OMNIS dies, omnis, hora quam nihil sumus osteudit, &c. Eve­ry day, you see, nay, every houre (saies Seneca) shewes us what a Nothing wee are, Libro d [...] brev. vitae. and by some fresh argument or other puts us in minde of our forgot mortality: had not each Day enough of its owne griefe, this could supply the rest, The occasio­nall Preface. we could now lend our neighbours teares, but that (I feare) com­mon calamities have already stord them; stord them with such sad spectacles as lieth before us: such indeed for frailenesse, but seldome (I thinke) such for goodnesse: one thats Text enough for a discourse, Acts 20 7. were it as long as Saint Pauls Sermon, Act. 20. but that, here, double modesty prohibits Panegyricks; [Page 2]and you know funerall Sermons are not so much to glorifie the dead, as edifie the living: and therefore wee will take another Text, wherof yet Hee shall be the Comment, while wee the Applicatours: and that is written in the thirteenth Chapter of Saint Paul to the Hebrewes and the fourteenth verse.

THat Wise observer of a Time for all things Eccles. 3. Eccles. 3. tells us of a tempus nascendi, a time to be borne, and tempus moriendi, of a time to die, but not so much as mentioneth tempus vivendi, any time at all to live; Man having indeed to certainty of that, but passing from his proper to the common Mo­ther (from the grave of the wombe, to the wombe of the grave) as swift as either ship or shuttle, winde or arrow; like Iob 9.25. Iobs Poast, having ever one Citty to leave, an other to make toward, none to abide in, [...], &c. For wee have heere no continuing Citty.

But ere we enter this same City, let us look a little on the gate of it, this word The context in the particle For. For: 't will bring us better acquainted with the context, and, as a Porter open to us the dores of this building. It is particula rationalis, say the Schooles: For, is commonly a relative parti­cle, wheresoere prefixt, speaking those words a rea­son of precedent matter: and so indeed tis heere; Saint Vide Parei praefa in Coment super Hebraeos. Paul now taking his farewel of the Hebrewes (as I may make him the Author with more Seconds [Page 3]than opponents.) The Apostle, I say, in this last chap­ter of his Epistle, legacieth many pious duties to their practice (enforcing all his documents with reasons.)

As in the first place Hospitality. vers. 2. Hospitality, [...]. verse. 2. bee not forgetfull to lodge strangers (saies hee) For thereby some have entertained An­gels.

Next loyalty in Chastity. v. 4 wedlocke, inviolation of the nuptiall bed, vers. 4. Marriage is honourable, &c. but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge.

Thirdly, Content v 5 contentednesse with any estate, vers. 5. [...], be content with those things that you have, For God hath said it, I wil never leave thee nor for­sake thee.

Fourthly, Constancy. verse 9. perseverance in religion, v. 9 be not car­ried about with divers and strange doctrines (saies hee) For tis a good thing the heart be stablished with grace.

Lastly, Patience. v. 13 patience and humility in the 13. verse, [...]. Let us goe forth out of the campe bearing his reproach, for wee have here, &c. As much as if he had said, Christ (like that sin-offering burnt without the campe, Levit. 6 36. Lev. 6) suffred without the gate (.i.) most ignominiously for place and manner; let not us Christians therefore wanton out our lives in Tents of pleasure, but follow such a Master out of the City (.i.) conversationem mundi exeamus: Ecolampadius in locum. relinquish we our carnal conversation, not fashioning our selves according to this world; a world that ascertaines us of nothing but of our uncertainty, a non habemus, here no continuing City: tis fit then wee thinke of an abode elsewhere, it becomes discarded Luk. 16 8. Stewards to provide them, each imitate that wise one in the Gospell, purchase you a perpetuity, [...] either by such do­ing good, or patient suffering ill (no matter w ^ch way [Page 4]God bring us to Heaven) and come the worst, wee know Christs Thornes were platted into a Crowne, that 2 Tim 2 12. if wee suffer we shall also raigne with him. Let the world build on sand, while hee is our Rocke wee cannot want an house shall stand eternall in the Heavens, a City, whose Builder and Maker is God: and this is it we looke for, That we long for futuram expectamus: Text. Text.

But because sorrow, I know, is a passion loves no prefacing, I will forthwith spread my mantle and divide these waters; and then heeres at one side, Mundi indigentia, Earths inhospitality, Non habemus, here no continuing City: at the other, Coeli sufficien­tia, Heavens all-sufficiency, futuram expectamus, wee looke for one. Which two parts, I may expresse, as Zeno. the Philosopher of old his two Sciences Rheto­rick and Logick: the world appeares here pugna con­tractâ, as with a clinched fist, readier to give a blow than a benefit, a very withered Icroboam, whose hand is shortned that it cannot helpe, not helpe us to a continuing Citty, [...]; here wee have none. But the tother is Manus Expansa, Division. the open hand of Heaven, fuller of assistances and blessings, than all Rhetorick can delineat, [...]. Indeed this Text is the Christians Map of the World; con­sisting likewise of that The paire of Globes, Coele­stiall and Ter­restriall. paire of Globes Coelestiall and Terrestriall: Globes (I say) not Cosmogra­phicall, but Theologicall; one of them not so much discovering the rarities of Earth, and flourishing Cities of the world, as demonstrating the vanity and emptinesse thereof, and that there is no continuing City in it: The tother not so much teaching us the motion of the Starres, and walking unto Heaven with a staffe, as how wee may one [Page 5]day shine among those Lights, and really inha­bit that same glorious City, which is some Happinesse heere, but to hope for Futuram Ex­pectamus, &c.

The first of these (mee thinkes) the The Terre­striall Globe of the Christi­stian Map. Matth. 4. lower Globe, deales with us heere, somewhat like Satan with our Saviour, Matthew 4. Setting us, as on a Pinnacle of the Temple, shewes us all a faire Prospect of the Earth; yet with a true, not his false glasse; not as a lure, but as a caution, not in the lan­guage of the Tempter, telling us of Kingdomes and the glory thereof, but in the Apostles, Transit Mun­dus. 1 Iohn 2. The world passeth, and the glory thereof; 1 Iohn 2.17. passeth! I, and must one day in the Partes imitan­tur Naturam totius. totall passe to nothing, as now in the parts, to no continuing City: which defect and indigence of the world, results apparantly from these three circumstances of the Text: Quis, Quid, Ʋbi: Subdivision. in 3. circum­stances. the Plaintifes heere con­doling, wee: wee, the generall race of Adam, wee, mortalls, because wee sinners. Secondly, their wants, what they are scanted of, and thats a place of resi­dence, a continuing City, Non habemus, we have none. Lastly, the Scene of all these miseries, where we are thus streightned, and thats Hic here, in this same dirty [...]. prison Earth. (Text) Briefly of them, and with a discourse as fitting as the subject, no continuing City: and first of the Plaintifes Wee.

But what? have wee no continuing City? First circum­stance, Quis. by your favour (holy Apostle) did not the Creatour, so soone as hee had built this great house the world, and furnisht it, bring in Man his Tenant there, and sole possessour? can we complaine of wants? did not all creatures then weare mans livery, a name of [Page]servitude, and the very wheeles of Time it selfe, A reflection on mans Cre­ation and his fall. appointed to attend him unto immortality? Can they then, whose is the whole Earth, want Cities? whose Chariot, Immortality; whose Lackquie, Time was; can they want continuance? is heere a non habemus? we no continuance heer! Indeed the World was thus mans Royall-Mannour once (all Creatures holding of him) Paradice to have beene his Continuing City; and all this too, leased out to him (paying but the Rent, Obedience) for as many lives as hee should have Posterity: But the edge of his ambition cut off this entay­led Happinesse, hee would bee Paramount, Chiefe Land-lord, He: so breaking the conditi­ons, forfeited his everlasting Tenure: that now hee is but a Tenant at will to an offended Land-lord, and scarce an equall sharer in the vivacity of his brother-animals; but this mise­ry and mortality of Man, is a condition not im­printed in him by God, who (as Hee is Him­selfe Immortall) had put a Coale, a Beame of Immortality into ûs, which wee might have blowne into a Flame, but blew it out by our first sinne; wee beggered our selves by heark­ning after false Riches, and therefore now are driven to our wants, to these complaints Non habemus. Wee infatuated our selves by listning after false Knowledge: I, that Tree of Know­ledge bereft us of the Tree of Life, taught us to know evill onely: and left us doubly like the beasts that perish. Psal. 49.12. Psalme 49. both for infatuation and corruption: like the beasts indeed for praecipi­tation unto death, but not for the protraction of their life; most of them running man out of breath [Page 7]if wee may beleeve the Virgilii Epigr. de aetat. animal. Naturalists (as specially, I thinke in this particular) the Crow nine times numbring out his age, the Stagg foure times excee­ding hers, the Raven againe trebling his, the Phoe­nix as long liv'd as all of them. These and others sport and chant away whole centuries of yeares, while man sits sighing over his poore handfull, Psalme 39 5. Dies fecisti palmares meos. Psal. 39. Thou hast made my daies but a spanne long, nay rather a short spanne; Mine age is nothing unto thee, saies David, there to God, that might say heere unto the beasts, mine age is nothing unto these. And yet it would favour but of learned Heathenisme, [...]. to chide at Na­ture (as some have done) and call her Step-mother to man, and naturall to others; the Aristot. in Histor. Anim. Philosopher himselfe takes of that cavill, affirming one day of a life of reason, above an age of non-intelli­gence, beyond all their longaevity of senfe: but Divinity turnes this seeming discontent in­to a comfort, informing us that this life pro­perly belongs to things of sense, all its chiefe blandishments (treasure or pleasure) being but sensuall, and no otherwise than imaginarily good, The good man envies not the bruites vivacity. much good may it doe them, then with the length of this life, that are to have none other, Non equidem invideo: while nobler soules of reason and religion, trampling on this, hasten to a bet­ter; a life among their Brother-Angels, in their owne Country, Heaven; There to measure reall felicities no more by Time but by eternity.

No longer then let this bee a complaint but con­solation, non habemus, that wee have heere no conti­nuing City.

Thus having brought you acquainted with the Plainteifs (as wêll as with your selves) con­sider now their wants, Transition to the second particle. [...]: we have not a continuing City.

A continuing City] Wee are not heere restrai­ned unto the Letter, as spoken of materiall buil­dings (though even in that sense also it bee true e­nough) Mors etiam saxis, obeunt & Marmora. Citties have their period and dissolution, The litterall truth of the Text. both oc­casionall and naturall. Some of them, like goodly Troy, and better Ierusalem, those Phoenix-Cities of the world (in successive Ages) buried in fiery Tombes, rak'd in their owne Ashes: Others, too many of them (witnesse all Germany) like old Roome and Carthage, sackt and demolisht by the bloody hand of Warre; so that (you see) the Emperiall Cities of the foure great Monarchies, nay, those Monarchies themselves, all as well as Isai. 47.1. Babylon, now sit in the dust: and 'twas but flattery in that Livius. Historian, who called Rome, Eterna Civitas, after so many downefalls, and scarce a feather now of that proud Eagle left: it was not altogether a ficti­on the Poets describing of old Saturne, their god of Time, how hee devoured his children, though of stone, (for such they feigned hee had) I am sure the [...] is reall, and calls him Tempus edax; for whatsoere Time brings forth, Time destroyes: This I need say no more of, every languishing bo­dy, every nodding structure is a demonstration; and had not pious care, and suddaine too, prevented, that publick-glory of the Mother City, Saint Pauls Church had preacht a non permanentem, the litterall truth of the Text, but happy are they who build [Page 9]such Tabernacles heer, that are not chid by that same Prophet Haggai. Haggai. 1 4. 1 Is this a time for you to dwell in seiled houses and let mine House lye waste, &c. Yet alas how wanton now a daies is the worlds invention for superfluous building, Tem­ples are to old fashion'd, the zealous Bernard. Father may still sigh. Men build as though they should conti­nue for ever, and glut as though to dye to mor­row, which indeed they may rather feare, Isai. 5.8. such a woe being denounced against them. Isa. 5. but to avert it, imitate that ecclesiasticall Centurion, Luk. 7.5. [...]. Chrysost. hom. 2. Luk. 7. and, if thou needs wilt build, let Saint Chrysostome be a little thy surveighour; Wouldst thou erect beauteous and splendid Edifices? I for­bid thee not (saith hee) yet found them not on earth, tis but an heape of sand, but situate in those calme Regions that are above the breath of dan­ger, build in Heaven [...]. Heere lite­rally, no continuing City: Besides, too many now a daies (God knowes) finde another sense to ve­rifie the Text, by reason of their tradelesse shops and fickle offices, experience it a failing a discon­tinuing City: but wee sticke not on the barke any longer, Adouble synecdoche. led further than the letter by a double sy­necdoche. First, Continentis pro Contento, Cities heere put for the inhabitants, and our want of peacefull residence, shadowed under their discon­tinuance (the Text) strongly reflecting on that pilgrimage of Abraham. Gen. 12. Gen. 12. City for the inhabitants. Gen. 23 18. where hee is called from his owne Country and his Fathers house, to divide a life between variety of strange lands and dangers; so that indeed wee reade of none other setled possession that he had but Mack­pelah, his onely purchase a place of buriall, thus [Page 10]it was with the Father of the Faithfull, he had no continuing City: Nor any thing better with the children: few and evill have beene the dayes of my Pilgrimage (saies old Israel Gen. Chap 49. 49.) long and evill the daies of our Pilgrimage, murmure the children of Israel in the wildernesse: Exo. 14. That Iourney, Exod 14. a true Type of the Saints way to Heaven, per varios casus, &c. who wandred up and downe (saith hee) destitute and afflicted, Heb. Heb. 11.37. 11. Militant is the Churches name, shee is an hoast upon continuall marches and removes; Our habitations heere, so often varied by occasi­ons, either of some losse, dis-favour, sicknesse, or of death (I need give no examples) that, like the traveling Common-wealth of Israel, wee have rather so many-severall stations, than appro­priate mansions: Non habemus hîc permanen­tem.

Againe, Synec doche partis. heeres a Synechdoche Partis, where­by this word City, as the prime part and Master-peice of Earths perfection, is put for the whole glory and happinesse thereof: and so a City is an emblem of Strength, of Unity, of Rest, of Safety: in neither of which respects (as Ile succinctly shew you) have wee [...] heere any Conti­nuing City.

First, Prov. 10. [...] Psalm. 60.9. tis an emblem of strength, Prov. 10. The Rich mans wealth is his strong City: and Psal. 60. Who will lead me into the strong City? This is the frequent Epithite, through the holy booke, strong and well fenced Cities: indeed theres the Vis Ʋ ­nita, the combination of most Men and Armes, the Store-house of Munition, Civitas cor reipub: [Page 11]Tis the heart of the body-publick, A City an em­bleme of strength. Man no conti­nuing City. the seat of most spirit and vigour, deservedly may these be called strong houlds: Now what a City man hath in this sense, soone bee your owne Iudges: walke but about it, view well the Towers thereof (if you can finde any) how weakely is hee fenc'd a­bout with these thinne walls of clay! walls, that every Ague shakes, every Dropsie drownes, eve­ry Feaver fires, every Danger batters; one Fort indeed theres in it, the heart, but that so feeble, as tis in a continuall trembling, a palpitation not more for breath than trouble, Psal. 38. Psalm 38.10. watchmen too it hath, eyes placed in a Tower, the Head, but neither foreseeing or preventing mischiefe; at best exercises, either dimme or drowsie. The Souldiers of it, the Hands, oft treacherous, advan­taging the Enemy, and by sinnes wounding his owne Bosome, while in all this extremity his Carriages the Feet are unable to convey him from surprisall, or keepe him from being captive to the grave: so weake a City man is, that even wormes doe conquer it Plinius Nat. Hist. Pliny tells us, for a wonder, of a City undermined by Conies; but wormes tri­umph ore this, and scarce ere glory of the victory. What is it trow, Philosophers call Man a little world for? is it because hee hath such Earth­quakes in him, so many Cholicks and Palsies? is it because he hath such Thundrings, suddaine Noy­ses in his Head? because such Lightnings, Inflam­mations in his veines? Hee is a little world in­deed, himselfe the earth, and his misery the sea: nay, [...]. a great world of weaknesses (God knowes) borne the most helpelesse of all creatures, and lives the sport of every least distemper: how sea­sonable [Page 12]here for man is Saint Pauls [...] 2 Cor. 2 Cor. 11.29. 11. [...]; who is weak, and I am not weake: yet put the case (with David) hee bee so strong, hee come to eighty yeares, yet is it no continuing City, but a doubled misery, labour and sorrow: Psal 90.10. Psal. 90. non habemus, we have heer no con­tinuing City, no City of strength.

Secondly, A City a figure of unity. Man no continuing City. Psal 122 3. a City is a figure of unity. Psa. 122 Ierusalem is as a City that is at unity with it selfe: at unity, I, a City like each building of it is an aggre­gation of many into one, the proper place of lawes and government, which are the causes and main­tainers of peace, unity and concord. But alas! wee have no such City, no continuing unity, but rather heer, continuall discord, witnesse too many unqui­et Families, our clamorous streets, and the reven­ging Hall: indeed, so deepe root hath that envious mans seed taken in the ground of humane hearts, that the whole world almost (would I could ex­empt either Church or State) is become little better than a field of Tares; for the first, what flouds, what Seas can lend us teares enough to bewayle this want of unity in matters of Religion? how is the seamelesse Coat of our blessed Lord now a dayes, Want of unity in the Church. rent and torne by factious novelists, which the bloody Souldiers themselves spared, that it might prefigure his united Church? how is the Spouse like her Head and Saviour, crucified be­tweene two malefactors! at one side the insulting Papist, at tother the murmuring Praecisian! while I speake of love, I will not strait wish both cut off that trouble us, but as our charitable mother-Church hath taught us, pray, Lord forgive our E­nemies, persecutors and slanderers, and turne their [Page 13]hearts; for Religion hath no such scandall as this want of union: And for the Common-wealth, how full of jarres and contentions? [...]rigida pugna­han Calid [...]. Ovid. Met 1. The Ele­ments, fire and water not at such strife as men, sure that Prophet spake of our times, Ephraim against Manasseh, Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Iuda. Isai. 9.21. Isai 9.21. all so captious of in­dignities, so apprehensive of all trespasses, such going to law for trivialls; Histor. that what was anciently said of the fryars of this Realm (with a little varia­tion) may be said of the Lawyers, Those liv'd of the Ignorance, but these wax fat on the strife of the people: ah, what is become of that sinne-covering Amity? the [...] and badge of pri­mitive Christianity! Lib. 50. Ecc. Hist. as Eusebius told a Bishop of his age, that askt him, how he should know the Christians from the Infidels, in those miscellane­ous times, Vide quam invicèm diligunt Christiani, O foelix homi­num genus, s [...]ve­stros animos a­m [...]r, quo Coelum regitur, regat: B [...]et lib. 2. con. Iohn 13.35. observe but how they love each other, how fast those brethren hold the bands of Amity: and the same distinction gives the Bishop of our soules: Heereby I know that you are my Disciples, if you love one another. John 13. But how are wee degenerated into Nabalisme? love fled, and not so much as friendship left: very Heathens and Jewes had both their Amicorum paria, their golden paire of friends; as David and Ionathan whose soules were knit together: Theseus and Perithous, who durst exchange their bo­somes, and bee the mutuall sewers of their flowing Hearts. But hard it is among Chri­stians now to finde such Unity (as the Apostle sayes) I speake this to our shame; Now love sits on the lips, and can soone take her flight, [Page 14]frothy Courtship, Humane friendship fraile. Iudas kisses, Ehuds embrace­ments are the friendships of this age; or if any be more real, yet are they oft leavened with incon­stancy, and like the leagues of warre, hold but for their owne hopes and ends; very Mary-golds that follow but the Sunne, and cloze against the clouded Evening: Now for the Cor nescium to­merare fidem! that Heaven-borne spirit that dares bee faithfull, in spight of all the shuffles the rude world puts on him, dic musa virum, that knowes not upon any urgencies to violate devoted friend­ship (yet to keepe words, is a qualification of a Saint, Psal 15.4. Prov. 31.10. Psal. 15.) but such an one, were as great a rarity as Salomons. Prov. 31. nay the Text con­cludes it an impossibility, non habemus, we have here no continuing City, no City of unity.

Thirdly, A City an em­blem of safety. Man no conti­nuing City. a City is an Emblem of safety, of safety by consequence, as before of strength, indeed our safe­ty is by Defence, That by strength, & both by such well-fenced Cities (as instrumentall meanes:) in the 35 of Numbers you read of Cities of Refuge, Numb. 35.6. Cities where very Delinquents might find safety: But wee haue none such heer, to secure vs, euen from undeserved Dangers (undeserved I mean par­ticularly by any such notorious crime) no, of all the Fortifications in the world, I would faine see that Place, that could wall out a Famine, or a Pesti­lence, I'me sure Samaria was a well-fenced City, and yet both these enterd it and wellnigh vnpeo­pled it. 1 King. 18. 1 Kings 18. nor need wee goe so farr for sad Examples. They haue lately enterd our own Cities, one keeping still Possession, no Fences heer are Iudgm [...]t-proofe, not Argob's Cities, let them [Page 15]bee wald as high as heaven, Deut. 3. Dent 3.5. a showre of vengeance, Saloimus. Hell out of heauen shall raine down on Sodome, be it nere so well immu­red. I [...]sh 6.20. and indeed who dares put Confidence in a City-walls that hath but euer read or heard of Ie­rico. An Arme of flesh is but a bruised Reed, no Safety either in Horses or Chariotts; Pharaoh found one of them (as Dauid saies) a vaine thing to saue him, Exodus 14. Exod 14.25. where his Char­riotts hurried the faster to destruction for their wheels being off, and what safety in the mul­titude of an Hoast Zenacherib will tell you, whose Confidence was as great as his Army. 2 King 19 one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand slaine in one night without an enemy: 2 King. 19 35. Cautior Ex­emplo Tu. Each one take heede that wee doe not repeat this Errour, this impious Presumption; as I feare, too many of this Kingdome doe, Re­lying too much vpon Earthly Force; misattribu­ting our long peace and safety to the populousnes of this Nation, and admired Shipping of our Moa­ted-Island: God is not in all their thoughts, like the proud Emperour that cut off the heads of all the Gods in Roome, Nero. and caused the Image of his owne be set vpon them, Wee sacrifice to our own sword and speare, when Tis the Right-hand of the Lord that bringeth mighty things to passe: These (I confesse, shipping and munition) are meanes and instruments, but unlesse from God, whence are they all? and, without his assistance, may soone againe (as often heeretofore) become Ventorum Ludibrium, a prey to Tyrants, the sport and rattles of the winde and waves; I, may share in that doome of Tyre against the ships of Tarshish [Page 16]Isa. Isai. 23 14. 23. Bee still yee that dwell in the Isles, who are called the strength of the Sea, whose Merchants are as Princes: howle yee ships of Tarshish, for your strength is laid waste. You can remember, we have been driven to that of David, Psal. 60.10. Thou, O God, wentest not forth with our Armies, till we came to his ac­knowledgment there, vers. 11. vaine is the help of man. v. 11. God will have the glory of our wellfare, and fit he should, since hee is the authour of it, who else live heer in a shop of angry Meteors, violent Elements, each of which (as well as forraigne enemies) would soone destroy us, were not Hee our Lord Protectour: how often therefore and how justly does David call Him Rocke and Refuge, Strength and Tower, Castle and Fortresse: Conclude wee then with him. Psal. 4.8. Psal. 4. Thou Lord only makest us to dwell in safety, who have else no continuing City heer, no City of safety.

Last of all, A City an em­blem of rest. Man no conti­nuing City. Iosh. 21. a City is an Hieroglyphick of rest, and therefore in the 21. chapter of Ioshua tis said, God gave his people Citles which they builded not, and rest round about them: nay, eternall rest it selfe borrowes an expression from the name of City. Tis called The new Ierusalem, Heb. 12.21. the City of the living God. But man is no Citizen of this, as tis a repre­sentative of rest, his life a giddy-wheele; the Orbs, the Clouds, the Windes, the Rivers not so full of motion (his Bodies restlesnesse you saw before) I speake now of the travells of his minde, that busie Spirit hurried through thousands of the worlds distractions, which yet, if best imployed, is subject to bee tyred: even Reading is a wearinesse (saies the wise Man) and ther's no end of many bookes (unlesse an Eccles 12.12. [Page 17]end of their Authour.) But if this Mill grinde empty, have not the minde good things to worke on, and how does it set it selfe on fire! on fire of hell, by sinnefull and cupidinous Re­volutions! what mischiefe leaves it unima­gined on the Bed, unpractis'd up! how full of all contemplative uncleanesse! even to the making up that sinnefull Climax. Genesis 6. Gen. 6.5. The Heart of Man, the Thoughts of the Heart, and Imaginations of the Thoughts, are all evill, evill onely and continually no rest from sin­ning: and thence how restlesse, Conscientia srae­num aut slagel­lum. (thinke you) is the guilty Conscience, (onely in this par­ticular like to God, that it never slumbers nor sleepes) the clamour of this shrew, deading the noyse of Ravens or of Thunder; not on­ly audible to us waking, but interrupting of our best repose: Job 7. Iob 7.13. when I say my Bed shall comfort mee, and my Couch shall give mee rest, then thou frightest mee with Dreames, and terrifiest me with visions: Enough to make one wish with David, one's owne Metamorphosis, Psa. 55. Quis dabit Pennas Columbinas! Psal. 55.6. Oh that I had wings like a Dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest: at rest from the distracting cares that follow this vaine worlds affaires! at rest from the impetuous solicits of the flesh! at rest from the importunate temptations of the Devill! at rest from the refractory impieties of wicked compa­ny! all which make every honest David sigh out heer, Vae mihi misero, Psa. 120. Woe is mee, Psal. 120.5. that I am constrained to dwell in Meseck, &c. Thus is our life a tossed Arke, tumultuous without, sicke with­in; and the poore soule (like Noahs restlesse Dove [Page 18]can finde no ground to fixe on, Inquietum est cor meum donec requiescat in te. Reu. 14.13. Iob. 14 2. till shee returne from whence shee flew at first; and then indeed shee rests, rests from her labours, so saies the Spirit, Revel. 14. but heere, hath no continuing City, no City of rest. Iob summes up all my par­ticulars, chap. 14. v. 2. and the totall is, Man borne of a Woman, is but of few daies and many trou­bles, hee commeth up like a Flower and is cut downe, he never continueth in one stay (ther's the Text in Paraphrase) hath no continuing City. And having thus demolished this earthly City, how can wee now choose but (with Livius. Metellus sacking Siracuse) lament the transient vanity thereof, and bewaile our strong desires of so weake an object, as no con­tinuing City.

But least a too long discourse heere contradict my Thesis, and prove it a continuing City, I passe the Plainteifs and their wants, to take a glance, by way of application, on their place of streights, the Ʋbi, Text. where wee are so indigent, and thats Hic, Heere.

Indeed there is a place, where the woman is cloathed with the Sunne, Reu. 12. and the Moone under her feet (.i.) where the Church and every member of it, is roab'd with glory, and farre above the reach of any mutability; Bernard. but as Saint Bernard saies, surrexit, non est hîc, this is in the City thats above, it is not heere: This place is the Moones chiefe Regiment, The Vbi where we are streightned. her very exchange (as it were) to vent all her varieties (constat genitum nihil,) save alte­ration nothing continues heer.

Earth (you see) is the least of Elements, and to the Heavens, no more than is a single Atome to [Page 19]the Sunne; an infinite substance then (such as the soule of man is) needs must bee streightned heere: this little circle can never fill the hearts vast Trian­gle, thât nothing but the Trinity: vaine therfore the continuing heere: This againe is the lowest, and most dreggish Element, the sinke of all, and so Cladium Officina, the shop of dangers and disea­ses and they both so destructive, that no continuing heer, statio malefida carinis. Tis the valley of the world, Earth, the valley of teares, teares indeed, [...]. where we enter life with cryes, continuing with sighes, and going out with groanes: This is our musicke heere! heere, where mirth is but appa­rent, griefe is reall: where wee eate the bread of carefulnesse, Panis noster lapidosus. mingling our drinke with weeping, all our actions with sinning, this is our diet heere! heere where wee onely taste of joy, but glut in sorrow; we walke in happinesse, but journey in calamity, this is our travell heer! heer, where riches are but thornes, honours but pinna­cles, and pleasures Habet omnis hoc voluptas, stimulis a­git feuentes, a­piumque par va­lantum, &c. Boet. de Con. Dan 232. Bees that leave more sting than hony: these are our treasures heer! so that the world (you see) with all its pompe, makes but up a Nebuchadnezars Image, Dan. 2. though the head bee gold, the breast of silver, belly brasse, and legges of yron, yet are the feet of clay: let one be honourable, another rich, a third beaute­ous, a fourth nere so vigorous, yet are the foun­dations of them all but clay, and a small stone from out the sling of death does breake and liken them to dust: and this the end of all things heere.

Now, mee thinkes, by this time, we should be all of holy Monicas minde, S ^t. Austins pious [Page 20]Mother, who (as he tells us) having thus discour­sed over the frailty of the world together, melted into this expression: Quantum ad me attinet, nullâ re jam delector in hac vitâ. Quid hîc facio? lib. confess. c. 10. Iob. 14 14. For mine owne part (saies she) I am now delighted with nothing in this world, and what doe I longer heer but practise Iobs attendance? So after all this colloquie of ours (anatomizing the vaine world) what can you finde heere worthy your affections? not worthy your disdaine? Quid hic facimus? then what do we do heer, heer in our unsatisfi'd desires? our eager prosequutions? treasuring for the Moath and Theefe, like Spiders, spending our bowels to catch Flyes, Menott. and (as Menott saies of wily Hunters) losing an Horse of price in pursuit of an Hare worth no­thing; heer being neither City of Strength (you see) nor City of Unity, nor City of Rest, nor City of Safety: no continuing City; what doe wee then heere, Ixion. Alexanders question. grasping of a Cloud for Iuno! Twas a que­stion once debated in the Court of Alexander, what was the greatest thing in the world? and having many about him of all Sciences, a Geogra­pher answers him, the Mount Olympus, that hill indeed being so vast and high, as frequently is took for Heaven it selfe: an Astronomer, hee answered twas the Sun, that world of light so The Sun big­ger than the earth 166. times according to Eustach. and others. Luk. 14 33. many times bigger than the earth; a Parasite tells him his own victory: but an honest Moralist that stood by, affir­med the greatest thing in the world, to be an heart that could contemne the greatest: well said Phi­losopher, answered as though he had heard Christ himselfe preach on that fourteenth of Luke: Qui­cunque non reliquerit omnia, who so forsakes not all (in competition [...] mee) is not worthy of mee, nor of Heaven, a paire of imitable examples, one of [Page 21]them, a Heathen, and shall Christians come behind such, in contemning of the world and greatest things of it, (then let us even change names with them) but let our soules aspire with Monica's (that glory of [...] sex and coppy of the other) Quid hic facio? what doe wee doe heer? like Da­via, thirst for better waters Psal. 42. Psal. 42.1. and yet as twas with Monica, unum erat, &c. one thing there was that made that female Saint desire a little longer continuance heer; sc. her sonnes conversion, and to see him baptized a Christian. So one thing must our soule desire of God, that wee may live to see that christened, baptized in the teares of penitence; and then quid hic facio, away to our continuing City; what doe such Eagles heer, when as their Carkeise is in Heaven? indeed what doe wee so long, loo­king on this Terrene-globe? whose Zones are all intemperate (freezing charity, or scorching envy, avaritious drought, or riotous profusenesse) whose paralels are equall, cares and feares: whose Cir­cumference is vanity, and Center is corruption.

Respicite jam Coeli Spatium & definite ali­quando vilia mirari. Boet. l. 2. Con. Hearke how the Philoso­pher calls us off, behold now the beauteous frame of Heaven, and desist at length to admire base earthly things: Transitus in 2. gen. let the bodies figure be the soules tutour, and a sursum oculi teach sursum corda, an elevated eye an upright heart: the heart to seeke that [...], the Continuing City, the eye to looke for one to come: and thats the second Generall, the Coelestiall Sphoere of this same Christian-Map. Wee looke for one to come.

And here the Christian and the Heathen Part, Who haue all this while gone along together in the Non habemus. They likewise vndauntedly apprehending their mortality, and such as dare to hasten it. Mors malorum remedium, mise­riarum finis. Cicero. Vitae prodigiosè prodigi, desperate vn­thrifts of their Blood, onely to period their Mi­series; yet some of Them in generall Notions dreamt of the Soules Immortality: huc Ethnici, saies Lorinus, In locum. thus farre shined the dim Light of Nature, here were their Herculean Pillars; But with any Indeauour of good works to seeke, or With the Eye of Faith to looke for one to Come; This is a regenerate Mans Plus Ʋltra: Haec Fides, haec Spes est Christiana, This only is a Christians Hope, the Child of propagatiue Faith: what a strange Close was that of dying Adrian. Animula Ʋagula blandula, Auson Epigram. Hospes Comesque Corporis, Quae nunc abibis in Loca. Little wandring merry Spi­rit, Body's Guest, and Wont to cheere it, what Place shalt Thou now inherit! &c. alas! Virtutes Eth­nicorum suffici­unt ad ornan­dum vitam hu­manam, non ob­tinere vit aeter. Aug. Hea­thens find but diminitiue Comfort at their death, treading those vnknowne Paths with vnprepared Feet, going from one Darknes to another, oh! How may wee ever blesse God for our vocation, our double Light of Grace and Knowledge, when the Most Learned of them goe Hence with a Ne­scio quo Vado: As it is re­ported of Ari­stotle, Ens entium miserere mei, &c Iob 19.25. I know not whither I go: where­as the meanest Christian with a Iobs Faith Exul­teth. Scio quod Redemptor Vivit. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and therefore Egredere Anima. Goe forth my cheerfull Soule, Hilarions dy­ing speech. and feare not now to goe to Christ, whom Thou so long hast Seru'd: Yet is't not mine here, rigorously to determine all those Lost, whose Exact Virtues, so out-Mo­rald [Page 23] Christians; Wee cannot Limit Mercy, God Loves it aboue Sacrifice, Math 9. Matth. 9.23. and our iust Lord requires but according vnto what he gives. Luke the 12. Luke 12.48. The fearefull state of Hea­thens. though indeed the Heathen-people that know not God, in respect at least of outward Calling, are not within the Pale of the Messiahs Deare; and the Law so written in their hearts; I Feare, that Suppressing those [...], inhae­rent Evidences of Nature (which Saint Paul Cals withhoulding of the Trueth in Vnrighteousnes, Rom. 1.18. and from thence to the end. Rom 1.) does [...] render them inex­cusable (as the Apostle Saint Paul argues strongly in that fore-cited Chapter) Nullum aliud Nomen: Acts. 4.12. there being no other Name &c. but not to make our selves inexcusable by iudging an other, Sub Iudice lis sit, This wee leave to the great Iudge of All, Revealed Things to vs; albeit we say not what becomes of Them, Yet to our gratefull Comfort [...] wee know (saith hee) that when this Earthly Tabernacle of ours shall bee dissolved, wee have a Building not made with Hands &c. 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5.1. Futuram Expe­ctamus, we looke for One to Come: And yet our Con­fidence is too weake to goe alone, It must be ac­companied with Diligence, wee may not Think to enioy that City to Come Only with Looking For. They would not be so Few then that are Chosen. Matth. 20. Matth. 20.16. All are Baalamites and desire the Death of the Righteous, but vainely, vnles They live the Life of Him; Tis stolid to Expect an End without the Meanes. To looke for this same City and not seeke it: indeed this Expecta­mus is too slacke a Word, Inquirimus saies Beza and the Vulgar, better: and the Originall is neither [Page 24] [...] nor [...] that any Lazie Confi­dence should thinke to gaine it, as God Knowes that's all the Evidence Many have to shew for it, I hope Well; but for all this Hope (if no endea­vour els) the Heart may breake: No, nor is it Faith Can looke for't vnles operative (wee Pa­tronize not Solifidianisme, Our Adversaries scan­dall vs) our Faith Cries out like Rachel, give me Children, Iam. 2.20. or I die: Iames 2. But such a Faith as workes by Love, maketh our Hope infallible, of Finding what wee seeke [...] wee seeke one to Come.

Seeke then, is a word of Labour: bidding vs with the Apostle, Phil 2 12. Worke out our Salvation, Phil 2.12. worke, T'is not a Feast or a Feather-Bedd will bring a Man to Heaven, non sic itur ad astra. Our IehoVah will not as the Poets Iove did into Danaes Lap, [...] Verbum ope­randi. rajne downe this goulden Purchase into our Bosomes: no, no Drones shall Ever taste the Hony of that Hive but those industrous Bees alone that seeke it; a Sharpe reproofe for I­dlenes, that Gate of all Impieties, a Whipp of Scorpions for the Sluggards Back. Pro. 6. who like the Spouse, Pro. 6.10. in Lectulo quaesivit Quem amavit, Seekes no farther then his Pillow: but shee found not her Beloved there; Cant. 3.1. as little They stretching on their bedds of Ivory, e're find his Benefits whose Bedd was but a Manger; but Ruine sudden­ly, Pro. 6.15. for their not seeking, finds out Them. Pro. 6.15. Idlenes you know, it was denominated those Virgins foolish, and excluded them both the Chamber, and the knowledge of the Bride­groome, Matth. 25.10. Matth. 25. Thus slothfull persons (like Arrowes from a feeble bow) fall short of what [Page 25]they ayme at, and with Esau come too late to [...]une the blessing Gen. 27. Gen. 27 30. Diligence invites ables­sing; you see, Moses keeping watch over his flock by night, is grac'd with visions, Exod. 3. Exod. 3.4. a sight of Him whose vision is beatificall, and Saul see­king his Fathers Asses finds a kingdome 1 Sam. 9. 1 Sam 9 20. and David is taken from following the Ewes great with young, and made the great Shepheard of Is­rael, Psal. 78.71. Diligence invites a Blessing. Psalme 78.71. Diligence in­vites a blessing; Idlenes temp­tation. whereas on the contrary, Idlenesse allures tempta­tion, tempts the Tempter; while David exercised himselfe in Gods Law day and night, all went well with him, hee feard not what either man or Satan could doe to him; but when once hee ascends his wanton prospects, and loosens the reines unto his idler senses; the Devill soone changes his title, and makes him a man after his owne Heart, wraps him in a double snare of Murder and Adultery; and after these, how justly hee complaines, Psalme 6.7. mine eyes are dimme, when ther's such a pearle in one and the tother blood-shod! So aske but the Poet's Egistus and many of his Disciples in these times, Quaeritur Ae­gillus quarè sit factus adulter? i [...] promptu causa est, &c. Ovid. what fills their name and bones with early rottennesse? and shame (if any left) will soone write the cause upon each forehead, Desidiosus cram: indeed, it is the sitting bird that is the Fow­lers ayme, the envious man sowes his tares while the Husbandman sleepes; and hell it selfe is be­holding to Idlenesse, not onely for company, but for a description, being called Stagnum (.i.) a Lake, Rou 21 8. a standing water: ther's an old Apologue how once the Elements contended for priority; the Fire most active got supremacy, the Agil-Aire wonne the next Regions, the ambitious [Page 26]waters flow to overtake them, An Apologue of the Ele­ments. while drowsie Earth sat still the while, and therefore is ere since disgraced with the lowest roome; no sinne so unnaturall, as Idlenes: in a word, the idle man's the Devils cushion, whereon he sits and takes his ease, while the well-busied heart is Officina Dei, the Shop or Worke-house of the Almighty: Then Da vacuae menti quo tencatur opus, Ovid. let ever some good act or other bee as an Anchor to the floating minde; Sedulity becommeth even our civill callings, but for spirituall [...] (saith th' Ap.) Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure: Pet. 10. 2 Pet. 1. Tis [...] Wee seeke one to come.

But, because tis necessary a seeker should have eyes as well as feet, knowledge as well as indu­stry (least, Iam 4.3. as the perverse Iewes, you aske and re­ceive not because you aske amisse) consider modum quaerendi, Quaerendi mo­dus. the manner how to seeke: and that is Renefaciendo & Patiendo, by dooing good, and suffering evill: Doing good, Facere est Naturae sed benefaccre est opus gratiae. To bee active is the worke of Nature, but to doe well is an effect of Grace, and cause of prosperous reward, as holy Moses intimates to Israel. Deut. 6.18. Deut. 6. Doe yee that which is good in the sight of the Lord that you may prosper: Do you that which is good, and that you may do chiefly with these two instrument, The two chief instruments of doing good. Linguâ precante & Manu succurrente: by a praying tongue and a relieving hand: Charity and Prayer are the swiftest wings, on which the soule can mount to Heaven.

First, Prayer. Prayer is the Iewell of Gods eare, the Dialogue twixt Heaven and Earth, the Tongue [Page 27]of Angells, the Soules Embassadour with God, which never, with a faithfull hand, knockt at Hea­ven-gates and was sent empty away; what though not presently heard, tis but to double our importunity? what though not straight way granted, tis but to glorifie our patience? yet sometimes (I confesse) our Prayers like exhala­tions drawne up heer, may fall elsewhere in fruit­full showers, may light on our posterity: But fer­vent prayer never goes un-crownd, ad sanita [...]em si non ad voluntatem, still heard in a proportion to our well-fare, though not alwaies answered accor­ding to our wills: Prayer is the sole Phoenix of the Graces, from out the Ashes of whose spicie Nest, revives a Bird of Paradice; This can make an Arabia petrosa as happy as her other Sister, for stony hearts can give us hearts of flesh. Ezech. 11. Ezech. 11 19. There is a kinde of an omnipotence in prayer, it locks and opens Heaven O [...]atio Clavis Caeli. August. 1 King. 18. c. 5 7. 2 King. 4 33. 1 King. 18. renewes so­ciety twixt parted soules and bodies, blowes downe the walls of Ierico, staies the Sunne makes fire descend; what cannot it not? vincit invinci­bilem, it holdeth that hand which holdeth all the world, from striking a very Sodome, God him­selfe can doe nothing till praying Lot is gone. Gen. Gen 19 22. 19. And tis remarkable in that Dialogue 'twixt God and Abraham, Gen. 18. Gen 18. how God there desi­sted not from granting, till Abraham first left off petitioning: and therfore (as the Apostle wishes) Pray continually, [...], (.i.) 1 Thes. 5 17. either (statis tem­poribus) at constant times of publick and retird de­votions: or else continually, sc. per verba aut o­pera, by good words or workes; for indeed no circumstances can exclude prayer, and besides [Page 28] Quaevis bona actio quaedam oratio, every good action is a kind of supplication: Seeke therefore by do­ing good, and that first by Prayer.

But because Prayer alone makes a man but like a bird with one wing, or as a boat with one Oare, somewhat lame & imperfect to performe this du­ty; 1 Cor. 13.1. according to that [...]: Let any zeale make what noise it will, speak it the tongue of Men and Angels, yet without cha­rity, tis but [...], a tinckling, not a wel­tuned Cymball: Let therfore the praying tongue say to the relieving Hand, Ruth 1.16. as Ruth to Naomi, whether thou goest I will goe, and where thou dwellest I will dwell. Let Charity, I say, and Prayer like linckes of a golden chaine, depend on one another, ut quae non prosunt singula, though like two gloves, one lost the tother but of little use; yet both together make themselves compleate: For God (like Isaak Gen. Gen. 27. 27.) will feele the hands as well as heare the voyce of whom hee blesseth; Pliny tells us of the Eagle, Plin. nat. Hist. that shee knowes her young ones by their eyes, their perspicacy, and un­lesse they can out-face the Sunne shee rejects them as a bastard-brood: but God knowes his children by their hands, their liberality: and whom he finds (like Ieroboam) withered-handed close-fisted, he counts them but degenerate sons, and will disinherit them of his heavenly kingdom, yet will give them a portion, Eccles. 11.1. I tremble to say where: cast then thy bread upon the waters (.i.) relieve the needy, whose multitude and weaknesse tearmes them so, and after many dayes (for Heaven will never forget it) thou shalt finde it: I, flowing to thee like rich merchandize with blest increase: [Page 29] Miscris suppressa levate Pectora: each one that that craves an almes, is an arme stretcht out from God, who hath another hand as ready to reward, as that was to receive (tis Salomons) who so hath mercy on the poore lendeth to the Lord, & indeed, but lendeth, to the best advantage, for the Lord will recompence him, Pro. 19. God puts us not to the expence of any costly sacrifices (should he, Pro. 19 17. how coldly would his altars lye!) the calves of our lips and offerings of our hands are now all he challen­geth, and therfore to do good, and to distribute for­get not, these are the pleasing sacrifices. Part with some of that which long you cannot keep, Quas dederis solas semper ha­bebis opes. Luk. 16.9. to gaine that which you can never loose: make you friends of that unrighteous mammon, Lu. 16. Euthimius tels us God hath given men riches non tanquam Dominis sed dispensatoribus, not as unto treasurers, but stew­ards, imitate then that wise one in the Gospel, for to every one it shal be one day said, redde rationem, and beleeve it, none shal make a better reckoning at the last great Audit, than the charitable man [...], love covereth a multitude of sins, 1 Pet. 4 8. 1 Pet. 4. and this indeed the Iudg himself attestates Mat. 25 Christ there describing his last genral sessi­ons, seems to take notice only of workes of mercy, Workes of mercy onely inquired of at the day of Iudgement. Matth. 25.30. thers no talke of your frugallity your temperance, you diligēce, or other virtues; but feeding, clothing, visiting, ministring: these Christ names, & takes up­on his own account, mihi fecistis, you have done it un­to me, and therefore repaies them with eternal hap­pines, venite benedicti, Come you blessed, &c. Charity is via ad regnū si non causa regnandi, the way unto the city that we seek, tho not the worth of it. seek ther­fore by doing good, & that linguâ precante et manu [Page 30]succurrente by Charity and Prayer: [...] Text.

It followes next Patiendo, how by suffering evill we ought to seeke: by suffering, For there­unto are we called (saith th' Ap.) 1 Pet. 2 21. Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example, that wee should follow his steps. And two waies likewise must we suffer, sc. Sustinendo & Abstinendo: by bearing and for­bearing in which two things (saies Epictetus) the summe of all Philosophy, E [...]ictcti Enchi­rid. and I may adde (almost) of all Christianity consists. First Abstinendo, in for­bearing Intemperance, all luxurious riot and ex­cesse: Hippocrates. Mater virtutum. Abstinentia, tis both the Mother and the Nurse of virtues, Hippocrates his Aphorism's true on both sides, [...]. Diseases both of Body and Mind, for the most part, owe their originall to fullnesse and redundant nu­mors, Patiendi modus. and indeed where Satan tempts one fasting, he tempts a thousand full, & therfore abstinence is the best cure of both: and oh how well had it been for their posterity, had but our first parents beene acquainted with this virtue in Paradice! then for ought I know they had still beene there, then I'me sure, had not that same one mans meat prov'd so all others poyson: but ever since wee matrizare (from that first Mother of ours all our vitious long­ings) we likewise hunger after superfluities and forbidden fruits, not contented with enough are too indulgent to our wanton Genius, Abstinentia frae­num vi [...]iorum. witnesse the Plures Crapula quam Gladio, truer now than ever. Intemperance bringing not onely gray­haires but green yeares with sorrow to the grave! For how soone doe immoderate potions (like much water on a little fire) extinguish naturall heat, and as soone doe intemperately devoured-Meats [Page 31](like much fire, a little water) drink up the radicall moysture? and heer that Iudalisme's sea­sonable ad quid perditio haec? what need this wast, wast of food, wast of feeders? Avidis, avidis Natura parum est. Sen. trag. Naturae parum appetitui nihil satis: a little contents nature, but nothing satisfies opinion: quantos illa morbos, sighes Boeti [...]s. Lib. 3. de con. How fast doth luxury consume the vitall lampe? ofttimes so captivating the body to dis­cases, that nought can free it but that [...] that generall remedy of all maladies, an early death: So that the intemperate are of the number of Da­vids wicked ones, qui vix dimidiabunt dies suos, Psal. 55.33. that scarce live out halfe their daies, and how ever not by the lawes politick, yet by the Divine statutes, each of these is felo de se, by double guilt his owne selfe-murderer, be not therefore like that Image of intemperance [...]. Lucian's scoffe, behold shee- Sardanapalus. Sardanapalus, whose ef­feminate luxury bereft him of his Kingdome, least it bereave you of a better, of the City that you looke for: but rather imitate that pattern of abstinence, the good Emperor Valentinus, who of all the conquests he had ever won (though many) yet on his death­bed, said hee gloried but of one; and being ask'd of which, Inimicorum inquit, nequissimum devici, carnem meam: the greatest victory (saith hee) that ere I got, was in subduing that greatest enemy mine owne flesh. I close this with Saint Peters dehortation, and in his wooing language. I beseech you Brethren abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule. 1 Pet. 2. 1 Pet. 2 12. Seeke Patiendo by suffering, and that not onely Absti­nendo, by forbearing, but likewise Sustinendo by bearing evill.

Bearing evill, I, Affliction is the Coat of a [Page 32]Christian, and the Crosse his cognizance [...], said to every one as well as Constantine, under this Banner thou shalt overcome: are wee not all members of that Head which was crown'd with Thornes! the parts then must looke to sympa­thize together with it, Bern. non per unum foramen caput per aliud membra: the Head enters not by one pas­sage, the members by an other; but all goe into Heaven at the same strait gate: Porta tribulatio­nis porta Paradisi, the Red Sea is the way to Ca­naan (hâc itur ad superes) Mount Calvary to Tabor: per varios casus, per tot discrimina. through many tribulations must wee enter into that Kingdome, Act. 14.22. Act. 14. Affliction (like the Toade) hath a precious pearle in the head, how ever it appeare ugly; no affliction is for the present joy­ous, but &c. Adversity is Gods knife, wherewith hee spareth not to lance whom it pleaseth him to heale, and those (like precious lems) are most beautifull after cutting: And albeit our earthly mother, this world, may perhaps for our afflicti­on (with Raohel) call us Ben-onies sonnes of her sorrow; yet God our heavenly Father, will one day for our patient suffering (with Iacob) call us Beniamins, sons of his right hand; You know that of S ^t. Austin. Deus unicum habuit Filium sine peccato sine flagello nullum. God had never but one Sonne, and that his onely Sonne, without sinne, but none without affliction; no not his beloved Sonne in whom he was so well pleased, Matth. 3.17. Matth. 3. indeed the rather was hee afflicted for that hee was beloved, seeing He chastneth whom he loveth, and scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth, Hebr. 12. the Rod is the badge of Filiation: H [...]b 12.6. and therefore Saint [Page 33] Austin notes in God, crudelis miserecordia, Crudelis mise­recordia. & mise­ricors crudelitas, a cruell mercy and a mercifull cruelty: the first when he permits the wicked to prosper in this life, as tis Iob 21. the wicked live, Iob. 21. waxe fat, and grow in wealth (saith he) but what ensueth: momento descendunt (a sad catastrophe) in a moment they goe downe to hell, v 13. v. 13. a while they flourish (sayes the Psalmist) like a greene Bay Tree, but anon (.i.) when their sinnes are ripe, they are cut downe like the grasse, and wither like the green Herbe. Psa. 37. Psalme 37.2, and this indeed is a cru­ell mercy, no marvell if the Prophet desired rather Gods mercifull cruelty, Ier. 10. Correct mee, Ier. 10.14. O Lord, yet with thy judgement, not in thine anger: The very Heathen could say, Plus hominibus reor adversam, quam prosperam prodesse fortunam: Boetius. Tis better to have beene afflicted, Iob. 5.17. adverse fortune more profits man than smiling starres: and Iob as well as David had experienc'd it: Blessed is the man (saith hee) the man, what man (thinke you) the man thats clad in purple and fares deli­ciously every day? no, thats not hee: is't the man whom the King will honour, with the Ring, and Steed, and royall Roabe? tis not he neither: what then, is't the man that hath caught this world in a purs-net, and by th'omnipotence of his gold, com­mands al the felicities that grow in Salomons walk sub Sole under the Sun? no, none of these, but beatus a Domino castigatus, blessed is the man whom God correcteth. To this purpose S ^t. S. Austins dia­logue in Soliloq. Austin feignes a con­ference twixt God and himselfe, God personating a Merchant, and himselfe a chapman. Vaenale habeo (saies God) I have merchandise to sell. Quid est? what is it? (saies the holy Father) wy Regnum [Page 34]Coelorum (saies God) the Kingdome of Heaven: quo emitur (saies Saint Austin) whats the price ont? Paupertate Regnum, afflictione Requies, Ig­nominiâ Gloria: For poverty (saies God) the rich­est Kingdome; for momentany affliction, eternall rest, and for reproach, a Crowne of Glory: since then our light affliction which is but for a mo­ment bringeth us a more excellent eternal weight of glory, Rom. 8.18. Rom. 8. Let us not refuse the chastning of the Lord, but (when he sends it) patiently suffer evill: and thus you have the duty Seeke, Seeke by doing good, doe good by Charity and Prayer; and Seeke by suffering evill, and suffer by abstaining all intemperance, and sustaining all afflictions: so run and you shall obtaine, thus seeke and you shall finde [...] the continuing City that wee looke for.

And tis an obiect worthy all this paines: our best deservings undeserving it: take but a glimpse on't, 1 Cor. 13.12. The obiect of our search. for we can no more, heer we see, as in a glasse but darkely 1 Cor. 13. Consider the [...] and the [...] abstractly as a City, then as a concrete, One to come: First, you see, tis [...] and not [...], a City, not a Wildernesse, as is this world, where we are all in Pilgrimage to the Sepulcher: and behold heer a most exact [...] 'twixt this same and the former City: The [...] of this City and the former. the worldly one's [...], built but of clay and stubble, the worke of mens hands, and those that make them are like unto them, of a fa­cile dissolution: but this coelestiall City is [...] made by Him who made the hands, whose Arch­tectour is the Almighty, these buildings therefore are the [...], Iohn 14.2. 2 Cor. 5.1. Ioh. 14. the abiding mansions, whereas those earthly ones are [...]. 2 Cor. 5. but Gourds, [Page 35]but fleeting Tabernacles: you remember tother was a City of Negatives, [...]. (neither of Strength nor Unity, Rest nor Safety) this of all good affirma­tives, wherein are all Those fixt as in their proper Sphere.

1. Tis a City of Strength, aske S ^t. Iohn else Reu. A City of Strength. Reu. 121. 21. the foundation all of Gold, the walls of A­damant, and its twelve Gates of Pearle, materialls of the strongest; Psal. 103 20. yet guarded with innumerable Angels that excell in strength, Psal. 103. garri­sond with an Army of Martyrs, and govern'd by the Lord of hoasts, indeed there can want no Strength where dwells omnipotence; heer then were that an opportune desire, quis deducet me in Civitatem munitam? Psal. 60.9. who will lead me into this strong city? & that the Text wil if thou follow it.

This too is a City of Unity, A City of Vnity Charitas virtus viae & patriae. the King of Salem's dwelling house; those Starres are the embroyde­ries of Peaces Coate, and the gay-beames of Sun and Moone, but the bright smiles of Loue Tryum­phant; Coelum charitatis patria: Heaven is the place where shee was bred (Faith and Hope are low borne virtues to her 1 Cor. 13. 1 Cor. 13.8. heere they be­gin and heere they end. But [...] this grea­ter grace of love & unity (a stray indeed on earth) take up their eternall rest in Heaven, nay there were no Heaven without it: Concord heer, ever flowes and knowes no ebbe: springing from the undivided Trinity, unto the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, and communion of all Saints, qui­bus lux eadem, Cantio unica. who shining all with the same light of glory, breath all the same incessant Halilujahs: None envying others happinesse (ves­sells all full though of their severall cises) None [Page 36]know either want or emulation. This Ierusalem is the City at unity with it selfe, Psalm. 122.3. A City of Sa­fety. Psal. 122.

Thirdly, tis a City of Safety (you see) strengthned beyond all opposition, & seated above short-armed danger: Altissima venti non perflant, no angry storme can shake the Cedars of this Libanus, or blast the Ascenders of this holy Mountaine, heer on­ly may wee cry, Peace, peace, all safety dwelling heer; no enemies being left to interrupt it, Sinne and Sorrow, hell and the grave, all conquerd; con­culcata pedibus, 1 Cor. 15.27. by him who hath subdued al things: yet were the world let loose against them, Christs little flocke need feare no ill; they are in such an hand, Iohn. 10.28. as who shall take them from him? Joh. 10. Etiamsi fractus illabatur orbis, Impavidos ferient ruinae. Let the world totter into its first Chaos, ruine should threaten them in vaine, whom God makes dwell in safety. Psalm. 4.8. Psalm. 4. This Canaan's full of secure Vines and Fig-trees; the Prophet Za­chary means this City, sure; when he saies Men shal dwell in it, and there shall be no more destruction, but Ierusalem shall be safely inhabited. Zech. 14.11. A City of Rest Zech. 14.11.

Lastly, all these speake Heaven a City of rest, where there is such Strength, and Love, and Safety, needs, must there be true security: I, heaven is the Center of soules, as is the Earth of bodies, and onely there they rest: there indeed being conten­tation adequate to the Soules capacity (no fur­ther search no more desire) wheras heer, one [...] & [...] sacri, & cordis humani figura: quae sibi mutuo solùm sufficiant. Psal. 107 9. cor­ner of the heart or other still is empty: [...]ulcimen­tum innitenti, plenitudinem continenti sufficientiam Possidenti coelum praebet: Heaven satisfieth the hungriest soule with goodnesse, Psal. 107. And yet this heavenly rest is not to bee taken (as some [Page 37]impious Spirits) only privatively, as a totall cessati­on from all sacred businesse (for in that sense, Saints have no rest in Heaven) never ceasing to fall down before the Throne (saith S. Ren. 4.8: Iohn) never silencing their sacred anthems to the King of glory: but as Philo­sophy saies of the Spheres, sc. motus iste eorvm quies This holy motion is their endlesse rest, respect of al molest and wonted troubles (which this world showres on them) heer are they said to rest, Reu. 13.14. and so saies the Spirit, Reu. 13. they rest from their labours.

And now could but divine contemplation trans­port you with Saint Paul, 2 Cor. 12 2. but snatch your soules a­while from out their earthly Tenements, & elevate them to the heaven wee speake of! what glorious objects, not to be revealed, should you there behold? there should you see felicity walke hand in hand with eternity; and what this world can never shew you, glory attended on by safety: Serenitas sine nube, Saintas sine infirmitate, August. de Ci­vitat. Dei. iucunditas sine moerore, pulchritudo sine deformitate, Sapientia sine errore, vita sine morte. Ther's light never clouded, health never weakened, pleasure unmixed with griefe, or beauty with deformity, a Moone with out her spots, wisdome acquainted with no errour, and life beyond the reach of death. Deum sine fine videbimus, sine fastidio amabimus, sine defatigatio­ne laudabimus (as that Father sweetly warbles.) there shal you see th' Eternal eternally, One whom all shall love without saciety, and unwearied praise him continually: there likewise should your eares w ^th equal happines bāquet themselves on the true coelestial melody (sweeter than that feigned of the Sphaeres) sc. of Halilujah-singing Saints & Angels: there should you find, cōcursū omniū bonorū, as twere [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 38]an happy Marriage, a conflux of all the Goods uni­ted; so that ther's nothing absent that you could wish present, nor any thing present that you could wish absent, Psal. 87.3. heer then with David wee may lye down in wonder quam gloriosa de te dicta sunt, what glorious things are spoken of thee thou Ci­ty of God! and yet (like as to Sheba's Queene) not the one halfe can be told you, &c.

But yet this happines is too much for the present brevior voluptas, in this life pleasure is the shorter Twinne, Christiani Messis in Herba. [...]. and therefore (as an exercise of our hope and patience) tis [...] wee looke for one to come: you see the industrious Husbandman reaps not presently, but (with a costly confidence) many dayes, weekes and moneths, waites at expectati­on's gate; Iam 5. so must wee (saies Saint Iames) looke for this precious seed, and have long patience for it; delay whets our desires and multiplieth our estimation: yet may not violate the rule of pati­ence, Cicero de conso. or anticipate the call of Nature; like him, that reading Plato's Booke of the soules immorta­lity, made himself away to hasten to it; but such make more haste than good speed; Christians must wrap up Davids sitio, and Saint Pauls cupio, in Iobs expectabo. Iob. 14.14. all the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait till my change commeth, and take the Apostles word for't, in due time wee shall reap if wee faint not. Gal. 6 9. Gal. 6. The Mariner too that man of hopes, the watery-ploughman (you see) endures his voyage ere he gaines his fraight (yet, Patience. for the most part, somewhat he receives before hand) but his compleated payment, not till hee makes his ut­ter Porte. So likewise in our passage to the true Elizium, wee patiently must cut through winds [Page 39]and waves, not looking for our entire wages till our course be finished: yet in meane time, 2 Cor. 1.22. wee are not without that Arra Spiritus, 2 Cor. 1. the car­nest of our hopes, the co-assurance of Gods Spirit with ours; I, we have heere Heaven in the blos­some, the fruit not till hereafter; heer the harmo­nious feast of a good conscience, which is heaven inchoate, but for the consummation, futuram inqui­rimus wee looke for that to come: [...]. innuit certitudi­nem & duratio­nem. This [...] one to come, intimates heere certitudinem & durationem, both the certainty and duration of this supernatu­rall City: the certainty, quia habet rationem promissi because it beares the force of a promise, and so it is Heb. 11. [...] for God hath prepared them a City, Heb. 11.16. the Saints then sure enough shall have it, since Hee hath prepared it, all whose promises are yea and Amen. 2 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 1 20. Psalme 89.3. The certainty of this City. And if his word were not enough, wee have his oath, Juratus sum per sanctitatem, I have sworne by my holinesse (saith hee) that I will not faile David for ever, Psal. 89. Et vae si Deo juranti non credamus, woe bee to our infidelity, if wee beleeve not the oath which hee sware in the house of his servant David, that hee would give us, &c. indeed with faithlesse man, what is to come may still be so, but promise-kee­ping is Gods attribute, David describes him by it Psa. 77. that keepeth his promise for ever. Psalme 77.8. His per­formance and his promise differ not in essence, 1 Cor. 15.58. if in time, and therefore as S ^t. Paul exhorts 1 Cor. 15. Brethren, bee yee steadfast, and unmoveable, your Hope being not in vaine in the Lord: we look for one to come, and that shall come wee looke for: I, and not onely come, but ever shall continue; Futuram speakes the permanence, that while tis [Page 40]present, The duration of it perpetual it shall bee still to come: This Future knowes not any preter-perfect-tense, yeares ea­ting up dayes, ages swallowing yeares, time lo­sing his prius and posterius, nere so much past, yet nere the lesse to come: not like our poore joyes heere, fluunt & praeterfluunt, no sooner flow [...]d to us (almost) but ebbing from us: but a continuing City, stord with fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore, Psalm. 16.11. Psalm. 16. evermore! more perenni­ous than the glyding streame or constant Sunne: I, the Sunne may bee one day darkened, and the Moone pay home her borrowed light, [...]. the fixed Starres may become Planets and wander headlong from their Spheres, whole Nature may so forget her office, that heaven and earth may passe away at hae manebunt in aeternum. but these pleasures (like the right hand they wait on) remaine for ever­more: and this is our expected City, whose inha­bitants, youle say (by better title than they of Tar­sus) may bee called Cittizens of no meane City. Act. 21 39. Act. 21. This is the Coelestiall Sphere, whose Zo­diack is felicity, whose Constellations are degrees of glory, whose Poles, Joy and Eternity. And now you have the paire of Christian Globes, the Map of both worlds spread before you, that soule w ^ch travels them well over (this contempt of earth, and search for Heaven) shall make a happier voyage Drake, or Cavendish, &c. than those who Ring the Earth, shall bee com­panions of a brighter Sunne: without either cost or danger may discover fortunate Isles, whence (more then gainefull) blest returnes.

As this experienc'd Heroê hath already: in whom wee finde our Text againe, with a fresh comment on't: his soule a faire example of the [Page 41] inquirimus, A Transition to the funerall oc­casion. being fled unto the City that wee seeke for, and his body a demonstration of the Non ha­bemus, witnesse this Tenantlesse house of clay, the sad remainder of our worthy friend and compari­shioner M ^r. Henry Chitting, who is now come hi­ther to take his ultimum vale of the world, and tell his good friends that he will meet them in heaven: yet hath he left us somewhat else behind him, than these shella of a fledg'd soule; sc. memoria justi, the blest memorial of the righteous, which shal be had in everlasting remembrance. Psa. 112. I, Psal. 112.6. now this box of ointment's broken, a sweet perfume's defu­sed through this assembly, nay through the whole place of his abode and knowledge: a good name is like confections of the Apothecary (faith Solomon) or as musicke at a banquet of wine. Eccles. 7. His then most full of pleasant Odours in the Nostrills of God and man, Vir verè insignis nec silendus nec dicendus subitò. One so full of worth and goodnes, [...] that Silence may not bury him, Suddennesse cannot expresse him; I wish his bright vertues heer, but such an able Herauld as himselfe was to emblazon them in their owne co­lours; Nemo Ciceronem nisi Cicero: for my own part inopem me copia, I must confesse, his store of me­rit tumultuates my expression, and sorrow is so il a Methodist, I scarce know where to initiate his En­comium, his just commendations, I [...] Epist. ad Eustoch. unlesse (as S ^t. Ie­rom of his vertuous Paula) I begin with his begin­ning. Clarus genere Clarior virtute, he was genteild by bloud and office, yet more enobled by his virtue: as will appeare sufficiently, if you consider (with mee) according unto Nature and to Grace, and doubtlesse all of us may (by the way) finde some­thing worth our imitation, his mourning friends matter of consolation.

First, Nature (you know) had been no stepdame to him, whether you look upon the house or the in­habitant, his body or his soule; one of them a good­ly structure, a proper mansion for so divine a guest: as he was not like Galba, Plutarch in his life. 2 Sam. 14.25. who is said to have had a good soule in a deformed body; so was he not like Abs [...]lon, who had an il soule within a comely body. But, tanto hospiti aptum domicilium. He was a Dia­mond set in gold, Nature. his body and his mind (like Ap­ples of gold in pictures of silver) each fitly made for other, and both to praise their Maker: but for that part of him which chiefly was himselfe, his soule, so eminently ingenious (what with addition of industry and education to native dispositions) as long agoe preferd him unto Royal attendance, and a stile of honour; He was Che­ster Herauld above 20. yeares. Chester now lamenting her decea­sed Herauld, as we our loving neighbour: we, whose every tongue is still his ready Orator, acknowled­ging his deportment faire and full of sweetnesse composed of affection and discretion; respective of superiours, most affable to equalls, soft unto in­feriours, and lowly towards all:

But what speake I of Naturalls? Grace. Grace was the Altar sanctified this gold: I, that made his soule shine like to the Heaven it came from, with many greater and leffer lights: (virtues of all magni­tudes) lights that shined before men both in his for­mer conversation, and his latter visitation. His con­versation, to God-ward full of reverence, a practi­ser of publike as well as private piety: a man after Davids heart, that Iov'd the place where Gods ho­nour dwelleth, His Piety. witnesse his diligent frecuenting of this House of prayer; and I were somewhat in­gratefull (who had the happines to be his friend) [Page 43]should I not acknowledge him a lover of the Church, her government and Ministers: and give me leave to wish the world fuller of such obedient Spirits.

For himselfe, hee no way had defac'd that Te­nement where God had housd his soule, nor yet opprest the Tenant (.i.) was neither intemperate in body, nor passionate in minde; a minde gentle, full of soft answeres, and (as the Apostle would have it) slow to anger, Iam. 1.19. his body a Vessell of sobriety not excesse; His Tempe­rance. not washing out his Makers Image with immoderate drinking (that Deluge of the Times) no Sacrifiser He, to any of those bruitish gods, Bacchus, Venus, Epicurus. Rom 13.13. but like a child of light, walking honestly as in the day. Rom. 13. And hee that was so pious and so temperate could not bee uncompassionate, hee that so lov'd God whom he had not seene, could not but love his brother whom he had: I, His Charity. many poore inhabitants of this Parish, for his charity, call him blessed; and not many weekes are past since they had a gra­cious tast on't: Pauper est Al­tare Dei. Are Heb. 13.16. Hee knew the poore to bee Gods Altar, and therefore to distribute forgot not, but offered the well-pleasing sacrifice. Heb. 13.16.

Thus did a good life approve him (in all the three relations, to God, his Neighbour and himselfe) an upright Christian; Act 24.16. one well versd in Saint Pauls endeavour, Act. 24. To keepe in all things a good Conscience, voyd of offence to God and man.

And these being the premises, with a little Lo­gick you may ghesse at the conclusion, Qualis vita Finis ita. ex veris possit nil nisi verasequi. None other then a happy end could follow such a well-led life (for com­monly one is tothers Eccho.) His latter visitation, [Page 44]was indeed short and sowre; His disease supposed an Apoplexie. an acute angry ma­lady feeding on his braine, yet for the Senders sake bid welcome, and entertained with such un­moved patience, as well deserved Iobs owne commendations: in all this languishment he sin­ned not, nor once charged God foolishly with his lips. Iob. 2. Iob. 2.10. no, as he was my charge, so my comfort to finde him still as full of devotion as affliction, a ready companion of our praiers, making his tongue Gods glory (and his owne as David calls it) till such time as the tyranny of his disease chaind up the faculties of expression, Psalm. 57.8. and then reared hands and eyes spake louder the elevation of his pious heart, all which petitioned the Churches com­fortable absolution, which being administred, his soule (feeling her selfe disburdened of a double weight, flesh and sinne) soone after took her blessed flight to Heaven, where is no more Death or sicknesse, but all teares wipt away: to give your imitation then a Charecter of him, The Character of him. in a word. Hee was a zealous Christian, a faithfull Friend, a comfortable Neighbour, a loving Hus­band, a tender Father, an affectionate Brother, a gentle Master, a sweet Companion: in­deed living hee was a Common good, and ther­fore now a common losse. Yet this may com­fort his lamenting friends, that though his bo­dy is gone the way of all flesh, yet his soule the way of all the Saints, his Time's extended to eternity, his company (for sinnefull men) the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, His exchange. Saints and Angels; and in stead heere, of beholding vanity any longer, hee lookes upon the face of God himselfe, which none can see and not bee blessed: [Page 45]thus to him, to dye is gaine, Claudite jam rivos. because to live was Christ. Then shut your sluces all that lov'd him, and seeme not to bowayle his happinesse, doe not Reguantem flere (as Saint Ierome forbids Eusto­chium) doe not you bedew your eyes because God hath wip'd all teares from his, Mortui non a­missised praemis­si sancti. Planctus & ululatus sint inter saeculi homines. Let such im­moderate griefe bee among hopelesse men, that thinke their friends lost, and gone to a place of weeping. [...]. And though (in such cases) wee must permit you to bee men, yet forget not to bee Christians; Doleamus nostram vicem (as our Sa­viour to the Women) weepe not for him, blest soule, but for your selves, for envie that your selves are not so happy. In Epist. ad Eustoch Non maereamus qaod ta­lem amissimus, sed potiùs gratias agamus quod ha­buimus imo quod habemus, (sweetly Saint Ierom) Let us not mourne as for one lost, rather bee thankefull that wee have had so good a patterne, nay, that wee still have him (saies the Father) Deo enim vivunt omnia. For all still live in God, yea, though they dye, and whomsoever hee thus takes unto himselfe are still within the Family of the Church. Heare his last Farewell now, Valete omnes, omnes Me, suo quisquis Ordine, His Vltimum Vale. secuturi. Valete. Farewell my friends, Brother­mortalls fare you well, that shortly (each in his owne order) all must follow mee: Fol­low him then first in goodnesse, fight the good fight, keepe the Faith, Finish so your course, as hee did, and henceforth is laid up for you (what hee hath now received) a Crowne of Righteousnesse: Though you goe along with him in the Non habemus, having [Page 46]heere no continuing City: you shall also accom­pany him in the Futuram acquirimus, the finding one to come: Which God, the Builder and Maker of it, grant us all (in his good time) thorough Iesus Christ. To whom with the Father and the Blessed Spirit, bee all honour and Thankesgivings evermore. Amen.

— Tibi desinet.