THe shortness of the dayes, the coldness of the season, and the remoteness of our Coun­trey, ha's prevented, I suppose, the supplies intended for you; which ha's occasioned my being here upon short warning to serve you this day, as one out of due course, both besides yours, and my own expectati­on; which I trust will plead excuse, if you have not a discourse so well digested, as so honorable, and solemne an Assembly might seem to challenge.

Concerning our Countrey, much more cannot be presumed as additional to what ha's been spoken in the two years past, without some injurie to the bounds of modesty and truth, which by no meanes ought to be offered from the Pulpit: yet mee thinks it is not handsom, that such a Solemnity as this is, should pass without some glance at least upon the present occasion, which in a particular or two, I shall (by Gods assistance, and your patience) dispatch.

The first is, that not many years past, you heard from a learned Person, that in the Memorables of our Countrey, there was none found that had possest the chief Magistracy of this City: But now behold one in the Chair, that is not onely by his Office Gods Steward, and the Protectors, and this great Cities, but your Countries Steward also; an Honour that few Countries in England of late years have arrived to, viz. That a Steward has been their Supreme Ma­gistrate.

[Page 34]The next thing that I would commend to you is, two places of Scripture, which I seldom reade, but the fresh thoughts of Nottingham, and Nottingham-shire come in; both of them are in the Psalms spo­ken of Canaan, and Hierusalem. That of the Coun­trey, in the 144 ^th Psalm the four last verses, That our Sons may be as plants, our Daughters as corner-stones, our garners may be full, our sheep bringing forth thou­sands in our streets, our oxen strong to labour, and that there be no complaining in our streets; happy are the people that are in such a case—yea, happy is the peo­ple whose God is the Lord. The other is spoken of the City, in the 48 ^th Psalm the three last verses; Walk about Zion, tell the towres thereof, mark well her bul­warks, consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the ge­neration following —for this God is our God for ever, and ever, &c. In these two Scriptures you have a description, and a correction; when David had de­scribed the prosperity of the Countrey in their Sons, Daughters, Sheep, Oxen, Plenty, Peace, hee begins to pronounce prosperity upon them; but as one that had forgot himself and left out the main, he corrects himself; yea rather, happy is the people whose God is the Lord. Just thus in the other Scripture, when he had described the scituation, beauty, and strength of Hierusalem, hee brings in the presence of God one would think strangely, and independently, as the complement, perfection, and summum totale of all that Cities happiness; for this God is our God for ever, and ever. Truly, Gentlemen, this is the work that you and I have to do this day, viz. to look upon all the [Page 35]reported beauties and virtues of your Countrey, but as so many single figures, till God the eternal Circle of Blessedness be added to them to make up the sum: and therefore let it be our joint prayer, that God may be our God, & our Countreys God for ever, & ever.

It is no difficult matter to shew, that the oblige­ments of God are as much upon you to be his peo­ple, as ever they were upon Judah, and Hierusalem: to tell you, (if time would give leave) that your Countrey doth match the Land of Canaan in plenty, and pleasures, and how farr that Town of Notting­ham doth run parallel with Hierusalem. Was Hiera­salem set upon precipitious hills, and is not Notting­ham so? and as the mountains stood about Hierusa­lem, Psal. 125. do they not so about Nottingham? and as there were two famous Ascents in Hierusalem, Mount Moriah, upon which the Temple stood, and Mount Zion, where stood that lofty Tower of Da­vid, incomparably perching over City and Coun­trey, and is it nor so in Nottingham? where, upon one high rock, as upon another Moriah, stands that fair Church (if my rule fail not) some cubits bigger than the Temple; and upon another, yet higher mountain, (like that of Zion) stands that ancient Ca­stle, over-topping Town and Countrey, the lowest stone whereof (before it's dismantling) was higher than the top stones of many others in the Land; whose climbing Towers, scituate upon those perpen­dicular rocks, did ascend to such a stupendious height, like another Zion, as if the Spectators should believe that they intended to peer into the clouds, or to pick [Page 36]a quarrel with the Moon. Upon the highest part whereof, in the beginning of the past miserable broyles, was the Standard Royal, of unhappy, and too late, (alas!) too late lamented Majesty lifted up; which Castle, had not the divisions been home­bred, might have said unto all her Enemies, as some­times the Jebusites, trusting to the strength of Zion, jeeringly told David; That they would set up the lame and the blinde to keep that Tower against him. Further I could tell you, how that crystalline River Trent, like another Jordan, or that little River Line, like that Brook Kydron, trilling down by the foot, and as it were washing the toes of that Hierusalem, do sport their streams in the laps of those Virgins meadows, whose beds (without a metaphor) are green, over whom this fair Town sits as the de­licate Spectatress, smiling upon the scene, while the hills crowd upon her shoulders, as if over them they would steal a sight of those Valley delightfull pleasures: and to conclude, like another Hierusalem, at what a distance does Shee present to the gazing traveller a stately and majestick Aspect? upon whose fore-head, as upon a Jewish frontlet in Capi­tal letters, seems to be written that of the Psalmist, Walk about this Zion, mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that yee may tell it to the generation follow­ing, &c.

But why lose wee time in spoiling the goodly face, and native beauty of that Town and Countrey, by the vain depictions of foolish Art? those that are doubtfull of the truth of these things, have such an [Page 37]answer ready, as sometimes incredulous Nathanael received from non-plus't Philip about the person of Christ in the first of John, Let them go and see. But here (Sirs) lies not our business, which is at this time to indeavour, that as God was in Judah, and Hierusalem, so hee may be the God of our Countrey­men, and their guide unto death. But (alas, Sirs!) as the ignorance of God in many parts of our Coun­trey, has formerly been too apparent, and much la­mented; So now in these dayes of light, and refor­mation, so call'd, 'tis sad to hear of those monsters in Religion, I mean the Seekers, Ranters, and Qua­kers, how they have over-spred the beautifull face thereof. Just as the Sun, when hee displaies his plea­sant spring beams upon Orchards, and Gardens, and thinking thereby to warm, and draw forth the fruits of the earth for the comfort of man: then do the snakes, adders, and such poisonfull creatures come forth of their holes, turning up their bellies, and beaking themselves in the sweet beams thereof; So hath this Vermin crept abroad in our Countrey, to the disparagement of the light of the glorious Go­spel of Christ shining on them: and though 'tis out of question that the Divel, and the Jesuite is at the bottom, yet many well meaning people, that both some of you, and I know, are led away with those pernicious errors, who are to be pitied, and for whom wee should have continual sorrow in our hearts, for these our Kinsmen (as the Apostle speaks) according to the fl [...]sh, that have a zeal of God, Rom. 10. but not accord­ing to knowledge.

[Page 38]I need not tell you that the soul of man is a preci­ous thing, and the loss thereof sad in any Countrey: Yet mee thinks in the aguish parts of Kent, and Es­sex, where I have seen sometimes a whole Parish sick together, the souls that miscarry thence, seem but to go from Purgatory to Hell; But those that perish out of Nottingham-shire, go from Heaven to Hell; And Thou Capernaum that art exalted to heaven, shalt be cast down to hell; and as sometimes when that mighty tyrant Nebuchadnezzar fell, the nations floc­ked together, Isa. 14.10, 14. and wondering said, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble? that did shake King­domes? Art thou also weak as wee? Art thou be­come like one of us? So, when a soul miscarries out of Nottingham-shire, mee thinks in melancholy Vi­sions, I see those Infernal Spirits flocking about it, and saying, What art thou fallen from thine Excel­lencie? Art thou come from those pleasant moun­taines to these Stygian Lakes? from that Lightsom, and ambitious Air to these darksom Cells? Art thou also weak as wee? Art thou become like one of us?

The serious consideration of these things ha's put mee upon a plain practical Sermon, lately delivered to my people in the Countrey; which God grant may be preached more to your hearts, than eares; and that I may (though the unworthiest of Gods Servants) be as a guide this day to lead you from your earthly, to that Hierusalem that is above; and from your pleasant Ur of the Chaldees to the Land of Canaan, to that Countrey, and those Cities [Page 39]that have foundations, whose builder and maker is God, and whose rock is Christ.

This is life eternal (sayes S. John) to know thee the onely true God, and him whom thou hast sent; and therefore have I taken a Text which holds out to you the knowledge, both of the Fa­ther and the Son, and that in the most excellent, and saving act, that ever was done for the children of men.

THese words do contain that eternal Co­venant which was made between God the Father, and the Son, for the redemption of mankinde, wherein you have the Work, and the Wages.

[Page 40]The work, or what Christ was to do, or rather suffer, was death, When hee shall lay down his soul an offering for sin.

The wages is laid down in the latter part of the verse, in these three particulars: First, hee shall see his Seed; Secondly, Hee shall prolong his dayes; Thirdly, The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. These two I shall open a little to you, and first of the first.

Wee reade in the verse before the Text, it is said, that hee had done no violence, neither was there deceit in his mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. This was strange, yet, that a just, and a righteous God should greatly delight (for so the word signifies) to bruise an innocent person. [...] All that I can say to it is, that the heart of God was so set to­wards mankinde to save it, that it became unto him a very pleasant thing to limit his own Son in order to that salvation. But lest that God, while hee is thus mercifull unto man, should seem cruel to his Son, there are two things in the text, which clear up the justice of God. The first is, that it was done with his own consent; and therefore it is read by some Translations, Si posuerit animam pro peccato. If hee will lay down his soul an offering for sin. Et volenti non fit injuria. Secondly, that hee should not be without some remuneration for this work; for hee shall see his seed, prolong his dayes, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

If hee will lay down his soul, &c.

[Page 41]May some man say, was it a question? did God the Father, or did the Prophet that writ this, doubt of this thing? No, beloved, but it is usuall to express the great Acts of Christ the Mediatour by an If, thus speaking of his death sayes he, If I be lifted up I shall draw all men after me. Of his ascension, Jo. 12.32. If I go, it is to prepare a place for you. Jo. 14.3. Non contingentium eventus, sed conditionem pacti certis simè implendi sig­nificat, sayes one very well: which manner of ex­pression doth not signifie the contingency of the event, but points out the nature of a covenant. Thus much of the first. The next thing which is the wages promised, is in three things; first; he shall see his seed: which is a Metaphor drawn from plants, which being ripe, do scatter their seed for the propagation of their kind; thus from one grain of wheat sown, doth arise up a whole eare, which being sown again thence arises many more, till a whole barne is filled with the increase of one corn. Christ was that grain of wheat cast into the ground, and dying, hath brought forth a plentifull crop of Christians; this expression therefore doth import the plenty of the Christian Church. Now the Analogy holds in these parti­culars.

First, as one corne brings forth many; so from one Christ hath sprung up many Christians.

Secondly, as the seed that comes up is specifically the same with that that was sown, and is so like it, both without and within, that it cannot be distin­guished from it; so are Christians like unto Christ without, and are therefore said to be conformed to [Page 42]his Image, within, saith the Apostle, Little Children of whom I travel in birth, till Christ be formed in you? Thirdly, as the seed sown, though it be pure seed, there arises up with it many weeds, as Poppy, May-weed, Tinetare, Cattailes, &c. Which on the one hand either starve, or on the other burn up the seed. So in the Church of Christ are there many weeds of prophane Persons, on the one hand, and Hereticks on the other, which much injure the Church; for where God hath his Church, the Devill will have his Chappel: Master (saith he) didst thou not sow good seed in thy Feild? Mat. 13.27. whence then are the tares? Why sayes he, the evil one hath done it.

Fourthly, Though the Seed be sown pure Seed, cleared and winnowed, or screened from all chaffe, and rubbish; yet it grows up with stalk, eare, spire, and, blade mufled as it were about with chaffe; So though Christ was a pure Corn, yet that Seed, those Christians that spring from him, grow up with stalk, spire, and blade; that is, with sinfull corruptions, blades indeed that war against the soule, which is invelloped and set round about with infirmities. Heb. 12.1. Not to be too Postillous.

Lastly, Seed is of a perpetuating nature; As we see from the creation of the World to this day, there is nothing of those vegitables lost, which God created at first; because every thing hath a Seed, a string, or shadow, whereby it doth propagate its kind. So is it with the Seed of Christ, which never did, not never shall fail totally, from the beginning of the World to the end thereof; and though the Archers [Page 43]have shot at this Joseph, and sorely wounded him, yet hath his bowe abode in strength, Gen. 49. [...]3. and thus, Sanguis Mar­tyrum est Semen Ecclesiae; the blood of the Martyrs hath been the Seed of the Church.

Secondly, He shall prolong his dayes. Some men may say, how is that possible that he that was Eter­nall with his Father should have his dayes prolong­ed? This phrase therefore is spoken to Christ as Mediatour, Isaiah 9.6. alluding to the Seed of Abraham under the Jewish Pedagogy, which worshipped God under divers Shadows, Ceremonies, and carnal Ordinan­ces for a time; Now saith God, if thou wilt dye, Heb. 9.10. thou shalt pur an end to those shadows, and shalt have a people to worship thee in Spirit, and in truth to the end of the World, and from thence to eter­nity. Burnt offerings and sacrifice thou wouldst not have, but a body thou hast prepared me. Psal. 40.6.

Thirdly, The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand: Which is, the work of mans redemption shall certainly be accomplished; the same thing for which it is said, It pleased the Lord to bruise him, &c. This is that which is meant by that which Christ almost every where expresseth; He was come to do not his own will, but the will, and pleasure of his Father: And hence it is that he said, He had not lost one that his Father had given him, but the Son of Perdition. And those last words of his, when he gave up the Ghost, Consummatum est, it is finished, 'tis done, Jo. 17.12. 'tis done.

These words thus opened, you see the highest Mercy, and the highest Justice kissing each other; [Page 44]Justice, in that man having finned, man must suffer, though it be the Son of God; Rom. 3.25. That he might be just, and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus: Mercy every word in the Text is big withall, as David said, Thy mercy is over all thy works: Psal. 145.9. even as oyle that being put into milk, or wine, or water, swims at the top, so mercy seems here to have got above justice, triumphing over it.

First, It pleased the Lord, &c. It seems then there was no necessity in God to save man, only it was his pleasure, so that the redemption of man is resolved into the same accompt that his creation was; Rev. 4.11. for thy pleasure they are, and they were created.

Secondly, It pleased the Lord. It seems then there was no prevised merit in man; nothing in man to attract the affections of a God to him, only it pleased the Lord.

Thirdly, to bruise; not by one blow to crush him, as Corn under the milstone, but by a gradual death, to bruise, or pound him as Corn in a morter, as a man of sorrows, to be worne away by degrees; by a living death, or a dying life; for so it is rendred, Conterere eum in infirmitate.

Fourthly, Him, viz. that was the Son of God. God has many Sons; some by creation, as the An­gels; some by adoption, as the Saints; but he hath but one Son by generation, and this was he; so, God so loved the World, Jo. 3.16. that he gave his only begotten Son, &c.

Fiftly, His soul. Not only his body, but his soul; the greatest part of mans sin lay in his soul; and [Page 45]therefore his greatest sufferings were in his soul: or else what meant those Grumi, those great drops of blood? Why else so troubled? so heavy unto death? many Martyrs that have not had the thousand part of his strength, have gone to the place of execution, as to the bride chamber, kissing the chain, and stake, and hugging death (as it were) about the neck with joy; because their sufferings were only in the body, when their souls were comforted: the soul of Christs sufferings was in his soul.

Sixtly, For sin. First, that he knew not. Secondly, that he hated. Thirdly, for sin in the indefinite, that is, all sin, none excepted. Hence it is that he was cal­led a Winebibber, a friend of Publicans, a Traitor, a Conjurer, one that dealt with Divels; 'Tis true, un­justly by man, but justly by God; because he had taken the sins of such miscreants upon him: Mary Magdalen had seven Divels, and yet saved by Christ.

Lastly, If you look upon all those promises which the Father made to his Son, (viz.) He shall see his seed, prolong his dayes, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. These I say deeply looked into, prove more redundant to the advantage of the Church, then of Christ himself; as if the Deity could look besides it self as the highest end, and was resol­ved to make man the treasury and the store house of all his loves; which stupendious mercy the Angels are said to stoop down (as the original bears it, 1 Per. 1.19.) wishly to look into.

You see we have here a large Field; but my pur­pose is to point unto you only one plain proposition, Doct. [Page 46]which you hear of every day (viz.) That the Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his soul an offring for the sin of man, or Christ died for the sins of his people.

That he died; is plain, or else, why did the Earth tremble? and why did the Sun hide his face, as if he was ashamed to see what was done to the God of Nature? and why did the graves open, and the bodies of the dead arise, and walke up and down the holy City?

That he died for sin, is as plain; for there is no death without sin: Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death.

That he died for the sins of man, is still as plain; for he had no sin of his own: 'tis confest on all hands, that he had done no violence, neither was there deceit in his mouth. Esay. 53.9.

That he died as an offering for sin, is most appa­rent: I might give you an hundred Scriptures; but shall one for all; And walk in love as Christ hath lo­ved you, Ephes. 5.2. and hath given himself an offering, a sweet smelling Savour. As if the Apostle should say, before Christ died, all the World stunk in the nostrils of God; such stinking, and poyson us vapours did the sin of man send up to Heaven: but after Christ died, then was the Scene changed; the World began then to smell like the Spring of the year, of Hony-Suckles, and Violets, and Roses: He gave himself an effering, a sweet smelling Savour: And indeed he was the substance of all those typical offerings, and Sacrifices, which were from the beginning of the World; for they were either of things without life, [Page 47]or things that had life; he answereth them all.

Things inanimate were either dry, or moist; if dry, as the shew bread, then it was broken in pieces (for an offering was ever the destruction of the thing offered) Thus Christ was broken; It pleased the Lord to bruise him, (saith the Text) This is my body that was broken for you: Things moist, those were either wine, Mar. 26.26. or oyle, and they were poured out before the Lord; thus it is said, that he poured out his soul unto death. Isa. 12.53.

If of things that had life, then was the heart bloud taken from them; for without shedding of blond, there was no Remission: Thus was Christ said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the World: Heb. 9.22. Hence it is that John the Baptist upon the sight of him saith, Rev. 13.8. Behold the Lamb of God, Jo. 1.29. that taketh away the sins of the World.

The Lamb of God; why not the Bullock, the Goat, or the Ram, or the Calf of God? seeing all these were Sacrificeable Creatures; not onely be­cause (as some would have it) a Lamb for innocency, though that be true; nor onely as others, the sub­stance of that typical anniversary Lamb, the Pascal Lamb; but because the Lamb was the daily stand­ing Sacrifice of the Temple; every morning, and every evening through the year was there a Lamb Sacrificed at the Temple, as the standing Propitia­tion for all Israel. Thus much for the Doctrinal part, We come now to the application.

Use 1 If it be so, that Christ bath made his soul an Offering for sin; then they do very ill that bring strange Offerings to the Lord. What else do the [Page 48]Papists, when they tell us that a man may not onely merit for himself, but supererogate for others? and poor ignorant people amongst our selves, who think to be saved by their good meaning, by their good thinking, and by their good serving of God, as they say; 'tis true, these are good things, and to be incouraged, but not trusted unto in point of justifi­cation. We are all, Isa. 64.10. saith the Prophet, as an unclean thing, and our righteousnesses as filthy rags: our best actions are rags, but pieces of that perfection the Law requires, there is no whole cloth in them, they fail in their quantity: again they are filthy rags, polluted with original sin, and so fall short in their quality, and alas! how are these things to be trusted to?

It was the Law when any brought his sacrifice unto God, Deu. 15.19, 21. vers. He was to bring the firstling male of the flock, but if it were halt, or lame, or blind, or had any blemish, he was not to offer it unto the Lord. What do these men do that trust to their own works, but bring the halt, and the lame, and the blinde, when there is a firstling male in the flock, whose soul was made an offering for sin?

Use 2 Was Christ made an offering for sin, surely then there is no small comfort for humbled sinners? Hath the Lord affected thee with the sence of sin? Christian look up to this offering!

It is with a man in the state of sin, as with one looking through a Prospective Glass, while he looks at the wrong end, things that are great, and nigh, seem little, and afar off; but when he looks through [Page 49]the right end, then things appear in their dimensions at the very end of the Glass: Just thus it is while a man is in the state of sin; though his sins be great, yet they seem little, and afar off is the danger; Psal. 10.5. vers. Thy Judgements, saith David, speaking of the wicked, are far out of his sight: even as the Stars, though they be bigger then the Earth, seem, but by reason of their distance, like the snuffe of a Candle. But when a man begins to turn unto God, then those sins that formerly he hath accompted little, begin to appear in their dimensions, and affrightingly to stare him in the face. Well Christian, hath God turned the right end of the Prospective to thee? hath he awa­kened thy Conscience? hath he written such bitter things against thy soul, that thou now beginnest to read the sins of thy youth upon the Curtains of thy bed, and upon the windows of thy house? I mean, that every Circumstance puts thee in mind of thy sinnings against the Lord.

What dost thou see? above, an angry God; below, a gaping Hell; on the one hand Conscience, on the other Satan to accuse thee? O direct thine eyes to this offering, to this lambe of God; that is a be­loved, and an onely begotten Son; slain for sin in the indefinite; for all sin, that thou maist receive com­fort from him.

Ah Sir, saith the soul, I am a great sinner; you know not what a sinner I have been, and of how scarlet a dye my sinnes are. Why Christian, if thy sinnes be great, this offering is so. Sure I am, they can be but Infinite; this offering is so. Ah but saith the soul, if I [Page 50]had but a promise that God did in particular be­long to me, I could believe this offering able to take away my sinne: Why Christian, thou hast all the promises that Abraham, David, and Daniel, and Paul, and Peter, and all those blessed Creatures, are now set down in heaven by; thou hast the same promises that Idolatrous Manasseh; persecuting Saul, and dia­bolical Mary Magdalen, are carried to Heaven by. How particular wouldst thou have the promises? This is my body which is broken for thee; what wouldst thou have more? If thou dost think Christ an hard-heart­ed Saviour, yet thou dost not think him a fool; Is it imaginable thinkest thou, that he should be at all this cost and smart to redeem a soul, and then refuse it when it comes unto him?

To conclude, meditate upon these two Scriptures, John 6.37. He that comes unto me, I will in no wise cast out. John 17.37. In the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cryed, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

Mark how emphatical these words are; in the last day, As if they were the last words that Christ should speak; the last words of a dying man are hearty words. The great day of the feast; That is, of the Ta­bernacles, when the Tribes were met in Jerusalem, when there was a whole Kingdom in one City, Je­sus stood and cryed, at other times he used to sit, and preach: But now he stood, and cryed; If any man thirst, Luk. 5.3. let him come unto me and drink, &c. If any man, though a great sinner, be he Jew or Gen­tile, Turk or Christian; If he thirst, without all re­striction, [Page 51]without all limitation, Let him come unto me and drink.

Use 3 If Christs soul was poured out for sinne, it teach­eth us then with what eye to look upon sinne. Many poor ignorant people when they read the story of Christs passion, how angry are they at that Traytor Judas? that cruel Pilate? those hard-hearted mis­creants, the Jews, for putting so innocent a person to death? Alas Christian! it was not Judas, it was not Pontius Pilate; but it was thy sin, and my sin, that procured it. Sin was that which put upon his head a Crown of Thornes, that spat upon his blessed face; the Spear that pierced his side, Sin was the nailes that fastned him to the Cross; what remaines then, but that he that loves the Lord Jesus should hate I­niquity? Nevertheless, saith the Apostle; the foundation of God abideth sure; 2 Tim. 2.13. let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The like Scrip­ture we have in the fifth of the Ephesians the 3 verse, Let not fornication, uncleanness, &c. be once named amongst you, as becometh Saints. Let it not be done amongst you, is good counsel may some men say; nay let not it be once named amongst you, as becom­eth Saints. It is said of Alexander, That he had a Coward in his Army, whose name was Alexander; sending for him said, What? art thou Alexander, and a Coward? either change thy name, or thy nature; either be not a Coward, or be not Alexander. What? a Christian, and a Whoremaster, a Drunkard, a profane Swearer, &c? Non bene conveniunt nec in unâ sede morantur; these things seem to be incompetible [Page 52]in the same subject, and inconsistent with that love which a Christian professeth to bear unto this Savi­our that dyed for sinne. If a woman having her hus­band murthered by an Assassinate, should take that knife imbrued with the gore blood of her husbands heart, and kiss it, and put it in her bosome, and say, this knife will I keep in my bosome all the dayes of my life; surely you would say this woman never lo­ved her husband, was guilty of the blood of her husband; Thus the Apostle sets forth the monstrous nature of a wilful sinner, Of how much sorer punish­ment, saith he, Heb. 10.29. shall he be worthy of, who hath troden un­derfoot the Son of God, hath counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing, &c.

The Heathens, such as Socrates and Cato, might by moral reasons cause a stupefaction of their sinnes; but the true mortification of sinne ariseth from the death of Christ; and certainly, no consideration un­der heaven doth more prevail with a gracious heart then this.

I have some where met with a story of five Chri­stians, who used to confer Notes about this point: sayes the first, When I am tempted to sin, I think of the shortness of life, and uncertainty of the time of death, and this makes me to live every day as if it were my last day.

This keeps me from sinne, saith the second, I think of the Anomy, Ataxy, that confusion, darknesse, that is in sinne, when I think of the great and glorious God, prescribing a rule unto his Creatures, whose wil is nothing but reason for their good, giving them be­ing, [Page 53]and well-being, that they might observe it: Now to see a man thus carried in Gods arms, to spit in his face, methinks it is such an unthankful and unwor­thy thing that I cannot but hate it.

But saith the third, when I am tempted to sinne, I think of the day of Judgement, and methinks I hear that voice of the Archangel, with that Father, alwaies sounding in mine ears, surgite, & venite ad ju­dicium, Arise ye dead and come to Judgment: and methinks I open the Casements of Hell in my medi­tations, where I see Cain, and Judas. and Jerobo­am the Son of Nebat, &c. and all those children of perdition, in those bloody flames out of extremi­ty of torments, cursing the day of their birth, the God that made them, and the womb that bore them, and the breasts that gave them suck, this makes me afraid to sin against him.

Saith the fourth, I think of the Joyes of Heaven; methinks there I see meek Moses, faithful Abraham, patient Iob, &c. and all those children of blessed­ness, that by faith and obedience do now inherit the promises; And this doth wean my soul from sin. These are all good Considerations.

But saith the last, which is best of all: when I am tempted to sinne, I go up to Mount Calvary, and there methinks I see a sweet Saviour hanging upon the Cross, stretching out his Arms to Jew and Gen­tile, as if he would grasp in all the world to salvati­on; There methinks I see his bloody temples, hands, side, and feet; There I see him sweating, and sighing, bleeding, and crying, and dying under the weight of my sins: Oh saith he, this is such heart-conquering [Page 54]love, that I know not how to sinne a­gainst it. This is that kindly repentance which God hath promised to his people; Zach. 10.10. Hos. 14.8. That they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn for him as an onely Son: When repenting Ephraim shall see this, he shall say, What have I to do any more with I­dols?

If Christ hath given himselfe an offering for us, why then should not we give up our selves an offer­ing for him? 4thly. It is but reasonable service, saith the A­postle, as reasonable as an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; Rom. 12.1. but alas! men are very delatory about this work. The Covetous person saith, Let him but obtain an Estate of so many thousand pounds, then he will repent, and turn to Christ: The voluptuous, would reserve one seven years longer to enjoy the pleasures of sinne; and then he will offer himselfe to Christ. Most men defer this to old age, and death; but consider with thy selfe Christian, hath Christ made it his first work to dye for thee? and wilt thou make it thy last work to come to him? Hath he gi­ven himself to death for thee? and wilt thou not give up thy selfe to life for him? Do but consider the Advantages that thou wilt have by this Act: Many are the expressions in Scripture, which set forth the relation betwixt Christ and his Church: But there is none wherein the Spirit of God more delights, then that of marriage. Now there are three things (to name no more) which a woman that is well married receives from her husband.

First, There is an exemption from all her Debts. [Page 55]If so be she was five thousand pounds in debt be­fore and the Bayliffs come and arrest her, she tels them, that she is not responsible, she is now under Co­vert Baron; and that lis feminae non intenditur, is a maxime in the Law. Thus a believer pleads against his sins, when Satan, and Conscience come to arrest him; Its true saith he, I was Gods debtor, but now my condition is changed; truly I am not responsible, I am under the coverture of the Lord Jesus: Go sin, Go Devil to him that is my spiritual husband, to him that hath lead captivity captive, and that is now set down at the right hand of God; he will pay you every groat, or else he will shew you those ac­quittances that he took out for my sin at his resur­rection. Blessed is the man (saith David,) Psalm. 32.1. to whom the Lord imputes no sin. He doth not say, to him that hath no sin: for there is not such a man in the World; but the man to whom the Lord imputes no sin.

Secondly, A Wife partakes of all the honours, and riches of her husband: first the husband is the fountain of honour to the wife; if the husband be a King, she is a Queen; a Marquess, she is a Marchio­ness; a Knight, she is a Lady, &c. Thus what Christ is in point of honour, his people are. What was the native honour of Christ, but to be the Son of God? why so are they; Beloved saith th' Apostle, 1 Joh. 3.2. We are now the Sons of God, though it doth not appear what we shall be, &c. Though we be not glorified Sons, yet we are Sons as truly as he. What honour had Christ by Office? why he was a Priest, a Prophet, a King: so are they; Who hath washt us in his blood, Rev. 1.5.6. and hath made us [Page 56]Kings and Priests unto his Father, &c. And that not in a metaphorical, but a real sence, for every good man is a King; he hath got some victory over his corruptions, Et fortior est qui se, quam qui fortis­sima vincit maenia, he is a stronger King that con­quereth himself, then he that conquereth a City; and he is a Priest, he can pray unto God for himself, family, friends, neighbours, &c. and God hears him.

Again, he is instated in all the riches of Christ; As where the husband hath a shilling, there the wife can say, is her six pence or groat for her benefit; the riches of Christ I have not time to open to you, temporal, spiritual, eternal. They would require a large discourse; onely take one place of Scripture, which is the magna Charta of a Christian; 1 Cor. 3.22.23. Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the World, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all things are yours, and you are Christs, and Christs is Gods.

There was a difference amongst the Corinthians about their Preachers, some was for Paul, Paul say they was a most excellent Preacher, that Preached in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit of God; 1 Cor. 2.4. Acts 18.24. But sayes another sort we like Apollo best, for he is a Rhetorical man, and mighty in the Scriptures, and he worked the best upon our affections; but saith the third we are for Cephas, he is an excellent Casuist, and he resolves our doubts the best; Why saith the Apostle, will you like Children divide your own, they are but your Chaplains; Chaplains might the Corinthian, say, these are fit to be Chap­lains [Page 57]to the greatest Emperours in the World; why? saith he, the World is yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the World, &c. but what good will the World do us (might the Corinthians say) if we cannot live to enjoy it? why (saith he) life is yours. But what good will the World do us when we come to dye? why (saith he) death is yours, that is for your advantage; but what will become of us after we are dead? All things to come (saith he) are yours: But might these Corinthians say, blessed Apo­stle, shew us the writings and the conveyances of this estate; tell us, how we hold it, that we may not live upon fansies, and build Castles in the aire: why sayes he, you-hold in Capite, you hold of the Heir apparent of Heaven, and Earth; for you are Christs, and Christ is Gods: the Argumentation seems to run thus, you know Corinthians, that God hath all things; well, that's true; you know that Christ is Gods Son and Heir, and therefore he hath all things; well, that is true also; and you are Christs spouse, and therefore for your good, you have all things.

The third, and last thing is, Those Comforts that flow from their Union with Christ. As a woman that loves her Husband, receives more joy from the per­sonall fellowship and acquaintance with him, then from all his Estate besides; so great are the Com­forts that are received from Christ; which must needs be inexpressible, seeing the union from whence they flow is so great, that the most gracious and learned men in the world do not fully understand it in this life, which appears by that speech of Christ to his [Page 58]people. Matth. 25.34, 35. Come ye blessed of my father, for I was an hun­gry, and ye gave me meat; I was naked, and you cloathed me; I was sick, and you visited me. Then shall the righ­teous answer, when did we see thee hungry, naked, or sick, and visited thee? As if they should say, we confess Lord, that we have seen thy poor people hungry, naked, and sick, and we relieved them; but did we do it to thee? to very thee? Yes, saith Christ, you did it to me, to very me; you have not yet under­stood the near relation that is betwixt them, and me; for in that you have visited them, you visited me, &c.

To conclude all, as the Love and Care of a friend or Father sheweth it selfe most towards death, so we find the heart of Christ how it stood towards his people in that famous prayer before his death; That they all may be one, John 17.21, 22, 23. as thou father art in me, and I in thee; and the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one: that the World may know, that thou hast sent me; and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. See here what variety of expressions is used; thou in them, and I in them; and thou in me, and I in thee; backward, and forward; as if no one expression was able to set forth this Union. Me think this is like the speech of some young Heir, that having taken a wife against his fathers consent, brings her in his hand to him, and saies, Sir, I confess this woman is below me in birth, breeding, portion, &c. But I have set my heart upon her, and have taken her for my wife, now good [Page 59]Sir, as ever you hope to have comfort of your Son, that you will own her as your Daughter, else what good will my life do me? That the same lodg­ing, diet, respect, attendance, may be given to her, that is given to me; and that she may as truly in all respects be taken for your Daughter, as you have taken me for your Son; and that not privately onely, but that all the Servants of the House, and all the Tenants may see, that you have loved her, as you have loved me; that all the World, saith Christ, may see that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. I have done, the Lord give a blessing.

THis Psalm is the most excellent Psalm of David: excellent for the length of it, consisting of so many Octonaries, or parts, as there are letters in the He­brew Alphabet; excellent for the mat­ter of it, all the parts of verses thereof conspiring with one consent to set out the dignity of the Law of God; And indeed there seems to have been all divine frames upon Davids heart when he writ this Psalm: Sometimes we find him in such raptures, as if he was already set down in glory; sometimes prostrate up­on the earth in humble and penitential confessions of sin, and deprecations against them; sometimes wee finde him upon his legs, looking backward and for­ward; forward, telling us what hee would do for time to come, Having sworn, I will perform it, Psal. 119.106. that I will keep thy righteous Judgments; backward, telling us what hee had done in times past, to which this verse is to be referred, Thy Testimonies have I ta­ken, &c.

These words contain Davids profession of that [Page 2]high esteem hee had of Gods testimonies, and the reason thereof; the profession in the former part of the verse, Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever; the reason in the latter part of the verse, for they are the rejoycing of my heart.

The first of these which is Davids profession, my purpose is to open to you, as the doctrinal part; the other, in the application of our discourse.

The first which is Davids profession, is one intire proposition, in which wee have, as in every proposi­tion, these two things considerable: First the sub­ject or matter treated of, which is in the word Testi­monies, set forth by their relation unto God, Thy Testimonies.

The second, is the predicate, or that which is spo­ken of that subject, that is the word Heritage, set forth by its duration, An heritage for ever.

And first of the first: This word Testimonies is that that is sometimes called, The Word of the Lord, The Way of the Lord, Psal. 139.9. The Will of the Lord; some­times, Psal. 143.10. Psal. 119.1. The Law of the Lord, The Commandements of the Lord; sometimes, The Fear of the Lord, The Sta­tutes of the Lord, Psal. 119.6. Psal. 19.9. The Judgments of the Lord; sometimes, Psal. 119.8. The Testimonies of the Lord. And it is observable, Psal. 119.13. that though there be an hundred three­score and sixteen verses in this Psalm, yet there is not above two of them wherein one of these nine words is not named.

Some one may say, Object. What's the reason that David should use so many words to express one and the same thing? Frustrà fit per plura quod fieri potest [Page 3]per pauciora, saith the Philosopher.

Truly (Sirs) I know not what better answer to give, Answ. than that it is the property of Love to give se­veral Epithets to the object beloved: thus when Christ was in love with his Spouse; Thou art, Cant. 5.2. saith hee, my fair One, my Love, my Dove, my undefiled, Cant. 6.1, 10. ter­rible as an Army with banners. Thou art my fair One; I, but what if shee be fair, if shee be not chast? Thou art my undefiled; but what if shee be fair, and chast, if shee be a scold, a vexsome? I, but thou art my Dove, without all gall, without all bitterness; but what if she be a Dove, if she have never so much meekness, if that arise only from flegmacy and baseness of temper, that shee is sola socordia innocens; no, shee is full of spirit, life, and majesty, shee is terrible as an Army with banners. Thus as Christ delights himself with various titles, to set forth the several excellencies of his Church, so it is with David; his heart is so in love with these Testimonies, that hee knowes not what to call them, Statutes, Lawes, Commande­ments, Judgments, &c. Sometimes when hee con­siders of them, in regard of the Author, the great God, from whence they came; thus hee calls them, The Word of the Lord, The Way of the Lord, The Will of the Lord; when hee considers the divine sove­raignty that they have over all Gods rational Crea­tures, Angels and Men; thus hee calls them, The Law of the Lord, the Commandements of the Lord; when hee considers that great respect and reverence that a gracious heart yields unto them, thus hee calls them, The fear of the Lord; when hee [Page 4]considers their stability, and duration, as those things which God hath ratified for ever; thus they are called, The Statutes of the Lord; when hee considers that great decision, and determination, that they shall make at the last day concerning the quick and the dead, thus hee calls them, The Judgments of the Lord; and last of all, considering that testificati­on that these make concerning God and man, as I shall shew you by and by, thus they are called, The Testimonies of the Lord; Thy Testimonies have I ta­ken, &c.

It is observable, that David delights more in this word than in any of the rest, and by these Testimo­nies is meant the Word of God at large, but more strictly the Moral Law, or the Law of the Ten Com­mandements. You know, when God gave the Law, he writ it upon two Tables of stone, and those two Ta­bles are called, Exod. 31.18. The Tables of the Testimony: Then God took those Tables of stone, and put them into an Ark, Exod. 25.22. and that was called, The Ark of the Testimony; Then God took that Ark, and put that Ark into a Tabernacle, Num. 1.50. and that Tabernacle was called, The Tabernacle of the Testimony; so that this was so fa­mous a Testimony, that it calls every thing Testimo­ny that toucheth it, and gives a denomination to eve­ry thing that comes nigh unto it; and it may be well called a Testimony,

1 Because it was delivered with a Witness: when God came down upon Mount Sinai, Exod 20.29. the mountain smoked, and the earth trembled, and there was great thundering, and lightening, and the sound of the [Page 5]trumpet, and hundred of thousands of people that fled from it, saying, Let us not come near him, lest wee die.

2 It may well be called the Testimonie; Because as it testifies the perfection, and the holiness of Gods will for ever, so also the Word of God witnesseth the several Attributes of God unto the world; the book of Genesis is a Testimony of Gods power, in making the world of nothing; his Justice, in drown­ing the world with water; his mercy, in saving Noah and his family, &c.

The book of Exodus is a Testimony of that cu­rious and stupendious providence, that God exerci­sed over his Church, in bringing her out of Egypt through the red sea, and that vast howling wilderness into the land of Canaan, and so of the rest.

3 It is called Testimony, in regard of that comfor­table or dismal report it shall make for us, or against us, at the last day: Whosoever shall not receive you, Mark 6.11. nor hear my words, shake off the dust off your feet for a Testi­mony against them: and thus have wee dispatched the first thing propounded, What is meant by Testi­monies, and why so called.

Wee now come to the second, which is the predi­cate, or what is said of these Testimonies, that is, they are An heritage for ever; yet before wee come to that, wee may a little take notice of the copulation of these two together, in that word taken, which some read chosen, both the lections being emphatical enough to Davids purpose.

If the first, I have taken thy Testimonies, then [Page 6]thus, as if David should have said, I perceive the Lord hath a minde to give these blessed Testimonies to his Church, the greatest gift that ever hee shall be­stow, except it be the Messiah to come, and seeing that the Lord hath a heart to give, for my part I am resolved to have a hand to take, I have taken thy Testimonies: or thus, I have chosen thy Testimonies; As if hee should say, The Lord hath laid before mee two excellent things: Here are my Crowns and Kingdoms on the one hand, and his Testimonies on the other; and if hee would put mee to my choice which I should chuse, and which refuse, in­comparably have I chosen his Testimonies as an heri­tage for ever.

An Inheritance.

This is the highest expression almost that David could use, to testifie his respect to these Testimonies; hee had been a long time lifting and heaving at an expression, but did never hit it till now: In his youn­ger time (I suppose it was that) hee compares it to hony, Psal. 19. and the hony-comb; Sweeter are they also than the honey and the hony-comb: hony is a fine thing, but money is better; money buy will hony, and sugar, and a hundred things more; money answers all things; now David goes a little higher, and compares it to silver, but silver may be drossie, Psal. 12.6. seven times purified in the fire: I, but there is a finer thing than silver, and that is gold; Psal. 19.10. why, faith hee, It is much more to be desired than gold, yea than fine gold: I, but yet there is a finer thing than Gold, that is, Diamonds, Pearls, and Rubies, They are more precious than Rubies; Prov. 3.15. but yet suppose [Page 7]a man hath silver, and gold, and rubies, yet hee may not have all riches; there are Cattel, Camels, Hor­ses, Sheep, and Oxen, these were the ancient riches of the world, Psal. 119.14. I have rejoyced in the way of thy Commande­ments above all riches. But yet there is one sort of riches that is the sweetest of all riches, that is spoil; when a souldier overcomes his enemy, and hath the pillage of the field, or falls into a Garrison and takes the plunder thereof, this is of all riches the sweetest; for here is a double lust satisfied at once, not only Covetousness, but Revenge, Psal. 119.162. Thy Word have I rejoy­ced in more than in all spoil. But yet (Sirs) suppose a man hath silver, and gold, and pearls, and dia­monds, and all riches, and all spoil: Suppose a pri­vate man should arrive to an estate of twenty, thirty, forty, fifty thousand pound; Pray (Sir) saith hee, can you help mee to a purchase, I would fain have an Inheritance? Alas! these things may be taken from mee in a night, I would fain turn my personal into a real estate, have an Inheritance settled upon mee to descend to my posterity after mee; now David is come to the heighth of what a mortal man could express, Thy Testimonies have I taken as mine Inheritance for ever. An Inheritance then is that summum totale, that dimensum, that lot, that portion, or proportion of estate a man enjoyes in this world, whether it be bequeathed by gift, or descend by suc­cession, this wee call an Inheritance: now God, who hath given the world to the children of men as an Inheritance, hath reserved a special spiritual portion for his people; in allusion to which it is called, An [Page 8]Inheritance, which is no less than heaven, and glory, and that it might be sure to them, hee hath conveyed it all manner of wayes.

1 Hee hath decreed it for them, In whom wee have obtained an inheritance being predestinated. Ephes. 1.11.

2 Hee hath bequeathed it to them by will. Fear not little Flock, Luke 12.32. it is your Fathers will to give you a King­dom.

3 It descends to them by succession, and therefore they are said to be born, and to be begotten to it; That hath begotten us to an inheritance incorruptible. 1 Pet. 1.4, 5. Hence it is that all the children of God are said to be the first-born; there is no yonger brothers in heaven, to every son hee alloweth the liberty and the privi­ledge of primogeniture to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born. Heb. 12.22.

I, Object. but some will say, What is all this to our pur­pose: wee know indeed that heaven is a glorious in­heritance; if David had said, The kingdom of hea­ven O Lord, the kingdom of thy Glory, I have ta­ken for an inheritance, that might be easily under­stood, but that hee should say, Thy Testimonies are my inheritance, that wee cannot understand?

It is true indeed, Answ. that heaven is the actual inheri­tance of Gods people, but it is as true, that the Word of God is their virtual inheritance; these testimonies are the deeds that convey this inheri­tance, and how ordinary is it amongst men to call such the inheritance? If one of you come with a breviat to a Lawyer, and hee be dissatisfied in any thing, Pray (Sir) saith hee. will you show mee the [Page 9]inheritance, that is, the main deeds that leads to the inheritance: and we know that many times these old dusty moth-eaten papers are as much worth as a whole Country: Now an inheritance doth but these two things.

1 It discovers the estate, what quantity of acres, the butting and bounding, &c.

2 It doth convey, make over, and assure the said Land to such and such a person, and to his Heirs af­ter him. Just thus doth the Word of God, it dis­covers heaven and glory unto us; it is the terrier of the celestial Canaan, it holds out all that bliss, hap­piness, and glory that is treasured up there for the children of blessedness, that exemption that is there from sin, sorrows, temptations, tribulations, per­secutions, &c.

2 It conveys and assures all the estate unto them, in­somuch there was never any childe of God could e­ver lay claim to God, Christ, to the Spirit, to Grace, to Glory, but by these Testimonies: Hence David knew what he said, Psal. 19.11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward: That reward is no less then Heaven it self: Hence it is that the Word is so often called The Gospel of the Kingdom: Yea, The Kingdom of heaven it self: Repent, Mat. 4.23. Mat. 24.14. for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand: Mat. 4.17. The Kingdom of God is come unto you. Hence Paul, Luk. 10.9. when he bids farewel to the Ministers of Miletus, I commend you, saith he, to God, and the Word of his grace, Acts 20.32. that is able to give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified; giving thanks unto God that hath made us [Page 10]meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light: Not only in the light of glory, but in the light of grace, and of these Testimonies; For thy Law is a light unto my feet, Psal. 119.105. and a Eamp unto my paths. And thus have we done with the second thing propound­ed, to wit, What is meant by this Inheritance, and in what sense these Testimonies became David's In­heritance, and so we come to the improvement of all by way of Application.

Use 1 If it be so, that the Word of the Lord is his peo­ples inheritance, Then we see the reason of its pre­servation to this day, notwithstanding all those floods of malice that have been vomited out against it by Satan and his Instruments. What is the reason that the Assyrian and Persian Monarchs, and those bloo­dy Roman Emperours, that would have blotted out the name of this Book from under heaven, could never effect it? What is the reason that that Fox, the Pope, by all his subtilty could never destroy it: som­times setting the Church above it, somtimes corru­pting it with false glosses, somtimes obscuring it from the people? What's the reason that those Locusts that are come out of the bottomless pit, I mean, the Seekers, and Ranters, and Quakers, who crying up a light within them, to destroy this glorious light without them, could never effectuate? Why you have the reason in the Text, It is an Inheritance: It is no easie matter to divide betwixt an Heir and his Inheritance: A young Heir may be under a Cloud, or a Sequestration for a time, but Inheritances will revert: God's entails are stronger then man's; and [Page 11]so long as God hath an Heir, a Childe upon earth, it is impossible to destroy this Book, this Inheritance: Heaven and Earth shall pass away, before one jot, Matth. 5.18. one tittle shall pass from it.

Use 2 If it be so, That these Testimonies are such an Inheritance, then that man that hath an Interest in them, hath little cause to be discontented in his con­dition. If thou beest a rich man, then bless the Lord that hath given thee both a portion in this life, and that which is to come: And if we have any Country­man here that is a poor man, let him not say he is very poor, having an interest in that which David prizeth above all his Crowns; but let him say, Psal. 116.7. Re­turn unto thy rest, O my Soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Use 3 If it be so, That this Word of the Lord be such an Inheritance, What is the reason that in these our days it is so slighted, and the love of many grows so cold towards it? We have a saying, That rich men never want Heirs: they may want children, but they never want heirs. Take the most mortified man, and him that is the most withdrawn from the pleasures and profits of this life, if he hear of any Inheritance fallen, presently he saddles his Horse, and rides a­way for possession; for saith he, it is an Inheritance. If men did believe that this were such, could they slight it as they do? When the Son of man comes, shall he finde faith in the earth? Truly Sirs, we have cause to think, that the last age of the world is upon us: I might stand here, and lament over the sad Apo­stacy of these times, and might take up the expostu­lation [Page 12]of the Prophet Jeremiah, Ierem. 2.5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone away from me? What evil (Christian) hast thou ever found in this Book, that thy soul should loath it? What is the reason? Is it that of the Poet? Inopem me copia fe­cit: Hath plenty made thee poor? Or, Hath the a­bundance of this spiritual Manna given thee a sur­fet? Or is it that of the Philosopher, Nimis sensibile destruit sensum? Art thou blinde by looking upon the Sun? Or hath the glorious light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ put out mens eyes? Well Sirs, Let others do what they will, you that are my Country­men, you that fear the Lord amongst them, hold fast this Book; for it is your life, and the length of your days; and when any one attempts to seduce you from it, say unto him, as Naboth did unto Ahab; Ahab was a King, 1 Kings 21.3. and he proffered a valuable consi­deration, and it was but for a temporal inheritance, God forbid that I should part with the Inheritance of my forefathers: Have all my Progenitors lived upon this estate, and shall I now debauch it? God forbid: There is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Job, and David, and Daniel, and Paul, and Peter, and Lati­mer, and our Countryman Cranmer; and all these Patriarchal men, and thousands more that are now sate down in the Kingdom of Glory by vertue of this inheritance: God forbid that ever we should part with the inheritance of our forefathers. And that I may fasten this Exhortation upon you, we shall a little open to you in the conclusion of our discourse the famous example of David: It is to be considered [Page 13]either first in the Practique, or secondly in the The­ory of it: The Practique is considerable, either first what the temporal estate that David had, was: Or secondly, what of these Testimonies David knew. For the first, I believe that David had the greatest estate that ever mortal man had, except it was A dam in innocency: I know the story of Darius, Alexander, Caesar, Charlemaine, and those great and mighty men upon the earth, yet, under favour, David seems to transcend them, if these three things be considered.

1 David had a considerable bredth of ground over which he ruled; he ruled over Palestina, which was somtimes the seat of seven Kingdoms, over the Phi­listims, over Ammon, Moab, Amaleck; &c. and if you compare 2 Sam. 8. with the History of Josephus, you will find him to be Lord of the greatest part of the Eastern world: But

2 If you consider the quality of his Subjects, which being good, is no small addition to the glory of a Prince: What Nation (saith Moses) is there in all the world so great and so glorious as thy people Israel? There was but one people in all the world that was the Lord's people, and David was their King, and God's King: He was not Rex Diabolorum, as they say the King of England was; the King of Divels: Neither was he Rex Asinorum, as they say the King of France is; the King of Asses: Neither was he Rex Hominum only, as they say the King of Spain is; the King of men: But he was Rex Sanctorum, the King of Saints, wherein he assumes the very Title of God, Rev. 15.3. O Thou King of Saints!

[Page 14] 3 If we consider the settlement of this estate upon David and his Posterity; We think an estate surely setled, that is entailed upon the Crown; but alas, that Crown may fall in four or five hundred years, and then what becomes of that Entail? But David's estate was by God's Oath entailed upon the Son, Once have I sworn by my Holiness unto David, Psal. 89.36, 37. that his Seed shall be as the Sun before me, and as the faithful witness in heaven. If you lay these things together, what an estate had David? Nay rather, what a heart had David to slight all these, for these Testimonies! We have not a drop to his bucket, to his Ocean, and yet alas, how do our small estates draw our hearts from these Testimonies! Let us mourn over this di­stemper. Again,

2 If we consider how small a part of these Testi­monies David had: David had but eight books of the Scripture; the five books of Moses, Joshua, Judg­es, and Ruth; this was all that David knew: David had the Law it is true, but he had none of the Gospel, none of the Evangelists, or Apostolical Epistles: David had the Law, but he had not any of the Com­mentators, none of those Prophets called great or small, lived in his time: I dare be bold to say, that that first Sermon of Christ in Matth. 5. is worth more then all that David knew: David had the Let­ter that killeth; but you have the Spirit that giveth life: David saw through a Glass, 2 Cor. 3.18. darkly; but you with open face behold the glory of the Lord: David lived in the Dawning of the day; but you in those times when the Sun is in the full Heavens, in its Me­ridian: [Page 15]O what would David have said, if he had seen the things that we see! as Christ speaks, Mat. 13.17. Many righ­teous men have desired to see the things that ye see, and have not seen them.

Well Sir, if you lay the greatness of this estate with the littleness of David's knowledge concerning these testimonies together, for, sic magna parvis com­ponere solemus, you will finde him a famous example, and worthy your imitation: But if any one should say, what is the reason, or what was there that David saw in these testimonies, to lead him to his choice from so great an estate? You have it in these words, For they are the rejoycing of my heart. And thus am I come to the second particular, and the last thing, that is, the Theory in David's example; For they are the rejoycing of my heart; wherein you have three things insinuated, First saith hee, they are my Joy: Joy is that flower that groweth out of every good; and so far do we account any thing good, as it is joyfull to us; As if David should say, I profess I have found more joy in these Testimonies, then ever I did in my Crowns and Kingdoms: It is a mistake, when men think that a religious life is a sad, melancholly, cynical life; It is true, the life of a Christian is a life of temptation, affliction, a life of sorrowing, and teares for sin; and yet it is a joyful life: for we finde joy in our very sorrows: As dying, and behold we live; 2 Cor. 6.9.10. as sorrowfull, yet alwayes rejoycing. The Apostle brings in sorrow with a sicut sicut Dolentes; as sor­rowful, as if our sorrows were not reall sorrows, as if they were but Analogical or similitudinous [Page 16]sorrows; But our joy real, verè semper gaudentes, alwayes rejoycing: and truly, if you look upon all the sons of affliction in Scripture, you will finde they had their time of joy; poor Joseph that was so innocently cast into the dungeon, and those heavy irons layed upon his young and tender legs, the text faith, Psal. 106.18. the very irons went through his soule, yet he had his time of joy; and David, after hee was hunted by Saul, like a Partridge upon the Mountaines, had yet his time of joy; And Job, after Satan had dischar­ged all the arrowes of his wrath upon him, had his time of joy; And Paul, in the midst of those many deaths, hee was, as sorrowfull, but alwayes rejoycing; men may think what they will, but the state of a Christian is a joyfull state, for they are the joy, &c.

2 The second thing observable is, the intention of the deepness of his joy, for they are the joy of my heart; As if David should say, my Crown, and Kingdoms, Wives, and Children, they are the rejoycing of mine eyes, of my sensual and bestial parts, but truly my rational and deep joyes, they are from thy Testimo­nies, for they are the rejoycing of my heart. It is one thing to be merry ore tenus; this the men of the world have: it is another thing to be joyful; this only the Saints have; As the Poet speaks of the river Nilus, that it is very deep, and the waters are very swift, and yet a by-stander would scarcely think they did move at all: The joyes of a good man are deep and swift joyes, and yet to others they are scarce seen to move; there was such a difference in Davids com­forts as there is betwixt the dew and the ground­raine, [Page 17]you know Sirs, that in a hot parching season, if there comes-a coole night, and a fine dew upon the grasse in the morning, it is a great refreshing; but alas! when the Sun is up an hour or two, that dew is gone; but if there comes a ground-rain that lasteth for eight and forty or threescore hours, that reaches the root of the grasse and trees, what a new face doth it put up­on the Creature? The comforts that David had from Absolom, Amnon, Tamar, and his temporal concern­ments, were like the dew, for an hour or two, but then were scorched; but the joys hee had from these testimo­nies, are like unto the ground-rain, that reached his heart root; for they are the joyes of my heart.

3 The last thing observable is, how David doth place all the springs of his comforts in these testimonies: For they, They are the rejoycings of my heart. As if a good man should fetch all his comforts from these testimo­nies: and certainely we forget our selves when we do o­therwise, and therefore it is that God doth usually blast all the other objects of our joy; Son of man, I will take a­way the delight of their eies; Ezek. 24.25. their Sons and their Daugh­ters: and why? because they were the delight of their eyes: Jonah greatly rejoyced under the Gourd, and the Gourd withered; God doth usually disappoint us in our comforts, that we might fetch them from his te­stimonies. We read that the Disciples came to Christ, and told him what brave fellows they were: Lord, Luke 10.17. say they, the very Devils are subject unto us. Well saith Christ, Go on, tread upon Serpents, and Scorpions, and cast out Devils; yet one thing let me tell you, do not rejoyce in these things: no, might they say, if ever mor­tal men had cause to rejoyce, we have: Have we not the [Page 18]power of God upon earth? the very Devils are subject unto us; No saith Christ, do not rejoyce in these things▪ why, what then must we rejoyce in? that your names are written in Heaven.

I dare be bold to say, that no man ever yet entred into Heaven, whose name was not first written in this book; in the book of the Promises, in the book of Life; hence it is that you shall seldom read of these testimonies, but there is joy with them: if this word be preached, there is great joy; Acts 8.8. when Philip preached the word in Samaria, there was great joy in that City: if two Christians do con­fer upon this word, there will be strange motions of heart: Luke 24.32. Did not we feel our hearts burning within us, when hee spake unto us?

If a man (one of these long winter nights, when he cannot sleep) doth but think of these Commandments, there is great joy; O how do I love thy Law, it is my medi­tation day and night. Psal. 119.91. If a man doth but put forth his hand to execute one of these Commandments, there is great joy: Prov. 21.15. It is a joy to the just to do judgment, What joy have they that keep thy Commandments? And truly Sirs, there is one conveniency in these, above all other com­forts; that they stand by a man, when others fail him: If a man hath a beautiful wife, towardly children, a great estate, and if God throws this man into distress, they do but tumble upon him, like an old house upon his head, and then it's his misery that he cannot be miserable him­self, but he must make all his sweet relations miserable with him: but these Testimonies stand by a man in the saddest hours: This David well knew, when he made his choice, as appears by two verses in this Psalm.

Thy Statutes have been my Songs in the house of my Pil­grimage: Psal. 119.54. [Page 19]Where was it that David was a Pilgrim? You know that David was a banished King, he was hunted by Saul out of Palestina, fled to Achish, King of Gath, 1 Sam. 21.12. poor man! lept out of the frying pan into the fire; at home he was pursued as a Traitor; abroad, was appre­hended as a Spy; truly, it was a very fad condition: where was his support now? Why, saith he, Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my Pilgrimage. The other is this.

I had then perished in my afflictions, Verse 92. had not thy Law been my delight. I had then perished, when was that? Very probably at Ziklag: Ziklag was the greatest distress that ever we read David was in; Ziklag was a Frontier Town belonging to the Philistims, and there they suffered Da­vid to live; 1 Sam. 30. the Amalakites came and take away all their stuff, children, wives, and concubines, bag, and baggage, burnt the City with fire, and the worst was, that his own souldiers mutined against him; nothing would serve them, but the stoning of David: the Text saith, That he wept, till hee could weep no more: But at the last he com­forted himself in the Lord his God (poor man! little had he else to comfort himself in) that is, there was some Statute, some Judgment, some Testimony of the Lord that came into his minde at that time, that did comfort him: I had perished in my afflictions, had not thy Law been my delight. O happy is that man that hath an interest in these Testimonies, to comfort him in the saddest hour.

It is the usual custom at these Yearly Meetings, to speak somwhat of the Country, the Soyl, Scituation, Antiquities Commodities, and Memorable Accidents thereof: How laudable this custome is, I shall not here dispute, but do purpose not to practise much of it at [Page 20]this time; for all them that are here present this day, are either of the Country, or strangers: If the first, I can but tell them what by experience they better know; which seems to me, but as the carrying of coals to New­castle; or the lighting of a candle to the Sun. If stran­gers, they are prejudiced with the knowledge of that love every one bears to his Native Country, and they will think that we read them a Lecture more through the spectacles of Affection, then Judgement; and be­sides, the Memorables of our Country were so well reaped the last Year, that passing what was then deliver­ed, the gleanings will scarce be a handful to present you withal; and repetita sordent: You had then at large the Chronological and Geographical Description of it, M. Fuller. by him that is the Camden of our age for Antiquities, and our English Demosthenes for Eloquence; neither is it consistent with the modesty of my Years and Parts, to attempt the polishing of that which he hath perfect­ed; or with my trembling hand, to draw a line after that Apelles: Let it be the practise of others at these their Anniversary Meetings, to Paint over their dirty and sickly Countries, and by scraping here and there a clean bit together, to flatter and befool their Country-Citizens, with the figmentitious Landskips of their Countries Beauties: Our Country needs no commen­dation, that's all commendation; her praises are in the Gates; and fearful I am to enter the Confines of Her, being conscious to my self to be more able to sully and darken the Beauties thereof, then to express them; yet that She may not be altogether passed over in silence, give me leave to tell you a story of a Learned and Ob­servant Traveller, much redounding to the honour of [Page 21]our Country; and they say, somtimes a By-stander sees more then the Gamester.

Long since in Cambridge, I was acquainted with a young Gentleman, whose addictions were to Geogra­phy and Travels; whom after many years spent beyond Seas, it was my happiness to meet with, soon after his recess into England; and enquiring concerning some Italian Cities, and others of Fame in other Countries, which we much hear and read of; he affirmed, the ma­gnificence and stately Buildings of some, the Riches and Trade of others, the pleasant Scituation of others, &c. But since my return, said he, I have been in your Country of Nottinghamshire, and spent some time in the curious observation thereof; and do seriously pro­fess, that for Delicacy of Scituation, and for all kinde of Conveniences respecting the life of Man, I never saw the like; and where, if the concernments of my Estate and Friends would admit, I could desire to live and die in, above any Country that ever I yet saw in the European world.

A Country, in respect of the Sandy and Foreftical part, affording such variety of pleasures; of so dry, pleasant, and healthful an Ayr, in respect of the other cal­led the clay, and its contiguity to the rich Vale Belvoir, all sorts of grain and corn, in respect of that famous Ri­ver Trent, abounding with variety of Fish and Fowl, and the fertile Pastures upon her banks, with all sorts of fatted Cattel; a Country where the rates of all things carry that moderation, as not so low to be contemned, nor so high as to be refused; A Country, not only re­plenished with wood for the Chamber, but that light and lasting culinary fire, the pit-coal; watred with the [Page 22]streams of Trent, and other Rivers; blessed with sweet­ness of Ayr, and richness of earth; as if all the Elements did conspire to make her people happy.

In the Southwest whereof, sits the fair Town of Nottingham, delicately (like a Lady upon the Rocks) in collem sub montibus, the best of all scituations, saith the Naturalist, her chair being flanked with the Hils, East, West, and North, to keep off those churlish winds that might give her a cold in her Neck; her beautiful Face only displaid to the warm Southerly Sun, where she beholds from on high the flowery Meadows, and the Trental streams, with no small delight; a Town scituate so near the River, that she may have the conveniencies of Prospect, Fish, and Navigation; and yet at such a di­stance, as that she is exempted from the crude, raw, and Aguish vapours thereof; the only inconveniences at­tending such sweet Streams; over against whom, after that silver streamed River Trent, hath with marvellous celerity posted out of Staffordshire, begins here to halt, and demur upon her motion, and by various Meanders and twining circuitions, making one mile three, as if she did greatly delight her self in the views and counter­views of that beautiful Country, and the Metropolis thereof: And thus we take our leave of that fair Coun­try, and Town of Nottingham, which Drayton calls The Norths Imperial Eye, and which indeed (considering her lofty Elevation, from whence she looks into all her Neighbouring Countries) may rather be compared un­to Wisdom in Prov. 3. stretching forth her hands unto them, and saying, Come unto me all ye simple ones, and ye that lack understanding; for at my right hand is length of days, and upon my left hand, riches and honour.

[Page 23]It was a witty and a close answer that was somtimes given by an accomplish'd Prelate of this Land to a fool­ish King thereof; who upbraiding his height in Church and State, with the meaness of his descent, to wit, that his Father was a Taylor; made this reply, That if his Majesty had exceeded his Father, as much as he had done his, he had bin the bravest Prince in Christendom. The Solution is this, That if our Countrymen did ex­ceed other Countrymen in their works of Piety and Charity, as far as our Country exceeds other Countries, you would be the bravest men this day upon the Brit­tish earth: But alas! it is a sad, an ancient observation of Divines, That those Countries into whose bosom God hath poured the greatest of these blessings, have been most unmindful of him.

Some think that God would have Abraham from Ur of the Caldees, as if the delicacy, pleasures, temptations of that place, were inconsistent with that height of Pie­ty that God would have the Fathers of the Faithful trained up unto; and certain I am, that Aàmah, Zeboim, &c. and those other famous infamous God-forgetting Cities, were upon a Plain, which was like unto the Pa­radice of God: I would not here be mis-interpreted, as if I came to upbraid our Countrymen; it is an ill Bird that defiles her own Nest; but out of love, in ma­jorem cantelam: for these things that are written, were written for an example to you in that delicate Country, that you might take heed: Though truly Sirs, let me be so far bold to tell you, It is a wonderment to some, to hear what other Countries have done at these their meetings, and nothing is extant from ours; neither is it to be doubted, but that there is as great a materia of [Page 24]goodness in you, as in any other of your Neighbors: Is there not some honourable person or persons of our Country, the fame of whose Learning, Piety, and Cha­ritable Actions of all kinds, is gone out through the Land? And for ought I know, the rest of you in your inferiour Orbs are like minded; for generous Ayrs breed generous Dispositions; but as Phisitians say, That though blood be the life of the Body, yet the strongest Constitutions do the soonest perish by the re­dundancy thereof: So Gentlemen, if these Meetings be longer continued, and nothing done, the fears are, lest that your Charity should die of a Plurisie, I mean, for want of evacuation.

If it shall here be demanded, What is that good de­sired? I dare not be so sawcy as to prescribe to your Wisdoms; prest I am much to speak, and yet afraid to speak: four and twenty miles have I come to serve you. this slabby weather; if I should now offend you, how sad would my return be home again? Extremo actu de­ficere turpissimum est: I shall only add one instance, and leave you to spell out the rest: Are there not some of you of our Countrymen Citizens here? I know there are, to whom God hath given great Estates, and little or no Issue; that may as truly say (if they would speak their Consciences) of the River Trent, as ever Jacob did of Jordan: Cen. 32.10. Over this Brook came I with this Staff, and behold the Lord hath made me two Bands. And Jacob arose, and built there an Altar unto the Lord. I have done, the Lord give a blessing.