vnderstanding, which by mans fall, are not de­stroyed for substance, but onely corrupted in quali­ties; and hath in true conuersion, the will concur­ing with word and spirit, for no man euer was con­uerted against his will, neither is will constrained, any will; and therefore cease thy godlesse reasoning, and if thou hast any sparke of grace, whilest the time and meanes are affoorded thee, Worke out thy saluati­on with feare and Philip. 2. 12. [...]. Question propounded by the Papist. trembling.

The second Question is propounded by the Pa­pist, who thus demandeth, Is it in the power of mans will, or of his pure naturals, to open vnto Christ? Indeede the Rhem annot. in Luc. 10. sect. 6. & Rom. 9. sect 4. Rhemistes, Bellarmine, and other lear­ned Thom. Aquin. Scot. Hen. Cap­reol, ferrartens. vt [...]stat Bellar. lib. 3. de Grat. cap. 10. Papists, doe exceedingly magnifie, both in generall, mans pure naturals, as herein being able to doe good workes congruously meritorious; And in particular, the libertie of will, as simply and abso­lutely Simpliciter & absolute actiuum. Bellar. actiue, in first conuersion; and to that end abuse this In nostra est potestate Chri­sto pulsanti a­perire. Tittelm. in Cant. 5. fo. 82 Text. But the holy Scriptures, godly Learned Fathers, and orthodoxe confessions of re­nowmed Churches, doe teach vs otherwise, viz. That all the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart, are onely and continually Gene. 6. 5. euill, and we starke dead in trespasses and Ephe. 2. 1. sinnes, so as without Christ our life, we can do Iohn 15. 5. nothing, no not so much as think a good 2. Cor. 3. 5. thought: We haue it by Creation to will, [Page 45] by corruption, to will that which is euill, but onely, by Regeneration to will that which is Nisi sit dona tum, non habet bonum velle. Amb. de vocat. Gent lib. [...]. ca. 9 good; our wils doe not by freedome obtaine grace, but by grace obtaine Non libertate gratiam: sed gratia▪ liberta­tem. August. de corrept. & grat. cap. 8. freedome; Nature, maketh man willing, but Grace maketh him Natara vo­lentes, gratia bene volentes. Barn. wel-willing.

Howsoeuer then at the same moment that man is conuerted, he doth will his Eodem mo­mento nobis da­tur recipere & velle recipere. Bez. quest. pag. 47. Calu. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 5. sect. 19. conuersion, yet is man but a subiect to receiue this impression of M. Perk. on Gal. 1. pag. [...]1. Grace, If wee haue a good thought, it is grace infused; if a good word, it is grace effused; if a good worke, it is grace Gratia tri­plex. [...]nfusa▪ 2. effusa. 3. diffusa. diffused: for all, God only is to haue the glo­rie: and yet there is great vse of such like precepts and commandements as these: For first, they shew vs our duetie what we ought to doe: Secondly, by the ministery of them grace is conuey ed into our hearts, whereby we are enabled to doe them; and therefore to conclude this Question, as God commaunded vs to belieue and Marke 1. 15. repent, yet faith and repentance are the gifts of Iohn 6. 29. 2. tim. 2. 25. God: So hee biddeth vs ( open the doore) yet hath hee the keye of Reue. 3. 7. Dauid, and did himselfe o­pen Lidias Acts 16. 14. heart, and therefore we must pray with that Father, Lord giue what thou requirest of Da domine, quod [...]ubes. [...]. Question by the godly Protestant. vs.

The third and last Question is demaunded by the godly Protestant, who being desirous to open vnto Christ, is also desirous to know the meanes how the doore of the heart is ordinarily opened to receiue Christ, for whose full information, I giue such an one to vnderstand, that the hand that openeth the heart is the good spirit of God, the keye that this hand vseth, is the ministrie of the word, the gra­ces wrought by his hand in that heart, which is or shall bee opened, are principally these two, [Page 46] first, Faith, and second Repentance: So by Pauls mi­nistrie, God had almost opened the doore of King Agrippa [...]s heart, when he confessed, almost thou per­swadest me to become a Acts 2 [...]. 28. Christian; And by the mi­nisterie of Iohn Baptist, had almost opened the doore of Herods heart, for the Euangelist witnesseth, that he reuerenced Iohn, and did many things, and heard him Marke 6. 20. gladly: Oh if they had not almost, but altoge­ther (as Paul Acts 26. 29. wished) beleeued and repented, they had not almost, but altogether opened vnto Christ: if then, by the ministerie of his word, God haue be­gotten a true and liuely faith in thee, which worketh by [...] loue: If an vnfained repentance for thy sinnes, Examination Gal. 5. 6. which bringeth foorth fruites worthy of amende­ment of Matth. 3. 5. life, with an holy zeale, and indignation, and care, neuer to offend any 2. Cor. 7. 11. more, thou maiest then bee of good comfort, God hath opened the doore of thine heart vnto him.

And that I may conclude this point with words of Exhortation, I beseech you open vnto the Lord Exhortation. this day, he hath too long waited our leasure, and our vaine pleasures, or profits, Honour, or wealth haue stood in our way, that few haue resigned themselues in such resolute obedience vnto Christ, as they ought; but haue differed Repentance, if not of all, yet of some sinnes, and neglected, if not all, yet ma­ny good dueties: Oh that the Lord would frame our hearts this day to an holy and immooueable re­solution of obedience in all things, and no longer to trifle the time, with friuoulous excuses, of dange­rous delay, that so performing the Conditions of (hearing his voice, and opening the doores of our [Page 47] hearts) we may haue our parts, in these blessed pro­mises, whereof wee are now in the next place to consider.

The promises are two, the first is of inhabitation The first pro­mise, viz. of inhabitation. ( I will come in vnto him) meaning, that he wil stay and abide with him for euer; for so himselfe hath promi­sed, If any man loue me, hee will keepe my word, and my Father will loue him, and we will come vnto him, and will dwell with Iohu 14. 23. [...] Mansionem facierous. him; And Saint Paul prayeth for the Ephesians, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Ephe. 3. 17. faith; Yea the Greeke word is very [...] nam apud Graecos, [...] & [...] differunt, sicut apud Latinos, habitare & commorari. Bez. in Matth. 2. [...]3. emphaticall, as Learned Beza, and Zanchius haue well obserued. Here then the greatest blessing that can be is promi­sed, and wherein mans happinesse consisteth, viz. his vnion with Vniri cum Deo, summa bè atitudo est. Bulling. Christ, when a man can truely say with the Apostle, Christ liueth in Gala. 2. 20. me; for as the soule is the life of the body, and being seperate, the body is dead: So Christ is the life of the soule, and being se­parate from it, the soule is dead, yea, euer dying and neuer dead, this is the second death.

But what will Christ come alone? No indeede, hearken what Christ himselfe saith, My Father will loue him, and we will come vnto him and dwell with Iohn 14. 23. him, not excluding the holy [...]um pater & filius nominan­tur, non potest excludi s [...]tritus sanctus. Nic. Hemm [...]ng. ibid. Ghost, for of him hee spea­keth expressely before, I will send you the comfor­ter, who shall dwell with you, and shall bee in you for Ioh. 14. 16. 17. euer: In regard whereof, Saint Paul calleth our bodies the Temples of the holy 1. Cor. 6. 19. Ghost; Yea, in ma­ny places, he calleth them the Temple of 1. Cor. [...]. 16. [...]. &c. God; Oh happie hee, that is vouchsafed such a dignitie, what good thing shall he want, or what euill needeth hee to feare, that hath God in him, the fountaine of all [Page 48] Est haec in comparabilis dignitatis. & omnem felicit i­tem comprehen­dit. Gualt in Iohn. Hom. 135. good: the Lord is my Shepheard (saith Dauid) I shall not Psal. 23. 1. want; and if the Lord be with vs, who or what can be against vs? saith Saint Rom. 8. 31. Two principal motiues, to o­pen vnto Christ. Paul: there are two principal motiues, effectual (where is any grace) to open the heart: First, he is a liberall rewarder of them that entertaine him, he neuer commeth empty Faelix qui hunc Hospitem recipit, est satis magnificus hos­pes non venit vacuis manibus Ierus. in Iohn. fol. 401. handed: Abraham entertained but Angels, and had a sonne bestowed vpon Gene. 18. 10. him; Lot did the like, and he was deliuered from the subuersion of Gene. 19. 17. So­dom; Obed Edom the Gittite, gaue but house-roome to the Arke of God, and the Lord blessed him, and all his 2. Sam. 6. 7. houshold; what good thing then shall he want, in whom the whole Trinity Habenti do­minum nil de­trit, quod dei sunt omnia. Cypr. dwelleth?

Secondly, he is an inseparable and most comfor­table companion: we may haue friends that loue vs dearly in prosperity, yet wil forsake vs in aduersity; as Dauid complaineth, my louers and friends stand a farre off, looking vpon my Psal. 38. 11. plague, and yet Iob more lamentably complaineth, I became a stranger to my neighbors, my familiars forgot me, my maides tooke me for a stranger, and my seruant would not answere me, my breath was strange vnto my wife, though I prayed her for the childrens sake of mine owne Iob. 19. 13. &c. bo­die: yea, CHRIST himselfe had experience hereof, Iudas betrayed Matth. 26. 16. him, his Disciples forsooke Matth. 26. 56. him, and Peter for-sware Matth. 26. 72. him; that the Prophecy might be fulfilled, I will smite the Shepheard, and the Sheepe of the flocke shall be Zach. 13. 8. scattered: but though our friends sticke neuer so fast vnto vs, and their loue continue constant aswell in aduersity as prosperity, as the loue of Ionathan towards Dauid, whose loue passed the loue of 2. Sam. 1. 26. women, yet when death com­meth [Page 49] all men forsake vs; this seperateth husband and wife, parents and children, friend and friend, though neuer so dearely beloued: if Sarai be once dead, Abra­ham is carefull for a place where to burie her out of his Gene. 23. 4. sight.

But if Christ be entred within the doores of our hearts, he will be with vs for euer, for so he hath pro­mised; when thou passest thorow the waters, they shall not ouerflow thee; when thou walkest tho­row the fire, the flame shall not kindle vpon thee, for I will be with Esay 43. 2. thee: so that in euery perill, we may with Dauid comfort our selues in Psal. 23. 4. Christ, and though we see plague, pestilence, famine or death before vs, yet we may say with him, I will feare no euill, for thou Christ art with Psal. 23. 4. me, who in life and death art aduantage vnto Philip. 1. 21. Exhortation. me: If therefore thou hast not yet entertained Christ, Oh now that he knocketh at the doore, open vnto him: yea, imbrace and hugge him in the armes of faith, and say, welcome Christ, for there is none that I desire in comparison of Psal. 73. 5. thee; and when he is once entred, carry thy selfe so, as thou dost not grieue his Ephe. 4. 30. spirit, and prouoke him to de­part, which nothing can doe but sinne; he can brook pouerty, sickenesse, persecution, slaunder or any mi­sery, there is nothing maketh him weary of dwel­ling with vs but sinne, onely that doth seperate him and Esay. 59. 1. 2. vs: But what benefite shal we haue by his com­ming in vnto vs? that the second promise sheweth, ( I will suppe with him, and he with me) where, by the The second promise, mutu­al Communion and fellowship metaphor of a Supper or feast, the sweet and heauen­ly Communion and Fellowshippe, betwixt Christ and a sinfull soule conuerted, are shaddowed out; [Page 50] which holy Communion consisteth in a mutuall or 1. Part of this Communion. What dishes a sinfull soule presenteth vn­to Christ. reciprocall giuing and receiuing, and therefore shad­dowed out by a double Supper: first the soule con­uerted, suppeth with Christ, for he saith ( I will suppe with him.) Now the dishes that she hath to present and entertaine him withall, are these three: Viz. first sinne, secondly sorrow for sinne, thirdly misery, the 1. Sinne. effect of sinne. The first, I say, is (sinne) for if this dish be wanting in the seruice, Christ is not welcome; Nay, he will not tarry Supper, for he is come to seeke and to saue that which was Matth. 18. 11. lost; the whole neede not the Physition but those that are sick: he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to Matt. 9. 12. 13. repentance: how­soeuer then proude Merit-mongers and Iusticiaries, may with Martha take care, and trouble themselues about many things, yet is this the one needful Luke 10. 41. thing, which our Sauiour Christ taketh in good parte, and the Angels of heauen reioyce Luke 15. 10. at; Viz. that we pre­sent our sinnes vnto him, and say with the prodigall sonne, Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Luke 15. 21 sonne, and with the humble Publicane, O God be mercifull vnto me a Luke 18. 13. sinner.

The second is sorrow for sinne, this is a mournfull 2. Sorrow for Sinne. Supper, where is not heard the sound of the Vyoll, Tabret and Iob. 21. 12. Harpe, and such like Instruments of Amos 6. 5. Musicke, but of grieuous mourning and Amos 8. 10. lamenta­tion like Rachel, who wept and could not be Iere. 31. 15. com­forted, as if they had obtained [...]eremies wish, euen their heads to be full of water, and their eyes a foun­taine of Iere. 9. 1. In fontem frontem atque in flumina lum [...] [...]rtam. teares: so the Prophet Ioel preparing men to this Super, biddeth them turne to the Lord with [Page 51] al their hearts, with fasting, weeping and Ioel 2. 12. mourning: Saint Iames doth the like, suffer afflictions, sorrow and weepe, let your laughter be turned into mour­ning and your ioy into Iames 4. 9. heauines: so we reade that King Iosiah his heart melted, and he rent his clothes and wept before the 2. Kings 22. 19 Lord: the like did King Dauid, he caused his bedde to swimme, and watered his Couch with Psal. 6. 6. teares: Peter went out and wept Matth. 26. vl [...]. bit­terly: and the sinfull woman washed Christs feete with her Luke 7. 38. teares; and how acceptable this was, ap­peareth from Christs owne wordes to Simon: Simon seest thou this woman, thou gauest me no water, but shee hath washed my feeee with teares: yea, blessed (saith he) are they t [...]at Matth. 5. 4. mourne: A broken and contrite spirit is a sacrifice pleasing vnto Psal. 51. 17. God; yea, more acceptable then a Bullocke that hath hornes and Psal. 69. 31. hoofes: and for this cause Saint Paul vvas glad, that he had made the Co­rinthians godly 2. Cor. 7. 9. sory: yea, I vvould to God I could make you so sory for your sins, and cause such abun­dance of teares to be shedde for the same, that this place might be called Iudg. 2. 5. 3. Misery the effect of sinne. Bothim, vvee should neuer a one of vs haue cause to repent, or to be sorie for such a sorrovv.

The third and last is misery, the effects of sinne; as hunger, thirst, vvearisomnes, sadnes, pouertie, an­ger, &c. vvhich being presented vnto Christ, he ta­keth them at our hands; yea, he so farre submitted himselfe to all the M. Per [...] on the Creed, of incar­nat. pag. 280. generall and vnblameable infir­mites, and passions of our [...] Natu­rales, & incul­pa [...]les pas [...]ones Damasc lib. 3. cap. 2 [...]. Zanch. d [...]incarnat. lib. 2. The [...]. [...]ag. 117. &c. nature, that the Prophet Esay foretolde, hee should neither haue forme nor beautie, but men vvould hide (as it vvere) their faces from Esay 53. 3. him; and Dauid confesseth in his person, I [Page 52] am a worme and noman; yea, a shame of men, and the contempt of the people, my strength is dried vp like a pot­sheard, my tongue cleaueth to my iawes, and I may tell all my Psa. 22. 15. &c. bones. But passing from this supper, which hath nothing but sinne, sorrow, and miserie; let vs come to the second part of this blessed Communion, and see what a royall and happy feast Christ maketh vn­to the conuerted sinner, noted in these last words of my Text, ( and [...]e with me) he commeth not to be en­tertained 2. Part of the Communion. onely, but to entertaine also: if any inuite Christ, as the Church doth, saying, Let my welbe loued come to his garden, and eate his pleasant Cant. 4. vlt. fruit: he is not a churlish Nabal, but wil inuite them againe, and that to a royall feast indeed, euen to a feast of fatte things, full of marrow, and of wines fined and Esay 25. 6. purified; and will say, eate friends, drinke and make you merrie, O Cantic. 5. 1. yee beloued; which blessed Supper is heere be­gun and continued in his kingdome for euer; where­in What Christ communica­teth to the Conuert soule. 1. Righteous­nesse. these three things are principally communicated vnto vs: first righteousnes in steade of sinfulnesse: so Saint Paul saith, he is made of God to be vnto vs wis­dome, righteousnes, sanctification, and 1. Cor. 1. 30. redemption: and againe, he was made sinne that knew no sinne, that wee might be made the righteousnes of God through 2. Cor. 5. vlt▪ him, whose righteousnes of Matth. 3. 15. fulfilling and Heb. 2. 9. suffering, actiue and passiue, being made ours by faith, the sinnes of omission and commission are done away, and wee stand before God, not onely as not hauing broken his law, but also as hauing abso­lutely kept and fulfilled it.

The second is ioy and peace, in stead of sorrovv 2. Ioy. and anguish; he taketh avvay our sackcloth, and gir­deth [Page 53] vs with P sal. 30. 11. gladnes: for hauing his righteousnes, and being iustified, we haue peace with Rom. 5. 1. God; yea, and ioy in God vnspeakeable and glorious, which we can neither suppresse nor 1. Pet. 1. 8. Nec reticere nec recitare. expresse, which yet is but a taste, as the bunch of Grapes were to the Num. 13. 24. Is­raelites: the full fruition is not granted till we come into Gods presence, where are the fulnes of Psal. 16. vlt. ioyes: where they shall drinke of the Riuers of pleasure, and be satisfied with the fatnes of Gods Psal. 36. 8. house, where ioy shal not enter into them, for it is so great as heart cannot conceiue the taste of 1. Cor. 2. 9. it, but they shall enter into Matth. 25. 23. it, and Non intrabit gaudium in gaudentes sed toti gaudentes in gaudium do­mini. August. Manue. cap. 36. bathe themselues in ioy, and euen swimme in the bottomlesse streame of the sweete pleasure of God, as a little fish taketh his pastime in the huge Ocean Psal. 104. 26 Sea.

The third and last is, happines and felicity in steade 3. Happinesse of our wretchednes and misery, which consisteth both in full redemption from all euill, and the perpe­tuall fruition of all good; in regard whereof, the ho­ly Ghost pronounced, Blessed are they that are cal­led to the Lambes Supper, these wordes of God are Reue. 19. 9. Exhortation. true: Oh blessed then, and an hundred times blessed are ye that are now called, if ye come to this Supper; wherefore I beseech you, let vs dallie and excuse the matter no longer, but this day that he knocketh, let vs heare his voice and obey, least deferring to repent, he cease to knocke any longer, and in stead of sealing vs vp vnto the day of Ephe. 1. 13. redemption, he seare vs with an hotte Iron to the day of 1. Tim. 4. 2. destruction: Oh there­fore that I knew what to say, or what to doe, to ob­taine this of you, or rather of God for you: Yea, if vvith Salomon I might hane my wish, I would neither [Page 54] desire of God long life, nor riches, nor any such earth­ly vanity, but this onely needfull grace to my selfe, and al that haue heard me this day, that effectually o­pening the doores of our harts vnto Christ, he might come in and sup with vs, and we with him for euer.

To conclude, this yeere is a great yeere of triall Conclusion. & temptation, especially to the poore, and I beseech you that haue this worlds goods to heare and open vnto them, when they call and knocke at your gates, knowing that what yee giue to the poore seruants of Christ in his Name, yee giue vnto him, and hee will reward Quod iacenti in terra porr [...] ­gitis: sedenti­in C [...]lo datis. Greg. Homil. it: Oh to giue liberally and chearefully to the poore, is the gainefullest trade in the Ar [...] omntum quaestuosissima Chrisost. ad pop. Antioch. world, for that is true of this kinde of pietie, which Saint Paul speaketh of godlinesse in generall, it is profitable vn­to all things, hauing the promise of this life, and of that which is to 1. Tim. 4. 8. [...]. Ad omnia vti­l [...] est. come; it is both our iourneying prouision in this our wearisome Pilgrimage in earth, and a neuer fayling treasure reserued in heauen for Viatic [...]m in mundo thesau­ru [...] in Caelo. vs; and therefore though you haue neuer so many children to care for, Yet let Christ in his poore mem­bers be reputed one, and cared for, the rest shall fare the Habes decem, putes Christum esse vndecimum August. better. For if you Suppe him, hee will Suppe you: Fie then that we should spend vpon pride and brauery, loosenes and prodigality, ryot and luxurie, surfetting and gluttony, pleasure and sensuality; on parasites and flatterers, rymers and iesters, dicers and dancers, players and pypers, roysters and swaggerers; yea, on dogs and hawkes, that which we should giue to the poore, and to detaine from them, or diuert to other vses, is a sinne of crying Sacrilegium est, rem paupe­rum non dare pauperibus. Hierom. sacriledge.

But here, as duetie bindeth me, let me (to the glo­rie [Page 55] of God, the shame of our enemies, our own com­fort, & the good encouragement of others) giue true testimony to Londons liberality: Oh London, Lon­don, excellent things are spoken of thee thou city of God: it is spoken of thee that thou louest the truth, & reuerencest Religion, and honourest the Ministers of Christ more then any part of the Realm besides: it is spoken of thee, that by meanes of worthy magistrates, Emanuel Col. founded by Sir Gualt. Mild­may. Sidney Coll. by the Count. of Sussex. An Hospitall and Free­schole at Croy don, by Whyt. Arch. Bishop of Canter. Ano­ther at Green­wich by M [...]. Lambert. Another at Westminst. by the Lady Da­kers. A Free-schole founded by Sir Iohn Hart. Lady Ramsey fall of good workes. Sir Roger Man-wood e­rected an Hos­pitall at Saint Steuens, and founded a Free schoole at Sandwich. thou art a Sanctuary to the good, a snare to the bad, the mirrour of good gouernement; and onely thy Suburbes, Skirts and out-bounds the sobbe and sinke of sinne, and Cage for all vncleane birds to roost in: it is spoken of thee, that none are more true and obe­dient to highest powers, nor readier with bodie and goods to defend the State then thou art: And lastly, whereas our blacke-mouthed aduersaries exclaime a­gainst vs, that we preach nothing but sola fides, sola fides, and whereas their Bona opera haue built many goodly Colledges and Hospitals, our Sola fides hath plucked them down againe: No, no, the world doth knowe, since it hath pleased God to enlighten our Church with the purity of the Gospel, there haue bin moe Colledges founded, Hospitals erected, Schooles builded, poore Schollers maintained, Orphants and Impotents relieued, and charitable deedes exercised generally in this land, then in any, if not in many ages vnder Poperie and superstition: but London, Lon­don, vve make our boast of thee, as able to remoue so slaunderous an imputation; it is vvell seene hovv thou employest a great part of thy vvealth, to relieue a great number of poore Schollers, poore Souldiers, and poore Orphants: I am compassed vvith a cloude [Page 56] of vvitnesses this day, there being of poore children, souldiers and impotent people, that this last yeare haue beene maintained, cured and relieued in the Hospitals of Christ, Saint Bartholmew, S. Thomas, and Bridewell, to the number of tvvo thousand, fiue hundred, eightie tvvo, besids your liberality tovvards Colledges and Schooles of learning, in maintaining poore Schollers, and good exercises of Learning; and besides your liberality tovvards poore prisoners and others from your purses and your doores: Oh, let God haue the glorie, our enemies shame, and our selues comfort from these things, and all together proclaime, great is the truth and preuaileth.

And mine humble and hearty prayer vnto God is, that long and long may this renowmed Citie flo­rish and abound in peace, plenty, honour, vvealth and prosperity, that long and long she may be rich and a­bound in all manner of good vvorkes, to the com­fort of thousands and tenne thousands of his poore Saints: vvhich God graunt for his beloued sonnes sake Iesus Christ, to vvhom vvith the father and the holy Spirite, three persons in glorious Trinity; one onely immortall, inuisible and vvise God in Vnity, be rendred and ascribed all glory, vvisedome, maiesty, praise, povver, thanks and domi­nion, both novv and for euer­more. AMEN.