AMong the bookes of Canonicall Scrip­ture, there is but one stiled the booke of the Preacher: not as if our doctrine should all be confin'd to Ecclesiastes, Proloq. in Ec­clesiast. but as Gregory Nyssen, [...] &c. because it is a choice Tract of Ecclesiasticall policy, and no Text more fit for the Preachers study, or the Peoples practice, then the vanity of the creature, & the immortali­ty of the creatour. For since the soule of man is restlesse, & unquiet out of its center, and the whole world is but a wide circumference. since like the needle in the com­passe, she hath a naturall trembling to the fruition of happinesse, and this temporall, as Basil truly, Basil. in Psal. 61. [...] [Page 2]steales along by it, as an impetuous streame rowles by the bankes, (and who can aime steedily at a moving marke?) The Prophet here is a true Ecelesiastes, if he draw you a right line to the immoveable center, and di­rect the quaking soule to its true pole, God himselfe. For having coasted the whole world in his thoughts for a resting place, with Noahs Dove, he returnes again into the Arke with this Olive branch in his mouth, Non est Mortale, quod opto. He findes no sanctuary, but in heaven, no safe repose, but in the Almighty: Whom have I in Heaven, but thee, O Lord? and there is none upon Earth, that I desire besides thee.

In this verse King David seemes to be placed, as Au­gustus once fancyed himselfe, inter suspiria & lachrimas, betweene sighes, and teares: yet he looks cheerefully up to Heaven, fetching comfort thence in the full as­surance of the divine favour. And because 'tis musicall, I shall once more crave leave to follow the allegory, please you to observe

The Disposition of the parts And Opposition of the notes, in both.

First, The Disposition of the parts, and those are Acu­tum, and grave, High, and Low.

High, in a passionate expostulation. Whom have I in Heaven, but thee, O Lord?

Low, in a deliberate resolution. There is none upon Earth, that I desire besides thee.

I. In the expostulation you have 3 notes.

• 1. Quem in coelis. Whom in Heaven, whilest others lay up their treasures on earth, in [Page 3]heaven my exchecquer, in heaven my treasu­ry.
• 2. Quem praeter te? Whom have I there, but thee, O Lord? God alone is a Christians portion: he is truely possessed of nothing, but the Deity.
• 3. Quis mihi, according to the hebrew,
  [...]
  who is for me? who pleades my cause in heaven? not any Saint, or Angell, but thou O Lord, thou art my redeemer, thou my advocate: which makes the question past all question, I have none in heaven, but thee, O Lord.

II. The resolution. There is none that I desire on Earth besides thee. Et tecum non. [...] The negation is Personall, no man for his favour, Reall, no crea­ture for its excellency, that I desire with thee: the treasures of the earth are but guilded pover­ty: the favour of a Prince, but a gratious snare without thee: give me thy blessed selfe, and what can this earth adde to my happinesse? that I may in the next live for ever with thee, Lord, let me never live in the present world without thee; For, non est in terris, there is nothing on earth, that I desire, but thee.

Secondly. The Opposition or distinction of the notes in both parts. For as Synesius in his panegyricall ora­tion, [...] in their discord is a most sweet harmony. The opposition appeares

• 1. In the order of the places. In King Davids thoughts, Heaven takes praecedency of the earth; Whom have I in Heaven? that's his first [Page 4]care: then, desire on earth, followes after. 'Tis honour enough, for this vile earth to wait up­on Heaven.
• 2. In the sense of the Verbes, Habeo, and Desideravi; Habeo in Coelis, Have in heaven, Desideravi in terris; only desire on earth. Here we tyre our selves with a restles coveteousnesse, wandring through the whole creation, but finding no satisfaction: yet what we crave on earth, we are sure to have in heaven: there our desires shall be satisfied with fruition, and though some vessells may conteine more then other, yet every one shall be full, no vacuity, no want in any.
• 3. In the diversity of the praepositions. The hebrew [...] and Calvins Praeter. Nothing with, no­thing besides thee, that I desire: this is the true Ela, the highest streine in the Song.

Canticordium, a song for no other instrument, but the heart: that's the Psaltery King David sings to: and as Basill observes of the materiall, Basill in Psal. 1. [...] that they use to play upon it above, not below, as in the Harpe and Violl: so in this spirituall Psaltery, the Heart, we shall strike the upper strings, the understand­ing, will, and affections, [...] that so our soules may ascend, and in every note of the song, seeme to rise a degree nearer heaven. That's the first, which presents it selfe to your attention, Quem in caelis, Whom have I in heaven; whilst others lay up their treasures on earth, In heaven my exchequer, in heaven my treasury.

Christianity is but a kind of religious Astronomy, 1. Quem in Cales. the contemplation and study of heaven. No Geometry, or measuring the earth in a Christians Mathematicks, unlesse it be, that his soule may the more easily take footing into heaven. When the Rabbins take Shamajim, the word for heaven in peices, they find it composed of esch and maijm, fire and water, not a jot of earth in it: The very creation of the Heavens instructing our thoughts should be advanced above the earth: Menass. Ben Isr. 9.30. in gen. that hath the lowest place in nature, made, but to be trampled on.

Some Principles there be, that lay a foundation to e­very Science: Let your conversation be in heaven, is the cheifest in Christianity. Philip. 3. v.20. As the Stars move in their se­verall orbes, and the planets in their cycles, and epicycles observe a kind of orderly wandring: so a Christians sphaere is above, in Heaven, there he performes all his regular mo­tions: [...], the originall word is, let your civill com­merce be in heaven. For are we not all Merchant adventu­rers for happinesse? Doth not every man desire to deale in that rich commodity? and where shall we find it, but in the new Hierusalem? The Artist hath made it a very long voyage, I. h. de sae. Bos. de Sphaera. who curiously calculating the distance from earth to heaven, findes it to be five hundred yeares journey, but the Christian hath a nearer way to it: he can step to heaven in a pious glaunce; finish this five hundred yeares journey in a meditation of but an houre long: venture almes and prayers, and have a returne in a day: nay whilst we are but furnishing the Ship for Heaven, our faith, and affections but on the Shoare, not yet launch't into the deepe, God many times prevents our desires and sends us in a rich prize of blessings. No such gaine, as by trading to heaven.

But not to move the note off its rule; when we say our Pater noster, (though it be almost out of use now a­dayes, our extemporary mouthes prizing more their whining non-sense, yet when we say it) we tune this note to our selves: Our father which art in heaven, and why not as well, which art on earth? but that he would confine our thoughts to that place, where all happi­nesse is confined. Earth? Why, it is the mother of cor­ruption; fit for nothing, but to make graves of: if you dote upon it, yea quite change our Liturgy, and com­mit your soules to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, but with no sure and certaine hope of a resurrection to eternall life. In the 6 Chapter of Isaiah, the Cherubims cover their feet with a paire of wings, Ne terram contingerent, Calvin. in 6. cap. Isai. lest they should once touch the earth, and contract any pollution from it. Quo ad­monentur, saies Calvin, to give us notice, that we shall never have any commerce with Angels, till we forsake our acquaintance with the world. 'Tis S. Ambrose upon those words of Mathew, Matt. 7.16. do men gather grapes of thornes? that the soule, and the grape do so correspond in their nature, that as the bunches next the earth corrupt, whilst those above ripen: so [...] as Nazianzens phrase is, the soule that creepes upon the ground doth rot, and putrifie, when that which springs upwards is immortall. Indeed our primitive soyle is the earth: the soule was first planted in a body of clay, as a diamond some times may be set in lead: yet as Pliny said of Roses, that they loose not their virtue by transplantation, Lib. 2. nat. hist. [...]. but in­crease it. Oderatiores, they are more odoriferous, and pleasant, so did we transplant our soules into heaven, [Page 7]they would be more sweet and fragrant, whilst now they stinke, and smell of the earth.

But let me not here play the Jesuite with you, per­swading you to abjure worldly happinesse, that our owne tribe might ingrosse it, (though some deale worse with us, whowould reforme the Church into a religious beggar, condemning us all to a laborious penury, onely to bring her revenues to their owne coffers) we equally detest a voluntary mendicant, and a golden Idolater. Wilfull po­verty is a Stoicall dulnesse, and the adoration of mam­mon a most stupid Idolatry. Mundū mundè, use we may, but not adore the creature, command the world, as a servant, not serve it as a Commander. We may looke upon this faire picture as the worke of God, not worship it for a God; like the foolish Egyptians that were so ena­moured with the picture of Bucephalus, that they e­steemed it a Deity.

Yet how many Shrines and Altars are erected in mens hearts to this great Idoll, the world? Most men scarce acknowledge any other God, but this golden Calfe, to which they performe their servile devotions. Herodot, lib. 5. Terpsie. [...]. As Hero­dotus said of Onefilus his head, that it was empty of braine, filled only with hony combes, so our hearts are void of the thoughts of Heaven, replenished only with the va­nities of the world. Should I mispend time, to repre­sent unto you the actions of men, I should find them so opposite to heaven, Plutarch. as if they had consulted with Brutus his Oracle, which required him Osculari terram, even to kisse and embrace the earth.

But Heaven is a fairer object for our meditations. Did we but cast up an eye to our future hopes, how mean­ly [Page 8]should we esteeme our present fortunes. All our happinesse here stands on a rowling stone, but if we fixe it in Heaven 'tis everlasting, and permanent. Plutarch. Em­pedocles being asked C [...]r viveret, why he desired to live in this miserable world? replyed, ut coelum aspicerem, only to contemplate Heaven.

When I behold but the Pavement of Heaven stuck with Stars, as so many sparkeling Diamonds, how de­spicableis the statelyest palace of the greatest Monarch: & if the very pavement be so glorious, what shall we thinke of those better parts yet unseene? Bernard. Magnum & mirabile sub tanta majestace. When I consider the eter­nall joyes of that place, how heartlesse, and dying are the best of earthly pleasures! Tis a very Turkish heaven, that is composed of nothing, but your temporall de­lights: Aug. a Christians is above, made of pure, everlasting blisse. But Saint Hierom's Ghost strikes me dumbe in this point, who departing in Bethlehem, hasted to Hippo, where Augustine was Bishop, and then studying the joyes of heaven, and interrupted his meditations with this question, Quid quaeris brevi immittere vasculo totum mare? Why doest thou endeavour to contract the Oce­an in a thimble? or to draw eternity within the narrow limits of time? The fading honour of this world! 'Tis but a popular breath, the butt of envy, or what is worse, too often the stage of treason, and revenge: in heaven, 'tis in triumph, above the reach of malice, or oblivion. The Dying life we live here! 'tis a lampe that must out, a shadow that will vanish, a grasse that shall wither: in heaven, 'tis lengthened into eternity, beyond the threats of mortality or corruption. The sinfull company we enjoy in this life! 'Tis a mixture of virtue and vice, [Page 9]gold, and drosse, wheat and tares, in heaven, the society of Saints and Angells: yea the beatificall vision of God himselfe. O King of glory, 'tis the revelation of thy roy­all presence, that makes heaven to be it selfe! as we use to say, Ubi imperator, ibi Roma: Where the King is, there is London: his presence creates a metropolis of any place: which leades your attentions from Quem in coelis? to Quem praeter te? The second note in the song. Whom have I in heaven, but thee O Lord? thou my portion, thou my riches.

Divitiae parentes sunt absurditatis, sayes a Father, 2 Quem pra­ter te. worldly happinesse is the parent of absurdity: for what more incongruous, then to forsake the glory of the creatour, for the vanity of the creature? This were [...] in Synesius opinion, In epist. ad Py­lens. Plin. l. 12. nat. hist. to exchange gold for brasse, or with those people in Pliny, tributum pro umbra, to pay tribute for a shadow. Alas, we creatures need not one another, so long long as we are possessed of thee, O Lord. Ambros. Cui portio Deus est, totius possessor est na­turae; He is Lord of the whole universe, that is but possessed of God himselfe. And how unsatiable art thou, O man, whom God cannot satisfye? What doth thy religious avarice determine thy desires to? name it what thou wilt: thinke what thou canst; nay, thinke once a miracle, what thou canst not thinke; yet this shalt thou finde in the al-sufficient God. Arist. in Mor­ral. [...], saies Aristotle by the light of na­ture, the Deity is in all things, and all things in it. 'Twas Saint Cyprians wonder, Deum solis nobis, that God e­steemes us enough for him, nobis non sufficere Deum; and yet we thinke not God a sufficient boone for us. Quid a­varius co, cui Deus non sufficit, cui insunt omnia? What [Page 10]so coveteous as he, that is not satisfyed with God, who is a monopoly of all things? 'Tis the ambition of every man's coverteousnesse, to reach after the greatest, and most lasting fortune he can; but can your desires compasse a larger inheritance then Immensity? can your Lawyer draw you a firmer conveyance, or give you a surer tenure then Immutability? can you take a lease for a longer tearme of yeares then Aeternity? Let Saint Au­gustine speake, Quantum libet sis avarus, sufficit tibi Deus, be as coveteous as thou can'st, yet God is enough for thee. He is an immense, immutable, aeternall inheritance. Avaritia terram quaerit, adde & coelum, Avarice carries thy desires uppon the earth, but to make thy fortune compleat, adde heaven to thy desire. Nay, wouldst thou have this world, and the next too? Plus, est qui fecit coelum, et terram; He that made heaven and earth is more then both. Who so rich as he, whose maker is his Wealth? Who so fortunate, as he that enjoyes him, who enjoyes all things? Aug. manuale c. 34. Qui hoc bono fruitur, quid illi erit, im ò quid non erit? he that possesseth this good, what will it be, nay, what will it not be unto him?

I have here discovered a Mine: opened a Treasure to you: (and certainely in these times of publique necessity, it cannot be an unwelcome message: Ambros. Ser. 8. in Psal. 118.) In te Deo est ampla possessio. In God alone is the most ample possession: as the greatest abundance without him is extreame pover­ty, so the most extreame poverty with him is the great­est abundance. Omnis mihi copia, quae Deus meus non est, egestas est, sayes Bernard: all my wealth, which is not my God, is downe right penury, Dominus pars haereditatis, the Lord is the part of my inheritance. David esteemes [Page 11]not that an inheritance, whereof God is not a part. Ps. 16. v.5. Menath, [...] the Principall part, Heaven it selfe being but a poore fortune without him. The Romans were wont to say, 'twas good looking in a Map, ubi nihil alienum videmus, if all they beheld in it were their owne: I have here drawne you to a Map, wherein, were there as many Worlds as Epicurus dream't of, All's yours, if you make but God your owne. O let us advance our thoughts from the creature to the creatour, the mine is in heaven, 1 Sam. 1.1. the treasure above: every Christian should be an Elcanah, that is, by interpretation, a possessour of God: else he is no Christian, but an Atheist.

My coveteous heart! why doest thou vex thy selfe with restlesse thoughts for this world? let them looke af­ter earth, that have no right to heaven. God is a Chri­stians patrimony, and what penury of gold, when thou hast the mine? What want of water at the spring head? can he complaine the lacke of any thing, that is possessed of the Lord of all things? a bottomlesse coveteousnesse, which the Author of all things cannot content!.

My ambitious spirit! why doest thou breath after greatnesse and honour? If God be not in thy preferments, thou art advanced, but upon a pinnacle, which gives an advantage to thy more ruinous downefall. All true ho­nour is derived from heaven, there are Joh. 14.2. many mansions; places of honour. A 1. Pet. 5.4. Crowne of glory, the ornament of Revela. 7.11. Saints and Angels, attendants of honour. Mat. 24.35. Rom. 2. Bene speremus de eo, in quo ali­quid Des cer­nimus. Calvin A King­dome, the support of honour. A Luciferian ambition, that is not satisfyed with the glory, honour and immorta­lity above, But once more: My despairing anxious soule, why art thou cast downe, why disquieted within me? [Page 12]Let not thy hope sinke, so long as thou seest the least ray of the Deity. Though thou beholdest our King disho­noured, our religion martyr'd, our fortunes ruined, and whatsoever is deare unto us in this world threatned with destruction: Nunquid tibi Deum? sayes Angustine, yet they cannot rob us of our God, keepe we our interest in him, & we have yet a Treasure inexhaustible, an Ar­my invincible, a Castle impregnable: a Treasure, an Army, a Castle, All in our God. what would you have? if Peace againe, he is Deus pacis. If more power, he is Dominus exercituum. Psal. 144. v.10. If Victory, It is he that giveth victo­ry to Kings, and delivers David his servant from the perill of the sword, Peace, Power, Victory, All from our God. Aske no more, who will shew us any good? Psal. 4.6. but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. For he alone can be all these to us, who now begs all these for us: our partrimony, on earth, our patron in heaven; which brings mee from Quem praeter te? to Quis mihi? who pleads for mee? not any Saint or Angell; but thou O Lord: thou art my redeemer; thou my advocate.

Whom but thee. 3. Quis mihi. why? Is the new Hierusalem become desolate? what use of many mansions, if no inhabitants there? Or if inhabited, why but thee, O Lord? Can God be solitary among so many regiments of Cherubims and Seraphims? or hath David never a friend in that Army of Martyrs, to usher his prayers to the Allmighties care? were the Court of heaven like a Kings on earth, Exam. decret. concil. Tridenti­ni part. 3. loc. de Invoc. Sanct. 13. many might conclude, as the man in Chemnitius hearing a Bishop on this subject, Tunc simplicitér actum & conclamatum nobis­cum: or at least despaire of a gratious answer, that have no friende at Court. But the Almighties care is not confi­ned [Page 13]to a privy chamber: he that would speake with God needs not bribe any Saint or Angell to be his Sollicitour, a creature so base, and servile on earth, that the heavens scorne the use of him: the finitude of the Kings presence requires an officer of state, to state our requests to His Majesty, but the ubiquity of God needs not the flattery of a creatures mediation. His eare is omnipresent, as his essence. Itur ad reges per tribunos, a tribune, or Lord must open the doore for a petition to the King: Ambros. in Rom. 6.1. ad Deum suffragatore non opus est, sed mente devotâ, To speake with God, we need no other Key, but a devout heart: this unlocks the heavens, and presents the suite to the Kings owne hands.

Indeed mediation supposes a quarrell. (for 'tis scarce sense to say, I will reconcile friends:) had God and man never fallen our, there had beene no use of a Mediator, but now we all bend our knees to an offended justice, and might despaire of mercy for ever, unlesse as Themisto­cles once to the King of Molossy, we present our requests under the protection of the Kings onely sonne: Plut. Mor. [...], the most prevalent kind of supplication. If Manoah offer sacrifice, Exod. 25. v.16. Gen. 27. v.27: Judg. 13.20. this Angell must open heaven for it. If Moses ascend to God, he must be covered with this cloud. If Jacob would obtaine the blessing, He must enter in the garments of this elder brother. Eph. 3. v.12: [...], by him alone our persons have admission into the royall presence of the Allmighty.

But, Quis praeter te? is no antheme for the Popes quire, who allowes as many mediatours, as he hath Canonized Saints. Though he fill his Calendar from Tyburne, Masters of requests he will have for all necessities. Saint [Page 14] Geogre for the field, and (to open the roule no farther) Saint Gregory for the Schooles. Yea as great a turne of State, or if you will. reformation you have in heaven, as we now feare on earth: Christ is put out of his office, and Saint Francis stept into the mediatour-ship; the Church of Rome being therein as bold with the King of heaven, Anselm l'de ex­cellentia Virg. Bonavint, in Spec. c. 8. Men­doz. in 1. lib. Reg. c. 4. n. 11. An. 12. Sect. 1. as some are with our King on earth: not onely to counterfeit the Great Seale in the Sacraments, but to deny him the choice of his owne officers. Nay, they have given away halfe the Kingdome, that of Mercy to the Virgin Mary (so free are they of the divine prerogative:) allow­ing God himselfe but the dreadfull tribunall of Justice, of purpose to draw all suiters to her Court.

Ambr. in 1. cap. ad Rom. Aug. l. 8. de civile Dei prolixe. A Platonicke superstition, that hath too many gray haires upon it, to survive to this age of the Gospell! for either the Jesuite doth Platonize, or Plato did Jesuitize, when he first sent abroad his Deos intermedios. A sacri­legious religion, to rob the very Deity, they worship, of his honor! An impious piety, ot degrade our high Preist of that honourable title, he hath purchased with his bloud! How doe they defloure the memory of the bles­sed Virgin, whilest they force her loyall Spirit into the Throne of God, there to dispense those Acts of grace, which are in the sole power of the King of Kings? 'twere too ridiculous to heare Francisco del campo at his thanks­giving, that he swam over a river with his armes, a Scul­ler that never before tryed the waters, yet made very nimble, and kept to the true stroke by the helpe of our Lady: When (though necessity hath wrought greater mira­cles,) a spaniell shall doe more without imploring the Virgins ay de. A Pure Virgin she is still, for any violence [Page 15]the Church of England ever offered her, which hath al­wayes given her Due honour, but not Adoration. 1. Tim. 2. 5 [...] Habemus legem, We have a Salicke law in Scripture, that will not allow of any Queene Regent in heaven. Christ called her Woman who was his mother, that we might not esteeme her a Goddesse, who was but a Woman She may desire our salvation, but cannot bestow it. Wish us well in heaven, yet not know, much lesse releive our wants on earth. Ig­norance of our misery is some part of the Saints happi­nesse, As Saint Hierome reads the Epitaph on Nepotians tombe, Foelix Nepotianus, qui nec videt, nec audit haec om­nia, happy Nepotian, who neither seeth, nor heareth the sinfull affaires of this world.

But their own Schoolemen have fancied the Deity, Abulensir. Durandus. Cajetan. All transparent: and as the bright Opall presents to the eye the various colours of all precious stones; so the Saints have a cleare sight of all affaires in the world, if they cast but a looke on the divine essence. Indeed the whole world is resplendent in the Deity, yet by no meanes do we make it a looking-glasse for the Saints curiosity. For either their vision is unlimited, and penetrating unto all things, or else restrained to Gods pleasure, as he shall o­pen or shut the vaile to them.

If unlimited, then the knowledge of a Saint must be as infinite as the divine: not a mystery of State, not a re­cord written in that great diary of the world, the Mind of God, from the beginning, but must be published to the creatures view. All there must be of Gods Cabinet coun­sell, and nothing kept secret in that Kingdome: Things past, present, and future: the very thoughts of our hearts, the knowledge wherof hath ever yet been [Page 16] Gods peculiar: Yea that Arcanum Dei, the day of indge­ment, which our Saviour protests, no man knowes, not the Angells in heaven, no, not the Sonne of man, Every Saint would behold in this Chrystall.

If their knowledge be confined to his will, as he shall please to draw the curteine aside, more or lesse to them, since the Scripture assures mee not, that God hath, or will discover my necessities, how absurdly must I fall upon my knees, to beseech God to reveale that to my Saint, which I first prayed my Saint to reveale to God? This were to mediate for my Mediatour, as Saint Augustine once scoffed at Aplló, Lib [...] decir. Dei. Interpres Deorum eget interprete, the interpreter of the Gods must speake by an interpre­ter himselfe.

May we not then be so unwise, as to goe from the li­ving fountaine, to the broken cisternes for the water of life; from the bright sunne to the languid beames for the light of knowledge; from our powerfull King to the impotent Sub­jects for the Crowne of glory? We acknowledge no Me­diatour, but our Redeemer. He is not worthy the name of an Intercessour, that hath not his garments dyed in bloud.

Christ alone is the Center, where God and man must, if ever, meere friends; and why should we range about the circumference? Chemnit exam. concil. T [...]id. de invoc. Sanctor. Sarcerius relates how that George Duke of Saxony, lying upon his death-bed, and the Monks striving who should commend the most pro­pitious Saint to his devotion, one of his Nobles told him, In publicis negotiis, In matters of State, your highnesse al­wayes used this Proverbe, Rect a sine ambagibus progredi, Viam esse maximé compendiariam: to proceed without [Page 17]deviations was the most compendious method; And in a businesse of so high concernement as your eternall fe­licity, will you fetch a compasse to it, and not rather goe directly to Christ, in whose power are the keyes of life, and death? can you thinke, that he, who breathed out his soule on the crosse for us, will spare any breath to plead our cause in heaven? that he who poured out his precious heart bloud for our redemption, will not also poure out hearty prayers for salvation? Never doubt of your cause, so long as you have such an Advocate, a Iesus in heaven. With what boldnes may we addresse our selves to the throne of grace, when he that is sued unto, is easy to be intreated, Pater, non Judex, a Father, not a Judge? he that petitions for us, is gracious to prevaile, Filius, non peregrinus, an onely Sonne, not a Stranger? Et quando pater a filio, Deus aver­tetur a Christo, & how can a father deny his sonne, Prosper. God his Christ, when he shall supplicate with strong cryes and teares? Heb. 5, 7. When all the Saints in heaven shall sit with cheerefull, and dry eyes, and he alone shew the frailty of a man to move compassion for us: Nay, when he shall come before him, Heb. 12. v.24. with that Rhetoricall bloud of sprinkling, that speakes better things then the bloud of A­bell: when the wounds he received on earth shall becōe oratours for us in heaven, Quot vulnera, tot ora, each wound being a mouth to beg mercy for us. Saint Ambrose can hold no longer, but cryes out O Domine Jesu, Amb l. de inter­pell. 4. c. 12. tu por­tio mea, &c. O Lord Jesus, thou art my portion, a boun­ding to mee in all things, whom because I have in hea­ven, I desire nothing else on earth. which brings mee from the Expostulation to the pious Resolution, the se­cond part of the song, There is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.

Lo chaphasti, [...] None that I desire, love, trust, or delight in. All in tha word, and because Vnisons all, I shall tune them together.

The procession of the creatures from the Creatour is like a ray shot from the body of the Sun, 3. The Resolu­tion. which is weakned, and spent by extension, and hath no way to recover it strength or vigour, but by reflexion on the point, that first sent it forth, even God himselfe. In Plato our desires are styled, Vela animi, the sayles of the minde, because in this life, the soule is tossed in an unconstant motion; she hath no security, till she hoist sayle for heaven, no haven of peace, but in the Deity. 'Tis a Rab­binicall observation, that all the letters in Gods name Ichovah are quiescent, preaching unto us, that Quies animae, Drus. q. heb. the soules rest is in God alone. For in God there is such a confluence of goodnesse, such a quintessence of per­fection, that the soule of man cannot desire, with what it may not be satisfied, from the bountie of his fulnesse. As Origen said of the Israelites Manna that it answered every mans tast, even the most curious courtlike palate: so there are such infinite delicacies in the deitie, that there cannot rise án appetite in the longing soule, that may not be satiated with his plenty. Philosophie rankes our desires into those of the Vnderstanding, after truth: of the Will, after virtue: and of the Affections, after felicitie. Now, to all these God is a full satisfaction: to the intel­lectuall, with his infinite wisdome: to the voluntarie, with his transcendent goodnesse: to the affective, with his eter­nall glory and if the senses can desire, Origen saith, he is sin­gul Can [...]. [...].30. singulis, a most pleasing object to every sense. Beauty for the eye, musick for the eare, Joh. 6.48.53. bread for life for the tast, Cant 1. v.2. a perfume to delight the smell, and Joh. 20.24. Hom 1. in cant. flesh for the [Page 19]incredulous touch: but why doe we looke on these ob­jects at the wrong end of the glasse? what we call beau­ty is indeed deity, musick felicitie, life eternitie, sweetnesse perfection, perfection essence, essence! what shall I say? Honours, riches, peace? I am too short yet, All things. how should this enflame our love to God, who like another Proteus (as I may say) converts himselfe into all formes and natures to please the covetous heart of man.

He that seeks contentment in any created good, layes a foundation in the moving ayre: for when the figure of the great Empires were represented to Zachary in a vision, Zechar. 6. V.5. the Angel told him, isti sunt quatuor venti, those are but the 4 windes, Winde all, and 'tis strange, me thinks, men should repose themselves on the wings of the winde. Sure, had God intended we should have rested our desires on this world, he would have provided a better foundation for it, but Mundum fundavit super nibil, saies Iob, [...] Super non quid, cap. 26. v. 7. hee hath founded the world upon nothing, A very tottering foun­dation, ut universus mundus fundaretur super seipsum, that the whole world might settle, & repose it selfe on God alone. Riches themselves, the worlds great Diana, are sti­led, but the goods of Fortune; the hypocrisie of their nature being signified by the false deitie that protects them, or if you will accept of the ordinary glosse, it is by meere fortune, a great chance that riches are good for any thing. Were there any substance in them, sure the greatest fortune would not be attended with least content: but, (the vanitie of their nature!) To the largest possessi­ons, as to an imperfect tract, we must alwayes write De­siderantur nonulla. Charles the fifth had for his Motto, Ulterius: we must borrow the word of him for when we have searched over all the treasures, and delights of the [Page 20]world for contentment, we must conclude with an Vl­terius, something further is to be sought for yet: there is no non ultrà to our desires, Aug. med. but the all sufficient God.

Wherefore in this point let Saint Augustine be your Orator, Quaere unum honum in quo sunt omnia bona, & suf­ficit. Seeke but that one good, in which is all good, and it is enough. Why should we trouble our selves to col­lect the rayes, when we may enjoy the Sun? to catch a drop of water, when the Ocean's ours? to seeke for the dust, and fragments, when we may have the whole Dia­mond? never let S ^t Salvians complaint be reversed upon us, L. 5. de guber. Des. omnia amamus, omnia colimus, solus Deus in comparatione omnium vilis habetur. We love all things, we honour all things, only God in comparison of all is esteemed vile by us: If beauty be the loadstone of love in a creature, shal not he draw our love after him, De amore Dei c. 3. whose very Being is the perfection of all beauty? 'Twas S ^t Bernards resolution, & it is worthy the breast of every Christian, Animam me­am odio haberem, si alibi, quàm in Domino, &c. I should abhorre my owne soule, 2. Gen. the di­stinction of the notes. did I find it delight in any thing but the God of Heaven. And so I passe to the second ge­nerall, the distinction of the notes in both parts, and therein, First, the order of the places, Heaven takes place of the Earth: 2. The order of the places. Hea­ven before the earth. Quem in coelis, before desideravi in terris.

It is with you in your conversation, as with us in our studies, An erroneous method frustrates the best endea­vours. Many had arrived to greatnesse, if their first care had beene goodnesse: but if they are crossed in what they would, 'tis because they would not what they ought. In Christianity we have no such figure as a [...] to place the first last. Primúm Quaerite, First seeke the King­dome of Heaven, and all things else will seeke you. Such [Page 21]is the Allmighties liberality, that if we desire but the best, he will cast us in, All things. [...] The morning word Boker is derived of Bicker a Verbe of Inquisition, because heaven should be our morning study, the sun should not rise so early in the firmament, as our thoughts towards Heaven. King David dedicated one Psalme to the mor­ning, [...] Al ajeleth hassachar, upon the morning starre is the inscription of the twenty second, the day no sooner salu­ted the world, but he tooke his leave of it: his devotion therein resembling the sunne, that creepes every mor­ning from under the earth, never ceasing his course, till he hath got up to the verticall point of heaven; O God my God early willst seeke thee, Psal. 63. v I. It is never too rath to seeke after happinesse. Ber. ser. 68. in Cant. Aceeler a quantum potes, etiam ipsas anticipa vigilias, invenies, non praevenies. Let thy wa­king devotion anticipate the very watches, find you may, not prèvent the vigilant God: we cannot seeke him so early, as he expects us.

You have here Vivendi methodus, the method of living well. The first step, you tread, must be for Heaven: the first line you draw, for Eternall life. We invert the very order of nature, if we prefix the earth in our thoughts. for the Almighties first worke was to set up this Great Vault, Heaven, over our heads, e're he created this Little ball, the Earth, for us to tread on: thereby instructing our piety, if we would build like Christians, to lay our foundation in heaven. Had we no other Catechisme, but this one sheet of starres above us, we might learne where to place our first thoughts: by their lustre, and sparkling, mee thinks, they seeme to invile us to that Kingdome, which they now adorne.

I need not acquaint this Assembly, how unblest the [Page 22]very Heathens esteemed their publique enterprizes, till they had consulted with their oracle. The Romans, as Tully observes, Cie, in l. de A­ruspice. counted it unlawfull to propose any matter to the Senate, prinsquam de coelo, till their wizards had drawne their observations from the sky. The safest policy indeed to take advise of heaven: 'Twas the ancient emblem of a states-man, manus ad gladium, oculus ad astra, A posture of defence, these times should put you all in, your hands on your swords, your eyes towards heaven. If you begin your consultations on your knees, you fetch a blessing and commission at once from the Almighties owne hand. Sure that worke cannot miscarry, that begins in religion.

Indeed the ambition and malice of some men have made religion put on many faces at this day, like those new invented pictures, that at a different station repre­sent diverse formes: in one place, Libertinisme, and Athe­isme, in another Anabaptisme, and Brownisme, scarce daring at all to shew her Protestant face: yet all these pre­tend to be religion, when by their bloudy effects, the murders, treasons, and rebellions, they do produce, a Pa­gan would never beleive, that ‘— Religio tantum potuit suadere malorum.’

How happily hath this Kingdome, Acts. 24.14. even in that way which is now called haeresie worshipped the God of our fathers: but now we may say of our Religion, as Saint Basil of the Aire in a time of dearth, Basil. hom. in Fam. & sicci­talem. that it was [...] growne the more impure, because it affects so much purity: the more wicked, because it would seeme so religious.

But so pernicious an Abuse of religion should encou­rage [Page 23]every Noble spirit to a more zealous patronage of it. Heaven, you see, layes clay me to your first thoughts, and at this time 'twere the highest sacriledge to bestow them on your private interests. What we intend is first, not what we pretend: but if we make it a pious glosse for our worldly designes, wee seeke not heaven, but our selves. God hath placed it in nature beyond all things, that we might place nothing beyond it in our affections. Make it we the prologue of our actions, and God will make it the Epi­logue of our lives: the end of this life is, life without end; here we have it only in expectation, but in heaven the full fruition. Which presents unto you the next particular, the Different sense of the Verbes, Habeo, and Desideravi. Have in heaven: only Desire on earth.

This life is a Christians minority. 2. The sense of theverbes. He is truely posses­sed of nothing himselfe, but is a ward to the Almighty: he never enters upon his Inheritance till he comes to heaven, there he hath livery, and seisin given him from the hand of God himselfe. Come ye blessed of my father, Mat. 25. v.34. Alex. in Strom. receive the Kingdome, &c. Clemens Alexandrinus calls him [...] one that lives in the confines of heaven, whilst he is in this world: he wants but the courteous hand of Death to put him into possession. Here, the law flatters us with firme conveihances, and perpesuities; but there is no freehold of any thing here below, our surest tenure is in Heaven. We contend for the Property of the Subject, when nothing on earth can be the Subject of true Property. For the Lawyer is mistaken, that saith the Clergy man onely is borne to no inheritance, when the no­blest birth brings forth but a great heire of nothing: For how can I truly call him possessour of that, which in it [Page 24]selfe hath not the truth of a possession? or if it hath, the longest here, is but the short lease of a mans life: when death comes, he cuts off the entayle of the fairest hopes: your Crownes and Soveraignes you must lay down at the pits brinke: your Lordships, and manours must be con­tracted within the narrow compasse of a Grave; thats all the Land, you can carry with you. As we reade of Abraham. All the Heritage he purchased for his poste­rity, was but the Cave of Machpelah, a burying place.

Never let the Dreame of any lasting possession here enter into your breasts. If you would be freeholders in­deed, you must lay up your treasure in heaven; there, an Inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away is re­served for us. 1. Pet. 1.v. 4. An inheritance so large, that foure pradica­ments can scarce hold it. For Substance Incorruptible, for Quality Undefiled, Immarciscible for Duration, and Coe­lestiall for Site: yet [...], 'Tis All reserved for us, in surer hands then Orphans estates here on earth, which are too often a prey to anothers avarice, this is safe in Gods owne keeping, till we shall lay downe our non age, and lives together. And what doe we meane to spend our precious soules on these perishing treasures? A Kingdome pre­pared for Us, and we not yet prepared for the Kingdome? doe you not heare the world call upon you, upbraiding, (as it were) your mistaken confidence in it. For what are all these Warres and Tumults, but the worlds out-cry to us? what are those Defects and Imperfections in the creature, but their Broken Language, whereby they doe beseech us to depart from them, and seeke after our Aeternall patri­mony in the Creator. For we love not God at all, if he hath not All our love. Neither Cum, nor Praeter must de­vide [Page 25]it: that's the particular, the Diversity of the Praepositions, Nothing with, nothing besides thee, that I desire.

The originall admits of no variety, 3. The Diver­sity of the prae­positions. [...] is but once in the verse: but the accent Revia, as Chimki observes, di­stinguishing both parts makes it tuneable in both. Yet behold the modesty of Scripture, which rather under­stands the same word, then suffers a Tautology: much un­like some audacious devotion, that hath many petitions in it, but not diverse:

Not to stay though at the grammar of the text.

To love the creature for the creature is Epicurisme.

To love the Creator for the creature is Mercenary.

To love the Creator with the creature is spitituall adul­tery: but to love the Creator for the creator is true chari­ty. Uno oculorum, said Christ of his Church, Thou hast wounded my heart with One of thine eyes. True love hath but a single eye, Cant. 4.9. or if more, the Naturalist sayes, there is such a motion of consent betweene them, that one will not suffer the other to be disloyall, but are both fixed up­on one object. Cypr. A lascivious glaunce upon the creature had made the Spouse Adulter a Christo. In the Schooles, Aquinas. Daven. in [...]. col. Principale obiectum, God is the principall object of hu­mane charity: the creatures deserve not our love, but in ordine ad illum, as we espy some darke lineaments of the Diety in them. Indeed we may use the creatures, as so many rounds in Iacobs ladder, whereby we climbe up to God himselfe, and therefore Richardus Victorinus, In­teger amator Dei, L. De gradibus charit. quocun (que), se vertit: a perfect lover of God cannot turne about his eye, but he sees every creature ready to catechize his love: in the meanest created object [Page 26]he calls to minde, that increated charity: so farre we love the creatures, that we may love the Creator the more. Fruimur Deo, utimur aliis: we doe but make use of them to enjoy God. Qui diligunt Deum propter aliud, Simoni­acè diligunt, sayes Gerson wittily, he that loves God for any thing but himselfe commits Simony in his love. Gerson. centilo­gio. dec. 4. 'Tis not the Clergy mans sinne onely, (though our Country Pa­trons force us too often to aske the price of our owne patri­mony.) but there is a Lay Simony too, when you love God no longer, then you can get by him, like those people that wor­shipped Nilus only so long as his rich inundations filled their barnes with corne.

'Twas Saint Austines argument to such men, (and may it prevaile with us.) Ser. 46. de tem­pore. Si dulcis est mundus, dulcior est Chri­stus, If there be such sweetnesse in the creature, which is but a drop, as to allure thy desires, shall not the tran­scendent delight in the Creator, who is the fountaine, com­mand thy affection?

Could I present the King in the Text with all the de­lights and treasures in the world: nay could I fetch you backe that Beloved peace, that is fled from us, Nibil dul­cescit, nisi hoc uno condiatur. We should finde no sweet­nesse in it, unlesse it were seasoned with the Deity: Had we kept our God with our former peace, we had not beene to seeke it now.

Were every souldier in our armies multiplyed into a thousand: Chrys. in Psal. 7. v. 3: every Garrison environed with a wall of brasse, and Castle of Diamond: Nay [...], were the whole world on the march for us against the enemy, it were an inconsiderable force, unlesse God himselfe lead up the Van [...]

And why should we neglect him any longer, with­out whom are conquered, even when we are conque­rours?" Whilest we thinke of recruiting our Armies, let us not forget to reruite our affiance in God. The Eclip­ses we have suffered, are but the Interpositions of our own carnall confidence: The losses we have undergone, are but the corrections of our mistrust. Take it from the mouth of a King, (though in a more desperate condition, then We, God be blessed, have ever yet seene: yet) Jehosaphat in as great a streight as ever Prince was, stood up and said, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Hierusalem, beleeve in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established: beleeve his Prophets, 2. Chron. 20. v. 20. so shall ye yet prosper.

O our God, though we know not what to doe, yet our eyes looke up unto thee. Let not this Kingdome we beseech thee, be made an Aceldama: We have beene thy Eden, O make us not now a desolate wildernesse: but be favour­able to Sion, build up the walls of Hierusalem. For whom have we in Heaven but thee, O Lord? and there is none upon earth that we desire but thee:

To whom be ascribed of Us Men on earth, and Angells above, All glory, ho­nour, power and thanksgiving world without end. Amen.